(Thomas POV)
The air changed as we pushed deeper into the green of the Amazon over the next few days. Edythe moved at an easy pace, and Leah and I ranged around her. I experimented with my different sizes and settled on my regular-sized tiger form. The Dire tiger form made much more noise moving through the underbrush. Sure, it looked impressive from a standpoint, but it was a bit impractical, as Leah was finding out.
Her large size and heavy grey fur were not meant for the heat of this jungle. Her place was definitely more in the mountains and snowy valleys of North America. However, she was keeping pace with relative ease. Even in my smaller size, my unusual color had no camouflage ability, so if it wasn't for my other strengths, I would find surviving here impossible as well.
"We should be getting close to their territory," Edythe called out. "Let me know if you pick up any fresh trails before I do."
About fifteen minutes later, Leah recoiled and reached out. {"Eww, you didn't tell me they were blood sucker vampires."}
I picked up the burnt sugar smell that she had caught and trotted over to join her.
{"Smells old, but it's definitely not the sweet smell you put out love."}
"Yes, they are natural vampires. Though they try to live a life of seclusion. They feed on some of the cannibal tribes that inhabit this part of the forest. My family met them on a hunting trip back in the 1940's. Carlisle's compassionate nature impressed them, and we became friends."
{"Do you know how long they have been here?"} I asked as I moved around, trying to pick up a more recent scent trail.
"The oldest is Kachiri, it was her that turned the other two. But they don't keep track of time, so there is no way of knowing. It is possible that Kachiri is the oldest vampire we have ever come across. Or she could just be eight or nine hundred years old."
Leah's mind hit mine like a shove.
{"Eight or nine hundred isn't 'old,' Edythe. That's a whole religion."}
I felt Edythe's amusement like warmth at my back. "You'll like them," she said anyway, confident in a way only a vampire could be. "Once you stop imagining they're waiting to eat you."
We kept moving until the light began to fade. We came across their trail several times, but it was all days old. When we came to a small clearing, Edythe turned to Leah and me.
"Let's stop here for the night. You two set up camp and get a fire going, and I will get you something to cook. I saw some Jaguar prints today, and I can feed on it before we cook it. It's considered one of the finest meats in the Jungle from what I have heard. I am sure you will like it."
I shifted to human and reached for the backpack Edythe was holding out. I pulled my clothes on and held the bag out for Leah next as she shifted back as well.
"What are the chances your friends find us before we find them?" I asked.
Edythe looked thoughtful, "Actually, pretty good. This is their home after all. If they approach before I return, call them by name and tell them I am hunting. They are very curious and won't act without reason."
"Kachiri, Senna, and Zafrina, right?" Leah asked as she pulled her T-shirt over her head.
Edythe nodded and looked off into the forest. "I won't be gone long. Get that fire going so you two can eat."
With that, she ran off into the coming darkness.
With Edythe gone, the clearing felt different. More foreign and less welcoming. I moved through the area, collecting whatever wood I could find that would burn, and returned to see Leah making a stone ring to contain the fire, as well as two larger stones to hang a spit over so we could cook the meat Edythe brings back.
We kept the conversation light and waited for our fresh meat to arrive before starting the fire, there was no use in wasting good firewood. A bit later, Edythe returned, her eyes freshly gold and her hands full of what I assumed was the prey she had gone after, Jaguar. I started cooking right away as it happened to be my turn…to be told how I was doing it wrong before Edythe took over.
To be fair, she did cook it wonderfully, and that just added to the flavor of the meat. Leah was loud with praise and wished she could save some for Seth. I had noticed in the conversations over the last couple of days that family members had started to be mentioned more often lately. Even I was guilty of it. It left me wondering if we were starting to miss everyone just a little, but there was still a bit more than a week before we had to head back to be in time for Bella's wedding.
That night, around three in the morning, I curled up with Leah and actually slept for a few hours. When I woke up, I was surprised to see three women standing at the edge of the clearing, and Edythe had taken no notice of them.
"Love," I said to Edythe. "Didn't you say that one of your friends could cast illusions?"
Edythe looked over at me, "Yes, Zafrina has that ability. Why do you ask?"
"Well, if you cast your mind in that direction, you may hear her." I pointed to the three women, who were now looking at me with surprised expressions.
