CHAPTER NINE

ROSALIE

"Bella is Italian, right?" I asked as I squinted at the Cullen Manor kitchen television set. It was of far lower quality than our others due to the simple fact that we spent very little time in here.

Emmett looked up from his game. "I dunno. Some people just name their kids Isabella."

I rolled my eyes and returned my focus to the dusty cookbook Esme dug up for me. "Very helpful. Whatever. Humans like Italian food."

Emmett started laughing and I prepared for the worst of it.

"Are you learning to cook for her?" He wiggled his bushy eyebrows.

I crossed my arms and leaned back slightly. "So, what if I'm learning to cook? I appreciate learning new skills. If I did not, immortality would be quite boring."

He laughed. "It's going to taste terrible. You don't even remember what good food tastes like, I bet. I don't and I'm younger than you."

I glowered at my brother as I said regally, "I will follow the recipe to the letter. It will taste marvelous and our date will be fantastic."

Emmett gave an exaggerated, mocking sigh and said, "She'll probably pretend it tastes good, at least."

I worked on my recipe for a moment before a realization hit me.

"She should've texted me by now. Where's my phone? Do you have it?"

Emmett grunted, "Why would I have your phone?"

"Just check under you!" I ordered.

Emmett said, while standing to show me he wasn't hiding my phone, "You probably left it in the bathroom. You do that after every other shower you take."

"Good point." I scurried up the stairs to the bathroom claimed by the family ladies.

The shower thundered inside, and I could feel the steam from through the pale white walls.

I knocked on the door. "I left my phone in there! Can you hand it to me?"

"Just come in!" called Victoria's voice.

I twisted the doorknob and stepped slowly and hesitantly into the foggy bathroom. I saw a flash of red hair behind the grey curtain and averted my eyes.

"Sorry," I said hastily, and then quickly snatched my phone from the damp countertop.

As fast as I could, I stepped out of the bathroom and loudly shut the door behind me.

When I looked at my phone, I saw a text from Bella. I'm going to be a little late. I need to check on Jacob; I just heard that he started going through the change today, it read in bright letters on a lime background.

I tried not to be heartbroken, but my beautiful chicken parm was in the oven and I was entirely ready to give her a romantic dinner and a lovely dance. Lips pursed, I walked to the record player in my room and starting thumbing through the albums.

Suddenly, someone walked in behind me and I jumped.

"Did no one ever teach you to knock first?" I demanded, spinning to see my new "sister," Victoria the ginger murderer.

Her hair was soaked and she wore my fluffy pale pink robe and Alice's panda slippers. She smirked with those rosy lips as she knocked on my open door.

"Better?" She winked.

"Funny." I scowled.

She walked forward and started looking at the records beside me. "Choosing something for your date, are you?"

"Yes. I intend to have a candlelit dinner and a dance and see where we end up." It only occurred to me moments after speaking that that sounded sexual.

Victoria purred, "Classy and archaic. I think the human will appreciate it."

I selected The Mighty Hannibal and begin to open it before Victoria set her hand on mine to stop me. She held up another album, Julie London of all artists.

"Play this one for her. Trust me; it's better." Victoria smoothly set the record on the player and touched the needle to the first groove. The crackling, sexy tune began to play, and she closed her eyes softly. "I love this song. Don't you love this song?"

"Well, it is my album," I said crisply.

She slips off her slippers and rolls back her shoulders as the music begins. I watch her sway, her red hair flashing behind her. I think she wants me to dance too; I imagine Victoria is still trying to befriend me, as she has the rest of my family. Yet, I am more tentative to accept strangers than the rest of the Cullens. It was hard enough for Bella to break through, and I love Bella.

Victoria danced so smoothly. I bite my lower lip and move slightly to the beat. She sees me dancing and grabs me by the hands. We begin to spin. She closes her eyes as the song rises. I wonder what it is like to enjoy life as vividly as she does. She looks at me and licks her lips and I step back.

"I'm not interested. Stop flirting with me," I said coolly, trying to draw these ever important lines in the sand with my new coven member.

Victoria scoffed, making me feel like a sea slug. "I'm not hitting on you. I just want to be your friend. I like you. I want you to like me."

"And all that sexy dancing?" I demanded, trying desperately to defend my point and avoid embarrassment at her hands.

Victoria shrugged one shoulder. "Just how I dance to songs I like. I need to feel the rhythm. Do you ever go to concerts?"

"Rarely."

"I love them. I would hunt at them when I still drank human blood. But before I hunted, I would stand in the center of the huge crowd and I would close my eyes and just feel the rhythm and wild emotion wash over me. I'd just melt into that human madness. I can feel a little of that listening to music alone."

I couldn't help but remark, "It must be nice to not be so… reserved."

"I think it's the fact that I used to have crimson eyes. You enjoy life more when you drink human blood."

