"An animal attack?" I asked

"The camper that was found lost a lot of blood" Charlie mumbled dejectedly while he looked over to me "He didn't make it"

I knew it wasn't an animal it was obvious. In all my years I had never really heard of an animal that just went for a human's blood... I knew it was one like us, a Vampire.

I also knew it wasn't my family so it had to be someone from the outside, someone passing through. I figured Carlisle would have known by that time as to what was going on so I had a feeling that I should have probably be getting home sometime soon.

If there was another vampire around then I knew that we were going to have to kill them to protect the people of Forks.

I had to protect Bella.

"So what happens now?" Bella asked folding her arms

"We're going out there tomorrow bright and early to have a look. Billy and Harry are coming with the sheriff's department to see if we can hunt it down" Charlie said while folding the paper neatly and placing it in front of him

"Are you sure you should be going out there?" I asked raising my eyebrows skeptically

The last thing I wanted was for Charlie to be killed by a member of my species

"We have too" Charlie shrugged "I'm just going to head to bed but Alice you're welcome for as long as you want. Bells I'll be gone in the morning so I'll see you tomorrow night"

"Okay well be careful" Bella said timidly

"Always am" Came the simple yet meaningful reply from Charlie

He walked to Bella, kissing her on the forehead and he headed towards the stairs

"It was very nice to meet you Alice" Charlie said with a tired smile "You're welcome over whenever you want"

"Thank you and It was nice to meet you too Chief Swan" I replied as politely as I possibly could manage

"Call me Charlie" He said as he disappeared up the stairs

Bella and I were silent for a few minutes after Charlie had gone upstairs to bed. I fiddled with my hands in front of me while Bella stayed staring at the newspaper with a furrowed brow and her arms folded

"That's actually really scary" Bella shuddered "I mean that could have been anyone"

"Yeah" I said trying my best to pay attention to what she was saying but I was distracted in my own mind

"Should we get back to our work?" Bella asked awkwardly

"I think...I think I should get out of your hair. We did quite a bit today and we can finish this another time" I mumbled

"Oh. Well you don't have too. You're more than welcome to stay" Bella said shrugging "In fact it would be nice to have company seeing as Charlie's gone to sleep"

"I would love to Bella I really would but I should get back. Can I take a rain check on that offer?" I asked hopefully

Bella smiled slightly and she nodded slowly

After I rushed upstairs to gather my things; Bella walked me down to my car where we paused just before the driver's side door

"Thanks for having me over" I said with a grin "It was fun...as much fun as school work can be anyway"

"Any time" Bella said nodding "It was fun just hanging out"

"Well I'll see you tomorrow" I said as I backed up slowly

"You're not going to go camping or anything anytime soon right?" Bella asked quickly

"What?" I chuckled

"Well Jessica said that your family has a tendency of going camping whenever it is sunny but you can't go now because there's a wild animal out there attacking campers" Bella said seriously

I laughed melodically and shook my head

"That's very sweet of you to be so concerned Bella but you have nothing to worry about when it comes to my family" I replied playfully with a smirk "Besides, it's rare that you get a sunny day here"

"I just don't want you or your family getting hurt" Bella said as her seriousness continued to build

"Well thank you Bella but you don't need to be concerned for us" I said shaking my head "You should look out for your own safety and not worry about me"

"Alice why do I get the feeling that you're going to disappear somewhere?" Bella asked after a short pause between us "That one day when I go to school that you and your whole family are just going to be gone"

I paused, she had me stunned and honestly that didn't happen often. She obviously hadn't intended to say that until she actually did

"Why would you say that?" I asked in a sympathetic tone, furrowing my eyebrows "Where would I go?"

