Rated M for safety reasons.
Disclaimer: Belongs to Stephenie Meyers.
Thanks for the reviews(!): naruagawa, Vale Herondalem, tegz04, devilishleli, guadadominguez4, bookbabe711, BankaiTensa, Lady Hummingbird, SnowKi, and Psycho Mutt
Whoa~ I was not expecting this amount of support. Maybe a few, but damn. Alright then, lets get this bitch rolling.
Unbeta'd: All mistakes are my own and I will fix them when you or I catch them :)
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Chapter One:
Blood and Music
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Forks, Washington, 2005
"Old." Plunk
"Wo-!" Plunk
"-man." Plunk
"Old." Plunk
"Wo-!" Plunk
"-man." Plunk
"Don't." Plunk
"You." Plunk
"Want." Plunk
"To." Plunk
"Mar-!" Plunk
"-ry." Plunk
"Me?" Plunk
"Oh." Plunk
"Good-!" Plunk
"-ness." Plunk
"Why." Plunk
"Should." Plunk
"I?" Plunk
"I." Plunk
"Am." Plunk
"Nine-!" Plunk
"-ty." Plunk
"Three!" Plunk
Jack grinned in delight as she successfully completed the song without incident. Pulling away from the piano, she did a little dance (which consisted of her legs jumping and arms waving) in her seat. Oh, she couldn't wait to tell Maria about her progress! She was going to be so proud!
Grinning triumphantly, Jack started round two. Practice makes perfect of course.
Old." Plunk
"Wo-!" Plunk
"-man." Plunk
"Old." Plunk
"Wo-!" Plunk
"-man." Plunk
"Don't." Plunk
"You." Plunk
"Want." Plunk
"To." Plunk
"Mar-!" Purr-thunk!
"Frack!" She hissed angrily glaring at her pinky finger that had just made the grave error. She was doing so well too.
"You're too stiff." A smooth voice interrupted. Surprised, Jack jumped in her seat and quickly turned around. In the doorway was a tall pale young man. His age could be consider early twenties, but he was in high school (and he had on a backpack). So late teens then. Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen? Did she really care?
No.
His hair held multiple shades of colors: red, brown, gold. They mirrored the ranging colors of his eyes. Nothing about him seemed to want to settle into one permanent color. So many conflicting things, one could only assume it would be the same for his personality.
"What?" She cocked her head in question.
He shifted, shuffling his feet from side to side. Eyes training on her, then the piano, the walls of the room, outside the windows, and then back to her. Rinse and repeat. At his moment of silence, Jack took a more closer look at him. He was drop dead gorgeous despite his resistance to color coordinate. High aristocratic cheek bones, strong manly jaw, pretty pointed nose, and lips so kissable they should be illegal. He looked as though he had been built straight from the pages of "How to Build A Man" guide book.
Him and Fabio should be in a book club together.
"You are too stiff." He repeated taking a step forward then stopping again. He looked nervous, or constipated. "You need to relax your posture. Stop thinking. Let your hands do the remembering."
Worst. Teacher. Ever.
"Right." Jack drawled not really believing (or understanding) him. "Why not?" Turning around, she closed her eyes and relaxed. Taking a deep breath she allowed her fingertips to brush lightly over the smooth keys. In her mind, she reached for the memory of the song. How each key felt under her fingers, how it sounded in her ears, and how Maria's voice sang happily along with each plucked note. Then she brought that memory outward, pushed it until it was just right underneath her skin.
Before she could even think, her fingers were dancing. The song wasn't long and it wasn't even pretty. It was simple notes with simple words made for a simpleton, but it made Maria laugh. Now Jack was playing it so smoothly it was like she was Mozart incarnate.
"Oh." Jack mouthed in surprise. Opening her eyes, she stared at her hands with new sight. "That was so cool!" She broke out into a grin.
Turning around she spotted the young man hovering near the music room's pedestal just across from her. "Thank you, Mr. Cullen."
He raised one elegantly painted brow. "You're welcome." He paused looking at her quizzically. "How do you know my name?"
"I know all the names of the students at Forks High School." She told him, closing the lid of the piano. "It's only proper to know the people you are working for."
"For?" His wondering eyes kept wondering. It was as if he was only keeping up the conversation to be polite. Jack assumed if she were absent, or to even leave at this moment, then he would have been a thousand times more comfortable. Maybe he would have relaxed and stopped imitating a statue. Yet, he was the one who walked into the room; the room with her in it.
"The students." She clarified walking off the raised floor, and went straight towards her cleaning supplies.
There was another long pause and Jack felt his eyes fall upon her again. "You're a janitor." Then his gaze moved on. "I thought you were a student."
Jack grinned. "Thank you for the compliment." She grabbed a chisel and spatula before turning around. She leaned against the desk using her left hand for support while waving the other up and down her body. "I look good for my age, don't I?" She gave the tall teenager a wink. The edges of his eyes crinkled and his pale lips twitched upward just a smidge. Teasing her a view of the fantastic smile she was sure he had.
