Preface:
Summer 2012
Forks, Washington
The light of the sun flickers through the forest as the clouds part to make way for the beautiful blue skies. Silence reigns over as nature from all around blooms. Animals are grazing the grass peacefully. The forest is a heavenly delight. And the temperature is warm and perfect. As the animals graze through the forest, they are suddenly startled by the powerful sound of running feet. The sound cuts through the wind. Someone is running in a vibrating blur; unable to be seen by human eyes if there were any present. The sunlight bounces off their skin as they pick up speed; causing near chaos with their amazing velocity. A cliff comes into their line of sight. But this doesn't stop them from running. Instead, they leap across impossibly and lands perfectly on the other side on bended knee. The person hides their face in their long dark locks as they stand; dressed in nothing but a black shirt, black jeans, and black shoes. Their fingernails are painted black and red.
"For centuries, I've lived my life by the act of Nihilism. I was taught that life is about survival. You either adapt or die. That is what my creator taught me. He taught me that I couldn't trust anyone, not even those close to me or to my heart. And I believed in his very word. I portrayed my immortal life as a monster; a monster who plagues mankind in order to satisfy his most desire by gorging himself in the blood of the mortals. I've been that way for centuries...but that soon changed."
The person brushes part of his hair back to reveal his pierced ears with diamond earrings. His skin is chocolate as the sunlight beams against it, making it gleam radiantly like expensive diamonds. His eyes consume liquid crimson. He's young; his perceptual age is of at least 16-18 years old, but appears slightly older due to his athletic structure. Something catches his attention. He slightly turns his head to see a mountain lion ready to pounce. But before the predator can react, the vampire bares his deadly sharp teeth and attacks with unnatural speed. A deadly snarl escapes from the vampire's lips as the sound of bones crushing comes to his ears. The mountain lion is now dead with its throat ripped out as the vampire stands with blood drooling from their mouth.
"My hatred for humanity, including my own, came from the sudden death of my family. My creator, Dragan, saved me that very night and he soon turned me into an unstoppable predator...an apex predator, who stood at the top of the food chain. As a child, vampires were nothing but folklore; a bedtime story to scare little children at night. But I knew of the possibility of the myth being real thanks to my mother, who possessed a little secret of her own...a secret that was passed down to me. The vampires were seen as demons who feasted on the blood of mortals and I am one of them. Everything that my maker had taught me led me to nothing, but shame and a lesson that no other vampire can forget...sometimes being an immortal can be miserable. It is up to us to find the perfect happiness. But here's the question: How does a vampire like me find happiness despite the horrible sins I had committed throughout time?How can we find peace, forgiveness...closure?"
"Alex?" A female voice says softly to the vampire as he cleans the blood from his lips with his tongue. He turns around and a smile shines on his face. It's of pure happiness.
"How much are you willing to sacrifice for peace and true happiness?"
(….)
Prologue:
Spring of 1312
The Balkans, Bulgaria
The full moon beams beautifully across the mountains and the meadows. The night is silent. Many people are fetching for water, firewood, and making supper for their families while others are sleeping in their village homes. There are six young children who should be asleep, but are running around, playing and hiding from their parents or relatives. Some of the children are being called to come inside and they obey their parents' command; all except two cute little girls around five-six years old. Both possess light bronze skin, long silky dark hair, and hazel eyes that sparkles in the moonlight. They are identical twins. They look so much alike in every way.
Both girls run and giggle, trying to chase after one another while heading to a large house in the village that is bigger than any other house. They play in the meadows near the home and tackle one another, laughing and having fun. A young woman in her late teens approaches. She's in the playing mood as both sisters tackle her to the ground. The moonlight dances around them in the night. It's peaceful.
"Vie dvamata ste tolkova glupavo." The young woman giggle, calling them silly.
"Zhulieta?" Another woman exits the well built home. She's in her mid 30s with dark bronze skin, long dark hair, and gorgeous features. She calls for the teenage woman now known as Juliet. "Carissa, Katrin, vieze vutre za vecherya." The woman calls the two little girls, Carissa and Kathryn. The little girls run inside their home as Juliet approaches the unnamed woman. "Aleksandur?! Aleksandur, vecheryata e gotova!" The woman calls someone in for supper, but they are nowhere to be found.
"Toi veroyatno mech igrae otnovo." Juliet says to her, knowing her cousin, Alexander, is in the woods.
"Mozhe li da go nameri I da nosyat vkushti za vecherya." The woman asks if she could go find her cousin and bring him home for supper. Kathryn and Carissa run back out of the house laughing.
"Nie shte go namerin maĩka." Carissa tells their mother that they'll go find their brother as both girls run into the forest. Juliet laughs while Helena just smiles and roll her eyes. Another woman in her seventies comes outside, hollering at the two little girls to come back and wash up for supper.
"Katrin, Carissa, vŭrni se tuk I se izmiya!" Their grandmother says. Juliet goes running after them.