"I don't have a taste for it."

"Not at all? You don't go in public and smell someone sweet and think about what Amunet made you do?"

Yes, I think.

"No," I say.

"Fine. Convince yourself of that. I gave up human blood and I try not to miss it. But I know one thing that makes the ice princess tremble."

"What? You think it's you, I bet?"

"I'm not as full of myself as you assume. What you want, what you think about too often at night, is Bella Swan. You want to screw her senseless."

"I wouldn't even know how to start."

"I've slept with plenty of women. Would you like some advice?"

"Have you slept with many shape-shifting werewolves?"

"No. They were all humans who didn't survive the night, but I think the mechanics are the same, Miss Ice Princess Virgin. She's just strong enough to survive it."

"I want to sleep with her. Just not yet."

"So, you planned a romantic night in the house where your bed is without any plans to try something on her?"

"Yes."

Victoria shrugged as the song ended, and she slid Alice's slippers back on.

She left without another word.

[X]

I could not stop thinking about my conversation with Victoria as I finished cooking Bella's dinner and served it for her as she sat awkwardly at the kitchen table.

"I hope it doesn't taste like dirt."

"It smells amazing," said Bella. "Way better than the stuff I heat up for my dad. This belongs in some fancy restaurant or something."

"Perhaps you ought to taste it before you laud its praises."

I sat down across from her and faintly smiled. Bella shoved a bite into her mouth and exaggerated a pleased reaction. I pursed my lips to suppress a laugh.

In a strained voice, Bella said, "It's good. It really is."

I rubbed my lips together and said, "You don't have to eat it if you don't want to. I can ask Carlisle to pick up some takeout on his way home, if you'd like."

"No. No, it's… great. Just a little bit raw and… burned." Bella set down her fork.

I asked, "Both at the same time?"

"I like my meat rare."

"Not your chicken. I might be a vampire, but I know that rare chicken isn't a delicacy." I picked up my phone and shot Carlisle a quick text about Chinese food for Bella. He almost instantly responded that he would stop on his way home.

"It was really nice of you. I know cooking probably isn't fun for you."

"I love new skills. I never had an excuse to try cooking and I should learn. If we're going to be together for an eternity, I probably should learn to help feed you."

"I'm gonna do the cooking in our relationship. I already do it for my dad."

"We can take turns," I said. "You do one night and I do the other."

"And I'll defrost the extra rare chicken nuggets for our puppies."

"Our puppies?"

"Yeah. Little werewolf babies." Bella hesitated. "You don't want kids, do you?"

"No. I want them more than anything. I gave up on that dream, though."

"Yeah. Uh, you seem… uncomfortable."

"Talking about our far off future makes me ponder our immediate future." I summon all of my courage to speak my next words. "I want to try having sex with you before summer ends," I said, struggling to conceal my nerves. Bella's lips popped open in an almost perfect 'O.'

When she finally calmed down, "That doesn't sound bad," stammered the wolf in disguise. "Sounds good. It sounds good."

"If you aren't ready we absolutely don't have to. It scares me deeply, to tell the truth."

"I just always… I always thought I was going to wait until marriage. I know that sounds ridiculous and outdated, but…"

"But I have always felt the same way. I thought…" I fell into the rare situation in which I did not know quite what to say. I wrung my hands. "Victoria made me think about how much I wanted you. How much I want to take those scary steps with you."

"Victoria seems as interested in us as Alice. Except more in the ways the high school boys are, and not like a bubbly matchmaker."

"I didn't think of it like that," I said. "How about we agree to take things slow?"

"I'd like that." Bella smiled.

"Now, how about we cozy up with Netflix until Carlisle arrives with your food?"

[X]

That night, after Bella's dinner and the conclusion of a Pretty Little Liars marathon, my wolf became sleepy and I needed to tuck her in. We slipped up to my bedroom and Bella awkwardly shuffled her feet. It felt a bit odd to have a sleepover like this.

"Do you prefer a side of the bed?" Bella asked before rubbing her neck. "Uh, I guess you don't sleep. Vampires don't sleep."

"Do you prefer a side of the bed?"

Bella hummed for a moment as she thought. "I guess I like to sleep in the middle."

"Then I guess I like to sleep in the middle too," I teased with a well-practiced wink.

Bella breathlessly said, "Thanks for letting me stay over."

"I invited you to stay over. I deeply enjoy your company."

"I'd love to tell the Rosalie I knew six months ago she would say that."

"I suppose I reacted rather strongly to you moving to town."

Bella chuckled. "I thought you wanted to rip my throat out."

"In a literal sense, I did." I still do, I thought against my wishes. "But not because I disliked you. I disliked you because I wanted to rip your throat out."

"It must be really hard to go against your nature like that."

"I'm quite successful at it," I said, but then I again thought of Amunet and my heart sunk.

