My body is burning with the pain. I pushed Mirania out of my mind, and now, my body floats in the darkness, alone. I don't move or make an effort because I understand what it's happening. I did this to myself when I surrendered my body to the rage inside me. I did the one thing my parents begged me not to; I'm using my vampire strength before absorbing their healing powers.
I was only a few weeks old in human age but already looked like a four-year-old the first time I did it. I played in our front yard when a lost boy passed by the house. We lived in the woods, and he must've lost his way and ended up here after wandering around.
He grabbed my toys, and I threw a toy bucket about two-hundred feet above my head in a fit of rage. Both my arms broke right away, and I screamed in pain.
My dad came to help and dropped right to the floor when he touched my skin. My mom freaked out, watching my arms heal and my eyes go red. My dad woke up a few moments after, confused but unharmed.
We moved out right away, and all humans thought the boy saw a mirage in the forest created by fear. I told my parents what happened, about how I saw my dad's memories, but I was too young to understand them, so they were only images in my mind. My dad said it hurt when he touched me. He said it was like his skin was burning and making him weak. We thought I was developing powers for a moment, but we soon realized the truth when I tried to use them one more time.
We went to an open field this time, and I tried to run as fast as possible. It worked for a moment, but I broke my leg. I was so young and scared that even a slight injury was enough to trigger it again. I absorbed my Dad's memories, became a vampire for a minute, and came back to normal, healed.
My mom drew her theories for us that day. She said my body seemed to protect itself from death by stealing the healing powers of a vampire to heal, and I had no idea what she meant, but she made me swear never to use my abilities again.
When I became older, I tried experimenting with it, only to get hurt yet again. It wasn't too bad, just a broken finger.
When I touched my Dad, I didn't absorb anything. The finger was still broken, and I was still the same. That's when I knew the condition to trigger my powers was the level of pain and stress in my body. I had to be badly hurt for it to work. I was never able to control it, however.
I promised my parents to live away from trouble and avoid getting hurt, but here I am, consumed by my anger again like I'm four years old, back in our front yard, angry at the boy that stole my things.
Mirania stole my whole life away and lied to my face, saying she would help me. Every fiber in my body shakes, demanding her death.
The sound of my bones breaking is as clear as day in my ears, and I wonder how bad things got. This was the problem of drowning myself in violence; I get blinded by it to keep moving forward.
Anne… I can hear someone calling my name. I open my eyes, but I'm still inside the darkness. Anne… I recognize Seth's voice. Probably another illusion. He couldn't be there, not after what I did to Renesmee.
An intense redlight shines on my eyes. Mirania. My body recognizes her presence right at my reach. My hand burns in pain again, and I want to scream.
The heat around my body is familiar. It's like he is hugging me, squeezing me too tight for me to breathe. I want to open my eyes, see him, touch him. A different warmth runs through my finger. Blood. The metallic smell is unmistakable. My blood? I wonder how much further I can push my body before I die. Ah… I don't want to die. The darkness lightens up a bit, bringing back my conscience.
When the light comes back to my eyes, I'm holding a skeleton of a woman by her hair. It takes a second for me to recognize Mirania and feel the anger run through me. She looks so fragile and sick. She has no right to make me feel sorry for her now; she should be her same angry, rude self so I can kill her and feel good about it.
Her red eyes are dull. Being so long inside my head made her like this. Usually, she should be able to control someone for a maximum of ten minutes, but Padrone sliced our heads open and connected us so he could trigger her powers on me at the right time.
—Wake up, slowpoke. She says calmly with an annoying smile. She said the same thing to me after letting them put me inside that tube. She talks like she's helping me, and even now, after I remembered what she did, it's like she expects me to smile back at her, but how could I?
—You should've killed me too… I can feel the tears roll down my face. I'm completely back to my body now, and the pain is excruciating. I understand she didn't kill them with her own hands, but her betrayal hurts me the most. At least the others had the decency to treat me like their enemy, but she reached her hand out and lied to my face.
—I'm sorry. I hoped to save you at least. Mirania watched me grow up in the shadows. She was there when I was born, on my first day of school, when I first discovered my powers, when I cried myself to sleep, unable to understand why I had to leave my friends. In her memories, the love she felt for me ripped me apart, and her eyes remind me of my mother.
—I want to kill you. I take a deep breath, holding back my tears. I can feel my lips shake and wonder if she can hear the hesitation in my voice.
