PROLOGUE:


Chapter 1: Strange New Place


I lifted my head from the pillow, my eyes burning as the sunlight poured through the blinds onto my face. It was dull and grey, and it should have brought me some kind of comfort, comfort in knowing that I was safe, but it didn't. It was too much like the sun that sat above the trees of my home town. The home I had to leave so abruptly once I had become what I would forever be.

I should have lifted myself from the bed, gotten dressed and gone out to the kitchen and eat breakfast, but I didn't. None of me moved. I lay perfectly still, staring through the blinds at the grey sky above.

This place was so strange, new faces passing every day. I just wanted to be home, with my friends and my family, with my pack. But I couldn't. Not now, and not ever again.

I was an outcast, even though none of it was my fault.I was alone, utterly and completely alone.

I shut my eyes tightly, wishing I could just lay in this bed forever. But that wouldn't be much better. In sleep I saw my former life, my childhood, everything I had ever known. It was just too hard to think about but I couldn't stop myself.

If I could pinpoint the moment everything changed, it'd be that faithful night two months ago, as I walked home alone under the night sky, unaware of the monsters lurking in the shadows. Truthfully I knew. I had heard so many stories as a child from Linas and the others, but maybe I didn't care. Maybe I thought it couldn't happen to me. I guess I was wrong wasn't I?

It all happened so quickly. That man attacked me, and then I became one of them, not three days before my thirteenth birthday. It was ironic, as on my thirteenth birthday I would officially become part of the pack, how quickly all of that changed.

I squeezed my hands against my chest, remembering the burning pain that came from the bite in my neck. The strange visions and the pain, it was so terrible. After that I knew I was different, I didn't even have to be told.

I could see it in my face, my eyes were suddenly a dark red, and it terrified me. I didn't even hesitate; I went straight to Linas, but found Grazyna.

I cringed slightly, remembering the feeling her hand as it swat across my face before she chased me out of town. Why did she hate me so much? I never remembered her hating me when I was a child, why did she hate me so much now?

I didn't want to keep thinking of what happened. It didn't help me now. This was my home, until either the Cullen's got sick of me, or their enemies killed me.

I could hear movement beyond the door, Mrs. Clearwater muttering softly to herself.

She was a nice woman, very motherly and kind. But then she was not a mother, not mine anyway, she had two children of her own. The only reason I was even here was because she was helping out the Cullens.

I sighed heavily, my eyes ticking up to the window again. I guess I had to get up.

I moved slowly to my feet, pulling off the t-shirt and pajama pants she given to me. Dropping them onto the floor, I looked over the small pile of clothes that Alice had bought for me on top the night stand.

It was very strange how kind they were all being to me.

I was always told that suviliotojas - or vampires- should be avoided. But these 'Cullen's' were different. Not like the man whom tried to kill me in the alley. They seemed almost human, and they got along good with the wolves in this town. They were comrades, which never would have happened back home.

As I got dressed I thought over everything Linas had ever told me and my siblings about suviliotjas. He had always said they were evil and murderous, that they slaughtered thousands of our kind long before any of us were even born. It was extermination, an attack on our species so that they could hunt without any competition. It seemed like such a fantasy to me back then, but I should have known, I was already living in a fairytale.

I was taken in by Linas as early as I can remember, becoming one of his daughters in every sense of the word. He cared for me and my siblings, feeding and raising us, sending us to school and providing us with the best he could offer. He sent us to the best schools, enabling us to learn at a level far greater than any other kids our age. That is probably why I was how I am now. But who knows? Probably being told you were going to become a monster at the age of thirteen sped up the maturity process. You knew what your life would end up being, so you didn't waste your time dreaming like other children.

I walked out into the hallway, seeing Mrs. Clearwater standing in the kitchen. She smiled brightly at me, pulling out the chair for me before I even reached the table. She was so nice.

As I picked away at the plate of eggs and sausage, I couldn't help but smell her blood. It smelt so good to me, far better than what was in front of me. I guess I didn't really think about these things after it happened, I was too scared to notice how every deer or rabbit running past me smelt so delicious. I wish she wouldn't stand so close to me, the burning was making my throat raw! I turned away from her, staring at the fork in my hand. I hated this! I hated feeling like a monster; I hated how every pulse made my throat burn and my body tense. How every person walking by smelt so good to me! At least in our pack we were only monsters according to the moon, the rest of the time we were basically human. But now, now I was totally a monster and it was making me sick.

The door opened quickly, Mrs. Clearwater's son striding in happily.

"Hey". He said lightly, his eyes glittering against his dark messy hair.

I smiled weakly up at him, the burning in my throat weakening. At least Seth knew what it was like to not be human. Even though he and the others here weren't technically children of the moon, they were a pack. They knew the feeling of being completely devoted to something other than you.

He slid into the chair beside me, glancing up at his mother.

"You're filthy". She said swatting her hand over the top of his head as he laughed.

"Yeah well, that's life". He chuckled as he shook his head. "Dr. Cullen asked me to bring you back to the house." He said turning to me slowly.

