Hey, all! Sunrise is officially on hiatus no longer! Now, I know this chapter took a while to get out, and I must cry sorry to the world, but it was Bree's first impression of the Cullens. So of course it's important!
First off, tlover13, you rock. You're the only who actually reviewed on the chapter before this one, Kelse, and I just gotta love you for that! And a warning to Kiki- if she doesn't read this, Kelse, you'll just have to tell her-she better bring that book on Monday. Or our friendship is officially OVER.
Just kidding, love. ;D
Disclaimer: Melina belongs to me. Bree belongs to me. Janna also belongs to me. Corin and Demetri, however much I wish they did, do not. Corin's personality, however, is MINE. I loves him lots 8D
Enjoy.
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(the dark shadows; they taste like light; why, oh why, do they do the things they do?)
Bree
Floating on the edge of dreams and wakefulness, the blurry razor thin edge was invisible to human eyes and completely out of focus in the sleepy hours of the early morning. Opening wide, the air flowed in smoothly, tasting of icy radiance, flavored with the warm scent of sunlight that tickled as it was breathed in-
I yawned.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
I opened one sleepy blue eye, letting it fall lazily shut at the sight of the vampire. I sighed. "You haven't moved all night, have you?"
"S'not like I had anything better to do," Melina mumbled, dropping her gaze. "You're the most interesting thing around right now. Carlie's been fretting around that werewolf since one a.m. in the morning- it was bound to drive some of us insane."
"Where's Ben?" I asked, opening my eyes once more with effort. I kept the concern carefully out of my voice, when one glance of the room didn't reveal the vampire hiding somewhere nearby.
"Out hunting with the guys. They left about an hour ago, something about being back sometime tomorrow. You're not worried about Ben, are you? He's a big boy; he can easily take care of himself," Melina said slyly with a wink.
I settled back against the pillows with a shrug. "Whatever."
"Carlie was astonished when he checked up on you this morning," Melina commented, carefully changing the subject. "You went from having a 105 degree temperature to a normal one in a couple of hours. Would have given him a heart attack had his actually been beating." She examined her perfect nails without a trace of interest. "Not much scares Carlie, Bree, but something about you scares him so much he'd rather not think about it. Edward told me that."
"Who's Edward?" I asked curiously.
"My brother. He's a mind reader- he's got the gift like Ben and I do."
"Exactly HOW many vampires have gifts?" I couldn't keep my tone from turning sarcastic.
"A lot do. It's just that usually they're completely useless as far as gifts go, so most of the time vampires pretend they don't have a gift at all. It's only very rarely that a vampire with a power of the magnitude that Ben has is born. Many of my family have gifts- Edward, as you know, reads minds; Alice, my sister, gets visions from the future; my brother Jasper can control people's emotions, and my sister Bella is a shield. Her daughter Renessmee can project thoughts and memories into others' minds."
Melina shifted up from her chair, crossing the room to throw open the curtains with a flourish, the beams of sunlight pouring in through the window. Her body began to glow and sparkle like she was made up of millions of tiny diamonds constantly catching my eye and drawing my gaze. I slowly made myself glance up into her face.
"She was the one that allowed you to defeat the Volturi the first time, right?"
"Why all the questions all of a sudden?" Melina sounded mildly curious, but I still scrambled to my own defense a little too quickly.
"Oh, nothing," I said, the words meshing together in my haste. The right side of Melina's mouth quirked up in a half smile as her golden eyes fell on mine.
"Perhaps you would like to meet the rest of my family?" Melina asked quietly after a couple minutes of scrutinizing me. Relief surged through me as I nodded eagerly. Pushing myself up off the soft bed proved to be rather difficult-I couldn't get a good enough grip to stop myself from sinking.
In another second Melina was holding me like she had last night, cradling me like I was five years old. I glared huffily up at her, then looked pointedly at the floor. "You have to stop doing that. Put me down."
She shrugged. "Okay."
Then I promptly crashed into the floor as she dropped me, tasting blood in my mouth. "Hey!"
Melina was staring at me, her golden eyes growing huge. They no longer looked so dreamy-they were reflecting her warring instincts inside, the side that said she was hungry, and the side that knew I was her friend.
