• Chapter 1: The Violin
    part 1


    It was the wensday of the first week of school. I hated the feel of the first week. Everyone asked how your summer was, and teachers were renlentless in trying to make us remember what we supposedly lost over the summer break. But there were some things I could look foreward to, and he was right out side waiting in his silver Volvo as usual.

    "See ya Charlie," I called to him as I headed out the door. He gave a "see ya later kid," before I had reached the door.

    When I met Edward's gaze he seemed anxious at first, but then beamed when I got in the car.

    "Ready for your third day as a senior?" He asked.

    "Sure," I answered half heartedly.

    "Come on, this is last year in high school."

    "As a human," I said with a grin.

    He rolled his eyes and before I knew it we were on the road. He gave a heavy sigh, and I knew what that meant. He was going to bring up the value of my humanity again. How I dreaded it.

    "It amazes me how quickly you want to throw all your human experiances away Bella. Don't you want to at least experiance college for just a year or two? To see what potential you could have?"

    "No. The only experiance I want is becoming yours forever."

    He sighed again but it ended up with a smile. "So irrational," he said with a laugh.

    "So impossible," I countered.

    We arrived at school and met up with Alice. As usual she was over perky this early in the morning.

    "Hey Bella!" She said putting her arm around my shoulders, "what do you think of this blouse? I just got it, but I'm not sure if it's my color."

    "It's nice," I answered. It was a light pink silky long sleeved blouse that form fitted her tiny waist. I truly did like it, but not for me. I'd look stupid in something like that.

    "Ugh," she sighed, "nice? That's it?"

    "I like it."

    "Alice you look fine," Edward insisted.

    "Just fine?" She said with a pert little grin.

    "Fantastic," he said flatly.

    "Alright I'm satisfied then. I won't give it to Rosalie then. So when are we going shopping for you Bella?"

    "When I can run out of excuses," I said as we approched my locker.

    "You're no fun," she pouted.

    "Soon," I sighed and rolled my eyes.

    Classes were pretty much the same. Edward was in all of mine, and that delighted me. Finally I could have a geniune excuse for day dreaming. If I'd get called out on it I could just blame it on the Greek god sitting next to me.

    Lunch was interesting. Alice, Edward and I were at one end of the table, Angela, Ben and Mike in the middle, and Jessica and Lauren were at the other end. It seemed that the battle lines were drawn, and Angela was the peacemaker between us. I had nothing against Jessica, not even Lauren, but clearly Jessica didn't forgive me of my "dark phase" when Edward was gone.

    Oh well, guess it's good to know who your real friends are.

    As I sat next to Edward and across from Alice, I noticed something odd on Edward's face. He seemed anxious and even confused. Why? What was drawing his attention away from me?

    I followed his gaze to a girl sitting across the room. Suddenly my heart dropped. Why was he so concerned about her? I couldn't see her face, but from where I sat she seemed beautiful. Tall, broad shouldered, long dusty brown hair, and the body of a pro athlete. Her skin was a smooth ivory and the way she walked to her isolated table proved that she wasn't human. She was a vampire.

    Clearly Edward was concerned, but Alice wasn't. She didn't even notice her. What was going on? I had to ask.

    "Who is she?" I asked Edward, touching his arm so that he'd pay attention to me.

    "I don't know," he answered.

    I looked back at her. She wore cut off shorts revealing her perfect shpaped legs, a pair of black Dock Martins, and a seriously worn out leather jacket with a white snake wrapping around a wooden stake. She seemed more intimidating then anyone I'd ever seen, not just because of her attire but because she was so beautiful. I had yet to see her face, but from what I did see I knew that Aphrodite or any other Greek, Norse or whatever god was no where near as beautiful as she.

    "I can't read her mind," Edward finally whispered to me.

    Alice must have heard because she was staring intently at Edward then her eyes follwed his to the vampire girl. Suddenly, the girl looked at all three of us. It took my breath away. She had a square-oval shaped face, a perfectly straight nose, the perfect shaped lips, and large almond shaped eyes. But what was really striking about her was that unlike the vampires I've seen she didn't have gold, red, or even black eyes, they were crystal blue. So blue I could see them staring at me from across the room.

