"Who am I?
Who am I?
That you have brought me
This far, this far
Who am I that you have
brought me so far..."
-Who am I (by Flyleaf)
It was an uneasy car ride back to the Batons'. Nobody said anything, and the atmosphere was tense. Edward drove and I sat shotgun, which probably wasn't the best idea.
Jacob sat in the back, as far away from Christian as possible, muttering to himself about 'dangers to the pack'. Christian just stared intently out the window.
We pulled up at the large house with the white picket fence.
"Come in, Edward, Bella," Christian said warmly as he unlocked the front door, completely ignoring Jacob.
The scent of roast beef drifted through the hallway, and low classical music played in the background.
"Chris? Is that you?" came the worried voice of Jeanette as she flitted into the room, wearing a light yellow sundress and a pink apron. "Did everything go okay?" she placed one small white hand on his shoulder, the nails painted blood red.
"It's grand, mom," he smiled at her. But then his expression hardened. "We brought back one of the Quileute shape shifters." he gestured to Jacob, who was standing nervously in the hallway.
She turned to Jacob, tossed her long, black hair over her shoulder and walked over to him, smiling gently as if not to scare him.
"Hello, dear," she smiled, kissing him on both cheeks in a European fashion. She had to reach up to kiss him, he was about two feet taller than her. Jake blushed under his russet complexion. "I'm Jeanette, its nice to meet you."
"Er, nice to meet you too. I'm, uh, Jacob." he stuttered.
"That's nice, dear." she turned to us. "The boys are in the kitchen, Bassanio is still out tracking down Gala. He should be back soon."
"What do you mean?" both me and Jake said at the same time. Christian shot a look at Jeanette, who sighed.
"All in good time, children." she said, as she turned and fluttered into the kitchen.
We followed her small, delicate body into the kitchen, where Andrew and Sebastian sat at the island counter, both with beer bottles in their hands, and Hero sat on top the counter, with a bag of chips.
"Hey, Bella!" she greeted me enthusiastically, hopping down from the press. "Nice seeing you here! Why weren't you here last night?"
"I wasn't invited," I said coldly. I wasn't invited to rendezvous with the killers last night.
"Edward, Bella," Sebastian acknowledged us as he marched past us, right up to Jacob. Sebastian was nearly as tall as him, and just as muscled. "What up, dog?" he snarled. "Let me guess, you're one of the Quileute mutts who slashed Gala last night."
"I believe I was the one who got her," Jacob snarled back. "I take it she was the rabid cur?"
"Boys, please," Jeanette said, with all of the strictness of a mother, whilst taking the beef out of the oven and putting another layer of glazing on it.
"I'm sorry," Jake said, glaring at Sebastian, "but I don't even know what's going on here. Nobody's told me anything, what are you?"
"Oh how rude of us," Jeanette smiled, placing the beef back in the oven. "Andy, start to explain the situation to Jacob while I put out the laundry. Seb, no fighting, you understand? And Hero, take Bella up to your room. Edward can stay and help Andy explain."
"Why?" I protested. "I need to know the story as well!"
"Just go, Bells," Jake said. I huffed and followed Hero out into the long hallway and up the stairs.
"This is my room," she announced as we got to the end of the hallway.
Inside it looked just like an ordinary teenage girls room, with matching dark purple curtains and bedspread, a desk with a computer, a large wardrobe and photos taped all over the walls.
Hero went and sat down on the bed, and smiled tentatively at me.
"This must be very confusing for you," she said quietly. I narrowed my eyes.
"I don't like when people lie or keep things from me," I said slowly. "What are you?"
She seemed taken aback for a moment, but then regained her composure.
"Lycanthrope," she whispered.
"What, like a werewolf?" I scoffed. I didn't mean to be rude to her, but this was just too weird. So she was like Jacob? No way…
"Not like the Quileutes," she said softly, as if answering my silent question.
