Charlie was wondering just what she had done to piss the universe off this time. First it had decided to be exceptionally sunny for the next two weeks making it almost impossible to hunt, mostly due to the length of the days and people had the biggest tendency of heading indoors the moment darkness started to creep along the horizon. Not to mention missing people during a sunny period was a lot harder to explain then those that went missing during the darker weather, storms were fun for covering up her hunts.

Secondly the folder in her hand detailing her new neighbours was a big pile of fucking shit. It only detailed three members of the coven and considering she had seen them move into town three days ago, she knew there was a lot fucking more than three. She had hung out in the treeline kissing the edge of their property and watched as they moved boxes from a large van into the old plantation house. The coven consisted of two blonde males and a blonde haired female, two brunette females and a brunette haired male, a bronze haired male and then the human female that fell over a total of nine times in the thirty minutes Charlie stood watching them. She wished she had taken more stock of their looks but realised a time would be coming soon to do that; instead she tried to gauge if they were a threat or not and whether or not she had to end them.

Heaving a heavy sigh she shuffles in her leather wing backed chair, the rustle of her jeans against her black cowboy boots bringing her back from inside her thoughts. Adjusting the material of her black long sleeved turtle neck jumper that had decided to wrap around her body in a suffocating cocoon due to her movements, she glances back down at the file in her hands.

She was grateful for the information albeit limited; it showed her just who might be a threat. One of the brunette females was a clairvoyant and could see the future based on decisions whilst the bronze haired male could read minds, Charlie wasn't too sure if their abilities would work on her, the Volturi's didn't, but she wasn't going to take any chances and had taken to acting impulsively in regards to the coven and had also called upon her old training to clear her mind from her thoughts. The other member it detailed was the leader; he was apparently nearing four hundred years old and in his whole existence had not once taken a drop of human blood. She was stuck between applauding him and shaking him silly, especially when it further detailed the fact that he was a doctor.

Vegetarian vampires are so fucking weird.

The only downside of the information was it didn't include a single name or form of identification for the seven vampires and human girl that made up the coven. It was infuriating Charlie to no end, normally when she wanted information she got pages and pages full detailing shit from when they were human to every town they've lived in since they were born as a vampire, but this coven, she knew practically fuck all.

She was contemplating contacting her old friend Demetri but she wasn't in the mood for that awkward conversation or the questions the tracker was no doubt going to ask. He had a knack for giving Charlie a metaphorical headache which led to her sometimes questioning how she kept sleeping with him whenever they ran in to each other. He hated her, she didn't particularly like him but they always ended up naked, covered in blood and fucking like animals. It confused the hell out of her.

"Charlie" a soft voice calls from downstairs "They're coming up the driveway"

Pushing the chair back from the desk Charlie stands and grabbing her leather jacket from its resting position on one of the couches and her aviator sunglasses she heads out the office and down the winding staircase, she meets the rest of her coven at the bottom and assesses them quickly.

Trevor and May were the perfect mated couple, he was dark skinned, dark hair and a dark sense of humour that sometimes bordered macabre whereas May was just like her name suggested, light and airy, she was short with light blonde hair and pale skin. Her attitude was one that could light up yours even on your darkest day.

Jax and Rodrigo were stood to either side of the mated couple, their arms crossed securely over their chests. They had a serious look on their face as they listen to the cars coming up the driveway steadily. Charlie knew if things went straight to shitville, the brothers would deal with the problem easy enough and all it would take is one simple command to slip past her cupid bow lips.

The other member of the coven that was present was Layla, the youngest in both human years and vampire years. Turned at the meagre age of sixteen by a nomad and left to fend for herself, Jax had found her whilst wandering through the forest on his way home from a hunt. The minute his eyes landed on her thrashing form on the forest floor, he was instantly reminded of the daughter he had when he was human. He brought her to the coven and the little shit hadn't left since. For all intents and purposes Jax was her father, no one could tell her any different.

The whole coven protected her, sometimes swaddling her in a security blanket due to the fact she didn't look sixteen, you could seat her in a room full of twelve year olds and she would fit in perfectly well without anyone questioning a thing. They only reason they knew she was indeed sixteen was Rodrigo's skills at finding out shit, he had found out her information which meant the Volturi wasn't kicking down their door for breaking the age rule.

Turning to the front door she gauges where the new neighbours are on the driveway and deeming them still far enough not to hear she begins to talk to her coven quickly and quietly.

