I awoke to shouting in the basement. I groaned and slapped a pillow on my face. I pulled my charade in the dead of night last night –more like this morning. My heart still pounded as I thought of it.

It was pitch black and pouring rain. I snuck out of the house carefully, even slowing down the door so it didn't snap shut. Several bags were in my hot little hands, each with a personal note. My first stop was Jacob's. I had fought with myself over and over again, debating whether or not I should give him a bag, but I knew that he was the main reason I decided to do it, so he had to be on the list. My heart pounded as I thought of getting caught. Even one person to see me would be disaster. My adrenalin was unreal. I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder and staying in the shadows, no matter how much I hated the forest. His front door came into view. I carefully searched for any signs of people awake. The house was dark I waited until I dare not wait any longer, then I sprinted on silent feet and dropped the first bag. I went to turn around, until a new thought struck my head. I climbed his house to the roof and hung the bag, suspended in mid air, in front of the door, the note in front. With a grin I leaped off the house and pelted on my way to the next one.

One down, seven to go.

I was absolutely exhausted, and I didn't want to get up. But I knew that if I didn't, the guys would be curious. With a groan I forced myself off of the bed and trumped down the stairs, rubbing my eyes. The place was absolutely packed. Sam, Emily, Jared, Kim, Paul, Seth, Embry, Quil, Jacob, Sue, Billy, and three people I didn't know where all scuttling around, buzzing excitedly. I yawned and scratched my arm and rubbed my face again. I got down to the last of the stairs and smacked into Quil. I groan again. Quil whipped around and looked at me, grinning before laughing. I glared at him.

"You look about dead. Did 'ja hear the news?"

I blinked slowly at him and rubbed my eyes, grumbling lowly.

"What news?"

Something tapped my shoulder. I groggily looked in the general area of which it came. Seth was there, an urgent and unsettled look on his face.

"Can I talk to you?"

I sighed and stumbled over to were he was leading me. As we neared the kitchen table I stumbled and slumped into a chair. He sat next to me. I glared at him from underneath my arms.

"What?"

He glanced at the group in the other room, and lowered his voice dramatically.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

"Huh? Seth, I haven't the faint-"

"Don't pull that with me!" He hissed, glanced at the group again and scooted closer to me. His eyes where wild, accusing, and over all very upset. "It was you," he seethed "that dropped the money by our houses, wasn't it?" I stared at him blankly, the accusation not processing through my slowed mind. I sat up, rubbing my eyes again.

"Seth, I don't know what you're talking about. What money? What's going on here?"

"Someone," I jumped at Sam's voice "brought everyone here money to their houses. It must've been between three o' clock morning. When I went out to...run, I nearly smacked my head on a loaded bag. I was going to turn it in to the police, but there was a note on it."

"Yeah, each bag had a different amount in it." Jared continued, standing next to Sam and giving me an accusing look. Everyone started to pile around the table, giving me accusing looks and crossing their arms. I looked around the entire table. Not a friendly pair of eyes in the house. I put my hands up, a gesture of pure disbelief.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. You think I did this?"

"Well, considering the fact that Seth gave you the exact number that it cost me to give you your cars and build the garage," I glared at Seth, who suddenly found the floor very attractive "-and the look on your face when I wouldn't let you help, and the two hundred over said amount-"

My head snapped up. Two hundred over? I gave him the amount written on the paper, and he said that it was the exact amount. How could there've been two hundred over? An involuntary shiver ran down my spine. I looked around the room.

"How much did you all get?"

Shouts of prices rang through the air, and I clamped my hands over my ears in attempt to stop my head from spinning.

"Whoa STOP! God, I just got up. I'm very tired and my head is not working right. Slow down. One at a time."

One by one, people began to record the amounts of money they've been handed. None of the amounts matched the one I originally put in the bags. Most where doubled, and if I didn't give them any money to begin with, they had two hundred. I shook my head.

"Okay, you all got money. How come you think I did it? Sam, you said yourself that Seth gave me the exact number of price. Why would I go two hundred over? I'll admit, I was planning on paying you back, but I was planning on like slipping the money under your pillow as I got it, not drop it off in a huge bag all in one shot."

He still looked suspicious. I held out my hand.

