Chapter 10

A/N: Please review, guys! I really want to know how my writing is! Another note about the history of demigods in this story: You all know how the Mist works, right? Well, it's kind of like that for Aria. Children of Poseidon can travel to wherever they want, as long as their in water and end up in water, but it makes them really tired. Kind of like shadow-traveling, for the children of Hades.

Aria's POV

The vampires were chasing me.

Fuck.

I knew it was a bad idea to go to that forest, but I needed the time to fly. The Newtons' house was just too crowded, stuffy, and full of humans. James, having no wings, had chosen to stay behind. I knew I would regret this decision almost as soon as I was out of the house.

"Where'd she go?" I heard the blond yell – was her name Rosalie? I looked back and saw her at the top of the tree.

The dark haired female, the psychic, closed her eyes and pointed in my direction. And I knew I was screwed.

"Run!" Edward roared. I could feel my heart beat faster. I didn't want to know what was going to happen if they caught up to me.

I searched around for any human thoughts, some distraction that I could hide behind.

I wonder why they're chasing her, a familiar voice came to my mind.

Oh gods, it's Bella, I thought to myself. They had apparently brought her along too, but she was being left at the edge of the forest, unable to run.

I landed on a light branch, swaying in the breeze. I couldn't see anyone for miles around me, but only the Gods knew where those dratted vampires were.

Dad, if I've ever done anything good, please don't let them hurt me, I begged Poseidon. Hopefully, he was listening. I felt a soft sea breeze touch my face, and I knew he was.

Be careful, Aria, the breeze seemed to whisper to me. I nodded, knowing it was actually my dad.

I heard a soft thud from a branch behind me, like someone had suddenly landed on it. I whipped around and found myself eye to eye with one of the vampires – the muscly one with curly hair – Emmett, I think.

Without thinking about it, I threw myself off the branch, flying backwards through the air. I twisted around, looking for a landing spot, and found one. I was perched on a tree far off from the one where I'd been before.

But now, some of the others had caught up, probably tracking my scent. Edward, for one, was now too close to me. I could nearly feel the coldness radiating off of him. The head of the family – Carlisle – was crouched near Emmett. The look on his face was more fatherly, like he wanted to be kind to me, but I dismissed that thought at once. These people – things – were dangerous.

I rocketed off the branch again. This time, instead of letting them see me, I used the Mist to help create the delusion that I was invisible. I felt it cover me, like a soft, protective, wrap, shielding me from anyone else's view.

I could hear their yelled confusion as they watched me disappear. Flying in the direction of Bella's thoughts, I kept the Mist wrapped around me.

Soon, I was again on the edge of the forest, where Bella was sitting, looking extremely worried.

I landed softly, but she heard the landing. I could see her eyes widen as she took in my wings.

Oh my gosh, Edward was right, she has wings.

"Yes, I do have wings," I said calmly, sitting down next to her. I extended them as far as they would go. "I think they're pretty."

"They are," Bella told me. "Why were you outside the house?"

"I needed to fly," I explained. "It was getting cooped up in the Newtons' house."

"Hang on, the Newtons?" she asked. "You're staying there?"

"Yeah," I said. "That's why I had to get out of there. My boyfriend stayed behind to do homework. But anyways, I came to the forest to fly, and then got a heart attack when I saw the entire coven of vampires chasing after me."

"Huh," Bella said. "They just saw you and took off."

"Do you know why?"

"They want to know what you are," she explained. She looked at me apprehensively. "Are you dangerous?"

I giggled, albeit a bit evilly. "To people who I don't like, yes." Then I saw the look on her face. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you."

"I'm used to dangerous," Bella said. "Do they know you're with me right now?"
"Probably," I said. "I made them think I disappeared, but they're probably following my scent back here."

"I won't let them hurt you," Bella said, almost instinctively.

I looked at her, confused. "Why?"

"You seem nice," she admitted. "And you haven't harmed anyone yet, except for taking Edward's ego down a notch."

I laughed. But then I heard the sound of running footsteps, and I tensed. "They're coming."

I leapt up from the ground and launched myself into the air just as the vampires burst through the foliage, led by Edward and Carlisle.

Edward immediately ran to Bella. The others just glared up at me. Well, all except for the mom and dad – they just looked curious.

