A/N: Here ya go! I switched to Dem half way through, while Bella's sleeping, so don't get confused :)

Shoutouts to Cullensbabymama7, GleekLaughingXDPuckleBerry, and brikaspoms. You are awesome!

Enjoy!

Black King, White Knight

Calls and Favors

Bella

I knew by the light coming into my window that I need to get dinner started now to have it ready for Charlie.

I decided to test Felix's connection, to see if I was hoping for the impossible, by going silently down to the kitchen and see if he would follow.

I had just brought a casserole dish out from the cabinet, as Felix said my she from behind me. I have no idea why, but it startled me so much the dish slipped out of my shaky hands.

"Oh, Felix. Sorry," I whispered, trying to restart my heart.

"No, my apologizes. I didn't intend to frighten you." I cracked a small smile at his laughter, it was so vibrant I couldn't help not to. I could listen to his laugh for eternity.

"No, it's okay, just unexpected," I said quickly, my mind still reeling from my previous thought. I turned to the refrigerator to hide the hope and chagrin on my face.

It was the most forbidden of my daydreams, but with Felix here, was immortality possible? Knowing I would never have to let Felix go, to be his wife?

Wife, I thought sourly. I hated the concept of marriage, until now. And that shocked me more than the vampire world could be open to me again, although Edward would never change me. Would Felix be both my creator and husband one day? God, I hope so.

I stopped that train of thought dead. I didn't even know what in the world Felix was doing here, in Forks, and there so many other questions I need answers to before I started the daydreams again that would only send me running for the knives if and when he left. Very Romeo and Juliet.

I shook my head slightly to clear my mind and try to not sound like babbling idiot when I asked him.

"I have to ask something. What were you doing there? Before you killed Laurent? And why did you save me?" I asked, still unable to rein in the surprised and awe in my expression. I could felt it might look mildly incredulous too.

"I was coming up from the south to meet a friend of mine. I was simply taking a shortcut through the forest, and came across both of your scents," Felix replied in a conversational tone, but I picked up the hint of confusion in his voice. Was it possible that he felt this pull towards me too? "As to why I saved you, I don't really know. I hated that he was going to kill you. It was a gut reflex, I guess."

Felix seemed so baffled by his own actions that the question of his feelings disappeared. I somehow doubted he was a 'vegetarian', so the only explanation was he was right there with me. I didn't want to push it though.

"Oh. Thank you, you know,for saving me," I said as nonchalantly as I could manage, and it wasn't easy.

I found myself mildly annoyed that Charlie had eaten the last of the bread. But I was more annoyed that I could stand her and make dinner, with a thirsty vampire in the kitchen, and feel like it was just a normal day. Nothing about today was normal.

"No problem. Now let me ask you one. How are you so comfortable around out kind? And why were you holding yourself so tightly before?" he hedged, raising an eyebrow.

I froze solid. This was the one thing I didn't want to think about. I might be insane for being so deeply in love with Felix, but it did not fully erase the pain from before, a pain that I knew would stay with me in some form.

"Forget I asked, Bella. I can understand it's not something you wish to talk about," he quickly backpedaled, and allowing me to regain control of my limbs.

"Sorry. I don't know how to describe it. I guess it's like my entire chest has been ripped open and I can't breathe," I responded without realizing I was. It was my biggest secret, something only I knew. I couldn't figure out how this handsome, wonderful man had broken down all my careful barriers in just a couple hours.

And then it hit me. I trusted him like I never believed I would be able to again. I could only pray he didn't take advantage.

I thought I heard a murmured apology, but I was the one who should be sorry since I dragged him into my daily nightmare.

My mind was racing as I considered what I would do if he would want me at all, even a fraction of how badly I needed him. Felix now knew I was damaged goods, and couldn't imagine him with anyone less than perfect.

I was completely unable to stop myself from getting my hopes up. More than that, everything I was revolved around him now, and I knew this I would never recover from if I lost him.

With a start, I realized my father probably would not take kindly to a strange man sitting at the kitchen table while I stared at him with puppy-love eyes. I groaned internally and braced myself for the pending separation. I could make it through a couple more hours without him, if Felix would stay close.

"Felix?" I sighed, catching his full attention. "Charlie is going to be home soon and it honestly wouldn't be good if you were here."

"Alright, no problem. I'll be outside in the trees. I don't want to be too far away in case Victoria comes looking for her friend."

I couldn't bring myself to speak, but my face said more than I ever could, begging silently for him not to skip off into the night.

He darted across to me, taking my face in his cool hands. I was completely lost in the black fire of his eyes. Then he gently kissed my forehead, and I felt his connection to me grow stronger. I knew he couldn't bare to leave me alone now. But whether or not he'd keep his distance was another matter entirely, but his tender gesture gave me hope I swore I would never submit to again and it was out of my control this time.

"Bella, you're safe now. No vampire is going to get through me. I've never lost a fight in fourteen centuries and I'm not going to start now," he whisper, and then he was gone.

My heart was going haywire from his touch, from his words, and from his promise to protect me.

