Chapter four part 1

This thing was out classing me, and I was literally down to one good hand. Its heavy paws were rapidly closing the distance between us. I couldn't think all I could do was act. I was backed against the large oak. He let out a huge bellow of a bark as he lunged forward, his mouth a gapped. I pushed out my arm and he took it in between his teeth and it sounded like glass breaking. This was my chance, before he could let go, I doubled back. I raked my nails across his face. I felt my nails contact with his skin beneath its fur. I took my nails all the way across its face and blinding him in his left eye. He howled and fell over.

I could smell blood. Deeply musky blood.

I took my chance to get away. I ran as fast I could before it could recover.

The pain was unbearable. He had bitten my right arm completely off. I used to my left to clutch at the shoulder stub. I swear I could feel the blood exploding from my arm, but nothing was coming out. I wondered if I would always feel this phantom pain of bleeding if I survived this night. My finger tips were dipped in the beast's blood. I pictured the bloody snow around the crumpled beast. Hopefully I had successfully fully blinded him.

My coat was ripped open and hanging in shreds; my hair was wildly whipped around my face. My shirt was utterly nonexistent thanks to beast's terrible claws. The icing on the cake, was I did not have a right hand anymore.

I had to leave Washington. I had to take get on a plane to anywhere, but here. I feared the beast would haunt me down if I stayed. I felt awful for abandoning Nessie, but my instincts were in full swing. They shouted "Survive!" into every atom of my being. I was going to do everything possible to protect my livelihood.

I'd have to run home. I'd collect the money and a few clothes after destroy my bottles of blood. I'd leave quickly and anonymously just like I had arrived to Kitsap. I had left behind my car a few yards ago, but there was no way I was going to stop and turn around. My car did not make me feel safe enough. Would I ever feel safe again?

I was so swept up in my thoughts, so completely drowned in my fears that the beast was following me, I had not been paying attention that I had ran into a strong coven of vampires.

I cursed out loud as their smell had over taken the area. They knew I was here now, and I could easily smell the one named Rosalie and along with some new ones. I thought about running past them, but I hear a voice say "Stop her!"

A blonde woman was the first to meet me head on and we collided with the sound of thunder clapping.

I fell over and my head snapped on a tree, quickly leveling it. I hissed and looked up to see the ravenous blonde crotched over me. She was gorgeous. Even for a vampire, and by far prettier than I was. Her lips were furrowed in a deadly grin.

"You went to my home. I told you to say away from my family!" She lunged forward and I growled as my chains took a hold to her. Her body went week and crumpled. She was agile, but I could take care of that. And then they flew at me.

The Big one who was with the blonde tried to grab me from behind, but I slowed down his speed and kicked him in the face. A blonde male sank his teeth into my shoulder, but I threw him as I reduced his power. I tried to run again, but a pixie framed dark hair was able to dodge my movements before I could land a quick hit.

"Bella, shield!" she yelled as my rampage continued and my eyes hit the one name Bella. Her hair was long and brown and she was quite pretty in her plain features. She was grimacing at me. "I-I can't." she cried.

Whatever she could do, I was not about to let it happen. I whipped my chains around her and pulled everything from her. Her eyes rolled the back of her head and her legs buckled as she fell into the snow. She mouthed something as she fell, but I was not paying attention. I was seeing shades of red.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I roared as I gripped my tore arm. The big one with Rosalie was growling at me and reading for another tackle. From the corner of my eye I see two more vampires running through the trees. One was quick.

Quicker than I had ever seen.

I expected him to charge at me, but he went to the one named, Bella who was still crumpled on the ground. Perhaps I had pulled a little too hard on her. I hissed and backed up.

The bronze haired one picked up Bella off the ground. He wasn't facing me, until the others started to close in on me.

"LET ME LEAVE." I say again, unwilling to fight a number of 8 vampires. I could only focus on three at time. They'd devour me in no time. He looked up at me so suddenly and repeated what I had though verbatim.

"She's unwilling to fight, because she can't use her ability on more than 3 at time." His voice was velvet and smooth. It was also angry. More livid than I ever heard another human being. Had I hurt his mate?

I growled deeply, despite looking scared. I could feel myself slipping as I ran out space. Could he hear my thoughts, is that possible? I looked at him and I shuddered. He was just as horrifying at the beast right now. Would he still be hurt? I hope so.

"She left Jake in pretty bad shape." He called.

The pixie framed one's eyes went wide; she looked one direction, before racing off towards the house.

