Chapter 8
Leah walked out into the terminal at the airport in Rome. She had just had the most uncomfortable flight ever. It must have been the most uncomfortable flight in the history of air travel. How could it not have been?
She had met up with the Cullens and Jacob in Chicago. When she had gotten through security and walked to the terminal from which her plane would leave she saw them. She smelled them from the moment she walked into the building, but seeing them made her shiver. She zipped up her leather coat and hoisted her backpack over her shoulder, taking a deep breath before walking their way. Of course it was the leech with the mindfucking abilities that rose to his feet first. He met her eyes and nodded. Fucking weird, she hadn't seen any of them for over eight years but they hadn't changed one little bit. As she should have expected, Leah wondered why it still surprised her, but it did. She stopped in her tracks when Jacob stood up and he came into her view. She had to swallow the lump in her throat at all the old memories surfacing when she looked at him. He hadn't changed either, not a hair on his head was different from the Alpha she had known all those years ago. He stepped away from the crowd of leeches in which he looked so damn comfortable and walked up to her, she, in turn, gave him a nervous smile stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she waited for him. He stopped in front of her, that annoying smirk still plastered on his face.
"No hug for your old Alpha?"
Leah had to roll her eyes but stepped into him anyway and wrapped her arms around him. She couldn't help herself, but sigh escaped her when she felt his body heat. It had been so long since she had seen another wolf, or touch one, and it was just always a bit weird that 'normal'-people were colder to her. She didn't like it; she never wanted to be different. And to Jacob, she wasn't.
They let each other go and just stared at each other for a moment.
"You're hair has gotten so long again." Jacob grinned and tugging on a strand that fell over her shoulder. Leah immediately pushed against his shoulder, giving in to the old reflex.
"I'm still growing it out."
He nodded and they went back to their awkward silence, until Leah couldn't help but blurting out.
"You didn't change at all!"
Jacob laughed.
"That's what happens when you keep running like you're supposed to run, Beta."
"Don't call me that." Leah frowned crossing her arms. "I was never 'supposed' to do anything."
This time it was Jacobs' turn to roll his eyes and he took her hand.
"Come on, I'm sure you remember the rest of the family."
Leah blinked at the word family, but she guessed that after being with the same group of people for eight years they could become family, although these were blood-sucking leeches and she was sure she could never call them family.
Esme, the mother of the family, stepped forward, her face expressing nothing but joy and excitement at the arrival of Leah. "Leah, hi." She smiled at her. "It is so good to see you again, how have you been?"
Leah nodded and muttered a "fine", she never was very comfortable around the leech that seemed always glad that she could help the wolves. Leah found it a bit disturbing that someone could be so willing to help all the time. She saw the doc, doctor Cullen, the head of the family behind her, and he nodded and smiled at her. A nod that Leah returned. The rest of the leeches stayed seated and just nodded and some smiled, a greeting that Leah could handle and that she was grateful for. Just two more people stood up and faced her. One she recognized immediately. She'd spent a lot of time with her and then even more time tuning into the mind of her Alpha, which had been filled with her. Bella Swan, or Cullen as she had adapted the last name of her husband. The only 'human-turned-leech' that Leah knew. Bella smiled and said a hello, which Leah just responded with a nod. She never cared much for the weak and fragile little girl. She was sure that even though she was a leech now and physically much stronger, she would always be weak of mind.
The other leech that got up stood next to Jacob and held his hand, she smiled and looked normal enough, causing Leah to doubt.
"Leah, you remember Nessie, right?" Jacob smiled at the girl at his arm and even though she tried not to, Leah's mouth fell open. The girl at his arm looked to be about 18 years old, she was cute. Red hair and red cheeks, freckles on her nose and cheeks. She smiled at Leah and held out her hand. Leah automatically reached for her and shook her hand, surprised that she felt like a normal human, not a cold leech at all.
"Uhm, sure. Hi."
Nessie giggled, a truly annoying sound.
"Hi Leah, I remember you too, you were there when I was little. I could show you if you want."
Leah quickly shook her head and pulled her hand back a bit too fast, not wanting anything to do with any of the weird 'powers' that the leeches had.
"That's okay." The girl pouted but giggled again when Jacob wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.
