Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the films and books Twilight. I only own my characters Nickie and Adam.

Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

When it comes up to new moon, it will make some people feel uncomfortable, so I thought I just let you know.

Please leave comments, I love to hear what youy think.

I'm already Editing chapters.

Songs/lyrics: Pink - Don't Let Me Get Me


The hallway was dark only light in the hallway was a few candles hanging on one side of the wall, wax dripping on to the stone floor, but not giving much light. The hallway wall was bricked, the shades of different coloured red, with a few holes here and there.

On the other side of the wall was covered in oil paintings in a thick frame, some new and some old, all paintings in different sizes going from small to big. All the paintings were all dark coloures black and brown. The paints were cracked, and some chipped loosing it's colour.

A painting of a man with shoulder length hair, dark black, red eyes and a pale complection. In the picture the man held his head high, he looked like a king but a crazy one. To me he seemed cheery, child like, full of multiple personalities that you'd could never keep up with. But his red eyes held anger, crazed, somewhat dangerouse.

The other painting was another male. He same had shoulder length wavey hair, dark brown. He also had red eyes, but his shoulders slouched and his back hunched over like an old man. This man wasn't old, he looked to be in his early thirties. His eyes had no light in them, everything in him like to live was being pulled away, leaving his soul black and hollow. He looked like he was in pain, grieving for someone. I wanted to cry for him, to take his pain away.

The last painting, I never had to keep my eyes on the man for long. I shivered. The man in the painting, his hair was pure white, straight above his shoulders. His eyes were more red, the colour of ruby's with a shade of pink in the white area. He was very pale, very sharp cheekbones, full lips. He stood tall, back straight, his chest puffed out, and stood with his hands behind his back. From what I could feel about this man, he was powerful, like a gladiator from Achcient times. I had a feeling that I should move away from the painting, lower my head in submission. I felt fear, and intimidated, but also protected. It was like he had a beast in side of him waiting to break free, like another personality that you'd did not want to cross paths with. I wanted to run and hide, but I had a feeling that I had no luck.

I stepped back and continued looking at each paintings, some more people in seperate frames, all red eyes and pale. All wearing a black robe with a V necklace. The further I walked, the more cold the hallway bacame and more darker. I walked around the corner, another hallway with only one wide window and double doors.

I looked outside and gasper. A garden, full of life. Flowers blossoming in the snow, no signs of death in the plants. An olive tree in the middle of the garden, at the back a large fish pond with a water fountine. It looked peiceful.

I stood in front of the double doors, oak mixed with pine, dark brown. The handles looked like ribbons gently blowing in the breeze. I shivered, what ever was behind these doors was dark. The doors opened, stood in front of me was three figures in long black robes, stood in a line, facing me. Each figure stood tall and proud. I could tell that these three figures were all men, from their height and how wide their shoulders were and also their smell.

"Nicole, amica mea." A voice said softly. ( Nicole, my love.)

I frowned, how did this person know my name. But I couldn't understand anything what they were saying. I could feel power radiating of them. I didn't need to see their faces, I knew it was the three men from the paintings.

"Who are you?" I asked stepping back. My voice was strange, more soft but stronger like I had a power of my own.

"Amor, non memini?" He replied stepping forward, I took two steps back. (Love, don't you remember.)

"I-I don't understand." I panicked.

"Caius recordabor ego vir verter." He talked gently, and then continued. (Remember, I'm your husband Caius.)

"I'm Aro." Another person talked.

"I'm Marcus." The third person said. They both spoke perfect English.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember any of you. Tell me what happened." I demanded.

"A annus fuit, ut tamidiu. Ego vos desiderabat: tanta." He whispered. (A year had been so long. I've missed you so much.)

"What. Happened. To. Me." I said gritting my teeth in anger.

"Et mortuus est puer in nativitate." (You died in child birth.)

"What?"

"You died ma'ma." Another voice said from behind me.

I slowly turned around, and was met with red eyes. My eyes widened.

"Jasper."

I shot up from my bed, breathing heavily, sweat running down my face, neck and chest. I had to swollow a good couple of times, my mouth was so dry, my lips chapped and saw. I looked around my bedroom to see if Jasper was close by, but he was nowhere in sight, but he had been here he left the window open letting in the cool breeze.

I groaned, falling backwards. My back hitting the soft mattress and my head hitting the pillows. I looked up, stairing at the patterns on the ceiling.

Knock, Knock

I groaned rolling on my left side, hugging my pillow.

"Come in." I mumbled.