"I've never seen you around here before." He told her as he sat his backpack on the ground next to the podium. "Are you new?" He then took her spot in front of the piano. His hands glided elegantly over the dark oak wood of the lid.
"Nope." She popped the "p" jovially. "I usually work the evening shift." She bent down and grabbed the leg of a metal chair and flipped it over. "But Dan is on vacation and they needed an extra pair of hands during the school day." Per the usual, gum was on the under side. Kids these days - no respect for school propriety. "So here I am."
"Do you usually spend time in the music room?" He asked as he opened the lid. His long fingers gently pushed down on the keys; playing out the beginning notes to Jack's song. Her eyes widened in surprise as he repeated her simple melody. Note for note, and with such ease too. Jack would have been amazed if the corners of his mouth weren't twitching.
He was teasing her! The arrogance! Jack's face flushed with irritation. Swinging her head around, she pinned him with a glare.
"I was on my lunch break." She clarified raising her chin. "Which you interrupted may I remind you, Mr. Cullen."
Again, there was that teasing of a smile that didn't quite reach his honey combed eyes. "My apologies, Miss..." He paused and turned to look at her.
"Turner." Jack informed him begrudgingly. Still a bit ticked at him for teasing her. "Jack Turner."
He raised one perfect brow in question, but said: "My apologies, Miss. Turner."
They then fell into a odd, but not quite uncomfortable, silence. Jack began diligently scrapping off the gum from the underside of the music room's chairs while Cullen stared unblinkingly at the piano keys. It was as if those black and white blocks held the answers to his questions, but they were too far out of reach from him to hear.
"So why are you here?" Her question seemed to startle him. He looked at her; eyes wide and shocked. It was as if he had forgotten she was still there. He then shot a quick glance out the window, and if she were anyone else, she would have missed it.
Luckily, Jack wasn't just anyone else. So with curious blue eyes she turned towards the window. Outside the music room, across the quad was another building. In that building was the library, and through its windows Jack could see a group of girls. They were sitting at a table with varies expressions of boredom. Some stared out the window searching, other eyes roamed the library with eagerness. Each sat up expectantly (back straight, chest thrust forward) when the door to the library opened. Then when they saw who came in (obviously not the person they desired to see) each one would slouch and pout. Different ages and different grades, but all with one goal.
Mister Edward Cullen.
Ah, I see. Jack inwardly grinned. His hidey hole had been found out so he ran away.
Edward turned his attention back to the piano. "I'm always here around this time."
"Liar."
He grinned, and man, it was pretty. His whole face lit up as his pale lips twisted to one side in a lop sided smile. Adorable.
"You caught me." He chuckled; fingers tapping the keys.
Ping, phung, ding.
Jack giggled, and pulled the chair down.
"Proper?"
She stood up and walked over to the back where the percussion instruments laid. "Hmm?"
"It's only proper to know the names of the people you are working for."
"Why are you repeating what I've just said?" Jack turned and cocked her head curiously.
"You consider the student body equal to those of your employers." It wasn't a question, just a statement, but Jack answered it anyway.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Her fingers danced over a congo drum making 'duh duh duh dumm' noises. "I clean their rooms, I pick up after them, and I even stock the pantry occasionally." She gave the drum one last smack. "Sweep, mop. Kitchen, bathroom. Windows, doors. I know this school as well as the back of my hand." She made a show of her hand by waving. "It's only kind to know the people I am working so hard for."
Edward stared at her; amusement dancing in his eyes. "You are a strange one, Miss. Turner."
"Says the boy running away from a group of girls." Jack pointed out, tossing a grin over her shoulder. "You know most boys would be ecstatic to be the object of affection of so many beauties." With her fingers she plucked the string of a harp. Bbuuuumm.
Once again, it looked as though she had surprised him. His amusement shifted to puzzled as his brows furrowed and his eyes glanced across the quad again.
"To be the subject of such wanton reverie." His gaze lowered to the piano. "It's not something I wish to encourage."
"You could just tell them 'no'." Jack told him with a smile.
"I did."
"Ah."
"Repeatedly." He added.
"Wow." Jack mouthed as her fingers ghosted over a shelf holding several smaller instruments. "Got to give them credit for their determination. They're resilient."
"Unfortunately so."
She chuckled and bent down to grab a feather duster. As she slid the tool over the shelves, Jack opened her mouth to continue the flow of conversation, but was interrupted by a shrill ringing. At first, she thought it was the school bell, but the sound was accompanied by a vibration from her back pocket.
"Oh, excuse me for a second." She shot the pale teen a grin as she reached for her phone.
"You have a cellphone?" Edward sounded impressed, or shocked. Jack couldn't tell because he was channeling his inner statue again.
"Yes, isn't it cute?" She waved her little silver bar Nokia at him. "I just got it." Then before he could say more Jack answered the call.
"Moshi moshi~"
"Have you eaten?" The question was hissed aggressively into her ear.
