The Mating Dance

by Xavier2163

AU Edward Cullen and his adoptive family moved to Forks to start a new life, but Edward’s life suddenly changes when he’s drawn into Bella Swan’s strange and dangerous world. Vampires mate for life, but what happens when that mate is human? OOC Lemons ExB

2. First Sight

Disclaimer: Written under the derivative fan works act. All rights reserved to the original creator, Stephanie Meyer.

Title: The Mating Dance

Rating: M for sexual situations, lemons, and hot, steamy, angsty vampire lovin', underage drinking, smoking, drug use and overall bad behavior.

Premise: Alternate Universe. Edward Cullen and his adoptive family have moved to Forks to start a new life, but Edward's life suddenly changes when he's drawn into Bella Swan's strange and dangerous world. Vampires mate for life, but what happens when that mate is human?

Alternate Universe: Canon pairings eventually, pretty much OOC, ExB of course.

POV: EPOV (Edward), Edward starts the story. Bella and Alice may have a say later on.

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Author Notes:

Please note that this story is rated M for a reason, if you'd prefer not to deal with mature themes, please do not read this story.

Photos have been posted in my profile. I'll add some more as they become relevant to the chapters.

Notes on specific changes relevant to this Alternate Universe are available at the end of this chapter.

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Chapter 2 First Sight

One year later: August 2006

The first part of Alice's prediction had come true. I was in love with Katy Decker, and we were both very happy. She'd helped me pick out a surf board and a wet suit and I'd learned how to surf. Jacob Black and I had become good friends, and he taught me to cliff dive too. I charmed Katy's parents, and they both thought I was great.

Sophomore year at Forks High School had been like a dream, or something you saw in a movie about the perfect year of high school. I got a new attitude with Katy beside me as my girlfriend, and carried a 3.78 GPA with almost straight A's. I joined the cross country team and went to the state finals as an individual qualifier, and took first place in the men's 1A class.

I joined the wrestling team, was undefeated with a 29-0 record and won the state championship in the 171 pound weight class for 1A schools. Tyler and I became good friends. He went through a small growth spurt, and wrestled 189. I helped him learn some moves, we trained together, and he ended up winning the state championship in the 189 pound weight class for 1A schools.

Carlisle found a storefront shop to open his holistic medicine clinic in. It took him a while to fill out all the forms and wade through the red tape. He had to take some exams over again, but he managed to transfer his certification as a licensed acupuncturist over to Washington State and had built up a clientele. Between his clinic, running a successful internet business selling herbal remedies and dietary supplements, and his stock market portfolio, he made a good living.

Alice was a mystery to me. She hung out with Katy and me. She made friends, and got good grades. I drove her to her martial arts classes twice a week, and she was teaching some of the classes for the newer students at the academy. She'd gone to some pretty prestigious tournaments, and won another gold medal, but she didn't date. It was like she wanted nothing to do with guys except be friends. I was worried that maybe she was into girls, but Katy set me straight, and told me that she'd talked to Alice, and it was ok. Katy said that Alice was just waiting for the right guy, and she'd know it when he came into her life.

Summer vacation had been great. Alice qualified for the Paris International Taekwondo Championship again, and Katy's parents gave her permission to go with my family to the tournament. Katy and I spent two weeks in Paris with Alice and Carlisle, living in grand style, and then came home to spend our days surfing, hanging out with our friends, and exploring Washington together, cruising on my Harley. My life was truly great and I had never been this happy before.

Summer vacation was over now, and we were starting our junior year at Forks High School, with every expectation that this year would be just as great as last year.

It was the first day of school, and I pulled into the parking lot at Forks High School in my silver Volvo S60R. I got a good parking spot close to the walkway into the school and other cars were just starting to show up as people arrived for the start of the new school year. It was early, but we'd heard that there were some new kids starting today and we wanted to be here to get a look at them when they showed up.

I got out, and went around, and opened the door for Katy. I helped her out of the car, and put my arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head as she snaked her arm around my waist. Alice got out of the backseat, handed me our bags, and I carried them in my free hand as we made our way into the school. Katy was wearing my Class ring. She was very proud of the fact that I given it to her this summer, and wanted to show her friends.

We made our way into the middle of the campus, in the little courtyard between the administration building and the main school building. Alice went over to say hi to Angela and Jessica, where they were sitting at a picnic table. Katy and I followed her over, and said hi to our friends as they started to arrive for the start of the school year. It looked like quite a crowd had gathered to try and get a look at the new kids. I still thought it was kind of quaint that something as simple as new students starting school could cause such a stir, but it was a small town, and a small school. To be honest, I was glad that somebody new was moving to town, so Alice and I wouldn't be the new kids anymore.

It was getting close to time for the first bell, when a police cruiser drove into the parking lot and pulled up to the curb closest to the office. I was wondering what the police were here for, but then the passenger door and the backseat door opened, and two kids got out. They were a boy and a girl, and they shouldered their school bags and made their way towards the office.

I felt a strange sensation the closer they got to us, like a pull in the pit of my stomach to move closer to them. It seemed to draw me towards the dark haired girl, but I resisted it, thinking it was really weird that I would feel such a strong attraction to her.

She was very fair-skinned, almost pale, with long, straight, dark brown hair and the most amazing golden topaz eyes. Her face appeared heart-shaped, wider at the forehead with a widow's peak, large, wide-spaced eyes, prominent cheekbones, and then a thin nose and a narrow jaw with a pointed chin. Her lips were a little out of proportion, a bit too full for her jaw line. Her eyebrows were darker than her hair and more straight than they were arched. She looked like she'd stand about five foot four in her stocking feet, but the heels made her look taller. She was slender and did not appear at all muscular, and looked like she'd weigh about 115 pounds.

She was wearing a pair of tight dark blue low cut jeans and a black t-shirt with a bright red print that looked like it came from a graphic novel, layered over another purple t-shirt. She had mid-calf high heeled boots on, and she was wearing a full length black leather trench coat, open with the belt hanging loose over the ensemble.

They were about to walk past us when the girl suddenly raised her head, looked up and stared straight into my eyes. It felt like she was looking straight into my soul, and I felt a connection snap between us. The pull in my stomach became a steel cable as thick as my wrist, joining us together and I felt like I couldn't have moved away from her if my life depended on it. It felt like the earth stood still, and everything else in the universe was inconsequential and ephemeral except for the only other person that mattered in all of creation and she was standing in front of me, staring into my eyes. An electric shock flashed down my spine, I was covered in goose bumps and broke out in a cold sweat as I stared at the most beautiful being that god had set upon the face of the world, and I felt an overwhelming desire to make her mine and protect her.

Only a few seconds had passed, when the boy with her took her by the elbow and directed her to the office. I realized that she had stopped for a second in front of me, and to the casual observer, it would have looked like she stumbled. I snapped out of my reverie as the moment passed and they moved away and went into the office. She stopped as she went through the door, and looked back at me again, and then she was gone as the door closed.

Suddenly I felt guilt flash through me as I realized I was still holding Katy close to my side, Katy who was my world, the girl who wore my ring and had given me everything that she had to give. I had given her my heart and she had healed my pain as we let our love grow. I felt like a cad for the way I had felt when I stared into the new girls eyes, and then fear flashed through me, as I thought about what Alice had told me that night so long ago, when we had moved to Forks: "Someday you'll have to make a choice between the girl that owns your heart, and the girl that owns your soul." I wondered if that day was approaching, to rob me of my happiness again.

The office door opened after a few minutes, and they came back out. I resolved not to look at the new girl again, but studied her companion. The boy, or rather young man looked almost too old to be in high school. He was six foot three and muscular but lean with golden honey blond hair. He had the same golden topaz eyes, and I wondered if they might be related but the resemblance stopped at the eye color.

It looked like he had a thin scar running from the corner of his eye, across his left cheek and along his jaw line. He was wearing stonewashed gray boot cut jeans over black cavalry style boots, a gray bib front western shirt and a dark gray leather full length duster style trench coat.

He didn't smile, and had a hard cold demeanor. The young man had a wary look and his eyes were constantly moving as he took in every little detail of his environment, but he didn't fidget or spare any extraneous movement as his eyes scanned the crowd. He looked dangerous, but hovered over the new girl, like he was ready to pounce and protect her at a moments notice.

I wondered if he was her boyfriend, and suddenly I felt jealousy flash through me, only to be consumed by guilt as I realized once again that I held Katy by my side. The new young man glanced in my direction, and raised an eyebrow, with a look of surprise, and then they were past us.

I supposed it would be better if she were taken too, this new girl that had entered our world and made me feel so strange. It would be easier to come to terms with my strange emotional mood swings that this new girl seemed to trigger if the dangerous looking young man really was her boyfriend. The first bell rang then, and I was jolted out of my reverie. I realized people were talking to me, and Katy was pulling on my arm, trying to get me to move so we could go to our lockers before class started.

I had felt the same tugging sensation in the pit of my stomach when they walked out of the office, and it made me want to follow them as they made their way into the school, but I resisted the temptation until they were out of sight. I felt an almost physical pain in my chest that grew in intensity the further they moved away until finally they were out of sight and I was left with a dull ache in my chest.

I let Katy pull me along, and we made our way into the school building. Katy's locker was on the first floor at the north end of the central hall. We dodged through the crowd, and then she let me go to dial in her combination and open the locker. She dropped off her bag, and collected a notebook and pen for her first period class, and slammed the locker shut. She turned to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, and pulled herself against me.

"I'm going to miss you today," Katy pouted.

I glanced up the hall, but there were no teachers in sight. No sense getting written up for a PDA on the first day of school, but the coast was clear. I wrapped my arms around her, and kissed her, and then stepped back and rested my forehead on hers.

"I'll miss you too, but we only have to wait until third period, and we'll be together for lunch, too."

"We should go talk to Mrs. Cope. It sucks that we only have one class together," Katy complained.

"You were the one that wanted to take French instead of Spanish, and I told you to sign up for AP English. I would have been happy to tutor you."