The door slowly opened to reveal Bella holding a cup, she had a smile on her face. She wore a dark blue shorts and a plain white shirt, her hair put in a rough ponytail. She had dark circles underneath her eyes. Looks like I'm not the only one who had nightmares.

"Another nightmare?" I asked.

Bella nodded. "Yea, it was about Edward." She paused, to put the cup on my desk. "You and all." She asked.

I sat up in bed, crossing my begs. I grabbed my hair band and put my hair in a messy bun.

"I was in some dark hallway. It was dark, and I was looking at some paintings. At the end of the hall, there was huge double doors and three robed firgues stood in front of me...humm, they knew me. I think they spoke Italian or Greek. Then Jasper came in to my nightmare. He said I died in child birth, but his eyes were red." I told here.

"Shit. You okay." Bella asked.

"Mmm yea I'm okay. I think the three robed men was called Aro, Caius and Marcus." I told her. Even their names gave me the chills.

Bella laughed. "Old fashioned names."

"Says the name Edward." I joked and burst out laughing.

"Ouch, sis that hurts." Bella laughed along.

Me and Bella talk for a while while we made a light snack. In three hours we be going to Jaspers family home. I was so scared, and I don't know why. I had already met the family, not Esme. I made egg and toast, with strawberry and bananna smoothie. We ate and they I chose to clean up while Bella was in the shower.

Never win first place, I don't support the team

I can't take direction, and my socks are never clean

Teachers dated me, my parents hated me

I was always in a fight cuz I can't do nothin' right.

Everyday I fight a war against the mirror

I can't take the person starin' back at me

I'm a hazard to myself.

Don't let me get me

I'm my own worst enemy

Its bad when you annoy yourself

So irritating

Don't wanna be my friend no more

I wanna be somebody else.

I wanna be somebody else, yeah.

LA told me, "You'll be a pop star,

All you have to change is everything you are."

Tired of being compared to damn Britney Spears

She's so pretty, that just ain't me.

Doctor, doctor won't you please describe somethin

A day in the life of someone else?

Cuz I'm a hazard to myself.

Don't let me get me

I'm my own worst enemy

Its bad when you annoy yourself

So irritating

Don't wanna be my friend no more

I wanna be somebody else.

Don't let me get me

I'm my own worse enemy

Its bad when you annoy yourself

So irritating

Don't wanna be my friend no more

I wanna be somebody else.

Doctor, doctor won't you please prescribe somethin

A day in a life of someone else?

Don't let me get me.

Don't let me get me

I'm my own worse enemy

Its bad when you annoy yourself

So irritating

Don't wanna be my friend no more

I wanna be somebody else.

"Nicole shut up. You sound like a cat had just been ran over." Bella shouted making me laugh.


Bella POV

The muted light of yet another day eventually woke me. I lay with my arm across my eyes, groggy and gaze. And then the previous day flooded back to me after I had a talk with Edward in the forrest.

Flash Back

After Jasper took Nicole home, I asked Edward if we could go for a walk. I needed to get some air, and confront Edward, I knew his big secret. My head was still spinning a little, but I managed to keep balance somehow. The clouds were gray, and it started to rain.

Edward followed me close behind, like he was stalking prey. I dropped my orange school bag onto the ground and took a couple of steps forward. I was nervouse as hell.

"You're impossibly fast, and strong. You're skin is - is pale and white ice cold, you're eyes change colour, and sometimes you speak...like your from a different time. You never eat or drink anything, and you don't go out in the sunlight," I paused, taking a couple of deep breaths, and then continued.

"How old are you?" I asked, my voice shook.

"I'm seventeen." He replied behind me, his breath tickling my neck.

"How long have you been seventeen?" I asked, my back still facing him.

"A while." That was his answer.

"I know what you are."

Everything seemed to slow down, like the world stopped spinning underneath my feet. Only noise I could hear was the birds flying and tweeting.

"Say it," He paused. "Out loud."

"Vampire." I replied.

"Are you afraid?"

I turned to face him. "No."

"Then ask me the most basic question. What do we eat?"

I took a couple of deep breaths, which I didn't notice that I was holding my breath. "You won't hurt me." I told him.

Edward stared, he didn't blink. He roughly grabbed my arm, and started pulling me along with him. He walked so fast, that I nearly tripped over my own feet.

"Where are we going?"

"Up the mountain, out of the cloud bank. You need to see what I look like in the sunlight."