"Tony-kun." Jack whined; sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. "Anata wa kon'nichiwa to iu koto ni natte imasu!"
"Don't avoid the question, damn woman." He snarled into the speaker. "Did you eat or not?!"
"Shitsureina shōnen. Ijiwaru." She exaggeratedly moaned in woe.
Tony sighed; sounding exasperated.
"Fine." He snapped at her, sounding pissed, but Jack didn't mind. In fact, it made her smile. "Hi. How are you? How's work? Have you eaten? You better have fuckin' eaten cause I swear to...!"
"Yes, I've eaten." She interrupted stifling a giggle.
There was a long pause before Tony slowly asked: "What did you eat?"
He sounded doubtful. Rude.
"A banana." Jack replied proudly.
"A..." Tony sighed heavily, and she could see him in her mind's eye rubbing his temples in exasperation. "Banana?"
Jack hesitated. "Ah, yes?" She wasn't as confident in her answer anymore.
Across the room, there was an airy laugh. She immediately swung her head and glared at the amused teenager. Edward had his head angled low, eyes focused on the music sheet in front of him, and fingers plunking slowly at the keys beneath them. He was embodiment of innocence - except for that wicked crooked grin.
"Shut up!" Jack hissed at him with a glare. Edward just laughed louder.
"Who are you talking to?"
"No one!" She replied quickly and immediately snapped to attention.
Tony growled, clearly not believing her. "Right. So, what happened to the lunch I made you?"
"It's..." Jack hesitated. "Around." Some where.
"Fucking hell woman!" He howled into the phone. It was so loud that she winced and pulled the speaker away from her poor ear. "I swear if I'm not there spoon feeding you, you'd just waste away into nothing!" There was a loud bang, and Jack could only assume that Tony had just kicked something. "Take some responsibility!"
Jack hung her head. "...Sorry." She gently tapped a pair of cymbals that were connected to a drum set. Ting, ting, ting.
"Well you should be!" He scolded; breathing heavily. "What were you even doing on your lunch break?" Jack opened her mouth to tell him, but he quickly cut her off. "You know what? I don't care. Just find the lunch I packed for you and eat it."
"Okay-yyeeooww-ch!" She yelped in pain; pulling her hand away from a xylophone.
"What? What's wrong?" His aggression immediately turned into panic. Even Edward's head lifted a little.
"Nothing." Jack told them both as she scrunched up her nose. "Bit of metal sticking out." She had been running her hand over the top of the wooden bars then down the sides of the legs. When her fingers curled around the back of the pole a metal shard nicked her.
"Are you alright?" Tony asked; his voice sounding rough but concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She mumbled looking at her weeping index finger. "It's bleeding, but..."
Sscceeeeerrkk!
Startled by the sound, Jack turned to see the seat of the piano toppled over, and the back of Edward's head fleeing out the door. Well, that was rude. She thought with furrowed eyebrows.
"What a weird vampire." Jack muttered to herself before returning her attention back to her finger. A little a red jewel was swelling from the cut.
"Vampire?!" Shouted Tony in alarm. "What do you mean vampire?"
"I-."
"Fuck! I knew we should've moved months ago." He started ranting. "Gone back to the west! Get out of this miserable town and return to the god damn sun! Now you're saying vampires-!" He let off a string of curses that Jack tuned out. The little red pebble on her finger was hypnotizing. Jack licked her lips as Tony's voice became distant into the background. Her mouth was dry, her tongue heavy, and throat like sandpaper.
"Jack."
Sweet.
"Jack?"
Sweet.
"Jack!"
Blood.
Closing her eyes, Jack laid the tip of her finger on her tongue and dragged a line of blood across her taste buds. Immediately, a moan climbed up her chest and threatened to spill out of her mouth, but she suppressed it.
"Jacqueline!"
"Hmm~?" She hummed in pleasure. Slowly opening her eyes again, her blue irises were now outlined by a dark ring of red.
"What'ZzzZ go-ZzzZ-?" His voice broke and became static in her ears. There was a high pitch whistle that seemed to resonate in the forefront of her mind. It was loud, so painful, causing her to wince and pull the phone away.
"Oh!" A voice interrupted startling Jack. Raising her throbbing head, she saw a young girl sitting on the floor. Her short hair was sheared, chopped, frayed, and matted together like a used mop on top of her head. The color was indistinguishable for the girl was caked in soot, mud, and blood. Underneath the layers of grime there was a tease of ivory skin that seemed almost too pale. Sickly. As if the skin had been pulled too tightly, stretched too far, and forced to frame a skeleton.
Her face was gaunt and beaten. Her red eyes held such overwhelming sadness and hid excruciating pain. The tears building in those twin pools threatened to drown the whole world in their sorrow. Bruised and cracked lips trembled, freeing a small cry of mortal agony.
"I'm s-sorry." She stuttered out an apology. Her voice husky and thick with emotion.
"Oh, dear." Jack fretted; tilting her head. That time already?
