I LOVE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR ME IN THE EPIC T RATED CONTEST. Really, I do. Thanks to all of you, I made it to round two, which was not something I ever expected. (Irritable Grizzzly made it too. ;) With her fabulous story.) Voting for the second round starts on the 29 (Ya know... tomorrow) and lasts until the 3 of July. So please go vote; there are SO many amazing stories, I would understand if it wasn't for me, but still go and vote please! I thank you all for my advancement to round two, because that is honestly all thanks to you.
So tonight I present you with... chapter 50 (holy cows, is it really that far already? Yowza!) and the enticement of...
Alice POV
When James had dragged me away, hitting me upside the head so hard I was dazed, and threw me into his car with the freakin' child locks, every single scenario I had ever read or heard of about kidnappings ran through my head. Couple that with the fact that I knew this guy was bad - I mean, Edward had told me about Tanya and her sisters - I was terrified. Who knew what he would think up to torture me to get Edward to do as he said.
There were blankets over his windows in the backseat, so I couldn't see where we were heading. I stayed silent, running through ideas of escape in my head, not wanting to draw his attention. He didn't look back once while he drove, just kept at a steady, law-abiding pace. Hell, he probably kept to even the most obscure of traffic laws.
When we finally stopped, I swallowed and tensed, ready to take any opportunity I could to get help or escape. The door opened at my side opened at the same time that James stepped out, surprising me, and I jerked back to see a fiery red-haired woman sneering down at me from the car doorway. I thought through all the people Edward had ever brought up and decided this had to be the Victoria chick - violent, cruel, and the perfect match for James. She reached in and grabbed my upper arm, her long bright nails digging into my flesh. Of course I struggled, and I even managed to land a pretty good punch in her ribs, but she was bigger, stronger, and way more practiced at this than I was. She twisted the arm in her grip painfully behind my back, making me gasp in pain.
"Victoria," James drawled slowly, sounding much like a parent chastising a child for something they always do and the parent knows they'll never stop doing.
"What?" she snapped indignantly. "The littl0e bitch punched me!"
I'd punch her again if I could, damn it, I thought, angrily glaring at the two of them. At least, as best as I could in my uncomfortable position.
James rolled his eyes and came over, getting into Victoria's face. She glared at him, not backing down. Casually, James lifted his hand and backhanded her hard enough that she stumbled back from the force of it. Unfortunately for me, her grip didn't lessen, and she ended up yanking my arm sharply.
I screamed in pain as my arm fell loose at my side, and then I simply stared down at it dumbfounded for a second. James glared at my arm then whirled to Victoria, who was scrambling backwards and getting to her feet.
Their moment of distraction was my moment of golden opportunity. It was dark, and I wasn't in familiar surroundings, but anywhere was better than with these psychos. I took off running, wincing and feeling burning tears in my eyes from the pain of my dislocated arm, when fast, pounding steps announced someone was after me. I pushed myself harder, desperate, but thick hard arms enclosed my middle and lifted me off of the ground.
"No!" I screamed, tears spilling from my eyes. "Let me go!"
James dragged me inside a large garage-like building; it was cavernous in the front, echoing my yells. In the back there were several smaller rooms. I was shoved into one of them, the door quickly slamming behind me. James spoke to me from the other side.
"Don't worry, Miss. Cullen. I don't plan on harming you - I just need Edward to rejoin so I can have the security that he won't talk." I listened, chest heaving in rage and fear as he walked away. I turned around, hands on my hips, and froze. Sitting in the farthest corner, her arms wrapped tightly around her battered knees, was a dark haired girl, her large hazel eyes watching me cautiously.
She had old dried blood on her clothes and skin, though it was rusting off. Ugly black and blue bruises were littered among the disgusting, healing yellow ones, and I saw a long, ugly, scabbed-over incision on her upper arm.
"Kate?" I asked quietly, taking a slow step forward. She'd been here how long now? Almost two months? Who knew what she had been through in that time?
She didn't answer right away, but then, I doubted I would in the same situation. I stopped a few feet from her and folded myself down onto the ground, using my working arm to move my dislocated one into my lap. The pain had settled into a painful throbbing that I had a suspicion wouldn't stop until long after my arm was fixed. I watched as she swallowed, opened her mouth, then simply nodded.
