"Hi," one of the four men called.
The disguised vampire remained quiet as he monitored the situation, absently hoping the mortal woman listened to her friend and walked away from One-Eyed-Pete's.
"Can I help you with something? You look lost." The blond man grinned and winked.
The vampire ignored the woman's trained stare, instead his dark eyes followed her movements as she high-stepped over the gutter.
"No. I'm not lost," she answered, never taking her eyes off the lounging vampire.
The three men glanced from her to their new acquaintance with knowing smiles. They knew even a blind person would recognize the absolute attraction of the stranger. It's the only reason they invited him for a drink; the eye candy would bring in the ladies. The vampire finally raised his eyes to meet what was surely an entrapped gaze, but found himself looking at recognition instead.
"Can I buy you a drink?" a dark haired man asked, sending out his own snares. But it was as if he hadn't spoken, so riveted was the woman's attention.
Everyone watched her gasp lightly and bob her head in a nod, answering an unspoken question from the white-haired vision leaning against the bar's barred windows. The vampire glanced behind the petite brunette at her frantic friend.
"Jess, don't worry about me, my friend will take me home," she said, barely looking over her shoulder.
"What?" the friend squawked, outraged. "Bella, who is that?" The words were more fascinated then terrified as the vampire stepped onto the sidewalk in front of Bella.
"A friend of the Cullens'." Bella threw over her shoulder, stiffening as she said the name.
"Fine." Jessica huffed, furious and embarrassed to be traded up. She spun around and jogged to the theater's parking lot, already thinking of who to call with this new information. She hadn't seen anyone so drop-dead-gorgeous since the Cullens moved out. And this was the second time Bella just happened to run into a smoking hot guy in Port Angeles!
"You know this chick, Rafael?" the blond asked more bewildered than annoyed.
"It appears I do. Care to walk, Bella?"
Everyone heard the series of shallow gasps she gave at his low, buttery voice. Tears filled her eyes, turning them glassy as she rushed to Rafael's side and clutched his arm.
"Damn. The man's got game."
Rafael strolled down the closed avenue with Bella on his arm. Her scent had lured him in turn, and he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into her soft neck. He took the first right off the dim street to get the men's eyes off them, then pushed her up against the brick wall of a building.
"Wait, I know what you are!" Bella squeaked, ducking her head. His fingers pincered her neck under her jaw and forced her head back up, exposing her neck. "Vampire." She managed to rasp.
He paused inhaling at her neck and the firm pressure of his lips lifted off her skin. He tipped his head slightly to look at her face. She gasped for air, but otherwise stayed frozen so as to not provide prey-like stimulation. She wished her thundering heart would slow, but too many long buried emotions were running wild in her system. She'd found a vampire!
He soften the pressure at her throat, but kept his fingers there, ready to choke out any screams. His dark eyes shined with the need to feed.
"It's a long story, but I know everything there is to know about you! Let me explain." The words gushed out between gasps, curiously relieved. Rafael listened, drawing away ever so slightly in surprise.
Bella noted he had stopped breathing and hurried to give him true details she'd been privy to, things real vampires did.
"You know much...Bella." It took him a second to remember her name, she had already become food to him.
"Yes, I've-"
"Too much to stay human." He was out of breath now.
"Exactly. I was going to join them, but things got complicated..." Fresh tears stung her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. The drops were too much like blood spilling, he leaned in and licked them off, and groaned.
"Wait, wait please!" She squealed, terrified of dying when she was so close. "Edward, I love you!" She gasped, in case this was the end.
Rafael paused again, intrigued. He inhaled slowly so he could speak, but had to stop to hum in appreciation of her scent.
"Do you know him, or Alice? Esme? Emmett? Jasper? Carlisle? Rosaline?" The names burst through, burning and cauterizing as they came out. Agony followed by the joy of saying them again. Hearing them again, thinking of them again. "What about Tanya? Laurent? Victoria...? James?" Her voice shrilled as she went down the line.
"These are all vampires you know?" Rafael asked carefully, perplexed.
"Yes!" She sobbed. Vampires she loved!
"How have you come to know so many?" His smooth voice was rough with thirst.
Bella quickly launched into an explanation, terrified his control would snap before she could make him understand. She told him how different the Cullens were, and why, and how that allowed them to live together in semi perament homes. She raked in breathes between words, and watched him minutely in the darkness.
His porcelain skin was perfection, his smell bliss, his face lush, the cold emanating off him and channeling through his hard fingers chilled and elated. Finally, finally he stepped away from her, visibly considering her words. She held in the relieved breath that wanted to whoosh out.
"Please Rafael, I need your help. I'll do anything."
His black eyes flickered to hers and away. He shook his head. "I need blood, I can't think past that right now."
"I'll wait. I can wait here, or where you tell me." She pressed her interlocked fingers against her abdomen, fearing to hope, but already hoping desperately he didn't sate his thirst with her. She hoped she'd aroused his curiosity more.
