Sorry I haven't been around for a while, I was distracted very, very distracted. I now present the long awaited dark, secretive mystery that is Hope's past. I warn you now there is a lot of reading and I mean a lot of reading. Also there are a lot of flashbacks. I now present Hope's Past Part I.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight

Hope POV

"Bella, a story such as mine should never be told, experienced, or known for sorrow is the only result," I began.

"I was born Hope Mansfield on April 19, 1743 in the outskirts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the small village of Cornel to an Abigail and William Mansfield. My human life was very uneventful, we lived a normal life. My mother would always send me in the town to fetch groceries and such, I never liked it. I remember I would always stop at the local bookstore; I was very educated for my age. Most girls and women would basically be housekeepers but, I wanted to become more than that. I wanted to learn and explore but, I was too afraid to leave home. A book was my escape route from my boring life. I would always go to see if there was a book I had not read yet. The spring of the year when I turned twelve I went into the bookstore thinking it was a normal day."

Flashback (Cornel, 1755)

I was walking down Main Street with a basket of eggs in one basket and a book in the other. I could feel my hair, which was in its usual braid, bouncing behind me. I said hello to the fellow villagers and walked into the bookstore. I went to the counter to turn in the book.

"Good Morning, Mr. Archibald," I greeted the bookstore keeper.

"Good morning Hope. Back so soon, you only checked this book out yesterday," Mr. Archibald joked.

"I couldn't put it down. Do you have anything new?" I asked.

"Why yes, I do actually."

He came from behind the counter to guide me to his latest addition to his library. He stopped and handed me a book. It was small and the title was "Romeo and Juliet".

He explained, "Hope, that there is a classic that has been written for more than 100 years. It's about two star-crossed lovers and their love, but the problem is that their families hate each other."

A forbidden love, I thought, Interesting. I smiled and walked back to the counter.

"I'll take it, I need a good romance. I hope it's as good as you describe it, Mr. Archibald."

I gave the shoe I had been caring in the basket to him. That was a way for me to remember to bring back the book.

"Hope, I don't why you keep doing this. You always bring back the book, but sometimes forget to get back your shoe," he joked.

"It's my way of payment. If I want my shoe back I need to bring back the book. Simple as that."

"All right if you say so," he accepted as he walked back behind the counter and handed me the book.

I reached to grab the book but it slipped out of my hands and landed…actually it didn't land, I never heard the thud of the book making contact with the floor. When I looked down I saw that the book was already being handed to me. I looked up to see who had caught my book. When I did my heart stopped beating. I thought I had died and gone to heaven because an angel was standing right in front of me. I was staring into the most unusual and beautiful eyes I had seen. I was getting light-headed; I realized that I had not been breathing. The angel standing in front of me was godlike; he had brown wavy hair that was hiding underneath a cap, very pale skin, and golden eyes. He looked like my age maybe a few years older. Just gazing at him made me blush.

He spoke in a velvet voice and remarked, "Excuse me miss, I seems as though you have dropped your book. Here."

He handed me the book and kept looking at me; he was waiting for me to say thank you, but I could not open my mouth to thank him. All I could look at was at his glorious eyes. When I did not respond, he frowned at me at glided out the door without another word. After I heard the door shut I turned around to see him again, but he was out of sight.

Mr. Archibald saw the entire thing and must have seen the idiotic look on my face because he announced in his jovial voice, "Well Hope, it seems that you have fallen for the new boy."

I didn't hear anything he said and stupidly asked, "Who was that boy just now? Is he new in town?"

He looked at me funny and then answered, "His name is Demetri and yes, he is new in town. He has no family; he says that his family died of illness. That poor boy, he's so young and all alone in the world."

End of Flashback

Bella looked absorbed in the story, "Demetri was a…vampire."

I smiled at her, "Yes, but at the time I didn't know."

"What did you next?" asked Bella in a curious tone.

I smiled at her once more and proceeded with my story.

