It's May 1st today, which means it has been a week since Alec and my first training session. Alec and I have had three more of them (all of which I have been late to on account of my weird, out of character tiredness), but other than those few hours, we haven't had time together like we did when he took me on the tour. He is always with Aro, clinging to his side like a shadow, brushing hands with him and talking in hushed whispers which silence when I get too close.
Every time we have one of our sessions Alec walks me back to my tree, hugging me and kissing my cheek quickly. Nothing more though.
Mom and Dad haven't suspected anything. Or if they have, they haven't said anything to me. I wonder if Alice ever has visions of it.. Well, if she does she doesn't mention it to anyone, and I will someday have to thank her for that. She has always been like a sister to me.
I haven't heard anything from Jake yet, though he called 57 times after I hung up on him that day. I feel bad about it now. I was being so childish and irrational.
I am already dressed for the day in a short pink skirt, a beaded brown tank-top, and a pink short-sleeve sweater jacket that cuts off just below my bust. I have a pink rose necklace on that hangs down to nearly my waist. My hair is pushed away from my face with a headband. I was going to go find Alec and see if he had time to hang out today, but now I realize there is something else I need to do first.
I grab my phone and dial the last number that called me. Jake answers on the first ring, and the first thing he blurts out is, "I am so sorry, Ness."
"No, I'm sorry. I was being a brat."
"I was being bossy and controlling. I just want what is best for you." he says sincerely, his voice so honest and pure it tugs at my heart strings. I love Jacob so much, he is my absolute best friend. I miss him terribly.
"I know you had good intentions." I tell him truthfully. Jake always puts my needs before his, I come first in his life. I don't know why that is, but it has been that way for as long as I can remember.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I can hear the wry grin in his voice.
"Oh, hush. We are over this. You're sorry, I'm sorry, the whole world is sorry, everyone is happy. Yipee. New subject now. Tell me what is going on there with the pack." That is how I always wrap up apologies after arguments. I hardly ever get in arguments with my family though, and never Jake. We always mesh together so perfectly, like two pieces in a beautiful jigsaw puzzle, and we agree on most things and things that we don't agree on we never find the need to argue about.
"Emily is pregnant again." he chuckles, and my jaw drops. That has to be at least ten kids now! Emily is the wife of Sam, the La Push pack's old leader. He stop shifting several years ago, but is still very much involved with the pack. "And so is Leah."
My jaw drops even farther. Leah is the only female shifter ever to have joined the pack and stuck by Jake's side through thick and thin as his beta. She is beautiful, but she used to be bitter and hateful, blaming the world for her problems. But then she met a guy named Jesse two years ago. She didn't imprint, but they fell in love immediately. Since she couldn't tell him about being a wolf because he wasn't an imprint, she stopped shifting. They got married after less than a month of knowing each other, and I have never met a happier couple. They have been trying to get pregnant for a long time now, and I know Leah was very disappointed that she couldn't. She thought the wolf genes had something to do with it. But now she has finally got her dream? I am so happy for her..
"That is amazing." I breathe, unable to grasp this. I've been gone for a week and two people have already found out they're pregnant?
"I know. I am so happy for Leah. She was such a great beta, she deserves the best.. Especially after what happened to Seth.." Jake always gets choked up when talking about this. So do I, and so does Mom, Dad, Esme, Carlisle, and sometimes even Rosalie. Seth was Leah's brother, and also a member of Jake's pack when he broke away from Sam's. He was very lovable and playful. The type of guy everyone wants to be friends with. He was so young when he shifted into a wolf, but he thought it was the coolest thing. As all the other wolves stopped shifting for various reasons except for Jake, Seth continued to shift. He had yet to imprint or meet the right girl, but he was okay with that.
But about a year ago, when my family had just moved to where we live now, four nomads wandered onto shifter territory. There hadn't been any vampires there since my family left, so it was very, very unexpected. Seth wasn't even on border patrol, he was just bored and decided to have a bit of a run.
He came face to face with four human drinkers. He fought them bravely. Jake happened to shift during it all, and immediately went to help. But as he was running there, he felt Seth's mind leave his. He said it was like watching a fire burn out. Seth had managed to kill one of the vampires, he was such an amazing fighter. Jake was just so angry. When a wolf gets angry, there is nothing that can stop them. He killed the others without pausing to take a breath. He called Carlisle, who got the first plane out there. I don't know why Jake bothered, he obviously knew Seth was gone, but I guess he just had to try. And Carlisle knew too, but like he could really turn down a sobbing Jacob. I went with Carlisle. I held Jake in my arms all through the night, running my hands through his black hair wiping away all the tears.
