Chapter Three
Bella
When I opened my eyes again I was in hospital I could smell the disinfectant and taste medication in my mouth. I groaned as I tried to move and settled for opening my eyes. The first person I saw was Renee hovering over me with a concerned look on my face.
"Bella honey are you awake?"
I closed my eyes again and drifted off. Next time I woke it was dark, must be night. I looked around but the room was empty or was it. In the corner I saw a pale gleam in the shape of a face. There was someone there watching me,
"Edward?" I croaked.
As I did so the door opened and I turned away, it was a Nurse with my chart.
"Just going to take your vitals dear".
I turned back but the shape was gone, I must have dreamed it.
In the morning Renee and Charlie visited and told me the story as I feigned a total blank of the accident. Apparently I'd tripped going up the steps at the hotel on my way to bed and crashed into a patio door which smashed and cut my leg very badly as well as my head. My wrist was broken and I'd bruised my ribs. It sounded feasible to me although I knew it wasn't what had happened. I remembered getting to the school but the rest was hazy. Laurent throwing me around like a rag doll, then the voice I had recognised although I couldn't recall it.
When Carlisle and Edward came in my parents went to get some lunch. Once they were out of earshot I asked about what happened. Carlisle explained that Alice had seen the school hall and they got there to find me unconscious and bleeding on the floor. I'd managed to tie a tourniquet around my thigh to slow the bleeding. There was no sign of Laurent though and they had no idea what had happened. That didn't sound right to me. There had been someone else in that hall, someone who had stopped Laurent and helped me. It was hovering just out of reach the memory. Who had been there? Or had I imagined it as a result of my head injury? Edward thought that Laurent had been scared away by their quick arrival and for now I would have to agree with him.
I got back to Forks eventually and Edward was so concerned for my safety that he set up a rota of guards for me and Charlie, especially when he had to go hunting. When he told me Rose was included in that I had to giggle. She'd be more likely to open my door for Laurent than protect me but when I voiced that opinion it was met with a stony face. I had to sit through a lecture on how the accident in Phoenix had been my fault for not trusting them to look after me, I should be grateful they were all still willing to watch out for Charlie and myself. I thought I loved Edward but he drove me mad when he started one of his 'I know best' lectures. I'd learned to keep my eyes open but my ears closed when he started.
Carlisle and Esme were hurt and guilty that I'd got away from them only to be hurt. Emmett was furious they hadn't got there in time to kick Laurent's ass and amazed I'd survived my encounter. Rose said nothing
but showed her contempt by her facial expression. I swear that girl could stop a charging rhino at a hundred paces. I was under strict curfew from Charlie as he was most upset I'd had such a serious accident whilst with the Cullens. That meant in at night by nine pm school days and ten at weekends. Edward was allowed in during those hours but Charlie gleefully threw him out dead on the dot. He came back through my window as soon as Charlie was asleep but wouldn't lay down with me. He spent most of his time watching the trees outside.
"Edward, tell me about the Major".
His eyes narrowed, Why?"
I looked at him in surprise, "I saw him and I heard Emmett, Carlisle told me a bit and I was just curious". "It's not the sort of thing you should be hearing about Bella".
"Why though?"
"He's a killer plain and simple. He kills for fun, always has, always will.
"But why? He didn't kill me and he could have, Carlisle told me he could have taken all of us if he'd really wanted to".
Carlisle says too much. I'm not going to tell you about him. If you're lucky you'll never see him again. Now go to sleep Bella".So he was going to be difficult.
Charlie wanted to get me away from Edward so he insisted I went with him to a barbecue at the Reservation. I hadn't seen much of Jake since I started going out with Edward, they were deadly enemies and Edward was always with me. He didn't like me going to the Quileute reservation but he couldn't argue with Charlie who had a big grin on his face when he told Edward about our weekend plans. As we drove out of Forks Charlie turned to me,
"I hope you behave tonight, Jake and Billy are really looking forward to seeing you Bella".
I smiled, "I'm looking forward to seeing them actually Dad".
He looked surprised "Well good. I think some time away from the Cullens would do you good".
I groaned "Dad I've heard it all before. Edward and I are going out so you have to accept him".
"Huh" he said angrily, "I don't think he's good for you Bells. There's something not quite right about him, why couldn't you find a nice boy like...".
"Jake" I offered,
"Well yes, Jake's a good lad and he's very fond of you".
"I know Dad but I don't see him the same way. Jake and I are just friends".
"Not even that since Edward came into your life".
"Dad please".
When we got to the Res Jake was waiting for me. As I got out of the cruiser he picked me up and swung me round,
"Bells its been too long. How you doing?"
When he put me down the world was spinning.
"Jake if you do that again I swear I'll throw up over you".
He took me by the arm and dragged me over to his garage.
"Now Bells, what happened in Phoenix?"
I looked at him warily,
"What do you mean?"
He looked at me steadily,
"You know what I mean so stop playing games Bells. We know you were attacked by a vampire, what we don't know is why or who. I bet the Cullens were involved though".
I was getting angry now,
"Jake its none of your business".
"Really, when you get beaten half to death by a vampire while the Cullens are looking after you it's not my business? A little bird told me that you met the Major".
I started,
"Who? How?"
"How do I know? Its my job to know, to know about vampires in our area. Especially one like that, a menace to every human in the state".
"You know about the Major?"
He nodded,
"If you know vampires you know the Major, he's the scariest of them all".
"Why?"
"You don't know? The great and wonderful Edward Cullen didn't tell you?"
I got up and walked to the door,
"Hey Bells I'm sorry, don't go".
I came back reluctantly and sat on the oil drum again.
"OK I'll tell but its pretty bloody scary Bells".
I waited
"OK, well his reputation scares most vampires let alone humans or wolves".
"Why?" I was frustrated, "Just tell me why he's such a bogey man Jake."
"Put it this way, if you put a notch in your belt for every human he's killed it would stretch the breadth of the USA. He's slaughtered thousands, mutilated and murdered men, women and children. Not to mention all the vampires he's killed. They don't come any worse than him. His nickname is the God of War. Be thankful you saw him and lived to tell the tale, most don't". I thought back to the man I had only glimpsed in the storm. I couldn't remember anything but the red eyes burning into me.
That evening all the wolves were there and they split off from the others, Jake pulling me along to join them. I remembered when he had told me about the wolves, when I wanted to know why he and Edward hated each other so much. Sam looked at me,
"Bella, I hear you had an encounter a few weeks ago".
I rolled my eyes, "You too? Worried about the bogey man?"
The others looked at him in silence,
"You have no idea what you met Bella".
"I'm still here aren't I?"
"Yes but I'm not sure how".
"Perhaps his reputation has been greatly exaggerated". I said sarcastically.
They all started to shake with anger,
"Don't make fun of our legends and our history Bella Swan. You may have survived him but that doesn't make him any less dangerous. Have a thought for all the women he's raped and murdered, the children he pulled to pieces, the men he turned or burned alive".
I stopped him,
"OK Sam I get the message. I'm sorry".
His face relaxed,
"You needed to know Bella. All vampires are dangerous, that one just happens to be the most dangerous of all. You'd do well to remember that Bella, they're all dangerous"
I nodded and got up,
"Thanks Sam but the Cullens are different and they won't hurt me".
"Oh yeah, it didn't look that way a few weeks ago but its your decision".
I walked out followed by Jake.
"Bella listen to Sam, he knows about these things".
I shook his hand off my arm,
"Jake I'm a big girl now and I make my own decisions".
"And you decided?"