Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight related. L.J. Smith and the CW get the Vampire diaries, but the rest is all us!

CHAPTER TWELVE - Persistence Pays

Can I be dreaming once again?

I'm reaching helpless I descend

You're leading deeper through this maze

I'm not afraid

I'm lost in you everywhere I run

Everywhere I turn I'm finding something new

Lost by Red

The guilt was killing me. I'd kept all of that inside for so long that letting it go now felt like the worst kind of betrayal. I'd thought of the Cullen's as my family, they had been my family for a while, but now . . . now they were strangers to me, and I owed them nothing.

Stupidly, I also felt guilty about this flirting thing I had going on with Damon. If I was being honest with myself . . . and I hated doing that . . . he was the first guy since Edward that really seemed to get a reaction from my body, even if it wasn't in tune with my head. I felt like I was cheating on someone, and I didn't like that feeling. Even after all this time, he still had some kind of hold over me.

I slid down in the water a little more. It was still hot and the bubbles felt amazing. It also helped me forget that I had actually–albeit for a fleeting second– considered letting Damon in the bathroom with me. Could horniness become viral?

I actually rolled my eyes at myself. All these memories stirred up by talking about the Cullen's wasn't helping. Obviously, this was my subconscious way of getting past this. Maybe fooling around with Damon would break the tenuous grip Edward seemed to hold over me. Let's face the facts, it didn't hurt that he was good looking either. I could certainly do worse.

Then came the guilt again.

Knocking at the door pulled me out of my rumination. I didn't have to ask who it was. There was only one person that persistent in this house.

"What do you want, Damon?"

"Where to start," he mused through the door, his voice muffled, but still sexy as hell. "How about I start between your legs and work my way up?"

I felt the blush rise on my cheeks as my mind traveled back to that morning and the dream that had left me wanting more. With his words, the image of the shock of black hair that had been between my legs just before I woke up seemed to push to the forefront of my mind making me bite my lip to suppress my reaction.

"Fuck off, Damon."

"Doesn't hurt to ask," he laughed. "You know where I am if you need me, but you may want to knock first."

I kept my laughter silent and listened for his movements. It was silent except for the click of the bedroom door as he pulled it closed behind him. I couldn't believe he was actually growing on me. He was rude, abrasive and conceited, yet I somehow found that appealing, even more so as time rolled on. Not that I was ever going to give in to him, I wasn't a fool, he was in love with Elena and he saw me as a distraction from that. There was no way in hell my first sexual experience was going to be a sympathy fuck. Not. Gonna. Happen.

I stayed in the tub a while longer but there was no putting off what had to be done. I had to get some work done on my paper. I'd wasted two days already and the damn thing wasn't going to write itself. At least living in the fantasy would give me some good shit to work from. It was fate that I'd chosen to write about Vampires and their origins. I guess I could get good info from the source, I had chosen vampire lore and it seemed that most of the myths and legends had stemmed from these half breeds.

I fell into the bed with my laptop and tried to read through what I had already. Citing sources was going to be a pain in the ass, so I did a comprehensive search on the internet. Thankfully vamps liked to be connected by wireless too, they hadn't even password protected their wireless internet. Sadly, they would be surprised the next time they tried to connect; I had taken the liberty to protect it for them. The password was going to give Stefan a kick at least.

D4m0n5ux8al15. Literal translation, Damon Sucks Balls.

I was actually kind of proud of my ingenuity. Whether they would pick up on it or not was another thing, but I wrote it out so it was obvious and hoped they'd ask.

I'd been working for at least three hours when my phone chirped quietly beside me. I hadn't turned it off since I'd made the calls to the college and was a little dubious about who it would be. Especially considering how I'd shut Alice down earlier.

I picked up my phone and woke it up almost groaning when I saw Alice's name. It wasn't until I read the actual message that my heart literally stopped and my palms began to sweat. It was my worst nightmare come true. The name stuck out like a sore thumb and made my anger boil enough for me to consider actually changing my number.

Bella, its Edward. I just got here and Alice told me that you're hiding. Don't you understand you're in danger? Why won't you let us help you? I left to keep you safe, but I can't stay away knowing your life is in danger. Please, answer us and tell us where you are. We'll come and get you.

I stared at the screen long after it went back to sleep. The name seemed to be seared on my eyeballs. Who the fuck did he think he was? He'd left to keep me safe? What the hell was that? My anger took control as I flared the phone up to type out an answer. Smug satisfaction seemed to radiate through my body with each letter I typed.

Keep me safe you say? Bit late for that don't you think? All your infinite wisdom and you didn't once think that Victoria would look for revenge? That was danger. That was my life on the line, yet you come here now when I'm accosted by a small group of halfbreeds looking for answers! I've survived Victoria this long with no help from you! I think I can survive a group of people who mingle with humans on a daily basis and have some civility. Go home and leave me the hell alone!