I nodded carefully, feeling a lump growing in my throat. Truthfully I was nervous, a house full of vampires, no matter how kind they were still scared me. I shoveled the remainder of the food into my mouth, flashing a quick smile up at Mrs. Clearwater when I finished.

"Thank you." I said softly. It felt so strange to be speaking English so often. I had only even learned it because Linas had made me, but I didn't imagine I'd have to use it.

"No problem dear". She said warmly as Seth jumped to his feet.

"Let's go". He said darting to the door as I followed quickly behind.

We were at the trees a few minutes later, Jacob and Leah talking quietly to each other when we arrived. I felt my body freeze as I looked over Jacob. He was just so huge, it still scared me. He smiled quickly at me before turning away and phasing into his wolf form. Leah did the same, sprinting after him as Seth walked along side me.

I stared after them as they ran, feeling my chest clench. Would I ever know the feeling of being a wolf; to run freely without any boundaries to stop me? I would already be one if it wasn't for what happened.

I slid my hands into my pockets, Seth whistling softly beside me.

"So how do you like my old room"? He said turning his head down at me.

I shrugged slightly, listening to him laugh.

"I know it isn't the four seasons-"

"It isn't that". I said earnestly, not wanting to offend one of the few people I felt comfortable enough to talk to. "It's just strange that's all".

He nodded slowly, his eyes following Leah and Jacob as they ran on either side of us. "Yeah, I bet. It can't be easy. But you're lucky they found you".

I looked away, my eyes turning up to the tall trees.

"If it were any other vamps, you'd probably be dead".

"I should be". I muttered as I glanced back at him. "I shouldn't even be here."

He nodded again, falling silently into his thoughts. I guess he didn't really have much to add. What could he? Did he know what it was like to not belong anywhere, to be an outcast? No. Only one person could relate to me when it came to that. And that person was a toddler.

We were slowly getting closer to the house and I could already smell them.

The largest one, Emmett, was hunting with the mind reader Edward. They were about fifty feet away. The motherly one, Esme, was in the kitchen cooking. I could faintly smell the pretty one Rosalie, and the other three were scattered around the house also.

"Esme makes the best stuff. At least you like human food more than blood". Seth laughed as his hand closed around my shoulder.

Yeah I liked human food alright, that is until a human entered the room.

I sighed as the house came into view, Seth quickening his pace and dragging me along at his side. My nerves got the better of me again, and I felt my mouth closing tightly as we stepped onto the porch.

Dr. Cullen greeted us at the door, his smile just as bright and perfect as ever. I thought it was strange that these vampires's smiled so much. How could they smile when they were going completely against their nature by not killing humans? Whatever the reason he was one of the most polite and beautiful men I had ever seen, his sons not included.

We followed him into the house, Seth quickly abandoning me to run into the kitchen and ask what Esme was cooking. I felt Carlisle's hand drop carefully onto my shoulder, the chill of his skin radiating through the thin material of my shirt. I shivered slightly, watching his lips mouth a 'sorry' as his hand fell away. We walked into the dining room, Carlisle talking softly about what was the reason he had me come.

I was once again going to be a test subject, as he was going to test my power. I really didn't want to. What I had done in the forest back home to not only three of my brothers but that vampire was too frightening. But Carlisle must have seen my face as his hand was on my shoulder again as he whispered comforting things to me.

I settled in a chair across from him, a small metal table between the two of us. He sat opposite of me, his golden eyes moving over my face softly.

"It is alright Adura. We're just going to see if you can control it, so I'm going to give you something to focus on". He whispered glancing at the door. He pulled out a leather case, opening it on the table swiftly.

He pulled out a bunch of silver instruments, weird devices you would see in a horror movie. I kept reminding myself that he was a doctor, and vampire or not he wasn't going to intentionally do anything to me. I watched him take a scalpel out, holding it before his eyes as he looked at me.

"You have to swear to me you won't tell Esme about this, she tends to overreact a little bit". He said with a half smirk as I nodded.

What could he possibly have in mind that she'd overreact about? I gasped softly as he brushed the tip of the scalpel along the bottom side of his forearm, scraping away the pale skin smoothly. I cringed as he remained stoic and composed, the blade not even affecting him.

What could self mutilation have to do with me? I watched him pull a small piece of skin off, dropping it on the top of the table as he laughed dryly.

"It's alright. It heals very quickly." He said as he held his arm up. The wound was already healed, the pale skin bare of even the faintest scratch.

I glanced weakly back at the piece of flesh on the table, feeling my stomach clench. What was I supposed to do?

"I want you to concentrate on that." He muttered placing the scalpel down as he looked at me strongly. "Do whatever you can to duplicate what you did in the forest. Whatever emotion provoked your power, feel it again. Focus right there". He whispered pointing at the lump of flesh.

Emotion? What could he mean by that? I tried to think of what I felt when that vampire tried to attack me. Fear obviously, anger, determination to survive. I breathed slowly as I let my thoughts become consumed with those emotions.