The door burst open behind her, and suddenly there was another vampire pressing up against Melina, holding her back. "Easy, Mel. This is Bree you're thinking about eating."
I looked at him, and suddenly my heart almost stopped beating. He was amazingly hot, and though I was used to Ben always using his charm and good looks on me, there was a huge difference between this vampire and my friend. This vampire's golden eyes were darker then Ben's, flecked with lighter gold the color of warm melted caramel. He had bronze hair that had a light all its own, despite the fact that the sunlight was on the other side of the room. He kinda looked almost godly standing there in my hospital room, where everything was completely white and boring.
I snapped my gaze to Melina, who was still looking at me hungrily.
"Hello, earth to Melina-I am NOT a drumstick. And if you ever dare to actually test that, I'll have Ben slam you into next week." I said, putting one hand on my hip and waving a finger at her threateningly. "Got it?"
Melina stared uncomprehendingly at me. The other vampire was looking at me strangely too, his dark eyes flashing as he gripped Melina's wrist tightly.
"So you're Bree," he sighed, releasing Melina. I flinched away from her, but she wandered over to the sheets, sniffing intently. I almost laughed.
"Yeah. Who're you?" I kept up the attitude. I liked this new side of me.
"Edward Cullen, at your service." He bowed elegantly, and my jaw dropped. There went my new reputation as tough.
"YOU'RE the mind reader?"
He laughed, and I glared. "You could say that. Nice to meet you, Bree."
"You too," I said grumpily. I turned to Melina. "Can I go to see Kayla now?"
The vampire suddenly turned around and looked at me for the first time since being released, like she hadn't known I was there. "Kayla?"
"The werewolf?" I said, exasperated. After a couple seconds I headed for the door, striding quickly and rolling my eyes. "Seriously? Am I the only sane person around?"
"Pretty much," Edward admitted, holding the door open for me. "The only non-vampire in the house except for Kayla. The only one sane enough not to drink blood."
"They all mean the same thing," I muttered. "Mortal." I leaned against the wall, staring moodily at the floor.
"Hey," Edward said softly. "If I have a say in it, not for long."
Looking up at him, I flashed a sad smile. "Ben and Kayla will fight you for all they're worth."
Memories were swimming in his eyes. "I know."
A light creak from the floorboards and there was another vampire standing next to Edward, holding his hand. She was looking at him intently. I could tell that it would take me forever to get used to living in a house with vampires who kept popping up whenever you were finally beginning to get comfortable.
I rolled my eyes.
The vampire noticed me for the first time. "Who the heck are you?"
"Bree." Offering absolutely no explanation whatsoever, I narrowed my eyes at her. She glared back, looking two times as dangerous and scary as me. Golden eyes with dark hair made a good combination on her, just like honey eyes and hair looked good on Melina.
"Bella, this is the girl that Ben and the werewolf came with." Edward still looked distant.
Bella ignored me as she turned to look down the hall. Soon enough, a gorgeous dark haired girl strode around the corner, tying her hair up with nimble fingers. She tipped her head when she saw us, her eyes flashing.
"Mom, Emmett stole my IPod again-this time he promised to light it on fire on the camping trip until I told Rose to lay off his devilcake-" She stopped and stared at me. "Who invited the human?"
I threw my hands up, glaring at the ceiling. "Did Ben give you guys ANY warning at all?"
The family of three stared at me. Fortunately, none of them were drooling like Melina had been. And none of them shared the wild steely glint flashing in their eyes, accompanied by a tension in the rock hard muscles that all vamps had. Alone, they would have been quite fearsome--together they were terrifying the crap out of me with the glares they were sending my way. Instead of quaking, which was what I was naturally leaning toward at the moment, I held my ground and sent the Cullens my patented Wha? stare.
In response I got three identical blank looks.
In that moment Melina decided to pop in.
"Oh good!" she squealed, clapping her pale hands together. "Looks like somebody finally decided to get social."
Bella sent Melina an impassive glance, raising her eyebrows. "You knew about this?"
