Chapter 9: The Cullens

"What are they like?"

We were traveling slowly, as far as vampire speed went, back to the Cullen home. Alice had gone ahead of us, to let the others know that Edward was coming back with a guests. From there it was easy to follow the trial, her scent leaving a path any of us could follow.

Part of me liked it this way, for the simple fact that with Alice gone, it meant that I wasn't outnumbered. Although I trusted that I would be able to leave with no problem if I wanted to, it still made me feel more in control.

"I'm assuming you don't remember any of them," he said.

I held my hand up flat before tilting it both ways. "I vaguely remember a group of them sitting in the cafeteria but that's it."

He nodded before elaborating. "Carlisle is our leader, though father is a much more realistic term for him. He works as a doctor in a town about an hour away, though he's home today."

I was so surprised, I stopped where I was standing. "Are you telling me he works around blood? Constantly?"

Edward nodded, pride shining through on his features. "He's worked almost his whole life in the medical field, doing what he can to save and heal others. He's been doing it so long that the scent of blood doesn't even bother him anymore. There was a time that I tried to follow in his footsteps but my control was never as good as his was."

I resisted the urge to snort at that. I could only imagine how good his control was if he had resisted my scent with how strong he had described it. He started running again, and automatically I followed, wanting to hear more about his family.

"Esme is Carlisle's mate. She's the best mother any of us could ask for." His expression changed, becoming softer as he spoke. "She loves each of us unconditionally and would do anything for her family."

"The others we all call each other siblings. There is Rosalie and Emmett, who are also a mated pair. Rose is a bit self-centered, really, but she is loyal to those she considers family. Emmett is playful and has a childish quality to him but you'll never find someone who is more forgiving than he is."

"You met Alice, who is a spirited to say the least. Her mate is Jasper. He has a bit of a rough history but he's the most steadfast person I know."

"Lastly, there is me." He said it almost as an afterthought. "I've been with Carlisle the longest, though as Alice mentioned there was a bit of time that I went off on my own."

It didn't miss my attention that he was the only single one of three mated pairs. I almost grimaced, imaging what that must be like. Probably worse than it had been with Victoria and James. At least Laurent was there to break the third wheel feeling that sometime ensued.

So there would be seven Cullens. A number that my instincts really didn't like. I did what I could to push them away though, knowing it came mostly from the newborn part of my brain. It didn't like that big of a difference. I would have to work even harder than normal to control it, but also to keep alert, just in case it was right.

As if sensing my small skirmish, Edward spoke. "There will only be four of us home right now though. Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper left on a three-day hunt yesterday morning. They won't be returning until tomorrow night."

A small sigh escaped my lips, thankful for the lucky break. At least there wouldn't be as many people.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a slight smile cross his lips before he turned away, glancing to the trail we were following. So far it had skirted a few towns while still being far enough away that I couldn't scent any humans. We had already travelled over mountain and through two different valleys. Trees, mostly furs with some birches, whipped by us. At our speed, their snow covered branches were whimsical in the moonlight.

A sudden urge to jump up into the trees and swing through the branches assaulted me. How long had it been since I had done that? A month? longer? I'm sure I could calculate it if I wanted. I bet it would be even more fun here though. The snow would shower down, dancing in the silver light. I bet it would look pretty near magical. Even though most of the branches were smaller, I could see enough that would hold my weight. I was already making a path to following, my muscles tensing, ready to jump.

"If you don't mind, may I continue to ask a few questions?"

I flinched at the noise, just barely not dropping into a defensive stance. Damn it, I had just told myself that I couldn't be doing this.

I glanced over at Edward, his face hopeful.

I nodded, thinking back. "Seeming I just asked about your family, it's your turn now."

His smile widened, an excited gleam entering his eyes. For a moment, he almost resembled a child. It was the eagerness there, softening the lines on his face, bringing a youthfulness to it that I hadn't noticed previously.

"How do you hunt in the water?" he questioned, looking so curious. "We've always tending to rely on our scent and hearing but in the water, both of those are muffled. How do you find your prey?"

I was thankful that this question at least wasn't personal. "You can still use your hearing, though you need to focus on the rhythm of the water, listen for the times that it is off. Usually that's an indication of something swimming through the water. You're right about scent though. It gets washed away seconds after the animal is gone, blending in with the rest of the water. Instead, you have to taste it."

