(Post-BD) Leo is attacked in the woods by a perverted newborn, and is rescued by the Cullens. Is she the missing link between shape-shifters and vampires? Why is Jasper so protective of her? What are the Volturi going to do about her? Will she be able to stay with the Cullens? Rated T+ for suggestive dialogue, brief sexual content and language. (Story better than summary- I promise.) First FanFiction; please be considerate in reviews!
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its original characters.
Thoughts are italicized and vision sequences appear in this font. Point of view changes are represented with the Name and POV
Chapter 1: Discovery
Esme POV.
I had to be happy today. There was no reason not to be. A new location for the Cullens meant new people, new environment, new friends, new house, new decorating plans, a new life. Decorating was only second best to watching my kids adjust to their new school, even though it would not start for a month.
Of course, I knew they weren't my kids. Nevertheless, I would always treat them so, even though my "oldest" looked like the youngest and was actually "older" than I was. It was even stranger to think that he had a child, and I was a grandmother. Grandmother! At twenty-six! I was still adjusting to my new name, even though it has been three and a half years since Renesmee was born.
This new location was quite far from any city or any other house. We are in perfect solitude and surrounded by beauty here in the northernmost part of Minnesota. There are plenty of animals to hunt and plenty of privacy on sunny days.
This location was chosen because everyone jumped at the opportunity to have his or her own place. Edward, Bella and their daughter, Renesmee had their own house about a mile from the Main House. Rosalie and Emmett have their own two-story by the rocky cliffs a mile from there; there were plenty of bears for that wild son of mine. Alice and Jasper's three-bedroom cottage was by the small lake, just two miles from the Main House.
The Main House, as I like to call it, was the central space and Carlisle and my house. There were dozens of rooms, able to fit every child and a handful to spare. It was a five-story with brick walls and dark blue accents, filled with flowers and plants of all sorts and smells. The rooms are as unique as they come, with no exclusion to Carlisle and my room.
I heard a whooshing of wind, and then arms coiled around my waist. I gasped in surprise, but realized it was my compassionate blonde-haired god-of-a-husband.
"It appears that your brilliance comes to our rescue once more. Everyone is away in their home and there's no one here but you and me," he whispered in my ear, giving me a peck on the cheek.
"Carlisle, you know the kids will be back from their hunt any minute." I knew where Carlisle was going with this.
"I know, I know…Grandma."
"Carlisle!"
"Esme!" I slapped his arm lightly.
We both snapped our heads around as we heard the door open with a bang four levels down. We practically flew down the stairs to see everyone guide a distant-looking Alice into an armchair.
"What happened?" Carlisle asked, entering his "protector" mode.
"Alice is having a vision," Bella answered.
_ _ _ _
Jasper: "What do you see, Alice?"
Alice: "The sun…its noon."
Jasper: "What day?"
Alice: "Today."
Jasper: "Where?"
Alice: "The woods, behind the Main House."
Jasper: (to Edward) "What's happening?
_ _ _ _
Alice POV
I knew Edward would continue explaining my vision to the family.
A newborn on the hunt. Newly turned, around seventeen, brownish-red eyes…hungry. He smelled something close. Blood. He ran on all fours, trying to find it. There, sleeping, was a beautiful golden puma. It did not smell as nice, but it would do.
The puma awoke with a start, took one look at him, and then ran in the opposite direction. He sprinted after it.
He lost sight of it for a split second, and when he saw it again, it was not a puma, but a young girl in her early teens. He smelled the much more seductive blood…yummy…
He ran faster. She was pretty. Really pretty. He had not done it since he was turned two weeks ago. What would it be like with a human? He pushed himself even faster, until he tackled the girl, putting her under him as they fell. She began to wriggle and thrash.
"No, please!" she begged, "I can't die! Not like this! Not by one of you!"
'One of you'? Did she know he was a vampire? It did not matter. He felt her up: nice rack, tight ass… He put his hand up her skirt, finding the elastic ribbon. It really was too easy…
"Stop it!" she yelled, but he ignored her.
The blood pounding through her veins was incredibly seductive… He sank his teeth into her neck with ease, and began to drain the delicious red life force that lay inside her.
