I sincerely apologise for the lateness of this chapter. This is the second half of chapter 6 and chapter 8 will be up within the week.

This one is quite a big reveal about a certain character; Axton may or may not have been keeping secrets :)


Clara Cullen-Taylor

I had so many questions running through my head. It had been days since Esther had 'diagnosed' my dreams. I was getting closer to my family every day. I spent most of my days with them because I barely ever saw Elijah anymore. It worried me when Elijah stopped coming to school, I rang him constantly the first day, even going as far as ringing his mother too but she said he didn't want to talk to me. It was day five now and I was getting lonely. Edward and Bella answered the questions they could but I felt they were hiding things from me, my mom never told me anything anymore, we were drifting apart and I missed how close we were. She was always so stressed and I could tell she didn't like having vampires in town anymore. Her and Zac Cullen were spending a lot of time together though, he was often at home in the evenings, I never saw them together together though, I didn't know what was going on but maybe my mom was finding comfort in knowing him. I was just going insane without having anyone to talk to.

"Hey Clara," Axton smiled at me as I came out of my house on a Saturday morning.

"Hey," I frowned at him; he was already half way up my drive.

"I thought I'd come see if you wanted to do something today?" he asked. He looked tired; I had barely gotten to see him in school the last week. He had only been in one day and he went home early.

"What's up I haven't seen you in a while," I mentioned. I hadn't been as pushy with Axton; I didn't want to come across as annoying trying to get a hold of him. Elijah I didn't care, he was meant to be my best friend and the fact he was hiding from me hurt me. A lot.

"Yeah, ive been ill," he said although I wasn't sure if I believed it. He didn't look ill, he looked… drained. "Sorry I didn't reply to your message. My aunt took my phone from me," he added.

"That's okay. Im just glad to see you," I said and smiled sincerely at him.

"So want to go do something?" he asked.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked with a smile. He shrugged.

"Something that doesn't involve a lot of energy," he chuckled.

"Well I was gunna go talk to Elijah, he's been avoiding me more than you have," I said.

"I can tag along then we can come home and watch a movie or something," he said.

"Sounds great," I said and my hand automatically took his. He was cold, even though it was a warm day. I tried not to let it get to me as I walked with him across the city to Elijah's. Walking through the park made me nervous. This was where the wolves had attacked Elijah and I that day and they plagued my nightmares ever since, so did Axton and for some reason I felt like they were linked.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," Axton whispered to me. I smiled half-heartedly at him, he wouldn't be able to stop the wolves if they wanted to hurt me but I let his words give me as much comfort as they could.

We arrived at Elijah's and I dropped Axton's hand. He stayed at the end of the drive as I ran up it to the house. I knocked strongly on the door but there was no answer for at least a minute.

"Maybe they're out?" Axton asked.

"They're not out," I said looking up to see someone moving in Elijah's room.

I had had enough. I turned the door handle and walked in on my own accord.

"Eli!" I shouted through his house but music was blaring. I ran up the stairs and to Elijah's room, something I had done every day for years.

"Elijah!" I yelled at his door. Suddenly the music stopped and I heard fumbling.

"Eli!" I said angrier.

"What are you doing here?" Elijah asked without opening the door. I turned the handle but the door was locked.

"I want to talk to you! I haven't seen my best friend in five days! We haven't gone that long without seeing each other since kindergarten!" I shouted.

"I don't want to see you Clara," he responded.

"Why the hell not?" I asked trying to mask my hurt.

"Because I don't," he yelled.

"Elijah if this is about the wolf thing. You're going to be okay," I said softly, resting my head against the door. I wanted to hug him as I said that but since this was the closest I was getting to him the door would have to do.

"It's not that Clara. I just need more time okay?" he asked.

"You're not gunna open this door are you?" i asked him.

"No," he responded and suddenly his music was playing again. I sighed in defeat. Elijah was the most stubborn person I knew, more so than me. He said he wanted time so I had to give it to him. I pulled out my phone and rang Edward as I made my way out of the house.

