Edward's thoughts - bold
Kayla's thoughts - italics



I had managed to make it through a whole month of school without anything unusual happening. The murders had seemed to stop. No one in or around Forks had been killed so maybe the newborn had learned not to kill so often or someone had dealt with it. I felt kind of disappointed that I hadn’t been able to go after it and teach it a thing or two. I think it would be quite fun battling a newborn but since it decided to stop I guess I’ll just have to wait. Edward and I continued to have our silent conversations. It was weird, him being inside my head, but then how else could we talk about vampires and Azdis without being overheard? I missed Edward terribly when he wasn’t near me. We were alike in so many ways yet different at the same time. We were both fast, strong and mind-readers. But I was human, he a vampire, he was my enemy and I his prey. We could be ourselves around each other and at times we never spoke aloud to each other, just spoke in our minds. I hardly spoke to Charlie. After the change I felt he was expecting me to be out every night saving the world from horrible creatures but really all I wanted to do was be normal. If that could really happen when you can hear whoever’s thoughts you wanted to hear. Because of Charlie I was spending more and more time with Edward and I swear there was something he wasn’t telling me. He probably knew me better than I did; he had seen that much into my mind. but then he had this crazy idea that it was time that I met the rest of his family.
“I’ve already met the rest of your family!” I argued with him. That wasn’t totally a lie. I had spoken to Carlisle and Alice and waved at Rosalie, Jasper and Emmet once.
“Properly?” he asked. “You haven’t met Esme and she wants to meet the person who has been occupying so much of my time.”
“Edward,” I groaned. “Please don’t make me. I’m not very good at first impressions. When I first met you, I almost made you a murderer, and when I first met Carlisle, he was about to leave Forks.”
“Please, Kayla.” Edward pleaded with me. “For Esme. She’s dying to meet you.”
I sighed. “For Esme.”

I was stood in the living room of his house and there were six pairs of golden eyes on me.
“This is Kayla,” Edward introduced me.
I waved shyly at them, smiling.
There was only one person there that i didn’t recognise. She was small and slender, but not Alice-small, with a heart-shaped face and caramel-coloured hair. i assumed this was Esme. As soon as she saw me she walked up to me and hugged me. This surprised me as the only vampire who had hugged me before was Edward.
“Hello Kayla,” She spoke to me. “Welcome to the family.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling at her.
Help me! I thought to Edward.
He wrapped one arm around my waist.
“She’s a bit shy, Esme,” Edward said, smiling slightly.
“Oh, there’s nothing to be shy about,” Esme smiled. “We’re perfectly normal.”
I nodded.
Help me.
Just be patient. Edward answered me. Let her talk to you.
Why can’t we just go upstairs to your room?
I was so nervous I felt like sprinting out of there. I knew this would happen. I would get here and meet Esme and I wouldn’t be able to speak because I would be so nervous that I felt I might throw-up if I opened my mouth. Suddenly a wave of confidence washed over me and my nervousness disappeared. I didn’t even need to ask where it had come from. I already knew what Jasper could do.
Jasper. Edward confirmed.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs Cullen,” I said to Esme, now that I knew there was no chance of me being sick.
“Please, call me Esme,” Esme spoke, noticing now that I was a bit less shy.
I smiled warmly at her.
“I think I’ll take Kayla upstairs now,” Edward said and he guided me to a set of wide stairs. We ran up them, quickly.
That was scary.
You find meeting my mother scary but hunting down a dangerous newborn fun?
I shrugged.
We walked down a long hallway and passed a number of doors before coming to a stop at the end.
“My room,” he said, opening the door and leading me through. One whole wall of his room was purely glass. Another wall was stacked shelf after shelf of CD’s. A high-tech looking sound system was in the corner of the room. There was no bed but a very big black leather sofa.
“Very nice,” I said, looking around the room. I walked over and lay down on the sofa. “Very comfortable.”
Edward chuckled and sat on the arm of the sofa at my head. He very lightly stroked my cheek with his finger. I tried to keep my heart from racing at the touch of his cool skin but I failed miserably.
“Are you ok?” he asked me. “Do you need anything?”
I stood up.
“I actually do need a drink,” I said.
“No problem.” He said. “There’ll be something downstairs.”
“You have food in your kitchen?” I asked. “I thought you don’t eat.”
“We have to keep up the pretence of being human and that includes buying groceries.”
“Oh.” I nodded.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
He left the room and I began to look around. I picked up a book that was lying on a shelf. To Kill a Mockingbird. This book looked like it had never been read. It was pristine. I opened it and flicked through it but the paper was still sharp. It sliced my finger.
