Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, ect., are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Warnings: Rated Mature for language, gore and adult situations. Readers under the age of 18 are discouraged from reading.
Summery: Bella Swan, college student and native of Phoenix Arizona is ready to start her new life near her father in Forks. Where will Sam Uley fit in? Shifters, Imprints and Vampires. Imprint Story. Sam x Bella
Chapter One
Fire of Fate
~ Bella ~
It was one of those rare clouded days, the ones everyone says they dislike but secretly adored. The wind was just strong enough to send a fall time chill into the air, a wonderful respite from the heat of the terrible summer past back home.
But really, it wasn’t so rare or at least it wasn’t here.
To me though, this was all new and refreshing. Having lived in Arizona most of my life, I was used to the endless summer days; filled with never ending blue skies and freezing cold dessert nights.
I would surly miss it; the heat and dry air but I wanted change. I longed for it like I longed to see my fathers face.
Throughout my teenage years I never really thought about what it would be like to go home to Charlie. I had my crazy-assed, scatter brained mother to care for and between her, my passion for ink and my education I didn’t have time for much else.
Now at twenty-one years old, I was a high-school graduate with two years at ASU under my belt, I had all the time in the world to think about it and I did. So when I was excepted to the Peninsula College, there was no question. Signora Phoenix, I was moving back to Forks and finishing out my degree in teaching.
Renee was good about it, better than I thought she’d be, I thought she’d freak the fuck out the moment I told her but she had Phil to take care of her now and I had my whole life a head of me to figure out where I belonged and what I wanted to do with it.
Since my passion in life was everything to do with the written word (folk lore mainly) and art, I was putting all my eggs in the teaching basket. I had always been pretty good with kids, especially the older ones. Renee agreed with me, squealing the whole time about me being the cool art teacher with the funky piercings that marched to the beat of her own drummer. Frankly, I don’t think she could have been more spot on if she tried.
So with my game plan set, I decided to give my dad a call and start looking for a place in Forks. Funny enough, I found a small efficiency apartment on the corner of Bogachiel Way and 6th Avenue, right across the street from Forks Community Hospital. While Charlie got a kick out of the idea of me living so close to the hospital, he begged me to come stay with him in La Push.
As much as I would have loved being so close to him, I didn’t have a car yet so the commute would be brutal and the idea of moving in on his new family left a bad taste in my mouth. I was an adult now and Charlie had a new wife and two teenage kids to take care of, even if they weren’t his. Sue would surely kill me if she ever knew I felt that way but I really couldn’t help it.
As a slight trickle of rain started the long awaited police cruiser pulled into the loading zone of the Quillayute State Airport. I wanted to kick myself when I saw the added price to my travel tickets for landing here but it sure beat the drive from Seattle. The flight from Phoenix was bad enough.
A broad grin settled over his porn star stash as he exited his sheriffs cruiser and jogged over. “Bells, wow!” he exclaimed standing there for a moment, his eyebrows in his hairline and his mouth hanging open.
I guess I should have expected it. He hadn’t seen any recent pictures of me and well I hadn’t seen him since the summer I turned fifteen. To my defense though, I really didn’t think I looked so different. Yeah, I grew up, I had tits now and my hair was long but I don’t think any of those things are what surprised him.
No. My best bet was on the floral quarter sleeve tattoo on my left arm that was sticking out of my tee-shirt and the small gauge piercings in my ears. While I could understand how a straight-laced guy like Charlie would see it and least he could be proud that I didn’t have anything sticking out of my face and all my tattoo’s could be covered within reason. Pants or long skirt, a quarter sleeved tee and my hair would cover anything I didn’t want someone seeing in the future, not that tattoo’s were a big deal now-a-days. Hell, three of my teachers my senior year had visible tattoo’s.
Clearing his throat uncomfortably. “So, how was the flight?” he asked, pulling his arms around me in an awkward embrace. Yeah, way to skirt around the issue dad.
Guess it was genetic.
“The usual,” I told with a slight shrug. “Boring with unfriendly hostess’ and bad in-flight movies.”
Had to admit though, as I stood there taking him in, Sue did the old man some good. His hair was actually combed and at least he wasn’t in uniform. Didn’t smell like gas station aftershave anymore, either. That in itself was a blessing.
