Cerulean Star

Chapter 8: For Now

"Edward what is it?" I had no idea what was going on, but the panic in his voice was contagious.

"There are others in the area, they've known about us, but they were just curious. But Alice just saw their curiosity getting the better of them and they'll be in the clearing soon. Bella. Listen to me, it's very important that you keep out of sight. Can you do that for me?"

I nodded my head in agreement. Too afraid to trust my voice to remain calm. I could understand the danger for me being in the clearing, but I was anxious that Edward was leaving me alone, so close and still far from that danger.

I kept my head down, hoping that by counting my breaths , I could regulate my breathing. But without knowing or seeing what was going on, my breathing became erratic. I had no idea what was going on in the clearing or even how long I was hiding.

But every time I talked myself into peeking, I talked myself right back out of it. I concentrated on my breaths again, but after one hundred and thirty-six exhales, I couldn't take the suspense any more.

I slowly lifted my head above the sightline to the clearing. The distance between me and the vampires in the field didn't affect my ability to see three additional vampires in the field.

There were two males and a female, I noticed her first, despite the show of leadership between the two males. Her red hair flowed behind her, wildly like liquid fire. The two males were beautiful in their own right. One had a dark complexion with long dreadlocks, while the other had shoulder-length blonde hair that was pulled tightly into a ponytail.

Almost instantaneously with my observations, the relaxed, casual stance that everyone once possessed changed. I realized too late that one or more caught my scent and everyone tensed up. I couldn't bear to look anymore and I tucked myself out of sight.

I could hear muffled protests from a voice I didn't recognize. It seemed like forever before I realized I was holding my breath. I slowly exhaled raggedly and prayed that my curiosity didn't put anyone that I loved in harm's way.

I held my sobs in, trying to keep silent and I was shocked that I was successful. At least I thought I was. I kept my eyes closed, envisioning a cocoon surrounding me in a private bubble.

"Bella?! Are you okay?" Edward's voice echoed in my ears, and it took me a moment to realize that I wasn't imagining it.

"Edward? What happened? What's wrong?" My voice sounded groggy as if I had just woken up from a deep sleep.

"I have to get you out of here. One of them was a tracker, and he smelled your scent on me. When he realized that it was a fresh scent, and not a lingering one, he formulated a plan to track it. To track you. I couldn't let that happen. I went to take care of him but Victoria got in the way and he was able to retreat. She was surprised that James left her, but I had to take care of her regardless."

I shuddered thinking about what mindset Edward had to be in order to handle something like that alone. I'd seen how Uncle Aro was while performing such an act but he was cold and unfeeling, and it always came down to power with Aro. Edward did it out of protection and love.

"Edward, I'm not going anywhere. I can't leave Charlie!" I knew good and well what a tracker was capable of, I used to live with one. Demetri was very efficient at tracking, even without using his gift of listening to the tenor of someone's mind. This James, was using pure scent to track me, and if my scent was strong enough, I knew exactly where it would lead, Charlie's house.

"Bella, I only took care of one, the other male is going over to the house with Carlisle and Jasper to negotiate a truce. Emmett is running behind us in James tries to double back."