"After Mr. Archibald was finished, I nodded and turned my head back to the direction he had left. I was now so interested in this strange new boy. I had to know more about him, but I had other things to do. As days passed by I didn't see the boy again. For some reason that made me anxious and nervous. I wanted to see him again, to stare into those unusually, beautiful eyes of his. I thought I would never see him again so, amazingly, I forgot all about him that is until one particular day,"

Flashback

I was reading the book I had borrowed from the book store. I was so absorbed into it that I had forgotten about a town meeting that father had reminded me about earlier that day. I rushed to the meeting place and fortunately it had not started, but father noticed that I was late. He was looking at me very sternly. I looked for my friends; I knew that they had saved a seat for me. I immediately found them so I rushed to my seat.

As I was running, I noticed that the boy from the book store was in the row behind my seat. I looked at him as I was running, but he didn't notice me. Until I rushed past him and suddenly he went rigid in his seat and met his eyes with mine. He had the most unusual glare at me like he was furious at me for some reason. I instantly blushed and broke from his death glare. As the meeting, I didn't look at him because I was too distracted by the unusual look he has given me. As soon as the meeting was done, he ran out of the room as though it was on fire, but somehow no one noticed. He was fast like a blur.

End of Flashback

"I didn't see him for almost an entire month. It depressed me,"

Bella couldn't help, but notice that Hope's story sounded like how she and Edward met and fell in love. Even the Demetri in the story was a vampire like Edward.

"When did you see Demetri again," asked Bella.

"I saw Demetri again the day I almost died," I began as I stared off into the distance.

Bella eyes widened at my calm statement.

Flashback

I was sitting and chatting with my friends around the fountain located in the center of town square. The adults were doing their daily errands, children were playing in the streets, and the vendors were selling their goods. I looked at my surroundings and smiled. There was a young girl playing with a ball that rolled into the center of the street.

That's when I heard it, the faint sounds of horses' neighs. Although everyone else was looking into one single direction something told me to look the other way. I looked at where the sounds were coming from. They came from the street where the girl was. It was a stampede of horses; they looked as though they were from Mr. Smith's ranch. They were running very fast and they were heading for the little girl! I didn't realize I had started to run until I felt the little girl against my chest. During that split second I pushed the little girl out of the way. She landed on the other side of the street safely. Unfortunately, I was now in the line of danger. I looked around at my environment because I knew that they would be the last things I would see alive. That's when I saw him on the side where the girl was. He had a shocked look on his face, but when I looked into his eyes I saw the emotion that I least expected from him: concern. I stood there dumbfounded as the horses gained momentum. That's when I was hit but not from the direction I was expecting from. I was hit from the front side of me instead of the side that was facing the horses. That was the direction where Demetri was standing at. I looked up and found myself on the ground on the other side of the street, the horses running into another street, and Demetri on top of me. I searched in my mind for something that could tell me why I was in this position. I remembered that I was staring at Demetri then he was gone and was suddenly in front me and pulling me back from the horses' way. Something told me that there was no way he could have saved me, he was too far away. Not only that, but having his chest on mine I noticed something. He was cold like his entire body was a block of ice.

But that's impossible, I thought, it's fairly warm outside. How could he be so cold?

But there was something else wrong. When he ran towards me all I saw was a blur like the time at the town meeting. It was very strange. I needed answers, but I got the feeling that Demetri wouldn't be so obliging to fulfill my curiosity.

Demetri focused on me and asked with eyes filled with concern and surprisingly anger, "Hope, are you okay?"

All I could do was nod but, I caught something.

"H…How do you know my name?" I questioned.

I was certain I had never mentioned my name before. In fact we had never really held a real conversation since our first meeting in the book store and he was never around when people used it.

He stiffened. I think he was taken aback from my discovery of his mistake. I blinked several times before he answered but, that's when I noticed people were come out of hiding places. It seemed that when the horses were about to hit me, everyone ran for their lives instead of helping me like Demetri did.

That's why no one else saw what Demetri did, I concluded.

Demetri quickly got off me and dusted himself. With the position we had been previously in, someone could get the wrong idea. Everyone was looking at every direction besides where I was laying.

