Aiyanna
Once on the porch, I was outpaced by Edward who stood in between me and the front door, with his hand on the doorknob.
"Don't come in yet." Edward told me.
His face was serious as he was sniffing the air, ready to attack.
"Last time I checked, this was my house." I whispered, so my parents wouldn't hear, even though I was pretty sure that they were too deep in their sleep to hear anything.
"Someone's been here. I need to know if it's someone I know. Your scent is all over the house already, your presence will only alter my senses more than they already are."
He was probably right. Edward must have encountered many of his kind before, and could probably recognize them by their scent. I couldn't be of any help, since all vampires smelled the same to me. Well, except for him.
"My parents..." I voiced out my only worry.
Memories of Victoria in our veranda and Nana laying on the ground resurfaced in my mind like a wave that was hitting me will full force. Now more than ever, I realized how my parents were in danger.
I clenched my fists, trying to contain my urge to barge in and check if they were truly unharmed or not.
"I'll check on them. Give me two seconds." Edward said before he dashed up the stairs, following where the scent was leading him.
And he did as he said, because after disappearing for literally two seconds, Edward came back in front of the door that he had left open. I couldn't help but stare at him, expectedly.
"Your parents are alright. The scent doesn't go near their bedroom. Whoever it was, went straight into yours. I didn't recognize the scent. I called Carlisle who's coming with Emmett and Jasper to check. Wait here, until they're done."
I felt as useless as when I had been human, standing on the porch, unable to go inside yet. I had no choice but to leave this to them. My phone was upstairs, so I couldn't call Sam either and even if I changed to alert him, Edward was right. Our scents wouldn't help them in recognizing the scent.
I hadn't been careful enough. We should've assigned some of our members to keep an eye on my parents as well, just like Alice did with Bella. Although I was sure that whoever came here wasn't Victoria, I couldn't believe it was a nomad without a motive. The fact that my parents had not been touched and that the scent was only in my bedroom meant that I was the motive.
I felt the change in the atmosphere once I felt Carlisle's, Emmett's and Jasper's presence behind me. Edward's eyes looked above my shoulder to let them know of the matter at hand.
"The room on the right." Edward indicated them, as he left room for the three of them to go in.
I unconsciously followed him, and moved to the side as well.
"Excuse us for going into your private space like this, Aiyanna." Carlisle told me as he opened the march and stopped in front of me.
"If there's anything you can do..."
"I will try." he answered, nodding at me.
Carlisle walked upstairs and was followed by Jasper who nodded at me once and then Emmett who stopped in his tracks.
Now that we were both in human shape, facing each other, it really made me realize that I was indeed taller now. Emmett was the tallest and the largest in the Cullen clan, and even though I was nowhere from being the biggest in my clan because of the giants who served as my friends and pack members, I could at least see that much.
As I expected, Emmett eyed my arms who were uncovered because of my short-sleeved tee shirt or how bigger my thighs had gotten. As he looked back up at my eyes, I couldn't help but glare at him while he tried his best not to look...proud ?
"You grew up well." Emmett commented, but no response came into my mind so I stayed quiet. "Fighting with that wolf was one of the only challenges I've had over the past decade. I don't think I can forgive you for taking this opportunity away from me."
"Lay a hand on one of them and you'll deal with me." I finally talked.
My protective senses towards these boys and now girl, although they were more than able to defend themselves, grew bigger each day as Victoria played the role of a threat to them.
Emmett scoffed while I furrowed my eyebrows. "Look, I'm..."
"Sorry, I know." I cut him off, and brushed his apology off. "How long am I going to have to hear this ? Can you please go upstairs so you don't leave your scent in my house for too long ?"
"Emmett." Edward called him, which made Emmett roll his eyes before he went upstairs as well.
At this point, all I wanted was for something to be done. For the owner of the scent to be discovered.
As quickly as they went in, Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett suddenly appeared at the bottom of the stairs, behind Edward.
"You can come in." Edward told me, now that they were done.
