Familiar Strangers

Chapter Four

"Bella...there isn't a specific manner in which to tell my story or even part of it so please bear with me as I might confuse you easily throughout the tales of my existence."

Twitching nervously in my chair, I would swear that I was a nerdy human fifteen year old boy sitting next to the head cheerleader...and they call me supernatural. As I almost snorted over that immature thought, Bella spoke,

"Gabriel, if you're about to put my brain into cardiac arrest than maybe you should wait because right at this minute I don't think my brain could take it. I'm not trying to be cruel, it's just that..."

Willing herself to take in too much information at a time when she has lost the last fragment of normalcy in her life wouldn't be a good idea and I understood her before she finished trying to explain. She needed normalcy more than ever, not more confusion in her life so I would grant her that. Willing myself to deny what I felt with her presence near me wasn't going to happen either. As much as I wanted her to know me, I would wait until she was ready, simple as that. I paused her from going any further and rested my hand gently on her shoulder and said,

"I understand Bella. You need time to heal and with what I was about to tell you wouldn't help your quandary so I will tell my story when you are ready to hear it, but until then my lips are sealed." Bella smiled only part way. I could sense that she wasn't happy with herself. She wanted to know what I was going to say but the other part of her knew she just couldn't take much more right now.

I pulled my hand back and decided maybe at this time it wouldn't be the greatest idea that I've ever had to eat human food. I was hungry, but it wouldn't kill me to wait until she slept then eat. Bella had something on her mind. I could see it in her eyes. Body language was one thing we all got used to learning early on in our non-human existence. You could tell a lot from a human just by the way they carried themselves but their eyes held the most. Human emotions are easily detected just by looking into their eyes and right now Bella wanted to say something, but hesitated. Her father...yes, her father was on her mind. The somber yet happy were fighting each other, playing a cruel game on her beautiful brown eyes. Tears threatened to swell one second and then a sparkle fought to shine through in the same moment. With a soft whisper approach, I began the only way I knew how to help heal her...to...fix her.

"Bella, if I may, can I ask what your father was like?" she studied me with apprehension to my innocent question and at first I wasn't sure why, but it didn't take me long to comprehend her anxiety over it. This was a hard thing to ask of her. She wasn't ready to talk about him, but this is where I could help, just allow her to heal to just...listen to her. I needn't speak now. A listener is what she needed and she needed to know that she could take comfort in that. I slowly reached both hands out to her and said,

"Bella, May I?" palms up, I held my hands out waiting for her to lay her thin delicate hands in mine and almost lethargically she consented. Once our hands joined, I could swear that a divine source was at play. Something in the way of unparalleled tranquility came over me and I could see it in Bella's eyes as well. I could feel that my stare was making her nervous or was it the calming sensation that swept through us that made her nervous? I tried my best not to think about what I was feeling and began focusing on helping her. I knew then though that I set her apart from anyone else I had ever known. I was determined to help no matter the cost.

"Bella, I am here to listen nothing more. You may not believe this, but talking about your father will help you heal and that is most important right now, so please trust in my ability to listen. Besides, I am interested in knowing about him because he is a part of you and you loved him. Please if you feel up to it, I would love nothing more than to sit back and listen attentively."

Bella looked as if she held the entire world on her shoulders and slumped forward. I began believing that maybe anything right now was too much for her. She looked so...frail, but just when I thought I should intervene, she began to speak so low that even with my new found vampire ears I wasn't positive that I caught what she said at first.

"Charlie."

It took me a fraction of a second to comprehend what she had said. Charlie. "Your...father?"

"Yes. Being what you are, you would've never given him a second glance if you saw him, but even though we hadn't seen each other for a few years when I was a teenager we more than made up for it in recent years. He was...it's really hard to speak of him in past tense, I'm sorry."

"Bella, take your time. You can delve right into as much as you want or as little as possible. Go your own pace. Don't mind me. I'm not going anywhere, so if you need to stop there that is fine with me. This is for you and only you. I'm only here to listen as I stated before. Alright…?" Bella smiled a...genuine smile for the first time. I knew that I had said the right things and for some reason I could swear that my heart had a beat to it.

