Authors Note: Hello readers I started this book when Bree meets Carlisle in The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner. I rewrote it because I found it wrong to put it I'm Stephanie's words, and I couldn't find a better place to start. Hope you enjoy.
Diego was dead. I would never hear him goof off about our ninja club. I would never see his curly black hair bounce up and down. I would never hear his melodic voice again. His rock lips would never fit mine again. I would never be able to tell him I love him. The realization hit me like a wrecking ball. And then something as solid as one hit me literally. I flew to the ground as despair attacked me. Maybe I would join Diego when this was over, I thought.
"Please!" I cried, sobbing tearlessly. I wanted this to be fast, so I wouldn't feel too much pain. My attacker hesitated, and my instincts were screaming for me to attack. I knew it would be useless; he wasn't weak like Riley said, more like drilled into us. I held still, hoping, no praying, it to be quick. Diego was dead and that fact killed me. The vampire was blonde, and he looked very unhappy about what he was doing. Suddenly I was airborne and crashed into a tree soon after. I was positive that I should run, but I simply couldn't. Diego was diminished and that was all that mattered. Despair froze me as the blonde one evaluated me. In a crouch, he was ready if I suddenly attacked.
"Please," I croaked wanting to get this despair over with, "I don't want to fight." I was surprised I managed to choke out so many words. He didn't release the tension, but an unfamiliar emotion flooded his face. He looked wise with age, and then I tried to put a name to the way he looked at me. Empathy, maybe, it was hard to tell.
"Neither do I, child," he soothed me calmly, "We are only defending ourselves." I was frustrated, he seemed so earnest that I realized, it mustn't be hard for Riley to add one more lie to his list. Guilt seeped into me because I had believed all the ridiculous lies about these yellow eyes.
"We didn't know," I ashamedly explained. Riley lied, I'm sorry." The thought of Riley made me want to snarl, but I resisted. He paused, listening for something. I wondered if he wanted me to continue when I realized he probably was figuring out the battlefield. I stopped to hear absolute silence. There was a winner, and I had no doubt who it was. Seconds later a women walked out. She had flowing wavy brown hair and was confused as she hurried to the man's side.
"Carlisle?" she was puzzled as she stared at me.
"She doesn't want to fight," he told. Suddenly, the female's face was colored with sincerity. She gently tapped the man's arm who had only tensed his crouch more with her arrival.
"She's so frightened, Carlisle. Couldn't we..." the unfinished question floated in the air. And the man, Carlisle, straightened the slightest movement; however, his eyes were still wary.
"We have no wish to harm you; we didn't want to fight any of you." She had a very soothing voice that made it impossible to doubt her.
"I'm sorry," I repeated, wishing the mess in my head would make sense. One thing was for sure though: Diego was dead and in an awful way, that was all that mattered. Once I got that fact straight other things started to seem clearer. First, my "coven" had failed and was all dead. This brought no sadness, for they were all irrational and stupid. Second, I felt strangely safe with these strange yellow eyes—safer then I felt with any of my "coven" members. Except Diego of course. I winced at the thought of him. Third, and most confusingly, I was glad that all those horrible vampires were dead, especially Kirstie and Raoul. My thoughts were interrupted by Carlisle.
"Child, will you surrender to us? If you do not try to harm us, we promise not to harm you." I believed him, it was impossible not to.
"Yes," I whispered. "Yes I surrender. I don't want to hurt anybody." He released almost all his tension and held out his hand. "Come, child. Let our family regroup for a moment, then we'll have some questions for you. If you answer honestly, you have nothing to fear." I pondered on how they would tell, when it hit, the mind-reader. I slowly silently got on my feet making no sudden moves.
"Carlisle?" a new male voice questioned. As he came into view the feeling of safety left without a trace immediately. He had blonde ruffled hair that matched his eyes. He was lean and scarred, absolutely covered in scars. Practically from neck to toe, he had scars shaped like a crescent. I immediately realized he had been in combat with vampires multiple times, and never once had he lost. That got me quivering. Recent bites looked fresh from the venom. Once his eyes spotted me, he tensed to spring.
"Jasper!" Carlisle warned.
The yellow eyed Jasper froze and hissed, "What's going on?"
"She doesn't want to fight. She's surrendered," but that didn't seem to make Jasper any less worried. I felt frustrated suddenly, but I couldn't figure out why.
