A/N: So, some of you may hate me for this... But, I deleted all of my other stories. I just felt like they were so cluttered, and so drawn out, and I kept getting the plot lines of all of them confused. So I'm starting over. This story is gonna be epic. I'm going to keep you on the edge of your seat, just waiting for me to update ;) Please read, and review, and also, I will take any requests for something my readers want to happen in the story. I will listen, and genuinely consider all requests. Also, I can handle some constructive criticism. Thanks, and ENJOY :)
Flame of Destiny
Chapter one
*Renesmee's point of view*
Jacob and I were walking down first beach, our fingers intertwined. We were telling stories, sharing memories of my brief childhood. I loved being with him more than anything; we laughed and had fun all of the time. And he loved to see me laugh. The sun was just beginning to set over the horizon when Jake stopped abruptly. He turned to face me, his deep black eyes staring adorably into my chocolate brown ones. I thought I might have started hyperventilating. He leaned in towards me, ever so slowly... His forehead was resting against mine, and my heart was beating way faster than normal.
"Nessie..." he whispered huskily in my ear.
"Y-yes..?" I stuttered, struggling for words.. and breath.
"I love you." Jacob whispered, quiet as a breath. He leaned in and ever so gently pressed his lips against mine.
The aggravating ring of my alarm clock yanked me away from my amazing dream, my amazing Jacob. I groaned, rolling over smacking the snooze button. I rolled back over in my satin sheets, feigning sleep once more, to finish my dream... I heard my father clear his throat suggestively.
Five more minutes.. PLEASE... I begged in my head.
"Okay, Nessie." he said.
I smiled, so content with my hold on my parents, especially my dad. When I started replaying some of our best memories, I dozed. Then I woke up to my alarm clock screaming at me once more. I rolled over, my hand inches away from smashing the snooze button just one more time...
"Renesmee Carlie Cullen, do not hit that snooze button! You're going to make it to where you won't have time to get ready for school!" aunt Alice roared in her high squeaky voice, as if it were the most horrible crime in the world to commit.
I groaned and pulled my comforter up over my face. Just then I heard my mother's dainty footsteps breeze up the stairs. She pecked on the door before walking in. She perched herself on the edge of my bed, and began stroking a few of my curls that weren't sheathed my my blanket.
"It's time to rise and shine, baby girl." She cooed, and I rolled over, uncovering my face to look into her loving, golden eyes. A smile that would blind you broke out on her face..
"There are those beautiful brown eyes that your father loves so much. How did you sleep, my Renesmee?" She asked. I blushed slightly—curse my human characteristics—and looked away from her, remembering the dream I had been so caught up in not even ten minutes ago.
"I slept good, momma." I said as casually as possible—even though she already knew something was up, because I still didn't prefer to speak aloud, and I generally played my dreams back to her—as I slid off of my bed to go get dressed for school. I didn't look back at her facial expression, afraid of what suspicion may be lurking on her beautiful face. I decided I had time to shower, so I walked into my bathroom leaving my mother on my bed.
I turned the water on and got in, letting the warmth soak into my skin.. I always kept the water a little hot, well, because it kinda reminded me of Jake. Through the noise of the shower, I could still hear Alice, trying to pick out my clothes for school.
"Alice, just let me do it. I want her to look like a teenage girl, not a Victoria's Secret model. Besides, if you pick it out, she'll spend all day trying to squeeze into it, it'll be so form-fitting." mom joked with my very fashion-forward aunt. She huffed, but floated down the stairs in defeat. That was not in character for her, and we both knew it.
"well, that was easier than expected.." I heard mom mumble to herself. I shivered in the hot water, and stood there focusing on the heat for a good five minutes until I realized that I still had to get ready for school... So, I washed my hair and my body quickly, and turned off the water before I could continue standing there. I wrapped my wet curls up into a towel, and snatched another towel to dry myself hastily. I wrapped my big towel around me, stepped out of my shower, threw my clothes in my hamper and went to my closet to get dressed.
My mom wasn't in there when I came in, and for that I was slightly grateful. I loved my mother more than anything, but I won't get dressed in front of anyone, so it saved me the heartbreak of kicking her out. There was a clothes hanger on the hook inside the door, with today's outfit hanging on it.
