CHAPTER FIFTY ONE

DISCOVERY

LEAH LUCIER:

I had gotten used to being a vampire with ease. Of course it helped having Etienne, my loving husband by my side. I loved him so much. I loved being married and I loved our new life together. But still, my old life resonated in everything I did. Every time I felt the need to phase and run as a wolf I remembered my past. I didn't phase much these days, being a vampire was everything and more. I was a stronger much faster wolf since the change though. But I could run just as fast, if not faster as my vampire self. Memories, emotions and shadows would come out of nowhere to engulf me. Etienne said feelings and images from my past would take awhile to leave me. I had centuries I supposed. The thought of my family growing older and getting closer to death with every passing minute scared me. I didn't want to become cold and unfeeling, I didn't want to forget them and my old life. When I was in Etienne's strong marble arms I could forget everything. All I needed in those moments was his lips, his touch, his pale body pressed close to mine. Etienne didn't know that I'd made a discovery. A few days ago I felt myself go into a strange trance. Whilst in this state I had seen mental pictures so vivid, so true that I knew without a shadow of a doubt that they were real. Somehow my mind was showing me events. I hadn't worked out if these were past,present or future events. Was this my special vampire power? Like Alice Cullen?

Etienne and I were currently in London. It was a beautiful city where old met new seamlessly. We had rented out the penthouse suite of the Savoy hotel, it was expensive and sumptuous with rich dark tones of velvet colours in the furnishing and décor. I loved it. I adored it. I felt like a vampire princess in the huge four poster bed every night. Not that we used it for sleeping. This was our proper honeymoon at last and we made the most of the luxurious surroundings. London was rainy like Forks so we got to play the American tourists easily. I found the climate to be similar to Washington state, not that vampires cared about the weather at all, but I loved the cool damp air and the warmer nights which signalled summer would be here soon. I tried to forget my old life and just enjoy the simplicity of my time with my adoring husband. Etienne was rich beyond my wildest dreams, something he had never mentioned before but which really should have been obvious to me. Money didn't interest me that much, but now it was very handy as we could do what we liked. Centuries of studying the stock market had paid off for Etienne as well as his love for buying and selling properties. He had a vampire friend in London who welcomed us both . I had never had a problem with being a newborn. I didn't crave human blood. I wasn't violent or untamed. I loved to walk amongst the humans, smelling their unique and varying scents as they went by me, scurrying and hurrying through their short lives.

Today I was strolling through Regent's Park, the sky was cloudy and overcast, perfect for a vampire. The good inhabitants of London were not ready for my rainbow glittering skin, should the sun shine. We checked the weather religiously every day on Etienne's new fangled mobile phone. That phone could do anything, I swear! My darling husband was back at the hotel making some international calls wheeling and dealing. I left him to it, that part of his life was his and his alone. I had never been good with numbers! I breathed in the smell of skin,blood and leaves as I strolled aimlessly. People stared at me, mostly men. My beauty was dazzling, my presence radiant to humans. They couldn't help gazing at me with a mixture of awe and fear. I always tried to play down my appearance so I didn't attract too much unwanted attention. It was hard to look inconspicuous when you were a vampire. That is why we preferred the undercover of the night times. I let my mind go blank and was happy just to walk along with no memories, dreams or visions to plague me. I sat on a bench and took in the view from my hill top location. Someone sat down next to me. I didn't look, but I could smell their scent. It was strange, almost vampiric in nature, I chanced a sneaky glance. The stranger's dark eyes were intensely focused on my deep topaz ones. I gasped in shock. This was no ordinary human male. "Hello madam, I am afraid I had to come speak with you. I am clairvoyant. I see an aura around you. There is much trouble to come. You need to go home. A close friend needs you." he spoke in a soft velvet voice with a hint of an Irish accent. "Who are you ?" I asked. I found myself strangely drawn to his brown eyes, pale skin and handsome face. His black hair was cropped short which accentuated his eyes more sharply. His face was angular and symmetrically pleasing, with just a hint of stubble. His lips were full and red. Yes, he was a lovely human specimen and for once I did imagine sinking my teeth into his smooth neck to taste his blood. I shook the mental image from my mind. "I am Daniel. I have been following you, watching you. I was trying to get up the courage to tell you what I "saw" as soon as I first set eyes on you three days ago. You are quite intimidating Miss!" he added with a throaty nervous laugh. I raised my eyebrows at him, as I smiled with what I hoped was a friendly warm smile. "My name is Leah and I am actually a Mrs. " I told him. He smiled sadly and nodded, "Yes of course you are Leah. Pleased to meet you. I am sorry for approaching you in this weird manner but when the spirits show me things I have a duty to pass it on" he sombrely said as he held out a hand for me to shake. Luckily I was wearing my new expensive leather gloves, a recent gift from Etienne. I took his hand and the world went black.

I came to after what seemed like hours, my panic and disorientation rising quickly through my fearful body. Daniel was stroking my arm, a worried look on his face. I dreaded to think what had happened. "Are you okay Leah?" he asked kindly. I shook my head as my mind was filled with visions again. When I blacked out Daniel had reached for my pulse. I saw not horror on his handsome face but a look of astonishment and wonder. Here was a human who was not afraid, but very curious. They were more dangerous than the poor ignorant ones who went through life assuming there were no monsters and no weirdness. He knew I wasn't just a normal girl. I think he knew that before he discovered I was talking and moving but I had no pulse. "Daniel, I know you are wondering about me. I am afraid I can't explain anything to you at this moment. I am afraid because I have been having visions which I don't understand but are so real for a few days now. Today when you touched my hand was the first time I have actually lost myself for a few moments. Today was the first time I actually saw something which made sense. Something which has frightened me beyond reason!" I shuddered as I let the horror of what I had seen in my vision sink in. Daniel nodded with a small knowing smile, "Leah I knew you were different the moment I saw you. Your husband is too. You both stand out like rare flowers amongst a bunch of weeds. I should know I've always been different too. I can guess what you really are, and it fascinates me, but I know we have more important issues to deal with here." he said, his dark eyes serious. I nodded as I asked him to please tell me about this vision he had which featured me somehow. When he had finished I began to shake with fear and horror, my body felt colder and more hollow than ever. Daniel looked at me with such sympathy and kindness that I felt tears springing to my eyes even though I knew there were none, I could not cry, not any more. His vision, the events he had seen unfolding in is mind, shown to him by spirits or whatever were exactly the same as what I had just pictured during my black out.

I had to get back to Forks right away or someone I loved dearly was going to die!