Early morning in the Swan household, Bella finishes cleaning up the living room. It looked neater and rearranged more attractively. She sweeps through one last time, folding Charlie's fleece jacket and straightening up little things. She grabs her book bag, "Dad, Koda, I'm heading out!" Bella called out but didn't get a reply as she headed for the front door. She worried about her sister, who she hadn't seen since the incident in the girl's restroom. Charlie had told her that Koda had come down with a bad case of the flu, and he didn't want her to also catch it. But what confused Bella was that she had never seen or heard of Koda ever getting sick until now. Of course, it could have happened during the years she missed with them while caring for her mother. Bella frowns and opens the front door. She is suddenly filled with dismay as she sees It's pouring down rain. The yard is full of puddles, some even frozen. Bella shivers and wraps her coat tight around her as goosebumps appear on her skin. "Great," she grumbled in annoyance. Charlie suddenly pulls into the driveway in her truck, confusing his daughter. He opens the driver's side door and steps out. "Dad, I can drive myself to school," Bella said as she started walking down the steps. She doesn't realize something's watching her from the tree line. It tracks Bella's every movement as if it's about to pounce. Bella slips on a patch of ice out of nowhere, but a warm arm catches her before her ass can hit the ground. She looked up in surprise, seeing it was Koda, who didn't look as sickly as she did a few days ago. Koda carefully lifts Bella up until she is back on her feet.
"Careful Bell, Forks is unkind to the uncoordinated," she teased. Bella huffs and lightly shoves Koda.
Charlie chuckles as he walks over, "Your sisters, right. That's why I got you new tires," he points out, surprising Bella as she looks over at the new tires. "The other ones were nearly bald," he explained.
"You got me new tires. No one's ever done that before," Bella said in disbelief. Charlie looks at her, confused. Koda understood though she knew that Bella had to grow faster than most so she could care for her spirited mother. Now Koda had nothing against Renée, but she was more like a fun aunt and less like a responsible mother. It was Bella that had to keep track of the bills and groceries, or they would go without food and heat. The wind suddenly blows, and a scent hits Koda's nose, causing her head to snap towards the tree line catching her family's attention.
"Koda, are you ok?" Charlie asked.
"Y..yeah, we should go. You still have to drop me off at the doctor's before you go to Mason County," Koda said, confusing her sister.
"Mason County?" she asked.
"Oh yeah, I'll be late for dinner. I'm heading down to Mason County. A security guard at the Grisham Mill got killed by some kind of animal...," Charlie explained as he walked to his police car.
"An animal?" Bella asked in surprise.
"You're not in Phoenix anymore, honey," he explained.
"Be careful," Bella said worriedly.
"Always am," Charlie said, then got into his car with Koda following.
An hour later, rain poured down even harder onto the hood of Charlie's car as it was parked outside the Grisham Mill. Koda stood in the middle of the crime scene while her father kept an eye out just in case another police officer showed up. "The report said the body was ripped into and eaten. So far, they're calling it a bear attack," Charlie explained.
"Of course they are," Koda said in annoyance as she crouched down by the trail of blood and sniffed the air.
"Smell anything?" he asked.
"Fear and hunger mixed with the thrill of the hunt," Koda explained.
"Vampires?" Charlie asked.
"Yes and no....three Nomads were here, but they didn't kill the guard. Something else did...," she explained, then stiffened.
"What's wrong?" Charlie asked, noticing his daughter's change in demeanor.
"The killers scent .....I smelt it at the house this morning," Koda explained in a panicked tone. A few minutes later, a black Mercedes S55 AMG pulls up next to Charlie's car. A gorgeous man steps out of the driver's side. He was young with collar-length blonde hair and was as handsome as a movie star. The man was a few inches shorter than Koda and had pale skin. He was very tired-looking, with circles under his bright topaz eyes.
"Carlisle," Charlie greeted.
"Chief Swan, I came as soon as possible, and don't worry about Bella. My daughters are keeping an eye on her at school," Carlisle explained.
Koda steps forward, "I caught the scent of three nomads. They had been hunting the security guard until something scared them off," she explained, surprising Carlisle.
