Thank you for your lovely reviews! I enjoyed them and I am happy you think this story started better than the last :D Hope y'all enjoy chapter two!
Bella's POV:
It has been months since Jasper left home to join the confederates. Not much has changed since the day he left, I am still on an emotional roller coaster. One moment I am basking in my memories of when Jackson was still living and we were all playing with guns in the desert. The next I am thinking about my crazed nightmare. Ben is no better than I. He at least attempts to act happy by making
jokes and hanging out with his friends when he can, but not even his boisterous attitude could keep him from grieving.
Our parents however are acting as if Jackson and Jasper never even existed! Our mother is always doing chorus or forcing us to do our school work. Meanwhile our father acts like he doesn't know who we are talking about when we bring up Jasper. I think he has even forgotten that he had another son named Jackson! It's so terrible but what can I do about it? My parents would yell at us for talking about the war. Do they expect me to keep all my thoughts about reality in a safe box locked in my head? Yes, yes they probably do. Our family is no longer one big dysfunctional family; it is separate depressed people in one house hold.
The one thing that keeps me from completely breaking down and committing suicide, the weekly letters that arrive in the mail from Jasper, or should I say MAJOR Jasper Whitlock. I knew it. I couldn't be more proud of him, he truly was made for war. Jasper wrote all about his adventures and the new friends he had made so quickly. I had to admit, I was slightly jealous that he made friends so easily and I still can't talk to half the people in my school because I'm shy.
I of course reply right away so he would naturally get it in the next few days. I had to lie about how our parents were doing, I didn't want him worrying about all of us when he should be worried about his safety and survival. I told him our big brother Jackson was looking down upon him and keeping him safe.
A few months later and it was already December 24th, Christmas eve. My parents Invited all of our uncles, aunts, cousins, and even a few friend over. It was a full house but yet the house wasn't filled with joy and happiness, it was filled with depression and some hope. My Christmas wish was to have Jasper back home. I had sent Jasper a long letter on how much I love him and I wrote about a few of our favorite memories. I added a small package with my favorite necklace. Even though I didn't like to dress up, this necklace wasn't as girly as I would have expected considering our mother picked it out. It was a long silver chain with a heart wrapped around in vines with a key hanging from the bottom and a knife in the heart. I hoped Jasper would like it.
"Bella! You need to come downstairs honey! Our guests are here" my mother's stern voice yelled up the stair case. I sighed and hoped down from my sitting position on my windowsill. Even though I had never seen it, I always dreamt of having a white Christmas. I wanted it to snow, it would be my reassurance that things would clear up and everything would be fine. If only...
I walked down the stairs in my deep velvet red ball gown. My mother had forced me to dress up for tonight, though I didn't mind it as much today. It was after all a holiday, if she wanted me to wear the heavy itchy dress that badly, I would behave. Our house was quiet big for most people. I figure you must have a big house if you are a family of six. We had 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 lounges
Rooms, one huge dining room, kitchen, and a ball room with a wide range of windows that looked over the beautiful landscape of the southern deserts.
"You called mother?" I asked while stepping down the last few steps. She looked up from her conversation with my aunt Abby and Uncle John. She wore a dark green velvet dress and a black chocker with her hair piled on top of her head. She didn't look too happy that I still had my hair down. Most people wore their hair up, but I let it flow with bug barrel curls of dark chocolate.
"Yes darling, please come introduce yourself to our company!" she said with fake enthusiasm. I could tell she was definitely mad at me for my behavior and appearance. I glided over to them and extended my slender hand. My charm bracelet shone in the candle light and flashed my many charms that my siblings had gotten me for my many different occasions. Uncle John Kissed my hand and I resisted the urge to laugh as his slight stubble tickled my wrist. "My, my, you have grown into quiet the young lady Miss Isabella!" Aunt Abby exclaimed while bringing me into a hug. I conversed with them for a few more minutes before I went to find Ben.
He was talking to a few of our cousins and his friends, introducing everyone. When he saw me curl my finger towards him and motion for us to go outside, he pleasantly said goodbye and walked over towards me. We stepped outside into the slightly cool air. I walked with him until we were far away from the house and we could only see the brightly lit windows and hear a few violins playing.
"Bella, you seemed stressed. You should go back inside and dance! I know this is still a big mess, but it's Christmas Eve! You should lighten up a bit" Ben replied while putting his right arm on my left shoulder. I just stared at him like he had grown a third head. I couldn't believe my ears. He was asking me to lighten up when our brother could be dead for all we know? He was turning into
Our parents! Was I the only one that could see there was something wrong with that statement?
