Shifting Moon Ch 18

(Thomas POV)

Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crüe was cut off halfway through as Edythe pulled up next to Edward's Volvo and shut the engine off. My nerves were all over the place and I suddenly missed the comfort of the familiar music. It's true that I like listening to classic and slow music to calm down. But for pure entertainment, it was definitely the 70s and 80s music. I was happy it seemed Edythe shared my taste.

I was very interested to see what else we had in common, but right now it was the nerves of officially meeting the family that had me occupied. I took a deep breath and let it out before finally reaching for the door handle. When I finally opened the door and got out, I noticed that Edythe was there waiting for me.

"I thought for a minute I would have to bring everyone out here to meet you." She joked with me.

"Give me a break, this is the first time I have gone to meet my girlfriend's parents."

"So... I'm your girlfriend?"

I felt like I just stepped on a landmine for some reason. It only took a moment of thought before I realized why, "Well, I never asked you and made it official, but would you like to be my girlfriend? I don't want your family to think I am taking advantage of you and don't take this seriously."

Edythe stepped into me again and threw her arms around me, this time the hug had my ribs creaking in alarm, but I just wrapped my own arms around her and held her. She felt small and cold in my embrace, but it was not uncomfortable. After a few moments like that, she let me go and I took a moment to look around the outside of the house she brought me to.

My very first thought was {I would not want to clean that many windows.} It was a 3-story house built into a hill. The first and third story was a slate grey exterior that made it look strong and part of the hill it was built into. The second floor was lined in wood though, it stood out in its golden oak color and made it look very grand. It must have cost a fortune to design, much less build. There was a hanging deck on the second floor that looked like it should fall off under its own weight, but it seemed as strong as the rest of the house. Despite the windows making a majority of the exterior, it still looked strong. I loved it.

"This is amazing! Such beauty and strength."

"My mother designed it, she is a well renowned architect."

As we began to walk to the front door I asked, "Do they know that I'm in on the vampire secret?"

"Yes, I showed them the diary that Henry kept, we are amazed that any vampire would be dumb enough to keep a written record like that. It's just stupid in so many ways. I uh, also told them about your shape change ability. I am hoping you will show us here where we are safe, and you don't have to worry about hurting anyone. It's better to do it in a safe environment, instead of in a dangerous situation out of our control."

I wasn't happy with the thought of changing here and potentially hurting one of my friends, but she had a point. It's better to find out if I can control it here, then it would be in an emergency situation elsewhere.

"We can talk about it with everyone, but if I have a choice, I want Jasper to be the first to approach me. He is the best fighter I have ever seen."

Edythe nodded as we reached the door, then she stopped and looked at me, "Another thing, this is where we are the most comfortable. We don't hide our traits or try to act human here, so it may be a bit strange to you."

I just nodded in reply and followed her inside when she opened the door. Despite the cold, I didn't have a jacket, so I just walked past the coat rack and looked around. It was warm. That's the feeling I got. The decorations were few and spread out, but it was just short of being sparse. Everything on the walls had a symmetry that fit perfectly together to create a lived-in atmosphere. Old and new meshed together perfectly.

Edythe walked to my side and took my left hand in hers as I gawked like a tourist in the state capitol. Stepping up some stairs to the second floor, I was met by a group of five people. I recognized all but 1 of them. Edward stood next to Emmett and Rosalie and Dr Cullen stood next to a woman I assumed was Esme.

She was the one resident vampire I had yet to meet. She was just as beautiful as the rest of her family, but where so many of them looked sharp in their appearance, Esme was soft and rounded a bit. She just looked friendly and approachable, someone you would want to protect in any situation. She stood 5ft 6in with a caramel-colored head of long curly hair, her eyes were a darker color than gold, but not yet black enough to indicate that she needed to feed.

Her eyes locked on mine and Edythe's hands and a brilliant smile broke out on her face. I stepped forward and offered my free right hand to Dr. Cullen.

"Mr. Cullen, my name is Thomas Raizel. It is good to meet you, formally."

Carlisle took my hand and shook it firmly. "It's good to meet you as well Thomas. This is my wife Esme, and I'm sure you know your school mates beside us."

