This was it. I had finally lost it. 602yrs had finally been enough for me sub-consciously, because I was walking into a house where there would be seven stranger vampires waiting for me. This was NOT going to end well. It couldn't. I got out of my car, locked the doors, pocketed the keys and followed the pint-sized vampire to the front door of the house. three steps across the lawn, eight steps up the stairs of the porch and four steps to the door.
"Ready?" Alice chimed, clearly more excited than I was. I was still stuck on panic.
"As I'll ever be. Let's meet the family!" I suggested, mock enthusiasm colouring my voice.
I was too good at this. She took it as honest excitement. The door swung open gracefully to reveal an astonishing great room. Light and airy and bright. I barely registered that when my eyes focused on the group of vampires in front of me. Definitely not how I imagined my day turning out. Every muscle in my body tensed as the strong vampire smells assaulted my senses. It was confusing, overpowering and, honestly, terrifying. Alice danced her way over to one of the males present.
He was tall, slender, but well muscled under his pale pullover. Blonde messy hair and scars all over his throat, jaw and face. Jasper, my memories deducted from the appearance. He stared at me with an intensity that should have been deadly. If looks could kill and all that... Then I felt it. His gift. Manipulation, moods specifically. I had seen gifts like it in my travels before. I knew my way around this one- sort of. I focused on him for a second, allowing his gift to fill my head. I was shocked by the strength of emotions present. Anger, happiness, relief, outrage, bashfulness, thirst, compassion, suspicion. There were so many. I was getting confused again. A wave of forced calm flooded through me and around the room. He was trying to calm the room down, but I didn't like it. I needed a clear head right now, not someone messing with my moods. I pushed back against the forced calm, resenting the fact it was forced upon me in the first place.
"Jazz, cool it with the mood. We don't need it and she doesn't like it." Edward stated flatly to his 'brother'. The mood lifted almost instantly and I muttered a quick and quiet thank you. One of the other males stepped forward cautiously.
"Hello Kali. My name is Carlisle. This is my family. Edward and Emmett told us of your encounter in the forest." This vampire was tall, with pale blonde hair and a face any Hollywood actor would sell their soul for. His face was also open and friendly. Sincerity rang through every word he spoke.
"Um... hi Carlisle. Yeah, we sort of bumped into each other. Collided hunting trips." I started, well aware of the fact that seven sets of gold eyes were watching my every move. "Alice told me about you guys and asked me to visit. She told me not to be afraid, despite what my instincts tell me."
"What exactly did Alice tell you about us?" Carlisle asked, slightly tensing.
"Nothing bad. She told me to expect another six friendly vampires, who don't hunt humans and have a healthy respect for humanity on the whole. To be honest though, my instincts are still screaming at me to get away from the seven stranger vampires." I said, trailing off a little at the end.
"Kali, my name is Esme. No-one here will hurt you. I promise, dear." said one of the unfamiliar females. She was brunette, with a warm smile and dimples carved by angels. So much compassion and understanding was pouring out of her, I felt like I might drown in it. I couldn't help but grin back at her like a moron. Then something in my head felt different. Something was changing in me. I couldn't place it and I wasn't sure uf I wanted to. I felt strange, sort of disconnected. Like every tie I had to the world was gone and I was floating.
"Kali, would you like to spend the evening here? I'm sure the others are anxious to get to know you and Alice has been itching to dress you up since we saw you in the woods." He giggled slightly while looking at his little sister.
"I think I will." I said certainly. "Thanks for having me."