"I know, but I didn't want to work that hard this year. I don't think I'll need it to get into college, and it just sounded like so much reading. Besides, the critical analysis papers always give me a headache."

"I know, love, but we'll find time to be together. I better get going. I need to go to my locker before class starts. I'll see you in trig." I kissed her forehead, and left to go to the stairway in the middle of the building.

I looked back down the hall, and Katy waved to me as she went in the door of her first period class. I waved back at her, and went up the stairs to the second floor. I hurried to my locker at the south end of the hall, opened it, and dropped off my bag. I got out a notebook and made sure I had a pen, and then closed the locker and hurried to my first period AP English class. Kids were still making their way into the room as I got there and went through the door. I saw Alice sitting on one side of the room, and she waved me over to where she was holding a seat for me.

Mrs. Jensen had the tables in the room arranged into a horseshoe shape so that everyone could see into the middle of the room, with her desk off to one corner at the front of the room. A lot of this class would revolve around class discussion of the assigned reading material that consisted poetry, drama, prose fiction, and expository literature within themed units. This course focused on extensive and intensive reading and discussion of serious, college level literature, with emphasis placed on written and oral analytical, rhetorical and critical analysis. We would be required to write critical analyses of literature as well as evaluative essays about our own work and personal reading in addition to the assigned course material.

At the end of the year, we'd have the option to pay to take a national placement test, and if we scored high enough, we could receive college credit for this class in addition to fulfilling the graduation requirement for an English credit. It was a lot of work, but the $80 fee to take the placement test was a bargain compared to the credit hour cost for tuition at most colleges, and it gave us a taste of what college level courses would be like.

Most of the seats were filled up, and then the door opened, and the two new kids walked into the room. They didn't stop to hang up their coats on the pegs by the door, as they made their way around to the back of the room, and found two seats together at the bottom of the horseshoe. Instead they took off the long coats, hung them on their seats, and sat down to wait for class to start.

Being the first period of the day, we had to sit through the Advisory, and listen to the Principals bulletin and the daily announcements. The lunch menu was announced, and practice for the after school sports. The football team had already been meeting for the last two weeks of summer vacation, and I had been meeting with the cross country team for a daily run. We'd have our first official practice tonight, but I was looking forward to another winning season.

Once the announcements were out of the way, Mrs. Jensen took roll and started the class. Alice and I heard our names near the beginning of the list and answered "here' as usual, and I paid attention to hear the two names that would be unfamiliar to me.

Most of the kids had spoken up, and then Mrs. Jensen called, "Isabella Swan?"

"Here, but just Bella, please," the new girl answered in a musical sounding voice that made me think of wind chimes.

"Ok then, Bella it is." Mrs. Jensen answered, and then continued the roll.

She called a couple more names of people I knew, and finally called, "Jasper Whitlock?"

"Here, Ma'am," the new dangerous looking young man sitting next to Bella answered in a southern drawl.

Once roll was finished, Mrs. Jensen passed out copies of the syllabus for the class and passed around copies of the first novel that we would be reading for the class. She discussed her expectations for the class and talked about the national advanced placement test we could take and what we'd be expected to accomplish this year to be adequately prepared to take it.

I tried to pay attention to Mrs. Jensen, and take notes about what I would be required to do this year, but my eyes kept turning to look at Bella Swan, sitting at the back of the classroom. More than once, I realized that she was looking back at me, and then we'd both look away and turn back to the lecture, embarrassed that we'd been caught staring.

I looked over to Alice, to see how she was doing, to try and keep my gaze from wandering back to Bella, and I realized she was doodling in her notebook. This was completely foreign to me. Alice always took impeccable notes, and I could always rely on her to catch anything I had missed. I looked at her sketch, and realized she was drawing a pair of eyes. There was a sketch of a nose, a curve of lips, several other pairs of eyes, and then a chill ran down my spine as I recognized the shape of the thin scar running from the corner of the eye, across the cheek and along the line of the jaw.

I looked up at Alice but she wasn't looking at me or her notebook. I followed her gaze, and sure enough, she was staring at Jasper Whitlock as her pen moved on the page in front of her. I looked around the room to see if anybody else was reacting like this but if anything Bella and Jasper were having the opposite affect on the rest of the class.

The students seated to either side of them had scooted their chairs as far away from them as they could, without climbing into the laps of the kids beyond them. Stacy Horner's eyes were wide open with distress like she was terrified to be in the same room with Jasper, and I could see her shudder in fear, every time that he'd shift in his seat or make any small movement. None of the other kids would look at them, as though there was a current of energy in the air that vibrated "Danger, run away!" It seemed silly to me, but then Alice and I were both reacting strangely as well.

Mrs. Jensen wrapped up her lecture, and the bell rang ending the period. You'd think somebody had yelled fire in a crowded theatre, the kids cleared out of the room so fast. Alice and I were almost the last to leave, followed by Bella and Jasper.

I turned to Alice, and told her goodbye. I wouldn't see her until lunch, and then we'd have AP Chemistry together for sixth period. Bella and Jasper had disappeared down the hall together and I realized that the dull ache in my chest had stopped when they came into the classroom. I had felt the same tugging sensation in the pit of my stomach when they left and walked down the hall, and now the pain in my chest had returned when they left.

I pushed it out of my mind, and chalked it up to coincidence, and went to my locker and dropped off my notebook and the novel and got my gym clothes out of my bag. I closed my locker, and hurried to the boy's locker room to dress out for P.E. I had natural athletic ability, and gym Class was always easy for me. I did well at all of the sports we tried throughout the year, and got along well with all of the coaches.

Coach Clapp had tried to recruit me for the football team when we first started at Forks high school, last year, but I turned him down and joined the cross country team. He'd wanted me for a running back, but he finally quit complaining when I won meet after meet and then took the state championship. The same scenario had repeated during the winter sports season, when he wanted me on the basketball team, but I had gone out for wrestling instead.

It wasn't that I had anything against those other sports, and I would have done well at them, but I wasn't a team player. I preferred a sport where I didn't have to rely on the ability of my team mates to win. Cross country and wrestling both counted team scores, but your team didn't need to win for you to receive individual recognition, and the individual achievement was actually more highly regarded, with the team ranking considered as almost an afterthought. I would only have to rely on my own merits in the sports that I chose, and I could push myself as hard as I needed to, to win without worrying about some slacker dragging us down because he didn't care.

It's not that I didn't care, or didn't try to help my team, but I preferred to lead by example, and if somebody didn't want to keep up with the pace I set, then that was their problem. I tried to encourage my team mates, and helped them train and try to excel to the best of their ability, but I wasn't a cheer leader, and they had to want to win. I didn't consider myself to be a prima donna. I didn't expect any special treatment and didn't brag or consider myself to be better than my team mates, I was just independent, and perhaps a bit stubborn.

Coach Clapp slapped me on the back as I came out of the locker room. "Welcome back Edward, Ready for another cross country season?" he asked.

"Sure coach, it's going to be a great year!"

"Been getting any running in this summer?"

"Katy and I are up to about sixty five miles a week. About 8 miles a day and a long run on Sunday's. This season should be cake!"

"Sounds good, Edward, C'mon, lets get this year started."

The weather was still nice, for Washington in the last week in August, meaning it wasn't raining today, so we were outside for gym. We started off with roll call, then some calisthenics to warm up. We divided into teams and started off with soccer this year, and had fun running up and down the field kicking the ball around. It was too bad that soccer wasn't more popular in America, I really liked it more than American football, but there was no accounting for taste and the TV networks liked all the breaks so they could show lots of commercials.

Coach Clapp kept an eye on his watch, and then he blew his whistle, and told us to hit the showers. We went back inside, and I showered and changed back into my clothes to go to third period. The bell rang as I was finishing dressing, and I headed back to my locker to grab my notebook and calculator for trig.

Katy and I both arrived at the classroom at the same time, and I put my arm around her waist as we walked through the door. I felt the tug in my stomach, and the pain in my chest disappeared as we walked into the room, and sure enough, I saw Bella Swan and Jasper Whitlock sitting in the back corner of the room.

Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton were sitting at a table up in the front of the room, and they waved and called us over to join them. Mike and Jessica had an on again off again relationship. They were together when I first met them, but had broken up before school started. Mike had made a play for Alice, and then made rude comments about her when she turned him down. I'd set him straight and given him a black eye, and we'd been friends ever since. He started treating girls better, and now Mike and Jessica were a couple again. It probably wouldn't last, but that's just how they were.

I looked back at Bella and Jasper as we went to sit with Jessica and Mike, and Bella Swan was giving me the strangest look, like she was totally pissed off at me for some reason, and I could almost feel her glare burning into the back of my head as I sat down next to Katy. I knew I hadn't done anything to her. I hadn't even been introduced to her, and I hadn't said anything about her to anyone in school.

Mrs. Post called the class to order after the bell rang, and took the roll. She passed out text books, discussed what we'd be learning this year, and then gave us our first assignment. The first chapter was a review of what we'd done last year, and she assigned us problems from the review section for homework. The class was about half over, and she had us divide up into groups to work on the assignment, so she'd have time to work individually with anyone that had trouble with the work.

Jessica and Mike naturally formed a group with Katy and me. I opened my notebook and started writing out the problems and jotting down the answers, as I turned to Jessica. I could do this assignment in my sleep, and at least Mrs. Post couldn't complain that I wasn't working. Jessica Stanley was the biggest gossip in school, and between her and her mother, I doubted if there was a rumor left in Forks that they hadn't heard or started.

"So, Jessica, what's the news about the new kids?" I asked her, nodding in their direction to get her started.

"Edward, that's rude, they're sitting right back there," Katy said, glancing back to see if they'd heard, but they ignored us and kept working on their assignment.

"That didn't stop her from talking about me last year, besides most of what she said was true, if a little opinionated. So what have you heard, Jess?"

"Well, the girl is Isabella Swan, but she goes by Bella. The boy is Jasper Whitlock," Jessica said, leaning in conspiratorially, like she was sharing a great secret.

"Yeah, I knew that, they're both in my first period class, and they started this thing called a roll call this year. Is that the best you've got?" I asked sarcastically.