"Yes sir, though I have yet to speak with the lovely Rosalie. Edward and Emmett share Spanish class with me."

Then out of nowhere, an exterior door slid open, and a gust of wind blew a small figure into the room. She was moving fast, but my eyes were able to follow Alice as she rammed into me in excitement. I had to pull my left hand free from Edythe to catch Alice and spin her around to kill some of the momentum she hit me with.

I laughed, "There's my little Fairy. Keep pulling stunts like this and I'll rename you Gremlin. Where is your man? I don't want him to think I'm trying to steal his girl and his sister. I don't think I'd survive his wrath."

Jasper walked through the open door and closed it behind him. "Howdy Thomas. Welcome to the house."

I shot him a smile as I put Alice back on the floor. "It's good to be here, thank you all for your welcome."

I wasn't aware of the danger standing next to me until I heard a hiss from the lips of Edythe. I looked to see her giving a very unfriendly look to Alice.

"You made him let my hand go you little Brownie."

Alice immediately looked apologetic, I'm sorry Edythe, I was just so happy to see him in our house. Please forgive me."

I was quick to retake Edythe's hand in the hope it would settle her down. Surprisingly, it worked rather well.

Alice just stuck her tongue out at Edythe and gave her a smile and a shrug. Everyone laughed at their interaction. Edward shook his head and muttered something about playing with fire.

Esme stepped forward and asked, "Have you eaten yet this evening, Thomas?"

My heart sank, "I did not, but no worries. I can eat when I return home. I know you don't consume food here."

"You don't have to worry about us Thomas, we are meticulous about making sure the house has food stocked. Anything unused gets taken to a women's shelter in Port Angeles long before it goes bad. We can't have the town thinking we don't feed a family this large."

Esme was interrupted by Edythe, "Actually mom, I was hoping to cook the back-strap from the Elk I took last night. I have a family recipe I would like to cook for him. Though I bet it would go great with some garlic mashed potatoes if you wouldn't mind helping me."

I was taken aback at the idea that Edythe had planned this out so much. I was a bit embarrassed by it all.

As Edythe and Esme started talking, Carlisle spoke to me, "Would you like to join me in the living room, Thomas?"

"Yes sir." I brought Edythe's hand to my lips and kissed it. "I can't wait to try your cooking. I will go keep your dad company."

Moving to the Living Room wasn't much more than taking a few steps to an area that had a couch and some chairs. The whole house was an open concept, and you could see all the way to the kitchen from most anywhere. Emmett and Rosalie went upstairs, but the rest of the family followed Carlisle and I. Alice and Jasper took a loveseat and Edward took a chair by himself. I took another solo chair and Carlisle sat on the couch facing me.

Looking me in the eye, Carlisle spoke, "You seem to be taking this... New reality of the supernatural world, in stride. Are there any questions I could answer for you?"

(Edythe POV)

When Thomas kissed my hand, I thought it would catch fire. It was a moment before I was able to gather myself enough to follow mom to the kitchen. Once we were there and the other settled in the living room, Esme turned to me and let out a small squeal of happiness.

"I can't tell you how happy I am for you dear. You look so... Complete next to him. Now I just need to hope Edward works his issue out."

I smiled in happiness at my mother's antics. She was truly devoted to those around her. Never hesitating to do anything for us, even at her own expense. We were so lucky to have her.

I asked a question that had been bugging me this evening. "Mom, how do I stop freezing up every time he kisses me? He kissed my head while we were hugging, and I nearly crushed him in reflex. Then again just now, when he kissed my hand. I lost all ability to think for a few moments. Do you ever get over that feeling?"

Esme gave a throaty laugh, "I certainly hope not my dear. Carlisle can still make the world stop when he kisses me just right. Just wait until he gives you a kiss that makes you melt where you stand. Any description pales in comparison to the actuality of it. I feel like I could burst in happiness right now, my dear daughter."

Esme couldn't contain herself and hugged me once again. "Okay, what's this recipe you want to cook for him and how can I help?"

I was a little hesitant to say but pushed through it, "My mother Elizabeth had a recipe for Breaded Elk back strap that she first cooked for my father Edward. She hoped it would be the first meal I made for my husband when I was still mortal."

