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Bad luck: the story of my life. I had THE worst luck of anyone I ever knew. I had no siblings, no cousins, and no family. My mother and father had both been only children and only wanted one child. I had the worst luck. I was always by myself. I had no friends. People hated me because of the way I looked. I was apparently the prettiest girl in my home town but everyone else was so pale and skinny. I was olive skinned because my mom was a Native American. I also tanned really easily, giving me the look of a Latino in the summer. It was always sunny in Kansas, so I always looked very tan. But what made me looked the strangest was my unnaturally green eyes. People told me that they glowed in the dark. I didn't believe them, but they were really bright. My black hair made my face look skinny but the rest of me could afford to lose a pound or two. I wasn't the most coordinated person that anyone has ever seen. I tripped over air. My knees had several permanent scars from falling down so much. But that's not where my luck was the worst. I had killed my parents. Everyone says it isn't my fault but I did kill them. You see, I was born with this unnatural ability to move things with my mind. I mean I could literally pick something up and fling it across the room by just thinking about it. It was scary. Everyone thought that I was a freak or something when I showed my gift to them, hence the lack of friends. My parents understood me though. They had thought it was the best thing that could have happened to them. But one day, it got WAY out of hand. I was using my gift to clean my room and then something crashed in the house. I ran down stairs and found that a burglar was robbing our house. He had a gun to my dad and a knife on my mom's throat. I tried to move the knife but ended up slitting my own mother's throat. The robber saw me and he shot my dad. I was too panicked to control my powers and ended up moving the bullet, not away from my father's heart like I intended, but into his forehead, killing him instantly. The police found me nearly insane from grief. They took me to the station and I made arrangements for their funeral. That's when I met Emmet and Rosalie.
I was sitting in the front row of the funeral home, where the widow would usually sit at their spouse's funeral. The priest was saying words of comfort to all that were present. I wasn’t even listening. I was just so empty. I had committed murder. That was the reason I was sitting her in black, clutching a handkerchief for dear life. I had lost control and killed the only two people that seemed to understand. I knew when it was over because I was being hugged and had my hand shaken by many other warm ones. I just felt so cold and numb. It was like my very soul had died with my mother and father. But then, something very cold touched my hand. I looked up and saw a very handsome face. He was very pale. His eyes were so golden, it seemed inhuman. I barely registered that he was talking because I was so lost in his eyes. The only reason I noticed was because I saw his lips moving. "Sorry, what did you say?" I asked in a faint tone. "I said, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. This must be a big change for you." He said, almost amused. I nodded slowly. The numbness, which had receded for a fraction of a moment, was coming back again. "This is my fiancée, Rosalie. We were both friends of your father's." the man went on. A woman, too beautiful to describe, stepped forward. Her light hair was arranged in a fashionable way. Her eyes were so much like the man's. I felt so dull in comparison to them. They were models and I was so dull. She shook my hand stiffly and then let go without a word. "We would like to have a few words with you, after the burial." The man said. I nodded dully, looking around. The coffins were gone and we were the only ones left in the funeral home. "We will see you then." The man said. I nodded again. They walked away swiftly without a backwards glance. I walked out a few minutes later. What could one little talk with two strangers hurt? Soon enough, the moment came for me to say my peace. I was standing beside their coffins in the graveyard. There were a small group of people there, just very close family friends. I didn't know anyone but I did see the man and Rosalie standing among them. Someone nudged me forward toward the coffins. "I don't have much to say. I just wish things had happened differently. I just wish that they didn't have to go." I said. I stopped, a lump forming in my throat. I felt tears burn my eyes. "I just hope they are happy, wherever they are." I finished my voice tight and cracking. The coffins were lowered into the ground as people started to disperse. They were a few more people that touched my shoulder or gave me a half-hearted hug. Then suddenly, I felt a hand cold as ice on my shoulder. I looked around me and saw the man with his hand on my shoulder. I noticed then how tall he was. I had always been on the petite side, but he made me feel tiny. He nodded toward a red convertible and I walked with them in silence. I looked at the graves of my parents one more time before the man opened the door and let me into the backseat. Rosalie was in the driver's seat and the man was in the passenger's seat. "Where are we going?" I asked after we were clear of the cemetery. "We are going to the reading of your parents' wills." The man said. I nodded and looked out the side of the car. We were going extremely fast. But I was too hollow to care. But soon enough, we pulled into a familiar driveway. It was my own home. There were a few more cars parked in the driveway than normal. I got out of the car and walked up the front steps. I opened the front door and saw my sitting room full of people. There was only one familiar face in the group: Carlisle. He smiled sadly when he saw me. My father had known him. My father was Italian and had met Carlisle there during a play. He hugged me and then looked me over. "You get prettier every time I see you, Lilith." He said. "I could say the same for you except you haven't changed at all." I said, trying my best to sound humorous. It failed miserably. Carlisle smiled and then someone cleared his throat from the center of the crowd. It was my parents' lawyer. Carlisle pulled me over to a couch and I sat between him and the man from before. The lawyer cleared his throat again and pulled out two pieces of paper. "I assume that everyone knows why we are here?" he asked. There was a general murmur of agreement. "Well, in accordance to the last will and testament of Mr. and Mrs. Nicoletti, their daughter, Lilith Nicoletti gets everything including the house, stock market claims, and several other family heirlooms. However, since she is not yet 21 and cannot inherit such possessions yet, they will be in the temporary control of one Mr. Carlisle Cullen. Is he present?" the lawyer said. Carlisle raised his hand slightly. "Those less important things such as the furniture of the house will be distributed evenly among Mr. Giovanni Nicoletti's most trusted friends: Adam Black, Billy Black, and Charlie Swan." The lawyer continued. Three men nodded from behind one couch. "Mrs. Silver Nicoletti has given her entire collection of personal items such as shoes and such to her best childhood friend: Mary Smith." The lawyer went on. A woman sitting across from me looked tearful but nodded all the same. "And everything that has not been specifically noted has been included in Lilith's inheritance." The lawyer said, scanning the papers. "What about the custody of Miss. Nicoletti?" Billy asked. The