Suddenly, a handsome man in his late twenties with pale white skin, short bronze hair, and green hazel eyes exit the house. He snakes his arms around Helena's waist and kisses her on the back of the neck. Helena beams. The two of them are happily in love with one another as they snuggle closer. The man Helena loves massages her small pregnant belly. "Vecherya mirishe strakhotno. Kide e Aleksandur?" The man questions as he still places a trail of sensual kisses against Helena's neck, forcing her to giggle as she welcomes his warm embrace. He keeps rubbing her pregnant belly.
"Toi ingrae s nozh, mu dade otnovo." Helena replies, complaining about their son practicing with a sword in the forest. Aleksandur's mother just rolls her eyes and goes back inside to set the table.
"S tova tempo, tya shte rodi tsyalo kotilo." His mother says and Aleksandur laughs. She said that at the rate of affection they have for one another, Helena's going to give birth to a whole litter of children. Helena rests her head against his strong chest.
Deep within the forest is their son, Alexander. He appears to be eight years old with black wavy hair that snakes down his back. He's wearing a hooded cape over his clothing as he slashes the wind with his sword. His footwork is slightly unstable; needs more practice. But the boy makes up for it with his athleticism. He twirls the sword making one last flexible move before piercing the ground with the blade with a strong strike. He lifts his head up, revealing the same eyes his father possesses through his wavy locks. He stands back on his feet, removing the blade from the Earth. Whoosh! Something in the wind startles him. He searches for the sudden noise. Twigs snaps and bushes flail all around him.
"Kol e tam?" But he doesn't get an answer. The wind changes. A chill travels rapidly down his spine as fear hits his heart. He wants to be brave as another noise erupts. "Maika? Otets? Zhulieta?" But still no answer. Silence suddenly plagues the world around him as he stands all alone in the darkness. Carissa and Kathryn burst through the trees and Alexander is relieved. But Juliet is nowhere to be found. She's far behind. The girls are so energetic tonight. The full moon might have something to deal with this thanks to their mother's blood being descendant from an ancient witch tribe.
"Maĭkata kaza, che e vreme za vecherya." Kathryn says that it's time for supper.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" A loud disturbing scream explodes through the mountains with a powerful echo. The scream is terrifying and blood curdling. It shakes the entire village. The children jump from it. They're afraid. Alexander and his younger sisters run towards home. They are running as fast as they can, especially Alexander despite the weight of his sword. "Mama?! Papa?!" He yells, but he's only answered by a painful harmony of horrific screams. He doesn't give up. He keeps running and running and running towards home. The pain in his feet is too much and he's beginning to run out of breath. He and his sisters stop when they see Juliet lying dead in the middle of the forest. Her neck is bloody and ravaged. They slowly approach her body and attempt to awaken her. "Zhulieta? Cousin Zhulieta? Sŭbudeter se." But Juliet doesn't wake up. Carissa shakes her body, but it doesn't help. Kathryn begins to cry and sob at the sudden realization that she's dead. Carissa and Alexander begin to cry as well. There's another scream which catches their attention. Thus, they charge all the way home.
Abruptly, they stop again once they reach home. Their worst fears is about to come true. Alexander's eyes land on something that is slowly pooling its way out the door of their home...IT'S BLOOD! He slowly approaches the house along with his sisters. He's getting closer and closer to the door. And when he does reach it, his eyes grow wide and mist with tears. The sword drops from his hand and hits the ground. Lying in front of him is his mother, Helena. The skin around her throat has been brutally shredded. Blood is seeping heavily from the nasty wound.
The boy's body is shaking as he cries. "Mama? Mommy?" He goes over to her lifeless body and kneels in her blood pool, not caring about it soaking through his skin and clothes. He reaches his hand out to touch her cheek. "Mama?" He begins to shake her. "Mama, sibudi. Subudi se. Mama, molya subudi. Mama molya." But Helena doesn't wake up, and the boy breaks down. He sobs and sits his head on her stomach, where his now unborn deceased sibling lies. "Mama!" His tears land in the thickened blood as it stains his face. Kathryn and Carissa are wailing their hearts out as well.
Carissa walks into the living room of their home and screams. Their father and grandparents have been killed in a brutal fashion. The children cannot stop themselves from the pain. They are in total shock to see their family's blood pooling its way from their bodies. The sight in front of them is too disturbing and saddening. They don't know what to do. Alexander looks at his sisters, screaming and crying over their loved ones' dead bodies. It's heartbreaking. Carissa cries over her father's body while Kathryn weeps over their mother's body. Alexander runs out of the house, screaming for help in every direction before falling to his knees. He's painted in his mother's blood.
"Nyakoi da mi pomogne! Molya vi! Imam nuzhda ot promosht! Molya, pomognete mi! Moeto semeistvo se nuzhdae ot pomosht! Mama! Papa!" But no help comes. Calling for immediate help is useless. He and his sisters are abandoned to drown in his sorrows. Whoosh! The boy searches the darkness with his eyes. He hurries to grab his sword and hold it unsteadily. "Koi tam pokazhi se strakhilvesto!" His heart races with fear, sadness, and panic. The tears never stop.