"I don't know...I just...I really don't know that much about you" Bella spoke almost inaudibly as she shook her head

"Another time Bella" I said soothingly while nodding but to prove that I wasn't afraid to put myself out there I took one step into her "I'll tell you whatever you want to know"

"Will you take me up on that offer when I ask?" Bella asked seriously

"Whatever you want Bella" I nodded as I felt my teeth ache. All that time in her house had made me thirsty

"Your eyes, they're golden again" Bella observed

"I told you it was the lighting in the hall" I murmured quickly "I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow though"

"Hug?" Bella asked hopefully as she extended her arms

"When you ask like that, how can I refuse" I said with a smile and I obliged her with a hug. She gripped my back tightly for a brief moment and I swore she nuzzled her cheek against my hair.

I had been waiting for years just to have moments like that with Bella. I always thought that our relationship was going to take a lot of work but things were developing greatly on it's own. I was obviously drawn to her but she seemed to be drawn to me as well. Even if she didn't know what I was it still made me happy that she was accepting me for me...well the part of me that was pretending to be human anyway.

Laughing to myself I pulled away from the hug slowly and backed up towards my car again. With a meek, apologetic smile I quickly got in and I waved to her as I pulled out the drive way.

I drove home as fast as I possibly could, which for us was really fast. It was just that I could certainly feel that things were a little off.

My car came to a quick stop in the garage and I gracefully hurried inside to see the family sitting in the lounge room. Respective couple's sitting together with Esme sitting on the arm of the lounge as Carlisle was in the front of the room with a small frown present on his face

"I take it that you guys heard about the camper" I said looking around the room

They didn't look happy; the atmosphere was tense and the experience wasn't really bringing up any family bonding moments

"We need you to keep an eye on the situation" Carlisle said folding his arms with a sigh "Keep a look out for another vampire. It looks like they may have come through La Push. I'm surprised you didn't see anything"

"No I know. I don't know why, my visions seem to be working perfectly but I didn't see anything like this" I said walking to Carlisle "We're going to need to have a look around the woods just to make sure they haven't come back"

"Who told you about this?" Jazz asked raising an eyebrow

"Charlie, Bella's dad" I explained "Chief Swan"

"Oh met the parents already" Emmett smirked "Moving a little quickly don't you think Ali?"

"Not the time Emmett" Rosalie scowled hitting her husband on the arm

"We should head out now to search the woods. It only happened a short time ago so maybe we can pick up a scent and see where that takes us. Alice may I speak with you for a moment?" Carlisle asked looking around at everyone silently asking them to leave

"Sure" I replied nodding

Everyone left the room wordlessly and I stayed with Carlisle as he expelled a heavy sigh; a look of concern washing over his face. I hadn't really seen him so troubled in a long time and that made me feel really uneasy.

"Alice the attack was closer to Bella's house than I'm comfortable with" Carlisle said placing a hand on my shoulder "I think it would be best if you waited outside her house tonight when we return home. Jazz said she would stay with you just to make sure that she is safe. If the vampire happens to go past her house they will catch your scent there and become curious"

"Okay" I said nodding but I could feel a lump begin to develop in my throat "Okay yeah that's a good idea...do you really think that they would go after Bella though?"

"Above your scent Alice, her blood is very tempting" Carlisle nodded unhappily "We should go"

Carlisle took a few hurried steps to join my family outside but I shook my head and moved towards him again

"Carlisle" I called and his steps halted

"Yes Alice?" He turned around to face me

"Do you think we could work together? Bella and I?" I asked as I fiddled with my fingers nervously "I have never heard of a human vampire relationship before and it scares me...a lot"

"Alice you're in love with her, you would never harm her" Carlisle said with a reassuring smile.

I didn't know if he was being completely honest but it felt genuine to me and Carlisle would never allow me to see Bella if he felt that she was in too much danger.

He was right though, I was in love with her and I wouldn't harm her nor would I allow harm to come to her if I could help it.

I nodded silently as Carlisle placed an arm around me while we walked out to the front of the house where everyone was waiting anxiously. I was aware that everyone would have heard what was just said but Carlisle was kind enough to give me the illusion of privacy, which was the closest thing I could usually get in my family.