lawyer nodded. "She has been given to Mr. Carlisle Cullen out of thoughtful best interests of the late couple." The lawyer said, sticking the papers into his bag. There was an instantaneous uproar from the other side of the room. Billy was objecting, Charlie—whom I had never met before in my life—was objecting. Even Mary was questioning my parents' choice in guardian. "I cannot go against what the wills say. Unless Lilith objects, she is going to live with Mr. Cullen." The lawyer said loudly over all of the hubbub. All of them looked at me. "I will do what my parents think is right." I said after a few moments. I knew it was the right thing to do. My parents always knew what was best for me, even if it didn't make sense at first. They all seemed to let off some silent steam before walking swiftly from the house. I sighed once everyone except Carlisle, Rosalie and the man was gone. "Since you are going to live with us, you might as well pack your things. We need to leave as soon as possible." Carlisle said, standing up. "What do you mean?" I asked. The whole idea didn't upset me. I had no one to say good-bye to. But why did he want to leave so quickly? "My family is waiting anxiously for me. Emmet and Rosalie were the only ones willing to come. Everyone else just wants me home." Carlisle said. "What do you mean?" I repeated. "I have another daughter and two more sons. My wife is at home with them as well." Carlisle said. I stood up and nodded. "Rose will help you pack whatever you want to bring." Carlisle said with a sad smile. Rosalie stood up and I led the way to my room. I pulled out a couple of suitcases from the side hallway and brought them into my room. It wasn't anything special. It was just a plain white. But the thing that made it unique was the hand drawn pictures that coated the walls, hardly leaving any paint exposed. I started to pull them down carefully. I grabbed shoe boxes and folded the pictures carefully and put them in there tenderly. I filled four shoe boxes with my pictures. I put them into one suitcase after wrapping them in a spare quilt my mother had made for me. "You treasure your art that much?" Rosalie asked in a strained voice. I nodded. "Drawing is my way to escape." I said. Rosalie had a picture in her hands. "This is good." She said. She showed me a picture of the sun setting over rolling hills. "The plains of Kansas look like they're on fire during the summer. It is weird to have this much overcast." I said, looking out at the stormy sky. I pulled out my clothes and started to pack my bags. I filled four suitcases with all of my clothes. I filled one more with little tokens from different occasions and my CDs. I had a large collection. I enjoyed listening to music. I packed up my laptop last. It was my connection to the world. Rosalie helped me carry my stuff down to the front hall where Emmet and Carlisle stood waiting for me. "Are we leaving so soon?" I asked. Emmet nodded with a smile. "Can I look around the house one last time?" I asked softly. Carlisle smiled and nodded. "We'll take your bags out to the car while you look. Make it quick though, Lilith. Our plane leaves in one hour." He said. I nodded. They each picked up my bags and took them out to their car. I was left alone in the front room. I looked into the sitting room. I remembered exactly where the Christmas tree had been every year ever since we bought this house all those years ago. I walked into the kitchen. It was spotless. My mother was an obsessive cleaner and kept everything in tight order. I walked into the computer room. It doubled as my father's at home office. I used to get in trouble for playing games on his computer before I got my own. I smiled sadly at the memory. I walked up the stairs and into the spare bedroom. We never used it because we barely had company. I didn't understand why those four people even were included in the will. As far as I knew, none of them had ever come to any of our little parties for the neighborhood. They were unfamiliar to me. All of them, except Carlisle. He was the only familiar face. I knew him well. He was like my uncle. I walked out of the spare bedroom into my room. It was so bare without my pictures on it. I could see where some of the older pictures had caused little blocks of white to appear brighter than the other parts. I quickly made my bed and then walked out of the room, closing my door behind me. I walked into my parents' room last. I saw it just like it was before the accident. I walked over to my mother's vanity table. There was a black leather pair of gloves sitting next to a white pair. They were my mother's. She wore them all the time. I put on the black pair. They fit perfectly. I clenched my fists. My father wore them as well. She could take hers on and off, but my father always wore his. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes looked so empty. Then I heard a voice calling my name from the front hall. I picked up the white pair and put them in my laptop case. They were special and would not be included in the stuff that would be given to Mary. I walked quickly from the room, shutting the door with my mind when I was at the end of the hall. I walked down the hall and saw that Emmet was smiling sadly at me. I walked out of the house with him. Emmet and I sat in the back seat of the car. I had locked the front door and left my spare key under the mat. I watched my house fade away as we drove away quickly with Carlisle at the wheel.
We reached the airport in record time. We got on the plane and I was shocked to find out where we were going. We were going to one of the least sunny places in the world: Forks, Washington. I would hate that. I would lose my tan, even though my skin would be olive without the sun. The plane ride wasn't long but I still fell asleep during it. I woke up with the bumpiness of landing. We were actually in Seattle, according to Emmet. We would be driving to Forks from here. We collected my baggage and then went to find Carlisle's car. It was a really shiny black car. I didn't much about cars so I couldn't tell if it was a good car or not. We pulled quickly out of the airport and onto the highway. I felt jet lag catching up with me. I leaned against Emmet's cold shoulder in the backseat and closed my eyes. I felt someone move me and then put something under my head and put me back down. I smiled slightly and then fell asleep. A short while later someone was shaking me awake. "Lilith, we're here." Emmet was saying. I looked out the window and saw all green. It was so strange. I was used to the golden plains of Kansas. It was so weird to have all of these dark and dank forests around me. I felt colder for some reason. Soon, we pulled up to a white house. It was a nice little house. Not too big, but not too small either. There were three other cars sitting in front of the house. There was another red convertible, a silver car, and a big Jeep. I looked around and saw all of the ferns. It was a nice place. Very secluded. Rosalie and Emmet grabbed two out of the six bags. I grabbed my other two and put my laptop case over my shoulder. Carlisle led the way to the house. It was very open on the inside. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw the grand piano. I loved playing the piano. I used to play the guitar until I took up the piano, but I never lost the skill. I dropped my bags on the floor and wandered over to the piano. I sat down and pulled open the keyboard. I lightly touched the keys, mystified at the condition the piano was in. I lightly played a chord and it was perfectly in tune. But then an icy hand grabbed my wrist. I looked up and gasped.
