Midnight

1

My name is Isabella Swan, and I have discovered an interesting secret. About three months ago I move from sunny Phoenix to dark dreary Forks, Washington. I probably wouldn't have stayed here long if I hadn't met the love of my life Edward Cullens. Now Edward is drop dead gorgeous, muscular, and, well, a vampire. We met at school, and my life has been in constant danger since. I have been nearly killed by Edward, a van, a bunch of murders, and an evil vampire named James. Even though Edward thirsts for my blood he has been my perpetual savior and my lover. 2

It was summer and I was setting at my window waiting for night. The day had been unnaturally sunny, and Edward had gone hunting with his family. The Cullens were made up of Dr. Carlisle Cullens, his wife Esme, beautiful Rosalie, enormously strong Emmett, psychic Alice, Jasper, who could make you feel what ever he wanted, and Edward the mind reader. Now you would think a family of vampires would be evil, and live in coffins, right? Well not the Cullens their house was sunny, and they never slept so they didn't need coffins. The fact is that the sun doesn't hurt them at all, but they can't go out in it in public without everyone noticing, because they sparkle like diamonds. That's why I was stuck waiting on him. Edward had just one rule I could never ever be near him when he was hunting, so I was stuck in the house waiting for him when I got a phone call that would change everything.3

"Bella?"4

"Hi mom." Of course she would be calling I forgot it was Saturday. My mom is pretty if not silly woman. A couple months ago she married a minor league baseball player and moved to Florida. 5

"Guess what honey I have the best news! Phil's team is going on a cruse to celebrate winning the finals, and guess what! We get to go with him isn't that great. I am sending you plane ticket so you can meet us in Miami! We'll be gone a week."6

"That’s cool mom, but.."7

" I'm not taking no for an answer Bells your coming. I miss you, don't you miss me at all?" I could tell she would start crying any minute so I did the only thing I could…8

" You know I do mom of course I'll come when do we leave?"9

" Next week! I am so happy Bells, your plane leaves on Friday at three don't forget to go a few hours early for security."10

" I won't I love you mom, bye."11

I was nervous about telling Edward he seems to get very up set when we're apart. I had no way of knowing how he would react. I would just wait until I saw his eyes. Edward's eyes always gave away his moods. If he was angry they were black, and they turn softer brown as his mood improved. 12

" Hi Bells!"13

I jumped and whirled around. He loved to find new ways to make me jump out of my skin. I was scooped up into a kiss before I could reply though. Edward always has a strange effect on me, just like a drug. No matter how many times he kissed me I could never tell how I'd react, and this time I forgot to breathe again. I fainted dead away, not all that uncommon lately. 14

" You have got to stop doing that!" Edward laughed.15

" I ..Can’t...help it!" I replied breathless.16

He set me on my bed, and took both my hands. Even though I was the only person who's mind he couldn't read, he seemed to always able to read my emotions. 17

" What's wrong?" He asked looking grave. His ocher eye boring into mine. 18

" Well, you see my mom called today.."19

" Is she alright?"20

" Yeah, but she had some news. You see Phil got tickets to go on this cruse, and well mom wouldn't take no for an answer. You know how she can be..."21

" What's the point Bella?" He was starting to look graver and graver.22

" I'm leaving Friday. It's only a week Edward."23

" I don't like it. You could fall over board, the boat could sink, or kidnapped you never know with you."24

I tried to push him off, but his arms were like a steal cage around me. I hate when he treats me like I'm an idiot.25

" Look Bella I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I love you too much to lose you again not even for an instant. Look at me Bells I love you. You know I worry." I reluctantly looked into his eyes. I know he meant well, but it still made me feel sad. 26

" Well I guess you could come, but I can't see how. You would have to stay inside all day, and mom would ask questions if you suddenly showed up."27

" I know, but why do you have to go? Can't you tell your mom you got a job, or something?"28

" No she's been talking to my dad all week. I think he's in on it."29

" He still doesn't like me does he?"30

" Well he'll come around."31

Friday was a dark drizzly sort of day, not a sign just unavoidable. Edward had become harder to deal with, and my dad didn't help matters any. He just barely let Edward drive me to the airport. Normally Edward drove at break knack speed, all the Cullens' had a thing for speed, but he drove excruciatingly slow the whole fifty miles to the airport. We didn't speak either, it was not a pleasant trip. You would have thought I was going to be executed or something. 32