"Carlisle I..." He seemed lost for words, "I'm sorry, but that's not possible. We can't have any of these newborns associated with us when the Volturi come. Do you realize the danger that would put us in?" I couldn't grasp what he was saying, but I briefly understood one thing. He wanted me dead.
"Jasper, she's only a child," the woman protested. "We can't just murder her in cold blood!" It was strange to see her say this, like murder was avoidable. As if they didn't kill countless humans constantly.
"It's our family on the line here, Esme. We can't afford to have them think we broke this rule."
The female, Esme, walked between me and the one who wanted to kill me. Incomprehensibly, she turned her back to me. "No. I won't stand for it." It seemed wrong for her to be facing her back to me. I could attack if I wanted, which I didn't. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carlisle's tension only increase; he clearly loved this women. I realized I would feel the same if it were Diego showing such vulnerability.
"Jasper I think we have to take the chance. We are not the Volturi. We follow their rules, but we do not take lives lightly. We will explain." Carlisle slowly said.
"They might think we created our own newborns in defense." He countered
"But we didn't. And even had we, there was no indiscretion here, only in Seattle. There is no law against creating vampires if you control them."
"This is too dangerous."
Carlisle tapped Jasper's shoulder tensely. "Jasper. We cannot kill this child."
Jasper glowered at the kind man, and I was suddenly angry. Surely he wouldn't hurt this gentle vampire or the woman he loved. Then Jasper sighed, and I knew it was okay. My anger evaporated.
"I don't like this," he said, but he was calmer. "At least let me take charge of her. You two don't know how to deal with someone who's been running wild so long."
"Wait Jasper?" Carlisle asked unsurely.
"What?" He snapped.
"I think it might actually be smart to hide her when the Volturi come" he quietly commented, "They might not be so forgiving." Jasper snarled, and I shied away. I understood somethings, but it was mostly confusing. So if I stayed, I would be a pile of ashes. But if I hid, they would never now about me.
"What if she runs off? It might cause a ruckus to have a newborn ravaging forks." Carlisle opened his mouth to speak, but Jasper continued before he could get a word out. "If someone stays with her they will immediately recognize the disappearance. They might get Demetri who would find her with one of us and kill her anyways." I shuddered, death seemed inevitable, but to bring a yellow eyed one down with me was horrid.
"I wouldn't run off." I began, but was quickly silenced by a look from Jasper. I wondered how this was going to end. If Jasper wouldn't let me prove myself, I seemed pretty much dead. As dead as... Diego.
"I see it best to ask Edward and Alice." Esme suggested.
"That seems the best option." Carlisle agreed with a tone of finality. One must be the mind reader. I decided. What was the other talents Diego said? I winced. So maybe I couldn't think about that.
"Esme?" Carlisle asked, she nodded slowly, "Could you watch Bella? I'm sure Edward wouldn't want her near the newborn, yet I don't believe he will leave her alone with Rosalie and probably not Emmet." Esme paused, clearly not happy with leaving but nodded. How many yellow eyes were there? It seemed endless. I sighed, I hoped I would live long enough to see Fred. But maybe, just maybe, if I left this world I would see Diego. I flinched again. The name, his name was impossible to think of. I would call him none other then him or he like I did with my creator. I let a soft hiss escape me at the thought of her.
Jasper turned to me immediately. Although his expression wasn't violent, it was simply curious. "You were mourning." He stated like it was a fact not a very accurate guess. "Then you were suddenly angry furious even." His eyebrows furrowed like he was trying to figure out a puzzle, "Why?"
I wanted to snap at him, tell him to mind his own business, but I kept my cool. My eyes narrowed. "How did you guess?"
"Ah," he sighed, "I have a gift, you see. I feel your emotions and can taste the atmosphere around me. Additionally, I can change the emotions making one calm when maybe was fretting seconds earlier." Fierce regret showed on his face like he used his powers for something wrong. What would it be like to do that. Could he make one give up before they even started a fight? His power seemed limitless, while I pondered on the idea. Except one thing seemed so problematic. If he felt the feelings around him how would he feel surrounded by depressed people dwelling on pain like me?
