Disclaimer: Familiar Twilight characters, themes, etc belong to Stephenie Meyer.

AN: Last week I said that I would finally tell you guys what Cory really is, and I do! I also introduce a new creature in this chapter. I hope you enjoy.

PS - There's a footnote down there.

PPS - The next chapter might not be out for another two weeks. Just a heads up.

November was half over and the weather had turned icy.

I shivered as I looked around me at the trees that surrounded me. Whistling, I called out, "Here Bruce! Come here!"

Charlie had decided to call the puppy Bruce after a dog he had had as a child.

Bruce came romping through the underbrush; he had grown a lot in the three weeks I'd had him. He was now half way to my knee and promised to be a big dog.

He had a red ball clamped in his teeth and, dropping it at my feet, barked for me to throw it again.

I laughed and picked it up then threw it as far as I could and he flew after it. I walked for a bit as I waited for him to return and came to the meadow where Edward had first shown me why he and his avoided the sun. I stood in the shadows of the trees and looked upon it as memories flooded me and I smiled.

The meadow was very different in winter; no flowers, and all the grass had dried and browned, but it was still beautiful to me and always would be if only for what it represented.

A cold breeze blew against me and I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply of winter and earth.

I heard Bruce come up behind me and turned, expecting him to drop the ball again but he had no ball. He came to my side and stood next to my leg, and bared his teeth.

Knowing his ways, I looked around, wondering if Edward or maybe Jacob was close by, though they weren't expected. I had last visited Jacob only two days ago and Edward and I had agreed that he would pick me up later this day to go to his home.

No one was around, or at the least I saw no one, but Bruce's growling became more pronounced and I became nervous.

There was a snuffling sound ahead of us and the sound of the movement of something large in the undergrowth.

I stiffened; something deep inside me warned me not to move. I froze.

Out of the foliage came first a great head bent to the ground, sniffing. Then pushing forward came a long, lean, robe-clad body.

My heart sputtered in my chest, constricting in fear at the sight of such a beast.

It was human in form but so very inhuman in appearance. Covered completely in a downy fur, light brown in coloring, I was reminded sharply of werewolves in Hollywood movies. But this wasn't a movie and this wasn't a werewolf; it was nothing like a real werewolf, nothing like Jacob and his pack.

He was bent low to the ground, on all fours, but at the sound of Bruce's growling it turned its head towards us, examining us. Slowly it raised itself until it was standing on its two legs, just like a human.

My knees collapsed on me then and I fell to the ground with a gasp, never taking my eyes from the creature.

It tilted his head and looked at me with its yellow eyes, studying me. It inched forward, fangs bared.

With shaking hands I pulled Bruce to myself and held him protectively to my chest.

This seemed to confuse the beast and it stopped again. He saw how I held the dog to myself, he saw how I trembled, he sensed my fear.

The thing let out a whine. From within a pocket in his black robe he took out the red ball and held it out in his clawed hand.

"Oh God," I whispered brokenly. What could it possibly want?

Then his ears perked up, twisting back, and he gave a terrifying snarl and lunged forward. I screamed and threw myself aside onto the ground, fully expecting to feel the bite of his teeth on my torso.

It didn't come. I lay there, too afraid to move, Bruce whimpering against me; he too was trembling.

After what seemed hours, but was more likely mere seconds, I heard movement around me again and froze. Was it playing with us, like a cat with a mouse, before it finally went in for the kill?

And then I heard a softly muttered curse.

"Bella?" said a familiar voice filled with fear and a hand was laid on my shoulder.

I hate to admit that I broke down then. The relief that poured through me was so powerful that it left me weak. I couldn't even find the strength to turn over nor to answer; I just lay there, sobbing, tears pouring down my face.

I had been sure I was going to die and all I could think about when that thing lunged at me was Edward, my love for him, and about how I wished I could have said goodbye.

But here I was, alive and whole and I was so very grateful. I would see Edward again.

A snarl ripped across the silence of the forest, making my heart sputter in my chest and before I knew what was happening, I was airborne, the wind whipping past my face.

Bruce, who I had been clutching to my chest throughout the whole ordeal, trembled against me, but I was staring in dumbstruck disbelief at Cory's beautiful face.

I was in his arms, he held me as if I weighed nothing, and we we're running through the forest, the trees going by in a dizzy green blur.

