Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight or any of its characters, they belong solely to Stephanie Meyer. I DO however, own this storyline, and any additional characters. Thanks.
A/N:- Hello to you all and thank you for coming back to this fic, I know it's been a long time since I last updated, and believe me when I say that there are genuine reasons why I had to take a break from writing, so I really do appreciate your continued support. Hopefully, this chapter will be the start of continuous updates (not as frequently as you would maybe like, but I will endeavour to make it as often as I possibly can whilst working around a full time job and, basically, daily life).
I am hoping this will be a short fic with not many chapters. I appreciate a long fic as much as the next reader (see a few of my other fics…even my 'one shots' are lengthy), but I feel that this story has a simple, yet effective storyline without the added complications of side stories mingling in, so fewer chapters could be best for this…but as it's a WIP, we shall see. Rest assured though, I know exactly where I want to go with this fic, and the final chapter has already been written! Yay!
So here is chapter 10, all ready for your eyeball's pleasure! Please enjoy!
SWTE – Chapter 10
With the week moving along nicely, I kept myself busy with the gallery & hunting, whilst I not-so-patiently waited for the weekend to roll around. I was nervous about meeting Edward's family, but I couldn't wait to see him again, and that was enough to make the butterflies in my stomach rest for a little bit.
"Hey Bella, so the back door is secure, the last of the clients have finally left and the main gallery is all closed up for the night"
"Oh, thanks Liam. Has Mr Hopkins left the client form, so I can input the order for him?" I asked, filing away the last of today's receipts. It had been a steady day, and thanks to the gala, we had seen a rise in both artists wanting to sell their artwork, as well as clients wanting to buy in the recent weeks.
"Yeah, he left it. He said to tell you that there are a couple of pieces he wants to negotiate on too" he replied, with his eyebrows raised expectantly, knowing exactly what my answer would be.
"And did you tell him that he doesn't have a snowballs chance of getting a cheaper price and that there are plenty of people happy to pay full price to get their hands on those pieces?" I laughed. I was a whizz when it came to charming the clients, especially when price tags were involved, and now that I was a partner in this business, I was even more invested in making sure they sold for as much as possible.
"I thought I would leave that little surprise for his next visit" he replied. "So, are you wanting me to stick around or…?"
I knew that Liam was hoping to get away and get on his date tonight, but if I needed him, he really would stay with me. For some reason, the security around here seem to think I am a defenceless, weak woman, who needs protecting at all costs from the big, bad, scary world. I have to force myself to keep a straight face and not laugh whenever I am reminded of this.
"No no, you get off Liam. I've just got a few more papers to sign and then I'm heading home myself. I have a few things to work on this weekend, so I'm not planning on being here late anyway" and I waved my hand dismissively.
With a quick nod and a mumbled "Bye", he made his way out of my office, not needing anymore encouragement.
I made quick work of the remaining papers & checked the lights were off before hitting the security alarm and locking up. I literally couldn't get out of there any quicker tonight.
The cool air hit my face as I walked home, pulling my jacket around me tightly to block out the cold.
I felt a little guilty for missing out on hunting tonight, but if my recent visit to The Rez has taught me anything, it's that my life cannot always be put on hold for my destiny. I must learn to balance everything that I have going on, and realise what is a main priority, and what parts can sometimes take a back seat. Now I know that the boys are also vampire-hunting-werewolves, I could maybe ask them to come to New York sometimes and pick up a bit of the slack. From what I've gathered, the boys enjoy any opportunity to hunt and take down vamps, and if I can give them a chance to come visit me, as well as hunting in my own territory, then I see that as a 'two-birds-one-stone' situation.
I reached my apartment building in record time, and yes I may have used my huntress speed to walk faster when no-one was around, but in my defence, I have my workout to get through tonight, as well an outfit to pick out for tomorrow's visit with Edward and his family.
I made it to my apartment, quickly shrugging my jacket off and kicking my heels across the room without even breaking my stride, before making my way into my bedroom and changing into my workout clothes.
My own personal gym was small and basic but was just what I needed. I couldn't exactly go to the local gym, pick up the same weights as the biggest guy in there and make it look like a walk in the park, could I? No, I needed privacy in order to keep my secret. And where better than my very own apartment.
I selected my 'workout playlist' on my ipod dock and picked up a dumbbell as the opening bars of the first song came on. My body felt as if it was itching to burn, to feel the weights and pull my muscles to their limit. Of course, none of the weights I had would live up to bench pressing an entire tree trunk on The Rez, or swim against the current of River Forks, but it was a pretty good substitute.
The music blared out, with the vibrations thumping through my body as if it were the fuel I needed to keep going. To push through the burn.
"I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age"
I can feel my back begin to sweat and my arms burn slightly, as I push through the music, concentrating on the lyrics and focusing on my breathing.
Working out is important to me, it keeps me healthy and strong, enabling me to keep on fighting vampires and keep the city safer from the things it would never understand.
I keep on with the weights for longer than I wanted to, because the thought of meeting Edward's family has me slightly distracted.
What if they don't like me?
What if I don't like them?
What if we don't get along?
I managed to pull myself out of my musings, putting down the dumbbells and grabbing my towel. I wiped myself down & took a drink of my water, before firing up the treadmill, and setting the incline.
I would normally run in the park, and use it as an opportunity to do a little hunting too, but tonight I needed to focus on getting this over and done with. I had an outfit to plan for tomorrow and I needed to get a couple of hours sleep, and as I've not felt anything sinister in the air since I walked home tonight, I felt good about staying in and using my treadmill.
After half an hour or so of non-stop running, I decided to give up. My mind kept creeping to the Cullens and what I could possibly expect from tomorrow, and I couldn't focus enough to really call it a real workout.
I turned off the machine, stepped off and did my warm-down stretches, before grabbing my ipod, towel & water and heading out.
I made quick work of showering, and eating a small dinner, barely even tasting it, before changing into my tank top and shorts, and heading to my wardrobe. Goodness knows, I've gotta have something to wear.
After a few minutes of simply staring at my clothes, and not actually touching any of it, I decided that I needed to text Edward.
"Hey Edward, I'm just trying to decide on an outfit for tomorrow, but I'm a little stuck for what to wear. Help! ~B"
His response was almost instant.
"You really want me to tell you what to wear? Surely, you know I would prefer you to wear nothing, right? ;) - E"
I smirked at his response. "Oh sure, I'll just turn up naked…let's see what your siblings think about that…or better still, your parents ~B"
"Yes, you may have a point there. Even I haven't seen you naked, so I don't want my whole family enjoying that. Seriously, don't worry Bella, whatever you choose will be perfect, I'm sure - E"
"Ok, but what exactly will we be doing? I can't really plan what to wear if I don't know what I'm going to be doing in said outfit ~B"
"It will just be a simple get together with my family. We will go to the house, say hi, have a cup of tea…all very boring stuff, they just really want to meet you, so it won't be anything you would need a specific outfit for - E"
I thought for a second. Saying hi - I could do. Cup of tea - I could do. Boring stuff - I could do. I had the perfect outfit. Something simple, but effective.