"Clara is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I was wondering if you could send someone that knew a lot about the wolves to Elijah's house. He's not talking to me about it and I think he's scared about it," I explained.

"Clara… someone has. We've had both Jasper and Anthony, my grandson who is a Quileute wolf talk to him. Maybe that's why he's upset? Would you like me to go?" he asked.

Ah.

"Um," I thought. "No maybe he needs time to deal with it all," I answered. "Thanks," I added.

"You're welcome Clara, he'll come through I promise," he responded and we hung up. I reached Axton looking anxious but he smiled when he saw me.

"Did he talk to you?" he asked I shook my head and took his hand this time completely voluntary. I needed him; he was my last friend left. Except those that were related to me of course.

As we walked away I quickly looked back to see the silhouette of Elijah at his window watching us. I felt a pang of guilt with him seeing me and Axton together but right now I didn't really care. I was supposed to be his best friend but he wasn't telling me anything and I needed someone to talk to more than anything in the world.

On the way back Axton and I decided to sit on one of the benches in the park. It was a nice warm day, the sky surprisingly clearer than usual. As I sat down I felt like bursting into tears but refrained from doing so in a public place.

"You can talk to me Clara," Axton whispered to me. I turned to look at him centimetres from me. His eyes were dark and his face was pale, I take back what I said before, he definitely looked sick. He also looked exhausted. I wanted to tell him everything, I wanted his comfort but I needed to protect him too.

"I can't," I sobbed.

"You can," he said strongly. "I promise whatever it is, won't change how I see you… won't change how i…feel," he stopped talking and my eyes locked with his. He leant forward and before I knew it his lips were on mine. We were kissing and I was bluntly aware of how cold he was.

"Are you sick?" I whispered when we paused. Great. Possibly the worst thing to say after a guy you really like just kissed you.

"No not anymore," he frowned.

"If I am going to tell you what's wrong with me you have to tell me what's wrong with you," I said to him softly.

"I'm just drained, that's all," he said to me, for some reason I believed him.

"It's my family," I told him bluntly.

"Your mom? Or your new family?" he asked I frowned at his words. He knew?

"You know?" I asked.

"Well it's pretty obvious, they have the same name as you, Bella looks like you even. You've been spending a lot of time with them too," he explained. I sighed.

"Yeah it's them," I said truthfully.

"And?" he asked his arm wrapping around my waist and I leant into him.

"They're… different and I'm finding it hard to get used to," I tried to explain.

"Different how?" he asked. I lifted my head to look at him. Could I tell him?

"They just are," I said softly. I wanted to trust him, I really did but could I risk him? What would Zio say to me for telling him before knowing him properly?

"Because they're vampires?" he asked. My eyes widened. How did he know? What was going on?

"What… how?" I stammered.

"It's okay. I know a few vampires myself. I can tell the gold eyes, pale skin from anywhere," he said. "Are you freaking out over it? If you have any questions I'm sure I can answer them." He said, suddenly I was standing up from the bench. I immediately missed the warmth of his arm around my waist but I didn't let it get to me as my head swam with questions.

"I don't know what you mean," I said.

"Clara it's okay. It's okay," he said standing up and stepping towards me. I reached out and placed my hand on his chest quickly.

Beating. His heart was beating. So he was human. I had a momentarily lapse of doubt, what had his coldness, his MIA and his dark eyes meant he had transformed but I knew I was a fool to think that, he wasn't more handsome, he looked sick. But how else would he know? Unless he was telling the truth.

"Clara, my aunt is a vampire. I live with one," he said to me softly after I remained silent. "She was in the same… accident as my parents only she survived." He said, the way he paused on 'accident' made me think he was editing somewhat.

"Your aunt is a vampire?" I asked in awe. He nodded.

"Don't be scared, I won't tell anyone. I won't tell the Volturi." He said. I frowned at the word. Did he not know?

