Frankenstein watched his master from the corner of his eye as he turned the car out of Forks and onto the long, tree lined road. Raizel's expression was unreadable. He sat in silence, hands still, gaze settled on the mist ahead.
Something was different. Frankenstein could not say what.
Still, Frankenstein said nothing. He drove.
After a time, Raizel spoke. "You have mentioned the Cullens before."
Frankenstein nodded, keeping his eyes forward. "Yes, Master. They reside on the outskirts. They keep to themselves."
"There have been animal attacks," Raizel said. "It is unlikely to be random."
Frankenstein hesitated, then answered carefully. "They are not responsible. Their family feeds animal. But… it is true, Master. They might know more about these disturbances. Their kind is sensitive to such threats."
Raizel accepted that with a faint nod.
"I wish to see them," he said.
Frankenstein's knuckles tightened briefly on the wheel. "As you wish, Master. I will call ahead."
Raizel didn't reply, but Frankenstein sensed that any further questions would be unwelcome.
They drove on through the gathering dusk, the only sound the hush of rain on glass.
---------------------------
At the Cullen house, the atmosphere was tense.
Emmett stood with his arms crossed, uneasy in the way while Rosalie leaned against the mantel, lips pressed thin, her impatience quiet but visible.
Alice sat beside Jasper, her hands folded tightly. Jasper tried to keep the mood steady, but even he was tense, shadows in his eyes that spoke of moods he couldn't calm.
Edward sat apart, gaze fixed on a distant point. He said nothing, but the line of his jaw was hard, and his hands curled on his knees.
Esme paced the entry, pausing now and then to look through the window. Carlisle had not yet returned.
When his car finally crunched up the drive, she met him at the door before he'd even stepped inside.
"There's been another vision," she said softly.
Carlisle's expression changed at once. He listened as Alice explained: a figure she could not place, a presence that turned all her future sight to haze.
"He stood outside the world," she whispered, "as if nothing touched him."
Carlisle glanced at Edward, whose look was grim. "I believe I have seen him," Edward said. "In town. Only briefly. He is… unlike any other."
Emmett shifted, a flicker of unease showing. "Are we expecting trouble?"
Before anyone could answer, Alice's eyes unfocused again. Her breath caught. She sat forward, every muscle tense.
"He's close," she said quietly. "Very close."
The room fell silent as a car pulled up outside, headlights sweeping the wet glass.
---------------------
Frankenstein eased the car to a stop outside the house. For a moment, only the rain moved dripping from the eaves, glinting in the headlights.
He turned to Raizel. "I'll stay close."
Raizel nodded once and stepped out. The rain slid down his coat but did not touch him.
The Cullen house glowed against the dark woods, windows bright, porch light shining. Inside, he could see figures shifting, faces at the glass.
The door opened.
Raizel stood at the threshold, the night at his back, eyes clear, posture easy.
Edward rose first, every sense straining, and Carlisle stepped forward to meet them, calm but cautious.
The meeting had begun.