Violent Ends

by AgoodWITCH

Edward has spent his lifetime as a monster, building a family one unfortunate soul at a time. It was how he was raised, and he had always wished he could live the peaceful life his family did, but he didn't have a reason to, until her. "These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which, as they kiss, consume."

Thanks to Mizzdee for betaing andBitterHarpy, Purplebrina, and cullenlvr83 for pre-reading. I wrote this for the Thirst Contest so thank you to everyone who supported me in the contest, thank you! Hope you enjoy my alternate take on the Cullen origin story. I'll hopefully be back to posting regularly in the new year. Thanks for the support and Merry Christmas if you celebrate, otherwise, Happy Holidays whatever you celebrate.

Summary: Edward has spent his lifetime as a monster, building a family one unfortunate soul at a time. It was how he was raised, and he had always wished he could live the peaceful life his family did, but he didn't have a reason to, until her. "These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which, as they kiss, consume."

Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

AN: Italics are thoughts that Edward is reading.

~Violent Ends~

It was hard to remember my human existence, and James never discussed it beyond saying he saw something in me in those brief glimpses before my change. He was an experienced hunter, who felt a pull towards his prey and hunted them until the game was done. My newborn year was spent training me for his game and making sure I wouldn't expose us.

I'd been taught about the different ways blood would call to me, feeling James' past reactions through his thoughts. The days he would think of past kills always led to particularly violent hunts in my early days, but after I had gained control, I could separate his past from our present. There were times that James and I worked together, and others when we would divide and conquer.

It was the spring of 1920 and we were on a hunt that was leading us towards New Orleans. We were running through the woods outside Biloxi when a faint scent caught James' attention. He froze, so I doubled back to read his thoughts.

That smells divine.

"You've been tracking this vampire for over a year and this is the first time he's separated from his coven. If you don't want to take on an army, strike now," I told him.

"What about the snack?"

"You've tracked older scents. But if you want, I can do a little snooping. Make sure there aren't any vampires in control of this region."

"See you in a few days," James said with a smirk.

He continued on the course we'd been on while I veered south. The scent was old, just a whiff of what it might have been. I knew how it appealed to James, so if the area had other vampires, we might be in for a fight, and he wouldn't care about anything but his snack.

I followed the scent back to Biloxi, to a house that had the strongest concentration. But this scent was as old as the one in the woods.

While I read the minds of everyone around me, looking for one of my kind, I caught the thoughts of a young girl at the local church. She was young. Ten or eleven years old, but filled with sadness. Since I dressed to blend in, instead of stand out, like James, I looked like any other churchgoer, paying my respects on an overcast day. I got closer, pretending to visit a grave a few rows behind her and saw the grave she stood before.

Mary Alice Brandon 1901-1919

I found it odd that it only had the years, the family must not have been able to afford the cost of a more detailed engraving.

"Cynthia, come on," a man called.

I saw in the girl's mind that her father became angry when she'd linger here too long, and today was no exception. His thoughts were easy to read.

That damned child is still causing problems a year after locking her away.

A flash in his thoughts, the sign for Mississippi State Insane Asylum let me know where this girl might be.

I searched the minds of people as I ran on the outskirts of town. It wasn't until I was near the local doctor's office did I hear thoughts of transferring his patient up to Jackson for evaluation. Now, I had her location.

The sun broke through the clouds and I was forced to wait until evening. When it was safe to move again, I ran to Jackson and found the asylum. Considering how large it was, it wasn't difficult.

When night fell, I pried open a window in the attic and snuck down to the main corridors, following the scent until I heard a whisper.

"Are you an angel?"

I turned to see the girl who was the object of James' most recent obsession. The image of a tiny girl with long black hair and deep brown eyes was not who sat before me. Her hair had been cut short, the pieces uneven.

"What if I'm not an angel, but the devil," I said with a smirk.

"A devil wouldn't be my salvation." She smiled back. "You'll see. Tomorrow I'll be in solitary for a week, it will be easier for us to meet."

"Cynthia misses you," I offered in parting.

"Who is she?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow, Mary Alice."

"Just Alice, Angel."

The next day she was in the solitary room like she'd said, and it gave me the opportunity to speak to her a little more. She knew nothing of her past, but her mind was filled with flashes of the future. What was most shocking was what she saw from me.

She didn't know I could read her mind, but she kept seeing different visions of me changing her. And soon. The following morning, I snuck out and pilfered a few things for her. She was like the sister I'd always wanted, her quick wit and cheerful personality was heartwarming and if I was honest, I didn't want her to be nothing more than James' next conquest.

When night fell, I snuck in again, but Alice was more agitated. I tried to calm her down, but she shook her head.

"I can see your thoughts, Alice. You're afraid of James?"

"If you don't do it tonight, it will be too late."

"How can you be sure?"

"He's returning. By tomorrow, he'll be here."

"It wouldn't be enough just to turn you. I would need to move you." I thought about where I could move her. I would need to make a wide arc around Louisiana to give us a chance. But it could work. What worried me more was having to leave her to figure out her newborn year.

"We're doing it?"

"We need to go."

I adjusted the satchel I was wearing to the front and told Alice to climb on my back.

"This will work, I can see it." And so could I. Her vision guided my decisions as I broke her out of the asylum and took off. We ran through Arkansas and into Texas, finding a cabin to take cover in when the sun trapped me inside.

I took the bag off and she smiled, thanking me for the gifts. I looked at her confused for a minute and then laughed. "You know what's in this bag."

"The dresses are beautiful and the butterfly brooch is a sweet way to commemorate my transformation."

"Pick one of the dresses and we'll get started."

I turned around to give Alice some privacy and when she was ready, I approached her where she laid on the bed.

"I'll see you in three days," she whispered.

"I'll be here." I leaned down and bit her neck, sealing the wound when I was done. I moved to her wrists and repeated the action.

I watched as she lay there with no sign of distress or pain, and I knew she was feeling both. She had told me she wasn't afraid of the pain after the electroshock treatments she endured. I kept my vigil as the days passed but just as her change was nearing its end, I heard thoughts approaching.

A nomad who'd been on his own since his transformation, with a rogue attitude but a fierce sense of right and wrong. There was a kindness in his thoughts as he let his mind wander and in that moment I knew what I had to do.

I stepped out of the cabin and spoke just louder than my normal voice. "I need your help. I'm one of your kind."

I stood poised to protect Alice, but when he came through the last of the trees, he was just as wary.

"What do you want?" the man said. He was just an inch or so taller than me with his blonde hair tied back and crimson eyes.

