The Malevolent Vampire

by Elsie Charlotte

"You need our help," Carlisle quickly countered.

  "We can get the Ghost Walker on our own," Jacob responded swiftly.

  "This is true," Sam supported. "We almost had him last night. It is only by luck that he got away."

  "He won't make the same mistake next time," Carlisle insisted with a stern expression.

  "Neither will, we," Sam countered behind a barely contained growl.

  Carlisle could see that Sam's mind was set and acquiesced to this with a nod of his head and a soft, "okay."

  Sam took note of Carlisle's acceptance of his position and recomposed himself for his final remark.

  "In return for our reports, we expect you to do the same for us."

  "Of course," Carlisle acceded without hesitation.

  A silence descended between the two groups. Carlisle anticipated that the business between them had concluded and waited on the shape-shifters to take their leave. After a short pause he noted Sam's look to Jacob with a slight turn of his head. He, in turn, followed his look. Jacob took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking. There was an expression of reluctance within his demeanor as he hesitated to do this. Edward whispered into this silence in Carlisle's direction.

  "Jacob has something he wants to talk to us about."

  All eyes turned toward Jacob. He paused a moment longer to acknowledge this attention and then he spoke.

  "I'm guessing that because of this visit by the Ghost Walker that none of you will be leaving the peninsula anytime soon."

  "We haven't discussed it," Carlisle responded with barely a thought. "But I don't see how we can under the circumstances."

  "The Ghost Walker is after Bella," Esme spoke up after Carlisle. "If we're going to catch this vampire, then we'll have to be here where he can find us."

  "Assuming he's still looking," Rosalie quickly added after.

  "Either way, you're all going to be here for another year or so, aren't you?" Jacob quickly questioned the Cullens.

  "Without some change in the situation, I don't see how we can avoid it," Carlisle responded with an inquisitive look. He could not help but wonder what the thinking was behind Jacob's questions. To get the answer to this, he put a question to Jacob. "Why?"

  "I just thought that you might want to pull Nessie out of school and keep her on the peninsula until this is over with." Jacob tendered this suggestion with a hint of embarrassment. "I mean with all of you here, don't you think this is the safest place for her?"

  Carlisle did not want to tell Jacob that the family had already put this suggestion to Nessie and that she had turned it down. He thought it would add to his worry to know that they had their concerns about her living away from them as well.

  "We're keeping tabs on Nessie, Jacob" Carlisle reassured with a sympathetic voice.

  Jacob paused for a second to fathom what, keeping tabs on, meant. He glanced at Alice with a quick look of confusion and then back to Carlisle with a look of incredulity.

  "Alice can't see Nessie in her visions," Jacob blurted out emphatically.

  Concerned over his distress, Bella quickly spoke up in hope of easing his anxiety. "We're having Nessie call us twice a day and Alice is monitoring us for those calls."

  "I see us getting these calls over the next four days," Alice quickly supported.

  "You've made mistakes before," Jacob responded in a tone thick with worry.

  "Not like this, Jacob," Alice earnestly assured. "This is family. I'm very good at visualizing family. If Nessie misses a call I'll see it four days before it happens." Alice paused to give weight to her final remark. "I've got this, Jacob. I promise."

  Jacob slowly backed away from his query with a look of reluctance. A few seconds later, Sam ended the meeting with a "let's go." The Quileute promptly turned about after that and left the residence with Esme showing them to the door.

  "He's worried about Nessie, but he's trying to resist it," Edward advised the family upon Esme's return.

  "I think we all are," Carlisle tossed out off the cuff.

  The family quietly agreed with Carlisle's sentiment. A few seconds later Emmett interrupted this silence with a boisterous question.

  "What happened last night with those wolves?"

  "They almost had him," Edward answered impassively. "It was in all of their memories."

  "So, you think those mutts can actually catch this vampire?" Rosalie questioned with an angry tinge to her voice.

  "They think so."

  "We're not going to just sit back and do nothing when this guy comes back," Emmett loudly protested.

  "If he comes back," Jasper quickly corrected.

