I started to worry. Carlisle came down the stairs. Alice explained the situation more detailed, and told him about her vision.

"We need to get on this," Carlisle spoke. Esme trailed down the steps behind him.

"Danielle, are you okay?" she asked, passing Carlisle and walking up to me. She placed a cold hand on my face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just thought you guys should know. Since, you know, you're really the only vampires around here," I struggled with the word vampire. Esme embraced me. I knew she wanted to comfort me, but her cold touch didn't make things much better.

"It's going to be okay," she said, letting go of me. She went back over next to Carlisle.

"Alice, take the jeep, find the gas station," Carlisle ordered. Alice looked at me.

"Do you want to come? You might be able to help some?" she asked.

"Uhm…" I stammered.

"Don't worry. We'll keep you safe," Jasper said. Jasper never said much, so I was assured no harm would be done to me.

"Edward, you and Bella stay here. Esme and I are off to do a little investigation. Emmett is with Rosalie," Carlisle said, taking Esme by the hand, and walking back up the stairs.

"Jeeps in the garage," Alice smiled. Jasper took a step forward, walking in front of her. Alice beckoned me forward and I followed them.

"Good luck," Bella and Edward called to me from behind.

The garage door opened and we got into the Jeep. Alice decided she wanted to drive. She slowly backed the vehicle out and then turned into the grass to drive forward out of the driveway. The tires skidded against the drive way; we pulled out so fast. We reached the end and a tall figure was there. The vehicle slowed down and I put my head out the window.

"Jacob, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Followed your scent," he panted, then smiled. I smiled back. "I need to tell you something," he said.

"Yeah, Travis, the vampire," I said.

"Yeah from the gas station. We need to get on this," Jake started.

"Get in the car, mutt," Jasper said. Jake looked taken aback.

"We could use you to help us," Alice said. Jake walked around the side of the car, opened the door and sat next to me. Alice took off down the street.

"Yuck, it smells like wet dog in here," Alice joked. Jasper laughed. Jake huffed.

"So what went on at the pack meeting?" I asked.

"Sam said he'd heard about some dangerous incidents going around. No one was ever killed, but just suffering from an immense amount of blood loss. There were no signs of any sort of creature committing this sort of thing. But Sam suspects it's a bloodsucker," Jake answered. Alice snorted when "bloodsucker" left Jake's mouth. The mood was starting to feel a bit lighter. Jasper. Thank God for him. "I told him about that creep we ran into the other day and Sam thinks maybe he's the problem."

"Exactly, that's what we are thinking on our part. We haven't heard about those reports, so thank you for that information, Jacob," Alice spoke, taking a tight turn to the left. The sun shone high in the summer sky, a few clouds hovered around next to it. Overcast at any minute. Jake reached over and grabbed my hand, he gave it a squeeze.

And then he smiled at me, the smile that makes my heart go crazy. But all I could think was "No, not in the car. Not in the car while Alice and Jasper were there. They already think you stink enough." It must have been like Jake read my mind and laughed. No PDA in the back of your friends car when they are trying to save you from unknown forces.

The car slowed down as it entered the gas station's little parking lot and parked in on of the tiny spaces. All four doors flung open at the same time. Jasper took a look at the sky before getting out. Overcast. Perfect.

"Oh man, it reeks out here," Jake said, fanning the air around him.

"For once I agree," Alice spoke up, wriggling her nose. Jake closed his eyes and sniffed. He turned his head and tracked over across through the pumps, straight to pump number 9. Alice caught on his trail and went into the store. I staked out with Jake.

"He was just here. It reeks of him. I know it was him. I can remember that smell since he walked past here yesterday. He couldn't have gotten far," Jake said, following the scent into the store after Alice and Jasper. She was smelling a candy bar. To any other person in the store, she probably looked like a freak.

"Danielle, did you buy a Snickers yesterday?" Alice asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Did you buy a bag of Doritos?" she asked.

"Yes…" I said again. "Why?"

"He's got them too," Alice said. "He must be finding things you have to make it easier to get to you. But he's not as quick into this as we are. He must be new at this," Alice chuckled dryly. "We're definitely on to something here. But he won't act now. Soon, but not now. Give him till tomorrow and see what happens. See if he'll be back," Alice said. Jasper nodded in agreement.

"If we come out early, maybe we can catch him?" Jake suggested.

"No, he'd catch our scent, especially yours," Alice laughed. "His trail ends over here," Alice finished, walking out of the store and ending at the edge of the parking lot. "He might have jumped through some trees, but I've lost him." Jake sniffed the air again.

