AN: SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY! I know it's been like a month since I've uploaded anything, I completely lost my muse. But here is an extra long chapter to make up for it! And just so you know, it's reviews that make me write so…..please review? *gives puppy dog eyes*
LYNS POV
"Do I have to go?"
"Not of course not, feel free to miss our little sister's eighteen birthday party." Chrissy's reply was dripping in sarcasm. I rolled my eyes glaring at the back of her dark head in the mirror as I straightened the collar on my purple dress, silver rings flashing in the artificial light. Chrissy turned suddenly catching my glare before I had a chance to wipe it from my face and she shook her head in my direction, walking passed me to use the mirror in the bathroom. I looked back at her with a smirk, she was wearing a dress, which in itself was pretty rare thing for her, but the thing that amused me about her outfit was that that it's bright red and designed for a 20-something dinner date, not a 18th birthday party. Of course, that choice had nothing at all to do with the fact this would be the first time she'd seen Jasper since that disaster kiss a few months ago. For some reason I couldn't understand Chrissy still had some type of invested interest in Jasper Hale, despite the fact he turned her back in one big bruise after their last encounter.
I frowned in thought slipping on my heels, there was something seriously wrong with that family, something my sisters didn't seem to have picked up on. And here I was in in dressed up, heels and everything to go to their house for a birthday party, thrown for a sister I didn't even like. I scoffed glaring into the mirror one last time before grabbing my messily wrapped present off the end of the bed. It was tiny and inexpensive but considering we barely speak Bella should be grateful I got her anything at all. The earrings inside jingled as I plucked at the scruffy red bow, Chrissy's addition to my present. Her own present was beautifully presented as always, I swear she spent more on wrapping, bows and ribbons then she did on presents.
Chrissy finally reappeared, golden heels clicking on our wooden floor as she collected her present for Bella and her camera. She glanced over at me, biting her lip to hide a smile, as she took in my total lack of desire to go tonight. She threw a light arm around my shoulder pulling me with her out to the car.
"Play nice and I'll buy you that art thingy you wanted" She bribed pushing me towards the passenger door. I scoffed, rolling my eyes as I clambered inside the pale blue vehicle, pouting as the rain left on the car caught on my dress.
"That's blackmail" I grumbled, fiddling with the air con, trying to get heat out of this car was ridiculously hard, considering it rained 350 days out of year here.
"Actually it's rewarding good behaviour, although I can't see why you care" Chrissy pointed out as she backed the car out of the drive, a bright grin on her face I couldn't help but return. she made a good point. Blackmail and bribery were staples of most of my relationships.
"Fine, I'll play nice."
The Cullen house was beautiful, old and painfully expensive. Exactly what I was expecting, the imposing white walls of the Victorian house rose out of the woods in front of us, glittering lights hanging from the porch, the soft light painting deep shadows on the house, making it look even more daunting. Of course they'd put up party lights, I doubted the Cullen ever did anything less than excess. I glanced at Chrissy before rolling my eyes, she was wearing the same expression as when she saw a particular nice pair of heels, the I want them right now look, of course she'd be in love with the house, it was just her style. Personally I hated it, give me something small and cosy, something you can actually relax in and I'm happy.
As we parked up on the long drive the front door flew open, and out bounced Alice she crossed the gravel in a few easy skips, wrapping Chrissy in a loose hug as she clambered out of the car. Chrissy grinned back at her, looking at ease. That was just not right. My sister didn't do physical affection, I was the affectionate one and sometimes even I got hit when I hugged her. I glared at Alice, resenting her closeness to my sister, her fancy house and the fact I was spending my night here instead of with Jacob. Monday night was pizza night at the Black household, I was missing out! Alice turned to me with a smile, reaching out to touch my shoulder, I barely resisted the urge to flinch away from her hand.
"I'm so glad you're here, Bella will be here any moment, quick into the living room." She linked arms with Chrissy, dragging her off as she glanced back off her shoulder at me with a half-shrug and grin. I scoffed mentally, trailing behind them. They may have tricked both of my sisters into liking them but I still knew there was something not quite right with them, some secret they were hiding. No one was that perfect.