I took a moment to look it over. It was a black pair of skinny jeans, with a deep purple shirt that had sparkles on it. Gosh, I loved when my mom picked out my clothes. They weren't too plain, but also not too over the top. I slipped my towel off, and put today's outfit on. I found the shoes she picked to go with the outfit in front of my queen sized bed. They were black, suede ankle boots—with a two inch heel—that were really cute. And I had never seen them once in my life. I brushed my curls carefully so they wouldn't turn into an Afro, and did a waterfall braid carefully in my hair. I looked at my 15 year old body in the mirror, smiling like I do every time, when I see that I am a perfect mixture of both of my parents. My eyes were still the same deep brown color, but my hair had darkened the tiniest bit. I had my mom's jaw-line, and my dad's nose.
I grabbed my school bag, and flitted down the stairs. My dad was on the couch—with mom cradled on his lap—and he smiled my mom's favorite crooked smile at me, and his liquid gold eyes shined at me.
"Good morning, princess." he said.
Good morning, Daddy. I walked over and kissed him on the cheek. I smelled my breakfast in the kitchen. I could hear my grandma scraping the eggs from the pan to my plate. My stomach growled in impatience. Now that I was four years old chronologically—and fifteen physically—I preferred human food over blood. But my favorite human food has always been eggs.
I walked in the kitchen and took a deep breath.
That smells amazing, grandma. I showed her as I gave her a kiss on the cheek. She chuckled, and went to get my toast that just popped up out of the toaster.
"I hope you're hungry, Nessie" She said as she sat my plate in front of me at the bar in the kitchen.
"Oh I am." I replied, and dug in. I was soon distracted though. I could hear the thumping of my Jacob's beating heart outside in the trees. He was waiting there for me, watching me through the giant glass windows. This was an everyday thing. Jacob normally took me to school, but he would wait for me outside usually.
Just then two larger beating hearts came into my hearing range. It must have been Seth and Leah. I heard a snarl, and just then, my dad.
"Bella, love, I'll be right back. Stay here..." He said as he slid momma off his lap, and strode quickly out the back doors. I was watching him, and listening intently, despite the fact that my parents had always raised me not to eavesdrop on someone else's business. Ten seconds after dad went out, my momma glided through the doors behind him, even though he told her not to.
"Renesmee, I know that you aren't eavesdropping..." Grandma said sarcastically, but scolding at the same time. I blushed and looked down.
"Sorry" I whispered, but I didn't mean it. The curiosity was eating me alive. Why would my father just run out the door without any explanation to my mom? And why would my mom go out without any explanation to me? It didn't make any sense to me... But I respected my parents, and Jacob, so I stopped trying to listen to what they said. But what was going on? Surely they haven't came back already... I shivered. The volturi. They were the source behind all of my nightmares. The reason why I woke up most nights crying. And they were the reason my parents were so protective of me.
If the Volturi were back, they would tell me, right? It had been maybe twenty seconds since my dad had sailed out the back door. My grandma giggled at my response. I honestly tried to mind my own business, but there was nothing else to distract me. My grandpa was at work, Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Emmett were out of town on vacation, and aunt Alice had dragged uncle Jasper out to go hunting. I decided to focus on the soft humming of my grandma as she scrubbed the dishes clean. I recognized the tune. It was her favorite piece that Daddy had composed
The one thing I heard from the conversation: "I know Bella.. But she'll be fine. We all will. No one is gonna get my little girl." Daddy said. Jacob huffed in agreement, as my eyes started watering. My grandma stopped humming for a couple seconds and started again, trying to act like she didn't hear it, too. It was taking everything I had not to let the tears fall, but I trusted my family more than anything, and it was that trust that kept my tears from falling.
My parents came back through the door, followed by Jacob in his human form. Dad and grandma exchanged a look. He looked at me and shook his head no, and two seconds later nodded yes.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on!?" I shrieked. Everyone looked at me surprised. Jacob came and sat beside me and used his index finger to turn my head to look at him. He stared deep into my eyes.
"Nessie, I know you're worried. But everything is fine. If you were in danger, we would not be here right now. Your safety is my number one priority. Everything will be okay.." He whispered to only me. I put my hand over his hand that was still resting on my face.
I heard what daddy said to mom... I showed him. He looked down, like he didn't know what to say to that one. I shrugged his hand away from me and started eating.
