A/N Again - thank you thank you to all my reviewers. This story is so much fun and you guys make it all worth it :). Thanks as always to SM for her ideas. I hope you've all seen the trailer for the movie!

CHAPTER 11: HISTORY

Bella listened to Edward's every word as they hunted deer in the quiet forest. Finding only a small number, they took turns, killing only one even if they found a group, leaving as little evidence as possible. No matter how many deer she tasted, her thirst never completely went away. Eventually it was just a dull ache in her throat, and they slowed their pace as they returned to the designated meeting area.

"As Carlisle said, feeding from animals helps us - or seems to anyway - retain more of our humanity. It allows us to live together as a family around humans. We actually go to high school in Forks. Dad is a doctor in the local hospital, Esme is a stay-at-home-mom, we fit right in... almost. The kids at the high school tend to give us a wide berth, but honestly it's probably for their own good." She saw him smile to himself.

"Also," he continued, "if you compare our habits to those of other vampires, our coven stays together out of loyalty to each other - we care about each other. Most vampires are nomadic and travel alone or in pairs. The bloodlust for humans causes strife, fighting, a struggle for power. Jasper probably knows this best. He was turned during the wars in the Southern United States when the bloodlust from vampire groups there threatened to destroy life as we know it."

"Yes, I remember those times," Bella shuddered. "I had not been long with the Volturi. Aro actually sent me there to help 'keep the peace' as he called it. Although there wasn't any peace at all, anywhere. It was total chaos. I haven't ever seen anything like it since, and I've seen a lot during my time here." Total chaos was being generous. She'd killed more vampires then she cared to think about, some were still children, others barely adults. Aro told her it was a good training experience, and she was invaluable to the raiding parties with her shield. They could sneak up on the warring covens undetected and slaughter them all before they had a chance to fight back. Jane and Alec had thrived in those days. War was their specialty.

"I hear it still gets bad down there sometimes, but they know now to keep it under the radar, so to speak," Edward took her hand again. "What about before your time here?"

She involuntarily flinched away. "I'd rather not talk about it. It was a long time ago and the memories are better left forgotten."

"Maybe another day then? We'll swap stories?" She loved that he wanted to know more about her, but she wasn't ready to share that part of her life with him. His vampire life was so different from hers, she could only guess his human life had been miles apart as well. What if telling him about her human life caused him to hate her? She wasn't going to take that chance.

She ignored his questions, instead going back to their original topic. "So, are there others like you? Other 'vegetarians'?"

He sighed at her lack of response, but answered the question anyway. "One other clan that we know of, in Denali, Alaska. We visit them from time to time, keep in touch. There are four females, Tanya, Kate, Irina and Carmen, and one male, Eleazar. We've come across many vampires in our lives of course, but they're the only other ones who've tried our lifestyle and stuck to it."

"And there's no difference in your strength or abilities from those who drink human blood?" They were now at the meeting place and she stopped, sitting softly on the damp ground to wait. He sat next to her. Daylight was still several hours away.

"Do you feel different? Weaker? You've been drinking animal blood all night," he pointed out.

Bella thought for a moment, mentally taking note of herself and her perception of everything around her. "No, I feel the same, I think. Just the thirst –"

"Yeah," he picked up where she left off. "That was hard for me, still is sometimes. After Carlisle made me, explained his lifestyle and taught me his ways, I rebelled. I wanted human blood, I couldn't hold myself to his standards and didn't want to fight my true nature. So I left him and hunted humans for a while. I told myself if I only killed those who were already bad, I would be doing my part to help humanity the best way I could."

"But I couldn't do it." his voice was low, like a silky caress, and she noticed how close he was sitting to her, their bodies almost touching. She balled her fists in her lap and chewed her lip.

"I could hear their thoughts as they died," from the look on his face she could tell it was a rough memory. "It was too much for me. Even the murderers and rapists. Even the ones who hurt children. They were all afraid, all so very human in their last moments. It didn't matter. My conscience won in the end and I returned to Carlisle. He welcomed me back like the prodigal son and I've been with him ever since."

"And the others?" She prompted. "You spoke briefly about them back at Volterra."

"Esme was next after me. Carlisle brought her home after she threw herself off a cliff. She had lost her son, only an infant, and decided to end her life - but Carlisle knew she was to be his mate. Eventually she got used to our ways, but she did have her moments. It's hard to imagine Esme as a cold-blooded killer, I know, but those first years are so hard and humans smell so utterly delicious. And each one is so different. Just when you think you're immune to one scent, a new one comes along and you have to start holding back all over again.

"Next was Rosalie. Carlisle thought she might make a good mate for me." Bella felt something sharp in her stomach as she pictured Edward and the beautiful Rosalie together. "But it wasn't to be. I was angry with Carlisle for even bringing her to us. She was very well known in the town we were living in. He had found her raped and dying in the street and made a quick decision, one that worked out in the end, I guess. She never drank the blood of a human, but did get her own brand of revenge on the men that raped her."

"Men, plural?" Bella gasped.

"Yes. One of them was her fiancé." Edward paused for a moment to let her grasp that, then pressed on. "Emmett was next, Rosalie saved him from a grizzly bear. It was love at first sight, as she tells it. She carried him to our home which was miles from the attack - he was bleeding the whole time. I have no idea how she did it. Emmett has killed two humans, both times we had to leave and start new lives elsewhere.

"Jasper and Alice, as you know, found us. Jasper left the violent life he knew in the South behind to try to find something more meaningful. Alice was waiting for him in a diner one day, told him about us and that they were meant to be together. I was out hunting the day they came to our house, and Alice claimed my room, moving all my stuff to the basement," here he stopped and laughed. "We've been a big happy family ever since.

"Jasper's been the one to have the most accidents, though," he said, all laughter gone. "His lifestyle before us, we think, has made it hardest for him."

"Oh, that explains the scars," Bella said as soon as she realized.

"The wars, as you know, were every man for himself. Jasper fought in many, many battles," Edward let the conversation drop. The others were beginning to appear out of the trees around them. He helped her up and took the opportunity to twine his fingers in hers.

"Since this is the only way you'll let me touch you right now," he whispered against her ear lobe, "I'll take what I can get."

Emmett and Rosalie got to them first. "EDWARD AND BELLA SITTIN IN A TREE..." Emmett had noticed their clasped hands right away.

"Shut up Emmett. I swear you're the least romantic person I know," Rosalie smacked him so hard on the shoulder it sounded like a clap of thunder.

"Aw that's not what you were saying the other night, Rose," Emmett teased, gathering her up in his arms and giving her a squeeze.

"Get a room," Alice appeared from behind them with Jasper. "Not that it's ever stopped you before, I guess," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay everyone, pipe down. It's time to head back," Calisle and Esme joined the now complete group. "I say we spend the daylight hours preparing for our return to Forks. I'll arrange for flights that leave tonight. Bella, does that give you enough time?"

"Yes, thank you Carlisle," she felt Edward's hand pull on hers gently and she smiled inwardly. Then she remembered she had to meet with Aro before she could leave.

It was going to be a long day.