"So, are you sure you don't need to head home now?" Theo asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he navigated the winding roads back toward Forks. Beside him, Alice was seated comfortably, her hands deftly moving across the keypad on her phone.
"Nope. I already messaged Carlisle and told him I was going to be spending more time with you."
"And he won't question why you're ignoring the curfew he so graciously 'suggested'?" Theo asked with a chuckle. After showing Alice his supernatural strength, she'd essentially dragged him into the car and demanded they return to his apartment so they could lay all their cards on the table.
"He only said that because he thought I'd be keeping my status hidden for a while longer. It doesn't matter anymore, seeing as I spilled the beans after one kiss," Alice said, a pout forming on her face.
"It was a damn good kiss. Even I exposed my secret. It's going to be tough surprising you if you keep kissing me like that."
"Shush, you." Embarrassed, she gently swatted his shoulder. "I didn't think that we'd both have something so life-changing to expose. Why did you tell me? You could have kept it a secret, and I probably wouldn't have figured it out for a while."
"Well, it's not like I 'needed' to keep it secret. Plus, it was only fair," Theo said with a shrug.
Alice fiddled with the car radio before finding a station that played some variation of lo-fi tunes, then leaned back into her seat. Both of them were still coming to terms with the details they had shared. On Theo's side, he hadn't expected her to spill the metaphorical beans so early into their relationship, and Alice was busy trying to piece together the anomaly that was Theo.
The drive took a little under thirty minutes, Theo speeding comfortably through the now-empty roads before arriving back at his apartment. He guided her through the exterior door, up the stairs, and into his home with a slight flourish.
"Welcome back to Casa Theo."
They both sat on the couch, and Alice immediately latched onto his body, her vampiric strength clutching his arm, though it felt weak in comparison to Theo's monstrous power.
"So," she said, looking up at him, "you're actually human? Because this doesn't make sense to me. I can hear your heartbeat, but you're well above something 'natural'."
Sighing, Theo leaned into her touch and thought about his words. He didn't want to lie to her, but he also needed to toe a fine line. She lived in a house with someone who could read minds, and if she ever visited the Volturi, they might discover him. Sure, he could probably take them all on with relative ease at his current level—not to mention how strong he'd be in the future—but it would be a headache to deal with.
"It sort of happened when I came into town," he said slowly. "Believe me, I was a normal person before Forks. But on the first night, something changed deep inside of me. My body began to 'enhance', I guess. Every day since, I've evolved even further, and I don't know if I'll ever find my limits."
He knew it sounded absurd, but unless he gained some ability to protect her mind, he didn't want to mention the Gacha System. Even then, he wasn't sure if he ever should. It was so fanciful that it bordered on the ravings of a lunatic.
"Were your parents... different?" Alice asked gently.
"Not at all. Completely normal blue-collar workers, not an ounce of 'oddness' in them."
They both fell into silence for a while as Theo allowed Alice to work through whatever thoughts she was having. Sure, if he were a normal person, knowing she was a vampire would be... different. But that didn't apply to him. He knew she wouldn't reject him, but he also knew her worldview had shifted slightly.
"You're not in danger from whatever it is that's changing in you, right?" she eventually asked, the concern evident on her features. Pulling her closer, Theo merely shook his head.
"I'll be honest, if anything, it's been more beneficial to me than dangerous. I don't know how strong you vampires truly are, but I know for a fact that I'll eventually get stronger."
"How do you suppose that?"
"Simple. The first day I arrived here, I could barely bring two suitcases up the stairs without being tired. Now? Well, lifting the car was... just as easy as breathing. I've been testing my limits daily, and every time I seem to come close to a limit, I overcome it."
Glancing at the clock, Theo saw that it was past midnight. Even though he could adapt to remove the necessity to sleep—something he enjoyed—he wanted the conversation to progress past his powers.
"Enough about me, Alice. Tell me more about you and the whole 'vampire' situation."
Moving slightly in his arms, Alice leaned back so she could have a clear view of his face.
"Being a vampire is... an incredible thing, but sometimes it can be hard. You know that I've been 'alive' since the 1920s, and the world has changed a lot. We need to move around every ten or so years because people start questioning why none of us age. Sure, the earlier we come to a new town, the longer we stay, but we rarely interact with other people for our own safety."
Theo raised an eyebrow at that. "The witch trials ended a long time ago, so do you mean you cut contact with humans because of your nature? Like, the hunger?"
Alice subtly nodded. "It... it's difficult being around humans. We don't drink their blood; instead, we hunt animals in the surrounding forests. It's not much, but it's enough to survive on without letting our bloodlust consume us."
