"Embry, who are all of these people?" I asked. I looked around the room. Many more people had crowded into the room, and I felt a little on display. There were two different groups of people. One group all shared short black hair, russet skin, and a large circular tribal tattoo on the right shoulder. I figured that they were all werewolves since Embry looked the same.
Two of the wolves I recognized. The lone woman, Leah Clearwater, and her brother Seth, were Amber's siblings. Amber was the middle child.
Everyone in the other group looked different from each other. One girl looked sprite-like, with her black hair cut short. Two others, a boy and a girl, were tall, blond, looked like a super models, and obviously twins. One other girl with full dark brown hair looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't place her. They all shared the worlds palest skin – slightly paler than mine, and people had called me a vampire many times before – and identical amber colored eyes.
"I wanted you to meet everyone." Embry explained. He looked at my puzzled face, and found it funny, because he laughed at me. "Oh I'm sorry, Anne, I figured that you wouldn't want to be completely in the dark about everyone here."
"No, it's ok Embry." I assured him.
"Anne!" I was suddenly being hugged by a girl with long black hair. I knew exactly who she was.
"Amber!" I exclaimed happily.
"I'm so happy that you're here Anne. How did you like the book?"
"I really liked it."
Finally the energy from all of these people was too much for me to take after being in a cold-induced coma. "I don't mean to sound rude, but I'm a little stressed right now. Can I talk with you all later?"
All of the guests, except for the two who had been with Embry when he rescued me, nodded and left. Before Amber left she informed me, "You know where to find me Anne." I waved good bye to her and asked Embry to help me out of bed. I desperately wanted a shower. It was then that I realized that I had no clothes except for the ones I was wearing, and those were dirty and torn.
"You wouldn't happen to have some extra clothes, would you?" I asked sheepishly. Embry laughed.
"I can ask Alice for some of our clothes that you can borrow. She will want to take you shopping soon though no doubt." The girl who had seen me wake up offered. She was still in the bedroom with me, along with the tall Quiliute boy who appeared to be Embry's friend.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your names."
"I'm Jacob Black. You probably remember me." Embry's friend remarked.
In my memory of him he was a lot smaller and had long hair, but I hadn't seen him in a few years. "Yes, I remember you Jake."
"I'm Renesmee." said the girl.
"That is a very unique name, Renesmee."
"That's exactly why Anne." Explained Jacob, "She is my imprint, but she is a half vampire."
I was shocked. I'd never heard of such a thing. "But how?" I quickly blushed, perfectly knowing the answer and trying hard not to think about it. I put the question another way. "Who are your parents Renesmee?"
"Please call me Nessie. I'm the daughter of Edward Cullen and the former Bella Swan."
"Bella?" I remembered playing with her once as a little girl, but she had been a few years older than me.
"Yes. She was changed a little over a year ago." Now I recognized the girl from the group who I couldn't place.
"The girl who was here, that was Bella wasn't it?" I asked Embry. He nodded.
Embry's mother called from the kitchen, "Nessie, Jake, if you could get the clothes for Anastasia while she takes a shower that would be great. Embry, could you help me with dinner? Anne, don't take too long in the shower, dinner will be done in less than half an hour."
"I won't, I promise." Jake and Nessie left and Embry led me to the small bathroom before leaving to help his mother. I turned on the water as hot as it would go, and stripped out of my soiled clothes. "What should I do with my clothes?" I asked Embry's mother from in the bathroom.
"Don't worry about it Anne, Alice will give you new ones. We'll get rid of them, unless you want them washed?" Embry's mother answered from the kitchen.
"That would be nice. I'll try and find time to mend them." I answered. I could hear clanking plates and rustling cutlery, so I knew that Embry was getting the table set. I jumped into the shower and washed the evidence of my quest off of me. No matter how much I washed though, I knew I would never wash the secret of my origins away. That secret would have to stay safely where no one could ever be harmed by or get to it; inside my head.
I knew I was not fully human. I didn't know exactly what I was, but I knew I wasn't normal because at twelve I looked seventeen which was my current age, and I haven't grown since. My mind kept racing ahead of my age though, and now I had a college degree in Creative Writing and a degree in Fashion and Apparel Design.
Because I grew so fast, I had to be homeschooled and didn't really take part in anything social except on the computer until I had grown up. My parents told me it was for my own protection, but I didn't know why until the vampires came for me and my gift. My parents told me that if I practiced it I would get more adept at using it, but all that I had ever been able to do with it is see the connections that people share with each other. Could I really learn more about my talent?
I thought all of this through as I washed my blond tresses that I had once matched to a Natural-Blond hair dye. I was surprised when the water ran red as it raced to the drain. I checked for a source of the blood, but only found blood stains on my legs that were quickly washing away. They looked just like scratches from running for my life through the forest. I had no visible wounds because my body healed at an exceptional rate - another sign that I was not a normal human.
Jake and Nessie returned before I was out of the shower and I found a stack of clothes on the toilet. I examined the clothes, and found a long sleeve shirt and a pair of brown slacks. I put them on, finding them a perfect fit.
I walked out of the bathroom and helped finish setting the table. Tiffany put the food in the center of the table, and we all sat down to dinner. Thankfully there was a place for me since the table could seat six, but I was pretty sure that they had not been planning for a fifth person. "Let's eat." Tiffany ordered.
I ate for a few minutes; it was fish, and it was very good, but I had something on the back of my mind, and that made me lose my appetite. "Um…" I started.
They all looked at me. "What Anne?" asked Jacob, before putting another piece of fish in his mouth.
"Well, I know that Embry imprinted on me, but I have nowhere to go. My house was burning when I last saw it, and everyone that I care about who doesn't live here in La Push is dead. I don't have a home anymore." I explained.
Everyone at the table shared looks as if they were communicating in thought. For all I knew, they were. I felt a little left out. After a long wordless conversation, Embry and his mother shared a look. She nodded, and Embry smiled at me. "Come with me Anne." He instructed.
"Ok." I said meekly. He smiled one of his warm smiles and I was instantly confident again. He led me to the room right next to his. He opened the door and showed me the guest bedroom. "It isn't much, but it will do." It was about half the size of my old bedroom. It had a twin sized bed, a small empty dresser, and a small closet. The single window faced north, and was framed with a faded floral curtain.
I turned and hugged Embry tightly. "Thank you Embry. It's perfect." I told him gratefully. He hugged me in return, and I kissed him on the cheek.
We returned to the dinner table and Embry helped me into my chair like a true gentleman. "When do you want to plan your and Alice's shopping trip?" Renesmee asked.
In a mansion in a secluded part of southern Washington, a young man with scarlet eyes sat in a tall arm chair and thought. He heard a knock on the door to his room. "Come in." He instructed in a voice that was far too perfect and beautiful to be a humans'.
The massive double doors opened and three vampires crazed with bloodlust and sporting ruby red eyes from feeding strode into the room at vampire speed. They all promptly kneeled before the seated man. "Master, the girl got away from us." They reported dejectedly.
The seated man looked disappointed. "I must have her power for my plan to succeed. She is vital. Send over my friends."
"Yes master." The three vampires acknowledged before standing and leaving the room.
"She will be mine."