Chapter 5: No Power?

Jackson POV

Her wonderful voice filled the air around me. I could tell she was crying. Why was she so sad? The messages just got worse and worse. I went missing, her parents were gone. She was alone. Hoping that I was alive. I tortured myself by listening to each and every message the sun came up as the last one played.

"Jackson, please pick up, I have a feeling that you are out there, just answer me. I love you no matter what. Goodnight."

It had been eight hours since her last call; she must have finally gotten some sleep. She said she loved me no matter what.

But would vampirism be included in that?

I still couldn't remember her, I thought that her voice would trigger everything but there was still a blank canvas that was supposed to be my memories. I sighed as I closed my phone.

It instantly started buzzing. It was her, Emma.

Dare I answer it?

No, I shouldn't.

I let the voicemail pick it up but she didn't leave a message.

She had said she was in Forks, how is that possible? We both ended up in the same small town.

A knock on my door knocked me out of my reverie. "Come in."

It was Edward.

"We have training to do, let's go," he said. Training? What kind of training?

"Vampire training, we need to teach you to control your strength so that you don't expose to everyone that you aren't human and we are also going to test your dislike for human blood, Carlisle brought some from the hospital, he is going to see how you react to it out in the open," he explained.

I followed him outside. I spent the morning learning to control my speed. I was a quick learner. Strength was a little more difficult, but we were able to get it to where I could lightly squeeze an egg without it breaking.

"I am impressed, it took me years to be that gentle, I still worry about hurting Bella," he said honestly.

"What is it like? Being with a human?" I asked. I hadn't told him about Emma yet. Only Alice knew, but she knew without my help.

"It is hard, but I do crave her blood, more then any other human. We have had our problems," he shook his head smiling, "But I love her and she loves me. Why do you ask?"

Should I tell him? He might be able to help, or at least relate to my problem.

"Come on just tell me," Edward urged. I don't think I will ever get past his ability to listen to my thoughts. Well, here goes nothing, or everything.

"I keep receiving calls from someone in my past, I can tell that she loves me but I fear that she won't love me as this, this monster," I said, spitting out the confession that had been plaguing my every moment.

Edward chuckled. "Been there done that, if it is meant to be then it will happen. Nothing could keep Bella and I apart not even myself," he said sincerely.

His words gave me hope. Maybe she could love me; I knew I could love her, if only I could remember her.

"Come on let's go find Carlisle for the rest of your test." Edward led me inside and we found Carlisle in the kitchen with Esme, talking in low voices. Carlisle kissed her cheek and turned to us.

"Are you boys ready?" he asked, I nodded. "Okay, then. Emmett!" he called up the stairs. I could hear Emmett's booming footsteps as he ran down the stairs.

He was as graceful as the rest of us, but he was so big.

"We need his brute strength to control you incase the blood does effect you," explained Edward. "Young vampires are much stronger, then us old folks." I couldn't help but laugh Edward looked the same age as me.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Let's just say that I was born in 1901, I am old, but Carlisle has a couple hundred years on me," he teased. Carlisle shook his head; obviously the jeer didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Let's go outside, I wouldn't want to destroy the house if any of us looses control," said Carlisle. We followed him to the front yard.

"Okay, Edward and Emmett stay on both sides of Jack, I'll stand over here."

Edward and Emmett took their positions next to me. Carlisle pulled out a small vial. I felt Edward and Emmett tense at the sight of the dark red liquid. I felt absolutely nothing.

Edward glanced at me when I thought that, his eyebrow raise questioningly.

"No, nothing!" I called to Carlisle. He smiled.

"Okay, Edward, Em I am going to open it, prepare yourselves."

They each took a deep breath and held it in. Carlisle twisted of the cap and watched me intently. I could feel the vampires to the left and right of me shake slightly. Resisting. I however felt nothing. Edward glared at me, trying to believe my thoughts.

"No, still nothing!" I called. Carlisle looked absolutely giddy. I was surprised that the blood didn't have the same reaction on him as it had on his two sons.