Leah flopped down in one of the hard plastic seats, holding her backpack on her lap as she stared in shock at all the Cullens around her. She groaned and dropped her head forward on her backpack.
"Kill me."
Leah muttered, but she looked up startled hearing the blond leech chuckle. He was the army one, the one who had taught them how to fight the newborns way back when.
She shrugged, "sorry, haven't been around…your kind for a while."
He grinned again at her. Leah smirked too and leaned back in the seat, she took a deep breath trying to calm down a bit. Suddenly she felt a wave of calm move over her, causing her to relax into the seat, just waiting for her flight to start boarding.
After that it had been weird, of course Jacob was sitting with his girlfriend, so Leah sat in the middle row together with the doctor and his wife. Awkward much.
Now they had arrived and Leah was glad to be out of the pressurized box flying thousands of miles up in the air, even if it meant that she had to step out into the scorching hot Italian sun. She bought a pair of aviator sunglasses at the airport and quickly put them on, this was no climate for a wolf. Too hot and sunny, it burned on your skin.
But it was almost worth it seeing the hassle the Cullens had to go through. They were all still inside, they were arranging for rental cars and were adding on sweaters and hats so they sun wouldn't come in direct contact with their skin. Leah smirked, taking off her jacket and tilting her head back. Even though it was too hot here, it was nice to feel the warm sun on her skin. It was one of the few things that could heat her up from the inside out. She had always had a cold heart for a wolf. Jacob stood besides her, nudging her with his shoulder. He too had gotten a pair of sunglasses and he was looking around him.
"They're somewhere here."
Leah nodded.
"I'm guessing it's too soon for you to phase and see if you can hear them?"
Leah looked at Jacob and he was shaking his head.
"Edward said that we're still hundred of miles away, might as well safe it for when we are closer."
He gave her a strange look, "when was the last time you phased Lee?"
Leah frowned pushing his shoulder with hers. "Don't call me that. And it's been three years and eight months. The day I left La Push." J
acob nodded looking at her long hair again.
"You're not looking forward to it, are you?" Leah shook her head, she crossed her arms and stoically avoided his eyes. They stood there for a while, on the side of the road, just soaking up the sun, when a car stopped in front of them and honked. Jacob opened the back door and slit in, sliding right on to the other side so Leah could get in behind him. She saw Bella behind the wheel with Nessie besides her. Leah immediately rolled the window down a bit, she wasn't used to the smell at all. She heard Jacob laugh besides her before she punched his arm, grinning too.
They didn't say much for the initial part of the drive. At one point Leah even dozed off, she found it was easier to relax with just the four of them, the sweet smells of the Italian landscape coming in through the open window and the sun filled landscape rushing by. She never thought she would ever get to go oversees and see much of the world. And now here she was, in Italy of all places. At least for as long as this ride was going to take them, she was going to enjoy it.
Finally they slowed down. Leah opened her eyes again when she saw that they had driven up to a large scaled building, it looked very old to her But very Italian. When they got out of the car she saw that the entire building was made up of warm-colored stones, all different shades of yellows, orange and red. There were trees everywhere and a fountain completed the driveway. Leah stretched her arms above her head. For almost 20 hours now she had been sitting in a plane, sitting in an airport, sitting in a car. She needed to stretch her limbs a bit. She jawned wide and grabbed her bag from the backseat. She turned to Bella who had gotten out of the car too.
"This is Volterra?"
Bella shook her head, smiling, "no, we are about three hours north of Volterra. We're staying here for the night."
Leah nodded, slinging her backpack over her shoulders as she followed the rest of the group inside. The doc and his wife were already signing them in when Leah craned her neck back and followed the paintings on the walls to those on the ceiling to the much-too-grander chandelier hanging in the center of the ceiling. Her eyes caught the bulky one of the bunch, Emmett. He was leaning against one of the columns smirking at her. She frowned crossing her arms in front of her and ignoring him. The doc came up to her and handed her a key.
"You have a room to yourself, I hope that isn't a problem."
Leah grinned taking the key.
"It's a preferences, actually."
He chuckled and nodded before wrapping an arm around his wife and they left the lounge going to their room. The rest followed them, but Jacob stopped and turned to her.
"Want to meet for dinner in 30 minutes? In the hotel restaurant?" Leah shrugged and nodded before she headed off to her room.
