April 11, 1912
I was just about to finish the book when there came another knock on the door. Thankfully, I had gotten up early, washed up, and put on a clean, new dress before Mother came along to get me for breakfast.
Mother came in and looked around suspiciously.
I stood respectfully. "Mother. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, quite," Mother said stiffly. "I'm glad to see you've already awakened. I was worried that it would take you another hour to get you ready. That would be a definition of an improper lady!"
"Of course, Mother," I said quietly. "I'm ready." I set my book down, grabbed my gloves and purse, and then followed her out into the corridor.
The dining hall for first class passengers was extraordinarily large and decorative. Soft classical music played as passengers dined. A normal class person would have paused, gasped, and looked around, but this was all part of a normal lifestyle for me. I was used to it, living in a world of luxury. Therefore, I did not pause to look and proceeded to walk towards the three waiting men at the table in the back corner of the large room.
"Anna," Jeff greeted me. "Sleep well?"
I smiled politely. "Yes, indeed. Thank you. I trust you slept well as well?"
"Indeed."
Jacob smiled at me as I sat next to him.
"Good morning, my lady," he said.
"Good morning, good sir," I replied, playing along to make my parents happy. They looked absolutely delighted. In truth, there was nothing good about this morning.
"Coffee, darling?" Jacob asked.
I shook my head. "No, I would like some orange juice, please."
"Of course," Jacob agreed at once, setting down the coffee jug and picking up the juice. He handed me a cup.
"Thank you."
"So, Charlie," Jeff said, obviously resuming their conversation. "Where do you think you're going to start? I'm thinking New York would be a perfect place to begin."
"I think so as well," Father replied after a sip of coffee. "And speaking of which, Captain Smith wishes to have dinner with us later tonight, Renee."
"Oh, how wonderful!" Mother exclaimed. "Isn't that just marvelous?"
I smiled, pretending to think the news as wonderful as well. It was part of my job description as a proper lady.
"Make sure you don't embarrass me, both of you," Father warned towards us. "Captain Smith is a very important man, mind you."
"Of course, darling," Mother said. "We wouldn't dream of it!"
"No, Father," I said quietly. He seemed satisfied.
An hour later, Jacob stood and asked, "Would you care to take a stroll with me on the promenade deck, my lady?"
I stood, having no choice. "Of course. Will you excuse us, Father?"
"Of course, go have fun," Father said dismissively.
Jacob led me to the promenade deck where the wind was blowing coolly against my face. We approached the rails and looked out at the ocean.
"I can't believe you're actually going through with this," Jacob sneered after a while. "I would've thought that you would've given up by now. I mean, I'm not the best guy out there."
"I agree," I said calmly. "But it's my parents wishes. I can't disobey them. You cannot disobey your father either."
"True," Jacob admitted. "But still, I know for a fact that there's a fierce side of you inside that cover. Why don't you bring it out? That way, we can both end this relationship."
"Jacob," I said. "You want to marry me. Don't lie to me."
Jacob laughed harshly. "Yeah, I do. So what?"
"For my money," I said bitterly.
"Not really," Jacob answered, laughing a little. "I have money. I don't need yours."
"Then what is it that you want from me?" I spat.
"You know," Jacob said slyly. "It's what I always want from my women."
I bit my lip, getting angry.
"I want you because you're beautiful," Jacob said. "You're beautiful, Anna. You're perfect. You have a beautiful figure that every man dreams about. You're an ideal of every woman a man seeks. I can't just let you loose and let some loser take you."
"So in other words," I said slowly. "I'm too much of a waste. You don't want me, yet, you do want me. You're greedy. Is that what you're telling me?"
"You know me well, Anna."
I took deep breaths. Jacob turned to me and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. I flinched.
His finger ran down the side of my face, making me shiver with revulsion.
"I'm going to throw you away when I'm through with you," Jacob promised. "After that, you can just bear me a child to continue the family line and you can leave. I won't protest. Why should I, when there are other women I can bed?"
He stepped behind me and hugged me from behind, placing his lips on the side of my neck. It took all my willpower to remain still.
"You always smell nice, Anna," he breathed. "Freesia. Orange blossoms. It's…mouthwatering. It makes me want to use you right this moment, but what's the fun in that? I'll wait until we get married. Or we won't be able to obey our orders." He chuckled in a low voice.
My eyes flashed in anger. "You are so immature for a twenty-year old man!" I pushed him off and strode off towards my room.
I could hear Jacob chuckling behind me. A few seconds later, I could hear him flirting with some women. Typical of him.
It upset me to know that I was going to be thrown aside like trash in less then six months. My virtue was going to be taken away from me. My innocence, and my pride…
I had known for months already. But I didn't do anything about it. Why? Because even if I did, it would be no use. He was going to take advantage of me. He knew I couldn't say anything. My parents wouldn't believe me.
I sighed as I locked the door to my room. Where was the justice in my life?

April 12, 1912
The day went by in the same routine as they always did. My parents would warn me about my behavior, a morning walk with Jacob would always end in him threatening me, and I would end up spending the rest of the day by myself.
I didn't mind being alone. I wished I was alone on this trip. It would save me bitter resentment for a few days at least. I had lived with the resentment for so long that all I ever thought and felt now was that. Bitterness. Darkness. I didn't feel happy or even hopeful anymore.
Men's eyes are always trailing after me. Or rather, after my figure. It was getting rather annoying and all I ever owned were tight-fitting clothes that hugged my figure. Mother had picked them out, of course.
Maybe I should run away from home. That was the unladylike behavior my parents were worrying about, but I really didn't care. I only acted like a lady because of the habit. It was too late to break it and besides, it wasn't that bad of a habit.
Jacob is getting more and more flirtatious with the first class women onboard. I know for a fact that he had bedded three women already during the last two days. It was sickening, but strangely relieving. I really didn't care if my future husband was cheating on me anymore. It would feel even weirder if he had stopped.
