Chapter 9

BPOV

I returned to the house after destroying a few boulders to get rid of my frustration. It was deep enough in the woods that it wouldn't attract any untoward attention. And I made sure to crumble it up thoroughly so even if a few humans did happen across it, they wouldn't suspect anything.

I trudged into the house kicking off my muddy boots at the back door, to avoid tracking the mud all through Esme's pristine house. How it was kept this clean with so many young boisterous vampires running around I didn't know. As I grabbed my shoes to head upstairs, Alice suddenly appeared in front of me with a big smile on her face.
I was taken aback for a moment.

'hi?' I said, making it sound more like a question when she didn't say anything after a moment of smiling at me.

'You owe me some one on one time.' she stated with a little pout, making her look like a young girl.

I frowned and blinked at her in surprise. She really was something else.

'Okay?' I finally muttered, again making it sound more like question.

She yelped gleefully and hooked her arm through mine as she headed for the stairs, effectively dragging me along behind her. She pulled us into her room and immediately sat me down at her vanity.

'Can I do your hair to start with?' She asked with a big smile on her face. 'It's gorgeous like this, but I think a braided updo would look amazing as well.'

'Ah… sure?'

'And then when we're done we can do make up and then outfits!' She clapped her hands together excitedly and then took the shoes from my hands, and turned me to face the mirror.

She started combing my hair and for a moment I closed my eyes. I'd forgotten how nice it felt when someone else does brushes your hair. I used to do it for Jane when she was still human and I'd visit her when she was growing up. She always relaxed against me and often fell asleep during. I had treasured those moments, they'd brought us closer together. And for a moment I was transported back to those times. I smiled, lost in the precious memories until I realized Alice was talking to me.

'I really love your hair, it's so long and such a beautiful colour.'

'Thank you. I like yours too.' I smiled at her in the mirror. Her hair was short and spiky and suited her personality.

But she shrugged. 'I was put in a mental hospital when I was human, they probably cut it there. Sometimes I wish it would be longer.'

'I'm sorry.' I frowned. I hadn't expected that. Why would she have been put in a mental hospital? Could she perhaps have had her gift of precognition when she was human? That was very rare and meant that the gift was immensely powerful.

'It's fine, don't worry. I do love my spiky short hair, I just get a little envious sometimes.'

'Can I ask why you were in a mental hospital?' I ventured carefully. If ever there was an opportunity to learn about her gift, it was now.

'I'm not entirely sure. I don't remember my human life at all. But my best guess is it's because I was already seeing the future as a human.'

'You don't remember anything at all?'

She shook her head. 'It's all black. I woke up in the hospital basement in a patient gown as a vampire. that's my first memory.' She gave me a small smile, but there were a lot of questions in her eyes and a lot of pain she was hiding.

'Do you remember which mental hospital it was?'

'it was just outside of Biloxi, Mississippi. It's no longer there. I tried to look for it when I met joined this family. But no luck.'

'I'm sorry.'

She just shrugged. 'I'm just glad I had my gift. I don't know what would have happened otherwise. I woke up alone, with no memories and no one to help me.'

I frowned at that. Had she been abandoned by her maker? Or had she been attacked by someone and had they not finished the job properly? Hospitals, mental and regular and prisons before proper registration had been like a free for all for many vampires. Death occurred so often in those places that no one batted an eye at a new corpse. They didn't investigate the cause because they usually had not funds to do so. Though I wasn't sure how old Alice was, if she was born after 1900, that scenario seemed unlikely. Her background was odd though and I made a mental note to see if I could discover something.

'How did you not go feral?' I asked intrigued how she managed on her own.

'The moment I woke up I had a vision. I saw Jasper, and the Cullens and a happy future with a loving family living the vegetarian lifestyle. So I clung to that vision and it helped me survive the new born years. Plus every time I made a decision that would result in harming someone, I would have a vision so I'd know to avoid doing whatever I'd decided that trigger that vision.'

