Just... remember that these are NOT Stephenie Meyer vampires. They don't sparkle in the sunlight, have special abilities, or automatically become "good" just by eating animals instead of humans.

This story contains sex and violence, so be forwarned, y'all.

This chapter is pretty much all exposition, and therefore a bit shorter than the others will be. We're simply getting into Bella's state of mind, how vampires in this AU run, part of how the Coven itself is run, a look into her everyday life, an introduction of a few of the main characters, and a beginning look into several of the sub-plots of the story. The real action will begin soon enough, loves.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, its characters, or the book Blood and Chocolate. I simply thought that the latter would be much sexier with a Twilight spin on it ;)

1.

I always despised moving and the tedious actions it entailed.

Packing. Loading the cars. Driving when running would have been much faster.

I loathed the idea of acting as less than what I was, even if it was just as a pretense for the humans around us all... They would have grown suspicious of Renee and I had showed up in the neighborhood carrying all of our belongings and furniture, after all. I understood this logically, but I still hated the very idea of it.

I wished the humans could just understand what we are, and not hate us for it. Somehow.

But they all were humans, after all, and ruled entirely by their emotions instead of their instincts. They would never be able to accept that we needed to hunt them for food. Hypocrites, they were, considering the savage way their own companies brutalized and killed cattle for their consumption; at least the majority of us didn't feel the need to torture our food before we ate it.

They would never accept us, just as we would ever understand them.

It was life, and it was unfair.

"Bella, don't drag your feet! I know you can move faster than that!" Renee teased from behind me, pretending to juggle a "heavy" box in her hands as I blocked the front entryway.

"Sorry," I apologized, adjusting the box in my arms as well as if trying to get a better grip on it. Who knew if humans were looking through their curtains at us at any point in time? The small details are what made us look credible in their eyes.

I hated moving, but the Coven never stayed in the same town for more than a few years at a time to lower suspicions about how we never aged. We usually packed up before each Carnival, so that we could all participate in the celebration once we were all settled into our new home, or rather "homes" in this case.

For the first time since I'd been born into this life, the entire Coven wasn't living under the same roof, separating into small "families" to keep up pretenses. I admit to feeling a little wary being away from a central home for all of us, but it was also freeing, being able to be almost on my own, and away from some of the more annoying Coven members for a long stretch of time.

I basked in the glory of being away from the nest, just Renee and I, as we finished unloading the moving truck, a small smile on my face all the while.

A knock on the door caught me off guard, as I hadn't even heard anyone approach.

Breathing in the air, I let out a sigh, thankful I wouldn't need to put on a facade for any humans or accept any baked goods as a welcome to the neighborhood, as seemed customary in small towns such as the one we had moved into.

"Welcome, Carlisle. Jasper," I acknowledged them as I opened the door, stepping aside to let them enter.

Jasper nodded politely in reply, though Carlisle set one of his large hands on my head, smiling affectionately down upon me, gentle as he always was.

"Thank you, my dear. We just came to make sure you two were doing well with your unpacking."

"Yes, we are. We appreciate you coming to check on us," Renee replied graciously, giving a wide smile to our guests.

I worried about Carlisle sometimes, though I knew he wouldn't appreciate the sentiment if he knew. He was our leader, after all, and it wouldn't bode well if it seemed that the one ruling over the Coven was weak in any manner. There were those both within the Coven and out that would willingly take over, and Carlisle loved his people and his position enough to fight to the death with someone for it. I would never want the man who took care of me since my creation to suffer at the hands of someone else, simply because he'd betrayed his emotions too much.

Adding on the fact that he hadn't participated in the last Carnival, there were many suspicions and whispers that he was growing soft in these last years that he'd had to live without his wife. I'd never met the woman, as she'd perished before I was born into the human world, but the way he ached for her... one could only imagine how much he truly felt the loss of his mate, if he grieved so much after so many years.

Despite the pain I knew he went through, I knew what had to be done. His very Leadership would be at stake if he didn't participate once more this coming Solstice.

"Are you alright, dear? You look worried..."

I looked to Carlisle's concerned face and smiled. The man really was kind, and I'd just have to do my best to convince him of what needed to be done, though it would have to wait until we were alone, I knew. We had time. It could wait.

"I'm fine; just dreading unpacking all of the crap we've developed since the last time we moved," I told him with what I knew was a convincing pout. "No chance you two are willing to help, since you've been moved in for a month and a half?"

He smiled and Jasper let out a chuckle of his own before agreeing to assist.

