A/N: Woo, another chapter! I'm getting really good at this updating thing. I think I'll be finishing this story before the others so I'll be updating this one with priority.
Hope you like this version of Jacob! I sure do.
Hoddamn I'm conflicted between Ed and Jake!
CHAPTER 11
JACOB
"Where is she?"
"Taking a shower," I said. "She was filthy when she arrived."
"So she's…"
"Yes."
"A vampire."
"And a pretty smart one too. She hasn't once complained about her thirst. I'm concerned about that."
"Where did you find her?"
"She came here, actually."
"The Cullens say she escaped this morning. They had a very hard time with her."
I sat down beside him at the kitchen table. Fish for dinner.
"So the red headed woman left her at their doorstep?
"Yes," he looked up at me, gauging. "What do you feel?"
Knowing that he meant something other than concern, I frowned. "The same as always. Though I'm not so sure about her…about how it would…work."
"I called them. Told them she's here. They need to be the ones to speak to her."
I fiddled with a piece of paper towel, making a little pile of torn bits under my fingers. "No."
"Jacob," dad said. "You don't know how to handle her kind. Especially since she's so new."
"But she's different. She can think. You know what she did to trick them?"
He raised a brow.
"Remember that time me, you and Charlie went camping in wolf territory? When we smeared a whole bunch of animal shit all over the campground so they wouldn't come into the area at the night?"
"So…?"
"She did the same to confuse them…to mask her smell. She was covered in shit. She covered herself in shit!"
Dad laughed, coughed a little, and then began to laugh some more. He shook his head with laugher.
I laughed too, forgetting for a little bit that Bella was a vampire.
"What do we do about Charlie?"
"Charlie? How is he?"
I whipped my head around, heart pounding. "You're really fucking quiet do you know that? I think we need to get you a bell if you're going to be sticking around."
Bella smiled slightly. She was wearing a pair of of my sweatpants and a hoodie. The exact same combo she used to put on when she slept over. I wondered how much of her past life she remembered. How much of us she still wanted. Was it selfish of me to still want her despite…all of this?
"Is he doing well? Can I see him?"
"I…don't know," dad said.
"Sorry— hello Billy," she said, leaning over the armrest of his wheelchair for a hug. "Is— is this okay? Can I hug you?"
"Of course you can Bella."
She leaned down stiffly and closed her eyes. She placed her head on the side of his neck and sighed. Dad's eyes met mine, slightly scared and slightly wondrous at the strength Isabella possessed.
She stood up too fast for any normal person, and was smiling triumphantly. "I thought it would be harder, the way you guys explained it all. I don't really like the way you smell."
I shook my head at her. "We're not exactly human, Bells."
"Does that make it any different?"
"Tons," I said. "Your sense of smell is way better than what it used to be, but your tastes are different."
"I know," she said.
Billy stilled, my heart skipped a beat.
"No, no!" she said. "Not a person! Not a person! I kind of drained a few moose on my way here."
"You fucking scared us. Bells, I think we should seriously talk this out. Right now, okay? I don't want you to be like that."
"Neither do I. I may be a monster but I sure as hell don't want to act like one."
"You're not a monster," I said. "Not any more than I am, at least."
"I haven't met a human yet," she said quietly. "I ran here as soon as I finished with the moose. I couldn't think about how much better they might taste."
"Okay, we definitely need to talk."
She sat down in the chair across from Billy and let go a huge breath. She smelled like some sort of deep perfume. I couldn't put my finger on it, not in human form anyway.
"First thing's first — why did you run away?"
She shrugged. "Instinct. I did the first thing that came to mind. They caught up to me a few times but I tricked them. I am faster than they are. Stronger too."
"That's because you're new. Really freaking new," I said.
"I was really scared. The thought of someone chasing after me was just…incomprehensibly scary. I couldn't just return. Even when I figured out it was Dr. Cullen and his family…it was too much. They were — I mean are — the cold ones? The same ones? The ones that you have the treaty with?"
"Yes," dad said. "They've been very, very helpful all these years. We protect them and they protect us. It's nice."
"From what?"
"Vampires that want to suck your blood," I said adding an accent. Bad move. Dad cleared his throat.
"How can I…become like them?"
"You need to return to them. Immediately," said dad, sticking his eyes at the side of my face. Of course he knew how badly I wanted to keep her here. Safe. Maybe just for a little while.
She slumped in her chair. "But I…I don't know them. I can't — and Charlie. I need to see him. Please, tell me."
"He's distraught, but he's been around us to know that we're not exactly…normal people. Perhaps it may be worth it to tell him you're alive. But you cannot see him. Yet. I know that much for sure. The Cullens can help you seem more human around him, but only time can help you manage your thirst."
"What if you stuck me in a car and let us at least see each other through the window? I can hold my breath and drink a little from many animals and be so full that I won't even think of hurting him," her eyes were alight. Alive.
"We need to get you to the Cullens, as soon as possible."
"Tomorrow? Please?" I asked, looking at Bella for confirmation.
"Can't you just tell them I'm safe?"
Dad sighed. "Fine. Give me the phone."
Bella did a little victory dance in her chair.
I must admit — she was even more beautiful than she was before. My attraction to her never wavered, and seeing her in front of me, excited at the prospect of spending the night made me feel excellent.
But I was worried. Worried that I might grow to find her disgusting, or worse, learn that an imprinting cannot cross species boundaries. I guess we are from two different species now. Really different species.
She asked for some privacy while she spoke on the phone with Dr. Cullen so I wheeled dad outside onto the patio.
"Do you still desire her, Jacob?" he asked.
"Of course I do."
"You do realize that having her so close to our neighbours puts everyone, especially the youngers, in danger? Someone will transform in the next few days."
"I know."
"She puts the both of us in danger if she stays here."
"I know."
"You need to really think about this, Jacob. It's not right. You know it's not. Do not encourage her feelings anymore. And try, for the sake of your own heart to let her go. Even if it's a little bit every day. You do not have my permission to be with her."
A tremble erupted from within me and I struggled against the urge to shapeshift — Sam could not know that she's here. The whole pack will tear her to shreds if she put a toe out of line. We would be watched — and should anything happen tonight, I'd prefer them not to be around. So I calmed down.
"I'll take what I can get, father. What I want, what I've always wanted was her."
"You wanted a family, Jacob. Children. Hell, even I want grandkids. She can't give you that. She never can."
"I don't care. We can adopt."
"Jacob…" he warned. "You need to prepare yourself for the possibility that she might not choose you. Right now, you are the only safe thing she knows. She didn't desire you in that way before…what changed now? Fear?"
I was seething. Angry that my father had such insight into my life, and angry that he'd brought up something I'd been tossing around in my head since she arrived. She'd broken up with me, saying that she only saw me as a brother, no more, no less.
But tonight, the way she acted…her sitting on top of me, eyes on fire, grinding her hips over me… that had to mean something…right?
Yeah…that had to mean something. I hope. I felt the sudden urge to acknowledge the truth, but as long as she wanted me in this way, I'd be here. Maybe she'll finally realize, even if I have already explained it to her a thousand times, that I had imprinted on her.
