Life was peaceful before the Cullens became their own clan; before the Volturi had solidified their role in the world, before they ruled with a handle of fear. Everyone kept to themselves, and the Denali sisters?
They thrived.
The men they seduced, the woman they seduced.
It was a party, and life and blood lust, and pure utter freedom.
Could you imagine the world bowing at your very being?
To watch as human after human succumbed to you with a pleading gaze in their eyes. Begging you to let them release.
But the world changed; no longer did they rule the world, no longer did the legends of succubus' run around with scared children whose mother warned not to fall for their charms. No, instead they settled down in the new world whose snow fell in clumps leaving a blanket of white on the Alaskan ground.
Life was different when they were put under new jurisdiction. It was a new quiet, a new settled down life, a calm homely feeling that the sisters were surprisingly ready for. They didn't know how to simply walk away from their tantalizing life without a push.
But now centuries had past, they appreciated the Alaskan wild with a fever. Occasionally someone would visit. Usually it was the Olympic Coven who used visiting them as an excuse to get away from the facade they played in the human world.
Playing human teens and adopted parents they passed as supermodels fooling every human being they came across.
The first time Irina had heard of the mystical Isabella Swan was when the pretty boy, Edward was his name, came to Alaska to run from his problems, a cowardly way of dealing with something so superficial, so meaningless. He was immortal and yet he still solved his problems like a hormonal teenager.
Pathetic.
He was...agitated, his usual sophistication had seemed to have left him as he fell into Tanyas arms, quite dramatically. They always had a weird relationship. He was Tanyas newest conquest and yet the oldest one as well, he infuriated her beyond belief because he didn't fall for her petty charms.
He?
He loved the attention she bathed him with but never once showed interest, they were a manipulative pair and for some reason fate saw to it that they weren't mates.
Something she kept in mind for the years to come.
But he brought a curious topic with him, the human whose blood sang to him. It had seemed to capture his attention, making him break from his usual broody nature. He talked animatley as he rambled on and on about her hair, about her eyes, about her scent, about her appeal. This girl, this child, was soon imprinted in Irina's mind till it became like a second nature to picture her. It drove her sisters up the wall to see Edward so completely infatuated with this meaningless human. Two weeks he rambled making this human sound like a goddess who was made for his destruction and yet he went running back, determined to face his devils.
He left muttering about the challenges God was giving him.
It was a pathetic attempt at capturing Tanyas attention but it worked all the same, he loved attention and she loved giving it to him. They had a manipulative relationship that benefited them both.
It was a while till she heard about this human goddess named Isabella again. Years in fact. Lonely years that had the vampire churning every detail about an insignificant human who had captured her attention by word of mouth. It irritated her, not that Isabella existed but rather that she was not there to witness it. She distracted herself with her sisters...company.
They had a special relationship that only allowed them to grow closer as they grew older. They relied on each other like no other. They knew each other's tells and each other's bodies like the back of their hands.
"Always stuck in your own mind dearest Irina" Kate purred, swiping Irina hair out her eyes as she straddled her hips. Tanya hugged her from behind, nestling her chin into the crook of Irina's neck.
"Don't act sweet Katrina, it is unbecoming of your personality" Tanya grabbed Kate's chin making her eyes meet her gold ones. The vampire stilled under Tanyas careful gaze before leaning into her touch.
"So demanding," Kate growled, letting her fingertips gently brush Irina's arm as she concentrated on Tanya.
"Much better" Tanya purred letting go of the immature vampire before concentrating on the little vampire in her arms.
"However, irritating as Katrina is, you have been quite distant Irina, care to tell what your mind is mulling over" Tanya smiled as Irina looked at her with lidded eyes but didn't speak.
It was a game between the tree of them to toy with each other until one of them broke but as Tanya grabbed a fistful of Irina's hair it made the small vampire audibly gasp breaking the silence she held.
Tanya demanded power and respect; it is why she was made the leader of their Coven. When she wanted something she got it without question, without pause. It's part of the reason she was so enthralled with Edward because he gave her the chase but never the prize.