Edward lifted me up onto his back, and started running with speed, that I have never seen before. Everything was a blurr, and I felt cold, not from Edward, but from the breeze whipping me in the face and body. He continued up the mountain, the sunlight breaking through the trees. Edward slowed down, putting me back on the ground. He continued walking towards the open sunlight. I could see he was unbuttoning his shirt.

"This is why we don't show ourselves in the sunlight. People would know that we are different."

Edward in the sunlight was shocking, his pale skin sparkled, like a thousand tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface.

"You're beautiful." I told him truthfully.

He chuckled. "This is the skin of a killer Bella."

"I don't care."

"I'm a killer."

"I don't believe that." I told him, struggling to climb over a tree root. It was hard to keep up with him.

"That's because you believe a lie." He stopped walking, and faced me."That's because I'm the worlds most dangerouse predator. Everything about me invited you in, my voice, my face, even my smell. As if we needed any of that."

Edward moved so fast causing me to gasp. I looked around, he was nowhere in sight.

"As if you could out-run me." He shouted, while he stood on a huge rock. He then moved with speed again, only the sound of strong breeze could I hear. He stopped in front of me.

"As if you could fight me off." He said, ripping a tree trunk from the earth and throwing it across the forrest like it weighed nothing. " I was designed to kill."

I nodded. " I don't care."

"I've killed people before."

"It doesn't matter. The past is the past."

"I wanted to kill you...I never wanted human blood so much in my life." He admitted.

"I trust you."

"Don't." He whispered.

"I'm here, I trust you." I said moving in just to be close to him. He looked shocked, and moved back with speed just to get away from me.

"My family, were different from others of our kind. We only hunt animals, we learn to control our thirst. It's you, your scent, it's like a drug to me. You're like my personal brand of heroine." He said climbing down a tree.

"Why did you hate me so much when we met?"

"I did. I still don't know if I can control myself."

I moved forward, climbing the tree while he moved back. Our faces inches apart. "I know you can."

He moved away, I followed.

"I can't read your mind. You have to tell me what your thinking." He said moving closer, trapping me with both of his arms next to my shoulders.

"Now I'm afraid." I admitted.

"Good." He moved back.

I moved forward. "I'm not afraid of you. I'm only afraid of loosing you, making me disappear."

"You don't know how long I've waited for you... So I'm a lion who fell in love with a lamb." He pressed his hand over my heart.

"What a stupied lamb."

End Of Flash Back

After been in the shower, I quickly got dressed in to jeans and a simple long sleeved t-shirt. I brushed my teeth and ran a comb through my hair quickly. I was so nervouse, Edward will be here any minuet.

"Nicole shut up. You sound like a cat had just been ran over." I shouted, but couldn't hold my laughter in.

I walked in my bedroom closing the door. I turned around and nearly jumped out of my skin, Edward stood there near the window.

"Don't do that." I huffed.

"What." He chuckled.

"Pop out of nowhere." I told him.

He chuckled again. You were a very deep sleeper; I didn't miss anything," His eyes gleamed. "Then the talking came after, then I think you had a nightmare."

I pouted, then groaned. "What did you hear?"

His eyes grew very soft. "You said you loved me."

I hid my face against his shoulder. "You already knew that." I mumbled.

"It was nice to hear, just the same."

"I love you." I whispered.

"You are my life now," he answered simply.

There was nothing more to say for that moment. He rocked us back and forth as the room grew lighter.

"Are you exited to meet the rest of the family." He asked.

I gulped.

"Are you afraid now?" He sounded hopeful.

"Yes, Nicole seems okay." I admitted, how could I deny it - he could see my eyes.

"Your sister hides her fears well, I little too well. Sopmetimes Jasper can't pick up her emotions, but, she is brave like you. Don't worry, I'll protect you."

"I'm not afraid of them," I explained. "I'm afraid they won't . . . like me. They already like Nicole."

He chuckled. "Your not afraid that your going to be in a house full of vampires, but afraid that they won't like you." He mused.

"Won't they be, well, surprised that you would bring someone like me . . . home to meet them? Do they know that I know about them?"

"Oh, they all ready know everything. They'd taken bets yesterday, you know" - he smiled, but his voice was harsh - "On weather I'd bring you back, we have secrets in the family. It's not really feasible, what with my mind reading and Alice seeing the future and all that."

"And Jasper making you feel warm and fuzzy about spilling your guts, don't forget that."

"You paid attention." he smiled approvingly.

"I've been known to do that every now and again." I grimced. "So did Alice see me coming?"