Theo somewhat understood her words. From the knowledge he had upon arrival, the Cullens were known as vegetarians in their world, choosing to blend in with society and never consume human blood. They weren't trying to be humans, but instead attempting to have a fraction of life that wasn't surrounded by their baser instincts.
"So, why high school? Dealing with hormonal teenagers day in and day out... isn't it hell?"
With a giggle, Alice nodded. "It's not the best, but going to high school allows us to naturally graduate and go off to college. That gives us an easier cover story for our identities."
Pulling Alice into his lap, Theo picked up the remote sitting next to him and turned on the speakers in his apartment; a soft tune played as she looked into his eyes.
"So, how does it work exactly? The turning?" Theo asked. He wanted her to open up more about the side she'd kept hidden from him, regardless of his knowledge. "Oh! Do you have fangs? That would look so hot on you."
Alice scowled at his words. "Don't be silly. Those are stories that are made up."
"Says the vampire."
"Shush," Alice said, her lips touching his in a gentle kiss. "When our bodies are remade, or reborn, the blood inside of us is replaced with venom. If I were to bite you, I could choose to make my bite contain venom, which would turn you, or I could bite you simply to consume blood, with no venom."
That was something Theo wasn't completely sure about, hence why he'd asked. There were many theories regarding how vampires actually turned others, and he had no idea they could selectively bite with their venom.
"So why haven't you bitten me? From my limited understanding, vampires consume blood, and I'm full of it, but you've been awfully controlled," he asked, a grin on his face.
"When I first met you, I had to control myself, and it was hard. But for some reason, in the time we've spent with one another, your scent has become muted. It's almost like it's hiding from me. Even though I can hear your heart and blood, it's like they have no smell whatsoever."
Theo paused at that revelation. 'Have I been subconsciously hoping to suppress the smell coming from me so she would be more comfortable? Obviously, she can still smell me, so maybe because I'm not in danger, the adaptation isn't as important?' He wasn't sure, but Theo somehow knew his powers were working on a subconscious level to protect him.
"Weird," he muttered, snapping back to attention. "Could be something to do with how odd my body is? We'll have to see if anything changes."
"Mhmm!" Alice said, beaming at his words. The inclusion of her in his future plans seemed to have brought a sparkle into her eyes.
As they sat in amicable silence, their bodies melded together, Alice and Theo spoke about idle subjects. Both felt mentally worn out due to the magnitude of the night, and they were happy to just bask in one another's company.
Unfortunately, the comfortable moment was eventually shattered by Alice's phone ringing. Theo watched as she picked it up; the caller ID had Edward's name, and he was curious as to why he was calling so late.
He ignored the fact that if he focused he could listen to their conversation, waiting as Alice's mood turned sour quickly. She slammed the phone shut and turned to Theo, a pout on her face as she leaned into him.
"I knew he'd do something stupid, but he couldn't keep his mouth shut," Alice said in annoyance.
"What did Edward do?"
"Apart from saving Bella from being raped—which is not the subject of my annoyance—he pretty much told her he had powers... Oh, I never told you about that, did I?" Alice said, switching subjects instantly.
Waving off the change, Theo asked her to continue, but she promised to explain their powers detail at a later date.
"Anyway, she now knows that he can read minds, and he essentially gave her all the relevant information that anyone with a half-functioning brain, and access to the internet could use to piece together his secret."
"What's the problem with her knowing, though?" Theo questioned. "You told me, and by the looks of it, everything worked out for the better, right?"
Another large grin spread across her face as she nodded her head enthusiastically before switching emotions almost instantly.
"The problem is that she's a child, with a father and mother, still in school!" Alice said with an exasperated voice. "He can barely control himself around her, and one small accident could lead to her death. We'd all be ruined. Edward would probably go and try to get himself killed. It would be an absolute mess."
He watched as Alice slumped into him, her body going boneless as she seemingly gave up having the ability to sit straight.
'Her point is valid, really. Bella has the survival instinct of a wet noodle, and the moment she figures out he's a vampire, she's going to rush off to him, declaring her love, even though she has no way to defend herself.'
"So why did he call?" Theo whispered into Alice's ear, enjoying how her body vibrated in response.
"I need to go home. We're having another family meeting, and he needs help on what to do next." In an almost depressed manner, Alice stood up and brushed the wrinkles from her clothes. "I wanted to stay here tonight. I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's fine. Go do what you need to do, and we can catch up after you finish pretending to be a student, alright?"