" I asked you a question." Tanya breathed in Irina's ear. Making both Katrina and Irina lean into the Tanyas space.
"You did not." Irina growled. She was right of course, Tanya never asked a question though she made an excellent observation.
"Then let me make myself clear, why, dear sister, are you so distant." Tanya let go of Irina's hair instead watching Kate with a predatory gaze. The second oldest bit her lip in response.
"The Cullens." Irina breathed, she could barely form coherent thought with the sexual tension hanging in the air.
"They are ever so distracting." Katrina purred
"Indeed." Tyana smiled
Of course the Cullens were not exactly the thing taking up her mind but then again it wasn't a lie they did connect to it. Nevertheless she could care less about the Cullens or Isabella at this moment. In this moment she had literal goddesses sitting before her naked and plain as rain.
In the past all three of them had often been mistaken as gods.
Not that it was a surprise they were almost as beautiful as Rosalie, who, had down right refused a place in their coven. Her answer had wounded them for a while but in the end it was the best, she was too tortured by her own demons to truly let herself live this new life. However, she was young in her immortal life so maybe one day it would change.
Irina purred watching as Kate expertly left her lap to crawl over to Tanya, Kate had a bias. She did love blond, taller, dominant women. Though Irina was blond and at times could be dominant nothing would change she was an inch shorter than Katrina. She was fine with it, watching Kates and Tanya dance of sex that they had perfect over the years they had lived it was majestic and specific, a game with certain steps that had to be followed to the dot.
A phone laying on the nightstand in their massive bedroom started to ring making all three vampires glare at it.
But what was done was done, the sexual tension dissipated leaving them unsatisfied and severely annoyed with whomever the caller was.
A familiar saying came to mind for Irina: 'May you live forever'. It wasn't a compliment, for living forever was a curse even if it did come with some perks.
Grumbling Tanya picked it up, "Denali." Her voice was cold and unforgiving as she sat up sweeping her curly blonde hair behind her shoulder.
Laughing softly on the phone she pulled on a floral dress that was not fit for the harsh Alsakan climate, which is to say she pulled it off perfectly.
"So let me get this straight, the boy is getting married?"
This made the vampires go still, staring at the head of their coven. Tanya only talked about one 'boy' , that boy being Edward. Him getting married was a serious problem for them, because Tanya would be aggravated for who knows how long. Which meant that they wouldn't be getting any.
"To the human." The growl in the coven leader's voice was unmistakable.
This brought Irina to stand."Isabella Swan."
Kate threw them a lazy look before groaning.
"Great, now I have to find a dress."
In all honesty this was the beginning of their end, they just didn't know it yet. Fate had a different plan in mind for the Denali sisters. Fate had played with them too long. Fate owed them.
Irina threw Kate a look as Tanya stepped out of the room to finish the call.
"You remembered the human name" Kate whispered into Irina's ear using her speed to waste no time.
"I'm surprised you didn't , we do have perfect minds." Irina pushed her sister away grabbing a too large dress shirt and tugging it on.
"Just because I can remember doesn't mean I want to" Kate sighed, grabbing her own clothes as Irina turned to her.
" No hitting on Rosalie during the wedding" She pointed her finger abusively at Kate who acted shocked.
" What! I would never!" Kate scoffed.
"I'm serious, if Edward is marrying Isabella then their will be humans"
"You use her name so intimately, Irinaaa are you not telling me something"
"Knock it off Katrina, it's unbecoming"
Kate glared as Irina smirked to herself ducking out the door before the pillow that Kate threw hit her. Groaning filled Irina's ears as Kate growled about being made fun of. Their house wasn't as spacious as the cullens but instead filled with nicknacks they had found throughout their lifetime. It screamed of life and home, Irena smiled softly as she picked up a ring shaped like a dragon, her mother had given it to her in hopes that one day she would find a mate to give it to. Irina had lived far too long to believe that there was a mate waiting for her. She was content with receiving the comfort her sister gave her. It came with time and experiences but she didn't think anyone else could ever be this familiar with her; and she was okay with that.
"So when is the wedding?" Irena said softly sitting at the top of the wooden stairs as Tanya looked out of a window with an emotionless expression.
