Before Twilight Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

I let Alice drive my car – which was not exactly ordinary – on the way to Alaska. I lay across the backseat with my long legs propped on the wind sill brooding in my head. Jasper was in the front seat, casting annoyed glances at me off and on over his shoulder. “Could you temper the emotion a little bit back there?” He grumbled. Alice grinned over at him, “What’s he feel?” She wiggled her eyebrows. Jasper opened his mouth – “So help me, Jasper, but if you say a word I’ll kill you.” I warned him, my mood should have warned him in the first place, but if he needed a verbal reminder then so be it. He closed his mouth again. “Awe, C’mon!” Alice pleaded, “Just a hint.” She was good at this coaxing thing. Jasper shook his head. I was smugly pleased. “Does it have anything to do with my visions?” She continued. “Ask him. I’m not a mind reader.” Jasper drawled. She twisted around to face me, keeping an eye on the road in her head she looked at my face, “Were you?” I shrugged. “Is he happy, Jazz?” She turned to her lover. “Something like that.” Jasper admitted. I hissed. “Actually, more morose. He won’t let himself get happy. Probably because you keep seeing a human.” Jasper was growing bold. I started to sit up. “Easy there, brother.” He held out a hand, “I’m just saying.” I leaned back, “Then quit saying.” Jasper nodded. Alice giggled, she had enough information to feed her thoughts. I tuned her out and went back to brooding. Roselie and Emmett in the Jeep behind us were having an argument about how to appear to the public wherever we moved first. Emmett wanted to be married already and not have to repeat high school, but Roselie wanted

to start out as young as possible and stay as long as possible. She didn’t like moving around much. Esme was humming to herself in the passenger’s seat of Carlisle’s Royce. I picked out Carlisle’s thoughts as he followed us all. Edward shouldn’t have to go to Alaska. If only I hadn’t messed up… that’s poor woman’s son – all I could think was – “Carlisle. I was getting tired of Oregon anyway. Stop blaming yourself.” I spoke mutely but I knew he would hear me. Alice glanced at me in the rearview mirror, “Carlisle?” “Yes.” I said curtly. “He’s still disappointed with himself?” “Yes.” Sighing. “Awe, Daaaaad.” Alice rarely ever called him that. It was a family joke. “Cheer up, Alaska will be fun.” I chuckled as his thoughts turned smiling again. Esme patted his arm and he turned to look at her face – I made a quick exit of his mind; some things were better not read.

**** **************** ****************** **** “ROSE! Em!” Kate came running from the house full tilt as the Jeep rolled to a stop in their driveway. I parked the Volvo behind them and shut the engine off. Carlisle’s black S55 AMG. Carmen was following the pale vampire Kate with her own mate shadowing her. Eleazar took Carmen’s hand. I went forward to greet Irina as she descended more slowly from the large house they occupied in Denali. “Cousin Edward.” She nodded, smiling faintly. I gave her a quick hug, ignoring her thoughts about Tanya and a brother – in – law. Even considering, she had always been the easiest to get along with of this coven; she was aloof and more silent then her two ‘sisters’ Kate and Tanya. I braced myself as Tanya came flying out the door on her tiptoes, dancing, much like Alice did, in a circle as she trilled a greeting to all of us. “So glad you’re finally here! It’s been forever, Uncle Carlisle!” She lilted, running to throw her arms around Carlisle.

Carlisle chuckled, “Well, five years doesn’t seem like forever when I’ve been alive for centuries, but I did miss you – all of you.” He smiled fondly around the coven gathering around us. Alice came to stand next to me and poked me in the side. She grinned knowingly and wiggled her eyebrows. She was thinking about Tanya. I scowled at her. Then she let her mind’s eye flash to her most recent vision from last night. Dazzling sunlight and a girl in a mystery meadow. My lips tightened and I felt a rush of something run through my lifeless veins. Adrenaline? Warmth? Something I definitely didn’t understand. Alice poked me again and I hissed, “You’re going to give me a bruise.” I mumbled. Not that that was really possible. She chuckled and skipped over to Kate, hugging the gorgeous blonde. Tanya’s strawberry, curly head came gracefully bobbing in my directions. Oh great. Here we go. I braced for impact. Ah, darling cousin Edward. Still so stunning. Did you grow up some more? Her thoughts cooed at me, stressing the relationship title in mockery. “You know I haven’t.” I answered stiffly. Tanya chuckled low in her throat, almost a purring feline sound. But it’s been five years, I didn’t realize I could forget even somewhat how handsome you are. I balled my hands into fists, tension running through me. “You exaggerate.” My voice was chilled enough to freeze water. My thoughts were about as polite as hers right now, but in a different sort of way. If she could hear me thinking I would be telling her how annoying she is. “It’s very good to see you, cousin.” She said modestly when she noticed our appearingly one side conversation had attracted attention. “Likewise.” I lied through my teeth. Oh, lighten up, Eddie. I’ll only try to seduce you a time or two while you’re here. I won’t be an evil witch. Her thoughts were laughing at me. I didn’t find it funny so there was nothing to laugh along with. It was everything my face could muster to keep from glaring at her. I turned away to concentrate on my family members. I’m sorry, sorry, Edward! Carlisle moaned with me. I flicked him a glance and tried to insert some kind of casual warmth, but my flinty stare was too hard and under too much strain to exude forgiveness.

