The last time I went to Seattle, maybe three months before the escape, the only noise in the streets were car engines and birds; walking into a coffee shop had the familiar calls of orders and murmured conversations, but there was always an underlying tension. I wasn’t sure exactly what people talked about in
I made my way towards Hancock with a small smile on my lips. The city was barely lit, I was walking down a sidewalk bright with headlights and streetlights, the sky partly clouded but the coming indigo still visible. No stars, though, it was too bright. In Forks around my neighborhood with its missing streetlight, when the clouds cleared, you could see everything in the sky—stars, planets, satellites, comets mistaken for shooting stars. I used to spend the night at Seth’s house on the rez with his friends, and whenever the sky was clear we’d go to the beach, build a bonfire and listen to old Quileute legends. We’d fall asleep on the warm sand during one tale or another and wake up snug as could be in a big pile at Sue’s home. Then in the morning we would get a huge pancake breakfast, stuffing our guts full of Sue’s chocolate chip pancakes.
What happened to those days of innocence? Why did we have to grow up and become aware of the nightmares that surrounded us? When I was little I worried enough about my first zit and getting a job—sure, throw some vampires into the mix. Just what we all needed.
I stood under a streetlight, pulling back the sleeve of the coat to read the faded address; at least I was in the right area. I followed the street with the house number repeating in my head. It had to be down this row.
At the opposite end of the block, there on the hill side of the street, was a quaint little red house. It kind of resembled a barn if only it was bigger, but just like the rest of the houses it had one story. I checked the number on the mailbox three times before climbing the steps, anxiety bubbling in my stomach. I wasn’t afraid of any of our contacts, we were all in this together after all, but Billy was Quileute, which meant he was basically a super soldier. Because of their legends they were ready to fight against anything and he would surely recognize the smell of a preserved corpse on me.
I took a deep breath and pushed the doorbell, almost wishing everyone in the house was a heavy sleeper. Why was I even here? I had enough money to buy myself a ticket to
Turning back around, I was met with a wide bronze chest and measly pair of boxers. The guy was huge, and ripped, and made me feel entirely way too small. It couldn’t be Billy, could it? He didn’t look like a Billy to me—William I could believe, but not Billy.
He wiped his hand over his face and gave me a lazy, lopsided smile. “Can I help you, little lady?”
I bristled at what he assumed was cute and was tempted to show him I was more than just a little lady, but then I remembered I only had ten shots and there was no way I could take that guy hand-to-hand. So I stayed firmly on my stair as I watched his black eyes travel over my form then immediately straighten up in a defensive posture. Crap, can’t pretend I’m the
“I’m looking for Billy Black, does he live here?” I asked.
“Who wants to know?” His voice was colder now, his entire demeanor changed in an instant. He must’ve realized the tiny bulge under my arm.
“Bella.” Simple enough; if it was a trap, I was only a girl named Bella, not Charlie Swan’s daughter, not part of the resistance group that successfully escaped Forks,
My name seemed to set something off in his mind. He relaxed again and gave a brighter smile, every part of him coming to life. “Bella! Old Quil told us you were coming by. How have you been?” He waved a hand in front of his face. “Whew! Has anyone recently told you that you reek?”
Yeah, definitely Quileute super senses. I stepped onto the porch and he recoiled, hand covering his mouth and nose. “Sorry, it’s the jacket. Had to hide my gun somehow.”
“Spoil of war, I get it. From that monster who tried to kill you, huh?”
I nodded mutely. Sure, let that story go around, it was better than admitting the truth. Heck, any story was better than the truth.
“Well get on in here,” he said as he stepped aside. “Your dad is waiting on you.”
I brushed past his warm chest on my way into the house. Stepping through the door I was immediately standing in the living room; loveseat, a couch, a rocking chair, TV sitting inside an entertainment stand surrounded by DVDs, all the usual. The only thing on the walls in this part was a single piece of artwork by the window. It was small but not cramped; it was really homely with its white walls and blue carpet.
No pictures, no separate personality—that was a big rule. My dad didn’t even have a picture of me, his only little girl, in his wallet like most fathers. Photos were a runaway’s worst enemy.
The big man shut and locked the door before motioning me further into the house. Off the living room was the kitchen, and beyond that was a hall of doors, but we didn’t even get that far because sitting at the table with a cup of coffee was my dad. I couldn’t help grinning at the sight of him. He was alive, without a scratch, and happy to see me, too.
“Hey kiddo, congrats on the second life,” he said affectionately. “How are you feeling?”
I ran to give him a hug, just to make sure he was real, and he indulged me for a second but Charlie was never one for public affection and gently pushed me away. “So much better now that I know you’re okay. I thought since you took the Bloodmobile they wouldn’t stop chasing you until you were dead. Hey, what did you do with that thing, anyway?”
