Chapter 8

- While Damian, Bella, and Charlie are going to dinner -

- Alice Cullen POV -

Giving a final glance in the mirror as I admire my new outfit, which is part of many others I bought today, adding to the already enormous collection of clothes, not counting the ones stored in other houses that belong to us.

I've collected clothes from nearly every decade, choosing the best type for each themed party in the 20th century.

After mentally complimenting my good taste, I leave the room and head downstairs to the living room, where my entire family is already waiting for me.

Every weekend, we gather in the living room, watching a movie or series, as it's one of the few forms of entertainment for our long lives.

It's easier for the others, but for me, Jasper, and Edward, it's much harder because we don't have our mates.

According to all the vampires I've met, every day the intensity of their relationships remains the same, and it can even grow stronger than before. It's like having an infinite car battery, constantly fueling their being...

I sigh at the thought... I already know that we will meet Edward's soulmate tomorrow, but I still don't know who mine is, or Jasper's for that matter.

As I enter the living room, I see my family welcoming me with smiles on their faces, and a soothing wave of emotion helps me shake off the sad feelings.

I don't even need to ask or doubt, my adoptive brother with the gift of 'empathy' is always there to assist us.

Giving my characteristic smile, which is never forced, I'm like a walking ball of positive energy, as Emmett likes to say. I sit close to my mother Esme, who is with her husband, and my adoptive father, Carlisle Cullen.

Just as I'm about to ask what we'll be watching, my consciousness drifts into a sensation I already recognize—a vision.

"Ah!" I exclaim involuntarily, catching the attention of all the family members. They know what this means when my expression suddenly changes.

And this vision is just like all the previous ones I had about my soulmate—a shadow in the midst of a vast field of fire. He walks through the flames just as I walk through a sea of flowers. His hands pass through the flames as if they were beautiful blossoms, and they react joyfully, dancing in his palms.

It has always been the same, and how do I know he's my soulmate? Because of the overwhelming emotion that fills me when I see him, even as a mere shadow. I can feel our connection, the same connection I've heard about from others—a connection that only soulmates can feel.

But then something changes. I see a car beside him and a large dog, both untouched by the fire.

And once again, the vision shifts. The shadow starts to sway, and in its place stands a man, no older than 18 due to his youthful appearance.

And I must say, what a beautiful face. Even after meeting so many vampires who were transformed to be incredibly attractive, he is still more beautiful than any of them.

His skin is smooth and as white as porcelain, his mouth incredibly tempting, making me want to jump at him and sink my teeth into it completely. And his eyes, oh, undoubtedly the most beautiful shade of blue I have ever seen in my entire life.

The vision changes again, and I see him in the school parking lot, stepping out of the same car I saw earlier that was with him in the fire. He soon begins walking alongside the girl I had seen before—my brother Edward's soulmate.

I don't even need to doubt it. With this strong connection that has formed even more rapidly and intensely than before, it's already clear who he is.

My mate! My soulmate! The one I've been waiting for so long! When I come out of the vision, I exclaim with joy, jumping off the couch and spinning around the room in excitement. Esme asks, trying to contain her laughter due to my agitation, "What happened, Alice? What did you see?"

Edward, who can read minds, immediately says, "She saw her soulmate." He speaks with a slight clench of his jaw, still hesitant about it, as he doesn't want others to turn into 'monsters'.

Esme stands up and embraces me with a maternal and loving hug, saying, "I'm so happy for you, Alice! I know how anxious you've been while waiting for him! I can't wait to meet him."

"Thank you, Esme," I say emotionally. "I just hope that if I approach him, he won't be scared of what we are." That has always been a concern for me.

Rosalie also gives me a gentle hug but speaks a bit hesitantly, "So, he's human?" She's apprehensive about it.

I shake my head, denying, "I don't know, I always saw him amidst flames, so I'm not sure if he's human. But that doesn't matter; I don't want to think about it now. I just want to think that I'll finally meet him!" I say, filled with happiness.

Emmett speaks with a big goofy smile, "Looks like someone's in love!" He gets a head smack from Rosalie and then continues while pretending to be in pain, "I can't wait to meet him, one more person for me to crush in games!"

Jasper gives me a happy smile too and congratulates me, then he says, "Maybe the flames could be a sign of your future special ability? Controlling the flames..." He pauses and loses some of his smile as he realizes what he said.

Everyone else also notices and loses their smile. Carlisle speaks, "Let's not think about it now. I know it's a dangerous power and could attract the attention of the royalty, but let's not rush things."

Controlling flames, a power that is a weakness for all of us vampires would be a very powerful weapon and a tempting means of attack for vampire royalty.

Carlisle continues, reassuring everyone, "We'll act with caution and discretion. We'll learn more about him and support him in any situation."

And this makes me open my smile even wider, especially when everyone present agrees and continues to congratulate me, all happy for me.

I can already feel the anticipation of finally meeting him filling me up, barely able to wait to lay my hands on him and bite...

Calm down, Alice! You're not a teenager anymore... technically.

I give a smile of apology to Jasper and Edward, who must be suffering from all the emotions and my increasingly intense and... indecent thoughts about what I'll do with him. "I can't wait to meet you. Damian. I finally know your name when I heard Isabella call you in my vision. I'm going to get you, and I won't let go, just like a koala!"

But my thoughts are interrupted when I see Edward starting to stare at me strangely, his forehead creased in concentration and doubt. I ask him, "What's wrong?" which makes everyone else notice Edward's odd behavior too.

And that's when he speaks, and it's something that leaves everyone shocked: "I can't hear Alice's thoughts anymore, there's a wall of fire blocking the way to them."

