Huge apologies for the delay, you do NOT want to know the details... anyways. This chapter actually was the result of a sudden brainwave, I had not planned for it to be this way.

The bond between Esme and Edward is one of the strongest in the family- and since Edward was the first of her "children", Esme always had that special something in her heart for her firstborn. I've tried to make this chapter as true to character as possible- and I have to say I enjoyed it immensely! Hope you guys do, too!

The Man with the Musical Voice

"Let's go hunt," I said determinedly, the thirst becoming almost too horrible to bear. I turned towards the only exit I perceived in the single-roomed cabin, when Carlisle said something that made me freeze in my steps.

"Edward will go with you."

I whipped around to face him, my eyes wide open with frank astonishment, my hair forming a halo around my head because of the speed involved.

"You're not coming?"- I asked, my voice rising so much that I wondered why the glass in the windows didn't shatter.

"No."

"Carlisle!"- It was Edward. Even he looked surprised, and Carlisle smiled at that look. "Now there's an expression I don't usually see on your visage," Carlisle said softly.

"You have to come, Carlisle," Edward said forcefully, his brow furrowed. He seemed to be thinking about something too unpleasant and Carlisle seemed to understand.

"It's alright, Edward," he said, even more softly. Edward stared at his feet and shook his head slowly.

There wasn't anything else said for a minute after that, but somehow, while I waited impatiently, I easily felt the presence of a silent conversation between Carlisle and Edward. I watched the expressions on their faces change- only minutely, but enough.

Finally Edward sighed. "Alright." I processed the change in tone of his voice. He sounded… amused?

Edward turned to me, smiling. "Let's go."

I hesitated, muscles clenched.

"Go, Esme," Carlisle nodded.

"Alright."- My obedient answer came immediately, involuntarily, and I followed Edward out the door. I could feel Carlisle watching our backs for a long time. I trusted him to have a good reason for not coming with us.

The forest around us was covered in a thick layer of soft, brilliant snow. The scene in front of my eyes seemed ablaze with pure white light. I waited for the pricking pain in my eyes, the automatic watering. Nothing.

And yet the world was brighter than I had ever seen it. I realised the drapes at the windows in the cabin had been thick, of sombre colours. The interior had been much, much more dim. Outside, I actually saw pure, brilliant white for the first time in all its glory, its radiance- despite the fact that we were actually in the shade. To say the snow dazzled was an understatement. I could see it in two different perspectives at the same time. I could see it as one single, soft mass of bright white; I could also, at the same time, distinguish between each and every snowflake- big or small. Each flake stunned me with its intricacy and originality; it was true- no two snowflakes were alike. Thus the snow in front of me lay glistening, sparkling- both soft and crystalline, powdery and wet at the same time- a beautiful contradiction in itself, yet very solidly existent. The sight could inspire divinity in any hard-hearted atheist.

"Beautiful, isn't it."- Edward said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes."- I murmured. My eyes were still frozen on the intricate shapes of the snowflakes. I thought that no woman would want a crude, dull thing like a diamond after seeing these sparkling pieces of natural art.

Edward laughed, the sound cutting through my reverie like a clean, precise knife-cut. "You haven't seen anything yet," he assured me, his eyes twinkling.

I frowned slightly. Did he specifically mean I hadn't seen any diamonds yet? Was he actually answering my thoughts?

He grinned. "This way."- he said, nodding towards the forest that began not ten feet from the entrance of the cabin. I followed him into the dull shade of the trees, saving my questions for later- the burn in my throat was brought into prominence in my head again.

We walked slowly- for vampires- though we still moved too fast, too gracefully to be human. I wondered what our limit was. My mind, though preoccupied with thirst, ran quickly in various theories and possibilities. Possibilities. The word struck me with its significance in my life at that moment. So, so, many possibilities. I liked the thought.

We walked for nearly twenty minutes. I watched each tree loom around me in the dull light with something like wonder. My power of sight was incredible. I could actually see for miles around, and at the same time, I could see the tiniest, most minute details- no matter what the distance. I could see each withering scale of each tree's bark. I could see the tiny veins on the leaves of the trees. I could distinguish between every speck of dirt in the muddy patches on the ground. I could count the each hair on a squirrel's tail- which itself was perched on a tree twenty feet above us.