SOMEONE'S BEHIND HIM! A dark hooded figure blends within the darkness. A pair of blood red eyes pierces through the figure's dark hood. The boy spins and jumps away. He strikes at the dark figure with his sword, but the blade is somehow caught by the figure and is easily crushed into pieces. No one should be able to possess that much strength. It's unnatural! The boy falls to the ground in total terrifying shock. The dark figure slowly removes their hood to reveal their face. It's a woman. Her eyes are pure crimson like the blood that paints her lips and face. She's in her late teens with long, wavy black hair that slithers across her shoulders, and glistening dark skin. The sound of Alexander's panic flows through her ears. The woman never takes her eyes off him as the blood of his family drips from her mouth. She smiles with a sinister expression, revealing her sharp pearly whites.
"Molya, ne me naranyavai." He pleads for her not to hurt him.
A hungry growl slips from the woman's lips. Suddenly, she's beheaded by another dark figure! The woman's now headless body falls to the ground. A man is standing over her snarling. Alexander trembles as tears fall from his eyes. He nearly blacks out at the sight of the man holding the woman's head in his right hand. He has the same blood crimson eyes as hers, and is around his early twenties with young masculine features, short dark hair, and pale skin that is radiant under the moonlight. The man rips the woman's head in two before making eye contact with Alexander.
"Ne se pritesnyavaite. Vie ste v bezopasnost. Vidykh vsichko." The young handsome man tries to explain to the little boy. Pain is present in his blood red eyes. He knows what the little boy is suffering through. "Moeto ime e Dragan Petrovich. Ela." The man now known as Dragan extends his hand for the boy to take and he does. Dragan lets him hug his waist as he cries. He pulls away and kneels down. "Kakvo e imeto?" Dragan looks to see Kathryn and Carissa shaking. Terrified is an understatement in this situation. He glances and stares back into Alexander's eyes with a comforting expression, not knowing that he is staring into the eyes of one of his future greatest creations.
(….)
January 15, 2001
Lakewood, Washington
Sleeping warmly in her bed is seven year old, Samara Charleston. The room is dark. The only light source are the flashes of lightning from the storm. There's commotion coming outside her bedroom door. Her two foster parents are arguing and that is just beginning. Their argument is becoming too heated over Samara's foster father's drinking and late night arrivals.
"All you do is leave this house, go get drunk, then come home in the middle of the night smelling like a disgusting pig! All I want to know is what have you been doing every single night. Is there another woman?!" Her foster mother questions, wanting an immediate answer.
"Look, work has been stressful and I just need some time for myself at times! You have no right to question me! All you need to worry about is cooking my meals, cleaning this house, and taking care of that little bastard in there, so we can have enough money for our bills!" The drunken man says with rage. Samara covers her head with the pillow. She's scared.
"I AM NOT YOUR GODDAMN MAID! I AM YOUR WIFE AND YOU WILL TREAT ME WITH RESPECT!" Her foster mother replies with more rage. She will not take this crap anymore. SLAP! The harsh sound of skin connecting with skin echoes around the house. There's a loud thud, coming from the kitchen. The woman whimpers as the man begins yelling.
"LEARN YOUR PLACE!" Samara's foster father roars. His words are like venom.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" There are a lot of noises coming from the kitchen. Samara hops out of bed and goes out her bedroom door. She runs into the kitchen before stopping to see her foster mother bleeding from her forehead while holding a kitchen knife. Her foster father is standing a couple feet from her foster mother, being cautious of the sharp blade in front of him. They both see that Samara is standing by the entrance of the kitchen. "Baby, go back in your room and lock the door."
The man makes his move and knocks the kitchen knife out of her hand. He beats her, but she fights him back. Samara doesn't know what to do. She's so afraid. Her foster father grabs the knife. Samara without thinking, runs toward him and bites his hand before he can stab the woman. The knife drops to the kitchen floor. Samara's foster father spins and hits her so hard, she flies into the refrigerator and smacks her head brutally on the floor. The woman gasps to see Samara unconscious with blood pooling from her head, nose, and right eye.
"Samara!" The woman goes over to scoop Samara in her arms. Her hands and arms tremble at the sight of the blood pouring like water from a faucet. Her husband is stunned by what he has done. He tries to come over and help, but his wife stays away. "Stay the hell away from us!" She yells. Samara is knocked out. She appears to be lifeless as the world fades out around her.
(….)
Six Months Later
Seattle Childrens Hospital
Sleeping in a hospital room is Samara. She's hooked up to several machines that monitor her vitals as she breathes through a tube in her mouth and throat. She looks peaceful. The only sound present in the room is the sound of her heart monitor beeping. A female doctor in her late twenties enter the room with a clipboard. She checks everything to make sure Samara is okay. Samara is completely frozen. But something happens unexpectedly. Her right hand twitches lightly. This catches the doctor's eyes. She grows suspiciously aware of the child's movements. Samara slowly opens her weak eyelids and the doctor is already there by her side.
