Alright, not a lot to say about this chapter. It isn't the most exciting of them, but we get to see how Liv reacts to the Cullen environment. We're getting to the exciting parts soon, guys - and I'm starting to wonder whether or not I should re-do New Moon...it would be very different than the original considering Vivienne would not take Edward leaving just sitting down, I just don't know if I have the readers who want it.
Special thanks to Angel of the Night Watchers for being a wonderful Beta, as always. Everyone give her a round of applause!
Enjoy :)
The light from the window told me that the morning I had been woken to would be a gray one. And, not so surprisingly, that thought made me happy - Edward was in town, then. In fact, Edward had been in my dream the night before. Something about his abilities, his world, his family, him. There had even been a scene of my dream where he told me he liked to come into my room at night and -
"Putain de merde!" I sat up so quickly that I fell out of bed, letting out a groan as my tailbone let out a sting that was not appealing. It radiated up my spine and down my legs. Even with the present company, I rubbed my butt sympathetically.
"Your hair looks like a lion's mane...I like it." He was in my mother's rocking chair in the corner, gazing at me in all his beauty. He had that smirk on his face, the playful one that let me know he was probably making fun of me or that everything he said would somehow, twistedly, be a compliment. I would take that, I guess.
I went, carefully, slowly piecing together what was memory and what was my separate dream the night before and rested my head against his knees. He laughed at me. I was glad this closeness did not alarm him.
"Of course," he answered. His hands smoothed out my hair. I grabbed his hand and slowly, carefully made my way to sit with him on the chair, keeping eye contact and all of myself open to feel when he would think it was too much for him. Because when I say share the chair, I really mean that I was sitting on his lap. I knew it was bold for vampire or human standards. But he smiled back at me, maybe the warning I was giving him made him able to stand it. I laid my head on his shoulder, smelling him happily, which made him chuckle.
"I woke up thinking it was a dream and then - well, I was obviously pleasantly surprised."
"You're not that creative," he scoffed, I raised my eyebrows remembering my sisters homemade horror movies and Arie and my tales of romance and lust and perfection.
"I beg to differ."
"Did you know that when Charlie left an hour ago, he reattached your battery cables? I have to admit I was disappointed. Is that really all it would take to stop you, if you were determined to go?"
"Nope. But then he knows I would get anxious and know that he knows what I'm doing. Then the actual lying might stop me from wanting to go." I smiled slyly, remembering how I must have smelled. "I need a moment of decency, if you wouldn't mind?"
"I'll wait."
I all but danced the yellow brick road to the bathroom - dance and all. My face was too happy from the face I had seen in this mirror since my arrival - I was too...no, happy surely couldn't be the word. It was a euphemism. A euphemism for a word that I didn't even know how to pronounce in human - nevertheless English - words.
I brushed my teeth and straightened my hair, even splashed cold water on my face to get rid of the blotchiness my cheeks got when I was too happy. I may or may not have even thrown on a terribly light coat of mascara - he would notice but maybe just think it was from the day before.
When I went back to my room, the illusion hadn't broken. He was there, arms wide, waiting for me to come to him. My heart thumped as I all but pounced back into my position on his lap.
"Welcome back," he murmured taking me into his arms. He rocked me back and forth, that's when I noticed his hair was smooth, his clothes were changed into another dazzlingly subtle glamour. I gasped.
"You did leave me!" I accused, he sighed.
"I could hardly leave in the clothes I came in - what would the neighbours think?" He mocked. I pouted at him, suddenly liking the idea of playing and focusing on a lock of hair in between my fingertips. "You were very deeply asleep; I didn't miss anything...Of course, the talking came in the fourth stage of the sleep cycle and I left during the fifth."
"What did I say?"
"I was actually wondering if you would decipher it for me, it was something about Arie. And me. Then you ranted about kibbles, bits, and hearts. I couldn't make out half of it because you were giggling and I could hardly understand what on earth you could mean."
I burst into laughter. "It didn't sound like 'I heart my Kibbles 'N' Bits', did it?"
"In fact, it did."
"When Arie found out I refused to believe in love she decided that she needed to have a special way for us to say it to each other so that she could still feel loved and I could describe my feelings towards her. We were watching a kibbles and bits commercial at the time, so we added that in...somehow...it all kind of went downhill from there."
"So, are you telling me that - for lack of better word - you love me?"
"I am saying that I heart you. Meaning my most valuable organ belongs to you."
"For now, I will accept that. I guess I should take what I get." He smiled at me. "But you should remember that when I say this, I mean it - I love you - and it's true. I didn't know I could before you entered my existence."
"Oh, Edward," I cuddled into him so that I could hide my blush.
"You are my life now."
There was nothing else that needed to be said. It was enough for the time being and we were both happy as we held each other through the silence. But eventually, it had to be broken and he decided that he wanted to do so by smiling at me.
