Calling my mother the next day was hilarious.
"Hello ," She answered after five long rings.
"Hello Mumzie," I replied, "How are things at home?"
"Fine, your sister is home again… honestly I don't know what this university thinks… you were never home!" She ranted.
"Yeah but I was doing a med degree not Fashion and you know what Sadie is like, she's a creature comforts girl," I replied, watching as Carlisle smiled up at me from his desk.
"Unlike you whip couldn't wait to fly the nest," My Mum said with an exasperated sigh.
"I had my eyes set on a career and I was given an opportunity and I took it. If I could've done my degree from the comfort of your sofa I would've," I began to massage my temples, she always made it sound like I'd fled as fast as I could. Well in all honesty I had, not that I'd tell her that.
"So who's phone is this anyway? I don't know this number," She said curiously.
"It's Carlisle's phone. I did write the number down for you," I sighed, slumping down into Carlisle's worn arm chair.
"Oh… well I might have lost that, you know what I'm like with bits of paper. Anyway why are you calling? You never call!" She exclaimed, "Wait you're not pregnant are you?"
"No I am not pregnant! Actually I called to say I am moving in with Carlisle," I said evenly.
"Moving in as in moving in moving in? Like together?" She said, "Doesn't he have children?"
"Yes he has eight children," I said, each call went like this, I had to tell her something a thousand times before it sank in.
"You're going to be a step mother? Aren't they your brothers age?" She said dubiously.
"They may be Jo's age but that's fine! And don't start the older man spiel because Jack's a year older than granddad and you two are happy!" My tone was warningly.
"Yes well Jack and I don't live together but if you're happy then that's fine. Have you told you're arrogant father?" She started, I could feel that rant coming. Whenever Mum talked about Dad it was like a hurricane was coming, it left disaster in its wake.
"Oh what was that Carlisle? An emergency? Right away, bye Mum!" And with that I hung up.
"Did you just hang up on your mother?" Carlisle chuckled, I shrugged.
"Yeah well when she starts going on about Dad I can't bear to listen," I said chucking his mobile onto the coffee table and stretched.
"I can imagine," He said with a wry smile, "I take it she's not entirely happy with you moving in with me?" I grinned and laughed gently.
"She is just worried what'll happen if we break up. Lovely and optimistic my mother," I sighed, standing up and walking over to sit on his lap. He just grinned.
"Well I can't blame her for worrying, you're moving in with a man she's never met, who is older than you, who has recently gotten divorced, has eight children and is your boss," He said tucking my hair gently behind my ears, "If one of my girls did that I wouldn't be too impressed," I laughed, I had to as he did have a point.
"Carlisle," I said gently, trailing my fingers over his shoulders before lacing them at the back of his neck, "Just shut up and kiss me already," With a flash of a smirk he obliged.
The months passed quickly after that. Carlisle and I were content just being together. It had been a year since his divorce and we still kept our relationship out of work but we were truly happy. I hadn't sold my house, from somewhere Carlisle had paid off my mortgage and said he didn't want me pressured. I think my mother had had a chat with him because whenever she rang she told me to tell him 'hi' from the dragon-in-law. To be honest I was glad that I still had my house I didn't want to be left optionless in the unlikely event things went tits up, I loved Carlisle and if anything the house was somewhere to put my Mother when she eventually came snooping. I quite often went to my house, cleaned and just sat and read, being in a house with eight other people, or nine of Jacob appeared and ten on the once in a blue moon occasion that Alice swan in from Italy, was tiring and although it may have been selfish at times I just needed some me time. Carlisle was fine with it and often he would join me or I would just set off in my car.
My car was a rather large talking point at work. The day I had arrived in it was the day Jodie and Martha became ruthless.
"Spill," Martha had said grinning, marching into my office with Jodie hot on her heels, "Where did you get a swish car like that?" I just blinked, looking up from the biopsy report in front of me to the two giggling nurses.
"Am I not allowed a car?" I said dryly.
"Oh yeah you are but that is a nice shiny brand new hard top V8 sports convertible Mercedes Benz. That darling is a car Dr DILF would buy," Martha rattled off with a smirk.
"And why would it matter if Carlisle bought me a car? It was a congratulations present for getting my licence," I sighed.
"Wait you passed your driving test?" Jodie said with a blank confused look.
"No, for getting my medical licence," I cried, "And it really isn't any of your business, so stop harassing me and get the blood tests I ordered done," Both women blinked once.
"Of course Dr Collier," Martha said with a grin, "But I shall find out what little sordid affair you two are having," Luckily they never did.