Jake?! That thing had a name?

The blond male had lunged forward and I chained down his stealth, but the big one went right behind him and I tried to hold back his power. Edward snarled and started to charge me forcing me to drain him of his lighting fast speed. However, I once again found myself in the clutches of the blonde.

This time her teeth were mere inches from my throat.

I hissed, but it was a failed attempt.

"Fix them." Said a different voice. He was tall and clearly older than the rest. His eyes were a shade of gold that was truly enticing. He was statuesque with his blonde hair and sweater vest and overcoat.

I grimaced, but retracted my will to do bad from the bunch and they instantly got back up. The one named Rosalie grunted. She sounded like she was begging to kill me.

The one with bronze hair spoke up.

"Why isn't Bella, Waking up?!" he was holding her in his arms. Bella's eyes were still curled back.

I looked around when I realized that question was directed towards me. Everyone had golden eyes? Vampires weren't supposed to have eye color besides the crimson. Were they even vampires? Were they like the beast?

The bronze hair one snarled at me. "Fix her, now!"

Rose's teeth nipped at my neck and I spoke up.

"She'll wake up soon. She is not asleep, just momentarily…paralyzed" I said. I hadn't known her particular powers so I just pulled at whatever I thought might be there. I must have pulled off everything she had. She'd be ok in about a few minutes. I've done it before to Ada. We had been fighting that day…

The memory of our lunging and snapping at each other played in my mind. It was back when Yohan chose her instead of me. I had attacked her in a jealous rage. She was only going to hurt him whenever she ran off again. I had attempted to pull all abilities she had, until Yohan pulled me off. I bet that would have been enough to kill a regular human.

"She can take away abilities." The bronze haired one spoke. "As well as enhance them. Be careful."

How did he know?

I thought about struggling, but I knew I'd be no good. A mind reader. He'd know way before I tried to use my power and could have me killed in an instant.

"Edward. Is this the one?" The older one spoke.

Edward…That name…. I had heard it before.

Suddenly the smell of Roses entered the woods. It was arriving faster than what should have been possible.

"Nessie!" I cried. "Nessie, run away. Get out of here!"

She was walking into a blood bath.

The one named Edward went completely still as Nessie appeared. She was dressed in snow boats and a pink fluffy coat. Her face was littered with tears and her face was pale pink. Was it the cold, or was she crying that made that color.

"Stop! Guys stop. That's my teacher. Daddy, please. Listen." She touched the bronze haired one's face and it went still for a while.

"Nessie, run away. Save yourself! These creatures are not humans."

I yelled, but she looks at me sadly. A lonely tear running down her perfect cheek. She grinned so morbidly as she closed the gap in between us.

"No, Lucy. This is my family." She says and Rose tells her to go away. Nessie ignores the blonde and her tiny hand touches my face.

It started off so black and cloudy, but then the images became so vivid and real!

Images that told an intricate story. Of Nessie's story.

"Will mommy be ok?" she asked still not stopping the images from flooding my head. I was looking at a picture of a human girl and the bronze haired man standing in a meadow, but I could see Nessie's features. She looked exactly like the bronze haired vampire behind her. Rosalie's mouth backed up, but she still held me in place.

"Bella will wake up soon, sweetheart." She said

I started to piece together the story faster than what she showed me.

Edward was not her brother. But her biological father. Bella who, was actually her birth mother, was human at the time of her birth. She didn't lie. Her mother had died giving birth. But she never said she didn't get back up.

She was half vampire.

And this coven, was in fact her family.

Part 2

Nessie had shown me most of her life, before I couldn't hold still any longer. My arm was engrossed in pain. It felt like someone was rubbing peppered chilies into an open wound, but the blonde did let me move.

"It hurts." I moaned. And the older blonde, who I found out, who was in fact Carlisle Cullen gave me strangest look.

I shook my head and moaned again. "Nessie. Are you ok? Can you get her to let me go home? I just want to leave." I begged her and she sighed.

"Auntie Rose. She is good. She wouldn't hurt a fly." Nessies voice was low and pleading. Rosalie grunted and prattled on about how she did not trust me.

Edward's voice was suddenly clear as he gasped. He was starting to relax and his jaw unclenched. In his arms, his wife stirred. Bella's eyes fluttered open, before she moaned. "What's going on?" she asked in her sing song voice.

