The dog followed at a distance, but tagged along intently in my direction. He smelled wet and dirty and his short deep breaths told me he was tired. I was walking at a humans pace down the empty New York sidewalk. It was early in the morning, somewhere around three or four. The day was already overcast and dreary. I rounded the corner to my apartment and the dog took a few bounding steps so he was directly at my side.

Great, I was being followed by a suicidal dog.

"Do you have a death wish or something?" I asked stopping and staring down at the small mutt. He recoiled back a few steps but then got down playfully on his fronts legs and wagged his tail in the air. He was cute, I had to admit. He was a mutt of some mix, probably around a year or two. He had short ears and sad eyes. His tail was knotted with mud. He was so dirty I wouldn't have wanted to get my teeth anywhere near that matted fur.

I continued walking, this time at a snails pace, watching him trot next to me. Animal's instincts were sharp; they usually picked up when something was dangerous. In this instance, this dog should have sensed...something. As I got to my apartment and started to unlock the door, the dog sat a few feet away and let out a low sad whimper.

"I don't have any food. Seriously - nothing. If you come in, I'd probably just eat you, and would you want that on my conscious?"

He turned his head to the side a bit as if listening and then laid down on the cement. I walked inside and closed the door. Hopefully he'd go away.

I waited ten minutes, listening at the door. His heartbeats didn't move from the front of my door. His stance shifted slightly. I opened the door to see him sitting upright, his tail wagging again.

"If I let you in, you might have to fend for yourself. I'll do my best not to eat you, but don't expect miracles okay?" Before I had even finished the sentence, the dog had trotted right past me into the apartment.

I started with a bath. If anything, he could at least help keep my floors clean. After the bath, his scent was a little more vivid without the layer of mud caked over him. I wasn't hungry, so it was tolerable. The entire bath he kept his eyes staring at me, his expression one of blinding love. He licked my hands a few times which made me laugh. This dog knew no fear.

I laughed out loud again as something hit me: this dog was in retrospect, me. Never knowing when he was in danger, always tagging along with the creature that could easily destroy him. How the tables had turned.

I sat down on my unused couch and he followed, leaping up in the seat next to me and immediately falling asleep. He was worn out, poor thing.

This had been a crazy night, to be sure.

…

It started with meeting Julian's family.

I walked with him, keeping a good distance but not letting him out of my sight. Nothing in his character told me I had to worry, but every instinct told me to still be wary. We walked several blocks past my apartment, and turned down a long alley. 100 feet down stood an open manhole.

"Ladies, first," He said, nudging the lid a little with his foot. I stared warily at him. This was stupid; I was acting very, very stupid right now. This could so easily turn into a situation where I could be ambushed. But his humored face smiled at me again, and I knew that if he wanted to kill me, he would have done so.

The drop was short. I landed on the balls of my feet nimbly and stepped out of the way as I heard the rushing air of Julian's drop. He landed beside me quietly and gracefully.

The tunnel was dark, but my eyes still picked up every detail. It looked like an old drainage pipe. It was at least 8 feet wide and tall, and was rusted through on the sides so you could see its brick encasing. Julian motioned for me to follow him down the north side of the tunnel. We walked fast, the wet air whooshing past us. We got to a turn and then another before we were standing face to face with a door.

It was artfully crafted and spherical, fitting the shape of the tunnel. There was a burning torch to the side of the door throwing the details of the intricate carvings into greater relief. He turned the large brass knob and entered.

"Welcome to my home."

The door opened to a high ceiling-ed room. There were long beams of wood running evenly across the top of the room, and fine boards floored beneath our feet. The walls were a crumbled brick which gave the room the look of a modern poet nook. The room was well lit and had hand crafted furniture along the walls. Paintings and other antiquities were professionally placed around the room. The room had another-worldly feel, like I had stepped right into a Shakespearean play.

We were expected, that was sure. Eight vampires stood in the high ceiling-ed room, at the front was Gavril, his arms flexed and crossed. Three women stood to his left while four men to his right. On almost all of their faces was a look of unbelief.

"Is this the golden eye you spoke of, Gavril?" The woman who spoke was breathtakingly beautiful, more so than the other females. Blazing red hair that matched her eyes, her face was a perfect heart. She had her arms folded across her chest, an imitation of Gavril.

