~Stephenie Meyer owns these crazy characters~

Beth, thank you so much as usual. You took the time to re-edit the edits even with your RL throwing you curve balls. You need a life jacket honey? I owe you so much! Diseased Affair is a ride of ups and downs. She has the 3 S's - Sad, Sunny and Sexy!

To everyone on the Bad, Broken, and Dead threads, I bow down, thumping my head on the floor in your presence. Thank you for adding so much laughter, smut, and music to my days. I am, of course, talking about Bad Habit by AmeryMarie, Broken Doll by RowanMoon over on Twilighted, and unless you're living under a cabbage tree, DEAD CONFEDERATES by goldenmeadow. It is they who have severely hi-jacked and handicapped my brain from writing this chapter. They are on my profile

JaspersBrand (Amanda) pushed me over my 100 review mark 2 days ago! Wooo-ooo! A thousand smooches to ya! Next of course is Momams! She followed me over from Twilighted because she couldn't wait.

Now onto it...

Raceward ~ Chapter 11

EPOV

There was nothing I could do. Bella decided to leave with Alice after she and the wolves had eaten. Who would have thought that two men could be as gluttonous as those two were? I had forgotten what a normal appetite was for a seventeen year old boy, let alone two twenty something men. But, given my own voracity, I shouldn't have been surprised. The younger one, Seth, had polished off the entire pan of lasagna, hit the last of the baked bread and salad once Jake and Bella had pushed their own plates away. Bella had delicately picked at her food. She was polite but wary through the meal. Not really that big of a shocker. Although the smells were abhorrent to me and the remainder of my family, we all smiled affably and excused ourselves from eating.

Carlisle had asked Jake if it was possible to maybe have a meeting with the Quileute elders. He would like to see if the treaty could possibly be re-discussed. And, that we had no qualms with the wolves coming on our land as long as it wasn't to cause a fight. We were a peaceful coven and did not want to trouble. Carlisle thought that there was no reason that we could not co-exist. Tolerance was a mammoth issue to be discussed.

Jake had grunted between mouthfuls that he would talk with Sam as he was the pack leader, but couldn't promise anything. Jake still was a force to be reckoned with when it came to Bella, but, I think maybe he would be a little more open-minded once he saw that we were as civilized as they were. Old grudges and legends die hard.

The mutts had growled at me, showing their teeth in warning. They resentfully phased before trotting into the woods after Bella told them she would need a ride home, since they had come via four legs. Jake tried to argue that he would stay while Seth went to get a car, but, she said she would be fine. She trusted Alice, since she obviously couldn't trust me, to drive her home.

I couldn't blame her. My intracranial demon had consumed me until all humanity was gone, forcing me take her into the woods like the huntsman from Snow White. Only in this damsel-in-distress tale, it was the big bad wolf that had come to the rescue instead of the hunter. Wait, was I really likening my current situation to the fiction brewing Brothers Grimm?

It was my own karmic curse that had me waxing penance for past sinful transgressions. Voices of the damned from long ago screamed their haunted memories into my consciousness. They were the lives of criminals that I had taken during my years of rebellion against our "vegan" lifestyle. Never had I forgotten even a single one, even though it had been decades. Each one of their reprehensible, stained faces swam in my canted mind's eye and their blood sacrifices anointed my conscience for the taking of their lives. The great beast in me crowed its amusement at my discomfiture of taking lives anymore and for this reason, I tenuously held my control in check.

However, as of late, control had become as elusive with the smell of Bella's sweet confectionery blood battering at my senses. Steeling my iron will, I would again put on the years of armored constraint I had carefully worn if I was ever to win her trust. I was ages and eons, beyond tired of this bloodneed.

Now, two days later while I sat on my self-made throne of thorns, Alice's tyrannic ruminations grifted their way into my perfectly built wall of armament. "Bella", was all it took for my hellion of a sister to breathe in my general direction to get my attention.

"Edward, call her. You have her cell number. Text her...do something!" Alice's tirade of thoughts broke through again. "Bella will forgive. I promise. You're gonna have to work for it. Besides, we need her to come today so she can even up the teams."

I knew exactly what she was talking about. We had made plans to go into Port Angeles for some fun today.

My cell phone taunted me from its resting place like a lighthouse beacon from the top of my dresser. An internal struggle began between my hollow hearted chest and my better judgment. She would not want to talk to me. Not after what had transpired forty eight, tortuous hours ago. Bella had left with a look of abject misery and confusion.

