Midnight

Chapter 3 Truth

"My pleasure, Edward," he replied then turned to Charlie. "It was in the 1960's when I was changed into a vampire. When I knew what I had become, I rebelled against it. I tried to destroy myself. Little did I know that that wasn't easily done. I jumped from great heights, and tried to drown myself, but I was young to my new life, so I was very strong. I was able to resist feeding on humans, this was amazing as I was so new to this life. The instinct was so powerful at that age that it took me everything to not sink my teeth into an innocent victim. But as I said before, I hated what I had become so I used that thirst to kill me. I grew very thirsty and weak. I stayed as far away as I could from the humans, recognising the will power was weakening also. For months I wandered by night, seeking the loneliest places, loathing myself," he took a deep breath and I took that moment to look at Charlie. He looked intrigued when a sudden deja vu waved over me. This was just like the time Edward told me about Carlisle. Carlisle continued. "One night, a herd of deer passed through my hiding place. I was so wild with thirst that I pounced on them without a thought. My strength returned and I realised there was an alternative to the vile monster I feared. Over the next few months my new philosophy was born. I could exist without being a demon. I found the will to keep living.
"I began to make better use of my time. I was always intelligent, ready to learn. Now that I knew I had unlimited time, I studied by night and planned by day. I swam to France and continued on through Europe to all the universities there. At night I studied music, science and medicine - thats where I found my calling, to save human lives," he paused and looked at Charlie, wondering if he took that last part in. Charlie nodded to keep going so thats just what he did. "It took me almost two centuries to master my self control. Now I am all but immune to the scent of human blood and I am now able to do the work I truly love without any agony or thirst.
"I was studying in Europe when I found others there. They were much more civilised and educated than the ones in the London sewers. I made a peace of art that is still hanging up on the wall of my office which was inspired by my friends. I often painted them as gods. Ah, Aro, Marcus, Caius... Nighttime patrons of the arts. They still exist today and they are the ones who are coming after you Charlie," Carlisle explained hesitantly. "I stayed with them for a short time, just a two decades. I greatly admired their civility, their refinement, but they persistently tried to cure my diet of animal blood, my "natural food source" as they called it. They tried to persuade me, and I tried to persuade them, but no one agreed. At this point, I decided to try the new world. I dreamed of finding others like myself. I was very lonely.
"I didn't find anyone for a very long time, but as monsters became the stuff of fairy tales, I found that I could interact with unsuspecting humans as if he was one of them. I began practising medicine. But the companionship I craved evaded me; I couldn't risk familiarity.
"That was when the Spanish Influenza epidemic hit, I was working nights at a hospital in Chicago. I had been turning over an idea in my head for several years. I had almost decided to act, as I couldn't find a companion I was going to make one. I wasn't absolutely sure how my own transformation occurred, so I was hesitant. And if I was to loath to steal someones life the way his was stolen."
"It was in that time when he found me," Edward interrupted, turning the attention to himself. "There was no hope for me; I was left in the ward with the dying. Carlisle had already nursed my biological parents, and he knew I was alone. He decided to try change me..." Edwards voice trailed off as if he was remembering something. Everyone didn't make a peep. We all enjoyed the silence to think everything through. "I made it through the change and Carlisle and I stuck together. Almost always."
"Almost always?" Charlie spoke up. I could tell he was intrigued by the story as much as I was. Again.
"Well I had a typical bout of rebellious adolescence," he sighed and continued. "It was about 10 years after I was created. I wasn't sold on his life of surviving on animal blood as I resented him for curbing my appetite. So, I went off on my own for a time. For the time of my creation to this life I had the advantage to know what everyone was thinking, both human and non-human, alike. Thats why it took 10 years to escape Carlisle, I could read the sincerity and understand why he lived the way he did," Edward paused and turned to Carlisle. "It took me only a few years to return to Carlisle and recommit to his vision. I thought I would be exempt from the depression that accompanies a conscience. Because I knew the thoughts of my prey, I could pass over the innocent and pursue only the evil. If I followed a murderer down a dark alley where he stalked a young girl I wasn't so bad was I?
