Blood Desire

Bella tried once more to start a conversation but I needed her out of the car, she was too close. Her truck's engine got wrecked in the crash and it wasn't feasible to fix it. She wouldn't allow me to purchase her another car though. Once she realized I wasn't listening to her, her mouth snapped shut. She got out of the car and slammed the door. I winced at the sound of the metal hitting metal reverberating through my ears. I made sure she was in her house before pulling away.

There was something off about Tom Riddle. His mind was blocked off like Harry's, but unlike Harry he seemed much more calculating. He was unfailingly polite at all times. Tom Riddle was trouble, and the worst part was something inside of me was raging with jealously that he was with Harry. The whole situation was strange. Tom was with Harry and Harry's son looked like the both of them.

I didn't know the limits of magic but it seemed like the child had been created by the two of them. I drove away realizing that I had been sitting in front of Bella's house for the last ten minutes. I drove in the opposite direction of home not quite ready to deal with everyone's silent and moody stares. I had done what needed to be done. The situation had been assessed and we had resolved to monitor Harry but remain uninvolved. Carlisle was giving me the cold shoulder which was hurtful coming from someone as compassionate as him.

The situation with Bella was becoming worse instead of better. I spent most of the day not breathing and she hadn't failed to notice. Today she had come up with the brilliant solution of me turning her. She even went as far as to say that my new thirst for her was my subconscious desire to turn her coming to the forefront of my mind. I resisted laughing and she had gotten angry and stormed out.

It was not my intention to hurt Bella. I accepted that turning her was an inevitability there was no way around something like that. The volturi were expecting it and if I didn't turn her she would be killed. My present blood lust though was not a result of wanting to turn her. It was the type of thirst that demanded death. I had tried hunting only to find that I loathed the animal blood more than ever before, even my favorite mountain lion could not satisfy me.

I drove on until I reached the city. I was deluding myself with this life. I was not meant for this, I was not meant to be stuck in high school for all of eternity. Despite the body I was locked in my mind was much older. I saw Bella as a child and sometimes thought her naïve. The strange thing was that when I looked at Harry I sometimes saw the same thing in his eyes.

He looked like he had lived through all of this before. Like he had seen so much and like he had so much life experience already. He wasn't a vampire though and he wasn't immortal there were no immortal wizards. A growl escaped my throat why couldn't I stop thinking of Harry? I came to a stop, I parked at a night club. It was early but a line was forming already. I watched the line for a moment thinking of all the places I could take one of the mortals in the line and quench the thirst raging inside me.

I drove away turning sharply. Perhaps if I could convince Carlisle to let me have some donor blood, or perhaps I could just steal it myself. The thirst was consuming me; holding my breath would not work much longer. I was rapidly approaching the small town of Forks. I parked at the one grocery store and proceeded on foot to Harry's house. I was shocked as soon as I tried to enter the premise. I growled and tried again. I kept walking forward and the pain got worse and worse until I dropped to my knees.

The door was thrown open and I was met with Tom Riddle. Something in his eyes looked wild and crazy he closed the door, the house was silent. He came over to me and I had the urge to run. There was something unnatural about his steady gait; there was something off about the glint in his eyes. He crouched down so he was level with me and smiled a truly ice cold smile. He reached with his long fingers for my face and when his skin made contact with mine another painful jolt went through my body.

"What do you want?"

His voice was like silk, I had never heard a mortal speak with such a voice. He narrowed his eyes at me, I had seen blue eyes like his before. I thought again of the little boy and the only explanation that was logical came to me again, only I couldn't fathom how that was possible. The pain went through me again becoming worse. Riddle's smile widened and became more perverse, more crazed.

"Harry…"

Tom stood up taking several paces back from me. The pain was quickly becoming too much to take I gritted my teeth in an effort not to make any noise. Tom made a grand sweeping gesture with his hand. Then he advanced on me again. He grabbed my chin in one of his long fingered hands. He looked me right in the eyes and for a moment his face transformed terribly until the handsome man he had been was replaced with the leering face of a maniac.

"No one can see us now…vampire."

He trailed his hand along my face raking his nails across my skin and somehow leaving gashes. He danced out of view and the pain was keeping me pinned to the ground. He came back again this time looking every bit the handsome teenage boy all traces of crazed maniac gone from his face.

