*A/N: Thanks to my lovely beta and awbffe NessiesMomma for beta reading.*
*Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or its characters, SM does. I do however want Edward Cullen to spend eternity in my bedroom ;]*
I waited impatiently with Jake for Sam to get here.
"Who is this Sam guy, Jake?"
"I don't know! God, Bella! Why do you ask such inane questions?" he was shaking.
"Okay, Jake, sorry I care so much about you. Maybe I'll stop fucking caring." I stormed over to the window.
"Shit!"
I rolled my eyes. "What now?"
"I don't know why I'm being like this!"
"Well, don't look at me. You're the one being a child."
Jake breathed out heavily. "Well little miss perfect, are you aware you talk in your sleep?"
I felt my cheeks get red. I spoke in a small voice, "What did I say?"
"Oh, look who lost their attitude now!"
"Jake," I breathed. "Can you just tell me what I said that has you so pissed off right now?"
"Who's Edward, Bella?"
I froze. I opened my mouth to speak just as a tall man with long, rounded muscles rush into the house. He had cropped black hair that went well with his copper skin. His face looked older, aged and held deep brown eyes.
"Go now, Bella." he ordered in a deep voice.
"But--"
"You heard what he said," Jake barked. "Go!"
Once again, my eyes felt wet with the tears that would never fall. I stormed out of the house and started running full speed when I was clear of Jacobs's house. I didn't want to go home and possibly run into Sue, Seth, or even Leah for that matter. Knowing they no longer held a tight claim on me, shattered my heart. I stared in the direction of the Cullen's, unsure of what to do.
My cell phone chimed in my pocket, and showed an unrecognizable number. I picked it up tentatively. "Hello?"
"You can come over if you want." A tiny voice sang.
"Alice?"
"Who else would it be?" she giggled. "Just come over."
And with that she hung up. I stared at my phone before quickly saving the number and running off towards the Cullen's. I had nowhere else to go. I stopped at the edge of the woods before the house, and saw Alice waiting on the porch. She turned and smiled in my direction. Vampire sight, right.
I walked over to her and she pulled me into a hug. "You look like you need one right now."
"Thanks Alice."
She released me with a smile. "Anytime. I meant what I said, we're going to be great friends."
I smiled nervously. What she said reminded me of something. "Alice? How did you know I wanted to come over?"
"We can go inside and talk all about that."
She grabbed my hand and pulled me with her inside the house. Carlisle and Esme were sitting on the couch reading, and Jasper was sitting in the chair, and stood up at Alice's arrival.
"Look who's back." Alice sang.
They all looked back with happy faces.
Esme stood to hug me and whispered in my ear, "Had a rough day, didn't you?"
I simply nodded. She gestured for me to sit on the couch with them, and I followed. I looked around the room searching for the rest of them. "Where is everyone?"
"Emmett and Rosalie are… hunting." Esme stated with a wink. "And Edward I believe…"
And that's when I heard it. The most beautiful melody resonated throughout the house. It was sweet and soft, almost like a lullaby. I didn't have to strain to hear it though, I could tell it was coming from a downstairs room. I guess being half vampire has its advantages.
"That would be Edward." Esme smiled.
I listened to the melody as it flowed and when it softened to almost a whisper it stopped. "That was beautiful." I stated in awe. "How long has he been playing?"
"A century." She stated as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"A century? Like a hundred years?"
"Mm hmm. But that's a new piece; I certainly haven't heard it before."
I was still working it out in my head. Edward was a hundred years old, yet looked seventeen. "How old are you people?" I clasped my hand over my mouth and mumbled. "Sorry."
Their laughter sounded like bell chimes.
"It's perfectly alright dear," Esme chuckled. "I was born in 1895. I first met Carlisle when I was younger, and he fixed my broken leg. I didn't see him again until after…" she paused, and a sadden looked crossed her features, "til after my baby died. I jumped off a cliff and the next thing I knew," she gestured to herself.
"I'm so sorry Esme. About your baby, I mean."
"It's okay. Now I have a wonderful husband," she smiled at Carlisle, "and five children."
I smiled at the love and adoration Esme had for her family. "So…" I thought it over in my head, "that would make you 110?"
She nodded, "With the looks of a 26 year old. Every woman's dream."
I giggled, "What about you Alice?"
"My story is kind of boring. I just woke up like this in a mental institution in 1920. I had to search for my history. It turned out I was born in 1901, and I have a sister Cynthia. I also found out that I was changed because I was hanging out with a vampire when this other obsessed vampire tracker decided he wanted to turn me into one of his games. So my 'friend'" she used air quotes, "changed me so I wouldn't be in harms way."
I was in shock, "Wow. Did you ever find out who the tracker guy was?"
"No, but I know he collects things from his victims. Ah well." She rubbed Jaspers arm. "If it wasn't for them, I would have never met this southern comfort."