"You are. You all are. It's amazing, to feel so much love for people you don't even know that you would rebel against the way—the way your race is wired. It would've been really easy to lure me behind the school and just drink my blood."

Sitting down on the bed, I shrugged. "I can't say I didn't think about it."

Bella teased, a smile spreading on her face, "I'm a little nervous."

"I was being playful. I'm not going to drink your blood."

"I—I know. I'm just nervous to sleep here so close to you when I know we both want to, both plan to, both plan to sleep with each other soon. I sound like a dumb virgin, don't I?"

"I guess I'm not a virgin."

Bella grabbed my hand and I flinched. "You are. Just like you still count as a vampire who has never hurt a human. If someone is hurting you, if someone is forcing you, it doesn't count. You've never had sex, and you've never really drank human blood."

"I do not believe it works that way, Bella Swan."

I was surprised at the vehemence of my mate when she exclaimed, "Well, I do."

Softly smiling, I gazed at my love. "So brave," I mused. "I like brave Bella."

"I'd like her better if she didn't make my pulse race."

"So would I. You smell… so good."

"What happens if a vampire bites a werewolf?"

"I don't think anyone knows." I slowly leaned closer to Bella. She remained frozen in place, a soft smile painted on her lips. Cautiously, I touched my fangs to her neck. I meant to do it teasingly, playfully, sensually, but that fierce, vivid image of ripping out her throat and drinking every drop of her blood invaded my mind.

The moment I felt her pulse against my teeth, I jumped back.

Bella's smile faded away.

[X]

An hour or so after Bella left in the morning, the doorbell rang. I did not know why, but it made me shiver. Anything out of place felt foreboding after being captured by Amunet and Angelique. I crept up from the sofa and pressed my back against the foyer wall to eavesdrop.

"Aro, what a pleasant surprise," said Carlisle, and my eyes flashed wide.

"Amunet made quite a mess a few weeks ago, now didn't she?" said Aro in his chilling voice. I tried not to tense at the sound of it.

"Yes. I expect you cleaned it up." Pause. "Why are you here?"

"See, the interesting thing about being the leader of the Volturi is that you have no need to explain yourself to anyone."

Carlisle insisted, "I only meant to spark conversation."

"I need to speak to you about an interrogation with a cultist we at last captured. It is our first glimpse at information about Amunet's rebirth and plans. Since you are my old friend, I came myself, instead of acting as I would with anyone else."

"I appreciate that."

"Are you aware that Rosalie is listening in on our conversation?"

"No, I wasn't. Rose…"

I stepped out from my hiding place and nodded. Aro walked confidently across the room and took my hand. I expected him to read my mind, but instead, he raised it to his lips and gently kissed the top. "You are still the most beautiful vampiress I have ever laid eyes on."

"Thank you." The compliment made me uncomfortable somehow. Perhaps I simply did not like to be under his scrutiny in any set of circumstances.

He turned the conversation to Bella and I clenched my fists, saying, "I can imagine why the werewolf would want you."

I said crisply and clearly, desperately trying to protect the Quileute and my love, "They aren't werewolves. They don't bite or spread disease. They're shapeshifters."

"Oh, I am aware. I first planned to wipe them out, but then I investigated. So long as they leave the vampires I govern alone, I will leave them alone."

"They'll behave," I whispered.

"Good. Make sure of it. I would hate to disappoint you by killing your little girlfriend."

"They knew of vampires before they knew my family."

Aro scoffed. "Again, you are only telling me what I already know. Rosalie, Rosalie, Rosalie, do you not think you would be long dead and destroyed if I thought you had broken a law so important as that one? Do you not think those wolves would all be in graves if I thought they were a threat? I am here about Amunet and Angelique."

"Right. I'm defensive about Bella."

"Is there something I should know about your cross-species liaison?"

I composed myself and purred, "Good girls don't kiss and tell."

Aro laughed. "You never struck me as a good girl." He turned away from me and to Carlisle. "We need to speak somewhere privately?"

I watched them walk away.

[X]

Two drab days after Aro's surprise visit, "I cannot believe I agreed to this," I muttered to Bella as we crammed into the back of Alice's car with both Victoria and Tanya.

My sister generously offered the front to Bella's boring human bestie Jessica, presumably in hopes I would accidentally grope my girlfriend while trying to fasten my seatbelt.

"I'm so excited," said Jessica.

I was sick of her already, but I wasn't the type of girlfriend to tell Bella who she could and couldn't run with. She did spend a lot of time in the woods with giant, smelly dogs, after all. Jessica was a step up from that, albeit, sharing the Cullen lunch table and sitting beside the insufferable, bubbly human was trying at times. At all times. But she was part of our outcast group by this point, even if she was a clueless human.

"Road trip to Seattle!" sang Alice.

