Novalee flashes around the clearing a dozen times as the coven waits for Edward to arrive with Bella. The trees canopy over the clearing, keeping the rain from drenching them when it starts but the thunder is what they need to play, that's what Emmett explained to Novalee.
"I'm glad you're here," Esme coos and Novalee stops running when she sees Bella. "We need an umpire."
"She thinks we cheat," Emmett says from beside Novalee.
"I know you cheat," Esme muses. "Call them as you see them, Bella."
"Okay."
"Let's play!" Novalee chants as she tosses the metal bat to Rosalie. "My girl first!"
Rosalie smiles as she hits the ball as a loud clap of thunder sounds the clearing. Bella comments on seeing why they need the thunder. Bella's making comments to Esme, and Esme says where Edward's super fast.
The games go on, until some fog leaves the woods.
"Stop!" Alice cries out. "They were leaving, but they heard us."
"Let's go," Edward says urgently to his human fit,friend.
"It's too late," Carlisle says as three figures leave the woods.
One is a female, she has orange hair and a slim figure, she's flung to a blonde male. The one with dark skin stands out to Novalee. She gasps. That's Laurent, she gasps to herself. He's the one who turned her. Laurent is holding the baseball that Jasper hit, a little too hard.
Laurent notices Novalee, he smiles and he looks to Carlisle and holds the ball up. "I believe this belongs to you." The red eyed vampire throws the ball to the head of coven.
"Thank you," Carlisle says tensely, Novalee is standing beside him.
"I am Laurent, this is James and Victoria," the dark skinned vampire says, he glances at Novalee once more - they know the name.
"I'm Carlisle, and this is my family."
"Hello," Laurent muses. "Novalee, you look well."
"I'm afraid your hunting activities have caused quite a mess for us," Carlisle claims, he knows it was Laurent who turned Novalee.
"Our apologies," Laurent responds. "We didn't realize the territory had already been claimed,"
"Yes, we maintain a permanent residence nearby," Carlisle replies.
"Really?" Laurent rises an eyebrow. "Well, we won't be a problem anymore. We were just passing through."
"The humans were tracking us," the redhead, Victoria, says. "We led them east. You should be safe."
"Great," Novalee replies, she and Victoria glare at each other.
"Could you use three more players?" Laurent asks, easing the tension between Novalee and Victoria, and he notices the hesitance. "Oh, come on. It's just one more game."
"Sure, why not," Carlisle finally replies. "A few of us were just leaving. You can take their place." He throws the ball. "We bar first."
Victoria is the one to catch the ball. "I'm the one with the wicked curve ball."
"Oh, I think we can handle that," Novalee comments with a smirk.
Victoria smirks in return. "We shall See."
"We shall."
Bella goes to slabs with Edward, but the wind blows her scent.
"You've brought a snack!" James says but the Cullen's oush bella begins them.
~~~
Bella made a scene with Charlie, Novalee caught James's scent near her house. She didn't see him. Novalee is a tracker, a lot like James. She jumps onto the back of Bella's truck, Edward assures her that it's just Nova.
At the house, they find Laurent. He warns them about James being a tracker.
"Oh Laurent, darling," Novalee muses. "I'm a tracker, too, and James's scent's locked."
Laurent offers her a smile. "I have grown tired of James's ways. I am not apart of this fight."
Carlisle tells him to go up to Denali if Laurent really wishes for a better life. They have Novalee run with Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie. The guys and Rosalie are trying to cover Bella's scent, trying to trick James. Novalee is trying to catch his scent. James is chasing after them, he's just now aware of Novalee being a tracker too. She smells him behind them.
But James changes track, because he knew what they were doing. He leans into the tree and he beats it a little before leaving. Edward stops running. Emmett, Rosalie, and Novalee Stop behind him. He tells them James changed tracks.
Edward and Novalee arrive in Phoenix in enough time for Edward to attack James, who has bitten Bella. Novalee amd Carlisle flash over to her. Carlisle gets Alice's belt and ties it around Bella's leg tightly.
"Novalee, you have to get the venom out," Carlisle demands. "It's killing her, hurry!"
"Carlisle, What if I can't stop!?" Novalee panics, she's never had human blood nor has she ever been this close, her eyes are dark with hunger.
"Find the will to stop," Carlisle urges. "Come on, Nova, the venom is killing her."
Novalee looks at Bella. "It's ok, Bella. I'll make it okay." Novalee bites into Bella's wrist to get the venom out of her blood while Edward helps kill James.
"Novalee, it's out," Carlisle says as Novalee tastes blood. "Nova, you're killing her... Jasper!"
Jasper rushes over amd he pulls Novalee off of Bella, Bella's blood all around her mouth as she gasps. Jasper keeps holding her as Carlisle and Edward get bella to the hospital. Jasper turns nova around.
"You're okay," Jasper says as Emmett walks over, he has a towel from the bathrooms, he hands it to Jasper. "You're okay." He begins using the wet cloth and wipes the blood from Novalee's face. "I'm right here, Nova. You're okay."
Rosalie watches from one of the mirrors, and frowns. She's worried about Novalee, because she almost slipped and killed Bella. If it hadn't been for Jasper, Novalee wouldn't have stopped. That was her first taste of human blood, and it scared her.
Feeling her fear, jasper pulls Novalee into a tight hug. Alice smiles sadly as Jasper gets Novalee out of the ballet studio, away from the blood, and gets Nova back home.
