AN: Thank you all for reading this story. It was actually one of The Lemonade Stand's Fics of the Week, which was marvelous.

A giant thank you to mauigirl60 for making this chapter pretty!

Let's meet some new friends, shall we?

Chapter 6

The sun was cresting the horizon as the band of unhappy travelers headed out of the woods toward the beach. The shimmering sand was littered with pieces of shells that the morning waves cast up onto the shore.

Without thinking, Bella reached down and grasped a littleneck clam shell. She used to come to the beach and gather them with her father and made necklaces after he drilled tiny holes in them. The creamy shell was caked with gritty sand, tickling her fingers as she rubbed them along the ridges. It soothed her to stroke the rough edges because it symbolized that she was a survivor – she was still alive. The shell went into her pocket as a reminder to keep going.

Seth had an arm wrapped around Bella's waist as she helped him over the sinking sand. He was getting better quickly, but was still weak from the previous night's blood loss. Edward was walking quickly ahead of them.

He spat backward over his shoulder, "Can't you walk yet, wolf? Bella doesn't need you leaning on her like a living crutch."

Seth was teetering closer and closer to telling off the vampire in front of them, but Bella clamped her hand over his mouth, effectively silencing his retort. Edward was a vampire with a serious desire for the red plasma coursing through her friend's veins; it wouldn't be prudent to make the creature angry. Bella was trying to stay calm and think rationally.

That lasted up until she saw the rock.

Bella stopped suddenly, her action almost causing her to topple over and taking Seth down with her. The beating of her heart picked up rapidly and her breath was ragged. The trembling shook her entire core. "Oh, God!"

Edward immediately skidded to a stop as well. He spun on his heel and watched as Bella bent over, trying to steady herself. Seth rubbed her back, as she continued shaking.

In a flash, Edward had pulled her upright, one hand holding her chin and the other one wrapped tightly around her waist. "What's wrong, Bella?"

"Why did you bring us here? This is where he was going to gut us! Just like those damned trout he'd bring home after fishing trips with his friends! He was going to slice up our children as if they were something he caught and was planning to fry up! Who does that? Can you tell me? Who does that?"

She screamed and pointed a shaky finger toward the rock.

Without a moment's thought, she was pulled gently against his cool chest. Edward could feel her warm, salty tears wetting his shirt. It was heaven and hell as he clutched the still-lovely woman, even with her matted hair and dirty dress.

"I have no idea, Bella. I really don't. I can promise you that this is far away from where your husband and his friends were going to harm you."

Bella looked up at him with her bloodshot brown eyes, which made Edward thoughts immediately turn to her awakening as a newborn. Her eyes would look so very similar to what they were now. It would be perfect. He shook his head quickly to clear it from thinking those thoughts.

There would be one way to shake her from the human melancholy he'd discovered about her so far. "I wouldn't bring you back there, you silly woman. Aren't you from around here? There are rocks everywhere. Honestly, you humans don't have to turn on the waterworks all the time. I thought you were better than playing the damsel in distress every two minutes. If this was a horror movie, the audience would be cheering for your demise."

Bella tried hard to push him away, a new fire in her eyes but the rock of a man wouldn't budge.

"It is a horror movie, you blood-sucking Popsicle! Have you missed out on the corpses rotting around here? I need two minutes to freak the fuck out, you pathetic Dracula wanna-be! I think I deserve a pass after my children and I were almost sliced and diced. I know you're comfortable with the whole killing thing, but some of us do have a heart. You were human once; maybe you still have one that's trying to beat again."

Those traitorous hearts, he thought.

Hers was beating so fast, the blood rushing against him, as he closed his eyes and savored the sounds. It was intoxicating but, for the first time, he didn't want to suck the song it was singing out of her. He was feeling emotions that he never would have believed he'd ever be capable of experiencing. Edward knew for a fact that he only wanted to keep her near.

"That's my girl."

She looked up in shock and then continued to try pushing him away. "Could you let go?"

He really didn't want to be away from her at that moment, but let her go slowly.

"Technically, I'm a shifter," Seth interrupted next to them. He was very aware of the moment that had just passed between Bella and the leech and it frightened him.

Bella moved closer to her friend and started helping him over the sand. "Can you become anything other than a snarling furry beast? A kitten? A monkey? Spotted owl, perhaps?"

Seth admitted, "No, but I'd rather not equate myself with a monster from The Howling. We're different."

"Not from what I observed when I was running for my life with Jason and Sarah."

Edward observed them quietly, as they continued to bicker softly as they got closer to the parking area.

Seth was prattling on. ". . . the moon. I can change anytime."

There was a roar of a loud engine as a filthy Range Rover barreled into the parking lot, its black paint looking gray from the fine dust of soot covering the exterior. The vehicle slammed to a stop and a man jumped out, waving at them.

"Greetings, Edward! Still got that oak I crammed up your ass, you prissy bastard?"

