Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Claws

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 14:

“Damn it! I’m going to kill that motherfucker!”

Charlie flinched while Bella unleashed a few of the new curse words she had been learning for the second time in the last half hour.

The first time she had been mildly irritated. The fish had just gotten off the hook, slipped away as sometimes happened.

This time a larger fish had snapped her line.

“It happens.” the man tried to sooth her. “You got a big one, and he just happened to be stronger than the line. You did great. He is probably gone but the next one is yours. Want me to tie a new lure or you got it?”

Bella turned to her father in disbelief. “Do you have stronger line? Because a new lure isn’t going to cut it. The thing most likely weighs ten pounds and is agile. Throwing a new lure would just be wasting a lure.”

“A triple hook?” Charlie suggested.

“Doesn’t fix the physics of a six pound line pulling in a larger fish.” the girl argued.

“Yeah, buts it all about finesse. Once you get the technique down instead of trying to overpower the fish, it will get easier. Do it again and I can walk you through it. It isn’t about pulling the fish in all the time. Sometimes you have to give line, let it lead away, pull back and repeat. The fish eventually gets tired.”

Bella took a deep breath to calm herself.

“You are right.” she admitted. “But the fish that just broke my line won’t get away. Let me grab it for dinner and we can practice on smaller fish.”

“I think it is probably…” Charlie wasn’t able to say gone before Bella was taking her clothes off.

“Bella?”

“Shhh. Don’t spook it.” Bella told him, shoes kicked off and quickly down to her red bra and to Charlie’s horror, red thong underwear. He turned from her quickly.

“Bella, could you put your… why are your clothes off?”

“I’m not going to jump in the water in my clothes. I’m not an idiot.” she told him, annoyance clear in her voice.

Charlie heard a slight splash, barely noticeable from the ones fish had made jumping when they arrived.

Looking through the murky salt water of the his favorite hidden cove would be useless. He wondered what the hell she was thinking. The water was freezing and there was no way Bella would find a certain fish in the open water…

An object shot from the water and struck Charlie in the chest.

The large Red Snapper flopped on the bottom of the boat.

“That’s one way to catch a fish. Now where is my daughter?” the man mumbled.

His heart felt like it stopped when Bella launched from the water ten feet from the boat and landed gently inside on her feet.

“Sorry, but I don’t let prey get away.” Bella explained. “Let’s get back to the poles okay? You can show me this technique of yours.”

Charlie took her in, soaking wet, steam rising off her body no doubt due to her high body temp and… the scars on her body. He did his best to school his face, to not let her see that he wanted to cry looking at them, that he wasn’t wondering how each one got there and how he felt massive guilt over each and every one.

“Charlie? You okay?” Bella asked.

“Yeah… you should probably put some clothes back on.” he told her, turning away again, once the shock of the sight of scar tissue wore off.

“Why?” she asked. “It’s not like I’m naked. It’s the same as a bikini, right?”

Charlie cleared his throat, looking anywhere but towards her.

“Yeah, but… it’s not a bikini, you see? It’s… you are in your underwear. Plus your underwear, it isn’t exactly…”

Bella frowned, not seeing the problem. “Because of my panties? Ty said thongs are common wear in swimming attire.”

“Not in Washington!” Charlie said quickly. “Plus, its maybe 60 degrees out and the water is cooler. Not exactly bikini season. Just… please, put on your clothes.”

Bella shrugged her shoulders and did as requested. Charlie turned around when she told him it was safe and was a bit annoyed by the grin on her face.

“Sorry? Didn’t realize seeing me in my underwear for a moment would make your face that red. I guess modesty has never been an issue for us. When you are subjected to multiple medical exams a week and have cameras in your rooms, in bathrooms… I sort of forgot people are a bit more… conservative. No worries, I definitely won’t be in a bathing suit this summer and if I were to be it would not be a thong judging by your reaction. So the fish is awesome, right?”

Charlie schooled his face once again, not wanting to focus on the offhanded comment she had just made about modesty. Bella hadn’t said it to hurt him, but he wanted her to open up and opening up naturally about her life meant he would hear things he didn’t want to.

“Yeah, that is an awesome fish. It would go for about a $100 at a market. Usually ten bucks a pound.”

Bella was impressed. She never saw fish as money, just food. “We should catch more. I see ten around us, smaller but not by much. Cast thirty feet to your right. I have the one forty two feet on my left. Let’s see which of us can trick the prey first. This is fun, when my line isn’t snapping, you know?”

