Mia Cara

Chapter 9 Eclipse

"You're right, I did go to Alaska. Still, I didn't expect... When I found the Cullen place empty, I thought they'd moved on."

"Oh." Bella's voice faltered. "They did move on."

Laurent's gaze sharpened and I shifted uneasily as the very air around us seemed to change in that instant even if he kept his tone light and friendly.

"I'm surprised they left you behind. Weren't you sort of a pet of theirs?"

I would have been offended for my sister if I wasn't suddenly very afraid. Bella, however, seemed completely oblivious as she answered wryly, "Something like that. "

"Hmm..." Laurent eyed us thoughtfully, his eyes flickering back to me curiously.

I met his gaze as unflinchingly as I could... only to jerk when Bella suddenly took a step back as though in shock. Laurent's eyes zeroed in on the movement and a lazy but triumphant smirk appeared on his face. My heart sank; why was my gut never wrong?

"Do they visit often?" Laurent asked casually, but his eyes were too focused and too dark for us to buy it.

I spoke up first, not trusting Bella to lie. "Every now and again."

Laurent's eyes came back to me and he cocked a brow indulgently. "Do they now?"

"Well, only Edward really, and he takes care not to be seen by our dad when he does - he wasn't too happy with him when Carlisle had to leave before people asked any more why he wasn't getting older." I pretended to scoff. Laurent's lip curled.

"And they left you behind?" He looked back at Bella, who straightened.

"Well, I have my dad and my sister." Bella gestured at me, but her voice was lame and fell a bit flat.

I grimaced internally when Laurent's grin widened. Bella, likely noticing the same thing, added quickly, "I'll have to mention to Carlisle that you stopped by. He'll be sorry they missed your visit."

My sister, I decided, needed to be formally trained how to lie. I could easily hear the lie in her voice and I had no doubt Laurent could too. He feigned thought as he looked around the meadow but he took a casual step to the side that brought him one step closer to us. I deliberated taking a step back, but decided against it; it would make very little difference to a vampire and it would only shatter the fragile dance we were currently playing.

I had only one hope - my eyes landed on a heavy log nearby even as Bella said in a high voice, "So how are things working out in Denali? Carlisle said you were staying with Tanya?"

The question made Laurent pause and he looked back at Bella. "I like Tanya very much. And her sister Irina even more. I've never stayed in one place for so long before, and I enjoy the advantages, the novelty of it. But, the restrictions are difficult - I'm surprised that any of them can keep it up for long."

He smirked. "Sometimes I cheat."

And like that, I knew without question we were goners. But maybe not if we surprised him first.

"Did Victoria ever find you?" Bella was quite obviously grasping desperately at straws. Surprisingly, her question did stop him.

"Yes." Laurent admitted, hesitating as he stared at us. "I actually came here as a favor to her."

He pulled a face.

"She won't be happy about this."

"About what?" Bella grasped eagerly at Laurent's reluctance, but I suspected it was not good news for us.

To only my sister's surprise, Laurent smiled winningly back before he answered in a low pur, "About me killing you."

Bella stumbled back, dragging me with her. I used it - it was bringing us closer to the log.