Tanya coolly asked, "I thought we were going to Bellevue."

"Which is basically Seattle!" continued Alice in her singsong tone.

"I made the best playlist for the trip," said Jessica, taking the liberty of plugging in her phone.

The bubblegum pop began and I turned to Bella. Wonderful, two plus hours of this.

Bella kissed my cheek and I softly smiled.

Maybe it would not be terrible.

[X]

We stood in Bellevue after an endless drive. It was only made pleasant by Bella beside me, and our whispered conversations. I hated that Victoria listened to them, however. The city was cute, hipster-y, wealthy with its own Prada store. It was the exact opposite of Forks; the only similarity was the dark sky and the trickling rain.

"The two richest men in history live just miles away," said Alice, as if she were a tour guide. "Which is why I think this is the best mall I've been to."

"You've been to most malls in the United States, as well as Europe. And South America," said Tanya, slowly shaking her head.

Alice pouted. She always made that cute instead of annoying. "Yeah. Just let me enjoy Bellevue Square, okay? It's charming and so… rose gold."

Tanya dryly explained, "That happens to be her latest invented adjective."

"One will catch on eventually," Alice insisted. "So, let's have our fun, fun, fun girl's day!"

"Ra ra yay," sarcastically said Victoria. She looked as displeased to be here as I was, but I knew once the shopping started I would feel quite a bit better. Maybe she would too.

"I wouldn't mind living around here," I said.

"Yeah. Suburbs, send our puppies to prep school with the other little rich kids."

"Puppies?" asked the human and Bella blanched.

"Nickname for kids," I said. "We talked about dogs as a metaphor for them to make it a little less scary and weird."

Jessica drawled, "Oh. That's cute. You two are way too cute for words. I ship you haaaaaard."

"Thanks," said Bella.

Victoria shot me a glance I couldn't decipher.

Bella grabbed my hand and held it tightly as we walked.

[X]

We stood inside of Macy's, just outside of the dressing room. Victoria, Tanya and Jessica all were sifting through armfuls of clothes and stepping out to show me, Alice and Bella. Bella had nothing but a small headband, Alice already finished adding a huge bag to her collection, and I held a new purse and wallet.

Jessica stepped out in a rather attractive outfit. For a human, she looked quite good.

"I'm trying to get a boy's attention." Jessica slowly spun around, arms outstretched.

Victoria stepped out of her dressing room in nothing but a bra and navy shorts and set her hands on her hips. "This sounds a little forward, but if I saw you in that dress and those heels, I'd jump your bones."

"Good." Jessica smoothed out the skirt and ogled herself in the mirror for a little while longer.

"So, can we know who the lucky guy is?" crooned Alice, batting her eyelashes. It was a move that never ever failed.

"Uh…" Jessica seemed abashed. I did not know she was capable of that emotion. "Your brother, actually. Emmett."

Ick. I shot Bella a glance. Victoria stifled a laugh against her hand.

"I got that vibe this year," said Alice, touching Jessica's arm sweetly. "From both of you. Best of luck, lovely."

I still could not get that out of my head until we arrived at lunch.

"I have gifts for the gang!" chirped Alice. She passed little, perfectly-wrapped presents with pink bows around the table. Jessica took one, as did I, as did Rosalie, Tanya and Victoria. "Open them. Open them!" She beamed.

I unwrapped mine neatly, keeping it intact. Jess eagerly ripped hers open, while Bella cautiously avoided displaying her unnatural strength.

When I opened the cardboard box, I saw a friendship bracelet with my name embroidered on it. Rosalie, in sunshine yellow against pale pink. It looked like the kind of thing human girls made at the summer camps I never attended.

It was a sweet gift, and a rather thoughtful one too. Although it did not match the usual style of jewelry I wore, I untied the clasp and knotted it onto my wrist.

"Thank you," said Bella. Alice beamed at her. Hers was identical to mine, except it had her name embroidered in purple against a deep, rich forest green.

She took my hand in hers again and our colors clashed.

In that moment, nothing in the world ever felt so right.

BELLA

Two days after my girls' day out with four vampires and a human, "Hey," I said as I knocked on Jake's open bedroom door. "Can I come in?"

I came to check on my half-brother for the second time. A few wolves went through the transformation this spring and summer, but I felt more obliged to be there for him. We were related by blood, and he was my close friend since childhood.

"Yeah," Jacob grunted, rolling over in bed.

This was it. The change into a shifter weighed down heavily on my half-brother's body. He looked worse for wear than I did when it happened to me. Granted, I thought it was the worst flu of my entire life, so it sucked. A lot.

"I brought you some tea. Your dad sent it up with me," I said, setting the cup down on his messy bedside table. Jacob just groaned. "I really doubt it'll make you feel any better but..."

"It's fine. Thanks."