"You know how paranoid your mother is, Renesmee." Daddy said. That one was true. Mom rolled her eyes and said, "You need to hurry up and eat or you'll be late for school." I truthfully forgot all about going to school.
"Esme, could you run Nessie to school, please?" Daddy asked. Grandma wasn't the most comfortable driving, but she would do it if needed.
NO I yelled in my head. Don't get me wrong, I love my grandma so much, but I wanted Jacob to drive me to school so I Could coax whatever was going on out of him.
"Of course." She smiled.
"You can take my Volvo. I know you're more comfortable driving it." Dad said, completely ignoring my silent objection. Jacob didn't say anything either, but he made a face that implied he didn't exactly want it to be this way.
She smiled at him, and then looked at me.
"I'll be ready by the time you're done eating, sweetheart. Take your time." Grandma said, and walked human pace up the stairs.
My mom stood in front of me, and stared at me until I looked up at her. "I want you to have a great day. Don't be worrying, because nothing is going to happen. Everything is still perfectly normal, and we'll explain everything after you get home from school. I love you so much." She said. I nodded and looked at her and my dad
"I love you both." I said, and simultaneously, they said it back. I had already finished my eggs, and had a couple bites of toast left.. But I pushed my plate away. I didn't feel like eating anymore.
I turned and threw my arms around Jake. He pulled me close, and whispered in my ear.
"I'll be here when you get back." I shivered. I pulled away before I gave my thoughts away to him. My dad had a slight glare on his face, but he didn't say anything. I stood up, gave both of my parents a hug at the same time, and walked out the door. I ran with inhuman speed to the garage that was detached from the main house. My grandma was already in the Volvo with the engine running. She waited for me to put my seat belt on, and she backed out, winding carefully through the two-mile-long drive.
I got to Forks High School seven minutes later. Grandma pulled up to the awning, and let me out.
"Have a great day, sweetie. I'll see you when you get home. What would you like for dinner?" She said.
"um..lasagna? And Thanks, I'll try." I muttered, standing up out of the car, and walking into the school. I could feel all of the eyes on me, and it made me uncomfortable. I was always used to people staring; my parents explained when I was little that people would always stare wherever I went. But, as I got older, I think it became a different kind of stare.
Whenever I would turn my head, they would stop quickly, acting like they were never looking, but I knew better. I made my way to the cafeteria, where I met up with Jodie, My best human friend since the beginning of the last school year. She was a freshman just like me, and she was the person I told pretty much everything to, except what me and my family really were. I sat down beside her and our other best friend Levi, who I rejected at the end of last year. It wasn't awkward anymore.
"Hey, Ness!" Jodie squealed, and put her arm around me. I smiled, and listened to them argue jokingly about our science homework from Friday.
I proved them both wrong when I pulled out my homework.. Soon after, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of first block. Jodie and I said farewell to Levi, and trudged off to Math, which we had together thankfully.
When we entered the classroom, I smelled a familiar smell. One that I've been around since the day I was born—vampire. I stopped dead in my tracks, luckily no one was right behind me.
"What's wrong, Ness?" Jodie asked. I couldn't answer. What could I say? That there was a vampire in our math class room? Absolutely not. I stood frozen for two seconds, before I snapped out of it.
"N-N-Nothing." I stammered. There were two impatient boys behind me, and I realized that I was still blocking the doorway. My vampire eyes automatically scanned the room, and I saw her.
She was beautiful. She had long dark brown—basically black—hair. A small nose, and dark dark red eyes that were staring right back at me. Anyone without vampire vision would think her eyes were black, but I knew better. All of the boys were staring at her, and when she would turn to look at them, they'd move their eyes quickly. But not quick enough. She looked uncomfortable, like she was struggling surrounded by humans. She didn't attack me right away, so I made my way to my seat slowly, and Jodie sat in her seat, on my left side.
"Renesmee, please tell me what's wrong.." Jodie said, as the unknown vampire girl's eyes sparked at my name. I never took my eyes off her, and she never took her eyes off me. Everyone else never took their eyes off of us staring at each other. They all thought I was jealous. When I was just scared.
I snapped out of it the best that I could, and turned to look at my friend who had a very worried look on her face. I tried to act normal for her.
