Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

A/N: This story will be about 8 chapters long with an epilogue. All chapters are already written. They just have to be beta'd and then posted. I hope to get all of it up within 2 to 3 weeks. I've decided to try and finish any new stories before posting so that you don't have to wait too long for my posts. I'm still working on A Tortured Soul and The Auction but I'm in a little bit of a rut right now with those two, and decided to get this one out there in the time being. I hope you enjoy this. It was inspired by an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, though I've taken a lot of licenses on this one.

Thanks again to my beta, icrodriguez. :)

Chapter 1 - Invisible

It was a new town, a new school, and new people to openly stare at Edward and his siblings. Being the new family in town was bad enough, but being inhumanly beautiful didn't help with the gawking and disturbing thoughts of the teenagers of Forks High.

Having been alive for over a century, and being in high school more times than he cared to remember, Edward was accustomed to their reactions. Humans simply weren't used to such beauty and grace, it wasn't natural; which is why they shied away from his kind. As appealing as they were to their prey, human instinct told them to stay away. And they did – for the most part. Though there were times when he had to deal with the occasional flirtatious female, Edward had become adept at deflecting their advances.

Edward was prepared for another monotonous day of playing the role of perfect son to the town's good doctor. He didn't mind it actually. Being in school got him out of the house and away from the raging hormones of his siblings, and sometimes, his parents. Edward was the only one in their coven without a mate and, up until recently, it never occurred to him to mind. But as of late, he was feeling more and more alone, wishing that he could find that one person to share his existence with.

He wasn't precisely sure what it was that had him feeling this way now. But it wasn't just seeing his family so complete and utterly happy with their mates, their whole world revolving around the other. It was the fond memories he had of his mother and father, Elizabeth and Edward Masen, and how blissfully happy they were together when he was a young boy. He remembered very vividly the loving looks his father would give his mother and the kisses they would sneak when they thought he wasn't looking. They were devoted to each other implicitly.

Edward didn't remember much of his life before his change, but those tiny, tender moments between his parents lingered with him. He had always wanted a love like that; this, a human memory he remembered even now. He had escorted his fair share of young girls on afternoon strolls through the park or shared tea and cookies with them on rainy days, hoping to find what his parents had found in one another. It took only minutes into the date to realize that he did not feel even a flicker of the fire that his parents seemed to hold for each other.

He always knew instantly when there was no spark, and with each date that ended, he became just a little more jaded. He had wished so badly to find someone to love and to love him in return, but when his change took place the dream of finding that person had died along with his humanity. But recently, something within him had changed. As if something within him had shifted. He didn't know exactly what it was, but he knew without a doubt that now more than anything, he wanted to find someone to spend eternity with.

He was ready to begin searching again. When one lived forever it was only natural to want to find someone to spend that time with. But how was he to go about it? He certainly didn't feel anything for the female vampires he encountered, and surely he couldn't just pluck a young human girl off the streets and change her. He couldn't fathom doing that to some poor unsuspecting girl.

It wasn't that Edward didn't have opportunities; on the contrary. In fact, many women over the years had shown a lot of interest in him, but he could never bring himself to pursue something with any of them, not even friendship. Edward was always a very withdrawn person, perhaps a bit too sullen for his own good, and tended to avoid relationships. But on the insistence of his sister Alice he would occasionally engage in friendly banter with the rare female, something was always off – never quite right.

Edward needed more than just a pretty face. He needed to connect on a deeper level. But no matter how often he refused advances or turned down sexual offers, women still persisted. He laughed at the thought of how many women threw themselves at his feet, specifically Tanya. The woman was incorrigible – never taking no for an answer. Sometimes, if Edward was being honest, her persistence frightened him. As the only virgin of the Cullen family, Tanya had taken it upon herself to try and steal his virtue. So far, Edward had been lucky enough to fend her off.

As Edward sat in Biology, he let his loneliness wash over him, which was even more evident to him while playing human. He didn't know in which world he felt more alone, human or vampire.

