Chapter 8 – Vampires are seriously overdramatic

Charlie ran inside the room pointing his gun and pushing me behind him swiftly. Once he realized there was no danger he slowly lowered it but didn't put it away.

"Oh my God"

he breathed and pulled me in his arms so I wouldn't see it and he called the station.

My room was a mess, drawers opened, clothes thrown everywhere in the room, my bed unmade, pillows torn open with feathers strewn around. on the only whole pillow Ruby was laid. She was shaved completely, words written with blood all over her and I wasn't sure if she was whole or not. Above my bed were the words

'Next time, it will be you'

written with blood.

"Ruby..."

I whispered making a move to go to her but Charlie pulled me out of the room. Voices were heard and people rushed in my room.

"Come on honey, let's get you dressed"

Dad moved us to his room, left me on his bed and blushing deeply returned with some freshly washed clothes from the laundry room.

"get dressed honey"

he stood guard outside the room as I got dressed quickly in a pair of softened thanks to the many washes they've seen jeans and a soft purple tank top. Charlie knocked on the door just as I was done brushing my hair and wrapping them in a towel.

"come on in"

"Here"

Dad handed me a big mug filled with tea and had the stinging taste of scotch. I almost spit out the one drop I had looking at him curiously.

"You need it"

he replied simply and sat cross legged on his double bed. I sat across from him sipping my tea.

"What happened Bella?"

"I don't know"

I shook my head trying to cleat the image of my dead puppy

"I got back from my jogging, I took a shower and when I came out, I saw the room and screamed. You ran in"

"Is there anyone that would have done that?"

Nora, the only female officer in our police department, asked me softly standing just inside the door. I shook my head again

"I don't think so"

what am I supposed to tell them? A guy that I think is a vampire, and was involved in an accident that killed my boyfriend was after me last night at an illegal race? Or that I have gotten myself in an ongoing argument with the Cullens over me being bitchy at them an Edward either ignoring me or glaring at me or being prissy? I have no desire to be locked up in a padded cell, believe me.

"I want you to go to your mother's for a few days. Enjoy the sun and let us catch the guy"

I opened my mouth to say 'no' but... the message on the wall. It was for me.

"No objections"

Charlie replied before I could say a word. I closed my mouth and nodded.

"Why don't I help you pack?"

Nora took a duffel bag from Charlie's room and headed to the laundry room to help me pack a few things. I turned to look at Charlie

"she seems awfully ay ease with your house dad. Something I should know?"

I asked over the rim of my coffee mug fluttering my eyelids. I was rewarded with him blushing. so that's where I take it from.

"Come on kiddo"

we went downstairs together and I grabbed my boots from where I left them in the closet and grabbed my bag from Nora.

"I'll call your mother to wait for you"

Charlie said as Nora went upstairs to finish processing my room with a couple more uniforms.

"No!"

I shouted.

"No?"

"You know mom. She's gonna hop on the first plane home, arrive hours before me, freak herself out and call me every five minutes to see if I'm okay and where I am!"

he chuckled.

"okay. You call her when you get there and I'll call you during the night. You don't stop for anything, not even for gas during the night, you hear me?"

"yes, yes, I hear you. Just don't be killed okay? Please?"

I blinked to stop the tears that were threatening to fall down my cheeks. Charlie hugged me tightly.

"I'll be okay kid. you do too"

he said in his usual stoic way. I nodded

"yes, sir"

Herbie was still in the garage so we went in together. charlie grabbed a few cans of fuel, put them in the trunk and I jumped in his arms as soon as his hands were empty.

"Love you daddy"

"Love you too princess"

we finished our usual goodbye ritual and I got in the car speeding away. Let's hope whoever killed my dog follows the pearly white little Bug.

I drove fast out of forks. I was wide awake for the first eight hours of the trip, stopping only once outside Bakersfield, to grab a coffee and fuel up Herbie from one of the bottles dad gave me. I managed to remain awake for one more hour but fell asleep letting Herbie drive himself until we reached phoenix eight hours later. I was woken up by someone tapping the window.

"Everything alright in here miss?"

I sat up rubbing my eyes and lowered the window

"Yeah, I guess I fell asleep"

I replied while realizing why we stopped. Poor Herb had ran out of gas. Handing tha traffic cop my silence and registration I got out of the car, stretched and fed Herbie one more bottle of petrol. Taking advantage of the broad daylight I drove by the house I grew up in.

The front door was closed but the few rose bushes mom had planted were destroyed. I was sure the gay couple next door would look after them since the garden was shared. I entered the house slowly and was scared to the core to see that the place was a mess. Not the organized mess mom would leave behind her as she and Phil rushed out the door. Suddenly I was quite glad I had "forgotten" to call mom from the road even though Charlie kept reminding me to do it every two hours like clockwork.

The answering machine had a red light beeping. Trembling I pressed it. Mom's voice rang out scared and panicked

"Bella! Bella! Baby"

A rough yet melodic voice interrupted her.

"That tiny thing took too long to get here. Meet me at the truck. If you want your mother to live. At noon"

the voice ordered, Mommy... This is crazy, some nut job decides to whack out my mother just because he lost a freaking race? Kind of over dramatic. Obeying to logic I grabbed my phone from my pocket running out of the house and called in the break-in. Then I called Charlie with the same thing before getting inside Herbie and heading to the abandoned highway in the desert.

This is crazy but he has mom...