I'm almost asleep by the time I feel the bed shift underneath my frame. Suddenly alert, I look over my shoulder to find Edward stretching his long legs out on my small twin sized mattress.
"How are you feeling?" he asks me.
"Fine," I say.
My favorite crooked smile pulls at his lips. "I'm told that fine doesn't keep its true definition in this generation."
Sitting up against the headboard, I stifle a yawn. "Well, it does for me. I feel fine."
"Glad to hear it," he responds. And when he notices me checking the time, he continues, "I needed to help Alice clean up."
Chuckling softly, I ask, "Did anyone vomit in the houseplants?"
"Heavens, no. Thankfully, we didn't have any issues getting everyone home safely."
"Good," I say, and I should've known that'd be his answer. In no circumstances would a family of vampires allow anything to go but according to plan. We all knew the risks of making one foul step. One tiny speck of blood—
"What are you thinking about?"
"Hm?" The question prompts me to bring my bottom lip in between my teeth.
Edward, suddenly an expert in kinesics, repeats his question with an all knowing grin as if totally unbothered. "I asked you what you're thinking."
Swallowing hard on the saliva that's abruptly pooled in my mouth, I shake my head, hoping he doesn't notice the loose threads in the comforter my fingers find interest in. "Oh, nothing important."
"You're a terrible liar."
"Yeah, well…" I pause to roll my eyes defeatedly. "How would you know, anyway? You can't read my mind."
"I don't need to," he answers easily and reaches over to stop my fingers from twirling around the frayed ends of the blanket. "It's in the way you play with your hands. And the way your heart speeds up."
"You're not playing fair," I tell him, smiling only when I notice him starting to worry. "I can't control my heart."
"No, I suppose you can't." Edward begins to trace his thumb over my knuckles and I squeeze him gently in response to him. "But you can tell me about whatever's bothering you. Are you still worried about other vampires?"
"That wasn't on the forefront of my mind," I say honestly, "but now that you mention it—"
"Bella, I swear to you, there weren't any vampires besides myself and my family at that party tonight."
"I know," I stress to him, a little annoyed that he'd interrupted me. "I believe you, but did you see anyone there tonight that looked like the girl I described? Vampire or not, she was creepy!"
"It could have been anyone."
"So, you didn't see her?" I ask impatiently.
"No, love. I'm sorry. I promise you, there's nothing to panic about."
Sighing, I lean my head against the headboard and stifle another yawn. "I only panicked because you panicked."
"What do you mean?"
Side-eyeing him, I lift a brow. "Oh, c'mon. You totally freaked."
"No—"
"You're a terrible liar too, y'know." I can't help but giggle, finding amusement in catching him off guard. "You practically screamed like a little girl. What had you so on edge, anyway?"
Edward exhales deeply, telling me he's finally done with the charade. "You mean, besides your accusation of other vampires in town?"
Snickering again at my own idiocy, I shake my head. "Yeah, I know. But, I mean, they can't all be bad, right? You're not."
He's quiet after that. Had the small lamp in my bedroom not been on, I'd probably miss the way his eyes darken.
"What is it?" I ask, fruitlessly, knowing he won't say a word until he's ready. I count the seconds until he speaks again.
"That's debatable."
"No offense, Edward," I start, working hard to keep my tone stable, "but I'm not really in the mood for your brooding tonight. I just want to enjoy my time with you."
"You don't get it, do you?"
Here we go, I think to myself, hating that this is the first thing to come to mind. I have to dig deep to remember that Edward is struggling too and I find it in myself to face him and offer my support. "I'm sorry, Edward, I don't mean to seem so invalidating."
Ignoring my apology, he goes on. "Our kind are dangerous. When are you going to get that through your head?" His sharp tone takes me by surprise, the tension brewing in my abdomen. "Our family is different, and for that you can consider yourself lucky. I've only met one other coven who mimics our diet, and believe me, I've been around a long time."
"How can you be so sure of that? The probability that no other vampire has ever eaten an animal is extremely low."
"I'm not saying they've never eaten an animal before, but I can guarantee you that most don't survive on it."
Scoffing lightly under my breath, I push him further. "How do you know?"
Edward clenches his teeth tight and the way his eyes flare in the low light causes my heart to stutter. I hadn't seen him this angry at me since the night I stumbled into him on the trail behind the park. "Bella, there are things you just don't understand—"
"Then tell me." I keep my voice light, but determined. "What is it?"