    Edward took hold of my arm, as if he was about to dash out of there with me. But he didn't move. All three of us just stared back at her. And when her head slowly moved so that she was facing us completly, a sly yet intriguing grin stretched across her perfect face.

    All of a sudden the room went silent. I could see Angela and Jessica talking, but I couldn't hear them. I couldn't hear anyone's voice, not even my own as I called for Edward. It was as if me, Edward, Alice, and she were seperated from the world. Like we were ghosts just floating there with no reconition of our exsistance.

    And then I heard it.

    A violin played slowly. It was low and romantic sounding, with a little bit of an edge to it. Along with the sound came images. Flashing through my head were glimpses of what seemed to be a memory. It was unsteady at first, but then it became as if I was there.

    I was in a small cottage of the sort, looking out through the front door. A child was playing in on the hill in front of the house, rolling around in the wheat. I, or she or whosever memory it was, walked out of the door and onto the wooden porch. There the child saw me. He ran toward me and jumped into my arms. He couldn't have been more than five years old. When I held him I was able to really get a good look of him. He had bright jade eyes, dimples and the most precious blond curls.

    All the while the violin was playing, becoming more and more intense as I swung him around and around. The music kept it's romantic feeling as well as the edge.

    Then the memory changed, and I was now sitting in a chair by the fireplace in the same cottage. I noticed that I was exsperiancing the first person's memories, I was someone else. It was night time and I could tell it was really late in the evening. There I saw her. She was there playing the violin, the same song I had been hearing. Next to her was the little boy, only a bit older, about seven. I noticed their clothes. It wasn't of the 20th or 21st century. She wore a dark blue cotton dress, I assumed a night gown, because it did not cover her shoulders. And the boy wore un fastened suspenders with a white unbuttoned shirt.

    The music was softer when they both played this haunting yet intriguing song. It was like a lullaby, and yet it sounded epic. They both played it with great intensity and with a beautiful passion.

    And then the vision changed again. I was in a bedroom, and like before I wasn't the same person. I saw her laying in the bed, with blood seeping from her chest, I began to cry. A man was holding her hand and weeping. I did the same. She took my small hand and kissed it. And all the while the same song played.

    "I'll always love you my sweet," she told me.

    I leaned in and she kissed my forehead, and I kissed her cheek. And in one fleeting moment we locked eyes,. I saw my green eyes through hers. Then the moment was gone. She was dead.


    The Violin
    part 2


    The song ended, and never had I thanked God for anything until now. It wasn't that the song was beautiful, but the images that went with it were just too much to relive again. Everything seemed back to normal, I could hear Jessica's high pitched voice, I could smell the various foods of the cafeteria. But the vampire woman was still there, still beautiful, and still staring at us.

    I leaned into edward who felt cold. Of course he was always cold, frozen more like, but not like this. He seemed distant from me.

    "Edward?" I asked him, but his eyes were fixed on her still.

    "Bella you should go," Alice's sweet voice said softly so as not to draw attention to ourselves. I looked back at her, noticing that the others at are table were oblivous to what was going on. I nodded in agreement.

    "Only if you two come," I demanded.

    Alice nodded.

    "No," Edward snarled, "I'm staying."

    "No you're not," I challenged him, "I need you," that was a pretty low blow, I knew he'd come if it seemed I really needed him.

    "I have to ask her-"

    Suddenly she was by our side. How she was able to sneak up on Edward, let alone Alice baffled me. I looked up, terror stricken as her grin caught my eye.

    She looked down at me, then to Edward, then to Alice. When she met Alice's eyes, hers seemed to brighten.

    "My dear Alice," she said, her voice soft like honey yet ghostly like an angel's, "it's been quite awhile. Do you remember me?"

    Alice shook her head no.

    "Of course not," she said, "I didn't expect you to, but I had hope. And you," she turned to Edward as she sat at the end of the table, "must be Edward. Pity, they described you as beautiful, yet I see no real flattery in your looks, but then again I'm a harsher critic of beauty."

    She was insane. Edward was the most beautiful person in all of exsistance...except maybe her. As I saw her upclose, her beauty was uncanny. Rosalie's beauty was several levels below hers. I just couldn't grasp anyone out shining Edward, but I guess I was bias.