"I can't take this anymore! Y'all are trying to get me to forget about Jasper! He is your brother as well; can't you at least show a little concern for him?" I asked outraged with Ben. He looked shocked at my outburst and his hands lowered back to his sides, his expression changed from shocked to slightly angry. "Of course I care about Jaz! I miss him so much, but I try to move past our depression! Jasper told me to be strong for our family. I am trying my hardest to keep everyone calm, but you seem to be the only one who doesn't want to move on. Even our parents are putting in effort to act normal! You just stare out your window like he is going to ride up on his horse and tell us the war is over."
If I was shocked before, I was furious now. He wanted me to move on? What was wrong with this family? I decided to voice my opinion. "MOVE ON?" I screeched, I didn't care who heard me. Let them gossip that I was acting un- lady like. I just wanted my big brother back. Ben just shook his head sadly and that's when I lost it. I ran away from him.
I ran faster into the woods but I could still hear his confused and worried voice screaming my name. He would probably tell everyone else and they would create a search party if I didn't return in a few hours. I didn't need hours, I needed years. I wanted to escape from this hell hole. Home is where my heart lies, and this place isn't my home. Wherever jasper is, that's my home. I would find him one way or another, we would be reunited.
I kept running and the temperature seemed to drop drastically. The trees surrounding me got taller and their branches got longer. I was going deeper into the forest with tears streaming down my face. I kept telling myself this was just a sick dream that I would wake up from and never leave Jaspers side again.
My sobs got louder as I went farther into the black abyss. I finally came across a small lake in the middle of a clearing. I fell to my knees and screamed a blood curling scream into my hands. My chest heaved with sobs as my eyes burned with the waterfalls they produced.
I cried for everything that had happened in the past few years. I cried for Jackson's death, our parent's ignorance, my brother's refusal to understand, and most importantly Jasper's leaving. My world was crashing down around me as I gasped for air and sobbed louder than ever before. The moonlight dimmed and the stars faded.
This wasn't a silver night filled with peace and love, it was a pitch black night filled with fear and dread. My body froze and my blood ran cold when I heard a small snap of a twig. I spun around quickly and shot off the ground while twirling around looking for the source of the noise. There was a few ruffling in the bushes closest to me. I took a few steps back and whispered so lowly no one could hear, "please, please leave me alone." yet surprisingly, I heard a feline voice reply, "you poor thing. You're devastated. Too bad you smell absolutely mouthwatering."
My head pounded and my spine felt like an ice rod. Did she just say smell? How can she know what I smell like when she is possibly twenty feet from where I stand? And I smell mouthwatering? My body shook as the harsh winds whipped around me and I walked forward slightly. "Who are you? Where are you?" I asked with a shaky voice as I continued to wander farther near where the voice once was.
"I am right behind you" the voice hissed into the wind as I gasped and spun around to come face to face with her. She towered over me with her six foot two height, she was extremely tall for a female. Her midnight black hair curled down to her rib cage and her features appeared very sharp and animalistic. The one thing that stood out the most were the deep red eyes that haunted me in my dreams a few weeks ago. Dark red eyes, the same color as blood.
She smirk as my heart rate picked up and she stalked forwards towards me. I backed up until my shoulders hit a sharp tree. I scratched myself while turning around in shock, and drew a small drop of liquid. I heard a lion hiss ferociously but I turned around to find the demon women crouched low in front of me, her mouth now disoriented in a snarl.
I gasped and turned around, sprinting back to where I thought my house was, it seemed she was following me but I couldn't find her. I heard footsteps behind me so I turned around to see if she were still there. I didn't pay attention while I was running and slammed into a rock. That's strange; I never knew rocks could grow that tall. As I was standing up I realized why the rock was so huge, it was her. I cried and begged her to leave me alone, but she just laughed and lunged at me.
Her fingernails felt like claws as they dug into my shoulders and drew blood. I screamed in agony and she licked my shoulders while moaning in delight. I was shoved off her and fell backwards. My brothers thought me how to fight, and I was going to use it. I ran at her and punched her jaw with all my strength. I heard a sickening crunch but realized her jaw didn't break, my hand did.
Her laughter rang out as she grabbed me by my throat and lifted me up to meet her eyes. " My name is Kara, and for reasons beyond me, my power doesn't work on you" she said thoughtfully while tilting my head painfully to the side then back again, examining me. She then shrugged her shoulders and said the one thing that made my blood for stop and my eyes to widen. "That doesn't mean I can't have fun with you, but I guess I will have to keep you."
With that, she threw me thirty yards back and sent me crashing into multiple trees. I screamed as I arched my back up and felt my spine snap. Blood trickled down my mouth when I gasped in pain. My head throbbed and I turned slightly to get a good look at where my predator was. Kara stood across the field from me laughing as she crept closer, then with inhuman speed was right in front of me.