"We are going to have fun. You will stay away from Harry from now on and if you don't…if you don't stay away from Harry…"

The pain I was in finally ceased and I was able to get to my feet. He smirked and made some motion with his hands. At first nothing happened and then a snake appeared. It was large and silver it reared up and up and then lunged. I tried to dodge but it went right into my body. I felt it slithering around inside me and then it settled.

"What did you do?"

He smiled wider and made a motion with his hands again. I walked forward and he remained standing and smiling. I grabbed him around the throat and lifted him off is feet. His smile widened and then I heard Charlie. I dropped him and he clutched at his throat even going so far as to cough like he couldn't breathe. I hadn't been strangling him though. I could hear Charlie coming over he had set me up.

"Edward what is this why are you attacking this man?"

I turned around Charlie was walking up the drive and Bella was standing at the door her face pale. He looked a little smug and I knew why. He wanted a reason for me to be away from Bella. I turned to face Charlie not liking his self-righteous thoughts one bit. I had no explanation though and that had been Riddle's plan all along. I shook my head and made some noise that slightly resembled a word.

"I'm sorry Edward I'm going to have to take you in."

I shook my head and backed up. Charlie stepped forward ready to take my hand. He would spear me the hand cuffs but he was going to take me in. I took another step back from Charlie. I could not go to jail I was already losing control and if I was locked up with humans for an undetermined amount of time anything could happen. Riddle stepped in front of me smiling charmingly.

"There is no need for that officer Swan I won't press any charges. It was just a scuffle between us boys. It's fine."

Charlie looked ready to protest but his face slackened and his eyes went blank. He nodded and went on his way. Bella narrowed her eyes at me. Charlie steered her back into the house he looked over his shoulder at me and then shut the door. Riddle turned around with his perfectly charming smile still in place. He patted me on the shoulder.

"Harry is mine Cullen."

He walked past me to his house. He opened the door and I heard him pause on the step.

"I will destroy you Edward."

The door closed. I stood there for a few moments breathing deeply. There was a light drizzle. I ran from the house. I lost all thought, all fear of Tom Riddle. He was dangerous he was lethal. His eyes, his eyes had been nothing like his sons even though they were the same blue. He didn't have a soul. He couldn't have a soul with eyes like that. Tom Riddle finally convinced me of what everyone else could not. Tom Riddle had convinced me that a vampire had a soul.

I pounded on the door not caring at all for my lack of decorum. I needed it out I could feel it coiling inside me, Natalie opened the door with a grimace. I pushed inside the house yelling for Max. He came to me looking a little happier to see me but also annoyed with the commotion I was causing.

"Be quiet Edward. Be still come, come tell me what has happened."

I calmed at once. Max held me around the shoulders and I slumped over at once. He held me like a child and steered to me to the couch. He made me sit down and began to run his hands over me in slow soothing motions. In no time I had reclined into the couch, I regained my composure and looked down feeling properly ashamed. Max forced me to look up he smiled softly and kissed me once then got up and went to sit as well in the couch across from me.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon my love. What catastrophe has brought you to me?"

Catastrophe? It wasn't as bad as that surely. I tried to make some gesture as if to say that it was nonsense only to find that my hands were shaking very badly. I wanted to go to Max and cry but I couldn't do that. I needed help but I didn't know what had made me think Max would be able to provide it. That snake was a curse surely. It moved again and I squirmed around.

"He cursed me. He put some curse inside me."

Max didn't react at all; he remained in the same position and stared at me with the same expression on his face for quite some time. Then he stood up he called to Natalie who came in to the room at once. She had the girl with her, the girl that I had condemned to the wine cellar. Max took her arm gently he bit into her wrist and led her over to me.

"Drink Edward."

I went as far back into the couch as it would allow. Only to have Max bring the girl closer, she looked healthy and well and the smell of her blood was intoxicating. I leaned closer and heard a sharp intake of breath. I looked up to see Aldo staring at me his red eyes free of contacts. I looked at the girl again her eyes were glazed over completely. She had begged for her life. She had begged for understanding. She had demanded to know why.

"I'm sorry."

