Morning Munch (open)

[Jude Devlin]

Jude sat down in one fluid movement beside a slow moving stream surrounded by dense forest. Beside her lay the lip mangled body of what had once been a deer its neck torn open spilling warm blood on to the dewy grass. It was early maybe 5 in the morning and Jude had been planning to journey in to the small town and pluck out an early riser but she had gotten to thirsty before she had reached the town and settled for deer.

She leaned over the streams edge and placed her hand in to the cold water which was in fact slightly warmer then her own skin, and rinsed her blood stained hands and face. A few flies had already found the deer carcass and mussed around it noisily so Jude walked a little down stream before she lay in the grass starring up at the sky threw a gap in the trees. It was a clear and cold morning and the grass was wet with dew that didn’t bother Jude as she lay humming an old Irish tune to her self quietly. The song was one her mother had sand to her as a child and was one of the clearest memories she had. A buzz from inside her pocket broke her out of her mindless hum and Jude pulled out her newly bought blackberry. The words Darby Simm began flashing across the screen as the little phone continued to buzz. “Ugh”, Jude groaned and threw her phone several feet away from her before lying back in the grass and closing her eyes. Her mind began to drift away back past the 90s 80s and 70s and to the 60s where she had spent a lot of time in northern Scotland and had often gone to a small pub with a Scottish coven, the Wallis’s. Those where good days although she had never been one of them and didn’t want to be she enjoyed there company and the freedom of going out during the day with out worrying about the sun light.

The phone, which had taken a brake for the last 10 minuets to buzz again. Jude continued her humming. What the hell did he want, the last time they had spoken they had gotten in to a huge argument over the smallest thing and Jude had decided it was time to take a brake from his company. Darby was the single most infuriating person she had ever met and yet he was the best friend she had, that fact puzzled her.

[Edward Cullen]

It was five in the morning, or something close to that Edward was getting close to the point in which he had to, or rather should hunt. Slipping out of Bella’s embrace and leaving her a little note to explain his absence if she awoke before he returned, Edward made the leap from her bedroom window and bounded for the near by forests. He could have hunted there and saved himself a bunch of time but the game wasn’t good and it was too close to civilization for his liking, and he didn’t want a slip up to occur. That was why Edward passed by his family’s land before he slowed and got himself into a hunting crouch. He just needed a deer, maybe even a doe that would tie him over for the next couple of weeks.

For a few minutes any human traits he carried were gone and he focused everything he had on finding his prey. It didn’t take long to locate, and it took an even shorter period of time for Edward to catch and kill the deer. Once that was finished, Edward stood himself up stretching out his six foot frame and dusted himself off. It had taken Edward less time then he thought so he could take his time getting back to his house to change and then back to Bella. Brushing his hand through his hair Edward walked back towards the exit of the forest, taking his time making it look as if he were actually taking in the scenery, not that he was he was actually enjoying the silence within him.

As he walked, that started to disappear, he found his mind drifting back through the decades, all of which he lived through though they weren’t his memories entirely. It happened to him sometimes when he wasn’t expecting someone to be around him, but he quickly drew himself out of memory lane and walked towards the person he was sharing the woods with, at least this part of the woods. Because of the thought pattern Edward knew he wouldn’t surprise her, she was a vampire and she’d hear him coming not that element of surprise mattered at all. Coming up to the familiar stream, the only thing separating the two and stopped. “Good morning.” Edward said casually hearing the vibrating cell phone that was sitting in the grass.

[Jude Devlin]

Jude’s eyes snapped open and her nose twitched. Soon the flies wouldn’t be her only company. A mixture of what felt like apprehension curiosity and slight anxiety. She was on her own and by the smell of who ever was coming it wasn’t a human. She lay frozen in the grass for what felt like a good minuet but in reality was only a second and at a push two. She got to her feet easily straightening out her pale blue dress, a dress that ordinary people would where to a picnic or to a beach and not for a morning hunting deer in dense wood. There where two ways this could go one it would be perfectly fine and this anxiety was for nothing or two she could get her head ripped off and poor Darby would never get a call back. If it was the second phoning Darby back was the least of her worries. The forest was thick so there was always a chance of a chase and if that where to happen then she might possibly out run the stranger.