"S-s-sorry." She repeated as fat tears rolled down her cheeks.
"No, no, no." Jack consoled gently. "It's okay. It's okay."
"What?!" Snapped Tony from her phone. "What's okay? What the hell is going on?"
She cringed, and held back a sigh. "I have to go."
"What? No! We're not...!" He sputtered; anger rising.
"Goodbye, Anthony." Jack told him in finality and a bit of bite. Her tone was firm, and held no room for argument.
There was silence from the other side of the speaker before Tony snarled out: "Fine!"
Then he hung up.
Jack flipped her phone closed and tucked it back into her back pocket. She then turned her attention to the poor pitiful girl bawling her eyes out on the floor of Forks High School music room.
"Shh, it's okay." She whispered softly as she slowly stepped forward. "I'm here, and you're okay."
"H-how can I be?" The girl stuttered out in a scream. "Ever?! I-It's...It's a-all my fault!"
"No, it's not. I promise it's not." Jack assured as she kneeled. "It never was."
"Liar!" She wheezed; her chest rising and falling at worryingly fast pace. "You don't believe that! I can see it in your eyes!"
At her accusation, Jack closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Calm down. She told her rapidly beating heart. Calm down. It's okay. Tell her it's okay. Before, the girl had a chance to react, Jack grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. The girl struggled only for a moment before the dam broke open.
Her younger self clung onto her, fingers digging painfully into her upper back.
"Mama! Mama! MAMA!" She cried out with such pain that it made the forgotten ache in Jack's heart flare.
"I know. I know." Jack whispered, barely reigning in a whimper. She felt her own tears burn in her eyes as her younger self bawled into her chest.
The young girl's breathes became short and erratic as she wheezed. "Why? Why?! Why mama?!"
Jack shook her head because she didn't know how to answer herself. Even after all these years she still didn't know the answer to that painful question.
"I love you." She confessed; rocking the girl as she clung tighter. Jack was pretty sure her back was bleeding from the way her skin suddenly felt slick and wet, but she didn't mind. The small pain of her younger self's nails digging into her skin kept Jack grounded and away from falling into the pit of despair along side her. "I love you. I love you. I love you so much."
If possible, the girl cried even harder. Jack opened her eyes as the tears she had been holding back rolled down her cheeks. Her heart ached from old wounds that she had thought to have been healed. Soon, she was holding onto her younger self just as desperately. Mama. Mama. Mama. Jack cried silently in anguish.
In the corner of Fork's High School Music room, the two women that were the same, but so different, cried over their loss.
One for the first time, and the second for the last.
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Unknown, Indiana, 1870
Jacqueline's feet were burning as she stood in the ashes of her home, but she didn't feel it. She was numb from the inside out as she stared at the charred corpse of her mama. She was unrecognizable. Her beautiful wild black hair was gone; made into ash. Deep dark amber eyes like the color of pennies that had always held laughter and warmth. They were evaporated; boiled - no more. Her brown skin; rough and calloused from stress and hard labor (yet it always seemed to have a certain glow) was burnt - charred.
She was gone. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.
Her mama.
It's all her fault.
"Do you hate me?" Jacqueline asked in a whisper as she knelt onto the burning soot. How many hours had past? Or had it been days? Maybe just minutes? Time seemed to fly by yet drag at the same time. The sun had risen hours ago, it must have been high noon because her pale skin faintly twinkled like expensive jewels in the sunlight. The giant red gold raging flames had settled to a smoldering black smoke that choked the air. If she had been human, the flickering ash beneath her feet would have scorched her skin. If she had been a normal vampire, she would have been damaged.
Jacqueline was neither of those things.
"No." Replied her brother; who was standing several feet away from the heat that tickled his sensitive skin. Anthony sounded confident; so sure in his answer. The tips of her lips curved into a grim smile. Jacqueline didn't believe him.
"Are you afraid of me?" She questioned with an even softer tone. Kneeling in the ash Jacqueline's hands hovered over the body of her mama. The heat radiating off the charred skin mirrored a furnace. If she closed her eyes, maybe, she could pretend it was mama's natural body heat. Maybe she could trick herself into thinking this was a dream. If she closed her eyes, would things go back to normal?
But she didn't dare do so.
If she closed her eyes now then all she would've seen would be red. She would drown in the color. Jacqueline hated the color red.
Anthony hesitated, and the air around the siblings became tense. Jacqueline could feel his eyes burrowing into her soul. His gaze was even hotter than the burning ash beneath her body.
"...Y-yes." He answered his voice thick and rough with emotion. His confidence was gone and was now replaced by sorrow.
Her lips quivered as an intense emotion of guilt stabbed her heart.
Yes, it was all her fault.
Mama didn't like her lingering near the village. It was a human village that had been built on top of a man-made hill near the meeting point of the Mississinewa and Wabash river. It was a five days walk from home across the wet lands, but it took only a half a day for Jacqueline.