- End of POV -

- MC POV -

As I sit next to Uncle Charlie in the car, with Bella in the back with Sirius, I can feel something like a strong connection, one that I could already feel before.

Before, this connection was weak, and now it has become enormous; it's difficult to measure how much it has grown in the last few minutes.

But unlike just feeling it, I can see this connection because it links directly to my soul, and I can see souls.

Even though I haven't transformed, I am gifted with many powers simply because I am not possessed by the spirit of vengeance; I am the spirit itself, not limited to being just a spirit of revenge.

I can gain more types of powers, like becoming the spirit of justice; I just have to further master my abilities, and it will come naturally.

This is the potential I have, to grow immensely due to my innate ability.

Another ability I have is perhaps the worst, as it allows me to read people, their sins, and everything bad they've done; it's an open book for me to read.

And this varies; sins can be divided into various types, and even the smallest sin is still a sin.

Like Jake... he likes to steal adult magazines from other adults and hide them in his room, and even though it's a minor sin, I still saw it.

Billy was the one who had the most sins, as he has killed some people in the past, and even though it wasn't done with malicious intent, and those people weren't human, it still counts as a sin.

However, it's not a grave sin; it's more because of the guilt he feels for taking a life, and that still weighs heavily on him.

I become concerned when I meet the Cullens; they have killed quite a few people in the past, especially a blond one who always seems to be in pain because of his ability to manipulate emotions.

I know I can't kill him, but he will still have to be judged, and if he survives, it will be because of his desire to live.

Eyes of penitence, that's the judgment he must undergo if he doesn't want to die at my hands.

And that's the most I can do for him. I know the others are not as bad as him; Alice learned to drink animal blood shortly after being transformed, and the same goes for all the others.

I think? I'm not an expert in this world, and I might be mistaken about Emmett because I remember that he was also transformed by Daddy Cullen.

Charlie: "Hello, earth to Damian?" Charlie shakes me, and I snap out of my thoughts, realizing we've already arrived at the café.

After getting out of the car, I ask: "Can we bring Sirius in?"

Charlie: "I come here almost always; they must turn a blind eye to it. Besides, Sirius is a very well-behaved dog, right, boy?" He says while playfully ruffling Sirius' fur.

Sirius barks as if to say, "These two 'P's are correct. I didn't come to hunt today, so, of course, I'll behave."

Bella speaks with a voice full of nostalgia as she looks at the café: "It's been so long since I came here. The last time was... when we were all at the meeting for Damian's 8th birthday." She speaks with a sad tone.

Uncle Charlie says: "Actually, I brought you here afterward, but you never wanted to come in, so I would buy the food and take it home."

Bella seems to remember and nods in agreement; she didn't like coming here because of all the memories associated with this place.

After sitting down, I ask Uncle Charlie: "Uncle, why didn't you ever move into Grandpa and Grandma's house?"

Bella also looks at him with doubt and adds: "I've always wondered the same thing. Aunt Aly always told you to move there and sell your current house."

Aunt Aly is what Bella calls my mother, Alyssane Swan, and my father she calls Uncle John, who is Johnathon Blackwood.

Uncle Charlie speaks with melancholic eyes, making both of us regret bringing up the topic.

"I couldn't live there permanently. I grew up there with Aly... so many memories we had with our parents would haunt me every single day. I remember trying for a few days, but..." He lets out a sigh before continuing.

"I remember waking up and sitting in the backyard, at the same table where my father sat with my mother every morning to watch the sunrise. And sometimes, Aly and I joined them, and there they would share their stories, which we had heard many times before. How he met Mom, and how she met Dad, or how their week had been, recounting the stories that marked their lives, memories I've engraved in my mind like a brand.

Remembering the way their eyes sparkled as they told their stories, a table and a few chairs in the garden overlooking the forest, along with some stories was how we started our days.

That... those kinds of memories kept me away, preventing me from living there for too long and sinking into it every day." And when he finishes, Bella is now with her head lowered, eating in silence, tears falling from her face.

And with red eyes, I remember that I went through the same with my parents' house, and I know they wouldn't be able to do it either.

And so we sat for an hour, eating and reminiscing about the past, especially that time, a time that can no longer return.

And I can only think that, unlike my previous life where I went to places like this, with an abundance of memories with my parents and grandparents, I was always alone.

But now I have two people to accompany me at this moment, and it makes me feel... a little warm, easing some of the loneliness that has always been prevalent in my life.

I look out the window, trying to ignore some people inside the café indulging in minor sins, and I look in the direction where my soul calls me.

I wonder if when I find the reason behind this, I will truly feel complete if it can be what I have always wanted.

I speak softly, just so Sirius with his super hearing can hear, "I wonder who she is? Will she... accept me for who I am?"

And we see the dog looking at his master and at the place he's looking, and he thinks, "I can't wait to meet her, my lady, so tired of being alone with this old man, we need ladies and pups!"

If Damian knew what his faithful canine was thinking, he would purse his lips and look at him as if thinking 'You've changed, Sirius, you weren't like this before.'

And it is after he returns to the Swan residence, picks up his car, and heads back home that his extremely busy day finally comes to an end.

When he collapses on his bed, and Sirius settles in his dog bed next to his master, he finally falls asleep, thinking about the girl he is destined to be with.

On the other side of town, a girl full of energy spent the entire night painting her beautiful future boyfriend's face and singing a passionate song with so much energy that it made everyone else in the room look at her with clear frustration.

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this chapter... was very good to write, I hope you liked it, and there may be mistakes in the middle and I hope you let me know if there are. ^^