Wow! It's been a while and I'm extremely sorry for the wait. It's been two years! And because of the time, I'm providing you a summary up til now. I have re-edited the previous chapters for an easier read, if you care to look back over them at some point. HUGE, MAD PROPS to LivieLive79! Without her, this wouldn't be possible right now. She has been a huge inspiration to me and I'm so thankful she has donated her time to help move this thing right along.
SUMMARY OF EVENTS UP TIL NOW:
Bella is a architect student who is kidnapped by her neighbor, Jacob and taken to a house inhabited by a coven of vampires. She's not the only one taken away from her family and friends. Many other girls, prisoners, reside there, too. Bella, however, has an advantage. While the other women are under the vampires' hallucinations, she is able to resist their power. Having this gift doesn't come without a price. She's put under the watch of Edward, the cruel, mind-reading right-hand man of crazy Aro, and he's charged with breaking her mental barrier so she can join the blood bank.
If you have any questions, guys, please let me know. I'll try to answer them when I have a free moment. I do hope you enjoy. Feel free to yell at me for taking so long. haha
X
An Ill-fated Princess
Awake.
Always awake. Always still. Always alert in the darkness.
Too dark, in fact. It was always too dark. I hated it, not being able to see my hand in front of my face if I wished. In fact, it aggravated me.
I pushed the sheets back, sat up and touched the cool floor with the tips my toes. I allowed them to linger for a moment, wondering if an icy hand would close around my ankle from under the bed. It wasn't the first time this thought slipped into my head, and it wouldn't be the last.
My fingers curled into the mattress as I prepared my terrifying lunge into the open room, away from the safety of the bed and Rosalie's company, away from the warmth which protected me from the vicious chill always seeping into my bones.
I stood, leaving my comfort and took a step into the expanse. Even through the dark, it felt as though there were eyes upon me, noting my every movement. This feeling made me want to turn back and forget about the light, but having to live with the thought that something could be waiting for me in the corners of that room pushed me forward and I didn't stop until I reached the bathroom door.
Safely inside, I popped the light on and locked myself in. Sanctuary. I was safe here. I allowed cool water to run over my hand and wrist from the tarnished, silver-plated faucet, while unwelcome thoughts of Edward skirted the edge of my mind. I turned the antique knobs and waited, hoping for hot water only to receive the disappointing rush of luke-warm. I splashed my face, focusing on my closed eyes and prayed — if God could hear prayers in a place like this — it would soothe my tired lids, and help coax them to close once I was back in bed.
If only it helped my mind as well.
I swallowed several gulps of water, amused that Edward was powerless to stop me this time. I tightened the sink knobs, unlocked the door and stepped back into the room. The light from the bathroom left a perfect trail on the floor. I followed it as if it were a balance beam all the way to the edge of the queen bed then jumped under the array of white blankets and sheets, pulling them to my neck. Next to me, Rosalie slept quietly, taking up an actual side since Jane was still gone. We hadn't seen her in two days. Was it normal for a blood extraction to take so long, or had something else happened to her? I didn't want to think about that, but it rooted and began to grow.
The longer I stared at the back of Rosalie's head, the more the idea became unbearable. Jane was too young, too small to defend herself, but she wouldn't have thought to. She was under their hypnosis. She would've gone along with anything. Controlled. Submissive. Manageable. That's how they liked these women — and if they had their way, I'd be just like them. A shiver followed my spine, and I jerked in reaction. Every feeling, every curious, morbid thought made me think of him. Maybe he was there, in my head, ruining my safe haven. I began to think Edward's efforts weren't in vain, and maybe these urges and paranoid thoughts were the beginning of his techniques taking effect, like I began to pick up on the frequency these girls were tuned in to. Normal to frightened to paranoid. What was the next step? Acceptance?
Sometimes I wished I could've been like the others, so I wouldn't have to feel the tightness in my chest from the anxiety. I'd only have to wait; the way Alice waited for Jasper, Leah waited to give blood, or Rosalie waited for death. Hell, even death began to sound like a symphony of wonder and escape that I could, for that moment, only dream of. But, I wasn't like them.
Maybe Dad wasn't kidding when he said I was dropped on my head too many times when I was a baby. Whatever it was from, I was thankful. For the time being, I was still me.
. . . | . . .
Bella. Bella, wake up.
Mumbled words. Who was talking? Bed-side lamps were on. Bodies fluttered around the room. "No. I can't," I heard myself say, but couldn't recall opening my mouth. My eyes were too heavy. They burned. I began to drift away.