"Samara?" The doctor checks her out to see if she's really waking up. Samara can barely lift her eyes open. The light is too bright and she's still severely weak. She can't even feel her legs, toes, and feet. She tries to move them, but it's straining her with a weird and uncomfortable sensation. The doctor stays by her side. "Honey?" Samara whimpers softly in response.
Hours later, Samara's foster mother, Sara, comes inside the hospital and goes to Samara's room. She gasps and comes to a halt in the doorway when she sees Samara. Samara's tube down from her throat for oxygen has been removed. She's now getting her oxygen from a nasal cannul. Samara looks over to see her foster mother in tears. Sara approaches her to caress her cheek and comfort her.
"Samara." She cries while giving her a kiss on the forehead.
"Why are you crying? What happened?" Samara's voice is incredibly languid. Her foster mother doesn't know what to say because Samara doesn't remember anything except: "You and your husband were fighting. I tried to help, but...How did I?" Sara stops her from saying anything else with a shush. She doesn't want to explain to her that she's been in a coma for six months. And during those six months, her husband was convicted and was sent to prison. Sara just holds Samara in her arms for the last time because she knows that Child Protection Services will be taking her away.
(….)
Eight Weeks Later
Seattle Children's Home
Samara has moved into the children's home in Seattle. Eventually, she learned about everything that went down while she was in a coma. She was saddened and yet, confused when she was taken away from Sara. She didn't know that her foster father was sentenced four years in prison for domestic violence, assault, child endangerment, and disorderly misconduct. Sara agreed to pay all the medical expenses. She didn't want to give up on her while she was in a coma. She had faith that Samara would awaken and she did. The pain is too much to bear because Samara and Sara really loved one another, but what's done is done. And now, she has no choice, but to live with other children who were abandoned by their parents. Samara is nervously shy because she's not so good at making friends.
For weeks, all she does is stay away from adult couples and keeps to herself. Samara doesn't want to be adopted because she doesn't want to get hurt again. Before coming to Seattle to live in a children's home, she traveled to five different states over time because she was living from foster home to foster home. As time pass, she's been talking with a therapist about this fear and many other phobias. She's afraid of what will happen to her in the future. She's afraid to feel nothing but pain without the possibility of feeling joy and happiness. That's all she wants. Joy, love, and happiness. Samara just wants to feel loved and live a happy and normal life with a real family.
Two years soon goes by as Samara makes a new friend out of a five year old girl named Kimberly. Kimberly's parents had died in a car accident when she was just three months old. She was being taken care of by a babysitter when it happened. Samara and her becomes best friends over time as the two form a sisterly bond. Samara feels the need to protect Kimberly. Both girls even vowed to be sisters forever after Samara gave her a turtle dove.
Meanwhile, Samara's done many things to try and better herself as a growing person over the years. She's been learning how to express her emotions through singing and playing piano. These musical talents helped her cope and get over the pain over the course of years. Samara has also been focusing more on her school work since she's home schooled. She believes that if she applies herself, she can have a better future when she gets older. She knows how tough it is to get adopted as a teenager when she turns thirteen. Most couples love to adopt small children instead of teenagers.
But the day finally comes when a couple named George and Angela Parker come into the home, looking to adopt. The head of the home, Ms. Thornton, approaches Samara because she believes that it is about time she gets welcomed into a family, who would love her and adore her. Samara's nervous as she tries to back down, but eventually, she goes through with it. Kimberly's already by her side in the music room when Ms. Thornton escorts George and Angela inside. They smile brightly at the two girls while approaching. Both girls are nervous. A part of Samara is telling her to run.
"Mr. and Mrs. Parker, these two are Samara and Kimberly." Ms. Thornton introduces everyone. Samara and Kimberly lock hands, praying that this will be all over with.
"Hello." George sheds a handsome and friendly smile on his face. "How are you girls doing today?"
"Fine."Kimberly and Samara says in sync.
"It's nice to meet you both. We heard so much about you, so we wanted to come and have a talk with you to see if you would like to come home with us." Angela says with a friendly tone. Kimberly and Samara look to one another then back at the Parkers. Everything becomes so silent.
Chapter One:
A/N: This scene is inspired by a scene in Lyrics2Soul's Fanfic called Tempted Fate.
May 10, 2009
The Bryant Residence
Forks, Washington
Pulling up to a two story house is a four door silver BMW 3-series Sedan. There's a thunderstorm moving in as light rain soak the entire town. The BMW parks near the curb since there's a huge, red pickup truck park in the driveway. Exiting the car is now sixteen year old Samara, who has grown into a beautiful young lady. She has long blond hair with creamy white skin and crystal blue eyes. Seeing the pickup truck confuses her because it's her boyfriend's truck.