It turned out that the Cullen living room was as big as the entire downstairs of the Swan household, you even had to go down stairs to get into it and up another set of stairs to get out of it. This house was ridiculous. It just didn't belong in Forks, like the Cullen's themselves I grumbled mentally. The room had been decorated in excess, of course. Candles littered every available surface, and large vases of red and orange flowers stood in each corner. The Cullen themselves were dotted around the room, looking formal and relaxed at the same time. Chrissy was stood with Alice, smiling in amusement as the other girl spoke quickly gesturing to a lime green cake; that looked big enough to feed the American army, which sat on the table. A selection of beautifully wrapped presents sat around it. I huffed as I looked at the present table, next to all that my gift would look like crap. Of course, I though looking down at my measly messy present, that makes perfect sense. Bloody Cullens.
I descended the stairs slowly regretting the fact I didn't have my own car for the first time in life, then I could just have stayed long enough to give Bella her present and wish her a happy birthday, but no I was stuck here until Chrissy wanted to leave and judging by her laughter, she wasn't in any hurry. A older woman approached me, she had long wavy brown hair and the look of one of the 50s starlets from the black and white movies Chrissy liked so much, they bored me to tears. If it wasn't in colour I wasn't interested. She gave me a warm smile and for the first time I felt slightly relaxed around a Cullen.
"Hello Lyn, I'm Esme, Edward's mother. It's so nice to meet you" She stood a foot away with that warm smile and I couldn't help but return it, Dr Cullen appeared at her side with a smile. I knew Dr Cullen, I'd been in the hospital in the last two years, although not as much as Bella in the last 9 months. "Thank you" I muttered, unsure of what the protocol was here, the Cullen parents didn't seem half as creepy as the children. Chrissy laughed from my right and I glanced her way, noticing I wasn't the only one. Jasper was stood at the back of the room in front of the full length windows, eyes on Chrissy. I glared in his direction, mentally telling him to keep the hell away from my sister. He didn't even look in my direction though, obviously I needed to work on my telepathy skills.
Alice suddenly squeaked, clapping her hands together before running off up the stairs, reappearing a moment later with Bella in tow, Edward following behind with a patience smile. Bella paused at the top of the stairs looking surprised at my presence, before smiling taking Edward's hand and pulling him down with her. Without conscious thought everybody moved towards her, Esme stepped forward to embrace her followed by Chrissy, a camera flashed and I glanced at Alice as she looked guilty explaining she'd found the camera in Bella's bag. Of course she had, boundaries were for normal people. I let myself fall to the back of the party, just watching. It was odd seeing Bella with her "family" she seemed different, happier with them than with us, her real family. Chrissy seemed equally as relaxed around them, as she hand off her camera to Alice who careful snapped a picture of Chrissy, Bella and Edward. Then of Emmett and Bella, before Emmett slipped away to stand by Edward.
I smirked as I heard Emmett tease Edward about dating a older woman. Alice bounced around the room, having managed to get a picture of Bella with just about everybody, and started handing out presents, as Bella blushed from all attention. I wonder why they bothered throwing her a party I doubt she'd even enjoyed it. Although she did seemed very impressed with the cuff bracelet Chrissy had brought her, the exact right shape to hide the odd scar on her wrist.
"Here this one is form Esme and Carlisle" Alice handed her a small neat blue package while Esme leant forwards in the circle of Carlisle arms. "We thought you'd be looking a little pale" She grinned fighting back laughter. What? Had they brought her fake tan? Oh that would be interesting, I grinned leaning forward despite myself actually interested in what their gift was. As I did so Bella hissed out a breath, flinching before holding up her finger while a embarrassed smile. "Paper cut" She breathed as a small trickle of blood fell from her finger. Then everything went to shit.
