Chapter 12
Predator Choses his Prey Part 1
They all emerged from the different sections of the forest edge. I knew what James looked like and knew he was the leader.
Only Alice, Edward, and I knew this fact because Alice knew from beforehand and told me when I tracked him and Edward read Alice's mind.
One of them was olive skinned and had glossy black hair he emerged first and walked with confidence I knew that they were trying to trick us into thinking he was the leader so I side glanced at Edward and knew he read my thoughts.
They walked cat like and next thing I knew they were standing right in front of us. There was a definite tension hanging over. Like a cloud kind of.
I looked at Bella not being able to imagine how scared she probably was. Their eyes weren't like ours and they looked more like the stereotypical vampire with dark burgundy irises unlike our gold ones.
"We thought we heard a game" the one with the black hair said in a slight French accent. "I'm Laurent and these are Victoria and James" he said gesturing to James and the woman called Victoria who had wild orange hair and looked very much like a lioness…an angry lioness.
"I'm Carlisle and this is my family, Emmett and Jasper. Esme, Rosalie, Alice and Hazel, Edward and Bella" he said pointing us out in groups so we weren't individual I think he did that for Bella's sake.
"Do you have room for a few more players?" Laurent asked and I think I felt myself instantly freeze up. However I tried to look casual.
"Actually we were just finishing up but we'd be interested another time. How long are you planning to stay in the area?" Carlisle asked.
"We're headed north but we were curious to see who else was in the neighborhood we don't run into others very often." Laurent said.
"No this region is usually empty except for us and the occasional visitor like yourselves." Carlisle explained.
I felt a wave of calmness and casualty I knew it was Jasper because if he wasn't here the tension would be high and it would be like that awkward moment when there's a lot more to say but the tension is so high that no one says anything.
"What's your hunting range?" Laurent asked and the presumption in his voice was pretty obvious.
Carlisle ignored it and said "The Olympic range here, up and down the Coast Ranges on occasion. We maintain a permanent residence nearby. There's another settlement like ours up in Denali."
"Permanent, how do you manage that?" Laurent asked.
"Why don't you come back to our home with us and we can talk about it there comfortably, it's a rather long story."
I saw James and Victoria exchange a not so friendly glance when Carlisle said the word "home" but Laurent controlled himself better. I tried to pay attention to how many seconds it was between dialogues in order to distract myself.
"That sounds very interesting and welcome but we've been hunting all the way from Ontario and haven't had the chance to clean up" Laurent said.
"Please don't take offense but we would appreciate it if you'd refrain from hunting in this immediate area. We have to stay inconspicuous." Carlisle explained.
"Of course, we certainly won't intrude on your territory. We just ate outside Seattle anyway." Lauren said laughing in a way that could send a shiver up and down one's spine.
"We'll show you the way if you'd like to run with us. Emmett, Alice and Hazel why don't you go with Edward and Bella to take the jeep" Carlisle said.
However, just as Bella turned around her hair whipped in the breeze and I saw Edward and James both get up and aggressive with each other.
"What is this?" Laurent asked and Edward and James still were fixated on each other. James shifted slightly and Edward adjusted his position.
Edward growled and I saw Bella slightly shudder which didn't surprise me. Edward rarely growled like this.
"She's with us" Carlisle said firmly and I could tell Laurent had caught Bella's scent but not as powerful as James head I shifted to the woman who was standing there smugly.
"You brought a snack?" Laurent asked.
"I said she's with us" Carlisle said even more firmly and Edward growled again more like snarled but it was the same difference.
"Calm down Eddie" I thought in my head and he relaxed ever so slightly. I looked at Bella who looked scared out of her mind. I wished she had telepathy so I could tell her it was OK but I couldn't exactly say it out loud.
"But she's human" Laurent said in pure astonishment.
"Yes" Emmett snarled his eyes on James Edward remained in his position.
"It seems we have a lot to learn about each other" Laurent said.