"That's perfect my dear one. Let's honor your mother and conquer your man by his stomach. You get started on that, and I will look up a video on garlic mashed potatoes. First though, let's see if that's a good combination."

She quickly went to the nearby computer and started to type. Moments later she came back with a written recipe.

"I got a good recipe from someone named Gordan Ramsey online. It has great reviews to pair with Elk."

I just smiled in happiness as we started to cook for my boyfriend.

(Thomas POV)

Well, Mr. Cullen. Have you ever heard of something like me? Edythe spoke a little about the first meeting with the Quileute wolf pack and she also told me about the enmity between the more classic werewolf and vampire."

"Just call me Carlisle, Thomas. I can't say that I have heard anything about a tiger shape changer. You told me about being connected to the Quileute tribe through your great grandmother, but what do you know about your great grandfather?"

I took a deep breath and thought about the few stories my mom told me when I was young. "According to my mom, my dad's family came from the Nepal and China border. They were some kind of group she called Jivas. Though that could also be the name of a village, I really don't remember much from the stories she told me. She always said she would tell me more when I was older." My voice fell there, with my memory it was a simple fact that I had just not been listening to her at the time. I thought she would always be there to tell me again when I needed to know. Trying not to dwell, I continued me original thought.

"My father died just before I was born, so I never got to meet him, but mom always talked about him and his family like I would go there one day. But I honestly don't know if they even know about me. I have never heard from them anyway."

Carlisle gave a sigh of sadness, "It's a place to start at least. That's more than some get. So many of our kind are left with no idea of what happened to them or who they are. It's sad."

Edward spoke for the first time since we sat down, "Carlisle, have you ever met a vampire from the Asia continent?"

"From Russia I have, they call themselves 'Upir'. But come to think of it, I have never met one from China or India. How peculiar."

The two turned to Jasper, "What about you, son?" Carlisle asked him.

"To my knowledge, no. Least ways, not one from that continent. There was a gang that was started from the railway workers at one time that had a significant number of Chinese, but Maria had us kill them to a man."

Carlisle frowned in thought, "Well, it's a place to start like I said. I can put out a few feelers through some old friends."

Edward brought up the next subject, "Edythe said you were worried you may hurt someone while shifted in your new form. Is there a reason for that?"

I collected my thoughts for a moment and tried to answer as completely as I could, "When the vampire Henry forced the change on me, I felt like I had very little control at first. When he ran from me, it was not a conscious choice to go after him but more of an instinct that I couldn't suppress. Before I knew it, I was on him and tearing chunks out of him with no effort."

I let that sink into my audience for a moment before continuing, "After I had killed him, I was able to exert control and experiment with my form. It was a little tricky moving if I was trying to direct my limbs, but once I got used to it, it just felt second nature. It is very possible that the reason I killed Henry was because he was attacking me, but I also felt anger towards him before changing because of his smell."

Edythe interrupted the conversation by bringing me a glass of water, "Your food will be ready in about 30 minutes, I brought this because I know you don't usually talk this much."

Her thoughtfulness gave me butterflies, I gave her my best smile and thanked her.

I returned my attention to Carlisle after taking a drink, "I am not aware if you know this, but to me you all give off a sweet sugary smell. It is not unpleasant to me the way it is to the tribe, but still very apparent. Henry however, had a burnt sugar smell to me, and it made my hair stand up and ignited my anger. I didn't think too much on it at first and just moved out of his way, because I'm used to being angry. But he told me that I in turn smelled off to him. He said I smelled like I was going bad."

"When Edythe and I spoke about it, we came to the conclusion that because you all don't consume human blood regularly that you have little ability to separate the flavors of human blood if you take my meaning. Edythe also wondered if my change was bringing my blood closer to your feeding tastes and that could have been a part of her initial draw towards me. But now she says I don't have a smell my own, but I take on the smell of my surroundings rather easily. It makes me wonder if by being around Edythe for a significant amount of time, other vampires would mistake my smell as a vampire."

