A/N: The third installment of the wonderful tales of The Vampiric Inquisition. Y'know, I was musing to myself, and thought, well, if people wanted more publicity on their stories, wouldn't it make sense to advertise snippets and poetry and what have you? It's a thought. Anyhow, onto the important stuff.
Price Tags on Possessions
Idling around was not something Alice was fond off. She had eternity to spend doing everything else. Why would she choose to be completely idle? Well, Bella's ass, she just had to do that human thing and sleep. And now would be a perfect opportunity to eat her slowly and deliberately, but Edward was with her, no doubt counting her breaths or something creepy to that nature. So Alice was stuck down here with dumbass Emmett and dumbass Rosalie. At least Jasper was here. She could feel his calming powers penetrating her mind, conjuring up a blissful picture in her head.
"Emmett." Emmett looked up from his games at Rosalie.
"Yeah babe?" Rosalie narrowed her eyes at him, her eyes suddenly darker. He grinned, chucking the controller, and grabbing Rosalie up, and scooting to one of the myriad of rooms in the mansion. Alice let out a particularly loud sigh.
"Well, that's just great. We get to listen to live porn. Where's the picture? We do radio porn." Jasper chuckled quietly. He pulled Alice into his arms and rested his head on hers.
"Tell me what's on your mind, darlin'." He said in his country drawl. Alice cuddled into his side, accepting his embrace.
"Well, honestly, Bella's on my mind." Jasper looked a tad surprised but stayed silent, letting Alice continue. "She's just—human and something about her is alluring. It's not so much the bloodlust but something else rather. Like… Uhhhhh…" Alice's pink tongue poked out of her lips as she thought. Without warning, Jasper bit on it, pressing forward to finish the kiss.
Alice was surprised, but kissed him back. She made to pull away, but Jasper pressed onward, his hands on her waist pulling her body on top of him. Alice began to realize, as soon as images of sexual acts began to filter her mind, that Jasper was horny. However, Alice wasn't done talking. She broke the kiss, and Jasper moved his mouth to her neck.
"Something about her is addictive. I kinda feel like I'm always looking at her." Alice felt Jasper bite her neck. He paused for a moment.
"Does she turn you on or somethin'?" Jasper chortled. Alice felt her train of thought wreck against Jasper's words. What kind of foolishness was that? Alice? Turned on by a human? Bullshit. The very thought made her angry and confused inside. Jasper sensed her unease and pulled away from her neck to look at Alice's tense form.
"Get the fuck offa' me." Alice pushed off of Jasper's lap and onto the couch. She made to leave the room, but Jasper caught her wrist to pull her back to him.
"Alice…" Alice's face tightened in fury.
"No!" Alice stomped off and out the door of the mansion. She continued, her hands deep in her jean pockets.
Alice didn't make it a habit to stomp off like a four-year-old and whine, but Jasper was way out of line. Bella was human. Where was everybody's sense here? Just letting a human waltz in and rub her ass everywhere. Humans were food! But of course the damn Cullen's couldn't see. Alice had hoped Jasper could understand, since he struggled the most with his "vegetarian" lifestyle, but the bastard didn't even care. Instead he made jokes.
Alice thought back to the Victoria's Secret trip. Bella was looking good—great then. But turning Alice on? Alice stopped in her tracks. Well, there was that strange feeling she had when she looked at her and couldn't look away. But that didn't count.
Alice heard the familiar crunch of the autumn foliage approaching her. She smelt Bella coming nearer to her. Immediately Alice began to formulate a plan.
Plan #3:
Walk and talk with Bella.
Get her far, faaaar away.
Feast.
Bella approached, her jacket zipped up to the top, and she looked a little stressed.
"Hey." Bella's voice was monotone, devoid of her subtle happiness that usually greeted Alice.
"Hey, yourself. What brings you out here?" Alice asked. She didn't much care what the little human had to say, but it was a good start to get the wheels turning.
"Ah. Me and Edward heard you and, well y'know, fighting." Alice winced. Damn, Alice had been loud when she left. Bella smiled at her though, no harm done. "And Edward was all, 'Alice is a bad person who's gonna eat you! Grrr!', and I don't believe him and he was all angry, y'know how he gets, and everything was bad and—" Bella stopped to breath in. "We fought. And I left because he was getting violent."
"You think being out with me is any better?" Alice began walking forward, leading Bella with her.
