Book 4: Chapter 1: Hunting
"Bella we should go hunting, plus in two days' time we're going to get married" Edward says as I continue to read on his couch. I sigh. He was right. My eyes were as black as coal. I smiled as I put away the book and we linked hands. We ran in the middle of nowhere where we stopped. "I'll go north, you can go west" Edward says and I nod as I run towards the west. We always did this, knowing how uncomfortable I was with hunting around people, and the fact I could hurt him. After a few miles of running, I catch the scent of a deer. I hide behind the tree, my vampiric unconscious taking control. Nothing mattered at the moment, I didn't realise how thirsty I was until I caught a scent.
While tracking the deer, I crossed a new scent and a voice filtered the trees. "Ok, I think the bear was over here, go north just in case though" the voice sounded familiar, but I didn't notice because nothing was filtered until I stopped hunting. I caught the familiar scent and hid among the trees, going further west, following him. And when I was sure we were alone, I pounced.
I didn't know what I was doing and who this was when I was pulled off his body by someone, I turned to attack but his pained and shocked eyes stopped me. I was pulled out from my daze… this was my father…I killed Charlie
I feel my body shake with dry sobs as I turn into Edward's chest. He soothes me…he soothes me… as If I was a child who broke their doll… I cringe. Why was he doing this? "We need to leave, they'll think that it's an animal attack. Could you walk?" he asks me and I shake my head and close my eyes. I feel his body glide gracefully as if he was walking as he holds me in his arms tightly. I let the sobs continue.
"Edward what happened?" Jasper asks.
"She slipped up…" Edward murmurs.
"Edward, I'll take her" Alice says and I grip Edward's shirt tighter.
"No" I say quietly. Suddenly a phone rings.
"Hello?" Carlisle's voice answers it. "Dr Cullen. We need you at the hospital. Animal attack on the west of Forks. It's your son's fiancés' Father. Charlie Swan" the voice on the end of the receiver says. "Ok" Carlisle says as he hangs up. I hear him walking out and Esme, Emmett and Rosalie walk in.
"What's wrong with Bella?" Esme asks and I breaking back into sobs. Edward mutters something and the next thing I know, I'm being laid in a bath. I open my eyes and see Edward who isn't focusing on my body, but my face. He stares into my eyes.
"Bella…" he murmurs in a soft voice and I break into sobs again. "Bella" he moans pained from my tears.
"How bad is it?" I ask him as I calm down…Jasper.
"They're fully red. A little bit of black in there too." He murmurs and I close them in horror. He sighs and kisses my forehead. "It's ok…I think anyway. Alice has some contacts for you to borrow. They'll be gold as usual." Edward says and I sigh as I lean into the bath.
"How can you stand me…even comfort me…soothe" I say and he frowns and kisses my forehead. He starts to speak but I cut him off. "You knew this was coming, we knew I was going to become a murderer" I say and he sighs.
"But we didn't know enough to know that your pick of the litter was Charlie, Bells." He says. "You aren't a murderer. Otherwise you're saying that we're all murders. It was an accident. I was stupid and I feel incredibly sorry for you because it's my fault. I let you out of my sight. I even heard Charlie's thoughts as I was coming back for you. His last thoughts were of you Bell. He loves you so much and I tore your family apart" he says and I frown and shake my head.
"Don't…Don't take the blame for something I did" I say and he shakes his head. I sigh. "Isn't it incredibly hard to focus on my eyes and face when I'm sitting in front of you in a bathtub. With nothing on?" I ask him with a touch of humour. He shakes his head.
"No…not with nothing on…I was thinking of your privacy…I let some stuff on" he says and I look down to see a bra on and panties. Oh.
"You realise in two days that it isn't going to matter" I say raising my eyebrows. He chuckles.
"Yes" he says and I frown. Jasper must have gotten distracted. "Carlisle's coming now with an officer to tell you about Charlie. The best thing you could do is get dressed" Edward says as he washes my hair. I nod as I stand up and walk towards a towel. I notice a pair of Jeans and a black, long sleeved shirt on the counter with a clean and dry pair of panties, socks and a bra. I raise my eyebrows.
"Alice did this?" I ask him and he laughs coldly.
"She didn't want to…uhh…argue with you now anyway. She doesn't want another round of waterworks." Edward says and I nod as I throw off my wet clothes and pick up the clean ones. Edward hisses. "Just hurry up" he says and I frown as I see his eyes closed tight. I turn around.
"Ok I'm done" I lie and he opens his eyes before eying me and growling.