After being invited to stay for a while, I told them my six hundred year old story. I told them about Scotland. My old life there. The angel-faced demon who took that life and gave me this one. The way I destroyed the demon who killed me. My first hundred years as a complete savage. The next hundred years when I calmed down and started traveling. The blood shed I caused and the misery it brought me. I told them in detail about my conversion to this lifestyle. How I didn't need humans to survive and the one slip up I had in the four hundred and fifty years since. I told them: honestly, I told them everything about me. They asked few questions as I poured out my soul (metaphorically speaking) and were a rapt audience. I felt more change happening as I spoke. I never told anyone this story before, not to this degree of detail because no-one cared enough to ask or to listen. I was the freak to be avoided, Not to be listened to as I was being listened to now. When I finished speaking, the whole room was silent. I lowered my eyes and I waited for the backlash. Cries of freak, aberration, disgrace to our kind... but the never came. I looked up cautiously to find seven sets of understanding and caring eyes watching me with a mixture of shock, pity and surprise. I told them everything about me and they were emanating nothing but welcome and compassion now.
"Kali, I know how hard it is for you. We all do. If we can help, we will." Said Esme confidently. I smiled, finding the idea of needing help with my self control totally insane. I had never had a better grasp of that side of my nature.
"Thank you Esme. I really appreciate that." I said wholeheartedly "It's been a long time since I was treated as anything other than a pariah." I was still waiting for one of them to snap and become hostile. I was used to that. I searched for any sign that they saw me as a threat, but nothing. Nothing but understanding.
"Kali, I can feel that you know." Said Jasper, speaking for the first time. "Kali, we aren't going to hurt you." Edward reminded me, reading Jasper's thoughts. "We could have done that already if we wanted to. We want to help." truth and honesty rolled off of him in waves, instantly reassuring me. I nodded once, acknowledging this and smiled at him.
"So what now?" I asked, unsure of what meaning I was to take from the meeting. "What about you guys? Ive never a coven this large before. It goes against our nature."
"Our family is as large because we love each other." said the last unidentified vampire. She was like a goddess incarnate, beauty beyond that of any mortal or immortal. This must have been Rosalie.
"It's a little more complicated than that Rose. The animal blood allows us to deny our nature, forming true bonds of love rather than those of instants gratification." Carlisle explained "It makes us that little bit more human and less like a monster. We don't live for the kill, we kill to survive." Sadness coloured his expression. This was a difficult subject for him but he continued on. "We don't relish the thought of killing anything, but if hunting animals stops us from harming humans, then it must be done." He concluded solemnly.
I nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. I understood. I didn't enjoy the kill, not really. It was necessary in order for me to leave humans unharmed.
"Kali, If you don't mind me asking, how did you develop your conscience?" Edward inquired. "We only know of one other coven like ourselves, in Denali, Alaska. They came to this lifestyle in quite a different fashion than us. How did you manage to control youself?" His eyes flashed eagerly. This new information was vital to him. Like it meant hope if others could find their way without guidance. I took a deep, unneeded breath to steady myself and closed my eyes before I began.
"Honestly, it was a build up of things. The way I was changed was disgusting. I was created for the sake of it. I destroyed my sire within minutes of being reborn and I scared myself stupid. I was dangerous, I knew that. I ran to the forests, keeping away from the main trails. I couldn't be around people.I wouldn't hunt for weeks. But instinct sometimes kicked in, dragging me into my own person hell as I fed. The thirst was all but under control, but the guilt that every single life I took caused me was crippling. Most of the time, I would curl up into a ball, wanting the world to swallow me whole and take me to hell where I belonged. I was convinced I was cursed. The screaming of the victims was enough proof of that. A constant reminder of what I had become." I paused for half a second to collect my thoughts. A hand touched my shoulder gently, but I didn't look to see who it was.
"After I fed, I would retreat away from people again. Trying to stay as far from them as possible. But my village was a hunting village, they roamed the woods and would often take me by suprise and more often after I had spent weeks in a thirst fuelled haze. This cycles continued for decades. The level of murder on my hands was intolerable. I couldn't bear it anymore. I tried to kill myself, more times than I really should have. The first three attempts showed me just how indestructable I was.
