Disclaimer: I don't own it! This universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer!
I sat there, in that house, just staring at everyone. There were five of them all together. Xander Stevens and Jimmy Foster I met in the woods. The others were Sarah Jenkins, Leonard McCoy, and Susannah Whitfield.
When Xander, Jimmy and I first got there, things were a little tense. The other two girls didn't seem too happy to have another girl on their 'turf'. Xander explained to them how he and Jimmy had found me in the woods and that I was alone, with no idea that I was a vampire or what a vampire really was. He didn't use the words 'wild' or 'feral' again, but I could tell by the looks on the other threes' faces that this went without saying. Apparently creating and then deserting a vampire was not a common practice.
"So, let me see if I understand," Sarah began. "She has no memory at all of her previous life, no idea who created her, not even what her name is?" She shook her head. "But look at her eyes! Xander, she doesn't feed on humans. How is it possible that she, well, first of all remained undetected in her newborn first year, and second of all learned to resist human blood?"
This annoyed me. I was sitting right there for crying out loud! She could have asked me! I answered anyway. "Um, I'm not sure what you mean about undetected, but I chose not to hunt humans because it's wrong. I've always known I used to be one, even if I don't remember that life. I made lots of mistakes." I grimaced, "But I got better at self control. I think it helped that I woke up in the middle of nowhere; out in the forest. The only humans I came in contact with were the occasional hikers. It's not like I want to be a monster." It felt really weird to be talking so much, but I was getting used to it.
Sarah just shook her head and leaned against Jimmy. One thing the girls made clear right off the bat was who their mates were. Apparently, Jimmy belonged to Sarah and Leonard belonged to Susannah. They reminded me of a mountain lion I watched once, spraying the surrounding trees to mark its territory. Xander seemed to be the odd one out. At least no female had come out and rubbed herself all over him while staring 'keep away' daggers at me.
Xander looked uncomfortable. "I was able to hear some of what was in her mind. She's telling the truth. I couldn't get into her human memories, but her vampiric ones were accessible. Then she blocked me out and I could hear no more until she started reading my mind." He was reluctant to admit all of this. Was it because I hurt his pride or was he afraid of their reaction?
Everyone just stared at him in shock, including Jimmy. Xander hadn't told him about our little mind conversation we had. It made me uncomfortable. I didn't understand what the big deal was.
Jimmy smirked, "Wow Xander. No one's ever been able to keep you out before. I wonder if she can teach the rest of us how to do it, or if it's part of her special ability?"
"Oh, yeah, Jimmy, you mean how she read my mind in the woods? Yeah, I'm sure it's linked to that. It was when she started reading me that I was able to hear her thoughts again." Xander was giving Jimmy meaningful looks. I think he wanted my other ability kept from the girls for a while. I don't think Jimmy understood.
"Well, yeah, Xander, that too, but I was thinking of her other ability, you know, when we were lifted off the ground and thrown about 500 ft backward into the forest. That sounds like telekinesis and that's also controlled by the mind. I wonder if there is anything else she can do."
The girls apparently thought throwing two vampires 500 ft into a forest was more than enough for me to be able to do. Sarah and Susannah both hissed and dropped into a crouch, threatening me.
I wasn't going to take that crap lying down. Or sitting on the couch. Whatever. I sprang to my feet, then dropped into a crouch of my own, teeth bared, emitting a ferocious growl. I instinctively reached out to their minds so I could anticipate their moves.
Bitch threw my Jimmy, MY JIMMY, into the trees! I'll tear her apart myself and dance around the pyre as she burns! That was from Sarah. It was obvious she didn't like me; maybe even saw me as some kind of competition for Jimmy. Please. As if I'd even know what to do with him!
She's too dangerous! We have no idea what she is capable of! What was Xander thinking? She's wild, worst than a wild animal! She could expose us all! LOOK at her! She's snarling at us for crying out loud! Susannah seemed mainly just concerned for her family. She thought I would harm them, and she wouldn't allow it.
Xander jumped in between us. "Stop! Girls get up! She won't attack unless you do, so just stop threatening her! Smooth move Jimmy. Nice Job." He turned toward me and looked in my eyes. Relax. I won't let them mess with you. Jimmy just caught them by surprise by telling them what you did. We've never met anyone that could do that before.
It wasn't like he was talking in my head; it was more that he was thinking really loud so I would hear him. I was sure he could hear me, too, now, but he didn't look like he was trying really hard. I thought back, I'm not going to just sit here and let them attack me. Not physically or verbally. I should just go. They don't want me around.