"For one, animals are disgusting," he starts.
I have to bite down on my tongue to keep a snarky comment about my hatred for brussel sprouts and how I eat them anyway, but something about Edward's demeanor tells me he wouldn't appreciate the sarcasm right now.
"More importantly," he continues, "there's a more obvious way to tell the difference between those who feed on humans versus animals."
"What?"
"Eye color." He pauses to look at me, but I stay quiet, knowing he is not yet finished. "Something about the animal blood turns our eyes to a dark gold, as you may have already noticed."
A smile tugs at the corner of my lips. "How could I not?"
Edward's shoulder shakes gently with silent laughter and I'm relieved when he rests his hand over my knee.
"Please, go on," I encourage him. "What about the other vampires? The ones who eat human blood?"
He doesn't respond right away, and for a moment I wonder if he's hesitating. But before I get the chance to search his face for an emotion that shouldn't be there, he says, "They're red."
The second the words are out of his mouth, my body stiffens. I know logically that there's no way that another vampire could've possibly evaded Edward and his family, but the coincidence is uncanny. "Is that why you didn't want to tell me?"
"I didn't want you to worry," Edward concedes. "I wanted to protect you."
"You can't protect me from this!" I argue, reminding myself mentally to watch my tone for fear of waking a snoring Charlie down the hall. "This is a part of my life now. We're a team. You can't keep these things from me."
Edward brings his hand to my cheek, his thumb tracing the bags that are probably forming under my eyes. "I know you're angry, but I need you to understand that I will always protect you."
Ripping his arm away, despite the pleasant feeling his touch brings, I narrow my eyes at him. "Protecting me and excluding me from important information are two very different things. It's dishonest."
Sighing, he says, "That wasn't my intention."
Leaning in a bit closer, so I can see his eyes more clearly, I ask, "Are we in danger?"
"Of course not," he answers. "I wouldn't allow it."
Dismissing him irately, I roll my eyes. "I'm being serious, Edward."
"As am I."
Glaring at him again, I say, "Then, tell me everything."
"I've already told you everything you need to know."
"Apparently not," I sneer at him. "So, you can start with this other family of vegetarians, or whatever the hell you call them."
Edward chuckles again and before I can berate him, he's already apologizing. "I'm sorry, love, I know it's not funny. I've just never heard you call us that before. Anyway, this family, we actually consider them to be our cousins, for lack of a better term. They'd been allies with Carlisle long before I'd even been turned. We lived with them in Alaska before moving back to Forks."
"Back? So, your family has lived here before?"
"Forks is a small enough town we find easy to hide in. We always come back once the people have…resurged."
"Oh." The last thing I'd wanted to do was think about what would happen when it was time for Edward to leave for good, but my brain seems to have other ideas of torturing me. Dread weighs heavily on my chest, almost affecting my breathing. I have to turn away, so Edward doesn't see the dejection in my face.
"So," I start again, desperate to change the subject, "you're close with this other family? I-I mean, obviously, you said they're your cousins but—"
"The Denalis have been through a lot. Their late leader, Sasha, empathized with Carlisle and his need to save people. We've always looked out for each other."
"You said, late leader?"
Nodding, Edward explains. "Sasha passed years ago, long before I was even born. But, for us time is different. The girls, Tanya, Kate and Irina still grieve her. Sasha turned them all herself. They viewed her as their mother."
"How did she die?" I ask curiously. "If vampires live forever then what happened to her?"
"The Volturi killed her."
Blinking at him, I try not to get overwhelmed by just how much I didn't know. "The what now?"
"The Volturi," he repeats. "They're the largest, most powerful coven of all vampires. I guess you could say they're the equivalent of royalty. It's the Volturi who enforce the laws in our world."
"Laws?" I repeat incredulously. "What kind of laws are extorted to a bunch of vampires?"
"I'd hardly call it extortion," Edward counters. "The Volturi may be sordid and possess some twisted morals, but our laws protect us just as much as they do them."
"Still," I emphasize, "it's mind boggling."
"How else do you think our kind have stayed hidden from you humans?" he asks.
I offer him a one-armed shrug in response. "I guess I've never thought about it. What other laws are there?"
"Besides the one I've already broken with you?" The corner of his mouth twitches upward with a short but silent laugh. "Well, I guess one of the more important ones is to keep our hunting inconspicuous. We wouldn't want to alert the humans."