She had hidden in the shadows of the forest. Dawn was just creeping into sky making the air cool and moist. The animals were stirring, making their presence known by producing a loud racket. Inside the village, out on the streets, early risers began to hustle about doing their daily chores or opening their shops. Jacqueline enjoyed human watching. Their lives were fascinating to her. So different compared to hers and her little family. The way they walked, talked, interacted with each other, how they worship, and their work ethics. So peculiar. The more she watched them the more she learned, and the more she learned, the more questions she had.
Jacqueline wanted to talk to them, become friends with them, but mama forbid it. She said that the white folk wouldn't understand her. They would see her flawless sparkling skin, blood red eyes, feel her strange aura; and they would call her a demon. Mama said they would be scared of her and would try to harm her - or worse.
Mama never lied and mama was never wrong so Jacqueline heeded her warnings despite her reluctance. So she watched and she discovered their secrets. Mary Lane was cheating on her husband Charles with the shop keeper Damien Colbert. Jacob Coal was stealing corn and soybeans from the Berri farm. Timothy Holiday was a drunk and often beat his wife Hilary. Everyone knew but no one did anything. The orphan Billy Joel was a pickpocket and was often beaten by the villagers. Still, he was a good kid, and was a loving brother to his little sister Joanna. The priest Father James Kasey was in love with a bar wench Connie Jackson. They would often meet in the forest near an old tree with large roots and make love.
Each person had their own story and their own sin. It was fascinating.
As she observed the Hill's boy Charlie (the son of Jill Hill and Henry Donald; whom she had an affair with) as he fed the chickens - Jacqueline caught a sickly sweet scent. It was different from her own. While she smelled like oranges and honeysuckle; this scent was roses, sugar, and blood. She licked her lips, her stomach quivering and her teeth aching from the desire that suddenly spread through her body. Without hesitation, Jacqueline ran towards the delicious scent. She ran two miles in a span of thirty seconds where she stopped at the edge of a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing was Connie Jackson who was in the arms of a man. His long blonde hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail and fell between his shoulder blades. His blood red eyes stared forward in an almost drunken daze.
A feeling she understood because she felt the exact same way every time she drank the red nectar. He was tall, probably six foot four, with a lean build and long legs. He was dressed in a red coat that had seen better days, a dark orange waist coat, ripped brown breeches, and no shoes. The vampire had obviously been around for a while due to the way he was feeding. Newborns had a messy impatient eating style. They bit down too hard, tearing through the bones and muscles. They held their prey too tightly, breaking their prey in half. This vampire ate with elegance and grace; if that was possible. Not a drop of blood was spilled, not a piece of was cloth torn. No limbs broken, and no tears shed. Connie had been caught by surprise and unawares. She never even had a chance to react. As Jacqueline studied the scene before her, rage began to bubble and rise from her chest. How dare he! How dare he eat one of her friends!
Mama had always said she was all heart no brains.
Without thinking of the consequences, Jacqueline shot forward raising her right fist. She punched the vampire straight into his face, and she felt her knuckles break the cartilage in his nose. His head jerked back and his teeth bit down harder instinctively. Connie's throat was torn like tissue paper as he flew backwards from the amount of strength Jacqueline had used. She knelt over Connie's crumbled form like an animal. Her fingers and toes curled into the muddy ground to steady herself as she barred her teeth at the male. The red coat pushed himself off the trees he had toppled over and glowered. Spitting out the piece of flesh, he barred his own bloody teeth.
"Who'da hell are you?" He growled wiping his mouth with the back of his left hand. The action smeared the blood across his sparkling skin.
"Leave!" Jacqueline hissed; red eyes darkening to a dark maroon. "Leave now!"
"You dumb bitch!" He snarled; face twisting in rage. "Who do you think you are? This is my hunt!"
"And this place is mine!" She snapped at him; lowering her body to cover more of Connie's. "These people are mine! Mine!"
He took a step forward and roared. "You selfish cunt! I -!" The vampire was cut off as Jacqueline's right hand closed around his throat; her finger nails piercing through his skin with ease. She pushed him back several feet until he was pressed right against the thick upturned roots of a fallen tree. All in a matter of three seconds.
"I said leave!" She shouted; her face just mere inches from his own. The vampire's eyes went wide in shock, and a hint of fear could be seen.
"How d-did you do that? I didn't even see you move." He gasped as his hands gripped her wrist. "W-who are you?"
"Leave!" Jacqueline commanded; her patience wearing thin. How dare he! How dare! Her people, her friends, they were not his prey!
The vampire gave her a shaky smile. "N-now calm down. No need gettin' upset over some nigger woman." He let go of her wrist and did an open arm shrug. "I'm a reasonable man. Maybe we can come to-?"
"I. Said!" She let go of his throat and instead fisted the collar of his shirt. With her other hand grasping the waistband of his breeches, Jacqueline lifted the vampire up over her head and threw him with all her strength. "LEAVE!" The red coat flew head first back into the forest, cutting down more trees in his path.
