magic • j. hale [✓]

Chapter 16

Two days later, Ariella found herself lying down on a bed in a room that didn't seem to be hers. She found her wand on a bedside table and picked it up. She walked to the nearby mirror, and was startled when she found herself in front of the mirror in a second. She looked at her reflection. Her skin was as white as snow, and her eyes were as red as blood. She looked at herself.

'Is this really me?' Ariella thought to herself. She looked at her wand and waved it to see if there was anyone who was in the house. Apparently, there were 7 beings in the house, something that alerted Ariella. She exited the room, still bringing her wand with her. She went down the stairs silently. Not one of the seven vampires present in the house could hear her, not even Edward can hear her thoughts. They were all in the living room, waiting for Ariella to awake.

From the stairs, Ariella yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"

She had pointed her wand towards Emmett, who was now as stiff as a board and had fallen down to the floor. Ariella then pointed her wand towards the remaining six vampires. "I remember you. You were the cause of me driving like crazy."

"My dear, I –" Esme stepped forward, reaching out a hand for Ariella to take. Hesitantly, Ariella dropped her wand and took Esme's hand. As soon as their hands met, Ariella felt herself be pulled into a vision.

A young brunette in front of ultrasound and clutching her belly. The woman crying in despair from the loss of the baby. The woman jumping from a cliff. Carlisle biting the woman.

Ariella immediately pulled her hand away. A golden mist was surrounding her hand. Esme smiled slightly. "Seems as though she has a gift."

"Ariella, may we talk?" Carlisle asked, standing up then leading Ariella towards his office. As soon as they left the room, Emmett stood up slowly, the effects of the spell wearing of as Ariella muttered the counter-spell. In Carlisle's office, he explained everything there was to know about their world. Ariella felt understanding towards their situation and immediately felt silly for judging them very quickly. After the whole explanation, Ariella went out and hugged Rosalie and Alice.

"I'm so sorry." Ariella said, hugging Rosalie and Alice tightly.

"Too . . . tight!" Rosalie choked out. Ariella immediately let go and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, I seem to have forgotten about the strength thing." Ariella apologized.

"Hey there, newborn!" Emmett clapped Ariella's back enthusiastically.

"Hey! Uh, sorry about the whole petrifying you thing a while ago. I was just –" Ariella explained.

"Startled, scared and confused." Jasper entered the room and gave Ariella a small smile. "It's alright, we understand."

"How did you know that?" Ariella said, a bit in awe at what Jasper said.

"Well, when you become a vampire, you take the most prominent trait that you have when you're human then it becomes, like, 100 times better." Emmett explained. "They're called gifted vampires."

"Oh." Ariella said, nodding her head. "So . . ."

The golden mist from earlier surrounded her hand again, and even though she hasn't fed on animal blood yet, her eyes turned golden. "So . . . Jasper has pathokinetic abilities, Alice has premonition and Edward has the ability to read minds?"

The seven vampires looked at each other in surprise. Carlisle was the first to speak up. "It seems as though you have a gift as well, my dear."