Sorry for the long wait! So much has been going on with me: July 4 weekend took me away for my computer, and then I just got a job, so now THATS going to take up a lot of my time. But I haven't forgotten this story, and hopefully you all haven't either. So here's a Bella chapter, for you all to enjoy!

Disclaimer: Twilight does not belong to me. Neither does it components, nor does its characters


Chapter Four, So Now What?

Bella

I was running through the forest, my heart calling to something ahead of me. My legs were ready to give out – I felt that I had been running so long – but I couldn't stop. My heart wouldn't let me stop. I finally came to a clearing, and found what my heart was looking for.

Edward.

His back was facing me, and he was looking up into the sky. The sunlight was shining on him, making his skin sparkle. I was mystified by the thousands of thousands of diamonds glittering in his flesh. I almost didn't want to call to him – I wanted to stand off and watch his beauty forever.

But there were more important things at hand.

"Edward," I whispered.

He turned to look at me, face shining. Then he came towards me, leaving the sunlight. The closer he got, I realized that his eyes were the color of midnight.

"Bella." He touched my face once he was close enough.

"I've thought about it Edward," I told him. "I've thought about it long and hard. And I know what I want to do. I've made my choice."

He frowned at me, pulling his hand away from my face. He turned away from me, and looked as if he was going to walk away from me. I latched myself onto his arm.

"Edward, please," I said, my voice begging.

"Bella, you don't know what you're talking about. You don't understand the full extent of this situation."

My hands felt numb from holding his onto his cold arm, but I still wouldn't let go. I refused to let him go. I could feel him trying to shrug me off of him, but he was only doing it halfheartedly – he was so much stronger than me, that one shrug would have had me falling backwards. And that showed me, that deep inside, Edward refused to let me go as well.

"Bella–"

"Edward, the way I feel about you is unlike any way I've ever felt for anyone else. I know that I want to be with you. I know that I want to be with you, for as long as I can be with you. And if the option of all eternity is there, then yes, I want to take it."

"Bella," Edward turned around to face me, his eyes hard and narrowed. "You can't get your humanity back once you give it up. This decision is irreversible, final. If you end up regretting this, you'll be regretting it forever."

"There's no way I could regret choosing to be with you," I replied in earnest. My heart was fluttering wildly, and I knew I was facing possible rejection, but I looked up into those midnight eyes and said, "I love you Edward Cullen."

I saw the corner of his lips twitch into a smile, but he fought to keep his face neutral. I wanted him to smile, but instead his self control won out, and his face became stoic again. "Bella–"

"Don't you love me back?" I had to ask, my voice trembling.

I felt his hands on my waist, and he pulled me close to his cold diamond hard body. I shuddered with the cold on impact, but I kept my eyes locked on with his.

He nodded once. "I love you."

The words sounded more beautiful to my ears than I imagined they would have. I melted into his arms, resting my head on his shoulder. He held me close, and I felt warmed, despite his cold skin.

"I want this Edward," I whispered, laying my hand flat on his marble chest.

"I know."

"Will you give it to me?"

He drew me back slightly, so our eyes could meet. A decision lay in those dark irises. He pushed my dark hair off my shoulders, letting my mane cascade down my back, and leaving my neck exposed.

"Yes," was all he said in a breath.

I watched his head dip down towards my neck, and I titled my chin away for easier access. I heard him whisper the words, "Forever," just before I felt the puncturing of my neck. I hissed at the contact, and a groan left my throat.

It burned; the venom coursing through my veins as it replaced my blood. I felt weak, my knees giving out. But safe in Edward's embrace, I didn't fall. He stayed on my neck, lowering both of us slowly, until I found myself lying on my back in the soft grass.

Edward detached himself from me, but stayed positioned above me, his eyes now the color of blood. My blood.

"It's finished," he told me.

I twitched, and gasped. "Edward," I murmured. I wanted to move my hand to hold his, but I couldn't. I couldn't move at all, paralyzed from the venom, burning with pain. "Edward," I hissed, feeling my voice disappearing.

As if knowing exactly what I needed – his touch – he took my hand, and the coolness immediately eased my burning. He then pressed his forehead to mine, and whispered, "I love you Bella Swan…Bella Cullen. Your end is our beginning."