We stood there for a moment, both shifting uncomfortably where we stood. Yeah, we kinda sucked when it came to the hallmark moments. “Uh… yeah,” he started, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “Let’s get your bags and get you to La Push. Sue and Seth are just dieing to see you.” he finished in a rush, sentences flying out of his mouth in a winded whoosh of jumbled words.
“What?” I asked stupidly, stilling his hand when he went to grab for my bags. “Why are we going to your house, what about my apartment?”
“Uh…” He chuckled, scratching at the back of his neck. “There was kind of a fire last night actually, that’s where I just came from.” I swear, the man mustache even twitched nervously as he finished.
I blanched, my eyes going wide as my mouth hung open. “F-fire?” That’s why he smelled like fucking smoke! “But…”
Charlie straighten out, his face stern but apologetic. “I’m sorry, Bells, I know you were looking forward to that place, but one of Jake’s friends has a loft apartment above one of his shops that he’s recently renovated. He offered it dirt cheap.”
Still, I stood there completely baffled and a little more than miffed at my situation, but at least I wouldn’t be living with Charlie and Sue. That would have been un-fucking-bearable. But it did press the matter for transportation. Yeah, that shit would have to be fixed, like today.
“Come on,” Charlie said, picking up my bags again. “We’ll talk about it more on the ride. The pack should already be moving your stuff in.”
That caught my interest and I immediately began to follow. “What pack?”
“Oh,” Charlie stiffened. “I… uh. The boys down at the rez, they’re a pack of wild animals when they eat so it’s just… a little um, nickname.” He stuttered.
Hmm?
Narrowing my eyes as his non-committed answer, I followed.
~
So apparently there was a bonfire tonight where I would catch up with Sue, Seth and Jake. Charlie assured me it wasn’t anything new and a lot of the townspeople from Forks would be there. To me it sounded very exiting, it was basically a Quileute Pow-Wow. Native American art, jewelry and legends. That was right up my alley and I couldn’t wait.
Charlie didn’t say much on the drive to La Push, not that I expected him too. Neither one of us have ever felt the need to fill the silence with mindless chatter; if we had something to say to one another, we said it, then went on with our day.
When we pulled up to Black Paw & Co. Construction, I was left a little speechless. All I could say was that it didn’t look promising. In fact, I wanted to book the next flight back to Phoenix. But like Charlie said, I was getting the place dirt cheap and I really didn’t have much choice. I just needed to give this place a chance.
The outbuilding was a wreck, supplies loitered all over the place with no real organization. It was in a serious need of new paint and the hand painted sign out front left a lot to be desired. With a smile, I thought that maybe I could help with that. After all, that’s kind of what I did.
The “shop” as Charlie called it seemed to have once been a beautiful cottage but someone had turned into a business a while ago, if the weak looking staircase on the outside of the house was anything to go by. Apparently it led to my new home.
I shuddered.
The inside however, was nothing short of amazing.
I didn’t know who Sam Uley was but the man was obviously a genius with power tools. Was it bad that my panties got a little damp at the thought?
As soon as we made it up the rickety stairs and opened the door, I knew I was home. It was absolutely perfect, baring the chaos of unpacked boxes and strewn furniture. There was a small entry way, just big enough to hold the antique hall tree grandma Swan had passed down when she died. The small space would need some color but that was neither here nor there.
Just under a small archway that Charlie’s head barely skimmed was the living room and I almost squealed at how adorable it was. Everything from the slightly pitched ceilings to the small Ben Franklin stove near the window just screamed “quaint cottage” and it was perfect. The hardwood floors would go nicely with my worn leather sofa Renee pawned off on me and the native American rugs I’d been collecting since I was sixteen.
The bathroom wasn’t much to look at. A pedestal sink, toilet, a fairly decent sized stand alone shower and to my delighted surprise; a stacked washer and dryer combo. I was still sad about the no tub business. Goodbye rubber ducky. Guess, we all can’t have it all, can we Swan?
