Hey people I was SO psyched by the immediate response to the last chapter and the positive response to the whole story overall that I decided to begin writing right away. Fuck school and the French test that I didn't know was actually gonna be written in French (so I probably failed...) I AM FOCUSING ON FANFICTION. Coz I'm sad like that ^_^
And I would like to say a freaking fat-ass THANK YOU to sweettee11 for her fucking EPIC polyvore set based on this fanfic. This chapter is dedicated to her! Btw, CHECK IT OUT! : /cgi/set?id=39144828
After the lights go out on you,
After your worthless life is through,
I will remember how you scream,
I can't afford to care, I can't afford to care...
When my eyelids flutter open again, I'm in Alec's car. Whenever he swerves a corner too quickly, my body slumps sideways and I hit the door. The third time it happens, I let a small whine slip through my lips. "Fuck," I moan, rubbing my eyes. My head is throbbing, and my throat is raw. To sum it up, I feel like complete and utter shit on a stick.
"Oh, you're not dead," a familliar voice chimes.
"Sadly," I sigh, trying to sit up properly. "Nice to see you're so broken up about my possible demise, by the way."
"Do you remember what happened?" Alec asks me, tutting when I wince. "Stay still. We'll be home soon."
"Don't want to stay still. Feels like I've been staying still for a couple hundred years," I grumble. It's true. All my limbs are aching as if I've been sleeping in the same position for hours.
"Suit yourself," Alec mutters. "Well, at least you wern't unconscious long. Fifteen minutes at the most."
I can't work out the reason why I can still feel rain, why I can feel wind whipping my face, until I try to look out the window into the blackness.
"Alec, what in fuck's name posessed you to have all the windows in the car open? Were you hoping I'd fall out or some shit?"
Alec chuckles darkly. "Well, in the two days you've been here you have managed to endanger your own life quite a few times, but I doubt even you could manage to fall out a car window while unconscious and wearing a seatbelt." He pauses. "It helps this way, I can't smell your blood as well with the wind blowing the scent away."
" How nice of you. And you obviously don't know me that well if you think I couldn't manage falling out these damn windows," I yawn, my eyes drooping shut. I jump when Alec snaps his fingers in front of my face.
"Don't fall asleep again, you little fool! You might have a concussion."
I give an agonised groan, knowing he's right but not wanting to admit it. "But I'm fucking tired."
"Think I give a fuck how tired you are? Keep your fucking eyes open or I'll staple your eyelids to your forehead."
"You are so nice, being concerned about my wellbeing."
"I know."
It isn't long at all before we're pulling into the underground parking lot again. It feels like days have passed since we've been here but in reality it's only been a few hours. Every light is on, and it's so unbearably bright that I have to sheild my eyes. "Shit," I complain. The light fucking hurts. My eyes feel as if they're about to pop right out of my sockets. When the car jolts to a stop, my door is open before I can even take another breath.
"What happened, Alec?" Someone familliar asks. I recognise Renata's voice.
"Romanians," Alec hisses, no longer beside me. "No, I'll take her. You get the bags."
"Oh, the bags," I realise. Well, at least the shopping wasn't a waste of time.
I feel solid arms slip smoothly under my knees and my back, lifting me up. Alec holds me to his chest, carrying me carefully.
"Were there many?" Another female voice asks. Jane.
"Five," Alec recalls. "Four went for me, but the leader went after her. Felix, get the door will you?"
Felix too? How many are here? I realise that my eyes slipped shut without permission. I try to open them again, but the lights hurt too much.
"Alec, get her ahead if you still want her alive," Someone else vaguely familliar rasps. "I'm thirsty."
"Yes, her blood is remarkably appealing," Jane muses. "If I hadn't just eaten, you and I would have quite a problem, brother."
Oh Christ. It's not just psychotic Romanians I have to worry about eating me, it's everyone in this fucking castle. Well, almost everyone.
"Phoenix? Is she alright?" Benjamin's anxious voice reaches my ears. I want to open my eyes and reassure him, but they feel so heavy.
"Get out of my way, human," Alec snaps. "Santiago, hold your breath if you think you can't restrain yourself. I'd hate to have to deal with a third attack in one day."
"I'm fine," Santiago says. He doesn't sound certain.
God, I fucking hate lying back not able to do shit. Having them all fawn around me. Being what they think I am – a weak, incapable little girl.
