"Let's go." I'll give you a minute, Carlisle thought but there was still a bite of impatience in his thoughts - we had to hurry.
I rushed over to Bella, not even hesitating while I brought her into my tight embrace, letting her body warm every inch of mine. The monster, desire, was still positively, solidly there. I placed my hand under her chin, bringing her lips to mine. Euphoria splashed through my hectic nerves - calming them, though the electricity reminded me that I was doing this for her, that I would die for her - to protect her. In seconds the kiss was over and I could feel the slight tearing of my body as I placed her back on the ground. I kept her face in my hands, communicating silently the love I had for her as tears strolled down her pink cheeks, her face eloquent with despair. It was time to go, so I wretched myself away from her and then I was gone, a chill filling my stomach.
I ran to the jeep, hoping into the passenger's side. Carlisle was driving and Emmett was in the back, we took off, driving north. James caught my scent easily and began chasing after us in the Jeep. I picked up the phone to call Esme. It only rang once, "Go now," I ordered.
I could still here the thoughts of Victoria as we speed away. Rosalie and Esme fired up Bella's truck and drove east. Victoria caught the smell of Bella and took off after her truck. I called Alice, even though I was positive she already knew. She answered her phone before it even rang, "Victoria is on their trail," I informed her. "It's time."
22. The Hunt
We were weaving in and out of traffic as James followed us. We were driving north towards Vancouver. Each second that I spent away from Bella I could feel my body's fresh tear ache. Half of me was with her, without her I could never be whole. We drove until we were only thirty miles away from Vancouver before I heard a distant ringing. It was just a faint echoing sound.
It's about time, she better have good news for me about the human.
About the human? It was definitely James' thoughts I heard as he continued to stay out of our vision, keen to not be spotted.
"Carlisle, slow down," I ordered while looking wildly around.
Carlisle released his foot from the gas and the Jeep slowly drifted down to sixty as he looked sideways at me. "What is it?" Carlisle asked, anxious.
"James has just received a phone call," I explained.
"Where did they take her?" James was wildly enthusiastic at the prospect of finding her when I was nowhere near her. I was too far away from him to hear the other end of the conversation so I settled with listening through James' mind.
"I don't know. They mixed the smell up and she was not in the truck. It was two female vampires and they drove west until we were several miles away from Forks. She must still be there. They tricked us," I heard Victoria say.
Idiotic woman! James roared in his head. "Find her!" he commanded and hung up the phone.
James ran the opposite direction of the road, flying feverously away from the Jeep until I couldn't hear his thoughts anymore.
"Stop!" I yelled.
Carlisle slammed on the brakes as the Jeep slid to a halt on the side of the highway.
"What is it?" Emmett and Carlisle asked at the same time.
"He knows that Bella isn't in the truck. He has a cell phone. He's sent Victoria back to Forks because he believes she is still there."
I didn't expect the nomad to have something as technologically advanced as a cell phone considering how they live. But I remembered something that Laurent had said, "He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as you seem to be, and he won't come at you head on..."
Emmett and Carlisle both understood instantly that Victoria had realized Bella was not in the truck.
"I'll call Esme," Carlisle said while picking up his cell phone and dialing her number quickly. I heard Esme's voice on the other line. "Carlisle," she began but he cut her off to explain what happened.
"She knows that Bella isn't with you and suspects that she is still in Forks. Go back and watch Charlie, make sure he's safe. Send Rosalie to find Victoria and follow her. We need to make sure that she isn't able to track Bella. We'll chase after James," Carlisle's lips were blurred at the fast motion of his speech.
"I'll tell her. Carlisle, I love you, be careful," Esme said affectionately.
"I love you, too and I will." Carlisle hung up the phone.
Let me go after him, please Edward. Emmett was begging in his mind. I turned around to face him.
"We'll both go." I turned to Carlisle. "Continue north until you reach the airport. Keep an eye out for him there - if we lose track of him I want to make sure we know where he is headed. We will keep you up to date."
He nodded. Emmett and I dashed from the Jeep and headed towards the forest where I last heard James' thoughts. When we caught up with his scent I could hear his faint hasty footsteps but he was too far away for me to hear his mind. The sun was peeking through the canopy of trees as the night sky began to slowly lighten the forest floor, bathing it in a pleasant golden glow.
Can you hear his thoughts? What are his plans? Emmett asked.
"No. He is too far away from us." I spoke quickly.
Go ahead of me and see what you can find out. Hey - don't get too close without me, Emmett chuckled. I want a piece of him too.
I rolled my eyes and darted faster than ever towards the one creature who threatened Bella's life more than I already had. I had trouble catching up to him but I was able to finally hear one thought.
She's still in Forks.
I slowed some to let Emmett catch up with me. "I think he's going to head back to Forks...but I don't understand - he isn't running that direction. He keeps running north and not in a straight path. I think he's trying to get us off his trail." I explained to Emmett.