AN: no humans were harmed in the making of this story (except perhaps for my sister, who thankfully only received a few bruises, broken bones and chipped teeth!)

The Ninth Cullen

Prologue

Alice turned to Carlisle, her golden eyes blank as though she was daydreaming.

"Carlisle, we're going to have a new member of the family." She said and he looked surprised and confused.

"What do you mean Alice? None of us are capable of having children, so unless…" he broke off, Alice's meaning beginning to dawn on him. "Oh."

"But we need to hurry if we're to save her." Alice said, her eyes still blank and Carlisle grabbed her hand.

"Then we'd better go now. If that's a vampire attacking her, as you say it is, it'll only be scared off if there are more than just one of us there." He said and she stood up. Together, they ran out of the house and into the Tasmanian forest, towards the scent of blood and screams that were now reaching the two vampires.