His reaction was strange. "Something like that, she saw your sister with glowing blue eyes, her and Jasper very happy . . . but there was a dark figure in the background all fuzzy, but Alice said your sister seemed in love with the figure. Then she saw you, she know how much trouble I was having coping with the smell of your blood." He said.

Uncomfortably, turning away so I couldn't see his eyes. I stared at him curiously. I was still wondering why he responded that way when I mentioned Alice. He stood in the middle of my bedroom, the statue of Adonis again, staring abstractedly out of the window. Then his eyes were back on me, and he smiled his heart breaking smile.

"And you should introduce me to your farther, too, I think."

"He's at work, plus he already knows you." I reminded him.

"As your boyfriend I mean."

I stared at him with suspicion. "Why?"

"Isn't that customary?" he asked innocently, but continued.

"He's already met Jasper." he said.

"I don't know." I admitted. My dating history gave me few references points to work with. Not that any normal rules of dating applied here.

"That's not necessary, you know. I don't expect you to . . . I mean, you don't have to pretend for me."

His smile was patient. "I'm not pretending. Are you going to tell Charlie I'm your boyfriend or not? he demanded.

I stiffed a laugh. "Okay."


Jasper POV

It was hard for me to concentrait, last night an unknown vampire crossed our boarder and over heard us talking about Nickie and Bella. I was so worried that the unknown vampire knew that two humans knew about our secret and law number one. I worried that the vampire would go to the Volturi, then we'd all be in danger and my mate would end up dead by the hands of Cauis. Or is Aro knew that Nickie was a banshee, he would use her as a weapon, her screams could take out a vampire army.

I wore my casual cloths, dark gray shirt and black jeans. I glanced in the mirror and ran my fingers roughly through my wavy hair.

"Jasper, Esme said you have to drink this." Adam said, passing me a glass of animals blood, mountine lion.

"I went hunting last night."

"I know. You know Esme worries to much." He replied.

I chuckled and drank the blood slowly. My golden eyes more brighter. Adam was already gone, Edward was close buy with Bella, they were two miles away listening to classical music. The family was in the kitchen cooking italian food, with the cooking channel on.

I jumped out of my bedroom window, and jumped on my motorcycle Ducati 848. Lucky it wasn't raining, not that cold. I started my bike, heading towards Nickie's home. It took me fifteen minuets to get there, I could hear her singing in the shower.

Hush child, the darkness will rise from the deep

And carry you down into sleep,

Child, the darkness will rise from the deep

And carry you down into sleep,

Guileless son, I'll shape your belief,

And you'll always know that your father's a thief,

And you won't understand the cause of your grief,

But you'll always follow the voices beneath.

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, only to me.

Guiless son, your spirit will hate her,

The flower who married my brother the traitor,

And you will expose his puppeteer behavior,

For you are the proof of how he betrayed her loyalty.

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, only to me.

Hush child, the darkness will rise from the deep

And carry you down into sleep,

Child, the darkness will rise from the deep

And carry you down into sleep,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, only to me.

Guileless son, each day you grow older,

Each moment I'm watching my vengence unfold,

For the child of my body, the flesh of my soul,

Will die in returning the birthright he stole.

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, loyalty,

Loyalty, only to me.

Hush child, the darkness will rise from the deep

And carry you down into sleep,

Child, the darkness will rise from the deep

And carry you down into sleep.

I frowned, I have heard of the lullaby before, but it was a long time ago. A lullaby what is long forgotten.

I growled, I couldn't stop thinking about Nickie in the shower, water dripping down her pink flesh, turning her skin red with the heat of the water. Water dripping down her neck begging for me to bite and taste her sweet blood and mark her as mine. I growled, she is mine. Mine. Mine.

The tightening feeling in my trousers grew, leaving me in more frustration than before. The Major in me wanted to break free, but it was hard for me to push him back. He wants her more than me and we both fight for dominance, the strongest one to claim her. I knew I couldn't do that, I knew I had to wait. I knew Nickie wanted to wait till she is married.

I pushed the Major back, and I needed to take control . . . for now. Nickie will see the Major soon. I listened, the water had stopped, her wet feet dancing on the floor. I waited outside, sitting on my mororcycle waiting for her to be ready.

After about twenty minuets, I decided to knock on the door. I heard her walking downstairs slowly. The locks clicked, and did so the keys. The door open to reveal my mate, she wore a light brown long dress with feather print, and a cream plain blouse. Her black hair was straight, two plats wrapped around her head to look like a head band.