With a noise that was so far removed for anything a human come make it made my skin crawl Jasper was suddenly running at Bella, his movement so fast I could barely see it. Then Edward was there, slamming himself into Jasper with an almighty crash that seemed to shake the house, I heard Chrissy scream as Jasper went flying, he crashed into the grand piano but he was back on his feet before I could even register the movement. Emmett and Carlisle lunged for him and he slipped them, still trying to get at Bella before Emmett got a good hold of his torso and Carlisle grabbed his arms. He was snarling and straining against them eyes completely black and focused on Bella. My own breathing sounded far to loud to me, I had at some point pressed myself back into the wall trying to get away from them, my brain struggled to catch up with what had just happened, still trying to process the fastness of the movement.
Strangely the first thought in my head I was, I knew it! Whatever the Cullen were, they weren't human. I was right I mentally cheered before realising I was stuck in a house with some type of monster creatures. I meant to glance over at Chrissy but my eyes fell on Bella first and I pulled in a shocked breath. She was on her knees surrounded by shattered glass while a small river of blood seeped out of the numerous cuts all over the top of her arm, her dress sleeve in tatters. She hissed pushing a hand against it before seeming to realise where she was. She looked up, finally looking scared and I followed her gaze, all the Cullen in the house were watching her and I noticed all their eyes were pitch black instead of golden.
ALICE POV
This was my fault, I should never have listened to Edward. If I'd been listening, been watching in then I would have seen this. But no, Edward always knows best, and he'd told me I was forbidden to look into Bella's future and all because of his stupid belief that she should stay human. She was going to be a vampire, it was pretty much sealed in as a future. As long as we were around, Bella would be a vampire, Edward such just get over himself.
I sighed out an unneeded breath, Edward was stood on the back porch glaring at the floor. He was conflicted, mind changing ever two seconds, a thousand futures pressed into my head and winced backing away from him and turning away from the house. Closing my eyes, I focused in on Jasper and found him sat on the corpse of a stag half a mile away. I let my mind take over, guiding my feet to him relishing in the speed no car could come close to, the momentary joy that it brought was ruined when I finally found Jasper. The clearing he was sat in was soaked in blood but it was the emotion pouring of him that almost brought me to my knees, it was like walking into a wall of self-hatred.
I swallowed heavily, delicately stepping around the various animal remains spew across the floor, and sat down next to him, resting my head against his shoulder. He dropped his hands from his face, and turned his guilty dark gold eye towards me.
"Alice" He muttered, a pained edge to his voice.
I took a deep breath, letting my eyes fall close as I focused on Jasper and his future, a scene I'd watched a hundred times before played before in my head and I felt myself smile, Jasper slowly relaxed beside me as he felt the simple joy that seeing my family happy produced in me. Jasper and I had the most complicated relationship in the family, we were best friends, and sometimes lover but we'd never been mates. There was someone else out there for me, someone shrouded in shadows and just beyond what I could see. It was frustrating but at the same time, appealing. I'm not used to surprises.
"Nothing's changed, Jazz. It's still going to happen." I soothed as I opened my eyes again, he shot me a grateful smile, glancing upwards before rising and offering me a hand. "Well then we best get back before the heaven open."
LYNS POV
I wasn't sure how I was meant to feel, or what I was meant to think. I mean I knew the Cullen were odd, different, downright creepy in fact, but vampires? Blood drinking, dead as dirt, immortal beings that wandered the night and couldn't get a tan? It was just ridiculous, if one hadn't just tried to take a chuck out of my sister's jugular I wouldn't have believe it. What the hell were they doing in Forks? Why was one dating my sister? Why was another interested in my other sister? Why were they throwing teenager's birthday parties? What the fuck was going on? I wanted to hit something, to yell and rage against the idea of creatures like that even existing, but mainly I wanted to grab my sisters and run. To get as far away from the Cullens as I could. Conflicting i just sat there, on the steps leading into the Cullen living room.