“Set it on the state line rigged with C-4. Starting up the engine certainly gave them an explosive surprise.”
I laughed. Yeah, Charlie was hardcore like that. Detonating C-4 in a public area was dangerous, especially if he did it with people around, but it would burn the vampires nicely. Blow them into smithereens and fry up all the pieces. Depending how much Charlie used, and knowing him it had to be a nice pile, I’d say we had a few less vampires to worry about.
The floor shuddered and before I had a chance to blink I was pinned to the wall by two hands. One foot dangled in the air while I had just enough time to pull the other up, slamming it into his stomach, but it didn’t stop him; he was so close my knee brushed my chest.
I wasn’t the only one who reacted to the man. Charlie was out of his chair, his .44 magnum pointing dead center at the guy’s temple.
My captor was as furious as he was tired; the darkness of his skin did nothing to hide the bags under his eyes. I wasn’t sure if he was attacking me because I was loud and he was trying to sleep or if we had an old rivalry, although I’m pretty sure I’d remember meeting someone as big as him. He was as big and muscled as the guy I first saw, they could have been twins with their body types and close shaved hair.
“Put my daughter down, Paul,” Charlie said carefully. It was his cop voice, the one that talked bank robbers into releasing their hostages and giving themselves up. I wasn’t sure it would work on this guy.
“Your daughter, the one you claimed was a cold-blooded killer, is a fucking vampire?” he growled. His arms shook but not with the effort to hold me on the wall. This guy seriously hated vampires, and for one second I was a little worried he would hurt me.
I pushed the fear away and replaced it with anger. “Do I look dead to you?” I asked, wishing I could get my foot onto his chest instead of pushing against his stomach. It wasn’t doing anything except cramping my leg. “You either put me down or get a bullet through your brain.” Or worse. I was pretty sure that .44 could blow his head into little pieces.
“You smell like a vampire, and yeah, you look a little pale to me.”
“If I was a vampire I’d have crushed your head by now. It’s the jacket, numb nuts, let me go.”
“Oh a spunky vampire, what luck! Makes killing them a challenge.” His hands tightened infinitesimally around my shoulders and I might’ve imagined it, but there was a distinct pop and a flash of pain raced up my neck and down my arm.
Charlie noticed, and he wasn’t happy. He holstered his gun and disappeared behind the big guy. One meaty thud later, Paul bowed backwards, yelling in pain and released me. I dropped onto my abused, bony butt and rolled out of the way as he turned for Charlie.
I was nearly run over by a man in a wheelchair who seemed just as aggravated as the rest of us.
“Paul, what are you doing? Do you know what time it is?” he asked. He didn’t even raise his voice but Paul immediately stopped his attack. “It’s
“I can’t sleep with a vampire in the house,” he replied tersely. Tremors were still racing through his body but he pulled himself upright, out of an offensive position to face the new man.
The man in the wheelchair looked down at me, and I was almost sure I met him somewhere before, but I couldn’t place it. Was this Billy? Wait, Billy Black . . . Billy? . . . no wonder the name seemed familiar! This was Jacob’s dad! When I visited Charlie over summer vacation he took me to the reservation where I used to play with Jacob and Seth, the whole gang, but when I moved to Forks I learned Jacob and his dad moved some years before. Huh. I guess I forgot about them with all the chaos of my life.
Billy drummed his fingers on the chair arm. “Are you blind? It’s Bella, not a vampire.” He offered me a hand up and I carefully pulled myself to my feet. “Look at how much you’ve grown. I’d never guess you’re the same clumsy girl I used to know.”
I rotated my shoulder with a grimace; a little uncomfortable but otherwise manageable, which was good because I was over being hurt for a while. “I’m not the same girl. I haven’t tripped over my feet for a few weeks, at least.”
He laughed, the guy by the sink chuckling as well. Was that . . . Jacob? No way. He was about as scrawny as Seth the last time I saw him, and he said he was growing his hair out. But it had been years since I last saw him, things change in a blink of the eye, so he probably had it chopped for better managing. Wow, he looked so incredibly different.
Paul punched the wall with enough force to shake the house and add a nice gaping hole in the drywall. Billy voiced his agitation but Paul was already running out the door, leaving yet another mark as the door slammed against the wall. I stared after him, Jacob went to close the door, and turned to Charlie with all the questions I wanted to ask right on my face.
“Paul has some anger management problems, that’s all,” he answered. “He doesn’t like strangers, and you do smell like a vampire.”
“It’s true.” Jacob came back to the kitchen with a sheepish grin. “When you came knocking I thought I was talking to a vampire for a second, but then I knew it was you, just before you told me. I mean, who can forget Bella Swan?”
