"You know you're over reacting," Bella had said to Edward as they walked back towards the Cullen's home the next day. Edward had picked Bella up from her house this morning wanting a walk together.
It was a beautiful day in forks, even if Bella now considered any day when it wasn't raining to be beautiful. The clouds were thick and low lying but there was something comforting about them. The grass below her feet was wet with tiny droplets of morning dew. They glistened softly as they ran down from there resting place on the blade of grass. Dew always reminded Bella of when she was younger, a time when her parents were still together. Her Mum used to take Bella out early in the morning to walk with her Dad to work. Bella remembered the wetness of her feet as the tiny droplets of water soaked through her shoes. Bella had never thought of the dampness as a bad feeling but found it refreshing instead.
Edwards's deep sigh brought Bella out of her thoughts. Although Edward did seem to be in a better mood today Bella could tell that the situation had not passed. When Edward had arrived that morning he had told her that he needed a break from all the emotions back home. At the time Bella didn't know what Edward had meant but as she approached the house she immediately understood. Bella felt a wave of remorse, anger and shame wash over her. Jaspers gift as a vampire could be considered a curse in some situations.
"Can't you just forgive him already?" Bella asked pleadingly.
"He wanted to kill you Bella" Edward explained "I can't forgive him for that"
"But he's your brother Edward" Bella sighed trying to shake off jaspers emotions.
Inside the house the intensity sensation of jaspers emotion seemed to triple to the point where Bella found herself wanting to break down. Bella felt Edwards's eyes on her as if waiting to see how she would react. Bella tried to compose herself reminding herself that these emotions were not her own. Edward seemed to notice this and gave her a small smile "you'll get used to it soon" he said but his smile did not reach his eyes.
Edward held Bella's hand leading her to the barely used kitchen. Although Bella and Edward held hands all the time, the coldness of his touch still seemed to shock her. His icy grip somehow soothed the emotions.
"Alice promised me not to say anything" Edward began "she says she wanted it to be a surprise, but I know for a fact that she only kept it a surprise so that you would come".
"What are you talking about..?" Bella asked a little suspicious. Bella's suspicions were soon answered as she turned the corner towards the dining table. There covering the whole table were boxes and boxes of clothes.
"No..." Bella groaned.
"Now, now Bella" Alice said trying to hold back a satisfied smile "this is going to be fun".
Bella turned to Edward with a face of mock betrayal "you set me up!"
"Why argue with a vampire that knows what going to happen?" said Edward putting on his most innocent face.
"Right! Shall we get started then? Edward go and wait in the living room" Alice said obviously happy with the outcome.
"Don't leave me with her, look at the amount of clothes" Bella pleaded. Edward looked around slightly amused "No one has died from trying on clothes" he said and quickly walked out of the room.
Bella had to admit that it was fun. Alice would choose a combination of different clothes, Bella would then try on and they would then go and show Edward. Although some of the outfits were completely impractical for Forks Alice still insisted that Bella would need them at some point. After what seemed like hours Alice finally ran out of clothes. "I could have sworn I had bought more than this"
"Maybe it's time you let your living manikin rest?" Edward suggested having just appeared in the door frame. Now that Edward had mentioned it, Bella was exhausted.
"Would you like a hot drink?" Alice asked a bit too enthusiastically, "I've been practicing for just this occasion" Bella didn't even answer as Alice was already grabbing the ingredients from the otherwise empty cupboards.
Edward and Bella went and sat at the kitchen table. Bella often wondered why the Cullen's bothered to have a kitchen table or for that matter a kitchen, she had once asked Edward and his only reply was "to be normal". Although at the time this comment had confused Bella she now understood. All of the Cullen's had once been human, they had once cooked in a kitchen and had eaten at a table. Even if they didn't need to use either of these any more still being able to have them reminded them of when they were human. Edward was grinning at her.
"You enjoyed that didn't you?" he asked almost laughing.
"No!" Bella insisted stubbornly "you know I hate shopping".
"Well technically it wasn't shopping" Alice said matter of factly as she walked into the room carrying a tray with a hot chocolate on it. Alice certainly had been practicing as the smell of the warm drink was enough to make Bella forget about the hours of torture before.
"Now don't drink it too quick it's still very ho--" suddenly Alice's eyes glazed over. The tray with the hot liquid crashed to the floor, the cup smashing as it hit the ground spilling the brown drink everywhere. Alice didn't appear to notice the cup nor the hot liquid on her feet, in fact Alice didn't appear to notice anything. Bella knew that although Alice's body was here in the room with them her mind was somewhere else in a time that has yet to happen.