"My name is Edward. I have a friend who I just saved from someone who wanted to kill her. She's nearly done with her transformation, but I won't be able to guide her in this new life."

"What are you hoping for from me? If she is already mid-transformation, couldn't you keep her with you?"

"The vampire who wanted to consume her is my creator. But she's destined for so much more. Please, Sir, I can't help her the way she deserves."

His stance relaxed and he sighed. "I'm no 'sir', Edward. My name is Garrett," was all he said, but his thoughts spoke volumes. How are you so sure she's worth the risk?

"She's gifted, more so than I am."

"That might come in handy. I have a friend that I will take her to. Between the two of us, we should be able to keep her safe."

Go now, Edward. I will see you again. Alice's thoughts were clear behind me.

"I need to leave, she should be awake any time."

With a nod from Garrett, I took off. When James didn't find me in Mississippi, his instinct would tell him to search for me in Chicago. It was our place to regroup if we were ever separated. It hurt like hell to leave without seeing her safe, but the last thought I heard from Garrett gave me some comfort.

Well, I guess I've got me a little sister now.

Running straight to Chicago, only sto pping to feed, I arrived at Navy Pier. James said that it centered him to be surrounded by the various human scents, but I think he preferred it because it left me at a disadvantage.

I wandered the Pier for two days before catching his thoughts.

There better be a damn good explanation for why we're not in Mississippi right now.

Walking in the direction of his murderous thoughts, I didn't stop to talk, instead, I walked past him and away from the people on the pier. Once we were on a deserted street, James rounded on me.

"I got back to where we'd separated and followed you on quite a little adventure until you came up here. What happened?"

Taking an unnecessary breath, I told him my tale. "I followed the original scent to Biloxi and to a house. What I discovered was that she had died last year. I left and went for a hunt, practicing some of the tracking skills you've taught me. Before I could return to where we'd parted, I came across a vampire who was protecting his territory and his young mate. He gave chase for a while, so I decided to return here."

"You're sure it was her?" he asked.

"The scent still lingered faintly in the house, and I followed a young girl, her sister, to her grave."

"Damn," James growled. "Well, all the more reason to have stayed on the hunt I was on. But now, it is time to move forward."

And we did just that. James and I continued to hone our game, he would test how far I could track a person. When I picked my prey, they were always men. I didn't like the fearful last thoughts of a woman. Men were always more confident that they could fight off a punk kid, and if I managed to find a man who was loose-moraled, it made the hunt more fun.

While James tried to act like missing out on Alice didn't bother him, I knew it did. It was about six months later that he announced he was leaving on a journey.

"What do you mean, leaving?" I asked.

"I want to go and explore beyond the US and the idea of being on my own is exciting. Think about it, Edward. You'll get some time without me in your head. I'll find you when I'm done with my expedition."

"Happy hunting," I told him. It was exciting to think I'd be free of him for a while.

With a smirk, James took off due east and was out of sight in minutes. For the first time in ages, I didn't know what to do with myself. As it was nearly Christmas, I allowed myself to feel homesick. My family home sat unoccupied.

James, in a moment of rare charity, had made it seem as though I'd gone away after my parents' death so the house had been closed up with a caretaker put in place by my father's partner. Wanting to be close to their things after thinking so little of them in the last two and a half years, I decided to go home. I knew I could handle being around people long enough to take care of business. I made a point of not going when anyone who might remember me was in, and went a few days before I needed to hunt so my eyes looked more burgundy than red.

Walking in and handing over my old identification felt odd but, after a shocked look from the secretary, I was led back to one of the associates. He was nervous, so I tried to use the charm that allowed us to get close to humans when hunting and explained that I'd been badly injured when my mother was killed and her brother had taken me away to mend. As the young man listened to my requests, he prepared a list of the various things that would need to be handled. I was overwhelmed, not knowing how much went into this, but I was sure I would find a way to manage it.

With my business temporarily settled, I arrived at the house just as the caretaker was locking up. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Paulson?"

The man turned at my address. "I am." He paused for a moment before gasping, "Young Mr. Masen?"

"I am. Is it that obvious?" I asked.

"You look as though you haven't aged a day from the big picture on the front mantle," he responded.

The picture, if I remembered, was one my mother insisted on just after my seventeenth birthday. She was terrified of me enlisting and wanted a picture of me in case I snuck off to do just that. I could have made a joke, but instead I got right down to business. "I was told by my father's partners at the firm that you were the caretaker for the house now."

"That would be me. I was about to leave the house until the New Year. Were you planning on moving home, Sir?"

"No, I'm afraid I will be selling the place. Too many memories and I've made a home for myself."

"Well, that is a shame, but if I can be of any help in the meantime, please let me know," he said, handing over the keys.

"I will make sure you are kept on until the sale, and well looked after beyond that. I appreciate all you've done since my parents' death."

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Masen. If you need anything, the law office has my information."

"Merry Christmas to you, as well, Mr. Paulson."

I opened the door and was assaulted by so many memories. Even after two and a half years, I could make out the faint scent of my mother's perfume and my father's cigars. The faint light coming through the windows illuminated the dust motes swirling through the air. I moved through the house looking at things and trying to remember my human life.

It was hard.

Finding some of the photo albums helped, bringing specific moments back through the filmy veil of my human memories. Birthdays, Christmases, trips and special occasions. They came crashing down one after another. It was like I couldn't breathe, an unfamiliar sensation in my new form, until a knock at the door pulled me from my turmoil. Sitting the album on the floor, I moved slowly towards the door. Unsure of whom I would find, I was shocked when I opened the door.

"I told you we'd meet again," Alice said barely above a whisper.

I pulled her into a crushing hug, her tinkling laughter reminding me of tiny bells. The second laugh from further behind her on my porch caught my attention. I looked up to see not the unkempt nomad I'd left her with, Garrett, but the epitome of a gentleman. His light blonde hair was styled perfectly and his suit was well put together. They looked quite the pair.

Alice was right, he would have crushed her brooch.

I startled at his thought and let go of Alice. "What are you doing here? And where is Garrett?"

I eyed the man she was with suspiciously. Had he harmed the person I'd trusted her with?

"Calm down, Edward. This is Garrett's friend, Carlisle. I saw him consider bringing me to him, and the possibilities were far better. Not that there was anything wrong with Garrett, but Carlisle has spent a lot longer assimilating in with humans. I've been with him a few months and while I'm still far from perfect, Carlisle is good at keeping me on a short leash."

