Chapter 2
Bella's POV
My deep red Mazda glided along the road to a complete stop. Cole's leg was bouncing up and down in anticipation, without looking at him, I could tell he was biting his thumb nail. Leaving Cammie with Heather was normal but what wasn't was the fact that her cries for her mum became more frequent. Heather was the stitch that combined us all together, she kept Cammie from rampaging the streets, killing everything in sight, kept Cole from having panic or anxiety attacks, doesn't allow Hailey to become depressed and stops me from drawing away from the people I love and care about.
"Maybe I should have stayed." Cole's worried voice broke the dead silence in the car, "Helped with the business or something."
I leaned back in my seat, "Cammie said to go, she's dealing with her."
"Not greatly." He mumbled and I glared at him, shocked. Before I could do anything, Hailey slapped the back of his head. She gritted her teeth at him.
"Don't say things like that! Cammie does her best, you try looking after a six hundred year old Vampire that has fully working three year old human's body!" Hailey crossed her arms and I took in an unneeded breath.
"Look, there's no point getting worried or moody about this. There's nothing we can do about it!" I grabbed my bag from behind my seat and opened the car door, "We go in and try to blend in, like we always have."
I got out the car just as a speeding Jeep ran past, it squealed into the space further down from us and parked up. I rolled my eyes at the human's urge to speed and locked up the car. The three of us headed across the road towards the school. I could hear ridiculous chat from near by humans, from one to another, talking about what to sign up for or why were there only three of us. It was nothing but normal to hear the human's talk about us, we were secretive to a point. No one knew who we really were, we all had roles to play whenever we interact with humans.
I was the youngest sister, the innocent and less popular of the group. The 5'9 tall, plain girl that no one important took notice of. Cole was the "dream man", every girl fell head over heels for the 6'3, ocean eyed, strawberry blonde man with a deep north English accent. Cole was the most popular. Hailey played the borderline popular girl with light mahogany hair and the same deep ocean eyes. Cammie played the adopted sister, tough and ruthless, mother and above all complete badass that everyone feared. She was the most intimidating with raven hair and sharp blue eyes, she was an inch taller than Cole and carried independence on her shoulders.
"Bella?" Cole muttered and I turned slightly, looking over my shoulder to find him staring out at the woods.
"What?" I asked
He hesitated, his eyes locked on the treeline. I took three steps towards him but he shook his head then looked down at me, "It's nothing."
I rolled my eyes as I turned back, I headed towards the front door just as the smell almost knocked me over. The scent of another Vampire, it clung to my nose. The smell of pine cones and musk. I turned sharply to my left as a large, bear of a man slammed the door of his Jeep. Two other Vampires joined him, one was a girl, a dwarf compared to him, she was thin and small with short chestnut coloured hair. The other Vampire was taller than the girl but smaller than the bear, he had curly blonde hair.
They looked across at us locking eyes together. The bear man stared at me and I stared at him, I could feel my insides melt and my body crave with want. I didn't understand this feeling, not one little bit. A hand touched my shoulder and I broke eye contact as I looked up at Cole. He dragged me away from the pavement and got me inside the school.
"What the hell was that?" I sighed, relieved.
"I think you've found a mate." Hailey smiled but I rolled my eyes.
"Like you would know." I grumbled, receiving a slap on the shoulder.
"Enough, ladies, it doesn't matter if you found your mate or not, we don't need more pain in our lives." Cole walked on ahead, towards his locker. I sighed, exasperated at his pessimism but I could understand him the same.
The rest of the day was uneventful until it got to lunch. Cole didn't sit with us at lunch, he was away at a practice or so he told us. Hailey and I sat in the middle of the cafeteria playing around with the food on our plates. I can't remember what lasagne tasted like, I don't know why I liked it as a human.
"Hi." I tensed up. I looked up and found the bear man. He was smiling down at me with dimples, I swear my dead heart bounced.
"Hi." I smirked, warily.
"Mind if we join you?" He said, just as the two other Vampires appeared. I looked at Hailey who only shrugged and moved down to allow more room.
