Without
What would it have been like if Bella and Edward hadnt met until the night Bella was bitten? What would like be like for them? What if Bella didnt know what she wanted? Would it work out with them?
WITHOUT
Chapter 1: Footsteps (Bella POV)
It’s September, it’s warm out tonight. The sun has already set and its now dark, nice night for a walk. I’d done this many times before, so there was nothing off about tonight usually walked at night to relax, let off steam and stress from the day.
There weren’t many people out due to how late it was. I didn’t mind; it was peaceful.
After a while, I noticed that there are footsteps behind me, to which I don’t pay any mind. The steps increased in pace, getting closer. Still, this doesn’t seem to be any threat to me.
Soon the hooded figure walking behind calls out to me, “Hey!” Surely he can’t be talking to me? Who is he? “Excuse me?!” He calls out again, closer this time.
I looked back and notice he has increased his pace, quickly closing the gap between the two of us.
I begin to quicken my pace in order to, maybe, find somewhere to go? It’s late; I doubt anything is open right now.
I look back again, he’s getting closer now.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by cindy prijatel on -
update soon
-
-
Permalink Reply by Cierra Cullen on -
loved it post more soon
-
-
Permalink Reply by lena may wise on -
i loved it
-
-
Permalink Reply by Gigi Cullen Rodriguez on -
"Hey this is the beginning of a new life and I'll be ok as long as I don't have to live without you"
Update soon!!!!!
-
-
Permalink Reply by Jasmine Anderson on -
Wow so I finally got internet back and caught up with your story and its awesome. I can't wait to see how bella and edwards relationship starts to unfold. Plz plz keep me posted and update soon. You're doin so well
-
-
Permalink Reply by Alice Cullen on -
I can't wait for more. Please keep me updated.
-
-
Permalink Reply by MusicIsMyLife<3 on
-
nice story post more soon
-
-
Permalink Reply by Cherie Cullen on -
Hey Angel, I'm happy to hear that all is well with your dad. I'm actually working on the next chapter right now, it should be up later tonight. Thanks for continuing to read despite how busy you are, i really appriciate it. Much Love --Cherie--
-
-
Permalink Reply by Cherie Cullen on
-
Fire and Ice, I am about to put it up in the next few minutes so look for my msg!
-
-
Permalink Reply by Cherie Cullen on
-
WITHOUT
CHAPTER 26: Answers (Bella POV)
“So, the guy? Who did this? Is he…was he found?” I don’t really think I expected that question to have a ‘yes’ answer, but I had to ask anyway.
xxxxx
“Oh, okay.” I let that question drop there because it seemed like there was some underlying reason why Edward was having trouble answering it. Maybe whatever it was would come out later? But as for right now we needed to move on.“Um, so one of the things I don’t quite understand yet is, why am I not sleepy? I haven’t slept since I woke up at your house. Why is that? Aren’t Vampires suppose to sleep during the day? Like in a coffin somewhere?”
Edward’s expression quickly changed, he just stared at me for a few seconds before finally laughing out loud. I just looked at him. I guess not? “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh.” He said that between laughs. “No, that’s just a myth actually.”
A myth? “So, you and your family don’t have a room full of coffins?” Okay that did sound a little silly. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself with him. Which given after everything that has happened to me, felt really good.
“No, we don’t.” He said, still giggling. “Actually Bella, we don’t sleep.”
“Ever?” Well, it’s not like I slept much as a human anyway. My body never followed the whole ‘8 hours of sleep’ thing.
“No, not at all. It’s not something our body requires. We get what we need from the blood we feed on. Sleep is something a human needs for rest, rejuvenation, and energy. For their body to recharge. That’s something we get from our prey.”
“That explains a lot.” I thought out loud.
“What?” He asked, looking perplexed.
“Well, after…Peter…” I still had trouble saying his name, admitting it out loud. “I felt, different. Stronger. More alive. Is that why?”
“Yes. By taking in his blood, you took what you needed from him: his nutrients, vitamins and energy into you.”
“Oh.” That was easy enough to understand. “So sleeping and breathing are out.”
“Sleeping and breathing are out. What next?”
“Well, when I was…feeding…on Peter, then those kids up in the woods, I could taste a slight difference in their blood. Peters tasted kinda funny compared to one of the girls. Is there a difference in blood taste between healthy and unhealthy people?” Or was I just completely driven by my own hunger that I was imagining things? Or did I just sound like I had completely lost it?