The figure came into view across the stream and Jude stood perfectly still like Greek marble taking in his build and stature. He was tall yes but then so was she and when it came down to it you never could tell with there kind plus if she ran now that might just provoke an attack. Her eyes flickered to her left where there was a clear gap in the trees, a perfect exit but then the stranger spoke with out a hit of aggression. Jude was taken aback. “Good morning” she said courteously with a little nod of her head and relaxed ever so slightly. “Im sorry have in intruded on your land?” Her brown furrowed but the lines where barely viable on her pearly white skin.

The phone continued to buzz and if Jude’s blood was capable of boiling it would have been. This is why she got rid of the last phone so why the hell did she go and by another one, her own actions where a mystery to her. This black berry would have to go not only did she get phone calls and messages she now got emails on top of it. Her mind was set the blackberry would find its way in to the little stream very shortly.

[Edward Cullen]

It wasn’t long before she noticed him, he knew that because he could now see exactly where she was, one of the many pluses about being able to read minds, he saw what they did. Usually Edward was one of the members in his family that you didn’t want to meet in the forest if you were another vampire, especially one that didn’t follow the vegetarian diet like his family. But today, it was early in the morning, not that it mattered to vampires, but he decided to give the girl the benefit of the doubt, not jump to any conclusions. It would be easy to pull off besides she already seemed to be worried about his arrival and she didn’t know anything about Edward so it only seemed fair to be come off nice. Edward could always change his mind, it wouldn’t matter, it all depended on her he decided. Edward was a bit amused as he got closer to her, she was already planning her escape, which he figured he had the upper hand on having been through every inch of this forest. He smiled, suppressing a laugh of sorts when she guessed the possibility of out running him, Edward hadn’t encountered anyone that was possible of that to date but of course he wasn’t naïve enough to believe it wasn’t possible.

Soon he was at the water’s edge and Edward did was she was doing, took in her stature you could never be too careful with those that appeared to be passing through. That was always a weird thing for Edward, too see himself being analyzed through another’s thoughts, annoying even at times. He kept the smile off his face as she noticed the clearing to his right, her left, but made no move to block it, he was not going to start an attack, there were too many reasons not to. But when he saw that he surprised her with his formal greeting the smile slipped onto his features, he didn’t know what it was but this was a bit out of character for Edward, a bit too human, hopefully it wouldn’t last all that long. “Well not technically, our land doesn’t really start for another few miles north. Your quite free to roam throughout the forest at your will” Edward informed her politely, he wasn’t exactly rude by nature anyway, just straight forward.

For the first time since he arrived in front of her, Edward turned his golden eyes away from her and glanced at the phone. He wasn’t sure how she could handle the buzzing noise, he always answered his as soon as he felt the vibration. Those little noises annoyed him, which was why he was nearly always watchless, the damn ticking noise was enough to drive him up the wall. Edward, if he were her would have just turned the phone onto silent, but he did have to admit that tossing the thing into the stream didn’t sound like a bad idea, he was tempted to jump the stream and do it himself.

[Jude Devlin]

Jude nodded politely but noticed at how he said Forest and not just land. Did that mean that the town was off limits how many people did one guy need? Surely one person could be spared for a hungry traveller and Jude, although she had just fed was not compliantly satisfied. There was nothing like a good early morning drink from a jogger or hill walker it beat snacking on stumbling drunk folk any day. This is what attracted her to this area. There where plenty of hills and mountains so a lost hiker wouldn’t be too suspicions, people got lost in the woods all the time people would blame a bear or a steep cliff.

“I appreciate that, thank you” she said with a small almost unnoticeable nod of the head her Irish accent poking through. Over then many years of her existence her accent of her homeland had soften and slipped away gradually but every now and then it made a surprising reappearance that warmed her cold insides. She stifled the urge to beam happily thinking it may make her appear unstable.