The ghost of a heart won out. Casting off my shell of emptiness and with vampiric speed, I leapt to the dresser and had the phone flipped open with a slight tremor of my hands. I started keying through the names and saw that Bella had indeed already been programmed in by my dwarf of a sister.

When had she done...never mind. It wasn't the first time her fore-thought worked to my benefit, nor was it the first time she did something without my knowledge. Probably not the last either.

Pathetic, impatient, sickened, and hopeful...I waited for the ringing to start and was stunned stupid by Monster Magnet's "Space Lord" as her call tune. "There's a car in the field now in a column of flame. With it's two doors to choose, but only one bears your name. You've been drinking my blood; well I've been licking your wounds..."

How apropos.

I now was convinced that maybe, just maybe, a smiling Mistress Fate was playing poker with my soul and I had been dealt all four aces.

BPOV

Two days. Two days had passed since the legendary beings had pow-wowed at the Cullens. Here I lie, on the second morning, in my bed playing the inexplicable scenes out. The creature of the night bombshell that Edward and his family had dropped on my dim, unsuspecting noggin only made me realize my absurd magnetism towards immortal beings. The drive home with Alice had been somewhat disturbing if not enlightening. Apparently, Edward wasn't the only batshit crazy driver in the family. Note to self; Try to do the driving when at all possible. I chuckled at my self. You said batshit...

Alice's voice was like a Lilliputian on a helium bender, all buoyant and fast. Her words bounced in the small cab of Edward's Volvo as she engaged me in a story of how Edward had been solitary for so long despite the family's attempts to include him.

Information overload kept on coming. She told me about how they didn't consume human blood, but only animals indigenous to the area. But, not so much that it was noticed. They often went on long "hunting" trips to hold their nature at bay. I had snorted at her when she made the comment about no "human consumption", because I knew for a fact that Edward was taking me into those woods to suck me dry, and not in the way I wanted him to... Focus, Bella, focus. Impending deathly doom, remember?

She said she was so "over" Edward's stagnant depression because, "You know, Jasper just couldn't handle the whole forsakenly lonely Edward and it was a complete strain on his senses." Again, something I let go because of the burnt and frayed edges of my nerves. Maybe later I would ask, but not then.

Alice also told me how Edward had been acting so different since meeting me and that was a good thing. He was even smiling more too. She also told me he was very interested in getting to know me more and was apparently felt, very, very protective of me too. Again, another derisive snort.

She frowned at me and stated that I needed to give Edward a chance; he deserved a reprieve, because, after all, I was his singer. My blood smelled so sweet to him, it was hard to resist. Le Sang Chanteuseis what Alice had called me. My French was a rusted ball of words that couldn't quite un-jumble themselves. Of course, chanteuse stuck in my head, so did sangre, blut and bloed. They all translated to blood. My one stupid weakness. The smell and sight, made me all sorts of woozy.

Their family all loved the jolt they got from racing but knew they only had a few more years left it because of the whole not aging thing. Great, just like Jake and the others. Speaking of legions of mythical beings...

Once Jake and the pack reached the age of majority, which for them was fifteen, they all grew to look older at about twenty five or so, then they quit getting older. I know that there is a legend somewhere that eludes me right now about the aging process. Something about being able to give it up, somehow. Why they would want to was beyond me. Being immortal seemed to be a burden I would gladly take on. Their abilities to heal quickly and the grace that all possessed were enviable. The possibilities seemed endless and none of the pack seemed to mind. For that, I was the green eyed epitome of all kinds of jealous.

It was one thing to be best friends with a werewolf and quite another to befriend the undead. I had live the last nine years with the knowledge of the pack. There had never been a fear for my mortal being with my lycans. As far as I knew, the myths of wolf lore were untrue. Silver didn't seem to be an issue. Jake and I had wrestled around enough to know that being bitten, scratched, or getting any kind of saliva on my person, did not bring on a change with the next full moon. Believe me, I had tried. My 10 year old brain was so jealous that Jake could turn into a wolf.

Jake had simply asked me one summerish day, over fragrant mud pies, if I would like to see something really cool. I told him if he tried to show me something gross, I was going to sock him one. He loped into the woods fringing my back yard and, lo and behold, a ginger-brown wolf pup came bounding back out. I sensed immediately it was Jake because of the eyes. They were his, cognitively dark and sharply familiar. He also came right up to me and promptly rolled over on his back, asking for a belly rub. I remember squealing and sinking my fingers into his luxurious, mink-soft fur.

