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They emerged from the trees swiftly and gracefully. They had a small distance between them but they stood proudly as they walked side by side. The dark male in the middle walked slightly in front of the other two and I assumed he was the leader. The blonde male beside him walked arrogantly as his hand grasped the woman's. Her red hair frizzed out in the breeze and it only made her wild ensemble look untamable.

They walked closer together as they cautiously approached us, seeming to respect that they weren't on their land. As they reached us, I could see how they differentiated from the Cullens. Their stride was similar to that of an animal predator and their eyes were a deep red. Their clothes were frayed and riddled with dirt and their feet were bare. Their keen eyes took in the more polished of the vampires as Carlisle faced them. He stepped towards them carefully as Jasper and Dominic flanked him protectively.

The dark-skinned and haired man stepped towards Carlisle as a smile etched itself onto his face. His smile held an eerie charm to it and I held in a shiver as I looked at him. "We thought we heard a game." His voice unnerved me and I squeezed Emmett's hand tighter. "I am Laurent," he motioned to himself. "And this is James and Victoria." He gestured to the two smirking vampires behind him.

"I'm Carlisle," Carlisle returned the introductions. "This is my family. Esme, Jasper, Alice, Dominic, Rosalie, Edward, Bella, Emmett, and Clary." He motioned to each of us and Laurent observed each of us as he spoke. "We maintain a permanent residence nearby."

"Permanent?" Laurent asked with a small laugh. "How do you manage that?"

"Stealthily," Carlisle answered simply. "Your arrival however has caused a bit of an uproar for us."

"I apologize, James tends to have fun with his food," James smirked at us as Laurent spoke of him.

"The hunters were tracking us east, you should be safe," Victoria commented and I had to glance away from her as her voice echoed.

"Well thank you." Carlisle tried to be friendly.

"Perhaps you could use a few more players?" Laurent asked sociably.

"Sure, a few of us were leaving anyway." Carlisle smiled slightly. He turned and nodded to us and Emmett pulled me closer to him as he walked backward. We had barely made it a few steps away when I felt a breeze rustle my blonde hair. I glanced nervously at Bella as the breeze did the same to her.

"You brought a snack," James spoke eerily. His eyes had darkened and he narrowed his gaze on Bella and me. The others snapped to attention and Emmett crouched in front of me protectively.

"The girls are with us." Carlisle tried to speak calmly.

"The humans?" Laurent asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Emmett growled out. James turned to him with a wide smirk on his face before his eyes met mine. He slowly straightened his body out of its crouch but his eyes never left mine. Well, they did, but only to glance at Bella.

"It seems that we have a lot to learn about each other," Laurent spoke softly.

"It seems so." Carlisle agreed.

"We will leave now." Laurent bid us goodbye. "James." He warned. The blonde man smirked at me once more before turning and wrapping his arm across Victoria's shoulders. He shot us a smirk before the three of them ran away.

"Get them safe," Carlisle spoke firmly to Emmett and Edward who nodded at the order they were given. Emmett picked up my stiff body and held me protectively in his arms as he ran to his jeep. I buried my face in his chest and clenched my fist around his hoodie and held onto him tightly.

"I promise." He whispered to me as he climbed into the backseat of his jeep and kept me in his lap. His hold tightened on me as Bella and Edward appeared and the vehicle started to move. I felt the jeep swerve as Edward drove hastily but I couldn't unbury myself from Emmett's chest.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked. I perked up as I awaited the answer but it was a minute before Edward gave her one.

"We have to get you away from here - both of you. Far, far away." Edward growled. I unburied my head and glanced at the front seat and Bella sent me an apologetic look as she noticed my frightened face.

"You have to take us home!" Bella suddenly shouted. I flinched at her tone and Emmett rubbed my arm soothingly.

"He's a tracker, Bella. The hunt is a game for him, he'll hunt you down and kill you hastily. Especially since he's seen just how much you two matter to us." Edward spoke harshly.

"But what about Charlie?" I let out a small sob at the idea of Dad being hurt because of us. "He could get killed because of us!" Bella shouted at Edward. "You have to take us home! I have a plan!" Edward glanced at her and shook his head frantically. She began to spout out her plan and I tensed up as I realized what would happen.

"Fine." Edward gave in. "You have fifteen minutes, no more." Bella nodded her head and looked at me.