Leah's eyes snapped open as if my words had startled her. I placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay, love. They don't seem hostile. I think they were just playing a practical joke or something."
Whatever the vampire Edythe called Zafrina was doing to block the girl's sight must have been removed because they both now had eyes locked on the three visitors.
They were all very tall with their hair in almost identical black braids. Their body portions looked elongated for some reason, longer legs and arms than was normal. Their clothing was all leather, from their vests to their lace-up pants. Heavy black paint around their eyes made the red eyes stand out. All together they looked wild and exotic.
"You see through my illusion?"
The one I assumed to be Zafrina asked me directly.
I nodded my head, "Yeah. Doesn't work on me."
Edythe rose in one smooth motion, no fear in it, no hesitation. Just recognition.
"Kachiri," she said, voice warm but careful. Then her eyes moved to the others. "Senna."
Her smile sharpened when it landed on the third. "Zafrina."
The three women stepped forward at the same time, silent as smoke. Their movements were fluid and fast, the kind of coordination you only got when people had spent centuries together.
Zafrina finally took her eyes off me and turned to smile at Edythe.
"It is good to see you, young one."
"Then what's with the illusory greeting?" Edythe asked in mock outrage.
Zafrina looked back at Leah and me, "We didn't recognize the smells that accompanied you. A mix of humans and unknown animals. We were curious."
"Oh, that... You were smelling my new family. This is my mate Thomas and our mate Leah. Thomas can turn into a tiger, and Leah can become a wolf."
The look of confusion on the three vampires' faces took a moment to register on me. They probably have never heard of a wolf or tiger.
Wanting to clear up their confusion, I thought for a moment and then tried to explain. "Think of Leah as a large Bush Dog, but much smarter and pack-oriented. My form is something like a large Jaguar but more fur and white, also much larger."
The three of them looked at me with some confusion still in their eyes, but seemed to accept what I had said. It didn't matter much; when we shifted, they would see.
The following week was one of wonder as the three vampires showed us so many wonders around their home. They didn't seem to have a built house or even a cave that they stayed in for anything more than a night or two. Their life revolved around traveling the Amazon and living for each other, nothing more.
Leah finally began to relax around them after the first few days, and surprisingly, she struck up a friendship with Senna, the youngest of the trio.
With only a few days left before catching our plane back to Seattle, we decided to separate in the morning.
During a lull in conversation, after receiving a rather pointed look from Kachiri, Zafrina addressed Edythe, who was currently wrapped in my arms as she leaned her back into my chest.
"It is good that you wanted us to meet your mates, Edythe. But I believe it is time to tell us what else drew you here at this time."
Edythe let out a sigh, "There are two other reasons for me seeking you out besides the ones I have told you already. The first one is to tell you that Edward will be marrying Thomas's sister in a little over a week, and he wants to invite you. I told him that nothing short of a fight would draw you from your lands, but he insisted I ask."
Zafrina looked over at the trio's leader, Kachiri, and then at Senna. They both gave the same tilt of their head, and Zafrina replied.
"You are correct, we would express joy for your brother, but our hearts are here in our jungles."
Edythe nodded as if she expected as much. "The other reason is that Edward is worried he may have unintentionally brought trouble your way. We have told you about the Volturi before, and you had no interest in them or their rules. However, Aro may have learned of you from reading Edwards memories."
She then explained what had happened with the Volturi and us, holding nothing back. She finished with a simple warning, "Aro may find your abilities interesting enough to try and recruit you into his coven. Please be careful, and I can not tell you how sorry we are that we revealed you to them."
Zafrina waved her hand in disregard, "It matters none, if I do not wish them to find us, they will not." Then she looked at me, "Unless they have some with powers like your mate."
Edythe assured the trio that the Volturi had none with the ability of Thomas, but my mind drifted in another direction. If Zafrina used her ability on Jane… Just say she created a vision where she stood two feet to the left, and Jane only made eye contact with the illusion… Then no pain visions. But Jane's brother's ability was supposed to be an area effect, so it would need a bigger illusion…
I shook my head. There was no reason to go looking for a fight with the Volturi. But in the back of my mind, my thoughts held the idea, if it was ever needed.