Disclaimer: Obviously Twilight and Vampire: The Masquerade do not belong to me.

A/N: Sorry about the wait, guys! My computer's been fighting with me lately. Really quickly, as you've probably noticed, I made a few adjustments to the story by the advice from a reader. I've said it before, if there's a mistake, tell me. I want you all to enjoy what you read, not to mention, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. If I miss something, let me know :) There's sometimes occasions where I edit chapters a bit later, so I make mistakes. So, don't be afraid to point something out.

Chapter II: Something New

I knew I was in terrible shape the second my legs and arms went numb. My eye lids were heavy now. I had been without blood in my system for far too long. It most have been a month or so since I last fed. Kindred could only go a few weeks without feeding before we started to shut down. We needed blood to operate, especially at the most basic level. I suppose the Cold Ones were better equipped to deal with periods of prolonged starvation. Vicky once said that she was able to go months without feeding if necessary. Ugh, now I feel sick to my stomach. How is that even possible? Well, at least I haven't lost my mind yet. I couldn't help the half-assed giggle that escaped my lips.

"Something amusing, Bella?" I barely registered Tanya's genuine curiosity to my left.

"I think she might be losing it, Tan. She doesn't look particularly well put together right now," Irina was certainly right about that. I knew I didn't have much time.

A slight growl of frustration came from Tanya, "We're almost there, little Bella. Just hold on a moment longer."

I felt Irina let go of my waist, and the next thing I knew, I was being cradled by Tanya, and the world flew by in a blur. Wind rushed by me quicker than it had a few minutes ago. Before I could realize what was happening, the sound of a door slamming open, and the smell of hickory and steel overwhelmed my senses. I attempted to open my eyes wider to take in my surroundings, but everything was so damn blurry. All I could really make out were the soft orange and red glows of light. Lamps? A fireplace? I can't really tell anymore. I feel so weak…

I could vaguely decipher the crackling of a fireplace, and the smell of hickory and oak grew stronger. I felt Tanya kneel down, and suddenly, my back was on a soft, warm surface. My ice cold skin reacted with surprise as I was wrapped in a warm, thick blanket. A whimper of pain and shock escaped my lips before I could do anything about it.

A warm hand began stroking my hair under my hood. I allowed myself to feel the comfort and pleasure it brought me. My eyes fluttered shut, enjoying the new sensation. The smell of wintergreen and lavender hit me. It was such a pleasant scent. I hummed in contentment, completely forgetting where I was and what was going on around me.

"It's alright, Bella. Rest now. We'll see if we can get some blood into your system momentarily. Save your strength." Tanya's smooth voice was just so relaxing. What's wrong with you, Bella? Why is this woman so fascinating to you? You know who she is! She's related to them! Come on, B! Put that guard up! Pull it together.

I wanted to listen to my self-conscious, but I was just too weak to put up any sort of resistance. And even if I was strong enough to resist them, why would I? After all, this coven just took me in. It didn't really matter if they were closely associated with them or not. These vampires just showed me a massive act of kindness by helping me. My Beast needed to bare that fact in mind. I relaxed into what I assumed was a couch, and tried to rest, silently listening to more footsteps entering the house.

"She's on the sectional. Perhaps we can see about getting some blood into her system?" Tanya kept her voice soft as she spoke to her coven. I just really enjoyed her presence. It was strangely soothing.

There was a rush of movement in the house. A few minutes passed before feather-soft footsteps approached the front of the sectional. I could smell blood, but it wasn't human. I'm certainly no expert in differentiating the various scents of mammal blood, but if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it was from a deer. I grimaced a little. Animal blood didn't sit well with me, but beggars can't be choosers, right?

"Here you are, little Bella," Irina cooed gently, "I've got a straw, and I'll hold the mug. Just sip, alright?"

A tentative hand lifted my head slightly. I opened my eyes enough to focus on the blurry straw in front of me. Gingerly, I took the flimsy piece of plastic into my mouth and began to suck. Oh, god! It's so gamy!

I grimaced roughly at the revolting taste, "Uh, wh-," I attempted to protest with a mouthful of gamy, disgusting deer blood in my mouth, only to begin choking immediately after.

"Hush, now! I understand the Kindred don't particularly enjoy animal blood, but this is the best we can do with this storm right now," Tanya's tone, while caring, was slightly scolding.