" The day after next." Her voice was hollow as well.
"Not much time to prepare" Irina chipped in furrowing her brows. Alice would have told them in a month's advance.
"It was a last minute decision to invite us, given… mine and Edwards history."
"I see."
Irina knew better to talk when Tanya got like this, her sister was simply processing her defeat by an enemy she didn't realize she was competing against.
"I don't like losing" Tanya breathed softly playing with her curls.
"I'm aware"
"I gave it my all"
"Sometimes... we can put our whole self into something and still fail." Irina whispered, she remembered that feeling. The same feeling she had when her mothers head was thrown into a pit of fire.
"I could have made a home with him"
"I disagree he was quite a prude and didn't agree with our sex life." Kate called down from the banner a cat's grin on her face.
"He was a prude" Irina agreed
"In fact, I bet he is still a virgin!" Kate laughed.
"He is." A small smile graced their leader's face.
Irina and Kates laughter filled the house.
"The poor human, she must have agreed to get-"
"Do not go there Kate. It isn't our place to judge" A random flame of anger made Irina snap, it went unnoticed as Kate hung her head realizing her mistake.
"I apologize."
Tanya and Irina nodded to her accepting her apology.
They all made their way to the couch nestling into each other basking in each other's presence.
"When do we leave?" Kate asked in a small voice.
"Tonight, I want to be there early to help set up". Tanya sighed, pushing her face into Irina's hair for a moment of comfort.
"Will you be okay?" Irina spoke up, turning to watch Tanya golden eyes flicker in emotion that was all too familiar.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Tanya looked away, denying her feelings was the coven leader's specialty.
"Right. We should get ready." Irina wasn't in the mood to fight Tanyas about her feelings and time wasn't going to let her hash it out.
"I'LL GET THE DRESSES!" Kate ran up the stairs giggling all the way.
"You know sometimes she's worse than Alice." Irina giggled.
Tanya slapped a hand over her mouth. "She is gonna see you." She said mystically a grin on her perfect face formed as they thought of what the seer must be seeing right now.
A ding from the phone made them laugh even harder leaving a confused Katrina with bags in her hands, quirking her eyebrows at the two.
"OOOOH, I know that look! Are we messing with Alice" She fluttered her eyelashes before throwing them their individual bags.
"Let's leave the infuriating little pixie alone till we get to the house shall we?" Tanya grabbed her pack and walked with a sense of superiority towards the door.
"Yes Ma'am" Katrina purred, making Tanya giggle before taking off in a run.
The woods were painted with flurries and if anyone saw them they would look like ghosts zooming through the snow without the proper clothing that was required for this climate. They laughed and twirled in the crystalized forest touching each other's faces as they passed. The lingering touches made them run faster trying to catch the temptation. Soon the trees turned from a frost wasteland to wet damp trees wide with age.
A different forest that wasn't theirs had them slowing and dragging their hands against the barks. They slowed as the Cullens house appeared before them, the moonlight made it glow.
"A house of mysteries" Kate murmured as they slowly walked to the door which opened revealing a smiling Esme.
"Denali's." Esme bowed her head before stepping aside letting them into her house which was so different then their own.
"Mrs. Cullen, we are beyond honored to be here." Tanya smiled warmly before hugging Esme who laughed before returning the hug.
"Ever the seductress's you three" The motherly figure hummed which made all three of them send a wink her way. She shook her head before leading them to the living room where Alice, Rosalie waited.
"Where are the others? Kate asked while smirking at Rosalie who in return lifted up a perfect eye brow.
"Giving Edward a bachelor party." Esme sighed lovingly.
"The bride?" Irina chirped in, searching for the human.
Alice shook her head, "She is having a fitful rest which is going to make my job so much harder tomorrow, god damn it Isabella, just sleep!" Alice murmured the last part to herself rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Sounds like a hassle" Tanya mumbled.
"Indeed" Rosalie smiled before gently standing up and giving Tanya a hug.
"Hey! Where's my hug Rose? I missed you too!" Kate crossed her arm pouting.
" You have ill intentions" Rosalie glared at Kate.
