AN: That's the second chapter in a row now that's been about twice the length I usually do. I hope you all like it!

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Deadly Affection – Reimagined

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

Chapter 14: Unholy Communion

Bella PoV

I had to lean my back against the bedroom door, my body feeling almost numb. Why had that elicited such a reaction from me? That Alice! That little trickster always jokes around. Surely it was a joke! Gosh, if she could see my reaction now she would surely be rolling around on the floor laughing.

Besides, she has a boyfriend. Jasper. The one of them that's seemingly the least safe to be around. He had kept his distance outside, standing back with Edward. I wonder if it's a sort of opposites attracting with the two of them. Alice being so full of life and laughter, and Jasper being so ready to end it.

The creak of the metal handle bending in my grip pulled me back out of my musings. The numbness was gone, replaced by a more uncomfortable one I couldn't place. With a little effort, I managed to bend the handle back to a somewhat similar state that it had been in, before flopping down on my bed.

I could see that Charlie was still in front of the television downstairs, with cans of beer empty on the table in front of him. He didn't want to tell me what Billy had said to him. Only that they cleared the air.

That concerned me a great deal more when I took into account the way he was looking at me. He didn't seem to fully believe my story, though I guess I didn't give him much reason to. But the scrutiny of his look only compounded my guilt. I just hope Billy didn't say anything about what I am.

I hugged my pillow tightly to my body, having kicked off my clothing to the side of the bed. It wasn't late by any means, but I was getting tired from the exiting events of today. Sleep would do me good I think. If only my mind would stop going overboard with replaying the events.

The wolves had come ready to end me, and Billy must have known that. But I have no doubt that if Billy had told Charlie that they were possibly going to hurt me, he wouldn't have jumped out there to defend me. Even now. For however long, Charlie still loves me.

A sense of pressure at the base of my skull throbbed, and for a brief moment it felt like there was some hope for the future. Only to be crushed by that cynical part of me, whispering about how the Cullen's had to babysit me now. Whatever the treaty they had been speaking off entailed, I was a rogue element to it.

It seemed from the way Carlisle had greeted Sam, that he considered them guests. As if they had come to their home. Their land. And with how Billy was in on it, and Sam was also a native of the Quileute tribe, I would hazard a guess that the rest of the wolves were as well. So their territory was to the west, near the ocean.

And they had seemed aggressive only after I had shown hostile intent towards Jake. Well they didn't react before then at least. Had they been keeping an eye on me while I was down there? I hadn't seen them before the howl, but that didn't mean they weren't there. The range of my sight was limited when I wasn't intentionally powering up.

But they had been open to eliminating me, while not on their land. That seemed... off. If you had a treaty to not fight an enemy, why have the temerity to attack a new foe on the old enemies lands? Unless you were certain that they would not take an affront to the blatant disrespect of the act. Or they believed themselves to be righteous, justified in taking justice into their own hands. To take out someone that could possibly cause the death of innocents for no better reason than that they could.

That made me see the Cullen's in a new light. Their choice to change their diet. To feed on animals, rather than humans. It was more than a wish to be better than their kind. They wanted to belong in this world. They even forged a somewhat shoddy peace with a pack of horse sized wolves to do so. And in an effort to coexist, they didn't enforce the treaty as strictly as the wolves did. Before me. A third party. The rogue element. And the Cullen's chose to put their faith in me.

There was a feeling of gratitude within me from that, but it warred with the indignation of being belittled. I could keep from killing other humans very well on my own thanks. I could even manage to avoid killing animals. Poor things.

As much as I wanted to will my brain not to, I imagined seeing sweet little Alice pounce on one of the deer that had been close to us at the lake. Even kicking off my sheets and staring up into the roof didn't stop the situation from playing in my mind over and over. It was both aggravating and entrancing. But imagining her as a predator in her own right alerted me to something else.

The invitation from Alice was more than just a joke on her part. It would be the first proper introduction with the entire coven. That didn't concern me as much as with the wolves. The Cullen's knew of the struggle it could be to be cursed with the power to take life. Even if they put less emphasis on the lives of animals, rather than humans, I could see their point of view. I could understand that, as they needed to kill something to survive. Wild animals dying would bring less grief to their surroundings than humans would.

The meeting would no doubt include the finer points of the treaty that I needed to know, so as not to ruin their relationship with the wolves. They had come to my aid, sure. But I had no illusions that they would coddle me with this. They had spent their sweet time deciding what they were going to do before they came to my defense. If they thought I would become a threat to humans... I don't think they would take that lightly.

I was about to throw my pillow at the wall in front of me when my phone beeped. It was still in my pants, so I had to get up from bed to go pick it up. I almost dropped the pillow in surprise, as I saw that it was a text from Alice.

'Are you okay?' It was a simple question, and with the current circumstances it wasn't a completely foolish one. But I knew this little pixie better than that by now. She wouldn't sent that text with how she had left not thirty minutes ago. She had seen me with her visions. Or she was spying on me. Paranoia made me power up enough for the telltale red glow to fill the dark room, but there was no silvery entities in range. Only humans and small critters. I scoffed at my reaction, walking over to the window to let in some cold air. It helped calm me down as the power withdrew.