"Of course, Bella, dear sister." Bella rolled her eyes. Melina turned to me, excitement glowing in her honey gold eyes. "Bree, this is –"
"Bella, Renesmee, and Edward." I flashed a smug grin. "I don't ignore everything, you know. You know, the Volturi-"
The vampires' eyes glinted red in an instant. Something like a growl exploded out of Bella's mouth as she narrowed her eyes fiercely at me. Renesmee seemed to have shrunk behind her mother and father, who were both baring their fangs at me, beautiful and dangerous. I suddenly feared for my life.
"What did you say?" Edward snarled.
Melina darted between us, placing a fist against his chest, pushing him back. "Leave it alone, Edward."
"I said, what did you say?!" Edward roared, throwing himself against Melina. His golden eyes hardened into amber as he strained against the honey haired vampire, who still held him back easily as if she was holding back a child. That's when I realized Melina wasn't an old vampire.
She had to be under a year old. Otherwise, an older vampire like Edward would have gotten the best of her, shouldering her aside and ripping me apart. I'd seen many new vampires, being as close to the Volturi as I had. They were known for their incredible strength, the human blood still pulsing vividly through their veins for a year and then dwindling out as they grew older. I could see it in Edward's rippling muscles as he thrust as hard as he could against Melina, feel her relax as she warded him off, not even breaking into a sweat.
My eyes widened against my will.
"Back off," Melina growled, and this time her voice held a note of warning, shining brightly as it faded, being replaced by another growl from Bella. She still stood in front of Renesmee protectively, crouched and ready to spring with a second's notice.
"How do you know about the Volturi?" Bella asked warily. Edward suddenly froze, sending her a quizzical look. She gave him a small nod, then her eyes fell on me. "Well?"
"They want my power," I murmured quietly. My fists clenched unconsciously.
"You're still human, though," Renesmee pointed out, sniffing at the air delicately. "You wouldn't be if they wanted you as badly as you say. They wouldn't chase a human halfway across the world for nothing."
I stared at her in surprise. Melina relaxed instantly, leaning against the wall beside me, her shoulder brushing mine. Renesmee shrugged.
"Grandpa Carlisle told me. I was helping him with that werewolf, and he said something about the Volturi, that they were restless after seven years. They want revenge. Siobhan felt it, can still feel it, and Maggie can too. They were lying when they said they'd never come back."
Bella looked down at her daughter. "They will never come back, sweetie. We scared them stiff last time, and last I heard Aro was still tending to his wounded pride. The Volturi are absolutely terrified of having to face Carlisle again." she said soothingly, gently smoothing Renesmee's gorgeous brunette hair.
"Let me see," Renesmee insisted, stepping toward me. He inquisitive eyes shone. I found myself entranced and spellbound, unable to move an inch. She reached toward me, brushing a finger against my forehead.
"Renesmee!"
My vision went blank.
Suddenly I was standing in a field back in Italy, the gently rolling hills extending around me as far as I could see. In front of me lay Volterra, grim in its haunted beauty as it loomed over everything for miles, the brooding king sitting atop his dark throne. A shiver passed through me as I looked up at it reverently, my heart pounding despite the fear choking it.
"There you shall rule one day, Bree. Alongside me and my brothers. You would like that, wouldn't you, darling?" Aro whispered in my ear. "You long for glory, to hold the power of the world in your hands. And you shall have it all."
"All you have to do is serve," Caius murmured, his voice holding all the promise and the temptation in the world. "Servitude is a small price for power, is it not, young one?"
"Join us, and your riches will be beyond imagining. I swear it." Marcus's choc lately voice tickled my ear. "Upon the ashes of the old empire, yours will rise and outshine all the rest. All you have to do is-"
Give you my power.
And, fearing for my life,
all I cared about,
I accepted.
Another memory flashed before my eyes. This time I was standing in the training room, lithe figures flying about, dancing with each other dangerously, darting back and forth. Demetri stood beside me, one of his red eyes on me at all times. I couldn't keep my eyes off the fighting vampires, my heart fluttering with excitement. I was to become one of them.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Demetri asked softly.