    "What do you want?" Edward asked her.

    "Your brother Jasper," she said bluntly, "I wish to speak to him."

    "Why?" Alice asked defensivly.

    "Don't worry little one, I don't want to hurt him. It's quite the contrary."

    "Our brother has no business with you," Edward nearly spatted.

    "So sure?" She countered.

    "Yes." He said flatly.

    "Alice?" Jessica said while everyone turned their attention towards us. I have to admit I was too overwhelmed to care that Jessica was actually talking to Alice. "Who's your friend?"

    What made Jessica thought it would be Alice's friend and not mine...oh well wait there was that whole 'beautiful people stick together' factor.

    "Luci Harlow," the woman said, "I'm new here. Alice and I have physics together."

    "Oh nice, I'm Jessica, this is Mike, Angela, and Ben."

    "Nice to meet you," Ben said, always one to be polite.

    "Likewise," she said with a nod then got up, "I have to go though and take care of some stuff with my counselor, it was nice to meet you all. I'll see you later then Alice, Bella...Edward."

    And with just a few easy steps she was gone.

    I didn't know what to think or say. Who was she? What had she shown us? A memory I was sure. Was it hers? Clearly she was a vampire with extra powers besides ridiculous beauty. I figured she had an amazing telepathy, somehow she was able to block both Edward and Alice and was able to show us her memories. It had to be, otherwise she wouldn't have snuck up on them like that.

    Looking over at Alice, I realised just how much she surprised them. Edward's fists were so tightly clenched I was afraid to touch him. Alice just stared blankly at the table. Thank goodness though the others were ignoring us again. Angela was so into Ben's joke as was Mike and Jessica that they didn't even see Edward, Alice, and I leave.

    Edward waisted no time in the parking lot, the silver Volvo was unlocked probably right after Luci left. Instead of sitting in the front with Edward, I decided to sit with Alice in the back seat. She wasn't looking well, almost green. I couldn't believe that her perfectly ivory skin could become so bleak looking. My warm mortal hand took hers as Edward blazed out of the school parking lot. She was worried about Jasper, and I know I'd look the same or worse if it had been Edward that Luci was after.

    "What could she want with him?" Alice asked, "I never even saw her coming! Edward didn't you get anything?"

    "Nothing Alice, damn it nothing!" Edward raised his voice. I didn't know what he was angrier about, Jasper being in possible danger or the fact that he couldn't read her mind.

    "What do you think it was that she showed us?" I asked.

    "I don't know," Alice said, "memories of the past I guess."

    "But why would she show us that? Who were those people, the man and the kid?"

    "It must have something to do with Jasper," Edward said.

    "Do you think he could have been the kid? If it was a memory I mean."

    Alice and Edward both looked at me with wide eyes. I was going to tell him to keep his eyes on the road but bit my tongue knowing that would be a dumb thing to say right about now.

    Alice shook her head, "We can't come up with any assumptions yet, not until we know more about her...Edward I can't read her. I'm scared."

    It didn't hit me until a few moments later when Edward pulled the car over, opened the back door and took Alice in his arms. Alice and Edward were scared. Afraid, fearful, terrified. Not the werewolves, the Volturi, James or Victoria made them act like this. There was something they were not telling me about Luci Harlow, something that she was posed a greater threat than even the Volturi. Alice was losing it. I knew she was thinking that she'd somehow lose Jasper, and those thoughts were eating her away. Edward too seemed distressed as he held her close to him.

    "Who is she really?" I demanded of them.

    "She's a Dracule," Alice said, "and the first wife to Dracula."

    "What? Dracula, he was a..." Myth? Legend? Yeah like vampires. Of course Dracula was or had been real, he was what made vampires so famous. But who was the real Dracula? Did he wear a cape and plunder everyone in Transilvania? "Edward?"

    "We have to get to Carlisle now," he said and broke away from Alice, "we're going to have to hide you Bella," he said as we continued driving, "you and Charlie."

    "Why would she want me?"

    "There's no telling, her wanting Jasper could be a ploy to get to you. It's not just the Volturi and Victoria who have a problem with one of their own with a human. I can bet just about every vampire out there hates you and I."

