Hunting By Numbers
(The 12 Vamps of Christmas Day 9)

A crazy challenge I set myself to produce 12 different Bella/vampire one shots or story snippets for the 12 days leading up to Christmas.

(Even more crazy when you know that I only decided to do this 6 days before I posted the first story!)

The general aim is that for 12 days leading up to Christmas I will be posting 12 different one shots/snippets, each with Bella and a different vamp (though I've stretched that just a little).

Jeremy sighed as he sat on the steps and watched people passing by, talking and laughing in their small groups and clusters. There were only a few weeks left of his first semester here at college and he was already fed up.

He'd never really made friends that easily anyway, but after everything he'd been through in the last few years he felt even more distant from people then he ever had. That and becoming a hunter had changed his outlook on things permanently.

For him there was more to life than parties and drinking, but this wasn't a view that his fellow freshmen shared so it left him as something of an outcast. A role he was unfortunately used to.

As was habit, his eyes kept scanning the crowds, ever watchful for anything or anyone that looked out of place. That was when he caught sight of her. A petite brunette, with long dark hair blowing in the light breeze as she walked, and dressed casually much like he was.

He seen her before; she was in a couple of his classes, sitting alone towards the back, much the same as he did, and he'd thought about speaking to her a few times. He was never quite sure what to say though.

How could it be possible to get to know someone, when you couldn't actually tell them hardly anything about yourself?

He sighed again and shifted uncomfortably as the girl got closer, apparently heading right in his direction. Before he could get too tense though, she caught her foot on something and tripped, just a few meters away from him.

She had caught herself on her hands and knees, fortunately saving herself from a painful face plant into the pavement, but the books she was carrying scattered everywhere as she landed.

Seeing a couple of what looked like sorority girls laughing unkindly nearby, Jeremy sent them a dirty look as he jumped up to help, quickly gathering up the spilled textbooks and then offering his arm as he got to the mystery girl.

Blushing furiously, she accepted his help and got to her feet, and then blushed even more as she realised after a moment that she was still holding onto him.

"Thank you." She murmured, looking quickly at him and then down at her books as he handed them to her.

Jeremy smiled. After the types of girls that had tried throwing themselves at him in his first months here, he found her shyness equal parts refreshing and appealing.

"My pleasure," He answered softly, "I'm Jeremy."

He deliberately left it hanging, and was glad when she took his unspoken cue and offered her own name in return; Bella.

Starting to walk, Jeremy fell into step beside Bella as they headed to their next class, one of the classes they happened to have together.

He kept looking at her all through class, grinning as she blushed each time she caught him glancing her way. Then finally as the class ended, he got up and approached her before she could disappear on him.

"Hey…um…" He started a little awkwardly, nerves getting the better of him now he was in front of her, "So, can I get your number?"

He was caught off guard by the sudden look of sadness that appeared on her face.

"I'm sorry," she answered, quickly gathering up her things, "You really shouldn't be friends with me."

Her hand came up to nervously brush some stray hair from her face, and that's when he noticed it. As she'd raised her hand, Bella's sleeve had slipped down her arm, revealing a scar on her wrist. Normally there'd be nothing unusual about a simple scar, but with his ex-hunter enhanced eyesight he could easily make out the shape and to him it looked like a bite mark.

He tilted his head minutely. Yep it was definitely a bite mark and not only that but it sparkled. It was faint, but to his eyes it was as clear as anything. A crescent shaped bite mark that glittered just a little.

Confused by what he'd seen, he didn't protest when she eased past him bag in hand, and he was sure he wasn't supposed to hear her final muttered words as she walked away.

"It's not safe."

He still saw Bella during every class they shared after that, but she'd never meet his eyes or barely even look in his direction. He'd have been offended if she hadn't looked so sad the few times he'd caught her looking his way.

Watching her as he did, he realised he never saw her really speaking to anyone, she was alone constantly and he couldn't help wondering why. Did it have something to do with the strange bite mark she had?

Curiosity burning, he had eventually called Damon for advice. The vampire had spent a good part of the phone call laughing his ass off at Jeremy for 'getting all googly eyed over some chick', but had quickly sobered when he'd described the bite mark.

Less than a day later and Damon had shown up, telling Jeremy that if he was going to insist on getting involved with some strange girl's dangerous shit, then he would just have to come along for the ride.

Jeremy had hidden his amusement at that. As much as Damon pretended otherwise, he really did care about certain select people.