My breath hitched; my brain stopped, refusing to acknowledge what had just happened.

Dimly I realized, my thoughts taking an eternity to process, that the trees were thinning. And then we were in front of my house. Cory opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it firmly behind him. He must have known that Charlie was working.

As soon as we were inside, Bruce squirmed out of my grasp, jumped off and ran into the kitchen where I heard him jump into his basket to hide. I was still in too much shock to do anything.

"Bella?" Cory asked hesitantly.

Slowly, ever so slowly, my brain started up again. My breath came in ragged bursts and I started trembling; a swarm of black dots swam before my eyes.

Cory tried to set me on my feet but there was no strength in my legs and he caught me up again before I fell.

"God!" he muttered, panicking when I stopped breathing. He hurried into the living room and sat down on the sofa. "Breathe, Bella! Breathe!" he said, slapping gently at my cheeks.

I took a deep breath, then another and my vision slowly cleared; my heart rate and pulse slowed to a trot rather than the full-out gallop.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"You—you're—"

1 "A vampire," he finished for me and sighed.

I let out a slightly hysterical laugh that ended in a sob. "Figures," I mumbled. "I should have known."

"I wish you hadn't found out this way," he said sincerely.

"What better way?"

"I don't know, but not like this."

I became aware of our position and hastily jumped off of his lap but had to sit down heavily next to him; I still didn't have all of my strength back.

Where was Edward? I wished he would be here soon but didn't raise my hopes over it. It was still too early. Maybe Alice would have a vision warning them … no, Alice had said she couldn't see Cory. If I was with him, would I disappear from her visions too? It was something to hope for anyways.

And then it dawned on me. The vision of Alice at the Halloween Party, looking confused and rubbing at her head, floated into my mind's eye. I turned to Cory, horrorstricken.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing the look on my face.

"It was you!" I gasped and got to my feet again.

"What was?" he asked, getting to his feet also.

"You! At the Halloween Party!"

He had the decency to look abashed and lowered his gaze which confirmed my accusation.

I clapped my hands to my mouth and turned on the spot, my back to him. Then I turned back and slapped him.

"How could you?" I exclaimed.

He blinked, then slowly raised his hand to the side of his face and looked at me in bemusement. "How could I?" he repeated. "I didn't do anything!"

"You let me kiss you!"

"I didn't know you would attack me."

"Attack!" I cried. "Attack! Why you—!" I turned again, fully intending to find something to show him what a real attack felt like but I stopped short at the sight that greeted me.

It was Edward.

Edward was staring at me as if he was seeing a ghost; his face was more pale than I had ever seen it before and his eyes… I shuddered at the look in them. It was as if they were dead but deep, deep inside of them a light of hope flickered faintly.

"Edward, what—?"

At the sound of my voice the strength seemed to seep from his limbs and he had to lean against the wall to support himself.

"Bella," he whispered. "You're alive…"

And I knew what must have happened. I hurried to his side and he pulled me tight against him, crushing me to him.

"I was with Alice when she saw… and then it lunged at you and I saw you on the ground, not moving…" I could hear the pain and horror in his voice as he recounted it. "And then…and then you disappeared. I thought you were dead," he finished brokenly.

"Oh no, oh Edward no. I'm alive and I'm here." I looked up into his face and I saw the light in his eyes grow stronger but there was still a hint of the deadness. "I'm not going anywhere without you."

"In fact," I continued, "it was Cory who brought me back. He — I believe he saved my life."

At the mention of Cory, Edward's head snapped around and his eyes locked on Cory's still form.

"Hello Edward," said Cory amiably.

Edward inclined his head an inch then his eyes flicked down to me. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Actually," Cory said, "I was just leaving."

He took a step forward but Edward let go of me and stepped nimbly in his way.

"I don't think so," Edward murmured. "I think it's time for some explanations."

"Cory's a vampire too, Edward," I said softy, warning him.

Edward studied Cory closer, with more interest, and then nodded. "I suppose that answers a few questions. Would your 'talent' happen to be the blocking of other's talents?"

Cory sighed and appeared to be agitated. "Something like that," was all he said.

"Why were you in the forest?" Edward asked.

"That's none of your business," Cory retorted.

Edward let out a growl. "Anything concerning Forks and Bella is my business."

I swallowed nervously. "Please…don't fight…"

They both glanced my way.

"I was tracking," Cory finally said.

"You were tracking that thing? What is it?"

