CPOV
Darkness.
Pain.
Burning.
That was all I could remember, before my world went dark.
Now, I felt nothing. I saw nothing.
Voices.
Ones I didn't recognize.
"Carlisle."
"She is coming to. Three seconds."
"Cheyenne?"
I heard the voices, angelic, smooth and perfect. They coaxed me, as my hearing began to clear, and I slowly began to feel my body once more.
Only this time, I felt no pain. The burning was gone.
I moved my head to the right, and then to the left as my eyes finally slid open. Everything was blurry, and I felt my dry eyes blink.
"Cheyenne? Can you hear me?"
As my eyes adjusted, they absorbed the image of an extremely stunning man before me. The more I stared at him, the more familiar he became. It took me a moment to realize that this was the blonde vampire I saw before, the one with the gorgeous, golden eyes. His face was open, compassionate, and concerned as he looked down at me.
I tried to speak, and felt a sore, throbbing pain in my lip. I tasted blood, and winced.
God, my head hurts.
"What happened?" I croaked, taking in my surroundings, and noticing the absence of the person I was in search of. "Alec. Where's Alec?"
"He's with Aro at the moment," the blonde vampire spoke, his voice angelic and compelling. "How are you feeling? If you don't mind, I'd like to examine you. Are you able to sit up?"
With Aro? Why? What happened?
As I attempted to sit up, I could feel a slight soreness in my body. My head throbbed at the change in positions, and I groaned at the pain that screamed at me in these places.
I looked around, my eyes falling on the other seven, familiar faces I had seen before, plus two new faces that I didn't see before.
The Cullens.
"Are you feeling pain anywhere besides in your lip? Your head?" The blonde inquired professionally, as if he was some sort of medical professional. He reached his pale hands toward me, feeling along the sides and back of my scalp before I could answer. His skin was the same temperature as Alec's.
I barely shook my head, staring at the other vampires, who stared back at me.
As I did, their bright, amber eyes and pale skin suddenly sent a jolt through my body.
I remembered exactly what happened, then. It rushed back to me in a horrific flood.
David bit me.
The pain. The excruciating pain.
That means...
I panicked as my body shuddered painfully at the memory, lifting my hands right in front of my eyes so I could look at them.
But, they weren't pale; not like theirs. My skin was soft, warm, and supple.
I could see the blueish-green color of my veins as they laid dormant with deoxygenated blood.
What? But, I thought...
He bit me.
I'm supposed to be...
"Jasper," I heard the blonde vampire mumble softly.
I looked at the blonde vampire who was playing doctor on me, dropping my hands into my lap. They curled into fists as I continued to panic.
"He...he bit me," I whispered, feeling the pain in my lip again. I winced once more. "I thought he...I felt the...I thought...why am I not..."
My body shuddered again as I remembered the pain, the indescribable burning sensation that was too much for words. There were not enough words in the dictionary that could live up to such pain.
It was exactly how David had described it, if not impossibly worse.
Nothing would ever hurt worse in my life; I was sure of it.
The feeling of the burn, the pain, the way every cell in my body seemed to feel the venom...
"It doesn't work, Carlisle," I heard another male voice answer, his southern accent heavily apparent. "I can feel her emotions, but I can't control them."
Carlisle, the man in front of me, continued to watch me with his brows furrowed. He placed his cold hands on my shoulders, and spoke in a calm voice.
"Cheyenne," he spoke calmly. "My name is Carlisle Cullen. I am a doctor. You are all right, but you are still human. The transformation didn't succeed, but I would like you to take a deep breath with me. Everything is all right, and you are safe."
I saw him demonstrate what I should be doing, and, since his voice was so calming and assuring, I copied him. I took deep breaths, and for some reason, I trusted him. His eyes held no trace of darkness or trickery, unlike the red irises I came to know here. His eyes were exceptionally kind, friendly, and compassionate, more than anything. The more I stared at him, the more relaxed I became, and I nodded when I finally felt somewhat normal.
"What do you mean, it didn't succeed?" I asked him, my voice trembling slightly. "Where is David?"
I glanced around the room, only seeing the golden eyed vampires in here with me. Where was everyone? Did they know what happened? What about the ball?
"He is in custody of Aro," Carlisle answered, lifting his finger. "Look here. Just follow my movements with your eyes, please."
I did as he said anxiously, remembering how David kissed me, and how much I hated it. I felt anger rise up within me, and my body was covered in goosebumps as a chill ran through me.
"Good," he appraised. "Do you feel any disorientation or discomfort in any area of your body?"
"My head hurts. Really bad," I told him, rubbing my forehead. "And, I feel cold. My back is kind of sore, too."
"You collapsed when he administered the bite to you," Carlisle informed me, reaching into a shiny, black leather bag beside him. He pulled out a small flashlight, and aimed the light at me. "Look straight ahead."
I obeyed, as he flashed the light in my eyes, and then away a few times. I flinched away at the end, rubbing my eyes.
"Your pupils are reacting normally, but you do have some sensitivity to light. Most likely from your headache," he concluded, and gingerly took my wrist in his hand. He pressed his two icy, marble-like fingers against the inside of my wrist and concentrated for a moment. "You didn't lose very much blood, but your menstrual cycle is a big factor in causing your temperature to drop."
"Can I get you anything? A blanket, perhaps some Tylenol? You look like you are freezing, dear," a woman, whose tone matched that of Carlisle's, kind and caring, stepped forward. It was the woman who had been standing next to him, with the light, caramel toned hair. Her face was worried, and just as kind as his, and it burned in her eyes.
She instantly reminded me of a caring mother, very maternal, the kind you could only read about or watch on TV.
The kind I didn't have.
"Um..." I hesitated, and then nodded. "Um, sure. Thanks."
"I will go with you, Esme," a dark-haired petite vampire, who shared the same golden eyes with her, spoke apart from the group. She stood next to a tall, dark-haired man, who sported his own tuxedo. They both had a slight olive tone to their skin, and from the woman's accent, I guessed that they were both of Spanish descent.
She smiled at me softly, and followed Esme out the door.
"That was my wife, Esme," Carlisle told me, releasing my wrist as he smiled fondly. "I'm sure you are wondering why we're all here."
I nodded silently, the man's beauty captivating me. Of course, Alec was still the best looking vampire I'd ever set eyes on, but everyone was just so...
Gorgeous. It amazed me at how many of them were capable of holding such beauty. Carlisle couldn't have been more than a few years older than my brother. The rest of the Cullens looked like teenagers, save Esme.
"And that was my wife, Carmen," the dark-haired man spoke, his accent matching hers. "I am Eleazar. We have heard much about you from Aro."
"Is that why were you all watching me?" I retorted warily. I don't feel like you're going to try and eat me, because your eyes are gold."
Eleazar laughed good-naturedly. Carlisle gestured towards his family, who introduced themselves one by one. The petite, pixie girl piped up first, flitting forward like a graceful gymnast. Her billowy, flowing pink dress moved with her, sweeping across the floor.
"I'm Alice," she greeted, her voice the highest of sopranos, fitting her pixie, fairy-like look. "It's wonderful to meet you. I have seen many things about you. And no, we're not going to eat you." She rolled her eyes.
I glanced at Carlisle, and then Alice awkwardly. Okay?
"I can see into the future," she added, noticing my reaction, and then stepped back to tug on her blonde date's sleeve. "This is Jazzy! But, everyone else calls him Jasper. He can influence and feel emotions."
Jasper nodded at me, his deep, southern accent reaching me across the room.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma'am," he said politely. "Unfortunately, I can't seem to influence your emotions. However, I can feel your anxiety."
"Um. Sorry," I said, feeling my cheeks grow warm. "This is just a lot, and I don't know any of you. And, I was just bitten by a vampire, who I thought was my best friend, and I stood up to Alec's crazy, psychotic ex-lover who almost ripped my throat out."
I heard a loud snicker come from behind Alice, where the giant, dark haired guy stood with the model blonde, his giant, white fist pressed against his mouth. Alice rolled her eyes, and shook her head, mumbling something I couldn't hear. Jasper smirked, and blonde bombshell continued to glower at at me.
