Chapter One
The Vampire in the Mirror
The reflection staring back was me, but it wasn't me. Her hair was chestnut brown but it also reflected highlights of golden and red tones, hanging midway down her back. There was a gorgeous wave of large curls, full of body and bounce. The shine was almost a shimmer in the fluorescent lights above the vanity. I had never seen such perfect flawless skin, it held not a blemish, wrinkle or visible pore, and it was snow white and alabaster. The only hint of color was the slight darkening under the eyes; the piercing red eyes. Through those eyes came beyond perfect vision. Every facet of color in the iris stood out. I had no idea there were so many shades of red, it was like seeing the color for the very first time. The pink hue to the lips appeared to move and breathe separately from the face. There was definition to the lips, the nose, the perfect straight little nose, and the eyelashes; they were seriously a mile long. This woman was drop dead gorgeous with a body to match. She was taller, 5'8 with long legs that didn't stop and arms with the perfect definition, not overly muscular but with just the right curves. Oh my god, the abs, she has the tightest six pack and perfect breasts, they've grown too. Somehow I knew they were the ideal C cup. At first I thought I must be dreaming, this is too good to be true; then I remembered I don't dream anymore. That drop dead gorgeous beauty in the mirror is me; Isabella Marie Swan, Vampire.
Well, I may never turn nineteen, but at least my body transformed into 'total' woman and I wouldn't go through eternity in a 'girls' body. I never really cared that much about looks or my figure, I'd always been on the thin side, but now I looked like someone who took working out seriously. I looked athletic, healthy and fit and I could feel my confidence boost. I could easily pass for mid maybe even late twenties just as easily as nineteen. That alone would give me so many more opportunities. I took a deep breath even though I didn't need to, force of habit I guess, and walked out of the bathroom door to find my family, my entire new family standing around the bedroom waiting for my reaction. "Well Edward, what do you think?" I decided to turn the tables, they could chime in first.
"I think you are as gorgeous as you've always been." He smiled the crooked grin I always loved; only it was like seeing it for the first time. The slight way he cocked his head to the left and the right side of his mouth raised just a fraction of an inch higher than the left made me melt.
"Oh come on Edward, don't tell me you aren't a little psyched about those new and improved boobs." Emmett laughed wagging his eyebrows.
"Emmett." Edward chastised.
"Ahem, you better watch where you're looking mister or those are the only boobs you will be seeing." Rosalie smacked Emmett in the back of the head playfully, winking at me.
"Well I agree, they are pretty hot, I'm kind of excited about them myself." I laughed as they all stared, jaws dropping. "But check out this butt; it's hard as a rock." I turned in a 360 until they all figured out I was messing around and laughed with me.
"So come sit down and tell us what you remember Bella." Good old Carlisle, forever the clinician.
"Carlisle, I think she may need to eat first." Edward offered.
"Oh, of course Bella do you feel like you need nourishment?" Carlisle asked.
"No, I don't think so, I feel pretty good, how would I know if I need nourishment?" I knew something was wrong when they all turned to one another with inquisitive stares and shrugs.
"Bella, isn't your throat burning?" Edward walked towards me very slowly.
"No, should it be?"
There were several resounding yeses through the small room.
"It's amazing, she is not hungry, she is not confused, and I've never seen anything like it." Jasper looked both confused and very hungry.
"What does this mean?" I asked Edward.
"I don't know, I guess we'll just have to wait and see."
"Ok, well you don't all really want to hang out in the bedroom do you? I mean can we go downstairs?"
"Of course Bella."
Once we were all settled downstairs I recounted what I could remember starting at the clearing. "I first knew I was in trouble by the look on Edward's face, he looked up at me with horror and guilt and grief and I knew I was dead. I felt my head yank back and a sharp stabbing into my neck, Victoria bit me. She said such horrible things but when she ordered Edward be left alive I didn't care what she did to me. At first the pain was so bad, the burning was so excruciating, that I just wished she would kill me then and there. It worsened when she bit me again." I said rubbing the new scar on my wrist matching the one from James on the other arm. They glistened now in this new skin. "It was then that I realized she wasn't going to kill me, she was going to change me and Edward was going to survive. I knew everything was going to be ok. Anyway, I watched Jake tear her apart and felt Edward lie next to me."
