*Disclaimer* I do not own Twilight. All characters within belong to Stephanie Meyer. I have taken some creative liberty with Twilight and created a background for Jane and Alec. Both characters are Stephanie's but the world I've created for them is my own. Aro also belongs to Stephanie. Thanks for reading and responding critically and not cruelly. `bleigh
Born For This
by: bleigh
Jane was fed up. She threw the lantern by her bed against the wall, the glass shattering and splaying out on the ivory floor. Her twin brother had, for the last time, ruined her play-date. The little girl from down the street had been over to tea, and she was getting to the best part when her stupid brother had stepped in. Oh but she had torture in store for him after this last display.
Gathering her eight year old frame, she stepped outside her room like nothing had happened; happy and carefree as any little girl would be. She had a teddy bear, one button eye hanging grotesquely from its socket, tucked underneath her arm as she went. "Alec," she yelled across the house. It was a rather large villa that she lived in; her family being one of the most premier families in Volterra, Italy.
She found her brother sitting cross-legged in the foyer, his back towards her. She grinned devilishly and twisted her face up concentrating hard on the back of her brother's head. At first nothing happened, her brother only sat there his body relaxed, but then in what seemed like seconds, he muffled a scream and whipped around. A soft mist bloomed around him, and his fists clenched as he stared his twin sister down.
"Jane, stop it. You know I can block your power," he said through his clenched teeth.
"Well obviously brother, but I still got you." With a kick in her step she trotted away from him.
"Jane, you cannot keep torturing your playmates. One of these days, one of those little girls will tell her mother and we'll be taken away." Alec called after her.
"Nonsense, Daddy would never let that happen to us." Jane stated confidently, skipping into her room and flopping down on the bed, the teddy bear still clenched in her hands. Alec followed after her and with a great sigh he plopped down on her bed.
He pushed his dark hair out of his face and his bright eyes pierced her with their intensity. If they stood side by side most people could barely tell the difference apart from their gender. Even then Jane's boyish face and frame made it quite difficult for even their parents to tell them one from the other. Jane's hair was always cut short; she had been known to torture the barber if he left more than a few inches on top of her angelic little head.
Angels they were not. Alec tended to stay away from trouble unless his sister was creating it. But her schemes were so frequent that even the twins could never be sure if Jane even acted on her own, or if Alec played a part as well.
Jane pushed herself into a sitting position and grabbed her feet rocking back and forth on the bed.
"Alec. Do you really think Daddy would send us away?" Her voice was tense with worry.
Alec thought for a second before speaking. He could remind her of everything they had already been through: the weekly bleedings, the twice weekly therapy sessions. But all that seemed trivial right now. He could not let his sister believe that they were anything less than the happiest of families.
Smiling at her he patted her cheek lovingly and said "I do not think Daddy would let anything happen to us. Now, don't worry. Let's play pirates!" He jumped off the bed and picked up a play sword from the floor poking her lightly with the end of it. She grinned wide, picked up the other one, curled her left hand into a hook, and growled "Arrgh. Ye be a dirty scallywag. I'll have ye left foot for stealing me booty."
Life returned back to normal; and Jane began to behave a bit better. She took no more playdates and simply chose to play with her brother each day. There was always the occasional temper tantrum, but besides that Jane and Alec received no punishments. It was at their second session with their doctor that the trouble began. It was going the same as it always did. Alec usually did most of the talking, telling the doctor about their week. The games they played, where they had gone, what they had learned from their tutors and etcetera. But the doctor was having none of that this week. Once Alec began to talk, he turned to Jane and smiled. Interrupting Alec he asked her.
"Jane, why don't you tell me about your friends?" something in his face said that he was baiting her, Alec tried to interrupt but Jane only held up her hand.
"I do not really have any friends doctor; outside of Alec that is." Jane was smiling slightly. Her face turned up into a grin that bordered along sinister.
"Surely there must be a neighbor girl that you are fond of?" the doctor asked trying to sound like he did not have an agenda.
"Well there is one little girl. Lady Lericor's daughter Eliza is particularly fun to play with." Jane's sneer curled even deeper.
"What games do you play with Eliza?" The doctor leaned forward in anticipation. Alec was staring wide eyed at his little sister, his hands clenched and sweat beginning to bead across is forehead.
Jane's hands twitched before she could answer. It was apparent she was trying very hard not to give the game away.
"We usually have tea parties. Sometimes she plays the damsel in distress in my brother and my pirate game."
"Damsel in distress? How does she play that?"