"And the others?"
"Immortal children," he answers, "which is what had Sasha killed."
"Immortal children? You mean, she turned a bunch of kids?"
"Only one," Edward corrects. "But it is the ultimate crime. Nobody understands why she did it. When the Volturi came to investigate, The girls hadn't known of his existence at all. Sasha likely hid it from them to protect them."
"What happens when an immortal child is created?" I ask, curiously.
"Immortal children, like the rest of us, are beautiful. But they are frozen at the physical and mental age at which they're turned. They exhibit the same behaviors as when they were human. A single tantrum could turn into a bloodbath."
"Therefore conflicting with the first rule of keeping hunting inconspicuous."
"Exactly." Edward chortles again, so quiet I almost don't hear him. "It's a bit disconcerting to see how easily you catch on."
"How old was he?" I ask, ignoring his comment. "The child, I mean."
"As far as I know, about three," Edward tells me.
"What happened to him?"
He looks at me as if the answer is obvious. "He was killed. Although, you should know, not before slaughtering an entire village first."
"Even so," I start, shivering as I picture a poor little boy being robbed of a life he never got to live in the first place, "that's horrible. He didn't deserve that."
"Neither did the village."
"Edward," I chastise him, surprised by the harshness of his tone. "You can't seriously blame him. He was just a baby, denied of his youth."
"I don't blame him," he urges. "I blame Sasha. She shouldn't have turned him in the first place. I know the idea doesn't sit well with you, but the Volturi's decision helped protect humankind just as much as vampires. Albeit, their main concern had been for us, the fact remains the same."
Slumping against the headboard, I sigh. "Still, it's horrible."
"Let's not talk about this anymore," Edward grunts, a foul expression taking over his face. "It's late. You need to sleep."
"After hearing that?" I scoff, but continue to pull the comforter over my shoulders. "Yeah, right."
"Don't worry," says softly. "I'll be right here."
The next morning, I wake with a start. With my heart pounding and the clothes sticking to my skin from sweat, I blink away images of a small boy with pale blonde curls and lifeless eyes and take slow and steady breaths until I'm able to focus on my surroundings.
Charlie patters downstairs, readying himself for his weekend fishing trip with Billy. I can hear him mentally crossing items off his list as he stuffs his gear into an old beat up duffle bag.
Sunglasses, check. Fish hooks, check. Oh! My boots! Damnit, let me think. Where did I put them?
"In the laundry room," I mumble into my pillow, knowing he won't hear me and too tired to get out of bed to help him.
The sun, though still rising, is bright. It casts beautiful shades of purple and orange through my window, not a cloud in sight. While the scene is remarkable and so very scarce for Forks, I know it means I won't get to see Edward today.
Rolling over to glare at Mother Nature for her poor timing, I notice a neatly folded piece of paper lying on top of the comforter with distinct cursive characters flowing elegantly inside.
"My beautiful Bella," I read quietly to myself, "I want you to know that I've kept my promise. I stayed until I heard your father wake. I'll always protect you from your demons, awake or asleep. I've only left to attend to some things at home. A bit of family drama, if you will. Try not to get yourself into trouble while I'm gone. Forever yours, Edward."
I can't help but giggle to myself. He doesn't know that the nightmares came anyway, but the thought is still so very gentlemanly of him.
When I hear Charlie climb the steps, I turn back toward the door, meeting him expectantly as he pops his head in.
"'Mornin, Bells," he greets gently. "I didn't wake you, did I?"
"Nah." I sit up a little, still keeping the comforter wrapped around my shoulders. "You looking for your boots?"
Nodding sheepishly, Charlie chuckles. "Yeah, have you seen 'em?"
"Have you checked the laundry room yet?" I ask, knowing it will trigger his memory of shoving them in the small space in between the washer and dryer.
Snapping his fingers in the same moment as his brain recalls the placement of them, he smiles wide at me. "That's right! Thank you, Bella. I'll be back later—call if you need anything, you hear?"
"Okay, Dad," I respond, snickering as he bounds happily back down the steps. "Glad I could help."
I spend the rest of the day catching up on homework and texting Angela, who swears she's not hungover, but when I asked about our morning run, she made up some excuse about needing to study.
However, I do convince her to eat dinner with Charlie and me later that evening.
"Are you feeling better?" I tease her as she sits next to me at the table.