"Oh, Edward, how is your leg?"
"I'm fine Bella." He sounded surprised, hmm. "Then I recall Jake kneeling by us and pledging his love and protection. All of a sudden the pain dissipated, I felt like I had been drugged I was loopy and numb. I tried to talk but I couldn't. Carlisle, did you give me something, a shot?"
"No, I had nothing with us. I wish I had thought of that."
"I can't believe it worked. Bella, I think it was me. I tried to calm you down and tried to take the pain away. I didn't think it would actually work, I thought…, well, I'm just glad that it worked." Jasper explained.
"Well whatever you did it worked, I didn't feel any pain. Thank you Jasper."
"We went back to the house, Jake and the pack joined us. Sam had a couple of the wolves run patrols out by the clearing to make sure there were no more newborns, a couple wolves ran patrols around the house. I remember Jake sitting at my one side and Edward at the other. I heard the conversation between the two of you Edward. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Oh, I take it we are in Alaska? I heard the discussion about leaving Forks. The drive here I laid in your lap in the back seat. I know Jake drove up with us, but he's gone now isn't he?"
"He didn't want to leave, believe me Bella. He fought about it, he's very stubborn and very protective of you. In the end it was his love and concern for you that made him understand why he must go. He knew that if you couldn't control yourself, if you hurt him, it would destroy you. I promised to let him know when it was safe and he will return to see you."
"I see, but I could never hurt Jake, Edward surely you know that." I was a bit irritated that anyone could think I could ever hurt him.
"Bella, you are exhibiting uncanny control. Every newborn I have ever seen, and I have seen thousands Bella, have been unstable when they are first 're-born'. Your throat should be burning; it should be an excruciating feeling. Human blood and the thirst should be the only thing you can focus on right now. The newborns I have trained could not even carry on much of a conversation before feeding. Bella, you are doing quite remarkably, I know it is hard to believe that you could ever hurt Jake, but if you were a typical newborn the threat would be very real."
"Thank you Jasper." I felt better that it wasn't their expectations of me but their knowledge of newborns that tainted their views.
"Bella, do you remember anything else after we arrived in Alaska?" Carlisle really just couldn't help himself.
"Although I really didn't feel the excruciating pain I know I should have felt with the burn of the venom I could feel the venom travel through my body. At first it was a vague sensation like a heat rising and spreading within me. After awhile it became easier to focus and narrow in on the sensation. It seemed my mind could trace the spread at infinitesimal degrees; I could pinpoint the exact place in my body where the venom had already consumed me and the areas that still harbored human blood. I could feel the venom overtake the new portions of my body, replace what it no longer needed, wanted. It was easier to focus on that and the conversations around me at the same time. I recall hearing Jake's breathing and the precise moment when I knew it was different, distinguishable from the other hollow breathing I heard. It seemed all of my senses began to heighten as well. Jake being here made it easy to differentiate. Oh, I know what you all meant about the wolves scent; Jake does stink."
"Geez, I told you so." Rosalie rolled her eyes and Emmett was laughing so hard he was literally rolling on the floor. Jasper and Edward were smirking but controlled themselves. Esme actually bore a consoling motherly look as if one of her children were told they had bad breath.
"What IS that noise?" I was suddenly quite irritated by a constant dripping sound. It seemed far away and sounded like water dripping from a faucet someone had not turned off completely, but that wasn't it, it was like multiple faucets but the drips were not landing on hard porcelain. It was something softer, a wash cloth maybe, left in the sink. It was maddening, I couldn't tune it out. Then out of nowhere there was a new sound added, a thumping, it quickened and slowed and without warning a new consistent sound emerged, one I did recognize. It was a heartbeat. "Edward!"
