I walked down the hall toward the elevator and pushed the button to call it. While I waited, I was thinking about the whole situation with imprinting. I had held off talking to Edythe about it, mostly because I really didn't think it was a worry for me. I couldn't explain why I thought that, it was just a feeling deep in my bones.
Once I got on the elevator and rode it down, I made my way past the information desk and out the door. I was walking to my truck when I happened to notice the car parked next to me had a familiar figure in its driver's seat. I changed course, and when I reached the driver's window, I rapped it with my knuckle.
When it was rolled down, I smiled. "Fancy meeting you here, Leah."
She stared at me for a moment with those dark eyes, "I heard you were rushed to the hospital from the reservation yesterday, and I happened to be in the area, so I thought I would check on you."
I decided not to call her on the obvious lie. "Oh, that. Nah, it wasn't me. While I was hiking yesterday, I came across a woman who had been attacked by a bear. I did what I could to help her and then drove her this way until we met the ambulance I called."
Her expression didn't change, she just kept staring at me. So, I continued. "The girl is going to be okay, some scarring, and they are monitoring her for blood loss for a couple of days. Then she will be released to go home."
She let out a deep sigh, "Well I am glad it wasn't you that was hurt. I'd better go, we aren't supposed to be here. Something about a doctor the tribe doesn't approve of. See you around."
She rolled her window back up and started her car. I moved out of the way and watched her back out and drive away. Then I jumped into my truck and headed to the Cullen house.
I walked into the front room of the Cullen house to see Alice and Edythe hovering over the screen of the computer, and approached. When Edythe turned to look at me, I quickly gave her a kiss and turned my attention to the screen.
"What are you to troublemakers looking into?"
When Alice turned to answer me, I saw a rare look of seriousness on her face. "Trying to narrow down a starting point to look into my past. James spoke of hunting me as a human, but I have no memories of him at all. So, I am trying to backtrack my earliest memories and see if I can learn anything. So far, we think it's somewhere close to the coast along Florida to Louisiana. We have narrowed that down because of the trees and landscape."
I placed a hand on her shoulder, "Is there a reason you have never tried to look into this before?"
She shook her head, "Not really. I have never really cared until now. My past didn't matter to me. I woke seeing my future and have always looked forward and never back. I wandered for nearly 30 years before my visions finally told me where to meet Jasper. I always knew he was out there, just not where until it was time to meet. Then, 2 years later, we moved in with my family here."
Edythe leaned into me, "What are you up to? How was the visit?"
I told them about the whole thing including running into Leah in the parking lot. They were both visibly confused about the imprinting and its effects.
"I just wanted to stop in and see if you had any plans for us. I need to shift and talk to Sam, but other than that, I am free for the weekend."
Edythe asked, "If you meet up with Sam, I would like to go with you. I am interested in how the imprinting compares to the Vampire... Devotion, for lack of a better word. Naturally, if you go past the border, I can't go, but if he will meet you at the border..."
"Sure, let's go out back, and I will talk to him. See what he thinks."
Edythe followed me as I walked into the woods and stripped to make the change. Edythe whistled appreciatively, and I gave her a wink before pulling in the fire. As soon as I felt all four of my feet on the ground, I also felt Sam pushing at my mind.
{"Hey, Sam. I just got to a place I could shift after leaving the hospital."}
He quickly asked, {"How is she? Is she okay?"}
Before I could answer him, I heard Edythe suck in a surprised breath. "Thomas. I heard Sam. I can feel him like he is right next to us."
Surprised. I thought, {"What?"} and turned my eyes to Edythe beside me.
Sam answered my thought, {"I asked if Emily is okay?"}
{"Oh, yeah. Yeah, she is okay. She was awake when Billy and I visited her. We talked for a while after Billy left. I think she needed someone she could unburden herself to. You have to admit it must really suck to not be able to talk to anyone about it. I talked with her about what you asked me to, and she refused to give you permission. Her words were along the lines of 'You are not allowed to take the easy route out of this'. Also, you are to visit her today. No excuses will be accepted."}
Sam was silent, but he still conveyed confusion and worry. {"But... I can't change back."}
Knowing that he needed a kick in the ass. I replied, {"You will if you want to prove yourself to her. Get control and change back, or admit to her that the imprint isn't that important to you."}
{"Thanks, Thomas. For everything. I will find a way to repay you."} Then his mind was gone.
I quickly changed back, and while I got dressed, I asked. "What did you mean you heard him?"
She was lost in thought for a moment, "When you are changed, I can read your mind. When you connected to Sam... I was sort of drug along with you. It was like I was standing next to both of you."
She paused again. "That imprint he has on his Emily was like... I don't know. It's hard to put it into words. The imprint is like a canvas, and Sam and Emily are the painting. There is nothing he won't do for her. But he isn't mindlessly devoted either. He still has his own thoughts and preferences, but they take a back seat when it comes to Emily. I still can't fully explain it. Maybe if I spent more time with him, I could explain it better."
I looked at her with real worry in my eyes, "It kind of scares me that it could be in my nature to imprint. What if it is, and for some reason, I can't imprint on you? I truly feel like it isn't a part of me to imprint, but what if I'm wrong?"
She hugged me tightly, "Then you will just have to accept that you will have two wives. Because I am not letting you go, and I will live for a very long time."
(Scene Shift)
Among snow-capped mountains, inside a cave, a group sat on individual cushions evenly spaced before a man with black hair and a slight orange tinge to his tanned skin.
He held a piece of paper in one hand, and as he read, his other hand clenched into a fist.
"It is confirmed. Somehow, he has changed early."
The sole woman who sat before the figure spoke, "How is that possible? He isn't 25 summers in the world yet."
Another spoke over the woman's question. He was a large man with a full black beard. "If he has changed already, then he cannot be bound."
The man who sat before everyone continued like he hadn't heard the voices before him. "He has also surrounded himself with Pishachas."
This caused everyone to go silent.
Finally, one person asked, "What is to be done?"
"He will be called for, this son of Devansh Raizel. And he will stand before the Guardian. Then we will decide his fate." The paper in his hand was swiftly crumpled up and tossed aside.