"Yeah, actually. I mean, I trust you not to hurt me. We had a… interesting start, but I trust you more than I trust him, nowadays." Alice felt her body throb with something different. She was happy Bella had said that and smiled at her brightly. Bella blushed. The waft of her blood reminded Alice of her goal.
"I'm cuter anyway." Alice said cheekily. Bella laughed lightly, her blush deepening.
"Yeah, I agree." Bella mumbled. Alice, finally feeling blessed to have superhuman hearing, giggled and smiled at Bella. Alice felt elated Bella thought she was cute. Living in the moment, Alice grabbed Bella's hand and squeezed it. Bella flushed immediately, her breath bated for Alice's comment. Alice felt her mouth pound with want for Bella's blood but she ignored it.
"I'm glad you think I'm cute. I think you're cute too." Bella's flourish turned into a tomato color as her blood curled beneath her face. Alice looked at her, smiling.
Why did Bella make her feel so genuinely happy? Alice felt like embracing Bella, and snuggling in her neck and just…
"Hey, Alice?" Bella's timid voice woke Alice out of her reverie.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for listening to me. I appreciate it." Bella smiled pleasantly, and squeezed Alice's hand. Alice felt Bella's life giving liquid warming her marble cold skin. Unfortunately, the pleasant feeling was stopped by the sensation of venom pooling in Alice's mouth. She swallowed the burning fluid and refocused on her plan. Bella was a human, prey, made for eating. No other extra bullshit getting in the way.
"Yeah, no problem. So, listen, we're kinda far out, so let's stop and chill." Bella nodded and Alice sat in the foliage suddenly, dragging Bella with her. Bella yelped and nearly fell, before Alice gripped her, pulling her into her lap. Alice was a little overwhelmed by the pleasant scent, but laughed. "That was close."
"Haha. Yeah." Bella scooted unto the ground and sat next to Alice. Alice cleared her mind and focused.
"You don't mind sitting down here?"
"Nahh. Not at all." Alice nodded at Bella's response. Time to feast on Bella, but how? How would she make a smooth transition from, 'good-friends-sitting-on-the-autumn-leaves' to 'Alice-feasting-on-Bella-time'? Alice smiled. She had a good idea.
"Aren't you cold?" Alice inquired. Bella shrugged.
"Yeah, but I'm good." Alice shook her head in the negative.
"Let's do what penguins do and cuddle and share the cold and stuff!" Alice opened her arms in a hug and wiggled them. Bella laughed.
"Nooo. I'm fine." Alice giggled.
"C'mere. C'mere!"
"No, no!" Bella scooted away and Alice scooted towards her. Both were giggling at each other as they played cat and mouse. Alice was amused by Bella's silly laughing and excited by her smell.
"C'mere!" Alice pounced. Bella was caught in her grasp, Alice straddling her. The laughing died down. All Alice could hear was the rhythmic pounding of Bella's heart. Alice felt her eyes darken, but something other than bloodlust was clouding her mind.
Alice moved in closer to Bella, inhaling her scent. Alice relaxed her hands above Bella's head, dipping her nose down to Bella's neck. Her blood was pulsating, that much was true, as Alice's tongue flicked out, licking Bella's neck. Bella sighed and bit her lip, causing something in Alice to erupt and turn on. She pressed a soft kiss into Bella's pulse point, sucking there lightly. Bella moaned, her tender voice amplified to Alice's ears.
Alice kissed down to her throat, kissing and sucking there as well. Resting her body completely on Bella's, Alice's hands roamed under Bella's jacket, stroking the arch of Bella's back. Alice pulled away from her neck, raising up to see Bella's eyes. They were piercing into Alice, warming her with their very gaze.
Alice leaned down slowly. Bella's lips were her target. Her eyes slid shut when Bella's did, and slowly she approached Bella's awaiting mouth…
Alice's eyes shot open. Oh, fuck. She zipped off Bella.
"Edward!" Bella's eyes widened as she hastily sat up just as the said vampire arrived. He trudged over to Alice, yanking on her to get up.
"What the Hell did you do to Bella?" He shouted. Alice shook of his hand and stood up angrily.
"Nothing!" Edward's nostrils flared.
"Then explain her scent all over you!" Alice smirked, so Eddie really didn't see a thing. Alice turned to Bella, offering her hand, to get her off the undergrowth. Alice kept their hands intertwined when Bella was upright.
