AN: Hello my lovely readers! This is the only one of my fanfics I'm updating today, thus you guys are the only ones getting a Halloween Chapter this year so, *confetti toss* yay to you!
But honestly, it's Twilight. How could I not make a chapter based around autumn's most popular holiday?
Okay, reviews!
Hpfan1987: I'm glad! I'm enjoying writing her, so I'm happy you're liking my interpretation thus far!
twilightstuff: Ugh, you are far, far too sweet, thank you so much!
That's Balderdash: I'm glad you think so!
madamvikto: Thank you for your lovely reviews! I'm very glad you're loving my Jessica, and everything (should) be revealed today! Yes, seat belts are important, Edward has two emotions, and drama shall be ramping up as this story continues!
Hope you all enjoy!
Chapter Five: Curiosity Killed the Cat
So, like any person with an average brain, stalkers were a terrifying thing, but a super-powered creep who could crack roads was even worse. With all that in mind, Jessica naturally had nightmares and "did I just see something out of the corner of my eye?" Moments all weekend.
And it was all Edward's fault.
There was nothing more horrifying than a stalker except for two things, a super-powered stalker and a liar.
Jessica, being an average teen girl in all but stellar looks and less-than-stellar brain power, could not do much against theoretical supervillains stalking her. She could, however, deal with most liars. And with dealing with such would get the answers she needed to understand that weirdo slasher and ensure she and her person of interest continued a relationship unhindered by lies.
So, she just needed to pry the truth from Edward's eerily cold and marble-esque fingers. Then, and only then would she allow herself to continue in her pursuit for love.
So, on Monday morning on the first day of October, Jessica plopped right atop his desk and immediately demanded, "Spill the beans."
Edward sighed and turned away from her towards the window. "There are no 'beans' to spill."
"Oh wow! Another lie to add to your collection! You must be feeling really proud of yourself right now."
Edward sighed a second time before locking eyes with her, finding herself inexplicably (okay not too inexplicably; he had pretty eyes. But it felt as if her brain was sinking into a vat of gooey candy).
"Jessica," he began, and she subconsciously felt herself nodding in response with a light "mhm?"
"Everything that happened Friday night—"
"Mr. Cullen, Ms. Stanley."
Edward sucked in a sharp breath and his gaze jerked towards the entering teacher just as Jessica's brain returned to its solid form. She shook out of the gooey residue with a gasp and shake of her head as their homeroom professor continued, "Did you hear the bell?"
Light snickers erupted throughout the classroom as Jessica dazedly slid off Edward's desk. "Yes sir, sorry sir," Edward said as Jessica rubbed her temples with a frown. What had he done to her? Or what he been trying to?"
As the boring lesson prattled on, the answer popped into Jessica's head. Direct eye contact, burning head; fucking hypnosis.
He'd been trying to hypnotize her! Or do that gas burn(?) thing she read about!
Scowling deeper, Jessica whipped out her pen and tore an edge from a notebook page before scribbling down an angry statement: 'Just what the hell was that just now?!'
She folded a quick airplane when the teacher's back was turned and tossed it at the side of his face.
He caught it from midair without even looking up from his textbook before opening it up and closing eyes briefly. He then flipped the note over and jotted down a quick reply that he casually placed on her desk.
Jessica squinted at it and scoffed. 'Nothing.' It read. She tore off another piece wrote, 'That's ANOTHER lie!' and made another airplane that he caught once more before reading.
He glanced her way once and Jessica glared back before he sighed and flipped this note over as well. This one took a bit longer to write, so she'd hoped it was something like, "Not here," plus a date and time. But when he placed said note down, it only said: 'I know and I am sorry. But please just forget about it.'
Forget about it? She'd had nightmares of supercharged stalker psychos all weekend and even locked her door and window, feeling that he would just crash through with Herculean strength anyway and drag her off. But he wanted her to forget about it?
Yeah. Fuck that.
Jessica scribbled a big angry 'NO' onto her latest message before sending it on its brief journey. Edward frowned, but instead of opening the plane, reading the note, flipping it over and writing a reply, he said out loud, "Jessica, please stop sending me notes."
Mr. Bradley's gaze snapped towards her quick fire, Jessica squeaked and jerked up in her seat and the students looked up in anticipation of drama. "Sending notes, Ms. Stanley?"
"I—buh—wha—n-yes but—!" Jessica spluttered as Mr. Bradley began writing a detention slip.
"I—no, Mr. Bradley but he was replying!" Jessica whined, pointing at Edward.
Edward turned to her calmly and simply stated, "I was not."
"Yes you were! I have the n—" Jessica states wide eyed at her desk. The notes were gone. She let out a squawk of disbelief as a slip of paper was shoved into her face.