"Well, it's a bit complicated to express. I could show you?"
The doctor looks a little sick at this thought.
"Is there something the matter Doctor?" Alec asked. He seemed to know more than he was letting on. Alec was getting bored with his questions.
"No, no, Alec. I'm quite alright." The doctor looked exactly the opposite, his brow was beaded with sweat that he was dabbing at with a cloth and his right hand had begun to twitch with effort.
"Jane," Alec looked directly at her. She had a pleasant concentrated look on her face;, like she was watching her favorite play.
"He wanted to know what it was like to be a Damsel in Distress Alec. I am simply showing him. Is there something so wrong with that?" Jane leaned forward and her head tilted to the left slightly. She watched her prey intensely, a look of pure elation on her face.
The doctor suddenly convulsed in a spasm of pain that sent his back into a grotesque arch. His hands clenched and his mouth opened into a silent scream. Alec watched in silence. He did not bother to take away the pain. The doctor had been interrogating them for months now, never once caring for their feelings or listening to a word they had to say. He had little to no sympathy for him. He looked to his sister whose face was now twisted with the slight effort of having to continuously use her power. Blood had since begun to pour out of the Doctor's ears and down the sides of his face. He was convulsing now, foam and blood mixing and seeping out of his gaping mouth. It would not be long before he died, his brain tricking his body into believing that it was being brutally murdered.
Only minutes later they left the office. Jane slipped her hand into Alec's; clutching him tightly. She knew that there would be consequences to what had happened; and her eyes flashed at him several times a second. He looked straight ahead and tried to appear casual, like they did this every day.
They arrived home, and he quickly took her to her room and put her in her bed. She fell asleep almost immediately; she was exhausted from the afternoon's events. Looking at her he suddenly felt years older. Her mind was still so completely carefree in her slumber; her dreams dancing with pirates and princesses. It was only a matter of time before the people of Volterra called for their blood. The doctor was well loved and had a family of his own. There would not be mercy shown here. While Jane slept he quickly rushed around the house pushing a change of clothes and some food for each of them into a bag.
The sun was beginning to set, their father would be home soon, and they must be gone before that. He would surely be followed closely by the town's people. As he was returning to his sister's bedroom, he felt a shiver run down his spine. Something was different; he could feel it. He ran into Jane's room and stopped suddenly when he saw someone standing there looking down at her. He had one hand on her forehead; the other he held up to his own. He was very tall, with skin as pale as the marble pillars of the house, practically translucent it seemed to barely stretch over his bones. The pale man's hair fell almost to his waist in a long jet black waterfall. The room was freezing cold and Alec immediately extended his power in reflex to his sister's safety.
"What do you think you are doing!" Alec hissed through his gritted teeth.
The man turned to him his fingers like feathers left his sisters forehead and extended towards him. "Alec, my name is Aro." The man simply stated.
Alec was stunned before by the man's mere appearance. He now was confounded by the man's eyes. They shown a sickly red, made milky by wisdom only it seemed; as the man could not be nearly that old. Alec refused his gesture of introductions and instead continued to imbue the man's senses; his power floating around them in a misty haze.
"Is there something I can help you with, Aro?" his voice quavered with the effort to control his power and his temper at the same time.
The man took his hand away; again his body moved with such a grace it seemed that he was almost floating there in front of him; ghost-like even. "Why yes Alec. Thank you. I am here to offer you another option." He indicated the bag he had dropped in the doorway in his haste.
Alec moved to his sister's side, putting himself in between them. She was still asleep her face still and peaceful. Without provocation the pale man continued.
"You see Alec, your sister has made a fatal error. You and your sister will die tomorrow. That is unless you choose to instead the option I can give you."
Alec knew that if they stayed here, they would definitely die. There was no other punishment for those who were found to be witches. Alec and Jane were already suspected and accused. They only need be convicted with the evidence from the doctor's office, and they would surely be burned at the stake.
"I know. But why would I want to go with you? Why would I not just leave here with my sister and run away?"
"Because child. With me you will be saved. You will live forever in wealth and comfort. You will never want for anything ever again. And you may stay in Volterra."
Aro said this as if it were the simplest most obvious option to choose.
"I do not mean to assume, but how will you achieve this? If my sister and I are to be executed then how is it that we can stay in Volterra?"
"If I tell you more and you do not choose my option, you will have to die besides. I will tell you no more until you decide. If it is my way that you choose, you will only need to say so. I will come for you."
With that he disappeared. But for the mist swirling slightly where he once stood it was as if he had never been there at all.
