Deception's Price
A Twilight FanFic
Disclaimer: All belong to Stephenie Meyer. Exception to the rule is Allyson Pervar.
Author's Note: Another random fanfic idea from Darlene. : ) Anyway, this one came in the shower the other day (haha!) after a mega-horrible computer crash that caused me to lose everything I had. Story is set in that summer between "Twilight" and "New Moon," as I'm new to the bandwagon and haven't yet finished reading "New Moon."
If you'd like to beta read, PM me. I'm always looking to improve my horrible little pieces of crap. XD
Enjoy.
-D
Deception's Price
Prologue – The Orphan
He could smell her, or him… it. The stench of those bloodsucking heathens filled his nostrils until it became nearly overwhelming. Holy crap, that vampire was close.
And it was on the reservation land as well.
Surely that vampire had to know about the treaty between the La Push Indians and the vampires of Forks. What a blatant disregard for the rules. What brazen, bold, bloodsucking moron would have the nerve to trespass onto La Push?
A vampire.
Jacob Black felt disgusted at even thinking the word "vampire." Ever since Sam Uley made him aware of his fate, Jacob felt a deep hatred for the vampires in the same world as him- the vampires in Forks. And that bloodsucking leech was here, in his lands.
It took all his control to not explode and hunt that vampire down that instant. But he wasn't a mature werewolf yet, he couldn't phase completely. Not yet, anyways. Besides, it wasn't worth freaking out Bella.
Bella Swan was sitting in the driver's seat of her old 1953 red Chevy pickup. Almost out of her peripheral vision, she noticed Jacob's muscles tense beside her. Bella cringed. Jacob was usually a very happy person. What was with him tonight?
"What's up?" she asked, as nonchalantly as possible.
"Nothing." Jacob grunted. Bella turned into the Black's driveway, turning off the rumbling truck and clutching the key with both hands until her knuckles turned white.
"You look like you smelled something awful. Like a dead skunk." Bella remarked upon seeing Jacob's face contorted, with heavy lines creased into his forehead.
"You could say that." Jacob replied simply. "But you couldn't be more right."
Allyson Pervar crept through the woods, stumbling over rocks and roots while ducking low branches and hanging moss. The cover of nightfall made it increasingly difficult for her to cover the terrain of the forest. She looked up at the night sky, trying to find the North Star to guide her way, but was met with only a few small polka dots of white light fighting their way through the dense cloud cover. Why Forks, of all places? Why Washington State?
Allyson continued to wrestle with her thoughts as she stumbled down the hill into another deep valley, coated with squishy green moss and many an obstacle to her path. But the thought that nagged her most of all: Why did she give me up?
Allyson Pervar was born to a young British exchange student who was studying abroad in Italy. Allyson's mother ended up pregnant from a young man she met in Italy. Entranced by his flawless beauty, she assumed that her sweet-talking sweetheart would be overjoyed at the news of their baby. She was wrong. Knowing that she would not be able to support a child, she left Allyson at a British orphanage with two things: a silver engraved ring on a chain around Allyson's neck, and a single letter. The letter explained at the end that should Allyson ever wish to met her mother, she could look where the sun rarely shined, a fitting tribute to her life, now that her daughter Allyson Grace and her life was taken from her. She said, "my lifeblood was drained, and now I have no reason to live where the sun can mock my pain."
Allyson knew that Washington State was one of the dreariest places on Earth. Almost always overcast and rainy, Allyson knew that her mother must be here on the Olympic peninsula. Somewhere. Allyson took the little money she had and flew to Seattle, where she set out on foot, carrying her only possessions in a beat up navy blue backpack, determined on one goal and one goal alone. Allyson would find her mother, and she knew that she could have a family again. A life. Acceptance. Everything she craved.
The roar of a car's engine whizzing by interrupted her thoughts. Could it really be a sign of civilization? She knew that she could parallel the road and walk along the shoulder until she could find some direction. Almost running, she tore off down the hill towards the guardrail. Looking to make sure she wouldn't be hit by an oncoming vehicle, she jumped the guardrail and began to walk, facing the oncoming traffic.