I say glared up because I was hovering about twenty feet in the air – not higher than they could jump. My wings were slowly flapping up and down, keeping me upright, but not at the same level all the time.

I wasn't sure whether to run or not. At this point, I was glad James hadn't come with me. It would be hard to support his weight in mid air.

"Why did you come here?" the paternal figure of the family called up to me. He yelled pretty loud – I guessed he didn't know that I had super hearing as well.

I cringed at the volume of the words, as did all the other vampires. "You can talk at a regular volume," I said, avoiding the question. "I can hear perfectly fine."

The blond – Rosalie's – eyebrows arched upwards.

"Answer the question," Edward said, this time at a normal volume.

I said nothing, simply drifting over the treetops again. Subconsciously, I was heading back to the Newtons' house. I hoped they didn't notice.

"Don't run!" the other blond male yelled. Jasper, I thought.

"I'm not," I told him. "I'm hovering in the air. How am I supposed to run?"

Emmett laughed loudly. "I like her sense of humor already," he muttered to himself, probably thinking I couldn't hear.

"I could hear that," I informed him. This felt odd to me. I was just hovering here, waiting for something to happen, freaking all of them out. I could literally taste the tension.

Emmett looked shocked. I nearly fell out of the air from laughter.

"Aria," I heard Edward whisper to Carlisle. I was confused for a second, but then realized that Carlisle must have asked Edward what my name was in his mind.

"Aria," Carlisle called up to me. "Can you please, um… land, so that we could talk?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Why not?" Esme was the one that asked the question this time.

"I'm perfectly fine hovering up here, and I know you're all perfectly fine standing down there. Talk." My answer seemed to surprise them.

The psychic – Alice – rubbed her temples like something was giving her a headache. Oh, right, it was probably me. She couldn't see the future when I was around. I saw Jasper rubbing her arm comfortingly.

"I think we'd all like it much better if you would come down here to talk," Carlisle tried again.

"No," I repeated. "If you don't state your intentions within the next four seconds, I'm disappearing."

"We want to talk," Edward said hurriedly. "We want to know what you are."

I shook my head. "No deal." I drifted back further a bit, almost until I was over the roof of the house.

"Why not?" Esme asked me, in pleasant tones. I couldn't help but be reminded of my mother for a second – same brown hair, same kind eyes, but different eye color and skin color. And diet preference, of course.

"Well, see here," I began, in a slightly sarcastic tone. I wasn't sure why I wasn't freaking out yet, to be honest. And now, here I was, being sarcastic with the vampires. "There's this little trouble about you all being vampires, and me having blood run through my veins, so I honestly don't think that that's the best idea."

"That's it," Emmett growled. "She's annoyed me enough." I didn't think he was actually serious until he leapt twenty feet into the air, level with me.

I didn't have any choice but to flip over backwards. Luckily, I landed on the roof of the house in a crouch. I snarled.

"Emmett!" Carlisle yelled, too loud for all of us. "Get back down here!"

Emmett, who had also landed on the roof, remained put.

"Are you bipolar?" I taunted. "A minute ago, you were saying how you were appreciative of my sense of humor. Now, you can't stand me?"

The vampire growled even more. I could hear his mate growling from the ground as well – she was becoming protective.

I snarled back just as much. I could hear Bella giggling, just a tiny bit.

"Emmett, get down here," Carlisle ordered. Emmett glared at me, but then dropped off of the roof.

I straightened up and resumed hovering over the air.

"Aria," Esme called. "Please? We won't hurt you."

I resisted the urge to snort, despite the fact that I was terrified out of my wits right now. I prayed to Poseidon for a millisecond before I swooped downwards.

Edward who had been standing closest to the house, got a shock as I screeched to a landing.

"Well?" I said, crossing my arms.

"Why don't we all go inside—" Carlisle started.

"No." I shook my head. "I'm already on the ground. It's either this, or I'm going back to mid air." I thought I heard my voice shaking a bit.

"What are you?" Jasper asked me, point-blank.

I glared at him. "What are you?"

"You already know what we are," Edward pointed out.

I shrugged. "I guess. Knowing each of you by name and your powers is good enough."

"Hold up," Rosalie said. "You know that stuff?"

"Of course I do," I said. "How could I not?"

"Name us," Alice trilled. "All of us, including the powers."

I was shocked. "Why?"

"I'm curious," was Alice's reply.