I looked down at her and smiled, until I noticed the odd color of her eyes. They were deep amber instead of red. My eyes moved to this man, Carlisle, and saw that his were an even more unnatural color. They were golden, almost yellow.

"Why don't we all go inside and talk some more, Alice, you can tell him what you've seen," Carlisle suggested and I was annoyed at how she followed his lead so readily.

Alice linked her arm through mine as we all entered the house. "You're doing the right thing, getting rid of the house. I've seen it all working out quite well. And, if you're willing to trust us, Carlisle has a property not far from here where he can store anything you wish to keep. We can also help you set up a bank account so the money from the sale can be saved for you. Carlisle is adept at this sort of thing. It has made him a wealthy man."

"How do you see things so clearly now, your visions used to be flashes?" I asked.

"Now that I'm a vampire, it has been enhanced, like your ability to read minds wasn't prominent when you were a human. From what we're assuming, it has to do with someone making a decision. When they do, things become clearer. But it is never certain. You choosing to come here was the clearest thing I've seen."

"So you chose to come see me?"

"Of course. You protected me, and a time will come when you're ready to leave your life behind. I see flickers of uncertainty when you're with James. When you're ready, we'll be ready to show you a better way."

"I don't understand. What better way? Does this have something to do with your eyes?"

Carlisle stepped forward. "It is our diet. We don't hunt humans, we hunt animals. I jokingly call it a vegetarian lifestyle."

I looked to Alice. "Are you happy?"

"It isn't without sacrifice, but I've seen so many things that could be and living this way makes them possible."

"Even me joining you?" I was incredulous.

"Yes."

"I don't know how long James will be gone on this trip, so would you both be willing to help me pack up my human life?"

"It would be an honor to see the young man you were before James."

For the next few days, we handled all of my business. I was surprised that the property Alice spoke of was a home and not some type of storage facility.

My belongings filled a sizable corner of the basement of what was just one of Carlisle's multiple properties. I gave the lawyer the information for my new account and they told me they would handle everything for me. Alice and Carlisle came with me to that meeting, and Carlisle stood in as my "uncle" and I told them if there were any issues they could speak to him directly.

With that settled, I wanted to go, but Alice begged me to stay a few more days. It was odd to come and go from a house, dressed nicely and feeling almost human. I wasn't sure if I was ready for this new life.

"You're leaving," Alice said, a resigned tone to her voice.

"I'm not ready for whatever this is yet, and I need to hunt."

"Carlisle said we'll stay here until the end of my newborn year at least, so if you need to find us quickly..."

"I'm sure you'll see me coming," I teased.

Carlisle stood up and shook my hand. "You're welcome anytime, Edward."

"Thank you, Carlisle. And thank you for keeping her safe." I meant it honestly. I hadn't known him more than a few weeks, but Carlisle was uncommonly kind, and he cared about Alice like she was his own. He said he'd always wanted children, and in Alice, he now had a daughter.

I took off, moving west to put even more distance between myself and James, I didn't know where he was, but if he went east, I was going west.

I wandered, hunting the way I preferred. It felt right after seeing Alice, to kill men who would hurt others. While criss-crossing the northwest, the weeks turned into months before I found myself in a waterfront town in Wisconsin. As it was spring, April or May, I stuck to the more secluded areas outside town.

Sitting in the woods was peaceful. It gave me moments of normalcy away from the constant barrage and allowed me to be one with my thoughts.

I'd recently fed on a vile man named Charles Evenson who was searching for his runaway wife. It took nothing to end him and protect the unfortunate woman he was seeking. His rage and alcohol consumption had blurred her features, but I hoped she'd take comfort in the news of his demise.

I'm sorry Carlisle, you deserved so much more than I could give you. But we'll be together soon.

This woman's thought caught my attention for several reasons. First, Carlisle wasn't a common name. I'd learned from my stay with him and Alice that he'd been turned centuries ago in England. But more than that was the absolute anguish in her contradictory statement. To say he deserved more than she could give while planning for their reunion, it was odd. I didn't have much time to think about it, because her next thought crashed into me.

Forgive me, Father, for the sin I'm about to commit.

A muffled scream paired with the internal cries of this woman had me moving before I'd consciously thought to help her. I ran towards the cliff and looked around quickly before I slid down into the ravine. What I found shocked me to my core.

Delicate features and caramel brown hair, so much like my mother. I still didn't know if the Carlisle she spoke of was Alice's adoptive father, it was a long shot at best, but there was one thing I knew for sure.

I could save her where I had failed my mother.

I bent down to whisper in her ear. "This will hurt at first, but everything will be okay."

Her eyes shot open in shock before a watery smile overtook her face. "My son."

Not wanting her injuries to get to a point where my venom would be too late, I sank my teeth into her neck, pushing my venom forward without tasting her blood. I couldn't sully this act.

Her body arched brokenly off the ground, so I lifted her out of the ravine and moved further into the wooded area. I found an abandoned hunting cabin where the roof had begun to rot through and carried her to the bed.

Her whimpers ebbed and flowed as I tried to comfort her. The sound of my voice soothed her more than anything so I told her everything that came to my mind.

Stories of my childhood surged to the forefront and I shared them all. I told her about my mother and how I hadn't been able to save her, but I wouldn't fail again.

When words failed, I hummed absently. Those moments seemed to calm her, so I kept it going. I ran through the catalog of classical music my mother had made sure I'd learned. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed playing the piano and wished I could play again. Maybe someday.

I wished I knew her name so I could talk to her and not at her, but that would have to wait.

For three days I spoke about everything and nothing, not even knowing if she could make out my words or was just reacting to the sound of my voice.

Her body changed in a way I didn't notice with Alice, but as I heard what sounded like crackling with each movement I realized it was her body healing itself from the fall. Her skin paled and her features took on the vampiric quality. Even her hair grew fuller and looked brighter.

I listened to the last stuttering beats of her heart and sat beside her on the narrow bed, waiting for the moment she opened her eyes.

Her lashes fluttered and then her eyes flew open, searching frantically until they fell on mine.

"It wasn't a dream," she whispered. Her hand flew to her throat, shocked by the sound of her own voice.

"You're safe, but there is a lot to explain. First, do you remember your name?"

"Esme Evenson."

"Esme, my name is Edward Masen Jr. and I was near the cliff the day you decided to jump. Do you remember that?"

"I do," she looked ashamed. "You saved me?"

I felt the beginnings of the crooked smile that my mother had often described as impish cross my face. It was a comfort to remember that teasing. "That is up for debate. Once you've heard everything, that will be your decision."

"I don't understand."

