About A Girl- Nirvana (Unplugged)

Something In The Way- Nirvana (Unplugged)

Where Did You Sleep Last Night- Nirvana (Unplugged)

I had never given much thought to how I was going to die.

I didn't remember much of my human life, but I was wealthy and young, so I knew I didn't worry much about a death I had figured was decades in the future. And when I was changed into a vampire and got a good grasp on the idea of immortality, I never really gave death another thought.

But I had finally found Edward, my life, my love. And as unready as I was to leave him, I would die for him if I had to.

So when Jane jumped gracefully off the roof of an adjacent warehouse, her robe billowing in the descent and hood dropping to reveal her short-cropped, pale brown hair, I knew that I would be facing the inevitable to protect Edward.

I took my hands off the vampire's neck and stood down, knowing Jane would want him for herself. Knowing Jane's sadistic nature, I made sure everyone was tightly enveloped in my shield, completely protected from her power of inflicting intense agony on anyone she decided deserved it.

Alec, Felix, and Demetri descended behind her, standing back to let Jane administer whatever justice she saw fit.

"Jane, it's been a long time," Carlisle called, stepping forward to draw her attention off of me. It didn't work.

"Carlisle, you look well," She acknowledged, then looked back to me, her crimson eyes cold and cruel. I swallowed back the thick venom that coated my throat, gulping it down.

"I just knew we would find you here, Bella. Always in the thick of things," she laughed again, a cold giggle that made me want to snarl and rip her head off too.

"You know me, Jane. I love to be the center of attention," I lied smoothly, hopelessly attempting to appease her with politeness.

"Hey Bella! Long time no see," Felix greeted me with a grin, though his smile dampened a bit when Jane glared at him over her shoulder. I had never been on bad terms with Felix, the hulking strongman of the Volturi Guard. He was what I'd imagine Emmett would have been like if he hadn't found Rose and been changed by a vegetarian family- honest, upbeat, with a sharp propensity to violence.

"I'm glad you could join us for the grand finale," I gestured to the vampire I had pinned under my heel, Emmett and Carmen still holding him down on both sides. Jane glanced down at him and lifted her chin, and I knew what she was going to do. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carlisle turn away.

Suddenly, the vampire started screaming, writhing in agony. As he struggled pointlessly against the pain Jane inflicted, he buried his body deeper into the concrete, gravel grinding against his skin.

"Lift him up," Jane demanded. I stepped off his back, and Emmett and Carlisle lifted him to his feet, each keeping a secure grip on his armless torso. She pulled her torture out of him so they could question him, but her sadistic nature couldn't resist glancing at Carmen, who was standing in the doorway to the warehouse, and trying to throw pain her way.

I felt it, too, like a needle prick on my subconscious. It wasn't painful in the least, and Carmen didn't even notice what she was doing. Jane's mouth tightened in a straight line, and she looked like a petulant child who didn't get her way. I half-expected her stomp a foot.

"Tell me, young vampire, why you committed such a crime?" Jane asked him, his head sagging as he tried to recover from the pain.

"I believe I can answer that question," Jasper sounded polite but cold, and Peter, Tanya, Irina, Kate, and Eleazar emerged from the shadows behind him, with Esme and Charlotte jumping down from the rooftop, unsuccessful in their tracking of the orange-haired woman. I quickly stretched my shield out to envelope them as well before Jane or Alec got any ideas about incapacitating my family.

Felix bristled, uncomfortable by how egregiously outnumbered they were. They weren't used to feeling powerless, but with Alec and Jane nullified, we could easily destroy the four of them. Not that we would ever risk such a thing, but the thought did cross my mind. I would've relished ripping Jane's head from her tiny, evil body.

"I'm Jasper, ma'am," he introduced himself politely, "And my companions, Peter and Charlotte, and I have been tracking this vampire for several months. There have been newborn armies up and down the coast for the past two years now. A vampire named Carla created one in Phoenix, but she ranged west instead of the traditional south to gain control of Southern California. In response, a small coven in San Francisco formed an army to protect their established territory. This one," he gestured to the armless vampire, "Was created by Carla, but he escaped and ran north. It seems he wanted to establish a territory, then challenge for San Francisco."