What was to become of me, being so easily prodded to action. I tried to forget it all as I breathed in the fresh pine-scented air. This was so different to what it smelled like down in Phoenix, and the thought made me feel homesick. The sound of the wind whistling through the trees was soothing. And it was frustrating that even when I closed my eyes, I could not stop the second sight, to focus only on sound and smell. I actually longed for a reprieve.

I thought back to the meeting this morning. My second sight had actually disappeared briefly. And ever since then, I've noticed a dull ache in the back of my head. As best as I could remember, I think it was the shock of what happened that caused it to skip a beat. Or it had something to do with the water, and my weakness to it. But I don't think that was it. Even though my power had been drained dramatically, my cloak never shut down in that time frame.

I could feel the vibrations of the phone alerting me to another message, with it pressed between my body and the pillow I was leaning on. With almost half my body sticking out of the window, I took another deep breath, and focused on that spot in the back of my mind. Most of my powers so far had reacted to my thinking about them. This one hadn't budged yet though.

Focusing on that point, I tried to visualize a switch in my mind. A common light switch that could be turned on and off with a flick of the hand. I willed myself to see it in my mind. To materialize it in it's off-white color. And then I willed myself to flick it off.

And just like that, it was gone. The dull ache disappeared like it had never been there. And with it went my second sight. I actually had to open my eyes to prove to myself I hadn't just fallen asleep or something. And while the forest outside wasn't as dark as I thought it should be at this hour, there it was. But the joy quickly turned to panic as I started missing the safety of it.

So much so that I pressed the powers through my body yet again, flaring red eyes burning bright enough for it to be visible on the trees. And with it, the second sight came back. There was still no supers in range, even though a few squirrels seemed to be fleeing the nearby trees. Probably from me.

As they skittered between the branches, I tried to will the switch off again with my powers on this time. And sure enough, the second sight disappeared yet again. And I could will it to turn back on. Off and on I went a few more times, getting used to the feeling, before calming back down.

The smile on my face met the dark as I closed my eyes and focused completely on the smells and sounds of the forest. For some reason, it seemed even better than before. I enjoyed the sensation for what felt like minutes, before another vibration disturbed me.

I got upright and closed the window again, before jumping into bed. The light of the display on my phone stung my eyes as I unlocked it, displaying two new messages from Alice.

'Bella I can see that you're awake. Please tell me you're okay.' Read the first one, sent almost five minutes before the second. 'Bella, I'm going to have to come over there if you don't respond. Please.' I stared at the words, reading them over and over. But I couldn't tell if they were words of concern, or warning.

Motes of anger came and passed. I was powering up several times with seemingly no reason, if viewed by an outsider. No wonder she might be thinking I was breaking.

'I'm good. A lot's happened today, is all.' I texted her back, finding myself staring at the screen for her reply. It went dark before an answer came, and I put the phone down on the bed while I got the bed sheet back over me. I briefly wondered if I could make myself feel the cold properly again, but that was a test for another time.

The beep didn't surprise me this time, nor did the brightness. The reply was just as ambiguous as before. 'Oh, that's good! You looked really intense there at one point. Want to talk about it?'

Great. I didn't even have time to finish the text before that whisper that was my cynical side tried making a ruckus. How she was mock concern to spy on me. To glean information about my sanity. How likely I was to snap.

And it did have a point, going against itself. How could they not want to find out how sane I was, with how messed up my mind was? I even admitted that to them at the lake. So the cynical part tried to reason with my survival instincts, scheming up ways to appease the new vampire lords, while revealing nothing...

I just threw the idea out with a forceful exhale, and set upon responding to her question as well as I could. Without incriminating myself.

'Perhaps a less intense version of what happened thursday. Not really sure. So what are the Quileutes? Werewolves are supposed to be half man, half wolf right? So what are they?' I placed the phone down on my chest as I waited for her to respond, while trying to imagine what she would say.

Would she take my excuse at face value? Would she press it maybe? How willing were they to give up secrets they know of others to an outsider? It was vexing, how much doubt I started to feel as the seconds ticked by.

I had to remember to have faith in Alice. She had promised me. And they had come to my aid. I could endure the possibility of being let down for one more day.

Then came another beep, and before it had finished I was opening the message. 'That sucks. Do you want to postpone tomorrows meeting? There is no rush. Oh and you're right about the dogs. They're shapeshifters, not werewolves.'

Relief fueled the hope that the questions was out of concern. She had been open about a fact that could be considered valuable. And the fact that she offered to postpone, made me want to do it sooner. I blocked out the cynical part's whispers.

'No, I want to meet tomorrow. But I really should get some sleep beforehand, unlike some. Night Alice.' I put the phone away and laid my head on my pillow with a smile.

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For the first time in a while now, I was actually lying awake before my alarm would go off on a weekday. And I felt so content, just staring up into the ceiling. I knew the meeting later would have an impact on me, and I should be stressed out because of it. But I just couldn't find a reason to worry. Alice would make it work itself out, after I've made a huge fool of myself in one way or another.

