9. Revelations

Edward accelerated much too quickly down the quiet street. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to the road. His lips pressed together into a cautious line as he took his time before asking me whatever he wanted to know.

I shot a panicky glance out the window, but it was too dark to see much. The road was only visible in the long patch of bluish brightness from the headlights. The forest along both sides of the road was like a black wall - a hard wall of steel if we veered off the road at this speed.

"Relax, Eliza," he rolled his eyes at the sight of my increased fear.

He looked at me and his eyes were unexpectedly gentle, "What's your theory on what I am? Go ahead and answer when you're ready."

I warily looked at him and let out a tired sigh, "My theory was confirmed when I saw my godbrother."

"You have a godbrother?" he asked, throwing me a crocked smile.

"I do. Why, is that bad?" I quirked my brow at him.

He shook his head and let out a laugh that sounded far to contrived, "And?"

"His dad, my godfather, is one of the Quileute elders," I watched him carefully.

His smile fell, a confused expression froze in its place. I continued on and kept my voice steady, "We went for a walk and talked, as we usually do, then he told me some of the old legends we used to hear as little kids. He told me one about vampires."

I didn't dare look at his face now, but I saw his knuckles tighten convulsively on the wheel. I contemplated burning him with my bracelet and the holy water, but that might just cause my death via car crash.

"And you immediately thought of me?" Still calm.

"Yes," I stated stoically. I inwardly thought of my mom and dad. If I was going to die, I wanted their faces to be the last ones that I remembered.

He startled me by laughing. I glared up at him. He was laughing, but his eyes were fierce, staring ahead.

"And what convinced you?" His voice sounded barely interested, but his hands were clamped hard onto the steering wheel.

"A lot of things. You guys not eating, your eyes changing color, but the biggest clues came to me when you started acting weird," I glanced out of the window at the eerily dark forests that we passed. Were there more of them out there?

He stared at me with watchful eyes, much as he had before in the restaurant, "Correct. Any questions?"

I raised my brow at how calm he was and shrugged. It would be good to know what I could use against them, "Will you turn into ash if you go out into the sun?"

He let out a wry laugh, "Not ash. We do end up sizzling like hot dogs on an open fire though. I guess if you trapped one of us in a sunlit room, we'd be turned into ash...it would take a long time though."

"Holy water?"

"Does the same thing as sunlight in small doses. Just burns and not death."

"Fangs?"

"Retractable."

"If I chop off your head and burn you, will you die?"

Edward shot me a bewildered look before letting out a laugh, "Yeah. That would kill most creatures. Anything blessed can kill us now that I think about it..."

"No reflection and bat transformations?"

"Yes, and no. That one's a myth."

"Sleeping in coffins?"

"Myth," he carelessly stated. He hesitated for a moment, and a peculiar tone entered his voice, "I can't sleep."

That new fact took me a moment to absorb, "At all?" That must royally suck. I couldn't even imagine not ever sleeping again. Having to stay awake, forever. Jeeze.

"Never," he said, his voice nearly inaudible. He turned to look at me with a wistful expression. I supposed even villains had problems.

"You haven't asked me the most important question yet," his voice was hard now, and when he looked at me again his eyes were cold.

I blinked repeatedly before raising my brow, "Which one is that?" Any other questions I might have had, had pretty obvious answers at this point.

"You aren't concerned about my diet?" he asked sarcastically.

I raised my brow, "You drink blood. Vampires do that, although my godbrother did say something odd about that."

"What did Jacob say?" he asked flatly. I inwardly flinched. How did he know my godbrother's name? I didn't recall ever telling him that...

"He said that your family wasn't supposed to be dangerous because you didn't need to hunt people to get blood, but the Quileutes still didn't want you on their land, just in case," I smiled at that though. I wondered how hard it would be to actually move everyone over to their side of the treaty line.

He looked forward, and whispered, "The Quileutes have a long memory." He cleared his throat and tightened his grip on the steering wheel again, "They're right to keep their distance from us. We are dangerous."

We were both silent then. I watched the headlights twist with the curves of the road. They moved too fast; it didn't look real, it looked like a video game. I was aware of the time slipping away so quickly, like the black road beneath us. I was hideously afraid that his words hinted at an end, my end, and I recoiled from the idea. I- I didn't want to die yet. I really didn't.

"I don't want to be a monster," he murmured, his voice low.

I stared out at the road not knowing what to say to that. We must be close to Forks now though since he was driving much so fast.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, his voice raw. I just shook my head, not sure what to say. I could feel his gaze on my face, but I kept my eyes forward. This was awkward. I was still afraid of him, but at the same time...I felt a deep pity for him. I supposed that not everyone chose to be a monster. How do you make do when the cards that you're dealt...meant that you were a monster?

"Tell me something," he asked after another minute, and I could hear him struggle to use a lighter tone.

"Like what?" I sighed into my seat, relaxing for the first time even though my pendant and bracelet still felt like they were burning my skin. I didn't feel safe, but I doubted I could do much about that right now.

He shrugged, "Anything."

We were slowing, passing into the boundaries of Forks. It had taken less than twenty minutes.

"You're not totally horrible, I guess. I guess you can't help being what you are," I muttered. It didn't mean I liked him any more than I did at the beginning. He was still really creepy and controlling. This was just another strange new facet that he had.

