𝐍𝐎𝐒𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔━︎━︎ C. Cullen ✓︎

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT:
THE CHANGE

ECHO HAD NEVER BEEN in so much pain before in her life. It felt like she was back in Russia all over again. The burning liquids attacking her veins as she cried out in agony. But this pain was completely different. This pain was something that affected everything. It burned at a higher velocity and its course took a quicker time to wrap around her until she couldn't feel anything but fire. And then, she couldn't feel anything at all.

Echo, a day prior, had told Carlisle that she was ready. Her head was back in place as was her emotional state. So, reluctantly, Carlisle bit her. The others had all went hunting while Carlisle watched over Echo's dead body. Their hope was that her healing powers wouldn't kick in and bring her back to life, so far it looked like they were good. She no longer had a heartbeat. Carlisle had to stand there and listen for a good ten minutes straight to make sure her heartbeats hadn't become sporadic like the last time she had died.

He waited three days. Nothing happened. Four days. Nothing happened. Five days. Still nothing. He was starting to think that he had permanently killed her and that he was going to get killed by Bella when she came back from her honeymoon. Six days. Still nothing. Rosalie had placed a reassuring hand on her adoptive fathers shoulder while Alice sent him a small smile.

Seven days. Her eyes opened. Carlisle wanted so desperately to run over to her, but his children had to keep him from doing so, so that Echo could take a moment to look at her surroundings. Her now ruby red eyes looked around the room. She could see everything so clearly, so closely. She could hear a river that was miles away. Everything felt so. . . different. Echo sat up slowly, her hair falling over her shoulder.

She slowly stood up. A mirror was placed in front of her, and she was surprised by her perfected features. She stared into her own red eyes with curiosity. She smiled when she saw Carlisle appear in the mirror behind her. She turned around and he sent her a small smile.

"How do you feel?" He quietly asked, though Echo could hear him clearly.

"I feel different." She answered. Once speaking, she realized how dry her throat was, causing her hand to go up and wrap around her neck.

"You need to feed." Carlisle told her. She nodded her head in agreement before following Carlisle out into the woods. The two stopped and Carlisle walked up to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Listen." He simply said. And so, she did. She closed her eyes and listened. She could her the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, the water running from miles away. And then, she heard the sound she was looking for. A deer. She took off, running with her heightened ability. She smoothly missed branches as she made her way toward her prey that had heard her, taking off. She chased after it and immediately pounced. It struggled under her grasp and she looked at it before quickly sinking her teeth into it's neck, draining the animal dry. She removed her teeth from its neck, wiping the blood from her mouth.