It was in fact her that became the reason I got out of bed. My phone beeped again, and it was a short text like just hours previous. It was bizarre to consider that she hadn't actually slept in that time. That they never slept at all. It had just been a handful of hours of darkness for her. I wonder what she did in that time? Did she read a good book? Did she work on a hobby of some sort? Was she out hunting animals to drain of their blood...

I binned the thought, instead reading the text over a second time. 'What's got you in such a good mood, sleepyhead?' The smiley she had added at the end told me she meant that in a teasing manner. I felt the blush spread across my face as I remembered the last words she spoke before she left yesterday. And with how I must look to her now... That little minx probably imagined something quite other than what was actually going on. Not that such stray thoughts hadn't been going through my mind, but that was not important. I buried the accompanying feelings deep, so they wouldn't hurt me.

Tapping my fingers across the buttons on my phone, I set to replying her message with a teasing one of my own. 'Nothing big. Just a small something or another. And good morning to you too, Akasha.' I hit send while burying my face in my pillow. I was such a lost case.

Barely seconds went by before the next beep came from my phone. 'That's why you guessed it so quickly! Oh I should have known from your question about being out during the day!' I was a little vexed with the fact that it had taken me that long to guess. I had been to see Queen of the Damned in the cinema with Audrey just a few weeks prior to all of this happening.

Another beep followed shortly after. 'Emmett told me to tell you that he likes your choice in movies.' The thought made me laugh, vampires watching vampire movies. Which didn't appear to have much in common with the actual kind. But this all brought up a worrying question for me.

'Hey, didn't you tell me I was a black-spot in your visions? How did you know I was in a good mood?' Or was she actually spying on me? I thought it had been a good thing, that I couldn't be seen in her visions. In case they wanted to harm me, they couldn't find me like that. Had she been lying to me back then? That certainly soured my mood.

'I don't know what changed. The first time I could see you was yesterday morning, when you showed up early.' Came the response after a couple of minutes. Was she conflicted about telling me, or was she lying to make it sound better to me? What about their other abilities? Did Edward still have a hard time reading my mind? I kind of hope he does. I hope he gets a headache even trying. I don't need anyone knowing what I was thinking. To know how unraveled I was becoming.

I didn't notice that my jaw had clenched before the next text beeped it's arrival. 'I was going to tell you later today, after the meeting. I'm sorry.' My anger deflated quickly, and I set to replying. It probably wasn't her fault that she could suddenly see me in her visions. And warning me that they could suddenly watch my every move before deciding what to do didn't make any strategic sense.

'That's okay, I was just wondering is all. So did you spend the night doing anything productive?' With it cruising along the airwaves to the nearest cell towers connecting us, I got up from bed. The first thing I noticed was the mess that was my hair. Again. I never had that much of a problem when I lived down in Phoenix... Maybe it was the additional moisture in the air?

Tossing my clothes in the hamper, I picked out a new set and headed into the bathroom. Only to walk straight into the door, as it didn't open. ''I'll be out in a minute, Bells.'' I heard Charlie's voice muffled through the wood. How embarrassing!

Rubbing my nose, I went back into my room and sat down on the bed, as another text beeped in. 'I actually started a couple of new projects which I'm very excited for! I can't wait to show them to you!' Several smileys followed that clued me in to how thrilled she had been to my change of subject. I had hit gold with a subject I could use to distract her at a later date if needed.

''All clear.'' Came dads voice from down the hall as he left the bathroom, and walked back into his own. I actually felt a little happy that I made that little accident. It proved to myself that I'm still me in a weird sort of way. And Charlie probably got a good chuckle out of it.

So for take two, I didn't try to barrel my way through the door. Instead I took my time walking in, placing the fresh clothes next to the sink, before stripping down. Making sure the water was the right temperature before stepping into the shower, I took my time letting it wash over me. I even spent a few extra seconds just enjoying the strawberry scented shampoo Charlie had gotten for me. Before my phone beeped on top of my clothes, and I was reminded of what Alice had just said.

Suddenly feeling like there were eyes everywhere watching me, I covered myself as best as I could. It was probably just paranoia. Didn't stop me from whispering a threat into thin air though. ''You better not be spying on me in the shower Alice!''

After a few seconds I came to realize how dumb I must have looked. And with a little effort I managed to work through the paranoia, and finish my bathroom routine.

'Speaking of past conversations, are you sure you're good with coming to meet all of us?' Read the text Alice had sent while I was in the shower. I pondered it as I was drying my hair down. I had said that I only wanted two of them in the same room at the same time. Not that it been that much effort, other than at lunch. It didn't seem like most of them were anywhere close most of the time in school. I did add that it was only until I trusted them though, and I had said I would do that yesterday. So why was she giving me an out? Did she think I would back down now, after being threatened by the wolves like that? Quite the opposite.

'I'm actually looking forward to it. When would you guys want to do this?' I texted back to her, barely managing to get the screen lock on before she replied.

