~*BROKEN PROMISES*~

Chapter 9 – Too Many Mistakes

BellaPOV

"Bella, please…"

God he sounds like such a fucking pansy when he begs.

"James, for the last fucking time, no."

He took his arm off my naked stomach and laid on his back staring up at the ceiling. His bare chest was exposed and I could see the anger with every breathe he took.

"I'm sorry, James. You know I can't do it. I've told you more than my fair share of times that I'm just not ready yet."

"Jesus fucking Christ Bella! So this is how it's going to be. You'll just waltz over here when you want a good fuck and then you're out the door when you've got what you want?"

"You know as well as I do that isn't fair of you to say that."

He couldn't even look at me he was so angry. Everything was fine for the past two hours while he had me calling his name, but the moment he asked me to spend the night, my mood instantly shifted. Then he had to beg, which was equally as frustrating. What was he? Five?

I stood my naked, cold ass up out of bed and headed right for my clothes which were scattered all over the room. The truth of the matter was that yes, I had in fact used James that afternoon.

I don't know if it was the thought of Jacob being closer to me than normal or the visit from Edward. I had been in a horny mood since Edward's lips touched my ear. There was something visibly erotic to me about a vampire, who could easily kill me, leaving me be – even if it was to bring depressing news of Jacob.

I just wish I knew where he lived.

Would I go see him? Hells to the yes I would. I'd probably cause him more damage than he could do to me. He had no idea.

As I got dressed right in front of James, he sat up in bed and watched me. My mind was far away from him but he broke my concentration on Jacob.

"It's about him isn't it, Bells?"

I stopped buttoning my shirt.

"James, really, it's been two years."

"Yeah and you aren't even over the things he's done to you. I can see it. And when your friend Edward came to see you last night, I saw your face instantly brighten up."

"I was just glad to see someone from home is all," I lied.

James wasn't buying it.

"He mentioned Jacob didn't he?"

Fuck.

"No he didn't. He was just saying hi, James. That is all!"

He still wasn't buying it.

"Bells, I love you, and I have since the day you set foot in the library. But I can't continue down this road if I know that it's all in vain."

My heart broke then. I couldn't be alone. I didn't care if it was with James or not. I just knew that I couldn't be left alone in this world. After I left Jacob, my doubts became my nightmares and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

"James… I... I'm sorry," I said as I began to cry.

James jumped out of bed and ran straight to me. He held me close to him, just like I needed to be held. He let me to the side of the bed and still held me to him.

"I don't know what this Jacob guy did, or why he left you, but he was a dumb ass for doing so."

"I… I left him," I said.

"Oh. I always assumed he left you by the way you talked about him. Why did you leave him?"

"He made a ton of stupid decisions," I sobbed.

James held me. I hated it when he did this but loved it at the same time. His strong arms felt so good wrapped around me and he was warm… very warm. I thought about Jacob again but realized when Edward's hand touched my face with his cold fingers that this is the kind of warmth I would be missing. I didn't know how I could handle it.

"James?" I said.

"Yes, Bells."

"Do you have a T-shirt I can sleep in?"

I looked up and James was all smiles.

"Yes, actually I do."

James got up from bed and got me an oversized T-shirt for me to sleep in. I knew I was only doing this because I felt guilty for what I did to him, but at least tonight I wouldn't be alone.

I only prayed that Jacob would stay away from my dreams.

I sat back in bed as James got ready for work. I pulled out my laptop and started in on my short story. This was going to be a long night indeed.

JacobPOV

Fuck.

I hated this shit.

I knew exactly what Bella was doing at this exact moment and these were the afternoons I hated the most. Each time her orgasms would hit, it would hit me too and it was the most wonderfully disturbing feeling in the entire world.

I was mostly pissed that it wasn't me that caused her to feel so good.

The orgasmic feeling finally went away but then sadness struck me with such vengeance that I couldn't stand myself. I sat on my futon bed with my face in my hands. If I could cry, I would be pouring tears right now.