"I'm surprised that you're only just now here to investigate," I said, narrowing my eyes. It was… suspicious, to say the least. That they would wait until the violence had spread so close to the Cullen family to finally make a move. And that they had made an appearance only at the end of the battle, when Demetri surely could have found the three newborns and their creator…

"Oh, you know how violent those big California cities are," Jane brushed off my scrutiny.

"We don't investigate. We administer justice," Alec said coldly, always coming to his sister's defense. The two looked so much alike, I'd imagine it might be difficult for a human to tell them apart. They were both similarly short, with shoulder length pale brown hair and childish faces that would make them look innocent but for the aura of evil and the crimson eyes. They were frozen as surly, sullen, vindictive teenagers for all eternity, and certainly acted their part.

"By all means, administer your justice and we'll be on our way," Carlisle said. I knew the attempt was futile, but for a moment, I felt my hope build. I could be seeing Edward soon, I could hold him in my arms and feel him wrap himself around me as he slept.

"Just a moment, Carlisle," Jane requested, "Vampire, why did you cause such a spectacle in Seattle? You are older than these newborns were, why did you not teach them our laws?"

"I'm thirsty," the vampire snarled, his eyes pitch black. He was completely feral, there was no way Jane was going to get definitive answers from him.

"Were you trying to create an army?" Jane asked, but didn't allow an answer before burning him from the inside with her gift.

"No," he rasped, gasping after the pain subsided.

"Then who created all these newborns? And why stay in the same place? It's unnatural," Jasper interjected, crossing his arms and squinting speculatively at the armless vampire. He knew probably better than any of us how difficult it was to control newborns, and he was correct. Vampire covens rarely contained more than two vampires- the only ones I was familiar with that were comprised of more than three living in peace were my family, the Denalis, and the Volturi, and vegetarians were far less prone to the violence and aggression of the others.

Before the vampire could answer, Jane nodded her head subtly, and Felix swiftly pulled the vampire's head from his body. Emmett and Carmen ripped the legs they had been holding off.

I exchanged a glance with Carlisle. Why would Jane stop the interrogation without getting an answer?

"Where should I put this?" Felix jokingly asked, grinning and holding the head up next to his own. Emmett directed him inside, and they carried the pieces of the vampire's body to the fire that had burned his army and its victims.

"We'll need to burn down this building, and collapse the debris in the area to obscure the remnants of a fight," Demetri directed. We would have done it on our own, but we were all waiting for their instruction, not wanting to overstep our bounds.

We made quick work of the building, spreading the accelerant, then ripping off burning pieces and covering the street.

"Not too fast," Jane called out as we tried to make our escape. There were sirens off in the distance- someone had seen the smoke from the building and called the police. "This is just such a complex tale. Several newborn armies, their obvious feeding in the city, and the Cullens? Aro will want to know more, don't you think, brother?" Jane looked to Alec, who nodded his affirmation.

"Carlisle, Bella, I'm sure Aro would love to see you again."

I clenched my fists at my side. The answer was obvious which Cullen would be going.

"Does it have to be now?" Carmen asked, trying to mask her deep concern. We all knew that it would be me who would return to Volterra, and that my chances of coming back were not great. In the very least, a delay would give me a chance to say goodbye to Edward, to tell him one last time how much I loved him.

The sirens grew louder as the firetrucks neared.

"No, I suppose not. Though I can't imagine Aro will want to wait long to hear such a fascinating tale," she laughed her cold, reedy chuckle, relishing in the knowledge that I would soon be back in her master's control.

"Within the year should be appropriate," Demetri confirmed, smoothing back his long black hair before flicking his hood up.

"I'll see you soon, Bella," Felix winked, then ran north, with Alec, Jane, and Demetri close behind him.

"You should know that two of the newborns got away- a man with short brown hair and a woman with bright orange hair. They seemed to be wary of a fight," Carlisle called out to the fading figures. Demetri swung around, breathing deeply. I knew he was trying to catch a scent, though I didn't know how he was going to be able to track them with so many trails from so many newborns, and without having met the two vampires so he wasn't familiar with their mental signaling.

