200 Years Without The Cullens

Chapter 13-Double Dose of Guys

I'd been running for hours. I was miles away from home now. I was miles away from Jacob, miles away from Edward. Each time I thought his name, a new ripping sensation sprang through my heart, sending my muscles into over-drive. I'd never run so fast in my life, and I wasn't tired at all.

I leapt over another river, staying in the woods or running over deserted mountains. I saw light at the end of the forest, so I slowed slightly, and darted across to the large boulders set at the foot of the snow-capped mountain. I had no idea how many states I'd been through now, I must be nearing Canada.

I ignored the snow that stuck to my skin, not melting against my ice-cold skin. I saw a stray deer ahead, so I took the chance, leaping on it and draining it in minutes. Don't get me wrong, I didn't need to hunt yet, but I'd rather not be starving while and run further for longer.

I pictured his face in my mind. The blank emptiness in his eyes, the emotionless shell he'd become upon Jacob's arrival. The momentary fury that'd ignited under his snow-white skin. The agonising rejection that coursed through me as he turned away. The stares of my family as I ran...

As I ran away from him. Away from them. Away from everything I cared about. Jacob's return to my life had turned me upside-down and inside-out. My emotions were in turmoil, and he was gone.

Correction, I was gone.

The scent of another vampire pulled me suddenly from my painful reminiscing. I snapped my head up to the top of the nest mountain, and saw four familiar figures. Too familiar.

I kept my head down as I tried to escape their notice, but to no avail. The damage had been done as soon as I looked up. I heard them hollering my name, firing short, three word questions at me. I gave up trying to ignore them, and slowed down, looking up into the faces of the Denali Clan. Without their leader.

Kate stood at the head of the family, Eleazer stood with his arm around Carmen a few feet behind her. Irina stood a little to the side, looking slightly out of place alongside the rest of her clan. She had always been the closest to Tanya, and her death had hit her the hardest. That had been apparent in their recent visit to us.

"Bella! Come on up!" Kate called, smiling.

I ran up the hill, not stopping until I stood just over a metre in front of Kate.

"Hi," I said, my voice strained from disuse. It had clearly been longer than I'd thought since I'd left, days certainly. Maybe even more than a week. The Denali's exchanged worried glances.

"Where's everyone else Bella?" Carmen asked softly.

I looked down, biting my lower lip. I said nothing. If I were still human, I'd be bright red, and tears would be streaming down my cheeks. As it was, a tiny sob escaped from between my lips.

"What's going on?" Eleazer asked, immediately on alert.

Carmen shook her head at her mate disapprovingly, and reached forwards to hug me. I submitted to her embrace, and sobbed into her shoulder. My body heaved and shook from the tearless cries, and the closed my eyes, trying not to think of him.

"Please Bella," Carmen whispered, "What's wrong?"

With a gasp and a last shiver from the sobs, I told them my story. About Jacob, about the interest he'd shown in me as a human, about his sudden return, and then about Edward's reaction. It was Irina who spoke first, which surprised me.

"You need to go home Bella," she said a little sharply.

"Irina!" Carmen exclaimed.

"It's true Carmen, she does. Edward loves you Bella, and I'd bet my life he's sulking, locked in his room, worrying his pretty little ass off," she said.