I opened my eyes to intense burning in my throat. I immediately reached up, clutching my excruciating throat desperately. As I looked around, I could see things with extreme clarity, which was weird because I usually wear my glasses. I can get by without them sometimes, but things are blurry otherwise.

However, as I looked around, I could see the texture in the flowers that bloomed around me. The grass, the individual pieces of dirt, little ants building their homes, crawling in and out. I was laying on my back as I looked around at the beautiful clarity; the beautiful nature without glasses – better than with glasses.

However, that was quickly overtaken by another pulse of burning in my throat and I gasped in pain. I climbed to my knees, one hand on my throat the other feeling the light brush of grass.

I got to my knees and hoped that I could find somewhere to get a drink of water. Maybe I have a cold? I felt fine otherwise, just this pain my throat.

I ran and I was surprised by the speed at which I ran. This isn't normal. But I was desperate for something to soothe my throat. Maybe a stream nearby? I knew it wasn't cleanly, but I needed something now.

I don't know how, but I heard rushing water. I headed that way despite it was a distance that normally would take me minutes and I made it in seconds. I kneeled in front of the water and scooped some in my hands, some dripping through my fingers. I brought the water to my mouth and I took a deep gulp of all my hands could offer.

Instead of some relief from the cold water, all I felt was a disgusting taste and the urge to puke it up. I held a hand over my mouth and a hand to my throat.

Okay, that didn't work. Find civilization? And how the hell did I get here? I was at home, reading. Pretty sure I fell asleep in the chair as I read, though. That doesn't explain how I got here, though! I looked down at the water briefly expecting my brown hair, chocolate eyes and fair complexion. Instead, I found myself extremely pale, blonde hair and blood red eyes.

I jerked my eyes back to the water in a double-take. What the hell?

I've had blood shot eyes from lack of sleep – thanks, insomnia and mental health – but not blood red eyes.

The burning in my throat continued and it got hard to think, but I persisted. Am I… a vampire? Are vampires real? How come I don't remember anything? How come I look so different? I can't explain it.

I heard some rustling behind me and the burning grew. Before I could stop myself, I launched myself at the thing that made me thirst so dearly. My speed was scaring me, but my mind focused on what I knew would quench my urge, my thirst, my pain.

I came face to face with a lion – an actual freaking lion – and before it could react, I launched myself and sank my teeth into its neck. My strength held the lion down – that doesn't seem normal – and I drank its blood quickly. The pain was receding, if only a little, and as it went down, the haze in my mind did as well.

I started to become horrified by myself, by what I'd done to this creature as I drank the last of its blood. I unlatched myself and fell to my butt ungracefully. What had I done?

I'm a vampire. I don't look like myself. I don't remember anything beyond falling asleep reading a book. I'm all alone. I have questions and no answers and worst of all – I don't know what to do.

I brought my knees to my chest and muffled a sob into them. I don't know how long I sat there, questioning my existence and sobbing, but no tears falling down my face.

I heard rustling again sometime later as I stared into the distance. It was night now and I had just spent the time stuck in my own head – not something I was unused to as a human. However, the rustling did not come with a burning in my throat and I could smell some distinctive smells.

I leaped into a nearby tree and cowered between the leaves and branches, trying to hide myself.

Two people stopped below my tree. A small, petite girl with a short, black cut and a man who looked familiar. In fact, they both looked familiar. Were those the actors for Charlotte and Peter in Twilight?

"Come on out," Drawled a southern male voice. "We know you're there."

I was hesitant, afraid, but dropped to the ground. The drop to the ground should have done some serious damage to me, but I wasn't human anymore. I bit my lip at that.

"You're a newborn." Stated the girl, surprised. "Where's your sire?"

I shook my head. "I – I don't know. I don't remember…I just woke up. I didn't know what was going on. I still don't. You have red eyes like mine. What am I? What's going on?"

The man frowned at that and the girl got a small sad look on her face. "You don't remember anythin'?" He asked.

I shook my head.

"What's your name?" He asked, his southern accent less pronounced as his drawl dropped, his tone more serious.

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I knew my previous name…but I look nothing like my previous self. Completely different looks and I had no memories of what happened. I wasn't even sure I was the same person – I wasn't sure I was Ellie anymore.