"I've lost him, too," Jake said and growled. The sun was hovering over the horizon now. Not yet sunset, but still laminating the sky.

"Wow, we're been out here a while," I said, looking around. We all started piling back into the Jeep.

"Yeah, we'll drop you guys off at home. Get a good night sleep and we'll start back fresh and early," Alice smiled. Jake groaned.

"I hate getting up early," he complained.

"Deal with it, this is my safety we're dealing with her, mister," I tried to say crossly, but I just ended up giggling. Alice and Jasper just laughed quietly to themselves. As we drove, the sun got darker and darker. The Jeep plowed through the woods until it got to my home.

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow Alice, Jasper," I said and smiled. Alice smiled back and hugged me. Jasper just nodded. Jake got out of his door first, walked around and opened mine. He held out his arms and pulled me out.

"Jake, that tickles!" I giggled and he laughed. Alice waved goodbye and I could have sworn I heard her say something about how the mutt's developed manners. I went to unlock the front door when I realized something. My car was still at the Cullens'!

"Oh, crap," I said, turning the key to get into my house.

"What?" Jake asked.

"Vette's at the Cullen house," I sighed. Someone was bound to bring it home to me sometime. I expected it to be back in my driveway by the morning, knowing the Cullens. Jake tilted his head sideways, confused, but I just laughed. I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything since the day before. I looked in the fridge for food. None. I looked in the cupboard. None. I looked in the pantry. Ramen noodles. I grabbed the plastic wrapped noodle square when Jake grabbed my hand.

"There's no way I'm letting you live off of ramen noodles," he said.

"But there's nothing else to eat. And I don't have a car-" Jake cut me off by running into the other room. I heard the same explosion from the other night. A big russet wolf bounded back into the pantry. Clothes tied to the back leg.

"I am not riding you, Jake," I said. He turned his head sideways, then tilted it back to beckon me to get on. "You're insane." The door was still hanging open and Jake trotted over to it. He slowly went down the steps and I closed the door, which locked automatically, behind us. I got onto his back. My toes barely grazed the ground. I leaned forward and gripped his fur. And faster than those little motorcycles, he dashed off through the woods.

I ducked my head down, almost laying onto his back, afraid I was going to get smacked by the branches. I could see the cars race past us on the freeway on the open end of the woods, but we were far in enough that no one could see us. The wind rushed through my hair. It felt good. Almost like…flying. Jake started to slow down when we approached a shopping complex area. He finally stopped so I thought that would be a signal to get off. He went behind a few bushes, so I looked away. Another explosion sounds, and then Jake appeared fully clothed.

"Now, mall food is the best," he smiled.

"Oh geez, Jake, you're ridiculous," I laughed. He took my hand and walked me across the street and into the mall.

I window shopped as we made our way to the food court. The middle of summer and wool knit sweaters were still in fashion. Some people are crazy. We continued walking down the mall, my eyes fixated on the glass walls and Jake guiding me so I didn't walk into any cell phone kiosks. But then I did bump into something. Or someone.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry!" I said, looking up to Holly, in a blue wool knit sweater.

"Look, no I'm sorry," she said.

"No, I totally just walked into you," I said.

"No, not just for that. For the way I acted yesterday. I'm really sorry," she apologize. Jake's fingers slipped away from mine as he went over to look at something in a window.

"It shouldn't really matter who you're dating. And if you say he's not the person everyone else thinks he is, then he must be. You're smart enough to understand that," she said, almost in a whisper. We both looked over at Jake. He was watching a football game in one of the TV's in the window. Holly and I both laughed.

"Boys," we said in unison.

"So, what brings you here?" Holly asked.

"No food at home. Mom leaves me with nothing to survive off of except for ramen noodles," I laughed.

"You're mom needs to at least go grocery shopping when she comes home. What are you doing now? Living off of mall food?" she joked.

"Hey! No hating on the mall food!" Jake shouted, keeping his eyes on the television.

"Get some pizza, girl. And don't let the kid eat it either," she laughed.

"Oh I won't. I promise. You meeting your man here?" I said with a wink. Her cheeks tinted a shade of pink. "I'm totally meeting him," I said.

"Not today though. You go eat, he's taking me to a movie. I'm meeting him there," she squealed a little. I smiled back.

"You go enjoy your movie and we'll go enjoy some mall food," I laughed. Jake looped his fingers back through mine and started to pull me off. With my free hand I waved good bye and the continued off with Jake.