He felt something move beneath him. She was suddenly hairy with nails as sharp as talons, and she was stronger. So strong, she had the ability to begin shifting him from one side to her other. Scared and confused, he pulled away from the suddenly weird-tasting blood. The girl literally had fur on her arms, nails so sharp they curled like an animal's, and a tail swishing madly back and forth. A tail! What the hell?
He ran away, abandoning his strange prey. Who was that girl? Would every hunt be like that?
I could hear the boy's thoughts, I could smell the woods around him, I could see his skin glittering in the sunlight, but I couldn't see the girl. She was just an ever-changing black figure, as if someone censored her. Why couldn't I see her? It reminded me of trying to see the shape-shifters or Renesmee. In this case, however, I could actually see everything around her, instead of just…nothingness. I could hear her panting and screaming. She was a human, but obviously not. What was going on?
"Alice," Edward asked, "What is she?"
"I can't…no, but…I can't see!" I whined. I felt Jasper's consoling hand on mine, but the vision wasn't over.
The scene zoomed out slowly; finally showing the tops of the trees, the Main House, the sun—wait.
"It's not noon," I muttered, "it's before. Just before. Ten thirty to eleven thirty…?"
"It's eleven o' six right now." Emmett replied.
The vision focused on the Main House. It zoomed in on the front door, entered, and I saw myself on the armchair, having a vision. Eerie…
The vision stopped, and as the real world came into focus, I couldn't say anything. Even though it had never happened before, and I wasn't sure it was even possible, I had to consider the possibility… I heard Edward gasp at my thought.
"That wasn't a future vision. That was a present one," I muttered, shocked.
"What do you mean? That it was happening this very second?" Jazz asked.
I nodded.
_ _ _ _
Esme POV
I rubbed Alice's back.
"Alice," I said gently, "if that was a present vision, then there is a girl out there Changing."
"Esme is right," Carlisle announced, grabbing my hand. "She will need help and guidance when she wakes as a vampire. Alice, do you remember the exact location?"
She nodded again.
"Then we must go to her. Edward, Jasper, Emmett." He strode out the door after we exchanged kisses and 'Be careful's. I watched Alice lead all my boys out the door. Rosalie, Bella, Renesmee and I listened to their steps long after they were out of sight.
_ _ _ _
Leora POV
The fire. All I could feel was the fire. Blood pooled from my neck, but the fire marched in. It was consuming everything from my veins, my skin, my organs and my muscles, to my brain, my eyes, my ears and my heart. My pulse slowed, but the fire moved faster. I screamed and screamed. I writhed and squirmed, but I could not run. I was trapped in my own body.
Claws ripped at my throat, tearing it open. The fire burned the remains. It had already destroyed my head my arms and my legs, as if working inward. Now pain exploded in my shoulder area. I screamed louder.
Every time I moved, weird things happened to my body. Hair pushed out, then pulled back in. My tailbone extended, but changed its mind and returned. My vision sharpened, and then dulled. Everything hurt I wished I could die; death was not painful.
Footsteps in the distance. Could it be him? Had my attacker finally come to finish the job of killing me? Would he finally stop the fire that was burning me alive? Wait, who was "him"? I could not give him a face.
More footsteps. Too many for one person. One pair was heavy and shuffling. Two were sharp and determined. One was uneven, as if they were walking, then running, dancing, then jogging. However, one… There was one pair that was quiet, quick, and stealth-like—and close.
I once again tried to run from the incoming danger, but I only sparked another fire, causing me to scream piercingly.
"That's her!" a high female voice yelled, bouncing off the trees and echoing in my ears. I tried one last time to flee, but my body twitched and began that weird change again.
"What's she doing?" a gruff, male voice said.
Please let them have come to kill me. Please, please kill me… I just want to die…
"She's not trying to hold on, Carlisle!" a young but mature male voice said.
His voice was coming from just a few feet away from me, but the sound of other footsteps came from all around me. How many were there?
"There are five of us, miss," the same male replied.
Then they came into view.
There was one younger adult man with flowing blonde hair. I then saw another man whose hair was just a shade darker than the first man's was, but his was curly, and he looked about eighteen. A huge, muscular late-teenager with short brown hair was near them. He was terrifying. The only female among them was as beautiful as a fairy. She looked like one, moved like one, and I bet she acted like one. The last one was younger, sixteen or seventeen, maybe, with tousled reddish brown hair. They were all so painfully gorgeous, they must be angels. Was I finally dead? Did I even deserve heaven? This could not be death; there was too much pain.