Opening and closing her mouth like a fish, she spun her head to stare in disbelief at Edward who shrugged lightly and smiled innocently.
Grrrr.
Pursing her lips, Jessica snatched the slip and stormed out of the classroom. Fine. If Edward refused to give answers, she'd find them on her own.
She didn't.
Edward was caught in a storm of different emotions over it, because it was amusing that everyday when he came to class, she'd blurt out some completely incorrect theory about what she had seen that evening on September's death.
"Science experiments," she had said triumphantly for example, the day after sending her to detention as she smirked around a gummy worm she was chewing on. She had invited herself to the Cullen's table and was ignoring Rosalie's hate-filled glare as she addressed him.
Edward smiled back. "No," he said simply.
And like always, she'd scowl and list off her evidence. For that Tuesday afternoon she'd said, "Oh please, you want me to believe that cracking a road and running as fast as lightning is a normal human trait?"
"No. You're still wrong, however."
"Oh come on! Supernaturals born from experiments is peek comic book shit!"
"Language."
She had rolled her eyes and stood up with a snort. "Okay, grandpa."
That was the extent of their conversations for the entirety of October. Jessica would come up with aliens, fallen angels, or whatever asinine otherworldly thing that popped into her head through physical conversation or text, and he would send her off with a mildly amused "no". Otherwise, she had her head buried in articles by theorists or was hunched over a library computer with a pensive frown, pen between her lips, and a million thoughts tumbling about with their usual headache inducing vigour.
He also almost pitied her single minded determination to find the truth. A quick check in with Alice casually revealed that she wouldn't find out anything from her frenzied study sessions, and that her determination in finding out if he was a genetically modified clone or not was putting her grades in jeopardy.
During their biology test the following week, even if he hadn't seen the red D on her test, he would have heard the booming groan in her head and the out loud sigh she let out.
"I can tutor you if you'd like," Edward offered, mostly because even with Alice's reassurance, he knew there were some things that could occur which even she couldn't see. He was not going to let local gossip Jessica know about something as serious as their vampiric status if he could help it, and by distracting her from her foolish project—
"Lizard people from the Earth's crust," Jessica said in response instead.
Edward sighed. "No, and I believe that was your worst guess yet."
Jessica mirrored his sigh as she packed her bag. "Yeah, yeah, give me a break; I'm tired."
With Jessica's aforementioned cranked boom box of a mind, it was easy for Edward to see all her nightmares among the silly and outlandish theories. That was where another bit of the pity came from—that he couldn't put her mind at ease with Alice's visions or simply let her know what she was up against.
The nomadic vampire hadn't shown his face yet, but he would. Edward was sure of it.
In the meanwhile, Edward remained, as well as the prior two emotions, admiration for her resolve and dedication—as well as a guilt mixed relief that it would indeed get her nowhere mixed with gratitude that she was keeping her research away from her friends.
Now though? Now he wished that had been the way she found it all out.
"Are you sure you still want to go, Jess?" Angela asked worriedly as Jessica stifled yet another yawn from the passenger seat of the girl's vehicle.
"Of course I still wanna go, Angie," Jessica snorted with a roll of her eyes. "We've been planning this all October."
"We've been planning all October," Lauren said from the backseat, gaze ignited eerily by the glitter around her eyes illuminated by passing street lamps. "You've been doing God knows what the entire month."
"I designed the stupid—" Jessica yawned briefly before continuing. "Party, don't cut me out of the praise."
"You suggested a lizard person statue while half asleep—you did not design the party."
Jessica flushed and swivelled around in her seat. "I did?"
Angela and Lauren made twin hums of affirmation, Angela's more in concern with Lauren's dripping with "told you so" energy.
Oh.
Sighing heavily, Angela turned towards the window and lay her cheek against the cold glass, eyes dropping as she watched the rows upon rows of trees run by.
That…whatever had happened that last Friday of September was still (obviously) putting her on edge. The memory of that blindly pale blonde guy(?) was both vivid and blurry all at once.
If only stupid Edward would tell her what—
She jolted awake, not realizing she'd fallen asleep until Angela shook her gently. "We're here."
"You are seriously out of it," Lauren commented. "Maybe you should—"
"No, no! I'm fine," Jessica batted with a forced laugh before slipping out of the car and brushing off her costume. "I'll be fine once I…where's the venue?"
Lauren blew out a frustrated breath as she walked off towards the distant lights and pounding music, fairy wings shimmering in the moonlight.
"There…is no venue, Jess," Angela frowned. "We all voted, remember? Ben suggested the woods would make a more Halloween-ish atmosphere and we all agreed except for Mike who then changed his vote because you agreed. Don't you remember?"
Obviously no—oh wait. No she did remember. She was in the middle of watching Spider-Man on her portal DVD player for edutainment purposes and when Mike had nudged her and asked, "What do you think?" She'd replied with a vague ass "yeah, yeah definitely. Great."