"Nothing. I'm fine, I just got dizzy for a minute. But I'm okay now" I said, smiling my fake smile. Every once in a while my eyes flickered back to hers. The teacher was late; the tardy bell rang two minutes ago. I tried my best to focus on Jodie, telling her about my dream about Jake, and listening to her go on about her relationship with Andrew.
The teacher finally walked in. He stood in front of the class, and held up papers—a pop quiz.
"Matthew, would you please pass these out, as our new student introduces herself." Mr. Bradley said. Matthew rose up and went to get the papers, as the vampire girl stood gracefully. Her eyes flicked over to mine for a fourth of a second.
"My name is Katherine. I moved here from Canada two weeks ago" She said confidently and sank back down into her seat. Her eyes clicked with mine once more. I settled into my seat for this stupid quiz, and for the hour and a half we had in this class. I was zoned out most of the lecture, thinking about who Katherine was, why she was here, and if she was out to kill me like most of the vampires were these days.
So, it kinda surprised me when the bell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts. I gathered my stuff, waiting until Katherine left before I did. There was no way I was turning my back on a vampire that I did not know. She got her stuff, and walked slowly, but gracefully out of the room, glancing back at me one last time.
I walked slowly, still wrapped in my thoughts. I was barely aware of whatever Jodie was rambling about. I said goodbye to her, and walked to history.
I sat for another hour and a half, sort of learning about the Civil War that I already knew most about, thanks to uncle Jasper. I was fearing lunch a little bit. What if she was there? Would she try and talk to me? If she did, should I lie? Or tell the truth? I arrived at the logic that I would tell her the truth, if she even talked to me. At least if she killed me, she could find my family, and Daddy could get some information out of her.
I was beginning to get a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach as the clock ticked the minutes away. Five more minutes... I thought to myself. I took this time to prepare myself mentally for death. I got out four pieces of notebook paper, and wrote notes to Jacob, my mom, my dad, and the rest of the family, telling them how sorry I was for not calling them, but at least the family could be safe again.
The bell rang, and I walked so slow to lunch, with tears silently streaming down my face. I sat by myself, which I thought would be better. I saw Jodie look at me with a hurt expression, but she knew I wasn't acting like myself, and I hoped she nor Levi would come over here and sit with me. I needed to do this, and I needed to do this alone.
Katherine walked in three minutes later. The second I looked up at her, she saw me. She went through the cafeteria line, and I took the opportunity to go into the girls' bathroom on the second floor, which no one ever used. I was looking in the mirror when I saw her perfect reflection in the mirror behind me.
I whirled around to face her. She looked up and down three times, and sighed heavily.
"I give up. I don't understand what you are" She murmured. I exhaled. Maybe this would buy me a few extra minutes.. She went from standing three feet away from me, to being right in my face in .2 seconds. She was inhaling deeply, trying to make sense of my strange aroma. I waited until she backed up again, afraid to speak while her teeth were so close to my jugular.
"I'm half human, half vampire. My mother was human when she conceived me, and my father was a vampire." I rambled. She listened to my voice in awe. She couldn't be older than sixteen, but I knew she was stronger than me. There was no chance I could take her down.
"That's impossible..." She whispered, mostly to herself, I think.
"I can show you," I said, "You'll be able to see the truth in my gift." I explained, holding my palm out to her. She took my hand, and I replayed my violent birth, the witnesses seeing me grow and attesting to it in front of the Volturi.
She looked deep into my eyes as the memories played, and I felt myself growing more relaxed. I didn't think she wanted to kill me. Her eyes looked kind, but looks can be deceiving.
She pulled her hand away from mine, and I could see that she had accepted the truth about me.
"Wow. That's incredible. But, I am not here to kill you, Renesmee. I'm simply starting over in another place, and I have no wishes to harm you. I would love to meet your family, and become your friend." She said with sincerity, and I realized that I had been projecting my thoughts to her, and she had heard them. I believed what she said though.
"Sure. You can call me Nessie, though. I know my name is a mouthful." I laughed.
She smiled, and together we walked back to the lunch room. We sat down where I was sitting before, and started talking. She was turned at seventeen, and she had been a vampire for ten years. She didn't want to hunt humans, but she knew no other way. She didn't want to isolate herself from them either. So she went to school. But, she had to move eventually, of course.
I told her that I was going to tell my family about her, and hopefully she could come over and meet them, and we could show them our lifestyle. She said that she would love that.
