You Were Always on My Mind

The bonfire really made me wonder about the Cullens. I called Bella an hour ago and she agreed to let me meet Edward again. She knows everything of course, yet she still decides to be with a vampire, not weird at all...

“You smell weird this time,” is my first comment when I see Edward enter the house. Charlie’s not home so we can speak freely, “sickly sweet.”

“You don’t smell very pleasant either,” Edward replies laughing, but not menacing. I stare at his amber eyes. “I’m guessing your a Makah because you don’t smell like dog.”

“You guessed right. So you’re completely harmless?”

“In a sense I am. If I really wanted to, I could easily kill everyone in the town, but my family has made a treaty, you should know that. We don’t even get blood from people, we use animals hence the eyes that you’re staring at.”

Something was off about him, but he is a vampire. All I really want to do is visit his family, but everyone would know as soon as I changed into a bear.

“It’s really not safe for you to be here. You’re new to this and you could hurt someone. I know the dogs change when they get temperamental…”

“They’re not dogs, they’re wolves. I have controlled myself and I don’t change unless I sense danger. So you guys have special powers right?” I ask and Edward just laughs.
“I guess you could call it that. I love how straight forward you are, makes everything easier. My special… talent, is that I can read minds.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” I answer sarcastically but I can’t help but smile.

“I also don’t think it would be a good idea to meet my family. You’re people would be very upset with you.”

“I know, but they’ll know soon enough that I visited with you, they’ll probably smell you when I get there and I can’t use garlic to get rid of the smell,” I say laughing.

“Do you think Jacob will be fine with this?” Bella asks a little unnerved at our civilization. She knows our people don’t get along.

“He doesn’t know everything yet, he has yet to transform,” I inform Bella, but I get worried for him. She looks relieved, but Edward stares at me. He listens to my thoughts as I relive the pain, the heat, the struggle to control myself.

“You are strong, I hope you know that. Most people don’t get control like that that quickly,” Edward assures me.

“How do you know?” I ask.

“Your father was here when you were going through the transformation. I noticed how nervous he was and Bella asked me to find out why. He came back a few days later and seemed fine. He thought about how you’re a natural, always have been. You’re a healer?”

“Yes, always been good at helping the injured. My dad used to admire the way I took care of baby birds that fell from their nests when I was younger. I actually nursed one back to health when I was eight, but the family wouldn’t go near it since I had touched it.”

“And you’re afraid that’s what will happen to you if you come to my house?”

“Sadly yes. I know they’ll forgive me, but the wolves just don’t want to give you a chance. I think my dad feels neutral, but I really want to meet them all. Is there anyway I can?”

“I can call them, but know that it’s your problem when they get mad at you, especially Sam. Do you understand that Samantha?”

“Yes!” I exclaim a little too happy. Bella looks excited as well.

“I honestly didn’t think this would go well at all,” Bella tells me when Edward leaves to call his family.

“I can’t believe you’re dating a vampire,” I tell her and she looks a little ashamed. “I’m not mad at you Belles, I’m not like the wolves. Jacob will never understand when he finds out and he will eventually.”

“How are you two?”

“Good, I’m just so happy that he’s all mine.”

“You say it so permanent which such confidence.”

“She means that she has imprinted on him. It’s basically finding the person you’re destined for, like love at first sight. When someone shapeshifts, they can imprint and they’ll be whatever the other person needs them to be whether it’s a friend or a girlfriend/ boyfriend,” Edward informs Bella. He knows I’m kind of iffy on the term.

“So?” I ask.

“My father has agreed to meet with you. My mother, sister Alice and brother Emmett will also meet you, but the others refuse to,” Edward informs me, “I shall lead the way.”

We get into our cars and head to the Cullens house. Their house is in the middle of nowhere but it is magnificent. It is large and consists of many glass windows as walls. We enter and the smell is overwhelming. I try to adjust hoping that I can visit more. I get the eerie feeling that I’m being watched while I’m here.

