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Let's continue...

Bree shooed my sisters from me late into the night, after I had been completely plucked, and massaged, and moisturised with the highest of quality products, to an inch of my life. I fell asleep within minutes of my head touching the pillow, just proving how tired I truly was. It was funny though, I really hadn't felt this tired before. It was as if a switch was flicked and I was out.

Bree was awake and sitting, reading the thickest book I had ever seen. I kept my eyes closed, breathing even, pretending to still be asleep. I don't know whether it was because I was trying to fall back asleep, or if I was unconsciously spying on Bree, if I could find another abnormality in her behaviour.

I cracked just the tiniest amount of my sleepy eyes open, peering over to her through my long dark lashed. I finally realised the strange whooshing noise I could hear but thought nothing of before was Bree quickly flicking through the pages of the book one by one. She was reading, it was obvious, anyone could see that, but surely she couldn't be reading that fast – it was physically impossible.

'I know you're awake, Bella!' she said in a tinkling voice.

I blushed, nestling further into my pillow and purposely let my hair fall over my now burning face.

Slowly, my red face faded and I swept my hair back in a dramatic motion, stretching and rolling to my back as I did.

'Mornin' Darlin',' Bree said freshly.

'Morning.' I huskily said, smiling at my post sleep voice the boys had said was extremely alluring when I put it on for them.

'Good book?' I asked curiously.

Bree pursed her lips, rolled her eyes and nodded. 'I've read it before, but I needed something to occupy my time last night.'

I smirked. 'Oh, there's a little thing I do – it's called sleep. You should try it some time.'

Bree's laughter filled the room. 'I would, but I can't.'

I decided it was uncomfortable lying, craning my neck to look up at her, so I sat up, fluffing the oversized pillows against the headboard before leaning into them. She doesn't sleep. Another oddity to add to my growing list.

'Don't?' I asked. 'Or can't?'

'Can't,' she repeated.

'Can't?' I whispered to myself.

She nodded in clarification. 'So, I had to sit here, and watch you while our sisters went about their duties. Did you know you talk in your slumber?' She giggled. 'Who, by the way, is Edward? You didn't sound very happy at him!'

I cringed, disgusted. 'My Fiancée!' I spat the word and Bree went wide-eyed.

'You're spoken for?' she asked incredulously.

'Spoken for? What are you? 60? 70?' I laughed jokingly as she shifted uncomfortably for a moment when it clicked. 'Wait, how old are you?'

'Twenty-one? You?'

I rolled my eyes. 'Seventeen. But how long have you been twenty-one?" I raised my eyebrows curiously.

The look of defeat on her face was priceless. She quickly composed herself.

'A while...'

I laughed in elation. 'I knew it, what about the other girls?'

She shrugged. 'They vary. Juliet–'

I pictured the girl in my head. Tall, blonde, big cherry lips, from New Hampshire originally apparently. Absolutely lovely, I recalled. She'd done my pedicure. I noticed she had much brighter red eyes than everyone else.

'She's the oldest, bar Victoria. She has been like this for over 300 years. She was a part of the Salem Witch Trials right before she was changed.' Her voice trailed off, obviously not wanting to completely reveal a past that wasn't her own. 'But Parker, Parker is our youngest. She's only been like this for twenty years or so. She still finds it hard to control herself at times, so don't be offended if she doesn't completely warm to you. It's hardest when the lust takes over, but she's doing much better.'

I nodded slowly. 'So, what are you?'

She unsuccessfully tried to suppress her giggle and it erupted anyway. 'So you figured I don't age, but not what I truly am... What do you think I am?'

I hesitated. I was scared to say. 'My cousin, Peter, once told me about a beautiful woman, a woman he'd fallen in love with, like a siren, with a perfect body which was as cold as ice.' My voice lurched and cut off as I was catapulted into a memory. It was like I was there. But I wasn't. I mean, actual me felt there, but memory me was there too. I was in my memory.

It was like watching myself on one of those cinema screen's I'd been taken to. It was amazing but somewhat disturbing. I slowly walked up to memory me and cleanly swiped my hand through like I was made of air.

'Holy hell.' My un-ladylike curses were becoming more frequent, I mentally noted to start minding my tongue.

But my breath was taken away by the beautiful boy sitting at the far side of the three person group memory me was a part of. I knew this scene. This was the night Peter tried to convince Ant – his best friend, Anthony – and I of the siren he was in love with. I let out a small sob at the sight of him, while the group continued to be oblivious to my presence. I walked through the group and cupped his cheek in my hand but it slipped straight through without any resistance. The same thing happened when I touched his chest, but I could have sworn I felt the warm softness of his lips on the pad of my thumb as I ghosted it across. Two days later, he disappeared without a trace, leaving our entire family with a heartache nothing could fill.

'I'm telling you, Ant, I'm in love with a goddess. I am convinced that I will marry her, and screw her into submission!' He was overzealous in his gestures and had growled the last part, meaning for only Anthony to hear. But I still heard all of it. I flushed my usual rose colour and quickly flared out my fan and fluttered it in front of my face, half hiding behind it, cursing myself for being so embarrassed in front of Anthony, half hiding my smirk that inappropriately wouldn't be wiped from my lips. Ant shot a beautiful, cheeky grin at me and my hand fluttered faster, trying to be rid of the blush. Anthony chuckled at me, slowly shaking his head. I nibbled on my bottom lip then closed my fan noisily. Both boys look at me with curiosity to what I was doing. If I was blushing, I never closed my fan. It was a rule that I lived by, bored and embarrassed with my usual reaction to anything complimentary, sexual or taboo. I grasped the base and held it firmly. I used it to smack Ant's arm a few times before he recoiled away, shocked, and pointed it at him.