"I'm going to go for a swim with Leah. Are you cool with that?"

"I'm not on my deathbed. You can let me sleep."

"Cool. I'll see you at the barbeque tonight… if you're up to it."

"I probably won't be."

"Uh, yeah."

Leah called upstairs, "You ready?"

"Yeah!" I shouted back. I turned to my half-brother. "Jake, see you later.'

He just grunted and rolled over again.

I walked out and down the stairs to see Leah talking to Rachel in the kitchen. Paul, Sam and Jared were on the sofa flipping through dull channels.

My pack grew exponentially over the past month. Billy said it was probably due to Amunet, the surge in supernatural anxiety thanks to her cult's presence so nearby. It made me rather certain she still was lurking in Oregon, or worse, closer than that.

Other imprints joined too. That happened faster than I thought it would. Maybe love at sight was not as picky as I thought. Or maybe God looked out for love, and put people together so they wouldn't be lonely for too long. I hoped it was the latter.

My half-sister was one of them. She came to town for the summer and Paul fell in love at first sight. It was, surprisingly, hardest of all to introduce her to the pack. I wondered constantly in the back of my mind if that was because I was the alpha. Or maybe she was just more of a skeptic than Emily or a vampire or a four-year-old. Rebecca remained in Hawaii, still not quite on speaking terms with her family. Jake said it was about fear. I tried not to intrude; the family still did not feel like mine. Yet, there I was, ambushed.

"So, I haven't really gotten the chance to talk to you," said Rachel. "I think you've been avoiding me this summer."

"Uh…" Yeah, she had me there.

"I always wanted a baby sister." Rachel smiled smoothly, patting me on the head. "And Paul likes you a lot."

"I'm glad he does. Being in charge of the pack is…"

"It's girl power. I love it. Anyway, you and Leah have plans, right? I shouldn't hold you up."

Awkwardly, I explained the outing with, "I've been swimming a lot these days."

"And I want to give it a try." Leah gave me a smile, something rare for her. Her anger was understandable. I tried to put myself in her shoes, to think about Rosalie falling permanently in love with someone close and dear to me. Just ditching me. Finding a different vampiric mate. It was that which prompted me to make an extra effort to make her feel welcome in the pack. The boys didn't make it easy, thanks to her issues with Sam.

"Let's get out of here," sourly said Leah, the precise moment Emily walked through the door.

I nodded and led her to my truck.

[X]

I loved the feeling of seawater on my skin. The iciness. The colder the better now that I constantly ran a supernatural fever. It caused the unfortunate side effect of hot flashes that led to me often plunging myself into an ice water bath back home in Forks.

Leah looked happiest while swimming. When we were wolves running together, her thoughts echoed in my head. They made me paranoid about Rosalie, to tell the truth. I was deeply, deeply afraid that vampire mating would cause some kind of nightmare for me, like wolf imprinting caused for my new friend. I suppose she liked the isolation like I did; I really didn't want to intrude and ask. Pointing out her sadness felt taboo in numerous ways.

She dove beneath the water as we swam further out to sea.

After a minute or two, Leah bobbed up to the surface. "There's this cave with cool ancient paintings in it! Wanna check it out? It's not far when the water's calm like today!"

"Sounds fun!" I shouted over the persistent hum of the ocean.

We drifted out with the tides and soon swam against them. I followed Leah to an underwater tunnel, where she dragged me by the arm. My lungs were strong than I ever imagined they could be. It seemed almost every day I discovered something new about my transformation and how it changed my body and mind to the core.

I heaved myself up onto the stone floor of the cave. Above, skylights illuminated the interior dimly. Leah followed me and wrung out her hair as she stood at my side.

"Where are the paintings?"

Leah pointed at the wall behind me. I turned to face it and walked closer.

Goosebumps rose on my skin.

"It's about the cold ones," said Leah, but I already figured that out from the familiar images. "Nobody remembers the exact legend, but the pictures try to tell it. I guess the pack has a long history of dealing with the leeches."

I furrowed my brow when I saw the detailed painting. I recognized the face, and I recognized the story those paintings told. Slowly, I touched my hand to the image of an Egyptian vampire holding up her arms above other cold ones like a puppeteer.

"What is it?" Leah asked.

"I…" I took a slow breath through my dripping lips. "Remember that ancient vampire cult the original pack talks about fighting?"

"Yeah."

"This… this writing is about Amunet. I think, at least. I don't know who else…"

"So, she knows about the Quileute?"

"Or the Quileute know about her. I don't know who wrote this."

"I'm sure people have been in this cave before."

"I doubt any of them ever met Amunet face to face, except for the author of these drawings."

"What's she like?"

"Terrifying. She tore us to shreds without even trying. I wouldn't want to face off with her again. Or her girlfriend, even though she's more fragile."

