gift or curse (A Twilight fanfiction)

Chapter 4

Apparently the mention of this Victoria was enough for everyone to completely understand my situation, but to me it made my past even more unclear.

"I was created by a boy, not a girl."

"Well", Edward looked my way again. He seemed uneasy. "Not exactly. Riley, the boy, was in charge of the army, but he was creating it for her. She was the one who bit the victims he brought to her, but none of the newborns ever saw her."

Newborns, that word I understood without explanation. It had sure felt that way, after waking up from the nightmare of the transformation. Newly born into hell.

"You were very strong to have been able to run away from Seattle. Even more to be able to live on the blood of animals. It gives me hope for the future as newborns develop more of a conscience."

"He means Carlisle and me", Bella interjected. "We both have a clean record, just like you."

At my confused look, Carlisle explained: "We never fed on a human."

Ah. "So, it is not possible to drink from a human, and let him live?" That thought had crossed my mind a few times. Like an alcoholic thinking about taking just one sip of wine. Seeing the dread on the round face of the one who called herself mother, made me glad I never tried it for real.

"Not that I am aware of", Esmee softly spoke. "Human blood is like the most delicious food you have ever tasted, while having been starved before. Tasting it ..." She didn't go on.

Somehow it was hard for me to picture the tiny, sweet woman with her big caring eyes, killing a human being for their blood.

"Perhaps we should change the subject to one, less gruesome?"

Suddenly a new voice startled me. My head whipped back to where not a moment ago, Renesmee had been sitting with the russet wolf. The wolf was gone and from the door to what seemed like the kitchen, came a boy that topped even Emmet in height. He was so different from the vampires, that I couldn't keep myself from staring. His skin was dark and incredibly warm, I could feel it from over here. His heartbeat was fast, faster even than that of the child. And even though he looked completely human, I was instantly sure he wasn't. Not entirely.

"Ariadne, meet Jacob. Friend of the family and leader of the pack you've met before", Edward spoke.

"Pack?"

"The wolves. Jacob is a shapeshifter."

"Riiight." Werewolves and vampires I could live with, they kind of belonged in the same nightmare. Shapeshifters were something else entirely.

Renesmee giggled. A happy, bubbly sound, that made me want to laugh along.

"I'll give you a demonstration some other time", Jacob grimaced. I had the feeling he wasn't completely sure about me, yet.

---

After that, nobody said anything for a while. Emmet and Rosaly got up and left to who knows where and Esmee disappeared into the kitchen, where I heard her making something. Probably for Jacob and Renesmee, since none of us had to eat. Once more my head moved around the room. I tried the slow-thing, trying to discover why they all seem to think it was better. Was it really only for the benefit of the wolf and the child?

Suddenly the thought crossed my mind that you would have to move slow, at human speed, so to speak, when you were around humans. Considering the fact that Bella had been human when she came in contact with this coven, they seemed to interact with humans on a more regular base. Was that something I had to get used to as well? I observed them more closely now. The little movements at regular intervals, the breathing. They even moved their shoulders and I saw the girls crossing their legs every once in a while. Emmet moved his arms and Carlisle's head looked to be following some tune in his mind. I tried to copy them. Breathing in and out every four of five seconds.