—You're too good for that. Emily raised you right. I won't ask for forgiveness. My life is yours if you want it. Her words throw me off. She doesn't hesitate to offer her head to me. I could kill her right now if I wanted, but I knew deep inside I could never do it. My useless brain won't order my muscles to move because she was right. I thought all I wanted was her death, but I couldn't find the strength to do it because my mom would disapprove of it.
My body finally gives up. As the will in me dissolves, I fall to the floor; my right leg and my left hand won't move.
—Anne! Seth's voice is clear in my ears. He puts his hands on my face, turning it gently. —Anne, can you hear me? The touch of his skin is warm and familiar, bringing the memories of when I blacked out slowly back to me.
I look around, and Edward is there too. He looks serious at me, probably reading the dark thoughts in my mind.
—Seth… Edward. You're really here. Seth sighs in relief and hugs me again.
—We came to get you —Edward says. —all of us.
The ground is shaking, and the machines around Mirania swing violently.
—Mirania… Giannini is beside her, worried.
—I know. We have to get out of here. She struggles to sit down on the bed like it takes every drop of strength in her just to move an inch.
—We can't just leave. That man, ahm… Padrone? He took some sort of device with information about Renesmee. We need to find out what it was. Edward seemed to know from reading their thoughts. I read Mirania's mind too and knew the device he took contained Renesmee's genetic code inside, and he was going to use it to try to create his own half-vampires.
—Don't worry. Mirania says, supporting herself on Giannini. —I locked the disk. He won't be able to see what's inside. He's got nothing.
The ground shakes again, like the beat of a drum. Giannini goes back to the half-destroyed panel and types in something.
—It's the self-destruction protocol. Padrone must've activated it after Cinque compromised the structure. I can't cancel it.
—Shut off the other experiments and warn Sette. Mirania orders Giannini around like she's not struggling just to sit straight up. I can't look at her without feeling anger and sadness.
—What about Esme and the others? Hear Edward say Esme's name makes my heart heavy.
—They are all outside. Giannini says, and Edward looks more relieved.
—All right. Let's go. Edward says.
Seth is still hugging me, and I can tell how scared he was. I knew how deep the connection through imprinting was by Renesmee's memories, and I can only imagine how hard it is for him.
My leg and my hand are pulsating in pain, and I'm sweating now. I know that if I touch a vampire, I'll be able to heal, but I don't want it to pass. Mirania avoids my angry gaze looking annoyingly sad.
—Anne, can you stand up? Edward asks. I look down, and the dry blood still lingers where I stabbed Seth in the stomach. Even if I could, I didn't want to.
—You'll have to carry her, Seth. Edward looks at me with his eyebrows mushed together, reading my mind.
—All right. Seth is ready to pick me up, but I don't let him.
—No. I'm not going. I'm tired of fighting to survive. I just want to end all this. I betrayed my parents' memory when I hoped to be part of another. They gave their lives for me, and I was smiling, hoping to be happy in that house. I didn't deserve to get out alive.
—Don't listen to her. Mirania says, making me raise my eyes to her.
—Shut up. You lied to me.
—Seth, take her by force if you need to. Mirania insists.
—You don't get to say his name!
—Anne… Edward can hear all my pain but doesn't seem to understand.
—You read my thoughts. You know I shouldn't be alive.
—I'm not leaving you. My words anger Seth.
—I could try to kill you again. I lie, hoping he'll back down. I should be apologizing for a thousand years, but I'm threatening him.
—I don't care. You can be angry at me, but outside. We're leaving. He grabs me, and the movement sends a sharp pain through my body, making me scream.
—Anne! He looks apologetic for grabbing me without permission.
—I'm fine. My breath is heavy, and the pain intensifies the sweat. —I told you. Leave me here.
Seth is in silence as the ground continues to shake. Giannini grabs Mirania and walks towards the door at the back of the room. —We are out of here.
The race towards the exit is painful. I'm grabbing Seth's neck, my nails in his skin as I hold back the screams every time the ground shakes more intensely.
—How much longer? He asks, his muscle tightening up. I relieve the pressure of my nails a little bit.
—Just a little more. Giannini answers, carrying Mirania. She looks like a skeleton in his arms.
We get to the end of the corridor and stop behind a big stone wall. Edward throws his body against it, but it doesn't move.
—Put me down, Giannini. Mirania says, ordering Giannini to help Edward.
They hit the wall together, and it cracks, but it won't break down. The ceiling above us has an intense crack in it now, and it's falling behind us, lifting dust everywhere.
—Again! Edward says and hits the wall, opening a hole big enough for us to pass through as I see the crack moving above our heads.
Giannini grabs Mirania and passes through first. Seth and I follow, and Edward is the last one, followed by a dense dust cloud.
