A.N: This was a little hard to write too since I wasn't sure how the Cullens would react to a freaky, blue, half-centaur alien thing.

CHAPTER 3: First Encounter

Ax's POV

The creature in front of me looked like a human in every way, in fact, if I hadn't been expecting something like this, I would probably have been completely fooled. It was a strong looking male with short black hair and golden eyes. By its appearance, I would estimate that it was not much older than the other Animorphs. Maybe just by a year or two. Appearances aside, it was clearly not human at all. It ran at speeds almost too fast for my eyes to see. The other Animorphs were hidden in morph in case this creature proved to be hostile and attacked.

"What the heck?" It spoke in a human voice. Obviously it was not a controller or it would have yelled "Andalite!" rather than "what the heck?". I decided it was safe to speak.

((Hello,)) I said, ((my name is Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill.))

"Whoa," it said, "you can talk but it's in my head."

((Yes, it is the natural way my species communicates. I am an Andalite. What are you called?))

"I'm a human," It must, like me, try to blend in with humans to keep itself a secret.

((Ah, I see, but is it not true that humans are incapable of running at the speeds that you have just achieved?))

"What the heck are you?" it asked,

((I believe that I have already stated that I am an Andalite. Therefore, it is only fair that, in return, you tell me the name of your species.))

"I don't know what you mean." It stated flatly. Apparently, this was a stubborn creature. I was beginning to grow impatient.

((Please answer my question.))

"Okay," it answered, "lower that tail and give me one good reason why I should trust you, then I'll answer your questions."

I reluctantly lowered my tail and then said; ((As for trusting me, do you really have a choice? I could easily remove your head from your shoulders with my tail just as fast as you can run, but I have not. You clearly do not represent a threat to me.))

"Good point," it said, and took a deep breath, "My name is Emmett. I am a vampire. Do you know what that is?"

((No,)) I answered, ((please explain,))

"To humans, we are just myths and legends and most humans do not believe in us, but as you can see, we exist."

"Most of our kind feeds on human blood, but our coven, along with our cousins in Denali, do not, instead we feed on animal blood. We go to school with the humans and try to blend in. It would arouse suspicion if we did not attend class and just kept to ourselves instead.

"We are incapable of sleeping, digesting solid food, peeing, defecating, and pretty much everything except for breathing. We can breathe but do not need to, but we find it uncomfortable to be without a sense of smell. Also, our hearts do not beat, and our bodies are unable to change, meaning the females are incapable of giving birth. Is that enough for you or do I have to tell you my entire life story too?"

That was obviously all a lie, or at least most of it was. It is impossible to live without breathing. Even fish and plants must breathe to survive. Also, if the females are incapable of procreating then how has this species survived? I was beginning to grow even more irritated with this Emmett. How could he expect any sensible being to believe this impossibility? If these 'vampires' were unable to urinate, then what happens to the waste left behind by the blood? I could see how they do not defecate for they are incapable of eating solid foods. Even still, this whole conversation had been a waste of time. How could this Emmett expect me to trust him if he could not even tell the truth? I decided not to tell him this at the moment. Instead, I consulted Prince Jake.

((Prince Jake,)) I said, ((This creature Emmett is obviously lying for unknown reasons. His statements are scientifically impossible. One simply cannot live without breathing, yet I have not seen Emmett take one breath yet. Perhaps he is just a Yeerk hologram covering up something bigger.))

((Maybe,)) Prince Jake answered, ((I'm in mosquito morph right now. I will try to land on him and see if he is solid. If not, we bail right away in case it's a trap.))

I saw Prince Jake fly over to Emmett and land perfectly on his left shoulder. He then flew back to avoid being swatted at. Emmett was not a hologram apparently, but then what was he? He was more than human, that much was clear. Not even with my Andalite speed could I outrun him, and it was logical to assume that he also possessed great strength. I would not want to engage him in battle unaided.

((Whoa,)) Marco said, ((did anyone else feel that whoosh just now?))

((Yeah,)) Prince Jake answered, ((it almost blew me out of the air, and it didn't feel like wind.))

