Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Stephenie Meyer. I'm just running out of silly things to say in here.
When we last left our sweet young Bella…
"Vampires are real?" He nodded his head again.
"Uh, and you're telling me I'm not in any danger sitting here with all of you? Wait a moment." I looked over at Alice. "You too?" She just grinned.
Fucking hell, what have I gotten myself into?
Chapter 7
The Bloodsucker
"Bella, first… please call me Carlisle. And understand, not all vampires drink human blood. My family… we restrict our diet to animal blood only, and judging from the color of Edward's eyes, so does he." He turned to Edward. "Why? Did you learn this from another coven?"
"Whoa, wait a moment," I interrupted. If I was going to be dumped into the world of the weird, I needed to understand all I could. "Eye color means something in the vampire universe?"
"A diet of human blood results in burgundy colored irises. Animal blood gives us more of an amber color — I'm not certain why. However, a hungry vampire of either diet will have black eyes."
"But not Edward… er… Elijah?"
"No. From the little I was able to learn, hybrids retain human eye color no matter what. Elijah not only looks a great deal like his father, but Edward's eyes were green before he was changed."
I was still trying to wrap my mind around this. If I allowed myself to believe them, Elijah had been telling me the truth all along. There are vampires all around, and although it shouldn't be possible, this man who looks the same age as Elijah is actually his father. How can that be?
"So," Carlisle continued, "we found Elijah in Pennsylvania, and I took him in. He was exhausted, clothes in tatters, and he'd been eating whatever scraps he could find or steal. His education was basic — Mary and Jeremiah had home schooled him, although they did a fine job." He smiled. "But Elijah was brilliant, a sponge." I turned to Elijah and smiled, not at all surprised to hear this. His face was impassive, but I could see the blush he was desperately trying to control
**
Edward was in the living room with Emmett, watching a DVD, when Carlisle and Esme left the house. It had taken a few months, but they had all settled into a routine that worked for the entire household, and Edward finally seemed comfortable in his new home. The transition from southern to northern culture was never an issue, because Edward had very little contact outside the Cullen home. Everyone thought that was for the best, for now, especially Edward.
They walked in comfortable silence until they reached enough distance from the house it was unlikely they'd be overheard, even by vampires or hybrids. Then Esme turned to Carlisle, concern on her face that wasn't shown earlier.
"I'm not comfortable with his film choices, or even his elective literature choices. All of his focus is on the romantic classics. Frankly, I'm surprised Emmett is putting up with the films." Carlisle laughed at that.
"Emmett really likes him, and also knows physical activities are out. Edward would be risking dismemberment if Em wasn't careful. To be honest, this has been a growth experience for Emmett, too. He's had to learn there are other aspects to life outside of sports, video games, and physical activities with Rosalie." Carlisle was laughing again.
"Carlisle, how much has Edward told you about himself? He may allow me to mother him, but he won't confide in me, and I won't push it." He hesitated for a moment, then shrugged.
"I guess it doesn't hurt if you know. He has a birthday coming up, although he's asked we ignore it; he understands how different he is, and being the center of attention will make him even more uncomfortable. Hmm… remember what I found out about hybrids, or at least, the rumors of them?" Esme nodded."He's going to be eight years old at his next birthday. He was fully grown last year at seven."
Esme knew she shouldn't be surprised, Carlisle had told her hybrids grew at an unprecedented rate, but how could she not? Theory and reality are quite different.
"Poor boy," she mumbled to herself.
"No, not a boy, most definitely not a boy. I'm his doctor, remember?" Carlisle gave her a sidelong glance. "There is nothing 'boy' about him. He's a full grown man." If Esme could still blush, she'd be beet red. Carlisle put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.
"It's not my intention to embarrass you; it's my intention to make sure you understand the truth. Physically, he's a man in his early twenties. Intellectually, he's even older. He's absolutely brilliant; by the time September comes, he'll be ready for university. It's important you don't set your expectations by his chronological age. He's an adult in every sense of the word." They walked even further into the fragrant woods, enjoying the peaceful time alone, the rare time when it was no one but the two of them.
