The Guardian

by TheGingerNextDoor

A young woman is sent to the Cullens. Will they help her out?

4. Chapter 4

The Guardian, pt. 4-Taking Chances-

Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight books. The only characters I own are Mira and the other high schoolers, who snuck in quietly and refused to leave. Please R&R! Ok, I thought this was going to be the last one, but it dragged on, so I will be posting one more...sorry!

One year later

Things were going well for the Cullen clan, all 10 of them. A large coven like theirs sometimes had issues with cohesion, but the Cullen's didn't have any problems like that. They lived together in relative harmony; sure, there was the occasional fight; what teenaged siblings didn't argue?

Even the new girl, Mira, was adjusting well. We're not sure if it's Alice's influence, or just some natural charm Mira has, but high school was going GREAT. She's popular, pretty, smart, and of course, a kick-ass sister.

That afternoon, Mira burst through the front door. She saw Alice, Jasper, Bella, and Edward sitting in the kitchen at the table, surrounded by textbooks. Rosalie and Emmett were off on a vacation in Denali. They all looked at her in surprise.

"Where's Mom and Dad?" she asked. Edward raised his eyebrows; this was a new development. She had taken to calling Esme Mom about four months ago, but Carlisle had still been Carlisle.

"Since when do you call them Mom and Dad?" He asked her.

"Since now. Seriously, where are they? Alice, have you seen anything odd today?"

"No, why?" She replied at the same time Edward answered.

"Upstairs. I'm not sure what Carlisle is doing, but Esme is bathing Nessie."

"Major problemo. I think another clan has moved to the other side of town. You know that sprawling yellow Victorian near the knoll where Nessie's garden is? Yeah, their son comes up to me at school and is like, I can tell you're a half-blood, so I'll leave you alone. I'm not so sure about the other cheerleaders, though. So, yeah, a vampire. Or else some other kind of creature that eats humans, but not vampires. Like a zombie, maybe." She sighed while the others looked at each other worriedly. Then she plopped into the empty chair by Bella, who put a hand on hers. Nessie's garden was this beautiful, lush rose garden the girls had found on a hunting trip. The young child loved to play there, although now that would be problematic.

As if being summoned, Carlisle and Esme appeared in the kitchen. Everyone appeared grim, but Nessie reached up for Mira. She picked up the baby, and held her tightly.

"Ok?" asked Nessie. Mira shook her head. Jasper indicated for her to tell her story again.

"Ok, so after PE, this scary dude walks up to me, and get's real close. At first, I'm not paying attention, 'cause Julie is telling us about her date last night. Then I notice that he is really pale, and kind of smells odd. Then I realize that he smells like all of you- sorry. But it's Eau de Vamp. Anyway, I start freaking out in my head, 'cause I know it's like, totally scary and weird. Then he whispers in my ear, which is SUPER-freaky, since he was that close to my face," she held up her hand with her finger and thumb barely apart, " and says, "Hi, I'm new in town. You know, I saw you this morning in French, which I totally don't remember, but then Roger Perez had gotten a haircut, and he was so cute, so I was a bit distracted. Anyway, he said that since I was a half-blood, he'd leave me alone, but he wasn't "sure" about the other girls. So, of course, I run home. Please tell me you know who they are, and that they have a son with a bad sense of humor." Esme and Carlisle exchanged a look, as did the others. He shook his head.

"Crap. I knew it was bad. What are we going to do?" Carlisle furrowed his brow, as in thought.

"Well, I think we should all go over there, as a family, and introduce ourselves, and sort of feel it out. Then, I think we might have to call in reinforcements. I don't like that this young man approached you, Mira. But you seem to have handled it well. Thank you for alerting us so quickly." Jasper shook his head.

"I think we should just nip it in the bud now."

"Jasper, that is the outcome I'm hoping to avoid. Especially since we are down two people. Although I might call up and get Emmett and Rosalie's opinions. Maybe see if Tanya and the gang will help us out if we need them. IF it comes to that. I'm hoping they'll see the size of our coven and basically scare off. We really don't want to be having turf wars right now." Everyone nodded. Jasper spoke up.

"Maybe one or two of us should go do some recon before we all go. Just to figure out their comings and goings. How about me, Edward, and Mira? She can do her disappearing act and get really close." Mira looked at him, wide eyed.

"What if they smell me?"

"Well, I am surprised, actually, that this punk could smell you. Because even Bella can't. But maybe it's one of his powers, or something. But I'll be there, and trust me, if he is going to bother a sister of mine, he really will wish I killed him." Mira nodded. She appeared to think about what he said.

"Ok. I'm in. But if he gets that close to me, I can't guarantee you I won't kill him first." Esme shook her head and spoke up.

"I'm not sure if I am OK with this. Perhaps we should just all go together."

"Mom, it'll be OK. I trust that Jasper will have my back, and that Edward will be on top of everything all the time. It's what he does. He can send word back to Alice, anyway, while Carlisle is calling whomever he's going to call. If we're silent for an hour or more, send Bella and Alice out. But I doubt it'll take that long." She looked at Esme, who pursed her lips for a minute. Then Esme nodded.

"Ok, you're right. But, Edward, Jasper, promise me you'll look out for her. She's too young to be so vulnerable." Mira rolled her eyes as Edward and Jasper promised Esme. Mira turned to face Jasper.

"Let me take off my school clothes, and then we can go. I'll be right down."

"Mira, do you want to eat something before you go?"

"No, I ate an apple on the way home. I'll be OK until dinner." Esme nodded. She still didn't like it, but she knew that Jasper and Edward were very capable. Mira bounded upstairs to her bedroom; it was a bit smaller than her room in Forks had been, but this one was 100% her. Esme had allowed her to paint the walls a light purple, and she decorated kind of shabby-chic. Of course, being 15, she had posters of the hottest movie stars and boy bands all over the ceiling. Against one wall was a large desk, above which she displayed her various athletic awards, as well as the certificate she had gotten last year for Dean's list and perfect attendance. On the other wall, she had her bed; she had begged Esme for something plainer than the grand bed that they she had purchased for Edward and Bella. They had negotiated on a double sized sleigh bed; an antique to suit Esme's taste, and a style for Mira's. Next to the bed was a night table, and beyond that was a dresser that matched the bed and desk. Mira tugged on a pair of comfy jeans and a t-shirt and put her school clothes away. She tugged her hair into a ponytail, and shrugged on a hoodie. Finally, she tossed on her ratty sneakers she'd snuck home from a second-hand store; Alice would have had a heart attack if she knew Mira had actually PAID for them. She believed that Mira had inherited them from a girl on the cheerleading team. Mira looked at the mirror hanging on the closet door. She slicked on a bit of lip gloss, fixed her eye makeup, and sighed at her reflection. She was as ready as she could be. She ran down the stairs where everyone was waiting. Surprisingly, Alice didn't do a double-take at her outfit; that indicated that she was far more worried about the recent change of events.