"Ok Edward, I think I know what I'm going to wear. You still ok to collect me tomorrow? If not, I'm happy to drive there ~B"
"No, I'm more than happy to come get you. I get to spend a bit longer with you that way - E"
I laughed at the silliness of his thought process. "It's only going to be an extra 20 minutes or so. Are you that desperate for company? ~B"
"Only your company. And trust me Bella, it may only be 20 minutes to you, but to me, time works very differently. I could spend eternity with you, and it still wouldn't be enough - E"
"Ok charmer, you have me. So, let me go get some sleep, so I don't look like death for tomorrow. I'll see you at 11.30am? ~B"
"You certainly will, and you would never look anything other than perfect in my eyes…and I've got impeccable eyesight! Goodnight my darling, you will be on my mind until I can have you in my arms. Sleep well princess - E"
I smiled to myself, like a total goofball at the sweetness of his words. I felt loved and cherished. I felt as if Edward was genuine, and even though I had always protected myself, both physically and emotionally, I could feel my defences shattering into a million pieces. All because of one smooth talking, beautiful man.
I re-read the message a few more times, just for good measure.
I drifted off to sleep that night, dreaming of Edward and I walking through the forest, hand in hand, smiling at one another and feeling as though my life was set. I woke up smiling too. I'm taking that as a good sign.
I spent the rest of the following morning making breakfast, taking a shower and tidying my already clean apartment. I straightened out magazines that I never read. I dusted my apartment, even though it was already dust-free. I even organised my CD collection into alphabetical order! I guess I was trying to while away the hours until I could actually force myself to get ready.
Every minute that ticked by was like an alarm, reminding me that Edward would be here at 11.30am. And I knew it would be exactly 11.30am because Edward was never late, not even by a minute.
Knowing I couldn't put it off any longer, I dragged myself reluctantly to my room with butterflies in my stomach.
Did I really like Edward that much, that meeting his family was a scary prospect? Me, who deals with vampires – and now werewolves too – everyday, finds this scary, but doesn't find supernatural beings scary? Yes, I'm definitely in this deep!
I put on a clean bra and pants set, before pulling on my tight black jeans and my white and tanned striped sweater. I put on some mascara and a little smudged eyeliner, not enough that I would look like Alice Cooper, but just enough that you could see it made a difference to my eyes. A bit of blusher added a little colour to my pale face, I don't know if that was just my natural complexion, or the fact that I was nervous, but it helped either way.
I had tried to tease my hair into some sort of style, but having left it to air dry naturally was probably a mistake. My natural waves had stubbornly taken their place and I couldn't really do anything about that. At least my hair was clean, and free of vampire blood, so there is always a bright side I guess.
I had just finished putting on a little clear lip gloss when I heard the doorbell.
Quickly slipping on my black ballet flats, I practically ran to the door and flung it open.
There stood Edward, his amber eyes shining as he looked me up and down. "Wow, Bella, you look…just wow" he breathed out. "Erm…sorry, I mean…nope, I think wow is pretty accurate" he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.
"Here, these are for you" he added, holding out a bunch of red roses with his other.
"Oh Edward, these are beautiful, thank you. Come on in whilst I put them in water" and I took them, quickly turning on my heel back towards the kitchen. I found a glass vase beneath my sink, and half filled it with water. I put the flowers in and smiled at how perfect they seemed to fall into place.
I thought briefly if this was a sign of mine and Edward's life together – would everything fall in place perfectly for us too?
"Are you ready to go?" I asked him as I re-entered my living room.
"I am" he replied happily. He hadn't moved more than a foot away from the front door, he had simply closed it behind him. He seemed so shy right now. "You are going to love my family. And they are going to adore you" he added, taking me in his arms and bending down to kiss me. "Now, let's go"
He swept me out of my apartment, having already grabbed my jacket for me.
The ride over to his parents' house was quiet, but peaceful. I always felt comfortable with Edward now, having gotten to know him better.
Various streets and shops passed us by and soon drifted away, to be replaced with trees and forest.
Edward held my hand the whole way, occasionally glancing over at me and smiling to himself. After the third or fourth time, I spoke up. "What?"
"Hmm?"
"What are you smiling at? Do I have something on my face? Is there some joke I'm not in on? What?" I laughed, hoping I really didn't have something on my face.
"No, of course not…it's just…" he hesitated, as if he didn't want to say.
"What?" I insisted.
"Well, it's just that, I can't actually believe you are here…in my car…with me…as my girlfriend…on our way to see my parents…"
I chuckled at his words, and rubbed the back of his cold hand as he held onto my knee.
"I should be the one wondering how on Earth I landed an amazing guy like you"
He smiled over at me, his eyes filled with so many emotions – love, happiness, contentment…
We pulled up to a break in the trees, a small road barely big enough for us to fit on it, yet Edward manoeuvred his car perfectly. I guess he must have done this so many times that he was an expert at it. I was secretly glad that Edward had offered to drive having seen the road that leads up to the house, because I would never have managed, no matter how much practice I would have had.
The large trees blocked out a lot of the light, leaving an eerie feel to the natural tunnel that we were travelling through. It reminded me a little of those old horror movies, where there would be a scary, treacherous path leading up to a house filled with all sorts of terrifying things.
I had never been a big fan of horror movies after watching 'Nosferatu' with Jake when we were younger, and realising that vampires really were real. It was just a little too close to home for my liking.
The Cullen house loomed in the distance, and I realised we had been driving down the same shaded road for about 15 minutes. They must feel like they lived in the middle of nowhere, because…well, they basically do. They are surrounded by miles and miles of forest with no other humans around for a long time.
I instantly worried for their safety. After all, I know everything that could happen to them out here in the middle of nowhere, with no one around to help if they ever need it. They are practically sitting ducks for any passing vamps!
"Are you ok baby?" asked Edward. He glanced over at me, and took my hand firmly. "You seem a little panicked. Is everything ok? Are you really nervous?"
I realised that my inner thoughts weren't as inner as I'd hoped, and I couldn't exactly explain to Edward that I was having a mini meltdown over his parents being in a prime spot to become vampire bait. Yeah, he would never think I was crazy, right? So I did the only thing I could think of.
"Yeah, I'm just super nervous" I lied, hoping to appeal to his sympathetic side.
"Oh, don't be nervous. They are going to love you, and I'll be there with you the whole time. Just try to relax and enjoy yourself, ok?"
I nodded and forced a weak smile, as he pulled up in front of the mansion-like house, and leaned towards me. "Don't worry, ok?" he said gently, before kissing my forehead quickly and undoing my seatbelt. I actually noticed that he hadn't worn one, the whole ride over here. I made a mental note to chastise him about that later.
He was round to my side of the car faster than I expected, and he held his hand out for me. I took it and exited the car, as I noticed his father and an equally beautiful woman stood at the now-open front door.
"Edward" called Carlisle, walking towards us with open arms. The lady followed eagerly behind. "It's so good to see you son"
They embraced and the lady took Carlisle's place.
"Hey Mom" he said, smiling widely. "I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Bella.
"Bella, this is my mother Esme"
"Oh Bella, I can't tell you how lovely it is to finally meet you. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about you" she said happily, and I could instantly see the love she held for her son.
