Chapter eleven: Vampire
Once I had put my jeans and top on over my suit, it was easy to slip on my shoes, take off my mask and act like normal Bella again. It was slightly embarrassing struggling in the passenger seat of Edward's car to put them on, but he was a gentleman keeping his eyes on the road.
I shove my mask into my bag, relaxing back in the seat, before I look at the speed meter. He's-
"Can you please slow down?" I beg, holding onto my seat, as cars fly past us, my spider sense tingling in fear.
"I'm doing the speed limit Bella." He tries to reassures me, but it didn't work.
"Edward, please I have a bad feeling." I add.
He sighs but slows down, and I let my tight muscles finally relaxed, as I exhale. I didn't think he would listen to me.
"Thank you." I mumbled, then kept quite for the rest of the short drive.
We pulled up outside of a restaurant called La Bella. I thought it was planned, but then realizes the name must be purely coincidental. Bella is a commonly used Italian word, so for a Italian restaurant to be called La Bella, its not out of the ordinary.
"Are you okay? Your very quite?" Edward says, observing me.
"Just ready to get some answers." I tell him, and he nods in understanding.
I was ready for answers. Yet I was also nervous. I have had a huge crush on Edward ever since he and his family joined the school. Now here I am walking up the stairs to a restaurant with him. No Harry, none of Edwards family, just me and Edward, alone.
Walking inside people were all in there own little worlds, having there own conversations and enjoying their meals. As we took barely two steps inside a waitress came over to us, her eyes beaming as she took in Edwards good looks.
"Hello, how may I help you?" She asks him, her beautifully painted red lips pulling up at the sides.
"A table for two please." Edwards tells her, while looking towards me.
She looked at me and sneered while Edward wasn't looking.
"Right this way." She says, with a hint of attitude.
As I follow the girl, Edward puts his hand on my lower back, guiding me smoothly through the tables. People glance up looking at me and Edward as we go past. I can't help but blush at the attention being drawn to me from just being beside Edward.
She stops and gestures too a simple table in the center of the room.
"Could we have something a little more private?" He asks her, while sneakily handing her twenty bucks.
"O-Of course." She stuttered eyes wide, as she takes us to a new table.
I was shocked that Edward actually just handed the woman money for a different chair. I thought things like that only happened in old fashioned movies.
"Thank you much better." Edward nods as we sit down in a booth far away from the other customers.
I awkwardly shift as the waitress hovers beside our table ready to place our order. I set my backpack beside me, and watch her as she presses discretely yanks her top down.
"What would you like to drink?" She asks Edward smiling.
But his eyes were watching me...
"Two cokes." He answers her back, like he knew that was what I would ask for.
She scurries away, towards the kitchen, clutching her notepad to her chest.
I gulp as he watches me, I look around at all the other people eating in the distance, and suddenly I wish we weren't so secluded. Being alone with him has made goosebumps rise all over my body, and everything seems so, heightened.
Oh God.
"You really shouldn't do that to people," I criticized. "It's hardly fair."
"Do what?"
I smiled slightly at how clueless he looked.
"Dazzle them like that. She's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now."
He still seemed confused.
"Oh come on- you have to know the effect you have on people."
He tilted his head to the side, his curious eyes glued to mine. "I dazzle people?"
"You haven't noticed? Do you think everyone else gets there own way so easily?"
He ignored my questions, his golden eyes swimming with curiosity. "Do I dazzle you?"
I blushed. "More often they I'd like to admit."
Our sever arrived, her face expectant, and she look pleased to see Edward in the flesh. Obviously the hostess has been spreading the word around in the kitchen.
She placed down our drinks all the while her wide eyes were stuck on Edward. I wanted to smile in victory to see that he caught yet another person in his trap. But my annoyance towards the woman won over.
Does she not see me here? Of course I'm not with Edward on a date- but she doesn't know that.
I watch as she flips her hair unnecessarily over her shoulder, revealing her low cut top.
Does she have no respect at all?
"Hello. My name is Amber, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you?"
