"KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG" ANONYMOUS O/S CONTEST
Title: Brotherhood Four
Rating: M for language
Penname: SheeWolf85
Title of Song Used for the Serenade and Artist: Almost Easy by Avenged Sevenfold
Word Count: 4,524
Disclaimer/Note: All the familiar characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. The song and all lyrics belong to Avenged Sevenfold. The names of the bands (Brotherhood Four and Twisted Pink Box), however, are mine :) I do not plan to continue this oneshot, as I have way too much on my plate right now. Thank you for the contest reviews asking for more, they make me happy :)
Summary: Jacob and his metal band, Brotherhood Four, are just starting out, going from venue to venue. Sisters Bella and Nessie are weekly regulars at Tonix, a bar and music venue. Brotherhood Four plays one night when they go, and Nessie gets a little surprise.
Brotherhood Four
"How does this look?" Nessie Swan asked as she walked in to her sister's room.
Bella turned from her mirror to look at Nessie. She smiled and nodded. "You look good." She was wearing a faded jean skirt over black ripped leggings, a short black tank top that showed off her navel piercing, and black high heeled peep-toe shoes. She left her copper hair down, allowing it to flow over her shoulders and down her back.
Nessie turned in a quick circle, and then walked up to Bella. "You look good, too. You think that Eddie guy will be there?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "Edward. He's part owner of the place, why wouldn't he be there? And why else would I wear this?" She ran a hand down her body to show off her outfit. It was a short, and very tight, strapless black dress. Nessie smirked.
"Good point."
Bella turned back to her mirror to finish her makeup. Nessie reached out to run her fingers through Bella's straight brown hair.
"You should leave your hair down, too. Guys like long, straight brown hair, probably a lot better than they like curly red messes." She tugged at a curl of her own hair.
Bella sighed. "You look fine. And yes, I'm going to leave my hair down."
"Good. You should make your move tonight."
"Are you kidding me? This dress is my move."
Nessie leaned against the dresser. "No, I mean you should walk up to him and give him a kiss so deep he'll feel it in his toes."
Bella rolled her eyes. "I'm so sure that will work."
"He owns a bar. That plays heavy metal music. It will work."
"What about you? You gonna look for someone for yourself?"
Nessie looked down. "No."
"Oh, come on honey. You can't let one man end it all for you." Bella closed the mascara bottle and batted her eyes at the mirror before standing up straight and turning to her sister. "Just because the Bolivian asshole—"
"Brazilian, Bella. He was Brazilian. And yes, I can let him end it all for me. He was the only person I've really been able to connect to; like he was the one I'd been made for." Nessie sighed; she didn't want to talk about this anymore.
"Obviously he wasn't. If he was, he wouldn't have left you."
"Or maybe he was, and I'm just supposed to be alone all my life." Nessie's mood was ruined. She stood up from the dresser and started walking out.
Bella followed her.
"Nessie, sweetie… Wait a second. You're only twenty five years old, there's someone else out there for you. You just have to find him."
"That's easy for you to say, Bella. You've met your man; you just have to find a way to seduce him."
"Yeah, I finally met him. And I'm three years older than you. If I'd given up at twenty five, I might not have met him at all. Think about that."
Nessie rolled her eyes, but didn't fight when Bella pulled her into a hug.
"I love you, Nessie. And I trust that everything will work out for you. You just need to be patient and don't give up."
Nessie hugged her sister tightly. "I'll try."
"That's my girl. Now go finish getting ready. I'm going to help you scout tonight. No arguments."
Nessie sighed and kept her groan to herself as she went to finish preparing for her night out.
Fifteen minutes later, they were ready to go and met in the living room.
"I wish Alice was going to be there tonight," Nessie complained.
"I know, but Rose is gone. What would Twisted Pink Box be without their lead guitar? Alice said the band filling in for her is good, too. And if Alice says they're good, you should probably give them a chance. She knows her metal."
Nessie sighed as they got in the car. "Yeah, but they're probably not as good. I like Alice's band."
Nessie knew Alice would never lead them astray, but she still preferred the sound of Alice's grunge metal band to most others on the market.
~ BH4 ~
"Where the fuck is Seth?" Jacob yelled as he paced the room. "We can't have a goddamn show without our drummer!"
"Calm down, Jake."
Jacob turned to Quil, the bassist of the band, and glared at him. "We have a show in three hours, we still need to practice, our drummer is missing, and you want me to calm the fuck down?"
