DISCLAIMER: Some of the text and characters are from Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, which I do not own. Only the characters & text that were not in the original series are mine.

I started to love the blackness that would embrace me every few seconds, minutes, or hours…I really couldn't tell. It never felt very long though. I always seemed to return to a harsh reality where my body jerked though it was pressed against someone's hard, cold chest, arms were wrapped tightly around me. A voice that I should have known kept telling me that it would pass, the pain would pass. It sure didn't seem like it.

Hell's flames couldn't compare to the burning that was going throughout my body passing from the three places that had been pierced and slowly progressing through my body with an intense heat. It's indescribable really. All I can say is that it hurt and it was agonizing!

I wanted to scream my pain to the world, but some dim part of my mind kept telling me that that was a bad idea so I kept silent although my body tried to contort itself into new positions as the flames coursed through it.

Time didn't exist for me, only the pain did…so when my heart started to pound faster and harder as the flames neared it I knew that I was going to die. There was no other explanation. At that moment though, I welcomed it. Anything to stop the flames from consuming my body… Harder and faster my heart pounded until there was nothing. No burning pain. No heart beat. Nothing.

As if in answer to the thought of nothing, sound turned back on. There was a pathetic whining sound, and the whine sounded familiar. Another sense opened up, pain once again, but in my throat. It was a different sort of burning then from before, duller in a way, but I also felt thirsty. Now a third sense had reawakened as I heard my father's voice say, "She'll be all right. She's made it through the worst of it."

I was now aware that I was no longer pressed against a hard, cold chest…I wasn't against anything but the earthy ground, the musky scent hitting my nose along with the stink of some sort of creature and a sweet scent I couldn't place, not what my throat was thirsting for, but one that was reassuring.

I opened my eyes then, unwilling to be blind any longer. I moved my head towards where I had heard the voice and whining and inhaled sharply. Somehow I had never truly SEEN my father before. It was like looking at the sun, in a way. He smiled at me reassuringly, though his gaze betrayed how wary he was. I moved into a crouch, and a growl sounded to the left of Carlisle, and I pulled back my lips and snarled at it. Wait…did I just snarl? I was momentarily perplexed, my mind trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Carlisle stood up slowly, his movement was enough to cause me some reassurance, and I stood as well. I stood as soon as the thought hit my brain, I thought it and I stood, there wasn't really any…motion so to speak. This left me perplexed once again.

Carlisle said softly, though I could hear him perfectly, "Sweetheart…I can imagine that you are confused." Confused didn't even begin to describe how I was feeling, but I nodded. He continued in that soft tone, "What do you remember?"

"I…" I stopped then. My voice didn't sound right. It had developed the song like tones that my family had…realization hit me like a ton of bricks, "I'm a vampire now, aren't I?"

"Yes," Carlisle answered, still not moving towards me.

I felt hurt suddenly. My own father wouldn't come near me now that I was like him. The pain must have shown in my face and eyes, because he moved towards me then and embraced me. His tone was filled with relief as he said, "I'm glad you made it through the transformation."

Now that the world was slowly starting to make sense again, I glanced at whatever had growled earlier and spotted a familiar red and white wolf.

"McKenna," I breathed. I knew it was her, though I could see every detail of her fur where the red changed tones to where the red and white met, to the subtle differences in her white fur.

Her delicate ears pricked forward, and a soft whine escaped her. There was a voice in my head that asked in her voice, "Are you still you?"

"It's still me…I think," I answered. She cocked her head to the side in confusion, but I didn't think on it right away.

Carlisle laughed softly, "Of course you're still you…although…" He was frowning now. "You are in amazing control of your thirst."

My mind now worked a bit differently, items that didn't need to be addressed right away seemed to be pushed to the back of my mind, but now that my father had mentioned it, I was thirsty. "I do feel parched."

Now he looked as confused as McKenna. I stared at them both and wondered, "What?"

They both gasped and even I gasped as I realized that I had not spoken aloud. Carlisle suddenly smiled though, "This is interesting…you seem to be able to communicate with us in a way similar to that of the wolves.

McKenna nodded, and she was grinning with her wolfish grin, "This is going to come in handy!"

Thirst was still on the forefront of my mind though, so I nodded vaguely.

Carlisle said, "We'll hunt. McKenna, go and tell the others that we're okay and we'll join them as soon as possible."

She nodded, "Right!" Carlisle looked surprised as she bounded off. He was looking at me in wonder.

"What?" I asked.

"You seem to be able to connect minds as well since I just heard what McKenna was thinking."

I grinned suddenly. It was nice to feel special, not to mention strong and graceful.

"We must be careful," Carlisle cautioned. My first hunt had gone well, though my clothes were more like shreds of cloth, though nothing too private was revealed. I had hunted a cougar and several herbivores, though I had liked the taste of the cougars blood better. My strength and speed were still a bit mind boggling, and my thirst was in no way quenched, but the burning had eased and my mind was now focused on battle.

Carlisle had told me that I was not to fight against any of the southern vampires that were older and that I was to only face newborns. I understood his logic since it would be deadly for me to face a more experienced vampire since I was nothing but a newborn myself.

"Ready?" He asked silently. Both of us were enjoying this ability of mine that allowed us to communicate silently.

I nodded, "Ye-…" I broke off as a soft thudding came from behind us. Whipping around a snarl built up in my throat, but it cut off as a blindingly white wolf pushed his head through the bushes. Our gazes locked, and for some reason I extended my new ability to him, wanting to hear his thoughts.

