"So what did you think?"Bella asked Victoria as they finished watching the first episode of the show. After Bella finished her sandwich she grabbed a blanket from her room and got comfortable. Somehow the pair had gotten closer while watching and now Bella was leaning into Victoria's side, while Victoria had her arm stretched along the back of the couch behind her. They weren't exactly cuddling but Bella felt it was close enough to get away with without having to discuss the serious topic of her feelings for Victoria because as she was sitting there feeling the coolness of the vampire's body against her own,she couldn't deny that she had many. A lot of them rated PG 13 and above.

Victoria shifted her position to look at Bella. She had tried to be as still as she could be when the girl had shifted closer to her trying not to draw attention to it hoping they could stay this way as long as possible. She wanted nothing more than to take Bella into her arms and hold her close but reasoned it was to soon to push her feelings onto the human. She didn't want to scare her away. She liked the time they had spent together."It was good.I don't have a lot of experience dealing with human teenagers, so I didn't understand a lot of those issues but the supernatural elements were interesting. I also like that they are going to a war collage."

'Have you seen a lot of wars?" Bella asked." Other than the one from your human life."

"I have been involved in many. It is a very easy hunting ground for my my kind. Disappearances and wounds can be attributed to the enemy so no one looks to closely at strange deaths." Victoria turned her head away from Bella not wanting to see the disgust her admission would bring.

Bella stared at the red head trying to figure out exactly how to respond. In theory she knew that Victoria hunted and killed humans but to hear her admit it was another thing. She wasn't really sure how she felt about it though. On one hand she knew it wasn't cool to kill people on the other she felt like it was only natural for humans to have a predator that was stronger than them. Humans had decimated many species to extinction for thousands of years. Who was she to judge how someone survived. "I think that is a good place to hunt. During a war there is going to be bloodshed anyway why not use it to your advantage."

"You don't mind that I murdered hundreds of soldiers?"Vitoria was stunned by Bella's words. She had to be sure about them though. "How do you feel about knowing I kill civilians? Defenseless humans who are just going about their days not knowing of the danger lurking in the shadows."

"Do you kill innocent women and children?" Bella asked.

Victoria shook her head."Not children, never children."

Bella suspected as much but it was nice to know for sure. "Then who do you kill?"

"Well I try to kill those who deserve it, but as I told you before it's almost impossible to know, unless you catch them in whatever horrible act." Victoria told them. "That's why I stuck around battles and war. All soldiers are killers. Even if they never do hurt anyone they have still been trained to act. If a threat comes they would never hesitate. When I am amongst civilization I look for those who won't be missed."

"So you don't just randomly pick someone?" Bella asked.

"Bella I am a killer. There is nothing noble about what I do. So don't try to find anything redeeming about it." Victoria cut off Bella's reply. "Sometimes I just kill people who annoy me. There is no rhyme or reason to the way I pick my victims."

"Are you a killer? Yes, you are." Bella didn't miss the way Victoria flinched at her words."But you didn't choose to be a vampire. You were made one against your will. I don't condone killing but I am a big believer in surviving. I mean you could find a better way to pick your victims or even figure out a way to get donated blood but your life is your own.I am not here to tell you what is right or wrong."

Victoria felt the girl wasn't understanding the situation properly."You don't understand. I like killing. The hunt is my favorite part. Stalking them, feeling their fear, knowing that I am the one who decides how fast or messy their death is going to be."

"Of course you do. You're a vampire." Bella cradled Victoria's hand in her own. "It's in your nature to enjoy the hunt. You don't think the Cullens don't enjoy the same thing? They all brag about fighting the animals and chasing them before they kill them. The only difference between the two of you is that you are more in tune with your actual nature."

Victoria looked at the hands holding her own. Bella's words stunned her yet again but she was starting to realize that maybe the human wasn't as delicate as she thought she was."I still don't understand how you are so ok with my diet."

