—I'll do it. I say to Jasper, ready to start working. —When do we start? Prepared to try my best to get the information we needed from David, I already had a plan, first work on trust, second get information about Padrone, and lastly, my questions.
The trust part might be tricky, but I was inclined to forgive him. After all, he did save my life and resisted drinking my blood despite all the… touching, but it is because he's a vampire.
—We start tonight. Rest a bit. We'll let you know when it's time. I'm relieved Jasper doesn't sound angry anymore since I really didn't mean to be insensitive to his experience controlling his instincts.
—Thank you. I'll try my best.
After talking to Sam and calming the nerves in his pack, Seth comes back right after me, and we go upstairs to my new room.
It looks exactly like the other one, minus the princess bed. I hate to admit it, but I miss the bed.
—It's just like mine now. Seth says, looking inside. I'm right next to his room now, and stupid Renesmee makes my hands sweat again.
—I'll take a nap and get ready. What about you?
—I guess I could use a nap too. Seth might be even more tired than I am. He had to fight them, after all.
—All right. I throw myself on the bed, ready to sleep, but Seth is still there, standing inside the room.
—What are you doing? I ask.
—Nothing. He's looking away, and I can feel my face get warm.
—Go to your room then…
—Right. Yeah. He runs out, closing the door; stupid Renesmee.
I sleep for as long as I can, and when the robot beeps, I jump right up, ready for action.
Nanotech and a tracksuit should be enough to keep me warm. The forest can get very cold at night, and as we know, the mosquitos bite. I also grabbed my Ipad and a bag to put the charger and other stuff inside. I couldn't be more prepared.
—I'm ready.
—Good. Carlisle is already there with him and Edward. Let's go. Jasper goes ahead, and I go with Seth. Letting him carry me on his back it's still weird and always will be, but I'm not letting Jasper do it.
David doesn't look very happy to see us there.
—What is she doing here? I'm not sure why HE is pisset at ME, but I'm not letting it get in my way, so I put on my perfect poker face and answer as if nothing happened.
—I'm here to help.
—We all are. Jasper says as I take out my materials from the bag. —Now, continue.
David still looks displeased but turns around and disappears into the forest. I slide closer to Jasper, stylus pen in hand, ready to take notes.
It's all quiet, and they seem to see something I don't. —What's happening? I ask Jasper.
He looks at me from the corner of his eye. —He's looking for prey. I take notes of what he says.
All is quiet again. —Did he find it? I ask again, stylus moving on my notepad.
—Not yet. Jasper answers, looking at the forest, and I take notes. All is quiet.
—Did he find it?
—Edward… He gets annoyed by my questions very quickly.
—Come over here, Anne. I move to Edward's side. —Look over there, between those trees. I get right next to him, following the exact direction he's pointing to, and I can see a shadow move.
—I saw it! Excited, I take more notes and push Edward to the side, trying to see better where he's pointing.
—One more time. He says as I push him with my shoulder, looking for the movement. When another shadow moves around, I get excited again and take more notes.
Seth squeezes his head between us, probably curious too. —You wanna see it too? His eyes are shining, and he looks at Edward.
—Fine. Edward says, pointing to where the next move will be.
Seth is too big for me to push, so I'm pretty much climbing onto his head, trying to see where the next move will be. —Where is it?
—Right there. Anytime now. Edward says, and I hold my breath, waiting to see David finally catch the animal, but nothing happens.
—This is not gonna work. I jump about three feet in the air when he suddenly appears in front of us.
—Sorry, I was too noisy. I'll be quiet. All my questions must've scared the animals.
—That's not the problem. David is still irritated.
—Distractions are also part of the training. It's a little early in the process, but it should be fine. Jasper says.
David's mood doesn't seem to improve, and he's still staring at me, angry.
—Say it aloud then. Edward startles David, answering his thoughts.
—Get out of my head. He is not pleased to have his thoughts answered, but honestly, no one would.
—I promise I'll be quiet.
—I won't do it with her here. Now, he's just being a prick. I wasn't angry at him or anything, then why he is mad at me?
—You have to hunt for yourself. We won't spoon-feed you, David. Carlisle, as usual, is a rigorous teacher.