"Oh thank you. I've heard some wonderful things about you all too, Edward speaks very highly of his family"
Carlisle chuckled and Esme beamed with pride. I glanced at Edward, who also wore the same face-splitting smile.
Jeez, this family sure were happy. They reminded me of a really painfully beautiful version of the Brady bunch.
"Please, let's head inside so we can chat. We would love to get to know a little bit about you Bella" said Esme, as she reached towards my back, in order to lead me inside.
But the second she reached for me, my worse fear hit. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. My skin crawled uncomfortably. My heart started beating faster. My eyesight became more focused.
A vampire was close. My body was readying for a fight.
I recoiled myself back slightly, giving me a split second to scan the woodland surrounding us. If a vampire were to attack, I had no weapons on me, so I needed to prepare myself another way.
I couple of broken branches nearby would be perfect as stakes that could hold a vampire down until I could run to the kitchen to get the biggest knife possible. Anything sharp and large enough to hack through a vampire's neck would do.
"Bella?" Said Edward cautiously, pulling me quickly out of my plan of attack.
"Hmm?"
"Are you ok sweetheart? You seem a little distracted"
Edward looked worried, and Carlisle looked unsure, but Esme simply looked sad. As if I had offended her. Then I realised that I had recoiled away from her directly. She must feel so awful.
"Oh, yes I'm fine thank you. I thought I saw something in the trees, it was probably a deer or something. You guys must be so used to the noises from the forest eh?"
I forced a fake chuckle from my throat, and it seemed to work when I saw the three Cullens laugh along and visibly relax.
"Well, sometimes there are things out there that still surprise us, but yes, you do find you get used the rustling of the trees, and the howling of the wind" laughed Esme. "Shall we head on inside? The rest of the family will be back soon"
We made our way inside, and to say the house was big would be an understatement...this place was enormous.
"We like to have a large home, what with all 6 of us living under one roof" explained Carlisle as he showed me around. "Rose and Emmett have their own home attachds to the main house, and so do Alice and Jasper. We all share the main house, but they have their own parts just for them, you know for privacy and whatnot"
"Wow, you guys must be really close then. I don't think I could spend all my life living with my brother and my father"
"You have a brother? And a father?" Asked Carlisle abruptly. He shot a confused look toward Edward, quicker than I had ever seen anyone move before. If I didn't have such focused huntress eyesight, I would never have noticed.
"Erm, yeah. They live in Forks, on a place called The Rez..."
"Oh the Quilete place? By the beach?"
"You know it?" I was surprised. Whenever I had moved to a new town or city and people asked where I was from, only a few had heard of Forks, but none knew of The Rez. And especially the name of the tribe who lived there.
"Well, I had looked at working at Forks Hospital at one point, and it always helps to know the area and the people you could potentially treating"
I smiled and nodded, but was once again distracted by the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach.
We continued with the tour, before we finally came to the large living room. The glass wall showed the beautiful forest surrounding the house and I was in awe at how perfect this place seemed to be. Clearly decadent living quarters was a Cullen trait.
"Oh, here they are," said Edward, snaking an arm around my waist, "Bella, I'd like you to meet my brothers and sisters"
I turned, taking my eyes from the forest to come face to face with four of the most beautiful people I'd ever laid my eyes on, as they entered the room one by one.
"Alice you have already met, and here is Alice's husband, Jasper"
Alice practically bounced in her shoes, whilst the tall blonde man who was stood by her side simply gave a smile and a polite nod. I liked this guy. He wasn't the 'lets-shake-hands' type. I like that type of person.
Plus, I was feeling majorly weirded out right now. Like I felt that I was getting sick, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly was wrong with me.
I clenched my fists slightly in the hopes of distracting myself.
I needed to make a good first impression.
"And this is Emmett and his wife, Rosalie" announced Edward proudly.
"Nice to finally meet ya Bella, Eddie here has talked about you non-stop" beamed the large bear-like man, with black curly hair and childlike dimples. I glanced briefly at Edward, who rolled his eyes, I'm assuming at the nickname his brother had just given him.
Emmett bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly just like Alice did, whilstgrinning at me. He held his arm around his wife's shoulders, and I thought to myself that if she were my wife, I'd never let her go either.
Rosalie Cullen was simply breath-taking. I mean don't get me wrong, Esme and Alice were stunningly and flawlessly beautiful, but Rosalie was in another league entirely.
She smiled widely at me, and I tried to smile back, but once again, I was hit with the sense that I was going to need to protect these poor innocent people from something that I fear was hovering outside of their house. Outside, but close.
Once again, I darted my eyes toward the glass wall, hoping to catch a glimpse of something, anything that would explain why my senses were all on alert and ready to pounce.
"Shall we sit down?" Offered Carlisle. We all took a seat, apart from Emmett and Rosalie, who gave a quick excuse and retreated to their own apartment, attached to the house.
"So Bella, Edward tells us that you are in the art business. Do you enjoy all aspect of art?" Asked Jasper politely, whilst giving me a concerned expression.
"Erm, well I've always had a passion for the arts, anything artistic really, but paintings have always been my true weakness" I explained feebly, whilst trying to keep my eyes and ears alert. If I glanced around quick enough, it would never be detected by their human eyesight, but it would give me an opportunity to scan our surroundings.
The uncomfortable feeling was getting stronger by the minute, and I was finding it hard to concentrate on answering questions as well as listening out for any sign of unwelcome intruders.
"Bella is actually a very good artist herself" bragged Edward to the room, "I have one of her own pieces sitting proudly in my home"
I turned to Edward quickly. "Where? I didn't see it" I said in a hushed whisper.
"Main room" was all he said, before kissing my cheek and continuing the conversation. "Yes, there are a few pieces that Bella has painted that I would be keen to have, if she would be willing to sell" he chuckled.
The light conversation about all things art related ceased once Esme came back into the room.
"Here we are" she said, as she placed a tray of cups and a teapot in front of us all. She began pouring the tea into each of the cups, and passed them to each of us in turn. "And one for you Bella" she said, handing me a saucer. The cup clinked loudly as my hand shook, and I quickly grabbed it with the other hand too, to steady it.
If Edward had noticed, he certainly didn't let on.
"I must say, you have a wonderful home Mr and Mrs Cullen"
"Oh please, it's Esme and Carlisle" said Esme. "And it's certainly brought us some fond memories. We just love the remoteness of this location. The fact that we are miles away from any kind of civilisation, that's always appealed to our family"
"But aren't you afraid of the things that could be out there?"
I hadn't planned on blurting that out, but guess I couldn't take it back now could I?
"You mean bears and stuff?" Asked Alice. "No, that's what we have our strapping men here for. They protect us" she leaned over to her husband and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
I smiled at her, but I couldn't shake the feeling, like somehow we were being watched or that something was about to happen. My body was going into overdrive right now. My palms were sweating and my legs felt like they were going to start running of their own accord.
"Nervous…"
It was barely there, like a whisper, but I knew I definitely heard it.
"I'm sorry, I missed that…did you say something?" I asked Jasper politely, who gave me a look of pure shock, before turning to have a seemingly silent conversation with Edward.
