Book 2: Lune (Twilight Saga: New Moon)

Chapter 4: Laurent

"not again.." I sighed as I was pulled into Bella's mind for the fifth time today. I felt pain, and loneliness radiating through our bond.

Bella sank to her knees. I felt the urge to cry but it wasn't coming from my end. Bella was crying. As we sat there, in the meadow that Bella once visited with Edward, A rustling sound was heard. Bella whipped her head around. Nothing. Another rustling noise was heard from another part of the woods. She spun towards it – nothing. Bella turned back around but was startled. I tensed up as Laurent stood there ten yards in front of my sister. His red eyes vibrant across the field.

"Laurent?" Bella spoke with hesitation, not sure if he's a hallucination, or actually standing there. But I knew, he was real, and back to his nomadic ways.

"Bella." Relief rushed over me as Bella realized he was in fact real, but this was her relief I was feeling. In fact, I was terrified that she felt so safe, she was unaware of his recent activities.

"Laurent!"

"I must admit, I didn't expect to find you here." Laurent spoke with an accusatory tone to his voice.

"I live here. But you - I thought you were in Alaska with Carlisle's friend."

"Tanya, I was. It was kind of him to arrange, given my association with James and Victoria, 'The Enemy.'" He replied.

"You tried to help us." Laurent began to stroll in a slow arc around her, his eyes assessing her as he spoke,

"I went to visit the Cullens, but their house is empty. I'm surprised they left you behind. Weren't you sort of a pet of theirs?"

Bella's relief and feeling of security faded, fear beginning to dawn on her.  "Um... something like that."

"Do the Cullens visit often?"

Suddenly, Edward's apparition appeared between them. It was of course, Bella's illusion. Simply her subconscious and common sense telling her what to do. "Lie,"

"Absolutely. All the time." Bella replied to Laurent. God, what a terrible liar. Even I saw right through that.

"Lie better." The Edward Apparition spoke in a demanding tone.

"I'll tell them you stopped by." She spoke up, sounding a little more legit, but still not entirely convincing.

Edward started to fade. Bella tried to seem relaxed but the bond was telling me otherwise.

"Will they be able to reach you in Alaska?" She asked, her voice shaky.

"I don't think so. Tanya's "vegetarian" family was pleasant enough. But the dietary restrictions were difficult - living on nothing but animals."

Suddenly, he was standing inches from her. I didn't like that one bit. Finally, she noticed his eyes –- Blood red.

"Tell me Bella. Do you ever feel compelled to... cheat?" What the fuck did he mean by 'cheat'?!

Bella involuntarily took a step away from him.

"But that's not why I left. I came back here as a favor to Victoria." What the hell would Victoria want with Bella?

"... You're still friends."

Laurent shrugged. "More or less. She asked me to get the lay of the land with the Cullens. Because, well... I'm afraid Victoria is quite put out with you. And she and I needed to know if little Serenity is okay. I love her you to death you know? Little firecracker she is. I thank her for giving me an excuse to return to my nomadic life-style."

"S-Serenity..D-do you know where she is?" 

"Unfortunately, I do not know her exact whereabouts, but I do know she is bound to come find you eventually." He replied. "Let's just hope when she finds you, she won't hate me forever. It'd break my heart if I'd never heard from her again."

"F-find me?"

"Yes. Victoria feels it's only fair to kill Edward's mate, given he killed hers. Eye for an eye, mate for a mate."

And now Bella knew the truth. Not just that she was going to die, but that I was near. Terror overwhelmed her, making it flood my brain. Edward appeared –

"Threaten him."

"Edward will know who did it. He'll come after both of you. Serenity will hate you forever. She'd never forgive you!"

"I don't think he will. After all, how much could you mean to him if he left you here unprotected? And yeah, I said it'd break my heart if Serenity never forgave me, but it's bearable." I could feel Bella lose all hope the more Laurent spoke. "Victoria sent me here for information. She won't be happy about my killing you."

"No, Laurent..."

"No, no, no. Don't be upset. I'm doing you a kindness. Victoria plans on killing you slowly, painfully - whereas I'll make it very quick." Laurent inhaled, "And you smell so... mouth watering." He faced her, taking in her scent. Bella knew escape was impossible.

"Edward. I love you." She whispered, barely audible. Laurent was milliseconds from biting - then abruptly, his expression changed. He noticed something in the forest behind Bella - and it terrified him.

"I... don't believe it." He stepped back. Bella was confused as she realized he was no longer focused on her... she followed his eyes, slowly turning... to find behind her – an enormous black wolf skulking out of the darkness of the woods. It stalked towards them, a low disturbing growl in its throat, sharp teeth gleaming.

Bella was trapped between the two killers. Edward whispered in her ear --

"Don't. Move." The wolf slinked closer to Bella, a mere twenty feet from where she stood, then – four more wolves soundlessly emerged from the trees, flanking the black wolf. They were the size of small horses, all of different hues: dark silver, chocolate, ash and russet- brown. Their hackles were up, lips curling, bodies crouched,ready to spring. The Quileutes.

Bella was frozen with fear as they walked toward her. The russet brown wolf was the closest to her and as he passed by, the overgrown puppy looked directly into Bella's eyes. Laurent continued to retreat --then suddenly, almost simultaneously, Laurent bolted across the meadow. The wolves sprung toward Bella, and leapt 20 feet above her in pursuit of Laurent. Their thunderous snarls and snaps shook her as the pack sprinted after the rogue vampire, surrounding him before he reached the treeline. Laurent swung at the dark silver wolf, smacking the wolf half-way across the meadow. Another wolf lunged at Laurent - he kicked it and make it sail into a tree, splintering it.

The two wolves recovered, and lurched back to the pack which was closing in on Laurent. It was near impossible to know who will prevail –-

I was ripped out of Bella's mind and thrown back into reality, as I rammed into a tree. This was the last fucking time that I get pulled into Bella's mind while hunting.

I looked around at my surroundings and realized that I had subconsciously rushed to Bella's aid. I continued on towards the clearing, in time to rip Laurent off of Paul and threw him across the clearing, with inhuman force.

Laurent crashed into a tree, snapping it in half. His blood red eyes met my identical ones, as he realized who he was looking at. "Serenity.." He murmured.

And with that he was gone.

I turned to leave and was met with a confused, teary-eyed Bella. I left a kiss on her forehead, and then rushed away.