I babbled on insistently to Charlie as we maneuvered through the small spaces, probably wreaking havoc on his manly senses as I talked shop, or well color schemes. I already knew I was going to ask Sam if I could tile a backsplash behind the sink in the kitchen; there was no window and I’d be damned if I was going to stare at a blank wall while doing dishes. That was another thing to think about; while the kitchen floors, walls and cabinets all seemed to be brand new the appliances however, were not. They were stone age old and I wasn’t sure if I was going to have to chop wood to cook. It was kind of a frightening thought. Bella and sharp objects, bad idea.
“So uh…” I chuckled, dipping my head through another mystery door and finding yet another storage space. “Where’s the bedroom.”
Charlie laughed. I guess he found my distress amusing. But either way, he pointed back towards the small foyer and I wanted to slap myself for having missed it. There was another opening on the opposite wall where my coat tree would sit with a set of rugged crafted stairs leading up a narrow passageway to the bedroom.
“Sam was a little worried about this room when I told him about you, he wasn’t sure how’d you like it.” Charlie puttered nervously behind me and I swear I could actually see him scratching his neck even with me being in front of him.
Ignoring the jittering feeling in the pit of my stomach I made the trek up the stairs and literally screamed with delight. Fuck the cute living room and the half-assed modern kitchen, this was by far my favorite room in the apartment.
Sam may have been worried that I wouldn’t like it but he should have been more concerned about the giant crowbar he was gonna need to ever get me to move out.
Walls of rough cut, traditional logs ran the entire length of every wall, hardwood floors and the most gigantic handcrafted headboard I’d ever scene. I was in lust with this room. I could already see the layout in my head and I wanted to roll around and do naughty things to that bed. Naughty, naughty things.
Charlie laughed at my bright face. “I take it you like it?”
“Damn straight, I do. It’s perfect.” I exclaimed, already rummaging through boxes and slinging things across the room. Nesting. That’s what Renee called it.
“Well, it looks like you’re all set so I’ll leave you to it.” Charlie said as he came up behind me and patted my shoulder. “Just make sure you come to the market for dinner or else Sue will have my nuts.”
“Ew. Dad, bad mental image.” I grumbled, pulling out my antique American flag, shaking it out across the bare mattress. It would be the first thing in this apartment to be hung. It was grandpa Swan’s after all.
“Wait, how much do I owe Sam for rent and when do I need to pay the man?”
Charlie stopped in his tracks, big smile on his face. “Uh, he’ll be at the bonfire tonight, you’ll meet him then.” And with that he was out the door.
~
Two hours had passed and I was already sweating like a pig but the majority of my bedroom and living room were in the works of being completed. I still had much to do by way of decorating but all my furniture was set up how I wanted it - baring the hall tree - and my closets and armors were full. There wasn’t an actual closet in the bedroom but I quickly found out that that giant built-in headboard wasn’t just for looks. No it was the giant closet every girl dreams about having.
Sighing to myself, I peered about the room fairly pleased with the amount of progress I’d made. Hell, if I kept up this pace, my apartment would be completely unpacked by time classes started next week.
It was nearing five o’ clock when I decided to call it quits and get ready for the bonfire. Actually, it would probably already be underway when I got there.
Showering quickly, I forewent washing my hair. Mostly I didn’t feel like fucking with a blow dryer and I wasn’t about to go into the fall air with wet hair. Anxious to get this show on the road and see my family, I dressed casually but still with my slight flair for the dramatic. I settled for warm cotton leggings, a ankle length chocolate cotton skirt, cream tank top and fitted, denim jacket.
Light makeup came next, just a slathering of moisturizer, a bit of blush - not that I needed it - and a quick coating of mascara. I pretty much said fuck my waist length hair, only combing through it quickly with my fingers to separated the tangles before I considered myself as about as ready as I would ever be.
Grabbing my handmaid patch shoulder bag, my keys and a pair of slip on Uggs for my feet, I was out the door. If I had it my way there wouldn’t be any shoes on my feet but I figured with the heart attack Charlie nearly had from just my sleeve tattoo, I didn’t think it was worth it to press his health by showing off the others just yet. It was to bad, too. I think Jake would get a kick out of them.