Seth couldn't help a chuckle which was halted quickly by Edward's withering glare.

The man strolling toward them was beautiful like all the other vampires Bella had the misfortune of meeting. His sandy hair was pulled into a small ponytail tied back with a cord of leather. An old Sex Pistols t-shirt fit snugly on his muscular frame, his dark jeans ripped, feet bare, a smile playing on his perfect face. The man just glowed.

"Your eyes are quite an interesting shade of yellow, Garrett." Edward's face was stone.

"I like to describe it as goldenrod myself. Esme has quite the way in convincing people to walk the right path. Some are exceptions, of course," Garrett stated, as the men glared at each other.

Breaking the staring contest, Garrett turned to Bella with a blinding smile. "Good Lord, sweet lady, you are a grimy vision of beauty. You smell like a field of blooming wildflowers. It almost covers the stench coming from the boy."

The man was indeed a charmer.

Edward grabbed Bella, pulling her behind him. "Don't talk to Isabella."

"Between the two of us, Edward, I think your red eyes are a little more of a danger to the dear lady." Garrett ignored Edward's decree and peered around him. "Isabella, is it?"

"Yes," she whispered. Bella was feeling more and more like Alice in Wonderland crawling through the keyhole. Garrett was positively the Mad Hatter.

"I shall call you Princess Isabella. When I was a breathing man, I fought against tyrannical royal despots, but I would gladly fight for you, m'lady."

Edward growled, making Bella roll her eyes and walk around him to resume her position helping Seth.

"Calm down, tiger. The two of you are shimmering like you were dipped in glitter. Should we perhaps head on out before the surfers come and start mocking you boys?"

That time Seth had to laugh out loud.

As they got closer to the car, Garrett whispered, "Oh, I do like her! Let's keep her, shall we?"

"Shut up!" Edward hissed. God, he hated him. It was going to be a long trip.

XXXXXX

It was a long trip, because Edward had no clue where they were going. Bella watched as the stone man tapped his knee in irritation. He was usually so still. This was intriguing.

"Do you have a headache again?" she asked him.

She was sitting in the ripped back seat, Seth snoring loudly next to her. The tan leather looked like it had been clawed by a mountain lion.

"Headaches? Princess Isabella, we don't get headaches," Garrett announced, in confusion. He peered at Edward, who was despondently staring out the window.

"The rumors are true, then?"

Edward ignored him. He spoke to Bella instead. "The headaches have pretty much stopped."

Surprisingly, they had. Edward was certain now that the headaches were from not drinking the blood of the wolves; now that enough time had passed, his body didn't need the vile liquid anymore. It was as if a weight had been lifted, freeing him.

Garrett didn't take the hint. "Wolves' blood? How could you even think about consuming that stuff? That poor child back there smells like a trash dump and you rocket scientists are feeding off his kind? You should never have followed Carlisle to Italy, Edward! You have daddy issues. I know turning at seventeen . . ."

Bella couldn't help her gasp. She had been kidnapped by a teenager?

"You're seventeen?" she croaked out.

"It's been a while since I was seventeen," Edward murmured. It was odd that he was filled with the feeling of embarrassment.

"How long has it been?" Bella was feeling slightly queasy.

"Our boy here has been a forever teen angel, since the early 1900s," Garrett announced brightly. "I, on the other hand, am a man who was a hero during the founding of our country. My masculine prowess is legendary, Princess Isabella. What are your thoughts on lovemaking with a vampire? I hear it's all the rage with the ladies these days."

Garrett wiggled his eyebrows at her. Edward was going to rip off his head.

"Not a huge fan of necrophilia - no offense," Bella deadpanned.

Garrett just laughed. "You're a sassy little thing! I'll get you to see the love of cold things."

"If you touch her, you die," Edward said, his face expressionless.

Bella watched him carefully. He was on edge, but it was different this time. Edward's ire was focused on Garrett. She wished to be away from their power struggle and back with her children.

"Methinks our boy is becoming a man and has developed his first crush on the fair Isabella!" Garrett said this brightly at first, but then turned deadly. "Leave the wooing to the men, Edward."

"You think you can frighten me, Garrett? The only thing you do that's the least bit worrisome is the constant flapping of your gums. You can talk a person to death."

The men were too busy glaring at each other to notice a young deer leaping from the green foliage of the woods surrounding them, into the middle of the pavement.

Bella yelled, "Deer!"

Garrett swerved the car and halted to a stop. Bella gasped, and Seth was awakened with a jolt. "What the hell?"

"Could you two please stop acting like an old married couple and pay attention! I would like to get to my children!" Bella was beet red with anger. "Are we even close?"

Garrett turned to look at her, his expression apologetic. "I'm so sorry, Isabella. We'll be close to the boat soon."

"What boat?" Edward was planning on getting Bella's forgiveness, but he was more concerned about the change of plans. "Esme has a home right over the state line."