Charlie smiled and nodded. Bella was smiling. It didn’t appear forced at all. She was voluntarily spending time with him at her suggestion and was having fun. Except for her stripping to her underwear to catch a fish underwater with her hands, she was doing well.

True to her word, there were fish everywhere. Bella’s eyes were yellow, flaked with red dots, and he knew she was seeing the creatures in the murky water as if they were in a clear aquarium. It definitely took the guess work out of fishing.

The father and daughter spent the afternoon reeling in their large catch, Bella only breaking one more line but not diving in at Charlie’s request.

On the drive home, heavy cooler in the back of the police car, they sat in what was comfortable silence for a change. Once inside, Charlie unpacked the gear and began cutting potatoes while Bella cleaned the fish, all twelve of them in five minutes.

“Cleaned fish before, huh?” the man asked, ignoring the fact that she had no blade when she had stepped out.

“I hate the taste of scales.” Bella admitted. “So are we eating raw, grilled or baked?”

Charlie shook his head, trying hard to keep the smile from his face. “I’m not really a sushi kind of guy. Baked? I have some seasoning that will go great with this.”

“I leave it in your hands Chef. So what do Sunday nights consist of? Baseball?”

The man shrugged his shoulders. “Sometimes.”

“Guess you are on your own after dinner.” she told him apologetically. “I would rather sleep in a tree again than watch baseball.”

“It’s a great sport!” Charlie argued.

“Successful players are expected to have a three hundred percent batting average at the least. That means success is determined by a 70% failure rate. You watch three hours of professionals screwing up 70% of the time and those are the so called good players.”

Charlie faked indignation. “So you give no credit to the skilled pitchers?”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Yes, because watching a man throw a tiny ball to another man while an opposing player stands there is very exciting. I’d rather watch… anything. Since I have a very large television in my room, should you develop better taste in entertainment, you are more than welcome to join me.”

Charlie cringed at that. He wanted to spend the entire evening with her.

“What if we watched a movie instead? One about baseball that I guarantee will make you laugh and come to a new appreciation for the sport?” he suggested.

“A movie about baseball?” Bella asked doubtfully. ‘You think a movie about baseball can make me laugh? Does someone receive a gruesome injury by sliding into a soft pad? I admit that would be entertaining.”

Charlie stuck his hand out. “I promise, if you don’t find this movie funny you can pick all entertainment choices in the living room from this point on.”

Bella doubted he would hold up his end. Charlie enjoyed his sports too much to give up his throne room. Still she decided to humor him. She had an enjoyable day and didn’t want to see it end herself. Bella did like the comedies Ty had made her watch but had serious doubts a movie about a sport movie being funny.

Two hours after dinner Bella was in tears as the end of Major League rolled.

Charlie sat back in his recliner and crossed his arms, looking towards her with a smug look.

“So?” he asked.

Bella nodded, wiping her eyes. “You win.” she told him, admitting defeat. The movie had certainly, somehow inexplicably given her a new perspective on baseball.

The girl stood and stretched. “I guess I should get to bed. Long day of trying to stay awake in school tomorrow.”

“You can always say you have a headache.” he told her jokingly.

Bella grinned at the man. “”Sorry about traumatizing you with the underwear thing. Sometimes I forget I’m not in Peru anymore. It’s still kind of sinking in. Promise, no more half naked diving for fish, especially wearing thongs. I had a really good time today. Thank you.”

Charlie grunted and looked at the floor, hoping the burning in his eyes could wait for a few minutes.

“Probably the best day of my life Bella.” the father told her.

To his utter shock, the girl moved quickly to him, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He came out of his paralysis quickly and held her closer.

“Thank you.” she told him, pulling back after a few seconds then moved upstairs in a blur.

Once the door closed, she sat on her bed and tried to take stock of what just happened.

She hugged him.

It felt good.

That was never supposed to happen. Nothing that had happened was supposed to. Everything was turned upside down. She wasn’t supposed to have attachments, just cover. She wasn’t supposed to have friends, she had a support team who would take her out if she went out of control or more likely die fighting by her side. She wasn’t supposed to have a really nice, kind, vampire preparing her lunches for school.

She wasn’t supposed to have the stuffed dog that she was squeezing in her arms.

She checked her phone for the first time that day.

Only one missed call from Leah. Bella thought of calling but it was late. Still it was unusual for her not to text. Bella had somehow forgotten her phone today, never thought about it and realized she had been out of communication all day with her team.

Bella decided to call, to make sure she was okay.

