I settled into soft, fluffy couch in the Cullen's living room. Carlisle had suggested that we move indoors to a more comfortable environment, seeing as this explanation might take a while. I was alone on the couch. Carlisle was sitting with Esme on the loveseat, giving me encouraging and sympathetic expressions. For the first time in all the months I had known Alice, she was speechless. Jasper stood protectively by her side, still deciding what kind of threat I posed. Emmett was ecstatic, looking like a kid who just found a pirate's treasure map. Rosalie was smug, just like always. And Edward…Edward was pacing again, stopping every once in awhile to gaze out the window at nothing. His face ranged from anger, to hurt, to confusion and sometimes I would catch a little tenderness. I was crushed that I had hurt him.
I cleared my throat and took a deep, staggering breathe. Glancing around the room at the faces, I assessed whether this information would in fact, somehow, endanger them. I was in danger from Aro finding out…If I let them in on my secret, would Aro, if he found me, hurt them as well? I couldn't allow that. I had already said too much. Tears formed in my eyes as I quickly rose to my feet.
"I've…I've got to go," I stuttered, heading quickly to the front door. Tears that had been pooling in my eyes now poured effortlessly down my cheeks. Edward stepped in my way and gently put his arms on my shoulders. I took a breath and looked into my eyes.
"Bella, love, what is it? Why do you think you need to go," He inquired, softly.
"I've already said too much. I have already endangered you, all of you. If Aro finds out about me and he finds out that you know too," I shuddered at the thought. Edward pulled me into an embrace and I melted into his body. I sighed in relief as I thought I would never be held like this again as he would surely never forgive me.
"Bella, your secret is safe with us…We would like to help, as much as we can," Carlisle chimed in. "We just have a few questions."
"Okay," I resigned, heading back to the couch. "I don't have all the answers, just bits and pieces of what my mom could tell me and what I have experienced myself. What would you like to know?"
"How the hell you were able to change those nomads into animals," Emmett boomed. Rosalie sneered at him and hit him in the shoulder, before turning to me, looking…curious?
"Well…I just kind of think about an animal and project that thought forward to the…threat," I explained with a shrug. Emmett excitedly walked closer to me.
"But why a deer," He asked, eyes wide.
"He called me a snack, so I made him a snack," I chuckled. A few other people tried to hide their laughter with coughs and snorts. Emmett looked at my incredulously.
"What if…what if I'm hunting and it's him," Emmett exclaimed. I put a reassuring hand on Emmett's shoulder.
"I am pretty sure you will smell the difference," I explained.
"Any why ducks," Emmett asked.
"It's just the first animal without teeth I could think of," I answered. Now the laughs were no longer repressed. I even saw Edward crack a smile.
"So Bella, you mentioned your mother is a shape shifter. Are you able to do that as well," Carlisle asked, scooting to the edge of his chair.
"No…I can only outwardly project other things to change shapes," I admitted. "My mom tried to work with me on that, but I have never really be able to harness that part of me."
"Hmm…interesting," Carlisle replied, thoughtfully.
"Who else have you changed," Emmett asked, nearly bouncing up and down at this point.
"Well, when I was about 4...My mom was packing for us to leave Italy. I could see she was scared and that made me scared as well. Just as she closed the luggage, our apartment door burst open and there were two members of the guard rushing in. I was clinging to my mom with all my might. She was whispering for me to close my eyes and think about happy thoughts." My voice was cracking as the memory engulfed me.
"I was scared and I was angry, so angry. I didn't want them to hurt my mom or make her cry. I felt this part of me…it's hard to explain…like an energy building up. I focused it on the two guards who were taunting us…in that moment, my mom urged me again to think of something happy and I thought…puppy…" I stopped and took in everyone's expression.
"Puppy," Edward asked. I nodded.
"And I heard my mom let out a gasp so I opened my eyes…The guards were gone…just a couple of puppies yelping in their place," I giggled. Edward wrapped his arm around me and squeezed gently.
"Puppies," Emmett replied, a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
"I even tried to keep one, but they were very nippy. Hence the reason I try to stick to animals that don't have threatening teeth," I explained.
"So do you ever…crave blood," Jasper spoke up.
I thought it over and shook my head. "No," I replied cautiously. "But I do prefer my steaks rare." Edward's face broke into a smile once more.
"Bella, why did your father never change your mother," Carlisle asked.
"Several reasons. For one, he was afraid that the venom would kill her because of her…abilities? And when she became pregnant with me, well, it was out of the question, once more," I sighed.
"And Charlie, is he aware…" Edward began, not knowing how to phrase the question.
"Charlie thinks my mom is in some serious trouble and hence the reason he had to pretend to be my father. He doesn't know who my father is, or what for that matter," I grumbled.
"Does he know that he…of his abilities," Carlisle asked.
"No…from what my mom has told me, there is a certain window in which one can develop their shape-shifting abilities. From puberty until early twenties. Even then, it only occurs if there is a threat. My mom, herself, thought it was just a myth, a story that her grandma made up. That's the reason she didn't change herself into a bird and get the heck out of there when my father made like he was going to bite her. She experienced changes shortly after their first encounter. In fact, it made it easier for them to meet as she could change herself into an animal at a moment's notice as to not give them away. Charlie is past the age now…even with vampires in town, he remains oblivious to that part of his nature," I explained.
"But, Bella…You said were had the ability to change people at a young age…" Carlisle stated.
"Yes…but I was born with the threat as part of me. The vampire side of me was always present so the shape-shifter part was present, as well…I am kind of always at war with myself, I suppose" I replied.
"I wonder the extent of your abilities," Carlisle wondered out loud. Edward shot him a dark look.
"It's getting late. I promised Charlie I would get you home at a decent hour. We should go," Edward explained, pulling me to my feet with him. I nodded and smiled weakly, looking around the room.
"Thanks for taking me out to your game today," I stammered. "I'm really sorry…"
Esme glided forward and pulled me into her embrace. "It was our pleasure, honey. We are here for you if you ever need to talk," She said, soothingly. I hugged her back, aching for my own mother's arms. I sobbed softly and she hugged me tighter.