Chapter 8

"You're the only thing keeping me sane right now."

Now that it was late at night, there were less cars on the road. So no one would see Edward driving off the road and into the forest of no man's land, between the US and Canada.

"Bella. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well...it's out of our control; I can't blame you for that."

"I mean-" Suddenly something fell on the windshield. Edward kept all the lights off so I couldn't see what it was but he did. He said a string of curses as he swerved on the forest floor and tried to shake it off. I screamed at the top of my lungs when he stomped on the gas and turned the steering wheel; the car spun round and round at it's highest velocity.

It fell off when he stopped, I was propelled from my seat into Edward. Edward broke through the windshield and pulled me out, onto his back and started running. I could hear a couple beasts running a few feet from our sides. I could tell Edward was pushing himself to go as fast as he could but they were still behind us.

When we were close to safety, I could see the white sign on the wire fence that warned it was the border and we couldn't cross and could face prosecution if we did. Behind it, large moving shadows came forward and the Cullens, glowing in the moonlight like ghosts were beside them. Edward stopped and looked behind him. He was terrified and so was I.

"STOP!" He yelled, putting his hands up. I slipped down and he held me close. The others seemed to look at what was behind us, Edward had turned too.

Werewolves and Vampires...I couldn't help but think when I saw them. The wolves were massive. I turned. And so were they.

"Bella...run."

"Go!" He growled at me when I didn't move.

"No." I tried to pull him behind me but moved in front instead, arms out.

"If you want him you have to go through me!"

"Bella!" I turned because that voice was familiar to me.

"Jacob?!" He was naked. Thank goodness that sign was there.

"They merely wanted to find out what killed the animals. Because the scent left behind wasn't human. Now they feel threatened because there's two species and they're very concerned about themselves and their country. I didn't hurt a human."

He can read their minds?

"She's..." But then he hung his head, already resigned.

"I'm his friend!" I yelled to them. "This isn't his fault-I wanted to come!"

"They think you're under a spell. It's over Bella."

"Over my dead body! There isn't a decision to make; no one can decide if you live or die, only you! I know you want to live, you're scared right now so I know. I won't let you die Edward!" I tried to stare him down, and he stared back.

"I wouldn't hurt one of you." He said, which must have been for the bears. "I won't."

"Wait, what are they saying?"

"They are angry I killed a bear, I illegally hunted a moose because I didn't have a permit, and they never want any vampire to step foot in their province.

These people don't hunt humans nor would they eat a half-man. My crimes are my own so don't charge them with it."

"My name is Carlisle Cullen, this is my family. Our neighbors are the Quileute wolves."

"Is it true you only feed on animals." Edward asked for them.

"Yes. We have hunted in Canada before but to keep the peace we are more than willing to keep hunts within the US."

"Same as you can control your strength and shifting, so can we." Edward said. "They want to talk with you, you're allowed to cross." He added after a beat.

The wolves and Cullens jumped over and slowly closed the distance, trying to seem less menacing.

"Will the ladies please avert their eyes," Emmett playfully asked.

"Oh please, Rosalie scoffed.

All of the shapeshifters changed back to their human forms; there were now there were eleven naked men. Well six and five underage teenagers. I turned around not just looked at the ground.

"Hand her over blood-sucker." Jacob said. "Get out of me," he growled at someone. From the corner of my eye I could see Jasper standing a few feet away.

"It's up to her."

"I'm not going anywhere." I responded, keeping my head turned. "Do you have pants or something?"

"Bella, Charlie's been worried sick about you. So come, I'll take you home."

"I already said I'm not going; Edward will take me home."

"He's not going anywhere if he hurt you. Well did he?"

"She clearly isn't dead."

"I wasn't talking to you. The treaty says 'bite' not 'kill'. Did he bite you Bella?"

"No."

"You heard her."

"Let's go Jacob." Someone commanded.

"They sort of became friends with their neighbors. Thank goodness Canadians are generous." Edward relayed to me.

They shifted back to wolves and crossed over. Jacob gave me one look before following his pack into the woods.

"Are the bears not going to, you know?"

"I didn't kill anyone so the only thing is I'm not allowed in their province, and most likely a few others or all of them. They're going to tell the other tribes about this. Right now Carlisle is trying to say thank you for their mercy by offering to tell them everything he knows about vampires. It benefits them greatly and since they think they aren't lying about the vegetarianism, it's enough to form a friendly agreement. Carlisle said I'm his son, so I'm free for now."

"That's good." My stomach then growled.

"All this talk about food is making me hungry." He chuckled but Emmett laughed out loud.

"You're an enigma." Edward said through a grin.

I've been thinking of compiling a couple of vampire romance stories for a possible compilation type of book. So should this one be in it? What say you.