There will be a lot explained in later chapters. I should be studying for my exams, but instead this plot bunny keeps running around in my head.

I don't own anything. I'm just a fan.

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Countess Isabella

Chapter 1: Meeting Botis

I could hear mystical voices whispering all around me, yet I was not afraid. For some reason, the voices felt familiar, like I was having déjà vu. I couldn't concentrate on a specific voice, but realized I was lying down with my eyes closed. Where am I? I thought. I opened my eyes and sat up. The whispers suddenly came to a halt. I was in the middle of a dazzling meadow in the forest. There were bright, delicate buttercups sprinkles all around me in the grass. I felt like I was in a fairytale, there were bright, beautiful flowers and trees in a perfect circle around me. I was in the distinct center of the clearing. I stretched my arms out in front of me and admired my sparkling, diamond encrusted skin. I also felt incredibly parched, as if I hadn't had a glass of water in an eternity. I clutched at my throat when all of a sudden I heard a twig snap at the edge of the meadow. My instincts immediately took a hold of me, and I leapt into the air like a panther and landed in a crouched position, merely a foot from the place where I heard the offensive sound. I squinted into the trees, but saw no one. I heard a menacing growl coming from nearby, and I crouched even lower, ready to pounce. Scanning the perimeter with my eyes, I realized that I was the one growling. Taking a deep breath, I smelled a distinct flavor besides the grass, trees, flowers, and myself. It was overpoweringly sweet and exotic, like black licorice. I leaned forward and glared into the trees. "Show yourself." I commanded.

"As you will, Master," A serpentine voice hissed as a Viper appeared in front of me. I slowly circled the viper, sizing it up for a fight. No natural viper could speak English. I could hear the whispers from the trees again, calling out to me.

"Everything is alright."

"Trust us."

"We're here to help you fulfill your destiny, Isabella."

Realization hit me. I knew these voices and the viper. I slowly stood from my crouch and walked to face the snake. I am Isabella I thought. I knew this fact just as I knew the viper was a friend. Coming back to reality from my deep thoughts, I nodded at the viper in recognition. However, it did not see because it was bowing in front of me, showing only the back of its head in submission.

"Please excuse my aggressive greeting, you surprised me." I stated.

"No need to apologize, Countess, I know that you lost your memory during the transformation." The viper looked up at me. His eyes looked like they were on fire, like a thousand glittering rubies were inside each iris.

"What a pretty viper" I mused. "Please, tell me your name. You know things?" It was more of a command than a question, but I did not feel the need to pressure Mr. Viper. I felt infinite patience coursing through my body, the kind that only comes from eternal existence. The whispers died down in the background, listening in on our conversation intently. I sat cross-legged in front of the snake and cocked my head, showing that I was ready to listen.

"My name is Botis." Mr. Viper hissed. I knew that this being would not lie to me; it was as if there was an invisible golden thread representing our friendship strung between us. The snake was bound to me in a way I could not fully understand yet. "I am a knower of all things past and future, omniscient Duke of the Dead." I held up a finger indicating Botis to stop speaking for a moment. I needed to think. So I am dead?

"No, Countess" one of the voices behind me whispered in a soothing voice. Then it dawned upon me, I was also some type of royalty, just as the Duke. I looked back to Botis and nodded for him to continue.

"I am also the reconciler of friends and foes. I am what humans would call… demonic. I can reside in this viper body, or I have a human form I can show you. Would you like that?" I nodded. Talking to a snake was a little unnatural, even for this situation. I was hearing voices and had glittering skin; I could use a little familiarity.

"I will warn you, Master. I know that you are unaware of what you are yet. Do not feel bad for what is about to happen. With this cryptic message Botis morphed into a gorgeous young man of about 20 years old. He was tall and thin, with jet black hair and you could see his muscles through his tight fitting, long-sleeve black t-shirt. He still had the smoldering, ruby red eyes. I took in a breath to speak to him, but lost control of myself. He no longer smelled like licorice, but instead like jasmine. Before I knew what I was doing, I leapt forward and pinned him to the ground. "Do it." He whispered into my ear, with the most seductive voice I had ever heard. I bit down on his neck and drank his sweet blood. It tasted even better than it smelled. I drank until my throat no longer ached, and the voices behind me told me they had more to tell me.

I stood up and looked down at Botis, worried that I had killed the only one who knew what was happening to me. His eyes fluttered open and the puncture wounds in his neck sealed. He smiled at me as he stood and brushed his clothes off. "I'm sorry if that hurt." I apologized.

"I saw it coming, omniscient, remember?" Botis tapped his temple with his index finger and flashed his devilish smile at me. I realized he had a bright, sharp sword around his waist. He could have protected himself from me if he wanted to. "If you still haven't figured it out, you are Vampire." I processed this information in my head. It felt right. I instinctively knew that this was my being. I felt powerful, strong, and dangerous. I smiled for the first time since I awoke.

