The book nailed it.
Everything was clear. Fabulously defined.
The lights were on overhead, and I saw a full rainbow, plus one unnamed color at the very edge of it. I'd have to ask Alice for suggestions on the name for it. I could tell everyone in the room was tense, waiting for my reaction when I took that first breath that would make me a crazed newborn. I couldn't help it.
That first breath, I could smell unbelievable scents. The ones that stuck out was a kind of oceany one, like the beach. From reading the books, I knew that the wolves smelled like wet dog, but…there was none except for downstairs. Confused, I sat up and looked around—the movement was instantaneous, but I was more focused on getting myself unconfused. The only people who were in the room were Carlisle, Seth, Jasper, and Emmett. And I had complete control of my thirst, just like Bella.
"Are Edward and Bella still hunting?" I asked, surprised at how bell-like my voice sounded.
"Yes, they are." Carlisle replied, and again, nobody questioned my knowledge, though I was now having a hard time remembering the details in the book.
"I'm having a hard time remembering what will happen," I said, staring down at my hands in my lap. "Is that normal?"
"It gets harder to remember your human memories as you age as a vampire," Carlisle informed me.
"Oh, yeah!" I said, smiling. "I remember Bella thinking that after…Er, never mind."
"Um, Bella thinking that?" Carlisle asked me.
"I know everything from Bella's point of view," I muttered, sort of embarrassed. "From the time she came to Forks. Well, actually just a few hours before she arrived, but you know what I mean."
"That's…kind of stalkerish," Seth muttered.
I laughed, and it sounded like Santa's sleigh bells. Almost. Well, not literally, but I can relate it to them. "Hey, I couldn't help it! I'm from an alternate universe, remember?"
"You are?" Emmett asked a little intrigued now.
"Yes," I said, completely serious.
"Erin, aren't you…thirsty?" Carlisle asked me.
As soon as he said that, I felt a searing, burning pain in my throat that was the only thing I could think about.
"Yes," I said, putting my hand up to my throat. "I need to hunt."
I got up off the bed and flitted over to Seth.
Oh, God! She's gonna kill me! I thought heard Seth scream.
I scoffed, totally forgetting my thirst. "I'm not gonna kill you, Seth."
"I-I didn't say anything," Seth stuttered, freaked out a little. Did she just read my mind?
"Of course I didn't," I said, but I'd seen he hadn't moved his lips. "Seth, come on, you're freaking me out. Of course I didn't read your mind!"
"Erin, babe, why would I lie to you?" Seth took my hand in his surprisingly warm one.
Hmm, another mind reader like Edward? That was Carlisle. I'm wondering… "Erin, think any sort of insult towards me."
"Why?"
"Please, just do it."
I sighed. "Fine." Carlisle, I've always admired your doctorly skills and all, but you are the worst stalker on earth! You were a doctor in Chicago first, and then stalked Edward, and made him a vampire! Then you move on to I don't know where, and stalk your future wife, Esme! And then—
"All right, Erin, that's enough," Carlisle grunted, holding his hands up to his temple. "I think we'll test your power more after you've hunted."
"Ha, ha," I laughed as Emmett, Jasper, and I jumped out the window. "I gave him a headache."
In the middle of hunting, I'd already had two elk, and a mountain lion. That's when I smelt something so delicious, so breathtaking, that I instantly knew I wanted that kill. I sped off in that direction.
"No, Erin!" I heard Jasper yell, but it was too late. I was aware of something following me, but it wasn't a vampire. I could also tell to other vampires were following me, but all line of thought had left my brain. I kept running, but then I felt a furry mass throw itself on me, growling.
I growled, and snapped my teeth at it, vaguely realizing it was Seth in his wolf form. That jarred me to my senses enough before Emmett and Jasper got there. I froze like a statue while they pulled me off Seth, breathing heavily unnecessarily, not fighting back.
"Seth, I'm so sorry!" I sobbed at the sandy colored wolf.
It's all right, Erin. You weren't in your right mind, I heard from him. I also heard an Oh, brother! in the background. Probably Leah.
I'm gonna phase back, hold on a sec. The wolf went into the trees, and a few minutes later, Seth came out in his human form fully dressed.
"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have run at those humans in the first place," I sobbed, still thinking it was my fault. "Are you ok?"
"Of course I'm ok, Erin." Seth scoffed. "You didn't even scratch me."
"Yeah, but I could have." I was seriously lucky I couldn't hiccup.
Emmett and Jasper were still holding my arms in vice grips. Jasper asked, "Erin, how did you stop?"
"I was afraid of hurting Seth." I shrugged; realizing that this was a similar situation Bella and Edward would be or have been in. "I need to get away from here." I tore myself from my friend's grips and ran at full speed towards the Cullen home.
