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Chapter 8
With a deep breath, I hoped to keep my emotions positive. I had done so well with just being alone with Garrett.
I knew there were four vampires inside the house, along with Nessie and a thing that smelt like a wet dog. I gathered that the wet sopping dog smell was from Jake. I wasn't sure if I wanted to see anyone, happy to stay in a cocoon with just my new friend, blocking out the rest of the world.
The door opened as I stepped on the first step revealing Esme's grinning face.
"I was worried you wouldn't return," she said sheepishly as she opened the door wider, allowing us in.
"I'm done running from the past," I said with a smile. "I may not be normal for most vampires, but I've been running to save everyone around me for over a year. I'm not going to run again."
Esme simply brought me into a tight hug once more at my words. I could see the relief on her face as she pulled back. She looked at me from head to toe before stepping back and letting us in the house.
I had to wonder if they all really thought I would run at the first chance I got. If I was human yes of course, I would run knowing that I had no chance at this life, with them. But now, I couldn't leave Garrett, and I wouldn't want to run just because a few vampires from my past showed up. I was an equal for the most part now. It was refreshing almost.
That didn't mean I wanted to face them all. I had no idea how I would react, but I guess I would be finding out.
I knew I wouldn't react well if Alice or Edward popped up, but I hoped to have more control over my reactions by the time either one of them would come around.
"Hi!" Emmett said, waving at us as he sat on the couch playing on his iPad. "There's no TV here. So boring," he playfully whined out, winking at me and Garrett after rolling his eyes.
"Then go buy one," Carlisle said, entering the room and sitting down on the loveseat.
"Already planning on it," Emmett smiled.
"Can't you get your nose out of electronics for like five minutes?" Rose huffed as she leaned against the farthest wall. Her look towards Emmett was soft compared to her annoyed voice.
She looked just as perfect as everyone else. Her blond hair was styled in soft waves, and her clotheswinkle free.
"And do you have to be in here, mutt?" she asked towards Jake, who was sitting on the floor with Nessie leaning her back to his chest.
"Hey!" Nessie said. "He is not a mutt!"
"He is too," Rose said, refusing to look my way.
"Rose," Esme warned, shooting her a 'mother' look.
"What?" she asked, widening her eyes in mock fear.
"Enough," Carlisle sighed, but he looked happy to have most of his family back together. I had to wonder what the two parental figures had been through after they were forced to leave by their first son. I wasn't going to ask, even though it was a fleeting thought. "How long do you two plan to stay?"
"A while," Rose answered. "I'm bored of moving from one place to another."
"You never were that great at being a nomad," Emmett teased his mate. "Of course, that is if you have room here." He turned his attention to the 'parents' of the house.
"Of course we do," Esme said happily.
"So, you two are mates?" Emmett said our way, wagging his eye brows.
"Just friends," Garrett answered for me.
"So you haven't had sex yet?" he asked, causing me to feel embarrassed. It was weird to not feel my cheeks heat up.
"No," I said, surprised my voice stayed even, although I felt hot all over. "We're friends."
"Friends. I don't believe that," Emmett said, looking at our hands that were still together and how I was leaning towards Garrett, craving his touch. "That won't last long."
"Alice will be here in a couple of days," Rose said, looking at me for my reaction after giving Emmett an annoyed look. It was the first time she had set her eyes on me, and I couldn't help but feel like a weight was set upon my chest.
I wanted to hide under a rock just from her look. Even as a human, Rose hadn't liked me one bit, and it seemed to be no different now.
"I . . . I can't stay in the same house as her right now," I said, leaning into Garrett more, letting his presence sooth my frazzled nerves.
"The loft is yours. I'm sure you can deal with the humans without any issues," Nessie said. "I have no use for it, so you are more than welcome to keep using it."
"Can't picture Gar staying in one spot," Emmett said, looking up from his device he had been playing around on.
"I'll have you know, the last fifteen years I've not traveled far from home," Garrett said proudly. "I stuck close to Nessie, since she had no family and needed someone to help her along the way."
"I'm not sure if we will stay around this area," I spoke up, letting everyone know that we had no certain plans. "I don't know what we will do."
"We have all the time in the world, baby," Garrett said softly before pressing a tender kiss to the top of my head. I couldn't help but sigh quietly, melting into him.
"I don't want either of you running off without telling us," Esme said, looking at us both sternly.
"Of course," I said towards her. "I know. . ."
"I'd be perfectly happy to never see you again," Rose interrupted as she stood up straight. "You have no idea what kind of pain you caused this family by demanding us to leave. You tore this family apart!"
"Rose, babe," Emmett said, trying to sooth her rant.
My eyes went wide in shock as I listened. It was obvious she didn't know how Edward left me that night. But as she kept talking I wasn't able to get a word in, mostly due from shock that left me at a loss for words. I kept a strong hold on Garrett's hand, afraid he would disappear if I let go for even a second. I'd disappear myself it was possible.