Quil shrugged. Jacob growled just as the door to their suite opened and a scrawny man with spiked hair walked in.
"Yo!" he called, smiling like an idiot. "What's up, guys?"
Neither Quil nor Embry dared say a thing as Jacob glared at the newcomer. Seth noticed the tension in the room and the look on the band leader's face. They all knew not to mess with Jacob in this mood.
"Where the hell have you been?" Jacob growled. "We were supposed to start practice an hour ago."
Seth swallowed, instantly sober. "Oh, uh... I, uh, met this girl… at lunch… and…" He trailed off, not sure what to say to save his ass.
Jacob closed his eyes in irritation. "Fine. Whatever. You ready to be a drummer?"
Seth nodded. "Yeah, dude. Let's get this party started." He went to his drums and sat down.
Jacob took a deep breath to calm down. "Everyone else ready?"
Embry and Quil nodded, picking up their guitars and turning on the amps. Now that the whole band was here, Jacob felt better. He took his place at the head of the band and they ran through a few songs.
When they'd finished enough songs to feel confident in their warm up, Jacob led the way to the stage where they set everything up.
Tonight was a big chance for Brotherhood Four. The bar Tonix wasn't a huge venue, but it was bigger than the ones they'd played in before. And unlike many of the other venues, this place knew how to handle metal. They even had their own female band that played every weekend. One of the members of the band had just gotten married and was on her honeymoon, and it was the only reason Jacob was able to book the spot tonight.
If they could make it here, they'd take another step up the ladder and have a better chance of the word being spread about them.
They had everything set up and tested just in time for the doors to open. They'd be introduced and go out in forty five minutes. In the mean time, the band hung out backstage, taking advantage of the refreshments set out.
Jacob looked through the curtain to the bar where people were ordering drinks, settling themselves in for what he hoped would be a good show. He had thought that, after a few years, the churning in his gut at the thought of playing in front of an audience would fade. Instead, it actually got worse. It seemed more and more was at stake for the band. Each time it was a bigger opportunity, and each time they could either win or lose it all. He'd never admit how scared he was that one bad show could end their chance.
With a sigh, he turned away from the curtain.
"We're on in twenty minutes."
Embry lightly punched Jacob's shoulder. "Tonight's gonna be awesome. Have you seen some of the ladies here? I mean, day-um!"
Jacob chuckled. "You would be thinking about girls."
"When is Embry not thinking about chicks?" Quil asked.
Seth and Jacob laughed. Embry just shrugged.
~ BH4 ~
Nessie and Bella walked in to the bar, and Bella straightened her dress.
"Help me look for him," Bella said.
Nessie sighed and looked around for the redheaded man her sister had somehow fallen for. She had met him one night when they were watching Alice's band play, and she had more than a few words to say to Nessie that night about his hair and jaw line.
The place was dark; the red bar lights along the walls casting an ethereal glow that offered just enough light to see where one was going. The counter offered the most light, even with the crowd that was hovered around it ordering and downing their drinks. It was already noisy, even though the music hadn't started yet. People were talking loudly, trying to be heard over the conversation next to them. In the midst of the chatter, more alcohol was poured, shot glasses were clinked together, and a glass was slammed against the counter.
Bella licked her lips and grabbed Nessie's hand, leading her toward the bar where the man she'd been looking for was pouring drinks. Nessie sat on the uncomfortable bar stool as Bella got Edward's attention.
"What can I get for you ladies?" Edward asked, flashing a brilliant smile to Bella. She giggled.
"Copper Camel, please."
Edward winked and turned to Nessie.
Nessie smiled. "Mad Melon for me."
He nodded and got their drinks. Nessie took hers and turned in her seat to look at Bella.
"You've got him hooked."
Bella sighed. "You really think so?"
"Unless he wasn't just staring at you like salvation and undressing you with his eyes, I'm sure."
"I wish I could get him alone and talk to him."
Nessie nodded and took a drink. The sour aftertaste had her lips puckering.
"Ask Alice to arrange it. You know she'd do it for you."
"I know. But then what would I say?"
"That you want to fuck him like the well-bred stallion he is."
Bella stared at Nessie with wide, surprised eyes for a second before bursting into laughter. "Right!"
Nessie just shrugged and took another drink.
A few minutes later, Edward walked up on to the stage.
