Just as humans exude a certain smell, the same is also true for vampires. It was a smell unique to their kind. From far away, it would be reminiscent of a burnt wood and ash. I've come into contact with hundreds of vampires at the very least, and I grew quite familiar with their unique scent. It was with this that I managed to determine the true nature of the Cullens.
Fun vampire fact. Despite smelling of burnt wood and ash from far away, once you got close to them, vampires would exude a sweet, fragrant honey-like smell. Normal humans won't notice it, but for some special individuals like me, it was very clear. It's a characteristic unique to vampires that allows humans near them to be attracted to the vampire subconsciously.
Practically almost every vampire I've encountered before used that ability to trick humans into becoming their prey. It doesn't help that vampires are inherently very good-looking. Those two aspects alone had resulted in thousands of weak-minded men into becoming food for them.
Now, sitting next to Edythe Cullen, a real living vampire, I can practically see the sweet scent wafting around the air in her vicinity. It was weird, however, how weak it was. It exists, I can smell it, but it was subdued and faint.
Racking my brains, I tried to make sense of what's the reason for it.
The only way a vampire will have that subdued sweet scent is only if they're not hungry. Think of it as something similar to an animal that had just finished feeding and is not trying to hunt for more. And for Edythe to have that subdued scent only means that she had gone to "eat" within the past week or so.
So, does that mean that Edythe had killed someone during the past week? Possible, but unlikely.
A vampire that had fed within a certain amount of time will exude a rusty metallic scent. It was very faint, and only a few species of vampires with enhanced smell can take notice of it. Is Edythe's scent the same as that? No, which confuses me.
Human blood would smell sweet and tempting for vampires. As for me, a human, human blood smells of "life". There isn't any other way to describe it; warm, vibrant, almost like it's glowing. A vampire who had drunk human blood would have a trace of those scent around their body, but Edythe, somehow, does not have it.
Instead of the warm scent of human blood, there's a trace of grounded, impure, and primal scent around her. It's a smell of blood, that's for sure, but not one of a human. It was the blood of a wild animal. I've smelled it before, numerous times during my trips to the wilderness. The wildlife doing its thing would inevitably end up with some wild animals dying. And the smell of their blood is the same as the one Edythe is exuding.
A vampire that drinks animal blood? That's new.
"You're Chris Miller, right?" I was sent back into reality with a graceful, melodious voice.
Ah, I've been too engrossed in thoughts I ended up staring at her for a moment. It would be weird if I did it to any other person, but if it's Edythe, she shouldn't think too much about it. She's very beautiful, and accidentally going into a trance after looking at her face won't be out of place.
"Yes, that's me. Edythe Cullen, right? Nice to meet you." I nodded back with my signature slight smile still on my face.
"How are you liking Forks so far?" She asked, a soft smile on her face.
"It's brilliant. I'm starting to grow fond of the coziness this place offers." I answered, looking her in the eye as I do so.
She's different today. It was weird enough that she started talking to me, as Allen had explicitly stated earlier that she's not the type to talk to anyone, but now she's smiling and everything.
It's very subtle, but her eyes were examining my face. I'm not handsome or anything, rather, I'm very average in terms of appearances. Yet for her to be examining my face like this only meant that she's looking for any minute reactions that could potentially reveal anything else about me.
It's very easy to figure out what she's doing.
A transfer student comes in, smelling weirdly of a decaying corpse. It was subtle, and only she can smell it. And judging from her diet of animal blood and the fact that their group is staying isolated, they're a group of peaceful vampires.
How did I come up with that conclusion? Well, a little bit of observation and inferencing.
A normal vampire would find it more beneficial by socializing with humans. It makes it easier to get close to them, which results in an easier time of getting food. Every vampire is inherently good-looking, and most would utilize that to their advantage. It's stupid not to.
What Edythe is doing at this moment is trying to see if I will be a threat to their way of life. As much as I want to tell her that no, I won't be doing anything that would compromise their secret, so please just ignore me, it would mean that I'm aware of their secret and therefore, can be a threat.
It's not easy to gain the trust of a vampire. Moreso if you're a human that can somehow identify vampires by scent and emits the same smell as a decaying corpse. There's a good chance they might take me out one evening to keep their secret hidden if I said that.
And so, the only plausible course of action is to be ignorant of their actions and live life as I would normally.
"Happy to hear that. I hope you continue to enjoy it." She smiled, acknowledging my answer before turning towards the front of the class, waiting for the teacher.
I took the hint and also stopped talking, similarly staring at the board to wait for the teacher.
Mrs. Banner arrived a few minutes later. She set up the TV, planning on playing perhaps a documentary as part of a new lesson. The class cheered, glad at the lack of lecture and activities.
The TV was set up quickly, and the lights were turned off for easier viewing. Mrs. Banner asked the students to be quiet, but hushed murmurs are the best she can get. She shrugged, choosing to take what she can get. She went to work on something at her table, while the documentary continued playing. It seems to be about ecosystems, which I've already memorized an entire book about. I could just sleep right here and now, and still score a hundred percent at the quiz, but I started taking notes instead just for the sake of appearances.
It didn't last for long though, as my different-species seatmate initiated a hushed conversation.
