A/N: Sooooooo...It's been a while! Life has a way of interrupting and dictating is own path. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

PS: I do not own anything!

If Edward had been human, he would have stopped breathing, too much in shock and disbelief to really understand what he was seeing with his own eyes. It seemed something out of a fable, a scene from some fantasy film. The ball of light the apparent vampire had conjured hovered just above his palm, fingers cupped as if holding the orb. A gentle glow emitted from the strange creation and lit up the night around him, casting shadows between the trees. He could see the bark of the trees, make out the cracks with his vampire eyes, but there were small pinpricks of light that didn't seem to belong amongst the natural wood. It was his father's shocked thoughts that drew his eyes to his own skin.

The hard diamond surface of his body had been lit up and scattered the soft light in a shimmer. Edward couldn't help but stare in the same sort of awe the rest of his family shared in his mind. Their father, ever the curious man of science and medicine, had explored the effect of the sun's light on their skin and only the world's natural light had been able to truly reveal their dark secret to the world. Artificial creations had no effect on their skin and kept them hidden, making them appear almost as normal humans. That their skin reacted seemed such an impossibility.

Next to him, Carlisle observed the strange phenomenon with his own eyes. In all his years, he had seen no vampire who could conjure such true light. The few among their kind that did possess seemingly supernatural gifts were almost beyond imagine. His own children proved that. Empathy, visions of the future, and mind reading. In his own past, such gifts would have been seen as witchcraft and those unfortunate souls would have been condemned. Looking to the vampires illuminated by the soft glow of the conjured light, he wondered if that was what they were.

Given the circumstances they had found themselves in, it was difficult to truly understand what power the two young men had at their disposal. Barring their own demonstration, he would have no true grasp of how they wielded their gifts or even the expansiveness of their strength. There would be too many questions. What powers did they have? Were there limits to their capabilities? Were they stronger in areas than others? How did they summon their gifts? Did each of their species control the same powers or were they different to each vampire?

Perhaps they could be descended from a people that claimed to be witches, some sort of power passable from one generation to the next. In the distant past one of their ancestors could have been bitten by a vampire, their strange ability capable of mutating the vampire virus, forever changing and creating a new species of vampire. A species that more closely mimicked their human prey.

Edward processed his father's thoughts just as quickly as they passed through his own mind. Could it be that they were really standing before witches, ones changed irrevocably to be creatures of blood? Does it frighten you?

Edward froze, his body still in his shock. He turned his eyes to the pair of creatures illuminated by the soft glow of conjured light. The low, firm British lilt could belong to no other. Glowing green looked at him from beneath half-lidded eyes.

"Magic is capable of many things, Carlisle Cullen. This," he said motioning slightly to the orb, "is mere child's play." With deliberate movements, he slowly closed his fist, the light shrinking and disappearing in his palm.

While Edward reeled, Carlisle spoke carefully. "You said that only in nightmares would the Volturi have heard of your kind."

Jadys grinned, the look feral with his fangs glinting in the moonlight. "It is not just magic that separates our kind." The words were said slyly, as if he held a dark secret and Edward couldn't help but zero in on those sharp, glinting teeth.

It clicked.

"You drank his blood." Whispered across the clearing, a new level of tension appeared.

"Edward?"

"There's only one reason the Volturi would steer clear of a vampire."

Say it.

Edward kept his eyes locked on the verdant green of the dark-haired vampire and swallowed. "You can drink their blood."

Carlisle froze, narrowing his eyes on the hint of fang, fangs so different from their own deadly teeth. It had to be impossible to pierce their skin, to draw sustenance. Even when they were torn apart, it was if they were made from marble, pieces chipping off and only dust left in their wake. "How can that be possible?"

"As I said," Onyx said lowly, still locked on Edward's eyes, "magic is capable of many things."

Does it intrigue you? This time it wasn't the low lilt of Onyx's voice, but the dulcet tone of Jadys.

Imagine it, Edward.

In his mind, he saw himself between them, two sets of sharp fangs scraping along his neck, hands running down both arms and hands high on his thighs. Light and dark surrounding him, caressing him. Sensations he hadn't thought to feel bringing goosebumps to his skin. Even with Bella and the strong allure of her blood, he hadn't ever felt such things.

"Edward."

He blinked, eyes darkened from their earlier amber, and turned to Carlisle. Though the image still played in his mind, phantom sensations running across his skin, he spoke softly. "I'm fine."

The older vampire eyed his eldest, his own golden amber eyes taking in Edward's tense body and vacant expression. He projected his mental voice at his son. Should I be worried?

Edward's eyes cleared and he shook his head. "No."