Cory shook his head. "I don't know what it was, it didn't smell like a vampire though, and it definitely wasn't human."

"And you were afraid to take it on?" Edward mocked.

Cory narrowed his eyes. "Hardly. But it wasn't alone."

Edward and I stared. Cory's lips thinned in anger; apparently that last part had slipped out.

"Who?" we asked in unison.

A debate was going on in Cory's head but finally he seemed to come to a conclusion, his face cleared. And Edward gasped.

"Victoria," he breathed, his golden eyes widening in shock and revelation.

Cory nodded.

I looked from one to the other. Obviously Cory had let Edward in to his head. I clutched at Edward's arm; fear poured into my veins at the mere thought of her wild red hair and dark red eyes.

I felt both their eyes on me; they could hear my racing heart. "Why is she here?" I asked.

"Revenge."

"I don't understand," I said but once more they were communicating between themselves.

"No!" said Edward and he sounded breathless. "She can't…!"

"What!" I cried, looking between them.

"You should have told us sooner!" said Edward angrily, taking a step forward.

I pulled on Edward's shirt-sleeve, trying to keep him back and wondered what was going on.

"There was no need to. I've been tracking James and Victoria for a long time and I wasn't going to let all my planning go to waste for a mere human."

Edward let out a feral growl and I, realizing that I was the 'mere human' they were talking about, let out my own hiss. "Careful, Cory."

Cory looked at me and gave me a sheepish smile. "Sorry Bella."

Edward had his sleek cell phone to his ear. When they had picked up on the other end, he spoke rapidly into it and then hung up.

"Bella, Alice will be here in a few minutes. When she arrives you two will go to our home."

I nodded slowly. "And you?"

"Cory and I are going to go check out the scent, see what it is we're dealing with."

Cory's brows furrowed but he didn't say anything.

I stepped closer to Edward. "You'll be careful, won't you? You won't do anything stupid or dangerous?"

Edward smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. He pulled me close and kissed me. "It shouldn't take us more than an hour."

"Fine," I grumbled, then remembered that the car was still parked on the side of the road. "The car, Edward, it's still over there…"

"I'll get it."

"Okay. I'm going to get Bruce ready then."

Before I could take a step for the kitchen Edward stopped me.

"Ready for what?"

"He can't stay here alone," I told Edward, thinking it had been obvious, especially under the circumstances.

"You're going to take him into a house full of vampires?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

I frowned, not seeing his point at all. "I don't think any of them are that hungry, Edward."

Edward sighed in exasperation; Cory smirked in amusement.

"Bella," Edward said slowly, as if explaining something to a child, "who are the only people Bruce dislikes?"

"There's you, Jacob, Alice and then in the forest…" I trailed off and looked up at him. "Oh."

"All essentially nonhuman persons."

I wasn't ready to concede the point. I went into the kitchen and got Bruce. I walked back and held him up to Cory. Bruce curled his lip, showing his sharp little teeth and snarled.

I sighed and took him back. When I returned I crossed my arms.

"Fine," I said. "But I'm still not going to leave him here alone."

"You won't have to. Charlie will be here soon."

I started. Charlie!

Edward noticed my reaction and smiled grimly. "You don't think we'd leave him unprotected, do you? We'll keep watch on him."

Outside a car sounded. I looked out the window and saw Edward's Volvo, Alice stepping out of the driver's side. She skipped her way gracefully inside.

She gave me a hug and smiled brightly at Cory.

"Hello Cory."

"Hey Alice. How are you?"

"Dandy, thanks."

Edward cast her a glance and she rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "Ready, Bella?

"I just need to get my pack."

"Where is it?"

"By the door—"

Alice disappeared and reappeared in seconds holding my bag. "Is this it?"

I nodded.

"Anything else?"

I shook my head.

"Let's go then."

I hesitated then turned to Edward.

"Within the hour," he said again, smiling and brushed the back of his fingers gently along my jawline.

I returned his smile and nodded then turned to Cory.

"Thank you," I said to him. He grinned.

I went into the kitchen and gave Bruce a farewell hug and told him I'd be back later; I checked to make sure his food and water bowls were filled then followed Alice outside.

Inside the Volvo, I looked out the window to Edward and Cory who were both standing silently, watching the car as it pulled out.

I waved, and as if that was all they had been waiting for, they turned and disappeared into the trees.