    I sighed deeply, letting the fear pour into me again. Victoria hunting me was now just a distant memory the Volturi as well. Now I was holding Alice's hand for comfort. When would it end? This hunting...now more than ever I wanted Edward to change me. Not only was my life on the line but so was Jasper's and the other Cullens as well. I so desperatly wanted him to change me now, this instant, but the words never came out of my mouth.

    My fear clenched them.



    Chapter 2: Dracula


    When we reached the house everyone was there except Jasper. He was hunting alone, but this didn't seem to upset Alice. She must have forseen him coming home without Luci finding him. However, she was still anxious about the whole thing. Edward had everyone sit at the dinning table to discuss what had happened. What scared me the most when Edward and Alice were explaining what happened, was that Carlisle looked enraged. I never imagined Carlisle this angry before with his brow clenched, his eyes narrowed, and his mouth tight. Everytime Edward said her name, Luci Harlow, his eyes seemed blacker.

    "Carlisle," Alice said, "do you have any idea why she wants to talk to Jasper?"

    "Not in the very least," he said, "but this...I thought she'd ..." he stumbled over his words. Again I felt like I was out of the loop, as did everyone else in the room. "If she decides to pursue this further, we'll be powerless against her."

    "There's seven of us and one of her," Emmett said.

    "Eight," I interjected, "I want to help too."

    "Seven," both Rosalie and Edward said. Edward's intent, though, was for my benefit.

    "Numbers won't matter," Carlisle snapped.

    "Who is she really?" Esme asked, "What makes her so different from the rest of us? Just because she's a Dracule can't mean she's more powerful than the Volturi."

    "But it does."

    "How?" Rosalie asked, "Many of the Volturi were born way before Dracula's time. Their age makes them powerful, how can she be any more so?"

    "Dracula wasn't normal. Not as a human, and especially not as a vampire..."

    "Tell us more," I insisted. There was so much missing, I had to know what was going on.

    "In the early 1400s there was a man known as Vlad III Dracula of Wallachia. He was a powerful and influencial lord in Transilvania, mostly because his father had defended Transilvania so well from the Turks. Dracula continued what his father started, and was able to ward off the Turks for many years. But there were Turkish spies under his nose. They captured his wife and held her for randsome. Dracula had spent all of his worth on war supplies, and didn't have enough money to save her. On the battle feild they brought her out, and slit her throat in front of him. He lost that battle and kept losing land to the Turks. But finally he came up with a solution. He had heard of the vampires before, he had even met one on accident years before. He sought after the one he had met and found him preying on a Turkish village. The vampire was very old, about 1000 years old then. Naterally the vampire wanted to kill Dracula for knowing what he was, but Dracula appealed to him. Now this is where the story gets interesting," Carlisle said, coming back to his usual good nature, "instead of the vampire biting Dracula, he had to drain the vampire."

    "Of what?" Emmet asked.

    "Blood."

    "Is that even possible?" Alice asked.

    "From the vampire's prey. Fresh blood was within him. Dracula could have died easily, especially from consuming too much liquid. But Dracula was determined to avenge his wife, to become powerful, and to destroy the Turks. He drained the vampire of all the blood within him, and lived. Days later he started to feel stronger, more invincible. Later he realized that he hungered for blood, and that nothing could kill him. His skin became paler, and his eyes became gold. Everyone noticed but didn't say a thing. They feared him."

    "So," Rosalie said, "he didn't need to be bitten?"

    "Exactly. No one has ever become a vampire by consuming a vampire's blood. Most would have died, but not Dracula. After he defeated the Turks and show cased his victory by displaying the enemy on pikes, he faked his death so that he could travel all through Europe. He remained as strong as a newborn and that scared the Volturi. They tried hunting him down, but never could find him. "

    "In the late 1600s, after I became vampire, he found love again. Two French noble sisters, Luci and Whilmina. They charmed him with their witty and intelligent speech, they reminded him of his wife. He turned them and they became their own coven. Luci and Whilmina, because they were turned by Dracula, were just as powerful as he was but they had gifts. Whilmina could shapeshift her form, while Luci had immense telepathy. Her telepathic powers are limitless. She can do what Edward, Jane, Aro, do and so much more. After Van Helsing, a hunter like my father and I were, killed Dracula the sisters seperated and seemed to have left without a trace."

