Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight novels, characters, or ideas; they are the property of SM and in this chapter, I took some of the dialog from SM book, Twilight.
18+ due to V, SC, and L.
I add my own stories and ideas that are not in the original series; please keep an open mind and edit my stuff, it is much appreciated! Thank you!
Previously in Unbiased: I giggle and reply, "Babe, human baseball is nothing like vampire baseball, you'll see."
We all dart through the forest towards the clearing where we were meeting the rest of the family and Bella. I wonder for a moment how Bella will like regular baseball after she sees how vampires play. I smile at the thought.
Chapter 13: Don't You Just Love Homicidal Vampires?
Christian, Alice and I break through tree line and into the clearing where Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie are setting up for the game. I have to admit, I am ridiculously excited. It has been a few decades since I've played a good game of vamp baseball. Alice sprints out to Jasper who is a few hundred yards away, playing with a baseball. They start throwing it back and forth, the ball whipping through the air so fast it is almost impossible to see.
Carlisle is running around the field, marking bases, attempting to put them far enough away from each other as to present a suitable challenge to the playing vampires. Emmett, Rosalie and Esme are sitting on a rock closer to the edge of the forest. That's when Edward and Bella make their entrance. I didn't bother with contacts today, so my eyes are a ghoulish orange. I hope it doesn't frighten the child too much.
Rosalie spots Bella when Esme gracefully stands and starts walking towards the latter. The flower bitch actually turns around and walks into the field, away from Bella. What the fuck is that about? As I'm staring at Rosalie with open incredulity written all over my face, I see Emmett take a long look at her back before following after Esme. I decide to walk with Esme too, after telling Christian to hold his breath and go practice out in the field with Alice and Jasper.
"Was that you we heard, Edward?" Esme asked while approaching the pair.
"It sounded like a bear choking," Emmett threw in, laughter in his voice.
Bella's face hitched a small, hesitant smile as she looked at Esme, "That was him."
"Bella was being unintentionally funny," Edward explained, earning him a glare from Bella. I already liked the girl.
Darting from the center of the field, Alice made her way towards us, "Its time."
It was like clockwork, there was a huge rumble of thunder over head as the sky darkened even more.
"Eerie, isn't it?" Emmett was looking at Bella, then winked at her, leaving me floored. Why hasn't he winked at me yet? Granted, I would probably die, but that's beside the point.
"Let's go." Alice took Emmett's hand as they raced back towards the clearing, looking like fucking gazelles, prancing along.
"Hello, Bella. I'm Vail, we haven't properly been introduced," I cast a mild glare at Edward while saying this, "but I am extremely pleased to meet you. I'm sure Christian would be as well, but he just turned and I would rather not throw him into the path of temptation. Especially because you are a siren's call." With that, I wink at her and dart off into the field before I can be reprimanded by Edward.
Esme, it seems, is the referee. It turns out my adoptive family likes to cheat. Bella stands next to her, her expression shows she is mildly intrigued with Carlisle's setup of the field. Emmett was swinging the aluminum bat, causing the air around it to whistle as it swiped gracefully through it. I dart out into the field with Edward, Carlisle and Alice. Alice is standing as still as a statue in the center of the field, a ball clutched in her tiny hand. Carlisle is standing between the first and second bases, while Edward is out in the far left field; I decide to take a stance between the second and third bases.
"All right," calls Esme, in her clear voice. "Batter up."
Alice is now holding the ball in both hands which are hanging in front of her waist. With lithe and darting movements, she flicks the ball towards Emmett and Jasper and Jasper quickly catches it before Emmett can hit it with the bat. Strike one, sexy bitch. I smirk at Christian, who is in the lineup of batters, holding his breath due to his proximity to the human girl. He just flips me the bird. Alice allows herself a brief grin at Emmett's first strike before she strikes out again, the ball flashing through the air like a comet. This time though, the bat makes contact. The impact is intense, the booming noise billowing through the clearing and nearby mountains. Christian's eyes are wide and understanding flashes through them. This is why we play during thunderstorms.