There was no explanation I could give. There was no answer or rationalization. I had come to Max and he had given me what I had truly wanted, what I had always wanted. My mouth opened wider and her blood poured into my mouth. I moaned loudly and then my mouth sealed on her wrist. The blood was warm and sweet it filled me all the way to my toes. I sighed and cradled the body.

I pushed her hair back from her forehead. I closed her eyes and kissed her lips. Then I laid her out on the carpet arranging her so her hands were folded over her chest. She was beautiful; I kissed her one last time and then sat back down on the couch. The room was shaper. The smells were more pronounced, my hearing was more acute. In short I was stronger much stronger than I had been in a long time.

"Do you feel better?"

I nodded feeling drunk. I felt much better than I had in a long time. I felt the snake coil inside me as if it to was content. I sat up strait. I had almost forgotten completely about the curse. Max smiled gently like he knew what I was thinking.

"I was cursed he put a snake inside me."

I realized how it sounded as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I smiled a little and Aldo laughed. I stared at Max willing him to understand that I was serious. He seemed to be thinking about it, his head was tilted to one side and he was holding his wine glass loosely in his right hand. His eyes flicked over to me for a moment. He regarded me silently and then stood up and walked out of the room.

He came back a moment later looking composed he had even brushed his hair. He sighed and embraced me and then took a seat across from me again and then moved closer. He tented his fingers and rested his chin on his hands.

"I don't know what was done to you. I can feel it coming from you. I can feel it coming from inside you."

I looked at Max his eyes looked overly bright. He was worried. I had yet to see Xavier and Natalie had taken the body of the girl away. Aldo moved so he was sitting close to me and placed a hand on my thigh, the only sign that he was distressed.

"What do you feel?"

Max looked sad he put the wine glass down gently. He stood up and grasped my face in both hands. He kissed me deeply and pulled away seeming a bit intoxicated. The way he had kissed me was strange it was as if he was trying to suck something out of me.

"Dark magic, very dark magic."

I sat up and rubbed my palms on my jeans. I needed a mirror I needed to see how much damage I had done to myself. I needed to see how much damage Riddle had done to me. I stood up the full wall of mirrors was there. I walked forward not that I needed to, my vision was painfully sharp. My eyes were gold. My skin was white and hard to the touch. I looked the same there was no difference that I could see. I could only feel the occasional movement of the snake inside me.

I supposed that the girl had willingly given her blood, Natalie would have forced her to. I couldn't mask my scent though. It would linger for days and Carlisle would know what I had done. Perhaps it would force him to take my needs seriously. I was not bluffing and I knew I would not be able to survive like this for much longer. The burn had been so great and the relief I felt from it now was close to euphoria.

Max embraced me once more from behind resting his chin on my shoulder. He smiled looking through the mirror at me. He pulled away keeping a hand on my shoulder and pulled me away from the mirror. He went up the stairs and into a bedroom I began to protest thinking Max was planning on being a little more direct with his advances. He silenced me by placing a single finger to my lips.

"It is not what you think. Be quiet and listen. Who did this to you?"

I was taken aback by the harsh tone of voice. Max looked frightened and I didn't know what to make of it. I was feeling strangely detached from the entire situation. It was as if none of this was happening to me anymore. I wasn't sure if it was an affect of the curse or just my reaction to stress. I had never been attacked in such a manner before. Max seemed drawn to me like a moth to a flame.

It was like he wanted to stay away from me but he couldn't. He kept coming in close and then shrinking away some times he reached out to touch me. Other times he would stretch his hand forward and then pull away. His eyes danced all over me as if he could not focus on me for very long but could not get his eyes to look away.

"It was Tom. Tom Riddle. Have you heard of him?"

Max stopped his dancing and fevered staring for a moment. I saw recognition in his eyes and also fear. He took a step back from me and I feared for a moment that he was going to throw me out like he had done before. It seemed for a moment that he was on the verge of calling the others. He seemed wholly undecided and then his eyes met mine again and he relaxed, melting into a stance of perfect ease and comfort.

"You have been cursed by Lord Voldermort. He is the darkest wizard of all time. For some reason he has also made enemies with Valeel. Although I assure you he has never heard of Valeel."

I was tempted to ask the obvious question. That question being why Max would know all of this. I studied him though, not hearing much from his mind but random facts. He was frightened for me that much was clear. I didn't need to hear his mind to know this though. There was something else though. The way he was acting surging forward and then drawing back as if I had become a great magnet he could not resist. Even Aldo had been sitting very close to me.