"It's going to be okay, miss, we won't hurt you...," the man said, but I slipped under the waves of a black ocean made of pain. Only pain.
Somewhere along the way, I was moved into a huge white room.
"Since this worked wonders with Bella, let's do it again," I heard the man's voice say. I felt a small amount of pressure against my skin in my elbow, but the pain quickly made me loose notice of it.
"Carlisle, no!" A new female voice.
"What is it, Bella? I thought you said the morphine helped during the Change."
"No, it doesn't really… it actually just holds you down as you burn. I meant to tell you earlier, but I never thought we would need to turn anyone else…
I ignored the strange conversation and stopped fighting the current of pain, allowing myself to slip under the black waves.
When the last of the fire subsided, all I could hear were the voices and my shallow breathing. I could not hear the beating of my own heart. It stopped two minutes and twenty-four seconds ago.
"When will she open her eyes, Alice?" the man, whose name I believed to be Carlisle, asked.
"In two minutes, Carlisle," the female voice from the woods responded. Alice. Carlisle. I would have to start putting names to voices if I was going to keep them straight.
"Edward, could you tell if she recognized her attacker?" said the gruff voice.
"No, I couldn't, but don't ask her when she wakes up, Emmett," this time it was the young-but-mature voice. "Edward," I corrected. The gruff voice was Emmett. "I'm serious, Emmett, she's terrified of you." I heard the gruff voice laugh.
"Carlisle, do you think I should calm her down?" asked a slightly restrained voice. I could not tell whether he was nervous or he was in pain.
"No, Jasper, I want to be able to think," said a slick, smooth female voice. The restrained voice, I learned, was Jasper's voice.
"Rose," said Emmet threateningly. No, not a threat, a warning.
"Alright," Alice said excitedly.
_ _ _ _
Edward POV
I watched the girl open her eyes in astonishment. She quickly sat up and took a sweep of our faces, sending her long reddish-blonde hair to sway back and forth along her thin shoulders. She then hugged her knees and began to rock back and forth.
No, I cannot be… Everyone said I would die if their venom entered my veins… Wait, who is "everyone?"... So many of them around me… How did I get here? ... They are going to kill me… Wait, who am I? ... I cannot remember…
Poor girl, I thought. I gave Carlisle a slight nod, and as he stepped forward, Em, Jazz and I stepped in front of the rest of our family. I heard everyone's curious but frightened thoughts but I focused on the girl's.
"Miss, my name is Carlisle Cullen. This is my family. You were attacked by a vampire in the woods near here."
The woods… I remember I fought him… That pervert…
"You were very badly hurt, and we took you into our home. Miss—" Carlisle took another step in the girl's direction. She bolted to the farthest corner of the room, taking the same position.
I cannot let him touch me… Danger… Why am I afraid?... No, he could hurt me… I do not stand a chance against this huge family of vampires… What is going on?
Carlisle put his hands up in surrender, taking just one small step in her direction. "Miss, I know this must be confusing, but I can only help you if you let me. Will you let me help you?" he put one hand out, offering his guidance, assistance, and acceptance.
He's so beautiful… No, I was taught to ignore their beauty and to—wait, what was I taught? By whom? ... I cannot accept help from a vampire. However, I am now a vampire too… Oh, no, not the weird changes again!
She turned to face the corner in chagrin and something began to sprout something began to sprout from her backside, growing until it began to move on its own. It was a long, muscular tail.
Everyone, including me, gasped.
Gosh, this is so embarrassing… Wait, what's happening? What's embarrassing?
"Miss, what's your name?" Carlisle barely choked it out.
My name?… Lion. Something to do with a Lion… Yes, it definitely begins with an "L"…
"Carlisle, it has something to do with 'lion.' It begins with an 'L'," I whispered.
"Lee?" Esme guessed.
Lee…almost… That sounds like the beginning… I can't remember the rest…
"That's the beginning. Keep guessing," I told them, nodding.
"Leo?" Jasper asked.
The girl nodded her head more fiercely this time. Yes! That definitely was a name…A nickname, maybe.