"I'm Alice, Edward's cousin." Her eyes lit in recognition, so I continued. Lord knew I could keep up a monologue. "Tanya went to the police, to try to help you, but apparently that didn't work. I don't think Edward would be smart enough to do that, though. He'll probably come here himself." I smiled at her in a tolerant, 'isn't-he-an-idiot' manner and rolled my eyes. That got a small twitch of her lips in response, so I mentally patted myself on the back and continued.
"That Victoria, she's a bitch, isn't she? I mean, look what she did to my arm!" I gestured with my good arm indignantly. "And then James just tosses me in here and expects me to be hunky-dory with it? What do they feed us? Gruel?" I scoffed. Her lips twitched again. "A crust of bread and water? Hey, ladies," I mocked in a deep voice, "It's your lucky day! We've got rotten fruit for you!"
A hoarse, faint chuckle came from her, and I grinned brightly. It took all my effort out to be this cheery when what I really felt like doing was throwing a colossal tantrum and crying a river, but what would that achieve? It would probably make Kate feel more hopeless, and I had to keep both our spirits from sinking any further. Besides, I was Alice; I didn't do gloom and doom.
I scooted a little closer to Kate, grimacing at the dirt and grime that clung to my hands and probably stained the seat of my pants. There was no way for me to know exactly what she had been through, and I had quite an imagination, so plenty of scenarios offered themselves up. I couldn't ask her, though, because that would just be crass and heartless. I didn't want to upset her by doing something that reminded her of any abuse she'd been through, but I also didn't want to ask so I would know what to avoid, because that would probably upset her. Stuck between a freakin' rock and a hard place. Story of my life, I swear.
When I managed to get to the spot at the wall next to her, I slowly leaned back so I was leaning against it. After a moment, I reached out my hand and lightly held hers, a small, hopefully safe show of comfort. She didn't respond in any way, just sat there with her loosely-held limp hand in mine. I let my thoughts wander, because what the hell else was I supposed to do in captivity?
I lost track of how much later - more than ten minutes, but definitely shorter than an hour - when Kate's hand softly wrapped around mine in return, and she leaned ever so slightly against my shoulder. I squeezed comfortingly, feeling horribly sick to my stomach at the hopelessness in her eyes.
What would James use me for? I mean, obviously to get Edward back to him, but I doubted that I'd just be left to sit in here and enjoy the time to myself. And why me? Bella would have been far more effective in provoking Edward's macho Hyde protect-the-woman caveman instincts, Even if they were having a stupid fight and Edward was lying more than I could ever remember.
I was scared, and that scared me in and of itself. I couldn't ever remember being as scared as I was now, and that was not helping matters. I didn't know what was going to happen to me, to Kate, to Edward and my family and friends.
And Jasper. Oh, my poor Jasper. The stress this must be putting him through. I bet he's blaming himself, since he hadn't gone with me even though I'd asked if he wanted to, but how could he blame himself? That the one night he didn't join me in my shopping extravagance was the night shit hit the fan? If any one was to be blamed - besides the obvious, you know, James - it would be me. I always said I was psychic; I should, therefore, have seen something bad happening. My only defense was that I was overwhelmed with everything that was happening that week with Edward and Bella.
Carlisle and Esme had never been very persistent about my beliefs being theirs, and I only went to church when I was younger; I had stopped once we moved here. I suppose, like Edward, I just couldn't believe that bad things happened to people who didn't deserve them if there was supposedly some great person who looked out for you. I couldn't say I didn't believe in God, but I couldn't say I was religious, either.
Still, in this silence, I couldn't help but remember the times I had spent in church, the sense of simple safety there, and nothing could make this situation worse, so I sent a small prayer up that if nothing else, Kate got out of here alive. She had done absolutely nothing. She didn't deserve all the bad that had happened to her.
Silence. I hated silence. Really, I did. It was oppressive and made our situation that much more bleak. I wished I had my iPod, or a CD player with me. Of course, none of my usual music would… well, I wouldn't really feel any better listening to it here. What I needed was inspiring, uplifting music. Something that said even when things are bad, you've gotta have hope. That kind of song.
Since that train of thought wasn't producing much in the soothing department, I thought of the most calming, soothing person I knew, who had always been there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on.