"No, but you will."

Sitting beside her on the bed, I told her about what it had taken to save her. There were bits she remembered hearing during her transformation, it seems my voice wasn't just a comfort because she knew she wasn't alone. Once she grew used to the burning, she understood what I had been telling her. Esme's level of acceptance and compassion was unlike anything I had ever experienced as she comforted me for the choices I'd made.

"How do you not hate me?"

"You didn't have the best initiation into this life, from the sound of it, but look at the decisions you've made. You saved that young woman, Alice, and now she's living with her friend, the one that helped you recently."

"Yes. Alice is convinced that someday I'll be a part of their life, but I don't know how that's possible. James won't let me just walk away. I'm useful to him. When he comes back, I'm worried about it. Whatever he was tracking was big enough for him to leave me with no idea of when he would come back."

"Why don't we go in search of your friends? Alice can use her power to keep an eye out for James' return. We can cross that bridge when we come to it. You're my son, Edward. You saw a mother in me just as I thought you were the baby boy I lost calling me home. We'll keep each other safe."

Esme reached forward to cup my face in her hands. With slow movements as she tested her new strength and movements, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on my forehead before pressing her forehead to mine.

"I don't know if they're still in Chicago, but we could try."

"I'd like that."

"But first, you need to hunt."

Watching it sink in that the burning she felt was hunger took a few seconds, but Esme was already standing up on the bed.

"How?"

"I only know one way," I admitted.

I took her out and led her on this hunt. I didn't want to take her anywhere too populated, so we followed the road until we reached a dive bar outside of some town. We were fortunate that there was a thrift store on the way, I was able to use some of the money I carried with me to purchase Esme and I a few new outfits in case our clothes were ruined. She changed out of the dress she'd worn during her change and we entered the bar a few minutes apart.

The men in the bar definitely took notice of her and I listened to their thoughts. Most were simply curious, but a pair sitting in the back were clearly taking notice. I sipped my drink slowly, not looking forward to the moment I would throw it up. I could tell from the look on Esme's face the first sip she took would be her last.

Our eyes met and I looked up and stood, paying my tab. I exited the bar, threw up the whiskey and stepped into the shadows. A few minutes later, Esme walked out, spitting out the sip she'd taken before continuing towards the dark corner of the parking lot.

The men I'd picked out weren't far behind her and I let them follow her to the shadows before I pursued them. They were confused as to what she was doing, but her lack of self-preservation served their sick purpose, until it served ours.

She was glorious in her first kill. I took the second man out and we sated ourselves before moving on.

We did this a few more times before arriving in Chicago, wanting to be sure that she was full prior to entering the city. It would be dangerous to do otherwise. Our last kills were a few deer, they softened the red of our eyes to what likely looked hazel to humans. It was enough to blend in.

I still didn't know if the Carlisle she'd called out for was Alice's Carlisle, but I wanted to hedge my bets. As we entered the city, I took Esme to a store that sold nicer clothes and told her to hold her breath and practice the human imitating skills I had shown her. It wasn't a terribly long detour, but we both left better dressed and with a small wardrobe no matter where life took us next.

We approached the house and I was anxious. If this was what I thought, I would lose Esme. She belonged with Carlisle, but I still wasn't sure I did.

I was about to knock on the front door when I heard Carlisle voice.

"Edward, is that you?"

Esme and I turned and I knew the moment they both saw each other that I had been right.

"Esme?" he whispered.

Carlisle. How?

"Esme, this is my friend, the one I wanted you to meet."

She turned to me, a look of awe on her face. "You heard. The last thoughts I had before … you heard. That's why you brought me here."

"I wasn't sure, but I wanted to give you both the chance."

"Carlisle," Esme said. "It is good to see you. You're all I've dreamt about these last ten years."

"Are you okay? How did this happen?"

"Edward saved me from myself, after he unknowingly killed my husband," Esme said.

"I can't believe that's really you," his voice was still stunned.

The door opened behind us and Alice stepped onto the porch. "We should go, Edward. Give our parents a chance to catch up."

Alice winked at Carlisle as we passed and she and I took off on a run. We avoided the thoroughfares and soon found ourselves beyond the city limits. Alice always knew what I needed, even without her gift.

"You leaving will break Esme's heart."

"You can't see her reaction to my decision."

"I don't need my gift to see it. She'll survive with Carlisle's help, but she'll miss you. We all will."

"James is a problem that needs to be dealt with. If he walks away, a part of me will always be looking over my shoulder."

"So you end him?" she asked.

"Or hope whatever he's looking for is better than me. Or he'll think I take the fun out of the game. I'm the longest companion he's had."

"You know I watch your future. If there's ever a chance that something bad is going to happen, we'll be there. I won't see any harm come to my brother."

"The feeling is entirely mutual, Sis."

We were gone for two weeks, running free the way I was used to living, although Alice held firm to her diet. She told me about Jasper, the young soldier she knew would one day be her mate. She'd seen everything up to his reaction, which made me laugh.

"If you know who he is, why not find him now? 1948 is a long way off."

"Because, when I think about finding him now, the future is too uncertain. He needs to come to me. I can be patient. He'll be worth it."

When we did return to Carlisle's house, it was obvious that he and Esme had been busy. They'd replaced several pieces of furniture and I doubted it was due to a difference in taste.

Esme was thrilled to have me back, and after listening to her pleas, I decided to stay.

In the beginning, it was hard adjusting to the diet, especially in such a crowded setting. Someone was with me whenever I left the house, which was frustrating. It was like my newborn year all over again.

But the first slip wasn't mine.

Esme was out one afternoon with Alice and a man whistled at her. She stared at him a moment but did nothing. It was later when he was outside our home that she didn't stop herself.

Carlisle took the body to the city morgue, no one suspected a doctor of being there so it was easily covered up, but the guilt ate away at Esme. Carlisle tried to assuage it, but in the end, I offered the best comfort.

"Any of us are capable of slipping up. If Carlisle had seen that man approaching you, I doubt even he would have let him get close. And Carlisle is well aware of how you can take care of yourself. If the worst were to happen, Carlisle would move the coven to a new town, someplace smaller where there's less chance of human interaction. We are fighting our nature. That is difficult in the beginning."

"Thank you, Edward. I know we're all capable of slipping, but hearing that from Carlisle when he's never tasted human blood is harder to believe."

We were able to stay together as a family for nearly a year before Alice got her vision.

"He's coming back, and he isn't alone."

I looked at the vision she'd had as she remembered it. James with a female vampire with fiery red hair in long ringlets.

