Chapter 7

'We need to talk' Edward said looking at me seriously.

'About?' I looked at him warily.

'Why did you yell 'Aiden no' after the accident?' He asked his face blank.

'How did you get to me from across the parking lot in less than a second?' I asked back, glaring at him.

He paused for a second too long 'I didn't, I was right next to you the whole time.'

'Right next to me the moment I got out of my truck? Right next to me as I made eye contact with you from across the parking lot? Nice try. I understand if you don't want to tell me your secrets, but it goes both ways.' I shot back at him. We glared at each other for a long minute before he broke the silence.

'It seems we're at an impasse.' He said, studying me.

I thought for a moment. 'What if we were to guess…? What if I was to guess what you are, would you tell me if I was correct, or close?' I said slowly, measuring my words.

He looked at me for a few moments, deliberating. 'I think that would be fair… as long as you offer me the same opportunity afterwards.'

I looked at him for a long minute. 'Ok.' I said suddenly decided.

'Ok Bella,' he sighed 'What is your theory?' he finished with a tight smile.

I gave a half sigh, half laugh. 'My theory' I smiled at him, 'actually came from an old Quileute legend that I heard a few days ago.' At this he paled- if that was even possible, I suddenly felt much better about my theory. 'This theory was about the cold ones, people who, I guess, aren't really people. Blood drinkers, they feed off of the living. They're said to be impossibly beautiful, pale, strong and fast.' I looked at him directly when I said that.

'Your entire family has pale skin; strange coloured eyes and are all shockingly beautiful. You sprinted across the parking lot so quickly that I didn't see it and saved me from being crushed to death.' I looked at him for a minute gauging his reaction; he looked like he was waiting for me to run. 'The only difference that I can see from the cold ones legend to your family is that I don't believe that you feed on people, there are no disappearances in this area, or surrounding areas. And from what I can figure, I can't see people like your family settling down and integrating yourself with humans… unless you wanted to fit in.'

'Your father is even a doctor, he works every day to help people, not hurt them. I don't believe any of you would hurt anyone.'

'I wouldn't be so sure…' he said quietly. 'I have hurt people Bella, bad people, but still… I have killed before. I'm a monster.'

'I know monsters; I know what it is to feel like one as well. You aren't the only one who has killed…' I whispered back at him

He looked at me in shock. To him I was just some 17 year old high school girl, he would never believe the things that I've done… that I've had to do.

'What do you mean?' he looked at me with a furrowed brow. I shook my head. 'Still my turn. My guess is that you and your family are… vampires.' It felt strange to finally say the word out loud.

'Unbelievable.' He shook his head and looked amazed, scared… I couldn't really tell. 'You're here a week and you figured us out, you're unreal.'

'No.' I smiled 'I just know the supernatural.'

'Now it's your turn.' I whispered to him.

'You're missing one important aspect of my abilities.' He said.

I smiled wryly 'I have another theory. I think that you can read minds, I'm not totally sure about that though because as far as I can tell you can't read mine.' I guessed.

He looked at me amazed, 'How could you know all of this?'

'I'm very observant.' I smiled shyly at him.

He nodded, more to himself than anything. 'You're right, about everything actually. My father Carlisle created myself, my mother Esme, my sister Rosalie and my brother Emmett over the years. Saved us from death and turned us into something else… something inhuman. Alice and Jasper joined us later. You're right again, we don't feed off of humans, we hunt, but we hunt animals. Deer, bears, mountain lions, we go to areas where these animals are in abundance.' He looked at me hard 'You don't look scared.'

I shook my head again. 'Not much scares me anymore.'

After a moment he continued 'As for my abilities, you're right again, of course. I can read people's thoughts, everyone's thoughts, all of the time… except for you. You're silent, an enigma. When you arrived I was immediately drawn to your silence, until I heard something else… something new.' I shivered at the memory of Edward hearing Aiden that first day.

'It was almost a ball of thought floating above you, could it somehow be your thoughts? I didn't think so, it sounded so foreign, so inhuman. Its thoughts were chaotic, loud, buzzing until it suddenly went quiet. It was like it had just vanished. Looking at your face I could tell that you were somehow related, plus I could see you in its thoughts. I still didn't know though if it was somehow you. Maybe you were able to separate your thoughts from your body.

'In class when it tripped Mr. Berty that was the first time I saw that it had a physical presence. It had been silent for so long I was starting to think that I had imagined its existence, but there it was the same strange buzzing thoughts. It wasn't until after the accident that I felt its anger, it was such palpable hatred as it approached Tyler meaning to harm him that you yelled out at it to stop. It was then that I realized it was a separate entity, something with its own decision making abilities. One thing I don't understand is why it seems to be attached to you, and why I can only rarely hear it.'

'Him…' I corrected quietly. I was shocked. He saw, or rather heard everything.

'Him?' Edward asked, tilting his head slightly.

'His name is Aiden.' I started slowly. 'He's an entity that has been tethered to me my entire life. Neither of us knows why he's here or even what he is. The day you heard him in the cafeteria we both panicked, no one had ever known Aiden was there before, and you looked right at him. Ever since then whenever we were around you he stayed silent- as much as he could anyway.'

Edward looked up, in the totally wrong direction and said 'Hello Aiden.' At this Aiden slowly stirred, his presence a low hum that I just realized I missed, it's comforting. As he came back online so to speak, Edwards head snapped right to him and smiled, and then Aiden did something I would never have expected. He thanked Edward, showering him with gratitude for saving me. 'You're welcome' Edward said quietly as he smiled.

I looked at him, shocked. 'Are you alright?' Edward looked concerned.

'I honestly don't think he has ever been that nice to anyone in his life.' Aiden didn't react, he had retreated back into himself brooding again, guilty because he didn't save me. This time though he was no longer silent, both Edward and I could sense him in the room.

My arm had been slowly burning this whole time, but the pain was pushed to the forefront of my mind as the conversation came to a close. I lay back against the pillows and closed my eyes, breathing through it.

'You're in pain.' Edward said apologetically, reaching over to ring my call bell.

'No, I'm good.' I said closing my eyes again. It was second nature for me to peek into Aiden's mind, seeing what he sees every now and then to be aware of my surroundings.

'Nurse is coming.' I muttered, seeing her through his eyes while mine were still closed.

'How did you…?' Edward asked incredulous, cut off as the nurse walked in.

'Feeling ok dear?' the pleasant young nurse asked me.

I barely cracked my eyes before I heard Edward say 'She needs more pain medicine.' I couldn't even say no, it was becoming unbearable.

I laid back, my brow furrowed in pain and waited until I started to feel the sweet release of morphine into my blood stream.

'Go to sleep Bella…' Edward cooed.

'Go home Edward.' I slurred.

The last thing I heard before I fell unconscious was a low chuckle.

This chapter was a little harder to write, it took me a little longer than usual but I hope you like it! Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks for reading!