Esme. The best mother any single person could ask for. I focused on her gentle smile, and her warm, kind eyes; I brought to mind the scent of her perfume and the way she'd sing softly to herself as she cleaned the house. My eyes closed and a soft smile turned up my lips. Esme loved singing, and her soft voice always added a sense of something to the songs.
One of her favorite songs slipped into my mind, and I swallowed, tears tickling the edges of my eyes. It had always made me feel safe and hopeful - maybe it could do the same for Kate….
My voice was a little hoarse as I started, so soft I wondered if she could even hear me. When I hit the chorus, my voice gained a little more strength, and Kate straightened somewhat, though she still leaned against my side lightly.
She joined me in on the second verse. "Your faith was strong, but you needed proof." Her voice was barely there, but I smiled at her and continued singing.
"It's not a cry that you hear at night, it's not someone who's seen the light. It's cold and it's a broken hallelujah."
I lost track of how many times we went through the song, but each time, the dark felt a little less oppressive, the situation a little less hopeless. And that terrible, stomach-churning dead look in Kate's eyes faded away a tiny bit more.
I'd sing myself hoarse if it kept that despair from consuming both of us.
James POV (Yeah, he's back. AGAIN.)
The singing was beautiful, probably the sweetest sound I had ever heard. Like… light, made into sound.
Which was so fucking wussy of me that I hated myself for thinking it. What was I, a chick?
I was pissed at Victoria. She wasn't supposed to hurt the girl, and she had nearly ripped her arm out. Edward Masen's cousin was not supposed to be hurt. She was to be treated with respect, and Victoria hated that. Jealous bitch.
I listened to the two girls singing for a little longer, before unlocking the door. Tanya's sister immediately fell silent, but Edward's cousin kept singing softly. Such a strong, bright person. The opposite of what I surrounded myself with. I walked in with food, noting how she met my eyes steadily with her gray ones. I smiled at her, and her lips tightened.
I could admit it in the safety of my own mind. She intrigued me, enticed me. Someone who knew about the dark side of life and still seemed to be unaffected by it. Never before had I encountered someone like her. Never before I had had something like her in my life. I was reluctant to pass up the opportunity to enjoy it, to see if it lasted.
"So, Miss. Cullen," I started, "you have a lovely singing voice."
She didn't answer, just continued to silently stare back at me. I chuckled.
"Now, now, Miss. Cullen. Don't keep your pretty voice silent. I would love to hear more of it."
Her eyes narrowed. That was the only response.
I shrugged, trying not to be bothered by her dislike of me. I hadn't hurt her, not really. That was Victoria, and I'd made sure she understood it was a mistake. What else did the Cullen girl expect me to do? Instead, I turned to the other girl, feeling my lips pull up in a smirk. Even past the bruises and dirt, it was obvious that she was a pretty little thing. Her fight had broken after two or so weeks. That was a long time as far as I was concerned. Again, it made me curious how long the Cullen girl would last. Longer? Or would her light being surrounded by the darkness snuff it out faster?
I turned towards the door, strolling towards it casually. "It gets hot in here at night," I warned. "I'll have one of my men bring a fan in for you." No reason to make Miss Alice Cullen too uncomfortable. I'd hate for her light to be put out too quickly.
I wanted to enjoy it myself a while longer.
Alice POV
I closed my eyes, humming a song that had popped into my head while I was sleeping. Kate still kept mainly to herself, barely talking, and it broke my heart to see how terrified she was of the people in this place - especially the guy who brought in our food every night. I'd seen the way he looked at her, and it made me so sick I had to fight down nausea every time. If I were to ever kill anybody, it would be that bastard.
The few days had been… unusual. Surreal, for sure. I kept expecting to wake up but never did. Everything seemed to be different than I'd personally expected. James, he was… almost courteous to me, never rude, never doing anything to harm me. From what I'd heard of the guy, this was not usual. The other people in this place were obviously disgruntled by his actions. Victoria had come in here the other day, and she'd started throwing her fists and kicking her boots and waving around a knife. With a useless arm, there was little I could do but lunge and dodge and hope and pray that I lived through the encounter.
And I had. Thanks to… wait for it… James. He'd busted in the room, eyes livid, and grabbed Victoria by her hair, dragging her out of the room. I'd heard a resounding smack! that I figured was him hitting her, and then stumbling feet. I hadn't seen her since, not that I was shedding any tears over the fact.