Jasper smiled down at Alice. I turned away feeling like I was intruding on a special moment. He began speaking, "My story is kind of dark. I was born in 1843, and joined the military. Back then the newborn wars were breaking out--"
"Newborn wars?" I questioned.
"Basically, older vampires were turning people so that they would have an army. See, we are at our strongest during the first few months of our life, as you would call it. Anyway, I was one of them. But, my sire saw something in me and decided to keep me around as a strategic. I trained the newborns to fight. After many years, I finally got away, and one day I was at a diner, and this pretty little thing was there."
Alice lit up, "I just walked right up to you and said, 'you've kept me waiting a long time.'"
"It was the first time I felt hope. I just ducked my head and told her I was sorry." Jasper continued.
"Quite the southern gentlemen." Alice giggled.
"That's so romantic." I stated.
"I was so relieved. I thought he was never going to show up." I laughed with her. I was about to ask her how she knew he was coming but she simple looked at me and stated, "We'll get to it, Bella. I believe you were working out our ages."
"Oh, right." I added the numbers in my head. "Alice you're 104 and Jasper you're 162."
"Knew you'd get it." Alice smirked.
I stared at her questioningly and then looked at Carlisle.
"Ah, it would seem it's my turn. I was born in the 1640's during the religious raids. Of course as irony would have it, I became the very thing we fought against, a vampire. That was in the 1660's. I hated myself for it, and tried to end my… existence several times. Eventually, I found a way to live with myself. First I changed Edward, then Esme, followed by Rosalie and Emmett."
"Carlisle that would make you… like 365 years old."
"Exactly."
Just then Edward made his way up into the living. Visions of this mornings dream flashed vividly in my mind, and I had to cross my legs to cover the arousal that was surely seeping through. Everyone appeared to have knowing smiles, but they disappeared as soon as they came. I felt myself redden.
"Sharing stories are we?" Edward questioned.
"Of course," Alice mused. "And guess what? It's your turn."
Edward groaned and then smiled brightly at me. "I was born June 20th, 1901 in Chicago. I was eager to join the military, but then the Spanish Influenza epidemic hit. My father was diagnosed and died within twenty-four hours, and my mother followed weeks after. To Carlisle's knowledge, my mother hung on until she was sure I would be taken care of. Carlisle seems to think she had some knowledge as to what he was, and that's why she asked him to do everything in his power to save me from dying." He met Carlisle eyes, and there was a look of respect passed between them. "Carlisle changed me in September of 1918."
Edwards's math was easy, especially after I'd already done Alice's. "Your 104. Same as Alice."
Edward smiled warmly at Alice. I could sense their closeness. "Correct." He answered.
"So what about Rosalie and Emmett?"
Carlisle answered, "Their both 90. We'll leave it to them to share their own story."
"Of course." I hesitated before asking my next question. "So, since I'm apparently getting away with bluntness today," I turned to Alice who simply nodded for me to continue. Odd. "What's the deal with your eyes?"
The room erupted into laughter. Edward was the first to gain his composure, "We're… vegetarians."
"Huh?"
"We refrain from human blood." Carlisle clarified.
My mouth formed the shape of an "O" as understanding hit me, "So none of you have ever…" I didn't know how to put it exactly.
It was Alice who chirped up, "Only Carlisle and Rosalie have perfect records. The rest of us, on one occasion or another, have slipped." That included Edward, obviously. I saw Edward shift uncomfortably from the corner of my eye.
"What color are your eyes when you slip?"
Carlisle answered, "When a vampire drinks human blood, their eyes take on the color of a bright red. As they grow… in a sense weaker, their eyes will darken to black. In that way we are the same, when we don't feed our eyes will darken and eventually turn black."
"What's the deal with me then?" I was curious why my eyes were a deep brown.
"You are a hybrid, Bella." Carlisle explained. "You have both the likings of a vampire and a human. Your eyes are your father's through and through."
I smiled sadly. I had been rude to Charlie. Here he had to relive the loss of his first love, and I had to storm out on him and make him feel even guiltier. While I was still angry with him for keeping this a secret from me, I shouldn't have behaved so badly. It was unlike me.
"Are you okay, Bella?" Edward questioned a worried expression on his face.
"Just a lot to take in. I mean, you think your life is one way, and then--"
"It's totally different." Edward finished. I met his gaze as if one look would unravel the secrets this boy held. "Trust me, Bella; you're in the right company for that."
"I guess I am."
"Any more questions? I'd be happy to answer any that I can." Carlisle said.
"What happened with my mother?" I whispered, but I was positive they all heard me.
Esme reached over squeezing my hand as Carlisle began to speak, "There aren't many vegetarians, but the few that there are, we stick together. The closest family to our own is in Alaska. It had four young girls: Kate, Irina, Tanya, and your mother, Renee. Bella, have you ever heard of a succubus?"
"Aren't they vampires who lure men? I think that was in Dracula, or something."