I didn't miss that she was speaking only to him.
"Bella?" he directed the attention over to me.
"Um-" I pick up the menu with shaky hands. "-I'll have the mushroom ravioli." I tell her, reading off the first thing I see.
She rolls her eyes, looking back at Edward.
"And for you?" she smiles.
"Nothing for me, thank you." Edward replies, his eyes sticking like glue to mine.
Of course he wouldn't want anything to eat.
She purses her lips, and with a tight disappointed smile, walks off towards the kitchen. I shift in my seat as I am trapped by Edward's golden eyes yet again
"Drink." He orders, pushing a glass towards me.
Taking a sip through the straw I realize how thirsty I really am. All that swinging and running about really makes you famished. Soon enough I finished the whole drink, and Edward pushed his over to me
"Thanks." I mumbled, my body trembled from nervousness.
"Are you cold?" He asks me, worriedly.
"No. No I'm fine." I quickly lie.
He seemed to not believe me and I sat there stunned as he shrugged out of his jacket. I never even noticed he was wearing a jacket, I'm always to focused on staring at his face. But now I'm looking. He holds a light beige leather jacket in his hands, underneath a tight white t-shirt, that makes every muscles on his chest pop out.
I gulp slightly as he hands it over to me, stopping my obvious ogling at his chest
"Thanks"
Inside the jacket was cold, and it made me really shiver once I put it on. But the smell... it was so strong and sweet. I couldn't put the scent to words, but I hoped somewhere out there was a bottle that smelled just like this. It's intoxicating.
"Blue looks lovely against your skin." he compliments, and I blush looking down.
"He pushes the breadstick basket towards me.
"Really Edward I'm fine." I try to reassure him.
"Bella, you took on four grown men. You don't even seem shaken or injured." He seemed unsettled.
He stared into my eyes, and I saw how light his eyes were, lighter than I'd ever seen them, golden butterscotch.
"I'm stronger than you think. And...I feel safe around you." I admitted
He seemed to disapprove of my answer.
"This is more complicated than I'd planned," He mumble to himself but I heard it.
I picked up a bread-stick and began nibbling on the end, feeling slightly peckish.
Would now be a good time to start asking questions?
"You're usually in a better mood when your eyes are so light. When there black you a look crabbier" I point out.
"What?" He retorted, astonished.
"Yeah, I have a theory about that actually."
"I hope your more creative then taking stuff from comic books." He teases me.
"Well I didn't get it from a comic book, but I didn't come up with it myself." I explain, avoiding using Jacob's name.
"And?" He prys.
At that moment the waitress decides to disturb us by placing my steaming bowl in front of me. Her eyes quickly turned to settle on Edward.
"Did you change your mind?" she asked. "Isn't there anything I can get you?" I may have been imagining the double meaning in her words.
"No, thank you, but some more soda would be nice." He gestured with a long white hand to the empty cups in-front of me.
"Sure." she says picking up the glasses and walking away.
"You were saying?" He quickly jumps back onto our prior conversation.
"I'll tell you about it in the car if..." I trail off.
"There are conditions?" he asks with raised eyebrow.
"I have a few questions, of course."
"Of course, as do I."
The waitress was back with two more Cokes. She sat them down without a word this time, and left again.
"Well go ahead." He pushed, his voice hard.
I stall then lick my lips. "Why are you in Port Angeles?" I decide to ask the simplest question.
He looked down, folding his large hands together slowly on the table. His eyes flickered up at me from under his lashes, the hint of a smirk on his face.
"Next."
"But that's the easiest one," I objected.
"Next," he repeated.
I gritted my teeth frustrated. I picked up my fork, and harshly stabbed a piece of ravioli popping it into my mouth. I take sip of the coke, before meeting his eyes again.
"Okay, so lets say if -hypothetically- someone were able ... to read someone else's thoughts. how would that work?How would he know where she is at that exact time? How would he find someone?" I ask.
"Hypothetically?" He repeated.