“Hey.” Leah answered with no enthusiasm in her voice. She sounded sad in Bella’s opinion. Maybe she shouldn’t have called so late.

“Sorry, I missed your call. I left my phone at home. I was out with…”

“Your Dad. My Dad saw the two of you getting Charlie’s boat. Word travels fast. I thought I would leave you alone. I kind of felt, I don’t know, that maybe you two needed some time together.”

Understatement of her life, Bella thought. Time with a parent was one of many things she missed out on since she was born.

“How are things… with you? You and your Dad, you and… him?”

Leah sighed on the other end of the phone.

“Dad has lightened up. I guess Mom finally made him realize he really couldn’t do anything about it. I heard him and Mom fighting last night. More like Mom yelling at him. I think the term pimping your daughter out was used by her. He apologized this morning for the way he has been acting. I’m a little worried about school tomorrow. A girl I know said Paul is still spreading rumors about me. Sam apparently told him to quit but this Paul guy is a real asshole. He’s at First Beach right now getting drunk with some guys and I’m sure he will have me labeled as the whore of La Push by the morning. I’m not sure if anyone will believe him but it still kind of pisses me off. If I say something to him, it will just start more shit though. One more semester and I am done with that hellhole.”

Bella held back a low growl building in her chest. “This Paul guy is saying you cheated on Sam?”

“With half the school apparently.” Leah told her, sounding defeated.

“It will get better, Leah. I promise.” Bella told her and hung up.

Ten minutes later Bella was in La Push. She didn’t bother using one of her tac suits. Tight low cut jeans and a forest green sweater were only required for this mission.

The group wasn’t hard to find. There was only one small fire on the beach and Bella could hear the sounds of drunk young men and smelt alcohol from fifty yards away even through the strong sea breeze.

She watched quietly not approaching any of them, only gathering intel. It was easy to determine which one was Paul by the conversation.

Paul was the one giving a detailed, incorrect description of Leah’s body and telling his friends how Sam didn’t mind sharing her.

Bella only had to wait an hour before the group broke up. She moved towards the area where the vehicles were parked and kept to the shadows. As luck would have it, the girl would not have to follow Paul to his home.

His friends left while he stood by his truck alone, finishing off a beer.

Bella walked from the shadows, catching him by surprise.

“Hey there. Where did you come from? Kind of late for a nice girl to be hanging out at a place like this.” he greeted her, eyes taking in her slender body.

Bella shrugged her shoulders and stepped closer.

“What’s so dangerous about a public beach?” she asked innocently.

“Maybe me. What’s your name? How did you even get here?” Paul asked, looking around for a boyfriend or even a car.

“A guy dropped me off but left earlier. I guess he found someone he liked better.”

“Better than you?” the boy asked.

“Hard to believe I know.” Bella told him. “So what does a girl have to do to get a ride back to Forks?”

Paul shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Bella fought not to vomit. He obviously held himself in high esteem.

“I don’t know about Forks but I can give you a ride somewhere.” he offered.

Bella nodded her head and stepped closer then reached out, touching his chest gently with her fingertip.

“I have a few ideas where we could go.” she told him suggestively.

Before he could reply, Bella had her hand on the back of his head, spun him towards his truck and shattered the driver’s side window with his face.

She was disappointed he had been knocked out and only her grip was keeping him up. The multiple lacerations on his face and the shattered nose did give her some satisfaction but not enough.

“That’s gonna leave a mark.” Bella whispered. Reaching into his pocket she took his keys and then unceremoniously tossed him in the bed of his truck.

Twenty minutes later she pulled over on the side of the road leading to Forks. Checking behind the seat, she did not find rope but a roll of duct tape he possessed would do. Walking to the bed, she listened to him trying to regain consciousness. His breathing was labored by his shattered nose and his face was very swollen. Bella should have been satisfied. The human part of her recognized that she was probably overreacting and Leah could take care of herself.

The animal part of her, the part that often cried out to be near Leah, wanted to play and would not let him off with just a shattered face and a serious concussion. Her eyes yellow, her night vision making the forest as clear as if a spotlight shown over its entirety, she tossed the larger man over her shoulder and began her trek, a half mile deep.

Paul woke up in pain, so much pain he didn’t notice at first that he was stripped to his underwear and duct tape bound his arms to his sides and his knees together.

“Paul? Hey, Paul.” Bella called to him, snapping her fingers in front of his partially swollen shut eyes.

“Look at me. There you go, up here tough guy.”

