The Cotton Tail

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the genius behind all the magic. I simply borrowed her characters to try and make some magic of my own.

"That's just it, Edward. They aren't here for nothing. They want Bella." I stopped, my eyes narrowing. As quiet as death I asked-

"What?" Alice didn't smile, didn't frown. Serenely she looked up at me.

"They want her dead."

Chapter Nine

Edward

After Alice's morbid revelation I went back to Bella. As promised Jasper had calmed her down and she now slept peacefully in his arms. In his arms? I ignored that first twinge of jealousy. After all, he'd done exactly what I'd asked him to.

"Thank you," I said curtly. Jasper nodded, slowly untangling himself from Bella's sleeping form. He gave me a small smile.

"She's been dreaming of you," he said. "Muttering in her sleep." I heard the apparent distaste in his voice, but my curiosity was stronger than my anger.

"What has she been saying?" I asked, my eyes going back to the rise and fall of Bella's chest.

"Mostly your name," he answered. I nodded, pleased that it had been my name and not Jasper's. Not that I thought it would be, but Jasper's ability could have easily swayed her dream patterns. No more words were exchanged after that. Jasper crossed the clearing to Alice, only turning to look at Bella once, and I already had my arm around her protectively. I vaguely wondered what I was going to do. Tanya's coven was large – now larger with addition of the newborns. They didn't have control of their strength or bloodlust either, which made them a larger threat. A shudder ran through me as I kissed Bella's head, inhaling the sweet lilac scent of her hair. I had to protect her, there was no doubt about that. How to do it, though, that was another thing altogether.

-

Bella

I awoke to udder darkness. For a moment I was too disoriented to remember where I was and why. I sighed as it all flooded back. The loud crashing noise, running, Angela's limp body. I groaned.

"Are you all right, love?" I turned and was confronted by concerned topaz orbs. I relaxed into the bend of Edward's arm, having just realized it was he that was next to me and not Jasper. I swallowed, preparing a response.

"Um, no?" I closed my eyes. "What's going on?" Edward hesitated.

"It's another vampire coven – the Denali's." He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. "They've… attacked us…" Surprise showed on my face.

"But why?" Edward said nothing this time – his face was emotionless, and I had a feeling that he was not going to tell me.

"Edward," I snapped. "Tell me!"

"I don't know," he said solemnly. "I'm as clueless as you are." I looked at his face. It was grave, not betraying anything, therefore telling me that he was lying. Every time he was lying his face would go blank. He'd talked to Alice for a reason, right?

"The truth, Edward," I said softly. His eyes widened slightly as if he were offended that I didn't believe him.

"I am telling you the truth," he said gently. I shook my head.

"I could have died and you won't tell me what's going on!" Edward said nothing so neither did I. We settled into an agitated silence. I kept my gaze trained on the dark depth of forest in front of me, determined not to speak to Edward until he relented. Now that we'd come to the point of exchanging 'I love you's' it didn't make sense for him to lie to me. My eyes were stinging with tears but I held them back. I'd shed too many tears already.

-

Edward

She was angry with me. I could feel it in her tense posture and in the way she kept her eyes in front of her. Part of me was itching to just tell her truth, but the other larger part wanted to keep it from her for fear of frightening her. She'd had enough drama for a lifetime, I thought. So we sat, neither of us speaking. Though it pained me, I could see no way around it. It started to wear on me, though, and against my better judgment I excused myself for a walk. Women were damned stubborn when they had a mind to be so. She didn't even look up as I left. I wondered if she cared.

-

Bella

What an insufferable vampire, I thought, but I still admired the way his bronze hair caught the moonlight as he walked away. I cursed as I realized that even though he'd angered me I couldn't help stealing glances out of the corner of my eye. I watched him disappear into the trees and I rose, stretching my own legs. I spotted Jasper sitting cross-legged under a large Oak. Alice was nowhere to be found. An idea hit me then. While Edward would be sure to try and protect my 'fragile mind', Jasper would tell the truth. He always told me just what I didn't want to hear. I approached him with one goal in mind – find out what was going on before Edward returned. Jasper saw me approaching him and he grinned, surely getting the wrong idea. For the first time I noticed that his canines were slightly pointed. I tried not to let that get to me as I cleared my throat.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked. Jasper looked around.

"Me?" he asked, feigning disbelief. There was no one else around – the others had vacated.

"Yes, you," I snapped. "Where is everyone?" Jasper smiled.

"Hunting to keep up their strength. All except Edward, but judging from the intense irritation radiating off of him I'd say you had something to do with that. You seem to have a knack for upsetting vampires." Anger welled up inside of me, inciting my veins and burning my tongue, but I pushed it back down. I wanted answers. Jasper knew he'd gotten to me, for he smirked as I sat across from him using my dress to cover my legs – it was getting rather chilly.