I walked in and closed the door behind me. Thankfully, Edward's scent acted as a shield to the other Cullen's scent, which wasn't the case for Carlisle and Jasper who managed to stay composed although my scent was all over the house, and finally Emmett whose face expressions contorsioned with pain and discomfort.
"Damn..." he commented.
"You smell just as bad to me." I found myself arguing with him, almost feeling offended.
Jasper brought our attention back to the real reason of their coming.
"It's not someone any of us has met before. Whoever it was, it looks like he or she hasn't touched anything. We'll track the scent once we'll be out." Jasper spoke.
The first thought that came to my head was that Victoria was behind this, but then, why wouldn't she have touched my parents ? She killed Nana, so why not take this opportunity to destroy me even more by attacking both of my parents at once ?
The fact that all of this could actually not be related to Victoria was crazy because who could it be then ?
"Alice didn't see anything about this, right ?" I asked, and Jasper shook his head.
"It must be someone whose mature enough to not fail in front of your parents. But who would go into her room specifically and just go hands empty ?" Edward talked.
"What if whoever it was didn't attack her parents because it was too disgusted by her scent ?" Emmett asked. "Had it been me, and I would have lost my appetite."
"Then, don't you think that you wouldn't have come in in the first place ?" I asked while rolling my eyes. "It doesn't make sense, unless Victoria's involved."
Edward look down at me with a softer gaze. A sad one. "You thought it yourself, Aiyanna. She hurt your relative once, even if she sent someone, she would have had the opportunity to do it again and just serve as a distraction."
I sighed and ran my hands through my face. So many questions. So many possibilities and yet no possible answer.
What I dreaded the most was happening in this moment. I wasn't the only one in danger. All the people I loved were. From my parents to all the members of the pack.
I had to stay on my guards at all times.
"What do you suggest Edward ?" Carlisle asked him.
"Jasper and Emmett track the scent and you can check Bella's house, just to get rid of the possibility that whoever it was, went there as well. I will keep an eye here. There's nothing much we can do other than that, at the moment." Edward answered.
Hearing their conversation, I had the impression that the roles were reversed. Carlisle let himself be led by Edward naturally.
"There's no need for you to stay here. I will call Sam." I refuted.
If I called him, he would nag at me for the danger I could have been into while letting me go home alone, but then, if I didn't call him right away, he would kill me for staying quiet.
I guessed I had to say goodbye to my freedom for now. Might as well stay human until all of this would be over, because I knew that the moment I'd make two steps, four paws would be following me behind.
Ignoring the four men at the entrance of my house, I walked upstairs to my bedroom but didn't last long once I caught a whiff of all the vampires scents that were mixed in there.
I still managed to come out with my phone and sent a text to Sam after not having my call picked up at my first attempt. He was probably still in his wolf form at the moment.
I pushed down my phone into the pocket of my bermuda shorts after hitting send, walked up to my parent's bedroom and opened the door slightly to see them sleeping soundly. Relief washed over me when I saw them alive, and with a sigh, I closed the door quietly.
"We will leave, now." Carlisle announced.
I walked down a few steps and looked down at Carlisle who was looking up in my direction, with the rest of the boys.
I took in a breath before I spoke. "Thank you for your help, tonight. And also, sorry for what happened with Paul."
"You don't need to thank us. It is only normal for us to end what we have started. As for earlier's altercation, I am the one who should be thankful to you. We will be more careful from now on." Carlisle answered with a caring smile. "Also, I haven't had the opportunity to meet you before today. I would have loved to do that in other circumstances but I don't know when I will be able to talk to you again. In the name of our whole family, I would like to apologize to you, Aiyanna. As I said earlier, you are always welcomed on our territory. You will always be welcomed in our family."
I didn't answer, as I didn't know what to say. I just stayed there, and nodded.
Even if I could now, see how Edward played a huge part in his family, almost as a second leader like I was myself in my pack, I would have appreciated a notice from the Cullens when they left even if Edward had told them not to.
The fact that they didn't and disappeared from my life so suddenly, leaving me with a hole in my chest, was what I had been disappointed by the most.