Esme’s thoughts were guilty. She felt she’d forced me into coming here. I tuned everyone out. “Shall I unload our things?” I asked quietly. Irina stepped forward quickly, “Yes, I’ll help. Bring them right up to the second story bedrooms.” Four rooms were reserved for us year round for any time we needed or wished to visit. Emmett came over to the back of the Jeep and unloaded most of the things, besides Esme’s table, onto his person and followed my up the stairs. He dumped them in his and Rose’s room and surveyed the room, “Looks the same.” He clapped me on the back on his way back down the hall. “It always does.” I murmured. Emmett stuck his head into my bedroom at the very top of the stairs. “Hey! Look, Tanya changed the bed for a king size. Maybe she figures you two will need the extra room.” He hooted. I turned my back on him, convincing myself I would not kill my brother. The joke was very, very old. He told it just about every time – no, at least every time, if not twice during a visit – when we came here. The bed had been kind size since the first visit we’d visited here back in the early 1920’s. I heard Tanya laughing in her head from downstairs at Emmett’s worn out lines. That’s it! I’m out of here, at least for a while. I glided down the stairs on silent feet and struck out past the covens gathered still on the snowy lawn, catching up on the news between themselves. Carlisle glanced up at me, leaving? I nodded, “I need to take a walk.” I told him, “Please excuse me if I don’t return till tomorrow.” I glanced politely to Kate and Carmen. Kate nodded, turning her laughing caramel eyes on me, “Take all the time you want. Tanya can be quite annoying.” She teased her sister. “I heard that!” Tanya called from the house. “You were suppose to!” Kate sung back to her. I struck off walking. Walking, walking. My mind was on so many things that I was in Anchorage before I realized it was dark. I turned north and began running. I had crossed the boarder into Canada by midnight. When I reached the mountains around Yukon I slowed. If it was up to me, with no etiquette to worry about showing I would have

stayed in the mountains the entire time my family wished to stay in Denali. Perhaps visiting once or twice. But as the rays of sun tried to reach the darkened world of Alaska I roused myself from my seat on the top of one of the random mountains in the range and began the trek back. I wasn’t running though, not in this direction. **** ****************** ******************* *** It’s been a week and I’ve been a good girl, Edward. Tanya thought smugly at me. She was sitting – appearingly silent – across the other side of the frozen stream, in a snow bank. I shifted position, leaning back on my own snow bank. I didn’t feel like acknowledging her. I came out here everyday, and sat for who knows how long, I didn’t pay attention and she’d been following me, just sitting there across from me, saying nor doing anything for the most part. Have I proven yet that I can be a good cousin? She quarried taking on a hopeful mental tone. I debated my answer, if I said yes would she get over it and leave me alone? Or if I said yes would she simply take that to mean now she could be a bad cousin? I remained silent, sorting through her thoughts. Is he gonna ignore me? Perhaps he’s not listening. I could try yelling. This is getting really boring, sitting here day after day. How much life he’s missing! Why can’t we just be friends? It’s a – I schooled my face to not show humor. “Yes, you have proved to be a good cousin.” I murmured, deciding to try it. Tanya perked up. Then you won’t mind if I tell you something? I groaned. Tanya chuckled softly. “I suppose.” That could be taken either way, it was safer then lying. I gave into my – er, carnal side last fall. I felt really bad about it. He was just so impossibly HOTT! Her thoughts were exclamation points in the extreme. I shifted uncomfortably as she ran over his face in her mind. He came onto me as I passed the bar in Anchorage. He was drunk. It was just too tempting. I lured him away. And – Her words cut off and images filled her head.

I growled at her, “Stop it, Tanya. Do I look like a priest? Take your sins elsewhere.” My expression was lurid. Tanya purred her chuckling laugh. Well, you’re about as close to a priest as I can find in our world. She grinned at me. Her eyes too wide for it to be real innocents that she stared across the stream at me with. “That’s not funny. I’m not as good as you think.” I warned. Tanya’s eyes flashed. You’re gonna have to prove that to me, Mr. Cullen. She taunted. “I have nothing to prove.” I stared up at the sky, letting my mind wander to Alice’s visions for the hundredth time in the past week. The only thing I had been able to pick out of the vision about the girl was her dark head. Brown hair hanging to her shoulders, pulled back. I wasn’t through. Tanya pouted. I said nothing. I knew whether I was silent or not she would continue. I didn’t kill him. So it’s not really a sin. She was reasoning, with her, or myself I’m not sure. My eyes flashed to her face, “You let him get away after – after – Tanya! That’s exposing our secret.” I was on my feet, as if prepared to do battle with the world. Or at very least the ruling coven of Volturi. Tanya chuckled, sit back down, Eddie. I didn’t kill him but I did change him. You know, like I said, he was hot. And I got carried away. She flashed a full frontal of him in her mind at me and I gagged. I accidentally crushed his – hips, so I bit him. Changed him. I was ready to give him a try, thought maybe he’d be my mate. But when he woke up he hated me. Loathed me, at first I thought he might kill me. Tanya sighed. But then he ran off. I’d almost forgotten about it then last month he came back to see me. He had a mate with him. He actually thanked me for changing him. Said he was really enjoying this new life. I relaxed. “I wish you hadn’t shared that, Tanya. But you knew that before you started.” I shot her a glare and then struck off for the house. A silent breeze behind me and then Tanya was matching me step for step. I didn’t increase my running stride to pull away from her, I stayed only loping. Kate and Carmen were talking about going on a hunting expedition this afternoon, Tanya informed me as we approached the house, you up for it? “Hunting what? Penguins?” She chuckled. We have plenty of winter wildlife. I shrugged my noncommittal answer.

TO BE CONTINUID. Check my profile for the next chapters periodically.