It was finally Christmas in Forks, Washington. There wasn't much time left before the snow would begin to stick to the ground, and the Volturi would come. The Cullen house was full of the allied vampires, chattering happily about Christmas and wishing each other a good holiday and even exchanging presents. Carlisle and Esme had brought in some blood leftover from Renesmee's birth, the extra blood Bella had been drinking. They were serving it to each of the vampires.
All but two, that was.
No one in the Cullen home seemed to really like the Romanians. They all thought them creepy, a little too mysterious. They were easily the oldest vampires in the house, but everyone seemed to always exclude them. It didn't bother them much; they'd been solitary, only having each other, for many centuries. And they had come to Forks for only one reason: their revenge on the Volturi.
They were sitting ever so still once again, unmoving. Not breathing, not looking around; just staring at the floor with their burning crimson eyes. Not even when there was a loud obnoxious laugh did they look up. They were both silently thinking over the upcoming battle in their heads, going over every little detail with their lightning-fast minds. They'd been planning it for centuries and centuries, and they had everything down perfectly. Everything was planned out exactly. And they were dead serious about it.
Vladimir's eyes twitched up to look at the others as someone gasped. Esme was handing the Denali sisters a wrapped gift with a huge smile. Kate ripped it open and looked inside. Neither Vladimir nor Stefan could see what was inside, but Kate and Tanya looked awfully excited.
Bella, Edward, and Renesmee had gone to Charlie's along with Jacob to celebrate. Without the hybrid there, Vladimir and Stefan were almost bored. Their interest had been peaked in the small, yet rapidly-growing girl. She'd seemed to take an interest in them, as well. She'd asked them questions that they had tried to answer in a way that she could understand. However, after they had explained to her their plans to gouge out the eyes of the Volturi, the child always seemed busy doing things with her parents or Jacob; like they were deliberately trying to keep her away from the two insane vampires.
The hours went by and the other vampires enjoyed themselves, all gathering to help decorate the tree at once, an activity which the ancient Romanians scoffed at. Vladimir and Stefan looked at each other and both smirked at their group activity, wondering how exactly this group of vampires could be so happy. They both always had the same thoughts so there was never any need to speak aloud, at least not often. They understood each other perfectly. They looked away again. Stefan's eyes returned to the floor but Vladimir watched the group of immortals as they decorated the decent-sized tree. Even the quiet nomads were helping. But he also noticed that he and his companion were not the only vampires sitting out of the ridiculous tree-decorating. The paranoid nomad Alistair was squeezed into a corner, watching them. Vladimir couldn't quite pinpoint the meaning behind his expression.
Suddenly, everyone became aware of the approaching car. It had to be Edward and Bella, coming back from Charlie's with Renesmee and Jacob. Everyone resumed their decorating, already knowing that was who it was. It didn't take long for the door to open and for the familiar footsteps of the three vampires to be heard. And, of course, the repulsive smell of the wolf.
Vladimir heard Renesmee start skipping and then she came into sight, into the room. She gasped at the tree and asked to help them, and Rosalie happily gave her one of the small boxes of ornaments, which she quickly started to hang on the prickly tree. Jacob sat down in one of the chairs, smiling at Renesmee as he watched her. And Edward and Bella decided to help decorate a little bit, as well. But Vladimir and Stefan just remained where they were, perfectly still. Only Vladimir's eyes moved as he followed the movements of the other vampires, mostly Renesmee. He was absolutely fascinated with her. He wondered what she'd be like when she was fully grown.
Edward looked at him and Vladimir met his eyes.
"Yes?" Vladimir asked from his place. Bella and the rest of the Cullens turned to look at Vladimir, and Stefan finally stirred from his stillness to look at his companion. Edward shook his head, dismissing whatever he had been thinking, and nodded to Vladimir, almost apologetically. It took everyone else a moment longer to look away, but finally everyone pulled their attention from the ancients and resumed their decorating. Almost all of the ornaments were up.
Vladimir's eyes locked on Renesmee when he realized she was skipping toward him now. Bella and Edward were watching her like hawks. Renesmee leaned on the frame of the doorway and asked in her soprano voice, "Don't you want to help? We have a few left."
"No, thank you," Vladimir replied kindly, smiling a bit. Stefan looked up at the vampire-human hybrid.
"Aww, are you sure?"
Vladimir nodded and Renesmee turned and went back to the tree to finish helping, looking a bit disappointed. Vladimir continued to watch her. Suddenly, Stefan leaned over very close, and whispered into Vladimir's ear quietly enough that not even the other vampires could hear him, "You're attracting the attention of the child's parents. They don't seem happy…"
"That I am so interested in their daughter?" Vladimir finished. "I have noticed. But she is just so fascinating. We have never seen anything like her."
Renesmee suddenly jumped up, looking excited.
"I just remembered, I made little presents for everyone!" she exclaimed. Everyone smiled. Renesmee looked up at Edward. She held out her hand and he bent down so she could place it on his cheek. After a few seconds he smiled and nodded. Vladimir and Stefan watched intently.
"Of course, darling, I'll be right back," he said. He turned and was gone in a flash. After maybe two or three minutes, he was suddenly back, holding a tiny box decorated in Christmas colors. He handed it to an excited Renesmee, who sat on the floor and opened it. Inside everyone could see presents made specifically for each of the vampires who were fighting for her life. Swiftly she pulled out a tiny picture of the entire Cullen family and handed it to Esme. Even Alice and Jasper were in it. It had been taken just before they disappeared, and so everyone was in it. Esme smiled and thanked Renesmee.
Next Renesmee pulled out a drawing she had done of him and Esme, and handed it to Carlisle. It was her best one yet and Carlisle took a moment to admire it before thanking her. Next Renesmee pulled two things out and turned to Rosalie and Emmett. She handed a handmade necklace to Rosalie.
