After Dark

After Dark (43)

--chapter 43--

Brooke Hale

Ah, Dawson's. It's officially my favourite spot. I sat here in the table for two drinking coffee. Not as good as the red stuff, but it helps with the cravings. Like that blonde guy eying me from across the restaurant. An easy target. Time to make my move and--

"Hey," Bella said and sat down on the chair opposite me.

"Uh, hi. What're you doing here?" I asked.

"I needed to talk to you." She said.

"Okay," I sipped my coffee. "Spill."

"We should go, somewhere private."

I did a quick scan. "Nope, no-one's paying attention to us." I said.

"It's serious." Bella frowned.

"Fine, fine." I reluctantly stood up, grabbed my coffee and placed two dollars on the table. Bella stood up as well, and walked out. I followed her, winking at the blonde guy in the process.

She continued walking, until she reached an empty part of town (it wasn't hard seeing that it was quite late in the night) and sat on a nearby bench. I sat on it too.

"So..." I broke the silence.

"What are you?" Bella asked me.

"I told you, I'm a vampire."

"But, you eat. And sleep. And you can go out in the sun normally."

"Y-yeah, I don't know why."

"You're lying."

"I am so not!"

"Brooke, I've known you for years, I can tell when you are."

Crap, I never thought of that.

"Okay, look. I'm about to tell you something I've only told a few people in my entire life of five hundred years..." Bella looked shocked when I told her the number. "And you have to promise not to tell anyone, and I mean anyone. Not even Edward. Or Renesmee. Or any other of the Cullens. I can only trust you because you have a shield."

Bella bit on her lip nervously. I know it was hard for her since she was super close with her vampire family. "Fine," She said after a long while. "I promise."

"Okay. I'm in trouble Bella."

She frowned. "With whom?"

"The Volturi."

Bella took a sudden gasp of air. She looked horrified. "What. Did. You. Do." She was so shocked that she had a dazed look in her eyes and spoke in broken sentences.

"I...uh..."

"C'mon. Brooke, you can tell me."

I told her everything. With exact detail. It was like she was like she was actually there.

*

21st January 1998

I followed Jane and Alec through the huge doors. We entered an enormous room, with beautifully carved designs on the ceiling and the walls. On raised ground, sat Marcus, Aro and Caius respectively. Once I walked in, Aro stood up and greeted me with a huge smile and open arms.

"Brooke! Good to see you!" He said. Marcus never moved an inch, while Caius frowned slightly.

From what I've heard from others, Aro usually did the talking, Caius basically hated everyone who he didn't know, and Marcus just sat there, watching. Also, not to let down you guard when you see Aro's smile, that's just him on the outside.