I'd come to a cautious conclusion, a slightly frightening one, and I wasn't sure what to do about it or what it would mean for me or Kate.
James was… infatuated with me. He found me to be something he wanted, something he felt had to be kept safe, and he made sure I was always comfortable. Did I like the food, was it too hot, would I like a chair for the room? Were the people polite, did they do anything that made me uncomfortable, would I like a change of clothes? Each question had been polite and concerned and held a certain hint of… vulnerability.
It scared me even more, honestly. If he were so enraptured by me, would he ever really let me go free? At least it kept anyone from hurting Kate anymore, which made me dizzy with relief. That first night, one of the men had started towards her, and she'd tucked herself in a corner. I'd placed myself between the bastard and the poor girl, holding my ground even when he'd slammed his open palm across my cheek. In fact, I'd kicked his shin in retaliation. Before he could do more than swear and howl and threaten retribution, James had been there, and he'd threatened the guy and told him he'd better make sure that everyone knew - I was not to be touched, and I was not to be made distressed.
In other words, they all had to leave me and Kate alone.
I missed my mom and my dad. I missed Edward and Bella, and Rose and Emmett, the big goof. But most of all, I missed Jasper. I missed how he could always make me feel safe and loved, and how he made it so much easier to see the bright side of life. I missed his kisses and simply holding his hand. I missed his voice, his eyes, his hair, his smell.
I'd spent a lot of my time making lists of what I missed, or what I would do once I got out of here. Jasper's list was definitely my favorite. I went through it at least twice a day.
I wondered if Edward would be stupid and try to save me. I wondered if my family had gone to the police. I wondered how much longer I was going to be here.
I refused to give up any hope, though. I refused to let the despicable situation get me down. Being depressed about depressing things gets no one anywhere. Sometimes being optimistic made the depression more bearable, and I had to keep optimistic.
James opened the door. "Alice," he acknowledged. "How are you today?"
I never answered his questions unless it was to make things better for Kate. Pleasantries such as this didn't deserve an answer, and he probably knew I'd never answer him, but he always asked.
He set the tray of food he was carrying on the table on the other side of the room and sat down in one of the chairs. "No one has bothered you?"
I hesitated, then shook my head. Sometimes I gave him nonverbal answers, because I was afraid that never answering would make him unpleasant faster. I didn't expect this nice-guy act to last.
"Good," he said, nodding. If he weren't such a horrible person on the inside, I'd say he was handsome. Not nearly as good looking as Jasper or Edward and Emmett, but still not bad-looking. Apparently running an infamous underworld was hard work and kept him fit.
Kate was sleeping in the corner; he glanced at her with a raised brow. "And Kate. She is well?"
I glared because he knew very well that fucking answer. She looked sickly and pale all the time and I was worried about her. She barely ate unless I sat there and encouraged each bite for the entire time, and even then it wasn't much. She still rarely spoke - sometimes she joined in the singing, and she said good night every night. That was pretty much it.
After a moment, James nodded like we'd come to the conclusion of a pleasant conversation, and he rose. "I must be getting back to work, Alice dear." He'd taken to calling me that; it gave me chills and stomach flip-flops. "I will see you later in the evening, perhaps."
He left, closing the door softly yet firmly behind him, and I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes. The hot air in the stuffy building made my skin slick with sweat, and my shirt stuck to my back and front. My shorts were uncomfortable. I'd kicked off my flats a long time ago. I plucked my shirt from my chest, allowing some cool air to flow down, and glanced again over at Kate. The heat never seemed to bother her; sometimes, I thought she almost looked cold.
Maybe it was that inner chill, the one that seemed to grow a little more with each day we were here. I fought that chill back and refused to give in to it, but I knew I couldn't last forever. I just hoped I lasted long enough.
So, that does solve the cliffie. Okay, sort of. There is still a definite sense of anticipation.... You know, what did Edward say/do/OMG how dare you leave us still hanging you evil, manical, cruel, heartless, sadistic author! lol
Review please! And go vote!!!
And thanks to Irritable Grizzzly for betaing. She promised to get it back - fast - so I sent it to her. I didn't want to make you all wait any longer. ;)