I growled slightly, almost childishly, but swallowed what remained of the blood. Honestly, the warmth felt amazing sliding down my esophagus, though I'd never admit it. The taste, however, left much to be desired. Begrudgingly, I accepted the straw, and continued drinking the revolting blood. It was better than nothing. Thankfully, I finished the mug, relieved to have the experience over with, but realizing that I'd soon need more to get my strength back up. "We have another mug for you, little one," announced Irina. Why, it's as if they read my mind. Ugh, this is so not fun! Might as well just get it over with.

Through blurry vision, I watched as Irina switched out the empty mug for a full one. I braced myself, settling the new straw into my mouth and began drinking. After that was done, one more was offered to me. I allowed myself to look past the disgusting taste, and just focused on feeding. The warmth of the blood heated my frozen body, boiling my veins in an almost pleasurable way. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling. Slowly, I started to feel some of my strength return. That was a massive relief! I knew, however, that animal blood would only get me so far. This storm was going to be a problem.

Tanya carefully removed her hand, allowing me to rest my head. Slowly, my vision began to clear. My eyes gravitated to the rustic, cabin-like ceiling. Wooden beams crossed horizontally from one side of it to the other. From my position, I could see a few vertical beams branching off arches connecting to the ceiling, forming a support structure. Their home was so unlike theirs… well, from what I could tell in my current situation anyway. Regardless, from what I could sense, the Denali home felt homey, whereas their home felt barely lived in.

Pale blonde hair atop an angelic face peered over the back of the sectional from my left, a cheeky smirk on her face. There was a slight gleam in her eye that told me that she was terribly playful, "Sounded like you enjoyed that. You know, with the moaning and such." She finished with a wink.

I just blinked at her, confused for a moment. Moaning? I didn't moan… oh, wait... I did, didn't I? Fucking frenzied thirst! If I could have blushed, I probably would have. Bringing my hands up through the blanket, I covered my face in embarrassment. I was mortified!

Tanya's calming hand began to stroke my hair again, "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. We all know how pleasurable feeding can be. And it's most likely been some time since you last fed. No need to stress yourself, dear."

Sighing, I let my hands find their place on my stomach under the blanket. I glanced at Tanya, for the first time actually seeing her. Curly, strawberry blonde hair cascaded around an angelically beautiful round face. Her golden eyes shined with the warmth of the sun, love and kindness displayed prominently in them. Her skin was as pale as a fresh snowfall. An adorable thin nose, full lips, and a cute dimpled chin finished her features perfectly. Since when did I say anything was adorable? Yes, she's absolutely stunning, but come on, Bella! You don't know this woman at all.

Despite my instincts warning me, a warm smile ghosted my lips. "Well, damn, girl! Check out the fangs on you!" Katrina exclaimed like a child on Christmas morning, surprising the holy hell out of me.

My eyes shot back to her in surprise, "What?" I licked my top canines, discovering that they had enlarged. Guess I was really, really hungry. Well, that's one way to make an impression, isn't it? My subconscious mocked sarcastically.

"Well, that probably makes feeding pretty easy for your kind, huh, Bella?" Irina wondered from next to Tanya, her pale blond, shoulder length hair bouncing a little as she took a seat on the sectional opposite of me a moment later. She was just as beautiful as Katrina and Tanya.

I shrugged, rather weakly, "I suppose it does. Though my clan has an ability to interject our will into the individuals we feed on, which makes it a lot simpler… if we really need it to be."

A poke of a finger brought me back to Katrina. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "Like seducing, huh? Hmm, that's rather fascinating. Of course, that begs the question, what clan are you from? We've heard there's quite a few."

A soft clearing of a throat brought my attention back to Tanya. She eyed Katrina for a moment, almost in a disapproving way, "Kate, perhaps that's a little too personal for Kindred?"

I simply shrugged again, "No harm done. We don't have any protocols against answering that question, and you already know about us… so-," I turned back to Katrina, or Kate, I guess, and offered a welcoming smile, "I'm from the Ventrue clan, actually. Usually there's a whole process to making a new vampire, but I was sired by the Prince of my area. She didn't need, um… permission due to her high profile status."

"Permission?" Carmen questioned from outside my line of sight.