"Ready?" She stepped forward, towards Edward, who nodded. She led the two boys out the front door and down the path that led into the forest. There, they'd be fairly secluded and safe from harm. Plus, she could go invisible without freaking people out. She motioned to Edward and Jasper to stop when they were a few feet into the trees.

"Ok. Here's how I think we should do this. I'll go invisible and get as close as I can to the house to look and listen. I'll try to keep my thoughts open to you, Edward; I know we've had issues with you being able to read me before, but I'll concentrate really hard. I think you and Jasper should take the flanks, check out the knoll and the fields for any information, and then we'll meet up after a bit. OK?"

Jasper nodded. "Are you sure we shouldn't, like, knock on the door or something?"

"Not if it goes well. Let's let Mom and Dad do that, OK? Ready?""Yeah." Jasper shrugged, as if to say that he was sorry to be ousted as the battle planner. Edward rolled his eyes at her and hissed.

'Don't call them that. It's too weird."

Mira rolled her eyes at him, but said nothing. She continued into the forest. She concentrated on listening to and for Edward; they had worked together to figure out how he could hear her thoughts if they ever needed to, for safety's sake. Like now. She didn't mean to, but somehow her thoughts turned to the recurrent idea she had that she was somehow doomed to the same fate as that of her family, and the other families she had been rescued with. Edward's harsh words smacked her back into reality.

"Mira, you cannot think that. We won't allow it. You're going to be FINE."

"Sorry. I know. I think it's habit now. I promise not to dwell on it." Instantly her thoughts turned to song lyrics. Edward sighed and turned back to Jasper. They had been discussing their Biology homework. All of a sudden, Mira stopped.

"It's time." She went invisible, and forced her mind blank. She crept forward, and sure enough, there was a small clearing that led to a path that appeared, in turn, to lead towards the house Mira had described. The boys took her flanks until they reached the very edge of the forest near a clearing. They crept silently forward; Edward hid behind a tree while Jasper ran towards the backyard. Mira snuck up towards the house, pausing outside an open window. She could hear some voices inside. She tuned her ears to listen, and called for Edward in her thoughts.

"Right here. Jasper's still in the forest; it looks like things are OK in the garden and the back forest. He's coming around to meet me. Just listen. I'll be sending word back to Carlisle."

"Ok." They fell silent then, as Mira sat down on the grass to listen. The voices in the room sounded male; one older and one slightly younger.

The older voice spoke first. "Son, what did you do?" The younger voice responded.

"I just talked to the half-blood. Look, if there's a coven with a half-vampire, they're probably too weak to fight much. I'm not worried. But, listen. This half blood is the Volturi girl we saw. I think we should try to get her over here."

"That would be a great addition for the coup. But how do we get her?"

"I called the Romanians. They'll be here soon. Since they signed the original treaty, they technically own her. The Stregoni's have little claim." Edward could hear Mira sigh.

"I don't know if I like this. Why is this important to you?"

"I just think that she could be an effective tool for a takeover. If we want the Volturi out, we need her. She knows their secrets."

"Well, just be careful. I think you're wrong about the other coven; I have heard they are large. And powerful. The patriarch has a lot of friends in high places."

"I'll be careful." It sounded like a TV flipped on then. Edward called for Mira. She sent back a message.

"I need a minute." It sounded like she was sobbing. She was still in invisible mode; Edward couldn't see her through the trees. She stood up and flew over to the trees where Edward and Jasper waited. As she reappeared, they could tell she had been crying. Jasper looked at Edward; he shrugged at Jasper and put an arm around Mira.

"Let's go back. Carlisle is upset, but he'll know what to do. Why don't you let Jasper hold your hand?" She took Jasper's hand and they ran ahead of Edward, who was involved in a quick, heated cell phone conversation with Carlisle. As Edward ambled through the forest, they made a plan.

"I'm going to call our Romanian friends and find out what the hell is going on. I need you to call Emmett and Rose; we need the whole coven. Maybe it'd be a good idea to call Tanya and their clan, and whomever else we rustle up."

"How about Jacob? Maybe some of the pack can fly in."

"I don't know yet. Let's get everyone back and we'll talk."

"OK. Jasper and Mira should be there in a minute. She's pretty upset."

"I bet. I'll have Esme sit with her. Or Alice."

"Or both. See you in a minute."

"Ok. Here's Jasper and Mira." Carlisle's phone went off then, and Edward began to run through the field. He came through the front door as Mira sat down on the living room floor next to Alice. She looked around at the family. They were all somber. She saw Edward standing in the doorway, his arm around Bella.

Mira spoke up. "What are we going to do?"

Carlisle talked back, "Nothing until the others get here. Edward will call Emmett and Rosalie; as soon as they get here, I'm going to ask Emmett to enroll at the high school. I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but Esme thinks it's a good idea." Esme nodded. Mira looked at her and smiled.

"OK. How long until the other's get here? And what others?"

"Other covens. Probably a week. No more than that. I am waiting for the Romanians to call me."

"Ok. Why do they think that our coven couldn't fight them well?"

"Not sure. I am a little offended that they think merely being a Stregoni makes you incapable of fighting, but I guess they'll find out."

"I see."

"One more thing, Mira. I don't think it's a good idea for you to go over to your young man's house tonight. I'm very sorry, but if these vampires are out hunting, they may target you. Perhaps the young man can come here, and you could study in the kitchen?"

"Yeah, I'll call him." She sounded disappointed.

"It's just for a week, OK?"

"I know. I'll call him." She looked at Alice, who smiled and shrugged.

"Ok, everyone else. I need you to be on alert. Please hunt in groups, and if you see, hear, or smell anything, even if it's small, please tell me. Thanks." The phone rang in his study; he flew down the hall. Esme followed him; Alice and Jasper sat quietly on the couch, and Bella and Edward took Nessie upstairs to their bedroom. Edward mentioned something about calling Emmett. Mira was still sitting on the floor, staring straight ahead. When she didn't move for several minutes, Alice became a little worried. She slipped off the couch and sat down next to her.

"Are you OK?"

"No. They want me to join them. They hate my family. We're going to fight. I don't know what to do. I hate causing problems." She ran a hand through her ponytail and shook her head.

"We won't let them just take you. Maybe we should call the Volturi and tell them there's a mutiny underfoot, and let them deal with it."

"Maybe. You should tell Carlisle that." Alice tugged at her ponytail. Mira smiled at her.

"Alice, I gotta make some calls." She stood up and walked into the kitchen. A few moments later, she and Jasper could hear her voice trilling.

"Coach Donaldson? Mira Cullen. Yeah, I'm SO sorry I had to miss practice. Something came up at home. Yeah, yeah, I'll have my mom or dad write a note. Yes, I will. Ok, Thanks. Again, I'm so sorry. Bye." They heard her sigh hugely, and then the phone slam down. A few moments later, they heard her voice, a little lower this time.