"Sure." I smiled, glad that he is playing along.
"Well... if that someone... had been paying attention, the timing wouldn't have needed to be quite so exact." He shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Only you could find trouble in a town this small. You would have been all over local news if they would have found out about you."
"I thought we were talking hypothetically." I reminded him frostily.
He laughed at me, his eyes warm.
"How did you know it was me?" I question him.
He seemed to be wavering, torn by some internal dilemma. His eyes locked with mine, and I guessed he was making the decision right then whether or not to simply tell me the truth.
"You can trust me you know, " I murmured.
Without thinking I reach forward, without thinking, to touch the back of his hand, but his slid it way from me. I pulled my hand back in embarrassment.
"I don't know if I have a choice anymore." His voice was almost a whisper. "I was
wrong - you know a lot more than I hoped."
"I thought you were always right."
"I used to be." He shook his head again. "I was wrong about you on one other thing, as
well. You're not a magnet for accidents. You are a magnet for trouble. If there is anything dangerous within a ten-mile radius, it will invariably find you."
"Are your in that category?"
He simply nods.
I stretch my hand across the table sheepishly, afraid slightly as he recoils a bit. I'm surprised that this time he let me place my hand in his for reassurance. His face softened for as minute.
"Thank you."
His face hardened as he pulled his hand gently out from under mine. "Let's not make that a third time, okay?" He said putting his hands under the table, but he leaned towards me.
"I followed you to Port Angeles. I knew something was going on with you, and...I saw you go into Dr Connors house. I followed you from there," He tells me.
My mouth parts before I chew down on my bottom lips, scared to hear his answer to my next question.
"So... how long have you known who I am?"
I hold my breath ready for his answer.
"The day after our trip to Oscorp." He addmits, looking at me with curious eyes.
"Have you told anyone?" I ask afraid.
"No. But my sister Alice knows. She figured it out."
I stab my fork into my food yet again, enjoying the taste, while trying to calm all the emotions in my body.
"What happened?" He questions, as I become silent.
"You mean how did I start shooting webs out of my wrists and sticking to walls?" I tease, trying to ease the tension.
He chuckles.
"When we were at the lab, and I was taking your picture. Something bit me. I'm sure it was one of the spiders they were working on, with cross species genetics. I felt so ill all of a sudden, then I woke up and everything was heightened. I felt like I could climb a mountain and have energy for a marathon after."
"So, you have all the abilities that spiderman had?" He asks me.
"From what I know yes. But he isn't inst around to answer all my questions about what I am. He's missing, or for all we know dead."
"Are you scared- of what you are?" He questions, his eyebrows drawn together tightly.
"No," I chuckled softly shaking my head. "And yes. I don't know. Sometimes the loud noises and bright lights can really give me migraines. But the speed, the flying, the freedom. It makes feel alive." I said smiling dreamily.
"You seem happier than a few months ago, when I met you," He point out.
"I am." I smile.
"I'm ready to leave now." I inform him, pushing the empty plate and cups infront of me to the center of the table.
As he goes to pull his wallet out of his back pocket, I take out my purse from my bag.
"Bella, I'll pay for the meal."
"No, you didn't even eat anything. It's fine I'll pay."
He sighed, putting down to fifty dollars.
My eyes widened... the meal must have only been twenty dollars or under.
"Bella, please it's my treat." He tries to sway me.
I don't like the thought of him paying for my meal, but I can see in his eyes he won't let me win. No matter how stubborn I am, I let it go.
I traill next to Edward, hugging his jacket to me and taking sneaky sniff of it when he's not looking. Like a gentleman he holds open the passenger door for me, and I take my seat. I put my bag on the floor by my feet, and buckle in my seat belt.
"Thank you for the meal, and driving me home." I thank him, while my cheeks burn pink.
"It was my pleasure Bella. And now I do belive it is time for you new theory about me," He reminds me and I wince. "You did say you would tell me in the car if I answered your questions, which I did."
"Okay, but don't laugh." I warn him.