'Now?' The response was so Alice it made me smile. But it was still ridiculously early, and Charlie had gone back to bed. I really don't want to bail on him before he wakes up twice in a row. Then again, he did tell me to leave a note for him if I did it again. He didn't say I couldn't.

My stomach growling did tell me about something that needed fixing before anything else though. Boy was I hungry! I basically ran down the stairs and raided the fridge, loading up anything edible. As I was chowing down in a very messy fashion, I tried texting Alice back. It took a few tries to correct the errors I was making.

'Give me half an hour or so. I need to eat.' I didn't add the fact that I would also go outside to fuel up my other powers as well, even though she could probably see my decision.

After finishing more food than was anatomically possible, I went outside to one of the closest trees to the house, and drained as much as I could before popping the cloak. It would have to do, as I had no intention of walking in there naked. Or looking like I was prepared for a fight. I needed allies.

I was writing the note to Charlie as the doorbell rang. ''Just let yourself in Alice.'' I said in a normal voice, figuring she could probably hear me from outside. I heard the door opening as I finished writing, and tacked the note to the fridge with a magnet. 'I'm heading over to the Cullen's. I have my cell with me, so call me if there is anything. Love Bella.'

''Good morning, sleepyhead.'' Alice whispered from right behind my back, and I jumped around in surprise. She tilted her head to the side in confusion. I hadn't heard a sound other than the front door closing again.

''Sorry about that. I managed to shut down my second sight last night. It has been such a relief on my mind, but I'm starting to see how much I have been depending on it.'' I tell her with reddening cheeks, somewhat embarrassed from being caught so off guard. ''And good morning to you too, Imp.'' I add as a tease, sticking my tongue out at her.

Her brilliant smile makes itself known as she takes the new information in stride, seemingly not even bothered by it. She must really be looking forwards to the meeting later. I see her taking stock of her surroundings, eyeing the inside of the house for the first time. Not even a glance is given to the note I had just put up, but then again she could have read that as she snuck up on me.

''I really like your home.'' Alice spoke softly, and I immediately felt awkward. Her words were kind and I believed she was being honest, but I didn't really feel like it was my home yet. It was still very much Charlie's house to me, even though I knew in my rational mind that I was going to be living here for a while. Alice seemed to catch on to my internal strife rather quickly as she looked at me. ''Not quite settled in?'' Again her melodious voice was soft as a feather. I just nodded and let my eyes fall to the floor. What is this little pixie doing to me.

''So I'm ready to go, if you are?'' I forced myself to speak, as I pointed her back towards the entrance. With a bounce to her steps, she floated towards the door, and I followed behind her, gathering my keys and jacket on the way.

Stepping outside confirmed what I had suspected. Alice didn't come here in a car. And she's wearing a mischievous grin as she hops into the passenger seat of my truck. Just how much of a schemer can one little girl be? I just sigh my frustrations away as she starts to give me directions to their place. To my surprise, they actually live to the east of Forks. Why I imagined them as living to the south, I can't tell. Maybe something about south symbolizing hell, and them being vampires? Who knows. In an attempt to hide the silence that grows between us, I turn on the radio. The familiar tunes of Zedd – Happy now, starts playing and I am finally able to let my shoulders down.

It was still early morning, yet the sun was nowhere to be seen. In a twist that surprised absolutely nobody in Forks, the clouds had come out in force. It looked like it would rain today, with how grey the clouds seemed. Hopefully it would take the last remains of snow with it.

As we get on a narrow road leaving town, Alice turns to me and just stares at me. I try my best to pretend I don't notice. I did though. I was so painfully aware of just how long she had been staring. I want to ask her what her issue is, but I'm afraid. I don't want her to stop looking at me. I go so far as to activate my second sight so I can look back at her. All sneaky like.

There is something so captivating about her. The silvery outline becomes clearer the longer I look at her. I can see just how the shapes of her face forms an almost perfect sculpture. I am actually relieved to notice some flaws to her picturesque form. Like the fact that her left brow has more hairs than the right. And that the fold of her left nostril is slightly thicker, if only just. Little imperfections. It makes her even cuter.

''Why are you trying so hard not to look at me?'' Alice speaks up suddenly, breaking me out of my thoughts. I swerve over in the opposite lane from the surprise, but quickly recover. Thankfully there are no other cars in sight. Alice just laughs, and this time I do turn my head in her direction.

''I... don't know.'' I lie, and feel a sting of pain as her smile falters. ''I didn't want to disturb you, maybe...'' I trail off, and am rewarded with her tinkling laughter. The Swan curse started to heat up my cheeks, and I turned back to keep an eye on the road.

''You really are weird.'' Her hand comes up to cover her mouth as she keeps laughing, before she continued. ''Please don't ever change.'' The anger stills at her appreciation, but I still feel somewhat slighted. Was the only reason that she didn't want me to change because she found it so easy to have fun at my expense? I was just about to voice my issue with that, but she cuts me off, probably having seen what I would say. ''Please don't misunderstand me. My family all have their own idiosyncrasies, but not like you. Somehow you just continue to surprise me. And knowing what I can do, I'm sure you can understand how precious that is to me.''

