Chapter Three

New Arrivals?

The Cullen's. Present day.

Edward smiled wistfully. It was good to be home. He entered his house through the back doors, separate from his adopted siblings. He arrived just as Emmett and Jasper greeted their respective mates. Rosalie and Alice smiled warmly and embraced them, while Edward stood off to the side like a pariaha. It was difficult to deal with their thoughts as it was, but sometimes it was too much to see it too. He shoved their blissful thoguhts from his mind. He didnt need his lonelyness rubbed in his noes. He felt a pang of longing, and something a little darker, in his heart and looked away. Knowing Jasper could sense them he quickly shut down thoes emotions. There was no reason to resent them, it was just painful. Edward was happy for them. He really was. But a part of him hated to see them so happy, and happy together, when he flet that his mate would forever illuded him.

''Don't look so devastated, Edward.'' A soft, feminine voice gentily interrupted his descending mood. Her thoughts calm and reasuring. ''You'll find a mate.''

Edward turned around to greet his adopted mother as she descended the stairs. She looked like an angel; with her heart shaped face, doll lips and shining honey-gold eyes. Her mate right be hind her. He was in contrast to her. He was all sharp angles, white-blond hair and honey-gold eyes that matched every one of the vampires in the room. He was the kindest, stongest man edward had ever come across in his short hundred and seventeen years.

"Esme." Edward acknowledged. He tried to give her a reassuring smile but he was sureit was more of a grimace. He nodded in greeting to her mate, Carlisle, who stood beside her. They were their parents for all intente and purposes.

"Esme!" Alice squealed. She raced past Edward almost knocking him over in her hast. Esme threw her arms open just in time to catch the little flying pixie. Irritated, Edward frowned at his sister.

"Its good to have you all home." Carlisle greeted. "You've been gone a while."

The girls went on a girls only vacation while the guys used the break for a hunting trip. The parentals decided to stay behind.

"One month." Emmett scoffed. "That's like..." He thought about it a moment. "One minute in vampire lives. A blink of a eye." He muttered mysteriously. He clapped his hands together to put empiaus on his words. He smirked as he wrapped his arm around his mate.

Carlisle chuckled. "Even so, there has been some developments."

"Oh?" Rosalie spoke up for the first time. Always the first to jump to the familys defence.

"Nothing bad, I assure you." Carlisle began. "Just a few new faces in town. They moved to Forks three weeks ago."

"How many?" Emmett asked.

"Ucording to the new enrollments at the peninsula college here in Forks, I would say maybe five. I don't know anything more than they recently bought and repaired the old house in the Forest Glen about forty five acres away from any path even resembling a road..."

"It seems strange for a group of humans, especialy their age, to beliving all alone on a property like that." Esme worried.

"Are they all alone?" Alice asked.

Carlisle nodded. "I think so,"

"Are you sure they're human?" Jasper murmured. He crossed his arms over his chest, lean muscles strained against his light gray dressshirt. His brow pulled together in a frown shading his bright gold eyes in shadow.

"As far as I can tell, yes." Carlisle wraped his arm around Esme. She uncontously leaned into him. Giving him her weight. The very sight sent a lance of pain straight to his heart. "I met a few of them about a week ago." Carlisle continued. "They seemed like good kids. Abit roudy, but good."

"Isn't there a legend surrounding that home?" Emmett fished. Excited at the prospect.

"Yeah." Jasper spoke up. His arms fell to his sides. "It belonged to a family of slave traders when the American Colonies were forming. A group of greeks came over, i think it was. Among one of the masters slaves was a woman. Ena Téras they called her. A Monster. She massacred the entire house. All except the children, and slaves." Jasper confided.

"Of course Major Jasper Whitlock would know the horrific details of a slaughter." Rosalie hissed, not liking the topic or the new threat to her family.

"Be nice, Rosalie." Emmett muttered.

Jasper felt his temper rise before it went out. Alice felt the spike and grabbed his hand.

Rosalie huffed, turned on her heel and flitted up the stars and into their room. Emmett shook his head exasperated and followed after her.

"Go change. You're all filthy." Esme said gently. "Get ready for your classes on monday, then come down stairs. There is a storm coming. Carlisle thoguht it would be nice to play some baseball together."

"I thouhgt the storm wasnt until sunday night?" Edward murmured destracted. His mind was still on the new arrivals and what that ment for them. More to the point, what that meant for him.

"It is sunday, you weirdo." Alice giggled.

"Oh," Edward murmured.

Jasper and Alice went to their room to get ready. Edward followed but at a human pace. The knowledge of a new arrival wont leave him alone. He was suddenly exited to see who they were. What kind of humans would live in a place like a haunted slave manner?

Once in his room he rushed to gather his music books, art suplies and English Lit. essays. He ran back down the stairs to wait for his siblings. They were taking forever.

Esme and Carlisle sat on the sofa so he sat down at the piano and started to play for them. The melody started off slow and light, like spinkling rain. One by one his siblings joined him as he played. Soon the melody desolved into deeper firmer tones that sudgested the composer was in some sort of hidden agony. It came to a close a few seconds later on a long low lonely note. It was a haunting song, and Esme said as much.

"That was beautiful, Edward." Esme murmured. She glanced to her mate, brows drawn together in concern. "Did you write that?" She looked back at Edward, her eyes soft and gentil. A mothers love shining bright.

Edward swung his legs over the bench to face them. "Yes, but it's not finished."

"Mmm." Esme hummed.

"All right, we're all here." Carlisle murmured.

"Lets go play some ball!" Emmett exclaimed.

Carlisle and Esme laughed and raced off to the jeep with everyone on their heels.