I can't believe it has been so long! I have struggled with this chapter for months. It didn't want to come out right at all. I think I finally got it down. Don't be afraid to tell me how I did!

I could tell from the way the car was slowing even more that we must be getting close to where the Denali family lived, and suddenly I felt apprehensive. "So, before we get there, maybe you could tell me about these cousins. I like to know what I'm getting into." That was an understatement. I hated surprises. I vaguely recalled my mother complaining that I was a control-freak. She always thought I needed to learn to loosen up, but who can relax when they have no idea what's going to happen next?

Edward contemplated his answer for a moment. "Well, there are five of them, although originally there were just three sisters. Their names are Tanya, Irina, and Katrina—call her Kate, though. Only her sisters use her full name. They were all originally from areas that eventually became Russia, created by the same vampire more than a millennia ago." He paused, obviously searching for words. "The sisters heard rumors about Carlisle and, like you, decided to try living off of animal blood on their own. Their reasons were a little bit less altruistic, though. Carlisle believes that they are the origin of the succubus myth, and they wanted to spare the human males they became enamored with."

I stared at him in wide-eyed fascination. Was he serious? "Really? Some of your cousins are literally succubi?" The thought was both embarrassing and intimidating in the extreme. Still, I was intrigued.

Edward cleared his throat and stared straight ahead. "Um, yes. Even if they didn't start the tales, they contributed greatly to their spread. Thankfully they never got out of control, or the Volturi would have gotten rid of them before they ever decided to change their ways. They're very nice, when they aren't trying to get you in bed."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Did any of them ever try to…I mean, it's not any of my business, but…"

He shook his head. "No, it's okay. Each of them did offer, but I always declined. What they offered was just sex, no romantic connection of any sort, and I've never been interested in that. I suppose you could say that I'm a man of my time. The idea is repugnant to me. Thankfully two of them accepted no right away. The third, Tanya, has been less than gracious about my refusal of her offer. She usually renews it whenever we visit."

"And that makes you uncomfortable."

"Very much. She is not often physically aggressive, but mentally she spends the hours and days undressing me and showing me all the things she wants to do to me. It's degrading."

He sounded so stiff and proper, and any other time I would have had trouble holding back laughter at his tone. At the moment, though, all I could think about was how I wanted to rip Tanya's eyes right out of the socket so that she wouldn't be able to look at him anymore. The thought of the mind rape she exposed him to every single time they met was disgusting to me. I was brought up to believe that "no means no", and who was saying it or why didn't matter. It should be respected.

Even though Edward couldn't read my mind, he seemed to understand that I was upset. He changed the direction of our conversation, which was a relief. "Anyway, Eleazar's situation is close to yours. He was a member of the Volturi for several centuries before he met his mate, Carmen. She was a newborn vampire and very unhappy with the necessity of killing humans. She came to the Volturi to beg them to kill her, but she was denied. Eleazar fell in love with her almost instantly and managed to persuade Aro to allow him to leave. He promised Carmen he would help her learn to hunt animals, which he learned of from Carlisle. They met Tanya and her sisters a few years later, and Carmen grew very attached to them. They all agreed to try living together in order to have a support system, and they've been a family ever since."

He fell silent, which allowed me to process this second revelation. I was not the first to willingly leave Volterra. This was a shock since everyone there seemed content and even proud to be part of the Guard. Could finding a mate be enough to change that? Especially one who wasn't happy with a "traditional" vampiric life? I wasn't very familiar with the details of the whole mating process. All I knew was that it was similar to the human concept of falling in love, just much more permanent. Could it be strong enough to overcome centuries of lusting for human blood? The idea was fascinating and a little frightening. How much changing would occur for the sake of a mate? Would you lose who you were and become someone unrecognizable?

More importantly, if I let the feelings that were growing in me for Edward blossom into love, would I change? I barely knew who I was yet. There was still so much I needed to discover about myself. Would discovering it with someone by my side change the outcome? Would I ever be able to tell?