Bella was upstairs in Carlisle office, the rest of the Cullen were gone, to hunt apparently. Carlisle had stayed just long enough to…I'd say explain but really he didn't give me enough information to call it an explanation. Vampires…..real life vampires. Living in my town, going to my school…touching my sister. I shuddered in repulsion at the idea. How could Bella have allowed it? As a matter of fact how could Bella stand to be around them, it wasn't right. Unless she didn't know, maybe they were tricking her, had fooled her into believing they were normal. Maybe they planned on eating her, or making her a vampire. Although why they would choose Bella was beyond me, there were plenty smart, prettier or more interesting girls in the school, even if you didn't count me.
I heard the soft clicking of heels and felt Chrissy's silk dress brush past my bare shoulder, she hadn't said anything since this all happened. Unlike me she hadn't felt the need to yell or scream in the immediate aftermath, demanding answers that didn't do anything to help me understand the situation. She'd just be quiet and pale, watching Bella bleed with an odd expression even I couldn't read. Then Carlisle had taken her upstairs, apparently he was some type of ubervamp that could deal with blood, or at least that's what Esme told us before she too had to leave. I inhaled frowning as the air burnt my nose and glanced up, Chrissy was knelt on the floor a bowl of something that I assumed was bleach next to her as she scrubbed at the bloody floor. Oh of course, we're about to be eaten and Chrissy is cleaning our killers house!
"What the hell are you doing" I hissed in a loud whisper, suddenly incredible angry at her, at Bella, at the whole situation. She didn't look up at me, or even pause as she replied, her tone even and empty.
"What does it look like? I'm getting rid of the blood."
"Oh good, so when they eat us they can do it with clean floors."
"No one is going to eat you" I spun round quickly almost sending myself spinning off the polished wooden step as I did so. Carlisle was coming down the stairs with a gentle smile, unlike before it didn't make me relax. I glared in his direction.
"Oh, well you might need to tell that to Jasper. He seems to have missed that fucking memo" I spat, fighting the urge to put something large and heavy between us. Not that I believed it would do any good. Carlisle paused at the bottom of the other set of steps, looking sad. There was a long heavy pause before he went to speak but Chrissy stopped him.
"Is Bella okay?" She asked, her voice quieter than I'd ever heard it, there was an odd edge to her words that I couldn't work out. A sense of unease twisted in my stomach.
"She'll be fine, I've stitched her up and given her some painkillers" He spoke gently looking over at Chrissy with that same gentle smile, he had given me.
"Thank you" She muttered. She hadn't moved from her place on the floor, but she had moved onto picking up the various pieces of glass. Probably not the smartest idea, I don't think we need any more blood in this house. Even if Carlisle was the only Cullen in the area, at least that I could see.
"It was nothing. Thank you for cleaning up. Esme will appreciate it." She nodded absent-mindedly, dusting her hands off on her dress and rose to her feet, sticking the bowl of bloody water and cracked pieces of glass on the side. She chewed on the bottom of her lip for a moment, before a look I recognised as her decisive face passed over her and she straightened turning to face Carlisle with resolve.
"So you're a vampire?" She asked, her tone completely even as if she was asking about the weather, I shot her an incredulous look. How could she not be freaking out? What the hell was wrong with her? Even if she didn't want to freak out, we could at least run.
"Yes, although we're nothing like the movie version" Chrissy nodded in understanding, gesturing for him to continue when he paused, he sighed clasped his hands in front of himself and looked down.
"We don't kill people, we're vegetations" He broke off with a smile that faded as he looked between my entirely not amused look and the even blank one of Chrissy's face.
"We survive on animal blood and try to live with people. Jasper is still quite new at this and he struggles more than the rest of us. I am sorry for what happened here tonight, I am sure Jasper feels terrible about it." He glanced at Chrissy as he said that, and I frowned. What? why was he looking at Chrissy? What did jasper have to do with…..Oh god.
"You kissed a vampire!" I yelled pointing at Chrissy with a look of disgust, she and Carlisle flinched at my outburst. Carlisle looked surprised, looking at Chrissy in a way I'm sure meant he had no idea about the kiss, wait so why was he looking at her before, if he didn't know about the kiss. What had Jasper been saying about her…what had Jasper planned for her. The urge to run was becoming overwhelming.