They must be looking for the horses. Figures that they would be more concerned about themselves then about me, I thought.

I looked up expecting that Demetri was right there but, to my surprise I found Demetri on the opposite street, walking away.

I never even got to thank him, I thought.

That's when everyone started shouting my name and running over to see if I was okay. Some older men of the town lifted me and brought me to the town doctor even though I kept saying I was fine. Then my parents arrived. My mother was in hysterics and my father immediately talking to the doctor to find what happened and to see if I alright.

Could this get any more embarrassing, I thought.

End of Flashback

Bella couldn't believe the story she was listening to.

Bella Thought

It's very similar to my story even down to when the boy saves her life like with Edward, me, and the van, she thought.

"Wow, so you knew something was not normal with Demetri?" Bella concluded.

"Yes, I knew he was something because no one human could have saved me from that distance," I answered. "Shortly after that incident I would see Demetri around more, but he always kept his distance. We started to have small conversations but, whenever we would converse he seemed always to be…" I was interrupted after that by Bella.

"…He seemed to be cold like he regretted saving your life." Bella interrupted.

"Y…Yeah, how did you know?" I was stunned at how she knew what I was going to say.

"Something like that happened to me when Edward and I were beginning to know each other," Bella answered. She stared at the floor and blushed at the memory.

I stared at Bella with curious and concerned eyes. Poor girl, if she doesn't stop now she is going to end up with nothing. I started my story again after that.

"After a few days I would follow Demetri when he disappeared. I would usually see him resting against a tree. He always seemed so peaceful. That's when I knew I was falling in love with him but, I knew the feeling wasn't mutual. Or so I thought. I remember one particular conversation well. I had followed Demetri in to the woods to confront him about why he was to cold towards me not just after the incident, but since the day we met."

Flashback

Demetri and I were standing facing each other. His eyes narrowed at me. My eyes narrowed at him.

I shouted in a demanding voice, "Just what is your problem with me? You always act as though I don't exist and frankly I am getting tired of it. I don't even know the reason why you don't like me and that makes me irritated. I have hardly ever spoken to you yet whenever you see me you act as though you are in pain. If you dislike me so much then why did you save me? You should have let those horses trampled me; it would make your life a whole lot easier."

Demetri stood motionless during my rant until I said the last line. He stared at me with surprised eyes and said in his velvety voice, "You…You think I regret saving your life?"

I nodded my head. I was surprised for many reasons: at him for being surprised, at me for being able to shout at Demetri, and surprised because Demetri was actually talking to me about this.

Demetri was now looking right into my eyes while responded, "You oblivious girl. You delude yourself into thinking that I would not care if you survive or die. I can't be near you, it is against my better judgment, but I find myself watching over you. If this keeps up you'll have to survive to die and die to survive. That's why I act cold toward you, for your own safety."

A gust of wind suddenly blew that caused my hair to swirl around me. Demetri's eyes went rigid and he turned his back towards me to say one last thing, "You need to stay away, for your own safety." Then he ran off.

I stood there pondering what he said, but it was one sentence that got me. It didn't make any sense. If this keeps up you'll have to survive to die and die to survive.

What did that mean? I have to found out, I decided.

I ran in the direction Demetri had run off to. I kept running and running. My legs were sore, but I had to keep running. That's when I found a clearing.

I can rest here, I thought.

I sat down and caught my breath. After a few minutes, I heard birds flying from their trees. I looked up and there were deer running from the trees' shade. I immediately got up and ran behind the nearest tree. I watched the deer ran by when I heard a growl of some sort, it was a terrifying sound, and then I saw a blur run from the trees, attack a deer, and started to devour it. My eyes widened in fear and gasped.

What…What is that thing? I thought.

That when the hunched over figure looked up to where I was. My mind screamed to run, but my legs were frozen stiff. The creature immediately stood up on two legs like a human being and ran over to me. I hadn't realized that I had closed my eyes, but when I opened them I saw the last thing I thought I would see there in the woods. It…It was Demetri. He was the creature that attacked the animal.