I wonder all the time if my life would get better. I didn't care if I were alone. I just wanted it to be different somehow. Different. I wish I could be happier. Would a day when I could be happy again arrive? If so, when? When will I be happy again? I think I had the answer. Never.

April 13, 1912
It's getting rather boring here on this ship. Sure, there are a lot of things to do here. But I didn't feel like doing anything. I had already read up my supply of books and didn't feel like rereading them. So I simply walked all around the ship.
Wandering around did have benefits and consequences. One benefit was that I got exercise and fresh air. I also had time to think quietly by myself.
There were so many consequences. For one, I had to deal with the complaints of me disappearing from my parents. Next, I sometimes went past Jacob's bedroom where a sound of moaning could be heard. That was something that I didn't need to hear. Lastly, I felt lonely.
But what else was new? I was always lonely. No one had ever loved me truly before. I wondered what that felt like. It must feel good, to have someone love you.
Then what would being in love feel like? I don't think I would fall in love. I was definitely staying away from men altogether. After my experience with Jacob, men weren't appealing to me anymore, no matter how attractive they were.
I was young, true, merely seventeen, almost eighteen in a few months, but that didn't mean I didn't have emotions. But lately, my emotions have been dark and depressing. I had never liked to talk much. But this feeling was so…frustrating. I felt like I was in prison, trying desperately to get out in order to breathe.
How long would this part of my life go on? Some say that a teenager has a bright future ahead of them. Somehow, I think I am a rare exception to that rule.

Captain Smith is throwing a party for important first class passengers. My attendance was mandatory as the daughter of the famous corporation president. I desperately wished to be a normal girl. Why couldn't I be like my girlfriends? They didn't have to be married at seventeen.
I stuck to the corners and watched as Jacob secretly dragged a girl younger than me out of the party. I felt sympathetic towards the giggling girl. She was laughing now, but she was going to be awfully ashamed the next morning. Well, her coordination couldn't have been her best. She was stumbling around a bit and a glass of champagne was in her hand.
Did she know what she was getting herself into?
I had already fulfilled my duty and introduced and greeted all the guests. All I wanted to do now was to escape to my room. Luckily, Captain Smith just announced that he must get back to his duties. The party is finally over. Parties just exhaust me physically and mentally.
I bade good night to my parents and went into my room. I decided to retire early tonight, though it was only eight o'clock. I was sleeping…when there was a frantic knock on the door.
I got up, still groggy, and turned on the light. I opened the door to find my stewardess looking scared. She handed me a lifejacket.
"Miss Bermin," she said. "You must put this on and go onto the top of the deck. Hurry, please."
I frowned but I did as she told me to. No sooner had I approached the deck than my parents spotted me.
"Anna!" my mother called frantically. "Come!"
I made my way to them quickly. "What's going on, Father? I was asleep when they awoke me."
"The Titanic has hit an iceberg," Father said tersely. "We're sinking slowly."
"I thought it was unsinkable," Mother wailed.
"We're escaping through the lifeboats," Father told me. "It's women and children first. That's you two. Go ahead now. They're boarding."
"But what about you, darling?" Mother asked, her eyes wide with terror.
"I'll be fine," Father said bravely, though he and I both knew that he wasn't going to make it. There was no time. "Go ahead, sweetheart."
A crew member rushed up to us and said, "Your wife and daughter needs to get on, Mr. Bermin. Please." He escorted Mother to the nearest lifeboat.
"Anna," Father said. He gave me a small lumpy purse, which I could easily hide in my coat. "Take this."
"What is it, Father?"
"Money," he replied in a low voice. "Just in case. Use it in case of an emergency."
"Father…" I said.
"Go on, you have to take care of your mother," he said gruffly. "Go on, they're leaving."
After one last bow to him, I left him standing there and hurried to the lifeboat where my mother was. As I was about to get onboard, the crew member told me, "We're full, madam. Please get on the next lifeboat."
"No!" Mother cried. "We're not leaving my daughter!"
"It's okay, Mother," I said quickly. "I'll get on the next boat. Just be safe, Mother. Go ahead," I told the crew member.
"Thank you," he said and released the lifeboat into the water. I watched it leave the ship safely, then hurried to the next lifeboat. I got on board just as the crew member lowered the boat to the ground. I caught a glimpse of Father's relieved expression. Jeff nodded at me in farewell, while Jacob looked relieved that I would be safe for the first time. He nodded once in good luck and I looked away, fighting back tears.
I felt ashamed to admit it, but I was a bit relieved to be escaping my world for a moment. I wouldn't have to marry Jacob after all. Even if I couldn't escape my parents, that was enough for me.
As we rowed away, we heard the Titanic creak and groan as it split in half. We all watched in horror as screams filled the night. People tried to climb higher, but it was no use. The ship sank slowly, bringing all the remaining passengers down with it.
I was horrified. It was supposed to be the "Unsinkable" Titanic. How could this have happened?
"Thank goodness," a woman sighed in relief. "We're okay…" She was cradling a baby.
I smiled down at him sadly. He was adorable but he was shivering. I handed the woman one of my two scarves. I gestured that she should wrap it around the baby and she smiled gratefully.
I turned back to the ship. Nothing was visible now. I felt a twinge of guilt as I realized that I had survived…while Father had died. I felt blank. I felt no emotion at all though I clutched the little purse he had given me tightly.
Thank you, Father, I thought, staring back at the source of the screams as we escaped further away from the scene. I realized now that, though he had not shown it for nearly eighteen years, he had cared about me, just a bit, unlike my mother.
It had been an incredible sight. The huge ship had raised itself vertically, then sank. It was horrible, but incredible.
"Two-twenty," the crew member announced. "The RMS Titanic sank at two-twenty a.m., on the fifteenth of April."

We were rowing towards the RMS Carpathia. In front of us, we saw a couple lifeboats that had escaped from the Titanic as well. In the distance, we saw the huge ship loom out at us.
"There it is!" a woman shouted. "Thank goodness!"