"Hi, Mrs. Jones? This is Mira Cullen. Is Frank home? Thank you. Frank? It's Mira. Yeah, no, something came up at home, and Daddy wanted me to come home. I can't come over to study tonight, but mom and dad said you could come here if you'd like. No, no, my brother isn't here. Well, not Edward. Just Jasper," she laughed, "No, that's not too early; we generally eat at 5 anyway, before Dad goes to do evening rounds. Ok, I'll see you at 6. Ok. Bye." A moment later, she appeared at the living room threshold. She looked at Alice, her expression a mix of emotions. "Alice, can you help me?" Alice looked at Jasper, who nodded. She stood up and smiled. "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I figure if I keep acting normal, I'll be OK." "Good idea." The girls headed up the stairs, into Mira's room, and flopped on her bed. Alice sat cross-legged against the wall, and Mira lay across the bed, and put her head on Alice's lap. The girls sat like that for a few minutes. Finally, Mira breathed in hard, and then sat up. "Ok, let's get to work. I need you to fix my face. Should I leave my hair down, or what? Wait, does this count as a date? 'Cause I kinda like Frank, but Carlisle might wig out. Actually, Esme would wig before he does, but anyway…" Alice had scooted to the edge of the bed, and was looking at her with her eyebrows raised.

"Calm down. No, it's not a date, and I won't say anything to either Esme or Carlisle. Secondly, I think you should just comb out your hair; keep it casual, 'cause you're just studying. Thirdly, *I*, personally, think it might be a good idea to stick some cookie dough in the oven. When a boy comes, you should always have something baking, at least, according to Cosmo, you should." Mira nodded. They went into the bathroom. Alice fixed Mira's face, and then sent her downstairs. On her way down, Mira stopped by Carlisle's office and knocked on the door. Esme opened it.

"Hello, Mira, dear. Come in." Mira followed Esme, and sat down erect in the chair she indicated. She looked from Esme to Carlisle, then sighed, and shook out her shoulders.

"Carlisle, has Alice spoken to you yet?"

"No, why?"

"She had a good idea. She thinks we should call the Volturi and tell them about the coup plot, and let them deal with it. I think that may be a good idea; I can call Aro if you want." Carlisle looked like he was considering what she was saying. He finally shook his head.

"Not yet. Let me make some more calls, and see what Tanya says. I know you haven't met her or her family yet; I think you'll like them. But I'd still like to have her opinion. Besides, if we do contact the Volturi, I'd rather do it." Mira nodded.

"Ok. Please, Carlisle, if I can help, please tell me how."

"Definitely."

"Oh, also. Can one of you write me a note to give to Coach Donaldson? I had to miss practice to spy. Also, Frank Jones is coming over to study at 6. I'll make sure he's gone by 9. We're doing Shakespeare in our English class, and we have to annotate, and then write our own sonnets next week, so I'm helping him with Iambic pentameter. Mom, can we use the garage to practice our duet for music class? I don't want to wake up Nessie or anything. Is that OK?"

"Yes. Thank you, that should be fine. One of us will write a note to Coach Donaldson, although it's an extracurricular so I am a little confused as to why you would need one."

"Because cheerleading makes up for my PE credit. So I have to have a certain amount of attendance, just like a regular class."

"I see. Ok, it's almost time for me to go back to the hospital, so please excuse me." Mira stood to leave.

"Of course. Thank you." She left then. Alice met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey, Alice. I told Carlisle what you said about the Volturi. I think he wants to wait a bit, and see what happens. Thanks for helping me get ready. Can you distract Edward if he comes downstairs?"

"Thank you, you're welcome, and yes."

"You are my weirdest sister, you know?"

"But you love me."

"Yes, I do. Ok, he's going to be here in 15 minutes. I can't find my English binder; it's the purple one. I think I left it on the table this afternoon when I got home. Have you seen it?"

"No. Sorry. I'll look through our things, though," said Alice as she bounded up the stairs.

"I'll ask Edward and Bella." She turned and followed Alice upstairs. Alice entered the bedroom she shared with Jasper, as Mira stopped in front of Edward and Bella's room. She knocked lightly, knowing that Edward probably had seen her there, anyway. Bella answered.

"Bella, did you or Edward pick up a purple notebook earlier?" she whispered. Bella shrugged, and held up one finger. She turned to the stack of textbooks on a nearby dresser. She sorted through the pile, then turned back to the door where Mira was standing, holding the binder. She handed it to Mira.

"Thanks, Bella." Bella nodded, and closed the door lightly. Nessie had been sleeping lightly lately, though they were all unsure as to why. Mira shrugged at the closed door and went to find Alice. She found Alice standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring into space. "Alice?" Mira reached out and touched Alice. Alice shuddered.

"Sorry. I think I just saw that boy. You know, the vampire one you were spying on earlier? He's sniffing around here. I'm going to go get Carlisle and Jasper." Mira nodded. "Do you want me to get Edward and Bella?"

"No. It should be fine, you should go downstairs and get things set up. Just study as normal; we'll take care of it."

"Ok." The girls split up. Mira could hear Alice hissing at Jasper. A few moments later, Carlisle's voice joined in. Then, Mira heard the back door open. Jasper's voice shook her out of her reverie.

"I'm going out to look around. Stay here. Look out for the boy who's coming over; it might be best if you have Alice meet him and walk him to the door. I know it's too late to call him. Lock the door when he gets here; don't let him leave alone until and unless I get back and give the all-clear, OK?" Jasper had never spoken to her like this; she immediately understood that he was very serious.

"I understand. Do you need me to do anything?"

"No, thank you. Just keep him alive, OK?"

"Ok. Thanks, Jasper." He disappeared into the dusk. A few minutes later, she heard an old car engine pull up the long driveway. Mira looked out the window at the familiar, warm cocoa-colored face that smiled at her. She ran out the kitchen door onto the driveway to meet Frank. He waved at her. She slyly glanced around just to make sure; she didn't see anything. Not even Jasper. She smiled and waved back. From the front door, she could feel Alice's eyes on her. A moment later, Frank let himself out of his car as Carlisle backed his car out. Frank walked to where Mira was standing, and waved to Carlisle. Carlisle rolled down his window.

"Hello, son. How are you?"

"Fine, thanks. How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you for asking. Mira, when Jasper gets back, please ask him to call me."

"Ok. Bye."

"Bye." He put the window up and continued down the drive and out onto the road. She took Frank by the hand and led him up the long driveway, through the garage, and into the kitchen, where Esme was standing. She had put a plate of cut-up vegetables out, and some juice on the table. She smiled at the kids. Mira dropped Frank's hand, and indicated that he should sit at the table.

"Hi, Mom. This is Frank Jones. Frank, this is my mom, Esme."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Frank. Here are some snacks for you; Mira, please don't stay up too late. Emmett and Rose will be here in the morning. Did Carlisle speak with you before he left?""Yes, Mom. Don't worry, I won't stay up too late, I promise. Thank you for the snacks. Have a good evening."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cullen. My mom needs me home by 9:30, so we won't be too late."

"Thank you." She left the kids alone. They sat at the table.

"Who's Emmet and Rose?"