“I sense that you have a follower so I shall bring my family out here so that they can see that we are not going to harm you,” Edward whispers to me. Bella waits outside with me and we sit in her truck bed.

“Samantha, this is my father Carlisle, my mother Esme, my sister Alice, and my brother Emmett,” Edward introduces. I almost fall over since they came at me so fast.

“Oh, I’m so sorry where’s our manners. We’re not used to having new company,” Esme apologizes noticing my frightened look, “especially not from one of the tribes on the reservation.”

“It’s fine, it’s just that you scared me a little,” I replied hopping out of the truck bed. I hold out my hand and Esme hesitates a little, then hugs me lightly.

“Sorry, I’m a hugger. It’s just in my nature since I’m a mom,” she apologizes, but smiles when I hug back.

“Don’t worry about it,” I tell her smiling back at her warmly. I hold out my hand to Carlisle next.

“Are you sure your family is fine with this?” he asks concerned first.

“No, but I have a little spy anyways so I don’t care what they think,” I inform him. He shakes my hand.

“You know, I’ve worked with your father a few times, and he is brilliant. Are you a healer too?” Carlisle asks comfortably. So I’m guessing my dad won’t be too upset, but I know Alex will be. It’s either him or Sam watching me.

“It’s Alex and he isn’t too happy,” Edward informs me quickly. I look at the eyes and he steps back a little. “Sam is running around the perimeter.”

“Thanks for telling me Edward,” I say truly thankful to know what’s going on, “and yes Carlisle I am a healer. Maybe I can get you two together somehow.”

“I don’t know if that would be possible. You’re people are very protective and they should be, but they shouldn’t be frightened of us,” Carlisle informs me.

“Hi, I’m Alice,” the girl with the pixie cut informs me. She contemplates hugging me, but instead bows, “and although my vision is fuzzy with the shape-shifters, I think you’ll be fine when you get home.”

“She’s our little psychic,” Edward informs me, noticing the confused look on my face.

“Oh, that’s so cool. I wish it weren’t blurry with us,” I comment.

“I like your rebellion,” Emmett comments assessing me.

“Thanks,” I reply smiling a little. He scares me the most because he’s so large.

“You smell though,” he comments wrinkling up his nose.

“Emmett!” Esme exclaims staring at him shocked, “I did not raise you to have those manners!”

“Don’t worry about it Esme, you guys smell weird too, no offense,” I tell her laughing. She seems slightly relieved, but still scolds Emmett with her eyes.

“So why wouldn’t the others join you guys? If anything, you’re the threat. I don’t do any of the fighting, I just heal,” I ask.

“They don’t trust you guys just like your people don’t trust us,” Carlisle informs me.

We sit around in the front yard, in perfect view for Alex and talk about a lot of things. I ask a lot of questions about them and they laugh quite a few times at the questions I ask. Carlisle and Edward answer most of my questions. I notice how Alice and Emmett eye me the whole time, it’s a little unnerving and I wish that I could do something to make them more comfortable. Esme is very sincere and looks at me adoringly.

“So isn’t weird to have your son dating a human?” I ask.

“Very weird at first, but they do love each other,” Esme says smiling at them. They’re very close, but not quite touching.

“What’s it like to imprint?” Carlisle asks with a look of curiosity. “I’ve always wondered about that.”

“It’s strange,” I answer laughing at the intense look on his face, “it’s like he kind of surrounds everything I think about and everything I do. There’s this strong connection to him and I’ve heard others describe it as them having a gravitational pull to the other, but ours doesn’t exactly feel like that. I think it’s because he’s going to transform and there will be an equal pull to each other I don’t know, it’s just kind of weird.”

“Does it worry you that he will transform?” Esme asks concerned noticing the worried look on my face.

“It’s a painful process that Edward can tell you about since he probably saw me relive it in my brain,” I inform her, “I’ve heard it’s more painful for the wolves and it just worries me. I know that you guys are safe, but there are more of you in the world and I don’t want him getting hurt.”

