Chapter four New members
BPOV
2 years later
I was standing facing looking at my reflection. I was wearing a silk midnight blue ball gown as me and Vanessa had been invited to a Saturday night ball. I had silver jewellery in with diamonds. My hair up lightly curled. There was a light tap on the door then Vanessa danced through in a pale pink silk dress with golden jewellery and like me her light brown hair in loose curls and up.
"You look beautiful Bella!" she smiled.
"So do you" I smiled back.
"Come on. Lets go!" she pulled my arm down the stairs then into the horse and carriage.
"Lets get this other and done with" I muttered looking out the carriage window as we rode in the silent twilight night with just the sound of wheels on the bumping road and horse hooves.
After what felt like hours of waiting we arrived at the large ball room linked arms with Vanessa. The scene was magnificent; polished white marble floor, pink and gold walls, large tables around the outside the dance floor then two large crystal chandlers changing from the high ceiling.
"Well... hello Miss Cullen" Mr Hammett, an old plump man with a moustache and a strong Irish accent who owns the local banks eyeing me lustfully just like other men in the room.
"Hello Mr Hammett sir. This is my sister Vanessa Cullen" I said in my light English accent, smiling politely putting a hand out gesturing to Vanessa.
"Nice to meet you Miss Cullen" taking her hand and kissing it gently, cringing slightly at the temperature against his.
"So sorry, it is rather cold outside" I smiled.
"Lovely meeting you Mr Hammett" Vanessa replied politely.
We walked past Mr Hammett as he greeted other guests. The both of us walked slowly around the large ball room small chatting to people as we walked by when we where approached by two men in what looks like their early 20s. One was tall with light blonde hair, well built, with grey eyes. The other had black hair smaller than the blonde, muscled and dirty brown eyes with the hint of green. They where both very handsome for humans.
"Greetings. My name is Nicholas and my cousin here Thomas" The black-haired boy smiled and gestured to his blonde-haired friend who only had his eyes for Vanessa his eyes blazing into hers smiling. Vanessa returned to gesture with sparkling eyes like she had seen the sun for the first time her eyes had a different hint from last time it had... love?
"Pleasure" Thomas smiled picking Vanessa's hand like Mr Hammett did, then kissing it softly not even flinching at the temperature.
"Lovely to meet you. My name is Bella Cullen and this is my sister Vanessa Cullen" I replied, Thomas looked at me for the first time then looked back at Vanessa.
"Would Vanessa have the pleasure of dancing with me?" he asked hopefully, she nodded greedily and walked swiftly to the dance floor hand in hand.
"Miss Cullen would you do me the honour and dance with me?" Nicholas asked bringing my attention back.
"Thank you and please call me Bella" taking his hand as he led me to the dance floor.
We danced slowly to the music all partners doing the same slow moves.
"All right then Bella. How are you enjoying Northern Ireland?"
"Well Nicholas. I am enjoying it greatly, it is a lot more better than Manchester I must say" I chuckled as he span me round in a graceful circle.
"They are getting along just fine aren't they?" Nicholas nodded to the smiling and giggling Thomas and Vanessa spinning in circles around the dancing partners. They really looked like a proper couple, that is what Vanessa needs – love. Was Vanessa falling in love with a human?
The night processed. I spend lots of time talking to Nicholas as Thomas and Vanessa enjoyed their company; dancing until Thomas got tired, eating, laughing, joking together. I was getting more and more convinced they where falling for each other. Nicholas lives with his Uncle Albert, Aunt Grace then cousins Bertha and Thomas. He is a only child from Banbridge who is 21 years old, he moved to his Uncle and Aunt's as he was studing Law which is his future ambition.
3 hours later
"Oh Bella! This evening was amazing! Thomas was charming, a real gentleman. I would never have dared to dance with a human but it was so fun! He has asked me to go to the park with him tomorrow for a picnic! Isn't that fabulous?" Vanessa squealed on the walk to the carriage.
"Vanessa, I highly doubt he is a perfect gentleman from the way you where acting around each other tonight." I giggled linking her arm walking slowly in the pitch dark night.