"Oh, erm, I just...I just said it sometimes makes me nervous" he chuckled awkwardly. "You know, the bears and stuff"
"Oh yeah right, I can imagine" I replied.
I needed to get outside and see for myself, otherwise I would never settle, and I knew I would be back this way on tonight, in order to keep a close eye on the house, and all of its inhabitants.
"Would you please excuse me?" I said, standing up. Edward stood with me, as did Carlisle and Jasper.
"Are you ok Bella?"
"Of course, I could just do with a little fresh air, that's all. I'll be back in a moment" and I gave Edward a quick kiss on the cheek, before grabbing my jacket and heading out of the back door.
Once I was outside, I began to instantly feel better. My shaking legs seemed to stabilise. My head didn't throb quite as much. My palms were less sweaty and the hairs on the back of my neck calmed.
I took a few steps toward the forest edge, the darkness pulling me in closer and threatening to engulf me whole. A few more steps and I would be completely surrounded by the dark and all of its secrets.
I stopped walking in order to listen. For footsteps. For breathing. For anything that would indicate I'm not the only human-shaped creature out here. But I found nothing. There were no other creatures out here at all. Even the animals of the forest seemed to be gone. I wondered if the Cullen's maybe liked to hunt in this area and had frightened the deer and the birds away.
"Bella, baby...are you ok?" Edward came up beside me and took my hand in his.
"Yes, thank you Edward. I'm sorry I ran out like that. I guess I was just feeling a little overwhelmed"
"I can tell them that we are leaving if you want?" He replied. He smiled down at me, but it didn't quite reach his eyes and I knew that look. He was sad, maybe even a little disappointed. Edward has finally gotten his turn in this family of happy couples, to be in a fresh new relationship, to enjoy what everyone else in his family has enjoyed…how could I take that moment away from him?
As much as I wanted to go home, gear up and come back, I would power through this and stay a while. If it was an illness coming on, then I would deal with that later too.
"No no, don't be silly. I'm having a lovely time, and your family are so sweet. Let's stay a while 'eh?"
"Are you sure?" The brightness was back in his eyes, and I would give anything to never see that leave again.
I nodded quickly, giving him my biggest smile, before leading him back inside.
The rest of the afternoon was spent getting to know Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Jasper. I learned more about Carlisle's many medical degrees he held, watching him speak about it so passionately, whilst Esme looked on so proudly. Alice spoke of her love of fashion and Jasper…well, Jasper seemed like an old soul to me, the kind who would be wise beyond his years. He looked me over a few times, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners, like he was really trying to concentrate. I would put Jasper down as the family thinker, quiet but calculated.
Emmett and Rosalie didn't come back to the main room, so I never had a chance to say goodbye to them or actually get to know them at all. I just hoped that my opportunity to do that would come along soon. They seemed nice.
The strange feeling never did leave me, and even though I was getting used to it, my body kept reminding me that I wasn't completely ok and that something must be wrong with me, seen as though there were no threats outside the house.
"Thank you again for inviting me over Esme" I said, pulling my arms through my navy jacket. "It's been wonderful to meet you all"
"And we have enjoyed getting to know you Bella. Edward has said many lovely things about you, I can see he wasn't exaggerating"
As she pulled me in for a hug, I gasped involuntarily. The feeling was back in full force and I needed to get out quickly. I thought that I was maybe going to be sick, and if that was the case, I would rather embarrass myself by throwing up in their front-garden-come-forest, rather than throwing up on their expensive carpet.
I quickly mumbled a goodbye and hurried out of the house, grabbing my jacket as I went. I didn't have time to look back at the Cullens to gauge their reactions. I was too busy trying to get out into the fresh air.
Edward rushed to my side, his strong arms holding me up unnecessarily. I wasn't feeling faint, I was just feeling...well, I don't really know what I was feeling. I just knew I wanted to get away and get home. If I was getting sick, I at least wanted to get sick in my own apartment.
"C'mon baby, let's take you home" he said gently, opening the car door and letting me take my seat. He rushed around his side and quickly started the car, reversing away in order to turn.
I glanced out of my window to see Esme and Carlisle at the front door, Esme giving me a small wave goodbye. I waved back, smiling sadly at having ruined Edward's family get together. It's just my luck that the first time I meet them all, I get sick. I just hoped that I hadn't passed anything onto any of them.
We peeled out of the forest in record time.
The car was silent for a long while. The radio was on low, the classical music Edward liked was tinkling away in the background, but it wasn't enough to distract me. As much as I was feeling better, the guilt just would not leave.
"Edward, I'm so sorry..."
"What are you sorry for baby?" He asked, taking hold of my hand and giving it a slight squeeze.
"I ruined it. Your time with your family"
"Don't be silly Bella, you can't help getting sick"
I chuckled humourlessly. "But that's the thing, I never get sick. In all the time I've been a...", and I almost slipped up and said 'a huntress' but luckily I caught myself. "...all the time I've been alive"
"Hey it's ok, my family love you, just like I said they would. They totally understand. Especially my father, I swear I could see in his eyes that he was wanting to check you over to make sure you weren't too sick" he chuckled. "Honestly sweetheart, don't worry about it. We can always plan something again when you are feeling better, I'm sure my family would jump at the chance to spend more time with you. So don't worry, right now let's just concentrate on getting you home, and getting you feeling like your old self again, ok?"
I smiled weakly at him, knowing that I was already feeling better and more like my old self, and the fear that hit me was worse. I knew that my so-called-illness was more likely due to a vampire or two being close by.
"I think you have a new biggest fan too" he smiled at me, giving me a side glance and a wink, before turning back to the road again. His hand never left mine.
"Who?"
"My mother" he laughed. "She told me how beautiful you are, and that you seem like a perfect fit for our family. She said I have excellent taste" he added, almost proudly.
"I really like your Mother, she seems like a real sweetheart, and she is absolutely stunning. In fact, all of your family are amazingly beautiful. I swear, you guys really won the gene-pool-lottery didn't you?"
He laughed loudly, he head falling back momentarily, before his eyes once again found the road in front of us. "Gene pool lottery huh? I guess you could say that, although none of us hold a torch to you, my Isabella. I am the luckiest guy in the world to have you by my side"
He picked up my hand, and kissed my knuckles gently, before sighing contentedly, and placing our joined hands back in my lap.
I watched the trees whip by in a flash, different shades of green and brown all merging into one. The heat in the car was rising, making me feel content and somewhat sleepy. But I couldn't sleep, because I had other plans for tonight.
I kept myself talking in order to distract me from the pull of sleep.
"Your parents and siblings are all so lovely, they are friendly and so welcoming. I felt like part of the family" I smiled widely, knowing that the dreaded feeling was all but gone.
"I'm glad you feel that way Bella, I really am. Goodness knows I've waited long enough to have you by my side"
"What do you mean? I'd hardly call a few months a long time" I chuckled.
He blanched slightly, only for a split second, but I caught it.
"I just mean that when you meet a creature as amazing, wonderful and beautiful as Isabella Swan, every second that they are not with you feels like a lifetime…an eternity"
"Hmm, such a smooth talker aren't you Mr Cullen?"