"Um, alright," I said, feeling more like a porcelain doll on display than anything else. I pointed to Alice. "You're Alice, you can see the future, your husband is Jasper – he's an empathy. Then there's Edward, the mind reader, and Bella, the human. But Edward can't read her mind. Rosalie and Emmett" - I pointed to each one in turn – "But with no special powers, and then Carlisle and Esme, the parental figures of this coven. Good enough?"

Everyone stared at me in shock.

"What?" I asked defensively. "She told me to!" I pointed accusingly at Alice. I started hovering a little in the air again.

"No," Jasper said, moving forward. He reached out a hand, as if to stop me.

That did it. I wasn't going to have one of those bloodsuckers touching me. I rocketed into the sky again, stopping only when I was a good sixty feet above them. I hovered there tentatively for a second, listening to the voices below.

"You scared her, Jazz," Esme said worriedly. "Oh, the poor thing."

"I didn't know she would react like that," Jasper mumbled. "I can't even read her emotions."

"She's so…interesting," Carlisle said. "I wonder if we can figure out what she is."

"She's not going to talk to us properly unless the other one's here," Edward told them. "Her boyfriend. James." He answered their unspoken question.

"She can hear all of you, you know," Bella spoke up.

They all looked at her.

"How do you know?" Rosalie questioned rudely. I guessed that Rosalie had never liked Bella.

"She's looking down at all of you with the weirdest look on her face." At hearing Bella's answer, I rocketed downwards again. Maybe they would learn not to come near me this time.

"Edward's right," I said, trying my best to sound nonchalant as I landed. "I'm not saying anything until I have him with me." They all knew who I was talking about.

"Pardon me asking," Carlisle started, and I knew it would be a question I didn't want to hear. "But why do you have wings?"

"Why do you have arms?" I countered.

My question flustered him. "Well…because I was born human," he responded.

I nodded. "Exactly. I was born this way too."

"Does James have wings?" Alice asked me.

"Ask no questions and you'll be told no lies," I said, sounding strangely sing-song, even to myself.

"We can't be lied to," Edward pointed out.
I sneered. "Oh yeah? You can't read my mind, Alice can't see my future, and Jasper can't sense my emotions. What else do you have?"

"She's got a point," Esme said.

I fidgeted nervously. I thought that it was about time I left. "Well, I'll leave you all to your devices—"

"Where are you going?" Rosalie asked. I just stared at her. "I meant, where are you and James staying?"

I was about to tell her that I would die before I told them (maybe not literally) when Bella interrupted me.

"Aren't you guys staying at the Newtons' place?" she asked. "Mike was mentioning something about it."

Everyone turned to look at me.

"Oh, you poor dears!" Esme cried out immediately. "All cramped up in there. Do come stay with us – we have plenty of room!"

"No!" I said immediately. I didn't give a damn about the hurt look on her face.

"I don't think she really wants to," Emmett said unnecessarily.

"At the Newtons'?" Edward said, looking interested. "Any chance you could punch him for me?"
"Edward!" Bella said, reproaching.

"I already did," I told him. "He gets on my nerves too much."

Edward smiled. I almost smiled back, but then stopped myself. They're the enemy, I reminded myself.

I hovered up in the air again, still above the roof of their house.

Esme smiled at me. "Please do reconsider my offer," she said, a motherly instinct in her voice. "We'd love to have you here."

Rosalie's snort told me otherwise.

I just rolled over backwards in the air and continued flying towards the Newtons' house.

Once I landed, I could see James waiting for me inside our room. He was pacing, looking worried. I slid in through the window, making sure to tuck my wings in.

"Aria!" he said, crushing me in a hug as soon as I got through the window. "Oh, gods, I've been so worried," he murmured into my hair.

I kissed his cheek. "I was fine, James. And honestly, it was for the better that you didn't come. I had a run in with the vampires again…"

I told him the entire story.

"God, Aria, how could you have kept calm throughout that?" he asked me, stroking my hair. I loved it when he did that.

"I don't know," I said truthfully. "I was thinking about running – well, flying – away half the time."

"I still can't believe Esme would offer us a place in her house."

"It's part of her motherly instinct," I explained. "She can't help it."

"Would it be so bad if we took her up on that? Mike is seriously getting on my nerves." James lowered his voice in the last part of that.