  "Don't even think that," Rosalie softly complained.

  "I think we have to consider the possibility that we have lost our best chance of catching this vampire," Jasper suggested soberly.

  "Jasper is right," Carlisle concurred reflectively.

  "Damn those wolves," Emmett roared. "How are we supposed to catch this guy now? If he doesn't come back to the peninsula then we're screwed."

  The family took a moment to consider Emmett's analysis. Rosalie interrupted this contemplation three seconds later with a question.

  "So, how long are we going to stay on the peninsula?"

  The family deferred to Carlisle for this answer and he, in turn, obliged them after a brief ponder.

  "I think we should stay at least until Nessie graduates from college."

  There was a quiet agreement, one after the other, with nods of the heads from Rosalie, Alice, Esme and Emmett. Jasper interrupted this silent poll with a question.

  "What do we do if he doesn't come back by then?"

  "Everybody leaves… I stay," Bella quickly inserted.

  "No," Edward sternly rebuked an instant after.

  "He wants me," Bella argued before Edward could finish his thought. "If this is between me and this Ghost Walker, then let him find me."

  Edward confronted Bella face on before speaking his next words.

  "If you think I'm leaving you here alone, than you're crazy," Edward insisted.

  "You saw what happened the first time," Bella argued back. "He's not going to show himself if I'm not alone."

  "If those wolves really did scare him off, he may not come back to the peninsula at all," Jasper quickly inserted ahead of Edward.

  "Our chances of finding this vampire all but disappear if that happens," Rosalie tossed out with disgust.

  "It can be done," Edward retorted. "He can't be invisible all the time."

  "So, what are we supposed to do, scour the planet for his scent?" Jasper partially mumbled to himself.

  "You got a better plan?" Edward quickly challenged.

  "I think we should just wait and see how this goes for now," Esme softly put in. "Our best chance at getting this vampire is here on the peninsula."

  Slightly embarrassed by Esme's common sense thinking, Edward, Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett quietly backed away from any further debate. Shortly into this quiet, Carlisle moved towards Bella and stopped just in front of her before verbalizing his own thinking about this.

  "If he does come back, we'll need you to take point in the chase, Bella."

  "I'll get him," Bella responded back fiercely. "Even if I have to chase him twice around the planet, I'll get him."

  11- Unexpected Guests

  "She didn't give a reason why she was coming," Charlie questioned with a confused expression?

  Renee all but ignored him as she moved about the house, cleaning things and arranging them into their proper places.

  "Does she need one?" Renee questioned back without looking at Charlie.

  A perplexed Charlie was standing at the head of the hallway that connected the foyer, living-room, dining-room and kitchen. He watched his wife walked between these rooms, while he moved only as much as necessary to stay within easy talking range.

  "There's always a reason," Charlie disputed. "People don't just fly in from out of state on a whim."

  "Phillip is her nephew," R
enee retorted in an astonished tone as she brushed by him with a vase full of flowers.

  "Doesn't her coming here, after not speaking to you for eight years, seem strange?" Charlie questioned as he followed her into the living-room.

  Renee carefully situated the flowers on the coffee table. She continued to give Charlie no visual attention as she spoke.

  "I suppose, Charlie," Renee complained. "What do you want? I'm sure she'll tell us why she came, when she gets here."

  Renee finished arranging the flowers and then set off for the kitchen, brushing by Charlie once again. He, in turn, moved back into the hallway and closer to the kitchen.

  "That's another thing," Charlie began in a challenging tone. "Why didn't she call and tell us she was coming? We could have picked her up at the airport and brought her here to the house."

  "Like you said, Charlie," Renee partially yelled from the kitchen. "We haven't been on speaking terms. She was probably worried that she wouldn't be welcome."

  "No, that doesn't add up," Charlie responded as he pondered the question. "Nobody travels two-thousand miles without knowing they will be welcomed when they get there."

