I walked through the town, Syria staying under my cloak because we were inside of a town. I walked thankful that many people had gone to bed. The streets were practically empty. The roads were slick from the rain I had caused not too far back. An older lady stood on the corner. One hand holding an ancient cane, and the other wrapped tightly around a small cup. Round, dark glasses covered her eyes, and tattered clothes covered her skin. I took my last few dollars and placed them in her cup. Her hand reached for my face. She touched it, not recoiling from my icy skin. Every thought her mind had ever had raced through me. Where she was born, where she had grown up, what she really thought of her parents, I learned that she had three sisters, I learned how she had gone blind. It was a lot to take in. She smiled like she knew what was happening. "And my dear, you are certainly beautiful." I smiled. I pulled back gently, not wanting to scare her, but seriously needing to stop the visions. When I pulled away, my knowing of her thoughts was reduced to what was passing through her mind. She was kind, and she had not one ill thought against anyone. "May God bless you, dear child, for you are more than generous." She smiled, a nearly toothless smile, and walked away. I smiled for one moment allowing myself to bask in her compliments. Would the Cullens think of me that way? What would they think of me? Would they think me intrusive, and parasitic? We were out of town by then. Just a few more minutes before I would knock on the door, and ask them to explain exactly what I was. Ask them to tell me what was wrong with me? Did every vampire go through the pain that I was going through? Did everyone hear people's thoughts, and control the weather? Was I the only one? Was I different? Was I weird? I wanted to know what was wrong with me. Why I was the way I was. I sighed. Syria and I burst into a run, streaking through the forest. I ran with all my might. I had my worries, but more than that, I was curious. Were there really other vampires like me? Ones who chose to feed off animals? Were they as kind and generous as Lorient had made them sound? Or were they all daft idiots like the woman had made them sound? I didn't think so. Carefully, I approached the large house like a child approached a stranger. I steadied every step, counted every breath. I raised my hand to knock on the door, but before I had a chance, a girl about my height and weight answered the door. Everything about her, from her fluid movements, to her short spiked hair reminded me of a pixie. She opened the door with a smile, leaving me no time to introduce myself. "Hi, Kimberly, I'm glad you finally made it, I thought you were going to change your mind for a moment there. I'm sure glad you didn't. Follow me, I'll show you your room." She pulled me into a hug, and then not releasing my wrist, she dragged me into a large living room. Six other vampires sat around looking anxious. Maybe a little excited. "Ahh.. Finally." A blond girl sighed as I walked into view. She was extremely vain, but at least she thought I was pretty. Second only to her of course. I smiled at the thought. I was pulled into a hug immediately. "Kimberly, I'm Esme. Welcome home, sweetheart." She talked to me like she had known me forever. A tall boy about my age sat in a chair not moving. He looked frustrated. I read his thoughts, and I laughed a little. They all looked at me. 'Yea, now is the time to make yourself look like a maniac' I sighed. I looked right at him. "I was laughing at his thoughts." I smiled. "You can read minds?" Alice asked confused. "You're psychic, you should know that." Alice frowned. "I've only seen your ability to talk to animals." She shrugged, a little embarrassed. "Well, yes, I do have that, but I can also control the weather and elements around me, and I can read minds. Funny, if I touch you and concentrate really hard, I can read every thought your mind has ever had." I smiled a little proud of myself. The boy had cast a look at me. A bit surprised, a bit intrigued, a bit unsettled. 'He's used to being the only one with this ability.' I smiled again. 'Stop that. I know it's hard to control, but it's unfair. I can't read yours and you're using it to your advantage.' He frowned a bit. I raised my eyebrow a bit, and smirked. "Unfair?" I asked continuing to smirk. Wasn't he the one with the unfair advantage? He just frowned a little. A big brunette's thoughts entered my mind. 'Damn, I'd hit that. She's like way hot.' His thoughts got a little explicit then, so I sort of shut them out. The boy in the chair growled, a low muffled sound. The big brunette laughed.
The pain shot through me again. This time I screamed, it had hit me completely by surprise. It pulled me to my knees. I screamed again. I couldn't help it. The pain was too much. It was stronger, ravishing, greedier. It seemed to expect so much from me. It pulled my off the ground completely, my feet dangling in mid-air, and like it was being mean, it dropped me. I was immediately caught. I opened my eyes for a split second and the bronze-haired boy was holding me, resting my head against his chest. "Kimberly" His voice smooth like velvet. He muttered my name, as I slipped into unconsciousness. I could still feel his hand gently stroking my hair.
Four hours later, I opened my eyes. The boy was still holding me. Stroking my hair, and saying my name ever so gently. I wanted to stay like that, just to hear him say my name. His cool breath tickling my cheek. I woke up against my own will. I sat up and looked around. I had to remember where I was. 'This is so embarrassing. If I were a lioness, I could just attack them all, and run away.' The thought seemed to break a barrier, because everyone gasped. I looked around. "What?" I asked. Carlisle shook a bit. "We can understand you?" He looked like I was speaking a different language and he finally understood it. Alice ran back down the stairs carrying a large mirror. I looked in it, and I had turned myself into a lioness. Strong, and graceful. Beautiful, and cunning. My new talent, I believe. 'OH DAMN, OH DAMN, OH DAMN, I WANT MY BODY BACK!!!' I thought to myself. In front of my eyes, and everyone else's, I morphed back into my body. I sat there with my knees pulled to my chest. "I'm so sorry to have bothered you all, I should never have come. I knew I would just bring trouble." I said before striking out the front door with Syria, and Tama at my heels.