"Trevor, May you two meet them at the door, wait until they pull up near the front door at least. The rest of you in the living room, look lively as though we weren't anticipating their arrival. It will make them feel at ease" flicking her unearthly grey eyes between them all gauging their reactions. "Also remember, keep your thoughts somewhat clear, not enough to raise suspicions but enough to keep the mind reader from finding out shit we don't want him to know"

As she finishes speaking everyone breaks off to do as she asks, Trevor and May stand out of sight in the foyer waiting to greet them, making sure nothing seems out of place she wanders into the living room. Her eyes flit around the tan and dark wood room, the white leather couches now home to the two brothers, their attention on the PlayStation they had fired up. The dark wood coffee table between them housing an assortment of magazines and newspapers whilst the bookcase across the back wall held a selection of books and knick knacks, the shelves not full giving a windowed look to the dining room just off from the living room.

Glancing in the fireplace she notices a roaring fire just finding its legs, the heat washing the room in a heated calm, the orange and red glow from the flames reflected on the black carpet. Glancing towards the back of the house and against the large wall of windows Charlie notices Layla at the computer, her fingers flying over the keys at rapid speed on what Charlie assumes is the latest degree she had decided to acquire online. The kid loved the act of getting the degrees but hated school.

Charlie couldn't blame her, she had heard rumours that some vegetarian vampires liked to go back to school and shit, basically do the things a human would do. So for a laugh she tried it, yeah she lasted two hours before she booked it out the prison building and refused to ever go back. The humans could keep that to themselves.

As she hears gravel crunch under car wheels she slips the leather jacket over her arms and the aviator glasses on her eyes. She didn't need to wear the glasses but it wouldn't do well for the new to town vampires to spot her eyes, most people knew who she was the minute they spotted her eyes. She wanted to keep that tit-bit of information under wraps for now and only use it if necessary in the future.

Walking over to the side door and slipping outside onto the porch she leans against the wooden railing she pulls her pack of Marlboro red cigarettes from her pocket and lights on up using an old zippo lighter that was almost as old as she was. She didn't need the nicotine, it didn't do anything to her body like it would if she was human but she liked the comfort it brought, those faint human memories lingering on her senses with every drag.

Also it helped to have some human tendencies; it stopped the new coven from wondering how old she was. As the saying goes, the older you grow in vampire years the more your human tendencies slip away like dust in a windstorm.

As the idle chatter of Trevor and May filters to her ears met with unknown voices she picks up a little, her eyes cataloguing from behind her dark shades as the new coven comes into view. She takes note of names as Trevor and May introduces all them individually, Charlie offering a simple nod at the mention of her own name. Once their introductions are done, she watches as one of the blondes introduces himself as Carlisle Cullen. With each name Charlie looks over them, committing their looks to memory for future use.

Carlisle was someone who looked straight out of a Hollywood movie, his blonde hair and gentle features as well as lithe masculine body were works of art. Almost like he was Zeus' younger brother, much hotter younger brother, Charlie could see why people liked him as their doctor, she would too if she was human and needed someone to infatuate over. His gentle features put you at ease the moment you looked at him, almost lulling you into a false sense of security. She doubted he had ever really seen any combat, his nature too soft to survive that harsh reality.

His mate Esme was the epitome of a motherly figure. She was no doubt the eldest of all the adults in human years and was around 5'6 tall with a slender heart shaped face and long caramel brown hair that hung around her head like a halo. Her face showed nothing but compassion as he gaze swept over her family every few moments as though checking they were all in one piece. She was also the one who looked more human than the others, whilst they were all in physical peak with slender bodies and just the right amount of muscle she was more rounded and soft per se.

One member of the Cullen family who wouldn't look out of place standing next to Jax and Rodrigo was Emmett; standing at 6'5 he was burly with wide shoulders and powerful legs and arms. He had black curly hair and dimples in both cheeks that gave him a sense of innocence not often seen in grown men. As that was what he was, there was no denying that he was one of the oldest amongst the supposed children, she ranged his age at around 19-20 years of age.

His mate Rosalie was someone Charlie didn't trust too much, she just gave off an edge that rubbed her the wrong way. Other than that she was highly beautiful, standing at around 5'9 and statuesque with a perfectly proportioned body and curves in all the right places and blonde hair that hung down her back in gentle waves. If it wasn't for the sour milk look on her face she would have been the most beautiful person in the entire room, as it stood she wasn't.

Little Alice was like a pixie ballerina dancer. Standing at 4'10, her features reminded Charlie of a child. She was small and lithe her body a source of all heartbreak of all ballerinas, which was funny considering as she walked in the room Charlie, was reminded of dancing. She seemed to almost skip across the air, her feet touching the floor so gently they almost looked as though they didn't connect.

Edward was someone who Charlie immediately recognized as someone who hated what they were. The crinkle to his eyes as he took in the human blood drinkers around him showed the torment running through his mind as his own affliction. Charlie was half tempted to ask if a stick was shoved up his ass and if he needed any help removing it – violently.

