Chapter 9

Hunting

The small information she learned from Julian forces Bella to picture their lives. How they lived in the 1800's. The slave owner time but one she desperately tries to avoid…. to think of Ebony being whipped. That image will be the worst thing to think of….

Running through the forest several miles away from the cottage, Bella hunts for her meal. The children and Julian hunt with her, they scout the surrounding. Luken runs beside Bella, his back slant forward with his arms slightly framing his sides. His black eyes scan rapidly across the landscape for any indication of food. Renesemee clings onto Julian's back with her chin resting on his shoulder. She sniffs the cool air into her nostrils, getting a frail scent of deer in the far distance.

The pack moves swiftly through the forest, no human eyes can ever get a glimpse of them. Their feet make no footprints in the moist dirt. As they continue to run, the trees begin to grow apart from each other. Finally, a strong scent of deer welcomes them to their meal.

They come to a halt, to inhale the scent. Bella bites her lower lip in anticipation as her nostrils flare to the smell. She images the animal's blood coursing through her body and swimming in her irises.

"Well we came all this way." Julian interrupts Bella's train of thoughts. He stares at her with the same color eyes but his are wild. He waits patiently for Bella approval to continue on their hunt.

Bella shifts her eyes to Julian with playful gilt in her eyes. A small smile forms on her lips before glancing down at Luken. Her face chances into a maternal one, "Wait here, I'll bring back the food."

Luken looks up at Bella with a dissatisfactory feature, his eyebrows furrow sadly. "I want hunt, mama." He protests against Bella usual routine, his voice is full of wanting. He never likes it when Bella did all the hunting because of her anxiety. Where is the fun in that?

"Me too, mommy!" Renesemee agrees with a high pitch voice. A smile of eagerness develops on her lips as her eyes widen with glee. "Please." She asks in a pleading tone before pouting her lower lip out. A great desire to hunt independently grows in her chest.

Bella stares back at her daughter's face as she debates, mentally. She bites her lower lip, thoughtfully.

"There going to have to learn sometime Bella, you can't protect them forever." Julian chimes in with a sudden wise voice.

Bella lips pouts forward in the thought of not protecting her children forever. Not liking that idea but knows they must learn how to fend for themselves. Furrowing her eyes before Bella swiftly looks away. "Fine." Bella says curtly, voice is forceful.

Both children cheer in a unison. Renesemee loosens her grip on Julian's shoulder and allows her herself to fall gracefully to the ground. Her feet thump on the ground with a soft thud as she small legs crunch momentarily. Turning her head to Luken with a gleeful smile, Renesemee grasps his hand and sprints off towards the pack of deer.

Bella stares at her children at the corner of her eye as they run to their meal. Slightly turning her head towards her children's direction with a plain expression. Then, Bella crosses her thin arms over her chest with a demanding face, "I want one of us to watch them as the other hunts." Bella orders, voice is protective with a hint of worry for her children.

Julian chuckles to her protectiveness while staring at her. Bella eyebrows lift when hearing Julian's soft chuckle before directing her attention to him. "What's so funny?" Bella asks in bewilderment, voice is soft and curious.

"Bella, do you really think we will allow any harm to them? Not to mention that the kids can take care of themselves." Julian asks Bella in jest, his lips form a half smile. Couldn't help but feel amuse by her protective ways.

Bella eyes drift to the ground as she considers his question. Of course the kids can take care of themselves but there's something that even vampire children can't do. "I know, but I still want a close eye on them."

Julian releases another soft chuckle before shaking his head side to side with his eyes closing. "A typical mother." Julian jest before glancing up at Bella with a soft smile. Bella returns the same smile as her tense, protective face softens slightly. He swings his arm to the right side of his body with his hand pointing towards the pack of deer. "Ladies first." Julian murmurs politely before bowing his head slight in Bella's direction.

A gleefully grin grows on Bella's lips as she tilts her head forward, accepting Julian's gesture. In a blink of an eye, Bella disappears from Julian's side and hunts for her meal in the far distance.

Shortly after having her meal, Bella sits patiently on a large log nearby their hunting grounds. A wide open area allows Renesemee and Luken to play roughhouse until Julian's return from his hunt.