This time I did turn off my phone. I was angry and upset and I didn't want to talk to anyone right now. The audacity of the asshole I thought I'd loved was like poison running through my veins. Knowing he was so close made me sick to my stomach. I never wanted to see him again. Just so the message hit home I made a decision I knew Alice would see. I decided to change my number and move on for good, from all of them.

- O.O -

Time seemed to fly living in this house; there really wasn't a dull moment. Damon was on my case after the first night there, he claimed he'd heard me muttering his name in my sleep. Sadly, it was probably quite accurate, I'd somehow managed to have a repeat performance of the dream of him and I, in fact, I had it almost every night since being here, and it got more interesting with each passing night.

I hadn't changed my number as I'd made the decision to do, but I hadn't unmade the decision either, and not hearing from any of the Cullen's made me assume they'd taken me for my word. Instead, they contacted Damon on a daily basis. He seemed to drive Alice crazy which ended up being a source of amusement for me. Especially when Edward took over the texts and bitched him out, threatening to rip him limb from limb if he laid a mutant half breed finger on me.

Damon's new game was to make a decision to touch me, which would always have his phone going off and ringing. He was insatiable, once the calls started and he knew they'd seen what his decision had done he normally moved his decision making into the "I don't want to know" territory, so I stopped asking questions.

He was supposed to be meeting up with them, so I wasn't sure how he was going to face them with all of this burning the bridges.

I had been answering more questions as time passed, I'd told them everything I knew about the Volturi and the vampires, only holding off a little bit of information here and there, knowing that it was my only safeguard until we got rid of the vampire problem in my apartment.

I found I actually got along with Stefan and Elena, I even had a soft spot for Caroline when she shut up. It was Elena who'd found out about the password I'd installed on their internet. She'd been trying to do some research on something I had revealed and couldn't connect. I'd handed her the piece of paper and had been pleased to see she figured it out immediately. It was the archaic vampires who couldn't decode it without explanation.

It was a Friday, almost a week to the day since my arrival here, and I was in my favorite spot on one of the huge plush couches in their library, reading one of the many books they had there. It was the one place other than my bathroom that I loved about this house. All of the books were first editions.

I never really paid much attention to the people coming and going in the house, but today had been the day Damon was supposed to meet up with the Cullens, and I actually found myself worrying about him. Alice had mentioned that Edward had taken off to do something, so I told him Damon it was a good time to meet them. He'd been antagonizing Edward the worst.

I looked up when a shadow passed by the entrance, but found only Stefan.

"Hey you," he said falling into the couch next to me. "What are you reading today?"

I turned the book so he could see the spine and he grinned at me. It was the first edition of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. He smiled, I had exhausted their Bronte selection, it was only a matter of time before I hit up Austen.

"Any word from Damon?" I asked, putting the folded paper I used as a bookmark into the book.

"Nothing. I'm sure the idiot's pissed them off and gotten himself killed by now, though. Remind me why I couldn't go with him again?"

"They'll start focusing on your decisions as well and it'll just get too confusing. If we keep Damon as the only contact, he'll be the only one they can pick up from."

"He's not the greatest ambassador for us."

I laughed and uncurled myself from the corner, stretching out my limbs. "No, but he's the one that made contact, and he's the one that keeps pissing them off. It's all we've got for now."

"Hey guys," Elena sang, dumping her backpack on the ground by the steps that led down into the library and fell into the couch next to Stefan. The poor thing still had to go to school and I knew how that went. You always felt out of the loop. "What's going on? Is Damon back yet?"

"Negative ghost rider, I think he may have his hands full with the Major."

Stefan frowned at me but I simply smiled and shook my head. Jasper's past had been one of the things I kept a tight lid on. I'd always liked Jasper and I wanted to let him keep his privacy. It didn't mean he would keep that from Damon though, especially if Damon goaded them as he had been on the phone all this time.

"Do you think he'll be able to talk to them without pissing them off?" Elena asked, cuddling into Stefan's side contentedly.

Stefan and I looked at one another and shook our heads in unison. "No."

"Oh ye of little faith," Damon said leaning against the door of the arch. It seemed this little gathering was turning into quite the party. He jogged down the steps and made his way over to the decanter to pour himself some scotch.

"Well?" Stefan said, demanding answers. "What happened?"

Dramatically, as always, Damon threw his free hand in the air and turned to face us.

"The usual, threats to kill and maim, demands of knowing where we're keeping Bella, threats about keeping my hands off Bella, threats to castrate me if I stuck with my decision. They're quite colorful in person."

"What did you do, Damon?" Elena groaned. "Are you trying to get us all killed?"

