Disclaimer: I do not own The Twilight Saga or any of its affiliates.

Chapter 10:

The forest was darker by the time the three of us made it to the near center of the trees. The sun was gently setting on the orange sky. Everything looked so peaceful and serene. The birds chirped, and the soft footsteps of deer were heard a few miles away.

I took in a deep breath, actually breathing in the air. It was a bit musty, but it housed a plethora of different smells: pine, grass, wood, berries, and dirt. The smells wafted up into my nose and enticed my senses. The blood of the many animals that surrounded me blended with the other scents. My throat seemed to no longer be burning like a thousand suns.

Jacob walked silently in front of us. His foot-falls seemed as careful and as planned as a vampire's footsteps; it shocked me to stare at him and not hear a sound. Jake avoided leaves, rocks, and twigs. His breathing was level, and his focus was on the forest.

Edward and I walked hand-in-hand behind Jacob. Our footsteps matched each other perfectly, our right feet hitting the ground together; then, our left feet. It was like we were made for each other, put on this earth for one reason: to be there for one another. Even though the words were not spoken yet, I could feel that Edward held the same beliefs as me. In my still heart, I knew he would never leave me.

The meadow was appearing right before our eyes. As we stepped into the open area, Jacob turned around to look at us. He had a stern expression on his face. His eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration, trying to think of what to say.

"I'm gonna make this short and sweet," he said, eyeballing Edward and me, "I'm not fond of vampires. I don't like them. End of story. But, because somehow I got roped into hanging out with you guys, I guess I have to make a minor exception."

I smiled at Jacob's honesty, or lack thereof. "We didn't rope you into anything. You just wanted to come with us because you missed me. And you can't hate me because I'm a vampire."

Jacob's expression disappeared, and he looked at me, a little grin appearing on his face. "That is definitely the reason why I went with you two. I just could not be without you for two seconds, Bella." His tone was dripping with sarcasm. "If you only knew the reason why I came with you..."

Edward's ears seemed to perk up at that moment. "Why did you come with us, Jacob? I invited you; you could have said no, but you didn't. Why?"

Jacob accepted the challenge. "First off, you were just two damn nice. I had to best you at something. And yes, I did want to talk to Bella some more, which did not happen. And third, the reason I know I will get yelled at for, I wanted to be there in case something happened to Charlie." Jacob's voice changed to a whisper.

I growled in my throat. "You didn't trust me?" I glared at him, hoping to make the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"Sorry, Bella, but I can't trust my enemy. You are my enemy now, and Charlie is human. Anything could have happened."

"You should not be worrying about me, Jacob. You should worry about the two vampires that changed me." My voice was getting progressively louder.

Instead of Jacob fighting back, Edward spoke up. "What about the vampires that changed you? Why are you bringing them up?" His voice was full of worry and curiosity.

My eyes flashed over to Edward, my anger slowly wearing off. "Nothing, Edward. I just thought of them now; I was running my mouth. I don't know if they are still here. They may not even be a threat anymore." I regretted my words, wishing that I could take them back.

Edward, instead of looking at me, stared at Jacob. "If you want to go inform them now, then go ahead. No one is stopping you. And no, my family is not a threat. You do not have to worry about them."

Jacob and I stared at Edward with dumbfounded expressions. Jacob asked, "What the hell was that? Did you just read my mind?"

I laughed quietly to myself, remembering Edward's little skill. "Edward can read minds, all minds except for mine." I grinning inside at that thought; I did not want Edward in my mind.

Jacob stared at us with a lost expression. "Okay then..." He waited to get his thoughts collected again. "I'll go back to the pack and inform them about the vampires. I have to bring up your kind though, Edward. Sam has to know everything, even if you aren't a threat to humans."

Edward just nodded his head in agreement. With a smile, Jacob turned around and walked into the forest. I tried to listen to his footsteps as he walked away, but I only heard a little bit of his breathing. I frowned at his silence.

"Finally," Edward said, grabbing both of my hands, "We are alone." He pulled me closer to him and kissed me. I felt my knees tremble.

"Edward, are you aware of what you are doing to me?" I looked into his caramel eyes.