"Like with full moons and silver bullets?" I said, jokingly. I knew better than to believe the common myths…
A smile crept across her slender lips. "Gala is actually the only one of us that transforms at the full moon," she smiled. "and silver only affects us immediately before and during transformation,"
]"That's weird," I said. "This is weird."
So the Batons' were wolves. Or lycanthropes, whatever. But they were murderers! They killed people! I had seen it in a dream, and Edward had confirmed it! Why was Edward so calm about this? Why had he left me here with one, alone? Nothing made any sense.
"Why do I keep having dreams about Christian?" I said, getting the biggest question on my mind out of the way first.
"Maybe you have a crush on him," the small blonde suggested. I rolled my eyes.
"No I mean in my dreams I am him." Comprehension dawned across her face, and then she blushed.
"You should talk to him about that," she giggled. I sighed.
"Okay then, when do you transform, or whatever? Why do you transform at different times of the month?" I asked.
"I transform a week before Gala. It has a lot to do with when you were infected. The 'full moon' legend developed because we only change once a month." she said, relaxing back into her pillows. I saw next to her on the bed. I looked her in the eyes.
"Are you dangerous?" I uttered. She paused and took a deep breath.
"Yes," I took a step back. She looked at me desperately. "But we would never hurt anybody on purpose!"
"Sure," I scoffed, remembering Hera Waters.
"Really, I promise. We're very careful, when our eyes indicate change is near, we don't come to school and exile ourselves."
"Why do your eyes change?" I said, letting my curiosity take a hold of me. Hero smiled, relieved at the lighter subject matter.
"It's got to do with how close we are to transformation. When our eyes fill with green, it's time. it's a good warning, so we don't just tear apart spontaneously." she saw the blank look on my face and added, "any other questions?"
I wracked my brains for something else to ask her.
"Why didn't Gala bleed?" I said suddenly, after minutes of strained silence.
"Huh? What do you mean?" she said confused.
"Jacob said he sliced her cheek last night, but she didn't bleed. Why is that?" I demanded.
She looked thoughtful for a moment. "She has adult skin. If you want to know more about that, you'll have to ask Baz, because I really don't know much about it." she sighed. "All I know is that I don't have it. that's why I make such a bloody mess when I transform."
"Oh," I said, trying desperately to change the subject. "How did you become like this?"
She stiffened and frowned. "I'd rather not go into that right now. To be honest, I don't even remember. I was in an accident, I only have bits and pieces of memories from my time before infection."
"Oh," I said again, awkwardly. "That's too bad," Hero stared silently at her grey high-topped sneakers. I felt the need to get out of here, and out of this awkward conversation. "Are the others done talking yet?"
She closed her eyes and focused. "Just about, yeah. Lets go." I looked at her, confused. "Dogs have good hearing, remember?" she grinned.
We walked down to the kitchen again. Jacob was sitting at the table between Edward and Sebastian, and opposite Andrew.
"…Okay, we'll keep an eye out for you then," Jacob was saying calmly. "we'll keep a look out for stray wolves as well."
"Sure the change only lasts twelve hours, anyways. You shouldn't have too much bother." Andrew said evenly. I seemed that all tension from before had evaporated. "And you wont need to worry about Baz, he's in full control. He could even help you, maybe." he glanced over at me and Hero, standing in the doorway. "And hero's wolf is a kitten, she's harmless."
"Hey! That's mean, Andy-Pandy!" she giggled, walking over to the refrigerator. "Want anything?"
"A beer," both Sebastian and Andrew said at the same time, and then high-fived.
"Want one, wolf boy?" Sebastian asked Jacob.
"Nah, I don't drink," he answered. Sebastian and Andrew exchanged a horrified glance, and Hero laughed as she went to go sit at the table next to Andrew.
Just then, every head in the room turned sharply to look out the window, Edward included.
"Supersonic hearing?" I guessed. Andrew turned to look at me seriously.
"Bassanio is home," he said coolly. "he's tracked Gala down. They're home."