“Uh-huh,” I agreed awkwardly. I could easily forget. I was boring, normal Bella—well, used to be. Then I became vampire hunter Swan. “But maybe I need some introductions around the room, just so I know who I’m working it. I remember you, Billy, but this guy I’m not so sure. Are you who I think you are?”
Charlie laughed an all-out belly laugh. I’d never heard him laugh like that. What was so funny? He plopped back into his chair and sipped his coffee before replying, “I said the same thing when I first saw him. Doesn’t look a thing like that scrawny Jacob, does he?”
Oh my god, it was really him! I stared, jaw on the floor, as my eyes traveled up and down what had become Jacob Black. The young boy I knew had blossomed into a six-foot-something wall of muscle with perfect abs. His face had a hint of the old Jacob, those high cheek bones and almond shaped eyes, but his jaw was sharper, squarer, and there was a certain maturity to his face that I only saw in my friends faces having been through a bad fight. Jacob hadn’t been in Forks for a long time, he didn’t deserve that kind of weight in his eyes.
I kept myself from hugging him—I was excited to see my childhood friend but, dang, he could crush me with those arms—by taking a seat across from Charlie at the table and instead offered a smile. “It’s great to see you again, Jacob. It’s been years.”
“No kidding! You should’ve wrote or something. When I heard about the vampires I was worried about you guys. At least there were guys at the rez to help you out.”
“Sam’s been a great help,” Charlie answered. “He definitely knows how to take charge and get things done, same with Jared, but Paul was a little bit more of a handful than I liked. I thought we’d have to tranquilize him a few times.”
“Paul’s always been like that but I agree he’s been getting worse recently.”
“I’m worried about him. He used to be a good kid, he wasn’t all that violent.”
“You know what the problem is; there’s nothing we can really do about it, it’s all up to him. He just needs to see Sam.”
“Why? What’s wrong with him?” I asked.
“It’s nothing you need to worry about, Bella,” Billy said. “Are you hungry, thirsty?”
Avoiding topics already? I just got here and already I was kicked out of the know. “No thanks. If anything I’d rather have a shower.”
“Angela’s here, if you want to borrow some of her clothes, you know she’d let you,” said Charlie.
Angela Weber, daughter of a pastor, was one of the most sweetest zealots you’d ever meet. She was devoted to killing all vampires thanks to her upbringing making her believe they were all demons who deserved to go back to hell. She didn’t do a whole lot of the killing but she was great at undercover work. Her family was one of the few who didn’t give in to a protector, and as far as I knew they all fled Forks. Hopefully none of them were hurt getting out.
“I don’t want to wake her up,” I replied. Although Paul might’ve already taken care of that with the huge commotion he made.
“Then how about you tell me about this lease on life thanks to the doctor that found you? What was his name?”
I bit my lip. What could tell them? I had a Quileute super solider standing in the room and one just outside, who openly hated vampires and was volatile; out of everyone sitting around I was confident Paul would be the one to kill me for saying I spent a week and a half with vampires, trusting them to feed me when I couldn’t walk, trusting them not to kill me while I slept. I didn’t kill them before I left and I accepted a gift from one—what did that say about me? Fuck.
Lie your head off, Swan! “Carl . . . Collins. Dr. Carl Collins from
“Well, he’ll certainly be getting a card from me for taking care of my little girl. What about Seth, was he with you?”
“Mike didn’t say anything?”
“No, why?” His voice took an edge that said he knew exactly why. It’s not like I could keep denying it. The more I did, the worse it would be when I had the chance to sit down and think—when all this craziness was over.
I recounted what happened on the highway, Charlie nodding along with the parts Mike and Tyler explained, yet when I described the vampire grabbing Seth, I learned they must have conveniently left that part out. For whatever reason I felt I had to defend myself for not saving him. I didn’t have a clear shot after all, and
The kitchen was silent for a long time. Jacob and Billy were clearly upset but Charlie’s expression was neutral as always. He perfected the cop face; he wouldn’t let his emotions show no matter the situation. I sunk into my chair with a sigh. Now that the truth was out there someone had to tell Sue. Old Quil was probably hounded by her questions after our conversations, and I had been the one to let Seth . . . die, I felt it was my responsibility to tell her. She deserved to know instead of holding onto false hope her son would check in.
Billy was moving towards the phone on the wall with the hole.
“No, Billy, let me tell her,” I said, jumping out of my chair.
“Why on earth would you want to do that? It’s not your duty to deliver bad news,” he replied with a frown.
“I know, but it’s not your duty, either. I was the one who failed Seth so I should do it.”
He waved a hand at me, shooing me away. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re just a girl and there was nothing you could do; you didn’t want to shoot him, you didn’t fail him. Jake, take her and get her some clothes.”