Fuuuuuuuuuuck.
She'd been clearly watching something! They couldn't tell that her mind was on radio active spiders and not stupid Halloween parties?!
But Jessica forced a smile and said, "I remember, totally. Let's go."
As she moved to follow Lauren, Angela grabbed her arm and held her back. "Jess, are you sure you're okay? You've been acting weird all month."
"I'm fine, totally!" Jessica cheerfully lied.
Angela looked her up and down before nodding slowly. "If you're sure…"
Angela was dressed as her name sake—an elegant angel. The dress was asymmetrical, white and glittery paired with lace heels and feathery prop wings.
Lauren, who was now dancing with pirate Mike was a Tinkerbelle with heels and shimmering green glitter on her face and cleavage.
Jessica was noticeably plain in comparison—just a snug leather leotard with dark tights, black flats and matching cat ears. She hated how…dull she looked but what could she do? She was too busy having nightmares and trying to wipe the smug smirk off Edward's face with a worthy theory to look flashy and cute.
Then again, maybe it was for the best she hadn't put too much effort into her costume—the party sucked.
The music was so loud it was bone rattling and the beat pounded in time with a blooming headache she was getting. The snacks were all trashy cardboard tasting *ass, and the punch wasn't even spiked!
Worst of all, everybody looked better than her!
All in all, the party was a—
Jessica paused, her boring punch cup centimetres from her lips as she spotted something at the edge of the party.
No, someone. A pasty statue standing stark among the shadows.
It was him. The same shirtless, blonde ponytailed, scarily gazing creature(?) from when she crashed Edward's car. He smirked at her, tilting his head to the side and melting into the forest.
An invitation.
Jessica swallowed.
Now, one hand, he was a stalker. A stalker made uber dangerous because he had some otherworldly abilities. But…but, maybe he would at least be willing to shed some light on the situation? Figure out what he wanted and get him to stop stalking? Allow her and Edward's love story to continue with no more secrets between them? He was…being polite or something, right?
"Wanna dance, Jessica?" Mike shouted over the music as he shimmied over towards her.
Jessica shrieked in surprise, spilling the remainder of her drink on her costume and cursing under her breath. She gave him an agitated glare as he picked up the prop parrot on his shoulder and said in a squawky voice, "Wanna dance? Wanna dance? ACK!"
Jessica was caught between wanting to snort in amusement and roll her eyes. Instead she smiled vaguely and said, "Sure, after I answer the call of nature." With that little white lie out, Jessica left the fairy light and cobweb tangled tree she'd been leaning against for the whole party and tossed her now empty solo cup at the nearest trash bag.
It missed and landed near its discarded brethren as Mike called, "Hurry back! Hurry back! ACK!" From the distance.
The music faded to a manageable degree as Jessica stepped into the woods after the creature, and thankfully she didn't have to go too deep in. She was close enough that people would hear her scream if they needed to, and the area was illuminated well.
Not that she needed the light, the moon caused the young man(?)'s bright skin and hair to glisten both eerily and beautifully.
"Who are you?" She demanded immediately. Good yes, show no fear, and put him on his back leg—
He disappeared with a whoosh and rustle of leaves and Jessica spluttered, looking around.
Oh crap, oh shit, oh fu—
He reappearing behind Jessica with a frigid marble palm pressed against her mouth. "Shush, shush, no screaming—I only want to talk."
Jessica hadn't even noticed her mouth had been parted in preparation for a screech, but she sure as hell wasn't going to ignore his command now. Not like she *could scream anyway—she felt completely paralyzed.
So much for showing no fear.
"Now…" he said in a low voice, pressing equally cold lips to her ear. "My name is James. Do you remember me?"
Jessica let out a muffled whimper and nodded haltingly.
She felt his lips part and cringed as something wet and warm caused her flesh to burn uncomfortably. "Do you…know what I am?"
Super speed, unnatural eyes, cold skin, super strength…not alien, not angel, not experiment or superhero or lizard from the Earth's crust…
Jessica shook her head this time, blinking back fearful and frustrated tears that were creeping to the surface. If she'd just *known what he was she could actually *do something in defence but—
"No screaming."
Jessica nodded again, as James removed his hand and blurred in front of her again with a tilted head and a smirk. "Would you like a clue?"
Jessica took a step back and squeezed her wrist nervously, feeling her rapid pulse beneath her fingers. "I-is it—" she cleared her throat to get rid of the bile. "Un-painful?" Was that even a word? God, get a grip, Jess!
James laughed. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you…yet."
Oooooh crap this'd been a bad, bad, *bad idea, a realization that strengthened when the man grinned broadly and opened his mouth wide with a mocking "Ahhhh," reminiscent of a doctor.