"But as time went on, I began to see the monster in my eyes. If I couldn't escape dept of so much human life taken no matter how justified. I went back to Carlisle and now Esme. They welcomed me back as if I did no wrong. I did not deserve that."
"I was next," Rosalie piped up. Her story was my favourite. I had no idea why but I loved it. "I lived in a different world than everyone here. My human world was a much simpler place. It was 1933. I was 18. I was beautiful. My life was perfect. My parents where thoroughly middle class. My father had a staple job in a bank, something I realise now that he was pretty smug about. He saw his prosperity aa a reward for hard work and talent, rather than acknowedging the luck involved. I took it for granted then; in my home, it was as if the Great Depression was a rumour," she perfectly recited. It was as if she told this story a million times. The words flew out of her mouth. "Of course I saw the poor people, the ones who weren't as lucky as me. My father left the impression that they brought this on themselves.
"It was my mothers job to keep our house in spotless order. With myself and my 2 brothers help of course. It was clear that I was her first priority and her favourite. I wasn't fully aware at the time, but I was always vaguely aware that my parents weren't satisfied with what they had, even if it was so much more than most. They wanted more. They had social aspirations - social climbers I suppose you could call them. My beauty was like a gift to them. They saw so much more potential in me than I did.
"They weren't satisfied with what I was. I was thrilled to be me, Rosalie Hale. Pleased that mens eyes watched me everywhere I went, from the year I turned 12. Delighted that my girlfriends sighed with envy when they touched my hair. Happy that my mother was proud of me and that my father liked to buy me pretty dresses.
"I knew what I wanted out of life and there didn't seem to be any way that I wouldn't get exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be loved, to be adored. I wanted to have a huge, flowery wedding, much like Bella's, where everyone in town would watch me walk down the aisle on my fathers arm and think I was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen. Admiration was everything to me. I was silly and shallow, but I was content." She paused. She looked over to Charlie and he smiled. She smiled back and continued.
"My parents influence had been huge that I also wanted the materialistic things in life. I wanted a big house, with elegant furnishings that someone else would clean and a modern kitchen that someone else would cook in. As I said, shallow. Young and very shallow. And I didn't see why I couldn't get these things.
"There where few things I wanted that were more meaningful. One thing in particular. My very close friend was a girl named Vera. She married young, just 17. she married a man that my parents would have never considered for me; a carpenter. A year later, she had a son, a beautiful little boy with dimples and curly black hair. It the first time I was ever jealous of anyone else in my entire life." She looked at me now.
"I was the same age as Bella but I was ready for it all. I wanted my own little baby. I wanted my own house and a husband that would kiss me everyday when he came home from work, just like Vera. Only I had a different kind of house in mind." She sighed and continued the story.
"In the place where I lived, there was one royal family, the Kings, ironically enough. Royce King owned the bank my father worked at and nearly every other profitable business in town. Thats how his son, Royce King the second, met me for the first time. He was going to take over the bank and so he began overseeing the different positions. Two days later my mum conveniently forgot to pack my fathers lunch. I remember being particularly confused when she insisted I wore my white organza and roll my hair up just to run to the bank," Rosalie chucked and shook her head.
"I didn't notice Royce watching me particularly. Everyone watched me. But that night the first roses came. Every night of our courtship, he sent over a bouquet of roses to me. My room was always overflowing with them. It got to the point where I would smell like roses when I left the house. Royce was handsome too. He had lighter hair than I did and he had pale blue eyes. He said my eyes were like violets and then those started showing up beside the roses.
"My parents approved - thats putting it mildly. This was everything they dreamed of. And Royce seemed to be everything I'd dreamed of. The fairytale prince come to make me his princess. Everything I wanted, yet it was no more than I expected.. We were engaged before we even knew each other for 2 months.