I pulled away from those disturbing thoughts and realized that I needed something to distract me from diving right back in. Edward was glancing over at me, trying to gage my reactions to everything he had told me. I wanted to put him at ease. Jumping back into the conversation was the only choice I had.

"So Eleazar was one of the Volturi Guard? I'll have to ask him what his favorite spot in the castle was." I congratulated myself on the light tone I managed. It wasn't much of a joke, but it did earn me a crooked grin, the one I was becoming addicted to. "Really, they all sound interesting. I look forward to meeting them."

His smile grew. "Good, because we're almost there."

I clutched Edward's hand as the car began to ascend a path snaking around what he informed me was a foothill of Mt. McKinley, just on the edge of Denali National Park. It was the kind of track a human would be unlikely to notice and even less likely to attempt even if they did. It amazed me that the sporty car we were in could handle the turns at the speed we were going without flying off the side of the mountain. Edward spoke of the car so lovingly, though, that I was sure he wouldn't risk it by driving beyond his capabilities.

He seemed to notice my death grip. "Getting nervous?" he teased, squeezing my fingers in return.

I lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "It's so weird. With everyone else I've met, I could reassure myself that I might not see them again for decades, centuries—or ever. And I didn't have much of a chance to worry about meeting the rest of your family when you, Alice, and Jasper dragged me back with you—"

"Our family," he interrupted me to scold.

I smiled. "Yes, our family. But now I've had days to process meeting your—our cousins, and it sounds like there are visits back and forth on a regular basis. I just hope they'll like me," I confessed in barely a whisper.

He shook his head. "You don't see yourself clearly, do you? You're kind, compassionate, funny. They'll love you. How could they not?"

I sincerely wished for the relief of blushing at this point. I never knew what to do with compliments, and the fact that they were from him just made it worse. Still, he was just trying to be kind. I couldn't find it in me to brush off his words the way I would have anyone else.

"Thanks," I murmured, playing with the hem of my wool coat.

We were quiet when Edward pulled around a final bend and stopped in front of the most magical scene I'd ever set eyes on—previously a distinction reserved for the Cullen house in Forks. A sprawling single-story log "cabin" nestled among the snow-coated trees. The driveway, packed down with snow, curved around the house to a barely visible multi-car garage, also made of logs. Like the Cullen home, the walls of the first floor consisted mostly of glass, allowing maximum light to flood in. This was the opposite of Volterra and thus incredibly reassuring.

As the car stopped, two vampires pushed open the white French door and stepped out onto the covered wrap around porch. Both were dark haired, the male barely taller than the female, and both had the golden eyes of animal drinkers. They held hands and waited at the top of the shallow steps leading down into the yard while Edward and I got out of the car.

Edward met me on the passenger side of the car. He gave me a reassuring smile and placed his hand on the small of my back to urge me forward. That pleasant electric tingle shot up my back, and my awareness zeroed in on every single millimeter where our bodies connected, the slight brush of his leg against mine as we stepped towards the unfamiliar vampires. I reveled in his touch even as I turned my attention ahead.

The male vampire on the porch stepped down into the snow as we joined them and smiled. "Hello, Edward. It's good to see you again. And this must be Bella." His deep voice hinted at Spanish ancestry, along with the dark hair that curled slightly along his forehead and the nape of his neck and the olive undertone to the pallor of his skin. The woman behind him was darker still, her straight hair black and her skin almost an identical shade. He continued, "Carlisle called to inform us that his family gained a new member and that you two were on your way up here. I am Eleazar, and this is my mate, Carmen. We look forward to getting to know you." His smile was warm, and his grip when I took the hand he offered was firm but not challenging.

To my surprise, Carmen enveloped me in a warm embrace as her mate drew me nearer. When she pulled away, her golden eyes captured mine in an intense gaze. "We are so happy you have joined the Cullens, my dear." Her gaze flicked to Edward and then back to me so quickly that I almost believed I imagined it.

Edward cleared his throat. "Where are Tanya, Kate, and Irina?"

He probably heard the answer as soon as they thought it, but Eleazar's shrug was accompanied by a verbal response, for my sake I supposed. "They've been out hunting for a few days now. They left shortly before Carlisle's call, so they should be back soon.

