Chapter 8 — Scent

Jacob

I tried to go home and sleep, but I couldn't. I was restless and anxious to see Nessie again. Around five A.M., I got in my car and drove around the suburbs in the dark. I hadn't meant to, but I suddenly found myself driving right by the hospital where Nessie worked. Or, perhaps I was just deluding myself and I was actually a total creep.

I drove through the parking garage and parked, thinking maybe I would surprise her when she came out and then I could be with her even sooner. I was just about to settle in to wait when two things happened at once. Nessie appeared and a sickly sweet smell burned my nostrils.

I didn't think. I jumped out of the car, pulled off my clothes, and phased. The smell was overpowering in this small, dank space. Then I saw it, hunched in the darkest shadow of the garage, getting ready to pounce. It looked young. It hadn't seen me. Its scarlet, hungry eyes were all for Nessie. Nessie had noticed it, too. Although it hadn't moved or made a sound, her eyes grew large as though she could smell it too, and she turned to face it. All of this happened in a second. Then, the next second, the vampire lunged, I pounced, and Nessie screamed. The vampire was strong, so it was definitely young. But it hadn't been expecting the attack and was, therefore, easy to dismember. It had been too long since I'd hunted and killed a vamp. It felt good.

When I was finally finished, I turned back to Nessie, who looked terrified. She kept shaking her head back and forth, as though trying to clear it. Of course, she must have been scared of me. I was a monster, after all. I laid down in front of her to show her I was harmless.

"It's true," she whispered under her breath. "You are a werewolf."

That was such a strange thing for her to say that I phased back without thinking so I could talk to her. She didn't look surprised to see me.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked.

"Lucky guess," she breathed.

"Why did you think I was a werewolf?" I asked.

"Because… urban legends. Quileute tribe stuff. I believe it all. Suspected you were different."

"You're not a normal human girl," I said. "You knew that was a vampire. You smelled it. And you knew I wasn't normal either."

"That's correct," she said, still breathless, looking at the remains of the vampire. "I'm also aware that you're standing in the middle of the parking garage at my work completely naked."

"Oh right. Sorry," I said, pulling my clothes back on. "Well, I guess you have a lot of questions?"

"Starting with what are you doing here?" she said and was surprised to hear anger in her voice.

"Saving your life last time I checked," I said, slightly annoyed. "A thank you would be nice."

"Thank you," she said shortly. "But how did you know there was going to be a vampire here in the first place?"

"I didn't," I admitted. "I just… missed you. So I thought maybe I'd meet you at work instead."

She nodded, her eyes glazed with thoughts I could not read.

"You're a werewolf," she said. "You kill vampires."

"That pretty much sums it up," I said uneasily. "Now will you tell me what you are?"

She looked at me, her eyes wide with… was it fear? But then my phone rang, making echoes in the mostly empty garage. We both jumped and then laughed. I answered my phone. It was Seth.

"Hey man, sorry to call you so early," Seth said.

"No worries, I was awake anyway. Just killed my first fresh vamp in years."

"No way! Where? Are you okay?"

"In Seattle," I said. "And of course I'm okay. I just wish it had been a better fight. It was almost too easy if you know what I mean—"

I was flexing a bit for Nessie and I knew it. But I couldn't help myself.

"Well I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Seth sighed. "On a more serious note, I have some bad news. Charlie died last night."

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"What? But I just saw him yesterday at the party! He looked, well, old. But fine!"

"Died in his sleep," Seth said. "Cardiac arrest, the doctors think. But he's had health issues for years now. It was his time."

"I'm so sorry Seth," I said, knowing Charlie has been like a father to him and Leah once he'd married Sue.

"Thanks man," said Seth. "The funeral is tomorrow. I know you're working but—"

"I'll be there," I said firmly.

"See you there," said Seth and hung up.

I turned to face Nessie. But I saw from the look on her face that she had heard every word.

"I want to come with you," she said. "To the funeral."