"So does Tanya!"
"She keeps them under control" Rosalie laughed, gaining grins from everyone.
Any tension dissipated as Alice explained how the house was to be set up for tomorrow and how everything must be perfect. They nodded and got to work placing flowers around the house and arranging items just right. It was a tedious task but they had nothing better to do so they did it with precision that only vampires could do.
"Hey Alice, are they mates?" Irina called out to the pixie who was desperately trying to reach for a streamer but was a tad too short.
"Bella and Edward? No they are not" Alice turned to the vampire with curiosity.
"Does Isabella know?" Irena leaned her head to the side. As she took the streamer from the pixie helping her out.
"She does, they are happy with each other, they have been through so much together it's only natural to fall in love. Besides, even if Edward was her mate she wouldn't be able to feel it until she became a vampire."
"That's fair" Irena sighed, she knew the loneliness that came with waiting for your mate.
It was unbearable.
".. What would you do if your mate was married? '' Alice asked in a quiet voice.
The thought ran chills through Irina making her stop and turn to the small vampire. If she was human her heart would be racing. Why would a seer ask her such a question? It made Irina want to run, because it felt like a warning.
A warning of what could happen.
"...I would wait, I would wait for them no matter what" Irina whispered. "All I want is for them to be happy, even if it isn't with me."
"Even if it means sacrificing your own happiness?" Alice took a step closer to the vampire who towered over her. Her eyes glimmering, looking for something desperately in Irina's eyes.
"Yes... My happiness is malleable, sometimes life isn't fair, we adapt, I would adapt." Irina stared back into Alice's own personal hue of gold
Alice nodded.
"It will get better" Alice smiled ominously which had all the vampires sighing in confusion.
The sun rose behind the cloudy grey sky as the male vampires emerged from the woods with grins on their faces. Causing Rosalie to scoff at their cocky aura. Their clothes caked in blood, their spirits high would make a normal human scream in fear or perhaps stare in shock. It was, nevertheless, a sight to behold.
"Well then let's get Eddy boy married" Alice sang while twirling around the house.
People would show up soon and the Denali sisters made themselves scarce, choosing to explore the town before the wedding would start. Tensions were high and this mystery girl was having a wedding that would be fit for a queen. It made the vampires tense, she wouldn't be human for long and that was a loss onto itself. Human life was a precious thing but its morality is what made it so valuable.
Forks was a dull and boring place which made it the perfect place to reside for all supernatural beings. Which didn't exclude elves, fairies, and the fae, perhaps witches but the sisters hadn't seen a coven of witches since that black death.
The town was almost ghost-like with all of the residents preparing to attend the wedding. The bricks to the buildings were covered in moss and the wood had begun rotting, filling the air with the smell of death. Too many scents lingered in the air, and in comparison to Alaska the air was dirty.
The Alaskan snow at least trapped scents underneath the snow in a melting capsule.
It made the Denalis heads ache but still they walked on taking in the limited sites that forks had to offer. The grey clouds, the green grass, the sweaty humans.
It was on this walk when they stumbled upon an alleyway that smelled of blood and plum blossoms.
The smell was delectable, to have something so floral and delicious made their mouths water. A boy sat in the dark alley where his head hung and a plethora of blossoms sat in his lap and his immediate vicinity.
His hair was a deep chestnut brown and his body was pale, not as pale as the vampires but pale like the dead. In his hand lay a ring and several petals laid on top of it.
The trio took a step closer realizing that not only was the boy dead but he looked like a work of art rather than a dead child. It was clear he died, but not from anyone's hand. Not from himself or any other causes. In this world people could die from an unrequited love, they suffocated from the flower petals that filled their lungs.
It came from a seed in their heart, and what made it grow was the pain of seeing their love not love them back. The flower punctured the lungs shedding its petals in sync with the tears that would fall from their eyes. Eventually the petals filled the lungs and the blood from their hacked esophagus and puncture would not allow air to flow. They would die, like he did, alone and in pain. Death would take you into its arms whispering sweet nothings into your ear and no longer would you live.