~
The reservation was pretty much just how I remembered it as I passed different local shops on Quileute St. The market was all bustling with the townies from Forks and I had to laugh on several occasions as I was quickly pointed out as a newcomer. Some of these people I had spent entire summers with and they didn’t recognize me. Not that I was complaining, yet. I could almost see Mike Newton’s eyes bulge when those beady blues landed on me and I grimace and scurried away.
It would figure that the last person in Forks I wanted to remember me was the first one that did. You have horrible luck Swan.
Thankfully before he could muster up enough balls to confront me, Dad stepped in front of his line of sight, Sue on his arm and a teenage Seth making gagging noises behind them.
We wandered for a while, after all the cheek-pinching and uncomfortable hugs were over, checking out all the local La Push merchandise. After all what was the point of coming into town without sampling some the goods the tribe members always had to offer.
Charlie, Sue and Seth departed shortly after, claiming to see me later down on First Beach, this was after Sue threatened my head if I didn’t come for dinner tomorrow night. Supposedly half of the Rez was supposed to be there. Yeah, I forgot their anniversary, sue me.
As I was in no hurry to join the fire just yet, I was content just wandering the street going from booth to booth, burning through my monthly mad money at an alarming rate. Caught up in a especially interesting booth of melded stone work I never heard the soft footsteps at my back.
“Bella?” A cheerful and all too familiar voice called from over my shoulder. “Holy shit, is that you?”
Smiling excitedly to myself, I spun on my heals and came face to face with my friend I hadn’t seen in so long. “Hey,” I returned a little shyly. I hadn’t been expecting the man that stood before me now, and my eyes lingered as I spotted the fitted white tee-shirt, splotched with engine grease, I laughed. “Jacob Black.”
Warm fingers gripped my chin, pulling my gaze upwards to meet his face once more, “Awe, none of that,” he cooed, pinching my nose. “It’s just plain old Jake to you.”
As the apples of my cheeks pinked in embarrassment from his ridiculous antics, I scowled at him. “That shouldn’t be a problem.” I supplied with a chuckle, slapping his arm playfully, earning a small whimper of pain from my manly friend.
He laughed, throwing his arm over my shoulder and proposing to give me a personal tour of the reservation, like I really needed it. As we ambled around the market I took the time to study the man I had known as a small boy.
He had grown into a fine man, as I always knew he would. Taller and bigger than I thought he’d turn out, Jacob was still everything I had imagined in my wasted days at Renee’s. Though his garage coveralls were new as well as his hulking frame, it was easy to still to see the brave little boy who nearly lost his own life to save me from the mouth the La Push cliffs when we were nine. Well, I was nine, he was seven.
We talked about trivial things at first, both of us skirting around the questions neither of us wanted to ask or answer. Throughout our conversations he would glance down through the corner of his eyes and a small blush would fan across his face. It made me wonder if he too, was nervous about seeing me again. After all it had been many years since we had seen each other last, almost six years.
I was expecting to run into him at some point this evening, the La Push Rez wasn’t all that big, after all, but I was mildly impressed that my childhood friend now owned and operated his own garage. I couldn’t tell you why it surprised me so much, it had always been what he wanted to do.
Jake and I fell back into an easy comradry, actually we were teasing and playing like children. I laughed and spun as he chased me with the fertility statue that I had purchased for my mother. But the thing had a giant, raised cock and now Jake was chasing me down the street with said boner. Ass-hat.
Giggling like a school girl, I twisted again to evade Jacob’s arms and smacked hard into a very toned chest. A throat cleared against me and Jake slid to a halt not a few feet away, looking about as sheepish as I’ve ever seen him. I backed away slowly, raising my head only to blush when I realized I had rammed straight into a tribe council member, or so Jake whispered furiously in my ear.
He stepped back a few feet, the hard look on his face falling into a wide-stretched look of dumbfounded awe as his eyes regarded me. Returning his gaze, I was lost to my own thoughts. He looked familiar to me but I simply couldn’t place his handsome face. He was tall, huge really. Jacob was tall as well but this man had a good three feet on Jake; he had to be at least six-five or six-six. Short raven hair, cropped and shaggy with the deepest honey eyes I had ever seen. I think I even shuddered.