'Do not sass me, boy!' I poked the fan towards him to emphasise my point.

Peter laughed and Anthony grinned at my boldness.

'So, tell me dear Peter, what does my soon-to-be sister-in-law look like?' I asked calmly and composed like a lady should be.

'Sister?' he questioned.

I smirked. 'Well, you are not unlike my brother, so I will love her like my sister.'

The smile that lit up his face was infectious and I couldn't help but giggle.

'So, what is she like? What is her name?'

'Charlotte, and she is breathtaking!' He was in awe. 'Her body is perfect; she is pale in completion not unlike yourself, Isabelle. Her hair is short and it curls; it is so wild when she doesn't pin it. And her lips are so beautiful, pink.' He paused, the way he talked, it was with the reverence men used when talking about a god, not a woman. I so was happy, he was very much in love. 'And she has these huge doe eyes, which are vibrant red.'

I paled. Red? No, it couldn't be. Eyes couldn't be red, unless – I caught back a sob – 'Oh, lord, I read about this. Is it albinism? The medical journal said it was mainly seen in animals, but uncommonly in humans–'

Peter's innocent laugh cut me off, I was so confused.

'She is not an Albino, Isabelle. You should see her, she is too beautiful to have albinism!' His voice lowered. He fell to his knees in front of us, his arm resting over my knees. Only Ant and I could hear him. 'I think vampirism might be a more sufficient word to describe her condition.'

I was too shocked to answer, was he really suggesting he was in love with a vampire?

Anthony gasped, taking my reaction out of my mouth. 'You cannot be serious, Peter!' He sounded angry, almost betrayed. 'There is no such thing.' he spat.

'There is. And I am, Anthony!' He yelled it, causing people to look our way. He was on his feet again and turning away. Anthony glared at the people who had the nerve to let their stare linger and threw me worried glances. I returned with conflicted ones before sighing.

'Trust you to fall in love with a succubus,' I said quietly, defeated. I couldn't compete with his adoration for this Charlotte. And I knew Peter, his mind was made up, and with that, nothing could stand in his way. 'So, what is she like?'

'She is so cold, like ice. But her heart, her heart is warmer than any sun. And she is amazingly nimble – when she decides to run, she is blurred from my vision. But, my dear cousin Isabelle.' He fell to his knees dramatically in front of me again, taking my knees in his hands and dropping his head on my lap before snuggling his face into my skirt. 'She is my everything, Isabelle,' he said, his voice full of despair.

I cupped my hands around his face and lifted it so his gaze met mine. I ghosted my thumb across his bottom lip like I normally did and smiled at him. 'Little Peter Rabbit, you must be with her then.'

He smiled sadly, groaned and laid his head back in my lap, while slowly looking over to Anthony. He hung his head in shame. Only once did he look up, and I saw his eyes full of sadness. We both knew, someday soon, we would lose a brother.

I was looking at memory me, blinked, and was suddenly back in my Egyptian-cotton sheeted bed, tears prickling in my eyes.

'Vampire.' I had whispered the word, but it sounded so loud as it hung in the air. I closed my eyes to see Peter, and stayed that way until the image faded into black.

When I reopened my eyes, I was surprised to see Bree and Victoria sitting at the end of my bed. I hadn't felt the bed move at all when they sat.

'I'm sorry, I should have asked before I did that to you,' Bree whispered. 'But I needed to know how much your cousin knew.'

I gapped at her. 'You you did that?'

She slowly nodded while Victoria stroked my hand calmly.

'What What was that?'

Bree cast an unreadable look at Victoria. 'Bella, you were – are – right about what we are. And being what we are, we have certain gifts...? curses...? anomalies...?' She struggled to find the right word for what they could do.

I cast my eyes at Bree, I wanted her explanation. I raised my eyebrows at her.

'I work with memories, Bella,' Bree said, sadly. "I can delve deep into your psyche and drag out memories you didn't even know you had. One of our sisters, Ash, is a projector, she takes what you have and can project into others' minds, but only if she has physical contact with whom she is taking from, and who she is showing.'

I took a moment to comprehend what she was telling me.

'Is... is it always that...' I struggled to find the right word. 'Intense?'

Bree shook her head and flopped it into her hands. 'I'm so sorry, Bella, I never meant to hurt you, I just couldn't get through.'

I shushed her. 'Oh, Bree, I'm not hurt. I knew Peter was going to leave me one day, I just really didn't know it would be so soon. I mean, he disappeared two days later without even a goodbye. I just miss him, that's all.'

I played with her hair, gently stroking and rolling the threads together between my fingers. 'So, what did you mean you couldn't get through?'

Bree lifted her head. 'I saw nothing, I couldn't get in. That's why I pushed it so hard, why it was so intense. I can usually just get in and out without the person actually noticing I'm even there, but with you I'm blind!'

'Has this ever happened before?' I asked curiously, without trying to upset her.

'No, never!'

I squeaked. 'What's wrong with me?'

I looked intensely to Bree, then Victoria. The amusement played on Victoria's face. Bree looked at Victoria and then had to laugh. The room soon fell silent with a lighter air surrounding them.

'What?'

Bree raised an eyebrow. 'I tell you I have this thing I can do where I invade people's privacy and watch their memories, and you think there's something wrong with you?'

I thought about it. 'Okay, so were both strange. That must be why we get along so well.'

Bree rolled her eyes. 'Can't disagree with that, Darlin'.'

My stomach interrupted by rumbled loudly. 'Come on Human, let's get you some food.'

I hope you enjoyed the first reminiscent flashback... there may be a few more in the coming chapters.

Leave me some lovin if you want, would love to hear what y'all think.

Jess