Edwards's expression was not much different. His eyes were unmoving, focused entirely on Alice. Bella suddenly felt very alone in the large room as though Edward and Alice were mere statues. Edward was the first to speak "Bella go get Carlisle" the urgency in his voice frightened Bella. Edward seemed to realise this giving her a small comforting grin "please?" he asked.
Bella knew where Carlisle would be. His study was located opposite Edwards's room. Bella would often see Carlisle sitting in his study looking over some notes or listening to music. Bella ran straight there. The door to the study was closed. Bella hesitated.
The Cullen family usually left all doors in the house hold open, "we feel isolated enough from the world the last thing we want to do is isolate ourselves from the ones who understand us best" Edward had explained to her when Bella had first visited the Cullen's house. It was for this reason that Bella was not sure if she should enter, but the urgency that Edward had expressed drove her to knock.
Bella knocked twice. Her knock seemed to eco in the large house. Bella waited and listened. She could hear no signs of movement coming from the study but that was not unusual with creatures as swift and silent as vampires, with the exception of Emmett Bella mused. She waited several moments. Having got no reply she thought to look elsewhere. Just as she turned to leave the door swung open. "Bella" Carlisle said smiling politely "are you alright?"
Bella was always amazed at how soothing Carlisle's voice was. "Its Alice," Bella said quickly "I think she's had a vision", Bella was so focused on Carlisle that she did not notice the other presence in the room.
"Did she say what it was about" the sound of Jaspers voice made her jump. Jasper had been sitting on the edge of the oak desk in the corner. His eyes reflecting the ceiling lamp looked like two glass marbles.
"No, Edward told me to go and get Carlisle. I came straight here".
"Thank you very much Bella" Carlisle said graciously turning to look at Jasper who was already at the door ready to go.
When they got down there Alice was already sitting with a pad of paper sketching out best she could what she had seen. She looked shaken like someone who has just been in a car accident. Jasper was immediately by her side.
"What could it mean?" he asked analysing the drawing. Bella stepped closer wanting a better look, curious as to what the reason could be for such a dramatic vision. There in the centre of the paper was an elaborately designed crest. The crest was in the shape of an ancient shield surrounded by the strong wings of a hawk. In the centre of the shield was a detailed picture of a lion with the letter 'E' on its chest. The crest was truly magnificent.
"Do you recognise this?" jasper asked Carlisle.
Carlisle sighed picking up the paper from the table in order to study it further "it's been over 200 years..." Carlisle began "I thought their lineage had been broken..."
"Who?" Alice asked speaking for the first time.
"The Etheridge's" Carlisle said in little more than a whisper.
"It can't be! I heard that they died out along with their art!"Jasper said looking shocked, "Are you sure this is what you saw?" he asked Alice who only nodded not meeting his eyes. "When are they coming? How did they find out where they are?" Jaspers questioned Alice further.
"I don't know" Alice said timidly looking almost ashamed about the lack of detail in her vision. Jasper sighed frustrated.
Bella could not take the suspense anymore. "Edward?" she asked "what going on?" Edward turned to her as if suddenly remembering her presence. "I should take you home, you need not get involved Bella..."
"No! I'm staying with you. No matter how dangerous the future is will never leave you" Bella stated stubbornly.
"Are you sure Bella" it was Carlisle who spoke, "you could be safer with Charlie this time" he said encouragingly.
"Yes I'm sure" Bella knew that she had won.
"It's probably best you know the whole story then", Carlisle started "you see Bella, ever since the existence of vampires there have been those who have seeked to destroy them. These hunters would use many means of killing vampires. You may have heard of a few methods these hunters use to use to try and kill. The wooden stack through the heart was a popular method until it was found to be completely useless. The first time I encountered these hunters they tried this on me only to find it splintered when it hit my skin." Carlisle said with a hint of a satisfied grin on his elegant face. "But there was one family of hunters that did develop an effective means of killing. These hunters went by the name of the Etheridge's"
"The Etheridge's were the first humans to successfully kill a whole cavern of vampires. They were highly skilled and past their art down to their children slowly perfecting it. They were feared by the most powerful vampires."
"It was rumoured however about fifty years ago they took on more than they could handle and were killed by a savage group of newborns."
"Nothing has been heard of them since. I myself believed these rumours to be true" Carlisle's eyes narrowed as he looked at the picture once more.
Bella's heart was racing as she heard this story. How could any humans be more powerful then vampires? She had always considered vampires to be almost invincible in comparison.
"What must we do?" jasper asked Carlisle.
"Go and find the others, we must leave the house as soon as possible. If they know where in Forks chances are they know where our house is. Edward get the backpacks, we need to look as unsuspicious as possible, as if we are just going on a family tramp. We need to blend into the background".
This almost made Bella laugh, as if anyone with such extraordinary beauty could ever blend in.
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