Chapter Warnings:

mentions of:
blood, very brief mentions of addiction (only in reference to), violence, abduction, forced fighting

shock, rising anxious feelings

The Cullens

With the back of her hand, Sascha wiped some leftover blood from her chin. „My name's Sascha, by the way."

„It's nice finally meeting you."

„Hm." Sascha nodded to the now still deer to her feet. „This is definitely better than eating humans." This was the first time she actually did not feel uncomfortable. The craving had been sated. She took a mental note of that. Bear, two rabbits, and a deer.

Surprise washed over Alice's face. Again this reaction. Why was that?

A smile replaced her confused look quickly. „Curious you would think that."

„I know Edward said he had questions that needed answering." Sascha rose to her feet slowly and brushed her hands off on her trousers. „But honestly, so do I."

Alice nodded, soft understanding emanating from her. „I can imagine. Do you think you're fine to go meet the others?"

„Others?"

„My family."

„Will they attack me again?"

Alice chuckled. „I will see to it they won't."

With that they ran through the forest once more. For a while Sascha felt like they only ran deeper and deeper into the forest. Until a big house, with windows stretching along the outer walls generously, came into view. They slowed down.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, Sascha grew self conscious. She looked down at herself. Her clothes, though dry by then, were still covered in dirt and dried blood. A hand reached up to her tousled, light brown hair.

Sascha felt a hand on her shoulder. Alice's. „Don't worry. We'll get you cleaned up as soon as possible."

„I would do anything for a shower."

The front door opened. Edward. „Answering all we need to know will suffice."

Sascha fought off the urge to roll her eyes, and took a step toward the house, Alice's hand still on her shoulder. Somehow, it gave her a sense of comfort.

Edward stepped in her way. „Not so fast."

„I thought you wanted answers?"

„There's a human in the house. We need to make sure first that you won't be a danger to her."

Sascha admitted that made sense from their point of view. Considering how the others had lost themselves over every and any sign of human blood… horrid.

She noticed Edward narrowing his eyes for a second. Was that confusion on his face again? Maybe he really did need answers. A lot of them.

Then, he opened the door wider. A beautiful woman, with hair like gold stepped out, flanking Edward. Suddenly the hand on Sascha's shoulder didn't feel like a comfort anymore, rather like a steadying grip. And then appeared another person - the human, Sascha assumed.

She looked a little timid, stayed a little further in the house. Just close enough for Sascha to see her. She had been able to smell her the moment they closed in on the house, only then was the moment when Sascha consciously noticed. She recognised the smell from the house Riley had been in.

The human didn't meet her eyes, it seemed like her stare was trained on the back of Edward's form instead.

A few beats of silence, almost awkward silence, followed.

Sascha raised her shoulders a little, her hands clasped in front of her for comfort. „Now what?"

„You'll be fine being in a room with her?", Edward asked.

„Why wouldn't I be?"

The grip on her shoulder loosened again. „I think it's all going to be fine, Edward. I told you on the phone I saw all turning out okay."

Sascha turned to look at Alice with raised eyebrows. Saw it?

The third woman clicked impatiently, her arms crossed in front of her. „Alright then. Let's bring even more danger into this." With that she turned and stepped back into the house.

Inside, a group of three was waiting, including the absolute beauty from outside. The others were a man with blond hair and a brunette woman. All of them were sporting golden eyes. How interesting. She figured then, that Edward's and Alice's eye colour must be the same, just different shades.

„Why are your eyes golden?", Sascha blurted out as they entered the room. There was a fire going in the fireplace.

The man who she didn't know yet turned to her, hands clasped in front of himself in a non-threatening manner. „Hello. My name's Carlisle", he gestured to the woman next to him, „and this is my wife, Esme."

The woman in question raised a hand in a soft greeting, mouthing „hello" to Sascha as well.

He continued. „And these are Rosalie", the blonde had taken a place near the fireplace, „Edward and Alice who you've met already. And Isabella."

Alice and Isabella had sat down on a two-seat sofa next to where Carlisle and Esme had been sitting. Edward took a stand in front of the glass wall. As though to block Sascha's way. She released a short breath through her nose. As if she'd jump through the windows.

„I'm Sascha." She looked around hesitantly. „Miller."

Esme nodded kindly. „Nice to meet you."