"Incredible," I murmured, voicing my thoughts. Edward only smiled.

Then, suddenly, Edward froze to a halt, and I froze in turn. He turned to me, and pulled me behind the thick trunk of an old tree. I saw his face had changed subtly- somehow, it was now the face of a predator. A deadly and dangerous one. And unbidden, I felt concern for this boy. Hard, dirty emotions didn't seem to go with his beautiful innocent face.

"Alright- Esme- I can call you that, yes?" He swept on without waiting for me to nod, "I spotted a herd of deer. But first, you must watch me hunt. Now, about hunting. When you begin to hunt, you- you wont really be human anymore. You'll get into a frenzy." He was speaking hurriedly, in an inhuman speed. I don't think any human would have known that he was even speaking. "You're strong, Esme, very strong now. Focus on your prey, but not so much that you forget who you are." He paused and I nodded rapidly, to indicate I understood.

"It's really unnecessary," he said ruefully, still fast. "There isn't really any danger. But Esme- just in case- make sure I will be able to control you if I have to. Don't- don't make it hard. It could get ugly."

It all sounded terribly important and exciting, but I could only half listen to his words. My thirst seemed ready to consume me and I had smelled the deer. And they were coming closer, oblivious to us, until finally they were in plain view of our sight, in a clearing about five hundred yards from us. The smell had first repulsed me, then suddenly attracted me with such a pull that I actually took a tiny step forward, my head thrust forward.

He noticed my abstraction, then shrugged, a reckless grin on his face. He turned away and bent his spine slowly, into a menacing crouch. He seemed so feral, so savage. So dangerous.

To my surprise and- I have to admit- delight, my body obeyed immediately, perfectly. It seemed instinctual. Before I knew it, my muscles were tensed at exactly the right places, loose exactly at my mobile points, my nostrils flaring, eyes focusing, hands curling like claws, lips parting to reveal all my sharp teeth. I was a predator, too. It was time to hunt.

The next moment, Edward was gone in a flash that left even my vampiric sight stunned. Goodness, he was fast. Then I saw him slow down, only enough for me to follow his movements from my vantage point, but not slow enough for the deer to comprehend what was happening. In the twentieth of a second, a huge deer with magnificent antlers was down, Edward stuck onto the defeated beast's body like a parasite, his mouth on its neck. He had begun to drink its blood before they hit the ground. The sight was horrible and glorious at the same time. Even as feral monsters, vampires never lost their inherent grace.

But all that I didn't think about until later. Even as Edward and his kill hit the ground, I was running, my eyes set on the deer who were only just beginning to move, fear pushing them forward too slowly. My kill was a stag, too, but smaller than Edward's. For a tiny speck of time, as I struck my prey down, I found it strange I didn't have any claws. The next instant my body proved such a thought unnecessary. My thirst had dominated over me so much that the warmth of the live body beneath me crazed me. I lost it.

I curved my fingers and dug into the creature's neck- claws or no claws- and tore apart its throat with my bare hands. With a terrible snarl of triumph I thrust my face into the open gushing wound, burying my face into the blood. I didn't drink, I guzzled. The blood was over too soon, and I stood up and flung away the drained corpse with another snarl of discontent.

Then I saw Edward standing and looking at me, three more corpses at his feet, the blood still oozing out of their wounds. I didn't hesitate. I lunged for the first one, as Edward took a step back, and dug my teeth into the animal's neck. My sharp teeth cut through it like it was nothing but the soft snow around us. In the next thirty seconds, I had drained all three animals, and I stood uncertainly before Edward, wiping my face. I felt full to the point of bloating, but the thirst was only partially gone, I noted with some disappointment.

Edward was grinning at the abashed look on my face as I wiped my face vigorously.

"I know."-he said, somewhat consolingly. "The first time is always rather… spontaneous."

"That's the understatement of the century," I mumbled. He laughed at that- a short melodious bark that echoed around us.

