A protection detail had been set up to keep watch on Charlie and my sister after a lengthy chat that night. If this intruder was to return they'd have a dozen of angry vampires and werewolves and on their case and I didn't think they wanted that.
Bella had come up with the idea of involving the wolves in the detail, something Edward wasn't pleased with but I told him to get over it. It was easier for us in numbers and Jacob was more than willing to agree. I wasn't sure how he managed to talk Sam into the idea of it but my guess was that it was more due to the fact of new vampires around rather than keeping a look out on Bella.
The wolves took over while we hunted, mostly during the night but every hand over was tension filled— especially between the likes of Jared and Emmett. For a reason unknown to me the pack had it out for Emmett more than anyone else, they just didn't like him at all. Maybe it was down to the fact that Emmett appeared as extremely intimidating to those who didn't know him or what? I wasn't sure.
Edward and I watched from inside the house on occasions, out of mine and Bella's bedroom windows but we never saw anything abnormal our out of the ordinary.
I never crossed paths with Paul though and I rarely ever left my dads house lately. It made me think that he'd opted out of the protection detail because surely I — or even Alice or Rosalie — would've seen him around by now.
I had returned home and to school, reciting a very well rehearsed lie to Charlie about why I had up and left so suddenly. He seemed pretty pissed at first, especially after not hearing very much front me, although when I told him about what happened to my birth parents he put any anger he had behind him and gave me his shoulder to lean on. He understood and that was what mattered.
Jessica and I had just about finished the graduation speech between the two of us with very little time to spare considering it was only in a few days.
The only thing that wasn't ready was me.
I wasn't ready to graduate and start a new chapter in my life. A chapter where the person I wanted the most wasn't going to be with me. The life where I had no clue about where to take it next. I was apprehensive about moving on considering school had been a big, albeit sometimes gruelling, part of my eighteen years. But there was some part of me that was afraid to leave because I was afraid of what was to come.
Standing where I was now, where all this supernatural shit began in a place where I had made so many memories, I twiddled my thumbs nervously. The breeze floating around, cooling my cheeks was the only thing keeping my nerves in check and I honestly wished I could control my own emotions. I had mastered altering other people's emotions but I still needed Jasper nearby to keep my own at bay and I couldn't rely on him to be around all the time.
"I didn't think you'd come."
My tense shoulders relaxed somewhat and like a few days prior, my faintly beating heart slammed against my ribcage. Looking up in slight disbelief, I could hardly believe what was happening, "Really?" I asked, my eyes slightly narrowed in confusion.
He shrugged from the opposite side of the small clearing, "I didn't think you'd want to see me."
Again I repeated myself dumbfounded, "Really?"
He nodded sheepishly and it took every ounce of me not to run over to him tackle him to the ground in an embrace. I had to remind myself we weren't in that place anymore. I couldn't kiss him and embrace him whenever I wanted because we weren't on those terms. We were technically separated still.
Guilt and sorrow overwhelmed me and I looked sympathetically to him. I focused my energy into calming his feelings enough for him to not feel this overwhelmed guilt. When he looked up to me in confusion I figured I'd been successful in what I'd been attempting to do.
"We've got a lot of things to talk about, Paul." I said with an exhausted sigh, "You shouldn't blame yourself for this."
"Why not?" He asked, "You're a vampire because I was late. If I'd been back on time this wouldn't of happened."
"No." I shook my head softly, putting my hands into my pockets, "I'm a.. a vampire because I was an idiot." I said to him. I struggled to get the word out because then that was me admitting I'd really transitioned and I was still in some sort of denial about it all, "Because I was naive and I thought I felt safe enough to finally go out on my own but I was never safe."
"And that's my fault." He pressed, his voice cracking emotionally, "It's my fault you weren't safe."
"No it's not." I replied, shaking my head as my facial expression softened, "We cannot control Victoria, Paul."
"I should've killed her." He seethed, his lip curling upwards in anger, "Tore her apart."
"If we're going to bring all the what ifs into play here we'll start something we don't need to." I told him, "Everything we've done as individuals and as a couple have created 'what ifs'." I said.
He licked his bottom lip, "Like what?" He asked coolly, bouncing slightly on his heels.
"Well for starters what if I didn't run into this forest after I found out I was adopted?" I started with a shrug, "What if you didn't tell me about werewolves? What if we never got together? What if you didn't lie to me about Laurent being in town? What if you didn't reach me in time when Laurent tried to kill me and Bella? What if we never went cliff diving with the pack? What if I didn't jump off that cliff? What if.." I paused, chewing my lip, "What if I listened to you and stayed at Emily's place instead of walking out into the woods?"
He shook his head, "No. You can say that but—"
"—But what?" I asked him, "Every single one of those things happened for a reason, Paul. Everything happens for a reason."
"You're telling me that you got bit by a vampire for a reason?" He asked hostile, anger waving his voice.
"Victoria was in that forest and whether I was walking alone or with you she still would've probably tried to attack me." I told him quickly.
"Yeah and her attacking you, doing this to you, nearly broke us Sophia!" He yelled, "Jesus Christ, I attacked you." He said after some time. His voice had quietened into a mere whisper, "That's something I could never forgive myself for."
