Bella POV

That night was the first I dreamt of my angel since that fateful day of transformation all those years ago.

It starts with me in the woods, just beside Charlie's house; I can see it through the trees as I look back. I walk forward, and the trees zoom past me. I come through the tree line into a meadow... Its the same one Edward took me to just a while ago, but its sunny and all of the colors of the flowers shine brightly. As I take a few steps through the grass, a figure steps out opposite of me. They are cloaked in all kinds of mini rainbows, and the light reflected off of them shines too bright for me to see them clearly. They walk towards me, even after I stop. They offer their hand up, caressing the air in front of me.

"Come with me."

My eyes widen. The voice sounds familiar. The words are hauntingly so, as in deja vu. But I can't place it in this dream of euphoria. I know who it is, but then again I don't.

"Come with me, Bella."

I shiver, a cold shiver. I reach out, wanting to go with my angel, wanting to be with them. My hand is furry, clawed. I look down at myself and I see that I transformed into a werecat.

No! Not here! Not in front of my angel! My angel can't see me like this, they'll hate me! Instead of grasping my angel's hand, I push it away. "No, please," I plead with the heavens, with whoever gave me this curse, with my angel. I can't be this monster.

"Come with me, Bella," my angel pleads, as his voice begins to fade.

I want to, so badly it hurts, but I don't want to destroy this, my angel. I can't let the beast out. I can't let the beast out.

I bolted up out of bed, careening out of bed with a loud thump. My legs got tangled in the covers, and I felt a sharp pain in my wrist as it took the force of the fall. I grunted, and furiously squirmed to untangle myself.

"Bells? You alright?"

"Yeah!" I replied to Charlie.

"Alright, I'm going to see if the office needs me. You said you were going out again today, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Billy's coming over with Jacob. You remember him, you played with him when you were little."

How could I forget? He was one of the boys off the reservation in La Push, a cool friend to hang out with on my trips up here in the summer. I whished I could have seen him more often.

"Yeah, I do. I'm not going out until a little while later, so I'll stick around to say hi."

"Alright, then. I'll be back soon." I heard the door open and close. I smiled a little. I loved my father. Charlie was the only one who I truly could love in my family. Sure, I didn't like baseball all that much, and I always worried about his eating habits, but he was a good man.

When I could finally stand up I went to the bathroom and studies my features. My eyes were bloodshot and their were deep purple circles under my eyes. My hair was a complete mess, and I was shiny from sweat. I decided to take a shower, to calm my nerves.

My dream. The one dream I remembered the clearest. It came back. I had only seen it that one other time, so I had thought for the longest time that it was just a dream. But that meadow was real. And Gran, my loving Gran, she wouldn't lead me on. But who was my angel? Who was this mysterious figure?

Come with me, the angel had said. Who else had said that? The steam from the intense heat of the shower made everything fog up. When I got out of the shower, I wrote the phrase with my finger on the mirror. The voice was familiar, too. I said it out loud, a whisper. "Come with me..."

I needed to clear my head, so I got dressed and walked outside. The scent of damp nature curled its fingers in my nostrils. I could think better out here. It may have been my inner cat thinking, but I felt the need to be outdoors, with the trees and grass and never ending moisture if the Pacific Northwest. Renee had always complained that it was too depressing up here, but I disagreed. Sure the ever grey clouds were a bit of a downer, but this place had its sunny days, like it was going to be. I hoped; it was pretty cloudy, and I could hear the faint whisper of distant thunder. Plus, there was life everywhere! Not like in hot, dry Arizona, with little to nothing growing except maybe the graveyard of orchids she had tried to grow over the years.

My angel that I was destined to meet. I had anticipated it for a long time now, this meeting, but it was always a fleeting fantasy. Now that I had the dream, I knew my angel would show up soon. In that medow.

Wait...

Edward was taking me to that medow.

Today.

Holy mother fucker... Was Edward my angel?

I stared up at the sky, wondering if there was any way to blow a raspberry at Gran.

Of course I would have my fate tied to another supernatural being. Gran said that I needed him as much as he needed me. But what did that mean? Would a vampire and a werecat be able to coexist?