"I need to go. You know he'll come looking for me. Hopefully having her will be enough for him."

The whole family saw me off that night. Alice hugged me tight, like she thought she could keep me safe if she just held on. Esme pulled me close, and like she did that first day, kissed my forehead before pressing her forehead to mine. Carlisle gave my right shoulder a firm squeeze and nodded.

I'll keep them both safe until you return.

I nodded back, unable to say anything because it hurt too much. I would miss them, but I wouldn't bring James into their world.

I ran off, finding a few people to feed from so my eyes would be the right color when James found me.

Days and weeks began to blur like they did when I was away from civilized society. I wasn't sure how long it had been when I heard their thoughts, but It was not long enough. James' laugh echoed through the forest as he charged me. I held my position until just before he would have connected, sending him crashing into the forest floor.

A soft gasp sounded behind me and both James and I turned to the sound. "Don't worry, Baby. We're only playing."

Slowly, a woman emerged from the trees. She was petite, around Esme's height with fiery red hair falling in perfectly coiled spirals down to the middle of her back. Her eyes narrowed as she regarded me so I focused on her mind, but her thoughts were elusive because I was almost sure she was actively keeping her mind clear.

James laughed and the sound shook her up enough that she thought of him. I was shocked by the way she regarded him. I'd never thought he'd find a mate, but it explained why he felt the need to run off and leave me behind.

"Edward," James called. "This is my Vicky. Victoria, this is Edward, my protégé."

"Nice to meet you," I told her.

"Likewise," she whispered.

While her words were kind, her mind revealed that she was not trusting of me at all. It made me wonder what James had told her about me.

I'd hoped that James finding a mate would free me from this vicious cycle, but he kept me closer, like he was afraid I would pull away. So we continued as we always had. To James, we were weapons. I could hear the thoughts of anyone around us and if there was danger Victoria would feel the pull to run and we would reevaluate.

Time meant nothing again. I would catch a date on a calendar, or a thought in a mind and it would let me know of the passage of years.

August 14th, 1926.

January 25th, 1928.

November 10th, 1929.

March 16th, 1932.

James had caught the scent of a new victim and we were off again. Victoria seemed off from the moment we left, but James wouldn't listen to her concerns. As we crossed the country, I caught Victoria's attention during one of our hunts.

"Victoria, what's wrong?"

Something isn't right. But James won't listen to me. He says I'm being too timid.

"What is it?"

One of us isn't going to survive this, I can feel it.

"If you think he's leading us to a slaughter, we can work together. I don't want to be under his thumb forever."

I can't, I love him. Even if he doesn't love me the same.

That caught my attention. I'd seen a mated pair in Carlisle and Esme, and Victoria and James had seemed different, but maybe that was because they weren't mates? Or at least, James didn't see her as a mate. It made me sad for Victoria, even more than I had been.

James had found his target, but as soon as he'd killed the man, he was already onto his next victim. We arrived in a town in Upstate New York called Rochester. We moved through the streets in the cover of night when a strangled whisper met our ears.

We followed the noise and I could feel Victoria's hackles rising. As we finally found the source of the sound, it was a beautiful young woman. Her blonde hair was hanging loosely from her updo, her body bloodied from whoever had gotten to her before us. Before any of us could react, James was on her, biting her neck and then pulling away.

"James what are you doing?" Victoria hissed.

"Changing her."

"You brought us here for another member of our coven?" I asked.

"She's different, you'll see," James said as he lifted her into his arms and ran off.

Victoria and I followed behind him until we came to an abandoned building outside of town. We remained there for the whole of her transformation. James was singularly focused on the young woman, his thoughts lecherous. Victoria was growing more resentful by the hour, and I was waiting for the fall out. It was obvious James thought he was adding another woman to his would-be harem, but I doubted the three of them would survive this.

As the third day neared its end, I could begin to make out thoughts in this woman's mind. She was more than angry, she was irate. I doubted either of them would survive her if it came to a fight.

Screaming behind me broke my focus and I turned to them. "Can you take that outside? She's nearly awake and if she wakes to this you'll have a hell of a time keeping her with us."

"Let's go, Vick." James grabbed Victoria's arm and dragged her from the room.

I didn't bother to listen to them as I turned back to this young woman. It was a matter of minutes before her heart stuttered to a stop and her eyes slowly opened.

"Miss, I need you to listen to me. We only have one chance to both get out of here alive."

The woman flew off the bed and crouched in front of me. "Who are you?"

"My name is Edward Masen and I mean you no harm. But the man I'm with does. So we need to work together."

"If you're with him, why should I trust you?"

"It isn't by choice. I have a family that I miss, but they won't be safe with him out there. We can be each other's chance for freedom, Miss."

"Rosalie. My name is Rosalie Hale. And if you're telling me the truth, we need a plan."

"He's attracted to you, and the woman he's with doesn't seem pleased about that. So we need to make him think he doesn't stand a chance."

"Okay. I'll follow your lead."

I heard the footsteps and thoughts coming. I didn't know where Victoria was, but James was almost here. I took Rosalie's hand and pulled her to me, crashing my lips to hers just as James opened the door.

What the fuck?!

I growled at his thought and he took a step back. I broke the kiss and pulled Rosalie behind me.

"Edward, what's going on?"

"She isn't yours."

James threw his hands up in surrender and took another step back as Rosalie clutched my arm. "All right."

"Go, now."

"I'll give you some time together, but I will find you in the future," James said as he ran from the room. I stood there frozen for a few moments, listening to him flee the area.

"Do you think he's really gone?" Rosalie asked.

"He knows with my gift that squaring off against me with my mate at stake would be a death sentence."

"How did you hear that?" she asked.

I turned to see her shocked face. "You thought that?"

"Yes."

"I'm gifted in this life. I can hear the thoughts of anyone and everyone around me. It was part of why he kept me."

"And the woman you said he fought with?"

"Victoria. She can sense when danger is near and has the talent to find ways to escape it. I wonder if she's gone with him."

"You didn't actually feel that way about me, right?" If I couldn't hear the disgust in her voice, I could read it in her thoughts.

"No, it was like kissing a sister."

Her sigh of relief made me laugh.

"We should go and get some of your belongings. It'll be the last chance to get close before your family assumes the worst."

I took her hand and led her out of the room we'd been hiding in to see a fire in the hearth in the far corner of the building. I stopped for a minute, confused before I saw a fur shawl and some red hair that hadn't caught yet.

"What's wrong?"

"Victoria," I pointed to the fire and she gasped. "Let's get out of here."

