Jane and the Volturi disappeared into the trees. I couldn't look at the fire where the new vampire, Bree had been her name, was now burning. She was the one newborn that had surrendered instead of fighting against the Cullens. That didn't make any difference. "We don't give second chances," Jane had said. Then Bree was no more.

All of the Cullens were silent and still.

"Bree," Edward said in a low voice. He must have been very upset. Maybe not personally but for Carlisle. Edward had tried to plead for the young one. Carlisle hated death and violence. Edward's next statement surprised me. "Bree I can hear your thoughts. The others are gone and we still mean you no harm."

I looked up at him then followed his eyes to where the girl sat as still and anxious as before. A glance at the other Cullens told me that they were shocked too. "How? But I smelled...," I said. I looked back at Bree. Her hands were digging into the earth again. She looked at Edward and turned her head.

"Yes," he answered a question in her mind, "and we can stand upwind so that you can breathe. The others will want an explanation."

Bree looked down and nodded. She seemed calmer and more subdued. This was possibly due to Jane having tortured her.

Edward wrapped a protective arm around me and moved me to another position in the group further from Bree but still close enough to hear. He was now between me and the young vampire. I heard her take a deep breath. She must have been holding it so she wouldn't smell me.

"Thank you," she began in a high soprano voice. I could still see Bree and she was addressing Carlisle. Her face was no longer strained and I could now see her beauty. The brilliant red eyes were still her most dominant feature. She looked down again as though she wasn't sure what to say. I saw her glance at Jasper who again was taking a defensive stance near her.

"Bree," Carlisle spoke in his warm and gentle tone, "How did you do what you did? I'm not even sure what to call it."

"Projection," Bree answered, looking down still, "I have a talent for it. I'm a freak."

Edward let out a low chuckle that Carlisle, Emmet and Alice echoed. Rosalie, Esme and Jasper had not found it to be funny. I could guess that Jasper and Rose were not in the mood for joking, and Esme was too motherly to laugh at the girl.

"You're special," Esme said in a motherly tone.

Bree's sullen face held a temporary smile that soon fell. She glanced at Jasper again.

"You projected," Carlisle pressed, "When did you do that? We didn't notice. And how did you hide your real self?"

"I did it while those other ones," she shuddered, "were talking to you about the human. I knew that they wanted to kill me so I acted while they were distracted. They really don't like you all. Especially the human." I noticed that she did not look at me once. She was trying to stay in control. Young vampires relied heavily on instinct and I knew from Jasper's lessons that all of Bree's were saying jump across the fire and eat the human.

"Interesting," Carlisle mused. He liked mysteries and a vampire newborn with projection powers would of course peak his interests. "Bree can you control yourself if we take you back to our home. I will have to go to La Push to tend to Jacob but I would love to talk to you some more."

Jasper, Rose, Emmet, and Alice looked at Carlisle then Bree. Bree nodded slowly.

"She knows that she can trust you, Esme," Edward said, "You remind her of her mother and she won't attack you if you do that."

Esme walked toward Bree still being cautious. "Dear," she said warmly in her lovely voice, "Come with us." She did not put herself between Bree and Jasper but went to Bree's other side. Emmet moved behind them and Alice and Rosalie took point. They disappeared into the trees.

Carlisle watched them leave and turned to Edward.

"Bree sees the world a little differently," Edward answered before Carlisle spoke, "Projection is not her only affinity."