It occurred to me that Bella was crying somewhere out there and if that little shit James had anything to do with her being in so much pain he'd better pray and hope I didn't find out about it. Jessica Stanley wouldn't be my only victim this year.

Edward was hell bent on us going out tonight. It was only Thursday but he said being out may help me get over what I'd done to Jessica. Apparently it was all over the news that an animal attacked her.

The Wildlife people were saying that it was possible for a wolf or something to enter into town and to be on the lookout for a vicious animal. I laughed so hard at the news this afternoon when they showed a picture of the possible animal.

They should have shown a picture of me instead.

As night crept closer, Alice and Rosalie came out of Alice's room dressed in black vinyl outfits and platform vinyl boots. I don't know what on earth came over Alice to dress in vinyl, but she said that if they had to go to the club, they at least wanted to fit in.

Vampires fitting into a vampire club. That was the funniest shit I'd ever heard.

I always wore the same thing each time: black jeans, white T-shirt. This made my life a little bit easier. Alice hated my outfit. She wanted nothing more than to dress me like Edward or Jasper – hell even Emmett – but I wouldn't budge. She finally gave up and bought me a whole bunch of shit, none of which I've even touched.

We walked the rainy streets of Seattle to the club that was merely across the way from our apartment. The faces always looked the same. Humans couldn't handle the cold the way we could. We had to dress the part though and wore our long black trench coats which would be left at the door as soon as we got to the club.

We didn't even get ID checked anymore. The bouncers knew us by name and each time, Edward would slip a hundred dollar bill to the bouncer.

As we walked up the stairs to the VIP club, I noticed that the club wasn't as full as the previous times we'd been there.

A cute waitress with black and blue dreads walked up to us to take our drink orders. She definitely new and was falling all over her four inch platform boots to wait on our table. Alice and Rosalie snickered as she approached us.

"Hello there. I'm Sabbath. I'll be your waitress for tonight."

"Is this fucking Denny's or something?" Edward said.

She blushed from sheer embarrassment.

"No. Sorry, first night. Just a little bit nervous is all."

"It's ok," Alice said with a smile. Then she glared at Edward.

"I'm Alice. This is Edward, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Jacob."

She smiled right in my direction. Great, just what I needed.

"What can I get for you to drink tonight?"

Emmett reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. His credit card was in his hands faster than lightning.

"Fat Tire, and keep them coming until I tell you to stop."

The waitress' eyes lit up and then fell when the rest of us ordered a glass of water. I don't know what her fucking problem was. Emmett would tip her $500 if she kept a glass of beer in his hands.

Finally the DJ started playing music and Alice and Rosalie got up to dance. They could dance all night long and I knew this was going to be another long night.

Edward laughed as his sat his glass of water down on the table.

"James is pretty fucking content with himself right now."

I glared down at the bar near the dance floor. James was drying off his shaker and staring back up at us.

"What the fuck is he staring at?" I asked Edward.

"He's trying to figure out what kind of connection I have with Bella. He doesn't particularly like the way I handled her today."

I thought it was funny. James thought Bella and Edward had something going. Little did he know it was me and I preferred to keep it that way as long as possible.

Then Edward's eyes diverted away from James and back to the entrance of the club. He let out a growl and I'd never seen Edward nervous. Well, never until at that moment.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's a complication of sorts."

He looked over at Jasper and he smiled. Jasper also saw the same four figures walk into the club.

"Who are they?"

"They are friends of Jazz."

"Were friends of mine," Jasper corrected Edward.

"What the fuck ever. Why are they here?" I asked.

Edward sat silent for a moment.

"Apparently they are here to see Jasper."

As soon as he said Jasper's name, one of the men looked straight up at the VIP section and smiled. They glided through the club with such ease it didn't even seem like they were walking. Everyone around them didn't even seem to notice the four vampires walk past them.

