Chapter Four: Revelations

Morning couldn't come soon enough for Edward who was still in the dark about so many things. If someone could just tell him something, anything at all about what was happening, then that would be a big step in the right direction.

"-I'm sorry but your car is a piece of shit."

"You don't even have a car."

"Still better than your junk yard."

He was still getting used to the new hearing, it seemed every pathetic conversation was immediately picked up on his radar and he'd spend ages trying to zone it out only to be met by another.

Edward smirked and walked over. "Hey."

Bella looked up from the wall she'd been staring at. "Hi."

"We didn't finish our conversation from yesterday."

"I think we did."

"You never answered."

"To what question?"

"Do I look better different? Or is it bad? Most people seem to think good but I feel like I'm getting a more negative feel from you."

"I'm giving you a negative feel?" She worded the same.

"I don't know how to describe it." He gave a shrug.

"And I don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you sure?" He stopped her from leaving by getting in her way. She didn't seem to be too pleased when he did that. Edward stepped back. "I think there's something you're not telling me."

"Like what exactly?"

"Something to do with me being different."

"What's different about you?" She crossed her arms.

Edward smiled now and leaned closer. "I don't like playing games. You know more than you're letting on, and I know you're different too."

"I've always been different." She replied and he stood in surprise because he really thought he'd have to break her down for a few days. Bella stepped to the side of him and he let her go but turned around to see her point at him. "Not everyone can be this awesome." It was hard to deny that.

Edward couldn't help but smile back and chuckle to himself when she'd left. "I'm not beat yet."

Throughout his morning classes he thought about different ways to get to the truth but knew no plan guaranteed immediate answers. What he found out last night made him absolutely sure that she wasn't the person he'd always thought her to be. Bella Swan had always been mysterious but this was something else entirely. Whatever the secret was, Emmett McCarty and Alice Brandon were in on it too.

They weren't like him – he didn't even know what he was. They were something else or at least involved in something else. Maybe those essays he found in Bella's desk was the best lead he actually had at the moment.

Edward walked past Paul who kept to himself for a change instead of tripping him on his way to the library. He noticed Leah who spotted him too, she twisted her face and held her nose. She closed her eyes and stormed out.

"Charming."

It took some digging to find any books on superstitions held in the past, the most common ones being on witchcraft just like Bella's main focus had been on in the first article.

In Shakespeare's time people believed in witches. They were people who had made a pact with the Devil in exchange for supernatural powers. If there was plague in your village, it was because of a witch. People accused of being witches tended to be old, poor, single women.

There are lots of ways to test for a witch. A common way was to use a ducking stool, or just to tie them up, and duck the accused under water in a pond or river. If she floated, she was a witch. If she didn't, she was innocent. She probably drowned. Anyone who floated was then burnt at the stake. It was legal to kill witches because of the Witchcraft Act passed in 1563, which set out steps to take against witches who used spirits to kill people.

He wondered why he was actually reading this but continued to do so anyway. If Bella found it interesting enough to keep then he should look into the subject as well, even if it was a load of nonsense.

Witches are human beings who are endowed with the magical arts of sorcery. Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers.

Historically, it was believed in early modern Christian Europe that witches were in league with the Devil and used their powers to harm people and property. Particularly since the mid-20th century, "bad" and "good" witchcraft are sometimes distinguished, the latter often with healing. The concept of witchcraft as harmful is normally treated as a cultural ideology, a means of explaining human misfortune by blaming it either on a supernatural entity or a known person in the community.

Beliefs in witchcraft, and resulting witch-hunts, both they found in many cultures around the world today especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and historically notably in Early Modern Europe from the 14th to 18th century, where witchcraft came to be seen as a vast diabolical conspiracy against Christianity, and accusations of witchcraft led to large witch-hunts, especially in Germanic Europe.

The next paragraph had him lingering over one word in particular.

Over the centuries vampires have fought them and fought beside them, bedded them and burned them. Whether adversary or alley, they have been a force to reckon with.

Edward flipped to the contents page and turned to page ninety seven.