"You said there was a note. What did it say? It might give us a clue to who really did do it."

He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper and hesitantly gave it to me. I tried not to smirk. The handwriting was mine, in my left hand. I broke my right wrist once and had to learn to write left-handed. I knew it'd pay off some day. I recognized my scrawl at once. One simple sentence.

Heard you had a problem, hope this helps.

Lupinus Curator

I scanned the entire paper, trying to find any evidence to who had associated themselves with me. A corner was folded slightly, I unfolded it, reading the two little words scrawled across it.

Vigilia Lamia

I stared at it, my blood turning to ice. I shuddered, forgetting I was in a room full of people, staring at me. Seth looked at my paling face, worried.

"Natalie, are you okay? What is- Natalie!?"

I dropped to the floor, blacking out for an instant. When I opened my eyes, I was staring at a room full of worried faces. I muttered a faint 'sorry' before sitting up. I ran my hand threw my tangled hair. A glass full of water was shoved in my face. I drank it eagerly. Then I took a deep breath.

"Lupinus Curator is literally translated to 'Wolf Guardian' in Latin."

Several shocked glances flew around the room. I didn't understand what was the big deal with that. I remembered perfectly how I came up with the name.

Several crumpled pieces of paper where littered around the computer desk I was sitting at. No matter how hard I thought, I just couldn't think of a secret code name to use. It would be the only hint that I was the bringer of cash. Something completely random, but hints at me at the same time. A different language was a must, and since I knew plenty, that wasn't a problem. Something mysterious. I flung my pencil down, aggravated. Maybe a breath of fresh air would help. I pulled my curtains apart and opened the window. I inhaled deeply, welcoming the cool 'rainy' scent. I stared up at the stars, hoping to get some inspiration. Staring back at me was a full moon. Something deep inside me wanted to howl like a wolf. A wolf. I blinked and just about screamed. I grinned at the moon, blowing it a kiss. I quickly wrote down the word. Lupinus. Wolf. I paused. It didn't seem enough. I traced the word over and over again, like the lines used were just there as a guide. A guardian. Before I realized it, a second word flowed from the first. Curator. Guardian. A smile twitched on my lips. I was Lupinus Curator; The Wolf's Guardian.

"What about Vigilia Lamia?" Someone timidly voiced.

I paused and shook my head, placing it in my hands.

"Vigilia is a lot like vigilant; watchfulness, care, a watch of the night. That sort of stuff."

"And Lamia?"

A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed it uncomfortably.

"Vampire."

A glass shattered on the ground. Buzzing traveled around my head, but I was gone, in a separate world. I couldn't piece the puzzle together. Was it just a code name? Something to scare a person or protect the users name? Or did someone actually think they were a vampire? And how did they get the money into the bags without me knowing? They'd have to trail behind me all night, making sure I was out of site before going for the bags, or be as fast as lightning to get the money in. It didn't make sense. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Almost like I was a robot, I stood up, whispered to Emily that I was going to take a shower and bounded back up the stairs.

Even as the hot water traveled over my body I couldn't stop thinking about it. Something was tugging at the back of my mind, saying that it wasn't just coincidence that this 'Vigilia Lamia' knew of what I was scheming. And something also told me that it had something to do with the forest. The secret everyone was keeping from me. I shook my head.

Far from relaxing, the shower put more thoughts into my head then I thought possible. As I trailed into my room, a towel wrapped around my hair, I tried to force the awkward thoughts from my mind. I thumped the towel to the ground and clicked on the computer. I grabbed a nearby brush and ran it throw my hair a couple of times. A sudden breeze snapped my attention to the window. It was open, flinging the curtains around. Weird. I could've sworn I closed it. I stared at it, the hairs on the back of my neck rising. I forced the rising fear back. I waltzed over to the bed, sitting on the edge. Something brushed my hand. It was a single blood red rose, just blooming, with a black ribbon tied around it. It was lying on a card. I picked it up, intrigued.

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet."

I do hope my 'help' didn't bother you.

Remember: Forgiveness is the key to happiness

I'll be waiting for you in the future.

Vigilia Lamia

I could help but let a smile cross my lips. Shakespeare. Impressive. It was cute, in a creepy-stalker kinda way. I twirled the rose in my hand, taking a deep breath of its scent.