Three days for a hunt? My own hunts usually lasted less than an hour! Was that normal for groups of vegetarians? I hadn't thought to ask Edward. Maybe it was. Then again, a small voice in the back of my mind wondered if they were hunting for food or pleasure, given what I'd heard about them so far. I pushed that thought away, appalled at myself. What did I care about the possible sex lives of women I didn't even know? Even if one of them was a pushy, over-sexed bitch, they didn't deserve unfounded suspicion.

Carmen wrapped her arm around mine and led me to the door, consequently pulling me away from Edward. I felt the loss deep inside but tried to ignore it. "Why don't I show you to your room while Eleazar and Edward bring in your luggage? I have prepared a room for you, a place to have a little privacy when we get to be too much. I know how overwhelming meeting large groups of people can be sometimes," she told me, her soft voice a melody.

I allowed her to guide me along, amused at the take-charge manner she now exuded. I wouldn't have suspected it from her based on first, impressions, but it was nice. She was obviously doing her best to make me feel welcome, reminding me of Esme in that way.

The interior of the house was a surprise. The walls of the public room were a warm cream, but every few feet a mural in dramatic bold colors graced the surface. There were abstract designs, landscapes, and portraits, each somehow harmonizing with the others while remaining unique. The reds, blues, greens, oranges, and yellows of the murals were drawn down to the accent pillows and sometimes upholstery of small groups of couches and chairs scattered around the largest section of the open space. The atmosphere was vibrant and positive, with an appeal I could acknowledge even though I probably wouldn't choose this sort of decoration for myself. It was perfect for a house surrounded by so much white, though.

"This is so beautiful, Carmen. An oasis in the Alaskan wilderness," I murmured to her as we passed through.

Her smile widened. "Thank you. It is all my design and my own artwork. The others indulge me so."

I shook my head. "I doubt it's that. Who wouldn't be happy with this surrounding them?"

We made our way to the west side of the large room, and Carmen led me down a wide hall. The decor was more understated here but still lovely.

"The Cullens stay in this wing when they are visiting. They have their own home fifty miles west, but sometimes they will come for weeks at a time, especially at Christmas. The room at the end of this hall and to the left is yours, right across from Edward's." She opened a door and waved me in. "It used to serve as a library of sorts for Carlisle, but I moved all of the medical texts into his and Esme's room. I hope you don't mind that I left the rest for now. I thought you might like to keep some, if you enjoy reading. If not, we could remove the shelves and decorate however you wish."

I stared in wonder at the sight before me. If I could have designed my dream space, this would have been it. Directly across from the door, a large bay window filtered in the afternoon sunlight, highlighting the wide window seat piled high with violet and midnight blue cushions. The window was flanked on either side by floor to ceiling bookshelves in a dark wood that popped against the cream walls. A desk in matching wood sat to the left of the door, and on the other side stood an armoire instead of the traditional closet. Both pieces looked at least a century old. A dark blue and purple rug covered part of the variegated hardwood floor. As Carmen promised, there were still books on the shelves, and I recognized many favorites, bound in leather with sparkling gilded letters proclaiming their titles. I knew I wasn't letting any of these go any time soon.

"This is fantastic," I breathed, allowing the window to draw me across the room.

"I'm thrilled that you like it." The pleasure in her voice was unmistakable. She was the type who enjoyed making others happy.

"I love it. You couldn't have offered me a more perfect room."

Movement outside the window caught my eye. Three blond vampires ran into view. They were gorgeous, as we all are, although they couldn't compare to Rosalie, easily the most beautiful female I'd ever met. The one in the lead, a strawberry blond, looked back at the other two and then sped up to disappear around the side of the house.

"It looks like the girls are back. You should meet them," Carmen offered, gesturing towards the open door and the hall beyond.

I followed her back down the hall after I carefully shut the door to my new sanctuary. Happy laughter and conversation floated to us as we hurried outside. The first thing I saw when I stepped onto the porch was the lead vampire, a sly smile on her full lips as she stood pressed close to Edward, her hand wrapped around his upper arm. I froze even as I took in his grimace, the way he leaned his body away from hers and tried to put my large blue suitcase between the two of them.

