Official Description:
While hunting one afternoon, the boys stumble upon what appears to be a corpse. When they learn it’s a severely broken vampire, they take him home to do what they can to help. But of course, fate has plans for this man. Canon Couples. AU.
Word Count: 173,497
Back when I first started reading fic, The Vampire in the Basement was one of those stories that I would drop everything to read. It took a long time to complete, but it was totally worth it.
Human Bella is friends with the Cullens (who are vamps) and goes over to their house one afternoon while everyone is out. For some reason, she goes into the basement and finds:
Part of me realized I should be afraid to approach him. He was terrified and he was lethal, and I assumed that that combination was the reason the others had forbid me to come to this house at all. But there he sat, pushed as far into the corner as he could manage, his back to me. His knees were pulled so tightly to his chest that I think he would actually be incapable of breathing even if he had to. My heart lurched.
I could see every curve of his ribs as they curled around his sides. I could make out every single distinct disc of his spine. It was obvious that he was starved. His frame trembled slightly at the sound of my footsteps, slowly descending down the staircase. I couldn’t make my feet stop if I wanted to, and I didn’t want to. I didn’t doubt that, as weak as this vampire was, he could snap me in half before I could blink.
But I stood there, watching his shaking frame with wide eyes, knowing that it was beyond my control now. I needed to reach out to him. He needed me to reach out to him.
For some reason, the only person that is able to get near this mysterious vampire is Bella. She feels protective of him. Eventually, their relationship grows into something more. They don’t know where he came from or what happened to him, and the mystery unfolds as we figure out Edward’s past. This Edward is one of the sweetest ever, and this Bella is one of the strongest. This story is one of my favorites, and I hope that you’ll read it!
Here’s what we had to say back in the day:
Kassiah says: This story is so sweet. I know that is not what most people are going to say when they read it or check it out, but I think it is. Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper find a vampire out in the woods who is starved and afraid. They bring him home, and Bella is the only one that he doesn’t flip out about being near him. As they are nursing him back to health, they find out more about who he is and where he came from.
MF’er says: SO, so, SO many people recommended this to me… and because I typically don’t see vamp fics, I didn’t know anything about it… I love the idea and the build-up that Michelle has given us so far. I really can’t wait to find out the backstory on Edward and what’s been going on since he was changed… and of course, for him to open up some more. You should definitely be reading this!
Sigh. I loved, loved, loved your first Flashback feature. I’ve read most of these fics and it was a treat to read what others have said about them. The only ones I’ve missed are Tropic of Virgo and Dark Side of the Moon, and I think your recs will finally get me to move them up on my TBR list.
Of all these wonderful stories, if I had to pick just one it would be Vampire in the Basement. Haunting, engaging, sweet, suspenseful, mysterious… The lovely web of relationships among the Cullens and Bella are all there, with the shock of Edward being the one who starts on the outside this time. The connection between damaged Edward and fierce Bella is just stunning, and I loved how Michellephants took her time letting it build and grow. She gives us especially fine insights into Carlisle and Jasper too.
If you can put this fic down once you start it, you’re stronger than me!
Congratulations on your three-year anniversary! I’m so grateful for your contributions to the fandom in general and to my reading pleasure in particular.