We had an awkward moment where we both just kept smiling at each other and I wondered if she would keep going, but she stopped and instead said,

"So, it looks like neither of us was very hungry. Sorry that you took the time to cook and I didn't eat."

"Bella, as much as I want to make sure you stay healthy, I cannot argue against how you are feeling. I understand, but eventually we need to get you back on track. You're human. I would rather you not look like that of the dead. So what do you say, help me with the dishes?" I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Doing dishes was hardly something fun, but it would get her mind off of her troubles for the time being.

I washed as she rinsed and dried. I wanted to know more about Bella so I asked her to tell me more about herself and yet again, I was stepping into unknown territory too soon.

"There isn't much to say about me really. I just...exist, nothing more."

I couldn't keep hearing her say things like that. It killed me to think that she truly believed that there was nothing left to live for. I pulled my hands out of the soapy water and half dried them on my shirt and raised my hands to her face, raising it up to look at me and with all the sincerity that I had in me, I said,

"Bella, I will...try...to...fix...you. I wish you would be believe me when I say how lovely you are, how much you can look forward to if you would give it a chance. I will not give up on you. How about this; if I don't give up on you, can you try not to give up on yourself? I know that is asking a lot of you right now, but you can make it through this with a little compassion and understanding and dare I say love." Again those eyes of hers showed so much emotion that it took me off guard for a moment. Written in the sad sparkle that shown through were indifference, truth and refusal of belief in herself and then I saw, strained happiness, acceptance and intimidation of whether or not she could believe in me or herself. My chest inflated as if I were quickly gaining her insecurities along with her. I wish I could take the pain away for her, but that is not the way this should be handled. Our eyes were locked on one another for a long moment and then Bella's eyes narrowed while her hands covered her face and before I could figure out how to react to it, she had put her body against mine and cried uncontrollably.

On instinct alone, I wrapped my arms around her. With anyone else if there were ever anyone else, my first instinct would have been to tighten my grip beyond that of what a human could handle, but yet again with Bella something was different. I wanted nothing but to hold her gently and lovingly. I rested my chin on the top of her head. I could feel her shaking and I could hear her trying her hardest to not cry aloud. I wanted to say something. I pulled her chin up. I didn't know what I was going to say, but I had to try. When Bella's eyes looked up at me filled with tears, I couldn't say anything at all. I pulled her hair back and straightened it down her back and pulled her back into my arms. I couldn't bear to see the tears again. I realized soon after that a few tears of my own fell silently and that is how I kept them...silent. That would be too much for her to handle. Tears...fell from my eyes for the first time since after my change. I swore that I would never shed another tear for anyone since then, but if I haven't said it enough already, something is different with Bella. I couldn't pin point exactly what it was, but it was there nonetheless.

I was pulled back into the present when I felt Bella's hands lightly caressing my cheeks, her eyes glossy with disbelief. I gripped her wrists instantaneously not wanting to allow her to see the tears, but I was too late. Wherever my mind went was far away from where I stood. I cursed myself for feeling human. I should have been more careful, but I realized then that I couldn't stop looking into those brown eyes. Bella never let her hands leave my face and I wouldn't want it any other way as long as she wanted them there. Clearly she was nervous. Her hands held on, but with a rhythm all too familiar to me when someone did take notice of what I was, but I could see that being frightened of me wasn't in today's paper for Bella. She was...curious.

"Tell...me your secrets Gabriel. You have my attention now. I have to...know."

A small portion of me wondered if she was a succubus sent after me and I wasn't aware of it. Not only did I garner her attention, but this...this was not like polar opposites, no, this was like looking into a mirror; she had my full attention as well. I gathered from my labored breathing that I wasn't being very subtle with my approach to her and I tried my best to tone it down, but the fire in my body wouldn't waver and Bella could see it and she pulled her hands down to rest on her sides.

I had never felt love before, human or not, but I was sure it felt like this. I hungered desperately for her to touch me again and never stop, but I had to remember what my purpose was with her right now. I had to help her. I was going to drive myself mad through this ordeal, but it was worth every moment if it meant having the honor to be in her presence.

