A few quick notes about timeline and Au-ness of this world:
The James thing didn't happen, so this Bella has not been attacked nor bitten by any vampires (yet).
While Bella and the Cullens both know about the wolf pack on the Rez, Jacob is not a wolf at the current time.
Edward and the Cullens have not left.
If you have other questions about this world and they aren't answered in-story I'll post answers here so leave questions in the review section.
Happy Reading!
Jack was feeling pretty good about himself right now. Him and Leah were officially a thing now and other than a faint glower from Sam on his drive out of the Reservation he was being left alone.
Which, really, should have been his first clue that something bad was about to happen.
Every time.
He drove up to the house and got out of the car. Standing in front of the door was his father. Leaning back and with his arms crossed.
"Where have you been all night?"
"I was with a girl."
Stephen blinked, as if not expecting such an honest answer from Jack. "You work fast."
"We didn't do anything!"
"You were gone all night."
"She and I just…didn't. We both ended up falling asleep."
"Do I know this girl?"
"I think you know her father. Clearwater?"
"You were with Leah?"
"Yes Dad. I was with Leah Clearwater is that going to be a problem?" Jack asked defensively. He hadn't wanted to have this conversation with Leah until after he told her about his family history, but this was happening now.
"She's a nice girl. Nice family. Certainly far from the worst pick for potential daughter in law I could ask for."
That was not the response he was expecting. Maybe his father had no idea? In that case it could stay that way. He father didn't need to know Leah was a werewolf. Ignorance was bliss. And less likely to end up with a murder attempt.
Again.
"Anyway, I am heading to the store, you need anything?"
"No. I'm good…You want help?"
Stephen blinked, "Well, if you're offering. Sure. I'll drive, you go change into fresh clothes."
Jack did just that.
Bella wandered down the herb and spice section of the grocery store a list in one hand a basket hanging on the other arm. "I should make something Dad can handle on his own. We have some trout in the fridge. What herbs do you think I should use?"
At some point today you are going to be kidnapped by a carnivorous vampire that wants to toy with you. Why are you thinking about herb-crusted fish right now? You didn't sleep at all last night and are running on the power of caffeine and stubbornness. You have other priorities right now.
"Dad likes Italian. Oregano and basil it is."
Don't fucking ignore me. We need another plan.
"I should throw some sage on there too. Dad's had some stomach issues lately."
You are the single most obstinate person I have ever met. That includes the goddamn priestess that tried to force me to be a shrine guardian.
Bella grinned a little at the thought.
Just going to sit there and let yourself be killed. Stupid looking at fucking sage and lavender and…you sneaky shit.
Looks like somebody caught on.
Wolves and vampires both have very sensitive senses of smell. It makes sense that something that can trick a wolves nose should at least bother the vampires. But even if you manage to stun him you may not get as far as you would with wolves.
"I may have to tweek the recipe for Dad's palate though. He's so picky."
Right. Replace wolfsbane with blood magic to increase potency. That will fuck up his sense of smell. But then what?
"I wonder if Edward will be home in time for dinner. I'll just have to see what time he's home." She had moved over to the produce section. She needed lemons and a dragon fruit.
You are not messing around. Good. Though you could have told me. I was worried for nothing.
She double checked her list to see if she had everything.
Argents four o clock. Senior looks smug. And I think Jackass is blushing.
"Ignore them. We have bigger fish right now."
Jack saw you. He's trying to lead his father in a different direction. But apparently they need apples.
Which Bella was standing next to. She decided they needed milk. Which was on the other side of the store.
You aren't going to tell Jack what's happening?
Bella frowned. "I don't want him involved Sparx. He would be even more powerless than I am." She whispered quietly. The store wasn't exactly bustling but she knew rumors of her talking to herself would quickly make their way to her dad.
And if you do die? Are you okay with him not knowing at all what happened to you?
"I'll write a note."
She managed to grab a half gallon of milk and headed back towards the front of the store to pay for her purchases.