Gavril nodded a short curt nod.

"Julian…how could you bring one of the nomads down here?" A woman with windblown blonde hair spoke. She came and stood next to him, her eyes questioning. They were obviously mates.

"She's different from the other wild nomads we're used to dealing with. She was setting up house when we found her," His eyes were laughing when he said this. They all stared at me curiously, probably wondering what was wrong with me.

Rather than stand stupidly and let them dictate the terms of our meeting, I stepped in.

"My name is Bella. I moved her from Northern Canada not even two days ago. I wasn't aware of the strict territorial stances that you and your family take on this side of New York." I spoke confidently, keeping up the impression that I wasn't scared. It seemed to be working somewhat. "I would have been fine with leaving until Julian explained the situation you are under with the southern clan."

"She agreed to help, with the understanding that she is allowed to stay in New York at the lodging she has set up for herself." Julian spoke.

At the last word, one of the males angrily stepped forward and thrust a finger at me. "So you would do so without your family's approval? You, more or less, adopt another vampire into our coven without so much as a word?"

"Peace, Locke. Let us decide now. Perhaps it would be best if you explained." He turned to me. I understood that this was court, and it was open rule. If my case was believable and they deemed me trustworthy, then I would be allowed to live. If not, the jury would rip me to shreds.

"Where are you from?" The blonde asked, leaning around her mate and looking at me attentively.

I thought of all the memories I had suppressed for the past two years. I had done everything in my power to leave the memory of the Cullens in the bottom of my subconscious. Everything from being human seemed so dim, so faint, that I made believe they were nothing more than a dream. Now, standing face to face with nine very curious and deadly vampires, I knew I'd have to break myself in order to stay alive.

"It all started," I began. "when I moved to Forks, Washington."

I told them everything. I told them about the Cullens, about falling in love with Edward and their 'vegetarian' lifestyle. I told them about James, Victoria and Laurent and the spring break that had nearly claimed my life, then to Edward leaving me. I noticed the expressions of the three females softened as I had obvious difficulty describing the next few months of being alone. I told them about being bitten by Laurent and leaving Forks, just to be taken in by an elderly human. I finished with her death and my travel to New York.

They all seemed taken aback by the drama and dynamic of my story. They glanced at each other with eyebrows raised before a male with tendriled black hair spoke.

"You feed off animals?"

I nodded. He face was aghast. I had never truly realized how different a lifestyle I had adopted. I was, quite humorously, the freak of the vampire world.

"I believe her," The blonde, Katherine said. She glanced at her family to see how her comment was received. Julian grabbed her hand and affectionately squeezed. The others didn't seem as trusting, but at least none made a lunge for my throat.

"Does anyone have a say against Bella joining with us for the fight against the southerners, or to her living in our grounds?" Julian spoke. While he reminded me so very much of Emmett, he had the fatherly and leader like role, much like Carlisle.

The red head looked at me with pure venom, one I had received ample times from Rosalie. She looked like she would have very much like to point out anything that would keep me from staying, but she didn't speak.

"Then it is decided," Julian beamed. "I guess this is welcome to the family, Bella!"

…..

I scratched the dog's ear and he looked up at me with a playful expression.

After Julian's triumphant response, they told me I could go and prepare for training. They would be coming for me the following night so we could train in the forest where I hunted.

"What's your name, hmm? I doesn't look like you're in any hurry to leave, and I can't just keep calling you dog." I played with his soft fluffy fur. He rolled on his belly and his tail flopped wildly on the couch. "How about Lunch? Do you like that name?" His wagging stopped and his eyes looked almost annoyed. Obviously not.

I was never good with pets. After two neglected goldfish, Renee had forbidden me from getting anymore pets.

I scratched his thin ribs and felt a little guilty about not having food. "Let's get you some dinner." I said standing and grabbing my wallet. "You know, you're lucky you found someone who is such a push over. I can't imagine anyone else being pushed around by a dog." I stopped suddenly, and turned to the dog still on the couch.

"Come on, Lucky, let's go get some dinner."

He did a terrific lunge off the couch and happily followed me to the door.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A/N

Longest chapter yet! I'm hoping you guys like the story. I'm trying my best to introduce the new characters slowly so no one's brain goes into melt down trying to memorize characters.

Please, leave reviews, feedback, comments, anything. I love the love, people!