Paul opened his mouth to speak but found he couldn’t. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he knew at that moment he was scared for his life. The girl kneeling next to him did not look familiar, but from the state of his eyes and the darkness, she could have been anyone he ever slept with.

Except once his eyes began to focus, he realized this tiny girl was not one of his past conquests. She had dark brown shoulder length hair, a beautiful face but something about her smile was off. Whoever this girl was terrified him.

“Help me.” he whispered.

“Help you? I’m the one who did this to you. We need to have a talk. I need your complete attention. I realize your head hurts right now so I am going to help you out.”

Bella swung into his ribs, feeling them crack. Paul screeched and tried to roll over.

“See? Now you aren’t concerned about your nose, are you? Rib shots tend to clear the mind. Now do I have your attention?”

The man nodded quickly, his eyes wide with fear. His attacker shouldn’t be that strong. She was just a girl. She was also calm, too calm.

“I want to introduce myself. My name is Bella Swan. I’m Charlie Swan’s daughter. You know the Chief of Police, right? He thinks I am at home right now in bed. When the sun rises you are going to have to make your way back to your truck. I’ll leave it to you to find your way. I’m sure a big tough guy like you can handle a little hike, right?”

Paul continued to stare, not moving, focusing on watching her closely while trying to breathe.

“If you reach your truck you are going to make up a story. You were assaulted last night by multiple men. They took your truck, beat you and left you in the woods. Do you know why? Because no one is going to believe that the tiny daughter of the Chief of Police whose bike has been in her yard and has been sleeping all night did this to you. You have had quite a lot of alcohol. You would hate for my Dad to have to arrest you for underage drinking and making a false criminal report as soon as you are released from the hospital, right?”

Paul nodded his head.

Bella slapped him softly on the cheek.

“Answer me.”

Paul could have sworn at that moment that there was a rumbling emanating from her, a low growl and wondered if a wild animal had approached them.

“Yes. I’ll tell them whatever you want. I’ll make anything up. Please just take me to the hospital.”

Bella shook her head and ruffled his hair.

“Afraid not. There is a reason this is being done to you. Leah Clearwater, Paul. The girl you were telling your friends on the beach that Sam passed around to his buddies? The one you have claimed to have fucked, the one you have been calling a whore since she dumped your BFF? You know her. Words hurt Paul. I don’t like her to be hurt. You are going to go back to school in a few days, when cleared by the doctor of course, and you are going to tell everyone at that school you are a liar. You are going to apologize to her and fucking mean it. You are going to beg her forgiveness and if anyone else speaks anymore lies about her, you will deal with it. Do you know why?”

Paul didn’t take long to answer. “You’ll hurt me again?”

Bella shook her head. “No Paul. I will kill you. I’ll leave a few organs for the police to identify you with DNA and confirm you as killed by an animal attack. What you are feeling right now? It will be nothing compared to what you will feel as I am killing you. Do you believe me Paul?”

He nodded his head quickly.

“What’s wrong Paul? Cat got your tongue? Speak when I ask you a question.”

“Yes! Yes I believe you!”

Bella was happy with this. She could tell there was no anger in his voice, only fright.

“I truly wish you weren’t human, Paul.” Bella whispered. “Maybe one day there will be a pack of shifters in La Push. Maybe you will be one. When that day comes, I won’t hold back. I’ll take your eyes first. You hurt Leah, Paul. No one hurts Leah. If it happens again, I won’t let your humanity hold me back. This is your only warning.”

Paul stiffened when she grabbed his throat and pulled him into a sitting position.

“Leah doesn’t know about this. You won’t say a word to her. I was never here. Now one more time Paul. What are you going to tell the police?”

“Four men attacked me at the beach. I didn’t know who they were. I didn’t see them until it was too late.”

“Because you were drunk.” Bella prompted.

“Yeah, drunk” Paul agreed quickly. “and… and… I woke up here, beaten. I don’t remember anything else. I swear I won’t say a word. Just please don’t hurt me anymore.”

Bella pushed him back to the ground. “After you apologize to Leah, never speak to her again, understand? I will know. I will always know.”

Bella stood and walked away, leaving the man lying, broken and terrified. She wasn’t satisfied, but anymore and the girl knew she could have easily killed him. Bella took off running, making it back home quickly and into her room through the window. She listened carefully, satisfied that Charlie was sleeping soundly and took out her phone.

“What’s wrong?” Connolly answered immediately.