"Name's Emmett." The bear man smiled, "That's Alice." Pointing to the small Vampire, "And that's Jasper."
"I'm Bella and this is Hailey." I nodded my head to the left at Hailey who waved a little.
"Ohmygod, where did you get that?" The tiny Vampire grabbed my wrist that I wore my prized bracelet on.
"Emm, it's a long story." I said pulling my wrist back, the said bracelet was a gift from Herrick the day I woke up from my transformation. Cole had a ring, Hailey had an earring set and Cammie got an necklace, "our h-dad got me it."
"It looks expensive." Alice smiled, nicely as I fingered the steel accessory with engraved swirls.
"I guess it was." I said just as a pair of hands slammed into the table.
"We have a serious problem!" Cole growled, his eyes piercing mine.
"What kind?" I growled
Cole glanced at Emmett, Alice and Jasper then looked at me. I rolled my eyes then excused myself, Cole grabbed my arm and took me out into the hall, "I could smell unknown Vampires in the woods, out back." He said in a hushed voice.
"So you weren't at practice?" I asked but I only received a deadly glare, "Okay, I'll tell Cammie. Just don't blow things out of proportion."
"Proportion!" Cole echoed, "I'm only trying to look after my family, or little of it!"
I snapped. I grabbed his throat and pinned him to the wall, "Don't you ever! Our family is small, okay, deal with it. We stay together because we have to, I know you want a mate and a child of your own but unfortunately that can't happen."
Cole pushed me away and snapped back, "I never said I wanted kids, watching little Heather, I won't plague any other child to this existence!"
"Right, fine." I conceited
We didn't say another word to one another. I stalked back into the cafeteria when a flicker caught my eye, I looked out the window, out into the treeline and saw a Vampire, his eyes were piercing blue and he stared at me with an emotionless look in his eye. Cole slammed the door opened, noisily, appearing at my side.
"Who is that?" he asked
"I don't know."
"Trouble then." he turned away but I remained where I was looking.
Cammie's POV
I brushed Heather's hair from her cheek when I heard a car door slam shut and foot steps stump up the drive. I breathed out a sigh, now what?
"HELLO!" I bounced up from the bed and closed the bedroom door, "I'D LIKE TO GET SEEN, SOME TIME TODAY!"
I hammered down the stairs, I yelled back, "Don't you ever come in here, I have a child upstairs sleeping..."
I stopped mid-rant, swallowing nothing, the person in front of me was the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. She was at least a foot smaller than me with long, curvy blonde hair. The strands of her hair bounced on her leather clad shoulders that brought out her stunning Topaz eyes. Her arms were crossed over her chest, impatiently.
"I'm sorry." The girl... wait... Vampire said, "my car won't start and I've tried everything to start it up."
I swallowed down my fear, I never once thought I would be attracted to anyone, at least not after Herrick but I guess I was wrong because at that moment, I felt a tie, a link, a pull towards this woman and it was a strong one. It was strong enough to make me think that my heart was breaking through my chest.
"What exactly is wrong with it?" I asked as she turned back, walking towards her car which is a stunner. It was a silver Mercedes C-class.
"The exhaust. I think it's jammed." I walked past her and shivered. Her scent of vanilla and roses floated around me and made me melt inside. I could feel that her eyes were running up and down me making my undead heart race faster.
I squatted down near the exhaust and peeked inside, the cylinder was clear. I looked up at her and breath caught in my throat, "There's nothing there."
"Then I don't know." She muttered
I walked around the car and lifted up the bonnet. I looked inside and the silence settled around us, it pressed on my shoulders and tightened my heart. I wanted to say something but stubbornly, I didn't say a word.
"I might need to do an internal." I said at last
"What's your name?" She asked and I looked over at her, she was so close that I could reach out and kiss her, my heart constricted painfully in my chest just looking at her.
"It's Cammie." I whispered, "I'll need your name."
She smiled slightly, "It's Rosalie, Rosalie Hale-Cullen."