The log sits on the edge of incline, roots from other trees root out from the beneath the log. The roots entangle itself around the large log. Moss increases it shade of green all over the wooden object. Moist dirt is beneath the log and flows down into a small hill.

The winds are thrusting through the landscape, tucking Bella hair forward and down her chest. Sitting with a straight posture, Bella slightly leans on one arm as the palm of her head rests against the wet log. Her right shoulder crunches up to her jaw line.

The kids attack playfully as they release low growls at each other. They roll over the ground as the moist dirt stains their clothing.

Bella watches with a soft grin of amusement, but her eyes are staring intensely for any sudden change in their attacks. Then, in the far distance, Bella good sense of hearing indentifies Julian's aggressive run as he makes his way to her.

Traveling from behind Bella, Julian dodges the trees with ease. His eyes notice Bella's small form sitting on the log. He approaches with haste before gently placing his hands of the log and lifts his lower body onto the log. His leg crunch down, his shoes rests firmly on the log and faces Bella.

Bella hears his whooshing body come to a stop as his weight slightly shakes the log. A small smile forms on her lips before directing her attention towards Julian who is in a crunch position before her. "Welcome back….It took long enough. "Bella complains in a fake anger tone follow by a amuse smile.

Julian returns the smile with a soft chuckle as he discharges his crunch position and allows his legs to dangle at both sides of the log. He leans forward to support his body on his arms.

Renesemee falls onto her back from the force of Luken's playful shove. She lifts her chin up with her head rolling back to look up at Julian from an upside down position. A smile increases on her lips; Renesemee sways her small body to her side to look up properly.

Luken stands over Renesemee form and notices her distraction. He lifts his eyes up and sees Julian. Rolling his eyes, Luken lowers his body to the ground and crosses his arm over his chest. Glowering at his sister for her fascination for Julian, Luken knows her fondly gaze upon Julian is going to take hours. Luken scoff angrily before pouting in boredom.

"Julian?" Bella inquires, voice is holding curiosity. A simple 'hmm' returns to her as his voice is urging her to continue. "Does Paul really loathe us?" Her voice is soft with a hint of hurt in her tone.

Julian sighs deeply through his nose while resting one of his hands on the back of his neck and caressingly massaging the nape. "Look…..I know Paul is rough around the edges but he'll come around." His voice is hopeful but a hint of doubt rests in his tone. He drops his hand to lean against the log again.

Bella finds no hope in his voice, her face is skeptical. Shifting her body to face Julian, Bella folds on leg with her other draping down the log. "Yeah…but sometimes I feel like he wants to kill me or something."

"Paul is only acting the way he is because of Mildred." Julian voice is firm. "He thinks you're a threat to her, so he'll continue his ways until he realizes your not and you must understand Paul is hard-headed. It might be a while but none of the less he'll come around."

Bella smiles with no emotion, "Does he have any special abilities other than jumping really high." Bella jest the last few words with a soft chuckle.

A soft chuckle comes from Julian as he looks over at Renesemee. He notices her penetrating gaze and he couldn't help but smile at her before turning back to Bella. "Nope, just jumping high and being a hotheaded."

Bella's shoulder shakes as she laughs at Julian. "Do the others?"

Julian laughs deeply as he stares down at the log before glancing up at Bella, "Curious Bella…..always curious." He says playfully, voice is amuse by this fact. "Well, Mildred is able to calm down Paul's hotheadedness and…. Ebony can see things, well rarely."

Bella's eyebrows furrow in confusion while tilting her head to the side. "Rarely." Brown eyebrows lift up, Bella urges Julian to end her curiosity.

He nods his head once, "We don't know why but she can't command her visions but sometimes she'll receive a vision, mainly in desperate times." The silence grows between the adult vampires as Julian tilts his head to the side and stares doubtfully at Bella. "What? No more questions."

Bella smile innocently at Julian while tilting her head to the side and lifting her shoulder up. "Well…." Her voice carries out her word as Julian lifts his eyebrows. "How old are you when you were changed?"