After a few moments of his blatant ogling Jacob elbowed the man in the ribs, muttering about tact and conduct unbecoming a Chief of the Quileute people. Jake was just joking but that didn’t make his information any less real to me. I spluttered and blushed harder. Just great not only did I almost run over a council member but the goddamned Chief. Needless to say, the attention had my shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.
“Right,” The man chuckled, looking a little sheepish himself now. “Sorry.”
Jake looked between the both of us, blinking like a lost barn owl before some kind of realization came over his features and he laughed, loudly. “Don’t mind this idiot, Bells. Contrary to popular belief, he has actually seen a woman before.”
I laughed, despite the urge I had to tramp it down, it came unbidden while I was trying to scold Jacob for speaking that way to an elder; his own Chief at that.
“This is my friend I was telling you about.” Jacob offered , waving his hand dismissively in my general direction. Thanks a lot, dick.
The man spluttered. “You’re Chief Swan’s daughter?” He asked, his drizzled honey eyes raking over me again before adding. “I’ll admit, you’re not what I was expecting.” Now I couldn’t tell if it was just me and my over excited hormones faced with sex personified or if his voice really did turn as husky as I thought it did.
Either way, I vowed to not let it affect me outwardly. “Bella and no one ever does.” I supplied, offering my hand for a friendly shake.
His eyes widened comically. “Shit, that’s not what I meant…” he stuttered nervously. “I just never expected Chief Swan to have such a beautiful daughter…” his eyes widened further and his face tinged pink. “Not that I thought you were a dog or anything…” he groaned. “I didn’t meant that, either.”
There was a pregnant pause as I stood there gaping at this man, one eyebrow cocked. I think I counted nearly to sixty before Jacob doubled over, pointing at his friend’s face. “Oh man,” Jake coughed, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye. “You should see your face.”
The man, or as I like to think of him “Tall, dark and handsome” cupped Jake hard on the back of the head, which nearly sent him sprawling to the pavement. Jake paid him absolutely no attention as he continued to cackle on like a wild man. In fact he didn’t stop until we were shadowed by another large native and a model like woman with dark hair and deep black eyes.
The new male stranger flitted to his Chief’s side and whispered something in his ear. Handsome turned to me, regret in his eyes before he spoke. “Something’s come up, I have to go. It was nice meeting you Bella.”
“You too.” I replied with a smirk.
He smirked back. “Will you be at the bonfire?”
“Damn straight she will!” Jake answered for me, throwing his arm around my shoulder and earning a scowl from handsome.
My eyes followed his every movement as he walked away, from the way his back muscles rippled through the skin-tight grey shirt he wore to the way his ass bounced in his jeans. Jeans that were shamefully keeping that ass from my gaze.
After I was sure he was out of hearing distance, I leaned into Jake and whispered. “Who was that?”
Jake nudged me a little, chuckling under his breath. “That Bells, was Sam Uley.”
And I think I just died.
Shock. Yes, I think that’s where I was now. Shocked.
“You mean that’s my landlord!” I shouted.
Jake snickered, hiding his laugh behind his fist as the beautiful woman and the strange male approached. “What’s all the fuss about?” She chirped saddling up between Jake and strange male. She really was something else. A little taller than me with long, straight black hair, separated into two plats, dark eyes, and a skin complexion to die for.
Both men greeted her exactly the same way, with a fond hug and kiss to the cheek. “Who’s this?” She asked, throwing her arm around Jake and gesturing to me with the other.
He cleared his throat, trying to stop laughing before answering. “Emily, Quil, meet Bella Swan; Charlie’s daughter. Bella, this is Quil Ateara and Emily Young; Paul’s Impr- un…” He stuttered. There sure was a lot of that going around today.
“I’m Paul’s girlfriend.” Emily finished cheerfully, shaking my hand with enough force to knock me on my heals.
It was only then that Jake’s friend came to my rescue. “Alright, Em,” He intervened, releasing me of her death grip and taking my hand in his own to steady me. Of course, cue traitorous blush. My cheeks haven’t been this pink since I was fifteen. In my defense, all the men in La Push were extremely good looking.
Maybe it was in the water?
“Quil Ateara.” He offered flirtatiously, kissing my knuckles multiple times.