Promptly, I had gone behind a tree to turn in to a wolf too, because in my childish mind, he had morphed because the woods were enchanted. Imagine my surprise when I couldn't turn into any thing mystic. Jake was the only one marked by some unknown cosmic force. In my envious immaturity, I began taunting him that, la tee da. So? He could turn into a wolf, but not a dragon or a pony or a unicorn. He was around eight to my ten, so naturally I was superior to him, right? Our friendship continued to germinate and thrive as the summers passed when I visited Charlie from Arizona. Charlie and Jake's dad, Billy, had always been friends and I had never questioned how they had become to be that way.

I had thought that it was amazing when Jake would phase into the beautiful teen sized pup that eventually grew to be the huge majestic wolf that he was now. I had never spoken to anyone about him, ever. Jake had told me that if I talked about it, no one would believe me and would probably just get called a liar. So, it became our secret. Eventually, I would find out about his pack's shrouded secrets too and was accepted by them as his "outsider" friend. Theirs was a peaceful tribe with a colorfully rich history.

We had remained friends for almost half of my life and he was unchanged even when money started to become good for his family and tribe from the popularity of the Indian Casino.

We had started out Kart racing on a packed dirt track that Jake's dad built for us. Jake found his love for working on anything that made a vroom sound during those first fond racing days. His acceptance of all of my quirks and my need for dangerous sports made Jacob Black, simply, my confidante and soul sibling.

Again, for the umpteenth time, I began to question my sanity. Jake was completely against any kind of relationship with Edward or his family, which now, I knew why. He had been taught his entire life to hate the "Cold Ones". His acquiescing to my inimitable pull towards the vampire was going to be hard won.

So, how would I get over what Edward and his family were? He had, after all, just about given in to his bloodlust before Jake and Seth had come to my rescue like a couple of St. Bernards. How could I stop thinking about his alarming honey eyes, his salacious grin, or his unjustly terrifying beauty? Don't even get me started on that ridiculous hair of his.

Edward had apologized profusely stating that it wouldn't happen again. Was I to believe that? The evidence was in the pleading of his unknowingly sensual mouth and the supplication of his euchre eyes. I was unresolved in my feelings. The attraction was too hard to deny. A blossoming tendril of anxiety clamored through my prone body as I lay there.

How deep would my betrayal be? Is this really a betrayal? Edward's family, with the exception of Rosalie, shudder, were very civil and accepting of me and the wolves.

We only had a limited amount of time before the next big race in Sonoma, California and I didn't want to waste it wallowing in my own glass humanity anymore.

My cell vibrated from my nightstand, interrupting my inner diatribe of all things improbable. Maybe it's Hugo the Abominable Snowman calling...

No such luck. In fact, it said "Raceward" Cullen. Holy Hell...What? How did that happen?

Nearly dropping the phone, I quickly answered it to the sound of pure sin...chuckling? Sigh...heart still does those mini cyclonic implosions...

"Hello?"

"Bella, this is Edward Cullen."

"Yeah, I kinda got that. I think Alice got to my phone."

More low chuckles. Oh be still...wait, heart did stop...

"Yes, well, Alice can be a little, uh, a little bulldozer-like in her subtleties."

"Edward, I..."

"Bella, look, I really am horribly sorry for the way things went. It was not my intention to harm you. There is no excuse for my behavior. I can promise that it will not happen again. I will control myself. I just…it is hard to stay away from you."

"I know, you already said that a couple of days ago. Why are you calling me?" Cool, Swan, play the cool chick.

"I, um...I wanted to make sure you were okay with the life altering news we laid on you. Alice told me that she filled in quite a few gaps." There was a pause and then the unmistakable sound of the phone being dropped and some kind of grappling being done.

"Bella? This is Alice. Edward and I want to invite you out for this evening to go into Port Angeles. Do you have the night free? I promise it will be fun and you won't be disappointed."

"I don't know, Alice. I'm supposed to have a meeting with my team today and I'm trying to spend as much time with my dad as I can." God, I was babbling like an infant. "So much to do. Maybe some other time."

I was making excuses. Charlie, Sue and I had spent pretty much all our waking time together since I had returned from the Cullen compound to a bewildered Dad wondering why my truck was home and I wasn't. I had made a hasty explanation of it breaking down and having it towed home without any real details.

