Before the New Moon

Chapter 2

Bella and I have developed an interesting relationship ever since the nomad incident. We'd gotten along before that, human solidarity according to Edward, but it definitely felt different now. We'd become each other's confidants, even while I was back home. There are things that are just easier to tell someone in a similar situation to you.

Through the summer Bella and I had kept in touch, talking almost everyday, something my mom was incredibly happy about. I suppose she was scared that after everything that happened I'd never talk to people again.

At first we mainly talked about the craziness of our situations, about how utterly terrifying everything could be. How Bella kept having nightmares about her attack, how Edward seemed to keep them away. And how she still hasn't told him exactly how that attack affected her. She doesn't want to make him feel responsible. I haven't told her everything yet, but I've told her more than I've ever told Alice and Jasper. About my hallucinations, about how I think I saw her attack, which she confirmed after comparing the actual events to what I saw. We tried to tell the Cullens about it, but they seemed extremely calm about it, telling us not to worry, that it was probably a coincidence. Needless to say, Bella and I dropped it.

But still, we talk about it, a form of therapy I think.

Aside from having an extra friend, always a good thing according to Dr. Douglas, it's a good way to compare notes. Alice, Jasper and Edward have a bad habit of censoring the information they give us, something about 'it's a lot to handle in one go' or whatever. So the two of us work together to gather information about the vampire world. Which is what we're doing now.

"So the Volturi are like, what, vampire royalty?" I asked as I pinned in two minutes on the microwave to make popcorn.

"More like the vampire government." Bella clarified.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"I don't think so, there seems to be a sort of council that makes the laws, and even they aren't exempt from punishment if they break them." She elaborated, "Plus, I think they weren't the first ones, I think they just recently got to power."

"How recent?"

"The renaissance, I think."

"That's not recent."

"Well it's recent in vampire doctrine years!"

"Fair enough." I said, taking the bag out of the microwave and emptying its contents into a bowl.

"Have Alice and Jasper really not told you about this?" She asked, taking a few pieces and popping them in her mouth. "Edward told me almost immediately after having the 'bite' discussion."

"They said it was something we had to talk about in person, something about 'inter-racial' mating laws, or something." I sighed.

"Oh, that."

"What?"

"It's nothing bad."

"What is it?"

"I think this is one of those things Alice and Jasper should tell you-"

"Bella."

"It's just that if the human a vampire is 'courting' isn't turned quickly," she explained "they need to be taken to see the Volturi so they can ensure you won't, you know, spill the beans."

"What happens if they think you are a 'security risk'" I asked after a moment, feeling my heart begin to race.

"Edward wouldn't tell me, but he said I had nothing to worry about."