Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.

Rated M for several reasons.

Chpt 9 Too Much Information

BPOV

I cooked dinner. I served dinner. Charlie and I ate dinner. I went to my room, Charlie went to Harry's. I put some very loud music on and lay down on the bed.

Vampires.

Beautiful. Check. Strong, fast and virtually indestructible. Check.

Blood thirsty, aggressive, violent, horny, murderous, vengeful, bored. No check.

I have a feeling the concept of sugar coating is entirely lost on Pete. And despite my current horror levels I can't help but be grateful.

His life, or whatever it was after he was turned, and Char's. Nasty. But apparently not that unusual. And Jasper? I forgave him for trying to eat me, I was bleeding and he was a vampire, the consequences aren't hard to compute. But. His life. I don't know whether to cry for him, and Pete and Char, or despise him for his depravity. Blood wars. Wars over blood. Actual blood, human blood. As it comes, so to speak, straight from the source.

Armies built from deliberately turned newborn vampires, stronger and faster than the older ones because their own blood is still feeding their system. Taught to fight as a unit but nothing else, not how to control their bloodlust or any of their other rampaging urges. Not taught any of that because when they reach a year old and start to slow down they are ruthlessly murdered to make way for more. Unless they have manifested a useful gift by then.

The lives of a lot of vampires are nothing like the Cullens, on any level and the start nowhere near as loving.

Edward told me about his rebellious period. He made it sound almost romantic. Or perhaps I allowed it to sound romantic in my own mind. Judge, jury and executioner. But really, there's nothing romantic about dead people and what if he made a mistake, despite his mind reading ability. There's no parole from being found dead in an alley. And he could have made mistakes, he can't read my mind and if he could he'd assume I'm some kind of sex addict. Which, in fairness, I have often felt like in the face of his considerable charms yet sensible rejections.

Is there such a thing as an un-sex addict? Because if there is I'm in line to be an expert.

Unfortunately Pete is one of the most honest anythings I've met in my entire, that I now appreciate to be short, life.

My cycle. Eeeew. So didn't need to know that.

Arousal? Is that what he called it after my cheeks flamed from his original description? Never has that word sounded so wrong. They can smell that? Triple eeeew, with knobs on. He described in graphic detail what that can do to a vampire. Never did it to Edward, what does that mean? Either he has self-control of epic proportions or he doesn't need it and he doesn't care.

Yuk, yuk, yuk.

And the rest? Like watching friends and family age and die, apparently as compulsive as Facebook, or the immortal children, or any number of the other thought provoking things I learnt tonight.

He had better be worth it.

The sudden silence of my cd finishing brings me back from my obsessive internal rambling.

With a heavy sigh I grab my kit and retire to the bathroom.

Returning to my room I find Rosalie sitting cross legged on my bed.

"Um. Hi."

"Char called." She says. "The news isn't good."

I can't stop my eyes from rolling. Not just because the news isn't good but also because I'm surround by vampires who apparently don't know the benefits of leading into something gently.

Without speaking I slowly, it annoys her, put my things away and sit down in the rocking chair.

With an impatient sigh she turns herself around to face me.

"Em recognised both Victoria and Laurent's scents in Seattle."

"Okay." Somehow the news that she's still around here is not entirely unexpected. Laurent is new though, I thought he was with their cousins in Alaska and I say as much.

"So did I." She growls. "I rang Tanya pretending, well never mind, anyway Laurent left a few weeks ago, they don't know where he went but they are expecting him back in another couple of weeks."

"So he's taking a vacation and hooked up with Victoria in Seattle?" I hedge.

"No." Here comes the non-sugar coated pill. "Their scents are all around the newborns Char and Em found."

"Which means?"

"Which means they probably created them."

"And they would do this, because?" I ask. Typical Rosalie, why deliver all the bad news in one go when you can make the human ask for it a piece at a time.

"Because, oh snarky one, the best way to get past two vampires and myriad wolves is to have a small army of newborns."

"Oh."

"Indeed." She responds her perfect brow furrowing. "Don't you exfoliate when you bathe?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said." She pauses. "Oh never mind, this is you we're talking about, it isn't your style."

And now I feel vulnerable and insulted. So far, so Rosalie.

"So what do we do now?" I ask tentatively, suddenly worried that they'll all decide I'm too much trouble and leave me to my fate.

"Pete's gone to meet with the wolves. Apparently his gift told him it was safe." She says with perfectly pitched sarcasm. "Char and Em have all the information they need and are on their way back."

"Safe." She adds, reading my expression like a pro. "Pete thinks if the wolves will help us we should be able to deal with them on our own."

"What if she makes more?"

"Char doesn't think she will. With two mature vampires and a city full of humans they're already struggling to control the ones they've got. Pete agrees and they both think she's ready to move any day."

I stare at her wordlessly, not knowing what to say, it's all starting to feel a bit too real.

"Are you alright?" She asks.

My mouth falls open is surprise, she didn't even ask me that when I head butted the ground after being flung from my bike.

"Are you alright?" She asks again with a little more inflection in her voice.

"Um. Yes. Sorry. Just. It's a lot to take in."

"I'm sure it is." She says crisply. "We need to plan and so I came to ask, do you want to be there?"

I nod.

"Fine. I will be back to collect you after Charlie falls asleep. Leave your window open."

And with a fluid grace I will never possess she unfolds herself and disappears down the stairs.

With a martyred sigh I head back into the bathroom to exfoliate like a mad thing.