"The issue here is emotional maturity. That can't be forced, even with the brilliance and talent and rapid growth of a hybrid. Emotional maturity comes with experience, and I fear he'll wind up hurt, and hurt badly, before he gains it."
"Carlisle, maybe we shouldn't allow him to go away to college…"
"No, I suspect he'll be fine there, because I believe he'll keep to himself until he finds what he's looking for. So yes, I agree with you and your concern about his fixation on romantic films and literature. I know he'll be a gentleman while he's gone; I have no doubts about that. But he's also going to be looking for something he may not find for a very long time." Carlisle lowered his head and sighed.
"He lives in a house with three mated pairs of vampires. Although the depth of our love is a fine example for him, he's also the odd man out, and in spite of his age, he IS a man. He didn't need to deal with this before his adoptive parents died, they were elderly humans." He hesitated on the trail, then grabbed her hand and kept them moving even farther from the house.
"I also have another concern. I don't know if he's destined to be with a human, or a vampire. He's strong enough that he might hurt a human, but I don't know if he's strong enough to have relations with a vampire." Carlisle cleared his throat. "And if the rumors of hybrids are true, he's also immortal." He turned to his wife. "Esme, to be honest, I haven't a clue what kind of future he can have." Esme just shook her head. She hated the need to pity someone, but her heart went out to this poor, unique young man.
"Anyway, the college I have planned is near Denali. I've already asked Tanya to keep an eye on him." Esme turned to him, mouth open and about to object.
"Calm down, she's not going to go near him or even allow herself to be seen. Even Tanya can be reasoned with when presented with someone as unique as Edward. She's promised to keep her claws to herself and simply observe unseen, and I believe her."
The two of them stopped and settled against the trunk of an ancient maple. Esme leaned back against Carlisle, and he wrapped his arms around her and snuggled her close.
"Carlisle, I know he says his name is Edward, but that would be a strange coincidence, don't you think?"
"I don't know what to think, except I'm certain the Edward I changed is his father — the resemblance is uncanny. And no, I don't believe his name is Edward. I've been observing humans up close for enough years that I can see the subtle signs that he's not used to answering to that name. But when we found him he was pleased I called him that. With everything else going on, I'm not going to question him about it. His name is the least of his issues."
"And his mother?"
"All I know is she's dead, died in childbirth, as expected in this kind of pregnancy. What bothers me is his father doesn't sound like the Edward I knew, or rather, how his mother described him, although I imagine he was as clueless as the rest of us about the possibility this woman might be impregnated." Carlisle sighed against Esme's neck. "Until we can find him, we'll never find out why he even attempted sexual relations with a human — just the attempt could have killed her."
He pulled back for a moment, and Esme could feel his respiration increase.
"What's wrong?" Carlisle didn't move.
"I wonder… I…What if there are more out there?"
**
Carlisle nodded to the forgotten man sitting next to Alice. "Jasper spent a year tutoring him. After that year, he was ready for college, and I managed to get him into a small university in Alaska. He graduated with honors, and went off to medical school right after."
I stared at Elijah, dumbfounded. Not shocked that he was brilliant, that came as no surprise, but medical school?
"Elijah, are you a doctor?" I asked softly. He raised his head and gazed into my eyes… so much pain.
"Call me Eli, okay?" He sighed. "No, I left after my first year. It was the first time I'd been exposed to human blood, Bella. It was nothing more than blood typing, first year classes, but my reaction scared the hell out of me. It was the first time I'd felt any kind of bloodlust." He sighed deeply. "I ran and came here. Carlisle owns this house. I came here to hide."
"Eli, but you eat food, you said you were a vegetarian…"
"Of course I can eat human food, I always have. Apparently, my physiology allows me to process it. But I can also live on blood if I choose — I just never have. But once I started experiencing bloodlust, I couldn't eat cooked meat any longer. It tasted wrong, it tasted old, burned. I had changed, it became blood or nothing. I chose nothing, choosing instead to become a vegetarian, for as long as I can…" He leaned over, put his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands.
