Chloe –Strange–
"Oh my… goddess," someone suddenly said and I looked up in surprise.
I wasn't the only one who wasn't prepared for that, all the others stopped laughing at once and looked together at the face of the voice's owner.
It was the second shape-shifter Seth.
He was staring at me as if he was horrified about something.
When he recognized the eyes of the others on him he looked down at his feet ashamed.
What a strange guy. First he stared at me as if I was some alien creature, then he and Edward said strange things about me. What wasn't a good idea? What didn't I know?
I lay my head to one side and looked at him sceptically. Strange creatures those shape-shifters. Well, that Jacob seemed to be quiet okay but that Seth-guy was strange through and through. What was wrong with him?
It was perfect silence for a moment. Then Jacob patted Seth's shoulder and laughed. "It's late. You ought to go to bed now, kid. You're already dreaming and talking nonsense."
Seth's head spun towards Jacob, his dark eyes wide with horror.
"No, I'm fine," he whispered, his voice was rough but also soft at the same time. I sounded unusual familiar to me.
"Your mother will be worried," Jacob insisted; his grin faded.
"She'll be fine," Seth whispered again.
"Do you want Leah yelling at me?" Jacob continued, his voice got harder, his grip on Seth's shoulder tightened.
"She won't," Seth countered, ignoring Jacob's hand.
Jacob's face darkened, the grin turned into a hard line, all humour disappeared. A low dangerous noise interrupted the silence, he was growling.
"It's been a long day, Seth," he hissed between his teeth. "We both should go home now and get some sleep."
"But-"
"Be a good kid and listen to Uncle Jacob," Jacob cut him off.
Seth swallowed. Then, slowly, he turned his head back to me. His dark eyes were sad and full of pain. They looked at me with an indescribable intense, pulling me to him, as if… as if he didn't want to leave because of… me.
My breath got faster and my body started to shake, wanting to stretch my arms to him, going to him and press my cold marble face to his hot burning chest.
My body was just about to get its will when the door suddenly opened and brought the cool fresh night air from outside into the room. I gained control over myself again.
"Renesmee is sleeping," Bella said when she entered. Then she recognized the tension in the room. "Is anything wrong?"
"No, no," Jacob said without looking away from Seth. "All's okay. Seth and I were just about to go home for a nap. Right, Seth?"
He didn't react.
"See you all then," Jacob said and pulled Seth with him to the front door.
I noticed how my eyes followed him like they were glued to his. When he crossed the door way and was out of my sight I felt suddenly so sad and lonely that I wanted to cry. It was so… so empty without him here.
I forced my eyes to turn away from the closed door and looked down at m shaking hands.
What the heck was wrong with me?
"Alice," Bella sighed and I looked up. Her eyes were on me – or better said – on my clothes.
"Why, Alice?" she asked, her expression annoyed.
"Don't worry. We've bought just the same in blue for you," Alice said with one of her wide smiles. "It's upstairs. Do you want to try it?"
"No, Alice, definitely not," Bella replied and raised one eyebrow. "You know that I'm not talking about that. I want to know why you do this to her, she hasn't done anything to you, did she?"
Alice blinked innocently.
"Look at her," Bella pointed at me. "The silk is way too thin, she's freezing."
I looked down at my hands which were still shaking. I couldn't feel cold, could I? I was a vampire after all; my body temperature was lower than the temperature in Antarctica. It was impossible that I could feel cold. But strangely, I really felt cold; ice cold. As if someone had shot down the sun and took all light and warmth away from me.
I gasped when a pale hand touched my shaking ones.
"Chloe, are you all right?" Bella asked.
"Y-yes, I'm fine," I assured her but it sounded more like a question and I could see in her face that my smile wasn't very convincing, either.
"Come with me, I'll help you," Bella said mildly and pulled me to my feet.
My legs were shaking like my hands, I could barely stand. She put her hands on my shoulders, protecting me from falling and pushed me softly to the stairs.
"I'll get her something," Alice offered and jumped up when we were on top of the stairs. She raced up the stairs and with a "Wait, I'll be right back" she vanished into her room.
I swallowed.
"Hurry, I'll rescue you," Bella whispered into my ear and pushed me into a room at the end of the floor.
The first thing I saw was the giant bed in the centre of the room. The frame was made of complicated figured black iron with black roses made of the same material, wounding in wines up to a bowery grating overhead. The comforter and pillows were all dull gold, just a few shades lighter than the walls and the carpet were.
Along the walls stood a black leather couch and an expensive looking stereo with a number of CDs that I've never seen before. The southern wall didn't really exist; it was one big window that showed the river I just crossed.
I felt my mouth drop open.