"This is why you smell so much of her on me." Alice held up their hands. "We were walking kind of close, and she happened to get a little chilly. I can't over much relief, but I can try." Edward looked from Bella to Alice.
"Is this true, Bella?" Bella's pulse was elevated, but Alice stroked her thumb on Bella's hand to calm her.
"Yes. It's true." Bella replied quietly. She added a little louder, "You should trust your sister more, Edward." Edward seemed surprised at her bold comment.
"She's no sister of mine! You're being brainwashed!" He lurched at Bella's arm. He was aiming to grab Bella from Alice's side. Alice thwarted his advances, smacking his hand.
"Don't fucking touch her!" Alice's lips pulled back in a growl as she stepped in front of Bella. Edward's eyebrows shot up to his hair.
"The Hell? She's mine!" Edward stepped forward again and Alice stepped toward him as well. Her chest was rumbling in anger, her body tensed to fight. Alice could smell Edward's territorial scent emitting from him.
"Leave her alone, bastard!" Edward's face scrunched up further as he reared back his fist in a split second attack.
Alice's hands raised in a block… But there was no blow.
Carlisle was there, conveniently, and holding Edward back from attacking Alice. Bella was grasping onto Alice for dear life, obviously shaken up from the scene.
"Hey, chill. He's not gonna hurt you. I'm here." Bella nodded, but stayed attached to Alice. Edward quaked in Carlisle's arms.
"She belongs to me! Fuck off, Alice! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Carlisle dragged his writhing figure away, Bella and Alice eventually making their way back to the mansion.
-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-zzz
"She was with her, unattended!" Edward was shouting yet again in their family meeting, discussing the events just hours prior. Bella was in attendance, cowering from Edward, instead choosing to sit on the couch with Esme and Alice.
"And so what? I've asked her for forgiveness and received it. You're the one scaring her! Isn't that right, Bella?" Alice barked back at him.
"Alice, leave Bella out of this." Carlisle broke in.
"But—"
"Alice." Alice growled and sat back on the couch.
"She's manipulating you, Bella! She's just trying to turn you against me and kill you!" Edward was back at it.
"Fuck that! She trusts me! She thinks you're fucking insane shouting, 'RAWR! Alice I kill you!'. I don't blame her." Alice mocked.
"Alice. Please." Carlisle cut in again.
"Edward did it!" Alice whined.
"That's his girlfriend."
"Bella isn't property! Are you, Bella?" All eyes turned to Bella, and she blushed immediately, but spoke.
"No, I'm not. Alice isn't a harm to me. Edward, trust Alice. She's legit."
"Bullshit! Alice is a whore!" Edward's voice was becoming shrill.
"Edward!" Carlisle cut in again.
"Fucking bastard!" Alice hissed.
"Alice!"
"Skank!"
"Edward, stop!"
"Faggot!"
"Alice! That's not—!"
"Bitch!"
"Edward, that's too—!"
"Dick sucking, motherfucking, deceptive, idiotic son of a—!"
"ENOUGH!" Carlisle finally stood up. "Everyone shut up. Alice, go outside and hunt." Alice screwed her face up in confusion.
"Why should I have to go outside? That bastard called me a—"
"Shut up. Go outside. Now!" Carlisle's powerful alpha male scent flared up, forcing Alice to submit. She jerked off the couch and made her way out.
-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-zzz
Fuck them all. She and Bella were having a good time until fucking Edward showed up. And now, everybody thought she was the bad guy. Edward was probably in there filling Bella's head with lies which her stupid human mind would believe. They want a bad guy? Alice would give them a damn bad guy. She was going to kill Bella. No more fucking around and liking her, it was time to take her down.
Alice's mind lingered on the scene before Edward arrived, however. Bella's soft skin, blood gurgling for her to take. Alice shook her head. That was a strange occurrence of events. No need to think any further on them—no, it was time to kill Bella and take revenge on Edward. Alice's brow furrowed as she reached the lake. If they want ghastly, they're gonna get it.
Her mind was in a jumble. Still no visions since Bella's arrival. She felt like she was walking blind. Alice had meant to ask Carlisle about that, but obviously, one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. She decided to ignore it and plot for Bella's death. This time she wouldn't hesitate to make it a smooth transition. She would just take like a true vampire! Bella would then be hers.