I saw a boy about my age standing over me. Unlike Carlisle and the other two, his eyes were coal black. He was glaring at me and his hand was tight around my wrist. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was yours." I spluttered. I subconsciously shut the little door with my mind. I tried to get up but the boy held me there. His black eyes bored holes into my own green ones. "Edward, she didn't know." Carlisle's voice came out from rather close to me. The boy, Edward, let go of my wrist roughly and let me stand up. I quickly back away and massaged my wrist. "Lilith, this is my youngest son, Edward. Edward, this is Lilith Nicoletti, Giovanni's daughter." Carlisle said. He didn't even look at me as he spoke. There seemed to be some mental communication going on there. I didn't know what they were saying, and half of me didn't want to know. "Lilith, this is my wife, Esme." Carlisle said, turning me to face two women. One was halfway between a stay at home mom and a fashion model. She was pretty but didn't play it up like Rosalie. The second girl had pitch black hair in a pixie cut. She was very pretty. She was smiling brightly just like Esme. "This is my youngest daughter, Alice. Where is Jasper?" he said to me and then asked Alice. "He's right there." Alice said brightly. I looked over to where she was pointing. Jasper was tall like the rest of them. He was handsome like Emmet and Edward and Carlisle. But he had a reproachful air to him. It was like he didn't want to get any closer than necessary. "Everyone, this is Lilith Nicoletti." Carlisle said, putting a very cold arm around my shoulders. "Like Giovanni's and Silver's daughter?" Esme asked, almost confused. Carlisle nodded. "Well, it is a pleasure to have her here. How long is she staying for?" Alice asked."Her parents died rather recently. I have been given guardianship of Lilith." Carlisle said. I smiled feebly. "Welcome to the family!" Esme said with a warm smile. She took me from Carlisle and gave me a big hug. She was also cold. Why were they so cold? My father had been the same way but he just had poor circulation and it was very rare, or so he said. "Well, I'll take you and your things up to your room." Emmet said. He picked up the four suitcases that he and Rosalie had abandoned and I took the two I had before. Emmet took me up a narrow flight of stairs and showed me into a room much like my old one. Actually, it was exactly the same. It was strange. "Well, I'll leave you to unpack." Emmet said. I nodded and he left the room, leaving my suitcases on the floor. I closed the door and looked out the window of my room. The window faced west. It would be perfect for drawing some of the sunsets here. But right now, it was a gloomy gray. I sighed and looked at my hands. They still had the gloves that my mother used to wear on them. I opened my suitcases and started to put away my clothes and other belongings. I put my stereo on my desk and was playing music softly as I put away all of my things. Soon enough there was a knock on the door. I quickly put the stuff on a solid object so it wasn't floating in midair. "The door is open." I called. I picked up a stack of CDs I had been floating to the shelf and I looked at the door. Edward was standing there looking very awkward. "I've come to apologize for my rude behavior earlier. It was wrong of me to attack you over a minor thing." He said quickly. "That's alright. I understand how people can get over their stuff. I used to be the same way over my guitar." I said with a shrug. I put the CDs on the shelf and looked back at Edward. "So you play?" I asked. He nodded shortly. "I took lessons for a while. But I dropped them because the old bat that taught me said I was too good for her to teach anymore." I said. "You write your own music?" he asked. "Yes and no. I write lyrics but I can't write songs to go with them." I said, picking up another stack of CDs. I filled three out of the four shelves on the wall with my collection. "That's quite a lot of CDs." Edward commented. "Music equals life in my book. Without it, I'd be lost." I said with another shrug. I heard him chuckle. I turned to face him. I really looked at him this time. He had beautiful bronze hair. He looked like the human form of some god that had been long forgotten. I felt my breath leave me. I recovered quickly. "Well, I'll leave you to finish unpacking then." He said and then left the room. He shut the door quickly behind him. I blinked a few times before I realized that he had left. I shook my head and continued to unpack. I put my pictures up on the wall space that I had. I had a lot of pictures. I ran out of space. I sighed and saw that my room felt more…me now. Then there was a knock of the door. I opened it and saw Alice standing there. "I wanted to know if you wanted to go out. Edward and I are going, and we would like you to join us." Alice said. I looked over my room again; there was no way I could out of it without being rude. "I guess I could. Just let me change." I said with a sigh. She smiled brightly and left. I closed the door and pulled out a nice outfit. It wasn't too dressy but it wasn't too casual either. It was a pair of khaki pants and a nice polo shirt. I kept on my mother's leather gloves. They were a nice accessory. I slipped on some sneakers and then opened my door. I found that Edward and Alice were both waiting for me. "Ready?" Alice asked. I nodded and they led the way down the stairs. "We're taking Lilith out for a treat!" Alice called to the house at large. "Don't be out long!" I heard Esme call back. They led me to the silver car. I slid into the backseat and Alice took the front seat. Edward was driving. He pulled smoothly out of the driveway and out onto the road. I didn't look out the side windows. I just looked out of the windshield. "Do all of you drive this fast?" I asked. Edward smirked. "It's fun." He said with a small chuckle. He pulled out a CD and put it into the player. It was a nice little car. Not too sporty but still classy. "So where are we going?" I asked conversationally. "Port Angeles. We're taking you out for dinner." Alice said. "You really don't have to." I said humbly. "We want to." Alice said with a bright smile. I smiled back slightly. "So how old are you?" Alice asked. "17." I said. "You're the same age as Edward and I." Alice commented. I smiled slightly. "So what did you do in your spare time at home?" Alice asked. "Just played piano or guitar for the most part." I said shortly. They didn't need to know about my drawings. But I guess they would find out if they came into my room now. "Edward plays piano. You should hear him play. It is amazing." Alice said. "Only if he wants to play. I'm not going to force him to." I said, looking at my leather clad hands in my lap. "Well, maybe he could some time later. You are bound to hear him play though. You are living with us." Alice said. She was really chipper. That or trying to avoid awkwardness. I nodded to agree and then looked at my hands again. I had a violent flash of my parents' deaths. I had caused them with these hands. I closed my eyes to avoid crying. I didn't need to cry in front of Alice and Edward. That would be a really bad first impression. I looked back up out of the front window. We were rolling through a small city. I was a country girl, but I had been to the city to shop. Eventually, Edward pulled into a parking lot. It was a nice restaurant, but nothing too fancy. Alice and Edward got out and I followed them into the restaurant. When we got there, the hostess greeted us enthusiastically. I can understand her zealous though. Edward wasn't exactly the ugliest person alive. "Table for two?" she asked