"Put me down," I mumble to Alec. "I want to walk."
Alec scoffs at me. "Nyxie, you can't even open your eyes. How do you expect to walk?"
"I can do it," I insist.
"Nyxie, be a good girl and shut up so I can get you upstairs without almost getting you killed," Alec sighs, sounding frustrated.
"Bitch," I grumble. There are a couple of muffled chuckles. Alec sighs at me but says nothing.
"What happened?" A new voice cries.
"It's okay Eleazar," Jane calls. "I advise you to stand back. She's bleeding."
"I can see that," Eleazar notes.
"Here, come with me," Jane says. "We'll get Chelsea."
There's a slight breeze as they run.
"Get the door, San," Alec grunts, ajusting me in his arms. Santiago does as he's told, and I hear him give a small gasp as he moves closer to me.
"Santiago!" Alec snaps. The force of his voice hurts my ears.
"Sorry, sorry," Santiago mumbles, sounding distracted.
"C'mon man," Felix says, and I can part my eyes long enough to see him drag Santiago away.
"Open the door, please, Renata," Alec sighs. There's a bit of shuffling as she drops some bags and then a click as she opens the door. I giggle, remembering the last contact she had with Alec's door.
"He fixed the lock," I mumble.
They don't take any notice of me. The next thing I know, Alec is placing me sitting up on the sofa.
"Fuck this, I want to go to bed," I complain, attempting to stand up. My legs wobble a little, but other than that I'm okay. But it's Alec who gently pushes me back down.
"Just wait," he says. "You can go to bed in a while."
"Fuck you," I sigh. Stupid pushy fucker.
Alec and Renata mumble to eachother while I force my eyes to stay open. A few moments later, there's a brief knock and then a glorious woman breezes in.
She has long thick hair, auburn, with streaks of red that gleam even in the dim light of the bedroom. Her almond-shaped eyes glow red, encaged in a pale, heart shaped face. Her lips are full and red, and they purse in distaste when she gets an eyeful of me. She's wearing a long flowing gown, black, with the same Volturi 'V' necklace that most of them possess.
"Is this Phoenix?" She asks. Her voice is very femenine, but strong. I wouldn't really want to fuck around with her. Even obnoxious, arrogant Alec looks at her with complete respect.
"Yes," he replies.
"I'll go to Aro," Renata says, and she leaves.
"Stand back Alec, and turn on the light. Let me get a good look at her," Chelsea says, kneeling in front of me. As soon as the light switches on, I wince. Though it doesn't hurt as much as before.
"Is that okay?" He asks.
"Sure," she replies. "Alec, you should go to Aro. I'm sure he'll want a firsthand account."
"But-"
"Sweetheart, it's fine. I'll take good care of your little pet. Now go on, you know Aro hates being kept waiting," she soothes, her voice like golden syrup. I'm shocked at her use of a petname towards Alec, and even more surprised when he doesn't protest. He slips away silently, leaving me with her.
Chelsea helps me sit up straight. "Look at me, honey, let me see your eyes," she says, her voice soft but very firm, leaving no room for arguement.
"You're Chelsea," I mumble, as the name finally clicks for me.
"Yes," she replies. "Look up."
I do. "Eleazar told me about you."
"Did he?" She says with disinterest. "Well, you don't have a concussion. Stay still now. Don't squirm. Let me see that cut."
She pushes my hair out of my face to examine my forehead. "That's a deep cut alright, but it's stopped bleeding. You won't need stitches."
"Good," I sigh. "How do you know?"
"I was a nurse, before I was changed," she says. "If there's ever casualty amonst us, I'm usually called. That was the reason Aro changed me, in the beginning. He didn't know I had a gift."
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask curiously. Why indeed? What was this, Volturi sharing hour? Why would she want to share her life story with Alec's newest fad?
"Alec intends to keep you for some time, and Aro even longer," she says. "And you've been here only a few days and have managed to get yourself attacked twice. I think you should know who to go to if you suddenly start spurting blood."
Getting a gore-oriented image in my head, I giggle. "Fair enough."
Then I remember something else. "Eleazar told me that you were like Alec and Jane's mom."
"I like to think so," she says slowly. "They probably feel otherwise, but I look on them as my own son and daughter."