"Um, yeah. To sire, or create another Kindred, you must have permission from the Prince of that area to do so. We're pretty strict about that." My sire would be so proud to hear me explaining our inner workings to Cold Ones… maybe. I'd probably get a sweet, but strict reprimand from her if she heard any of this. But that was neither here nor there at the moment. Hell, for all I knew, she wouldn't have cared all that much. I mean, she never seemed to worry about the pack or Vicky… Vicky! I have to call her!

Almost on reflex, I reached into my coat pocket, grabbing my phone, hoping beyond hope it wasn't frozen or broken beyond repair. I brought it up to my face and attempted to turn it on. Nothing. It needed to be charged. I glanced over at Tanya, "Do… do you have a charger? I kind of need to get in touch with a friend of mine."

She looked perplexed for a moment at the sudden change of topic, but smiled and nodded, "Of course. We actually have one behind me." I handed her the phone and she scooted backward, plugged it into a charger, then placed it on a coffee table.

She returned next to me, and continued running a hand through my hair. Normally, I probably would have considered this a huge violation of personal space. Sure, Vicky would do that from time to time, but she was like a sister to me. This felt more personal, but, I guess I really didn't mind it. It was amazingly relaxing.

She gazed into my eyes, searching for something. It was so intense. Not really in an unpleasant sense, but I couldn't really place it. She seemed to decide on something before clearing her throat, "Bella, what are you doing all the way up here in Alaska? You said you were lost, but where were you headed?"

I couldn't help the distress that etched into my face. I was so terrified of what was behind me in Washington, what I knew was following me, that I didn't want to think about it. I tried to look away from her, but her right hand gently cupped my chin, and turned my head to meet her eyes again. She appeared concerned.

A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she softened her face a bit, "You don't have to tell us. But please understand that we're here to assist, in whatever way we can."

Before I even realized it, my left hand was caressing her right forearm. I gave her a thankful smile, "Thank you. And I'll tell you all I can once my head stops spinning. I really don't know how long I've been running for. I'd just like to rest without worrying for a few moments."

An understanding smile ghosted Tanya's lips, "Of course, Bella. Please, take whatever time you need. When you're ready, we are here to offer any aid we can." She continued stroking my hair. I couldn't help the hum of contentment that escaped my throat. Why does she have such an intense comforting effect on me? I don't understand!

I closed my eyes and nodded slowly, "Of course, Tanya. And thank you, all of you, for your kindness."

The room slipped into a few moments of calming silence. However, I could feel the curiosity oozing from the Denali coven. I just relaxed and waited for them to ask what they felt they needed to. I didn't have to wait long, though. "I, uh, don't want to make you uncomfortable, but, how long have you been Kindred?" the male vampire, Eleazar, questioned from behind the couch, his voice a little timid.

I had a feeling I knew where this was headed. I'll give them this little bit of information, but I won't discuss their cousins. That topic was off the table. I cleared my throat, "No, it's alright. Um, just over two years now. I was Embraced when I was twenty-six." I opened my eyes, meeting Tanya's curious, yet unsure golden ones. I had this suspicion that she was dying to know more, as was the rest of her coven. I didn't know what Tanya's coven heard from them about me, but I had to assume it was enough to get them super fascinated. They do have a right to know who they're helping, but I wanted to stay away from that part of my life… preferably indefinitely.

I turned my attention to the ceiling, taking in the wooden beams. They were stained with a dark finish, adding to the rustic look that I'd seen of their home so far. I sighed, cleared my throat again, and half-smiled at nothing in particular, "I had gotten to know a woman after an outing with co-workers from the hospital I worked at. She was absolutely stunning. She was just an alluring, like an Amazon or Greek warrior from the myths I was so fascinated with," I heard a faint growl come from Tanya, I raised an eyebrow, but continued, "We hit it off immediately, and she was just so interested in me. Not exactly in a romantic sense, but, I don't know, just interested in everything about me. We began to spend more time together, and we grew so close. One night, while we were walking around downtown Seattle... we were just having an amazing night and, out nowhere, this car," I paused to shake the memory from my mind, closed my eyes, and took a calming breath, "... Well, you can imagine what happened. I woke up a few hours later, and she explained what happened, and how she saved me. Now, well... here I am. It wasn't the best way to become a Kindred, but we made do."

