The Witch and Her Vampire

Twenty-Three

When we got to the Cullens garage, Rosalie hopped up onto a counter and sat me down beside her as Edward hurried over.

"Rose, Esme, I need you to wear some of Bella's clothes," said Edward hastily, tossing a jacket at Rosalie. "Get the tracker off her scent."

"Why should I?" questioned Rosalie, not seeming to care one way or another. I furrowed my brows at her. "What is she to me?"

"Because she's family, Rose," Carlisle told her. "And we protect our own."

She didn't seem happy about it, but she took the jacket.

"And," added Alice seriously, making her way over to us."James and Victoria are after Carina. They didn't like being attacked."

"You're a bloody danger magnet!" cursed Hermione, who had appeared next to Edward and Bella. "Why did you have to provoke the vampires?!"

"Instinct?" I offered, before hopping off the counter. "C'mon, Mione, I'd rather them be after me than you."

"And I'd rather them be after me than you, but that's not going to happen, is it?" She ran a hand through her hair, before casting her eyes to Edward. "What exactly is the plan here? We've obviously got to get rid of them."

"Both of them." I nodded in agreement. "The minute we get rid of either of them the other will come back seeking vengeance and ready to kill. I say you let Hermione and I take Victoria and you take James."

"No," interrupted Edward, as he passed Bella off to Alice. "I've already got a plan. Bella goes with Alice and Jasper, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rose and I will be leaving scents behind to make him lose the trail—or at least distract him—and that's that. Then, Esme and Rose will go to protect Charlie." He paused. "I was thinking that maybe you go along with Alice, Jasper, and Bella, in case something goes wrong."

I scowled a little, but both Hermione and I nodded, and I met Rosalie's eyes from across the room.

They were pitch black.

"Rose," I muttered, knowing she would hear. "Calm down. I'll be fine."

Hermione and I got into the car after Bella, and we went off.

"So..." tried Bella as we drove down a highway. "You're witches? What, no warts or green skin?"

Her attempt at a joke was awkward.

"Nope," I replied soberly, before gesturing to Hermione. "No warts, no green skin...I mean, look at her—she's hot!"

"Carina!" scolded Hermione, though she laughed and smacked me on the head.

"Hey, that was a compliment!" I tried to fix my hair, but she simply messed it up again. With a huff, I collapsed against her while she simply snickered.

"Are you two...?" began Bella, gesturing between us. "You know...dating?"

"Me and Mione?" My eyebrows shot up, though I was seriously wondering how Ron and Hermione were able to handle each other. I even wondered how Hermione and I were able to handle each other sometimes—I mean, I'm pretty obnoxious and she can get pretty bossy. "No."

"Oh." Bella's cheeks went pink. "Sorry."

"It's fine," said Hermione finally, taking pity on the girl and offering her a small, kind smile. "We get that a lot. My boyfriend is back in the UK but, due to him having family issues and me needing a break from dreary old London, I came here with Carina."

"I remember meeting her as a kid." Bella ducked her head. "We made mud pies together with her brother and her cousin, Jacob."

"The good old days," I mumbled, leaning further into Hermione, crossing my arms over my chest and closing my eyes. "Before the big bad got hold of us."

Hermione half heartedly tried to shove me off her, to no avail.

"Carina," said Hermione, and I somehow knew she was rolling her eyes. "You're lucky Rosalie isn't here. She doesn't like me all that well—I'd be torn to shreds."

"Rose is very possessive," piped up Alice, swiveling around in her seat to face us as I opened my eyes and sat up straight, though kept my arms crossed. "She wasn't too happy at seeing Hermione here period, much less the two of you all over each other."

"We're 'all over each other', as you put it," started Hermione. "Because we've quite literally lived together for six years of our lives, not to mention we spent months on the run together with Harry and Ron."

"Hermione is like my sister," I explained softly. "And trust me, I want Rosalie more than anything, but it's a bit harder than when I was younger."

"I'll say," Alice told me. "Back then you had her at your beck and call, Car."

"I know." I threw up my hands, but was careful not to whack Hermione or Bella. "I just....the war messed with my head. I'm afraid I'll react to something badly, think I'm in battle again, and send her up in flames."

Alice raised her brows at me. "You really think that would happen?"

"She nearly roasted Ron alive," cut in Hermione. "So, yes." Absently, she rubbed her left arm, the one with the word Mudblood carved into it.

I winced in sympathy and took her hand. She didn't pull away.

"I know I'm her mate." I peered up at my vampire friend from behind my hair. "But I'm a little too...I don't know."

The car came to a stop, and we got out and entered the hotel.