I paused for a moment, "But I am rambling away from your question. I need to see if the presence of a vampire makes my body go into instinctual fight mode, or if it was because Henry was attacking me from the beginning. It could also be that the burnt smell triggered me to react that way. I just really don't want to put anyone in danger to find out. But Edythe pointed out that it's better to do this in a controlled environment, then take a chance it happens somewhere with no control. I would never forgive myself if I put a loved one in danger from myself by trying to protect them from something else. Do you understand?"

Carlisle smiled at me with a gentle smile and nodded, "I think we are uniquely able to understand your feelings, Thomas. We all have struggled with our own natures in an effort to not hurt innocent lives.

Jasper leaned forward in his seat, "I think I would be the best option to test your reaction on Thomas. If Edward or Edythe could read your mind, they would have been the best bet, but I am better able to react to pure physical danger. My abilities also work on you so I may be able to calm you down if needed. After all, I wouldn't be looking to fight you, just stay away from you to stop from getting hurt."

I gave him a smile, "That was my thought as well. Sorry to be the one to put you in danger, but you bounce me around the woods with ease, so if I manage to get in a swipe or two, I wouldn't feel too bad."

"Well, I would, don't you dare try to hurt my Jaz!" Alice broke in.

I laughed at the mock ferocity Alice was showing me, "I have done a lot of thinking on this, Alice. After my initial change and killing of Henry, I was able to control myself in the presence of Sam in his Wolf and Human shape. I am about 80% sure that Jasper will be safe."

As a group we discussed how to best test this and it mostly came down to me going out into the woods and making the change, then approaching the house slowly. I should be able to tell just by the smell if I was still in control of myself. Once I got close enough for them to see me, then Jasper would step out and gauge my reactions.

Once the decision was made, there was no further discussion about it for now. I was sure we would go over it again just before we were ready for the trial. The rest of the conversation revolved around how I was acclimating to Forks and the smaller school. Jasper revealed that my anger wasn't as obvious to him any longer.

The smells coming from the kitchen were hard to ignore, also the idea that Edythe and Esme were going through so much trouble just for me was hard to accept. Possibly understanding a bit of my discomfort Carlisle commented.

"I should thank you for giving us a chance to use the kitchen here for the first time, for its intended purpose anyway. You need not worry about a room full of Vampires watching you eat. I am sure we will all leave you and Edythe in peace and go about our night until you are ready to test your shifting ability. Though at some point tonight I would like to have a conversation about your intentions with my daughter, I will also need to explain a few things about our unique mentality."

A quick shout came from the kitchen proving that even while cooking Edythe was still listening in, "You stop that right now Dad, Thomas and I are working it out ourselves."

Carlisle didn't even turn his head, "Sorry my dear, this is a father thing. It will happen."

I gave a nervous sigh, "Yes sir."

Esme was in the process of placing a plate and utensils on the dining room table, "Don't go intimidating the poor boy Carlisle." She caught my eye, "Vampires have a hard time with emotions, dear. Sometimes they overwhelm us when they change. Well in truth, vampires seldom change after they are created, so even a small change can have drastic effects."

I let that cryptic statement settle in my mind and before I could ask any follow-up questions, Edythe broke in. "Your food is ready Thomas." She was carrying a long platter of meat in one hand and a bowl of what looked like mashed potatoes in the other. My first thought was that her carrying them in her hands had to be hot but then I remembered that she wasn't so easily hurt.

"It smells wonderful," I said as I stood and made my way to the table.

In moments. Edythe and I were alone in the dining room. She sat across from me and was watching me intently as I began to eat. The first bite was an explosion of flavors that I had never tasted before. The Elk was a lean meat with a slightly sweet taste to it, and adding the earthy taste of mashed potatoes to it was beyond complimentary. I have obviously had mashed potatoes before, but these had a hint of garlic and a much more creamy texture than I was used to.

I could see the unasked question in Edythe's eyes, and once I finished my first mouthful, I told her in detail how wonderful I thought it tasted. Seeing a flash of relief on her face and the following smile made the meal all that much better. I concentrated on finishing the plate and asking for more made her obviously happy. By the time I was done, the roast that looked to have weighed about 4.5 pounds was gone and there were no more potatoes left in the bowl.