I recalled what he told me and realized that her thoughts must have gone immediately from welcoming to indecent. That incensed me for reasons I couldn't quite explain to myself. A growl built in my throat, and I fought it back with every ounce of training I had—barely. Instead, I moved quickly to Edward's side and slipped my hand into his, grateful that Eleazar held my duffle as well as Edward's suitcase where he stood by the door.

"Edward, is this Tanya, Kate, or Irina? You never bothered with descriptions when you mentioned them," I chided him sweetly, offering the other woman a bright smile.

Her eyes, a dark gold that indicated whatever she'd been hunting recently most likely wasn't blood, narrowed as she look at me, and I saw her fingers tighten on his arm. Blond hair curled around her heart-shaped face in ridiculously perfect ringlets, and her sleeveless green dress hugged generous curves, revealing so much skin it made me doubt the necessity of dressing in warm clothes while around humans in Alaska. Still, Edward turned towards me, effectively shutting the succubus out of his personal space despite her death grip on him.

"I'm sorry, Bella. This is Tanya." His voice matched his eyes, a strange mixture of regret and desperation that I wanted to erase any way I could. "And over there are her sisters, Kate and Irina." He gestured to the other two women standing off to the side, using the arm Tanya held as if he didn't even realize she was still touching him. Their wide eyes and raised eyebrows would have made me want to laugh under other circumstances. But Tanya was still latched on, despite his best efforts to ignore her.

"It's wonderful to meet you all." I focused most of my smile on the other two, who might have given in to their desires with other men but who Edward hadn't mentioned in his complaints about harassment.

"Bella is the newest member of the Cullen family," Edward explained, taking a small sideways step towards me—and away from Tanya.

"Oh? How interesting." Tanya's icy voice made a lie of her next words. "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you. I'm just so happy and relieved to meet other 'vegetarians'. After hearing about Carlisle in Volterra and being told that he was the only one, meeting the whole Cullen family was just amazing. I'm so happy they invited me to join them," I said as my gaze caught and mingled with that of the man next to me.

His eyes sparkled as he grinned back. "I'm glad you feel that way," he told me, and it seemed as if he sincerely forgot about the vampires surrounding us. The look in his eyes transported me into a world where just the two of us existed.

Of course, we were rudely interrupted by a high, too-sweet voice asking, "So, how did you meet the Cullens, Bella?"

I pulled myself away from Edward's magnetic presence enough to look around him to Tanya, who still hadn't let go of his arm. "Actually, I was looking for them." I enjoyed the shock that spread over her face, mirrored in the expressions of her family. "But that's a long story. Why don't we go inside and get comfortable first?"

Tanya raised her eyebrows at me, but her fingers finally released Edward's arm when he moved forward. He kept my hand in his, however, as we filed inside. Our connection was only broken once he and Eleazar moved into the Cullens' wing to deposit the bags in our rooms. I selected a seat on one of the overstuffed pale sofas, and then Edward was beside me. He sank into the spot to my right before any of the others had a chance to pick their own seats. Tanya glared at us and flounced to the opposite couch, where she was flanked by her two sisters. Carmen sat in the chair closest to me, while Eleazar hovered behind her, his arms crossed.

I decided to begin my story the same way I had with the Cullens. "Two years ago I was visiting Jacksonville, Florida with my mom and stepdad when I was attacked by a vampire. He was the sadistic type who liked to play with his food. Unfortunately for him, he was also a messy eater and had attracted the notice of the Volturi. They caught and killed him mid-meal, and then they turned their attention to me. One of them wanted to play with me before they killed me, and when her power didn't work on me at all they decided to allow my change to continue."

Eleazar leaned forward. "Do you mean that the Volturi left you to changein the middle of a city on your own?" His eyes revealed his shock and disbelief, and I could hardly blame him. The idea was ludicrous, but so was what had actually happened.