Legends of vampires and night stalkers have been around for centuries, the mystery of the night creature is eternal. Many cultures believe in the myth of the night stalker and take their precautions against the undead, the creatures who seek blood by night.

Vampire. Edward sat back and pushed the book away.

If this was it and he'd just discovered the term for what he was, then maybe reading this book wasn't the way forward. This would be filled with incorrect and useless information he didn't want to waste time on. But if there was someone who had been studying these mythologies and was knowledgeable on such topics, then their descriptions would be much more reliable.

He knew Bella was the key to discovering answers but maybe he didn't need to hear it directly from her. The answer had been in his hands last night. Edward packed the books away and left the building to return to Bella's home and hopefully make it back in time before the end of lunch.

Flipping through the papers he picked out one towards the end and examined the text.

Vampire, also spelled vampyre, in popular legend, a creature, often fanged, that preys upon humans, generally by consuming their blood. Vampires have been featured in folklore and fiction of various cultures for hundreds of years, predominantly in Europe, although belief in them has waned in modern times. There are many misinterpretations associated with the word; vampire, more often than not the most common superstitions being false. People often believed that a vampire is not able to cast a reflection or be recorded on film, or that they could not enter a home without being invited first, nor could they stand being-

Edward dropped the sheets of paper and his head shot up when he heard the door close and Bella was standing there watching him. She didn't look phased and neither did she look mad at him which is what she should look like after finding him invading her privacy this way.

Oh, crap. This is really not good.

"Bella I-"

"Don't. I already know."

"I… This… There's something-"

"I'm sorry."

"You're apologising to me?" He was astonished.

"As soon as I found out I should have helped you. I just didn't expect it to happen to you, and then have you come back to school like nothing has changed. You must have really good self control."

"I don't… I don't know." He shook his head with pleading eyes. "I don't understand any of this."

Her expression was understanding. "You're on the right track."

He glanced down and picked up the papers again. "I'm so sorry for coming here."

"How much did you read?"

"Just the first few lines."

"Do you remember much about what happened the night you woke up like this?"

He sat down awkwardly on the foot of her bed and hoped that would be okay. He just needed to sit. "I was in the car with my mum – she picked me up after school and I noticed that her eyes were orange like mine are now. She'd been away for a couple weeks to Greece. Then when we were talking we crashed into something – or something crashed into us. I heard my dad arguing with her and then other voices came. I didn't know who they were but they knew us. Were they… I mean were they like me now?"

"Yes." She answered cautiously.

Edward swallowed. "And what is that?"

"I think you already know."

"I'd like to hear it all the same. Maybe then I'll believe it."

Bella sighed and came to sit next to him. "When they captured you and brought you to the bridge you woke up under, the leader of the group changed you. You're no longer human. This means you can do things that you couldn't before. Including incredible strength and speed, near indestructibility, heightened senses… There are many benefits to being what you are but there are also going to be complications."

"Like what?"

"With being a vampire, there's always the blood lust."

Edward leaned forward and crossed his arms as he frowned. "I… I already have, not – not a person, but I was close to so I ran away and saw a deer so I…"

"You haven't killed anyone?"

"No! Of course not."

"Do you know how amazing that is?"

"Amazing?"

"Most newborns can't even stand to be in a ten mile radius of a living animal without killing them. You've only been a vampire for a week and a half, you shouldn't be able to sit next to me."

His eyes widened at the insinuation. "I would never hurt you!"

"I'm gathering that. If all vampires had your self control then the Volturi wouldn't be this much of a problem right now."

"What problem? Who is the Volturi? Did you just make up a word?"

"No… I'll tell you about them another time."

"That's probably for the best."

Her lips played a smile. "Yeah."

"How did you know to find me? School isn't over yet you should be in class."

She glanced at his watch as well. "Emmett told me you'd come here."

"How did Emmett know?"

"Well, he's like me. And he's been keeping an eye on you ever since he saw these." She gestured to his eyes. "We knew if you disappeared from school today that you'd likely come back here."

"Back?"

"We know you were outside." She still didn't look mad.