But, now that I was doomed to be around the Cullens, probably for the rest of my life, I didn't see myself letting these feelings torture my soul all over again. I had my share until last winter, I wasn't planning on going through it again.
Maybe I was indeed, changing into a more mature, adult version of myself like my father said.
I didn't know if we could ever go back to the relationship we had before they left, now that I turned into a creature made to destroy them.
My eyes met Emmett's who arched his eyebrow at me. "What will it take for you to accept a fight with me ?" he asked.
The four of us couldn't help but scoff at his sudden question. It had probably tortured him to wait so long to ask me.
"You don't want to fight me, Emmett." I said while rolling my eyes.
"Are you kidding ? I was made eternal for this." Emmett answered, offended by my rejection. "When ? Where ?"
My eyes flickered to Jasper, who didn't have to read my thoughts to understand me. He smiled and put his hand on Emmett's shoulder.
"I'll contain his excitement for now. Have a good night." Jasper said as he dragged Emmett who couldn't help but follow outside calmly.
Carlisle looked back at Edward, probably sharing his thoughts to him judging by the way Edward nodded at him before watching him leave as well.
Unexpectedly, but then since it was Edward I expected it a little, I watched him close the door behind them while standing at the entrance.
"You should go, too. The pack will take the lead in a short time." I told Edward who probably had no intention to leave yet.
Without waiting for an answer from him, I tiptoed upstairs and stopped in front of my door. Ordinarily, Edward scent managed to hide the other vampires' unpleasing scent, but then, everytime it did, it was in open environment whether it was outside or the cafeteria where hundreds of scents were floating in the air.
Here, in this bedroom with a closed door and a closed window, the scents would be saturating every space. Although Edward's scent would also linger in the air, I didn't want to risk being intoxicated which was why I held my breath before I opened the door of my bedroom to quickly grab my pyjamas and open my window, in an attempt to ventilate the room.
There was no way for me to sleep in that bedroom tonight. My new bed would have to be the couch.
I walked straight to the bathroom where I showered thoroughly, brushed my teeth and changed my clothes before going back to my bedroom where I grabbed my pillow, blanket and cellphone.
As I walked downstairs, I wasn't surprised to feel Edward's presence because as expected, he didn't listen to me.
Instead of being in the entrance where I had left him, he was seated on one of the chairs from the living room, giving him a clear view of the couch I would be sleeping on.
"I thought I told you to leave." I said, while getting rid of the cushions that rested on the couch, to set my pillow and blanket.
"You only made a suggestion." Edward answered.
I arched my eyebrows."Are you playing with words now ?"
"If it allows me to stay a little longer, then yes."
I rolled my eyes and set myself under my blanket while making sure that my back faced him. I had no strength to argue with him.
Although I could see a bit of amusement in his face expression, the constant worry he was going through could also clearly be seen on his face.
Knowing him, he would probably spend the whole night, trying to explain this sudden intruder's motive and try to find its identity.
"There are high chances for Sam to come and check the scent himself and send the boys as well, so don't worry that much about it. I won't be able to sleep otherwise." I sighed.
My words met Edward's silence. So I continued.
"Also, this time I feel like I should be sorry for putting you through such pain as I took my decision to ignore the imprint and...you at the same time. I guess we're even now. But... it doesn't change a thing to what I think about it. I hate the fact that imprinting takes control over the ones involved and makes decisions on its own."
Again, Edward stayed silent and at this point, I was thankful that he didn't say anything.
"I keep wondering if whatever I feel around you are the remaining feelings I had for you that I failed to get rid of, or if it's just the imprint that's making me feel like this. I'm sorry if imprinting also forced you to stay near me."
I never stopped wondering what would have happened if I hadn't imprinted on Edward. If he hadn't flinched at the sound of my name. If I hadn't recognized him as we fell off the cliff.
Would I have still run away ? Would Edward have been the one running away ? Would we have acted as strangers ?
Another story would have been written. Both of our lives would have been so much different than what we had now.