We made our way into the woods without wasting any more time. Edward being the fastest got there first and he had a quick look around before we all got there. The smell of another vampire was certainly there, he had been all over the place. That was evident enough as soon as we got there and it was obvious that they had been there for a little while but we had no idea who it could have been.

"Their scent has moved through here so I think they might have been passing through" Edward said looking around

"I don't know Edward, the scent is really strong" Jazz said looking to her husband "It feels like they had a good look around while being here. Like they could have been looking for something or maybe someone?"

"Who though?" Esme asked

"Us maybe" Edward shrugged "They would have smelt us too and would have been curious about a coven claiming residency here"

"What you think it's someone we know?" Emmett asked

"If we knew them though we would know the scent" Rosalie countered "This is different, we don't know this vampire"

"I would suggest a nomad" Jazz crouched to touch the floor

If I was going to trust anyone in this situation it would have been Jazz. She had been through the vampire wars; being in charge of grooming newborns for her army. She had knowledge on newborns but she also had met her fair share of nomads in her lifetime. Jazz's story wasn't a pleasant one but it had a happy ending much like mine which was one of the reasons why I thought we got along so well.

"We need to be very careful about this. There isn't much else we can do tonight but everyone has to be very cautious about this situation. We don't know who they are or what exactly they want. If they want to see us then they will make contact" Carlisle warned "Alice I trust you to keep an eye on the situation"

"Of course" I breathed almost silently as I looked around carefully. I was listening and watching as thoroughly as I possibly could to avoid missing anything, I couldn't afford too with what I had to lose "If you don't mind, I'm going to wait outside Bella's. I can sense something here and it doesn't feel right to me"

"What are you stalking her now?" Emmett asked with a smirk

"Yes" I replied bluntly not even half amused by Emmett's joke

Ah Emmett, always finding the most inappropriate things to say at the most inappropriate times.

"I know what you mean Alice. It almost feels like someone is lingering around here" Esme nodded

"I'll be able to see next time if they come back" I continued scanning the area "I'll also be able to see if they have intentions of hunting here on our territory again"

"So you're going to use that as an excuse to spy on your girl?" Emmett asked which chuckling

"I think it would be best that Alice stay close to Bella's right now" Carlisle spoke very seriously "Jazz?"

"Let's go Alice" Jazz said confidently as she strolled over to me, looping my arm in hers supportively

The good thing about Jazz was that I knew she could always pull through and that she would always have my best interests at heart. She was always there for me, even when she was supposed to be spending time with Edward. I could never have asked for a better sister.

Bella's wasn't too far away so we got there pretty quickly; I didn't want to waste any time. Bella's light was still on even though it was getting late and judging by her heart rate she was still awake but she was tired. I could see in the shadow of a light she was sitting at her computer desk. I smiled to myself and I felt Jazz tug on my arm gently

"We should move back, if she comes to her window she could spot us" She reasoned with me in a whisper and I nodded compliantly

"You can go back to Edward if you'd like" I replied as I looked up to the window again with a smile "I'll know before they decide to come here and you shouldn't have to be away from him just for me"

"I can't want to spend time with my sister?" Jazz asked in an almost convincingly somber tone. I would have believed her if she wasn't smirking at me "I mean this is an exciting time for you finding her. I want to know what's going on with my favourite sibling"

"I'm glad I have you Jazz, I wouldn't be able to cope without you" I sighed and looked down at my feet while I twisted my foot a little into the dirt "She's everything what I expected from my visions and she's more. She seems to value my friendship and we get along well. I just don't know how and when I'm going to explain to her what I am. I mean I've had a decade to prepare but honestly I was just focusing on finding her first. I wasn't sure if I actually ever would. I almost convinced myself that she wasn't really out there and my mind was compensating with my vivid visions"

"Vivid visions huh? Say that five times really quickly" Jazz chuckled to herself

"Jazz" I warned tapping my foot on the ground impatiently

"I think you should just let that happen" Jazz offered warmly after rolling her eyes at me