"Breakfast time," he said casually - probably only to prove that he still remembered the needs of a human. Not that something like that mattered to me anymore.
"I'd really prefer if you didn't bring any dead woodland animals into the house." He frowned at my lack of appropriate humour.
"Breakfast time for the human." I was about to argue, which he noticed immediately, and in result I ended up slung over his shoulder. I cried out and yelled at him brutally as he carried me down the stairs without so much as an acknowledgment that I was hanging off of him. He put me in a chair to which I rolled my eyes.
"Hm. And what's for breakfast cap-i-tan?" He was thrown off and I was not so secretly thrilled with myself. I knew he wouldn't remember how to cook. And no matter how much cafeteria food and questions he could ask me, he did not know what I liked to eat for breakfast.
"Er, I'm not sure. What would you like?"
"Eggs benedict." He gave me a startled look, possibly unsure of what it was. "Alright, alright I'm kidding. I just wanted to see that look on your face. But seriously - I can cook for myself. I'm not going to make you do it. You'll just get jealous and then burn the house down."
As I went to find the bagels in the cupboard I was pleased to see we had cheese buns. I yanked one out, almost positive that if Edward weren't here, I would have taken two.
"Can I get you anything? Just don't ask for any of my pets. Honestly. That would be rude." I pushed the bagel into the toaster and put the toaster on. I'd probably just butter it today, cream cheese would overpower the real cheese in the bread.
"Just eat, Vivienne." He rolled his eyes at me. I watched him with a roll of my own eyes, mumbling something about how he was a kill-joy just to see him smile again. I waited patiently for my bagel, as did he, and when I had buttered it and sat back down he crossed his arms on the table, examining me.
"What's on the agenda for today?" I asked. "No grizzly bear wrestling, I hope."
"Not today." He smiled. I watched him frame his answer carefully. "What would you say to meeting my family?"
I halted in taking a bite.
"Are you afraid now?" This time he was not hopeful when he said it, but fearful himself. I shook my head but I was the worst liar on the planet. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
"Oh, I'm not afraid of that." I scoffed.
"Then what do you have to be afraid of?"
"I'm afraid they'll be all 'ah, Edward brought a human! What is he thinking, look how gross she is!' not 'ah, Edward brought a human! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!' I mean," I smiled, in control of myself after my outburst. "Your family is far too polite for that. But the thoughts will still hurt both of us – mind reader or not."
"They already know everything and have hoped to meet you. They'd taken bets yesterday, you know, on whether I'd bring you back, though why anyone would bet against Alice I can't imagine. At any rate, we don't have secrets in the family. It's not really feasible, what with my mind reading and Alice seeing the future and all that."
"And Jasper making you feel warm and fuzzy about spilling your deepest, darkest secrets."
"You paid attention," he smiled.
"So you want me to be added to the list of people who don't keep secrets in your household simply because I can't physically keep myself from saying them when someone asks?" I frowned, even though it was an obvious show.
"It would be nice."
I grimaced for real this time and took another bite of my bagel, becoming thoughtful quickly. I hope I hadn't been around Edward so long that his mood swings were transferring to me. "So, did Alice see me coming?"
"Something like that," he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He looked around the room for something that could steal my attention away. "Is that any good?" he asked with a teasing look on his face. My bagel was only a quarter eaten. "Honestly, it doesn't look very appetizing."
"Well, it's no mewing mountain lion, but I guess it will have to do."
He glowered and as did I. I was not pleased he was keeping something from me after everything we had told each other the day and night before. It made me suspicious that he wouldn't tell me something about Alice of all people - since she was the girl who saw the future. But soon enough he was smiling his heartbreaking smile at me and all suspicions were forgotten.
Clever.
"And you should introduce me to your father, too, I think."
"Nah. He knows you already." I shoved a whole quarter of the bagel in my mouth at once.
"As your boyfriend, I mean."
You mean as a shooting target, I mentally corrected. "Why?"
"Isn't that customary?" he asked innocently.
"No." I hissed. "I'm pretty sure my Dad doesn't even know I've had a boyfriend." I lowered my eyes and picked another small piece off my bagel, but did not eat it. "Besides, you don't need to pretend, or anything. Boyfriend isn't...I don't need a title for my affections."
"I am not pretending." He smiled, but I remained unconvinced.
"Are you going to tell Charlie I'm your boyfriend or not?" He asked with a sigh. I raised my eyebrows at my bagel, almost as if it had spoken to me instead of him.
"Is that what you are? Really?" It was nice to hear, very comforting and heart warming, but I didn't necessarily find it true. And a lot of complications came as soon as I stuck that title to someone - such as the L-bomb. Even though that one had already been detonated. But to think of Charlie meeting him? Something tells me it would be worse than when my Mom took homecoming pictures with Asher - but on an entirely different plain.
