The Life of Emery Paige

James

Carlisle was up to bat, Edward, catching when Alice suddenly gasped. Edward was at Bella's side before the others could ask Alice what was wrong. Esme said "Alice?" Alice said "I didn't see, I couldn't tell," Carlise pulled me to stand between him and Esme as he said, "What is it, Alice?" Alice said "They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the perspective wrong before," Jasper leaned over her, his posture protective. He said "What changed?" she said "They heard us playing, and it changed their path," Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed between me and Bella. Carlisle and Esme put an arm around me as he said "How soon?" Edward said "Less than five minutes. They're running they want to play." Carlisle said, "Can you make it?" Edward said "No, not carrying... Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scents and start hunting." Emmett said, "How many?" Alice said "Three," He scoffed "Three! Let them come." For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Carlisle deliberated. Only Emmett seemed unperturbed; the rest stared at Carlisle's face with anxious eyes. Carlisle said, "Let's just continue the game, Alice said they were simply curious." All this was said in a flurry of words that lasted only a few seconds. Edward said, "You catch, Esme, I'll call it now." And he planted himself in front of Bella. Esme said, "Stay with me." I said "Always." she smiled gently at me but I could see the worry in her eyes. 

She led me to her position and I stood slightly behind yet to the side of her, the others returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with their sharp eyes. Edward pulled Bella's long hair forward, around her face. Alice gently said, "That won't help, I could smell her across the field." Edward said, "I know." A hint of frustration colored his tone. Carlisle stood at the plate, and the others joined the game halfheartedly. I was scared about what was going to happen, but having Esme and Carlisle within arms reach seemed to help a little bit. The seconds ticked by; the game progressed with apathy now. No one dared to hit harder than a bunt, and Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper hovered in the infield. Carlisle, Emmett, and the others turned to face a direction, hearing sounds of passage much too faint for my ears. They emerged one by one from the forest edge, ranging a dozen meters apart. The first male into the clearing fell back immediately, allowing the other male to take the front, orienting himself around the tall, dark-haired man in a manner that clearly displayed who led the pack. The third was a woman; from this distance, all I could see of her was that her hair was a startling shade of red. They closed ranks before they continued cautiously toward us, exhibiting the natural respect of a troop of predators as it encounters a larger, unfamiliar group of its own kind. As they approached, I could see how different they were from the Cullens. Their walk was catlike, a gait that seemed constantly on the edge of shifting into a crouch. 

They dressed in the ordinary gear of backpackers: the clothes were frayed, though, with wear, and they were barefoot. Both men had cropped hair, but the woman's brilliant orange hair was filled with leaves and debris from the woods. Their sharp eyes carefully took in the more polished, urbane stance of Carlisle, who, flanked by Emmett and Jasper, stepped guardedly forward to meet them. Without any seeming communication between them, they each straightened into a more casual, erect bearing. The man in front was easily the most beautiful, his skin olive-toned beneath the typical pallor, his hair a glossy black. He was of a medium build, hard-muscled, of course, but nothing next to Emmett's brawn. He smiled an easy smile, exposing a flash of gleaming white teeth. The woman was wilder, her eyes shifting restlessly between the men facing her, and the loose grouping around me, her chaotic hair quivering in the slight breeze. Her posture was distinctly feline. The second male hovered unobtrusively behind them, slighter than the leader, his light brown hair and regular features both nondescript. His eyes, though completely still, somehow seemed the most vigilant. Their eyes were different, too. Not the gold or black, but a deep burgundy color that was disturbing and sinister. 

The dark-haired man, still smiling, stepped toward Carlisle."We thought we heard a game, I'm Laurent, these are Victoria and James." He gestured to the vampires beside him. These people scared me so I was fiddling with my hands, Carlisle seemed to notice because he slid his hand down my arm to lace his fingers with mine. Carlisle said "I'm Carlisle. This is my family, Emmett and Jasper, Rosalie, Esme and, Emery, Alice, Edward, and Bella." He pointed us out in groups, deliberately not calling attention to individuals. Laurent said, "Do you have room for a few more players?" Carlisle matched Laurent's friendly tone. "Actually, we were just finishing up. But we'd certainly be interested another time. Are you planning to stay in the area for long?" Laurent said "We're headed north, in fact, but we were curious to see who was in the neighborhood. We haven't run into any company in a long time." Carlisle said, "No, this region is usually empty except for us and the occasional visitor, like yourselves." The tense atmosphere had slowly subsided into a casual conversation; I guessed that Jasper was using his peculiar gift to control the situation. Laurent said, "What's your hunting range?" Carlisle ignored the assumption behind the inquiry. "The Olympic Range here, up and down the Coast Ranges on occasion. We keep a permanent residence nearby. There's another permanent settlement like ours up near Denali." Laurent rocked back on his heels slightly. "Permanent? How do you manage that?" Carlisle said "Why don't you come back to our home with us and we can talk comfortably? It's a rather long story."