"Yes well, thank you for that" Chrissy all but snarled, glaring in my direction with a look of pure irritation on her face. I looked away for her, disgust warring with pity inside me. Poor Chrissy, she'd been tricked but at least now, after Bella came down, we could leave and have nothing more to do with the Cullens.
"Tonight was just an unfortunate accident. He had been doing so well" Carlisle muttered looking out of the large glass windows and into the forest below. I scoffed, crossing my arms.
"Yeah okay, we'll just take our sister and go. And you can stay the hell away from us"
"I…No!" I lifted my head watching Bella descend the stairs in confusion, no? No what?
"I..knew, I knew what they are. I don't want them to stay away." She muttered eyes on the floor. I released a shocked breath, unable to comprehend what Bella was telling me for a moment. She knew?
"You knew….You put our whole family In danger, for what? Edward Fucking Cullen?" Chrissy winced at my volume, reaching out to grab the arm I had flung our to point at accusingly at Bella, she placed her other hand on my shoulder and raised at eyebrow at me, moving so she could look me in the eye, a position that put her back to Carlisle and made my stomach clench in fear. I took a deep breath under her watchful gaze before holding up my arms palm out. Fine. No shouting, they deserve it though i thought at her and she gave me a soft half smile in return, as though she could actually hear me. Twin telepathy at it's finest.
Chrissy frowned turning round to stand at my side looking purely at Bella for a long silent moment, gaze thoughtful. Her finally dropped her gaze to Bella's wrist, covered by the bracelet Chrissy herself had brought her for her birthday, to hide the scar she'd gotten in Phoenix. The one that came from falling through a window….the one that looked oddly like teeth marks. I sucked in a sharp breath, a glance at Chrissy confirmed she was thinking the exact same thing.
"You bit her" Chrissy stated and for once I could hear the barely controlled anger in her tone, read it in the way her entire form had tensed. I smirked, relieved she was on my side on this. Finally someone else could see how creepy the Cullens were.
"No, no! They saved me. There was this other vampire, a blood drinker. He wanted to kill me but Carlisle and Edward…they, they saved me" Bella spoke fast, moving to stand in front of Carlisle as though ready to physically defend him from us. I was right all along, she had chosen Edward and his family over us. There was a long, ugly pause while we all came to the same conclusion, a line had been drawn in the sand tonight. This night would change everything.
"So why aren't you dead?" Bella flinched at my spiteful tone, and for a moment I actually had to wonder if I would have preferred her to be dead. Then the Cullens would be gone, and everything could be settled, easy, like it was before she messed everything up.
"Edward was able to remove the vemon" Carlisle supplied staring at the floor uncomfortably. Chrissy had still got her gaze locked on Bella's wrist, her expression unreadable, even to me.
"The vemon? So you're like a disease then?" She finally asked, looking up at Carlisle her expression blank, I scoffed.
"No they're fucking dead. That's beyond a disease." Everybody ignored me.
"Yes, I suppose you could call it that. The vemon mutates the body, strengthening and repairing it, making it as flawless as it can before stopping the heart."
"You don't have a heartbeat?"
"What part of dead are you not understanding" I questioned irritated, why the hell were we stood here having this discussion. I should just grab Chrissy and leave, get as far away from these…things as I could. Everybody ignored me again, that was starting to be old. I crossed my arms across my chest, glaring at the back of Chrissy's head, knowing she could feel me.
"No, we don't." Carlisle answering softly, he was watching Chrissy as well, his expression speculative.
"So how do you… you know live? How are you walking around, having this conversation?" Oh of course, question the biology of the killers, that was so Chrissy.
"I'm honestly not sure. No one really knows." Chrissy nodded chewing her lip, I reached across to smack her arm.
"Stop it, we don't need anymore blood here" I snarled, frustrated and angry at this whole situation when something occurred to me.
"Do you die? I mean if I shoved a stake through your chest or pushed you into open sunlight, will you go poof?" Chrissy bit back a smile, shooting me a look out of the corner of her eye.
"No! You can't." Bella injected, looking distressed and angry. A look aimed mainly at me, the look she sent Chrissy was much more of an appeal for help. As if Chrissy would choose her over me.