"Bella! Are you hurt, love?" Edward tried to place her down on the ground so stand up right

"I'm ok. Just…a slight headache." She stood up, but then wobbled. Before I could even blink, she was back in Edward's strong grip. I've never saw anyone care for someone to that degree. Edward's entire being so focused on Bella's. Did he even realize his sister was about to execute another vampire, while his daughter watched? Or maybe, he did not care?

"Roasalie. Please. She is no harm to us now." Called Esme who was walking over to us. Rosalie quickly retracted her arms, without anything else being sad. I suppose Esme was just as refereed in the coven as her mate.

Esme's dimples were the first thing I noticed. The self appointed team mom, reached her hand down. She was helping me up? After I was a few minutes away from trying to attack their coven, she was concerned for me. I took her hand and let her lift me up. Nessie's hands slide off my face as I ascended. Esme took off her coat and covered me. Not that either of us needed protection, but I was not decent for company- especially males.

I looked her in her eyes for a long time, before speaking. "I never…. I was only looking for Renseme. I thought…I thought that she might have been in danger…and I…the beast…" I stopped talking and just shuddered. Esme's eyebrow went up and she called her son's name.

"Edward, honey. Please…" she kindly gestured towards me. Edward was still looking at Bella as he spoke.

"She is a teacher and whenever Nessie did not show up, she figured she was hanging around vampires. She could smell our scent on her during school hours. She thought we were going to harm her. Her heart was in the right place. Until she meet Jake. She is very shaken up, but she does not have any association to the recent killings."

Bella's head turned towards me and she nudged Edward's shoulder, begging him to put her down. "I'm ok, Edward." She says sweetly, before going to pick Nessie up off the ground. She had stopped crying and was now just looking around from face to face. She embraced her daughter in a way that gave me goose bumps. It reminded me of the hugs father used to give me and I'd give anything to have him around again.

"Sounds like a misunderstanding. I'm very sorry."

I nodded then Esme took my hand and grimaced. "My apologies as well. Jacob sure did a number on you. Carlisle? Can she be fixed?"

"Provided Jake didn't eat her arm, yes. We'd have to hurry before it's too late. Ms, please follow us to our home and I can help you."

I blinked and took a step back. "I'm not going back!" I say. I wasn't going anywhere near the damned thing. Just the thought of his awful disgusting eyes! Esme looked shocked until both Jasper, the empath I had learned everyone's powers via Nessie's memory and Edward spoke in unison.

"She's afraid of Jake."

And I furrowed my brow. Not afraid…just…a strong dislike.

And then it happened. Edward laughed. It was a sound like a choir of male angels. His laughter blanketed the family and soon the tense faces melted. Emmett's rigid shoulders fell slack making him look like a stuffed bear and Jasper's crotch slowly melted into a stance that wasn't meant for attacking. Carlisle smiled a bit and told me I had nothing to worry about. He wouldn't harm me as long as I stayed on their side.

I shook my head feverishly. My arm was on fire, but I rather me armless. Nessie suddenly cleared her throat.

"Uncle Jasper. How about a little team work?" she asked happily. She too had melted and I was pretty lost. Jasper nodded and then.

Then I was cloud nine. My body didn't hurt, but I could feel a faint sting at my joint. I was very confused, but it did not frustrate me, but it calmed me. I was happy. So happy in fact, I didn't really remember what I was so tensed up about. I struggled to remind myself, that they were trying to lead me back to that beast!

"Oh no you don't." Nessie's hand touched my cheek and I pictured the beast again. But it was a different day. It was early spring and he was sleeping in a patch of shade. He was on his back and his tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth and the distinct snoring sound could be heard. In this light, Jake looked more like an over grown puppy than the crazed monster I saw before.

"Trust me, he is a bigger marshmallow than Emmett." She mused in a light voice. Bella chuckles at a flabbergasted looking Emmett. His face looked like he was in pain and I could tell that comment felt like a kick in the balls to such a big fellow.

Esme gave me slight tug and soon we were all walking up the trail.

Such an odd experience it was. To be walking hand in hand to with enemies in such a causal manner. Jasper's powers were very convincing, or maybe it was Nessie's images that keep my mind at rest.

"Ms." Carlisle spoke. "We never got your name."

"Lucette Fortune. But I guess…Well I think we are friends now. Or it feels that way…So call me Lucy." I didn't want to sound like an idiot, but I did. I wasn't too sure of much. I heard Bella giggle again.