"Still," he chortled, "after my first time I looked much worse than you do."

I glanced down at myself and realised that I was actually covered in deer blood. The thought didn't seem that obnoxious to me because my mind had grasped hold of the fact that I was wearing a black dress- one of the billowing Quaker-style ones I'd worn during my pregnancy. My mind was stuck on this fact because I hadn't worn this dress a lot. I quickly realised that after my fall, someone had, in fact, dressed me.

I tried not to think who.

Edward, of course, saw me staring at the plain front of my dress, and misunderstood my look. Or so I thought. "Don't worry, the blood doesn't show."-he said. I noticed that he was very good at consoling people.

"It's still soaked through."

"Let's go."-he said, nodding.

He walked up to me, and we left the clearing side by side in companionable silence. I was beginning to like this Edward. Not the way I loved Carlisle, definitely not- I felt more… protective towards him. I felt that deep part of my heart which I always reserved for my children(my Edward, my students, and Edmund) stir for this handsome young man.

We walked slowly again, slower than before the hunt. When I broke the silence, it was like we had never stopped talking.

"Why didn't Carlisle come?"-I asked hesitantly.

"He had his reasons." It wasn't a rude answer, but it destroyed all chances of argument. I relented, and gave way to my seething curiosity instead.

"When was your first time?"

"Three years ago."

"How old were you?"

"Seventeen."

"And still are." It was a statement.

"Yes."

So young.

"So… what happened?"-I asked, as delicately as possible.

Edward laughed at my clumsy attempt to not sound curious. "The Spanish 'flu happened."- He said shortly. I merely cocked my head to the side with an inquiring glance.

He condescended into a detailed explanation. "It was in Chicago. My parents had died from the 'flu, and I wasn't too far behind. Carlisle was a doctor in the hospital that night." He paused, his expression softening. "He attended my mother. As she was dying, she pleaded Carlisle to save my life, no matter what the cost. She took his word." He paused, while in my mind I saluted this woman. I could understand her sentiments completely. At the same time, I felt the pity and concern in my heart increase in waves for this boy. He had suffered. "And Carlisle did keep his word. He saved me."- Edward finished. I felt a glowing sense of pride and happiness within me. Carlisle had saved this unfortunate boy's life. He was indeed an angel! My mind happily coursed through various possible scenarios which involved Carlisle saving the boy, though I had to admit to myself that I didn't actually know how.

Edward spoke in answer to my thoughts. "Oh- Carlisle hasn't told you much… You still don't know how one becomes a vampire, do you?"

"No."

"Well, that is simple enough. You become a vampire when another one bites you and injects its venom into your body. That's how Carlisle changed me and you."

"He changed me too?"-I asked, my voice trilling with wonder and delight. Edward nodded, amused. The thought of Carlisle's lips(or teeth- didn't really matter) anywhere near my body was an intensely pleasurable thought.

Edward cut through my thoughts. "That's actually why there aren't too many vampires around. Every time a vampire went as far as biting a human, it was usually too hard to resist the next stage." I nodded, understanding. I wondered at Carlisle's self-control. He was a doctor, his job involved being literally surrounded by blood. How did he do it?

"He is incredible…" Edward said, voicing my thoughts. "I suppose practice helped… but I don't think it's just that. The strength he must have to resist…"

Practice. My mind clutched at the word and I suddenly realised that there was something very, very important I had to know yet.

"How old is Carlisle?"-I asked, voice faltering with my worry.

Edward glanced at me, then came to a stop. I stopped immediately, waiting for his answer.

"Maybe you should ask him yourself," he suggested mildly.

"No. That would be rude. You tell me."- I demanded him.

There was a pause. "He's twenty-three." Oh dear. Three years younger than me. Then my thoughts actually ground to a halt.

"Since when?"- I asked suspiciously.

Edward sighed. "Since two and a half centuries."

The silence after that statement was punctuated only by the sounds of my rapid breathing.

"Oh."- I squeaked after two seconds.