"So, Edward," Carlisle turned to… I guess I have to admit he really was Eli's father. "What happened to you after you ran from me?"
Edward stood and went to the porch railing, his posture and motion so familiar it pierced my heart, and scanned the woods around the house. I saw his nostrils flare for a moment, tension crossed his face, but then he relaxed, shaking his head.
"I couldn't tolerate the noise in my head, the city, the voices," he whispered. Carlisle tried to interrupt, but Edward continued.
"I didn't know what I was, what had happened to me, but I ran until I found myself at the shores of Lake Michigan, and just jumped in." Carlisle nodded to himself.
"That was how I lost you, why I couldn't track you." Edward shrugged, not seeming to care Carlisle had been hunting him, searching for him. I could understand that. What's done is done, and judging by the state of his clothes, he'd had a hard life.
"I found myself outside Chicago, in farmland. The influenza hadn't just infected the city, the farmers were dying, and the herds were neglected. My first meal was of those herds." He wandered back over and sat again.
"It wasn't a moral decision — not yet, it was a decision of convenience. Cattle were plentiful, and it was easier for me to live away from people, away from the noise of their thoughts, and live off the animals." Carlisle's eyes were wide and questioning.
"Yes, I can hear thoughts, read minds. I don't know how, I don't know why… but the noise of the thousands of dying minds in Chicago was enough to drive me mad."
He could read minds? He knew what I was thinking? The implication made me shudder, scaring the hell out of me. I searched myself, trying to figure out how I could hide thoughts from someone like him. Focusing my eyes on my lap, I made an effort to avoid looking at him, because I wasn't sure I wanted him to know where my thoughts kept leading, unbidden, each time I noticed his tall lean body, glanced at his amber eyes, and felt myself inexplicably pulled towards him.
"I spent the next few decades avoiding humans, staying near the farms, draining cattle as I needed to, and then moving on."
I had a sudden thought, and risked looking up. "Edward, cattle mutilations…bodies left with no blood. It's been in the news, newspapers, conspiracy theorists saying there are aliens, chupacabras…" He chuckled.
"I would say that was probably me." For the first time since our initial meeting he looked into my eyes, and all the breath left my body. Eli grabbed my hand and held me tight, reminding me he was there, with me. Edward's eyes dropped, staring at our hands.
"So I wandered, eventually heading into the northwest, following the elk herds. They tasted better than cattle. I was still avoiding human population centers when I encountered the small towns up there. But little by little, spending years in the process, I wandered in and out of them, training myself to tolerate the thoughts barraging me all the time. Eventually, it became bearable, although it's still not easy, nor comfortable."
Small towns… the thought reminded me of those memories. Learning to ride my bike, Charlie helping me, the man by the pole, his bright smile, our search for him afterwards…
"I know you. I remember you." I had to say it, even though I could feel Eli's hand, the one holding mine, start to tremble.
Edward turned back to me, his eyes liquid. "Yes, Isabella, but I'd like to discuss that in private, if you wouldn't object."
"But I do!" Eli's eyes blazed.
"I will not harm her," Edward growled, a warning implicit in his voice. Ah shit, not what I needed on top of everything else.
"Okay boys," trying to stop the pissing contest, "I make my own decisions." I glared at Eli. "Understand that?" Then I turned to Carlisle. "Dr. Cullen, Carlisle, your arrival here… your timing was impeccable. How did you know?"
Alice raised her tiny hand. I looked over at her.
"Edward isn't the only one with a... er… talent. I can see the future. Sometimes." Now this was getting to be too much.
"Did you see me coming?" I scoffed.
"As a matter of fact, yes, I did. But more to the point, I saw a fight between these two, one that would have left Eli injured. I'm not assigning blame, they'd both be to blame, but he couldn't stand against a full vampire, and I'd rather not see my brother injured."
The two men continued to glare at each other, and I found my heart going out to both of them. One threatened by a father he felt abandoned him, the other angry his son could think so little of him. I also knew there was another reason — one I'd prefer not to dwell on yet, until Alice brought it up.