“We make sure that any vampires who cross into our area know that they are not to mess with anything around here,” Carlisle informs me making me feel slightly better.

“We don’t really associate with any vampires who do not have the same eating habits as us and we let them know that they are not welcome to um… feast here,” Edward informs me. I get very uncomfortable with the thought of that.

“But they feast elsewhere,” I state looking down at my fingers.

“And there is nothing we can do about it my dear. We enjoy being around humans, but we are outnumbered and we want peace here so that no humans are harmed in our area. I’m sorry we cannot do better,” Esme tells me. She gets up and sits next to me, but doesn’t touch me. “There’s a reason why we don’t feast on humans. We are completely against that way of life and we try and help other vampires onto that path, but it can be very difficult to persuade them. My husband does everything in his power to heal people just as you do; you’re not alone in your disgust against them.”

“Well, at least you try,” I state. I look at my phone and notice that it’s three. “I have to head home, everyone’s probably worried. I’m so sorry for keeping you so long.”

“Feel free to stop by anytime, but don’t do it if it will cause problems for you,” Carlisle tells me. I shake the guys hands and hug the girls. They are going to kill me back home for the smell.

I quickly drive back home and see Alex’s outline in the woods following me. I see Sam’s outline too and the hairs on the back of his neck are on edge. When I get home, they are waiting in the driveway for me.

“What the hell were you thinking?! Do you not understand how dangerous that was?” Sam yells at me. My dad and Billy come out of their houses almost immediately. Billy’s eyes narrow when he smells the Cullens, my dad actually gets a small smile on his face.

“Who said that you have the right to yell at my daughter?” My dad says agitated with Sam.

“She went to the Cullens and sat around and talked with them. They weren’t even all in sight when she was with them! One of them was hiding in a tree!! She could have pounced on her! Samantha let them touch her!” Sam exclaimed pacing back and forth.

“Sam get away!” My brother exclaims. He’s not happy with me, but Sam is shaking. He’s going to shift soon. Sam runs into the forest not wanting to hurt anyone.

“Samantha that wasn’t wise of you. You could have seriously gotten hurt,” Billy says sternly.

“Billy, they’re harmless,” my dad tells him, “do you really think they’re going to go against the treaty for a girl that smells horribly to them?”

“I don’t know what they would do, but she should know better. It’s not safe over there Tim.”

“If my daughter thinks it’s safe, I believe her. Plus Alex and Sam were watching over her, nothing would have happened. Although the Makahs don’t fight, they have the capability to and anyone could’ve been there in seconds if necessary.”

“We don’t have many wolves right now, they could have ripped her to shreds! Do you not remember the pack that just came by and visited them then almost attacked our people?!”

“Of course I remember, but it wasn’t them and they are the reason the nomads left. I know it hurts you, but they are here to protect us as well,” my dad says with sad eyes. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me inside. Alex stands there for a second, but helps Billy back to his house.

“Tell me what happened,” I demand once we get inside.

“Vampires are the reason why he has no use of his legs,” my dad informs me.

“That’s how she died?” I asked shocked.

“That’s why no one will trust the Cullens even though they helped us,” my dad says indirectly answering the question.

“Do you care if I go there? I’ll stop if you want me to, but they won’t harm us, you know that,” I ask.

“I would go over there if it didn’t hurt Billy so much. Carlisle intrigues me and he knows a lot. He also happens to look a lot like me which I find a little funny since we’re both the best doctors at our hospitals,” my dad says smiling a little, “I trust your instincts. If you want to go, you can and you don’t need anyone watching over you either. Now go get washed up so that I can feed you without my nose burning.”

I run up the stairs and slip into the shower. I toss one of Alex’s old shirts on that I stole when he left for college and a pair of spandex.

“Robin called asking when you were going to come back,” my dad informs me.

I call Robin quickly and tell her I’ll stop by tomorrow, Tuesday, and Thursday. I eat three servings of pasta starved from not having lunch then head over to Jake’s garage. Alex is still at Billy’s and they’re having a serious conversation.