"I can't imagine the horror you felt after that horrific incident. I'm... glad she was able to save you. The two of you sound quite close.", Tanya said fondly. Underneath it, though, I heard genuine intrigue, and maybe… a little jealousy? Hmm…, "You said you worked at a hospital. What did you do?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, "I was, er… still am, I guess, an ER nurse. I've been one since graduating college six years ago."

"That's pretty impressive, Bella," I glanced at Kate. She had this impressed, yet wondrous expression on her face, "We don't have an infinite amount of experience with Kindred, but to be a nurse in an emergency room must take a massive amount of self-discipline and strength."

"It really does," I agreed, glancing down at the blanket that covered me, "I guess I'm just lucky that my Sire was so experienced. She's been an amazing help to me."

My Sire, I reminisced bittersweatly, I wished she was here now... But she had to send me away. She wasn't being threatened, not directly, anyway. I was the target. Targeting such an imposing, popular, and important figure was a huge risk, so I became the target instead. Sure, I had to admit, it was fucking ingenious on the part of her enemies. It'd backfire eventually, but by the time it did, the damage would already be done.

"You miss her, don't you?" I was brought out of my thoughts by Tanya. I met her eyes, recognizing the look of understanding in them. There was a bit of sadness there as well, and for some unknown reason, that hurt me a bit.

I managed a sad half-smile, and nodded, "I really do. We're close. She's a huge influence on me. She's my teacher and confidant. She's been my biggest supporter, next to Vicky. Artemis has been so welcoming to me… I, um… just miss her."

"Artemis?" The confused and surprised voice of Irina got my attention. I smiled at the pale blond, and nodded fondly.

"She's not a Greek goddess, well, not like what the legends say. She's the Prince of the Seattle territory. She's also one of the founders of my clan. She's done a lot for Kindred. She brought the Ventrue together, and helped maintain the Camarilla." I spoke proudly of my Sire. I hope I can see her soon. Vicky will have information from her, I know it!

"Sounds like she's extremely important, but… what exactly is this Camarilla? Is it some set of laws or something?" Kate's question almost answered itself.

I shook my head slowly, "Not exactly, but it is a sect that helps protect Kindred by managing and enforcing what we call the Masquerade, which is a campaign, or set of guidelines, I guess, to convincing humans that vampires don't exist. It's, also, kind of like the do's-and-don'ts for Kindred to live by. It's designed to keep us hidden from the human population."

I noticed the looks of confusion on the faces of Irina, Kate, and Tanya. Maybe this can wait? I mean, all of the Kindred political stuff may take forever to explain. And frankly, I'm feeling a bit drained. I sighed, glancing between the three blond vampires, "Yeah, I know it's confusing. Kindred politics can be pretty complicated, I suppose."

Irina seemed to understand, shrugging slightly, "It isn't incredibly complicated. Sounds a lot like the Volturi, actually. So far, though, Kindred sound a bit more civilized."

I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Victoria told me about them. They sounded a bit barbaric, to be honest."

"Did the Cullens not tell you about them?" Eleazar's confused voice echoed across the wooden walls.

I couldn't stop the snarl that escaped my lips or the disdain that dripped from my voice, "They didn't tell me much of anything. Victoria has been the one to help me understand your kind." Relax, Swan! The Denalis probably don't understand how much their fucking cousins hurt you. Take a deep breath, and cool down. I clenched my eyes shut and took a few deep breaths. I could feel their eyes on me, patiently waiting, but concerned. Once I was calm enough, I opened my eyes, and took in the room. I let out a frustrated sigh, "Ugh, I'm…um, sorry. I just don't like talking about them. We didn't part on the best of terms."

"It's quite alright. Frankly, it's none of our business in the end," Tanya looked sincere. I just gave her a thankful smile.

"Thank you, Tan-", I was startled by the ring of my phone. Before I could dart over to it, Tanya blurred over to the table, unplugged it, and handed it to me. I smirked at her as I answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Bella?! Where are you? Are you alright?" Victoria's worried voice called through the receiver. Relief pulsed through me. Thank goodness, Vic!

After a calming sigh, I replied, "Red! Yes, I'm safe. I'm in Denali, Alaska, apparently."