As I talked, I realized how it felt nothing like the time when I shared my thoughts with Sam, on the beach. I felt like a whole different person. Back then, I was a lot more radical than now. It was crazy how just one week could change a person. Or again, was it the imprint ? Or was it just me ?
I wasn't sure of anything anymore.
Now that I was having a monologue, knowing that Edward was listening, I felt the pressure that had weighted on my shoulders become lighter.
This was probably why when I closed my eyes, I never opened them again as I fell asleep right away.
~~
Edward
The blanket wrapped around Aiyanna was slowly moving up and down as she took slower breaths. The sound of her slow heart beat played as a lullaby I was being cradled to. Her heartbeat was the most significant sound in my world. I could almost be sure that I could pick it out from a long distance.
What a pleasure to stay in her presence again.
I was thankful that she didn't make me leave her side even when I insisted. I was grateful for her honesty, and for the fact that she didn't choose to keep ignoring me despite her mixed feelings about imprinting.
I knew very well that Aiyanna was only comfortable around me when it dealt with our common enemy. Ever since we first saw each other again in the woods, we never talked about the link that bound us together. The fact that she initiated that subject first, and was able to go more in depth of what she truly felt around me was all I could ask for.
I had stayed silent while she shared her thoughts with me because deep down, I had felt that Aiyanna wasn't in need of a conversation. All she wanted, was to let her frustration out.
I understood her point of view. The imprinting compulsing was the strangest thing I have been a part of in my whole existence. It almost didn't feel real. Almost like...magic.
Aiyanna let out a small whine as she snuggled deeper into the couch. I found myself smiling at that, as I got to witness again one of her habits. I remembered how Aiyanna loved sleeping. Such sounds would come out of her when she would be sleeping well.
As I realized that her blanket was slowly sliding down from her shoulders to fall on the ground, I kneeled down in front of the couch and slid the blanket up until it covered her.
I could have gotten back to my seat once I was done, but I found myself sitting down on the floor, my back pressed against the coffee table of the living room.
How I wished I could run my fingers through the features of her face like I used to. Breathe in the aroma of her scent as if it was the purest source of oxygen, like I used to. And kiss her forehead to give her tokens of my love for her, like I used to.
But I didn't have the courage to touch her. Especially now that she wasn't conscious.
Suddenly, Aiyanna turned in her sleep and this time, faced me.
"Edward."
For a moment, I thought Aiyanna woke up from her sleep, because of how clearly my name came out of her lips. But there were no changes in her heart beat and she stayed still now that she had found her new sleeping position.
The expression "having butterflies in one's stomach" never felt more real than in this moment. My lips formed a smile before I could even think about it.
If I was given the opportunity to dream again, there was one thing I could be sure of : Aiyanna would be the main if not the only character of my dreams. And for that, I would've loved sleeping as much as she did.
I didn't know if I would be given another opportunity to stay in her presence while she would be asleep again. Whether this was the last time or not, I would revel in it and memorize every trait, smell and sound to live this moment again, in my mind, until I'd be allowed to go back to my position in her life. Right beside her.
Until this day, I didn't know where I dug the strength it took for me to leave her behind ?
I loved her too much, more than my own existence, to walk away from her. And maybe it was because of that same love, that I found no other solution to keep her safe from me and my kind.
My insides ached at the thought of that afternoon, when I had to say rude words I didn't even think one second, to give me the courage to leave, and give her a reason to let me go.
Now that I remembered how cold I had been to her, I was able to figure out why Aiyanna thought the imprinting phenomenom was the reason why I decided to stay in town. And yet, it killed me to realize that until now, she believed so easily to my lies. Could she still not grasp how much I loved her ? The love I carried for her was the only essence that kept me standing.
As memories of that afternoon came back to mind, I was reminded of the gifts my family and I had given Aiyanna for her birthday, that were hidden in my bedroom. I wanted to respect my promise, for her life to be as if I never existed, which was why I had kept her gifts hidden.
I brought them there during Aiyanna's classes the day following her birthday. I never touched them again, as it would have reminded me of a period of our lives that was too painful to remember.
