"You want me to do what?" Amelia's voice was incredulous as she surveyed the three story drop to the ground. The clouds had set in again, covering the sun.
"Jump out of the window," replied Carlisle, "it'll be good practice for you."
"Remind me why I can't use the front door?"
"No reason, just that jumping will give us an indication of your strength at present."
"We just determined that something is not right with me. And now you want to test that theory how exactly? By seeing if I shatter into a thousand pieces when I land? Lose a limb? Thanks Dad," Amelia's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Inwardly, Carlisle was smiling. The little girl with the quick tongue was in there somewhere. He just had to coax her out.
"When you put it that way," Carlisle trailed off, scratching his chin. Amelia glared at him and left the room. He heard her stomping down the stairs. The three of them hurried after her and soon enough were in the thick of the forest. Amelia was definitely slower than she should be. Her crimson eyes took in her surroundings as she focused on the sounds of the forest, the bubbling of a creek nearby, a herd of deer to the north, a bobcat to the east somewhere, and something that smelt absolutely terrible to the west. She grimaced, but was surprised when Carlisle suddenly held her in a crushing, vice-like grip.
"I'm so sorry," he apologised profusely, "there is a bleeding human about five miles to the west. I should have checked with Alice first."
"Is that what that smell is? Ew. It smells hideous," she complained. Esme and Blythe looked at her in shock. Behind her, Carlisle stiffened.
"I'm going to let go of one of your arms. Point in the direction of the smell please," he said warily, releasing her left arm. Slowly and deliberately, Amelia pointed in the direction of the wounded human, before lowering it and slipping her hand into Esme's.
"What is going on?" queried Blythe mildly, glancing at Carlisle for answers.
"I'm not sure. Esme, why don't you take Amelia towards the deer?"
As soon as the pair were out of earshot, he spoke. "I really don't know what is going on, Blythe. I will have to consult Eleazar."
"But Carlisle, you saw how she responded to the blood in your study. It's almost like the scent is repelling her."
"There was blood mixed into the mucus, not mucus mixed into the blood. The smell of diseased bodily secretions is off-putting to me as well."
"Even I could not help but notice the scent of blood, as less prominent as it was. Amelia did not react at all, if anything, she seemed to be repelled by the scent. Her control makes you look savage! Something is unusual here. She is too weak, too slow. She's like a centuries-old vampire who has not hunted in months. But her control indicates something the complete opposite. Carlisle, we don't know what we are dealing with here, but we had better figure it out soon. I have a bad feeling about this."
"I think we need to speak to other magnets like Amelia."
"The few I know of reside in Volterra. Aro recruited them centuries ago and they are honoured members of the Guard, outranked only by the Evil Twins," stated Eleazar, coming up behind them.
"Alice?" questioned Carlisle, curious as to why his friend was suddenly around.
"Of course."
"So what, we go to Italy now?" asked Blythe incredulously, "surely not!"
"Let's not be so hasty," amended Eleazar, "let's at least ask Tanya and Kate, they have been around for a thousand years apiece. Collectively, there are sixteen vampires with more than three thousand years of experience. We have other friends as well with whom we can consult. We can certainly gain some additional knowledge somehow."
"I agree."
"Agree with what?" asked Esme, coming into earshot. The trio heard Amelia giggling about something as they approached. They came into view and Carlisle could not help but smile at his daughter. Amelia was covered in mud. She had streaks of blood over her t-shirt and twigs in her hair.
"Fight with a bob cat?" he asked.
"Stupid stag," Amelia muttered under her breath, glaring at the ground in mock annoyance.
"She got into a fight with a stag while trying to drink from a doe," explained Esme. She exchanged glances with Amelia and the pair dissolved into giggles again.
"It's not even autumn! Mating season is months away!" added Amelia when they had recovered, "I must look dreadful. I could do with a shower."
"From the garden hosepipe, yes," interjected Esme.
"Can't I run through the sprinkler like I did as a kid?" Amelia jokingly pouted at her mom.
"You're sixteen years old, not two and a half. Please act your age," reprimanded Esme, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, "I swear Emmett is rubbing off on you."
---
"Sammy!" was the only warning call that Samantha was given before Amelia barrelled into her arms, hugging her tightly. Esme had remained true to her word and hosed Amelia down before tossing a handful of towels at her. The newborn vampire had willingly escaped to the shower before joining the others.
"Hello Mia-bug," the tall blonde vampire grinned at her favourite patient, "it's so good to see you again."
"Likewise. It has been too long,"
"It has. Dr Anderson sends her condolences on your passing," she grinned, her golden eyes dancing with mirth, "I had to convince her not to board a plane to attend your funeral."
"Thank you," Amelia chuckled.
"And where is my hug?" a familiar sassy voice broke the tender moment.
"Hey Alair," greeted Amelia, hugging her other favourite nurse.
"You look good, sweets," complimented the dark-skinned nurse, "Being a vamp really looks awesome on you."
"Even the red eyes?" quipped Amelia, arching an eyebrow.