It was thanks giving once more and Lizzie and I were cooking, somewhere in the past few months this had become a norm and honestly the young brunette was a pleasure for company.
"So have you done it yet?" She said to me as we finished stuffing the turkey.
"Done what," I said only half paying attention, the other half focused on ramming force meat into the poor bird.
"You and Carlisle!" She giggled, a wicked grin plastered on her porcelain features, "You've been living here for six months and apart from the odd smoochy scene we have heard no bumps in the night," To be honest I could hardly believe it, my jaw dropped and I turned to look at the grinning girl who was holding the turkeys legs open.
"What… why would you ask that! He's your dad!" I cried, she laughed, face contorting in a mischievous grin.
"No, he's my adoptive father and we all know he'd be much happier if he was getting some and so would you. We are all perfectly aware on the sexual tension hanging around you two so just hurry up and do the deed!" She said lightly. My mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.
"Lizzie don't tease her," Jasper's southern drawl floating in from the door was a blessing, if anyone could control our little wild child it was Jasper.
"But I want to know," She whined as we loaded the enormous bird into the oven.
"It's none of our business," He said walking over to his sister and kissing her lightly on the cheek, "So stop being nosy," The affection this pair had for each other at time was slightly unnerving, there was something in the way they looked at each other that made me wonder but as soon as I noticed it it seemed to vanish.
"Right I am going to change," I said looking down at my stuffing covered t-shirt.
"Yeah think there is more stuffing on us than the turkey," Lizzie laughed, beaming at me, "I'm going to change too Jazz," Jasper nodded, taking a seat at the breakfast bar as she skipped away.
"It'll be nice to actually have Thank's giving this year," Jasper said thoughtfully, "Last year I was just thankful when it was over," I winced.
"Yeah it was pretty shit," I agreed, "And the year before I was on placement in a morgue which was a lot more depressing than it sounds… so this'll be my first thanks giving," He chuckled.
"Well lucky you… honestly one year I swear Lizzie tried to blow up the house… that woman cannot cook a turkey and should be banned from the kitchen," Jasper said lightly.
"Oh and you can cook?" I snorted, Jasper straighten his back.
"Actually I can," He said smirking. My jaw dropped.
"You mean I've been cooking for the past six months with her and you have let me too it! Tomorrow mister you are on kitchen duty!" I said wagging my finger playfully.
"Fine," He said grinning, "You and Carlisle are at work, Emmett, Rosalie, Bella, Edward and Nessie are at a friend's party so Lizzie and I shall have the house to ourselves,"
"I trust you to make sure she doesn't wreck the place," I chuckled, "And why aren't you going to the party," He coughed pathetically before placing the back of my stuffing covered hand on his icy forehead.
"I'm coming down with something," He said feebly. I just rolled my eyes. He was eighteen, it wasn't as if I could make him go to the party.
"Sure, well you're still on kitchen duty," I said dryly, "And if you whine about being ill I am sure taking the Xbox out of the living room will solve a whole heap of issues," He poked out his tongue.
"Jasper," I said slowly leaning on the counter as a thought flitted across his mind.
"Yes," He replied carefully, probably terrified I'd make him go to this party.
"Do you know anything about the girlfriend Carlisle had before Esme?" I said softly, this mystery woman had been bugging me for a while. Jasper actually looked surprised.
"Carlisle had a girlfriend before Esme?" He said softly, "I've never heard this… won't Carlisle say?" I bit my lip.
"Oh don't worry, Carlisle mentioned her a while ago and I just got curious," I shrugged, pushing her from my mind.
"Well if any of us know it'd be Edward, he's been here the longest," Jasper said gently.
"Maybe I'll ask him later, thank you anyway Jasper," I said wiping my hands on the tea towel.
"No problem Mom," He said so lightly I almost didn't realise what he had said. Looking to him I watched him grin. Twirling the tea towel I gently whipped him with it.
"Cheeky," I sighed before walking away to get changed.
Dinner that night was a pleasant affair, we ate, chatted and then Edward took to the piano. He was good and being supportive I sat and listen but god did it drag on, I had never been one for classical music but curled up on the love seat with Carlisle I was content. That was until I realised something a little odd. In all the time I had been with Carlisle I had never snuggled up with my head on his chest, firstly he was icy cold and secondly in bed we tended to spoon, but here I was with my head on his chest and it was lovely… except there wasn't the pleasant thathump I would expect in a living breathing person. As the thought that my loving boyfriend had no heart beat crossed my mind a horrid mixture of wrong notes sounded from the piano and Edward gave me an intense look.
"You don't have a heartbeat," I whispered absentmindedly.
