CHAPTER TWO
Waking Up Cold
Matilda
My throat burns.
Slowly I open my eyes. But the bright light forces me to close them again.
It's sort of like when you're at the dentist without those ugly orange goggles they give you to protect your retinas.
"Hey," the voice is musical.
It's beautiful.
"Sweetie. I'm Esme. It's okay," it whispers.
I sit up in a panic. There was a pain. So severe. Worse than any pain I'd ever felt. Like I was burning while still breathing. Where did it go?
"Hey. It's okay. Relax," the voice.
Frantic my eyes search for its owner. The woman is beautiful. Her eyes are golden, swarming with concern. The caramel hair, skin as pale as snow, the flush on her cheeks. It all contributed to confirming her as the most beautiful person I had ever seen.
"I'm Esme. You were in an accident," she says.
"My boyfriend," I choke out.
"You have a boyfriend?" She asks concerned.
"Had. He cheated," I shake my head confused.
"I see. Where are you from?" She takes my hand carefully.
The touch is comforting. Probably necessary.
"Sydney," I answer.
"You sure are a long way from home, gorgeous," Esme huffs.
"I was visiting him. Surprising him. But he had someone on top of him that wasn't me. So I just stole his car and drove," the explanation sounds dumb now.
"Do you have family in Australia?" She asks.
I shake my head.
"My father died when I was little. My mother was killed last year swimming. She got caught in a bad rip," I say, "I used some of my inheritance to come here."
"Siblings?" Esme asks.
"No," I shake my head. "I just had friends I considered family."
"I see," she nods, "you're welcome to stay here. Get things sorted out."
"I don't even know who you are," I shrivel up internally.
Where was I?
"Or where I am," I add.
"I'm Esme. This is a little town called Forks. We are actually about to head north. You see we're different," she is trying her best to keep me calm.
I felt at ease around her. As if her aura was just comfort alone.
"Why does it feel like a raccoon attacked the inside of my throat?" I wince.
"That's because you're thirsty. Alice will take you hunting when you're more alert," she explains.
"Alice?" Im confused.
That shouldn't have been the part that confused me. Hunting?
"I can't hunt. I'm a vegetarian," I say.
"So are we," she explains, "things are going to change for you a lot. I'm here though. I'll guide you through it."
"Did I become a superhero?" I ask.
At this point, my head is pounding. I'm over guessing. Can someone fill in the blank?
"I guess you could say it's similar. What's your name?" She moves closer to me.
That's my first indication that the news coming is going to hurt.
"My name? Matilda. Am I in heaven?"
She bites back laughter and shakes her head amused slightly. Oddly enough I wanted to make her laugh again. Like making her impressed were some sport and her smile was the goal.
"Matilda. You were very close to death. Minutes away. My son Edward made the decision to change you. You're no longer human, darling. We're vampires," she says.
I stare at her blankly. Before I can stop myself the laughter spills from me. Taking over my stomach, shoulders. I shake from the humour that actually lacks from what she said. It's not funny.
"What?"
"I wish I were joking, Matilda. Trust me I do. We are immortals," she stands and walks to the mirror in the corner of the room.
As I watch her make the movement I take the room in for the first time. It's girly and light. There are windows that make the room feel airy and spacious.
"Come look in the mirror," she says.
"I thought vampires can't see their reflection," I stand carefully.
"Myth," she waves me closer, "Come on, Matilda."
I'd been changed from the jeans and band shirt I'd left that dickheads house in. Instead, I wore cotton pyjamas.
My reflection shocks me to the core. My long brown hair looks healthier and more vibrant in colour. My skin is clearer, like porcelain. Bye acne. The red in my eyes terrifies me but I'm curious about it. I open my mouth wide, tilting back my head.
"Another myth. No fangs either," Esme says.
"So I'm a boring vampire," I raise an eyebrow.
They're much more delicate. Full. Goodbye anastasia brow wand. Each feature about me is amplified. Everything about me perfected. If this woman wasn't here I'd probably strip and stare at my naked body.
"Wait till you hear about the diet," she rubs my back with a motherly touch.
Everything about her reminds me of my own mother. Only she's nicer. I didn't repel from her touch. In fact, when it lingered I felt better because of it.
"Wait," I gasp.
"What?" Esme raises an eyebrow.
Rushing I rip up my shirt and begin tugging down my pants.
"You still have all of your pieces," she stammers confused.
"My tattoo," I gasp looking down at the bare skin, "it's gone."
"When we change all of our imperfections become perfect. It helps with our offensive hunting techniques particularly when it comes to feeding. Perhaps the process mistook it for an injury," Esme shrugs, "What was the tattoo?"
"A dream catcher," I sulk, "I got it when I was 17. I hid it from my mother."
"I'm sorry, Matilda," she says.
Carefully she moves across the room back to my bed. She fixes the sheets that I was just lying on.
"How old are you?" She asks me with her diverted focus.
"19," I say, "I was on university break. Adam met me on his trip to Sydney and I was dumb to believe long distance works. I showed up at his apartment to walk right back out."
"Oh dear," Esme shakes her head, "being 19 hasn't gotten any easier."
Suddenly the door cracks open. A tall man with blonde hair peers in. He has the same, classic beauty Esme has. His jawline could cut through butter.
"Oh, Matilda. This is my husband. Carlisle, this is Matilda. She is visiting the states all the way from Australia," Esme explains.