“I just assaulted a teenage boy at first beach, left his face shattered and broke a couple of his ribs. I left his truck on the side of the road and him bound in the forest, nearly naked. When it gets called in this morning, make sure he understands the necessity of giving the story I told him to tell and if you find any evidence of my being in his truck, make sure it goes away.”

Connolly was silent for a moment, digesting this.

“If you told me you were going to party tonight, I could have come with. You have any idea how bored I have been?” he finally asked.

“This was personal. Don’t ask.”

“Wasn’t planning on it. You think he will be alive in the morning?”

Bella shrugged her shoulders, not really sure. He should be, she hadn’t given him any immediate life threatening injuries but wild animals were abundant in the area.

“It’s only a few hours. He is going to say he was attacked by four men. If he says anything else, could you please handle it?” Bella asked politely.

Connolly began laughing.

“You really aren’t going to tell me why? Did he grab your ass or what?”

“Like I said, its personal. Meet me at the Cullens tomorrow night. We need to begin educating them on what they may face if they really want to back me up in the field.”

“Consider it done. Glad you are getting on board, Bella.”

“Somebody has to keep Charlie alive while you idiots conduct suicide missions. See you tomorrow… and thanks.”

“Hiding bodies for you? Covering up assaults? All part of the job.”

Bella grinned. “I mean thanks… for everything. For the girls. For… me.”

“Thank me when it’s done. Get some sleep.”

Bella did sleep, not bothering to set an alarm or even worry about school. Charlie’s brain tumor excuse gave her free reign to come and go in the school and after her night, the girl thought it best she not be around other people.

She was woken by a loud knock on the door. Bella looked at her clock and saw it was 4 PM. Charlie usually didn’t get home before five on a normal day.

Bella threw on a tank top and her jeans from the night before and walked quickly down the stairs, forgetting in her rush to cover her arms. Not that it mattered. She knew from the relief she felt in her chest who was at the door.

Bella opened the door and Leah Clearwater walked in without an invitation. She turned and saw Leah standing in the hall facing her, arms crossed and a look of fury on her face.

“You were in La Push last night.” Leah told her.

Bella said nothing.

“Well?”

“Well what? You didn’t ask a question. You obviously know I was in La Push last night. Did you drive here and barge inside to have me confirm something you already know?” Bella asked defensively.

“At lunch time, the news was all over school. Paul Lahote was attacked at First Beach last night by four men for no apparent reason. One of them shoved Paul’s face through his windshield!”

Bella shrugged her shoulders. “Sounds like my kind of guys.”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I haven’t lied to you! You haven’t asked me a damn question! How can I lie if you aren’t asking me anything?” Bella asked, her voice raised as well, becoming a bit angry.

Leah stepped closer to her.

“How did you do it? He has a half foot in height and a hundred pounds on you. How did you do it?”

Bella thought of not answering, just asking her to leave and come back when she was calm. Leah was obviously angry right now and it was making Bella angry as well.

But Leah wanted the truth.

“I shoved his head through the driver’s side window, not the windshield! I dragged him to the woods, stripped him, wrapped him in duct tape and when he woke up, I hit his ribs. I had a talk with him, explained what would happen the next time he told lies about you. He agreed he would set the record straight and I left him alive.”

Leah’s eyes widened, obviously not having expected Bella to admit it or at least make some effort of deflecting the question.

“You broke his cheek bones, his nose, his ribs, left him in the forest naked, because I said he was spreading rumors about me? What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Any calm that Leah’s presence usually brought Bella was gone.

“I listened to him talking to his friends. He was saying just what you thought he would! He told his friends he fucked you, that Sam passed you around! You think I would let that go unanswered?! I told you I’m a monster! I told you I was dangerous! Now do you believe me?! You thought this was some game? Your tough right? You can take the truth? Last night showed you the truth. You don’t like it, stay the hell away from me. I am what I am!”

Leah backed up, unsure of what to say. She had never seen Bella angry. Bella had been awkward, nervous, relaxed recently, and comforting. At this moment she was none of those things.

“And if he ever talks about you again, I will rip him to shreds. You don’t like it, make sure I don’t find out.” Bella added.

Leah shook her head. This made no sense. Bella… Leah looked at her arms, once more, then traveled to her shoulders and down her chest. The tank top Bella was wearing was low cut, showing Leah more of her chest than before.

The scars were everywhere. The bite marks, there was one almost directly over her heart, Leah noticed.

She met Bella’s eyes once again and instinctively backed a step.

Bella Swan’s eyes were yellow.

“Bella?” Leah whispered.

“What?” she asked sharply.

