It was later afternoon when Bella dropped a bomb on dad. Bella enters the kitchen was dad was cleaning a rifle and I was eating apple pie. Bella hands dad another beer, dad turns to Bella smiling about to thank her but before dad could say something Bella cut him off.
"I have a date with Edward Cullen," Bella said,
Dad suddenly looks like he's having an aneurysm and I choked back a laugher.
"Dude you can't just throw a bomb like that without any warning," I said laughing.
Dad turns to me and glares then turns to Bella serious.
"He's too old for you," dad said turning back to his rifle.
"Dad, we're both juniors," Bella said.
"And besides I thought you liked the Cullens," I said.
"And I thought you weren't interested in any of the boys in town," dad said staring at me.
"When did I say that?" I asked confused.
"Edward doesn't live 'in town'. It's in the early stage and- whatever, he's outside right... now" Bella said looking at dad.
"Now? He's outside?" dad asked turning to the front door.
"He wants to meet you... Officially" Bella said.
"Good" dad said cocking the rifle in a mock seriousness.
"Dad seriously?" I asked with my eyebrow raised, however, dad just nods.
"Be nice, okay? He's... important" Bella said holding dad's shoulder.
Dad gives Bella a reassuring nod and makes a halo above his head. When Bella turns around to open the door, dad makes the devil horns on his head making me choke on my pie. Edward comes into the kitchen looking all serious.
Aww, how cute meeting the in law for the first time, I thought smirking.
Edward turns to me and slightly glares and I winked at him. He shakes his head smiling and turns to dad.
"Chief Swan. I wanted to formally introduce myself. I am Edward Cullen"
Edward extends his hand and dad grunts a hello while shaking Edward's hand.
"I won't keep Bella out too late tonight. We're just going to go play baseball with my family" Edward said making dad revealed.
"Bella's going to play baseball?" Dad asked, making Edward nod.
Bella looks surprised but quickly hides it. Dad turns to me and chuckles.
"She's going to play baseball?" dad asked again.
"Yes, sir, that's the plan," Edward said.
Dad nods, he was going to sit back down but stops when Edward clears his throat. Dad, Bella, and I turn to him.
"I was wondering if Annie can come with us?" Edward asks making me frown.
"Sorry, can't do. I'm grou-"
"No you're not" dad quickly cuts me off.
I turn to him confused.
"What, but you said last-"
"That was 24 hours ago. Today is a whole new day. So you're ungrounded for today" Dad said.
Edward smirked at me and Bella smiled
"That's not how it goes," I argue.
"You don't like it when I ground you. You don't like it when I unground you. Women, make up your mind" dad said.
"Yeah, yeah. Let me go and get change" I said getting up.
"And here I thought of finally finishing my pie," I said sadly going up the stairs.
Tonight was supposed to be a stormy night but I guess that never stop the vampires from having a good time. Edward pulls up to a huge field where the others waited for us. We climbed down and went over to them. When they spot us they smiled at us well Rosalie just nodded at Bella.
"Hey, Annie's here!" Emmett said hitting Jasper's chest.
"Told you she'll come," Alice said smirking and Emmett rolls his eyes.
"Yeah yeah," he said waving his hand at her.
Emmett and Esme came to greet us.
"Good thing you girls are here, we need an umpire," Esme said before hugging Bella and me.
"She thinks we cheat," Emmett said with a huge crooked grin.
"Knowing how you are, I say you cheat," I said smirking.
"You wound me, Annie. And here I thought we're friends" Emmett said holding his chest.
"Oh, we know you cheat. Call 'em as you see 'em, Annie. Bella" she says smiling at us.
"It's time," Alice said just as a deep rumble of thunder shakes the forest.
Bella turns to me,
"I do one game and you do the next?" she asked.
"You're up," I said smiling.
Bella stays with Esme, who is playing catcher. Edward and Emmett take positions in the outfield. Rosalie goes to bat up first as Carlisle stay back. I go next to Jasper, he puts his arm around my waist bring me closer to me. He kissed my cheek smiling at me,
"Hiya dollface," he said.
"Hello handsome," I said smiling at him.
We both turn just as Alice does something incredible. She pitches with lightening-fast speed. Rosalie smashes the ball with the aluminum bat. It cracks like thunder and as she hit the ball, it's followed directly by real thunder.
"Now, I get why you need the thunder," Bella said awed.
The ball shoots like a meteor deep into the forest, Edward disappears after it.
"That has to be a home run," Bella said.
"Don't have faith in your man, Bells?" I asked smirking.
Bella turns to me and rolls her eyes. Jasper leans down and whispers in my ear.
"I hope you have faith in me" Jasper whisper
I turn to him and winked at him. I turn to watch the game.
"Edward's very fast," Esme said.
Rosalie darts around the bases but to my human eyes it's almost a blur. Suddenly Edward comes back and throws the ball just as Rosalie is about to touch home plate.
"You're out," Bella said.
Rosalie gets up and glares at Bella.
"Babe it's just a game" I hear Emmett say.
Carlisle gently takes Rosalie away from Bella,
"Nice kitty," Carlisle tells Rosalie.
"Meow," I said making them turn to me.
"Idiot" Rosalie said smiling at me.
Carlisle is batting next, we watch him hit a line drive. Edward and Emmett races for the catch, diving almost as 15 feet into the air just to collide with each other. when they fell it sound like huge boulders falling. They missed their chance of getting two outs, Carlisle is safe. Jasper is up next.
"I'm next," Jasper said kissing my cheek.
He pullings away from me and does a cool trick. I look at him and he winks at me.
"Show off," I said rolling my eyes.
Alice pitches it, Jasper whacks the next pitch, however, before Edward can chase it, Alice suddenly gasp.
"Stop!" Alice yells.