"More siblings. They've been attending a private school and wanted to finish out the term. They have been staying with relatives. Apparently, daddy is unimpressed with the level of education they're getting there, and Mom misses them anyway, so they're coming here. They'll be starting school with us. Their old school was on quarters, so they've finished. I am unsure as to why Daddy is bringing them now, but I think that Emmett was having a hard time adjusting. Our aunts are unmarried, and have only girls, so I think he was feeling a bit outnumbered."

"Oh, well. Can't wait to meet him."

"Well, they'll be here tomorrow, apparently. I guess they're flying in late. So, on to Shakespeare. Have you annotated Act 3 yet?" Mira and Frank studied for an hour before they were interrupted by Jasper bursting through the door, followed by Carlisle. Mira looked at Jasper, searching his face for any sign of trouble. It was blank.

"I'll get Edward." Jasper spoke to no one in particular. Carlisle nodded, and stopped in the kitchen.

"Hello again, children."

"Hi, dad. Is everything OK?""Yes. You should finish studying; your brothers and I will fill you in later. It's nothing major, just something happened at work and I want to tell you about it."

"Ok. Daddy, this is Frank Jones. Frank, this is my father, Carlisle."

"Nice to formally meet you, Sir. You and your wife have a lovely home."

"Thank you. Have you met Esme?"

"Yes. Mira introduced me earlier."

"Yep. I'll come upstairs in a minute; I think Frank has to get home soon anyway, and we're just about done with "Romeo and Juliet." I don't think that we'll have time to work on our music."

"Very good. Thank you. Excuse me, please, dear. It was nice to meet you, son."

"Likewise." Carlisle left the room then; he would never get used to the nuances of teenagers and awkward introductions. Mira looked at Frank.

"Your family is a little…"

"Strange?"

"I was going to say formal."

"Yes. Dad believes in that old saying about killing people with kindness. Anyway, I guess it's better than most."

"And you're all adopted, right?"

"Yep. Except Bella and Nessie, of course."

"Right." They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes. Frank kept moving his eyes from his notebook to her face.

" So, Mira. Can I ask you to go with me to the dance this Friday?"

"Yes. I'll ask if I can go; I don't think it'll be a problem, but some friends of the family are coming to visit, so Daddy might want me to stay. Can I let you know tomorrow?"

"Yes. Um, I should actually get going. I told my mom I'd pick up some milk and stuff at the store before I got home."

"Ok. Let me walk you out." They both stood up at the same time. Mira led him out the garage door and onto the driveway. Frank leaned in to kiss her as she turned to go inside. Mira stood rigidly as his lips brushed hers lightly.

"See you tomorrow, Mira."

"Bye." She waved, turned, and ran inside. Alice was standing in the kitchen, smirking. Mira smiled at her, it was obvious she'd been spying.

"Mira, is there anything you'd like to share with your favorite sister?"

"I knew you were spying on me, I could feel it. I guess I don't have to tell you, but I think he just kissed me. Don't tell Carlisle. Or Esme, for that matter. Actually, tell no one."

Alice smiled.

"He most certainly kissed you. But don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Jasper is chomping at the bit upstairs, let's go before we have to give him CPR." They headed for the stairs.

"Alice, what is it like? Kissing a vampire, I mean. I mean, I wonder what he feels."

"I don't know; you're not actually a vampire, and I wouldn't kiss you anyway. You're not really my type."

"Shut up. You know what I mean."

"You should probably ask Jasper or Emmett. Or ask Edward; that'd be a RIOT." The girls entered Carlisle's study, giggling.

"Yeah, he'd LOVE that."

"What would be a riot?" asked Jasper.

"Nothing. Just girl talk," answered Alice.

"What's up, Jas?" asked Mira.

"The punk was behind the house. I was able to scare him off, but I tracked him a bit. He didn't go back to the house; he seemed to go into town. I think he was hunting." Mira sighed.

"That's actually what I wanted to say to you all. Mira, you might want to sit down," she did, looking worriedly at Alice, "Today at work, we had a girl brought in. She had been bitten and did not make it. It was Julie Woods. I am so sorry, Mira. But this makes it a little more urgent that we get rid of these vampires before more innocent lives are lost." Mira had gone white.

"When, Carlisle? I just saw her after lunch; it was like, 1:30."

"I think she came in at 5; we think she had been killed at 3. Near the high school, which is why Esme wants Emmett, and Rose, too if she will, to enroll with you. I had to tell the ER doc that it looked like a snake bite; but let me assure you, it wasn't a snake."

"Right after I left. She had parked way out back; she said she was running late and all the parking spots were taken. She was supposed to drive me home, and then the thing happened with the other vampire, and I came home alone instead. If I had waited-"

"If you had waited, and tried to fight him off, you'd have caused a scene, and likely exposed us all. I am sorry your friend is dead; please know there is nothing you could have done." Mira was shaking.

" I'll kill him myself. Please, please let me. It won't take long; I can do it without much collateral damage. PLEASE?"

"No. I understand you want to; but if we strike now, we might provoke a vampire war, that we, frankly, are not prepared to fight." Mira set her lips, but nodded.

"Ok, fine. But if he comes near me again, I can't guarantee I won't hurt him."

"Try to do your best. Emmett, at least, will be there." She sighed.

"Ok. I promise I won't do anything brash or stupid. Should I call Julie's family and give them my condolences?"

"Perhaps you should wait until tomorrow. It's late tonight."

"Ok. Carlisle, just one more thing, please?"

"Yes?""Was it quick?'

"Yes." Mira nodded.

"Will you all excuse me, please? I need to finish some reading, and then go to bed."

"Certainly."

"Thank you." With that, she left the room, with the others talking in low tones about how she feeling. She tuned them out and went to her room. She couldn't concentrate on Shakespeare, so she got her school clothes ready and went to sleep early. She slept fitfully, dreaming of killing the vampire boy.

The next morning, she got out of bed slowly. It felt surreal to see the early morning sunshine come through her bedroom window, especially when she felt so dark inside. She dressed quickly, in her cheerleader's uniform again. In her gym bag, she packed an outfit Alice had picked out for her-a short denim skirt, pink blouse, and pink kitten-heeled sling backs. She wore her hair in the regulation ponytail in the scrunchie that matched her uniform. She wore little makeup today; she wasn't in a good mood. Alice could do her face more later, if she wanted. Mira sighed and headed downstairs to find some breakfast. She could hear a familiar voice from the living room. She picked up speed and ran full-force down the stairs and straight into the living room. She hugged Emmett, and looked around for Rosalie. She didn't see her in the doorway behind her.

"Is that a cheerleader's uniform?" Mira turned around and grinned at Rosalie.

"Yup. I'm the Sophomore co-captain." Rose's mouth hung open for a moment, and then she turned and spoke to Esme.

"Have you and Carlisle lost your minds? A Cullen who's a cheerleader? We're vampires. This is insane." Esme shook her head.

"Give her a break, please, Rosalie. It's helped her to adjust and socialize."

"Yeah, and I don't see how being a vampire precludes one from being a cheerleader," retorted Mira.

"It's a little too Buffy-the-Vampire-Slayer, don't you think?"

"You watch too much TV. Besides, I happen to like being a cheerleader, OK? If, for no other reason than that it drives Edward insane. He thinks it's fluffy and vapid."