brightly. "Three." Edward said shortly. The hostess looked crestfallen but got another menu and led us to a table in the center of the room. "Can we get a booth please? Or some place in the corner?" Edward asked in a low voice. His deep tone made it sound gruffer than should be allowed. He pulled something out of his pocket and slipped it to her. "Sure." She said, slightly breathless. He was leaning in towards her and was hovering over her slightly. She led us to a booth in the very back corner of the restaurant. I slid into the corner and Edward was on the outside. Alice sat opposite us. "So, what about you guys? You asked me a lot of questions. What do you guys like to do for fun?" I asked. Edward smiled inwardly. "I like cars. I collect cars." He said. I nodded to this fact, storing it in my memory bank. "The whole family gets together and we all play baseball during the thunderstorms."Alice said with an almost evil grin on her impish face. I looked confused. "Isn't that a bit dangerous?" I asked. Alice shook her head. "We don't use metal bats." She said with a giggle. Then a waitress came up and took our drink orders. Alice and Edward just got water while I ordered a peach tea. The waitress smiled brightly as Edward gave her a slight grin. She walked away, hyperventilating slightly. "That's just a little creepy." I muttered to myself. Edward chuckled deep in his chest. I looked at him, taking in all of his features. He had sharp angles to his face. His jaw line was very angular. His cheekbones were high but very graceful. His eyebrows were thin but not too thin. He was very attractive and I found myself staring at those black eyes of his. Then I looked at his body language. His fists were clenched and he was sitting rigid in his seat. I had to tear my eyes away from him to give the waitress a smile as she brought back our drinks. "What do you guys want to eat?" she asked, only a little over excited this time. "Just a salad for me with ranch dressing." Alice said, closing the menu. The waitress nodded and wrote it down. "The fillet. 8 ounces." Edward said. He also closed the menu and slid it along the table. "I'll have the spaghetti and meatballs. No cheese on top please." I said, also sliding my menu down to the waitress. The waitress nodded and did a little curtsy before she left. "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to start coming here with you guys more often if you get this kind of service every where." I said with a chuckle as I watched the waitress talk animatedly with the cook as she gave him our order. Alice chuckled lightly, not even touching her water. "Did she leave straws?" I asked. Edward shook his head. "I'll get some." I said. I saw a pile of straws on a little tray near us. I looked around before sighing. I wasn't going to be rude and ask Edward to move so I could walk two and a half feet to the tray. There was no one around and I didn't think that these people would mind if I just used it quickly. I was going to be living with these people so the were bound to find out eventually. I looked at the pile of straws and floated three over to us, thinking hard to keep all three under control at the same time. I put them down carefully in front of each drink, catching my own straw in the air and I unwrapped it. I stuck it in my drink and sipped on the peachy goodness. I looked at Alice and Edward who looked awestruck. "Do I have something on my face?" I asked, trying to play it off like it was nothing new. "Did you just make those straws float over here? Without touching them at all?" Alice asked. I nodded slowly. "How did you do that?" She asked. I shrugged. "I've always been able to do that. I guess I was born with it." I said sadly. They were silent. I was mentally scolding myself for being so reckless in front of my new family. But then Alice's next words were quite the opposite of what I expected."That makes four of us now!" she said happily.
I looked up sharply at this sentiment. "What?" I asked confused. "Yep. With you in the house, that makes four people with "special gifts"." She said, lowering her voice to a murmur. "Who else has powers?" I asked, also lowering my voice. "I can see the future. Edward can read minds and Jasper can influence emotions. And you have telekinesis. That is pretty cool. Can you do it again?" Alice asked in a low voice. I blinked a few times before registering what she said. Alice could see the future. That means that she could see what was going to happen later on in time. That was easy enough to figure out. Jasper could influence how people felt. That one was pretty straight forward. Edward could hear what people were thinking as if they were talking. That was a bit uncomfortable. I looked at Edward and saw him smirking. "I try not to invade my family's privacy." He said with a small chuckle. I smiled halfheartedly but then thought about what Alice had asked. She wanted me to do it again. I lifted the straw wrapper with my mind and flattened it out. Then I proceeded to tie it neatly into a knot. "That is awesome." Alice squealed. Then suddenly I dropped the thing out of midair as I saw the cook handing two steaming plates and a salad bowl through the little window to our waitress. I folded my hands innocently on the table and smiled at Alice. She chuckled sarcastically at me. Then the waitress came over with our food. I was already drooling at my food. I loved spaghetti. When the waitress set down my food, I thanked her happily. She nodded and gave Alice her salad and Edward his steak. I grabbed my cutlery and ate my Italian food happily. I guess that came with living with a Native Italian father. I was used to eating all of this stuff. But I noticed that Alice and Edward were not even touching their food. I wiped my mouth of the red sauce that had most likely spread across my face. "Why aren't you eating?" I asked. Alice smiled. "I think that is a question for Carlisle to answer." She said with a sad smile. I nodded and continued to eat my noodles. Soon enough, I finished and we paid then left. The ride home was quieter than the ride there. When we got home, I found Esme cleaning the kitchen and Emmet playing some kind of game with Jasper while Rosalie watched. "Where's Carlisle?" I asked Esme while Alice and Edward went over to join Emmet, Jasper, and Rosalie. "He's in his office. I'll show you." Esme said with a kind smile. I smiled back as we headed up the stairs. Esme showed me a nice door. "Just knock before you go in, okay?" she said. I nodded and she left. I knocked softly and a voice from within called me to enter. I walked in a saw Carlisle sitting at his desk was a kind smile on his face. "Lilith, did you enjoy your dinner?" he asked as I walked in a closed the door. I nodded and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "But there was something strange that happened." I said. Carlisle looked at me expectantly. "Alice and Edward ordered food, but never ate it. I asked why and they told me to ask you." I said slowly, picking my words very carefully. Carlisle sighed and closed his eyes. "Yes that is one of the hazards." Carlisle said almost to himself. I looked at him confused but was silent. "I think that you should know our little secret, since you will be living with us for a long time." Carlisle said. I nodded and waited. "Lilith, we're vampires." He said. I was floored. I always thought vampires were blood sucking demons that slept during the day and wore big cloaks and turned into bats. Carlisle was kind, caring, definitely went out in the daytime, and was a doctor. How could he be a vampire? "Well, silence is a new reaction. But it is true, all of us in this house hold are vampires." Carlisle