She got a look from the cashier with the dragon fruit.
"They're good for the heart. The last thing any of us need is Charlie having a heart attack."
The cashier seemed to buy it and kept quiet.
Purchases made Bella grabbed the two bags of groceries and headed back to her truck.
You have a visitor waiting for you at the monstrosity. Though he has no desire to be there. Alpha's orders, by the look of it.
"Because that's what I needed today. If I have had gotten star anise I could be cursing him when I got home."
Worms coming out of his nose would be hilarious. Maybe we can do that to celebrate you not being killed. Make up for nearly giving me a heart attack.
"Depending on what this guy says. Maybe. I'm still upset over the bullshit from the other day."
Then I hope he's been forced to say something dreadful.
"Looking for someone?" Bella asked the wolf standing awkwardly near her truck.
The man swallowed. "Look. Before you do anything I don't want to be here, but Alpha's orders so I'm here."
"Then what does he want?"
"Sam wants to know more about Jackson Argent."
"Not much to know. And if there is not my place to tell you."
"Is Jackson human?"
"Yep."
"He punched Sam in the face, Sam's nose took hours to heal."
Bella laughed.
Good boy. I'm so proud.
"Good. Sam deserved it."
"How can a human hit a werewolf like that and not hurt themselves?"
"It's called magic. Tell your moronic Alpha that Jack is fully human."
Bella tried to push past him to get into her car.
"I'm afraid I'm also ordered to take you to him."
Bella gave him the most incredulous look she could muster. "I have shit to do. So no. I'm not going anywhere with you. I have a knife and no qualms about using it."
The wolf looked worried and was nervous sweating. She could practically smell it.
Then she gave it some thought.
"Did he tell you to take me to him immediately?"
"No? He just said to do it."
Bella mulled it over.
We could use this.
"Then let's make a deal. I'll go willingly, but first I do legitimately have things to do. Let me go home and take care of some things and I'll meet you at the border in let's say an hour. Sound good?"
The wolf let out a sigh of relief.
"Sounds great." And then he ran off.
I think he was scared.
"Me too. But this could be helpful."
You are going to lure the nomads straight to the wolves. Karma's a bitch.
"By the end of today I will have one less problem. Maybe two."
I've missed vindictive you. If I ate popcorn, this would a great time to have it. I can't wait.
"I want you to go tell Leah that if she has plans today to not be on the Rez. Her and Jack don't need to see this."
Softie. Okay.
Bella hummed to herself as she set the bags in the passenger seat and hopped into the truck. By the time she had driven back to her house Sparx had returned.
Jack is suspicious, but aware of your warning. Leah has chosen to follow his lead.
"Cool." Bella got out of her truck and went around the other side to get her shopping bags. She got them inside without much issue. They weren't particularly heavy, one bag was just herbs and the other was the lemons and dragon fruit. "Let's get this stuff made."
The biggest shock was that Charlie actually had a mortar and pestle. Bella set her bags on the counter and started unpacking them. Lavender, sage, basil, oregano, bay leaf, fennel, and thyme. All dried.
She opened the plastic containers one after the other and then pulled the mortar and pestle from the cabinet above the fridge.
The thing was heavy.
It might have been Grandma's.
Next was a cutting board, knife and a zester.
She started with zesting the lemon and putting it in a small bowl. She got about a tablespoon's worth and put the bowl in the microwave for two minutes. She was trying to dry it out. While that was going, she started cutting into the dragon fruit. She scooped out the edible flesh and set it aside. What she needed was the inedible part. A layer between the touch outer skin and the flesh that was eaten. It was bitter, tough and hard to cut.
Thankfully she was good with knives.
And she had done this before.
She managed to get two tablespoons of the material that she needed.
The lemon zest was done and at the texture she needed.
She threw the dragon fruit pieces in the microwave next. While waiting for it she started to toss the herbs into the mortar, about a teaspoon of everything except the sage and lavender which were a tablespoon each. Then she started to grind the herbs together.
