Writer in the Dark - J. HALE

17- ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇꜱ?

AS THE vampires all sped back to the house, Athena could not help but feel overcome with gut swallowing guilt because she could not do what she had said she could to aid Bella's protection. She thought it was mostly because of her that they were now all taking part in a vampire hunt, to protect the human that Edward had fallen in love with. She wasn't too against the idea, unlike Rosalie.

Athena walked up the stairs to the Cullen house after Luna had already reached the top (she hadn't been moving very fast due to the large volume of thoughts that circled her head) and as she reached for the handle, an arm on her elbow stopped her from pulling it open. "What was that look you gave Alice on the field about?" Jasper asked, keeping his voice low so the people in the house were less likely to hear. Athena took less than a second to look his face up and down: his mouth had pressed itself into a line, his brow had furrowed in concern and she could almost see faint signs or skin wrinkles at the side of his eyes that simply were not possible.

"Nothing Jazz, just about a vision she had told me about earlier," she replied softly, switching her emotion wall to block anything but happiness from him. She didn't like to do so but it was necessary to keep him in focus. Alice had said that it was not ideal for Athena to tell Jasper about the vision as she had seen the conversation and it did not end well for either of them. So, to protect him, she kept it a secret.

He raised a brow, just about catching onto her fake persona. "A vision?"

"Yeah, something to do with Bella and a vampire," she responded. Thinking up a quick lie that wasn't too far from the truth that he would be able to suspect anything. "It's nothing big," she smiled softly, hoping to soothe the concern that had taken residence in his eyes since he brushed a strand of her hair from her face. Jasper hummed in acknowledgement and reached forward to open the door for her, ending the conversation with an act that had her rather confused. She did not know whether she had gotten away with the lie or not.

Jasper followed Athena up the staircase, heading to Carlisle's office where all the others were when they both suddenly stopped and turned to face the door they had just walked through. Jasper sped down the stairs immediately, reaching the glass door just as Laurent knocked. "I do not want a fight, I am sick and tired of his games. I come in peace, to offer you advice," he spoke slowly, allowing Athena the time to delve deeply into his mind to see if he was telling the truth. Jasper paused, keeping one hand firmly gripped on the door handle as he glanced back at her for an answer.

"Come in," he replied as she softly nodded, telling him that the slightly odd-sounding vampire did mean what he said - even if he did not seem that trustworthy given the company that he kept. The three of them cautiously headed up to Carlise's office and were met with the scowling faces of every vampire except Edward, who had heard the conversation. Alice and Emmett walked out of the room as they walked in, going to get in cars so they could help protect Bella as she and Edward gathered some of her things. Athena sat on the arm of one of the chairs and Jasper stood behind her, making sure that Laurent was surrounded at all times just in case he decided to try something.

"He's got unparalleled senses, absolutely lethal once he sets his mind onto something," he explained, keeping his red-eyed glare fixed on Carlisle as he talked. Athena didn't know whether it was the red eyes that made his stare so intense or something else within them - it certainly helped to get his point across though. "And the woman should not be underestimated, she would do anything for James." A silence followed as the vampires soaked in the information, all plotting different plans of action in their heads.

"Thank you for the advice," Carlisle eventually responded with a grateful smile. Laurent got the idea and turned to head out of the room, Rosalie moved from the doorway just as he glanced over at Athena.