I took a step back only to fall back. I was still looking up at Demetri. His mouth was dripping with blood of the deer and he looked down on me as though I was his next victim which I was probably was. I tried to get up, but I was push down and now Demetri was on top of me like when he saved me from the horses. Only this time he wasn't saving me, he was making sure I was staying were I was.

I let three words from my mouth, "D…Demetri…s…stop…it,"

After they escaped, Demetri suddenly got off of me and was on the other side of the clearing.

I slowly got up and stood there not quite knowing what to do, but the next thing I did was not something my mind told me not to do. I, very slowly, started to inch toward Demetri. He looked up at me and looked at me as though I were insane. When I reached him I looked him in the eyes I did something I had wanted to do since the accident. I wrapped my arms around his waist and stayed there for who knows how long. Demetri stood there still as a statue. He then did something I thought he would never do, he hugged me back. We both sat down and I asked him the question he had waiting for, "What are you?"

He sighed and looked at the ground before responding. "I am a creature that does not age, fall ill, or die. I feed on the blood of beings. I am what your people call a creature of the night."

My eyes widened. I remembered reading about these creatures in a book once. They are called vampires and they feed on human beings. Even the villagers know of them for they once plagued the streets of England, where most of us originated, a hundred years ago. My mother told me that her grandfather had been killed by one during a search for them. I thought they didn't exist anymore, but I guess I was wrong. I was sitting in front of one not only that but, I was falling in love with one.

Demetri looked at my face to see how I was reacting to this confession. He said something else that surprised me. "You're different from the others. Normally they would run away from someone like me but, yet here you stay."

"I guess am not normal," I joked with a smile.

Demetri smiled for a few moments but, then he frowned and asked, "Why are you still here?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't I can leave you now. I can't stay away from you,"

"I figured as much, but don't you see me as a monster,"

"No, I don't care what you are. You are a kind, caring, watchful, sometimes cold, but thoughtful person. You looked out for me when no one else would. I love you, Demetri."

Demetri looked at me as if I had spoken in a different language. I take it Demetri hadn't ever been told he was loved by anyone. He stood up, after a few moments, I stood up as well. Demetri looked at me, walked forward without hesitation, and held me tightly as if he were afraid I would disappear if he let go. He looked down on me and I looked up at him. He started to lean down slowly. I knew what was coming and I was happy that it was coming. Then, finally, our lips met. That's when I knew he loved me and he wouldn't leave me anytime soon.

End of Flashback

"So you didn't judge Demetri of what he was?"Bella questioned.

I answered the obvious question with a shaking of my head.

"After that encounter in the woods, Demetri and I were always together. But Demetri didn't think it was such a good idea because if he got too tempted, he would be the first one to be questioned after I went missing. A few months later, I realized I wanted to be with Demetri forever. I kept trying to convince Demetri to change me but, he was reluctant. He told me that he didn't have a choice to become what he was so he didn't want to do the same thing to me if I had a chance at to live a human life. But that's when…"

I stopped during mid-sentence that's when I picked up the scent of a familiar person.

"Alice, how long have you been there listening?" I questioned.

"Just now. May I ask what you are talking about to Bella?" Alice asked

"Oh, I'm just telling her my back story. I'm getting to the whole turning point of my human life. When everything goes wrong." I said in cocky yet depressing tone.

Alice narrowed her eyes. After a couple days I met the Cullen's, Alice approached me asking how I was changed. I ignored her for the few first days she started to ask. I couldn't let them know what kind of pain I had gone through. But one night, she asked me and for a moment I saw her. That's when I broke down and implanted all the memories of my human and vampire life into her mind. After she was done looking at all of them, she held me like an older sister would hold her younger sister after she confessed something heartbreaking. I implanted all the memories except those I had of Edward when he was human. Those memories were never to be shared with others. Alice knew the pain I harbored and now that I was sharing it with Bella was not something she sat well with. That's when everyone else came from hunting or tracking. Judging from the way Alice was looking at Edward I'd say she told him that I was telling Bella my story. Edward told everyone else. Esme asked if it was alright if they sat in. I nodded as a response. After that everyone was gathered around me to hear my story either because they were curious about me or they needed to know about Jonathan.