"Edward, Emmett you can go back inside, I think I can handle the rest of this experiment without your help. Thank you."

I could see the happiness on Emmett's face; he wanted to get out of there.

Edward nodded; he looked as though he liked the challenge. They turned and ran back into the house quickly. Carlisle walked toward me with the vial still open.

"Still nothing?" he asked as he stepped in front of me.

"Nothing," I replied I took the vial from his hand and held it to my nose; I took a long sniff and still detected nothing. I stuck my tongue out and licked the blood.

I dropped the vial. But Carlisle caught it before it could shatter.

It was completely disgusting. I wiped my hand on my tongue trying to get rid of the awful taste. Carlisle just laughed.

"That bad, huh?"

I nodded, still trying to relieve my taste buds.

"How can you crave that?" I asked in shock.

"Well, I am sure it tastes much different to you then it does to a normal vampire," he said.

"What does it taste like to you?" I asked.

"I don't know, I have never indulged. I have resisted the call to human blood my whole existence." I was impressed. He was able to do so many great things by fighting that urge. I certainly looked up to him.

"But you have changed people," Edward, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett were all changed by Carlisle. "You didn't drink from them then?" I asked.

"Well, it is hard to explain. I bit them yes, but I didn't drink. I guess I have tasted human blood to some extent but it wasn't during a time of pleasure. There was no lapse of control. I was focused on saving the person in front of me I held no interest in the flavor of their blood. Does that make sense?" he asked after he finished explaining.

I just nodded, thinking it over. Why was I so different?

"Come on, let's go inside. I think we are done with our experiments today. Would you like to go to high school with the rest of the kids?" he asked.

I wasn't sure. I knew high school wasn't something I should enjoy but I could help but hope that I would meet Emma there.

"Sure," I answered smiling, "So, you think you can trust me around humans then?" I asked still unsure.

"I think I can trust you more then I can trust myself," he replied smiling. "I'll go sign you up right now, you could probably start tomorrow. We will have to get you contacts though."

Contacts? Oh, my red eyes, definitely frightening.

"Do you wear contacts to make your eyes that color?" I asked.

"No, our eyes turn this color because of the blood we consume, if you were to drink human blood your eyes would remain red, but since you despise it," he laughed, "then they will turn the same color as ours, but it will take awhile at least a couple of months." I nodded. I could deal with wearing contacts.

Carlisle stepped into his office to gather documents for my identity. He was keeping my first name the same but changing my last name to Cullen. I was glad, it felt like I had a home, as though I had a place were I belong even though I was no longer a mortal.

I stepped inside and found everyone but Edward inside the den.

Esme was relaxed in an armchair knitting what looked like a scarf.

Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie were watching a movie. By the way that they were cracking up I assumed it must be a comedy.

I sat down in a chair and realized that they were watching a vampire movie. A teenage girl was killing vampires left and right with a piece of wood. Emmett laughed as the vampire "poofed" into a cloud of dust.

Alice was laughing so hard no noise was coming out.

Jasper looked as though he was going to burst.

I couldn't help but join in. It was quite preposterous. After what Carlisle told me about how to kill a vampire, a teenage girl could do little but scream for a millisecond.

We watched the movie for the next hour, I can't remember ever laughing so hard. She threw a bucket of holy water onto a female vampire, her face sizzled and she became a pile of goo. It was absolutely disgusting.

"Don't worry that can't happen," said Jasper from my left.

"Did I look worried?" I asked with a grin.

"No, but I could feel the waves of uneasiness coming off of you," he explained. Confusion swept through me. He smiled.

"It's my power, I can feel and manipulate emotions, but I am good, I won't use my powers for evil," he said that with a smirk.

"I wonder if I have a power," I said thinking out loud. Alice went rigid in her seat and her face went blank. But as quickly as she fell into that state she was back.

"Hmmm, I don't know, I couldn't tell what I was seeing," she paused thinking it over.

"I guess we will just have to wait and see," Jasper chimed in.

"I do love surprises!" squealed Alice. We all turned back to the movie as the final scene played out.