"Is that why you're not eating me?" I ask, feeling a little drowsy.
She laughs, and the sound is beautiful. "Partially."
"Good," I sigh.
The door nudges open and Alec steps into his bedroom. Chelsea rises gracefully from her squatting position.
"She'll be absolutely fine," she smiles radiently. "Get her cleaned up and into something dry, then I think it's best if she sleeps."
"Okay," Alec smiles trustingly. It's odd to see such a genuine smile on his face. "Thanks, Chelsea."
"Wait," I call. Chelsea pauses. Alec looks at me quizzically. "Did you re-attach Demetri's arm?" I ask.
It's a genuinely curious question, but Chelsea laughs and Alec shakes his head at me.
"No, I did not. I'm afraid his pride would not allow it."
"Oh, okay," I sigh.
As soon as she sweeps from the room again, Alec is over to me. "Come on," he says, sweeping me back into his arms. In a flash, we're in the bathroom. Alec sets me on my feet in front of the mirror.
"I'll find you something to sleep in," he says. Then he's gone again.
I glance up into the mirror, and grimace in horror.
Christ on a bike, I look like I just crawled up out of my own grave! My hair is damp and crazy-looking. In fact, all of me is damp. The shirt clings wetly to my skin. But my face is the most shocking.
I'm deathly pale, my eyes wide and almost black. The deep red of the blood is a shocking contrast to the black and white. The cut on my forehead is wide, but short, only about an inch in length. But all down the left side of my face is red with drying blood. It's even managed to trickle down my neck. The right side has several tiny streams of blood patterned like tree roots.
I look like something from a fucking slasher movie.
Weirdly enough, the cut doesn't hurt that much. It stings a bit, but it's mostly numb. But I have a pretty high pain threshold anyway. I'm sure it'll sting like a little bitch tomorrow.
I dampen a cloth and wipe my face and throat, being careful of my forehead. When it's clean, I comb my hair through, tugging the tangles and grunting in annoyance when pieces of gravel fall to the tiled floor.
I give up and wander back into the bedroom. Alec is waiting there, sitting on the edge of his bed. Beside him is a small fabric pile.
"You look better," he comments.
"I look like shit," I sigh.
"I know, but I was trying to be nice about it."
I roll my eyes and touch the pile of clothes. Alec stands and walks purpously to the bathroom. He closes the door behind him.
Grateful for the privacy, I start to undress myself. Then, I recall something else.
Alec went up on me.
Alec, went up, on me.
In what ever holy fucked up world does that happen!
I shake my head slowly, and pick up a soft navy sweater. It's very loose and soft, with a circular collar and sleeves that fall below my fingertips. It feels incredibly comfor-
Holy fucking hell! Alec, went up on me!
No. It isn't possible. I have to have imagined it. Get a fucking grip, Nyx! God. Maybe I do have a concussion after all. There's no other way that could have made it's way into my hea-
I fucking felt it! I saw it!
...Didn't I?
Nah, I didn't. I couldn't have. It was probably my crazy imagination again, like when I went to kindergarten and punched a girl in the nose because she sat in the little red plastic seat that my imaginary friend Maurice wanted. The teacher wouldn't listen when I told her it was all Maurice's fault.
The bitch of an imaginary friend wouldn't talk to me for a week after that.
Wait. How the fuck can I remember my imaginary friend and our escapades from kindergarten, and yet I can't remember whether or not something happened only an hour or so ago?
I lean my face into my hands, trying to clear my head. Remembering that I only have a little time before Alec makes a grand return, I strip off quickly and pull the sweater over my head. There are a pair of big grey sweats too, which I step into quickly, not wanting Alec to catch me practically starko twice in one night.
I swear, my soul is totally traumatised after today. I wanna crawl up in a hole and hibernate for a whole bunch of months. I mean what person can handle being kidnapped, marked, attacked twice and knocked unconscious all in the space of two days without a teeny little bit of emotional scarring.
As I hear the bathroom door click open, I dive under the sheets, trying to ignore the dizzyness. At least I can sleep now.
"Is the light hurting your eyes?" Alec asks, his voice soft.
Soft? Huh?
I force my head off the pillow to narrow my eyes at him. "What the fuck do you care?"
"I don't. Now do me a favour and go the fuck to sleep before I make you."