"Of course," I said. "I'd really appreciate that. I know you only got to meet him when he was senile, but he was such a nice man. I knew him my whole life. Best friends with my dad. Do anything for anyone. And he had a hard life. His daughter died when she was 18."

The words hurt to say, but not as much as they used to. Perhaps, after all these decades, Bella's death could become just a sad chapter in my history rather than the tragedy that defined my life.

"Do you want me to take you home?" I said, looking at her pale face, her blank stare.

"Yes — no. I have my car. But meet me there, please?" she said.

"Of course," I said. "I just have to burn the body."

I had taken Luna with me on my drive and she excitedly entered the luxurious apartment, bounding off to meet Dracula and take a drink from his water dish in the kitchen. However, I stopped at the door, frozen in horror. Nessie came in after me, looking bewildered at my horrified face.

"What's wrong?" she said. "What is it?"

"Vampires," I said. "I can smell them. Stay here while I check the place out."

I moved in the room, smelling their sickly sweet scent. It seemed to be most evident in the living room, not the bedroom, bathroom, or guest bedroom. It was as though a bloodsucker had just popped in for a quick visit and then ran out again.

"Maybe it's just the lingering smell of the other vampire," said Nessie uncertainly. "There's clearly no vampire here. What do they smell like to you anyway?"

"Sweet. Sickeningly sweet. So sweet it burns my nose," I said, distractedly, still looking around. "Did you notice a smell before you left for work?"

"No," she said, then approached me. "Let's just go to bed, okay? I'm exhausted."

The pleading look in her eyes convinced me. We walked to the bedroom. She undressed until she was completely naked. I undressed too. Together we curled up under the covers. I held her to me, her body pleasantly hot against my own. Her breathing slowed and she fell asleep fairly quickly. With the thought of vampires in Nessie's apartment, he thought he would have a difficult time falling asleep. However, he hadn't slept much the night before and now that he had Nessie with him again, he found himself drifting off easily into a strange dream….

He was in wolf form sitting by a wide stream. That sweet scent still filled his nostrils and burned his eyes.

"It's like having a migraine," said a petite vampire with spiky dark hair to his left. "At least I think it is. I don't remember being human. I'm trying to see her, to see the fetus. But I can't. I don't know what their futures are."

I woke suddenly from this dream with the name of the vampire on my tongue. Alice. Why on earth was I thinking of her? I hadn't thought of any of the vampires in that coven in years. Strangely, I remembered liking Alice during that bizarre and awful time. She was nice enough, funny even. And she cared about Bella, whatever her other faults were. She agreed with me about the monster inside Bella, unlike Blondie.

I stared at Nessie who was still sleeping. She was so beautiful, but… what was she hiding from me? And, after what she had seen me become, why did she feel the need to hide it?

Suddenly, as though sensing my gaze, she opened her eyes.

"Good morning," she said, smiling and rolling over to face me.

"Good morning," I said back.

She kissed me slowly, lovingly. It was good to know she could still kiss me like this, even knowing what I was now. I rolled on top of her and placed myself gently between her legs. We continued to kiss as I entered her. She let out a soft moan. My instinct was to rush with rapid, hungry thrusts. But I moved slowly, savoring the feeling of her tight pussy around my cock with each thrust and we continued to kiss. She wrapped her arms and legs around me and ran her fingers through my hair.

"I love you, Jacob," she said suddenly, looking in my eyes. "I know it's early to say that but I love you. And it doesn't matter to me what you are. I love you no matter what."

My heart felt so full, bursting as it was with love and happiness. She loved me back.

"I love you, too," I whispered. "So much."

She began to move underneath me, slowly at first matching my rhythm. Then increasing speed towards her orgasm. I matched her, thrusting harder and faster so we could climax together. She cried out, clutching at my back as she came. A moment later I was cumming too. After, we laid there shaking together, holding each other tightly. I enjoyed staying inside her for a as long as possible, letting myself get soft, keeping that connection. Eventually I pulled out and she sighed.

"I love you," I said again. "And you don't have to tell me what you are yet, if you don't want to. Just know that I'll love you. No matter what."