Sascha could feel the stares on her. They felt suffocating. So she broke the silence. „Look, I don't know what's going on, okay?" She turned to Edward. „Like I told you, I don't know anything. We weren't told anything. I only know a name and that's it."

Carlisle raised his head a little at that. „What's that name?"

„Riley. Nothing else. No last name nothing. I don't even really know his face."

„It's true. I don't see it in her thoughts."

Sascha glanced at Edward once more.

Carlisle turned his attention to him too. „Edward, did you recognise his scent?"

„No, nobody we know. A stranger."

„A nomad passing through?", Esme suggested.

Rosalie shook her head, her eyes seemingly looking into nothing. „A passerby wouldn't have left Bella's father alive."

In that moment, the two other guys Sascha recognised from their little brawl, Jasper and the Giant, entered the room.

„Scent disappeared about five miles south of Bella's house." Jasper's eyes, black like Edward's, found Sascha's. Carefully calculating her every move. Though there was something else there too. Curiosity?

„These are Jasper, and Emmett", Carlisle introduced them on their behalf. Emmett stepped past Sascha, almost a snarl of distrust on his face, as he stood close to Rosalie.

Sascha felt like the reality of the situation was starting to overwhelm her again. Too many new people, too much half-information. She wrung her hands desperately.

It was clear Sascha was becoming frantic again. Alice raised her hands a little in a manner to soothe her. „It's alright. You're fine here."

Oh, how much Sascha wanted to believe that.

„How about you tell us what happened to you in the first place? How did you turn into - into one of our kind?"

Sascha's eyes found Alice's. „Your kind?"

Carlisle nodded. „That's right?"

Sascha's brow furred slightly, pain written on her face as she recalled the months that had passed. „It was a little more than half a year ago. 8-9 months maybe? I was on my way back home. In Seattle. I was living there at the time. It was dark out. I knew I shouldn't have taken a shortcut, but I did it anyway. I got attacked out of nowhere. Knocked out immediately. I don't remember much, just pain. Like fire. When I finally came to, I was in some abandoned… factory site I think? Some ruins. I woke up as this", once more she gestured down to herself, „There were others there, but only a few. Around five others at that time. But more were brought to the place each week. By this guy, Riley. He also brought humans to feed on. I never did if I could help myself."

Carlisle's nod of understanding didn't go unnoticed by her.

„He made us fight each other, for training he said. But never told us why, or what for. Sometimes he would leave, of course he also didn't tell us where to. So this time, I followed him out. Sneaked out of that place and followed him here." Sascha raised her head to look at the others, who were listening intently to her story. „That's all there is, really."

Edward narrowed his eyes in concentration. „How many were you when you left?"

„Maybe about 30? Give or take a few considering my bad guessing."

A tense silence passed for a moment, everyone letting the information sink.

Carlisle was the first to voice his thoughts. „Someone's orchestrating this."

„Victoria?", Bella asked. Sascha noticed how anxious the human was. She felt for her. Whatever got them all, especially including a human, tangled up in this must be serious.

Alice shook her head quickly. „I would've seen her decide."

Again with the seeing, Sascha thought. What was going on?

Edward's face was hard with tension too. „It has to be the Volturi."

„I don't think it's the Volturi, either. I've been watching Aro's decisions, too."

Sascha blinked in confusion and hugged her arms even closer to herself. „The Volturi?" Her voice was barely louder than a breath.

Emmett joined in for the first time, back straightening as he did so. „So we keep looking."

„We'll also take shifts guarding Bella at her house." Carlisle's soft attitude had an almost calming effect on Sascha. She had to admit that she liked how he didn't lose focus of the situation at hand.

Sascha heard Rosalie take a breath. „Another protection detail?"

Carlisle seemed like he wanted the blonde to calm herself, but got interrupted by Isabella.

„No, she's right. You can't protect me, watch my dad, and search for the intruder."

Rosalie's eyes were hard as stone. „And for Victoria."

„And keep yourselves fed", added Isabella once more.

Sascha lost focus of the following few sentences. This was getting too much for her. But just before she could slip further into her anxious thoughts, she felt yet again an unnatural calm engulfing her. Like back in the woods, when Edward had ordered-

Her head turned to look at Jasper, who she realised was already looking intently at her. His eyes unreadable then.

