Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga does not, in any way, shape, or form, belong to me…

A/N: This is my first multi-chapter story, and I'm excited to start writing it. I've chosen to make quite a few changes from the original storyline, which are listed below.

1. I am extremely anti-Edward, so he will not be seen in a positive light. However, I'm also not a fan of Bella's personality in the series, so that will also be altered.

2. I've also made some minor changes to the appearance of one Isabella Swan: her eyes are bright silver in my story, rather than brown. She is also graceful, not clumsy, and her height is 5'9 to Alice's 5'4. These have been changed to better suit the personality that I've designed for her.

3. However, the most significant change is that Alice is intersex in this story, for those of you who missed it in the summary.

Anything else should be made clear as the story unfolds. So, without further ado, let's begin, shall we?

Whispers of Love

Word Count: 3871

Edited: April 15, 2014

"Love is a Familiar;

Love is a Devil;

There is no Evil Angel but Love."

William Shakespeare,

Love's Labour's Lost,

Act I, Scene II

Chapter One: Introductions

Hmm…I could get used to this. For the first time in a long time, I woke slowly, with many lazy yawns and much luxurious stretching. As much as I loved them, Leah and Rachel were always a bit too enthusiastically malicious about waking me up in the mornings.

I hummed quietly to myself in pleasure. I'd always been independent, and now that I was eighteen I was living on my own, though I would only be starting my senior year of high school that very morning. At that last thought, I sat up and glanced at the clock. It was only five minutes before my alarm was set to go off, so I quickly silenced it. Fortunately, I had plenty of time to get ready for my first day at Forks High.

Reluctantly, I left the warmth of my soft bed, leaving the sheets in a tangled disarray of black silk. There was no need for me to shower—I'd always preferred to shower at night before I went to sleep—so I always dressed immediately after I woke up.

Generally, I put little thought into what I wore, but I'd also been raised to believe that what you wore made a statement about you. The world was a superficial place, and people always put too much stock into the image you presented of yourself. So, though little thought went into it, I always dressed well, if not in the way that one would expect. However, I decided that it would be worth it to make the effort that day—first impressions and all that.

I gave my closet a cursory glance, before swiftly collecting my selections. My pajamas, black silk men's boxers and a dark blue sports bra, were discarded in favor of my clothes for the day. A pair of designer dark grey bootcut jeans, a black button-up with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows and the top three buttons left open, and a pair of black steel-toed boots adorned my body, hiding from view my matching black lace bra and boyshorts. A black leather jacket completed my ensemble, each and every piece specially tailored to fit my body perfectly.

As I made my way leisurely down the stairs, I again took in the sight of my house, my new home in the small town of Forks, Washington. It was a two-story, four-bedroom, three-bath home, with a finished attic and basement. So, really, there were four floors in all. The entire thing was a reflection of me, of my desires, as it should be. After all, I had designed it from the ground up.

I'd wanted a house that was completely and utterly mine, from the dark Brunswick brick of the exterior, to the intricate carvings that adorned the black doors and framework of the interior. Every inch of it spoke of my involvement in the process of creating it, and I loved that. I'd spared no expense in the building of my masterpiece, nor had I needed to. My pockets were very deep indeed, and money meant little to me, other than what it meant to the charitable pursuits I presided over on occasion.

I'd intended to arrive a bit early to the school, so I had a simple breakfast of mixed fruit and a glass of milk. It was only five minutes later that I was in the garage, ready to go. I'd always had a photographic memory, so I'd never once made use of a backpack. So, I was empty-handed as I considered my car and my motorcycle, unsure which I would rather use for my first day of school.

Well, I already know I want to make an entrance, so why not start with my car? I grinned, climbing into my baby. It was a brand new, deep blue Lexus LFA. I'd just traded up from my black Nissan GT-R. The seats were black leather, and the windows were so black-tinted that it was impossible for a human to see in from the outside.

Human. A wry smile crossed my face, as I remembered why I'd been so curious and eager to begin my senior year. Forks High was home to more than one species of beings. There was a coven of vampires living in this rainy Washington town—the Cullens. I had never met them before, but my life had long been intertwined with the supernatural.

My guardians, Leah and Rachel Clearwater-Black, were shape-shifters. They shifted into wolves, and they had been my primary caregivers since the death of my parents six years previously, when I was twelve years old. Naturally, I'd noticed that they were different from normal people: they were warmer, stronger, faster, and when they were upset they growled. Before I turned thirteen, I had demanded to know their secret, and they had entrusted me with it.