"Yes," I breathed. The vampire tucked a strand of my loose hair behind my ear, chuckling quietly. I felt an icy finger trace my cheek before Demetri snatched his hand back.
"Your time will come, Bree. The waiting is the hardest part. It will be worth it, I promise you." His voice was quiet, seductive.
"Really?"
"I promise."
How could I know he was lying to me the whole time? Him and Chelsea, the traitors. Anger surged through me, sweeping me off my feet. I gritted my teeth as I fell into another memory.
This one I remembered with blinding clarity.
Volterra was dark and lonely that night. Nobody patrolled the streets; all the immortals were too busy preparing for the holiday tomorrow. I slunk carefully down the streets, darting from shadow to shadow, a wraith that remained hidden in the corner of someone's vision. My breath wreathed around my head, the vapor dissipating as I sucked in another harried breath.
Escape had to come first. Later I would find a way to foil the Volturi's plans, ensure that I would not be a part of them. Destroy them first, ask questions later.
A pale hand clamped down on my shoulder, and I let out a strangled moan. I was dealing with vampires, not mortals that wouldn't be able to hear a thing. I had failed to escape, failed to save the Cullens from the Volturi's ill fated plans to destroy them. But most of all, I had disappointed myself.
The vampire spun me around. "Bree?"
"Demetri?" I gasped.
The vampire gripped me in his icy hands, and a sinking feeling rose in my stomach. He was going to turn me in.
His red eyes linked onto mine and held them there. "You aren't supposed to be here. Are you trying to escape, perhaps?" His tone was casual, like we were discussing my attempt at escaping over coffee and doughnuts.
I sighed. "Shoot me."
"I might." His eyes flashed.
Something very much like hope fluttered in my chest at the amusement sparkling openly in his eyes. All I had to do was push him, send him over the edge and tumbling, for him to let me go. He was so close, the indecision and the slight glint of amusement still darkening his eyes.
"Demetri," I whispered. "I need to go. You know what they're planning--you were part of it seven years ago!"
"And I still am," he reminded me quietly, a steely look quickly replacing his sympathetic one. I was losing him. His hands tightened on my wrist, and I found myself pulling away, reaching one hand out for the wall, desperately scrabbling with my fingers.
He ripped me away from it fiercely, leaving a bloody trail tracing my fingertips. I stared down at them in horror, my gaze floating up to Demetri, whose face was open with shock. My breath rasped through my throat as I waited for the bite, the one that would take away my freedom, my mortality. The one that would claim my life, and I would truly have fallen then.
Demetri was suddenly hugging me, his chin resting on top of my head.
"You're right," he whispered hoarsely. "You becoming a vampire would destroy everything. Everything I love about you. Your silent determination, your compassion; all of it would become forgotten in the blink of an eye." He held me back at an arm's length, his red gaze washing over me, causing shivers to run up and down my back. "I won't let the Volturi destroy you, Bree. I'll fight with everything I have and prove that I'm not as coldhearted as you think I am, that I'm not powerless without the Volturi."
I could feel a tear coming down my cheek. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Demetri. I'll never forget, I promise."
He nodded, and suddenly he was only a warm scent on the breeze, ice stinging against my cheek where his lips had brushed against it, the only thing he had left me. What did he think he was going to do? He was only one, and the Volturi were many. I suddenly felt sick at heart, the feeling growing and expanding through my system.
Then I remembered.
I wasn't completely defenseless. True, I was only human, and I'd made enough mistakes in my life. But I knew with my whole being that this wasn't a mistake. I'd been given the very tool I needed to escape. How could I have forgotten what my father had told me before he died, before the Volturi had arrived?
The power of time, bestowed once every couple hundred years, was…
Mine.
The raw power coursed through me, and I felt a smile inch its way across my face as I cautiously poked my head out of the alley, seeing the light from the lamppost shatter as I dashed through it, onto the cobbled streets, no longer keeping up the pretense of remaining hidden. Whatever Demetri was going to do, I had to be ready. My feet slammed down on the stone, my breath being ripped from me as I ran as hard as I could toward the main gate.