"Do you honestly believe that humans wouldn't start hunting each other if food were to run out?It's happened many times throughout history. You said it yourself. Humans are the most dangerous creatures on this earth and they have proven that many times over. Think of all the destruction they have caused for their own greed." Bella gave her a sly smile. "I mean you could pick your victims better like I said but how you choose to live your life is not something I will or should judge."

Victoria searched Bella's eyes for any sign of discomfort or deceit and found only understanding and something else that she wasn't quite sure she wanted to put a name on. "Thank you Bella."

"It's no problem." Bella shrugged. "It just seems silly for a vampire to be ashamed of how they survive. Even though they proclaimed to be vegetarians I know the Cullens have killed people before. Their hands are definitely not clean of human blood. There was also the fact that most of them wanted to kill me. That was the reason they supposedly left because it wasn't safe to be around them."

Victoria growled and pulled Bella into a hug."I will kill them before they ever get the chance to hurt you again."

"Hey it's ok, I'm ok." Bella reassured her, rubbing circles on Victoria's back to sooth her. She could feel the anger surrounding Victoria but she didn't feel like she was personally in danger. Even the way Victoria held her was gentle, like she was something precious and to be protected. She hated to admit to herself that it was kind of hot how protective Victoria was of her. When Edward acted this way she would get annoyed and resentful of the fact he was supposed to be her mate but the way she was feeling about Victoria right now was anything but resentful.

Victoria quickly loosened her hold on Bella once she realized what she was doing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just grab you like that. Did I hurt you?"

"I'm fine." Bella reassured her. She put her hand on Victorias arm to stop the frantic search for wounds on her body." You didn't hurt me, I promise. You were very gentle."

If Victoria could she would have blushed. It had been natural to hold Bella to seek out comfort and make sure the girl was safe. Her vampire side had been enraged at the idea of anything, especially a coven of vampires hurting the girl and felt the overwhelming need to assure herself that Bella was safe. Now she was looking everywhere other than Bella at the moment due to her embarrassment. "My apologies. I really wasn't thinking of anything other than you getting hurt and my instincts kicked in to protect you."

"I like the idea of you protecting me." Bella eyes went wide at the admission. She hadn't meant to say it out loud but now that she had there was no way she was going to take it back.

"Then I will try with everything I am to keep you safe." Victoria promised liking the idea of being the one Bella relied on. That nagging feeling she had in the back of her head was starting to become harder to ignore and she felt since the night had gone to go so well, she should leave on a positive note. "I think since it's getting late I should go. Don't you humans need to sleep?"

Bella looked at her watch. "Wow, I didn't realize how late it actually was. We only got to watch one episode."

"Well maybe we can watch some more another time. That is if you want to see me again." Victoria said in an almost shy voice that was very unlike her.

"We can hang out and not watch tv. Would could do something you like next time." Bella hoped there was going to be a next time. She was sad at the idea of Victoria having to leave but didn't want to make it weird by asking the vampire to stay.

"Can I take you out tomorrow?" Victoria asked. "We could have a night on the town. I'll take you to Seattle."

Bella nodded as she walked Victoria to the door. "I would like that. Text we the time and what I need to wear."

"I will." Victoria hesitated before placing a kiss on Bella's cheek. She smiled as she heard Bella's heart start to beat more rapidly. "Good night Bella"

"Night" Bella muttered as she stumbled back into her house and closed the door.

Victoria walked to her car feeling lighter than air. As she started driving away from Bella's house and Bella herself she felt the overwhelming need to turn around and go back to her mate, because although she wanted to deny it, she knew without a doubt that Bella Swan was her mate. Instead of the panic she expected to feel when she found her mate she felt a feeling of peace go through her. Bella was an exceptional human. Victoria almost felt humbled at the thought that fate chose her to stand by Bella's side. Now she just had to worry about when to turn the girl into a vampire because there was no way in hell she was going to let the Volturi or anyone else kill Bella.