dusk

chapter 4

When I woke, I felt strange. I felt twitchy and on edge. I rolled over to see Edward's peaceful face, which always helped soothe me, but he was no longer there. I sat up quickly, my eyes scanning the room. I ran to my window to see if Charlie had left already, which, of course, he had.

I took a quick shower and ate some cereal. Just as I was cleaning my spoon and bowl, I heard as light knock on my door. My heart thumped erratically against my rib cage. I peeked out the kitchen window, which faced the driveway, and saw an old black car out front. I ran to go answer the door.

"Hi, Jacob!" I said, gesturing him to come inside, out of the rain.

"Hey Bella. My old man had some business in town so I thought I would drive over and say hi," he said, smiling awkwardly.

He had grown even more since the last time I saw him. His hair was a bit longer; it looked much more full. His teeth were perfectly straight, and white. His canine teeth looked very sharp, more pointed then normal. His beautiful russet color skin was blemish free and smooth looking. His brown eyes looked both dark and light at the same time. They looked wise and intense, full of depth. I suddenly realized we were gawking at each other, or at least I was gawking at him. He was beautiful, unnaturally beautiful.

I knew it was stupid to even think that, yet it fit him so well. He smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"So what's been happening with you?" he asked, making conversation.

"Oh, nothing much. Same as always," I said with a small smile. I noted that his voice was much more deep now, yet also silky and smooth. "What's been happening with you?"

"Well, I got my driver's license now. It's been pretty boring though, besides that-" he continued, but I started to zone out. I couldn't help my thoughts from flitting back to Edward, and why he wasn't with me, and the letter, still up in my room. The letter. I let out an involuntary shiver.

"Bella? Are you okay?" he said, his voice filled with concern as to why I shivered. The house was really warm, so I really didn't have an excuse. I looked into his beautiful eyes, filled with only concern for me, and before I realized what I was doing, I told him all of the events that had been occurring to me.

"And you still don't know who wrote the letter? Does Charlie know?" he asked. We were sitting in the kitchen now, and he seemed very angry that someone would do that to me. "No, I don't know who wrote it," I said. I conveniently left Edward out of the story. "And I don't plan on telling Charlie, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone." He looked at me like I was crazy, but said no more on the topic.

"What does it mean 'Your boyfriend'? And this person 'knows what he is and what you want to be'? I'm confused," he said, his brow furrowed as he contemplated what it could mean.

"Well, I'm assuming they're talking about Edward Cullen and his family," I admitted. I wouldn't have said any of this, but Jacob's concern for me, his want to keep me safe, made me really trust him.

Understanding dawned on his face.

"Vampires?" he whispered in shock. "Are they really vampires?"

I laughed, trying to play it cool. "We both know very well that vampires aren't real, Jake. This person is obviously crazy."

"I guess you're right," he said, but his brow was still furrowed in concentration. It made me nervous. "Besides, you don't want to be a vampire. Who would?"

He left to go pick up Billy short after that. It was getting dark. I put lasagna in the oven with some garlic bread to have dinner ready for Charlie when he got home. I was still fidgety, being alone in the house at night, but I was too lost in thought to really be scared. Where was Edward? Why wouldn't he tell me where he went? Does Jacob really think the Cullens are vampires? Who sent me the letter and are they still watching? Why do they want me dead? I shivered at the last thought, so I turned on the TV to try and get my mind of off it. Charlie came home not too long after that. We ate dinner in silence, both of us seeming to be lost in thought.

"Are you okay, dad?" I asked, feeling bad about the lack of communication between us lately.

"I'm fine, Bells," he said with a small smile. "Just thinking about work today."

"What happened, or is 'top secret'?" I teased.

He seemed to appreciate my attempt to cheer him up, though he seemed to sink back into his dejected mood as he told me about his day at work.

"I had to give Billy Black a misdemeanor charge today. Me and another officer had to escort him and some other older men from the reservation to the station. He was extremely angry when we picked him up. I think he was expecting special treatment, being my friend and all." His brow furrowed upon remembering.

"Why did you have to charge him?' I asked, with real curiosity in my voice this time.

"He was at the Elk's Lodge, you know, that big bar where all the parties and conventions are held, with the other 'Tribal Elders' telling people to beware of something called the 'cold ones'," he said tiredly, but my heart skipped a beat. "He was telling people that they were murders, blood drinkers or something. They were saying that people should watch out for white skin, golden eyes, and fluid movements. I should've given them a piece of my mind! Stirring up all this trouble for the Cullens with all that garbage of theirs! The sick part is that they had a whole crowd of people listening! Homeless people, rich people, new people to Forks, and even some officers! Billy said to be ready for when the 'Cold Ones' strike. That's why he got that group, he's trying to create a mob."

Sweat broke out all over my body. My heart started to thump erratically. I knew Billy was not a trash talker – he does what he says he will. If he was planning to gather a mob and go try and breech the Cullen house, then he would. I had no worry about their safety, a mob of humans couldn't touch them, but I was worried about them leaving Forks. They just couldn't leave me here; they couldn't go. Especially Edward, if he ever left, he would take part of me with him. Not that I had any intention to let him leave.

"Oh and I forgot," Charlie said, completely oblivious to the sudden sheen of sweat on my face. "The worst part is he said that he was 'creating an army of his own'. That it was stronger than pale faces and Cold Ones alike. He was gathering the natural enemy of the Cold Ones. I blocked him out after that. But when he saw me slap handcuffs on one of the Elders, he said something. Something about you."

I thought I was going to faint. This couldn't be happening. Leave it to Billy to drive away my only source of protection when there's someone out to get me. A sudden idea hit me. As crazy as it was, it was also entirely possible.

"What he said disturbed me, although I'm sure it's absolute garbage," Charlie said, cutting off my thoughts. "He said to warn you. He said that the Cold Ones don't have hearts. He said he'd be watching you. I almost lost it at that point" he said more, but I didn't register any of it.

Something horrible clicked in my brain. Billy sent the letter. Billy thought I was a traitor to his kind. Billy wanted me dead. But he was going to kill Edward first.