Changing Stars:
Chapter 3- Meeting
I paused outside their house, hiding in the shadows of the woods. I knew they were expecting me and decided that it was stupid to wait.
"We've been expecting you." A man opened the door and gestured for me to enter.
All eight of them stood in a semi-circle with suspicious faces. One of the females held a smaller being. It was the creature.
Before they could respond, I registered all their powers. One male was trying to create a calmer atmosphere. Next to him stood a tiny female, she was the one that had seen my arrival ahead of time. The next couple had no powers. The man who opened the door had an immense ammount of compassion, but no physical attack. His mate something similiar. The most fascinating to me were the last two. The male stood slightly in front of the female and child in a protective stance, he was trying hard to read my mind. I was using his mate's power to block him out.
We all stood in silence observing one another. The family kept looking at the mind-reader as if he were going to give them the permission to speak. I knew they were thinking their questions. Just for fun, I used his ability to look into all their minds. Once I enforced my gift he froze and shook his head lightly from side to side.
"What is it, Edward?" The one I identified as Carlisle asked.
"I can't hear." Edward answered.
"But you just answered." The blond, Rosalie, rolled her eyes.
"I mean, I can't hear your thoughts." His voice was frustrated.
"Oh, interesting." I spoke for the first time.
"What?" Edward snapped.
"Would you quit panicking? I'm having trouble digging through it." I crossed my arms.
"You're...you're reading my mind?" His face twisted.
"Yes." I sighed.
His thoughts were much too disorganized for my liking. I switched to his mate's. She was mostly thinking of her child, who I had yet to acknowledge. I learned how long she had been a vampire and how she was transformed. I had only been told important facts from the Masters, but nothing too specific. I was now learning.
"It's so quiet." Edward commented.
"Nice, isn't it?" I mocked.
"Surprisingly, yes. But it's also very foreign. I don't like it. Give it back." He commanded.
I reluctantly released it and he returned to his normal stature.
"So you changed her yourself." I nodded in Bella's direction.
"Did you get that from my thoughts?" He shot in a sour tone.
"No, hers." I shrugged.
"Hers?" They all said.
"Yes. She read my mind." Bella spoke clearly.
"But...how?" Edward took a step closer to me. "No one can do that."
"She can." Carlisle frowned at me.
"What exactly do you do?" Esme, the mate of Carlisle, asked.
"I have a variety of powers. I can pick up any, use them, and also take them away. I can then combine them and use them in different ways." I summarized.
"Impressive." Carlisle started to circle me.
"Impossible." Jasper whispered.
"Where have you been? I'm surprised the Volturi hasn't picked you up by now." Carlisle paced.
"I've been alone, traveling from coven to coven. I just recently learned of yours and found your way of living one that I'd like to accept for myself." I lied very well.
Edward and Bella went to sit on the couch. Rosalie and Emmett stood listening. Alice and Jasper left to another room.
"You want to join us?" Esme seemed taken back.
"Yes. If you don't mind." I started to glance around. "I find it fascinating how you survive and I'd like to give it a try."
"You cannot just try, you have to be completely committed to it. We cannot take chances here in Forks. You cannot make accidents." Carlisle spoke firmly.
"I understand." I smiled.
They allowed me to stay in their house. That night they all gathered in their living area to discuss my proposition.
"She must be lying." Rosalie growled.
"But Edward says her thoughts are sincere." Carlisle reminded her.
Rosalie punched the table. "With a power like hers she could do anything."
"It's hard to hide things from me." Edward agreed.
"But not impossible." Bella stood up. "I think we should take her in. I don't think she'll hurt us. She could be of great use in the future."
"She's listening." Alice glanced in my direction.
"And have been for the entire evening." I strolled in and sat in the remaining seat. "You're letting me stay?"
"We haven't come to a conclusion." Esme looked around uneasily.
"You will in about 5 minutes." I informed them.
They all gave me a questioning look. I looked at Alice.
"It's true." She confessed. "I saw it a few minutes ago."
"As did I." I added.
"But how? I didn't lose my vision." Alice pointed out.
"I was nice. I used Edward to hear it. He knew as well." I looked to the other side of the table at him.
He nodded.
"Then I suppose we're accepting you, Elle." Carlisle rose. "Welcome to the family."
Rosalie stormed out with Emmett close behind her. Alice was trying to be discreet about looking at me, but I saw that her thoughts had a million questions.
The group broke up and everyone went to their own places.
"Alice." I came up to her. "Would you like to ask me something?"
"Would you mind?" Her voice had a lovely tune.
"Not at all." She let me to a couch.
"Where do I start?" She clasped her hands together. "Didn't you have trouble getting to Bella?"
"A bit. But her blocking doesn't effect me." I shuffled on the seat. "Does she trouble you?"
"I can see her future and such, but she confines everyone else." Her eyes scrolled the room. "It drives Edward crazy."
I laughed. "He can't read her thoughts?"
"Nope." She chuckled lightly. "Unless she lifts her barrier, which she barely can do."
"Strange." I observed Bella. "She's so new. How does she control herself?"
"She just does. It shocked us all." Alice shook her head in disbelief.
I remembered some of the human habits that Aro told me about. He told me that the Cullens often did them. I decided to try one. I slowly started to twirl and piece of my golden hair around my finger.
"You have such beautiful hair." Alice complimented. "I'd love to fix you up sometime."
"You like playing dress up with Bella, don't you?" I grinned.
"Yes, but she doesn't much like it." She pouted.
"I'd love it."
"Really?" Her eyes lit up. "That would be a lot of fun."
"Maybe we can go shopping sometime?" I picked the idea out of her thoughts.
"You read my..." Her sentence drifted off.
"Mind? Yes. Edward is getting frustrated again." I filled in.
"You really shouldn't do that to him." She scolded softly.
"I find it rather funny." I turned to watch him.
He too shifted to throw me a dirty look. I smiled angelically and gave him his power back.
"I think I'm going to keep Bella's." I faced Alice.
"But she needs it." Her voice got defensive.
"Not take it, just use it." I corrected.
Edward came over alone. "Would you quit doing that?"
"What?" I asked innocently.
"You know what." He hissed.
"This?" I did it.
"Yes!" He jumped at me angrily, just to be stopped by the large Emmett.
Jasper calmed everyone down. Except Bella and I.
"I can't stand her." Edward shoved Emmett off of himself and fled up the stairs.
Impossible child. What was Carlisle thinking. I chuckled, for he did know what he was thinking at the time.
"So, uh, when do we eat?" I asked, trying to sound enthused.
"I suppose we can go out for a hunt tomorrow," Carlisle registered everyone's nods, "We'll have Jacob take care of Nessie."
An image of a wolf formed in Bella's mind. I gasped.
"A wereworf?"
"He's our friend." Bella stood up defensively.
Friend.
"I don't understand." I cocked my head.
"Why don't you just read our thoughts and figure it out by yourself?" Rosalie crossed her arms and gave me a disapproving glare.
"I think I'll go for a run." I shrugged innocently and took off out the back.
I didn't think I was being followed. I stopped at a creek a ways into the deep forest and tried to make a nearby deer seem appetizing. I failed. Rarely could something surprise me, but the force that pounded into my back sent me jumping into the air with fear.