meliora | victoria sutherland

four

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"this is driving me insane"

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"that was really stupid you know," edward stated the obvious to the girl, as if she didn't know that already.

simply rolling her eyes, althea sat down on one of the luscious sofas the cullens owned. she rolled her head back, now rested so she could look at the ceiling. "i can track him now, but it's too on and off for it to be reliable."

she didn't understand why, maybe he was too far away, or maybe she couldn't concentrate on him for prolonged periods. there was even a possibility of an interference, but it was unlikely.

"how so?" she was asked, but it was hard for althea to truly describe it.

"for seconds at a time, i know exactly where he is, it's scary how accurate it could be," she sighed, returning her head upright to look at the family, "but most of the time it disappears, and i can never control it to get it back."

what came next wasn't what she was expecting, but it wasn't a complete shock either. the human girl got out of her seat, a facial expression one wouldn't expect from those in supernatural danger.

"so we can get going?" she questioned, a wide smile on her face.

for the amount of time she had known bella, this didn't seem like an act from her at all. it was strange, of course, she doesn't frankly understand her personality, so perhaps there was a mask this entire time.

except for the lack of responses. althea blinked. then blinked again. the atmosphere seemed to change dramatically, although in another universe.

the human was still seated, and everyone was looking at her strangely. she didn't even appear to be getting off the couch, nor was she jumping with joy to leave.

"are you ok?"

she probably wasn't. but nevertheless, the older vampire nodded her head, continuing as if there wasn't a strange scene. "yeah, sorry, so what's happening?"

it seemed as if she needs to get out of the area, and return back to her home where she felt the safest. she shouldn't even be here in the first place, althea thinking as far as she was being used for another reason.

"i'm driving bella down south," edward asserted, not realising the idiocy in the statement, "then could you guys lead him-"

"no, edward," carlisle began, shaking his head as he stopped abruptly in his walk, "james knows you'll never leave bella."

he took the words out of everyone's mouths, the group frantically running off to the garage now. the guest awkwardly followed behind, not knowing the blueprint of the residence off the back of her hand.

"i told you yesterday that jasper and i will drive her south," alice spoke up now, looking towards the inter-species couple who couldn't get enough of each other, "i'll keep her save, edward."

it didn't take much to realise it was hard for him to let his girlfriend go, a place in his heart wanted him to be the one keeping her safe. it wouldn't happen, and he had to come to the awareness immediately.

"can you keep your thoughts to yourself?" he voiced with gritted teeth towards his smaller sister, continuing to hold onto bella for dear life.

"yes," she breathed out, seemingly done with her brother's stubbornness. she reached out to take bella's hand, wrapping an arm around the human's waist as she led her to the car.

"rosalie, esme," edward shuffled around a bag beneath him, pulling out two items of clothing, throwing them to the girls, "could you put these on so the tracker will pick up bella's scent?"