"Give me a minute, I'm just warming up. They're both foster kids," Jessica continued. "They moved in with the Dahlke's last week. Amanda Dahlke went away to college last year, so they have a bunch of empty rooms in their house now because Amanda was the youngest. Mrs. Dahlke told my mom that the house was too quiet, so Mr. Dahlke signed up for a program at the police station."

"Well, that's nice of the Dahlke's to take them in like that," Katy said.

"Yeah, but I think they're a couple," Jessica continued. "They have almost all of their classes together, and they're never apart. It's like they do everything together."

"They're probably just looking out for each other," Katy said. "They don't know anybody here yet."

That much was true, they didn't know anybody here, but the part about the Dahlke's didn't make sense to me. Rich Dahlke was a cop on the Forks police department, but he was as crooked as a dog's hind leg. Dahlke was on the take, and he had a price to look the other way.

Sam Uley paid him off not to look too hard at his business out at Quillayute State Airport, and Rich looked the other way, as long as Sam's crew didn't boost any cars in town. It hadn't taken long to figure out which liquor stores were paying him off. There were three places in town were you could buy anything off the shelves for a slight markup and no questions, and there were two bars that didn't ask for ID.

Rich didn't come across as the sort to become a foster parent out of the goodness of his heart, and he had to be working some kind of scam to be involved in this. I didn't know much about Marilyn Dahlke, but she'd seemed like a nice enough lady every time I'd seen her. I hoped Bella and Jasper didn't get hurt over this.

I glanced back at the new kids again, and Jasper was giving me that odd surprised look again, but then the bell rang ending the class, and I gathered my things to go. I gave Katy a hug when we got out into the hall, and a quick peck on the lips, and then I left for my fourth period class. I didn't bother going back to my locker but just took my math book with me to Spanish.

Señor Flores classroom was on the first floor at the end of the east addition to the main building, and I went down the hall, turned the corner and went up the slight ramp into the newer part of the building. Newer, because it was built in the forties instead of the twenties, but it was well maintained for it's age.

I figured it had to be a coincidence about the pain in my chest, because it hadn't come back after trig when I left the class room, but the tugging sensation in the pit of my stomach had never left. Then I walked into Spanish, and Bella and Jasper were sitting down in the back of the room. Apparently the three of us had walked to class together, and I hadn't noticed them in the hallway.

Angela Weber was sitting up front in the classroom, so I went and sat down next to her. I hadn't expected to see her here this year, and it surprised me.

"Hey, Angela," I said. "I thought you were going to take French with Katy and Alice this year?"

"Hi, Edward, Yeah I'd talked about doing that, but my dad talked me out of it. I'll have more use for Spanish than French, and it didn't make sense to change now, after taking Spanish the last two years."

"Pues bien, la bienvenida de nuevo." (Well then, welcome back.)

"Muchas gracias, es bueno estar de vuelta." (Thank you, it's good to be back.)

Señor Flores got the class started then. He took the roll, and passed out our text books for this year, and then told us about his expectations for the year. Of course, this being Spanish III, the explanation and lecture was in Spanish and Señor Flores expected all classroom discussion, questions, and explanations to be in Spanish. He was really a pretty easy going guy, as long as you stayed on his good side. Speaking English in Spanish III didn't get you on his good side.

Once he had the preliminaries out of the way, Señor Flores turned to the new students. I'm sure he just wanted to get an Idea of their ability, because they were new, and he hadn't worked with them before, but he asked them to tell the class about themselves. He started off with Jasper.

"Señor Whitlock, ¿Te gustaría decir a la clase un poco sobre usted?" (Mister Whitlock, would you care to tell the class a little about yourself?)

"Sí, señor, yo soy originalmente de Texas, pero he estado viviendo en Seattle durante un par de años." (Yes, Sir, I'm originally from Texas, but I've been living in Seattle for a couple of years now.)

I'd been around a lot of Spanish speaking people, living in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, and Jasper spoke like a native speaker, in my opinion. He didn't hesitate or stumble, and he gave the impression that he was thinking in Spanish as he spoke. Señor Flores was impressed. Then he turned to Bella.

"Muy bien, señorita y Swan, ¿qué puedes decirnos sobre ti?" (Very good, and Miss Swan, what can you tell us about yourself?)

"Yo crecí en Phoenix, Arizona, pero he estado viviendo en Seattle desde que tenía trece años." (I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, but I've been living in Seattle since I was thirteen.)

She was very good as well and appeared to speak Spanish fluently. Perhaps just the slightest trace of an accent, but then it wasn't really my place to judge her ability. Señor Flores seemed to be satisfied about their proficiency with Spanish for now, and he continued with the lesson and assigned homework.

Their answers piqued my curiosity. Jasper's answer had fit the picture I was developing in my mind. It explained the southern drawl he spoke with, but I wondered about the scar on his face, and his cold hard demeanor. I wondered what had happened in his life that had caused him to be that way.

Bella's answer intrigued me, and I wanted to know more about her. Why had she left Phoenix? How had she ended up in foster care? How had she ended up in Forks of all places? I realized that she seemed very sad as I looked back at her, and I felt a desire to make her happy. Her eyes met mine again, and she wasn't glaring at me now, but I felt the tug in my stomach grow stronger, and desire flared through me. I made myself look away and returned my attention to the class. I felt a strong attraction to Bella Swan, but I knew it was wrong, Katy Decker was my girlfriend, and I didn't want my life to become complicated now.

Soon the bell rang, ending fourth period, and it was lunch time. I told Angela good bye, and gathered up my things to drop off at my locker before I went to go look for Katy. I glanced back at Bella before I left, and she was staring back at me with the same look of longing desire that I'd felt earlier. I made myself look away and I went out the door. I felt the pain in my chest grow with each step that I moved away, as I fought against the desire I felt to be near her.

Katy met me at the bottom of the stairs as I was coming down from dropping off my books in my locker. I put my arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head as she snaked her arm around my waist as we turned to head out of the building and go to the cafeteria. It turned out that the cafeteria food was pretty good most of the time. There was a buffet style lunch line, with a couple of choices of entrees and a separate salad bar with fresh fruit and several varieties of salad fixings. Sometimes we went out for lunch, but I'd found that it paid to call an order in ahead of time, if you wanted to be able to eat and make it back to school on time.

We made our way through the lunch line, and I got a tray for us. I got the grilled chicken breast sandwich on a multi-grain bun, but Katy only grabbed a bowl of sugar-free red jello with fruit cocktail mixed in, and then we went to the salad bar. I fixed a light green salad, and grabbed an apple, but Katy fixed a larger chefs salad with greens, and diced ham, chicken, and hardboiled eggs. I got us two bottles of water out of the cooler, and then we went to the cashier, and I paid for our lunch.

We headed over to our usual table from last year, and sat down. Alice had followed us through the line, and she brought her tray over and sat next to me. Angela Webber and Ben Cheney came over and sat next to each other on the other side of the table, and then Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton sat next to Katy. Lauren Mallory and Tyler Crowley showed up last, and it looked like they'd been fighting again, but I knew they'd probably make up and be all over each other by tonight. It was part of their relationship, and we'd seen them do this over and over last year. Lauren was the jealous type, she wanted all of her man's attention, and Tyler was whipped, but I couldn't complain, so was I.

I felt the tug in my stomach again, and looked over to the lunch line. Coincidence was beginning to sound like a thin excuse as I watched Bella and Jasper make their way through the line. Jasper seemed resigned, as though he were putting up with something that he'd prefer was over with. Bella had a pinched expression on her face, with her nose scrunched up like she smelt something bad. She appeared to pick a random selection of items without concern for how they'd taste or the nutritional value, mostly things in Styrofoam bowls and plates covered with plastic wrap. They got to the end of the line, Jasper paid for both of their lunches, and then they made their way to a secluded table in the corner of the room.

"Why are you so interested in those new kids?" Katy asked me as she placed her hand on my arm, startling me, and knocking me out of my reverie. I realized I had been staring at them, and ignoring the conversation at our table.

"I don't know," I lied. "They seem so lonely, and they haven't made any friends. I was the new kid last year, and that could have been me."

"I think there's something going on," Jessica said. "Maybe there's something wrong with them. They're both in foster care. Maybe they did something…"

"That's silly, Jessica." Alice cut her off. "I was in foster care, before I was adopted, and the kids are the ones that need help. Everybody's different, and there are good homes and bad homes. Some of the people you get stuck with really suck, and some of them are really great, like my dad."

"They just seem weird to me," Lauren said, and then she turned away and started to eat her salad.

"They'll probably be really interesting people and fun to hang out with if we just give them a chance," Angela said.

"Jessica said that they're living with Rich and Marilyn Dahlke," I said, as I caught Alice's eye, and raised an eyebrow. I saw Alice tense up, but she didn't let on that there was any problem. She knew everything that I did about the seamier side of Forks, and it raised a red flag for her too.

"Really, hmm, I think I'm going to need to get to know Bella a little better, and find out what she thinks of foster care here in Forks," Alice stated.

"It's your funeral," Ben Cheney said. "Bella might be cute…"

"Ben!" Angela elbowed him in the ribs.

"But that boyfriend of hers gives me the creeps." Ben continued. "He looks like he'd tear your head off without thinking twice about it."

"How do you know he's her boyfriend," I asked

"Jess said…"

"Ben!" we moaned in chorus.

"You really need to watch those rumors around our impressionable youth, Jessica." Alice admonished, and then she grinned, and we all laughed.

The conversation lightened up after that and turned to current events and what people thought of their classes so far this year. Katy and I finished our lunch. I turned sideways and straddled the bench, and Katy leaned back against my chest as I held her in my arms and absentmindedly traced slow circles across her thighs with my fingertips as we laughed with our friends.

I glanced over toward the corner again, and Bella Swan was staring daggers at me again like I'd done something to royally piss her off, but I had no idea what I was doing to offend her. Her strange mood swings were starting to freak me out, and I wondered if Jessica was right. I took another look, and it didn't look like they'd even touched half of what they'd bought for lunch. Most of the plastic wrap on the Styrofoam bowls and plates looked untouched, and I wondered why they bought it if they weren't going to eat it.