The day was almost out, and Edward was somewhat relieved and saddened by the thought. He did not look forward to going home and being reminded of his constant state of bachelor-hood, but more importantly, he couldn't wait to get away from all the incessant thoughts and mindless chatter of the kids around him. It was a lose/lose situation that Edward often found himself in. He tried his best to ignore the lustful and inappropriate images currently swirling around in his head, but it was proving quite difficult as most of them were centered on him. He shuddered at the numerous graphic images of him in random states of undress.

Edward did his best to push out everyone else's thoughts and began to let his mind wander to more interesting things as the teacher began his lecture on mitosis. And just as the teacher's first words reached Edward's ears, he caught the most delicious scent he had ever come across in his torturously long life. It was a scent - he realized appallingly - that he would gladly and willingly kill for. Edward had never been so tempted in all his years. His first reaction was to seek out the source of the delectable scent and drain the human quickly. The aroma had his mind racing and the venom dripping down his throat. He licked his lips in desperate anticipation.

Shaking his head, Edward brought himself out of his daze. Disgusted by his own murderous thoughts, he clutched the edge of the table to keep from launching himself at the owner of the delicious aroma. But there was just one problem. Edward didn't know whom it was coming from. It smelled so close - almost as if it were right next to him - but aside from him the table was empty. The seat beside him was unoccupied, and according to the teacher, it had been all year. So where was the smell coming from? Edward felt as if he were going absolutely insane. That scent, the wonderful floral smell, would surely be the death of him. He didn't know if he could stand another ten minutes confined to this class with that maddening smell.

He swallowed back the venom saturating his mouth, and shut down his senses. He stopped his breathing immediately, refusing to lose control in a classroom full of innocent bystanders. Because Lord knows if he lost control, there was no hope for any of them. He would surely slaughter the entire class to get to the blood he so desperately needed.

He tightened his grip on the table and began scanning the room, frantically trying to locate the source of his personal hell. As his eyes raked over the blissfully unaware students, he heard a voice. It was a small voice, so low he wasn't even sure he had heard it at all. It was quite obviously female and filled with nothing but concern. It shocked him to realize that the concern was for him.

"He doesn't look too good. I hope he's alright. It would be terrible for him to be sick on his first day in a new school. It's not exactly something you want to be remembered for." There was a sigh and then, "Almost as bad as not being remembered at all. Great! Now I'm talking to myself." The last part of the girl's statement was filled with such bitterness that it startled him.

Now, not only did Edward need to find from whom the scent belonged to, but from whom this new voice came from as well. It was not a voice he recognized. It was not familiar in the least, and he had already memorized every voice in each of his classes. He had neverheard this magnificent voice before, for he would have remembered it if he did. It was gentle and inviting.

Edward whipped his head to the right, certain that it had come from that direction. As he did this, he heard a sharp intake of breath.

"His eyes are black - how did they change color?" The voice paused, then, "Still beautiful, though," the girl mused under her breath.

He looked over his shoulder at the students sitting behind him, his eyes wide and more than likely, wild and beastly looking. He could only assume that it had come from one of them. Edward knew this was a fruitless effort, but where else could the voice have come from? It was the only logical explanation as there was no one beside him. That he was certain of.

A girl, he remembered her name being Angela Weber, stared right back, her thoughts somewhat frantic and scared.

"Did you say something?" Edward whispered angrily. He felt guilty for being so blatantly rude, but he couldn't help the irritation from seeping through in his tone. The mysterious voice, coupled with the delicious scent, would be his undoing. He was already at his wits end.

She shook her head, unable to say a word, the fear prominent on her innocent face. The boy next to her, Ben Cheney, did not like the way Edward had spoken to her, and thus made it clear with the scowl he was sending his way. Edward briefly recalled a few thoughts from this young boy's mind from earlier. He fancied this Angela Weber, and as such was quite protective of her.

