Long time no talk!
And what better way to make a comeback then to post a pointless chapter. WOOOOO

Chapter 19 Excerpt:

And then it hit me. Who were the only vampires I had ever met? Even with dim memories, I could remember the sweet scent from the time we all deliberated in the Cullen's living room about James. I almost relaxed into the seat, my upper body still out the window.

I spoke into the night, into the forest towards the running figure.

"Laurent?"

The wind whipped my hair around into knotted tendrils across my face as I stared blankly into the forest whipping by. Laurent. That sickly sweet scent. Laurent. Was that...

My throat constricted and burned as I smelt the blood on him. It was fresh.

"Bells, you okay?" I could hair Jacob's distant voice calling to me from the driver's seat, but I was too preoccupied to respond. God, that delicious smell. Why would Laurent be back in town... after all this time? Was Victoria with him? What was going on? The scent on the vampire running through the forest was almost too much to handle. It burnt it's way down my throat in trickles, pooling my mouth with venom. I had never made a mistake before, but the scent was much, much too irresistible. I hadn't really smelt fresh human blood in so long...

"Bella!" I felt rough hands on the smooth skin of my shoulder, and then I was suddenly ripped around to face him. As I turned to him, he shot his hand back from me, like I had burned him. "Ouch, Bella."

The scathing in my throat minimized as I took in his fearful expression. I gasped. "My God, Jacob, did I hurt you!?"

He grimmaced. "A little, but I'll live." He replaced his hand back onto the steering wheel but only lightly. My eyebrows furrowed as I noticed his palms were a little red.

"Jacob, can I see your hand?"

His grip tightened on the wheel, and he grimmaced again. "No, Bells, honey, I'm okay." His expression wasn't too convincing.

"Seriously, Jake, let me see." I held my hand out to him.

He shook his head, staring at the road with a kind of wary look on his face. He raised his hand to me like he was going to give me a highfive and revealed the burns covering his palm, changing from red to pink as the moments passed. My body turned frigid as I realized I had just burnt him. I felt numb as the realization sunk in. I had hurt my best friend.

When I finally snapped out of it, we were stopped in front of a large white house surrounded by a sea of ferns and trees. I blinked in surprise. "Jake, why are we at the Cullen's?"

He smiled ruefully. "Well, the tiny bloodsucker called your phone, which I grabbed from your purse." He blushed. "Sorry," he laughed sheepishly.

I laughed. "It's okay, Jake. Is your... Is your hand okay? I'm sorry I did that to you..."

"Naw, it's all good. It's all healed up." He shoved his palm into my face and I saw it was no more than smooth pink skin covering his palm.

I smiled, still apologetic. "Well, I'm still sorry."

He rolled his eyes, climbing out of the car. As he opened the door, a gust of wind flew in, and I tensed.

In a blink of an eye, I reached across the cab and pulled Jake back into the car, shutting the door as I leaned over his wide eyes and gaping mouth. For an awkward moment, I stared back at him, my body balanced over his. I shook my head and climbed back into my own seat, looking out all the windows.

"Laurent," I whispered. I could see Jacob's features relax as he took in my alert ones. Did he feel safe with only me watching out?

I heard Jacob laugh, and when I turned to him, alarmed, he was shaking his head at me. I stared back at him like he was derranged.

After what seemed like hours of him just smiling all smugly and what not, I felt anger bubbling inside of me. "The hell, Jake. You're laughing at me like I'm some crazy lunatic!"

That made him laugh again. "Bells, Laurent came to visit the Cullens, he's in the house right now. That's why I took you here, not to your house."

I blinked in surprise again. "Are you even allowed around here?"

He scrunched his nose, disgusted. "Well, yes, but I don't enjoy their smell any more than they enjoy mine. I think I'm gonna head out soon, Bells."

I frowned. I didn't know when I would see him again. "Will we hang out sometime this week?"

"Yeah, I reckon we'll have to because we still have to have that meeting with the whole pack."

I sighed with relief. "Good. I'll see you sometime later, Jake."

"Miss you already, Bells."

He smiled at me from the car as he zoomed away in to the forest, his carlights fading as he whipped around the corner, the red blur blending with the green. I wrapped my arms around my body, warm. Jacob and I, still friends. I laughed quietly to myself and shook my head, amazed at how perfectly things had turned out. From the house, I could hear laughing and loud talking, soft piano playing and Emmett's boisterous laugh every once in a while. I picked up on my lullaby from the music and knew it was Edward playing, welcoming me home.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling I had, if only for a while. I could feel a cool breeze play along my warm, marble skin, wrapping itself close to me. Panic was gone from my system, now that I knew Laurent was inside laughing and conversing happily in my family's home. I took my hands and clasped them together in front of me, resting them on my legs. From the tight intertwinement of my fingers, I could feel the beautiful ring fitted nicely around the second finger of my left hand. I smiled again, wider this time. Edward...

I felt warm as I felt a pair of warm, marble, stone-smooth arms wrap around my torso, pulling me to him. I hadn't even noticed the music had stopped. The familiarity was overwhelming, and I flipped around, throwing myself into a too-passionate kiss with Edward.