"Out of bed, sleepyhead." Someone prodded me in the shoulder. "Shower time."
Shower? My lids cracked, and through the haze I saw Alice's face inches from mine.
"There you are! Come on and get up! It's shower day!" The blankets were tugged to my feet. I wanted to kick them back up to my hands, but didn't have the strength or coordination at that moment to do so.
I surrendered and sat up. "How long before…"
"Before they come get us? I don't know exactly, but it's usually early. We're one of the first rooms to go; I know that much."
I nodded.
She twisted her thin legs from under her and stood, stepping to the wooden chest on Rosalie's side of the bed. She opened the middle drawer and pulled out a white, folded linen. "Here." She was on the bed again. "You'll need one of these. When we go into the bathroom, put your dirty one in the hamper next to the door."
I took the white gown from her extended hand, staring at it. The material was softer than the one I had on, and it smelled incredibly fresh. The scent of clean laundry put me at a sort-of ease. It'd been washed many times, and I wondered how many women had worn it. My eyes met hers again. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Her dainty, pink lips pulled into a grin and she curled her legs back under her like she always seemed to do. Don't her legs go to sleep like that? Was that comfortable for her? Was it something she always did, a mannerism deeply-rooted into her brain, or was it part of a suggestion?
No. During the time spent with them, in this room – however little – none of the other girls pulled into that position when first sitting down. They might have bent a knee so their foot rested under them, but only Alice folded both knees and sat upright in such a comely-looking position while she folded her hands on her lap.
My posture was never straight. My legs were always outstretched in front of me like I'd just fallen on my ass and usually I leaned back on my palms. I wasn't graceful or elegant, and being next to Alice only reverberated that thought.
. . . | . . .
I didn't have as much trouble showering as I did the first time. Victoria had trouble undressing, though, and even began to shake. Jasper eventually had to assist her. I don't even think she washed, just stood and allowed the stream to beat on her for a few minutes before slinking under the protection of a towel.
I felt so incredibly gross I didn't care who saw me. I wanted to be clean. I would never get used to feeling as though I had an extra layer of skin waiting to be washed away. I would never not notice the way my hair felt greasy and clumpy after days without washing it. While in the room, I had resorted to washing off my arms, neck and face from the sink water in attempts to revive myself from the slump I'd been thrown into.
I washed quickly, yet thoroughly, dried and slipped into my fresh gown. I wrapped my hair in the towel and sat it on my head, not wanting to drench my fresh clothes.
On the opposite side of the room, Jasper sat motionless with his hands folded in his lap, and his eyes fixated on his obsession: Alice.
I lowered into a chair a few feet away from him, and it was then I realized I'd been watching him watch her for some time. His fascination intrigued me. I turned my attention to the tile floor and searched for patterns among the colors.
I didn't have to wait long for the rest of my roommates to finish. They were dry and dressed in no time. While we were hauled us off to the kitchen, Victoria was taken away by a nameless face, arguing and speaking loudly about 'the Lord'. I worried for her and hoped she wouldn't become another disappearing act, though I still held small hope for Jane.
There were no recipes or meal plans when we arrived, just a large, open pantry; black refrigerator; an old, gas stove; a dirty, double sink with plenty of counter space stretched out on either side. An odd square cluster of large, gray bricks above the sink and door on the opposite side of the room broke the never-ending white wash.
No knives or utensils other than wooden spoons in a red canister next to the stove were in sight. No wonder the food sucked so bad. Not on my watch. I wanted a real breakfast, not a question of what I was eating. Oatmeal and toast had always been a favorite of mine. Mom used to stick out her tongue and call it 'gruel'. She questioned my taste in food. I questioned her taste in everything.
While I worked to prepare with the other women, I wondered if I would make a difference with my choice of breakfast. Would they notice the improved quality? Either way, they ate, and although it wasn't my first time seeing the other inhabitants of the house, it was the first time I truly looked at their faces while they walked by with their plates. No glimmer of life shimmered in their eyes. Some had bandages on their arms and wrists, others on their necks. My fingertips touched my throat. I couldn't fathom being bitten there. The pain would be immense, I imagined.
We served them their breakfast that morning, their lunch that afternoon and dinner later on. Jasper administered vitamins that night – a white powder which dissolved in water. I'd wondered why it always tasted chalky at dinner.
While we were cleaning, the kitchen door swung open, and I was almost glad to see Victoria on the other side, but my feelings changed when I got a good look at her.
Her face. Her hair.