"Yes, exactly," he smiled gratefully at me, "I'll save you a seat at lunch?"

I raised a brow at him, "Half the lunch at most. I don't want to ditch my friends."

He nodded, his smile dimming somewhat.

We were finally in front of my house. The lights were on, my truck was exactly where I left it, and everything seemed utterly normal. It was like waking from one of the strangest dreams ever. He stopped the car, and placed my hand on the door handle to get out.

"Elizabeth?" he asked serious, but hesitant tone.

"Yes?" I turned back to him, letting out a long suffering sigh.

"Will you promise me something?" A promise to a vampire? I shook my head at the absurdity of it all.

I shrugged. Fuck it. This day could not get any weirder. I warily glanced at him and nodded, "Sure."

"Don't go into the woods alone."

I stared at him in blank confusion, "Wasn't that already a given?"

He frowned, and his eyes were tight as he stared past me out the window. He shook his head and ominously stated, "True, but it's a good warning. I'm not always the most dangerous thing out there."

I shuddered slightly at that thought, "Duly noted."

I stepped out of the car stiffly and stretched out my limbs. I strode up to my door and found the boots that I bought today. At least that worked out today. I shook my head and held them to my chest. I bet Katniss didn't have to deal with this shit, although...her situation was worse.

He didn't leave until I was at my front door. I turned to watch the silver car disappear around the corner. My pendant and bracelet felt cool to touch. I snorted. What the fuck was I supposed to do now? I unlocked my front door, and stepped inside. I shivered in pleasure as the heat from the house warmed my bones.

My dad called out from the living room, "Eliza?"

"Yeah, dad, it's me," I walked in to see him after I placed the boots down by my bag.

He strode towards me and kissed me on the cheek, "Hi, sweetheart. You're home early."

"Am I?" I asked. I looked over at a nearby wall and found the wall clock that neatly hung above our TV. It wasn't even eight pm yet.

"Yup. Welcome home, kiddo. Did you girls have fun," he asked as we took a seat on the couch. I smelt the chicken burgers that my dad was baking in the oven. I didn't have much of an appetite after what I just went through.

"Yeah - it was lots of fun. I got a cool new bracelet, a super soft shirt, and boots that looked like they belonged in the Hunger Games. We got to eat ice cream, walk along the board walk, and take so many pictures. Besides that, my friends found some pretty cool dresses," I leaned my head against my dad's shoulder and let out a sigh. It was good before it got ruined by Edward.

"Are you all right?" he looked over at me, worry seeped into his voice.

"I'm sorry, dad. The girls fed me a lot a food and now I'm just tired," I was still pretty full from my meal with the girls.

My dad rolled his eyes at my typical behavior. I did this a lot every summer I was here. I couldn't help it when it was one of my favorite foods though. He patted my shoulder, "Well, maybe you should go lie down."

"I'm gonna do that. Night, dad. I love you," I pecked his head as I walked towards the stairs up to my room. My dad laughed and called out, "I love you too, sweetheart."

I made a mental note to text and or call my mom about my new findings. I needed more information about the Cullens, and probably Hales, being vampires. I didn't know quite where to get it, but I figured that I would eventually find it...whether I wanted to or not.

I plopped onto my bed, exhausted. I slipped off my shoes, and let my anorak fall onto the floor. My phone rang suddenly, startling me. Was that my mom? Did she finally get all my messages and decide to call? I yanked my phone out of my anorak's pocket.

"Hello?" I asked breathlessly.

"Eliza?" Jessica's familiar voice rang out on the other end of the line.

"Jessica?" I had really hoped it was my mom on the line. It was nice to know that Jessica, and presumably Angela and Lauren, made it home okay. I guess the whole vampire hypnotizing thing, didn't last much too long. That was good to know.

"You made it home okay?" her voice sounded relieved.

"Yeah. Surprisingly."

"Tell me about it tomorrow okay? I have to babysit my little sister, but I was super worried about you. I don't even know why I let that creep Edward take you away from us," she stated huffily.

I let out a laugh, "Deal. He was a creep, but also not. It's hard to explain." I couldn't really blame her, or them, for being hypnotized. Hell, I sometimes fell into that trap of a gaze too.

"That's okay. We can talk about it tomorrow. Night Eliza!" I could hear a smile in her voice. It was nice to know that I wasn't going crazy. Other people sensed the danger that hung around the Cullens and Hales too.

"Bye, Jess."

I quickly shot my mom a text about what had transpired before I got ready for bed. It wasn't until I was in the shower - the water too hot, burning my skin - that I realized I was freezing. I shuddered violently for several minutes before the steaming spray could finally relax my rigid muscles. I really could've died tonight. I would have never been able to see my parents, my other family members, and friends ever again. I quietly sobbed in relief. I was so happy to be home.

I stumbled out, wrapping myself securely in a towel, trying to hold the heat from the water in so the aching shivers wouldn't return. I dressed for bed swiftly and climbed under my duvet, curling into a ball, hugging myself to keep warm. A few small shudders still trembled through me. I patted myself down with as much holy water as I thought was necessary.

My mind swirled dizzily, full of images I couldn't understand, and some I fought to repress. Nothing seemed clear at first, but as I fell gradually closer to unconsciousness, a few certainties became evident.

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward and his family were vampires. Second, everything I knew about the world was wrong. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably screwed.