The two of them were their own Pack, and Rachel was the Alpha. They were separate from the La Push Pack, which was led by Rachel's twin sister, Rebecca Black. They'd been my guardians, my family, and my protectors. Understandably, they were reluctant to have me so close to a coven of vampires, whether they drank human blood or not. But my mind was made up, so we compromised.

Now, I was living in my house in Forks, and the two of them were sharing land with Rebecca's Pack in La Push, just ten minutes down the road. Although, I would miss seeing the two of them in their wolf forms each night, as they went out for a run, Rachel's soft black coat mixing with Leah's light grey pelt.

The drive flew by as I raced through the small town, and as I pulled into the school parking lot, a smirk pulled at my lips. As expected, the other students were staring, awestruck, at my baby. I chose a space in the corner of the lot, away from everyone, and grabbed my sunglasses off the seat next to me before I slid out of the car. No need to get all of the shock factors out of the way at one time.

To all outward appearances, I was studiously ignoring the whispers that erupted around me, but inwardly I was laughing at how easily excited they were. How shallow we humans are! It took only a shiny new car and mysterious new girl to rile us up. I wondered idly if the same could be said for Forks' resident vampires… Well, personally, I fully intended to enjoy the show, though I wouldn't hesitate to set them straight if they approached me with any of their overplayed flattery and pretty words.

I strode toward the office, the picture of confidence and grace, just as I intended. If seen from afar, I entertained the notion that I may even pass for a vampire, to human eyes. A glance around the lot revealed that the vampires, the Cullens, were not around at the moment. But I'd see them soon enough.

"Good morning! How can I help you?" a friendly voice greeted me brightly, and I returned my attention to the matter at hand. The receptionist, whose nameplate declared her to be Mrs. Cope, smiled at me warmly. I flashed a small smile at her, and a blush colored her cheeks. Hmm…interesting.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cope. My name is Isabella Swan, I'm the new student. I've just come to pick up my schedule," I informed her politely, wondering if she would say anything about my choice of eyewear. Luckily, it seemed that I would be allowed to keep my secret a bit longer, seeing as she didn't even seem to take note of it. She was too busy scrambling to accommodate me, I noted, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"Of course, dear!" she agreed, rustling about her desk in a search for my papers, her auburn curls becoming splayed across her shoulders. "Here's your schedule, a map of the school, and I'll need you to get this paper signed by your teachers. You need to bring it back at the end of the day," she explained, and I nodded in agreement. It was simple enough, though there was really no point to the small errand.

Just as I was about to respond, the warning bell for first period rang, and I hummed quietly to myself. "Thank you very much, ma'am. I'll be sure to get that paper signed and bring it back later, but I should be getting to class now," I told her, and she nodded in agreement.

Her voice followed after me, as I turned and walked out the door. "Have a nice day, dear!" she called, before muttering to herself, clearly not realizing that I would hear. "Oh, she's too young, too young…" she scolded herself.

I shook my head in amusement. I was no stranger to the romantic attentions of other, but I'd never encouraged them. It would be cruel, after all, when I had no intention of reciprocating them. Though, Mrs. Cope was one of only a few married women that had directed such interest toward me. I wondered what her husband—or her wife, though I doubted she would flaunt such a relationship in a small town such as Forks—would think of her interest in me, I mused with a silent chuckle, folding the schedule and map before placing them in my pocket. I'd already memorized a map of the school, as well as my schedule.

I shook my head in slight amusement as I walked down the halls, a path opening before me as the other students took notice of my presence. A few were even brave enough to muster a weak greeting, which I answered with a nod. I'd never been much interested in establishing deep relationships with people my own age, never really related to anyone other than my parents and my shifter family.

Well, here goes nothing, I thought, as I crossed the threshold of my first period class, Philosophy with Mr. Rayne. I arrived just before the bell rang, and instantly became the center of attention. To my disappointment, I did not see any of the Cullens within the ranks of wide-eyed teenagers. I ignored my curious classmates in favor of approaching the instructor. He appeared to be absorbed in the attendance list, so I cleared my throat quietly before I began speaking.

"Good morning, sir. Mrs. Cope told me that I needed to have each of my teachers sign this," I informed him, as I presented the paper the receptionist had given me.