I wonder what she was laughing at. Nessie's image of Jake sleeping changed to what it felt like to get a sloppy wet dog kiss. Something he did especially to Bella just to spite her. He'd catch her off guard and lick her entire face, coating in drool and leaving her hair in a ridiculous looking cow lick at the tip of her head. I laughed along with Nessie and chanced a look back at Bella. She was smiling easily and holding Edward's hand. She looked a tab bit flustered. I guess she knew the memories Nessie was going to give.

"I really wish he wouldn't do that." She says a tad bit annoyed

Edward was grinning, but otherwise said nothing.

Emmett tried to chit chat with me to past the time. I told them I was a school teacher. And that I promised them I had not killed any of my students. I let them know I was turning 125 next Thursday on December 14 and I was so glad to see my birthday roll around.

Everyone seemed to warm up to me expect Rosalie. She said nothing to me the entire walk. When we got the front of the house, Alice was waiting for us.

She was wearing the most gorgeous fur coat I had ever seen and was holding something long and wrapped in a towel.

My arm.

I guess this was the life of living with a future seer. I bet Alice was always three steps ahead.

I furrowed my brow and began searching for the mutt.

"I told him to go inside." Alice says. I wondered if she could read minds like Edward. Edward grunted and answered my thoughts. "No. She is just intuitive and ungodly annoying."

Alice's cheeks puffed out and she stuck out her tongue, before running over to me.

She presented the towel to me.

"I can't see the future as clear around Jake, so we won't be joining us while we get these introductions squared away. He is in our basement and he will not come out. He is asleep right now and will remain asleep until his eye heals up in…. 120 minutes. Carlisle is going to fix you up and when you are ready you will meet us in the dining room. Everyone else is going to get dressed into something more casual."

I took my arm and blinked. All of that information! The beast could heal itself so quickly! And she couldn't see his future? And my goodness Alice was able to pinpoint the future so precisely!

"Alice!" Rose hissed. "Give out our social security numbers while you are at it, why don't you?!"

Alice shrugged. "Relax. I saw this coming. She is actually very pleasant. I love the story you will tell to tell Carlisle. Very interesting."

My eyebrows shot up .

"Annoying. Like I said." Edward grumped rolling his eyes. "Come along, sugar. If you stay out in this weather, you'll catch a cold." Edward put an arm around his daughter and she looked up at him in protest.

Before she could speak, Nessie coughed and sighed. "I'll make you some chicken soup." Bella said lovingly. "It was your Grandpa Charlie's favorite."

Alice grinned and took a few steps back. "Nice meeting you, Lucy." And she zips off the house. The rest of the Cullen clan followed suit.

I looked at Carlisle and he assured me, Jake was not going to harm me.

Jasper looked at me for a second and I nodded. Giving him permission to drop his calmness wave. As soon as he did my fear slammed into me hard as a speeding truck making Jasper flinched and start to calm me again quickly.

"With all due respect ma'am. Please get it together. For my sake." He was grinning a little bit and I felt bad for the southern man in front of me. I smiled a bit and took a deep breath, before he let go of me. I centered myself enough, to feel a buzz of anticipation to which Jasper's shoulders shrugged.

"Better." He said and I laughed. Jasper reminded me of Yohan. I could tell he was on his way to be my favorite Cullen next to Nessie. I wasn't scared off my his many scars, in fact it was intriguing to me. I hoped he'd the story one day.

"Thank you again, my son. You are such a big help." Carlisle said and his voice was pure in adoration. You'd easily forget that these weren't his blood kids. "You may go back to Alice now. I am sure she was worried about you." Jasper's white teeth flashed before he jogged away.

Carlisle and I walked human speed up the house.

"Lucy. I want to thank you, for taking an interest in my granddaughter. You'd risk your life for her. We Cullen's value each other more than anything. So please consider yourself your apart of my coven while you stay. Our home is open to you."

"Thank you, Carlisle. I am so glad I can meet the great doctor." I hug my disembodied arm to my chest and wonder how good of a doctor he really was. "Nessie told me a lot about you. I was excited to know you prattle in psychology correct."

"I do. I studied it for 90 years, I left no stone left unturned."

"Well I hope I can pick your mind…tell me your thoughts on Freud's theory as it applies to the special abilities of our kind."

I was wrong. I had assumed Jasper was going to be my favorite Cullen when in fact all the Cullens were just as beautiful as Nessie.

Carlisle had sat me down in his study for a while. It only took twenty minutes to fix my arm. He had shown me how to lick the cuts to cover it with my venom and stick it back on. Each venom is a little different just like each vampire is different. This method only works with sticking my own body parts on with my own personal venom. I reattached my hand to my arm, which was a surreal feeling. It was an experience not everyone had, that is for sure. I studied my arm a bit, before licking the base of it. Carlisle helped me adjust it in the correct spot and after a few minutes, I could feel it again.

