[PROLOGUE]

     I felt a burning sensation course through my body. My eyes widened as they locked onto the rapidly bleeding wound on my forearm. I stared at the wound, noticing what looked like teeth marks. It felt like my arm was on fire, and that the fire was coursing through my bloodstream like my blood was made of lighter fluid. I fell to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. I was alone in the woods and something had come out of nowhere and attacked my arm. I heard a commotion behind me but I was too overwhelmed by the extreme pain I felt from this wound. I started feeling myself growing faint quickly. My vision began to fade and I felt my body grow weak and cold. This was it. I was dying. In my last moments, I heard a voice whisper something that I couldn't make out. Finally, everything went black.

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       "Donna?"

     My eyes flashed open. My sister Alice was holding my hand. I was sitting by my bedroom window, zoning out again. I sighed as I pulled myself back to the present. It had been twenty years since I was turned. I spent a few years on my own, wandering aimlessly across the country, hunting humans, trying to end my constant thirst for blood. I was a aimless wandering nomad, that is, until I met Carlisle, Alice and Jasper. I came across them one day when they were on a hunt, and I was amazed by their different lifestyle of killing animals and feeding off of them instead of humans. They saw me hiding in the trees and after we met, they offered me a place in their coven. I gladly took it. Now, I'm the youngest vampire in the family.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked. I nodded.

"Yeah just um, zoned out again. Sorry. I probably just need to feed soon." I said. Alice smiled sweetly at me.

"That's okay. Actually, I came to let you know that Bella should be here any second. So, we should go take our places." She told me. Oh right. It was Bella's 18th birthday today.

"Okay, I'll be down in a second." I agreed. Alice nodded before she skipped off excitedly. I remembered when Bella first came to Forks and Edward was head over heels obsessed with her. Then when he decided he wanted to date her, none of us were too keen on the idea since she's a human which could become an issue. But I grew to like her, we all did...well...except maybe our sister Rosalee. Sure enough, as I walked downstairs, I heard Rosalee pitching a fit about the party.

"Why do I have to interact? I didn't even get the stupid gift for her anyway, Alice did." She complained. Carlisle's mate Esme turned to face Rosalee.

"Because it's polite. We're not forcing you to like her, but she's Edwards girlfriend, you should at least try to accept that." She advised. Esme grabbed the little wrapped box and held it out. Rosalee heaved an irritated sigh of defeat, taking the gift. I glanced over and saw Carlisle setting out candles. I stood by the candles and hummed a tune, focusing on the wicks and in seconds they ignited. Carlisle grinned, chuckling a bit as one of them lit in his hand.

"Thank you, Donna." He thanked me. I nodded. "Of course."

"You seem to be improving." Jasper said from behind us. I shrugged.

"I suppose. I think it's just that energy and sound waves are becoming more and more clear in my head."

"It's time, it's time!" Alice called out as she rushed into the room. All of us took our places as we heard the door. In walked our brother Edward and his human girlfriend Bella.

    Bella looked among all of our faces in slight surprise. Carlisle smiled as the two of them came down the stairs to the living room floor.

   "Sorry about all this. We tried to rein Alice in." He said, coming forward and giving each of them a hug. Esme followed behind him.

    "Like that's even possible." She joked, giving Bella a hug. "Happy birthday, Bella."

   A flash struck from the camera that was suddenly in Alice's hand, as she snuck a photo of Bella. She shrugged as we all stared at her.

       "I found it in your bag. Hope you don't mind." Alice reasoned.  Emmet walked up to Edward and leaned in to tell him something. I focused my ears on their voices and overheard what Emmet said.

    "Dating an older woman...hot." I stifled a laugh as I rolled my eyes at my brothers. Edward gave him a disappointed look. "What?" Emmet asked confused. Before any more awkward jokes could be made, Rosalie stepped forward with the gift in her hand. She held it out sharply to Bella, who took it hesitantly.

    "It's a necklace..Alice picked it out." She says carelessly before walking away. I sighed. Guess that's as good of an interaction as we'd get from her. Alice jumped in front of Bella and Edward with the camera.