She lifted me off the ground in her arms and I yelled in agony as my body felt like a limp snake because of my broken back bone. "Aaawww poor baby" Kara said while crushing me tightly to her, so tightly my breathing stopped and a few ribs broke. "Why are you doing this to me?" I screamed with tears running down my face and falling into her strong cold arms.
"Because my dear, you confined my powers. No one should be stronger than me, so you need a little punishment" she said with her evil witch cackle. I begged for death by this point. Even if my spine wasn't in two, I wouldn't be able to run with my bruises and heavy dress.
Several hours later and many broken body parts later, I was finally sealing my fate. The world around me narrowed down to just Kara and a small section of the forest. I couldn't see out of my peripheral vision, for all I know, everything was black. I knew I only had moments left before I was finished.
"I have to say Isabella" she hissed my name in a chilling way, "You're a fighter. You will be a perfect addition for my army." And with that said, she tilted my head backwards and shot her lips onto my jugular. I felt her razor sharp teeth slice open the thin layer of skin near my throat. I whimpered in pain and started to scream when I felt the fire spread throughout me.
She picked me up and began to run again in her inhuman speed back in the direction she came from. My head lolled to the side as I continued to cry and thrash around in her arms. I begged for her to put out the fire, but she ignored me and looked dead ahead. She looked down at me and smiled a sick grin and said, "Oh before I forget, Merry Christmas Bella." I blacked out but the fire continued to rage inside of me.
When I woke up I wasn't in the desert anymore. I was in a wooden lodge house, more like mansion, with high ceilings and red carpeted floors. There were only a few widows around the room, but enough to tell me it was evening. I stood up with such speed; I was surprised I didn't fall back down. Walking towards one of the windows, I reached my hand out to pull the shade all the way up. I froze when I noticed my hand. It was…sparkling?
I quickly retrieved my hand and held it to my chest in shock. Hesitantly I stepped into the small rectangle of light and found that my entire body was shining like a thousand diamonds. I pulled all the shades down so no one could see me. I didn't need someone thinking I was just a science experiment gone wrong.
I walked over to a vanity mirror near the big wooden bed I had woken on. I sat down and looked at all the drawings on the desk. They looked like war plans, different routes to get to different camp bases. I picked one up and looked closer, these plans seemed impossible! There was no way an entire army could travel four thousand miles in one day, that would be suicidal! I then thought back to Kara in the woods. She had run inhumanly fast and wherever we are, it is certainly nowhere near where I live.
I gently placed the plans down on the counter and looked up. I gasped when I met the girl in front of me. It was me, I think, but just more defined. My wavy chocolate brown hair was now a darker shade of brown, almost like coffee beans, and waist length. My height had changed a little, making me now what appears to be 5'5. When I was standing, I realized my body had curves that an angel would envy. My chest wore more filled out and my waist had a perfect hour glass figure. My face had sharper features and more plump red lips. My eyebrows were perfectly angular, but when I looked down from them, I yelped a little in shock.
My eyes were no longer the same warm brown as my mother, they were blood red. The same eyes I had seen in my nightmare and on Kara. I walked backwards in shock and accidently knocked over a small vase that was placed on a center table. The vase was in my hands before I even comprehended what I had done. I was superfast, had cat-like reflexes, looked more like an angel than a normal girl, and I sparkled in the light. What the hell was wrong with me? What happened to me? Where was Kara? I dreaded that answer.
I need to get away from here before Kara comes to look for me. But how do I get outside without someone seeing my skin? I looked down to see if I could cover it up with sleeves. Nope, I was still wearing my gown. I decided I would just run very fast into the covered forest, from there I would figure out what to do.
I took in a deep breath when I reached the door, but realized it didn't quit satisfy the burn in my throat. Then when u thought about it, I realized I hadn't been breathing for the past ten minutes. I guess I will just add that to the growing list of what is wrong with me. My hand reached out to grasp the doorknob when the door was thrown open and I fell backwards. I quickly shot up and stood a few feet away from the door. Well, at least I thought I was standing. I was crouching in a fierce predatory way. I looked up to see Kara's delighted yet hesitant face. I stood up and a look of pure shock crossed her face.
"How did you do that?" She whispered while staring wide eyed at me. She approached me slowly with her hands slightly in front of her, a sign of peace. I snorted, she was anything but peaceful. "Do what?" I snapped back at her. She stopped walking and raised her eyebrow while crossing her arms in front of her. A stern look on her face. "Come out of your crouch. No normal newborn would have backed off; in fact, you should have attacked me with the way I barged in here." She said with an annoyed yet entranced tone. Wait, newborn? I was sixteen, I'm no baby.
"Newborn?" I asked incredulously. She uncrossed her arms and waltzed over to the bed. She sat down gracefully and patted the spot next to her. I walked over with ease and sat down next to her, just a little farther away than normal. I still didn't trust her, she DID kidnap me.