My anger recedes from her words as I see her turn and look out into the forest on the other side. And it strikes me just how much more dull life would be without any surprises. Was this part of the reason she acts the way she does? Seemingly being so ridiculously happy all the time, to hide how it affected her? Another mystery to the tiny form that was Alice.

''Hey...'' I say quietly, placing my right hand on her cold thigh. She whips her head in my direction faster than humanly possible, and the words get stuck in my throat. I want to comfort her, but I don't know how. I don't even know if she wants it, with how she looks right now. The smile she's giving me, doesn't reach her eyes. It makes me feel uneasy, and I retract my hand without another word. Silence once again fills the gap between us, with only the music to keep it from being overbearing.

Even if she does have a big family of people that doesn't resent her for what she is, there isn't much that could stop the boredom. Even if they had an outing that would be enjoyable for all parties, knowing everything that was going to happen must be miserable. And I considered my little quirks a curse...

There was the fact that people would have to decide on a course of action before she knew what would happen. But how often did we ever have to do that, truly? How often do humans not just go with the first impulse in most situations? Like my little accident in Phoenix. I didn't have to think about what I was going to do. Not even what I was going to say. I just said what came to mind, without thinking it through. I didn't think to hold my tongue after Justin's verbal jab. It's like a preset response in me, that when someone bad-mouths my friends, I retaliate.

I just hope Alice manages to keep from becoming too jaded as time passes. I hope Jasper can keep her from breaking...

''It's a left here, on that road up ahead.'' Alice announces minutes in silence. She points ahead of us, and I could barely see the opening in the trees where a narrow dirt road was hidden.

Through dense forest we drove, with branches cut cleanly to make a passage barely bigger than my truck. It was so dense I could barely see the sky between the trees. Two more twists to the path, and the place suddenly opened up into a big clearing, with one huge house standing at the end. Three stories tall, with faded white walls interspersed between the massive windows that seem to go from floor to roof of each tier of the building.

It was so open and bright compared to what I had imagined. Then again, why would they try to make their house look like what one imagined a vampire lair looked like. That would just be stupid. And horribly boring for the occupants, I'd guess.

Speaking of them. They were all lined up in front of the door, looking at us as I parked the car beside the garage. The parents, Esme and Carlisle held the center, with Emmett and Rosalie on their left, and Jasper and Edward on the right. And only one didn't seem to hold a smile as we walked up to them. Why the dour face, shitward?

That earned me a low growl, which Alice reacted to with clearing her throat as she glared daggers at Edward. Carlisle even gave him a little look, before he motioned to speak. It made me feel better that Alice chose to stand beside me, rather than go to join her boyfriend. And I knew thinking that was incredibly selfish, but I couldn't help it.

''Welcome to our home, Bella.'' Carlisle's voice was deep and calm as he made a small bow to me. Esme, who had her arm locked with her husband, looked like she was struggling not to move. And all eyes but Jasper's were on me. Didn't help with the butterflies any, being the center of attention.

''Thank you Carlisle. It's a very beautiful one at that, I must say.'' Somehow I managed to not stutter even though it felt like I was about to jump out of my own skin. Before I felt a cold hand encircle my right. And it was as if the nerves just vanished. Alice was here. She would make everything work out.

The loud boisterous voice of Emmett rang out suddenly. ''Let me see what you can do! I want to see how strong you really are!'' His face was one big grin, before it turned into one of pain as Rosalie yanked on his ear after he tried to walk towards me.

''You just want to get to see her naked.'' Edwards voice was so low I could barely hear it, but it elicited the signature blush none the less. I quick crack was heard as Emmett fell to the ground, holding his side as he wheezed. Rosalie had her fist clenched, but didn't move.

''Emmett!'' Esme chided, with a look of abject horror on her face. It was quickly exchanged with an apologetic one as she looked back to me. ''Please don't mind them dear. Try as I might, they just can't seem to learn proper manners.'' She also directed a look in Edward's direction, to which he just scoffed. What an ass.

Alice, in all of this, had done nothing. She had been as still as a statue, and only seemed to react when I gripped her hand in mine gently. Her eyes locked with mine with a timid smile, before she spoke. ''Do you guys mind if we take this inside? It's going to rain.'' And as if she had given the command herself, drops started to drizzle from the sky.

''Seems like that would be for the best.'' Carlisle agreed, as he and Esme turned an entered the house first, with me and Alice holding up the rear. She had squeezed my hand and given me a reassuring smile before letting go.

As the nerves came back, I decided to flip on my other sight again. Letting my range flow out enough to cover the house at least, I checked for any hidden surprises. There were of course none. So I calmed down so as to not pop my red eyes in their home. Don't want any misunderstandings.

I followed the vampires into the living room of the first floor. The most peculiar thing about the room was that there was only really one wall. The three other walls was just windows from top to bottom. From the foot of the hill the house was standing near, to most of the clearing outside was visible from here. And with the trees casting their shadows in the dim light of the day, the rain revealing their green color even more. It was almost magical.

