CHAPTER TWELVE

"Put on your seat belt," I ordered.

She did as she was told without hesitation. The silence in the car was thick; the only sounds came from the hum of the engine and Bella's panting breath. She had to calm down before she hyperventilated. She had to stop breathing so heavily before I went dizzy from her scent.

I held my breath, trying to keep my sanity, which was difficult considering the state of mind I was in. Everything in my nature told me to turn around and return to the place where Bella was very nearly hurt so that I could take the lives of the men who had threatened her. It would be so easy, and incredibly rewarding, to see their bodies mangled, to taste their blood in my mouth as punishment for even thinking they had the right to touch her. They lived on the fear of women. It would be only fair for them to experience the same sort of fear and lose their lives in the process.

I drove hard and fast, trying to put as much distance between the disgusting brutes and myself. I had to think of Bella now. I couldn't let her see what I really was, no matter how powerful the temptation to kill was. Why save her from one set of monsters only to expose her to an even more ferocious and vicious monster? I wouldn't do it. She was too pure to see such violence.

"Are you okay?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"No," I growled. I hadn't meant to sound so angry, but my emotions were out of control.

I could feel her eyes on me. Her heart was racing in her chest at an inhuman speed. Her breathing was shallow — too shallow for her own good. With every passing second, the rage within me grew. Those men had brought her to this — caused her body to respond in a potentially dangerous manner. They would have to pay for what they had done.

Without understanding why, I suddenly slammed on the breaks and brought the car to a screeching stop. Bella's body lurched forward, still in motion. Her concerned eyes drilled into me.

"Bella?" I asked, trying not to sound so upset.

"Yes?" Her voice was a whisper, and she cleared her throat to help release the tension.

"Are you all right?" It was a silly question. Of course she wasn't all right, but I couldn't hear her thoughts to know just how severe the damage was to her system.

"Yes," she managed with difficulty.

I hated the fear I heard in her voice. I loathed those men for bringing this upon her.

"Distract me, please," I barked.

"I'm sorry, what?"

I exhaled in frustration and was immediately hit with a wave of her scent.

"Just prattle about something unimportant until I calm down." I really couldn't think clearly. Between the urge to find the men and rip their hearts out and the luxurious scent of the creature next to me, my mind was totally befuddled. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep her scent from me for a moment.

"Um," she stammered. "I'm going to run over Tyler Crowley tomorrow before school?"

That wasn't what I had expected, nor did I understand it very well. I never understood her words. They always took me by surprise.

"Why?"

"He's telling everyone that he's taking me to prom–either he's insane or he's still trying to make up for almost killing me last…well, you remember it, and he thinks prom is somehow the correct way to do this. So I figure if I endanger his life, then we're even, and he can't keep trying to make amends. I don't need enemies and maybe Lauren would back off if he left me alone. I might have to total his Sentra, though. If he doesn't have a ride he can't take anyone to prom…".

"I heard about that." I didn't tell her that I had heard it in his mind.

"You did?" She sounded irritated again, but she continued babbling out her intentions. "If he's paralyzed from the neck down, he can't go to the prom, either," she added.

She was trying to be funny, but I couldn't find the laughter in the moment. I sighed and opened my eyes.

"Better?" She sounded hopeful.

"Not really." I figured it was pointless to deny it. She would have to be blind not to see how angry I was. Her scent was so potent in the small confines of my car. I inhaled deeply, leaning my head back and trying to find something on the ceiling to focus on rather than my desire to kill the human excrement I knew were just a few blocks away.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was hushed and full of worry.

"Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella," I admitted, peering out the window and hoping the men had followed my car so I would have a more logical excuse to murder them. To my disappointment, there was no one to be seen. "But it wouldn't be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those…" The word I wanted to use got caught on my tongue. I'd heard words like that uttered all over the high school, but Bella didn't need to hear them now. She had been through enough as it was. "At least, that's what I'm trying to convince myself."

"Oh."

She seemed so small physically. She was so breakable. What had I gotten myself into, thinking I could keep her alive?

"Jessica and Angela will be worried," she said suddenly. "I was supposed to meet them."