said. "But don't vampires suck blood? How are you a doctor?" I asked, finally regaining my voice. "Well, years and years of practice. I have learned to ignore the scent of human blood." Carlisle said with half a smile. "Even Esme?" I asked. Carlisle nodded. But then something struck a chord in my memory as I looked at Carlisle. He looked so much like my father is was scary. My father had light hair like Carlisle but green eyes like mine. Even the dark purple circles under his eyes were the same. Then I remembered times when I was little. I used to have night terrors and I would sleep in the same bed as my parents. They never stopped, but the waking up to me screaming has gone down. But my parents would wrap me in a blanket before allowing me under the covers with them. They were always so cold. So were the Cullens. "Were my parents vampires?" I asked faintly. Carlisle smiled sadly. "Your father was turned by the Volturi. They didn't do a thorough job while feeding on him. That's where I met him. I was with the Volturi at that time. I tended to Giovanni while he was transforming. I guess he never forgot that simple act of kindness I gave him." Carlisle paused in his story. I looked at him again, almost too eager to know the truth. "He met your mother while she was a human. He fell in love with her almost at once. But who could blame him. She was extraordinarily beautiful. Then, before they were married and she was turned, they found out that Silver would be having a baby. Rather than wait like I advised them to, Giovanni turned Silver while she was pregnant. I am thoroughly surprise that you made it through all of that pain your mother was in." Carlisle said, shaking his head slightly. "So that means I'm a vampire too?" I asked, dumbstruck. Carlisle sighed. "Not yet. The vampire instincts are there, but aren't in full motion yet. You have telekinesis correct?" Carlisle said. I nodded. "Do you feel like you can't sleep at night and still function in the mornings?" Carlisle asked. "My doctor said that I had insomnia." I said faintly. This was a lot to absorb at once. "Do you getting anxious and jittery around blood? Almost like it draws you in?" Carlisle asked. I shook my head. I was highly squeamish. I couldn't even look at fake blood without feeling sick. Carlisle raised his eyebrows. "Well, maybe you will fit better than I thought." Carlisle said. "What do you mean?" I asked. "On your eighteenth birthday, you will be a full vampire like the rest of us. But your dislike of blood might be a good thing." Carlisle said, almost casually. "What? I'm going to be a vampire?" I asked in utter amazement. "But we do not kill humans to feed. We hunt animals." Carlisle said. I looked at him confused. "We do not kill humans. It is very inhumane of us to do such a cruel thing. And we can survive just as well off of animal blood." Carlisle said with a small smile. I nodded with my eyes wide. I looked down at my gloved hands. I had to look away. These similar hands had reached for me on the day my mother died. I held back my tears. They had lied to me. They never told me what I was going to become. "Did they know?" I asked Carlisle. "I think that they did, but they weren't expecting to die so early in their lives." Carlisle said. "How did it happen like that? I thought vampires were indestructible." I whispered. "They have to be wounded beyond the healing speed of vampires. Your father was shot between the eyes. There was no way that he could have healed fast enough to survive that. Your mother had her jugular vein sliced clean open. Even a vampire bleeds to death." Carlisle said. "I did that." I whispered. "No you didn't. You can't blame yourself for their deaths." Carlisle said, standing up. I couldn't hide my tears anymore. I felt one slip out of my eye. "Yes I did. I tried to pull the knife away from my mother's throat but I ended up slitting it. I tried to move the bullet away from my father's heart. I lost control and moved it to his forehead. I killed my parents. I killed them just as much as if I was the one holding the weapon." I said, sobs overtaking my words. I hugged myself around the chest, trying to hold in the pain. Then I felt icy arms wrap around me. Carlisle was hugging me. "You may have lost control of your powers, but you were only trying to save them. You weren't trying to kill them. It was an accident." Carlisle said soothingly. I hugged him tightly and cried into his icy chest. "It's all my fault they aren't here, Carlisle." I sobbed. "No it is not." He said firmly. I looked into his golden eyes. "You listen to me. I don't want you blaming yourself anymore. It was an accident that killed your parents. You were not the sole person that caused their deaths. The robber should be and is getting blamed for it. You never would have tried to save your parents if he hadn't tried to rob your house." Carlisle said. It did make sense what he was saying. If that man had never tried to steal our stuff, then I never would have tried to save my parents and lost control. I sniffed and nodded. Carlisle pulled out a handkerchief and I blew my nose like a little child. I smiled slightly as I handed it back. "Now you go and get some sleep. You look like you are tired. I'll make sure to tell the family to keep the noise down tonight so you can sleep." Carlisle said. I looked out the window and, sure enough, it was dark. I smiled again and we both stood up. I walked to the door and then turned back to Carlisle. "Thanks for the help. Thanks for telling me the truth." I said. He smiled back and nodded. I walked out of the room and into my room. I shut and locked the door behind me. I changed into pajamas and crawled into bed, exhausted. But several hours later, I woke up panting. I had another night terror. I could never remember my dreams. I just remembered waking up either screaming or panting with my heart pounding. I was covering in a cold sweat. But then I heard a soft music coming from below me. It was soothing. I got out of bed and threw on a hoodie and a pair of slippers. I walked out of my room and followed the music. Everything was dark. Eventually I was standing in the doorway to the living room and Edward was sitting at the piano, his fingers playing a soft melody. I was awestruck by the sound. It was too beautiful to be human. But then I remember that he wasn't human. Then the tune ended softly and he turned to face me. "That was beautiful." I said in a whisper. "It is late. What are you doing up?" he asked with a small smile. "I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep." I said. He smiled sadly at me. "Then I didn't wake you?" he asked. I shook my head and moved to the couch. His gaze followed me as I sat down in a curled up position. "What were you playing?" I asked. "One of my own compositions." Edward replied with a small smirk. "You write your own music?" I asked. He nodded. "That's really cool. I could never write my own stuff." I said. His fingers readied themselves over the keyboard and a beautiful melody floated from the piano and wrapped around me. It was like a hypnotic tool. I just couldn't stop listening. It was too beautiful. "This is Esme's favorite." Edward commented as he played. I felt myself nod but my mind was still entwined with the music. But then the music shifted to a sadder, slower melody. I felt my eyelids becoming heavy. It was like he was playing a lullaby for me. I yawned slightly. I didn't want the music to stop. I pulled a pillow under my head as he played. I felt myself smiling as I listened to the piano music. It was so beautiful. I felt myself slipping in and out of conscious thought. I went under the surface one time into sleep and never came back up.
