"What does that mean?" I asked confused.
"It means that you have the ability to bend others to your will – with intense concentration. And…" Steven began hesitantly. "That you're not fully a vampire."
As he said that I felt the pain reappear then vanish, along with all my sudden strength. My head pounded. My heart raced. And my breathing grew jagged.
"Bella," Edward said, throwing off Lysander and Adrian and flashing to my side.
"What does that mean?" I demanded again, gripping the front of Edward's shirt to keep from toppling over and glaring at Steven.
"Basically... It's like part of your blood is tainted with venom and the rest of it isn't. At times, you'll be a vampire, but at others, a human." He explained. "It... may or may not turn you into full vampire. If it doesn't..."
"Can we talk about this later?" Edward asked, in tune with my panic. "It's late and Bella needs to get home before Charlie wakes up and finds her missing."
"I don't think you'll have time to get her home, Edward." Alice said darkly. "She's about to-"
I didn't hear what I was about to do because I was already doing it. My back arched as the venom returned to my heart. I screamed and Edward held me tight, trying to keep me upright. When the pain had passed, I was in tears and still human.
"I don't think you should go home tonight, Bella," Esme said quietly. "You wouldn't want to scare Charlie."
I nodded and Edward picked me up to run upstairs to his bedroom. I was asleep before he even made it to the bed.
******
My head and body ached when I woke up. I slid off the bed with my eyes closed and started to cross my room to the bathroom. Edward's hands stopped me.
"You're going to trip over something, love," he murmured.
My eyes snapped open and I finally realized where I was.
"Charlie?" I croaked as Edward gently lifted me back onto the bed.
He shook his head. "Alice and Esme took care of it. They left a note on the kitchen counter saying they had kidnapped you for a end of the school year shopping trip. And that the only reason they hadn't told either of you first was because they knew you would protest and he might let something slip by accident."
"Good," I sighed, pressing my forehead against his cool skin.
He kissed the top of my head. "How do you feel? And be honest."
I hesitated for my lips had already started to form the lie, "Fi- Like someone took a sledge-hammer to my head then ran me over with a semi," I finally confessed.
"I'm so sorry, love," Edward whispered, gently stroking my bare arm. "It should get better. Carlisle gave you something while you slept to stop the venom from spreading. You'll be a n- human," he stopped himself from saying "normal," "for now, but... We can't finish the transformation."
I pulled back to look up at him, frowning. "But wouldn't it make sense to just complete the transformation?"
"We don't know what the mixed venoms would do," he explained. "If mine or Carlise's venom met with Matthew's…it could kill you, as would leaving the venom in you... We have to figure out a way to get the old venom out of you."
I nodded against his chest again then smiled when my stomach growled audibly.
Edward chuckled and pulled away. "Why don't you change clothes then we'll get you something to eat?"
I nodded silently again, and Edward kissed my forehead before handing me some clothes Alice had been trying in vain to get me to wear and leaving the room.
I changed clothes swiftly - designer jeans and a brown blouse with French tags - and Edward came back. He took my hand silently and led me downstairs to where the Cullens and Goldeneyes awaited.
"Morning, Bella," Melody told me cheerfully as she sipped dark red liquid from a plastic water bottle.
I eyed her bottle warily as I returned her greeting and Melody grinned as she offered the nearly empty container to me, "Want some? It's African Elephant blood."
I grimaced, "I think I'll wait until AFTER I'm a FULL vampire to start drinking blood of any kind."
"Are you hungry, Bella? What would you like to eat, dear?" Esme smiled at me.
Obviously everyone was pretending everything was completely normal, but I did notice that Carlisle, Steven, and Marie were missing. I decided to play along with them.
"Just cereal's fine, thank you."
Edward, also seeming to go along with the facade, snorted. "You need more than just sugary cereal, Bella. I've got it, Mom."
He kissed my lips briefly before flashing into the kitchen to rustle up some grub. I frowned worriedly after him, afraid he might go over board, but Alice laughed, "Don't worry, Bella. He's just making an omelet for you. Your body probably needs the protein."
I grimaced as I sat down on the couch. So much for pretending everything was normal.
"He worries about you, a lot." Harriet noted.
Melody shook her head and finished off the rest of her blood bottle, "Dating a vampire. What crazy thing will Bella do next?"
"Marry one." Alice said, matter-of-factly.
I turned bright red and choked on the glass of orange juice Esme had brought me.
Melody studied me, surprised, "Didn't you swear one time that you were never going to get married?"
"What's that?" Edward asked, appearing with a perfectly made omelet.
"In my defense," I muttered to Melody, flushing a deeper shade of crimson, "I was nine years old and still thought every guy had cooties."
"And you still thought zombies were the most dangerous mystical creatures," Lysander laughed. "Now that you've met a few vampires and werewolves, what's the most dangerous mystical creature, in your opinion?"
I could feel everyone's eyes on me so I kept my face serious as I replied, "SpongeBob Square-pants."
Adrian snorted. "What's your reasoning behind that?"
I grinned, "He rots your brain and ruins your eyes."
"Oh no," Melody rolled her eyes, "SpongeBob's a zombie."
"Never said that," I argued.