"Oh, what, are we gonna pretend like it wasn't funny?" his voice boomed, making me flinch. It was deeper and louder than Felix's, and his smile was incredible as visible dimples made themselves known on his cheeks. He reminded me a lot of Felix, just younger, and perhaps better looking. Where Felix looked about twenty five, this man easily looked my age, or even a year older.
He waved at me, his deep chuckle filling the room.
"My name's Emmett Cullen," he said proudly. "Sorry if I scared ya. It's just that, that entire encounter was so funny. I almost lost it out there! Who did she think she was, the queen of England? I thought you were gonna give her a knuckle sandwich!"
Emmett seemed to be the jokester of the group, and his words made me crack a smile. He was a more innocent version of Felix, it appeared. He was handsome, more so than Jasper. He could have been an Abercrombie model, right alongside Alec in those fancy sweaters.
"I guess so," I replied, chuckling nervously. My eyes automatically went to the woman beside him, the one who looked like I got mud on her shiny, red pumps.
"This is Rose," Emmett said, crossing his huge arms. "She's a little ticked that we're here."
Emmett nudged her lightly, as her frown deepened. Camilla had absolutely nothing on her, and I started to feel insecure all over again by gazing at her. However, I wasn't afraid that Alec would be swept away by her. She just...
She was, hands down, possibly the most beautiful vampire on this earth.
"I'd like to be addressed as Rosalie," she spoke stiffly, her voice soft, mature, and bell-like as well. She wasn't a soprano, but she was dangerously close to it.
"Rosalie," I repeated quietly, nodding at her request. Her name was almost as pretty as she was.
"Don't mind anything she might say to you," Carlisle said comfortingly. "She will be on her best behavior. Won't you, Rosalie?"
"Of course, Carlisle," she responded bitterly, looking at the ceiling as if I wasn't worthy of looking at her.
The last couple stepped forward, the one that seemed to stand out the most.
"My name is Edward Cullen," the stupidly handsome, copper-haired boy said, his voice the smoothest of them all. It flowed just like Alec's, but Alec's was much smoother, in my opinion. It was a voice that could attract any female, and though it did sound alluring, I wasn't attracted to Edward. He held his mate's hand tightly, and gestured to her with his head. "This is my wife, Isabella Cullen."
"It's Bella," Bella corrected him, her voice both a mix of slight annoyance and fondness. Her shimmering, golden eyes met mine, as she halfheartedly smiled. "My gift is a shield. I can protect anyone I choose by expanding it onto them."
The more I stared at them, the more familiar they seemed to me. Their names floated around in my mind, until it clicked.
These two were the ones with the half vampire, half human daughter, whom I noticed was absent.
The one the Volturi almost killed them over.
This poor family.
"I'll bet you just want us to spit it out already," Alice piped up, flitting forward eagerly, but she was serious.
"Sort of," I said hesitantly, still trying to get used to their presences. Alice blew out a breath, something she didn't need to do. It almost made her look human.
Esme and Carmen returned, just before she began to speak. They approached me, Esme holding a fleece blanket, and Carmen holding a glass of water and Tylenol. She wasted no time in giving me the medicine, which I immediately took, and Esme wrapped the blanket around my shoulders, as if I was her own child.
"There. How's that?" Esme asked, smiling at me. "My name is Esme Cullen, by the way. I know my husband already told you, but I wanted to introduce you myself. It's wonderful to meet you."
"You, too," I mumbled to her, feeling fuzzy and warm from her extreme maternal personality. "Thank you."
She smiled again, nodding, before standing next to Carlisle, who hadn't moved from his spot at my makeshift hospital bedside. Carmen just smiled at me, before going back to Eleazar, and Alice began to speak.
"A few weeks ago, I had my first vision of you. I saw you fall into the trap of this castle. I wasn't sure as to why it had anything to do with us at first, but my visions began to change every day after that. I have seen how powerful you could become if you are to join the Volturi. We know what Aro wants with you, Cheyenne. The problem is, it's nothing good, and it interferes with all of our futures. If he has you for his new conquest, we are all fatally doomed. I've seen different possibilities, but, the outcomes remains the same: he will become too powerful for any of us to bear, and he could essentially become more unhinged than he already is, and see no other option but to get rid of us for everything we've done that defies him. He's been gracious to us with many things, but Edward and I know more than anyone what he's really thinking, and what he really wants. If he has you, he will become unstoppable, and we will all die. Not just our family, but other covens as well."
As I listened to her, part of me wasn't surprised to hear what she had seen. I had the same fear of the future, myself. I was glad to know that it wasn't just me that thought Aro held too much power. The other part of me was horrified, and I flashed back to my nightmare, the one of Aro setting all my loved ones on fire, and I shuddered. If she was implicating what I thought she was...
My heart began to race with hope, but my stomach twisted with fear at her visions.
"You...came to..." I swallowed, for fear that this might not be real. "Save me? Get me out of here?"
Alice nodded firmly, her cute, pixie-like face troubled.
"For the most part, yes," she confirmed. "It is much too dangerous for you to be here. We witnessed your gift, and it didn't take much to see what Aro's plans would be for you. We need to be very cautious about this. Aro's not going to let you go without a fight. The only other vision I've had, scarcely, is of Aro finally getting what he wants; us. He's been trying to get us to join him for a long time. He knows we could be useful to him, but we are, as you can tell, against his lifestyle choice."
My eyes filled with tears, as excitement and hope flooded through me for the first time in a month. I looked at all of them, and then at Carlisle and Esme, and I couldn't contain myself. I felt like I was floating and becoming paralyzed at the same time.
"I want to go home so badly," I told them as I burst into tears. I shook my head at the madness. "You have no idea how long I've been-I can't stay here. It's been awful, and I've been trying to find a way to get out for all this time, and..."
Alec.
But, what about Alec? Are you going to just leave him behind?
What about David? He's too far gone. Is he even going to want to leave?
"We all know," Carlisle said soothingly, placing his gentle hand on my shoulder. "No one deserves to fall prey to the Volturi like you have. We will do everything in our power to get you out of here safely."
"Don't worry, sweetie," Esme said softly, coming over to rub my back comfortingly. "This isn't the first time we've had to deal with the Volturi."
"But...David..." I trailed off, zoning out. "How are we gonna get him out if he..."
"We will get him out, too," Carlisle promised. "We will do all we can."
Alec, the voice reminded me, and the sharp twisting in my gut wouldn't let me ignore it.
"But, Alec," I gasped in emotional pain as I began to protest. "What about Alec?"
The room was silent, as no one offered me an answer.
"You really have feelings for that son of a bitch?" Emmett asked loudly, and I could hear a growl in his words. "He'd be the death of us all if it wasn't for Bella!"
"Emmett!" Esme scolded sharply. "Enough."
I nodded helplessly, the image of Alec being burned in that pile again flashing in my mind. No, no, no, no...
"I...I can't leave here without him," I whispered frantically. "He has to come with us. He can't die, too!"
"Great," I heard Emmett scoff. "She's already been brainwashed by them. If it comes to a fight, I have dibs on Alec."
Esme left my side, and I heard a hard, solid sound, like a large rock hitting the pavement from the top of the Empire State Building.
"Ow! Jeez, mom," Emmett whined.
"She's having enough trouble by being trapped here," Esme hissed at him. "Have some respect. Nobody is fighting anyone."
His words pricked at my ears, causing my focus to be on him now. I glared at him.
"No!" I told him, snapping my arm forward to point at him. "I'll kill you first if you try-"
"Nobody is getting harmed in any way," Carlisle said pointedly, frowning at Emmett. "Cheyenne. Please, trust us. We are aware that Alec is your mate, and you do not want to be without him. However, it is up to Alec if he chooses to stay or leave. I am not trying to discourage you, but he has been faithful to the Volturi for his entire existence."
"His thoughts seemed to have changed quite a bit since our last interaction with him," Edward said. "I doubt he'll want to stay, now that he has her, but he wouldn't go against Aro, either. I didn't hear anything that indicated it."
"You don't know anything about Alec," I told them, shaking my head. "I know how horrible he used to be. I witnessed it myself. He's been my guard ever since I set foot in this place. He may have bruised me and talked down to me, and even threatened me, but he doesn't do that anymore! He's changed! Now, all he wants to do is protect me, and he's shown it! You don't know the things he's told me."
"She's telling the truth," Jasper offered, and I heard no response from Emmett.