He was young in age and Charlie guessed his age at turning at around 17-18, he had bronze coloured hair that contradicted his pale skin like some messed up Adonis. He stood at 6'2, half a shoulder smaller than Jax and Rodrigo but unlike them he was lithe in appearance, some muscles but not as many. His facial features were rather strong given his young age, perfect and angular, high cheekbones blending in to a strong jawline and full lips.

Charlie could almost see why the human was attracted to him – almost.

The human girl Bella was the one Charlie was most interested in, she was sandwiched between Edward and Alice and looked as though she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her at any moment. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful but Charlie guessed to most she would be considered pretty. She had a very pale complexion that wasn't out of place amongst the vampires surrounding her, dark brown hair that hung down her back in slight waves and curtained and heart shaped face that sported a wide forehead and slim jawline. Her eyes were rather large and widely spaced considering her facial features and the brown orbs gave of a sort of doe look. Her lips were too full for her face and were tainted a glorious pink. Charlie allows the briefest of smirks cross her face as she watches the human girl nibble on her lip like a hamster as all the vampires look at her questionable, especially Layla.

Looking at the human Charlie wondered what it was with vampires that made them court humans, as no way in fucking hell were they mates. If your mate was human you had some an impulse to turn them vampire that you were bordering on killing them in your need. Yet as she stood there watching she realised it was missing and in its place was a thin veil of love and possessive need.

Someone else who caught Charlie's attention was the silent blonde male called Jasper. He was tall and lean, his body standing straight as though he was once a soldier in a past life and had yet to drop the actions that came with it. His honey blonde hair hung in gentle waves to his colour and his strong jaw and soft cheekbones gave him an almost angelic killer tilt to his features.

On any other day Charlie would have been bowing to him submissively, the scars littering his body from vampire bites calling out to her like a twisted game of dot the dot but due to his subdued vegetarian vampire nature she finds herself staring back at him stubbornly, the flare of fear that filtered into her bones being replaced with disgust.

How could a vampire who fought through so much allow himself to be tamed like a god damn puppy? What vampire who survived the worst conditions would allow themselves to be dressed in cashmere slacks, loafers, and a blue button up shirt with a cashmere jumper over the top like some fucked up preppy model.

A fucking cashmere jumper for fuck sake

As she continues to stare, her grey eyes' flitting over his scars from behind the sanctuary of her dark shades he turns his head towards hers and the instantaneous reaction in her chest has her choking on fresh air. The flare of life to her nerve endings making her knees buckle beneath her, her hand slamming down onto the old wooden railing harshly causing the beam to shred and wooden splinters to rain down around her like confetti.

She knew that it was that was causing her this pain, she had heard about it from others around her and witnessed it on the day Trevor and May first met. It was the mating bond, two souls connecting through sight and intertwining to forever be linked no matter the distance or the consequences. She would do anything for him and him for her.

But standing their looking at him she didn't want the vampire in front of her, she wanted the vampire that lay dormant in the very recesses of his brain, the darkened corner he was made to store it away in just to fit in with the family around him.

She wanted the soldier.

Tuning back in to the conversation to notice no one but Jasper had seen her reaction, his body standing even stiffer where he stood behind Alice, his hands clasped behind his back, she takes stock of what is being said. The information could be something that proves valuable in the future.

"May I ask why Bella here is still human?" May inquires gently, her words soothing and open. No threat present

"She is experiencing all of life as a human before she turns" Edward supplies and Charlie notices the human chit flinch as he speaks for her

Interesting

"Like what?" Layla asks joining in on the conversation

"Like college and marriage"

"Why doesn't she just do college online, I do and now have thirteen degrees in different subjects?"

"Yes but things are different for you and her. You are a vampire whereas she is human" Edward growls out and Jax sits a little stiffer on the couch at the impending threat to his daughter.

Watching the interaction as May asks more about the human Charlie checks her ability is firmly in place before walking back inside the building and dropping down gently onto the arm of the chair Trevor was seated in.

"You okay now" Trevor asks gently laying a hand down on her thigh

Normally the pair wouldn't do this but they had to keep up pretences that she was an adopted daughter and not the actual coven leader. She knew her thoughts were protected and so far the others hadn't given away anything they should. Edward seemed like the type who would call you out on something he read in your mind.

How she knew he was the mind reader she didn't know, it must have been the way he carried himself.

"Do any of you have abilities?" Layla asks with the air of childish curiosity "It's just the only one in our family that does is Aunt Charlie"

Leave it to the child to ask the big questions, her curiosity unparalleled and insatiable. At her words Charlie notes a few of them stiffen either from the question or the knowledge that she had ability.

"Why don't we leave that topic of conversation for another day" Charlie questions, her southern twang softening the harshness of the initial question.