"What am I supposed to just be like oh hey Bella, how was your night? Oh and I'm a Vampire just to let you know. Want to hang out this weekend?" I asked folding my arms like a five year old throwing a tantrum

"Not like that" Jazz said chuckling lightly while patting me on the arm lightly "Though that would be funny. If you do decide to tell her like that please let me be there"

"Jazz" I groaned

"Ali she's going to have questions and when she does you should answer them for her; make her life easier by just being honest with her. Make your life easier by being honest with her" My sister said as she placed a hand on my shoulder "She's going to love you Alice so if she's really supposed to be your mate then what you are won't matter. Nothing will"

"It's not like I have webbed toes or anything simple like that Jasmine. I'm a vampire. An ancient, bloodsucking, indestructible, faster than the speed of light vampire. An immortal! Something out of movies that no one ever expects to be real but is. Kind of like...I don't know bigfoot but with smaller feet I guess" I complained "It's going to matter because I'm not normal"

"Point me to a teenager that is normal" Jazz retorted taking her hand from my shoulder

"Okay fine, I'm much more abnormal than an average teenager" I shrugged "Happy?"

"Very" Jazz smirked and she sighed "Alice Cullen will you just calm down? I don't like seeing you stress like this, it isn't you. Just be you and she will love you okay? No matter what this girl is going to love you because of your personality, your soul"

I scoffed at her statement but she shot me a mild glare. There was one thing that Jazz and I disagreed about and that was the presence of our souls. I wasn't sure whether we still had them after what we had become, what we had done but Jazz strongly disagreed.

She was convinced that we still had them because we chose to live the hard life but it was the right one to lead. Whether that was just hope for herself or whether she really believed that, she was truly convinced.

"I don't want to hear it Ali" Jazz warned mildly

"I'm sorry. It's just easy for you because you married a vampire" I hissed looking up at Bella's window again "This is just a little bit more complicated than your marriage"

"Do you wish your mate was a vampire?" Jazz asked

"Well yes and no mostly no. It would make my life so much easier if she were a vampire because I wouldn't have to freak her out by telling her what I am but mostly no because she wouldn't be who she is if she was a vampire. She wouldn't have her nervous twitches, she wouldn't be so clumsy, and she wouldn't blush at almost everything. She wouldn't be Bella so no I don't wish she was a vampire"

"I know you don't" Jazz nodded supportively

"I just want her to be happy and safe" I replied quietly bringing my eyes down to my sister "I know that Edward would be in my ear right now telling me that she could never be safe with me because of what I am if he was here. He would say that she would be safer without us but clearly he hasn't seen Bella because she's a danger to herself already. I mean someone has to help her right?"

"Alice I love my dear husband so very much but sometimes he can be too sensible and too pessimistic" Jazz smirked playfully at my rambling "But you are the poster girl for optimism and if anything is going to make this relationship work, it'll be that. It will be your positive outlook on life"

"I'm not going to ever hurt Bella, I would never dream of it" I swore to myself more than I had intended that comment to Jazz

"Oh I know that" Jazz replied seriously "And honestly you are my sister but if I felt that you were going to hurt her then I wouldn't be encouraging you like I am"

"I just don't want to give the poor girl a heart attack when she finds out what I am. How on earth is she going to deal with that?" I rubbed my eyes in frustration "But she has to know sooner or later, she already wants to ask questions"

"Well we could always leave Forks if you don't want this" Jazz said "If you don't want her to find out we could just move again"

I sighed, shaking my head

"That is the last thing on this earth I want to do. I promised that I wasn't going to be going off anywhere anytime soon" I said "She's it for me Jazz. If I leave her then I have no one. I couldn't even leave her if I wanted too, which for the record I really don't"

"Then you'll make it work" Jazz said reassuringly "If anyone in the family can do it, it's you. Things happen for a reason right?"

"I guess" I said furrowing my eyebrows