I stay on the front porch for a while after getting home, just sta1ring at the road, eyes barely following every car that rushes by. I have homework. I have responsibilities. But I can't move. I'm waiting. Because if Jacob Black, the son of my mother's girlfriend, knows the Cullens are vampires, then what is Charlie hiding from me? Did she know the whole time? Has she been lying to me?

The light of Charlie's cruiser illuminates my still sandy sneakers, her footfalls hitting my ears like glass on stone. She sits beside me, not saying anything.

After a moment, she puts her hand on my shoulder and squeezes.

"Billie and Clarice called me at the station. It seems like I owe you an explanation or two. Let's go in, we'll get some ice cream and talk it over."

"So you knew? The entire time?"

"I — inside, c'mon." I stand, ambling and with short steps. Charlie goes on ahead of me, talking to herself, throwing down a file on the dining table before going to the fridge. "Read the file. It's about time for me to be straight with you."

"I'd appreciate that, Ma."

I sit at the table, hands shaking as I slowly open the two-inch-thick file marked CASE FILE: ANIMALS and examine the contents. I remember a few of these cases. We blamed them on bears because of the brutality of the kills, but... looking at the crime scene photos, I know that is a lie. There's no blood, no signs of struggle. The only thing to show that the deaths weren't just natural is the bodies. I set them all side-by-side, my mouth going dry.

Mummified. Drained of all fluids, the hair torn out in clumps, and entire chunks of their upper body torn out. I push the pictures away, staring at Charlie in horror as she sits across the table. She slides a bowl of chocolate ice cream to me and sighs.

"I reckon you have some questions for me, eh Beau?"

"You've known the whole time."

"I've known since I was a kid. Clarice helped me survive a measles outbreak. I was five. Edythe was her co-worker. The only difference is the hairstyles and names they go by." Charlie weaves her fingers together, her body never relaxing. "I hoped you'd never find out. But, as Billie put it, your detective skills put Batman to shame."

"To my discredit, I never would have cared had Edythe not stopped me from being crushed by a van."

"Yeah, she got chewed out for that. Ezra told me in full detail." Her lips curl up slightly, eyes locked on her hands. "Being a vampire, I'm sure she was just thinking about what would happen if all the uh... th-the blood got everywhere, but all the same, my baby's alive and I'll never be done thanking her for that."

"Aw, Mom..." I reach over and take her hand, squeezing gently. She shakes her head, leaving her hand in place. Charlie swallows hard and continues.

"Clarice Cullen was the first to confirm my suspicion when the men I knew as Doctors Micah Carlson and Edwina Glass just show up, pretending to be adopted sisters. I confronted them privately, but all I got was a 'who the fuck are you?' stare. About a week later, I get a call from Billie, explaining almost everything. But she left it to me to outright say the word."

"Vampire."

"Yeah... vampire. Since Clarice now found an ally within the system, we've been working together on these cases. We hide the C.O.D. from the community, rehydrate the corpses, and everyone in our corner of Washington goes on like nothing is wrong."

"The corner... so you don't just operate in Forks?"

"I wish... I wouldn't be gone quite so long if we did." She takes the files and pulls out a few documents, written by hand in the most chicken-scratch pen I've ever seen. I almost blame Charlie, before remembering her blocky, straight handwriting. "Clarice wrote these up after examining the corpses, telling me exactly who the vampire is and where they'd be going next."

"How could she know all that?"

"That I don't know. I don't dig, and they all appreciate that."

"Oh, alright..."

"Beau... did Jacob tell you the Cullens are vampires?"

"He didn't have to. I've known since the accident. Before then, I think. I-I was so excited for something magical to happen, I never even considered that..."

"Good, good. Billie just wanted to make sure the treaty hasn't been broken. Though, knowing her and Clarice, they'll probably renegotiate it again, now that two outsiders know the truth."

We sit for a while in silence, eating ice cream and staring into space. After about twenty minutes, Charlie takes both our bowls and goes to the sink. I'm ready to excuse myself to bed when she speaks.

"You and Edythe... there's something between you two, isn't there? Ezra, he's good at picking up these things. Says Edythe's been composing and been more chatty. And don't think I haven't heard you playing your bass late into the night. Are you two a thing now?"

