Do i know you?

Chapter 8: Tanya and Irina

The next day came far too quickly for my liking and I was wondering why they had to come right away. I was sure we would still be here in a week's time, not to mention I would be more prepared as well. Alice told us the Denali's would be here around 3 in the afternoon, news that Rosalie wasn't entirely happy about. It appeared to be one of the rare occasions where Rosalie and Edward actually agreed on something. Emmett appeared to be indifferent to the information, it didn't seem to bother him that they were visiting, but he didn't feel a particular need to see them. I wasn't entirely sure about Alice and Jasper, they were happy, but it seemed as if they were merely enjoying Edward's discomfort.

It was almost 3 when Dad found me in the living room pacing. I felt bad because I hadn't even had the time to enjoy all of their work on my room, or thank them for moving my things into the room as I was too busy worrying about the Denali's. "What's wrong?" Dad asked, obviously concerned about my restlessness.

"Nothing Dad," I mumbled chewing on my lip, an old habit I kept from when I was human. In my worried state I almost missed Dad's suppressed smile at what I had called him.

"Please tell me what has you so worked up?" he tried once more, resting his hands on my shoulders to stop me from my constant moving.

"I'm just worried about the Denali's," was all I offered in return. I just got my father back; I didn't want to make him believe that I didn't like the family he had built.

"Bella," he sighed, pulling me into a comforting hug. "There is nothing you have to worry about, they're very kind and you should get along perfectly," he assured me while pulling away. "I never lie, right?" he winked and I actually giggled. The laugh was cut short however by the doorbell echoing through the house. My eyes widened in fear, causing Dad to sigh and shake his head. Instead of going to answer the door he stayed by my side while Esme went to get it. Edward came into the room, shadowed by Alice and Jasper. Rosalie insisted on staying in the garage, and Emmett volunteered to help her.

"Esme, it's great to see you again," I heard a female gush from the front door.

"Always a pleasure," a mans voice then came, you could practically hear the smiles on their faces as they greeted her.

"Of course, please come in, they're in the living room," Esme responded, followed by the door slamming shut. "I'm sorry but Rosalie and Emmett are out in the garage, she got particularly caught up in a project that he's helping her with," she supplied as they walked human pace to where we were. I felt Edward rest his hand on my back as he rubbed calming circles. I smiled up in thanks, to which he just nodded. If I hadn't been so terrified I would have mentally applauded Esme's quick thinking and protection of her children's rude behaviour.

I watched Esme enter the room, followed by 5 unfamiliar vampires. They all had the same gold eyes as Dad, and all of the Cullen's, and I breathed a sigh of a relief. I couldn't recall if Alice had told me their diet, but either way there was a difference being able to see if for yourself.

Dad walked over and put his arm around Esme. I found myself remembering the conversation we had when he told me that I wasn't replaced, and hanging onto that. He didn't lie, he wouldn't have told me that if it wasn't true. If he was anything like the father I had in the 1800's than it had to be true. "Carmen, Eleazar, how nice it is to see you," he smiled kindly.

"You too Carlisle," the man, I was guessing Eleazar, replied while the woman, supposedly Carmen, hugged him.

"Esme told you about a new member of our family?" Dad inquired once Carmen released him, receiving a nod from all 5. "Well her name is Isabella – Bella – Cullen," he merely said while gesturing towards where I stood with Edward still rubbing soothing circles on my back. While they were talking I had begun to lean into his side. I couldn't explain my actions, it just felt right, and he didn't object so I remained where I was.

The 5 looked over, and I nearly smirked. Eleazar was the only man in this coven, I wasn't sure if I should feel bad for him or not but it seemed strange. I scanned over the group, noticing that a girl who appeared around our age who had strawberry blond hair had narrowed her eyes at Edward and I before she smoothed out her features. "Bella," she smiled, seeming to test my name on her tongue. She then came over and wrapped me in a hug. "It's nice to meet you," she greeted. The hug she pulled me in had successfully pulled me away from Edward, but it was a nice gesture so I didn't complain. Even if I wanted to. She was trying to be nice, I could reciprocate that.

"You too..." I began before I realized that she had never given me a name.

"Tanya, and that is Irina, Kate, Carmen, and Eleazar," she pointed to the person the name belonged to as she listed them off. "How long have you been with the Cullen's?" she proceeded to question before I had a chance to greet the others.

"Well, not long. Alice just helped me move in yesterday," I explained while her eyes widened in shock.

"You must be something for them to introduce you as Cullen already," she remarked off-handidly.

"Tanya," Carmen warned, but I didn't understand why. It had been fairly quick and to anyone who didn't know my story that would probably seem strange.

"Actually, her real last name is Cullen," Dad cut in, his now ridged stance showed he wasn't happy with the accusations either. Everyone looked questioningly at me, but Dad continued the explanation thankfully. "She is my biological daughter from when I was human, so either way she would be swiftly welcomed," he told them; sounding quite defensive though he hid it well.

Tanya looked over and locked eyes with Irina. Nobody else was paying attention as Alice had begun explaining everything that happened after I moved here after I told her that it was fine. I watched while Tanya raised an eyebrow, Irina understood the meaning and nodded in confirmation. Tanya then smiled brightly as a thank you for whatever that interaction had meant. After that I decided I probably didn't want to know so I started to turn my head towards Alice. My eyes brushed over Eleazar and noticed he was looking at Tanya and Irina with disapproval, being sure that they saw it. I watched as Irina offered a tentative smile and Tanya shrugged the look off out of my peripheral vision.

"-when we got her back to the house she and Carlisle then explained to us how she was his daughter," I heard Alice finish when I actually started paying attention to her.

"Well, I actually told Edward first without actually knowing it, I told him about Isabella Marie Swan my daughter," Dad corrected. Edward looked sheepish and he shifted slightly closer to me. Dad looked at me questioningly, but I just shook my head signalling that it was nothing. Tanya once more looked between me and Edward before turning to Edward and laughing.

"You were always so clever," she sighed. "How did you figure it out?" she then asked. Edward looked like he forced a smile before he explained how Alice told him my full name and he just asked Carlisle, graciously leaving out the part where I tried to tell him not to look into my past, that obviously didn't stick now did it. We all sat down then, Edward sat at the far end of a couch with Tanya right beside him, and I sat at the other end a fair distance from Tanya, who had her back to me. Dad and Esme were talking with Carmen and Eleazar and Alice and Jasper were sitting with Kate.

Irina was sitting beside them and giving me and intense look. I shifted from her gaze growing uncomfortable and looked around the room. For some unexplained reason I started to feel alone. In a room with this many people I wasn't sure how this was possible, but my Dad was at the other end of the room happily chatting with Eleazar and for some reason I was beginning to feel isolated. The space between me and Tanya and Edward didn't exactly help. It was as if they were just tolerating me.

I couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with me and why I was beginning to feel this way.