She led me to her family's home. With instructions on which room was hers, I snuck in and grabbed a few outfits, a couple pieces of jewelry, and her diary. Returning with them in a shoulder satchel, we took off into the night.

I was trying to decide how best to teach her to feed, when we came across a man. He looked ordinary, but Rosalie was fixated. She leaned in to whisper. "His name is Thomas, bring him out to me."

I trusted her enough to fetch the man. It wasn't hard, I told him there was a young woman looking for him and he came running. His death was quick, but it wasn't without terror. He knew the folly of his choices in the end and Rosalie took pleasure in it.

Once I'd fed as well, she made her plans for the next man on her list.

She took her time. The restraint she showed so young to this life was amazing, but it was a necessity to her. Rosalie wanted to punish every man involved with her attack that night. Having heard her story and the clarity she had of that last human memory, there was no way I would have stopped her.

It took months, so as not to draw too much attention to our activities, but for Rosalie, that made it more fun as she moved through the list, leaving her ex-fiance for last.

He knew she was coming for him, though he didn't know how it was possible. And her plan was perfect, if not a touch dramatic.

We broke into the apartment he'd holed himself up in, Rosalie and I disposing of his two security guards while she continued on to Royce King's bedroom. I drank my fill while she played for a few moments, coming out with her eyes as bright as her smile.

"Let's get out of here," Rosalie said.

Where Alice had always felt like a little sister I needed to protect, Rosalie was a lioness. Our friendship was easy and I loved having someone to run with who didn't tax me. Rosalie's mind was like a shallow pond, still, but clear. There was no artifice with her, if she thought or felt something, she told you. It was refreshing.

We'd been running for a while when, in the Smoky Mountains, we'd come across some hunters. After our hunt, we heard the roar of a bear that'd been woken from its hibernation. We'd been separated at the time, so I listened for Rosalie's thoughts, but it was her voice that rang out.

"Edward, come quick!"

She knew that volume wasn't necessary, which made me concerned for her. When I found her in a small stand of trees she was crouching next to a mountain of a man.

"Edward, you need to change him. I would do it, but I'm afraid of killing him. I've never changed someone before."

"Rosalie..."

I need him alive, Edward.

"Fine, move to the side."

I knelt beside the man and accessed where the bear had struck. He would die quickly if I didn't act. Biting him a few places and licking closed the largest wound by the bear, I turned to Rosalie.

"We need to find his hunting cabin."

Rosalie used her senses and located the small place he called home when hunting and we laid him in the bed while he changed. It was the first time I'd seen Rosalie act so protective of any human, so I was happy to assist her, checking on his progress when she grew worried. It was a long three days by her account, but finally we were graced with his eyes opening.

"My angel," he whispered and she laughed. "Is this heaven?"

"No, but I hope you will be happy in this new life." Rosalie turned to me and I explained to him what we were and what that made him. I was expecting outrage or sadness, but he was happy with it if it meant Rosalie would be by his side. Smiling at yet another mated couple in my life, I had an idea.

"Rosalie, I've talked to you about my family. I think it is time you meet them."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"You and your young man will be welcomed and it will be easier to fit in if you adapt to their diet."

"You'll come with us?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Emmett, what do you think?" Rosalie asked.

"I'll follow you anywhere," Emmett told her.

We ran west, knowing that if Alice saw me coming, she'd find me before we got there. Sure enough, we were just outside Denver, Colorado when she found us. They were staying in a fine house in one of the towns north of the city, giving them the privacy they needed. Alice's exuberance had caught Rosalie off guard, but within a week they were thick as thieves. Emmett was accepted readily and everyone was happy to have me back. I was happy to be with them too, but I knew James would come back.

Once we'd all managed to curb our baser nature, we moved to a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Forks, Washington was a quiet, rainy town but it afforded us ample room to hunt. There'd been a small problem when we'd first arrived, a tribe of shapeshifters who were unhappy to have "cold ones" in the area. Carlisle took point and negotiated a treaty with their chief, Ephraim Black. Making that peace allowed us to stay nearby.

We spent two years there before Alice's vision came.

I saw James killing Alice first before picking off my family one at a time. He was gleeful in the massacre, saving me for last so I could be a witness to their destruction.

"How?"

"I don't know. But he's thought about coming for you. If I'm seeing this, he must have considered killing whoever you're with to get you alone."

"Tell the others I said goodbye."

"This isn't like the other times," Alice whispered.

"What makes you say that?"

"I can't see you coming for us again."

"Alice. Keep an eye out. I'm sure I'll cross your mind again."

I left and waited for James to come and find me, but oddly, he never came. Years passed and though I wanted to rejoin my family, that last vision kept me for seeking them out.

Years turned to decades and l wallowed in my solitude. Finally, needing to feel close to them, knowing they'd have long ago left the place, I returned to Forks. My vegetarian diet allowed me to assimilate into the local logging industry. I built a small cabin in the woods and labored my days away. The men were happy to have another strong co-worker, but not the type to pry into a man's life.

Ephraim was still alive, although near the end of his life. I paid a visit to make sure he understood I would stand by our treaty as long as I was in the area.

It was a quiet few years, until one day in my cabin I heard some young women camping further off the trails than was normal. Their thoughts were mundane with a single exception. Renee Higginbotham had a mind that reminded me of Rosalie. Loud and without guile. She spoke her mind and her thoughts jumped into my head as if she were projecting them.

She was taking time to explore, a restless wanderer, much like myself. I kept an eye on her while she was in town, but it wasn't a long stay.

A few months went by and I was surprised to see Renee Higginbotham walking down Main Street with the local police officer, Charlie Swan. He was a good man as far as I could tell and they seemed happy.

I would catch glimpses of her from time to time, but where her thoughts were once happy and full of possibility they were growing bleaker each time I saw her. It was in May that I realized she was with child. I didn't know if that was causing the change in her temperament, but I hoped she would improve in time. But the improvement never came.

I would sit in the woods and listen to her screaming thoughts about feeling trapped and not wanting this life for herself. I heard the arguments she had with Charlie about how she wanted them to leave this small town, but he refused because of his ailing parents.

That's when Renee stopped fighting with him altogether.

Months continued to pass and Renee gave birth to a daughter. Both she and Charlie were over the moon to welcome their little Isabella into the world and for a moment, Renee was content.

Not long after the birth, her thoughts began to grow dark. If it hadn't been for her infant daughter, I would have gone to her and offered her a way to escape the mundane life she feared, but I couldn't tear apart a mother from her child.