    "Now, show me the love!" She said before snapping the picture. Without a moment to lose, Alice grabbed Bella by the hand and dragged her over to the couch and the gift table. "For your scrapbook. Now, come open your presents!" She rummaged through the gifts and handed a few off to Bella.

    "Here, these one's are from Emmet and Donna." Alice said. I watched as Bella awkwardly opened the big box to reveal an empty car radio box. Bella shook it with a confused expression.

    "Already installed it in your truck. Donna helped me pick it out and made sure it was all tuned up and static free." He started. "Finally a decent sound system for that piece of-.."

   "Hey, don't hate on the truck." She said. We all chuckled. "Thank you" she thanked Emmet. Following that, she tore into my gift. She unwrapped it to find the stack of CD's I got for her. She smiled looking at them.

   "I thought you might want some new music to listen to in your truck. I got you some of your favorites, Debussy, Linkin Park, Muse, Coldplay, Bon Iver and Iron & Wine." I explained. Bella looked up and smiled at me.

    "These are perfect, thanks Donna." Bella thanked me happily. I glanced over at my brother Jasper. He had a guilty look on his face. I rolled my eyes. He was using his mood shifting abilities to make her like my gift more. It was annoying...but it was also sweet of him.

     "Open Esme and Carlisle's next!" Alice chirped, holding out a medium square sized box. Bella took it.

   "Just a little something to brighten your day." Carlisle commented.

  "Yes, you've been looking a bit pale lately." Esme joked. Everyone chuckled a bit as Bella looked down at her gift and started trying to open it. As she did she started to struggle a bit with the wrapping paper, it was a tougher kind.

   "Ow!" She hissed. Suddenly slight but strong smell of blood wafted into the air. Bella lifted her finger to her face. "Paper cut." The blood from her finger dripped onto the carpet. Oh no...

    Just then, Jaspers eyes dilated. Edward shoved Bella backwards out of the way as Jasper lunged forward. Bella crashed into the table against the wall, smashing a vase, slicing her arm open in the process. The strong smell of her blood went from a trickle to a roar as it permeated the air in a matter of seconds. Edward shoved Jasper into the air, sending him crashing into the piano. He lunged for Bella again, but we all quickly moved to restrain him. He snarled and fought against our grips. Alice stepped in front of Jasper shushing him.

    "Shh Jaz shh shh it's just a little..." she stopped. "Blood." She whispered as she turned back to Bella who was bleeding heavily from her arm, the blood dripping down her skin. Carlisle rushed to Bella's side

    "Get Jasper out of here." He ordered. We started dragging him quickly outside. I turned back to see Edward, staring at Bella in shock and guilt before I went with the others to help calm Jasper down.
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    After Carlisle stitched up Bella's arm and helped her get cleaned up, Edward took her home. Everyone else was winding down from the excitement of the recent events when Edward finally walked in. He walked right past all of us and went straight out to the balcony.

    "Do you think he's okay?" Emmet asked. Carlisle sighed.

   "I'm sure everything's fine. He just needs some time, that's all." He insisted. I looked out at Edward, standing out on the balcony. I could tell it wasn't fine. I let him sit out there for a while on his own. Eventually everyone else went to their rooms for the night, and finally, I decided to talk to Edward about what happened. I walked up to the glass door and gently opened it, and stepped outside.

    "Hey Ed...mind if I join you for a little?" I asked. He didn't look at me.

    "Suit yourself." He rasped. I sighed closing the door behind me, hugging my arms over my chest, as I walked over and stood next to him, leaning over the balcony, staring out at the moon.

   "Y'know...I always wondered who your mate would be. I remember seeing Alice with Jasper and Carlisle with Esme and Rose with Emmet, and I couldn't help but think there just had to be someone out there for you." I told him. "I was pretty stunned when you brought home a human, but I can see how strong your bond is with her and hers with you. I'm glad you guys found each other. And.....in all honesty sometimes I think I'm jealous."

     "Jealous?" He asked, with a scoff. I furrowed my brow.