Everyone murmured in relief as well, but I merely sat, watching the Carpathia, lonely. I wondered if Mother was okay on a lifeboat in front of us. I remembered that her lifeboat had been number fourteen. I would look for the boat as soon as we got onboard the Carpathia.
Two hours later, all surviving passengers of the Titanic were onboard the Carpathia. We were all given blankets and warm cups of cocoa. Everyone was looking around frantically for their family who had survived with them. There were lots of hugging, crying, and despairing.
I searched frantically for Lifeboat Number Fourteen. The lifeboats had got onboard according to the order of the numbers. Of course, my boat had been last. I stopped breathing when I saw Lifeboat Number Thirteen….and then Lifeboat Number 15.
It couldn't be. I had made sure that Mother had gotten on the boat. Where was the lifeboat?
"Excuse me, ma'am," I said, turning to a middle-aged woman getting out of Number Twelve.
She was obviously a second class passenger. My dress was way more fancy than her plain dress was.
"Oh, yes, my lady," she said politely, bowing slightly.
"Where is Lifeboat Number Fourteen?" I asked as calmly as I could, despite the panic I was feeling inside.
The woman sighed sadly. "Number Fourteen's passengers persuaded the crew members onboard to return for more survivors. They're boat overturned because so many survivors were trying to get on their boat. It weighed them down. I believe there are no survivors left from the Number Fourteen lifeboat."
I stared at her. "Are you sure? How do you know?"
"We saw them," another woman who was standing next to the first woman said. "We heard them persuading the men, and we saw them turning back. We knew they shouldn't and we tried to stop them, but they didn't pay attention. Alas, the boat overturned and all of them slipped into the ocean. Poor darlings." She sighed.
I exhaled sharply, unable to believing. Tears sprung in my eyes. My mother…was gone. I was alone.
"Did you have someone on that lifeboat?" the first woman asked kindly.
I started sobbing. I couldn't help it. I had never been fond of Mother, but the fact that she had died and left me alone made me so angry and lost.
The woman hugged me gently. I sobbed into her shoulder.
"Oh, darling, it's alright," she said soothingly. "You'll be okay, dear, hush, now. Shh. It's okay now."
"I lost a daughter too," the second woman said sadly. "She was about your age. She was on that lifeboat. My poor baby…" She turned away, sniffling.
The woman continued to reassure me.
Some time later, a girl younger than me, perhaps around sixteen, came up, and handed the woman a cup of hot cocoa.
"Oh, thank you, Shelly, darling," the woman said gratefully. "Shelly, this is Miss Bermin. Miss Bermin, my daughter."
Shelly did a curtsy. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Bermin."
I smiled at her slightly, sadly. "Nice to meet you as well, Shelly."
"What's wrong?" Shelly wondered. "Did you lose someone, Miss Bermin?"
"Yes," I said softly. "My mother. My father. My fiancé. I lost them all."
The woman looked at me sympathetically.
"I lost my father as well," Shelly said. "He was really brave though. He told us to go and don't look back." She sounded proud.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "You must be so proud to have such a wonderful father."
"Yeah, well…" Shelly looked glum now. "We were heading to New York to start a new living. Now, Mother and I are left alone. What are we going to do?"
"I know," her mother sighed heavily. "We have no money. What should we do?"
I smiled kindly. I took out my purse and handed them a few hundred pounds, enough for a full month. I handed it to the woman.
"Here, take this," I said.
The woman looked astounded. "Oh, no, I couldn't! How can you give this to us?"
"It's my way of saying thank you for consoling me," I said. "Please, take it. My father gave me some money before I left. I have more than enough to survive. So please, take it. I wish you luck in New York."
"Oh…" the woman said softly, looking touched. I stood up. I bowed slightly to her, patted her daughter's cheek lightly, and then headed off towards one of the higher crew members to ask him a question.
"Thank you, Miss Bermin!" the woman called. "We won't forget you!"
I turned and smiled. Then, I proceeded to approach the second officer.
"Ah, Miss Bermin," the officer said, tipping his hat and bowing. He looked weary. "I see you've survived. Very good, my lady. Very good."
"Excuse me for interrupting your job, sir," I said politely. "But where is Captain Smith?"
The officer's face darkened.
"I see," I said, guessing the worst. "He did not come to save himself."
"Once a captain, always a captain, I'm afraid," the officer sighed. "He did not wish to abandon the Titanic. He put me in charge to look over matters of the surviving lifeboats. And, like a coward, I obeyed."
I smiled kindly. "Do not despair, sir. I am glad you survived. Thank you. I'll leave you to your duties now." I turned to go.
"Miss Bermin," he called as I walked away. "We are arriving in New York Harbor in less than three days now. I suggest you prepare yourself."
I kept walking, trying to fight the tears that threatened to fall. I felt the huge burden on my shoulders. I was alone. No father. No mother. No future husband. I was alone.
I reached the way end of the deck where no one was around. I gazed towards the place where we had come from, where the Titanic had sunk. The sun was rising. I could see clearly of the many icebergs that stood in the way. Our ship had hit one of those.
I did not wish to be alone. Even though I had resented and hated him, I wished that at least Jacob was with me. He had a cruel mind and evil intentions towards women, but he did know when to comfort me at times. But even as we raced along the wide, Atlantic Ocean towards the New World, I could not help thinking that life would go on. Even without my parents and Jacob, my life would go on. I would be lonely, definitely. But I should at least try to survive out there on my own. I was old enough to make decisions for myself, and carry them out on my own.
I looked down at my left hand, where the diamond ring still glistened shamelessly, reflecting bright light from the rising sun. The ring was a bad memory, a reminder of Jacob and my dark past of the Titanic, now. But I knew that I would keep it always. Keep it and treasure it always. It had been a bad experience and the worst turning point of my life, but it still was part of my life.
I sighed as I gazed into the blue, icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean, feeling vulnerable and weak, the real side of me.

