Hey... two in one day. Might even get another one if I stay on this roll *winks*
Enjoy!
~Speklez
BPOV
It was odd, really, how easy it was for me to assume a life that wasn't really mine. Yeah, I had my problems, and some things weren't so easy to swallow, but being a seventeen year old bartender wasn't one of them. I actually loved the job I found, and I made pretty decent money at it. It might take me an entire lifetime to pay Peter back for my car, but I was happy, and I was good at this.
Walking into Dom's was always a pretty good ego boost, too. The cheer of my name as I came in never failed to make me smile, even it it wasn't my name. I went by Liz in public these days, Jasper picking the name Elizabeth for me when he had my ID made. Peter assured me if I didn't like it, he would have no problem getting me a new identity with a name I did, but really, it wasn't like what I was called was a big deal. He still called me Bella at home on the very rare occasion he didn't call me one endearment or another; those times generally being when I pissed him off.
Which was surprisingly hard to do, actually.
Maybe I was just too used to my humanity being enough to piss off a vampire, I didn't know, but I was positive this mother fucker was about as laid back as supernaturals came. As long as I didn't leave the cap off the Jack or let my gas tank get so low I was in danger of running out, he just... didn't care.
That wasn't to say we didn't get into it over other shit, it just wasn't as common now as it was a month ago when we were still new to each other. Most of what we fought about at first wasn't even anything he was doing, really. It was all in my head, I knew that. However, after finding out everything I did that was going on with the Cullens, I had a very hard time seeing his kindness as anything other than nefarious.
The biggest fight we had was when he offered to buy my car, and I was, admittedly, a fucking bitch about it. It had taken me the rest of the day after he, hands down, won that fight, but I did eventually tell him why I was so against it. It was just another one of the things that had been attempted to be forced on me by Edward.
He seemed to understand where I was coming from, which was where the compromise we came to, came from. I also got a history lesson from him about his dealings with his ex-wife, and he told me he was having just as hard of a time not bending to my desires as I was to accept anything from him. From what he told me, I gathered after so long of being what amounted to a walking ATM for this Charlotte chick, it became a habit of his, and for a vampire, long standing habits became a part of who they are.
I wasn't a violent person, but by the time that conversation was over, I decided I didn't like the bitch, and if I ever met her, I was going to hit her in the face with a baseball bat. I wouldn't live much longer, I wasn't that stupid, but I liked Peter, and he didn't deserve to be used like that only to be cheated on because not only was she a golddigger, she was also, apparently, a whore as well.
Once everything was out on the table, things calmed down and we seemed to fall into a pretty decent routine. I worked five days a week, mostly at night, and when I got home, he always had something for me to eat waiting for me to walk in the door. He would have a drink while I ate, and I would tell him about my shift before I went to bed, him being nice enough to actually be very quiet so I could sleep.
The literal only issue I really had happened a week after I started at the bar when this douche and his friends came in. I hadn't seen them before, which wasn't shocking since I was new to the area, but when no one else knew who they were either, that's when I got a little more standoffish with them. Most of the people that came into Dom's were locals, and pretty regular customers, so new faces were noticed.
At first, it wasn't bad, just crude and unnecessary remarks about my ass. But, they came back three shifts in a row, leaving if I wasn't there only to come back when I was, and it got progressively worse.
This bar is in Texas, and it was moving into summer. It gets hot. So, I wore a skirt to the bar that night because why the hell wouldn't I? Because, that was also the night Sir Douche decided that was going to be the night crude and unnecessary remarks about my ass weren't enough anymore, and he was going to get grabby. His hand went up my skirt, and I brought my overprotective vampire roommate to work the next night... wearing jeans, in ninety degree weather.
I should have felt bad, but nope. It didn't matter if he didn't know I was actually a minor; if he would do that shit to me, he would do it anyone, and that was also a nope. I don't know what everyone thought happened to those boys, but I also don't care. They aren't bothering me, or putting their hands up anyone else's skirts, grabbing something they had no right to grab, and that's really where I stopped caring.