Edward was the one to speak first, "What's happened so far?"

Bella was the one to explain, "Back when Hope was a human she met a boy in her village that turned out to be a vampire. Despite her being human and him being a vampire they…they fell in love."

Edward smiled and then started to laugh, "And I thought I was the only one who had gone through this."

I turned my head and smiled too. It was the first time I had heard Edward laugh in a very long time. It felt like the old times when I was happy again with…with them. Thinking about them made my smile turn into a miserable frown.

"After Demetri and I acknowledged each other feelings, things seemed peaceful but, not for long. That's when people started to disappear during the night. When I talked to Demetri about it he took me a few miles outside of the village to talk. He was on the verge of telling me something important but, that's when he showed up." My voice was dripping with venom when I mentioned him. I was positive that everyone knew who I was talking about.

Flashback

Demetri opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly he went rigid and pushed me behind him. I was curious and to be honest a little scared.

"Demetri, what's going on?"

"Hope, you are about to meet someone very evil from my past. I want you to stay behind at all times. Do you understand?"

I nodded in response. That's when a boy around Demetri's age maybe a year older came from the shadows. He spoke in a sinister voice that sense shivers down my spine.

"Hello Demetri, did you miss me? I told you that I would find you and I did. Oh what's this? You have a snack with you. Is she for me? That's so thoughtful. She does have delicious smelling blood wouldn't you agree?"

Demetri narrowed his eyes and yelled in a voice that hinted that he did not like the person talking.

"Shut up! What are you doing here Jonathan? I told you I was leaving for good. Why did you bother trying to find me? I am not going back!"

"I missed my partner. Besides looking at you I'd say that you are reverting back to your old ways. But do you mind if we share? We could have a lot of fun with her," Jonathan said in a menacing voice.

"I said shut up! If you get anywhere near her I'll kill you."

"Why Demetri, why are you being so mean. Why is she so important to you? Isn't she just another meal?"

"I love her. I gave up that lifestyle long ago. You know that" I looked up at Demetri in surprise and blushed. That was the first time he had ever said that he loved me out loud.

But why does that Jonathan person keeping saying things like "sharing me", "meal", and "old ways". Demetri isn't like the vampires that they write about in books. Unless…

I gasped. Demetri looked at me. I looked at the ground not wanting to see Demetri at the moment. I asked Demetri in a shaky voice, "D-Demetri did you…used to-to…eat h-human beings before?"

I could feel Demetri looking at me trying to make eye contact, but I wouldn't let him.

He responded to question with regret filled in his voice, "Y-yes."

My eyes widened, but I knew I should have done something, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything. I still loved with all my heart even if had taken lives of humans once. But he used to… eat…humans. I saw him hunt that one day in the forest; he now consumes animals just as normal humans do. As I thought this over and tried to acknowledge this new information, Demetri glared at the other vampire named Jonathan.

"Just leave me in peace. I don't want to see your revolting face ever again," Demetri ordered.

Jonathan looked irritated and said, "Why? So you can live with that…that human. You can't possibly believe that your…relationship can last. Just inhale that beautiful scent, don't tell me that you aren't imagining drinking that delicious liquid that courses through her."

"THAT'S ENOUGH! If you won't leave voluntary than I'll just to remove you myself."

Demetri then leaped toward Jonathan. Jonathan was taken aback by Demetri's sudden attack and was thrown off balance. Demetri started to snap repeatedly at Jonathan. Jonathan did the same thing and also began to punch him but, he dodged every hit. Then Demetri managed to punch him in the stomach so hard that it sounded like two rocks smashing together. It was so loud that I had to cover my ears with my hands. Jonathan was the first to recover. He stood up and stared at Demetri who was getting up as well. A very small breeze surfaced where we were. Jonathan looked over at me for barely a second and was now running towards me with hungry eyes. I couldn't go anywhere I was frozen.