  Renee did not hear the text of Charlie's last comment and she suspected she was not intended too. Still distracted by her house work, she moved into the dining-room through the door shared by it and the kitchen, carrying with her another vase of flowers. After situating the vase in the room, Renee walked into the hallway and confronted Charlie. He was still in the process of analyzing his last thought when she stopped in front of him.

  "Listen, Charlie," Renee began succinctly. "Please don't mess this up for me. I need this to go well today. Don't do your interrogation thing when she gets here, okay?"

  "Okay," Charlie quickly agreed. "I'll be all smiles and small talk up until the moment she crosses the line."

  Renee gave her husband a brief look of vexation and then walked away to the kitchen.

  Sharon Dwyer Cunningham was the younger sister, by two years, of Phillip Dwyer Senior and, subsequently, the aunt of Phillip Junior. Her home, over the past eleven years, resided in San Diego, California. She lived there with her husband, Mark Cunningham; a moderately successful orthodontist, Brian; their ten year old son and Julia; their seven year old daughter.

  The relationship between Renee and Sharon was never a close one. Sharon never understood her brother's affinity for this older woman, with the semi-hippie lifestyle. Her own, much more conservative values were a contrast to Renee's and she was quietly opposed to their decision to get married because of it. She had hopes that her brother would marry someone more like herself in age and behavior. Despite this conflict in ideologies, Sharon's opposition to the marriage was motivated by her concern for her brother and not by any vindictiveness towards Renee. She could have easily thought of Renee as an unusual friend had she not been involved with her brother.

  Sharon's and Renee's relationship was originally limited to a cordial interaction. When Phillip Dwyer Senior went missing, Sharon's behavior towards her sister-in-law turned bitterly inhospitable. They could not be in the same room together without Sharon erupting into vitriolic hysterics. Their association came to an end a month after the disappearance of Phillip Senior. They had not seen or spoken to one-another from that day until this.

  Six months had passed since the shape-shifter's meeting with the Cullens. Summer was in the height of its intensity, Nessie was home from college and Renee was making preparations for a visit from her ex sister-in-law. Their reunion was planned for later that Saturday afternoon. Renee had no bitter feelings towards Sharon. After learning the truth behind Phillip Senior's disappearance, she harbored sympathies for her one time sister-in-law. This was due entirely to feelings of guilt about Phillip Senior's disappearance. Not being able to share with her the truth about this event, exasperated this feeling of culpability.

  It was Renee's hope that this meeting would renew the cordial relationship they once had. She sincerely wished for her son to know his relations on his father's side and she had every hope that this meeting would make that wish come true. Charlie, however, was not even close to sharing this sentiment. His feeling of regret for Sharon was offset by her past unbridled belligerence towards Renee and himself. Her intransigent belief that Renee was somehow responsible for Phillip Senior's disappearance made it impossible for him to feel any sympathy for her. He always found her argument to this effect irrational and maliciously motivated. His opinion of her was also shaped by the fact that he had only seen her once, shortly after Phillip Senior had disappeared and he had no prior history of better times to weigh that against.

  Phillip Junior had never seen his aunt, Sharon Dwyer-Cunningham, and she had never seen him. Li'l Phil had no knowledge, either personal or informed, of the events that had divided his mother and his aunt. When he was advised that she was coming, he gave it no thought at all. The only special attachment he gave to this meeting was drawn from the level of attention his parents were giving to it. He played in his backyard, with two of his friends from down street, up until the moment Renee called him in to be washed and redressed.

  Sharon Dwyer-Cunningham arrived in front of the home of Charlie, Renee and Phillip at a quarter before three in the afternoon. She stepped out of a taxi with her ten year old son, Brian, and her seven year old daughter, Julia, in tow. Standing five-feet ten-inches tall, Sharon was an attractive woman. Her athletic build gave her the look of being physically fit. Her face was just beginning to reflect the maturity of her thirty-four years of age. She was attired in a, sleeveless, camel colored, knee length and sheath dress. Her shoes and small purse were chosen to match her attire. Her blonde hair was short and combed back over her head and a modest pair of clip on earrings adorned her face. Despite her physique, Sharon was not someone others might call slender. The best days of her figure had clearly fallen away in her past. However, this notwithstanding, Mrs. Cunningham was still a handsome woman.