"Bella, please? We all want to get to know you better. I promise that it will be safe. No one will hurt you. I want you to be able to trust us."

Pushy little woman. "Uh, Alice, what happened to Edward?"

"Oh, he's right here. I'm sitting on him. He'd have you on the phone for hours hem-hawing about asking you out. I say let's rip off the band-aid and go for it. What do ya say?"

"You're sitting on him...?"

"Well, Emmett and I both."

"Hey, Bella!" Emmett's louder than loud voice came from the background. "We want to go get our race on at the Port Angeles Speedway. It's Sprint cars, vintage mods, dwarf and midget cars and fireworks later on. You gonna come play with us? I won't let Edwierdo get to ya, I promise!"

"Can I call you guys back?" I needed time to think.

"Yeah, sure. You have the number," Alice giggled. "And, I'm not saying that you're going, but wear something that can get dirty, say, six thirty-ish."

We hung up and my heart thrilled to be invited out with his family. It really could be safe. We would be in public. It should be harmless, right? I did have a meeting at the casino with the crew for some minor details, but, that would be early afternoon and would only take a couple of hours.

I got up and danced my way to the bathroom, this time knocking before entering. No Daddy buns today! It was going to be a good day after all!

*jfjfjfjfjfjfjfj*

Later at the meeting in the Quileute Casino's luxurious board room, I along with Jake, Sam, Seth, Leah, Embry, and Quil discussed the upcoming races.

The next one was the "Shootout" race. It was 187 miles long and was run in two segments. We would run twenty five laps and the have ten minutes to work on the car. Then fifty more laps with an additional mad dash for ten more laps to the finish. The purse was huge for the winners. I hadn't raced it yet, but I had been with Charlie.

The race was at night and was mucho fun. The coolest part of the whole thing was that the cars put on a glittering spark display that you can't see during the day time. When 3400 pounds of car bottomed out on the pavement every now and again, sparks showered out from the undercarriage, like the Fourth of July, causing the screaming fans to squeal and "ooh and ahh" from the brilliant tableau. It was better than any fireworks display in my book.

All through the meeting, I kept wondering if Edward was going to the Shootout. Surely he was. I still wondered how I was going to tell the others my plan to possibly go with the Cullens to the speedway.

Alice's reference to "ripping the band-aid off" came to mind.

"Uh, guys? I need to tell you that I am considering going to Port Angeles with the Cullens tonight."

Jake kept his hands and eyes on the glossy cedar wood table in front of him. "Bells, if you want to go, you don't need our permission," he measured out. Stony faces of the others kept their eyes downcast as if in silent prayer of the tolerance gods.

"I know," I volleyed back indignantly. "I just wanted to let you know that I might be making plans with them."

Then hoof in mouth disease kicked in. "You know, that way they'll have an incentive to bring me back." Growls, gnarly snarls and a few "Jesus Christs" sprang from their collective mouths. Exit stage left, idiot!

Clearing my suddenly stuck throat, "well, I'm going to go now and I'll see you guys later. I'll call you later. Jake."

"Sure thing, Speedella. Be safe and for God's sake, please call us if you get in any kind of jam. We got your back, you know that right?"

"Yeah, thanks guys." The feeling of relief overwhelmed me and for one moment, heated, steamy tears threatened to spill. "On second thought, I will take them up on their invitation."

And, with that, I left recalling every single one of their faces and their varying masks of staunch loyalty and fearful apprehension as I walked out into the blue sunshine.

Figuring Alice would know my decision to go, my suspicions were correct as my cell vibrated in my pocket instantly the moment I was back home. She crowed with delight when I affirmed that I would go and was told that they would be by to pick me up at six thirty because the races started at twilight.

Upstairs in my bedroom, I threw my latest fast finger treasures on to my dresser top. Two pens, one notepad and two used rubber bands. I couldn't even get excited over my new lovelies. The clock on the nightstand showed that it was three pm. That left three and a half hours to stew on my actions.

Now, to tell Charlie what I was doing and with whom.

*fjfjfjfjfj*

Next up, Port Angeles Raceway. It is a real place, but of course, I will change some things up to fit the story. There will be tension of the lemony variety. Soon, pets, soon.

Leave me a review and I will talk to Edward about letting you work on his drive shaft...