A F T E R D A R K | PAUL LAHOTE - 1

14

As it turns out Bella had drove our truck here and left it in the Cullens garage. It was quite convenient actually because at least I could go to Bella by myself and I didn't have to rely on one of the Cullens to take me. They had been spreading Bella's scent around all night to try and lead this tracker in the wrong direction.

I had gotten the details of where they were taking Bella from Alice and jumped straight in the truck. Even if I took her further South when I got there I was determined to help my sister in whatever way I could while the Cullens dealt with the tracker. As soon as they found him and I'm assuming kill him she would probably come back home and talk to dad about what she had said.

I had called Charlie letting him know that I would be home soon, he sounded absolutely crushed and I made sure I would let Bella have it for what she said to him. She had to make her reasons for leaving seem genuine but she didn't have to use the same words mom did when she left.

I had tried to call Paul, numerous times, but he wasn't answering his phone. I knew he'd still be in his wolf form, chasing the three vampires if they were still around. One part of me knew that Paul would be livid when he found out what I was doing — putting my life on the line to help my sister escape a psychotic tracking vampire who had a weird obsession with Bella's blood.

It was well into the afternoon now, almost evening and my phone was barely living, the truck was almost out of gas and I was borderline desperate to get to where I needed to be. I wasn't far from the place Alice had given me directions to thank god because I didn't know how much longer I'd be able to drive for.

Who knew where we were going to go from here though. Would I have to go further South with Bella, Alice and Jasper? Or had Edward and his family already killed this James?

I thought myself to be at an immediate disadvantage in the sense that I didn't even know what James looked like. Perhaps the red eyes would be a dead giveaway but I would have to physically look every person around me in the eyes to determine whether it was him or not.

I sighed, leaning into my left hand as I drove when my phone started to buzz on the seat next to me. I picked it up to answer whoever was calling me while making sure to keep my eyes on the road. I put it on to speaker phone immediately and dropped the phone back on the chair, "Hello?"

"Sophia!" It was Alice, "Bella's gone."

I shook my head to myself, "No, Alice. Is this some sort of joke?"

"I wish it were." She spoke into the phone, "But I had a vision just before she left, did you two used to take Ballet lessons?"

"Yes." I said quickly, pushing my foot further down on the gas peddle, "What does Ballet lessons have to do with this?"

"In my vision I saw a Ballet studio, I think that's where Bella went."

I leaned back into my seat, "Why the Ballet studio?" I whispered to myself. I couldn't find a logical reason though no matter how hard I wracked my brain, "Look Alice, I'm going to have to meet you there. I have enough gas to get me to the studio."

"Sophia you shouldn't go, if James is there—"

"—If James is there then Bella may as well already be dead." I told her bluntly, "I'll wait for you outside."