"Stabbing myself didn't work. my body broke the blades of the daggers and knives. Drowning obviously didn't work. I didn't need to breathe. I tried to throw myself off a cliff once and the only thing I accomplished was putting two massive crators into ground. One where I bounced and one where I landed.
"I withdrew into the forests along the west of Scotland, avoiding humanity at all costs. Not feeding, not even moving for the most part. I had avoided feeding for nearly 3 months and I was honestly delerious with thirst. I caught the scent of some red deer running through the forest nearby and instinct kicked back in. I hunted and fed and gorged myself. It was no-where near the taste of human blood, of course, but it soothed the ragged burn in my throat enough for me to think.
"If I could feed off of animals, instead of humans, maybe I wasn't as monstrous as I thought. Maybe I wasn't a demon if I could control myself; Not damned. It took me nearly one hundred and fifty years to figure that out. I have only slipped once in the years since I chose this lifestyle." As I remembers that one 'slip' I was rocked by a way of guilt and shame that threatened to knock me off balance. I steeled myself enough to finish my story.
"The one slip I had was around 450 years ago. It was like his blood sang to me. It was irresistable." I stated, disgusted by the mere memory of it. "The only good thing that came from it, is that now, other humans blood has barely registers above animal now. I know that I will never find a scent that appealing again. It makes my lifestyle easier."
"Kali, that person who appealled to you so much; That was your singer." Edward said after a long and slightly awkward silence. "I understand completely."
"You have met yours, haven't you?" I demanded. "Your 'singer'?"
"Yes."
"Who? Did you hurt them?"
"No. I didn't kill her." A look swept across his face that I recognised immediately. He was hiding something. "Kali, I'm not hiding anything." He started to explain "It's just complicated." Unfortunately for him, I got impatient again. I focused on his gift and used it. Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella... you get the idea.
"Edward," I began "This doesn't have anything to do with the brunette that rattles around my head eveytime I try to make sense of Alice's gift, does it?" I hoped I hadn't overstepped the mark yet. "You know, the brunette with the blushing problem?"
"Yes, it does." He tensed, muscled locked down and jaw clenched. I continued to focus on his mind. He slipped. I saw what he was hiding.
"Jesus Christ, Edward! Really? Oh, you poor sod!" I exclaimed. The room turned into a museum as the 7 other bodies in it froze to stone stillness. "That girl from Alice's visions and in everyones head right now, thats your singer? How do you control yourself? Does she know what you are? She is in danger if she does know and not from just you. You have to know that, right?" The questions spilled out one after the other. I didn't bother trying to catch them, I was too shocked. Edward was the first to move. The tension in his jaw eased and his mouth pulled up into a smile which never quite reached his eyes.
"To answer those in order; Yes. With difficulty. Yes and I wont let anything happen to her." The smile dissappeared with the last answer and an intense seriousness took over.
"I'm sorry. I'm not going to harm her. I promise. Its just that, I lasted less than a minute in the presence of my 'singer' " I shuddered again at the memory. "Also, There are those of our kind who protect our anonymity and secrecy fiercely. They keep us safe at any and all costs, regardless of who needs to be sacrificed, immortal or not." As I said the words, my mind raced through memories of one particular coven. The Volturi resided in Volterra, Italy. They had been the leaders of the Vampire world for fifteen hundred years as best I knew. It was their job to make sure our secrets were kept safe, punishing rule breakers and those who flaunted the immortal gifts bestowed upon them. They kept 'regular' vampires from hunting conspicuously, stopped covens from battling and protected our world from the horrific Taboo creations some of my kind had tried to produce.
As the thoughts rolled through my brain, I heard Edward let out one low continuous snarl.
"You are familiar with that particular group then?" I asked, hoping that the answer would be a straight forward no.
"Yes." was his simple response, hands balling into fists by his sides. My eyes rolled. Typical.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to them. I can't. Pretty sure if I am seen by them again, they will turn my into rubble and burn the bits."
Edwards hands unclenched and confusion swept across his features.
"Explain..."
