Paloma looked down at her phone choosing to ignore the call that had appeared on her screen. Although she and Emiliano were now in a place where things felt as if they could finally go back to the relationship they had before the same could not be said about Luciana. She couldn't help but feel her sisters betrayal more deeply.

She knew that she would eventually forgive her sister, it was almost impossible not to. Not when she simply loved her siblings so much to push them out of her life completed. The harsh reality was that they were all she had, but that didn't mean that she had to forgive them immediately for taking her choices away from her. 

A couple of seconds later her phone began to ring again, Paloma was ready to let the phone ring again until she saw Saira's name appear on the screen. 

"Hey Saira," Paloma said as she let herself fall back on her bed, she was relieved that Saira had called. She had found it odd that she hadn't shown up to school that day, though she had assumed that Kennedy had something to do with it considering she was supposed to arrive back from Seattle. "Where have you been?"

"Paloma?"

Instinctively Paloma sat up, she could barely hear her own name through Saira's sobs. She should have known that something was wrong when neither Saira or Kennedy answered her call after school. She had assumed that they were too busy with their reunion to bother with her, but she had never considered that something bad could have happened. "What happened?"

There was a long silence on the other end, it was a silence that was almost unbearable. But Paloma waited knowing that she couldn't press Saira, that she need to tell her whatever was happening at her own pace. She remained silent as Saira attempted to explain what was happening, her uncontrollable sobs making it difficult for her to form any kind of cohesive sentence. 

"Kennedy is missing." Saira finally said once she was able to take a better control of her crying. It was difficult to distinguish the words and Paloma wanted to believed that she had heard them wrong. Or maybe she simply didn't want to believe it. "Here parents officially declared her missing yesterday." 

Suddenly it was like all her other problems disappeared. They had become so insignificant in the face of everything else that was going on around her. She had been so wrapped up about what was happening to her that she hadn't realized everything else that was happening. How obvious it was. 

Had she actually paid attention to Saira's worries she might have put the pieces together, Paloma might have realized what had happened to Kennedy. Instead she had brushed aside Saira's problems and focused on her own. 

She knew that there was a vampire killing in Seattle, Paloma didn't know much but she did know that. She should have known that moment that Saira had mentioned that Kennedy wasn't retuning her calls. There was no doubt in her mind that there was a vampire involved in what happened to Kennedy. And it frustrated her that she couldn't tell Saira the truth. Not that she would believe it if she could. 

Saira would undoubtedly think that Paloma had lost her mind. But even if Paloma told Saira the truth there was no comfort in it, but how long would it be until they found Kennedy's body? None of it felt fair. 

When Saira hung up the phone a few moment later Paloma immediacy headed downstairs where her father and Emiliano were seated at the dinning table in deep discussion. No doubt discussing the vampire situation in Seattle and although she did want to sit in and listen. To learn more about what was going on, that would have to wait. 

"Liano can I borrow your truck?"

The look of disgust on her brother's face would have almost been comical if all she was thinking about wasn't Kennedy. 

"Why?" Emiliano questioned a look of concern replacing his initial disgust. The truth was that Paloma wasn't much of a driver, her father had taught her how to drive a couple of months ago but she had always preferred for others to drive her. He had to know that there was something wrong for her to not ask him to drive her himself.

Paloma wanted to tell them what had happened to Kennedy. She knew that they had to have some answers, but they were also so blinded by their hatred towards vampires that she didn't want to make the situation worse. At least not yet.  She just didn't feel like being interrogated by her family when all she wanted as to comfort her friend. 

"Saira called. Something is going on with Kennedy." Paloma replied, not entirely lying but also omitting the truth. "She needs someone to talk to."

Emiliano nodded slowly as he reached into his pocket before tossing the keys to her from across the room. "Not a single scratch."

"Hija I want you home before dark!" Her father shouted as Paloma headed out the door. 

When Paloma began driving down road it had been with every intention to head straight for Sabra's house. It was only when she drove past her friends house that she realized where she was really headed. 

The truth was that Paloma had no idea where the Cullen's lived. She only knew what she had heard from other people at school. That the Cullen lived just outside of the town off a road in the middle of the woods. Apparently the only person who had ever actually stepped inside the Cullen home was Bella Swan when she had dated Edward. 

She was surprised when she arrived at a massive mansion in the middle of the woods. There was no explaining it but there was no doubt in her mind that the mansion did belong to the Cullens. Though it initially seemed odd that the walls were made of glass, it simply didn't seem like a home that would be inhabited by vampires. Though Paloma supposed that the Cullens weren't any normal vampires. 

Paloma wasn't sure how long she sat in her brother's truck struggling with whether she should just leave. Leaving would be the smart thing to do. But it seemed like lately Paloma simply couldn't do the smart thing anymore. She knew that much as she stepped out of the truck and walked up the steps leading to the front door of the ridiculously extravagant mansion. 

Before she even had a chance to ring the door bell the front door opened slowly causing Paloma to jump. 

"Dr. Cullen." Paloma said breathlessly as much as s he thought about what she was going to say to Edward once she had arrived she hadn't considered the fact that this was a house full of vampires.

Carlisle Cullen smiled as he stepped aside opening the door wider for her to enter. "Paloma what a pleasant surprise please come in."

Although his words were genuine and just like the first time she met him he seemed kind, there was no changing reality. The man in front of her was vampire. Everyone inside that house was a vampire. She would be stupid to step a foot inside of that house.

Her hesitation had to be painfully clear as Dr. Cullen offered her another encouraging smile. It couldn't be easy for him to invite her into his home, doing so put him and his family in danger too. If her father or brother knew that she was here she suspected that they would try to kill the Cullens. Treaty be damned.