I turned back to my own table, before Katy called me on staring again and tried to pay attention to my friends, but my gaze kept drifting back to the corner. Finally the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, and I was actually relieved to be going back to class. I had a feeling that we'd be eating out a lot this year, if this was any indication of what lunch was going to be like.

I walked Katy to her locker, and the coast was clear, so I kissed her soundly on the lips, and got a chorus of hoots and cat calls from the kids in the hall, but I needed it, and it made me feel connected to her again after all of the strange feelings I'd experienced this morning.

I told Katy goodbye, and doubled back to my locker on the second floor to get my notebook for AP Chemistry. The classroom was in the new north wing building, beyond where I'd left Katy. I'd have to hurry to get to class on time but at least it was upstairs and I could go straight into the new wing without having to use the stairs. Mr. Banner was a real martinet for attendance, and I didn't want to set a precedent for being late.

I'd had Banner for Biology last year, and true to form, he had a seating chart and a stack of text books sitting on the lab table at the front of the room. Banner was a stickler for detail, which was a polite way of saying that he was an anal retentive control freak. He'd probably had this seating chart ready for three months, and it must have driven him crazy to have had to change it in the last week before school started. I smiled because Banner and I didn't see eye to eye. He thought he was perfect; I enjoyed pointing out his errors.

I knew he'd needed to change the seating chart, because I could feel Bella Swan in the room when I came through the door. I'd given up my coincidence theory, and resigned myself to the fact that for some strange reason, I could sense when Bella was close by. I looked into the classroom, and sure enough, there she was sitting at a lab table about halfway down the room by the window.

I was familiar with Banners standard operating procedure from last year, so I took a text book from the stack, wrote down the books number on the sign out sheet, and signed my name. Then I looked at the seating chart to find my assigned lab table and lab partner. I'd been hoping that I'd be able to work with Alice in this class, but I knew Banner would never assign my sister as my lab partner. I was shocked when I read the chart, and cringed a little internally. I steeled my resolve and marched down the isle, and sat down on the stool next to Bella Swan.

I laid my textbook and notebook on the lab table in front of me, and I could feel the tug in my stomach ratchet up in intensity with my proximity to the strange new girl sitting next to me. I had the strangest urge to reach out and touch her, but I restrained myself while I took a deep breath to try and control my feelings and glanced around the room to see how the rest of my friends had settled out. Alice and Jessica were seated at a table a row ahead, and on the far side of the room. Mike and Angela were in the back of the room in the middle row.

I turned to my new lab partner, and decided that I might as well try and be polite and introduce myself. I held out my hand, and said, "Hi, Bella, I'm Edward Cullen. I guess we're going to be lab partners this year."

Bella was gripping the edge of the desk so tight, that I could see the tendons stand out in her delicate wrist. Her hands were so pale that I doubted the tension of her grip would have caused any discoloration in her knuckles, but they looked tight as her hand clenched on the edge of the table. She was leaning forward letting her hair hang down like a curtain between us, but she turned slightly towards me as I spoke.

"How do you know my name," she asked, finally lifting her head a little to look at me. She made no move to take my hand, but stared at it like it was some kind of dangerous foreign object.

"This is the fourth class we've had together today, and you've told the teacher in each of the other three classes to call you Bella. I assumed that was your preference, but I can call you Isabella if you prefer."

I dropped my hand back onto the table, because she obviously wasn't going to shake hands with me.

"No, Bella is fine, thank you."

"So, how do you like Forks, Bella? I know it must be very different from Phoenix. It was an adjustment for me, but it grows on you."

"Forks is fine, how do you know… Oh, Spanish class, right? Yeah, it's different from Phoenix, wetter, but I like the overcast. So, you're not from around here either?"

That was strange. Most people missed the sun in the almost perpetual overcast, constant mist and frequent rain, but like I'd said, it grew on you. Like a fungus.

Mr. Banner was getting the class started now. He didn't bother with roll call, because he had the sign in sheet, and started into his discussion of his class rules and expectations. I opened my notebook to start taking notes, but I'd heard all of this last year, and continued my conversation with Bella, speaking quietly.

"No, I'm a recent immigrant from the land of fruit and nuts." She didn't catch the reference and glanced over at me perplexed as she took notes in her notebook, so I continued. "My family moved here from California last year."

She started to relax a bit now, and sat straighter, letting her hair settle back against her shoulders. I could see her eyes again, and they were almost pitch black. I almost commented on it, because I knew they had been a shade of golden topaz when she arrived at school, this morning. I was perplexed as to how I had made such a mistake about the color of her eyes, when I had been captivated staring into them earlier.

"The land of fruit and nuts?" she asked.

"It's a double entendre. California is famous as a producer of a variety fruit and it's also a large producer of nuts, such as almonds. It also refers to the states reputation for having more than it's fair share of fruitcakes and nutjobs."

"Well then, which would you be, Edward? Are you a fruit or a nut?" She asked, and I thought I could see the ghost of a smile cross her lips as she finally started to relax.

"Well I'm definitely not a fruit, so I must be a nut, but that's because some people might say I'm a hard case. My father would probably say I'm hard headed."

"Because you're a tough guy or because you're stubborn?" She asked but I could hear the tease in her voice.

I glanced at her again, and I was amazed when I looked at her eyes. I realized that they were no longer black, but were a darker amber, lightening towards the golden topaz, the more she relaxed. I had never heard of anyone with the ability for their eye color to change like this, and it amazed me, but I didn't comment on it for fear that she'd shut down again.

I shrugged, "Maybe a little of both, so why do you like the overcast? Most people miss the sun when they come here."

"The sun isn't kind to me. It's nice to be able to be out and not have to worry about it." I assumed she meant that she burned easily, and with her pale white skin, I could see where that would be a problem in a place like Phoenix.

"Well, if you like overcast skies and wet misty days, you came to the right place." This was the wet side of the Olympic Peninsula. It wasn't an oppressive wetness, or humid like the Midwest, but the days were wet and misty, giving the atmosphere a constant clean cool crispness.

"You seem to have assimilated well, Edward," Bella stated, changing the subject. "Did you find it hard to make friends here?"

"No, it's always been easy for me to get to know people. I started to meet people the first day I moved here."

"Huh, that must be nice." She said it like she resented the fact that I made friends easily or maybe because it was a skill she lacked, but she went on, "So that blond girl that's been hanging all over you, is she your girlfriend?" Her eyes darkened as the conversation turned to my relationship with Katy.

She said the word girlfriend like it was a swear word, and I thought I detected a little jealousy in her question. I thought back over the day, and realized that maybe it wasn't me that she'd been glaring at. Katy had been with me every time that Bella had given me an angry look today, but she seemed fine with me now. I knew I had to say something. I didn't want Bella to get the wrong idea, and she needed to know we could only be friends.

"Yes, Katy Decker is my girlfriend. We've been together for a little over a year now, we're very happy, but I'm friends with a lot of girls."

"Just friends?" she asked, seeming to resign herself to a painful fact.

"Yes, if you like. What about you and Jasper Whitlock" I asked.

She seemed surprised, but simply said, "Jasper is very special to me," and didn't elaborate.

I didn't want to end our conversation because I wanted to know more about Bella Swan, but I needed to change the subject. I glanced down at her right hand where she still had a grip on the table, though it was more relaxed now. She was wearing a ring, and it didn't strike me as a simple accessory or casual adornment. It looked like a medieval family crest, and I felt that it had some significance.

"That's an Interesting ring you're wearing, does the design have any meaning?"

Bella's hand flinched when I mentioned the ring. She finally let go of the table and raised her hand to look at it, and I got a closer look, then she dropped her hand to her leg. The band of the ring was a delicate filigree that looked like platinum and blended into an oval cameo face about the size of her fingernail. The background of the design was quartered silver and gold in the shape of a shield on the face of the oval. There were two crossed swords with the points of the swords in the top corners. There was a closed fist between the points of the swords at the top, and three green shamrocks in a row below the handles across the bottom of the crest. It reminded me of a design I'd seen on a pirate flag before.

"Yes, the design is a family crest. It was given to me by my mom when they adopted me and I joined her family, but I had to go away for a while. I'll rejoin them in a couple of years, but I have to live here for now."

"If they adopted you, why did you have to go away?"

She didn't get to answer my question.

"Mr. Cullen, is there something that you'd like to share with the class?" Mr. Banner asked.

"No, Sir." I looked up, and saw Mr. Banner glaring back at us. Alice and Jessica had turned to look over their shoulders and were staring back at us. They must have found the situation hilarious from the grins on their faces.

"Then I'd appreciate it if you'd pay attention to the lecture. I'm sure Miss Swan is most enchanting, but you can chat her up on your own time," Mr. Banner continued.

"Yes, Sir," I replied. I shut up after that and we paid attention to the rest of the class lecture.

The rest of the class passed relatively quickly as I listened to Banner drone on about what we'd be doing this year and the class expectations. The high point of this class, of course was the fact that it offered the opportunity to take a test at the end of the term to qualify for college credit, just like AP English, in addition to fulfilling a graduation requirement.

I wanted to try and talk to Bella some more after class, but she jumped off her stool as soon as the bell rang, and dashed out of the room. I saw her meet Jasper in the hall, and it looked like he was carrying a rolled up set of gym clothes, and I assumed they were heading to PE for seventh period. Alice and Jessica met me in the hall as I walked out of the room and we started down the hall toward our lockers.

"So, Bella Swan is more interesting than Mr. Banners Chemistry lecture?" Alice asked with a grin on her face.

"Yeah, Cullen, c'mon spill, what did you two talk about?" Jessica said.

"Not much. She likes the weather here. She grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, but she burns in the sun. She said Jasper is special to her." I wasn't going to tell Jessica about the rest, I'd tell Alice later.

"I told you he was her boyfriend!" Jessica said like she'd been vindicated. Alice looked stricken, like she'd seen her puppy run over in the street.

"She didn't say that he was her boyfriend," I corrected quickly. "She just said he was special, they could just be good friends."

