Cannibal Love

Today's is Cannibal Love by White Sea.

Bella swung wildly around in the gentle giant's iron hold. "Hell's Bells!" he cried happily. "I sure am glad to see you." He placed her gently back on the ground before stepping back to get a better look. "Lookin' a little rough there Bells. Do they not have hairbrushes where you come from?" He teased and earned a swat upon the arm. "What?" He chuckled good naturedly with a grin that would cause the panties of most adult females to melt.

"I'm sorry if my lack of grooming offends you," Bella replied sarcastically as she wriggled from his grasp, "but I just couldn't find time to put my face on you know what, with the undead trying to rip it off every five minutes."

He let out a dramatic sigh. "Well I guess I we can forgive you this time but next time we expect mascara and heels."

Bella clicked her heels and offered a mock salute. "Yes sir!" she shouted before breaking out in a fit of giggles.

The Swan's watched the easy interaction with stunned silence. It had been so long since Bella had exhibited such a carefree attitude that they weren't sure how to react. It had taken her years to manage a genuine smile and even then they never quite reached her eyes. Yet here she was, laughing and smiling like her old self.

Watching his daughter interact with the friendly giant, Charlie couldn't help the crooked grin that graced his tired face. He had spent so many sleepless nights worrying about her. After that, boy, left she had been so depressed he had often considered forcing her to seek professional help. It was only in the past year or so that she had shown any sort of improvement, leaving the house more often and even actively participating in some of Emmett's harmless pranks.

"I believe some introductions are in order," the large man said, clapping his large hands together and turning his attention toward the motionless Swans.

"Right, of course," Bella said as she practically skipped forward. "Jake this is my father Charlie, my brother Emmett, and my baby sister Alice. Everyone this is my best friend, Jacob Black."

With a welcoming grin, Jacob stepped forward to shake each of their hands. "Mr. Swan," he said with solemn a nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you sir. Your daughter speaks very highly of you and I'm sure you will be an asset to our continued survival." With his ears blushing red at the compliment, Charlie mumbled a quiet greeting in return.

Eager to better size up the large man, Emmett stepped forward and thrust his hand forward, "Emmett Swan, at your service."

Grasping each other's hands firmly, both men increased their hold on the other's hand, silently willing the other to cry uncle. When it became apparent that neither was going to back down from the blatant display of testosterone fueled competition Alice hit Emmett in the back of the knee with a practiced kick and as he crumpled to the ground hopped forward eagerly.

There was no denying Jacob was an attractive man, his jet black hair and russet skin only served to highlight his high cheekbones and well defined jaw. Knowing that most of the eligible bachelors she once knew would now rather eat her than take her to dinner, Alice was intent on staking a claim on any and all attractive young men she met.

"I'm Mary Alice but you may call me Alice," she said regally as she offered her hand up to be kissed.

A look of disbelief crossed Jacob's handsome face before it was artfully masked. Stepping forward he grasped her hand in his and brought it up to his lips for a light kiss. "Your majesty," he replied in a poor British accent before he releasing it gently and performing a dramatic bow .

Too wrapped up in herself to realize he was poking fun at her, Alice tittered quietly while fluttering her eyelashes in what she thought to be a seductive manner. Unfortunately, it just looked like she had something in her eye.

Eying her dubiously, Jacob straightened up. "Ah yes well," he said has he forced himself to look away from her ridiculous eye fluttering. "Uh, let me introduce you to the rest of the guys," he said as he gestured the rest of the young men standing around the cars to come forward.

"Beginning with the smiling doofus on the left we have Quil, Embry, Jared and Paul," he said as he pointed them each out individually. "On my other side we have Sam, Collin, and Brady. And right here," he said as he pulled a gangly kid to the front, "we have my kid brother Seth."

After each of them men were introduced they each stepped forward to shake hands with the Swans and each one ended up in a bone crushing handshake with Emmett until Alice would eventually intervene and try her best at flirting.

Quickly tiring of Emmett's testosterone driven feats of strength and Alice's simpering smiles and spastic eyelash fluttering, Bella decided to put them all out of their misery and get the show on the road.

"So Jake, any way we can get out of here before it gets dark?" Bella asked.