"Can you eat human food?" She asked, and I nodded.
"I prefer it over blood now, but I'm almost as indestructible as a vampire, I have the heightened senses of a vampire but a little weaker. I sleep though, I have a functioning circulatory system, I have brown eyes, and I grow and heal at an accelerated rate." I said, and she gazed at me in amazement, like I was the most interesting thing on the earth.
"You are truly an amazing creature, Renesmee." She said, and looked over my right shoulder.
"Why is that girl staring at me?" She asked. looked back to see what she meant, and Jodie was staring at me, almost crying. I turned back around to face Katherine.
"That's my best friend Jodie. I'll be right back." I said, and walked over to her. She wouldn't look at me. She looked down at the table and no where else.
"Jodie... Please look at me.. It's not what it looks like" I said.
"Oh, it's not? Because it looks to me like you have a new best friend. I should've known by the way you were looking at her." She said, turning and glaring at me.
I was a little hurt that she would accuse me of getting a new best friend; a person that I hadn't even really known for more than twenty minutes.
"Jodie, she's new. Someone has to try and be her friend... Besides, you know that you're my best friend in this whole school." I said. I would just say best friend, but Jacob had stolen that spot a while ago, and Jodie knew that. I looked over my shoulder, and Katherine was smiling at me, as a boy walked over to her. I knew what was going to happen next; he was going to ask her out.
"I know, Ness. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have overreacted." She said, and I gave her a hug, while listening to the quarterback of the football team ask Katherine out. Gabe had already asked me out, and been rejected.
"Hi." He said, sitting down beside her.
"Hello." She said back, being kind, but reserved.
"I'm Gabe. But, I just wanted to say, I think you're the most beautiful girl in the whole school. Would you be interested in going on a date with me this Friday night?" He was saying, as I silently appeared behind them.
"Sorry Gabe, she's taken." I said harshly, and he looked up at me angrily.
"You don't speak for her, you don't even know her." He yelled back at me, and I twisted his arm until I heard a tiny crack.
"You don't know anything." I snarled, and let go. He got up with so much fear in his eyes and he looked like he was on the verge of crying. He went into the bathroom before anyone could see him cry. I didn't know what came over me. I was never that mean to anyone...
"Wow," Katherine said, "You sure know how to get your point across."
I laughed lightly, and the bell rang. Two more classes to go.
I had Chorus, and then physical science with Jodie and Levi. We talked and laughed a lot in that class, and the teacher was awesome. When the bell rang for the end of the day, I walked toward the front of the school with Jodie on one side, and Katherine on the other. I didn't know who would be there to pick me up from school, and if it was Jacob, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Katherine, and he wouldn't let me explain. So I decided to say goodbye to her here.
"One of my family members is outside. They can't know about you yet, so I'm gonna go out, but you have to stay here until I leave. Jodie doesn't know anything about me. I'll see you tomorrow." I whispered, so low, and so fast that Jodie didn't even notice.
"Okay, Renesmee. It was a pleasure meeting you. Until tomorrow. Do you think you could meet me before school starts and we can talk some more?" She whispered back. I nodded hesitantly. I didn't know how, but I would find a way. I said goodbye to Jodie, and walked outside to whichever one of my family members was picking me up today.
When I walked out, I was surprised to find aunt Rosalie and uncle Emmett leaning against aunt Rose's red BMW. I ran to them and jumped into uncle Emmett's arms.
"AUNT ROSE! UNCLE EM! I MISSED YOU!" I squealed, so happy, but also confused. They were supposed to be gone for another two weeks...
"Hey, kid!" Uncle Emmett said, and spun me around, and aunt Rose gave me a kiss on the cheek.
When he put me down, I got in the car just as they did.
"What are you doing back so early?" I asked, and they exchanged a glance, but did not answer. I sighed.
"Renesmee... What is that smell?" aunt Rose asked. CRAP. I forgot all about that! I should've remembered that they would've been able to smell Katherine! I reached up and touched both of their arms.
I'll explain later. But not until someone tells me whats going on. I showed them, and sat back with my arms folded over my chest. Two can play at this game.
A/N: What did you think? I know it was probably boring, but it gets a lot better I promise! New chapter coming soon! Reviews are always welcome!
~Breanna
