Out of the Coffin

Chapter Eighteen

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Chapter Eighteen

Bella

It was closing time at Black's and we had just ushered out the last customer. It had been a slow one tonight which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Jake wasn't here – he was talking to Edward about the imprint, Victoria was off doing whatever it was she did (Rose thought it was lure unsuspecting men to have sex with her) and Esme had the night off again, not to mention it was also only Nessie's second shift. She needed to get used to the way things were run around here, although she was doing a great job so far.

"If there's nothing else you ladies need from me – I'm gonna head home," Tyler announced as he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. When he'd made sure there was nothing we needed doing he bid us a goodbye and left, whistling a tune on his way out.

"Nessie could you go and get some napkins from the storeroom please so we can refill the holders?" Rose asked. Nessie nodded as she jumped off the stool and headed out the back.

A few seconds later she returned. "The door's locked."

"Oh yeah!" Rose said suddenly remembering as she pat her pockets down. "Crap! I left them in the car – Bella can you go and get them please?"

"Of course my darling cousin," I told her, walking out from behind the bar and grabbing the car keys from her.

"I think I left them in the glove box!" She called out to me so I turned around and gave her the thumbs up sign to let her know I heard her.

I headed out into the night and was grateful for the slight breeze that was blowing; it felt refreshing on my skin. I unlocked the car and sat down in the passenger side, opening up the glove box to find it empty.

I began searching the passenger side of the car before I finally saw the glint of keys lying in the cup holder.

"Glove box my ass," I mumbled. I slid them into the pocket of my shorts and hopped out the car, shutting the door and locking it before I started to head back to the bar.

I stopped short when thoughts in a foreign language began to swirl around my head – I wasn't alone. I immediately recognised the thoughts as Chelsea – the woman who came the bar before and I slowly turned around trying to see her.

I gulped when there was nobody else in the car park, but I found myself frozen in place. The words were getting louder and more aggressive and it felt like she was screaming them at me.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds as I tried to block her out, but the words just got louder. My eyes snapped open when I heard a repetitive thudding. I gasped as a large creature came running towards me, shocking me with its familiarity. It had been the same creature that had attacked Rose that night in the forest, the one I'd seen in her thoughts, the ones who'd eyes I'd seen in the forest. It was even more terrifying in person with its large bullhead and sharp claws. I turned and started to run towards Black's, intent on getting inside to safety but also warning everyone.

Just as I was about twenty feet away I tripped over a large stone and stumbled to the ground, my wrists burning from the impact on the ground and my knees stinging as small stones cut into them. I scrambled onto my back just to see the beast standing over me.

It raised its large claw in the air, ready to slash me and I braced myself for the impact... but it never came. Instead, there was a low growl and the creature was thrown from above me, only to be replaced by the sight of Edward. He reached down and helped me to my feet, pushing me slightly behind him as the creature turned and got ready to charge again.