Demetri explained his power to me once. Each person has a unique mental note, and Demetri was able to focus in on one person and find them from any distance- the most powerful tracking power the Volturi had ever found.

If anyone could find the two escaped newborns, it would be Demetri.

I was frozen in place, tense and bubbling with anger and fear as I watched after them disappearing into the night. The fact that I was even alive and they gone was a miracle.

"We need to go," Rose whispered, pulling at my waist. I was glad she didn't tug on my hand- I could still feel the tearing and microfractures that likely wouldn't fully heal until I fed. I had never been squeezed like that by a newborn before, and I hoped it would never happen again.

I let Rose pull me with her, moving away just as the trucks raced down the street we were on. The siren lights casted angry red shadows on the buildings as we flitted past, like demons following us through the city.

We made our way to the water's edge, where we had cornered Peter, Charlotte, and Jasper when we thought they were a part of the army. It felt like so long ago…

Without discussion, my family surrounded me, pulling me into a hug. Esme was at one side, Rose the other, with Emmett wrapping his arms around us all and Carlisle placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, Bella," Esme cried, shuddering as she held me. It felt like a goodbye.

"I don't mean to bother y'all, but what happened back there?" Peter interrupted, clutching Charlotte to his side. He obviously recognized how much danger we momentarily escaped.

"Bella and Carlisle, and Eleazar, were transient members of the Guard, and Aro really wants Bella back," Tanya explained on our behalf, reaching out to rub my shoulder comfortingly. I had to hold back a flinch of pain.

I disliked being called a former Volturi member, as did Carlisle, though the term was more accurate for me than him. Carlisle was barely in Volterra for two decades before we left. I was there for over a hundred years, and Aro had considered me an innermost member of the Guard. That I had left despite posing such an insurmountable threat to them… I knew Aro wouldn't want to let me go a second time.

"I'll have to go back to Volterra," I whispered, the ache in my arms dulling as a pressure built in my chest.

"We'll figure something out," Esme offered.

"There's nothing to figure out. That was a direct order from Jane, and I'm the only Cullen who can go without… being exposed." Everyone else in my family knew about Edward. We had all broken the law there, and I feared that even if I promised to change him, Aro would not forgive the transgression. And I couldn't change Edward until he was ready- I couldn't damn him to an existence when he felt so broken and traumatized.

"We're going to be going," Peter said, Charlotte tucked into his side, "Jasper?"

Jasper looked over to his companions, then back to us, and I sensed some sort of inner struggle, though I wasn't sure why.

"I think I'd like to stay," he looked to us, "If that's okay with you? I'm… intrigued by the idea of not feeding from humans."

Carlisle looked as overjoyed as he possibly could have been, given the levity of the situation.

"Of course, we'd be happy to have you," he welcomed.

Peter nodded, unsurprised- almost as if he expected it. I was curious about these three vampires, and what they had been through. I had never met a survivor of the Southern vampire wars, much less three who had made it out of the same army.

Jasper and Peter shook hands, and he and Charlotte exchanged a brief hug, and then the two white-blond vampires were off. It was typical of nomads, never staying in one place for too long, and uncomfortable at being a part of such a large group as ours. They hardly bade us farewell, eager to be free again.

Jasper staying was only a quick distraction from my thoughts. I would be leaving Edward for good soon. I couldn't foresee myself returning from Volterra, Aro would surely find some crime to execute me for, or not allow me to leave until I revealed my mind to him. And if I revealed my mind to him, he would know I had broken the law, and then execute me for it.

"Fuck," I whispered to myself, thinking over every possible scenario and not thinking of anything that would allow my safe exit from Volterra.

"Could we hide from them?" Emmett asked. It was unlike him, to want to run from a fight. He must understand how dire the situation was.

"They have Demetri," I sighed, looking out at the water, a lone ferry boat drifting slowly across the waterway, "If we ran, I'd have to shield all of us constantly. No one could go far from me. And even then, they'd probably make a stop in Denali." I looked over to our dear cousins, standing strong with us. No, we couldn't put them in danger like that.

