Back when she was a human, Mina was never happier when she was outdoors and that had not changed since she had become a vampire.
Mina felt a real sense of easiness wash over her as she stood by the edge of the Calawah River. Even though Mina had given up her nomadic lifestyle decades ago, she still wasn't completely comfortable being surrounded by humans all day. Being around them was difficult, her senses seemed to go into extreme overdrive and the temptation was all too much.
But being out here? Away from all the constant gazes from the humans and out in the open surrounded by nature and completely by herself was one of the few times that Mina truly comfortable. There was no need for her to put on an act, try and pretend like she was just like the rest of them when it was clear that Mina was different. She was different by most standards without being a vampire.
Here she was free. Mina didn't have to worry about her thoughts being constantly invaded by Edward or Alice keeping tabs on each and every variation of her choices that would influence of her future. They meant well, of course but it always meant that Mina severely lacked any real privacy. Except here. Being outside and in the comfort of nature, her former guardian always managed to ease the heavy ache that Mina carried in her heart.
It had been three days since Mina had retreated to her greenhouse. Located a mile or so away from the Cullen family home, but very close to the Calawah river. The greenhouse was a gift from Esme, when they arrived in Forks and Mina adored it. Her love of nature meant that she had always enjoyed greenery and she had taken up botany as a passing hobby which had quickly evolved over the decades. The glass greenhouse, built in the style of Victorian architecture was wild and overgrown with many plants which made it Mina's safe place.
But right now? Mina had taken a break from her plants and left the large confines of her greenhouse to get some fresh air.
Mina wasn't quite ready to go home yet and for the most part her family respected that. They had kept their distance, but Mina could sense them loitering around close by, only Emmett had been bold enough to actually approach her.
They didn't talk about anything, he just sat and watched Mina work on her plants for a few hours. It was kind of nice. That was the thing that Mina loved most about Emmett, he did not make a big deal about anything. It wasn't worth it, as he often said. A perk of being immortal. Why waste time worrying about anything?
Mina couldn't relate to that. She was still embarrassed over what happened and needed time before she could go home and face her family, she knew there would be no real openly displayed judgement. Yet, it didn't change how she felt. For now, all she needed to do was focus on herself, make sure she fed enough and be prepared for when Emmett inevitably decided to drop by again.
The wind feels rough today.
That much Mina knew as she could feel her skin being prickled by the blustery late afternoon breeze. The air was heavy and the wind wasn't dancing around her like it normally did, tugging at the ends of her long hair.
It was coarse and every time a strong breeze passed, it was like it was cutting through her.
Something wasn't quite right, that much she could sense.
The weather was shifting, that much Mina could sense and it wasn't because of her own influence. The wind was calling out, something wasn't quite right and it was why Mina was here by the Calawah River in the first place. It was easier for her to think and clear her mind by the water. Although no longer a witch and her soul no longer bound to the earth as a servant of mother nature, her ability to control the weather as a vampire enabled her to have some connection to nature once again. If there was anything that Mina missed about being human it was that bond she had with nature.
A prickle in the air alerted Mina to a presence in the distance, she wasn't alone as she had previously thought, at least anymore. She could hear something approaching, someone was coming.
No, it was more than one. They were a far distance from her yet but that wouldn't remain the case for long. There wasn't much Mina could hear in the distance, whoever was coming was moving too fast for her to properly make it out. It was like they were running so fast that their feet weren't even touching the ground. There was the occasional sound of twigs being snapped. But the more Mina focused, drowning out the sound of the Calawah River in the background, the easier it was for her to focus on their movements, the sound of their breathing.
An easy smile made it's way to Mina's face.
A visit from mom and dad.
"Little Hellion."
Mina couldn't help but smirk as her parents greeted her. To the rest of her family, she was either Mina or Hellion, occasionally Wilhelmina – that was mostly Esme. But there was only one person in the family who called her Little Hellion and that was Carlisle. It was something that he come up with very early on, from when Mina joined them. Years of solitude had taken its toll on her, so integrating with people, even fellow vampires, had been hard.
"Mom, dad." Mina greeted, a genuine smile on her face for the first time in days.
Mina was long past the need for parents before she had even become a vampire, but there was something innately parental about the love and affection that Esme and Carlisle had showered her with from the time they had come into her life. It had been very easy Mina to look at them in a parental manner and refer to them as such. Even after all this time, Esme still beamed with pride when Mina called them mom and dad . Sometimes it was hard for Mina to believe at times that the couple that she deemed her parents in every sense of the word, were barely older than her.
