Chapter Two
Our footsteps matched as we walked the thin white steps into a little market selling mostly fish, from what I could see. The smell was horrendous. I held my nose tightly, making Alec laugh. He called Alice and offered to go shopping for her, but she had beaten him to it. She had been shopping around for a little bit already. We squeezed past flows of Grecian's the entire afternoon.
We ate at a little café Alec found called Bella Vista. Appropriate name, I thought. The cook was a jovial, big man whose wife worked at his side, making me miss my parents for a second. They baked bread and pastry, aromatic coffee and tea, and unusual Grecian food's Alec and I had never seen before, kept me occupied and happier than I had ever been. We spent hours going from place to place, tasting, commenting, and laughing, his hand always grasped in mine.
Sooner than we realized, the sun started casting its golden glow over Greece. It only took seconds for us to realize that we had no clue where we were. I sat on a rock, gazing at the calm water that reached out far below us. My feet ached from walking. Even in my despair to find a warm bed, I found it hilarious that we were lost in the little town on the side of the mountain. Alec put his arm around my neck and pulled me close. There were only a few lone civilians wandering around, like us. It was all of a sudden silent and calm.
"What are we going to do, Alec?" I said laughing. "I can't believe we got lost in Greece. Call Alice or someone."
He smirked at me, "We don't need them to come find us. So what if it's a little darker now? We can still have fun. Come on, I think I know what we can do." He pulled me to my tired feet. I groaned, "Whatever you have in mind better not require feet, baby."
"Don't worry, I'll carry you there." He grinned. "You better close your eyes though; I don't you to get scared."
"Me? Get scared by you carrying me? Phish…"
He laughed at me.' No, I really think you should close your eyes, Sam. I'm going to run. Save us time"
My eyes widened. "Run? You hate running around me! This is awesome. I'm fine with running." I had always wanted to run with him. I wasn't the type of girl to get freaked out by rollercoaster's or fast cars; I should have no problem with this.
"Okay, but you said it was fine, keep that in mind." He swung me into his arms with no effort.
My arms folded securely over his shoulders, and my heart raced. Literally in a flash, the wind was pulled through my hair and whipped against my cheeks. The salt stinging my eyes, I took his advice and closed them. With grace, he retreated to a walk and lifted me back down. To my dismay, tears were dripping down my face. Stupid wind and salt, I thought wiping them away before he could see. He had seen though, and held my hand wiping them to my side, and waved his thumb softly across my cheeks, erasing them while looking deeply into my hazel eyes. I smiled, embarrassed.
"It's okay, love. That happens to everyone. Ask Bella." He grinned and kissed a tear escaping down my lips. My heart lifted again and I kissed him back.
"Thank you." I whispered.
I looked up past him and noticed where he had taken me. It was a glade, water rippled across a circle of water in the middle, surrounded by low trees. The stones on every side of the water were still smooth and warm, from soaking up the sun in the daytime. There was a wire fence protecting it from people.
"Oh wow. How did you know about this?" I laughed.
"It was on the map." He said. "But it's private, so we're going to have to sneak in." He looked so excited, a beautiful smile uncontained on his perfect face.
"So how are we going to do it without making noise?" The wire fence looked pretty sturdy, and there was an almost invisible layer of barbed wire lying atop it. I shuddered against my will. Alec felt it and smoothed my arm with his fingers, raising goose bumps, even on the warm night.
"I have a plan. No need to worry." He pulled me without the slightest hint of exertion from his inhuman strength, onto his back. What the heck was he going to do? Whatever it was, I really didn't have any need to worry, though. I trusted him completely.
He turned around. We were standing about twenty feet from the barbed wire fence. I approximated that it was at least six feet high. He held my arms tightly to his chest with one of his own, and started running. We were at the fence in less than one second, soaring over it nimbly. He landed without a hint of a bump. I was stunned at his grace and strength. I knew he possessed abilities such as this, but experiencing it like this was exhilarating.
Gasping, I unclenched myself from his back and stood close to him. "That was amazing, Alec. I want to do it again."
"Hah, only one more time later, sorry. I don't like doing stuff like that with you on my back." He was laughing, however, and he led me to the edge of the pool.
I dipped my feet in it. It was so warm and welcoming. I reached around to untie my halter dress, but Alec beat me too it. I just noticed that he had been wearing a swimming suit the whole time, as was I. We slipped into the pool in sync. It felt wonderful in the night as we swan the length of the pool, laughing. He was extremely good at swimming, of course, what wasn't he good at?
We swam and talked for hours. The water began to turn my skin wrinkly and the clear stars began to disappear. Finally, I fell asleep in the water, in Alec's arms, my head cold on his rock chest. It was a good thing that it was so warm, or I would have ice covering me. His arms held me close, letting me relax as I slept.
When I woke up in the morning I was back in the white bed. Alec was sitting beside me over the sheets so I didn't get cold. I raised my head and smiled. He grinned back and reached over to smooth my hair off my face. I didn't want to know how horrible I looked. I opened my mouth to say good morning, but a choked muffled greeting came out. Alec laughed at me.