This was the number one cause of death, in fact most teens don't survive to adulthood because of it. Parents made a point in making 'love' a forbidden word in hope it would prolong their life span. Instead it made them grapes for it like a fish out of water.
"He's quite beautiful" Kate sighed, leaning over the boy to pick a stray petal that was stuck on his hair. His skin had been kissed by the sun showing he lived a full life, or at least tried.
"I suppose so, it's a shame he will be found like this" Irina clicked her tongue, a death like this was dishonorable to some but the vampires saw it as it meant to be. Loving was painful but in the end it was beautiful, even in death.
"Perhaps we should head back?" She stood behind her sisters away from the body. Her own body faced toward the Cullens house making it obvious she didn't want to be here.
Kate and Irina nodded but both of them straightened and bowed to the dead boy, a shadow of respect from their old lives that leaked out. Their blond hair shifted gently in the breeze.
"In death may you find the rest your body wouldn't allow when you lived" They murmured before turning away. But the image of the body was burned into their perfect memory adding itself to the long list of beautiful deaths they had seen in their immortal life span.
Dewy and Damp, that's what Fork Washington bombarded the seductresses with, it made them shake their heads in disgust as they walked back to the Cullens territory. As they inched closer they could hear the chaotic organization of human shuffling into their seats. The anxiety that was pouring off them was palpable as they awaited for the service to start. Cautiously they made their way to the backyard inching closer to the side of the giant house and past Esme's beautiful garden.
Irina supposed she should have expected it.
The setting seemed to have come out of a story book. A child's fantasy for a day that was impossibly out of reach, they had made it come true. Flowers laid in a spectacle around everything giving off a floral scent that clung to the air making a calming sense of peace. White drapes hung between the chairs making eloquence and elegance come to life. It was beautiful. Humans looked around their eyes wide, their bodies relaxed as they stood in awe. The forest glittered as if fairies had set the world on fire. In the best way, not on fire per say but it made it glow.
Then music played through the air, you could almost see the music notes float along the breeze. A soft melody of someone who was about to march into forever. The three vampires hurried to the seats and suddenly Irina heard a voice. A voice whispered floated along the soft breeze to Irina's ears. You could hear the notes float in the wind, and then those notes turned into a voice.
"Don't let me trip dad"
Hesitant, and commanding, but ultimately distracted. The voice was a mixture of emotion that she wasn't even aware of.
Irina's head turned, but she felt like she was in water, unable to turn her head fast enough.
But when she did she came to see a goddess in human form. Holding desperately onto her father but her eyes were forward to him. All she saw was Edward and a pang of jealousy hit Irina like a sack of bricks. An unplaced emotion that she had no reason to feel.
But as humans eyes shifted it connected to her own and everything suddenly made sense, life was perfectly made.
The forest shone for Irina, but the stars twinkled for Isabella.
Then came the pain.
The same pain that both mortals and immortals had. The same pain that the boy of plum blossoms felt as he died.
Isabelled skimmed over the crowd and her eyes fell lovingly back on Edward. Forgotten immediately, Irina's heart ached, her lungs seized as it tried to force flower petals up her throat. But she was different, she is an immortal vampire and she would stay still.
She would watch as her mate married someone who wasn't her.
The human didn't even know she had broken the vampire's heart, something so dead and yet so alive.
Her eyes filled with venom tears looking up at the cloudy sky this day would be the beginning of her end. SHe caught the pixies stare out of the corner of her eye. A priest was saying something but all she could do was stare at Alice's expression. A broken, hopeful expression that begged her to keep her promise.
Irina would.
That's what love was, to see them happy even if it isn't with you. She would always be there for her, a best friend, a sister, a distant cousin. But that didn't stop the resenting glare that was shot at the pixie.
But at the wedding, the ache in her chest made her grasp her sister's hands. She swallowed the petals that tried to climb up her throat. Her lungs ached from the puncture wound from her heart flower. All she wanted, all she needed was this beautiful human to need her. Yet it was impossible, for she stood in the crowd of people at her mates wedding. A wedding that didn't include her beside her side.
Life was unfair. She closed her eyes letting herself get lost in her thoughts.