I giggled. "I know," I said, leaning my head on his chest. I loved hearing his heart beat steadily. "I just didn't think it would be the best idea. I mean, we have blood in us, even if we're only part human." I had dropped my voice down to a whisper.

James buried his face in my hair. "Maybe, if we make peace with them, we can stay there."

"We have to find the monster first."

"I know, I know."

"Do we have any leads on that yet?"

James shook his head. "I've gone over everything. I can't think of a single person."

I sifted through the memories of the day and sighed. "Maybe we'll find out tomorrow."

"Aria? James?" Mrs. Newton's voice came drifting up the stairs. "It's time for dinner!"

James sighed. He kissed my forehead lightly, and then took my hand.

Dinner at the Newton household was clearly not a big affair. Mrs. Newton asked briefly how our first day at school had been. Both James and I had answered 'fine' at the exact same time.

Mrs. Newton didn't notice our aversion to discussion and kept chattering on, mistaking our silence for shyness.

For a brief moment, I wondered what living with the Cullens would be like.

Mike kept glaring at me the entire night. He was clearly angry about this morning. I delved briefly into his mind.

I wish Bella wouldn't be with Cullen, he was thinking sulkily. I mean, I'm so much better for her! I wish she could just see that…

So Mike wanted Bella? Seriously? Last time I'd checked, he was thinking about some brunette named Jessica. He was apparently bipolar as well.

Homework at Forks High School was not a big deal. I'd done mine within the span of ten minutes.

Needless to say, Mike took a lot longer. James and I could hear him groaning over his Algebra all the way in our room.

Finally, we both got tired of the noise, so I decided to go shut him up.

I didn't bother to knock on his door.

"Mike?" I said, opening it widely. "Will you please shut up? We get that you're upset over your homework, but there is absolutely no need to sound like a dying duck."

Mike glared at me. "Well, did you finish your homework already?"

"An hour ago, Mike."

"Are you taking Algebra?"

"Actually, I'm taking the senior level math right now – Calculus." It was true, both James and I had been put in junior classes – and senior level math, because we had done all of this stuff at our old schools. And because we were just smart.

Mike glared at me again. "Well, if you're such a genius, then help me with this problem."

Where was the harm in that? I waltzed over to the desk to take a look at the textbook, and nearly laughed out loud.

"You're having trouble with polynomial division?" That had been one of the easiest subjects for me!

"If you're going to make fun of me, then don't help me!"

I shrugged. "Have it your way." I turned around.

"No, wait," Mike said, clearly feeling conflicted. "I need help."

"Say sorry." I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass up.

"No!"

"Bye." I turned around again.

"Fine, I'm sorry! Now will you please help me?"

I sighed and looked at the book. "All you have to do is…" It took a full fifteen minutes to explain this stuff to him. I could've done this in my sleep.

Finally, he understood it. I stood up to leave.

"Don't I even get a thank you?" I demanded.

"Thanks," he muttered. "Do me a favor and don't wake me up tomorrow."

"Do me a favor and actually get up tomorrow," I shot back.

Mike grumbled at me. I shot him one of my sweetest smiles and walked back to my room, where James was cracking up with laughter.

"That was hilarious!" James said, wrapping his arms around me. I grinned.

"You're speaking to the master here," I joked.

"Wonderful. Priceless." James kissed my cheek softly. "So, what are we going to do about that monster?" He had reverted to seriousness again, and dropped his voice a notch or two.

"I don't know," I said. "How about we go back to school tomorrow, and try to figure it out from there?"

James yawned. "Deal."

I guessed we both were pretty tired. We'd had long days. And hovering for so long hadn't helped my energy levels a lot.

Pretty soon, we were both fast asleep, me cuddled against James's warm chest, with his face snuggled into my hair. I dearly hoped that Mrs. Newton wouldn't come in to wake us up. She would probably get a heart attack.

Was that a bad thing?

A/N: Hey guys! So, I've put a poll up on my profile: who should be the monster in this story? I can't make it a supernatural creature (werewolves or vampires) but I can make it a human. Go vote! I'll put up the results when the next chapter is updated. If you have a preference for a monster that isn't listed there, PM me and tell me!

And also, a note to trivia101, I'm not entirely sure what's going on, since you seem to be getting the chapters a bit late, and I'm not able to PM you. Would you mind telling me in your review? Thanks!

So vote, and review please! Thanks!