I woke up the next morning and I felt soft blankets around me. There was a cushion under me. I opened my eyes and found that I was in my own room. I was curled into a warm ball beneath my blankets. I sat up and looked around. My door was closed and everything was in its place. I thought about what happened last night and it came to me. Edward had brought me up here after I fell asleep. I smiled slightly and then got out of bed. I was still in my hoodie from last night but my slippers were sitting neatly next to the bed. I got up and grabbed some clothes out of the closet. I took a quick shower and, as I walked out the bathroom, I felt in the mood to draw something. I didn't know what I was going to draw, but I just felt in the mood to draw. I brushed out my moist hair as I walked down the hall and then went into my room. I sat down and pulled out a blank pad of drawing paper I had brought with me. I sat down on my bed and closed my eyes. I saw several images snap into focus. I saw my father. I saw Carlisle. I saw Emmet. I saw Jasper and I saw Edward. They were all the vampire men in my life. That was what I was going to draw. I started off slowly and then eventually found my hand flying across the paper as I drew faces. I drew the sharp angles of the chins. They were all so similar; it was scary. I could visualize the soft gold hair of my father that framed his perpetually young face. Carlisle's hair was lighter than and not as long as my father's. Emmet had short dark hair. Jasper also had dark hair but it was shorter than Carlisle but longer than Emmet's. Edward's bronze hair was the hardest to draw. It was a casual length and it was hard to arrange it to look natural. I remembered the crooked smile he gave me once and I smiled at the memory. I started to hum softly to myself as I drew his facial features. His high cheek bones, the long nose, and his eyes. The depth of them was hard to achieve on paper. I moved on to Emmet and remembered his laughter. It lit up his face in a way that I could never forget. I drew it from memory and it was startlingly realistic. Jasper never really smiled but I remembered the closest thing I had seen. I drew it with a slightly friendlier look in his eyes and he looked very handsome. Carlisle was always smiling around me. But I remembered a specific time a while ago when he laughed. It was a pleasant and light laugh. It had touched every chord in my heart and filled me with warmth that I felt even now as I drew his face. My father was the most painful for me to draw. It took a lot of self control to draw his smile without breaking down. But I remembered what Carlisle had said yesterday. It wasn't my fault. I just had to keep that in mind. I wasn't sure why it stuck with me when he said it. Everyone kept telling me that it wasn't my fault. But he seemed to be the first that understood the entire situation and still said it wasn't my fault. I finished my father's smile and looked at the picture with satisfaction. I turned to my desk and found my special colored pencils to finish the drawing. I was just able to finish with Emmet when there was a knock on the door. I quickly shoved the drawing pad under my pillow and cleaned up my supplies as I walked to the door. I opened it and found Edward standing there, towering over me. He made me feel so shrimpy. "I'm glad to see that you are awake." He said with that crooked smile that I had just finished drawing. "Yes I am." I said. I looked at the little clock on the wall in the hall behind him. "I've been awake for about an hour." I continued. "Well, I'm glad that you slept alright last night. You seemed a little out of it when you came downstairs in the middle of the night." Edward said, still smiling at me. I nodded. "Just had a bad dream." I said offhandedly. "Well, if you aren't doing anything, I want to take you shopping. Car shopping." Edward said. I blinked at him a few times. I was in the middle of a moment and I didn't want to lose the images in my mind. But at the same time, I want to go shopping with Edward. It was a hard choice. "I mean, I can wait an hour or two, if you're busy." Edward said. I had a feeling he had heard my thoughts. "Give me an hour and I'll be ready to go." I said with a smile. He smiled a little brighter and then walked away. I closed the door again and got all of my stuff out. I got my drawing out and started coloring Jasper's face. I was able to get most of the faces done. I still had a little of my father to do and Edward. I looked at a clock and saw I had ten minutes. I finished my father's face and then shoved the picture under my pillow again. I looked at the side of my hand. Sure enough, it was covered in grey lead. I sighed and changed into a simple white tee-shirt and a pair of dark jeans. I put on my sneakers and grabbed a jean jacket. I put away my supplies and opened my door. There Edward was, leaning casually against the wall opposite my door. I smiled at him and went into the bathroom. I quickly washed my hands and met him in the hall. "What were you doing in there?" he asked. "I was just getting something off of my hand." I shrugged. It wasn't a lie but I don't think that he should know that I just drew his image. He smirked at me and then led the way out to his silver car. "So why are we going car shopping?" I asked. He started the car and pulled quickly out of the little parking area. "Because we had just enough room to fit the five of us at any one time in one car. With you, that makes six and we don't have the room. So we are getting you a car." Edward said. "So I have to drive myself to school every day?" I asked. "No. But we can split between your potential car and my car and drive to school." Edward said. I shrugged and looked out the front window. "What were you drawing?" he asked out of random. I looked at him sharply. "What do you mean? Who said I was drawing?" I asked harshly. "Because I saw all of the drawings on your walls when I brought you back upstairs after you fell asleep on the couch." Edward said. "That doesn't mean that I was drawing today." I said. "Don't try to fool me, Lil." Edward said with a smirk. "What did you call me?" I asked. "Lil. Lilith is too long for my taste." Edward said with a smirk. "So I can call you Ed if Edward is too long for my taste?" I asked with a smirk of my own. "That is where I draw the line." Edward said. I laughed slightly. "So what kind of car do you want?" Edward asked. I shrugged. "I don't know much about cars." I said. He chuckled. "So I'll help you." Edward said. "So what type of car should I get?" I asked him. "Something foreign. You would like a foreign car. Very quiet. Lots of speed. I am partial to European cars." Edward said. "Then I'm getting a car from Europe." I said with a smile. "You aren't very difficult, are you?" he asked with a chuckle. "Not really." I said with a wider smile. He laughed and I saw the image from my drawing on his face. It was so alive and happy, no pun intended. "I think you’d like a Porsche or a Mazda. I could see you in a Boxster or Miata. A nice convertible." Edward said. "I like the sound of the Miata." I said. "I like the look. Very slick." Edward commented. "Well, we'll just see what there is." I said. I didn't like convertibles. They always were too flashy for my style. Edward sped down the highway and we eventually made it to Seattle. We pulled into a Mazda, BMW, and Porsche dealer. I was nervous now. I didn't want to look like an idiot, but at the same time, I wasn't sure what I was doing. Eventually, Edward stopped the car in a nice parking spot. I got out and Edward led the way into the dealer. We entered the show room and there were several very shiny cars in there. Edward walked straight over to a black convertible. "This is a Miata." He said. I looked at it. It was pretty flashy, just like I thought. It would attract a lot of attention. I looked around, hoping to find something less obvious. My eyes landed on a silver car. It was a BMW, or so said the little sign on the front. Edward followed my gaze. "That is a BMW. 330 Ci coupe as far as I can tell. You have a good eye." Edward commented. We walked over to the car and he looked around the interior. "Wait here while I get an employee." Edward said firmly. I nodded and I stood by the driver's door. I learned to drive on a standard and that's what this car was as far as I could tell. It was leather seating, which was nice. It looked like it could be very me. I just hoped it wasn't too expensive. I didn't want the Cullens shelling out all this money for me. I straightened up and saw Edward and a female employee walking toward me. "Yes, this is a very nice car indeed. One of the newest models