April 18, 1912
Forty thousand New Yorkers had gathered at Pier 34 to welcome the survivors of the Titanic. They all cheered as the Carpathia slowly docked on the harbor. I looked down coldly, feeling nothing as I saw the thousands of faces. Then, I looked up, and saw the city of New York waiting for me.
There was no turning back. Once I stepped onto the ground, America would be my new home. I had no idea how I would survive, but I had to be strong. I didn't want to feel weak. I took the deep breath of the ocean. I could do this. I had to survive. I would make my parents proud.
I got off the ship and walked off proudly and haughtily away from the harbor. Everyone stared at me, especially men, as I walked away, into the crowded streets of New York.
I stared in wonder at all the little apartments, shops, and the people. It was all very strange to me. So this was the New World. This was New York. Pedestrians were marching off busily, while street vendors shouted out, trying to sell their goods.
First thing was first. I needed shelter. I had heard about Rochester, New York. It was where my father had planned to pursue his career. I hailed a cab and slid into it.
"Well, well," the elderly driver said, winking at me through the rearview mirror. "Looks like I got myself a real beautiful lady. I'm such a lucky fellow." He chuckled kindly when I blushed.
"Thank you, sir," I said.
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, an English accent. Are you from England?"
"Yes, I've just arrived today on the RMS Carpathia," I said.
His eyes widened. "Carpathia? You mean you were a passenger on the RMS Titanic?"
"Yes, sir," I said softly.
"Well now, that was a horrible thing to happen to any ship, eh?" he asked, puffing on a cigar. "You're lucky you survived, young lady. Everyone's talking about it. Titanic is the source of all the attention!"
I smiled gently. "Is that so?"
"Yes, indeed," the elderly man said gravely. "You came alone?"
"No," I said quietly. "I was on my way here with my parents. They did not survive, unfortunately."
The driver looked at me sympathetically. "I'm sorry, miss."
I smiled. "It's quite alright."
"Well, then. It'd be an honor to drive a passenger of the "Unsinkable" Titanic," the driver managed cheerfully. "Where to, miss?"
"Rochester," I said promptly.
"All right," the driver said, turning the steering wheel. "Rochester it is."
I paid the driver the proper amount of money and sent him on his way. He wished me good luck before I left his car.
I looked around. Rochester was a beautiful city. I could tell that only the rich lived here. Right away, I spotted signs near apartment houses, saying that they were renting rooms.
I went to see the landlady, who was also surprised by my English accent. She graciously rented me a room for a small amount of money. It was my turn to be shocked this time. The amount was nothing, compared to England's rents.
It had been getting dark ever since the ship had docked at the harbor. Now, it was completely pitch black outside. Wearily, I climbed into the comfortable bed and fell asleep immediately.
The next morning, I went to go look for somewhere I could work. Most things I was capable of, and I could not believe how easy it was to survive here. Perhaps it was for me, because I did have money. I told all of them that I had to think about it before making the decision before leaving.
It was getting dark when I was walking towards the apartment house. People were hurrying home, eager to make it on time to eat dinner with their families.
I walked slowly, having no reason to hurry. I decided to take the shortcut that I had found this morning. The secretive alley that no one went through at any time was spooky in the darkness. It was getting more and more dark, and suddenly, I had an uneasy feeling I was being watched.
I stopped halfway through the alley and glanced around. There was no one following me. I shook myself mentally, thinking I was silly, when there was a slight sound in front of me.
I started and stared into the darkness. I could see a vague outline of a tall man a few feet away from me. It seemed as though he had appeared out of nowhere.
"Who are you?" I asked nervously. I was getting afraid.
The man walked towards me slowly, as if trying not to startle me. He was extremely graceful as he walked. He made absolutely no sound at all when his feet touched the ground.
Soon, he was two feet away from me. I could see his features now. I held my breath in amazement. The man was taller than I had thought, and extremely beautiful. He had black hair, a skinny figure, and was dressed quite fashionably. But what scared me most, was the man's red eyes. He looked no older than thirty.
"Who are you?" I asked again, more quietly this time, trying to stop the trembling in my voice.
"Nobody," the man spoke. His voice was very musical. He had a smooth tone of voice. "It's not important who I am."
"What do you want?" I asked warily.
"I want to give you some help," the man said quietly. "I've been watching you on the Carpathia. You've lost your mother and your father. You've lost your fiancé, not that you're complaining. You are all alone, with no idea on how to survive in the New World."
I exhaled slowly, shaking.
"You seem like a waste," he said wistfully. "Wasting away, trying to survive all alone in this big city. Well, it's a lot of responsibility…as a human, of course."
"Human?" I asked in a low voice. I was starting to get hunches about this man. I had read enough fantasy stories about mythological creatures to guess.
"Indeed," the man said. "So I could help you. You seem like someone who would be gifted once you're changed."
"Changed?" I asked flatly. "Changed into what?"
He stepped closer and closer until I was leaning on the alley wall.
"You are a smart girl, aren't you?" the man breathed. "You suspect what I am."
"Do I?" I whispered. He was too close now. He leaned down and sniffed my brown, wavy hair once.
"Yes," he said, chuckling. "You'll make a good companion, I believe. Fear not, Anna Bermin, I am in control. I've just fed, you see." And then, he bit me.
The pain was excruciating. It was horrifying. I felt like I couldn't breathe, yet I was breathing. My body felt like it was on fire from the inside. It was spreading quickly like wildfire, consuming me, and threatening to overwhelm me. It was the most horrifying thing I'd ever experienced in my whole life.
I would do anything to stop this pain. I would've gone through Titanic a hundred more times. I would have gladly broken all the bones in my body a thousand more times if I had to. Anything was better than this. This was a million times much worse than losing my family.
I was vaguely aware of the man picking me up and whooshing away. I felt the cool breeze against my skin and was glad for it. Though it made no difference to the pain, it helped me realize that I was still alive.
I wanted to live. But this pain also made me want to die. Dying was so much better than this. Dying in the most painful way would be a thousand times better.
After some time, the fire began to burn even more. I was in hell.
