Threading the Wrong Needle | Twilight [2]

huit

December 16th, 2006, Forks WA

Bella sat with her odd child in her arms, listening to Estelle's maman speak with rapt attention. The girl had confessed that she had been introduced to the idea of the Dupuis coven from the soft words of Rosalie and the admittances that Edward and Carlisle had made about their old friends.

After fielding Marion's curious inquisitions, the girl had made questions of her own. Now, her maman regaled the tale of Estelle's own birth and the horrifying escape she had made during the French revolution that Carlisle had ultimately saved the three of them from.

It enraptured the newborn, her curiousity at their opinions concerning what would have been their demise if not for the old vampire amusing.

Their deep opinions on French politics had long faded over the years.

Edward hovered nearby, watching his spouse and child as thought they were the only point in the world to fixate upon.

It was disgustingly romantic and she wished dearly that wish could laugh at him for having such deep feelings for his family, ifmnt for the fact that she had at one point considered she could have a similar connection as well.

In conversation, Edward and the Denali, as well as uncle Hugo, discussed the desperate threat of the Volturi and the abilities that they possessed within their guard. Thomas sat enraptured at the topic, eager to learn all that they said.

The main points of contention, of course, being Alec and Jane. The terrible two that, of sorts, ought not have ever been changed. There was also Demetri, who frightened Estelle much more by far. Not to mention Chelsea who would steal away any gifted vampire that she might manage to gift to her masters.

And according to Eleazar, Bella was gifted as well. The newborn broke away from her conversation with maman to respond to Kate.

"Can you project?"

"Project?" Bella asked.

"Project stout of yourself, protect others."

Bella shrugged. "I don't know Ive never tried. I don't even know I could do that."

"You might not be able to," Kate replied softly. "Lord knows I've been trying for centuries and the most I can manage is a light current over my skin."

Hugo made a small humming sound of interest. "I had not realized that you have been attempting such a thing."

The blonde grins a feral sort of smile at her uncle. It was one that was sharp and near accusatory. "You have not seen us in a very long time."

"Yes, you haven't come to Europe in so long. The last we saw you was when we brushed paths in Austria," Marion remarks slyly, shifting the accusation back to her.

The thing about vampire covens was that the larger they were, the harder to remain hidden. If they wanted to keep jobs or an appearance they could not be parading around making a spectacle.

As it were, the Dupuis held a few minor differences in beliefs from the vegetarians in so that they believed it was perfectly acceptable to cheat on their diet when they saw fit so long as they weren't freely going bout taking the lives of whoever. Thomas, as the newest, slipped most often and the families stance toward their diet made it most easy on his ego.

They had not expressed as. much vocally, but the knowledge was common nonetheless. Their judgement was bitter when the topic came around.

"Kate's got an offensive skill," Edward cuts in, "Sort of like Jane."

The newborn flinches away from her as if by instinct.

"So do I," Estelle grins at the pair, "A little like Jane, a little like Alec."