Edward stormed into my room then, his eyes a livid black, and the laughter immediately stilled. Tanya looked up at him with a jaunty smile. "Hello, pet."

His lips were almost white, they were pressed so firmly together, and his eyes were slits. He looked murderously lethal — and glorious. A little shiver ran down my spine.

Edward turned on Tanya. "I distinctly recall," he said through clenched teeth, "leaving rather explicit instructions..."

Tanya stood, nodding slightly to her sisters. Kate and Irina also stood and all three of these stunningly-seductive creatures converged on Edward. Catching my eye, Carmen winked and smothered a grin. As she walked, the Tanya who had been my friend and confidant was transformed into a goddess of lust. "Yes, I know," she answered in sweetly sultry tones, "but Edward, did you honestly think you could order us around?"

Edward stood still as stone, his body taut with restraint. On his face was a look I'd never forgotten but hadn't seen since the first day we met. He was doing his best to not kill someone. Kate leaned on his left shoulder and Irina rubbed against his right arm. Tanya caressed his cheek. "Did I not tell you, Bella?" Tanya said, her eyes never leaving his. "The perfect picture of self-control."

His lips curled back in a soft snarl.

All three of them laughed as though he'd said something witty, then Tanya stood on her tip-toes to kiss him. His hands balled into fists and he sharply turned his head so that her lips touched his cheek. Even though I knew they weren't serious, even though I knew they could kill me as easily as look at me, the palms of my hands tingled with fury.

"Edward, my dear," Irina said softly in his ear, but loudly enough for me to hear, "you smell positively... nauseating."

Edward actually looked chagrined at that and Kate giggled. He finally cracked a tight, little smile and looked at Tanya with wary anger instead of murder in his eyes.

Tanya stood straighter, her voice ringing with authority. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, you pass the test!" Then turning to me with her sparkling eyes, she held her hand out for mine. "Isabella?" My friend was back.

I took her hand and she turned again to Edward. "Lovely little Bella, I entrust you to this worthy man..."

"This paradigm of virtue," Kate added.

"This pillar of strength," Irina said with a snicker.

Tanya placed my hand in Edward's and came to stand behind me, her hands on my shoulders. "Edward Cullen, guard our sister well."

He gave her a double-take at that, but a slight draft told me she and her sisters were already gone.

Edward warily took in my intricate hairstyle and expertly done make-up, then lifted a hand to trace the line of the choker. "So you're part of Tanya's coven now?"

His icy fingertips on my neck took my breath away. "Not a ... permanent member."

He shook his head, dismay behind the affection in his eyes. "My sweet, innocent Bella, what have they done to you?"

I could feel the blush creeping over my cheeks. "They did a lot more to Charlie."

He closed his eyes with a nauseated look, his hand falling away from my neck, and groaned. "I'm going to flay all three of them."

"Do I get to help?" I asked brightly.

He finally laughed at that, and I threw my arms around his marble neck. His scent, his cold body against mine, his lips on my neck — Edward was home! "Would you think me the scary stalker type if I said I really missed you?"

He held me tightly, nuzzling my hair. "No, I'd think you the irresistibly alluring stalker type."

There was something different about his scent. It was mostly his hair and clothes, but he smelled like he'd actually been camping — wind and woodsmoke and... "Bacon?"

He looked chagrined again. "Stomach-turning, isn't it? I should have showered before coming over, but — "

"I don't mind." He could smell like a skunk and I'd still be glad to see him. "It's actually sort of nice. Human."

He grimaced. "Rosalie's been having fits about how disgusting we all smell. I hope Tanya and company give her a hard time too."

"Why bring bacon on a hunt, then?" I couldn't help it. I just couldn't stop running my fingers through his hair. "I mean, if there's ever a time when you don't need to worry about the appearance of normal..."

"Bait."

I stared at him, slack-jawed. "Bait?"

He grinned wickedly at my expression. "What did you think I meant by a targeted hunt? We needed to make sure we caught the right bear. Emmett built a fire, cooked up five pounds of bacon, slathered the grease all over himself and just sat there. We didn't have to wait long."

I had a sudden image of one of Charlie's lures eating the fish. "That must have been quite a shock for the bear."

Edward laughed grimly. "I suppose it would be." He suddenly stiffened. "Charlie."

Crap! Here I was dressed to kill, and my dad was coming to check on me! I hurried to my bed, wobbling and twisting my ankle, as Edward flicked off the light and disappeared, either into my closet or out my window. I couldn't tell which and didn't care, so long as he didn't go far.

I burrowed deeply under my quilt, hoping and praying that Charlie would just peek in and leave as usual. My bedroom door swung open with the faintest of creaks. I breathlessly waited, tensing as the seconds past. Wouldn't that be just my luck? The one night when I actually look like I'm sneaking out — and when I'm actually staying in — Charlie decides to make more than a cursory check on me. I heard a footfall as he stepped into my room. Crap, crap, crap! I was so dead! He'd take one look at my hair and make-up and heels and either have a coronary or ship me off to Phoenix.

Another footstep. I could just see myself trying to talk my way out of this one. The truth certainly wouldn't do. 'Well you see, Dad, those women from your really strange dreams last night are actually real, and they decided to fancy me up for Edward, who is currently sitting on the roof.' No lie I could come up with would sound any more plausible, either. No one who knew me would ever believe I planned on actually walking more than two feet in Alice's white death-traps.

Why didn't he just leave? Sudden inspiration hit me, and taking a deep breath, I sleep-mumbled something about marshmallows.

A heart-beat later, the door closed with a soft click.