Hey this is a lot longer than my first two chapters and I really want to know what you think of it. It has a lot more Twilight than the other two and I worked super hard!
As if to back up my thoughts voices flooded down the stairs. This was the house of the Cullens. Instinctively I darted behind the couch in a crouch and turned invisible, unsure of how long that would last. The voices became more defined as distinct footsteps came downstairs. I could match them so perfectly, it scared me. The man in front was Carlisle; his footsteps were more profound and confident than the one behind him, Alice. Hers were light and rhythmic. The next two were slightly harder but I could have figured them out just by relying on my ability to read minds. Emmett was the first to speak as they all gathered by the TV. "I know I heard something down here."
"Yeah what's that slow thrumming?" Jasper wondered curiously.
"A human?" Alice interjected; her ringing musical voice had a slight ounce of excitement as she spoke.
Carlisle sniffed the air, "definitely more than human."
"It's very odd," Jasper noted walking over to the front of the couch. I could see his scrawny but frightening body even more clearly. The scars on his face were the most terrifying though. I couldn't tear my eyes away from them for a second. He suddenly stepped around the side of the couch and glared down at me. He reached out one hand and felt around till he hit my shoulder. His hand was cold but not that much of a difference that my changing skin. "Show yourself," he boomed his honey hair glistening with silver in the moonlight from the windows. Reluctantly I turned myself into being visible again. He stepped back, shocked and confused. I stood up nervously and turned to face the rest of the family who was staring at me with different expressions of confusion. "But…how?" was all Jasper could say through his stone motionless lips.
Emmett was the first to snap out of his shocked face, "You smell weird." He laughed stepping slightly forward, "even weirder than Renesmee."
"What are you?" Carlisle asked suddenly very interested.
"Right now I'm sort of a mix between a vampire and everything I used to be."
"Which is?" Emmett prompted.
"A witch, and some other things too but I don't think it's necessary to go into detail about that right now; it would just make you confused," I smiled shyly, staring at no one unparticular as I spoke.
"A witch?" Jasper wondered his voice still hard.
"You mean like witches who cast spells, make potions, and fly around on broomsticks?" Emmett smirked a little,
I narrowed my eyes, "I don't fly on broomsticks."
"Emmett cut it out," Carlisle pleadingly asked him.
"Fine," Emmett grumbled. His mind was still filled with thoughts of different jokes he could make about stereotypical witches. I sighed, even someone who was supernatural didn't understand. I focused on Carlisle's mind it was full of interest, wonder, and of old memories.
"I've studied witches before; you are supernatural creatures, much like us. Except, you are still human.
"Exactly," I beamed, finally someone understood.
"Tell me more," he pressed, "This is all just so fascinating." Carlisle thinks everything's fascinating, Emmett thought rolling his eyes. I tried to fight back laughter but a few small giggles escaped through my lips.
"What's so funny?" Emmett snapped accusingly.
"You," I smiled laughing some more.
"But I didn't say anything," Emmett said, a confusing tone to his voice.
"Oh right you don't know," I mused, forgetting that these people did not know the extent of my powers. I wonder if she can read minds too. How can they not see her abilities? Alice was thinking of her and Edward and their powers. "You're right Alice," I grinned, realizing how quickly I had grown to like her. They all turned to stare at Alice who was standing silently in the corner. What else can you do? She stayed silent, not wanting to share her thoughts with the others. "Lots," I answered bluntly. Can you see the future? This thought was curious; hopeful. "Yes," another lifeless answer.
"Wow," she gasped in a faint whisper. They all heard it of course.
"Ok this is not fair!" Emmett boomed, "Two mind readers in one house!" Suddenly one mind stood out, Jaspers. I hadn't been paying much attention to him but now his mind was hard to ignore. How can she be a mind reader? How can she be a witch? How can she be a vampire? How can she turn invisible? How can she be all those things at once? His mind was swirling with questions but he kept his face composed.
Carlisle suddenly spoke again, "Oh, how rude of us we don't even know your name and were talking to you as if you were an old friend."
"It's ok," I assured him; I already knew them in a way…
"My name is Shannon…Halliwell," my voice broke on my last name, my heart stung with guilt and remorse towards my family.
"Nice to meet you," Carlisle beamed, his hair turning the color of his eyes, and his smile shining with gratitude. "This is Jasper, Emmett, Alice, and I'm Carlisle." I already knew all their names, their history, much more than they knew about me.
So, without thinking I asked, "Where are Esme and Rosalie?" Their faces all were slightly stunned and tense.