"I believe you," Carlisle said, unfazed by my hysterics. "We will just need to take it one step at a time. We won't be able to leave with you so easily. Just try to relax, and rest. You've been through enough for tonight."
His words comforted me, but only slightly. Of course, I wasn't going to force Alec to come with me. If he wanted to stay with Aro, I couldn't do anything about it.
But, if death was involved, I would try my hardest to keep him from it.
In the process of my hard thinking, I accidentally bit down on my lip, and I flinched hard at the pain. My hand flew up to my mouth as I groaned.
"Ouch," I muttered, remembering how I got the injury in the first place. I whipped my head to Carlisle. "Wait, what did you mean earlier? The transformation didn't work?"
"I don't have an answer for that," he told me ruefully. "However, when I was examining you, I saw something unlike any occurrence I've witnessed before. The venom was already in your bloodstream by the time I arrived, but there was a point at which it stopped. It ejected itself from your bloodstream, as if it was being rejected by your body. The only other way to remove venom from a human is by suction of mouth, and there wasn't enough time for that to occur. It had only been in your system for about thirty seconds in total."
I stared at him, stupefied at what he was saying to me. His words rushed through my ears, along with my blood, floating around in my head as I tried to get them to register.
"What?" was all I could ask.
"If my assumptions are correct, it could be another gift of yours," he elaborated. "But, the only person who would know that for sure is Eleazar. He is able to detect the gifts of others. Based on what he is able to tell us, we can figure out why it didn't progress."
I'm not able to be turned?
Ever?
I can keep my humanity?
That means...
Children. Alec. Aging.
But...he would remain a vampire, and I wouldn't.
If it was actually true that I couldn't become a vampire, how would our future work out? Alec would forever be young, beautiful and unchanging. I would continue to age, to get older. How were two mates supposed to be together, if the other couldn't be with them for certain?
The news troubled me, and I felt my stomach drop immensely. My heart accelerated with both relief and despair, and trying to convince myself that this wasn't proven yet wasn't working. Carlisle was a doctor, for crying out loud, and he was God knows how old. I had no reason to not believe him, but he also said he couldn't be sure.
"Cheyenne," Carlisle called to me, grasping my shoulders. I didn't realize I was panicking again, until he began to talk me down. "Take deep breaths, all right? We will figure it out. For now, I need you to breathe deeply. Follow my lead."
He inhaled deeply and slowly, and released it, and I struggled to copy him at first. With a few more tries, I felt myself calm down, just a little. Carlisle smelled good, too, which was helping. I couldn't put a finger on his scent exactly, but it was very woodsy and calming.
I was both relieved and crushed at the revelation. I couldn't become a vampire-possibly-but, there left no room for me to be with Alec forever. I got what I wanted, but at what cost? There would never be anyone else for me, and I wasn't going to live my life like the duration of the Titanic movie. It was strange; everything I was dreading, was turning out to be both the ultimate detriment and relief.
Everything was changing, but not in the way I'd expected.
"It makes sense as to why the transformation failed," Eleazar stated as he walked toward me. "I can sense her vocal gift, but there is something else. I have never seen anything like this before."
I watched Eleazar, as he watched me, and waited for his answer. His wise, brilliant tawny eyes stared deeply at me, as if he was looking through me.
"So she's not a shield," I heard Edward say.
"It holds almost the same aspect, but this hardly qualifies as being a shield," Eleazar told him, and he looked at Carlisle. "She seems to be unaffected by both mental and physical gifts. Aro is not aware of this. He is correct when he says she's very powerful, but her vocal gift is not the sole reason. It appears that she can...deflect our gifts, but only if they're classified as harmful or offensive toward her. It seems that nearly every gift is deflected back to its human nature, and therefore, cannot affect her. If it is a gift like Alice's, something indirect, it can still work."
"It's why I can't read her mind," Edward concluded, and I glanced at him. His brows were furrowed as he focused on me. He mumbled something and shook his head as he looked at Carlisle instead, and I did, too.
"I still don't understand what you're saying," I said, looking between Eleazar and Carlisle. "What do you mean by 'human nature'?"
"Our gifts emerge from our strongest trait in our human lives," Eleazar explained, glancing at Carlisle for effect. "Not all of us gain abilities, but if we hold certain talents or traits in our human lives that are strong enough, they become enhanced in our new life."
"I was very persuasive in my human life," Jasper piped in, his probing eyes intense as he offered a slight, charming smile. "Being the youngest major in the Texas cavalry, I held a lot of responsibility, but I wanted it. Once I became immortal, my greatest asset became my gift; empathy. Now, I can quite literally feel every single emotion from everyone in this room, and make them feel anything I wish. Except you, of course."
"But, all vampires have venom, and that's not a gift," I said, still confused. "I don't see how I'm 'deflecting' all of these gifts."
"Vampire venom replaces any otherwise human fluid that was once in our bodies," Carlisle explained. "We have venom-based fluids that perform the same way."
"To put in simple terms, you are...too human to be changed into an immortal," Eleazar finished. "Your human nature seems to be a gift of yours, and it is so powerful that it can render our gifts, and apparently venom, useless. They will only seem to work at the same level that they did in our human lives. Such as how Edward cannot read your mind, but he still may be able to get away with reading your facial expressions."
The information swirled around in my head, raising more hope and relief within me. However, I was stunned.
I, a simple human, was able to remain unaffected by these powerful vampires' gifts, including their venom? I wasn't physically strong like them, but I was safe from two out of many dangerous things about them. Not only that, but I couldn't be useful to Aro; not in the way he wanted me to be. What would happen, then? Would he get rid of me? What would Alec do? What would happen to David?
"I'm sorry," I uttered, shaking my head. "I just...don't get it. I'm not the only one with human nature. Every human has human nature. It's human nature. Why does mine differ from theirs? And why is my singing voice any different than any other singer on the charts? Why don't they have a gift, too? They sing just as well as I do."
"Each gift differs, depending on the person, but this is not about who holds a significant amount of vocal talent over the other," Eleazar replied in a cognizant tone. "I can tell you are very down to earth, humble, kind, gentle, human, and very self unaware in some ways. Your human nature differs greatly from that of normal humans, which is what makes it so potent. You have a potential to see human life in a way others do not. You value it, and you express a great deal of emotion and compassion, much more than the rest."
I closed my eyes and sighed.
"Alec said the same thing," I muttered unhappily. "He said I'm too easy to read, and I'm an open book."
"I gathered that immediately," Jasper commented. "You are quite easy to read. Sorry."
"I have to agree with Jasper," Edward added. "Even if I could read your mind, I wouldn't need to. You are a lot like Bella when she was human; she couldn't lie about anything."
Bella whacked him in the arm, before giving him the tiniest of smiles.
"I can now," she told him smugly. "How do you think I was able to plan for Renesmee to escape if things had gone bad last time?"
Eleazar continued on as if neither had spoken.
"Not only that, but your vocal gift is so powerful, because you are better able to express your innermost thoughts and emotions through your music. Would I be correct in saying that?" heasked lightly. "I am not meaning to upset you, but you are a very open human. You should take it as a compliment; not very many of them are this way anymore."
"Alec said that, too. So did Heidi," I replied dully. "I guess so. I just prefer to express myself through music. I'm not very good with words, anyway. I'm an introvert, if you couldn't tell already. Talking's not my strong suit."
"I can see why Aro covets you so badly for his own gain," Eleazar noted. "Unfortunately, you hold each of our futures in your hands. Fortunately, you are not alone. I will partner with the Cullens to help you flee from this place, safely. I am certain that if any of us had the luxury of keeping our humanity, we would have cherished it as much as you do."
I looked at him, then at Carlisle, who smiled kindly at me and nodded. Esme, next to him, did the same, as did Eleazar's wife, Carmen. My eyes swept across the faces of the other Cullens, who shared mixed expressions of solemnity and determination.
These vampires were here to save me, one simple human. Just one among seven billion others. Alice could have ignored her vision, and could have chose not to alert her family.
But, she did. And now, they were all risking their own lives and safety, just for me. They had absolutely no obligation to try and help me, despite the fact that each one of their lives was in potential danger if I stayed here and became a slave to Aro.
The more I thought about it, the more I thought about who would escape from here, and who wouldn't.
And then, I remembered. How could I forget my promise?