"Shield?" Jasper asked curiously, studying me.

"My ability is that of a mental shield, though I can shield others. I'm protected from Jane, Alec, Aro, Demetri…" I trailed off , leaving the rest to his imagination.

"Oh." Jasper saw the danger of the situation then.

I was the single greatest threat to the Volturi. They relied too heavily on Jane and Alec to incapacitate all enemies, and I nullified those abilities. They relied on Chelsea to split the ties between covens, but I could protect from that. If I wanted- though I certainly did not- I could return to Volterra and shield members of the Guard from Chelsea, who kept them all together, or shield Chelsea from Corin, who kept Chelsea happy with her gift.

They were the two most important- more vital than even Jane. Corin can make people feel content and happy, and Aro had Chelsea reliant on that power. And as long as Chelsea was content and at no risk of leaving, she could keep everyone else tied to the Volturi with her ability to influence the bonds between people.

Some, like Jane and Alec, didn't need to be incentivized to stay- they thrived on the violence and power. But after spending time around him, I was convinced that Marcus would no longer be with the Volturi, or maybe even alive, if it wasn't for Chelsea.

The Volturi maintained power through a very delicate balance within their own group, and I could easily be their downfall. But there was a reason Aro, Marcus, and Caius had ruled over us all for over a thousand years, and they certainly wouldn't willingly give up their power or risk their rule. Even if I had no intention of using my gift to do anything malevolent to the Volturi, Aro couldn't get in my head to be sure, and they certainly didn't trust anyone- not even each other.

"Can we go home?" I whispered from unmoving lips. I need to be near Edward. I needed to hold him and feel his heart beat and breathe in his delicious scent, let it fill my lungs and bring him inside of me.

Jasper asked questions on our run, but I was unable to participate.

Apparently, he had a similar gift to Corin, but it wasn't limited to happiness, and it was less intoxicating. He could manipulate emotions- excite a lethargic group, or anger a monk, though it didn't have the same addictive effect as Corin's contentment power.

He did mention that his ability made it so he felt what his victims felt in their last moments, and it had become incredibly draining on him. He would abstain from feeding, then grow desperate from thirst, and it had been a vicious cycle for decades.

"I had no idea we could sustain ourselves from animals," Jasper said, running next to Carlisle.

"I must warn you, it might not be a pleasant experience the first several times you drink," Carlisle said, "With being so used to drinking from humans, your palate needs time to adjust."

"I can attest to this," Eleazar added, "Carmen and I reformed to this lifestyle after decades of living as regular vampires. It is not an easy conversion, but it is incredibly worthwhile."

Jasper inquired about how we all came to be together, and came to abstain from human blood. Tanya told him of their developing a conscience through attachment to human partners, all the while batting her eyes at him suggestively. He didn't seem interested, but I wasn't paying enough attention to be sure.

Carlisle gave him a brief summary of my history, and told him of his London youth and change. Jasper was incredibly impressed that we had both eschewed human blood from the moment of our change, and Rose couldn't help but boast that she had also never tasted human blood. She didn't mention her murderous revenge on the men who had harmed her.

We were nearly on the westernmost edges of Olympic National Forest, and I picked up speed. I had already been running as fast as my feet could carry me, but I felt a pull, like iron to a magnet, pushing me further.

"Bella, do you need to hunt?" Rose ran next to me, concern clear on her face. I did need to hunt- I was still slightly crushed from the surprise attack- but being with Edward was beyond a need. I shook my head and broke off from the group as they all ran for home.

I made a beeline for the Swan residence, not even paying attention to the roads. Day was breaking, and though I knew Edward wouldn't be there, I had to check to make sure.

The little white house was completely empty. I looped around, searching for unfamiliar scents, but smelled no vampire but myself. I sighed in relief- they were on the reservation somewhere.

I pried Edward's locked bedroom window open, my fingers causing indents in the frame where I had to force it up. Oh well, I would replace it later, or sand it down. I had wanted to upgrade several things in Edward' small room anyways. He needed a new, firmer mattress, and a bedframe that could accommodate his height so his feet wouldn't hang off. I could also get him a sturdier desk, a computer, a bookshelf, new books, a stereo, a nice portable CD player, all the CDs he could want… I would make sure my Edward was never wanting for anything ever again- as he deserved.

