Stella remembered each and every thing that had happened ever since she had set foot in this attic, all that she had done. But she could herself make neither head nor tails of her own actions.
Why on earth had she approached this unknown, vampire woman who had seemed to pose no threat before. But now looked at her as if she was ready to tear her down in a fist fight. Stella looked at the woman as she stared at her like she was an enemy.
Like all vampire women, this one was breathtakingly beautiful too. But her beauty wasn't the conventional vampire beauty Stella was used to seeing in June and her friends. She had a shock of black hair, rather like Stella's herself. But her hair was straight and smooth like silk while Stella's was, well. They were also considerably short, falling just below her shoulders, with some light bangs resting on her forehead. They suited her.
Next, Stella focused on the woman's face. Her skin was, of course, perfect. It was like smooth like a marble and was stretched across thin lips, a straight nose and rather big, doe-like eyes with mono-lids. Stella also noticed that the woman was not in a flowery, flowing dress that seemed to be the vampire fashion. Instead, she had on a white plain shirt with denim skorts. Yes!! This woman was actually wearing skorts!
Stella's eyes were again pulled to the woman's face as she wondered how long had this one not stepped out into the world to still be wearing skorts. But she pulled it off, Stella decided. Her beautiful face pulled everything off.
Her attention was pulled away from the strange, beautiful face by her change in expression. The woman's face went from protecting herself, to shock, then bewilderment, and then finally settled at angry.
"Who are you?" she spat out. Stella noticed that her voice sounded like music to her ears, but the venom in her voice twisted weirdly in her chest. Stella was saved the anguish of answering by Simon's voice, for which she was grateful. Stella wasn't sure she was up to it. Why did everyone in this world seemed to hate her even before they knew her?!
"Penelope? Do you remember me?" he asked. Both Penelope and Stella turned towards him with puzzlement. Penelope's face changed into one of recognition after half a minute, but Stella wasn't so lucky. Did these two know each other from before? And what did Simon mean by do you remember me?
Stella couldn't help but notice that Penelope moved from her defensive stance for a split second after recognizing Simon, but she was back in her crouch again, staring at her. "Who's this? And how did she get in here?" she hissed. Stella frowned upon hearing this. What did she mean by get in here? Surely June had told everyone that one of her friends was human, and about . . . . well, about her blood.
While Stella was confused by Penelope's question, Simon understood it perfectly. Penelope didn't mean the mansion or even the attic by 'here', she meant inside her her barrier.
"Let me introduce you two. Penelope, this is Stella McCartney, June's friend. She's come from USA to attend June's birthday party." Simon began and was relieved to see Stella smile in a friendly way and take a step towards Penelope.