The winter air seeped through the cracks in the car windows, causing the wind to play with strands of the girl's hair that escaped from under her satin red scarf. Sunbeams lazily pierced through the clouds onto her sunglasses, concealing her crimson eyes from people's gaze. One of her favorite songs by The Beatles played on the cassette player, and the blonde quietly sang along, tapping her finger on the steering wheel, smiling and reminiscing about standing in London's Palladium Hall with her friend Ricky Marley, holding a sign that said "We Love The Beatles" in 1963.
Around the vampire, it was quiet and peaceful, as if all living things had vanished. It wasn't surprising, considering it was only half past eight in the morning. Somewhere near the road, she caught the scent of an animal, probably a deer. It unpleasantly burned in her throat, and the first droplets of venom gathered on the tips of her sharp fangs. Two weeks without human blood had made its presence known. She could only hope that her old acquaintance would kindly offer her some donor blood.
Majestic snow-covered trees lined the highway, and snowdrifts lay beside the road. Apollyma felt like she was in a snow globe, where a simple shake would make the snow rise and fall in small flakes. Finally, in the distance—thanks to her super vision—she spotted an old sign that read, "Welcome to Forks." She turned left before reaching it, a couple of hundred meters away, knowing she still had a 15-minute drive ahead. For a vampire, she was driving too slowly, almost like a human.
Carlisle, the leader of the clan, stood hand in hand with a beautiful brunette, engaging in a pleasant conversation before hearing the sounds of wheels and a roaring engine. The couple turned their gaze towards the road near their home and smiled with the warmest of welcomes. Much depended on their behavior and manners.
A Mercedes stopped by the large house. The girl, who hadn't had a chance to step out of the car, immediately noticed the opulence of the structure. As the car was turned off, a man approached her at vampire speed and opened the door. Taking the extended hand, Apollyma gracefully first extended her left leg and then her right leg, stepping out of the car while clutching her leather handbag.
"Carlisle, my dear boy, so many years have passed, yet you seem to have forgotten all your manners," the blonde said teasingly.
"Forgive me for my lack of manners, Miss," the man was about to bend down in a bow when he was stopped by a slender hand in a red glove.
"We're not in the 17th century for you to be bowing to me. Be more modern, my dear. Instead, why don't you introduce me to your wife? I've heard you had a wedding to which I wasn't invited."
Hastening to the front door, Carlisle wrapped his arm around the waist of the woman and pulled her closer, so tightly that the mature woman exclaimed in surprise. He then introduced the girls.
"This is Esme," he pointed to the brunette vampire, "and this is Apollyma, an acquaintance of mine from the time of the Volturi's reign."
"Pleased to meet you, Miss. My husband has told me a lot about you," the woman extended her hand for a greeting.
"Oh, please, let's drop the formalities and address each other informally. Carlisle must have said I'm quite peculiar," the girl politely shook hands and adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "Let's not waste any more time and get down to business."
With that, the man opened the door for the ladies, allowing them to go ahead like a true gentleman, which he naturally was.
Upon entering, Apollyma immediately sensed the enticing scent of human blood, bacon and eggs, and wood. The burning sensation in her throat worsened, causing discomfort, but she quickly focused on the surroundings rather than the aroma. The first thing that caught her eye was how spacious and cozy the house felt, with a large number of vases, seemingly very old and delicate, possibly even Chinese, judging by the hieroglyphs on them. The high ceiling, plastered walls adorned with paintings, and fluffy carpets on the wooden floor created a welcoming atmosphere. The main decoration was a wide staircase leading to the second floor, which had a different color scheme than the first floor. The walls were covered in honey-colored wooden panels, matching the flooring. On the bright wall, the immortal noticed a large wooden cross that she recognized instantly – Carlisle's father's cross, dating back to his time in the church in the mid-17th century. Memories flooded her pale mind, memories of her hatred for priests and the house of God, where hundreds of innocent souls were killed under the pretext of being "witches." It made her slightly shudder. Those memories filled her white head, reminding her of why she had fled into the deep forests with her kindred.
On the second floor, there were three doors. As the vampires explained, they led to Rosalie and Emmett's room, Carlisle's study, and Alice's room. Beyond that was a large dining-living room, where the rest of the Cullens and a human stood.
The sole mortal present was left speechless. A beautiful, striking blonde with a red satin scarf tied around her head, sunglasses covering her eyes, revealing only a straight, refined Greek nose and plump, flushed lips. She was dressed in a burgundy velvet corset, accentuating her ample bosom and slim waist, along with a skirt of the same fabric, flowing gracefully above the knee. She completed her outfit with nylon stockings and open-toed shoes with a small heel. Isabella could easily say that the newcomer outshone Rosalie Hale in beauty.
Standing before the family, the clan leader began introducing the Greek woman to the others.
"This is Rosalie and Emmett," he pointed to the tall, beautiful blonde who leaned on the brunette vampire. It was evident that the girl was tense, but her partner, on the other hand, waved his hand friendly and smiled with a childlike grin. "Alice and Jasper, and this is..."
"Jasper, by any chance, did you serve in the army?" Apollyma interrupted Carlisle, noticing his upright posture and scrutinizing gaze on herself.
"Yes, ma'am," he nodded.
"It shows on you. Please continue, Carlisle," Apollyma said, slightly amused.
"Ahem, and this is Edward and Bella."
"Ah, the infamous human," the red-eyed woman approached the man smoothly, like a predator, while he cautiously retreated into the embrace of his beloved. She took off her sunglasses and locked her gaze with his brown eyes. "Pleasure to meet you, Isabella."
Smirking cunningly, she removed her right glove, revealing long, pale fingers. The brunette was no longer as thrilled by this encounter; rather, she appeared frightened. Apollyma exuded the same energy as James did. Bella quickly realized that it was best to be on guard and avoid drawing too much attention from this vampire. In turn, Apollyma traced her nail along the teenager's cheek, leaving a small scratch. A drop of blood emerged, and she firmly held the mortal's chin, pulling her face closer, and then she licked the liquid with the tip of her tongue. After savoring the "meal," she remarked:
"You're lucky, Isabella. You smell delicious, although the taste could have been better, not quite third positive, but oh well," she elegantly sat on a white chair, crossing her legs. "Carlisle, if you would be so kind as to bring me a glass of the third positive, and tell me about your friend, Victoria..."
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Eternal temptation
FanfictionOver the course of Apollyma's three-thousand-year existence, she had become disillusioned with finding the "love of her life" as it had eluded her all this time. However, as she sipped on her third positive blood, her mobile phone rang. On the other...