"Is it true that vampires have superpowers?"

"Yeah. It's right out of a bad Marvel movie."

"There's no such thing as a bad Marvel movie."

"I'm a DC girl."

"You can't be serious. I just lost some respect for you."

"I'm your pack alpha. Keep in line."

Leah laughed. "Do you want to keep looking at the drawings or should we swim back?"

"You should swim back. Tell Billy I'm here. I'm going to go deeper in the cave. I want to see if there are any answers."

"Be careful, Lara Croft."

"I will be. Check on Jake for me too, if you can."

"Okay." Leah dove seamlessly back into the water, and, in moments, I was alone.

I tried not to be afraid as I walked into the dim cave. Once the light ran out, I knew I would have to turn back and return with a flashlight, but, for now, the skylights gave me enough to see that the drawings and writing continued along the stone wall.

The walk was long, and the pictures revealed little more than those at the front of the cave. I found nothing but a girl's t-shirt that was probably left behind from a make-out session. But as darkness began to consume me and I started to consider turning back, I saw what stood before me.

A box. An ancient, dilapidated box wrapped with three rusted chains and locks.

I cracked my knuckles and tried to use my supernatural strength to open it.

No luck.

[X]

I was dried off and preoccupied with the images I knew were of Amunet when I bumped into my half-sister again. The whole pack was in Jacob's backyard, playing football. Leah watched from the sidelines while Emily managed the grill.

"This barbecue is insane," said Rachel after an uncomfortable few seconds. "I know it sounds a little dense to say, but wolves really like steak."

I set my hand on my growling stomach. "Yep. Need some help?"

"I'd appreciate it, if you're not busy."

"I'm not busy." I walked over to give my half-sister a hand with the grill.

We had a fun afternoon, going long into the evening, playing with Claire and tossing footballs together and chatting. I learned about life on the reservation and had little to say about my own life having a quiet but beautiful summer with my vampire lover.

It was a good time.

If anything, we wolves knew how to have a good time.

[X]

As night fell, I worked up the courage to confront Billy.

Awkwardly shuffling my feet, I said, "I want Rose to come to the imprint bonfire. She's my imprint. She deserves this. She deserves to be treated like anyone else."

"There's a treaty. She can't set foot on La Push land."

"For what reason?"

"To protect the Cullens. We are allowing vampires to live for one reason only."

"They respect the treaty. If she's accompanied by me at all times, I don't understand why she can't have a—a visitor's pass onto our land." Our land; that was the first time I said it.

"It's not your land, and it's not your choice. You're not one of us."

"What? Because I'm mixed race I don't count?"

"Not because you're mixed race. Because you're in a relationship with a vampire."

"It isn't fair. Rosalie would never hurt any of you. Never hurt anyone. She's the only Cullen who has never even tasted human blood once." I knew that was technically a lie, but I knew Rose was forced by Amunet, and her reputation should not be tarnished by it.

"I'm sure you're right. I trust your judgment. But I don't want to break these rules."

"We have worse vampires to worry about. Amunet and Angelique are still on the loose with their whole freaky cult, and you're worried about Rosalie coming to our bonfire?" I wondered if I should mention the cave paintings, but I simply did not know how to explain them. I withheld the information for now, hoping to reveal it once I knew more.

Billy interrupted my swirling thoughts with, "It's possible to be concerned about more than one vampire at once. We are supposed to protect our tribe from all of them. The Cullens recently took a new member. Does she drink animal blood too?"

"Now she does," I explained.

"You dislike her."

"I dislike her because she hits on my girlfriend, not because she's dangerous."

Billy sighed. He seemed to know I wouldn't let this rest.

"I will consider it."

"That's all I'm asking for. Thank you."

[X]

The moment I got into Rosalie's car, she turned off her radio and turned to me with a serious expression. She even removed her white heart-shaped sunglasses.

"Aro stopped by my house this morning."

"Aro?"

"Leader of the Volturi," said Rosalie. I knew who they were; the terrifying vampire government that buried Amunet alive. "I think he's still at my house. I'm going to ask Edward what he told Carlisle later. He won't be home from hunting for a few days and then I'll have him read Carlisle's mind. I need to know."

"Why? Why do you need to know?"

"Because he has information about Amunet."

"You're worried about the destiny thing, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't you be? But mostly, I'm worried about my family. She targeted us before, and she has all the more reason to do it now."

"I think she's scared of the Quileute. I saw these paintings yesterday. I was going to text you about it last night but I didn't really know how to explain. Hell, I don't know how to explain now. I need to show them to you somehow. Maybe I can take pictures next time I'm on the REz."

"Or, if they would treat me with some decency, you could take me."

"Yeah. That'll be the day."

Rosalie started driving. "What were the paintings about?"

"The Quileute have dealt with Amunet in the past. I found this creepy box in there. I couldn't figure out how to open it before it got dark. I'm wondering if you know."