"Is it that bad?" He chcukles seeming to feel a bit happier.
"No..."
"Then I promise I won't laugh."
"And don't get mad or angry." I add.
"I promise Bella." Edward repeats himself, trying to focus on the road.
"Okay...well, I heard a story about a few settlers who came to Forks a while about. They were called the cold ones-" I pause watching his hands tighten on the steering wheel. "- vampires."
"Are you afraid?" He asks, refusing to look at me.
"No." I tell him honestly.
He clenches his jaw, and I can tell his is angered by my answer.
"You should be." He says in a almost dark way, yet I'm not fazed.
"If you wanted to hurt me, you would have done, that a long time ago. Not try to protect me." I point out and his eyebrows furrow.
"You don't care that I'm a monster?"
"No, I trust you." I tell him.
He chuckles darkly.
"You haven't even asked the most important question. Do you not care about what I eat?"
I pause for a second, and recall from the story that they are animal drinker.
"You drink from animals." I tell him, and he looks away from the road to me.
"How did you know that?"
"I can't tell you, but I'm not afraid of you Edward. I don't care that your a vampire," I exclaim, twisting in my seat to him.
He seemed to be wavering with himself. His facial features were blank, but in his eyes a war was waging.
"Woah! Slow down." I exclaim when we turn a sharp corner and my spider sense tingles, we narrowly miss a truck that was oncoming.
"It's fine Bella."
"I'm not immoral like you Edward, if we crash I'm dead," I remind him.
"We won't crash, I have a built in gsp right here." He explains point to his head.
"What do you mean?"
"It's a ability, I can read minds, to a certain distance of course."
He can read minds...can he read my mind? Does he know that I like him? Oh God, the things that I have thought about-
"Don't worry, I can't read your mind. I'm intrigued why do you look so worried? What have you been thinking about?" He teases.
"Nothing," I reply quickly. "Why can't you read my thoughts?" I ask him.
"I don't know. But it's infuriating. The one mind I wish I could read and I can't"
"Are their others like you?" I ask.
"Me and my family are the only ones in Forks. Our kind aren't the type to settle down, but there are more out their."
"Can your family read minds as well?"
"No, but Alice can predict the future and Jasper can manipulate emotions." He tells, me then smirks at my reaction.
"Wow." I gasp, letting out a deep breath.
"Were here." He points out, as I look past him to the house which has all it's lights on.
"That was quick." I mutter to myself.
Of course he heard.
He chuckled.
I start to peel off the jacket, handing it to him, while his hands clutch the fabric intently.
"I guess. I'll see you tomorrow?" I say in a sort of questioning way.
"Tommorow. Oh a Bella?" he calls out while I'm getting out of the car.
"Hmm."I hum, while picking up my bag ready to leave.
He leans closer to me suddenly, the proximity making me stiff as I sit their eyes wided, and stunned.
"Tomorrow is my turn to ask the questions." He breaths, then smirked, as I let out a shaky breath.
"Goodnight, Bella." He smirks.
"Goodnight, Edward." I say a little light headed.
I grin as I lazily walk up to the front door. I just had dinner with Edward Cullen...Edward Cullen is a vampire. He still wants to talk to me. I could scream with happiness.
I walk into the house, seeing Renee and Charlie on the sofa watching the news, I frowned walking over to them after hanging up my coat.
"This afternoon, several eye witness have claimed to have spotted spider man in the Port Angelas area of Washington. It is said that a person wearing a spiderman costume fought off and helped the capture of four men who attmepted to sexuall abuse a woman this evening. Web residue has been collected from the area, and has been officially confirmed as evidence of spider man's re-appearance. Only this time, all eye-witness have claimed that it was a womans figure underneath the costume, not a man's. Is this the return of our masked hero? Or just another prank?"
I listened as the screen switched to a blurry figure of me, in the costume mid flight..How did they get that picture?
This can't be good.
A/N
This is quite a important chapter for the book, as they find out about each other. The next chapter will be more interesting, as this was more twilight filled then spiderman :)