Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.

Rated M for several reasons.

Chapter 8: The Long Dark Teatime

BPOV

"Because you appealed to him so much, he wanted to leave, to go and visit extended family of ours in Alaska, but we persuaded him to stay. More than anything he wanted to keep you safe. You must understand, he is the strongest and the best of us really, he wanted to do the right thing by you, but we wanted him to stay with us.

He chose to stay, and Carlisle advised that he acclimatized himself to you. So, he did, spending as much time around you as he could."

"I do not remember that."

"We are strong, and we are fast, you wouldn't see us unless we wanted you to," she explains.

"He was following me?!"

"It's not as bad as it sounds."

"Like hell it isn't!"

"I also used to my gift to try and bring the three of us together as much as I could."

"And the rest of the time?"

"Sometimes it was necessary for your safety. And sometimes it was just because I like you too"

My eyebrow shoots up.

"Steady Bella, not in that way, we don't get to make friends normally, and I like you. I am still hoping we will be great friends."

"Can you not tell?"

"That part of our futures keeps changing, you haven't made your mind up yet. Anyway, the problems started when a nomadic coven came to town."

"Witches?"

"No, a group of what we are would normally be called a coven. There were three of them and they weren't vegetarians."

My mind immediately goes to the night-watchman at the mill, and the hikers.

"Yes," she says, "the animal attacks. Covens don't usually stray onto another's territory, so we sought them out and asked them to leave. But there was a problem, well, two really. James, the coven leader, was a nasty piece of work. And, well, he was just a nasty piece of work."

"My James?"

"No, not quite. Let me explain. We aren't born this way, we have to made, changed, turned. Carlisle turned Edward, to save his life. He turned Esme, to save hers. Then he saved Rose as a mate for Edward, and finally, Emmett as a mate for Rose."

"Edward and Rose?"

"That's an exceedingly long story and somewhat distracting if I'm honest. I don't know who changed me and Jasper was turned by a warlord. Most of us struggle to remember much about our human lives, but I have nothing of mine. Not a sausage. I've done some research and know more now, but still, I awoke as a blank page.

But it turns out, coven leader James knew exactly who I was. He was stalking me, hunting me, for sport when another v-person like us changed me to save my life. Apparently, he was furious that I escaped him, obsessively so, according to Edward."

"And Edward knew this, because?"

"His gift. When we tracked James to ask him to leave the Olympic Peninsula Edward realised everything. There was no way James was going to leave now that he'd found me and, even better from James's point of view, he thought he had leverage. You. He recognised Edward's scent and knew that he'd been following you. So, he was a threat to you and me. We tried to persuade him to leave, but in the end, it came down to a fight. That was the day Esme and I descended on you unexpectedly for tea. To protect you while the others dealt with James and his coven."

"Dealt with?"

"James will never be a problem to anyone else again. Ever."

"They killed him?"

She considers for a moment, lost in her 'vision' of the future, something I am coming to recognise if not quite believe.

"Yes. They killed him, to protect you and me. But the rest of his coven escaped. The one we were worried about was the woman, Victoria."

"Did I meet her?" I ask, instantly thinking of the wild woman who attacked me.

"Yes, she was the one who lured you out on Saturday night."

"Why?"

"Victoria wanted revenge for James's death. At first, she kept trying to get back to Forks to get to one of us, but we were able to intercept her each time. Then she made some new v-coven members of her own to help her. New people, like us, are wild and unstable. We have been fighting them off for weeks. That was probably when she decided to try to use the James persona, she'd made to lure you out of Forks."

"You could not see any of that?"

"No," Alice is apologetic, "my gift is not an exact science and she seemed able to elude me somehow, possibly a gift of her own. I had no idea until you set out on Saturday night. Please believe me, I would never have let you go into danger if I had known."

I nod. That I do believe.

"What happened?"

"We got to you just as she hit your car, but she had her newborns with her, more than we would have been able to defeat alone, and still save you."

"And the giant wolf?"

"Ah, you saw that."

"It was hard to miss, to be fair."

"Carlisle thinks that's our fault. But I don't know if I should explain, it isn't really our secret to tell."

We study each other. Neutrally, I would say.

This is a cock and bull story. A fabrication made of swiss cheese and way too much time on a PlayStation. It is completely ludicrous. Bonkers. Insulting, even.

I vaguely remember, from years ago, Billy telling a fireside story at a cookout on First Beach. Jake and I huddled together on a log to listen; we were mesmerised by the story telling but did not for one second believe the content. The Cold Ones. It was such a good legend I got a book about it from the Quileute store in Port Angeles. Which is probably still upstairs somewhere.

"That's probably a good idea," she says.

"What?"

"Re-reading the book."

"You 'saw' that?"