on the road." She said. Uh-oh. New meant expensive. Then Edward started drilling her about all of the different features. He really knew his stuff. After a half an hour of his questions, he finally was quiet. "What do you think, Lil?" he asked me after a few minutes. "I like it." I said with a smile. "Can we give it a test drive?" Edward asked. The lady blinked a few times and then led us outside. She disappeared for a few minutes and then came back with the same car. She left it running. I got in the passenger side and Edward took the wheel. He pulled off into the street and really put this thing through its paces. It performed well, as far as I could tell. Edward was smiling as we pulled back into the dealer. "We'll take it." He said, getting out of the car. She blinked a few more times and then led us back into the dealer. She pulled out a bunch of papers for Edward to sign. I had to sign too, considering that this car was for me. Eventually, Edward paid over $50,000 for the car. The lady handed me three sets of keys and shook my hand. I was smiling but it was a fake smile. I was freaking out about the price tag that came with that car. I wasn't going to say that I didn't like it, but that was a lot to spend on me. "So you can take your car back and I'll lead the way." Edward said. I sighed, knowing that it wasn't worth an argument. I got in the car and started it myself. I was able to get a license plate from this place too. Edward pulled out of the dealer and was speeding off. I had to put the peddle to the metal in order to keep up. But I guess that he was right about one thing. Driving this fast gave me a pure rush of adrenaline. We made it back to the Cullen house in a very short time. I parked my car next to Edward's. "Well, it runs like a dream." I said as I put the keys in my pocket. We walked up the front stairs to the house and Edward opened the front door. Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Emmet, and Rosalie were sitting in the living room all doing their own thing. "Where's Alice?" I asked. "She went out for a little while." Esme said with a smile. "So what kind of car did you get?" Emmet asked, standing up. "BMW 330." Edward answered for me. "NO WAY!" Emmet said loudly. He and Jasper jumped up and rushed outside to see it. I watched amused as they tried to open it and the car alarm went off. "I had to amuse myself somehow." I said when Carlisle gave me a look. I shut it off and unlocked the doors for them. They got in and I watched carefully. It was a brand new car. I didn't want them to ruin it. They eventually came in the house after going through every part of the car, including the trunk. "I want to ride with you to school." Jasper said with a kind smile. It was almost exactly like the one I drew. I knew that he looked handsome with one on. I felt instantly relaxed and I smiled back. "Well, I think that Lil needs to find a place to put her keys or something." Edward said, cutting through this little moment. I snapped out of it and nodded. "I have to finish something anyway." I said. "Are you going to show us when you finish?" Carlisle asked. "Maybe." I said. Why did everyone assume that I was drawing something? I walked away quickly and then walked up to my room. I closed and locked the door. I could faintly hear the beginnings to Esme's favorite song being played by Edward. I was humming it after a while as I fixed little details here and there about the faces I had finished. Then I moved to Edward's face. I was very careful to pick the exact shade of peach that made up his marble skin. It was so similar to Carlisle's but in a way it was different. In the end, I finished it and it was perfect. I was humming to the song that put me to sleep last night. I looked over the faces again. It was like looking at a photograph that had been turned into a picture. It was my best work yet. I carefully got up and washed my hands free of the lead that had been smudged there. I dried my hands before grabbing my drawing pad again. I walked down the stairs just as the song ended. Edward turned on the bench as I reached the doorway. Everyone looked at me and then at the drawing pad in my hands. "What did you draw?" Esme asked me. I stepped slowly into the room. I handed her the drawing pad. It was blank except for the first five pages. She flipped open the cover and her eyebrows shot up. She flipped to the next page and looked at it then Carlisle. She looked at the next one and then at Emmet. She looked at the drawing after that and then at Jasper. She looked at the last picture and then at Edward. Finally she said something. "These are amazing." She said in a faint voice. Then suddenly, everyone in the room was looking at my drawings. They all crowded around the back of the couch behind Esme. I was slowly retreating towards the stairs, hoping to get up it before any riot occurred. "It's like looking in a mirror." Emmet said with a laugh. "No way. She made you look a lot better in this picture." Jasper said with a laugh. I was still edging away from the group. "Where do you think you're going?" Rosalie called to me. I was caught.
I sighed and walked back into the living room. "You drew these from memory?" Carlisle asked. I nodded slowly, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. "It is so strange to see my face on paper. But they are so realistic. When did I smile like this?" he asked. "A long time ago." I said in a low voice. I was looking away from them, shielding my face with my hair. I could feel myself blushing very red. "These are really good." Jasper said. I mumbled thanks to him. Edward had said nothing yet. "Is that your father?" Emmet asked, looking between me and the pad. I nodded. "He's quite handsome." Rosalie commented. Emmet looked offended. Edward still was silent. Esme got up and then handed me back to drawing pad. "These are really good." She said in a low voice. I looked at her. I smiled back but my face still felt red. I tucked the drawing pad into my chest and then went up the stairs quickly. Had I offended Edward with my drawing? I rushed into my room and closed the door with my mind and locked it too. I sat on my bed with my drawing pad tucked into my body. I looked out the window and saw the smallest sliver of red sunlight leaking through the clouds. It was making the clouds blood red. It was beautiful. I opened my drawing pad to a blank page and started to draw what I saw out of my window. I was so enveloped in my drawing that I didn't notice the music drifting into my room again. I felt myself drifting back and forth between sleep and awake again. I rest my head on my pillow while I drew the sun set that had long since faded from my window. I put it down on my chest and closed my eyes. The music was drawing me in again. It was so beautiful. I knew Edward was playing it because no one else except me could play like that. I smiled to myself and then I slipped into sleep again. Some time later, I woke up from another night terror. But it was a different kind of waking. I didn't wake myself up from screaming. Someone was shaking my shoulders. Their hands were ice cold. I opened my eyes and saw Edward standing above me looking panicked. "Why were you screaming?" he asked. "I don't know. I was having a nightmare." I said. I was panting. I felt the cold sweat making my clothes stick to me. "What was your nightmare?" Edward asked. He still had my shoulders pinned to the bed. "I don't know. I can never remember." I said. I felt something slide out of the corner of my eye. But I didn't wipe it away. I kept my gaze locked with Edward's eyes. My body just seemed to freeze under his gaze. His eyes were gold today. It was like someone melted topaz and put it in his eyes. My breathing was returning to normal now, but my heart was hammering in my chest. "Do you need someone to stay with you?" Edward asked in a whisper. I looked into his eyes again and saw nothing misleading in them. I nodded very slowly. Edward straightened up and grabbed a spare quilt from the pile at the end of my bed. He wrapped me in it carefully and then pulled the regular blankets over me. He pulled me to his chest as he got comfortable on top of the blankets. I rested my head on his arm and closed my eyes. I realized how warm I was when my forehead touched his icy arm. I felt instantly better. "Thank you." I whispered. He said nothing. I heard something rumble in his chest. He was humming. I knew what it was at once. It the song he kept playing. "That is a beautiful tune." I said as I yawned. "It is your lullaby." Edward said. I smiled inwardly and then closed my eyes. I fell asleep again almost instantly, lulled to sleep by his humming.