"I don't think so. I mean, if she wanted to... but she hasn't made any moves. And I don't think I can."

"I get that. You just have to shake the butterflies out and do it. Just be careful. I don't want my baby having a broken heart." I walk over to her and kiss her cheek.

"I'll be alright. Goodnight, Ma."

"Sweet dreams, Bo boy. I love you."

"Love you, too."

I lock the door as soon as I close it. I hook myself up to my iPod, not even caring that my light is still on, and dive into the plush, purple comforter on my bed. I hit the Shuffle button and close my eyes tight. My heart beats to the bass line, and while the high volume I'm forcing on myself makes my ears want to bleed, it's worth it to hear the smooth singing and instrumentals.

It's not the most positive or uplifting song, but it's soothing enough to relax my electric nerves. I press the repeat button, not wanting this ease to be erased by a sudden jolt of heavy electric guitar. By the third play-through, I can lip-sync every word. I feel the sudden urge to jump out of bed and dance like an idiot. Instead, I lay a pillow over my face and concentrate on making the music the only thing in my brain.

It works. After twenty minutes, the only thing I can think of is the song. I hum along even as I fall into a deep sleep.

I open my eyes to a familiar place. I look around the murky, dark green forest of Forks, hearing water in the distance, smelling the salt deep in the air. My entire body shivers with want. If I find that ocean, I'll see the sun. Please, God, please give me the sun! I race toward the sound, leaping over obstacles with ease. I can almost see the waves when Jacob Black appears at my side, grabbing my arm tight.

"Jake? What's wrong?" His face is equal parts frightened and infuriated as he pulls against my resistance. But I fight anyway, not caring if I get bruised or cut. I can't go back to the dark...

"You have to run, Beau! You have to escape!" He pleas with me, taking my hand in both of his.

"This way, Beau!" Charlie appears at the very edge of the trees, waving Jacob and me over before scanning the area around us. I fight his grasp, desperate now to find the sun. "Beau, please, come back!" My mom cries out.

"No!"

Jacob collapses, his entire body twitching and convulsing violently. I take a step back, gawking in horror. Black fur sprouts from his limbs, his clothes tear as his body grows to twice normal size. A massive, humanoid wolf pants from the ground, watching me with tear-filled brown eyes. He points toward the shore, toward the sun, growling weakly.

I follow Jacob's... finger. But whatever he's pointing at is obscured by the light. I squint, moving closer.

"Beau, run! Don't let her catch you!" Charlie cries out again from behind me. A rush of footfalls makes me freeze, and Charlie is beside me, her handgun aimed right at the person slowly emerging from the light. "I said run, dammit!"

"What's going on? Who is that?"

"Beau..." The shape whispers to me, holding its hand out. "Come to me, trust me."

I take a step forward, spotting a golden-red gleam of hair. Edythe! I rush to her, wanting to see more. Charlie screams behind me and fires. The bullet whips past my head, striking the shape in the shoulder. She leans over, and that's when I realize my mistake.

Her long, blonde tangles do nothing to hide her razor-sharp, shark-like teeth from my view. Her eyes, cold and black as the void, stare up at me. With lust? With hunger? Her narrow face splits into a demonic smile. Oh fuck... she's only inches away now...

"All mine..." She lunges at me.

My sudden movement makes my iPod crash on the wooden floor. I choke down the scream that threatens to vomit out, not wanting to frighten Charlie. I look around, trying to gather my bearings. The light in the room is dim but on, and I'm still fully dressed, shoes included. I glower at the clock on my dresser; 3:47 am.

I fall back and roll onto my face, kicking off my shoes and setting my headphones beside me. I'm too uncomfortable to get anywhere near sleep. I roll back over and slide out of my jeans, hurling them to the floor beside my bed as I fight to stay horizontal. I can feel the braid in my hair, an uncomfortable ridge along the back of my skull, and I rip the band from its end, fluffing the hair out to the sides of my head. I flop the pillow back over my eyes.

It's all useless. My subconscious keeps replaying the images I've been trying so desperately to avoid. I'd face them either way at this point.

