AN: It's 4:30 in the morning, and I'm going to bed now. I have to post this because there's a good chance that this computer won't be here when I wake up, and my mother has forbidden me from using floppy disks because I messed up her hard drive last time and she had to redo her system. So rather than risk losing this file and having to type it up again, I am going to post it right now, without even editing. Sorry if what you read doesn't flow well or is too short. I'm just really tired, and my fingers hurt from typing all day.
Thank you for your understanding,
Amie
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"Denali?" I asked. "But..."
"It's okay," he murmered soothingly. He caught my hand and pressed it lovingly between his. He looked at it as if it were foreign and fascinating, then turned his remarkable eyes to my face. His voice was soft, utterly adoring, and still tinged with a hint of disbelief. "I love being able to touch you without worrying that I'll break you."
I gasped as he pulled me closer, our training most definitely abandoned for now. He kissed me deeply. Air was not essential for us, and yet I was panting heavily by the time he pulled away.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too." I leaned in for another kiss, enjoying his flavor. "You taste so wonderful," I said aloud. It came out as more of a sigh, adding to my embarrassment. The human blood still left in my veins rushed to my cheeks. I couldn't wait until that little problem disappeared. An upside to being a vampire: Edward couldn't figure me out just from my blood flow, or heartbeat.
"It's the venom." He noticed my puzzlement and elaborated. "We don't have human body fluids. We don't even have blood of our own, except at first. So instead of saliva, we have venom coating our mouths."
My eyes widened. So that was why my own mouth tasted so different to me. I had just assumed it was because my sense of taste had been altered in the same way my other senses had. I never imagined it would be an entirely different substance.
But very fortunate, I added as an afterthought. With such sharp teeth, it sure would be cumbersome to use a toothbrush.
We interrupted as Carlisle entered the room with his usual fluid grace--still impressive to me, even with my improved eyesight. He seemed surprised to see me, though he must have known I was up by now.
"Bella." He paused in the doorway, looking taken aback.
"What's wrong?" I asked. I stepped forward anxiously.
He held up a hand to stop my advance, but he was still speechless. I glanced at Edward for some clue, wishing for the millionth time that I had his ability. He was looking at me. I could see that he knew the reason behind Carlisle's shock.
"Alice told you in advance?" Carlisle guessed. Edward nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Edward, tell me what's going on," I demanded, but my voice was quiet, not properly forceful. I felt strangely lost. The feeling only disappeared when Edward took my hand in his and pulled me against his chest.
"Alice told me what would happen when you woke, so I was prepared for it. The two of us sat with you the whole time, held your hand occasionally, sang to you. We tried to offer as much support as we could. The others worked very hard on getting us all out of Forks. There was no time, really, to tell them what to expect."
"It's amazing," Carlisle said. I turned my full attention to him. He came forward, an entranced look on his face. I had never seen Carlisle so...gleeful. He looked positively awed.
"What is it?"
"We all knew you were special, Bella. Aro was right when he said you had great potential as a vampire."
I flinched at the name. I didn't want to be reminded of that.
Carlisle smiled at my reaction. "You remember Aro? Most vampires forget almost everything about being human. You've led an eventful past year, and it wouldn't seem so dull in comparison to actually being a vampire, but you shouldn't be able to..." He trailed off in amazement.
"Carlisle, can I have a moment with Bella?" Edward asked respectfully.
Carlisle snapped out of his trance. "Oh, yes. Of course." He exited the room, still looking back at me, as if he couldn't quite believe his eyes. Though we all knew his eyes weren't deceiving him, because vampires had darn good vision.
"Edward?" I queried, thinking that if I didn't get a straight answer soon I would just spit. Or...expel venom...spit venom...venomate...I quickly unboarded that train of thought.
"Bella, you're so...you're instantly a vampire. Just like when you were human, you adjust so easily. You take everything so calmly. It's unnatural. It took me nearly a week to be anywhere near where you are now. You don't move like a human at all."
"I didn't even move very good as a human when I was human," I grumbled. "I've always felt ill-suited to being human. This is what feels natural."
He laughed. It still amazed me how he could banish all my tension with a look, and make the world more beautiful with a laugh or a smile. "I mean that you move so much like a vampire...and so soon!" His face became somber as his eyes roamed across my face, searching for something. "Most importantly, you're not going crazy from wanting the blood."
I frowned. "Why is that bad?"
For a moment, I thought he wasn't going to say anything, if the indecision in his eyes was any indication. I was relieved when he parted his perfect lips. "When I was finished transforming, I wasn't capable of complete sentences, let alone being able to behave as normally as you are now. The concept of drinking blood was the only thing my mind could comprehend. I was ravenous. All of us were like that, Bella--even Carlisle. But not you. Don't you think that's odd?" He spoke so quickly that I wouldn't have been able to keep up as a human. Though his speech was now perfectly understandable, I didn't think I had heard correctly. I looked at him warily, undure.
"This is my gift?"
"I don't know. I don't understand how it's possible, or what human trait of yours might have been magnified."
"I know." We both turned to Alice, who stood in the doorway almost shyly. "It's her acceptance that's been amplified. Bella has always been able to simply accept things as they are. Every time something bad happened, she was easily able to put it behind her. She didn't find the existence of vampires frightening. She was in fact immediately drawn to them. As well as to werewolves, and she seemed to have no trouble with them, either. Creatures such as us...she was attracted to us, but not to other humans. She must have been sensitive to our kind, as I imagine I must have been as a human. Perhaps it's why I drew vampires to me, and why I am so sensitive to their futures now." She looked at me, her eyes unreadable. "Bella is more attuned to our kind now, so attuned that she is able to handle being a vampire ridiculously easy."
I smiled. It wasn't mind-reading, and it wasn't the ability to see the future, but I still felt incredibly lucky. I was glad. Acceptance was always a good gift for anyone-- human, vampire, or werewolf--to have.
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So that's her gift: acceptance. Sorry for those of you who think it's a stupid gift, but I think it fits her. Please review each new chapter? I'd just like to know how many people are still reading. There's no way for me to know unless you keep reviewing. Sorry if it's a burden, but I really would appreciate it.
No new fanfic chapters until I finish editing chapter thirteen of my book. Setting goals for myself...hopefully, this will work.
