𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋
when i need to, i'll bare my bloody fangs
"SINCE when do vampires like baseball?" Bella asked as Ophelia moved the bat around in her hand and Edward fixed her hat.
The original grinned as Edward said, "Well, it's the American pastime, and there's a thunderstorm coming and it's the only time we can play. You'll see why."
She walked beside Bella as they walked towards the rest of the Cullen's. "Why do you like baseball so much?"
Ophelia smiled as she thought about her family. "I used to play it a long time ago... with my siblings. My brother Kol always has a fascination with bats."
"I don't even want to know," Bella said with a shirt.
Ophelia grinned. "You really don't."
and I smirked at her saying, "No you do not."
Esme smiled at the pair as they approached her. "Glad you're here, Bella. We need an umpire."
"She thinks we cheat," Emmett said with a chuckle.
Esme countered, saying, "I know you cheat."
"All vampires cheat at pretty much everything," Ophelia stated, "That's why it's so fun being one of us."
"Call them as you see em, Iz," Ophelia said with a smirk and a wink. She turned and saw Jasper and Emmett fighting over who's team she was going to be on. She laughed and said, "I'm gonna be on the team that Rosalie is on!"
Rosalie grinned and walked over to her, asking, "Why my team?"
Ophelia simply smiled. "You remind me of my sister."
Rosalie was the first up to bat, Alice smirking at her as she moved towards the centre of the pitch with a ball in her hand. The pixie-like vampire was quiet for a moment, before she looked up from the ground and announced the beginning of the game as thunder started to rumble in the distance.
"It's time."
She threw the ball with elegance, allowing it to soar through the air like a bird taking flight. Rosalie's bat collided against it with ease, sending it flying across the field, the two objects colliding with a bang.
"I see why you need the thunder," Bella let out an impressed breath. Bella and Ophelia watched as Edward chased the ball, disappearing into the woods with Rosalie sprinting to each base, her arms held up in front of her to push her along. "That's got to be a home run, right?"
"Edward's very fast," Esme mumbled with an uncertain shrug.
Ophelia simply yawned and asked, "When do they get here?"
Jasper, who was not that far from her, laughed, and she turned to him with a grin, shrugging.
A moment later, the ball came flying through the trees, right into Esme's outstretched hands. The woman in question placed the ball onto the home plate just as Rosalie slid across the ground, her foot coming in contact with the fourth and final base.
Ophelia and Bella shared a look, the former shrugging and allowing her friend to make the final decision.
"You're out," Bella stated.
"Out!" Emmett's booming voice came from the other side of the field. Rosalie narrowed her eyes as she clambered to her feet, causing him to hold his hands in the air with a shrug. "Babe, it's just a game."
Rosalie turned her glare towards them, and Ophelia rolled her eyes and laughed at her as she forced her way between them, shoulders colliding with theirs as she stormed away.
Carlisle was the next up to play. He pointed the bat forward before holding it in the air, watching the ball soar towards him. He swung, the sound of thunder crashing as the two objects collided. He broke into a sprint as his sons scrambled to catch the ball, both boys jumping to grab it at the same time. Their bodies made a groaning sound as they collided in mid-air, falling to the ground in a cacophony of laughter.
Ophelia and Bella shook their heads at them, an amused smirk tugging at their lips.
Carlisle, of course, made it because Emmett and Edward were laughing on the ground. Once they finally gained their bearings and threw the ball back, it was Ophelia's turn.
Everyone was excited for her to play.
Ophelia licked my teeth as she got in position and yelled to Alice, "Gimmie a good one."
"You got it," Alice grinned and threw it hard and fast.
Ophelia hit it hard and there was a giant gust of wind and lightning hit at the same time, but she thinks the crack that came from the bat was worse.
Anyways, she ran past first base and onto the second, but she hit second before Edward had even started running towards the ball. She hit third, and he had just got it. He threw it and she was already sitting by Rosalie on the ground grinning.
Esme caught the ball and Bella said, "That was obviously a home run."
O laughed and said, "Jasper, your turn!"
"It's gonna be hard to beat that..." Jasper said as he got ready.
She smirked and rolled her bat around and said, "Bloody hell..."
"What?" Rosalie asked and everyone turned to the Original.
Ophelia showed them her metal bat which now had a giant dent in it. She chuckled and smirked. "I didn't mean to hit it that hard," she said and then turned to Jasper. "You really will have a hard time beating that."
Jasper glanced at her with a confident wink. She grinned, her stomach flipping as he swung the bat and caught it with ease. Bella nudged her with a smirk, causing the brunette to roll her eyes, turning her attention back to the game.
Jasper ran the moment the ball collided with the bat, his body a mere blur as he sprinted. Emmett clambered up a tree, kicking from the trunk to catch the ball and throwing it towards the home plate to get his brother out.