Her husband steps into the room smiling warmly at me. He was an utter DILF. I could imagine the swooning that would occur if my friend Rebecca was here right now. She went for older men and this man was exactly her kind of fun. He was positively perfect.
"Hey," I say.
"No mate?" Carlisle smiles.
"I'm not Steve Irwin," I'm probably slightly too blunt.
"Of course. I'll be sure not to throw any pythons your way. Welcome, Matilda. It's great to see you awake," he says.
"Wait. If your immortal does that mean you're like prehistoric?" The realisation is rude.
I only come to notice that it is after it falls out of my mouth.
"I'm not a dinosaur. But yes. We're both from a different time. All of us are, except for Isabella. Esme here was changed in 1921. I changed myself. I, however, was changed in .." he explains.
"Did you board the titanic?" I interrupt.
"Before my time," Esme smiles.
"Did you know Shakespeare?" I turn to Carlisle.
"No," he smiles, "do you know Crocodile Dundee?"
"Okay. I deserved that."
I test out my new smile. It feels natural. Happier. It was fair to say that it was beautiful. I felt beautiful. Much more than before. Everything about me was the same only amplified. I had a scar on my upper arm that looked like a crescent moon. I didn't love it.
"So when do I learn to drink people? Can I start with my boyfriend?" I continue to check myself out.
"Our lifestyle is different from your standard vampire. We survive off animals," Carlisle explains.
"Animals?" My eyebrows knit together.
"We don't see the point in hurting humans if we are able to live in another way," Esme says.
"So do you kill Bambi?" I ask.
"Don't see it that way," Carlisle says.
"Look. Alice has offered to show you the ropes. We all pose as a family. Carlisle and I are the parents if you will. The rest of the guys in the house are our children. Come and meet them and then Alice can give you a crash course," Esme takes my hand.
She holds it the entire length of the stairs. We move slowly allowing me time to adjust to the new way of movement. Each footstep feels more graceful and with less weight.
I'm taken to a room. It's as light and open as the bedroom I was just in. Only instead it has large, plush lounges, a roaring fireplace and a massive TV.
"Does that have Netflix?" I ask.
"Netwhat?" Carlisle raises an eyebrow.
"It's like Shakespeare but no globe fires," I say.
He smirks at me playfully, shoving my arm gently.
"Stop with the old age jokes," he laughs.
"Sorry Grandpa," I shrug unable to control my smile.
Esme and Carlisle were nice. They'd grown on me in the past 20 minutes and I wanted more than anything for them to continue accepting me.
"She's awake?" The voice is loud, strong.
The man behind it looks like Thor and the Hulk birthed a vampire. He is handsome, strong. Can I get under him?
"Hey," a small woman with black hair smiles at me, "you look great."
The room is filled with golden eyes staring back at me. A man with bronze hair is the only one I find something familiar about.
"Edward right?" I say.
"You remember?"
It's not him who responds. The brunette woman by his side does. I don't recognise her face but her voice.
"I remember him holding my hand. And all of the pain," I nod.
"We found you. Did someone crash into you and just leave you there?" she asks concerned.
"Let's not bombard Matilda with questions," Carlisle steps in wrapping his arm around my shoulder for comfort, "Matilda this is our coven. Our family. Edward, Bella, Alice and Jasper, Rose, Emmett and Renesmee is at school."
They are all perfect. Not a hair out of place. Rosalie blonde and striking, Jasper perfect. I failed to find a single flaw among them.
"Keep her talking. Her accent is awesome," Alice smiles, "I love Australians."
"I won't be able to ever go back. I'll burn in the sun," I realise sadly.
"Myth," Esme squeezes my hand.
"I can go in the sun? Can I eat garlic bread?" I ask.
"We don't consume human food. You can try. It just won't taste good," Carlisle explains.
"Not even cake?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Sorry," he shakes his head.
"Do they have chocolate flavoured deer?"
"Unfortunately not. But we all have our favourite to hunt. Elk, bear, mountain lions," Esme lists.
"Bear?"
I need to sit down. Standing feels too much right now. I'm overwhelmed. As I search for respite I feel my emotions shift. A wave of calm rushes through me.
"Coffins?" I look to Esme.
She shakes her head.
"Bats?" I try.
"Nope," Esme laughs warmly.
"So what do we do?"
I'm lost.
Did Brad Pitt lie? Perhaps that was the illest informed interview ever!
"Whatever you like. Whatever you want," Esme shrugs, "you could stay here until you learn to control your hunger. Move with us and join us."
"As a newborn, you're dangerous and unpredictable," Carlisle agrees.
"I was like that as a human," I shrug.
"You'll get along great with Rose," Edward smirks.
"Shut up," the blonde snaps at him.
"Take her hunting, Alice," Esme smiles, "Alice will take it easy with you."
"Do I need any weapons?" I ask.
The group snicker. Sorry I didn't get a copy of the handbook!
"You have built in weapons. In your mouth," Carlisle says.
"She said I don't have fangs," I point at Esme.
"You don't need them," He chuckles, "just trust us."
The smallest vampire approaches me smiling. Her short black hair looks lush, shiny. Whatever product she used I wanted 20 bottles.
"Okay," I let out a gush of breath I didn't need to have held.
"Come on," Alice reaches for my hand smiling, "we've got this sister."
"Sister," I test the word out.
I don't hate it.
Thank you for reading.
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