((I felt it too,)) said Rachel, ((There it is again!))

((That isn't the way wind moves,)) said Cassie, ((I think there are more of these things. It kind of feels like the breeze you feel when a car whizzes by you or when someone runs past you, just magnified.))

((Uh, guys,)) it was Tobias who spoke this time, ((there are more of them coming, about eight more of them. Yep, they're here in the trees about a hundred yards away from Ax. You guys might want be on alert.)) Tobias was silent for a moment and then said, ((I just realized, these are the same people from that big mansion I saw earlier. I was right, there is definitely something wrong with them.))

Tobias was correct. I could just barely see them now. They were advancing very quickly. I am today still amazed at the speed of these beings. They were now close enough that a human or Andalite would not even have to try to see them. There were, as Tobias had said, eight of them. There were three males and five females. From what I know of human standards, they were all very beautiful and very pale.

The one nearest to me was a tall male with reddish-brown hair and orange-looking eyes. Unlike most human adolescents, he, nor any of the other strange beings, had any blemishes or "zits" as the Animorphs call them, on his face. The one behind him was a female with brown hair (A.N: I'm not sure if that's right. I don't remember what color Bella's hair is) and yellow eyes as well. The reddish-haired male was clearly protecting her.

The one that really struck me though was standing beside the female. She was female as well, yet she was no more than a child! She couldn't have been over eight years of age. She was also different in another way as well, she had some color in her face unlike the others who were completely pale. There was also a stocky blonde male and a female who was blonde as well. There was a short female with short hair standing next to them. The last two were older looking. One was a red-haired female and the other was a blonde male.

They waited, as though they were expecting me to strike at Emmett. I assumed these strangers were his family.

((Ax,)) it was Prince Jake, ((we're going to bail for a second and come back and spread out in our battle morphs in case things turn ugly.))

I often question the humans' ability to think ahead but obviously that was not an issue at the moment. Prince Jake was being careful around these creatures.

Apparently, seeing that I was not a current threat, the older male stepped out of the trees. The others still waited.

He took a tentative step towards me before saying, "Hello, if you can speak, please say something,"

((Hello,)) I said, ((I do not mean any harm. My name is Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. I am an Andalite. Your friend Emmett tells me you are known as 'vampires', and that feed on blood. Is this correct?))

"How strange," he said, "you can speak with out a mouth by transferring thoughts."

Sensing no danger, the other vampires came from out of the trees to stand behind their negotiator. These creatures did not seem to be very fond of answering my questions. I could confirm that none of the others were controllers either.

((Ax, what's the situation?)) Prince Jake asked. The others were done morphing and were now concealed around the area.

((Yeah, have they tried to eat you yet?)) That was Marco,

((They do not appear to be hostile. I believe that they are afraid that I am going to attack. It is clear that none of them are controllers.))

((Hey,)) said Cassie, ((I recognize them. They're the Cullens from school, you know, those people who always sat at their own little corner at lunch? I even had the blonde girl, Rosalie, in one of my classes before they graduated.))

((Yeah,)) Rachel agreed, ((and there's Edward, the gorgeous one who's protecting --is that –Bella Swan?! What happened to her, and who's that little girl that's with them?))

((Well, there's the nuthouse for you,)) said Marco, ((a group of seemingly normal people turn out to be some kind of superhuman freaks.))

((You know, we turn into animals and you're calling them freaks?))

((Can we please get back to problem?)) Prince Jake ordered,

((We need to find out all we can. Ax, give them the details on what is happening on Earth.))

((Yes, Prince Jake, but I would advise you not to trust these creatures completely. You never know what they could be hiding.))

((I'll keep that in mind. For now, just explain.))

I began with the encounter in the construction site where the Animorphs first met my brother, Elfangor. I then told them about the Yeerks, and what they are doing to Earth. I continued for several more minutes about the Yeerks and Visser Three along with other information. The Cullens listened to the story and I told my human friends that they could now demorph.

A.N: I know, I know, I shouldn't have left you hanging, but I assure you that all will be revealed in the next chapter. Don't forget to review! I would love to hear any suggestions for future chapters.