With him gone, Jacqueline turned her attention back towards the human woman. Quicker than lightening, Jaqueline was kneeling by Connie's side. The dark skinned woman's dark eyes were wide and pupils blown. She was staring at Jacqueline with an expression of fear, panic, and disbelief.
She gave the human a hesitant smile. "Hey. Hey, now." She touched the woman's face with the tips of her fingers in an effort to comfort her. The flinch she received from the action only mildly stung.
"Hi. Hello." Jacqueline caressed Connie's cheek with her thumb while her left hand wondered down her neck then hovered over the gaping wound. The vampire had bitten straight threw the muscle. A chunk of the trachea was missing causing waves of blood to gush out every time Connie tried to breathe. It was a wonder she hadn't died from blood loss yet. Jacqueline surmised it had to do with the red coat's venom still running through her system. Though that would not last long. The poison, along with her blood, would soon soil the ground. Even if Jacqueline had venom to give; it would not be enough to save her. Without blood to help push the poison though, it would not reach Connie's heart in time to change her.
Jacqueline swallowed the saliva that had pooled in her mouth. The sweet scent of blood was tantalizing. It whispered dark promises, and screamed unimaginable pleasure. Despite this, Jacqueline ignored her hunger. Friends and family over food any day.
"My name is Jacqueline." She grinned; though it was shaky. "And you're Connie, right? I mean, of course you're Connie. You know that, I know that, and I um? Sorry, I-I'm not good at talking to humans. Other than my family, of course." She let out a little awkward laugh while little red bubbles formed between Connie's lips.
"Shoot. I'm sorry. I'm bad at this, but um...you're okay? I mean, you're not okay, but it's going to be okay?" Jacqueline hesitated; mentally hitting herself for her nonexistent comforting skills. Connie turned her head away from Jacqueline, and began to stare up at the sky.
The red eyed woman panicked. "H-hey!" She swiftly crawled on top of the human. Grabbing her head, Jacqueline leaned down so they were face to face. Eye to eye. Noses nearly touching.
"You are loved." She told Connie honestly and without hesitation. "James loves you." Tears began to gather in Connie's eyes. "Your family loves you. I love you." Looking into her eyes so closely, Jacqueline could see that Connie's eyes weren't just a dark brown. It had an almost a reddish hue to the color. Similar to mahogany wood. "Your life meant something. You meant something." Tears rolled down her cheeks and Jacqueline brushed them away with her thumbs. "And it's going to be okay."
Connie's eyes brightened while her lips curved into a tiny smile. Even though she could not speak, Jacqueline could see the gratitude in her eyes. She could almost hear the words "thank you" as Connie released her last breath. When her gaze turned glassy, and her chest ceased rising, Jacqueline sat up straighter. Wiping away her own tears, Jacqueline stood up on her own two feet.
She intertwined her fingers together, and bowed her head in prayer.
May your soul find peace in the Father's embrace, Connie Jackson. Jacqueline prayed with all her might. Father, shepherd of the people, find your lost lamb and bring her home. Mama always said that when you prayed, God would listen.
Mama was never wrong. So, why wasn't He answering Jacqueline's prayer now? Why would He allow his most devoted follower, a woman who loved more, cared more; to be killed in such a cruel cruel fashion? Jacqueline wanted to be angry at Him, she wanted to blame Him, but couldn't - wouldn't do so.
For it was all her fault.
She shouldn't have let grief cloud her mind. Connie's death had been a tragedy; yes. Her death had hurt Jacqueline; yes. Her killer should be forgiven for following his nature; no. Jacqueline should have realized that the vampire would not have taken his breakfast being stolen lightly. She should have realized he would hold a grudge for having been beaten so easily.
Jacqueline should have seen the furious red eyes staring at her through the shadows of the trees.
"What are we going to do with the body?" Anthony asked suddenly, out of the blue, breaking her out of her thoughts. Raising her head, she turned her gaze to the severed head of the red coat. No blood had been spilled from his wounds, only shards of crystals similar to diamonds had littered the ground. The vampire's head was laying just meters away from his body. His chest cavity was torn open, and his dead glass heart had been taken and thrown into the fire.
"He'll regenerate soon." Her brother declared with a frown. Though they've only dealt with a handful of vampires, they remembered enough to be wary of their fast regeneration cycle. If they weren't burned, they would always come back.
"Bury his head in the soot. It is still hot enough to burn him." Jacqueline said lowering her gaze. "I'll tear off his limbs and do the same, but I want to keep his torso."
"Why?"
"I want to try something." She replied in a whisper. Her brother didn't say anything more, so Jacqueline returned her attention back to her mama. She caressed her thumb over her mama's cheek, blatantly ignoring the way it flaked and peeled under the soft touch. Closing her eyes, Jacqueline prayed silently before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.
As she pulled away, a high pitched whistle seemed to resonate in the forefront of her mind. Jacqueline clutched her head, her fingers digging into her scalp, as she gasped in pain. It was so loud! So painful! It felt as if her body was splitting apart!