"Bella... I am serious, I think I am falling in love with me" she sighed.
"I know, it is very obvious." I smiled reassuringly putting an hand on her shoulder squeezing it slightly. Then we smelt it, fresh mouth-watering smell that I hardly felt any more, the smell so strong – fresh human blood. "hold your breathe" I whispered, she did as I said and her chest stopped moving. I followed the scent down a dark alley way where a man holding a knife stood over two men. Vanessa gasped by me, I looked down at the dying victims – Thomas and Nicholas.
Vanessa jumped on the murder knocking him backwards, she cracked his neck killing him insolently.
"Drink him Vanessa, your eyes are black!" I hissed, although I did not like her killing, their was too much of a risk of killing Thomas and Nicholas. She noded then put her teeth into the murder. I ran to Nicholas' side first checking his injuries, he was too bad as was Thomas. Their was only one way, to change him.
"Vanessa should I change them?" I asked her, she was at Thomas' side holding his hand sobbing silently.
"Please." she whispered.
"All right. You take Thomas, be careful he is fragile." I picked up Nicholas swiftly and gently.
10 minutes later.
I rested Nicholas on my bed while Vanessa put Thomas on her bed in her room. Nicholas was wincing in pain holding his hand over the stab wounds on his stomach.
"Nicholas. This is going to hurt, I'm sorry. It's the only way" by that I pressed my teeth into his neck, ankles, wrists, he intently started screaming loudly through the house.
"I'm sorry. It'll be over in three days, I promise." he gave his hand a squeeze then ran into Vanessa's bedroom over to Thomas' side.
"Thomas what I'm going to do to you will hurt. I'm sorry; It'll be over in three days." I repeated the same thing to Thomas and like Nicholas started screaming.
"Vanessa can you keep an eye on them both? I am going to hand in my resignation to the hospital and sell the house. Pack some things while I'm away as well" she just nodded then gave Thomas a kiss on the forehead and started taking dresses out the wardrobe.
3 days later
The house was packed, we lay Thomas and Nicholas on pillows in the living room waiting for them to awake.
"Do you think they can hear us?" Vanessa asked as we stood in the corner of the room.
"Yes." I answered, Nicholas' heart stopped beating and his eyes flew open, sniffing the air and automatic jumped into a crouch snarling viciously.
"Bella? Vanessa? Why do you look so much more beautiful? How come I can see everything?" he whispered, stepping out of the crouch just as Thomas' heartbeat stopped and his eyes flew open just seconds after Nicholas' did.
"Thomas." Vanessa cried stepping forward. Thomas flipped backwards landing by the back wall making it crumble the slightest.
"Vanessa?" he asked staring at her in awe he ran forward pulling her into a hug. "What's happened?" he asked looking her in the eye from the once grey to bright red, I stepped forwards. I took in their appearances; They were pale now, blood red eyes, their hair now perfect as was their features.
"Nicholas. Thomas. Listen to me, what I am going to tell you will be a shock and you have to believe me" I took a breathe "3 days ago you where stabbed do you remember that?"
"Yes" Nicholas answered "I heard your voice" he realised sighing.
"Yes and Vanessa's. You dyeing, I had no other choice. I changed you into one of us... a vampire"
They stood their shocked then Thomas laughed loudly breaking the silence.
"a vampire?" he spluttered "The mythical creature" I nodded yet again.
"Well that makes sense. You are both so inhumanly beautiful, you have golden eyes, you haven't changed one bit since you first came here, you did not eat and never got tired" Nicholas went on.
"You are very observant" I chuckled "But yes that is true. We are extremely strong and fast, we are beautiful, we are frozen – we cannot age, we do not sleep and do not eat human food." I smiled.
"So does that mean we have to drink... blood?" Thomas gulped loudly.
"No. Vanessa and I are one of a kind, we do not drink human blood. We drink animals"
"Wow. But your a doctor how can you be around blood?"
"Practice, over hundreds of years of practice" I smiled "I was changed in the 1600's in London. After that I figured I could drink animal, then Vanessa was dying from the Spanish Influenza so I changed her, well more like she forced me too" I smiled at Vanessa who was still hugging Thomas. They looked perfect together, so happy. I couldn't help but be happy for them.
