Chapter 3 - Mind Reader

It was unlike anything I've ever smelt in all my long life. A honey-lilac scent filled my nostrils as my eyes searched the room. Sitting in in the last row was the bronzed haired beauty. Up closer his features seemed even more perfect. I introduced myself to the teacher Mr Banner, and walked deliberately slow to the only empty seat next to the vampire before me. I focused on the smell of blood and clouded my scent with it. My frozen heart thawed and started to beat regularly. Another gift I stumbled across over the years. I felt his eyes on me as I took my seat. I looked up into his golden orbs. Nothing else in the room was noticeable from that moment.

The students getting their books out and the teacher bringing the room to attention, the horn of a car in the distance and the rap music of another car passing by the school, all of which I couldn't hear or see in this very moment. The man in front of me had me at a complete stand still. He looked as completely stunned as I was. Before his brows pulled together and he looked frustrated all of a sudden. I tore my eyes from him and towards Mr Banner. Still feeling the golden eyes on me. I didn't hear a thing the teacher explained instead all my thoughts were on the gorgeous vampire beside me. His frustration evident on his face, peaked my curiosity.

I used my gift again to sense if he was trying one of his own on me. I had many layers of protection up which would easily explain the frustration if he was using his gift right now. I wasn't disappointed. Immediately my ears pricked, everything in the room sudden became so much louder. It wasn't the noises around but the humans, I was listening to them. Only the only one in the room talking was the teacher. The geeky guy in the row in front of me was thinking about a video game he intended to buy this afternoon. The girl next to him was day dreaming about a blonde boy in her history class and the teacher was hoping that none of the students in the front row could smell the alcohol in his breath.

I gasped at all of the noise trying to focus on each mind individually. The vampire next to me was obviously a mind reader. Although from what I could tell he couldn't switch it off. I pondered how difficult it would be to have all this noise surrounding you all of the time. Especially in a house with three mated couples shivering at the thought. The noise came from all over the school and into the centre of town. Surely I could hear every thought for a few miles in every direction. A velvet voice brought me back, it was the most wonderful thing I had ever heard. It took me a moment to actually focus on what it was saying 'I can't read her mind, why can't I read her! I've never came across a mind I haven't heard before.' It was him the man next to me. I smirked at his thoughts. 'She's smirking, what is she smirking at? Oh this is so frustrating' I watched as his hand went through his untamed bronzed locks.

I pulled out of his head then and pushed the gift to the back of my mind towards the others. The loud voices drowning into silence. I sighed in relief. I felt his eyes leave my face and turned towards the front a second before Mr Banner called to him. "Edward, you haven't been paying attention since you walked in. Please tell the class what I've just explained." All eyes turned to Edward including my own. Mr Banner looked smug for a moment. The smugness dropped as Edward explained the anatomy of a cell perfectly. His voice was even more alluring outside of his mind. "Very well Mr Cullen, eyes to the front." he said looking between Edward and I. I giggled quietly and felt Edward turn his head in my direction slightly. His lips pulling upwards slightly making me giggle even more.

About 10 minutes later Mr Banner took a seat as we all started to work in pairs answering the questions on the board and writing the answers in our books. The musical velvet voice beside me spoke up "Hi, I'm Edward Cullen."

Trying not to swoon at the sound. I smiled at him "Bella Swan." I extended my hand towards him. He looked at it for a moment before taking my hand in his. The instant our skin touched, electricity zapped between us, it drifted up my arm into my beating heart. He gasped, obviously having felt something similar. I reluctantly pulled my hand from his grasp. My eyes widening before I turned back to the front of the room and started writing the answers down.

A few moments later I seen him do the same. I have no idea what that hell that was but it was nothing like I had ever felt before. He stood up a second before the bell rang and was out of the classroom slightly too fast for a human. "Well that was something" I muttered to myself after he was out of ear shot. I gathered my things and left the room walking towards the gym for my last class of the day. Gym was always my most hated class. My perfect vampire coordination and skills meant that I could play any sport better than any human in the school. So I had to downplay everything to not stick out. Purposely hitting balls in the wrong direction and missing some altogether. It was an awful hour of volleyball. Mike Newtons eyes were on me trying to see if I had noticed that he could play well and flexing his muscles in my direction didn't help my strong feeling of dislike toward him either.

By the time the school day was over I was heading for my car almost too fast. Eager to get back to my house. I felt many eyes on me as I walked across the car park. I ignored them all until I got to my car I sensed eyes on me that I couldn't help but look up to on instinct. Edward Cullen stood next to a silver Volvo not 4 cars away from mine. His expression neutral giving nothing away. One of my brows lifted as we watched each other before I opened my door and slid in. Backing out of the car park and down the road as quickly as possible.

Pulling into my garage. I didn't make any move to get out, I just sat there for a while contemplating everything that had happened that day. A few things were certain. I was not the only vampire in Forks, from what I could tell there were 7 other vampires. I had only learnt some of their names Jasper, Emmett, Carlisle, Esme and Edward, the Cullen's. Three of the vampires at school today were gifted. It was a lot of talent for a coven, a rather large coven too. Usually vampires were nomads like myself always staying by themselves or with one or two other vampires for any lengthy period of time.

I didn't mind company and every now and then I'd travel with someone else. I had a few friends over the world, but who wouldn't when you've been around for as long as I have, 556 years of this life. I had always came across males who tried to get my attention, I never found any attraction to them. I had come to the conclusion that there was just no one out there for me. They didn't exist. I signed and got out of the car. I went into my room to change into something more fitting for a hunt. Blue jeans, white converses and a black three quarter sleeved top that dipped down revealing just the very top of my breasts nothing too raunchy. I ran my fingers through my hair and left. Walking out the back door across the porch and into the forest where I took off into a run. Leaving all thoughts of the Cullen's behind me and revelled in the forest around me.

I could hear the small animals retract into their makeshift homes as I sped past. Birds took off from the trees, their wings flapping loudly. My feet barely touched the ground as I raced away from Forks. After a few minutes I stopped, believing that I had gone far enough away from civilisation to hunt. I let my senses go and heard the sound of large paws scraping to the North. I took after the animal listening to the strong heartbeat of the mountain lion. The smell of its blood pulling me towards in like a magnet. I took to the trees as I got closer jumping from one to the other before colliding with the lion as it walked across a thick branch, we both fell towards the earth.

I heard its hiss and smiled as its paws tried to claw at me. I took its head in my hand turning it slightly before sinking my teeth into its neck where the blood ran steadily. I moaned at the taste. Mountain lion was by far the best tasting animal I had encountered. The blood flowed down my throat as I sucked the life out of the animal. I stood up satisfied before hiding the carcass. Another few animals could use it for dinner. I took off back in the direction of Forks. Thunder roared above, the flash of light brightening the sky above the canopy of trees. I always loved a storm, mother nature was a force to be reckoned with.

A sudden crack brought me up short stopping me dead in my tracks. My senses ranged out to the east. I could hear a booming voice in the distance. "Out!" I turned away from my original path heading into the direction of the voice. I jumped into the tress like I had earlier, jumping higher and higher. Until I settled on one of the tallest trees in the park. I crouched low on one of the branches. A large clearing was up ahead. Another loud crack came from the direction. My eyes watched carefully as I made out seven figures in the middle of the clearing. The Cullen's.

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed so far :)

-Skye (FeminineHeroes)