"I'll believe that when I see it. For now, they're an item in my book," Jessica announced. Then she changed the subject. "Are you and Katy coming to the drive-in tonight?" she asked

"I don't know, her moms been sick, and she might want to stay in with her," I said.

"Ok, well Alice can always keep us company if you don't have time for your other friends," Jessica teased.

I told them goodbye, and went on to my locker and dropped off my Chemistry book and notebook, and got my things for US History II. I went down the stairs and down the hall to the last classroom on the south end of the hall, and walked in to find a seat.

Alice was sitting in the front row, and was saving me a seat so I went and sat next to her. Angela looked like she was saving a seat for Ben. Tyler and Lauren were sitting in the back of the room, and it looked like they were well on their way to making up. Ben came in right before the bell, and Mr. Abrams got the class started.

The class followed the same drill as the rest of the classes I'd been in today. Mr. Abrams took roll and handed out text books. He discussed the class, assigned a section to read in the book and review questions to answer, and then the bell rang ending the official part of the school day. Alice told me she'd take my things for me because I'd need them tonight anyhow, and I left for the gym to go dress out for cross country practice.

I went into the locker room, and some of the guys from the last class were still getting dressed. It was the last class of the day, and they didn't have to hurry. Besides, the coaches tended to let the last class of the day run longer, because they knew the kids didn't have to rush to make it to another class. I would have preferred to have been in the seventh period gym class, so I'd be warmed up for practice, but my schedule hadn't worked out that way with the advanced classes that I was taking.

I went to my locker to change, and noticed Jasper Whitlock getting dressed. I don't normally check out guys in the locker room, but something seemed strange about him, and I took a harder look than a simple glance in passing. I realized his back and arms were crisscrossed with scars. Some of them long thin and straight like the scar on his face, others jagged and irregular, and a lot of small half-moon shaped marks on his arms, shoulders and neck. He pulled on his shirt and started to button it, and I turned away and made quick work of changing to run.

Jasper turned, and gave me his cold hard stare as he walked past and went out the door, but I ignored him. I pulled on my running shoes, and followed him out of the locker room and out to the parking lot in front of the school. Some of the kids were already starting to stretch and warm up for practice when I got there, and I went over to say hi to Alice and Katy.

"Hi Edward, ready to run?" Katy said as she came up and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to getting the season started," I said as I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead, but I was watching Bella Swan as I looked over the top of her head.

I saw Bella stiffen as I embraced Katy, and I was pretty sure she was reacting because I was holding Katy in my arms. Alice looked at us, and then over at Bella, and sighed, then she surprised me.

"You don't really think Jasper is Bella's boyfriend, do you, Edward?" Alice asked.

"No, I think they're friends, and they might have some other relationship, but I don't think he's her boyfriend."

"Good, 'cause I think Jasper's hot, and I'm going to get to know him better."

Katy and I both stared at Alice like she'd grown a second head. She never talked like this! Alice had never shown even the remotest of interest in any of the guy's at school, and now suddenly she wanted to chase after Jasper Whitlock? She hadn't even met him yet, and knew almost nothing about him!

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Alice?" I asked. "You don't know anything about him, and he looks dangerous." I looked over at Jasper and Bella, and I felt the same cold chill run down my spine that I'd felt in English as I thought about Jasper covered in scars.

Alice just shrugged, "Sometimes you just know," she said, and I thought she was going to go talk to him, but she didn't get a chance.

Jasper and Bella were waiting by the curb when a brand new red Dodge Charger pulled into the parking lot. I could tell that the driver had to be lit to the gills from the way they weaved through the parking lot, screeched to a stop for some pedestrians, tentatively jerked to a start, and then weaved forward again. I could smell the alcohol on the breeze out the open window, and then the car stopped, almost driving up on the curb in front of Bella and Jasper. I could see that Bella was pissed off, and she went to the driver door and pulled it open.

"Move over, I'm driving!" she yelled at the person in the car. She threw her school bag in, and got into the driver seat, and slammed the door.

Bella was yelling, and I could hear Jasper trying to calm her down as he got into the back seat. They were arguing, but I thought I heard from all the way over where I was standing, "Appearances be damned… this car… birthday… from Rose… I'm not going to let… wreck it… can't hold her liquor!"

I got a look in the passenger window then, and was shocked to see Marilyn Dahlke, cringing against the passenger door as she held her head. She looked like she was drunk and absolutely terrified as she pressed herself up against the door to move as far away from Bella as she could. Then the car backed off of the curb, and tore out of the parking lot and back up Spartan Avenue. I was watching as they left, and I saw Bella turn and look in my direction as she drove out of the lot, and then they were gone.

We were standing there stunned, when Coach Newhouse came out to the parking lot to get us going. Samantha Newhouse was the girls PE coach, and she was the coach for the cross country team. Coach Clapp coached the football team, but he'd travel with us to away meets as a chaperone, as long as there was no conflict with the football schedule. We only hosted one home meet during the season, so we would have to travel to all of our other meets. Forks high school was the only high school in the county, and all of the meets on the schedule were a 3-5 hour drive each way, so we'd be logging a lot of bus hours again this season.

Alice said goodbye, and told us she'd come pick us up after practice. She had her own set of keys for the Volvo, and she waved as she danced out to the car and got in and left. Coach Newhouse asked how we were doing and gave a speech about how we were going to have a winning season, and then she had us start stretching to loosen up to run.

Katy and I led the pack as we went for a four mile run around Forks, and Coach Newhouse ran with us, and kept our pace. Katy had finished third in the women's 1A class State finals, and I didn't have to hold back to pace her. It was a good run, and it looked like both the boys and girls teams were shaping up nicely, this year. We got back to the school and rested for a minute and did some cool down exercises, and then Samantha dismissed the practice.

Katy and I went back into the locker rooms to grab our clothes, then into the school to get our things that we'd need for homework tonight, and finally went out to get in the car to leave. We'd shower and change when we got home, right now we just wanted to relax.

Alice was waiting for us when we came back out of the school and we got into the backseat together and let Alice drive. Katy leaned into me, and I held her, but we were too tired for anything more right now. It just felt good to hold her and feel her pressed against me.

"Jessica asked if we were going to the drive-in tonight," I said as Alice drove us to Katy's house.

"Mom hasn't been feeling well, and I think I'll stay in with her tonight. Dad's on the road, and I don't feel right leaving her alone. You can go hang out if you'd like. Will you call me later?" Katy asked.

We pulled up in front of Katy's house, and I got out with her.

"Of course, love. Tell your mom I hope she feels better. I'll call you tonight," I kissed her goodbye, and waited until she was in the house, and then I got in the front seat with Alice.

Alice pulled away from the curb and started for home.

"Ok, Edward, what else did Bella Swan say in chemistry, that you couldn't say in front of Jessica?" Alice asked me.

"Not much, I'm pretty sure Jasper isn't her boyfriend. I asked her about her ring, and she said her mom gave it to her when she was adopted. I was going to ask why she wasn't with her family when Banner caught us talking."

"That's strange," Alice said. "This ring she was wearing, was the design a family crest, quartered silver and gold in the shape of a shield with two crossed swords with the points of the swords pointing up, a closed fist between the points of the swords, and three green shamrocks in a row across the bottom?"

"Yeah, that's it. When did you get a look at her ring?" I asked

"I didn't," Alice replied. "Jasper was wearing the same design in the cuff on his wrist."

"That strange, if she got that ring when she was adopted and Jasper wears the same family crest, then maybe he's her brother."

"Ok," Alice said with relief. "I'd rather think of him as her brother than her boyfriend."

"Well, I think something funny's going on. You know about Rich Dahlke, he doesn't strike me as the foster parent type, at least not one that's up to any good. Marilyn Dahlke was scared shitless and drunk as a skunk when she came to pick them up, and she doesn't drink, at least not like that. Stacy Horner had the same reaction in English this morning."

"Yeah, I saw that, but I figured it was just first day jitters," Alice said.

We were home now, and Alice pulled into the garage and parked. We got out, I grabbed my bag and we went into the house.

"I'm going to go shower, and then go for a ride. Take the Volvo if you go to the drive-in later. I'll ride my Harley so I don't have to drop you off later, ok?"

"Got a big night planned, Edward?" Alice asked with a sly grin on her face. "Should I call Katy and warn her to lock her windows?"

"I don't need to use the window; she'll meet me at the door with a smile on, and not much else if I ask nice."

Alice laughed as she went into her room, and I went into my room and laid my bag on my desk. I went to my dresser and got clean underwear, and went to the bathroom and showered. I changed into the clean underwear, and went back to my room and got dressed.

I put on my comfortable faded jeans with the holes in the knees, and my motorcycle boots, then grabbed a black t-shirt with a grey graphic screen print that wrapped around the shirt. I pulled on my leather jacket, and grabbed my wallet and cell phone out of my school clothes, and went back down to the garage. I pulled on my helmet and my mirror shades, got on my Harley, and kicked it to life.

I pulled out of the garage and down the drive, and got the Harley headed south east down the road. I cruised down Merchant drive, and it bugged me to think about Bella and Jasper staying with Rich Dahlke and his wife. I turned left on Calawah Way without really thinking about it, and cruised east up the road. I really hadn't made a conscious decision, but I found myself pulling off the road into the small park next to the Dahlke's house.

The Dahlke's lived in a large single story ranch style house just south of where Calawah Way turned north. The house was on the southeast edge of the east half of town, and was right up against the surrounding forest. There was a small unnamed Park on the west side of the lot next to the house on the same street. The Park was really just a large open grassy field. There are a couple of picnic tables and a barbecue pit with a view of the Dahlke's backyard with enough trees around them to block the view from the street and the main house.

I killed the engine, and leaned the bike onto the stand. I got off, slid my shades into my shirt pocket and took off my helmet and set it on the gas tank over the speedometer and tachometer bump. I climbed onto the picnic table and sat down and took a look at what I could see of the Dahlke's house and yard.