"Seth died a hero with honor. Remember that Jacob. Don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault." I tell him this every time the subject comes up.
"I know. I just wish I would have been there.." I can practically see the big tear rolling down his copper cheek. Jake has shifted more frequently since then, determined not to let vampires hurt anyone he loves ever again.
"I know. But just remember that Seth looked up to you. You were his idol. He wouldn't want you to let guilt consume your life." I remind him gently.
"I love you, Renesmee." Jake whispers huskily.
"I love you more." I smile, wishing I could be wrapped in one of his tight, warm hugs that lift me off the ground right now.
"Impossible. I can't wait for you to come home. You have to come see me as soon as you do. Take a plane here instead of back with your family. I'll pick you up at the airport, anytime, day or night." he vows.
"I'll talk about it with Mom." I promise.
"Please don't get mad at me, Nes, but I have to ask.. Are you still hanging out with that Alec kid?" he is holding his breath, waiting for me to start yelling at him.
I hate what I have to do now. Something I have never done to Jake before. Something I thought I would never have to do. "No." I lie. I have always been so open with him, able to tell him anything. But he just can't know this. Because then he'll tattle to Mom on me and she'll open her shield so Dad can read my mind at all times and I'll never be able to get away with anything.
"Promise?" he asks, hope twinkling in his voice.
"Promise." I cross my fingers and grimace.
"You're doing the right thing, Nessie. I have to go, I'm going to try to squeeze in a border patrol before the shop opens. I'll call you as soon as I can. I love you."
"I love you. Bye." I press the end button
I sit on the edge of my bed, my head in my hands, wishing I didn't have to just do that. I groan, flopping myself back. But just as I do, a knock sounds at my door. I am up in a flash, smoothing my hair and clothes out. I answer the door quickly, smiling brightly. I have to keep my face from falling when I see it is only Mom.
"Hey Mom." I squeak out, swallowing back my disappointment.
"Well don't you look cute today." she smiles at me, her doe-like butterscotch eyes looking over my outfit. More disappointment washes over me. Cute was definitely not what I was going for with my short skirt and mildly clingy shirt.
"Thanks." I frown, and thankfully her back was to me so she didn't see. She takes a seat on my couch.
"I'm really glad you have decided to stay away from Alec." she smiles sweetly up at me. My blood runs cold. She knows. She knows, she knows! She knows everything! And in two seconds, she is going to start yelling at me about it all!
"He really isn't that great.. It was no big deal." I manage a small smile back at her, keeping my cool.
"I knew you would see it soon enough." she says happily, and I begin to wonder if she really does know or not.. "Anyways, all of us are going hunting. Emmett has been complaining about the stored stuff not being as great as getting it fresh. Would you like to come?"
I really didn't want to. If my family was out, then I could actually spend time with Alec today. But if I said no, Mom would immediately be suspicious. I love to hunt, to give myself over to instincts, and a chance to hunt for Italian animals that we don't have back home is something I would never turn down on a normal occasion.
"Sure sure." I smile feigning excitement. That was a line I picked up from Jake, one that can get you through a variety of situations, as I have found out. Mom, knowing very well where it came from, smiles.
"Meet us in the throne room in fifteen minutes." Mom is at the door so fast my half human eyes have a hard time following. She gives me one last smile before disappearing downstairs. I sigh in annoyance, wishing my family didn't have to hate Alec so much.
I run into my closet and throw on a pair of jeans when there comes a knock at my door. Probably Alice come to share some kind of plan to torture Mom or Dad. I open up with a bored expression only to find Alec grinning with a single rose in his hand. His face falls as he sees me.
"Well someone looks like they're in a good mood." he frowns. I grab his wrist, pulling him quickly inside.
"Woah. You're already stronger." his frowns lifts into a smile as does mine. He extends the beautiful flower in his hand towards me.
"It's beautiful." I breathe in the scent, then look up him still smiling. "Thank you." I walk over to the table across the couch, sliding it into the middle of the bouquet of white roses.
"It's nothing." he shrugs, though I imagine it was a bit of a something because though the garden out there had many kinds of flowers, I had never seen any red roses in bloom.
"Oh, don't lie. I'm going to be gone today. I already told my mom I would go hunting with them. I was upset that I wouldn't see you all day, but I don't think she caught on." I tell him before really thinking about what I was going to say.
"You were sad about not seeing me?" he grins arrogantly.
"You've grown on me." I roll my eyes.