Without warning he took her in his arms and tipped her over his shoulder. She didn't have time to yelp as the wind pressed down and over her. They landed on the roof of the commercial building. He set her down roughly, the delicious warmth of her spurred his thirst. Bella gulped when their eyes met, his were fevered in excitement. His jaw was locked tight.
"I won't move. I'll wait," she said, quick to discern his intention.
He leapt away into the darkness.
Rafael returned a while later, finding Bella wringing her hands. She looked at him expectantly, but avoided his eyes, afraid the burning red color would remind her of James. She couldn't afford to get spooked. Who had died tonight? One of those guys from the bar?
She had spent the time considering if Rafael failed at turning her, and decided it was worth the risk, afterall, she wasn't really alive. The zombies in the movie had confirmed it.
"Can you turn me?" she asked, reminscing at the phrase. Her heart lashed in her chest at the memories, there was a stabbing in her chest.
"I want nothing you have."
"There has to be a way," she said desperately, finally meeting his eyes. They were dark still, as if he hadn't fed. "What is it? My blood...? I-I could donate-"
The slight shake of his head brought her up short. "What then? Please Rafael, I mean it -I'll give you whatever you want," she insisted, thinking of typical vampire needs.
The bemused smile returned, gracefully arcing the corners of his lips. "You played your hand earlier, you no longer have what I seek."
Panicked at loosing his interest, Bella wracked her head for what she had said, critically analyzing her words for the answer. What did he mean? "Please," she begged, eyes bleak and traumatized. She was so close yet so far, just as it had been with Edward. Her face wrinkled, feeling the toothy bite of pain again.
She saw Rafael's eyes spark as they watched each other, and her infamous perception linked the vampire's previous interest.
"Oh."
Love. The universal need for companionship. She was too horror-struck to blush. He was right then, she couldn't give him that.
She watched the remote face transform as realization dawned on her face. His lips quirked into a wry smile, casting his serene features into a raw sexual glamour. Her heart accelerated. In her mind's eye, Edward's features slid over Rafael's, borrowing the smile. Her breath caught.
"My...heart." It wasn't a guess. She could do it, Bella lied to herself. Whatever it took, she would be able to hold Edward's interest then. Anything was worth that; she would sell her soul.
Rafael reclined against the cement railing, arms crossed. Bella stared, watching his long, ash-blond locks stirring in the breeze. Her eyes dropped off his face, afraid to hold his black gaze incase he saw the lie.
"Not quite. Besides, it's already claimed."
"What then?" she whispered, assuming the worst.
"It's no paltry task - creating a vampire. It would be a claim of my own, you would belong to me. I would be responsible for you and you won't stay...you have a family waiting..."
Bella's eyes closed forcefully, hoping with her whole being that he was right, that they would take her back when she was a vampire.
"You want a family? You're lonely?"
He scrutinized her face, eyes narrowing. "I'm not immune." Was he embarrassed at needing others? Was that the hesitancy?
"You would be family to me," Bella assured with conviction, finally releasing the fantasy of Edward wanting her enough to change her himself. It would be a small regret. Everlasting, but small. Rafael simply gazed at her patiently, as if waiting for some other realization. "We'd be related, you'd be..."
She stopped, suddenly thinking of her dad and mom. She had made her choice long ago, but always thought she would be able say goodbye.
"Creator."
Bella's brows drew in. It would be one more everlasting regret, leaving her parents without closure.
"Right. The Cullens are a large coven," she continued dully, feeling the death throes of that little fantasy. It was one thing to imagine never seeing her parents again, now that the reality was upon her the weight of it threatened to crush her. "I'm sure between all of them you wouldn't be lonely. There's nothing wrong with wanting a family and friends." She forced out when his eyes grew guarded.
"I want loyalty," he clairified finally. "I grant you immortality in return for your word on a coven who won't change you themselves, do I have that right?"
Bella's face crumpled. "It's complicated." Would she be losing both families? She shook the thought way. The decision had already been weighed, measured, and chosen, no point in second guessing. "I'll owe you forever," she said genuinely.
He took that as a given. "...I'm curious how they keep their diet, it's revolting."
Bella studied his dark eyes for signs of gold. Had he tried it? "Why do you want to change?" Was he developing a conscious like Jasper had? "I know Carlisle would teach you. He's always used animal blood - since he was created."
"You really do know too much to stay human."
She nodded. "The Volturi, right? If they found out I'd be put down. I guess no one thought I'd make it to Italy," she mused, frowning.
The surprise on his face made him much more approachable. Bella slowly walked over to lean on the guardrail next to him.
"Certainly. It's unlawful." Amusement laced his smooth voice, and like heat to cream turned it silky.
"It's settled then. You do your duty, I'll introduce you to our new family. I've always wanted an older brother."
He looked staggered for a second. "And you're in my debt."
She bobbled her head up and down quickly, as if it was of no consequence. "So, will you have to prepare or are we doing this?"
"I'll likely kill you...I've tried before," he suddenly murmured.
Bella sighed. "At this point I'll take my chances.