Samara advances toward the house. She was told to come here by her best friend, Samantha, because Samantha needed someone to hang with. But before she can knock on the door, she takes notice that the door is slightly cracked open. 'That's strange.' Samara thinks to herself as she opens the door slowly. She hears something coming from upstairs. It's loud moaning. But it's not painful...it's pleasurable. This makes Samara cringe as she begins to walk up the stairs cautiously and slowly.
By the time she reaches the top of the stairs, she heads down the hall where the moaning is coming from. It's coming from the second room on the right. "Samantha?" Samara says quietly. And when she opens the bedroom door, she comes to an abrupt stop. Her boyfriend, Cameron, is lying on top of Samantha in her bed. Cameron is shirtless, revealing his ripped and sweaty muscles. He ruts against Samantha, thrusting without noticing that his girlfriend is standing behind him. Samantha just moans and takes the pleasure. She suddenly looks over Cameron's sweaty back and shoulders. Seeing Samara standing there in shock amuses her. Samara begins to cry as Samantha smiles wickedly.
"Cameron...UNN! HARDER!" Samantha moans loudly, taunting Samara. Samara clinches her fist into a tight ball. She doesn't know what to do. She can feel intense heat pumping its way through her body. How could they do something like this to her?! She just shakes her head before saying:
"I cannot believe this." Cameron stops when he hears his girlfriend's voice. He jumps off the bed when he turns his head to see her face. This is so embarrassing. Samantha on the other hand, keeps smiling like she's won a great prize. She's happy to show that Cameron is hers and will always be hers.
"Samara...I-I-I am so sorry." Cameron apologizes in a heated rush. His voice stammers.
"Sorry? Really?" Samara yells. Silence fills the room as she turns around and walks away. "I'm done! I am so done!" Cameron chases after her while grabbing his shirt on the floor, beside the bed. Samara just keeps going until she reaches her car. But before she can climb in, Cameron is already there, grabbing her hard by the arm to try to explain everything to her.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. Samantha said she was having a party and you were here. But when I arrived, I could see that she was lying. That's when she jumped on me. I'm sorry." Samara looks at Cameron with hooded eyes because that was the most pathetic excuse she's ever heard in her life. Her eyes are swelling with tears. She tries to hold them back, but she can't.
"She jumped on you and you followed through! You could've just said no, but instead, you...GOD, I REALLY WANT TO KICK YOUR ASS, RIGHT NOW!" Samara is hot with rage. Cameron gulps with a hard lump forming in his throat. "I thought I loved you. You were the only guy I thought who cared. But it was all a lie. I cared about you. I gave you my heart and you just stomped on it by sleeping with my best friend. THAT SLUT! How could you?!" Cameron looks down. He's ashamed. His heart sinks with guilt and pain. Samara just turns around to climb into her car.
"Samara, please!" He begs as he grabs hold of her arm, but his now ex-girlfriend turns back around before climbing in her car and to ram her fist into his nose. Cameron falls to the ground, bleeding from his nostrils. The pain is off the charts and his nose might be broken.
"DO NOT TOUCH ME!" Samara yells. She climbs into her car and drives off. Samantha is watching them through her window; smiling like the little devil she is. Samara starts her car and drives away in a hurry at high speeds. As Samara drives, she begins to cry herself into a full sob. Samantha was supposed to be her friend and now, she's sleeping with her boyfriend. How could they do this to her? It breaks her heart. A part of her blames herself because she's a virgin and just wasn't ready yet for sex yet. She's afraid that if Cameron saw her large scar on her lower back that was given to her when she was younger, he would run. She also wanted to wait until she was at least married or after she graduated. Samara just keeps driving. Her heart feels as if someone stepped on it. Her chest feels as if a sledgehammer slammed into it. Never has she felt such pain. It's agonizing.
(….)
Four Months Later
The Cullens Compound
September 11, 2009
Today is a beautiful warm day. The summer breeze feels good as the sunlight gleams from the clouds. The forest is so peaceful and full of light. It surrounds the Cullen's beautiful home. The sunlight dances through the trees, gleaming beautifully and brightly with delight. It's been four years since Jacob and the Cullens have been here. For four years, they have been staying at the mansion on Isle Esme. However, they are not staying here for very long.
Standing in the middle of the forest, near the house are Edward and Bella. The married couple is soaking in the sunlight and are full of excitement and happiness since it's their daughter's birthday today. Edward wraps his arms around her from behind as Bella takes in his warm and relaxing embrace. Jacob comes onto the upper balcony of the house to see them. He can sense some of the pack members are approaching. Jake jumps down off the balcony and goes over to them. Leah, Seth, and Quil arrive with presents. Things between the pack have been rough for the past four years. Sam will be stepping down as alpha soon because he wants to spend more time with Emily. Emily is now pregnant with their son. Sam worries about her because she'd lost their first baby a year ago.
