Author's note- New characters are always so much fun. i hope you enjoy mine for i sure do. R&R

Monkey- you always return my chapters in much better shape than i send them to you in. You've become as much of a friend as you have an editor. so this entire story although far from finished is dedicated to you specifically.

Reviewers- you guys keep me working hard. i'm so blessed that this many people have enjoyed the plot i've spun from Stephenie's inspiring books. i hope u all continue to enjoy this as much as i do! this story therefore is dedicated to all those who have provided me with the support i need to continue :)

Disclaimer.

BPOV

Alice drove - much to Edward's dismay - and Raphael rode in the front. If Charlie happened to see Edward driving Carlisle's car around Forks…I couldn't even imagine the heart attack he would have. The Mercedes swerved through the tiny winding highway with ease, the shadows of the trees rippling over its black surface.

The car ride was close to silent, our mouths remaining taut, and the only noise came from the gentle strums of music from the speakers. Raphael hummed harmonies through the intricate lyrical patterns of the songs, his low rhythms weaving through my ears. I let out a giant sigh of relief as I saw the white house come into view.

"We have visitors," Alice murmured lowly.

"Ay, that'd be my fault as well," Raphael turned his head towards us, "My sister Lindy wished to visit Carlisle too." His smile was dashing.

"There's two," Alice added sourly.

"Mm. Yes she picked up a best friend along the way," he chirped, "Ivory. She's a joy."

"Why weren't they with you?" I asked, honestly curious. He spun to face me, his enticing smile suspending my breath.

"They had business to attend to out east, while I spent a couple of months up in the north." Even in the vagueness of his words, his brilliantly affirming face made him hard to doubt. I shrugged lightly in response, eager to regroup with the entire family.

Esme rushed me through the front door the moment I stepped foot on the porch. Her soft hair fell onto my shoulders as she clasped me up to her.

"Oh, Bella!" Her voice was weak, like she wanted to cry. "Oh Bella, please don't do that again, we almost lost you once, we couldn't do it again." My eyes burned, she cared so much. This family cared so much, loved me so much. This was where I belonged.

I blinked fiercely attempting to hold back the tears, "I'm sorry, Esme," I whispered, wrapping my arms around her.

Edward gripped my waist, gently pulling me back to him. Esme released me easily, smiling at her adopted son.

"Carlisle! My good friend, how have you been?" Raphael's voice sounded positively overjoyed. His outreached hand was almost immediately met by Carlisle's who returned the enthusiastic smile.

"Raph, it's been years," Carlisle's voice was almost awed.

"One-hundred and sixteen, to be exact," Raphael chuckled. Edward's arms tightened around me.

One-hundred and sixteen years? My mind still boggled at the impossibilities of eternity. And soon they would all be shared with me…

I had been so distracted by Esme and Raph that I hadn't even cared to notice the two beauties waiting politely on the couch.

One had long, tawny hair. Her face was stunning, her features very kind. She smiled towards me and I couldn't take my eyes from her. She was captivating.

The other was stick thin. Her bleach blonde hair was short, cut to her ears, and thrown around. She had heart shaped lips and high cheeks. Her big eyes were haunting…and blood red.

My heart unintentionally began to speed, they had all been too beautiful to take into account their diet. But as I gazed around at them, the three pairs of bloody orbs seemed to pulse angrily at me, entirely too noticeable. I clenched my fists tightly, my fingernails digging deep into the skin on my palm. Edward heard the alteration of my heartbeat and instantly wrapped me into his arms; they became the concrete barrier between the frightening eyes and me. I diverted my gaze to the carpeted floor, concentrating on calming my breathing. With a gentle squeeze from Edward I finally began to regain composure and focused on the family once more.

The conversation had continued without us, although Jasper had a wary eye on me.

As my face became visible the gorgeous brunette made her way over, offering her hand to me. Edward kept one strong arm protectively around my waist.

"Bella, right?" I nodded, her voice was alto and soothing, "I'm Lindy. It's so great to meet you, I've heard great things." Her expression was kind. "How wonderful it is to finally meet you!" She squealed. I couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm.

Raphael's sister was just as beautiful as he was, but with a completely different aura about her. She seemed simple, upfront, and very calm. His burning charm and irresistible pull seemed much more abrasive.

"Nice to meet you," I said, my voice weaker than I had anticipated.

The other girl glided towards me; she couldn't have been older than sixteen at the time of her change. I couldn't help but notice that she looked like the human, actually vampire, version of Tinkerbell.

"I'm Ivory." Her voice sounded like the tinkling of a wind chime, "Ivy, actually, is what I like better." She smiled small, her eyes wide with wonder as I gently shook her hand. She immediately retracted her arm, nearly wrenching off my fingers. Edward quickly snatched up my hand, holding me close to him. Her face looked terribly apologetic, "Oh, I'm so, so sorry," she looked genuinely upset, plus my fingers seemed fine. "I just…" she struggled for words, "…I just didn't expect you to be so warm," She smiled sheepishly, her eyes begging for forgiveness.

"I guess it was kind of my fault then," I chuckled slightly the laugh empty of humor. She reached out and squeezed my shoulder gently.

"No," she shook her head dismally, "I haven't touched a human like that in a long time." I quickly averted my eyes from her, searching for something else to focus on.

"Really, I am sorry. Are your fingers okay?" She glanced frantically down to the hand Edward was guarding with his.

"I've suffered worse," I laughed, lightening up slightly although my heart continued to pound at one thousand miles per hour.

The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme all spent time gathering official documents, passports, state issued identification, and other important things. Jasper whisked away on the computer, setting up new bank accounts, transferring the current amounts, and other monetary necessities. I felt useless, like deadweight. I didn't have anything to do but sit in Edward's arms, not that I didn't completely and totally love that, but I felt like I was in the way.

