Twilight Undone

Chapter One

Encounters

Edward's POV

I had left the house around noon to go on my daily hunt. I made the effort to feed on a daily basis these days; it made living with a growing population a lot easier and I found the temptation to eliminate ignorant and insufferable people much less daunting. I had made an attempt, about forty years ago, to discontinue feeding on humans, because I couldn't quite stomach the idea of feeding off of the one thing I could have—humanity. Mine was taken from me decades ago by a vampire named Aro. I was a seventeen year old boy living in the early 1900s, and I had fled my home after the death of my mother. Taking this opportunity to travel the world, I took a trip to Italy, which is now what I refer to as my birth place. Nothing about me is human anymore. I have forgotten all but my name—Edward.

Thirty years ago I ran into a familiar man, or rather a familiar vampire—for the two are distinguishable; I remembered him as a friend of Aro. I recalled him as the person whom I woke up to after my terrifying journey through agonizing hell. His name, or rather the name he went by and the name I still know him by, is Carlisle. He was the person to explain my new condition. He had this amazing calmness about him, a quality that made listening to the story about the end of my life much easier. He told me he was part of a special vampire coven—the Volturi—something along the lines of a congressional vampire court. Aro was what could be considered the head of the court.

'Aro was hunting when he caught your scent. You weren't hard to catch.'

'I wasn't aware I was being chased. I wasn't trying to run.'

'Yes…' I remembered a certain pain in his eyes as though it were painful for him to recall the memory of an innocent person losing their life in the fashion that I had lost mine. I had yet to learn that Carlisle would be my closest friend and the most compassionate vampire I would ever come across. 'Well, when he finally caught you he found you to be something of extraordinary rarity.'

'I'm only seventeen.' There was that look again. I can't quite recall now, whether the look of regret came from the fact that I was only seventeen when my life was taken from me, or whether it was due to the fact that I would be seventeen for the rest of eternity. 'What could possibly be special about me?'

'I don't think I need to answer that for you… do I Edward?' I had no idea what he was talking about. It wasn't until he looked at me with a very mischievous smile that I began to think what he could possibly mean. He looked at me as though I already knew the answer… as though I could read his mind. That's when it happened. A swarm of thoughts that weren't mine ambushed my mind. I began to look around the room to see where there could possibly be people hiding. When I saw nobody I looked back to Carlisle who was still staring at me, smiling. 'There's nobody here Edward.' I heard him, but his lips weren't moving. 'You've always been quite exceptional at reading people, haven't you Edward?'

'What is going on? How is it I can hear you when you aren't moving your lips? This is absurd! This is all absurd! I want to leave! I want to go home!'

'Edward, calm down.' He didn't try to restrain me. He just spoke to me—like a human. 'This is your home now.'

'No.' I remembered trying to cry but feeling absolute dryness around my eyes as though my tear ducts had suffered a drought worse than any desert.

'Edward, I will be the last one to tell you that I am happy this happened to you, but you have to understand… this is who you are now.'

I could hear every single one of Carlisle's thoughts and I knew he was telling me the truth. I looked up at him, anger seething from my new fangs and slowly asked with extreme rage, 'Why did Aro do this to me?'

'You already know the—'

'NO! I want to hear it from you. I want to hear the words come out of your mouth. I deserve an explanation.'

Carlisle sat at the foot of my bed and placed his hand on my leg which was beneath the comforter. I could feel every last millimeter of his skin connect with mine. The emphasis of his touch amplified itself through the comforter as though we were actually touching. I barely heard him when he said, 'Yes you do, son.' My mind was wrapped around the amplification of my sense of touch.

Carlisle let out a sigh, which brought me back to reality. I wondered how or why he did, because the first thing I had noticed when I woke up was my incapability to inhale or exhale oxygen. Furthermore, I noticed the lack of pain or suffocation that normally comes with a shortage of oxygen, for I suffered neither. I was merely a stalemate of existence. Carlisle let out a sigh as though he were human. When my thought track returned, I watched as he looked around the room, and for the first time I noticed the walls around me. I was in a rather large bedroom that had been beautifully decorated. The only off-setting part about the room was the blood-red walls. Immediately imagining that the walls were actually dripping blood, I became aware of my extreme urge to literally slit somebody's throat out of pure, agonizing thirst. I had never experienced something so absolutely unbearable.

I was ready to rip out of my bed and the room in search for something to stop the burning in my throat—something to quench my thirst… I needed blood. Carlisle's voice, however, was the only thing preventing me from doing so.

'Edward, can you hear me right now?' I didn't say anything. I didn't look at him. I simply nodded. Then he stepped outside of my head. 'That is why Aro did this to you, or rather, that is why he didn't simply drain you of blood and leave you to die in the woods. This was much more difficult for him, however much more beneficial to him.'

