Bella's Little Sister

Chapter 62

Our home had been opened up to eighteen vampires, many of which had gifts of their own. Zafrina, for example, had the ability to make a person see whatever she wanted them to. Currently, we were all standing outside with almost all of the witnesses-Alistair was still hiding out in the attic-many of which had agreed to show us what it was that they could do.

Edward had his arms wrapped firmly around me as I leaned against him, my gaze lowered to the mossy ground of the forest floor. I turned my head slightly to look back at him as he shifted, taking note of the faint smile he was wearing as he glanced around him.

"If I weren't holding Jess like this, I could swear that this was real." Edward told Zafrina, who was sporting the barest traces of her own smile.

I turned my eyes to Zafrina's face. "I don't see anything."

Eleazar stepped through the foliage then, his gaze immediately locking on to me. "Edward, you didn't tell me your wife was a shield."

I straightened slowly and stepped away from Edward's embrace. "What's a shield?"

"The ones I've met are so different," Edward stated as he looked at Eleazar.

"It's a defensive talent," Eleazar stated as he looked back at me.

At my silence, Edward continued on as he took my hand in his. "It's why I couldn't read your mind, even before. It's why Aro couldn't."

"You have a very powerful gift," Eleazar confirmed.

I turned at the sudden grip on my hand, my eyes flickering dangerously as Kate stated that I was definitely a shield. She quickly pulled back, however, as smoke began to rise from her skin and clothing, the fabric quickly burning away to nothing more than burnt fibers themselves. Carlisle-who had been making his way slowly towards us with Tanya, Carmen and who I learned to be Garrett-moved quickly forward as Edward again wrapped his arms firmly around my waist.

"Jess, stop." Edward spoke quietly to me, his gaze locked onto the small flames that were beginning to mar Kate's flesh.

I watched Kate for only a moment or two longer before finally turning away, ducking my head as Edward more fully embraced me. Everyone around us had gone absolutely silent, staring at me in utter shock and slight fear. The silence had eventually become horribly unbearable for me so I pulled back from Edward's touch and disappeared into the trees, needing to take a minute away so I could center myself. I decided that a quick hunt would help, if only slightly, so I made my way further into the forest, though I could still hear every word that was being said.

"What was that?" Garrett questioned after another moment of silence.

"We aren't sure," Carlisle responded slowly. "She's been able to do it since she first turned."

Eleazar was the next to speak up. "Jess is a pyrokinetic." Eleazar explained that this was a very rare and yet very powerful ability to have. And from what he could tell, I used this ability as a defense mechanism, seemingly when I was especially angry about something.

"Jess struggled with many things as a human," Carlisle stated. "And we believe that they were enhanced during the change. That blank expression is what we call her mask," Carlisle told Eleazar. "As a human, she wore it often, but when she was turned, it was enhanced to the point where Jasper is no longer able to sense her emotions without physical contact."

Edward finished where Carlisle had left off. "She's been especially on edge since she turned, for a number of reasons. Kate must have set her off when she used her power to test Jess' shield."

When I had finished draining a deer of its blood, I waited a moment to see if anyone would say anything further. When no one did, I made a sudden reappearance by Edward's side. "Carlisle." Carlisle turned his gaze on me, though he said nothing in response, knowing that I would speak when I was good and ready. "I need Jasper. He's the only one able to help me now, and without him, I can't focus."