What is this?!
Then, as quickly as it came, it went away.
"Oh!" Suddenly, Jacqueline was no longer sitting in the remains of her home, but in a room filled with foreign instruments. Music room. Her mind supplied in a whisper, but the voice was not her own. She didn't know how she knew, but she did. The accent was wrong. The voice was lighter, cheerful almost, melodic and wrong. So very wrong.
Where was she?
Forks High School in Forks, Washington.
Shut up.
As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, Jacqueline's sight zeroed in on a figure directly across from her. The woman was average height, maybe five eight or five nine with navy blue hair pulled into a bun on the top of her head. Her eyes were a deep ocean blue that had widen in surprise when she saw Jacqueline. In her hand was a tiny silver block (cellphone) pressed against her ear while her other hand rested on top of a strange instrument (xylophone).
The woman was dressed strangely. She was wearing a thin long sleeved white shirt that was made from neither fleece or hide, and long brown breeches that covered most of her body and buckled at her shoulders (overalls).
Shut. Up.
The woman shuffled uncomfortably in her black boots as she opened and closed her mouth in shock.
"I'm s-sorry." Jacqueline apologized with a stutter. Her voice was husky and thick with emotion. She could feel the tears beginning to build in her eyes. The sadness, the confusion, it was starting to be too much. Who is she?
You.
Oh, that makes sense. Though there were (drastic) changes, Jacqueline could see the similarities between them. Her eyes, though a different color, were still too wide for her small round face. Her cheeks were rosy and chubby with a healthy complexion. Her chest was still small as ever, but seemed fuller almost perky as they bounced a bit when she turned to face Jacqueline. From this new angle, she could see the woman had large hips, leading down to thick thighs, and curved back to form a nice rounded bottom. Jacqueline might have been lacking in the chest department, but mama always said she made up for it with her child bearing hips. That was what mattered most her mama had told her.
Her older self looked incredible. She wasn't just skin covering bone, but had layers of fat and curves. She was being fed regularly, she wasn't starving. Her clothes looked expensive and well taken care of. Nothing like the scraps of cloth and hide Jacqueline was wearing. How is this possible?
"Oh, dear." Her older self fretted; tilting her head. Her gaze softened and a small sad smile appeared on her lips.
"S-s-sorry." Jacqueline repeated as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. She couldn't contain her emotions anymore. She was overwhelmed, so confused and so so sad. Jacqueline was beginning to drown in despair.
"No, no, no." The woman consoled gently; stepping closer. "It's okay. It's okay."
Suddenly a loud angry voice shouted from the box (cellphone) startling the both of them.
"What?!"
Her older self cringed while Jacqueline covered her ears, closed her eyes, and shook her head in disbelief. How is this happening? How is this happening?!
How is her hair blue? Hair dye.
Why were her eyes blue? Contacts.
How was this happening? Void.
Where was she? Forks High School in -...
Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up! It was too much! Too much information being forced inside her head at one time. Just give her a second, just one second to process everything. Just one second, please!
"Goodbye, Anthony."
Jacqueline's heart jumped in her chest. An-Anthony? How could-? Is it really?
Who is Anthony? He is your -...
SHUT! UP! Shutupshutupshutupshutupshutup! SHUT UP!
Without even realizing it, Jacqueline began crying uncontrollably.
"Shh, it's okay." She heard her older self whisper softly. "I'm here, and you're okay."
Instantly, Jacqueline felt her grief turn to rage.
"H-how can I be?" She screamed; glaring at her through the tears. "Ever?! I-It's...It's a-all my fault!"
"No, it's not. I promise it's not." The woman tried to assure Jacqueline as she knelt. "It's never was."
"Liar!" Jacqueline wheezed. Her head hurt. Her heart hurt. Everything hurt. "You don't believe that! I can see it in your eyes!"
And she really could. Even if they were a different color, and even though her gaze may be older - she could still see it. The pain of loss. The burn of self hatred. The emptiness of time. They may have been separated by age and changed in appearance, but they really were just the same person.
The same despicable girl.
At her accusation, Jacqueline's older self closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath. Yet she could see the older woman shaking. She was not so unaffected as she pretended to be. That realization alone filled Jacqueline with a dark twisted pleasure. Good.
Then, before Jacqueline could react, the woman grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. No! Stop! She struggled trying to fight the warmth that spread through her body from the embrace. No! Stop! She can't-! I can't-!
Connie, Anthony, mama.
With shaky hands, Jacqueline wrapped her own arms around her older self. She buried her face in the crook of the woman's neck, and dug her nails deep into the skin of her upper back.
The emotions. The pain. She couldn't handle it anymore.
"Mama! Mama! MAMA!" Jacqueline bawled; her heart filled with sorrow. It felt as if she were drowning in it.
"I know. I know." She heard her older self whimper, and the arms around her became even tighter, more confining. Even if she wanted to, Jacqueline knew there would be no escaping from her hold.