They continued on a few more games and each time Ophelia got a new dent in her bat. She would have to buy a new one.
It was Rosalie's turn again when Alice suddenly stopped and stared in space and yelled, "Stop!"
They all turned towards Alice simultaneously, and Bella immediately came to the original's side. The original pushed her slightly behind her as Edward and Alice looked towards the woods.
No one said anything as three nomads appeared in a gust of fog.
"I believe this belongs to you."
Suddenly, their ball came soaring through the air. Carlisle's hand shot up to catch it at the last second, an attempt at a polite smile tugging at his lips.
Ophelia took the opportunity to look at each of them, analysing their faces now they were no longer moving.
The man standing in the middle, the one who'd thrown the ball at them, had dark skin which contrasted with his long black dreadlocks and mismatched clothing. He was grinning at them, but the expression was twisted as he stared at them with crimson eyes.
The woman on his left, the only female in their trio, watched the exchange with narrowed eyes, her coat-cladded body hunched over as she waited for a possible attack on her coven. Her red hair was soaring with the wind, bloody eyes gleaming as her lips twitching into a cruel smirk.
The third was the one that made a shiver run down her spine. His blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, dark eyes narrowed as he peered at them. He stood with pride, nose pointed up in an arrogant manner, the denim jacket he wore slung over his shoulders carelessly, revealing his toned stomach.
They were the true definition of evil, of monsters that lingered in the shadows, and they knew it too.
"I am Laurent." The man standing in the middle pointed to his chest, before gesturing to the woman on his left and the man on his right, head turning with each action. "This is Victoria and James."
"I'm Carlisle." Ophelia turned to the man in question as he spoke, gesturing towards them with a nod of his head. "And this is my family."
"Hello," Laurent greeted again, eyes raking over them.
"I'm afraid your hunting activities have caused quite a mess for us."
"Our apologies," he sighed. "We didn't realise the territory had been claimed."
"We maintain a permanent residence nearby," Carlisle explained.
"Really?" he chuckled, sharing a glance at his companions. "Well, we won't be a problem anymore." His eyes went to Ophelia who glared at him in response. Jasper had stiffened beside her, hands clenching into fists. "We were just passing through."
"The humans had been tracking us, but we lead them east." Victoria's voice sounded like bells ringing and birds chirping, only she was far too vindictive to be something so beautiful. "So you should be safe."
Everything went quiet again, the air growing heavier by the second. Bella was terrified that her heartbeat was going to give her away, as she not-so-subtly hooked her arms around Ophelia's arm, clinging to her in the hopes of being protected. She paid no attention to the scent of the blood rushing through her veins as she held her close to her, watching the nomads through dark eyes.
"So," Laurent grinned. "Could you do with three more players?" Carlisle was hesitant, it was written as clear as day on his face. "Oh, come on." Laurent's smile turned into a wicked smirk. "Just one game."
"Why not? A few of us were leaving, so you can take their place." Carlisle's face went blank, but his eyes shined with frustration as he raised a hand and threw the baseball back at them. "We can bat first."
The ball merely inches away from them when a pale hand shot out to catch it. Victoria smirked, her red eyes narrowed into slits as she peered back at them in triumph. "I'm the one with the wicked curve ball." "Oh, you don't say?"
Ophelia hummed mockingly. "Well, I think we can handle that."
They all smiled and turned around but Ophelia stopped by Edward who was still in a staring match with James.
Finally, once James turned around, the wind blew right through Bella's hair bringing her scent straight towards James, and he took a whiff of the air, and said, "You brought a snack." He then bared his teeth into a snarl as he stepped towards them.
Ophelia grabbed Bella and pushed her behind her as both Edward and her growled.
Victoria and Ophelia immediately were glaring at each other and snarling. The original was barely keeping her vampire face at bay. She was angry, annoyed, and overall, done.
"Human?" Laurent questioned, his eyes wide with surprise.
"The girls are with us," Carlisle breathed.
Ophelia hissed, showing her fangs. "I think it's best you leave before I rip off your limbs!"
"I can see the game is over." Laurent nodded. "We'll be going now." He stood up without hesitation, eyeing his companions with a warning look on his face.
James was still glaring at them, eyes flickering between Ophelia and Bella with a hiss. Victoria stood close to his side, ready to assist him if he made the decision to fight them.
"James," Laurent snapped in displeasure.
The blonde stood up with one final snarl, wearing a smirk that sent shivers of fear down Bella's spine.
He was far from done with them, Ophelia could see it on his face as he wrapped an arm around Victoria's shoulders and began to retreat, disappearing out of sight alongside the rest of his coven.
"Get the girls out of here," Carlisle murmured as he turned to face his sons. "Go now."