"Ebony," Carlisle whispered as the entire family looked to me. I slowly sat up and looked at him with wide eyes, "You know that thing that you said I could tell you when I was ready… well I think I need to tell you," Quickly the others stood and filed out of the room.
"Ebony," Carlisle said softly, taking my shaking hands, "This… there isn't an easy way to say this and I know you're going to think I'm absolutely insane,"
"You have no heart beat and you're talking to me… I don't think there could be anything stranger," I stuttered trying not to get up and run. He sighed, looking down sadly.
"Last year when you asked me how old I was and I said 386 I wasn't making it up…I am now 387 years old, I am a vampire," He said softly. The only sound from my lips was a nervous chuckle as I tried and failed to comprehend what he had said, a vampire? Carlisle was a vampire? A blood sucking creature of the night? My Carlisle? My sweet gentle perfect Carlisle?
"A vampire?" I said slowly, swallowing thickly as I vaguely remembered my promise to swallow whatever he had to tell me and move on, "Well…I can see how you wouldn't want to tell me,"
"Yes… it can be a slight issue," He said slowly, I could tell he wasn't sure how I was taking it and to be perfectly honest I was freaking out entirely.
"Is that why you're always cold?" I mused looking up. He nodded.
"We have no circulation," He said gently. My brow furrowed.
"Then how do you get an erection?" My question fell from my mouth before I could comprehend what I had just asked. His lips cracked into an amused smile.
"Venom," He chuckled. I blinked.
"Venom?" I repeated, perhaps he was insane after all.
"Yes, it coats our teeth… it is what changes humans to vampires when we bite them," He said softly. For a moment I froze.
"And your children?" I said slowly.
"Are all vampires… actually they are all mated couples… apart from Nessie, she is Bella and Edwards daughter" He said. I blinked.
"That explains a lot… Lizzie and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett… Bella and Edward?" I listed slowly, my eyes still wide.
"Yes… Look I know what you promised but I don't expect you to be okay with this," He said softly, "It's okay to be afraid," Afraid, what afraid of Carlisle? That sounded more absurd than him being a vampire.
"I'm not afraid Carlisle," I said with a gentle smile, "I feel slightly stupid for living here for six months and not noticing. I mean you're a vampire… as in drinking…" I stopped myself there, the thought made me urge.
"We drink animal blood… we think ourselves vegetarian," He gave me a lopsided smile. I blinked, cocking my head slightly as my lips twitched into a smile. Drinking animal blood? Odd version if vegetarianism.
"Fair enough," I said slowly, "Is there anything else I should know?"
"Well we are extremely strong and fast, we don't sleep… or eat…" He said gently. I began to laugh, no wonder they all pull faces at my cooking and Carlisle was never asleep when I woke up.
"Okay," I said nodding, "Anything else?"
"Yes well… Jasper is an empath Edward can read minds Nessie can show you her memories Bella can create mental barriers and Lizzie knows exactly where you are at all times… oh an Alice can tell the future," He said quickly as if I wouldn't believe him, "Are you okay?" He said softly, reaching up to brush my hair from my face.
"Uhh…" I started, blinking a few times, "I…I think I am… well…I …it's just… surprising. I just need a moment to take it in,"
"Ebony you're hyperventilating," Carlisle said gently squeezing my hands, "You need to take a deep breath and calm down," Calm down? I laughed at myself, my lover had just said he was a vampire? Was I supposed to be calm?
"Here," Jasper was behind me before I even realised he was in the room, "Let me…" His hands gently rubbed my shoulders and a warm feeling washed through my body. It radiated from my shoulders to my chest, like morphine, my whole body relaxed and I slumped backwards resting against Jasper's stomach. This isn't right, I mused in my head, I shouldn't be so panicked, I need to wake up.
"Don't fight it Ebony," Jasper's soft southern accent floated through my head as if he was somewhere far away and before I knew it I was falling asleep.
When I awoke in Carlisle and I's bedroom I almost wondered if I had had a rather vivid and strange dream but sitting beside the bed was a worried, pensive looking Carlisle and I knew instantly that it hadn't been.
"Hey you," I said rolling onto my side so I could reach out to touch him, in a flash he looked up to me, "Why so sad?"
"You didn't take it well," He said softly. I laughed and beckoned him into bed with me, my panic entirely forgotten.
"Carlisle, you told me you were a vampire and I believe you. How am I supposed to take? Just nod along and say 'of course you are'. I am still here Carlisle, I love you so much and it really doesn't matter," I chuckled, pouting softly when he didn't climb up next to me.
"But it does matter," He sighed, "I have no soul," I blinked twice.