We are inside an old house, the walls falling around us, probably because of the tremors as we run around the corridors, looking for an exit. Giannini kicks down a wall, and we can see the outside garden. The sunlight is intense as we run away from the destroyed structure.
—I can hear them. Edward says, looking around. —Bella! Esme! He screams, calling for them.
Esme jumps through the destroyed house followed by everyone, and I mean, everyone. Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, Rosalie, Emmett, Paul, Jake, Renesmee, Bella, and Embry.
Edward hugs Bella and Renesmee right away. Esme walks straight towards me, but I hide my face in Seth's neck. —Don't let her touch me. I whisper to him, and he walks a few steps back, but she doesn't stop.
—Esme, wait! Edward says, holding her. —First, let's get out of the sun. He points to one big tree that survived the destruction and had enough shade for all of them. All of those vampires under the sun are like crystal balls reflecting the light, and although the city is completely empty, they can't risk it.
Under the shadow, Seth puts me down slowly. I can see the mark where I planted my nails on his neck.
—If you touch her now, what happened to Renesmee will happen to you. Right? Edward knew quite a bit about my powers now. I can't look at Esme when I speak.
—It wouldn't be the same. I'm… aware of it now, so you won't pass out, but I will absorb your healing powers and memories. I was much more aware of my powers after so many years, and that's how Raffaello could touch me just enough to heal the cut on my leg the last time. I couldn't control it when I was young, but now I can at least keep her awake.
Her reaction was not what I expected. I thought she would hesitate, think about it and ask more questions, but she didn't even blink. She came closer and put the back of my hand on her forehead, closing her eyes. I could feel her memories flowing to me and my leg and hand getting better, the bones mending together and the skin going back to its normal color. I know I'm hurting her, but she won't make a sound. I pull my hand when the pain becomes tolerable, and my bones are perfect again, leaving just a few bruises behind.
She looks at my leg, worried about the unhealed spots.
—It wasn't enough? She seems sad, and I can't look at her.
—No… I'm better now; those are just bruises. They heal by themselves. The pain I caused her was just one reason I pulled my hand back before recovering completely.
I was afraid to look inside her memories and see she was angry and disappointed at me, but it was much worse than that. All I saw was love—all of our time together, all of our smiles. I knew Padrone had modified my appearance to look like her dead son. He gave me freckles and darkened my eye color so I would resemble him so much she wouldn't be able to resist.
I expected to see her comparing us, looking for what made us different and being disappointed by me, but there were no thoughts like that.
She hugs me tightly, and I hold on to her again. The smell of her hair brings back so many good memories that I can feel my heart hurting. I was ready to die and believed I deserved it, but now I want to be with her and never let go.
Convince her that I was her dead son is one thing, but the connection I felt with her was something else. Padrone didn't make me love her; I just did. She looked at me just like my father used to. Like I'm something precious, something to be loved. Her arms around me were like my mother's, collecting the pain and taking it all away.
—Anne. Mirania's voice bursts the happiness bubble I was in. I stand up, Seth holding me. —We're leaving. Padrone will come after me once he realizes I locked the disk.
I don't answer her. She's in Giannini's arms; her voice is small and tried.
—I saw you grow up into the woman you are today. I heard your first words and saw your first tears when you questioned who you were. Your parents would've been proud of you. You're the image of them left in this world, so don't blame yourself for wanting to be happy. Don't drown in guilt that doesn't belong with you, and I know it sounds ridiculous coming from me, but I wish you to be happy. Her words cut through my heart and skin. I hate her even more because I know she's telling the truth.
—You know I can't forgive you. I say with all the honesty in me.
—I know. She looks away. —Be careful. Padrone won't let this slide. Let's go, Giannini.
We watch them walk away until they disappear into the narrow alleys of the city, and I have a feeling this is not over.
—What happened down there? Esme asks, looking at Mirania and Giannini walking away.
—I remembered everything. Esme seems surprised by my words. —I can finally answer you.
—Answer me? She looks confused.
—When I woke up, you asked what my name was. I can answer you now.
She seems to hold her breath, waiting for me to continue.
—My name is Julianne. I smile and look at Alice. —But you can call me Anne; it's the perfect nickname.
I decide not to tell them my birth name because I felt like I'm not that person anymore. I am someone new, a stronger me.
—Sure, Anne. Alice smiles playfully —but before anything else, we need to get out of here. I got us an Airbnb not far from here. She says, pointing her phone at us. —The sun is too bright, so Jake and the others will have to go first. Please tell me someone has a pair of pants. She looks at the line of half-naked men staring at each other.