*

I woke up in a cold sweat, heart pounding. Subconsciously, my hand went to the side of my neck, feeling for bite marks. Once I had convinced myself that I wasn't injured, I tried to calm myself down.

But I couldn't.

I just dreamed that Edward was a fucking vampire. And I had asked him to make me into a vampire as well – so we could be together. My body still felt as if it was burning with venom from my dream. I sat up in my bed and pushed my hair out of my face.

Okay Bella, this was only a dream. Don't get too worked up.

But I couldn't help it. The dream seemed too…fitting almost. Dream Edward – Vampire Edward – was cold and hard just like…real Edward.

Don't be ridiculous, Edward is not a vampire.

And I knew this: because vampires and werewolves and things like that were fictional creatures. And yet, I couldn't get my mind off the fact that vampire Edward and real Edward were interchangeable. More importantly, I realized that I wasn't scared to think about Edward being a vampire. It actually made more sense if he was…

No it doesn't, you looney bird.

I couldn't listen to the rational part of my mind right now. My head was still full of my dream. I watched it again from a third person view – watched myself get drained of blood and turn even paler than I already am – a complexion that of Edward's. And Alice's, and Emmett's, and Jasper's, and even perfect Rosalie.

Oh my god, am I dealing with a whole coven of vampires?

No, you're dealing with an idiotic thought that holds no water, you fantasy science fiction freak.

Okay, maybe it made me a little bit of a freak to be indulging in the idea of Edward and his family being vampires, but wouldn't that explain everything? The reason that his whole family are in relationships with one another, because they aren't really related at all.

Because their adopted siblings.

And then Edward, and his freezing cold body temperature. And his great strength. And his super hard body.

Already covered that last night Bella: he works out. Who doesn't?

I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Again, I glanced down at my neck where I had dreamed up Edward's bite. Still fine. I took a long hot shower and tried to focus my thoughts on other things – I couldn't constantly go back and forth on this debate forever. And there was no way of asking Edward if he was a vampire or not. I mean, who does that?

But I soon realized, by the time I made it downstairs to start breakfast, that I couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities. If Edward was a vampire, how come he hadn't bitten me yet? Bitten anyone? There hadn't been any reports of human death recently within the area. Did he and his family go to other countries to feed? Were there other vampires besides them?

Freak, freak, freak.

Okay, I needed some real distraction. So I picked up my phone and called Jake. I hadn't hung out with him in a while, and I didn't know anymore more distracting than him. Except maybe Alice, but right now didn't seem like a good time to turn to her.

So I called up Jake, and invited him over for breakfast. He happily agreed, and I realized how long it had been since I saw Jacob anyway. I decided to make French toast – Jacob's favorite – along with scrambled eggs and bacon. By the time I was still turning eggs, I heard a knock at my door.

"Hey, that was fast," I said once I found Jacob standing in front of my door.

"Yeah well, you know me. When it comes to food, I don't slack," he replied with a grin. Then he scooped me up – literally, as in off the floor – and into his arms, giving me a warm squeeze. "It's so nice to see you Bella. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

I smiled in his embrace, forgetting just how warm Jacob could be.

Maybe it had to do with the cold person I had been hanging out with as of late?

Don't. Go. There Bella.

"It's nice to see you too Jake, but you have to put me down, or else we'll be dealing with some burnt eggs in a second," I said.

Jacob chuckled, but set me back on the floor. I returned to the kitchen to finish up our meal, before serving both of us a plate.

"French toast!" Jacob cheered once I brought set his plate in front of him. He smiled up at me widely. "You're the best, Bella Swan."

"No need to butter me up now Jake, I already made the toast," I replied as I sat down.

"Come on Bells, you know I'd think you were the best even if you didn't make the toast."

I winced. "Why do you call me Bells? Charlie calls me Bells."

"And it's probably not cute when he does it. But it's cute when I do it, so ha!"

I laughed. "Fine, fine, you win."

"I always win."

We finished breakfast and following me washing dishes, we adjourned to the living room. I curled up next to Jacob and he put his arm around me. It was almost too easy to get close Jacob – he was just so warm all the time. In contrast to someone else I know….