"très étonnant… This is amazing. Thank you." I say opening and closing my palm. It was like I never parted from it. The only difference was the silvery scar around my wrist and shoulder. This wouldn't ever heal, but it would go unnoticed to humans

Carlisle was an old vampire with so much wisdom. He told me how he spent centuries perfecting his self control and how human blood had no allure anymore.

I told him my life's story starting with my re birth. I told him of my resolution and how I became a teacher. I told him how I only drunk donated blood and been refusing to hunt humans. Ever since. I had not had a relapse and I was extremely proud of myself.

Carlisle laughed and clapped his hands together. "I rarely hear any of my brethren take the stance me and my family does. It is even rare to hear that they adapted a way of life without our influence. I applaud your efforts, Lucyherine. I truly do."

And it felt good to be praised. It had been something I missed dearly, but had not known I wanted it.

"We hunt animals." Carlisle says after he laughs a minute. "This is why our eyes are this color. We live peacefully without taking lives."

"Animal's blood?!" I didn't mean to sound so disgusted, but it made him laugh. "Perhaps you can stick around long enough to find out how we live?"

His eyebrow tilted up and he looked amazingly stunning.

Downstairs I could hear pots and pans rattling. And voices talking.

There was a full blown conversation or debate rather on how manly Emmett was. Apparently the comment about being a marshmallow really hurt him. Every few lines someone would laugh and it was typically Nessie. Bella poked back with sarcastic tones of mockery. She sounded like she was enjoying herself. I hear Jasper agreeing with Nessie about Emmett growing softer with each passing year. Edward says "Killing a bear doesn't make you a man. My teenage daughter could do that in her sleep." Rosalie's sugary voice is sweet and she tells Emmett that she'd never dispute his manhood.

Alice's voice makes a sound similar to someone puking. "Ew gross! What the hell is wrong with you and Emmett?"

"You see sex all the time, Alice. It's not big news." Rosalie states and I hear two pairs of uncomfortable shifting feet. I am willing to bet Bella and Jasper were the ones responsible

Edward apparently agrees because he questions why Alice had a problem with that considering she packed Bella's lingerie for their honeymoon. Just then Nessie shouts. "Please, for the love of God! Spare me from this story. Not cool dad!"

No daughter would ever want to hear of the night of her conception no matter what species she was. I guess family rules apply to any and every type of family.

I laughed a little and Carlisle looks slightly ashamed. "We all come different time periods and although they all have at least a century, none of them fully grew up."

I smiled. "It must be nice. I've been alone for a while. I want to enjoy the feeling of company." I say going quiet again. I was aware that the folks downstairs could hear me as well I heard them, but it didn't kill their banter.

Down below everyone's feet, I could hear the gentle and faint sound of lungs contracting and expanded in rhythm.

That beast was resting in the basement, which unease me greatly. However I was glad he had another 110 minutes before he woke up. Carlisle asked if I wanted to join the others like Alice told us. Who I was to go against a vision? I nodded and hoped up off Carlisle's couch. Alice had dropped off some clothes before hand and Carlisle gave me privacy to get dressed. It was nowhere as showy as her fur coat. It was a long sleeved shirt and jeans. I figured that this outfit was not from her sleek and high fashioned closet.

The home was basically one elegant hall after another. It was more like an English ballroom in the striking marble pillars held up the tiers of the home. There was an inner balcony of which overlooked the living space. Lined around were several rooms which I assumed were bedrooms. In front of me were golden spiral staircases that truly made feel like Cinderella descending from up high into the ballroom.

"And not a moment too soon. Lucy, come have a seat." Alice calls looking over her tiny shoulder. She was a frivolous one, full of energy and pep. I smiled and hurried down the steps, not that I was particularly feeling social, but I was astonishingly grateful to see Roseblood sitting on the couch and smiling. The bowl of chicken chucks and steamed noodles was resting in her lap. I was looked at Edward who shifted towards Nessie ever so slightly whenever I saw her. No one would have paid much attention to the action as it seemed chaste enough. No one knew how alluring the girl smelled to me.

I was growing increasingly aware that I'd have to take care to manage my thoughts now.

I only call her Rose blood as a nickname. If I wanted her dead, then I would have a long time ago. I am in full control.