“Ow!” I put the book down and shook my hand, hoping it would get rid of the pain. Obviously it didn’t.
Alice who was passing Edward’s room with Jasper looked in.
“You ok?” she asked.
“Fine, just got a paper cut.” I smiled to reassure her it was nothing but her eyes widened. My eyes slid to Jasper. The newest member to the Cullen Family and still adjusting to their way of life. I saw it all in slow motion. Jasper’s nostrils flared, filling his nose with the scent of my blood. Alice was too late in trying to hold him back and he charged at me. His eyes were dark and dangerous, his thoughts only filled with the thirst burning in his throat and how my blood would satisfy it. I panicked. This was different with Edward. I was prepared for his attack and we were only playing, this wasn’t playing. This was real and this was my life in danger. My muscles froze as Jasper advanced on me. I needed something to distract him with, something to hit him with that will divert his attention for at least a few seconds to make my escape. My eyes scanned the room for anything big enough. I saw a big mirror hanging on the wall. But Jasper would reach it before me. I panicked, wishing I could reach out, pull it off the wall and hit him with it. I could see it now, the mirror flying off the wall and smacking Jasper side on, knocking him over.
“Kayla! Run!” Alice screamed at me.
I looked at Jasper, who was lying on the floor, covered in shards of glass. I didn’t know how or cared how it had happened – I just ran. I ran out of Edward’s room and down the stairs. I ran out of the house and into the woods that surrounded his house. I heard someone behind me, running just as fast and I only stopped when I heard Edward’s thoughts.
Kayla, stop. It’s Edward. Your safe.
I stopped running but the fear didn’t leave me. When I didn’t turn round to face him, Edward wrapped his arms around me. Only in his arms would I feel totally safe.
“I’m bleeding,” I whispered to him, trying to step away. I didn't want him to feel guilty over nearly killing me.
I’m fine. He wrapped his arms tighter around me.
“No, go,” I told him, trying to wrestle my way out his grip. I stuck my bleeding finger in my mouth trying to disguise the scent.
“You know you’re breath will only smell of blood,” he chuckled at me.
I won’t speak then.
He chuckled again.
Did you chuck that mirror at him? I thought of the mirror crashing down on Jasper and wondered if it had hurt him.
It didn’t hurt him, though he is feeling very guilty for scaring you. I didn’t throw the mirror at him, you did.
I frowned at him. I was nowhere it.
You did it with your mind.
I did?
He looked at me, a slight smile on his lips.
You truly do not know your own power, do you?
Obviously not.
Edward let me go, knowing what I was going to do. I removed my finger from my mouth now that it had stopped bleeding and I looked on the forest floor for a broken branch or twig. I found a twig and I concentrated very hard, envisioning with my mind it levitating in the air. And it did. I clapped my hands together and laughed. I let it fall and did it again and again and again. I would never tire of this.
I know you won’t
I turned to look at him and he had an amused expression on his face, probably because of me being fascinated by the littlest things. I made the twig fly at him, hoping it might hit him in the face but he caught it and snapped it with his hand. I was so occupied with my new telekinetic powers that I wasn’t really listening to Edward’s thoughts. I caught only a glimpse of them and it was enough to break my heart.
“No,” I ran back to him and wrapped my arms around him tight. “I know what you’re thinking and don’t do it.”
“Kayla.” Edward’s voice sounded pained.
“No, it was my fault,” I told him sternly. “Mine. Jasper didn’t mean to. He’s new at this vegetarian thing.”
“Kayla, it’s dangerous for you to be around my family. If I thought newborns were bad I should have brought you home sooner.”
“No,” I repeated. “You can’t. You can’t stop leave me.”
“Kayla. If I wasn't here, you wouldn't see me and I wouldn't put you at risk. It’s for the best.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It is.”
“Not.”
“Is.”
“Not.”
He sighed. “I only want to protect you.”
“I can protect myself,” I said. “I stopped Jasper, didn’t I? I threw a mirror at him, for Christ’s sake!”
He couldn't leave me, I wouldn't let him. If I had to stand here all day with my arms wrapped around him I would.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t stop seeing you?”
I panicked. I couldn’t think of anything other than ‘because I said so’. I still had my arms around him and held him even tighter, fearing he would leave right at that very second if I wasn’t quick enough. Tears began to fall from my eyes and I couldn't stop them. I tried to think of how I would feel if he left me now and all I could picture was this big hole he would leave in my life. Then it hit me.
“I love you,” I whispered.