"Welcome to Philosophy," he said warmly, as he looked up from his desk, before he seemed to notice my choice of eyewear. He smiled apologetically, and I smirked knowingly. "I'm sorry, Miss Swan, but I'm going to have to ask you to remove your sunglasses. Then, please feel free to introduce yourself to the class before you take your seat," he invited me.

I took a mental breath. No matter how many times I made the big reveal, having done it at least a thousand times before, it still set off my fight or flight instincts. My nerves tightened the slightest bit, and I stiffened imperceptibly where I stood. Of course, outwardly I gave no sign of my anxiety as I reached up to remove my sunglasses in one smooth movement.

3…2…1…

Right on cue, whispers erupted and jaws dropped as they took in the sight of my eyes. It was nothing too drastic, really, just…a bit shocking. I wasn't missing an eye, and I had perfect vision. The surprise was that my irises were bright, glowing silver—not grey, actual silver—which always reminded of the way that Cloud Strife's eyes were described in Final Fantasy VII.

I studiously ignored the stares and whispers as I recited a brief, vague introduction. "My name is Isabella Swan, I'm eighteen years old, I moved here from Seattle, and, yes, my eye-color is natural," I said in slight amusement. That last one always caused at least a few of them to blush, and it didn't let me down, as there were a number of heads turned and glowing cheeks. Though I was sometimes uncomfortable with the unwanted attention, I did find it humorous on occasion.

Mr. Rayne cleared his throat and shook his head a bit. "Well, you're welcome to take either of the empty seats left in the back," he said steadily, impressing me with his quick recovery. I nodded and strode to take the empty seat in the corner. "And, everyone, you should all know that you'll be in these seats for the rest of the year. So, now that that's settled, let's get started," he began.

I listened half-heartedly as he began the typical introductory lecture, my mind drifting back to the coven of vampires I anticipated meeting. My classmates' typical reaction had reminded of one of the reasons that I was so eager to meet the Cullens, who I already knew by reputation.

There were eight Cullens, though they didn't all use the Cullen surname. Two of them were single, and the other six were split into three mated pairs. The mated pairs were Carlisle and Esme, Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Kate. Edward and Alice were the two that remained unmated. Altogether, they made up one of only two known animal-drinking covens in the world.

However, the population of Forks knew them as the Cullen family, which was made up of the giving and compassionate older Cullens and their adopted children. They were seen as untouchable, and they were, truly. They could have any door opened to them, but they kept to themselves for the sake of maintaining their secrecy. In fact, they more than likely thought that it was all a show, the charade they kept up when in the company of humans. Honestly, I had little doubt that they fulfilled both roles more than they realized.

Carlisle and Esme were the leaders of the coven-family. Carlisle was a doctor, and I was certain that he was the most accomplished doctor in the world. He'd had centuries to study medicine, had seen it evolve before his own eyes. Esme, on the other hand, was the loving stay-at-home mother that every child longed for. She pursued various charitable efforts, while her "children" and her mate were away from home. It was entirely likely that she contributed more to charity than any other person in the world, though a very miniscule amount of people were aware of that fact. Together, Carlisle and Esme guided the physically younger vampires through life, and I was eagerly waiting for the day that I had convinced Rachel and Leah to take me to meet them.

Kate and Jasper were two of the Cullen teenagers. Kate was the only one posing as a blood relation to Carlisle. To the people of the town, she was his distant cousin, whose parents died several years ago. She went by the name Denali, which she had carried all her thousand years, the majority of which was spent with her first coven, the Denalis. Jasper was the third oldest vampire in the family, after his mate and Carlisle. He was a soldier through and through, and he had been turned to be a part of the Southern Vampire Wars. He was known as the Major, and he was an empath. Jasper's original surname was Whitlock, but he played the part of Rosalie's twin and used her surname of Hale.

Emmett and Rosalie were the other pair of younger Cullens that were together. Emmett was large and intimidating to look at, but he was known to have a great sense of humor. He was turned by Carlisle, though Rosalie was the one who found him dying. He went by the Cullen name, though his human surname was McCarty. Rosalie Hale was…complicated. Her human life ended in tragedy, and she never asked to become a vampire. She revered human life more than any other Cullen, and it was her deepest desire to have a child of her own. Because of the loss of that dream, she was intensely protective of her family, and she didn't trust easily.

