Sunset

Chapter Thirteen

"What's going on?" I asked Edward in a shaky voice as he buckled me up.

"James is a tracker." Theo explained to us. "He's hunting Bella now. From our reactions especially mine, he won't stop until she's dead."

My heart practically stopped in my chest at those words. Edward gently gripped my hand in his as Theo started driving.

"We're going to take you girls south." Edward says. "We won't let him get either of you."

"Why didn't he smell Nico?" Bella asked. "He was only looking at me when he said snack."

"Nico's been around us longer than you have, she's also wearing some of Rosalie's clothes." Theo explained. "Her scent is masking Nico's."

"If he's tracking me he could kill our dad." Bella cried out. 

--

"Leave me alone Theo." Bella slammed the door on both his and my face. 

I let out a sigh as I dramatically opened the door to a confused looking dad questioning his youngest daughter on what was going on.

"Seriously, Bella?" I snipped. "We were having fun until you were by yourself inside your damn mind." 

"You won't get it, Nicoletta." Bella snapped. "I gotta leave Forks. Go home to Phoenix."

"Bella, your mother isn't in Phoenix anymore." Dad sighed. "If you feel like it in the morning after you sleep, I'll drive you to the airport."

"No dad, I'll drive it'll give me time to think." Bella says as she walked out of the bathroom heading down the stairs.

"Come on Bella, I just got both of you back." Dad says voice broken. "Look we'll spend more time together. Just the three of us."

"Watch baseball on the flat screen and go to the diner?" Bella questioned. "That's you and Nico dad, not me. I don't want to be stuck here like mom." 

"Bella!" I gasped not knowing she was going to say that.

Dad's face seemed to be heartbroken as she stormed out the house. I turned to dad who had tears in his eyes.

"Dad, I'll bring her back." I say before following my twin out the door. "Bella!"

I climbed into her truck before she could pull out of the driveway. Bella let out a shaky sigh as she left headed down the road.

"I can't believe you said that to him." I whispered to her. "But it's dad, he'll forgive you."

I jump as Theo ended up hanging onto Bella's door. 

"Nico's right," he says. "Your father will forgive you, here let me drive."

Bella scooted to the middle as Theo got into the drivers seat. I jump again as there was a slight thud on my door. Edward smiled gently at me opening the door pulling me into his arms and sat down in a quick swift motion. 

"He's not." Bella whispered. "Our mother told him that when she left."

"Bella," I say gently. "It's dad. He'll forgive you."

There was a slight bang in the bed of the truck causing me to jump slightly. I turn to the back window to see Emmett's legs.

"It's just Emmett." Theo says gently to Bella. 

"Alice in the car behind us." Edward added.

"God damn you Emmett." I laughed causing him to laugh. 

--

Edward literally carried me into the house while Theo led Bella by the hand. I let out a squeak as I was suddenly swung onto Eddie's back as him and Theo hissed at what I noticed, Laurent walking out of Carlisle's office. Carlisle held up his hand towards the twin boys.

"He comes in peace." Carlisle says gently.

"I'm tired of James' games." Laurent says. "Don't underestimate Victoria."

He then took off out the door while we went into the garage. Edward gently set me down on the floor. I quickly walked to Bella gingerly grabbing her shaky hand. She squeezed it as we watched everyone rush around the garage collecting stuff.

"I've had to fight our kind before." Jasper says. "Not easy, but not impossible. We tear them apart and burn the pieces."

"I don't relish in killing another creature." Carlisle sighed. "Even a sadistic one like James."

"What if he kills one of us first?" Rosalie asked sitting on the counter. 

"We're gonna run the twins south." Edward says. 

"No." Carlisle shook his head. "James will know Theo wouldn't leave Bella's side." 

"I'll go with the twins." Alice says causing me to look at her with a thankful smile. "Jasper and I will drive them south, I'll keep them safe, Edward, Theo." 

"Can you keep your thoughts to yourself?" Theo questioned the pixie like vampire.

"Yes." Alice says.

She gently grabbed both of our hands leading us toward the Mercedes. 

"Rosalie, Esme could you put these on?" Theo asked tossing some of Bella's clothes to them. "The tracker will pick up some of her scent." 

"What is she to us?" Rosalie questioned causing me to give her an icy glare.

"She's my sister." I snapped.

"She's with Theo, Rosalie." Carlisle explained. "She's our family now and we protect family."

Rosalie huffed before putting on Bella's coat. I sighed climbing into the back of the Mercedes. Edward came to lean against the window. 

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too." He says leaning into the car to give me a kiss. "Forever."

"And always." I finished with a small smile. 

Edward kissed me once more as Alice and Jasper climbed into the car. He sighed leaning up.

"Stay safe." I tell him sternly.

"Always am, you stay safe with Alice." Edward says giving Alice a playful glare causing her to give him a huff.

We pulled out of the garage in silence. I sigh opening my arms letting a silently crying Bella cuddle up to me. She tucked her knees into her front as she pressed into my side biting at her lip. 

"You know, Nico," Alice says causing me to look up at her. "You always treat Bella more like a daughter than a sister."

"Someone had to step up since our mother is a child at heart." I sighed. "I love our mother to death but she honestly wasn't fit to raise two toddlers alone. That's why I'm glad she met Phil. I stopped having to make sure mom remembered to pay the bills, buy groceries and learn how to cook at the young age of four. I grew up pretty quick."

"Especially after you turned thirteen." Bella says causing me to frown at that horrid memory.