Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight; it is the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original characters and plot are mine. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Italics for thoughts (Edward can hear it if he's present)

Stages of forms

Tiger: first form (actual tiger)

Tigris: second form (were-tiger, like werewolves, larger than actual animal)

Taiga: third form (cat ears, tail, more tiger musculature, fur, full canines, paws)

Tigam: fourth form (half and half, humanoid form, light fur, tail, nearly full canines, paws)

Tegamen: fifth form (mostly humanoid, no fur, stripes marking the skin and claws and longer canines)

Higar: sixth form (human but with cat senses and scent, regeneration and able streak mind)

Human: seventh form (completely human)

Chapter 12

Adjustments

BPOV

Carlisle explained how they lived on animals to Demetri and what the life style would mean for him. I sat listening to the way the Carlisle spoke of his solution to being a vampire but not being a monster. He truly wished to do what was good; it is inspiring to hear his convictions. Demetri if nothing else would try to live up to this man's goals and honour him in his attempt to go 'vegetarian.'

"Hey is my bike still at school?" I asked suddenly remembering that I had left it at the school.

"No actually I drove it here." Jasper said with a light in his eyes.

"Sweet ride?" I asked and he nodded enthusiastically. I smiled nodded with him. "Bikes are just the best for getting caught in the wind and going dangerously fast." I said sighing happily.

"Speaking of motorcycles you were not wearing a helmet when you crashed." Carlisle stated and I blushed nodding.

"That would be a no. Not that I needed it really. I smashed my head on the ground as a human and was only mildly hurt." I said shrugging while Demetri eyed me shaking his head.

"I am thankful that you are alive but you need to protect yourself better." Demetri said and Carlisle nodded his agreement.

"Fine, I will no longer drive my bike human. Happy?" I asked and Demetri nodded though the Cullens looked confused. "I think it would be fun to try as a tiger but I was thinking more a long the lines of looks human but isn't." I finished and they seemed to understand that better.

"So you are intentionally human... feeling right now?" Jasper asked and I nodded.

"Yup. Well it's not so much as feeling human as am human right now. You will be able to tell if I change that... which I will do now." I said shift down into Higar and the Cullens stared at me feeling the obvious difference though seeing none.

"That is odd." Jasper commented and the others agreed.

"You don't smell bad, like the werewolves. Just different I like it actually." Edward said sniffing the air minutely. I shook my head and sat in his lap. "You don't smell like food in this form." He said smiling happily as he put his nose to my hair and inhaled.

"Oh yeah... I should get home." I said distractedly as my stomach rumbled. Edward held me to him tighter and I giggled easily pulling out of his grasp which startled him.

"You are more than welcome to stay here dear." Esme said looking at Edward. I smiled and patted him on the head.

"I would love to but I have to at least pick up my things from my apartment." I said thinking of the blooded leathers and my weapons and of course my clothing. Demetri nodded in agreement of me having my things. "But I could come back?" I asked and Edward's face lit up again. "Want to come with?" I asked and he stood next to me smiling his answer.

"Do you need to use a car?" Esme asked and I thought about it. Everything that I needed with me wasn't much but the clothes might be a little awkward. I looked at Edward and he held out his keys and I took his hand.

"Be back." I said as we walked to Edward's car. He drove nearly as fast as the car could and I rolled my eyes. "In a hurry?" I asked and he smirked at me but didn't really respond other than to take my hand in his. I could get used to being touch by Edward. I smiled and settled back into the seat knowing we would arrive soon.

Stopping the car Edward was at my door only seconds after he had turned off the car. I smiled shaking my head but took his hand to help me stand. I walked up to the door and opened it running to turn off the loud and annoying alarm.

"Home again home again." I said taking his hand and leading him up to our flat. It was a mess because neither I nor Daniel had cleaned it after the phone call... I looked back at Edward trying to judge his reaction to this place. "Sorry it's so messy." I said moving towards the dresser.

"It looks lived in." He said and I giggled.

"Lived in by pigs or monkeys maybe." I answered and he laughed with me. I opened the top drawer and pulled out the knives and their sheaths. Edward eyed them confused. "Not all mythological creatures shy from weapons Edward." I said and he nodded still looking at the knives as I dropped them down on the bed and pulled out the sword and threw it to the bed also.

"You use a sword?" he asked as he picked it up and turned it over in his hands.

"Sure, it's been sealed with the blood of a king. It could cut through your flesh Edward." I said and he looked at the blade with more interest.

"A king?" he asked settling the sword back on the bed.

"My father." I said my voice joyous and proud as well as saddened. Edward looked at me not sure whether to apologise or not. I shook my head and knelt down on the bed with my leathers in my hand. "He died before I knew his face." I said stroking the blade remembering the stories Demetri had told me of him.

"You told Esme that your father created the art in your store." Edward said looking at me for explanation.

"I make all the work in the gallery." I said sighing, "I just don't think people would believe me if I said that. And well that and I am not old enough. Nearly 31 years so really... what was I supposed to say?" I mumbled and he nodded.

"You are very talented." He said brushing a strand of hair from my face and I looked up at him and pushed him down on the bed. He gasped at the sudden movement and I smiled coyly. I kissed him and leaned my body up against his. After no more than a second his hands wrapped around me and he kissed me back hard and long.

Before I liked he pushed me back and I laid my head down on his chest. The taste of him still on my lips as I licked them. "That was..." he started and I pushed myself up to look at him. "You are amazing Bella." He said and I smiled down at him. There was so much about me that he didn't know. I sat back as I realised that I knew little of him also.