Earlier, her red curls framed her pale face. I'd always thought of her as doll-like, but it was a trait I no longer saw. Someone had cut it off, leaving only an inch of erratic curls on top of her head. Her expression was blank, her eyes red and swollen.
"I have someone for you," the vampire holding onto her arm said.
"How did it go?" Jasper asked, pushing away from the wall he was leaning against.
"See for yourself." He threw Victoria into the room. I thought she might fall, but she steadied herself. He elbowed Jasper in the arm. "Watch this. Goddamn!" He shouted at the back of her head, taunting her, and it made me cringe.
Victoria wouldn't stand for that language. She would turn around, point a finger and scream, but not this time. She continued to shuffle toward us, unaware that someone had taken the Lord's name in vain. Unaware of anything, except the space around her.
Victoria was no longer there.
"He finally broke her," Rosalie whispered beside me, holding a stack of dirty plates.
"He?" I asked, watching Jasper and the unfamiliar face carry on their quiet conversation while studying Victoria.
"Edward. He's been trying to break into Vicky's head ever since she arrived. I didn't think it would happen, but just goes to show you, even the toughest spirit won't last long here."
Rosalie inherited my complete attention. She didn't speak like the others, didn't act like them. Why didn't I see it before? She wasn't under hypnosis. My lips parted. I wanted to ask her if I was correct, then, but Jasper interrupted us.
"Get back to work. I don't have all night," he said while giving Victoria a broom. The other vampire was gone, leaving a swinging kitchen door in his wake.
Rosalie set the dishes she'd been holding next to the sink.
Jasper leaned against the wall once more, eying me as though I did something wrong. "What?" I remarked. He only grinned in response and propped a foot onto the large, white bricks behind him, then turned his attention across the room once more.
No doubt he was watching Alice, like he'd been doing all day. I turned to look at her, but only found Victoria. He was watching her with that smug grin on his face. She pushed the broom across the floor, the fire she once held - her independence, ideas, faith in God – lost, as though she never had them in the first place. I never thought she'd be broken. Her mind seemed strong, her connection and love for her religion seamed her to reality. Maybe there's no hope in this place after all. I picked up another dish from the sink water and began to scrub.
"You look proud of yourself," I said to Jasper. I didn't know why I said it, but realized a second later I wanted to get under his skin, the same way he got under mine.
"It's a good day when there's one less for me to control." He moved away from the wall, only to lean against the counter beside me, crossing his arms over his torso. He smelled odd, not how I expected. I thought it would be like sweat, copper and leather, but it was similar to cinnamon or cloves. "Believe it or not, she was more of a pain in the ass than you are. I never had to baby-sit until you came along. I was free to do whatever I wanted. No worries about schedules or anything that held no significance."
I rinsed then stacked a plate onto the clean pile then grabbed another from the dirty. "God, you know, I can't imagine what it's like, having your daily routines taken away from you."
"Soon enough, you won't have to worry about what life was like before you came here." He gestured with his chin toward the other women then leaned in closer, overwhelming my nerves with his whisper. "Get a good look at them. They're your fate. Edward will be your undoing, and you'll no longer have use for sarcasm."
Would he? Would that monster be the death of me? Would he separate me from my mind and catalog me like the others? What would become of me, of my dad and mom? Are they even looking for me? Do they know I'm missing? My pulse quickened and Jasper righted himself.
"You missed a spot," he said, pointing to the plate I had just washed and then stepped away from me.
No. I'd never be like those girls. I couldn't bear the thought of not remembering my life, no matter how painful it was to think about not having it anymore. All I wanted was to be free of these invisible iron bars. What I wouldn't give to be at my dad's right now, lying in my bed and staring at the ceiling with the circular designs etched into the paint. I could almost smell the unique odor that greeted me when I walked through his front door. I wanted to smell the inside of his house again. I grew up with that smell, and the thought of it gave me astounding comfort.
What would I give to feel that comfort again, for that warmth to settle into my chest and know I was where I belonged? I'd give anything in the world to go back.
No. I wouldn't die here. I would escape. I would be free from Aro and his freak show of minions. I'd be free of Edward and his torture. It was easy to think these thoughts, easy to convince myself I would get away, but how? How can I do it?
I had to plan. I had to have information to plan. I'd need freedom for information, and I'd need trust for freedom. I could never be trusted… unless, I played to Aro's good side, and that frightened me. He seemed unpredictable, but what choice did I have? I had to try while I still could, before Edward toppled the last wall of my sanity.
I would fight until my heart stopped beating, and I'd fight using the only thing keeping me alive.