CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:
I'd learned to basically tune out the reaction my magic had to the Cullens. First, it was just Edward who had faded to a barely noticeable tingle. And over time of seeing them at school, I'd built up, I guess you could call it a tolerance, for the other Cullen 'siblings'.
Going into their house had been a bit of a shock to my system- despite the fact I was used to their presences, didn't change the reaction my magic had to being in their "lair". It was a survival mechanism. A vampire radar, of sorts.
And my radar went off with a vehemence; my magic rushing through me like a wave of electricity, flaring up, twisting, coiling... As the nomad vampires emerged one by one from the forest edge, my wand hand was twitching almost without my permission, and I could basically feel my magic crackling around me.
The first male into the clearing fell back immediately, allowing the other male to take the front, orienting himself around the tall, dark-haired man in a manner which pointed towards who it was, exactly, that led the pack. The third member of the coven was a woman with vibrant red hair.
They closed ranks, venturing forwards towards Edward's family cautiously, exhibiting the natural respect of a troop of predators as it encounters a larger, unfamiliar group of its own kind. As they approached, I picked up on small details which set them apart from the Cullens. They moved with a more predatory grace, a cat-like gait that seemed constantly on the edge of shifting into a crouch. They were dressed in casual back-packer gear, but their clothing was frayed, and they were all barefoot.
Their sharp eyes carefully took in the more polished, urbane stance of Carlisle, who, flanked by Emmett and Jasper, stepped forwards guardedly to meet them. Without any seeming communication between them, they each straightened into a more casual bearing.
I briefly took note of their beauty, but what really drew my attention were their eyes. I knew that human drinkers had red eyes. I'd even seen those red eyes before in person, but after being around the Cullen's for so long the deep burgundy, like a pools of blood, were a shock.
The dark-skinned man, smiling, stepped toward Carlisle. "We thought we heard a game," he said in a relaxed voice, with the slightest hint of a French accent, "I'm Laurent, these are Victoria and James." He gestured to the vampires behind him.
"I'm Carlisle. This is my family, Emmett and Jasper, Rosalie, Esme and Alice, Edward and Bella." He pointed us out in groups, deliberately not calling attention to individuals. A rush of warmth spread through me when he said my name.
"Do you have room for a few more players?" Laurent asked, sociably. Carlisle matched Laurent's friendly tone. Seriously? They came over to visit a potentially hostile coven of vampires, all for a game of ruddy baseball? Were they idiots?
"Actually, we were just finishing up. But we'd certainly be interested in another time. Are you planning to stay in the area for long?" It was like a house of cards, I noted. Each word, carefully chosen, each movement, carefully noted. One wrong step, and the whole thing would come crumbling down. The tense atmosphere was making my nose itch, and I shifted slightly, fighting the urge to scratch it, and thus give away my status as Not A Vampire.
"We're headed north, in fact, but we were curious to see who was in the neighborhood. We haven't run into any company in a long time." Laurent said.
"No, this region is usually empty except for us and the occasional visitor, like yourselves." The tense atmosphere was noticeably ebbing, and I guessed that Jasper was using his peculiar gift to control the situation.
"Where's your hunting range?" Laurent casually inquired. My stomach clenched in anger at his blasé attitude, but Carlisle ignored the assumption behind the inquiry.
"The Olympic Range here, up and down the Coast Ranges on occasion. We keep a permanent residence nearby. There's another permanent settlement like ours up near Denali." Laurent rocked back on his heels slightly.
"Permanent? How do you manage that?" There was honest curiosity in his voice. I honestly wanted to set him on fire.
"Why don't you come back to our home with us and we can talk comfortably?" Carlisle invited. "It's a rather long story." James and Victoria exchanged a surprised look at the mention of the word 'home' but Laurent controlled his expression better.
"That sounds very interesting, and welcome." His smile was genuine. "We've been on the hunt all the way down from Ontario and we haven't had the chance to clean up in a while." His eyes moved appreciatively over Carlisle's refined appearance.
"Please don't take offense, but we'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from hunting in this immediate area. We have to stay inconspicuous, you understand." Carlisle explained.
"Of course," Laurent nodded. "We certainly won't encroach on your territory. We just ate outside of Seattle, anyway," he laughed. My fists clenched, as a hot rush of anger licked up my spine.
"We'll show you the way if you'd like to run with us- Emmett and Alice, you can go with Edward and Bella to get the Jeep." He casually added. Three things seemed to happen simultaneously, at that moment. My hair ruffled in a slight breeze, Edward stiffened, and the second male, James, suddenly whipped his head around, and his red eyes bored into my own.
A swift rigidity fell on all of them as James lurched one step forward into a crouch. Edward bared his teeth, crouching in defense, a feral snarl ripping from his throat. It was nothing like the playful sounds from this morning; it was one of the most menacing sounds I'd ever heard.
"What's this?" Laurent exclaimed in open surprise. Neither James nor Edward relaxed their aggressive poses. James feinted slightly to the side, and Edward shifted in response.
"She's with us." Carlisle's firm rebuff was directed toward James. Laurent seemed to catch my scent less powerfully then James, but awareness now dawned on his face. He went to take a step forwards, when Edward snarled even more ferociously, harshly, his lip curling high above his glistening, bared teeth. Laurent stilled his movements, instantly.
"You brought a snack?" he asked, his expression incredulous. "Why does she smell... different?" he continued, tilting his head, regarding me with honest curiosity. "Her scent... I've never come across anything like it!"
"I said she's with us." Carlisle stated again, his voice harder then before.
"But she's human!" Laurent sounded astounded, not aggressive.
"And?" Emmett asked, his eyes fixed on James as his muscles rippled. James slowly straightened out of his crouch, but his eyes never left me, his nostrils still wide. Edward stayed tensed like a lion in front of me.