A large couch, two love seats and a few comfy chairs surrounded a table near the white wall. The parents, along with Jasper and Alice had taken to the couch. Emmett and Rosalie was on their left again in a love seat, Rosalie nestling in Emmett's giant arms. A single chair was open between them and Edward, and as said douche was staring at me, I could tell he wanted me to sit there. It would be straight across from Carlisle and Esme, and it would probably be courteous to sit there. But I wasn't in the mood to sit next to the mind reader.

Rather, I kept walking. I went to the edge of the couch and plopped down in a love seat, closest to Jasper and Alice. It would make me feel even more comfortable if Alice was the one in the closest corner, but hey. No such luck. From my seat, I had to Rosalie and Emmett across from me, and actually had to lean on the left side of the seat to see Carlisle and Esme properly. A curious smile came to Jasper's mouth, as Alice beamed at me. Along with a sudden sense of joy.

I didn't even need to look at Edward to know he was scowling. He was seriously getting on my nerves.

''So.'' Carlisle started, with a pointed look at the brat. After he rolled his eyes, the scowl faded. ''First things first. The story you told Charlie...'' Carlisle trailed off, seeming to not find the right words. I knew it wasn't optimal to out them as a secret society. It was perhaps too close to the truth.

''I know.'' I replied quietly. I noticed the floorboards were of some form of dark wood. It contrasted well against the white wall. ''I was going to tell him what I was, after the reaction I got from the shape-shifters. Dad... He's had it rough the last couple of years from what I've gathered. But I panicked. I was afraid of what he might do if I told him I wasn't completely human.''

''Please don't misunderstand me Bella. I care about Charlie. He's a good man. But if he knew what we are, it would put his life in danger.'' Carlisle's voice was grave, and it made me stare at him. There was no hostility in his eyes. I took a moment to unclench my fist that had balled up from the response.

''This might very well put us at risk as well, but I'm going to tell you why, so you can understand.'' He starts to explain, but I cut him off.

''If anyone tries to hurt my dad. They're going to have to go through me.'' I stare into his eyes for a reaction, knowing my eyes were blazing red now. My entire body is vibrating with energy, and I find it difficult to stay still.

The response is a silence that fills the living room, before an unnatural calm tries to force itself upon me. So this was his power then. I glare at Jasper to my right, who tries to subtly inch away from me. The calm feeling disappears as Alice pokes her head and and gives me this petulant look.

''Well we're certainly not going to hurt him Bella. I already promised you that.'' Her voice cuts like a blade, and I find the anger that had been building fade away. Replaced with shame for my outburst.

''I'm sorry.'' I mutter as I look to the carpet beneath the table. I notice that several of them only now start breathing again. This really wasn't going like I had imagined. ''I'm finding there are certain triggers that make it difficult for me to contain my anger. Charlie being one of them. Still, I should not have acted like that. I hope you can forgive me.'' I say in a louder tone.

Alice smiles and falls back to her place behind Jasper, followed by him easing up as well. I notice Carlisle and Esme share a look, before they both give a nod to each other. His smile stays as he turns to me again. ''We can all understand the wish to keep your family safe. It's what keeps us together.'' As Carlisle says this, I notice Emmett hug Rosalie just a little tighter. I swallow a lump in my throat as I'm reminded of how Renèe and Phil used to act. The pang of longing for those times is washed away as Carlisle continues.

''The reason why knowing of our existence can be dangerous, is because of a powerful faction of vampires in Italy called The Volturi. They're an incredibly old family that's become something akin to royalty among our kind.'' Images of incredibly old and wrinkly dudes with gray hair popped into my mind. The tone Carlisle explained it with dispelled that notion. They wouldn't be able to keep control of vampires around the world by playing fair. What would it take to make vampires thousands of miles away from you, fear your very existence enough that you would obey them? That thought scared me.

''So a family of boogeymen for vampires? How powerful are they compared to the other supernatural creatures' societies?'' I ask him, hoping there were some sort of checks and balances to even things out.

''There are no other races on the global scale anymore.'' The finality of his response makes a chill run down my spine. ''There are pockets of other supernatural beings around, like the shape-shifters of the Quileute tribe. I've only ever hear rumors of others. There used to be true werewolves around, several centuries ago, but the Volturi hunted them to extinction.'' The wood beneath the padding of the love seat I was holding cracked under the force I applied.

It would seem I was kind of late to the party then. Vampires had assumed complete control of the supernatural world. Even going as far as to hunt down the competition. And here I was. A complete unknown, trying to make an alliance with vampires. Great idea.

''Please calm down Bella. It's not as bad as he's making it out to be.'' The sound of Alice's voice soothed my nerves. ''Due to the size of their operation, they're pretty immobile. They stay in their castle in Volterra. And besides.'' She says, tapping a finger to her temple. ''I will see it if they ever try to make a move.''

The fact that we would have a warning was good. But the fact that they even had to consider that eventuality, means it was actually a thing that could happen. Things can never be easy, can they? Prying my hands out of the holes in the upholstery, I give Esme an embarrassed look.

''Don't worry about it dear. I will fix it up later.'' She says with a smile, before Carlisle clears his throat again, preparing to speak.

