Arching Light: Electricity

by Mana Tatsumiya

Chapter 3

A/N:

First and foremost, I apologize for leaving you all hanging for so long. My life is hectic, which is why I have stopped promising to update soon, but rest assured barring my death my stories will NEVER be abandoned, they just might take a long ass time to be completed.

I originally promised two chapters to be uploaded today but I'm going to upload the second chapter I've got done towards the middle of the week as I want to tweak a few things.

Enjoy the chapter.

I couldn't take my eyes off of Kate as we made our way into their house, though my eyes wanted desperately to drift to the gorgeous open spaces, the wooden beams arching high towards the ceiling, stretching towards the sky. Her eyes seemed focused on her sister, the coven leader, though every few seconds they would drift back towards me, as if to confirm I was really there, though the firm clasp of my hand in hers should remind her that I wasn't going anywhere. Tanya drew us both to the largest room, which seemed to be the living room—there were large leather couches set artfully around the room, and a massive entertainment center to boot. It was obvious these vampires liked their toys, and though I was still nervous between my newfound mate and the sudden, sweeping mess of whatthefuck my life had become, I found it oddly entertaining.

Tanya's eyes met mine for a brief moment, and I instinctively felt the massive, arching power hidden within her—the true presence of an ancient vampire. My eyes dropped, and I struggled to contain myself, clutching Kate's hand for dear life. A sudden cough cut through my terror.

"If you're done terrorizing my mate, sister? I'd really like to get this show on the road." Her voice was steel, and I glanced up at her to see her meet her sister's gaze fearlessly, irritation dripping from her body language and tone.

I hadn't realized it, but she was over a thousand as well.

I would be safe with her, my inner vampire realized with a smug satisfaction.

"Yes, of course," Tanya cleared her throat, though she had no real need to do so.

"Tell me, young Bella. Did the Cullens tell you much of us?"

I blinked in surprise, not expecting that question. Kate snorted, no doubt seeing the flicker of surprise that fluttered across my features.

I nodded once, after a long moment.

"They told me very little. Mostly that you were vegetarians too, and that you lived in Alaska. I know you're also supposed to be very old, from what I remember."

Kate let out a muffled chuckle, and a grin flashed across Tanya's face as well. Both of their eyes lightened with their amusement.

"That's true enough, I suppose," Tanya responded, "though what you know of us is very basic. We are the basis for the legend of the succubus, dear Bella. For many centuries we were much like the black widow spider, breeding and then eating those men we coupled with. However, I found I was growing fond of the men I was killing, and shortly afterwards Kate," here she nodded at her sister, "and Irina found the same. I started trying to go without blood as long as possible, and through that experimentation found that animal blood would be an acceptable, though not really appetizing, substitute."

I nodded in response, enraptured with the story. I could see it in my head—these three gorgeous, almost ethereal creatures, enraptured in lust and despair.

"So now we come to the reason I am telling you this—you are Kate's mate. You are also a newborn vampire, and you seem to have come to us suddenly for a reason."

I nodded vigorously in response.

"I had nowhere else to go. The Cullens left me alone with no way to contact them, and I knew I had to at least find a way of learning to feed on animal blood successfully. Meeting Kate—that wasn't part of the plan, to say the least." Despite my fear, humor flashed through me.

"Yes, that was a bit of a surprise." Kate's voice rang out quietly, her eyes drifting to me and softening with something like adoration. We would have to talk—but we had an eternity now with which to hash out everything. My main priority was learning what I could from these remarkable vampires.