This is a one off guys. Don't be expecting regular updates again. Sorry :(

Chapter Seven

Surprises and Friendships

Taramina Cullen

I looked at the thin stick in my hand and blinked. The smell of urine hung in the air like an intoxicant, smelling bitter and acidic as it mixed with the smell of the bleached and polished bathroom.

The white stick began to change colour, a line appearing out of thin air. I sucked in a breath as a second line came, at first very faintly and then into an opaque line masquerading next to the first.

Shit. Pregnant.

Suddenly flashed of my previous pregnancies came to mind, flashing before my eyes as if they were warnings or omens. One memory of a broken Chloe laying in my arms, another of Edd tearing his way out of my womb, and my last pregnancy where I had been forced to miscarry by my grandfather's own father.

I flinched reflexively at the memory, I usually didn't dwell on the past but having a new life inside of me filled me with a protectiveness and yet such sadness knowing that this could be the most dangerous time in their lives while they were actually in my body.

I touched the small protruding bump from my abdomen, I already knew that this child was a half vampire like me, I had suspected I was pregnant a few days ago, and by now if the child was a full vampire it would have already looked like I was half way through my pregnancy whereas hybrid pregnancies I probably looked around three months pregnant, I only did the test to be 100% certain.

Knock Knock.

"Mom? Momma? Are you okay?" Called Chloe to me. I looked at the bathroom door in panic and quickly dumped the pregnancy test in the sanitary towel bin. She knocked again, louder, "Mom?"

"Yes! I'm fine!" I called back, my voice sounding anything but fine.

I heard the door handle move and she peeped her head around the door frame, "Are you sure, momma?" She raised an eyebrow and in that moment she looked so much like me it made me proud, except for her golden eyes she was the spitting image of me.

"Yes, baby. It's just…" I looked down and patted my stomach, indicating that I was pregnant, though I didn't really want everyone knowing I didn't mind my daughter because I knew that she would kept he secret for as long as I needed, then again, my family would probably guess anyway from seeing my bump.

"Again?" She asked. "Wow." She looked dumbfounded and then itched the back of her neck slightly nervously looking as though she wanted to say something, but that she couldn't quite get the words out.

"What is it?" I asked her, sounding more like her mother again rather than her best friend.

"I was wondering if I could possibly go see Cheveyo…. I know you and dad hate me seeing him but I haven't seen him in two weeks and I can't stand that he doesn't want me near him." She looked at me, pleading with her eyes to go and visit her imprinter, or linker as they would have called it.

"You know I have no problem with someone imprinting on you, baby. It's just I don't like seeing you hurting. If you really want to see him take someone along with you to make sure that he doesn't hurt you." I tried to reason with her.

"He wouldn't hurt me, momma, not physically anyway." She answered quickly.

"Well I don't mean physically." I retorted, looking my daughter straight in her eyes, "just take Abby or someone so I know that you are safe."

"Okay momma. I'll ask someone to go with me." She turned to leave and then turned back, "And thank you." She quickly ran to me, squeezed my shoulders, touched my stomach and then dashed off at high speed to go and find her friend.

Chloe Renesmee Cullen

Somewhere within me I knew that I should have taken someone with me to go to Cheveyo, but I couldn't take Abby. Last time she had gotten mad at Cheveyo and said that if he hurt me again she would rip his head off. She literally hated the man. What I needed was someone who understood imprints. A few people came to mind, Aunt Renesmee? No. Aunt Charlotte? Again, I couldn't see it. Kate? No. She was a bitch. Nefertiti? I considered this in my mind for a second. She was imprinted on by Embry at a young age and they spent every waking moment together, though they were not together as in together. I chuckled slightly at the thought and then smiled to myself. Nefertiti would be the perfect candidate and I knew she could help me.

I quickly sprinted to my Aunt Madison's cottage, it took me mere milliseconds to reach it. I silently thanked my father and grandpa Edward for their magnificent speed.

I knocked lightly, knowing that they probably already knew I was here without knocking.

The door creaked open and Madison stood then smiling at me, "I've told you Chloe, just come in. You don't need to knock. Abby's out at the moment."

"I don't want Abby. I was wondering if I could speak to Nefertiti please." I asked politely.