They already are, I thought to myself. The Cullens had already accepted me into their fold, promising to help me in any way they could. And they all loved me.

Even, perhaps, Edward...

I shook my head, water droplets scattering from the buildup in my hair; I had been standing under the wet leaves, apparently. I checked my little dinosaur Nokia phone for the time - it would be an hour before Edward came to get me.

Just as I flipped the phone closed, Charlie drove up, and a tan truck followed, parking behind the police cruiser. I recognized instantly the older Native American man in the driver's seat of the truck, as well as the younger one now getting a wheelchair out from the back. It was Billy and Jacob Black. Charlie helped Billy into the wheelchair, and Jacob bounded over to me, a smile stretched across his mahogany colored face.

"Bella! Its been to long, loca!" he said excitedly, pulling me up in a bear hug. His strength was very startling to me; it was much stronger than any normal human, but still not as strong as a vampire. Not enough for the bear hug to hurt me at all. When he set me down, I got a better look at him; he grew maybe a foot taller than I last saw him, and he was getting buff.

"Geez, Jacob, you're huge! You know anabolic steroids are bad for you."

"I'm just filling out, Bella. It wouldn't be so surprising if you and I hung out more." he smirked, leaning up against my truck.

I lightly shoved his shoulder back, making him stumble and regain his balance. "Well, I'm here to stay Jake. I'll definitely come see you on the rez more often. But only if you see me here, too. I still have high school to finish."

He laughed, messing up my hair. "Alright then! So, are you sticking around for the game today? Billy and Charlie have been looking forward to the season opener."

I shook my head. "If I had known you were coming, I would have, but I made plans for today."

"Oh yeah? With who?"

"Edward Cullen."

"Cullen?"

Jacob and I turned to Billy, who was now staring at me with confusion, and a hint of anger.

"Yeah, you know, one of Dr. Cullen's kids." Charlie reminded him as he wheeled Billy to the steps, right in front of me.

"Right. Is he your boyfriend or something?"

The outright remark made me turn a shade of red, not in embarrassment, but in anger. "No, and even if I was, it's not something you just ask someone. Especially like that."

He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Just asking. I don't really trust them, Bella."

"Why?" Did he know what they were?

"I just have a bad feeling about them."

"Come on, Billy," Charlie sighed, obviously tired of what must have been a very regular argument. "Dr. Cullen and his family aren't bad people. Just because you don't trust them doesn't mean you have to rub off your silly superstitions on everyone else."

"Just trying to keep her safe, chief."

"I can manage, Billy. I'm tougher than most people." I emphasized the word people, and he got the message. He put a hand up, submitting.

"Alright. Just-"

We looked up at the sound of a rumbling engine coming close, and the sound came from Emmett's Jeep. It came to a stop, and Edward jumped out of the driver's side, wearing a baseball jersey and hat.

"Be careful," Billy finished in a softer tone. His eyes locked with Edward, his nostrils flaring out. Edward quickly came to my side.

"Hey, Edward," Charlie greeted him normally, reaching out to shake his hand, over Billy's head. Edward grasped Charlie's hand firmly, smiling warmly. I did, however, notice Edward slightly stiffen as he reached over Billy.

"How is Carlisle?"

"Doing pretty well, sir. The ER isn't as busy as usual, and he was able to save a hiker from bleeding out the other day."

"Was he one of those attacked by that wild animal?"

"He had part of his throat torn by what might have been a cougar. It might have been the same cougar that killed that guy in Port Angeles. But it's not for sure if that's the one taking all of the other hikers."

Charlie nodded. "Glad we can have such a talented doctor like your father here in town. We're lucky to have him. But, changing subject, what's the agenda for you and Bella?"

"Well, I'm planning on getting her to play baseball with me and my family."

I raised an eyebrow. Baseball? "Since when do you guys like baseball?" I asked suggestively, knowing well I couldn't say vampires. I figured Charlie didn't need to hear about this whole situation right now.

"Its the American pastime, Bella. Besides, Emmett's been dying for a match, and we all wanna see you play. Are you game?"

I smiled devilishly. "Oh, I'm so ready. Bring it on!"