"How do you know all of this who told you?"

Max looked at my face again. His eyes had been roaming all over my body, like he could not decide were to look, or as if he could not fix his gaze to one thing. He looked hungry. His eyes locked to mine again for a moment and a whole lot of loud music began to play his head. I growled and took step forward. Max smiled at me not moving an inch, he knew I would never attack him.

"No need to be so brash my child. Take a seat, there are some things that I will have to explain to you."

I did as I was told and made my way over to the large bed. The bed had always been there for as long as I could remember. Max took a seat beside me, after a moment he moved closer. His eyes continued to dance all over me. He nodded the music becoming louder.

"Ignore my mind Edward. It is not my thoughts that you need to focus on."

Max looked at me pointedly and then began with a little nod.

"I have told you that I have been at war with the others. Of course that is not the entire truth. I was the first of a kind or so we thought then. We had yet to hear of the Volturi and they had yet to hear of us. I was turned by one of the others. I was turned by Valeel's very first child. I was his plaything, and he fell in love me and became unable to kill me."

Max paused here and closed his eyes as if he was trying to stave off pain. I waited politely not wanting to push him. He would tell me everything he knew that much was clear. After a few moments he opened his eyes ready to continue.

"He kept me for a while as a companion since I was young. When I turned sixteen he changed me. I was taught by Valeel. I read books about magic. The secret world of magic fascinated me like nothing else. I absorbed every scarp of information as if it were blood. I lived with Valeel and the others , I loved them. The day came when I asked too many questions when I demanded the knowledge of secrets that could not be known to me. I was cast out. That was the extent of mercy my lover had on me. I was cast out instead of killed. He sends me long missives detailing all that is happening in his world. I am jealous I want to be like them. I want there power. Voldermort is relatively new to there world. Yes indeed he is a phenomenon. After some time the wizards became aware of vampires. They were told that it was impossible for a wizard to be turned. It was irony of course that they started a rumor about magicless vampires with absolutely no clue that they did exist."

Max paused again. I knew why now, he was not happy being a magicless vampire. I waited not moving, I needed him to go on. This was something he had not spoken of much or perhaps to anyone before. He was working through his feelings and organizing his thoughts not much of a feat for a vampire but for someone like Max it was definitely a chore. He liked to live in the moment introspective thoughts didn't settle well with him. He was more in love with the world around him than in love with himself.

"The point I am trying to make is that I was cast out. My maker sends me missives he knows I love to know everything that there is to know. Lord Voldermort has found a way to be immortal; he only went to such lengths because the option of becoming a vampire was believed to be unavailable. He has mangled his soul beyond the realm of all possible. He is dangerous and he is powerful and if he has cursed you…"

Max looked me right in the eyes. He seemed to lean forward against his will and then away.

"If he has cursed you then you will be destroyed. Valeel is the only one that can stop whatever he has done and he won't of course. I have been told that Valeel has taken a special interest in Lord Voldermort, that he tracks his movements constantly but has yet to interfere. I am curious though what is Voldermort and Harry Potter doing in your little town. I am even more curious as to why you know him as Tom Riddle?"

Max paused raising his eyebrows and looking at me expectantly, he looked a little ravenous and I knew why. There was something he didn't know, something that wasn't adding up and he was hoping that I would be able to sort it out. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to help him though.

"Harry Potter and Tom Riddle are together. They have a child and I still don't know why they are in Forks and now you have confused me even more. What do you know about Harry?"

Max looked shocked and then confused and then he finally looked at me sideways, my last question registering with him. He smirked slowly and then stood up.

"Edward are you sure about this? They are together?"

I nodded and he began to pace. Then he stopped and his eyes danced all over me once more. It finally hit me that he was attracted to the curse, to whatever dark aura the curse was emitting I got to my feet feeling angry.

"It doesn't make any sense. Why did he curse you?"

I looked away and began to pace. It wouldn't do to try and withhold anything from Max. He was a hoarder of knowledge and of the truth. He would know if I tried to lie and if I provoked him I would just end up hurt afterwards.

He took a seat on the bed once more sighing heavily. If Tom had picked up on it in a few hours than I surely wasn't doing very well in hiding my attraction to Harry. It was undeniable if he was in my line of sight I couldn't look away and if I couldn't see him he haunted my every thought.