“Usually you can tell the difference.” Edward nodded. “Healthy blood tastes clean, pure. If that makes any sense. Unhealthy blood has an even more bitter tinge to it, you can tell that there is something off about the person. The same goes for those who use drugs or alcohol. You can taste it coursing through them.”
“And animal blood is different? Tasting, I mean.” By this time, the conversation was starting to flow easier. We had both become more comfortable in our seats and I was getting more and more comfortable around Edward.
“There is a slight difference.” He shifted in his seat, “Animal blood is not as satisfying as human blood. Since you have already had the taste of human blood, you will be able to tell right away. It’s like a human surviving only on tofu. It keeps you strong, but your never fully satisfied. Eventually you will get used to it and find what you like the most.”
Find what you like? I looked at him closely, “What do you mean? Like your favorite animal?”
He smiled, “Yeah.” There was that crooked smile again.
“Do you have one?” I smiled back. Something that I could find out about him.
“We each have our own preferences. Mine is mountain lion.”
I think my mouth fell open a little bit. “Mountain lion?” I tried to imagine seeing Edward going after a mountain lion the way I did Peter and those kids. I’m sure he was much more tactful than I would be. After all, he’d been doing this for a lot longer than I had.
“How is it that your family came to exist on animal blood anyway?” That was a question that didn’t really need to be answered right now but I figured since we were already on the topic of animals, I might as well ask.
“That was Carlisle. He lived in a completely different time then we do now, and somehow, humans were aware of the fact that Vampires roamed.”
As I listened to Edward begin to talk about the man he called his father, I noticed the lines on his face change. They relaxed and his eyes got this far away look. As if he wasn’t telling me what happened but as if he stood by and watched. The respect he carried for his father was palpable. I could feel it resonating from him and deeply into me.
“Carlisle’s father was Anglican pastor. He was a very intolerant man and believed very strongly in the reality of evil. He lead a hunts for Witches, Werewolves…and Vampires. After he grew to old to take part in the hunts himself, he placed Carlisle in charge. One night, Carlisle discovered a coven living below the sewers. When the people gathered where Carlisle had said, one of the vampires called out, warning the rest. They fled and the people were close behind. Carlisle was young and therefore fast and in front of the mob. We assume that the vampire must have been weak and hungry, out of nowhere, he turned and attacked. Carlisle was bitten.
Knowing that he could not go home, and that if he did what would happen, to save his own life, he crawled into a nearby cellar and waited. He waited, quietly, for three days.
It was over then and he knew what he had become. He knew that he didn’t want to be this. He didn’t want to be a monster so, at first, he attempted to destroy himself. First by jumping from great heights, then by attempting to drown himself.”
“Is that possible?” Could we be destroyed? And if so by what?
“Yes and no. At the time no, as a newborn he was very strong. Strong enough even, to resist feeding. He was so repulsed by himself that he finally tried starving himself.”
“Starving himself?” I was confused.
“He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He stayed as far away from humans as possible. But eventually he became weak, and very hungry. One night a herd of deer passed and without thinking, and wild with thirst, he attacked. When his strength returned he realized that there was another way. And he has taught us this way.”
“Is it hard to do? To switch, from human blood to animal blood?”
“Not hard, just, an adjustment.”
I started to wonder how many other things that I thought I knew about Vampires, was completely wrong? People thought Vampires were a myth, something someone made up to make scary movies more interesting, so we had to have things all wrong. Maybe I should start asking some of the obvious questions before we jumped back into the heavy.
XXXXX
A/N: HELLO ALL!!! I'm so very sorry that I missed these past two weeks. I hope you all forgive me. And I hope that you all enjoy this chapter and the beginning of the Q&A. I want to thank all those who helped me out and sent in the questions. If you dont see your question here, dont worry, it might be in the next chapter. I had to split it up because even though we are all looking for a longer chapter, it was TOO long. Anywhoo, Happy Valentines Day to all and I hope ya'll enjoy this. As always, Much Love --Cherie--
-
-
Permalink Reply by Katherineღ[Fire&Powder] on -
I love it!
Happy Valentines Day! <3
-
© 2013 Created by Hachette Book Group.
Report an Issue | Guidelines | Report an Issue | Terms of Service
