"What did you see!?" I flew up the front porch, nearly knocking the front door off of its hinges.
The whole family was gathered in the kitchen, waiting for us.
"What did you see?" I repeated eagerly. I was shaking I was so frightened for Charlie's safety. Edward held his hand to my side and Jasper was trying to work his magic by uplifting the mood in the room but my emotions stayed as they were. Esme and Carlisle shifted uneasily on the other side of the room.
Alice's face was stone cold. "There was a visit…"
"From who?" I interrupted hastily. My words were so stressed it had taken her by surprise but she managed to shoot me dirty look.
"Well I can tell you faster if you give me a chance." she hissed.
I dropped my gaze to the floor and bit my lip. What if there was another vampire close to Victoria or Laurent? What if the visit was fatal…what if Charlie's been kidnapped…I could feel my grip begin to slip.
"I don't know who it was but Charlie's home was destroyed. Everything was in disarray; the TV was shattered on the floor, the tub was overflowing, curtains and sheets and clothes were torn and all over the place." She seemed to take a deep breath like she was going to sigh. She cared for Charlie like he was her brother. "There was a message engraved into your old bedroom wall." She paused giving me time to make sense of all of this. "The police are investigating into it."
"No!" Edward let me go and shook his head, fingers to his temples. "They can't. They might get themselves killed."
"We can't stop them. It's the police they have more than enough right to investigate. If they want to interfere with something that may be a human act, then let them. Suspecting a vampire won't be the top thing on their list." Carlisle said as calmly as he ever spoke.
"Or werewolf." Jasper hissed.
I glared at him, my eyes blacker than ever. "Jacob wouldn't." I promised. But maybe I was only trying to convince myself. I hadn't seen him in 6 years. I just couldn't think of Jacob like that. Not the big monstrous adoring boy I used to know. But I shattered his heart and know that such a thing can destroy who you are entirely.
"The pack wouldn't let him. They've had a watchful eye on him the past 6 years. I've heard so from Seth, he still keeps in touch from time to time." Edward sided with me, looking up at him.
"This alliance you have with the dog isn't safe." Rosalie spat.
"So you're finally going to be a part in this?" I asked harshly. "Once anything that has anything to do with Jacob you suddenly walk out of your icy tomb of silence."
"At least I seem a bit more practical about this. If it wasn't a vampire than it was a werewolf. No human knows of our secret." Rosalie was livid. If she were human her face would be a brilliant red and blue.
"She's right. What human would be dumb enough to threaten us?" Emmet chimed in. "It wouldn't make sense if it was a human act."
Everyone fell silent as if taking in their theories thoughtfully. As much as I didn't want to agree with it, I knew they were right. A human would have to utterly be the dumbest person on the face of the planet to threaten us.
"When was the last time you heard from Seth?" Carlisle asked.
"About two weeks ago." Edward nearly whispered. That was plenty of time for an attack on the house.
"We can work around the police. We just have to be careful about it." Carlisle was suddenly standing between Rosalie and I. My teeth were bare from under my lips. A low snarl rippled through them without me even realizing.
"Tell Bella the message." Jasper sidetracked the conversation seeing as everyone else was too wrapped up in basically hating each other at the moment. I had completely forgotten to ask her myself. Maybe I was even a little too frightened to hear it.
Alice waited a few minutes until Rosalie and I broke our glare against each other to turn to her.
"For every life there is a way to die. To every secret there is an unveil."
"Seriously!?" Emmet was about to throw a fist through the wall. "That's such bull crap!"
Every pair of eyes in the room widened with anger and horror. This message was most definitely a threat to our existence. But who that know what we are would do that? A vampire wouldn't. Shouldn't. It would threaten them too. I know Jacob hates me now but I can't see him doing something like this. Showing up in Forks without causing a scene is going to be difficult.
"We will be bombarded if we go." Emmet protested.
"We won't all go. Only a few of us." Carlisle responded. "You can stay here in Elkins if you like. I on the other hand am going. Bella, I don't know if you should go."