"I am attracted to him and Tom is his spouse."

Max laughed and then came towards me quickly looking furious. He grabbed me around the shoulders and shook me once. Then he snarled and pushed me aside. I would have fallen over but for the human blood I had just had just drunk. Max snarled again and threw a vase across the room it went through the wall. He turned to look at me again looking for a moment like he would charge at me then he stopped.

"Why are they in Forks?"

I didn't have an answer but I knew he wasn't expecting one from me. I was still trying to sort out his sudden tantrum. He took a seat.

"You say that they are together? They have a child?"

I nodded happy he seemed to be calming down he was looking at me seeming calm. He tapped his fingers on his chin. Then he got up and opened a draw of his bedside table he pulled out a packet of letters and rifled through them then thrust one at me.

"Read this."

I took the letter opening it carefully. It seemed fresh enough it couldn't have been sent very long ago. There was a news paper clipping with moving pictures. This had just happened last week apparently. I focused on the picture of Harry for a moment not quite sure why it didn't seem to quite look like Harry. The face was the same but the eyes, those eyes didn't belong to Harry.

"That's not him. That isn't Harry."

Max stood up and ripped the news clipping from my hand. He threw it down and seemed ready to attack me. He stopped his rapid approach only a few centimeters away from my face.

"You're not serious Edward."

I took a step back knowing that tone of voice to be dangerous. I wasn't sure what we were talking about anymore. I wanted to say as much but knew it was better to keep all thoughts to myself. Max was not in the mood for any questions, I wasn't even sure if he could tolerate my presence from his stance. Though he didn't seem to want me to leave, I waited for him to continue.

"Harry Potter is in England as is Lord Voldermort and they are not lovers and they certainly do not have a child!"

I nodded becoming more and more confused. Harry wasn't in England and neither was Riddle.

"They can't be in England Max. They do have a child."

Max seemed ready to scream which he was quite good at. Max was famous for his screaming fits he had once caused a mortals head to explode. He reined himself in barely and I wanted to flee suddenly. He ruffled through his stack of letters and thrust another news article under my nose. This one was a little older than the first. I read through it quickly noting again that Harry was somehow not the same.

"Riddle tried to kill Harry?"

Max nodded and took the clipping seeming unable to speak for the moment. He stacked all the papers together and placed them back in the draw.

"Get out of my sight. You stink of animal blood. Get out of my sight and don't bother me until tomorrow evening."

I left the room hearing the beginnings of a loud growl as I closed the door. Xavier was waiting in the hall. He took me in with the beginnings of a smile on his face. He grabbed me around the shoulder and led me back down the stairs. He was sending out calming waves of emotion which I was very thankful for. He sat me down on the couch Aldo moved at once to sit beside me.

"Little bother…"

I shoved at Aldo until he moved off me. I could not deal with anymore accusations! I hadn't done anything. I had been confused and then cursed and now I had taken human blood. In less than one week Harry had my life in shambles. Xavier took my hands which were shaking.

"How about we go out somewhere? Clear your head huh Edward?"

I protested, there idea of clearing my head would not be good. They would hunt and try to find the worst places imaginable to be. Xavier sat down seeming disappointed with me. I retreated into my mind into my thoughts. Aldo and Xavier sat with me all night and when the sun rose they went around the house closing all the drapes. Max was never seen during the day, he used that time to meditate. I closed my eyes thinking to take a leaf from Max's book.

It didn't work I was unable to meditate. Every time I thought my mind was clear an image of Harry would pop into my mind. I opened my eyes to find the room empty. I listened and heard no one, not even a stray thought. I went completely still and took a moment to center myself. I stood up and looked around the room. Everything was as it had been before. The wine glass Max had been holding was still on the small glass table that was beside the couch.

The curtains were still closed and I could see that diffused sunlight was still coming through the windows. I went and pulled one of the curtains back and looked onto the street. The street was empty of all people. I closed the curtain and turned around again to face the room. Nothing had changed. I growled lowly in frustration. A tapping sound from upstairs drew my attention. I went still again and focused on the sound. It was a rhythmic sound. Whatever was making it was hitting the wall or the floor over and over again with precise movements.