"That could do with some improvement, yes," amended Alair, poking her tongue out at Amelia. The pair laughed before Amelia was pulled into Emmett's arms.
"Squirt is back!" he boomed loudly, causing Amelia to grimace slightly.
"Must you bellow so, big guy?"
"My little sister is awake, alive and kicking. Well, dead and kicking. Ready for an arm wrestle?"
A resounding exclamation of "Emmett!" was heard. Rosalie smacked his head, before hugging Amelia as well. She was then passed to Carmen, Tanya and Garret.
"Stop!" called Eleazar as Amelia went to hug Alice. Amelia halted, panic written across her features.
"What is the matter?" asked Esme in confusion.
"Sorry Amelia, I did not mean to startle you. I think it best that Amelia not hug any more of the gifted family members here today," explained Garret.
"In case I absorb their powers?" queried Amelia.
"Yes. Carlisle and I think it is best if you learn how to control your ability first, get you to a state where you can touch someone without absorbing their power."
"We do not know how draining it might be on your body. We'd hate for something to happen to you," Carlisle broke in.
"But you and Blythe determined that I have attracted your self-control and Mom's compassion."
"We disagree with our earlier hypothesis. You'd be breaking the walls if you had Emmett's strength. I was wrong. It does not explain why you are so controlled around human blood and why the scent repels you, but I do agree that we should play it safe until we have more answers."
"Alright then," Amelia agreed, "Alair, Samantha, please don't tell me that I stripped you of your powers entirely?"
Samantha looked thoughtful and shut her eyes, envisioning herself as the human Samantha that Carlisle, Esme and Amelia were familiar with. Before their eyes, she changed. Her hair became a paler shade of blonde and when her eyes opened, they were a rich hazel. Her scent changed, and a rhythmic thudding could be heard. She even smelled human again. She grinned at Amelia, before shutting her eyes and turning back to normal.
"I guess not then," commented Amelia.
"That was awesome!" squealed Renesmee. Samantha smiled tenderly at the small girl.
"I'm glad you like it."
"Carlisle, Eleazar, no," groaned Edward. Sixteen pairs of eyes stared at him curiously.
"What's the harm in trying?" argued Carlisle.
"No harm will be done, Edward," broke in Alice.
"Ok, will someone please explain what is going on?" asked Emmett.
"Absolutely not!" broke in Amelia, having figured out exactly what her father and her uncle had in mind.
"Amelia?" asked Esme, "what is it?"
"Dad and Eleazar want Sammy to keep up her human disguise to help me adapt to the smell of humans so that the transition into human society will be easier and sooner rather than later."
"Not a bad idea," commented Samantha, "I am more than willing to help out."
"What if I can't control myself?" demanded Amelia, fear written across her face, "I've heard how volatile newborns can be. What if I hurt you, Sammy?"
"I may smell like a human but blood does not run through my veins. You cannot hurt me, Mia bug. I think it is a good idea. Besides, little birdie told me that you think human blood smells pretty awful. How did I smell as a human?"
"Not like a vampire, that is for sure," joked Amelia, "but different. Not as unpleasant as human blood, but not so fantastic either. Your scent really changed."
"You should have smelled yourself when you were human," called Kate, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"Let me guess, sweaty and decayed?"
"Only towards the end from what I have been told. You smelled salty for the most part."
"That's because I had too much sodium in my body – effect of my disease."
"You smelled like lavender, you still do. But the salt was overpowering – sort of like lavender bath salts? But yes, you did start to smell decayed towards the end. It was subtle, but gradually worsened after you had your PEG removed," stated Esme softly.
"Why did no one tell me? I could have applied deodorant more liberally and bathed more frequently. Oh hey Jemima," replied Amelia, bending down to pick up the Scottie who had bounded into the room enthusiastically.
"No amount of scent enhancers would have made any difference. Your body was shutting down from the inside. It was not unbearable, but it was there and it gave us an indication of how sick you were getting," explained Carlisle. Amelia looked up at him as she sat down with the dog in her lap.
"On to other matters, why is she so different from everyone else of our kind?" broke in Edward.
"Did I do something wrong?" asked Amelia.
"We have no answers as of yet," stated Carlisle, "although all of the magnets that we know of are part of the Guard."
"You want to go to Volterra?" exclaimed Rosalie in horror, "have you completely lost your mind?"
"Well, has anyone ever encountered a magnet before?" he asked. Dead silence greeted him, "I thought as much. If we cannot find answers, we will need to consult with them. We do not know what we are dealing with, and I'm not going to risk Amelia's life in the quest for answers."
"It's a death sentence as it is to go to the Volturi!" bellowed Emmett. Half of the vampires present jumped in surprise. Jemima barked at him.
"We can ask Benjamin and Tia," Alice stated thoughtfully.
"What about Liam, Siobhan and Maggie?" quipped Edward.
"Peter and Charlotte may have encountered a magnet," broke in Jasper.
"What about asking the Amazonians?" queried Garret.