Much to my surprise Rosalie has to rouse me from a deep and dreamless sleep. Not that the sight of her ethereal face scowling down at me in the darkness won't give me nightmares for weeks to come.

"Are you awake?" She hisses. "Because there have been a couple of false alarms."

"Huh?"

"Apparently you talk in your sleep."

"Oh. Did I, um, say anything I shouldn't have?"

"No." She snaps. "I know I'm a bitch. That isn't exactly news."

"Sorry." I mutter rubbing my eyes.

"Less apologising, more getting dressed and getting out of here." She urges. "Char and Em are almost back, Pete's spoken to the wolves and Charlie is out like a light. Now is the perfect time."

I dress quickly and start carefully onto the landing. She stops me with a shake of her head and the awful truth dawns, she's going to carry me there and back because it's the dead of night and we daren't wake anybody.

Great.

Nauseated and stiff from trying to hold myself away from her as much as possible we soon arrive at the Cullen's place which is blazing with light.

A grinning Pete is waiting for us on the steps.

"Ah." He says happily. "The ladies have arrived. Now we can get this party started."

He makes a big show of clicking the remote in his hand and some entirely inappropriate music floods Esme's meadow.

"This isn't a party." Rosalie growls, lowering me to the ground and checking automatically to make sure I don't stumble and fall on my face.

I'd be offended but since I am about to do just that I'm grateful for her suddenly outstretched arm. I'm also grateful for the music clicking off abruptly, my eardrums have been abused enough for one night.

"Oh little one." Pete chuckles. "A good dose of vampire would fix those balance issues."

Before Rosalie can start on her favourite subject, why I shouldn't be a vampire, I hold up my hand.

"Pete." I inform him. "You told me vampirism accentuates whatever characteristics someone has as a human. That's an aspect of clumsiness I don't want to explore right now."

He throws his head back and laughs before descending the steps and pulling me into a bone crushing hug.

"I like you little one." He chuckles. "When you get bored of Eddie Boy look me up, the wife an' I'll be glad of the entertainment."

"Thanks." I mutter into his rock hard chest.

"Put her down." Rosalie orders. "She's not a toy."

"She's no fun." He whispers as he releases me. "You remember that when the time comes little one."

"Oh for fuck's sake." Rosalie groans.

"Rose!"

"Oops." She murmurs winking at me.

Turning I find Em bearing down on us with a frown on his handsome face. Char is right behind him with an enormous smile on hers.

With a squeal she leaps into Pete's arms and they kiss passionately.

Em stops in front of Rose and they stare into each other's eyes.

Feeling like a spare prig at a wedding I wander into the house, missing Edward so much the ghost hole is threatening to rip itself open.

With a pained sigh I collapse onto the couch. Remembering all the times when I was here with him. And not so alone.

Before I've even settled back for a good mope the four vampires charge into the room filling it with noise and life, arguing about who gets to sit next to me and whether or not I need feeding or watering.

Within seconds I'm wedged in between Em and Char who begin plying me with questions about my human needs and arguing about them without even waiting for me to reply.

Looking up I find Rosalie smiling at me and without thinking I smile back.

"Leave her alone." She snaps. "We have things to discuss and I'm pretty sure she'll speak up if she wants anything. She's a human not a retard."

"Eloquently put as usual Blondie." Pete chuckles lowering himself onto the other couch. "Report Mrs Whitlock, the night grows old."

"Definitely newborns." She recounts. "There were about a dozen scents and I'd say they were just about under control. Two mature vampires running with them, both of whom Em recognised, Victoria and Laurent.

Most of the deaths are being reported around the docks and it wasn't hard to work out what was going on, the human police had cleaned up the murder scenes but there was still plenty of evidence for a vampire to find. I'd say that in at least one case they got totally out of control and had a massacre on their hands, there was way more blood and tissue there than what the cops found.

Anyway, that's why I'm pretty sure they'll move soon, if they lose control of that many newborns in such a populated area The Volturi will be on them before they can blink."

"Do you think she's made that many newborns to get at Bella?" Pete asks Em.

"I can't be sure." He shrugs, giving my hand a squeeze. "But unless she's got another enemy around here somewhere I can't imagine why else she'd be doing it."

"I don't think it matters anyway." Pete muses. "With that many she's gonna need to get 'em out of the city an' the Olympic Peninsula is the obvious place to go. So I reckon we'd best assume that they're comin' here an' comin' quick."

Everyone to turns to me. Of course I blush.

"Now what?" I manage to stammer. "Do we run?"

"Hell no, little one." Pete assures me with a laugh. "Our doggie friends are gonna help us and when the redhead gets here she's in for a nasty and fatal surprise."

"I don't like the idea of other people putting themselves in danger for me." I huff.

"I'm sure ya don't." Pete chuckles. "But since fightin' vampires is outside your current skill set what else are ya gonna do?"

"I could lead them away from here." I suggest.

He sighs and looks at me speculatively.

"Do you have any idea how fuckin' stupid that is?" He asks eventually. "Ya disappoint me little one. If they come here lookin' for ya everyone you're worried about protecting's gonna end up dead anyway, closely followed by you. If you're gonna survive as a vampire or a human you need to start usin' the parts of your brain that haven't been watchin' too much drama on the television."

"Oh." Is my considered response. Yep, I bet that impressed him.

"Real life romantic heroines don't get rescued in the nick of time by some twerp on a white horse." He concludes.

"So what is the plan?" Rosalie demands her miniscule store of patience run down.

"Ambush." He answers with a wicked grin.