Chapter 12

Bella

Faster and faster my bloodless body moved through the lush scenery of Alaska. I knew that Edward and Alice weren't far behind me for I could hear both of them desperately whispering my name, pleading me to stop.

I closed my eyes, letting my over sensitive senses take over and made my way swiftly through the forest. Honestly, I just wanted a few moments to gather my thoughts, our last conversation still echoing in my rapid mind.

James…

I squinted my eyebrows curiously m mind trying to place him within my scattered memory. I was sure that I didn't know him, or what he looked like, but I knew that he had been a part of my past – my unknown, human past.

I also knew that I had to find him; I had to know how I became this way and who I was before I had been changed.

The past…

The past was always something my family has safely kept hidden from me. I would ask Carlisle from time to time and he would tell me the same story he had always told me - that he was hunting, found me like this, bought me to his home and took care of me. But, Carlisle would never really give me any details, and I wasn't exactly sure why he felt the need to hold those details back.

Hearing branches snap haphazardly, I looked to my right and saw Edward swiftly approaching me. I sighed defeated; I knew that I wasn't faster than him and trying to keep running wasn't going to help my already stressful situation. With that acknowledgement, I stopped abruptly and turned around the face him. Edward stopped as well, running a bit further past me. I chuckled out of amusement and he just growled.

"Damn it Bella! Did you have to do that?" He asked, anger apparent in his voice.

"Did I have a choice Edward? You're treating me like a child! I am not a child!" Edward sighed, his anger seeming to disappear. He stepped forward, placing my cheek against his palm.

"Your right Love, I am sorry. I just feel… overprotective of you." I sighed and leaned into his touch and whispered softly, "I know Edward…I'd wish you just tell me what you're keeping from me. I just know that you and Alice aren't telling me something." I said, acknowledging Alice who was standing a few feet behind Edward.

Edward closed his eyes as I felt Alice approach him, placing her hand on Edward's shoulder.

Tell her Edward, she's right, she needs to know.

Edward nodded to acknowledge her words and opened his golden eyes to look into mine. He cupped my other cheek and kissed me softly, his lips pulling just centimeters away from mine.

"Bella, you are my equal, please remember that." I nodded; my eyes closed, letting my other senses take in his sweet breath.

"I know… please, just tell me Edward." I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then he gave into my wishes.

"Carlisle and I believe that James was the one who attacked you, the one who changed you to what you are. I don't think he knows that your with us and I'm not sure how he's going to react; he has quite the uh, temper, according to Eleazar."

Well, we don't know for sure unless we find out right? Let's go back… I need to know, Edward, please.

I saw his face tense at my request.

What is it?

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine; his lips parting slightly as he softly spoke.

"Bella, I promised myself that if I ever found the person who did this to you that I would kill them, myself."

My eyes widened in surprise and his form tore away from me, mixed emotions written all over his face. I automatically reached for him; I wanted to soothe him.

"Oh Edward, I'm sorry… it's just… don't be silly, if this wouldn't of happened, we wouldn't be together… I…"

He glared at me, and through gritted teeth he retorted, "You wouldn't be damned to this life, Bella. You deserve more than this, more than me." I looked at him, my expression dead panned.

"Don't be ridiculous, Edward! Out of all the stupid, selfish things to say! I'm glad I'm one of you, I'm glad I'm with you and your family! I wouldn't want more!" I ranted.

He raised an eyebrow, "Glad to leave your unknown human life, Bella? You don't even remember anything! Hell, you barely remember your own father, Charlie!"

My eyes blinked back nonexistent tears at his words.

Charlie, my dad.

Charlie was my one and only human memory that I kept close to my once beating heart. I closed my eyes, trying to regain my composure; now was not the time to have emotionally fucked up Bella make an appearance. I felt slight pressure on my shoulder and I sighed, "Alice, we need to go back and speak to James, please tell your brother that."

I felt Alice tense up a bit and lean in closer, her sweet scent filling my senses.

"Edward left Bella," My eyes snapped opened at her words and they meet with Alice's sympathic golden eyes. I felt my hands ball into fists, my nails digging into the flesh of my palms.

"Damn him!" I growled, my foot rightfully kicked the tree next to me, making it splatter to the Earth.

"Why does he always run, Alice? Does he think it solves anything?" I said, fuming. I took a few moments; my arms crossed against my chest, my anger slowly dissipating.

Alice just sighed in response; I knew it was because she didn't have an answer for me, hell I didn't even have an answer for myself.