Carlisle, Raph, and Lindy chatted animatedly over the dining room table, Ivy sitting awkwardly off to Lindy's side examining the expressions that crossed over Carlisle's face.

"They aren't…" I couldn't seem to find the right words, "they're not any kind of threat are they?" I whispered, gazing up at Edward. His warm eyes turned instantly cold as he regarded the strangers.

"I'm not sure," The stone cold gaze he set upon them even made me feel colder. I shivered a little and he automatically pulled up a blanket to wrap around me. "They don't seem to be," He paused contemplatively. "Raph and Lindy were dear friends of Carlisle's when he made a stay in Ireland a century or so ago…and the other one isn't quite as ancient. Can't be more than forty or fifty years old."

He stopped, his brow furrowing. He sighed deeply and bundled me closer.

"She's very frustrating," He motioned towards Ivy.

"And why is that? Is she silent to you too?" I became immediately distraught at the thought.

"No, no not at all," His voice was still frustrated. "She doesn't ever seem to be in the present."

My eyebrows rose questioningly towards Edward. He scoffed at my expression.

"She repeats historical speeches in her head. She replays historical moments and facts through her head constantly. She even hums the lyrics to some of the songs from the Civil Rights Movement." He cocked his head to the side, as if examining an algebra problem that seemed to have no solution. "Her mind just doesn't make sense."

"Not everyone's as easy to read as a book Edward," I glowered. He was such a know-it-all.

"Correct, you are impossible to read. She I can read, she's just weird I guess," He shrugged. I couldn't help but giggle.

"You've reduced your worry to the fact that she's just a little off-color?"

"Yeah, she's not really worth my time," He smiled deviously making my heart jump, "I have much more important things on my mind at the moment," His breath tingled against my neck as he trailed kisses up to my ear and back down again, running us up to his room.

After laying me gracefully onto his plush couch and punching the 'play' button on his stereo, he sat down to rest in front of me on the carpet, staring at me contently.

"Why are they here Edward?" The visitors had my entire sense of stability knocked off base. They weren't just any old vegetarians…they were human eaters.

"As far as I can tell their intentions were as Raphael mentioned, they're just here to spend some time with Carlisle." The topaz in his eyes was darker than usual. He'd need to hunt soon.

"How long are they planning on staying?" I directed. His forehead scrunched in response.

"A month or so I think," He said quietly, not breaking my gaze. "Lindy and Raphael have a house near ours in Ipswich."

"They're coming to England with us?" My voice had decreased in volume, I wasn't sure if I was to be excited or nervous. Edward nodded, solemnly I noted.

"And you're not alright with that, are you?" I couldn't help but question the thoughts beneath his expression. He sighed and motioned for me to come to him, I gladly crawled into his lap.

"Always much more observant than expected dearest Bella." He picked up my hand kissing the back of it, and then my palm. "I don't mind their accompaniment as long as it's what Carlisle wants. These were very close friends of his in his bachelor days," He snickered at the term; "They, Raphael and Lindy, were his family before any of us. He sees no threat in them. So I'll behave myself and be polite."

The amount of respect and reverence Edward regarded Carlisle with never ceased to amaze me. A soft knock at the door broke my concentration.

"Come in Alice," Edward called; she pranced into the room tossing the home phone into my lap. I stared at it stupidly for a moment before it rang. I smirked at Alice as she skipped out into the hall. Clairvoyant best friends came in handy.

"Hi Jake," I answered. His voice was gruff and worried.

"You said you'd call later Bells," He chastised, obviously irritated. And I wasn't in quite the right mood to be tolerant.

"Jacob, I'm sorry. I was about to call I swear," I crossed my fingers behind my back, I felt Edward's chest shake with laughter from behind me.

"It's fine," He cooled down a bit. "Is that Raphael kid still there?"

"Yeah, he brought some friends too," Jake's snarl surprised me so much that the phone clattered to the phone. I picked up the phone in shaky hands.

"Sorry Bells," He sighed as my breathing began to regulate again. "I was just so pissed today that Sam wouldn't let me take him! Ugh…he deserved it too." I could almost hear the wrinkling of Jake's nose as he spoke of vampires.

"And now there's more of them over there…it just makes me ill thinking of it," He continued.

"I'm perfectly safe, Jake," I smiled into Edward's chest; he wrapped his hard arms around me.

"Yeah…I do know that," Jacob's voice cracked a little. I could feel Edward smile into my hair. "So will you come back tomorrow? That visit was hardly fair! I saw you for all of an hour," He whined. My heart started to creak in pain and I grasped the left side of my chest trying to hold in the ache.

"No," I said flatly, I could hear the air in his lungs hiss out. "We leave tomorrow…and I'm not sure when we'll be back," My voice wavered dangerously; I could feel the fist twisting in my throat, begging for a sob.

Edward's strong voice surprised me, he didn't raise it at all but I knew Jacob could hear it on the other end, "We'll be back as soon as it's safe, Jake. She's been through enough today, don't make it worse," He warned, barely holding in a grimace.

Jake sighed into the receiver I could hear the pain in his breath, "Well I'll miss you Bells."

"Me too," was all I could choke out before the line went dead.

I fell asleep that night to three pairs of bloody eyes staring at me from behind my lids. I curled deeper into the shape of Edward. Tomorrow we would leave the country with three carnivorous vampires tagging along, leaving a heartbroken and neglected Jacob behind. My chest contorted painfully at the image of his crestfallen face from the forest…that fateful night. The thoughts made me anxious, sending me into an unruly and interrupted sleep.

Author's note- leave some thoughts. :P