We got to the airport just in time, maybe he wanted me to miss the plane knowing Edward probably. I kissed him once then tried to pull away, but he had me in his iron grip. 33

" Please promise me you won't do anything stupid."34

" Edward! Come off of it! It's not like I'm likely to fall over board or drown or whatever you’re thinking. Please would you just relax! I am going to be very very careful I promise. Now I have to go! I'll call you when I get to Florida, okay?" His shoulder drooped in a defeated fashion and sighed. He kissed me once more, and walked away. If I would have known the nightmare that would fallow I swear I would have just ran after him, and never have even gotten on the plane.  35

It was an only a twelve hour trip to Miami, but it seemed only to take a few hours.  Funny isn’t it how time behaves irregularly when your mind is occupied. Mom was bouncing of the walls, when she finally caught site of me.  I swear mothers are put on this earth just to embarrass the hell out of us kids, but all in all it could have been a million times worse considering the source.  She let a war hoop  that made people whirl around startled.  I have to admit I was just as happy to see her, but maybe more calm. Mom is my best friend after all, can you say the same?  I maybe just weird that way,  well maybe I am just weird period. I mean how many people would hang around vampires all the time? After the hug, tears, kisses, and more tears we finally got my luggage and left for the docks. We would leave that night at six o’clock sharp. I thought that was weird, but I had no experience what so ever in the world of cruses.  The ship was huge! It looked just like a huge floating white mansion.  I would be lost in no time I was sure. Edward didn’t need to fear my falling overboard it was unlikely I could even find the rail.  I called Edward as soon as I found my room. It was hard to believe, but somehow I had managed to get my own room even more unbelievable was I had a phone. I didn’t talk to him long, I was too hyper to stay in my room. I spent  the hour until I had to meet Phil and mom for a late dinner exploring everything I could find. Unfortunately I was right about the lost part. Lucky for me though there were helpful stewards every where that pointed me back to the magnificent dinning room. The room was the most beautiful room I had ever been in. It had mahogany walls that led to up to mirrored paneling, maroon chairs and table clothes, a huge water fall, and, my favorite part the two story chandelier. I loved the ship it was perfect.   The meals were wonderful and of large portions I guess they knew the appetite exploring could give you.  36

I spent a very long time the next day swimming, tanning, and just plain doing nothing at all. The next I was all over the ship with mom. We had a blast finding new surprises. Our third night was when things first started getting rocky. An unexpected storm was headed our way. The captain turned us back toward Florida, but we never made it even close.  37

The storm was so loud I didn’t hear the alarm until the electricity went out, but by then it was too late. I had been in my room lying on my bed trying to easy my sea sick stomach. Mom and Phil were having the same trouble. Their room was two floors up from my mine; I got lost almost every time I tried to find it. I was scared, but it could be much worse considering it was me. Of course it got worse that’s just how my luck runs. It was dead quiet in the hall the only sounds I heard were from the storm, and the creak of the ship.38

‘Where is everybody!’ was the only thought I could come up with. If I had been scared before I was near panic now. I put my hand on the wall and tried to think. I could remember there was a flight of stairs close to my room, but I was disorientated in the dark. I wasn’t sure which way to go, but I knew if I stayed here it would only get worse.  I started jogging with my hand on the wall, but as usual my natural clumsiness tripped me up.  I fell head first on the very stairs I had been searching for.  Maybe I had had so much bad luck that fate decided I needed some good luck too keep things balanced, but  they were the right ones.  I had blood on my knees, my hands, and forehead, but at least I knew some what were I was headed.  I finally made out side some time later. I have no idea exactly how much time had passes it could have been minutes or hours I was that confused. The storm had died down by the time I reached to deck, but there was no one there either. Then I noticed something more frightening than anything I could imagine. I looked up, and saw a perfect circle of clear sky. The storm wasn’t over, this was just the eye.  I looked around frantically not knowing if a ship even one of this size could survive a hurricane.  I then noticed that all the life boats were gone. I had been left on a doomed ship. I had no doubt that I was going to die. It seemed as if fate had finally caught up to me. It never accrued to me to think of were they had taken the life boats to. I couldn’t think like that yet. With all I have ever been through I have never once gone into this kind of shock. I couldn’t move. The next thing I remember was all hell breaking lose, and hitting the uncaring  ocean.39

