{Cullen Family POV}
"Alice, you need to stop this." Edward's voice was a low murmur, his fingers still grazing the piano keys, but his eyes fixed on her with a mix of concern and apprehension.
"Oh, shush! Why are you always getting involved in my business?" Alice retorted, flinging herself onto the plush couch with a gentle thud.
"You know how dangerous this situation could be. For you, for us, for the family." He sighed, turning fully to face her, his posture rigid.
"I haven't done anything, though!" She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Besides, you're the weirdo who stalked him home from the diner."
"I told you before, there's something… off about this human." Edward's eyes narrowed at the memory of that night he'd first seen Lucas.
"You're just saying that because your powers aren't working on him, aren't you?"
"No. Yes. It's concerning, Alice. Humans shouldn't be able to do that." Edward grumbled, pushing himself up from the piano bench and taking a seat across from his 'sister'.
"What's got both of your knickers in a twist?" A deep voice cut through the air from the living room entrance.
"Emmett, can you please tell him he's being overly cautious for no reason!" Alice yelled out, her annoyance clear.
Emmett stared at Alice, then his eyes drifted to Edward. A wide smirk spread across his lips as he sauntered towards the couch, his eyes alight with amusement.
"Oh, Ali-bear! Have you got a crush on a human?!" He roared with laughter, slapping his thigh.
"Oh, stop being such a brute, Emmett! It's nothing like that. He's just… interesting…" Alice trailed off, her eyes momentarily distant, lost in a fleeting memory before snapping back to clarity.
"And what, Edward's not happy you've got a crush on a human? I say turn him and we can finally have enough for a baseball game!"
Alice and Edward turned to Emmett simultaneously, both wearing identical looks of exasperation. The sheer nonchalance with which their brother treated the potential consequences truly highlighted how blasé he was about being a vampire.
"Ugh! You don't get it either," Alice huffed, giving his shoulder a frustrated slap.
"Then what is it that draws you to him, Alice? It can't be his blood, because neither of us feel the inclination to harm him." Edward asked, throwing an olive branch in Alice's direction, his voice softer now.
Sitting there, Alice gripped the hem of her dress, carefully choosing her next words. She was acutely aware Edward could read her mind, but after years of the family testing his powers, they had realized only surface-level thoughts were broadcast to him.
"He's just… different," she murmured, though with their enhanced hearing, everyone heard it clearly.
"Listen, he literally ran into me accidentally when he was exploring the forest. What did he do? Apologized, then sat down and spoke to me. How many people have we seen since going to high school who actively avoid us? All of them. He wasn't even affected by our thrall. Not even a little bit."
(Check Author's Notes for info.)
Emmett hummed, closing his eyes as he listened to Alice. "Not even slightly? That's pretty weird, Ali."
"You know everything about us affects humans; we're like a drug to them. Him? I was comparable to a normal person. Even when we went shopp—" Alice quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.
"You went shopping with him? A whole day in Seattle! Alice, what were you thinking?!" Edward snapped, standing abruptly and beginning to pace the living room.
"Dude, chill out," Emmett said, standing up. "Alice has never made a mistake before. She would have seen it in the future, right?"
The room fell silent as Alice stared intently at the carpet in front of her, pointedly avoiding their gazes.
"Right, Ali?" Emmett asked again, his voice softer, more insistent.
…
"I can't see his future," Alice whispered, her voice barely audible.
Both Edward and Emmett gawked at her words, before turning to one another in stunned silence.
"I wonder what kind of power he'd have as a vampire?" Emmett mused aloud, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Emmett! We will not be speculating the possibilities of a human turning vampire!" Edward bellowed, throwing his hands up in exasperation before marching out of the room.
Watching their brother leave, both Alice and Emmett looked at one another, then burst into giggles.
"Could you imagine if Saint Edward found a human partner? It would be chaotic," Emmett smirked at the thought.
Gasp!
Turning his head sharply, Emmett stared at Alice, her eyes glassed over as she looked forward, the tell-tale signs of a vision appearing.
Seconds passed by slowly as Emmett sat down beside Alice, his eyes growing hard with anticipation. Usually, Alice's visions were short, but this one was taking longer.
"She's coming!" Alice murmured, a faint smile gracing her lips.
Quickly grasping Emmett's hand, Alice's smile widened. "I don't need to worry about Edward anymore. His future girlfriend will be starting at the same time as Lucas!"
It took a moment for the words to register in Emmett's ears before he collapsed onto the floor in a fit of rumbling laughter. "Holy shit, this is going to be fun to watch!"
Alice couldn't help but giggle as she watched him clutching his sides in happiness.
I'm sorry, Edward, but I don't think I can be her best friend like you would hope. I have something more important to focus on.
———
Author's Note: I thought we could have a little scene change to show some other characters chatting. I know it's brief, but it's enough in my opinion.
Thrall: Refers to the inherent, almost hypnotic allure that vampires exert over humans, stemming from their supernatural beauty, grace, and captivating presence rather than direct mind-control. This phenomenon creates a sensory overload for humans, where their senses are overwhelmed by the vampire's intoxicating scent, flawless appearance, melodious voice, and mesmerizing movements. The intense fascination can lead to deep obsession, making humans more susceptible to a vampire's influence and often diminishing their natural self-preservation instincts, causing them to struggle against a powerful, almost biological urge. However, this thrall is not an absolute or unbreakable command; its strength can vary between vampires and human individuals, with some, like Bella Swan, demonstrating a notable resistance.
I'll probably drop another one or two chapters today, keep commenting and dropping power stones for more content! <3