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Chapter 12

Edward's POV

We'd barely been this precious girl's adoptive family a week and she was already in danger because of our world. Of course, we would do anything in our power to protect her always but it still shouldn't have been this way. However, I am glad that it's happened here with us instead of them catching her scent while she was still David's captive. At least now we get to protect her.

Rosalie had taken Sammi up to our Dad's study to keep her there for the approaching visit. Carlisle was going to call the wolves to have them as extra protection. They'd seen so smitten with Sammi, we were positive that they would help but there was the matter of needing Alice's visions which seem to disappear in their presence. The family was still debating whether or not to call in the back up when a vision flashed into my sister's head of a peaceful visit. It kind of ended in a blank way that indicated the pack's involvement towards the end for some reason. It had me a little worried but my gift along with Jasper's was not hindered by wolves so we would have to rely on that. No one would touch her. I'd kill them myself. She was in every way my baby sister just like Alice and Rosalie and I'd be damned if anyone would hurt any of them.

We all took up a loose formation at the bottom of the stairs and awaited our visitor. I tuned in to Sammi's thoughts a bit as we waited and instantly wished I was there to comfort her. She was having Deja-Vu that bordered on a flashback of the night she arrived and David came after her. The poor thing, she deserved time to just be a kid and I vowed to give that to her. I wanted to be there with her so badly I almost raced up the stairs. Rosalie was there though and I would just have to trust that she could do the job.

Jasper, sensing my anxiety, shot me a wave of calm. I nodded gratefully at my brother and turned my full attention back to the job at hand. Three more minutes passed when I caught the thoughts of someone unknown approaching the house. They slowed a bit as it came into view but continued steadily on towards the door. Carlisle flashed to the door flanked by Esme and Emmett and opened it to greet our 'guest'.

"Hello, friend" Carlisle greeted the nomad, extending his hand. Ah, my father, always the friendliest of us. The nomad was tall, maybe taller than me, about 6'4" and had dark brown-black hair that was almost as messy as mine. Of course, my hair looked better. He was dressed in plain jeans and a tight black t-shirt.

"Hello, I'm Fredrick. I'm sorry to just stop by but I was hoping to have a chat" the nomad explained. I tuned into his thoughts and all I heard was sincerity. When Carlisle moved aside to allow him into our home Fredrick hesitated, his thoughts causing me to actually smile. "Actually, I know this might be an odd request but could we talk outdoors? I caught the scent of a human off of the wolf pack that has been chasing us around and was instantly…intrigued. Her scent is very strong her and it is making me quite thirsty. I do not want to harm her, as I assume she's close to you?"

"You assume right," Emmett huffed a bit and started outside. I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He needed to stay here with Alice just in case this was some sort of trick.

"Emmett, why don't you join Rose and Sammi? Take Alice with you," I suggested. I had already 'decided' to tell Alice my plan so she saw it and simply nodded and flew upstairs to join Rose and Sammi. I then decided I'd stay in her mind's range so I could keep tabs on the situation back in the house and followed my mother and father and Jasper outside with Fredrick.

We retreated a ways into the woods and after introductions were passed around, we all relaxed a little bit. Fredrick wasn't a half bad guy from his thoughts and I tried to convey that to my father with a look. He's always been really good at reading me so I think he understood.

"I've never encountered a scent as strong as your girl's," Fredrick explained. "Is her scent as potent to you as it is to me? How do you stand it?" He asked, almost pained.

"It's not actually, I think she's your…singer, for lack of a better word," Carlisle told him. "Her scent is a bit strong but nothing unbearable for us. But we also follow a different diet which allows us to be around humans more easily. We hunt only animals." The look on Fredrick's face made me laugh out loud, though I did try to stop myself.

"I've never heard of such a thing. How…what…why? Is that why your eyes are yellow?" he stammered out.

"Yes. And we don't believe in taking the lives of humans. It allows us to interact with humans in a more permanent way. We have to move every couple of years but other than that we can live pretty normal lives," I told him. I assumed his thoughts would show his disgust for us but what I heard caught me off guard. He was interested in trying it. He too wished he didn't have to be a monster, though I never put it that way. The thought of drinking animal blood just never occurred to him before.

"I'd be happy to take you hunting sometime and show you our way, but not here. Your presence and the presence of your coven has made the Quileute wolves…unsettled," I told him. "We have a standing treaty with them which includes no hunting of humans in the area, which of course your coven didn't know, but nonetheless they won't hesitate in taking you down if given the chance. I think it'd be best if you all left and we could meet up somewhere else to show you how we hunt." The offer made him really optimistic. I could see him really loving our way of life and I wanted to give him the chance to pursue it but we couldn't do that here.

Carlisle walked over to me and clapped me on the shoulder proudly. I'm so proud of you, my son, he thought to me. I smiled at him.

"We didn't mean to cause you any duress. In all honesty, my coven has left the area. They left a few hours ago when they learned my plans to trace Sammi's scent. It is Sammi, right?" He asked.

"Yes our human daughter's name is Sammi," Esme confirmed, a bit protectively. Mama bear was hiding just slightly behind her exterior.

"I mean her no harm," Fredrick promised Esme. He could also tell she was anxious. "To be quite honest, my coven thought me crazy for coming here. We also caught the scents of all of you and they were daunted by your numbers. I simply couldn't help myself." He hesitated and looked from Carlisle to Esme, before deciding to ask. "Could I…meet her? I promise to take whatever precautions you think necessary" he promised.

Jasper tensed but could feel his sincerity and asked me what I thought in his head. I nodded at him, also hearing the sincerity in Fredrick's mind. Carlisle and Esme were worried, however. They were both so fiercely protective of her, as were we, but they didn't have our gifts to help guide them. Esme was actually growling low in her chest at the thought of a vampire she just met being close to her human daughter. Even without the added 'singer' problem, she couldn't fathom it. I caught her eye and nodded. She relaxed a little but was still very unsure. She trusted me, however, so she decided to leave it up to my father.

