CHAPTER ONE

A SOFT LIGHT


She could've flown in, quite literally, but she's always preferred her feet planted on the ground. It's why she loves the motorcycle gifted to her from her brother. She can feel the howling wind against her, plant her feet on the earth when she stops, and is unconfined by metal and oil.

She takes the scenic route to Forks, avoiding the highways full of loud noises and the smell of smoke as much as she can. She takes her time appreciating each mountain she passes and every deer that crosses.

Forks is just as isolated as she hoped it would be. The towering trees that hide smaller houses and buildings are a breath of fresh air that she savors. She can feel the energy around her - a grainy, earthy feeling filled with growth and positivity. It vibrates through her bones and when she breathes deeply, she realizes just how much she's missed it. The trees' thick trunks tell her that they've been undisturbed for a long time and the greenery are vibrant, full of life.

The city may be Lucifer's new home, but this is going to be hers.

Welcome To Forks - the sign is partially hidden on the side of the road, covered with overgrown bushes, but it still takes her a cool minute before she officially reaches any civilization. When her eyes meet the first building in her path, that happiness dwindles at the reminder that, as undisturbed as most of the forest is, there are people here. She forces herself to breathe through it and remind herself that that passing, fleeting sensation of disappointment at the sight of people is exactly why she is here in the first place.

Her time with Lucifer, and by extent the others, including a particular detective, has taught her many things. Aside from basic human interaction, her brother's friends - the human family he's made here - showed her that there is at least hope in the dark pit of humanity. She hopes that she can expand on that feeling, nourish it and care for the side of her father's creation that she's neglected and punished for so long.

She can feel people's eyes on her as she passes through the town - she should have expected this. This isn't a big city that is full of so many people that no one notices who comes and goes. Small towns mean a small community with few visitors and travelers. She tries her best to let the looks roll of her back as she continues through the streets. She takes notes of what's around, specifically the sign that tells her which way the hospital is, but continues straight through the town until she eventually the streets gets smaller and she turns onto a dirt road.

If not for Lucifer's funds, she would have been perfectly fine building her own little home from hand. She's done it plenty of times before - it's a modest, but suiting way to live in the middle of the forest. Lucifer, however, was appalled by the mere suggestion and was quick to find a place to buy for her. She insisted that if he was going to do that, to at least not get anything fancy and to get something that is a bit further from town, as in the middle of the forest as he can get. The more privacy the better.

He never showed her the pictures. She really should have asked him to. When she pulls up to the address, which at least is as secluded and private as she requested, she's met with a house that rivals Lucifer's own penthouse. With a groan, she pulls up and parks at the end of a long and wide paved driveway to a two story, modern architecture home. She carries her helmet under one arm - unneeded as it was, she doesn't share her brother's 'openness' and 'honesty' and firmly believes in upkeeping her human appearance - and already has her phone in the other as she makes her way to the door.

She puts the phone between her shoulder and ear as she digs the key out of her pocket.

"Ariel! Missed me so soon?"

She snorts, "Tell me, Luci, when you insisted on picking out a house for me, what part of modest did you not quite understand?"

"None of it. You deserve the best, sister, so that is precisely what I got you. You'd be surprised at how hard it was to find anything expensive, modern and private in that little area of yours. Very few new houses. I imagine most of the humans that live there never leave."

"No shit, Luci, it's a small town. I'm surprised you even found something like this here."

The inside of the home, at least, a bit more humble with minimal furniture, leaving the floor open and wide. She eyes the many plants lining the entire area, in a way that only a professional decorator could, with pleasant surprise. She's not as pleased with the full bar in the kitchen, but the fresh herbs lining the kitchen's window and the organic food in the fridge more than makes up for it. Not many people would realize it, but Lucifer does pay attention to the little things.

"That's precisely my point. There was only one other one similar to this that was available, but it was bought a few years ago before I could make my offer. Pity too, it was much larger than that one."

Pity isn't the word she would use. The house is too large for her as it is, but she supposes it is more pleasant if people were to visit - people, she quickly corrects, such as her family. She could easily picture some of the more open areas being filled with Charlie's play things and maybe she can dedicate a whole wall to Trixie's art.