'I still don't understand. Why is this so beneficial to him?'

'Edward, this place—Volterra—isn't just a place where vampires colonize. This is where the gifted vampires colonize. It's why Aro and his brothers have the ability to rule.'

'So, what you're saying is this guy Aro… the guy who did this to me…. Only did it because he collects people—vampires—who show a higher potential than the rest.'

'In a nutshell, yes.'

'So not every vampire has a power?'

'God no.' He practically laughed at the idea. 'No, Edward. Barely one third of our kind has a power. Aro and his brothers use the especially gifted ones to help secure their hierarchy.'

I sat there for a few seconds pondering what he had just said and relating it to the fact that I was one of these especially gifted vampires. I had been chosen to survive. Reason was returning to me and calming my thoughts once again.

'So, I could be dead right now?'

'Well technically, you are part of the living dead now.'

'Excuse me?'

'No blood runs through your system. Your heart has completely stopped beating, never to start again. Have you noticed that you can't breathe?' I nodded. 'It's because you've simply stopped living. You're skin works as a rock now, not needing oxygen to sustain it… it just is. Do you understand?'

'I'm getting there.' I answered through my teeth, afraid that if I opened my mouth any further I'd force myself to feed on the first living thing within my vicinity.

'Think of it this way. When you're in a car accident and you're rushed to the hospital, the first thing they do is check your vitals, right? Are you breathing? Is your blood supply ok? Etc, etc. Well disregarding the breathing part, your blood supply is non-existent, which is why you have to feed. Don't think of it as eating… think of it as surviving. You're just replenishing your blood supply.'

'So I am to survive at the expense of innocent human beings?'

'Listen to me Edward. This is something that I will never wish upon someone, special ability or otherwise. I understand that our existence constitutes harm for those who are living, but there are many ways to walk around this.'

'I wasn't aware you could walk around the subject of murder.'

'What I'm trying to get across to you, Son, is that since we rely on feeding to keep us 'alive' that rather than killing innocent people… kill those who aren't.'

'You're talking about criminals and such?' I asked curiously.

'I tend to get my victuals from those on death row. It gives me a little bit of satisfaction… if you understand where I'm coming from.'

'I'm beginning to, which is what scares me.' I paused and looked back at the red walls. My throat scorching in pain. 'Carlisle…. I think I need to visit death row.'

He quickly picked up on what I was requesting and stood up off the bed. 'Of course. I should have known. I'll let you get dressed. I believe Aro supplied you with a full closet. He is considerate when he wants to be. I'll wait for you outside.'

'Thank you, Carlisle.'

The vampire who expressed his deepest sympathies and kindness towards me left the room before I managed to even throw the comforter from my body. I set my foot on the floor and felt every molecule of material emphasized through my toes and the soles of me feet. This magnification was going to take some getting used to. I quickly found a pair of nice brown trousers, made of a lighter material than most trousers I'd worn in my life, and a simple white button down, collared shirt covered with a plain brown vest over top. It was amazing how light the clothes in Italy felt. I left the room, still examining my clothing and quickly heard the thoughts of Carlisle.

'It's because you're a vampire.'

'I'm sorry?' I said out loud.

'As a vampire, you have extreme strength. We will teach you to wield this strength, but it has an effect on the objects you pick up, and the clothing you wear. As a human picking up a pebble, or wearing clothing never crossed your mind, did it?'

'Not really, no.'

'Right, well you're body's muscles have been magnified about fifty times to what they used to be.'

I let out a burst of incredulous laughter. 'What? That's ridiculous! I still look normal sized!'

'It's just something about being a vampire, Edward. You'll just have to believe me on this one. The capacity your muscles can bear is quite loft, so now when you wear clothing, or pick up something small it is going to feel like you're picking up, or rather, wearing nothing but air. Do you understand?'

'It sure is a lot to take in. Nothing like rumors of vampires….'I let out a small laugh, but Carlisle didn't react in the same manner. I stopped and looked at him, but realized he was not focusing on me. There was a glimmer in his eye… a reflection of movement. I turned around and saw a group of people—humans. Instantaneously my throat roared in hunger. I could feel my body crouch into a hunting position as I observed the group of people walking below my terrace. I was about to pounce when I felt the strength of another on my back. 'NO, EDWARD!'

I felt my teeth expose themselves naturally and I literally growled at Carlisle. 'I need them!'

'Remember what I said Edward!' The idea of my teeth sinking into an innocent person's neck clouded my vision and my hunger, and I submitted myself to his grasp. I could have very easily ripped away from him, because for some reason I felt much stronger than him, though that didn't make any sense to me.