    "But then I met Luci. It was in June of 1816 when we met in London. I was on my way out of England when I saw her coming towards me on the railway station. She knew I was vampire, and wanted to talk to me. She had come back from staying with the Volturi, and wanted to talk to me about my own stay with them."

    "She and I traveled together out of England to Russia. There was no real reason for going there, except that I hadn't been and she felt that was a shame. Being around her made me feel human, because she herself felt human. She had said she rarely ever hunted humans, and when she did it was only out of pure necessity. I told her about my own ability to refrain from human blood and she admired me for it."

    "But then, I saw one of those rare times she did hunt people. The victim was only 8 years old. Luci showed her allusions, making the girl believe Luci was her mother. It was sickening. Then when I threatened to leave, she made me believe I did when really I sat on the sofa of our apartment for three weeks. She only truly let me go when after I pleaded and begged for months. Never had I felt so feeble before."

    "Now she wants to talk to Jasper, for God knows what reason."

    "We have to get rid of her," Alice said fervently, "there's no telling what she'd do to him. I don't care what she wants, she can't get anywhere near him."

    "Alice?" I asked still confused about something else, "what about you? She asked you if you remembered her."

    "I don't know and I don't care," Alice snapped, clearly her anxiety was getting to her, "I just want her gone."

    The rest of the day the Cullens were trying to come up with ways to get rid of her. But nothing worked. Persuasion seemed to be the safest method, since it eventually worked for Carlisle, but persuasion was useless unless we could figure out what she wanted with Jasper. Despite Carlisle spending time with her, we really didn't know much about her. We theorized that she might need Jasper and possibly Alice to take over the Volturi, but that theory was nulled. Carlisle said if she wanted to overtake the Volturi she would have already done so.

    Luci's intentions were a mystery.

    I called Charlie and told him that I would be spending the night with Alice, since my punishment for my vacation to Italy was through. He was weary of the idea at first, but giving the phone to Alice was all I needed to persuade him.

    Later that night, as I was about to fall asleep on the couch, Jasper came home. Immediately he sensed the tension and fear. From the intense kiss Alice gave him, Jasper seemed uneasy. He felt everyone's fear for him. How horrible it must have felt.

    Carlisle took him aside and told him everything. Then he led Jasper to the living room where we all sat around him still discussing on what to do.

    "Let her talk to me," Jasper said.

    "Not a chance," Alice said, "there's no telling what she could do to you, what her plan is for you."

    "It seems inevitable," Jasper said passively, "If we can't stop her then there's no point in risking your lives. Besides if she wanted to, it seems, she would have already manipulated you three to get to me. Maybe her intentions are good."

    "I have my doubts," Carlisle said, "but you do have a point."

    I couldn't stop yawning, and eventually Edward was sick of me staying up.

    "The human needs sleep," Rosalie said.

    With that Edward scooped me up in his arms and took me to his room. I protested at first, I so desperately wanted to help in any way I could. But once he sat me down on his sofa, I decided to just give up. I was about to drift into sleep when it hit me.

    "Edward? What about the vision she showed us. We didn't tell the others about the vision. Come on we need to let-"

    "No," he said curtly and grabbed my arm, "don't tell them about the vision."

    "Why not?"

    "Just don't. It's not important."

    "Yes it is! It could help us reveal what she wants from Jasper." I didn't exactly understand the connection, but maybe Carlisle did.

    "No."

    "Tell me why!"

    "Can you just trust me? Its not a good idea to tell them. Promise me you won't."

    "Im not promising that. Besides, If I wont Alice will."

    "No she won't. She's the one who suggested that we don't tell the others."

    "But why?"

    "Promise me. Trust me."

    "Ok," I gave in. I felt guilty for giving up so easily, but it was Alice who suggested it first. Besides, I trusted Edward more than I trusted anyone, "I promise."

    As I fell asleep Luci's vision haunted my sleep. I kept hearing the violin and seeing the little boy. But what played over and over again was when she died. Her face so pale and lifeless...I feared I'd have this nightmare until the day I died.