Midnight Sun (Twilight #1.5)(182)

"Of course," she responded immediately. Esme flew to Bella's side and without flinching brought her into her grasp and raced upstairs.

Once Bella was upstairs everyone was in a hurry, running around packing their belongings or preparing for their independent trips. I continued to ignore Rosalie's thoughts as they grew meaner and more visual.

"Rosalie, you will take Bella's truck. Esme will go with you," I commanded.

"You want me to ride in that...that...thing?" she barked.

"Please, Rose. Do it for me," Emmett asked softly.

"I won't!" she hissed loudly.

"Rosalie, Bella is part of this family and you will treat her with respect, do you understand me?" Carlisle's voice became firm.

"Fine," Rose snapped at us and then stalked away. I could feel the angry satisfaction on my face.

I'm coming with you to hunt James. Maybe we can talk him out of this nonsense and can spare his life, Carlisle thought wishfully.

Esme and Bella appeared down the stairs only a few minutes after they went up, both of them changed. It was an odd sensation to smell Bella all over Esme but we were in a hurry so I informed Bella of our plan. "Esme and Rosalie will be taking your truck, Bella," I said while passing her to grab a cell phone that Carlisle was giving to each family member.

"Alice, Jasper - take the Mercedes. You'll need the dark tint in the south."

We'll keep her safe, Edward...promise. I'll miss you. Alice thought while Jasper silently nodded in approval of the plan.

"We're taking the Jeep," I told Bella.

"Alice," Carlisle asked, "will they take the bait?"

Alice closed her eyes while swirls of colors flashed and danced around until she solidly saw their path. "He'll track you. The woman will follow the truck. We should be able to leave after that"

"Let's go." I'll give you a minute, Carlisle thought but there was still a bite of impatience in his thoughts - we had to hurry.

I rushed over to Bella, not even hesitating while I brought her into my tight embrace, letting her body warm every inch of mine. The monster, desire, was still positively, solidly there. I placed my hand under her chin, bringing her lips to mine. Euphoria splashed through my hectic nerves - calming them, though the electricity reminded me that I was doing this for her, that I would die for her - to protect her. In seconds the kiss was over and I could feel the slight tearing of my body as I placed her back on the ground. I kept her face in my hands, communicating silently the love I had for her as tears strolled down her pink cheeks, her face eloquent with despair. It was time to go, so I wretched myself away from her and then I was gone, a chill filling my stomach.

I ran to the jeep, hoping into the passenger's side. Carlisle was driving and Emmett was in the back, we took off, driving north. James caught my scent easily and began chasing after us in the Jeep. I picked up the phone to call Esme. It only rang once, "Go now," I ordered.

I could still here the thoughts of Victoria as we speed away. Rosalie and Esme fired up Bella's truck and drove east. Victoria caught the smell of Bella and took off after her truck. I called Alice, even though I was positive she already knew. She answered her phone before it even rang, "Victoria is on their trail," I informed her. "It's time."

22. The Hunt

We were weaving in and out of traffic as James followed us. We were driving north towards Vancouver. Each second that I spent away from Bella I could feel my body's fresh tear ache. Half of me was with her, without her I could never be whole. We drove until we were only thirty miles away from Vancouver before I heard a distant ringing. It was just a faint echoing sound.

It's about time, she better have good news for me about the human.

About the human? It was definitely James' thoughts I heard as he continued to stay out of our vision, keen to not be spotted.

"Carlisle, slow down," I ordered while looking wildly around.

Carlisle released his foot from the gas and the Jeep slowly drifted down to sixty as he looked sideways at me. "What is it?" Carlisle asked, anxious.

"James has just received a phone call," I explained.

"Where did they take her?" James was wildly enthusiastic at the prospect of finding her when I was nowhere near her. I was too far away from him to hear the other end of the conversation so I settled with listening through James' mind.

"I don't know. They mixed the smell up and she was not in the truck. It was two female vampires and they drove west until we were several miles away from Forks. She must still be there. They tricked us," I heard Victoria say.

Idiotic woman! James roared in his head. "Find her!" he commanded and hung up the phone.

James ran the opposite direction of the road, flying feverously away from the Jeep until I couldn't hear his thoughts anymore.

"Stop!" I yelled.

Carlisle slammed on the brakes as the Jeep slid to a halt on the side of the highway.

"What is it?" Emmett and Carlisle asked at the same time.

"He knows that Bella isn't in the truck. He has a cell phone. He's sent Victoria back to Forks because he believes she is still there."

I didn't expect the nomad to have something as technologically advanced as a cell phone considering how they live. But I remembered something that Laurent had said, "He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as you seem to be, and he won't come at you head on..."