The first thing I noticed was the note written in Edward's looping scrawl on his scratchy plaid blanket: Got Charlie to take Alice and me to La Push. I'll make sure we stay the night. Please be safe. Please come back to me. I love you.

I held the note to my face, deeply breathing in the scent of paper, ink, and Edward.

So, Edward was on the reservation, and more than likely safe. The wolves would never allow a vampire to harm a human on their land, that was their whole purpose for living.

I decided to go wait near La Push Road, just outside the treaty line, in case Charlie decided to take Edward and Alice back to Forks in the morning. I had asked Edward to stay until I reached him, but I could only imagine what excuse Edward had made to make sure they stayed overnight.

I was feeling restless and jittery. I climbed one of the tallest pines for an excellent vantage point- I could see the road for ten miles over the treaty line. But I bounced my foot so hard, struggling to find an outlet for my anxiety and heart ache, that the branch snapped under me.

It's not as if I could fall- I slid down the trunk of the tree easily- but I knew I also couldn't just sit idly by until the morning dragged by and it would be appropriate to call the Black residence.

It was all I could do to just patrol the border and not cross the line and run straight to where my Edward was. I thought I was being rather patient, running back and forth until seven thirty, when I sprinted back to the Swan residence.

I almost crushed the kitchen phone in my zealousness, punching in the numbers as fast as the phone would allow. Jacob Black picked up the phone after five endless rings.

"'Lo," said the groggy voice of a teenage boy pulled from sleep.

"Good morning, I was hoping to reach Edward or Alice Masen?" I kept my voice cool and polite, though what I most wanted was to cry for my love. The ache in my chest was growing harsher.

"Ed, it's your girlfriend," Jacob Black said to Edward. I was a little territorial of his name- Ed was far too mundane for my mate. But Jacob Black was aware of Edward's claim to my heart, meaning Edward had made the claim known, and a descendant of Ephraim Black accepted it.

"Bella?" There was no sign of sleep in Edward's voice, his tone urgent and filled with worry. A phone didn't capture the smooth quality or the measured cadence of his voice, but just hearing my Edward made me feel the need to weep with joy. I felt the hovering ache in the chest lessen, the tenseness easing as I realized that Edward was so close to me.

"Oh, Edward! I'm here and I'm okay. Please, come back to me," I cried, clutching the phone to my ear.

"I'm c-coming, love," Edward sighed.

"I miss you," I whispered, unable to let him go, though I knew the sooner he hung up, the sooner he would be with me.

"I know, Bella. I'll b-be h-home soon."

"I love you," I reminded him.

"I love you, too."

As soon as the line went dead, the ache clouded my chest again.

I turned to hand the phone back up on the wall, only to find my finger indentations on the phone from where I held it so tightly. I squeezed along the prints, trying to even it out and push the plastic back into place. The phone still looked misshapen, but it was no longer obvious that human-esque hands caused it.

I didn't know what to do with myself while I waited. I wondered what my family was doing, especially with the new addition of an empath warrior vampire interested in our new lifestyle. I figured he was likely to return to Alaska with Eleazar and Carmen, and I doubted Tanya, Kate, and Irina would be far behind them. It would be safer for everyone with Jasper in Alaska- fewer humans, more space to hunt, more biodiversity. And Carlisle was wont to return home with specks of blood on him from time to time, which certainly wouldn't be conducive to training a new vegetarian vampire.

I stood in the kitchen, still and waiting, until I heard it. An unfamiliar engine of a vintage Volkswagen, driving down the street towards me.

Edward!

I waited next to the front door impatiently for the car to inch towards me. The second the car pulled into the driveway, I swung the door open and ran as fast as humanly plausible to him.

He was still opening the door to the little red Rabbit- it looked like it was from the mid-80's but the engine purred like one of Rose's rebuilds so I thought even she would be impressed- by the time I reached him.

"Are y-you okay?" he asked, giving me a once over. I still had physical pain in my arms and sides that likely wouldn't subside until I hunted, but I certainly wasn't going to tell him that.