Suddenly, a cloudy, hazy human memory came to the fore in my mind. My mother's gentle decisive voice- "He is twenty-three. Eleanor will be best for him. Our Esme is too young."

Too young! Oh my God!

And then Edward began to laugh. He laughed so loudly and with such abandon that I could hear several forest creatures take flight in haste. It was beautiful. I felt my heart feel warmer, softer with the musical sound.

"You're… amusing," he said, when he stopped, grinning at me.

"That wasn't my intention."- I said icily.

"No, no, you're amusing unintentionally. That's what makes it more hilarious."- He assured me.

"Perhaps if you let me keep my thoughts to myself, and stopped reading my mind, you wouldn't have the bother."- I snapped, then immediately regretted my outburst.

"Ah. So you figured it out."- He said.

"Of course." I said, softening my tone.

He was courteous, a perfect gentleman. "I see. I apologise for the breach of privacy, but I have to warn you beforehand. I can't help reading your mind."

My irritation- the little that was left- melted away. "How come?"- I asked curiously.

He shrugged. "I've been able to read minds ever since I got changed."

"Is that a common trait amongst vampires?"

"Carlisle says no. He told me he knew just one other person with something like my talent. But there are other special talents, and no two talents are completely similar- it depends on each individual psyche."

I was very interested. We had begun to walk again. "How does that work? Does Carlisle have a talent?"- I added excitedly.

The now-familiar amused smile crept up on Edward's face again. "No, he doesn't. But really, you're asking the wrong person. Carlisle is the one with the experience and knowledge." I nodded. Already I was getting used to Carlisle's antiquated age. So he was that old. That denoted mental maturity. He was young enough physically…

Edward cleared his throat loudly. I winced. "Sorry," I said.

He chuckled. "Nothing you haven't thought about already."

I turned to him earnestly. "Please don't tell him anything," I pleaded. "I beg you."

"Oh, no need to beg and all!"-he said hurriedly. "I'll be minding my own business."

"Thank you."- I said fervently.

"My pleasure," he grinned.

We were silent for some more time. I realised suddenly, instinctively, that we weren't going in the direction of the cabin.

"We have plenty of time," Edward explained vaguely, before I could ask.

"Alright," I said slowly. "So what else do I need to know about vampires?"

"Hmm," he hesitated. "Well, you don't have to breathe…"

I stopped short. "Really?"

"Sure. Try."

I held my breath, and realised that he was right. I felt no discomfort at all. That's why the very process of breathing seemed strange to me. It didn't really have any importance with respect to the body's metabolism.

"But we still do breathe."- I pointed out.

"Yes, mostly out of habit. And to be able to smell things. And, of course, to talk."

I nodded to indicate I understood. Yes, we needed breaths to talk. That wasn't biology. It was physics.

"You read."- he said suddenly.

I smiled. "Not much, but enough."

He raised an eyebrow. "H. G. Wells?"

I laughed. "Yes, that and some more." He shrugged.

"What else?"- I prodded him. He knew what I meant.

"We don't sleep." - He said slowly.

I gasped. "Not at all?"

"Not a wink."

I tried to grasp the idea of not sleeping . Never. For an eternity. No dreams, no blessed oblivion. Nothing. A tiny part of me had waited for today to get over so I could sit back and give in to my wonderful fantasies in my dreams. But it never would happen.

"But… won't we get- tired?" I managed to ask.

"No. We just get weaker if we haven't fed, and even that isn't exactly exhaustion."

"I see."

There was an awkward pause. Edward looked embarrassed, as though it was his fault that I'd dream no more. The very idea!

"Well," I said, struggling to alleviate the tension in the air. "Atleast I won't have nightmares anymore."

Edward looked at me warily for a moment, then chuckled, his features smoothening. I had made him feel better. I liked the feeling. The same sort of "I'll be there for you" feeling I always got around my children.

"You know, you will do very well."- he said softly, his familiar crooked amused smile brightening his face.

"Very well for what?"

"You'll see." And he said no more.

His expression told me enough. I didn't have to be a mind reader to know that he meant that I'd do very well for Carlisle. I had won his approval, and I felt like I'd won the biggest prize in the world.