"It's a loose interpretation of the word 'boy', I'll admit."
"I mean - we're not really your regular couple. The whole already having each other's hearts after our first day together and the fact that each time you're around me I cause you physical pain and mental exhaustion, while every time you're not around me you cause me physical pain and mental exhaustion definitely complicates things..."
"Well, I don't know if we need to give him all the gory details." He lifted my chin with a gentle finger under my very stubborn jaw. "But he will need some explanation for why I'm around here so much. I don't want Chief Swan getting a restraining order on me."
"You're serious? You'll stick around?"
"As long as you want me," he assured. I made a pretend grimace and sucked air through my teeth.
"Oh, that sucks for you. That's an awfully long time to sit around and watch me be awkward." He smiled, cradling my cheek with his hand. I leaned into it. "I'll want you forever, you know...does that upset you?"
It did. I could tell. I could tell because of his stare, the one that looked like he wanted to run away just so that I wouldn't be put in harms way. He looked over at my bagel.
"Are you finished?"
I shoved the last quarter in my mouth. "Now I am."
"Get dressed - I'll wait here."
It was hard knowing what I should wear. When I had met boyfriends parents before they had always known me so it was much more casual, but now was a completely different story. I had never seen Mrs. Cullen, had only met Dr. Cullen after an accident where I should have died and had never been formally introduced to anyone but Alice - which had been very brief.
This family had money. Lots of money, so I didn't think my trendy art stained clothes that I had created myself would really fit in, nor did I think that any of my Mom's hand-knit sweaters would cast a glow about me. Because these people, on top of not knowing me and being extraordinarily rich were even more beautiful. What a conundrum.
I thought about a denim skirt that usually looked really good on me - but I had far too much chub around my knees to look good in it around them. Especially if Rosalie was there. I don't think I need my confidence shot down. To hide my thicker thighs and my chubby knees, I put on leggings that went just an inch past the bottom of my knee. Since they were so formfitting, I put on one of those droopy tops with long bell sleeves that showed no definition between the torso and the sleeves. It went down past my butt so it didn't show off too much of my curves. It was also in emerald, which brought out the six green specks I had in my eyes: four in one, two in the other.
I couldn't deny myself my true nature of colourful mix matched socks and a black bangle bracelet. I clipped half my hair back so that it was out of my face - and not nearly as bedheaded.
Overall, I was pleased by the glamour and casualty of it.
"Okay. I'm decent." Jut as I was going down the last few stairs I tripped and basically crashed into him. It hurt me more than him for even as he steadied me, my shoulder had hit his. It really was hard as rock.
"Wrong again," he murmured in my ear. "You are utterly indecent - no one should look so tempting, it's not fair."
"Oh, I could change if you're worried the pretty vampires are going to catch your head trauma and fall for the stupid little mortal-" I began sarcastically.
"You are so absurd." He sighed shaking his head and kissed my forehead gently, I shivered.
"You are so taunting." I fired back.
"Shall I explain how you are tempting me?" he asked. It was rhetorical, I could tell. His fingers were tracing down my spine as he said it and his breath was hitting my face more rapidly than it needed to. It must have been habit rather than need. My skin was tingling in anticipation for something that - he looked down at my lips; he was going to kiss me. It was gentle as he almost rested his lips against mine for the second time, just as softly as the first. This time I pulled away quickly.
"Vivienne?"
"The first time," I jumped around, shaking out my tingling skin. "I attacked you. So this time I stopped myself but now everything tickles because you are completely cruel and do this thing where my skin basically aches for you and it feels," I rubbed at my arms, "weird."
"What am I going to do with you?" He chuckled. "Yesterday I kiss you and you attack me. Today you jump away as if I'm poison."
"Not poison. It's like I'm jonesing." I rubbed my neck.
"Jonesing?"
"You called me your heroin? Yeah. You're mine. Jonesing is when you crave a fix." I griped my hands together and let them go multiple times over.
"How do you know that?" He asked with a grimace.
"I watch a lot of movies. Requiem For A Dream - classic." I grimaced. Shivers...
"So much for being good at everything," he sighed. I smiled at him.
"Now what you don't see is that is the problem in itself." I bit my lip. "I'm okay."
"I can't take you anywhere like this."
"I'm good." I insisted, though I don't know why. Technically, I was kind of getting an out. "Your family already does, or will, think I'm a freak, why delay it?"
"That is your favourite colour, isn't it?" He measured my expression. I shrugged, letting him know he was right but playing coy about it.
"Can we just go before I remember what I'm doing and have a panic attack?"
"Do you have panic attacks?" He asked with wide eyes and a tilt to his head. I swallowed thickly.
"Let's hope you never have to find out."