No more than five minutes later, a bright pair of headlights screamed into her face. Allyson brought up a hand to shield her gaze.
"Hey, kid!" a man's voice called out. Allyson furrowed her eyebrows.
"Are you talking to me?" Allyson answered softly, approaching the car apprehensively.
"It's late on a school night, kid." the man informed her. "What are you doing out at eleven-thirty at night, and do your parents know you're out?"
Allyson brought her eyebrows down lower against her green eyes, brushing a wayward strand of her golden brown hair out of her face. The bob she had recently cut it to was far too short for her taste. What was this man talking about?
"My parents?" Allyson echoed. Running for it would be utterly useless. Unless she took off towards the woods.
"Listen kid, I'm a cop. I probably know your parents." the man threatened. "Now, tell me, what are you doing out this late?"
"I don't have any parents." Allyson answered truthfully.
"Who doesn't have parents?" the man asked; a hint of uneasiness evident in his voice. "What's your name?" he asked, shaking off all previous uncertainty.
"Pervar. Allyson Pervar."
"Pervar… I'm not quite sure I've heard that one. Are you new to Forks?"
Forks! Allyson thought excitedly. She could barely stop herself from smiling a wide grin. "This is Forks?" she asked.
"Yes. I'm police chief Charlie Swan." the man informed her.
"Then maybe you know my mother!" Allyson felt her heart almost bursting with joy.
"Listen, Allyson," Chief Swan started. "It's late. If you truly are what I think you are, then I'm going to grant you a favor. There is a spare bedroom at my house. You're obviously drenched, and I'm not going to let you keep walking down a highway late at night. In the morning, though, I'm going to have to talk with you and sort this whole thing out. However, if you violate my trust, I'm going to have to send you to juvenile court. Understood?"
Allyson nodded excitedly. She couldn't believe her good fortune!
"Alright, get in the car." Chief Swan muttered.
"Thank you so much!" Allyson gushed, opening the door and sliding in the passenger's seat. This was beyond believable to the teenager. She could get freshened up, get a good night's rest, and maybe find a good lead to finding her mother's whereabouts. It was almost too good to be true.
Bella turned over in her bed once more, now lying on her left side. Pulling the covers closer, she tried to drift off to sleep. The rustling of the early June air through her lace curtains awoke her once more. A small smile curled up Bella's lips. Anxiously, she sat up to see a familiar figure standing in the corner.
Edward…
"Edward." Bella breathed quietly. Soundlessly, Edward made his way across the floor to sit on the edge of the bed, holding Bella's head in his hands. Bella smiled softly as she closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"Good evening." Edward greeted quietly.
"You sound like such a vampire count when you say it that way, 'Good evening.'" Bella taunted. Edward frowned.
"I'm not quite sure whether or not that was an insult or a compliment." Edward remarked. Bella giggled quietly. Edward brought Bella's gaze up to meet his own and smiled the grin that Bella loved.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked, his liquid amber eyes clouding.
"Charlie's not home yet. I'm worried about him." Bella said honestly. Although Edward couldn't read Bella's mind (the same was not true for the minds of others), Bella never felt right even imagining deceiving Edward. Bella looked down at her bulky walking cast and rubbed it gently with her hands. Edward clasped Bella's hands firmly in his.
"Why are you worried?" Edward asked, not looking up to meet Bella's face.
"He doesn't exactly have the safest line of work. And he's not an invincible vampire like some people I know." Bella pointed out.
"Bella, darling, this is Forks. Nothing here is remotely dangerous to your father's life." Edward assured her.
"Nothing is remotely dangerous." Bella echoed. "Not even a family of bloodthirsty vampires?"
Edward smiled softly and leaned closer to Bella's face. "Not even a family of vampires." Gently and cautiously, Edward brushed his lips against Bella's. Bella began to wrap her arms around Edward's back, but Edward pushed her away. Bella looked down quickly once the kiss was broken.
