Sorry about the delay guys! :( Please don't hate! I've had a very rough time lately and have had no motivation at all! No more excuses though! Thanks for the reviews! More please?:)
4
Meeting
The
Family
The next morning approached as usual. I woke up alone with the lingering scent of Edward on my pillow. I got up and began to dress, listening for knocks on the window or for any movement across the hallway. As I was finishing my hair and make-up and picking up things in my room, though, Edward didn't arrive back. It was odd. Edward is an extremely punctual pers-, well vampire, and usually stuck to a normal schedule.
While I was mulling this all over though, I heard a chuckle behind me and turned to see Roxanne standing in my doorway. I smiled as she walked in, closing the door.
"Bells, he's not coming this morning. He's speaking with his . . . family." I could tell by the tone in her voice, she wasn't found of them, or the way they were. I simply shook my head not ready for a headache at eight in the morning and instead took this time to look her over.
Roxanne definitely looked different today. Her hair was longer, almost to her knees, and her eyes were no longer blue but a fierce red, like Edward's when he's thirsty. She wasn't wearing anything near what she was in yesterday. Today she donned a long white silky dress that had long arms that flowed out. Her feet were bare and she looked so calm.
She smiled at me and giggled. I smiled back. "This is technically the Elementals traditional garb. I find it rather plain and old school for my tastes, but for this situation, I feel it suits." She said spinning around, her skirt flowing around her body.
"You said that word again, Elemental. Can we discuss what that really is because I may be used to wolves and vampires but this is a WHOLE different story," I said slowly, sitting down on the floor leaning against my bed. Roxy almost looked pained at this. She sighed softly and sat down as well. She placed her fingers against her forehead and rubbed that spot slowly.
"It's not a particularly exciting story but I suppose it is necessary for you, Bella." Roxy never spoke this soft or this eloquently or this polite for that matter. 'Fabulous,' I thought to myself as I felt a very long and interesting story about to be told by my favorite cousin.
"Bells, you have to understand and try not to be upset with me. I would have loved to have told you all about this before but I was sworn by an oath, not to tell anyone unless necessary. Believe me, it would have been nice to have someone in my corner." She said softly, her eyes shifting to a sad grey, like a storm cloud in brewing. I put my hand on her knee and smiled softly at her.
"Roxy, you know I love you and I can understand completely. Immortals sure like their privacy." Roxanne laughed at that, getting me to laugh as well. She smiled at me once more before another long deep sigh. She reminded me of a skydiver, taking a plunge to their deaths.
"When I was born, I was chosen by the other elementals to be the next True Elemental. I am one of four that have control of all elements, water, earth, fire, air, and animals. We are the ones who protect the innocent as best we can from being harmed without interfering with fate. When the Elders came to tell my father, he didn't want any part of me then. He told me that I killed my mother and that I was a freak. But as we all know, he is an alcoholic. That's why everyone in the family thought I did as I please. That's why I didn't come with my father to family functions." She gave me a very weak smile, her eyes filling up with tears that had been unshed for almost ten years.
"A few months ago, right when I turned sixteen, an Elder took me underneath her wing. She became my mother. She taught me everything I know." With that she smiled, a little stronger and more hopeful this time, and snapped her fingers. A wind blew through my room, warm but subtle and fresh, against my skin and looked to see if the window was open. She snapped her fingers again and it stopped. Roxanne then started to rub her hands together, then holding her hands palm up, fire ignited in her hands. I sat my mouth open like a gapping fish as she blew it out. Then she rubbed just her finger tips together and produced a rose. After handing it to me, my mouth still hanging open, she spun her hands around themselves, in a circle and produced a small pool of water by her knees.
She made it disappear and looked up at me with her large eyes looking almost scared. But that couldn't be, my cousin was the strongest and fiercest person I knew. She just shook her head and sighed. "It's hard to be okay with showing powers, when your father doesn't even want you." My heart broke for her. She had never known her mother and her father didn't care. I hugged her fiercely and held her close.
"You've always been my best friend," I said softly, rubbing her back. She pulled back and smiled at me. She stood up slowly, me, following her suit. Roxanne smoothed out the imaginary wrinkles in her dress and nodded her head. She oozed sophistication and sensibility. She smiled at me and winked.
"Well, I think it is time that I met your fiancé's family."
Fantastic.
Though Roxanne insisted that we could 'fly' to the Cullen's home, I assured her that riding in a car would be better for aesthetics. She raised a brow at me and I rolled my eyes.
"Charlie will wonder if your car and my truck are still here." I had to laugh at her. She made an O with her mouth at this. She could be such a blonde at times. I shook my head and walked towards my truck but was stopped short by her hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her and frowned.
"I'm not riding in that," she said bluntly, scrunching her nose at my truck. I frowned more. I loved my beat up old truck. She was my baby. But I conceded as gracefully as possible, which meant huffing and pouting as I agreed reluctantly, and followed her to her Lamborghini.
But I noticed as I walked behind her, that she really didn't walk. Roxanne seemed to just glide. She looked so ghostly beautiful it was like watching an angel. She looked at me weird when she reached her car and I was still back at my truck. I shook my head quickly and ran across the yard, yanking up the car's butterfly door and smiled at her.
I pointed at the head and cocked my head at Roxy. "Betty Boop," I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She smiled lightly and flicked a switch on the dashboard. In a second, the whole image was gone, like an eraser had come across the black top.
"It's like henna for your car." Roxanne spoke like everyone knew about this. I just nodded my head, shocked at how fast it disappeared. She smiled at me and pulled out of the drive way and on to the road.
It had rained again, big surprise, but in her Lamborghini it looked like black sea, like deep black water not tar. I smiled at her, loving the feel of the leather seat and the soft thump of the bass in the back seat. She smiled back and hit third gear without a hitch. She sped through the trees but this felt nothing like the Porsche. Yes, it was twice as loud, but it was three times as smooth. We were moving across the road, gliding or flying or hovering. I didn't care what we called it. It just felt amazing.
I didn't even have to guide her to where the Cullen's home was. By the time I got over the feel of the car, I realized we were pulling into the Cullen's drive. I was about to ask but then decided against it. Must be an Elemental thing.
As we parked, we saw the whole Cullen clan standing on the front porch, sullen and almost in fear. I climbed out first, making sure that I closed the door correctly before running up the steps towards Edward. He looked so serious and didn't even acknowledge me as I hugged him. I gave his hand a slight squeeze and he squeezed back slightly but remained sullen.
Roxanne, however, looked amazingly graceful as she stepped out of the car. The door slid down into place without her help and she was, once again, gliding over the lawn and up the stairs in front of the Cullen clan. She smiled lightly at them before speaking softly.
"Hello Cullen's. I am Roxanne, True Elemental." The Cullen's all bowed lightly at the mention of her title, even Emmett and Rosalie. I was truly surprised at how much the Cullen's seem to fear and respect her and her title.
Carlisle stepped forward and bowed once more, "Welcome to our home, Madame." Roxanne nodded her head and winked at me before stepping through them and walking through the threshold. The clan all followed in behind her, each of the patting my shoulder or whispering, 'We knew there was something about you that was of our world,.' Well, glad they could tell!