—It's ok. I'll go. I'll wait for you by the house. Good luck. It's just the first time. He'll get used to it, and so will I. My parents also had trouble talking about hunting in front of me, but that's because they hunted humans. Deciding to give him some space, I grabbed my bag and walked back with Seth.
—I overdid it. I knew the Ipad was too much. I was ready to do so much more, but maybe I was too intense too fast. My mom used to say that whenever I got interested in something new, I would become obsessed with it to the point she thought I was going to get sick from overworking.
—He's probably feeling ashamed. Seth says, walking by my side.
—Ashamed of hunting a deer in front of me? Was it something to be ashamed of?
—Of trying to drink your blood. He better be feeling sorry; he never apologized.
—I guess he didn't… Now that I think about it, he was right. I forgave him in my mind even before hearing an apology. —Oh! I just remembered I was going to ask if he needs something to put inside the storage; maybe we could remove the stuff to make more space. I write down my thoughts, so I don't forget.
—You're his interrogator, not his secretary.
—If he feels we care for his comfort, he'll trust us faster. I tap my finger on my right temple and point at him, explaining my perfect plan.
—I knew this was a bad idea. He looks comically tired.
—Bella said I should ask about his reason not to drink blood, but that feels very personal. I'm not sure if he'll tell me.
—He probably won't. Even Carlisle doesn't know what it is. Edward does, but he wouldn't just tell us.
Seth was right. I understand David wants his privacy as I do, so I'll ask him just once and let it go if he doesn't want to talk about it. There must be other ways to help him control his instincts.
—Should I beat it out of him? Seth put his arm up, showing off his muscles, but it's not funny to me, not after I saw him like that. It was like he didn't even recognize me.
—Don't say that. I was scared out of my mind last time.
He puts his arm down, looking down all of a sudden.
—Weren't you? I mean, he almost drained me.
—Were you scared of me? He looks hesitantly at me.
—Why would I? I told you I just didn't want to see you fight him. That's what scared me the most. The thought of them ripping each other apart was even worst than the way David made me feel that night.
He's looking down again, and I wonder if maybe that's not what he wanted to hear.
—You you prefer I was? I don't mean you didn't look… threatening. I don't want to hurt his pride by suggesting I don't think he would win. I just…really didn't want to find out.
—I don't want you to be afraid of me. He looks at me like a lost puppy.
—I'm not. I step closer, reassuring him I'm not scared.
—Then are you scared of him?
—Ahm…
—You just said you were!
—I know it's just… I was more afraid of dying than of him per se. My parents were vampires too, Seth. If anything, I understand he wasn't himself at that moment.
He's looking down again, disappointed by my answer, so I decided to throw him a bone to cheer him up.
—Besides, the only reason I'm not afraid of him it's because you're with me. I wouldn't agree to this you weren't by my side.
—Really? He looks all happy again. Sometimes I forget how simple-minded and obvious he can be about his feelings, and I love that about him.
—Yep. So never leave my side, all right?
—Never. His smile is like the charger to my soul.
We walk back to the house together, and Emmett and Rosalie are back from their trip to one of the bases on the list. They didn't find anything, but Padrone or someone wiped the place clean. I stay with Seth and Esme in the living room, and I run out when I see David's back.
—How was it? I don't have my notepad with me to avoid more conflict, but I'll take notes afterward.
—Like we are back to square one. Jasper gives David the side-eye, and he just walks back to the storage room without a word.
—You should talk to him. Edward says, approaching us. The way he mentioned David's thoughts seemed like David was holding something back.
—Got it! I run to the storage, but Edward pulls me back by my coat collar.
—Not that… avidly. Be angry at him a little.
—Oh, right. Reverse psychology, I know that. Ok! I run again, and he pulls me back one more time.
—No… not that. I mean, "he almost drank your blood" angry, you know? That's what Edward says, but I was past that already. Bella said it was a good thing he didn't drink it and controlled himself. The rest was out of his control.
—Oh, that. All right. Do I look angry? I give him my best expressionless face. People think I'm mad out of my mind when they see this face.
—I can't believe I suggested this. Jasper scratches his head, irritated.
