A/N: Okay, so I get this Christian teen's magazine monthly and this month it made me a little touchy. They basically were telling people not to read Twilight because it's of the devil. I went into total mean mode and flipped out. I bet they haven't even read the books! They were talking about how they had sex in Breaking Dawn like it was a bad thing. They were married for crying out loud! Shouldn't that be setting a good example? It makes Christians look like we frown on everything that isn't strictly about God. GRRRRRR!

Okay, sorry for my rant.

Chapter 40

"Jake? What about Charlie?" I asked him hesitantly.

He hugged me tightly. "It's okay, he's at the reservation with my dad. I already took care of it. He has the whole pack with him. " He assured me.

I rested my head on his chest. "I don't want to stay here Jake. What if he hurts my friends and family to get to me? We don't know anything about this guy." I frowned. "He was sniffing my clothes for heaven's sake!"

Jake chuckled. "If you want to leave, we will."

I was about to answer him when there were a couple of loud knocks on the door. "Bella, can we come in?" Alice asked from the other side.

"Yeah, it's your house." I said trying to add humor to the fact that my life was possibly in danger.

Alice pranced in followed by Emmett and her boyfriend whom I knew to be Jasper. "We strongly advise you not to leave Bella. Even with the wolf pack, the seven of us are way better suited to take on those three."

My eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Three? You know about the pack?" I turned to look at Jake. "How?"

Alice ushered the others away and they closed the door behind us. "Bella, you know I love you right?"

I nodded. "Of course Alice. Are you going to clue me in on everything now?"

She shrugged. "Bella, we're not who we appear to be." She started off. "We're not exactly like you, or even Jake."

I carefully comprehended what she was saying. "Just spit it out Alice. I'm going to love you no matter what." I turned and hugged Jake. "See, I still love Jake… even with all his fur."

Jake chuckled and hugged me back. "Thanks Bells."

I smiled. "No problem." I turned my attention back to Alice. "So, spit it out!"

She hesitated and then did as I commanded. "We're vampires."

I had learned with Jake that this stuff wasn't just mystical anymore. I had seen with my eyes what Jake was, and now I understood it. I knew that however impossible it seemed, it was true. I searched my brains for all its files on Vampires. The only thing I could think of was all those nasty ones in Buffy. I didn't see the Cullens as those kinds though.

"Well, that certainly clears a lot up." I met Alice's gaze. "Here I though that Edward left me because I wasn't good enough for him." I felt the water prick at my eyes.

Alice walked to me and wrapped her arms around me pushing Jake out of the way. After a couple of growls and snarls, Alice succeeded in comforting me. "That's definitely not why he left Bella." She paused. "You see, as vampires, we crave human blood."

I tensed up. "Great, am I going to become dinner?"

She laughed. "Silly girl, we don't try to be monsters. Our family drinks animal blood. It saves us a lot of guilt." She paused. "It's just that Edward is a newborn. Even as a newborn, he has way more control than he should. He literally should have cracked your neck and sipped your blood when you tried to kill yourself."

I shuddered. "Thanks for that visual image."

She smiled weakly. "Sorry. Anyway, Edward loves you more than you can imagine. Your blood is very sweet to him. It's almost like dangling crack over a crack addict. It's hard for him to resist. You have no idea. Even being around you makes his throat burn like crazy."

I frowned. "I was putting him in pain?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, but as he gets older he will learn to control his thirst. Carlisle is exceptionally good at it but he is oldest."

I was nearly without words. "He shouldn't come back then. Not if I put him in pain. I don't want that."

Alice reached out to wipe a lingering tear from my cheek. I was only barely aware that Jake was now out on the balcony breathing deeply. The room grew darker and my eyes suddenly grew heavier. "Don't worry Bella. We'll keep you safe." She whispered reassuringly.

I glanced back at her. "He was a vampire? Along with the cloaked people at the Masquerade?"

She shrugged. "Yes and yes. The man in your house was a tracker. He lives to hunt and apparently you are his next prey."

I groaned. "So, what does that mean?"

She gave me a tight hug. "You let me worry about that." She pulled back and elbowed me. "Hey, Edward is coming home."

My whole body perked. "Really?" I was confused though. "Don't I put him in pain?"

She scrunched her nose. "Nonsense. Apparently not enough if he's coming home. He's in protective mode though."

I giggled. "Human protective mode would make you cringe."

She burst out laughing. "You should see what I saw. It's going to be bad. We might have to hold him back from James."