He struggled to find the right words. He looked away from her. "Right… I guess there's just an endless list of things for me to apologise about these days. This isn't something I would usually do but under these circumstances, I was just so desperate. I needed answers, I still do."

"I know that."

He nodded and then asked. "What do you mean when you said Emmett is like you? How do you both know about all this stuff?"

"We're not exactly… human."

"So what are you?"

"You would refer to us as witches, or sorcerers."

He heard the words but he wasn't sure if he was actually digesting them. "You're a witch."

"Always have been."

"And I'm a vampire."

"Are you going to be okay? I know your kind often have pale complexions but you might want to lay down."

"It's just a lot to take in." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Next thing you'll tell me is that there are zombies that walk the streets at night." She stared at him. He dropped his hand. "Oh my god, there are zombies that walk the street at night, aren't there?"

She laughed. "Not that I know of."

"Then what?"

"There are other things out there. It's not just us."

"Because vampires and witches aren't enough?"

"Listen, maybe you should talk to Emmett. This is the first time I've had to explain this world to someone else and I don't think I'm very good at it-"

"I want to hear it from you." He insisted.

She studied his expression and still seemed concerned as she pursed her lips. "Okay. But not now."

"Not now? Then when?"

"We need to get back to you first before I start bringing dragons into the mix."

"What the-"

"Come on." She'd stood up in front of him and took the papers to put back away.

He got up and followed her down the stairs. "Where are we going?"

"For a walk. My dad will be home in a few minutes."

"Oh. Hey, does he know about you?"

"Yeah, of course. My mum was one and he knew then. But he doesn't know about everything, he likes to get on with things in his own world to maintain some degree of normalcy."

"Did he figure out what I was?"

"No, he's never encountered your kind before. Except your mother but she always wore contacts."

"You knew about my mum? Did she know about you?"

"Yes and yes."

"And you got along? Our mothers were friends, does this have something to do with why?"

"Partly." She opened the back door and let him slip out first. "My mum and Emmett's parents were good friends and the same with Alice's. At first were skeptical about a vampire moving to Forks because of previous experiences but your mum was different and they only realised that when she saved Alice from being taken by the Volturi."

That word again. Volturi.

"What did they want with Alice?"

"Alice's parents were particularly advanced in the magical arts and were seen as a threat by the Volturi because of their roles at the ministry. They sent people to take their child as leverage but Esme put a stop to it."

The ministry?

"How did she stop them?"

"Your mum was high up in the Volturi ranks. She only had to say one word."

"She was? And they left? Just like that? Who gave the order?"

"Caius. I've never seen him but I know he's powerful. Him and your mum never saw eye to eye."

"How come?"

"He was motivated by gaining control over the underworld and your mother wanted peace between all."

"So he wanted some sort of vampire uprising?"

"That's exactly what he wanted. He still does. But the Ministry won't allow it."

"What Ministry?"

"The ministry of the underworld. Caius doesn't like to listen to them because they're mostly witches and wizards. He views it that vampires – his large coven – should have the top rank of authority. But that won't happen without a war, the ministry has stood for centuries."

"How long has the Volturi been standing?"

"Still centuries but much less."

They were deep into the forest now. "Will there be a war?"

Her gaze flickered down and then up again. "I'm afraid it's already starting."

"Between vampires and witches?"

"Between the Ministry and everything else."

"And who's side are you on?"

"The Ministry has made their mistakes in the past but they've always stood for protection, whether that be for witches, wizards, humans or even vampires. Just because vampires don't lead it doesn't mean they are treated any less to that of any other creature. The Volturi want a world where they are treated as royalty and their creating an army to ensure it."

"They're recruiting an army?" He scowled.

"More like expanding on it, actually. The spike in vampire attacks is on Caius' orders. They can increase their ranks far faster than my kind, we have to be born but all vampires have to do is go on a biting spree. For what they lack in magic they make up for in their numbers."

"So that's the reason I was turned? Because they're recruiting? Why my parents died?"

He stopped walking now and his eyes burned into hers.