"I'm fine," I promised, "Are you okay?" He looked alright. Well, he looked more than alright. It was like I was looking at him anew, I was stunned by his beauty. I studied the planes of his smooth face, looking for the subtle changes human constantly underwent. No, same strong jaw, same straight nose, high cheekbones, thick brows. I could stare into those eyes forever, smoldering and soft, each delicate leaf of his iris a slightly different shade of green, all framed with impossibly thick lashes. My gaze shifted down his nose to the deep philtrum that dipped into the dramatic cupid's bow of his full, soft lips.

I leaned forward, into him, and found my lips pressed against him, my hands snaking through his soft, messy hair to hold him to me. I could feel every pump of his heart within me, thumping the steady rhythm of my existence; the heat of his body warmed me so completely.

We were interrupted by Jacob Black clearing his throat. He seemed to have grown quite a bit since the last time I had seen him, his dark hair long enough to brush the tops of his broad shoulders. In his arms was little Alice, deeply asleep, her mouth slightly open.

"I'm gonna take her upstairs?" he asked, shifting his weight so that Alice's head rested on his chest. I wished I could take her from him- I would be less likely to jostle her- but it would be too suspicious.

"I c-can g-get her," Edward offered, drawing away from me slightly. Jacob shook his head.

"Nah, I got her. She's tiny, it's not a problem," he started walking up the steps, then turned again, "Hey, you mind if I hang around for a while? Our TV's broken and the Mariners are playing the White Sox today." I wondered if it was built into every human male to love sports- even uncompetitive Carlisle took great joy out of our baseball games.

"S-Sure," Edward shrugged. I wished he had dismissed Jacob Black. I wanted to be alone with Edward, not hang out with a teenage boy all day.

"Hey, if you guys wanna go out, I can keep an eye on Alice," he looked at Edward knowingly, and I figured something happened that I was unaware of.

"Do you want to go to our meadow?" I asked him, eager to be away from other distractions. I wanted to devour Edward, hold him in my arms and let him warm me inside and out. I couldn't even entertain leaving him again, I pushed the thought from my head. I also wanted to know about every moment I missed- I wished Edward could keep track of his every breath because even that was intensely interesting to me.

Edward nodded, smiling down at me with his crooked grin. As long as he smiled like that, nothing could be bad. Everything would be perfect.

"I'll l-let Jake know," he said, extricating himself from my grasp and closing the car door. So Edward had a nickname for Jacob as well? Jacob Black was a little younger- in fact, was he even old enough to drive that car?- but he seemed well-behaved and nice enough. It would be good for Edward to have a male friend, a human friend. It was just so ironic that my mate of all people would become friends with the grandson of Ephraim Black.

I wondered if Jacob Black would also transform into a wolf one day. When that time came, Edward would simply have to end the friendship until Jacob grew older and became more controlled. I could not allow his perfect face to be marred like what Sam Uley did to his girlfriend. Then I would have to kill Jacob Black, and that would create a whole host of other issues.

Edward opened the front door and poked his head in to let Jacob know we were leaving, and to help himself to anything in the fridge. Jacob made a dumb beer joke that Edward laughed at, and he was soon in my arms once again.

I led him down the little path through the woods next to the house, the world around me finally saturating with color again. I could see the delicate veins on the soft green leaves again, I could hear the sounds of the ant colonies scrambling beneath our feet as we sank through the thick, rich mud. It was beautiful, but couldn't hold a candle to the boy who was wrapping his legs around my waist.

I was careful to navigate under the thicker brush of the forest, keeping Edward partially covered from the drizzling rain. I longed for a sunny day, to be able to warm ourselves in the sun as Edward pressed me into the grass. I supposed I should just be grateful that it wasn't pouring yet.

As I ran, I debated with myself. On the run from Seattle, all I could do was focus on being in Edward's arms again that I hadn't contemplated what the future held for us. Should I tell Edward I would be leaving soon, or not? And if I did tell him, do I disclose just how dangerous my returning to Volterra would be?

Or do I tell him later?

Or not at all?

Should I continue Book 2 here, or start a new story?