Sharp teeth—no you idiot—fangs. Fucking fangs—
And cold skin and red eyes and super strength and super speed and pale skin and, and—
Edward not liking the sun, Edward calling himself a horror villain, Edward getting tense about animal attacks that weren't animal attacks because…
Jessica's lips trembled and she let out a strangled squeak.
The man chuckled as he stalked towards her paralyzed form. "Figured it out? Good. Now I'm sure your next question is, 'what do you want?'" He made his voice a mocking high pitched falsetto before, inches away now, he said, "And so I'll tell—"
He paused, head snapping to the left just in time for a blurred figure to slam into him and pin him to the ground.
"Calm your damn self, body guard," James snarled through a hand clamped around his neck. Jessica stumbled closer taking in the scene with dazed eyes as he continued, "I just want to talk."
As Jessica stepped before them, the "body guard" glanced her way. Edward Cullen, hottest boy in school, apple of her eye, champion of her heart…
"Vampire," she breathed.
There was no amused "No," coming from him this time. Instead he inhaled and exhaled slowly, giving the barest hint of a nod.
'Don't faint' she told herself. 'Don't faint, don't faint…'
"Get off. And you call me the animal?"
Edward turned back towards James and pressed the knee against his chest tighter. "Which one of us is trying to suck a girl dry?"
"Neither," James said with an eye roll. "I told you, didn't I?"
"But you will," Edward hissed, squeezing James's neck tighter. "If I let you go, you will, eventually."
"But of course," James shrugged before grinning at Jessica. "Vampires need to eat."
Jessica staggered backwards and fell to the ground, trembling and pale as she stared at James's glistening fangs.
"But, I'll refrain tonight. Again, I just wanted to talk."
"You can talk just fine down here," Edward said darkly.
James rolled his eyes before flipping Edward over. Edward kicked him off and James when flying before flipping and landing cat like on his feet. "There," he said, brushing off his hands. "Much, much better."
Jessica flinched as Edward appeared in a blur right in front of her, the spell of paralysis lifted as he murmured, "Run."
After a split second of hesitation, Jessica scrambled to her feet. She was not about to stick around for a stalker vampire's idea of a conversation, thank you very—
Another figure landed in front of her and Jessica yelped before jumping back. The woman let out a girlish giggle and winked one blood red eye as a second leaped from the trees as well, dark dreadlocks and old time-y clothing shifting from the quick but elegant motion. He offered Jessica an almost polite smile and nod as he brushed invisible dirt from his lapels.
Edward's face contorted in confusion before morphing into agitation as he spun around with a clenched jaw.
"I want to talk," James repeated. "But if you'd like to fight instead…well, be my guest."
"W-okay f-fine!" Jessica stammered out, forcing herself to glare at those eerie red eyes. She lifted her arms and let them fall before demanding, "Talk!"
"Oh," the dreadlock vampire mused with a broader smile. "A proud one."
"They're my favourite," the redhead whispered with a lick of her lips. Jessica shied away from her quickly and Edward gripped her shoulder to bring her closer to him.
Even as she tensed and her stomach clenched at the contact, she found herself far more safe looking at those amber eyes opposed to the cruel red ones of the other…
She shuddered.
Vampires.
"Since you asked nicely," James said. "I want to play a game."
"Elaborate, Jigsaw," Jessica snapped, straightening up and forcing anger to overtake her fear.
"You see…I like—to put it in simple terms—to play with my food. Especially food that smells as good as you," James grinned as he strode forwards with hands clasped behind his back. "I propose a game of hide and seek. I give you…let's say a week to hide, live your life, do whatever. If I can't get my hands on you after it's my turn to seek, the cycle repeats. Again, and again, and again. Sounds fun?"
No. No, hell no that was not fun. And Edward voiced that out loud. "I don't think so."
James shrugged. "No? Well that's okay. I can have her right now instead. Less fun and rewarding, but…there'll be other singers."
"Fine!" Jessica blurted out as the three vampires had began to circle them. "We can do that—that stupid hide and seek thing."
James grinned. "Excellent. One week, darling. Make it count," he said in a sing song voice before nodding to his companions and taking off in a shower of leaves.
Then there was silence. Silence except for the distant party, Jessica's heavy breathing, and the sound of crickets.
What...what the hell did she just agree to?
Finally, Edward turned towards her and asked, "Are you alright?"
Jessica smiled, held up two thumbs up, and promptly fainted.
AN: Happy Halloween, dearest readers! What are you dressing up as? Got a party planned? Remember, don't talk to weird red-eyed strangers! Also, a reminder that I have a kofi: (kofi/thefantasygoddess) if you'd like to support me!
Apologies for any typos!
Fantasy Fan OUT!