NO! His mind went all upset for a minute. No, you don't have to do that. Stay here, they'll come around. I think I can help you. He was thinking about how he planned to help. Apparently he was able to delve deep into a person's mind and find things that were hidden away, even hidden from the person whose mind he was reading.
That wasn't all he was thinking about. He was thinking about something else, too and trying very hard not to think about it with me in his mind. He was thinking about me. It made me uncomfortable. Not that they were unpleasant thoughts. No, they were quite the opposite. Then I became aware that he was aware that I had figured out what he was trying to hide. It was too much. I blocked him out. I just thought really hard about him not in my head and then it was done.
"Aw, come on!" Jimmy griped. "As if it wasn't annoying enough having him answer questions before they're even asked, now he's found someone he can have a whole mental conversation with? Jeez!!!"
I didn't really jump, but he did catch me off guard. I shifted my focus to include Jimmy as well. Sarah and Susannah were slowly straightening out of their crouches. I waited until they were all the way upright before I straighten, too. I still watched them all warily, ready to react at the slightest provocation. Especially the girls, after seeing into their minds, I doubted I would relax my guard around them anytime soon.
"Can it Jimmy. She's nervous enough as it is." Xander sighed. "All right everyone, can you just give me a minute?" He glanced at Susannah. She looked apprehensive about leaving him alone with us. "Susannah, I'll be fine. She won't hurt me. She wouldn't even have fought either of you, really. Just enough to get away and make a run for it. Trust me." Susannah was really protective of those she saw as her family. I actually liked that about her. Sarah was just a bitch.
Everyone filed out, leaving Xander and I alone. "Do you understand what I was trying to show you? How I can help you?"
"Yeah, you want to delve deep in my mind. Try to find my human memories." I shuddered. He would have to be very deeply inside my head to do it. I saw what it took in his mind. I was not too sure about it.
"It won't hurt or anything. It's a little uncomfortable, though. But you could find out how you got this way. What happened to your creator. What your name is."
I thought about that for a minute. I supposed I could always block him again if it became too much to deal with. "Okay. What do I do?"
"Just open you mind. And try not to resist. I will be working backward through your vampiric memories….the worst will be the burning. I will try and skip past it." He closed his eyes, placing his hands on my temples. I flinched, then held still. "Let me in." He whispered softly. I shivered, took a deep, unnecessary breath, and dropped my guard.
At first, I didn't even know he was there. I closed my eyes, too, so I could concentrate on what was going on inside my head. It was like watching my life in reverse. Sometimes he would stop and look a little closer at something. He was really interested in my first impression of him. Hey! I thought and he moved on. I was sure if I opened my eyes, he would be smiling.
He saw all the lonely days of my vampiric existence. I didn't realize how pathetic I was until that moment. Then he reached the moment of my burning. I nearly pulled out of his hands at that.
He tried to slip past it; not to linger too long. The problem was one of my repressed memories was of the vampire who did this to me. So he needed to see what happened just before the burning began.
He paused in a murky, dim memory. The sensation of him in that part of my head was so very uncomfortable, so very intrusive, it was all I could do not to push him out. I looked around at what my former self was seeing.
I was walking down a street. It was night and a little cool outside. My skin had goose pimples on it. It felt so weird, so human, something I had no real memory of feeling. I reveled in the memory of it.
Suddenly, there was a man in front of me. My former self jumped back, surprised. "My Kaitlyn, I've found you at last!" he said, in the most beautiful, most musical voice I had ever heard. My former self didn't recognize his face, although he addressed me by name, so I must have known him. My name is Kaitlyn? The me in the memory was thinking that there was something familiar about him, though, in his too perfect, pale features, though there was something not right about his eyes. The me in the present registered the red color they had and Xander's thoughts confirmed my suspicions. He was a vampire. Who ever his features reminded her, er, me, of were painful. The me in the memory pushed the memory away.
He reached for me suddenly, and before I could scream he had me in his arms and was running, speeding through the streets. The next part of the memory was terrifying. Everything was passing her/me in an indistinct blur. My former self had no idea what was happening, where she was going, even if she was sane anymore. Finally, he stopped.
I watched the events unfold knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it. I could feel the anger and revulsion building inside me as I watched. In the memory, he lay me down on the floor of the forest.
"My Kaitie, at last we can be together, forever!" He said as he leaned toward my neck. A shock went through my mind. At that moment, my memory of me recognized the vampire as a human she/I had known; just before he sank his teeth into her/my neck. I, meaning the me in the here and now could take no more. I wanted Xander out of my head and away from me. Immediately. I opened my eyes at the sound of shattering glass and breaking wood. I was staring at a gaping hole that had once been a large bay window and part of a wall. Xander was no where to be seen.