I went up the stairs unsurprised that the sound became louder as I was getting closer. I walked to the door farthest down the hall. I paused at the door even though I was certain that whatever was making this noise was behind it. I felt apprehension. I wanted to turn away suddenly I was sure that I didn't want to know what was behind that door. I pushed and the door swung open. I heard myself scream then I quickly looked away.

It was no use though the image had been burned into my mind. Bella dead, Bella dead and hanging from the roof in a white gown. Her eyes were bulging and her dangling feet were hitting the fallen chair over and over again making that dull thudding sound. I ran forward and dragged her from the ceiling untying the rope. Her head flopped uselessly to one side. I bit into her throat and quickly pulled away spitting out the blood.

The blood was putrid she was beyond saving. I crushed her to me hearing some of her bones break in the process. This wasn't happening. She wasn't dead. My Bella wasn't gone from me! I was a fool to have been thinking about Harry. I was whispering to her telling her it would be alright. Over and over again I told her it would be alright. I would kill Harry for doing this to her and then I would join her. Perhaps we would be together again. I felt a heavy blow to my midsection and heard a sickening crunch.

I looked down at Bella but she hadn't moved, another blow came down on me. I put the body down carefully, arranging her as neatly as I had arranged the girl from the night before. I felt another blow to the chest and then another to the head. Finally my right side exploded in pain and I dropped to my knees.

"What is this? Edward stop this!"

I was being held down. I blinked my eyes open to find that I was being held down by Aldo, Max and Xavier. I was staring at the ceiling and I could feel the pain in my right side receding. I heard Max tell the others to let me go and then I saw his worried face very close to mine. He took my hand and pulled me into a sitting position. He ran his hands over my torso and pushed in a cracked rib which set back into place and began to heal.

"It is the curse Lord Voldermort has placed on you. What did you see?"

I closed my eyes than opened them quickly once more the image of Bella seemed to be burned into my eyes. I got to my feet displeased that I felt a bit shaky. Max placed a steadying hand on my shoulder and led me over to the couch. I sat and he pushed a glass of wine into my hand. I drank deeply not caring that the wine was really blood, I needed it. Once the glass was finished Max handed me one more I drained it as well and he removed it from my hand handing me a handkerchief.

He rubbed his hand up and down my arm and I leaned into him a bit. He pulled me closer until I was forced to lay my head on his shoulder. He began to pet my hair and to hum softly. I calmed down after some time. I pushed away from him and sat up. I looked around the room Xavier was poised on the edge of his seat as if he wished to flee the room and Aldo was reclined as if he was at complete ease his hands were clenched firmly at his sides though a clear sign that he was distressed. Natalie was standing in the doorway looking displeased. She despised trouble and currently I seemed to be attracting a whole lot of it.

"It was like a nightmare, it seemed so real yet…"

There had been clues, the sudden emptiness of the house. The lack of people on the streets, the lack of all thoughts, it had felt real though, it had smelt real. Bella's body in my arms had felt real. I looked down at the carpet studying the fibers instead of seeing the whole thing for what it was. No one spoke or moved. I stood up and Max joined me at once placing a hand on my arm.

"But you are not leaving Edward."

I shook my head. I was leaving I had done enough damage. I needed to get home to Bella. I made my way to the door and Max stopped me reaching the door before me and seeming to lean casually against it. I growled and Max held up a hand in a placating gesture.

"I am used to you being rash Edward but at least wait until it is dark out. Surely you do not mean to go out into the streaming sunlight."

The appearance of Max had made me so convinced that it was night that the weak sunlight filtering through the heavy curtains had escaped my notice. I took a step back and Max smiled and removed his hand from the door. Aldo came behind me and placed a hand around my shoulder. He suggested a game of chess something that usually distracted me. I agreed readily enough knowing full well that I would not be distracted.

I was happy I did not need to blink at all. Every time I closed my eyes I would see Bella in the white gown bare feet dangling and blue. Each detail was lodged into my mind. I was itching for sunset and as soon as it arrived I would flee. Max knew this and stayed close to me the entire day not disappearing as was his custom. Aldo kept me distracted and when the sun began to sink Xavier forced his calm emotions onto me.

"I am leaving so don't try and stop me."