"Emmett couldn't stand to be in the same house as anyone for a long time, so he left and I had to follow. We never stayed in a spot for longer than a week," she went on. "Jasper couldn't deal with the emotions from everyone, so he left the same day with Alice.
"Alice thinks that you died shortly afterwards, since she couldn't see you. She called me daily, crying that she never got to see her best friend because you didn't want Edward, or any of us, in your life.
"And Edward ran to Volturi, hoping they'd grant his wish to die. Instead, they took him in, demanding that he work with them for letting a human live, knowing our secret was to stay hidden and unknown. He says he can't leave the castle, and will hardly talk to anyone of us.
"So now, you stand there and think you can just waltz back into our lives like nothing happened? I want nothing to do with you!" She then turned and stalked up the stairs, her shoes clicking along the hardwood floor.
"Sorry," Emmett said, giving me a sad look before chasing after his mate.
I continued to stand there frozen, not sure what to feel. I felt nothing and everything all at once.
Shock. Worry. Amazement. Disappointment. Acceptance.
Each emotion crashed into me like a stormy sea and I was unable to grab a hold on to just one certain emotion.
I didn't know what to say or even how to respond to Rose's speech. Logically, I knew she had yet to hear the truth and I wasn't sure she would even want to listen to it. Or maybe she had heard the truth and refused to believe it.
Hearing that Alice thought I was already dead wasn't exactly a surprise. I had Jake and I never made any plans so she wasn't able to see me, just like I had planned out. I hadn't wanted her to know, but now I worried what would happen when she learned that I was in fact alive. More than alive.
I was sure that once she knew, Edward would know shortly afterwards, bringing him back to the rest of his family. Would he try to stake a claim over me?
Oh God! What would Garrett do if so? Was I really worth more trouble for this family? It was my fault for getting involved with vampires and werewolves in the first place.
"Bella?" I heard Garrett say worriedly as he stood in front of my shaking form, resting his palms on either side of my face. I hadn't realized that I was shakinguncontrollably. "Sweetheart," he spoke again, leaning down so his eyes met my own.
"Gar . . . Garrett," I panted out in short pants. "Can't . . . . breathe."
I was panicking. I was a vampire, but yet I felt like couldn't breathe.
My chest hurt as my unneeded breaths forced their way out. My thoughts turned inward, trying to not panic overmy attack.
I knees gave out, causing me to collapse. Garrett easily caught me before he picked me up and sat down on the couch. My legs were resting on the arm of the couch, my back supported by Garrett's body as he held me tightly to him. I heard Jake and Nessie leave as she mumbled something about giving us privacy.
With a heavy pant, I laid my head against Garrett's chest and shoulder, trying to breathe in his scent as he wrapped his arms around me, encircling me in a bubble.
"We are fine, Alice," I heard Esme say from another room in the house.
At the name, I couldn't help but shake more; I wanted it to stop. It had to.
"It's okay, baby," Garrett cried out to where only I could hear him. "It's okay."
I knew that my acting like this scared him, just as much as it did me, but I couldn't stop it no matter how hard I willeditto stop.
I was defiantly not a normal vampire.
I sobbed out, clenching my arms around my torso, trying to bring myself to be as small as possible. I somehow got my knees bent up more, making myself even smaller.
"Please," I kept mumbling, although it wasn't veryclear. I don't know what I wanted or needed other than Garrett's strong grip around me.
"What's wrong with her?" Rose asked, causing me to stiffen, fearing she'd harm one of us.
"Rose, not now," Carlisle gritted out as he entered the living room.
"But I've never seen anyone like that," she said, sounding worried.
"Lets' go somewhere else to talk, Rose," Carlisle spoke quietly and calmly. "Esme please get them blood bags."
There was a flurry of movement around us as I kept my eyes shut tightly, head buried against Garrett. He slowly ran a hand along my arms to the ends of my hand. His touch slowly soothed me.
I wondered when my breaking point would hit. How much more could I handle before the descending darkness would take hold of me?
I no longer knew who I was or what I was to become. I should have died so many times, but I was still standing so to say. I survived when someone normal would have died. I wasn't normal, I was far from it.
"You're perfect, Bella. Perfect in every way," Garrett said with a pain filled voice. It sounded like he wanted to cry with me if he could.
"I'm not," I sobbed out with a hiccup. I was so far from perfect as I possibly could be.
"You are to me," he replied in a raspy voice.
"Is there anything I can do?" Rose asked quietly from across the room. I don't know why, but I felt an extreme need to protect my mate.
Garrett lifted his head to say something to the unwelcome vampire. Giving in to my instincts, what they needed, what they wanted. I sunk my teeth into his neck, instantly cutting off whatever was going to say. He mumbled out a 'fuck' as he surrendered to me.
