Exchanges

"Where are you taking me?" Anna demanded, waking in alarm. Stefan pulled her to her feet without answering. "What's happened?" she asked trying to keep up with his long as fast stride.

"Your rescuers are here," he said through gritted teeth. "Somehow they have managed to capture my brother. I am exchanging you for his safety," Stefan said with narrowed eyes. He dragged her out the door, gripping her upper arm so tightly she worried that he might break it. "Here is the girl. Now, give me my brother," he commanded as Anna blinked furiously, as her eyes adjusted to both the sunlight and the sparkling figures around her.

"Hand her over first," a cool voice demanded smugly. Jane, Anna remembered with a silent groan. She was Alec's evil twin, Anna thought uneasily. Suddenly, it wasn't clear who it was safest to be around.

"Not a chance," Stefan growled giving Anna a rough shake. "I know how you are. The minute she's released; you'll kill him. Hand him over first, unlike some people I can keep my word," he added hatefully. "Try any of your tricks, witch and I'll snap her neck like a twig," he snapped, icy fingers wrapping themselves around her throat.

"Jasper and I will walk Vladimir over to you, and you let Anna walk over to them," a smooth voice suggested. Anna looked over at an unfamiliar vampire with golden eyes who shot her a comforting smile. "That way you know he won't be harmed. Bella as agreed to keep her shield on the two of you; so that you will even have a head start," he went on to suggest softly.

"Start walking," Stefan commanded as Jane looked as if she were completely bored with the whole event. The soft spoken man and the man she guessed was named Jasper, cautiously brought another pale haired vampire with them as they made their way over. "Are you alright, brother?" Stefan called out with a worried frown. Vladimir gave a brief nod but cut his crimson eyes at Jane with hate plain on his features. Jane had clearly made an impression and not a good one, Anna noted looking at the crowd of people surrounding them. "Take her," Stefan said shoving her at the two approaching vampires as he grabbed his brother and made a run for it.

"Are you well?" Jane asked in mock concern. "Marcus was worried that you might be damaged," she added looking almost hopeful.

"I need a doctor," Anna admitted weakly as her head started pounding again and the world started to spin.

"I'm a doctor. My name is Carlisle," the soft spoken man said scooping her up into his arms. "I'll examine her back at the house," he called to the others before running at blurring speed through the woods.


"Anna!" Marcus said relieved as Carlisle came in with Anna passed out in his arms. "What is wrong with her?" Marcus demanded in a growl as Carlisle laid Anna on the couch.

"I need to examine her. She probably has a concussion at the very least. I'll go set up a room for her," Carlisle said looking over at Esme with a small smile. "Jane, Felix and Demetri…. Went off to attend to other matters," Carlisle solemnly informed everyone before he left.

"Bye, Bye, Stefan," Emmett chuckled elbowing Edward playfully in the ribs. "Come on brother. It was kind of funny," he said wrapping his arms around Rosalie and burying his face in her long blond hair. "She's probably fine," Emmett said trying to reassure a worried Marcus as he began to look over Anna's injuries for himself. "She's probably sleeping off the adrenalin shock," he added.

"Perhaps," Marcus muttered. "These are not her clothes," he growled as his eyes grew wide with surprised rage.

"She doesn't have Stefan's scent all over her," Edward said stifling a laugh. "I really don't think he tried anything…of that nature," he reassured him. "She's been there a while, she probably did need a change of clothes," he added.

"Of course," Marcus grudgingly agreed. His crimson eyes were inches from hers when she came around with a start. "It is alright, dearest," Marcus quickly assured her stroking the side of her face until she calmed down. "Carlisle will examine you and then we will see to getting you cleaned up," he promised her patting her hand. "Are you still angry with me?" he asked her quietly, oblivious to the other vampires in the room.

"No," Anna admitted swallowing hard. "Getting kidnapped kind of cured me of that," she said almost smiling at how relieved Marcus seemed to be. "Can someone help me to the bathroom, I'm getting queasy again?" she asked closing her eyes against the roaring nausea that threatened to overwhelm her.

"I'll do it," a pixie like vampire said beaming at her. "No offense, but no woman wants her man to see her get sick," she added with an apologetic look to Marcus. "My name is Alice," she said helping Anna to her feat.

"Nice to meet you," Anna said relieved that at least these vampires seemed friendly. It sure beat the alternative, she thought with an inward shrug. "We should hurry," she said urgently and Alice's golden eyes widened as she hurried her down the hall.


"How bad have your headaches' been?" Carlisle said shining a light in her eyes to check her pupils.

"Sometimes they have been pretty bad," Anna said hoping that she didn't sound like she was whining. "It's the queasiness that's really starting to get to me more than anything. When should that start to go away?" Anna asked as he checked her blood pressure.