    "Yes. Truthfully, I've wanted to have a mate for a while. I can't help but feel like I have one out there somewhere waiting for me....I just don't know who, or where I'd find them. For all I know, I might end up waiting an eternity before I find them somehow." I admitted. Edward scoffed.

   "Donna, sometimes finding your mate makes things harder. More complicated and more painful than you could ever think possible.." I looked at him bewildered.

   "What do you mean, Ed?" I asked. He sighed.

    "I'm a monster." He said. I shook my head.

   "Edward you are not a monster. You are the kindest most gentle and considerate vampire out of all of us in this family." I argued. "Bella certainly doesn't think you're a monster either."

   "Bella is human. She's perfect to me, and I want to be everything I can for her....but I know that's not enough. It's never going to be enough. No matter what I do, I'm still a monster who somehow constantly puts her in harms way regardless of what I do. She deserves better.....better than me. And I-.." he stopped himself.

   "You what Ed?" I asked. He choked on the words before they finally escaped his lips.

   "I have to let her go." My eyes widened.

  "No, Edward, that's not the answer. You guys are mates, you deserve each other. She knows you'd never hurt her, and the other times weren't even your fault!" I argued. He turned to me.

   "Donna, if I had never met her, she wouldn't have gotten tangled up with James. She wouldn't have gotten hunted down, bitten, mutilated and almost killed if it wasn't for me. She wouldn't be in constant danger of being feasted on by other vampires or being killed because of how close she is to me. I'm too dangerous for her to be with, that much has been made clear." He said. I could tell if he could, he'd be crying right now. I opened my mouth to speak but Edward cut me off.
  "I know Bella is going to be heart broken, so am I. But it has to be done. I love her to much to risk getting her hurt again." He said before storming off. I started to follow after him but he ran off into the woods. I hated seeing him like this....torturing himself and pushing everyone else away. I went back upstairs and laid down, hoping he'd come to his senses.

     Three days later, Edward left without a word, and Carlisle announced we were moving immediately. My heart sank. He just bound himself to another eternity of suffering. He broke up with Bella.

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Things felt gloomier somehow in Ithaca. Edward went off on his own and we barely heard from him after the move. Carlisle started working night shifts at the local hospital, and the rest of us occupied out time with our skills and studies. Jasper started taking online Philosophy courses. I sighed boredly as I sat in the common area with Rosalee and Emmet, watching TV.

"Hey, Donna, want to challenge your skills a bit?" Emmet asked. I looked at him and smirked.

"Sure. What do you have in mind?" I asked. Emmet grinned.

"Since you can see sound waves...what if you could echo locate?" He asked. I thought about it....I hadn't tried it before.

"Like a bat?" I snickered. "Ok. Let's try it." I agreed. Emmet thought for a second.

"Ok....try to find my dvd copy of Die Hard." He said. I closed my eyes and focused in. I pictured the floor-plan in my head and emitted a pitch. The pitch vibrated through the house until I saw it bounce off of something in his room.

"Um....try checking under your bed in your room?" I suggested.

"Okay." With that, Emmet ran upstairs. Rosalee shook her head disappointedly. I chuckled.

"Don't worry Rose, I made sure to take the disc out before I hid the dvd case..." I admitted. Rose looked at me surprised. "What? You didn't think I knew how annoyed you were with his movie obsession?" I asked. I reached under the couch and pulled out the dvd, holding it up for her to see.

"Did I ever mention you're my favorite sister?" Rosalee said smiling at me seemingly impressed by my sneakiness. I smiled at her. Suddenly the door swung open, it was Alice. She seemed frantic.

"Guys, we have a problem!" She said.

"What is it?" Rosalee asked looking concerned, as was I.

"It's Bella, I just had a vision, I think she's trying to kill herself. I saw her jump right off a cliff!" She said. My eyes widened. "We need to go to Forks and check on her." Alice stated.

"Pass." Rosalee said. I rolled my eyes at Rose's pettiness. Something in my gut was telling me to go. Was it my desire to help Bella for Edward's sake? Or was it something else..? After a few short seconds of internal deliberation, I decided to follow my gut.

"Ok, I'll go with you Alice." I agreed. I quickly grabbed my jacket and followed Alice out the door.