“Hi Emrby, hi Jacob,” I greet when I enter the garage. I wish I hadn’t worn spandex shorts when I notice Embry trying very hard not to stare.

“What was with all the yelling?” Embry asks staring intensely at the new car parts they got.

“People don’t agree with my choices, but I don’t care,” I inform him. Jake stares at me a little worried.

“Embry, we’ll be right back,” Jake states grabbing my hand and taking me out of the garage. “Let’s go to my room.”

“Your dad is mad at me, I’m not going over there,” I tell Jake trying to stay at the edge of the woods.

“My dad loves you, that’s impossible,” Jake says but he notices my eyes get watery. I didn’t want anyone to be mad at me, but it’s not fair that I can’t talk to people who won’t even harm me.

“Not really, he was doing most of the yelling that you heard earlier,” I inform him. Jake wraps his arms around me and he feels warmer than usual. A tear strolls down my face; he’s next. Embry isn’t far either, he was really warm at the bonfire when he hugged me before he left.

“What happened?” Jake asks.

“I went to visit the Cold Ones,” I whisper. Jake stiffens and I let it sink in.

“Why would you visit the Cullens?” Jake asks trying to be rational. Of course he guessed who it was after last night.

“Because they’re harmless. They even saved our reservation when a few nomads dropped by for a meal,” I tell him, “they were very kind and didn’t even keep space away from me when they smelled how awful I was. They smell weird too though.”

“Why is my dad so mad then?” Jake asks loosening up a little.

“It’s not really my place to tell,” I say burying my head into Jacob’s chest.

“Please Sammy?” He begs a little. I think he has a clue because he says it in a whisper.

“Your mom,” I say burying my head even deeper. Jake freezes again, but loosens up after a minute.

“Okay, so that means him too. They helped us though, right?” Jake says, his voice is a little shaky.

“Yeah. They could’ve killed more people if it weren’t for the Cullens because we didn’t have many werewolves at the time. We only had Sam and he couldn’t fight them, he was too young.”

“Well then I want to meet them tomorrow.” I pull away and look at his face. He is completely serious and looks down at my face.

“You sure?”

“They probably saved my dad, he’s still alive.”

“I’ll talk to Bella,” I tell Jacob. We sit down on a tree stump for a few minutes until we both calm down a little. We head back in the garage.

“Um Jake can you get me a pair of shorts?” I ask noticing Embry struggle again.

“Of course,” Jake says heading to the house.

“How’s the car coming along?” I ask Embry, sitting down on the old couch.

“Fine, we found most of the parts today. We just need the more important parts, but those will probably have to be bought,” Embry says avoiding my direction.

“Embry, you can look at me, just don’t stare,” I tell him laughing a little. He looks up at me and blushes a little.

“Sorry, those are just really short and you’re Jake’s girlfriend and all,” Embry explains.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” I tell him as Jake jogs back in.

“Thanks,” I say kissing his cheek. I slip on the oversized shorts and play with the radio.

“So when are you shopping for the big parts?” I ask.

“When I get money,” Jake informs me. They start putting parts in the car. Jake slides under on a low skateboard and asks Embry for tools that he needs.

“I have some money saved up,” I inform him, “and what have you been doing this whole time?”

“We’ve been searching for parts, cleaning them and fixing them,” Embry says much more comfortable now that I have something that actually covers me.

I watch them for a while and sing along to the songs on the radio, today I’m in a more alternative mood. I sit there thinking how tomorrow will go and decide to call Bella. I excuse myself from the garage real quick and make the call.

“Hello?” Charlie answers.

“Hey Charlie, it’s Samantha. Can I talk to Bella?” I ask.

“Of course Sammy, let me get her,” Charlie says then I hear him put the phone down. “Belles it’s Sammy!”

“Hello?” Bella asks a little worried.

“Hey, um do you think we could go back to the Cullens tomorrow with Jacob?” I ask.