She sighed in relief and cleared her throat, "Alright, you're safe. I'm in Denali as well. I picked up your scent and followed it here a short while ago. How are you feeling? Have you been able to feed?"

"I'm exhausted, but surviving. And yes, I fed a little. I, um… sort of ran into a coven of golden-eyed vampires a few hours ago. They've been helping me." I knew Vicky would worry about this, and I didn't blame her. She had a strong distrust of her own kind. A distrust I completely understood.

Her end grew silent for a few seconds, "…golden-eyed vampires? They're not… uh, who I think they are, are they?"

I just sighed in return, glancing around the room, silently asking for privacy. Everyone seemed to take the hint, and they filed out of sight and somewhere down the hall. I had a feeling they could still hear us wherever they were in the house, though. It was the curse of being a vampire. Whatever. It's better than nothing.

"No, Red," I breathed, "Not them, but they do know them. They've been nothing but hospitable, though. I have a feeling we can trust them enough to at least let us catch our breath while we figure out what comes next."

Another pause came from her end, shortly before a grunt, "Alright, I'll follow your scent to you. Stay put, and I'll see you soon. Please stay on your guard, B?"

I grinned at her concern, "Of course, Vic. I'll see you soon."

With that, the call ended. I rested my head back into the sofa. These last few months have been a whirlwind. I've barely had any time to think. It's all been react, react, react! It's just insanity! A few moments of peace and quiet would be amazing. That, and maybe a decent amount of sleep during the day hours. Feeling refreshed would be excellent right now. I've depleted so much of my strength, and sleep would really jump-start my system. Well… human blood, too. That would really help a great deal. In time… I hoped.

My eyes grew heavy as I laid there, staring at the ceiling. I began enjoying the solace of the silence. A content smile ghosted my lips. Just as I was enjoying it, rushed whispers reached my ears. I strained for a moment to hear what I could. Nothing seemed frantic, but there was surprise in the voices. I focused a bit more to eavesdrop a little better.

"…And you're sure about this, Tanya? I mean, we don't really know her. Not to mention what we know of her and the Cullens." Irina's voice was slightly skeptical.

There was a growl of frustration, which sounded like Tanya, "Ugh, I know, Rina. I'm completely aware of the situation this would cause, but I can't deny the simple truth of it."

"I'm happy for you, I really am, sister. But what do we plan on doing? I mean, Kindred can't exactly survive on animal blood alone. With this storm, it'll be difficult to get our hands on human blood." Kate announced. I had to agree with that. Human blood was a top priority on my list.

A defeated sigh came from Tanya, "I know, I know. Unfortunately, the only one I know of who could help in this situation is Carlisle. He still has many connections in the area. That would have to be a last resort. I don't want to put any unneeded stress on my mate. I'm afraid of what the presence of our cousins would do to her."

Mate? Did she say mate? No… that can't be. Surely, she couldn't really mean me, right? I mean, we just met! I furrowed my brows in confusion and frustration. I don't need any more stress right now!

"We can keep that option on the table, but let's see what happens. Perhaps the storm will let up enough for her to hunt?" Carmen questioned the group. Her voice hopeful and soothing.

"Yes, maybe we'll luck out before a drastic decision has to be made. I feel as though the presence of the Cullens would push Bella away from us and you, Tanya." I found myself slightly disagreeing with Eleazar. Yeah, I had no intention of being anywhere remotely near them ever again, but I wouldn't want to do anything that pushed Tanya away from me. What are you going on about, Swan?! Just because she says 'mate' doesn't mean you have to trust her immediately! Trust is earned, not just given away!

And I agreed with my subconscious. I couldn't afford to be careless now. The stakes were too high. I had to think like a Ventrue, and not like a lonely young vampire. I had to be tactful.

"Yes, I know. I guess we'll give it a few days. We'll just have to maintain the emergency stock of elk and deer we have to keep her going for now. And… I'll talk with her after she rests a bit. I haven't the faintest idea how to even approach this. I don't want to scare her-" I tried to hone in on the rest of what Tanya was saying, but sleep came over me before I could gather the energy. I was truly in uncharted territory.

I hope all the Kindred information didn't saturate this chapter. Let me know if you all want me to dial that back a bit. It's gonna space out a lot from here on out, anyway, but, still, let me know. See you all soon!