Both Angie and Bella could see the boy in the driver's seat—his face frozen in horror as the Ford sedan slid out of control toward them.
Angie stood paralyzed in shock, her brain blanking from the fear. Bella, however, reacted differently. Her sharpened intuition sparked like lightning. She sensed something was off—something beyond just the car.
In the blink of an eye, she changed her mind.
Instead of dodging, she grabbed Angie and pulled her down into a crouch, adopting a panicked look to blend in.
BOOM!
Just as the two girls seemed moments away from being crushed between the oncoming Ford and the parked pickup behind them, a shadow burst forward—so fast it was nearly invisible to the naked eye.
A figure appeared, crouched protectively in front of them. One arm moved to wrap around Bella's waist, but midway through the motion, he paused—something in him recoiling at the very last second.
Instead, he planted himself solidly in front of the car.
With one hand, he caught the Ford.
The entire vehicle slammed into his palm and came to an instant, unnatural halt. Metal groaned. The front of the car crumpled inward like tinfoil, and the door buckled from the sheer force of the impact.
It was a surreal, cinematic scene.
A man—calm, stoic—squatting protectively in front of two girls, holding back a speeding vehicle with one hand.
Bella, even in her disguise, blinked in disbelief.
Angie gasped and stared at the dented car door in awe.
"Edward?!"
Edward didn't reply. He didn't even look at Angie. His amber eyes locked onto Bella's, his expression torn between concern and something else—a faint, lingering fear. A softness touched his otherwise handsome face. Even in shock, he seemed composed.
Without another word, Edward straightened and vanished into the crowd, disappearing as the rear of the car finally stopped rocking.
Silence fell like a blanket over the scene.
Girls who had watched everything unfold covered their mouths in disbelief. Several clutched at their chests, breathless.
"What... what just happened?"
"Was that Edward?"
"Bella... Angie!"
Students rushed forward from the parking lot and sidewalk, concern overtaking confusion.
Because Angie had parked a bit farther out—away from the clustered rows of cars—most of the students hadn't seen the exact moment of the impact. All they knew was that something terrible had nearly happened.
"Bella, are you okay?! Are you hurt?"
"Do you need a doctor?"
"I already called 911!"
Inside the now-crumpled Ford, the boy behind the wheel was visibly shaking. His forehead was bleeding, the skin torn just above his brow—but he didn't care. His eyes were wide, his mouth moving, trying to form words.
"...Sorry... so sorry... I couldn't stop... it wasn't... I'm sorry…"
"It's okay," Angie quickly cut in, gripping Bella's hand. "Edward pushed us away in time—we're fine."
Bella turned to Angie with mild surprise.
She covered for me.
She gave her best friend a small, grateful smile.
Turning back to the boy, she offered a comforting nod. "It's alright. We're both okay. But you should get that looked at—your forehead's bleeding pretty badly."
A black-haired Asian student stepped forward. "I'll take him to Dr. Karen. You two should head home and rest."
Bella nodded politely. "We're fine, but thank you."
She and Angie exchanged more quick goodbyes with the other students, then got into the old black pickup and drove off.
As they left, Bella's gaze lingered briefly on Edward, who was standing off to the side of the street, surrounded by a small group.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Inside the truck, Angie drove in silence, her expression tight.
"Bella… did you see what happened?"
"I did."
"Edward, he… I mean… he really saved us."
Bella gave a soft hum of agreement. "That's what it looked like."
Angie, normally lively and talkative, seemed shaken—her voice quieter than usual. She dropped Bella off at home and left without another word.
Bella watched the old pickup roll away, then went inside, brewed a cup of coffee, and stepped out onto the balcony.
She sat in her favorite chair, gazing at the distant horizon.
A smirk tugged at her lips.
"So... another Blood Clan. Barely noticeable—almost entirely human in scent. He's either abstained from drinking blood for years, or he was turned very recently."
Bella leaned back and sipped her drink.
"He's good at hiding. If I hadn't been within ten meters and activated my senses, I wouldn't have picked up on it at all."
She thought back to the brief moment Edward locked eyes with her.
"That stare. There was admiration... and also conflict. Suppressed impulses."
"As a superhuman, my blood must be incredibly tempting to him."
Her thoughts raced. Her mind connected clues with speed and accuracy few could match. Even the smallest glance could be dissected into layers of intent and instinct.
She chuckled quietly.
"It's like something out of a supernatural teen drama. My predecessor probably would've swooned."
But Bella wasn't a normal girl anymore.
If Edward had shown even an ounce of malice—if she had sensed the intent to feed—he would have died tonight.
But he didn't.
He saved them.
A kind-hearted vampire?
Rare. But not impossible.
So Bella would let him go. For now.
There were enough monsters in the world. One more or less didn't matter—especially if this one still had a conscience.
She raised her coffee again, but froze before taking another sip.
A sudden wave of nausea hit her.
"Ugh. Blood. I can smell it."
Her head turned sharply, eyes narrowing.
Something's out there.
Far away—miles away—beyond the town.
Elsewhere...
Deep in the mountains, shrouded by endless trees and damp mist, where no roads led and where poisonous insects thrived—stood a lone villa.
Its sleek, modern architecture clashed violently with the surrounding wilderness. A hidden fortress built for a hidden people.
Inside, the Karen family gathered.
Edward sat in silence on a velvet sofa, head bowed.
His gray coat hung from his shoulders, damp and stained from the day's events.
Across from him sat the rest of the family. They didn't speak at first. But their eyes said everything.
Disappointment. Concern. Curiosity.
And perhaps... fear.
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