A/N- Hello everyone! Ok so I'm squeezing this update in between class (god I hate summer session…) and a concert. So no long a/n… enjoy!

Happycookbook- I wouldn't be so sure if I was you… I just hope you won't kill me…

Superdani- This is still following the book so James has still gone after Bella. This just all takes place while James is hunting Bella.

BirdieInABox16- I don't think that you'll be too happy, but I still hope you enjoy it!

AnnaMollyPR- Ya, I think you're going to be disappointed. Anyway, you are right… it's all in Joseph's nature to hunt, unfortunately it had to be Cerys.

"Come in!" I called back. I rummaged through the drawers in my room trying to find something to wear.

"I just wanted to apologize for Joseph this afternoon." Tanya said when she entered my room.

"It's alright, I don't hold anyone, but Joseph responsible."

"Not even his mate? Lindsay?"

"No, why? Should I?"

"She was told to watch him. He had been a free roaming vampire, much like James had been before she brought him here. He had been doing well on an animal diet. He'd been vegetarian for over a year until this little incident."

"Everything can change pretty fast, huh?"

"That it can."

"What happened to Lindsay?"

"O, she left. We got back in from burning the body and she was gone."

"That was quick."

"It was, but I was expecting it. She wasn't very… accepted in this group. Apparently when she was human she was the baby of her family so she was used to getting what she wanted. That doesn't work when you're living with other people, especially a large family like this one."

"I could see how hard that would be."

"Did you have any siblings back home?"

"No, it's just me and my mom. My dad died a few years ago and they only wanted one child."

"What does your mother do?"

"She's a chef at a restaurant in Seattle. She usually works nights so I only see her in the morning and then right before she leaves in the early afternoon."

"So you're use to being by yourself?"

"I am, but I'm happy with all the friends I'm making now." I said.

"Speaking of which, you seem to have a very loyal friend in Laurent."

"I'm sorry, but are we playing 20 questions?"

"I like to know who is living under my roof. I'm sorry if the questions are bothering you."

"No, they're just… unexpected. When it comes to Laurent I'm not always sure if it's me he's loyal to or James. Either way he's helped me so far."

"You don't know how lucky you are. Laurent and James and Victoria have been feeding of humans since they were turned. For them to just give up human blood and keep you so close to them, they must be some of the strongest vampires around."

"I just hope James is strong enough to survive whatever trouble he's gotten himself into."

"From what Laurent tells me, I'm sure he will." Tanya smiled. "Tell me about this girl Edward has found, what's her name?"

"Bella."

"Yes, Bella."

"I'm… very interested to hear about her."

"Why?"

"You could say that Edward and I have a history or past together. I'm just interested in what he's gotten himself into."

"From the brief time that I saw them together I could tell they cared deeply for one another. I mean Bella looked to Edward for comfort like I look for in James. She's comfortable around the whole family considering she was watching them play your version of baseball.

"And now he's protecting her from your James?"

"Yes. James decided to try and track her so now Edward is going to try and save her. It's tearing me in two. I don't want James to kill Bella. She was really nice and I liked her from the few minutes I spent with her. But on the other hand I don't want Edward or his family to kill James because I love him."

"It's a catch 22 for you."

"Ya, something like that."

"I'm sure everything will work out fine." Tanya said as she stood up, ready to leave. It appeared I had survived her interrogation, but now it was my turn.

"Tanya, how do you become a vampire?"

"You have to be bitten." Tanya said simply. She must have sensed it wasn't my only question so she sat back down on the bed.

"Do you have to drink the vampire's blood?"

"No, when we bite someone we also release venom into their blood stream. If the person doesn't die and the venom can't be sucked out by another vampire then the person will go through a changing period and will become a vampire."

"A changing period?"

"It's about three days long and is filled with excruciating pain." I gulped at the idea of being in pain for so long.

"Three days of pain huh?" I asked.

"I think what really gets new vampires is not the physical pain, but the pain from losing their families."

"Losing their families?"

"The blood lust is too strong and their loved ones can be hurt so it's generally accepted that you leave your family. That's why there's the myth that vampires die and then come back to life. We have to tell people you died from one cause or another so they accept that you're not coming back."

"Wow." I said as I thought about my mom.

"Are you thinking about changing?"

"I'm not sure. I told James I would, but he told me not yet. I wasn't thinking and now I'm glad he didn't. I mean, I never thought of the consequences of leaving my mom."

"And your friends."

"So far it seems as though most of my friends are vampires." I whispered.

"Really, you don't have a boyfriend or someone at home?"

"If I had a boyfriend then I wouldn't be here waiting for James." I said.

"This is true." Tanya nodded.

"I guess we'll just see what life throws at me." I said. I got back up from my bed and started trying to find clothes for my hike with Laurent. "Can I get some clothes? Laurent promised me he would take me on a hike when I woke up and all of my clothes are dirty."

"You would be about Alyssa's size. I'll see about borrowing some of her clothes until we can take you shopping."

"Shopping… joy."

"Not a shopper are you?"

"No, sorry. I grew up hiking with my dad most of the time. I never really saw the joy in shopping."

"Too bad. I guess the girls and I will just have to change your opinion."

"You can try…" I muttered. "Clothes?"

"O, right. I'll be right back." Tanya disappeared from my room and returned a few seconds later with jeans and a T-shirt in her hand. Underneath the jeans were underwear and a sports bra as well. "I'll be back with some shoes and socks for you." Again it only took her a second, but she did return with the desired items.

It took me a few minutes to get changed and try to detangle the knots out of my hair. When I finished deknotting my hair I threw it into a pony tail so I wouldn't have to worry that much about it during my hike. When I was satisfied that I was ready I looked threw my bag for anything I might need. I found my camera in a hidden pouch and decided that would be fun to take. With my camera in hand I returned out of my room where I found Laurent, dressed in different clothes as well, ready and sitting on a couch.

"Tanya told me you were up and getting changed so we could go. It will be sunset in a few hours and I figured you'd want to watch that."

"You know it." I said with a smile. Laurent led me to the back of the house and to the tree line surrounding the backyard. I could see the dirt from where Joseph had been killed then burned.

"Laurent?"

"Yes?"

"Remind me to never ask how to kill a vampire." I said as I looked at the scar on the earth.

"I'll do my best." Laurent said with a smile. "Now come on, I know the perfect pace to watch sunset from."