"Your lack of faith in my negotiating skills is become insulting, little one," he hummed tapping the top of her head as he passed. "I merely told them that Bella is an adult and is perfectly capable of making her own decisions. Even if she does hide them from them."

Damon walked to my side of the couch and fell into it, kicking his legs onto my lap as he swirled then sipped his drink. His free hand going to its usual place, and tugging the ends of my hair. I swatted him away.

"To which they said?"

He coughed and put on a high voice. "You don't know Bella like we do. She's my sister asshole, you can't take her away from us."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. They may have perfect recall for memories, but time had moved on, I had moved on and I was done waiting for them to come back long before Alice finally contacted me. For once Damon had been right, I was an adult and I did make my own decisions. So just to be petulant I decided to flirt more with Damon.

"And you," Damon said kicking my leg and smirking. "I had no idea you were into carrot tops."

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

He'd seen Edward.

Damon

In the week that had passed since Bella had come to stay with us it felt as if something had shifted. She seemed to be less and less disgusted by my presence. I think it partly had to do with the fact that her ex had decided to contact her. The morning after his message she was unusually quiet and even tolerated my blatant sexual innuendo without a snappy comeback. I felt uncharacteristically protective of her so I did the only thing I could do, which was use my gift of goading to annoy the Cullens to no end. Between the texts and phone calls I decided to mess with the seers visions by constantly making decisions to do very naughty things to sweet Bella. I was always rewarded with seething messages.

When the time had come to meet with the Cullens, I was oddly excited. I was desperate to see the purebloods who had so affected Bella. Also, I can't lie when I say that I wanted to see this Edward. He wasn't expected to be there, but I had a feeling that he would be anyway, and my assumption was correct.

I walked into Bella's apartment like I owned the place. The small space was filled with the Cullens. Apparently there were a few missing who had gone for a hunt. Of course they had nothing to fear from me so it wasn't a surprise that they didn't feel threatened. They could crush me with a flick of the wrist.

"Damon," A pixie like creature stepped forward and I instantly recognized her voice.

"Well, hello, Miss Alice."

"Cut the shit, asshole. Where is Bella?" She stood with her hands on her hips and although she was much smaller than me I had no doubt that she was one to be feared.

"Bella is entirely comfortable and where she wants to be, which is free from all of you." I pretended to look bored, but really I was trying to weed out which one was Edward.

"That would be me." A tall boy with copper hair stepped forward and I remembered that he was a mind reader. Immediately I did what Bella had told me and sang the most obnoxious pop songs in my head.

"I see that Bella has told you about my gift," he spat.

"That she has. She thought that I should be prepared." I winked at him and a low rumble came from his chest.

"What did you do to her to make her talk? Bells would never talk about us without a reason." A giant stood up from the couch. As if purebloods weren't intimidating enough they had the Hulk as a member of their coven.

"I'm afraid all the motivation she needed was a promise to keep you all away from her. Apparently breaking her heart and leaving her to fend for herself from rogue vampires makes you less than desirable company in her mind. Who knew?" I narrowed my eyes at the Ginger-haired fool who left her; my fear all but forgotten as my anger took over.

"Wait, what?" Apparently they hadn't informed the Hulk of Bella's life post-Cullen.

"Yes, well, after your dear Edward left Bella heartbroken, some red-headed pureblood came after her, hell-bent on revenge for her mate that you all killed. Oh, and did I mention that the wolves saved her from the redhead's partner in crime?" He looked to Edward, livid.

"You made us leave her! You said it would be better for her! Safer!" A blonde beauty stood beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder but he shrugged her off. "And you agreed with him! Rose, I love you, but don't touch me right now. My little sister could have been tortured and killed and you went along with fucknut's way of thinking."

I decided that I liked him.

"How was I supposed to know that Victoria would come back for her?" Edward yelled, tugging at his hair. I watched in fascination as they all turned on one another. They yelled and screamed while a refined looking blonde attempted to control them.

"Why did I tell Jasper to go hunt?" Alice rolled her eyes and pushed her way in between them.

After about 30 minutes of chaos they calmed enough to turn on me.

"I want to see my baby sister. You take me to her, now!" The Hulk, who I had learned was Emmett, towered over me.

"As much as I like you, man, Bella's wishes are my priority. Images of Bella after receiving Edward's text floated through my mind and Edward cringed.

"He's telling the truth. She doesn't want to see us. But I can't give up. She loved me once, and I will work for eternity to get her back." I rolled my eyes at his little speech, knowing that the Bella he left no longer existed. He growled at my thoughts and I just ignored him.

"But she'd want to see me. I'm her big brother. I need to tell her that I didn't want to leave!" Emmett was growling as he spoke.

"I'm afraid she no longer considers any of you family, if that's ever what you were."