"I hate to disappoint, but vampires don't carry magical skeleton keys."

"But vampires know more about vampires than a wolf ever could."

Rosalie admitted, "True enough. So, should we attempt to avoid speaking about Amunet by having a normal human-esque date at the park."

"I'm all about human-esque," I replied with a laugh. "But I think vampires and werewolves really have more fun."

"Do we?"

"Of course. We don't have to sleep."

Rosalie pulled over into the parking lot of the 7/11.

"You need to stop saying things like that."

"Why?"

"Because I might do this."

Rosalie's cold lips pressed against my burning ones. It was like the moon collided with the sun and then she started sucking on my lower lip. I felt like someone shoved me into ice water in the best possible way as she stole my breath away.

I leaned in closer and hungrily pressed my lips harder against hers, reaching up to touch her soft, beautiful face.

A large hand banging on the hood of the car interrupted our make out session.

Then a wolf whistle and laughter from a pack of boys and a girl.

At first I thought it was my gang from La Push. It was something they would do.

But it wasn't my wolf pack. It was the high school pack that never ceased to bother me and Rose for being together, for being outcasts, for being part of the Cullen clique. They made fun of Jessica too, despite what her cheerleader personality would suggest.

"Get a room you two!" crowed Mike Newton with a slightly sullen smile.

"Or not. Maybe they can put on a show!" laughed Lauren.

"Lookin' good, Bella!" Ben called, slamming one hand down on the hood of the car.

I blushed and froze in place. Rosalie got out of the car and slammed the door behind her. She set her hand on mine.

"I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?" barked a male voice from beside the car. "My fists didn't hear you."

The boys froze at the sight of my now-six-foot-four brother, made entirely of muscle after the end of his transformation. They laughed awkwardly to save some face and ditched us.

"Just kidding, man!" called out Tyler as they left.

I looked up to see Jacob. Rosalie unsnapped her seatbelt and stepped out of the car.

"You don't need to protect us, dog. We can tolerate the teasing perfectly well," said Rosalie. "We've dealt with it plenty since we got together."

Jacob shook his head with a pout. "But I can't tolerate it. Bella's my sister. I'm not letting any guys make fun of her. Not that I like her making out with a leech, anyway, but I'll tolerate it as long as you never so much as hurt her feelings."

I stepped out of the car at last. "Thanks, Jake," I said, although I wanted his help as little as Rose did, and my imprint shot me a look. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Yeah. Rose was right when she called me a dog." He gave me a lopsided smile. "I'm finally part of the pack."

"Nice one, little bro." I smiled back.

"I came to tell you two that you're invited to the imprint bonfire."

"Both of us?"

"Both of you. My dad—our dad—decided an hour ago. It was under a lot of debate and Old Quil fought hard against it, but you won. It starts pretty soon if you two want to start driving."

Rosalie turned to me. "Are we sure we want to go? The park is still waiting."

"I want this," I said earnestly.

"Okay." Rosalie nodded and got back in the car.

I followed her.

[X]

Rosalie immediately tensed as she drove into La Push, and the tension continued all the way to the beach. I couldn't blame her because I knew the pack would be unhappy. Still, I was alpha and I knew there was a reason I imprinted on a vampire. We did not yet fully understand imprinting, but I knew it was not random.

"I know there's a treaty, but you have a right to be here as my imprint," I said as assuredly as possible. "Don't worry."

Rosalie stepped out of the car and I followed her. She hesitated and reached back in, causing me to briefly panic. But instead of running, she pulled a flare from her car's emergency kit. She glanced at the setting sun and I followed her gaze.

"You wanted to go cave diving, remember? We need light." Rosalie flashed me a celebrity-level smile. "It's almost nighttime."

We stepped further towards the beach.

"Are you afraid?" I asked, responding to Rosalie's body language.

"No. It just reeks of dog," she said coolly. I figured she was in self-defense mode. Rosalie's version of protecting herself was being as snobby of an ice princess as possible.

We finally stepped down onto the beach and I saw the guys playing soccer while the elders set up for the party. The imprints and a few others lingered on the sidelines.

Rosalie asked, "Is this the wolf version of prom?" and I laughed.

"I guess. Let's introduce you to everybody," I suggested, taking her cold hand in my feverish one and guiding her down the rocky dunes onto the damp beach.

Leah stood up while everyone else averted their eyes. "Hey."

"Hello," stiltedly said Rosalie.

"I wasn't talking to you, leech."

Rosalie's eyebrow twitched.

I waited for my pack to apologize, or at least for Leah to do so, but no one did. After weighing the options of knocking sense into them and giving them time to accept this reality, I decided on the gentler option as Plan A.

