Here I am, trudging slowly along some nameless stretch of asphalt, on my journey to the nearest town, only halting my pace along the thick yellow boundary line every so often---to replenish myself and my reflexes with the red life of helpless rabbits or squirrels. As horrifying as that may sound, it is much better than the alternative. But considering my situation, even if I was that monstrous, I would use them for their vehicle above all else. Along the vast stretch of dull grey rock and chipped white and yellow paint I see the speck of what looks like a small red car. As it advanced, thrusting myself into the otherwise empty roadway, noticed that it appeared to be a Volkswagen Rabbit.
As the driver beheld the sky blue, unstylish, muddy sneaker mess that was me, he screeched to a painfully loud stop. He popped open the passenger side door, and I came face to face, with a delightfully decent looking native boy. His russet skin gave him this gorgeous sheen and I had to take a moment to catch my breath before he asked me where I was headed.
"A little place called Forks; I've been walking for a day or so." I sighed slightly embarrassed at my disheveled appearance. He smile, and waved his hand signifying for me to climb aboard.
"That just so happens to be where I am headed. " He flashed a sparkling smile in my direction, and my head began to spin again. Wow, who is this boy?
"Sweet!" I declared, "I'm Lily by the way." I added giving him an impromptu grin. I could not help but feel connected to this stranger, and his social warmness, let alone the physical warmth he seemed to be radiating. I hadn't felt real warmth since the last time I had…fed. I had been in this life for almost ten years now and am still very uncertain on how being a bloodsucker was supposed to work, I live on a daily, or should I say, nightly basis.
"I'm Jacob. " He replied shyly, turning up the heat, which I assumed was for me. What an endearing sentiment, if only it mattered. My skin was as chilly as a freezer twenty-four seven. We chatted about how nice the overcast was in comparison to Texas, where I had just been staying for the past month. What I happened to leave out was the vampire wars over mortals and territory boundaries. Texas was the most dangerous place I had been, even for immortals like myself. He asked where I was headed and I asked him if he could drop me off at the closest motel, so I could have a place to "sleep" until I found a job.
"You know, I come into town nearly every day, and if you run out of cash, I mean it's not much, but you could…stay at my place." He rambled, his heartbeat racing as he spoke. I could do nothing but smile at how human and innocent he was, I loved that about him. He was everything that I was not.
"Thank you, for the offer, but I think I'll be fine. If you want, I can give you my cell number." I offered, wanting to keep ties to this humorously beautiful creature. He questioned my ability of keeping a phone, and I offered the excuse of always needing a way to call for help, which wasn't exactly untrue. I kept the cheep pre- paid to keep in touch with such humans, or vampires that I was fond of. We departed at The Morning Dew Motel; Jake speeding off to buy what I thought he said was sweat pants.
I spent the rest of my evening wondering around the supermarket, and the plaza thus surrounding it. As it began to thunder, the mortals began running for their cars, in hopes of getting home before the rain began. Little did they know that the rain was far away in the mountains and wouldn't make it this far south. At times like this, I cannot remember what it was like to be human; I simply remember the pain I felt, as if it were a constant state of being--- in pain.
Then I heard it, the crack of a baseball against the thick wood of a bat. It was a low rumble, one that anyone else would have heard as another roll of thunder, but I knew better. There were creatures of great strength here, and what I hoped to be immortals like myself. I headed in the direction that I knew the sounds were coming from; it was deep in the woods, at what seemed the very edge of town. As I began my journey I wished that I had a car, or even a motorbike. I had one of those about a year ago before it was stolen in New Jersey. Those damn punk kids. I contemplated commandeering someone's, but in a small town I would soon be found out.
By nightfall I made it to a gravel path that veered off of the main road, as if it were a mysterious driveway to a mansion in the forest. And to my astonishment, it was just that. The sounds of the game were long over; I could only hope this is where my kind was staying. I took a long dramatic sigh, just like in the movies, before tapping the knocker on the ornate door. I waited a moment while listening to rapid voices twittering on the other side, something about "The visitor". Then the door opened, and I was engulfed with the smell of antique woods and of immortals. I sighed in relief. The man at the front door greeted me, his name was Carlisle, and then he ushered me into "the sitting room". I was taken aback by the amount of others that were present. I stopped suddenly, taking in the scene; three couples and a slightly older looking woman on the other sofa, I assumed she was Carlisle's companion. I soon realized that it was a family, and I immediately felt out of place.