"We didn't spend a great deal of time alone together. Royce told me he had many responsibilities at work, and, when we were together, he liked people to look at us, to see me in his arms. I liked that too. There were lots of parties, dancing, and pretty dresses. When you were a King, every door was open for you and every red carpet was rolled out to greet you.
"It wasn't a long engagement. Plans went ahead for the most lavish wedding. It was going to be everything I ever wanted. I was completely happy. When I called at Vera's I no longer felt jealous. I pictured my fair haired children playing on the huge lawns of the King's estate and I pitied her." Rosalie broke off. I knew that this was the hard part for her.
"I was at Vera's that night. Her little Henry really was adorable, all smiles and dimples. He was just learning to sit up on his own. Vera walked me to the door as I was leaving, her baby in her hands and her husband on her side, his arm around her waist. He kissed her on the cheek when he thought I wasn't looking. That bothered me. When Royce kissed me it wasn't quite the same. Not as sweet as Vera's husbands. I shoved that thought away, Royce was my prince. Someday I would be Queen." She turned to Emmett which made me look at him. He had anger written all over his face. when he saw Rose look at him, he pretended to smile but no one was fooled.
"It was dark in the streets, lamps already on. I hadn't realised how late it was," She continued, eyes still on Emmett. "It was cold, too. Very cold for late April. The wedding was a week away and I was worrying about the weather as I was hurrying home. I remember every detail about that night. Yes, I was worrying about the weather; I didn't want to have to move the wedding indoors!..
"I was a few streets from my house when I heard them. A cluster of men under a broken street lamp, laughing too loud. Drunk. I wish I called my father to escort me home, but the way was so short, it seemed silly. And then he called my name," she froze. This was getting too hard for her. I was about to continue for her but she spoke. "'Rose!' He yelled, and the others laughed stupidly. I hadn't realised the drunks were so well dressed. It was Royce and some other of his friends, sons of other rich men. 'Heres my Rose,' he shouted, laughing with them, sounding just as stupid. 'You're late. We're cold, you've kept us waiting so long.' I'd never seen him drink before, only a toast every now and again at a party. He told me he didn't like champagne. I hadn't realised he preferred something stronger. He had a new friend - the friend of a friend from Atlanta.
"'See John, isn't she lovelier than all your Georgia peaches?' He said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him. The man named John was dark haired and suntanned. He looked me over like a horse he was buying.
"'It's hard to tell,' he slurred slowly. 'She's all covered up.' They all laughed, Royce like the rest. Suddenly Royce ripped the jacket from my shoulders; it was a gift from him. He popped all the brass buttons off. They scattered all over the streets.
'''Show him what you look like Rose!' He laughed again then he tore the hat out off my hair. The pins ripped from my hair and pulled it from the roots, I screamed out in pain. They seemed to like that, the sound of my pain...
"They left me on the street, still laughing as they stumbled away. They thought I was dead. They were teasing Royce saying that he would have to find a new bride. He said she'd have to learn patience first. I waited on the road to die. It was cold, though there was so much pain that I was surprised it bothered me. It started to snow and I wondered why death hadn't come yet. I was impatient for death to come, to end the pain. It was taking so long..." Then she looked at Carlisle.
"That's when Carlisle found me. He smelled the blood and came to investigate. I remember being vaguely irritated as he worked over me, trying to save my life. I never liked Dr. Cullen or his wife and her brother - as Edward pretended to be back then. It had upset me that they were more beautiful than I was, especially the men. But they didn't mingle in society, I'd only seen them once or twice. I thought I'd died when he pulled me from the ground and ran with me -because of the speed it felt like I was flying.. I remember being horrified that the pain didn't stop. Then I was in a bright room, and it was warm. I was slipping away, and I was grateful as the pain began to dull. But suddenly something sharp was cutting me, my throat, my wrists, my ankles. I screamed in shock, thinking he'd brought me here to hurt me more. Then fire started burning through me, and I didn't care about anything else. I begged him to kill me. When Esme and Edward returned home I begged them to kill me too. Carlisle sat with me. He held my hand and said that he was so sorry, promising that it would end. He told me everything, and sometimes I would listen. He told me what he was and what I was becoming. I didn't believe him. He apologised everytime I screamed." She sighed and turned to Edward.