I wasn't sure if my mental conversation would work, but I guess Edward could read how stable I was, because he leaned back into the eggshell cashmere couch and smiled slightly. I took my seat next to Alice.

"Thank you guys for having me." I said quietly.

"Thank you for being concerned for my daughter." Bella say grabbing lock Nessie spring coiled hair. Nessie seemed to lean towards her mother touch easily.

"Gees, Lucy. You came all the way out here for me?" Nessie asked. I nodded.

"I was scared for you. I keep all my students as safe as I can. It's my duty! Besides, if this vampire problem I knew that chances is one of my students would be a victim in some way. It's just so easy…" I look at the scar my wrist from the connection and think about just how easy killing way. Like a human opening up a can of soda pop and drinking. That was the ease associated with hunting a human was, it was natural and effortless.

"So you heard about that too? Any of your friends?" Rose asks. Her back is turned to the group now. She is sitting on the far end of the living room and looking out the window into the snow blanketed forest. I did not mind too much. I had no desire for her love or affection. I was much too independent to want to try to earn favor. If Rosalie Cullen disliked me, well I just could not make myself care.

I lifted up my head and crossed my arms. "If you mean am I responsible for the newborns , no. I do not roll around in such monstrous behavior anymore. I consider myself a new woman. Besides, I just moved here from spending a few years in Canada."

"Denali?" asked Jasper. I shook my head. "Ontario. I was a psychology professor up there for close to 4 years. I've moved a lot globally. Mostly towards the European line though. Never would I have thought in a million years this tiny place was as lively as it is though."

Emmett mutters "You don't know the half of it."

I look at him, unwilling to let that slip. "Is there something I do not know?"

Esme smiles. "Let's say we have a lot of history rooted in Forks. I guess dearest Bella was most of the cause."

Bella looks down and hides her face behind her veil of russet hair. I laugh, but focus back on the subject.

"I understand Nessie is safe, but what about everyone else? I can imagine you all have more information about this…outbreak. I just want to keep my students safe."

Nessie looks at her mother who sighs. "Lucy, the newborns aren't a threat. We weren't scared of newborns. With 8 of us and all the other wolves that wasn't our issue; we had to clear out because we thought the Vultori- a group of monarchic vampire rulers had sent a scout to check out our activities. We thought if we left for a week then they'd leave us alone a bit long"

I shot up my hands calmly, begging her to stop before she got any farther. The Vultori was in fact something I had heard of before once from Yohan. I thought he was giving me a scary story of kings overruling our hidden world. I guess he was not playing. That wasn't my concern however.

"I beg your pardon. But did you say…wolves…as in more of those… repugnant ghastly mongrels here?"

"Oh yeah. Maybe like 40 now since Jake started his own thing. There are popping up all the over place. You just never know when one will show up now!" Emmett told me happily and dangerously unaware of the sheer panic he was force feeding me.

If I had a heart, it'd be racing.

"I declare you are dumber than a donkey in heat sometimes." Jasper says with venom lacing his words and a strong southern drawl at his brother. He starts to soothe me over by making me feel happy.

"40?" I say again. "All over the place." I was laughing a bit, but it was not a happy laugh. It was more like; I am being force to laugh since I am suddenly feeling highly joyful. "That is simply wonderful!"

"Oh they are loud, they eat a lot, are messy rude and smelly…but they aren't so bad." Alice says.

Rosealie snorts and I agreed with her.

"You allow that thing to sleep here?" I ask again.

Nessie shrugs her shoulders. "Jake comes and goes as he likes. He visits me at least once a week. Typically he likes to stay back in La Push, but since more newborns are coming out he stays here…"

I look at Nessie and feel grossed out. "Jake is the dog you've telling me about." I said wishing my words did not sound like I was singing in a choir.

Bella and Edward laugh really hard at that. "Thank God he is house broken. Jacob Black, is a good kid Lucy. I know him better than he knows himself."

"That's hardly a kid!"

She gives Nessie a quizzical look. Nessie shrugs and says "I thought I'd leave that part out."

"Oh." She says looking at me. Before I could ask she asks for the time. "It's 6:00pm, Bella." Carlisle says. He was leaned against the stair case and looking towards the door that was nearest to Rosalie. The basement door I assumed, since I could hear snoring from that direction.

We all knew, it would soon be waking up.

"How can you stand it? The way he looked at me made me feel like…I was his natural enemy." I asked crossing my arms and rubbing my hands against the sweater.

"Ding ding ding." Says Rosalie curtly and I raised an eyebrow.