I looked at Carlisle quickly, speaking in a rush.
"If I get out of here, Ray has to, too," I said, my eyes widening. "He deserves to be free just as much as I do. He has a family, and he was forced to be here in the first place. Please, you have to, Carlisle. Get him out first, then me. Either they kill him, or change him, and neither of those options are going to happen. Not while I'm around. I made a promise to myself that if I could get him out of here, I would. If anyone should get out of here more than me, it's him. He's innocent. He doesn't deserve this. Please, Carlisle, Eleazar..." I trailed off, pleading them with my eyes.
"And Ray is...?" Carlisle inquired professionally.
"He's the chef that works here. He's only been here because of me. If I'm not here, he has no reason to be here, either. He's got his entire life ahead of him. Will you get him out? Please."
A pregnant pause filled the room, a silence filled with something heavy, but not dreadful. My eyes met each of the Cullens', every pair of amber eyes staring at me intently. More confusion rose up within me, but I couldn't help but stare back.
"What?" I asked them, my voice becoming stuck in my throat.
"That is exactly what I mean," Eleazar explained softly. "Your compassion and selflessness. Do you see how powerful that is? It has affected everyone around you so profoundly, and you do not realize it. You are a brave human for sacrificing yourself for him."
"Yeah," Emmett chuckled. "You are a spitfire. I haven't seen any human willing to fight Aro besides Bella, and you even threatened to kill me. Now we got two of them? Aro doesn't stand a chance. This'll be one hell of a fight."
"We're hoping it won't come to that," Carlisle reminded me gently, but gave Emmett a stern look. "No one is going to kill anyone. Emmett."
"Well, he's not gonna let her go without a fight. That's what Alice just said!" Emmett defended, waving a huge arm at tiny Alice. She whirled around in a graceful, yet speedy fashion and gave him a hard look.
"It was a play on words, Emmett," Alice said, gritting her teeth. "And, we need to make decisions that won't lead to a fight. Now, will you please stop contemplating getting into a fight so that the future will stop changing so much?"
She spun back around, giving me a sympathetic eye roll.
"He's just a big kid who doesn't know when to stop," Alice said, clasping her tiny hands together. "But, Eleazar is right. You are a very interesting human."
I looked at Emmett, now that I had a chance to speak.
"I'm not planning on fighting him. I don't want to fight, but I don't think he should be in power," I explained to him, and then I gave him my darkest expression. "There's probably nothing I can do to stop him, but thanks anyway. I meant what I said. If you try to hurt Alec, I really will be a spitfire. Don't touch him."
"And what are you going to do to him?" Rosalie asked icily, stepping forward as she glared at me. "You're putting every one of our lives in danger by just being alive. I'll be watching you closely, if you plan on trying to touch my man."
"Rose!" Alice whispered, stomping her little foot, and then began massaging her own temples. "Stop! All of you, stop fighting, or there will be a fight! Can we please just calm down? Just for tonight."
I snorted at Rosalie, rolling my eyes as I turned my head away from her, which was very unlike me.
These hormones are not working for me tonight.
"Then tell your man to keep away from mine," I muttered, and Carlisle spoke up.
"Rosalie. That's enough," he almost whispered, and stepped closer to me. "Cheyenne. I will do my best to free Ray, as soon as I get an opportunity. Alice and I will come up with a plan. I admire your courage, and your sacrifice. You are a good friend."
I met his eyes, forgetting my mini spat with Rosalie, and feeling every bit calmer the more I talked to this man. It was refreshing to talk to someone who, although wasn't human, acted very much like one in the emotional sense. He held no judgement, and I actually felt almost normal interacting with him. I could easily overlook the golden eyes, snowy white skin, and absurdly perfect features, and think he was a normal person.
"I promised," I murmured. "Everyone who's trapped here deserves to be free just as much as I do. Why leave, when there's others who need it just as much as me? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I just left without considering them. It's why every time I had a chance to run, I didn't. I turned away about three opportunities to escape when Alec and I were out in public, and I did it all because of David. I wanted to run; it would have been so easy to do it, but..." I shook my head, blinking away stray tears.
"I understand," Carlisle sympathized. "I would have done the same. You're very brave for doing that."
"That's sweet," Esme offered. "And, it's loyal. It shows that you care about your friend."
"Yeah," I said, remembering the kiss again, and my tone turned sour. "Until he kissed me and confessed his feelings for me, that I didn't listen to Alec about. Now, I'm sitting here, hearing that I was bitten by him, and I'm unable to become one of you. What's new? I'll probably never hear anything normal for the rest of my life."
"Alec is-" Alice said suddenly, and then the door was slammed against the wall with a loud, crackling thud.
"Here," she finished weakly.
In strode Alec, who locked his blazing, focused eyes with mine, and was in front of me instantly, busting Eleazar and Carlisle out of the way. I gasped at his presence, reaching for him just as eagerly as he did for me, while my heart pounded with an ironically calm beat. His hands cradled my face securely, his hard eyes frantically scanning me for injuries.
"Are you all right?" he asked in a deathly calm voice, though it was rushed. I covered his hands with my own and nodded quickly, forgetting the other ten vampires in the room. I searched his frozen, wild crimson eyes, taking him in. I felt ten times better now, knowing he was here, and I felt safe again as everything else melted away. Alec's eyes stopped on my lip, his expression growing beyond murderous as his thumb swept across my bottom lip gently. The icy coolness felt good on it, but I involuntarily winced. I didn't mean to.
He saw this, and continued in his eerie tone.
"Why are you still human?" he asked, and then slowly turned to Carlisle. I was suddenly scared for Carlisle, hoping that Alec wasn't going to kill him. I grabbed one of Alec's hands, holding it tightly in my own.
"That's what we need to inform you about," Eleazar spoke, stepping closer to him. "Good to see you too, Alec."
"Why. Is my mate. Still. Human?" he asked calmly, but I saw his other hand rotate outwards, toward them.
"She will not be able to become like you, like us," Eleazar said, unfazed by the threat. "Her nature proves to be too potent for vampire venom. We are unsure of why this is, as it's new to us all. I've never witnessed anything like this, so I can't tell you why. I only know that her human nature appears to be her other gift, which is why she is immune to all of ours."
"The venom expelled itself out of her bloodstream," Carlisle added serenely. "It happened after you left."
"What do you mean, her other gift?" Alec ground out, the beginning of his black mist gathering in his palm. I heard Emmett snicker.
"It appears that her human nature is so strong, that it repels ours," Eleazar told him evenly. "Her gift is being a human, and therefore, it prevents her from having immortality. I am sure you know what a kind, selfless, humble, cherishing person she is. You are her mate, after all."
I let go of his left hand, and switched it for his right, pleading him with my grip to not use his gift on them. I saw the mist cloud around my own hand, but didn't feel its effects. I felt Alec's hand twitch around my own, and, felt his thumb slowly caress the back of my hand. The mist slowly dissipated, and I stared up at his form, hoping he would remain calm. I didn't have to be looking at him to know that he was just as angry as I was about the attack.
"You are not giving me any positive information," Alec replied in an empty voice. "Aro will not be pleased to hear about this."
"It's out of our control," Eleazar said coolly.
"If you'd like, I can perform some tests," Carlisle offered formally. "I would just need to draw some blood, and I can study how it responds to certain-"
"There has been enough blood drawn for tonight, Dr. Cullen," Alec responded, cutting him off aloofly. He turned back to me, and I was scooped up into his arms effortlessly. "All of you. Leave. Now."
Carlisle nodded once, and moved his eyes to his family. I glanced at Esme, whose eyes were big with sadness and concern for me. I gave her a tiny smile, letting her know it was okay, that I was safe with Alec. She looked at him briefly, before holding hands with Carlisle and departing. The rest of the Cullens followed, and I didn't miss their heavy glances that held our secret. Rosalie didn't even spare me a glance as she strode out, and Emmett gave Alec a quick, challenging look while he followed her.
I felt Alec's eyes on me, and I finally looked at him as I hugged his neck tightly. I clenched my eyes shut, sighing heavily as I felt security and warmth run through my body. He held me to him tightly, nestling his face into my neck possessively. I heard him inhale deeply, and a growl rumbled in his chest as his nose slid across my skin.