"Are you aware of what you do to me? Bella, I have never felt this way before in almost one hundred years. I feel so light, so high; it's truly amazing. I owe it all to you for coming into my life so suddenly."

I wrapped my arms around his strong waist. "Tell me more about you. I want to know where you came from. Please." I was curious, and it had gotten the best of me.

"Sit." I obeyed Edward's simple command and sat across from him. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "I was born in 1901 in Chicago. My parents loved me with all of their hearts. I was named after my father, Edward Masen. My mother, Elizabeth, called me her shining star. Times were simpler, easier.

"Then, the Spanish Influenza hit the town, and I got sick. I got sick fast. My father died quickly, and I mourned his death as best I could while battling the sickness myself. My mother caught the infectious disease, too, and we were both quickly hospitalized. My mother passed on before I did but not before passing a message onto Carlisle."

I was shocked by the name. "Carlisle? As in the Carlisle I know?"

Edward nodded, smiling from my clear interest. "Carlisle was a doctor at that time in Chicago. Still to this day, I thank him for being there when I needed him most. My mother whispered in his ear on her last breaths to save me, her son. Feeling her pain, Carlisle visited me in the hospital. I was unconscious, so I did not see him coming.

"I underwent the same thing that you did, Bella. I was only seventeen, one year older than you. The pain of the fire rippled through my veins just like it did to you. I writhed in pain for days before the agony stopped. Then, I was born a new man with blood-red eyes and white skin. And trust me; I was ravaged just like you."

For the first time, I saw Edward as my twin. He went through everything that I did. He was changed the same way I was, and it was comforting to me. I felt my quiet heart jump at that notion, and just for a second, I thought it started beating again.

"As the years passed, it was just Carlisle and me. Then, he found Esme. She was in a morgue, but she was not dead. He changed her after she tried to commit suicide right after she lost her newborn child. It was rough time for her, but she found comfort in Carlisle's arms. Quickly, they became mates, destined to be together forever." Edward's eyes wandered, and I thought that maybe he was thinking the same thing I was pondering.

"Rosalie was the next one that joined our family. Carlisle found her dying on the street because her soon-to-be husband raped her and greatly injured her. Rosalie never wanted this life, which she will probably tell you countless times, but thankfully, everything got better for her when she found Emmett.

"She was out on her own when she heard his cries of pain. He was mulled by a bear down south. She brought him back to Carlisle because she knew that she could not changed Emmett herself. He joined the family, happier than ever; he gained a wife, a companion.

"Alice and Jasper are a funny story. They were both from different upbringings. Jasper was in the Civil War, a soldier. He was changed by a mysterious woman when he was at the peak of his military service. Alice woke in a cave already a vampire; she does not remember anything of her past life." I was about to interrupt, but Edward held his finger up to my mouth.

"Alice found Jasper, and they came looking for us. They showed up in our house one day with suitcases, ready to move in. Ever since they joined, we have not added anyone to our family. Well, except for you." Edward pulled his fingers away from my lips and kissed them.

"Those are amazing stories, Edward, but do you really consider me a part of your coven?" I was too new, too inexperienced; I did not categorize myself as one of them yet. I actually did not know if I ever would.

"Silly, Bella. Can you not see the way my family looks at you?" He ran his hands through my tangled hair, pulling the knots out of it. "I have been alone for too many years. They want me to be happy. You are one of us, and there is nothing that you can do about it." He leaned forward and kissed me again.

As Edward pulled me into him, I noticed something wrong. My ears listened for the many noises that I heard before: chirping and footsteps. I listened closely again, and I chill ran down my spine.

There was pure silence.

I jerked away from Edward. He looked at me with a confused expression. "Edward, something is not right." My eyes darted back and forth from my position on the ground. "It's too quiet; the forest was noisy before."

Edward listened closely to the world around him. He jolted up and stood. "You're right." I stood up next to him. "Stay quiet, Bella," he whispered in my ear. "Someone is here with us."

Edward and I faced the edge of the forest where we knew they were. Slowly, their figures appeared out of the dense trees. A deep growl ripped through my throat, the noise very audible. Edward stood extremely still by my side, holding me back with his hands on my waist. The woman's hair still stuck out in every direction, and the man still held that grin that could kill.