Families were not my cup of tea, never had been. I could not comprehend the need for one, or what one was supposed to do. I had a family once didn't I?I could not remember now. Just then, the boy with the bronze hair gave me a once over with his eyes, I did not like him, he made me nervous. Looking them all over myself, they seemed what could only be described as in a sort of awe and confusion. Even I could appreciate their beauty, I had never seen members of our kind that were so magnificent, and all of their eyes were shades of Topaz. They were brilliant, even Carlisle and his wife.
"Please, sit with us." He asked, offering me a cozy arm chair. I nodded in recognition and sat, unsure of what was to be next. Never before had I encountered such a large settlement of vampires, especially in such a small town such as this. "Do you mind telling us a little about yourself? How did you find us?" he finally requested, breaking the tension, that I was feeling, all eyes on me. Should I tell them everything?The boy was gaping again. Why does he continue to stare like that? At that thought he turned his attention to the rest of his family.
"I…heard what sounded like baseball." I began, "I had heard immortals playing before, and I could only hope I would find others in this town. " I rambled nervously, watching the family watch me. "I'm Lily by the way, Lily Vale." At that I stopped, unsure if they wanted more from me.
"Do you mind if I ask, what are your eating habits?"Carlisle inquired, and I was taken by surprise. I had never been asked this before. Does he mean, do I eat mortals? There he was again, staring me down. What is his name?"I haven't been in this life more than ten years, so I'm not sure how these things work, but drinking human blood feels wrong. I feel less monstrous drinking from animals." I confessed anxious for a reaction. The one I received was warm smiles from each member of the family.
"We also drink from animals." Carlisle admitted happily. It felt as if I had just been initiated into the family. Then Carlisle introduced the members of the family by couple. Esme, who I had assumed correctly, was his wife. The dainty looking female with loving eyes and short black hair was Alice, and her husband Jasper sat beside her. Next was the boy with the large muscles, he looked as if he was a football player, he was Emmett, and his gorgeous model-like wife was Roselle. She was now glaring at me, as if trying to burn a hole into my face with her eyes, I looked away. Finally he explained the boy that made me nervous. He looked about the same age that I was when I was turned, his name was Edward, and his newly turned wife was Bella. Edward.
We made eye contact and he smiled impishly, "Yes?" he replied as if I had said it aloud. I was horrified, he could read my thoughts. I had met others like him. I jumped to my feet ready to bolt.
"Just because you have the power to read my thoughts, does not give you the right to!" I growled at him. The other members of the family chuckled. My emerald eyes flashed with disgust. I feel so violated. I began for the door when Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder.
"Please stay. I apologize for Edward; he is not used to others not knowing what he can do."He pleaded. I wanted to remain here, I really did, but …nothing. I could not give myself a reason to run this time.
"Okay, I'll stay." I agreed shyly. He clapped his hands together with a sort of finality, leaving Alice to show me to my room. I followed her tentatively; she opened the door for me and followed me inside. It was a grand room, with dozens of shelves, and a vanity, and a large futon covered with a mauve sheet to protect the furniture from dust. I was speechless; this was more than I could ask for in a hundred years. Alice smiled, welcoming me.
"I'm glad you decided to stay." She voiced after watching my actions carefully.
"Why do you say that?" I asked absentmindedly uncovering the sofa/bed.
"It has been so long since we have met another like ourselves, and to tell the truth, I wanted another sister."She giggled.
"Am I your sister?" I asked shocked. Did she mean that I really was now a part of this coven?
She explained to me that everyone here were taken in by Carlisle and/or turned by him to save their lives, and that he was a father to them all. Therefore they were for the most part brother and sister, or that is what they portrayed to the small town. She explained that Bella was young still, younger than I, turned only five years earlier.
She began to tell me about Bella and Edward but stopped when her husband entered the room. Jasper stood there in all his slightly rugged glory. It was obvious that he was much older than I.
"Uh," he stuttered taking in my frame awkwardly, "when you need to hunt, just let me know… I'll show you the way we do things." He offered after a while. Alice gave him a distasteful glance from the corner of her eye and he dismissed himself. Everyone here is so bizarre. I told Alice of how I was renting a room in the local motel, and that my things were still there. She kindly offered to give me a ride, and I accepted happily following her down to their garage. I had to catch my balance when as lights flicked on in sequence, revealing the large and very full ten car garage. There was a silver Volvo, a red BMW, a midnight blue Mercedes, a camouflage Jeep Wrangler, a black Vanquish, a yellow Porsche, and a very gorgeous motorcycle.
Alice led me to the Porsche and I nearly cried. I had never been this close to something so expensive, and I felt silly seeing how calm Alice was. I joined her inside the vehicle, and we left for the motel.