"I am going to end him," Alec declared with finality. "I should not have left you alone with him. My sister could have waited."
"I'm fine," I said, as my voice cracked, and tears leaked down my cheeks. I could feel the fear, confusion, and anger well back up within me. The numbness and distraction I had earlier from the Cullens was crashing down, and I was feeling everything now. "I may be extremely mad at him right now, but I don't want him killed."
"He deserves it," Alec said shortly. "Look what he's done to you. He could have killed you! Do you understand that? He almost took you away from me. And now, I am hearing that my future with you is now compromised."
I finally cried, feeling the pain of that, and the confusion, anger, and pain of David's actions.
"I don't want to talk about it," I sobbed, burying my face in his shoulder. "Please, I can't, I can't. Don't make me talk about it. I don't even know..."
"Shhh," he hushed me, his melodic voice crooning in my ear. "All right. I am keeping you with me tonight, and every night, for that matter. I do not trust anyone with you anymore. Not even Aro."
I just continued to cry on Alec's shoulder, asking myself why I had to be attacked by my best friend, why I couldn't be with Alec in the way either of us wanted, and how I was going to help the Cullens take Aro down. How was I powerful enough? I wasn't.
My thoughts kept spiraling, one question falling into another, my anger and sadness swirling around in a vortex of destruction.
How did all of this happen? How did we get here? It all just came undone, and now I just wanted to give up.
Actually, I just wanted Alec to hold me so that I could disappear from this world, from everything that happened tonight.
Half of me wanted to give up, and the other half kept tugging me back, reminding me of my saviors: The Cullens.
But, how will I leave Alec? I can't do that to him.
It's his decision to choose.
"I doubt he'll want to stay, now that he has her."
Edward's words gave me hope, and I held onto them, locking them away in my mind for later.
The only thing left to cry over was David, and how betrayed I felt by him.
He was supposed to be my best friend, my one lifeline in this.
But, he just wanted to be my boyfriend.
He kissed me, and took advantage of me. How could he do that? What would Travis think?
He'll kill him too, that's for sure.
"Cara," Alec spoke, and I felt myself being settled onto a piece of furniture. A chair. A very comfortable, cushioned chair. I didn't realize that Alec had left the room at all, and that we were now in his room. I now felt and saw the roaring, glowing fire in the fireplace to my left, and a shudder ran through me. Alec knelt in front of me, expertly removing his tuxedo jacket in one fluid motion and putting it around my shoulders. It was too big for me, of course, encasing me not only in warmth, but in his scent. I breathed it in, the cool, tart and sweet, otherworldly, botanical scent of berries assaulting my nose. I could almost taste it, and it began to calm me instantly. Alec took my face in his hands again, studying me closely as he willed each escaping tear away with his thumbs.
"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked softly, but I heard it in his tone; he was trying not to let his murderous behavior take over. Now that we were alone, I realized just how much different he was with me, as compared to when people were around. It was harder for him to hide it all with me. I shook my head, unable to feel any other pain I was having right now. My eyes just drank Alec in, focusing on him, on his touch, and how much it calmed me. Everything felt okay, even if it was just for now. He was here; I had him, and he had me.
Once again, his eyes flitted down to my lip with disdain. His thumb swept across it, his touch barely registering with my nerves.
"What did he do to you?" he whispered. "And to your lip, of all places to bite?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but, then it registered on his face. His eyes shot up to mine, his face frozen with the most livid, dangerous, and hellish expression. My heart thumped; this face was actually scaring me.
Alec stood in one swift motion, striding to his door without a word. He unbuttoned the cuffs on his sleeves, moving them up to his elbows. My mind seized, and I panicked. I stumbled out of the chair, hurrying to him as fast as I could, his jacket falling off of my shoulders. Even his walking was too fast for me.
I barely missed him, grasping onto his forearm desperately, trying to pull him back to me.
"Don't," I pleaded weakly, though I intended to say it much louder. "Alec, please, don't."
He freed his arm from my hand easily, barely tugging it away as he continued for the door.
I panicked even more, picking up my feet and darting to the door, taking advantage of his human paced stride. I turned around, slamming my back against his door, barricading it to prevent him from leaving this room. My hand blindly found the doorknob as my heart raced with anticipation.
"Cara, move," he commanded as he reached me, and I shook my head vehemently. My legs began to feel wobbly, and I felt my face twitch as I felt the familiar lump in my throat.
"He kissed you! He took advantage of you!"
"I know he did! I was there!" I yelled back, feeling hot, angry tears stream down my cheeks. "I'm just as angry as you are!"
"Then why are you trying to prevent me from doing what should be done?" he asked calmly, his expression turning blank as he studied me.
"Because I don't want you to leave. Not again," I croaked desperately. "You were right. Every time you leave, I only end up hurt or in danger. I know you want to kill him, but it's going to kill me more if you leave again. I am mad at him, more than you can imagine. But, I don't want to talk to him, or even think about him right now. I have been attacked, twice, tonight. Do you really want to leave me alone again after that?"
His face thawed, his eyes moving over my face. In one second flat, he had me crushed against his chest, with his cold, marble-like arms anchored around me tightly. My arms squeezed around his torso as tightly as I could manage, as I buried my face in his chest and cried again. I felt his hand move to my hair, combing through it with his fingers. He leaned down, pushing his nose into my neck, taking a long, deep inhale. I heard him sigh, and shake his head as his frozen, hard lips pressed against the skin of my neck, and across my shoulder.
"Please do not cry, cara," he whispered to me. "I am sorry. I am sorry that I left you alone again, when I clearly knew better. If my sister had not insisted on talking to me so impatiently..."
He paused, kissing my cheek, and then my forehead. His hand tightened in my hair, before it moved up and down my back in a comforting motion.
"It is inexcusable," he finished. "I will not leave you again, without your permission. So long as Aro does not call me to duty. I am going to tell him that I need to be with you full time. I have no doubt that is what he will establish after this occurrence."
My cries died down, and soon, I was only left hiccuping. I nodded slowly, retreating myself from the comfort of his chest. I saw smudges of black, brown, and gold on his crisp, clean, white shirt, and habitually wiped at it with my fingers. His strong, pale ones reached up and stopped me, instead bringing them to his lips.
"Do not worry about that," he murmured. "It is not important. I need to get you cleaned up."
He wiped a few stray tears away before lifting me into his arms, and taking me back to the chair. I sank into the chair, leaning back into it. Alec knelt in front of me again, inspecting me as his hands poked and prodded me.
"Are you sure you are not hurt anywhere else?" he asked again, moving from my legs to my arms next. He scanned his eyes over them, rotating them left and right. I sniffled, before answering him.
"Carlisle said I fell when he bit me, but I can't feel that right now," I hiccuped, letting him continue. He moved up to my head next, his fingers ghosting over my jaw, cheeks, forehead, and the circumference of my head. They moved in an exceptionally skilled way, almost like Carlisle's. I assumed he was checking for bumps and bruises, but I could only feel the tingling warmth that his touch was leaving behind. It made me feel warm, comforted, and safe, and I wasn't focused on anything except that.
Until I winced when his fingers found my back.
"You did fall," he confirmed, and I winced even more when he reached the small of my back, mainly the left side. He growled in a displeased manner, working his way backwards, inspecting my shoulders, arms, and legs again.
"I ordered Carlisle to examine you, because I know he is a doctor," he growled. "I can smell Tylenol in your bloodstream, and I don't smell any signs of internal bleeding. What did he say to you about your injuries?"
"That I fell after he bit me. I think I told him that my head hurt really bad, but it doesn't anymore. I also felt cold, but he told me it was just the loss of blood. I didn't lose very much," I recalled quietly.
"Do you feel tired, or dizzy?" he asked a bit urgently, and I shook my head again.
I studied Alec as he pressed gingerly around my legs again, and suddenly, I flashed back to the night that he first took care of me. The first time I was attacked by a vampire. By Liam.
The way he gripped my leg that night, how careful he was...
How difficult it was for him to do that, when he wasn't obligated to.
And now, he was taking care of me again, after being attacked for the third time.
Except things were different; this time, we were actually together, and he didn't have to hide it, or distract himself from my blood.
It was ironic, the position we were in.
