Bree's Story

2. Talents

Bree's POV

"H-h-her gift…" Jane stuttered, lost for words.

"Yes. Bree has a very potent gift," he said.

Jane looked at me questioningly. I had no idea what the boy was talking about and Jane could see that in my puzzled expression. She turned back to him with a look on her face that was demanding more information.

"You see, I was searching through Bree's thoughts. Merely out of curiosity," he added. "Almost all her thoughts revolved around blood, just like every other newborn, but there was one thought controlling her gift. Bree would have been so consumed by her other thoughts that she wouldn't have even noticed it. But this thought that was keeping tabs on her gift showed me what her little talent was. Or should I say huge talent," he corrected himself.

"Huge talent?" she said slowly. It seemed like she was going into shock.

"Yes," the human's boyfriend said. "Bree's talent is probably the most powerful gift I have ever heard of."

"Well, what is it?" Jane demanded.

"A talent so powerful, so strong, but also restricted in ways other gifts are not. Bree has the ability to control the gifts of those around her. For example, she could use your gift to attack another member of your coven, or even to attack you. She could use my gift to hear the thoughts of everyone around her, including mine." He looked slightly annoyed by that fact. "But as I said, her gift is restrictive. If nobody near her has a gift, she will be useless. She will be no different than any other vampire."

Jane was speechless. And I had to admit, I was as well. How could I possibly do everything the golden eyed vampire spoke of? But I noticed, by the look on her face, that Jane was thinking extremely hard about something. She wasn't ordering the members of her coven to come for me and she wasn't torturing me herself with her terrifying gift, that I could somehow control.

"Okay, young one," Jane said in a clear voice. "We will make an exception just this once. It would be wasteful to destroy such a talent. But you must know that if you break the rules again, you will be punished."

I felt so many emotions at once. I was still confused, but I felt relief in knowing that I would not be harmed today. I was excited that it was classified as 'wasteful' to destroy me. I was depressed by the reality that I had no idea what I would do or where I would go when both groups of vampires left this clearing.

"We will leave in peace now. It seems we have no more duties to perform here," Jane said. "Would you like to come with us now, Bree?"

I couldn't answer. I didn't know if that was what I wanted. And I didn't know if Jane had meant that as an order, or if I actually had a choice. The way she said it made me think that I had to go with her, although I couldn't be sure if I could stand becoming one of them. I could not remember much about my human life, but I knew that I was a kind, generous person. Jane and her companions didn't seem at all friendly.

The mind reading vampire must have heard the indecision in my thought because her said, "I'm not entirely sure that your life is what Bree wants."

"Bree?" Jane asked me.

I was frozen with shock. It was like I had just entered the clearing again. I was stuck in the same stupor, unable to talk or even move an inch. My mind was racing, thinking about the answer to her question, but I couldn't make my lips move to respond.

"Bree doesn't want to disrespect you, but she does not want to join the Volturi. Our offer to take responsibility for Bree still stands. She would be welcome to join our family and learn how to live as we do. We will teach her the rules to this life and most of all, we will give her a loving family," the mind reader said. He was watching me, and I realized that his statement was actually a question. He and the golden eyed coven were offering to take me in. I had a choice. I didn't have to live in a world of slaughter and bloodlust. And I had made my decision. I would become one of them.

"Welcome to the family, Bree," the leader said kindly. Jane grimaced at his words.

"Don't worry, Jane," the mind reader reassured her. "We will teach Bree how to control her gift and after a few years, if she doesn't like our lifestyle, she may pay you a visit in Volterra. She may even decide that she would prefer to join you."

The last sentence he said put a giant grin on Jane's beautiful face. She looked content now, happy with the hope of me someday joining her and her coven. She nodded in dismissal toward the four red eyed vampires standing behind her. They disappeared into the surrounding forest.

"Good bye, my friends." Jane spoke quickly now, like she was in a rush to leave.

"We will see you again, Jane," Carlisle said.

"Of course." She too, vanished into the forest.

I turned my head around to look at the group of golden eyed vampires, who were still surrounding the human girl. I was astounded and amazed to realize that I had actually forgotten her presence while I was distracted – fearing for my life. I couldn't speak. There was nothing to say. I just lay speechless on the hard ground, ignoring the burning that had reignited when I saw and smelt the human again. The leader noticed the tormented expression on my face.

"Edward, Alice. Take Bella home now. Esme, Emmett, Jasper, Rose. Go back to the house. I'll be home later. First, I'll take Bree hunting."

"Sure, Carlisle," said Edward. "We'll see you later."

The six vampires left immediately with the human girl, disappearing in the time it would take a human to blink an eye. The leader and I were alone in the vast clearing. He walked over to where I still lay on the rough ground. I looked up to see his muscular arm extended toward me, offering me his hand. I slowly raised my hand and placed it in his. He pulled gently and I rose to my feet for the first time since the human had emerged from the forest.

"I never got a chance to properly introduce myself. I am Carlisle Cullen. But I guess you had probably already figured that out by now."

"Hello," I said shyly. "I'm Bree…" I was about to formally introduce myself, when I become conscious of the fact that I didn't know what my surname was. I guess I must have forgotten that.

He seemed to understand my confusion so he continued. "I want to let you know that you are welcome to live with my family and myself. But if you do not care to live as we do, you may go your own way," Carlisle said in a friendly voice.

"I want to live like you," I blurted out, a little too eager. Great. I didn't want him to think I was desperate. But he just laughed nervously. I had embarrassed him.

"Okay. We will sort out some arrangements later, but right now, we must hunt." I thought his expression was curious. It seemed as if he was looking deeply into my eyes and analysing everything he saw there.

"Hunt?" I questioned warily.

"Yes, although my families hunting methods are a little different that what you would be used to," Carlisle said with a chuckle. "We hunt only wild animals. Those that live close by in the surrounding forests, or sometimes we travel a little further for our 'vegetarian' meals."

"Sure," I whispered anxiously. I followed him into the green maze of vegetation, leaving my murdering, blood-thirsty life behind me.