"Trust me, Luci, this is more than big enough, how many beds?"

"OH! That's the best part. Six bedrooms so it's perfect if the detect - Chloe - and I visit with the little urchin. Charlie and Linda and Amenadiel would be happy too, I suppose, but even with all of us staying there, you'd have plenty of free space for any orgies or parties. "

She doesn't bother mentioning that she has no intention of either of those things, knowing it would fall to deaf ears. She quickly mutters her appreciation and ends the call, knowing that she has quite a bit of exploring to do.


She's pleased to find that each room has its own amount of plants and flowers, and that aside from basic essentials such as beds, nightstands, and dressers, a majority of the bedrooms are empty. There is one that was more clearly decorated with Trixie in mind, something that she finds endearing that Lucifer thought that they would be coming over often enough to justify it. Two of the bedrooms conjoin and she can easily see them becoming Amenadiel and Linda's room connecting with Charlie's, once he is older. She tries not to dwell on how easily she can see everyone living in that space and instead reminds herself that their homes are in LA; this would be only for visits. All the space that could easily be filled with her family will likely be empty a majority of the time. The realization leaves her a bit hollow.

She's not as pleased about the largest bedroom being one that her brother very clearly decorated himself - it being a very clear sex dungeon than a proper bedroom. It still retains some amount of classiness, with at least a leather hide rug. An intricately built sex swing is off to one side while a cage hanging from the ceiling is at the other. The bed is large and has small chains hanging from its frame. The closet is full of brand new lingerie and costumes, that she's frightened to find are in her size. There is a whole shelf of dildos and strap on in clear view on one wall. She quickly shuts the door and knows that in the future, that door is going to be very tightly under lock and key. She supposes that if Mazikeen and perhaps even Eve visits, then they'll be happy to stay there. She plans on keeping that door closed until then. Though she makes a note of the lingerie, despite not planning on showing it to anyone anytime soon, soft lace and flattering lines will always be a nice confidence boost.

The last bedroom Lucifer clearly kept for her. The large open windows overlooking the treeline, the neatly organized and placed plants, and the large, flowery bedspread all scream of her own aesthetic. There's a satin canopy over the bed that is a bit out of her tastes, goes well with the soft colors of the room and compliments the vibrant green color of the plants hanging around it. The whole room is in a soft, natural light with warm, pale colors that go well with the greenery. She rolls her eyes at the clothes in the closet, all in her size, but all clearly brand new with the price tags still attached and a majority being too fancy or revealing for her tastes. She makes a mental note to go shopping for her own clothes later, but wonders if it's too heartless to toss all those new garments.

There are a couple of boxes, shipped from LA, of personal belongings in the corner - both are small. The fact that there are only two boxes and a closet full of only brand new clothes tell her that Lucifer most definitely just threw out her old clothes instead of shipping them like she asked. A quick look into the boxes tells her that at least the most important of her belongings have made it - personal pictures, including recent ones, and a few misc. Sentimental items, things she's collected over the eons.

She wanders back downstairs, wondering if she should head to the hospital. Her first day isn't until tomorrow, but at least she could scope it out. However, she's barely down the stairs when the doorbell rings.


The Cullen house is quiet. While the weekend usually means freedom, fun, or even parties for most high schoolers - they are not most high schoolers. The weekend brings silence, boredom, routine. There's nothing that they haven't done before and while the clouds are cloudy, there are few places for them to go or things to do. The next thunderstorm isn't due until tomorrow, so it's only a matter of waiting until their next game.

Emmet is one of the only ones who are genuinely enjoying the weekend, happily shouting at the screen of the TV as he plays the latest version of his favorite video game. Rosalie is not as pleased by this, but settles on the couch beside him in a huff as she does her nails. After a few choice words and fights, Emmet is careful not to nudge her, lest she get her nail polish everywhere.