Charlie chuckled. "Well, have fun, then. Hey, why don't you tag along Jacob? Have some fun."

I panicked; Jacob couldn't come, he'd see the Cullens for what they were! But my worries were abated when Billy frowned and said, "I don't think so."

Jacob looked dejected at his father's words, but nodded. "I don't play baseball. Never learned on the rez." He smiled, but barely.

Charlie pursed his lips, knowing full and well Jacob would have come if Billy hadn't said anything. "Alright then, uh..." Now he looked uncomfortable. "Let's get inside then. Come on, Jake, help me get him up." Charlie and Jacob helped pull Billy up the stairs and into the house. That was my cue. I turned and darted to the Jeep, using super speed to get in and strap the impressive looking harness on, even though I really didn't need them. Edward hopped in the driver's seat and took off.

"God, that was awful. I feel so bad for Jacob. How does Billy know about you guys?" I asked Edward.

"Do you want the short answer or the long one?"

"Semi-short."

"The Quileute people have legends of us, what they call Cold Ones. My family had a run in with Ephriam Black, Jacob's ancestor, when we first came to the area. We made a treaty with them, saying we wouldn't bite a human, and they wouldn't reveal what we were to the humans. Billy must remember the legends and distrust us all the same."

I snorted. "That's a bit stupid. They do know you don't hunt humans, why the prejudice?"

"It's probably just long standing prejudice. If you grew up in the 1700s, you would have a disposition to Africans and African Americans, would you not? Same with them."

"I guess..." It did make sense. To only know one side of the story. "But Jacob didn't have that same feeling, though. He looked like he wanted to come with us."

"He thinks the stories are just myth. He has an apprehension for us, but he doesn't hate us like his father. That's why he's so confused about Billy's reaction."

I looked at him funny. "How do you know what he feels?"

"I can read minds," he said simply.

I balked. Could he read my mind right now?

"The only one I can't read, though, is yours." He looked toward me and smiled, half amused, half frustrated. "You seem to be off my radar, as it were."

I sighed, relieved. "You'd be put off by a lot of what I think."

"On the contrary, I wonder day and night what goes on inside your head. But I respect your unusual bit of privacy. If you want me to know something, you will speak your mind. I like that about you."

My face got hot, and I ducked behind my hair. He respected my privacy, and he couldn't read my thoughts. Plus, he didn't mind one bit! He actually liked my outspoken-ness! Most of the time Renee thought-

Wait, no! Curse that bitch! I shouldn't be thinking about Renee.

I took a peak at Edward again through my hair. His strong, lithe physique; his flowing facial features; his bronze hair... He appeared more handsome with each passing second my eyes lay upon him. No, he was more... Delicious. A primal urge made me reach over and want to stop the vehicle right now. I... I need him. I didn't know what for, but something told me I wanted him.

Arg, stop it, Bella! I pulled my hand back quickly. Edward looked at me with a side glance but didn't say anything. In fact, his grip on the steering wheel got tighter, any more so and I was afraid he'd break it. There was something in the air, almost like electricity, or magnetism. I could feel it with my body, my fingertips, as if I could grasp it.

In order to distract myself, I asked, "So I thought we were going to the meadow?"

"Well, its not sunny right now, but Alice saw that it will be after the game; the storm will pass quickly." He turned off of the main road and crossed a bridge, driving into deeper wooded territory. "The rest of them are egar to see your full potential. But from what I've seen, you're more than enough to be your own team!"

I tsked. "Its boring playing in a team by yourself. Isn't that why I'm playing with vampires?" I waggled my eyebrows.

He laughed boisterously as he drove through the trees and into a large clearing. It was twice as big as any regulation baseball field, with twice of a distance between where Alice was standing - the pitcher's mound, as she was practicing wind up techniques - and Esme, where she was grinding the dirt with her foot, and was at the center of activity. Carlisle and Rosalie were playfully arguing over who was going first, Emmett looked like he was practicing for a boxing match, odd, and Jasper as busy doing tricks with his bat.

When Edward parked close to the tree line, I jumped out and yelled, "Ya miss me, folks?"

