Dusk till Dawn | Paul Lahote ✔️

Chapter 7

Something wasn't right.

I frowned as I started looking through my clothes, grumbling to myself when I couldn't find something. In fact, I was missing a few somethings. Though the one thing I wanted in particular I had wanted to wear as an outfit for my date on Friday night with Paul.

It was a cute green knee-length floral printed dress with spaghetti straps.

Sighing, I shook my head. I'd just have to figure something else out for my date outfit. Not that I had a lot, and I had bought that dress specifically for the date, but no matter. It was just a dress that could easily be replaced. I'd have to text Destiny to see if she wanted to go on a shopping trip sometime soon.

Standing up straight, my eyes widened when I saw Edward open up my door freely. "Hey, Edweirdo, what are you doing?!" I growled venomously when he strolled into my room - Bella was behind him, gobsmacked at how her boyfriend was acting. "Hello?!" I snapped, annoyed that he didn't even acknowledge that I had said something.

"Someone was in here," he says and my eyes widen as I glanced over to Bella, who also seemed confused about what was happening here.

"What do you mean someone was in here?" I scowled, getting aggravated. How dare he barge into my room liked he belonged here?

Edward glanced over at me, a hard look in his eyes. "It means that there's a scent here I cannot place. It's not of your wolf, or of me." My heart quickened at that as I clamped my mouth shut. I understood what he was saying now. "I need to get the rest of the family involved. I'll be back soon, love." He turned to Bella who nodded mutely. Kissing her temple, he glances over at me slightly. "You might want to tell your wolf that you're right." He states bluntly before vanishing all together.

Later that day all the Cullens were in the house, as well as Paul. They were discussing who could have been in our rooms, and the conversation was starting to get eerie.

I hadn't met the Cullens. At least, not officially. Having the entire coven in the house was a bit awkward, especially with my werewolf boyfriend.

"Was it a nomad passing through?" One of the Cullens questioned, and my eyebrows furrowed as I glanced over at Paul - who seemed equally confused.

Blondie scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. "No, a nomad wouldn't have left Elaine and Charlie alive." She spat and I flinched, shuffling beside Paul as he wraps his arm around me in comfort.

Paul raises a hand, catching the attention of the vampires. "What's a nomad?"

"Wondering vampires," Dr. Cullen placated, a frown on his gorgeous face. "They don't have a territory to call home and just roam the lands. Usually causes trouble for us who do have a place to call home and try to stay out of trouble." I wanted to scoff at that, considering they didn't do a good job of keeping their secret safe to begin with.

They were much too different to blend in with the regular crowd.

"Was it Victoria?" Bella asked warily, glancing over at the petite vampire whose name was Alice.

Alice had a faraway look in her eye as she shook her head. "No, I've been watching her decisions. I would have seen if she came here or not." She states matter-of-factly, furrowing her eyebrows.

"What about the Vultori?" Edward wraps an arm around Bella, pulling her close to his side protectively.

Again she shakes her head. "I've been watching them as well. Nothing." The coven sighs, looking tired as Paul and I glanced at each other, still confused.

"So we keep searching," Dr. Cullen states, rolling his shoulders back. "And protecting Bella and her family," he adds, earning a growl from the blond.

"Another protection detail?" She spats angrily.

Bella shakes her head, frowning. "No, she's right. You can't keep watching the house and not getting enough rest. Plus, you have to hunt." The blond nods over to Bella in thanks, though still doesn't look happy.

I had the sense the blond didn't like Bella very well, though I didn't blame her.

"We can't just leave you unprotected!" Edward protests, giving his girlfriend a pained look as if the thought made him sick.

"But I'm not unprotected..." Bella trails off with a smirk, glancing over to Paul who furrows his eyebrows.

"They've already been patrolling the area," I shrugged, giving my boyfriend a smile as he frowns slightly, realizing he's going to have to work with the vampires in order to keep Bella and I safe.

Groaning, Paul pinches the bridge of his nose. "Fine. I'll talk to Sam, though we've already been watching the house because of that Riley kid." He points out grimly and I frowned at that, knowing he was right. The wolves have been stretched thin, especially since they have caught the scent of a new vampire in town.

"That Riley kid?" The bulky vampire pipes up, hand around the blondie vampires waist who still looked irate about the situation.

"Elaine thinks one of her old friends is a vampire now," Bella supplied, turning to look at him. I scoffed, glaring at Bella who just glares back. "They have the right to know there's another vampire here, Laney. Don't give me that look!" She snaps and I had to place a hand on Paul's bicep when I heard him growl at the way she snapped at me.

Dr. Cullen frowns at that, clearly not happy. "That means he's a newborn, and unpredictable. Alice?" He calls over to her as she gets a glossed over look in her eyes.

"Black hair, black studs in his ears, wears all black?" Alice questions with a frown as I nod my head. Perfect description of my friend, and she nods. "Yeah, he's there. Though not alone." Edward's face furrows in confusion and I frown, not understanding what was going on.

"Her names Crystal Aegis, she's a local." He nods and my eyes widen at the name as I stiffen.

"Babe?" Paul asks, rubbing his hand up and down my arm.

I glance over at Bella, whose eyes were also wide at the name. "Didn't you say Riley's crush was a girl named Crystal?" She murmurs and I nod my head. That couldn't have been a coincidence.

Glancing over at Alice, she raises an eyebrow at me. "Platinum blond? Kind of has a bitch face?" I questioned, wincing as Alice nods her head. "That's just wonderful." I huffed, not liking what I was hearing.

"What?" Paul asks in bewilderment. Everyone else looked just as confused as he did, which I didn't blame them for.

"Crystal was pissed off at me that day," I explained, "she thought I was on a date with Riley, which I admit it did look like that. It didn't really help that he didn't explain it was just a friend date." I grumbled underneath my breath in annoyance.

"We'll keep a lookout for her as well," Dr. Cullen nods his head, making the blondie with them huff in annoyance. "If she even remembers you. However if she still held some anger towards you because of that day it is likely that she does."

"Means she's going to be out for revenge." Bulky vampire smirks, "we have bait." He grins at me and I glare at him.

"Laney isn't bait!" Bella snaps at the vampire, who raises his hand up in surrender. Paul growls lowly at the insinuation of me being bait and I squeezed his bicep comfortingly.

"We'll keep you safe, Lane," Paul murmurs beside me as I bite my lip. "No ones getting you on my watch." He promises, and I could only hope that he was right.