(A/N: I've taken into consideration some comments that were left on my latest chapter last night. I've edited some previous chapters, and changed the wording. I hope this is shown in my work, and you enjoy it.
If you guys could leave a review or donate a couple power stones, I'd love for the novel to get some more traffic. Much love all. Word count of around 1.5k!)
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Gabriel gripped the leather steering wheel, his eyes scanning the road as he drove into town. It had only been a few days since he arrived in this new world, and he was still trying to wrap his head around everything.
"I should grab some groceries," he muttered to himself. "Can't have an empty fridge if someone drops by. That'd be weird."
He pulled into the local grocery store and filled his cart with enough food to last him for weeks. The cashier couldn't help but smile as she bagged his items.
After unloading everything at home, Gabriel headed out again. This time, he was off to the Reservation. He had always wanted to check out the beach there and maybe take a swim.
Following the road signs, it took Gabriel almost 30 minutes of winding roads to even see the beginning of this part of Forks. He wasn't worried about being identified as a vampire here; from what he understood, the only way the shapeshifters could detect a vampire was through the venom in their bodies.
Unlike typical Twilight vampires, his version was much more magical; a completely different variant altogether.
Lost in his thoughts as he drove, Gabriel eventually arrived at La Push. This was where Bella and Jacob would eventually meet in the story. Parking his car, Gabriel stripped off his shirt and changed into shorts. Running down to the water, he dove in, the fresh saltwater covering his body as he let out a sigh of contentment.
"This is the life," he thought to himself. "I don't know why people don't come here every day. It's so relaxing." He swam between the ocean waves, floating on the water's surface, letting the tranquility wash over him.
As he enjoyed the peace of the crashing waves, his hyper-sensitive ears picked up the sounds of men yelling. Turning towards the source, he spotted two men launching themselves from a cliff side into the water.
"Fuck, that looks like fun," he muttered decisively. Gabriel left the water and made his way toward the two men. As they emerged from the water, he approached them.
"Hey guys, sorry to interrupt. How do I get up there? That shit looks like fun." Hearing his words, the two men exchanged glances before grinning sheepishly.
"Sure, follow us! I'm Sam, this is Paul. Haven't seen you here before," said Sam, who appeared to be a similar age to Gabriel. He had black hair, copper skin, brown eyes, and a slightly muscular physique that spoke of an active lifestyle.
"Thanks guys, I'm Gabriel. Moved to Forks a couple of weeks ago, thought I'd explore the area a bit more," Gabriel replied with a grin, following the duo as they weaved their way through the mountainside and thick forest. After about 10 minutes of walking, they reached the cliff side once more.
"So, you want to take the dive first, or are you rethinking your choice?" Sam asked, turning towards Gabriel with a smirk. He had seen many come here, only to back down at the summit.
Seeing the challenge in Sam's eyes, Gabriel smiled firmly before striding confidently to the edge of the cliff. He looked back at the two boys. "See you down there!" With that, he hurled himself off the cliff, feeling the rush of wind against his skin.
"Woooohooooo!"
The descent was swift, his body plummeting through the air until he crashed into the water below, not with the grace of a dive but like a cannonball. Breaking the surface, he looked up to see Sam and Paul splashing down nearby.
Laughing heartily, they all gathered themselves in the water. "Holy shit, that's awesome," Gabriel exclaimed.
"Glad you didn't chicken out," Paul cheered, "We come here to blow off steam sometimes. Nothing beats free falling to clear your head, right?" He grinned broadly as he spoke.
The three emerged from the water and took a seat on the cold sand. "How's life out here in the Res? Seems a lot more relaxed than what I've seen in the town," Gabriel questioned.
Paul, feeling comfortable with Gabriel's presence, answered, "Not bad. We just sort of go with the flow here," he paused, looking out to the ocean. "Lots of rules to follow on the Res, though, with traditional values, elders, and all that."
Nodding slightly, Gabriel kept quiet. He could understand the different values, but it wasn't something he had experienced himself.
They engaged in small talk about the town, sharing bits of gossip the boys were eager to discuss. Somehow, the conversation shifted towards the history of the Quileute tribe.
Gabriel asked with genuine interest, "So you're saying that your ancestors were known as Spirit Warriors and could shapeshift into some type of animal?"
"I know, it sounds ridiculous, but our elders stand by the history of it," Sam interjected cautiously, sensing Gabriel's tone.
Quick to reassure them, Gabriel grinned, "No, what I mean to say is, that sounds fucking bad-ass. From what I know, my ancestors came from Europe. Warriors who can shapeshift are ten times cooler than my shit." His words sparked laughter from both Sam and Paul.
Laughing for a couple of minutes, Gabriel saw the sun setting. "Alright boys, I'm gonna head off. Homework to do, dinner to make." Smiling at the duo, he stood up and left.
"Come by again Gabe, we'll show you some other places around here," Paul yelled out, Sam nodding in agreement. It seemed like they were happy making a new friend.
Entering his car, Gabriel quickly pulled out of the parking lot and left for home. Another 30-minute drive, and quickly parking his car. Sitting on his couch, Gabriel flipped through his homework at light speed. He could have assimilated another soul's memories to give himself a university-level education, but it would take the fun out of learning.
Shutting the book, he made a light meal and sat back down, turning on the TV. His phone chimed in his pocket as he fished it out and read a message.
"What the fuck? Since when did Charlie become some charitable person?" Gabriel gaped at the message, pausing his thoughts at the stoic and distant Charlie Swan he'd read about.
"Right, not a movie. Real life."
Quickly eating his meal, Gabriel lay down on the couch and fished through the channels, pausing on the local news network. As he was watching the weather report, he read the text at the bottom of the screen, usually placed there for minor news segments that couldn't make it to a full-blown report.
"Fuck, the trio are in the state. That should be one of Charlie's old friends who died." Gabriel's mind quickly flashed with the memories of the three vampires who caused the death.
"Should I use them as a testing subject for my strength? I'd have to be careful though... it would be my first time fighting a person, let alone 3 vampires." Closing his eyes, Gabriel contemplated the decision of quickly eliminating the trio, but he was hesitant about if he should do it, or at the least, when he should do it.
Turning off the TV, Gabriel entered his room and had a quick shower before turning on his PC and opening his web browser once again.
'So, from what I understand, this world is almost identical to my previous one, but adding the supernatural flare. Though there are some shifts. When I was searching for books, I realized that Stephen King didn't exist here, but there was a Stephanie King. She wasn't a novelist, though.' Looking through multiple award-winning novelists, directors, and even actors, he found so many did not exist, or were in different careers altogether.
'If needed, I could make certain changes while re-writing a novel, considering everything I had read in my previous life.'
'I could even go under a pseudonym if I didn't want to be known for my works... this could really work.'
Gabriel had an enormous smile on his face, his body energized at the thought of raking in royalties from these novels.