'Your visions are triggered by decisions?' I asked curiously.

She nodded. 'Most of them are. Some aren't. I'm not exactly sure how it works. I can see the weather for a few days ahead, and no one decides to make it sunny.' She grinned at me. 'But with vampires and humans… it seems that decisions trigger certain outcomes and I can see those outcomes. But I have had this gift long enough to know the future isn't set in stone and although I can try to change the outcome, sometimes fate has decided something and nothing I do will change it. I've learned to respect fate in that manner.'

I stared at her for a moment. 'I think that's smart. Fate is not something we can change. Some things are just meant to be.'

She nodded, and then a sly smile spread across her face. 'Like you and my brother.'

I gaped at her. 'What?'

She put down the brush and started braiding a section of my hair, her eyes focussed on her hands. 'The day you arrived I had a vision. It gave me a headache, probably courtesy of your shield, and I didn't really understand it at first.'

'What did you see?'

'In my vision Edward was surrounded by the Volturi.'

I gasped. Had she already seen Aro's move? Was he really coming for the Cullens? Or had she already seen we were mates and was that secret bound to come out to be used against me? Was that why she'd only seen Edward being surrounded by the Volturi?

'He was surrounded, but there was this blurry shape next to him. And then suddenly the blurry shape was wrapped around him quite intimately.' She gave me a knowing look.

I just stared back at her. 'What happened next?'

She shrugged. 'It became a big blank, and then it was just Edward and the blurry shape. No Volturi in sight.'

So it would be a good outcome? Or was my shield messing too much with her visions that she simply could not see what would happen? Or was only the fact that there was to be a confrontation set in stone? And the outcome still undecided?

This was frustrating. And yet another reason to not give in to this mate bond. And yet… my heart hurt at the mere thought of leaving now and never coming back. I had a feeling Edward wouldn't just let me go either. Even if I were to vanish I had a feeling he would scour the ends of the earth in search of me.

'That must drive both you and Edward mad.' I noted, putting a lid on my inner turmoil. And also effectively turning the conversation away from the subject of Edward and I, although I had the feeling that was the prime reason she had instigated this one on one time in the first place.

She shrugged. 'We're both pretty used to the future being subjective. Ever since I joined the family Edward has been coming along for the ride for most of my visions, with his mindreading ability. He knows that sometimes the future is vague and misty and still half shrouded in possibility. Other times it's crystal clear, but nothing is definite. It's something we've both come to accept.'

'Why did you two leave together after you had the vision?'

'Oh that. We didn't want to alarm anyone. When I have these kinds of vague visions I usually talk them over with Edward because he can see what I see. And we discuss what it might mean. And if we need to take action to protect our family. But it seems like there will be a good outcome, so no need to get anyone upset.'

'But you don't know what will happen with the Volturi.' I frowned. 'How do you know it will be a good outcome?'

'It felt that way.'

I frowned. 'You feel your visions?'

she nodded. 'I don't know how to explain it exactly, but it's like I become part of the moment I'm seeing. I experience it. I experience the emotions and feelings that are tied to it.'

'I've never heard of something like that before.'

'Me neither, but then again I've never met another vampire who could see the future. I've met a few humans who claimed they could, but they turned out to be frauds.'

'I have.' I admitted, then bit my lip.

I was getting way too comfortable with this family. The vampire in question had lived four thousand years ago and was a right pain in my ass. He'd been trying to change the future to make himself an immortal god in the eyes of humans and live among them showered in riches and adoration. I did not agree with what he was doing but his fucking gift kept him out of my grasp for a full century before I finally caught him and brought him to justice. I couldn't exactly explain that.

'What were they like?' Alice asked, curiosity alight in her eyes as her hands stilled in my hair and she looked at me eagerly.

I bit my lip. How was I going to talk myself out of this?

