Chapter 2

The door of the dinner opened fairly quietly and smoothly. It was a little dim since the dinner mostly relied on natural light during the day. But it was good now since my eyes were probably very dark, witch meant I was thirsty.

A problem that I could easily fix, but that had only a small amount of my mind occupied when I meet a pair of strange, but perfect golden eyes.

She was obviously one of my kind, but the emotions I read of her were like none I had ever experienced. Or maybe I have, just not for a long, long time.

The high stool she hoped off of had now made the whole row of stools on that side of the bar completely empty as she smiled and started towards me.

It alarmed me. Had she been attempting to attack? I knew that not all vampires always had a reason to fight. Sometimes, just out of boredom.

But this girl was exited in a way. Happy, and relieved.

She was short, and even beautiful. She had dark, diminutive black hair and like the rest of us, smooth, pale skin. But for some reason, hers looked fragile. But at the same time, like nothing could touch her.

Only a small part of my mind told me to defend myself as she came closer. But I was still a little stunned to react so quickly.

She didn't stop until she was only two feet away from me.

"You've kept me waiting a long time." She told me with the slightest taste of amusement in her tone.

Instinctively, I ducked my head and replied "I'm sorry, ma'am."

She smiled wider at me.

She held out her hand to me, and before I could stop to make sense of what I was doing, I took it, and then the strangest sensation drowned me. It was unrecognizable at first, but then, as I slowly came to my senses, I realized, that the strange, beautiful girl with short black hair, and a pretty smile actually gave me hope. And it was not just the mood I could since off her. It was really inside me to. Although I could feel it inside her to.

This whole process was oddly brilliant and bravura, but at the same time confusing. It was like waking up as a vampire for the first time, exiting but terrifying, learning that such creatures do exist.

And I didn't even know her name yet.

She squeezed my hand, and started to gently pull me to a table she had reserved in the far corner of the dinner. We walked at a human pace; in no hurry, but I could still feel the tiniest, slightest bit of impatience from her.

Once we were seated, she began speaking.

"So, jasper," she began. I chuckled.

"What?" She asked sweetly.

"How do you know my name?" I answered, still smiling.

"I'll explain. You see, I've been waiting here for a few hours for you. And I've gone over in my mind how I wanted to start, but I still come up blank." she told me amiably.

"Well, then, maybe I can help." I said "you are?"

"Alice" she trilled in her high engaging voice.

"Alice," I started "let's start by telling me where you come from. The beginning is an easy place to start."

"That's it. I was going to start there, but I don't actually know where I come from. I woke up alone in the middle of the woods with no memory of my human life at all. And I only might have an idea why, but I'm still so unsure. I've only been awake for about two years now. Trying to hunt down things that might give me clues, but always coming up blank."

I felt the slight feeling of lose and regret from Alice's lack of memory, and now that I knew how to hope again, I was able to sooth her. And she wasn't surprised. She looked up at me and smiled again, then put her hand on top of mine, as if to say thank you.

"I would tell you about me, but from the looks of this conversation, you probably know everything about me." I said to her.

"Well not everything. First, I'll tell you how I know what I know, and then I'll tell you what I don't know."

I nodded, encouraging her to go on.

"I have these visions. You know how your gift is to alternate the emotional mood of people? Well mine's a little more basic, yet more complicated. I can see the future. Just the immediate future though, and I can't just see how the world will be in ten years, but I can see the cores of someone, while there on it. If someone changes their mind, the vision changes. That's how I saw you come here. That's why I was waiting. I've been watching your decisions change ever since you left Maria, and I've been anxious all day, hoping you would not change your mind to hunt today so I could meet you here." She spoke quietly and was very strait forward.

"I'm sorry I made you anxious" I told her and held her hand tighter in mine, and sent another soothing sense through her.

"So why did you decide to meet me?" I asked in a gentle, low voice.

"Because I saw, that if I stayed with you, you would feel better all together. We would find this amazing coven of vampires and become a part of their family. You will be happy there, and I will be to. I know this is a lot to take in all at once, but you have to believe me. They are an amazing family. We will be happy there." She spoke faster towards the end as if she thought her words would lose my trust. Then she looked at me with pleading eyes and all of her emotions screaming, "Trust me! Please trust me!"

"Of course I believe you. But what is it about this family that makes them better than all the rest? All vampires have to drink blood, and there is simply no way out of it. Really, I've tried everything."I attempted to convince her in a calming voice.

"Not everything. I know that this will be difficult at first, but I will help you through everything. Are you ready for it?" she felt a little more perked up, more alert when she said this.

I nodded.

"They feed of the blood of animals! I know you can't feel animal's emotions, and it will take some getting used to. They don't taste as sweet as a humans, but they will let you eat in peace. I can see we will find them, and we will both make an effort. They will accept s as we are and welcome us. Their leader, Carlisle is a very good man. He wants his family more intertwined with the human world and even works as a human doctor. His wife esme, she's very sweet. She will look at us as if we are her children, and the other members of the coven, Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie, are all living tightly in the human world to. They attend school and Edward; I might warn you, has a gift like us. Are you okay?"

My face at that point was probably overwhelmed. She was giving me all this information all at the same time and not slowing down.

"Just, slow down a little." I answered.

"Alright," she began again "Edwards's gift is mind reading. If you are within a cretin distance of him, he can hear every thought in your mind, but sadly, we will eventually get used to that."

"Whoa."

"A lot to take in, I know."

I didn't answer. I just kept my face expressionless.

"Will you come with me?" she asked in a small innocent voice.

I reached across the table for her other hand.

"Of course."