Jacob had to forcibly tear his eyes away from staring at Alice's facial twitches. "Sure, sure," he answered distractedly as he witnessed her attempts at shaking her hips attractively while stalking toward his intimidated younger brother.

"Jake," Bella snapped her fingers under his nose.

"Uh yeah, sorry," he apologized focusing on the annoyed brunette before him."That would probably be a good idea. Never good to be out in the open after dark these days," he agreed before turning his attention to Charlie. "Mr. Swan, if you wouldn't mind following us up the road we can unload your cars and get you settled in tonight before we blow the road in the morning."

"That'd be fine son," Charlie agreed gruffly, "but if you don't mind me asking, is it really necessary to take out the road? Surely it would make getting supplies in and out easier and I don't really see too many zeds making it this far out of the city."

"While we agree sir," Seth said respectfully, "we feel that it's better to be safe than sorry, no need to put ourselves in any unnecessary danger. Besides, after the initial outbreak zeds will be the least our worries and as far as getting supplies up to the mesa it will be difficult but not impossible. There is a hidden stairway carved into the side of the mesa that our people used for centuries. Before the road was built it was the only way in and out of the village for centuries and the people here lived relatively well. I'm not going to tell you it won't be harder, it will be but the benefits definitely out way the negatives in this situation."

Charlie dipped his head in acceptance of the gangly young man's explanation. "Sounds like you've considered every angle. If you can assure me that my children will be safer without the road than you go ahead and do what you need to do. You won't hear any complaint from me."

"Thank you Mr. Swan," Jacob replied respectfully.

Charlie brushed him off with a dismissive wave. "Mr. Swan was my father y'all can call me Charlie you know."

"Thanks Charlie," Emmett slapped him on the back with a devilish grin. "I thought it was about time we were on a first name basis."

"Not you, never you," Charlie growled knocking Emmett's large arm off from around his shoulders. Emmett pretended to cry quietly to himself at his rejection making those around them grin at the large man's childish antics.

"Well now that we're all in agreement, how 'bout we all head up the mesa and get your family settled in. Then we can see about some dinner," Jacob suggested.

At the mere mention of dinner, both Emmett and Charlie's ears perked up and they scrambled wildly for the cars. Watching them, it wasn't hard to see the resemblance between father and son.

Slamming the door of the Jeep shut behind him, Emmett started the engine. Suddenly noticing that the girls were still standing with Jacob and his crew, he hastily rolled down the window.

"What the hell are you girls waiting for? Do you need a written invitation? The man said dinner, now get your asses in the cars or I won't be held responsible when I resort to cannibalism," he shouted.

The girls rolled their eyes simultaneously and exchanged burdened glances before walking in slow motion toward the cars while the men around them laughed hysterically at the family's light hearted antics.

"Mary Alice and Isabella Marie," Charlie barked from inside the truck, "you had better pick up those feet or god help me I'll feed you to the zombies myself."

With a more discreet roll of the eyes, the girls walked quickly toward the passenger sides of the vehicles while Jacob and his friends jogged effortlessly toward their cars.

Within a minute, they all found themselves barreling down the poorly paved road toward the pueblo. At the base of a steep dirt incline, Seth hopped out of the truck leading the way and pushed open a large metal gate allowing each of the cars to drive past before swinging it closed once again and hopping in Emmett's jeep.

As the cars climbed the dusty dirt road toward the top of the mesa, each of the Swans craned their necks in an effort to get a good look at their new home. After a few hundred yards, their efforts were rewarded as the first of the ancient buildings came into view.

"Oh wow," Alice breathed as more and more of the adobe pueblo came into view.

Emmett let out a low whistle. "You can say that again," he agreed in awe.

Seth let out a chuckle and shook his head at the reaction he had come to expect from the scores of tourists that trekked up here every year. "Welcome to Sky City," he said warmly before jumping lithely from the still moving vehicle with astonishing grace.

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Sorry I didn't update sooner but I was a bridesmaid in my cousin's wedding in NY so I was a little busy. I did manage to write this chapter on the plane though so I hope you enjoy. Also someone told me it was their birthday so this is for you pal. Now leave me some love!

XOXO,

Bellarella