Twilight

Alliance

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Scene 11

Enemies

Growing up I hadn't ever thought of Mer People as endangered, even though I'd heard of the red-eyed ones and how they'd always hunt Mer folk with no qualms. My thoughts turned to the first time I'd seen Alex. His name caused my mind to scroll back time when it had really hit me how much danger my people were really in.

"Come let's go play in those caves." Tauna-May giggled with her then pitch-black hair swimming with the waters.

"No, Tauna, something tells me it's not safe." I had warned her the shiny red 'rocks' were likely an illusion, but she hadn't listened. Praise be I was swifter, more agile, and far more at ease in the water then the red-eyed blood sucker. His speed was nothing compared to my grabbing my young companion and diving into the hidden sea crevices.

It was within those crevices I learned that we'd always aligned ourselves with the Sidhian people, commonly called elves, and pitted ourselves against the vampires. Why? Simple, they loved death. They killed and took only for themselves. It didn't matter what they dumped into our waters, as long as long as it covered their own crimes. And heaven help any fool that thought a vampire had any compassion. Those crevices, and occasional Sidhian vistors to the shorelines I missed.

The sea caverns were nowhere in sight now and I gave a long, tired, sigh. Footsteps came to the steps and only stopped when they were by my side. "Time doesn't change things very much." The words belonged to Dr. Cullens, and I had to softly reply that, no, it didn't.

"Ten years ago, even five, if you'd told me I'd be running to vampires for help? I'd have said you were crazy. I'd not have acknowledged there was any good among the whole lot." Carlisle chuckled and took no offense.

"We've all done things in that category, I dare say." Dr. Cullens then spoke an observation I thought no one could see. "Tauna's more than a friend to you- she's your daughter." When I went to accuse Edward of reading my mind and ratting on me Dr. Cullens held up his hand. "My son has no idea…" the good man spoke low, "…. I wouldn't have either, only my wife came to the conclusion." As if on cue, Esme appeared next to her husband's side.

"Yes…" I spoke even lower, "… and no."

"Uh?" Both looked utterly confused.

"I can't explain right now just, please, promise me not to tell her what you just asked or my answer." I kept my voice low. Though they did not understand they gave their word. Glancing up I realized, to my horror, Edward had overheard. However much fear had jumped into my mind his understanding nod told me that was one vampire that would not leak the knowledge he now held.

"This isn't her place at all!" Jane screeched as she stood in the apartment with dark greenish carpet, and tossed a small pillow onto a lonely chair.

"Don't yell at me, you're the one that insisted it was." Alex growled, ignoring the fact both had been so intent on getting Tauna-May and Coral-Lee that they'd missed the forest for the trees.

They'd scoured the apartment expecting to find the two women hiding. After all, their search of the waterways behind the apartment had turned up nothing. No scales left behind from trying to find crevices to hide in. None left on rocks as they slid further to bottom, and certainly no strands of hair left on any twigs, or branches, being yanked out as the two swam by.

Any place for the two to swim was shoved aside as Jane looked out the window, saw the fire escape and slapped her head. "What is it Jane?" Alex wanted to know what light had turned in his sister's head.

"Her place is the next one over! Tauna-May had to have gotten into this apartment and enlisted help from her look alike."

"Didn't think mermaids lured people to their deaths." Alex spoke dryly.

"She didn't you numbskull." Jane picked up the paper they'd seen upon their reentrance. "That woman had an inoperable brain tumor." She shoved the paper into Alex's hand. "No one else lives in this apartment. So, this Lady Baron gal, is the only person we could have drug out of here." With that Jane hurried to the next apartment.

Jane didn't have to say anything about the apartment for Alex to know Mer women had occupied it. The smell of the sea drifted from the bathroom. Pictures of the sea filled the front room. How they'd fallen for believing Lady Baron was Tauna-May was beyond him. Alex then followed Jane to the bathroom.

The bathtub held scales on its walls and shiny skin shavings sparkled on the floor. "Alex" Jane didn't have to tell him to follow her, he just did. The trail of small, sparkling, scales led to the window. "I was right; she did escape via the fire escape."

"So, where are they now?" Alex hated how good Coral-lee was at covering her tracks, only his mind shouldn't have been on the Mer gal so much for Jane slapped him hard.

"Can't you smell them?" Jane was annoyed and growled as Alex let out an 'oh…OH!"

"Let's go." Jane raced out the door furious Arro had his facts wrong, the Cullen group were back, or at least Jasper and Emmett were.