"He's right." Mira tossed her head at Rosalie and went into the kitchen. She wasn't really hungry, but she began a pot of oatmeal for her and Nessie. She called to Edward. He was in the living room, too, with the baby.

"Edward, there's extra oatmeal if Nessie wants it."

"Thanks, Mira. I was just going to make some. I appreciate you making extra."

"No problem." She stirred the bubbling mass of water and oats. It was the instant kind, and it was ready quickly. Mira, being half-vampire, had no taste for most sugary things, so she sat down and ate it plain. Rosalie was still complaining about being seen in public with her in her uniform, while Alice tried to shush her. A familiar car engine came from the driveway.

"Oh, shoot. Is it 7 already? He's early."

"Who's early?" asked Emmett, looking out the kitchen window at an unfamiliar gawky kid.

"That's Frank Jones." Carlisle entered the kitchen then.

"Why is he here?"

"He's picking me up since I have to be to school early today. There's a pep rally during first and second period. I have to help set up. And I'm already on coach's short list, so please let me go early, daddy." Rose raised her eyebrows at Edward, who sighed and shook his head.

"Yes, but I thought you were going to school with your brother and sister."

"I'll meet them at the office. They don't start until 8:30 anyway. It'd be dumb for them to have to hang around the school for an hour and a half."

"Ok. Jasper, please let that poor boy in. He's probably freezing." Jasper opened the back door and escorted the young man inside. He looked nervously around, smiling at Jasper and Alice. Alice waved. Emmett and Rosalie had appeared in the kitchen.

"Hey, Frank. This is Emmett and Rosalie, my siblings I was telling you about last night." He was clearly intrigued by the two vampires. He grinned and stuck out his hand to Emmett and then to Rose.

"Hi. Nice to meet you both. So, I hear you're both starting at school with us. Are you guys Juniors?"

"No, we're just lowly sophomore." It was Mira's turn to raise her eyebrows. She turned to Frank.

"Um, let me go get my stuff. I'll be back down in a minute." She turned and walked slowly out of the room, silently begging her brothers and sisters to be nice. She heard Carlisle greet Frank warmly before he went out the door. A few seconds later, she heard his car back down the drive. She hurried to get her things and ran back down the stairs, almost knocking over Bella.

"Sorry, Bells. I'm in a hurry. Did I hurt you?"

"No. But be more careful on the steps, OK?"

"Sure. Sorry." She hurried into the kitchen, where Frank was still standing near the door, looking a little uncomfortable. Alice smiled slyly at her, winking. Mira ignored her and hurried to the door.

"Ready?" He nodded, but they were interrupted by Esme.

"Just a minute. What's happening with Rose and Emmett?"

"Ok, I've got to go early to set up for the pep rally. Dad said it was OK since Emmett and Rose don't have to be there until 8:30. I'll meet them at the front office. It's the building that says "administration" on it, ok, Emmett?" He rolled his eyes. Esme frowned.

"Ok, but next time, please ride with your siblings. It's their first day, and I don't want them to get lost."

"Sorry, Mom. I'll make sure I am at the office no later than 8:20. Just in case they get there early. Ok, guys?" she rushed out the door, pulling Frank behind her. He was trying to wave and say goodbye. Mira could hear Rosalie complaining again but couldn't make out what she was saying.

Later that morning, at 8:30 on the button, Mira met up with Emmett and Rosalie. Rosalie was still glowering. Mira smiled at her, and pushed them through the door. She greeted the secretary warmly.

"Hello, Ms. Speier. This is Emmett, and this is Rosalie. They're my siblings, and we're here to register for school." Ms. Speier, an older Russian woman who was possibly beautiful once, smiled and handed them some paperwork. Mira then asked if she could place them all in the same classes.

"Of course, dear. We don't usually do that, but actually your father phoned this morning, and explained about your problem." Mira smiled serenely at her, then turned and looked questioningly at Emmett and Rose, who shrugged.

'Thank you." A few minutes later, the vampires were in the cafeteria, Mira with the cheerleaders and the others off to the side, standing against the wall. They ignored each other throughout the entire assembly; Rosalie rolled her eyes whenever the cheerleaders took the floor. A little while later, Mira had changed and Rosalie had warmed up to her new look a little better. While they were walking to their third period Music class, the boy vampire approached them.

"Well, well. If it isn't the big bad Stregoni's and their little half-blood sister. How cute. You know, half-blood, that cheerleader uniform looks really…nice on you." He winked at Emmett, as if challenging him to make a scene. Rose tensed as Mira pulled herself to her full height. She could hear Emmett hissing in low tones behind her. It was Mira who spoke first.

"Please get out of the way, whatever your name is. Come on, guys, we'll be late for music." She took Rose's hand and began to lead her down the hallway. They could hear Emmett hiss at the vampire "keep away from my sisters. Just stay away." The vampire boy called after them.

"It was nice to meet you, too. My name is Hiram, by the way." He laughed, and hurried down the hallway in the opposite direction.

"What the hell kind of name is Hiram?" said Mira. A few minutes later, their music class started. The rest of the morning continued on, and soon it was lunch time.

"Now, the cafeteria is the ultimate test. You gotta sit with me; where you sit determines your status. And the fact that you sit with me, well, that speaks very highly of you." She smiled as Rosalie rolled her eyes. Emmett just shook his head, but sat where she indicated. Rosalie glowered at him but sat down, too. Soon, Frank had joined them, as well as some guys from the football and baseball teams, which got Edward going, and some of Mira's friends, both from the squad and from French club. As she watched her brother, and to a small extent, her sister, interact with her friends, she was finally able to relax back and enjoy her lunch. Her friends didn't seem to notice that they didn't eat anything, except Frank. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. She could feel his hand on her thigh, which she quickly brushed away, but not before Emmett noticed.

"Why aren't they eating? Your sister doesn't talk much, does she?" Mira shook her head and shrugged. She noticed Emmett was still watching, his eyes narrowed. He looked away quickly when Mira raised her eyebrows at him. The rest of the lunch hour was pretty much uneventful, and soon it was 6th period, the only class she didn't have with the others. Since it was their PE class, she had a free period. Coach Donaldson, however, had given her permission to sit in on her class. Frank had PE then, too, though, so that made her afternoon a little bit brighter. Both he and Emmett were athletic, and gave the other students a good show. 7th period, which was algebra, flew past. Finally, it was time to leave. Mira had told Frank that she had to go home with her sister and brother. They arrived home in about 10 minutes; it had become obvious to Mira that all the vampires liked to drive really, really fast. As they entered the house, Emmett called for Jasper. He appeared downstairs with Carlisle and Bella right away. A minute later, the rest of the family had assembled in the kitchen-Mira and Nessie sitting at the table, the other's standing in various poses.

"He approached us today," said Emmett.

"The vampire boy?" asked Bella.

"Yes. His name is Hiram, apparently. Likes to harass Mira. I just told him to stay away. It was really hard not to hurt him, though. But the hallway was too crowded."