"Oh, this is beautiful!" she exclaimed, quickly asking Emmett to put it on for her. He smiled and did as she asked, putting the necklace on around her neck alongside her Olympic necklace. Then Renesmee turned to Emmett and handed him a rock that she, with the help of Edward, had carved to look like a bear. He smiled and took it, giving her a gentle hug.
Vladimir's eyes were glued to her as she went back to the box, reaching inside and pulling out a handful of things. She went to the Denalis next. In her hands were varying pieces of jewelry. Vladimir watched as she passed each of them out; a ring to Eleazar, a necklace to Kate, a choker to Carmen, and a bracelet to Tanya. Vladimir could see clearly that they were like the jewelry that the Cullen family wore, and had the Denali Coven Crest on them. He heard her tell the Denalis, while receiving a group hug, that Emmett had helped her make them.
She went back to the box and pulled out two beautiful metal flowers of different colors, which she handed to the Amazon vampires. She accepted gratefully and Senna gave her a hug. Renesmee pulled out four leaf clover handmade keychains and gave them to the members of the Irish Coven. Maggie gave her a hug, while Siobhan smiled at her and Liam gave her a pat on the head. She returned to the box and pulled out different colored rock pyramids, which she claimed Emmett and Edward had helped her to make, and gave them to the Egyptians. Tia kissed her forehead and Benjamin hugged her, while Kebi gave a sweet smile. Amun and just nodded to her, barely any smile. Vladimir was surprised to discover that the Egyptian leader's lack of gratitude to the small girl ticked him off a bit. Stefan seemed to notice, and Edward glanced at him from over his shoulder, reading his thoughts.
Renesmee didn't seem to care, however. She went back to the box and pulled out a small handmade magnifying glass, which she skipped over to Alistair, who looked surprised. She told him it could help him track things better; he could see the smaller tracks with it. Most of the vampires laughed, even Alistair. The Romanians even chuckled a bit. But Alistair accepted it nonetheless. Renesmee went to Charlotte and Peter next; she handed them matching beaded bracelets and they both thanked her with warm smiles. Then she went to Randall and Mary, and handed the two of them little charms. They thanked her.
Finally, she went to Jacob, and handed him a bracelet identical to the one on her own wrist. His smile couldn't have been bigger and he quickly put it on. Once it was on, she kissed his cheek, and then turned to her parents. She walked tot hem and made them lean down, and then gave them both long, loving kisses, which made them smile like fools, as well. All of the vampires smiled in response.
But the Romanians noticed that they had received no presents. It was then they knew they were truly not trust or liked in the least in the Cullen house, by them or any of their witnesses.
"Merry Christmas, everyone!" Renesmee exclaimed. Everyone returned the saying and was all happy again, sipping more of their holiday blood. Vladimir fell silent again, his eyes falling on the floor, almost disappointed.
And then suddenly, Renesmee nearly screeched. Everyone was shocked and obviously worried something had happened.
"I forgot some!" she all but screamed, bolting upstairs. Everyone watched as she disappeared, and Edward suddenly looked stressed. He whispered something very quietly to Bella and she looked stressed, too. After a minute or so, Renesmee came back into sight, holding another box. She went down the stairs and started straight for the Romanians, who stared at her. She skipped right up to them and opened the box. "I worked really hard on these!"
She pulled out two little metal crowns, handmade. Each had a tiny diamond in the center. She set the box down on the floor and put one of the crowns on Stefan's head, and then reached up to put the other one on Vladimir's head. They both smiled at her, then each other, and then her again. "You two said you used to be in charge of the vampires and the bad guys took it from you. So I made you some crowns! Esme gave me some of her old diamonds."
Vladimir's fascination peaked again. "Thank you so much, young one."
"Yes, thank you," Stefan agreed. The thin, metal crowns were nothing worthy of their actual power, but the simple thought of the crowns was what intrigued the Romanians. Stefan fingered his, feeling its shape but being careful not to knock it off his head.
"Merry Christmas!" Renesmee said, extending her arms to Stefan first. He was very reluctant but then finally reached out, hugging her awkwardly. Vladimir smirked at the sight. Then Renesmee looked to Vladimir. He was just as reluctant to touch the hybrid as Stefan had been, but finally he extended his arms to her and she grabbed him in a hug. He had been curious as to what would happen when she touched him; every time he had watched her touch someone they seemed captured by her charm. Perhaps it was a gift. But nothing supernatural happened to Vladimir. He pulled away from the hug and forced a smile to her again, and she skipped back off to her family, leaving the two ancient immortals to themselves. All of the vampires stared for a moment, murmuring very quietly to one another, and Vladimir watched as Bella and Edward spoke to Renesmee, who looked somewhat offended.
"They're not mean," she suddenly said aloud, and her parents shushed her. Vladimir and Stefan frowned. Vladimir deliberately thought out, She likes us, so why are you so disturbed? We've nothing against the child.
Edward shot him a glare, which Vladimir returned. Stefan nudged Vladimir before disappearing out a door in a flash, leaving his handmade crown on the couch. Vladimir understood his thoughts perfectly. His throat was burning for blood, despite the fact there was some in the house already. He wanted to hunt, and have fun doing it. He stood up, removing his crown and gently setting it on his place on the couch. He noticed Renesmee suddenly looked heartbroken.
"I don't want to lose it," he said, looking right at her. "I will get it when I come back."
Bella shot a very threatening glare right at him.
"We'll stay out of the area," Vladimir hissed at her before disappearing in a flash, quickly catching up with his companion. They both shared the same agitation with the Cullens.
"How about Seattle?" Stefan asked. Vladimir nodded, and they both bolted off into the forest, running side-by-side in the direction of Seattle. Hopefully there would be some food they could torture there.