Chapter One
Thirteen
Edward's short cropped hair is blowing lightly in the air that circles us all at in the family garden in Handerward. His hazel eyes search mine confusingly, obviously trying to read my mind to learn the extent of the control I possesses over my newly found ability.
Luckily Luscious's ability is greater than Edward's, allowing him to block out chosen minds for a certain length of time from other vampires with similar abilities. I had earlier asked Luscious to block my mind from Edward for the duration of the party for me to learn how much Edward actually trusts being around me and my ability not knowing my level of control over it.
The golden rings around his iris assure me he is greatly fed from blood and the party is not going to be a struggle for him later when my friends arrive. He smiles widely bearing his pearl white teeth letting a snicker escape them. I sigh relief knowing this is a sign of him agreeing with my control over my ability. His marble white skin reflects the sun's light magically mesmerising me for a moment. His smile reveals his razor sharp fangs that seem to be snickering at me themselves somehow. His shirt is only done up half way leaving his chest bare and visible. I remind myself he is my great-grandfather as soon as his chest catches my eyes, the indents of his abs resemble those carved into a number of stone statues, I still can't believe he hasn't persuade a career in modelling with a body like that. Now that I think about it I've never seen an over weight vampire in my life, I wonder if its against the laws of vampires to be over weight. The cut of his jaw looks like a painting, it is so perfectly done. His white shirt hugs his chest making ever hidden alb visible even to the human eye. My eyes cover his entire body, his superman belt buckle catches the sunlight almost as perfectly as he himself does. His faded jeans are tight around his legs forcing me to remember he is much older than I am and is my great-grandfather again. He even makes his white vans look like they belong on a Greek God. He nudges his head, ending my gaze of his body, towards the far end of the garden signalling me to follow. I turn my head to face Luscious asking him mentally if he can keep the barrier between me and Edward up when I'm father away from him and if not am I safe. He nods his head answering both of my questions. I turn my head back to face Edward and practically drag myself over to the far corner which will now only ever represent horror to me.
We get to the corner after what feels like a life time, the sun cannot reach us here and so his sparkling skin turns back to a dull shade of white marble but he still looks magnificent for a man over one hundred years old.
"You do not have to be afraid Little one. Luscious is telling the truth about the barrier, it still remains present." he informs me politely.
I am taken back by his hospitality and use of manners. It must annoy Luscious that he can only set up the barriers on other vampires and not on himself.
"Thank you for the information Edward. And you can chill as well. My parents are telling the truth, my abilities are completely under control." I say with pride ringing off every word as it leaves my mouth. "But why is it I feel that this conversation is not fully about my painful ability and that this party isn't just for my birthday?" I add when Edward's expression turns serious as his lips pull together forming a line of anger across his perfect face. His eyes suddenly turn black, which is never a good sign even when the eyes are from a vegetarian vampire, they grab my full attention and glare me down instantly.
"You are too smart for your own good Little one. And yes you are correct about this party being for more than your birthday…excuse me for just one second little one." "Little one" is what he has called me since I was first born. He says its because I was the smallest in the family but I am nearly the tallest girl in the family. He turns and searches for the face of my great-grandmother, Isabella Cullen. She appears to be only nineteen but I think she is actually in her twenties in some shape or form. He catches her gaze, he nods at her and she skips over to us within seconds of Edward nodding. Her eyes are a golden hazel, exactly the same as Edward's earlier. Her golden, free flowing hair blows magically in the wind never touching her face. Her pale white skin matches Edward's perfectly, her skin sparkles hypnotically as the sun reflects itself off of her. The sparkling fades away when she approaches us looking like chalk white marble but still just as magical. She greets us both with a warm hearted smile and her eyes soften when they level with mine. She kisses Edward lightly on his cheek and his eyes return to their hazel state. She hugs me tightly wishing me a happy birthday. Edward points her eyes into the direction of my right wrist and I also follow his point and settle on the white band that wraps itself around my wrist in a never ending loop. Bella's eyes turn charcoal black, as do Edward's once again and confusion covers my face because I cannot see any reason to worry about a tan mark.