"It's a waste, isn't it?" Bella said after locking the door with a key, her hands lay on her hips. "Edward bought it for me when I was still human because he asked Alice to hold me hostage." – Her eyes narrowed a little bit by the memory – "And at that time we could never used it because of my security and now we still don't need it either because we have the cottage. Do you have any idea what I should do with it?"
It was clear that she didn't like that bed; even without my special gift I could see the bad "relationship" between them. I shrugged. "Burn it if you hate it that much."
She smiled. "Yeah, I've considered that but it was expensive I think, so it would be a waste again."
"Give it your daughter," I suggested.
"Her room's too small," Bella laughed. "She wouldn't have any space to breathe anymore if we forced it into her little room."
"Then, there's no way but burning it to ashes," I laughed.
"It seems so. Poor, stupid bed."
If someone else had seen us, he would probably think that we were insane. For about five minutes we were just standing there and laughed because of a bed. It was so silly. But it made me feel better again. When we finally stopped laughing my body had also stopped to shake.
"All right, let's find some normal clothes for you," Bella said and went to the other side of the bed. I followed her.
She kneed down and pulled a small dark-red suitcase from under the bed.
"Oh, well, one credit for the stupid bed. It's a good hiding place," she murmured and raised one eyebrow.
"But didn't Alice see you hide the suitcase there?" I asked curiously.
Bella chuckled. "I kicked it there by accident," she explained. "And downstairs I just planned to give you some clothes, not where I would get them. Alice just can see things if they're done on purpose and when she focuses on something special. Besides, she knows me well and wouldn't spy behind me because of the slightest reason. Except of Edward asking her and he doesn't care about what I wear. – Hmm… that might fit."
She laid a beige blouse and a pair of blue jeans on the bed so I could look at them.
"They're probably too long but they're better than that dress, I suppose," Bella sighed.
I nodded. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." She smiled warmly. "All right, I'll give you some privacy. Take your time." – She sighed and rolled her eyes – "I'll use the time and try to calm Alice down."
I chuckled. "Good luck. And thank you again."
"As I said, you're welcome, Chloe." She blinked and left the room.
I sighed in relief when I got out of the strange dress and slipped into the long sleeves of Bella's blouse. The clothes were about five sized too large for me so I had to roll up the sleeves and trouser legs several times. In Bella's "fist-aid-box" weren't any shoes so I had to keep on the white boots Alice gave me. When I had finished I looked into the window, watching my reflection in the glass.
Beautiful he had said. Goddess he had called me. – That Seth was really a strange guy.
But why did my body want to go to him? Why couldn't I turn away from those dark eyes? Why was that rough, soft voice so familiar to me? Was it because he reminded me on… him?
I shook my head fiercely.
No! Impossible! He was totally different. That Seth didn't look the slightest like him. Comparing the two of them with each other was like comparing day and night; white and black; vampire and werewolf.
The word hit me like a bolt. My breath became intermittent, my head started to spun. My legs gave in and I had to sit down on the bed for support, wrapping my arms around my body – holding me together.
"Sh-shape-shifters…" I whispered to myself, rocking forth and back. "They are shape-shifters, not w-werewolves… there aren't any werewolves here… calm down Chloe… there aren't any w-werewolves here… j-just shape-shifters… shape-shifters…"
"Chloe? Are you okay?"
My head shoot up and I saw Bella's reflection in the window, she was standing at the door. She rushed around the bed and but her hands on my shaking shoulders, her eyes filled with worries.
"I-I'm… f-fine," I stammered.
"Are you sure?" she asked, still worried.
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. "Yes," I whispered.
Her golden eyes were sceptical. "Really?"
"Yes, I'm fine." My body finally stopped shaking.
"Okay," she said slowly, it sounded like a question.
She was still worried, so I decided to change the subject. "Er… did you see a little waist-bag? It's beige and has two small brown pockets at the front."
She picked something from the bed and held it in front of me. "Alice gave it to me." Her golden eyes were still serious.
"Oh, thank you," I said, trying to make it sound as unconcerned as possible, and took it.
"You're welcome," she said again. Then she raised one eyebrow. "You're sure that you are all right?"
I nodded. "Yes, don't worry. I'm just a little bit exhausted by the long journey."
"Sure, sure," she said and gut up, her eyes still watching me seriously. "The others are going to hunt. Do you want to joint them?"
"Yes, that would be great," I said and tried to sound enthusiastically.
She nodded. "Certainly," she murmured and went to the door.
Before I followed her I put my bag around my waist and opened it. Relief washed over me like rain a burning tree when my fingers felt the cool glass of my rectangular mirror.
'All is fine now,' I reminded myself again when Bella and I left the room.