"That depends," Carlisle said with a sympathetic smile as he helped her lie back on the table. "Once the exam is complete, I'll have a better idea. So far, so good," he said patting her arm. "Your stomach is slightly distended,' he observed grimly. "Did you receive a blow to your abdomen that you can recall?" he asked gently pressing down.

"Not that I can recall," Anna admitted with a wince. "I was pretty out of it most of the time though. How long was I there for?" she asked as Carlisle frown deepened.

"Three days or so, I believe," he said trying to smile at her reassuringly. "Any other symptoms that I should be aware of?" Carlisle asked arching an eyebrow at her speculatively. She shook her head and soon wished that she hadn't as the pain began to throb again. "When was your last cycle?" he finally asked her quietly.

"I don't know," she admitted. "It's always been sporadic. I can't be pregnant if that's what you are thinking," she said giving him a wry smile. "Marcus is the only guy I've been with for a while," she added.

"I need to take some blood," he said quietly. "Were you careful?" he asked looking at her intently as he drew the blood from her arm. She was dumbfounded; Marcus was a vampire; why would she need to use anything? She wondered. "Male vampires are capable of siring offspring," Carlisle said his golden eyes watching her face, checking for any reaction. "I'm not trying to worry you, just so you are more careful next time. You're symptoms could very well be from your time in Stefan's care," he said patting her arm reassuringly. "My wife Esme, has been to the grocery store. It's a trip we don't have to make often but she was worried that you might be hungry. Alice is outside the door and can take you to a room where you can wash up and rest. It'll be a while before I know anything else anyway," he said with a grin.

"Thank you for all you've done for me," Anna said gratefully. "I hope I don't seem rude but I need to ask you something," she began, as her curiosity got the best of her. "Marcus told me that you survive on animal blood is that true?" she asked after he nodded at her reassuringly.

"Yes, it is;" Carlisle said with a small smile. "I don't believe in feeding from humans. Don't worry your blood hardly tempts me," he said teasing her.

"It's not that," Anna said biting her bottom lip as she tried to find a way to phrase her question. "How do you do it? Is it hard not killing people?" she asked wincing slightly at her wording.

"You're thinking of adopting our diet," Carlisle said thoughtfully. Anna nodded eagerly, relieved that she didn't have to go through the ordeal of trying to explain further.

"How hard is it for a newborn to resist? I'd rather not drink human blood if I can help it," she confessed, realizing that in all likelihood Marcus could hear every word. "Marcus told me that it weakens you and distorts your eye color. How damaging is it?" she asked curiously.

"Minimal," Carlisle assured her with a wide and amused grin. "Your eyes will become golden like ours over time and it will be extremely difficult for you. A newborn's thirst is incredibly strong and I doubt that the Volturi will make it easy for you to adopt our lifestyle. I can honestly say that I have no regrets though. I wouldn't have had it any other way," Carlisle admitted approvingly.

"Thank you," Anna replied with a blush. "I hope I didn't come off as rude or anything…" she said letting her voice trail off since she didn't know how to finish her sentence anyway. "What's that noise?" she asked hearing a muffled sound coming from down the hall.

"Your friend was bitten," Carlisle informed her gently. "She's in the throes of the transformation. It's very painful," he said putting his hand on Anna's arm as her eyes widened in horror.

"What happened to her?" Anna demanded desperately. All of her attempts to keep Nikki in the dark had obviously been in vain. Her friend was condemned to this life whether she liked it or not. And it's all your fault, an inner voice chastised her. If she hadn't wanted to come home to visit her family one last time, Nikki would still be okay. "Did Alec…?" she began clenching her hands into fists.

"No, he didn't," Carlisle hurried to assure her. "After you were taken, Alec hurried to Seattle to collect your friend and bring her here. When he got there, Stefan's newborn was attacking her. Alec managed to chase him off but he didn't kill him because he chose to tend to your friends needs first. I am sorry to say, the only thing we can do is let her transformation take place. She must have an ability of some kind because despite his best efforts, Alec is unable to numb her senses," Carlisle informed her sadly. "He hasn't left her side," he pointed out watching Anna's reactions carefully. "As soon as her transformation is finished he plans to find the newborn and destroy him," he added.

"His name is Randall," Anna said sharply. "If Alec had left her alone to begin with, she wouldn't be in this condition right now," she muttered feeling rage and guilt swell inside her with equal force.

"Probably not," Carlisle agreed. "These things happen for a reason, even if we can't see that reason at the time. Everything will work out. Now you should go rest," he suggested with a fatherly sigh. Anna nodded glumly but obeyed his instruction without protest. She had a lot to think about and when Nikki awoke she had a feeling that she would have a lot of explaining to do. She had a lot to apologize for.