Eden Grillo watched closely as the wax from a candle began to pool around the base of the wick. She laughed to herself as her eyes moved from the candle to the photo sitting beside it. The earth had made its way around the sun 80 times since she took her last breath. The night her fiancé died was the night she had been turned into a monster. It had been 80 years of wishing death upon herself.
Before her thoughts could spiral out of control, Eden could hear her cell phone ringing. She ran to the other room and smiled when she saw her baby sister's wrinkle laden face pop up on the screen.
"Happy Birthday Edie."
Eden felt the corners of her mouth pull upward, "Thanks Daisy… how are you doing?"
She could hear her sister cough violently on the other end, "Don't worry about me. It's your birthday!"
"I'm always going to worry about you, little one." Eden's eyes were fixed on the dancing fire before her.
"Speak for yourself, it's not every day that someone lives to 98." There was a moment of silence before Daisy said what she said every year, "When will I see you again?"
Eden shrugged to herself, her chest tightening at the pain in her sister's voice, "I don't know, soon hopefully."
Daisy coughed again, "That's what you've been saying for the last 60 years. Every time I see that granddaughter of yours, I have to remind myself that it's not you."
"Daisy please, not now. Alright? I'll visit soon, but I've got to go. Someone is at the door." Eden's stomach churned as she lied to her sister.
After saying goodbyes, Eden turned off her cell phone and tossed in on the couch. Her throat was burning despite having hunted just hours ago. She kicked off her slippers and grabbed her dark green raincoat before heading out the door. With the earth beneath her bare feet, Eden ran through the heavily wooded area behind her cabin.
Running.
Running.
Running.
She kept running until she reached her favorite tree to climb. Perched 100 feet in the air on the branch of a pine tree, Eden finally allowed herself to succumb to her thoughts as she waited for her prey. Eden closed her eyes and thought back to the last time she had seen her sister. It reminded her of everything she could never have… the wrinkles, the grey hair, the kids and grandkids. It pained Eden every time she visited Daisy to have to pretend to be someone who never existed and never would.
For the past 10 years, Eden had been pretending to be her own granddaughter- Olivia Michaels. Olivia was merely a character Eden had created in order to be able to spend even just a few precious hours with Daisy. Eden never asked for immortality. While she may have turned her nose up at the idea of motherhood when she was still human, having the option completely taken away had made her rethink things. Eden could recall every wrinkle in her aging sister's face and only dream of a day where she could count her own.
The brunette slowly opened her eyes as the savory scent of bear lingered beneath her nose. Her flaxen eyes honed in on a black bear and its mate. She watched for a moment, smiling to herself as they nuzzled against each other. As she dropped down from her perch, Eden could sense that she was no longer along.
Her throat did not burn the way it did when surrounded by human blood, but the feeling of a set of eyes following her every move was present. Just as she set herself up to pounce, the sound of breaking branches sent her meal running. Eden let out an audible groan and turned toward the source of the sound.
Time froze. Standing a meager 20 feet away was the monster who turned her into what she was. Her eyes zeroed in a pair of eyes that were etched into her memory for eternity. This time, however, they were a flaxen color similar to her own. Last time she saw them they were as dark as the night sky.
Ten miles out, Alice Cullen was giggling with her beloved niece, Renesmee, when she felt herself being pulled into a vision. She gasped and dropped the half done braid before racing out of the room in search of Carlisle. The doctor was in his office when Alice came burst through the door. He smiled at first at the sight of Alice, before moving to her side upon noticing the solemn look on her face.
"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle asked placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Alice looked Carlisle in the eyes and sighed, "They've met."
Carlisle's hand dropped from Alice's shoulder and lifted it to run his fingers through his hair. He paced the office, deep in thought, staring at the floor. When he stopped, Carlisle leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest, "Are you sure it's her?"
"It is."