"Tee?" Madison looked a little shocked but shrugged, "Sure, she's upstairs, her room is third on the right." She smiled again and then moved out of the way so I could pass her, "Thanks Aunt Maddie." I grinned slightly and proceeded to walk down the hallway until I came to the stairs. Her house was so beautiful and old fashioned, It had high ceilings and low beams, but it was very open plan and very large with more than enough room to accommodate her large family of seven.

I stood at the third door on the left and reached out to knock on the door. Suddenly a slight embarrassing fear went through me, what if she says no? I froze up slightly and then I head Nefertiti's musical voice, still tinged with her ancient Egyptian accent, come from the door, "I can smell you Chloe and hear your breathing, come in." She laughed, very girlishly and high pitched, the sound seemed to twinkle and chime like bells on a wind chime.

"Umm. Sorry." I said as a knee jerk reaction, I felt rude and embarrassed thinking that I could barge in here and ask her to do something for me when I barely even spoke to her.

"It's fine little cousin, what is it? You obviously came here on a mission." She grinned at me, her brown eyes sparkling with humour as she teased me.

"I was wondering if you'd come to see Cheveyo with me." I squeaked very quietly, looking anywhere but her eyes.

The corners of her lips moved upwards and her eyes crinkled as she smiled a slightly confused smile, "I thought Abby usually went there with you?"

"She does but last time she sort of got mad at him for hurting me and then I kind of decided to not bring her again. Plus she's a vampire than the tribe really hate vampires even if they only kill animals, which Abby doesn't even do, but they hate her anyway, and they can just about tolerate me because I'm a half vampire." I concluded.

"So you want me to come? Why?" She still was smiling but her eyes creased up even more in confusion.

"You're part human and you understand what imprinting is like." I said, finally looking into her eyes, trying to express my desperation.

"Oh. That makes sense. Sure I'll come." She smiled like a big sister would, and I suddenly felt the need to hug her, I had always wanted a sister I could be close with, and though I had Abby, we were more or less the same age, Nefertiti had much more experience than me and she was really kind which made me want her as a big sister in that moment. "When?"

"Umm… now?" I asked a little nervously.

She chuckled and closed her book, rising off of her bed in a very graceful manner and then she turned and checked her hair in the mirror, running her fingers through her almost perfectly straight brown locks. She then moved her face to check her make up, and then nodded to herself, something I noticed a lot of the Cullen-Racluse kids had copied off Madison.

"Okay, let's go." She smiled and walked past me, touching my back in a comforting way, trying to convey that she cared about me.

We stepped out of her cottage and ran at a quick pace towards the Quinault tribe's land. It didn't take us long to get there, and by the time we were on their lands I could smell the distinct scent of lions, or shapeshifting lions as big as horses. I ran after the fresh scent and I realised that it was leading me towards Cheveyo's own house.

I kept heading in the general direction until I saw the small wooden cottage painted in a bright peeling orange that reminded me of Jacob's dad's house, though his was red. The windows were dirty and the door was white with a small porch painted white where the paint was also peeling.

I walked up to the front porch, the house didn't seem as foreboding as the last time I had visited. Tee stood close behind me, towering over my small frame. She very much had the Racluse body. I seemed to have my family's petite height and a sort of average body, not crazy curves like Abby or Izzy, but not as thin and straight as Nefertiti was.

I reached out to knock on the door, but before my hand made contact the door opened suddenly and Cheveyo was standing there in all of his glory. He was dressed in sweat pants, his feet were bare as well as his chest. His hair was ruffled and looked unkempt. I had the feeling that he hadn't even gotten out of bed yet.

"How…?"

"I sensed you coming. We're linked. I could sense you coming even if you were on the other side of the world." His eyes looked slightly mad, and I noticed his posture was stiff, but he was leaned slightly towards me, taking deep breaths as if he was savouring my scent.

"Oh. I was hoping to talk to you again." I blinked and then looked down, "I didn't bring Abby this time because I know vampires offend you. This is Tee, she's half human half werewolf." I looked back to Cheveyo and noticed his eyes scanning Nefertiti.

"Is she a human eater?" He spoke bluntly, giving Tee a very judging glance.

"No, I'm not." Nefertiti rolled her eyes and then snorted.