I'd nearly forgotten about them. In my rage and fury — in my attempt to rescue Bella once more from the jaws of Fate - I forgot that she was here with friends who would worry about her should she not return to them. I wasn't ready to let her go, not now, not when I had made a spectacle of myself. I couldn't hear her mind, but I was certain Bella was questioning why I was here.

Another more dark and sinister part of me was afraid that if she left me alone in my current state of mind that I may very well abandon all rational thought and hunt down the malicious men who tried to hurt her. It wouldn't be wise for her to leave me.

I turned the car around and sped back into town, picking up on Jessica's mind just as easily as I always had. Why was it so easy to pick up on her mind when Bella's thoughts were such a mystery? I saw right away that they were at the local Italian restaurant. Within no time, I pulled into a space in front of the building, just as Bella's friends were walking by.

"How did you know where…?" Bella muttered. She shook her head in confusion and her scent filled the air. I had to get out before I lost my mind.

"What are you doing?" She called to me as I started out of the car.

"I'm taking you to dinner." The explanation was simple enough, but I could see the hesitation in her lovely face as she got out of the car.

My eyes darted up the block to where the other two girls were walking away. "Go stop Jessica and Angela before I have to track them down, too. I don't think I could restrain myself if I ran into your other friends again."

It was the truth, and for once Bella believed me. I saw her shiver, and the blush on her skin paled slightly.

"Jess! Angela!" she yelled to them.

The two girls turned around in relief at hearing Bella's voice. And then their eyes fell on me.

Oh, my gosh. Is that… no way.

Edward Cullen? How the hell did she end up with him?

"Where have you been?" Jess asked, suspicious. And where did he come from?

"I got lost," she lied. Well… almost lied. "And then I ran into Edward." Which was partially the truth.

"Would it be all right if I joined you?" I tried to sound as casual as I could, given the circumstances and my heated temper.

Whoa… is he hot.

Did he just ask me a question?

Am I still standing up?

I wish we hadn't already eaten. I would love to spend time next to him.

"Err…sure," Jessica managed through her befuddled thoughts.

"Um, actually, Bella, we already ate while we were waiting–sorry," Angela declared.

Both girls were surprisingly flabbergasted by my very presence and I wasn't even trying to charm them. I wondered if I had the same effect on Bella — if a simple smile was all it took to make her thoughts go blurry. How disappointing that I would never know.

"That's fine–I'm not hungry," Bella shrugged.

I didn't like that. Her body had had a shock and she needed food if she hoped to avoid passing out. I leaned in and softly, but authoritatively, said, "I think you should eat something." My gaze shifted to the wide-eyed face of Jessica. "Do you mind if I drive Bella home tonight? That way you won't have to wait while she eats."

Did he just talk to me again? "Uh, no problem, I guess…" Is that what Bella wants? I mean, she'd be an idiot not to want to be alone with Edward Cullen, but still.

I wondered the same thing. Did she want to be alone with me? I wanted to be alone with her so badly that my own desires were fast becoming all I could focus on. But then, from the corner of my eye, I saw Bella wink at her friend. It was all the assurance Jess needed, not to mention that it spoke volumes to me.

"Okay." The blunt reply came from Angela. "See you tomorrow, Bella…Edward." Come on. They obviously want to be alone.

Angela tugged on Jessica's arm, pulling her towards their car parked across the street. Once they were in the car, Jessica turned and waved to Bella, who waved back with a smile. I could hear their thoughts as they drove away.

EDWARD CULLEN!

Oh wow! How did she pull that off?

He's so hot.

Wouldn't you just die?

The last thought made me catch my breath.

But I couldn't think on it long, for Bella had turned her glorious eyes on me once more. "Honestly, I'm not hungry,"

"Humor me."

She wasn't getting out of having dinner. I knew more about human physiology than she did, and I was well aware that she needed to eat. Her pale color, her racing heart — there was even a slight change to her scent. She was low on sugar, and I wouldn't be doing my job as her protector if I didn't get her eating soon.

I held the door to the restaurant open for her and waited, as a gentleman should, until she had brushed past me. The place wasn't crowded, but then it was off-season in Port Angeles. What mortal in their right mind would chose to visit Washington State in March, when it was sure to be rainy and cold? The hostess approached us with a smile and I informed her that we needed a table for two.