Renee and I were the last of the Coven moving into Forks, the rest having spent the summer moving in small groups to lessen suspicions about all the new people relocating into the area, though some questions would probably be asked anyway, considering what a small town we had moved to; much smaller than usual, resulting in our splitting of the Coven—there simply wasn't a house on the market large enough to house all of us.

In this small house across town from the main Coven house, only Renee and I would reside. She was my mother, though she didn't give birth to my human form, nor had she given me my life anew, but after my change it made sense to pair us up together. We'd always gotten along well and had similar temperaments conducive to living in such close quarters; the physical features we shared were a plus, helping with the appearance of being family, though we'd had the time to track our ancestors and family through the years, confirming that no relation actually existed.

Just as Renee was my mother, Carlisle was Jasper's father.

They both had the same wavy blond hair, and a similar way of standing straight and tall. I knew that this rigid pose of Jasper's came from his time as an officer during the Civil War, and one could only assume that Carlisle perhaps had a similar military history somewhere in his lineage, though I didn't know for sure. It was considered impertinent to ask a vampire about their time as a human, a lower being, so what little I did know of history came only from what he'd shared with me.

I was always eager to hear more, as he was the oldest vampire I knew, perhaps one of the oldest in the world.

Soon we were done unloading all the boxes, despite the sluggish human pace we used, and all sat down in the living room as if we needed the rest from the anything-but-strenuous activity we'd done.

Then Carlisle started business. He asked us all the typical questions, making sure we knew where everything was, and what needed to be done to maintain our anonymity in such a small town, and making sure that the house itself was to our liking.

I smiled at the last one, knowing that if I asked, he'd arrange for a different house for us within the hour. He'd always taken a special interest in me, acting like a father would... indulging, spoiling, sometimes even reprimanding, though all with a smile on his face. He reminded me of the father I left behind when I joined this world, and the thought no longer pained me—that man had long since died, and Carlisle was a kind soul. I was lucky to have him dote on me as he did.

"The house is lovely, Carlisle," I told him honestly, and he nodded in acceptance, a small worry disappearing from his eyes. He'd never want me to be anywhere I was uncomfortable.

"Excellent," he replied before continuing his mandatory questions. "Being so far from the main house, I'd like for you ladies to make sure you have extra supplies stocked in your fridge at all times. One never knows when the Hunger will strike hardest, and I'd like you to be prepared. Is that alright?"

I grimaced, hating the taste of refrigerated blood, but nodded as Renee did. I understood the necessity, even if I hated the very idea of it.

"Excellent," Carlisle repeated in a distracted, and I looked at him curiously.

He met my eyes, a tight smile on his face suddenly. I glanced over to Jasper, seeing him suddenly alert, so I sat up straighter in response. Jasper knew what it was making Carlisle uncomfortable, and I wanted to know, too. Just because he'd recently taken on the title of Second in Command from the Elders of the Coven didn't mean that he should know things about Carlilse that I didn't. I didn't care if he was in unofficial training, preparing to take over the day that Carlisle's position was open. That wouldn't be a long time form now if I had any say in the matter.

"Now to the meat of the matter, then?" Carlisle asked, though he didn't wait for a reply from anyone before taking a deep, unnecessary breath. I took one as well, glad that I would find out the problem, even if I wasn't the first one to know.

"There are... people in the area that we all need to be made aware of," he aid after only a brief pause. "A local Native American tribe still holds true to their traditions and superstitions, and they have firm beliefs in vampires, or Cold Ones as they call them."

I let out a gust of air. I'd expected much worse. All that needed to be done was to stay away from them and their land. Not so hard to do, really.

"I'm making it known that contact with them is forbidden, as is entrance to their land for the safety of the Coven at large. Is this understood?" he asked in his deep, authoritative voice, one that even I could never argue with. A direct order from the Leader of the coven had to be followed, or one's life was could be forfeit.

Renee and I nodded obediently. We most definitely understood, and had no reason or need to associate with the tribe in the first place. Even if such a need arose, it could never trump the need for survival of our Coven. We all were each other's everything, with few exceptions.

Carlisle look satisfied at our stoney expressions, and he and Jasper left after a few more words to lighten the atmosphere.

He truly was a great Leader. No matter if people thought he was growing weak through the years, he still resonated with authority and knew what it took to lead, when to indulge and when to lay down boundaries. He would never want to exterminate me for disobeying his orders, but the look in his eyes when he laid down the forbidden law showed me that he would always do what he had to to support his Coven.

It was why he had been bestowed with the Leadership for so long, after all.

He'd absolutely loathe hurting one of his own clan, but he'd do it if he had to to protect the rest. That was what made a Leader, and nobody would ever be better than Carlisle at such a thing. I could never support the Lead of anyone other than him.