First things first, I sit up and try to think of various ways to distract myself. I grab my bathroom bag and take as long a shower as I can manage, and even then, it is too short for comfort. I blow dry my hair, file my nails down flat, and even take the time to shave my face and use anti-acne soap. Before I know it, I'm completely out of things to do in the small bathroom. Wrapped in a towel, I cross back to my room, startled by Charlie's snoring from the other end of the hall. That woman could wake the dead.

I dress slowly in my most comfy clothes and then make my bed. A complete waste of time, but that's the point. I can't put it off any longer. I open my laptop and turn it on, my eyes catching the analog clock on the wall. Almost five o'clock. Charlie will get up soon. I grab my headphones for some background music and check the screen. Every tab is something different — mind-reading, impossible speed, every box that Edythe checked off long before I finally said vampire.

Even now, with every confirmation I've had, just thinking the word shakes my core.

Vampire.

Before I can think, I search for the cursed word. Everywhere I look there are fangirls squealing, Christians screaming, and art so smutty even a pornographer would turn pink. But after a bit of scrolling, I come across a site that seems promising. Vampires A-Z. My confirmation appears in the form of two quotes on the first page.

"The vampire is an outsider. He's the perfect metaphor for those things. He's someone who looks human and sounds human, but is not human, so he's always on the margins." — ANNE RICE, author of Interview with a Vampire.

"But first, on earth as vampire sent,

Thy corpse shall from its tomb be rent,

Then ghastly haunt thy native place,

And suck the blood of all thy race;

There from thy daughter, sister, wife,

At midnight drain the stream of life;

Yet loathe the banquet which perforce

Must feed thy livid living corpse." — LORD BYRON, The Giaour

The site is littered with various vampire myths from around the world, alphabetized and ready for clicking. I skim through the descriptions, noting the more unusual myths like the Danag and Jiangshi for leisure reading later. From what I read, a lot of them centered on demonizing sexual women, and having them eat children to prove how evil they are. I pass them by, looking for anything that sounds familiar.

Only three entries really catch my attention: the Romanian Varacolaci, a powerful undead being who could appear as a beautiful, pale-skinned human, and the Slovak Nelapsi, a creature so strong and fast it could massacre an entire village in the single hour after midnight. And one other, but they define it in one statement.

Stregoni Benefici: An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires.

I write everything that lines up with my observations, only getting frustrated at the final note. All of them are marked as having a fang, and as far as I know, every Cullen has human-like teeth. But everything else... beauty, ghastly pale skin, strange eye colors. Then Jacob's criteria: enemy of the werewolf, cold skin, immortal, blood drinker. I mean sure, I've no proof of my own that they are immortal, or that they drink blood, but considering Charlie herself said they are, but there is one detail that matches nothing, from myth, movie, or truth. I bite my lip and groan, rubbing my temples.

Vampires cannot come out in the daylight; they turn to ash. Yet I've seen all of them outside during the day without so much as sunglasses or hoods on for protection. They're supposed to sleep during the day, in coffins.

Aggravated, I close the computer and pull out my headphones, my eyes sore from the strain.

Through my irritation, I'm flooded with overwhelming embarrassment. What else don't I know about? If vampires are real, then maybe the werewolves Jacob mentioned are too. What other myth is real then? Mermaids? Bigfoot? Aliens?! It's all too much.

That's it. I've got to get out of the house.

I strip, pulling on some jeans and a flannel, not caring about an undershirt, or looking at all presentable. I trudge down the stairs in my hiking boots, buttoning my shirt as I go. I look at the dimly lit outside through the living room window, the scent of frying eggs hitting my nose. I look to the kitchen. Charlie is leaned over the stove-top, humming softly with two plates on the counter beside her.

"Up already? I was about to come a-knockin'. Breakfast?" She smiles at me, still in her pajamas. She looks me over, no doubt noticing how bedraggled I look, but says nothing.

"Sounds great, but uh... I thought you and Billie were going fishing today. You know, before the whole... meeting thing."

"Oh, we are, but the overcast is a telltale sign of rain. Shocking, I know. We're waiting until the showers were over to go. The fish ain't going anywhere." Knowing this to be true, I slide onto my chair, a glass of apple juice ready for me and a fork to my right.