He seemed intrigued by that, barely keeping himself from asking another question. "Your turn."

"How old are you?" The question blurted out before I could really think about what I wanted to ask.

He seemed amused by it. I could see why. There were plenty more important things I could have asked. Instead, I asked the one I didn't even think about, distracted by a stray thought. Perhaps I should ask if I could take it back.

"I am forever seventeen, the wish of most thirty-year-old soccer moms. I was changed in 1918."

I laughed, surprised by his answer, as my mind did the calculations. So he had been a vampire for more than 80 years.

"What about yourself?"

I was slightly taken aback that he had turned the question back on me. "I was, am, sixteen. My birthday is in October."

I mulled it over for a few seconds. Part of me wanted to continue in this vein of thought, asking the stereotypical questions you do as a child. It was kind of fun, especially after so long of being by myself and not talking to anyone. But, the rationale part of me wanted to know about what I was walking into. Where exactly where we going? What were the exits? Did any of them have powers I should look out for? What if they could do something similar to what I could? What if they could block it?

I was so tempted to ask but would that set them off? I wanted to keep my gift a secret, as an ace if it was needed. Asking them about theirs, what if they got curious about mine?

I wasn't willing to risk it.

"Why is your father a doctor?" It was something I was curious about, especially considering what we were. I couldn't imagine how hard he had struggled to be able to do what he does.

"Above all else, Carlisle values life. He couldn't stand the idea of hurting someone. When he was first changed, he ran from civilization, seeking the most remote areas he could find. It was there that he discovered he could live off the animals around him. He worked to perfect his control and eventually stumbled upon the medical field."

"To him, it just felt right. He had no need to sleep, would never get sick and had his enhanced senses. He could help in ways other humans couldn't, going above and beyond to save any life that came before him."

Awe was quickly overcoming me as I imagined what he must have gone through. It was hard to become a doctor with the amount of work and study that went into it. It must have been even doubly so when he was trying to control his thirst.

"He sounds rather amazing."

Edward smiled, the biggest one I had seen on him yet. "He truly is. Other than the times that he changed us, he's never tasted human blood."

Again, I almost froze as my mind processed that fact. A vampire who had never drank blood. A giggle escaped as I thought on that. It didn't seem real.

I waited, letting him muse just as I had when I was trying to decide what question to ask. He didn't take long.

"You said that you fled into the ocean when you decided that you didn't want to hunt humans anymore. I'm curious. What made you decide that?"

I blinked, pausing before answering. Part of me didn't want to but he had been open with me so far. I wanted to repay that in some way. "I don't know about you but my human memories were hard for me to remember, so much so that when I awoke as a vampire, it was like being reborn. I didn't miss my human life because I didn't remember most of it."

He didn't say anything, only ran so I continued.

"One overcast day as I was getting hungry, I went to the beach, just for a little peace before going on a hunt. A little girl approached me, no older than five or six. It was the first time I've ever smelled an individual scent before. Vanilla and ice cream. Her parents were asleep and no one was paying attention. I could have taken her and been done with it. Everyone would have assumed she had just been lost to the ocean. But something was stopping me."

I could see the surprise in his eyes but he didn't stop me from speaking and honestly I was glad. What I almost did to her has been haunting my thoughts since I dove into the water, especially when thinking about my father and sister. To finally be able to tell someone about it, to talk about it, especially to someone who got it, well, I now understood why some people enjoyed therapy. There was a release, that only caused my words to come faster.

"She talked to me as I battled with myself. She said my eyes were pretty, asked if I wanted to play with her and asked if I wanted to share her pizza from lunch. After a little bit, I realized why I was fighting so hard. She reminded me of my sister."

"At that point, so many memories came back; dull and muddy but still there. I remembered Alisha, her laugh, the sparkle of her eyes when she was doing something mischievous. I remembered my dad and how disappointed he would have been in me if he knew how many people I already killed. Thinking of them, I swore I wouldn't kill anyone else, so I fled into the ocean."

Silence. That was all there was from Edward so I glanced over at him, watched as the surprise in his features slowly changed. It grew warmer, transforming into something that almost looked like … admiration? No, that couldn't be right.