I yawned and Alice kissed my cheek. "Get some rest Bella. When you wake up Edward will be home."

I hugged her once more. "Thanks Alice."

She grinned. "For what?"

I grinned back at her. "For telling me."

She jumped up and skipped to the door. "No problem Bella." She paused. "There's a bathroom through that door and some pajamas in the top drawer." She gestured and then left.

Once she had left Jake walked back into the room and over to me. I glanced at the huge bed that I was sitting on and kicked off my shoes. "What are you doing Bella?" Jake asked.

I shrugged. "I'm going to go to the bathroom and put on some pajamas. Then I'm going to go to bed."

Jake groaned and watched me intently as I made my way to the dresser. I opened the top drawer and pulled out some cute cotton pajamas and some big pajama bottoms and a shirt.

"Which pair do you want?" I asked him giving him a choice between the frilly cotton or the pant bottoms.

He rolled his eyes and took the guy clothes from me as I walked to the bathroom. I wasn't sure what time it was, but it seemed like the day had taken five years off my life. I was exhausted. I pulled on the pajamas and when I walked out Jake was sitting on the couch with a blanket and pillow.

"You know, this bed is big enough for the two of us." I told him.

Jake shook his head. "I'm not very comfortable to sleep with. My body heat is almost unbearable."

I jumped on the bed and patted the spot next to me. "Nonsense. I'm chilly anyway."

He didn't need much convincing because soon enough he was climbing into the bed. He laid on top of the covers while I laid under them. I placed my head on his chest and he kissed the top of my head. I had to admit, Jake had been great through all of this mess. He was amazing in every way.

"Night Jake." I told him sleepily.

He yawned. "Sweet dreams Bells."

I drifted off to sleep dreaming of only Edward. For the first time in months I would see him again. I would take any reason to see him. If I had to constantly put myself in danger, I would. I had to find a way to keep him around. It hurt too much to loose him, again.

EPOV

I switched a couple of airplanes before I reached my destination of Seattle airport. It was late; well I guess you could say early. I made my way through the airport and found that I had no car. I decided on using my own two feet. It would be faster anyway.

I made it to the outskirts of town before I broke into a full speed run. As I ran I thought about seeing Bella for the first time in months. Of course I would have the urge to chomp her head off, but other than that it would be good. From what Alice had told me she missed me as much as I missed her. I missed her blush and her warm skin, her dark eyes and her pale skin. I missed everything about her.

I had worked nonstop the time I had been at college. I was taking night classes along with day classes. This would cut my graduation time in half. Along with being a graphic designer I was also studying to be a teacher. Graphic designing classes were during the day while my teaching classes were at night. Who said I couldn't be a history teacher and a graphic designer. Besides, at my rate I would be living history.

I got about fifteen minutes for Forks when I caught the scent of someone of my kind that was unknown. I stopped and the wind swirled around me as I turned on my heel. My course changed and I let my curiosity get the best of me. When I was a minute away from them I could hear what they were saying, so I stopped.

"The little one isn't going to let you get near her James, she has a wolf with her too." A man's voice spoke.

"Bite me. He can do it. He's beaten harder." A woman's voice screeched.

"It is interesting isn't it? A wolf banning together with a coven of vampires for one human?" Another man's voice sounded like acid.

"One of them is in love with her." The woman's voice sneered.

"A vampire in love with a human? That's absurd Victoria. It's obviously the wolf." The second man's voice said.

"Ah, I don't know James. That wouldn't explain why the Cullens would be protecting a wolf. There has to be something more." The first one growled.

I plowed through the thick tree border and stood in front of three vampires. "Is it so hard to believe that a vampire could be in love with a human?" I snarled while eyeing the supposed leader.

"Why yes, who are you?" He inquired while eyeing my stance.

I glared at him. "It doesn't matter. Don't you dare harm Bella though. She's done nothing wrong."

The tone in his laugh almost made me cringe. "You're him. You love her." He put two and two together.

I turned to go. "If you know what's best for you, you'll leave." I told him.

"There's no chance of that." He growled.

I took off and their conversation was left behind. I had probably made him even more determined but I didn't care. If he wanted to hurt Bella then he would have to go through me. There was no way I would letting her slip through my grasp. I wouldn't condemn her to this fate that was chosen for me. She would live her life.

A/N: Okay, can you say tension? I'm going to try to write a chapter or two for my other story now. I had half of tody off along with Thursday and Friday. If I survive Thanksgiving with my dysfunctional family then I'll more than likely update.

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Kayla