"Edward didn't like me," they both chuckled at that. "I remember hearing them discuss me. I stopped screaming sometimes. Screaming didn't do any good. 'What were you thinking Carlisle?!' I heard Edward say one time. 'Rosalie Hale?' I didn't like the way he said my name. Like there was something wrong with me. 'I couldn't just let her die,' Carlisle said quietly. 'It was too much, too horrible, too much to waste.'
"'I know,' Edward said. It sounded dismissive. It angered me. I didn't know then that he could see exactly what Carlisle had seen.
"'It was too much to waste. I couldn't leave her.' Carlisle repeated in a whisper.
"'Of course you couldn't," Esme agreed.
"'People die all the time,' Edward reminded him in a hard voice. 'Don't you think that she's just a little recognisable though? The Kings will have to put up a huge search; not that anyone suspects the fiend,' he growled. It pleased me that they seemed to know that Royce was guilty. I didn't realise that it was almost over; that I was getting stronger and that is why I was able to concentrate on what they were saying. The pain was beginning to fade from my fingertips. 'What are we going to do with her?' Edward said with disgust, or that was how it sounded to me.
"Carlisle sighed. 'That's up to her of course. She may want to go her own way.'
"I believed enough of what he told me that his words terrified me. I knew my life was ended and that there was no going back for me. I couldn't think of being alone...
"The pain finally ended and they explained to me again what I was. This time I believed. I felt the thirst, my hard skin; I saw my blood red eyes.
"Shallow as I was, I felt better when I saw my reflection in the mirror for the first time. Despite the eyes, I was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It took some time before I began to blame the beauty for what happened to me. For me to see the curse of it. To wish I had been... well not ugly, but normal. Like Vera. So I could have married someone who loved me, and have pretty babies. That's what I really wanted, all along. It still doesn't seem to much to ask for.
"You know, my record is about as clean as Carlisle's," She said to Charlie. "Better than Esme. A thousand times better than Edward. I've never tasted human blood."
"Then why is it almost as clean as Carlisles?" Charlie quizzed.
"I've murdered 5 humans, well, if you could call them humans. I was careful not to spill their blood, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist that. Plus I didn't want any of them in me." She chuckled slightly. "I saved Royce for last, so he knew what was coming. I hoped he heard of his friends deaths. I hoped fear made it worse for him. I think it worked. He was hiding inside a windowless room behind a door as thick as a banks vaults guarded outside by armed men, when I caught up with him. Oops, 7 murders. Forgot about the guards. They were easy.
"I was over theatrical. It was kind of childish, really? I wore a wedding dress I'd stolen for the occasion. He screamed when he saw me. He did a lot of screaming that night," She recalled.
"A bit later she found me!" Emmett boomed. "I don't really have a story because I can't remember my human life but I do remember getting mauled by a bear and then this blur of blonde and black knocked the bear away. Next thing I know the blonde and black blur was a smoking hot woman who had me in her arms and carrying me so fast I could hardly blink. Next was the fire and then I woke up to this," He gestured to his body and we all laughed. Even Charlie who seemed quite comfortable.
"I came next," Alice said. "I don't remember anything about my transformation. Though I do know that I was transformed by a vampire called James. I found that out through extensive research. I have the power to see the future."
"I came after. I was a soldier in the World War 1. I was transformed by a girl called Maria. She tricked me into thinking she was in love with me but only used me for my power, mood changing. I can feel all emotions from everyone in this room, but I was somehow tricked by Maria. I was used to create or kill newborn vampires. I also unfortunately fed off humans but I haven't for ages sir." Jasper reassured Charlie. I knew Jasper didn't want to get into the gory details of how he became a vampire.
"Wow," was all Charlie said.