A Potter Secret

Cliff and Saviors

"Excellent. If the redhead's after Bella, we've got bait," Jared starts.

With stunning speed, Jacob grabs a four-pronged spading fork from some garden tools, and flings it toward Jared's head Jared easily, and amazingly, catches it. "She is not bait," Jacob screams.

A picnic table in the middle of this small, quaintly landscaped garden. Jacob, Bella, Embry, Paul, Sam, Jared and Emily are in the midst of a huge breakfast. "I should leave town," Bella suggests.

"Victoria will follow you and make it harder for us to catch her," Sam replies.

"No one can catch her. She can escape anything," Bella explains.

"Ooh. She has special powers," Paul jokes.

"Some of them do," Bella says seriously.

They all look at her. She instantly regrets saying it. "Like what? Bella?" Jacob presses.

"The mind reader you said you knew. He was a suckhead? Can they all do that?" Jared asks.

"That would blow," Embry notes.

"No, I shouldn't have- no," Bella corrects.

"She's still protecting them," Paul scoffs.

Jared shakes his head. "I don't know why. It's not like they stuck around to protect you."

"Guys, back off," Jacob insists. Jacob looks apologetically at Bella. She shrinks, stung, before stepping outside. Jacob follows her to the railing. "He didn't mean it, Bella. Vampires are our natural enemy. Having you protect them while you're in our territory is- it's like betraying the pack in their minds because we brought you in and you are caring more about our enemy than us."

"They shouldn't be your enemy," Bella says. "They're good people."

Jacob rolls his eyes. "It's our history with them and our ancestor's history with vampires. We understand that the Cullens are trying to live with what they've been cursed with but our nature disagrees with their nature."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jacob walks her to the door of her house. "Don't worry, we've got this place covered. She won't get near you or Charlie," Jacob assures. Bella nods. He sees she's blue. "Hey, we should do something fun. Like, cliff diving, right?"

"I could use the rush," Bella replies.

"Soon. After we catch her." He offers a reassuring look before jogging into the woods.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bella awakens that night, tears on her face. She can't take it. She gets out of bed, anxious to leave her dreams behind. But it stays with her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bella knocks on the door to the cabin, rain falling around her, wind blowing strong. Emily opens the door. "Bella. Are you okay?" Emily asks.

"Yeah, I just- is Jacob here? He wasn't at home," Bella mentions.

Sam appears behind Emily. "He's with Jared and Embry, keeping an eye on things. I'm heading out soon. Should I tell him something?" Sam continues. Sam wraps an arm around Emily. Their deep love is achingly obvious.

"You want to come in?" Emily asks. But Bella's already hurrying to her truck, determination on her face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A rifle is locked and loaded. Charlie checks it, then notes the position of the six men in his hunting party, all wearing rain gear. He sees Harry at the end of the line, pausing, looking down. "You got something, Harry?" Charlie calls.