"I've forgiven you." I told him, "Because you know why?"
He looked away and rolled his eyes, "If you're about to tell me it's because everything happens for a reason—"
"—Because it does." I interrupted him. I sounded as if I was pleading with him.
He shook his head in disagreement, "It doesn't.. because I hurt you Sophia and if everything happens for a reason I wouldn't of hurt you." He spoke through clenched teeth and I saw the water clouding his eyes. Frustration and disappointed pooled out of him and it absolutely broke my heart to see him like this.
I took a daring step closer, "That wasn't you—"
"—Wasn't it?" He cut me off quickly, "Wasn't it the person everyone warned you about? The hothead? The one with anger issues?"
"No." I told him firmly, shaking my head, "Paul it wasn't."
He laughed sarcastically, "You're crazy, you know that?"
I nodded with a small smile, "I know."
We broke into silence and I allowed him to wind down, drawing every negative emotion from his body and replacing them with others. Eventually he looked back up to me and spoke to me quietly, "How've you been?"
"Shit." I told him honestly, "But apparently not as bad as you."
He pressed his lips together, "I owe the pack an apology I think but I owe you one first."
"If anyone should be dishing out apologies here it's me." I told him with a raised brow, "I did lie to you after all."
"I suppose you did."
I dropped my jaw and watched as a grin claimed his mouth. He laughed, his lips curving upwards and his eyes creasing. God, I'd missed that sight. Seeing him smile filled me with joy, it was something I'd missed so much.
Like we were being drawn together by an invisible force both Paul and I took a step closer to each other, "I'm joking."
"I know you are otherwise I'd of put your ass through that tree over there." I told him simply, matching his joking mood.
Paul turned to see the tree I was talking about, raising his brows in surprise. He looked back at me with a smirk and shook his head, "I don't reckon you could ever put my ass through a tree."
"Clearly you're underestimating me." I said crossing my arms, "Because I've already put Edwards ass through a window."
He screwed his face up and shook his head, "Edward.. me." He pretended to use his hands as metaphorical weights, tipping the scale, "I think we know who's the stronger of the two."
I quirked a brow, "And I think we know who's the stronger of the three of us."
"Yeah." He scoffed confidently, "We'll see about that."
I used my new found speed to travel the short distance to him, my crossed arms just grazing his chest. I hummed in agreement, nodding my head with a smirk, "Yes, we will."
Startled by how quick I moved towards him he pulled his head back somewhat but he didn't step back. He stayed close to me and my heart thumped erratically against my chest. He drew his thick black brows together and looked down to my chest before meeting my eyes again, "Your heart.."
"I know." I nodded, "It beats."
He looked at me, utterly confused, "How?"
I shrugged, "I bleed, I cry, I eat.. how really is the question."
He licked his bottom lip, "I don't understand."
"No one does." I told him, "Not yet anyways, but all I know is that you're the reason my heart started beating again." I saw the confusion in his face and I slowly reached out before rubbing my hand on his shoulder, "We have a lot to talk about."
He shook his head, his mouth slightly agape, "It can wait."
He closed the distance between us, threading his fingers through my hair and pulling me close to him.
He pressed his cool against mine lightly, kissing me. He kissed me and I kissed him, and for the first time since my life had flipped on its head everything felt like it was slowly setting back to normal.
* * *
I draped into the Cullens living room with a grin on my face, small butterflies still tickling my body as I came down from my blissful high. Seeing Paul today was everything I needed and more. We didn't want to part with one another after but when the pack came looking for him he promised me he'd see me later.
The television in the living room played as background noise but when I was noticed it was muted.
Emmett crossed his arms and sat back with an expectant half smirk, "Someone looks happy."
Edward nodded while looking to his adoptive brother, "She made up with Paul."
"Well it's about time." Jasper remarked, curving his lip up into a smug grin as he looked over at me, "I was beginning to wonder if you two would ever make up."
Edwards brows rose as he continued to look at me curiously, "On a forest floor?"
My eyes widened, "Oh my god, get out of my head!"
I swear the only times he could read my mind he saw something I didn't want him to see.
Emmett laughed heartily, leaning against the wall, "Good on you, Sophia. I never thought you had it in ya'."
I clapped my hands to my face and dragged them down with a groan, "It wasn't like that."
"Of course it wasn't." Jasper mused.
I shook my head in despair, "I hate you. I hate all of you."
"Well your hatred will have to wait." Carlisle joked although his face was serious, "There's been more deaths and disappearances in Seattle."
I sighed, "Really?"
He nodded, "It's getting worse."
"Great." I muttered under my breath, "What a way to kill my good mood."
Jasper looked back to the muted tv, "It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage they're reporting. They're undisciplined, conspicuous."
"It's newborns."
"What, like new vampires?" Bella asked, out of the corner of my eye I saw her glancing to me. I didn't even know she was here to be honest. I was too busy doting over Paul to notice her.
I crossed my arms tightly over my chest as Jasper nodded, "In their first few months after the change. That's when we're at our most uncontrollable.. vicious, insane with thirst."