Whoa. How cute is he?

Two, huh? He can't be with her. They aren't holding hands. It can't be too serious. I'm going to seat them right in the center so I can keep an eye on him. Maybe I can slip him my number.

She led us to the table, all the while imagining how easy it would be to lure me away from Bella. How very wrong she was.

"Perhaps something more private?" Casually I slipped the girl a twenty. I didn't want distractions tonight. There had been too many all ready.

"Sure," she replied willingly. I'd never known a human to turn down money for anything. They were all exceptionally greedy, whether they were willing to admit it or not.

"How's this?" the girl asked.

"Perfect." I offered her a smile as payment this time. Or maybe it was a warning. Her eyes flickered to my teeth, just as I knew they would.

"Um," she stuttered, clearly getting the warning. "Your server will be right out."

Finally, I was alone with Bella.

"You really shouldn't do that to people," she scolded. "It's hardly fair."

I hadn't the foggiest idea what she was talking about. Was it the money? "Do what?"

"Dazzle them like that–she's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now."

Dazzle? What did she mean by dazzle?

"Oh, come on," I snickered. "You have to know the effect you have on people."

Was she admitting to me what I thought she was admitting? I looked at her curiously. "I dazzle people?"

Her eyebrows shot up. "You haven't noticed? Do you think everybody gets their way so easily?"

But I didn't hear her question. I could only wonder if by 'everyone' she meant herself. Did I have that effect on her? Not hearing her mind, I resorted to asking flat out. "Do I dazzle you?"

"Frequently."

My mind spun at her admission. So I did have some ability to charm her. I was immensely pleased to have this knowledge and would set about to put it to good use.

And then we were interrupted; again by another mindless girl with high hopes of stealing my attention away from Bella. Not a chance, not now that I knew how I affected her.

"Hello. My name is Amber, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?" Oh yeah. Kellie was right. WAY hot, this one. On fire!!

I was tempted to reach out and touch her, just to prove how wrong she was, but my eyes wouldn't leave Bella's face.

"I'll have a coke." Bella said, sounding unsure.

"Two cokes," I replied.

"I'll be right back with that." And she was gone. I wanted to tell her to take her time, but I could see that Bella needed nourishment. Her skin was paler than usual. Her eyes were not as focused and determined as they normally were.

"What?" she demanded

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Typical Bella.

"You don't feel dizzy, sick, cold…?"

"Should I?"

I laughed at her imprudence. "Well, I'm actually waiting for you to go into shock."

"I don't think that will happen," she said, after taking a moment to stare at me openly. "I've always been very good at repressing unpleasant things."

I was sure of that, given how she was able to look me in the eyes and not tremble in fear. "Just the same," I said. "I'll feel better when you have some sugar and food in you."

As if she had been summoned, the waitress returned with the drinks and a basket of breadsticks. For some curious reason, Bella looked up at her shyly, a faint blush rising to her pale cheeks.

"Are you ready to order?" the waitress asked.

"Bella?" I signaled, drawing her attention to the menu.

"Um…I'll have the mushroom ravioli." She ordered quickly, not even really reading over the various items the restaurant offered.

The waitress turned to me now. "And you?"

"Nothing for me." My eyes never left Bella's face.

"Let me know if you change your mind."

Again we were left to ourselves. I immediately set out to get some nourishment in Bella's system.

"Drink," I said pointedly.

I'd never before paid much attention to a human when they ate or drank. It always seemed a bit disturbing how some of them ate without manners. The churning of the gastric fluids in the stomach was never appealing to someone with sensitive hearing, either. And yet, my eyes were drawn to the way the straw danced along the slit of Bella's mouth — the moisture that was left behind on her full lips - the gentle bob of her throat as she swallowed.

She finished off her drink and I gladly pushed mine forward for her to take as well.

"Thanks," she muttered, sipping slowly.

And then she shivered. Her skin broke out in gooseflesh, drawing my attention to the contours of her body. The chill affected her body naturally, as it would any common mortal woman, and for the first time I was visibly aware of just how feminine she was.

"Are you cold?" I was beginning to sound like a doctor.

"It's just the coke." She tried to brush it off, but I saw that she was still shivering.