"How's everyone doing tonight?" he said into the microphone. Nessie's and Bella's shouts were lost among the response.
"Well, I've got a treat for you tonight. This band will blow your mind. Please welcome, Brotherhood Four!"
Edward walked off the stage, and the crowd hollered with enthusiasm as the band walked onto the stage. Nessie nearly dropped her drink; she had been expecting a punk band with tiny punk members. The drummer was the only person who even came close to fitting her expectation with his gangly frame, young face, and hair gelled into short spikes on his head. The lead guitar was tall and thin, but not as lanky as the drummer. His shaggy hair went to his shoulders in the back, and the front fell in his eyes when he shook his head. The bassist was the shortest, but thicker than the other two and covered in tattoos. Of all four, it was the man in front who really caught her attention. He stood at the front of the stage, arms in the air as he greeted the crowd. He was huge, taller and thicker than the other three, yet toned and muscular. The tattered, gray wife beater he wore seemed to show off the size of his arms and the tribal tattoo running down the left side. The drummer looked like the youngest, in his early twenties, while the others looked in their late twenties to early thirties. They all had the same dark russet skin and black hair.
Nessie jumped when Bella poked her side.
"Who's the well-bred stallion?" she asked, raising one eyebrow. Nessie smiled and took a drink to keep from laughing. She had been thinking the exact same thing.
Jacob shook off his fear as he walked onto the stage. The crowd was cheering, which gave him a little confidence. The band got situated, and he grabbed the microphone.
"It's really great to be here," he said. "I'm Jacob Black, and this is my band: Embry Call on the guitar and backing vocals, Quil Ateara on the bass, and Seth Clearwater on the drums. I hope you enjoy the show. We're going to start things off with a one of my favorite songs."
He turned and gave the cue, and the band started playing.
Nessie bit her lip as the band played. Their sound was fast and harsh, and she honestly couldn't say if Brotherhood Four or Godsmack did the song better. She was only more impressed with his screams and growls.
She put her drink on the bar and clapped her hands high in the air, joining the crowd in their enthusiasm when the song was over. The band didn't waste any time, they went right into another song, this time Nessie recognized Disturbed.
Jacob cast a glance at Quil in between songs, and Quil smiled smugly. Jacob should have known his worrying wasn't needed; most people reacted well to their music. Still, it felt better to have confirmation in the form of loud, screaming applause. As they performed, he scanned the audience, stopping when he noticed a small redheaded woman at the bar. He kept his eyes on her for a second; she was staring right at him with an expression he knew all-too-well. Women liked his physique, and they usually got that glazed-over expression when they wanted him.
"How old do you think that drummer is?" Bella asked when the band played a song with an overzealous double kicker.
Nessie shrugged. "I don't know. But my God, that man's voice is amazing."
"I'd say you like more than just his voice. Look at you."
"Huh?" Nessie wasn't paying much attention to anything other than the man's performance and the way his dark skin shone from perspiration.
Bella laughed and waived her hand. "Never mind."
Toward the end of the set, Jacob nodded back to Embry and Quil, giving the signal that he was changing course. It was an idea he'd gotten from another band he saw when he was younger, and the rest of the band liked it.
"How we doin' so far?" he asked the audience. The screams answered the question and he chuckled. "Good, good. Thank you. We'd like to do something a little different, if we can. Which one of you would like to come up on stage with us?"
The screams got louder, and Jacob watched as several women pushed their way forward. He pretended to search the crowd, but really he knew exactly who he wanted to invite. The redhead at the bar turned and looked down, and for a second Jacob was disappointed. Then the brunette she was sitting with grabbed her hand and held it up, pointing at her vigorously. He smiled and pointed to the girl.
"Alright; you, the redhead back there, come up here."
Nessie ripped her hand away from Bella, her heart beating a million miles an hour.
"Did he really mean me?" she asked breathlessly. She hadn't wanted to volunteer, but Bella wasn't going to let her sit out and not try.
"Yes! Now get your ass up there before I have to light it on fire!"
Nessie took one more drink for courage, and walked up to the stage. She caught several girls glaring at her, but ignored them as she focused on her steps so she didn't trip. She wrung her hands in front of her as she made it to the stage. Jacob walked to her and put his arm around her shoulders. She decided she could die a happy woman at that moment. He was taller than she had first thought, and his entire body radiated heat. She looked up to see his dark eyes, playful yet intense. He was beautiful in a fierce and brutal way.