“Your eyes.”

Bella’s eyes returned to brown, and the look of anger on her face was replaced by one of panic.

She began walking quickly toward the kitchen, heading for the back door.

Leah followed her, running to keep up and still falling behind.

“Bella!”

Bella turned before she reached the nearby trees. “Go home Leah. Stay away from me. I told you I am dangerous. I’ll come by La Push at night so you can sleep but you won’t see me. Just… go away, please.”

Bella moved quickly, too quickly Leah realized. Still she ran, running in the direction she had seen her Bella move towards.

She had been running for less than five minutes when she tripped over a root. Leah hit the ground hard.

“Leah!” Bella screamed.

Leah looked for her voice not seeing her anywhere until Bella landed in front of her.

“What the hell? Were you in a tree?”

Bella shook her head and knelt down next to her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Leah told her quickly, standing on her own. “Who the hell do you think you are to run off on me like that? You said we were friends! I want answers damn it! I want to know how you savagely beat a guy twice your size. I told you Paul was at First Beach and the pressure in my chest was gone ten minutes later. How the hell did you get to La Push that fast? How did you just land from a high branch or even get up there? How were you running so fast? And why the hell did your eyes turn yellow?!”

Bella did not answer. Another presence took her attention away, one that had appeared very suddenly. She stood in front of Leah and growled.

“I am interested in those questions as well.” a male vampire told Bella.

He was older, perhaps fifty when he was turned, thin, with long grey hair and beard that hung past his chin. From his clothes, it was obvious he was not one for modern conveniences like washers, or showers. He wore an old silver suit jacket too large for his frame over a dingy white dress shirt and had on ripped slacks of an unidentifiable color, most likely clothes he had taken from a victim long ago.

“I had guessed my wayward newborns had encroached in another coven’s feeding grounds and were destroyed but your scent was distinct. I have never smelt a creature like you before. You were easy to find. Your scent covers this land.”

“That’s because this is my territory.” Bella told him.

Leah attempted to move to Bella’s side before she was held back by a very strong arm.

“Leah, I am about to attack this man. When I do, run back to my house, get in your truck and go home, quickly. Do not stop moving.”

Leah was about to argue, try to push her way to Bella’s side, until she saw them. Bella had long, pearly white claws on where the tips of her fingers should have been.

Leah stepped away and to the side, trying to see Bella’s face.

What she saw shocked her.

Bella’s eyes were once again yellow, spots of red around the black pupils. Her mouth… she had… fangs?

Bella glanced to her right side annoyed that Leah was more focused on her than the vampire in front of them.

“Run, now!”

Leah stood unmoving, not able to move much less run. She didn’t jump when Bella let loose an earth shaking roar and she didn’t breathe when Bella attacked the man, so quickly she was just a blur.

Her mind told her she should run, but she ignored her good sense.

Leah Clearwater wasn’t sure what she was seeing. She heard strikes, saw swings but they were so fast she could not tell who had hit who.

The fight was over quickly though. It ended with a loud snap.

The man was on his knees, Bella standing behind him with her arms around his neck. His neck was completely twisted, obviously broken. Bella reached her hands into the man’s mouth and pulled the jaws away from each other, taking the top of the man’s head off.

To Leah’s continued shock, there was no blood, just some sort of crystals under his skin and black liquid seeping around the wounds. Bella roared once again and slashed through the throat, severing the head completely from the body and letting it drop to the ground.

The two girls stood facing each other, both breathing heavily, neither knowing what to say.

Leah made the first move, closing the distance between them quickly.

She reached out to touch Bella’s cheek, feeling a need to assure herself that she was alright.

Bella turned her head.

“Look at me.” Leah told her.

Bella slowly turned back toward her and took a deep breath, her incisors retreating back into her mouth, her claws retracting and her eyes returning to brown.

“I told you I’m a monster.” Bella whispered.

Leah touched her cheek and wiped a tear that had fallen from Bella’s eye away. Bella didn’t turn away.

“No you aren’t.”

“You didn’t run. You saw.” Bella told her.

“Yeah. I told you I don’t scare easy. I think it’s time we really talked. Its time you told me everything.”

Bella shook her head. “You don’t want to know me.”

Leah shook her head and took Bella’s very warm hand.

“Not your call. Tell me.”

Bella looked around and nodded.

“Not here. My room. I need to call my friends to burn this thing. Then, we can talk. If you really want to know, I will tell you everything. Think hard about this Leah. Once I tell you, your life, the way you see the world, will never be the same.”