"Hello, young one!" A female's voice tinkled as she bounced toward me. I hissed in shock of the female's sudden presence. Unconsciously, I crouched tense to spring. Jasper abruptly stood in between us protecting the girl. She was short, miniature even. Thin like most of us, but it only made her look more fragile despite how indestructible I knew she must be. Her hair was jet black like the night sky, cropped short, and she was beautiful. I cautiously broke my stance. And settled myself on a log. Behind her a male gracefully slid into view. He was slender compared to the others. Barley bulky yet he was still very muscular. His hair was untidy and bronze. His features seemed more boyish like a teenager then the other yellow eyes. His expression was far away, distant. I assumed he wanted to be with this Bella.
"I'm sorry." I apologized barley whispering.
"Don't worry." the female assured me, "It was only instinctual, you meant no harm." Jasper gave her a quick glare. "Oh pardon me, my name is Alice, and this is my brother Edward." She pointed to the male. Brother? How do vampires have siblings?
"It is more an adoptive system; we consider ourselves siblings. And Carlisle and Esme are our parents." Edward replied. Confusion struck me, did I ask the question out loud unconsciously?
Before I could continue my curious thoughts, Carlisle explained a few prudent details. "Edward has a gift." He started, "Mind reading, only you're current thoughts though. Oh, and Alice she sees a very indecisive future." I gaped, so what he said was true. I attempted to gather my thoughts, hoping there was nothing too horrifying I wouldn't want them to know.
"Don't bother, it takes decades to hide your thoughts enough to hide anything from me." I gave up but was still being self conscious of my thoughts. What would he have thought of this I wondered. Finally, Jasper silently crawled away from me and Alice.
"Well since we got that cleared up," Alice squeaked, "Let's get to business. I searched her future and she's eighty six percent sure she will stay where we keep her." That started the speedy conversation no human could hear. I wondered what fourteen percent of me would do instead of stay. Run to Fred? That seemed possible. Did I run out of my 24 hours though? If I did, could I track him? What would I do though? Avenge him?
"Change that to seventy nine percent." I heard Alice.
"It seems like the only thing that makes her want to run is to join a friend in Vancouver." Edward announced. "Am I right?" He addressed me. I nodded frightened by his bizarre talent. I was glad he left out the part dealing with my desire for revenge.
"They are dead." He told me
"Who?" I whispered wondering if he meant Fred? How would one find him? Who would want him dead? Panic filled my lungs.
"Riley and Victoria." He amended, "I'm sure Fred is safe." Three pairs of confused yellow eyes stared at us. No doubt, puzzled about our exchange. Victoria was her name I assumed. How did he know her name and not me? She was my creator for Pete's sake. The conversation soon picked up speed, as I pondered. Well a relief that was. I would forever owe these yellow eyes. Now there was no need for hunting her and Riley. But that knocked off one of my options. What would I do if I ran with Fred then? What did vampires do other then drink? I don't think I could just wander. It seemed prudent for me to have a mission. Maybe it wouldn't have been so necessary if he was alive. I winced and took a shallow breath. But he wasn't alive. Diego was dead. I forced out the name knowing I couldn't hide forever. The pain was sharp it hurt too much. It was too excruciating but I knew I couldn't hide forever. I silently vowed to call him as Diego. For that would be what he would have wanted.
"The future of her staying is solidifying," Alice murmured, staring off into the distance. "Ninety four percent." Was I that sure?
"We can't wait for her to make the decision any more," Jasper declared, "time has run out. Am I right Alice?"
"Three minutes." Alice confirmed.
"I will hide her at the house." Carlisle decided.
"But—" Jasper protested.
"We can't have her by town, and the woods are to dangerous with the wolves." Carlisle explained. "Young one, come with me." He held out his hand.
I shyly placed my rock hand on top of his, and we ran. We passed trees and rocks and sped across a bridge when we finally reached an ancient beautiful house. It was faded white and very well per portioned.
"Don't touch anything fragile," he warned "don't break anything, stay in the main rooms, and keep quiet." I nodded. Carlisle ran off before I touched the door handle. This was going to be torture. Who knew how much time I had on my hands. I let my thoughts wander as I settled on the couch. When this was over, I had a few options. I could run off and find Fred. It seemed like an inviting idea, but I was unsure about what to do without him. I could live alone. Travel the world. See the unknown. It seemed too lonely for me to handle. Another option was to stay with the yellow eyes. They seemed kind, but very different from my life before. Would they accept me? I sighed, as I decided the pros and cons of the different options. It was going to be a long few hours.