Enjoy!

Chapter 3:

3rd person POV

Edward had carried Athena to her room again. Rosalie and Alice had gotten the task to undress her and get a pajama on her then to place her under the duvet. At the same time he was busy while studying the strange purple blood. It did not make sense. Was she even human? She was obviously not turning into a vampire, but the venom was still present.

The front door opened and the familiar thoughts from Carlisle filled his head. His father figure rushed up the stairs to get a look at what was going on. Edward stepped aside.

Fascinating, Carlisle thought. I've never seen anything like it. I wonder if the venom will make her somewhat immortal.

"Can that happen?" Edward wondered.

"I do not know. But it is still present in her body without her being a vampire. Parts of her are frozen in time already, or so I would believe," Carlisle mused.

"Shall I go take another sample?" Edward asked.

"That would be wise."

Edward nodded in agreement and disappeared with yet a syringe. Carefully he opened the door to the room that was beside his own. She was heavily asleep. He made his way over and she did not move. Her arms were bare and her left arm was over the covers. He was about to make contact with her skin, gave a tiny push to the needle and it broke.

His eyes widened as he stared at the broken tool. Carefully he tried to use vampire strength on her arm, not sure if he would regret it or not. It budged in the same way as with his family. Her skin felt more normal against his, not too warm as humans usually felt. She was breathing but her heartbeat was fast. His head tilted, it almost sounded like…was it even possible?! Two hearts? He dared to lean a bit more forward to listen…

"Edward? What are you doing?" Athena's voice was sharp and he jumped away at once. "Well?"

He had no words and certainly no idea over what to tell her.

Did you get the sample? Carlisle wondered.

"No," he whispered low enough for vampire ears only.

"No, what?" Athena asked and glared. Tired with this strange behavior.

"You heard that?" Edward breathed.

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked with raised brows.

"Because I was speaking for vampire ears only…"

"Oh, well, my hearing has always been better than most-"

"It has?" Carlisle interrupted as he made his way into the room, turning on the light.

Athena felt the need to hiss when the sharp light reached her eyes. She could see perfectly clear just before… She could see perfectly clear! But that did not make sense, even if her eyes were more or less better than other humans' eyes.

"Something is seriously wrong with me," Athena muttered as she looked at her skin. She had become much paler, from a medium skin tone to an almost blue-white tone.

"Her skin is like ours Carlisle. I could not take the sample. The needle broke," Edward explained.

"Really?" Carlisle could barely believe what he had heard.

"First I end up here! Then I turn into something we don't even know, because I'm for sure not a vampire since I don't crave blood!" Athena cried and buried her face into her hands. I'm acting like a child, she thought to herself. Stupid, pull yourself together!

"I'm sure it's for a reason. But fate is a mysterious thing. For now Edward and I will just have to work with the sample we have and not let it waste," Carlisle said.

"S-sure," Athena stuttered and removed the duvet from her. Noticing she was in blue pajama pants and a lighter shade of blue top. She tilted her head in wonder. "Who changed me?" her voice had gone cold and her eyes were hard.

"Not any of our males, I can assure you of that," Esme said as she entered the room. Concern clear in her eyes.

"Oh, ok. I'll let it go for now, but please refrain from doing this again."

The three vampires in her room nodded.

Athena walked past them and made her way to the kitchen where she poured herself a glass of water. For a long time she stood staring at it before she opened a cabinet looking for salt. Then finding what she was after she poured a lot of the salt into her water. She looked for a spoon, found it in the end, and stirred the water some around before she took a sip. Not noticing seven pairs of eyes staring at her with shock.

Perfect, she thought happily as she drank it up. Then she put the glass by the sink and realization dawned on her. She stared at the glass with shock. Did I just…? I did! A heavy swallow then she turned just to freeze.

Carlisle was looking worried and the others were mainly surprised, at least so she guessed.

"You do realize that is unhealthy?" Carlisle asked, just to make sure.

"I-I do not know what came over me!" Athena said and gasped. Need more water, her brain told her. "I need w-water."

"You just drank a glass with salty water," Rosalie pointed out and frowned.

Athena collapsed in front of them.

"Water," she hissed as she felt her skin get tight around her.

Esme filled the same glass and gave it to Athena. To their astonishment, she poured it over her arms.

"You were supposed to drink it," Emmett pointed out and snickered.

"More," Athena rasped.

"The pool!" Alice realized.

"What do you mean, Alice?" Jasper wondered. Concerned over what was happening.

"It's just a hunch, but she needs the pool. Ugh, it is empty right now… The nearby stream! We have to take her there!"

"Are you certain, Alice?" Edward asked. Picking up Athena. Alice nodded his way and he ran out the front doors as fast as he could.

When reaching the stream he looked at it skeptically. Then at Athena. Her lips had turned blue and her heartbeats had slowed. He stepped into the stream with her, not bothered by the coolness of it. He lowered her and color immediately returned to her face. However, her lips did not turn pink or even red, they turned into a dark purple color and he could only stare wide-eyed as it happened.