"Don't you have a jacket?" Given the temperature of the area, it was only logical for her to have one.

"Yes." She started to reach for something next to her, but she stilled, frowning. "Oh–I left it in Jessica's car."

Before I could reason with myself for doing it, my leather jacket came off in two simple movements. It wouldn't do for her to catch a cold, but I wondered about the sanity of having her scent imprinted on my clothing. If I ever wore the jacket again, the lingering fragrance would surely drive me wild.

I passed the jacket over to her, noticing how her eyes skimmed over my frame. Did she like what she saw? Or was I too foreign — too alien for her uncorrupted mind?

"Thanks," she muttered, sliding her arms into the jacket. She shivered again, and I mentally kicked myself when I realized that any normal human would have passed on their body heat to a jacket. I, however, only passed on my unnatural coolness. Yet Bella didn't seem to mind. Instead, she wrapped it around her and inhaled the leathery scent. Humans generally enjoyed the smell of leather, and it was a strong enough smell to mask my own unusual scent.

The fabric of her blouse brushed against her curves, drawing my eyes once more to her form. She was wholly intoxicating.

"That color blue looks lovely with your skin," I praised as an excuse for why my eyes were lingering longer than was acceptable.

She blushed under my scrutiny and I was again reminded of how white she looked. Bella was always pale, but this evening she was paler than usual. Wanting her to eat, I pushed the breadsticks forward on the table.

She didn't want them. "Really, I'm not going into shock."

"You should be–a normal person would be. You don't even look shaken." Any other human would be crying or scared out of her mind by what had happened. But not my Bella.

"I feel very safe with you." Her confession was soft, but I felt it all the way though to my cold heart.

But it wasn't supposed to be like this. As much as I wanted her to feel safe, she shouldn't. She should run away from me now and never look back. Yet, I knew that if she did, I would only chase after her until she was mine again.

"This is more complicated than I'd planned." I was sure that the inner turmoil I felt was evident in my voice.

More casually than I would have liked to see in her, she chose a breadstick from the basket and began nibbling on the end. My eyes were glued to her mouth and the tongue that slipped out every now and then to wet her ample lips. I noticed that the skin on her palm was scrapped and wondered when the injury occurred.

"Usually you're in a better mood when your eyes are so light." The sound of her voice startled me. Without the benefit of her thoughts, I never knew exactly when she would speak. I would have to pay better attention from now on.

"What?" I honestly wasn't sure I had heard her correctly.

"You're always crabbier when your eyes are black–I expect it then. I have a theory about that."

So she's back to figuring me out. I expected that, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to hear what her conclusions were. "More theories?"

"Mm-hm."

She had no idea how beautiful she was, just sitting there munching on her bread. I could watch her for hours. I leaned towards her, to inhale her fragrance.

My mind wandered back to the topic of conversation. "I hope you were more creative this time…or are you still stealing from comic books?" I was waiting for some reference to the X-men, as if some mad scientist could have created me.

Her body shifted forward, closing the space between us by a fraction of an inch. "Well, no, I didn't get it from a comic book, but I didn't come up with it on my own, either."

She was holding back something — and it drove me wild. "And?"

Before she could answer, the mindless waitress again interrupted us. At least this time she had food for Bella, so I didn't mind too terribly.

"Did you change your mind?" the girl asked me once Bella's dish had been delivered. "Isn't there anything I can get you?"

Coffee… tea… me? I would go with you gladly!

Idiot girl. Couldn't she see I had no interest in her? "No, thank you," I said curtly, waving my hand at the two empty glasses on the table, "but some more soda would be nice."

"Sure." Off she went again, taking her lusty and rude thoughts with her.

"You were saying?" I pressed.

"I'll tell you about it in the car. If…"

"There are conditions?" I was surprised, to say the least.

"I do have a few questions, of course."

"Of course."

For what I hoped would be the last time, the silly waitress dropped off the drinks and walked away, thankfully not uttering a word.

Bella sipped her drink slowly, taking her time and drawing out the moment.

"Well, go ahead." I was generally a patient being, but not when it came to Bella Swan's personal thoughts.

"Why are you in Port Angeles?" she started.

I didn't think she would take too kindly to the fact that I followed her. Folding my hands together, I smiled at her and said, "Next."