Paul has already stepped up to the council to become alpha. Despite this, Quil might become the leader due to his bloodline being the strongest. Billy has offered Sam a position within the council if so. The pack's numbers have increased to over twenty wolves. Most of the new members are between the ages of twelve to twenty years old. Out of all of them, there are only five female wolves alongside Leah. Sam keeps the younger pack members tamed by making them go to school and learning how to control their primal instincts. What is so difficult is that some of the wolves don't trust the Cullens and their vampire allies. The young wolves still don't understand how Jacob was able to imprint on Renesmee, but they're happy for him despite the heated treaty. Billy and Carlisle have already explained that if Renesmee's able to reproduce when she matures at the age of seven, a new generation of wolves could be born. These wolves would be faster and stronger. They would be able to regenerate quicker due to their vampire and wolf heritage, and will possibly possess a more powerful form of Renesmee's abilities. They would also be able to feed on human food and/or blood as a diet.
Seth advances toward Bella and Edward with his cheerful attitude. "Hey man." He bumps fists with Edward, who smiles in return. Seth hugs Bella. "Nice to see you, sis." Bella beams at him. She missed Seth. He and Emmett always cheer her up with their humor.
"Nice to see you too, little bro." She replies.
"We brought presents for the birthday girl." Quil says.
"Where's Clair?" Bella asks.
"She's hanging out with Paul's kid. She was too scared to come." Quil cuts himself off. The others know that Clair has always been scared of the vampires. She doesn't want to go anywhere near them. Her and Paul's kid, Samuel, have become best friends. Quil still watches her from time to time.
"Hey Leah. How are you?" Bella asks.
"I'm fine." Leah tries to smile, but fails at it.
Bella and Leah just stare at one another awkwardly before Leah walks away. Leah and Rosalie are just the same. Both girls are headstrong. Nothing is ever going to change between them. It's a surprise that they weren't born sisters. Bella and Leah talk every now and then. After all, they're step-sisters. Meanwhile, things have been going well between Sue and Charlie. They've gotten married two years ago and now, Sue is pregnant with twins. Leah is happy for her mother despite the fact that she misses her father. Seth misses him too, but he's too happy because now, he'll finally be an older brother. Seth is happy to call Bella his sister. And Bella is happy to accept him as a brother. She's excited because she's not an only child anymore and now, her dad if finally happy and at peace.
"Hey." Alice says, standing on the upper balcony of the house along with Jasper. "The cake's ready." She leads Jasper inside. The others follow.
The house is spotless and beautiful as always. There are many vampire guests inside the house. There's the Denalis, the Amazons, Benjamin and Tia, Nahuel, Huilen, the Irish, Peter, Charlotte, and many more nomads. Tension is not brought about between the wolves and the vampires. The non vegetarian vampires have been well fed from the donated blood bags Carlisle stole from the hospital. Everyone is just having a great time catching up with one another. However, Edward and Bella are protective of their daughter. Jacob is too. He's having a difficult time seeing Nahuel getting closer to Nessie. Jacob's inner wolf wants to run wild to show everyone who Renesmee belongs to. But he has control of his impulses. Right now, he just wants to make sure that his imprint is happy and safe. All is well.
Soon, Edward and Jasper bring out the cake from the kitchen. Alice did so well decorating it. It's a four layer butter cream cake with strawberries shaped like hearts. It's well designed and way too much to eat for Renesmee. The wolves are there to help her out. There's a candle in the shape of the number four along with eight stick candles around the edges of the top layer as everyone sings. "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Nessie. Happy birthday to you." Renesmee blushes before blowing out the candles. Everyone claps and smiles. It's such a happy day.
Bella approaches her daughter with a small key. Renesmee turns to her. "Happy birthday." Her mom kisses her on the forehead. Renesmee is confused. Bella leads her over to the window. Renesmee gasps loudly when she sees a Suzuki GSX-R1000. The bike has been customized with a lavender, black, and white color detail and several performance tweaks to make it faster. Renesmee is stunned because she's been begging for this gift for over a year. Edward didn't want her to have it, but Bella was able to persuade him. Renesmee turns around to her parents. She gives her mother a hug.
"Thank you so much, mom." She says with gusto.
"Hey," Edward says. "Don't I get a hug?" Renesmee runs over to him with her vampire speed and embraces him in her arms. Edward embraces his daughter. He pulls away and kisses her on the forehead. Emmett brings out a large rectangular box with a biker helmet. Renesmee goes over to him.
"I had these customized for you." Her uncle, Emmett, says. He also gets a hug as well before she opens the box to see that it's a leather jacket. Both the helmet and the jacket have been customized with color detail as the bike. "Happy birthday, Ness." Emmett smiles with a playful glint in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Jacob is leaning over to Edward. "What made you change your mind?" Edward just shakes his head. Bella rolls her eyes. Jacob reveals a small, hand sized rectangular box from his right pocket. He goes over to his imprint, who is reveling in her gift. "Ness." Renesmee turns to him. Jacob hands her the box. "Happy birthday." Renesmee opens the gift to see a beautiful handwoven pendant of a wolf howling in a crescent moon. Jacob smiles at her surprising expression.