"Kill me!" I begged the stranger who had set me down somewhere. "KILL ME!" I screamed shrilly.
"Screaming won't help you," the man's beautiful voice chided me. "Come on, Bella. Try to endure. Focus on something else."
I screamed again. Was this man crazy? How could I think of anything else when fire was burning in my veins?
"Fine, I'll be the distraction then," the man sighed. "Listen to me carefully. I'm going to explain everything to you. Understand?"
I shrieked once. He took that as a yes.
"Alright," he said. "You are becoming a vampire, Anna. I am a vampire too. I bit you to help you escape from being helpless and alone as a human. I pitied you."
Vampire? Like those fantasy stories I had read? They existed?
The man then launched into a long explanation of the benefits and consequences of being a vampire. He explained the thrill of running, hunting, and drinking blood. He warned me of the other vampires who mostly kept to themselves, but were dangerous. He told me newborn vampires were unpredictable and uncontrollable. He told me that I would be thirsty and crazed for about a year before the rage and craziness cleared up.
He warned me of the Volturi, the vampire royalty who made sure that all laws were carried out and enforced. One specific rule existed. Do not let humans know of our existence. That was it. After that, apparently, the Volturi didn't care if you did anything criminal or not.
He went on like that, explaining everything there is to know about being a vampire. He told me of extra abilities a vampire could have, the history of vampires, etc. And as he talked and I focused on listening, I was getting slightly distracted. The pain was still bothersome and excruciating, but I didn't scream now. I wanted to know everything about this.
The man droned on and on, and I listened. I kept listening. I didn't know how much time had passed. All I knew was that voice of the stranger who had bit me. He had taken away my human life, and replaced my soon-to-be-dead body with a "glorious and beautiful and long immortal life of a vampire" as he put it so wisely.
Then, suddenly, the man stopped talking. And I began to notice the pain again. But this time, something was different. The pain was beginning to recede. Extremely slowly, but it was definitely fading away. The fire receded lazily from the tips of my toes and fingers. I knew why he had suddenly stopped babbling. My heart was beating much faster than normal.
"Ah, it is almost over, Anna," the man said with satisfaction. A few minutes, maybe longer. Give or take a few."
It was almost over? Thank goodness. The pain was driving me insane now that he had stopped his distraction.
I finally lay still, unable to move. When I moved, the fire was stronger. The pain had completely gone from my feet and hands now. The fire was moving to one target now: my heart
A few hundred beats later, the pain was entirely gone from the rest of my body. But the fire had traveled to the heart. The fire grew hotter and bigger. I was getting more uncomfortable. It was even more painful than when the stranger had first bitten me.
My heart beat faster and faster. It was beating so fast that it sounded like a hummingbird. I was about to scream again, when the pain suddenly stopped abruptly. My heart beat once, twice, thrice, then went still.
All was quiet. There was no sound around me. I felt normal again, but this time, something was different. All my senses were different. They seemed stronger, and much sharper.
Slowly, very slowly, I opened my eyes and gazed at the world above me in wonder

Everything was so much clearer. My eyesight was a hundred times sharper than it had been when I was human. My hearing was a thousand times better. I could feel myself tense as I got up from the dirty ground. I realized now that we were in a forest.
I was looking at the trees in wonder, fascinated at how I could see every detail of it, when there was a slight sound to my back. Instinctively, immediately, I whirled around and shifted into a defensive crouch, growling.
The stranger who had changed me, was looking at me warily. His hands were spread as a gesture of reassurance.
I straightened slightly. "I'm sorry," I apologized. I was shocked at my voice. It came out like wind-chimes. It was like music, and there was nothing wrong with my voice. It came out smoothly and softly like music being carried away by the wind.
"Quite alright," the man assured me. Now that I could see better, I could see him properly. The vampire that had changed me was extremely handsome. The good-looking man that I had seen during the last moments of my life had been nothing. I had not seen him clearly. Now, with my new senses, I could tell just how beautiful he really was.
"It's natural, of course, for a newborn," the stranger continued. He looked younger than I'd thought. He was maybe in his mid-twenties.
"You heard everything, I'm guessing?" he asked hopefully. "I hate repeating myself."
I nodded jerkily, once. It felt like no movement at all. Everything happened fast now and a few seconds seemed like millennia.
"Any questions?" he inquired, smirking at me. Apparently, he really liked what he saw. He was satisfied with me, for whatever reason.
"Yes," I said. "A lot."
"Fire away," he said swiftly.
"Who are you?"
"Ah, yes, it's true that I haven't introduced myself," the young man said apologetically. "I apologize, Bella. My name is Colin Brink."
I stared at him intently.
"Should I tell you a bit about myself?" Colin asked, amused. When I nodded, he began. "I'm physically twenty-five years old. But in reality, nearly two hundred years. Time goes by so fast…" He trailed off, looking wistful.
"I'm actually from England too," he continued. "After I was changed, I traveled alone, changing locations from time to time. And then, I came to realize that I had a talent, an extra ability I told you vampires could have. My gift is the ability to track anyone, human or vampire, that has a special ability. It helps if they're human. If I think their ability is quite useful, I sometimes decide to change them, like I did with you.
"If I think it's not that cool, I let them go. No problem. It's like a lasting game for me. It's fun. Anyway, I was visiting England and got onboard the Titanic like you did. I jumped off and swam off when the ship began to sink. Easy. And then, you caught my eye and senses…so I decided to watch you a bit because you're abilities seemed interesting.
"You were actually shielding me. My gift is a psychic ability, something that works inside the mind. But I couldn't read anything about you. You had a mental shield around you. And you also had something of a physical shield. Your fiancé, Jacob, hurt you many times, yes? But you always had the ability to block him or dodge him easily. That's part of your talent. Finally, you had the beauty. You were the most beautiful young woman around for three hundred miles. I knew that could develop into a talent. And I believe that it has."
I cocked my head in confusion. "Talent? You told me that vampires could have only one extra talent. Yet, you claim that I have three?" My voice turned shrill.
