Chapter Five

Bella

I should stay in and get on with my work but after arranging a few days off from my job at the bar I found myself watching the Professor's residence and sure enough his vampire shadow was there too. When the professor came out and got his bike I cursed, I could hardly run after him but the gym bag over his shoulder told me where he was headed so I followed as discreetly as possible allowing the shadow to move ahead of me so I could watch both of them.

Hanging around the campus gym wasn't exactly my idea of a good time and he was in there for two hours. When he came out it was raining steadily and I cursed as he got back on his bike but at least he would be heading home now or at least that's what I thought until he caught me out by stopping at a burger bar for his dinner. So exercise followed by a burger and fries, well it was certainly an interesting combination.

By the time he came out again I was the only one still watching, his other shadow having slipped away twenty minutes earlier. He pushed his bike across the rough ground between the road and the campus boundary and I followed but then there was a scream and I saw a woman being attacked by two guys in hoodies. The professor dropped his bike and ran over to help, knocking the first to the ground and punching him in the face until he stopped moving but by this time the second was on him wielding a knife. I held my breath but he had the situation under control and as he kicked the knife from the guy's hand and took him down sweeping his legs from under him before slipping an arm around the guys neck I couldn't help a smile. He had done exactly the kind of thing Jasper would have done and almost as effortlessly. As he took out his cell phone I melted away, after all I could hardly explain my presence here to the cops.

The next afternoon I waited outside his office until he appeared.

"Well I'll go with you but please don't try to give me a load of lies, I shall be very upset if you do, you or your friends."

"I promise you'll get the truth."

"So where are we going exactly?"

"A town called Forks."

"Forks? I don't think I know it."

"Its close to Port Angeles."

"Washington? That's hours away."

"I know, about four and a half hours actually."

"I see, and who am I going there to meet?"

"Some friends on the Quileute reservation."

"Well I said I'd go so I guess we should get going. Of course we won't be able to get back tonight."

"That's OK, I'm sure they'll offer you accommodation."

"And you?"

"My dad lives there, he's the Chief of Police so there's no need to worry Professor."

"Maybe you should just call me Jasper."

I shook my head,

"I can't do that, do you have a nickname?"

"Yes, my friends call me Jay."

"OK then I'll call you Jay."

He nodded and after stopping at his rooms for an overnight bag he slipped behind the wheel and we headed off.

"You'll have to direct me when we get closer."

"That's OK, I could have provided the transport but I only have my bike."

"You ride a motorbike?"

I smiled at him a little coldly,

"Yes, a Quileute friend called Jake taught me. Don't sound so surprised Jay, girls can do all kinds of things these days."

He held up his hands in surrender momentarily,

"Sorry, that was stupid but in my defense I'm very nervous."

"Oh you should be, but not of me or my friends, we are on your side."

He glanced over,

"Why don't you tell me what this is all about. I agreed to go with you so I think the least you can do is fill me in."

"When we get closer, I don't want you laughing and turning around before we get there."

He looked puzzled but he nodded and we drove on in silence for some time.

After stopping outside Hoquiam for coffee and something to eat he threw the keys to me,

"Your turn to drive, you know the way."

I caught them deftly enough, Jake and I had worked on my coordination long enough and I drove out of the cafe lot.

"Right, its time to start talking Bella."

I nodded,

"Yes it is."

"Right, first off who is the person watching me?"

"I don't know who he is only what."

"What he is? Don't tell me we're talking government spies or aliens?"

"No not aliens or spies Jay, he's far more dangerous than either of those. Your stalker is a vampire, and before you laugh in my face just listen to me."

I told him an abridged version of my encounters with the Cullens without giving him any names except that of his namesake.

"Wait a minute, you expect me to believe that not only do vampires exist but my ancestor is one, that he's still alive and you knew him and on top of that I'm being stalked by another vampire?"

I looked at him seriously,

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you."

He frowned, hesitated, then continued,

"Even if I believed that, which I don't, why would he be watching me? Do you have an answer for that?"

"No, I told you I didn't but I have contacted a vampire I know, Jasper's ex wife actually, and I'm waiting to hear from her, maybe she's seen something that will help. I do know that if they are watching you there's a reason and it won't end well for you irrespective of who they are. Your only safety lies in staying in the sun when you can and among crowds. I don't think they'll draw attention to themselves by attacking in a crowd."

"Well that's good to know. Look I'm sure you believe all this is true but I have to tell you I think its highly unlikely, I think maybe you had an episode of mental illness that affected you."

"Really? Would an episode of mental illness leave me with this?"

I pulled up my sleeve to show the bite mark left by James before the Cullens arrived to save me.

"Touch it."

"What?"

"Touch it."

He put a finger on it and frowned moving his finger above and below the scar.

"Strange I'll grant you but if you were bitten how come you didn't become a vampire yourself or dinner for one?"

I explained what Edward had done and he smiled,

"You have an explanation for everything don't you and I'll grant you that you didn't just dish up the usual vampire crap, garlic, mirrors, and turning into bats, the sun thing, well you can't get away from folklore altogether."

I nodded sadly,

"I thought you might take this attitude, and its why I wanted you to meet my friends. They can tell you much more about the vampires and maybe you'd believe a tribal elder when you wouldn't believe me. I'm warning you though, the vampire will act eventually and there's no fighting them off, they're faster, stronger, and much more dangerous than you could ever imagine."

"Well, I'll certainly remember that Bella but I think I'm well able to take care of myself from anything this world has to attack me with."

"Don't think that your martial arts will save you Jay, I've seen vampires in action and you can't win."

"I'll take my chances Bella and thank you for an entertaining few hours but I think its time we turned this car around."

I shook my head,

"I can't do that Jay, I promised myself I would do what I could to save you, for Jasper's sake, and I really need you to talk to my friends."