Forever Dawn

15. Confrontations Stink (Bella's POV)

I skidded to a halt in a clearing.

“Bella!” Edward looked surprised to see me.

“Oh. I wanted to see how it was going. Nessie’s still asleep. So, have you found anything?” I asked.

Emmett walked out of the trees. “Sorry, Bells, we haven’t found where they came out of the water. Or where they got in.” Jasper also slunk out of the trees. I hadn’t even known he was there.

“So there’s no leads?” I asked.

“Pretty much.” Edward said.

“Can I help you search?” I asked.

“Go ahead. But they covered their tracks pretty good.” said Emmett.

 It was raining, which would wash the scent away quicker.

I started pacing up and down the other side of the river.

I tried to pick up a scent. Vampire, vampire, vampire. I kept thinking. Roses. Think roses.

Then I stumbled onto a patch of dirt right off the water. The scent was a bit faint, masked by mud and water, but I could still smell it. It was most definitely not vampire, or werewolf, or even human.

It smelled almost like flowers and honey and chocolate, all sweet things rolled into one place.

Edward looked at me. “Are you alright, darling?” he asked.

“It’s not vampire. They weren’t a vampire.” He came over and smelled.

He shook his head. “I’ve never smelled anything like it before. It’s foreign. A new creature attacked her.”

I shuddered. “Is anyone thinking what I’m thinking?” I asked.

“We’re gonna have to move.” Said Emmett.

“Exactly.”

I went to start following the trail. It had to lead somewhere. But five feet into the trees, it disappeared.

Just gone.

“The trail stopped. Just ended.” I said. “Like whoever attacked her just flew away or something.”

“How is that possible?” Emmett asked.

“I have no idea.”

We ran back to the house, a rather deflated bunch. We couldn’t attack something we’d never seen before. We’d need the whole family. And it would be ages before we would leave Renesmee alone. Pursuing it was out of the question.

I opened the door, to see Renesmee laid out on the couch. She was awake, and looked at us as we walked in.

“Where were you?” she asked us.

“We were by the river.” I said. I walked over and sat down on the couch, careful to avoid her legs. “How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Miserable.”

I stroked her hair. “Don’t worry, honey, you’ll be fine. Carlisle’s got you all patched up, and you’ll heal by the end of the month.”

She looked a tad crestfallen. “I’m going to be stuck on this couch for a month?”

“No.”

She looked a bit happier.

“Oh, and Mom, I had to tell you something.”

“What is it, sweetie?” I asked.

“Whatever attacked me wasn’t a vampire.”