"You look beautiful." I told her.

She smiled, and blushed. " Thank you, you do too . . . I mean, you look handsome."

I smiled and kissed her on the lips, I could taste blood orange lip gloss. I pulled back to let her breath.

" You ready." I asked.

"Yes, lets do this."

I waited for Nickie as she walked around the house locking the windows and doors. I took her hand and led her towards my motorcycle. She looked horrorfied.

"Have you ever been on a motorcycle before?" I asked her.

" No never." She admitted.

" Don't worry love, I'll drive slow."

I held her steady as she sat at the back of the bike and passed her my spare helmet. I sat infront of her as she wrapped her arms around my chest. I started the bike and drove slowly towards my family home. We passed over the bridge at the Calawah River, the road winding northward, the houses flashing past us growing father apart, getting bigger.

I turned onto an unpaved road, it was unmarked, barley visable among the ferns. The forrest enroached on both sides, leaving the road ahead only discernible for a few meters as it twisted, serpent like, around the ancient trees.

I felt Nickie wrap her arms around me more tight, as her chest pressed into my back. I growled, my chest rumbled. I was happy that she didn't notice it.


Nickie POV

The trees held their protecting shadow right up to the walls of the house that rose amoung them, making obsolete the deep porch that wrapped the first story. I didn't know what I had expected, but it definitley wasn't this.

The house was amazing, graceful, and probably a hundred years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportined. The windows and doors were either part of the original structured of a perfect restoration. I could hear a river close by, hidden in the obscurity of the forrest.

"Wow."

"You like it?" Jasper smiled.

I nodded. "It had a certain charm."

"Esme designed the house, then built it." Jasper told me.

"She is talented." I replied.

"Ready." Jasper asked opening the door.

I nodded nervously.

"You look lovley. Esme would love you." He took my hand easily, without thinking about it. We walked through the deep shade up to the porch. I knew he could feel my tention; he switched my emotion with calm. I smiled, he held his hands more tightly, his thumb rubbed smoothing circles into the back of my hand. Jasper opened the door for me.

Inside the house was amazing. It was bright, very open and very large. There must of been three or four rooms, but the walls had been removed from most of the first floor to create on wide space. The back, South-facing wall had been entirly replaced with glass, and , beyond the shade of the cedars, the lawn stretched bare to the wide river.

Standing just to the left of the door, on a raised portion of the floor by a spectacular grand piano. I followed Jasper up some stairs, and paused at the sight, hundereds of graduation caps.

" Are these all yours." I asked.

"Some of them, we move around a lot so people wouldn't know of our kind. So we repeat school, it's kind of like a joke."

I laughed. As we continued going up the stairs, I could smell throughout the house, italian food. My mouth watered and my stomach made a sound. Jasper chuckled.

"Sorry." I apologised.

"It's okay love." He said kissing the top of my head.

I jumped when I heard a glass break. Jasper stopped walking.

"I'm so sorry about this."

"What for?"

"Perfect." A voice rose, it sounded like Rosalie.

"Yea, it's just because, I know you guys don't eat." It sounded like Bella.

"Of course, it's very considerate of you." A warm, calm voice spoke up. I didn't recognise it, I guess it was Esme.

"Ignore Rosalie. I do." Edward sounded irritated.

"Yea, lets just keep protending like this isn't dangerouse for all of us." Rosalie sounded upset.

"I would never . . . tell anybody. But Nicole knows though."

"But Nickie isn't dangerouse, she isn't fully human." Rosalie snapped.

"What's the difference." Bella said.

Ouch.

"Nickie is half banshee, she is not a fret to our kind, or any kind in that matter. The law is okay by that. Your human." Rosalie shreeked.

"Rosalie knows you won't say anything." Carlisle said.

"Yeah, well the problem is that you guys have become public." Emmett spoke up.

"No, she should know. The entire family would be implicated if anyone finds out." Rosalie sounded more worried.

"As in, I-I would become the meal," Bella stuttered.

Everyone laughed.

"Not to us, but the law." Rosalie mumbled.

"Rosalie." Edward hissed.

"Hi Bella." Alice spoke up. "Where's Nickie." She asked.

"Home, she's waiting for Jasper to pick her up." Bella replied.

"Jaspers bike is out the front, and he is also around the house." Adam said.

"With Nicole?" Bella asked.

"Nope. I don't smell her. I guess he is going to pick her up soon." Adam replied.

Jasper frowned and looked at me. I was confused. Jasper leaned forward and smelled my skin and blood. He pulled back wide eyes, then smiled.

