Okay, so it wasn't that fast an update, but I don't have a life. My life revolves around homework, which teaches me absolutely nothing. So forgive me – I'm trying. Also, I GET TO GO HORSE RIDING!! WHOOT!! … sorry, that was a cause for celebration. And I have the week off too. But me going riding is also a good thing for you readers, cus I get a lot of writing inspiration, if you will, while I'm down there. Oh, and I'm training for a dressage compy for next month. oh, and celebration time! They found 4 NEW, UNCOUNTED YOUNG JAVAN RHINOS!! WHOOT! GO RHINOS!! I mean, the grand total is only like, 40. No joke, and I didn't miss a zero. Oh, and I'd like to thank everyone who reads and reviews and says my crappy writing is worth their time. So… -takes a deep breath- THANK YOU!!! Now, if you survived this endless, celebratory-ish rant, you can actually read the story.

Endangered: Chapter 4

It was already morning, and I was still fretting about my bracelet. I couldn't sit still for the life of me. It was barely eight o'clock and I had cleaned the entire center twice, had fed all the animals and attended to the sick ones. Right now I sat, facing the computer and planning to do a write up on my observations of the vampire yesterday.

As I sat at the desk, typing away, I noticed the animals getting increasingly uncomfortable. The single doe in one of the enclosures outside was pacing and muttering profanities under her breath. The small hedgehog that lay in one of the pens inside the veterinary was making high pitched squeaking noises, and Nina was nowhere in sight. The osprey that was inside the aviary was flying from perch to perch, and I was starting to get a headache.

"What is their problem?" I muttered as I pushed back from the table. I quickly minimized the window, a habit I have never grown out of for some reason, and walked over to the medicine cabinet. I took out an aspirin before proceeding to the kitchen and getting a glass of water and quickly gulped down the pill. I then got out a snack and went to sit on the couch, picking up my phone in the process.

I quickly dialed Leah's number, for lack of anything better to do, and hoped she'd pick up so I could whine about my bracelet being lost and the animals going bonkers.

The phone rang a few times, before I heard her voice on the other end, "hello?"

"Hey Leah!"

"Oh, Bella, hi! Let me just get away from the nincompoops in the kitchen so I can actually hear you."

I laughed a little, "ok." I heard shuffling and slamming doors, and the sound of Leah lying down on her bed. "Better?" I asked.

"Much. Now, what do you wanna complain about?" Jeez, she knew me too well.

"Well, Bubba is now in the wild, and guess what?"

"You lost the tracking bracelet?"

"Are you a mind reader?"

She laughed, "not the last time I checked. It just seems like such a Bella thing to do."

"You forgot the tripping and the encounters with dangerous mythical creatures." I reminded her.

"Oh ya? What 'dangerous mythical creature' did you run into now?"

"Another vampire," I groaned, "he was hunting."

Leah gasped, "why didn't you call me sooner?"

"There would have been nothing you could do about it. And I was in their territory – by mistake – anyways."

She scoffed on the other end of the line, "I would have gone down there and kicked his butt anyway. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I managed to actually force myself to teleport."

I heard her clapping enthusiastically on the other end, meaning I was on speaker phone; not that I minded. Instead, I just took my phone off my ear, placing in on the couch and pressing the speaker button. "Can you teleport here now, so we don't have to talk over the phone or move?"

"Er…I don't think so. It wouldn't be a good idea anyways."

"Humph! I didn't realize your best bud was such low priority."

"Leah!" I groaned. "Not this again…"

"Don't 'Leah not this again' me! You have insulted me for the last time Isabella Swan." She said indignantly. "You will come over. Now."

After about two seconds of silence, we both burst into laughter. "I would…" My sentence was interrupted by a knock on the door. "But apparently, someone is paying me a visit." I said, confused.

"Who visits the oh-so-horrible social reject Bella?" Leah asked. I could hear the smile in her voice; I simply shook my head, smiling.

"There's that mean streak you're known for, coming out right there…" I muttered. It was rather weird actually, I was Leah's only true friend. She had gone through this horrible break up with the pack leader, Sam, when he imprinted on her cousin, and ever since, she'd changed. She was very closed off to people, with a snappy attitude, so it was very hard for her to get along with most people. But we got very close after the 'oh holy alpha' incident.

I was brought out of my thinking by another knock on the door, more rapid this time. I noticed the doe was now wide eyed, pushing herself up against the fence. I wondered why.

"Uh-huh, yeah. You better go answer the door before whoever it is breaks it down. Bye! Oh, and call me after the mysterious stranger is gone, k?"