"Right…I am not religious… let me clarify that now and secondly you are an amazing Doctor who saves so many lives, you are a wonderful father and need I say that I love you. If anyone has a soul Carlisle it is you and whatever silly thing that has this in your mind can duck right off because you are wonderful," I said crawling over to him, kneeling before him and leaning down to kiss him.
"I won't ever deny myself your love Ebony but I am not a holy man," He whispered.
"Yes well I haven't ever stepped foot in a church so I am not one to judge," I said shrugging, "And anyone who says you are anything but amazing will find my foot lodged firmly up their arse," Carlisle laughed, his brooding mood forgotten, "Come to bed with me Carlisle,"
"Ebony," He sighed, "The children will hear," I scoffed.
"Lizzie has be complaining about the lack of noise from this bedroom so I doubt they'll mind," I said with a grin. He rolled of eyes.
"Of course she has," He chuckled kicking off his shoes and crawling up above me, "The little madam," Reaching up I brushed his hair from his eyes.
"Stop thinking about your children and kiss me," I demanded, grabbing him by his collar.
That night we kissed until I ran out of air, his mouth trailed every inch of my body to my delight. He was gentle, sensual and beyond happy to please. I couldn't care who heard us and from the throaty groans Carlisle choked as I let my mouth get acquainted with him he didn't care either. This intimacy was new to us, when I said we had taken things slow we truly had but as I licked his eager release from my lips I doubted things would be slow for very long. I wanted him, I wanted him badly. Laying down beside him I kissed up his neck.
"Happy?" I giggled as he tugged the crumpled bed clothes up over us.
"Need you ask," He said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Curling my naked body around his I just smiled. This was wonderful, this was true happiness. There was no need for words as he held me to him, his hands trailing a path up and down my spine.
"Carlisle," I said an hour later, running my fingers through his hair.
"Yes sweetheart," He hummed.
"Would you ever change me?" I said softly, "Like you are I mean?" He exhaled slowly.
"The people I have changed before were dying… Edward had Spanish flu, Esme tried to commit suicide, Rosalie was beaten and left to die and Emmett was mauled by a bear. When Edward changed Bella she was dying from giving birth to Nessie. Jasper and Alice came to us and well… when Jasper changed Lizzie we had no other choice, she would've been killed otherwise," He explained.
"So I am taking that as a no," I said with a gentle smile.
"Not if I had another option but I honestly could not live without you so I'll most likely change my mind," He said dryly, "But only if you want to," I chewed my lip.
"I just want to be with you, like this or like you to me it doesn't matter," I said softly, "I love you Carlisle," He kissed my forehead softly.
"I love you too," He breathed, "But if you are like me you'll have to give up your family,"
"You are my family," I was confused, I really didn't understand.
"I mean your Mum," He said gently.
"Oh," I said softly, could I give her up? Or Sadie? Or Jo? Or Dad? "Carlisle apart from Mum coming for my graduation I haven't seen them in two and a half years… If I can have you then I'll give them up,"
"Don't you want to give it some thought," He said carefully, eyes full of worry.
"What is there to think about? My family is here, with you and your children, I call my Mum because she is my Mum… my Dad hasn't spoken to me in months, not even when I got my medical license. Yes I'll miss them but if I have you that won't matter," I said gently, "I won't change my mind,"
Things moved quickly after that. Apparently my knowing was a taboo and to save me from some sort of royal family I had to be changed soon. Rosalie was hoping for a baby, why a baby I didn't know but it was an odd thing she wouldn't let go.
"Why are you so eager for us to have a baby?" I cried as she was pestering me again.
"Because once you're turned you can't have one," She snapped. I grinned and laughed.
"But I can't have one anyway!" I snickered, "I had my ovaries removed when I was eighteen," She looked horrified.
"Why would you do that!" She said, flailing her manicured hands around.
"Because I had cysts the size of grapefruits… it was either my ovaries or my life…I chose to live," I said walking into Carlisle and I's bedroom. Rosalie blinked following me in.
"Oh…I didn't know," She said pouting like a child who'd been refused a puppy.
"Yes well Rose that is because I don't think about it, I came to terms with being childless and now look at me…I am dating a man with eight children…swings and roundabouts," I said shrugging, looking down at the large suitcase that my beau was currently packing.
"Where are we going?" I said slowly.
"Into Canada… it's too dangerous to turn you here," He said softly, "Whilst we are on holiday the family shall report a tragic accident and poof, we're free,"
"And we just up and set up shop somewhere else?" I said nodding slowly, "Okay then…"
"It's what we always do," Rosalie said softly, "Emmett has the truck ready,"
"I need to go hunting, I am not taking chances here," Carlisle said softly, "I'll be back in the morning,"
In the space of a week I had suddenly become whisked into a world of Vampires and venom and strange evil royal families. Bella apparently had it worse and Lizzie… well she awoke with no memory to a battle she suddenly had to be ready for.