"This can't be right Edward. Luscious didn't begin to turn until he was nearly a human sixteen, Catalie is only a human thirteen, there must be a mistake!" blurts out Bella sounding slightly worried for the first time.
"They say girls mature two years before boys, perhaps it is the same in this situation. Little one, when did you first notice the white mark around your wrist?" he asks calmly.
"I don't know" I confess "for about a couple of month to be honest. There's nothing to worry about though, its just because I wear my watch a lot so I don't tan on that part of my arm."
"Unfortunately Little one this is actually a sign of you changing into your true self. Your skin is turning to a similar colour as mine and Bella's. The truth is Luscious did not obtain his current ability to read minds and raise barriers until he was fourteen."
"What? I could have sworn he's had his abilities since he was also thirteen though" I stutter confusingly.
"Catalie you only think this because he's had them so long in human years and your change is causing you to forget past human experiences. How many hours of sleep do you need to get you through the day?" questions Bella.
"Roughly four to five hours on average. But I haven't been getting much sleep recently. I keep having nightmares about a fight of vampires verses werewolves, please tell me that rings some bells to you." I beg weakly.
"Unfortunately Little one it does. You know of the constant struggle the werewolves of La Push and your relatives in Forks correct?" I nod agreeing "This struggle still continues now even with your grand-father being a werewolf and your grand-mother being a half-vampire. You're due to turn in a few years and you will either become a vampire or a werewolf. I have never known a child to turn and be both werewolf and vampire. Luscious will choose at the age of sixteen and I guess he will turn at the age of seventeen, perhaps eighteen. The nightmares are because of you and you alone Little one. There is nothing neither I nor Bella can do to lessen the pain they will soon cause you. I apologize."
"Pain? Does that explain my given ability?"
"No. The given ability to a vampire is usually decided by their past human life. For example Bella's mind was closed off to me when she was a human and her ability now not only closes her mind off to me but can also close others off as well-"
"-A bit like Luscious's ability then?" I interrupt blindly.
"Now that you mention it Little one that is correct. This is interesting." he trails off in thought.
"Nessie's ability is a mix of both your's and Edward's correct Bella?"
"Correct Catalie but why the sudden interest in the new kind's given ability?" she questions. The new kind is what the Volturi refer to my grandmother Nessie and all decedents from her and Jacob Black. When refering to us all even the Cullen's call us the "New kind" even though they see the word as an insult to our existance merely because we are not as pure vampires as the Volturi.
"Could it be possible that because the new kind never truly leave their human life but fuse it with another that our abilities are inherit ate from our not-so-dead ancestors?" I throw my theory to Bella without fully understanding the hidden consequences of my theory. Edward's mind is suddenly thrown off it's thought track as he is brought back into the conversation. Anger consumes his entire face, the hazel colour around his iris are instantly turned as black as death. They burn into my eyes causing me to look away to the floor. Edward's hands are clenching forming fists every so often. His voice is a sharp whisper even though he knows that everyone in the garden, as everyone is a vampire or werewolf in some form, have heard our entire conversation and are bout to hear his whisper.
"Dismiss that theory now Little one! You are practically saying that Jane is a part of this family!"
"Jane?" I nudge at the subject. My knowledge on Jane is that she is a vampire who lives in Italy and shows similar abilities to me.
Edward sighs before continuing "Jane used her ability on me in Italy many years ago and caused me the illusion of pain. She tried the same illusion on dear Bella but with no success. Jane is a personal assistant to the Volturi." he holds Bella's hand, I raise my head to see her fighting back tears swimming around the edges of there hazel eyes "Jane is not an important factor to this conversation though, your nightmares on the other hand are Little one" he lets a smirk flash across his face "If you are maturing at a faster rate than Luscious to your new life and new self then your nightmares are due to worsen due to the fact that your decision must be made sooner than anticipated. By my calculations you the decision will need to be made on your sixteenth birthday but I feel that you will not freeze until you are nearing the age of seventeen. Best not to tell Luscious of this information, I feel he will not be happy to learn his younger sister will turn younger than he will."
