The Other Cullen
Raven
Prologue
1894
I didn't know how bad my sickness was until my mother left me. She told me she had to forget me or she would die along with me. I cried because I knew it was the only thing I could do. The last thing I remember about my mother was her back walking out on me. After she had gone my sickness got worse and worse I could barely breathe and I was so hot the touch of my skin felt like the tip of the flame. No one would tell me what was wrong with me and that scared me most of all. Soon I expected there wasn't anyone else in this God forsaken hospital but me. I felt so alone. No one ever checked up on me, I guess they found no reason to do so. My mother had always told me to pray and ask God to forgive me. She told me I was the reason I was sick and that I deserved everything God did to me. I believed her even though I didn't know what I had done to be punished so harshly. I thought God loved me but yet he made me suffer, I do not hate him though just as I do not hate my mother for leaving me I only wish I had been a better girl so they wouldn't have left me. Maybe when I die things will be different.
Today was like all the rest. I grimaced against the pain begging for help. I looked over at the single barred window and watched the rain cascade down the glass. In a way it was the most relaxing thing I had ever seen. That's when the door opened and a tall man with an angelic pale face walked into the room. He walked over to me sitting in the steel chair beside my bed. He looked into my eyes for awhile, this must be it, God had sent his angel to take me away. I tried to relax and closed my eyes, it was time for me to go. A soft smile came across my face, it felt so out of place.
"Lana, my name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen and I'm here to help you," his voice was as smooth as silk and fell over my body with a vibe of relaxation. "I want you to trust me when I say I do not want you to die. Do you believe me? Do you trust me?"
"Yes," I whispered, wanting him to keep talking so his voice could wash away the pain.
"I'm going to give you a gift, a gift you might hate, one you will hate me for giving it to you. In giving you this gift, I will give you life and a ticket to hell. Like I have told you before I do not want you to die and for that I'm sorry," he lifted my head wiping my hair from the side of my neck. I sighed and then there was pain. I had met the angel of death.