So, I grabbed Rosalie by the arm and took her to the rocks where I always start my swims. "Rose, come with me. I need to show you that cave. It's a short swim from here."

"Right. I'm not really dressed for swimming."

"No one will see. Just wear your underwear. That's what I do."

"I bet you'd like that."

"You'd win that bet."

Rosalie smiled softly and stripped down to her bra and shorts. She began to unbutton the denim daisy dukes but changed her mind halfway through.

She waded out into the cold water with me and I led her to the cave. When we resurfaced, she pulled herself upwards and flipped her soaking blonde hair. I felt my heart thundering in my chest and my stomach twisted.

"So, your box?" asked Rosalie, and then she made an odd expression. "So, the box you found in this cave. Not your box."

"I, uh, I figured you meant that." I rubbed my wrist.

We walked through the darkness, Rosalie's flare illuminating the way like a Fourth of July themed torch. The two of us remained in silence until we finally reached the locked box I found.

Rosalie handed me the flare and knelt down to study the artifact. I could see carvings on it now that we were in better lighting, but they made no sense to me. She tugged at the locks to no avail, just as I honestly anticipated.

"I don't have any special vampire knowledge about this. I have been alive for a long time, but I've never quite seen anything like it," softly said my imprint. "You're sure it has to do with Amunet?"

"I'll show you the paintings. There's no way it doesn't have to do with her. Just like my pack going from the traditional three dudes to a huge gang and counting. She's…"

"A force of nature, in a number of ways. I imagine the first vampire ever created would be." Rosalie sat down on the cave floor. I sat across from her and propped the flare up on a rock an equal distance between us.

"I don't know how I count as a mythical creature," I said. "I mean, I'm a wolf but I… I don't ever think I should be. I just want to be with you. Like Jessica. Human. But with you."

"Why don't you think you should be?"

"Because you're special, and the wolves who are real are special, and Alice is special, and I'm… not special. I'm Bella Swan. No talents other than the increased physical fitness of being a wolf. No interesting stories outside tribe legends of a tribe I don't think I really belong to. No incredible beauty; just boring mousy features and brown eyes. I'm not the kind of person anyone would remember long enough to write a sticky-note about, much less a myth. That's why I don't think I should be a mythical creature."

Leaning forward, Rosalie ran her icy fingertips over my veins. I shivered, and not just from the cold sea water slowly drying on my skin.

"See the blue in your veins? It's from iron. Iron only comes from one place; dying stars. God forged you from stardust."

"That makes me sound way more important than I am."

"You are important to me. You are the most important person in the world to me."

"You've known your coven longer."

Rosalie gazed into my eyes for a moment before fiercely kissing me. A beast within my chest roared victoriously as she melted into me.

We kissed and touched and dug harder into each other than we ever had before. Without thinking, I bit down on her lip and sucked, and as I began to move closer for more, she pushed me back. I took sharp breath of shock and concern.

Rosalie explained, "This is too much. This is too much."

"I get it. I understand. It's a big step."

"I am sorry."

I explained in complete and utter earnest, "Don't apologize. I love you."

Rosalie gently kissed my forehead.

[X]

We returned to the bonfire and listened to stories. Everyone still avoided Rosalie, but my pack managed to keep their mouths shut about her. It ended rather quickly after all the time Rosalie and I spent in the cave.

After Billy bid us goodbye, Rosalie dropped me off at home, and as soon as I walked in, I saw Charlie sitting on the sofa, a piece of paper clutched in his hand. He looked up at me and my heart skipped a beat. Did he know about what I was? Did he somehow find out about vampires and wolves and all beasts of the night?

"Is this true?"

"Is what true?"

He handed me the typewritten letter and I took it as he walked away. Before I could say a word, he got in his squad car and went off, hopefully to work.

The final line read, "If you don't believe me, ask "your" daughter."

I couldn't breathe until my girlfriend responded to my text, and then flew into a panic yet again, rereading the letter until I heard the doorbell ring and snapped back to reality.

"I came as fast as I could," said Rosalie as I opened the door to let her inside. "Are you okay? I don't—you just—you weren't very specific in your text."

"Someone told my dad about—about me—about my biological dad. And he just—he just took off without even saying anything."

"I'm sure he's fine. Charlie isn't irrational, and he loves you. He's a loyal, good man. He won't leave you or do anything stupid. He probably just needs time to process what he learned."

"Should I pack my bags?"

"He isn't kicking you out, Bella."

"I'm kicking myself out. I don't know if I…"

"You came here to live with your dad. You love him. He loves you back. Just wait it out one night, and if you still want to leave, you can come stay with us for a while. I'll wait with you. We can watch Romeo and Juliet and make out during the scary parts."

"The scary parts of Romeo and Juliet?"

"Yeah." Rosalie winked.

I grabbed her hand and let the icy sensation calm my nerves.

She kissed my forehead.