I was suddenly drawing a blank for names.
"Leonora?" Rose asked. The girl shook her head.
No, too long, but it sounds close… Wait, what is that ache? Thirst? No! I don't want to kill anyone! Wait, how do I know that?
"Leo," I said, stepping forward, Carlisle taking my place. "I can tell you already know quite a bit about us vampires. How you do remains, for the moment, unclear. However, I must press something about our coven." She lifted her head attentively. "We do not hunt humans. We believe in preserving life, rather than taking it. We choose not to be monsters. Instead, we feed on animals, somewhat as we did as humans. Surely, an expert such as yourself can see the difference in our—"
"Eyes," she finished. She reached up as if to touch me, "Your eyes are like honey. Why aren't they…red?" Her voice was shaky, unused to its own sound. Why? Why? Why?
"The blood of the animals turns them this color," Carlisle said, stepping forward. "If you choose to accept our diet, your eyes will change color in three months or so."
There was a pause, as everyone tried to think of what to say.
"I think it's time for formal introductions," Carlisle announced.
_ _ _ _
Leora POV
"My name is Carlisle Cullen. This is my wife, Esme." The oldest of the women stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her husband's waist. She flashed me the kindest and most dazzling smile I had ever seen.
"My children, Emmett and his wife, Rosalie," The huge one stepped forward along with the amazingly gorgeous blonde teenager.
"Jasper and his wife, Alice," I recognized the curly-haired blonde young man as one that was in the group that found me along with the black-haired pixie-like one. Something about Jasper drew me in, but Carlisle continued with the introductions before I could put my finger on it.
"And last but not least, Edward and his wife, Bella, and their daughter, Renesmee." The boy with reddish-brown hair who spoke earlier stepped forward along with the beautiful Bella and the striking Renesmee, who looked about ten or eleven. It was strange that they all had the honey-colored eyes.
Jasper spoke. "Alice, Edward, Bella, Renesmee and I all have special abilities along with our vampirism. Please keep an open mind as we tell you about them."
I was very confused and thirsty, but I wanted to listen. I couldn't help but wonder if my tail was still sprouted.
"I'm Alice, and I have the ability to see the future."
"I am Edward, and I can read minds." That explains it.
"My name is Bella, and I'm kinda like a shield. I can protect myself and anyone else from other's abilities."
"And I'm Renesmee." She stepped forward with pride and confidence. "My mom had me when she was a human, but after she had me she was turned into a vampire by my dad, so I'm only half vampire. I'm going to keep growing for a few more years until I look, like, eighteen, then I'll stop growing and stay half-and-half forever. If we combine my daddy's and my ability, something cool happens. We're still figuring out some things—"
"Ness," Bella interrupted kindly, "just show Leo your ability."
Renesmee huffed, but nodded. "Leo, it's a little hard to explain with words. May I show you?"
I nodded.
"Please come over here."
I deliberated, but decided I should. Suddenly, I was in front of her, standing a whole head above her. I knew I would get used to the speed eventually, but it was rather disconcerting now. I realized I hadn't noticed just how beautiful Renesmee was until just now, standing right in front of her.
"Hold still please." She stretched and cupped my cheek in her hand.
I saw the Cullen family sitting in their living room in, what Renesmee explained, was Forks, Washington. They had a very long talk, explaining the Cullen family and its history. Carlisle went into detail explaining how he changed Edward, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett (in that order) and the stories of how Alice, Jasper and Bella joined the family. As far as I could tell, Bella brought the most action to the Cullens. Three encounters with the Volturi, the leaders of vampire civilization, and a small war with a coven of three vampires, but only the killing of one. I was shocked and excited when I heard about their alliance with the wolf shape-shifters and Renesmee's Imprint, Jacob. I could tell she loved Jacob dearly. The shape-shifter race rang a bell somewhere distant in my foggy memory.
Renesmee threw me into her current thoughts, ranging from if we would be friends, and who would accept my "parent" role, to how long I would stay with them, and if I would join the Volturi like so many before me…
Edward gently pulled her hand away from my face.
"We don't need to be worrying Leo with too many thing at this very second."
"Daddy…" Renesmee whined.