"Ok. This is starting to escalate. I think it's time we nip this in the bud. Tanya and the others are on their way down, and the Romanians are coming, too. We're going to just ask them to leave, though I am sure they won't. Hopefully, we won't have to fight, but I'm preparing for it, just in case. Jasper, if you know anyone who might want to help, please let me know. I have a call in to the Irish coven; they seem to be out of their home. Hopefully they get the message. Let's plan for Saturday. I am going by tonight to invite them over. A little unfair, but what else can we do?" The others shrugged.

"Carlisle, please take someone with you when you go. This Hiram punk is big, and I don't think he's nice," said Mira. The others chuckled a bit.

"Don't worry. I am sorry, Mira, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be at the school too much. For the rest of the week, I want you to go to school for the duration of your classes, and then come straight home. No study dates, either. It's just not safe to involve mortals in vampire business, OK? I need you to understand that this is temporary, but of utmost importance."

"I understand. It's no problem, Carlisle. I don't want to do anything that's going to hurt anybody." He nodded.

"Ok, so if anyone can think of anybody else we should call, let me know. Anyone want to say anything else?"

"Um, Ok. Last night, I was thinking of something. Just an idea I had, but I don't know if Bella and Edward will like it. But I think it might be prudent to send Nessie off to Charlie's for the weekend. I think we'll need all hands on deck, and she's too young to be exposed to this." Bella looked at Edward, who was deep in thought. Carlisle nodded, seeming to agree with Mira.

"Bella, Edward?" Bella shook her head.

"I don't know. Is she really in that much danger?"

"I don't know." Bella shrugged and looked like she was debating things in her head.

"Can I think about it some more?" Edward looked at her questioningly.

"Of course. I think it's an idea with some merit, but the choice is entirely yours." They nodded. Mira mouthed "Sorry" to the two vampires. Bella nodded; Mira and Nessie were close, and she knew that the younger girl looked out for her. Edward didn't like the fact that she had started calling Carlisle and Esme "mom and dad", but he didn't begrudge her for looking out for his daughter.

"We'll try to let you know right away, OK? Mira, thank you for thinking about Nessie. I know you are simply worried for her safety." They turned to go upstairs. Nessie reached up for Rose, who picked her up. The baby seemed to know that there was something up, and wanted to be a part of it.

"Anyone else?" Alice and Esme shook their heads. Rose said "no" and took off with the baby, presumably to the living room. Emmett was still standing in the doorway, debating whether he should speak to Carlisle in private, or just do it now. He decided to speak with him alone, and shook his head, too. Only Jasper spoke up.

"I'll see who I can round up. How many numbers are you looking for?"

"As many as we can get. Like I said, I don't want it to turn bloody, but we may not have a choice. Can you work with Mira some, too? I need you all prepped to fight, if need be." He nodded.

"Ok, if anyone needs anything, I'll be in my study. I have to do some work, but feel free to interrupt." He left the kitchen with Emmett following behind. Alice and Esme both wandered out of the room, too, leaving Jasper and Mira alone.

"Jasper? You all right? You look…I don't know. Odd." He nodded.

"Just thinking. All right, what are your skills?"

"Besides being awesome?" Jasper glowered at her.

"Ok, ok, sorry. You all know I have been trained to kill a vampire twenty different ways."

"Yes. Do you want to go outside and practice?"

She grimaced, but nodded. She stood up and he took in her outfit.

"You should probably change first. I imagine that Alice would have a heart attack if I so much as even SUGGESTED you practice in that outfit."

"You're probably right. Be right back." She turned and hurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs. As she reached the hallway, she heard Carlisle's voice call for her. Emmett appeared next to her.

"Mira, please come to my office." She looked at Emmett, and then at Edward, who had opened his bedroom door to go downstairs. He raised his eyebrows and smirked a little. She glowered at him before entering the dark, but well-appointed study. He and Esme were sitting side-by-side, looking grimly at her. She inhaled sharply, knowing that whatever was about to take place was in no way good.

"Yes, Carlisle?" He indicated for her to sit. She sat carefully at the edge of the chair he indicated and tried to look both angelic and mature.

"Emmett spoke with us earlier about the young man you've had over the past few nights, young Mr. Jones. He said that today at lunch, it appeared that he was touching you in a…mature way. Actually, he said he had his hands all over you, but didn't elaborate. We just wanted to make sure that you understand that I feel you're too young to be romantically involved with a boy, and also to make sure you understand the consequences of your actions if you chose to become…intimate with a mortal." He looked a little flustered. Mira bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing aloud.

"Um, may I be frank?" She had felt herself flush.

"Sure."

"Ok, I think you're trying to have the birds and bees talk, but I got that already from the Volturi. Secondly, I am not exactly sure what Emmett saw, but he was NOT all over me, and I have asked him to keep his hands to himself, just so you know. Furthermore, I am not being intimate with anybody; I haven't kissed a boy yet. So if the time comes, I will assure you that I will come straight to you for the facts, and for guidance on protecting myself. I have seen firsthand what happens when half-bloods procreate with mortals. The Volturi frowns upon it, and of course, it's highly dangerous. So, I promise that when the time comes for that, I will be very selective." She was breathing hard, trying not to get hysterical.

" Thank you. I would prefer it, though, if you limited your contact with this young man until you turn 16. Ok? It's not that we don't trust you, we just don't trust him."

"Right. Ok. I can handle that. We are only studying, though, at this juncture. But no dating until I'm sixteen. Understood." Both adults smiled and nodded.

"May I please be excused? Jasper and I are going to do a bit of training, and then I want to see if Rose'll hunt with me."

"Very good. If Esme has nothing to add, you may go." Esme shook her head.

"Thank you." Mira stood up to leave. She walked quietly out the door and to her room. She was still totally mortified. She spotted Emmett heading down the stairs, and glared at him. She changed quickly and ran back downstairs. She found Jasper standing in the kitchen with Alice.

"Hey, Jas. I'm ready."

"What took so long?"

"Carlisle and Esme wanted to talk to me about something. I think we got it worked out."

"What?'

"Um, mostly about dating and things like that." Alice giggled, then turned to leave.

"I see. Let's go outside." The two vampires trooped outside. Jasper set up the exercises for Mira; he was going to come from behind and try to get her, then from the front, and finally from her flanks. She was able to hold him at bay each time. After an hour, they were both tired, and flopped on the ground, laying in the grass.

"Thanks for the refresher, Jasper."

"No problem, kid. Hey, um, Alice had said you wanted to ask me something. You're having boy problems?"

"God, I'm going to kill her. Yeah, I was just wondering what it's like, to kiss a vampire. I mean, from his perspective."

"I think it's just like regular kissing. But it's nice. I don't really know how to describe it, and if I go into too much detail, I think Carlisle'd kill me."

"Yeah, probably. Thanks anyway, Jasper. It's probably kind of silly for me to ask you that, anyway."

"No problem. Um, I'm going to go inside and make some phone calls. I have some friends who helped us last time we had to battle. I think they'd come again."