"Thanks Jake." Renesmee pulls him into a tight, warm hug. Sometimes she doesn't know her strength. Even though she's a hybrid, Renesmee is still powerful. She even showcased it when she tossed Emmett through Edward's Volvo during a sparring match. Her father was not happy about that. She might not be as strong as a normal vampires, but she's strong and should not be underestimated.
"Um, Ness. You're crushing me." Jacob grunts. Renesmee lets him go.
"Oops, I'm so sorry about that." She says and looks at her present. "It's so beautiful." Jacob takes the necklace and places it around her neck. He looks into her eyes afterward and gives her a kiss on the forehead with a smile. Nessie blushes with her rosy cheeks.
"Happy birthday, Ness. I wanted to give this to you because no matter what, I will always be by your side to protect you and love you forever." Jacob tells her. Bella, Edward, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Seth, Leah, Quil, Carlisle, and Esme are watching them. Esme smiles. They know that soon, Jacob will tell her about the imprinting. He wants to at least wait until she's fully matured. He respects her. If she does in fact chooses someone else, he'll respect that despite how much it'll hurt. Jacob will always be by her side to protect her and love her as long as she needs him.
"Ness." Bella calls her name. Renesmee shares a glance at her mother. "Charlie and Sue are waiting for you." Edward and Bella walk away. It's been four years since their daughter has seen her grandparents.
(….)
An Hour Later
Charlie & Sue's House
Edward is parking his car next to the house in his new Ford Fiesta. Renesmee is in the back seat while her parents are in the front. Jacob decided not to come because he wanted to see his family and the pack. Charlie and Sue exit the house. Sue's bulging belly is the size of a small beach ball at the moment. She has a couple months before giving birth to the twins. Renesmee rushes out of the car to run into her grandfather's arms. "Grandpa!" Charlie grunts at the impact as he wraps his arms around her. He's beginning to get old. Bella and Edward approach the front porch.
"Grandpa? I'm not that old." Charlie says to Renesmee, pulling back. He's stunned how much she's grown. Despite the fact that Bella doesn't want him to know too much, Charlie wasn't born yesterday. There's no way a four year old could appear as a thirteen year old. "You're...taller." Charlie says. He and Edward make eye contact while Bella and Renesmee are praising Sue. "Edward."
"Hi Mr. Swan." Edward tears his eyes away to see his wife and daughter.
"You look beautiful." Renesmee tells Sue, who smiles and gives Renesmee a kiss on the cheek.
"Do you think the kids will be...wolves?" Bella whispers. Sue doesn't know what to say. The reason why Seth and Leah are wolves is because they have their father's DNA. However, the wolf gene runs through each and every family of the Quileute tribe. The new pack members are proof of that.
"Maybe." Sue says. "Maybe not."
"Come on inside." Charlie tells them, leading everyone inside. He gets his wife a strawberry smooth and his granddaughter a soda. He's been so protective of Sue because she's pregnant. Everyone sits around the living room. "So, how you been, Bella?"
"I've been fine." Bella replies to his question.
"Are you staying for good this time?" Her dad asks.
"Um, Edward and I are planning on moving to Astoria, Oregon pretty soon. Carlisle and Esme are already building a new house down there. We're only going to be staying here for a year." Bella explains. Charlie doesn't want to see his daughter go. He loves her. "Don't worry. I'll come and visit every holiday. You granddaughter would also like to come and visit as well." Bella says. She's happy to see her father in love. She knows that she'll have to disappear completely after Renesmee's seventh birthday. "She's missed you since the day we'd left." Bella gestures over to her daughter. Edward smiles. He doesn't want to say anything because Charlie still doesn't like him.
"That reminds me." Charlie goes away for a sec then comes back with a violin case. He hands it to Renesmee. Renesmee slowly opens the case to reveal a brand new violin. "This belonged to your great grandmother. Since your dad is quite the...musician, I wanted to give you this. Maybe his music talent rubbed off on you." Bella gasps at the sight of her grandma's violin. "I had it fixed and polished."
"Grandma's violin? I haven't seen it since she passed away." Bella says.
"We also got you this." Sue hands Renesmee a small black, rectangular box. Renesmee opens the box to see a diamond bracelet. The bracelet has small hearts around it. It's stunning. She puts it on and smiles.
"Thank you so much." Ness is very grateful for the gift.
(….)
La Push Beach
The Quileute Reservation
The entire pack is hanging out today. Most of them are spending time with their imprints while others are either relaxing in the sun or playing football. Sam, Jacob, Quil, Seth, Leah, and Embry are speaking with one another about the council's decision on who will become alpha next. "Emily will give birth to our son soon and I want to stop phasing and give up becoming alpha." Sam says.
"The council is thinking about Quil becoming the next alpha. Paul is already pressing on everyone since he has the most experience as a pack member, second to Sam." Embry says.
"I'm not sure if I'm ready to take on that responsibility." Quil says.
"There's going to be a council meeting this weekend. We thought that you should become alpha." Leah says to Jacob. He shakes his head while speaking to Sam.
"I don't know." Jake sighs heavily. "You're a good alpha, Sam. You've kept this pack from falling apart since you phased. People within our pack depend on you."