"But that's the easiest one," she gasped.

"Next."

She looked down at her plate of ravioli with a frown. I didn't think her expression had anything to do with the food, for in another moment she was chewing a hearty bite. The discontent was still visible on her face as she mulled over what to say next. Now would be the most opportune time for me to hear her mind, but that wasn't to be.

After a sip of soda, she looked up at me with hard eyes. I could tell that whatever was coming next would be a whopper of a question. "Okay then. Let's say, hypothetically of course, that…someone…could know what people are thinking, read minds, you know–with a few exceptions."

She got it. Almost. "Just one exception," I corrected, "hypothetically."

"All right, with one exception, then." She blushed again, and I couldn't tell if it was from fear or from excitement. "How does that work? What are the limitations? How would…that someone…find someone else at exactly the right time? How would he know she was in trouble?"

Impressive. She was good. "Hypothetically?"

"Sure."

"Well, if…that someone…"

"Let's call him 'Joe.'"

I wanted to laugh, but held back. "Joe, then. If Joe had been paying attention, the timing wouldn't have needed to be quite so exact." I couldn't believe the honesty I was permitting her. Only Bella could bring this out in me. Only Bella would see what others refused to see. "Only you could get into trouble in a town this small. You would have devastated their crime rate statistics for a decade, you know."

"We were speaking of a hypothetical case." Her tone was cold, but I found it humorous.

"Yes, we were," I laughed at the pretense. "Shall we call you 'Jane'?"

"How did you know?" Her curiosity was thoroughly piqued and she leaned in to hear the whole story.

Problem was, I didn't know if I wanted to tell her the whole story. It wasn't allowed. It wasn't done. No mortal had ever kept our secrets. To tell her, to let her into my world, would be a breach of etiquette I wasn't certain I could explain to my family. She knew too much as it was.

"You can trust me, you know," she assured, as if she could hear the inner workings of my mind. Her bruised hand slid forward towards mine in an intimate and friendly human gesture of comfort.

I couldn't. It was hard enough feeling her warmth, even from this distance, even though everything about her was drawing me in. Her scent. Her eyes. I was lost.

"I don't know if I have a choice anymore," I lamented softly. "I was wrong–you're much more observant than I gave you credit for."

"I thought you were always right."

"I used to be." I shook my head in defeat. "I was wrong about you on one other thing, as well. You're not a magnet for accidents–that's not a broad enough classification. You are a magnet for trouble. If there is anything dangerous within a ten-mile radius, it will invariably find you."

"And you put yourself into that category?"

I gazed at her, stone-faced. "Unequivocally."

Her hand slid forward once again, and this time I let her touch me. Even though it was just her fingertips brushing lightly against the back of my hand, the heat only enforced the fact that I was probably the most dangerous thing she'd come in contact with since she moved to Forks.

"Thank you." From the tone of her voice I could tell that she meant it. "That's twice, now."

The tension I was holding within my body seemed to fade under the warmth of her touch. "Let's not try for three, agreed?"

She made a face at me again, one of those puzzling angry faces that I found so endearing. She did trust me, though I couldn't fathom why. Given how much she'd already figured out, I reasoned with myself that I should let her have the truth of how I found her. After all, some humans claimed to be mind readers. Maybe she wouldn't find my gift too repulsive.

I pulled my hand away from hers and placed it under the table where she wouldn't be able to reach. If I was going to expose the truth, I would need to be able to concentrate, and I wasn't certain as to how well my mind would focus if she continued her gentle stroking.

"I followed you to Port Angeles," I started, the words falling from my mouth very quickly. "I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed. But that's probably just because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes."

She smiled at me and my concentration was lost.

And then she spoke. "Did you ever think that maybe my number was up the first time, with the van, and that you've been interfering with fate?"

"That wasn't the first time," I grumbled at her. Oh no, her life has been in jeopardy ever since I first caught her scent. "Your number was up the first time I met you."

I couldn't look at her. I was too afraid of her reaction to my admission. And then I had to look at her. I had to know what she was thinking, if she knew what I was referring to at all.

From the paleness of her face, I could tell that she did.

"You remember?"

"Yes," she answered calmly.

"And yet here you sit." I was still amazed that I managed to behave myself as much as I had.