Wait, he did just say fourteen centuries? I tired to wrap my head around that length of time, and I couldn't get a grip on it. I couldn't imagine being alone all that time.

Then it hit me, I knew next to nothing about him. Where he came from, any of his history, even his diet. It didn't bother me though, Felix was my knight in shining armor (or sparkling skin was more like it), and that's all that mattered.

I continued making dinner –Charlie had developed a near permanent craving for chicken enchiladas – as I tired to calm down enough that I wouldn't seem odd to Charlie. Today was not a day I wanted to discuss with him.

Oh, yeah, I nearly got murdered by one vampire, and Felix, another vampire, saved me and drove me home where I fall asleep on him and he watched me make dinner. That would definitely get me a one-way ticket to the mad-house.

"Bella?" Charlie called, as usual, hanging up his gun belt and slipping off his boots. I wondered if he had ever started taking the bullets out after everything, but I didn't hear him eject the clip, so I assumed not. That briefly disturbed me.

"In here Dad, dinner's on the table."

"Thanks, Bells," he grinned when he saw the huge dish of enchiladas.

"How was work?" I asked. In truth, I didn't really care, but it was something I had started to ask from time to time. I noticed when I did, Charlie would more or less leave me alone for the rest of the night, and with Felix around, I wanted that.

"Pretty boring, nothing new with the bear," he shrugged. Other than a couple hikers gone missing, the bear was the main priority. Charlie was certain the bear was to blame for the hikers. "Mark said I should be chief of animal control instead of police the way things are going."

I forced a small grin and it wasn't as hard as I imagined. I still had Felix on my mind.

Homework seemed like such as inconsequential matter now, but I would be in a world of hurt if I didn't study my calculus test and do the accompanying assignment. It still didn't make sense to me, but I tried and finally gave and put the answer that looked right. It was hopeless.

I finally gave up and went to take a shower. The blistering hot water was the best way for me to settle my nerves enough to actually get some sleep.

I tried to stop myself, debating on whether it was wise or not. The logical part of my brain had apparently shut off during my homework. Was he still out there? Would he even consider staying so when I woke up I would know it wasn't all some horrible dream?

I walked to the window, and slid it open. I hadn't noticed how stuffy and stale my room had become through the months of it being securely shut.

"Felix?" I whispered, more urgent than I wanted to sound. I scanned the darkness, praying for the faint glimmer of a ghostly pale figure in the woods.

Nothing. My heart sank straight through the bottoms of my feet. I should have known it was too good to be true. Stupid, lying vampire!

Without warning, Felix was darting across the yard as he looked up at me. I blinked in shock and kicked myself for the lack of faith and mild insults I made in my head just a second ago.

How could I have doubted him? Something about his face told me he would never lie to me, never be able to simply walk away for me, a mere mortal. I couldn't fathom what he saw in me, but I wasn't about to question it like I had before.

I couldn't contain my smile. Felix's returning crooked grin made my heart thump unevenly at a furious pace and I forgot to breathe. I quickly rearranged my thoughts into something manageable, but still entirely focused on him.

"Felix?" I asked. I knew what I wanted, but I didn't know if I could speak it without sounding the worst kind of pathetic.

He jumped to my window, balanced impossibly on the thin ledge. His eyes were eager to know whatever had made me call his name.

"Bella," Felix breathed. His wink was securely in the top spot of my favorite expressions. My request didn't feel so pathetic now.

"You're here." I was still trying to come to grips with the fact he was real, and not some figment of my imagination.

"Of course. I promised you would be safe, didn't I? That would be difficult if I couldn't watch over you. Besides, what else and I going to do?" he said lighthearted, but I sensed the need to be near me in his voice.

I bit my lip, asking myself if I was willing to ask and risk rejection. I decided if that was the case, I rather get it over with sooner than later.

"Would you maybe do me a favor?" I whispered.

"Depends," he replied. Felix's perfect features changed from hopeful to worried. He couldn't be afraid of the same thing I was, could he?

"I know it won't be easy, but will you maybe..." My words caught in my throat and I forced myself to look at the floor, trying to compose myself enough to finish the sentence. "Maybe stay with me tonight? Here? I can;t explain why really, but with you here, I feel..." I was irritated with myself that I kept rambling but also that I couldn't just suck it up and peek at his reaction. "I guess more like I'm a whole person again. I feel safe with you."

"Certainly, Bella," he said. I finally looked at him and he was glowing like a kid on Christmas morning. He gave me a wry smile and said, "you might need to back up though."

I had no idea why he needed me to move, and then it dawned on me. Vampire or not, there wasn't enough room with me standing where I was. He was so much bigger than I recalled him being. Perhaps my memory shrunk him down a bit so he would seem a little more attainable. I almost reached he shoulder, if I stood on my tip-toes.

I went over to my bed, wrapping myself in my sheets. As I pulled up the bedspread, I panicked a little, wondering if he would still be here in the morning, or if he would vanish. I was about to ask him if he'd stay all night, but I chickened out at the last second.