"You masked your scent, I can't even smell your blood."

"H-how." I asked, I was freaked out.

"I don't know, how do I feel other peoples emotions." He replied.

I shrugged. "I don't know." I replied.

He chuckled. "That's the answer."

We walked up the stairs, as Bella and Edward went in another direction. His parents waited to greet us as they stood in a rather large kitchen. I'd seen Dr. Cullen before, yet I couldn't help but be strucked again by his youth. At his side was Esme, I assumed, the only one of the family I'd never seen before.

She had the same pale, beautiful features as the rest of them. Something about her heart-shaped face, her billows of soft caramel-coloured hair, reminded me of the ingenues of the silent movie era. She was small, slender. less angular, more rounded than the others. They both dressed casually, in the light colours that matched the inside of the house. They both smiled in welcome, but made no more to approach us.

"Carlisle, and this is Esme," He paused. "This is Nicole."

"Welcome Nicole." Carlisle's steps was measured, careful as he approached me. He raised his hand tentatively, and I stepped forward to shake hands with him.

"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen."

"Please, call me Carlisle."

Esme smiled and stepped forward as well, reaching for my hand. Her cold, stone grasp was just as I expected.

"It's very nice to know you," She said sincerely.

"I'm glad to meet you too." I was. It was like meeting a fairy tale-snow white in the flesh.

"Hi Nickie." Alice said, pulling me into a hug and kissed my cheek. If Carlisle and Esme had looked cautious before, they now looked staggered. There was shock in my eyes, too, but I was also pleased that she seemed to approve of me so entirely.

"I can't smell your scent or blood." She said.

"Neather can I." Adam said smelling the air.

"She blocked her scent somehow." Jasper spoke up and held my hand.

"Interesting." Carlisle said supprised.

"When did you find our you can block your scent?" Adam asked.

"I don't know." I didn't know what to say.

"I only found out while we was standing on the stairs, whilse Rosalie was in a bad mood." Jasper said.

No one else seemed to know quite what to say, and then Jasper was there-tall and leonine. A feeling of ease spreaded through me, and I was suddenly comfortable despite where I was. I also realised that Rosalie and Emmett was nowhere to be seen.

"Your gift might be something to do with you been a banshee." Adam said.

I looked away trying to be polite. My eyes wondered again to the beautiful instrument on the platform by the door. I suddenly remembered mine and Bella's childhood fantasy that, should I ever win a lottery, I would buy a grand piano for our mother. She wasn't really good-she only played for herself on our secondhand upright - but I loved to watch her play. She was happy, absorbed - she seemed like a new mysterious being to me then, someone outside the "mom" persona I took for granted. She'd put us through lessons, of course, but like most kids, I whined until she let me quit. Because I wasn't aloud outside to play with others, because I was a freak, and scared to make friends, I stayed indoors and took up voilin lessons and online lessons, while Bella played outside and took ballet lessons.

"Do you play?" Esme asked, inclining her head towards the piano.

"Used too, but I took up the voilin. Do you play?" I asked.

"No, she laughed. "It's Edwards piano, Jasper plays the guitar."

"Really."

"Jasper didn't tell you?"

"No." I said with a playful glare.

Jasper showed me around the house, the place had style, new and old, every bedroom was so light. Jasper showed me his bedroom, the silver coloured walls, the white carpet with a large fur black rug in the middle of the floor. He had a desk, with laptop and printer. On the wall 50 inch flat screen TV and a playstation. On one wall was covered with books, war, Texas history and other things. In one corner of the room was a guitar. His bed was king size, lush pillows and silk sheets with a black head board.

"Not what you expect." Jasper asked.

"No." I replied.

Jasper chuckled. ":You was probably thinking dungon and coffins."

I laughed. "Something like that. I thought you might sleep upside down."

Jasper chuckled and wrapped his arms around my back, our chest touched.

"Coffins and sleeping upside down is a myth. Us vampires don't sleep at all."

"Ever." I asked stunned. "How about a stake to the heart, holy water and garlic."

"You have already seen me in the sunlight, we don't burn from the sun. Holy water doesn't do anything, and garlic, Esme was useing it in the kitchen. And a stake will snap in half, it won't peirce our skin. Our skin is like stone, only way to kill us is by rupping our body in half and then set fire to it." He explained.

I shivered. "So, how do you turn someone, I guess blood is a myth too."