Tell me your secrets...

Bella wants to know me, but I wasn't so sure if she was ready for it. I had to take this slow or it would become too much and she may not want to be around me or at least that's what I feared most.

I have been a loner all this time. How was I supposed to react to Bella? She was a seductress without even knowing it. I have met many succubus's in my time that tried to take me against my will, but their ability hadn't worked on me and I never understood why. A succubus could have anyone they desired but not me. They were all at the top of their craft, there was no reason why it shouldn't have worked in their favor, but Bella...she may not know it yet, but she is a true succubus. A true one is born as a human and naturally carries the energy of a succubus within her. It takes a great deal of devastation in one's life to bring it out and I think Bella has crossed that invisible line without knowing it. She had already shown signs of such natural abilities by making me feel her insecurities earlier and then when she held my face in her hands; I could sense my body reacting to her own. It wasn't me that made her nervous after all, it was herself.

I would put this on the back burner for now and think more on it later. It would take a great deal of time to decide if what I felt for her was real or a lair from a succubus. All my thoughts went through in a matter of a minute and I returned to her plea.

"Bella, I don't think you're really up to hearing certain things just yet." I pressured with what free will I had left. Her beautiful chocolate eyes raged with desire and I felt my weaknesses giving into her wants and I folded without another word.

"What is it you want to know, Bella?"

"Tell me how a vampire such as yourself can create or recreate tears?"

"As I had mentioned before Bella, I'm not a normal vampire, to be honest with you I don't necessarily like the term...vampire."

"That is...what you are, right?"

"Speaking of this now would prove to be very confusing for you Bella. It would be best to wait until you get better..."

"No, I'm not saying I want to know this because I can run from my sorrows Gabriel. I want to know...you. Curiosity killed the cat sort of speaking."

"There will be no killing of any sort Bella and about your curiosity; are you sure about this because it's a handful?"

Bella reached for my hand and I almost pulled away internally I almost did and only because I knew the power she held even if she didn't.

"Gabriel, I'm fine really. Please, I'm dying to know what you mean."

"I would feel much better about this if you could stop referring to death when it comes to you." I curtsied.

"Oh...sorry, but please tell me." that was all it took when she rested her hand over mine rendering me useless against her.

"Bella, I don't like the term vampire because it's only part of me and I didn't ask for it. I am the only one of my kind to date as far as I know. I call myself a...Blood Witch but it's more than just what is in the name." Confusion set in fast on her features. "Bella, are you absolutely sure that you want to hear all this?" I had to make sure before going any further.

"What exactly is a...Blood Witch?"

I sighed before going forward. "The word Blood has two meanings one being I was born as a human with witch's blood and two being because when I was reborn into the vampire world I had to rely on blood to survive so as I said, there are two meanings to the word. Do you understand that?"

"Um, I have a few questions for clarity if you don't mind?"

"Go ahead."

"Okay uh, well I thought that if you were some kind of other supernatural being first that you couldn't become another? At least that is what the books state."

"To answer in more depth than your question entailed and only to ensure that you understand it more clearly, allow me to explain. A long time ago and to this very day, if you are something other than a vampire, you were taught to hate them, to destroy them at all cost so becoming a vampire was never in the playbooks sort of speak. One vampire had an idea to tempt the fate of a witch to see if it were possible, but what he intended on doing with that witch didn't happen because the witch blood mixed with vampire blood became stronger than he expected. He wanted control over that witch and he soon realized that it was impossible. No one knows about this witch because the vampire that changed him doesn't want anyone to know he exists because it would mean his death against all clans of the supernatural world for attempting to change the rules. Does this make sense to you Bella?" I had to keep stopping and make sure I wasn't getting too far ahead of what she could take in.

"It actually makes plenty of sense. Gabriel...are you that witch? I know it's only obvious but I feel like there is more to this then you have been able to get to yet."