"Exactly! It was their love of human men that brought them to become vegetarians. Well your mother wanted a change of scenery, so she came to stay with us and pose as our cousin. That's where our story joins with your fathers."
Esme squeezed my hand tighter, "Your mother loved your father very much. We all saw it."
"Renee had a difficult time with her emotions regarding Charlie." Jasper spoke.
"How do you explain to a human what you are? It's damn near impossible. She thought he would leave her if he found out what she was." Edward added. "She should've trusted Charlie's feelings for her. He wouldn't have betrayed her."
"When Renee started rapidly going through her pregnancy—"
"That's where you lose me. How could she get pregnant?" I interrupted.
"I spent months trying to figure that out. It turned out Renee was right in the middle of her ovulation cycle, which as you know, is the perfect time to get pregnant, right at the time of her change."
"If she was a… succubus?" I made it sound like a question since I was unsure of the term, "How come she didn't get pregnant before?"
"All the previous men wore protection."
I shook my head in wonder, "And here Charlie is always telling me about safe sex."
"Trust me, up until that night we all thought they were on the safest birth control known to man."
"So when did she know she was pregnant?"
"She felt you. We didn't believe it, but the tests all came out positive. That's when she had to tell Charlie what we were. How else can you explain a rapid birth?"
"Can I get this part?" Alice questioned bouncing on Jaspers lap. Carlisle simple nodded. "When Renee told him, he was quiet for awhile and then looked up into her eyes and said, 'I always knew there was something magical about you.'" Alice clasped her hands together. "Your father was quite the sweet talker. Okay, Carlisle you can finish."
I smiled at Alice and Carlisle continued, "We didn't know exactly what to expect with the birth. Human medical tools, and even the supernatural," he cast a glance at Edward, "seemed to be impenetrable by the womb. You couldn't be delivered naturally since our bodies cant change. Renee's stomach had only grown several inches at most. And it seemed like you were dead-set on making your way out that night." All their gazes dropped.
I stared questioningly at all of them. But then it finally made sense, "I bit my way through my mother's stomach, didn't I?"
No one answered but I already knew I was right. Edward walked over and got on one knee before me. He grabbed the hand that was not being rubbed my Esme, and lifted my chin to meet his eyes.
"It wasn't your fault, Bella."
"How can you say that? Of course it's my fault." I scoffed.
"We would've lost you too. Think of what that would've done to Charlie. To us. Renee's last words were about making sure that you made it through this alive and to make Carlisle and us promise to protect you."
"Really?"
"Yes, Bella. She loved you more than anything in the whole world. While your eyes may be Charlie, you are the spitting image of Renee." His thumb rubbed against my bottom lip as he stared at me with an expression of wonder. "It's like you took all her best features and excelled them somehow."
The blush was back, "Thank you."
I heard a cough and it snapped me back to the present, and that we were in a room full of people. I turned to find the owner of that cough, and was met with a messy Emmett and Rosalie. Both of their clothes were torn to shreds, and Rosalie's hair was even more disheveled than Edward's, with sticks and leaves poking out from all ends. The whole room erupted into laughter. I was grateful for the change in mood.
"Have fun hunting?" Alice said with a wink. Jasper seemed to be gripping her more tightly.
"Can't you tell?" Emmett stated a big grin taking up most of his face. "Glad to see Swan's back!"
"Sorry for flipping out on you yesterday."
"No big deal. Carlisle and Charlie kept making way too many segways into vampirism."
"That reminds me," I stated, "How did you come to be one? I already know Carlisle changed you."
He plopped down on the floor, almost shaking the house, and pulled Rosalie down with him. "Got mauled by a grizzly, but my angel here saved me." He placed a passionate open mouth kiss on Rosalie.
Esme leaned in and whispered in my ear, "You'll have to excuse them, their a bit affectionate." She gestured to Jasper who was still gripping on to Alice for dear life. "Drives Jasper's emotions wild."
I was confused. Which reminded me of a discussion a certain pixie promised me we would be having, "Hey, Alice?"
"I already know what you're going to ask me." She looked quickly at Edward who nodded eagerly. "A few of us bring special abilities into our new lives. For example, I can see the future. But it's subjective. I only see the path people are on while they're on it."
"Are you for real?" I asked shocked.
"If I'm lying I'm… well you get the point."
"So who else has a special ability?"
"I can read emotions," Jasper stated.
"What do you mean?"
"Like I feel your curiosity and sadness and also the delightful emotions of these two horn dogs." He stated his voice thick with a southern accent. "I also can emit them and change what people are feeling."
"That's awesome!" It definitely explained why he was gripping Alice so tight. He must want to be alone with her. "Anybody else?" I surveyed the room.
"Edward can read minds." Esme stated proudly.
My face must have contorted into on of terror. "Y—you can?"
"I can read every mind in this room," Edward whispered, "apart from yours."