"You don't know what she thinks! She's just hurt! You may think you know her, but she's my sister, and I believe I know her far better than you! Now you will bring her back to us or else!" Alice stamped her designer clad foot.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back before she thinks you've killed me. Oh, and if you follow me, a simple phone call will mean she will disappear and change her number, email, everything. It's been real."

I walked out and heard chaos break out behind me. I drove in circles for a while to make sure that they weren't following and made my way home. I could tell by the look on Bella's face that she had been worried. I wanted to hold her and reassure her, but instead I flopped onto the sofa with a tumbler full of scotch and began toying with her hair.

She seemed slightly amused with the way the meeting went, although a sadness fell over her eyes when I mentioned Emmett's reaction. It seemed that she loved the big lug.

At about 8 o'clock that evening Bella entered the library and sat next to me.

"I want to go out," she stated.

"Okay. And where does the princess want to go?"

"Somewhere that I can get shitfaced. I figure with the way you down that scotch, you would know of a bar or two in the area."

"Well, you would be correct in your assumption, my dear. I'm ready when you are."

Bella smiled and ran upstairs to get dressed in a pair of jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt. The bar was busy, but not overcrowded and Bella easily fit in. She began drinking and downed her first two beers quickly. I laughed at her as she stumbled after her fourth beer.

"You know what, Damon?" Bella slurred as she braced herself against my chest.

"What, princess?"

"You're reeeeeeeeeally pretty." I chuckled at her then pretended to be offended.

"Pretty? What about ruggedly handsome, or devastatingly sexy? I think those would be more accurate."

"Hmm, well maybe the sexy part. You do have that going for you. And you're a gooooood kisser. Has anyone ever told you that?" Her plump lips settled into a pout so I gave them a quick peck.

Unfortunately, drunk Bella was easily distracted.

"Ooooh! Damon, can you teach me to play pool?" She squealed in an uncharacteristic display of girliness and bolted in the direction of an open pool table.

Every male in the place had their eyes glued firmly to her ass as she bent over the table in a lame attempt at shooting pool. When some frat boy tried to feel her up I stepped in and took my place behind her and began to "help her" with her shot. When she looked back at me and winked while biting her lip, I knew that she was up to no good. Her ass ground in to me and I fought not to groan out loud. Before long we were both blatantly rubbing all over one another every chance we got. I wanted to attack her, but I figured it wouldn't be the best place.

"Dance with me." Bella demanded as she pulled me out onto the floor. All she was really doing was giving us an excuse to grind on one another, which was fine with me, but before too long her eyes were hooded and she was licking her lips.

"Damon, take me home." I immediately threw her over my shoulder and she giggled as I practically threw her into the passenger seat of my car.

I broke every speed limit on the way home and when we reached the house I ran around to help her out of the car. Bella was all smiles as she swayed, laying her head on my chest and inhaling deeply.

"Mmm, you smell good," she said as she looked up at me with those doe eyes of hers.

Finally, I had reached my breaking point. Fisting my hand in the back of her hair I crashed my lips to hers. She immediately opened her mouth in a sweet little moan and I wasted no time. My tongue traced hers. She tasted of beer and Bella and she was so damn sweet. Pushing her back against the car I lifted her and wrapped her legs around my waist.

We both moaned in unison when she shifted her hips, giving us both the friction that we were craving.

"Shit, I need…. Something…" she cried out when she pulled away for breath, but I quickly attacked her mouth again.

I knew exactly what she needed because it was the same thing that I had needed from the moment I met her. Should I have been taking advantage of her drunken state? No, probably not, but you know what they say about drunken actions reflecting sober thoughts. Either way, I didn't care. I just wanted her.

Just as I slipped my hand under her shirt to feel the soft skin of her stomach a throat cleared loudly causing us to break apart, panting for breath.

"Dammit! Now what?" I shouted causing Bella to blush and giggle before I turned around to face the intruder, with Bella still wrapped around me.

Sabi'sSookie: So, you finally got a glimpse of the Cullens! I know a lot of you have been waiting on that! And who do you think the throat clearer is? As always, I love hearing your thoughts and am so thankful for every review, alert, favorite, and for those who simply give Ravenous a chance by reading! You guys are awesome!

Nostalgicmiss, you are the greatest, most awesome chick I know and I am constantly in awe of your wonderfulness. Love ya!

Nostalgicmiss: Ahhh Not only is there an appearance by the Cullen's but also some hot making out and grinding between Bella and Damon! I think a lot of you have been waiting on that too!

Thank you so much to all of you that read and favorite and review! You always have us cracking up with your comments and theories! I love seeing what you come up with :). Thank you for being so accepting of a crossover, we've been having such a blast writing it!

Sabi, you are an outstanding writer and an amazing friend and I just want to thank you for being there and pushing me along, and for constantly encouraging me when I wig out about things like Para! You're awesome and I love ya! Oh and thanks for VM! I am unashamed of my addiction!