Carlisle had been 23 when he had become a vampire, making him only seven years older than Mina in the physical sense. But in reality he was 365 years old, a little over a century older than Mina. Carlisle was the one responsible for this weird makeshift family of theirs and without a doubt, the greatest man she had ever met. Since the day that Mina had met him, her adoptive father had shown her nothing but kindness and his compassion for all was unparalleled. Carlisle always encouraged her strange and new hobbies. Everything was always so easy with him, he never pushed anything or had some kind of agenda.
Then there was Esme, dear sweet Esme who Mina adored more than anything in this world living or dead. Her adoptive mother may have be the physically the eldest of them all, when she had become a vampire but Mina was over double her age. Yet, it had no bearing on their relationship. If Mina could choose a mother in any lifetime, then it would always be Esme. The woman who loved with every fibre of her being, and always knew what the right thing to say. Strong and steady. Always her biggest supporter.
The notion of romantic relationships was something that held no interest to Mina, at least not any more. She had no need for that kind of companionship, not when she had her family. But if there was a couple who could ever change her mind, then it would be her parents. As closed off as Mina tried to make herself to those kind of relationships, there was something rather enviable about the love that Carlisle and Esme shared.
"How are you feeling?" Carlisle began, his words were cautious but as always, coated with kindness.
That was an interesting question.
After she had fled from school, Mina had come home and had sought sanctuary at her greenhouse, the only thing she had made sure to do was to leave a note explaining why she wouldn't be home for a few days.
It was hard for Mina to put her darker thoughts and feelings into words and so she had put them down on to paper. Explaining where she was going and her desire to be left alone. There had been no calls. Mina wasn't much into technology for the most part and only had a cellphone because it made communicating more convenient. She was by no means stuck in the dark ages, but just preferred the old ways when it come to most things. It was one of the things that she had learned over the course of her time as a vampire, she had witnessed the world grow and evolve in front of her very eyes, and her hindsight allowed to know that sometimes, not all change was for the best.
"Better, my head feels a lot clearer." Mina admitted.
"That's wonderful to hear." Esme replied with a bright smile, her warmth and affection was seemingly contagious and for Mina, it brought a small sense of relief and made her feel more at ease.
"Are you ready to come home?"
Mina knew that her parents hadn't come here to pressure her into returning home, Carlisle and Esme weren't like that. Their concern was about her, Mina was certain of that. It was a trivial concern about the town talking about one of the Cullen kids being off from school, this was not something that would put them at risk of being discovered. They would never pressure her, but Mina knew that if her absence was to continue to progress then eventually the questions would start and she couldn't have that. Her family were happy here, they were settled and for the most part they lived as best a normal life as they could. Mina did not want to be the one who disturbed that as they were already living on borrowed time, they would have to move on from Forks eventually and start the whole cycle again.
"I guess so… I just…" Mina began, her words trailing off as the wind swept past her again. Her words were lost, her mind had wondered off to another place completely and she felt out of it until a warm hand on her shoulder brought her back from where she had gone.
"You have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing happened." Carlisle assured, giving Mina's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
No matter how many times Mina had messed up, her parents never looked at her any different. It made her want to cry when she looked at Carlisle and Esme, and saw their unwavering support with those golden eyes of theirs which were always filled with love. It made Mina wonder what on earth she had done to deserve such wonderful people in her life.
"I know. I know." Mina mutterred, more to herself than her parents. There was nothing for her to be ashamed of, that much she knew. The temptation had been great that day, and perhaps she should have fed more in the days prior. But no one had been hurt, it was just a few dark thoughts that had crossed her mind over the course of a few minutes.
But that was not what was bothering her now.
If Mina was being honest, truly honest with herself then she would have to admit that she felt lost. There was this feeling of uneasiness that was blooming within her and Mina didn't know where it had come from. It wasn't like this was the first town that Mina and her family had integrated themselves into. Perhaps she was still trying to fit in. Or she was still stuck on things from the past. It has been a long time since Mina had felt this way.
Not since Juneau.
"Wilhelmina, what is it? There is something bothering you, I can see it…"
A wry smile came from Mina, they said parents knew their children the best and that stood true with Esme. Although not related by blood, and not having raised her from birth, the matriarch of the Cullen family knew the youngest member as best as anyone could. Despite the precautions that Mina took to keep herself at an arm's distance at times. Mina looked away from her parents and turned her direction to the sun that was beginning to set. All around were spirits, Mina knew that well enough. There were spirits in the earth, in the water and in the sky.
"Something is coming, I can feel it in my bones... It's why the wind and water are noisy today, they're restless because an unknown presence is on it's way to Forks."
"When?"
Mina couldn't help but shake her head.
"I can't tell you that Carlisle, Alice is the one who can see the future. I can only tell you what I'm hearing. Something is coming. I don't know when but something is coming."