"So you're worried, not because you're headed to meet a houseful of vampires, but because you think those vampires won't approve of you, correct?" He asked with a smirk.
"Pretty much sums it up."
"You're incredible." He insulted.
"Thank you." I smiled and took it as a compliment anyway.
As we passed the town of Forks and made it into the country near the Calawah River bridge, the houses began to have longer distances between them until it seemed like there were no houses in sight at all. I began doubting that the area they lived in could even be considered Forks, and wondered how long we would travel North before Edward took a sharp right onto an unpaved road. I glared at him - he had done that just to show off his 'driving skills' which I then mocked should be called 'driving kills'.
The unpaved road was unmarked and barely visible among the shrubbery and I quickly wondered if they had wanted it to be that way. The forest look like it was a waterfall of green collapsing from above us on either side of the road. I breathed in a breath of wonder at the sight of it. Edward grinned and took my hand.
After a few miles of serpent twists in the road around the ancient trees, the woods began to thin. Behind the trees someone had taken the time to keep the grass properly clean and tidy in the middle of the forest...no, no that was a front yard. My stomach tightened. We were here.
I don't really know what was to be expected of a house owned by a group of vampires, but what I saw was definitely not it. It was one of those houses that would never look old or out of style - modern but obviously well over one hundred years old. It was a soft white, like melted ice cream, three stories tall, rectangular and more of a mansion than a home. The windows didn't have any fingerprints staining them and they were large. The windows would have opened up the interior of the house to me were the sun not behind us and glinting off of them. I could hear a river in the distance of the trees, and I could not see any of the attractive cars that I so often saw in the school parking lot.
"Wow." I breathed.
"You like it?" He smiled, he sounded very proud of himself. He pushed some of the hair over my shoulder to lay on my back, he gazed at my shoulder with some thought in his head that I did not want him to admit to while I knew others may hear us.
"It's only like walking through the more relaxed cloud ten when you're on your way to cloud nine - that's the party cloud. And on the party cloud you get t-"
"Ready?" I took a deep breath and touched his arm to thank him from stopping my nervous ranting. He chuckled.
"Not at all. This is when you usher me in anyway. Hurry now, before I change my mind and run for the hills." He smiled, taking my hand. I took my free hand and made sure my hair was in place.
"You look lovely." He assured me, walking up the steps of the porch. He felt my tension and started rubbing soothing circles into the back of my hand as he opened the door for me.
The inside was more surprising than the outside of the house. It was very bright, very open, very large - even more so than it looked from the front. There were very few walls on this floor, which left it very open and light. The back wall, facing the south, had been replaced with glass so you could see how the lawn stretched all the way to the wide river that was rushing behind the house. The staircase was huge and spun up to the higher levels. The walls were creamy, the high beamed ceiling made with a red tinted wood that was not cherry for it was too lightly stained, this hardwood also adorned the floor where there wasn't any plushy white carpet.
I saw Edward's parents immediately after my examination of the room. Dr. Cullen was just as I remembered him, but even then I was amazed by how handsome and young he appeared. At his side was who I had to assume was his wife, Esme. She was the only one I had never seen, so it seemed to fit the bill. She had the same features - pale skin, topaz eyes, an unearthly beauty. She had a heart shaped face, with caramel coloured curls, I could not tell if they were natural - then again, did Vampires need to curl their hair? Another question to put in the bank with the rest of them. The two were dressed casually, in light colours that suited the house. They smiled at me in welcome, but did not approach.
I was relieved when Edward's voice broke the silence, as I should have predicted the beauty of the vampires had struck me speechless yet again.
"Carlisle, Esme, this is Vivienne Swan." He smiled warmly as his eyes fell on me. "And this little one isn't afraid of anything."
I blushed.
"You are very welcome, Vivienne." Carlisle had put the accent on my name too, it was again wonderful to hear. He raised his hand tentatively, still unsure of himself. I grasped it firmly and his smile widened when he saw I indeed, was not afraid, but merely anxious.
"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen."
"Please, call me Carlisle."
"Carlisle," I corrected, my confidence increasing. Edward was immediately relieved and I could feel his tension release.
Esme smiled and stepped forward then, reaching for my hand. Her cold, stone grasp was as I expected, but somehow even more tender than Carlisle's. It took me a moment to recognize that it held love - much like Edward's touches.
"It's very nice to know you," she said sincerely. I found myself instantly warm to her.
"Thank you. It's really nice to meet you. I have never heard a bad word about you." But that was a lie. Jessica foolishly had said those rude things the first day as if they were insults. Those had not been kind. But it was okay, I had shot them down and shot her down with them. I looked at Edward who smiled at me brightly - it seemed he was thinking the same things.
"Where are Alice and Jasper?" Edward asked, but no one answered, as they had appeared at the top of the staircase as he said it.