The brand new red Dodge Charger was parked in front of the detached garage on the east side of the lot behind the house. Rich Dahlke's police cruiser wasn't around, and he should probably still be on duty. I didn't see anyone moving around, and the place looked pretty quiet.

For some strange reason I couldn't identify, I wanted to protect Bella Swan, and I was nervous and jittery thinking about her being involved with a low life scum like Dahlke. I needed to relax, and I had a solution for that. I reached into my pocket, and got out my pipe and a baggie from the latest batch of smoke I'd picked up from Jacob. I pinched off a chunk of bud and loaded it into my pipe, and fired up, sitting there checking out the house.

I was starting to relax, and let the sweet pungent smoke carry my worries away. I never heard a sound, not a foot step, nothing… one second total silence, and the next…

"Hey Edward, were you looking for something I could help you with?" Jasper said behind me.

I nearly jumped off the table. I turned, startled and looked over my shoulder, and Jasper Whitlock was standing next to me close enough to touch. I let it go, and played it off like it didn't faze me, but I was freaked out that he could get that close without me noticing.

"Nah, just hangin' out. I had a bad feeling about what I saw in school today, and wanted to make sure everything was ok."

Jasper came over and sat down on the table next to me. He seemed intrigued that I didn't react with fear like the other kids in school had.

"Well, I suppose I should thank you for your concern, but everything is ok," Jasper said.

"I was worried about you and Bella," I told him. "Rich Dahlke isn't exactly a straight arrow kind of guy. I don't peg him as the foster parent type, unless he's working some angle."

"May I," Jasper asked, and held out his hand for the pipe.

I handed it to him, and he reached into to his pocket for a lighter, and took a hit off the pipe.

"This that dogshit that Sam sells down on the rez?" Jasper asked. "His quality has improved since he first started. This is better than what they push in Seattle." Jasper handed me back the pipe.

I knocked out the pipe, reloaded it, and handed it to him to fire up.

"Yeah, only the best for the home boys. You should have seen the ditch weed these kids in Forks were buying before I hooked up with Sam." Jasper took a hit, and handed me back the pipe.

"You don't have to worry about Dahlke," Jasper said. "I can handle him, and he won't cause any trouble, or he'll be sorry." I took a hit off the pipe, and handed it back to him.

I was quiet as I thought about that. It was kind of scary that Jasper was confident enough that he spoke of making Rich Dahlke sorry if he stepped out of line, but I was good at reading people, and somehow I knew he could back up what he said. It wasn't an idle boast that Jasper was confident he could take on one of the local cops and come out on top. Jasper took a hit and handed me back the pipe.

"You can keep this quiet, Edward, right? This isn't the kind of thing we'd want to have spread around town." I took a hit off the pipe, and handed it back to him, but he held up his hand and shook his head no.

"Yeah, I'm cool with that. If you have something on Dahlke to put him your pocket, that's your own business. I don't spread stories, I just wanted make sure you knew the deal here and weren't in over your head. My sister had a bad experience in foster care and we keep an eye out."

Jasper nodded, letting it go, and changing the subject. "So, what do you guys do for excitement here in Forks?"

"Not much. There's surfing out at the beach. The local kids hang out at the drive-in in town most nights. There's a bowling alley with a couple of lanes and some pool tables. They don't card, if somebody they know vouches for you. If you want to catch a buzz, I can hook you up, or point you in the right direction for harder stuff. You want dancing or an all night party, you need to hit Port Angeles or Seattle."

"'bout what I figured. So that blond chick with the nice ass, she's your girlfriend? You guys serious?"

"Yeah, pretty serious, we've been dating for a little over a year now." I had the feeling that Jasper wasn't really curious, but was asking for information to pass on.

"What about your sister, Alice, does she have a boyfriend?" Now we were getting somewhere. It took him an awful lot of beating around the bush to ask what he was really interested in.

"Alice? No, she's not into guys. Never dated once, since we moved here." His eyes got big, but I was messin' with him.

"She doesn't play for the other team, does she?" Jasper asked, startled

"Nah, I'm messin' with you, dude. She's into you. She thinks you're hot, and wants to get to know you. Shocked me, because she really hasn't dated since we moved here. She'll probably be at the drive-in tonight if you want to say hi."

I was still worried that Jasper was dangerous, more so now that he knew about Dahlke, and wasn't worried about being able to put him in his place, but I knew Alice and she wouldn't stay away. I was good at reading people, and Jasper seemed like a standup guy, despite the scars and his confidence in his ability to control this situation.

"So, you don't mind if I get to know your sister better?" Jasper asked

"Just to set the record straight, you and Bella aren't dating or anything, right?"

"Bella? No, she's like a sister to me. Nothing romantic," Jasper confirmed.

"Ok, no, I don't mind, as long as Alice is happy and you treat her with respect. If you hurt her, then we'll have to talk, but she can handle herself."

"Thank you, Edward. Don't worry; I'd never do anything to hurt Alice. I better leave now, Rich should be home soon, and I have to talk to him about this afternoon. I'll see you around," and Jasper got off of the table and silently melted into the trees and was gone.

I knocked out the pipe and put it away. I put my mirror shades back on and got on the Harley. I put on my helmet, and kicked the engine to life, and got back out onto Calawah Way heading southwest. It was twilight now, and I rode to the drive-in.

Tyler's van was parked in the usual spot, and the Volvo and Jessica's Impala were parked next to it. Michaela's Nissan Sentra and Ben's Eclipse were parked out front. I pulled around and parked the Harley between Tyler's van and the Volvo. I took off my shades and slid them into my pocket and took off my helmet and left it on the bike. I got off the Harley, and walked over to where everyone was hanging out.

Alice and Jessica were sitting at a picnic table talking, and Angela and Ben were sitting listening. I figured Tyler and Lauren were in the van 'making up' from the steamed up windows. Mike was over talking to Michaela and Brittany and some guys from the football team. Alice gave me a sisterly hug, and I sat down at the table.

"Did you eat already?" I asked Alice.

"Yeah, I didn't wait," Alice said. "I didn't know when you'd get here. So, where did you go on your ride?"

"I was worried about what happened with Marilyn Dahlke this afternoon, and went to check out the Dahlke's house."

"Really," Jessica said, her eyes lighting up in anticipation of some juicy gossip. "What did you find out?"

I shrugged. "I hung out in the Park by the house, to see if there was anything going on. Jasper was there, and we talked. He's pretty cool."

"Well what did you talk about," Jessica persisted.

"Guy stuff," and I winked at Alice. "You know, who's hot, who's dating who, what we do for kicks. I told him he should come by tonight and meet people."

"Well, did you ask him?" Jessica whined.

"Ask him what? Sorry, but I'm not into guys, Jess. I thought you would have figured that out by now. Don't you and Katy talk?" I teased her. I knew what she wanted to know, but she had to ask the right question.

"Edward! Is Bella Swan his girlfriend?" Jessica asked, frustrated that I wouldn't give her a straight answer.

I grinned and picked up the phone on the table, and ordered a burger, fries, and a Pepsi, and let her stew for a minute while I was busy talking to the order desk in the drive-in.

"C'mon, Edward! That's not nice!" Jessica whined when I was done ordering.

I took pity on her and ended the suffering. "No, Bella Swan isn't his girlfriend, Jessica. He said she's like a sister to him."

"Huh," Jessica sighed, seeming to deflate. Then she asked, "So what was the deal when they got picked up today then," she asked. "I heard Marilyn Dahlke was drunk off her ass, and nearly ran some kid over in the school parking lot in her new car."

"Why don't you ask him yourself," and nodded my head toward the driveway behind her.

Jessica and Alice turned around, and the red Dodge Charger was pulling into the parking lot of the drive-in. Bella Swan was driving, and Jasper Whitlock was in the passenger seat. Bella pulled around and parked next to Jess's Impala, and I got up to go over and meet them as everyone sat there and stared.

Jasper got out of the car, and was carrying a brown paper sack. I held up my fist and he bumped my knuckles. I slapped him on the shoulder, and said, "Good to see you again, I'm glad you decided to come down. Let me introduce you to my friends."

We went back to the table, and I made the round of introductions. We already knew each others names and faces from school today, but it was more of an ice breaker to have one of our group vouch for them, and invite them to be sociable. Jasper sat down next to me at the picnic table, but Bella hung back a bit, slightly wary, and I thought she seemed shy to meet new people.

The girl from the drive-in brought out my food, and I paid her. Then I turned to Jasper and Bella.

"Are you guy's hungry, can I order you something?" I asked.

"No, thank you. We ate before we came over," Jasper said and I thought I saw the corners of Bella's lips rise in the ghost of a smile, and wondered what the joke was.

Jasper set the brown paper sack on the table, and I could see that it was a bottle. He produced two shot glasses and set them on the table between us, and then picked up the bottle and slid the sack down so I could see the Jack Daniels label.

"You were sociable, this afternoon, welcoming us to town, so I thought I'd return the favor." He cracked the bottle open, breaking the seal and poured a couple of shots.

Jasper and I picked up the shots, and Jasper raised his glass and said, "Salute," and tossed it back.

I picked up my shot and tossed it back and set the shot glass back on the table. I felt the whiskey burn down my throat and settle in my stomach, as the fire burned through me.

Jasper turned to Bella, and asked, "How're ya holding up Bells, you thirsty? Alice how about you, ya game girl?" Jasper asked. I looked at Bella, and she smiled, but her eyes looked darker in the subdued lighting. Jasper glanced at Alice and she nodded, and he poured her a shot. She picked it up and knocked it back and set the glass down.

"Yeah, hit me. I need something to take the edge off," Bella said, and Jasper poured her a shot. She tossed it off, and set the glass down, and I swear her eyes looked lighter when she set the glass back down.

I ate my burger and fries as the shots made the rounds. Jessica took her turn, and Mike came back over when the bottle came out. Tyler and Lauren finally came up for air and joined the party to say hi. I couldn't tell if Bella was just shy, or if something was bothering her, but she kind of hung back from the group, like she smelled something bad.