"Venom, it's what makes our skin cold and stone like. The venom freezes inside when we turn, the pain is the worst, like acid melting the skin. It depends on the vampire who bit the person, and the venom, it can take three days or a week for the person to turn into a newborn."

I frowned. "Newborn."

"A new made vampire. Vampire - defined as any vampire who is less than one year from it's date of transformation - is different from a more mature vampire in behavior and appearance. The newborn is plagued by an unrelating and will feed as often as possiable. The thirst is so maddening in the first year, that most newborns are more animalistic and wild than their cold counterparts. They are marked as physically different by their vibrantly crimson irises, though in other ways they look the same as mature vampires. Their behaviour is more diverse than their appearance. As they age, their behavior generally becomes more rational and constant." Jasper explained.

I stood there listening, it interested me.

"That's why us vampires have laws to follow."

"Vampires have laws." I asked stunned.

Jasper nodded. "I can tell you want to learn more. The person to ask is Carlisle."


Jasper POV

I led Nickie back to a room, I pointed out as Carlisle office. I paused outside the door.

"Come in." Carlisle voice invited.

I opened the door to a high - ceilinged room with tall, West facing window. The walls were paneled, in dark wood - where they were visible. Most of the wall space was taken up by towering book shelves that reached high above my head and held more books. Carlisle sat behind a huge mohogany desk in a leather chair.

"Jasper, what can I do you for?" he asked, raising from his seat.

I cleared my voice, and looked at Nickie as she looked around the room in amazement. " I wanted to show Nickie some of our history." I said. I could feel that she was excited. "Well our history, actually."

"We didn't mean to disturb you." Nickie apologized.

I could feel that she was feeling bad, she was thinking that she had disturbed Carlisle from his work.

Carlisle chuckled. "Jasper had told me that you like history Nickie, so don't worry about it. Where are you going to start?"

"The Waggoner." I replied, placing a hand on Nickies shoulder. She smiled. Everytime I touched her, even in the most casual way, it felt like my heart had an reaction. The wall we faced now, was covered with framed pictures off all sizes, some in vibrant colours, others all dull monochromes. I gently pulled Nickie to the far left, standing infront of a small squared oil painting in a plain wooden frame.

"London in the sixteen - fifties." Nickie said.

I smiled. "Well done ma'ma." She blushed.

"The London of my youth," Carlisle added, from a few feet behind us. Nickie flinched, she didn't hear him approach. I squeezed her hand.

"Will you tell the story?" I asked. Nickie twisted a little to see Carlisle reaction.

He met our gaze and smiled. "I would, but I'm actually running late for work. Edward knows the story." he added.

"All ready here." Edward said coming into the office with Bella on his back. I heard Nickie giggle.

"Okay, lets give the girl our history lesson." Edward mused.

I watched as my mate and Bella look at each picture with interest. I could feel from the both of them they were ecited.

"What happened then? Nickie asked, staring at me and Edward.

"When did he realized what had happened to him?" Bella asked.

I glanced back to the paintings, and I looked to see which image cought their interest. It was a large landscape in dull colours - an empty, shadowed meadow in a forest.

"When he knew what he had become," Edward said quietly, "he rebelled against it. Carlisle tried to destroy himself. But thats not easily done."

I listened to Edward while he was telling the story.

"How?" Bella asked.

"He jumped from great heights," Edward told my mate and his, his voice impassive. "He tried to drown himself in the ocean . . . but he was too younge to the new life, and very strong. It is amazing that he was able to resist . . . feeding . . . while he was still so new. The instinct is more powerfull then, it takes over everything. But he was so repelled by himself that he had the strength to try to kill him self with starvation." I explained.

"Is that possible." Nickie's voice was faint.

"No, there are a very few ways we can be killed." Edward spoke up. "So he grew up very hungry, and eventually weak. He strayed as far as he could from the human populance, recognizing that his will-power was weakening too. For months he woundered by night, seeking the loneliest places loathing himself . . . one night, a herd of deers passed his hiding place. He was so wild with thirst that he attacked without throught. His strength returned and he realized there was an alternative to being the vile monster he feared. Over the next months his new philosophy was born. He could exist without being a demon. He found himself again. He swam to France and -" Edward was cut off.

"He swan to France?" Nickie asked.

I chuckled. "People swim the channel all the time love." I reminded her. Bella laughed a little.

"Swimming is easy for us-" Edward said.

"Everything is easy for you." Bella griped.

I waited, and chucled. Edward looked amused.

"We won't interrupt again, we promise." Nickie fluttered her eyelashes playfully.