Emmett looked to my sister, "Something to look forward to."
Bella spoke as she furrowed her brows in confusion, "But Sophia.. she isn't like that."
Carlisle shook his head, "Sophia's blood still runs through her veins. It ties her to her human side."
"Don't get me wrong." Emmett laughed, "She can be vicious when she wants to be."
My lip curved upwards into a small smirk.
"Why's that?" Bella asked, "Why does she still have blood in her body."
"When I found her she didn't have a great deal of blood left in her body." Jasper told my sister. I inhaled shortly, the horrid memory flashing before my eyes, "I tired to remove Victoria's venom but her body gave in before I could finish."
"In the end there was only a small amount of venom left in my bloodstream.. but it was still enough to turn me." I told my sister.
"It was the simple fact that I didn't get to her in time." Jasper said.
I looked to the blond again and shook my head, "It isn't your fault, remember?" I told him.
A small smile came to his mouth as the conversation tracked back to the original topic, "Sophia isn't like any other newborn but she has the strength of one.. because she has her own human blood in her veins she's significantly stronger than any other vampire and she'll be like that for the duration of her life. She's essentially half human, half vampire or rather a human with the abilities a vampire possesses." Carlisle said, "But no ones trained these newborns. This isn't random.. someone's creating an army."
Emmett stood up on the sofa and jumped off on to the floor and if Esme was here I could hear her scolding him for standing on her sofa, "Oh, now we're definitely going to Seattle."
"An army of vampires?" Bella asked.
"They've been created to fight someone." I said, swaying side to side on my heels.
Carlisle nodded in agreement as Edward spoke, "We're the only clan even close to Seattle."
"Regardless, if we don't put a stop to them the Volturi will." Carlisle said.
"I'm surprised they've let it go on this long." Jasper said.
"In Italy I read Aro's mind." Edward said, "He wants me and Alice to join him.. he knows we'd never choose him as long as our family is still alive." He shrugged his shoulders, "An army could solve that for him."
"Well shit." I swallows apprehensively, "Do you think whoever it is can wait until graduation?" I asked and everyone in the room turned to me each with a raised brow of their own, "Hey, you guys might've graduated hundreds of times but this is my first time and I've worked my ass of for this. I'm going to graduation."
* * *
I really didn't expect to see Bella sat in Carlisles makeshift hospital room the very next day as he bandaged her hand up. Alice, Jasper and I had just come back from searching for the intruder near Washington as well as hunting as my thirst was developing again. Alice and I had taken a break from planning the post-graduation party that was set to take place in two days and it was like a breath of fresh air not hearing her talk about the party. She was freaking out about pulling the whole thing off but between Jasper and I, we were making sure she was okay.
Edward was sat on the grey sofa in the family living room when we came in and immediately I felt as if I'd been smacked in the face with anger. It was almost suffocating.
"Jesus, Cullen, whats's got your nickers in a twist?"
Edward looked over in my direction and glared at me before looking away and I scoffed while rolling my eyes. He wasn't going to answer me anytime soon so instead I went into his head and read his thoughts.
A single, high pitched laugh escaped my lips when I saw what was pissing him off. He simply glared at me and Carlisle and Bella came out and joined us in the living room.
"It's just a sprain, should heal fairly quickly." Carlisle said to my sister.
"Trying to walk and chew gum again at the same time, Bella?" Emmett asked amused.
My sister held her bandaged hand to her chest, "I punched a werewolf in the face."
"Bad-ass." He replied, "You're gonna be one tough little newborn."
Bella smiled, "Tough enough to take you on."
Rosalie, who had been silent since I returned, tossed her magazine to the side and stormed out. I licked my bottom lip and swallowed, watching as Bella's face dropped. Emmett looked to her sympathetically, "Don't worry about it."
Bella nodded but walked over towards the double doors Rosalie had exited out of anyways. I watched her leave until the door was shut and turned to the new conversation occurring, "Okay, any leads?" Carlisle asked.
Jasper shook his head as I crossed my arms, "No sign of the intruder but Victoria continues to make appearances."
I shook my head, "I don't understand why she's still hanging around, I mean.. obviously she wants Bella but why stay, you know? She knows we're on to her."
Carlisle nodded in agreement with me, "Did the intruder leave a scent behind?"
I nodded, "Yeah but he travelled over the treaty line, I texted Paul to let him know but there's no knowing where they went."
Apart from wait, there was nothing else we could really do. The intruder would have to come back over to Cullen territory before we could do anything again.
It was clear Carlisle was somewhat disappointed as he sighed heavily, "All right, we can pick this up from where we left off next time but for now I think it's best we take a rest until they appear again."
Everyone in the room, including myself, nodded slowly and broke away from the conversation in one way or another. I, on the other hand, found myself staring at the floor deep in thought until a small and bony hand slipped over my shoulder, "C'mon Sophia." Alice said, tugging me away gently, "Let's go and try on our dresses for graduation."
I complied and nodded, walking with her and as we went up the stairs I couldn't help but think that Victoria's random appearances were somehow connected to all this.
* * *