"Jake, do you know Edward Cullen?"

I could feel Jacob tense, and heard him growl in disgust. "Yeah I know that bloodsucker, though I'd rather not know his ass."

"Bloodsucker?" How oddly appropriate.

"Consider that my affectionate nickname for the man. Anyway, why do you ask if I know him or not?"

I shrugged. "He and I have been hanging out. We went on," I paused, "a date you could call it."

"You went on a date with Edward Cullen?" Jacob said, in a less than impressed tone. "Did you hide your neck from him?" He added with a scoff.

"What are you getting at Jacob?" I had to ask. Everything he was saying seemed to be too coincidental for it to be just coincidence.

Jacob glanced down at me, his dark eyes blazing. He shook his mop of shaggy dark hair and said, "Nothing Bells. I just don't like the guy, and I think you could do better when it comes to picking guys."

I frowned at Jacob. "Thanks for sounding like my dad."

Jacob wasn't even moved by comment. "Well someone has to warn you if he isn't telling you."

"Telling me what?"

Then I heard Jacob whisper, "I guess even the bloodsucker has his secrets."

I was shaking inside with curiosity. "What secrets? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. I don't want to talk about Edward-fucking-Cullen," Jacob said in a dangerous tone. Then suddenly, he looked down and smiled at me. "What do you say you and I get out of here? Go down to the beach or something."

I kept up my frown at Jacob. I didn't like that he was hinting at something, but suddenly wanted to talk about something different once I picked up on his hints. More importantly, he just so happened to be hinting at something that I had been going back and forth in my mind since I've been awake.

"I don't feel like the beach," I said coolly. "And I think Alice wanted to hang out later."

It was a total lie, but I suddenly realized that Jacob's presence did little to ease my mind.

Jacob didn't like my lie though. "You're friends with one of the bloodsucker's family members?"

"Why the fuck do you keep calling them that Jake? Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Yeah, I am, Bella. Stay. Away. From. The. Cullens. Just stay far away from them. They're bad news for anyone with a pulse."

I wanted Jacob to elaborate on that – to tell me what he knew of them – but then I heard my phone ringing from upstairs. "I'll be right back Jacob."

I rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time, getting to my room and getting the call just in time. It was Alice: "Hey girlie, I was just thinking about you. What say you and I go and do a little shopping for Halloween? I wanna get my costume shopping done early."

"Yeah Alice, that sounds great. Come pick me up. I'm dressed."

"Can do. I'll be there soon enough."

We hung up, and I took my phone and purse with me when I went back downstairs. I found Jacob standing by the foot of the stairs, his eyes full of remorse. "Listen Bells, I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. And I shouldn't let my dislike for the Cullens affect your relationship with them, even if I don't like it that you associate with them."

I smiled, appreciating the apology – I knew it must have taken him a lot to say it to me. "Thanks Jake."

"But listen to me Bella," he said, his voice taking on a warning tone. "The Cullens are bad news. I can't make decisions for you, but I can offer my two cents. And in my opinion, I'd tell you to get out of it now before it's too late for you. Before something we'd all regret has to happen."

On a normal basis, I would have just joked with Jacob for being so cryptic in his messaging. But with my dream still reeling in my mind, and with his previous comments linking perfectly with the dream images, I suddenly had a weird feeling that Jacob was on to something.

"What are you talking about Jake?" I said in calmer tone. Jacob was a hothead, and if I yelled at him, all he'd do is yell back. But if I stayed soothing, maybe I could get something worthwhile out of him. "I want to understand where you're coming from. I trust your judgment, you know that."

"I know." Jacob sighed. "I just don't think you'll believe me if I told you."

My heart started thumping wildly in my chest. "Tell me Jacob," I said.

He looked torn to speak, but I didn't push him, no matter how much I wanted to. I knew Jacob would open up to me soon enough.

And he did. Gently he took my hand and lead me back into the living room.

*

Alice was a whirlwind of excitement in the costume shop, already holding seven different costumes and still on the hunt for more. I followed behind her as quickly as I could, but she was moving so fast from different wings of the room, that I decided it would be better just to wait for her at the fitting rooms.