I chuckled darkly, and Edward finished his sentence.

"Because, technically, we don't need to breath."

"You-" Bella was cut off.

"No, you guys promised. Do you want to hear the story or not?" I said trying not to laugh.

"You can't spring something like that on us, and then expect us not to say anything." Bella mumbled.

"Agreed." Nickie piped up, and gave me a smile.

I chuckled. I lifted my hand, moving it to rest against Nickie's neck. The speed of her heart reacted to that.

"You don't have to breath." She demanded.

"No, it's not necessary. Just a habit." I told her.

"How long can you go . . . without breathing?" Bella asked.

"Indefinitely, I suppose; I don't know. It gets abit uncomfortable - being without a sense of smell." Edward told her.

"A bit uncomfortable." I joked. Me and Edward chuckled a little, and Bella and Nickie looked confused.

I wasn't paying that much attention, it was the way my mate and her sister looked at Edward, but something made him grow somber. His hand dropped to his side and he stood very still, his eyes fixed on Bella's face. His features were immobile as stone. Nickie cleared her throat, making me look at her soft features.

"So - Carlisle was swimming to France."

I paused, getting back to the story. Reflexively, my eyes flickered to another picture - the most colourful of them all, the most ornately framed, and the largest; it was twice as wide as the door it hung next to. The canvas overflowed with bright figures in swirling robes, writhing around long pillars and off marbled balconies.

"Carlisle swam to France, and continued on through Europe, to the universities there. By night he studied music, science, medicine - and found his calling, his penance, in that, in saving human lives." Edwards expression became awed and hard, almost reverent.

"I can't edequately described the struggle; it took Carlisle two centuries of torturous effort to perfect his self-control. Now he is all but immune to the scent of human blood, and he able to do the work he loves without agony. He finds a great deal of peace there, at the hospital . . ." Edward stared off into space for a long moment.

I cleared my throat, to finish the story. Nickie held on to my arm, listening carefully. She is like me, a history buff. "He was studying in Italy when he discovered the others there. They were much more civilized and educated than the wraiths of the London sewers. Solimena was greatly inspired by Carlisle's friends. He often painted tham as gods, Aro, Marcus and Caius," I said, I nearly spat at their names.

I felt Nickie tense, and her body started to shake. I noticed a worried look on Bella's face, she stared at her sister with concern.

"What's wrong love." I asked.

"N-nothing. I-I tell you later." Her voice sounded timied, I could feel she was scared.

"Bella." Edward called.

I watched Bella looking at her sister, their eyes never breaking contact, like they were speaking through mind link.

"It's not my place to say." Bella said looking back to her sister.

"Continue." Nickie said, I knew that she wanted to change the subject.

"Nightime patrons of the arts." Edward hissed.

"What happened to them?" Nickie asked, her fingertips hovering over the canvas.

"They're still here, as they have been for who knows how many millennia stayed with them only for a short time, just a few decades. He greatly admired their civility, their refinement, byt they persisted in trying to cure his aversion to 'his natural food source,' as they called it. They tried to persuade him, and he tried to persuade them, to no avail. At that point, Carlisle decided to try the new world. He demanded of finding others like him. He was very alone, you see." I finshed.

We stood there in silence, we let our mates take the new information sink in. Off course there is more to the history, but I thought that this is enough history for one day. I knew that Edward wanted to tell his side of his story to Bella. I wanted to tell Nickie my history about Maria, but I didn't want to scare her about my past.

Alice walked in, almost danced into Carlisle office on her tip-toes, her movements were so graceful - to the center of the room, where she folded herself sinuously onto the floor. Adam, however, paused at the door, his expression a trifle schocked. He stared at my face, and I wondered if he was testing the atmosphere the same way I do. Adam can scence peoples emotions threw the colours of someones aura. Edward chuckled.

"Alice says there's going to be a real storm tonight, and Emmett wants to play ball. Are you guys and girls game?" Adam asked.

"You should bring Bella and Nickie." Alice chirped. I saw Adam throw a quick glance at her.

"Do you want to go?" I asked Nickie.

She seemed ecited. "Sure, if Bella comes."

Bella nodded, feeling unsure. "Um, where are we going?" She asked.

"We have to wait for the thunder to play ball - you'll see why." I told them.

"Will we need an umbrella?" Nickie asked.

"Will they?" I asked Alice.

"No, the storm will hit over town. It should hit over town. It should be dry enough in the clearing."

"Are you ready to play ball." I asked my mate.

"Sure." Nickie said smiling.