"Most vampire will never come to a realization like that. For myself, it took me thirteen years to make one such as you did."

My chest filled with warmth at his words, my cheeks beginning to tingle. It was something I hadn't felt since I was human, since I had been able to blush. My tongue, suddenly seeming to fill my mouth, didn't seem up to talking at the moment so I didn't comment, not even to ask a question though it was now my turn.

As we ran, the silence continued, only it was different, almost companionable. The feeling only seemed to grow though as we sped past trees, whispering over snow. We had been doing our run, more like a jog, for almost two hours now. If we had been going full speed, it wouldn't have even taken me an hour to get this far.

I glanced over at Edward, wondering how quickly he could have done the travel in. That first night that I had run from him, he had almost managed to catch me. That was with newborn strength and speed on my side. It made me wonder how fast he really was.

There was also a flare of competition in my chest. When I was with the others, I had liked be the fastest of them. It was one of the things I had. I wasn't as old or as knowledgeable as Laurent, couldn't track or hunt like James, didn't have that grace that was even impressive for a vampire that Victoria possessed. It made me want to go toe to toe with Edward, at least in a figuratively way to see what I could beat him at.

"Our home is just over this last hill."

I turned to face the rise, eager to see just where he lived, what type of home they had. Seconds passed and then I was at the top, looking down at a small valley that was almost completely covered in trees. The only open spot was a small clearing that was almost in the exact middle, a little off to the side really. A grand, log house was there, nestled up to the trees on the back and one side. The other two sides were open to the small clearing. Warm, yellow light was seeping out of the vast array of windows that filled the walls.

At this distance, I couldn't tell anything about the rooms within, but I could see a pale figure standing on the second level. I wondered which of the Cullens it was, and if they were looking back at me.

I stretched out my gift, picking out three minds within the building. I recognized Alice's from earlier, but the other two were new. There was one that had an older and dryer, almost scent to it. I wondered if I would smell the same thing if I stuck my nose in an old book and inhaled the fragrance. The feel, or rather scent of that mind was comforting, in a way.

The other mind felt warm and bright. It reminded me of the day that I had sped away from Victoria and lounged in the field under the sun. The feel of the rays warming my skin, the bright ball in the sky and just utter contentedness that moment provided, that was what the second mind felt like.

Again, I was curious about the people who possessed minds like this. I wanted to know what they were like, how they behaved, what they would say. I wanted to meet them, the people that had such an amazing feeling to their mind.

"Are you ready?" Edward asked as the minutes stretched by that I stood their gazing at their home.

Was I? I hoped.

I simply nodded and then we were running again, through darkened paths that twisted around trees and over rocks. It didn't take us long to complete the run, but the whole time we were doing it, my thoughts were dangerously occupied.

The minds I had felt were, I'm assuming, Carlisle and Esme. Which was which, I wasn't quite sure. It did make me wonder though, if they were as amazing as Edward described, and their minds felt like that, what would happen if I ran into Victoria and James again?

The first time I had felt a mind, it had been Courtney's that day on the beach. I hadn't seen either vampire since then. I had encountered Laurent one last time, but I had been so distracted by my discovery, I hadn't even thought, or noticed really, what his mind had felt like.

Would I recognize them if I felt their minds coming towards me? Would I be able to pick them out of a crowd? What would they even feel like? Would their deadliness and tendencies be reflected? Would their minds make me as curious as the Cullens minds were doing? Would I feel their mind and walk into my own death?

My brain was running in overtime, trying to figure out the implication and all the possibilities. It took almost all of my willpower to force my thoughts away from that, to focus on the here and now. There would always be time later, but right now, I needed to be focused on what was happening around me.

Especially as we passed the last few lines of trees and stepped out into the clearing.

Standing closer, the house, or mansion really, was almost imposing just by its shear size. But, the wooden logs, the giant windows, the little pieces of decorations and snippets of the inside I could see all worked together to make it seem comfortable, warm.

"Esme is an interior designer of sorts. She likes to remake things, turn them new again. There used to be an old cabin here. That's where she got the style from but she quickly made it modern and large enough to fit our family comfortably."

