Chapter Twenty Five

Bella

As we approached the street where the Cullens now resided I felt a strange excitement, as if every fibre of my being were taut like a bowstring at full tension. All my senses were heightened, the night was full of sounds, the wind in the leaves, the distant sound of voices, the scurry of insects in the bushes. The street itself was deserted, the houses set well back down long private drives, their grounds enormous. Giving just the right solitude for a family of vampires. The houses petered out as we continued walking, the road winding through thick woods on its way out of town.

When Darius motioned for me to stop I looked ahead and saw a hidden driveway, the very last one before the wilderness took over. It reminded me of the driveway to the Cullen place in Forks and I wondered if the house would be similar.

"We're just scoping the place Bella so quiet and slow, OK?"

I nodded although I made no promises, if I saw a Cullen, a good opportunity I promised myself I would act whatever my companion might say or think.

We made our way along the edge of the drive keeping to the velvet blackness of the trees that lined it, drips from earlier rain still damping my hair as I passed. I stopped suddenly overwhelmed by scents that I recognized, Carlisle and Esme had passed recently and there were fainter traces of the others, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie and Alice. There was no trace of Jasper's distinctive scent so it was true that he didn't live with the family any longer. I felt strangely relieved, I just didn't want to kill him. I wasn't bothered about Rosalie either. Her scent didn't make me want to snarl my rage, she'd been the most honest and outspoken of all the Cullens.

The house was older than the one in Forks, less glass but there were lights on in several rooms and I could see the outline of Emmett hunched over a glowing screen in one of the upstairs rooms, Rosalie sitting with her back to the window watching him.

Moving to the back of the house I could see it would be easy enough to break in silently for an attack. I wanted to know where Carlisle's study was, he along with Edward were my main targets. If I closed my eyes I could see him kneeling over me and telling Edward I was transforming, I could feel the liquid fire in my veins, a certain excitement tingeing my agony as I knew I would soon be like Edward, we could be together for all eternity. Then his voice cut through my dreams. He wouldn't let me become a vampire, he was begging Carlisle to do something and then as the agony began to overtake my brain I felt cold lips on my skin and a strange tugging sensation. Only later did I discover Edward had sucked James venom from my bloodstream, so determined I would not become like him that he even overcame his own thirst for my blood.

I saw Charlie lying in a pool of his own blood and my eyes snapped open, unwilling to see more. Edward and Carlisle had created a monster inside me, I was no longer Bella Swan the human but a freak with a thirst for blood and vengeance. Two thirsts that were threatening to overwhelm me. I jerked my head back as the door opened and Alice stood there looking out and then knelt and placed something on the porch steps. I stayed frozen like a statue as a small animal approached her. She was feeding a stray kitten, this was the chance I was looking for, I could strike and be gone before anyone could act and I had the added advantage of Darius to watch my back.

As I started forward he grabbed me but his gesture was unnecessary, something else had stopped me dead in my tracks. It couldn't be, I took a deep breath and felt my throat scorch with the scent of human blood but I recognized this scent. Somehow they had been in physical contact with Charlie. As I took more deep breaths sampling the air I slipped back into the trees until I could no longer see Alice or the house. Darius appeared beside me,

"What is it? The scent of blood too much for you? I have to admit it shocked me. Maybe the Cullens aren't as wonderful as they claim, someone has been drinking human blood in that house, unless of course they have the victim stored for later."

I couldn't answer, my words were stuck in my throat and he waited impatiently until I could force some out.

"That's my dad's blood, I recognize the scent Darius. They have my dad in there and he's hurt."

"Your father? What the hell is he doing with the Cullens?"

"I don't know, maybe he thought they might be able to tell him where I was. Maybe he thought I had gone looking for Edward. What are we going to do? I have to get my dad out of there."

"Listen to me, Carlisle is a doctor. Maybe Charlie had an accident on his way here, maybe he did think you'd run to Edward. There's no proof the family hurt him Bella."

I nodded, Darius could be right but how to find out, storming the place was going to be impossible, the house was full of vampires and we were only two.

He pulled me further away but I resisted,

"I can't leave, I have to find my dad, see why he's here. Darius he's in a house full of vampires and he's bleeding."

"Correction, he's in a house full of self righteous vampires who insist they live only on animal blood and trust me, right now he would be in a lot more danger from you than them. Besides there wasn't enough scent for him to be badly hurt, remember your sense of smell is much more acute now. We should back away and formulate a plan of action. Find out where your dad is and why he's there. He could have cut himself shaving for all you know."

"With an electric razor? I doubt it. I don't trust them Darius."

"OK, then let me see what I can find out. Edward paid me for information, let's see if the famous Carlisle knows where his favourite son is shall we?"

"Will he talk to you?"

"Who knows, let's find out before we go storming in and start the killing, remember your father is the most vulnerable if it comes to a fight."

I nodded, Darius was right of course, if it came to a fight Charlie could easily die and I'd already almost killed him once, I was not going to be responsible again.

Darius took out his phone and called a number then waited. There was no ringing from inside the house so maybe Carlisle wasn't there. It went to voice mail and Darius cursed shoving it back into his pocket.

"Maybe he's on a late shift at the hospital,"

"Then there's one less for us to worry about."

I didn't wait for his response just broke into a run and made straight for Alice who stood on the porch still watching the kitten as it ate the food she had put down for it. I knew she hadn't seen me coming, either with her eyes or her second sight, she was blind to me and with my shield up no one else would be able to get at me as I grabbed her by the throat and dragged her, one hand clamped securely over her mouth into the trees and away from the safety of the others who were unaware of her plight.