I didn't know how long I could hold it. Already it was threatening to quit on me; a small movement here and there as I kicked a can as I raced, a stray cat springing onto a garbage can, its orange eyes glowing like a lamp. My calves burned, the air coming in icy cold. The gate flew into sight, and a sigh of relief escaped me. But time was beginning to speed up again, rushing past like a whisper in the wind. The dam broke.
Time seeped back into Volterra, my strength draining along with it. I collapsed on the ground.
"I won't let you give up now." A voice breathed in my ear. "Not ever."
Cold strength surged through me. Demetri…
He grasped my hand tightly, swinging me up into his arms swiftly, moving with his vampire speed toward the gate. I saw over his shoulder what I hadn't seen before-two vampires gaping at us. They wore the dark cloaks of the Volturi, but they stood still as if I had binded them in time, frozen to the earth.
Another vampire stood in front of them. All I could see of him was his tousled blonde hair waving gently in the winter breeze. The two vampires weren't staring at us exactly; they were staring agog at the blonde, like they were sleepwalking with their eyes wide open. A flaring bluish light flared from his finger, and suddenly he was turning toward us, the light burning in his eyes.
"Demetri," he nodded at the vampire who was still cradling me with little effort.
"Thank you, Corin," Demetri answered, his eyes on the still hypnotized Volturi. I felt his muscles tense under me.
Corin turned his burning blue eyes on me. "Hello, Bree."
A brief smile curled my lips. "Couldn't wait to join in, could you? You always liked a good fight."
"That I do." Corin gestured toward the gate. "Well?" he prompted Demetri, who seemed reluctant to let go of me. I closed my eyes.
Corin was probably the only one who could have ever gotten both me and Demetri out of this mess. Gifted with the power to erase memories and wipe a mind clean of thoughts, he was one of the only vampires of the Volturi that I actually liked. He was the type to always be the first on the scene, both cautious and daring at the same time. Aro had found him with a weak coven, unguarded, and of course just had to have him. Corin's whole coven had fallen locked in battle with the Volturi guard, and though he hid it well, I could tell he missed them something fierce. It came out in his voice, always the tiniest layer of anger in his tone when he addressed any of the guard, the hard mask he always put on in front of Aro. He couldn't throw off the bond Chelsea had tied him with; she had tied him tighter than ropes with loyalty to the Italian rulers against his will.
And yet he had jumped in to defend me and Demetri-Chelsea's control was slipping. I felt a trickle of affection when I looked into Corin's bright eyes.
"Thank you." I murmured.
"Anything for you, Bree." Corin whispered back. He turned his lamplike eyes back on Demetri. "I'd go now if I were you. I'm going to release them in a couple minutes so no one gets suspicious."
Demetri nodded, and Corin was suddenly all the way across the square. He waved back at us, a grin lighting up his pale face. Then he was gone, slipping back the way we had come, back toward the citadel.
Demetri didn't put me down. The ice rolling off his body blasted through me as he walked swiftly through the gate, hurrying down the path. Once he was outside the walls of Volterra, he moved with lightning speed, and a couple seconds later we were standing in the outlying forest.
At last he set me down gently.
"I have to go."
"I know." My throat constricted. "What will you do now?"
"Turn traitor," he whispered, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Corin and I are going to destroy them from the inside out. Chelsea's bonds are slipping; already I feel no loyalty to the Volturi anymore. It's only a matter of time before others start to be released."
"Tell Corin goodbye for me. Janna too. I know she'll be wondering why I'm gone." My insides twisted at the thought of the tiny vampire, her eyes the tiniest glint of gold among the ranks. The rulers never noticed how she slipped out of the citadel at night, to feed on the animals in the surrounding forest, how she was slowly turning herself into one of those that the Italians hated.
"We'll explain everything," Demetri promised.
"She can help a lot," I went on. "She's already rebelling and turning herself into one of the golden eyes. Her gift should be useful, too."
Janna could control shadows. Create illusions with the things that crept through the night, and darken a person's sight with a single thought. She was that powerful, and she was the one that Chelsea turned most of her bonding power on. But Janna had a strong will, and no one was going to tell her what she could and could not do.