I leaned back in my chair with a full belly, "That was by far one of the most delicious meals I have ever had Edythe, I can't compliment you and your mother enough."

I stood up and started to gather my plate as Edythe grabbed the bowl and meat platter. We then walked to the kitchen and placed them by the sink. I was intent on helping wash the dishes as they had been dirtied only because of me, but Edythe told me it would be an embarrassment to Esme if a guest had to clean up after themselves on their first visit.

When she put it that way I could only ask, "What would you like to do then? Should we begin the test on my shape change?"

"We have plenty of time for that, let's start with some dance lessons for the dance on Saturday."

In a flash, we were joined by Alice, "Wait, before that I need to get his measurements."

Before I could react, Alice was dancing around me with a cloth measurement tape. Some of the measurements made me slightly uncomfortable, especially when taken in front of my girlfriend.

"What are you doing Alice? Why the measurements?"

"For your suit silly. I needed them so I can finish before the dance."

"I can get my own suit, Alice. You don't need to deal with it."

Alice turned her nose up in the air, "Not happening!"

"I'll be fine getting one myself."

"Nope!"

"But..." I was interrupted before I could say more.

"No. Nope. Not Happening. This is not just about you, it's the first time Edythe has ever gone to a dance, so I want it to be perfect. Just give in, it's happening my way, even if I have to steal all the clothes in your room and leave only this suit in your closet on the day of the dance."

Edythe was giving me a helpless smile as Jasper's voice preceded him into the room.

"Just give it up, Thomas. She is ruthless and unbending in these situations. Accept it gracefully and save yourself the trouble." By the time he was done talking, Jasper was standing next to Alice with an arm over her shoulders.

Bowing to peer pressure, I threw my hands up in surrender. "Fine, do as you please little fairy."

"Good. Jasper come lift me up, this oaf is too tall to get all the measurements by myself."

The next hour was taken up by dance lessons. Edythe, Alice, Jasper, and I went to a large room that held a Grand Piano and other instruments in it. Alice picked the music, and we all traded partners and slowly I learned to dance to the rhythm of the songs picked. It was fun, but just to tweak the nose of Alice I griped and groaned through the whole thing.

Edythe picked up on the fact that I only complained about the dancing when I was with Alice and that it was still good-natured complaints. But when I was with her, I was focused and attentive to her only. She was convinced that this was one of the best days of her long life.

When Alice proclaimed that I had learned enough to not step on her toes, Jasper decided that it was probably the best time to get on with the main event of the night.

With a little dread in my heart, I prepared myself for the one-on-one conversation with Carlisle but was surprised when Jasper had me follow him to the backyard.

I looked questioningly at Jasper, "Why are we going outside?"

Jasper just looked at me strangely, "Isn't that what we decided? You would go out and change then I would approach you?"

"Ohh that. Sorry, my mind was on something else. Yeah, I am ready for that."

Jasper didn't comment further, just went to a keypad on the wall and entered a code. Suddenly, all the windows were covered by a metal shutter and the house looked like it was ready to withstand a zombie apocalypse.

Just moments later, everyone in the house was packed around the back sliding door that was the only glass not covered. I walked out and went into the nearby forest, deep enough that I could no longer see the house. It took me a good 5 minutes of walking before I felt comfortable enough to start taking my clothes off.

Once I was naked and my clothes were folded and shoved in a tree, I reached into my mind and pulled the fire from my mind into my body all at once. The sensation of my bones going liquid was short, and in no time, I was standing on all fours. With the change complete I felt wonderful, the strength I felt was still overwhelming. I roared out in Joy, and as a warning to all in the area that a predator was nearby.

I resisted the urge to run off into the forest and enjoy the freedom I felt in this form. Tonight had a purpose, I had to make sure I was safe to be around. The sugary sweet smell was very obvious in this area, and I could tell it was stronger the way I had come. After a moment of thought, I walked over to where my clothes were and started sniffing them. They had the scent of three different sweet smells. None of them had me reacting with the viciousness that I had for Henry. Maybe the burnt smell he had was the trigger, or maybe it was because he ran from me. This would take more experimentation, and that was what we were doing here.

Letting out another roar I started to move in the direction I had come, into the sweet smell.