Colin studied me warily. "Yes. You are one of a kind, Anna."
I stared at him, my eyes narrowed, when I realized that my throat was bothering me. It felt dry and parched like I hadn't had a drink for a month while living in the desert. The more I thought about it, the more I felt compelled to quench my thirst. It was hurting me more and more now.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Colin asked sympathetically in perfect English without his accent. I wondered if I would ever learn to speak like that. "The thirst can be a bit…disorienting. Why don't we go hunt?"
"Hunt?" I echoed. "You mean…hunt humans?"
He looked confused. "Of course. We are vampires, Anna. Predators of all creatures on earth. I do not believe there is a more fearsome creature that walks the ground than the vampires. Yes, we hunt humans."
I felt sick. I didn't like the idea of killing humans. After all, I had been human once, hadn't I? It didn't seem right to hunt them just so that I could survive. Besides, I cared about the potential of humans. I didn't want to do this. I hadn't asked for an immortal life of perfect beauty, talent, and speed. I didn't want to be a vampire.
"Well?" Colin asked impatiently. "Are you coming or not?"
I set my jaw. "No, I am not."
Colin looked surprised. "Why not? Aren't you thirsty? Aren't you feeling crazed because you want blood?"
"Yes, I am," I said calmly. He looked surprised by my steady attitude.
"Yes, I am, but I do not believe that it is right to kill humans in vain," I said. "Isn't there a better way to survive, rather than hunting innocent humans?"
Colin shrugged. "Not that I know of. Blood keeps a vampire strong, Anna. And our only source is humans."
Suddenly, the wind blew towards me, and brought a sour smelling scent along with it. My senses picked up a herd of deer about a mile away.
"No," I said quietly, turning to the direction the scent was coming from. I just had another idea on how to survive without human blood. "There are other ways." My eyes flashed, and I started running towards the herd.
Alarmed, I could hear Colin hurrying after me, panicking. He wasn't sure what I was doing.
I heard the deer looking up as they heard whoosh of my jump. But it was too late. The biggest male yelped as I knocked him down and snapping his neck before sinking my teeth into his throat. The other deer ran off, surprised.
The warm blood ran down my throat as I drank greedily. The smell wasn't pleasant at all, and the animal blood wasn't that satisfying, but I knew that it would sustain me. I had found an alternative way of my new vampire diet lifestyle.
Soon, the deer ran out of blood, and I tossed it aside near a large bush. I wiped my mouth and looked down at myself. I was a mess. Though I had snapped his neck before feeding so that he would not ruin my clothes, I had spilled blood all over the dress.
I looked at myself in dismay. I had been raised to respect fashion for women. What was I going to do?
"Surprising."
I looked up and saw Colin leaning against a tree, looking amused.
"What is?" I asked nonchalantly.
"I've never thought about that," Colin replied. "Animal blood. Sure, why not? I'm sure it'll do."
I nodded in agreement. I was still thirsty, but I could think more clearly now. The pain wasn't unbearable.
"So you're going to be a…vegetarian?" Colin asked, chuckling.
I nodded once.
"I think it's a good philosophy," I mused. "Drinking and killing humans is just wrong. I think I'll be okay with animal blood. Why don't you try it?"
Colin smiled. "I think I'll pass. Animals do smell revolting."
I rolled my eyes. "As you wish, of course. Now, why don't you tell me more about yourself? So you created vampires before me?"
He nodded. "Yes, I did. But they all chose to go on their own way. They went traveling alone as nomads, and upon finding their mates along the way, they would become each other's companion, and travel together. They would all leave me." He smiled wistfully. "You will leave me soon too, Anna."
"How would you know?" I retorted in my beautiful voice.
"I know," Colin said mysteriously. "There's always something that draws people away from me. I've never had a mate. I've never had a companion. I create vampires, but they choose to leave me. Believe me, I have had many experiences."
"So…" I prompted. "This Volturi…where are they located? I'd like to avoid them if possible."
Colin hesitated. "I don't think it's possible to avoid them, Bella," he said uncertainly. "Not while you're talented. Word will spread somehow. They will find out about your three gifts, and they will try to recruit you. They have a talented vampire named Chelsea who could bind vampires to the Volturi and make them feel like they want to serve them."
"But as you said," I said haughtily. "I am a mental shield as well as a physical shield. I'm sure I can block her if I wanted to. I don't have to try to block anyone."
Colin looked thoughtful. "True."
I eyed him warily. "You wouldn't be mad if I choose to go my own way?"
Colin chuckled. "I would be frustrated, certainly, but I wouldn't stop you from going your own way. I gave you life, and I believe that you should be the one living it."
I hesitated. "What is it about you that people tend to…not like?"
Colin frowned. "I guess…it's the fact that I try to force them to do things that they don't want to do. That's why…that's why I'm letting you try animal blood instead of human. It's your choice. I won't ruin it for you."
I smiled. "You're alright, Colin."
He laughed. "Well, thank you. But this time, I think I'm going to leave you. I've come to love and embrace my loneliness. I don't want to let it go actually. So I think I'll let you leave me."
I stared at him. "You'll let me go?"
"Yes," Colin said. "Before you can dump me." He chuckled. "But you're always welcome to visit me, of course, Bella. I would love that."
I smiled gently. "Yes, I'd like that."
Colin grew serious. "Do you think you could survive the first year of being a newborn alone?" He actually sounded concerned for me. That was sweet.
"Sure," I said easily. "I'm sure I can protect myself. Maybe I can learn to activate my shields. Perhaps I can protect others as well?"
"Perhaps," Colin agreed. "It is possible. Well then, I wish you luck, Bella. A bit of advice though… I would learn how to fight and defend yourself quickly just in case. There are a lot of territorial vampires out there that might try to destroy you if they feel that you are intruding."
I nodded. "I'll try."
"It probably won't be hard for you," Colin admitted. "You're already good at defense. Learning offense will come to you naturally. Just work hard. Good luck."