Once I came in view of the house, I stopped. Unfortunately, I stopped in the middle of the river, and I was going really fast. The whole window-wall got sprayed with a tidal wave.
I squeaked, knowing they could hear me. "Sorry."
I guessed I'd had to be dried off with a towel, and not some supernatural way. Seth in his wolf form, Jasper, and Emmett finally caught up with me. Seth swam across, while Jasper jumped over it, and Emmett just trudged right on through, spraying the window with more water.
"What are you staying in the water for?" Emmett grinned.
I shrugged, stepping out. "I dunno." I smelled Bella and Edward's scents, and saw them standing not too far off standing with Jacob. "Oh. Great."
They followed my gaze, and saw them too.
"Seth, go find Leah," I told him.
As you wish, your majesty, he thought to me before running off. Again, I thought I heard an Oh, brother! in the background, but it was too faint to confirm it was real. Again, it was probably Leah.
I ran into the house, found a towel, and quickly dried myself off. Then I headed downstairs.
Emmett and Jasper were now inside, though Edward, Bella, and Jake were still outside.
I joined the family in the living room, waiting for them to come in. I noticed Rosalie was holding Renessmee.
"Can I…?" I asked, walking up to her.
She smiled, and handing the baby to me.
"Hi, remember me?" I said to her.
She held her hand up to my cheek, and showed me her only image of her. Me holding her in the dining room before Jacob had imprinted on her.
"Yeah, that's me," I said, smiling. Then Jacob came sprinting through the door. He took a protective stance in front of me, with a slightly panicked look in his eyes that I was holding his imprint, but let it by.
Renessmee leaned out of my arms a little bit, trying to see around Jacob. I knew who she wanted.
"I was out just two days?" Bella gasped, disbelieving the size of her daughter.
Renessmee reached in Bella's direction, and then touched her hand to my neck. It was the image of Bella again, all battered and bruised and bloodied. "Yes, that's her." I told her.
Renessmee's eyes remained locked onto her mother's, and smiled at her.
Bella took a hesitant step forward, and everyone moved fast. Emmett and Jasper were in front of Bella, shoulder to shoulder, tense and ready to stop her. Edward gripped her from behind tightly.
"Oh, give her some credit," Alice chided them. "She wasn't going to do anything. You'd want a closer look, too."
"Alice is right," I spoke up. "Renessmee smells good to her, but in a nonhuman way. It'll be fine."
Jacob didn't believe me; I could sense it in his thoughts.
"I'm okay," Bella promised, patting Edward's hand on her arm. She hesitated then added. "Keep close, just in case."
"Bella, you aren't going to hurt her," I said, grinning. "Trust me."
And Jacob still didn't believe me.
"Jazz, Em, let us through. Bella's got this," Edward said to his brothers.
"Edward, the risk—" Jasper said.
"Minimal. Listen, Jasper—on the hunt she caught the scent of some hikers who were in the wrong place at the wrong time…"
I heard Carlisle suck in a shocked breath. "Edward!" Carlisle chastened. "How could you be so irresponsible?"
"I know, Carlisle, I know. I was just plain and stupid. I should have taken the time to make sure we were in a safe zone before I set her loose."
"Edward," Bella mumbled, embarrassed by the way they stared at her.
"He's absolutely right to rebuke me, Bella," Edward said with a grin. "I made a huge mistake. The fact that you are stronger than anyone I've ever known doesn't change that."
Alice rolled her eyes. "Tasteful joke, Edward."
"I wasn't making a joke. I was explaining to Jasper why I know Bella can handle this. It's not my fault everyone jumped to conclusions."
In the books, Jasper seems surprised, but this time, his eyes were only wide with shock.
"She didn't hunt the humans?" Carlisle asked instead.
"She started to," Edward said, clearly enjoying himself. Bella's teeth ground together. "She was entirely focused on the hunt."
"What happened?" Carlisle asked, and I cut into the conversation.
"Long story short, she smelled the humans, and ran at them. Then when she sensed Edward running after her and she stopped and growled at him. She said, and I quote 'I have to get away from here.' And then she held her breath and ran away."
Bella was the only one who questioned my knowledge. "How did you know that?"
I tapped my right temple, still holding onto the baby. "I know things, remember?"
"Is this true, Edward?" Carlisle asked.
"Every word."
"Actually," I started. "Something similar happened on my hunt earlier." I told them the story of when I'd smelled the humans. I also guessed that they might have been the same hikers Bella had smelled.
"Whoa," Emmett murmured. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, every word." I said, grinning again. The upcoming situation might be easier to avoid than I thought it would be.