—Maybe I got something in the airplane. Embry points to the tilted-down plane I didn't notice before. They landed a plane here?!
—Great. Put something on and try to keep a low profile. The place is quiet, but there a still neighbors around. Open the back door and close all the curtains. We'll run through the back and get inside.
We quietly walk through the tall grass, keeping it hidden in the shadow of the buildings and trees. If we weren't just out of a life or death situation, the scene would've been hilarious.
Alice walks ahead, signalizing to the vampire line behind her when it's time to jump to the next yard. Seth refused to put me down and continued to run around carrying me until we finally reached the house Alice rented.
The place is small and cozy, and it would probably be perfect for a family of three but way too small to fit fourteen people inside. The Cullens are smushed together, keeping away from the windows while the shape-shifters try to fit in the sofa and chairs around the house. Seth puts me on the kitchen table, and Carlisle examines my hand and leg.
—You're right. The bones seem restored, and the bruises will heal in a few weeks, but I don't recommend you walk too much. He improvises an arm sling out of cloth to immobilize my arm. I complained of pain when he moved it, and Esme insisted I absorb more of her powers.
—That's not how it works. I said, taking a deep breath through the pain. —I had to be badly hurt and under extreme stress for it to happen. I can't control it like you guys.
—Terribly inconvenient. Carlisle jokes, finishing the not.
I could feel everybody's curious eyes on me as I talked about my powers, so I asked Seth to take me to the living room. It's time to tell them what was happening. They risked their lives for me; they deserve to know.
—Thank you for coming to rescue me. I'm sorry things turned out this way and apologize for making you go through this. I'm happy all of you look unharmed.
Their eyes twinkle under the lights, full of curiosity as they listen.
—Mirania, the vampire that came out of the house with us, is the one that controlled my body and brought me here. She also held back my memories, making me believe I didn't know who I was. A man she calls Padrone was behind all of this. He wanted to study Renesmee's body, but when you guys won over the Volturi, and his plan fell apart, he found a way around it by using me.
The tension grows at every word.
—I was born from a half-vampire and a full vampire. My dad turned when he was young, and my mother was born like Renesmee. Her father, a vampire, abandoned her mother, and she naturally died during childbirth, so my mother had to live alone. She said her father came back once but didn't take her in. She met my father, and they stayed together many years before I was born.
—So you're what? A fourth vampire? Embry asks, confused.
—Actually, three halves. Jasper says, making him even more confused.
—The thing is, I continue not understanding the math either, —My mom was not supposed to have children. When I asked her how it happened, she said she wished to have a family so much she created a miracle. She wanted to have what her father denied her when he left. After I was born, the Volturi naturally checked on me, but they told my parents to get rid of me because I was not supposed to be alive. My mom refused, and since I wasn't a threat, they just forgot about me. Physically, I was nothing like a vampire. My dad had to steal breast milk to keep me alive, and I didn't drink blood. My skin was thin as a human's, and my blood incited thirst in vampires as human blood does. The thing is, I don't age. I developed fast as a baby but stopped changing when I turned 18.
—How old are you then? Emmett asks.
—I'm much younger than you. In human years, I am fifty years old, but I'm just a child in vampire age, I guess.
Paul lets out a long whistle —You're immortal then?
—Yes. And no. I answer. —I will live forever as long as I don't get too hurt to heal myself. Like any human, a bullet to my head would kill me right away.
—What happened after you were born? Jasper asks.
—I lived as a vampire. We would move cities all the time, and when I was old enough, I went to school a few times. We soon realized I was different and kept away from any human facilities like hospitals and such. When I was four, I threw a bucket over my head with all my might and broke both my arms. I was young and scared, so when my father touched me, he passed out right away, and I healed myself. They thought I was developing abilities, so I tried to test it by running as fast as possible but broke my leg. Since then, my mother made me swear not to use my powers without absorbing a vampire's healing powers beforehand.
—What exactly do you take when you touch a vampire? Alice asks, curious.
—Everything. Speed, strength, healing powers, talents, memories. I become a genetic copy of them. The thing is, it doesn't last. Maybe one or two minutes, depending on how long I touched them. It's a defense mechanism, the last resort to keep me alive. Padrone transformed that in a way to steal Renesmee's genetic code and use it for himself. He created extreme stress in my body during the party somehow, and after I took her powers, I ran because of the survival instinct. From there, Mirania took over and got me here for extraction.
—That vampire can control someone's body? Rosalie asks. I know what she wants to know, and I am relieved I can finally answer.