I got up and threw away my garbage and set my empty basket on top of the trash can. I came back to the table but walked over to talk to Bella. I could feel the attraction between Bella and me, but I kept a friendly distance between us, and she didn't back away. I took out my pipe, loaded the bowl, and fired up. I offered it to Bella, and she nodded with a smile, and took it from me. She took a big hit, we moved closer to the table and she handed the pipe to Jasper as she held the smoke in. I was surprised how long she held it, and then blew the smoke out through her nose.

"Thanks', I needed that," She said.

"Hey, no problem, anything for a friend in need."

"So, where's your girlfriend tonight?" Bella asked.

"Her mom's sick, and she stayed home to keep her company. Katy's dad drives truck for a living, and he's on the road, so she didn't want to leave her home alone."

Alice came over then. "Hey, Bella, so what do you think of Forks so far, are you settling in ok?"

"Sure, Forks is fine. I've always lived in bigger cities, though. It's going to take some time to get used to such a small town."

"You know, I go to Port Angeles a couple of times a week. Maybe you'd like to go with me some time. Edward usually drives with me, but with the cross country season is starting up, he's going to be busy some of the nights I need to run out there."

"That might be fun sometime…" Bella said.

"C'mon, walk with me, I need to go inside for a minute. We can talk," Alice said, taking her by the arm.

"Ok, Alice…"

"So, what are you doing for lunch tomorrow…" and they walked around to the front of the drive-in to go inside.

I hung out by the table with the guys for a while, as people got to know Jasper. He was quiet, but responded questions and was sociable. He got to know people, and didn't seem so distant and dangerous now. Tyler got another pipe out, and dipped into his stash to share with the group, and people were feeling good and relaxing.

I was wondering what Alice was up to when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I got it out and checked the caller ID. It was Katy so I answered the call.

"Hey Katy, how's your mom doing?"

"Hi, Edward, Mom's fine. She wasn't feeling any better, so she went to bed early. What's up with you?"

"I'm at the drive-in. Jasper and Bella came down to meet some people, and we were having a little party."

"That sounds like fun, I'm sorry I missed it."

"Yeah, it looks like Alice is trying to make friends with Bella, so we'll probably be seeing more of her."

"That's cool. You know, Edward, mom took her Nyquil and a big dose of her cough medicine with codeine. She's gonna be passed out for like the next twelve hours, and a truck could drive through her room and she wouldn't wake up."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of lonely over here tonight. Want to come keep me company?"

"I can be there in five minutes, ok"

"Cool, I'll be waiting."

"I'm on my way," and I ended the call.

I collected my pipe, and told everyone good night, and went over to my Harley. Everyone had figured out I was heading over to Katy's, and I had to put up with some cat calls and bawdy advice, but I pulled on my helmet, put on my shades and kicked the engine to life. Bella and Alice were coming back outside when the engine roared to life, and I waved goodbye.

I walked the bike backward out from between the van and the Volvo, and pulled out of the parking lot heading west, and then turned northwest onto Sol Duc Way. I went up a long block and turned left onto the road into Katy's neighborhood. I cruised over to her house on the west side of the tract, and pulled up the driveway and around under the carport in front of the garage. The house was kind of secluded, and right up against the surrounding forest.

I parked the Harley, and took off my helmet and mirror shades as I walked up to the side door into the house. Katy pulled the door open and told me to come in, before I had to knock. I walked in, and set my helmet down on the kitchen table. Katy said hi, and I took off my leather jacket and hung it on the back of a chair at the table.

I turned to look at Katy, and my breath caught in my throat. Her hair was down and loose around her shoulders, instead of her typical pony tail, and she was wearing a loose pink sleep tank top and matching pink boy shorts set.

She stepped over to me and put here arms around my waist as she pressed herself up against me. She inhaled deeply as she laid her head against my chest. And I wrapped my arms around her.

"Mmm, you smell good, and I missed you so much tonight, Edward."

"I thought about you too. You look like you're ready for bed."

"Well, I was lying in bed thinking about you, when I called you."

"Just thinking about me?" and I reached down and took her jaw in my hand. I caressed her chin and ran my thumb over her cheek as I raised her chin to look into her eyes. She blushed a delightful shade of pink.

"Well, maybe not just thinking…" and I bent my head down and kissed her, cutting off her explanation.

I reached down and took her hand and raised it to my nose, and I could smell the scent her juices on her fingers and hand. I pressed her hand to my lips and kissed her palm.

Katy stepped back and took me by the hand, "C'mon," and she pulled me out of the kitchen and through the dining room to the hallway, as she padded through the house in her bare feet.

We went down the hall to her bedroom, and she pulled me inside and closed the door and locked it. The bedside lamp was on, and I could see the pink comforter and lavender sheets of Katy's double bed thrown back where she'd left the covers pushed away when she got up.

Katy stepped away from the door, snaked her arms around my neck and tangled her fingers in my hair as she pressed herself against me, pulling my face down to hers. I wrapped my arms around her, and our lips met as we kissed. Her lips parted and her tongue ran across my lips as she begged for entry. My lips parted and I felt her tongue in my mouth on my teeth and then deeper.

I felt the tug in my stomach again that I come to associate with Bella Swan being nearby, as I kissed Katy and I knew it was crazy. I was holding Katy in my arms, why would I be thinking about Bella Swan?

She broke the kiss and reached down and took my hands and pulled me towards her bed. "C'mon, let's get more comfortable," and the feeling in the pit of my stomach got stronger as we passed her window.

Katy sat on the edge of her bed, and waited as I took off my boots, then I moved in front of her and stood between her legs as she undid my belt. I ran my fingers through her hair and caressed her shoulders as she unsnapped my jeans and pulled down the zipper of my fly.

Her hands gripped my jeans at my waist and pulled them down over my boxers and hips to my knees, and I kicked them off and stepped out of my pants.

I toed off my socks, and then eased Katy back on the bed as I climbed in with her and we lay back on her pillows between her lavender sheets. I could still feel the tug in my stomach but I pushed it to the back of my mind and concentrated on the girl in my arms.

Katy wrapped her arms back around my neck and ran her finger through my hair, lightly scratching my scalp as I rolled towards her halfway covering her and pushed my leg between her thighs.

She pulled my face to hers, and our lips crashed together. I sucked her lower lip between mine, running my tongue across it tasting her, and then my tongue was pushing into her mouth, probing for hers, our tongues met, slick and velvety as they moved against each other in her mouth.

I was resting my weight on my elbow as I held Katy, and I slid my free hand up her stomach under her pink tank top trailing up her ribs to her chest. I found her perky, soft warm breast and gently massaged it with my strong hand as I brushed my thumb over her nipple and I felt it harden under my touch.

Katy moaned against my lips and pressed her breast harder against my palm, as my leg moved against her core between her thighs. I could feel her heat and moisture against my leg as she bucked her hips against me, urging me to press harder against her.

I was startled to hear a ferocious growl rip from the forest outside Katy's window, but I ignored it and didn't skip a beat as I deepened our kiss and played with her nipple.

Katy broke our kiss to catch her breath, and she was breathing hard. I kissed along the line of her jaw to the hollow below her ear and down the column of her neck to her collar bone.

Then Katy placed her hand on my shoulder, pushing me back. I went with it and rolled onto my back, pulling her with me as she moved on top of me and straddled my hips. My cock was hard as steel inside my boxers, and Katy pressed herself up against me rocking her hips to grind her hot core against me.

I had both hands free now, and I took the hem of her tank top and lifted it and pulled it off over her head. I reached for Katy and lay my hands against the hard muscles of her stomach and spread my fingers to feel her as she moved against me, grinding against my hard cock.

I heard another ferocious growl rip through the forest outside Katy's window, and it was kind of hot to think about some wild animal or cougar stalking its prey in the forest outside as I moved my hands on Katy and she ground against my hard cock.

Her body was perfect, lean and athletic from days at the beach swimming and surfing and our running. Her strong muscles moved under her flawless skin as I traced my hands up her body. My thumbs grazed the line up the center of her stomach to the middle of her chest and my hands cupped her breasts.

"God Edward… Your hands feel so good…" She moaned as she pressed against my hands.

Katy arched her back and pressed into my palms, as I moved my thumbs to caress her hard nipples. She leaned forward as she pressed herself into my strong hands and I lowered her to my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her and rolled us over, and knelt between her knees. Katy reached for my shirt and started to pull it up, and I grabbed the hem and pulled it off over my head and dropped it on the floor.

I leaned forward and kissed the hollow at the base of Katy's throat and trailed kisses down to her chest. My mouth moved onto her breast as I sucked her hard nipple between my lips and flicked it with my tongue.

I supported myself above her on my arm, and reached down and ran my free hand under the elastic band of her shorts, and down between her legs. I could feel how hot and wet she was and I stroked between her legs as she bucked against my hand.

"God Katy… you're so wet…" I moaned as I stroked her.

I trailed kisses down the center of her chest to her stomach and Katy gasped as my finger pressed into her moist heat and I circled her clit with my fingertip.

"Do you like that?" I asked as her hips bucked against my hand begging for more.

"God yes… More please… God! Don't stop now!" She whined as I pulled my hand out of her shorts.

I scooted back down the bed, and reached for the hem of her boy shorts, and Katy lifted her hips as I tugged them down and pulled them off, dropping them on the floor.

I reached for Katy's thighs with my strong hands and spread her legs as I leaned forward and kissed her between her legs. My tongue snaked out and pressed into her hot wet sex and I tasted her hot arousal. I reached forward and spread her lips open with my fingers as I licked her. I ran my tongue up her pussy to the top and flicked my tongue against her clit, and she bucked against me.

"Oh baby…So good…" Katy panted.

"God, that's fucking amazing… Oh, don't stop…"

There was a ferocious growl outside Katy's window and it sounded too close to be in the forest as I kissed her pussy and buried my tongue in her. The tug in my stomach seemed to be stronger, but then it started to ease off again as I concentrated on giving Katy pleasure.

I moved back down to her opening, and thrust my tongue deeply inside her as my nose pressed against her clit. Katy reached down and tangled her fingers in my hair, holding my head against her as I thrust my tongue into her and licked and sucked her hot pussy.