'Is that true?' the door opened suddenly and Jasper came inside. 'Have you met other vampires with the ability to see the future?'

I nodded once. 'A long time ago.'

'how did their gifts work, do you know?'

I pursed my lips. 'I'm not sure exactly. But one could influence the future and change it.'

Alice frowned. 'Like change fate? Or change something small? I can change something small and insignificant.'

I shook my head. 'He could change and influence everything to reach his most favourable or desired outcome.'

'That sounds dangerous.' Jasper muttered.

'It was.' I agreed.

Then I cursed myself again. I really needed to stop talking now. Why was I so comfortable around these vampires? Was it because of the mate bond I felt with Edward? It didn't seem likely. The mate bond only meant I was destined to care for Edward, not his family. Then was it just because these vampires were simply so kind and welcoming, that no one could resist their charm and you simply wanted to spill all your secrets to them? It felt like the latter.

'What happened to him?'

'He was dealt with.' I muttered.

'How?' Jasper asked. 'I mean if he could change the future, how would he ever let himself be killed?'

'Every gift has a weakness.' I muttered. 'With precognition it's usually that the future is subject to change. If you take advantage of those possibilities you can catch someone by surprise. You just need to know how to play into them.'

'my visions have holes?' Alice asked surprised. Jasper also looked surprised.

'you didn't know?' I asked, equally surprised but then by their reactions. How did she not know the full use of her gift? Limitations were one of the most important things to discover of any gift. You had to know your weaknesses or else they would be used against you.

'How do you know about this?' Jasper asked. 'Is that why Alice can't see you? because you know how to get around her gift?'

I sighed. 'Look, I've been around a long time. I just know things from experience. The other precognition gifts I've seen have all had this weakness. It stands to reason that Alice's gift is similar.'

'Wait.. there were more?' Alice asked shocked.

Shit I really needed to stop talking now. I was just digging myself deeper and deeper it seemed.

'I mean… I've heard of others.' I tried to save myself.

The door opened yet again, this time with more force. 'Jasper.' Edward's voice was cold and low, and to my surprise dangerous.

Jasper turned to the door, clearly not impressed. 'It's suspicious, Edward.'

I glanced between the men. Ah, it seemed Jasper had been thinking some not so nice thoughts about me. It was probably obvious to Jasper by now that I was clearly hiding some pretty big things. Revealing I knew weaknesses of pretty much all their gifts, but especially Alice's which they clearly relied pretty heavily on, must be a cause of concern to him. especially because I haven't been forthcoming about my life to them.

'It doesn't matter.' Edward growled.

Jasper stood up then. 'It does if she's bringing danger to our doorstep.'

I sighed. 'I guess our one on one time is over.' I muttered to Alice.

Alice looked slightly chagrined by what was going on. 'it seems so. Jasper, Edward. Calm down.'

'We need to discuss this.'

'There's nothing to discuss.' Edward all but growled at Jasper.

'I beg to differ.'

'I know you're usually right, Jasper' Alice said, stepping in between the two men. 'but this time you have to trust Edward. Let him make the decision this time.'

I had a feeling I was missing a part of the conversation.

'Give me some time.' Edward said, his voice tense. Apparently there was a silent reply, because Edward nodded.

Then he turned to me, his face softened but I could see the tension in his shoulders.

'Bella, can we have that talk now?'

I bit my lip and nodded. The missing piece of the conversation was suddenly apparent. Edward had asked his family for time to discover my secrets. It made sense that he was the one that wanted to discover them. They all had probably heard about the mate bond. It also made sense why Edward would be the one to make the decisions, not jasper.

I gave myself one last look in the mirror, Alice had done an amazing job. My hair was braided into a beautiful intricate crown.

'Thank you Alice, my hair looks beautiful.' I told her honestly. I gave her a quick hug. She returned it with a squeeze.

Then I trudged out the door, past jasper and Edward who were still having a staring competition. Why did it feel like I was heading to my doom?