She was ready for a while. I guess she didn't get any sleep either.

Charlie plates the food from the stove, setting mine in front of me and hers across the small table. We stay silent, the only sound is our chewing and the occasional gulp from our drinks. We've finished eating and cleaned up by the time the rain stops. Charlie kisses my forehead before changing and heading off with Billie. There's just something about how she smiles when even thinking about her... it's wonderful. I wait about twenty minutes before going outside myself, not wanting her to suspect anything. But knowing them, I'll be back long before she will.

I walk east, ignoring my truck and the puddles of mud all the way across the yard. The tree line watches me break its apparent impenetrable barrier, and before long I'm deep enough for no sign of civilization to meet my gaze. All I hear is the squish of the supersaturated earth beneath my boots and the random cries of the jays.

I stay along the thin ribbon of trail. I won't take the risk of just walking without a guide. Even without the vampire factor, being lost in the forest is not ideal. And I can just see myself eternally wandering these trees long after my corpse has become dust... The trail winds deeper and deeper into the forest, snaking around spruces and hemlocks. I'm only vaguely aware of the surrounding trees, my eyes stay trained on my feet and the path, the barely noticeable ones that went in other directions.

There are many I don't know, and others I can't be sure about because they are covered in green blankets.

I follow the trail as long as my fear and annoyance allow me. As it ebbs, I slow to a stop. A few drops of moisture trickle down from the canopy, but I can't tell if it's the beginning of another sprinkling or just pooled water finally freed from the leaves. A recently fallen tree, the only fallen log not blanketed in moss, lays against the trunk of one of her sisters, creating a sheltered little bench just a few safe feet off the trail. I step over the ferns and sit carefully, leaning, resting my head on the living tree.

Everything around lulls me into a calm, the green reminding me of my nightmare that... honestly feels more like a premonition. It should horrify me, they all should, but the strange sense of familiarity only makes me breathe in deeper. After all, I remind myself, it isn't the first time I've had a dream come true...

I close my eyes and listen to the enveloping silence, the knowledge that I am in complete solitude. I whisper the word softly, like a mantra. Vampire. Vampire. It tastes like copper; it tastes like fear. It's addictive. The confirmation, the sense of the forbidden. It's total euphoria every time I even think about it. Every time I think of Edythe...

I think on Edythe's words, about how I'm hard to read. And then it hits me. Like a brick of "NO SHIT" crashing my nose into my skull. Like, what if she can't read my mind? Her mind reading is such an obvious fact, but what makes me different? I touch the side of my head, remembering the buzz that would flood my head when she looks at me. Maybe it isn't a buzz.

Maybe it's her trying to get inside. What's keeping her out?

"Something's wrong with me..." I say to no one, opening my eyes. There is a faint flash in the distance, a humanoid body vanishing from my sight in a blink. Oh God, I'm not alone. I stand and rush back home, not wanting to tease the thought of being watched anymore.

I sleep dreamless, exhaustion making sleep start and end within apparent seconds of each other. As I get ready for another day, I notice the sunlight is much brighter than even than yesterday. I look out, gasping at the sight of blue sky and clouds so sparse and puffy there is no way they can hold water. I finish dressing with a bounce to my step, finally breaking out some shorts and a regular t-shirt to bask in the rays.

I scare Charlie when I slide down the stair rail. Though I don't think it helped that she is my cushion instead of the floor.

"Um, ow?"

"Sorry, Ma!" I rush to my feet, backing away to straighten my bag. "I'm just... so thrilled right now."

"A little sunlight, and my son leave the house looking like Nathan Drake. All you need is a haircut."

"Not gonna happen." I pull a hair tie from my pocket and go to business. Charlie smiles, her eyes crinkling at the corners. For a moment, I can see the woman Rene rushed into marriage with almost twenty years ago. Her wild, brown curls, the softer edge to her square face. Even when my vision comes back to her grays and wrinkles, the youth is still there.

I eat breakfast cheerily, watching the dust moats stirring in the sunlight that stream in the back window and the crumbs that gather on Charlie's cheeks.