"I know that, but I want this." Sam replies. "If you become alpha, I will become your second in command for the time being. Quil can lead the pack during the third shift for patrolling the territory. As soon as you leave and Quil is comfortable leading the pack, he can lead. I'll still be part of the council." Jacob takes a moment to think about the opportunity to become an alpha again.
"Can you give me until this weekend to think about it?" Jacob asks.
"Sure, man." Sam slaps Jacob on the back before leaving to spend time with Emily.
(….)
Night
The Cullens Compound
The house has been cleaned. All the guests are gone except for the Denalis. Jacob pulls up to the house in his Rabbit. He approaches the Cullens and their distant relatives. Renesmee hugs him as soon as he's close. "Aro and the others will be here in a few minutes." Alice announces. Jacob sighs, staying close to everyone. Everyone dislikes the Volturi. The coven cannot be trust, especially Aro. Aro is manipulative and untrustworthy due to his greed for power. The Volturi aren't supposed to be the bad guys, but they make it difficult for other covens and nomads to trust them.
"I can hear their thoughts." Edward says.
That's when Aro, Caius, Marcus, Felix, Jane, Alec, and Artemis appear out of the forest. They're dressed in their black hooded capes as usual with their red eyes shining brightly through the darkness. Their present doesn't faze Carlisle and the others. Aro approaches Carlisle with a smile.
"Hello, Carlisle. My dear old friend." He greets him, taking his hand to read his thoughts.
"It's nice to see you again, Aro." Carlisle smiles. Aro let's him go.
"Ah, Renesmee." Aro makes eye contact with her. "You've grown. I brought a gift for you." He reveals a medium sized box wrapped beautifully and perfectly in velvet with a black bow.
Suddenly, the animals within the forest begin to scatter loudly behind the Volturi. Alice gasps loudly, gaining another vision. "You brought the others?" She asks Aro.
"No," Aro turns his direction to the forest. "It must be someone else."
"Then who could it be?" Edward asks.
"I guess we're about to find out." Jasper tells his adoptive brother.
(….)
The Forest
The Wolves' Territory
The pack is patrolling their territory with Sam in lead. The wolves suddenly stop when they hear something. The sound of rumbling is distant and small. But as the wolves stop to listen, the rumbling begins to get louder and louder. That's when Sam and the others growl and snarl when the sweet unbearable stench of vampires smack their noses. Suddenly, they are chasing thirteen vampires through the forest. These vampires are hidden in black hooded capes just like the Volturi. The chase is on as the wolves do their best to capture these bloodsuckers.
The chase is so exciting for the vampires. The only thing that worries them are the wolves who are getting closer. Four members of the pack attempts to take them down, but they fail miserably. Whoever these vampires are, they are fast and elusive. Two vampires ram two other wolves into the other pack members. But the pack doesn't give up there. Sam, Paul, and Brady are close enough to stopping them. They're snapping their teeth at their ankles, but are unable to get a bite out of them.
The chase leads them to the Cullens and their new guests. Six of the thirteen vampires leap into the trees while the remaining vampires leap in the middle of the Cullens and the Volturi, on one knee. The vampires are dressed in the same dark hooded capes as the Volturi, but with a red interior. They stand, unveiling their crimson eyes that are far more sinister than Aro's and the other Volturi members. Two of the vampires are Vladimir and Stefan. They take their hoods off to show their faces.
Behind them all, the wolves are charging for an attack. The vampires in the trees take them down. That's when another vampire leaves the group and stares at the wolves. Before the pack can retaliate, they abruptly fall and stay the forest floor. The wolves weep and yelp in horrible agony. It's as if their insides are burning and being stabbed with hundreds of pins and needles. The blood vessels in their brains are bursting with fire while sickening images flash within their mind. The young vampire who's using his power is young with short dark hair, pale white skin, and is at least 5'6. He's powerful.
Jacob phases and goes to take the vampire down, but he's tackled by another vampire. "Enough!" The leader of the group, Dragan, tell him. Dorian does what he's told and goes back to Dragan's side. The other vampires back away from the wolves. Alexander, Kathryn, and Carissa are standing behind Dragan along with their adoptive mother, Sasha. Sasha's perceptual age is around the ages of 25-30. She's gorgeous with radiant red hair snaking down her back, deadly red eyes, and flawless pale skin.
The pack stands back on their feet as the tension settles down. With her vampire speed, Renesmee runs over to Jacob, who is a little hurt from being tackled. Meanwhile, Stefan is greeting Carlisle. "Hello, Carlisle. Sorry for the intrusion. These are our friends." Stefan grins.
"Italian scum." Vladimir mutters at the sight of the Volturi.
"Dragan and Alexander? It's been a long time." Carlisle says. Everyone turns their attention to him. The others are perplexed about this situation. Jasper and Alexander are staring at one another. The two vampires obviously know one another.
"I nearly killed you." Alex says and the others hear it. Dragan grins wickedly once he says it.