It is official: Tuesday is my day for updates. I am EXTREMELY happy today because a) I got accepted to a creative writing summer course at Ashland, and b) OMFG THE TWILIGHT TRAILER OOSES AWESOMENESS! I absolutely adore Robert Patinton (sp?), and I have succeeded in getting my friends to see that he is not that bad! I had two reviews for the last chapter, kudos and thank yous to those people, whose names escape me (jk Jo). REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!
APOV
'Amazing' I thought, still a bit shaken from my encounter on the train. (A/N: If you haven't figured it out by now that was Carlisle. I really like the guy, so I guess my subconscious keeps him around. There is a huge scene with him much later in the story!) 'Vampires living in peace amongst all these humans' I chuckled softly, amazed at the possibilities of such a life. 'He was an animal drinker too; maybe these Northerners really are more civilized'
EPOV
"Why did you think that?" I asked, memories of Jasper's stories coming back to me. He had said exactly the same thing to me about two weeks ago. Was it really so short a time? I feel as if I have been gone for years.
"I was getting to that, if you'll let me." Andrew snapped, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.
"Oh, right."
"I had lived in the south for about five years before I moved to Chicago. I had loathed every moment." Andrew's eyes noticeably darkened at the thought. "All that mattered down there was blood, and who had the most of it. The thickest red as someone once called it. (A/N: If you have not read Eclipse, you will not understand a thing I'm talking about. If so, just know that Jasper was a general in the South with this woman named Maria before he met Alice and the Cullens.) Newborn armies were common, warfare was constant, and the vampire generals were ruthless."
"You wouldn't happen to know a general named Maria, would you?" I had heard Jasper speak off her often, and he had said that she was the worst of all of the vampires in the south.
"Ah, yes, she was particularly nasty. You know your history, very good." Andrew smirked at memories of Maria, and then curiosity ventured into his eyes. "But, pray tell, how do you know about her?"
"My brother was one of her partners before he came to our family. His name was Jasper, if you can remember him." I didn't think that he would, Jasper had not mentioned any older vampires except for the women that had turned him, and the select few newborns that survived their first few years in their service.
"Jasper Whitlock?" he said, shock in his voice. "About 6'1", blonde, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside at will?" I chuckled at his last sentiment, and then sighed, as memories of Bella's first morning at my house leaked though the dam of my mind. "That'd be him."
"Hmm, nice guy. Kind of angsty mind you, but still, nice." Good god, did Andrew no everyone in my family? "He and Mary Alice would have made a good couple." Apparently, he did. I decided to stay away from the Alice comment, partly because I was still shocked about it, and also because I didn't want any more damn side tracks. I stared at Andrew expectantly.
"Oh, right, where was I?"
"Chicago,"
"Yes, Chicago."
APOV
I wandered the streets of Chicago, drinking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city. The cool wind swept my hair around my face, clearing my head. It was a very welcome change from the thick stench of the blood soaked south. It was an odd sensation; after all the underground warfare I had experienced over the last half-decade, this civility seemed completely unfamiliar. My mind shot back to the vampire I had seen on the train.
He had not been a hunter in the traditional sense of the word as he obviously did not sustain himself with humans but animals. Perhaps I could exist in this city in much the same way; there had to be plenty of woods outside of the city limits. No, not exist. I scolded myself. Live. That's what you're going to do.
"Well that's all fine and good," I whispered to myself, far too low for any human ear to catch. "But, where, precisely, do you expect me to live?" Apparently my mind had not gotten that far. I skidded to a stop in the street as this sudden and disturbing problem made itself known to me. For the first time in my life I did not have any form of a plan. "This could be a minor setback." I said, exasperated.
"Excuse me? You lost, son?" My head whipped around to my left, desperately searching for the source of the voice. A stout man in a black robe over a bright blue patterned shirt was standing in a door way, looking as if he regretted asking. I sighed; I was used to the way human's reacted to me. Most just averted their eyes and walked faster, a fear they could not quite define coursing through their veins. But this one looked more started than scared. I didn't blame him. If I saw a freakishly pale, black haired and eyed man, dressed all in black, I would have been startled too. And I would have slammed the door in his face.
"Yes, sir," I replied sheepishly, "I've just been kind of wandering around, and it just now occurred to me that I do not have anywhere to stay for the night." I laughed nervously. All those years at the RSC (A/N: Royal Shakespeare Company) had done me more good than I could have ever imagined; I was good at things like this: getting people to like me. I had to be, being what I was.
"Well then, good sir, come in." the man opened the door wider to allow me passage. From the inside I could tell what the building was: a church. I smirked at the irony: the most unholy creature on God's earth taking refuge in his house. We passed though the dark halls of the church, all the while the good Father was never aware of the carnage going on in my mind. I had not fed in weeks and being caught in dark hallways with an innocent human with no one around, was not on my top ten list of things to do. The man's blood had a particularly pungent smell, like a fine, old brandy. He was not a singer though, so after about five minutes of wandering and getting used to his blood, I was perfectly in control.
The church was obviously Gothic (A/N: Does anyone know if there are any churches like this in Chicago? If there aren't there is one now!) , the elaborate stained glass windows and high arched ceilings gave that away. The harsh wooden pews seemed ominous in the darkness; as if a dark figure lay in wait to take another innocent life. I scoffed, breaking the careful silence that held the building in its grip.
"Something the matter, sir?" the stout priest asked, started by my sudden outburst.
"No, Father, nothing. I'm just tired is all." I scoffed again, this time internally. I haven't been tired for 300 years, but tonight I've decided that I am.
"Ah, yes, here we are." The priest stopped at an unassuming wooden door, and pulled a just as unassuming iron key out of his pocked and opened it. The room was simple: all it contained was a bed, a wardrobe and a desk, but it seemed comfortable enough. "We keep a few rooms like this one clan for rangers like you, Mr.…?"
"Ravenwood, Andrew Ravenwood, Father. I'm just passing though really; I live in Europe"
"I thought so, please tell me, where is that accent from, Mr. Ravenwood?"
"The same place I am, London, and please call me Andrew, sir."
"You can call me Friar Laurence, Andrew." He awkwardly stood in the doorway, as if he was waiting to be dismissed. I tried to smile welcomingly. "Hmm, well, get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day; you might as well be prepared for it." (A/N: I am so proud of this line. :) ) I sighed when I could hear Friar Laurence's retreating footsteps on the marble floors, and flopped down on the bed. Sleep. Right.
"Maybe this isn't the best idea, using a man of god for shelter," I mused quietly. "Oh well, I'll deal with it tomorrow" I closed my eyes, wishing, not for the first time, for the bliss of sleep to come. Before my mind faded into a practiced obscurity, I thought of friar Laurence and how kind he was to receive me being the monster that I was. My last words of the night drifted out of my mouth without me being really aware that they did:
"Forgive me father, for I have sinned."
If you have read 'Romeo and Juliet' you will get the reference here. Larry will come into this story greatly, and I am so proud of him, but not as proud as I am of Andy and his girlfriend. (oops! You get to meet her in the next chappie!) I know I said Edward would come into this, and he will. Just not yet. I'll see you next Tuesday!
Until we meet again,
the3rdbronte
P.S. R&R and I'll name my first born after you!