"The Romanians? They can provide protection from Aro as well if it comes to it," suggested Bella.
"Leopold," whispered Blythe. There was silence and more than a dozen eyes turned to look at the healer, who appeared to have fallen into a trance.
"Who is Leopold?" asked Emmett.
"He was the vampire who changed her. He is a nomad," murmured Amelia, "she saw him only a few months ago when she returned to England before coming back here. She spied him outside the graveyard where her parents are buried."
"Blythe, was he gifted at all?" Carlisle asked gently.
The vampire in question snapped out of her trance and locked eyes with the Cullen patriarch. "Yes. I cannot say exactly what his talent was but he was powerful. He was also very old, older than Kate and Tanya are."
"How old is 'older than Kate and Tanya'?" queried Carmen.
"The name Leopold originates in about 400 AD," suggested Amelia, "I would imagine that he is no older than that, unless he changed his name."
"Leopold is the name he gave himself to fit in with 19th century Europe. His real name was Flavius Tertius Cornelius. Ever heard of the phrase alea iacta est?" said Blythe, a smile playing on her lips.
"Thus the die is cast. Julius Caesar uttered those words in 49BC when he crossed the Rubicon River and ignited Civil War in Rome, annihilating his enemies in the process. Ultimately, it lead to his inauguration as a dictator and consul of Rome," Amelia's voice was quiet as she recalled that information from a history textbook that she had once read.
"Guess who was part of Legio XIII?"
"No way! Leopold was part of the legion that crossed the Rubicon?" Amelia's voice was incredulous. She loved ancient history.
"Yes he was," Blythe's voice held a sense of nostalgia, "his gift was queer. He could rob people of their senses, much like Alec of the Volturi can. But unlike Alec, he could rob a vampire of their gifts as well. He took mine away from me, but returned it later. That is why I would not know if he is magnet because Amelia appears to duplicate someone else's gift and retain it, rather than removing it completely from someone. Leopold was sought after by Aro but he has evaded him for many years and I suspect Aro has grown weary of searching for him."
"Do you feel comfortable enough to look for him? Or at the very least, allow us to look for him?" asked Carlisle softly.
"If it helps Amelia, yes. But don't expect a big sappy reunion. I have forgiven him, but we will never be lovers like we were before he changed me. I had to leave my mother alone and poverty-stricken because of him. It remains unforgiveable in my books. Plus he is not an animal-drinker."
Carlisle nodded his head, taking in the fear on Amelia's face. "Jasper, Alice, Garret and Tanya, let's get word out to our contacts."
"Mia, why don't you take a rest?" suggested Edward, hearing her stress in her thoughts.
"I will head upstairs to my bedroom now. There is a human outside and I'm meant to be dead. Heavens above, you'd think the humans would learn how to use deodorant," stated Amelia, her voice devoid of expression. The family immediately fell silent.
"Get her out of the house," commanded Carlisle.
"She's alright Carlisle. Besides, we cannot escape at present because the sun is out again. Mia, let's go sort out your room," quipped Alice, leading Amelia out of the room. Emmett, Blythe and Jasper followed them to be safe. Immediately, the rest of the family jumped into action and shut the blinds on the northwest side of the house, which was bathed in sunlight. They were barely upstairs when the doorbell rang. Amelia could hear Samantha, in her human disguise, answering it and welcoming the person, no - people, inside. Jasper felt her pain as she recognised Daniella and her parents coming to pay their respects to her 'grieving' parents. Alice directed her to the library and shut the door behind them. Amelia understood why a few minutes later.
"Mia wanted you to have something of hers," stated Rosalie, leading Daniella up the stairs, towards Amelia's room.
"Really? Gosh that is so kind of her," Daniella's voice was full of emotion as they walked past the library door, "I miss her so much."
"We do too, but she is not in any pain anymore and for that, we are grateful. It was quick and largely pain-free. She slipped into a coma and died a couple of hours later. None of us have the energy to clear out her room just yet. We will probably tackle it just before we move."
"You're moving away?"
"Yes. There are too many painful memories here. The rest of us are away for most of the year at university as well. It makes sense. We will probably leave towards the end of the year. I think our dad just wants to wrap up a few things at work. Here you go."
"Thanks Rose. This is so cute," stated Daniella. Amelia could hear the tears rolling down her cheeks as she held the stuffed toys in her hands, along with some letters to give to Narcisse and Amy as well, "does Blythe know?"
"Yes she does. She is unfortunately unable to fly out."
"She is always with you, don't ever forget that," said Rosalie, enfolding the human girl in a hug. The pair left the room and walked downstairs. As soon as it was safe, Amelia darted out of the library and ran into her room. She picked up one of the picture frames on her desk and studied it closely. It was one of her, Daniella, Narcisse, Amy and Blythe, taken on the evening of the music concert, just hours before Amelia had been hospitalised with pneumonia and a collapsed, bloody lung. They were grinning widely for the camera. With what could only be described as a cry of despair, Amelia dissolved into dry sobs, her non-beating heart breaking for the friends whom she had left behind.