This makes everyone stop. Jasper immediately comes to my side and Edward goes to Bella's. The others instantly gather at the home plate.
"I didn't see them, they're traveling so quickly," Alice said.
Jasper held me close to him.
"You said they left the county," Rosalie said glaring at Alice.
"They did, but then they heard us and changed their minds," Alice said.
I didn't miss the exchange looks between Edward and Alice, this got me on high alert. They both know something and they're not telling us. Edward and Alice both turn to me with guilty eyes.
"Annie put your hair down now! Stay behind Jasper" he orders me then he turns to Bella.
"You do the same"
"Like that'll help. I could smell Bella from across the field" Rosalie comments.
Edward ignores Rosalie's comment. Jasper turns me and he looks scared. He helps arrange my hair.
"Rosalie give Annie your hat!" Alice said.
"Annie" Edward calls me.
I turn to him scared and worried. Why are they acting like this? What's gonna happen?
"Annie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought girls here. I thought it was safe. I'm sorry" he said.
However, the first sorry was for something else. He knows something and he isn't telling us or Jasper. I was about to ask him, what was going on, but suddenly, they all turn towards the forest.
Alice's POV:
This shouldn't have happened. They were leaving, they left three days ago. That man was going to leave Annie alone. He was going to leave her, why did he change his mind? Why is he here? What is he planning?
I turn to Annie and she was scared, poor her. She didn't know. She didn't know that this man has been following her since he spotted her. She doesn't know that Edward and I told him to leave you alone. He promised to leave you alone, Annie. He promised I am so sorry.
But don't worry Jasper, me, and the family will protect you and Bella. I won't let him harm you, Jasper finally happy and I won't let him take you away. I won't let Jasper's happiness die. I promise I won't let anything happen to you. You're supposed to be my best friend, you're supposed to help me find my true mate, you're supposed to be my best friend and my sister. You'll bring new meaning to our family. A new light to us, you're everything we ever wanted. And I'll be damaged if this man takes you from us.
Edward's POV
This was supposed to be as planned. Them being here isn't planned. They left, he left. Damn him and his obsessions. Annie isn't a toy to be played with. I should have told Jasper about him early. Jasper would have ripped him into pieces just knowing that he's taken a liking towards his mate. I should have let him die and saved us all the trouble now.
I turn to Annie and I could see she was scared. She was having flashbacks of Waylon's dead body and the nightmares that followed. Annie, I am sorry. I'll make it right for you, and Jasper and Bella. Just like Alice predicted, you're Jasper's light, you're his true mate. I've never seen him this calm, this peaceful, just by being next to him you help control his thirst. You also brought us something that we never thought we can have, a normal life. You being in our life you make us feel normal, you're the first to not judge us. You're the first besides Bella who understands us and I cannot understand why. In this short couple of weeks, you've become everything to us. I swear I'll make it right. He won't get near you. Over my dead body will he lay a hand on you.
The three vampires with deep burgundy eyes emerged out of the forest. I could feel Bella shaking next to me. I could hear Annie's and Bella's heart quickly beating. Suddenly they stand in front of us. Annie was being protected by Jasper and Emmett. The leader of the coven, Laurent hold us the baseball.
"I believe this belongs to you," Laurent said.
Suddenly my attention goes to James, he was staring at Annie with pure hungry and lust were written all over his face. His thoughts weren't so private, his thoughts were every sexual and tormented scenario he could think of and he placed Annie in the middle of it. The way touched her was ruthless. The way his hands followed every curve of her body held no warmth. The way he harshly bite into her soft skin he felt no remorse whatsoever. He would laugh at her loud inhuman screams. He was heartless, cruel, he was barbarous, he was absolutely and utterly merciless. How can someone ever be this unforgiving towards another human being?
Noo! I hear Annie's voice screamed out.
Without a second, I turn to her and she was staring at him petrified. I looked into her mind and what I was saw was terrifying. Somehow, she was able to spy into James' mind. In some way, she was able to get in and read James' abominable mind. She was witnessing herself being brutally defiled by this monster. She watched herself die over and over again. And by James' expression, he had no idea that this pure-hearted soul was witnessing his unspeakable crime. He had no idea what he was doing to her, emotionally, mentally, and physically he had no idea.
Angrily I turn to James,
"Leave" I growled to him.
Immediately everyone turned to me, I step closer to James and he didn't back down.
"Edward," Carlisle said in a warning tone.
I ignored him, James had to leave. I don't care if he dies he must leave. We must protect Annie from him, no matter what it takes we must protect her.
All of a sudden, Jasper lurches towards James. Pinning James to the floor by his throat. James got Jasper off but they continued to roll on the floor trying to get on top of one another, baring their teeth. Finally, Jasper was on top of James, Jasper was about to successfully rip Jame's throat if it wasn't for Victoria unexpectedly, grabbing Annie by her throat.
At that moment everything stop. Everyone's face turned white with fear. Emmett growled a warning and Rosalie hissed furiously. Jasper got off of James but instead of letting him off. He placed his foot on James' throat. Jasper's eyes weren't golden but black. A truly menacing, animalist, feral snarl ripped from Jasper's throat. Pressing his foot on James' throat Victoria growls back.
"Let him go" Victoria growled.
With one last growl, Jasper let go of James. James quickly stands up and turns to Victoria, who still haven't let go of Annie. With the vilest smirk, Victoria puts both of her hands on Annie's neck and her delicate bone's break. We watched her lifeless body hit the ground as Bella's loud piercing scream filled the forest. We all know that we can never truly feel another's pain, but Bella's scream, her scream, came so close. It's the kind of scream that makes your blood run cold, the scream that makes everything go on hold, a scream filled with disbelief, torment, pain, and pure agony.