"Fredrick," he began. "You can understand why were are…hesitant? She's everything to us and her blood sings to you. It would be too dangerous, I fear" Carlisle told him, frowning. My phone had buzzed in my pocket as he was speaking and I peaked at it. It was a text from Alice. I showed it to my father. It seems to go okay the text read. We shared a look and I nodded at him. He finally sighed and agreed to Fredrick's request. I could see in his mind that Alice's text wasn't the only reason he had agreed. He admired that Fredrick didn't argue with his first denial of his request to meet Sammi.

We all made our way back towards the house in companionable silence. When we were almost home though, I took my Jasper aside and told him in the lowest tone possible my plan. "I'll keep her in my arms since I'm the fastest and can read his thoughts. If something goes wrong I'll have her out of there in no time. Emmett and Rose should flank me and the rest of you can sort of…surround Fredrick" I explained. He agreed and raced to catch up with the rest.

When we all arrived back at the house, Alice had Sammi in her arms and Emmett and Rose were in a slight crouch in front of them at the foot of the stairs. I couldn't blame them. I knew his thoughts and I was still anxious about this. Sammi, of course, looked really excited. This kid. I swear. I walked over to Alice and she surrendered Sammi to me in an instant and flittered to her mate's side. Jasper wrapped his arm around her for a moment and then they formed a formation around Fredrick with my parents. Emmett and Rose stayed where they were.

Sammi was the first to break the tension, she always ways. "Hi," she whispered to Fredrick. "I'm Sammi Marie Cullen" she stated proudly. She was so proud of her new name and has been ever since our parents discussed the papers with her.

Fredrick swallowed and held his breath before speaking. He was just as anxious as all of us. "That's a beautiful name. I'm Fredrick Grant, it is very nice to meet you."

"Please excuse my siblings," she gestured to Rosalie and Emmett still crouched in front of her, "they're very protective of me" she giggled.

"As they should be. You're a very lucky young lady, having all these people…and wolves, protecting you and caring for you" he told her. She beamed at him. He smiled back just as wide. Of course, she snares another. He was completely smitten with her in just the two minutes he's been here with her.

"How come your eyes are red? You're a vampire, they should be yellow," she declared. My dad was about to scold her for being rude to a guest but Fredrick just laughed.

"I fully intend to make them yellow. Your family has told me about their special diet. Most of our kind drink human blood but your family does not. It's quite amazing" he admitted to her.

Sammi gapped at us. Then she got the cutest look of disgust on her face and muttered an indignant "Ewwww" making everyone laugh. This, of course, made her blush furiously, bringing the blood to her cheeks. I tensed and looked at Fredrick. He froze as well. The room was insanely tense as he warred with his fondness for Sammi and his instincts. He kept surprising me today.

"Jasper, Carlisle, please get me outside," he said through clenched teeth, his hands made into fists. They didn't hesitate in dragging him outside and back into the trees. Esme followed. He had more self-control than he gave himself credit for. He's going to be an amazing vegetarian once I could show him the ropes.

Sammi started crying when he was gone, worried she'd done something wrong. I tried to console her as Alice thought to me. There must be a wolf in the woods near us right now. I didn't see that part of the visit. I'm sorry, Edward. She didn't give me a chance to tell her it wasn't her fault because she fled outside to chase after our father and her mate. My sisters were really good at placing unneeded guilt on themselves. I shook my head and went to the couch, clutching Sammi. Rose followed with Emmett.

"Sammi, it wasn't your fault. He's not like us yet so it's harder for him. Him leaving just shows how much you have him wrapped around your finger," Emmett told her, tickling her foot.

I snorted at his comment, causing Sammi to look at me with confusion. "He's right, you have a way with making the most unlikely of people completely smitten with you. And very quickly!" I told her. She giggled and shrugged. She looked at me mischievously and then wiped her eyes and nose on my shirt. Rosalie and Emmett roared with laughter at my shocked face. I had never heard Rosalie laugh so hard before.

"You little punk!" I exclaimed, tickling her without mercy. Sammi squealed so loud between laughs that I thought she'd shatter our ears. God, I loved this kid. She brought so much joy to so many people in the short time she has been in our lives so far.

After I had changed my shirt, we all sat and talked about anything and everything, avoiding the topic of Fredrick to help ease Sammi's unnecessary guilt, and waited for Jasper, Alice and our parents to return. Sammi had fallen asleep in my arms when they finally did return, without Fredrick. Esme came over and plucked Sammi out of my arms gently and brought her to her room to tuck her in.

Emmett and Rose looked at our dad expectantly, though I had heard it in his mind already. "Fredrick thought it best to leave for now, though the thought seemed to physically pain him. We gave him our various phone numbers and he promised to keep in touch and let us know how his new diet was going and will let us know if he needs guidance with it," our father explained. "He also left a letter for Sammi, to explain, telling me to read it to make sure it was appropriate before giving it to her. He's very respectful," he mused to himself.

"Yes, he is. He's a kind soul. I like him" I admitted. "I hope the diet works out for him. I think him and Sammi could…" I stopped at the glare Carlisle and the rest of the family was giving me.

"Don't even think it, young man. She's still a baby. I can't even picture it. She'll date over my dead body," he growled. Everyone growled their agreement except Alice that winked at me from the corner.

"Sorry, dad you're right," I placated him, internally rolling my eyes. He muttered something that sounded like "damn straight" before going upstairs to find Esme. Dads, Alice thought with an internal eye roll. I smirked at her and she grinned in return. We wouldn't push Carlisle, it was more than our backsides were worth. But this should be interesting.