„What are you doing?"

This interrupted the discussion going on between the others, attention back to her.

Sascha frowned at Jasper, confusion slowly turning into frustration. She had her own questions that she desperately needed answers to. And she wasn't getting any.

„You didn't ask anything yet."

She scoffed in Edward's direction. „Because you gave me so many chances to ask questions, is it?"

Alice rose from her seat next to Isabella. „How about I help you get cleaned up first? We can all calm down a little, and then we'll talk?"

Sascha glared in Edward's direction one more time before nodding. „Seems like a plan."

Esme closed the distance between them and softly grabbed Sascha's arm in a comforting manner. „We'll be waiting here."

With that, Sascha let herself be pulled up the stairs into one of the many rooms. It had a bathroom connected to it.

Alice sped around for a few seconds and came to a stop in front of her, arms full with fresh soft looking towels and a bathrobe. „Come on, you can use anything you want in there. Take your time. I'll give you some privacy. I'll be right here, if you need anything."

Sascha reached to take the towels from her, careful to not dirty them with her clothes, and gave her a small, yet grateful smile. „Thank you."

Inside the bathroom, door closed behind her, she let out a long breath she knew she didn't need. A huge mirror covered the wall above the marble sink. Sascha hesitated before stepping in front of it. She hadn't seen her own reflection in months, and after spending all that time in a dirty ruin she feared just what might be looking back at her.

Slowly, almost timidly, she stepped forward. It felt like being hit in the stomach with a wrecking ball. She immediately felt sick. More sick than she ever had been. More so when she realised not a single body function was reacting accordingly. No cold sweat, no shivers, no ability to throw up the non-existent bile that rose up inside of her.

Sascha dropped the towels into the sink and gripped the edge of the stone counter, holding on for dear life. Accidentally crushing it between her fingers. She gasped in shock as she leaned forward to inspect herself further.

Her own eyes glared back at her. A bright, orange red colour. Her hair matted and knotted. Once light brown, now unrecognisable. Her skin was smeared with earth after rolling around in the forest with the others. Her clothes torn - a long sleeved shirt only sporting one sleeve at this point, jeans with holes along her knees, almost in shreds at the ankles.

„What the fuck", she hissed with clenched teeth.

This is what Riley did to her? Turned her into this wild thing, which she still didn't know exactly what to call. Of course something had dawned on her after a few months, but she didn't dare believe it to be true.

What disgusted her the most was the fact that, despite her state, she still looked inhumanly good underneath all that dirt. She had noticed the same in the others at that place, and then, at this house, ten times more. They were all mesmerising. Otherworldly looking.

She couldn't keep looking at her own reflection. She tore herself away from the mirror and tore her clothes off herself. Literally. There wasn't anything left to salvage anyway. She spotted the light, scar-like lines along her limbs. She had lost a whole arm once, only her lower arm the other time. Deciding not to fight only ever really worked if the other decided the same.

She finally stepped under the shower and turned it on. She almost felt like crying, if she could, that is, when the warm, almost hot water hit her skin. She let herself soak for a good while. Not caring how much water she was wasting. She definitely had saved a lot of water not showering for a good few months.

Ew.

It took the longest to detangle her hair. Almost 6-7 rounds of conditioner worth of knots inhabited her scalp. She noticed though that no hair was falling out at all. Weird once more.

She was relieved to notice that once she stepped out of the shower again, she wasn't feeling good, but at least she didn't feel like she was still on the brink of insanity.

The towels Alice had given her felt like clouds in comparison to anything she had felt in the past time. Almost like she used to before, she snuggled herself into the bathrobes and pulled it tightly around herself and the collar all the way up to her cheeks. She winced when she almost ripped the rope as she tied the knot.

She quickly brushed her strands out with her fingers, glad that the mirror was completely fogged up, and then made to leave the bathroom again.

Like promised, Alice was still there. Though, part of Sascha believed this was mainly to make sure that she didn't just bolt. Alice was sitting in a comfortable looking armchair by a window, reading in a magazine.

Alice raised her head when she heard the door open. A smile on her lips. „How are you feeling?"

„A little better."

„I'm glad. I understand it will take some time to adjust. But I promise, it'll get better."

Sascha nodded slowly, then suddenly felt quite ashamed. „I uh… I accidentally broke the sink counter. I'm sorry."