His eyes were heavily focused on my legs, and though his head was bent down, I knew he was testing for any signs of pain from me. The way his eyebrows were currently knit together, along with the profound amount of care, worry, and intensity in his eyes, made my heart skip and swell.
I wanted to tell him I was fine, that he didn't have to do this, but I couldn't find it in me to speak.
The more I stared, the more this feeling grew in my chest. I wanted him to be by my side, forever. Whatever forever meant now.
I love him.
Again, I was taken aback, by my thoughts.
Come on. Get it together. You're hormonal. How could you possibly know what love feels like?
Alec interrupted my thoughts, pulling me out of that argument.
"It seems only your back is bruised, or is going to be, slightly," he noted, resting his hands on my hips as he stared at me. I nodded at him silently. "There are no signs of a concussion, which relieves me."
"Did you go to medical school, too?" I joked, and he smirked at me, earning him a loud and clear stutter from my heart.
"I briefly read a few books, but no, I do not have a medical degree," he said simply. "I guess you could say, a few centuries ago, I was very bored. Little did I know, it would actually come in handy, considering vampires do not need doctors."
He leaned forward to press a kiss on my forehead, his lips moving against my skin.
"I am running you a bath," he murmured, rising to his feet. "It will help with your sore muscles. Stay here."
He began to depart, and I was once again hit with deja vu as his back was turned to me.
"Are you gonna take your shirt off again, too?" I joked again, and he halted, but didn't turn to me.
"Do you want me to, cara?" he asked suggestively, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.
I tried to stop my fluttering heart, I really did.
My mouth opened and closed a few times, as I searched for words.
"Uh-I-um-no..." I squeaked, looking away from him, and at the fireplace instead. "I didn't...mean it like...that, I..."
I cleared my throat, knowing very well the flaming heat in my cheeks wasn't from the fire.
"It...was just a joke," I finished. "I just had some deja vu, that's all."
"You mean when you were blatantly gawking at my physique after offering you my sweater?" he asked smugly. "No need to be embarrassed, cara. I had my own set of problems seeing you wear it. It looks much better on you, than it does on me."
My heart raced incessantly, and I heard his deep, smug, musical laugh before hearing the water run in the bathroom.
I tried to forget what just happened, and stared into the blazing fire instead.
What a night.
When Alec came back, he told me it was ready, and to sit in the tub as long as I'd like. He told me he would be right back with some food for me, and I figured I could handle him being away for that. He closed the bathroom door behind him, but not before leaving me with one more smug remark.
"Oh, and do not worry, cara," he grinned. "I promise not to be a peeping tom."
I looked away again, my cheeks heating up.
"Great. Thanks."
He laughed again, and the door clicked behind me.
I didn't undress until I heard the huge, wooden door of his bedroom close.
When I finally sank into the stupidly massive bathtub, I couldn't help but groan in relief. Though the water was a little too hot, I welcomed it. It felt immensely nice on my muscles, especially my abdomen and back. I sat for a few more moments, allowing the water to loosen up my muscles, before dunking my head under to rid my face of any makeup. When I came back up, I looked around in search of some sort of soap to do the job. I spotted three separate bottles on the far end of the tub, noticing they were shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
I grabbed the body wash first, getting to work on my face. I went through my routine, thoroughly trying to scrub away the night. When I was done, I simply sat and soaked, gazing around the bathroom that was three times as big as mine. While the bathtub could fit at least seven people, the shower looked like it could fit fifteen. It was glass, fancy, and huge. I wasn't sure as to why Alec had such a big bathroom, considering vampires never had to take showers, but I didn't question it at the moment. It was working well for me.
"Cheyenne?" I heard Alec call through the door some time later, and I almost jumped to cover myself, before remembering that he wasn't going to come in. I closed my eyes again, settling back into the warmth.
"Hm?"
"I have a meal ready for you, when you are ready to come out."
"Thank you," was all I could muster softly, as my heart swelled again. Did he really spend all this time cooking for me?
Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.
But, that's so sweet.
Stupid hormones!
"I will let you have some time to yourself," he said, and I sat up in the water.
"No! Wait," I called, my eyes widening.
"Yes?"
"Stay," I said in a small voice. "Please stay? Sit by the door. I want to talk to you."
I heard nothing but silence on the other end, and half a minute passed before I heard his voice coming from a different area outside the door. It was lower.
"What would you like to talk to me about? You know you can talk to me all you want, after you get out," he reminded me.
"I know, but I want to talk to you now," I mumbled in a tiny voice again, pulling my knees up to my chest. "What am I supposed to do, sit in silence?"
I heard him chuckle through the door.
"That is what you have been doing while I was in the kitchen."
"Well, I'm naked, in a tub," I reminded him. "And I can imagine how distracting that can be when you're sitting in silence."
"You think me talking to you, while you are naked in the tub is helping me?" he asked, his voice dropping two octaves and carrying much farther. I temporarily stopped breathing, and the silence was so loud, that I thought I could hear my own heart for a moment.
"Breathe," he added, and I did.
I tried not to imagine him barging in here anyway, yanking me out of the tub, slamming me into the wall, and...
Not the time, lady bits, not the time!
"Well, I thought it would," I muttered unintelligibly. "I guess I don't want to be alone again. All I could think about was you when I woke up, and you weren't there. Jasper said I had anxiety."
"I am assuming none of the Cullens' gifts had an effect on you, either," he replied in a businesslike tone.
"Yeah," I said. "Edward can't read my mind, and Jasper can't influence my emotions. He can just feel them."
Alec was silent for a long moment, before he spoke again.
"Cara, I am not leaving you," he said strongly. "If anything, you are going to be sick of me after tomorrow. I would be a fool to leave you stranded with unknown vampires around you ever again. The only reason I allowed Carlisle to, was because I know of his vegetarian diet, and he is a doctor. He is around humans every single day, and I trusted his self control."
"Good call."
"Did any of them hurt you, or touch you?" he asked in a low voice, and I smiled at his protectiveness.
"Carlisle kind of had to touch me, since he's a doctor," I explained. "But other than that, no. None of them hurt me. They were all nice. Except for Rosalie."
"The self-absorbed, blonde one?" Alec asked, and I could practically hear him rolling his eyes.
"Yeah," I admitted. "Speaking of blondes..."
"Felix and Demetri escorted her far off the property," he replied quickly. "I believe they are still guarding the area just to make sure she does not try to slink her way back in. She will be executed if so."
"I know," I said quietly. "But..."
"Were you afraid of her, cara?" he asked. "I wish I would not have allowed you to dance with-"
"I was," I said, cutting him off. I didn't want to hear his name right now. "A little, at first. But, then..."
I thought about my encounter with Camilla, raised an eyebrow and threw my head back.
"But then, she started talking," I groaned. "Now I know why you think she's so annoying. God, she is annoying. And a lunatic. Now I know why you wanted her as far away from you as possible."
I heard Alec snort, and then laugh.
"Did I not tell you, you had nothing to worry about?" he asked, his tone amused.
"I just..." I began. "I got so distracted by how she looked, rather than how she was. At first, I really thought she was someone you should be with. You both looked good on paper, but I was wrong. When she started calling you hers, and bragging about everything she did, and saying that I had nothing to offer, it just...made me mad. That was the point when she was no longer a threat. She's just plain delusional."
"I am thoroughly impressed at the way you handled her," he commented. "I did not expect you to go so far as to mention my bedroom, or to call her insane in such a blunt manner. I must say, what threw me was your 'at least I could offer him something he enjoys' remark. When did you become so possessive, cara?"
"Around the same time you became so flustered about scaring me away," I replied, copying his tone. I could hear the smile in his voice, and I smiled, too. "I didn't think I would act like that, either."
"Again, I did not plan on revealing that to you. I did not think it was the right time," he admitted. "Being a mate is a very intense matter, and I could not treat it lightly. I suppose Camilla brought about the same kind of reaction within me, as she brought about in you."
As he spoke, I got out of the tub, reaching for the huge, white towel. I dried off, feeling relaxed, refreshed, and clean. I spotted the black pile of fabric that was neatly folded on the huge, ivory colored marble counter on the far wall, and picked it up. There was even a pad sitting right on top of the pile.
I tried not to blush at how embarrassing that was, placed it in my underwear, and slipped them on. I pulled on the solid black sleep shorts that fit me perfectly, but the incredibly soft, familiar looking top did not. I unfolded it, holding it up before me.