"You don't remember your name?" Asked the girl in an almost soft voice.

I shook my head.

"How long have you been here?" Asked the man, who still hadn't introduced himself.

"I – I don't know. I…I woke up. My throat burned. It was excruciating. I tried to drink water, but it didn't help. Then I saw my reflection in the water. I didn't recognize myself, but then I heard something and I attacked before I could stop myself."

They both frowned heavily. "Where did you drink from?"

I pointed to the dead lion a little ways away.

"That was you?" He asked in disbelief.

I nodded quickly. "I feel so bad. I couldn't help it." I begged, hoping for forgiveness for killing such a special creature.

"Damn." He muttered. "It's okay, I'm just surprised you didn't drink from a human. That makes this easier. The only law broken would be that your sire left you. You haven't broken anything."

"Laws?" I asked. "Wait, who are you guys?"

The girl came up and lightly touched the man's arm. "I'm Charlotte and this is Peter. And the laws he's talking about are the laws that vampires abide by. We have a ruling coven called the Volturi. We cannot show our true selves to humans and cannot let them be aware of our existence. And, a sire cannot leave those they changed. Because you haven't broken any laws, you should be fine, but your sire will not."

Was I in fucking Twilight? What the fuck? "Um, are you being serious right now? This is all real? I'm a vampire…there's a ruling coven called the Volturi?"

"Yes," She said calmly.

I gave a shuddering sigh. Not that I needed to breathe, but I desperately needed to show just how freaked out I was at this moment.

"Listen," The man said, surprising me by speaking again. He'd been looking at the lion thoughtfully. "I've got some friends. They might be interested in taking you in."

I opened my mouth, but he held up his hands placatingly. "I don't know for sure, but I'm going to ask, okay? We're not the best to be taking in newborns. Never really done that before. We're also not fully suited for it. But the family I'm calling? They have had a lot of experience with it. Bear with me." I was drawn in by his southern accent and followed his words closely.

Charlotte slowly walked closer. "You're fairly calm. Very different from many newborns…"

I worried my lip.

"I don't know how…I don't know…"

"It's okay," She comforted me.

I heard the phone dialing. Someone answered: "This is Carlisle."

I jerked at the voice.

"Hey, Carlisle, it's Peter."

"Hello, Peter. It's good to hear from you." He said politely. "How can I help you?"

"Yeah, doc, got a problem here." He replied. "I found a newborn on her own. Strange thing, she hasn't drank human blood. Her sire left her and she drank from a lion that came too close. She has no memories, though, not even a name. Think you can help her? I don't think we are the best people to handle this kind of situation. A newborn is one thing – although we don't have much experience in that – but the no memories? Sounds more like your thing."

Carlisle was quiet for a second. "I will speak with my family and call you right back. I very much want to help her. I just have to make sure it's all right with everyone else. Expect a call soon."

"All right, thanks, doc." Peter drawled. He hung up and turned to me. He tilted his head curiously. "You need a name."

I knew if I could, I would be blushing. I stood still, despite the urge to fidget. "Could I name myself?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You can."

"Ellie?"

They looked at each other. "Think that's your name?" He questioned.

"I don't know." I shook my head lightly.

He hummed. "You don't look like an Ellie…more like…Olivia? Liv or Oli for short?"

I didn't want to change my name, but I understood that clinging to the past – my old life was not something I should do. I had depression in the past along with a host of other issues and I didn't want to know if they pass over as a vampire. So, maybe a new start would be best.

"Okay. Liv." I agreed tentatively.

"It suits you." Charlotte said kindly.

"Charlotte is right, though. You're a very strange newborn." Peter said again. He looked lost in thought.

"The lion was filling…and I felt a lot of guilt afterwards? Maybe that is the difference?"

He was about to speak when his phone rang again. "Hello?"

"It's Carlisle. Bring her over and we'll see what we can do to help her get better adjusted."

"Great," Peter said. "She's a strange newborn, too, really calm. Can't say she'll fair better when she gets near civilization, though."

"Bring her a back way. We live far enough away from humans, but be sure to avoid the town and Quielte lands."