Once I knew I would never have to deal with him again, I fell in love with my job. Sure, I was still fielding other drunken come-ons, but at least these guys knew what not interested, or a flat 'no' meant. Getting hit on was also part of the job, I had been told that when I started. Dom didn't cut any corners making sure I understood it was going to happen, and if it wasn't something I thought I could handle, or it wasn't something I was alright with, I was better off not taking the job when he offered it to me. I didn't. Getting hit on was one thing, and as long as that was where it stopped, I was fine with it.
I just wasn't fine with Sir Douche putting his fucking hand up my skirt.
Literally jumping out of my thoughts, I looked at the other bartender, and my new best friend, Jade, who was looking at me with pure amusement on her face.
"Damn, Liz; penny for your thoughts?"
Shaking my head to dispel said thoughts, I chuckled. "They ain't worth that much, trust me."
Her eyes, at such a simple statement, lit the fuck up. "You said 'ain't'! My God, Dolly, I'm so proud a you." When all I did was snort, she giggled as she turned to the bar, dropping down on her forearm and elbow, propping her chin on her closed fist. "Sweet Baby Jesus... now, why can't I have a roommate that look like that with friends that look like that?"
Ah, Peter must be here with his buddy.
Leaning around Ol' Hoss, I looked out onto the floor, seeing Peter sitting at one of the tables with a vampire I didn't know, but looked seriously out of place in black dress slacks and a blue button down. Hanging off the back of his chair was, I assumed, the jacket with when with the suit he was wearing, but it looked a little long for a normal jacket.
Shrugging it off, and knowing for a fact they could hear our conversation, I snorted as I made my way out from behind the bar, pausing long enough to smirk at Jade. "Trust me, Sweet Cheeks, you don't wanna go there. No matter how hot they are, it just ain't worth it." I watched her roll her eyes, but didn't stay long enough for her to say anything before making my way through the tables to the one the two amused vampires were sitting at. Peter had one arm draped over the back of his chair and his friend had his arms crossed, both wearing mating raised brows, which made me laugh.
Setting my hands on the back of the chair so my back was to the bar, I smiled at the two. "Neither one of you are allowed to hold what you hear tonight against her. Jade doesn't... possess the ability to control what comes out of her mouth." When neither one of them made any attempt to agree to the terms, I shook my head but looked at Peter's friend, already knowing what Peter wanted. "What can I get for you?"
He looked at me for a long moment before he changed his position, sliding slightly down in his seat, uncrossing his arms and propping one on the back of his chair with a bent elbow while the other one stretched out in front of him, drumming his fingers on the table as a smirk pulling at his lips. Another moment passed before he spoke, and it wasn't to give me his drink order. "I find it funny, Isabella, that you aren't even slightly curious as to who it is I am."
I heard Peter kick him under the table, but all the vampire did was shift his eyes to Peter for a moment before returning them to me. I don't recall saying I wasn't curious who he was, I just didn't think Peter would bring someone that would be a danger to me where I worked. I could feel my heart beat harder when he stressed my real name, so I knew they could hear it, and it was confirmed when Peter kicked him again, this time much harder, and with words.
"Knock it off, Dickhead. I already killed for the girl once, so don't go thinkin' I got the slightest problem doin' it again."
Though there was still a smirk on the man's face, his lips were pressed together slightly harder than they were before. "Kick me again and see what happens, Captain."
Peter, his eyes darkening, growled as he leaned closer to the other vampire. "Call me that again and see what the fuck happens, Tracka. Ya don't wanna test me, Boy. I'll actually hurtcha."
It was like watching the most fucked up game of tennis ever. Back and forth they went, and finally, I gave an uncomfortable clearing of my throat as I looked at Peter when they just started slinging insults. "I thought you said you two were friends."
It was the strange vampire that answered, and it was with a snicker. "We are, but we aren't," his eyes cut to mine, "the Cullens."
It was in that moment I discovered the feeling of your stomach dropping to your feet felt exactly like shitting your pants. I wondered for a moment if they could hear my ass clench, but decided against asking. Instead, I decided to impersonate a fish. I couldn't stop the compulsion to open and close my mouth, and this vampire seemed to find it funnier than hell.
Even with my mouth dry half way down my throat, I still attempted to talk, though I was positive it was more of a croak. If he knew I knew the Cullens, then I knew at least the organization this vampire worked for. "You're..."
