Chapter Fifty

Jasper

We searched for weeks without finding any trace of Bella but came across Garrett and the Cullens looking too and I wanted to know what had happened to upset Bella so much. So while Peter and Charlotte spoke to the Cullens I took Garrett to one side for a quiet "chat"

"Look I know you blame me for Bella running off but remember she is a newborn, her emotions are all over the place and she's volatile"

"Yes I accept all that but when I found her she was upset and covered in human blood. Perhaps you could explain to me what she meant by you giving her a blood shower"

"She said that?"

"Yes she did and I'm waiting"

He looked down nervously then groaned,

"She wanted to try human blood because I told her it was the only thing that would quench her thirst. So I took her out for the evening, we hit a bar, listened to some music and she seemed to be having a good time. Then I took her to the hospital and left her for a few minutes to steal some bags from the blood bank. I said that way she wouldn't have to kill anyone. Anyway, when I got back I guess she'd had a change of heart or something. She went a bit crazy and I said some things I shouldn't then she really pissed me off and I ripped open one of the bags and threw it at her, she got splashed then she took off."

"You sound surprised Garrett, what did you expect from a newborn? It was up to you to guide not bully her."

"No it was your job to guide her, you sired her not me"

"But you let her think you had didn't you? That's why she was so confused when we spoke. Why?"

"I like her, we were getting on well until you came along and played the hero. It should have been me who changed her not you. I'm better for her"

"Well clearly you're not or she wouldn't have run away would she? Now we have to find her before she does something stupid and gets the Volturi to notice there's an unsupervised newborn running around."

"She wont kill humans, she couldn't stand the thought of drinking human blood."

"I just hope for your sake you are right. I should never have let Carlisle send me off and when I find Bella and apologise I'm going to bring her to you so you can apologise too. For now get the hell out of my sight and if you find her you contact me."

He nodded and went off grateful I hadn't ripped his head off unaware just how close I came to doing just that. But the more people looking for her the better, so revenge could wait.

Peter

I never liked the vegetarian members of our race and Carlisle Cullen reminded me just why,

"If your friend is so worried he should never have left her with us. We did the best we could, we showed her how to live on animal blood, how to hunt, and how to behave. Garrett was unwise to act the way he did but none of us thought she would run away."

"Really? The dick of a friend of yours throws human blood over her and it's not supposed to have any affect on her? She's supposed to wipe it off say "Sorry but it's not my scene now shall we go home?" If it had been me I'd have ripped his fucking head off for being a total ass hole, now where would she go?"

"Home to her father perhaps"

"Now why didn't we think of that? She's not there dick head, so try again"

"There's no need to be so objectionable Peter."

"Yes there is, because my friends mate is running around scared out of her wits and confused because not only did you lie to her about her sire but your friend thought a healthy dose of human blood scented Eau de Cologne might be a good fucking idea. So I'll ask again, where would she go?"

"We have no idea, all we can do is keep looking"

"First sensible thing you've said Cullen. If you find her you ring us, you don't approach her and you certainly don't let that fucking moron Garrett anywhere near her, you got that or shall I tattoo it on your forehead to remind you?"

"We understand now please, enough"

"Enough? Let me tell you something Carlisle the wise. If anything happens to that girl, if she slips, or trips, or even breaks a fucking nail I'll be back and the next time you wont get off so fucking lightly."

I couldn't help myself I just had to punch him in the mouth, infantile? Hell yes, but it made me feel a whole heap better.

Carlisle

I had been right about Jasper all along but it didn't help us now, Bella had vanished into thin air and no one, none of my friends, had seen or heard of a newborn anywhere. How was she keeping such a low profile and what exactly were we supposed to tell Charlie? Until now we'd fobbed him off with vague ideas that she was out learning to hunt or how to fit in but he was getting suspicious and I knew we would have to tell him the truth sooner or later. What I wasn't looking forward to admitting was that Jasper appeared to be her mate, or at least his friend thought he was and I knew of Charlotte's gift, she saw relationships. So if she said they were mates then they probably were.

Charlie

Work took my mind off things for a couple of weeks, I spent time catching up and filling in for my deputies who had covered for me while I was in Denali.

"You know the Quileutes have moved out en masse, only a few stragglers left behind. Its been really odd knowing the village is almost deserted and no one is talking, we have no idea where they went or why but the school and the clinic have both closed."

"Maybe they found a better place to live, it's happened in the past although never with the Quileutes, Still it's not our problem Eddy."

"I know Chief but I thought I should tell you. There are rumours going about that they displeased someone high up in the Native American hierarchy."

"Really? Who said that?"

"I think one of the boys overheard a couple of people talking in the store but where they got it I have no idea. Haven't you heard from Billy Black? I thought you and he were friends?"

"We were but I guess he didn't feel like telling me. Now let's get back to things that do concern us."

I know I cut him short but I didn't feel like talking about the Quileutes.

A month had gone by with no word from Bella or the Cullens before I started to feel really uneasy and that was made worse by another phone call from Renee and this time she was mad.

"You tell my daughter if I don't hear from her this week I'll take it she's forgotten she has a mother."

I don't remember what I said but I doubt it made the situation any better so I rang the Cullen house but got no reply which was odd. Carlisle's cell phone was going straight to voice mail and when I couldn't reach Esme either I started to panic so I took another weeks leave and flew out to the last address I had for them, praying they hadn't moved without telling me.