The stranger’s eyes moved from her for the first time and she followed his gaze to the small buzzing brick. The bloody thing would just never stop the screen still read Darby, she sighed and picked up the phone which was large and filled the palm of her hand. She pressed the switch off button quickly but not fast enough for her liking and dropped the phone in to a pocket on the front of her dress. If she had destroyed the phone she might not been able to find Darby once she had grown tired of some much alone time. “Im sorry about that I hope it didn’t distract you from what ever it was you where doing before” she said sweetly allowing her self to smile for the first time.

[Edward Cullen]

Did that mean that the town was off limits how many people did one guy need?

Edward did not miss that thought and he kept himself as relaxed as he could while suppressing a growl that built up in his throat. Just what we need he thought sarcastically. He didn’t exactly need, nor did he want another non-vegetarian vampire in Forks, he could careless at the moment about those surrounding towns. Edward would have liked to stick some sort of a warning or caution in the area stating that hunting humans was not permitted, but there were many reason upon which that couldn’t be done. This would have to be cleared up quickly before people started disappearing in Forks and the wolves got on his family’s back. They did not need that to happen right now. He just had to come up with a way to bring the topic up without him seeming a bit odd with the comment but it had to be cleared up before the two of them parted ways.

Edward didn’t miss the head nod or the slightly accent to her voice at that time, and he placed her close to his age or younger, maybe older and from Ireland. Of course it was just a guess with the age, which it was difficult to tell. “My pleasure.” Edward said, still sticking to his polite manner despite the fact he wasn’t too fond of her eating habits, “Though I may have left something out, we don’t like to permit hunting of humans in Forks.” He said losing a bit of his courteously tone with his straight forwardness. He hadn’t expected himself to last that long anyway, wasn’t part of his nature, at least not with people he didn’t know. Might as well get everyone use to the mood switches of his.

The buzzing still sounded and Edward wondered why the person didn’t get the point that she was avoiding their calls. Edward was known for that at times, and his family got the picture, but alas this person didn’t but Edward pulled his eyes back to the girl, who’s name he has yet to learn trying to ignore the sound. Though it didn’t last long, she’d finally decided that turning it off was her best plan, he was glad for that. “No, its fine. That didn’t distract me from anything.” Edward said, in fact it had been her thoughts that disrupted him but he wasn’t going to bring that up right yet. Sure they were vampires, and it was known that some had gifts, but his wasn’t always taken so easily by those he’d come into contact with. “Sorry, I failed to introduce myself. I’m Edward Cullen.” He said, the sides of his lips twitching towards a smile.

Pink Words: Jude's Thoughts
Blue Words: Edward's Thoughts

[Jude Devlin]

No hunting in the town, well that dashed her plans for the day she would have to find something else to keep herself preoccupied. She supposed she could always call Darby back but then he might fly over to join her and she didn’t really fancy the company of an ill tempered vulture and the chances of getting away from him a second time where slim. There was always the movies she had always loved an epic love story but spending 2 or more ours in the dark surrounded by sweet smelling humans would be more stressful then relaxing. A breeze blew reminding her of the beach she had passed threw on the way here with surfers who might just accidentally drown and never be found. Some where at the back of her mind the though sickened her slightly but her gut animal instinct was to strong and the little voice saying don’t was overrules by thirst.

She was getting side tracked again almost forgetting Edward was there a habit she might have brought over from her human life but she couldn’t be sure. Jude focused her eyes on Edward again and nodded once more”No hunting in town “. Did no hunting mean no browsing as well? It would be a shame to travel all this way and not get to step foot in the town. ”Im Jude Devlin” she said brightening up a little that they where now on introductions and not ripping out each others throats. “You said we do not permit hunting of humans does this mean there are others here?”

The defensiveness crept back in. One vampire she could run from but a whole group…Best stay well away from the town Jude fancied staying in one piece. Maybe being accompanied by an ill temper vulture wouldn’t be so bad after all he had been around for centuries and new how to handle these situations.