"I doubt she'd actually murder anyone." Chrissy replied, choosing to look at the floor instead of either of us. She looked uneasy.
"Not murder if they're already dead." I muttered childishly under my breath as Bella glared at me, Carlisle was smiling in a irritating way, like I was some young child that had said something unintentionally funny.
"No, she means you actually couldn't. There are ways, but none that a human could use." Oh, well that's disappointing. There goes my plans for tomorrow.
"Right, okay. I…I think I need to go home now." Chrissy muttered finally as she raised a hand to press it against her temples. Thank fuck for that, I was ready to get the hell out of here and never come back, I glanced at Bella. She wouldn't be coming with us, I could read it of her every gesture and I'd never been good at reading Bella.
"Of course, I truly am sorry" Carlisle stated and some part of me believe him, Chrissy nodded giving him a small smile than I resented, but she had always been polite. I mean she couldn't be thinking of doing a Bella right? Any sane person would run ten thousand miles when faced with this…things. The Cullens. Chrissy was smarter than Bella, with a far stronger sense of self-preservation, it'd all be fine. We would stay the hell away from them until they left, probably taking Bella…or maybe killing her. And everything would be okay again.
I linked arms with Chrissy dragging her through the house and into the cold air, grateful that we hadn't run into any of the other Cullens. Although that was probably because they were all outside, away from the smell of our blood. The thought made my stomach heave. The rain has finally started pouring down as it had been promising all day, and I couldn't stop myself glancing towards the tree line. The storm-darkened sky made it seem much more threatening that it had been we arrived, or maybe that was just because I knew what kind of monster were running around in it now. I shivered, running for the car while Chrissy paused, head turned towards the sky as the rain soaked her brown hair into a lanky black mess.
As I clambered into the passenger side of the car, and slammed the door shut I couldn't help but glance back at the house. Chrissy's form was silhouetted against the even white paint of the house as she stood, I sighed as I watched her. Water had coated her pretty red dress sticking it to her skin, darkening to the colour to something close to blood, how very poetic. I shifted my gaze for a second to stare out into the trees, the same feeling of unease settling over me and when I looked back she wasn't alone. It took me a minute to recognise who it was in the dim light coming through the Cullen's windows. Although I don't know why, there is only one person it would be. Jasper.
I moved to open the door, to shout out a warning to my sister who was still stood there her eyes closed and head raised, obviously to the world but Jasper beat me to it, saying something that made her head lower, although he made no move towards her. I shifted in my seat keeping my hand of the door handle, although I doubted I could get to her before he could, and even if I could, apparently I'd never be able to stop him. He didn't move though, he might have been talking I couldn't tell in the dim light, but Chrissy shook her head stepping away from him and I cheered internally. At least one sister had some common sense. She made to come towards the car and Jasper finally stepped forwards, he had taken off his jacket at some point and now he held it out to her, I noticed for the first time she was shaking. There was brief lull before she took the tiniest step towards him, taking the jacket and throwing it over her shoulders before darting towards the car, leaving Jasper stood on the bottom step of the porch.
I looked down sharply, feeling strangely guilty for looking even though nothing had happened and I couldn't hear whatever had been said, It still felt private. Like I shouldn't have know it was taking place. I busied myself fiddling with the heating settings, when a wrinkling sound caught my attention. Bella's birthday present was still in my hand, paper ripped and dangling off, the ribbon dirty and twisted and the box crumbled. I hadn't even been aware I was holding it, but apparently I had been tearing it apart in nerves while stood in that room. I stared down for a long moment thinking of my sister, of the little girl I had taught to swim when we were younger and the teenager I'd left behind in the Cullen house. the vampire house.
Chrissy clambered into the car, Jasper's dark blazer around her shoulders, we said nothing. Finally the engine kicked in and we lurched forwards before the tires found some purchase on the slick gravel. I glanced back at the Cullen house through the rain bleared windows, in the dark in looked every inch the vampire house it was. My sister was still inside there. I felt sick