Demetri yelled, "NO!"

He ran towards Jonathan and slammed into him. He was thrown across the forest. Demetri picked me up bridal style and ran off but, he couldn't run fast enough because I could hear the last the thing Jonathan said before disappearing into the dark forest.

"Alright, if you are going to choose to protect that human over coming back to me than you just signed your death warrant and hers. Good luck trying to protect her. I'll come after her and just to see you suffer I'll kill her right before your eyes." He laughed as he said the last line and vanished. Demetri ran until we were a few yards outside from the village. He let me down but, as I was down he punched a tree out of anger and left a large hole it it. I cringed and stood there not knowing what I should do next. I had to say something, I just had to.

"D-Demetri it will be okay. I mean…" I was cut off.

"No. It's not going to be okay. Didn't you hear what he said? He wasn't joking. He will come after you know that he knows that you are important to me. He might even come after your family," Demetri informed.

I stood motionless. I had almost completely forgotten about my family. Since I met Demetri, my family seemed to fade into the background especially now that Demetri and I were always together. But I had forgotten that my family didn't know about Demetri's secret that meant that they also needed to be protected. I didn't know what to do. Then it came to me.

"Demetri. I know a way that Jonathan can't get me," I offered.

Demetri looked at me and sighed then gave me a look that said "All right."

"If you change me he can't get me."

"No," he said in a cold tone.

"But…,"he cut me off.

End of Flashback

"What happened next?" Bella asked.

"Bella isn't obvious that he changed her," Rosalie said in a malicious voice.

"Oh right. Sorry," she apologized and blushed at her stupidity.

"He hid me for two weeks. But then he came searching for me in town. That's when we knew we had to leave. I told my parents that I wanted to run away with Demetri. Surprisingly, they knew it was coming so they didn't stop me but, they said never to return. I left without a single look back."

Flashback

Demetri ran with me in his arms. I was getting tired. I needed to rest. Demetri found a cave that he put me in. A couple nights later, Demetri knew he had to kill Jonathan in order to let me be free. That morning he woke me up very early. He embraced me and gave me one kiss before granted me what I wanted. He had told me the night before that if he were to lose then Jonathan if I were changed he would not come after me. The fire was unbearable. I had to lie down. That last thing that I saw was Demetri before I lost consciousness.

For three days I laid there in pain but, I did not make a single sound. Being away from Demetri was much worse pain than the fire inside of me. On the day the fire went away, I was thirsty. I remembered Demetri way of eating. After I was done, I remembered Demetri. I looked everywhere for him but, I couldn't find him. I wandered for hours when I came across a village that had been destroyed and I knew it was the one I had come from. I sensed him nearby; I was ready for a fight. He appeared from the shadows with that smug grin of his.

"Where is he? Where is Demetri?' I yelled.

He smirked and said calmly, "Dead."

My whole world came crashing down. That couldn't be. Demetri can't be dead.

"Liar!" I shouted. He turned around, he said nothing but, his back said to follow him. I followed him to an open field that had also been destroyed. The trees were broken in half and the ground had been pushed from the earth. But none of these things held my attention. The thing I kept staring at was a piece of the ground that looked like it had been burned. It was black deep dark black. I didn't realize that I had fallen to my knees or that Jonathan had left me to wallow in my depression. I tried to cry but, I couldn't squeeze out a single tear. I couldn't only feel the dryness of my eyes.

End of Flashback

"I stayed there for two days. On the third day, I got up and swore to destroy Jonathan no mattered what the cost. I ran for many weeks trying to find his vile scent. I had begun a new chapter in my life but, I was doing it without the one person I thought I would be. I sealed off my heart forever or so I thought until I met them," I finished for the time being.

I know you guys want to kill me but, I am a procrastinator. Sorry. If I don't get any review I completely understand. But I would still like reviews.

'Til next time,

WaitingforEdward