Carlisle is busy at work, Edward is the one to inform them that Carlisle is busy trying to calm an ongoing gossip about a new nurse; something that while confirmed to be true, is driving their 'father' up the wall due to the chaos of the other nurses' drama around the subject. Currently, the quietest sibling settles nearby with a book. Emmet is the one to tease him lightly about the fact that 'he's actually joining us for once' and 'not running to brood in his room alone.' The teasing stops when Edward almost leaves due to it.

Jasper is fresh from a hunt, eyes burning yellow, as he greets his wife. She presses a quick kiss to his lips and opens her mouth to say something, but stops short as her body tenses. Alice doesn't blink - she stares off into space, her body unmoving before she finally seems to come back to the present. She grins wildly, jumping a bit in excitement as she claps her hands. Jasper watches her with mild amusement, her excitement rolling off him like waves. Her light pushes on his shoulders as she jumps does nothing to move him.

"Someone moved into that house next door! We have a neighbor! They should be here by now! We should go say hi!"

This grabs everyone's attention in various degrees. Edward immediately furrows his brows, worrying rising in his chest at the idea of the house - a place that's sat empty for as long as they've owned this house due to it being out of many of Forks' residents budget and Forks not being a place that people who can afford it go to - actually being occupied. Granted, their houses are at least a mile away from each other, it's still too close for comfort. Who knows what type of person moved in there? A hiker who may catch them hunting? A conspiracy theorist who may piece together what they are? It could threaten their existence either way.

Emmet pauses his game at her announcement, looking over the back of the couch toward her, "Neighbors? Really? Are they hot?"

Alice rambles on how she didn't actually 'see' what they looked like, she just saw someone on a bike going to the house, but that it was a bit blurry and strange.

The vision plays in her mind, allowing Edward to watch along with her. He can see what seems to be a woman, her face obscured by a helmet with long, red-blonde hair that sweeps out from the back of the helmet and down her back. However, the air around her seems disoriented, brighter than the area around her as if there's a second source of light close to her that they can't see. It pulses, but even as she drives up to the house, it never falters and always follows her as if she is the one causing the distortion and light. The light glares brightly when she takes off her helmet, blinding the vision completely before it ends.

Rosalie flicks nail polish on Emmet for his comment, oblivious to Edward's inner turmoil, causing him to shout as it spills onto his controller. As the two bicker on in the background, Edward sighs as he glances over his book toward his 'sister.'

"We're not going to go say hi Alice," Edward finally speaks, his voice firm on the subject.

She pouts, "Why not?"

"Do you really want to bring us to their attention? The house isn't too far from us, if they start to suspect something, it'd be too easy for them to spy on us. Who knows what she is or what she's involved in for it be that blurry? She could be with the wolves for all we know."

Emmett scoffs at that comment, muttering about how no one involved with the wolves would be on their side of the treaty line anyway.

Alice waves off the concern, "All the more reason to check her out! Besides, it's only polite that we go say hi, even Carlisle would agree with me. Oh! I should bring them something, but we don't have any food here…"

She trails off, mumbling about what she could possibly take over as a welcoming gift, ignoring Edward's constant protest and voiced worries. Jasper does his best to reach out toward Edward, hoping that he could calm him down. Yet at the sudden change of emotion, Edward glares at him before retreating his room with his book.


Alice's eyes sparkle as she drives up the curved driveway to the neighbor's house. It's not too different than the last she saw it - granted the last she saw it was during an open house when she couldn't resist 'just looking.' It's a new home, recently built, she remembers the stir it caused in town - most people not understanding why the realtors were building such a home in Forks, but she can't help but feel it was partially due to her coven's own home raising the value of the area. Carlisle almost bought it as a second house in case they needed it, but someone else swooped it up quick - presumably the owner of the electric Harley Davidson motorbike.

She recognizes the bike from her vision and a large grin stretches across her face as she gracefully hops out of her car and nearly skips all the way to the door, clutching her welcoming gift close to her chest. Considering she hasn't had a vision of the woman reacting to the gift, she hopes that their neighbor will like it.