"My family they're Cullen's…" I trailed off wondering if this name would trigger anything.

"I know…" he said questioningly as if he didn't understand why I was bringing it up.

"What does your Aunt know about the Volturi?" I asked him sitting back on the bench; he did the same but didn't put his arm around me.

"That they're powerful vampires in Italy. They run the vampire world. She's kept quiet and never met them but she's heard stories." He said.

"Okay," I mumbled. "Well don't worry about them." I said and looked up at him.

"I don't, they're in Italy. I just thought that's why you panicked. You must have been told the same stories as me," he said.

"Not exactly," I mumbled. "Let's get home. It's starting to get cold." I said and stood up. I had panicked when he mentioned the Volturi. I didn't want to scare him away, especially if heard the bad stories of the Volturi. How was I supposed to tell him my family were the Volturi? And that they weren't in Italy anymore. They were here. Right in the city his aunt was living.

When we got back to my house both my sister and mother were gone. There was a note on the table saying they had gone to the Cullen's but I didn't want to take Axton to them just yet. Maybe I could get him to bring his aunt with him.

"So why has your vampire family been stressing you out?" he asked me as we sat on the couch. I laughed at the words coming out of his mouth.

"It's just overwhelming. I thought they were a family myth until a week ago," I explained. He started flicking through the channels on the TV as I spoke.

"Well I'm here to talk if you want," he said with a smile. "I may only have my aunt but I've lived with her most of my life."

"Well my family consists of a lot more vampires. It's just getting used to having a big family. I'm so used to it just being me, my mom and Sophie you know?" I asked.

"Yeah I can see why it would be such a change," he nodded. "How many are there? I assume there's more than the six in school."

"Well Zac is one, you know our teacher?" I said.

"He's a Cullen? Huh," he mumbled.

"Yeah, then there is Carlisle and Esme, the 'parents'" I quoted. "And I met some others too, a woman named Esther and her husband Aleksander. They're different though. I don't think they're vampires."

"They're not vampires? Human?" Axton asked.

"No, something more." I mumbled. When I thought about Esther I didn't see a vampire. She had blue eyes but was clearly not human. She was faster, stronger, wiser.

"There is just so much going on in that house. There are more too, endless descendants all different," I sighed.

"Like you?" Axton asked.

"Yeah."

"So are you just human?" he asked.

"Yep, as human as they come. The vampire has been diluted so much now that there is nothing left," I explained.

Axton and I spoke for hours about my family. I explained to him how I was even here, that Edward and Bella had a part human daughter who I was descended from. I cut out the part about the Volturi for now and just focused on my main family. If I could even call them that.

I didn't even keep track of the time before I heard the door go and my mom's laughter. In walked Zac Cullen with my mom and baby sister. Sophie ran to me and climbed onto my lap for a hug whilst my mom and Zac stood at the door.

"Hey," my mom said softly. She had been stepping on egg shells around me since last week and the whole memory drama.

"Hi," I managed a smile. Talking to Axton really had made me feel better.

"So how is Eli?" my mom asked. I shrugged.

"He didn't speak to me. He just told me to stay away," I said sadly. My mom frowned.

"That doesn't sound like him." She said.

"Well he's going through some issues," I said trying to signal for my mom to drop the subject. I hadn't told Axton about the wolves yet but I was sure he probably knew about other supernatural creatures if he knew about vampires.

"Maybe he needs his best friend," she said to me and eyed Axton on the couch.

"I've tried mom, I've called him every day. I've even tried to see him. It's not my fault he's ignoring me," I rolled my eyes.

"Okay okay," my mom sighed. "Well Bella said she wanted to speak to you so maybe give her a call okay?"

"Yeah," I said as my mom left the room with Zac. He smirked at me as he looked between me and Axton before leaving.

If that guy was gunna become my step dad he definitely needed to stop with the creepy smiling.


Next chapter will have more answers about what's actually going on with Liana and why the Cullen's need to deal with it fast.