Alice only giggled in a carefree nature. „Oh, that's alright. It happens." She got to her feet and gestured toward her bed. „Here, I picked out some clothes which I guess should fit you. You are quite tall so I had to improvise, I hope you don't mind."

Sascha looked over and spotted a simple dark grey shirt with long sleeves, and a pair of sweatpants.

Alice clicked her tongue, mostly at herself it seemed, as she eyed the clothes in distaste. „I'll make sure to get you something with style the next chance I get."

A real, genuine giggle escaped Sascha at that. Surprising herself, and bringing a glowing smile to Alice's lips. „It's fine, really. You're very kind to even give me this."

„Okay, get dressed. I'll take care of your stuff in the bathroom", she made to leave toward the bathroom, but hesitated for a second, turning to look over her shoulder. „Please don't leave, okay? We can help you."

Sascha gave her a short smile. Even if not - „I wouldn't even know where to go."

That seemed to be enough for Alice as she nodded in satisfaction. Sascha grabbed the clothes and got dressed quickly. Trying not to tear anything by accident. The clothes were a little loose around her limbs, but at least they fit.

She heard Alice's voice behind her. „Let's go."

Together, they returned back to the living room. Everyone was still there, except for Isabella and Edward.

Esme rose from her seat next to Carlisle and gestured toward the sofa in front of them. „Come on, have a seat." She sounded so much like a mother. It warmed Sascha.

Sascha nodded, shooting her a soft smile, and sat. Alice took a seat next to her.

„I apologise we just pushed you into such an overwhelming situation", Carlisle started. „That wasn't very fair of us."

„You can probably tell this is quite", Esme paused, looking for the right word, „stressful for us too."

Sascha shook her head quickly. „No, sure, I understand. Actually you were still more than civil compared to that other place."

Emmett chuckled suddenly. „That's a relief."

Carlisle leaned forward slightly. „Whatever questions you have, we will try to answer them to the best of our ability."

„What are we?"

Alice seemed like she was trying to smile, but it rather looked like a grimace of pained sympathy. „Haven't you guessed already?"

Sascha inhaled deeply. „Surely that can't be true… Those are not real."

„Oh you can believe it", Jasper's southern drawl came from her right. „It's real."

„So… vampires then?" The people around her nodded only. „Well, that explodes all myths and stories." Sascha rubbed her face, brain already feeling exhausted as she tried to accept this thought. This reality.

„We are turned by the bite of another vampire", Carlisle explained, „When we bite to drink from a human, we can also inject them with our venom, which then turns them."

Sascha nodded slowly. „And it basically turns off any body function?"

Carlisle moved his hands in a vague manner. „More or less. We still crave what is then considered our food, of course, blood. But yes, other than that, that's a quite fitting summary as far as it goes."

„What else?"

„Immortality." Rosalie's voice sounded pained almost. Sascha looked at her in shock. „You become frozen in the time and age that you were turned."

Esme tilted her head a little. „Which for you is…?"

„22…"

Alice let out a surprised sound. „Oh you look a little younger."

Sascha sighed, a half smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. „That I know." She touched her cheek gingerly. „Never quite lost the baby face."

That actually got a few of them to chuckle softly at her. Sascha pondered what she should ask next, when her gaze turned to Jasper.

„What was that what you did earlier", and then turned to look at Alice, „and what you mentioned about seeing things?"

Alice nodded. „When we are turned, some of us develop a gift of sorts. I have visions of the future, Jasper here is an empath. He can feel and manipulate other people's emotions."

Sascha's straight posture slummed a little at that, astonishment written all over her face. „Are you serious?"

„Edward is a telepath", Carlisle continued. „Which is why he and Bella are not here right now. We figured it'd be best to give your thoughts some privacy."

„Something gives me a feeling that wasn't his idea", Sascha mused under her breath.

Emmett barked out another laugh. „Looks like we got ourselves our own little mindreader."

Sascha loosened up a little and smirked at him. „Just observant."

„Though I do think you have your own gift as well, don't you?", Jasper pointed out, sharing a look with Emmett, whose eyes lit up at the memory. „Back in the forest?"

„Is that what that was?", Sascha crossed her legs underneath herself. „To be honest that was one of the few times it even happened. I always just thought it had something to do with the speed that… vampires could move at."

