The family lead the way out. Edward looked into my eyes and slipped his hand into mine. "Are you ready?" he asked. I smiled up at him and quashed my worries, "As I'll ever be." We followed the others scent. As soon as I started moving some of the awareness I had pushed down came to my attention again.
I was aware I could see each of the families threads leading me towards them. Each thread, I could see now, was slightly different. Esme's thread for instance was a smooth, soft pink, Jasper's looked like a steel wire, a smooth, clean finish but undoubtedly strong. Emmett's made me laugh as it looked almost like a leather dog leash but it was more of a soft suede than a leather. Rose was very much a rose stem like thread, I could see the thorns along the smooth green stem that lead to her. Carlisle had a thread that reminds me of a bandage. Edward's was just a shining white light that flowed and combined with my life force, like an extension of myself. My subconscious must have had fun coming up with those.
The overlay snuck back up, I was on a smooth green route with a pelt like texture. I could see many routes overlapping and veering off with each step I took. I liked the feel of the route I was on. I could see a blood red path leading away toward town, just the texture of that path made me feel queasy looking at it.
I pushed aside the extra senses and concentrated on the improved senses!
I was aware of the salty, rusty sweetness from the direction of town but it was so rich, it was cloying and I felt no pull towards it. That must be the red path that made me feel queasy. Edward noticed my glance and grabbed harder at my hand, tugging me in the direction of the others. I smiled up at him to reassure him and increased my speed towards the others.
They waited until we caught up. I ran with the others. The scents, sounds and textures of everything was overpowering. I wanted to investigate everything. I was embarrassed at how much I had taken for granted and missed as a mortal. I made no effort to push my speed, I ran with the others at what would have been a blurring speed to my human self. I could see everything, I could sense obstacles before I could even see them. The onslaught of information even for my new improved brain took some assimilating.
We came to a halt in a clearing. All eyes turned to me.
Carlisle spoke softly and reassuringly, "Take your time, your instincts will guide you. Can you smell them?"
Now he mentioned it I could smell an appetising iron saltiness. It smelt cleaner than the aromas that I had noticed near the house. I turned towards the smell and could make out the thud of heart beats.
I nodded to Carlisle to confirm I could smell a meal but I was worried that I would make a mess. "Can I watch someone else hunt first?" I asked shyly.
I saw Carlisle glance across at Edward, listening in I heard him ask in his mind if Edward would mind showing me, under that thought was amazement that I could smell a meal and as a newborn resisted rushing in. I quickly closed the thoughts down before I drown in them. Each time I used one of the powers I found I could control the intensity and input easier. Edward motioned for me to follow him, I smiled at him and followed to watch him hunt. I watched him closely, from the run and the pounce, snapping the neck and the position he drank in. He had a drop of blood smeared on his chin. I walked over and used my thumb to clean him up. He smiled at me as I gently wiped his chin. His eyes lightened in front of my eyes as his body absorbed the blood.
I smelled the air again catching more scents. I nodded the direction to Edward, he raised his hand with a twist, I didn't listen but I could imagine a 'ladies first' type comment coming from him! I set off running, this time I stretched and allowed myself to push to full speed.
I was on top of the herd of deer in an instant. I launched at an old male stag not wanting to hurt a young doe. I grabbed the stags head and twisted, snapping his neck before he could panic. I lowered the stag gently to the floor. Kneeling behind his head I lowered myself over his neck, my teeth instinctively finding a major artery. I bit, grimacing at the mouthful of hair. I released slightly and ripped away a small portion of skin, being careful to drink the blood as it pumped out in the process. I latched on again getting the blood without the nasty coarse hair tainting my food. Pulling, like taking a drink from a straw, I drained the animal. Still thirsty I leapt at the nearest animal, they had run the length of the clearing since my initial attack. I dispatched this animal with ease, latching on after clearing a small patch. Hair really isn't nice!