With a huff of annoyance, Alice nodded before pecking him on the cheek and taking her leave. He didn't question how she'd get home, but expected the small vampire to speed through the forest.
Slumping back on the couch, Theo stared at the ceiling of the apartment.
"What the fuck have I got myself into?" he said to himself. He'd always planned on becoming a part of the greater world, but he thought it would be based on his growth in power, not the fact that he was now in a relationship with a vampire tied to the core of a soon-to-be war.
"Whatever. I'll just get so strong that no one can touch me, or Alice. I don't want to use violence, but if words aren't enough to stop danger, I'll have to resort to it."
With a thought, he pulled up the System panel and started sifting through his user profile. He didn't check it much, as it merely showed the powers he gained, either through Gacha or adaptation. He had hoped it would show numerical values of his strength, but it wasn't an option.
Slowly moving through the information, Theo paused on a particular skill, one he wouldn't have paid attention to before the conversation with Alice.
[New Trait: The Grey Scent]
Type: Passive Skill
Description: Your biology secretes a neutralizing enzyme that erases your natural scent and releases a trace hunger-suppressant. This chemically blocks the olfactory kill-triggers of predatory species, causing them to perceive you as inanimate "background noise" rather than food.
Sitting up, Theo leaned forward as he thought about Alice's words. It made absolute sense now that he had been subconsciously willing himself to need a way to blend in more, even though it was born from his initial idea of steering clear of Alice and, by extension, the Cullens.
'Well, that makes things a little easier, doesn't it?'
It meant that the vampires, and even werewolves, would completely look past his scent in favor of others. He was a chameleon to their supernatural senses in a way. Plus, Theo could see the benefits of Alice not wanting to try and feast on him every second, unlike Edward would for Bella.
Pushing past the fortunate skill, Theo found another interesting entry in his System, one that hadn't appeared before. Due to the make-out session with Alice, he'd consumed some of her DNA. Fortunately, it wasn't venom, which meant that he wasn't subjected to the forced transition.
'Can I assimilate this now?' he thought, mentally inspecting the entry.
The option was available, and Theo knew that he would be stupid not to use it. The benefits were unknown, but he knew that the negatives were completely eradicated in the process of assimilation. With a thought, he willed the process to begin.
Closing his eyes, Theo braced for the pain he expected to follow. It took a couple of seconds of silence before he opened his eyes in confusion. There was a subtle warmth in his chest that began to flow throughout his entire body, but nothing as drastic as when he had consumed the Sea King Meat.
Seconds turned into minutes, and he could feel how his anatomy was taking on certain traits of the vampires. Their diamond-hard skin properties merged with his own, enhancing his defenses and durability. From there, he felt as if something snapped deep within himself, as if an unending pool of energy appeared. The sensation was intense, and Theo's whole body vibrated with unbridled energy.
[Status Update: Cold Ones Assimilation]
Durability Increased: Muscle fibers and dermis are now highly reinforced with biological diamond lattices, granting extreme resistance to tearing and piercing while retaining flexibility.
Stamina: Null-Fatigue. Lactic acid production is eliminated. You now possess infinite physical stamina and require zero respiratory recovery.
[New Trait: Future Sight]
Type: Passive
Description: Perceive visual flashes of future timelines based on the current decisions of individuals. Visions are fluid and update in real-time as intentions shift. (Visions will occur regarding other people depending on the connection with them.)
[New Trait: Camouflage]
Type: Active Stealth
Description: Utilizing chromatophores and thermal regulation, you can voluntarily shift your physical traits to perfectly replicate a Vampire, including their vampiric pheromones.
[New Trait: Genesis Venom]
Type: Support
Description: You can inject specific genetic material to either graft individual abilities (e.g., Void Mind, Increased Attributes) onto a recipient or fully overwrite their biology to transform them into a Second Generation Ancient Human.
"H-Holy fuck..." He had no other words as his mind shut down. Theo had assumed that he'd gain a low degree of enhancement, but nothing on this level. His worldview shattered and somehow rebuilt itself as he realized how much of a boon using Alice's DNA was to himself.
'This changes the game even further. Oh, I can use this so much in the future; those Volturi won't know what hit them if they try anything.'
**********
I'm spoiling y'all, but here's another chapter. Had to edit it multiple times, but I think it's decent. Answers some questions, fixes some plotholes I missed, and we saw some new abilities.
Let me know your thoughts! Leave a comment or review, and donate powerstones. Your support shows me this story is being well received, which makes me write more chapters!
EDIT! I missed adding Alice's power to the MC. Fixed now!