Xavier smiled gently and Max's gentle hold on my thigh became a death grip. I turned to face Max whose face was void of all expression a sure sign that he was upset.

"You will be leaving tonight of that I am sure. We have some things to discuss before then however."

Max let go of my thigh and stood up holding out his hand for mine. I took it after a moment sighing in defeat. As much as I wanted to run home to Bella right now. Max had information and it was beginning to look like there was no way possible that I was going to remain uninvolved. Tom Riddle had seen to it.

"Have a seat and make yourself comfortable."

I did as I was told, at least the part about taking a seat. Max went to his desk and pulled out a large stack of paper. He handed me the stack of paper and bade me to read. I did so quickly and without thought. When I was finished I was left with more questions and the things I thought I had known about Harry were no longer adding up. I put the papers down on the bed and looked at Max who nodded at me looking grim.

"Indeed Edward. I have come to the same conclusion nothing makes any sense."

No nothing made sense anymore. The Harry Potter I had just finished reading about was not the Harry Potter that was currently residing in Forks. Lord Voldermort was another matter entirely. The information Max had about him was extensive and inconclusive. He had split his soul into so many pieces that there was no explanation for what he may have been. I stood up ready to leave. There was nothing left here there was no more information for me to use. The information I had acquired was of no help.

"Come back Edward. If it gets worse if anything else happens please come back to me."

I nodded and Max kissed me sloppily which was unusual for him he was a skilled kisser as I mentioned before. He thought he would never see me alive again and clung to me a little desperately. He pulled away his hands lingering on my arms and then he turned around so he was no longer facing me. I left the room closing the door behind me. I made my way downstairs and into the living room. Natalie hugged me briefly Xavier clapped me on the shoulder and Aldo caught me up in a fierce hug that lasted a little longer than was necessary.

"It isn't what you are all thinking. I will be fine."

Each nodded looking perfectly confident but none believed me. I made my way to the door breathing in the fresh evening air that seemed to slap me in the face. As I was closing the door I heard a deafening roar and a crash and the sound of Natalie yelling for Max to calm down and running up the stairs. I closed the door pausing for one moment on the steps and then I began to run.

I darted between the people to quick for them to see me. Once I reached the woods I increased my speed further noting as I had noted in the past that I was far faster with human blood. I went to Bella's window and climbed in. She wasn't in her room but she was in the house somewhere downstairs. I breathed in her scent noting that the burn had become even worse and not better.

I welcomed it letting the blood lust reign free in my mind and keeping the image of a dead Bella firmly in place. The blue feet dangling and hitting the chair each time making that low dull thudding sound. She opened her room door and gasped. She closed it quickly making her way over to me and embracing me at once. I drew her in instead of pushing her away as she had probably anticipated. She relaxed and then she began to cry.

I soothed her bringing her over to the bed without her noticing and placing her into my lap. She calmed down and looked up at me. I kissed her once but pulled away quickly swallowing the large influx of venom that had flooded my mouth at the contact.

"Edward what's happening?"

I stood up bringing Bella to stand with me. I left her standing in the middle of the room and began to gather her things into a small suitcase.

"Edward wait…stop! What is this? What are you doing?"

I handed the suitcase to her and she took it looking confused. Things needed to speed up. I had to move things along and leave this place as soon as possible.

"We are going to take a trip Bella. I have been thinking and I agree with you. You're right I need to turn you I want nothing more than that."

She seemed to freeze and I watched each emotion pass over her face. She settled finally on confusion and put down the suitcase. She walked over and sat on her bed.

"What about Charlie? I thought you wanted me to finish school and go to college. What are you hiding from me?"

I remained standing not physically reacting to her words. We had discussed this and argued about this. She had cried and begged me to tell her what I was keeping from her. I couldn't do it though she would panic.

"Bella we need to leave here. This town isn't safe anymore. You can come back to your father in a little while. You just need to be under control first. Or we can make it look as if you've been kidnapped. We can't be here anymore Bella, please just trust me."

She nodded not moving from her bed. She took a moment to look around her room.

"Why should I trust you Edward?"

It was a valid question. It was the same question I had been asking myself since we had first met. Why would she trust me? I couldn't answer and I remained standing and silent. She stood up and picked up her suitcase. She opened it and began to remove the neatly folded clothes.