"Only with you Miss Swan" he replied in that sultry tone that I love so much.
With Edward stroking my hand the way he was, and talking in that tone, I had a brilliant idea of another way I could distract myself from sleeping, but I don't think getting arrested by the cops for practically jumping on my boyfriend on an open road, would be productive to my nightly plans. So I settled for tracing small patterns on his hand with my index finger instead.
Soon enough, the streets and shops slowly trickled back into view the closer we got into the city. As the sky became darker, the lights became all that much brighter, the streetlights switching themselves on as we went.
"Here we are then Miss Swan, let's get you up to your apartment and into bed" he offered sweetly, pulling up to my apartment building and shutting off the engine.
"You don't have to do that Edward" I said, taking off my seatbelt, and leaning over for a goodnight kiss.
The quicker I got upstairs and changed, the quicker I could get back out and hunting around the Cullen house. I couldn't drop the antsy feeling that I was missing something. Surely, I should be able to track a vampire better once I was completely focused, right?
"Nonsense, I won't have you stumbling up all of those stairs whilst you aren't feeling well"
"The building has an elevator you know" I replied, deadpanned. I lifted my eyebrows and smirked at him, because we both knew I had him there.
"But…but it's only good manners and gentlemanly to see a lady to her door" he argued.
"And you have seen me to my door, it's just a really big door with lots of littler doors inside" I laughed, watching his face fall, knowing that I was right. "Honestly Edward, there is nothing in that building that I can't handle-"
"But you aren't quite feeling yourself though, are you? I could just make sure-"
"Nope, I'm actually feeling much better" I cut him off, holding my fingers over his lips. "Trust me, I'll be fine. You get yourself on home"
He sighed behind my fingers, and kissed them gently. The sensation travelled from my hand, to practically every other part of my body.
"Ok baby" he said, finally taking my hand away, "But you will message me the second you get through your front door, won't you?"
"Yes Edward"
"…And you won't take the stairs, please make sure you take the elevator"
"Of course, Edward"
"…but if there are any strange men in there, you wait for the next one, ok?"
"I will do Edward"
"…And-"
"Edward, I'll be fine. Stop fretting, I'm a lot less vulnerable than you think. I'm simply going to go straight to my apartment and get straight into bed, ok?"
The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, and I felt the sick feeling back in the pit of my stomach at the thought of mis-leading Edward but I couldn't just tell him the truth now, could I? "Oh yeah, don't worry about me Edward. I can practically lift a truck and run faster than a cheetah, so I'm safe in the elevator, and on the stairs. And when I get to my apartment, I'm just going to get changed, grab my crossbow that I named after my deceased father & head to your family's house on foot, in order to go hunt vampires, because – believe it or not - they actually do exist"
Yeah, the lie was much easier in the long run.
With a heated goodnight kiss, I decided I needed to cut this short. Otherwise, I would definitely be in bed tonight, but I wouldn't be doing any sleeping and I would certainly not be hunting vampires like I really should be doing.
Edward reluctantly let me go, and watched me get out of the car…go into my apartment building….close the door…and enter the nearest elevator. It was sweet, but totally unnecessary.
I raced to my apartment, opening the door and slamming it shut behind me, cringing momentarily at the thought of having woken baby Eric across the hall. I couldn't hear any crying or gurgling though, so I continued getting ready for tonight.
I didn't even bother hanging up my jacket, I simply ran through to my bedroom, stripping off all of my daytime clothes and dumping them on the bed alongside my jacket. I pulled open my wardrobe, and pulled out my gear and boots from the bottom.
Even just having them in my hands felt good, but quickly slipping them on felt like home. Like I was back to my old self again, any feelings of uneasiness and nausea had completely disappeared.
I pulled my hair into a messy braid, and took off all of my jewellery, before bending low and pulling 'Charlie' out from under my bed.
I geared up with many different weapons for tonight. My butterfly knife from below my kitchen sink was placed into my right boot, and the small push dagger on top of my bathroom cabinet fit neatly into my left boot. Luckily the black handle camouflaged perfectly against my black pants, so having it easily accessible outside of my boot was a must.
I placed 'Charlie' into my large holdall, along with my broad axe and a couple of my Katanas, and hauled it easily onto my back, pulling the straps and securing it tightly. I knew that I would be in for a bit of running tonight, so I needed something that would be sturdy enough to hold all of my weapons, but something I could carry easily.
I pulled the hood of my black jacket over my head, and switched off all of the lights, leaving my apartment in total darkness. I usually leave on a lamp in order to get a glance of anyone who may be in my apartment the second I open the door, but Edward was particularly attentive tonight, and knowing how much he worries about me, I wouldn't put it past him to drive by later on to make sure I'm asleep. If he sees my apartment is dark, he will just assume that I'm in bed. The last thing I need is a frantic Edward wondering if I'm feeling worse because my light is still on and I'm not in bed.
I took the back stairs the whole way down, and let myself out of the trade door where the electricians and plumbers usually come in through – not that I've ever seen any in the whole time I've been living here. The landlord usually goes deaf or M.I.A whenever someone has a problem. None of the other residents bother going down to the trade doors as they have no reason to, especially at night, which makes it the perfect exit for a woman who has more weapons on her than actual body weight. If I was ever caught, I had absolutely no idea what my cover story would be.
I closed the doors carefully behind me hearing the all familiar thud that I was used to by now, and pulled my jacket a little tighter around my neck. The wind had picked up since we had left the Cullens, and was biting coldly against my exposed face, but I knew once I made it to the edge of the city, I could disappear into the trees and sprint the whole way to the Cullens house undetected. That would warm me up somewhat.
I chose every backstreet I could think of, that was leading in the general direction I wanted to be in, and in the streets where I was alone, I allowed myself the freedom to run at my own pace, making it from one side of a street to the other in seconds.
"Hey baby, what's a pretty little thing like you doing all alone in the dark?" came the drawling voice of a large, slightly drunken man. "You want me to take care of you, huh?" he leered from the dark shadows of a particularly gruesome backstreet.
I rolled my eyes and attempted to quietly slip by, but he grabbed my arm roughly, pulling it from my pocket and spun me around to face him. It was then that I spotted three of his equally large buddies flanking him, holding beers and sniggering childishly at their friend's performance.
"Hey, I was talking to you. And you ignored me…now that's not very nice, is it?" he smirked, whilst pulling me in close. The smell coming from him was a mixture of alcohol, sweat and cigarettes, and it made my stomach roll.
"You need to get your hands off me" I said calmly, attempting to pull away with the strength of a normal human woman.
He smiled widely, showing off his yellowing teeth. "Oh no, you aren't going anywhere" he replied, pulling out his own blade from the back of his pants. He held the steel against my cheek and I had to stop myself from gagging at how it wasn't cold like you would expect it to be. Clearly, the knife had been warmed up against this stupid assholes flesh. "Now, let's all play nicely, shall we? We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, would we boys?" he laughed, pulling me roughly into the entrance of a nearby alleyway.
Once again, I rolled my eyes because I really didn't have time for this shit. I needed to get over to the Cullens house and check out whatever it was that was bothering me earlier. But I knew that this asshole needed teaching a lesson, because I knew for a fact that I could take all four of them together, but any other poor unsuspecting woman may struggle to fight off just one of them alone.