[Edward Cullen]

Edward probably would have got some stern looks if he had met her and not advised against hunting in the town and then someone was found dead somewhere. Edward really only had one conflict with nomadic vampires hunting in Forks and that was because Bella could easily fall in to their hands. Not that he was away from Bella that long for something like that to happen, and when he was well he was never more thankful for Alice and her little gift. But she seemed to have taken the news rather well, she could have fought him on that and a fight could have broken out. Luckily though it seemed to be heading away from that decision which he was thankful for, Edward wasn’t exactly the most violent vampire out there as long as you didn’t threaten him, his family or Bella. The monster he’d been suppressing for years seemed to growl within him silently as she thought about attacking some innocent surfer on the beach, a part of him thinking that sound like a good idea, but his more human side pushed the other side back.

He nodded as she repeated his phrase, it seemed she understood it clearly aside from thinking that browsing wouldn’t be a problem. As long as she didn’t attack he was fine, then he remember La Push, “There’s a reservation quite close to here, they aren’t to fond of vampires.” Edward said figuring that an explanation would be asked of him and he’d give it to her when she asked. When she introduced herself as Jude Edward smiled politely at her, “Nice meeting you” He commented, and for the most part it was. She hadn’t done anything to set him off and he hadn’t done anything to her. He nodded at her question, “Yes, actually it does. There are six others of us living in Forks.” Edward said. His family wouldn’t cause her any harm as long as she didn’t cause them any harm.

From what he’d gathered of this Darby character that he head in her thoughts, Edward didn’t think he would be too welcomed in Forks, at least not by his family. But hopefully she wouldn’t feel the need to invite him over to join her here. Of course he had Carlisle who had an amazing way with words and settled basically any sort of dispute which prevented it from becoming physical.

[Jude Devlin]

The reservation wasn’t to found of vampires…was anybody Jude thought grimly. Being a vampire severely limited your movements in this area first the town was off limits and now the beach and reservation. Jude had guessed that when he said the weren’t found of vampires meant that the actually believed in the existence in them if so then staying off the reservation sounded like a very good idea Jude didn’t fancy being chased by pitch forks. How did these people survive being so restricted and in a group as big as 6?

“Six” she gasped unable to keep her shock from showing. Six vampires in one place in which they seemed to keep a permanent residence how did they do it. Jude had only come across a hand full of small covens and the biggest they got was 4 never 6. Of course there was the volturi which Jude had luckily never crossed paths but she had thought that was the only one of that size. “I’m sorry” She said apologetically shaking her head trying to clear it of the sudden shock”I’ve never heard of so many able to coexist peacefully for an extended period of time”. The thought also scared her if there where such a large number then perhaps it really wasn’t a good idea to travel so far north.

[sorry it’s a crap post works sapped any energy or imagination I might have had today]

[Edward Cullen]

Edward let a small smile come onto his lips, it wouldn’t look out of place he figured so it was no harm. Of course he knew it was in accordance to her wondering if anyone was fond of vampires. He of course knew of the single exception to that rule, Bella but she didn’t have any of the right reactions anyway. Edward had been nice to mention the limitations with La Push, he didn’t want the wolves breathing down his neck anymore then they had to, allowing her to roam wherever she wanted would have caused that reaction from him. Edward cut back the laugh that was forming when she thought about pitch forks, that was funny but he stopped his reaction.

Edward nodded his smile growing a bit, “Yes, six” he confirmed, though it could be seven soon if Bella had her way but he wasn’t going to start thinking about that right now. It was a normal reaction when a vampire found out how many Cullen members there was in the family, even if two were known as Hales. Edward counted her lucky, having not run in with the Volturi, he figured he’d never be out of their watchful eye now, which wasn’t a good thing but it wasn’t like he broke the rules often, just two major ones basically. “Its fine, many act that way when they hear.” Edward said with a shrug, really they weren’t an intimidating coven, and they were rather friendly. Emmett was the only one that looked intimidating size way, Jasper could cause you to think twice, Edward had a sort of edge to him as well. And well Rosalie well Edward seemed to be the only one to cross her. “We consider ourselves more of a family then a coven. The majority of us have been together since the fifties.” He told her. “Our life style is quite different too, I’m sure that makes a difference.” Edward added.