"What's your name?" he asked, holding the microphone to her.
"Um… Nessie?" She couldn't even think straight with his voice vibrating in his chest right next to her ear. His proximity and presence made her head spin.
"How are you doing, Nessie?"
"I'm good."
"Good. How'd you like to pick the next song?"
She licked her lips, wishing she had her drink with her as her stomach bottomed out. "Really?"
He chuckled. "Sure. Who's your favorite band? Besides Brotherhood Four?" He winked at her.
She chuckled nervously and picked the first band name that came to her mind. "I, um… I like Avenged Sevenfold."
"Yeah? Me too. What's your favorite song of theirs?"
She was starting to think clearly again, and it only made her more aware that the few hundred people in the bar were staring at her. Some of them were probably planning her murder for being the one Jacob picked. She swallowed thickly and tried to ignore the churning in her gut as she went through her mental list of songs to pick one she wanted to hear Jacob sing. She found it was difficult to choose just one. "Almost Easy?"
He smiled and nodded. "Good choice." He looked back at the band. "Up for that?"
"Hell yeah!" Seth called out, tapping on the drums. Embry and Quil laughed, nodding their enthusiasm.
He pulled back from Nessie and gestured to the chair Edward had put on the stage for her. "Have a seat."
She sat down and smiled up at him as he turned to give the band his cue.
"I'm not insane!" he screamed, and then the music began.
As they played the song, Nessie watched each member. Embry and Quil played back to back, both using one microphone for background vocals as Jacob bounded across the stage, giving the lyrics everything he had. Seth went crazy on the drums, and Nessie briefly wondered how he was able to keep the pace he kept. She'd never before been on the stage as a band played, and she was surprised by how much louder it was than in the audience. The energy and exhilaration emanating from the band was overpowering. Jacob circled Embry and Quil during the guitar solo. Nessie was almost amazed at his stamina. He didn't stand still once, and she wasn't too surprised to find that this made her more aware of how she was reacting to him.
At the end of the solo, Jacob strode back to her and she was surprised when he crouched down beside her as the music mellowed.
He took her hand and sang directly to her. "Now that I've lost you, it kills me to say I've tried to hold on as you slowly slipped away. I'm losin' the fight. I've treated you so wrong now let me make it right."
He didn't move back, instead he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Her head spun and suddenly the air was too thin.
"I'm not insane, I'm not insane." He chuckled darkly, and she shivered at the sound.
He winked at her and stood up, continuing the song. She forced herself to breathe, her eyes never leaving him as he ran around the stage.
Jacob went back to her at the end of the song, standing by her as the last notes were played.
The crowd erupted as the music ended, and Nessie joined in the applause. She started to get up, but Jacob stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. He couldn't let her slip away yet.
"You can stay," he said, giving her another wink before addressing the audience.
"Thank you! We've got one more for you tonight, and this one's all ours."
He gave the signal and the band began. He planted himself between Embry and Quil. They seemed to battle with each other, going back and forth as Jacob sang the song.
They finished the song, and Jacob waited for a minute to let the crowd scream before he moved.
"You have been amazing, thanks for showing the love." He held his hands up as he walked to Nessie. "And give another round of applause to Nessie for being so brave!" He took her hand and pulled her up. She felt like she could puke as she looked out across the crowd, wondering not for the first time how Jacob and the rest of his band could stand being up here like this. The applause was exhilarating and yet terrifying at the same time. She smiled up at Jacob when he let go of her hand.
Jacob watched Nessie move off the stage as he named off the rest of his band so they could get the credit they deserved. It was customary for him and the band to socialize after a gig, and he was particularly looking forward to finding Nessie again. He wanted to talk to her without the pressure of keeping up the show.
They walked backstage, and Seth jumped around with a grin that belonged on an over-caffeinated pre-teen.
"That was fucking awesome!"
Embry and Quil high-fived each other. "I think this calls for some serious booze."
Jacob chuckled as he wiped the sweat off his body with a towel. "What are we waiting for? I need a goddamn drink."
Seth made it to the door before the others. "With any luck, you won't see me for the rest of the night."
Embry whistled and Seth made a slight bow before turning and rushing out the door. Jacob knew the other two would probably end up in a girl's bed at some point as well. It was a perk of being in a band; girls wanted to fuck you for the opportunity to say they knew you before you were big.
But today, Jacob had only one girl in mind. He listened to people talking excitedly about and to his band mates, and he smiled to himself before he slipped out the door.
