Out of the Shadows, Into the Light

Disclaimer: Me? Own Twilight? HAHAHAHA…no.

A New Hunter

"Bella, we're hunting today." Bella looked up at Edward's voice. She had been reading Wuthering Heights yet again. She set the book down and looked out the window. As on all hunting trips, it was sunny outside.

She sighed in relief at the thought of not having to go to school. When she had first returned to school after being turned into a vampire, it had taken a lot of lies to get people not to overreact to her transformation (the lies went along the line of her getting a rare disease in South America that caused people to change very noticeably).

Now that everyone had gotten over the fact that she was extraordinarily beautiful, the male population all grasped the concept that she was extraordinarily beautiful. Even though she was dating Edward (or really married to), a big portion of the guys at school found time to find an excuse to be near her. Lauren was labeling her as competition now.

Bella smiled at her husband. "Great. Where's Renesmee?"

"She's waiting for us," Edward replied. He took her hand and they reached the foyer almost instantaneously. The others were all there.

The people of Forks believed that Emmett and Rosalie were going to college abroad. They had gone abroad for a bit but then came back to stay with their family and see the school a bit, however boring it may be. Jasper was supposedly also in college, but had also come back to stay with Alice. The story had a lot of loose ends, but they wanted to keep an eye on Bella…just in case.

Now they, Alice, Carlisle, Esme, and Renesmee were waiting for Bella and Edward so they could go hunting. Jacob Black was also there, as he had imprinted on Renesmee and couldn't bear to stay away from her for too long. He was currently in wolf form in preparation of hunting.

"Is everyone ready?" Carlisle asked. When everyone gave their reply, Emmett and Rosalie led the family out. They jumped over a river and ran until they were high enough in the mountains to hunt. They were about to start when they heard the roar of a mountain lion.

"What's that?" Renesmee asked. She looked about eight years old.

"A mountain lion and…something else," Edward replied, confused. Everyone else scented. They could smell the mountain lion, but there was another scent that was unrecognizable.

"We should go help whoever's there," Esme said worriedly. Carlisle nodded and led the family as they followed the scent. It ended in a clearing, where everyone could see for themselves what was there.

There was an enormous mountain lion in all its fury, facing another much smaller opponent. It seemed to be a young girl in battered traveling clothes. Jasper was about to run and distract the lion when, to everyone's surprise, the girl snarled back at the lion. Shocked, the lion backed away while the girl crept forward. When she reached the sunlight, her skin shimmered like billions of miniscule diamonds.

"Is she a vampire?" Renesmee asked in awe. Carlisle nodded while everyone watched. The girl stalked forward and then leapt. She was graceful and fierce at the same time, like a tigress. It was over almost instantaneously.

The mountain lion's body was on the ground with hardly any blood spilled. The girl's clothes were still perfectly clean as she got ready to drink. But then she stiffened and turned her face ever so slightly in the Cullens' direction.

When she was certain of their scent, she leapt back from the carcass and snarled as she glared at them. She looked to be twelve or so. Surprisingly, her eyes were a silver color.

Carlisle stepped out slowly, holding his hands open facing her. "We mean no harm," he said cautiously. Bella noticed Jasper concentrating on the girl as she seemed to relax. "We are the Olympic coven, the Cullens. I'm Carlisle. Would you like to tell me who you are?"

The girl straightened and looked at Carlisle straight in the eye. Bella got a better look at her, now that she was out of the sun. Her skin was white, even more than any of the others, if that were possible. Her face had Asian features, and her hair was silky black and pulled in a long ponytail that reached past her waist. Of course, she was beautiful, like all vampires.

"I know who you are." Her voice was like the sound of a Chinese mountain flute. "You're vegetarians. My name is Lily."

"Where are you from?" Carlisle asked politely, now that she seemed a bit more trusting.

"I don't know. I think the East Coast."

"How long have you been a vampire?"

Lily thought for a bit. "I'm not sure, but probably about eight weeks."

The Cullens stared at her. "Only eight weeks?" Carlisle repeated.

"Yes, I know that there's something weird in that, since the nomads reacted oddly when I told them," she replied.

"I've been a vampire –"

" – for a few centuries," Lily interrupted. "Esme's been about almost ninety years. Edward's been a bit longer than Esme. Rosalie's been about eighty years. Emmett's been a bit less than Rosalie. Alice's been almost ninety years, too. Jasper's been about one and a half centuries. Bella's only recently been turned into a vampire, and she's doing very well for a newborn. And Renesmee is a Halfling."

The Cullens stared at her. "How'd you know that?" Bella asked.

Lily shrugged. "I'm not sure, I just…know."

Emmett cleared his throat. "Carlisle, we have errands to run." He nudged his head toward the mountain lion's body.

"Oh, someone can share. I don't need to drink much," Lily said absently while she stared at something none of the others could see.

"I'll share with her," Esme told the others. She smiled kindly at Lily. "Is that alright with you?"

"Sure, sure," Lily waved her hand carelessly. Lily had already drunk a bit while Carlisle was talking. Esme looked pointedly at the others.

Carlisle nodded. "Alright, the rest of us should go hunt now. Come on." The other Cullens and Jacob raced off.

Esme drank a bit then looked at Lily. "Do you feel better now, dear?"

Lily looked Esme in the eye, as if searching for hidden meanings, then nodded, obviously satisfied when there were none, just concern. "Yeah, thanks."

"So, do you remember anything?"

Lily hesitated. "No. Nothing at all. But I do just know things that I shouldn't, like how I knew who you all were. It's like I know everything and nothing at the same time."