Her chest felt hollow as her lungs burned from lack of proper air intake. She beginning to hyperventilate.
"Why? Why?! Why mama?!"
Jacqueline's older self shook her head, and dug her nails deep into Jacqueline's forearms.
"I love you." The woman confessed, and she could hear the honesty in her voice. Feel her love radiating through her touch.
And it hurt.
Jacqueline could smell the blood before she felt it. Her older self's grip was too rough, too strong. Her nails were piercing through Jacqueline's skin causing the room to permeate with the smell of oranges and honey-sickle. Jacqueline dug her own nails into her older self skin causing the sweet scent to flood the room.
"I love you. I love you. I love you so much." Her older self continued to repeat into her hair, and a part of Jacqueline deep down, believed her.
Everything hurt. The pain, the love - it all hurt. Jacqueline wouldn't, couldn't, deal with this right now. It was all too much for one person to handle.
So she stared off numbly into the distance as sobs broke through her chest. With blurry eyes, Jacqueline scanned the foreign room looking for an anchor. It could be anything, just something to keep her grounded. Her red eyes zeroed in on an object laying against a podium. Out of everything in the room; the metal, the wood. The strange and the foreign. It seemed to be the most out of place.
(Edward Anthony Masen Cullen's) backpack.
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Well, how was that for a first chapter? Hope you guys liked it~ I'm going to be stretching the Stephenie Meyer's world. I'm going to pull that string till it's nice and taut. Until it almost snaps.
I have questions that I want answers to, and since they probably won't be answered, I'll go ahead and answer them myself. I'm going to delve deeper into the relationship between vampires and humans. And not like the relationship that Bella and the Cullens' had. I want to know what will happen if a family of humans knew about vampires. Understood the mechanic of the vampire; their diet, their powers, their rules.
And I'm not talking about those humans who had "legends" about vampires. Not the religious fanatics who thought that maybe (probably) beautiful pale people were vampires. Not like that older woman who appeared during Bella and Edward's honeymoon.
Especially not how the Quileute tribe know and perceive the vampires. It is completely different.
How would that change the Twilight world? What would the Volturi do if they ever found out?
I hope you're just as excited as I am. Any thoughts?
Kait
p.s.
I am totally not fluent in Japanese. My knowledge comes from strictly anime. I google translated all that shit. I'm a total white American I know. Flame me if you must. So if anyone knows how to properly write what I've written - feel free to tell me.
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naruagawa: Me too! I love reading other peoples interpretation of the same story we've all read. Everybody takes a moment and sees it differently. Fanfiction shows how much the author loves the world and it's characters. You can see their wish and hope in their writing. :) I hope you enjoyed with chapter! And I hope you could feel my love hehe
Vale Herondalem: Well, as an author you need to grab the attention of your reader from the very beginning. If the summary doesn't catch your attention, and the very first sentence fails - you won't get anyone interested. It's a sad fact. That's why I always try to write some sort of dramatic event for the first chapter. To reel you in haha Thanks for your review! I look forward to hearing from you again~
tegz04: Well, did I grab your attention? lol I like stories where your female protagonist meets their love interest as soon as possible. I hate waiting. I'm a very impatient person. Thanks for your review!
devilishleli: Wow indeed. I don't do things half assed. I go all in or not at all haha
guadadominguez4: We do need more good Edward/Oc stories, I agree. I lean more towards Team Jacob (sexy muscled native american werewolf *drool*), but Edward does have his perks. I also have a thing for pretty boys with a great smile. Thanks for your review. I hope this chapter suits your tastes :)
bookbabe711: Hell yea! Thanks for the support! I need that type of encouragement in my life~ Can I hire you as my personal life coach! I don't have much but you can have a place on my coach, free food, and free wifi haha
BankaiTensa: Yeah, he is a creepy stalker. Ain't going to deny that. Also overbearing, over-protective, bit chauvinistic, and yet - he still tries to be a good person. He fucks up, and when he fucks up - he fucks up tremendously. Still, he tries. Edward only wants what best for his family and Bella. I just hope my character can calm down his self sacrifice tendencies. Thanks for your review~! I hope you write again!
Lady Hummingbird: Oh, dear. I just love you lol I hope you fall in love with this story just as much as you have with my other one. I adore your reviews. :3
SnowKi: Your wish is my command~ please, gobble up this chapter like it was a box of chocolate.
Psycho Mutt: We most definitely need more Edward/Oc stories. Also, Jacob/Oc stories. I'm honestly on Team Jacob, but over the years Edward has burrowed his way into my heart. It might be because Robert Pattinson's face has been popping up every where recently while Taylor Lautner has fallen off the grid. Ubber sad face. I adore my sexy native american werewolf. I like Bella - sort of. I like she was at her best when she became a vampire. She let go of her insecurities, and became more confident in herself. I mean obvious;y that is be cause of the newborn in her, but still, she was bad ass. A complete mama-bear. She earned my respect in that section of Breaking Dawn. Well, I hope you liked that chapter! Please, review again! :)