"Has all that Old Yeller blood gone to your brain?" Garrett looked at Edward like he'd gone insane. "Give Mama some credit. She's a lot smarter than Carlisle. Always has been. We have a new network of safe houses, my boy. James Harris has the floating transportation."

Edward's eyes narrowed into slits. His expression reminded Bella of an old cat that used to hang around her front porch when she was growing up. It was the same look that damned animal had right before it was about to strike.

"James? I'll never allow Bella near him."

"You have no choice," Garrett explained, all of his good humor vanishing without a trace. "When you, Jasper and Carlisle decided to skip off to the dark side with the Volturi, there were important things to consider. A war is brewing, Edward. Aro's boys and the wolves are creeping out of their holes and there could be massive human casualties.

"I like the way my life is and how these pesky humans enrich it with culture every day. It can be gone in an instant. Esme is building an army and you can choose to suck it up and help or keep acting like an infant. Choose the latter and I'll push you out of the car and deliver these two to safety."

Bella just stared at them both, wide-eyed. It was if all the monsters were coming out to play. Seth took her hand and looked at her worriedly.

"I can't leave her," Edward whispered. He looked up at the dome light in the SUVs roof. His voice was pitched so low that only Garrett could hear it.

"I'm beginning to see that, kid."

XXXXXX

Thirty minutes later, they were at a marina. It was small and discreet with tree branches forming a protective cover around them. Bella found it odd that the grounds were deserted this time of day. There were a few sailboats docked with their sails tightly furled. Seagulls squawking in the air, begging for crumbs, were the only sounds that could be heard.

"Where did this group hide all the bodies?" Bella murmured.

A man with blond hair that grazed his shoulders popped out of a fishing boat. His shirtless chest shimmered in the light, like the water surrounding him. He grinned, pulling some fishing line from the pocket of his cargo shorts.

"We go with burials at sea, dear lady. No, I'm kidding. We own this place. It's safe from the locals."

His eyes were gold. Bella exhaled slowly in relief.

Garrett held out his hand to shake his friend's, as they reached the boat. "Good to see you again, James. This vision is sweet Princess Isabella. Our stinky little buddy is young Seth."

"Just Bella. Hi," she greeted softly, once again feeling overwhelmed.

The man smiled kindly. "Hello there, Just Bella and young Seth. Good to have you on board. The rules on this vessel are simple. Relax. I've heard you two have had a rough go of it. We have warm showers and clean clothes for you both."

Bella noticed immediately that the man was purposely ignoring Edward. She felt Edward pulling her closer to him again. She felt like a human life preserver.

Garrett smiled. "I bet I can guess who gave you the heads up."

"Alice," James said, laughing. "Of course, she did!"

He stated that as if it were destiny.

"She stays with me." Edward pulled her even tighter to him, so tight that it hurt her.

"Ow!" Bella groaned.

There was a flurry of activity then; James flew at Edward, causing Bella to be thrown in the air. Before Garrett could catch her, Seth morphed into a wolf and maneuvered himself so she'd land on his soft fur.

Edward and James were trying to behead one another, as Garrett clapped slowly and distinctly at them.

"Hooray! You both have incredibly large penises. Can you please stop frightening the poor human woman and her dog? It shows a lack of sophistication that makes us truly the monsters of stories, gentlemen."

"We're supposed to be protecting her and Edward is trying to squeeze her to death!" James threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

"It was an accident! I was trying to protect her from you!" Edward started pulling his hair.

Bella stood up and dusted off her skirt. She was going to burn this dress along with all the memories. She patted Seth's soft brown fur and glared at the men.

"If your pissing contest is over, do me a favor and let me get cleaned up. I smell horrific."

A cheery redhead, whose head was covered in springy curls, came out onto the deck wearing a purple bikini. Seth whimpered and Bella popped him one on the snout. It appeared that even dog-boys got stupid over sexy women.

"I say you smell like a bouquet of fresh daisies. Don't worry, sweetie," the woman said with a bright smile. "Let's get you and your pup cleaned up."

"I need to stay with her!" Edward pleaded. His need to be constantly touching her was rivaling the lust for the wolves' blood earlier.

"One addiction for another, Edward?" Garrett asked, his eyebrow raised.

Victoria came over to help Bella onto the boat, as a very naked Seth hid behind a small bush. He squeaked, "Anybody have a towel?"

A bright beach towel flew and hit the bush. Victoria called out, "Here you go, cutie."

Seth was blushing like a schoolboy.

A dark skinned man popped his head out a door leading to the wheelhouse and called out, "We need to get a move on, boys and girls! Trouble's brewing!"

James looked worried. "What happened, Laurent?"

"They found a dead man on a beach near the highway, ripped to shreds." He glanced at Seth. "It was one of the kid's tribe members."

"Did they give a name?" Seth whispered.

Laurent swallowed and said somberly, "Paul Jones."

Bella held Seth as he wept. She looked at Edward questioningly.

He simply said, "It's time to begin the journey."