We made room for the four of them. There were two guys and two girls.

"Jacob, you haven't met my former clan. This is Maria, Benito, Charlotte and Peter."

They looked just as the rest of us except they had bright red eyes, a symptom of only drinking human blood. I got a very uneasy feeling about the four of them but I kept my mind and mouth shut.

"Nice to meet you, Jacob," Maria said.

"Likewise," I responded.

"Jasper, I thought you had better taste than to be subjected to such farces," Benito said to Jazz.

"Well, we actually blend in well here believe it or not," Jasper said.

"Ha. Just look at all of them, wishing they could be like us. If they only knew the ten of us could make that happen if they wanted it that bad."

Just then the blue haired girl came back to our table.

Benito ran his tongue over the front of his teeth as the girl placed Emmett's drink on the table. Benito grabbed her arm as she loomed over him.

"Take this sweet little girl here. What is your name missy?"

"It's Sabbath."

"Ah ha. Sabbath. Like the seventh day of worship. Funny stuff I must say. Tell me Sabbath, do you secretly wish you were a vampire?"

Sabbath's face got all flushed and she said, "Well, I've never actually considered it."

"What if I told you that I could make that happen for you, would you do it?"

Her eyes got really big as Benito leaned into her face.

"Well, do you?"

"Um… no… not really."

Benito let go of her arm. I did not like the way this was going but I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.

Sabbath ran off from the table utterly creeped out. She took off her apron and sat it down on the counter top and fled from the club.

"Fuck, now who's going to bring me my drinks," Emmett said.

Charlotte stood up, taking his empty glass. "What do you want?"

"Fat Tire, and tell the bartender to send another waitress. Benito, don't fuck with the next one, k?"

"You guys are so fucking boring. How would you like to have some real fun?" Peter said.

"What kind of fun are you talking about?" Edward asked.

"Well if the six of you had been paying attention around you, we're in the land of the fucking lost right now. Each one of these humans don't even seem like an enjoyable meal to me. We're going to a real vampire club in a bit." Peter said.

"Ok that's fine and dandy, but won't there be just vampires there?" Emmett asked.

"No, not at all. You'll see."

Rosalie and Alice danced for another hour and Emmett finally had his fill of beer.

We stood up leaving a huge tip, in which Emmett told the bartender to call the waitress and give her that tip money, and he apologized on Benito's behalf.

As we left, James stared us down until we were out the door.

We all left together in the largest group of vampires I'd ever seen.

We walked for another seven blocks until we came upon a large warehouse that had the windows blacked out.

I could hear the music blaring out the door of the club. The bouncer standing at the door was twice the size of Emmett.

He stopped the ten of us at the door. Benito nodded at him and we were let in. I tried my hardest not even look at the bouncer and for the first time in two years, I was afraid of something.

Benito led us through the darkened foyer of the club. The minute we stepped through the curtains, my eyes were huge with wonder.

Hanging from the ceiling were eight steel cages that looked like over sized bird cages. Dancing completely naked were eight women. I could tell that four of them were vampires, and four of them were human.

Underneath the cages placed on top of thick glass panes which held bright black lights was the dance floor. The walls were covered in neon colors and they reflected the black lights that stood out around us. It was packed with vampire. And every single one of the vampires glowed in the black light.

I had never in my life even realized how many of our kind existed. I always thought we were special – a small but separate breed from the humans.

This scared me that all this time we weren't the deadliest things in the city. My first thought went straight to Bella. She wandered around the city streets all by herself and my gut reaction was to work to protect her. Edward looked at me with the same wide-eyed wonderment that filled all of us.

Benito then led us up a flight of open stairs to the balcony. I instantly assumed that this was the VIP section for the club.

Once we reached the top of the steps, I gazed over the view of the second floor. It held six tables with poles. The couches that surrounded the tables were covered in red velvet.