Edward stifled a laugh at the thought of a mere human trying to intimidate a vampire, but found he was quickly filled with respect and admiration for the boy. His intentions were honorable and gentlemanly. Not something you came across very often this day in age. He certainly couldn't fault him for being a decent human being.

"What the hell was that about? Why is he so angry at Angela?"

There was that voice again - this time slightly louder. Edward was certain it was not his imagination, but he still couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Well, truth was, he did know where it was coming from – right next to him – but that simply could not be. It was impossible. Edward closed his eyes and listened harder. He let every other noise around him fade away - pens running across paper, fingernails tapping against the desktops, the quiet whispers of the gossiping girls in the back - until there was nothing left but silence.

He sought out the voice again and heard nothing. But something else pricked his ears. Something he only just noticed. There was a heartbeat…right…next to him. It was erratic and beating swiftly. Along with that heartbeat he heard the distinct sound of someone breathing softly. Why was he only just picking up on the heartbeat? His vampire senses were too keen to not have noticed it instantly.

He raked a hand through his hair roughly and decided to try something completely insane. He mumbled, too low for anyone else to hear, "Is someone there?"

He heard a gasp from beside him, and then, ever so softly, "Is he talking to me? He can hear me? But no one's heard me in so long."

Edward turned his head slowly to the spot next to him. No one was there, but he clearly heard the voice. There was no mistaking it now. It was real. She was real, whoever she was. The girl's heart began to race as his eyes settled on the stool next to him.

"Who are you?" he whispered. His eyes darted around, and luckily, no one else had heard him speak.

The beautiful voice was so melodic and enchanting. Edward wished she would speak again. He realized he was holding his breath, waiting anxiously to hear her voice again. As his eyes scanned the empty space beside him he saw the stool twitch slightly, and then he faintly heard the patter of feet running to the back classroom door.

Immediately, Edward jumped to his feet and followed the footsteps. Ignoring the stares of the students and the teacher's warnings of detention, he walked through the threshold and into the hall. Edward stood in the middle of the empty hallway, searching the barren corridor, listening intently for any signs of movement or breathing. And then, he caught the scent - her scent - that heavenly aroma. The one that was driving him insane with bloodlust from the moment he smelled it. The venom once again pooled in his mouth and dripped down his aching throat. The burn was almost unbearable. He swallowed it down, determined to beat his overwhelming need for this girl's blood. He would not give in to his hunger. He would not feed the monster. He hadn't in so many years and he wouldn't allow it to win now.

Edward sniffed the air, following the trail to the end of the hall, not to harm her, but to find out what was going on. He needed to know what was going on. He walked toward the door leading to the courtyard, coming to a stop not five feet away from it when he heard soft humming. It was a sweet melody - something that was familiar; a classical piece perhaps? As he approached, the humming came to an abrupt stop and he was suddenly saddened at the loss of such a mesmerizing voice.

"Hello?" he called softly.

Surprisingly, Edward found that the mouthwatering scent of this girl's blood was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. Suddenly, feeding was pushed to the backburner. The fragrance was much more potent now than in the classroom. It was becoming much, much stronger. But as intoxicating as the smell was to him, it was not calling out to the vampire in him. It was appealing, more than anything else, to the man inside him. He was finding it irresistible in a way that had him yearning to be close to her in a manner Edward had never experienced. This startled Edward.

Now, more than ever, he was desperate to understand out what was going on. Why was he hearing a voice, but not seeing anyone? These weren't simply someone's thoughts he was hearing,for Edward could tell the difference between thoughts and actual voices. A person's internal voicesounded slightly different, softer, than their natural tone. And why did no one else hear her? The voice wasn't too low for anyone else to have noticed, but it seemed that he was the only one who could hear her. Why was that? More importantly, why was he feeling this undeniable pull towards her?

