Chapter 12
Damon's head was pounding by the time he came inside. Between Andie's endless chatter about her show and the full pack of cigarettes he smoked and the lack of any form of nourishment, he was beginning to feel sick. He'd gladly take a bath in vervain water if it meant she'd shut up!
Feeling like a cheating husband coming home he slid the door only to be greeted with a table filled with food that smelt better than he ever thought food could ever smell, Bella and her soft smile and a guy.
He was stunned to see the half dressed man dressed. The bottle of Jack he had finished turned to a pool of jealousy taking Bella's perch on his lap and the casual way his dark arm was holding her close. He wanted to rip that arm. Who was he and why was he feeding her strawberries?
She was his!
The man in question raised his brown eyes and stared at him with hostility etched across his face. Good, they were on the same page. Damon glared right back.
He threw a look at Bella, who was playing with the stem of the strawberry looking everywhere but him. Damon felt a stab of pain as her eyes would avoid him at all costs.
"Oh, dinner's ready?"
Andie's voice blew past him and completely unaffected of the bad, murderous atmosphere.
"I'm Andie Starr. And you are?"
Andie's eyes took in the broad frame of the man and she almost salivated. Damon's eyes rolled with annoyance as Jake's gleamed and he turned the charm on
"Black, Jacob Black"
Bella snorted against Jake's throat. With a smile at her childhood friend she raised her head drawing strength
"Damon Salvatore"
Damon said and made no effort to extend his hand. Jake didn't either and instead hugged Bella closer. Andie took in their proximity and she smirked.
"You guys have matching tattoos. So high school-like"
Jake almost winced as five long nails pierced his skin at once as Bella fought to keep her cool
"It's my tribe's emblem"
"I didn't know you were from a tribe Bella"
The woman smiled as if she had hit gold
"Honorary member"
Jake replied instead. Andie's smile fell. If looks could kill the reporter would be six feet under. Damon hid a smirk that turned to shock. The deeper he breathed the stranger Jake's scent became. It was woodsy and doggy. In fact that's what he smelled like, a wet dog.
Jake was thinking the same thing. The man across from him smelled sweet. Too sweet. The closer he was to him, the harder it was to keep his cool and not explode to a werewolf. If it wasn't for the beating heart he'd swear the man was a vampire.
"What are we eating?"
Andie asked. she touched the chicken as if it was alien meet. she wouldn't even look at the fried dumplings and shuddered at the whipped cream and chocolate covered strawberries. Daintly she took a tiny bite of the rice and a look of pure horror passed her pretty face.
"What is this?"
"Rice. Oven cooked"
Bella replied in clipped tone. A disgusted look planted on Andie's lips
"I don't need to be in the middle of nowhere and fat"
She announced as let her fork fall tot he table. Bella's eyes tightened. It was time for the gloves to come off, she decided.
"Speaking of which, what does your husband do while you're doing someone who's not him?"
Bella asked with a smile that would kill a diabetic person. Andie's eyes widened, Damon smirked while Jake bit back a scoff.
"With all the cameras in here, I admire you for being so casual. You must have a lot of experience"
Bella bit a chocolate covered strawberry. A tiny bit of whipped cream smeared on her upper lip. Jake popped a dumpling in his mouth to cover his laughter. Damon was amused but hurt that Bella acted as if he wasn't in the room. At Andie's shocked face Bella stood.
"I'm covered in strawberry juices. Excuse me for a bit"
With a smile she patted down Jake's broad arm and headed to the bedroom leaving dead silence behind her.
Once inside the bathroom she turned her mic off and leaned against the closed door. Shaking her head she couldn't wipe the silly smile off her lips. She couldn't believe what had come off her mouth just now. She sure made Leah or Rosalie (her two role models of bitchiness) proud. With a wry chuckle she neared the counter that housed the sink.
She felt a blush stain her cheeks as she touched the cool surface. How could the two of them go from arguing to making out to arguing? It was ridiculous to feel this way, but she could feel the old, well mended hole in her chest threatening to open again. Jake's perfectly well timed, arrival corked it but what would happen when he left?
Splashing her face with cold water she felt something drop on her leg. Dabbing her face quickly she looked down. A single red drop of blood was on her foot. She frowned. Her period wasn't due for two more weeks. Kneeling to wipe the drop off her leg she saw what caused it. A medical, transparent tube was stuck at the cabinet.
Curious she opened it. Inside it was a large red cooler with an empty baggie over it. With mortification build up inside her she pulled the cooler out. It was filled with empty blood bags and only one full. She gasped. Trembling she stepped backwards until she reached the bathroom door.
It was pulled open. Feeling a clothed, strong chest behind her, Bella looked up. Damon was looking at the cooler and then his icy eyes traveled to meet hers. In part fascination, part freak out, Bella watched as his face contorted in anger. A set of long teeth covered his own and angry veins filled his eye bags.
"What did you do?"
He shouted grabbing both her arms and squeezing. Bella shouted at the pain
"Let go of me!"
She tried to get her arms back scared. Damon wouldn't badge. He had lost all control and he was scaring her, only he didn't care.
"What were you thinking?"
He shouted as he began to shake her. Her eyes were wide as she opened her mouth
"Jake Help!"
She hadn't finished her cry for help when Jake appeared behind her. His caramel eyes saw the scene in the bathroom, then took Damon's face and he began to shake.
Luckily for all of them his shaking caused him to broaden and become taller. As Damon watched with a fear he couldn't place, Jake was so tall that he covered them from the hall cameras. Grabbing both Damon's hands, Jake spoke in a low voice
"Let. Her. Go. Or I will break your arms and set you on fire"
His threatening tone caused Damon to register Bella's frightened and pained expression as the woman shied away from him and leaned to the dark skinned boy.
He let her go.
Jake let him go.
Damon blurred into the bathroom and snapped the door close. Jake calmed down, reduced to regular size and hugged Bella close.
"I'll stay in the woods behind the lake. If he touches you again, I will kill him"
He said far too low for any mic to catch. Bella nodded, drawing strength from him. Andie appeared at the end of the hall with a sad look on her pretty face
"Damon can get very intense Bella. I wouldn't get on his bad side if I were you"
The reporter said with precision catching Bella's eyes. Then Andie reached in her tote and pulled out a small vial
"Take this for the bruises. They'll be gone by morning"
Jake took the vial from her hands and opened it. The sweet smell of blood reached him and he began shaking again. it was vampire blood.
"Remember what I said baby"
Jake whispered in Bella's ear. Bella nodded as Andie put her tote on her shoulder
"Come on Jacob. I'll drive you to town. We should talk"
As Jake followed the reported out of the house and into her silver car Bella looked down at her bruised arms.
Of all the men in the world she had to fall for yet another blood drinker!