—Why? Too much? I don't want him to think I can't forgive him because of this act.
—Just be honest about it, ok? Edward lets me go this time, and Seth follows me. Emmett and Rosalie were already watching him even after their tiring trip.
—David? I call, but there's no answer. —Is he there? I ask Emmett.
—He is. Emmett has a slight grin on his face.
—He doesn't want to talk to you. Rosalie must be repeating David's whispers.
—C'mon! I'm… angry *grrr* I don't have time for this. I was supposed to be interrogating him.
—For the love of God, kill me now. Rosalie mocks me, but anything to get him out. I can't do this if he won't talk to me.
—At least say why you're angry!
Silence. —Did he say something? I look at Emmett.
—No.
—Argh! Edward said to be honest about it, so let's give it a try. —you cut my neck open and now won't talk to me, huh? I go around the storage room, looking for a window to scream at.
—I see, dine and dash, HUH? I saved your butt out there!
—I didn't ask you to! Finally, he answers.
—My bad, mate!
—Go away already! Not before he looks me in the eye, and we can get past this.
—You better take responsibility for it! I'll get a scar, you know! I wasn't, but it worked. He opened the door, and I went back around to stand in front of him, putting my hands on my waist, looking as annoyed as I could.
—I'm sorry. He appears regretful and won't look me in the eyes.
—Good start. Sorry for what?
—For… trying to drink your blood.
—And?
—Cutting your neck.
—And?
—And getting angry at you for it.
—Good. You're forgiven. I smile at him, but he looks confused.
—What?
—I accept your apology. You can also apologize for saying that plumber was better than Aliens Attack III. I don't want to linger on this topic anymore. I have eternity to get angry at him but getting to Padrone comes first on my list. Later, I might request a better apology, but now, this is enough.
He smiles back at me. —No way, you called Yoshi a frog.
—She did not! Emmett's fake insulted tone is enough to make everything lighter.
I shrug playfully. —An ugly one.
—Can we finish this already? Rosalie can't take this conversation anymore, and to her luck, it's all good now.
—Let's agree to disagree. I'll change your mind one day. I'll see you later, ok?
—…Right.
—Great! Seth, c'mon. I'm starving.
In the following days, things go more smoothly. I follow David every time they go out and have gathered quite a bit of information, but somehow he can't stop killing the animals. He usually feeds on two or three depending on their size, and it can take a long time depending on how far the animals are. We recently changed places because they are avoiding our usual spot.
After going back to the storage room after the afternoon outing, we have a meeting.
—What makes you let go? I want to understand how it feels to him when he drinks the blood and the feeling he gets when he finally lets go of them.
—I'm not sure.
—Maybe we should try counting the seconds.
—Every animal is different, and so is the amount of blood. You're asking me to weigh and calculate the seconds every time I hunt. It sure sounds like a stupid idea when he puts it that way.
—Then, you could let go when the flow reduces.
—It's not like a straw. The blood doesn't start skipping at a certain level. He pulls the grass from the ground, distracted with his sleeves up. He usually looks so confident, but I guess the lack of progress is discouraging.
—My parents used blood bags. What about trying that to get used to the limit amount?
—Are you draining the animals yourself? There are no blood banks for rabbits. His tone is even more annoying because of the accent.
—I could use some ideas here, David… I know he's frustrated because there is almost no progress, but his eyes are changing, and he is not as tired as before. The problem is, Carlisle said that it's still not enough and that David is not even halfway there yet.
David seems to take Carlisle's opinion above all else, and if he says it's not enough, he gets all down in the dumps. On the other hand, if he gets a compliment, he is as happy as a clam the rest of the day and optimistic.
Today, Carlisle didn't say a word to him, so he's sulking again, not answering my questions, and taking his frustration on the grass.
—I was wondering, and it's totally fine if you don't want to share it… He looks up at me, waiting for my question. —Why do you want to stop drinking human blood?
He squints his eyes to me and then looks at Seth before looking down at the grass again. —I don't know yet.
—Well, maybe we can find it together. We could start with what brought you here. You said you didn't want to lose your soul. Why made you think you were losing it?
No answer again.
—Then, when did you first think about stopping?