"I'm sorry." Bella muttered quietly, ashamed of pushing Edward too far.
"It's my fault, love." Edward apologized. "I haven't been hunting in nearly two weeks."
"No, it's my fault." Bella insisted.
"And how is it your fault?" Edward asked.
"For smelling too damned good." Bella remarked. Edward laughed at Bella's innocent remark.
"How true that is." Edward agreed.
Just then, Charlie's cruiser pulled up in the gravel driveway next to the tiny house. Bella grimaced.
"Tell me you didn't bring your car." Bella asked Edward, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Why would I ever do that?" Edward responded, peering out the window.
"Bella!" Charlie called from down the staircase. Bella quickly threw off the covers. "Wait here!" she quietly ordered Edward. Opening the door, Bella cautiously approached the staircase and walked down into the living room. Looking around, she saw no sign of Charlie.
"Dad?" Bella called, anxiously. Considering her recent near-death encounter with vampires and knowing that her family could be used as a weapon against her, Bella hoped that hidden somewhere near the staircase was Edward, ready to come and save her should this be a trap.
"I'm in the kitchen." Charlie yelled back. Bella cautiously made her way into the kitchen to see Charlie and… a teenage girl? What was going on?
"Dad?" Bella asked wearily. "Who is this?"
The girl was of an average build, no more than five feet and five inches tall. A short golden brown bob framed her oval-shaped face and sharp nose, accented by almond eyes that bore an emerald tint. Dark, slight eyebrows drew little round curves over her eyes and her lips were a bright shade of crimson. What Bella noticed the most was the girl's pale complexion and deep, sullen rings around her eyes, exactly like Edward's.
Vampire? Bella questioned. No, impossible. Her eyes are the wrong color.
"This is Allyson Pervar. She claims that she's looking for her mother here in Forks. Her foster mother gave her permission to do so."
At the mention of the word, "permission," Allyson grimaced. Bella suspected something was up.
"I've allowed Allyson to stay in Forks until her biological mother can be traced. During that time, she is going to be staying with us. How old did you say you were, Allyson?" Charlie asked.
"My seventeenth birthday is going to be August eighth." Allyson responded. Bella noticed a twinge of a British accent to the girl's melodious voice.
"That's only a little difference. I hope you don't mind Allyson staying." Charlie said.
"No problem, dad." Bella answered mechanically.
"I won't be much of a burden." Allyson said quietly.
"I'll show you around Forks tomorrow." Bella promised. "In the meantime, get some sleep, your eyes look awful." Bella added. Allyson nodded.
"Yeah, sleep would do me some good." she agreed. That was a lie. Allyson had been sleeping fine the past few days; she just hadn't needed more than six hours of sleep a night. It felt great. The dark circles under her eyes testified differently.
"Sounds great." Bella said, grabbing Allyson's backpack and leading her towards the spare bedroom.
Upon reaching her bedroom once more, Bella shut the door to have Edward's icy hands grip her arms. His cold breath grazed along her neck and made the hairs stand up on end. Kissing her collarbone, Edward whispered, "Be careful."
Bella furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm not planning on falling out a window or anything, Edward." she guaranteed.
"I didn't mean it like that." Edward retorted, sounding highly annoyed. "Love, I don't trust this stranger. Keep your distance."
Bella turned around to meet him. "I still don't get it, Edward." Edward bent his neck to kiss Bella gently on the forehead. Placing his right hand under her jaw, he gazed into her brown eyes, topaz meeting chocolate.
"Just stay away. For me." Edward asked.
Almost instantly, Edward was out the window once more, leaving a chill in the night air to surround Bella Swan.
To Be Continued…
Questions for next time:
-Who was the vampire on La Push that Jacob smelled?
-Is Allyson's mother really in Forks, or is Allyson chasing a dead end?
-Why did Edward want Bella to stay away from Allyson?
-And will Darlene ever learn to actually write for her English course instead of procrastinating and writing fanfiction?