"Oh yesss…Right there…" Katy moaned.

Oh god… Edward…Harder! Yes…"

I moved back up to suck her aroused clit between my lips, and my hand moved to her opening stroking her to wet my fingers. I pressed two fingers into her and started to rhythmically stroke in and out of her as I focused on her clit with my tongue.

"Oh My God!!! Fuck…Edward! Oh god…Edward…"

"God…I'm almost there! Right there…Shit…Edward…"

Katy was pressing my head hard against her pussy as she panted and moaned my name. She bucked against me, but I held her pressed down against the mattress as I licked her and stroked my fingers into her hot wet core.

"Edward I'm gonna… Baby I'm almost there…"

"Edward! Oh god…I'm there!"

I felt a gush of wetness and her muscles clenched hard around my fingers as her clit throbbed and pulsed under my tongue. I held my tongue still but kept the pressure firm against her as her legs clamped around my head and her climax jolted through her.

An anguished roar ripped through the forest outside as Katy came hard and the tug in my stomach started to intensify again. I was a little distracted wondering if it was safe here for Katy and her mom by themselves, and I might need to call the police and warn then about a wild animal.

Katy's orgasm washed over her and carried her away, and I stroked in and out of her a couple more times. Her legs relaxed around my head as she started to come back, and I moved back up the bed and pulled her into my arms and held her until her ragged breath settled down.

I reached out and took her jaw in my hand and tilted her face up to mine and kissed her again, gently, but she wanted more and her tongue moved across my lips licking and probing and I opened my mouth to her kiss. She pushed her tongue into my mouth and our kiss deepened and became heated and passionate.

I felt her hands on the waist of my boxers, tugging them down and I lifted my hip to let her pull them down off my hips. I worked them down past my knee and kicked them off as Katy reached for my cock.

She wrapped her hand around my cock, stroking up and down my length. I felt her other hand dip between her legs, and then she was rubbing her own wetness on the head of my cock for lubrication as her hand stroked around the head on my dick and she ran her finger across the opening in the tip.

'God Katy… That's good… Oh god… Katy…" I moaned as she stroked my hard cock.

"Do you like that?" She asked with a wicked grin.

"God yes… God that's fucking great…

"Do you want me to make you come?" She teased.

The tug in my stomach was strong now, and another ferocious growl ripped from the forest outside Katy's window as she touched me and stroked my hard cock, but I was too busy to worry about some beast out in the yard right now as Katy worked her hands up and down my cock.

"Not yet, you vixen! I have plans for you to night…"

I wasn't going to last long with this kind of attention, and I pressed her shoulder back against the mattress and moved between her legs. Katy gasped and bit her lower lip between her teeth as I moved over her, but she raised her legs around my thighs.

"Tell me you want me to fuck you!" I ordered her.

I reached down and took my cock in my hand and stroked up her pussy between her hot wet lips with my cock and ground the head against her clit. She moaned my name, and I stroked up and down a few more times, as she bucked against me, coating myself with her slippery wetness.

"Oh my god… Baby please… Edward fuck me! I need you inside… Please…" She begged me.

I moved the head of my cock to her opening, and started to push into her, and Katy gasped as she wrapped her legs around me pulling me inside.

"Oh God Yes…Oh my god… Fuck me!" She moaned as my hard cock sank deep into her wet heat.

The ferocious growling outside Katy's window got louder as I pushed my cock into her, and I thought I heard something slam against the wall, but I was too preoccupied to worry about it as I thrust into Katy. The tug in my stomach was as strong now as when I had been standing next to Bella at the drive-in tonight but I pushed the thought out of head.

She was hot and wet, and her pussy gripped my cock as I thrust deeply into her until I was buried to the hilt inside her slick heat. My pubic bone was pressing against her clit, and then I set up a rhythm as I started to move inside of her lifting my hips to rock back into her.

"God Katy… you're so tight… So good…" I groaned as I started to move deep inside her.

"Oh god… Oh god… Edward fuck me!" She moaned as I thrust into her hot pussy.

I pulled back and rocked my hips forward thrusting into her slick wet heat, moving faster as she held me with her legs and our bodies moved together. Katy rocked her hips to meet my thrusts, and we crashed together as our bodies moved to the rhythm of our love making.

"Oh god… Edward Harder! Baby… Fuck me… Fuck me hard!" Katy groaned.

I rested my weight on my elbows as I pressed my body against hers and I hammered into her, thrusting hard and fast with her legs wrapped around my waist and her hands moved on my back as she pulled me to her.

God… Edward… I'm gonna… Baby I'm almost there!" she moaned getting louder as she got closer to the edge.

Katy moaned loud, and she pressed her mouth against my shoulder to muffle her cries as I felt her nails dig into my back as her pussy clenched hard around my solid cock and her legs gripped me tight as her orgasm carried her away.

The tug in my stomach was strong but it started slack off as though it was moving away as it played at the edge of my awareness.

"Uhnn… Uhnn… God… Kayt! I'm gonna… Uhnn… I'm almost there…" I panted as I plunged into her pussy!

I was on the edge, and began thrusting more urgently as I felt the tingling at the base of my cock in my balls and I knew I was going to come. I thrust hard a couple more times and then buried myself to the hilt inside her hot throbbing pussy as I shot my come deep inside Katy. The orgasm ripped through me and I felt my dick pulse as my hot juice flooded into her.

An anguished roar ripped through the forest outside as I came hard and shot my load into Katy's tight hot pussy. It was louder and more ferocious, like an injured jungle cat moving away to lick its wounds, and I heard a crash in the trees outside.

Katy held me tight as our orgasms flashed through us, and then we started to come back to our selves. I held her face and kissed her while we were still joined together and she caressed my shoulders as she held me against her.

The tug in my stomach was gone now, and had been replaced by the dull ache in my chest, but I ignored it as I held Katy.

After a minute, I pulled out slowly and rolled off of her pulling her into my arms. I reached over and pulled the covers over us and we held each other basking in the after glow, just enjoying the feel of our bodies pressed together in her bed.

*****

I woke up to the sound of Katy's cell phone ring tone on her nightstand, and I looked at her clock radio. It was late, and Carlisle would be pissed off if I wasn't home soon. I shook Katy's shoulder and she groaned slightly as she woke up, but she reached for the phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Ok, Alice, I'll let him know."

"Thank you, 'see you in the morning."

"That was your sister, she says to get your ass out of my bed and drag it home right now, or your dad is going to be pissed off for you coming in so late on a school night," and she set the phone back down on the nightstand.

I reached for her and kissed her again and she moaned against my lips. Then I broke the kiss and started to get up.

"I wish you didn't have to leave," Katy said.

"So do I," I told her as I gathered my clothes and started to get dressed.

Katy got up and put on a light pink robe that was hanging on the back of the door. I was dressed and pulled on my boots and she unlocked the door and held my hand as we walked back to the kitchen.

I could hear her mom snoring softly, down the hall, and I was surprised she hadn't woken up from all the commotion out in the yard earlier, but then we hadn't let it interrupt us either. I was glad she'd slept through it and hadn't caught me in Katy's room. She liked me, and thought I was good for Katy, but that only went so far, and she'd still be pissed off at me if she caught us together like that.

I pulled Katy into my arms and kissed her again at the kitchen door.

"Good night, Katy, I love you," I told her.

"I love you, Edward, I'll see you in the morning," Katy said, and then I picked up my helmet and went out the door.

I was still kind of freaked out from all the noises I'd heard outside the house when we were in bed together earlier. Logically, I knew the creature was probably long gone, and if it was still around, it would probably run from me. The full moon had risen high in the night sky, and there was enough light to see, so I walked around to the back of the house by Katy's window, and I was surprised how much of her room and bed I could see, even with her curtains closed.

I looked down, and there were footprints in the soft dirt of the flowerbed under the window, but they weren't animal tracks. They looked like a girl's high-heeled boot print, and I wondered who the fuck was spying on us.

I remembered hearing a noise that sounded like something slamming against the wall, and sure enough, there was a mark on the siding under the window. I looked closer and the board was cracked and splintered, but it looked like a mark from a fist. It was too small to be a man's fist, and I'd watched Alice break boards before, but even Alice knew better than to punch a wall. It would break her hand, but the board looked pulverized and splintered with the clear marks of knuckles in it.

The clouds cleared for a second, and I saw something on the ground under the window glint in the moonlight. I reached down and picked it up and held it up to the moonlight to take a look at it. I'd seen it before, this afternoon in fact.

It was part of a ring with the design a family crest, quartered silver and gold in the shape of a shield with two crossed swords with the points of the swords pointing up, a closed fist between the points of the swords, and three green shamrocks in a row across the bottom.

I slipped it into my pocket and scrapped away the marks of the footprints with my boot. I walked back to the carport and rolled my Harley down to the street before I started it and rode out of Katy's neighborhood and cruised home. I had a lot on my mind, and Bella Swan had a lot of questions to answer.

Author's Notes: Alternate Universe Changes for The Mating Dance

Alcohol and Drug use Note:

In this alternate universe, drugs and alcohol have a different effect on vampires. Vampires are able to consume and metabolize liquid beverages and drugs. The vampire's metabolisms are much faster than a humans and alcohol and drugs burn out of their system much faster and have a significantly lesser effect on vampires than humans.

While large quantities of alcohol can intoxicate a vampire, smaller social drinking amounts simply deaden the bloodlust, allowing them to socialize with humans. This affect is apparent from the relative darkness of the vampire's eye color, which can be viewed as an indicator of their relative bloodlust. The use of Alcohol allows vampires in a social setting to feed on humans without losing control to the bloodlust and killing the human. This also allows intimate relations with relative safety for the human partner.

Tobacco and marijuana will temporarily relieve the burn of the bloodlust in the vampire's throat to a significant but lesser degree than human blood. Marijuana has a much greater medicinal effect to relieve the burn than tobacco, in addition to the normal effects. Other recreational drugs have a similar effect to humans, but with reduced effect and duration and extremely limited potential for mild addiction because of the accelerated metabolism.