"My mate, Euan, was destroyed by the Volturi about three hundred and fifty years ago now. He was stupid enough to turn a human that should never have been touched. The Volturi Guard stepped in. I was summoned to Italy. No, that's not the right word. Frog marched to Italy and brought before the Ancients- Aro, Marcus and Caius. I was taken to a huge room with throne like chairs dotted around it. I was scanning the room when I saw my mate under restraint. I was a millisecond away from launching an attack when I was told of my mates crimes. I was shocked into stillness. Honestly, If I had known what he had done, I would have taken care of the problem myself. I think I got lucky that day. Aro must have been in a good mood because he let me go.". The whole room was still and silent again when the sun broke the horizon and flashed across my skin. A million diamond facets threw rainbows around the room in a thousand different directions. It did the same to the other seven vampires around me. The room practically glowed. It was in that moment, Edward jumped up from his seated position in what appeared to be a great hurry.
"I have to go now. " He announced and headed for the door.
"Edward," Esme called, grinning slightly "You might want to change your clothes, dear. You wore those ones yesterday." Emmett guffawed and Alice looked nothing short of horrified. I'm sure I looked very confused. Edward took a quick glance at himself, rolled his eyes, shot out of the room and up the stairscase.
"What the hell was that about?" I really was confused.
"Its Saturday. Bella comes here on a saturday. Her father goes fishing. " Alice explained as her eyes glassed over again.
"Still not getting it. She's his 'singer' or whatever right?"
"Yep"
"Then why would he bring her here. I mean its not like he's in..." Then it clicked. Why he was so defensive of her. Why everyone in this room thought about her.
"Oh he didn't did he? He fell in love with her? That poor bugger! How does he do it?" I stifled a surprised laugh as I heard him come down the stairs.
"With great difficulty, remember?" Edward reappeared, clothes changed and car keys in his hand. He smiled at me and then turned to Esme.
"I'm going to go and pick up Bella. Can you start her breakfast for her?"
"Of course." Esme nodded seriously and drifted towards the kitchen. I dreaded to think what she was cooking. Human food smelled revolting to me. I had obviously found myself in situations where eating was necessary, but the thought of choking it back up was just flat out wrong. Hideous stuff. If I was human, I would be ten shades of green right now.
"It helps not to think about it, Kali." Edward murmured as he made his way out of the door. I heard an engine start somewhere and stood up. Alice looked confused at my sudden movement.
"If he is bringing Bella here, I think I might need to top off the tank a little. That human smells too good for her own safety." I shuddered at how much danger she could be in from any of our kind who smelled her scent. "Won't take too long. "
"Kali, red or purple? What do you prefer? " I thought the answer in my head as i watched alices eyes glass over again. "Never mind. I got it. Go hunt and I'll meet you outside in an hour."
"O...kay?" I was so far beyond confused now, I thought it best to leave it alone or I would be worse off than I started.
"Honestly Kali, It's better just to nod and agree." Emmett offered, pointing his chin at Alice. I took his advice, nodded once and shot out the back door and across the river in the space of seconds with the sound of laughter trailing me.
I didn't hunt much. Just a deer. I was already uncomfortably full, but I intended on pushing as much blood into me as possible to try and take the edge off the ache my throat had coming to it. I headed back towards the river, hopping over it when Alice appeared at the back door of the house. From this angle, the entire back wall of the huge house was made of glass. It made me smile. They didn't have to hide here. I liked that thought and made a mental note to ask Esme how to go about it for the Seattle house.
"Your house would look amazing if you had one fitted." she declared, handing me a small bundle of clothes.
"Thanks." I muttered. "You know I had clothes in my car right?"
"Yes. They were very nice, but these are better." she replied. "Oh and about your car, Jasper moved it into our garage. The sun is coming up and its going to be relatively sunny. Good thing you got the windows tinted." Like I could drive during the day without them.