As the movie ended, with the slayer triumphant, Edward came home.

"Bella, is coming over in a bit, I want you to meet her," he said to me.

I wasn't really worried. I had been very close to humans in Seattle. That little girl even ran right into me and I felt no urges for her blood.

"I know, but Bella has powerful blood, I trust you but I will be protective," he said this with a smile and I believed him.

Everyone retreated to their bedrooms, waiting for Bella to arrive. I played some music hoping to hear something that would trigger a memory. But nothing came to me.

I was getting desperate. I wanted to know my past but it was just beyond my reach.

Maybe I could look on the internet, maybe there was something about my hometown that would ring a bell or maybe I could Google my name. That sounded like as good of place as any.

I was resorting to googling myself, I was officially desperate.

Before I could find a computer I heard the distance roar of a truck headed towards our house. I knew that it must be Bella. I decided to wait until I was called to come downstairs, I didn't want to frighten her.

I heard everyone else leave their rooms and head for the living room. The door to Bella's truck closed and I heard her giggle.

I looked out my window to find Edward holding her against him kissing her neck as he carried her into the house. I sat on my bed and sighed, maybe Emma could love me as a vampire? If she even did to begin with.

Edward called my name. I slowly walked down the stairs, I heard Bella laugh at my slow movements. I looked at her and she froze her eyes locked with mine. Edward held her close and whispered in her ear.

"You are safe, I promise." She visibly relaxed in his arms.

"Bella this is our newest family member Jack," Carlisle introduced me, "Jack, this is Bella, Edward's mate." Bella cheeks blushed ferociously at the word mate. She hid her face in Edward's chest as everyone chuckled at her reaction.

Everyone's eyes returned to me.

"So, do you want to eat her or what?" asked Rosalie rather bluntly.

"Rose!" Esme scolded.

Edward growled at her and pulled a frightened Bella closer to himself.

"No, Rosalie I do not," I replied honestly. "I can't smell her at all."

Edward's jaw dropped. But Bella spoke up.

"Really? How?" she asked.

"I don't know, I don't find humans appetizing," I answered.

"I believe it may have to do with how blood effected him as a human," explained Carlisle.

Bella looked hopeful.

"But it is just a theory, I have no proof, especially since Jack doesn't remember his past," Carlisle warned. Bella looked sad.

"You don't remember anything?" she asked.

I simply shook my head.

"I'm sorry, that must be difficult," she said with sympathy. She turned around in Edward's arms.

"So, did you just ask me over to see if he was going to eat me?" she asked playfully.

"Bella! I knew he wasn't going to attack you! And I really wanted to see you again," he kissed her pouty lips gently.

"I need to go back home, I don't want to leave Emma all by herself for too long," she said. I froze she said Emma, was it the same Emma that had been calling me? A loud screech interrupted my thoughts.

"Wait, I have clothes!" Alice ran up stairs and back down with her arms full of bags.

My thoughts were full of Emma, Bella knew Emma.

"Alice! I don't need any more clothes!" Bella complained.

"They aren't for you, they are for Emma." Alice looked directly at me and winked.

"Speaking of Emma, I met her today," said Carlisle with a grin. He looked at Bella as he spoke. "She is a lovely young lady, I invited her over to meet the family."

Edward laughed, "Yes, we know, she is coming over tomorrow after school."

Edward, Carlisle, and Bella had met Emma. I could only hope it was the same girl that had been calling me for the past two weeks. But I didn't dare ask for a physical description, I didn't want to give up hope that she was here. For now it was still a possibility.

"Alright, I'm going to go it was nice meeting you Jack, I'll see you at school tomorrow," Bella said as she left, Edward was following her to her truck with all of the bags.

I rushed upstairs to be alone with my thoughts I couldn't help but wonder if it was really her.

Would she recognize me?

Did she love me?

Would she still love me?

Or would she run away screaming?

I pondered these questions all through the night, dawn broke and Esme yelled up the stairs that it was time to get ready for school. Today would be the day, the day that I would finally see Emma in person.