As my lips moved against his, our tongues swishing past each other, I felt Edward's lips curl up into a smile. Unwilling to end the kiss, I moved my arms from his embrace and wrapped them tightly around his neck, twisting my fingers through his wild mane. He grabbed at the small of my back, holding me closer, kissing me fiercely. Not close enough...

"Did ya' miss him that much?"

The kiss ended then, and I was gasping for air as I glanced towards the doorway. Emmett leaned against the frame chuckling, as Edward let go of me, keeping only one arm around my waist.

Once we both gained some control, I smiled. "I missed him more than you can ever imagine, Emmett."

I looked up at Edward and his golden eyes were burning. He was grinning ear to ear.

I heard a sort of choking sound and tore my eyes away from Edward to look at Emmett. "Oh boo hoo. I hate this mooshy-gooshy, lovey-dovey stuff, just come inside already!"

I laughed at Emmett's face and Edward took my hand and led me into the house.

As I walked into the room, I felt everyone's eyes harden as their noses scrunched up. I blushed deeply, realizing that I didn't smell all too good to them. Way to make an entrance! Glancing around, I noticed Christian and Dylan curled up in a corner closest to Laurent, while the rest of the family was spread out around him.

They looked at me, expressions of surprise, disgust, and love.

I laughed even louder, all smiles. "Okay. Just let it out already. I smell like a dog."

Christian and Alice giggled together, the sound a duet of bells. "You smell like wet dog."

I grimaced, a little grossed out. "Jake didn't even phase at all, we drove in his car! And we weren't ever really close, geesh!"

The whole family laughed harmoniously, and I couldn't help but laugh, too. Edward led me to a pair of barstools where we sat down, Emmett leaning on the counter beside us. The room began to relax as everyone continued on with their conversations. I was grinning as I looked around at the faces of my family, memorizing their faces and their expressions, how they looked when they were comfortable. Carlisle and his knowing smile; Esme and her overpowering compassion and kindness. Emmett and his booming laugh, ringing now throughout the room as Dylan whispered something into his ear. Dylan, and his goofy smile, knowing in a different way than Carlisle. Christian and her childlike giggles, errupting now as she slapped Dylan's arm playfully. Rosalie in all her beauty, rolling her eyes adoringly on the couch sitting by Alice and Jasper. Jasper, and his calm aura; his intenseness. Alice, and her bubbly personality and her exuberance.

Lastly, Laurent, our guest. His eyes were a fierce red, though his face was kind. I listened as Alice pressed him for answers.

"Laurent, why do you still hunt humans though you live with us vegetarians?"

Laurent sighed warily, as if he'd been asked this question one too many times. "Because, it's my nature. I can't just deny what I am, though I know it's the right thing. A lion cannot become a vegetarian, it will die. My desires and my thirst are too important and potent for me. I don't hunt out of spite, but only to live." He sighed again. "I'm sorry if my lifestyle displeases you, but I just can't help myself."

Alice nodded as did the rest of the family. I found myself nodding as well, understanding flooding my mind. Before I had seen him as some heartless monster, and now, as a vampire, I could truly appreciate him and his ideology.

I was lost in my own thoughts when I turned back to the family, and they had continued on to stories about Alaska from Laurent. I laughed when Emmett boomed, "so how was living on penguins for fifty years?"

I shook my head. Suddenly, I felt Edward's glorious eyes fixated on me and I blushed, looking down. Sheepishly, though I didn't know why, I glanced up at him from under my lashes, and found the most loving, intense face I had ever seen from him. I smiled, warm all of a sudden. I felt my body heating up as I felt the cold steel of the barstool, the fabric of my close-fitting jeans.

The room disappeared around me, and I beckoned to Edward with my eyes.

His eyes flashed for a moment, and a strange expression covered his face as I bent my body towards him. He composed it quickly and nodded the slightest bit, getting up. "Well, I'm sorry for leaving so quickly, but Bella and I have much to discuss. We're going to head back to her house, if you all don't mind."

I saw Dylan nudge Emmett in the ribs and he shook with laughter as his eyebrows shook up and down. Again, Christian slapped his arm, scolding. "That's fine. Us three will be home soon anyway."

My forehead creased. "Us three?"

"Yes. Dylan, Laurent, and I."

I froze. Laurent? Staying in my house?

"Bella, you look a little faint. How absurd." I heard Laurent say.

I shook my head, clearing my fears, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Laurent; that was rude. I just... have some pretty negative memories of you."

He nodded, laughing. "I understand. I'm sorry if I had left that impression on you. You know my reasoning now."

I nodded as well, grabbing Edward's hand. "Then I'll see you later, at my home." I smiled sincerely, and we all said our goodbyes.

Leaving the house, Edward led me to the garage. "Drive or run?"

I let go of his hand, crouching. "Race ya!"

He crouched as well, grinning deviously. "Ready... Set..."

"GO!"

And we took off euphorically into the endless night.

Okay so I did not edit this chapter whatsoever nor did I read through it a second time. I just wrote, wrote, wrote. Thought maybe ya'll needed a little somethin' somethin' from this story.

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