'I need to get out of here. Now.'

'Run.' When I looked at him questioningly, he repeated himself. "Run." I listened to his command and soon understood what he was telling me. I could feel myself able to pick up an extreme pace. Everything was moving past me in a huge blur as though I were travelling at the speed of light, and yet I could see everything so clearly. It didn't make any sense to me. I was, however, thankful, that I was beginning to lose the scent of the divine smelling humans.

I came to a halt once I reached a dark forest. I couldn't see as clearly now, but what would have been blindness in humanity was now an adaptation of night vision. Carlisle soon caught up with me. 'You're fast.'

'Can't you—'

'Edward, you have to understand that we are just like humans in that we are not exactly alike. We all can't do exactly what another does. Do you understand?'

I laughed. 'You've been asking me that a lot tonight.'

He smiled, 'Well there is a lot to grasp.' I nodded in response. 'Okay… we're going to have to run into the heart of Italy. Do you think you can run and last that long? It shouldn't take too long, and as a newborn you've got a lot of energy in you.'

'I think I'll be okay.' I laughed.

'In that case… let's hunt.'

'Wait. Carlisle… before we go… those humans?'

'They're going to the Volturi.' He said solemnly.

'Are they gifted too?'

He sighed. 'No, Edward… they are not.'

'Then?' I looked at him in painful understanding.

'I'm afraid so. They're food.' I closed my eyes at the thought. 'Edward… earlier when you said this was nothing like the rumors you'd heard, I wanted to say something. I'm glad you're taking it in such a manner. It means that you're grasping onto the little humanity that is left in you. I have a feeling you will not be a vicious monster in your lifetime, but I want you to know that you are a special case.'

'I seem to be hearing that a lot tonight as well.'

'Yes, well… Edward it's the truth. Most newborns would have ripped away from me and killed that entire pack of humans in a heartbeat. Most can't see reason for a long time past their transformation. You see, Edward… most vampires are what the rumors say. Evil. I'm trying to show you a way—'

'A way to walk around that… yes, I know. I will try my best, Carlisle.' He smiled in return. 'Carlisle, one more thing.'

'Of course…'

'Do you attempt this with all the newborns?'

He laughed quite heartily. 'Oh Absolutely not! You just showed extreme reason in your thoughts and actions when you woke up that I had to at least try. I'd say you are my first success.'

I let out a sigh. It was the first exhalation I had been successful at since I'd awoken, and I realized how easy it had come across and how insignificant I had viewed breathing to be beforehand. It was utterly eye opening. I looked over at Carlisle and saw him smiling at me. I couldn't tell whether he was reading my emotion in expressing this human quality or whether he was simply happy at his own success. 'Let's just see how far I get.'

He smiled and clapped me on the back. 'Ready?'

'Ready.'

I decided to talk a nice walk through the woods, rather than run to the meadow this afternoon. The dark forest surrounding my house allowed me to walk outside without fear of revealing myself, but the weather was surprisingly warm on this April afternoon. Fork didn't usually allow the sun to make an appearance until at least late May, if not later. It wasn't very often that I felt heat surge through my body and on this beautiful day I decided to indulge myself.

On my journey I caught the scent of a deer and its fawn. Quickly snapping the necks of both and draining their blood I continued to the meadow, remembering the first time I ever fed. Listening carefully to Carlisle on how we were to break into the prison, and proceed to feed on the inmates, I was terrified I would get caught. It wasn't long before I realized nobody could touch me. The satisfaction that came with feeding off of evil didn't last, however. I soon began to hate the idea of having filthy blood in my system. I didn't want it any longer—criminals or not… I would not be a hypocrite, and I certainly wouldn't feed off of it. That was about the time I ran into Carlisle again and he approached me with the idea of becoming a vegetarian. I jumped at the idea of eliminating human blood from my life. I wanted nothing to do with it, anymore. He told me he had come across three other vampires who were interested in the same lifestyle and that they would be willing to form a coven.

Carlisle explained to me that he had been interested in my journeys and that I had been the first to cross his mind when he had made the change to a vegetarian life. Ten years later, the five of us occupied a nice enough house in the middle of the forest, and then two years after that two more vampires joined our coven. In public, though we rarely appeared together, people assumed we were a family, which was the deciding factor in taking on a family last name. Carlisle chose Cullen. It seemed appropriate as anyone who ever spoke of the coven only ever mentioned how beautiful we all were. Cullen to me was Carlisle's attempt at a little humor.

We rarely spoke to one another. It wasn't until this April afternoon that that began to change, and it only began to change due to a huge mistake on my part.

