The last days they would spend in Finland ticked away. They were in full preparation of their move to Forks. They planned it so that they had the summer holidays to settle in Forks. None of his family was looking forward to the move, mostly because of the werewolves, but Carlisle made the deal and he was not a man to break his word. It was Bella's last school day, so the boys decided to pick her up together. They drove there in Edward's car. Bella stood in the middle of the parking lot, talking to some of her female classmates. She hugged them and her expression was sad. Edward, Jasper and Emmett got out of the car and walked towards her. They attracted Bella's attention and the other girls walked away. Bella turned to them.
'I am ready. I have said my goodbyes.'
Emmett placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in his side.
'Sad about leaving this place?' Emmett asked.
Edward looked up, hearing familiar thoughts.
'Sam is on his way here.' He warned.
'Oh joy.' Both Bella and Jasper muttered at the same time, which made Emmett shake with laughter and Bella with him.
She pulled off Emmett's arm and looked towards the car. Edward guessed she was calculating her chance to escape before the boy was here.
Sam had been scared enough to leave her alone most of the time, but the fact that she was leaving gave him new courage. He had not much left to lose and decided to give it one last try. Sam was close by now, but he hesitated when he saw all of them.
Damn, all three of them. I have to talk to her alone, maybe she will even give me a goodbye kiss.
Sam daydreamed on that image and Edward had to brace himself to control his anger. Jasper noticed his anger, which intensified Jasper's annoyance with the boy. Emmett was still very amused. Sam had arrived.
'Bella, can I talâ€"'
Emmett placed his body slightly in front of Bella and interrupted Sam.
'Hush, don't talk to our girl.'
The boy's mind turned blank for a moment. Emmett was very intimidating.
'What if...' Sam took in a breath. 'What if she wants to talk to me?'
'Bella, do you want to talk to this idiot?' Jasper asked.
Bella's face held a mixture of amusement and pity.
'We should go.' She said, instead of answering Jasper's question.
Edward nodded and Jasper took her hand. Without another glance they turned around and left the thunderstruck boy behind.
'Goodbye Sam.' Bella said brightly, there was one advantage of moving to Forks.
Forks high school, Edward studied the place exasperated. They had all enlisted this time. They didn't want to, but had good reasons to do so anyway. First, they planned to stay many years in Forks and to avoid suspicion it was better if they started out as young as possible. Second, the wolves had emphasized their need to keep a watchful eye on Bella from this age on and although they couldn't be sure of the reasons behind this demand, they didn't want to risk Bella's safety. They decided to stay as close to her as possible. Third, they didn't trust the wolves enough to let Bella out of their sight. Last but not least was the reason only Edward and Jasper were aware of, Bella's life was not the only one at risk in Forks. Carlisle's deal contained more than just the promised move and Edward wasn't going to let anything happen to Carlisle or Bella. Going through high school again seemed like a small price to keep them both safe.
Bella could have gone to any year she wanted, but as Edward expected she chose to start in the year she belonged. Bella, Edward and Alice enlisted as freshmen and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett as sophomores. Edward parked in a free space with another free space next to it for Rosalie's car and they stepped out at the same time.
All the heads of the students in the parking lot turned to them at the same time. It was as if he could feel the blast that came from their stares upon his face. Their thoughts flew through his mind.
So the rumours were true...
Wow, look at them!
What the hell! They are all beautiful, but the girl is simply stunning!
'I want to know everything about them. They look great and it is said they are very wealthy.' A girl told her friend.
Maybe they will sit with us at lunch?
Check that out, give me a piece of that!
He tuned them out disgusted and turned towards Bella. Her face held no emotion. He wondered if she was also so calm on the inside. They walked towards the administration office to get their schedules. Edward had picked exactly the same classes as Bella and was grievously chagrined when he saw he shared only two classes with her.
Oh, brighten up Edward! You will have more classes together the second semester. Alice thought, interpreting his behaviour correctly.