I looked at Nessie. "Why would you pick the one pet that killed your kind for enjoyment?"

Nessie stabbed some of her noodles up and chewed them. She grimaced like it tasted bad, but swallowed anyways. "Mom's idea. She's the best friend. The ender of 1000 year war and the protector of the Cullens." Nessie giggles and Bella hides behind her hair again. I see Bella was the shy one. So strange considering how her daughter thrived on attention.

I took into consider all the titles Nessie said along with what Esme told me. Something big happened. Something major and Bella was in the middle of it. Judging by the way Nessie looks it was more than birthing a half vampire kid as well. Bella must be a unique, if not marvelous individual.

"She truly is." Edward says. I hadn't expected him to be listening to me so intently, but as soon as I thought he was paying attention to me he turned his head and placed his lips to his wife's. It was not not exactly chaste, nor was it lewd.

It was kind.

It was passionate.

Was it love?

Was that the way Yohan kissed Ada?

I truly wanted to look away, but I was curious about those feelings I missed out on. I imagined that's how Yohan and I would have…could have been.

Nessie smiled, but rolled her eyes when they showed no signs of slowing down or stopping. "They do it all the time. Soon they'll remember that they aren't the only ones in the house."

Edward backed up first, and Bella for a nanosecond looked dizzy, before chuckling. "Edward, do you see anyone else in the house? I thought I heard a whinny teenaged voice just now, but I can't see a thing." Her voice was so mocking that little Alice started to laugh.

"You know, Bella. I thought I heard something too. Perhaps it was just the wind. A bunch of hot air whirling around our common area." He was joking too, but his eyes were deeply focused into Bella's still.

"Mom! Dad! Cut it out." Nessie cried getting up she walked over to go put her bowl in the kitchen. "My teacher is a few feet away for Pete's sake."

Edward looked up towards me then sighed. "I suppose she is right. Ms. Fortune, please excuse my family's lack of formality. I can assure you it won't happen again."

"Based on the circumstances, it was needed." I say looked back towards the basement. A little under 15 minutes now. I wondered if I should start making my escape while the thing still slept. I still have a pretty good head start though so I decided if I could get more information about these Newborns.

"Could you please tell me about the hive of newborns?"

"They aren't near here anymore." Jasper says simply. "Most have moved on to different hunting grounds. Some were…introduced…to the wolves. The vampire population here in Washington is regular besides a few hiccups. It seems we have a new comer who is causing mayhem, but she seems to be a part of the Vultori. A low rank scout. She tried to scoop out our home, but when we weren't home, decided to dismiss the mission and go a holiday. Ma'am, you'll have no trouble with any vampire."

I nodded and felt a lot better. Actually a weight was lifted off my shoulders. So the problem was not as big as I thought. It was not really for my benefit, but for my students.

Just then Alice's head shot up. "My vision is blurred. Jacob is up early. Something must have stirred him up."

"Sounded like a bad dream." Edward mumbles confirming that he had no problem reading its mind.

I heard creaks as his heavy body loitered up the apparently wooden steps. I got up and moved back slowly. Carefully crouching my body just in case. I heard Carlisle call to me.

"Easy, Lucyherine." He whispers. "He won't harm you now."

But I am tensed and ready to spring. I feel such a sense of joy that I was almost being tickled. I wanted to laugh, but I grunted and plastered a happy mask on my face. I changed my mind. Jasper was the most annoying.

The door handle shakes and the door creaks open. A boy- about the age of 19 or 20 steps out the basement. His skin is tanned and firmly stretched over rippling muscles. His hair is cut short and is spiked along his head. He is wearing baggy stripped pajama pants and no shirt. He had to be freezing, because I could hear his steady heart beat and air feel his lungs. I could hear human functions working in his body, so the cold had to bother him. But his stink! He had the air of the beast.

The boy yawns and scratches his leg. "Yo. Esme you wouldn't happen to have dinner would you, doll? A rack of lamb sounds heavenly." He wasn't too pushy, and still appeared slight sleep.

I looked and across his left eye was a small pink gash.

What trickery was this?!

Nessie skipped over to Jake and he played with her hair affectionaly. "Nes! Hey Kiddo. Boy, I'm glad to see you." The way he looked at her was confusing. It was not the ogling glare that lovers shared, but it was not the look of a friend.

"Jake, this is Lucyherine Fortune, my old French teacher. Lucy…Jacob Black." She says wearyingly. Jake looks up at me and his head lowers instantly.

That same look of cold hate rises in his eyes.