"Unless you tell me everything that you have been doing, where you've been going and what you were doing strangling Tom than I am not going with you. Not now or ever. Tell me the truth Edward."

I was taken aback by this. Bella could be demanding but she was never this forth right. I sighed and took a step back and then a step forward. The truth, the whole truth was not something that I wanted to share with Bella. She was never able to tell when I was lying. I had admitted lying to her before. That thought led me back to her first question.

"Why do you trust me Bella?"

She sighed heavily as if she had been expecting me to use this type of evasive tactic. It wasn't a ploy though I really wanted to know what her answer was. I had always wondered and had never been able to understand. Why trust someone who admitted to wanting to kill you, and who admitted to lying to you. I had even gone so far as to tell her that I was a fantastic liar. Why would anyone knowing all of that trust me.

"I gave you the ultimatum Edward not the other way around. You tell me everything or I won't go with you."

She was shaking and on the verge of tears. Her face was flushing and the rising blood scent in the room was making me want to crack open a window. I held in a growl of annoyance for all the times for Bella to become this demanding she picked now when the world was about to crumble on our heads.

"I love you Bella. I love you like I have never loved another. I need to know though what is the point of you demanding the truth from me if you don not trust me?"

Bella shook and tears fell from her eyes. Her hands balled in to fists and she stood up to face me.

"Edward please just tell me…or leave and never come back."

Her voice cracked on the last word. I went forward and embraced her. I guided her back to the bed and made her sit down. I remained standing.

"Alright Bella you win."

I told her everything starting with my first visit to Max and all I had done there. My second visit and all I learned there. I told her about Harry about the magical vampires and our war with them. I told her about the girl I had killed. I left out the vision Alice had shared with me about our wedding. I left out my attraction to Harry. I hadn't told her about Xavier or Aldo and Natalie and I left out the number of times Max had kissed me.

I left out the information Max had shared with me about his origins. I told her nothing about Riddle or Harry besides the fact that they were wizards and dangerous. She was satisfied though and she held my hand when I was finished and I was left to wonder again why she trusted me. I didn't bother to ask her again though. The answer was clear to me and I wondered why it had never been clear to me before. Love is blind, love blinds you to all things. I was too bright a light for Bella.

A vampire was too bright a light for any mortal. She was lost to me completely and I knew it now. She was dazzled by me, dazzled more than I could have anticipated. I had trapped her and somehow I had allowed her to trap me as well.

"I want to move the wedding up. I want to do it now. I need you to be safe Bella."

It was too risky to leave her so vulnerable. It was even more risky to have her around someone like Tom. Even if I did turn her Tom could still destroy her very easily. I had made her a target. I would make her safe again. She seemed to be struggling with happiness and apprehension at my announcement. She knew well enough to know that I thought she was in mortal danger to have moved the wedding up before she was finished school.

"Ok. What are we going to tell my father?"

I wasn't sure yet what was the best possible route. Leaving at this moment would make little difference though. It would be best to tell some semblance of the truth. Perhaps spin the urgency of the wedding into us being unable to wait. That was the plan most likely to placate Charlie. He was a romantic after all and would fall for it sure enough. I explained my angle to Bella and she agreed.

I stayed with her for the night the image of her hanging and dead body the only thing keeping me at bay. In the morning I went to get my car and then came back to bring her to school. The babysitter was walking down the drive with the small child clutched in her arms. He waved at me and called out 'wampire'. The woman laughed shushing him but her eyes lingered on me.

I realized at that moment that the child did not have any thoughts, his mind was a silent as Harry's. Bella's eyes widened the child had called out vampire loud enough for her to hear. A moment later the door opened and Tom stepped out with Harry behind him. Tom smiled charmingly and waved. Harry did the same and then Tom got into the drivers seat after opening the door for Harry.

My eyes lingered on the car and then I pulled out of Bella's drive and headed towards the school. The snake coiled around inside me and seemed to rear up until I could feel it in my throat then it lowered coiling into a circle and settling somewhere in the bottom of my stomach. When the school came into view I realized Bella had not seemed to care that I had admitted to killing a girl.

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. And a special mention to Celesteialuna who reviewed each chapter! Also a shout out to Serene Saber who is forcing me to be a better writer with there reviews! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Next Chapter: Harry and Tom have a discussion and Tom begins to plan….