"Shut up." Angela elbows me playfully. "We can't all be perfect."
"Pfft. Far from it." I roll my eyes at her. "You should know better by now."
After dinner (and casually checking the weather for the next day), Angela spends the night so we can ride to school together the next morning. Luckily for me, Angela doesn't think of it any further than my desire to spend time with her. While, that's true, it's also worth noting that for the next two days, it's scheduled to be bright and sunny.
In other words, no Edward.
By Tuesday afternoon, Angela starts to get curious. "Where are Alice and Edward anyway?"
Shrugging, I answer truthfully, "I don't know."
Angela eyes me for an extra second, but she doesn't not believe me which is a comfort. "Don't you think that's weird, though? Ditching two days in a row?"
I shrug again. "Maybe they got bored."
"Well, I can't blame them there," she states. "This town is kind of dull. Too bad they're missing out on all this sun. Or maybe, that's why they ditched."
Doing my damndest to keep my expression neutral, I shrug, yet again. To be honest, the gesture is starting to irritate me. "Maybe. I, for one, can't afford to skip. Midterms are coming."
Angela lets out a long and dramatic groan. "Don't remind me."
"Oh, please," I pshaw at her, relieved to have successfully changed the subject. "Like you don't have straight A's already."
"Hey!" She interjects. "I work hard for my A's! If I'm going to get into college, I need to keep it that way."
"I don't think a solid B would kill you," I remind her, "but I admire your enthusiasm."
"Both of my parents went to Ivy League schools," she tells me, "which means I've got some big shoes to fill."
Genuinely enthralled in the conversation, I reach over the table, wrapping my pinky around hers. "Yeah, but is that what you want? Truly?"
She sighs, pondering the idea in her head. "Realistically, I know my parents could afford to get me into a decent school if they scrapped the money together. But if I could get a full ride somewhere and take that weight off their shoulders, I know they'd be so thrilled."
I don't get to comment further, as the bell rings, signaling the end of the lunch period. But as we gather our trash and make our way out of the cafeteria, I say, "That's very sweet of you, Angela."
"Shut up," she mumbles, mistaking my tone for sarcasm.
"No, seriously." I smile at her so she can see the sincerity in my face. "That's amazing. You're such a good person."
"Yeah, well, let's see how these midterms go first. I'll meet you at your locker?"
Nodding at her, I wave goodbye as I enter my next class without her.
On Wednesday morning, I meet Angela outside for our morning run and smile brightly as a single raindrop hits my forehead.
"What are you so giddy about?" Angela asks me as she ties her hair up.
"I'm in a good mood, that's all." I'm almost offended by her question, but the dark gray clouds above remind me of the kind of day that's just ahead.
"It's forty degrees and raining," Angela deadpans. When the smile refuses to melt from my face, she snickers to herself. "Whatever, sure. Pick the dreariest day to be so cheery."
"Eighty percent of the year is dreary in Forks," I remind her. "With that attitude, I'd have killed myself about four years ago."
Angela shoots a glare at me, as we start our route around the cul de sac. "That's not funny, Bella. But that does sound a bit more like you, so thank you for the reassurance, I guess."
"You're welcome."
After drenching our clothes in rain and sweat, I walk Angela to her car so she can head back home.
"Want to ride with me to school again?" she asks, unlocking the doors.
"I think I'll ask Edward this morning," I respond as casually as possible.
Angela nods, seemingly unfazed by my act. "Probably for the best. You know, before they're expelled for absences."
"Yeah," I sigh, the anticipation building in my chest. "I'll see you in Spanish."
"Nos vemos!"
I make sure to take my time during my normal routine, purposefully filling up time to keep me busy. I cook a big breakfast, frying up some eggs and toast, even a few pancakes for Charlie (sneaking one up the stairs when he isn't looking).
I spent way too much time looking for clothes in the dresser, holding up potential candidates and tossing the ones I don't like to the side until I finally decide on some jeans, a T-shirt and a bright coral pink cardigan that still had the tags hanging in the back.
My hard work pays off when I step out of the shower and I immediately wipe the window of the condensation that had formed from the steam to find the silver Volvo that waits just at the end of the driveway. Smiling down at the shadowy figure that sits in the driver's seat, I push myself away fro the window to throw on the clothes that sit on the counter. After quickly drying off my hair, I bound down the steps.
"Bye, Dad!" I call to him, already halfway to the door. "See you after school!"