"Indeed" Carlisle said.
"But we'd like to accept your invitation" his eyes flickered to Carlisle then to Bella "And of course we won't harm the human girl or hunt in your range as I said."
"We'll show you the way. Jasper, Rosalie, Esme?" Carlisle said.
"Let's go Bella" Edward said somewhat harshly but softly.
Emmett, Alice and I formed a barrier around Bella to secure her from James's view.
"May the best tracker win" James muttered to me ever so slightly and I could scarcely hear the words myself.
I think it was only me who heard it so I thought exactly what he said to Edward who in response flung Bella onto his back and took off while Emmett, Alice and I darted after him.
After getting to the jeep Edward flung Bella into the backseat and ordered Emmett and I to strap her in. Alice was in the front seat.
Bella looked at me with fear in her eyes and I mouthed "it's going to be OK."
"That little fucking bastard I swear on my father's grave if that little asshole does anything to her I will personally rip off each limb and hinge very slowly and burn them each while on his body before ripping him to shreds in little fucking pieces that little piece of shit…He's a motherfucking cock who has no fucking remorse or any shit…" Edward was saying too fast for Bella to understand mostly he was saying it in growls.
"If he swears on papa's grave it must be bad" I muttered to Emmett beside me and he looked at me.
Bella looked completely confused since we were all talking too fast and too low for her to understand.
It was dark outside and we all kept checking the sides of the windows which I think was scaring Bella. I could feel her shivering beside me and I rubbed her arm trying to comfort her. Her breathing slowed slightly and we got onto the main road.
I saw the look on Bella's face when she realized where we were headed…away from Forks.
"Where are we going?" she asked and we didn't even look at her. I almost did but it would be rude not answering her.
"Dammit Edward where are you taking me!" Bella shouted.
"We have to get you away from here…far away now" Edward said not looking back his eyes focused on the road in front of her.
"Turn around you have to take me home!" Bella shouted and started tearing at the seatbelt straps.
"Emmett" Edward growled.
Emmett gripped Bella's hands and Bella continued to protest "No Edward No you can't do this."
"Bella I have to now please be quiet" Edward said.
"I won't! Now you have to take me back Charlie will call the FBI! They'll be all over your family. Carlisle and Esme. They'll have to hide forever!" Bella shouted.
"Calm down Bella we've been there before" Edward said in a harsh voice.
"Edward, yelling isn't going to solve the problem" I said too fast for Bella to understand and Edward sighed.
"Not over me you don't! You're not ruining your family's life over me!" Bella shouted.
"Edward pull over" I said in a normal voice.
He flashed me a hard look then sped up.
"Edward let's just talk this through" Alice said speaking for the first time.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Edward's voice was so loud it was like when you put headphones on and turn on the sound realizing the volume is at its fullest. "HE'S A TRACKER!"
I saw Emmett stiffen next to Bella.
"Is he a sensory or clairvoyant like Hazel?" Alice asked her voice shaking.
"Sensory" I said.
"How do you know?" Emmett asked.
"Because if he was clairvoyant he would have a vision of what we're doing right now" I said with my eyes closed.
"He's tracking us!" Bella said horrified.
"Now do you see why we can't go back?" Edward asked.
"Wait if he's a sensory tracker then doesn't that mean he tracks by scent…" Emmett said his voice wandering.
"CHARLIE! You can't leave him there! You can't leave him!" Bella thrashed against the harness.
"She's right" Alice said softly.
"THERE ARE NO OPTIONS!" Edward yelled angrily and I guessed he was answering Alice's thoughts.
"I'm not leaving Charlie!" Bella yelled.
Edward ignored her and Emmett spoke "She's right."
"No" Edward said in a hard voice.
"He's no match for us Edward he won't be able to touch her." Alice said.
"He'll wait" Edward said.
"I can wait too" Emmett smirked.
"You don't understand once he commits to a hunt he's unshakable…we'll have to kill him!" Edward said.