Alec acted quickly. He shook his sister awake and sat her up.
"Jane. We must leave immediately. Quick grab your cloak." Alec stood up putting on his own cloak and slinging the bag over his shoulders. Jane's eyes were misty with sleep but she woke up quick enough and did as she was told.
"Where will we go Alec." She whispered.
Alec did not answer he only took her by the hand and led her out of the room and down the stairs. It was not until then that he heard the commotion. From outside they could see the flickering lights of torches. Jane looked up desperately at her brother; he was already with a plan. But this time Alec did not know what to do. Their father came running down the hall his face panicked and his voice barely above a whisper.
He grabbed Alec by the shoulders shaking him. "What have you done?! Have I not told you to be careful! Now you have sent the entire city upon us. You are to be burned at the stake!"
"Father, please, you are hurting me!" Alec said tears running down his face.
Their father gathered both twins into his arms and began sobbing uncontrollably. "I knew this day would come. And I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it."
"Father, please help us." Jane's tiny voice pleaded from inside their father's hug.
He stood and took them each by the hand and led them into the foyer. "Don't be scared children. Be strong and remember your father's love."
The door was shaking with the efforts of the people outside. The timbers sending dust into the air. Alec's mind was racing with ideas. He and Jane could fight their way out. They could easily overpower the people with their powers. But Jane was not strong enough to hold the power for very long. Eventually it would break, and he was not sure he could get them away from the people in time.
Jane seemed to have the same idea because her face was contorted with grief. Why had their father tried to save them? What would he gain from their deaths?
Suddenly the doors crashed down sending splinters and dust flying everywhere. The first few people to step through the door crumpled to the ground in silent pain as Jane took action. It was obvious that she would not be taken easily. Alec tried his best to cover the angry mob with his power. Dulling their senses and confusing them. He could feel his energy draining from his body in torrents. One man in the back of the mob was pushing against the rest and as he watched, he felt the power breaking. Like the tendrils of a spider web snapping when the prey is too much for it to bear. The final chord broke and a wave of nausea washed over him, he crumpled to the ground his grip on his father's hand breaking. Other hands replaced it, and he felt himself being carried, his hands bound.
"Jane!" he screamed her name over and over trying to hear her above the noise of the crowd. But no reply ever came.
They arrived at the town square. And he could see the steaks set up in the center; the family of the doctor standing there accusation in their eyes. They were tied to the steaks side by side. Alec looked at Jane; her little hands struggled at the ropes but it was obvious the exhaustion on her face. She shook with fright, and her face was streaked with tears.
"Jane. Don't worry. Please don't worry." But Alec did not know what to do. There was nothing left. Their father had failed to protect them and no one else cared.
It was then that the man from Jane's bed room flashed into his mind. Suddenly Alec knew there was no other option. He could not save Jane but maybe the pale man could.
He screamed into the air "Aro! I make my choice!" The men who were making their way towards them with the torches to light their deaths hesitated for only a moment. They then continued on towards them in haste; throwing the torches onto the sticks at their feet.
Alec screamed as the flames reached him, his feet burning. The thought of his imminent death washed over him and he blackout completely. He never expected to wake up. The fire felt like it was burning through his body; his veins were boiling. He could barely move the pain from the fire was so bad. He could not believe he was even still alive because the pain was so bad. For what seemed like years he felt the fire burn through him. Then suddenly like someone had thrown a bucket of water over him the fire just stopped. He could feel everything around him coming into focus. There was a voice, it was saying his name. He opened his eyes. Everything around him was in sharp focus. In the corner of the room near where he was laying there was a spider web. He could see that the spider had caught her prey and was slowly sucking the life out with her fangs. The detail was incredible. Every sound and every smell was heightened. When he finally noticed the people around him he saw that his sister was also there; and alive! On any normal day his jubilation at his sister's safety would have been overwhelming. But something had changed. Yes he was jubilant but for some reason a simple smile was all he expressed. It was Aro that first spoke.
"Alec, welcome to your new world. You will find that you and your sister are in fact still alive; although only in a manner of speaking. You no longer need to breathe, nor eat. The only thing you will ever need again is this." He turned and picked up the limp form of a man and set him gingerly upon a table in the middle of the room. He took a small blade from his pocket and pricked the man's wrist and small droplet of blood seeped from the wound. Immediately Alec's nostrils flared and he leapt from the table sinking his teeth into the man's wrist. He felt his sister not far behind as she too shared in the man's blood. He thought to himself, as he and his sister drained the life from the man, that this new world would not be so bad.