So I watched and hoped for her mood to improve.

One day in March, my foreman asked if I could pick up a shift for one of the guys who was sick and I agreed. The work kept me busy and allowed me to use my full strength when others weren't close. I needed the distraction.

I buried myself in the work, knowing I could check on Renee and her family when my day was done. But it wasn't meant to be.

I crept up to the back of the house to find it in chaos. While I'd never paid particular attention to Charlie's mind until this moment, it was shocking that I couldn't read it. I got a feel for general emotions, but thoughts eluded me.

"No, Billy, they're gone. Renee left a note and packed up Bella while I was working a morning shift. I don't know where she's going."

Hearing that Renee was gone worried me. I couldn't keep them safe if I didn't know where she was, so I took off running. I used every hunting skill I'd learned from James and was thankful that the area was so heavily wooded. I ran much faster than I ever could have driven. I don't know why, but I had a bad feeling about all of this. It wasn't until I got to Port Angeles that I caught a scent that I wished I'd never smell again. James was out here and that meant I needed to find Renee and Bella faster.

I kept close to the road, but a few miles outside Humptulips, I found Renee's car just as the smell of fresh blood hit me.

"No!"

I ran over to the car and looked inside, seeing Renee's lifeless body behind the wheel. My shoulders slumped until I heard the whine from the backseat. I locked eyes with the infant sitting in the car seat and shushed her.

"It's been too long, Edward." James stepped out of the tree line beside the road.

"Not long enough, it seems."

James' face was jubilant in his supposed triumph, but he had no idea the rage that simmered below the surface.

"She made you weak, Edward. You followed her around like a puppy and she didn't even know you existed. I broke you free of whatever that was, now we can get back to the way things used to be."

I looked just beyond James and saw Rosalie and Alice in the trees behind James, but he was so focused on me, he didn't have a clue what was about to happen.

"James, you've made so many mistakes in the decades we've known each other. You left me alone too long, you brought Victoria to the United States and then discarded her when something new and shiny came along. But Rosalie rejected you and you never got over that. Your biggest mistake was killing Victoria when she was pissed about Rosalie."

"And why's that, Eddie?"

"Because she would have known from the minute you came looking for me, that it was a death sentence."

His smile faltered when he heard the tree branch above creak with the loss of the weight on it. I used that second of distraction to grab his wrists just as Rosalie landed on his shoulders.

"Go to Hell, James," Rosalie hissed as she tore his head from his body.

I pulled his arms at just the right angle to tear them from his carcass. In a matter of seconds, the monster that had put nearly a century of misery into motion was gone. I tossed his arms on top of his body and then reached for the lighter in my pocket. Rosalie and I took a few steps back before I threw the lighter onto the pile that his body had become. I looked to Rosalie, who was still holding onto his head.

"He's gone, you can toss that on top of the fire now."

Rosalie snapped out of her daze and did as I'd suggested. We watched and waited as he burned to ash.

"Edward, we need to move," Alice said.

"What? And leave them here?"

"No, but we need to call the police, and we can't do that from here."

"We can't leave her alone in the car while we do. Did you run here, or drive?"

"We drove," Rosalie said. "Alice saw what was happening and we tried to get here in time to stop it, but we were too far away."

"I don't blame you for not making it in time. I'm just sorry she had to die because of me. We were kindred spirits in a way, both wanderers."

"This isn't your fault either, Edward," Alice approached. "We'll drive into town and make a call to the police from a payphone. You can stay here until you hear the sirens approach."

I nodded and watched from the trees as they drove off. I was thankful for the setting sun, because it gave me the chance to get closer to the car without fear.

I hummed to Bella as she looked around, no doubt wondering where her parents were. I wasn't sure how much time had passed before the police arrived. I watched from up in a tree as they surveyed the area and carried the sleeping infant away from the car.

My vigil lasted until Renee was loaded into the coroner's van and then I took off. It was about five miles up the road that I found Alice and Rosalie parked and waiting for me.

"What's next?" I asked Alice.

Her mind shimmered, there was a secret she felt the need to keep.

"Come home, Edward," Rosalie urged.

"I have to get my things," I told them.

"Then we'll go to your home and leave. We've been staying in Alaska, you'll love it," Alice promised.

We drove to Forks and I stopped at the payphone to leave a message with the logging company. I told them I had a family emergency and was leaving immediately to deal with it. People came and went without much notice, so it wouldn't be too out of the norm for them. Once we reached the hiking trail that led to my cabin, we ran the short distance to the place I'd called home. It took a matter of minutes to pack and then we drove the car to Seattle and left it in a parking lot.

From there, we ran.

We played games as we cut through the Canadian wilderness on our way to Denali, the mood between us light considering the events of the day. The three of us all had a strange connection to James, and we were all free now.

The shift in our moods caused Alice's concentration to slip enough for me to see what she'd been hiding.

I was standing in the meadow about a mile from my cabin outside of Forks, but I wasn't alone. The young woman beside me had warm brown hair and a delicate face. When she turned towards me in the vision, I was shocked to see a face that was slightly familiar. She blushed and I kissed her heated cheek before reaching for her arm and holding her wrist to my lips.

"Alice, what was that?" I froze.

"That's the future I wasn't sure you're ready to see."

"Was that Bella?"

"I've seen her for months, probably since she was born if I think about it. The visions have varied, but you're always together."

"And I kill her? She couldn't be more than the age I was when I was turned there. Are you telling me that after caring about her mother as one lost soul to another that I'll be the monster that ends her life?"

"I don't see her die, Edward. You just … drink a bit."

I was frozen in place. "You can't be serious."

"There's affection between you two. The happiest I've ever seen you is in these visions. I don't know for sure if you'll change her, because you're strong enough to put her first, but her blood will call to you."

My knees buckled and I collapsed to the forest floor. "How is it possible? I've felt the pull to a singer in James' mind. I wouldn't have been able to resist her back there."

Rosalie stepped forward this time. "Carlisle believes it's because she's still a baby, that whatever it is that attracts us to blood develops as a human ages. It is why we're staying away for a while. We'll return to Forks at an appropriate time for you two to meet. She can get to know you and then you can choose to confide in her and she can decide if she wants to be one of us."

"For a change, you mean?" I started to walk off, but Rosalie stalked after me.

"I didn't mean it that way. I'm simply saying that whatever happens in her life, it should be her choice. A monster killed her mother, let her see that you're not the bad guy."

"You have entirely too much faith in me, Rosalie," I growled.

"I see the family you've built. It may not have been our choice, but we've found love and fellowship within this coven. It is time our creator has a chance at that."