Rosalie tilted her head. „Care to fill us in?"

Sascha shrugged helplessly. „I- I don't actually know how to explain it."

Emmett's brow furrowed. „It looked like you were teleporting."

„But not quite either", Jasper said.

„It only happened to me twice before", Sascha started. „When I was still back there, and he would make us fight. It's like I was… switching places with someone."

That made Emmett nod. „You switched places with me, and then with Edward."

„Interesting", Carlisle said. „Have you ever tried to do it on purpose?"

Sascha pursed her lips and shook her head, no. „I didn't even realise at the time that it was something I could do."

Alice laid a hand on her shoulder. „That's alright. Gifts can develop over time. You can practise it."

Sascha nodded, as another thought crossed her mind. „Edward mentioned something before. Something about the Vo-", she cut herself off, trying to piece the sound together again, „uh.. it sounded Italian?"

„The Volturi", Carlisle helped her out. For some reason, a distant pain was swimming in his voice. „They are what is considered our highest court and lawmakers when it comes to the vampire world."

Esme laid a hand on Carlisle's arm, as though to support him. „They are a coven in Italy. We came in contact with them recently due to an issue. You see, there are some rules that we must abide by, in order to keep our existence a secret. They make sure it stays that way."

„In not too kind ways", Emmett added with a scoff.

„And what about this Victoria character? Isabella mentioned their name, right?"

„We don't know for sure. It's a long story", Alice answered. „For context, we had a run in with some nomads, travelling vampires, about a year ago. One of them wanted to kill Bella, so we had to kill him. His partner, Victoria, now seeks revenge. She has been in the area, we've been trying to catch her."

„Which is why Edward is on such a high alert", Carlisle said, voice low. „Bella has scraped death one too many times."

Sascha nodded. „I understand that he would be protective. Who wouldn't be."

„I appreciate your sympathy."

Sascha gave Carlisle a smile. „Don't mention it."

Emmett raised his hand, kind of dork like, but Sascha found it endearing. „I have a question."

„Ask away."

„How is it that you, a newborn, were completely fine with a human in the same room?"

Sascha breathed out a laugh at the question, thinking it a joke and turned to look at the others. When she noticed nobody was laughing, but seemingly waiting for an answer just as curiously as Emmett, her face turned serious again. „Wait, that's a serious question?"

Emmett raised his hands as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. „Well, yeah."

„Well, I-", Sascha leaned back a little, her head tilting in confusion. She felt stumped by the question. „Why wouldn't I be fine?"

„Don't misunderstand", Carlisle said quickly, „It's just that, usually, newborns, freshly turned vampires, are their most uncontrollable in their first few months. Especially if there's no one there helping re-learn that control. It is quite, let me say, rare to find a newborn so calm."

„Well, I just find it illogical."

All of them looked at her in utter bafflement. If the situation weren't so serious, Sascha would've felt like laughing again.

She wrung her hands, trying to come up with an explanation. She found she could only give her reasonings as to why she chose to consume as little human blood as possible. „A while after I turned, I noticed that no lack of food or water really affected me. I figured that whatever I had become had made me immune to lack of nutritions. I knew I didn't want to kill anyone either, so I didn't."

„You… logic-ed your way out of bloodlust?", Emmett attempted to summarise.

Sascha squinted her eyes a little. „Bloodlust is the burning feeling in the throat?" She got a confirming nod in response. „Then yes, I guess?"

„Interesting", Carlisle muttered, a smile on his lips.

„Is it really that uncommon?"

Jasper scoffed. „What were the others like at that place you were kept?" Sascha thought to see a ghost of a smirk on his lips then.

She pondered for a second, a grimace pulling at her features rather quickly.

„There's your answer."

„Wait, so what about you guys then? And how come you all have golden eyes if we're the same kind?"

„We live a different lifestyle than those feeding off of humans", Alice explained softly. „You got a glimpse of it when I took you hunting today. We learned to control our thirst. And we feed off of animals instead. So instead of red, our eyes turn golden. Yours will too, if you choose to adapt this lifestyle."

Sascha nodded, smiling appreciatively thinking about that concept. „Still killing… but I reckon a little bit of speciesism should be allowed to us at this point."

„Do you have any other questions, dear?", Esme asked.