"I need to ask you a question and I want the truth." Jasper grinned.

"Now, Bella, when have I ever lied to you?" Ignoring his playful tone I decided to just ask.

"Why is the Denali coven attacking us?" I asked shakily. It was then that Jasper frowned.

"Didn't Edward tell you?"

"No," I quipped. "Would I be asking you if he had?" Jasper smiled.

"Acid tongue," was his lithe response. I groaned, impatient. I wanted answers before Edward discovered me trying to worm answers out of his 'something-like-that' brother.

"Tell me what you know," I demanded.

"You get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar," Jasper chastised. I scowled and rose quickly, deciding I had been foolish to ask him.

"Fine," I muttered, turning to leave.

"Wait, wait," he said. "All joking aside…" I scowled deeper.

"Jokes are funny," I said, plopping back down. Jasper smirked at my jab and said-

"It is you, Bella." Confused, I held out my hands.

"Elaborate?" A strange look passed over his pale features.

"They want to kill you." His tone was nonchalant, but the blood drained from my face.

"W-What?" My voice was a whisper, not loud enough to convey fully the fear that had washed over me. Jasper didn't smile, didn't so much as flinch.

"You're a mortal, and you know our secret. You're a potential threat to all vampires – they've come to make sure the secret won't leak."

"But," I started, though no words were appropriate to express my despair. Jasper raised a delicate brow.

"Do you need comforting?" he asked silkily. I didn't have enough energy to glare at him. Suddenly all I wanted to do was run as fast as I can and never look back. I stood shakily, turning around. Jasper stood too, grasping my arm with his cold hand.

"Are you well?" he asked. I looked at his face and saw real concern for the first time since I'd met him. Not a complete monster, I thought.

"Yes," I sighed, my voice strangely detached and calm. He let go of my arm and let me walk back to my previous spot, my mind reeling. One doesn't ponder death often – at least I didn't. To have it thrown in my face was a shock. I didn't want to die. I loved life, even if lately it had taken a strange turn. Panic caused my throat to constrict as I stared into the black woods. No one was going to tell me when I was going to die. My legs were moving before I realized it, and I was hurtling through the thick branches and fauna. The roots seemed in place to trip me and my arms stung as random branches ripped my skin open. I ignored it – as far as I was concerned the blood was only a reminder that I was still alive. My heavy breaths eventually turned into rasping sobs as I thought of Edward. He'd be completely torn apart and outraged when he discovered me gone. Perhaps he'd blame himself, but I knew the truth. The Cullens would be safer with me gone. But, that didn't stop the guilt from coming. For the first time I felt truly bad for leaving. Poor Edward.

Without warning I felt my foot catch on something and I went down, falling flat on my face. My hands slapped the soft earth and I cried. I didn't bother getting up. I simply lay on the cool ground, wishing that Edward was with me. Eventually I felt myself beginning to drift into a dream-like state, not asleep, but uncaring. A low growl snapped me out of it. I lifted my head, searching for the source. In any other circumstances the sight of a wolf would have sent me into tremors. Now that I had resigned myself to death by vampires, a wolf seemed like a gift from above. It was a large, no, GIANT russet colored wolf, and it was peering at me curiously. It sniffed, bringing its nose dangerously close to mine to get a whiff of its next victim. Its head cocked the side – it was confused by my scent. Then, right before my eyes the wolf morphed into a man. Not even morphed – the bones in its body cracked and broke, shifting with a sickening sound. I watched in complete disbelief as the giant wolf turned to stand in front of me as an even larger man. I swallowed. Nothing could have alarmed me after I'd come to terms with the paranormal, but this… My heart was racing. I didn't move, didn't dare speak.

"Are you going to get up?" I jumped, startled by the sound of his voice. I still didn't move. He reached down and grabbed my arm. I gasped. His hands were scorching compared to my arm which had chilled in the nippy breeze. With little to no effort he pulled me to my feet. I stood there for a second looking at my feet. Of course on my way up I'd realized that he was nude. A blush crept into my cheeks. "I'm sorry," he apologized, reaching to his ankle. I realized there was a bundle tied to his ankle – clothes. He pulled on a pair of breeches and then clapped his hands together. "Better?"

"Sure," I mumbled, still blushing.

"What's your name?" he questioned. For a second I was put off by the oh-so-normal question in a not-so-normal situation. Then, in a stunned and slightly unsure voice I answered.

"Bella." He smiled, and to my dismay I liked it – his wolf's teeth were now pearly whites.

"What are you doing in the middle of the woods at this time of night all by yourself, Bella?" I shifted my weight.

