beauty from pain | R.H

| chapter two |

France.

mecredi deux
Novembre
dix-neuf trente deux

warnings: depictions of death, violence, theft, blood.

I stepped out of the house into the cold air that was thick with precipitation. I'm the one in my family to go out with the money and get what we need. For some reason, I was always warm even in the coldest winter months; my brothers and sister love cuddling against me for warmth.

Today was the end of the month, and all the money we had made was put together so I could go out and gather the goods my family need to survive the harsh coming wintertime.

I was always treated like the family furnace by my siblings when it was extra cold, and sharing a bed with them always left me sweating, but at least they were warm. My mother liked to call me her little firecracker.

At times I had the temper to go with it too.

Moving about the market, I couldn't help but notice there were more people out begging than usual. The depression had hit poor people the hardest, but I couldn't worry about that; I had a family of my own to take care of.

Buying a few of the items I needed, I quickly made my way around different stalls with a polite Bonjour and Au Revoir after buying my things, the lingering stares of the drifters watching me as I rush about.

Walking down an alley to get back home, I scream when I'm grabbed, the group of beggars from before scratch as they try to get the leftover money from my purse. "Non!" I shout, pushing them away.

Suddenly I get pushed to the ground as the group of people all stomp and hit as they pillage through the possessions I had purchased and the through the belongings on my body.

Shaking, I was left in the snow, bleeding and clinging to any hope that I would be found, but as time went on, the anger I felt at how someone could do this to another person rose in me.

Choking on my own blood, I tried to turn myself as I could finally feel the cold seeping into my body, my skin was still at its warm temperature, but I could almost feel my heart freezing.

I was dying.

Closing my eyes for a second, I blinked, seeing a shadow coming closer to me before a sharp scratch pinched the skin on my forearm. I let out a small whine before I let the darkness consume me.

Forks, Washington 
 2006

Running through the multiple trees that Washington seemed to have, I smiled, feeling freer than I had for a while, it hadn't taken us that long to get from Canada, but with the way I was feeling, I wouldn't have cared if it took forever.

My feet were soon stopped when I was grabbed; I looked over my shoulder to see Henry holding me close as he pointed through the trees where I noticed a small gathering of wolves.

Changing our course a little, I was stopped again by the smell of humans; venom started pooling into my mouth at the thought of biting into the neck of a person right now.

Letting out a small growl, I was soon pulled away as Henry gave me a look of disapproval to which I just rolled my eyes; why did my 'family' drink human blood but act all mighty than thou?

"He's close by," Henry said as we sped towards a gorgeous modern home tucked away in the midst of lush trees. While I hated the thought of coven's, I couldn't help but applaud their style for homes.

Suddenly another vampire appears from the door; he stood at 6'2", with a well-toned medium frame, gentle eyes, and white-blond hair. This must be Carlisle. Henry had told me all about the other vampire he had practically grown up with.

"Carlisle!" Henry's voice boomed as the other man's face brightened considerably; the two laughed as they hugged and made pleasantries before Henry held his arm out and motioned towards me, "This is my newest daughter, Geneviève."

I walked forward slightly and bowed my head with a "Bonjour" as I stared into the man's peculiar golden eyes. Henry said they were on a vegetarian diet, which means they feed off animals instead of humans.

"Oh! French" Carlisle laughed politely as he repeated my greeting; my eyes gazed around the outside of their home before noticing other vampires watching us through the window. That must be his coven.

The two old friends caught up as they entered the home, leaving me to walk behind them, not that I minded. It gave me more time to scope around and make sure we weren't being deceived or watched.

"Henry, Geneviève, I'd like you to meet my wife Emse," Carlisle proudly states as a beautiful brunette walks towards us. She had a motherly vibe, although looking young like Carlisle.

Once again, we exchange pleasantries as she commented on me being French once again, but this time actually spoke a little French as I politely applauded her on her basic knowledge of my mother tongue.

After that, we were introduced to Edward, who had kindly informed us of his gift, and for a moment, I thought about the annoyance of him reading my mind all the time but then again, I had nothing to hide.

Edward smiled at that.

Jasper and Alice, the former of which stared at my red eyes for a while before awkwardly greeting us, and Alice told us of Jasper's struggle to acclimatize to animal blood.

Then came Emmett and his mate Amber; she has perfect bronzed chocolate skin that seemed to shimmer in the light. Her amber eyes glowed against the hue of her skin. The two looked very happy and playful together.

Disgusting.

Then my world began to spin as I smelled the jasmine flowers from outside my home 74 years ago, except it wasn't those flowers; it was a blonde vampire who Carlisle introduced as Rosalie.

She was tall and statuesque, with an elegant figure similar to a model's. She has long, wavy blond hair t that perfectly suits the golden eyes that she shares with the rest of her coven.

Everything goes hazy as it feels like the room gets frozen in time as my red eyes lay on her gorgeous gold, everyone and everything else suddenly become subsidiary. My only need now is to do anything to please and protect her.

"Geneviève? Mon Petite," Henry calls out as I realize what's just happened. Blinking rapidly, I can't look at her for long before my own fear starts to win over my rationale. So, instead, I screw my eyes shut and take off out of the door, leaving her behind.