It wasn't until Paloma saw Edward walking down the stairs that she took a step inside. It was almost like gravity the way he pulled her in and although she didn't know if the other Cullens would want to kill her Paloma knew that Edward would never hurt her.

"Paloma." Edward said softly, but his voice seemed to travel through the large home. He seemed surprised to see her, how could he not be. "Follow me."

Paloma finally offered Dr. Cullen a small before slipping past him and heading towards Edward who was waiting for her at the stairs. They didn't say anything as she followed him, the Cullen house being more extravagant on the inside than it did on the outside. Paloma almost paused as the odd artwork of dozens of framed graduation caps.

This was probably going to be the only time she was going to be in the Cullen house and she wanted to take in every detail of it. But she knew the real reason why she was attempting to distract herself was that it was easier than facing the reality of what was happening.

He closed the door behind her and Paloma couldn't help but take in the room she was in. At first she thought that maybe he was taking her to his bedroom but there was no bed inside the room. There were only books and old records and CDs neatly organized in shelves. It was then she remembered that vampires don't sleep.

She couldn't think of anything more terrible than never being able to sleep. To never really rest or have a break from every thought plaguing your mind.

"What happened?" Edward questioned snapping her out of her thoughts, and suddenly it was like everything she had thought about saying on her drive disappeared. He had to know that something bad had happened for her to be here, especially after she had been so determined for them to stay away from each other.

Paloma felt the words die on her tongue but the distress washed over her. She hadn't felt this level of helplessness in years. It was so clear in her mind that the feeling was unmistakable. She had felt it the night she found out that her mother had been murdered, because although Kennedy had only been missing for a couple of days Paloma knew the truth. Saira knew it too, it had been clear in her eyes.

"I can't read your mind." He continued as he took a step closer to her, it was a cautious step. Almost like he expected her to run if her got to close. But the concern in his eyes was unexpected, even with his joke about reading minds. "You have to tell me what you're thinking."

"Kennedy, she went to Seattle and she's officially been declared missing." Paloma was finally able to say doing her best to keep her voice even and not show him just how affected she was. "She's dead isn't she?"

He didn't need to say anything for her to know the answer, it was clear in his face. The truth was that she knew instantly that her friend was dead, undoubtedly killed by whatever vampire was terrorizing Seattle.

Suddenly it was like that wall of indifference that she had been trying so hard to keep up cracked. Edward must have sensed this before she had because before she could even process it he had wrapped his arms around her pulling her close.

"I'm sorry." Edward said softly and although she felt comforted him his arms Paloma couldn't bring herself to cry. The odd thing was that she desperately wanted to cry, she wanted to feel the grief deeply because she had cared about Kennedy even if she hadn't known her for long. But in many ways she felt as if she didn't deserve to cry.

Not when Kennedy had been killed by a vampire and Paloma was being comforted by the arms of one.

And she knew how wrong it was. Her family had warned her so many times about the Cullens and like a fool she was standing in their home. Like a fool she was letting Edward hold her and as wrong as she knew it was it didn't feel that way. Her mind contracted what she felt and Paloma didn't know what to do.

Edward pulled away enough for him to rest his forehead against hers. Paloma hated how some part of her wanted to stay with him like this forever. It was stupid and selfish of her but she couldn't deny it. No matter how cold his hand was as he placed it on her cheek, she found that she didn't care that he was a vampire. 

Paloma wasn't under the impression that she would spend the rest of her life with Edward. She knew that whatever this was it wasn't going to last. But she didn't want to let go of the feelings that took a hold of her whenever he was close. 

"What do you know about what's going on? Do you know who's doing this?" Paloma finally questioned as she pulled away from him, meeting his eyes and realizing that he had gone tense. That he did know something but that he wasn't going to tell her. Paloma knew that look extremely well because it was the look she always received from her father and Emiliano.

"The less you know the better." He replied and that could have possible been the worst answer he could have given her because suddenly the grief she felt twisted into anger.

Taking a step back Paloma couldn't help but look at Edward in disbelief. Maybe it was because she had foolishly been under the impression that unlike her family he would be honest with her. But she should have known better considering that he had lied to her too, he was no different from her family. "I have a right to know what's going on."

"Paloma listen to me, I am not going to put you in danger." He said firmly as he reached out to touch her but Paloma could only take another step back away from him.

"Being involved in this is my choice not yours."

Paloma didn't want to sit on the sidelines anymore and letting everyone make her choice for her. She especially didn't want to sit back knowing that the monster that had killed her friend would continue to kill more people.

She should have known better than to show up at the Cullen home, and now all she wanted to do was leave. It seemed that everyone in her life brought her disappointment. She wasn't as weak as they all believed her to be, she could handle the truth.  

With not another word Paloma turned away from him walking out of the room. There was no point in staying and hearing any excuses that would only upset her more. There was only one place that she needed to be now and that was comforting Saira. Her friend needed her and she was only waisting time. 

Paloma came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, realizing that the entire Cullen clan had gathered below. Although she was well aware that they could not hurt her and that they did not feed on human blood Paloma couldn't help but feel her blood run cold regardless. Knowing what they were changed everything. She didn't see them as her enemies but it was in their nature to want to kill her. It was a truth that she hadn't wanted to accept, but she saw it clearly now. 

Not wanting to show any of the underlying fear that she felt Paloma held her head up high as she walked out of the Cullen home. They must already all see her like a weak human who had so predictably found herself under a vampire's spell. 

Kennedy bring killed my a vampire had to be some kind of wake up call for her. Paloma couldn't go on hoping that maybe vampires weren't as terrible as her father had described then to be, because they truth was that they were monstrous by nature. 

A/N: We're starting to get into the actual plot of Eclipse! I have 10 more chapters left of Act Two before we start Act Three.