''The Volturi only really enforce two of their laws upon our kind. The first is to never reveal our secret to humans, which is the issue at hand. The other is to never conspire against them. The last one is the main reason you won't see many covens as big as our family.'' Carlisle didn't need to specify why. To a group of power-hungry vampires that basically ruled the world, paranoia was likely inevitable. Any perceived threat to their rule would likely elicit a harsh response.

''So hypothetically. What would be their response if they learned that you were helping me?'' I asked the room, and got a few uncomfortable shifts in response.

''Death.'' Rosalie's voice was flat as she said it, and it drove home the seriousness of our situation we were in. It caused me to chuckle as I realized what I had just thought. Seems I was beginning to trust them.

''Guess we gotta keep it hidden then.'' I said with mock cheer. Edward was the one to respond this time.

''That won't be easy. The leader of the Volturi, Aro, has the ability to see every thought you have ever had by touch. If he gets his hands on any of us now, the gig is up.'' There was a sense of gloom to his words. Like he had come to the conclusion that it was inevitably going to end that way. In any case, that power in the hands of that group was bad news for anyone that wasn't with his crew. Without anyone to keep them in check, he could claim to have seen treasonous thoughts in people just for fun, and nobody would be able to prove him wrong. Not to mention that the power itself was fucking creepy. Every thought you've ever had? He was probably a perv too...

''Back to the issue at hand. As we said to the shifters yesterday, you're under our protection. That means you have to follow the rules of the treaty we have with them. And while you probably won't have a problem complying with not biting a human, there is one that might cause issue. You won't be allowed to go near their territory. Which starts basically means anywhere west of Forks. Alice can show you on a map where precisely the border starts later.'' Carlisle's tone told me there wasn't reason to argue. It was just the final word on the matter.

That certainly puts a wrench in the wheels for me joining Charlie down to meet Billy ever again. Not that I was opposed to never meeting that old fart again. But explaining that to Charlie could end up becoming a pain.

''So to summarize; I can't bite a human, I can't go onto Quileute lands and I can't get caught by any Volturi affiliated vampires. That pretty much cover it?'' My eyes were on Carlisle, trying to read any reaction from him. There were none, though that could probably be because he's a vamp.

''Pretty much.'' He said without missing a beat.

''What if I say... wanted to bite a vampire? Just for kicks...'' I joked. Emmett seemed to rumble with silent laughter. Rosalie seemed to struggle with hiding a smile.

''I'm sure they wouldn't mind, even if you bit a human. The intention of that point is to make sure we won't hurt or turn any humans.'' Edward replied smoothly, before he rose from his seat and vanished out the front door.

Huh. So vampires could be turned. I guess that makes sense with the myth, though I guess I thought it was hereditary. There hadn't been anyone to change me into whatever I was. Though I wasn't the greatest example to hold up as a mold for how the supernatural worked, considering I didn't even know what I was.

''Is there anything else you would like to know Bella?'' Carlisle asked, sitting up a little straighter in the couch. Seems like the main issue was dealt with, so the meeting was just about done. What else could I ask them though. There were so many questions whirling around in my mind, but I couldn't figure out where to start. What kind of questions could you ask the head of a household full of vampires without seeming rude or stupid?

So instead I just shook my head negative. At this, the two adults in the room stood up and excused themselves, leaving me here with the two younger couples. None of them made a move to rise.

''So how strong are you?'' Emmett asked as Esme rounded the corner to the stairs. His eyes were alight with what I can only guess to be excitement. It was a little disconcerting to see on the large man-child, even though it fit his character.

''I haven't really tested my limits. I'm strong enough to break my own bones from exertion, that much I've learned. And due to the fact that I'm strongest when I'm cloaked up, it's not like I can go to a public gym to test it out...'' I explained to him, remembering the whole exploding tree incident. At this, Emmett nodded thoughtfully. He seemed to mull it over for a moment, before he snapped his fingers.

''I'm going to get some weights, so we can test it here!'' He announced, like it was no big deal at all. Rosalie sighed, before she dragged her fingers through his hair.

''You know there's still the issue of her... presentability, dear.'' Her tone held an edge that was unmistakable. And Emmett seemed to catch it as he swallowed loudly, his eyes wide.

''I would have thought a big guy like you would have some weights lying around?'' I asked him. I was curious of it myself of course, and if we could set up something for me to try out with here it would sort out one of the issues. Although I would have to test it out alone. And it would no doubt be expensive, so I would have to earn some money first.

''Not really a point I'm afraid. Being turned enhances our physique from when we were human, but when it's done our bodies doesn't change anymore. Like we're frozen in time. We can't get stronger from exercise.'' Emmett answered with a serious tone. And for the first time I think I saw a glimpse of who he really was, hidden underneath a mask of the silly older brother. The smile was gone as he shared a meaningful look with Rosalie, who had stilled in his grip.

For several seconds I looked between them and the other couple to my right, trying to understand what was going on. But even they didn't want to look back at me. ''I'm sorry if I...'' I started to say, before Emmett cut me off.

''It's nothing to apologize for Bella.'' He replied tersely, without looking back at me. I looked away as they pressed their foreheads together. I felt like I was intruding on something.