"Yes, here I sit…because of you. Because somehow you knew how to find me today…?"

She wanted more information, that much was clear. Just admitting that I had followed her wasn't enough. She wanted details. Part of me wanted to tell her so that she would run away from me as any normal human should. And yet part of me feared it as well. Something inside my cold, stone heart told me that she wouldn't run.

"You eat, I'll talk," I offered, noticing that she hadn't touched her food in a while.

She did as I asked and scooped up another forkful of ravioli.

"It's harder than it should be–keeping track of you. Usually I can find someone very easily, once I've heard their mind before."

She stopped eating - stopped chewing. I wasn't positive if she was surprised that I had actually confessed my abilities or if she was genuinely worried. When she popped another bite into her mouth, I continued with my explanation
.
"I was keeping tabs on Jessica, not carefully–like I said, only you could find trouble in Port Angeles–and at first I didn't notice when you took off on your own. Then, when I realized that you weren't with her anymore, I went looking for you at the bookstore I saw in her head. I could tell that you hadn't gone in, and that you'd gone south…and I knew you would have to turn around soon. So I was just waiting for you, randomly searching through the thoughts of people on the street–to see if anyone had noticed you so I would know where you were. I had no reason to be worried…but I was strangely anxious…"

I worried for a moment if I was giving too much away. At our last agreement, we were only friends. And yet my obsession with her certainly crossed the line of mere friendship.

"I started to drive in circles, still…listening. The sun was finally setting, and I was about to get out, and follow you on foot. And then–"

The fury I felt roared back into life as I remembered the vicious thoughts of Bella's would-be attackers. I could not let her see that rage. I forced myself to act calm.

"Then what?" she encouraged, her voice a whisper.

"I heard what they were thinking," I growled, and the monster within me sneered. "I saw your face in his mind."

The image of Bella — innocent and beautiful — being handled by the man. His sweat dripping on her as he violated her body. The joy and triumph he felt from simply considering what he could do to her.

All my instincts told me to rush back out into the streets and find the men from earlier and kill them. Wanting to hide the anger and aggression I was feeling, I covered my eyes with my hand, stopping Bella from seeing the monster within me.

"It was very…hard–you can't imagine how hard–for me to simply take you away, and leave them…alive," I still wanted to kill them. "I could have let you go with Jessica and Angela, but I was afraid if you left me alone, I would go looking for them." If ever I ran into one of them again, I knew I wouldn't hesitate to make them suffer.

Bella didn't make a sound. We sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity — me in my rage, she in her confusion. It didn't take a mind reader to know that what I had told her left her feeling confused.

After a good long while, I sought out her face, hoping to find the answers to my questions about her emotions. All I could tell was that she had lost her appetite.

"Are you ready to go home?" I asked, feeling guilty for having ruined her dinner.

"I'm ready to leave," she replied, and I didn't miss the fact that she said leave rather than go home. She still had questions, and she wasn't going to let me off as easily as I hoped.

Showing the first sign of good customer service, the waitress appeared and asked, "How are we doing?"

"We're ready for the check, thank you." When she didn't move to fetch the bill, I looked up at her, my eyes a bit fiercer than she deserved.

"Sure," she stuttered. "Here you go."

She passed me the slip of paper from her apron front and I handed her back a fifty.

"No change." I stood up from the table with Bella rushing to join me.

"You have a nice evening," the girl said politely.

Oh, I intended to.

We left the restaurant side by side, and I wondered briefly if I was behaving in the proper manner for a first date, if this could even be considered a date at all. This was more like an unexpected pleasure. If I were human, I would offer her my arm as an escort. Or was that too formal for boys and girls these days? What was it that Bella expected? Would she jump if I touched her? Would I be able to control my inhuman urges if I touched her?

My mother — my human mother — had always taught me to treat a girl like a lady. Be polite. Be a gentleman. Open the door for her and let her go in first. Seeing as how we were already outside, Bella would have to settle for an open car door.

She climbed in the passenger side and I gently closed it once she was settled. I took my place behind the wheel, starting the car and adjusting the heat to a more comfortable temperature for my human companion.

Once we were on the road and heading back to Forks, I said, "Now. It's your turn."