"Watching you two rib each other is like listening to three year olds argue," Taylon complained.
"Hmm," Melody frowned at me, her face serious. "Three years… We've missed three of your birthdays – plus Christmases!"
I felt my face pale as I finished off my omelet. "So?" I asked nervously.
Harriet grinned, "So, that means we've missed SIX opportunities to spoil you."
I suppressed a groan; I knew what was coming.
"We brought you something," Taylon chuckled, pulling the package out from behind a potted plant and set it down on the floor in front of me.
I recognized the shape immediately, "Oh, no."
Sensing I wouldn't open it myself, Melody untied the bow and opened the guitar case.
My chagrin disappeared when I caught sight of the stained wood.
"No way," I gasped. I slip off the couch to get a closer look. "Is that a Gibson Hummingbird?"
It had to be, it looked exactly like the one I had seen at the mall in Phoenix before I had moved to Forks.
"You like guitars?" Edward asked shocked.
"Yep," Melody answered both of us.
"How come you never mentioned this?" Alice was the one to demand.
I shrugged as I reached hesitantly to touch the smooth wood, "It never came up."
"Esme asked you if you played anything the first time you came over," Alice pointed out.
"No, Esme asked if I played the PIANO," I countered.
"Will you play, Bella?" Melody asked, her eyes alight with expectation.
I pulled back quickly and jumped back on the couch. "No."
Melody's excitement disappeared, replaced by irritation. "Seriously? It's been three years since I've heard you play OR sing."
"You SING too?" Edward asked amazed.
"Yes," I answered them both, "but I haven't played or sung since THAT day."
Melody scowled then smiled, pulling a DVD out of her pocket, "I still have this."
"No!" I gasped, making a grab for it but she danced out of my reach quickly. "You promised you destroyed it!"
"I did; I just didn't mention I had made a copy first. Play the guitar and I won't show everyone this."
"You're evil," I glared, close to tears.
"What is it?" Esme asked curiously.
"A video of Bella playing the guitar for her eighth grade talent show. Melody forced her to enter." Edward answered, picking the answer from Melody's mind.
"I'm not playing the guitar," I growled, burying my face in my hands.
"It can't be that bad, love," Edward murmured, picking me up to slide underneath me.
"Oh, it isn't," Adrian grinned as Melody popped the DVD into the player.
"But I'll probably still get to make fun of her for it." Emmett laughed, waiting impatiently for the DVD to load.
I peeked through my fingers at the TV as I appeared, bearing a guitar. My younger self strummed the first guitar chord and started to sing.
"You and I walk a fragile line
I have known it all this time
But I never thought I'd live to see it break
It's getting dark and it's all too quiet
And I can't tryst anything now
And it's coming over you like it's all a big mistake
Oh, holding my breath
Won't lose you again
Something's made your eyes go cold."
I felt Edward's body tense and freeze up as the song continued. I couldn't read his mind, but I didn't really need to to tell what he was thinking. This was us. At least, us back in September and a little bit now.
"Come on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Something's gone terribly wrong
You're all I wanted.
Come on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figure out
Can't breathe whenever you're gone
Can't turn back now
I'm haunted.
Stood there and watched you walk away
From everything we had
But I still mean every word I say to you
He will try to take away my pain
And he just might make me smile
But the whole time I'm wishing he was you instead
Oh, holding my breath
Won't see you again
Something keeps me holding on to nothing."
I flinched. This song fit me and Edward perfectly. I could see his hands, clasped together in my lap, striving to crush the other, and I wanted to turn and see his face but knew he would stop me at the first sign of movement. He wouldn't want me to see his pain.
"Come on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I though I had you figured out
Something's gone terribly wrong
You're all I wanted
Com on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Cant' breathe whenever you're gone
Can't turn back now
I'm haunted
I know
I know
I just know
You're not gone
You can't be gone
No
Come on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Something's gone terribly wrong
Won't finish what you started
Come on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I though I had you figured out
Can't breathe whenever you're gone
I can't go back
I'm haunted
You and I walk a fragile line
I have known it al this time
Never ever thought I'd see it break
Never thought I'd see it."
The TV screen went black as Alice snatched the DVD out and tossed it to Melody.
"We'd appreciate it if you didn't play that here again," she snapped.
"What?" Melody asked surprised by Alice's enraged expression.
Emmett, who had been expecting a good laugh, turned horrified eyes on me and Edward. "I can't make fun of that."
"Why do you all look like someone just got murdered or something?" Melody demanded. "Bella has an amazing voice.
"Because," Edward's voice was rougher than ever, "that song, fits me and Bella perfectly. I made a mistake last September and left her. That is something I can never repent of, no matter how many times Bella says she had forgiven me."
I finally twisted around in his lap touched Edward's creased brow. "Now you know why I didn't want you to see that… I'm sorry."
He forced his usual crooked smile into place, touching the tear tracks on my face, "No, I should have listened to you. And I never should have left."
I shook my head, "You were just doing what you thought was right."
Edward pulled my lips down to his briefly and our quiet moment was suddenly interrupted by the front door banging open and Carlisle, Steven, and Marie flashing in.
"We've figured it out," Marie announced happily.