I could feel blood staining my face from my meal. I was so embarrassed at my mess, but at least now, the embarrassment no longer flushes my face even though the emotions still run as strongly now, if not stronger, than when I was human.
I wiped my face hanging my head in shame at my mess. The family made their way across to me. I felt each of them arrive and stop at the edge of the meadow. Edward had been the first to arrive he saw me re-adjusting my latch, the others arriving mere moments later in time to watch me catch my second meal
Alice dashed across with a large bag. She was gasping with shock, my embarrassment increasing with her response. She dug in a side pocket of the bag and pulled out a wet wipe, ripping it open and passing it to me. "I can't believe how clean you are. I bought a couple of changes of clothes for you but you don't even need them. You are so fast, even Edward couldn't keep up with you."
"I got blood all over my face," I mumbled, still embarrassed.
Emmett's booming laugh echoed round us, "You ought to see me hunt, I can't stay anywhere near as clean as you not matter how hard I try." Emmett took carry of disposing of the carcasses for me. I watched him carefully to ensure I would be able to do it myself next time.
I looked at each of them, each radiating shock and pride in me. All agreeing with Emmett's words.
The blood settled me, I hadn't realised quite how on edge I had felt. My stomach felt a bit sloshy after all the blood and the burn in my throat had gone.
"Are you ready to go get another?" Emmett ask in excitement.
"No, I feel a bit full," I admitted.
Yet more shock barrelling at me. "But you're newborn," Emmett blurted.
"Doesn't your throat burn?" Carlisle questioned.
"No, the blood soothed it. The burn has gone now," I replied.
Even more shock. I looked at each of them. With the exception of Edward, their eyes were all such a dark gold. "I'll wait for everyone else to get something to eat but I would like to head back. I'd like to know what has happened while I was out of it and how Angela is doing."
Shock and garbled "what," "how," before Carlisle stated, "We will all hunt then head back. Bella please stay with Edward, you two can head back now if you want."
I grinned at the thought of having to stay with Edward, giggles from the girls caused me to drop my face to hide in my hair. I nodded to Carlisle my agreement and everyone took off.
I turned to Edward, "Have you had enough to eat?" I asked him with a twinkle in my eye.
He looked at me for a moment then laughed, "Yes, come on. Let's get you home." His mood sobered and he looked deep into my eyes. "I missed you so much, please don't leave me again."
I reached up and stoked his face. "I don't think I could leave you again, it ripped me in half. You know why I needed to go away, it wasn't you."
He leaned forward resting his forehead to mine, "I understood your reasons."
I pulled slightly away to look directly into his eyes, "I left my heart with you and even with all the phone calls I was an empty shell without you at my side."
"I felt the same," he sighed.
I wanted to break the melancholy mood so I smirked at him, "Race you home!" I set off, flat out.
I left him in my dust, figuratively speaking, since it never stops raining long enough to be anything apart from mud underfoot!
I stood on the porch waiting for him to catch up. I could feel his thread shortening as he got closer.
I wondered how long the others would be. I felt detached from myself then saw Emmett and Rosalie running into the living room. The rest of us were sat looking at the door, all paired up on the different seats in the room. The clock read 3.18pm. I blinked to clear my confusion as I realised I was still stood on the porch now with Edward stood in front of me as the scene ended. "What time is it?" I asked him.
He frowned slightly at my question but pulled his mobile phone from his pocket, "five to three?" he told me.
"Nearly twenty five minutes until Rose and Emmett get back then. I suppose I'll have to wait a bit longer for my answers," I said in frustration.
Edward stood gaping at me. "You had a vision," he gasped out.
I glanced up at him and realized that I had had a vision, "Mmm, yes, I suppose I did." I sighed, "Another thing to cope with."
Edward grabbed my shoulder, "What do you mean another thing?"
I looked up at him sheepishly, "Well I'm not sure what is normal for a vampire and how much is extra? Do you think it would be better waiting for Carlisle to get back rather than having to repeat everything?"
