My general input into the family discussions were considerably stunted and if I wanted to be honest with myself, nonexistent. So I was ushered into my comfort zone of simply observing without much prompt.

I was beginning to recognize that currency in the vampire world was exchanged in favors and knowledge. Not much else held value when you watched the world through the eyes of a god.

Cold, Detached, and unyielding.

The Cullens claimed themselves a family, bound together in their values and mutual familial love for one another. Yet something always seemed strained in the family dynamic. Something in their currency exchange rate wasn't adding up.

Carlisle was the head authority figure, his word absolute. Esme his wife and mate, silently providing quiet strength by his side. His children would follow and together they would be a strong united front, seeking solstice in each other in the never ending centuries that flowed out in front of them.

That was what they tried to portray, yet it fell short whenever you looked just under the surface.

When I peeked behind the curtains, I saw too many voices clamoring for the reigns. Trying to lead the family in a direction they felt would suit them best.

Alice's voice was heard most often, she was right up there with Carlisle, followed closely by Edward.

I had often wondered what weight was attached to Alice's and Edward's voice that the rest of the family lacked, Rosalie was outspoken and had enough venom in her voice to make a grown man cry, yet her two cents where generally ignored, even when she made a valid point.

I supposed after a while, that it was simply that Alice and Edward had an unfair advantage. Alice knew what you were going to do even before you, yourself knew, and Edward could fish around in the most private place a person had, stealing secrets, finding fears, and gleaning motives.

If knowledge was a commodity that allowed you power, whether that be, to get a leg up on those that meant you harm or simply to make life easier, then Alice and Edward were the spoiled rich children who were born with silver spoons in their mouth and felt entitled to everything.

They would basically run the show if it were up to them, only being tempered by Carlisle's aged tested wisdom and copious amount of patience.

I wanted to know why Carlisle allowed them such power, He didn't seem to take much weight of the others opinion's, maybe that's why Rosalie and Emmett were absent more often than not. It would certainly explain her frosty personality. Daddy dearest didn't pay attention to little miss princess.

Esme had always struck me as the strong silent type, yet as with everything in the Cullen family, something didn't feel right. There was more to Esme's quietness, in fact it seemed forced. There was a profound sense resignation, and strong disapproval wrapped up in a blanket of helplessness that floated around her. I believed she was here out of loyalty and commitment to Carlisle than anything else.

Emmett was much like Esme, pleasant yet distant. Again it seemed like he was only here for Rosalie, all the while quietly radiating disapproval. Why Rosalie stayed I wasn't quite sure, she didn't seem very happy with the status quo of the family.

Or anything for that matter.

I hadn't noticed all the inconsistencies in the family at first, when Edward had revealed himself and introduced me to his family I was swept up in the new and bright possibilities, a family full of love, welcoming me with wide arms and beautiful smiles. I was left dazed and breathless, as Edward whispered sweet promises into my ear and showed me a world that I desperately wanted to be mine.

Timeless love and a flawless family. Who could ever want more?

It wasn't till the great city of Seattle began misplacing its residents at an alarming rate that I had finally sat up and taken notice

Mostly because this caused one of the most elusive Cullen to stay for more than just a few hours a week, the family in general had always seemed to have ants in their pants for one reason or another. They seemed to be in constant motion, no one staying for long. Someone was always out, sometimes lasting weeks or just hours. Yet they all had an established place here in Cullen household dynamic.

The leader, the mother figure, the beauty, the brawn, the prodigal son, and the oracle

Jasper was the only one that never really fit in their bizarre dynamic. He had no place here other than the absent sibling and even when he was here, he stood out like a whore in a nunnery. Where the rest of them had perfected the art of pretending to be human, shifting, blinking, breathing, and smiling oh so charmingly. Jasper stood tall, motionless, every part of him made you step back and acknowledge that, yes he was a predator and yes you could be his next meal. He did nothing to hide what he was and that interested me.

While I watched him from under my lashes he seemed more or less ambivalent to my presence. Sometimes he watched me with a calculating look on his face, others he snarled in my direction and stalked out of the house as soon as I arrived.

Today he stood motionless in a corner as the family debated a course of action regarding the steadily rising body count in Seattle. Nothing much was different. Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie stood for the most part quietly, looking to Carlisle, Alice, and Edward the established entities of power for a decision. Alice spoke of dark tidings, ominous forecasts of the future, Edward urged precaution. While Carlisle sat at the head of the table, his face grave as he deliberated.

Yet something arose out of the mist of peculiarity.

Their eyes flickered over to Jasper as they weighed every viable option, talking over merits and disadvantages. But making no solid course of action, something in this particular situation made Alice quieter, and Edward tentative. Carlisle while positioned in the role of decision maker was tense, waiting for a shoe to drop that I couldn't see.

And dear-me-oh-my, did my knees almost buckle from shock when the shoe dropped. From a dark corner of obscurity his voice slithered out, laced lightly with a southern panty dropping drawl, in a shiver inducing low-pitched timber.

I had never heard his voice before, He only ever stayed for a short time when he visited, gone by the time I arrived or locked in the study with Alice and Carlisle.

My interactions with him were limited to my subtle watching of his comings and goings; he seemed to take extra care to avoid me or watch from afar.

Today was different though; he had stepped into the spotlight on his own, temporary filling the role of the stern, absolute leader. Something that Carlisle portrayed well but rarely fulfilled.

He spoke concisely and without much inflection, "We leave in three days".

There was a tense silence, where I was sure someone would object but even Rosalie, the empress of everything bitchy, did nothing but scowl at the floor.

Until Edward opened his mouth, "What about Bella?" he demanded.

I flushed under the immediate scrutiny of several vampires, oh yes; of course the silly useless human had to have a proper babysitter. He glared at Alice, "I won't leave her unpro-"

Jasper cut him off, "She'll stay here." His expression flat, booking no argument.

"We'll strike quickly, quietly," His expression sharpening as he looked over to Edward, a sneer in his voice, "and thoroughly."

A tense silence echoed over the family.

Until Esme released a long suffering sigh and disappeared through the backdoor in the kitchen, unofficially adjourning the meeting. I caught the tail end of a painful grimace twist across Carlisle's face before he smoothed out his expression, nodded meaningfully at Jasper and retreated to his study.

Edward hissed something at Alice before turning and scooping me up into his arms, "Let's get you home, it's late." He muttered, his expression pinched.

I watch Jasper as Edward carried me out, he stared out the kitchen window in the direction Esme had taken off, expressionless.

Alice glided over to him, her arm lifting to settle comfortingly on his shoulder, his hand shot out faster than I could see. Catching her wrist in a bruising grip, he shook his head, his face carved and severe before disappearing into Carlisle study.

Edward depositing me through my window as Charlie slept soundly in the other room. He gave me a brisk kiss on the forehead, before whispering he would be back later and disappeared into the rapidly approaching dawn.

I stared at the cresting colors of the new day, burning with need to rip back the curtains and find the man behind the wizard's voice. The one that controlled the levers and dials.

I had a feeling that man was no one, other than Jasper.