"Wouldn't want to scare the wolves, would you?" Peter commented with a sly tone.

"No, we wouldn't." Carlisle answered honestly, ignoring the tone.

"Fine. We'll be there soon. We're not far from you in vampire speed."

They hung up and Peter turned to me. "We're going to head there quickly. Best to avoid any accidents. We're also going to avoid the humans and the wolves, so a longer trip, but best to get there soon."

I nodded.

"Follow us."

We ran for about two hours and took some back ways through wooded areas and they were careful to come across very few humans. In one instance we got too close to someone camping in the woods. Instinct took over, but Charlotte and Peter held me back with impeccable force knowing I was a newborn in Twilight. They dragged my snarling self quickly away. Since then, they became more careful and we stopped so I could drink from a few more animals along the way.

When I asked why humans were off limits, Peter responded in a matter of fact tone: "If you're guilty about drinking from animals, imagine drinking from humans."

I didn't have a response to that, because he was right.

We made it to a house in a wooded area. The Cullens were standing in front of the house in tense stances.

I felt uncomfortable, knowing they were tense because of my newborn status. I was an unknown. Hell, I was an unknown to myself. I had a name to go by, thanks to Peter, but that's all that was known about me, and this situation.

I remembered in the back of my mind to be careful about what to think in my head, to filter my mind and thoughts.

I ran my gaze down the line up of Cullens. I did not see a specific reasoning for the line up.

"Welcome," Carlisle said warmly to me. I was surprised by the hospitality despite being an unknown. That they would take me in without questions. It hurt me, not in a bad way, but made me want to cry from generosity. I couldn't though, as venom pooled into my eyes, but didn't fall.

"Thank you." I said from beside Charlotte and Peter.

"Do you have a name you will go by?" Carlisle asked in his same soothing, calm voice. His voice and face softened at my venom-filled eyes. I saw Edward out of the corner of my eye as well softening.

I nodded. "Peter named me Olivia. Liv or Oli for short." He said I could name myself, but that didn't work. I thought in exasperation.

Edward's lips curled slightly upwards in humor, I believe.

"That's a beautiful name," Carlisle commented. "How are you feeling?"

I answered truthfully. "Thirsty, but that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. I drank a few animals on the way here and we avoided most humans. They had to pull me away from a camper, though." I said in disappointment.

Rather than disappointed in me, Carlisle brightened up. "You've been drinking from animals and avoided humans completely?"

"Yes?" Was that so surprising?

"When you woke up all alone, you avoided humanity and only drank from a lion? Impressive." Edward commented. I frowned. I don't remember telling his family that…or thinking about it.

"I'm a mind reader. I heard Peter's thoughts. That is impressive, when you woke all alone." He informed me.

I disagreed, but kept quiet.

He shook his head good-naturedly, but didn't start a fight.

"Would you like to meet the family?" Carlisle asked. I nodded. "He pointed to the first person in line. "This is Alice, next is Rosalie, Edward, Emmett, myself, Jasper and my wife Esme."

Careful with my thoughts, I noticed their gold eyes. "We only drink from animals as well," Edward informed me kindly. "Your eyes will eventually turn this color, too."

I was a little upset with that. Not that I wanted to drink from humans, but I didn't like killing and draining animals, either.

"I understand it's going to be hard to adjust," Edward continued. "The guilt will go away soon. It's better than drinking from humans."

Peter scoffed, but didn't say anything.

I saw Jasper eyeing me intently. I felt uncomfortable amongst the family's tense stares.

Edward came to the rescue again. "Jasper has the most experience with newborns. He can also feel and manipulate emotions. He's making sure you're both safe from yourself and others."

I wondered if he could feel my self-loathing and fear, but didn't ask and saw Edward's face crumple slightly.

"What's the verdict?" I asked Jasper. "Am I safe to be around?" I hoped so. I was scared and I wanted some place to give me answers, to help me through this terrible situation.

"Yes." He said finally, slowly in a southern accent. "For now."

I knew that this wasn't over and I would be scrutinized closely, but in human fashion, I breathed a sigh in relief.

"Welcome to the family, Mia." Esme spoke for the first time.

I felt like crying again. "Thank you."

"Come in, everyone and we'll work things over together."