Alice had a lot more of her classes with Bella, which was probably the cause of her good mood.
'We have first period History together, sweetie. Let's go.' She took Bella's arm and took Rosalie on her other arm. 'See you later, boys.'
'Let's go too.' Edward muttered, looking after Bella, Rose and Alice.
The day went on slowly and agonizing. Edward needed all his strength to keep out the intruding and petty thoughts of all the students around them. At lunch they got many table invitations, especially Bella, but they declined them all. They took a table for themselves and talked only amongst each other, to the great dismay of many curious classmates. After lunch Edward was so exhausted of keeping them out of his mind, he let go of his defences for a moment. Lucky he did, because the first voice that screamed in his mind was Alice.
Edward! Edward!
He immediately paid attention, fearing something was wrong with Bella. He saw himself tensed and concentrated fully in his seat, through Alice her capable mind.
Yes! Finally! You are paying attention.
Alice turned her face to Bella next to her and Edward saw her white and exhausted face. She was fighting against sleep, Edward could see it clearly.
No, not again! He thought desperately.
I need you to get Bella out of here as fast as possible. I will call her in sick and warn Carlisle. We have to be careful. This isn't really inconspicuous behaviour on our first day of school.
He almost stood up from his chair immediately, when Alice screamed to him again.
No Edward, stay in your seat! I will keep her awake until the bell rings!
It took a lot of his self-control, but he managed to stay in his seat until the bell rang, keeping his complete mind focused on Alice and Bella. He was up and gone in a blink, before his classmates noticed the sound of the bell. He almost ran too fast to Alice's classroom, but he couldn't care too much. He had Bella in his arms before the first students filled the hallways. She was almost out of it and Edward gave Alice a worried glance.
This dream is not good, maybe even worse than the others. She will need all of us there. Go quickly and we will join you soon.
He nodded to her and half-carried Bella to his car. Some students gave him questioning looks, but he ignored them. Swift and determined he drove Bella back to their new home on the outskirts of Forks.
He walked through the tunnels underneath his city. No light could reach this place and the darkness invited few guests. The place was perfect to hide a very precious but uncontrollable child. The darkness would disturb any other creature, but he knew she was used to it. Her room was hidden deeply in the complex maze of tunnels. In each of his hands he held a human. He dragged them unmercifully with him with little effort. It was a man and a woman, both in their thirties. The woman screamed and the man pleaded. Both sounds didn't register in his brain. He ignored them completely. They were food, nothing more.
Ever since he gained a daughter he had Heidi bring up two of her human findings to his quarters for private use. Heidi didn't ask any questions, but did what she was told, probably assuming his appetite had doubled. He reached the three inches thick steel door of her room and nodded to Demetri. Her room was always guarded by either Demetri, Jane or Alec, his most trusted servants. Demetri opened the thoroughly bolted door for him. The dents in the inside proved that she had tried to break it many times, to no avail. She didn't seem unhappy in her current living condition, but she was an immortal child, unpredictable and untamed. He had no grasp at her thoughts or moods.
She had to stay a secret. He simply couldn't afford to lose her in the city. The results could be devastating and the outside world would not react kindly to him breaking his own law. More importantly was the power she brought him, something he didn't wish to share with anyone. He couldn't trust her to stay in her quarters of her own free will, so there was no other choice than to lock her up.
The door opened and his human victims screamed louder, guessing correctly that in the room behind it awaited their painful end. He walked in while Demetri closed the door behind him.
'Coraline?' He asked gently.
He let go of the humans. They immediately cowered away from him in a corner of the room, holding each other tightly. He spread out his arms and a moment later she jumped in his hug.
'Father!' She responded happy.
'I've brought you diner. You must be hungry. I can hardly manage enough humans to feed you.'
She had a very healthy appetite for a vampire. She stood in front of him, an eager smile on her face, but she didn't move. He studied her curiously.
