Blood Moon

Chapter 1- Birthday Presents and ... Blood?

Bella's POV

Most people look forward to their 18th birthday. At 18 you're legally an adult, you can join the military, vote, buy tobacco and even in some countries you can drink. But most people aren't dating a vampire forever frozen at the age of 17.

I met Edward Cullen when I moved to dreary Forks, Washington a small out of the way town in the Olympic Peninsula about 7 months ago. Fork's is a small town filled with people who have lived there their whole lives so everyone knows everybody... and everybody's business. My father, Charlie, is the Police Chief and I came to live with him so that my Mom could be with her new husband, Phil, who is a minor league baseball player and he travels a lot. So instead of making her stay at home with me I decided to live with my dad. My mom left this town and Charlie when I was 6 months old because it is so small and dreary. Like my mom I thought I was going to be miserable here. That was until I laid eyes on the Cullen's.

The Cullen's were the last new people to move to Forks. They arrived roughly 2 years before I did, yet they still stick out like sore thumbs. I knew there was something different about them but I couldn't figure out what, I just knew I was drawn to them. Dr Carlisle Cullen and his wife Esme "adopted" Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Edward. The talk of the school was the shock that these "siblings" were dating each other; Rosalie and Emmett are together as well as Alice and Jasper. After Edward miraculously saved my life in a manner that wasn't human from an out of control van, I couldn't rest until I discovered their secret. After saving me for a second time, this time from being attacked in Port Angeles, I found out that not only can he read minds (except mine for some unknown reason) but he and his family are also vampires.

Edward was also drawn to me; or at least to my blood and my silent mind. He told me that my blood calls to him more than any other person's blood has ever called to him. He tried to stay away from me so that he wouldn't accidentally kill me but since he has never met someone who's mind he couldn't read he kept wanting to be near me so that he could figure me out. I fear the day he solves the mystery. How long can someone as perfect as my Edward be happy in a relationship with a plain ordinary girl that never progresses further than chaste kisses and who will eventually be physically older than him? I just know that the day is coming that he will want to leave me because I'm only human. And there is no way a human can hold a vampire's attention for eternity.

These are the thoughts that plague me as Edward drives me to the Cullen's for my birthday party. A birthday party I didn't even want in the first place. Stupid future seeing pixie vampire!

Alice is trying to live vicariously through me, since she can't remember her human life. She wants me to do and enjoy all the things that girls my age would love to do; and what a human Alice would enjoy doing. I understand where she's coming from and I want to help her but I also hate being in the spotlight.

"I feel like I'm driving you to your execution! Cheer up Bella; you may even have fun if you allow yourself." Edward breaks into my thoughts and says with his famous crooked smile.

"How can I celebrate being a year older than you?" I say before I can stop myself. I don't want to fight with him tonight about his irrational desire to leave me human.

His smile falters momentarily but he decides not to rise to my bait at the moment.

"You know, I like cougars!"

I try to hold onto my anger but I was too shocked by the double entendre in Edward's words. My Edward! The perfect gentlemen who I have never heard make a comment like that before. I can't help myself, I bust out laughing.

The next thing I know I'm being pulled out of the truck by the ice cold arms of the pixie I had just been cursing, wishing me a happy birthday. I hadn't even realized we had pulled up in front of the Cullen mansion. As soon as Alice releases me, I'm able to take half a breath before Emmett has me in one of his bone crushing hugs.