Sunlight Filtered Through Green Leaves

Chapter 16

Bella

When I was very young, maybe four or five, I had crept into my dad's office while he was at work and went through his books. I was just learning to read, and most of the words intimidated me, but sometimes there were pictures and I liked those. There was one in particular I kept coming back to.

I didn't look at it because I liked it. In fact, it scared the ever-living fuck out of me, but I kept coming to look at it, to feel the visceral rush of fear every time I opened the book.

The dreams began shortly after that.

I dreamt of the picture, a child in a Victorian gown standing next a hulking, snarling beast. It was a mishmash of animal features, snouts, fangs, claws all thrown together horrifyingly. I dreamt of the creature, gave it glowing yellow eyes and a deep, empty voice. The dream would be the same every night.

I would stand at the end of a dark, narrow hallway, with the beast at the other end. It would make its way slowly towards me, whispering "let me out". It would move faster and faster, scream louder and louder until I jolted awake to find everything I owned swirling around my head, a furious gale whipping everything around, with me at the center of my own storm.

My parents would have to fight their way in, which said a lot about the winds, considering vampire speed and strength. Sometimes, Emmett would hurl himself to me, or Jasper would try and talk me down, but nothing worked. They simply had to stand there and let me tire myself out.

I would drop with exhaustion and pain, agony so fierce I couldn't even cry. We moved so much during the two years this happened, that Dad started sedating me before bed. They'd begun their search then, for someone like me.

Eventually, when I was nine, they'd found someone, an old woman who'd agreed to meet with Dad. She'd given him a grimoire, a book of spells to help me focus my magic. Apparently, letting it flow out of me hurt me. It took over and robbed me of my control.

Once I'd finally began to settle, I'd sort of stopped using magic. In fact, I'd only done one spell in the eight years since I'd gotten the grimoire; I'd set up a barrier so no vampire could cross my threshold without my permission. I guessed that's where the myth came from.

Now, though, I'd done more magic in the past three months than I had in almost a decade. Every part of me ached. Mom ended up dropping Jess and Angela back home when they brought me back. I can't remember too much, but I remember everything that happened to Beau in crystal clarity.

Alice had held me in her thin arms, and we'd explained to Dad what happened. Apparently, she'd tried to reach me too, to warn me, but she couldn't get a hold of me.

"Sweetheart," dad says, stroking back my hair. I'm laid up on the couch, propped up with a dozen pillows and drowning in blankets. Rose, Emmett, and Jasper hover over me anxiously, but there's nothing they can do. Dad makes me take a few Advil, helping me gulp down some water.

When Mom gets back, she settles behind me, letting me lean against her and press my forehead to her cool skin.

By the time Eds gets home, I'm well enough to take myself back into my own room, burrow in my sheets and blankets. I'm scrolling absently through twitter, too tired to make myself do any homework. Maybe one of my siblings will feel bad enough for me and just do it. I'm guessing it'll be Jasper.

"Bella?" Eds' soft voice gets my attention and I tell him to come in. "How're you feeling?" he asks, sitting next to me and brushing my hair off my forehead.

"I've been better," I say wryly, sitting up. "How was your date?"

"Please don't call it that," he tells me, but there's a smile on his face. "I wanted to thank you."