I took in his words but didn't react to them as he led the way to the front door. There was a large overhang that turned into roof further out. The space underneath was large enough that it would probably hold a car. For a second, I wondered if they were so superficial that they needed a roof so they wouldn't get wet while getting in a vehicle.

Two large, polished doors, some type of wood, were underneath. For a moment, I felt just a bit or nervousness in my stomach as I approached the slightly imposing door. I quickly squashed it though, telling myself I had no reason to be nervous. I just had to be focused, attentive and everything would work out fine.

Edward reached forward, grasping the silver handle. I waited but he wasn't quite opening the door yet. Meeting his eyes, he gave me a smile before speaking. "Welcome to my home." And then he opened the door.

The first thing that greeted me was the rush of heat that almost had me sighing in contentment. I didn't get cold, my body adjusted to the temperature around me and I always felt comfortable. Still, with the lack of heat came a certain, almost bite. Even though I was fine, there was always that nagging that I wasn't warm.

The air that wafted out of the door was easily in the high seventies, a temperature I hadn't felt since leaving California. It took all of my willpower to not groan at the blissful feeling of plain warmth.

I stepped forward and was almost surprised, not quite noticing it before I felt it, as my feet were engulfed in thick carpet. It was incredibly soft against my bare skin, so much that I wanted to dance across it, feeling the kiss of the clothe against my toes.

I held myself back though, especially as I heard the light sound of feet approaching me. My eyes flicked to the left, where the sound was coming from.

Alice, and I'm assuming, Carlisle and Esme, were walking towards me from a wide hallway. I could see the gleam of kitchen appliances behind them.

Esme was a few inches shorter than myself, with long brown hair. It ranged in tones from the warmest chestnut to the darkest of mahogany. Overall, she appeared softer than the average vampire. Her body was more rounded and curved than what I had seen so far. She also seemed to have a warm glow about her, as if shining with an inner light. It lit her, making her skin seem almost translucent in it's paleness. Small lines were etched in her features, around her mouth and her eyes which conveyed exactly how much she must laugh and smile.

Carlisle was beside her, their hands intertwined. His hair was a mostly a golden blond, honey to cornflower and even a few strands that were so light they were almost silver. He was taller than myself, only a inch shorter than Edward, and had an average build. He too, had similar lines around his mouth and eyes that spoke of happiness and laughter. There was however, the smallest crease that sat between his eyebrows. It made me wonder if there had been a time when he had been more worried than he was content in this life.

As they approached, I was able to pair them with the feel of their minds. Esme, had a mind like the sun while it was Carlisle's whose carried the scent of a book. Interesting, though it seemed to match with what Edward had been telling me about them.

I was scrutinizing them so carefully in that moment, I saw when exactly it was that they noticed my eyes.

Esme's gentle stride faltered, only for a portion of a second. No human would have been able to pick it out. Next to her, Carlisle's eyes widened before it was quickly replaced by a gleam of interest, thoughts already whirring.

It made me wonder whether or not Alice had given them a heads up. By the mischievous smirk that she wore, I assumed she hadn't quite filled them in all the way.

They stopped as soon as they fully entered the room, giving me a wide berth of space. I was thankful for it, especially as my instincts suddenly kicked it up a notch at the fact that I was now in a room with four unfamiliar vampires.

I forced my hands to stay still by my sides, to lay flat instead of curling into claws like they wanted to.

Slowly taking a breath, I focused on them rather than the frazzled energy building inside me.

"Carlisle, Esme, meet Annabell." It was Edward who spoke from his spot beside me.

At hearing his voice, I forced myself to relax some of the tension in my shoulders, even as I tracked their every move.

"It is nice to meet you," Carlisle spoke, his voice soothing in its softness.

I wonder if he had to practice to achieve that exact quality to it. "And you as well." I had to force my jaw to unclench so I could say the words. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about this all right now but nice definitely did not describe it.

My gaze focused on Esme, her hands moving to gesture to a set of couches. She did it with exaggerated slowness, even slower than a human would. Why?

"Please, have a seat if you would like."

How long had it been since I had sat on a couch? Since I was a human. Though standing didn't bother me any more than running or sitting, it seemed incredibly luxurious to be able to sit on a cushion of some sort.