I nod in agreement still absorbing the information. "But won't he just read my mind later on and learn all of this?" I fear out loud. Both Edward and Bella laugh musically in time smiling at me widely.
"Oh dear Catalie" Bella sings "Since you are at the stage of making the decision your mind is too "packed" if you will with thoughts of the decision ahead even if you are not aware of them, these thoughts have made your mind closed off to the likes of Luscious and Edward. Truth be told Luscious never raised a barrier around your mind because there is no need…" Bella studies my face "…you didn't know that did you?" she asks, a tone of worry sounds in the question knowing she's said too much. Edward must have known this because he throws his elbow powerfully at her chest, she quickly dances around him landing softly on her feet at his left hand side. I am glad Bella can move so fast, the way Edward threw his elbow it looked like it could've easily broken my entire rib cage.
"No!" I hiss between gritted teeth "Hang on, but Luscious knows about scenes from my nightmares before I've even told him what happened. How does that work?" I ponder.
"That's to do with the mind and I believe that's Edward's field of expertise" smiles Bella eyeing Edward sweetly.
"I agree Bella. You see Little one, just as werewolves are one when they change to their wolf forms, you and Luscious are one when you are unconscious because that is when your hidden wolf can roam free as does Luscious's which causes your minds to become one and he sees what you see, vice versa. Do you understand Little one?" he studies my face increasingly. I believe he finds it annoying that he can't just pop into my head to find the answer to his question, I bet Luscious feels the same way as Edward does. To be honest I enjoy the sense of peace and privacy.
"I believe I do understand Edward" I smirk finally fully understanding what the fuck is going on with my life. Alice dances over to us like a ballerina in a jewellery box. Her short brown hair flicking out at its ends compliments her face entirely. Her hands are held neatly behind her back, her tight black, long sleeves t-shirt pulls in flatteringly at her waist and her black skirt frilled at the ends is so cute, her outfit makes her look like a chilled out prom queen. She looks so beautiful, I wish with all of my heart that what ever my decision may be I will come out of it looking a tenth as beautiful as Alice! Her smile ranges from one ear to the other letting her teeth glisten in the shade.
"What's up guys? You've been over here for a while" she states with a cheeky giggle.
"Edward and Bella have been clearing up some queries I had about my nightmares…Alice…umm…can you see what my decision will be and what I'll become?" I ask sounding like a begging puppy.
"No I can't see what your decision will be or what you'll become Catalie." she says bitterly "This is simply because you are currently part-werewolf and I can't see the future awaiting them annoyingly!" she finishes crossing her arms around her chest glaring at me angrily. Worry covers my face and she sighs apologetically.
"I'm not angry with you Catalie and I apologize if you got that impressions from me its just…*sigh*…not knowing what will happen in the near and distant future annoys me greatly. And if I'm angry with anyone I'm anger with myself and this black spot surrounding my ability." she hugs me warmly and the worry floods from my face. Alice suddenly lets go of me and every single vampire, and Jacob, turn their heads to the house. Luscious locks eyes with me looking confused while worry once again consumes me.
"Your friends are here Catalie, ten of them to be precise" giggles Alice.
"And they cannot wait to meet your model-like cousins, uncles and aunties." adds Edward eyeing me sarcastically.
"Well I couldn't exactly tell them what you really are in the family and the reason for you all appearing young now could I? So if you could please tell the young looking vampires and Jacob that for the duration of the party they are mine and Luscious's cousins and they others that they are uncles and aunties I would really appreciate it, now if you'll excuse me I'm going to play human-host for the next five hours" they all nod in agreement to my plead, I thank them all and make a dashy for the door before the doorbell rings again. I paint a fake smile across my face, slow my breathing down to a calm pace and answer the door.
"Hi guys, glad you could make it!" I say but a high pitched squeak worms its way out during the sentence. Ah shit did I really invite this many people?!