I decide to be a freaking good girl and close my eyes, but not before saying: "I fucking hate you, you know?"
There's a small chuckle before the light disappears. "I know. I fucking hate you too."
Unsurprisingly, Alec is back to his infuriating self the next morning. I'm woken up with a flick to my temple.
Now, a flick from a normal person is pretty sore and also damn annoying, but a flick from Alec is both painful and extremely irritating.
"Ungh, fuck off will you," I yawn, rubbing the side of my head.
"No, I will not. Get up now. I'm not having you lying in bed all day," he growls.
"God," I groan, rubbing my eyes. "What crawled up your ass and died?"
He bares his teeth in a sarcastic grin and replies; "The slim remainder of your looks."
When I drag myself to the bathroom to get myself ready to face another fun-filled day with my Owner, I see he wasn't fucking around.
My throat is peppered with bruises. They're light enough, but they can only get darker. There are more bruises across my collarbone, but to my relief they can be easily covered. My eyes have dramatic dark cirles underneath, and the cut on my forehead is the fucking pits. It looks like a makeup effect gone wrong from some crappy horror movie that gets laughs instead of screams. Also, I thought I had gotten all the blood off my face last night, but my hairline is crusted with a thin line of dried blood.
Also did I mention I fucking hurt? Yeah, I do. The cut stings like a mad bastard whenever my brow furrows. My neck feels stiff and twinges painfully whenever I turn my head.
Jeez. What the hell else is gonna happen to me? I'm only on my third day here!
Deciding that I need a shower, I shove as much bathroom junk against the door as possible to keep away unwanted company.
Unsurprisingly, Alec pounds on the door. "What the fuck are you doing in there?"
"Go the fuck away! I'm trying to have a shower!" I yell back.
"It's my bathroom and I'll enter if I wish!" Alec snaps, but he does go away. I wonder if it's because of what happened yesterday.
Okay! Fuck yesterday. Yesterday was just a bad day. A bit worse than your average bad day, mind you, but I figure that if I survived yesterday, I can survive pretty much anything. So! Clean slate, and all that shit. New day, fresh start. And what's fresher than a shower?
And I gotta say, the shower is pretty fucking fantastic. It's got four huge nozzles aiming at the centre. There's a white, waterproof, faux-leather seat in it. Fucking hell! The inside walls of the shower are all slate stone and pretty gorgeous, and there are some shelves dug out of it for holding shit like shampoo and shower gel and all that junk.
I grab some girl products out of the basket and rip my sleepclothes off eagerly, trying to brush off the aches. Hot water soothes tense muscles, right?
I push a button that seems like the 'on' button, but fuck all happens.
Hmm.
Frowning, I twist a knob (no. Down, you kinky bitches) in hope that maybe that'll switch it on. Again, nada luck.
You know how you think you're pretty clever? Y'know, decent grades, not-too-shabby exam results etc? Yeah, you think you're pretty smart. Maybe not ingenius like all those eggheads that spend any and all free time inhaling their schoolbooks and have no lives to speak of, but still nowhere near moron-ism.
Yeah, pretty clever...till you have to try and work someone else's shower.
And for the love of God, one with this many buttons and complicated dohickeys really ought to have a manual of some sort.
So yeah, standing naked in a shower that could well be a time machine – maybe not the best scenario. Though a whole lot better than being smushed up close and personal against some jackass with a raging hard-on in a locked changing room with little to no clothes on-
RIGHT.
That's in the past. Fuck all I can do about it now, so I may as well forget it.
Erased. Done.
Time to get back to the present.
Scowling now, tweaking my cut and making the bite on my lip sting too, I start randomly flicking switches and twisting knobs and so on and so forth until an ocean's worth of water is dumped over my head.
And it's ice fucking cold.
Biting back a yelp of shock, I scoop my dripping hair out of my face. If Alec heard me yelling and swearing at the shower he might feel the need to come and investigate. And I don't need that.
I defenitely don't need that.
So I soldier on, shivering as I wash myself vigorously, avoiding the sore and sensitive spots as much as possible. I finish up as soon as humanely possible and step out, willing myself not to slip. Wrapping one of the fluffy towels around myself, I dry off.
I decide that I can leave Alec with the conundrum of trying to turn off his shower.
Hoping and praying that Alec isn't in the room, I wrap the towel even tighter and peep out.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Alec has left the bedroom!