When I finally regained consciousness I had no clue were I was, or even if I was alive. I could hear voices, but they seemed so very far away. 40

“ Is she even still alive?” asked a harsh female voice.41

“ Yeah, she’s waking up! Hey honey glad to see your okay! We were so worried about you.” Another unfamiliar female’s voice. I opened my eyes with some effort. I saw a dark faced black haired woman examining me.42

“ Mom? Where’s my mom? And Phil! Are they okay?” my voice cracked and finally broke.43

“ I am so sorry sweetie, but we have no idea were you came from. You washed up on the beach three days ago.” I felt my heart drop to my stomach.44

“ I was on a cruse ship. I got left behind when they all left I don’t know were they went.”45

“ It doesn’t matter any way now.” said the harsher voice. This woman was blond , tan, and her face and eye were like ice. “ The master never lets us go once he has us, same goes for you.  Shame you’re so young though, you’ll never get off this island alive.”46

“ Hush Sandy the poor thing doesn’t need to hear that right now. I am so sorry honey, but she’s right. I’m Angela by the way., and this is  Madras’s harem.”47

“ Harem? You mean… you’re like his wives? You mean he wants to be….”48

“ Well not exactly you see Madras isn’t human he’s a  vampire you see.” I just looked at her shell shocked.  Never in my wildest dreams could I ever dream up a nightmare this horrific. 49

“ Uh, by the way we should get you washed and dressed. The master ordered us to bring you to him as soon as you were up.” 50

“ How many?”51

“ There are thirty-six of us now that you’ve come along.  You don’t need to be scared by the way. The master has never hurt a hair on any of our heads. He only eats men so you’ll be just fine here with us.”52

“No how many vampires?”53

“ Oh, at least five the master uses them as servants. If they ever try to harm us though their killed. You really have nothing to worry about.” The blond called Sandy just sniffed at this. Then a bright thought occurred to me; Alice would find me as soon as they knew I was missing.  I felt a rush of relive fall over me.  I was not doomed to be stranded on  this damned island. It would be no time at all before they came, and got me. There were not so many vampires that the Cullens wouldn’t be able to win a war either. I decided since I was stuck here for at least a little bit I would spend some time studying the way this vampire ran his little coven. It would be interesting at the very least. 54

That night the ladies’  of  Madras’s harem dressed me in the most spectacular gown I had ever seen. It looked as if it had come straight out of the fifteenth century. It had a blue under dress and a white lace over coat. It felt as if it weighed twenty pounds. I would never be able to walk let alone sit. At least there were no heels to the blue silk shoe I was given to match. My hair was dressed up in real pearls they made me feel like a queen. 55

I was escorted up the long narrow stairs by Angela. She paused at a large oak door, and turned to me gravely.56

“ Listen to me sweetie, the master sometime takes a strong liking to some of us. If you wind up as one of his favorites he’ll never leave you alone. I don’t know what to say to help you. There is no way to tell how he’ll react. Just be quiet, and only speak if he asks you a question. Perhaps he’ll think you too shy.” Angela said as she straightened my dress. I nodded stiffly, I was more nervous than I thought. She patted my shoulder and walked back down the stairs. I stood there for a minute or two not quite sure what to do, but the door swung open before I could decide.57

There stood a short man, he may have still been young when made it’s hard to say.  He had hair so black it was almost blue, red eyes, and a very handsome face and build. He wore old fashioned black leggings, and  a lose white shirt. He could have passed for a pirate. He took my hand so fast that I jumped, and kissed it gently. 58

“ You are a very pretty one! What’s your name?”  Madras asked in a alluring voice.59

“I’m Bella, sir.” I wasn’t as scared as I thought, much to my surprise.60

“ Please come in, I want to get a better look at you. Ah yes, you’re as pretty as I imagined you’d be. How old are you my dear?”61

“ I’m seventeen, sir.”62

“ A girl as pretty as you must call me Madras.”63

“ Thank you.”64

“ Here you sit there, I will be right back.”  The room I had been led into was painted hunter green, and had an oak paneling that went half way up the wall. The table was made of the same wood, and the cushions matched the walls perfectly. To my surprise there was an old fashioned bed in the room with a comforter of the same hunter green. I was still wondering about it when Madras returned.65