He shot me one last farewell smile, then whirled around and dashed away. I stared at him, realizing that I was alone again. But this time, the burden was lifted from my shoulders. I was free to do anything I wanted for all eternity. But first thing was first. I was still thirsty.
I sensed a bear nearby. A grin spread on my face as I turned and glided away silently towards the scent of the bear.

Three years had passed since my transformation. The year was now 1915 and I had traveled from place to place. I had learned to defend myself. I fought well. A few times against a group of three vampires had improved my knowledge and skills. I was pretty lethal for a proper lady of the 1900s.
I had also learned to control my shields. I had learned to project the shields away from me so that I could protect others beside myself. The physical shield was useful when it came to one-on-one fights. It had a side effect to it. When I was physically fighting and using the shield, it let me in on the other vampire's intentions so that I had an advantage. I was able to move slightly faster than the other, changing positions quickly to intercept the other's moves. It wasn't exactly reading one's mind; it was more like a feeling, an intuition.
The mental shield was slightly different. When a person was under my protection, I was able to get a hint of what they were thinking about at the moment. It was also an intuition, a hunch. Not something that worked perfectly, but it was pretty accurate.
It also worked on nonliving things as well. Such as the stock market. I had gained a hobby in playing the stock market. I was always successful, and never had problem with money. I would simply wrap my shield around the people of the big corporations and perhaps the building, and get a hunch of where to invest my money in next. In fact, I was so successful, that I was forced to invest in non-successful companies to throw them off track. The authorities would probably look for me if I was successful every time. Not that they would be able to find me.
I was able to project both shields successfully. I didn't know how far I could project, but I had tested as far as one hundred yards. It was enough for now, but I was constantly working on it so I could project further.
Over time, my newborn wild nature had disappeared. I now knew the secret to drinking animal blood without getting dirty and covered in blood, and my scarlet red eyes had changed to golden yellow. It turned darker as I got thirsty each day, which meant that I had to hunt soon.
My self-control as a newborn had been quite good. I hadn't tested myself near humans, but I could control myself easily. When I got upset, I reeled myself just in time to regain calmness. At the end of my two-year mark, I decided to head into human civilization to test myself. I was delighted to find that I could ignore the scent of human blood quite easily, even if my eyes were black. Though my control could slip when I was thirsty, I never slipped once. And my control and tolerance got much better every single day.
Even though three whole years had passed, the world was still talking about the RMS Titanic. I hated to hear the name of that boat! It brought back cruel and unpleasant memories that I wished to forget. Most human memories had become unclear and blurry, but only that incident remained clear in my head. I remembered my parents vaguely, and Jacob's face too, with resentment. At least they weren't as clear as the ship that sank. I would have gone crazy if that had been the case.
I had also learned to find the secret of my gift of beauty. I was able to change my appearance at will. The beauty I had as a vampire did not change, however. I could work with my beauty, changing my nose, eyebrows, lips, etc., but I could not make myself uglier or even more beautiful. I could also work with others' appearances too, but likewise, I could not change their beauty. It was useful when I traveled to the same towns over time. The same generation lingered, and I had to be careful.
I began settling down in places that I liked. Mostly in places that were cloudy and hardly saw any sun, which meant the northern side of the United States. I didn't mind; I had grown to love the cool weather.
I had run into other nomad vampires that traveled with their mates. They seemed extremely curious about my golden eyes and ways of lifestyle. They didn't seem keen on picking a fight with me, and I didn't know why. Perhaps I looked like a fighter. They would leave me alone after a few minutes of exchanging small conversations and flee far away. Not that I minded.
I was getting tired of Wyoming. I had been living here for many years now, changing my appearance so I would seem younger. I wanted to go somewhere even colder now that winter was approaching. I didn't know where I was planning to go until I had sold my house and started my way north. I decided abruptly that I would go to Alaska just as I had crossed the border to Canada. The year was now 1942.
There were few cars and people around the streets of Alaska. Not that I minded, of course. There was a lot of snow already, though it was early winter. The snow covered every inch of the state, making it slightly disturbing to run. I was actually planning to walk quickly at vampire pace, but the three feet of snow made it difficult. I had no choice but to run quickly, which helped me touch the ground slightly, barely making a trail in the snow.
I wanted somewhere secretive and quiet to live where few humans lingered. I was just passing by the Denali National Park when I thought I smelled a vampire. I stopped dead in the middle of the forest. No, wait…more than one vampire. Curious, I turned towards the scent. It was coming from the north of the national park…where many animals were located, far from the tourists.
My eyes narrowed, I started running up north, determined to see who was living amongst the animals. After about ten miles, I froze as I saw a blood-drained animal hidden in a clump of bushes. Could it be another group of vegetarian vampires?
As I traveled further north, I found that all animals strayed far away from the center of the park. Wondering why, I headed towards the deserted spot, when I heard a ruffle of bushes in the still day. There was not a single breeze to move the plant.
Instinctively, I stopped and lowered myself in a defensive crouch. I didn't bother putting up my shields; they were always there around me without me trying. Instead, I glanced all around warily, waiting for the vampire to appear.
A full minute passed. I was still in my defensive position. I decided to call out.
"Who's there?" I asked in a low voice. My voice sounded out in the quiet forest like music. "Show yourself."
There was another rustle behind me and I whirled around. There, standing in front of a tree was five vampires with the same golden eyes as me

The golden eyes stared back at me, surprised. The second they had digested my eye color, they relaxed almost immediately and straightened out of their defensive positions. I did not.
There were four females and one male. Three of the females looked quite similar, similar enough to be called sisters. The other female and the one male were standing very close to each other. From the way the male was standing protectively around her, I could tell they were mates.
After a moment, one of the sisters with strawberry blonde hair stepped forward. She merely looked curious and interested in me.
"Who are you?" she asked in her beautiful voice.