"It looks like it's directed to me and Charlie's life may be threatened and I don't know why. I'm going, I'm not leaving him by his self."
"I'm going with you." Edward spoke quickly then turned to walk out of the room. Every pair of solid yellow eyes watched him become a blur through the hallway.
I looked back at Carlisle's disapproving stare before I turned away and followed Edward to our room. Everything seemed so dark in the house, despite the lights that were on. It may have been the amount of tension in the room. It almost blinded some of us.
I noticed he already had a suitcase pulled out and was throwing hand full's of clothes into it. I let him do the packing while I sat on the leather couch staring into space. I didn't have the capacity to think of anything else but Charlie. Was Renee okay? I'd have to give her a quick call from Charlies' house. I'm sure she's heard of it by now.
"Maybe we should give him a call first. Just to make sure it wasn't someone he knows. I mean he is a cop and well…everyone hates cops." Emmet was suddenly leaning against the doorframe with an incredulous expression as his eyes darted form one side of the room to the other, watching Edwards' frenzy.
"That's not true. The town looks up to him. He's never been unfair." I whispered still looking at nothing in particular. "He's probably the most lenient chief anyone would ever meet."
Edward stopped in front of me with a brush in one hand and our toothbrushes in the other. He looked embarrassed almost. "Maybe you should. Just to make sure. He could have arrested someone and that someone's friend/ family member…whatever… could have gotten revenge in that childish manner."
I thought about it for a second finally looking up at his pleading expression.
"If it's something he can handle himself than it would be ridiculous for us to get there in a rage." He added.
I nodded, "Either way we still have to go. At least for a few days just to be safe."
"Whatever you want to do sweetheart." He replied with a cold hard kiss to my forehead.
I pulled out my cell phone from my back pocket, pausing before pressing down on the dial button. I put it to my ear and everything I had been worried about vanished as soon I heard his voice.
"Dad! Are you okay? I heard what happened I'm coming to see you with Edward and Carlisle for a few days. We've been worried sick when Angela called me." I had to pull a few little lies. He'd be in hysterics if he knew how we really found out. So would everyone else.
"Well, word certainly goes around fast." He sighed miserably. My heart sunk to the floor again. "This mess will take a couple weeks to fully repair." He added with another sigh at the end.
"It's really that bad?" I asked startled. Alices' description didn't sound quit that bad…
"Unfortunately. I wouldn't want you to get all tangled up in the mess, Bells. I'll be fine."
"Do you have any idea who could have done it?"
Edward and Emmet leaned closer, anxious to hear it.
"I have no idea." He replied slowly as if he were thinking hard about it.
I put my head between my legs, cell phone still to my ear. Edward rubbed my back placing his forehead into his hand that was propped up by his knee. Emmet turned to walk out. I assumed he was going to tell everyone that there were no suspects.
"There weren't any finger prints. Not a hair. And that message on your wall…what's the whole secret thing about anyway?" I could tell he was trying hard to sound like he wasn't interrogating me but I knew he was suspicious. "It sounds so dangerous."
"I have no idea dad, I haven't been in Forks for five years." I pointed out.
"Hm. None of it makes any sense. But I'll be glad to finally see you, I'm curious as to how much you've changed. It's been too long."
If only he knew how much I have changed. I finally had a wave of anxiety roll into me. How could I hug him without him thinking something's wrong. I'll be ice cold and hard as stone against his warm and soft skin. Not to mention my eyes will be gold and not brown anymore. Contacts. I'll just tell him I have new contacts. But then again I never had any need for glasses. I could tell I would need some time to think of excuses as to my change in appearance. Needless to say…my attitude will be different as well. And not eating human food…oh, I was starting to get a headache just thinking about all of it.
"I can't wait to see you too. We'll be there at about 10am tomorrow...love you too…bye." My fingers went limp, letting the phone drop to the floor. "This isn't going to be easy." I mumbled between my legs.