"Something?" he asked.
"I'm not really sure what it is, but I can tell you this...it revels in the hunt and pain it causes," Koda explained, worrying Carlisle.
Hours later, after covering the tree line with her scent and the house, Koda sits in the living room waiting for Bella to get home from school. She was sure that her scent would be enough of a warning for whoever killed the guard. Suddenly Koda's phone rings from within her pocket. She pulled it out, "Hello?.... Dad, what's wrong?" Koda asked. Utter terror fills her eyes as she drops her phone and runs out the front door. Koda runs for the tree line as rain pours down on her soaking her to the bone.
Minutes later, Koda barges through the hospital doors. Her wet hair and clothing clung to her body as she stormed through the hallways, following her sister's scent. She bursts through another set of double doors and finds her sister sitting on a gurney with Charlie standing next to her. The E.R. Doctor looks into Bella's eyes with a pen light. On the next gurney over, Tyler, the van's driver, lies with a mild head wound. At the sight of Tyler, all Koda could see was red as she went straight for him. Charlie rushes forward and grabs his youngest daughter before she rips the young boy to shreds. "I know....I know, but your sister needs you right now," he said, breaking Koda out of her rage. She pulls from her father and rushes to Bella's side.
"I'm fine, Koda. Calm down," Bella said, but Koda still looked her over for any wounds. Once she is positive her sister is ok, she pulls Bella into a tight hug surprising her older sister.
"I thought I lost you," Koda whispered with tears in her eyes. Bella hugged back, not caring that Koda's drenched clothes were soaking hers.
The double doors open again, revealing Carlisle, "I heard one of the Chief's daughters was here," he said with a smile. Carlisle walks over to Bella, "I've got this one," he explained to the E.R. Doctor. The doctor hands Dr. Cullen the chart and leaves the room. Dr. Cullen reviews her chart, then feels the back of her head, "You have a nice knot growing back there, but your x-rays show no indication of concussion," he explained.
"It would have been a lot worse if Edith hadn't knocked me out of the way," Bella explained. Koda and Charlie give each other a look.
"...Edith? Your girl?" Charlie asked, looking at Carlisle. Dr. Cullen quickly looks back at the chart. Bella's intuition flickers, sensing he knows something. She decides to press the matter.
"It was amazing she got to me so fast, and She was nowhere near me," Bella explained.
Carlisle smiles at her, "All that matters is that you're safe," he said. A few seconds later, Charlie, Koda, and Bella exit the treatment area.
"I just have to sign some paperwork. You better call your mom," Charlie explained.
"You told her?! She's probably freaking out," Bella said in disbelief. He shrugs and hurries off. Bella shakes her head and pulls out her cell phone. She is about to dial when she sees Carlisle with his two daughters down the hall. Rosalie is clearly furious at Edith, who stands her ground. Dr. Cullen tries his best to play mediator.
"This isn't just about you. It's about all of us..," Rosalie said through gritted teeth. Koda touches her sister's arm catching her attention.
"Bell, we should go dad's worried enough. We shouldn't make him come looking for us," she explained, giving Carlisle a chance to lead Rosalie away. Bella noticed and headed straight for Edith with a look of determination. Edith adopted a nonchalant look as Bella approached her. Koda sighs in annoyance.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Bella asked. Edith nodded, knowing Bella wouldn't take no for an answer. "How did you get over to me so quickly?" she asked.
"I was standing right next to you," Edith explained as if she was talking to a child.
"No...you were next to your car.....across the lot," Bella said, not believing Edith's blatant lie. Edith steps closer to Bella as her expression turns cold.
"No, I wasn't," she spat, trying to bully Bella into submission, but Koda appeared by her sister's side, shoving Edith back.
She actually stumbles back a few steps, "Talk to her like that again, and I'll knock your teeth out," Koda threatened through gritted teeth as she clenched her fists. Edith knew Koda meant every word, so she turned and left. Once Koda is sure she is out of hearing range, she turns toward her sister.
"You need to let this go, Bella," she said, surprising her sister.
"I just want to know the truth," Bella explained.
"There are some things in this world your not meant to know," Koda said, then walked away.
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