Running across the carpet, raining droplets on the carpet as I go, I rummage through yesterday's bags in search of something to wear. However, thanks to last night's events, nearly everything is damp.
Better than nothing, I shrug, reaching for a pair of black and red pinstripe shorts and a tshirt that says Save a Drum, Bang a Drummer! Then I seize a Hollywood Undead Hoodie and pull that on too.
I dart back into the bathroom and wipe the mirror free of condensation so I can squint at my face. I look healthier, yeah, but still pretty disasterous. Rummaging in the basket for the new makeup, I smooth foundation over my face and neck, trying to disguise the bruises. Next I outline my eyes with soft grey eyeliner and sweep charcoal grey over my lids. Finally, I draw a thin sweeping line over my eyelashes with liquid eyeliner.
Well, I sure look better than before. The pale, weak little bitch is gone, replaced by someone who looks like she can take care of herself. I damn hope she lives up to my expectations.
Alec returns when I'm lacing up my new Converse.
"Well, you clean up well, at least," he says, sounding surprised. A grumble sets up home in my throat as the insult sinks in.
"You left the shower running," he grumbles, vanishing as he tends to do. The sounds of rushing water stop.
"Enjoy your cold shower, Nyxie?" Alec smirks, returning with a wicked sexy gleam in his eyes.
I don't reply, knowing where his mind has gone. But my teeth clench.
"Didn't know you needed one," he says, his tone nonchalant.
"Oh shut up, you egotistical freak. Seems like you need one more than I do," I spit.
We both freeze.
Congratulations Nyx, just when we thought you'd learned to keep your mouth shut, you surprise us yet again by welcoming your foot to it's new home in your mouth.
"I-I..." I choke helplessly, feeling my cheeks heat up. Alec looks a bit stunned. The toothmark on my lip burns as I press my lips together, wanting to trap all sarcastic comments forever.
"Let's go," Alec says quickly, his tone and expression annoyingly even. "Aro wants to see you after breakfast."
He doesn't carry me or drag me along. He's avoiding touching me altogether. Most of me is relieved, but one little nagging, whiny part of me insists on informing me of his Godlike sexyness, and the fact that his cool skin felt beautifully smooth and soft even when he was grabbing me.
When we reach the stairs to the kitchen, I have half a mind to throw myself down them, just to add to the utter crapness of the morning. I walk in front of Alec, not wanting to look at him. However, it's almost as bad feeling his eyes burn into me from behind.
"Ah, the human," Jane sneers in an oh-I'm-so-much-better-than-you-in-every-possible-way voice. My palm aches to slap the smugness right off her face. "Manage to find your way to the kitchen without finding any life-endangering trouble?"
Taking a deep breath, I force a totally fake smile. "Only till I met you, sweetheart."
Jane bares her perfect teeth at me and takes a step forward.
Foot. Mouth. Stupidity.
"Jane," Alec says sternly, breezing down the steps to stand behind me. Jane tears her angry eyes away from me to focus on her big brother.
"When you get sick of her attitude, I want to eat her," Jane says bluntly.
"Come, sister," Alec chuckles, extending his hand to her. "Our own breakfast is almost here."
Then they're gone. Just like that.
"How's the patient?"
I turn away from the door to see Benjamin sitting at the table in the same seat as yesterday, tucking in to a bowl of Lucky Charms.
Oh gosh, Lucky Charms. My long-lost true loves. There had damn better be some left.
"Hungry," I reply, grinning.
He grins back, seeing that I'm as well as I can be. "There's a box and a half in the cupboard right there. Help yourself."
"I will," I say, feeling a hell lot chirpier in a room with food and civilised company.
Benjamin quizzes me on what happened while I pour myself two bowls that I fill to the brim with milk. I grab the biggest spoon I see in the drawer and tuck in eagerly.
"Five against two? That's hardly fair," Benjamin says, looking amused.
I shrug. "I wouldn't know whether it was or not. I ran like hell."
"Probably the smartest thing to do," Benjamin chuckles.
"I do regret one thing though," I pout, shovelling Lucky Charms into my mouth like there's no tomorrow.
"What's that?"
I swallow back my mouthful and smile a beaming grin. "That Alec wasn't ripped up into nice little pieces."