We went to a far back corner. As we passed by the tables, I almost wanted to close my eyes to keep from staring. Each table had a stripper on it dancing to the club mixes the DJ's were playing downstairs. They seemed to be playing "Angel with the Scabbed Wings" by Marilyn Manson and that song was so appropriate for this club.

Some of the vampires were half naked, having sex on the couches as the strippers danced right in front of them. It was unlike anything I had ever seen in my life.

We took our seats surrounding a giant black table with a silver pole. A topless cocktail waitress brought us napkins.

"Well hello Benito. I see you brought friends with you."

"Hello Jane, good to see you are working tonight. Usual, ok?"

"Sure thing," she said as she winked.

Benito then turned his direction to us.

"So what do you think of the place?"

"Um, it's very interesting for sure," Alice said.

Each time Jasper would divert his attention away from Alice, she'd glare at him.

This could not end well tonight at all.

"Ah here she is," Benito said.

A short brown haired girl with eyes of green stood before us. She wore a purple velvet corset and matching thongs. Her thigh highs she wore also matched her outfit. Her clear four inch stripper shoes didn't give her too much height.

She twirled her hair between her fingers and my first thoughts were of Bella again.

This girl could have been her spitting image.

Except Bella wasn't a cracked out whore.

You could see the years of wear and tear on this young girl. Her eyes said it all. They were bloodshot and her face already began to show lines around her forehead. I don't know what she was thinking, but working as a stripper in a vampire club seemed to be the most dangerous job in the world.

"Hi, Benito," the young girl said.

"I've brought friends this time, Lauren. Why don't you show them what you can do?"

Lauren.

Oh.

My.

God.

Laruen was Bella's old high school lab partner. What on earth happened to her for her to work here? As soon as the thoughts ran across my mind, Edward looked over at me. He was concerned for her, too. I could see it in his face.

She stepped up on the table with Benito's help and she began to twirl around the pole. Benito stared up at her as though she was his prized possession.

My entire Cullen family seemed at odds with themselves – especially Jasper.

He looked so uncomfortable and as much as he tried to calm the room down, and calm himself down it didn't seem to be working. Alice held his hand tight to keep the possibility of him attacking this girl in front of us.

She removed her top and threw it at Benito who seemed to be lapping it up.

Her pale breast matched the rest of her and she must have been cold. Her nipples were a very pretty scarlet color and I couldn't take my eyes off her.

I had no idea what on earth possessed us to even join them in this club. I think I'd finally gotten so bored with everyday life and this seemed like something different.

And I began to regret this decision.

I felt myself gripping the table harder, trying so hard to not lunge at the human blood bank dancing in front of me, teasing me not only with her body, but with her life.

She squatted down in front of me, her back pressed up against the pole, legs spread before me and put her finger in her mouth as she stared back at me. She dropped to all fours and crawled straight for me, her tits almost dragging the table.

She got inches from me, playing with her life as she got on to her knees. My body felt like I could lose control. I had a sudden buzzing in my ears that felt like electricity running through my veins.

I had to have her – pinned up against that pole, fucking the shit out of her then sucking her dry of every ounce of blood she carried underneath her skin.

She took my face into her hands and got inches from my lips with hers and then pushed me away. It took every ounce of restraint I had to not take her life right then.

I didn't even realize that another person had joined our table.

Another human was in close proximity to us. This time it was a guy and it seemed like him and Benito knew each other. I couldn't concentrate on them though. I couldn't take my eyes off my next kill.

She stood back up and danced back over to Benito and dropped again on all fours with her ass in his direction, still staring me down.

The gentleman with Benito pulled out a small bag and spread it's contents right across the ass cheek of Lauren and the sniffed it right off her.

I'd heard of this happening, but I always thought it was a giant joke.

Edward sat beside Benito not saying a word but the uncomfortable atmosphere was taking a toll on all of us.

The only one who seemed to be enjoying himself was Benito.