"How do you know their names?" Jasper asked suddenly offensive.
"Well," I started hoping they would accept my half-lie. "Once I figured out I was a vampire, I decided to embrace rather than fight my new life, so I did some research on other vampires," I paused but they looked so intent so I continued. "Your family interested me the most, so vampire but yet so human. That's how I first made the decision to hunt animals, just like you. My research goes deep, I learned your names, what you look like, your history, your extended family, your run in with nomads, the different places you've lived, and most importantly your life here in Forks. Especially, Bella coming into your life and her and Edward falling in love." I stopped now and waited trying not to listen to their thoughts, but Alice's were framed with glee and shouting in my head. That's what I did! Her mind was wandering back to the days when she had seen and learned about the Cullens in preparation to live with them. I knew I loved Alice; hopefully we could be friends for real. In her thoughts she was now thinking of the bond she hoped we would soon share. Eventually I realized that this was not her thought, but a vision she was having. I noticed my face, it was pure white, my eyes completely gold, and my teeth had a hint of a stronger and sharper edge. This was after I was completely a vampire, my only choice. I wondered if I would be a better friend to her than Bella.
"How can you see me?" I asked her, suddenly very curious.
"What do you mean?" she asked, snapping out of her future revelation.
"Well I know you can't see half-breeds and I'm a definite crossbreed," I smiled teasingly.
"Good point, I was wondering that too. Well some of the parts are fuzzy or shaky, kind of like when Renesmee is blocking Bella except not as bad."
"Oh, well I guess the vampire in me is more dominating than I thought."
"Yes well of course, I can see it in your future. Your near future."
"Are they ever gonna unfreeze?" I asked glancing around at the unmoving vampires, who was still trying to take this all in.
"Yeah just give them a minute," Alice said reassuringly. Suddenly I felt very comfortable moving toward Alice and putting my arm over her shoulder, she didn't seem to mind.
After a few seconds Carlisle brightened up and was past his shock, "Well welcome to our family Shannon."
"Thank you," I smiled.
"Now will you be so kind as to tell me about yourself," he smiled hopefully. Of course, Emmett snapped out of his shock just in time to make fun of Carlisle. I searched the last vampire's mind, he was getting there. Mostly he was still lingering on what I said, but he was also now wondering over the fact that I would soon join their family, he did not like it. He had a hard time excepting people, especially people that seemed to have better control than him. Ignoring more of his negative thoughts toward me, I went to sit on the white couch; Alice followed gracefully sitting down next to me. Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper stayed standing. They did not practice their human façade now, since I was technically a vampire. "So how many powers do you have?" he asked wide-eyed.
"Well a lot, they range from reading minds to seeing the future to shimmering and throwing fireballs," I knew they wouldn't understand the weird names for my powers.
"Can you fly?" Emmet asked. More sneering comments, I sighed.
"Well yeah, and also I can levitate and move things with my mind," I said making Emmett smile a little.
"Back up," Carlisle paused looking confused, "What is shimmering?"
"It's where I can move from place to place by like shimmering out. I can actually teleport in many different ways," I gave up trying to explain it, and stood up a little frustrated. I got onto more of my demonic side and closed my eyes. My body shimmered away from the front of the couch and ended up next to Emmett on the other side of the TV.
"Wow," he said, his eyes bugging out a little.
"Do you like it?" I asked teasing him a little.
"Yeah its way cool," he winked, smirking. Carlisle's face showed wonder, but his thoughts showed shock. He could not figure out how one person could possess so many powers. It was amazing and confusing to him. Alice still looked happy and was thinking about our friendship. Jasper was now more frustrated and annoyed. I'm surprised Alice isn't worried to death about him, like she always is. My mind brought back another question that still had my curiosity reeling.
"You never told me where Esme and Rose are," I accused to no one unparticular.
"Hunting," Emmett said blankly, which was not usual for him.
"Why didn't you go?" this question was directed more towards him.
"I'm not that thirsty," he concluded smiling again. That was the Emmett I loved. None of them seemed thirsty to me, except maybe Jasper. Suddenly I remembered the burning in my throat; it overwhelmed the rest of me and began an unbearable ache. The flames pierced my throat and I could hardly stand it. Emmett noticed my stress, "But you are?"
"Just a little," I choked out through the scorching flames.
"We can always catch-up later," Carlisle smiled gingerly, "I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."
"So we're going hunting?" Emmett's face lighted, even paler than usual.
"I thought you weren't thirsty," I taunted him.