"Hey, Edward!" Alice called enthusiastically. She ran down the stairs, a blur that I could not follow with my measly human eye, coming to a sudden graceful stop in front of me. I started not from the movement itself but the smile on her face. Carlisle and Esme were warning her with their eyes of something I couldn't imagine. I liked it. It made me know they were comfortable around me.
"Hi, Liv!" Alice said, she bounced forward to kiss my cheek. Everyone looked staggered, even me who was trying very hard to be calm about anything that they were going to throw at me. But a kiss on the cheek from someone I'd only met in the halls? Vampire or not, it was strange. But in the end, I was just glad she liked me. I was startled when Edward stiffened at my side and when I glanced at him I could not read his expression.
"You do smell nice, I never noticed before," she commented. I flushed.
"Not a day goes by where I don't hear it anymore." Everyone let out a nervous chuckle, except for Alice who beamed. No one else really knew what to say about it.
I knew it was the tall and leonine Jasper who gave me the immediate feeling of ease and comfort. Edward stared at Jasper with a raised eyebrow, reading his thoughts to find out what emotion of mine he was masking.
"Hello, Liv." Jasper said. He kept his distance, not offering to shake my hand like all the others had. I nodded to him and smiled, knowing what it was like to be the one left out, or to be the awkward one. I tried not to make him more uncomfortable than he already was by not dwelling on it.
"Hello, Jasper." I smiled at him, then everyone else. "It's really nice to meet you all. You have a beautiful home."
"Thank you, we're so glad you came." Esme spoke with such feeling that it took me a moment to understand where it stemmed from: she thought I was being brave. At the moment I had that realization, I also realized that Rosalie and Emmett were not there and remembered how they definitely weren't on Team Vivienne.
I noticed that Carlisle was intensely looking in Edward's direction and as my eyes flickered towards them, I saw him nod once. Listening to his thoughts? I blushed and gave them some privacy by looking away.
My eyes landed on a beautiful instrument I had barely even taken notice to on the platform by the door. It was a beautiful, hand built, well kept grand piano. It was my dream to have one. In fact, a baby grand - I thought they held a more humble sound. But in a house like this where the piano would have proper room to resonate, it would sound just as innocent. I bit my lip, my fingers itching.
Esme noticed at once.
"Do you play?" she asked, inclining her head towards the piano. I flushed.
"I...I used to. I haven't really played since I moved here. Charlie doesn't have a piano and keyboards just don't cut it and the school is so small that it doesn't have any practice rooms so I-"
"Calm." Edward touched my hand and whispered to me, even though I was sure his family heard as they smiled. I was rambling again. "You never told me you could play the piano."
"It was one of the very few things you never asked. I did go to an art school mostly in performance." I grinned cheekily. "It's a beautiful thing, isn't it? Is it yours?" I asked Esme, who was looking at me with a smile that I didn't quite understand.
"No," she laughed. "Edward didn't tell you he was musical?"
"No." I glared at his suddenly innocent expression.
"It was one of the very few things you never asked," he repeated with a smile. I narrowed my eyes knowing I would never have the courage to play it now.
"I should have known, I guess. Edward can do everything." Jasper snickered and Esme gave Edward a remarkably motherly look that I hadn't received from my mother in all my life.
"I hope you haven't been showing off - it's rude," she scolded.
"Just a bit," he laughed freely. Her face softened at the sound of it, as did mine. They shared a look I couldn't understand but I instantly looked away when I recognized that it was most certainly about me.
"He's usually pretty modest and sweet." I said, looking to Jasper who had snickered. "Except for when he talks about my driving."
"You each should play something." Esme encouraged, looking over to the piano for emphasis. My eyes widened, but no one seemed to pay attention to my overwhelming look of fear.
"You just said showing off is rude." He objected, looking a little sheepish himself.
"There are exceptions to every rule," she replied.
"I'd like to hear you play," I volunteered.
"I would like to hear you play," he fired back. I recoiled at once, knowing I had been beaten. I was not in the mood to play for people who I'm sure could have had no experience at all and still be able to play something by ear that took me weeks to learn.
"Oh! Play something together, that would be so romantic!" Alice chimed.
"I'm sure that he's much better and wouldn't want me ruining it," I said, taking a step back towards the door. Maybe I could make a run for it? I'd never escape, but they may take the dramatic act as a sign this was a mistake. But who was I kidding? Obviously I wasn't getting out of it. I was doomed.
I let Edward steer me onto the bench beside him.
"I'll play first." He gave me a long exasperated look before he turned to the keys, prepping himself with remarkably accurate piano technique. I watched in complete fascination and awe as his fingers poured over the keys as if it were as natural to him as breathing was to me. I felt my chin drop and I heard people chuckle. Edward looked at me casually, able to do it without effort as he had the piece memorized in his mind and fingers. "Do you like it?"
