The Gift of the Sea

Chapter 11

As the morning sun rose, I waited, sitting on the front steps of the Cullens' house. Both notes are still in hand. One was addressed to me, and the other to the rest of the family. Jared and Paul get out of the truck that pulls up, along with Jacob and Nessi. The Cullens, having just gotten back, come out the door from behind me.  

"Hey, Jared caught Alice and Jasper's scent across the Res this morning," Jacob states.

"They left these," I hold up the letters for everyone to see.

Carlisle open theirs. I hold onto mine as I listen, "Gather as many witnesses as you can. You have till the snow sticks to the ground," it was October now. That doesn't leave us with a lot of time.

"The Pack will help," Jared states, knowing that Jacob would not force them to help. 

"I know that is it a lot to ask," Jacob looks to me, "but could you ask your father?"

"I can't," I whisper, holding my letter tighter, "He's died. Titus killed him."

Everyone is silent as they look at me, I had not shared this with them till now, "What about your brother then? We have a treaty, even if he says no, a-"

"No."

Paul joins in, "Come on, Ethne, even if you know the answer, at least a-"

"I can't ask him."

Carlisle puts his hand on my shoulder to calm me down a little as my breathing has gotten harder, "Please, Ethne," Edward looks at me.

"I can't. If I step into the ocean, it is a death sentence for me," I snap, "I own brother banished me from my pod. Because my Titus killed my Father," this silences everyone, "and you want to know the worst part. My own brother traded my life for his. He traded me like a chess piece and then banished me."

"Why didn't you tell us," Paul asks. He is shaking badly. So bad that Jared moves him a few feet away

"I was going to going to ask the Mako Pod if I could join them," I state, "After I was healed."

"You are always welcome to live with us," Esme states.

"And when you get bored of them, you can always crash with us," Jacob adds, "We are your family now."

Deciding to get as many witnesses as possible means splitting up. I go with Esme and Carlisle as they travel to meet some of their old friends. My favorite was the Coven in Egypt. I walked behind Esme and watched as Carlisle and his friend argued, walking around this beautiful pool of water, "I'm sorry, but I can't help you-" the man is stopped when the water in the pool comes out and is floats in the air."

"You'll have to forgive him," a younger male with olive skin interrupts them, "He likes to keep me hidden."

"I couldn't understand why," Carlisle jokes. He looks back at us and sees Esmee behind us, and my teeth have grown, "This is me, mate Esme and Ethne the newest member of our family."

"Benjamin," the man states, letting the water go. I stop it before it can splash out. Pulling back and letting it settle gently, keeping it all in the pool. I then remove some and freeze them into little balls before popping them into my mouth, "Now, how did you do that?"

I hiss at him, still trying to get a feel for him, "If you are down here, I need to make a stop before we head back."

Carlisle gives me his card, "We will be here for two days before heading back."

I leave them in Egypt, heading to Australia. Once I landed, I bought a waterproof bag and threw everything in it before taking to the water.  I head straight to Mako, telling some of my dolphin friends to find the Mako Pod for me. I wait at the Moon Pool for them, and I don't have to wait for long before a blue tail soon greets me, "Ethne," Erik greets me, "What are you doing here."

"Yes, is everything okay," Sirena asks, entering from the land with Zac and Nikki.

"I need your help." 

After explaining everything to them, they agree to help. Sirena had me head back to Carlisle and that they would follow after a few days. I was shocked when our group made it back to the Cullen house by the amount of people they had gathered. I was staying near Esme, not liking so many people being there. When this man comes up to me, "I can't believe it," everyone stops what they are doing to look at us.

"Eleazar," Edward steps forward, "this is Ethne our newest family member."

"I always thought of your species to be a fairytale."

"Says the vampire," the Cullens had to tell me when Bella was pregnant. I had my ideas. They just confirmed it. 

"What is she," another vampire asks.

I hiss, flashing my fangs at them, "A mermaid," Eleazar states, still looking at me in awe, "How old are you?"

"I turned 18 about a month ago."

I answered the basic question such as: Are there more mermaids? Can guys be mermaids? and Can I speak with dolphins or whales?.  However, when they started to get too personal I just stopped speaking. A few more vampires had joined us by the time CHristmas was rolling around.  Jacob had his hands full back at the Res due to more boys changing because of the increased in vampires in the area. I helped the Pack when I could but I was also training with Benjamin since our gifts are so similar. Two days before Christmas, the vampires get more of a surprise when the Mako Pod shows up.

I greet them outside and speak to them with whale sounds so that the others can't understand us.  After checking that they where okay with this many new vampires and telling them that I gave as little information as possible, they come inside. Sirena and Esme greet each other by touching their foreheads together. Mimmi, Lyla, and Nixie greet Esme as well. Zac and Erik bow their heads but stay by me. 

Everyone split up that day and agreed to be back by Christmas day. The vampires leaving to hunt. The red eyes having to travel farther then the Cullens or the Denalis.  I introduced the Pack to the Mako Pod and they got along well.  We all went down to the beach to relax and to rehydrate for us. But our fun was short lived when  one Christmas day the snow stuck to the ground for the first time.