Alice then hesitated, "Bella, we should go, Carlisle is waiting for us."

"Are they at our home?" I asked.

"No. Carlisle is at the Denali's, he's awaiting our arrival." I nodded somberly and swiftly followed Alice to the Denali's home.

I was finally going to get the answers I've been searching for.

James

So, I came back; the reason? I'm not so sure on that myself. Well… maybe I do. Ever since the day I drank that human girl's body dry, my mind wouldn't let go of the look of disappointment on my previous family's faces… especially Tanya's.

Tanya.

The woman, who I once loved, now sat beside me, her arms curled around me perfectly, her soft, kind words purring into my ear.

"I've missed you, my James," she would say, tucking a random piece of hair behind my ear.

"I'm so glad you've come back to me, please say you still love me James, please..." She begged softly. I turned my face to look into her eyes, her golden orbs full of hope and promise. I leaned into her, my right hand cupping her cheek.

"I'm here Tanya, with you… isn't that enough for now?" I asked, slightly impatient. She nodded quickly, her full lips quivering slightly. I leaned into her slowly to kiss her, but a clearing of a throat told me that we were no longer alone. I growled, slightly annoyed and looked up to see the intruder.

He was a vampire that was easy to see. His blond wavy hair was perfectly combed back, his eyes were golden like the rest of the Denali's, yet I knew him not to be a part of the Denali clan. I knew of only one other clan that I had known of that shared the same boring diet as the Denali's – the Cullen's.

"Yes?" I asked, still annoyed by the unidentified Cullen.

Keeping his calm demeanor, he stepped forward.

"James, I'm Carlisle Cullen." I nodded in response, I was right - a Cullen.

He continued, "I have a question to ask of you," he said, taking out what looked like to be a photograph. I cocked my head in curiosity.

"Do you know of this girl?" He asked, holding the photograph in front of me.

It was her. The girl that I had killed, murdered. My non beating heart sank a little.

"Her name's Bella, and…" he continued, but I interrupted him.

"I know." I replied.

"So, you know her, then."

I snorted, "Obviously".

I looked up at Carlisle. His face was tense, his features tight. The hand holding the photograph, crumpled it easily.

"You didn't kill her James, she's one of us. Bella's a vampire."

What?

"What?" I asked, feeling Tanya tense up against the side of my body.

Carlisle kept his composure and continued on, "when I found Bella, she wasn't dead. She was barely breathing, so I took her to my family's home and that's when we had found out that another one of us had bitten her."

"So, you just let her change? Why didn't you just kill her?"

"Because, I don't believe in taking lives, James," he said his tone flat, his face taking on a look of disgust. Annoyed at the man's demeanor, I stood up, my foot angrily smashing the chair that I was previously sitting in.

"Do you want something here? Because you're really starting to fucking piss me off, Carlisle."

Carlisle stood in the same spot, his posture and demeanor maintaining the same calmness he had when he had first approached me. However, after a few seconds ticked by, I saw his gaze turn to the left. I followed his gesture and that's when I saw two women standing in the wooden doorway.

One was petite; her short black hair was perfectly disheveled. Her face was slightly tense, her nose wrinkled with worry.

My eyes then shot to the woman who my mind was trying to avoid. She looked exactly the same, yet she was more refined – more beautiful than I could have remembered.

Her soft womanly body complimented her heart shaped face. Her eyes were as amber as the rest of her family's, her lips full, lush and pink. A familiar stirring in my crouch appeared.

Bella was… gorgeous.

Carlisle cleared his throat once more.

"Alice, Bella… this is James." The woman named Alice nodded her head towards me slightly, her body still tense and hanging back by the doorway.

However, Bella stepped forward, her eyes gazing upon by own. She took rather small steps towards me, her mind seeming to process everything in front of her.

She had to of known what had happened, her family must have told her right? What… what if she thinks I'm a monster for what I did… what if…?

"James?" Her lips asked, the flesh of them moving with the sound of my name.

"Yes, Bella," I answered her; she hesitated at my words and turned towards Carlisle.

"Where's Edward, Carlisle?" She asked, her voice taking on a softer tone.

"I'm here, Bella," another voice answered for Carlisle before he could return Bella's answer. I turned towards the voice to see a young boy of maybe seventeen, standing next to Alice, his eyes black, his gaze intense and focused on me. I growled in response - what the hell was his issue?

"What's my issue, James? What's my issue?" He growled back, his fists balling at his sides. The small girl, Alice, grabbed onto his arm to hold him back. I laughed - as if she could. If this boy wanted a fight - I was ready for him.