"It will keep up you up until about midnight and then you'll sleep like a baby."

I narrow my eyes at her. And she laughs.

"I'll go now. But, please, give us a chance."

…..

Great. Did you 'see' this Alice?

I am stuck in the fucking upstairs closet. I have my good hand on the book, but without my other hand, if I pull it out, the whole fucking load of rubbish in here is going to fall on me.

"Bella?!"

"Dad!" I yell in relief. "Help me!"

"What the fu-ancy partridge are you doing?" He asks, as he appears in the hall behind me.

"Trying to get to a book."

"Jesus," he sighs, moving in to extricate me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I huff now I am upright again, "sorry."

"Quileute Legends?" He asks, turning the book over in his hands.

"I have not read it for a while."

"Me neither, let me have it when you're done."

"Will do."

…..

It did keep me up, but until about one, because I re-read some of the chapters and then did some research online.

…..

"Oh, hi, Leah, great to finally get hold of you. How is Harry?"

"Divine," she sighs, "sorry, he takes up most of my time."

"Are you both okay?"

"Fine," she assures me brightly "we're both fine."

"Could I speak to Jake please? I tried his cell a couple of times but he's not picking up."

"Oh, well, he's been sick recently, so . . . ."

"Oh no, not the flu?"

"No, I think he has what Paul had."

"What was that?"

"I don't know exactly, but he's fine now. So, I am sure Jake will be too."

"Leah, is there anything I should be worried about?"

"No, of course not."

"You do not sound very convinced."

"You're sounding like Charlie," she huffs, "everything is fine."

"Okay, will you ask Jake to call me?"

"As soon as he's able."

"Okay, thanks."

Hmm . . . .

…..

My car is an automatic so I suppose I can drive it with only my right arm, but should I?

My mind is tying itself in knots trying to work out what is going on. I have re-read the legends and I have questions. Who better to answer them than Jake?

Which sounds quite sensible if you actually believe anything Alice said to me yesterday. Which I obviously do not.

Except, maybe I should be asking some questions of my stalker, Edward?

Possibly not without Charlie.

Should I even tell Charlie any of this?

Probably not, he might have me committed for even considering any of this horse shit. After he has shot Edward.

Fuck it. I am going to see Jake. What passes for rush hour in Forks is long over and I probably will not even see another car, let alone crash into it.

…..

Jake's workshop still looks like the derelict shell he originally purchased from Harry Clearwater for fifty bucks a decade ago, but the inside has become steadily more high tech over the years.

Which just makes it all the emptier by his absence. I am about to give up and go home when a bunch of half-naked Quileute men emerge from the treeline opposite. Considering the snow that is now falling, I would put this one in the calendar as January.

I recognise Jake, Sam, Paul and Jared, the other two are faces I do not know. None of them look friendly.

Jake leaves the group and walks toward me. I am quite familiar with his chest, but the tattoo is new, although I did see the design in the book I re-read last night. And he has shaved off his long raven hair.

"You don't look very pleased to see me," I observe.

"Why are you here?" He asks.

"I have questions. About wolves."

"There are no wolves in this part of the Olympic Peninsula."

"I thought that too. But I saw one on Saturday night. A really big one."

"And you decided that here was the right place to ask questions about it?" He demands.

"Yeah, I did, funnily enough. I thought you might be able to remind me about the Third Wife."

In a blur the other men cross the gap from the trees, arranging themselves behind Jake. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared.

But I am stubborn, and this is Jake. I'm no Charlie, but if you could take a photograph of 'guilty looking' for the dictionary, these large men would be it.

"A giant wolf tried to kill me on Saturday night . . . ."

"It did not!" Paul interrupts hotly.

Sam puts a powerful arm up across Paul's chest as he puffs up and shimmers before my eyes.

Fuck!

Sam and Jared turn, wrapping their arms around Paul so they can drag him back to the trees. One of the men I don't know rests his hand gently on Jake's bicep. He's really filled out since the last time I saw him without a shirt . . . . and if he starts shimmering too, I am heading for the hills.

"Bella," Jake grinds out slowly, "you should leave. Now. I will talk to you, I promise, but not now. And not here."

Our eyes lock and I can see the honesty shining out of his.

"Okay," I nod.

And he turns, with the others, running for the trees as a bone chilling howl rends the air.

…..

As someone who does not believe any of this, I am profoundly disturbed as I pace the kitchen waiting for Jake.

Charlie calls, he is going to see Sue so will not be home for dinner.

Alice sent me a text, checking that I was okay.

Mom sent me an email with loads of pictures of Clarence.

At ten thirty, there is a knock at the door.

A/N I am so sorry for not replying to your reviews last week, RL was bonkers, but please know that they are always appreciated. Always.