"I'm glad you're here Felix," I mumbled and moments later I was back in the meadow.

Laurent was lunging at me in super-slow motion. I was waiting for Felix to come out of the shadows and save, but he never did.

Laurent was only inches from me now, and I realized Felix never was there, waiting in the wings to save me...

Demetri

It was a little weird Felix hadn't make it back yet, unless he actually found the elusive boogie man we were suppose to be hunting, per Caius' orders. I was utterly bored, and ready to get home to Heidi.

Ah, Heidi. The most beautiful, fantastic, funny, charming woman in the world. I was wrapped around her finger from the moment I saw her, and although it nearly killed me, I stayed by her side while she burned. But it so incredibly worth it, she looked at me with those big, pretty red eyes, and never looked back. She made the most gorgeous mortals look like hags.

I was perched on top of the hotel, enjoying the clear night. I focused in on Jane's mind, noticing she was stationary just outside Olympia. Tracking her wasn't my favorite thing to do, she had this acrid, burnt-to-a-crispy flavor to her mind. It was almost like tasting it, but in my head. Alec's flavor was so subtle, it blended well with anything else making it a little harder to pick out, so I decided 'what the hell' and stuck with Jane.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and answered it, not even bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Felix. Where are you?" He was talking low and at a million miles an hour. Something was definitely on his mind.

"In the hotel. Why? Find something?" I questioned, hoping maybe there was anything to this bear rumor so I could actually have something to do.

"So, I gather you haven't talked to Alec yet. Are you alone?" Something was without a doubt going on, and I wanted in on it.

"No, I haven't seen him since this morning. Jane and Alec are out hunting in Olympia. What's going on Felix?" I asked, not bothering to mask my excitement.

"Well, I sort of have a you and Heidi situation," he said, sounding almost unsure. It took me a minute to process it.

"Wait, what?" I gasped, beyond surprised and still trying to decipher his vague clues.

"I think I found her." Felix's excitement and happiness was obvious, but my brain still couldn't connect the dots.

"Felix, make some sense please."

"Listen, Demetri. I haven't been making sense all day! I was on my way to catch up with Alec and I came across this girl and -"

"Oh my God," I said in shock, cutting him off as it clicked. It was nearly identical to Heidi and me. I couldn't find the proper words just yet.

"Uh, Demetri?"

"Congratulations brother!" I cheered! It's about damn time!

"Thanks! There's a slight problem though." The hesitant edge made me a little nervous. Felix had a history for getting in over his head with situations that didn't involve tearing someone part, so I assumed the worst.

"Problem? Don't you dare tell me she's already mated!" Everyone knew where my loyalties were. Heidi always came first. With all the mated pairs we had destroyed over the last thousand years, I couldn't even bring myself to consider someone abandoning their mate, for any reason. Creating an immortal child was lower on my black list.

"No! Well, sort of. I know he left her," Felix backpedaled so fast I could almost hear his mind tripping over the words. Really, it was my fault, I tended to jump to conclusions. Yeah, I was usually right, but when I wasn't it just caused issues I didn't need.

"What the hell do you mean 'sort of'? If he abandoned her, she's not mated. You know our kind never leave our mates, the bond is too strong. Although that's a really shitty thing to do." The only thing I could think of was she was still human and needed me to help move and control her as a newborn. I couldn't judge him for that, Heidi was human, but it still raised a lot more questions. For starters, who was 'he' exactly?

"Yeah. I know it's complicated," he sighed. "Beyond all realms of complicated, actually. Look, can you meet me? I rather discuss this in person, if you what I mean."

What was one more day away from Heidi? It wasn't like we were going to die tomorrow.

I reached out with my mind, and found him, a fair distance away and not near any major city like I expected. What was going on them him?

"Sure, head to Olympia. I'll be there in thirty minutes and I'll find you."

"Um, actually, I need you to meet me here," he said, nearly begging. I could never refuse Felix when he sounded like that, which, thankfully was exceedingly rare. Of course, that mean he was probably going to cause me trouble.

"Good God Felix, you're in the middle of nowhere," I griped, zeroing in on him. I hadn't bothered to be so exact before. I let out a huff as I leapt off the roof and headed towards him. "Fine, I'll be there in a couple hours. And you better have a damn good reason for me to haul my ass out there."

"Trust me, there is, and I need your help. Don't ask, just track me down. And do not say a word to Alec or Jane if you talk to them!"

I chuckled under my breath. Anything making Felix so antsy and scared of Jane was something I had to see. Of course, I had to figure out how to get him out of whatever trouble he was in.

"That bad, huh?" I asked with a sigh.

"Man, you have no idea. See you soon," he laughed.

I decided to give Jane and Alec a wide berth. If Felix didn't want them involved, which I couldn't blame him for, I didn't want them coming across my scent and following me.

"I'm already running, brother." I had to smile. Felix and Dem on one of our crazy adventures.

A/N: There's chapter two up. I'll probably be updating TGOCBMC before this one next, so stay tuned...