I was lost in thought, but I made a point to keep some focus on Alice so that she wouldn't notice I was off in my own mind. Jacob's words were still turning in my head, leaving me in a state of confusion and curiosity.

"My father told me the story of the Cullens. They used to live here about twenty years ago, when my dad was much younger. And they looked exactly the same way then as they do now."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean they don't age, Bella. They've probably been alive for more than a hundred years. They're undead."

I raised an eyebrow. "Like zombies, Jake?" I said in a joking tone.

Jacob blushed slightly. "Oh, well then I didn't mean 'undead'," he said quickly. "I meant immortal," His voice lowered completely. "My father believes – as do I – that the Cullens are a coven of vampires."

"Bella, aren't you going to pick a costume?" Alice called to me as she passed me for the umpteenth time. "You know, I'm thinking of having a Halloween party at my house, and inviting most of our year over. What do you think?"

"Um," I tried to pull myself from my thoughts and into the conversation with Alice. "That sounds great Alice, it should be really cool."

Alice raised an eyebrow at me. "You okay Bella? You seem all over."

"Do I?"

Alice gave her a long look, but then turned away just as suddenly as she came. I blew out a sigh of relief, glad that Alice didn't push me any further. Especially considering that I was contemplating asking her whether or not she was vampire.

I knew the idea of asking was crazy, but I was still tempted to ask. My conversation with Jacob hit way too many nails on the head, making it almost impossible for me not to query the situation.

"Back when my dad was younger and the Cullens lived in Forks, Dad said that there used to be mysterious deaths in the area. Not just in Forks, but down in La Push as well. And well, my dad's culture and history basically goes against everything the Cold Ones have to offer."

"Cold Ones?"

"It's what they're called in my family history. Anyway, my dad confronted them on the deaths, and they said something about how one of their own was struggling with their 'thirst', and they were very apologetic about it. Not that my dad took their apology seriously – they drink blood for god's sakes. Anyway, they tried to convince my dad that they weren't like the other Cold Ones who live on human blood – that they drink animal blood or something like that. But then they had just admitted that one of their own was finishing off humans, you know? So Dad told them to never come on La Push grounds again, or else they'd face major consequences. And they obliged – they even went so far as to leave the area all together. But then they came back a few years ago, so now I keep my eye on them in my dad's place."

"What do you mean, you keep their eye on them?"

"I mean, there haven't been any deaths as of late. But the very next human they kill around here will result in some dangerous consequences. And it's my job to make sure that everything goes according to plan if they fail."

"What's the plan?"

Jacob's face suddenly looked like he said too much. "That part doesn't matter. I just wanted to let you know what was up with the Cullens, and why you should stay away from them. Because if you end up being next on their menu, I'm going to deal with each of them personally."

I didn't want to fuck around with Jacob at that point: the look in his eyes was a perilous one. So I told him that I would be on my guard at all times. Thankfully, Jacob left before Alice came for me.

It wasn't like I said I'd stay away from them – I just said I'd be on my guard. But Jacob had reignited the same curiosity in me that I had called him over to distract me from. Now it wouldn't stop tormenting – this idea that the whole Cullen family was a coven of vampires. If anything, Jacob made me want to be around the Cullens even more now. I never really thought that Jacob's father, Billy, always had all his screws in, but I could believe the traditions. And when I did my own research on the Quileute culture, I found that Jacob's story corroborated with what I had read up. Although Jacob seemed to avoid heavily, the part about the Quileutes being descendents of shape-shifters, and changing into wolves at will, and it was the long-standing feud between the wolves and the vampires that brought about this inner hatred in the first place.

Jacob hates Edward, the vampire. Jacob hating Edward, because of his culture's history and the feud between the wolves and the vampires.

Jacob, a wolf?

Now you're just getting all over the place, Bella Swan. Deal with one fantasy fiction at a time.

"What does it look like Bella?" Alice yelled through the wall of the fitting room.

I took a look at myself in the mirror, having put on the costume while I had been thinking. "It looks nice. It fits well."

"Buy it! Better yet, I'll get it for you. Consider it as my gift to you."