They all turned and smiled, and I could feel the warmth of their happiness reach out to me. Emmett bounded over like a homesick puppy, picked me up, and swung me around.

"You know I did, kitty cat!" He set me down and patted my shoulder. "You ready to roll with the big leagues? We ain't gonna go easy, now."

I bared my teeth and growled, grinning at the same time. "I never play easy, Emmett. You should know better."

"Alright! So, you're on my team with Edward. Jasper, Rosalie, and Carlisle are the other team. Alice pitches, and Esme is our catcher and umpire. She thinks we cheat."

"I know you cheat!" Esme called out. Edward, Emmett and I walked towards her and first base, and I pulled off the jacket I was wearing, to allow greater movement. I kicked off my shoes and socks, and gripped the dirt with my toes.

Rosalie, who was standing at the first base plate, tilted her head in response to my bare feet. "Uh, why'd you do that?"

"I like to be able to grip the dirt, helps me move."

She wrinkled her nose. "You don't mind getting dirty?"

"It comes with the territory of being a giant animal, plus I can always take a shower."

"Whatever floats your boat, I guess." she rolled her eyes and walked over to talk to Carlisle and Jasper.

"Don't let her pride get to you," Esme told me, as my teammates talked trash to the other team. "Rosalie was born in a time and family of high society; its not natural of her to agree with a down to earth kinda girl like you. But don't worry, you'll get used to us; we all have quirks about us that we've brought from our human lives."

"Just like everyone else. Don't worry, I'm not easily offended. Now, let's get this started. Who's up to bat?"

"That would be me." Jasper came up to the plate, waving the bat skillfully. Edward, Emmett and I ran to third, first, and second base respectfully. Thunder rang across the sky, and a bolt of lightning shot through the clouds.

"It's time!" Alice sang out, a gleeful smile upon her pixie face. Then she got serious, wound up, and pitched the ball. Jasper swung, and the sound of the ball hitting was an exact copy of the thunder from just a second ago. Jasper took off for first base, and the ball sailed toward me. It was only a millisecond that passed, but I managed to get my hand up and the ball smacked right into my palm. I smiled slyly, and I saw Jasper slow down, an astonished look on his face. Emmett laughed and cheered, patting Jasper on the back. Edward whooped and hollered my name behind me. I felt so proud. Alice ran to me and grabbed the ball, reappearing on the pitcher's mound.

"Out!" Esme called to Jasper. He half smiled and walked back behind Esme, tagging in Rosalie. He whispered something to her, and she nodded, looking at me with a tough, determined stare. She prepared to hit, and I saw her glance up once.

Alice wound up like a pro, and pitched a curve. Rosalie hit it, and it whizzed up and over my head, into the woods. I took off, and found the ball lodged into a tree half a mile away. I wrenched it out, and raced Rosalie to second base. My foot touched the plate, and she slammed into me, sending us both into the ground. She pushed herself off me and looked to Esme for the call.

"Out, Rosalie. She touched the base before you got there."

Rosalie hissed and looked back at me, pissed. I shrugged, the ball still in my hand. I tossed it back to Alice, and she laughed.

The game continued as such, and Carlisle's team managed to get up even with ours. They all enjoyed having me playing with them, I had tons of fun.

It was Carlisle's turn to bat, and Alice wound up for the pitch. When she followed through, her eyes glazed over, and her ball fell short. She just stood there, in a trance. Edward looked to her, and then toward the trees. I followed his stare, listening hard for any change...

There were footsteps. Three sets. One barefoot. I opened my mouth, scented the wind. One was female. They had a similar scent to the Cullens. They were vampires. But it was off. More... Primal, dirty...

Blood. They had the scent of blood on them.

"The nomads. They changed course." Alice shuffled. I heard someone run to her.

"Why?" It was Jasper who asked. Maybe it was him who was with her now.

"They heard us playing. They want to join. I'm sorry, I didn't see..."

"It's ok. They're just curious, right?" I turned to see Carlisle join Alice and Jasper, with Esme just behind him. Emmett and Rosalie stood in front of them all, protective. Edward ran to my side.

"I guess..."