"Aw, that hurts. I thought it was love at first sight." he smirks. I stop in my tracks. Love at first sight. Like Leah and Jesse.. Is that what it was? Is that why we became so close so fast? Is it why I can't stop thinking about him? Why I dream about him every night? Why I defy my parents for him? Why I lie to Jake for him? Why it causes me physical pain to go too long without seeing him? Why my heart races every time I see him? Oh, who am I kidding? Of course it was love.
"Love at first sight.." I murmur thoughtfully. He has paused too, seeming to be thinking about the same things I am.
"Do you believe in it?" he asks in a hushed voice. My eyes meet his, my heart going ten times faster than normal, which is extremely fast.
"Yes." I breathe without hesitation. We share a long gaze that is filled with more emotions than I can name. I know you might be thinking Alec and I have only known each other for a week and we are rushing into things like stupid teenagers, but it has been much longer than a week to us. Our minds process so much every second, and we are both very quick. A week is like a month to us. Leah and Jesse knew each other for less than that when they got married. And they are perfectly happy with each other.
Alec is suddenly right in front of me, staring down at me inquisitively. "You are one of the few people I have trouble reading, Renesmee Cullen."
"Really? I've tried to make things very clear to you." A smile tugs at the corners of my lips.
"I just can't figure you out." he growls in frustration. He can't figure me out? What is there to figure out? I've made my feelings crystal clear to him!
"I guess there is really only one way to do this.." I sigh. I had hoped he would be the one to first initiate this.. But I really have no choice.
Before Alec can respond, I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him down closer to me. I lean in and kiss him slowly. He responds just as slowly, his hands encircling my waist. My hands push up into his silky hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. His tongue hesitantly flicks out, gliding along my lower lip, asking for entrance which I grant immediately. His soft warm tongue pushes into my mouth, greeting mine happily. He skillfully keeps our tongues in my mouth, not wanting me to slice my tongue on his razor sharp teeth. Vampire venom has no affect on half-breeds, but it sure as hell hurts to have it in your system.
Alec uses his hands that are resting on my lower back to press me harder against him. My body molds against the curves of his. His muscular chest, trim stomach, hard hips..
I release a slight moan, jumping up and wrapping my legs around Alec's hips. My lower region is pressed against the slight bulge between his hips. He growls animalisticly in response, and suddenly we are by the bed. He drops us onto it, supporting his weight carefully.
I release his hair, beginning to unbutton his shirt. I have it off quickly, trying not to ogle too long at his muscularity. His chest and hips are perfectly sculpted, pecs and a six-pack, and his hips are very defined with those lines that lead down from the hips into his jeans and beyond (which I call sex-lines, because they are very, very sexy).
He is then pulling off my sweater jacket and trying to get off my tank-top. He gets distracted though as he begins kissing down my neck. I arch my back, breathing heavily in excitement. My eyes land on the clock. It has been fifteen minutes since Mom was here.
Reluctantly, I push Alec away. He doesn't get the hint at first, just thinks I am trying to feel his chest again. But I add a little more force and he realizes what I'm doing.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asks, looking ashamed.
"No, of course not. I have to go though." I nod towards the clock.
"God damn it." he growls in annoyance. I giggle quietly. We had really been getting into things. I had kissed human boys before at school, but none had turned into anything close to that. It was magical and electrifying. I don't think I could have pulled myself away from him if I hadn't known Mom would be coming to get me if I didn't leave soon.
"That was amazing." I tell him somewhat shyly, twirling one of my bronze curls around my finger while staring down at the cream-colored carpet. Alec suddenly appears in front of me, his shirt already back on. He takes my face in his frosty hands and gently tilts it up so I am staring into those endless scarlet eyes of his.
"You are amazing." he whispers, his cool breath fanning over my face.
"Is this really what it seems like?" I ask, afraid of his answer. If he says no, I'll be crushed. If he says yes, I'm pretty sure there is no way my heart will ever be able to let go of him.
"Yes." he smiles slightly. "I never thought I would find true love in a Cullen."
"And I never thought I would find true love in a Volturi." I counter, smiling also.
"You have to go. Put on something to cover my scent. I'll see you tonight. I love you, Renesmee." he whispers, nuzzling his nose against mine. I literally feel my heart skip a beat. In all honesty, I love hearing it from him more than hearing it from anyone else, including Jacob.
"I love you too, Alec." the words flow so perfectly from my tongue. They are meant to come from my lips.
Alec leans down once more, kissing me sweetly for a brief moment. And then he is gone.