I turned to her, shocked at what she was saying. She'd always hated that she'd been changed, but after she begged me to change Emmett, she'd found a bit of peace. Esme had found love with Carlisle. And from the story I'd heard earlier in our journey, Alice had spent three months in Philadelphia waiting for Jasper to walk into that diner so she could find her other half. Was that what I was facing? My chance at a forever worth living for. And it all rested in the hands of a six month old.

If that wasn't karma, then I don't think it exists.

"Well then, show me how this assimilated life works. It's time I perfected it, if I'm going to blend in with humans..."

Alice and Rosalie stayed close as we crossed into Alaska. Coming up on the National Park in Denali, we hunted some deer before arriving at the house they were staying in. When we entered the house, I was ambushed by Esme. She sobbed tearlessly as she told me how happy she was to see me. Carlisle and Emmett embraced me, but a tall and lean man with curly blonde hair and piercing eyes remained against the foyer wall.

"Jasper, be nice. This is Edward, my big brother."

"So this is the mate?" I eyed him back.

Jasper pushed off the wall and came to stand directly in front of me. "Look, I'll always be grateful that you changed Alice to save her from that bastard, but it is going to take more than Alice's visions to convince me you've got our best interest at heart."

I leaned in and whispered. "You should know by now, never bet against Alice."

Her peeling laughter broke the tension and Esme showed me to the room she'd set up for me. The house was large, with floor to ceiling windows and elegant decor. It reminded me of the house in Forks from our last stay there.

And so my training began. It started with small trips into town, always after a long hunt. Carlisle had friends who lived in the area and they were a great help in this. Though one of the sisters in the Denali Coven, Tanya, was happy to offer "stress relief", I never took her up on it and she never pushed.

Once again the passage of years was something that happened with little notice, but before I'd even realized the time had passed, we were enrolling in the high school near our home, a practice run for our return to Forks. The days felt like eternities, but time still managed to move and once again we were on our way to the Olympic Peninsula to live out our senior year of high school. For the others, this was old hat, but for me, I was new to pretending to be a student.

Carlisle got a job as the local coroner, spinning the backstory that his wife had inherited the old house in the woods and the family had moved here to fix it up and decide what to do with it. Carlisle and Esme's warm personas made people eager to believe them and offer assistance if it was needed.

For us kids, it was going to be a long year. We arrived the first day of classes and I was immediately assaulted by Bella's scent. She was alluring before I'd even seen her, but once I had, I was lost. Pair all that with her silent mind and this young woman could be my end.

It only got worse when I entered my one class with her, Biology and found us partnered together. I somehow managed small talk that first day, surrounded by her scent, and our friendship was born.

We got to know each other over onion root tip slides and in notes passed during boring videos on various topics. Bella's eyes burned through me, like she could see down to my soul, if I even had one anymore. I could tell she was trying to figure me out, but I didn't know how to broach the subject.

Once again, fifth period Biology took away my choice. One day in early November, I walked into the room and tensed at the smell of dozens of samples of dried blood. We were going over blood typing and any moment, Bella's blood would be flowing from a pinprick on her finger.

We took our seats and the lesson began. The faint hope that the sheer amount of blood would make Bella's less noticeable was laughable, and as soon as she pricked her finger, I was focusing so hard on not being the monster I'd been trained to be.

A few minutes later, Bella whispered, "I feel faint."

She collapsed in my arms and Mr. Banner nodded when I motioned towards the door, our bags slung onto my forearm. I was debating taking her to the nurse or continuing down the path and into the woods by the parking lot when Bella spoke again.

"I thought you were going to snap the lab table. You have some self-control."

Her statement was like a bucket of ice water being thrown at me. "Excuse me?"

"You and the rest of the Cullens are cold ones, right? I've heard the old Quileute legends. That's why I pretended to faint."

"You aren't afraid of me?"

"No, but I can't figure out why," she admitted.

"Even if I told you that I've never wanted to drink another human's blood as much as I do yours?"

"No, does it frighten you that I've never wanted to jump a boy's bones as much as I want to with you?"

I nearly dropped her onto the pavement.

"Fuck," I whispered.

"That's the idea. At least, eventually."

I shook my head at how easily she was discussing this with me.

"Could you drink some of my blood, without killing me or changing me?"

"In theory, but it would be difficult."

"I've got faith in you," she smirked.

"And absolutely no self-preservation instinct," I murmured. "You'd let me try?"

"Yes, but I want a kiss in return."

I thought back to the vision, the first one Alice had shown me and my mind was made up. "We'd better get moving."

I lifted Bella into my arms and we took off into the woods, making it to the meadow in record time. Sitting amongst the wildflowers, I kissed her cheek, just like I'd seen, and then bit into her wrist, drawing blood without letting my venom flow. It was ecstasy to finally taste her but I kept a close watch on her, sealing the bite when I'd taken enough. We returned to my cabin until she was feeling well enough to go home.

It was the first of several trips to my cabin. Each time the kisses we exchanged were more passionate, and each time the draw of her blood diminished compared to the draw of her as a woman. I was attracted to her in every way, and she clearly felt the same. She knew all of my history and even those details didn't scare her away.

One day, in early April, we were home one Sunday when Alice screamed. She ran downstairs and barked out a mile marker on the 101, telling me to get there now.

I ran to the spot she'd described and found a horrifying sight. Chief Swan's police car was crushed under the load from an overturned log truck. I slid down the embankment to where the car sat and saw that the chief was already gone and Bella didn't have much time left.

"Bella, can you hear me?"

"Edward, it hurts," she cried.

"I know it does, Love. I can make it all go away, but you have to make that choice."

"My dad?" she asked.

"He's gone."

"Do it. Make me like you," she whimpered.

"I'll make it all go away, Angel."

Working quickly to lift her out of the car, I ran into the woods far enough to place her on the ground and not be seen. I lowered my lips to her neck and bit down, forcing my venom into her veins. I bit a few more places for good measure and then took off to our cabin in the woods.

Carlisle took care of making it look like they'd both died in the accident. Esme offered to help pack up the house, and Billy Black had been grateful for the help. Under the guise of donating their belongings with a few exceptions, Bella's things were moved into my family's home, though we wouldn't be there past graduation.

For three days, I remained at Bella's side while my family worked to tie up everything for us. When she woke up to this new life, her and I went off on our own for a while.

The town thought I'd withdrawn from school after my girlfriend had tragically died and we didn't contradict that theory.

Bella and I had bigger things to worry about. Starting with forever.