"When will Edward be getting back?" I asked. I was completely in control, I just needed some time to process another new face. Her eyes fogged as she looked.
"They will be here in six minutes. They would have been quicker, but Edward took the volvo." She explained. "Bella doesn't like to drive fast so he left the Aston here."
"Two questions. One; How in the heck can she not like driving fast? And two; What kind of Aston? I love those cars!"
"Vanquish. If anything happened to that car, I swear Edward would curl up in a ball in a dark room and never come back out!" She laughed loudly at the thought. I laughed with her. I loved my cars. All of them. But I would never be devestated by the loss of one. Well, maybe the Zonda, but the others I could live without. I think. "And Edward driving fast terrifies Bella. Best get her here without the panic attack." she added seriously.
"Lets get inside, you need to be changed and presentable."
"Yes Mom." I replied sarcastically. I followed her into the house to get changed and wait.
I was nervous again. I sat in an unfamiliar house, around an unfamiliar dining table with six unfamiliar vampires, waiting on a seveth unfamiliar vampire with an unfamiliar human. Most of the past eight hours had been unfamiliar to me. Weirdly, I was enjoying myself. The banter and talking didn't stop all night about every subject I or we could think of. And now, after 8 hours, I was speechless. I heard the tyres from the car turn from the hard black highway, to the soft brown dirt driveway. They were about two miles down the road when I could hear their voices.
"Look, I don't care. I hate surprises. You know that. Just tell me already. " A small voice said. it was soft but still human. That was Bella. My mind provided me with the name automatically.
"I know you do, love. Trust me Okay? You need to see this." Edwards voice was the epitomy of reassurance. "Everyone is already at the house. Its is just someone we want you to meet." This clearly piqued her interests, but the car had stopped in the garage by the time Bella responded.
"Meet who? I don't understand." She was getting annoyed now.
"It will be quicker this way, Bella. Come on.". I heard him pull her towards the front door.
It swung open lightly and the wind carried the warm human scent across the room. I had hunted three times in the past two days, My eyes were the lightest shade of gold, but the scent still hurt. My throat burned dully and my mouth filled with venom. I swallowed it back and held my breath. Her scent was ridiculous. Freesia and lavender and utterly mouthwatering. I was in control, sure that I would be able to make a run for it if I had to. I listened to the two sets of footsteps as they crossed the living room. One was graceful and light, almost musical. The other was heavier and clumsy. The difference between the two was comical. I waited till they were just outside the dinig room before pulling in a small breath through my nose. Ouch. Fire ripped through my throat. This was going to hurt.
"Edward," I thought "It's ok, bring her in."
The two different footsteps found their way around the corner and stopped at the doorway. I registered Edwards face first. He scanned the room for thoughts that would suggest danger. His posture was slightly tense at first but relaxed out when he was sure everyone was ok. I turned away from him to look at the source of my current discomfort. The perfect little human on his arm blushed wildly. She was perfect though. Her skin was like ivory silk. The blush gave her the most beautiful colouring. Her long mahogany hair hung straight from her head and down her back. Her eyes were nothing short of astonishing. Two pools of warm melted chocolate staring out under thick lashes. She was breathtaking.
"Bella, " Carlisle broke the slightly awkward silence in the room by adressing her. "This is Kali. She was passing through when Edward, Alice and Emmett ran into her while hunting. I believe she will be staying with us for a while." I smiled widely and Bellas eyes shot towards my face. I knew what she was looking for. I opened my eyes just a little bit wider for her and waited for a second until she registered my light gold eyes and watched her as she sighed with relief.
"Hi, Bella. How are you?" I asked, my voice soft and holding out a hand to shake hers. I knew this was the way to do it. Let her come to me. I didn't want to scare her. She took two steps forward, turning to look at Edward. He smiled at her reassuringly and she took the final two steps towards me and wrapped her hot little hand around my stone cold one.
"Hey, Kali. Welcome to the family."
And with that, I was home.