I can already smell it. I'd hate to get a face-full of that.
In truth at this stage all Bella could smell was lemons. As she ground hints of the herbs came through but it wasn't an unpleasant smell. Like non-artificial air freshener.
The microwave beeped.
That smell is the worst. Maybe it's just me.
Bella could smell the dragon fruit unless she held the bowl close to her face. Even then it was as bad to her as it was to Sparx.
The really bad smell, at least for Bella's senses, had yet to come.
She threw the lemon zest into the mortar while she was letting the dragon fruit cool. The texture of her mixture was quickly becoming a fine powder that was a brownish green. When the dragon fruit had cooled she placed it the mortar next. She ground the mixture together and the resulting powder was fine and mostly brown color.
If you don't mind I will be outside for this next part. The smell is just too much for me.
"Wimp." Bella joked and held her hand over the mortar. With the knife she cut a long but shallow slash into the palm. She let out an exhale from her mouth as her blood dripped down onto the mixture.
The smell had been mildly pleasant before, now with her magical blood added to the mix a rancid burning smell filled the room, burning the inside of Bella's nose.
Somehow, it was even worse than she remembered.
With watering eyes she placed the knife down and counted the drops of her blood on the mixture. After ten she closed the wound on her hand, the remaining blood on her hand flowed back beneath her skin.
If it smell this bad to her, she couldn't imagine how bad it would smell to a vampire.
But then, that was the point.
She used the pestle to mix the blood and powder together and with her magic turned her blood to dust, making the mix a fine powder with a reddish brown tint.
She pulled an empty spice jar out, one that she had washed and prepped for this purpose. And with her mind moved the powder up and out of he mortar and into the container. It filled the plastic jar completely.
"I'm done Sparx." Bella called out as she lidded the ar.
Good.
"Can you clean this up for me while I get my jacket?"
Only because if I do we can leave much sooner.
"Thank you Sparx. Just imagine the look on the tracker's face when I hit him with this." She shook the lidded container as Sparx eyed it warily.
Bella went up the stairs and replaced her plain jacket with the magical red coat. She also grabbed her bone knife and set in a pocket and in the other pocket was the jar smelly shit that she hoped would at least stun the tracker long enough for her to get away.
Maybe.
It was untested and she had never dealt with a vampire before.
But now was not the time for doubt. She had a werewolf to meet up with after all.
Jack was not okay. This was bad. This was very bad.
"Why would Bella not want us near the Rez?"
"I can only think of one. She expects a fight. A fight with collateral damage. Somebody is going to get hurt."
"Do you want to go anyway?" Leah asked.
"I don't know. She may need back-up but I might just get in the way and cause more problems than I can solve. I don't know what Bella is expecting to deal with."
"Well, what could she be encountering?"
"I have no freaking idea. Sparx said don't go to the rez, and Sparx is always cryptic and unhelpful."
"I don't like that Bella's in trouble."
"Me neither. I saw her this morning and she looked awful. I don't think she slept, it was the same look she used to get when she would stay up late researching when we found problems."
"I have an idea," Leah commented and placed her hand on his. "Why don't I shift and listen for issues from those on the Rez? If I hear anything happening with Bella I can let you know."
"Thanks, Leah."
"At least this connection is good for something right?"
Bella was waiting at the border when the wolf from earlier walked up. "I'm sorry, you're early."
"My earrands took less time than I expected. Even had time to stop for coffee." She took a sip from her caramel macchiato to demonstrate her point.
"Nice jacket."
"Thank you. I spilled shit on the other one so I had to change. Anyway, hop in and point in the direction of Sam. I want to get this over with."
He opened the truck door and got it. "Oh…I'm Embry by way."
Bella started to drive forward.
So shit is about to go down and I cut this one off here so that it could be it's own chapter.
Now we can finally see what Bella is capable of in this universe. Who else is super excited?