A twig snapped behind Demetri. He whirled around, his red eyes widening, shoving me behind him. I was just in time to catch a glimpse of silver eyes gleaming in the darkness; one flash and they were gone.
All the tension melted from Demetri. "Just a fox. But still, you should probably go."
I stepped away, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'll miss you," I called.
Demetri didn't answer, just stared at me calmly, something both wonderful and dangerous in his eyes as he watched me race away. I drank in my last memory of him like I was achingly thirsty, longing for something familiar.
As I slipped away, I knew in my heart that it could never work. Demetri, Corin, and Janna, despite their best intentions, would fall and be bound ever tighter by the constricting ropes of Chelsea's power. And now that I was gone, I couldn't help anymore.
And so, as the forest flew by, my heart slamming against my chest again and again, I said goodbye to my homeland.
I remembered Aro's voice with hatred.
You shall have it all.
Caius.
Servitude is a small price for power, is it not, young one?
A small price indeed. And one day, I would have to pay a most terrible price for my weakness, as Aro knew, as Caius knew, as Demetri knew. I would have to pay with my life.
You have a choice, Demetri had once said.
He was right, as always.
I broke the surface gasping for breath as the last of adrenaline pumped through my veins. I looked wide eyed down the hallway, my breath squeezing out in short bursts as if I had been running for my life. The Cullens were all looking at me red eyes ablaze.
Renesmee simply looked amazed. "Your memories…they're clear."
I couldn't bring myself to say that they were the memories I cherished; my last glimpse of Demetri and Corin, of Janna, the only thing that kept me alive and plowing through my years with the Volturi. They were the light in my dark world, shining brightly and causing the tiny seed of hope buried in me to begin to grow.
"I've never seen that side of Demetri before," Edward said quietly.
"Chelsea's bonds are breaking!" Melina squealed. "The Volturi are falling apart, and they can't do anything to stop it." She bounced upward on her heels.
I finally found my voice. "No. Demetri and Corin have failed. It's the feeling of dread I get whenever the memories come into mind."
"She's right," a calm voice said behind Edward and Bella. Carlisle. He flipped his silver razor cell shut. "Siobhan just called. The Volturi have entered Ireland and are rapidly approaching the Irish Coven's home. I got a similar report from the Amazonian and Romanian covens."
"They're already moving?" Edward sounded outraged.
"Siobhan, Vladmir, and Zafrina are already on their way here with their covens. I haven't gotten anything from Amun yet-no doubt he's convinced that we've kidnapped Benjamin again."
"Did you talk to the nomads?" Bella broke in, bristling. She wasn't quite happy that she was being left out of the discussion.
Who the heck were all these people? My mind was growing dizzy with all the names and places, spinning while I attempted to stay on my feet. All I managed to say was, "Kayla?"
"Oh, that's right." Melina nodded. She grabbed my hand, pulling me alongside her. "I'll be right back," she called to Carlisle, who waved once and herded his family into my sick room. Apparently they had decided to hold the meeting in there.
Melina, with her young vampire strength, hauled me all the way down the hall. We came out in a huge room, a glittering chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. Apparently once you were a vampire, you could spend all eternity making a good life for yourself. Melina had told me that most of the money the Cullens had now had been earned by Alice, with her weird future visions of the stock market.
Makes you really consider how useful stopping time is, eh?
The vampire yanked me into one of the other hallways connected to the huge room, and it whisked out of sight. I stumbled along on weak legs after her, my head still twirling. My sight was beginning to get blurry now, too.
Melina, I tried to say. My voice wouldn't work.
The vampire halted in front of a stout oaken door, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Here." She shoved open the door, stepping over the threshold. I followed, still much disoriented but conscious enough to take in everything.
My glance fell on Kayla immediately.
"Oh no."
Melina smiled grimly. "It was the only way."
"Oh, Kayla!" I whispered, before collapsing on the floor.
You once said you would protect me. I vowed I would as well.
What happens when one of us breaks the promise...?
The world falls apart.
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Can I say that I'm really beginning to love Melina? She's my absolute favorite of all time-she'll be very important later-*winks*-
Chuck Norris demands that you Read & Review.