Charlie, who sits at the table reading the paper, only lowers it enough to peer at me. "Have a good day, Bells."
Nearly sprinting, I race down the driveway and practically dive into the passenger seat. But every ounce of excitement that rages in my veins quickly fizzles out when I see the furrowed lines in his brow. "Oh, no. What happened?"
"Nothing, love. I've missed you." Edward reaches over the console for my hand, but I move it before he gets the chance.
"Don't give me that crap," I warn him. "I want the truth, one hundred percent of the time. You promised me."
"I don't mean to worry you, sweetheart. It really is nothing." Edward offers a small smile at me, and although I'm happy to see it lights up his eyes, I'm worried he's avoiding the subject until he speaks again. "It's just Alice. She's been a bit upset the past few days."
"Why?" I ask, sitting up straight as Edward shifts into drive. "What's going on?"
"She's been having strange visions," he tells me. "Try not to make a scene when you see her, alright? She's a bit frantic."
"What kind of visions?"
Edward exhales slowly, as if searching for the right words. "They're dark and cloudy."
"What does that mean?"
"It means," he explains further, "she can't see. And it makes her feel vulnerable. It's as if her visions are trying to show her something that's just out of focus."
"Has she been eating?" I ask, wondering if vampires are affected by hunger the same way humans are.
"We're going hunting tonight," Edward tells me. "We're hoping it helps. She's worried she's losing her gift."
I blink at him, understanding Alice's worry completely. While most days, I hated my talent, at the same time I couldn't imagine my life without it. "Is that even possible?"
"It's unheard of. My guess is probably not."
I run a hand through my hair, sighing quietly. "Is there anything I can do?"
Edward squeezes my knee lightly. "Just be there for her. She needs a friend."
And that's exactly what I do. Later, when the first half of classes go by, I meet everyone at our usual lunch table and find a very disheartened Alice, desperately trying to distract herself with conversation with Angela.
At that moment, I wish I could hug her, but know it would only raise questions that she can't answer truthfully. I settle for tapping her shoe gently below the table and offering her a warm smile.
"Ben's planning some extravagant weekend in Seattle," Angela goes on while Alice nods, silently. Depressingly. "He won't tell me anything besides that! Isn't that crazy?"
Alice's eyes haze over slightly, and for a second I wonder if Angela's accidentally said something to upset her. Then, Edward inserts himself in the conversation, uncharacteristically.
"That sounds like it might be fun. He truly cares for you." He hits her with my favorite smirk, the kind that melts your insides, even Angela's apparently. I stare at him, completely dumbfounded until I realize, it's a distraction.
Alice is having a vision.
Angela's cheeks turn a rosy pink. Damn, I kind of see what Bella sees in him. He's absolutely gorg—shit, B! I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I mean, not really—
I kick her shin, interrupting her thoughts and bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
"Uh...yeah," she finally responds to Edward's question, giggling nervously under his dazzling gaze. "Yeah, he does. He's great."
Alice finally blinks back to reality, sharing a strange look with Edward. One would almost consider it to be a scared one. The interaction doesn't go unnoticed by me. "Yeah, Ang, that's great! Do you know what you're going to wear?"
It sparks Angela to go raving about the items in her closet and I take a moment to look at Edward, who tries his best to keep his face neutral, but I've known him for too long to know something is wrong.
"What did she see?" I ask low enough, I know nobody can hear me but him.
"Later," he whispers in my ear.
Logically, I know Edward is right. It's not the time nor the place, but in the back of my head, I wonder if he ever plans on telling me what Alice saw. Going by the way, Alice avoids my eyes, I know it's bad. She definitely saw something in that vision and it was enough to spook them.
After a long, dragged out lunch period, the bell finally rings and I jump up to grab Alice's arm.
"Do you have a tampon?" I ask loud enough to give us an alibi before speedwalking us to the nearest restroom, which happens to be across the hall from Biology.
"Now, just wait a minute, Bella," Alice says when we're out of earshot. "I don't think this is—"
"Don't tell me this isn't urgent," I interrupt, finally getting us to the bathroom and locking us in a stall after I've checked the room is empty. "It was written all over your face. What did you see? Was your vision clear?"
Alice sighs heavily, clenching her fists beside her. "I am going to kill him."
"He had good intentions," I say to defend Edward. "He knows you're upset and asked me to be there for you. But you definitely saw something back there."