"And I had another motive. You needed to meet him," she glanced at Edward, then back to me. "I can't tell you what will happen, nothing is set in stone, but the choices should be yours, and I didn't want to see them taken from you." She gave Eli a pointed look. He glared back at her, the tension in his body filling the air when the sky suddenly darkened, almost as if it was in response to his mood. The sudden loss of the heat from the sun sent a chill through me, raising goose bumps along my arms as I wrapped them around my chest and shivered. I was unsure how much of this was a reaction to the cold, or to what I had learned this day.
Carlisle looked at the darkened sky and smiled at Alice. "You were right." Then he turned to Eli and me. "We need to leave, it was a long drive and I'm expected back at the hospital." He stood and offered me his hand. "It's been a pleasure, Bella, and I'm sure it won't be as long until next time. And Eli?" Eli looked over at Carlisle, his eyes apprehensive. "I want you to make Edward feel welcome here. It's time you all got to know each other. Edward, I expect you'll want to stay, too?" Edward simply nodded, and turned away.
"There are a couple more items before I go." Carlisle walked over to Edward. "I was able to acquire your family's estate and keep it in safekeeping for the day I found you. I'll arrange to have it transferred into your name." He smiled at him. "Don't worry, I'll arrange the bank accounts, but I wanted you to know you're not penniless." Then he turned to Eli, pulling something out of his pocket.
"Here's the key to the back room. I'm sure you've been curious about what was in there, and I appreciate the fact you respected my need to lock it. It can be opened now." He placed the key in his open palm, ignoring Eli's surprised expression.
While they were busy it was a good opportunity to quietly approach Alice. I hoped to talk with her for a moment, get a better idea of what her talent was, and was curious about her husband. As I moved toward them, Jasper backed away, faster than I'd never seen someone move.
"It's been a pleasure to meet you Bella," he drawled in a surprisingly lovely Texas accent. "But I'd like to ask you not to get closer, if you wouldn't mind."
"Jasper's having a little harder time than the rest of us with our particular diet restriction." Alice smiled apologetically.
And that's when it hit me. This was real, these people were real, and they were dangerous. Truly dangerous. Perhaps they managed to keep themselves under control, but how much would it take to lose that control?
Carlisle shook Eli's hand, Alice hugged both of us, Eli hugged Jasper again, and then they were gone, leaving the three of us on the porch. I was left alone in the middle of a dense forest with a vampire and a half human, half vampire hybrid.
The concept of running and screaming had started to regain its appeal, but then Eli stepped up to me, wrapped his arm around my waist and, never taking his eyes off his father, placed a gentle kiss on my temple.
"Would you like to go inside, Bella?"
The men were staring at each other, both knowing the display was intentional, and I wasn't going to put up with this. I was about to snap at Eli when Edward caught my eyes, and I felt it again — the pull towards him. But, more than anything else, I could see the longing, the sorrow, the utter desperation in his eyes. I felt tears start to well up in mine when his eyes got wide, as if he didn't need to read my thoughts — my face mirroring all my pain, my overwhelming empathy, as I was consumed by his despair. He turned away from me and walked towards the stairs leading off to the backyard.
"It's been a while since I've hunted. I'll see you both later." And without turning again, but with his shoulders slumped, he quietly strode off into the trees.
I knew there was no way I could hide my thoughts from him, that he and I both felt what had happened in that brief exchange. I dropped my eyes and tried to control my trembling body, to conceal my reaction from the dear man who still had his arm around my waist.
Because as surely as I knew I needed to take my next breath, I knew I had a serious problem.
We all did.
A/N Uh oh.
Yes, some of you saw this coming. Some of you are asking if you can have the leftover. I just wanted to say, I get first dibs :-)
And...maybe Bella will just be a modern woman and...
As promised, you've gotten some answers. More to come, of course.
And thank you to Bookishqua/Booksgalore for being the devil on my shoulder, and Alicedances for her amazing editing skills. She can sure sling a comma.
And I can't end this A/N without thanking all of you for your wonderful, if confused, reviews! Bear with me, and keep them coming! Thank you again!