She hums as she knocks on the door, swaying gently. Her family's concerns echo in her mind, Edward not being the only one who spoke out after the others realized she was quite serious about coming to greet their neighbor. Rosalie had more than a few words to say on the subject with Emmett mirroring her words. Jasper seemed worried, but he supported her as much as he could once he realized that she was set on coming by even if he couldn't come over with her; considering the chances that their neighbor being another vegetarian nomadic vampire is low, they all eventually agreed on Alice going by herself if she really wanted to go. Her control being one of the strongest - Carlisle leading their coven with Rosalie being a close second, though she refused to come along - and her being more 'approachable', her chances of pissing off the new neighbor, or killing them, is fairly low.

Alice is quite sure that if this woman - who may not be alone, though she was the only one in the vision - was genuinely harmful than she would have had a vision about it by now. So, she waits while she hears footsteps treading toward the door. She can hear a steady, softer heartbeat on the other side of the door and it swings open, the scent of pine trees and flowers hits her. She takes in the woman's clothing first, noting the dated bell bottoms and loose shirt that seem more suited for the 70s and hums a bit in disapproval.

However, she tenses when she bares into the woman's strikingly yellow, and oddly familiar, eyes. It's not the tawny or bronze eyes of her coven, but a bright unearthly yellow that are more reminiscent of a cat's eye striking in the light, a predator staring her down. Something about it stirs within her, making her shift, but the smile on her face doesn't falter as she stands her ground with confidence. Her first thought is that maybe they were wrong about the chances of another vampire moving here, but she can still hear the soft heartbeat of the woman. The scent of her blood is fainter, hidden in the smell of pine, but it's there.

Human.

Unlike the vision, Alice can't see any visible light around the woman, but something about her still glows. As if she has a presence to her that Alice just can't deny. A gift, maybe, but if that's the case, Alice isn't sure what it is.

"Can I help you?"

The woman's voice is smooth and pleasing, though not as melodic as their own. Alice nearly hops with excitement as she passes over the small potted plant to the woman,

"I'm Alice, my family and I live next door and I wanted to give you something as a welcoming present as our new neighbor!"

The woman's expression softens as she examines the gift, her eyes losing that hostile gleam and becoming more welcoming as she steps aside and gestures for Alice to come in.

"Ariel Sera," Ariel's footsteps are as soft and graceful as Alice's own, "Thank you for the rudbeckia. Once the clouds clear and it gets warmer, it'll be nice to see some butterflies around."

The woman's apparent knowledge of the flower isn't too surprising as Alice looks around the inside of the home. Most, if not all, of the furniture that was there during the open house has been replaced with softer furniture that creates a more cozier atmosphere, but there are many plants strategically placed around the room, making it nearly as green inside as it outside.

"Do you think the flower will last that long? We have quite a long way until it gets any warmer here, but I'm glad you like it! I was going to cook something, but I wasn't sure what you would like or if you would be allergic to anything."

Alice's eyes continue to roam around the room. It's a breath of fresh air, with a homey, permanent feeling to it that's, sadly, missed from her own home. As much as she loves her coven, their house is, in a way, staged. Fake. Made to look normal and used, but lacks personal touches that come from living in a space, or planning to, for a long time. She turns vibrantly, eager to talk more, but stops short as another vision overtakes her mind.

Ariel stands in the middle of the Cullen's living room, silent, as she leans against Carlisle's side. She looks worried, her brows furrowed. Her eyes are hooded, tired, and seem somehow older. Carlisle looks to her with a soft gaze and his arm moves to wrap around her, clutching her hip. He presses a quick kiss to the top of her head, almost as if he's making an unspoken promise to her, and the creases in her face relax.

Something about Ariel seems different in this vision - she seems older, different. Like the other vision, there's a light that seems to surround her, but even the light is different. Instead of being a harsh, more bright light that seems to be burning hard with a sense of wildness, this time, she's coated with a warmer, softer light that frames around her and vibrates with a sense of home.

Alice's grin grows, her eyes glowing with excitement; she may not know when or how, but something inside of her tells her that this is a vision that is sure to come.