Here is the new chapter of no moon. Sorry for the delay but my life is supper hectic.
Chapter 6 Alistair
It was raining lightly when I arrived in London. I didn't know exactly where to find Alistair, but Carlisle told me he liked to hunt around pubs. The drunken people were usually passed out before he could get them. Since it was November Carlisle knew he would want to be around London.
I found the most crowded pub and waited in the alley behind it. If I wanted to talk to him he would want to know that I was there. If I snuck up on him it was probable that he would run and hide under a rock for the next century. And it was impossible to sneak up on a paranoid vampire.
He found me at 2 am, "What does Carlisle want?" He asked abruptly as we walked in the pub.
"Nothing, but-"
"Then why the hell are you here? You're waiting for me, I know that."
"I want to know how to track"
My request caught him off guard, "Track? Why?"
"Because I find it a useful skill."
"Well that's right. But it doesn't mean you're going to be able to do it Tracking is my gift. I could ask you to teach me how to read minds and still won't be able to do it."
"True," I conceded, "but tracking can be taught too. I know I'll never have your skills but I want to learn what I can."
"If I teach you what I know, what will you do for me?" Alistair wanted one thing, to find out what others are planning.
"I can only offer to read the minds of the people you are suspicious of," I knew that's what he wanted.
Alistair crimson eyes widened at my words. At last I could find out anybody can tell that I'm not human. "Alright we have a deal. Tell Carlisle I only owe him one more favor. Meet me at Big Ben at 10 pm tomorrow. Till then I would find a place where a vegetarian can hunt. Unless you want to join me hunting the pubs?" The question was rhetorical so he turned around and disappeared into the still crowded pub.
***
Finding abundant wildlife in London was rather hard. So, I rented a car to get out of town. It was a nice Jaguar with great acceleration. As I left the city and the surrounding suburbs, at 250 km/hour, the wildlife grew more abundant.
As I gave up to my instincts I left behind the human emotions that were stronger in this existence. Lately my mind has been filled by the emotion of longing for the impossible. I was content, for the first 90 years of my life I never felt a longing for a mortal life. I now understood why Rosalie wanted to be mortal so badly. On the drive here and the plane ride before, I went over the "what ifs" in my head. What if I was mortal, I could live and grow old with her. I imagined us with gray hair and a big family, kids with her hair, eyes, and blush.
But I had to remember that this was impossible. I have to stop thinking about "what if". So I let the vampire instincts of the hunt temporary clear my head.
After the fire was all but extinguished, I went back to the car. The Jaguar was new and very nice, but no matter how fast I drove I didn't find it as enjoyable as before. I approached maximum speed and the car engine started to whine in protest, like an old truck. I ignored the protest and pressed the gas, a bad idea. The engine went up in flames and I jumped out before the engine exploded. London was about 10 miles away, so I ran back slowing to human pace in the populated areas.
***
It was raining at 10pm at Big Ben. Alistair promised to meet me here and I knew he meant it by his thought. However by 10:15 he didn't show. But his sent was here and recently.
This must be the first test. I would have to find him. There must be a clue here. I searched the minds of the remaining tourists to look for a clue on where he would be. A girl with large black hair was thinking of Alistair and I followed her train of thought. Apparently he went into the building. I found his sent in the restricted area behind the clock face. "Welcome Edward, you past your first test of tracking. You past. How did you do it?"
"I searched the minds of the tourist, till I found you I their thoughts."
Interesting. "Your gift is useful, but don't use it as primary tool. What if there are no people around. You need to use your instincts, sight and smell. Tracking is a precise art. It takes skill, cunning and a whole lot of luck. You have cunning boy," he said, "but your skill is not there. For me, I feel a pull towards what I'm looking for. It may be a gift, but I also see subtle hints of quarry. Watch."
He ran downstairs and out the door before I realized it. I looked for theses "subtle hints" that he mentioned. I saw minuet displacement of the rug toward the door. Outside I saw a faint rustle of the grass. A woman saw Alistair walk into a pub. Inside the pub owner was asking for Alistair's order. And he was pissed that all Alistair got was a cheep beer.
I went inside and sat next to Alistair. "I can't teach you more," he stated, "Its instinctual, but you got the basic idea. But don't anger anybody and tell them that it was me that taught you, or I'll find you. Now tell me is the barman suspect anything about me."
"No, he just thinks you should order more expensive food."
"Good," he smiled, "Okay go now, Edward, you're drawling too much attention over here from the ladies. Good bye and tell Carlisle I only owe him one more favor."
"Bye" I said and turned to leave.