"It's ok Bella, it's a deer. Is it making you hungry, is your throat burning?"
"Gross. No." So that was not the reaction they all expected; it was met with bank stares. "What is that dripping noise? It is driving me crazy."
"Ah, snow melting off a tree at the base of the mountains. Droplets of water are falling onto the undergrowth below."
"Oh you have got to be kidding me, am I going to have to hear everything that vividly?"
"You will learn to tune it out Bella. The deer is not tempting you at all?" Jasper looked bewildered and again very hungry. What is it with him and his fascination with my hunger?
"No should it be? It's kind of repulsive actually."
"Carlisle?" Edward looked to Carlisle and his voice, that musical opera in each word, conveyed worry, fear and concern. His voice, I always thought it was magical, now I thought I would cry just hearing the melody of it, so rich, so deep, and so complex. It wasn't just his voice; it was all of our voices. Our voices, that included mine. I now shared those qualities I only ever had a glimpse of, but with these new sharper, heightened senses it was very overwhelming. Even that felt different. The overwhelming sensation that I know would have consumed all of me before was now just a tiny part of the theatre in my mind. I could only equate it to watching all the acts of every play ever created enacted at once and not missing a second of anything transpiring on that stage.
"Bella love, what is wrong?" Edward reached for my hand. Oh yes, they had been having a conversation about what it could mean that I was apparently not hungry or enticed by the deer while I was visiting the theatre.
"Nothing is wrong, other than the fact that I am experiencing mind blowing capabilities right now. I don't even know what to focus on my mind is registering so many things at once. I feel like a computer. How do you focus? Oh look a spider! Oh, look at the web it's like a thousand strands of the finest silk. Oh, sorry." I felt Edward's fingers intertwine with mine.
"Uhh, you're not cold, Edward."
"No actually, it's your temperature that has changed love; I am just as cold as I have been for the past ninety years."
"Oh, yeah, Ok." I squeezed his hand gently to show him I understood and appreciated him.
"Uhm Bella, you are quite a bit stronger now too dear." Oh no, I hurt Edward, I actually caused him physical pain.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Woos." Emmett punched Edward playfully in the arm as he teased him.
"But that did not hurt? Or did it?" How could my little squeeze hurt him but Emmett punching him didn't?
"I know my strength Bella; it's all about getting accustomed to your new abilities. Don't worry you'll learn as you go." Emmett was actually being quite gentle. I didn't know that he had it in him; no maybe I did know.
"Bella, actually you are stronger than Emmett right now, hell, you're stronger than all of us right now. Think about the newborns you saw a few days ago. You'll never be as strong as you are right now. That strength will gradually diminish over the first year. They were all at least weeks older than you are right now and it was already starting to lessen. They were all very strong, but they didn't know how to control that strength. That's what we will help you with Bella." Jasper explaining what it was like to be a newborn reminded me of his instructions at the clearing when my family was practicing and preparing for the fight. Oh, the fight that was only a few days ago. VICTORIA. "That bitch bit me."
"Yes Bella. Victoria bit you. It was too late to extract the venom by the time Jake got her off of you. Carlisle tried, but she managed to hold us off just a little too long."
"Oh. She is dead right? It is over now, right?"
"It's all over love, they are all gone."
"Eeew, what is that smell?"
"That's a wolf Bella, a regular old wolf." Rosalie didn't even try to hold back her laughter as she identified the smell for me.
Now she was starting to annoy me, I heard this low rattling sound and realized I had growled at her. I was horrified. I didn't mean to be so rude.
"Rosalie I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to growl." Luckily she laughed even harder.
"It's ok Bella, I'm actually glad to see you stick up for yourself for a change. I like the new Bella."
"Bella, I think you should hunt. It may not be safe to put it off even if you aren't feeling the burning effects yet. Keeping yourself well nourished is the key to avoiding harming humans."
"Oh, well then I'll hunt, I don't want to take any chances. What do I do?"
"Come on, I'll show you love." Edward reached for my hand and we walked to the front door for my first attempt at drinking blood.