"I can't do it, Bella." I cried.

"You have to Clary, it's the only way." She tried to reason with me.

"No!" I shouted at her. "I won't hurt him like that! Maybe you can but I can't!" I spat at her as I wiped tears off of my face.

"Clary," She began.

"Maybe it's the only way for you but I am not hurting Dad like that. There has to be another way!" I cried and Emmett hugged me close.

"Maybe there is," Bella said aloud. The three of us glanced at her quizzically but she focused solely on me.

"Clary besides Dad and Billy who's the only other man you've ever trusted?"

"Sam," I answered without hesitation.

"Then that's it. We take her to the reservation." Bella snapped her fingers.

"Then drop me off first." I agreed and leaned back into Emmett's touch.

"I hate this plan," Emmett grumbled.

"It's the only other way this will work." I sighed and closed my eyes.

Before I knew it, Edward had raced onto the reservation and pulled over to Billy's house. The lights flicked on inside and I saw Billy roll himself outside.

"I love you," I told Emmett. He returned the sentiment and he kissed me softly before I exited the jeep and ran to Billy.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" Billy asked me as we watched the vehicle speed away.

"I need you to call Sam." I let out a small sob. He opened his arms and I sat on his lap as he rolled himself inside. I clung to him tightly as I cried and he did as I asked. After he hung up the phone, his arms wrapped around me and I cried harder.

"Dad, what's going on?" Jake asked as he came into their small kitchen and noticed my crying state.

"Answer the door please Jake," Billy mumbled to him as someone pounded on the door. Jake opened it and peaked past Billy's chest and there standing in the doorway was Sam Uley - my unofficial big brother.

"Sam," I cried as I ran to him. His big arms held me securely I stood there crying into his bare chest. I felt a hand being placed softly on my back and I knew Paul or Jared were with him.

"What happened?" Sam asked though I couldn't tell if he was asking me or Billy.

"She hasn't said anything other than to call you." I felt Sam pick me up and bid goodbye to Billy before exiting the small house.

"What do you think happened?" Jared asked.

"I don't know, but it probably has to do with why she smells like a one of them." Sam quipped.

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"Clary, what happened?" Sam asked. We arrived shortly after at his house and he sat me down on his couch. Emily was beside us as he held me firmly in his lap. Jared and Paul were seated nearby as they listened in.

"I'm being hunted by a vampire." I sniffled. I felt Sam tense up and I heard a growl emit through the room.

"Explain," Sam said firmly.

"I was playing baseball with Emmett and his family - Bella was there too, with Edward - and they came out of the trees wanting to play also. When we went to leave, they noticed that we were human and now he's going to kill us." I let out a sob and shoved my face in my hands.

"Where is Bella now?"

"I don't know. Edward and his family are getting her far away from here."

"Why didn't you go with them?" Emily asked.

"Because Bella's plan sucked and I couldn't do go through with it. So they brought me here." I sniffled and she placed her hand softly against my cheek.

"Wait, you're with a Cullen?" Paul growled and I flinched at his tone. His growls immediately subsided and I felt myself being transferred to another set of arms.

"We protect her. It's what we do, and she's family." Sam ordered. "Clary, how many were there?"

"Three. Two men and a woman." I spoke softly.

"We keep her here. She'll be safe. Emily will help watch over her and hopefully, our scent will override hers." Sam said.

"But what if they find her?" Jared asked.

"Then we fight for her," Sam said plainly. "Nothing gets to Clary and nothing is to happen to her."

Paul's arms tightened around me and I cherished the warmth his body provided. It was immensely different than the coldness that belonged to Emmett but I welcomed it nonetheless. I could feel my eyes drifting shut and I fought hard for them to stay open. I picked my head up and glanced around the room. Jared was watching the tv quietly, Sam and Emily were talking in hushed tones in the kitchen, and Paul was staring down at me. I smiled small at him and scooted off of his lap. I laid my body down, with my head in his lap, and finally allowed my eyes to shut.

"You're safe now Clary," Paul whispered to me as he grabbed a blanket and placed it over me. "I promise." And those two words were what sent me away. They may have not come from Emmett but the comfort they provided was all the same. They came from someone who cared for me and I knew Paul was similar to Emmett; they never made promises they couldn't keep.