"Alice, really," I said, my tone almost begging. Alice had already given me a beautiful pair of red gloves, sent straight from Paris, as a 'surprise'. "I really can't have you buy me anymore things."

"Please Bella, it's no problem from me. I need someone to spoil. Every time I try to spoil Jazz, he just spoils be back! Which makes it kinda redundant, you know?"

"I suppose."

"I won't get you anything after this for the rest of the month, okay?"

"The month ends next week!"

Alice just shushed me loudly, before letting out a giggle. I smiled to myself as I slipped out of the costume and put it back on the hanger. The two of us came out of the fitting room together, Alice still holding about five different costumes.

"Still not sure yet which one I'm going to get, so I think I'll just buy them all. And whatever calls to me on the day, I'll buy that one."

"Nice Alice."

She took the costume from my hands and went up to the cash register. I followed behind her silently, still debating how to start this awkward conversation. "So Alice, I hear you drink blood. Is that true?" I shuddered to myself: something about that approach told me it wouldn't go over well. "Alice, this may sound weird, but I just wanted to know if you and you're family were really vampires masquerading as human beings."

I wondered if Alice could foresee me thinking up this conversation. Jacob was telling me that some vampires had a history of having special powers, and he was certain that the "pixie-looking" Cullen had the gift of foresight: my dad says she always seemed to be one step ahead of the rest of her coven. And she seemed to have a vague idea of what was going on with us too, though not as clearly. The only person that seemed to be on par with her was Edward - I think he might have something special up his sleeve as well.

Of course, Jacob could have just been fabricating that part in order to get me to understand the seriousness of the danger in dealing with the Cullen family. But then again, why would he make up anything else after knowing full well that his story already sounded ridiculous on its own?

God, this whole situation was getting to be ridiculous! I was just constantly going back and forth in my mind about something that could literally only end up being a product of mine – and Jacob's – wild imagination! I just needed to talk to Alice. Clearly I wanted to, and it would be much better than talking to Edward about it.

"I need to ask you something, Alice," I said finally, as we walked towards the food court.

"Are you hungry?" she asked me suddenly.

"Uh–"

"I'm starving!" she said.

Ask her now! Ask her now! "Uh, what do you want to eat?" I asked her tentatively.

Alice shook her head, her dark gold eyes dancing. "Nothing I can get in the food court. But we'll get something for you first, and I'll take care of my needs later."

I took a deep breath, and tried to get my act together. "Alice–"

She spun around so suddenly, blocking my path completely. "Come on, let's go over here – away from the crowds."

"But why–?"

"I know what you're about to ask," she said to me quickly, still pulling me aside. With her hand on my wrist, I could feel how cold her skin was. And her grip was so strong, I could hardly resist her dragging me around.

She pulled us into a quieter section of the mall and then said to me, "Alright, ask."

I folded my arms. "I thought you knew what I was going to ask."

She looked up at me, worried. "I do," she said quietly. "But I want you to talk first."

I took a deep breath, feeling my muscles relax almost instantly. Suddenly, I felt more comforted knowing that Alice knew what I was going to ask her – even if it was strange that she knew in the first place. Gift of foresight? "I was talking to Jacob, and he told me this story. About your family. About how your true nature."

Alice waited patiently, her eyes on me. It was then I noticing the darkening in them. I could still see the gold, but the color had gotten much darker. "What happened to your eyes?" I asked her softly.

Her face stayed straight. "They get darker when I get hungry." She paused, her eyes flickering away momentarily, then coming back on me. "When I get thirsty," she said, correcting herself.

"Thirsty, for…" I gulped, couldn't help it. It was all about to come out right now. "For blood?"

Alice nodded almost imperceptibly. "Yes."

I swallowed hard again. Here we go, here we go, here we go. "Because you're a vampire?"

"Yes," she said almost breathlessly. "Because I'm a vampire."


Is this a cliffie? Only if you thinks so. My next chapter will be an Edward chapter (or I'm pretty sure it's going to be an Edward chapter, but we'll have to see as things boil down), I just felt that this one had to be a Bella chapter.

Don't forget to review! They motivate me to write more!

Until my next update.

--Brin--