There was a moment where I understood why he asked. "You wrote it."
"It's Esme's favourite."
I closed my eyes, nodding my head. "I see why."
"What's wrong?" He could tell things far too easily and I opened my eyes at once, trying not to worry him.
"I'm feeling extremely insignificant and I think I've decided I want to quit piano." The music stopped abruptly. He shook his head.
"You have to play. I haven't heard you as of yet, but I'd wager you're magnificent. I never linked the fact that you went to an arts school with the idea you would have learned orchestral music. I just thought you listened to it. Piano is so calming." He turned back to the piano. "This one was inspired by you."
The music that spilled from his fingertips was recognizably the lullaby he had hummed me the night before. The music was unbearably sweet and I felt my heart stuttering again. It stuttered more when I realized that the whole house would know what I was currently feeling for the bronze-haired beauty of the family.
"Edward, it's..." I couldn't find the words. "It's perfect."
"They like you, you know," he said conversationally. "Esme especially."
I looked around to see that they had all disappeared. "Where did they go?"
"Very subtly giving us privacy. Except for Alice, who is hiding in the next room. They're all still waiting to hear you play." He looked at me with a smirk. "As am I."
"They are. Rosalie and Emmett can't even be in the same house as me." I frowned. He did the same, looking at me with those intense eyes of his.
"Don't worry about Rosalie, she'll come around."
"Mm." I mumbled doubtfully. "And Emmett?"
"Well, he thinks I'm a lunatic, it's true, but he doesn't have a problem with you. He's trying to reason with Rosalie." I furrowed my brow.
"Why does she hate me? It was from the first day, wasn't it? I remember her glaring at me at lunch - I remember thinking 'if looks could kill'..."
He sighed deeply. "Rosalie struggles the most with...with what we are. It's hard for her to have someone on the outside know the truth. And she's a little jealous."
"Funny." I snorted. He did not take it back. "No way. Rosalie cannot be jealous of someone like me."
I couldn't even imagine it. What was there to be jealous of?
"You're human." He shrugged. "She wishes that she were, too."
"Oh." I realized. "But Jasper-"
"That's really my fault," he winced. "I told you he was the most recent to our way of life. I warned him to keep his distance."
I thought about the reason as to why that was necessary and tried to hold back my shiver. "What about Carlisle and Esme?"
"They are happy to see me happy. Actually, Esme wouldn't care if you had a third eye and webbed feet. All this time she's been worried about me, afraid that there was something missing from my essential makeup, that I was too young when Carlisle changed me...she's ecstatic. Every time I touch you, she just about chokes with satisfaction."
"Alice seems...enthusiastic. I like her."
I heard a squeak from the other room.
"Alice has her own way of looking at things." He said with tight lips. I rolled my eyes.
"And that's another Edward mystery." There was a moment of silence when he finished the song and we looked at each other. He realized, then, that I knew he was keeping something from me. I realized that he still didn't plan to give anything away. Not yet.
"So, what was Carlisle telling you before?"
He laughed. "You notice everything, don't you?"
"I didn't notice the piano as I walked in."
He looked at me thoughtfully for a few seconds before answering. "He wanted to tell me some news - he didn't know if it was something I would share with you."
"And...you won't?"
"I have to, because I'm going to be a little...overbearingly protective over the next few days - or weeks - and I wouldn't want you to think I'm naturally a tyrant." I snorted.
"Yeah-huh. Sure." I saw he was being serious and sobered up. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, exactly. Alice just sees some visitors coming soon. They know we're here, and they're curious."
"Visitors?" I repeated. He nodded. "Visitors meaning other vampires?"
"Yes...well, they aren't like us, of course - in their hunting habits, I mean. They probably won't come into town at all, but I'm certainly not going to let you out of my sight until they're gone." He scooted away from me a tad. I shivered.
"Finally, a rational response!" He rejoiced. "I was beginning to think you had no sense of self-preservation at all."
I rolled my eyes, looking at the piano in front of me. I looked back at him and he was watching me encouragingly. I bit my lip.
"I'm happy to be playing - I am." I assured him. "But I have no idea how to follow that."
"What do you like to play?"
"Anything expressive." I said with a shy. "Which basically translates to anything I get into."
"Who is your favourite composer?"
I blushed as I thought about it. "Mozart."
"Ah, of course. You do listen to it on your iPod enough." I looked at him warily. "I pay attention to everything about you, Vivienne. Now, if you want to play Mozart, play."
"But I'm better at Beethoven - it's easier. I'd rather play something easier and do it well than embarrass myself with something I don't like as much."
"Do whatever you want to do. You know which you will enjoy more, don't do this so that I enjoy it. I enjoy everything you do." He smiled. "Why not...Fur Elise?"
