Alice and I had agreed that it was better for Edward to NOT know that I knew another coven of vampires until it became absolutely necessary.

I hated to hide things from him, but I knew that he would have a panic attack if he knew I had spent five years living next door to them.

Edward and I were the last one's to arrive at the clearing again that night. Alice immediately flitted to our side.

"I told Jacob," she told me then started humming a song and ran away again.

Edward frowned after her and then down at me. "Bella?"

I shrugged - once again glad that he couldn't read my racing thoughts.

"EDWARD!" Jasper shouted, sounding annoyed. He must have been calling for his brother mentally.

Edward gently squeezed my hand and flashed to him, Jacob loping to my side as soon as he was gone.

He gave me a wary look and a heavy sigh, his eyes questioning me.

"I'll tell you all later, I only want to explain it once," I whispered, hoping Edward was too distracted to pay attention to us.

Jacob nodded his big head and went back to his post.

I stood there alone then. Watching the seven vampires mock fighting. I could feel my expression grow more and more panicked.

Hands wrapped around my waist and suddenly I was flying through the woods at the speed of a vampire, but I knew it was none of the Cullens that had abducted me.

My heart was racing and I screamed as loudly as I could.

Then whoever it was who had me captive stopped and forced me behind their back protectively. The tiny-blond vampire in front of me dropped into a defensive crouch and her arms reached backwards as if to shield me from view as the Cullens and werewolves materialized out of the forest in front of her and six other vampires appeared at her side in a protective half circle.

My eyes flew to Edward's panicked and fearsome face and then to the seven vampires around me, protecting me from who they thought was the danger.

Carlisle stepped forward carefully. "I would greatly appreciate it if you would release the human girl."

"Now," Edward added in a growl. Jacob accented it with a snarl of his one.

"Or we rip your heads off," Alice put it, looking dangerous and tiny at the same time.

"We're not going to allow monsters like you to feed on her," one of the vampires in the semi circle around me snarled.

I recognized the voice. A slight smile pushed the corners of my lips up.

"We're not letting you walk away from here with her," Edward snarled.

"And we're not letting you kill her," another of the newcomers snarled.

I sighed. "Stop it. All of you," I scolded the gathering of vampires then met Edward's eyes, "they're here to help."

The tiny blond vampire in front of me glanced over her shoulder at me, frowning. "What are you talking about, Bella?"

I stepped around her and took a confused Edward's hand before turning to smile at the newcomers and their blond member.

"Melody, this is my family, the Cullens." I turned to Edward again and gestured to the vampires behind me as they straightened from their crouches. "And these are the Goldeyes, my old friends."

Melody laughed, "So THEY'RE the reason we haven't heard anything about your funeral yet. Go figure." She rolled her eyes.

Melody flipped her long golden hair and danced forwards to shake Edward's hand, her golden eyes dancing merrily. She was shorter than Alice, frozen forever at the age of twelve. "My name is Melody; how bad's Bella's luck been since you met her?"

"Terrible," Edward replied. "I suppose your family is the only reason she's lived so long."

"Of course," Carlisle's equivalent in the Goldeyes family stepped forward to shake hands with the Cullen. "Bella would have been smashed flat as a pancake if it were not for Melody. Why she was in the middle of the street is beyond me."

"I didn't see the bus coming!" I cried indignantly, flushing crimson.

"You invite trouble," Edward glared at me slightly.

I returned the glare, then smirked meaningfully. "The first time was in no way my fault."

His expression turned amused. "Alright, I'll give you that one. Tyler's van was in no way your fault." He agreed, chuckling slightly.

"Van" Melody growled, glaring up at me. "What van?"