Alignment

preface

Walking through forks was like walking through a ghost town, the overwhelming green made me feel sick, the lack of people unnerved me. All living beings had fled, unaware of the danger that followed. Those who had not fled held a much worse fate. Seeing their lifeless eyes and bloodless corpses sent a shiver through me, I wanted to avenge their killers, the cloaked ones before me. But my own robe held me to them, in an alliance that would save my new family, at the cost of my free will. I was slave to them, part of them and a killer with them. I was as much to blame for the carnage and my family knew that. They would fight and I would fight them. I would fight the man I loved. How had it come to this?

chapter 1 compromises

A familiar fanfare trilled through the music and I recognized my cue. Wagner's traditional march became the funeral march as I tread down the Cullen's stair case. I scanned the room, then I notice something a miss with the guests. As I moved closer I notice their still lifeless corpses, their bloodless faces and the shocked expressions registered on each of their faces. I glanced around for my groom, when I caught site of myself in a panel of glass. I gasped aloud at the unrecognizable face staring back at me, eyes red with blood lust, crisp white dress streaked with fresh crimson. In the reflection I spied Edwards face staring at the spectacle before him. The look overwhelming his face was not that of love, like a groom should have, it was of horror and disgust.

I opened my eyes suddenly, taking in the welcoming darkness. My hands griped the duvet like a vice and my heart pounded so loud I worried it would wake Charlie. Even if Charlie couldn't hear it I knew some one else could. I twisted my body and wrapped my arms around the ice cold figure next to me.

"Whats wrong Bella?" whispers a velvety voice, too low to risk waking Charlie but loud enough for me to have heard the concern in his tone.

"Nothing, it was just a bad dream" I murmur sleepily. I peer up at his face, checking if he believed me. His topaz eyes relax as they gazed adoringly at me. A million words could not describe the perfection of his face, he was like a marble statue of a Greek god, carved by angels. Edward presses his smooth cold lips against mine, I return the kiss eagerly, trying to forget the dream. After what seems like forever (but is still too soon) he pulls back slowly.

"Your car will be here tomorrow" he breaths. I groan and pout sadly at the loss of my Chevy. It seems only too coincidental that it should make its last journey only days after the twisted compromise I had made with Edward, that he should be allowed to get me a more suitable car once my truck had passed away. However I didn't bargain on him getting me two cars. I went still in his arms as I remembered the fury I'd felt toward him for that. He realized the reason for my stillness and sighed, as if trying to make some over exhausted point,

" The before car and the after car" he reasoned, swiftly blocking any reply by softly pushing his lips against mine again.

I wrapped my legs around him as I mumble the words " what about your side of the deal" . He stopped kissing me abruptly, they way he always reacted when he though things had gone too far, when he though he was endanger of hurting me.

"I agreed I would try after the wedding, but not before. I need to be as prepared as possible, I could kill you" he said with obvious pain.

That was the problem with Edward being a vampire, he was beautiful, he was immortal, but he was strong and he was still a vampire. I knew my blood was the sweetest thing to him, and just being near me tortured his thirst, burnt him inside. He claimed that loosing me before had stopped that ache, but we both knew if he got too close, went too far he risked loosing control. Years of carefully built control would be wasted in moments and he would kill me. I didn't care, all I wanted was him. All of him. This is the one thing I wouldn't compromise on, the one human experience I wouldn't miss out on. My eyes drifted sub-consciously to the engagement ring on my finger, a handmedown of Edwards. It seemed to me like everyone was staring recently and the new car would not help that. The Cullen's taste in cars tended to be pricey and very fast. The least noticeable was Edward's Volvo S60, the worst was probably Alice's canary yellow Porsche 911 turbo. With me being so accident prone you could guarantee my car would be even more stand-outish. My web of compromises seemed to span in to a tangled mess. What would happen would happen, as long as he made good on his side of the deal, and as long as I got to keep him forever.

I curled my head into the curve of his shoulder allowing my chocolate brown hair to pool across his lean arms and stare into the darkness, enjoying the companionable silence between us, counting the minuets until morning.

Morning came and the dim light highlighted the rain that drizzled down miserably. Forks was the wettest place in the continental US, and when I first came here I hated it. However the dull weather proved ideal for a certain family that couldn't be seen in sunlight as it would reveal them for what they truly were. I had seen Edward in the sun and it was the most wonderful sight I have ever saw. The sun shattered across his skin like it was being passed through thousands of crystal. Remembering that day in the meadow brought both a shiver and a smile.

"What are you thinking about?" queried Edward in an almost frustrated tone. It seemed odd to him that he couldn't hear my thoughts. Normally people couldn't hear thoughts, but some vampires had special talents (or 'gifts') and Edwards was that he could read every mind, except mine, i was the anomaly, I was mentally mute. i was glad he couldn't hear my thought sometimes. But only talents that affected the mind couldn't touch me. Talents that physically manipulated you were different. Alice and Jasper also had talents. Alice could see the future( including my own), but only when a person decided on something did the future become definite. Jasper could sense and control the emotions of those around him, the physic and the empath. They were together. the Cullen's were all even in numbers now Edward had me.

"You in the meadow" I grinned at him.

" The beautiful skin of a killer" he retorted smirking at my obvious happiness at the thought.

" I'm not scared"I stated.

" You shouldn't have said that" he growled playfully, bundling me up in his arms. " would you be more scared if I jumped out of the window with you?"

I gulped "no?" in a movement so fast it didn't exist we were both on the window ledge.

" You really shouldn't have said that" he chuckled as he threw us both trough the air. His strong body cushioned mine as we landed with a muted thud, his lips pressed against my neck. mouth slightly parted, teeth grazing my oh too thin skin.

"Enough games, you've graduated so why not get it over with" his tone suddenly serious.

I gulped as he pressed his lips harder against my skin.

"scared?" he growled

"Yes" i said my breathing harsh, "and soaked" I smiled at him

"Good" he grinned back as he pulled away from me. He smiled his dazzling crooked smile that loved so much.

"Get me back before Charlie wakes" I giggled as the rain blew through my cloths. In another speed defying movement we were back up in my room. Edward readied himself to launch out the window a second time, alone. he paused momentarily.

"I'll pick you up at 11:30 to see you new car" he said it as if he were announcing world peace, or something else equally as merited. I fell face first onto my bed as a reply. I looked back up and he was gone. I sat on my bed moaning inwardly at the thought of the new car. A moment later Edward was back, his expression that of someone who had forgotten something very important. He stalked over to me and kissed me like a drowning man, I lead back and enjoyed the moment, knowing I wouldn't see him again for quiet a few hours. That may not seem like much to some, but when your desperately and completely in love it seems like an eternity when your apart.

Edward stopped and turned his head as if listening for something.

" Charlie's awake" he murmured as if by means of an explanation" I have to go"

I wanted to argue, to beg him to stay, after all Charlie knew of our engagement .But thought reasoned with me and after one brief kiss I let him go.