Julian purses his lips thoughtfully with his eyebrows furrowing and tires to remember his age. "I think I was about twenty one or twenty two, roughly around there." He shrugs her shoulders with a bewilder expression, "You?"

"I think I was eighteen." Bella furrows her eyebrows deeply in thought as a deep gut feeling tells her something bad happened that day. Golden eyes drops down as her eyes stare non- observantly at the log. "I don't know why but I feel like something happened that day that changed my life completely." Voice is sad and dreamy, Bella lifts her head up. "Too bad you can't read my memories; it would be nice to know."

"Hey, you'll remember…in time. When you mind is ready to retain your memories, you'll remember everything…..the bad and the good."

Bella winces at the bad part, not wanting to remember anything the fall under the category. Of course, something tells her something did happened that falls under that particular category which pushes her away from ever wanting to remember.

"Anything else?" Julian presses with an urging voice his tone is mischievous. His leans forward, his eyebrows lifting up and curiosity swells in his eyes.

Bella notices his curious eyes, no doubt her are too. She shifts her eyes to her lap where her free hand is at. Staring at her white hand and careful watching how her limps move gracefully, Bella bites her lower lip. Debating whether or not to bring up the subject of his past, Bella releases a deep sigh. "Well…Yes, but I don't want to pry." Her voice is truthful but edges with curiosity.

A low 'ah' comes from Julian when realizing her question. It's strange how he is now her source of information. "I see…." His voice is low, Bella immediately opens her mouth to speak but Julian cuts in. "Not now Bella, I will when Renesemee is older to understand too."

Bella's eyebrows furrow in confusion as her eyes watch Julian stares at Renesemee. "I don't understand, what does my daughter have to do with this?" Bella voice dramatically changes into a forceful one. Golden eyes glance at both Renesemee and Julian with suspicion. Suddenly, Bella's face fades into shock then anger. A low hiss rumbles in Bella's chest when figuring everything out. Anger rises from her gut to her chest, fuming greatly as her protective side reveals it ugly head.

The hissing immediately catches Renesemee's attention as she reluctantly shifts her gaze to her mother. Her eyebrows furrow in sudden anger. The young vampire abruptly hisses a low defensive growl.

Bella's forceful eyes glance at her daughter, "Don't you dare hiss at me, Renesemee." Bella snaps in a firm voice, tone is demanding. Instantly, Renesemee backs down but retains an intense glare at Bella.

Bella snaps her head back at Julian who returns a gaze of wanting her consent. "What is going on between you and my daughter?" Bella asks, voice is cold and harsh.

Julian winces at her tone of voice, "Nothing….yet." A loud gulp echoes in his ears as he drops his eyes from Bella.

Bella eyes become furious, as her breathing seizes a hiss, "Yet?" Voice is low and dark, Bella clutches her fists. Her pale skin stretches over her knuckles as they become awfully white.

Julian remains silent before considering his words carefully. "Bella…. I love your daughter…." Bella interrupts him with a deep, frightening growl. "but…there will be nothing between us until she is older, I want her there when I tell you my story. So you can both judge me…..and see the sins my past."

His voice is soft and regretful; Julian's eyes express much sadness and a need for endorsement.

Carefully, Bella considers his word but maintaining the same intense stare. "Mama…" Renesemee chimes in carefully, voice is yearning. "Please, mama…."

This whole time and she didn't even notice it. Bella feels shameful for not catching it before, how long has it been like this? Bella drops her eyes to her lap. Knowing very well that Julian will never hurt Renesemee but why now, she is too young to think upon relationships. Soon, her anger slowly diminishes from her system but her protective side remains strong. "Fine….But don't you think for a second that I will not be cautious around you and you'll wait until I tell you when she's allowed to get into a relationship!" Bella voice rouses into a shrilling snarl, her expression is tight and a hint of maternal. Her index finger points toward Julian with full authority.

A small smile grows on Julian, "I promise I won't get involved with her until I you're your consent." He promises with meaningful.

"Good."

To be continue....

Sorry for the wait, school is crazy, only a few more weeks until FINALS. Anyways thank you for all the reviews, its very encouraging.