"It still wasn't very clear, but…"
Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I gesture for her to keep going. "But?"
"I saw something like a silhouette of a woman. It was hard to see."
"Okay, that's something," I encourage her. "You and Edward looked worried, though. Did you see anything else? Any defining features?"
"She was kind of slender, pale skin…"
The way Alice pauses makes the back of my throat go dry. I have to swallow multiple times before I'm able to speak. "Did she have red hair?"
Alice nods slowly, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"And red eyes?"
"I—I couldn't see."
A sudden bout of frustration comes over me and my hand slaps the side of the stall painfully. "Don't lie!"
"I'm not!" she yells back, matching my tone. "I'd never lie about this!"
"It's her, isn't it?"
Alice shushes me, motioning with her hands to lower my voice. "Not here, alright? We can talk about this at home."
Ignoring her, I grip onto her arm before she can leave the stall. "It was, wasn't it?"
"Edward told me about the party, Bella. I know, you're worried, but we don't know anything for sure."
"Clearly!"
Alice grips my shoulders so tight, it almost hurts. "Bella, I need you to get it together. I know you don't like being kept in the dark, but this is not the appropriate setting for this conversation, do you understand?"
I nod, hesitantly. "I know, I'm sorry."
"I know you're scared, but you're safe," she goes on. "I promise."
Taking a deep breath, I meet Alice's eyes while wracking my brain for the only explanation that could explain why I am the only person who saw this woman. "What if she's gifted?"
Alice seems caught off guard by my question. "What?"
Repeating myself, I say, "What if she's gifted? Maybe she's the one who's been messing with your visions. And the reason none of you saw her but me."
Alice shakes her head, mumbling to herself as she tries to piece things together. "If she is, then why didn't she affect you?"
"Edward's doesn't work on me."
"No," she answers, "but mine does. And Jasper's."
"Maybe she didn't want to use it on me."
Alice shakes her head again. "No, that's not right. What could she possibly want from you?"
"I don't know," I answer truthfully. "That scares the shit out of me."
"Okay, let's go get Edward." Alice opens the stall door, grabbing my hand to pull me behind her. "We're leaving."
"Are we in danger?"
She looks me in the eye, taking a moment to answer. "Maybe."
"I'm not going without Angela."
"What? Bella—"
Snatching my hand from her, I cross my arms. "I mean it, Alice. If we leave, we leave with Angela."
"Whatever this woman wants, it involves you," she emphasizes. "Angela will be fine."
"Can you guarantee that?" I challenge her, feeling my heart beating in my throat. "Can you see any of your visions clearly now that that woman has messed with your head?"
"Bella, that's not fair."
"We're not leaving her behind."
"Damnit, Bella!" Alice glares at me and though she and Edward are not directly related, she looks a lot like him in that moment. "We can't tell her!"
"Then, we stay." The bell rings overhead, but I don't have it in me to care. "If Angela needs us, we'll be nearby."
"Bella, this is crazy."
"I don't care." I move past her to the door and out to the hallway. "She's my best friend. I won't leave her unprotected."
Alice clenches her teeth and mutters something under her breath. "Edward's going to kill me. Fuck it, let's go. I'll keep an eye on Angela, you just get to class."
"Thank you, Alice."
Nodding, she makes her way down the hall while I hang back, trying to find the feeling in my legs again.
Heart pounding and palms sweating, I finally make it across the hall at least ten minutes later. Mr. Banner doesn't say anything, only pauses to give me a stern look.
"Sorry," is all I manage to muster to him as I take my seat next to Edward who looks at me with a complex mixture of anger, concern and panic in his dark eyes.
"Were you listening?" I ask him quietly, referring to my conversation with Alice.
Edward nods silently and the only relief I have is the one knowing we're all on the same page.
"Good." I feel the anxiety swirl in my abdomen and I force myself to take a deep breath before I cause another paranormal earthquake. "Don't ever disregard me or my abilities again."
"I'm so sorry, Bella."
Shaking my head, I open my textbook to the page Banner is directing us to. "You can apologize after this blows over, okay?"
Edward grips my hand tightly, his intensity not sitting well with my already wound up nerves. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Though he means every word, I can't help but wonder how he can protect me from a threat only I can see. The chances of coming out on top were seemingly very slim, but I don't say any of this to him. Instead, I agree with him and let him think he's reassured me.
I hope I'm wrong.