Her vampire name fitted her countenance perfectly. Her raven black hair fell in long strands around her face and were in sharp contrast with her pale white skin. Her big searing red eyes were an impressing sight. Her delicate and childlike features made her the most beautiful vampire he had ever seen, proving his suspicion that her beauty had been astonishing under the dirt upon their first meeting. Like a shimmering gemstone, her beauty was something he could stare at for hours, admiring every aspect.
'Not hungry?' He asked surprised.
She grinned mischievously.
'I am, father, but I want to show you something first.'
He looked at her avidly, knowing that this could possibly mean an enhancement of her abilities. She had not been a disappointment to him, her abilities were beyond anything he had ever seen, aside from her counterpart, the legendary child. Her link to this child had been of use to him and her abilities would be too. The first ability that astounded him was her immunity to many other vampire abilities including his. She also had a very strange tie to fear as she had in her human life. It was unclear yet, how this tie effected those around her, but she was developing that one rapidly. She had changed so much since she became one of his kind, her old form not even a shadow of what she was now. He could easily see how she was the one to eventually deliver the child to him. She was almost as good as having the child herself, well almost. He smiled to her encouraging.
'Pray, show me child.'
She took his hand and pulled him to their human victims. They shied away from them in complete terror, too terrified to scream anymore. Cold sweat poured down the man's face and the woman was near fainting. She grinned widely as she stared at them.
'They are so filled with fear, it is beautiful. Can you feel it?'
Her shining eyes looked up at him questionably. He had some ideas about their fear, but of course he couldn't feel it, like his daughter could.
'No, you are special, darling.' He answered with an adoring voice.
She closed her eyes and concentrated. Her smile became broader.
'They are overwhelmed by their fear for us now, but they have different fears too.' She turned fully towards him. 'Could you bring me new food, father?'
He gave her a stern look, that request would trouble him. It took preparation to bring humans into their realm.
'Why, Coraline? What do you plan to do with these two?'
Her lip pouted and he smiled, forgetting his sternness.
'Pay no heed to your old man, sweetheart. You can do whatever you want with them.'
'I need at least one of them to show you what I can do.' Her smile had returned.
'Fine, pick one.'
'The woman,' she answered eagerly, 'she has fears that run deep.'
He pulled the man away and threw him in a different corner. The woman now stood alone. He watched his daughter approach her slowly, placing a hand on her head. The woman let it happen, completely stunned in fright.
'Yes, yes, so afraid.' Coraline muttered.
The woman's breath began to speed up, her body trembled uncontrollably with spasms and her heart rate, which was already fast, became too much. Within mere seconds she lay dead at their feet. A simple touch had been sufficient to kill her.
This was marvellous. First Jane and now Coraline. He was undefeatable. Would this work just as well on vampires, he wondered.
He walked towards the door and knocked on it.
'Demetri, could you come in for a second?'
Demetri hesitated, knowing that it couldn't be good. Coraline's vicious and eager smile convinced him of that. Demetri walked in after a moment's wait.
'Coraline.' He ordered.
She walked towards Demetri and took his hand.
'A heart's fear!' She shrieked and twirled underneath Demetri's arm. 'You can't hide it from me.'
For a moment nothing happened and he was almost disappointed, when Demetri suddenly fell on his knees and grabbed his head.
'Stop! Please stop!' Demetri screamed, while his body began to tremble just like the woman.
'Enough!' He urged, placing his hand on her shoulder.
She stopped and he was surprised. She usually didn't listen to anything she didn't want to do herself, uncontrollable as she was. She gleamed proudly.
'Isn't that amazing, father?'
'Yes, Coraline. That was amazing.' He answered.
It wouldn't be long now, not long at all, until she would be ready. The few years the Cullens had gained on him were like a few breaths. Time had little meaning to him and his everlasting life, but he still felt a surge of impatience. Soon, really soon.
So, here's another chapter for you guys... I hope you guys enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing it... Thank you all for the once which followed me along this journey... I promised this morning that i will post another chapter later, so here is it.. Byes ## ^.^
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