This was Alec's sweater.
My heart spluttered at the gesture, and I hesitantly brought it to my nose, breathing in the scent that covered it. I tasted it on my tongue, the cooling, sweet berry flavor, and slipped it over my head. Just like before, the sleeves were too long, and it ended almost mid-thigh.
Almost.
While adjusting the sweater on my body, I caught a glimpse in the mirror.
Deja vu. Again.
Except this time, instead of shadowing bruises on my neck, my bottom lip looked visibly swollen, but not horribly so. I stepped closer to my reflection, touching my lip with my fingers. The skin was tender, and when I pulled my lip down, I saw it.
The dark, bloody, messy visible teeth marks on the inside. While it only looked like six of his teeth made it into my skin, the sight was borderline horrifying. Knowing who it came from, and because of whom, it twisted my stomach into knots.
I released my lip, feeling the sharp pain again, remembering the venom, and his teeth...
I shifted my eyes up, seeing just how terrified I looked.
Of David. My best friend.
Was he even still my best friend anymore?
He bit me.
He kissed me.
"It should be me you're with, dudette. Not him."
"I'm better for you than he is."
"I know you."
Do you, though?
"Cheyenne?" Alec asked through the door. "Do you want me to come in? You have not responded to me, and your heart is palpitating."
"No," I forced the word out, picking up my dress and old pair of underwear from the extremely shiny, tile floor.
It was then, in the middle of folding it, that it caught my eye.
Slowly, I opened the dress, wondering how I didn't notice it there before.
A small, but noticeable blood stain on the cups of the breast, and a few more drops on the bodice.
I didn't hear Alec come in, and I didn't feel the dress leave my hands, or myself being carried out of the room.
I also didn't hear myself blubbering, until Alec had to start shushing and rocking me in his arms.
"He was supposed to be my friend."
"Why isn't he my friend?"
"Why did he do this to me?"
"I trusted him."
"Cheyenne," Alec spoke in my ear. "You are hyperventilating. I need you to take deep breaths, cara."
I couldn't do anything except sob, until Alec repeated himself a few more times, and he got me to actually start breathing.
I heard my cries fade away slowly, while he guided me through the breathing process. When I finally got to a place where I was calm, and breathing almost normally, Alec's hands held my face in its iron grip.
"It does not become any easier for me to see you like this," he growled, before his lips were on my forehead.
"I-I-I'm s-sorry," I hiccuped through my tears, as I reached for his hands weakly. They covered his, the gesture starting to become a comforting mechanism for me. I had no other thoughts floating through my mind now, except for Alec. Whether I had cried tonight out of my system or not remained a mystery. All I knew was that I couldn't do it anymore.
"What on earth do you have to be sorry for?" he hissed at me, smoothing his thumbs over my heated cheeks. "Look at me, Cheyenne."
I did so reluctantly, seeing his maddening, swirling red eyes stare back at me. His eyes were slits, while he frowned deeply.
"Not one single event that happened tonight was your fault. Do you hear me?" he spoke forcefully. "I had one job, and I could not do it effectively. I was well aware of the dangers of leaving you alone, and I misinterpreted my time alone with my sister. Had I simply rejected her, you would not be in this situation. She was so adamant about shunning me for revealing the truth."
"I...had a feeling that was why," I hiccuped, my words barely loud enough to be heard. "She looked angry."
"She is, but I have no reason to care," he replied stiffly, kissing my forehead again as he gathered me in his arms. "She knows very well of the consequences of her own actions."
I pressed my head against his chest, realizing now that he had been cradling me in his lap. I wanted to stay like this forever, and most importantly, I didn't want to talk any more about what happened tonight. I had dealt with enough already.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore," I mumbled, and I felt Alec tuck my hair behind my hair.
"As you wish," he said evenly. "I have some food waiting for you, if you are up to eating. I would prefer it if you did. You did not eat but once today, and it is already late."
"Okay."
I wiped my eyes with the sleeve of his sweater, and moved to get up, but he had already lifted me into his arms.
"Alec, I can walk," I reminded him for what felt like the tenth time.
"And I am a gentleman," he reminded me in a simple tone. "I am not going to let you be on your feet for long with your injuries. You need to heal."
"I feel fine," I protested weakly, and he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Do you?" he prompted. "Do you really insist on walking?"
"It's just a few steps," I said, gesturing to the fireplace ahead.
"As compared to the one step I could simply take, and save you the trouble?" he inquired.
"I did just fine in the bathroom," I reminded him as I frowned. "I'm pretty sure I can walk without collapsing. I'm not a baby."
"But, I am an overprotective, territorial vampire who nearly lost the only person who is important to him. Again," he retorted. "You could have been killed. Again. So, please pardon me if I am being too overbearing for you, when I genuinely am taking every precautionary measure to ensure that you remain as safe as possible."
I remained silent, realizing how right he was. I had no consideration to think about how he felt about this. He put up such a good front, that it was easy to miss that he held any more fear or worry than I did. I felt guilty as I took in his expression, which was now exhibiting everything he wasn't before.
Anger. Worry. Torture. Agony.
The sight twisted my heart and made it ache, along with a sickening punch to the gut. I clamped my hands down on either side of his face, trying to comfort him now. My thumbs moved over his high cheekbones, while my fingers lightly scratched themselves in his hair.
"I'm sorry. You're right. I didn't think about that."
"I may not be an expressive man, but I do fear losing you, cara," he said darkly. "I have never once feared anything in my immortal existence. I have a very convincing front, but do not be fooled. I do the things that I do for your safety, not because I wish to make you any less independent. If I ever fail you again, I might not be able to forgive myself for it."
"I'm sorry, Alec," I pleaded sincerely as I hugged his neck tightly. I pressed my lips incessantly all over his cheek, ignoring the pain that shot through my bottom lip. I held him as close to me as physically possible at the moment, trying to show him how sorry I really was with everything I had. He turned his head, brushing his lips over my cheek.
"I am sorry for not being there for you," he said. "Although, I accept your apology. Now, I have to feed you, or else you will not get any sleep tonight."
"I understand now. I won't argue with what you decide to do to keep me safe. I don't want you to leave again, either," I told him sincerely.
He carried me to the luxurious chair that was waiting for me, and once I was settled, he pulled the table close to me. A steaming bowl of what looked like homemade vegetable soup sat on it, along with a cool glass of water.
"Good," he replied in an empty voice, and then smirked. "I promise to smother you, so that you will have more than enough of me for yourself."
"Oh, great," I responded sarcastically, rolling my eyes, and then peering into the soup bowl. "How did you make this so fast?"
"It was already prepared. It appears Ray planned to make it for you tomorrow. It was the quickest option on hand," he replied, as he took my hand and brushed his lips across my knuckles. "Please, eat. I will just be a moment."
He was gone, then, and I did as he requested. After my first bite of soup, I was hooked.
Whatever Ray put in this, it's exquisite.
I remembered that I only had eaten once today, and it was before the ball. I wasn't aware of what time it was, but it was definitely long enough for me to be absolutely starving, and to finish the entire bowl in less than five minutes. When Alec returned, he scooped the bowl up, inspecting the interior.
"Apparently, I did not feed you enough," he commented, seeming deeply troubled by this. "Would it be safe to interest you in a second serving?"
"Yes," I answered with a nod, as I finished my glass of water. He took that from me, too.
"Stay here," he ordered, and then was gone.
"Where am I gonna go?" I mumbled, as I lounged back in the fancy chair. My eyes scanned the room, and the area around me, reminding me once again of the night I was attacked by Liam. Things were so different now, and it was ironic to think that's where it all started. That was the first night he had become so willing with me, and more open. Now, I was staying in his room indefinitely, using his bathroom, and wearing his clothes.
And, apparently throwing backhanded comments at his crazy ex-lover.
"Here, cara," Alec said, causing me to jump. I didn't even hear him come in.
"Sorry," he apologized with a grin as he put the bowl in front of me. "I was apprehensive about leaving you for too long."
I moved to the floor, sitting much closer to the table to enjoy my second bowl of soup. It was steaming, savory, and hearty, filling my nostrils with a delicious blend of vegetables and broth. I tucked into it, sipping carefully at first.