Jacob immediately took my arm and pulled me down the hall of doors. I struggled with every step but his grip was tight, all those muscles effectively dragging me despite my heels digging into the floor. He pushed me into the third door on the right, turned on the light, and slammed the door. I took in my surroundings—a usual guy room, complete with messy bed and gaming system, not to mention blue walls—before turning back to Jacob. He was leaning against the door looking as uncomfortable as I felt.
When had I ever been alone in a guy’s room? Probably two months ago, talking strategy with Mike. How embarrassing was it that I could be naked in front of three guys but feel completely out of place standing with a guy who I haven’t seen since I was seven, and we were both dressed? Well, I was dressed. Those boxers really couldn’t pass as suitable clothing.
“Um. . . .” I failed to think of anything to say. What was there? I just came from a vampire’s house, showed up on the porch of an old friend’s house, was manhandled by an enraged human, told my dad one of my childhood friends died, and now the awkward tension in the room was threatening to crush me. Jake knew Seth from yesteryears, he had to be feeling down about the news, so maybe that’s why he was reacting so slowly.
“Clothes, right. Sorry. I’ll get them, you stay here. Angela won’t mind,” he said robotically. Yeah, definitely fighting off emotions.
I sighed in defeat and took a seat on his bed while he ducked out of the room. No use trying to sneak out, I could hear Billy on the phone in the kitchen. It was my fault, right? I had the ability to save him. He didn’t have to die.
The weight of the situation pressed against my head, my temples throbbing. Trying to shake the thoughts away made them stick closer. Crushing, mocking me.
All the time we spent at
Jake’s return surprised me; I jumped at the sound of his questioning voice, “Bella, are you okay?”
I looked up into his brown eyes, saw my reflection there and immediately stood from the bed, wiping my eyes on the jacket sleeve. He caught me crying. I definitely wasn’t comfortable with that.
“I’m fine,” I said weakly. Clearing the emotion from my throat I tried again. “I’m fine, Jake. Did Angela care that I’m stealing her stuff?”
“Nope, she said feel free to use her toiletries too; it’s all sitting in the bathroom. Here.”
He held out the clothes while I tore the jacket off, letting it hit the floor. I grabbed the clothes—a pink tank top with lace around the neck and jeans, not something I would wear, but beggars can’t be choosers. I kept the clothes at a distance so they wouldn’t stink as bad as the rest of me and went for the door. I stopped inside the doorway, turning back to face him.
“You do laundry around here?” I asked.
“Yeah. You want those clothes washed?” he asked.
“That’d be great, thanks Jake. After all it’s the only pair of underwear I have.” I laughed.
He laughed uncomfortably. “Go ahead and steal one of my shirts so we can start getting the stink out of this house.” Jake stepped outside the room, closed the door behind him.
I set the top and jeans on his bed and stole a shirt from his closet, unbuckling myself from the shoulder rig. He could give my gun to Charlie, who would probably inspect and clean it. I stripped out of my clothes, slid into his shirt, which was so large it almost touched the floor hanging from my shoulders, and took one last look at the jacket. That number was still in the pocket, I didn’t rip it up yet. Should I get rid of it?
No, no, no, bad Bella! I shook my head. Get that thought right out of your mind, no vampire would willingly help a human; if they did, it was no doubt a trap. I wasn’t a sucker. I pulled the small pouch out of the coat pocket and turned it over in my palm. There was a good amount of money in here, we could use that, but I had to get rid of the number. They were vampires, they never had a permanent residence so why would the number be his? It probably dialed the vamp hotline—an easy way to track and attack victims.
Jake knocked on the door. “Bella, are you done in there?”
No time to think about it, guess that was my answer. With a sigh, I shoved the slip of paper into Angela’s jeans and set the pouch next to my gun. They’d think the pouch was from Dr. Collins so I didn’t need an excuse for that, but the phone number . . . nah, they wouldn’t question that either. Well, maybe Charlie, because he was suspicious like that.
I gathered the fresh clothes and opened the door, brushing past Jake—which felt more like squeezing with how big he was—into the hallway. He pointed me in the right direction and I ducked into the small bathroom, slammed the door and drew a deep breath. Keeping the number felt like betrayal. I was betraying the very people I trusted with my life by not telling them anything that happened when I was in the Cullens care. It could backfire. My friends wouldn’t trust me, and that was important during this time.
No, everything would be okay. A shower makes everything better, being surrounded by live humans after a week and a half of self-exile was definitely a plus, but being around old friends was perhaps the best thing I could ask for. I had to keep moving forward, had to keep my head above the water. I’d get back to Forks and kill those monsters for Seth. Tomorrow I’d be in
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