Edward was one of the two unmated vampires in the coven-family. He was a telepath, a mind reader to be specific, and he supposedly had no control over it. He was the first of the Cullen family to be turned by Carlisle, and by all he reports he was an arrogant and misogynistic chauvinist. He'd refused to grow with the times, preferring to hold strong to the ideals that he'd been taught in his human life.

Alice Cullen was the final unmated vampire within the coven. She had the gift of premonition, and she was the only known future-seer in the world, though she was unable to see shape shifters. Alice had no memory of her human life, but she had researched for years before finding her true identity as Mary Alice Brandon. Her memory was lost due to the fact that she spent the last days of her life in a 1920's asylum, undergoing shock therapy because she had visions even as a human, which was considered to be unquestionably insane back then.

As far as anyone knew, it was all fairly straightforward. The Hales had been adopted when they were still young. The three Cullen children had each been in the foster care system before the elder Cullens adopted them. And Kate had been the newest addition a few years previously, and she was the distant cousin of Carlisle, her only remaining family. All in all, it was a story that was very well put together. It was uncommon enough to draw attention, but not so strange that it was suspicious.

Of course, the Cullens were no ordinary vampires, despite the fact that they masqueraded as ordinary humans. They apparently referred to themselves as vegetarians, since their diet was composed of animal blood, rather than human blood. I found that, in particular, to be fascinating.

Vampires, in general, were no less intriguing to me, however. So, I had done as much research as I could, studying handwritten journals—of which I was later granted permission to make bound, book copies—passed down through the tribe. I'd learned quite a bit, and there were a number of undisputed facts about the vampiric species.

They were changed by a single bite. If a vampire had the willpower to stop before their prey was drained, the bitten human would change into a vampire after three days of excruciating pain. Yet, once they woke up, they were granted immortality, nearly impenetrable skin, inhuman beauty, strength, speed… Not to mention the fact that some of them were granted a gift, such as empathy or telepathy, that went beyond the norm of vampiric ability. It was as if they were divine beings, come to walk the earth, yet they had all the flaws of a human. They were merely intensified, particularly when they first awoke.

A newly created vampire was called a newborn, and they were practically crazed by their newly heightened senses and bloodlust. Everything was overwhelming to them, and they had little to no control over their thirst. Newborns needed to be watched over, or else they would quickly expose themselves to humankind through their lack of discretion and blatant disregard for the rules.

Of course, rules and laws mean little more than air if there is nothing to enforce them. That is where Volturi come in. From what I gather, the Volturi—particularly three vampires known as Aro, Marcus, and Caius—are considered the royalty of the vampire world. They oversee all vampires, and they ensure that humans are not made aware of the supernatural world. If any vampire breaks that law, they are quickly sentenced to death.

Of course, no sane vampire, I imagine, would willingly risk the wrath of the Volturi unless they sought death. So, the vast majority of humankind remained oblivious to the extraordinary beings that walked among them, unless they had the misfortune to become the meal of a vampire. Due to that taste for human blood, the majority of vampires had blood-red eyes, which transitioned to black when they became provoked in some way or their thirst remained unsated for a long period of time.

And, again, I was reminded of why I wished to meet the Cullens. Due to their different diet, their irises weren't red, like the rest of their species. Their eyes were bright gold, though they also transitioned to black when they were thirsty or highly emotional.

When I first heard about it, I'd laughed in my incredulity. What were the odds that they had gold eyes, while mine were silver? I remembered thinking that it may well be providence. As the bell for the end of first period rang, a faint smile crossed my lips. Who knows? Perhaps it's fate…

To Be Continued.

A/N: Well, how did I do? I'm really looking forward to getting into this story! I have big plans for Alice and Isabella, as well as the other characters.

1. I do not own Final Fantasy VII, Cloud Strife, or anything else to do with the franchise. It is the sole property of Square Enix. I just borrowed the name of a character and the title of the game!

2. There will be an explanation for Isabella's odd eye color. And yes, I decided to go with "Isabella" rather than "Bella," since it better fits the story.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! I'll have the next chapter up soon, no later than two weeks!

A/N (4/15): I've just made a minor change to the story. I remembered that Rachel had a twin—Rebecca—so, I decided to make her the Alpha of the La Push Pack, rather than Jacob. However, Jacob will still be a part of the Pack, as the Beta.

~Your Dark Archangel