"What's that? I didn't catch it" he teased.
I tried again, but my throat had somehow swelled up and deterred my speech. I cleared my throat.
"Goob mornig." I choked out. Then I felt a dull ache in the back of my head. I felt awful.
"Sam, last night, falling asleep chilled wasn't the best idea. I think you have a cold."
"Ooh tink…" I grumbled, trying as hard as possible to articulate.
"Sorry, babe, I can't understand you. Want some breakfast?" he held a tray out in front of me. I couldn't smell it, but it looked amazing. "Alice wanted to cook you a healthy Grecian breakfast." He held my arm while I sat up and glared. Great, I was sick in the most beautiful place I had ever seen, with my boyfriend who had to see me like this. Alec was the best guy any girl could ever dream for.
"Wad is id?" I asked. It looked like a bowl of oatmeal, plate of toast and eggs, an orange, tea and pancakes. Nice, huge breakfast that I could never finish.
"It is what it looks like. She begged to make something that you wouldn't be able to pronounce, but I made her stick to the basics. Toast, oatmeal, eggs, honey tea, pancakes, and fruit of course." He smiled as I sniffled, and reached for a tissue box on the side of the bed.
"Ooh toudt od everytig, didn't ooh." I smiled to the best of my ability.
"I hope I thought of everything. It doesn't look very pleasant when you humans get sick." He seemed to enjoy this. "I'm very sorry that I got you sick though."
"Do deed to apologide." I said hoarsely. He should not feel like it was his fault, I loved sleeping with him, literally, in the water despite the cold.
'Samantha! Where are you?" Alice and Nessie burst through the door and ran to my bed.
Nessie acted shocked and punched Alec in the arm, "I cannot believe you got her sick, Alec!" Alice laughed and held her hand to my forehead.
"Wad are ooh doing Alide?" I said.
"I'm testing to see if you have a fever. Wow, you are burning up!" She skipped to the bathroom and returned with a cold cloth, which she plastered immediately to my forehead.
"Alide, i'd alwayd ot cobared to ooh." I grinned and blew my nose again.
"Oh, you're right. Oopsy, I should've remembered." She flung the towel into the bathroom.
"Maybe we should get a doctor." Nessie offered.
"She'll be fine, Nes." Alec said. "It's only a cold. Humans get them all the time, right Sam?"
I nodded my throbbing head. "Ald da time…cad I eat dow?"
"That's right! I made your breakfast, hurry and eat up so you can tell me if you like it.", cried Alice enthusiastically from the other room.
"Do you need any help, Samantha?" said Alec, curling his arm around my shoulders.
"I'd fine. Danks dough." I picked up the spoon and started eating slowly. My throat was more than half its normal size, so swallowing was a challenge.
When I finished eating, or mostly picking, at the food, Alice was pleased when I told her it was delicious. Truthfully, I couldn't taste a thing, but what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.
"So, whs are we goind do do for dah rest of dah day?" I asked Alice. "Ad where dis Edward? I have'd seed hib sidce yederday afterdoon."
"He went to visit some friends a couple towns away. He'll be back in a few days. He knows a lot of people all over the world." She explained. "And to answer your first question, I haven't even thought about what to do for the remaining part of the day. You can't do much can you?"
"Doh, I cad't" I mumbled. Nessie giggled.
"Sorry, honey, I can't get over your new accent." She laughed. Alec and Alice joined her.
I blushed. "Stob makid fud of me" I said, but I couldn't help the smile that started across my face. Alec kissed my cheek and got up.
"Where are do goid?" I asked.
"I have to go change. You probably should too; you might be more comfortable in pajamas." He left smiling, into his bedroom.
Nessie came over and riffled through my drawers. "You don't have any good clothes, except for the ones Alice picked."
It was true. I liked getting new clothes, but I wasn't a very good shopper, I picked clothes that I only used once or twice then got tired of. I lived in jeans, also, which bugged Alice. She liked dresses and sexy skirts. The idea of a few hours shopping sounded good. I was about to speak when Alec came back into the room, cell phone in hand.
"Edward called. He is returning in a week because the family he went to see persuaded him to come to a wedding that is being held for one of his close friends. I guess we have to be a little more careful now that he isn't here."
"Sam, you aren't going anywhere while he's gone or you either Alec." Alice said, returning to her strict aunt deportment that she had forgotten for the last couple of days.
"Oh man, this is getting better and better…" I whined, sliding under the covers.
Alec glared at Alice, "Sam. Come out of hiding. We'll all have fun today. It's still too early to be in a lot of danger." Alec pulled back the covers and gently helped me to my feet. The white dress was crumpled beyond fixing. My hair was knotted and unruly around my shoulders.
"Oh my goodness. Come with me darling, you are in desperate need of a shower."
"Danks" I said to Alec.
"You're welcome, beautiful" he grinned and kissed my cheek.
His eyes were startlingly golden. They shone into mine and made me forget my illness. I followed Alice into the bathroom where she started the shower and laid out clothes and a towel.
"Hurry up girlie!" she said, closing the door on her way out. "Your man is waiting!"