Disclaimer: Original characters and part of the plot belong to Stephanie Meyer

Chapter 19 – Life-Altering Revelations

On hindsight, I really should have made that the title of a book. It would have sold very well.

Edythe POV

"Alright," Beau said with a sigh. "From where do you want to start? Edythe's story, first, or about how we met?"

"About how you two met," Bella said in a calm voice. Her eyes were sharp as they glanced at me once before returning back to her brother.

"I was – am – a nomad, if you know what I mean," I started. Bella's eyes shifted to me and she nodded. Honestly, her impassive face and searching eyes were starting to perturb me. Beau seemed to understand my discomfort and, imperceptibly, pulled me closer to him. I leaned slightly against him and continued.

"I was passing through Phoenix when I smelt a delicious scent. I was a part of the Volturi before. The Volturi are somewhat like vampire royalty and everybody follows them and their rules." It appeared that Bella already knew the last bit of information as she appeared unsurprised. "Living with them and made me slightly immune to the lure of blood. But this scent was unlike anything I had ever smelt. It was the most delicious, mouth-watering human blood I had ever scented and made me go crazy with bloodlust. The Volturi call such humans la cantante. It basically means 'singer' in Italian. The scent was from your brother." I had lowered my head while talking of that singular moment when I lost control for the first time in seventy-odd years but now I looked up again.

Bella's face was still as impassive and emotionless as before, though her eyes had become slightly darker. She nodded and said, "Continue."

And so I did. "I couldn't resist and chased after him," I said, ashamed. The next few moments had been a blur but I described them as best as I could. "Somewhere in the back of my mind, I still knew than exposure would be detrimental to my existence so that I just grabbed him and took him to a back alley." I buried my face in my hands as the memory came flying back to me. About how I almost killed my mate. Beau was now gently massaging my back.

A quiet voice spoke up. "But you stopped. Somehow, you managed to curb your desire and did not kill him."

I nodded and looked up slowly. Bella's face had softened a bit. Her eyes held a slight hint of understanding behind them. I said, "It was only how Beau's eyes looked so much like my own father's that stopped me."

"Then?" prompted she.

"I ran," I replied simply. "I ran and kept running for days. But his confused and concerned face kept haunting me. Even while staring at death, there was no fear in his eyes."

Saying the next words were harder. I had never been open to sharing about my life to anyone and, now, I was about to say what was probably one of the most difficult yet best times of my existence. Only for Beau, I thought. "I tried to stay away. But my curiosity overpowered my rationale and I convinced myself to go back, if only to check that I hadn't been completely careless and divulged our secrecy. So, I ran after satiating myself heavily.

"Once I reached Phoenix, I tracked his scent to your house. While he interacted with you and your mother, there was no evidence of the fact that he had remembered the incident, and I was half-way relieved to think that he had forgotten about it. But after some time, I realised that he did." A smiled amusedly at the thought I had had at that time. "Your brother was smarter I thought."

"That's what led me to you," said his musical voice in an alluring tone. I looked up at Beau and saw him smiling too.

We heard a soft chuckle and turned to see Bella slowly shaking her head, trying to control her… laughter? She noticed our inquisitive looks and laughed, her tone much more lighter, "I'm sorry, but just dial down the incoming PDA, please."

I ducked my head, knowing that we would both have been blushing had we been human, right now.

I tried to continue, but the words failed to exit my mouth. I exhaled heavily and looked up again, running my hand through my hair. "I'm sorry, Bella, but saying any more for me is going to extremely onerous. I'm not… you could say, used to sharing so much about myself."

"Understandable," she murmured softly, her voice sympathetic. Somehow, in the past hour, I had managed to melt her stoic exterior towards me.

"But, you should know that I love your brother more than anything in the world, more than my life. Before him, my life was like a moonless night. And then, suddenly he shot across my sky like a meteor and nothing remained the same. Everything suddenly lit up and was on fire; there was beauty. Beau gave me a reason to live, Bella," I said, my voice sincere and intense.

Bella was looking at me strangely, as if trying to figure something out. Her expression cleared and she spoke before I could ask, "Again, apologies, but the way you speak, Edythe… it reminds a lot about someone I used to know," she said. Her voice was apologetic but pained.

She leaned forward and squeezed my hand once. I almost flinched at the contact, but managed to hold myself in place. She spoke slowly, as if struggling to find the right words. "I won't apologise for my previous coldness, and neither will I explain the reason behind it right now." Her voice now became warm and solemn. "But, after hearing your story, the least I can do accept your place in Beau's life. I have seen the connection between you two in the last hour, and… what you have between the two of you is… incredibly special. I won't try to get between that because I don't want to hurt my brother or lose him again.