“Yeah, let me just ask Edward,” Bella says. I hear her whisper to someone. Is he in her room without Charlie knowing? “He said he’s a little worried about him coming because of Billy, but that it’s fine.”

“Okay, thanks,” I say hanging up.

I head back into the garage and watch the guys continue to work. When it reads eight o’clock on the small clock, Embry leaves.

“We can work on it again later this week if I feel better,” Embry tells Jacob, “nice seeing you Sammy.”

“Nice seeing you too Embry. Hope you feel better,” I tell him, but I know he’ll only feel worse. He’s a Quileute and the pack is going to start growing faster. Embry is sweating a lot when he leaves the garage.

“So,” I say glancing at his lips. Jake is covered in grease, but it makes him so much more attractive for some reason. He walks over to the small couch I’m sitting on and I pull him toward me biting my lip. I wrap my arms around his neck as he lies on top of me a tight grip on my hips. This new connection between us has made me want him so much more. Our breaths get shallower and faster as we make out. I pull him close to me. He seems to know exactly what I want. The sound of the music fades in the background as I focus on the movement of his lips against mine. He tries to pull me closer holding onto the small of my back where his hand perfectly fits. Our bodies pressed against one another, the heat radiating from us. I play with the hair on the back of his neck tugging a little and combing through the bushy mess that’s oh so soft. We’re sweating a little and he pulls away this time. I stare at his mesmerizing eyes.

“We really need to stop this,” he says with a wide grin on his face. “You are going to get us into a lot of trouble.”

“Just this new connection makes me want you more,” I explain a little embarrassed that I’m the one seducing him.

“Yes, but I don’t want to do anything more than this yet. You’re pushing all the right buttons too,” he says breathing heavily.

I see the urge in his eyes, watch as his eyes keep making their way to my lips. He slips his hand out from under me pulling away, resisting the urge. I take off the basketball shorts feeling way too hot with them on. He stares at my legs and he slowly leans in again. This time I lean against him pressing my body tightly against his. I straddle him hoping to get rid of what little space was between us. He takes off his shirt quickly, not able to take the heat radiating from the both of us. My skin tingles as he explores the curves of my body. I feel his abs pressed against me and squeeze his arms feeling every muscle tighten. He bites on my lip and I let his tongue slip into my mouth. His hands slide up under my shirt and he’s about to take it off when I pull away quickly hearing a trash can fall over outside. Jake pulls on his shirt quickly as I get off of him. We wipe our brows on the rags next to us and I lay down on the couch my legs resting on his lap.

“Hey there,” Alex calls out. He has a guilty look on his face although we were the ones acting inappropriately.

“Hey Alex,” Jacob greets. I don’t say anything still out of breath.

“I’m sorry for earlier Sammy and so is Billy,” Alex confesses sitting on my stool.

“It’s fine, they did help us and they are harmless,” I comment. Alex’s hands tighten a little when I say this, but he doesn’t say anything for a second.

“Yes, but it still worries me Sammy. If anything ever came near you, I can’t always protect you and I’m not sure if they will.”

“Give them the chance Alex. They protected a bunch of people they didn’t even know. Billy wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them,” I plead with Alex. I sit up straight staring him in the eyes. Jacob wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me toward him afraid that I may do something I regret.

“Just tell me if you’re going,” Alex forces himself to say.

“I’m going tomorrow with Jake,” I say gripping Jake’s hand tightly afraid of what he’ll say. Alex takes a deep breath before he talks again.

“Go all by yourself, don’t bring Jake, it’s not safe for him,” Alex informs me.

“Why not?” I ask.

“There’s a higher risk since he has yet to go through the transformation. You’re lucky you didn’t shift just because of the smell,” Alex informs me.

“He can choose,” I state and we look at Jake.

“They saved my dad’s life, I want to meet them,” Jake answers.

“You’re making the wrong choice,” Alex says and gets up. I hear him kick off his shoes and I hear clothes rip. He phased.