I hiss at him and he lets out his own personal growl. It almost sounded like a bark, only deeper like a roar.

"Hey now. She is our guest. She is a friend of Nessie. She means no ill will." Carlisle says.

Jake looks up. "You sure about that Doc?"

Carlisle nods.

"They may like you, but I don't you, leech." He says.

I grimaced."Likewise, mutt."

Jacob and I never melted into each other and I did not leave till well after 4 in the morning. After Nessie yawned and told the family she was going to turn in for the night. Esme insisted I stay and chat, which I did.

Esme sent a good bit of the evening cooking a huge dinner of the mutt. One that he did not deserve.

We sat across the room scowling at each other and trading brief insults during intermissions with my conversations with others. He was brash and loud. He was laid back and overly hyper. Everything I was not. And it infuriated me.

I was talking about how I grew up in Geneva to a jewel monger family and Jake asked how many people I ripped off.

"Excuse me, but just my pearls could buy your life six times over. Or maybe not…your pelt would make a lovely fur coat, mutt." I said bitterly.

"I'd love to see you try with one arm." He crosses his arms clearly feeling cocky. I hiss.

"Is that your only tune? I've meet scarier vampires without heads."

"Do not try for a second round beast." I say rolling with hatred. I wanted this thing dead and out of my life. I pictured sinking my teeth into him, but spitting out his foul smelling blood. I rather drink rotted fish blood!

"Do us a favor and stop acting tough. Why don't you continue prattling on about your stupid stories about playing your lyre."

"Its call a harp, you uncultured, uncivilized swine." I spat back. I had never met anyone I hated more than Jacob Black.

Rosalie laughs. "And I thought I had an attitude. Little Lucy isn't so bad after all."

"Babe, you are so scary sometimes. I swear…" Emmett shakes his head as his lover, but he was grinning ear to ear.

Nessie had put her hand to my cheek and showed me that our bickering had looked exactly like a cat and dog exchanging hisses and growls at one another. She replayed an old cartoon where a black cat holding a frying pan was trading blows with a Grey dog armed with a lead pipe. I laughed, but assured her I wasn't going to hurt him for her sake. I was not heartless after all. She waited till after we stopped fighting to go to bed, but as soon as she left, we started up all over again.

"Stupid fowl mutt."

"Prissy weak leech."

"Weak?! I can out smart you on your best day. Then again that is not that hard to do…" I grinned defiantly at him. I get really close to him as quick as I can. He leans back expecting a punch but I landed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

It was gross, but my scent would be on him for a while, unless he showers for hours.

He gets up lighting fast and his body is shaking. Shaking like he was about to blurr out of existence. He is breathing heavy and he holds his cheek like it burns.

"You little…bitch." He says and Jasper tells him to watch his language around the company of ladies- particularly of little Alice who looked worried since she did not see the next event clearly. Bella pleads with him to calm down and not to phase in the house again. I guess the beast comes out with rage?

Jacob curses my mother, but doesn't say anything else. He thanks Esme for his meal and takes his food downstairs. I guess he was too embarrassed to let me see him running for the shower. He wanted me to think I could take it, but I had his number and I knew how to call it.

"You sure do know how to get a rise out of Jake." Says Bella. She was smiling a bit and looking more relaxed than she should have been at my display.

I shrug. "I am really more a cat person." I say hoping he heard me.

I enjoyed the rest of the night with the Cullens peacefully.

It was truly casual and we got along well. Rosalie was still very aloof, but would occasionally look at me and smile.

I learned about Jacob's imprinting of Nessie, but how Jacob thought Nessie needed a friend, not a lover, more than anything else. I learned of Bella's long time friendship with him and I could not phantom anyone dealing with that mutt longer than a day. I leaned about everyone's relationship and their meetings and Alice was very excited to tell me about everyone's wedding.

I envied them.

I wanted my own coven.

I wanted a family and a lover.

But here I was alone in my bed now. It was 7' olcock and I was 'running late'.

I had made plans to see the Cullens soon, but I had to get back to school. Nessie told me that she'd be in school the next day and would see me then. I had hardly believed only one day had passed since looking for Nessie. I got out of my car and walked into my home in such a surreal manner. I was both grateful for life, yet incredibly lonely. I took sips from my special wine and relived Edward's and Bella's kiss.

I looked over to my phone and discovered Yohan had called me many times. I sighed and my heart was too heavy to call my former love after seeing such fervor as I saw with each of Cullens. I slowly got up, and got ready for another week of school.