She opened her mouth to say something but closed it. Then she looked around the room and avoided my gaze. I got mad at her and growled. I stopped when I realized what I was doing, and I looked up quickly to see if she heard. She did. She smirked and rolled her eyes while saying, "Don't worry, that's only normal."
How in hell was any of this normal? She never answered any of my questions, so I decided to demand them. "Tell me now" I snarled out. Instead if looked shocked or scared, she looked annoyed and angry. "Listen here Isabella Whitlock. I am your creator, and you will show me some respect" She hissed at me. Great, now she sounded like my mother! That thought pained me, what if I never saw my family again? I probably wouldn't with my new inherited powers. I would be a freak of society, more so than when I was actually normal. What was I? "What am I?" I whispered out without realizing I was speaking out loud. She placed her hand on one of my knees and forced me to look back at her red eyes. "You're a vampire."
*FIVE YEARS LATER*
I grunted as I threw the last newborn off of me and waltzed back to the main house. I had been thinking about the day Kara told me what I was. I remembered it so clearly, but since I was a vampire, I had a perfect memory.
Ever since that day, she told me all about our kind. I knew everything. She told me about different vampire covens and their powers, she told me about the Volturi (they seemed like real A holes) and she mentioned a few times about mates, but seeing as she hated romance, she ended that conversation quickly.
She told me that she was the leader of a newborn vampire army. She trained them to be perfect fighters then used them during battles to conquer lands to hunt on. When I asked why she needed me, she told me her power was to sense someone's biggest fear, and that she couldn't sense mine. We then came to the conclusion that I was both a physical and mental shield. She thought I was an avenging angel with my powers, she could easily win battles.
Kara wanted to test my fighting skills; little did she know I already knew a few things on violence. She had me fight a few of her newborns, and I won every time. She made me fight every single one of them, and then saved herself for last. It took a few months for me to finally be able to defeat her, but I did. Kara made me her second in command, Major Isabella Whitlock. Even though I was against her violence, I liked the idea of being a major because it reminded me of Jasper.
When she asked about my family, I simply told her I couldn't remember anything. Luckily, there were other vampires who couldn't remember their past, so I was safe from her questioning. I wanted to escape this army so badly, I wanted to go back home and find out if Jasper ever made it back or if Ben had met a girl and started a family of his own. I could never go back though, and it killed me.
I also strongly disliked our diet. Kara had to force me for the first seven months of my vampirism to feed off of human blood. I asked her time and time again if there was another way to survive, she simply told me I would die if I didn't eat human blood. I told her I would rather die than take the life of an innocent human, so then she told a few newborns to hold me down while she forced the human to me. I finally gave in during my eighth month, it was useless.
Kara told me that I was still just as innocent and kind as I was when I was human. I asked her how she knew this and she told me that when we go through our transformation, most of us lose our human traits. Because of my friendly behavior and shy appearance, she made me train her newborns. At first I was terrified. Even though I was an excellent fighter, they still outnumbered me. My fear quickly washed away when the newborns acted friendly back to me. However, it seemed I was the only one they were friendly to.
"Isabella!" I sharp voice tore me from my train of thought. I looked up to see Kara walking towards me with a blueprint in her hands. "Yes Kara?" I asked curiously. Were we moving again? I hoped not, I actually liked the place we were currently in. The city was small so there weren't many killings; I wished they were all like that.
"We are moving again, get everyone ready for battle." She replied like I had predicted. I nodded my head and walked back to the newborns. There were over three hundred of them and we kept them in another one of Kara's wooden mansions. Although, Kara kept me and two others in her mansion. We were her generals and each had different sections to cover. Katy looked after one set of newborns while Matt looked after another. I simply made sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing and trained all the newborns when possible.
After telling everyone of our change in scheduling, I walked back to my house. I walked inside where I saw Matt, Katy, and Kara sitting at our dining table. Even though we didn't eat, it still was good for meetings like this.
Kara discussed her battle strategies and I had to admit, they were more complex than her earlier ones. "Kara, why has the plans changed?" Katy asked in a curious tone. She seemed innocent like me, yet she was like Kara, possibly even more vicious when it came to blood. Kara nodded her head in acknowledgement while replying, "This army has advanced their numbers. They have currently won their last few battles and I wanted to be ready for anything."
"They shouldn't get so use to wining" Matt replied in a cocky voice while standing up and successfully knocking his chair down. I rolled my eyes while Kara hissed at him to shut up. We were just about to walk out the door to our troops when I remembered my previous thoughts.
"Kara, whose army are we fighting?"
"Maria's."
UH-OH! MARIA'S ARMY, AS IN JASPER'S ARMY? DONT FORGET, BELLA STILL HAS TO MEET EDWARD FIRST! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS FOR READING :D