"I just wanted sex," Lizzie said shrugging as we 'girls' sat around in the living room whilst the boys took Carlisle hunting, "Usually your human memories come back and then fade but mine never did. I forgot everything, my parents, my home, all of the Cullen's… even Jasper. I just woke up knowing I could not deny him, he was my mate,"
"Mate?" I said dubiously, hadn't Carlisle said something about mated couples? To me it sounded a little primitive.
"Yes, sometimes we feel a pull towards another. It is something you cannot deny. It is why Lizzie and I are here, it isn't as strong with humans but you cannot deny it," Bella explained, "Edward tried to deny it and it almost destroyed us… when he changed me though and I felt it, it was quite terrifying,"
"When Jasper changed me he didn't know what he was getting himself into… The Major on the other hand," Lizzie laughed, Rosalie rolled her eyes and swatted her teasing sister's shoulder.
"The who?" I said blinking.
"Jasper's other personality," Lizzie said as if it was a totally normal thing to have, "When Jasper was changed it was the civil war and he went from being a confederate major to being a new born soldier, he was kept a prisoner until the 1940's. To cope he built an alternate personality,"
"Sounds horrible," I said softly.
"Yeah well he hasn't been around in a decade so I doubt you'll meet him any time soon," Rosalie said, "Jasper has a lot more control over that part now,"
"Well in polite company at least," Lizzie's sly comment made Rose squeal for details, "No way Rose, I'll get court martialled and god knows what he'll have me do this time," To be honest even I found that funny.
Our talking twisted through their individual pasts, Rosalie's was horrifying.
"Yes and then Carlisle found me," She said shrugging, "I always wonder what would've happened if I had listened to the woman in red though,"
"The who?" Bella said with a frown, "What woman in red," Rosalie looked up from her half painted nails.
"When I was human, before I accepted the marriage proposal my parent's had a function," She said lightly, "At the function there was this woman, top to toe in red silk with the most fabulous blood red hair. She was gorgeous, turning heads and being the two most beautiful things in the room we got talking. She said that if I took the proposal then there was no going back. That my life would never be the same and that I'd be throwing away something wonderful. At the time I just thought she was against marriage but somehow I think she knew. If I had listened to her I'd never have been turned," We all looked at each other.
"That… that's slightly spooky," Bella said, "Because I met a woman like that when I lived in phoenix…I was at a coffee shop and I got talking to this woman in a red dress with red hair. She said that moving away would be something I could never turn back from and that I'd be throwing away a life I could've been very happy with," Slowly they looked to Lizzie.
"What?" She said, "Look if I forgot my own name you really think I'd remember some woman? And anyway it's a coincidence, I mean this woman can't know that you're going to become vampires… seriously, there was eighty years between you two being changed so she'd either be ancient or a vampire. And a vampire in a coffee shop in phoenix?" We all laughed, that did sound stupid.
Eventually Carlisle came back, to be honest it was strange not seeing the father and sons act and seeing the 'boys on the town' look. Watching as they all came in the front door laughing and joking I finally felt like I truly belonged.
"You didn't need to wait up," Carlisle said walking up the stairs to meet me.
"Well we got talking and before I knew it Lizzie said you were coming back," I said taking Carlisle's had as he led me up to the bedroom.
"Talking? Well they're gold at that," He chuckled, closing our door, "What about,"
"Oh they told me about when they were turned," I said slowly, "Lizzie was rather… well…"
"She told you about the Major?" He said chuckling, "It was funny actually, well looking back on it.."
"Yeah, I can't imagine forgetting everything though…" I said softly, "Is it normal?" Carlisle shook his head.
"No it isn't, Lizzie was unlucky but she said it didn't matter…" He said slowly, pulling his shirt off as he began to undress.
"Yeah well Jasper is lucky to have her," I rolled my eyes with a wry smile, "Rosalie and Bella had a weird spooky story about some woman in red," Carlisle, who was rifling through his wardrobe froze for a moment.
"Woman in red?" He said gently, almost as if to himself, "What woman in red?"
"Well they both said that at a metaphorical cross roads they met this red headed woman in a red dress telling them that if they took a path there was no turning back. I think they were just trying to make me think whether being changed is the right thing for me," I said with a small smile, "The imaginations they have,"
"Yes… imaginations indeed," He said softly, "Now you should get some sleep… it'll be the last time," Grinning I nodded and we climbed into bed.