"Good." He scanned us both again, "Come in." For some reason he didn't seem as made as last time, in fact he seemed very welcoming. This was the fourth time I had seen him, twice trying to talk to him and the first was when I had first seen him, all times he had been dismissant and had tried to get rid of my straight away, but this time he seemed like he actually wanted to speak to me.

"Do you want a drink?" He asked, looking at both of us.

"Umm. Yes. Please." I stuttered at his politeness.

"Tea, Coffee? Something stronger perhaps?" He asked.

"Tea would be fine." I answered, the thought of coffee put me off food. I even hated the smell of it.

"Nefer… Nefertiti?" He asked, trying to get her name right.

"I'll go for the something stronger please?" She grinned like a little school girl and then it became evident to me that she could be using her powers of seduction and enchantment to be making him skivvy about after us and be nice.

"Are you using your powers on him?" I asked accusingly, not meaning to sound half as jealous as I did.

"No?" She looked confused again and I knew by the expression on her face that it couldn't have been her influence making him nice, so he must have just decided to be polite for once.

He walked in moments later with a pot of tea and two alcoholic beverages. I laughed at Tee who took the glass and began examining it.

"Scotch." He said as if to answer her question.

"Hmm. Thanks." She took a sip and smiled at the foul smelling liquid. Alcohol did not appeal to me at all. I took the tea and smiled at Cheveyo.

"Thank you." I said and then I took a sip as Cheveyo sat down.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Cheveyo asked, I noticed he was turned towards me, leaning forward and he seemed to be focusing all of his attention on me.

"I don't really know, Cheveyo. I just… I just wanted to see you. I know this imprint… link…" I stuttered over the right word, "Doesn't seem to affect yopu as much but I've literally been in pain from not seeing you."

"What?" He asked looking at me dumbfounded, "You think I didn't feel the pain too? I've been going out of my mind for weeks wondering where you are and how I could track you down and find you again to say sorry." He looked genuinely apologetic and then I understood why he looked so lost to reality, because that is what he had been going through for weeks now. Because of me.

A sudden pang of guilt swept over me and I sighed heavily. This situation was such a mess, why did a shapeshifter from another pack or pride or whatever have to imprint on me. I never wanted this. I wanted to be free to make my own choice on who I loved, and yet here I was sat opposite a man who hated me yet craved my company.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"It's not your fault. I purposely scared you away so that you wouldn't come near me again because I was so fixated on your vampire side that I was convinced that you couldn't be a good person… but after you left I researched you. I did some digging. You're from the famous Cullen Clan." He half smiled and then chuckled, "Supernaturals have been talking about your family for years, how your family are destined to unite the supernaturals… or more specifically your… sister?" He looked confused. "You're Chloe Cullen right?"

"Yes." I smiled and grinned at the fact that he had remembered as something as mediocre as my pathetic name.

"Izeya is your sister?" He smiled looking a little confused.

"No, she's my sister." Nefertiti snorted, "Izeya is the future queen of supernaturals, born of witchblood to a vampire and werewolf, the blood of all three major species yada-yada-yada." She smirked.

"She's my cousin." Chloe concluded with a slight laugh and smirk back at Nefertiti.

Cheveyo seemed to examine Chloe and Nefertiti for a long time, "So you're imprinted as well?"

"Yes I am." Nefertiti said, "To a wolf shapeshifter. I've been fully grown for a few years now though and we're only friends." Nefertiti shrugged, "That's all you guys have to be. I keep telling Chloe that."

"You're only friends?" Cheveyo asked puzzled, "But I thought all imprints had to get together? Isn't there an undeniable attraction and spark between you?"

"Of course there is. That why we make such good friends though." She smirked, "Not everything has to turn into a big sex fest like most imprints. Though sometimes I do consider it." She laughed at my expression. The thought of Tee and Embry together seemed disturbing, I didn't like the thought of sibling, or rather cousin sex.

"You don't have to look so cringed out." Nefertiti rolled her eyes at me and even Cheveyo chuckled a little bit.

"So what do you say? Friends?" Cheveyo asked, a hopeful look glinting in his eyes, and in that moment I knew that I would end up wanting more than friendship. The man aroused something within me I had never felt towards anyone before. A burning desire deep within the pit of my stomach… I took in a sharp breath stopping my thoughts. I barely even knew the man! But you do. He is the mate of your soul. I thought to myself and then sighed a little.

"Yes. Yes I will be your friend."