"Leo, may I join you on your first hunt?" Suddenly, Jasper was beside me, holding out his arm in invitation. I felt strangely calm, then jealous, then sad, then greedy, then egotistical, then scared, then happy…
"What's going on?" I screamed, throwing my hands to my head in confusion.
"Calm down," Jasper whispered, touching my arm in affection. I did calm down. "My gift is the ability to sense and alter emotions. I hope I haven't offended you," he looked at me apologetically.
"No, sorry, I just… wasn't expecting it." I felt embarrassed at my over-reaction. "And yes, I would like it if you joined me." Maybe I could figure out what drew me into Jasper while we were hunting.
"I'm gonna tag along too," Emmett said, appearing at my other side.
"That's probably best. Two pairs of legs and teeth are better than one," Carlisle said, a hint of a warning in his tone.
Large groups of vampires often separate and hunt in twos (or threes if there is a newcomer among them). They do this to protect each other, as newborns are blood-crazed and loose their control on the hunt. Take caution: newly turned vampires are unpredictable and feral; all they think of is the hunt. This is a dangerous time to hunt them. They are far stronger, faster and thirstier than their older counterparts are.
I had no idea where this thought came from. It appeared in my mind like a textbook, as if I was reading something. I must have had a strange past. I knew Edward could hear my thoughts, but—
Thirst. An extreme parchment came over me, ripping at my throat and mouth. A strange taste began pooling in my mouth. Was this venom? I knew someone taught something about venom to me long ago, but the "who", "when", "where" and "why" escaped me.
Jasper must have sensed my feelings, because he began leading me towards the door, his hand between my shoulder blades. "Oookay… Time to go."
"Not quite yet!" Edward declared, stepping in front of the door. "I have a few questions first."
"Edward, I really think Leo should go hunting—" Carlisle was cut off by a powerful smell that wafted into the room.
The smell was thick, warm, seductive and more alluring than anything I could have possibly imagined. Edward pulled from behind his back a glass of warm blood. Before I realized what I was doing, I lunged at Edward, snapping my jaws and hissing at Emmet and Jasper as they held me back like some wild, crazy animal. I could tell that they were strong, but I was stronger. Unfortunately, they outsized and outweighed me, and that caused me to try and fail biting them. Biting! What was I turning into?
"Leo, I need you to tell me how you know so much about us before you came here."
I growled and hissed more fiercely, listening curiously as the sound echoed in my chest. I felt my tailbone extend, claws shoot out of my fingertips and hair sprout out from every inch of skin on my body. I felt like I was in the middle of something, as if this was just half of what was supposed to happen. I willed this process on, but it was suddenly painful. I felt like something inside me was trying to tear off my skin. I screamed, but the sound was not right: it sounded like bells breaking as they chimed, a chicken squawking, and the most piercing scream of metal screeching against metal. The fur became tiny knives, the claws machetes and my tail became thousands of bendable nails, all exiting my skin.
"Tell us, Leo, and you can have this," Edward calmly said over my screaming.
I couldn't care less about the blood. What was happening? I let out another scream.
"Tell us!"
I screamed again, and then froze silent, every muscle locking in place. I felt Jasper and Emmett's grip loosen in confusion. That was just enough space so that in the next moment, when my body went limp, I dropped to the floor.
The impact with the floor occurred at the same time I heard something in my mind snap. It was like there was a rubber band holding back my memories and whatever process I just tried to make. It snapped, and my mind was filled with memories.
I barely heard the cries of everyone around me. I knew they were blaming Edward and trying to figure out what was wrong, but all I could sense were the memories.
It's going to be okay… You may be the first female in our Troop, but you are no different from us… We find them… Your job is to track them… Vampires… Never let one bite you… I love you, Leora…What's wrong with you?!... Happy birthday to you… Feel better!... Oh. My. God! ... As your sister, I have renamed you Leo in honor of your mountain lion form… Where are you?... What are you?... I love you, Leora, I always will… Get away from me!... Night, mom… Be watchful in the woods, they can smell you… If you are attacked by a vampire and return to us as one, you are not welcome in the Troop… I hate you… No one likes you… I hope you die!Memories from my life followed one after the other like a train passing by. I heard Edward grunt and Jasper moan at my constant changing of thoughts and moods. I felt myself stand and lean against a nearby wall.
"I remember," I whispered. "I remember everything."
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