"How come you feel confident enough to leave me in here, but not anywhere else?" I asked nonchalantly after my second spoonful. "I thought you weren't going to leave me alone again."
"If you remember, no one would dare to enter without my permission," he answered, sitting in the chair across from me. He reached across, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, causing me to blush. "Whether I am in here or not."
"What about if Aro needs you again? You'll have to leave me, then."
"Not if he grants me full time to guard you, which I expect to," he said with finality. "I do not trust anyone with you."
I put my spoon down, the fear of my fate creeping back into my veins. Suddenly, I didn't feel so hungry anymore.
"What's going to happen to me?" I whispered fearfully. "If I can't become one of you..."
"Nothing is going to happen to you," Alec replied darkly. "Especially now that it has been made clear who you are to me."
"But, Aro said I had to become one of you, or else," I said, my voice trembling. "That's the rules. Change or death."
Suddenly, Alec was gone from the chair, and in my face, jerking my chin close to him so that our noses were practically touching.
"Look at me, cara," he demanded, and I did. "Do you trust me?"
"But-" I cried.
"I said, do you trust me?" he repeated in a lower voice, more forcefully this time, and I nodded without hesitation. His thumb moved across my cheek, catching a stray tear. His face was fearless, hard, and determined.
"Then do not worry about it. Any of it," he finished icily. "I gave you my word from the very beginning that I would not allow anything to happen to you, and not one single bit of that information has changed. You have not one reason to fear anything while I am around. No one is going to lay a hand on you. Not even Aro. Not my sister. Not David. Not Felix or Demetri, or Heidi. Not Marcus. Not Caius. No one. Touches you. At all. Do you hear me?"
I nodded my head in a jerking motion, my fears completely dissolving. I felt my body sag, as it left my body, and then all I could hear was Alec's voice in my ear.
"Come here," he murmured, drawing me close so that I was pressed against his chest, and sitting between his legs. His hand stroked my hair as he held me, and his other arm was anchored around me tightly. I felt him sigh into my hair, and then growl lowly.
"No more talking about this tonight," he said, his voice rumbling with the growl in his chest. "For once, will you please allow me to take care of you?"
My answer was my arms squeezing around his waist, and my head pressing further into his silent, icy-planed chest. I nodded slightly, allowing myself to sink completely into his embrace. I felt his lips on my forehead, and despite the lack of warmth in his body, I felt anything but cold.
Suddenly, Alec stiffened, and growled again. I wasn't sure as to why, until a soft knock sounded at his door, carrying all the way over to me. I stiffened, too, and felt his lips swipe across my forehead once again, before he moved to stand.
"Eat," he commanded quietly as he frowned at the door. "I will just be a moment."
Then, his arms were gone, and he was sauntering over to the door. I turned back to my soup, remembering the meaty texture of the mushrooms in the broth. While it wasn't exactly minestrone, it was fairly close. The only thing missing was the beans. While I focused on it, I noticed that I missed the generous amount of French bread that Alec added on the side this time.
Feeling emotional at the gesture, I tore a piece off of the huge chunk and popped it into my mouth, enjoying the taste. I dunked my next piece into my soup, enjoying it even more.
"Brother, please," I heard a hissing, but pleading female voice. "Please, can we talk about this?"
"No," I heard Alec reply coldly and cruelly. "The last time you insisted on speaking to me, she got hurt. I have nothing to say to you, Jane, and I do not want to hear what you have to say. You are the main reason that this happened to her."
I tuned them out after that, suspecting that Jane was anything but happy with this. I focused on my soup, trying to forget that she was so close, but so far away. Less than a minute passed before I unintentionally caught wind of the end of the conversation.
"Do not come anywhere near my room again, or I will have your ashes," I faintly heard Alec's murderous, warning tone, and then the loud slam of the door. I jumped slightly, forcing myself to not turn my head to the right. I slowly ate another bite of soup, and busied myself by picking at the bread. Alec sat gracefully across from me in his own chair, while I remained on the floor. He looked completely unfazed by what just happened, looking every bit like a Marc Jacobs model as he sat leisurely, watching me.
"You are not eating," he pointed out casually. I continued to pick the bread apart, small crumbs forming a pile on the tray.
"I will," I said. "Thanks for the bread. I didn't see it until now."
"You are tearing it apart," he commented, raising an eyebrow. I half smiled, before putting a piece in my mouth and chewing.
"Is your lip bothering you?" he added, and I shook my head.
"I wasn't thinking about it, until now," I said, draining half of my glass of water. "Carlisle said to put ice on it. It will probably help with the pain, too."
I absentmindedly turned my attention to the blazing fire to my left, reaching for my lip. I slightly tasted blood in my mouth now, the soup most likely chasing it away before. Just as my finger curiously slipped into my mouth, it was diverted away by Alec's hand. He pinned my hand to my thigh, and I turned my head sharply, only to be met with his face dangerously close to mine. I gasped quietly, blinking a few times in surprise.
"Let me do it," he ordered lowly, his voice smooth and charismatic.
I waited silently, watching as he dropped his eyes to my lip. He stared at it for a long moment before he slowly lifted his hand, his index finger reaching out to slide across it. A trail of tingling, electric warmth shot through my nerves, leaving a pleasurable feeling shooting straight to my stomach. I fought the shudder that wanted to work its way through my body, and I knew my heart was completely giving me away with the way it hammered against my ribs. Alec paused shortly, and his thumb came up gingerly, slowly pulling my lip down to expose what was hidden behind the exterior. When he caught sight of it, his eyes turned into slits, and a low growl ripped from his throat. He stared at the open, bloody mess, the ultimate look of hatred taking over his features.
"The fact that he left a mark on you..." he snarled. "If I had it my way, I would have already-"
"No," I told him forcefully, yanking my head away from his touch. "I said I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Can you please just get me some ice?"
His expression turned blank and smooth, but I knew he was still disturbed by it. He looked at me for a moment, then lifted my hand to his lips.
"Of course," he replied, his voice dull and empty. "I am the one who proposed that we not speak of this anymore, after all. Give me a moment."
He departed, his form a black and white blur as the door barely moved.
I sighed, thumping my head against the arm of the chair. I rubbed my hand over my face roughly, beginning to feel the effects of tonight crash down on me. I didn't know what would happen after tonight, and I couldn't think about it now. While it should have made me apprehensive, I was too tired to feel it. I picked myself up from the floor, and began to drag my feet over to Alec's huge, waiting bed. I pulled myself onto the mattress and collapsed, feeling my body sink into the crevices of it. I rolled onto my side, facing the door, and let out a huge yawn before my eyes slid closed. The heavy blanket of sleep fell over me immediately. The ice could wait until tomorrow.
I didn't know how much time passed before I felt myself being pulled against a cold, hard chest, and an equally frozen cheek on top of my head.
My body seemed to already know who it belonged to, and moved itself closer as my cheek pressed against Alec's chest. My hand moved to grip onto his shirt lightly, just to keep him close to me. In my stupor, I felt the comforter being tucked around me, and his lips on my forehead.
"Go back to sleep, cara," he whispered, his voice lulling me halfway there. "I did not mean to wake you."
"Can't leave without my permission," I mumbled incoherently, before finally slipping under.
The last thing I heard was Alec chuckling into my hair.
"You are safe with me," he murmured. "Always."
I know I left y'all with that cliff hanger, so here's a nice fluff like ending for this chapter. Things are really about to heat up now. Didn't I tell ya? The Cullens are here! I know you were probably expecting Cheyenne to be a vampire, but nope. I've had this idea from the beginning. I knew she was going to be bitten, but not be transformed. How do y'all feel about it? Also, can we talk about how Rosalie will probably never stop envying any human girl who gets to keep her humanity? As always, please review and lemme know what you think!
Also, I made a new Cameron Bright fan video for anyone who wants to check it out. The link is in my profile!
Sorry for being MIA. I had this chapter finished over a week ago, but I've been distracted with medical issues. I found out that I have to have ear surgery, possibly within the next month. While I'm recovering, I'll see if I feel up to writing a few chapters. I've never had surgery before, ever, so I'm scared. Anyway, thank you, as always, for being patient with me! I'm not sure what the next chapter is going to entail, so it might take me a minute to get it posted. I'll try my best to get it done, though! This chapter is named after the song Every Time You Leave by I Prevail.