I walked through the doors into the cafeteria during lunch, late for school as usual, and everyone went quiet. Many people feared me due to the little spectacle when a senior jock had decided my body needed attention. The guy ended up in the hospital till the end of the school year. Girls hated me for my beauty. They knew their boyfriends wouldn't leave them for me but they still didn't like how many stares I got. Everyone's eyes never left my face at first until they notice the new bruises on me. Ignoring them, I walked over to the smoking area. The smokers and I had an unspoken agreement. I get the window; they don't get the shit beat out of them. Angel, a big guy with jet black hair and eyes that twinkled, walked over to me and gave me a hug. He was the only friend I had. The only reason we had got close was because he found out my secret one night while being somewhere he shouldn't. He was like a little brother to me now. I don't know what I'd do without him. We had been friends since freshman year and we were now juniors.

Once he'd let go, talk started back again. From what I'd picked up, people had hoped my abuser had killed me and that they wondered what the new kids thought of me. I made a face at that last part and asked Angel about them as he handed me a lit cigarette. "They are a group of adopted kids. All of them are together which is a little different. I thought they were vampires at first until I saw their golden eyes. There are eight of them. Six of them reminded me of your kind while the other two were clearly human." He said. His voice sounded annoyed as though one of them had ticked him off in some way.

I reminded myself to ask him about that later, "Where are they?"

"Don't you already know?"

"I can barely tell how many people are in this room. I'm still recovering." I indicated to my face then winced as I sat down on the ledge. I dragged in as I leaned back against the window and closed my eyes. His face flashed behind my eyes so I opened them.

"On the other side of the cafeteria," He noticed the pained look on my face when I opened my eyes, "Thinking about him again?"

I nodded and looked out the window, "I don't know why he didn't just kill me."

Angel sighed, "Maybe he couldn't."

I laughed. It was cold and hard. I felt a few near me flinch but I ignored it, "Couldn't? He's the damn God of War. Second in Command to the Maria of the Vampire Wars. He's the most feared vampire in all of existence, and you're trying to tell me he was too scared to kill a lowly newborn?"

He glared, "No. I'm saying he might have actually cared about you."

"That's a load of horse shit." I felt my eyes widen as a familiar anger was projected to me. I froze with the cigarette half-way to my mouth as I heard His voice reach my ears, "Alexandria Whitlock. Front and Center."

The cigarette fell from my fingers and I felt Angel's hands on my shoulder, trying to get my attention, "Alex? Alex, what's wrong?"

My voice trembled, "He's here." I turned and walked slowly towards the sound on his fingers drumming slowly on the table and Angel followed me. I kept my eyes down, looking at my boots. I felt fear flow through my body and I knew he could feel it too. My feet felt like lead and that my combat boots weigh 5,000 tons. Too soon, I reached the table but didn't look up. I knew he sat with seven others, five vampires, one human-ish creature, and a werewolf, but none of their scents were familiar. None of them but His.

When he spoke, I felt something in my gut twist, "Look at me." I raised my head slowly and looked at him. I was shocked by his golden eyes, and they unsettled me. They weren't right. I wasn't scared of his scars because I had the same ones. The ones around him seemed disturbed by me but I didn't look away from him because I knew it could be the last thing I ever did. That's a lie. I would happily die any given day but I didn't look away because I was afraid this would be the last time I'd ever see my savior and the one who damned me. An envelope slide in front of me and his voice spoke again, "Take it." I picked it up with a shaky hand, "I expect you there at 5 o'clock sharp. Do not be late."

I nodded but my eyes never left his, "Yes, Major Whitlock." I felt his fury rise when he heard my raspy voice. The girl I hadn't noticed on his arm moved away with a whimper as it radiated. I didn't react in any way because I was used to his fury.

"You are dismissed." He said through gritted teeth and I felt Angel's hand wrap around my arm then pull me away. I heard a growl from Jasper as Angel dragged me from the cafeteria and into the parking lot. I didn't have the strength to run and he knew that so he hoisted me up in his truck and closed the door. Walking over to the other side while mutter profanities, I looked back towards the school and saw everyone looking through the windows at me. He hopped into the car and we left.

I opened the envelope and there was a paper saying to be at a certain address at 5:00 this evening. I knew it wasn't his writing, but it was from one of the people at the table even though no one had signed it. The letter said I could bring Angel if I wanted but I wasn't so sure that was a good idea. "Angel, I'm heading out tonight. Don't wait up for me." He gave me an uncertain look but I knew he wasn't going to stop me.

I lit the letter then watched as the trees rolled past till we reached the cemetery. I got out of the truck then hugged Angel while thanking him for bringing me. He knew it helped clear my head. I watched as he drove back to school then turned and walk up the stairs to the gates at the back of the cemetery. When I reached them, I pulled the key that I kept on a long chain from under my shirt and unlocked the huge old iron gates. They made a creak as I pushed them open then back closed. I walked past the newer ones of family I hadn't met and towards the back. I stopped when I reached my brothers' graves then fell to my knees in front of them. If I were able to cry, I would have then. Instead, my tearless sobs filled the air.
There were five head stones in that row. Two for my older brothers, Jack and Mark, were to my left and two for my younger brothers, Henry and Garrett. Mine was on the far left because I disappeared before any of the others died. It doesn't have the year I died, just the year I was born. From what I had found out, Mark and Henry became doctors, which was a major achievement for that time, Jack became a writer, and Garrett went into World War I. Every time I read that or think about that, I feel my cold dead heart swell with pride. My Garrett, the little boy who used to carry around a wooden sword I had made for him, fought in World War I. He was a General from what I had found out. I was very proud of him, of all of them. Jack had a daughter who became a teacher, and Mark and Henry had one son each who became the politicians. Garrett had five kids, two sons and three daughters. I always have to laugh when I think about that. Five kids, farm house, and in the war? Damn. And smile found itself on my face for the first time in a long time.

