Esme closed the door behind me, and bustled off to the house's kitchen. I warily followed her, not really sure what exactly she was doing in there, but hoped she wasn't gathering the butcher knives so she rip me to shreds. To my surprise, she had retrieved from the fridge different bags of human blood. Hmmm. This seemed a little strange to me, until she glanced back, saw me wearing a puzzled expression, and said, "We keep this for times when we become thirsty, but aren't able to hunt. Would you like some?"

I was touched by the thought. Like I had said, I hadn't eaten in a while, and the idea made me happy. "Please!" I exclaimed, bustling foreword to help in any way possible. "What type would you prefer?" Esme asked again, while lithely jumping onto the counter to reach mugs that were almost never used in the back of the cupboard. "AB positive, if that's ok," I replied. "Of course!" Esme said, and turned around to look at me kindly. "Please, go sit down and make yourself comfortable while I whip this up." I smiled at her and walked into the den.

My bare feet padded across the floor, and the sweet and soft texture of the rug that lay spread in the middle of the floor was like heaven to my rough and stone feet. Looking up, I noticed with surprise that the room was light and airy, nothing you would have expected from a coven. Then, catching sight of the expensive-looking flat screen television, the touch computer monitor, and the designer furniture, I became extremely suspicious. How could a coven as large as this live undetected and in this sort of opulence? Afraid of getting dirt on the clean white sofa, I roamed around for a while until I found a bathroom.

I spent a little more time than usual getting cleaned up, because I hadn't experienced soap since, well, five months ago. I was appalled at my appearance, and quickly used some of the makeup lying around to at least make myself seem presentable. Once I deemed myself acceptable, I walked out into the main room, to find Esme sitting comfortably, with a large soup bowl of blood. The warm aroma filled the room, and I tried my hardest not to scarf it down like a savage, but sip it politely. Esme made an apathetic face and said, "You don't have to have manners around me, sweetheart. Go ahead and eat if you're hungry!" With her blessing, I quickly drained the bowl. She smiled and set it aside on the table. I wiped my face and smiled at her. "Thank you," I said. "It has been a while since I had last eaten, because I wanted to keep my composure on the street, but you have been very kind to me. I am eternally obliged."

"Don you worry, that's what we are here for. Every now and then, we get visitors and need to have things like this around for entertainment, or otherwise." At this she laughed, and I smiled. I felt very at ease with Esme, which was a first. She almost had a motherly aura around her, and I felt that I could trust her. She hesitated, as if almost afraid to ask me something, but then apparently decided against it. "So, Iris, what brings you to Forks?"

Before I could answer, the door burst open, and peals of laughter drifted in from the outside. Startled, I ran away and hid in the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I could hear others come in, and the auras I was getting off of them were too complicated and overwhelming to decipher at first, but I could detect at least two females, and four males. I listened at the door while an interesting conversation took place:

"…And then I told her…oh, hey Mom! What's…" The voice trailed off as I could sense that they caught sight of the empty bowl of blood.

"Esme! You didn't! Why would you…" Another voice, the one I could detect was the authority, came out surprised. As if drinking blood was surprising? I was confused.

"Carlisle, kids," Esme said, in a calming voice, "We have a visitor."

Silence.

"Oh, yes, we do…I wonder why I didn't see it coming?" said one of the females. She had a lilting voice, very high pitched and sweet. Her voice herself made me happy, but her aura was one of self-doubt.

"Esme, are you insane? You let a 'visitor' come into our home, without thinking of Bella? Without thinking of the danger or damage this could bring to her? Argh!" This voice was haughty, almost know-it-all, yet very appealing and concerned. I hated him, but liked him at the same time.

"Well, maybe she would like to come out?" inquired the second female's voice. I could tell that she was proud and had a deeper voice, almost seductive, than the fairy-girl.

"I think she would. Iris, please come out and meet the rest of the family?" Esme inquired. I shook with fear and doubted myself.

"Um, in a minute!" I trilled, and paced around for a while. I wasn't sure if they would hurt me or not, but I was a vampire, dammed, and I could take on anything. At least that's what I told myself. Checking my appearance one more time in the mirror, I cracked the door open and peeked out. I saw a mass of people, and my face probably gave away my fear, because another male, who had pale blonde hair, spoke. "Don't be freaked out," he said. "We're all right." Immediately I stepped out with a wave of calm, and faced them on. They all scrutinized me for a moment, and then smiled kindly, all except for the boy with the bronze hair, who I recognized, spoke ill of me before. I smiled fully, and the pixie girl skipped foreword and gave me a huge hug. I couldn't help but hug her back, and she uttered the happiest words I had heard in a while.

"Welcome to the family, Iris!"