Soon her sisters drug her along with the moving crowd, she didn't hear anything. It was when we stopped when she opened her eyes. There Isabella stood staring at Tanya with a hint of jealousy but mostly just shy nervousness. She nodded to Kate and then she met Irina's eyes, her eyes took her in and looked back at Edward. Edward looked at Irina hearing everything in her mind, her resolve, her envy, her pain.
"I'm sorry."
Isabella looked at him in confusion but Edward stayed on Irina.
He was sorry, you could see it in his eyes. But if he left Isabella now she would suffer Irina's fate. Death by blossoms and unlike her vampire counterpart she was not immortal, she would not survive if Edward thrust her away. Perhaps that is why agreed to marry her, not only because he loved her but because he knew if he didn't she would die.
Heroic almost.
Irina nodded before looking away before the human could see a venom tear roll down her cheek. Tanya talked to the human, remarking her beauty and the blushed.
"Thank you"
Irina couldn't help the petals that blew out her mouth as she coughed sprinkling the ground with Daisy petals.
"Are those Daisies? How did you know those were my favorite flowers?" Isabella laughed clearly thinking that it was a magic trick of shorts to hide perfectly dry flowers in one's mouth. Irina winked and did a mock bow. Before turning to slip into the crowd her ears roared with Isabella's laugh.
'Of course daisies were her favorite, of course they were.' Irina thought as she pushed herself into the glowing forest and just walked on. She ignored the small chattering of the fairies that hummed around her. She heard their comforting tinkling but she was dying. Only she couldn't die, what a miserable life being immortal with a mate.
Perhaps death would be better than this mock suffocation. But then again it was her heart that hurt worse.
What did she do to deserve this?
Leaves crunched under her as she took another step forward and just stopped as she saw a boy barely of age sitting down by a tree. He was breathing heavily watching as daisy petals fluttered into his hands.
Irina sat across from him, he was kissed by the sun and dressed for the party. He smelled of wet dog and depression.
"So you've been entrapped by the enigma of Bella Swan" He wheezed.
That explained the petals.
"Yes, it seems I have" Irina murmured, coughing up her own daisy petals.
"I don't regret it" He said, his eyes closing from exhaustion.
"Good, perhaps in the next life you won't have to suffer" She was well aware of the shifter traditions for when they died, she wasn't going to disrespect him at his final moments.
The wolf nodded before perring at her.
"It's a curse, your immortality, you have to live with this pain forever."
"Indeed." Irina whispered, leaning her head on the dewy tree.
"My name is Jacob" He smiled as his eyelids drooped "Jacob Black and I loved Isabella with all my heart...I just wasn't the right monster for her" He wheezed before coughing on last time. His white dress shirt is covered in red splatters from his lungs.
In the end Jacob neither cared that Irina was a vampire or that she also loved Isabella instead he took comfort in it. He embraced it. He gave her his name and his greatest love, and his greatest regret.
"In death may you find the rest your body wouldn't allow when you lived" Irina whispered into the now silent forest. No longer did the forest whisper with fairie twinklings. It was a moment of sacrifice for a beautiful death. For the death of Isabella's best friend, for the death that would haunt the human even in her next life.
Loving Isabella was the ultimate sacrifice, she was an astounding human. Perhaps not special in looks but her emotion and interaction made it everything. To love Isabella was an act of death, a grim reaper of consequence.
Death in forks.
Sacrifice in forks.
She got up leaving the scene and continued to walk home. Home to Alaska where Isabella did not live. Home to where the cold would help forget the burning in her lungs.
Away from here.
She needed out, and so she walked her way even though this human girl was now a part of her. She walked to escape but in a way she never would.
A/N: If you read my profile I said I would be writing more than 5000 words for this well you got an extra hundred. I can't seem to keep going so I thought I would thrust this to you guys...HAH. Anyways don't expect me to upload this anytime soon. I hope you guys enjoy! Oh also 'The What If Of You And I' update should be done sometime this month or the next. Feel free to PM me and leave a review it makes me happy... ANYWAYSForever yours,
-AylaMoon