I sneered, setting myself up as he had taken the time to do. Fur Elise had always been one of my least favourite compositions. He cocked his head when he saw my nearly flawless technique as well - I guess I was more advanced than I'd led him to believe.
"Pft, that's cute. You think I'm a beginner." I smirked at him. "I'm only playing part of movement two and then three, I don't want to put you to sleep by doing the entire thing. Fur Elise, ha!"
I was being cocky, I remember learning the entirety of Fur Elise and it was not an easy song, nor was it even easy for my repertoire, but it was not as impressive as the song I felt I needed to prove myself with.
The song was much better when played by someone with more skill than I had - I should have played something that wasn't strictly piano. I was always worse with those ones because I can't hear it and visualize it as easily when I can't picture an orchestra. But Moonlight Sonata was not one that would be easily forgotten, even though no one ever hears the second and third installments to the piece. It was one of the most difficult and thrilling songs that I could play, even though I didn't do it properly because I sped up the tempo near the end - my teachers used to chastise me constantly for it. But I couldn't help it, I loved playing quickly and pouring everything into the song if that's what it required. For the second movement, it was still slow - I skipped bars and repetitions that weren't necessary, I didn't want to take up too much time on this piano, I would never be able to rip myself from it later. I couldn't help it as I took the notes played earlier, which had been sweet and alluring, to a new level of depth. I wanted to test the grand piano, see the novelty of the expensive ivory and reverberations over the walls. I felt the echoing magnify against my fingers as they trampled the keyboard, trying to do a little justice to the talent I once had when I'd taken the time to care. I was rusty. Very rusty. I hit more than a few wrong notes and I groaned each time I did. It wasn't until the hectic climax of the third movement where I seemed to get into the swing of things and that was simply because I got so into it. The notes were quick and the arpeggios were electric. I felt my body shivering with the excitement of the music, though I tried to calm myself down in comparison to when I used to be at home - Edward and his family did not need to see tha-
Edward!
I stopped playing at once, even though the song was not over. I had just remembered where I was - that this piano was not mine, these walls were not impenetrable, and I was not in a bubble of people striving and working as hard as me to do well for our teachers. I was in a house with people more magnificent than I could ever be, no matter how hard I tried. My fingers seemed to itch because I had not reached the end of the song, but I was mortified. I shouldn't have stopped paying attention like that - it was a constant mishappening. I put my hand to my mouth and looked at him with wide eyes, I felt my face heat up with humiliation. His face was expressionless as he watched me intensely.
"I'm sorry. I knew it - I said I shouldn't..."
Applause came from three opposite directions in the house. I briefly wondered who was clapping - though I could hear the hummingbird quick claps of Alice very clearly in the next room.
"I said I shouldn't play," I whispered, more to myself than to Edward, who grabbed my hands and examined them as if he was wondering what had moved them. I looked away from him in embarrassment.
"You were wonderful." He kissed each finger and I felt my face heat up even more dramatically and my heart race. He smiled. "What else embarrasses you that you're wonderful with?"
"Well, I'm obviously too embarrassed to tell you now aren't I?" I smiled.
"Any more instruments?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes." I looked away.
"Which?" I smiled, I was not going to give myself away that easily.
"A few." I looked around the room, done with this conversation as he had been able to pull on me so many times. He seemed to get idea after a few moments.
"Not what you expected, is it?" His voice was smug and I couldn't help but giggle.
"Not quite."
"No coffins, no piled skulls in the corners; I don't even think we have cobwebs...what a disappointment this must be for you," he continued slyly.
"I'll be sure never to tell Arie. Her heart will be broken." He smiled. "It's so open."
"It's the one place we never have to hide." I had, unknowingly drifted off to play something else on the grand piano, a song that I used to play for my sister when she was upset, I don't even remember where it came from or what it was called. He watched me intently.
"What?" I asked, when he kept staring but I did not look at him. I focused on my fingers, trying to memorize the backs of my hands.
"What else don't I know about you that you think is trivial enough not to tell me?"
"Hm." I thought melodramatically. "Have I told you I love wolves?"
"Yes."
"What about lions?"
"Yes." I sighed.
"Well then when I think of something, I'll let you know." He smiled and nodded, both of us wondering what I had forgotten to tell him just because I thought it was insignificant and he thought it was life altering. I was glad when he came to speak again.
"Do you want to see the rest of the house?"
"Does a baby hate teething?" He laughed, he had voiced before that my comparisons were ridiculous, before he took my hand and lead me away from the piano.
We walked up the massive staircase, my free hand was trailing along the smooth banister as we climbed, I felt sort of like a princess in the movies. I could imagine coming down the grand staircase in some sort of debutant dress that made me look half as stunning as the people here. I wondered if that's what it would take to impress Edward. At the top of the stairs there was a long hallway paneled with the same light cherry wood that was on the floor boards and rafters. Edward was smiling as he listed off the rooms we passed.