I almost moved towards it, only the sudden sound of water dripping onto carpet stopping me.

I looked down, realizing that my threadbare clothes that had been soaked while I was in the water, and then frozen during the run here, was now starting to thaw in the warmth. Soon there would be a puddle underneath me, staining the fabric.

I waited a second longer to see if any of them would say anything about it. I could imagine anyone reacting badly to it, water soaking their floor. I wondered if they would throw a towel at me or even usher me out the door.

If they did, I was sure I wouldn't be able to bring myself to come back.

Nothing was said though, and as the seconds stretched by, Esme's smile softened. "If you would like a seat, please sit. The upholstery is easy enough to dry."

It seemed like such a little thing but still a shot of pleasure shot through me. As to why, I wasn't quite sure.

"Perhaps a towel instead," Alice said, holding one out to me.

I blinked before scowling. I was positive she hadn't brought one with her a moment ago which meant she must have left and come back. I hadn't even noticed.

After I didn't immediately reach to take it, she flittered next to me, draping the towel over my shoulders in a smooth move that was almost instantaneous.

I forced me face to loosen, giving her a small smile in thanks before I turned my attention back to trying to stay on top of everything, even if I had been doing a poor job of it so far. Reaching up, I pulled the towel tighter around me. It was a light weight, a barely there presence but still, it made me feel just a bit better.

"We have some clothes that will fit you decently. Give me a moment and I will be back with them," Esme announced, before disappearing back the way she came, gone before I could even say that they weren't needed.

Well, maybe it was good she didn't give me time to speak, especially as I remembered the state my clothes were in.

"Alice informed us that Edward was bringing home a guest, nothing more than that. I'm sorry that we weren't more prepared," Carlisle spoke from his spot, still at the edge of the room.

"It's not a problem," I reassured him, glad that was all she had told him. "I don't need any of you to go out of your way. Edward just said that you could help with my control. That's all I want."

The muscles around his eyes tightened minutely, his gaze flickering to Edward. "Yes, that's something we can help with. Between the seven of us, we all have experience resisting the call of human blood."

"Can we start now?" My fingers tightened around the towel until I heard the rip of fabric. I looked down, my mouth falling open in surprise. It's been a while since I unintentionally broke something. It made my stomach swim.

For what felt like the hundredth time, I forced myself to relax, at least slightly and take a deep breath. I was starting to feel the energy inside me building again, wanting to go, to move, to do something.

Maybe I needed to meditate again soon. That would probably be a good idea.

"If it's okay with you, I think I would like to confer with Edward first." I glanced back up as Carlisle spoke, noting the small smile on his lips. "Not only that but perhaps we should wait until another one of our coven comes back. Jasper has a lot of experience with newborns and he might be able to help in ways that neither of us would think of."

"Maybe until then I could help you settle in?" It was Esme returning, a bundle of clothes draped across her arms. "I can show you the way to the bathroom. You're welcome to use the shower."

I bit my lip, hesitating before seeking out Edward. I'm not sure what it was that I was expecting to happen. I mean I didn't think I would just show up here, sit in a chair and be lectured at about control. This wasn't like the hazy memories of school had been. But this certainly wasn't what I was expecting either.

I didn't realize they would be so welcoming, so warm really. It was almost like they cared.

It was putting me on edge, making me wonder exactly why they were doing so. James had known about my power, had wanted it. That was why he had changed me. He hadn't hidden that reason and had treated me accordingly. Everything he had done, was to further my abilities.

They didn't know about that though, they couldn't. So then why were they being so nice?

I nearly jumped, but managed to repress the reaction as I felt fingers brush against my forearm. The shock that jumped through me was a strange sensation of tingling and numbness, almost like a limb falling asleep … but more.

"Remember, you can always leave if that's what you need. We aren't holding you here." Edward's words relaxed me. They were exactly what I needed to hear.

I met his gaze, nodding as his lips twitched up into a small smile. Then I was turning back to Esme, stepping towards her. "I think a shower is long over due."

She grinned, looking so very pleased. "Right this way then." She took measured steps, almost swaying really as she walked in the direction she had indicated.

I hesitated for a second before following her, careful to move so that I could still see the others out of the corner of my eye. I really hoped this was all going to be worth it.