The ball shoots over the field like a missile and Edward is right there chasing after it.
"Home run," I hear Bella murmur. Ha, perhaps not, I hear Edward making progress towards the ball; he will catch it before it touches the ground.
"Wait," Esme tells Bella, no doubt hearing the same thing. Emmett is rocketing around the bases.
"Out!" Esme yells to us as Edward pounces from the forest, his raised hand clutching the ball. His expression is victorious.
"Emmett hits the hardest," I hear Esme murmur to Bella, "but Edward runs the fastest."
We play through the innings and I vaguely wonder whether Bella's human eyes can even keep up with its progress. As it happens, I do hear her say to Edward, "One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again." I laugh. I am beginning to understand some of Edward's fascination towards the weak creature.
Alice suddenly gasps, her eyes locked on something none of us here could see. She is having a vision. Her eyes come back into focus and dart towards Edward who is staring at her with mute horror written over his face, before he composes it somewhat as to not frighten Bella. Within half a second, Edward is already at Bella's side.
"Alice?" Esme asks with a tense voice.
"I didn't see – I couldn't tell," she murmurs. We all are gathered around her at this point. Something is happening.
"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle's voice is full of authority; remaining calm thus ensuring everyone does the same.
"They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the Perspective wrong before," she murmurs. Jasper is leaning over her, curled in a protective crouch around his mate.
"What changed?" his question fierce.
"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," her voice is filled with contrite. She blames herself for whatever is coming. I know of only one thing that truly frightens a vampire. Another vampire. Especially when we have a human with sirens blood standing in the field with us. All of our eyes dart towards Bella, who only looks mildly concerned with the ongoing discussion. Doesn't she have a fucking sense of self-preservation? Jesus. Only Edward.
"How soon?" Carlisle demands from Edward; whose face contorts into a look of intense concentration.
"Less than five minutes. They're running – they want to play." A scowl mars his face.
"Can you make it?" Carlisle's eyes flicker towards Bella, who looks nonplussed.
"No, not carrying – "He stopped speaking. "Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting."
I glance briefly at Christian, whose brow is furrowed, listening to the conversation, only barely understanding the danger that has presented itself.
"How many?" Emmett's question interrupts my worry over Christian.
"Three," Alice's voice is terse.
"Three!" Emmett scoffs. Looking at the vampire, I could understand how that wouldn't worry him. Yet he is young, he doesn't understand how certain vampires are, how dangerous they can be. He may be strong, but I have a feeling he is easy to take out, if you know how to do it.
While Emmett remains undisturbed at the thought of the three newcomers, the rest of us are looking at Carlisle, anxiety written over out expressions. My eyes flicker towards the human child and I feel a fleeting stab of pity. Seventeen is such a young age to die.
"Let's just continue the game," Carlisle's voice remains cool and unaffected. "Alice said they were simply curious."
"Are they thirsty?" Esme's question is quiet and quick, Bella probably didn't catch it. Edward shakes his head slightly, indicating they were not. Bella might live through this after all. Lucky child.
"You catch, Esme," Edward requests. "I'll call it now." With that, he plants himself defensively in front of the human child. We all return to the field, and my eyes sweep around, checking the forest, listening intently for any sound of advance. I would have offered to teleport the human child away, but Edward was right. We did not want the newcomers to start on the hunt. Bella's blood was too potent. They would scent her out and move mountains to find the human whose blood calls to them.
Edward is murmuring instructions to Bella, trying to minimize her scent's impact. It won't help; I can still smell her clear as day from here. Alice voices my exact thoughts. The game progresses with a monotone now, nobody is trying. We are still trying to listen for the newcomers. Rosalie keeps shooting accusing glares at Bella and I want to punch her in the face. She blames the human child for what is coming.
Edward's breath stops as his eyes zero in on a certain part of the forest. He hears their thoughts. They are close. Not even an eighth of a second later, I hear the light, rhythmic footfalls of the vampires. We all turn to face the forest, to face the three vampires who are now emerging from the line of the forest.
