elegance | victoria sutherland

treize

"four o'clock on the dot," grumbled charlie, "that kid trying to brown-nose me or something?"

"he has a name," bella replied. her father ignored his younger daughter, throwing the newspaper he held onto the table.

"ok, you understand why you're being punished right?"

"yeah because she decided to run off to ita-" sequoia started, overhearing from the kitchen.

"it's because i put you through hell," bella cut her sister off, not wanting her father to know her whereabouts from before.

"yes, you did, but i have other reasons for grounding you," the chief clasped his hands together in front of him, "like getting some separation from him."

"dad, there is nothing you can say, edward is in my life."

charlie took a sip from his beer, "yeah, i'm gathering that."

sequoia stopped listening from that point on, not bothered to eavesdrop on the conversation anymore. although with every conversation her father and sister seemed to have, edward was brought up. not that it was any of her business of course, but was this really what their relationship was becoming to be?

-

"hey alice, what's up?" the witch answered her phone.

"have you heard of the homicides recently?"

"yeah, why? do you know who's behind it?"

"not in the ones about the seattle murders, but i did see victoria in another vision."

"what, here?"

"yes, in the forest," the vampire continued, "have you seen anything?"

"no not recently, i haven't seen her at all in the past few weeks." what sequoia said was true, she hadn't seen her in her visions.

"do you think you could help us? we've asked some of the wolves to join our hunt but," alice paused momentarily before stating, "the more people, the better."

"it's one vampire against seven vampires and wolves, i don't think you need me."

"six," alice corrected, "edward has convinced bella to go to jacksonville for the time being, we don't want her involved."

"still, that's plenty of people against one, plus, what's in it for me?" sequoia was wary of her friend's request. "i've never gone up against a vampire before, why would i throw myself in like that?"

"please?"

"no! i'm sorry, but i have helped my sister way too much!"

"so that's going to stop you from helping her more?"

the blonde girl rolled her eyes, "well bella won't even be in the area and-"

"victoria's power allows her to escape from any danger nearby, she can sense it better than anyone."

"well that's even better, she'll know i'm coming - so i won't be any help."

"but you could attack from afar-"

"no, alice, i'm not doing it." with that, the girl hung up the phone. she didn't want to fight for starters, and victoria hasn't done anything bad to her. sure, it's a little contradicting but as she said, the vampire has never hurt the witch. and why would alice need sequoia to fight?

-

the cullen family stood in a 'v' formation, each eyeing their surroundings. alice was at the point of the placing, looking ahead, waiting for victoria.