It was the third time I had woken up with no recollection of falling asleep, and yet again I my dreams had been haunted. This time the pale people were trying suck by blood. The words sounded in my head with a Count Dracula accent. I almost giggled to myself; it surprised me.
I felt so much better now. My head was clear, and the pain in my chest was not as strong as it had been. I opened my eyes and looked around me; three plain white walls and fourth was covered in photos. I was in my room, but had no memory of being moved.
'Mum.' I called out, but my voice was not prepared. It was weak and my mum wouldn't have heard it from downstairs. I went to call again, but before I could my door creaked open and a familiar face peeked in. It was the woman who had been there with Carlisle, Edward and Ruby.
'Hello, Beth.' She smiled sweetly at me. 'We brought you home; we figured you would be more comfortable here. Your mum has gone to work, so I'm looking after you for now.' She was still smiling. I was confused; I had gone to the mall on Saturday, but my mum didn't work weekends.
'What day is it?' I asked.
'It's Tuesday, dear. You slept through Saturday and spoke to Ruby and Bella on Sunday. I was worried, I don't understand your sleeping patterns; you must be tired to sleep through the whole weekend and Monday!' I smiled at her but I was shocked. I thought it had been maybe a day. I was thinking we were mid-way through Sunday. I suddenly remembered I didn't know this woman's name.
'I'm sorry, but what's your name?'
'Oh, of course, you have no idea who I am! How rude of me! I am Esme, Carlisle's wife, and adoptive mother to Edward, Bella, Rosalie, Emmet, Ruby and Jasper.' She said the last name so quietly I struggled to hear. When I realised what she said I gasped.
'He's your son?' I still couldn't believe it. Ruby's brother had tried to kill me. Where was he now?
'Beth, I know what happened was a shock, and you have taken in a lot of information in the past few days, but please, don't hate him. I know it's hard, but he's not like this. It's just not him. A part of him has been ripped away, destroyed, and I regret you had to be a part of it, I really do.' Her voice was pleading, I expected her to break down into tears.
He was her son. Jasper was a Cullen.
'This must seem confusing for you, I'm sorry you have to be a part of this. It's difficult for him.' I wanted to know, but I wasn't sure it would be an answer I liked.
'What is difficult for him?' I asked nervously.
'It's very complicated, but if you don't want to know the details, I can spare you of them.' I thought to myself. Did I want to know about their lives? I was a nosey person, of course I did.
'Looks like I have a long time.' I gestured to the bed around me and Esme sighed.
'You know about, us, and sometimes, things can get complicated.' I nodded at her to continue. 'Well, a very long time ago, before I had met Ruby, Edward fell in love with Bella, but she was a human. This brought difficulties; we met others of our kind who tried to kill her. He, James, was in turn killed. His mate, Victoria came after Bella, but she was also destroyed. His friend, Laurent was helping Victoria, but we did not kill him, he was killed by those made to kill vampires; shape-shifters.
We had become allies of these shape-shifters, but Laurent had threatened Bella and broken our treaty, so they killed him. Yet he had a mate, Irina, who lived with another coven. We knew not of this, until Bella and Edward were married and Bella had been changed.' Changed? I had originally thought vampires must be born this way or always been like this. I decided not to interrupt.
'Soon after Bella's marriage, Irina appeared. She sought revenge, as she knew Laurent had been killed.' Esme's voice had been emotionless, but now it was filled with sadness and regret. I feared what was coming.
'Irina wanted to kill Bella, thinking Edward had killed Laurent, so he would suffer what she had. She knew of Bella, but did not know about the rest of the Cullen family. When she arrived in the area, she killed the first female vampire she found.' Esme stopped; her voice breaking. I could see the pain in her eyes, the distraught look on her face. I could see she was bringing back pain that had been removed from her thoughts. It was tearing her apart to think about it. I noticed suddenly, the tears dripping from my chin. Her pain was seeping through me, but I had to let it out.
'She killed my daughter, Jasper's wife, Edward, Rosalie, Bella and Emmet's sister, Alice.' As she said the name her eyes sparkled. I could see the love for her daughter in her eyes. She didn't remember Alice with remorse, but with love and joy.
'We never expected it, Alice had a gift that we always thought would defend her, but the shape-shifters we were friends with affected her. She didn't see it coming.
It tore my family apart. Jasper left, Alice was always the thing holding him together. Edward and Bella retreated to their cottage, feeling it was their fault she had died. Rosalie and Emmett moved to Rio de Janeiro, where we have a home, leaving Carlisle and I. We spoke occasionally, but never met, for almost ten years, but no one ever heard from Jasper, he completely disappeared. It broke my heart.'
I couldn't bare Esme's pain. I was sobbing now, even though I barely knew these people. They had been through so much and were so strong now.
'After about ten years, we were brought together. Edward had been hunting, when he saw a young girl. She had been in a car accident and was close to death. Her parents were both dead and she would have soon followed, but Edward saved her. Edward brought us Ruby.
He brought her to us, not knowing how to handle the newborn state she was in. Of course, Carlisle and I looked after her as our own, and it brought Edward and Bella back home. Before long Rosalie and Emmett moved back, saying they missed us. We helped each other recover, we grieved Alice, but we know she wouldn't have wanted that. She was so spirited; she would get angry if we moped around!
My family felt whole again, almost. Jasper had never come back and we didn't hear of him. He never left my mind, but now we had Ruby. She lifted us out of misery and helped us to move on. She had lost both her parents, and she was okay.' So this was who Ruby had lost, her parents. I cried for her too.
It was almost thirty years before we finally saw him again. Jasper found us in a new town. The children were at a new school and we had Ruby. I thought it was our chance to start again; Jasper was back. But he resented us, couldn't forgive us for 'forgetting' Alice. Of course we hadn't. I thought if her every day, and more, but he didn't believe it and left again. Ruby said it was her and disappeared too, tearing apart my family, once again. Edward said he couldn't let it happen again. He found Ruby and we started again, here. We were hoping to carry on, to move away from the horrors and pains.' Then I came in.
'We vampires have a certain... need for blood. The myths aren't all lies. Human blood is better than any other, but Carlisle chose to never kill a human for their blood, and we are all of the same opinion to him. However, that day at the mall, Jasper must have given up. Ruby told me of the look in his eyes. He wanted drink human blood. I don't want to scare you Beth, but you need to know the truth. Jasper has always had trouble controlling his thirst and without Alice, it was hopeless. I was surprised he had lasted this long.' The last note in her voice was grim. She obviously didn't agree with what Jasper had been about to do, but it was clear she understood. He was her son, how could she despise him?
'Alice had always been there to support him, help him stop himself, but without her, it was a hopeless cause.
Jasper had let himself go that day, but we're helping him, he needs to know we're here. Ruby refused to let him run, she made him stay. She has suffered thanks to us, but she has seen us suffer too. She couldn't bare that again' She ended her story. I wiped the tears for my cheek, but had to wipe my neck as well, as there had been so many tears. I couldn't find the words.
'So I'm sorry, I really am, but he has his reasons, please, just don't hate him.'
'How could you think I would hate him?' I couldn't find anything else to say and Esme simply smiled at me.
'I'll let you rest, that's a lot to take in one day.' With that she wiped my cheek and left my room silently.
I thought about Ruby. She had brought them back together, but had lost her parents. She stopped Jasper from leaving. She had saved the Cullens from never meeting again, but in a way had sacrificed herself.