Old Soul

Chapter Nineteen: Tanya

"Tell me what?" The voice repeats. The vampire it's attached to is inhumanely beautiful—even for a vampire. Her grace is unparalleled as she crosses around the front of the couch to stand beside her sister, her strawberry blonde curls bouncing with every step. Her eyes are the same golden hue as all other vegetarian vampires with an added intensity as she looks me over, her shock at the presence of a human quickly being schooled into a neutral expression.

"That you've decided to give up the vegetarian diet?" She smirks.

"Not quite," Emmett says, looking over at me. "Though it is tempting."

I can feel heat coloring my cheeks. Kate's amused expression breaks into a full-on grin.

"You don't mean—" Tanya's eyes flash with anger. "Telling humans is against the law." She hisses. Her expression is terrifying, as though my very presence is enough to set her, the origin of the succubus legend, a vampire for goodness' sake, on edge.

"Tanya." Emmett's voice is a warning.

"Emmett. You know this is against the law. I already lost Sasha. I'm not going to risk my family again because you decided to play house with a human." Her voice spits out the last word. I shift uncomfortably, attempting to move away from Emmett, as though that will solve the implication of my proximity.

"I'm not going to tell anyone." I hate how my voice wavers.

"Quiet. I don't want to hear from you." Her glare has me flinching away.

"Tanya. Don't talk to her like that." Emmett throws an arm in front of me, like he can protect me from her word barbs.

"Does it really matter how I speak to her? We're going to have to kill her anyway, or the Volturi will kill us all. We were lucky to get the benefit of the doubt once, I don't think any of them will give it to us again."

"Tanya, in this house we treat everyone, regardless of species, with respect. You know that." Carlisle reproves from the top of the stairs. Tanya has the good sense to look slightly ashamed, even if it's only on account of Carlisle. "You didn't come here to get angry with us, Alice saw that."

"Plans change."

"So do situations," Carlisle replies. "Although, there was something we wished to discuss with you."

"Lethal injection is the most humane way to kill a person." My eyes widen to the point it must be cartoonish. Kate laughs at my expression.

"No, not that, Tanya. We are not going to kill Raquel." I breathe a sigh of relief, but I end up holding it again when I see the deadly intent in Tanya's eyes. She isn't going to let this go.

"What do you know about old souls?" Carlisle continues, ignoring her expression.

"I would think you would know more about that than me, Carlisle. You've always had your nose in a book."

"Please, Tanya."

"Well," she sighs. "I hardly remember my human life, let alone the old beliefs of the Slavs. By the time I was born, Christianity was spreading to Eastern Europe. Christianity has no real mentions of reincarnation or old souls. You'd have better luck asking Huiya and Huojin, after all, they're well versed in Taoist beliefs."

"Chinese vampires." Emmett informs me.

"Huiya and Huojin do have their fair share of knowledge. I'm going to assume you have no way of contacting them?" Carlisle asks.

"No. You know how reclusive they are. They rarely seek out other company. I would assume though, if you put word out that you think you found an old soul, and they heard through the grapevine, they'd be more than happy to check it out." Tanya eyes me again. "Though I wouldn't trust that they'd leave her alive."