  Brian Cunningham was an attractive enough little boy. His features and physique were not unpleasant to the eye and his brunette hair gave away his resemblance to his father. His attire was simple and neat, a white and blue plaid shirt tucked into a pair of light gray twill slacks. A pair of black shoes and a black belt completed his attire. Julia Cunningham was an equally attractive little girl and her long blonde hair was a match to her mother's. Her hair hung free down to her shoulder blades and was parted to the right of center of her head. She was attired in a sleeveless, pink, thigh length dress that was embedded with an elastic waistband. Ruffles trimmed the collar and the openings for the arms. Pink shoes and white socks completed her ensemble. Both children appeared bemused by this event they were attending. They followed a step behind their mother without question or comment.

  "Hi, come on in," Renee called out cheerfully after opening wide the front door.

  Sharon paused for a second outside the door. Her reluctance to enter was clearly seen in her hesitation. Renee held her smile and continued to hold open the door despite this. Shortly, Sharon walked into the foyer with Brian and Julia following behind. The trio came to a stop six feet into the home. Standing at the far-side of the foyer, opposite the door, was Charlie and Phillip. Both were comfortably dressed in shirts and slacks. They stood quietly across the way with looks of anxious anticipation about their faces. Sharon's complete attention instantly locked onto Phillip.

  "Thank you for coming," Renee spoke up excitedly as she closed the front door.

  Sharon reluctantly turned about in response to her welcome.

  "Thank you for having us over," Sharon responded softly back. She then turned her attention back to Phillip and Renee promptly obliged her with an introduction.

  "Phillip, this is your Aunt Sharon. She's your father's sister."

  Sharon was quick to take advantage of the introduction. She stepped over to Phillip and reached down to shake his hand.

  "Hi, Phillip," Sharon spoke with a large smile on her face.

  "Hi," Phillip an
swered back as they both shook hands.

  "May I hug you," Sharon entreated with a smile a second behind Phillip's response.

  "Okay," Phillip shyly replied.

  Sharon immediately pulled Li'l Phil into a hug against her abdomen and leaned over as she held him there for a few seconds. When she finally stepped back from him, she held both her hands against his shoulders and situated her nephew directly in front of her.

  "You look just the way your father did at this age," Sharon reported with a grin. "I'm very happy to meet you, Phillip. I hope will be seeing a lot of each other. Is that okay with you?" Sharon finished with a large smile.

  Phillip nodded his head in the affirmative as whispered back, "yeah."

  There was a slight pause after this, as if all were trying to savor the moment. Renee beamed with happiness as she looked on at this meeting. A couple of seconds later the remaining introductions took off in rapid succession. Renee had not seen Brian for nearly eight years, when he was toddler. Julia, at that time, had yet to be conceived, let alone born. Renee quickly ingratiated herself with the two Cunningham kids and then steered everyone into the living-room so that all might sit and visit.

  Renee ushered her guests into chairs and immediately set about to providing all with liquid refreshments. When her nervous energy had nothing else it could be tasked to do, she settled down into a chair opposite her guests. Charlie maintained a quiet, but polite manner. He said as little as possible and when he did speak it was only when prompted to by someone else. It was obvious that his plan was to endure the evening and do as little else as necessary. Sharon was pleasant but distant in her demeanor. With some hesitation, she proffered the obligatory compliments to Renee's home and its furnishings and then she began admiring the surrounding community. The adults, primarily Renee and Sharon, were doing their best to avoid any embarrassing topics. After exhausting her supply of complimentary chitchat the conversation turned onto their children. They inquired after the likes, habits and history of each other's progeny, often directly to them. Phillip, Brian and Julia tolerated the questions genially as they fidgeted in their seats. Once this topic appeared to be exhausted, thirty minutes later, a lull fell over the visit. When Renee failed to immediately fill the silence, Charlie took this as his go ahead to do so with a subject that was of interest to him.