"You are one sneaky and a beautiful girl. Hurry up, put your clothes on. They're here" he says and I nod as I speedily get dressed and place In my irritating contacts, a gold yellow. Once I'm done, we both walk down the stairs. Jasper immediately taking control of my emotions again, I just had to act…ugh I hated acting…not exactly my strong point. "Hello Carlisle. Hello Officer" Edward says as he wraps his arms around me. "I didn't hear you off" Edward says and I grin and then, thanks to Jasper, it slides off my face slowly.
"What's happened?" I ask in my melodic voice. The officer flinches.
"Miss Swan, I need you to come with me. We need to talk." The officer, and thanks to Jasper, once again. I panic.
"Why? What's happened? Whatever it is, we can do it right now in front of everyone" I say and Edward's hand traces my back, then Alice comes into the room.
"What's happening?" Alice asks as she sits down on the couch, pulling me with her. Edward follows after Alice and I, and I sit on his lap. The officer takes a seat on the opposite seat of us and sighs.
"Well I'm not going to get you alone it seems… Well anyway…It's about your father" he says and I stuck in a breath, and look at Carlisle. "Today with the rest of our men, he went to track the animal causing these attacks, and he had a pretty good idea of where the attacks were taking place before, but they've stopped. For a while and he guesses a large wolf or bear. Unfortunately he was attacked by this very animal and he unfortunately died while in the woods. The others found him five minutes after hearing his scream. They couldn't get to him and Carlisle couldn't save him. I'm sorry" he says and I take another shaky breath in. then I move my head into Edward's chest and sob, so he couldn't see the non-existent tears. "He's left everything with you under his will…even his cruiser, which he wants you to keep it even if you don't want it." The officer laughs humorously. "I guess I'll leave it to you then" he says as he bids his good byes to us and leaves me crying.
"Jasper stop pushing" Edward growls and Jasper turns to him. "Bella" Edward moans and I look at him. "Come on" he says as he picks me up and takes me towards his room. He lays me on the couch and pulls a blanket over me. my mind sifting now, through memories.
*Flashback*
The burning stopped, but didn't stop in my throat. But only one memory comes to mind. Renee, Phil, Charlie…I stand up and run. Thanking everything with every single part of my soul that it was night, nobody could see me run this fast. Then I arrive at home. I knock on the door and somehow can hear the footsteps arriving down the stairs, and then I see Renee.
"Bella" she calls as she embraces me in a hug. "Bella why are you so cold?" Renee asks me and I shrug.
"I'm not cold at all really" I say and she gasps at my melodic, wind chime like voice.
"Bella is that really you? You don't sound like you" she says and I cough a laugh.
"Yeah well here I am" I say and I hear another set of footsteps around the house and see Charlie. I grin. "Dad?" I ask and he grins. Charlie was here! For me!
*Flashback*
"Char- Dad why do you think I'm like this?" I ask and he sighs.
"I don't know Bells. But I'm glad you're coming here with me. I haven't seen you in four years" Charlie says and I smile. Then a frown graces my lips.
"Dad"
"Yes?"
"Why do you think Mom doesn't want me anymore?" I ask him and he frowns.
"I think she does Bells. Anyone would. But she just needs a bit of time to figure out life for you from now on. There is so much you now can do but there is also so little you now can't do." Charlie says. "She still loves you, like Phil and myself. Even if the eyes are a bit creepy and your skin's pale white, cold as ice and harder than a diamond. Even if your incredibly beautiful and your super-fast and somehow graceful. We all still do because inside you are our Bella. Always" he finishes.
*Flashback*
"How have you managed to live for the last seventeen years?" I ask and he grins with a laugh.
"I've been going down to the ridge for the past seventeen years Bells" he says with a laugh. "It's not like my bills are going to increase with you here in food" Charlie says and I laugh.
"True" I say. "I'll cook from now on. It would do you some good" I say and he grins.
*Flashback*
"So how's things with Edward going?" Charlie asks and I grin.
"Everything is great. He's a really good guy." I say and Charlie nods.
"I'm glad that there's more of your kind here" he says and I nod.
"Yeah…everything makes so much more sense now" I say and he smiles.
"Yeah… Renee called the other day." He says and I frown.
"I know I heard" I say and he sighs.
"Of course" he mutters and I pull a faint smile. "Don't worry about Renee" he says and I nod with a sigh.
*End of Flashback*
I didn't know where I was. Or what I was doing. Or who I was with. Nothing mattered anymore. Charlie was dead. Even Carlisle couldn't save him. It was all my fault. Edward couldn't blame himself. I lost control. He didn't kill his father. I killed my own father. Nobody ever, in the Cullen household has managed to kill their father.
But I have.
I wanted to die.
Nothing mattered now. The wedding, the honeymoon… Edward… Alice… Renee…Phil… Carlisle… Esme… Rosalie… Emmett… Jasper…
Charlie was dead.
And there was nothing they could do.