Things went much in the same way for a while. Every day, I would spend time getting ready for school or getting to know the town of Forks, or just getting to know the Cullens. I even started to become less embarrassed of my drawings. They loved to see my work. They also loved to hear me sing. Once Edward had let me play his piano and I sang along with the song I was playing and after that, everyone loved my singing. But I really felt like I was part of this family. They accepted me so openly. They even adjusted to my needs. Esme was a great cook and always made everything the way I liked it. Every night when I went to bed, Edward would be with me. It was like his humming or his mere presence would keep away my night terrors. It was comforting. But I knew that they couldn't last forever. It had been over 12 years since they started. I would have to outgrow them eventually. But there was something else that was on my mind other than the growing annoyance of my night terrors. My 18th birthday was coming and coming fast. That meant the painful transformation. Edward knew about it because I told him. He said he would help me however he could. We spent long hours at night just talking. It was nice to know about him. I found myself needing to be near him more. He was always relaxed around me, but I could tell he was holding back. It was like he didn't want to get too close to me. Or at least not yet. I hoped things would get better when I was a vampire. Soon enough, the week before my birthday dawned. It was the last week in August. School started soon. My birthday was September 1st. It was going to be an interesting time.
I woke up on August 31 like someone had screamed in my ear. Edward was lying next to me, just looking at me. He smiled when I looked at him. I smiled back. It felt like every part of me melted at this one simple action. He sat up and so did I. He touched my forehead with the back of his hand. His hand felt oddly warm against my skin. "Well, I think we can say that it has officially started. You are starting to get the icy skin." He muttered. He grabbed my wrist gently and then held my hand to the side of his face. "Your pulse is starting to slow down." Edward said under his breath. I nodded. I mentally brought the glass of water over from my bed side table to me. I tried to drink it, but I felt repulsed by the clean smell. "Yes, you are starting to become one of us." Edward chuckled as I sent the glass back to the bedside table. "Soon you'll never have to drink water." Edward chuckled. He was tense and I could tell. I sat up and looked at his face. He was tense like something was bothering him. "Will things change between us when I'm like you?" I asked in a whisper. I was always honest with him and I had to know this one question. "What do you mean?" Edward asked confused. "You are holding back, Edward. I can tell. It's like you don't want to get too close to me. Will that change when I'm a vampire like you?" I asked in a slightly louder voice. Edward sighed. He looked more troubled than I had ever seen him. "I think things might change but not by much. You know I care about you. That's why I help you fight off your nightmares every night." Edward said. I nodded slowly and sadly. I pulled off the covers and got out of bed slowly. "Now something is bothering you, Lil." Edward said, also getting out of my bed. "I thought it was more than just 'caring'." I said under my breath. I felt his icy hands on my shoulders. "I have been leading you on." Edward said in a whisper. I felt his breath on the back of my ear. I closed my eyes. "Have you?" I asked, turning to face him. I looked up into those wonderfully gold eyes of his. He looked back into my green ones and said nothing. I reached up gently and touched the side of his perfect face with the tips of my fingers. He inhaled deeply. "You don't know what that does to me." He breathed. "I think I do." I said in the same volume. I felt his hands on my hips. My hand fell and joined my other one on his chest. I kept my gaze locked with his. I saw his face moving toward mine. I saw it but I couldn't believe it. I felt my eyes closing of their own accord. Then his lips were touching mine. They were so smooth but at the same time so cold. I inhaled through my nose, letting him take control. He didn't get any closer than he was right now. I slid my hands carefully up his hard chest and up to his shoulders, hoping that would encourage him a little bit. Then there was a sudden pain that ran through every part of my body. I broke away and fell backwards onto the hard floor. But the impact was nothing like the pain the ripped me apart from the inside out. I screamed loudly and screwed my eyes shut against the pain. I kept screaming until I felt cold hands against my cheeks. I opened my eyes as far as I could in my pain. I saw the blurred shape of Edward leaning over me. I could hear panicked voices around me. I couldn't make sense of any of them. I was in too much pain. I felt myself slipping in and out of focus. The pain never died away with the trips between passed out and awake. It just was less intense and more intense respectively. I didn't know if I was alive or dead. I was gasping for breath. I knew the end was coming. There was no way that I could live through this. I felt like I was floating. Then suddenly, everything stopped. I blacked out.
I woke up later and I was lying in my own bed. But I didn't feel tired. I just felt really thirsty. I sat up and looked around. Edward was standing by the door. Carlisle was sitting next to me. Both had their eyes closed. But I knew they weren't sleeping. Vampires didn't sleep. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My feet made no noise as they hit the floor. I looked around and then spotted my mirror. I didn't change much. I was pale. I didn't want to be pale. I half-liked my olive skin. But I guess I would get used to it. My face had much cleaner lines now. The roundness of my face was gone, leaving a strong jaw and defined cheek bones. My eyes, shockingly enough, were black. I must be thirstier than I thought. My movements had reached Carlisle's ears and I heard him move. It was strange to hear all of this noise. Then I realized that I hadn't breathed once since I woke up. It was a very strange sensation not to need oxygen. I turned and saw Carlisle smiling at me. "How long have I been out?" I asked. My voice had changed. It was smooth as silk and had an almost siren quality to it, even to my own ears. "Two days. You were sweating a lot. But you are now a vampire." Carlisle said. I nodded slowly and then looked at Edward. He was looking at me with those liquid golden eyes. I smiled ever so slightly and he smiled back. "Are you thirsty?" Carlisle asked. I nodded. "Give me a second." Carlisle said. He got up and left the room, leaving Edward and I alone. "Does this change things between us?" I asked. He smirked slightly and walked over to sit beside me. "Well, I can say that you had more physical appeal to me as a human." Edward said. "I know. Pale doesn't really fit me" I said, looking back into the mirror. "Well, don't try to tan. Being out in the sun is one of the most dangerous things for our kind." Edward laughed. "Do you explode or something?" I asked in a joking manor. "Well, not exactly. Just as violent though. I'll show you on the next sunny day." Edward said with a smile. I smiled back. "You are dogging my question." I said, not changing my smile. "Well, I guess it is less dangerous to be around you now." Edward said. He put a hand to my cheek and turned my head to face his. He gently placed his lips on mine. There was no difference in skin temperature now. I reached up and gently put my fingertips on his shoulder. His hand was sliding around my waist. But then he pulled away. It wasn't rough but just an end to a blissful moment. "I guess not." I said with a smile.