"Let me go Alice!" He cried, his snarls and growls growing impatient.

"Son, now is neither the time nor the place." The blonde man spoke, his tone flat and full of authority. Edward seemed to relax a little at his words; however, Alice still held a firm grip on his arm.

"Need daddy to calm you down, Edward?" I spat out, annoyed at his adolescent behavior. His eyes narrow in pure hatred, his mouth parted to speak, but Bella spoke before him.

"Enough please…" She took one look at Edward, his features immediately softening. She walked over to him, placing her palm on his cheek and placed a soft kiss upon his lips.

Their mates; well, that explains things.

Edward looked up from Bella, to me, and smiled snarkly.

Twat.

"I can hear you, you know." Edward spoke, his tone spoke of annoyance.

"I didn't say anything to you," I retorted.

Bella looked back to me and spoke softly, "Edward can read minds." I raised an eyebrow.

Oh really? Well, than read this…

Bella and I, softly caressing one another, her pale skin glowing like diamonds from the sunlight bursting softly through the window as I push her onto the bed, hastily ripping her clothes, my need desperate to touch her, to feel her, to be inside…

"Edward, stop! Carlisle, help, please!" I heard Bella's piercing cries. My mind ripped back to the present as I felt Edward's body crush against mine, flinging us both to the floor, cracking the wooden planks beneath. His hands closed around my throat, his teeth snapping at my face.

"Tell me why I shouldn't rip your head off, right here, right now! Tell me!" He spat the words into my face, slamming my head back against the broken planks. I easily moved my arm up, pushing his body off of mine, and found it to be easily flung off my own. Looking up, I saw Bella, Alice, and Carlisle all holding Edward back.

I stood up and smiled, "Because, you can't and they won't let you, that's why."

"Why you…" Carlisle slammed Edward back against the wall.

"Edward, leave. Obviously, you can't handle this right now." Edward tried one more time without avail to be break free from his families embrace.

"Edward! Either you leave now, or I will escort you, personally." Edward seemed to seethe at his father's words.

"Fine, Carlisle, I'll leave." He said, gracefully ripping out of Carlisle's hold. He then took a hold of Bella's arm and pulled her with him, but she stood in place, her eyes focused on me.

"I want to stay, Edward." His hand curled around her petite arm harder.

"What?" Bella looked towards Edward once more and a few moments of silence past. They didn't speak, however, it felt as if they were having a silent conversation with one another.

"Fine, Bella, do whatever you want… have James, I knew you and I could never be anyways," he spat out, his grip releasing Bella. She looked backed at towards me.

"I…I'm sorry, I just need a moment…" She said before she walked out the back door of the house and into the plush woods.

Alice stepped in front of me and Tanya, her eyes golden eyes now dark, "I hope your happy James," she said, venom spewing from her words. She swiftly left the room while Carlisle still resided in the room for only a few moments longer before turning on his heels, following the little pixie.

"James?" A small voice purred. I looked to my left and saw that Tanya still stood there, a hopeful smile plastered onto her beautiful face. I ran my calloused hands down her cheek and curled my hand under her chin, tipping her face upward, her lips reaching mine. I kissed her softly at first, my tongue running slowly over her bottom lip.

"James…" she sighed, her lips partly almost instantly. I slowly shrugged out of her grasp and her full, luscious lips turned downward into a slight pout.

"I have to go after Bella, Tanya." She took a step back from me, her arms crossed against her chest.

"Why James? Am I not enough for you? Am I…" I stepped forward, my hand grasping her wrist loosely.

"Tanya, please. There is no one besides you. You're the reason I came back, remember?" Her amber eyes looked into mine as if trying to find some sort of hidden agenda. It was only after a few moments that she seemed to be satisfied as she stepped closer to me, letting me embrace her once more.

"I know, I'm sorry," She said, her voice small and soft. I kissed the top of her head and once again, pulled out of her embrace.

"There is some unfinished answers between Bella and I, that's all. I will find you when I am done with Bella, I promise." She nodded, knowing that there was nothing more she could say.

"Okay."

I leaned forward, kissing her once more. I made my way to the same heavy wooden door Bella had. I quickly stepped outside, inhaling greedily as my senses tried to pick up her scent.

I knew that I needed to see her, talk to her in private, with no one to interrupt us. I also knew she had some unanswered questions, and I also has some unspoken words that needed to be said to her. Finally picking up on her luscious scent, my body easily flew through the forest; I had hoped to catch her before she had gone too far.

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