A/N: The characters and situation in this story do not belong to me, they are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I'm just tweaking with the details because it kept me up at night. Thanks for the reviews, I thought I was done but I wanted to explore something a bit darker that Meyer hints at in the book. *So, this is embarrassing….I mixed up Felix and Demetri, hence the update – problem fixed.*

"That's not a very warm reception." He was looking at me again in that uncomfortable way that made me want to cover myself. I held my ground and tried to find words through the fear that was currently muddling my brain. He reached for my hair and I shrunk back. Holding my ground suddenly seemed much less important than not letting him touch me.

"Sorry," I blinked and shook my head to clear it, "What do you want?" My voice was shaking and he smiled at that. His attitude and intentions toward me were becoming clear in my mind, as was Edward's previous reaction to him.

"I think that we both know what I want." He smiled. I stumbled a step back as if stuck. What he wanted was nothing that I wanted anything to do with.

"No" I said as firmly as I could with shaking limbs. His smile deepened and he came closer. This monster was most definitely used to getting exactly what he wanted. "Whatever it is, my answer is no."

"Don't be like that Bella." He allowed me to step back again as he advanced into the room his voice was persuasive, unnatural. "I can give you more than he can, you know?" I turned my head slightly to my shoulder not understanding this agenda of his. I was fairly certain that his goal was to hurt me but now he seemed to be attempting to change my mind. Did he think that he appealed to me?

"No"

"Bella, don't be foolish. You think that your 'vegetarians'," that word was a joke to him, "are strong, that they're somehow noble." He paced around the room a bit too quickly for me to be comfortable with emphasizing what he was. "I tell you that they're unnatural and weak. Human blood makes us stronger. Didn't he tell you that?" He stopped to caress an ancient handwritten copy of Shakespeare's Complete Works that I had been privileged to borrow from the library. The way he touched it was greasy, oily, bordering on lewd.

"That doesn't matter to me." I could barely speak through my fear. The door was still open. I wouldn't be much safer out in the halls, I'd been instructed not to go out without an escort. Could I find Alice or Carlisle? Were they close? He probably wouldn't be attempting this if help were anywhere nearby. I couldn't imagine him doing this without his bases. My eyes fell on the door for a fraction of a second too long and he was there before I could make a step toward it. It clicked with a finality that made my stomach churn and a knot build in my throat.

"It should." He was behind me, his breath in my hair. I felt tears building in my eyes and a sob formed a bubble in my throat. He touched my hip and my breath caught in fear. "Being a member of the guard gives you power. You could have that with me." He moved my hair to breathe on my neck. I was petrified, my hands balled in fists, but fighting would be useless. Edward had demonstrated that for me in the meadow last year. I didn't have a prayer. His fingers trailed down my neck and I shivered in fear and rage. "You may not be much now but after you're one of us, I daresay that you will be something to look at." I could vomit right there.

"Please leave." I begged. My voice was breaking. Something told me that begging wouldn't spare me. Felix would not be prevailed upon that way. The only thing that mattered to him was strength and that I didn't have.