All vampires are picky when it comes to their blood. Some want it sweet, others want it pure. The decision to let it savor in their mouth or swallow in one giant gulp is all too much work. Yet, what makes ones blood more tempting then another? What if the truth behind the blood was, well, in them?
Bella swiveled her heard back and looked left, then right. The parking lot was barren, not a soul dared to move when Bella was at the wheel. She started to slowly turn the greasy steering wheel and made it out safely. She pulled the shift in, with effort, and began her way home.
Bella's truck trudged its way through dirt and gunk of all sizes, with strange sounds rocketing off. Bella ignored the fact that her car sounded as if she was running over whoopee cushions and focused.
Edward had been gone for only a month, digging up more on that Volturi Family. Bella's heart had sunken to that dull, lifeless state of constantly questioning everything.
Currently, the thought was her 'scent'. Edward often remarked about it, yet she couldn't help but wonder what it really meant. Bella slowed the car and little by little pulled into the driveway. The gears froze for a while, causing Bella to curse under her breath, but reluctantly let her park.
She tumbled out, almost tripping. She pushed through the door and found herself not evening saying high to Charlie. Bella dropped her things- her backpack, Edward's CD and random items- onto her bed and went to her desk. She had come to rely on the computer while the Cullen's were away.
Yet simply searching 'Vampires' on the computer was a bit embarrassing. Not that anyone would see, but… just that feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She waited and waited for it to load and typed in Vampire Blood. She clicked on the first link.
"…Vampires seem very scarce, but it is actually common that vampire traits are passed down from many people. It's common to find people showing vampire symptoms- pale skin, bright eyes, and strange food habits- yet not be full vampires. This is because they might have a part of them that is vampire, such as their great great grandfather being a vampire or maybe their donated blood is from another vampire…"
Bella pushed away from the screen. It was scary to think that anyone could be like a vampire. Yet she couldn't control herself. She came downstairs and sat next to her father. He was staring blankly at the TV, all of his attention on the football game.
"Dad?" Bella asked, tapping his shoulder.
"Yes Bella?" He remarked, sounding cranky.
"Do you know if I've ever had surgery?" She asked.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Charlie exclaimed, shooting up.
"Nothing, nothing!" Bella tried, shaking her hands madly.
"Are you sure?" he said, taking his seat again.
"Yes, but have I?" she assured, "it's for a survey…"
That was probably the worst lie ever but her father said, "Not that I know of, but I do remember you getting blood when you were really little."
"WHAT?" Bella shouted.
With wide eyes he continued, "yeah, from your cousin Stella. We tried to keep it a secret since we- well, I- didn't really want you getting to know my side of the family."
"What kind of person was she?" Bella asked, hoping to get some clues.
"Well…" he said, leaning back and tuning into the game.
"Stella was 10 at the time, you were 3. She looked much older than she was. She was a tad tall, face was very pale and she was only bones. You had fallen off of something- I think it was a tree- and needed some blood. Stella had been in town, for she often traveled with her brother a lot, and offered. Her brother complained for half the time, saying it wasn't right or that it might hurt you. But Stella was set on donating, feeling very proud of it. She said it would work out. It took a while for the doctors to take her, since she was 10 and the age requirement was 18. But she got you blood and that's what makes you hear today. The sad thing was that she died a couple months later."
"She died?" Bella asked, filled with relief.
Charlie nodded and Bella thanked him and sprinted up the stairs.
He watched her leave before settling back. He thought to himself a little about Stella and wished he had told the truth- or at least, more of the story.
Right then, in his mind was this. Stella was no person, she was a vampire. He remembered her telling him that, for she liked Charlie a lot. At the time he had thought nothing of it but as days grew he began to assume she was. He recalled Stella's plan.
Before Charlie knew it, he was asleep on the sofa. He was dreaming of her very scheme…
Stella smiled innocently at the toddler in the large bed. The linen sheets, the walls and floor all came together in an angelic white. Stella picked up the girls hand and sniffed it gently.
"Stella!" barked a boy, about 16.
Stella dropped the lifeless hand and glared. She didn't move once, scaring the people around her.
"I know what I'm doing Owen. I can work this out," she whispered, he voice soft and carefree. Her voice was irresistible, driving some people insane.
"Are you crazy?" Owen said, arms crossed over his sports jacket, "This isn't going to work now come on!"
"I can take care of it, all is in good hands," Stella repeated, watching the 3-year-old Bella again. Bella breathed in and when she exhaled she made a wheezing sound.
"Sometimes, I can't resist changing the laws of life," Stella admitted, "I mean, I like to perform my experiments much more then simply thinking the outcome."
"You sound like a mad-scientist," Owen muttered and started to pace the room.
Stella ignored him. Secretly, Stella was a child prodigy. Her brain could handle much more then her father and Owen combined. Her child-like imagination combined with strong curiosity brought out the true demon in her.
"What are you going to do with her again?" Owen asked, looking at the clipboard at the end of the bed.
Stella giggled and explained, "You know that we don't have blood, but more of vinegar liquid. To us it taste like crud but it smells so delightful. That's why many vampires die from feeding off of their own. What if you put that into a human girl, no vampire could keep their hands off her."
Stella let out an evil laugh before stifling it inside- she was waking Bella.
A knock at the door made Owen jump up, quickly backing away from the bed.
"I've come to transfer the blood," said the nurse, followed by two doctors. Stella grinned.
They set aside another stool and let Stella lay down.
"No, I'd like to stay where I am and watch," she said.
They cleansed a needle, making Owen gulp at it. They ejected it right her nerve. Stella didn't let out a peep; all that she did was let her smile grow. It didn't hurt but she could feel the object inside her vacant body.
She watched as her fake maroon blood flow up and to a bag. It stained its sides and surfaced higher.
Owen asked to leave the room out of no where. He stepped outside, relief from the intoxicating aroma.
Stella was in the middle of it. It was if something was in her or in this case, coming out of her that was very pleasurable. She could smell the scent of rich flowers covered in dew, but also of something cooking. Everything her nose liked evaporated and appeared again.
"All done," said the nurse, not noticing a thing. She cleansed her arm and removed the needle, leaving no mark of the blood on Stella's arm.
They attached a band aid but Stella peeled it off right away.
She watched as they did the same procedure to Bella. Bella twitched and struggled at first, her body throwing small fits. She was rejecting it but Stella only watched in happiness.
Owen opened the door and said, "Well, we have to go now." Emphasis on the Now.
Stella became aggravated as she was yanked away. She became slightly immature, whining along the way and wallowing in pity.
Owen opened the door to the car and buckled Stella in.
"So," he said, slamming the door and starting the car, "how was your experiment."
"Successful, which means I need something new to do," she admitted.
"Any ideas?"
"Oh many!"
"Like what?"
"…" she thought a bit before a new plan had settled, "do you think it's possible for us to die?"
Owen pushed down the breaks, still silent.
"Sorry," he stammered and began the car again.
That was the end of Bella ever coming into their lives. A sworn secrecy between her and Owen- which meant Bella had grown as a normal child and a normal girl. Although Bella had been sick or a few days, she came to be the normal peppy self.
Stella, on the other hand, became much tired after her experiments in the death of herself. To the extent that Owen hardly saw her. She was trying every spell in the book, purchasing the oddities at stores, causing ruckus in town before one day she was just gone.