It has been three years since the Cullen's left me right after the disaster of my eighteenth birthday, and I have begun to be extremely grateful that they taught me so much about the monsters that are roaming in the dead of night and in the cloudy places of the world. I graduated highschool, ran into a few other Vampires that passed through Forks and threatened my life. The vampires were quickly taken care of by the Wolfpack on the Reservation of La Push. I owe them my life. I did a few years of community college on the road as I have run from Victoria, James' mate that the Cullen's killed in my first year of being in Forks. I have been more or less on the run from her for two years. I make sure to not stay in one cloudy city or state for very long, but to make sure to keep to the sunny states and to work nights so I was always in a crowded area when I worked to keep her from going on a killing spree wherever I was. Which is what led me to stop in San Antonio, Texas.
"Yo, Bella! You gonna be stuck in your head all night or you gonna do your job?" I am pulled out of my musing by Ebony Blake, my boss and owner of Crimson Tavern.
"Sorry Blake. I'm good." I grinned at her and grab a tray and a notepad stepping through the dancing patrons to the small steps that lead up to the tables filled with people. I may have come out of my shell, cause I don't hate crowds as much as I used to.
"What can I get you handsome cowboys?" I ask a table of four extremely pale men, almost all of them are wearing cowboy hats that hide their more than likely crimson colored eyes. Of course, I am in sunny Texas and get a table full of Vampires. Two of them look up, one male is instantly recognized, the other just raises and eyebrow at me.
"Hello, Bella." Drawls Jasper Cullen, his eyes have gone from topaz to an odd mix of orange and crimson. His friend has bright red eyes, and he grins at me, but it comes off more sadistic in nature than friendly.
"Good to see you, Jasper Cullen. I am shocked that you aren't with the rest of your forsaken family. What can I get you all to drink?" I give my best dazzling smile and prop one hand on my hip while I wait for a response.
"Actually, I'm no longer with those Veggie munchers, I am with my original coven." He smiles at me and I can feel the subtle flow of happiness and hope flowing from him.
"Your projecting, Jasper. Again, what can I get you to drink? Y'all are the only table that hasn't gotten anything to drink from the bar, and your making my boss a little anxious." I tell him, a little bite in my voice getting a little annoyed with his red eyed friend's smile.
"Peter, stop trying to scare the girl. I doubt you could scare her with all that she's seen in the last few years,"he snapped at the man I now know as Peter and looks back to me, "Just bring us a bottle of Jack and a couple of glasses. Also, see if you can get a break, I need to speak to you as soon as possible, it's important." I ignore the last part of his sentence and go to get his order, after that I completely make myself ignore the fact that there are vampires in my workplace. I continue the rest of my shift until last call.
"All right, you alcoholic fuckers, this is the last call. Finish your drink and get out! Dawn is only an hour away, people gotta go home and sleep!" I stand on the bar and shout over the commotion of music, dancing and laughter. After the announcement many of the partons are gone, leaving me, Jasper, Peter and the unknown vampires in the bar.
"You sure you can close up on your own, Bells?" Ebony asks me as she is donning her sunglasses, an elegant blonde brow perched above said shades.
"I got this, you go home." She smiles at me and walks out the front door, locking it behind her. I continue to ignore the vampires until the bar is spotless and ready for later tonight. I plop myself infront of Jasper, pouring myself a shot of the barely touched Jack, and wait.
"So, I see you've grown up a bit since I last saw you." I scoff at Jasper.
"You act like I'm a toddler Jasper. I'm a big girl." He smiles at me. I look at all three of the vampires, noting what I can about their appearance. Jasper is clad in jeans, a henley long sleeved shirt and cowboy boots. Peter is in jeans and a tee, and the third vampire is in a full suit , which I think is odd for this side of town. And the last vampire is the more ragged of the bunch, a ripped shirt, torn jeans with flip-flops.
"Let me introduce my coven. This is Peter, Joshua, and Calvin. They all were turned by me." I nod at each of them, noting the glint of hunger in Calvin's eyes. He must be the most recent.
"I take it, you left the Cullens not long after my birthday?" I try my best to keep the bite from my voice, knowing in the back of my mind, that he blames himself for me being left behind. I can tell by the glint in his eyes that I wasn't successful, and I sigh.
"Look, I don't blame you for that night. You're a powerful empath, who had recently changed to that shitty seeming diet. Your control would normally be incredible, being someone from your upbringing. Edward was a bitch that couldn't control his thirst. You and I are good. Got me?" he looked at me like I have grown another head.
"How do you know of my upbringing?" He sounds genuinely shocked, while Peter doesn't seem fazed at all.
"Peter, if you don't lose the weird look on your face, I'm gonna pour this whole bottle of liquor on you and light your ass on fire. I am not a meal, and none of you are gonna lay a hand on me." The growl in my throat is audible enough for them to register that I may actually be a threat to them.
"I may be human, but I can kill a vampire. I've found that alcohol mixed with a zippo make a beautiful burning vampire. And I know of your background because your more known in Texas than you think you are. I did a little digging, because no matter how much Alice tried to get you to lose the accent, it never worked. Renee moved us all over the southwest, I recognized it the first time I heard you speak. I knew your first name, and I figured that with the scars you have, and the way you hold yourself that you were a military man. That was honestly all I needed. Your suspicious disappearance after Galvaston had you marked as a deserter for a while, till they realized your horse and some blood had been found not far from where you were supposed to be. So after that you were marked as missing in action, though your family never gave up hope that you would return to them. It wasn't till after your parents died, that your sister finally gave you a gravestone in the family plot. Your family may not remember who you are fully, but they make sure to care for your gravestone, and talk about you as much as they can when they talk about family history. Many of you r great nephews joined the military after hearing your story. Now, what is so important that you needed to talk to me tonight? I would like to get some sleep before I have to be back in here this evening."
Jasper smiles at me, "The Volturi are after you. Edward went and got himself trapped with them after you became friends with those wolves back in Forks. They know that you know about us and that you are still human. But they also know that you've been pursued by Victoria, so they are conflicted about what to do with you." I raise an eyebrow at him as I finish my glass, and pour another, knowing that I'll need it for this.
"You know what? I have had enough of being in this bar, I am gonna go home and you can come with me and explain all this. My only stipulation is that Calvin and Joshua stay away. I can tell from the way that Calvin is practically drooling that he wants to take a bite out of me, and that will not do." I stand, down my drink and gather my things.
"Peter, keep an eye on them to hunt and be at the house waiting for my return." Jasper orders his men and they all nod to him, instantly disappearing from my sight.
"How are you going to get home? You've had a few drinks tonight, and I can tell that the Jack Daniels is going to impair your driving." I laugh at his mock concern and pull the keys to my tundra out of my pocket as I walk out the back door, to my dark red truck.
"I may have been the police chief's daughter at one point, Jasper, but I know what I can and can't do with what I have had to drink. You either get in, or we don't have the conversation. I don't know about you, but I smell like the bar and want a shower." He rolls his eyes at me as he gets in the passenger side, "Yes, ma'am."