I lay in the grassy meadow with the wild flowers showering their beautiful scents around me, and the sun blaring on my sparkling chest. I shut my eyes and let out a sigh. Training myself to have to breath in public was difficult, but now I found it relaxing. I liked to consider it as a form of structural relaxation. I couldn't sleep but zoning out with my eyes closed was the closest I could come to it. Just as I had found a comfy patch of grass and let myself travel into a non-existent dream world I caught the scent of a human. They had to be pretty far off still, because I couldn't hear their thoughts, but still… this always happened.

"Can I have some glitter, too?" The voice came from directly behind me, but more terrifying than that… it was the voice of a child. I turned around and found a little girl no older than five or six standing in front of me. Her huge brown eyes took up the majority of her face, and her lips were covered in something red and sticky. It smelled like cherries from where I was standing. I quickly threw on a shirt. I had to think quickly. She'd seen me, but this situation seemed a little different to me. Who was going to believe a five year old? I couldn't kill her. I couldn't turn her… she was still much too young… I had to bring her to the house. Carlisle would know what to do.

"I don't have any with me right now. I have some at my house. Would you like to come with me and get some?" Why couldn't I read her thoughts? This had never happened to me before. Ever. The scent of her blood was divine, but more so than most humans. I couldn't place why it was stronger than most, but I had the extreme urge to delve in deep.

"Um… Mommy said I shouldn't talk to strangers."

"Well you talked to me first didn't you? So haven't you already broken you're mummy's rule?"

"You're smart!" The sticky cherry sauce around her mouth expanded and began to crack as she smiled, telling me it had been there a lot longer than just a recent lunchtime. "Okay. I'll come with you." She held out her small hand that was covered in dirt, which I assumed was for me to take hold of.

"Doesn't your mummy wash those little hands of yours? They're all dirty!" I said laughing as I obeyed her silent command to hold her hand.

"Well I had to do a lot of climbing to get away from her and Daddy."

"I see." I said, confused… We began to walk in the direction of the house, and I continued to ask, "Why were you running away?"

"Well they're always fighting and I thought since they only care about themselves, it was about time… Don't you think?" I glanced down to find her staring back at me. She was expecting an answer.

"So you really want to be by yourself?"

"I'm not by myself. I'm with you!"

"Well aren't you a smart one."

"I'm almost five you know."

"I see. Well then. You'll be okay without your mummy and daddy then?"

"Eh." She shrugged. I couldn't help but laugh. She was too much. "If they don't need me, I don't need them. I'm a big girl now. It's time I see the real world."

"Oh is it?" I asked holding back my laughter.

"Yes." She nodded firmly. "Now where is the glitter?"

"At my house."

"Where do you live?"

"In the forest."

"Wow. I bet you have lots of tree-houses!"

"What's a tree-house?"

"Are you kidding me? You don't know what a tree-house is?" I laughed and simply shook my head. "It's when your dad takes a lot of wood and builds you a house in a tree. Then you bring all your friends there and you play house. Wow, and I thought you were smart. I can't believe you didn't know what a tree-house was!"

"I'm terribly sorry, Little-miss." I laughed.

"How old are you?" She asked bluntly as she stopped in her tracks to pick up a dandelion.

"Well that's a bit forward, don't you think?"

"What does forward mean?" She asked as she blew the spores of the dandelion into the surrounding air, acting like our conversation was the last thing she could care about.

"Well… you don't even know my name." I said as I kneeled down to her level. I took her other hand, forcing her to drop the stem of the destroyed weed. "And I don't know your name."

"I'm Bella." She said letting go of my hand and picking up another dandelion. "Who are you?"

"My name is Edward Cullen."

"How old are you?"

I let out a burst of laughter. "You are incorrigible aren't you?"

"My mummy says that to me all the time. What does it mean?"

"I'll tell you when you're older."

She frowned, and I felt myself begin to melt. "That's what she says too." She picked up another dandelion, however, this time it had petals. She stood in thought and decided to give it me. I took it and smiled wide in thanks. "Can you take me to your house now? I think it's time for my nap. You can show me the glitter after I wake up."

"Well you're quite the good little girl, aren't you?"

"Mummy says I need all the sleep I can get, because soon I won't get any."

I couldn't help but analyze her mother's statement in a manner which horrified me. I knew she was talking of days when her daughter would be in college and would have a job and as a result she would lack sleep, but I couldn't help but relate it to my life. I hadn't slept in decades.

Author's note: This is my first attempt at writing for Twilight… obviously it's a complete stand alone story so I'm going to need some feedback… please let me know what you think… I imagine these first few chapters will focus on this four year old Bella, but don't worry… it'll keep moving… for now… I kind of like the sassy side of little Bella… -Kay Ludlow

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.