"Why did you come to Forks?" Edythe asked in a low voice, keeping her eyes up front.
"Nothing dramatic, really. Just wanted a change of pace, I guess." I started, similarly keeping my eye on the documentary. " London's a bit too... chaotic. Figured a small town like Forks might be a good place to clear my head, focus on school, and enjoy the quiet."
It wasn't a lie. I did want to come to a place where I can clear my head, focus on school, and wallow in peace. Europe is out of the question, as that organization can be found everywhere in there. As for Asia, well, let's just say I'm not fond of learning a new language. In addition, there's a good chance I would stand out. It's rare to find a British person in Asian countries.
I ended up in America, and by chance, managed to locate this place. Forks seems to be the perfect hiding place. Unassuming, small town. It should be easy to live in obscurity in this place.
"I see." Edythe hummed. I chose to ignore the way she glanced at me from the corner of her vision.
Silenced followed, and I turned my attention back to the documentary. I ignored the slight frown on Edythe's face. She should be racking her brains, trying to come up with questions that would make me reveal more about myself without being particularly pushy about it. Quite frankly, it's amusing.
"Did you come here with your parents?" She asked after a moment of silence.
She's not really being subtle with her interrogation, but it would be suspicious if I pointed that out. Still facing the front, I answered.
"I came here alone." And hopefully, it'll stay that way for a while.
"What about your family?"
"I'm an orphan."
That seemed to get to her for a minute, judging by the short pause.
"I'm sorry." She turned her eyes to me this time.
"It's fine." I lightly smiled at her, trying to keep the conversation from being sombre. "I was adopted by a pastor. He raised me quite well." I continued.
"He's a little bummed when I left though." I chuckled.
That was a massive understatement. That man has to be fuming. Knowing him, the entire Order should be scouring the entirety of Europe for any trace of me.
Of course, shame on him, as I'm in another continent altogether. Forks is just the perfect place to be hiding in. It's quiet. isolated, and unassuming.
Edythe's brow furrowed slightly, her curiosity piqued. "So, you really just… decided to leave? To come here all by yourself?"
"I needed a change. The city felt too loud and chaotic. I figured Forks would be the perfect escape." I shrugged, planting my head on my hand on the table.
She studied me for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "I get that. Sometimes you just need to find a place where you can breathe."
I nodded, appreciating the sentiment. I don't know if she's trying to connect with me to find out more, or simply just being herself. I don't know her character enough to know exactly which, but it doesn't matter. Revealing my past to a vampire will definitely be bad. Catastrophic, even.
The best course of action will be to feign ignorance to her true intentions and keep up my guise.
"What about you?" I asked, shifting the focus away from my past. "How did you end up in Forks?"
Edythe hesitated, her eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite place. "It's… complicated. We just moved here recently. My family thought a small town might be better for us."
"Must be nice to have a fresh start," I said, resting my chin on my hand. "A small town is a much better home than a big city sometimes. Fewer distractions and away from the disorder of society."
She looked out the window, the trees casting eerie shadows across her face. "Home can be a tricky word. Sometimes it's just a place we pretend to belong."
I studied her for a moment. She seemed to be revealing more than she should. It felt like she was hinting at something deeper, and I was torn about whether to delve into it. Was this a ploy to get me to connect with her, to uncover my history with clever psychological tactics, or was it just a normal conversation? It was a gamble, and I wasn't fond of uncertainties.
As the documentary continued, the screen flashed images of predators in the wild—lions stalking through the tall grass, wolves chasing down a herd of deer. A narrator's voice droned on about the delicate balance of predator and prey in nature, emphasizing survival instincts and the inherent violence of life.
Edythe shifted slightly; her gaze fixed on the screen. "It's interesting, isn't it? The idea of predator and prey. It's almost poetic how life relies on this cycle."
Of course she'll find it interesting. Being a predator yourself, you're bound to have a positive outlook on the cycle of life in the wilderness. It's tempting to call her out on this, but it's stupid to reveal her secret all of a sudden. Still, it won't hurt to challenge her a little, right?
I nodded, watching a lion bite the neck of a gazelle on the TV. "Poetic, sure. But it's more of a harsh reality, isn't it? One relies on the other for survival. It's not all beauty and grace."
"True," she replied, her tone contemplative. "But there's a certain elegance to it. Predators are often seen as ruthless, yet they play a crucial role in maintaining the balance. Without them, the ecosystem would collapse."
I glanced at her. "You seem to admire them."
She turned to me, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Perhaps. They have a purpose, just as every creature does. Even prey has its own strength in survival, adapting to avoid being caught."
"Survival isn't always about strength, though," I countered. "Sometimes it's about cunning, or even avoidance. Knowing when to hide, when to run. It can be just as effective."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing my words carefully. "So, you think it's better to run and hide than to face danger head-on?"
I met her gaze, knowing that I might've fucked myself up by countering her perspective. My face remained casual, however, as I answered back. "It depends on the danger. Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor. Why risk it when you can remain unseen?"
She held my gaze a moment longer before looking back at the screen. "I suppose it depends on what's at stake, doesn't it? Sometimes, the stakes are higher than we realize."
The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meanings.