Well, I tried to talk, anyway.
The vampire, however, had no problem finishing my sentence. "Volturi; yes, I am." Then, he extended a hand. "Demetri."
I looked at the innocent enough hand in front of me for maybe a moment too long, but did end up taking it, and giving it a slight squeeze. "Bella, but please, call me Liz."
The debener bastard actually changed how he was holding my hand and pressed his lips to the back of my hand, much to the clear irritation of Peter, which was very clearly what he was intending if the dark amusement in his eyes was anything to go by. "Pleasure, Stella." I just gave him a half smile as he released my hand and returned to his previous position with his arms crossed. "I don't suppose you carry wine, here."
I wrinkled my nose and lifted a shoulder. "Just your basic Merlot and Chardonnay, though I heard someone say the Chardonnay tasted like someone pissed in a bottle and slapped a label on it."
I have never seen a vampire look that close to throwing up before, but I actually took a step back from the table as I heard him gag and press the side of his fist to his lips. He didn't move his hand, just raised his index finger, his voice strained. "Merlot."
Nodding to him, I looked at Peter, who had a cat that got the canary grin on his lips. He didn't look away from Demetri as he spoke to me. "I'll just have a whiskey, Sug."
Holding my hands up, I backed away from the table before turning and heading back to the bar.
PPOV
As Bella was heading back to the bar, I just continued to watch Demetri battle against his last meal. After the third time I saw him shudder, I chuckled. "Serves ya ass right for pullin' that shit with 'er."
His hand was still in front of his mouth, so he gave me the finger with the other one. Watching him try not to puke was way funnier than it should have been, so when he finally cleared his throat, I was more than slightly disappointed.
However, before he was able to say a word, my attention snapped to the bar when I heard the little Belle reject that was Jade's voice.
"Ya eva fantasize 'bout fuckin' that roommate a yers?"
I didn't actually plan on reacting to anything I heard, but there was no preventing my head from snapping to the side, my eyes locking on the wide, horrified brown ones of said 'roommate'. Bella was completely frozen, the bottle of Jack in position to pour my drink, her lips parted.
Now, literally anything else being their topic of conversation and I would have ignored it as asked, but I had to say, I was pretty fucking interested in that answer myself.
Bella, however, just closed her eyes as she shook her head. "No, I haven't."
Her bar buddy, on the other hand, lit up like a damn Christmas tree. "You a damn liar, Lizzy."
Pouring my drink, "I am not."
"Yeah, ya are. Don't know why either. There ain't nothin' wrong with it."
Trading the bottle of liquor for Demetri's wine, "Jade... shut up."
"Why? Honey, if I had a roommate that look like that, I'd just walk around naked all damn day and hope for the fuckin' best."
I have never seen a human turn that color red before, and I wasn't sure if Bella wanted to cry, vanish into thin air, or beat Jade's ass as she poured Demetri's glass of Merlot.
Finally, it seemed as though she decided her course. After she recorked the wine bottle and put it away, she picked up the corkscrew and pointed the business end of the thing at Jade. "Jade, Babe, I love you, I do, but if you don't stop talking, right now, I will stab you in the face."
Without giving the little Betty any more of a change to make the situation worse for her, Bella picked up mine and Demetri's drinks and hurried out from behind the bar. I could see it, and so could the tracker across from me. The girl was mortified because she knew we heard every single word, and a mortified Bella was clearly a pissed off Bella.
She set both of our glasses down harder than necessary and glared at me. "You know how many things I have at home I can turn into a flame thrower. Don't you dare."
I was pretty sure I hadn't done anything, but even still, I put my hands up in a sign of surrender. Demetri, however, went to open his mouth, so I kicked him again, shaking my head with a wrinkled nose when he shifted his eyes to me. It really wasn't worth pissing her off even more, because she really would try to set his ass on fire.
Instead, he waited until she was out of hearing range. Picking up his glass, he held it in the palm of his hand, his eyes watching my human, a hum in his throat. "Well, this certainly got far more interesting."
I just pointed at him. "Let it alone."
He face went completely flat as he swirled the red wine in its glass. "You do get I am here as a favor to an old friend, but will very likely have a job to do eventually, right?"