I checked my watch then jumped up. It was 4:49. Shit! I ran out the gates and locked them then began on my way to the address I was given. I had to stop for a moment to find the turn in then ran up the five mile drive way to a wood cabin that made me stop in my tracks. Okay, not a house, a mansion seemed like a better term for it. I looked at my watch, 5:03. I just shrugged and walked at the human pace I had grown accustom to.

When I reached the front door, it opened before I could knock. In the doorway stood a pretty woman who looked in her late twenties, "Hello. My name is Esme Cullen." I looked down at my feet and bowed slightly. When I didn't reply or look up, she moved to the side of the door and gestured with her arm, "Please come in." I walked in but didn't go any further when she closed the door behind me. I heard people laughing and I felt like I shouldn't have been in that happy place.

I heard someone in the direction from the laughing say, "Jasper, she's thinking about leaving."

I heard his voice, "Alex. Now." I knew what he wanted and walked slowly towards the direction of his voice, my eyes never leaving the floor. His voice was harsh, "You're late. I may not be your Major anymore but you will be punctual. Do you understand?" I nodded with my head still bowed. He got up and ghosted to me. I fell to my knees in submission and I heard some of the woman gasp.

The woman who answered the door spoke in an angry tone, "Jasper Whitlock Hale Cullen. I have no idea what you have done to this girl, but a woman should never go to her knees in fear of a man."

I raised my head for the first time and looked at her, my voice pleading, "Do not stand up for me." My voice was shaky and raspy. Her eyes widened when I did this and she grabbed for a blonde man's hand next to her. I looked back down and Jasper reached down and grabbed my chin, yanking me up. I closed my eyes waiting for… I don't know what I was waiting for.

He spoke in my ear, "You will treat everyone in this room as family. When you are ask a question, you will answer with your voice. When someone looks at you, you will look them in the eyes. Do you understand?" I opened my eyes and he stroked my hair. When he spoke again, his voice was softer and gentler, like on those nights he found me on the edge of camp, singing to the stars, "I did not leave you like this." He picked me up in his arms then placed me in a lazy-boy after glaring at the dark skinned man to stand.

The man who stood next to Esme cleared his throat and bowed in front of me. I moved back further in the chair and he frowned, "Hello. My name is Carlisle. And this is my family and home. You've already met Esme and know Jasper," He glared at the Major who was watching me from his perch on the window, "But please allow us to introduce ourselves."

A small brunette girl hopped up from her place on the tan guy's lap and everyone stood up and reached for her as she walked to me. She held out her hand and I stood and took it. Suddenly, she was ripped away from me and a bronze haired vampire hissed at me as the dark-skinned male held her in his arms. I stumbled backward and fell onto the floor causing my healing hand to break off and I cried out in pain. The boy was gone crashing through the window as Jasper threw him away from me.

I curled up in a corner because I knew that Jasper wouldn't let me get far. Ignoring my audience, I put my hand back on my wrist and began licking at it. My venom was weak due to not drinking for a very long time so it wouldn't mend fast enough for the others not to notice. Jasper crouched in front of me then took my arm and detached hand and put them back together and used his venom to mend the two. I whimpered slightly at the sting of his venom but I wasn't complaining that my hand was finally back on.

"When was the last time you drank?" Jasper voice was quiet but everyone heard him anyways. I looked away from his disturbing, golden eyes, wishing I wouldn't have to answer. He turned my head gently so I looked at him, "When, Alex?"

My voice tremble as though I was about to cry, "The last time Maria said I could." I looked away from his fury filled eyes.

"And when was that?" He spoke through gritted teeth.

"Three full moons ago."

"Is that where your new scars are from?"

I moved a hand subconsciously to cover my upper thigh were Jeremy, Maria's current Second-In-Command, likes to bite. They notice the movement and I hear Major growl. I try to shrink back into the way but he pulled me into his arms and ran with me up into someone's study. I guessed it was his because it smelled of him. He set me down on a wooden desk and ripped my jeans off. A growl ripped through his chest at the numerous bites on the inside of my thighs close to my panties.

"How did this happen?" He roared.

I flinched and looked away while hating my body. "Maria found me a few years back while looking for you. Every full moon, she always finds me no matter where I am. Each time, she asks for you, where you are. When I say no, she calls me a liar and bites me. After ten or so, she hands me over to Jeremy, her new second-in-command, and lets him do what he wants as long as long as he doesn't kill me."

I heard him leave the room. He ended up breaking the door when he slammed it shut behind him. I kept my eyes now on my ruined pair of jeans as he stormed down the stairs. I got up and walked over to the bookshelves after hearing him tell the family not to walk up stairs so they continued on with their murmuring that I couldn't make out. I looked in awe at his collection. When I found Pride and Prejudice, I wanted to pick it up and curl up into a chair to read it in front of the fire, but I relented because I didn't want my filthiness to ruin the book. Maybe I should just leave. I'm sure I have now been dismissed because he is gone and I have no other reason to be here. But he didn't dismiss you. He never said you were free to go. But if he comes back and I'm still here, won't he be angry? If he is, he'll kill you. He would bring me death either quickly or slowly. All I could think of was "A way off this miserable planet? Finally!" I felt a wicked smile play at my lips as I laid in the dark green, lush carpet and relaxed, unraveling each muscle until I was no longer stiff. Blocking out every sound, I closed my eyes and let my mind fall blank.