"No!" Josh's thoughts were filled with sorrow, anguish, and most surprising of all, a powerful wave of love. "This can't be! I wasn't supposed to still be imprinted on you once you were a vampire!"

Those thoughts kind of hurt so I retaliated, barely registering that my father had drawn back his lips in the beginnings of a snarl, "This is what I am!"

Josh looked startled, but it quickly faded, "I know…and I love every part of you…from how you look, to this new ability of yours…everything…"

Carlisle now snarled, and Josh quickly moved his head back into the shelter of the bush. A lot of good that would have done him against an angry and protective father vampire! I must have forgotten to keep Carlisle "out of the loop" so to speak. He had obliviously heard every thought that I had.

"Dad," I said aloud. It looked like it took a lot of effort for Carlisle to turn his attention to me rather than the bush where two storm grey eyes could still be seen. "I'm still your little girl." I glanced at the two grey orbs, "And I'm not sure how I feel about you still, Josh."

"That's all right!" Josh reassured me. "I can wait!"

This statement of mine and of Josh's seemed to reassure him for the time being. Glancing between the two of us, he turned his attention back to the scene below…

The combined efforts of our family, along with Jacob and Sam's packs had managed to get the southern vampires, along with the newborns into one clearing during the three days I had been incapacitated., though not without some injuries, on the wolves' parts at least. Sam had a nasty cut on his black face, though he was still fighting against the bald vampire with the tattoos, Julian. Jacob fought beside him, his shoulder dripping blood, but the two wolves were not fairing well against the southern vampire. At another part of the field, Edward and Bella seemed to be dancing as they fought off the circle of newborns around them, never straying far from the other's side. The same went for Rosalie and Emmett, and Jasper and Alice. Esme fought beside Quil and Embry, who seemed to be limping, each one carrying a hind leg awkwardly.

Seth fought with the young gray and white wolf that had been with Sam, Paul, and Josh when we had first encountered these southern vampires, along with McKenna. Seth was trying to get at the red haired one, Brett, and the gray and white wolf was struggling to get at the blonde haired vampire while McKenna kept both vampires on their toes by snapping at either one whenever they were within reach of her jaws.

"Let's go," Carlisle said silently. He shot forward, heading towards Esme.

Josh and I stayed still for several seconds, a silent question passing between us, though neither of us dared ask the other directly.

Josh finally nodded as I used my ability to link us, "I will fight beside you."

We sprinted forward, my strength allowing me to keep up with his long strides, and then the battle became a blur from there. There appeared to be nothing but my movements and Josh's as we moved around the other to confuse the newborns (I must admit, sometimes I got confused) but Josh's thoughts kept mine straight, and soon the number of enemies seemed less as we wove around each other, striking at our enemies.

Then Julian's voice rose above the sounds of snarls, screeches, and yelps, "We will surrender!" It was filled with desperation. The fighting stopped then, even the newborns seemed to understand how dire their situation had become. No longer were they the stronger force. Our force of wolves and vampires greatly outnumbered them now.

Twelve remained of their forces, including Julian himself and Brett. The blonde female had not survived.

I moved to stand with the rest of my family, who stood in a line facing Julian and his remaining forces. Jacob and Sam, along with the rest of their packs stood behind us.

Julian said, "You truly are a strong coven…we will leave now…if you will let us…" His tone was uncertain.

Carlisle exchanged a quick glance with the rest of us, and a silent agreement was made. There was no point in fighting any more.

"As long as you vow to stay away from here and never return…you may leave in peace," Carlisle finally said.

Julian's face showed relief as he turned to leave, motioning for what remained of his coven to follow.

Fires were made to burn the remnants of those vampires that had been ripped apart, and the smell of incense filled the air. We stood together as a family while Jacob and Sam made sure that they were not missing any of from their packs. Josh stood a little ways away from my family and I, looking sheepish (which is pretty hard to pull off when you're a wolf).

We were all leaning against each other, glad that we were all alive. My brothers had pretended to act incredulous and teased that I was the ugliest vampire they had seen, while my sisters told me I was quite beautiful, I really didn't know what I looked like, though I could imagine my blood red eyes quite easily.

I decided that I should simply show them my new ability. Gently touching their minds, I connected them all to each other, Bella and Carlisle were the only two aware of the fact, Carlisle, having experienced my new ability before, and Bella because she had to allow me access to her mind. She shot me a questioning look, but she allowed me to use my ability. I told them all, "I love you." Heads jerked in my direction in astonishment, but then smiles broke out. Edward grinned mischievously as I slowly disconnected the connections I had made to their minds (connecting was easier than disconnecting). Even though Eleazar had described my abilities like I door, I considered it to be more complicated. I had just finished disconnecting everyone from my thoughts, and each others, and I watched Edward frown. I grinned triumphantly.

"That's no fair," he grouched. "Two vampires that can block my mind reading?" Bella came up just then and kissed him, and he seemed to be quite happy then.

I smiled, and Josh padded forward, leaning against me, and I touched his fur. Though he was extremely hot to me, it didn't bother me too much. Maybe it was the way he kept looking at me with his eyes, the love that was there that I had apparently been oblivious to before…I was starting to understand my feelings for him, and I was starting to feel relaxed and happy again.

My happiness wouldn't be able to come just yet though, as a familiar voice called tentatively from the woods a little ways off, though fear was in the voice as well, "Sara…?" That was about the time I scented human blood. Hiro had somehow managed to hike his way up to this spot.