And so the room fell quiet for almost a minute. At one point it looked like Emmett and Rose was also going to leave the room, but nothing came of it. Looking to Jasper, it seemed like he was focused on the pair. Probably sending some calming feelings their way. With how many of them seemed to have little triggers of their own, that was probably not a bad thing to be able to do.

It was the oddest things that set them off, it seemed. Alice had reacted when I was pushing her about the worth of a human life. And then this? Why would the fact that they can't train to become stronger affect them this way? It's not like they weren't strong enough anyway, from what I've seen. Unless that wasn't it? And then a small fact that Alice had shared with me that time at school presented itself in a new light. Alice had said vampires were parasitic.

''So were you all... turned?'' I asked out loud, though I had guess the right answer before Jasper nodded to me. ''So then you were all turned when you were young.'' I stated as I noticed Alice peering at me with a grin. Had she seen what I was going to ask next?

''I think I was turned when I was nineteen. Which means I'm one hundred four years old, give or take.'' Alice said with glee, if only to further prove the fact. Could she be any more obvious? She didn't even let me ask the question.

Then the words started to make meaning in my mind. One hundred and four? This little thing? Alice? She was over a century old? A vague notion of my mouth opening and closing made me switch tracks internally, leaving that bombshell for another time.

''Phew, I hope I look that good when I'm your age!'' I said with a chuckle. The attempt from Alice to look upset was completely ruined by the smile that she didn't manage to stop. At a later point I would come to remember the open mouths from the two across from me.

''Are you saying I'm old?'' Even her attempt to sound dismayed didn't hold up as she struggled to stop a giggle. Jasper actually snorted at that, and got a playful smack on his shoulder.

''Ohh I'm not the one talking about age here honey. I'm talking about how gorgeous you are.'' The words just flowed from my mouth like I had practiced it as a pickup line specifically for immortals. And when I finally managed to comprehend what I had just said, the Swan blush reared it's ugly head. I'm pretty sure I was glowing at this point.

Emmett started to full out roar in laughter as I pushed my head into the crook of the love seat, feeling like I would die from embarrassment. No such luck.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

I don't know who, or how, someone managed to stop the giant man-child laughing. I do know it took a while, and only after he and Rosalie left the room did I look up. Jasper was smiling at me, almost as brightly as Alice herself. Which confused me, since I would have thought he would be angry with me for flirting with his girl. But he just politely shrugged it off when I tried to voice an apology.

Alice had offered to join me for the drive home, which I instantly declined. Just the thought of the horribly awkward silence that would ensue mortified me. So I had driven home alone, trying to settle my nerves. I could finally rest a little easier, knowing everything was good between me and the Cullen's. Other than Alice. God that would be awkward for a while.

Damnit, I forgot to make her show me where the border was! I would just have to remember the highlights Carlisle had told me for now. Dad might even have something that could help. I refocused on the road, not wanting to have a mistake on the wet tarmac. As I drove, the once mostly white landscape was slowly becoming more green.

Charlie was sitting on the couch as I got back in. I could still smell the bacon in the air, so breakfast must have been completed recently. Waving a simple hello to him, I snuck into the kitchen and found a treasure I would devour shortly. I brought the small bowl of bacon with me to the living room and sat down next to dad.

He was watching the local news channel, with a beer in hand. As I snacked on the meat in front of me, I found myself trying to place where the current story was from. It seemed oddly familiar. The picture switched to show at least a few dozen dead fish that had been placed in a pile. All over there was... burn marks?

Ice ran down my spine as I understood just what it was that had caused this. Me.

This is what my dad had been out to check on yesterday. And sure enough, the reporter started theorizing it might be toxic chemicals. Same as what dad's colleague had thought.

So this is what would happen to the wildlife if I was drained of energy in a lake. It was a pretty large lake though, so I don't think that was all the fish in it. Hopefully they would recover. I wonder how the fish got hurt. From the picture, most of the burns seemed scattered around different parts of the fish. Everywhere but their heads. That was not a good sign.

What would the Cullen's think about this? Would they even put it together? Who was I kidding, of course they would figure it out.

The more pressing concern is the Quileute tribe. Damage to wildlife wasn't something the Cullen's said was in the treaty, but I imagine they wouldn't have a hard time finding a reason to throw a hissy fit about it.

''You okay kiddo?'' Charlie asked, the rumbling sound of his voice filled with concern. I looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights, with a strip of bacon still hanging out of my mouth.

I quickly stuffed the rest of it in my mouth and swallowed painfully. ''Yeah. Just shocked anyone would want to poison the water up here, is all.'' I lied to him with a fake look of nonchalance. He just hummed and turned back to the screen with a grim smile.

It was as fake as the lie I had told him.

I really got to stop lying to my dad.

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AN: I hope you all enjoyed it again! It's getting to the point now where I'm considering a small timeskip to move thing along. The story has been mostly following the entire week and a half now, and if I want to get anywhere it needs to leap forwards somewhat. Please tell me what you think, and if there are any inconsistencies or spelling errors!