I was trying fruitlessly, I might add, to remove my mitts from his lips and trying to keep the heat in my cheeks at bay. When it hit me. Quil Ateara. “You’re the crazy one Jake used to right me about, aren’t you?” I giggled, remembering a particular funny story Jake had written to me about a few years ago. “Is it true you singed off your own eyebrows during you’re first council fire?”
Quil’s face glowed in embarrassment as he cupped Jake’s head and growled out. “You asshole, you told her about that?”
Jake doubled over again, this time with Emily in tow. “Well it’s true,” she giggled, covering her mouth daintily to hide her very unladylike snort. “Jared told me all about it the first time Paul got him drunk.”
As Quil’s face began to turn purple, I started to feel a little bad about teasing him in the first place. “I’m sorry, Quil,” I apologized through my titters. “I really didn’t mean to insult you.”
They all three stopped what they were doing and turning to stare at me, eyes wide and mouths agape. “Is she serious?” Emily asked.
“Bells,” Jake laughed. “You don’t have to apologize for teasing this goon, he knows you didn’t mean it.” he added, throwing an arm over my shoulder to comfort me.
“So Bella,” Emily started, linking her arm through mine. “How long have you been in town?”
I wanted to kiss her for effectively changing the subject. “Just today, a couple of hours ago.”
She smiled warmly at me. “Oh yeah, are you staying with Charlie and Sue?”
“Naw, Bell’s just moved into Uley’s place.” Jake offered with a mischievous wink.
Emily’s eyebrow shot up. “You live with Sam?” she asked incredulously.
“No!” I jumped and all three of them laughed.
“They know Bells, calm down.” Jake comforted, throwing his arm around my shoulder and started us toward First beach.
“So Bells,” Quil piped up. “are you going to the party tonight?”
My confused look must have said it all.
“Awe, come on! You mean you haven’t been invited?” Quil asked, his eyes sliding over to Jake’s, looking even more confused than me. Jake shook his head with narrowed eyes. Apparently, this was something between them.
Emily looked at them both like they were idiots before stating. “Jeez, she just got here, I’m sure no one has even had the chance to tell her, yet.”
Feeling a little awkward in this conversation, I shifted and walked a little ahead of them. Quil jogged up, oblivious to my discomfort. “So are you comin’?”
“I haven’t been invited, I don’t even know what the party’s for.”
Shrugging his shoulders, he supplied. “It’s Jared and Kim’s engagement party… well, with us anyways. There gonna have one of those fancy ones with their parents later.”
“But no one has been invited, Bella.” Emily added after smacking Quil. I’m starting to sense a theme around here. Brutality. It was kind of fun to watch. “Jared knew it’d be pointless since we’d all show up anyways, so he decided it wasn’t worth it to send out invitations.”
“Who’s Jared?”
Just as Emily went to open her mouth a loud crash sounded from just behind us, followed by a stream of curses and lots of laughing. Jacob grabbed me by my shoulders and spun me around. “You see that dork with the ugly sun-glasses, the one standing there laughing?” At my nodded taking in the bazaar scene in front of me. “That’s Jared.”
“Oh.”
Quil laughed and leaned down next to my other ear. “You see that idiot laying on the ground?” I nodded again. There was indeed a man lying flat on his ass, wearing nothing but a pair of cutoffs. He was completely red in the face and cursing a another beautiful Quileute woman with a cropped black hair. “Well, the idiot on his ass is Paul, Emily’s… boyfriend-”
“And that Hell-cat yelling at him is my girlfriend, Leah.” Jacob cut him off, smiling proudly at his woman.
“Wait! That’s Leah Clearwater?”
“Yep.”
“Wow.”
Jake laughed. “I know.”
The sight of First Beach was everything magical I remembered and more. The waves were crashing against the cliffs in the distance and the inky black sky was littered with stars. A rare clear night in Washington.
As we all took stumps around the fire, I kicked off my shoes, letting the white sands cool my burning feet. I knew I shouldn’t have worn anything with sheep-skin.
Having just removed my jacket, I was suddenly aware of eyes on me. I don’t know how I knew… I just did. Lifting my head and casting my eyes around I met with the drizzling honey eyes of Sam Uley.
I blushed.
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