~ BH4 ~
"Oh my God!" Nessie said again. It was all she'd been able to say since she left the stage.
Bella smirked and smoothed down her sister's hair. She was proud of Nessie for making it so far and actually staying up on the stage.
"That was so… Oh my God…"
"Fucking awesome?" Bella supplied.
"You have no idea, Bella. He was hot and sexy when I was down here, but up there… Oh God." She fanned herself with her hand; it was way too hot in the bar. "And he fucking winked at me."
The girls turned around and looked up when the crowd started screaming again. Nessie smiled when she saw Seth walking out to them. He was followed shortly after by Quil and Embry, and Nessie bit her lip when Jacob emerged a minute later.
"Look, you can go talk to him!"
Nessie gaped at Bella. "Are you kidding me?"
Bella chuckled. "Of course not. You were up on stage with him; that gives you exclusive rights. Now go."
Nessie grabbed the bar and shook her head. "No way. I'll make an idiot of myself. Even more."
"Oh, well that's too bad. He's not going to wait for you. He's coming to you."
Nessie grabbed Bella's hand when she started waving high in the air, trying to get Jacob's attention.
"Will you stop it?"
"No, I'm not going to stop it. I know you would do this for me if it was Edward, and you wouldn't let me stop you." She raised her other hand and jumped a little.
Nessie groaned when Jacob looked their way and saw her. It took him a while to make it through the crowd, but finally he walked up to her.
"Hey," he said, sitting in an empty stool next to her.
Nessie took a deep breath to try to control her stomach as she looked up at him. "Hi."
"Thanks for the great song choice; that was fun." He leaned forward and rested his elbow against the bar, looking down to meet her eyes.
"Yeah, it was a lot of fun." She nodded, still not sure of what to say or how to act. Bella leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"This is your chance," she said softly. "He wants to talk to you; now go for it."
Nessie swallowed and glanced at her sister. "How?"
Bella shrugged. "Well-bred stallion?"
Nessie smiled in spite of herself, and a deep blush crept across her cheeks. Just then she noticed Edward coming out of the back.
"I will if you will." She gestured toward Edward.
Bella bit her lip. "You've got yourself a deal." She kissed Nessie's cheek. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" She winked and walked away.
Jacob looked at Nessie with a raised eyebrow. He hadn't heard much of anything the girls said to each other, although he tried.
"Who was that?"
"My sister, Bella."
He nodded. "Cool. So, I know this is a horrible pick up line or whatever, but do you come here often?"
Nessie laughed, unexpectedly amused by his question. "Yes, every weekend. You?"
Jacob chuckled. "No, first time. Although, I hope we can come back some day. This crowd is more responsive than most we've had."
"Are you saying that not everybody loves you?"
"Sadly, yes. About two months ago, we were booked at this place that was supposed to be a rock venue like this. Come to find out, as we set everything up, that everybody was expecting country. Needless to say, it didn't turn out well." He shook his head. That experience had been a test to the band, and sometimes he was amazed they'd all made it through.
Nessie reached out and touched the tattoo on his arm. "Did this hurt?" It ran the whole length of his arm from his shoulder to his wrist. She noticed it went onto his back as well; the simple tribal design was cut off by his shirt.
Jacob shook his head. "No, not really. The one on my shoulder hurt for a day or two, but the others just stung a little. Do you have any tattoos?"
"No. No tattoos. I've been thinking about it, but I can't decide on anything I'd like to have permanently etched into my skin. I do have a few piercings, though." She leaned back to show him the piercing in her belly button.
He nodded and couldn't pass up the opportunity to touch her. He reached out and delicately fingered the silver flower dangling from the ring. Her body shivered at his touch, and she wished he'd do it more.
"Do you have other piercings?"
She smiled. "Just my ears." She held her hair back on one side to show him the plain silver stud.
"Nice."
"What about you? Any piercings?"
"No, just tattoos."
She nodded and lifted her cup for a drink only to find that it was empty. She almost started to panic. She had started to feel a little more comfortable, although every part of her was still tingling with the need to be close to him.
Jacob noticed her situation and smiled to himself. He pointed at her glass when she set it down.
"What would you say to having a few drinks with me?"
She swallowed and smiled up at him. "Sure." She wasn't sure how long it was going to last, but she'd at least try.
"Great." He winked at her, and raised his hand to get the bartender's attention.