6 months later
Having Thomas and Nicholas in our lives was so much better, like fresh air. They where both like brothers to me, they both adapted to the new life style fairly well. Thomas was the funny one, always making people laugh when they where down. We later found that Thomas had a power: influencing people for things he wants that happened when he wanted to wrestle Nicholas making them fun on wrestle in the yard crashing down trees as they went.
Nicholas did not have a power but was kind and caring, he was more like the protector of the family always making sure we all right.
Thomas and Vanessa where engaged and deeply in love. It was starting to get annoying when they were alone together in their room when we were in the house; Nicholas and I would go out the house for a walk or hunt.
It was the day of the wedding I was helping her into her white silk dress with silver embroidered patterns on the bust part with a white ribbon below the breast letting the white silk material flow down her body. Her hair twirled into a soft bun at the back with silver butterflies in her hair then diamond jewellery.
I walked down the isle and stood to the side to let Vanessa glide down the isle alone but she couldn't look more radiant with her peach tulips and white lilies in her hand smiling at Thomas like he was the only person in the room, as Thomas looked the exact same as Nicholas stood by him as best man. I was wearing a cream dress holding a small bunch of peach tulips smiling at my sister.
I watched the minster say his words and the couple say their vows becoming newly weds as man and wife. Then took off for a 2 month honeymoon on the coast of Wales, Pembrokeshire, Tenby.
"I wonder when they are coming back" Nicholas wondered as we put sat in the living room in our house in the outskirts of Liverpool. I was reading again after a night shift at the hospital.
"Knowing them, a little longer. They are a newly weds, they will be in the bedroom the whole time." he chuckled softly but then stiffened.
"Bella. Some one else is here, I can smell them. They should be able to hear us" I put my book down as we stood up, I could hear the swift movement of vampires. We walked out the french doors into the yard. Three vampires emerged: two men and a female, with blood red eyes. I knew instantly who they where.
"Hello. My name is Aro, from the Volturi." Nicholas snarled, I grabbed his arm restraining him. A death sentence from the Volturi wasn't what we needed. "This is two members of the guard. Jane and Demitri" I nodded my head to both of them who both look very bored. "We did not mean to intrude, it is just their was a newborn army near by that needed sorting out." he smiled pleasantly holding out an hand.
"Pleasure. My name is Bella and my brother Nicholas" I took the hand knowing nothing will happen. He gripped onto my hand closing his eyes waiting, waiting and waiting.
"Um... Interesting. I cannot hear your thoughts" he said mostly to himself "Sorry, just it has never happened before."
"That would be because I would be a mental shield" I answered.
"Well... Maybe I could check, Jane?" he turned his head to the small girl with blonde hair, she turned to me smiling focusing on me. "Amazing" he whispered.
"Do you have anyone else in your coven?" Demitri spoke for the first time.
"Yes, there is four of us." Nicholas answered narrowing his eyes at him.
"Two of them are away at the moment" I added, smiling.
"Bella. I was wondering would you like a place in Volterra?" Nicholas growled loudly, I squeezed his arm again.
"Thank you for your generous offer, but no." Nicholas relaxed next to me slightly putting an friendly arm around my waist.
"That is fine. Forgive me, but I have noticed your eyes are golden. How long have you been on this diet?"
"I have been on this diet for over 100 years, my other member a few years then Nicholas and another for just 6 months as you can tell they are slowly changing colour"
"Well we have only met a few like you, they live in America and Alaska" he smiled slightly "Sorry to waste your time. You are welcome to visit Volterra any time. Bella." he nodded to me one last time then ran through the forest out of sight and hearing distance.
"Well... that was eventful" Nicholas commented breaking the silence.
"They will not give up. Aro loves power." I sighed leading him back into the house.
"Shall we move?" he asked.
"I think that should be best" sighing yet again, it will be a shame moving yet again but Vanessa loves to decorate so she shall be happy once they return "We shall wait until Thomas and Vanessa return though."
"How do you like the sound of America?" Nicholas asked.
"Sure"