"You weren't a random recruit. Esme tried to keep you from this for a reason, and she didn't want anyone to know about her life here. She chose a quiet town away from the Volturi because she wanted to leave that life behind. But with Caius being one of the leaders in charge, the last time she visited she was threatened and bounty hunters got to you."

"Bounty hunters? Why did they have to kill my parents?"

"I can't know for sure. But Caius and your mum never got along and I don't know who else would make such a compelling reward for hunters to come after Esme. She had many allies and she was taking you to them to hide when you were ambushed."

He head his head. "I still don't understand. Why would my mum keep such a massive secret from me? I thought we were close and now it turns out I barely knew her at all."

"I don't have all the answers, I didn't know her very well."

"Yeah well you knew more than me."

"That's not true."

"Yeah? Then how come you're the one telling me this stuff and not the other way around?"

"I only know what I do from external sources. She was your mother."

"And a leader of some vampire cult!"

"I'm sure she had her reasons for not telling you."

"Why didn't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're a witch. You've always been a witch? Even when we were little? Is that why you stopped being my friend later on? To keep another secret from me?"

"It's not that simple."

"Believe me, I don't think any of this is simple."

"If I'd told you I'd be breaking the law. But now you're a part of this world, I can tell you about it."

"You can't tell humans? Is that the whole reason you didn't tell me?"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It felt pretty personal when you shut me out."

"That's not fair, I had to keep my distance."

"It didn't stop you from having other friends!"

"Rosalie knows about me and Alice. Her parents were the same but she could never do what we could, that's how she found out. And all my other friends at school aren't proper friends. I'm not close to any of them. When we were little we were together all the time and because I was young I'd slip up sometimes and whether you know it now of not, you were beginning to notice something off."

"I don't…"

"My dad told me to stop playing with you and our friends were told the same thing. It wasn't because of anything other than preserving our secret."

"You could have at least been my friend a little. Like the way you are with Lauren and everyone else, before we were put next to each other in History I barely even saw you."

"I didn't want to get close to you again."

Her words played on his mind and he felt goosebumps that weren't even there.

"I just figured you were a bit of a jerk."

She smiled again. "I still might be."

He snorted and shifted his gaze down with a drawn out sigh. His smile fading again. "I can't believe how much I've been missing. I thought I had everything figured out but I didn't even reach the surface. How could I have been so oblivious about something happening right in front of me?"

"It's not your fault. Most of us have had many lifetimes of experience to keeping things hidden."

"What do you mean?"

"Most of our kind have been around for a lot longer than they look. Your mum was a little over three thousand."

Three thousand. He repeated in his head but didn't make it any more believable. But with everything else he'd learned over the course of an hour there was nothing that could rattle him now.

"Of course she was."

Bella smiled and leaned a hand against a tree.

"You're not though are you? I mean we grew up together."

"No, I'm no where near a thousand." She looked amused.

"Will I live that long now that I'm a vampire?"

"You'll never die of natural causes. As long as you stay safe you could live forever."

"And you?"

"I'll live for a long time, but I'm much more vulnerable than you in a few ways. Your skin is impenetrable whereas if I got hit by a car tomorrow it would most likely kill me like any other human."

"But you could live forever? It's possible?"

"Sure." She nodded.

There was some comfort in knowing that. "What about this war? Will you have to fight?"

"Of course. All of us will."

"What if we hid somewhere together? We'd be safe." She'd be safe.

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I have my reasons."

"Are you going to tell me them?" He raised a brow.

"We shouldn't stray any further." She turned to look behind them. "It's getting late and I don't want to worry my dad."

"But there's still so much I want to know." He followed her.

"Emmett-"

"I don't want to start over again with him. You know what I know and don't know. It's better I stick with you." That was his excuse anyway. "How about I come back tonight? I can think about what questions I want to ask and we won't have to worry about Charlie because he'll be in bed."

She seemed to be giving some thought to it. "Fine. But just so you know my kind still needs to sleep."

"I'll leave when you start to get tired." He vowed.

"See you later then."

"See you tonight." It was a promise.