"A little extra blood won't hurt," he said grinning widely like some sort of proud father.
"Jasper?" Alice finally noticed his frozen figure. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he grumbled, obviously still annoyed.
"I don't see you coming hunting, that means there's obviously something wrong," she pressed, very concerned now.
"I could tell you," I wanted to see if Jasper would finally give up and tell everyone himself but he stayed motionless. "He's worried and annoyed about my amazing…control and powers," I still waited patiently for him to say something, anything, but no. "He is annoyed obviously that I have better self control than him, and is worried about my possession of so many powers at once."
"Its fine," Alice reassured him standing up and wrapping her arm around his stone figure. "She's no threat or competition or whatever else you think she is," she said nuzzling her head into his chest. Jasper's face warmed slightly so Alice continued, "She'll be my best friend, just like Bella. I know you don't like having all this control around you but I don't blame you for being anxious, so you should let it go, please," she mumbled the last part and burrowed her head closer to him.
"Ok," he finally said relaxing his figure and returning Alice's hug warmly. Aw enough with the love stuff lets go hunting already, Emmett complained. On the other hand Carlisle was glad Jasper was better. I read Jasper's mind just to make sure he was really ok. He seemed fine, thinking about hunting and Alice.
"So let's go," I chided watching Emmett beam when he understood I'd heard his complaint.
"Maybe we'll run into Rose and Esme on the way," Alice smiled joyfully. Tell me about it. I can't wait to see Rose again. We've been getting along perfectly lately and there's no time to waste when Rose is in a good mood. Since Edward got their own house to have alone time in I don't see why I can't…, I tuned him out, I had no intentions of listening to him babble on about him and Rosalie. Even though I loved Emmett, I did not like his vein wife mostly because of the way she treated Bella. Even though the other three vampires had some sort of feeling or were thinking about love, they weren't thinking of it like that. Then again what did I expect it's Emmett. So I let their minds become a subtle buzz and listened instead to my own thoughts for once. One part of my mind kept a tab on thirst, another part was thinking about Alice. I needed to hunt obviously, so I could at least get that out of my mind. I walked over to Carlisle who looked very calm and pleased. So do you think it'll be long before you become a full vampire?
"A couple weeks," I said actually completely unsure, I never kept tab on the specific time and changes. Ah, and he left it at that.
Alice suddenly turned to me flashing her big white teeth again, "After we're done hunting I'll give you a tour of the house. You can use Edward's room to sleep. You do sleep right?"
"Oh of course, less and less time every night but it's still needed I'm going to get up in the morning," I assured her a little laugh in my voice.
She relaxed her tense face, "Well as I was saying Edward's room isn't being used so it's all yours. Unless he needs it, then give it up willingly," she smiled at her last comment, but I knew she was serious about the threats Edward could easily deliver.
"Thanks Alice," I beamed gratefully at her.
"Before we go," Jasper jumped in, "can you just answer a question for me?"
"Sure," I said a nervous tone edging in my voice.
"Are you an empath?" he asked only curiosity and wonder in his feelings.
"Well yeah," I mumbled quietly still slightly afraid of his reaction. Oh, more powers that I thought, strange that she would have all the ones our family does. Jasper was always worrying about something. Luckily, because I'm so complex he decided to be concerned about me. "Do you think we could go shopping later?" I asked Alice hopefully.
She quickly became overjoyed, "Yes of course, obviously by later you mean like when the stores are open."
"Well I think that'd be best," I smiled and Alice was laughing now the silvery bell sound filling the air.
"What's so funny?" Jasper asked moving next to Alice and wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Just Shannon," she smiled at me, even brighter and bigger now. "How can you like fashion, no one cares about fashion but me?" she wondered anxiously.
"Well I've always liked fashion and shopping and have been buying expensive outfits since I moved into my new…house," I stuttered with pain on the last word.
"New house?" Alice wondered, concern and worry the only two things present in her.
"It's a long story," I dropped my head not wanting to have to explain it.
"So after hunting then," she rubbed my arm in concern.
"Ok," I surrendered figuring she was going to end up making me spill my whole life story. Not that I minded, she was my new best friend. It's just always hard for me.
Emmett interrupted my thoughts, "Enough people I'm dying of thirst over here, and we have plenty of time for stories later."
"Fine let's hunt," my eyes glistened hungrily.
Hey I spent a lot of time of this chapter and I really want to know what you think of it before I write anymore. I will not have any new chapters until I get a few reviews at least. I really care what you guys think.