I turned away, smirking. Of course she was a Cullen, from what I heard about the Cullen's which was seldom that they were 'vegetarians', only ever drinking animal blood. Herrick scoffed at them time and time again, at the absurdity of their diet. I, personally, congratulate them. It takes something you don't have to say no to human blood, it's commendable.
"Come through to the office and I'll..." We headed towards the office and I clenched my fists, I was going out of my mind.
I sat at my desk drawing up paperwork. I was conscious of the fact that Rosalie was looking at the picture that sat on the desk which had me, Heather, Bella, Cole and Hailey in it. It was the only time we were truly happy.
"Whose the little girl?" Rosalie asked
"My daughter." I told her and I saw a small smile reach her eyes, "The paperwork."
I handed her the paper watching her sign and read through it. "Mummy!" A scream burst the silence just as the door of my office was thrown against the wall making Rosalie and I jumped, Heather ran in and jumped into my lap.
"Sweetheart what's wrong?" I stroked her hair
She shook her head then said, "who is this?"
"My name is Rosalie." Rosalie smiled at Heather who looked at me then back at her.
She giggled, "You have feelings for my mummy."
"I-I..." Rosalie looked between me and Heather, shocked.
"Heather what have I told you," I stroked her hair, smiling internally.
Heather giggled then reached over the desk and shook hands with Rosalie, "I am Heather."
Rosalie smiled then looked at me, "Are we done?"
"Why not." I shrugged taking the paperwork.
"Is your car not working?" Heather asked, "Mummy will fix it, she's best at it."
I rolled my eyes, "I'll get it back to you by Monday."
"Take your time," She shrugged then smiled, "I was wondering...maybe if you'd want to go on a date?"
Heather squealed and I sighed, "Sorry, don't do dates."
"I can understand, considering you've got a child." She looked disappointed and hurt, something in me screamed at me to make her better.
"But I do do calls." I said and her eyes lit up like lights on a Christmas tree.
"Then call me." She left the office and Heather squealed like a guinea pig. She turned to me with the largest grin on her face.
"Mummy is in love!" She giggled
I said, "I thought you were napping." Heather shook her head, the happy smile was wiped from her face and I nodded understandingly. I asked, "What did you dream about this time?"
"Daddy killing you." Heather's eyes filled with blood tears and my heart broke for her. I wrapped my arms around her tightly whispering words in ancient Gaelic.
Heather's body was wracked with sobs that I had to sing to her. I danced around the office, slowly, lulling her into a calming state. Once she was calm, I lay her on the couch. I wrapped her up in a grey blanket, "Your dad isn't going to hurt me. He doesn't know where we are. We've been hidden for four hundred years, he won't find us any time soon."
"I'm scared." She hid a little behind the blanket.
"It's going to be okay." I kissed her forehead, "Try getting some rest. I'm going to heat up some blood from last night."
I left the office when I was certain that she was okay to leave alone. I walked through the workshop when I heard Bella, Cole and Hailey return. I walked into the little kitchen and prepared Heather's meal.
"Well, we had one hell of a day!" Cole announced, sarcastically.
"What now?" I grumbled, pressing dials on the microwave.
"Bella found her mate and an eerie Vampire was hanging around in the woods." Cole ranted then muttered, "I'm going to see Heather."
I blinked at him, watching him going into the office. I sighed then followed him. Whatever happened at school could wait, I had to feed Heather.
"I know what you are going to say, mummy, but she could be good for you." Heather said, "I can see you mummy, you're lonely."
"Heather, I appreciate that you want me to be happy with someone but darling, I can't be in a relationship. You are my life, you are what I live for, I don't need anyone else." I sat down on the coffee table seeing her eyes fall into disappointment.
"You do!" she insisted, "Rosalie isn't daddy! Daddy's gone!"
The shutters were down, "Heather, that's enough! I am not going on any date with Rosalie, end of story."
Heather let out an exasperated scream then got to her feet, storming off. When she was out of ear shot, I kicked the coffee table across the room breaking it in half before it hit the wall. I collapsed into the couch and sighed. Why did this have to happen to me? I was happier not knowing that Rosalie existed.