"We have nothing to hide. Let us greet them. In a civilized manner." Carlisle stepped forward, and the rest of us followed suit. Esme was to his right, Alice and Jasper to his left. Rosalie and Emmett were a few feet to the right of Esme, and Edward and I were behind Carlisle and Esme.

"Don't worry Bella. They won't hurt you. I won't let them." Edward spoke with a faint snarl in his voice. His face was set in a determined, protective mode. He grasped my hand. A flash of heat shot up my arm, but I ignored it, squeezing his hand back in return. We all looked toward the trees as the footsteps got louder.

When the nomads broke through the forest, they were in a triangular formation. The white male was in front, obviously in charge. To the right was a white female with screaming, fiery red hair. She was the barefoot one. And to the left was an oddly darker skinned male. The two nomads that followed had dark red eyes. But the leader's eyes were solid pitch.

"Whats's with that one's eyes?" I whispered to Edward.

"He's thirsty"

Oh, so that explained it. But that also meant he was more dangerous. I braced myself for anything these guys might do.

They came together as they got close. But instead of the presumed leader, it was the darker skinned vampire that spoke, with a slight French accent.

"We thought we heard you playing, and we thought we'd join. I am Laurent. This is Victoria and James." He gestured to his companions respectfully.

"I'm Carlisle, and this is my family." Our matriarch swept his hand over us, giving a formal but brief response.

Funny, I thought of him as "our" leader. I felt like the Cullens already placed me as one of them. And I felt like I belonged. So when James stared, hard, at Alice, I couldn't help but hiss very faintly. Edward gripped my side tighter. What was James' deal?

"Your hunting activities have caused us some problems," Carlisle continued.

"Our apologies," Laurent responded. "We did not realize the territory had been claimed."

"We have a permanent residence nearby. We were actually finishing up our game, and were headed there now. We could show you there and discuss things further, if you wouldn't mind."

"Oh, of course. I'm intrigued you could live here permanently. How do you do it?"

Now Alice had stiffened, and Jasper grabbed her by the shoulders. "Alice, what is it?" Jasper tried to whisper too low for the other vampires to hear, but James raised an eyebrow.

"Alice?" The nomad looked at her closer, and recognition flashed through his eyes. "Ah, I remember you!"

Jasper, Emmett, and Edward tensed up, flexing muscles. I got up close to Alice, on the side opposite to Jasper. She came out of her trance when she heard her name, and looked at James, confused. "Do I know you?"

James grinned like he was enjoying a private joke. "No, but I know you. See, I remember you from before you were turned. You, poor girl, were locked up in an asylum. Another vampire who used the facility as his hunting grounds had claimed you, and somehow he figured out I was coming for you. So, he turned you. When I saw what he did, I cursed myself for not being able to get to you in time. I destroyed the older vampire for taking my prize away. But now that I see you, I'm impressed. You had not screamed at all while transforming. And when you opened your eyes, its as if you had been blind, and was seeing the sun for the first time."

I knew this bastard was bad news. He was creeping closer as he talked, and so I stepped in front of Alice, getting in his face a little. "Now that you know she isn't yours to savage, you don't want anything to do with her, right?" I asked defiantly.

James caught my scent now, and he looked at me with some surprise. "A human? But, you smell... Off..." The other two nomads sniffed the air, and stared at me like I had a third eye. I hated it.

"I'm a bit more than human, dude. So back off." My voice got lower, and my anger grew. I started to feel cold.

James laughed. "You're brave to face up against a vampire, little one. And no mortal can tell me when to back off." He got closer, his obnoxiously large nose almost touching mine.

He was absolutely disgusting. None of his inhuman beauty affected me. And, he started to stink to me. I could actually smell his sweet scent turning sickly, icy, painful. I wanted to spit in his face. But I felt my body begin to shake. I was past the point of recovering my cool, so I smiled. Really wide. His smirk turned into a frown, and he looked slightly confused.

"Check again, parasite. I'm. Not. Mortal." The last word turned into a bass growl. I could feel my clothes ripping, my body expanding. I couldn't hold it much longer.

Now James looked scared. He backpedaled a few steps, with Victoria and Laurent right behind him. "W-w-what are you?"

"Your worst NIGHTMARE!"