I put up a pathetic struggle, allowing him to drag me further into the darkness, watching as he signalled his friends to keep a look out. They nodded drunkenly, probably not really knowing what they were agreeing to…Idiots!
He marched me roughly through the alleyway, and when he seemed satisfied that he had gone far enough that we wouldn't be bothered by anyone, he stopped and pushed me against the wall, his large hand wrapped around my throat.
"See, if you had just been polite to me in the first place, none of this would be happening" he chuckled, leaning in closer and pulling my hood down. He took a long sniff of my hair, which only pissed me off, although I couldn't pinpoint why. Maybe because it was such an intimate move, or it could be the fact that I love when Edward does things like that…but definitely not this total asshat!
I managed to find my voice despite having my throat squeezed. "Oh, somehow I don't think being polite was going to save me from this, do you? I think that you are just probably the lowest scumbag that New York has to offer, and you would have done this regardless of my reaction"
"Noisy little bitch aren't you?" he sneered, all traces of the smirk leaving his face, making him look even more deranged than he already did. "Let's see how noisy you can get!" and he tugged roughly at my jacket, whilst never taking his hand away from my throat.
"Seriously? Oh, for fuck's sake" I muttered, completely unamused and bored of this, dropping my arms so that my holdall fell from my shoulders and hit the ground with a loud metallic clatter.
Guess I've gotta teach a dickhead a lesson before I make it to the Cullens tonight? Then so be it!
"Right, I'm going to choose to do this the easy way for me, and the hard way for you, because goodness knows that you shouldn't be allowed to live, but I don't kill humans" I said, taking hold of his hand that was around my throat and pulling it away with no effort whatsoever.
He stopped pulling at my clothing, clearly confused at how a dainty little thing like me could have the strength to do that.
I twisted his arm around quickly, before he had time to even realise what was happening, and pushed it up against his back, earning me a satisfying cry of pain.
I may have smiled to myself a little…I may have even had a little chuckle. What can I say? I was actually enjoying myself.
I pushed his whole body up against the same wall that he previously had me pinned to, and I could almost hear the skin on his face scraping against the dirty bricks. His cries became louder and his breathing became quicker.
I held his arm up against his back whilst reaching behind me, to pull my dagger from the back of my trousers. In less than a second, I had it up against his cheek, mirroring what he had done to me in the street moments before.
"See, scumbags like you need to be taught a lesson, and who better to do it than one of your potential victims, eh? Now, I'm betting that I'm not the first woman you have dragged into a dark alleyway, but I'm sure as shit going to be the last asshole. I can promise you that"
He cried out in pain when I pushed the dagger into his flesh, and dragged it downwards, leaving a bright red streak in its wake.
"You shut your noise, or else I'll stick this straight into your neck, and leave you in this stinking dirty alleyway to bleed out, do you fucking understand me?" I spat out through my teeth.
He nodded frantically, pathetically.
"You know, I could actually do this all night, every night. Just trawl the streets as rape-bait for lowlife fuckers like you, only to turn it around and slit their throats the second I get" and I placed my blade back against his flesh, this time at his neck, right by his pulse point.
The familiar smell of urine flooded my nostrils, and his legs wobbled as if he was struggling to hold himself up. I was just thankful that he had his front against the wall, I didn't want him pissing all over me.
"You know, you aren't going to make it out of here in one piece, right?" I said matter-of-factly.
"Oh god, p-please…I don't know how the fuck you are this strong, but I kn-know i…"
"Know you what?" I asked, bored of all of this and conscious of the time ticking by.
"I….I…I won't do this again, I sw-swear" he cried, tears streaming down his dirty cheeks, leaving clean tracks in their wake. "I promise"
"Yeah, you see the thing is that a promise from someone like you means fuck all to me. It means nothing. Because the second my back is turned, you will move right on to the next poor woman, and the next, and the next until someone like me comes along to finally stop you"
Without a second thought, I brought my boot down hard on the side of his left knee, feeling the bones shatter beneath my foot. He screamed out in pain, dropping to the floor, and holding his leg.
He looked up at me momentarily, and his eyes held exactly what I wanted them to hold.
Fear.
Fear that he would be hurt even worse.
Fear of not knowing what was coming next.
Fear that he was never going to make it out of here alive.
His bloodshot and teary eyes begged with me to stop, but the thought of him doing this to someone else made me think that I wasn't quite finished.
"Are you scared little man?" I asked, crouching down beside him and twirling my dagger menacingly in my hand. I knew I was risking him taking hold of it from me, but he was much slower than I would ever be, and I'm guessing he was also very focused on not throwing up from the pain he was currently in.
"Y-yes…yes, just don't kill me" he begged, spittle flying from his mouth.
"Oh, I'm not going to kill you" I said sweetly, smiling down at him as if I had not just shattered his bones into goodness knows how many pieces. "No, I'm just teaching you what happens when you pick on the wrong person. You see, I'm no ordinary woman. I fight monsters every day, and ones that are much more deadly than you will ever be, but know this dickhead…I will be roaming these streets every night, just waiting to pounce on little pricks like you, who get sick enjoyment out of hurting others. So you had better watch your back and tell your friends to do the same, because my patience only goes so far, and you have put my schedule for tonight right back, and that just won't do. I don't kill humans normally, but if I ever made an exception – especially for you, I'm sure I would get over it. Do you understand me?" I spat, thrusting my dagger into the top of his hand.
He cried out in pain, before nodding again. "Yes, yes, I understand, I understand" he shouted in response.
"Good boy"
I walked over to my holdall, pulling it back onto my shoulders. I wiped my blade off on my trousers, because let's face it, what's going to attract any vampires to me around the Cullen residence like fresh human blood, am I right?
I guess assholes do come in handy sometimes, huh?
"And make sure you always remember what I've said, Never forget what I will do to you if I ever catch you again" I added, walking back over to him, watching him curl up in fear as I approached. For good measure, I brought my foot down on his other knee, receiving the same result as the first one.
His screams filled the alleyway, attracting his friends at last.
Their dumbstruck expressions made me chuckle as they silently glanced with open mouths from their friend on the floor, to me putting my dagger back into the top of my boot…back to their friend…then back to me again.
"If you want to end up the same way as your friend down there…" I offered, leaving the end of my sentence hanging.
They simply looked at me with wide eyes, shaking their heads, and held their hands in the air defensively, before backing up against the walls and clearing a pathway for me.
I continued on, giving them a pointed look as I went.
As soon as I made it back out into the deserted street, I knew I had to pick up the pace. Luckily for me, I wasn't too far from where the edges of the trees began. If I carried on in this direction for about 5 minutes, and then took a sharp turn north-east, I would easily end up in such dense forest that I could pretty much do whatever I wanted and not be detected.
I made quick work of running through the woodland, barely registering the holdall full of weapons that was bouncing on my back. I could hear the clinking of metals but only just, I was far too focused on getting to the house.
My feet hardly touched the ground, as I ran faster than I had run in a long, long time. The images of a broken Edward finding his slaughtered parents and siblings covered in their own blood spurred me on through the burning in my legs, and kept me on track.