"There is much more Bella. Being born the first son to a male witch meant that I inherited all of his powers once old enough. When I turned twenty one I would match my father's gifts and more. You see Bella, the first born son of every generation would gain more abilities than the last. Two days after that birthday, the vampire seduced my mother when she went to drop off soup to an ill woman in the village. He killed her and waited for my father to come looking for her. My father was ambushed and killed as well. When neither of them returned home, I set out to look for them, leaving my younger sister and brother at home alone." I thought back on that night. I had never spoken to anyone about that night and I needed a moment.

"Gabriel, you don't have to go on. I can see this is hard for you."

I realized that I had told Bella if she was to speak about her own father that it would help her heal and here I was having the same issue about my family. I never spoke about them. I never healed and never really got passed it so here was my chance to tell my story to the only person that I felt comfortable in doing so. I would proceed in my tale if it meant this would help her later on.

"When I found my parents, I knew what had killed them by the markings on their necks. I knew I was too late to help them and an image of my siblings almost shattered my inner core and I ran as fast as I could to get back home to them. When I walked in, the vampire stood there and in each hand he held my brother and sister."

"Were they alright...alive?" Bella asked quivering from even the thought.

"Only because he wanted bargaining chips, my life for theirs is what it came down to. I accepted my inheritance two days prior. I went through rituals and the bonds that bound me one being that at every cost, I would not allow a vampire to take me unless it meant my own death. I told the vampire that he could have me if he would let them live. He agreed to that and dropped them and walked up to me. I needed a full week to gain my abilities after the ritual so at that point I couldn't do much. I knew how to do them but they were of no use to me for another three days and he knew that. As I walked out with him, I tried to come up with a plan to get myself killed before he took control of me and while I was on my thinking quests, I heard two distinct screams from behind me in the house."

"Oh no, Gabriel!" Bella almost shouted, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Two other vampires went in of course under the head vampire request. I ran back in and he didn't stop me, he allowed me to go back in there to witness the death of my siblings. I was enraged beyond the point of reacting clearly. The vampire that I struck the deal with began laughing. I screamed at him that he broke the agreement and he stated,

"No Gabriel, I told you I would not harm them, you never asked anything of the sort for anyone else not to. You do know how hard it is for my kind to just walk away from such innocent blood, correct? Ludicrous to walk away from such pureness, wouldn't you agree."

He pulled me away as the other two vampires threw my siblings bodies into the fire that my mother used for cooking. I sat in a cell for three days and two nights until the stroke of midnight; the witching hour. Once that came forth and I was at the brink of my change, the vampire stood over me, watching carefully. When I felt the charge of energy flow through me, he knew I had changed. That is when he attacked me. Two days from the witching hour, I had become something that my father would roll over in his grave over."

"I'm so sorry Gabriel. You had no choice but to try and save them. You did everything that you could. You can't blame yourself, you know that right?"

I told her that I would never lie to her and I meant it so I had no choice but to tell her that I have never spoken about this before her and when I did she was shocked.

"Gabriel why haven't you spoken about them to anyone before?"

"Bella, you have brought out the deepest part of my black soul that I blanketed with ash. You...are why I am able to confront this only now. You have taken hold of me in a way that no one ever had. I don't know how, I don't know why, but it does exist."

Bella reached for my face again and made me look into her eyes and she said,

"Gabriel, if anything, I was able to help you finally heal or at least begin the process. You have a beautiful soul, I can see it. You didn't talk about them before because you loved them so much that it was too hard to deal with it and with your vampire blood that didn't make it any easier to handle it. I know what that blood can do well at least I thought I did. Speaking of which, how can you bring tears to your eyes? How can you eat human food?"

My smile stretched at her questioning. We were right back where we started. "Bella, so many questions, aren't you tired in the least? You do realize that day light is coming soon?"

"Yes, I guess you're right. Do you sleep?"

Still the questions kept coming. I had an inner laugh with her persistence. "No, I do not sleep, but you do and you need some sleep and you will be eating breakfast, no arguing. We can talk more after that alright?"

She shrugged her shoulders in defeat and we stopped our conversation so I could show her to my room.