When Laurent spoke next, his voice was soothing- trying to defuse the sudden hostility. "It appears we have a lot to learn about each other."
"Indeed." Carlisle's voice was still hard, cool.
"But we'd like to accept your invitation. And of course we will not harm your human girl. We won't hunt in your range, as I said." James glanced in disbelief and aggravation at Laurent, and shared another brief look with Victoria, whose eyes flickered edgily from face to face. Carlisle measured Laurent's open expression for a moment before he spoke. "We'll show you the way. Jasper, Rosalie, Esme?" he called. They gathered together, blocking me from view as they converged.
Alice was immediately at my side, and Emmett fell back slowly, his eyes locked on James as he backed towards us. "Lets go, Bella." Edward's voice was low and bleak.
"Okay." I responded, quietly, reaching out for Edward's hand. His icy one gently closed around mine, and I matched his brisk pace as best I could, trying not to stumble over, as we made our way over to the trees. As soon as we were out of sight, Edward slung me over his back without breaking stride. I considered complaining, then decided not to, instead closing my eyes as he sprinted through the forest.
We reached the Jeep in an impossibly short time, and I found myself flung unceremoniously in the backseat, and my eyes flew open in shock. "Strap her in," Edward ordered Emmett, who slid in beside me. Alice was already in the front seat, and Edward was starting the engine. It roared to life and we swerved backward, spinning around to face the winding road. Edward was growling something too fast for me to understand, but it sounded a lot like a string of profanities.
The jolting trip was much worse this time, and the darkness only made it more frightening. Emmett and Alice both glared out the side windows. When we hit the main road, though, and our speed increased, I noticed something very important.
We were headed away from Forks.
"Where are we going?" I demanded, my voice calm but stern. No one answered. No one even looked at me. My anger boiled. "Excuse me, but where are we going?" I raised my voice enough to garner a response.
"We have to get you away from here- far away- now!" He didn't look back, his eyes on the road. I didn't even look at the speedometer, not wanting to know. My eyes widened. Home was where my wand was. And more importantly, home was where Charlie was.
"Turn around now!" I shouted, "you have to take me home!" I struggled with the stupid harness, tearing at the straps.
"Emmett," Edward said, grimly. And Emmett secured my hands in his steely grasp.
"Edward, what in Merlin's name is going on?" I demand, shrilly, "take me the bloody hell home now!"
"I'm sorry Bella, but I have to do this. Now please be quiet."
"Fat fucking chance!" I can't help the profanities spilling from my lips, "take me the fuck home or Charlie will have the fucking FBI all over your family! He's a fucking cop! Do you realize what that will do to Carlisle and Esme?"
"Calm down Bella," his voice was cold, "we've been there before."
"You don't understand!" The hysteria was rising inside me. "I need-" I need my wand, "I need to make sure Charlie's safe!"
"Edward, pull over." Alice spoke up for the first time. Edward shot her a hard look, and sped up. "Edward, pull over!" she repeated, sterner.
"You don't understand!" he roared in frustration, "He's a tracker, Alice! A tracker!"
A trickle of understanding washed through me. I didn't know what a tracker was, exactly, but the word itself was pretty self-explanatory. This James was a tracker, and only one thing could have Edward this crazy with worry- for some reason, he'd set his sights on me.
"Listen to me, Alice. I saw his mind. Tracking is his passion, his obsession- and he wants her, Alice- her, specifically. He begins the hunt tonight."
"He doesn't know where-" Edward interrupted her.
"How long do you think it will take him to cross her scent in town? His plan was already set before the words were out of Laurent's mouth."
"Edward, listen to me," I ordered, forcing my voice as calm as possible, "we need to look at our options for a minute. Pull over." Edward hesitated for a second, then the car screeched to a halt. I flew against the harness and then slammed back into the car. "Merlin's balls!" I swore, under my breath. Edward spun around in his seat to fix me with a desperate look.
"You don't understand Bella! There are no options! I saw his mind- once he commits to a hunt, he's unshakeable. We'd have to kill him!"
"That's an option." Emmett wasn't upset by the idea, and neither was I.
"And the female, she's with him. If it turns into a fight, the leader will go with them too."
"There are enough of us." Emmett countered.
"Look, listen to me," I interrupted, when Edward opened his mouth to keep arguing, "I mean it, shut up and listen to me!" I shouted, and there's enough power, enough magic, in my voice that they all go silent, "this is what's going to happen. You take me back to Charlie and I tell him I'm leaving. I pack my bags." And get my wand. "We wait until James is watching, and then we run. He'll follow us and leave Charlie alone. Charlie won't call the FBI on your family, then you can take me to any bloody place you want."
They stared back at me, stunned, and I smiled, sadly. What they didn't realize was that for me, being hunted wasn't something new. I'd spent the last two and a half months of my life hunted.
"It's not a bad idea, really." Emmett's surprise was definitely an insult.
"It might work- and we simply can't leave her father unprotected. You know that." Alice reminded him. Edward groans, closing his eyes and pressing his fingers to his temples, before opening them and looking straight into my eyes.
"You're leaving tonight, whether the tracker sees or not. Tell Charlie whatever story works, pack the first things your hands touch, and then get in your truck. You'll have fifteen minutes from the time you cross the doorstep."
"Fifteen minutes," I say, taking a deep breath. "Okay, I can do that. Let's go."
Hi guys :D someone mentioned that I was sticking really closely to the Twilight Saga plot-line, and I just wanted to reassure everyone that it won't continue to be like that, and when Bella turns 17 (comes of age) then everything will seriously be flipped upside down. Thank you everyone who's taken the time to read this.