"K," I said. "Later!" I quickly pressed the end call button, before jumping off the couch and running to open the door. I tripped a little as I got closer, but caught myself on the door handle.

As I opened the door, I stumbled back in shock at who stood before me. It was the vampire from yesterday – golden eyes, bronze hair, and he wore the most dazzling, lop-sided smile. I caught my breath, slightly dazed, before my gaze traveled to see what the shiny thing he was dangling in my face was.

To my great relief – and delight – hanging off his right index finger, was my bracelet.

"You dropped this," he commented dryly.

Without a second thought, I ran up to him and threw my arms around his neck , to both of our surprises. He hesitantly put his arms around my waist. I breathed in, and his musky, beautiful smell greeted my nose; I loved the way his ice cold skin felt against mine. I then let him go before my thoughts could get any farther, blushing fire truck red.

"Sorry," I mumbled, embarrassed.

"No, it's perfectly alright." He said, smiling. He then held his hand out toward me. "I don't believe I've introduced myself. I'm Edward Cullen." The name suited him, as old as it was. It was very…him. I instantly liked it.

I reached my hand out to shake his, "Bella, Bella Swan." I said, smiling. To my surprise, instead of shaking my hand, he brought mine to his cold, hard lips. I giggled slightly, in a very girly fashion, but stopped quickly. What was getting into me?

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Edward murmured; he didn't let go of my hand just yet, and I realized he was strapping my bracelet onto my wrist.

"You too," I declared. We stood in awkward silence for a moment, as he finished strapping the bracelet back onto my wrist. I studied the floor and trying to figure out what the heck he was here for, other than return my bracelet. To politely introduce himself, and then kill me? That was rather far fetched, even for me.

I turned when I heard Nina approaching. I made eye contact with her, and she simply gave me an incredulous look as she gestured her head at Edward, before disappearing.

I turned back to Edward, who was shuffling and looking uncomfortable, and I noticed his eyes had darkened a couple shades. That wasn't good; from what I knew; he wanted a bite out of my bobcat. I inconspicuously maneuvered myself so that I was across the doorway.

Edward cleared his throat awkwardly. "Erm…I just wanted to give this back to you and apologize…" He mumbled, looking at the floor. He looked like a little school boy, and it was cute, to say the least. If he was human, he probably would have been blushing.

"For what?" I asked curiously, tilting my head to the side. As I did this, my right hand traveled behind my back, and when I heard Nina's footsteps, gave her the 'I can handle it' hand signal I had developed. I heard the air move slightly as she nodded before her footsteps faded away. My hand returned to my side, and I met Edward's eyes to see him looking at me expectantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," I apologized. "Maybe we can go for a walk while we talk?" I added, wanting to usher him away from the center.

"If that's what you'd like." He responded, giving me a tight smile. I wondered why he wasn't as relaxed as he was before, but let it go, nodding and quickly spinning around to close the door. As I spun back, one foot caught the other, in true Bella fashion – Leah's words, not mine.

I closed my eyes and grimaced, waiting for the impact of the floor. It never came, and I opened my eyes to realize I was standing upright, with Edward's cold arm securely around my waist. I met his ocher eyes then, and we just stared at each other for a moment, before he let me go abruptly and I blushed a deep red.

"Thanks," I mumbled shyly. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

He nodded. "Anytime." His eyes were slightly darker than they were a moment ago.

I let it drop though, and started to walk down the patio steps, taking care not to trip over my two left feet again. We walked into the forest side by side, his pace slowing slightly to match my own.

"So, what were you saying earlier?" I asked casually.

"Well, I wanted to apologize to look like I was going to eat you yesterday when we ran into each other in the forest."

"Look like?" I scoffed almost silently.

Edward's head snapped in my direction, and I realized he had extremely good hearing too. Oops.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

Edward didn't seem to believe me, but didn't bother pushing it any further. "Can we be friends?" He blurted out suddenly, coming to a halt.

I looked at him, almost incredulous. How could that possibly work? Not that I'm complaining or anything, he is really gorgeous…still. I looked up at him, and almost melted when I met the smoldering, hopeful ocher eyes. The look on his face was so hopeful, I almost couldn't turn him down, even with I wanted to.

Ah, what the heck. It can't hurt, can it? "Sure." I smiled.

His eyes lit up with happiness, although I had no idea what about. Why would he want to be friends with me anyhow?

Oh well, looks like my newest friend is a vampire.

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