I passed a few elk scattered around here and there as I went, not giving them enough time to register that I was even near them, before taking off again.
I could hear the birds in the trees, their wings flapping quietly as they tried to get settled in their nests for the night. I could hear squirrels doing the same, just a lot more noisily. Squirrels didn't seem to give a shit.
I ran for what felt like forever, the wind threatening to pull down my hood from the force, but it had probably only been about 10 minutes when I suddenly felt the hairs on my neck prickle.
Coming to an abrupt halt, I crouched low, hoping to get a good look at my surroundings without having to decipher what was in between the branches and leaves all around me.
My eyes squinted, quickly adjusting to the dark and a set my bag down, pulling 'Charlie' out, and placing him across my back silently. Without taking my eyes from the trees and bushes, I also took both of my Katanas out, and crossed them also over my back, placing them in their specially designed holster.
I left my holdall underneath a nearby bush, and crept through the forest as silently as I could manage. I would go back for it once I was finished.
There was the odd snap of a twig beneath my boots as I walked along slowly, but aside from that, I was pretty silent.
The sense of being watched was strong, but I knew that was the all-knowing feeling of being close to a vampire because usually it was me doing to watching. It was my body's way of being on alert, or being ready to strike if I need to. To not be complacent. My body always knew when to warn me that my life, and other people's lives were in danger.
I kept on in the same direction, trusting my senses. They had never let me down before. My feet moving along of their own accord, whilst my eyes were carefully scanning my surroundings and my ears pricked with every single rustle, every single sound.
I took it slowly, mainly due to being in an area I wasn't yet familiar with, but also due to needing to listen and keep my eyes peeled. I wasn't in a street where I could back up against a wall and only need to cover my front and sides. No, I was vulnerable from all angles right now, in this forest.
The silence irked me somewhat.
Surely there should be some kind of noise, even something small. But there were no birds chirping right now, no squirrels scampering in the trees, or even mice as they gathered scraps and dragged them back to their little homes.
There was just silence. Never-ending silence. Dark, unknowing, all consuming silence.
I scanned the area I was stood in, feeling like it was a little more familiar, realising I was close to the Cullen residence, about 5 miles out or so.
I crouched low, my body tensing and readying itself automatically as I felt the rush of blood pumping through my veins.
I pulled 'Charlie' carefully from my back, continuing forward as I narrowed my eyes, never taking them away from what was around me.
After a minute or so of walking, my ears pricked at the sound of liquid…or should I say, the rush of liquid. But it didn't sound like a stream or a river, it sounded slower. Thicker than water.
I continued on with a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach, hoping and praying with every step that I wouldn't find the body of one of Edward's family.
I raised 'Charlie' up to eye level, and with a pounding in my ears, I pointed him directly at two figures hunched over something that was already extremely dead.
The smell of blood was thick in the air, and it made my stomach roll with unease and hatred.
Without thinking on it any further, I stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlit clearing, directly behind the figures.
I held my arms steady and sucked a calming breath into my lungs through my mouth, mainly because the blood scent was a little distracting. I squeezed the trigger, watching my ammunition fly rapidly through the air, heading straight for the head of the smallest vampire.
I figured if I could take out one of them straight away, I would easily handle the second one with the few weapons I had with me. I chose the smallest, because as much as they were weaker, they were usually faster than the larger vampires and that was just one whole big-ass headache right there.
I watched with fascination, waiting for my arrow to hit the target, before I would reveal myself further and take out the second vampire. I would then need to sweep the whole forest in order to find out if there were anymore, and take out any potential stragglers.
But to my surprise and annoyance, the larger vampire quickly pulled their kill out from under them, and right into the path of my arrow, saving the life of his companion.
"Not for long" I mumbled to myself, thrusting myself forward with 'Charlie' raised once more, and running head on towards the pair.
A lot of things happened at once…
I shot another arrow whilst running…
The larger vamp took off to the right…
His tiny companion seemed unaware of what exactly was happening…
I had almost reached her –I believed it was a female, judging by the small black pixie hair – and my boot landed in the centre of her back, taking her down to lie face first on the green mossy floor beneath us both…
I stumbled slightly, quickly righting myself and aimed my crossbow at the back of the woman's head, earning a growl from both her, and her friend who was now stood behind me.
I pulled down my hood in order to better hear and see what was happening around me, and spoke to them both.
"I don't know who the fuck you both are, but believe me – by the time I'm finished – neither you, nor any other vampires who cross through this forest will get within sniffing distance of the family who live here"
I held onto the cool metal trigger, readying to pull…
"B-Bella? Is that you?"
I gasped and swallowed, not wanting to turn around. I could hear Edward's voice, shaky and afraid.
Please don't let them hurt him, please please. I would even be willing to spare their lives if they allow Edward to live and leave this forest forever.
Those thoughts went against everything I had ever stood for, the fact that I was taught never to let a vampire go. Never to let them live, knowing that they would go on to kill another innocent human. But I would make an exception in this case.
I turned slowly, hoping against all hopes that he wasn't hurt. Or if he was hurt, then he wasn't hurt too badly. That I could save him and that everything would be alright.
I imagined him on his knees, bloody and a bruised by the disgusting creature that would be trying to make him it's next meal.
But what I faced was something so much worse.
There stood my boyfriend, wearing the very same clothes that he had worn earlier in the day whilst we sat in his parent's home, drinking tea and chatting. Except this Edward was covered in blood, and not his own.
"Edward? What the fuck?" I whispered. "Are you-"
I couldn't take my eyes away from his face. From his messy hair to the blood that coated every part of his mouth.
"A vampire" he said, answering my unfinished question. "Bella, I…" he started, before spotting 'Charlie' raised towards him. It was an instinct that I always kept myself prepared, and in the shock of this new revelation, my automatic huntress training had kicked in.
"Bella…what are you doing?"
"I'm here to keep your family safe Edward, ironically from vampires!" I shouted at him. "What the fuck? I trusted you, and those weird feelings I had been getting today was my body telling me that there were vampires close by, but I shouldn't have been worrying about you and your family should I Edward? Because you are exactly what I was trying to protect you from!"
I pulled my boot from his companions back, and took a few steps away, never turning my back on them.
Alice stood quickly, and made her way over to her brother. I don't even know if they are really related – everything I thought I knew was wrong.
"Bella, please I can explain" he began, and took a step forward.
I once again raised 'Charlie' as a warning to stay back. Edward seemed to get my unspoken meaning and stopped, holding his hands up defensively.
"Don't bother Edward. You are a fucking vampire, and I can't believe I let you get as close to me as I have"
"Please don't say that baby-"
I held up my left hand, whilst keeping 'Charlie' held firmly in my right. "Stop! Edward, just stop. This isn't right"
"Bella, please let him explain" interrupted Alice, all the while never taking her wide, fearful eyes from my weapon.
"Shut up, I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to Edward," and a looked back at his face, his broken expression piercing me like a knife. "You are a monster, Edward. You are no better that the thing that killed my parents!"