They kept watch on Bella as best they could, Damon agreeing with Jeremy that something seemed to be very wrong. With his preternatural eyesight, Damon had easily managed to get a look at the bite on her wrist and confirmed for Jeremy that it was definitely something unusual.

In fact Damon informed him that there was no way she should even be alive after getting a bite like that.

Everything he discovered only made him more concerned for this girl, and he couldn't even answer why when Damon asked him. Maybe it was how sad she always seemed to be, or how scared he could see she was, he just knew he could help her… and that he wanted to.

The most concerning thing though, was that soon after arriving at the Whitmore Campus, Damon picked up the scent of a Cold One. The sugary sickly scent easy for him to recognise. Fortunately Damon knew a thing or two about Cold Ones and so they came up with a plan.

"Have you been following me?"

Jeremy sighed, moving closer. There wasn't much point trying to hide from her now.

"Um… yeah, but it's not what you think."

"Well then what is it?" Bella asked neutrally, her face not giving much away.

"It's well… damn… I know you're in some kind of trouble and I want to help you, okay."

Now it was Bella's turn to sigh, her face falling as she looked at Jeremy sadly. "No one can help me… look, you have no idea what you're trying to get yourself into. You seem nice and all, but you really need to stay away from me, it's safer for you and better for me."

"Bella, I can help, I swear to you… but you need to trust me."

"I can't… I don't…" Tears formed in Bella's eyes as she looked into Jeremy's warm brown ones and then finally as he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug she broke.

His hand smoothed up and down her back as she buried her face into his chest. It had been so long since she'd even had a simple hug, and this one was anything but simple. He was warm and solid, and even in her fraught state she still noticed that on top of being very handsome he also smelled really good.

Getting herself together, Bella pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself when she instantly felt bereft.

"I like you, Jeremy," She looked at floor blushing at that part, then glanced up to meet his eyes, her expression determined, "But, I can't let you get hurt because of me. You need to stay away."

Bella turned to walk away, her head bowed and arms still wrapped around herself, when a slow clap halted her in her tracks.

"Oh, no, no, no…" She mumbled, instinctively knowing exactly who it was and fearing that she had just got Jeremy killed.

Looking back at him, she hissed, "Run, now. She might leave you alone if she has me."

"So selfless…" A high cold voice sounded, making Jeremy tense, his hunter's instincts going haywire.

"Poor, sweet, self-sacrificing little Bella. I waited so long for you to find a friend… somebody else I can take from you…"

She slowly approached Jeremy from behind, but before Bella could warn him he spun to face her, pulling a spray bottle from his pocket and nailing Victoria in the face with it.

Her words trailing off into a pained scream, Victoria swung wildly at Jeremy but he easily dodged, his hunter speed and strength making it simple for him to avoid her attacks as he sprayed her again.

Bella watched in amazement as Jeremy outwitted the red head and side stepped every time she screamed and lunged for him, subtly leading her off the main path and into the trees bordering it.

Unable to stop herself, Bella moved to the edge of the path, continuing to watch in morbid fascination. Then out of nowhere, someone else appeared, tapping Jeremy on the shoulder with a grin.

"Tag, little Gilbert, I'm it."

Within seconds the mysterious dark haired stranger had Victoria in pieces on the floor and was dropping a lighter on the venom coated remains. There was no way he could be human, but then she wasn't sure Jeremy was now either.

"What are you?" She breathed as Jeremy approached, looking at her cautiously, as if she might faint or bolt at any moment.

"I'm human," Jeremy assured her, "But… I'm also a hunter. I just have supernatural strength and speed, that kind of thing."

Bella nodded, trying to absorb what he was saying, and then waved toward the other male who was standing there watching their exchange with a smirk. "And what about him?"

"He's an ass." Jeremy answered, making Bella grin faintly, "He's Damon… and he's a vampire – areal one."

Bella just nodded again, and Jeremy took her hand, squeezing it gently.

"I know it's a lot to take in, and I promise I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

He grinned then, all boyish charm and sparkling eyes, and Bella had to fight the absurd urge to just swoon at his feet.

"So, now I've saved your life… do you think I can finally have your number?"

Bella looked up at him, swallowing heavily at the hopeful grin on his handsome face, and feeling helpless to stop herself grinning back.

"I think that can be arranged."

~*~ fin ~*~

Unbeta'd so any mistakes are mine.

Big thanks to Bertie Bott for both the lovely banner on my Wordpress, and helping me bash out the plot, and also to Mommy4Thomas for her help with the initial idea and continued support.

Thanks to all the people that have been commenting on these one shots so far… I never expected the response I've had, it's been amazing.