Edward sensed a strong presence, though he could not see a soul around. He inched closer to the door, not knowing what else to do. And as he moved closer, the girl's heart began to beat faster and faster, pounding wildly in her chest. So forcefully in fact, that Edward feared it might actually break right through to the floor. He didn't want her to fear him. That was the last thing Edward wanted.

As Edward listened to the sound of her beating heart, it grew louder to his ears, as did her breathing. His senses seemed to be growing accustomed to her, as if they were seeking her out. Before, Edward was barely aware of her, but now, the sound of her racing heart and heavy breathing were all that he could hear, all that seemed to matter.

Her breathing slowed to short, gasping breaths and her pulse began to even out. Edward licked his lips nervously and her breath hitched a little, her heart skipping a beat. He was so acutely aware of her it frightened him. A faint charge of electricity began to fill the air around him and the hairs on Edward's arms began to stand on end. The intensity of it seemed to grow the longer he stayed within her reach. He shivered slightly at the feeling. He had never felt anything like this before. What was it?

Edward scrunched his brows together in thought. He reached out with his mind to hers but felt nothing. There was nothing there. He knew she had not gone, because he could still pick up her scent, still feel her near him. That energy that thrummed between them was only increasing in force. It touched his fingers and ran up his arms, enveloping his entire body and radiating to his chest. It slowly surrounded his heart and tugged gently. He gasped at the exact moment she did.

Edward's eyes darted up, and he wondered briefly if her eyes were meeting his. He reached out his hand slowly, at seemingly nothing at all, but for a split second his fingers came into contact with something warm and soft. And for that split second, he simultaneously felt another jolt shoot through his entire system and straight to his heart. Another loud gasp left the girl.

It was a shocking feeling, just like before, but a feeling that he would welcome back eagerly. Electricity coursed through his veins, warming him to his very core. His skin tingled with the aftershocks, and for just a moment, his heart felt alive again. He felt complete; something he'd never felt before now.

Edward had never felt so alive before, so on fire. It was as if thousands of electric currents were charging his body. But as quickly as he had felt this amazing energy, it was gone, as was the feel of what he could only assume was the girl whose voice he was hearing. The door had been shoved open abruptly, by nothing and no one at all, and the heartbeat was gone, along with her scent, which had begun to grow stronger. Edward now recognized what that smell was - freesias. His heart suddenly felt empty, emptier than ever before.

Edward followed quickly, not knowing what else to do, but knowing full well he couldn't lose her. Something urged him onward. He began searching the school grounds frantically, though he knew he would see no one. The bell sounded just as Edward finally caught wind of her scent and when he made to follow it, the student body quickly piled out of the school and engulfed the campus in a frenzy of warm bodies, making it near impossible to track her with the mingling aromas.

Edward closed his eyes in concentration, trying desperately to latch onto her scent again, when he was suddenly jolted back to reality by a light tap on his shoulder. He glanced down, meeting the inquisitive gaze of his sister Alice.

"What happened, Edward?" Her voice was serious. He had a feeling she would have seen this.

He tore his eyes away from his sister and looked back out onto the school grounds, not really focusing. "I'm not sure, Alice. I can't explain it," he said quietly, his eyes darting over the campus.

Moving to stand in front of him, she caught Edward's attention once again. "Edward, I had a vision," she whispered softly.

"What was it?" he asked quickly. If it was about that girl, he needed to know.

She sighed heavily. "All I know is that you need to speak to Angela."

"Weber?" he asked incredulously. What use could she possibly be? She nodded slowly, cautiously glancing around them to make sure no one was listening. "About what?" he prodded.

"I don't know exactly, but whomever this is - the person that you're looking for - I can't get an accurate read on them," she said. He looked at her, shocked. Nothing like this had ever happened to Alice before, and she was clearly as irritated about the predicament as Edward was confused by it. "I'm not sure why, but I can't…I can't-" She huffed loudly before continuing. "I can't see them. It's like they don't even exist."

Let me know what you think. :D