"We come form different worlds and yet we fit together." I said looking down at him and brushed my fingers down the side of his face. "I am the daughter of the queen and one of few kings of our past. The only heir she has bred and I have left my clan to bind to you and yours." I said sadness clear in my voice but I held my finger to his lips to prevent his words. "I love you and have for longer than I knew. For that I am unspeakably happy, but I don't know what the future holds. War or not it will be harsh and potentially could end my or any of your lives. I have no great desire for glory but I know I will do everything in my power to protect you. But I have a loyalty to my own kind too." I said begging him to understand that though I was his that I was Tiger.

"I will never ask you to chose between me or my family and your clan Bella." He said sitting up and taking a hold of my hand.

"I know but they will Edward they will ask for more than that. They will wish you dead." I said trying to shut out the image of my family attacking his. Tears clouded my vision and Edward wrapped me in his arms. "My mother will kill you all if you try to help me, or just out of spite that I am alive because of you." I said and he growled lowly and I giggled. "Perhaps I should also mention that I am more informally called Meira."

"Meira is a lovely name but why not Bella? And I do not want you to have to chose between us but if you must it is your choice." He said as though I was going to kiss him and then leave to go back to the family that had never wanted me.

"Edward. What I am telling you is that I will have to start a war in order to keep you safe. Not that I am leaving to do so. And Meira is the name I have had longer; Bella is the name I earned reaching the final form." I said shoving him slightly and hoping to distract him.

"A war?" he asked and I pushed out of his arms completely so much for a distraction.

"A division of the clan, if anyone will follow, but I am not sure that they will follow me birth right or not. If they come we will see if they will listen to me or attack." I said praying that it would be Daniel to return in hunt of my body. "They felt me leave; they will think me dead or very weak."

"Why would this start a war?" he asked me and I tried to think of the best answer.

"Well now you know the truth. But also I am her heir and she hates me for my birthright, I have a claim to the clan she commands. I wish to make us allies in order for this to not end in the extermination of your family. Trust my words Edward your family would not be a war on your own. You are no threat to clan it would take no more than 20 to destroy you all. But I am." I finished and his eyes went wide.

"How many of you are there?" he asked and I smiled.

"Under the control of Renátka? 130 warriors, 90 builders, and the number of children grows but is near 200." I said and he looked shocked and impressed. "Mind you Edward I am considered to be a child."

"So that means that they are better trained than you?" he asked and I nodded.

"Anything less than a hundred years training in final form is considered a child. I am 7. So they are very much better than I. Keith fought with my father and is head of my mother's high guard. He has been human twice as long as I have been alive." I answered and he nodded gravely. "Do not fear so. Tigers are of honour it would be a quick death and only death if they are ordered by Renátka. Many will not follow that order because of your father's choices and yours."

"Should I be fearful then?" he said and I laughed at him.

"You have been an interesting topic but no it was ruled on as soon as you returned to Carlisle that you were his and so to be judged as such. Meaning do it again and you are no longer his son, so don't get caught." I said smiling, "I have killed more than you Edward so do not be so fearful." His eyebrows shot up. "Matches between Tigers are to the death." I answered his look shrugging. Death is apart of life for me, it was not so for him or others, I had forgotten that.

"How many matches have you won?" he asked and I pushed back to lay on the bed and counted my matches.

"I have fought in 1924 matches and won 941 and lost 983 though most of the wins were within the last 150 years before that I lost two out of every three matches." I answered and Edward nodded and leaned over me.

"Your a fair fighter then." He said and I shook my head and giggled. He bent lower and I stared into his eyes transfixed by him. His lips met mine and I pulled him to me. My tongue licked his bottom lip asking for him to open his mouth stopping he looked at me and I smiled up at him.

"Your venom only works if you push large amounts into me." I said before kissing him again. He seemed to accept my answered and opened his mouth and our tongues battled each other until we parted both of us panting for air. Edward brush away strands of my hair from my face and I gazed up at him enjoying how the moonlight played on his skin.

"You glow in the moonlight." He said as his fingers traced my face, I nodded at him.

"The moon shows my connection to her." I answered revelling in his touch as he lay down next to me allowing the moonlight to touch my skin. He looked at me as though he were memorising me.

"I have looked through your window and you didn't seem to glow." He said and I smiled, it had been him who had spied on us.

"You've been spying on me?" I asked and he looked at his hand which was playing with my hair. "And of course not we treated the window so that it wouldn't be noticeable from the out side." I answered and he smiled at me as I reached for his hand and kissed his palm.

"You always kissed Daniel's palm." Edward commented and I smiled nodding.

"It's a sign of affection. To kiss the outside of the hand is a challenge but to kiss the palm is very personal and intimate." I answered and Edward looked uncomfortable. "He wasn't my boyfriend he was more like my brother though I would have chosen him if I had to pick a Tiger." I answered and he nodded and I drew myself closer to him. "Thank heavens for you." I sighed and he chuckled.

"Perhaps we should gather your things and return to my house?" he said after a long moment of silence in which I had nearly fallen asleep. I nodded and grabbed a bag and stuffed my things into it quickly not really bothering to see which clothing I had chosen. Edward held up my leathers and looked confused. "What are these?"

"They are blooded leathers; it is usually the only thing I wear. They change with me since they were saturated with my blood." I answered and Edward looked disgusted and intrigued probably because even wearing my full leathers I was barely covered. "It is common among warriors to bloody for war. I fought my first war in third form, as distracting fodder but still. I did well in that war. Took seven with me." I answered as we walked towards the door and Edward shook his head but didn't look too bothered by the information.