Her skin remained pale but with a slight glow to it. Her hair started to glow and grew longer and thicker. The glow disappeared and the red hair was no longer only red. From her neck underneath the hair started the blue color and gradually turned more of the hair blue until the tips.

"Take off the pants," Alice said, arms crossed.

Edward gaped. "E-excuse me?"

"She has underwear for god's sake! Trust me."

Edward stared into Alice's eyes for what felt like ages as he felt skeptical to what he had to do. His gaze moved to his other siblings and Rosalie's eyes were wide.

What is she thinking?! She hissed inside her mind.

This can't be good, Emmett thought as he kept an eye on his mate.

I do trust Alice, but considering she can't see Athena it does not really help this matter. I wonder if it is wise Edward. Jasper was thinking straight towards him.

He kept his hold on her as her hearts started to beat steady and strong, but also fast.

Now Edward! You have to do it! Alice screamed inside her mind, frustrated with her brother.

Slowly he moved, but did not lose his hold on Athena. He rolled down the wet pajama pants and let them flow down the stream, making Alice suffer from losing a piece of fashion.

What happened next would be deeply printed into all the minds of the Cullen family.

Athena's legs started to glow in a faint blue color. From her hips scales started to appear in a deep blue color and her legs disappeared as it kept crawling down her legs and past her feet when the tail went out and a fin appeared. On her left side from her hip and down to the start of her fin, purple swirls and patterns made their way gracefully. On her right side of the hip and down to where her knees in theory would have been, purple streaks were going diagonally towards the patterns, but stopping right over the middle and the Cullens had no doubt it would be the same if they turned her around.

She started to glow again and as the strong light died down, legs were back in her place. Her hair was her previous length and only one color as well as her lips had turned a dark pink instead of being purple.

"That. Was. So. Awesome!" Emmett exclaimed as Edward lifted Athena up into his arms.

"We need to get her out of those wet clothes," Esme said concerned.

"I have never seen anything like it," Carlisle muttered and met Edward's eyes.

"It might explain her blood," Edward suggested.

"Yes, I do believe so," Carlisle agreed.

"So she was never really truly a human?" Jasper wondered.

Alice shook her head 'no'.

"But if she is a mermaid, does other mermaids exist then?" Rosalie wondered.

"That is a fairly good question," Carlisle responded. "We cannot tell for sure. But in any case she might be the first, in this world at least."

"I still cannot get a clear grasp around her, but I believe she is immortal, yes. She has venom as well, but for turning mermaids and mermen," Alice said quietly.

"How can you even know that?" Emmett asked.

"I don't know. Somehow I just know. I can't tell how."

"Fertility?" Rose asked, suddenly feeling excited.

Carlisle sighed. "No, Rose. She was born without ovaries. She cannot get pregnant."

"She still have a heartbeat," Edward muttered as they entered the house and he rushed her up the stairs.

"Two hearts. They might be in handy for swimming and bring enough oxygen to her body at a faster rate," Carlisle suggested.

"Out you two," Esme said and 'shooed' her husband and son out so she could change Athena.

"We need to fill our pool with saltwater," Alice said as she stood with Rose, Jazz and Emmett.

"How will she manage on land if she's a mermaid?" Rose wondered, concerned.

"I believe she only change in saltwater. The stream was just to make the change happen and lessen her pain," Alice stated.

"It feels like you know a lot more than you are letting us in at, Alice," Emmett accused and crossed his arms.

Jasper took a step in front of Alice. "Do not accuse my mate of anything, Emmett," he growled.

"I told you! It's a hunch! It just comes to me, but at the same time I can't see her!"

"Relax Alice," Rose started. "You cannot blame us for feeling a little suspicious. I bet even Athena doesn't know what is going on. What she can eat. How often she will need to swim… Right now we need to care for her and help her fit in."

"What made you all motherly towards her? You did not even like her in the first place," Alice said with narrowed eyes.

"I can't explain it. However, I can tell you this. I feel a very strong bond to her and I will not let you come in between it. I am going to care for her and help her if she wants my help," Rose answered fierce.

"And I stand by Rose," Emmett said and held around his mate.

"Let's not argue over this," Esme said as she made her way down. "We'll figure out more when she awakes. If she can stay out of water for a long period of time she can even attend school with you. Now, let's bring saltwater to our pool."

"Wait!" Emmett yelled. They all stared his way. "Oops. What I mean is, shouldn't we make a bigger pool outside behind our house so she has the chance to swim some as well?"

The four other vampires breathed out.

"That is a nice idea, Emmett," Carlisle said as he appeared. "However, she will need our inside pool until the new one is in place."

"Great, so what are we waiting for?" Emmett asked excitedly and started to run.

Jasper looked skeptically towards the stairs. For a moment he thought he caught a part of Athena's emotions. She had been peaceful.

He shook his head and ran after the others, not dwelling by it. He was the one who first noticed her and he wanted to help her as well. If she was a mermaid, well, he knew how hard it could be to adapt to a new life. He smiled. He told himself he would be a good brother towards her.

Tell me what you think!