part 7

The huge vampire spoke for the first time. Utterly terrifying. "Are you human?" he demanded, eyes wide. "Yes" I answered, too defensively. The huge one's mate, the one who had kidnapped me, started making a list out loud:

1. Her eyes change to gold when she's around us and they turn red when Bella is the closest to her (I hadn't known that.)

2. She picks up a small bit of the gifts around her.

3. Her skin becomes a few shades paler when she's near us.

4. She's a bit too strong and fast for a human (I added that these were also only around vampires.)

At this point Emmett came near me and sat down "You're strong when you're around us?" he asked "for a human" I clarified. He grabbed and held my arm, gradually adding pressure. "Tell me when you feel it." Instead of telling him I tried to tough it out. I winced "I... I feel it" I said "Oh... sorry" He said, looking guilty. "That would have shattered a normal human's arm: 5. She's more durable than a human"

Esme gave me a gesture to ignore the conversation and eat. I ate but paid careful attention to what was said. The tiny she-vampire's eyes had been going in and out of focus. Esme sat next to me and started talking tentatively "I"m not sure who you've met. My husband is Carlisle. That's Edward and Bella and their daughter Renesmee. Over there is Emmett and Rosalie. Then there is Jasper and A-" she stopped because the tiny one's eyes came back into focus and she said "stupid mongrels." her voice exasperated. "Be nice" Esme chided gently. The little girl (vampire?) seemed very exited.

The telephone rang. Who in their right mind calls vampires? Other vampires? The little girl ran to answer it. Before long, she passed it to the leader. He seemed to be making plans for a dinner party. Unbelievable. How many hours did I have? I couldn't believe I had been so caught up with their conversation that I hadn't made escape plans. Not that it would have helped. I started to panic, not as badly as I had last night, but enough to make me cry silently. The mind reader was staring at me, straining to hear my thoughts. Realization struck his face and he spoke clearly and firmly "We have some friends that are mostly human. They're coming over tonight. They are going to eat. If you are here you are. We are not going to eat." Esme seemed to understand him and looked horrified "Oh!" she stammered "Of course not. We don't drink human blood" Now she had lost me. They had hinted at that before but never actually explained. The red-eyed one elaborated "Vampires can survive on the blood of animals".

The huge one spoke next "Can you tell us about the vampires you've seen?" Not exactly what I wanted to do but my options were limited. "I was outside walking and I saw one. I didn't know what it was but it obviously wasn't human. It's eyes were black. It looked frail somehow but it was strong and it grabbed me." I was rambling now. "It thought I was weaker than I was. I was able to push it away just a bit and then as it was coming at me again it smelled something and it ran several yards away and attacked a man. I ran while it was drinking. It didn't seem interested in me. I think the other human smelled better. Since then I've seen a few others from a distance. Usually in small groups. "This concludes Juliet's speech on her near death experiences with monsters.

The tiny one took a step nearer to me. "Is there anything different about you when you're not around vampires?" I noticed that the one who could taste emotions kept his eyes on her warily. He seemed protective. Then again they were all protective of each other. "I age slowly" I offered sheepishly. A few of them asked me how slowly "I'm not sure exactly... it's a bit sporadic." I didn't want to tell. I remembered I had told the leader I was a minor. That could be a problem. I looked about fourteen. The last several years I had claimed to be twelve whenever I moved to a new town so I could stay four or five years. I saw the mind reader trying to catch my thoughts so I quickly focused on the vampires around me rather than my past.

"How many should I make dinner for?" Esme asked her mate."Jake Quil and Embry for sure. Maybe Seth and Leah" I remembered that the mind reader had hinted at the possibility of me being there.

The leader seemed to remember that I was supposed to be free. "Where do you live exactly?" He seemed uncomfortable leaving a minor who lives alone. "Is there no one who takes care of you?" I couldn't answer him. I was seeing a vague picture that the mind reader seemed to see clearly. He was looking at the huge one so I assumed the thought was his. Everyone except the leader, his mate and Renesmee were in it. It was a school office. I heard "My name is Edward Hale and these are my brother and sister Jasper and Rosalie. These are Bella and Alice Swan. That's Emmett and Juliet Cullen." I could barely make out the faces in the thought but I was not a vampire. Still it was terrifying. Would they ever let me go?