—Yes. She can make you do things and control everything inside your body. Padrone connected her to a machine that kept her hidden inside my mind creating an enormous amount of pain in her body. On that day, she made you attack me because she wanted to die. Her head was confused, and she couldn't think straight, so she made you want to drink my blood, thinking it would kill her and end the pain. That's what caused my sudden fever too. After they stabilized the connection, all seemed normal again.
—I never heard of a vampire called Padrone working for the Volturi. Jasper says, contemplative.
—I'm not sure who he is, but I know a vampire called Felix told him they couldn't be directly involved in attacking Renesmee. Mirania said that he experimented on vampires and shared information with them.
He's in silence, thinking.
—Padrone killed my parents and put me in that tube for two years. He changed my appearance and put Mirania in my head. Then, he dropped me in the woods near the house so I would find you. It wasn't a coincidence I looked like your son Esme. He planned every detail so you couldn't resist keeping me in the house.
—Wow… Embry sighs deeply. —I think I got it, but then I'm sure I have no idea what's happening.
—What matters is that we are alive and together. Mirania wasn't lying when she said she blocked that mad scientist to access Renesmee's information. Edwar holds Renesmee by her shoulder, smiling at her.
—So, what now? Rosalie asks, and all turn to her.
—We go back home. Jake says like it's the obvious answer to that, but I know what she means. She wonders if they should keep me around after all that happened, and I don't want to be here to hear their opinions. They are going home, of course, but where am I going?
I look at the window, and the bright sunlight passes through the house's cheap curtains. I don't want to think anymore; I just want a minute to feel the sun. It feels like forever since I saw or felt its heat.
—Can I go outside for a moment? I ask quietly, making the murmurs in the room stop. I'm sure they'll speak more openly once I'm out of there.
—Sure. Let's go. Seth picks me up again, but I tell him to put me down.
—I can walk.
—All right, but I'm going with you. His face is severe, but I know he's not angry; he's just worried. I missed those eyes so much.
—The neighbors are breaking their necks, trying to look over the fence. Emmett says, peeking behind the curtains. Seeing four huge men enter the house must've been surprising for them.
—It's okay. Jasper can keep them away. Carlisle looks at Jasper. He'll probably make them feel like there is nothing to worry about or too scared to look inside.
We walk out the door, and the neighbors look uninterested now, going about their day. Seth and I are dressed in some clothes Alice stole from a random yard, swearing to pay them back.
He follows me, arms ready to stop me from falling, to the bench in the yard under a tall olive tree. The weather is cold, but the sun in my skin is just too good to let it bother me. I throw my head back, absorbing all of it. Seth is quiet next to me, looking at the tree's shadow under our feet.
—I'm sorry. I say quietly.
—For what?
I point at his hand. The cut is just a thin pink line now but still visible.
—Oh, this? He says, shaking his hand. —This is nothing; it's all good now.
I hold his hand, looking at it closely, running my finger through the scar. I can understand now how worried he was when Rosalie attacked me.
I can feel the warmth of his hand on mine, and I don't want to let it go, even as my face starts to feel warm.
—If… if I told you I wanted to go away somewhere, would you come with me? I can't look in his eyes and don't know why I asked that aloud. It's unbelievably selfish of me to ask him to leave his family behind for me. I don't know if I'll be able to go back to the Cullen house after all this, and all I can think of is that I don't want to feel alone ever again. I'm sure he will talk me out of it.
—You know I will. He says without hesitating. I think a bit more before speaking.
—I'm not talking about the imprinting. I want to know if you will come with me. I want to know how you really feel. He wraps his fingers around mine, and I look up. His eyes make my heart skip a beat. He puts my hand on his face, closing his eyes slowly like he wants to feel every part of it.
—You know how I feel. He holds my face, and I can't breathe. His hand moves down my back, pulling me closer.
—HEY! Esme's voice makes me jump away from him. She's at the door with Alice holding a towel over her head to block the sunlight. —That's enough sunlight! It's time to go back home! All inside now, chop-chop!
Seth looks at her angrily, and I can't help but laugh. Alice looks worried, holding the towel, and I can see Carlisle pulling Esme back inside. Jake and the other wolves are in front of the window, giving us a thumbs up and smiling.
Mirania was right. I won't blame myself for wanting to be happy.
Seth and I walk back to the house, and it's like the winter wind is whispering in my ear. I can almost hear my mother calling my name.
It doesn't matter what comes at me; I'll continue to survive, rising above adversity, like those hellebores in the snow, facing the sun, smiling. I'm not alone.
To be continued…
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you like the story and look forward to the next chapter.