"Ok. I gotta find Rosalie; I need to hunt." They both stood up and headed for the house. A few hours later, the family reassembled in the living room. Tanya's clan had shown up, and the Cullen's introduced Mira. Now, they were waiting for Carlisle to direct them.

"Ok, so we now have us, you girls, the Romanians will be here Thursday, and I finally spoke to Siobhan and Liam, they are coming now. Alistair passed, but Makenna and Charles are willing to come, but may not be able to make it in time. So that means that we all need to be on alert. Jasper and Mira are willing to practice with whomever wants to. Esme and I went over there today and introduced ourselves; we were not very well received. Jasper has been doing recon again, and Edward has been tuning in. They're planning a big hunt on Saturday. We'll meet them halfway and thwart their efforts." Most of the vampires nodded. Mira, who was sitting on the floor with Nessie, spoke up.

"I still think you should call Aro and let them deal with it. I hate that my being here has caused this. Or maybe we should just throw up the white flag. I can go over there; they'll be really surprised when I show them the tricks I learned in Volterra."

"Mira, we've discussed this before, ad nauseam. It's not happening, end of story." She nodded. "Fine," she muttered, under her breath, but most of the vampires heard her and chuckled.

"Carlisle, may I be excused, please? It's 10:30 and a school night. I should finish the last bit of English and then go to sleep."

"Of course." She rose and handed the baby to the closest set of outstretched arms, which happened to belong to Tanya. Everyone loved the baby, and it almost had resulted in an internal vampire war when it came to cuddle time.

"Thank you. Good evening, everyone. It was fantastic to meet you all."

"Sleep well," came the collective reply. Except from Emmett, who glowered at her. They were not speaking to each other.

After she went silently upstairs, the Cullen's excused themselves, and the vampires disbursed. Since they were staying at the Cullen's, Mira had roomies now; Tanya and Kate were dressing in her bathroom. It took her only about 15 minutes to finish her homework before she cleaned up and fell into a fitful sleep. Three hours later, she awoke, screaming.

Alice ran into the bedroom, followed closely by Esme. Mira was sitting upright in the bed, panting furiously.

"What happened?"

"Bad dream. Volturi was coming. Couldn't outrun. Had to kill someone. Horrible." She was beginning to calm down some, and her words made more sense as she continued.

"I'm sorry for scaring everyone. I haven't had a dream like that in years. It was just a flashback. I'm really OK." Esme looked at her, panting and sweating. She clearly wasn't OK.

"No, you're not. Alice and I will stay until you calm down some." Mira nodded.

"Thank you, that would be great. Um, if you'll excuse me, though, please, I just need to use the restroom."

"Of course. Let me tell the others that it was just a bad dream." Esme left then. Alice made Mira leave the bathroom door open, just to make sure she didn't get sick or something. Alice heard the toilet flush, and some water run. She heard Mira gulping water from a glass, then the light flipped off, and Mira climbed back into bed. Alice tucked her in, then sat at the foot of her bed. Esme returned a minute later and saw Alice sitting on the bed. Esme sat in the desk chair near the bed. Alice sang until Mira's breathing was deep and regular. The vampires left a few minutes later.

The next morning, Mira woke up groggy, and her eyes were scratchy and gummy, as if she had been crying. She flashed back to the nightmare from the night before, and felt slightly embarrassed. She jumped out of bed, washed her face, and dressed quickly for school. Today she sported a pair of dress pants and a pink blouse that used to be Alice's. Since it had started to rain, she opted for closed toe pink low-top sneakers. She brushed her hair, choosing to leave it down, and tumbling to her shoulders in auburn waves. She hurried downstairs to eat before Emmett and Rosalie left her behind. When she got downstairs, she saw everyone gathered, with the addition of an unfamiliar trio. She smiled brightly, trying to hide the flush she still felt in her cheeks.

"Good Morning. Did everyone have a good night?"

"Yes, dear. How are you feeling this morning?" asked Esme.

"Better, thank you. Thank you for sitting with me last night."

"Of course, dear. Come and meet the Irish coven. This is Siobahn," she indicated a heavyset woman, "her partner, Liam", he was tall and lanky, and finally she indicated a teenaged girl, "and this is Maggie." Mira shook each vampire's hand, and smiled at Maggie. "Hi. It's nice to meet you all. Mom, please excuse me, I need to get some breakfast before school."

"Of course, dear. Please see if Nessie needs any breakfast, also."

"I will. Thank you," she turned to the Irish vampires and smiled brightly, "Please excuse me." They nodded and smiled at the girl. Mira strode into the kitchen, where her brothers and sisters, with the exception of Bella, were gathered.

"Hey. Anyone hungry?" They all rolled their eyes. She shrugged, and spoke to Edward. "Does Nessie need breakfast?"

"No, Bella fed her earlier. She's acting a little strange; we're not sure if it's the stress of everyone being here, or what, but she is being picky. She refused to eat anything except a banana and some juice."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I can play with her when I get home." The others had been whispering, but had stopped when she came in. She shrugged, and turned to the stove to prepare some eggs and toast. As the pan was heating, she turned around and reached and touched Emmett.

"Hey, sorry I was so cold last night. I was upset that you had spoken to Carlisle about Frank. I understand that you were just concerned, and I'm sorry." He grinned, and shook his head.

"No problem, kid. I figured that's what it was. Look, I want us to leave in about a half-hour, is that OK?"

"Yeah. Eggs should be done here in a minute." She turned back to the stove, but felt an icy hand touch her arm. Alice whispered in her ear. "Feeling OK?" Mira nodded. "Alice, can you help me with my face?" "Sure, grab your breakfast and let's go upstairs." Mira grabbed the toast from the toaster, scooped the eggs onto a plate, and grabbed a fork. Alice dragged her upstairs. The two girls giggled about Mira's school happenings until it was time to leave. They could hear Emmett bellowing from down the hall.

"Mira, if you're not in the car in three minutes, I'm leaving you behind." They could hear Carlisle shushing him and giggled some more. Mira grabbed her books, stuffed them in her backpack, and kissed Alice goodbye.

"Thanks, Alice."

"No problem. Go kick some butt today, kid." Mira waved as she darted past Carlisle.

"Bye, Carlisle." He shook his head. She flew down the stairs and into the living room, red faced but smiling.

"Did I beat him?" she asked Esme.

"Yes, dear. But Rose is already in the car."

"Darn. It's no fair having siblings who are vampires. Oh, well. What can I do? I'll see you later, Mom." She spied some of the other vampires in the living room, and stuck her head around the entryway door.

"Bye, it was soo great to meet you all. Have a wonderful day!" They all smiled and waved. She dashed out into the garage, and they could all hear a car door slam, and some whooping and yelling. Emmett waved as he ran past and into the garage right behind her. A few minutes later, they heard a car leaving the driveway. Carlisle had come downstairs to ask them to keep the noise level down. He shook his head at the closing garage door. Tanya, who was standing behind him, laughed heartily and moved to stand next to Esme.

"It must be refreshing to have a youngster around, Carlisle."

"That's not exactly the word I would use."

"She's spunky. I like her a lot. You're going to have a problem on your hands when it comes time for her to bring boys around."