"That's an option" Emmett said.
"The female…she's with him. Then if it escalades to a fight from there Laurent will join them" I said softly since I had tracked Victoria and my eyes were still closed.
"There are enough of us" Emmett said.
"That's another option" Alice said.
"THERE-IS-NO_OTHER-OPTION!" Edward said in a fierce voice.
Emmett, Alice and Bella stared at him in shock.
"Eddie listen to me…think about what's best for Bella and Charlie are you going to just tear her away from her family like this…and what if we have to go into hiding for a long time…with Bella what will happen from then…just listen please. Put yourself in Bella's shoes. What would you do if it was me who went out and never returned home…pretend you were a human without your gift just LISTEN!" I shouted at him in my head.
"Does anyone want to hear my idea?" Bella interjected.
"No" Edward said harshly.
"EDDIE! What did I just tell you!" I shouted at him again.
"Listen, you take me back I tell my dad I want to go back to Phoenix, I pack my bags, wait till the tracker is watching. He'll follow us, leave Charlie alone and then you can take me to wherever you want to!" Bella said.
"Actually that's not a bad idea" Emmett said in a surprised tone.
"It might work and we can't leave her father unprotected…you know that" Alice said.
We all looked at Edward.
"I don't want him within a hundred miles of her" Edward said.
"Edward, he's not going to get through us." Emmett said.
"Besides, he doesn't want to hurt Charlie…he's actually waiting until after." I said.
"I demand you to take me home!" Bella said trying to sound like one of those protesters or something. "Please" she pleaded.
"You're leaving tonight…you're telling Charlie that you can't stand another minute in Forks, you pack your bags and then you come out. You have fifteen minutes…fifteen minutes from the time you cross the doorstep" Edward said.
The Jeep started up again and Bella asked Emmett to let go of her hands.
The ride home was silent. I continued keeping my eyes shut and occasionally Emmett and Alice would ask if I saw anything. Bella was concerned I was going to see any disturbing images. But I said it was OK.
"When I walk her to the door she has fifteen minutes, Emmett you take the outside of the house Alice you get the truck. Hazel, I want you waiting in her truck. Have the key in the ignition but not turned on. When Bella and I come out Emmett and Alice, you go home and tell Carlisle. We'll meet you at the house.
"No way" Emmett said "I'm with you."
"Think it through Emmett you don't know how long I'll be gone" Edward said.
"Until we know how far this is going to go I'm with you" Emmett said.
"What are we going to do with the jeep?" Alice asked.
"You're driving it home" Edward said with a hard edge in his voice.
"No I'm not" Alice said stubbornly.
"Alice! Just take the fucking car home…please!" Edward said and then started saying more swears that weren't directed at anyone in particular.
"We can't all fit in my truck" Bella said softly. "I think you should let me go alone" she said again.
"Bella, please just do this my way, just this once," his teeth were clenched.
"Listen, Charlie's not an imbecile If you're not in town tomorrow he's going to get suspicious" Bella said.
"That's irrelevant. We'll make sure he's safe and that's all that matters."
"Then what about this tracker? He saw the way you acted tonight. He's going to think you're with me wherever you are" Bella said.
"She's right" I said softly.
"Yes she is" Alice agreed.
"I can't do that" Edward said in an icy voice.
"Emmett should stay too" I muttered.
"What?" Emmett said.
"He thinks you're going to stay with Edward" I said with my eyes closed again.
"Listen to the Hayzster" Alice said.
A plan was then worked out about how we would split up and how Jasper and Alice would go to Phoenix with Bella.
"Wait a second…shouldn't Hazel come with Jazz, Bella and I since she will know where James is at all times?" Alice asked.
"I'm already letting Bella out of my sight, letting Hazel and Bella out of my sight is too much" Edward said.
Before she got out of the car Edward said "Listen, if you let anything happen to yourself I'm holding you physically responsible."