A small ring turned my attention to the computer. Msn instant message was blinking on the base line. I clicked it open.

BananaKingLoL says: Hiya girlie. What be up?

My lips twitch. BananaKingLoL? Way to be Pat. Way to be. Leaning over the chair I type a quick response.

MusicChica says: Nothing much...okay, so I pulled the best scam ever, but you know me. Always with the modesty. :)

I paused, and went back to the bed, grabbing the rose and the note. Another ring form the computer.

BananaKingLoL says: LoL!Really? Details!

I laughed, sat in the chair (putting the rose by the mouse) and typed quickly.

MusicChica says: Well, first of all, Sam (my uncle to-be) pulled my babies out of storage, and built a metal garage. So I got Seth to interrogate him and get the total amount so I can pay him back, right?

MusicChica says: I was just going to pay him back, but then I heard of all the trouble with money people have been having, so I decided to do a little charity work. Cost me a ton of money, but now they got some.

MusicChica says: I put the money in bags and hung it from the roof with a note saying: 'Heard you had a problem, hope this helps, Lupinus Curator' at friggen three in the morning. Needless to say, I'm exhausted. They suspected me of course. Seth couldn't keep his mouth shut about giving me the info.

BananaKingLoL says: WoW girl. Seriously? That's awesome! Any other things happen when I'm not around?

I huffed at her interruption. Did she think I got caught? Please. If I could seek out of my moms' house without her knowing, getting out of this scrap was a peace of cake!

MusicChica says: Hold on! I wasn't done yet!

BananaKingLoL says: Oops! Please continue.

MusicChica says: Now you'll just have to wait. I'm gonna go feed myself. Haven't had breakfast...or a snack either. I'll brb.

With a smug expression on my face, I headed down the stairs into the kitchen. I then realized that there was no one in the house. On the stove was a note, saying that everyone went out to shop, and giving me permission to do whatever I wanted, as long as I stayed away from the forest. I shrugged and grabbed a bag of Cheetos Puffs and a soda. I trailed back up to my room, slightly calmer now that I had my food, and sat at the desk. In the box that you write your messages in had a few words typed inside.

Don't forget about me.

I sat there, frozen to the seat. I immediately glanced at the window –why I don't know- and back to the screen. I inhaled sharply, taking in a candy like scent. It was so sweet it almost burned. I know I didn't have any candy in my room. It almost smelt like when someone used a bit more perfume than they're supposed to. Against my better judgment, I decided to let it be for now. I erased the freaky message and typed again.

MusicChica says: Okay, so as I was saying, I gave them the money and they thought it was me. So I asked them to read off the amounts they got, suspecting I'd hear the numbers I put in there, but it wasn't! In fact, most of the amounts where doubled!

MusicChica says: I checked out the note I wrote, and there was another signature on it! It said 'Vigilia Lamia'. Then, after I took my shower, there was a rose on my bed with a note from the same guy! It had some Shakespeare on it and said something about 'I'll be waiting for you in the future'. And just now, when I went downstairs to get some food, I came back up and there was a note in the little box thing. It said 'Don't forget about me.'

BananaKingLoL says: Whoa! Sounds like you've got creepy stalker babe. Have you talked to Sam about it? Do you think he's in your room?

MusicChica says: *sigh* I don't know. It's strange all right. No, I haven't talked to Sam. He's out shopping with Emily...I think. No one is in the house, 'cept me...I hope. I should go. See ya.

BananaKingLoL says: Okay. I hope you figure this out. 'Bye hun.

I signed off. I shook my head as I thought about it. Why would he be in here? Where would he hide anyway? Why did he help? What makes him think I'd see...hear...from him again? What makes him think I'd want to? All the while, a strong sense came over me. A small voice whispered 'you're curious, that's why you'd want to see him. You're curious.' I shuddered. It was right. I wascurious. I narrowed my eyes at the window, which was still flinging the curtains around. It was the source of this evil. I went over to it and peered out it before going to slam it. Something cold brushed by my side. I whipped my head around and saw nothing, but the beating of my heart accelerated all the same.

With the feeling of being watched slowly melting and a shudder, I shut the window and prayed that Sam or someone I knew would be back soon.