Benjamin laughs whole-heartedly, then clamps his hand over his mouth. "You shouldn't say that," he says.
"How come?"
"They do punish us, you know," he says, his tone sober now.
"Do I want to know?"
"Probably not."
I push my first bowl away, then seize my second one, dunking my oversized spoon in with a vengeance.
It's only five minutes later when that bowl is thoroughly clean too. Benjamin snorts at me when I reach for the packet.
"What? I'm fucking starving!" I defend myself.
"And here I thought you were just after the free toy," Benjamin smirks.
"There's a toy?" I gasp, peering into the dark packet with fascination. Benjamin shakes his head at me.
"After what happened last night, I think Alec's day'll be full of paperwork and boring stuff like that," Benjamin says. "So, what do you want to do?"
I pause, ending my search for the toy surprise. "How about a proper tour?" I ask.
We leave the kitchen without permission (but not before I hide Gianna's sandwich inside the half-empty Lucky Charms box for later) and Benjamin takes me on my demanded tour.
I'm surprised at the fact that, even though he's been here months, he actually knows his way around. This place is like a maze with monsters hiding at dead ends waiting to grab you.
We can't go very far without getting into trouble for wandering around without our owners. But Benjamin gives me a detailed indication of where everything is; "The Library takes up most of the third floor, so it's impossible to miss. There are a couple of living rooms, but the main Lounge is on the second floor. That's where all the games systems are, and the giant TV-"
"Giant TV? Games systems?" I repeat, mesmirised. I grab Benjamin's arm. "Take me there, please! Video games are like, my best talent."
Benjamin smiles wanly. "I would," he says. "But I can guarantee whoever's off duty is lurking there."
"But after what happened last night, wouldn't most of them be on duty for safe keeping?" I frown.
"You'd think so," Benjamin sighs. "But intrusions into Volterra are really very rare. Not really a code-red situation."
Shuffling in disappointment, I sigh. "I gotta ask," I say, sounding desperate. "How big is the TV?"
Benjamin grins crookedly at me. "Takes up a whole wall."
"Oh," I whine mournfully.
"Ah ah ah!" Someone's voice chimes. Felix approaches with Santiago, moving so quickly and gracefully that I stumble back a step in shock. Benjamin's eyes drop to the floor.
"Something tells me, that the little humans aren't meant to be out and about," Felix chides, sounding more playful than irked. Santiago even wags his finger at us.
"We were looking for our Owners, Sir," Benjamin lies, his eyes trained fiercely on the carpet beneath us.
"In the Library, last I saw," Santiago says, his red eyes dancing. "We should take you there. Shouldn't have fragile little humans scampering around the castle unsupervised." His eyes land on me. "Especially a little Missy with a knack for getting herself in trouble."
I realise something pretty vital. "Then maybe I shouldn'e be escorted by someone who tried to eat me," I glare at Felix. "And someone who was gonna eat me last night." My intense gaze shifts to Santiago.
They both straighten up. Benjamin's grabs my hand and digs his nails into my palm, silently telling me you fucked up.
One day, one day, I will learn to keep my fat mouth shut. No day soon, but one day.
"I'll take them," Eleazar says, appearing out of nowhere. He grabs us both by the shoulders and marches us away before I can tick off the vicious killers any more.
"Alec won't like that you touched his property," Santiago calls, sounding a bit lost. I bristle, not liking being called Alec's property. Eleazar squeezes my shoulder, telling me to shut up.
"He'll live," Eleazar mutters.
When we're a decent bit away, he looks down on me with sorrowful eyes. "You aren't doing yourself any favours, you know," he sighs.
My gaze hardens. "I didn't ask to be here," I say sharply. "And I'm not here to make friends. Either way, I die."
Eleazar glances at Benjamin and they share a look.
"Phoenix," Eleazar says slowly. "Believe it or not, there are other options other than death. I would stop focusing on the negatives, and try and work your way towards those other outcomes."
"He's right," Benjamin says quietly.
I huff, folding my arms under my chest. "Are you taking me back to Alec, or what?"
"Not quite yet," Eleazar smiles – it doesn't reach his eyes. "Aro wants a word with you."
I have to bite my tongue real fucking hard to stop it from getting me in trouble yet again.
Tres dull. I tried keeping this chapter more upbeat as the last one I felt was too tension-heavy.