He's in silence yet again. I let out a big sigh and stood up. —All right then. This is all for today.
—You leaving? He stands up too.
—You won't talk. He looked down again, and I finally understood what Esme meant. Silence could mislead and confuse people in these situations, but I also understand his feelings as I was in his shoes not long ago. He just needed time and a distraction to think and prepare himself to share what was in his mind.
—It's still early. We could go to the greenhouse, or I could teach you to play Alien Attack III.
—No video games.
—All right. Greenhouse it is. I wave my arm towards the big glass castle, inviting David to walk with us, but he hesitates.
—Carlisle and Jasper are not here. He only leaves the storage room when they say he can, but they said something about an urgent matter and left without explaining. He even let Seth in charge of David alone, which is unheard of but made me optimistic. They might trust him more now.
Since I started to help David, I expected to be included in everything, but maybe they just found nothing yet because I haven't been to one meeting so far. Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice also disappeared with Esme, and I knew something was happening. It was just the three of us now.
—Well, I'm here, and Seth is too, so we say you can leave. I'm responsible for you, now come on. Seth hits me in the leg, probably saying it's not ok, but I ignore him. This might be an excellent chance to show him he can share things without fear of being attacked, so I walk fast towards the house to pull him out, but Seth jumps in front of me, growling at David.
—No! We are not doing this! I try my best to push his body to the side, but he's just too heavy. —We are having a pleasant time in the greenhouse together! Since he won't move, I jump between them, arms up. —Aren't we?
I understand Seth is wary of David after what he did, but I need him to see the bigger picture. He calms down but makes sure to stay between us as we walk to the greenhouse together.
—You've been there before? David is a bit distant from us, keeping his eye on Seth.
—No. I only look at it from afar.
—It's pretty cool; you gonna like it. Seth and Esme do an amazing job taking care of the plants.
David and I pass by the door, but Sethis too big to go in as a wolf, so he changes and quickly runs to us, still looking displeased.
—This is a bad idea. He must've been screaming that in his mind this whole time.
—Let's go over there. I'll show you my favorites. I walk towards the back, with Seth; David following us. He doesn't look as relaxed as I hoped, but maybe I have the solution to that.
—These are the hydrangeas, my mother's favorites, and mine as well. She gave me a painting for my birthday with flowers identical to these. These flowers were the first memory that came back to me, and looking at them now has an even more special meaning.
—They're lovely. He had the same reaction I did the first time I was here. He needs a little bit of a push. The first time I felt these flowers were truly beautiful was when they touched my heart, and that's what I want to give David.
—Perfect timing. I say, pointing outside and poking Seth.
The glass wall behind us is dark now, but it's about time to open it up and let the plants have a snack. I run to one end of the wall and Seth to the other; we both grab a handle, waiting for the perfect time.
—David, stay right there, ok? He just nods, and I'm already smiling, imagining his reaction.
I signal Seth, and we turn the handles together, making the windows roll and letting the blinding light bounce around the room. The light reflects on the glass and illuminates the space, making the color of the plants more vivid than ever.
The glass absorbs as much sunlight as it can, even the minimal amounts we get in Forks, and reflects on the plants at night to keep them well-fed and beautiful. David's skin also reflects the light like a black diamond, and I can see how amazed he is. I've never seen such an innocent look in his eyes and can't help but smile.
—What do you think? I approach him, observing his amazement.
—It's…brilliant. He is looking around, lips apart and smiling. Even Seth is perfectly calm as we stand all close to each other.
—You can come over anytime you like. You need two people to do this trick, but I'll help you. I give him a thumbs up and my best "we are friends" look.
He observed my face for a long time, and I thought he was about to tell me something, but he looked at Seth and then away, to the forest behind the glass. —Thank you.
I got closer than ever before this time, and now I know he won't say it in front of Seth, but knowing he wants to share is good enough for now. I'll convince him soon enough that he can say it aloud to the both of us.
—YOU MONSTER!
The loud bang and scream coming from the front door startle us all. Sam is marching towards us, looking the angriest I've ever seen, going straight for David, grabbing him by the collar, almost lifting him from the ground. He looks like he's about to rip his head off.