Saturday morning was bright and sunny, so I took my motorcycle out for a ride through the back roads, under a canopy of trees. I felt true peace for the first time in the past three weeks. I'd forgotten how much I liked driving my bike- it made me feel like I was flying, and like I was invincible.

When I got back home, Charlie was up, staring at my bike in the driveway with quiet fury.

"I really wish you never learned to ride that thing," he said before taking a sip into his coffee.

"I've only ridden it on sunny days, like I promised, Dad," I reminded him.

"Still dangerous," he said.

I shrugged. "I'm careful."

"Others aren't- that's what I'm worried about," he said. "I'm going fishing with Harry Clearwater and Billy Black- I'll be back later."

"Okay," I said.

So I did my laundry for most of the day, and re-read Emma between folding and starting new loads. I think I had a granola bar somewhere between all of that. I noticed, however, as I sat by the living room, that there was a strange car that had driven by our house three times. It was sleek, and elegant, and a suave dark green. I wondered if it belonged to the Cullens briefly before it rolled away from the block again.

I rolled over and behind the couch, out of the view of the window and grabbed the landline phone. With shaky hands, I called the police station.

"Hello, you have called the Forks Police Department," a woman's voice said. "How can I help you?"

"Hi. This is Bella Swan from the Swan residence and I noticed a car drive by three times, it's a strange car, and I'm a minor home alone and do not feel safe," I said. "Could you please send someone to check it out?"

"Bella? Where's Charlie?" the woman on the other end of the line asked.

"Out fishing on the Rez," I whispered.

"I'm sending a dispatch," the woman said. "Call again if the guy passes by a third time. They'll be there soon."

"Thanks," I said as she hung up. The car passed a fourth time, but by that point a police car had shown up, and the officer scared the guy off. The officer asked a few questions and noted the car and its license plate as somebody to watch out for. I thanked the officer for his time and waited for Dad to get home.

Billy Black had dropped him off within the hour.

"I heard that there was some strange car staking out the house," Billy said. "I'm glad that you're okay."

"Me too," I said. "Thank you for taking Dad home so quickly."

"Not a problem," Billy assured me. "I want my best friend's daughter to feel safe. I know what that's like."

"How is Jake?" I asked.

"Won't stop talking about you," Billy chuckled. "Boy's infatuated."

"How funny," I said. "I told him I wasn't interested."

"Oh, he knows that." He smiled, but then frowned. "He told me you asked about the Cullens."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful, sir," I assured him.

"You better be," he said solemnly.

Charlie was furious about the stalker, and had given me a loaded gun in my bedroom as well as an extra pepper spray for my purse.

The next morning, after Charlie had driven off to fish again, I showered and got ready for my meeting with the vampires. I wore a blue blouse with white embroidery on it and a white skirt that went to my knees with the sneakers and tights underneath. Not the most sophisticated combination but it was what I had. I grabbed my purse and my yellow raincoat, and left the house to get in the shotgun seat of the silver Volvo waiting for me.

Edward gave me an eerie smile as I buckled up. "Are you ready?"

"Of course," I said. "Who doesn't want to go meet a bunch of vampires and convince them that you're not dating their son?"

He laughed as he pulled out. He played piano music from a CD, like Clair de Lune, and took me deeper and deeper into the woods of Washington. I had to admit, the forests did have something beautiful to add to the scenery. Then he pulled into a long driveway.

The house in the meadow was modern, with glass and light filling the meadow. I was excited. Edward unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door for me, like I was a child, and then he escorted me inside.

Sitting on beige and white furniture was a host of pale pretty people. Dr. Cullen was among them, as well as the Hales and the Cullens. But also among them were the four red-eyed vampires I met in Port Angeles, plus at least eight other red-eyed ones, and three beautiful blond sisters.

They all stared at me with eerily fake smiles. The red-eyed ones viewed me with what could only be hunger.

"What's going on?" I demanded, my heart pounding against my chest.

"We are the Olympic Coven," Dr. Cullen began. "An Alliance of all other Covens. The Romanians, the Egyptians, the Irish, the Amazonians, the Denalis, and the nomads of the South. We are to challenge the Volturi in one week- to bring back the old days. And they cannot have another reason to suspect us. Humans finding out about us is against their laws- and if they find out, they will not give us the opportunity we need to strike."

"The old days?" I asked, trying to stall.

The olive-skinned vampire man with red eyes smiled reminiscently. "When we were gods, and the humans bowed in their proper place!"

"So you're going to kill me now?" I asked, trying to sound as bored as possible.

"Sorry," Edward whispered, but before he could touch me that indigo energy field repelled him five feet. I stared at my hands, amazed, and caught off-guard when Jasper tried to grab my wrist. He bounced back, and hissed like he was a cat.

I backed away, and realized that despite my powers, I still might not be able to go anywhere. I grabbed a chair and threw it out a glass wall, and I ran. Several vamps tried to get in my way, but the indigo force field protected me, throwing them into walls and smashing furniture.

I ran into the clearing, where smoke tinged yellow filled the air. I glanced back at the house, and decided to take my chances.

I was about twenty feet into it when my adrenaline began to slow, and all I could hear was my heart thudding in my ears. I felt disoriented, not knowing my left from my right. Everything looked the same in the yellow smoke. I stumbled and fell to the ground. I got up again, but couldn't seem to run, and in the attempt fell over again.

Despite the world's spinning, I clawed at the ground, trying to crawl away from the scene. I wouldn't get myself killed today.

"Sleep," a voice crooned. "Sleep, Isabella."

"Who the hell are you?" I yelled. The panic sharpened everything, made me feel just a little more awake. I managed to get on my knees and crawl a little bit faster, before everything seemed to collapse beneath me. My eyes were half-shut, some weight pressing them down, and all I could make out was the yellow smoke. Someone stepped out, and there was a chuckle, and a murmur I couldn't make out.

I felt so weak.

Then the person reached to pick me up. I tried to hit them, but all my attempts did was wave at them. I felt so tired, defeated, weak, useless.

"Nice try, Isabella," the man said. He then picked me up in a bridal carry. By this point, my eyes were forced shut as I attempted to stay conscious. "Don't make me have to use force on you. My boss wants you delivered to him in one piece. Can't have damage."

"Stop, please," I rasped. I was thrown in the back of a car, against the leather seats. The door slammed shut, and I found I couldn't move- I was paralyzed.

"Help." I whispered. "Not fair."

Then it all went black.