I had to give them back to her but I didn't allow myself to leave her side, not when I found my spot next to her again.
Without hesitating, I sent a text to Emmett giving him the exact location of where the gifts were hidden, and asking him to bring them to Aiyanna's house.
"In a minute" - Emmett sent back.
While putting the phone on the coffee table I was leaning against, my eyes were drawn to the title of one of the newspapers piled up there.
"DEATH TOLL ON THE RISE. POLICE FEARS GANG ACTIVITIES"
It was about the disappearings and the killing spree in Seattle. All initiated by our kind.
My family and I had been monitoring the news since it came out. It was easy for us to figure out what was really happening. These attacks weren't caused by gangs as humans liked to call them. They were from newborn vampires.
The unlikely disappearances and killings always happened at night, the conditions of the victims found and the lack of evidence only showed that they were all caused by someone bloodthirsty and out of control like all vampires would be in their first years.
These events were happening both too far from us to get ourselves involved, and yet too close.
It was a relief to have Jasper on our side. He was the one with experience when it came to newborn vampires. If the attacks kept on escalating, I was sure that he would press us to have a trip to Seattle.
As expected, Emmett came here in a minute. I saw him walk down the stairs with his hands empty, after coming in through the window Aiyanna had left open and leaving the gifts in her bedroom.
Is that what you do really when she sleeps ? You just look at her like a psycopath ? - Emmett thought, standing behind the couch.
Aiyanna's face expressions hardened as she caught Emmett's scent. I brought my hand in front of her face so she could breathe in my scent instead. If my scent had the same effect that hers on me, then it would keep her asleep.
And to confirm my thought, Aiyanna's features softened while she fell deeper into her dream.
That's crazy - Emmett reacted to what I just did.
I just smiled while shaking my head at his reaction. When someone like us would get enticed with someone as fragile as Aiyanna was, although she would highly disagree with me about her fragility now that she became a shapeshifter, we had no choice but to appreciate every moment even when they were just sleeping.
"I don't mind being the creepy guy." I answered.
Emmett rolled his eyes.
The trail went east then south and disappeared on a side road. Probably got into a car. Whoever it is, will need to change clothes. Aiyanna's scent followed him - he reported in a more serious tone.
Had it gone west, and the wolves would have gotten him. Even if Aiyanna's pack did come to track the scent themselves, their results would probably be the same as ours.
"Whoever it was made sure not to be seen by Alice."
Emmett and I looked at each other, both understanding that it could be the case. Alice hadn't been around Aiyanna or the wolves that much for her visions to be blocked for a whole week. If it was someone who knew how to get undetected by Alice, then it was a serious threat to us.
Emmett didn't mind though. He already thought of different ways to catch the intruder and get answers to the questions we still had unanswered.
"We'll be taking rounds around her house." I told Emmett, to which he nodded, conscious that it was the only solution to keep Aiyanna safe.
So you're the one on watch tonight.
"I'll be there every day and night."
You better sort things out with her while you're at it. And then, maybe she'll accept my proposal. Well, she can't say no. I have given her plenty of reasons to fight with me already. My wish has to come true someday, don't you think ? The stars are on my side. I was getting bored, and now we don't have to stick to verbal fights anymore.
"Emmett. Go home" I intervened, once I felt his excitement getting the best of him.
Emmett was gleeful that he'd gotten a chance to chase Victoria and tussle with a wolf in the same night. He never had this much action since we met James last year. He could never get enough wrestling and fighting into his life to suit him, and rarely was he really challenged.
Emmett left without a word, anticipating what it'd be like to fight with a wolf that would happen to be Aiyanna.
Once his thoughts were out of reach, I sighed, feeling my body relax as I went back to my favorite activity : delighting in Aiyanna's presence.
A/N : You might have noticed by now that I enjoy writing Edward's point of view. I kind of life diving into his character.
Anyways, Aiyanna finally spoke to Edward about what she truly thought of the imprint and she's officially letting go of the grudge she had against him and the rest of the Cullens for that matter. So that's one step cleared.