Picking up my own drink, I took the double as a shot, licking my lips clean of the amber liquid, humming in the back of my throat. One arm folded on the table, Iightly set my glass back down, and looked at Demetri through my lashes. I didn't know what I looked like, but it had the effect of making him lean back a bit. "Ya really wanna have a go at me?"
He took a drink and cleared his throat after he swallowed it. "Not particularly."
I just cocked a brow. "Then shut it, mind it, and drink your toe jam."
Pausing before his glass was all the way back to his mouth, he glared at me as he set it back down. "Every damn time. I swear, you and Felix share a fucking brain."
I just grinned at him. I did like that big, brick shit house. He and I got along so well because, honestly, we had the exact same sense of humor... and generally at Demetri's expense. I had known both the fuckers for almost as long as I had been out of Maria's army, and we usually got together once a year for a weekend of Hell raisin'. They've called me to lend them a hand over the years, and I've done the same. Didn't think I would ever call them about a human, though.
Aro did know about her, and she was allowed to live for the time being, which was nothing if not a fucking miracle, but I hadn't tried and hide her like the Cullens tried to. That was how you got your ass in jam. Did I tell the Asshole in Chief myself? No, but I did tell the one that would be dealing with the situation when it came down to it, who was the one that told Aro once he had the information he needed.
I had started the conversation with 'so, there this human', to which Demetri had snorted with a response of 'I didn't think you the type'. However, by the time I was done telling him about said human, he was less than thrilled to hear it was a rescue operation, which allowed me a few liberties I wouldn't have had otherwise, and what it was that allowed Bella to keep her pulse.
I was then told he had one situation he had to deal with first, but then he would be out to assess this situation. He needed to see for Aro what I said was true, and that I wasn't allowing her to run around and run her mouth.
Demetri and I were silent for a time, and he was the one that broke it with a sigh through his nose, though his eyes were on my human. "It will be up to Aro, as you know, but there should, at the very least, be a time limit for her heart to stop. Spending an extended period of time under the influence of the Lure does, understandably, take an extended period of time to come out from under. So far, I haven't seen any evidence she's stepping out of the rules, and I do believe I even heard her warn her charming little friend to stay away; that... it wasn't worth it."
I just looked at him, waiting for him to continue, which he did after he killed his wine. "I will go to bat for your human, Peter, so long as I do not find out she told someone else."
I just cocked a brow at him. "My human?" She was, but I didn't recall telling him that.
Demetri, however, just clicked his tongue as he leaned toward me. "I saw your face during the girls' conversation. You didn't call me here to save a human with knowledge she shouldn't have. You know that wouldn't happen. No matter how far down the rabbit hole she had been drug, laws are laws, and orders are orders, all friendships aside. You called me here to buy you time to undo the conditioning that was done to her because, as long as she's under that influence, she's out of your reach. You called me here because I know how to do just that." Leaning back in his seat again, he crossed his arms. "Tell me I'm wrong."
All I did was grin at him. "Tell me ya ain't gonna do it."
Uncrossing one of his arms, he waved a finger at me. "Oh, no, Captain. I'm going to fix that human, and in exchange, you are going to stay out of our way when the time comes to deal with the Cullen that did it, the one that allowed it, and any that encouraged it." When I didn't answer in a timely enough manner, he smirked at me. "You either agree to these terms, or I go home, right now, with nothing but your word of her silence, which you know isn't enough to save her life."
Now, I was glaring. "You a asshole."
He just shrugged. "True, but, I'm also not in the mood for your games. So, what is it going to be?"
A very slow smile that was anything but nice pulled at my lips, and I could feel my eyes start to darken. I laced my fingers together and spoke with a chuckle in my voice. "You gonna do whatcha came ta do, and then you gonna get the fuck out my way, cause... I said so. I ain't playin' no game, but you wanna see which one a us betta at hide n seek? 'Ight, Tracka, let's play."
The glare on his face was impressive, but I just kept smiling at him as he growled. "I have no idea why I'm friends with you."
I didn't know either, but I knew when he didn't attempt to leave, and instead just lifted his empty glass to ask for a refill, I won, and it was time to move on to phase three.
