Chapter 4: Time
It's a funny thing, time. One minute you're a fresh vampire, and the next your nearly 21, but you don't look it. It had been nearly 5 years since Carlisle had changed Edward and I into vampires.
I had been training, and trying to understand mypowers. I had figured out how to send thoughts to other people's minds and I had also figured out how to pick thoughts out of other people's heads. I hadn't tried to do anything because for one I was very afraid that once I learned how to hurt others with my mind I would become sadistic and lose all my humanity.
As I was contemplating all this, I was sitting in our parlor with Edward and Carlisle. We were in London, England and I and Edward were posing as Dr. Cullen's niece and nephew. Now we lived in a mansion and Carlisle was pretending to be the rich brother of an oil well owner who had died. I was fine with the whole set-up because it had sharpened my ability to lie. I know, I know. Society women are not supposed to be capable of lies. Well, I am.
I was tiring of this life though. I could tell that an idea was about to strike me. I had to find a cause. Something worth living for. Something that I could live for. Suddenly, I realized that I had never met the royal vampire family. They were called the Volturi and I wanted to know them very badly. Carlisle had described their finesse and elegance to Edward and I once. He had said that they were ruled over by Aro, Marcus, and Caius. That was all I knew, but I wanted to join them more than anything.
"Carlisle, Edward, I need to talk to you both." I said, and when I thought I had their attention I continued, "I'm going to go to the Volturi. I want to try something new. I'm sorry if I'm hurting either of you, but I just have to do this. I need to take control of my life."
Edward and Carlisle both wore different expressions. Carlisle was giving me a look of complete understanding and Edward was…..sad? Angry? Confused? I couldn't tell. I tried to pick a coherent thought out of his head, but I couldn't find one. Ugh!
"Why…are….you…….doing……….this?!" Edward asked angrily.
I sighed and gave him a look then said, "You know why I'm doing this! I'm doing this because I want to further my powers! I want to LIVE! I want to experience a different kind of living!"
"If this is what you want Elsie, you may go." As Carlisle said this he gave a heavy sigh. I could tell by the solemn looks on each of their faces that they didn't want me to leave. I had to though. I needed to unlock more of my gift.
Edward looked at me sadly, then muttered, "If that's what you want Elsie, by all means do it. I will miss you greatly." I hated doing this to Edward. It hurt very badly. Over our years as vampires we had become greater friends than we ever were in our human lives.
I gave a sigh of sadness before saying, "Thank you, both of you. I will miss you both greatly." I hugged them both, then went up the grand staircase to my bedroom. I looked at the familiar oak bed with the ivory bedcovers and sighed. I needed to pack now so that I could make it to the train station in time.
I had become a great fan of clothing over the years. Today I was wearing a mint green dress with pink flowers. Ever since the Great Depression had began in America all the prices had dropped on everything. You could now get designer dresses for fifteen dollars! Not that price was an object for our coven. After our whole family had been pronounced dead I and Edward had collected on all their insurance and our own inheritance.
I shoved all those meaningless thoughts out of my head. After I was done packing I went downstairs to the parlor to say my goodbyes to Edward and Carlisle.
"I just wanted to say goodbye to you two." I said timidly. I turned to Carlisle first. "Thank you for saving me. Thank you for bringing me into your coven. Because of you Carlisle, I will never forget my humanity." I hugged Carlisle then turned to Edward. "Goodbye Edward. I'm glad to call you my brother." He swept me up into a hug.
As I walked away from my true father and my brother I thought to them, you both better visit me! I heard chuckles from both of them and I picked a chorus of yes' out of their heads.
