Chapter Three
Tricks
A low snarl erupted from Jasper's throat. I glanced at him and saw his teeth bared. Whoever this intruder had been, Jasper certainly didn't care for his smell. I could tell that it was not a newborn vampire, I'd gotten quite used to a newborn's scent last year, and this was not a female either. I was getting better and better at this kind of stuff. Edward squeezed my hand and looked at Jasper, speaking in a whisper.
"I don't know him, definitely male." Edward lifted his head in the air and moved up onto the house's porch steps. "I can smell the dog blood, but no human blood spilled?" He phrased that as a question and looked at Jasper and I. "Do either of you smell anything else?" He asked.
"We need to go inside." Jasper replied also whispering and still growling, his eyes glowing a dark amber. "There are no humans here now."
"But, brother, we are not alone." Edward's eyes moved ever so briefly toward the neighbor's house across the street. Jasper and I both in-perceptively moved our gaze to the smaller blue shuttered twin. The curtains in the front window quickly moved to prevent any peeks inside. I found that if I concentrated very hard while looking toward the house I could hear fast, labored breathing and a very fast, nervous heartbeat facing me through the opaque curtains. Edward spoke softly again, "Jasper, you do some re-con, get into the house and gather any clues you can. We passed a Quick-n-Sip on the way here, can you meet us there in say ½ an hour?" Edward turned me around and we all headed back toward the SUV.
"No problem Edward." He smiled a toothy grin, his eyes still wild. "Finally, some excitement. No offense Bella, but your drama the last few years has spoiled all of us for entertainment. It's been too quiet lately." Before I could say 'Thanks creep' he was walking quickly around the corner, as if he were going home. I knew he was going to case the rest of the neighborhood and disappear into the house unseen from spying human eyes.
Edward pulled my hand and started walking across the street to the blue shuttered house. He was fishing his wallet out of his pocket. He spoke quietly enough for only me to hear.
"If you have your student ID with you, get it out. Just follow my lead. I know you cannot tell a convincing story, so do not talk, let me do all of the talking, OK?" I nodded and even though he was looking straight ahead, I know he saw it. I hadn't brought a purse, or wallet, I guess I didn't think to grab it, so I definitely did not have my student ID. If Edward was 'doing all the talking' then I knew it wouldn't matter if I had a fish head, we would get whatever we wanted from this nosey neighbor anyway. That thought made me smile and this is one of the few times I wished Edward could read my mind, because that thought was funny. Then, we were at the blue wooden front door and Edward knocked lightly, it looked like there was a screen door on the hinges at one point but it was long gone. The whole front of the house looked in disarray, a little out of place in this tidy neighborhood. A full minute later a tall heavy set, middle aged woman with grayish black hair answered the door hesitantly. I thought she had probably contemplated not opening the door at all, since I could plainly hear her now booming heartbeat directly behind it the whole time. She looked intrigued and a little scared.
"May I help you?" She asked us and braced herself in the door jam, preventing us from seeing inside. My extra sensitive ears could hear a slight Boston accent in her voice and my nose could smell the lingering scent of bacon and –what was that- fried Spam??
Edward put forth his smoothest smile, no woman could resist that. "Hello, dear lady, I was hoping to get your opinion. You see, my friend and I are from The 'D', Dartmouth's school paper. We're here to do a story on the burglary across the street, but no one seems to be home. I thought maybe you could give us a comment, anonymously of course. Kind of the 'community's perspective' of the crime." He paused for effect. "That is, unless you wouldn't feel right representing the neighborhood, even though you would strictly be a confidential informant." That last part got her. She stepped aside and ushered us into the small foyer.
"Oh my, well, I'm flattered. Please won't you both come on in. Can I get you a drink?" We both shook our heads no, she wouldn't let us get a word in edgewise. Her huge pounding heart was making me thirsty. "Have a seat over here in the living room. I'm going to get a housecoat on, I'll be right back." With that she galloped out of the room and up the stairs while we made our way in to the shambles of a living room. I stopped at the front window and pulled back the blue curtains. She had a perfect view of the whole street from here, including a straight shot right into all of the club owner's windows. I looked at Edward and mouthed the word 'Spam?' He chuckled under his breath, he smelled it too.
In about two minutes she came stomping back down the stairs, her original yellow and blue spotted mu-mu covered in a thick blue terry cloth robe. This woman liked the color blue. Everything in this dirty house was blue. The walls were painted light blue, the living room furniture was dark blue, and she had a bright sapphire blue parrot in a large cage in the corner of the living room. The parrot had it's beak under it's wing, sleeping I'd guessed, when we came in, but the trumping down the stairs had woken it and it started squawking uncontrollably. The woman was over at the cage, yelling at the bird and slapping the cage with a balled up newspaper. The parrot wouldn't stop, I wanted to eat it just to shut it up. Edward lifted his arm up to my chest and backed us slowly up to the furthest wall away from the bird. I had a feeling it was not going to stop until we left. This is not the first time tame animals got crazy around me since I turned, it's like they have a sixth sense. Finally, thankfully, the woman lifted the crazed bird, cage and all, and swooped the whole thing into what I would assume was the kitchen, since I heard a back door slam and much cursing a minute later. Then she was back and I could still hear the bird in the back yard, it was not happy.