Edward. We need to leave, NOW! If we don't, you might as well lock me up for murder. If she puts her tits in my face one more time, I don't know if I can resist killing her.

Edward nodded in my direction.

"Benito, this has been nice and everything, but we need to get back to the apartment." Edward said.

"What? You guys act like you have something important to do."

"Seriously, it's been a nice time but we need to get to work on some things," Emmett said.

We all stood up leaving Benito's crew at the table.

"Well, fine, be the spoiler of the party then."

Edward threw down a hundred dollar bill on the table and the six of us left as fast as we could get out the door.

The rain fell on us as we walked down the street. None of us said a single word all the way to the apartment.

Once our feet landed in the apartment, Rosalie said, "Jasper Hale, if you ever fucking let those dicks in my proximity again, I will cut your dick off, got me?"

"It wasn't my doing Rosalie. If I'd known what they had in store for us, I would have told them no." Jazz said in his defense.

"Well fuck, we'll have to go hunting a day early now. I can't stay another minute in this city with the picture of Lauren's tits in my face," I said.

Edward nodded in agreement.

"Let's go to the garage and drive out towards Forks for a bit. We need to eat something or else the next human I come upon will be my dinner," Emmett said. "Plus I'm dying to see Carlisle. It seems like ages since we've been home."

"It was just last week," Alice said.

We grabbed the keys to my Aston Martin and Emmett's Jeep. We exited the apartment but then Edward wanted to take his car also and he told us to go on ahead, he would catch up.

We walked down the wet road as I glanced back at Edward as he walked up the steps to the apartment.

EdwardPOV

It took no time for me to reach the apartment. I wanted to drive tonight. I needed the feel of the road beneath my feet.

Lauren.

God damnit she was fucking hot as hell.

And, the worst part of it was – I wanted to kill her.

I haven't had that much desire to kill in such a long time. I thought I had learned to control my desire for human blood and damnit Benito had to fucking ruin that shit for me.

I grabbed the keys off the key holder at the door and walked out the front door of our apartment. I zipped down the steps until I got down to the bottom floor.

And then I saw him standing in the lobby waiting on the elevator.

He turned around and said, "Hey, aren't you Bella's friend, Edward."

"Yes. Good seeing you again," I said as I tried walking out the door.

That little fucker was faster than I thought he could be.

He got right up in my personal space as I tried to leave.

"Where do you think you are going in such a fucking hurry?" James asked me.

"I was going out for the night, why do you ask?" I said trying to remain calm.

"Well, I came over to have a little discussion with you. I don't know what the fuck you and Bella had going on at one time, but she's mine now, do you understand me?"

I laughed.

"She's yours huh? Do you have her papers or something that I can see?"

"Ah, and you're a smart ass too. Just listen here, Edward. I know you have the money and the entourage but she's mine and I want you to get that through your ugly ass fucking head, got me?"

"And if I don't what are you going to do about it?" I said as I bowed up at him.

"I will personally see to it that you don't show your face in my fucking club again. It will be quite difficult to even go in when I break both of your legs."

I laughed again.

"What's so fucking funny?" he asked.

"You really think you could take me huh?"

"I know I can."

I stood in front of this weak human who thought he could take over the fucking world.

So I did something I would soon regret. I provoked him.

"Prove it."

James took a swing at me and when his hand hit my face, I felt the crack of his knuckles as they shattered on my face.

James let out a huge yell.

"What the fuck? Who the fuck are you? What the fuck are you?"

I smiled at him. "Someone you shouldn't fuck with unless you know what you are dealing with."

He lunged at me again and this time I took him into a headlock.

I could have popped his head off like the head of a shrimp but I kept my strength under control.

"James, I think it would be in your best interest to leave me alone tonight. I'm not in the mood to deal with your stupid bullshit."

I let him go and he lunged at me again.

Stupid human, damn.

I grabbed him by the throat and held him up against the wall of the lobby.

