Chapter 4

Bella...

"I was changed in the year of 1943. We believe I was born in 1925 or 26. I was committed to an asylum in 1940. We believe I was stuck in that hell-hole for visions. Carlisle thinks that's why I have them now, as a vampire.

I was changed the same year that you were born ironically, I'm sure that Carlisle will talk to you about that later. By 1961, the year you were 'changed' I was in partial control of my bloodlust. I moved to New York and being part of society once again.

As you pointed out, I allowed men to help me out, a petite little thing like me couldn't do anything for herself you know." Alice laughed bitterly.

"I hated what I was, I tried to forget about it and join society as a human. Men flocked to my "beauty" and I had several proposals. I declined like a lady time and time again, knowing if I was alone with them I would drain them of every last drop of blood.

I resisted feeding and although I was in control of my bloodlust it was really hard. I fought with myself at night, trying to kill myself—much like Carlisle did at the beginning—but few things can kill us unfortunately.

The particular event you spoke about was the Halloween masquerade ball. I went dressed in a flowing gown that glided across the floor with me. I went with no man on my arm, I was simply trying to fit in. I didn't survey the room like I usually would, I just had the old fashion fun.

I noticed somebody's strange presence in the room, I was being watched. I excused myself kindly from the dance and retreated to the bathroom. Using my extreme speed and strength I ran through the main ballroom unnoticed and went outside. I'd had a vision days before of Jasper. I went to meet him and we came here.

We move around every few years to remain inconspicuous and with Edward's talent we can move even if someone has an inkling of what we are." She finished slowly.

"So your excuse is that you didn't survey the room?" I asked sceptically.

"I'm sorry B." She apologised.

"So you and Jasper are together?" I asked, interpreting her having a vision of Jasper.

"No, we tried once when we first met, but we couldn't. You get a spark before you mate, we didn't have it and so we didn't go through with it." She ended the topic.

"Where's your mark?" I asked while searching her arms, face and neck for the mark.

She showed me the bottom of her foot and I saw the raised purplish bite mark. "Convenient eh?"

"At least you can hide it, even as a full vampire." I muttered quietly, knowing she would still hear.

"Show me." She demanded before adding, "Please?"

I closed my eyes and waited until I heard Alice's gasp before I opened them.

"Bella, you are absolutely beautiful, wonderful, magnificent and extremely brave." She traced the scars on my arms.

"Don't say that, after what I went through and what I've done to get here today I don't deserve any of those names." I pressed.

"Bella, don't stare at the clouds, look at me and tell me what you've done not to deserve the names that describe you so well." Alice forced my head to look at her.

"I've killed people Alice, not just animals to help me survive. I've killed innocent humans because someone told me to. I'm not beautiful, wonderful, magnificent or brave." I lowered my gaze to my arms but didn't look at the scars.

"How many bites do you have Bella?" Why must she keep pushing?

"I'll show you one day." I said without meaning it.

"I'll let you bite me and taste my blood. I've recently figured out a trick that allows me to have blood in two veins in my body for a short period of time. No-one else knows. Please show me one day Bells, and by tasting my blood you will bond to me. Best friend, sister, whatever you want." Alice said.

"WHAT?" I asked loudly before lowering my voice, "You can make it so you have blood in your body? Hell, I'll bond with you now if you teach me."

"Bella, the blood makes us feel strongly about each other. Find your mate within 134 days and you bond with them first. If you can't find your mate within that time, I'll bond with you and if that intensifies it then we'll discuss it when we get there. Promise me." She proposed.

"I promise you Alice. Venom promise?"

"Huh? What the hell is Venom promise?" I giggled at her cursing.

"I bite you somewhere and you bite me in the same spot. It proves that you'll keep your promise because you're willing to go through that pain." I explained. A vampire taught it to me years ago, I thought to myself.

"Where?" She asked while looking at my scars.