"I am so sorry. Quackers never acts like that, usually he is a perfect gentleman. Now, what can I do you for kids?" She was huffing and puffing out of breath as she flopped on a large chair next to the couch. Edward and I sat down on the frayed blue sofa and he crossed his legs and sucked in some air. 'Oh right' I thought 'act human'. I followed suit.
"Well, let's start with the basics, when was the last time you saw, what was his name? Mr. Cleary?" He pulled a small notebook out of his jacket pocket along with a pen and I wondered where they came from, since I hadn't seen him grab them at any time. He took notes diligently and asked several pertinent questions. The stupid bird was making my ears hurt. I heard the dog that had been barking earlier in her backyard as well, and I was hoping that the dog may be in the mood for a squawking snack, when Edward stood up.
"Thank-you very much for your help Mrs., is it Dearborn, you said?" Edward was putting his notebook away and we were coasting toward the door. Thank goodness, between the disgusting smell of rotting fried Spam and that bird I was on the verge of losing it. I didn't even hear half of what she'd said, maybe I was more in need of hunting then I thought. I wondered if vampires could get their own version of the flu.
Mrs. Dearborn was saying goodbye from her front door and I felt better the minute we stepped outside. Edward had my arm and was guiding me toward the SUV. He opened my door for me and glided to his side, started the engine, and pulled away. Mrs. Dearborn was, of course, watching from the window. I could still her that damn bird.
"Bella, are you alright?" Edward asked. "You look…" He struggled for the right word, "odd. Are you thirsty? Maybe we should hunt tonight?" We were supposed to wait and hunt together in a few days, right before Edward left. I couldn't stand the thought of hunting on Halloween, it was much too cliché.
"I'll be OK," I replied, "it's just that house. It was so smelly and blue and loud. It was overwhelming me, does that make an sense?"
"Well, keep in mind that vampires avoid humans for many reasons. Our enhanced senses are definitely a big part of that, Bella." He was thoughtful for a second. "Sometimes, I guess it can be down right painful, even after you take a way the blood lust." He looked at me and grinned that crooked smile, I could swear I saw his eyes glint with a black tinge.
A minute later we pulled into the Quick-n-Sip and parked around the back. Edward grasped my hand tightly.
"Would you like me to get you some water my dear?" Then he looked up as if the sky was talking to him. "Jasper's coming, he didn't find much."
I told Edward I was fine and then the back door opened and Jasper slid in. We started home and compared notes. Mrs. Dearborn was helpful in the sense that she saw nothing, and that's saying something, because that woman sees everything. She did hear the dog yelp once, the night before they broke down the door of the house. She didn't go outside to look, but she said it gave her the 'willies'. Jasper had a similar story. The place reeked of the vampire's scent, but he couldn't find anything left behind. The burglar had defiantly blasted the small safe in the house and he could tell some other things were missing, all things easily carried away. He said the dog's blood scent was in the shed and kitchen and shower, but no human blood worth mentioning, the vampire did not feed, very unusual.
When we pulled into the garage it was nearly four o'clock and I could see the Mercedes in our other parking spot. I was excited and nervous to see what costumes Alice had cooked up for us. This would be the first Halloween that Edward and I actually celebrated, which is kind of funny if you think about it, being the 'undead' and all. We had decided that we would donate all of Nessie's candy to Fun Town, so it was open season for her. It reminded me of when I was a little girl and my mom would dress herself and me in her old hippie clothes and take me around for Halloween. She always carried a bag too, she thought she passed for a young girl in those old clothes. She usually got a decent haul. Tonight, there would be none of that. I was sure that Alice would get us all the best of costumes and Nessie would do her own thing, we would tag along for her.
"AH-HA" Alice sing-songed to us as we came in the door. "We thought you jumped ship. Wait until you see how perfect these costumes are. We had to go to, what Nessie, five or maybe six shops. We should have shopped for costumes last week! If only I'd known." She was making a tsk tsk noise and pulling us all over to the couch and sitting us down. I looked at Edward for some help.
"She is singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic in her head. I can't tell what she got." He looked toward Renesmee's bedroom, where the door was closed. "Nessie is feeding tea to the stuffed dog Jake gave her for her birthday. We're doomed." Edward looked and me and smiled, rolling his eyes.