„Not at the moment, I guess. I'm sure I'll have more once everything's… sunk in more."

Carlisle made a sound of understanding. „Of course. With the current situation, I think it'd be best if you stayed with us. We can help you, and I also think you could help us with whatever is going on here. If you want, that is."

Esme nodded at that. „You are free to choose."

„Usually I wouldn't want to impose, but since I really feel like I'd be in a dead-end otherwise, I'll gladly accept your offer. Thank you. All of you." She made sure to glance at everyone quickly.

„Might've had a rough start, but I think you'll fit right in", Emmett said with a smirk.

„Oh jolly."

„If you are to stay here, though", Carlisle started and Sascha turned her attention back to him, „there's an important thing you need to know about."

Sascha nodded, patiently waiting for them to continue.

Carlisle clasped his hands together. „We are not the only species which you might've considered of the… supernatural kind before. Here in Forks, there's also another group - a tribe of shapeshifters. They can change into wolves, were-wolves, at will."

Carlisle paused intentionally, waiting for Sascha's reaction. Her eyebrows only shot up at that, then she leaned back on the sofa. „Sure, why not?", her voice turned to barely a mutter then, „Apparently I didn't know anything about the world anyway."

„We have been here before, many years ago, and negotiated a peace treaty between our coven and their tribe."

„I assume usually you're not exactly the best friends among the supernatural?"

„More like arch-enemies", offered Alice. Sascha could see the attempt of a smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Carlisle nodded. „Unfortunately. But we were able to come to an agreement, we stay off their land, and they off our territory. We assured to never feed on or turn any human. As long as we uphold this, the treaty stands. If you choose to stay here, you need to abide by the same rules."

„Of course. That seems easy enough."

„Jasper, Emmett, will you show her the treaty line?", Carlisle asked the others. „Don't go alone if you're so close to the border."

A scoff came from Rosalie. „Not after what just happened with those mutts."

Jasper gave a curt nod, almost soldier-like in his entire posture.

„Do you mind me asking a personal question?", Alice asked after a few moments.

„Depends on the question." Sascha gave her a reassuring smile though, and nodded once.

„There must be people looking for you still, right? You said you were attacked one night and kidnapped."

Sascha's face dropped suddenly as that thought was brought back to her, her eyes snapped downward to look at the carpet.

„I'm sorry, I didn't-"

„-It's alright. I just… didn't think about it myself for a moment." Sascha took a deep breath she knew she didn't need. Something burned at the back of her eyes. „It's just… my dad is probably sick with worry. Or mourning, who even knows. I don't know what happened after I disappeared. God, and my friends…"

„We can help you figure that out if you wish", Carlisle offered.

Sascha looked up at him. „Yes, please."

„Do you have any other relatives?", asked Esme carefully.

„I'm sure my grandparents would've also noticed by now. They live in Europe still, so we don't manage to talk that often, but at least every other month."

Rosalie tilted her head as though she had picked up on something. „Are you from Europe, originally?"

Sascha turned to look at the blonde. „Yeah, I'm from Germany. I started doing some work and travel after I graduated from school, my father joined me after a while."

„I was wondering where the accent came from", Emmett said. „Some things you say like a proper brit though."

„My English teacher back in school was from London, maybe that's why."

Another few moments of silence passed. Sascha felt like question time was over - it seemed like more than enough at this point really. Apparently, Carlisle had the same thought as he rose from the sofa.

„Very well then. I suggest you scope out the treaty line now. Sascha, I will do some research for your case. Would you tell me your date of birth?"

„Sure", Sascha got up as well, „October 11th, 1983. Oh, and my name is spelled with an s-c-h."

Suddenly she felt a big hand slap down on her shoulder. Her head snapped around in shock, staring wide eyed at Emmett.

„Come on, Sherlock."

Sascha snorted. „Sherlock?"

Emmett pushed to escort her outside, Jasper following with a smirk.

„Yeah. Holmes? Logic and all that. Wasn't Sherlock a big dude on logic."

„Sherlock Holmes was also severely addicted to several different substances."

Sascha barked out a laugh at Emmett's confused face and clapped a hand on his shoulder instead. „It's quite alright, big guy."

Again, I'd be happy if you left some thoughts or opinions in the comments~

Posted: 20.01.23
Last edit: 20.01.23