"Your bite will stay red on me and mine on you. We bite at the same time so the connection passes through us. It's your first time so you can pick where." I offered gallantly. I always got to choose because I was less experienced, now it was Alice's turn.

"Somewhere prominent but so human's can't notice it. Where hurts the most?" She wanted it to hurt? Was she masochistic or something?

"Side of the stomach." I offered easily. A vampire I met a few decades ago said the side of the stomach hurt the worst. Of course, he was masochistic and had hundreds of bites on his stomach.

"What do we do?" She asked cautiously. I remember being clean, having made no promises. I'm now a holder of 8. All of which are on my upper left leg.

"Pull up your top, right side, and place your teeth next to my stomach, just under my ribs. I'll do the same to yours." We moved closer, staying opposite each other and placed our teeth an inch from each other.

"On my count, sink your teeth in. Don't think about anything other then either me or my skin. Close your eyes." I explained in my head and projected my thoughts.

"One," I whispered.

"Two," Alice added.

"Three." I finished as we sunk our teeth in.

Alice tasted divine, she had a kind of vanilla and rose scent. I shivered as I heard her mind. Risking it failing I spoke to her quickly through my thoughts. She could hear my thoughts too.

"Don't speak to me."

Her skin was as soft as silk under my teeth and I was intoxicated by her taste. No-one I'd ever met had anything like this. I found it hard to pull away when the time came. I wanted to stay attached to her for all eternity. She pulled away at the same time I did and gasped when she saw my wound.

"It didn't hurt." Alice stated. Maybe she wasn't thinking about my wound after all.

"It might not have worked. We'll have to wait for a few days to see if they stay red." I told her.

"Don't take this the wrong way but, you taste... good." Alice admitted.

"I didn't know whether I'd be able to pull away. Perfect vanilla and rose." I admitted easily.

"Others say I smell like grass and rain." She looked confused.

"Vanilla and rose to me." I disagreed.

"You smell like honey and vanilla. It was addicting." She said as she stood up. She didn't even wince when she touched her mark.

"You can talk." I laughed as I jumped up. My stomach didn't hurt at all, definitely didn't work I don't think.

"Come here," She pulled my top up to see my mark again. She bent down a little and licked my mark. When I realised she was sealing it I did the same to hers.

"Hello Jasper." I said as I heard his quiet movements in the forest nearby. Alice tilted her head slightly and grinned as she heard Jasper approaching through the forest.

Even from my short time with them I have learn how heavy everyone steps. Alice is the lightest, then Esme and Rosalie, Jasper then Carlisle and Edward and then Emmett. Just as I finished my train of thought Jasper came into the field.

"No eavesdropping I expect Jasper?" Alice teased as he approached us.

"Nothing except 'Come here' and 'Hello Jasper'." He assured us as he stood with us.

"Have Esme and Carlisle been informed?" Alice asked seriously with a small smile on her face. I turned to Jasper to see his answer.

He nodded and obviously felt my confusion, "Later."

"Do you know where Rosalie is?" I asked, "Never mind, hello to you too Rosalie." I giggled as I heard her following our scents. Her footsteps weren't all that much lighter than Jaspers.

Jasper chuckled lightly at me but Alice's eyes had glazed over and she was staring straight ahead. I noticed that Jasper was also watching her as was Rosalie who'd just entered the field.

"Yay, I get a new sister!" She yelled gleefully as her eyes cleared. Jasper cleared his throat as tried to shoot a glance at me inconspicuously.

"Jasper, she'll find out eventually anyway but I do see a very angry Esme if I spill it now. So..." Alice giggled as she mimed locking her mouth and throwing away the key.

I scowled and turned to Rosalie, who was approaching us at human speed. "You free Rosalie?"

"Call me Rose and sure, what did you have in mind?" She asked with a smirk at Alice and Jasper.

"Follow me Rose, you'll love it." I ran off in the direction of a place that reminded me of Rose.