"Now, you should be able to use my power after drinking from me." Botis came next to me. "Close your eyes and see your past for yourself. It will be much easier than telling you." I nodded and closed my eyes. I concentrated on me, Isabella, Countess, and images started flashing before my eyes. Everything I saw made complete sense to me. It was like I knew all of this information already. I saw a young girl playing on a swing set, being pushed by a beautiful young woman. My mother. I felt a pang of a strange emotion in my dead heart. I love her. I realized. "Bella, are you hungry yet?" my mother cooed. "Yes, Mommy. Can I have peanut's butters and jelly?" "Of course, my baby".

I opened my eyes and turned my head to the left. Botis was still standing by my side. "It works." I smiled again. "I am Bella."

"Yes, Master" he nodded encouragingly. "Read the rest of your history, you only have about 18 years to go through, it shouldn't take long. I think you would rather remember sooner than later." I nodded and closed my eyes. "Go over the most recent memory quickly, Countess. Some of them are most unpleasant". I heard one of the voices lovingly instruct me. Curiosity overpowered me as more images flashed before me. I saw my entire childhood: Washington, Forks, the divorce, sadness, Phoenix, Arizona, warm sunshine, happiness, high school, loneliness, my dear mother, Phil, moving back to Forks, rain, green, my sweet father Charlie. I sensed a change in the memories when I got to Forks High School. I opened my eyes again. Botis looked at me with a curious twinkle in his burning eyes.

"You will be here when I finish." I stated.

"Of course," He bowed his head slightly. He put his hand on my shoulder in a silent urge for me to continue. All of the memories I regained now were in black and white with red tainting the edges, throbbing with… rage? Yes. I felt immense hatred. I met vampires, my best friend, the love of my life, a werewolf, loneliness, depression, emptiness. I saw myself, broken and left in a forest by Edward. My vision momentarily flashed completely red. I was feeling dangerously vicious. I felt Botis' hand on my shoulder in comfort. I calmed down enough to see my past again. I got to my last human memory. Jake, my werewolf, was busy and I was alone. I was feeling desperate and alone, and decided it was time. I walked to the edge of a cliff, and held out my arms. I closed my eyes and a smile spread across my face as the wind blew my hair around my head in a halo. I leaned forward over the edge and started to freefall. I was finally at peace, until I hit a rock. No, the rock was a being with red hair. Victoria. The edges of the memory pulsed bright red, but I contained my rage enough to continue.

Victoria ran until we were in the very meadow I am in now, looking perilous and violent. "Are you scared?" she hissed at me, lowering into a crouch.

My human form did not even flinch. I felt how dead I was on the inside. "Kill me, please. Put me out of my misery. Why do you think I jumped, you ruined it." I said flatly. There was no emotion left in me.

Victoria blinked in shock, but only for a moment. She straightened her back and a beautiful yet cruel smile spread across her lips. "Well this changes everything" she tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. She circled me, testing to see if I was really alone; Waiting for the Cullens to appear. I saw my human form turn to face her. My eyes were dead, lifeless, almost evil, and completely black. The voice that I heard that day filled my ears.

Keep showing that they left you, that you are dead inside. She won't kill you. She'll give you everything you want. Then you can fulfill your destiny. I recognized the sultry voice as Botis. I just couldn't see him when I was a human, but he was there.

I'm not going to kill you." Victoria said, as expected. She was bouncing with anticipation as she closed in on me. "Now you'll know what it's like to live for an eternity without the one you love." Her teeth were on my neck and the pain began. I burned. I knew what happened next. I didn't need to relive the transformation.

I opened my eyes and turned to face Botis, smiling. "Thank you for the memories, but this still doesn't explain why our destinies are entwined, Botis."

He smiled back at me and took my hands in his. "Countess Isabella, you are the Ruler of the Damned. This is why human shied from you, and unnatural creatures were drawn to you. You were never meant to remain human. Your soul crumbled the day that you were left in the meadow. You are vampire, yes, but you are also part demon. It is the way it was always meant to be. I was a guardian over you for your human years. I made sure you became immortal so that you would be even more powerful than if you waited for natural death before realizing your power. We are like brother and sister in this existence, I suppose. And the other voices you have been hearing are the rest of our family. You are our Countess, our ruler; you are the most powerful of all of us. The rest of our family would like to give you their powers as well, in due time."

I breathed in the scents of those around me. I saw three family members now standing behind Botis, in their human forms. Each was as terrifyingly beautiful as he was. "Do you have a mirror?" I asked. Before I even finished my question, there was a compact pressed into my hand by one of the females. I flipped it open and gasped at my reflection. I looked like them, but paler. I had beautiful, white, smooth skin, like a china doll. I had straight, shiny jet black hair that fell to my waist. My eyes were the same, glittering, burning, blood-ruby red as my family. I was gorgeous.

I turned to each of my family members. "Well, we have quite a bit of catching up to do, then. I feel like I've missed each of you even though we just met."

"Come, let us go to our home," Botis took my hand and we took off to the sky, flying.

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So, what do you think!? Constructive criticism is extremely helpful. I am tired of reading the same story lines over and over again, so I'm trying to do something different. Let me know if you like it and I should continue. R&R 3