"Rosalie and Emmett's room...Carlisle's office...Alice's closet..." He gestured to each as we passed and I would have tried peaking in them but I was transfixed by the decoration above my head. Edward chuckled.
"You can laugh," he allowed. "It is sort of ironic."
I couldn't laugh, I was too transfixed. I looked at the giant crucifix on the wall made of older and lighter aged wood than that which ran through the house and was twice as large as I.
"It must be ancient."
He shrugged. "Early sixteen-thirties, more or less." I looked away from the cross to stare at him, incredulously.
"Did you just shrug at that timeline? You're not even one hundred, that is old." I looked back at the cross while he smiled at me. "Why do you keep it out here?"
"Nostalgia. It belonged to Carlisle's father." I winced.
"Carlisle was born that long ago?" I couldn't bear to say the word 'old' again now that I knew the whole house had heard me.
"He was. His father carved this himself. It hung on the wall above the pulpit in the vicarage where he preached." I couldn't help myself as I did the mental math in my mind. The cross was more than three hundred and seventy years old.
"Wow," I breathed. I turned to Edward who was intently watching my reactions.
"Are you alright?" He sounded worried, worried that something had finally thrown me off and scared me now that he had let me into the secrets of his life. I raised my eyebrows.
"Carlisle looks really good for his age."Edward laughed again, more carefree this time.
"He just celebrated his three hundred and sixty-second birthday," he added. My eyes widened.
"By good, I mean great for his age." I corrected hastily. He watched me carefully, with amused eyes as he elaborated.
"Carlisle was born in London, in the sixteen-forties, he believes. Time wasn't marked as accurately then, for the common people anyway. It was just before Cromwell's rule though. He was the only son of an Anglican pastor. His mother died giving birth to him. His father was an intolerant man. As the Protestants came into power, he was enthusiastic in his persecution of Roman Catholics and other religions. He also believed very strongly in the reality of evil. He led hunts for witches, werewolves...and vampires." I grew still at the word.
"He hunted his own son?"
"They burned a lot of innocent people," he shrugged. "Of course the real creatures that he sought were not so easy to catch.
"When the pastor grew old, he placed his obedient son in charge of the raids. At first, Carlisle was a disappointment; he was not quick to accuse, to see demons where they did not exist. But he was persistent, and more clever than his father. He actually discovered a coven of true vampires that lived hidden in the sewers of the city, only coming out by night to hunt. In those days, when monsters were not just myths and legends, that was the way many lived.
"The people gathered their pitchforks and torches, of course," he let out a dark, brief laugh, "and waited where Carlisle had seen the monsters exit into the street. Eventually, one emerged." His voice was very quiet.
"He must have been ancient, and weak with hunger. Carlisle heard him call out in Latin to the others when he caught the scent of the mob. He ran through the streets, and Carlisle - he was twenty-three and very fast - was in the lead of the pursuit. The creature could have easily outrun them, but Carlisle thinks he was too hungry, so he turned and attacked. He fell on Carlisle first, but the others were close behind, and he turned to defend himself. He killed two men, and made off with the third, leaving Carlisle bleeding in the street." He paused. I could see he was editing something, again keeping important secrets from me. I rolled my eyes.
"Just tell me." I sighed.
"Carlisle knew what his father would do. The bodies would be burned - anything infected by the monster must be destroyed. Carlisle acted instinctively to save his own life. He crawled away from the alley while the mob followed the fiend and his victim. He hid in a cellar, buried himself in rotting potatoes for three days. It's a miracle he was able to keep silent, to stay undiscovered. It was over then, and he realized what he had become."
I took a deep breath. "Poor Carlisle."
"Poor Carlisle," Edward agreed. "How are you feeling?"
"Curious." I answered honestly.
He smiled. "I'd expected you would have a few more questions for me."
"A few," I agreed sarcastically. There were a million - if not more. His smile widened over his brilliant teeth and he started back down the hall, pulling me along by the hand.
"Come on, then, I'll show you."
So, not the most thrilling chapter, but at least it's starting to set it up for excitement that's yet to come. What did you think of it, cute? I hope so!
Angel of the Night Watchers: how could you not have seen either of those movies yet? I didn't even know that was possible! And I'm going to keep giving you compliments UNTIL you explode like Paul did, just because that would be awesome! She had a pack of boxers, and I say that cause there are 9 of them. Plus she has the parents so she's living with 11 dogs in one house and they can't be left alone cause the Mom can roll over on them (and does so often) so I've been helping her out in the day-time when she goes on dates or has work. It's super fun :)
Thank you to all my readers, I wish more people would review - I can see that you're reading and alerting, I promise it doesn't take long to write to me! At least tell me if you would be interested in a New Moon remake? Pretty please with a werewolf on top?
-Egypt