I didn't answer, but merely stared at her, still cautious. I didn't care if they shared the same diet as me. Vegetarians tended to be less antagonistic and more loyal to their mates and companions, I was sure, but I was still hesitant. I had never met another vegetarian before.
"We mean no harm, young one," the female reassured me, taking another step forward. "You seem to share our diet of animal blood, judging from the color of your eyes. Is that correct?"
My eyes narrowed. I didn't answer, but I relaxed slightly.
"Now, now," the female with the mate said soothingly. She had a Spanish accent. "Don't be afraid, young one. We mean no harm. Perhaps we should introduce ourselves first, Tanya."
The first female, Tanya, who had addressed me glanced at her. She nodded.
"Perhaps you are right," she decided. She turned back to me and smiled warmly. "I am Tanya Denali. These two are my sisters, Kate and Irina." She gestured towards the two sisters behind her. They smiled at me when their name was mentioned.
"This is Carmen," Tanya continued. "And her mate, Eleazar. We live up a bit further northeast from here. We have a permanent house nearby."
I cocked my head. I straightened up.
"Permanent?" I asked. They all looked amazed at my musical voice for some reason.
"How do you manage that?" I wondered. "Humans should catch on soon, don't you think?"
Tanya smiled. "We keep to
ourselves, of course. Not a hard thing to do, actually. We are only interested in animals, after all." She chuckled.
I regarded her, wondering how much to tell them. Not my story, but my name wouldn't hurt.
"My name is Isabella Swan," I informed them. "But I do prefer Bella."
Tanya nodded. "Where are you from? Where is your creator? You are merely a couple years old, are you not?"
I nodded. "I am coming from Wyoming right now. I do travel from place to place to not draw attention to myself. My creator and I parted ways shortly after my transformation. I bump into him from time to time."
"I see," Tanya said, looking interested. "How did you start the diet for animal blood? Is your creator a vegetarian also?"
"No," I replied. "I started myself. I woke up in a forest. The first thing I hunted was a deer. I never wanted to hurt humans for any reason. I guess that's how I started. I've never tasted human blood."
"Are you gifted?" the male, Eleazar, asked eagerly.
"Yes," I said, confused. "How did you know?"
"I have a gift of my own," Eleazar answered. "I can tell if a person has a gift or not, and what kind that is. But you…I can't tell. You block me."
I nodded, not surprised. "I'm a mental shield. Psychic abilities don't bother me. Neither do physical abilities, for that matter. I am also a physical shield. I have another gift of beauty. I am able to change appearance at will."
Eleazar looked shocked. "Three gifts? Something unheard of… You are one of a kind, Bella."
I nodded once. "I've heard that much before."
"That's amazing," Kate said, her eyes wide and eager. "Would you mind giving us a demonstration?"
I frowned slightly, but obliged. My eyes flashed and suddenly, I was a twin of Tanya, with her strawberry blonde hair. Only, I knew I was more beautiful.
Tanya gaped at me, speechless.
"That's amazing!" Kate gushed. "You look exactly like Tanya! Only prettier! No offense, sister," she added, glancing at her.
My eyes flashed again and I was back to my original self. I shrugged. "I don't know about prettier, but I can't change the beauty. The original beauty that a vampire or human has is what they keep when I change them. It's the limitations of the gift."
"I think that's still pretty cool," Irina disagreed. "So you kept your beauty when you changed into Tanya? Wow. Well, I guess you are prettier than an average vampire," she admitted, grinning.
I smiled. "Thank you…I suppose. It's not really something I'm proud of, actually. It brings back bad memories." I was referring to the fact that Jacob had wanted to marry me for my beauty. But I decided not to say anything about that.
"I'd like to catch up a bit…" Tanya said. "Would you mind coming with us to our home? We're hoping you'll be able to answer some of our questions…and we'll exchange stories, eh?"
I nodded my consent after some hesitation. I didn't particularly fancy being in an enclosed space with a coven of vampires I barely knew. After my bad experiences with my parents and Jacob, I simply didn't know who to trust.
I followed them to a beautiful mansion that was three stories high. It was like a miniature castle that reminded me of Buckingham Palace in England. The interior was even prettier than the outside. It was wide and open, which I was thankful for.
"Sit," Tanya said carelessly, gesturing to the sofa. I regarded her coldly at her change of attitude and sat gracefully.
"What are your questions?" I wondered quietly, my eyes traveling around the room.
"Well now," Kate said, winking and sitting next to me. "You don't want to rush, now, do you, Bella?"
I smiled faintly. "I'm sorry. I just don't like being here…with a coven of vampires that I barely know. I have problems with trust, you see. And relationships."
They all looked sympathetic.
"We understand," Carmen said soothingly. "Perhaps…you had a bad human experience?"
I nodded once, stiffly.
"Wouldn't you like to tell us about it?" Irina asked kindly.
"I don't know," I admitted. "Why don't you give me some time? Perhaps I'll tell you later. When I get to know you better."
"Of course," Eleazar said immediately. "In fact…I think we have lots to know about each other. And it's not every day we bump into vegetarian vampires other than the Cullens… Why don't you stay with us for a while, Bella? I mean…you have settled down before, haven't you?"
I was wondering who these other vegetarian Cullens were, but decided to ask later.
"Yes, I have," I replied. "But I've never stayed in one place very long. It attracts attention, you see."
"Oh, yes, we know," Eleazar said, nodding. "So how about it?"
I glanced at Tanya, who was obviously the leader of this coven. She looked slightly displeased at this suggestion. I could tell that we weren't going to be closest of friends. There had been some spark between us that told each of us that we were going to be enemies for some reason.
Still, she was the leader, and I thought that she ought to decide this. I personally didn't mind staying for a little while. I was curious about them too, and their stories.
"You don't mind, do you, Tanya?" I asked softly.
Tanya glared at me for a moment before the others turned to look at her.
"Of course, Bella," she said sweetly. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "We certainly don't mind. We'd love to get to know you better."
"Then it's settled," Carmen said, smiling warmly. "Welcome to the Denali home, Bella