"Of course not. They took me back to Aro, threatening to kill my parents if I made on sound during the trip. At the time I had no way of knowing that they couldn't immediately find my parents the second I let a sound slip out, so I made myself stay quiet through the pain as we flew back to Volterra. I remember bits and pieces after that, mostly threats to stay quiet and Aro gloating over my 'possibilities'. I woke up alone in a room I later learned was more than a mile underneath the fortress."

"A newborn in Volterra?" Eleazar interrupted again.

I shrugged, a little uncomfortable with his scrutiny, and Edward took my hand for a reassuring squeeze. "Aro had high hopes for what he called my 'shield', although I didn't learn that until I was mid-way through my newborn year. He wanted to see if I would be able to shield others from mental gifts. Unfortunately I never developed that knack, and he was getting very frustrated when my mentor, Renata, encouraged him to allow me to progress at my own pace. By the end of my first year, though, I still couldn't do what he wanted me to. Renata convinced him, and Caius and Marcus, to give me an actual choice about being in the Guard once the dangers of my newborn year passed. After all," and I couldn't stop the ironic twist of my lips, "no vampires are forced into the Volturi Guard. It's an honor—one that I declined as soon as I was given a choice."

My gaze dropped to my lap. "I hated it. The killing when I was first made, the 'feasts' later after I joined them in the main castle. I'm not a murderer! My parents…if they ever found out what I did to survive it would kill them. My dad is a cop, for pete's sake! Renata knew, and when I was leaving she told me about Carlisle Cullen's visit centuries ago and his strange diet. I decided to find him, hoping he could help me." I wasn't sure how to tell them the rest; the year of searching, meeting the Cullens, being accepted into their family.

"That's some story," Tanya commented. I could hear the doubt in her voice and lifted my eyes to hers, allowing the rage building inside me to pin her across the short distance. I was about to defend myself when Eleazar spoke up again.

"I believe her. Humans with abilities have been sought out by the Volturi before and deliberately turned, although it has been centuries. That is how they acquired Jane and Alec. It makes perfect sense that Aro would be interested in such a strong talent in one already changing. I assume that Jane was the one who tried and failed to use her power against you."

As I nodded, Tanya's doubtful voice lifted again. "It just seems so strange that they let her go so easily."

I stiffened, and Edward's hand tightened on mine again even as Eleazar turned a look of rebuke on his family member. His gentle reply held a hint of steel and also sounded like a continuation of an old argument. "The Volturi will not hold a vampire in service against their will if they have not committed a crime. Once Bella's newborn year was over and she was able to prove herself capable of control, she deserved the same right to choose that we all have."

I actually wanted to protest his confidence in Aro's altruistic nature, since he was arguing in my favor I kept my mouth shut. I still firmly believed Aro was just looking for an excuse to bring me back. The memory of the look in his eyes when I refused his offer to join the Guard permanently chilled me and caused me to freeze momentarily in fear. I calmed myself with assurances that I would never put myself in a position where he could force me to bend to his will.

Tanya seemed as doubtful of Aro as I was, but she kept her own silence on the issue after that. Instead she turned a sickly sweet smile on me. "So you finally found Carlisle and his family. How long have you been with them?"

I answered with some caution since I was unsure of her endgame. "Just a few days. I actually met Edward, Alice, and Jasper first."

"Really? Your eyes turned gold very quickly." It felt like she was trying to catch me out in a lie for some reason.

"Bella has been feeding from animals since she left the Volturi. She is as dedicated to this life as any of us," Edward jumped in to defend me. He was practically growling at Tanya, which obviously shocked her. I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking to cause him to react so protectively.

"The animal diet is such a relief, although the taste is less than appealing. I don't want to hurt any more people than I already have."

The whole room grew quiet. After all, who among us could argue with that? Carmen broke the silence by asking about the rest of the family. Edward took some of the attention off of me by regaling his—our—cousins with stories of our brothers and sisters, and even one about Esme that I never would have expected about a furniture delivery man trying to ask her out. It made me laugh along with the rest, but my still heart ached with the knowledge that I hadn't seen it firsthand.