"Nothing," I muttered. He laughed and it was a happy, full laugh. I decided that I liked that too.

"Just a hike for fun, then?" I couldn't help my own smile.

"Yes." He nodded.

"So I suppose I scared you," he began. My words faltered. He had scared me, but I was tired of people knowing that I was scared. So I lied.

"No." He grinned.

"Is that so? You were just quaking from the cold?" I couldn't be sure, but I could swear that he was teasing me. I stuck my nose in the air.

"And you're a monster?" His laugh was louder at that. I frowned.

"Yep. I'm a werewolf. Also know as a monster. I could be planning on eating you right now." I thought about that. When I was younger Charlie had told me stories about werewolves, but in all his stories they ate deer and other large game. I decided to test Charlie's theory.

"You don't eat humans," I said matter-of-factly. He raised a dark brow.

"Wanna find out?" He lunged at me and I screamed, falling on my butt. He laughed at me some more. I fumed, crossing my arms over my chest. He sat down across from me.

"I'm Jacob Black," he said, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Bella." I took his hand it swallowed mine. "Really, what were you doing out here alone?" I looked down.

"Running." His head cocked to the side, much like his wolf form.

"From what?" I didn't know what to say. I was wanted dead for knowing about vampires. Surely I couldn't tell Jacob.

"Just for the fun of it," I said after a long moment.

"Liar."

"Everyone lies," I retorted.

"Only when they have something to hide," Jacob responded. I shrugged. Suddenly a noise in the distance distracted me.

"Bella!" It was Edward. My heart jumped to my throat and I paled. Jacob made a face.

"Ugh, vampires. I knew you smelled funny."

"What? You know?" I asked incredulously. He frowned.

"Know what?" Before I could ask there was a hissing noise from behind me. I turned and was floored. It was Edward. He was here already. I'd forgotten just how fast he could run. I realized he was hissing at Jacob, who to my horror was changing back into a wolf. His clothes made a loud ripping sound and before I could say anything Edward had grabbed me and thrown me over his shoulder and we were running at top speed.

"Edward?" I shouted. He didn't respond. We ran for less than a minute before I found myself in that same clearing and this time everyone was there: Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Alice, Rosalie, and someone that I didn't recognize. Edward sat me down and everything about him was furious – his body language, his demeanor. He glared at me, his eyes blazing.

"Edward," I started, and he shivered.

"Don't – Not right now, Bella." I looked at the ground.

"Fine." He whirled around and looked at me, then.

"What were you thinking?" he roared.

"Edward-" said a gentle voice. Esme.

"You could have been killed by the mutt. Why the hell did you run away?"

"You wouldn't-"

"Surely you thought about me? About how I would feel?" I sniffed.

"I-"

"You don't even care!" I decided not to even try speaking at that point.

"Edward. This is not the time." That was Esme again. "We've got a bigger problem." Wildly, Edward threw up his hands.

"Like trying to keep Bella alive while she thwarts that attempt?" he shouted. Then he walked away from me to Carlisle's side, whispering furiously. I hadn't meant to hurt Edward so badly, and my heart was aching. I was angry at Edward, but most of all at myself. I sat down, hugging my knees to my chest. Tears gathered and this time I didn't care. I felt so helpless, and the only one that was trying to help me was furious. To my surprise, Alice came to my side.

"It's all right, Bella," she soothed. "Everyone is here to help you. Edward is just angry, but he's going to understand when he calms down. He forgets what it's like to be human." I just nodded, my eyes on Edward who was leaning against a tree, breathing raggedly and listening to Carlisle.

"Why does your family care?" I asked bitterly. "I'm just the dumb human that exposed you, putting you all in danger." Alice smiled, touching my arm.

"Bella, you're not putting us in danger. We can take care of ourselves." I didn't look at her.

"Why are you being so nice?" I cried. Alice smiled.

"Because I like you. Edward loves you, so here we are." That statement made my brimming tears spill, but I didn't make a sound.

"Okay," said Carlisle loudly. "This is what we're going to do. We're going to the bunker. We'll be safe there, and we can decide what we're going to do. That's the only place where we can hide Bella." He gave me an apologetic look as everyone looked pointedly at me. I blushed to the point of pain and the guy I didn't know guffawed.

"Emmett," Esme chided softly. He stopped, smiling.

"Sorry. Look how cute she is – her face is all red." Edward snapped his teeth together. At least he still cares, I thought. Emmett rolled his eyes at Edward.

"We should get going," Carlisle said. "It's not a short trip, and the sun will rise in about three hours." Everyone took off at once except for Edward. He crossed the clearing in a few angry strides. He threw me over his shoulder again.

"Edward," I whimpered, but he was already running.

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