The feeling he gave out to me was anything but weakness. It was resolve.

x0x0x0x0x0x0x0

James was designated with the job of driving all the young looking vampires to Forks High once the new school year began in late August. I didn't mind because I didn't have a car of my own anymore—my last one ended up wrapped around a tree and I hadn't felt a desire to replace it just yet. Thankfully, vampires were more sturdy than humans, and I walked out of the incident just fine, never planning on drinking from an intoxicated human and driving again after such.

The weather in this part of the country would have made it seem strange for me to walk to school as it was; I didn't mind the cold or wet, but humans often did, and James was as good a driver as any of us. It made no difference to me how I was transported to the ending location.

He arrived at our home a couple minutes before our first class was scheduled to start as was expected from him. James always did like to make a dramatic entrance wherever possible, even in such a lowly place as a new high school. Our arrival was delayed even further by his need to pick up Emmett and Garrett on the way to school as well.

Once we finally got there we stepped out of the car, blinking in the dim morning sun before collectively putting on our sunglasses.

Vampire lore had always been a source of amusement in our Coven, and it was very helpful in hiding our true existence from the silly humans. Sunlight, for example, was said to turn vampires to dust if it touched upon our skin. Obviously that wasn't the case with us, though such a falsehood let us lead a normal life among the mortals without as much suspicion cast upon us.

The truth of the matter is just that vampire senses are roughly seven thousand, six-hundred and eighty-two times more fully developed than the senses of humans who, ironically enough, have trouble looking directly into the sun as well. It would make sense for a vampire, whose vision is so much better, would be uncomfortable in the sun, would it not? The same would apply for that silly legend about garlic repelling us; a clove of such is potent enough to make most humans do a double take, so of course it would displease our senses to smell it!

'Tis the logic of being a vampire.

We also never slept in coffins. At least none of my Coven did, though I can't say that all vampires followed our lead; there have always been dramatic vampires, after all, and I wouldn't have been surprised to see one adorning certain bedchambers in our dark world. I personally had a large, soft bed in my room for me to relax on, though I didn't use it to rest in slumberland. As vampires, we no longer held the ability to sleep, which would explain why so many of us had no dreams either.

As for crosses, I'd never seen one that could do me harm and the same went for Holy Water. We were not creatures of the devil, but merely beings of the night.

A wooden stake would not kill one of my kind. It might leave a vampire temporarily paralyzed, but that wouldn't be caused by some sort of magical quality of the wood. A stake made from any material would have the same effect as long as it pierced through the heart, halting our flow of blood—the one thing that kept our bodies animated and moving after our death.

In order to kill my kind, one would have to actually shred our bodies and probably also burn the pieces. Not many are fast enough to sneak up on us with a stake or a match to light us on fire, and even less are strong enough to thrust a stake in or rip us apart. We did not fear death easily.

I sighed. Even with all of these defenses built into our very beings, it wasn't as if vampire was the first thing people guessed if any of us acted a little off. It was the reason our species survived so long... Nobody believed in us anymore.

Well, except for maybe those locals that Carlisle had mentioned.

I walked into my first class, glancing around to see if an of the faces looked the least bit suspicious or curious, but who was I kidding? This was an extremely small town we'd moved to, so of course everyone would be interested in the barrage of new students who had settled into their town over the summer.

I got stares all period long, and once it ended I was surrounded almost immediately.

A child named Mike introduced himself to me, seeming to expect me to appreciate his attention. Another told me his name was Eric, and offered to show me to my next class like a good little puppy. A boy named Tyler make himself known, leering at me in the most ineffective way.

I ignored them all, and rolled my eyes at the frizzy haired girl who called herself Jessica when she tried to steal my attention and invite me to sit at her table when lunch rolled around. I declined her invitation, of course, in what was probably too rude of a manner. Not only did I not want to sit next to her for an extended period of time, but I also couldn't afford to have someone pay too close attention to my eating habits. I'd sit my kind.

They all looked offended as I brushed each and ever one of them off, heading to my next class, and I simply held my head high. I didn't care for their opinions.

I simply just tried to survive the humdrum of my first full day as a student in over a decade, and tried not to act like I'd already learned everything on the syllabus before. I knew that several of us had to go to school in each new town to keep up appearances and I truly didn't mind it all that much, considering what the alternative would have been.

I'd hate to have to spend my days hanging around the main house with some of our kind... like... I don't know—Edward Cullen. That was a vampire who held absolutely none of my interest whatsoever.

Give me your thoughts, questions, and comments, my loves. I look forward to it :D

Much Love,

MuffN