"No, no, please Bella, let me explain…we don't kill humans. Not at all. Our family hunt animals, not humans…see!" he said quickly, pointing to the figure to my left, laid on the damp forest floor.
The arrow sticking out of it's side was definitely the one I has shot at the back of Alice's head, so I knew that it was what they had been drinking from, and I could clearly see that it was a large male Elk.
"Hunting humans goes against everything we believe in. We are basically vegetarians, we only hunt animals, and only when we really need to feed. Why do you think we live out here?"
"I don't care why Edward. I knew I should have trusted my instincts"
"What are you going to do?" asked Alice quietly. "I assume you are a huntress, based on your stance, the fact that you are carrying so many weapons and that you are actively hunting vampires" she added.
"Yes, I'm a huntress" I admitted quietly, my tone not at all polite like it had been when I spoke to her earlier in the day.
"How could I have not noticed?" Edward mumbled, to himself more than anything. "I mean, we know huntresses used to exist, but- but we thought they had all become extinct"
"Yeah, I bet you'd love that wouldn't you?" I spat out at the man who I thought I would be with forever. "To have us all gone"
"No! Bella, please don't say that. I would never wish you gone, or hurt or anything. I love you, despite what we both are"
My hands grasping onto my crossbow began to shake, as were my legs that were just barely holding me upright.
My vision jumped in and out of focus, and I recognised instantly that I was in shock.
The man I loved...the man I was beginning to trust, despite my past experiences, was something I had always vowed to hate. I had been trained to take him down without even thinking about it, but my heart aches at the thought of hurting Edward.
I couldn't imagine pulling the trigger and watching my arrow fly rapidly through the air, before landing with a dull thud into his chest. Or his forehead.
I couldn't imagine taking my Katana, and severing his limbs like I would any other vampire.
I couldn't imagine taking out my zippo, and throwing it upon a pile of Cullen limbs, before making my way east, in search of the rest of his family, and ending their immortal lives too.
"So, I knew I was right, today at your parent's house. My senses were going crazy, and I just knew that I wasn't wrong. I was surrounded by vampires...it's just that instead of vampires with red eyes and the instinct to kill any human they come across, I was surrounded by you guys. The ones who had invited me there. Did you do it in the hopes of killing me? Is this what this has been about between us, huh?" And I motioned between myself and Edward.
"Bella, no! That's not what this has been about at all, please you have to believe me. I was with you for who you are, not for who you have been trained to be. I didn't know you were a huntress, just like you didn't know we are vampires"
Alice had been stood by Edward's side, listening to our exchange. "Bella, we know you are a good person, we could see it in you as soon as we met. Please don't think that we are all alike, we don't drink from humans...we never have done. We simply wish to live our lives as normal as we can. We have saved a few lives in the past too" she offered up as some sort of extra reason for me to spare their lives.
I couldn't look at her though. My eyes were very firmly fixed on the beautiful, but sad looking man beside her. And his eyes never once left me either.
I sighed deeply, my mind racing a mile a minute.
On one hand, they were vampires. Plain and simple.
On the other hand, their amber eyes were not like those of the human killing kind - wild, red and full of animalistic instincts. I had never come across amber-eyed vampires before, and couple that with finding them actually drinking from an animal told me instinctively that they were being truthful.
I finally tore my gaze away from Edward, to glance upon the carcass of the elk once more, as it laid unmoving under the moonlight.
"Bella, we aren't a threat to humans, and we are aware of just how strong and skilled a huntress can be. Your kind are legendary amongst vampires, there isn't a vampire that knows of your kind who wouldn't be afraid. Or at the very least extremely cautious. But I know you as a woman too, and you amaze me, so I can't imagine the immense power that you hold. But believe me when I say that you already own my heart, you own me in every single way. I am no threat to you, and I'm hoping you see that enough to spare my family and I"
His voice broke, and if he were physically able to, I know he would be crying. I hated seeing him so broken and vulnerable. I loved this man, this monster.
My monster.
That thought alone caused my heart to break.
"Fine" I said after what seemed like hours, but was probably no more than 30 seconds. "I will leave you be, you clearly don't drink human blood because your eyes tell me so" I added, quickly running through my mind each and every one of the Cullens to make sure they were all amber eyed. "But just know that I will be hunting, and I will be watching your every move"
I lowered my weapon, knowing deep in my heart that neither Edward, nor Alice would attack me once my back was turned.
I stepped back a few paces with my eyes locked with Edward's – brown on amber - none of us breaking the connection, and seemingly having a silent conversation.
He wanted me to understand, I know that he did. And I wanted him to know that I was hurt, and that I was sad that this was over. I loved Edward, and I knew he loved me too - he would tell me and show me enough to prove it.
"Bella wait!" Called Edward, as I turned on my heel and began to walk in the direction of my discarded holdall, ready to go home. I needed a shower and my bed. I can usually last on 3-4 hours sleep per night, but tonight, I had a feeling I would be needing much more than that.
"Bella, please wait…" said Edward, catching me up and pulling me gently by my upper arm. He spun me towards him, and I took a disgusted look at his hand on me, before giving him a death-stare. My expression was enough to make him look like he was going to be sick.
I pulled myself out of his grasp, and took a step back from him, the only sound in the whole forest was of the dry leaves beneath my feet.
"Bella, please can we talk about this?" he pleaded. His eyes roamed over the whole of my face, taking in each and every detail, every freckle.
"I don't think there's anything left to talk about Edward. I had always pushed down the strange feelings I had been getting around you, until I just didn't feel them anymore"
"Maybe that's because we are meant to be together really, and we just have to acclimatise ourselves with each other…"
"No, I think that I was letting my guard down, and my senses tried to tell me otherwise. And when I wouldn't listen, my heart began to override everything I had ever known and leant about myself and my instincts…until today. At least we found out in the end, huh?" and I shrugged nonchalantly, as if this wasn't killing me on the inside, before turning away again.
I wasn't even at my holdall before the tears were rolling down my cheeks and I silently cried whilst I packed my bag.
I knew that life wouldn't be the same now, that things had drastically changed, but for a short while, I genuinely believed that they would possibly change, just for the better. That I would actually be happy. That I could have a love life, as well as manage to uphold my destiny.
But in a sick twist of fate, my destiny happened to bring me my love life…and that was just messed up.
I ran back to the city quicker than I thought I ever could, not stopping to scout for any other vampires, just heading straight on home. I needed my space. I needed my bed. I needed to escape reality and into my dreams, but all I would see in my dreams that night is three red eyed vampires looming over me and my parents…and Edward was one of them.
A/N: So, what do you think? Was Bella's reaction founded, or should she have given Edward a chance to explain?
I wanted to make the meeting with the Cullen's short and sweet for now, focusing more on Bella and the build up to her finding out what the Cullen's really are…we will meet the Cullen's a little better in later chapters.
The song that Bella was working out to, by the way, was 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons.
And before anyone asks…Alice couldn't 'see' Bella coming across them in the forest, because Bella is a blur to her…like the wolves are in the books. Just because I know someone will ask, ha ha.
So, please let me know what you think, leave a review and show me some love…I have been gone a while, but I have missed you all!
Until the next chapter,
WhitlocksBoo xxx