"Well, am I right that I did not get a costume my love?" Jasper said as he stood up. "I have to work tonight, it's going to be packed in there with freaks." Alice looked dejected but told him she hadn't gotten him a costume, she knew he wouldn't be joining us for trick or treating. "Then I'm going to go in early, the Halloween party starts at 6 o'clock at the club."
"OK dear, I'll be in around 10 or so. Have fun." She paused and closed her eyes for a second "Watch out for the Pope and Raggedy Anne, they'll be naughty I think." Alice said with a smile and glance at Jasper, she'd definitely had a vision. "Nessie, come on honey, let's do the big unveiling!" Alice glanced at Nessie's bedroom door as she said this and pulled four large hangers from the chair by our small kitchen table. They each had a sheet over them so we could not see what the clothes on them were.
Renesmee floated out of her bedroom and stood beside Alice holding her left had at an angle palm up and her right hand straight over her head. She had a huge smile on her face.
"Tah-dahhhhhh" Nessie continued to smile while tah-dahing.
Alice laid the hangers over the living room chair and grabbed the first one. "This costume is for Edward, we," she looked down to Nessie and they slyly grinned at each other, "thought our costumes should reflect our personalities. So, Edward, you are a..." She pulled back the sheet, displaying a brightly sparkling green cape and a towel wrap style hat made from glittering red fabric with a big jeweled pin in the center. "Swami. We thought that would be quite appropriate." She threw the costume onto Edward's lap and moved on. "Bella, we thought the perfect costume for you would be…" This time she bent over and let Nessie pull the sheet. "A Greek Goddess." The costume had a revealing white toga and a large silver shield, and also those gold shoes that laced up to your knee. I let out a visible sigh of relief. Unlike Renesmee, I did not want to be a bunny, a Greek Goddess I could handle.
Alice handed me my costume and continued. "My costume is, of course, a fortune teller." He sheet revealed a glittery halter top gaucho pant combo with big earrings and a crystal ball that she could wear around her neck. "And now the main event, if you will Miss Renesmee." Alice handed the last hanger, obviously a much smaller costume, to Nessie.
"I just want to tell you Momma and Poppa, that I LOVE my costume." Nessie said in her adorable little girl voice. With that she pulled back the sheet to reveal.."It's a bunny!! Hooray!" She shouted and we all laughed out loud. She had a zip up bunny costume complete with a hood with ears and a carrot necklace to wear around her neck.
"Well, she'll stay nice and warm." I grinned. " Thank-you Auntie Alice. Should we all get ready? It's going to be a fun night, oh, and I want to take some pictures." I said as I stood up and followed Nessie to her room to help her get ready. I glanced down at Edward and he did not look happy. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"She wants to eat the candy she gets tonight. Even though she doesn't like candy that much, she wants to eat it all." Edward said dryly.
"Boy, it has been a long time since you were a kid, huh, honey?" I said laughing. "Don't worry about it, I think her stomach can only hold a half pound or so." I chuckled to myself and we went to get ready.
It was a great night. Edward looked like a dashing mind reader. We hit six blocks of houses and Nessie hopped most of the way. I was sure she would sleep good, candy or not. Everyone commented on what a perfect goddess I made, I thought the shield was a great touch, not only was it appropriate, but I could hide behind it. We were heading home when Alice stopped dead on the side walk. Her head flung back and her eyes took on a cloudy white hue. It was made all the more creepy by the fortune teller's costume she wore. She started moaning and talking to herself and Edward grabbed her on one side and I got the other. We were near the park and we sat her down on a bench. Nessie looked on at us with a frightened gaze in her eyes.
A few seconds later it was all over and Alice stood up quickly. "That didn't make any sense." She said flatly. "I saw Forks. I saw the high school. I saw Bella as a human. I don't know, I need some time to process. Let's go home." She sighed and started walking ahead holding Nessie's hand.
Edward looked at me puzzled. He had already read Alice's mind and saw the vision first hand. I was getting my dire up at this.
"Oh no, mister. Don't you lay this on me. I have no one after me. I have done nothing. I am adapting well, I am a good girl. Whatever is going to happen will not involve me." I said with an angry tone.
Edward's brow furrowed, "I hope you're right and I know you are doing wonderfully, but something wicked is coming, Bella. You'd better get ready because according to that vision you are somehow going to be a part of it." He paused. "Tomorrow we hunt. Maybe I shouldn't leave…"
Edward's voice trailed off and I thought about how funny it was that this happened on Halloween. I thought about what Edward said and my gut wrenched. I would have to convince him to leave. If the trouble surrounded me, then I wanted Renesmee out of here. And, if the trouble did surround me, but in Forks, then I would have to stay here. Simple, right??
Chapter Four
Gifted
COMING SOON!
