Dangerously Beautiful • Carlisle Cullen

Chapter 26: Scared

Street signs, blaring horns, and flashing lights quickly turned into desolate landscapes as Cole fled from Phoenix, not having a particular destination in mind, just to get away.

She tried to clear her mind, to think about running, and not about the problems she left behind. Her niece, her mate, her brother, Rosalie, her powers that seemed be be spiraling.

Colette hit her knees, sobs breaking through as everything hit her at once, the emotions boiling until they exploded. The plants around her died as she cried, almost as if Mother Nature saw her in her distraught state.

Hearing a ringing, Cole stopped crying to try to find source, only to be surprised by the small cell phone that somehow managed to survive the fight.

The phone vibrated in her hand as she looked at the name, Alice. Letting the call go to voicemail, she looked around trying to figure out where she was.

Trees and lakes surrounded her, along with mountain like hills, that rolled into campsites that seemed to hold thousands of people.

Thankfully the sun had already started to set, the twilight hour upon her as she looked down at the campsites.

"Are you lost?" A voice asked behind her. Spinning around she saw a small child, six years old at most. "Kind of, can you tell me where I am." Colette asked and the girl smiled, nodding.

"You're in the forest by the lake." The girl told her and Cole smiled, chuckling at the misunderstanding. "Where is the lake at sweetheart." "The ozarks." "Missouri?" And the girl nodded. "Thank you." She told the little girl, turning around and headed to where she heard the sounds of the nearest town, but before she took off, the child had disappeared, but Cole heard her voice in the distance. "Mommy! I found a princess in the woods!"

Smiling slightly, she took of, looking for a motel, somewhere to stay for the night as she didn't want to be out in the wilderness, especially with not knowing who or what lived in these woods.

Finding a small roadside motel, she fished out what little cash she had on her, about fifty bucks and paid for the room, not knowing she wouldn't be staying there very long.

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Laying on the hard motel bed, Cole closed her eyes, letting her mind calm down, replaying the past days events.

Almost falling asleep, her phone went off again, Bella's name flashing across the screen. 'Oh god' she thought as she reached for the phone. Colette didn't know if her niece survived or not, not being able to handle the blood, and not being able to stick around.

She held the phone in her hand , deciding whether to answer it or not, but the device decided for her as the call went to voicemail. Seconds later, the phone rang again, the caller id flashing Bella. Opening the phone, she hit answer, as she held her breath and just listened.

"Aunt Cole?" Bella asked over the phone but got no response. "I'm okay. Just a broken leg and a few stitches. Nothing that some time won't heal." Bella told her aunt that she knew was listening after a small gasp was heard. "No one blames you. Especially me. You saved me, you kept your promises like you always do. Carlisle and Alice a going out of their minds trying to find you, so give them a call, please." Bella asked of her aunt, but Cole heard the door open, and a female voice speak. "Bella? Who are you talking to?" Renee asked before Cole ended the call.

Looking down at the small device in her hands, wondering if she should take her nieces word. She had seen the missed calls. Alice, Edward, Rosalie, but not one from Carlisle. The though hurt more than she thought it would as the burning sensation in her chest that started the moment she left, seemed to burn hotter.

Almost as if Alice knew she was looking at the missed calls, her name appeared on the screen, and for the sixteenth time, went to voicemail.

"Cole, please answer your phone and call me back. We're worried about you."  One voicemail said.

"Colette, I can't see you remember. I don't know if your dead or just hiding but please call me." Said another.

"Cole, Bella's okay. We just heard from the doctor. Carlisle is going to have her transferred to Forks hospital as soon as he can. He's worried about you. Call me."

"We know your scared and want to understand what happened. We don't blame you, Cole. You were protecting Bella. Please just let us know your alright."

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Alice paced the living room floor, not worried if she was going to leave an impression in the flooring by her constant movement.

"I'm sure she's okay darlin. She'll reach out when she's ready." Jasper told his wife, but she didn't like that answer. "I have to know if she's okay Jasper." "Shouldn't Carlisle be doing this?" He asked, his eyes flickering over to the stairs subconsciously. "He thinks she left." "She did." Jasper told her, not understanding.

"For good Jasper! She's went through so much. What if she just decided to run?" Alice asked as tears collected in her eyes. "They love each other too much. She wouldn't just leave. She needs time." He told her as he brought her into a hug.

Pulling back, Alice had a frightened look on her face as her eyes glazed over, going into a vision.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Jasper asked and the other vampires came down stairs at the question. "She found her." Alice whispered as her eyes shifted. "Who?" "Victoria."

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Cole closed her eyes, Alice's words running through her mind. "We don't blame you." "We're worried about you." "Bella's okay."

She remembered what her brother told her once. "People are scared of what they can't control. The only way to make them not afraid is to show them."

With that thought, she fell into a disturbed sleep. Tossing and turning kept her from truly getting any rest, but it also kept her somewhat alert.

Alert to what, some may ask. For her it was the soft footsteps that came ever so closer to her room. Far to soft for a human. Colette's eyes were open, wide awake compared to her previous state. Her eyes focused on the shadows that seemed to move with the wind.

A figure stood outside her room, focusing on the person inside, more on the scent than the physique.

She crept to the window, just close enough to the blinds to see who it was. Caught by surprise, the two vampires locked eyes, bright red meeting amber. Dashing away, red hair in stark contrast with her pale beauty, Victoria vanished into the darkness of the night.

Fighting with the door, Cole shot out of room, looking for any trace of the redhead, but she was gone. Looking down, a piece of paper caught her attention.

Grabbing it she unfolded the mangled note, only to read the threat. "You took everything from me, now I'm going to take everything from you."

Dropping the paper, Cole's eyes watered as they widened, realization coming to her. "Charlie."

A/N: How do you like all the new detail?