"Don't I know. Please excuse me, I apologize, but I have to get to the hospital. If I had realized that everyone was going to arrive so soon, I would have cleared my schedule."

"It's no problem. Have a nice day." She had turned to Esme. "So, she calls you mom?"

"Yeah, it started about 4 or 5 months ago. I, of course, don't mind. I mean, granted, it's a little strange, but I like it. Carlisle is still a little wary, and of course, Edward is unhappy. I think the others think it's a cute little phase. But like I said, I like it, so I encourage it." Tanya smiled and nodded.

"She's fantastic. If you ever want a break, send her up to us. We could use a little spark in Denali." Esme laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind. If things keep up with the boys she parades around here, Carlisle might take you up on that." Tanya laughed then.

"I bet. Ok, let's get this show on the road. Off to hunt on our end; thank you for your hospitality this evening and morning. Let me get the ladies and Eleazar."

"Please stay safe."

"We will."

The kids had a busy, full day at school. Since they were in all the same classes, with the exception of PE, they were able to work together. Mira was a straight-A student, and smarter than she looked, so she was able to give Emmett a hand. Rosalie was a good student, too, and usually preferred to work alone. They didn't have any run-ins with the vampire boy today, however, they did see him in French class. He seemed to be ignoring them; they weren't sure if it was on purpose, or if Emmett's threat had stuck with him.

When they arrived home that afternoon, the Romanians were there. Carlisle had introduced Mira, before allowing her to go on and start her homework. When she was alone in her room, she skipped her homework and instead lay sprawled on the bed. She thought about the things Hiram-the-vampire had said when she had listened in, and about the Romanian's involvement in her demise. A plan was beginning to form in her head. She knew she was risking a lot, and most of her plan hinged on the Volturi arriving, which was unlikely. It was also likely to irk Carlisle, but that could be smoothed over. She needed to gather a few things, and wondered if she could do it on the sly. She'd have to be careful, given that Edward could sometimes read her thoughts and Alice was watching all the time. But she was willing to risk it. She stood up quickly, and went to the garage, where some things that the Volturi had sent her were stored. In a box labeled "Mira", she found her copy of the Torah. Just what she had been looking for. In the back of the tome was an original copy of the Volturi's treaty with the Jewish families. She carefully folded it and put it in her pocket. She went back inside, and headed upstairs. It was eerily quiet; most of the vampires were out hunting, and, as far as she knew, she was pretty much alone in a house of strange vampires, and she knew as long as she took care not to cause herself to bleed, they would leave her alone. She knocked softly on the door that lead to Carlisle's study; he was still at work, but she knew that sometimes the others were in there reading or studying. No one answered, so she looked quickly up and down the hall, and then quietly and swiftly slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. As she walked towards the desk, she noticed a copy of an old, well-worn paper laying open. It was the original treaty between the Originals and the Jewish families. Pay dirt. But how would she mimic it? She quickly remembered that last year in her Ancient studies class, if she had a paper copy, she could soak it in coffee to yellow it, and then crumple it up and stick it under her mattress to make it look worn. She quickly made a photocopy of the paper, silently thanking Carlisle for letting her borrow it. She left the room after that, and returned to the kitchen, looking for something she could use to yellow the copy. In the back of the pantry, she found an opened, but unused, box of instant coffee. She snatched it up, along with a book of matches she had found, and hurried quickly up the stairs. She stashed the contraband supplies in her bathroom, and settled at her desk just in time to hear the front door open. They were back from their hunting trip, and she was done hunting things in the house. She concentrated on Shakespeare for an hour, before switching to Algebra. A knock at her door snapped her away from fractions. A few hours later, she went downstairs and ate some dinner. She had managed to avoid any contact with Carlisle and Esme, but had run into Alice. Luckily, Alice didn't notice Mira acting weird. She made it through the powwow when Carlisle debriefed everyone on what was going on that weekend. Finally, she could excuse herself for bed, and work on HER plans for that weekend. When she was safely ensconced in her room, she washed her face, brushed her teeth, and got her uniform ready for the next day. She then prepared the coffee soak and let the paper soak for a good while she finished up her sonnet. She pulled the paper out of the brown, murky water and smiled with satisfaction. It was the right shade of yellow-brown. She placed the paper flat over the edge of the bathtub to dry, then climbed into bed, still exhausted from the night before. She fell quickly to sleep.

Later that evening, a loud, frantic knocking came at the Cullen's front door. Carlisle threw it open, and stood in shock a moment. It was Frank Jones.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, sir. Um, I'd really appreciate it if you could give me just a few minutes. I don't even need to come in." Carlisle considered, but the look on the boy's face made him agree. He motioned for the boy to come in and escorted him upstairs to his study. He indicated for the boy to sit across from him, and set his face questioningly.

"What can I do for you, son?"

"Firstly, I'm sorry for bothering you and your family so late in the evening, but it just dawned on me what is going on. I came to offer you and your coven my assistance in your…conflict this weekend." Carlisle raised his eyebrows, but the young man barreled on. "I know what you are, all of you. I know Vampires; I could smell you all the moment you arrived in this town. Look, I know I sound crazy, but I'm a shifter. I really want to help; I care for Mira, and I fear for her safety. The other vampires who moved in are different, and I understand they don't have her best interests in mind. I know that you and your family does. Please, please, allow me to help." Carlisle considered his words carefully.

"A shifter?"

"Yeah. I phase. I become a snake, an Asp, specifically, but some of us can be wolves, bears, spiders-"

"I know what a shifter is. I guess I am confused. Why didn't you say anything until now?"

"Like I said, I didn't realize the danger until I spoke about it with Richard, the leader of our little group. Unlike vampires, we don't usually live in covens. We all used to be nomadic, but we came together when we realized we could fight evil vampires. At first, we weren't sure you guys weren't evil, but when I met Mira, I realized that you were Stregoni, and so we knew it was OK. But now, not so much. Anyway, Richard is the ER director at the hospital; you might know him? He was telling me about the cheerleader who was killed the other day, and then the teacher killed tonight. I knew then it was serious, and came straight here. My clan thinks I'm meddling, and I'm stupid, but here I am." Carlisle nodded.

"Son, here's the thing. I am not sure I can guarantee your safety, and I know it will hurt Mira if you are harmed."

" I accept full and complete responsibility for my safety. My clan knows what I am doing, and I am strong and I am good at what I do."

"Have you spoken to Mira about this?"

"No. She doesn't know. I figured it was better if she didn't know, but now I am not so sure." He sighed, and his face looked drawn.

"Like I said, we cannot be responsible for you. If you do this, it is entirely your choice. We will be meeting Saturday morning, at dawn. If you wish to be there, I have a feeling I can't stop you."

"Thank you, sir. I promise, you won't be disappointed." He smiled at Carlisle.

"Thank you for coming to see me. I hope it goes well. Let me show you out." Carlisle rose then and escorted the young man past a gaping Edward, down the stairs, and out the front door. He closed the door behind the boy, and sighed. What had he just done?

The End