"No…its okay really" Carlisle questions "it's just no one asks that forward nowadays"

"I have the ability to see the future but it's limited" Alice comments immediately jumping on the bandwagon, her preppy personality making Charlie want to murder someone, or a few someone's.

"Limited how" Layla asks animated, her blood red eyes swimming with glee at her question being answered and new knowledge being shared for her to eat up.

"It changes a lot as what I see is only built on what decisions someone makes. And sometimes I can only see visions pertaining to my family or someone connected to my family"

"What about us?" Charlie asks, one brow lifting slowly behind the metal frame of her sunglasses

"I don't see you guys?" Alice murmurs a slight pout lifting the corner of her lips "Well I do, I see the others but it's all blurry but I don't see you at all Charlie"

"I can't read her mind either" Edward grumbles "to me it's the same as Bella's and yet everyone else's is like reading a book"

Charlie tries to hide the smirk at the little bit of information that was just given, making sure to file it away in case she needed it late. She lowers her training but keeps her ability in place to see if it makes a difference but watching as the frown deepens on Edward's face she knew she was safe, the mind reader and the seer couldn't see her, which meant she could operate under the radar rather easily.

"Jasper can you read her emotions?" Carlisle asks turning to the stoic blonde who had yet to take his eyes of Charlie's form

"No" he replies sternly as though he had to force the words past his lips "I don't feel anything from her"

She liked the current turn of events, not only did she gain knowledge into the three gifted members of the Cullen clan but she learnt she was immune to them all.

"I'm just a shield" she shrugs hoping to placate their harsh looks

She wasn't she was much, much more than a bog standard shield but she wasn't going to share that news, that was her ace in the hole. After all the Volturi had been hoping to hire her for the better part of fifty years and Aro didn't surround himself with worthless talent, he surrounded himself with the best of the best.

And Charlie was just that. Not like she was floating her own boat or anything.

She sits and listens as the other vampires' converse, no more personal information being given just a rundown of what Scarlotville can offer and also where Esme would find the things she needs to redecorate the plantation house they called home. Charlie only just hid her smirk as they asked about where the local high school was and also what they could expect from the students.

In her head she repeats the same mantra she spoke earlier.

Vegetarian vampires are fucking weird.

Soon the Cullen's leave and as they listen to the cars drive down the gravel driveway the atmosphere within the house changes. Trevor and May move towards one of the couches as Jax and Rodrigo turn off the PlayStation and Layla walks over dropping into her father's lap, their whole attention turned on their actual coven leader as Charlie sits in the chair Trevor evacuated, her Aviators now sitting on the arm of the white leather chair, the arms of her jacket and jumper pushed up to bunch around the crease of her elbow.

"Thoughts"

"I don't trust them" Trevor replies, his head bowed slightly "The way they guarded the human was a lot more than the fact we are human blood drinkers. And did you notice the way she didn't speak and kept shivering anytime someone answered for her"

"Rod, get me everything you can on the human. If you have to go deep, go deep"

"Got it" he nods, his hands twitching at his sides

"What about their abilities?" Layla asks timidly "I don't like the fact they can read us so easily"

"Me either" Charlie replies with a sigh "But for now, just keep up the mascaraed and leave all major thoughts to me. Until I can figure a way around their abilities for all of you it can only be me working under the radar"

They all nod and Charlie waves her hand excusing them, she hears the pitter patter of their feet as they leave the room minus one person, looking up from her lap she sees May hanging near the door, her head bowed and posture submissive.

"Yes May"

"The blonde, Jasper…" she starts "He's your mate isn't he"

"That Abercrombie knock off isn't my mate" she growls her chest reverberating with the dark sound

May scuttles from the room quickly and Charlie stands up harshly and speeds through the still open door and runs across the Greenland, her destination the nearest town that has a drunk in it. Someone who could help her quench this thirst building in her chest for her mate, she no longer cared about the weather, she was hungry.

She knew he was with the pixie, she had seen the way they had walked in together and no matter how much Charlie hated it, she and Jasper could not ignore the mate bond, they would give in to it. It was inevitable but she would not settle for a timid mate that would most likely cringe away from some of the things she has to do, someone who would rather wear his torment like a badge of honour in place of the scars that showed he had survived.

There was a beast lurking deep within him and if he was meant to be her forever, she wanted that beast to come out and play. She wanted the darkest parts of him, the parts that would work wonders with the darkest parts of her.

She had a beast and she knew with the two of them, they would be unstoppable. Yeah he might need training on how to live with his beast in the driving seat as well, she did but once that had passed.

No one would best them; no one would win in a fight.

But how was she supposed to get the mate she required and needed to come out and play?

Your thoughts would be highly appreciated.