I got right into his face and said, "James, I'm not going to say this again, leave me alone or you are going to regret fucking with me."

"I – I – I won't l-l-leave you alone."

I don't know if it was the vampire club that got to me or that I was energized from the whole Lauren thing and still craved blood but I watched as James' jugular pulsed beneath my fingers and I couldn't resist myself.

I reached to his neck, feeling the venom as it leaked from my teeth. My teeth dug deep into his skin as his warm blood flowed into my mouth.

My throat lit on fire as his blood pulsed into my mouth. I have not felt the feel of human blood enter my throat in over sixty years and I tried so hard to stop. I needed to stop.

I snatched my face away from his neck and it was then that I realized what I'd done.

I just fucked up a lot of things for a lot of people.

I picked James up and ran out of the door of our apartment complex, straight for my car – and then straight for Forks, Washington.

I needed Carlisle.

James was about to become something he didn't want to become, or even knew actually existed.

BellaPOV

It was three in the morning and James had yet to come back to the apartment. I couldn't wait much longer on him and then realized I'd made a huge mistake in allowing myself to stay the night.

I got up from his bed and packed my stuff right away. I got dressed and headed home. Before I did, I left a note by his phone that said "I'm sorry, but I couldn't do it. I'm on my way home and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I walked back to my apartment and the moment I stepped into the lobby, I smelled salt and rust. I looked down and saw a small pool of blood. It couldn't have been the size of quarter but I could smell it. I hoped whoever was bleeding took care of their wounds as soon as possible and that the apartment janitor would clean that mess up. I pressed the up button of the elevator and finally got on.

The walk plus all the events of the day took a toll on my body. I instantly fell asleep that night, briefly waking in tears over Jacob and then back to sleep I went.

I woke up the next morning with a huge headache. I needed to start taking better care of myself. I can't keep staying up until three in the morning waiting on James anymore.

I walked into the living room and turned the TV on to the morning news.

I stood in my robe watching the events of the day and drinking a cup of hot coffee.

"In other news, the body of twenty-year old Lauren Mallory was found this morning behind the Breaking Dawn club. The police are calling it an apparent suicide, but citizens are concerned that this is the second death in that immediate are in less than a week."

Oh. Fuck. Not Lauren too!

I prayed and hoped it was other vampires doing the killings of these girls. I couldn't bear to think of the Cullens or Jacob doing this.

I got up and turned my TV off.

As the morning drudged on, I had not heard from James and I was scared to death that he was pissed at me for leaving the previous night.

I waited until four in the afternoon to call him.

His phone rang over eight times until his voice mail came on.

Great. Now he's ignoring me.

I sat back down on the couch and flipped the channels. I became so bored with the television and decided to pay Angela a visit at the coffee shop.

I got dressed for the outside weather and walked to the coffee shop. I noticed that the small pool of blood was gone from the lobby. If I hadn't been so tired the night before, I would have fainted at the mere sight of it.

She saw me and of course was upset over Lauren's death too. She was freaked out that two of the girls from our high school were dead in less than a week. I just considered it a coincidence.

"Angela, have you seen James today?"

"Nope. He hasn't been in today. Has he not called you?"

"We kind of had a falling out yesterday. He left me at his apartment to go to work and didn't show up at three in the morning so I went home. I left a note. I think he's just angry with me for not staying."

"Why don't you go by his apartment? Maybe he is sleeping," Angela said.

I hugged her and got a coffee to go. I put on my iPod and walked toward James' apartment blaring music in my ears.

I walked up the stairs to his place and beat on his front door. No one came and I reached into my pocket and pulled out the key he gave me last night.

I put the key in expecting to see him angrily sitting on the couch, however, it didn't seem like anything budged from last night. The note I wrote him still sat beside his phone.

I instantly got worried, especially with all the murders taking place around us.

I reached for my cell phone.

"Hello, hi yes, this is Bella Swan. I need to report a missing person."