"But," she said sharply, her tone changing again. Honestly, this was giving me a whiplash. "Just because I accept you doesn't mean I'm going to play 'Happy Families' with you, Edythe. Will you both be staying here or leaving again?"

Beau and I exchanged a meaningful look. I said, "Well, initially we were planning on leaving in a couple of hours, but now…"

Beau continued, "After talking to you, Bells, I don't think I'll be able to leave you again." I squeezed his arm in support on hearing his hesitation.

Bella closed her eyes again and nodded, the corners of her lips curving slightly. "I'm glad," she whispered.

Her eyes slowly survey ours, which had gradually turned from crimson to black, given such close proximity to humans. Beau's more so than mine.

"Your choice of diet," she began, hesitantly. It was the first time tonight that she was apprehensive about something. "I believe that it is not out of choice and you would take an alternative way, if there was one?" Her statement ends like a question

I snorted derisively. I arched an eyebrow at her, just the way she did a while back.

Beau ends up speaking for me, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that something you need even ask?"

A undecipherable look flashes through her eyes before she replies, "Not at all. But, if you want to know, there's ano—"

Her sentence was cut off by a pair of rhythmic footfall which had caught my attention. No, not one. Two pairs. I look at Beau; he had heard them as well. I extended my gift to see if I could catch the tenor of their minds.

A growl slipped from my throat and my body tensed defensively as I felt the viciousness of their minds. It was almost…animalistic, but it also bordered on protective. It was aimed towards…us?

Beau's reactions imitated mine upon seeing me.

Bella didn't miss either of our reactions nor the dark look which had graced our faces. She closed her eyes and cocked her head to one side, as if listening for something. Her eyes snapped open and in a graceful leap, which shouldn't be possible for a human (again), she jumped onto the window sill. Pausing for a moment, she looked at us and hissed, "Stay. Don't come near the window." Then, she leapt off the sill and we heard her land on the snow below.

I made to follow, not sure as to why, but Beau stopped me.

"Everything she does has a reason, sweetheart, even if you don't know at the moment," he whispered and pulled me towards himself, protectively. Ever since he had become a vampire, his protective instincts had skyrocketed despite the fact that it was I who had taught him how to fight in the last few months and held a higher chance of winning with my experience and skill.

"I'll be fine, love. But your sister?"

"Trust her. To my knowledge, she's never done anything without thinking things through," he said in a soothing voice.

Our vampire hearing gave us the privilege of listening in to what was happening in the backyard.

The footfalls were almost at the edge of the clearing when they stopped. A few moments later I realised that what I had thought to be a single mind were actually two. The synchronisation in their rhythm of running and their thoughts led to believe otherwise before. But… how did it change?

A man's hard voice came from below. "We found the scent of two bloodsuckers on our lands leading down to your place, Bella, neither of which we recognised. Where are they?" Both Beau and I were shocked for obvious reasons.

"My friends, Jared. Before you ask, they're gonna stick around here for a while. They won't harm humans. I'll let them know about the treaty," Bella replied in an equally cold but calm voice.

"Won't? They're human drinkers?" Jared's voice was rough and was shaking with anger.

Beau stood up but did not move.

"Calm down before you do something stupid, Jared," Bella said in a rough voice, just calm enough.

"You have filthy leeches who kill humans as your friends?" This was the deep voice of another male. He sounded enraged. The crunch of snow told us that he had taken a step towards Bella.

I had stood up and grabbed Beau's arm by then, not as much to stop myself from doing something I'd regret as to stop Beau.

"Those so-called 'leeches' are my family!" Bella slowly enunciated, venom lacing her words. She spoke the next words through gritted teeth. "Now get out of here before you lose your temper and damage something!"

"Fine. Enjoy your bloodsucking quality time," the other male said sarcastically.

His words were met with a warning "Paul!" and three growls. Beau made to move, but I held him back again.

There was no verbal reply from Bella, and the receding footsteps of the pair were heard moments later.

I let go of Beau and leaped down with him. Bella was leaning against the wall of the house, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Who were they, Bella?" I asked. Beau was still too angry to properly articulate his thoughts.

She sighed and said, "Werewolves." Looking at our stunned faces, she said, "Come up. I'll explain everything."

A/N: Guys, I'm really and truly sorry for not posting for such a long time. It was a combination of life catching up with me, writer's block, tons of school stuff... you know the deal. And I'm so profoundly sorry you wouldn't belief. And, unfortunately, I can't guarantee that it won't happen again.

High school in India has a lot of pressure, and you need to do consistently well because to your family, academic marks matter more than 90% of your entire life. So... yeah.

I reiterate that I'm sorry. I'll try to write and post up as many chapters as possible.

Also, another Twi-fic is revolving in my mind so don't be surprised to find it coming up in a couple of months.

Bye!