After a lot of grunting and cursing at the sky, I finally get The Thing's windows rolled down about half-way. I don't go any further. If the rain sneaks up on me, I don't want the interior to flood. I'm one of the first arrivals at school. In my excitement to be in the sun, I didn't think to look at the clock. Well, at least I'll get some alone time. I lay on one of the outdoor benches, humming to myself as I watch the clouds float by.

"Beau!" Jesse's unmistakable voice cuts through the bird calls. I turn to see that the school's population has grown since I arrived, with a mini dress code of shorts and light color shirts the majority seem to follow. And Jess is no different, rushing to me in a lavender polo and khaki shorts.

Oh. My. God.

"Hey," I wave, unable to be half-hearted on a morning like this. He sits on the tabletop, looking down at me with a laugh. "Mock all you want; I know I'm pale."

"It's not that, Beau. Your hair has red in it. I like it. Give you some color."

"There's the backhand," I tuck a stray lock behind my ear. "It's mostly in the sun. My hair keeps getting darker up here with all the clouds."

"I didn't know hair could do that. I guess you're happy with the turn of the weather."

"It's my kind of day." We both laugh and I look back at the sparse puffs of white in the sky.

"You finish that Macbeth essay yet?"

"Finished it yesterday. You can come over if you like. I'll give you some pointers."

"Mine's nearly there, I just hope Thursday takes its time getting here."

"Uh, Jess ... it's due Wednesday."

"What? Oh, shit!" He pulls his laptop out of his bag, eyes dancing across the screen in a panic. "Okay, I'm good. Only four pages to go, I got this. I'll finish it tomorrow."

"Why not tonight?"

"Well, I wanted to go to Port Angeles to go shopping after school. The dance is this Saturday."

"Aah, I get that. Hey, can I come?"

"You want to shop for dress clothes?" She squints, looking me over suspiciously. "Beau, you're wearing a ratty Nirvana shirt and torn shorts."

"I didn't mean for me," I stick my tongue out. "I'm not the best at fashion, but I could be your test subject. Letcha know which is too gaudy, which is too bright, which one makes your ass look good."

"I actually wouldn't mind that."

"Exactly, Jess. Who better to judge asses than the dude who doesn't have one?" I playfully look over my shoulder, and he laughs, covering his mouth with his hand. After more talking, we're joined by Angel and Erica, who acts rather relaxed for a short girl with Taylor attached to her back. It's right before the bell rings for homeroom, I notice we're missing a few people.

"Hey, don't even look," Angel whispers, waiting behind a bit. "The Cullen kids never come on bright days. The doctor takes them hiking. They'll be back once the clouds return. Kinda weird, isn't it?" He gives a slight nod before rushing back to Erica's side.

"So much for keeping it secret..." I mumble, wondering how no one else in town has caught on yet. I mean really, just vanishing when the sun is fully out? That screams vampire! I might have to pelt them all with hoodies at this rate.

The rest of the day passes slowly. The classes seem to drone endlessly, and in gym I'm pulverized by a shuttlecock somehow. The bruises almost make me regret wearing short sleeves. I text Charlie, wanting her OK before taking off with Jesse for the evening. His reply is fairly predictable. Three poop emojis, a thumbs up, and a smiley face.

I am going to pulverize whoever introduced her to emojis.

I slide into the back of Jesse's car without thinking, laying across the back seat like I own it. He laughs, rolling down my window so I can stick my feet out.

"How is it I get stuck with the grunge guy as a dress clothes judge?"

"Just lucky, I guess. Oh, hey Angel!" Angel rolls his eyes at me and hops in the passenger seat, turning around to take my picture. I flip the camera off, earning a couple giggles. "Alright, it's officially a threesome." I wink.

"BEAU!" Angel doubles over, wiping tears from his eyes.

The humor is the only way I can cover the anxiety that's been building in my stomach all day. It's so relieving to get out of Forks. Now I can stop looking around for the shape in my dreams or Edythe creeping around every corner. In Port Angeles, I can be undistracted and be as good a suit judge as I can manage.

And if I have time to thrift some new clothes or books for myself, I'll take it. My excitement increases with every foot we advance beyond the town limits.