"Everything? What do you mean everything?" he asked in a panic.
I felt for Carlisle's thread and realised he and Esme were only minutes away. "Carlisle and Esme will be back at any moment so I'll tell you when they get here."
"But how? I can't hear, wait they have just come into range, I can just hear their thoughts, how?" Edward was getting himself in a state.
"Please just calm down," I held both his hands in mine and tried to get him to relax. I could see his shoulders drop and the tension leave him.
Carlisle and Esme appeared from the trees as Edward's eyes widened, "You calmed my emotions like Jasper can, how?"
Carlisle and Esme looked at me with just as many questions in their eyes. I sighed, "Let's go inside and talk. Alice and Jasper are on their way back to, they should join us by the time we are settled. I think I need to tell you some things and have you answer a few questions about what's normal for vampires."
The questions in their faces multiplied. Alice and Jasper arrived just as we were sitting down. "Rosalie and Emmett will still be a while so I might as well start, if that's okay?"
Alice looked at me,"What do you mean, they will be a while?"
"I saw them arriving at 3.18 by that clock, and they still feel quite a few miles away. They aren't moving this way yet so I don't expect it to be different," I explained.
Edward jumped in, "When I arrived on the porch she was stood with that faraway look Alice has when she is having a vision. I have no idea about the next bit though." Worry and concern flowing from him.
"Please tone down the worry, I'm fine. Honestly," I asked Edward
"Oh yes and when I got wound up about her cryptic answers when we were stood on the porch she calmed me down, just like Jasper does," Edward chimed in again. I had to shut out the emotions as they just kept spiralling higher.
I closed my eyes and pushed as much calm as I could into myself and the rest of the room. I didn't expect to see five vampires looking quite so placid and calm almost to the point they were vacant. "Oops, I think I over did it, I need to get a handle on this,"
I concentrated and pushed a tiny bit of interest into the room. "Sorry."
Carlisle looked amazed at me. "Do you want to start at the beginning and explain?"
I started with when I first awoke and all the experiences and thoughts up until the start of the conversation. They never once interrupted but shock and disbelief were strong.
Carlisle summarised, "You can control all your feelings and impulses, you were aware of human blood but decided against it as the smell left you queasy. You can read minds, feel and control others emotions, see the future on demand, have some kind of locator beacon on each of us and see routes of some form not to mention turn all the powers off if you want. Does that cover everything?"
"I can turn them off but it's like they come knocking if there is something I need to know or someone is extremely powerful in their response. Otherwise that pretty much covers it. So I take it from everyone response I'm not exactly normal," I was worried now.
"Having one power is rare, I have never heard of anyone having multiple powers. I need to get Eleazar down here as soon as possible," Carlisle's response in no way calmed my nerves.
"You wanted to contact Eleazar not long after I woke," I saw the shock and uncertainty on Carlisle's face so I clarified, "I heard you just before Alice wanted to give me a makeover."
Carlisle's eyes widened yet again at me, he just nodded as much to confirm to the others the truth of my words.
"Emmett and Rosalie have just set off, my time prediction looks like it will be accurate," I felt their threads moving back towards us.
We sat in silence, well in shock may be a better description for the others! The clock changed from 17 to 18, 23 seconds later Emmett burst through the door, Rosalie close on his heels.
"What's wrong with you lot, you look like you have seen a ghost," Emmett teased at the still shock ridden faces.
"We will fill you in later," I raised an eyebrow to Carlisle to check this was okay, he acknowledged and I continued, "Could you fill me in on what happened while I was indisposed?"
I felt a rush of relief that I would have the chance to deal with their response to my power, without the spot light on me. I learnt a long time ago to downplay my knowledge and abilities; this wasn't the time for that, I need their support to learn to deal with this new life.
Jasper broke the silence, "Shall I start from when I received your text?" he looked at Carlisle who nodded at him.