It has been a week since the bombshell.
After Alex told me about his ability, I turned around and went back to my room. I had a hard time getting back to sleep that night.
Edward was gone when I came downstairs at around 10 am. I guess he realized that he was the last person that I wanted to talk to.
I didn't know what to say to Alex the next morning. I wanted to talk to him but I didn't know what to say. I think Alex knew so he kept his distance.
When he saw me, he would turn around and leave the room. All week he's been avoiding me.
I understood why he was doing this but part of me missed our constant fights. Well the fights were mostly one-sided. I was the one that did all the yelling.
I walk downstairs to get some food. I stop in my tracks when I see Alex reading a book.
I pause. Should I talk to him? It has been a week since we last spoke. Before I could change my mind, I quietly walk towards him.
"What are you reading?" His head flies up and looks at me.
"Oh, hi." I give him a small smile. I peer over to see that he is reading.
"The Picture of Dorian Grey. I didn't know that you liked to read classic literature. Let alone read at all."
Alex let out a small laugh. "I don't read much but I do enjoy it from time to time." I walk around the couch and sit beside him. "For some reason I feel that I resemble this book."
"How so?"
"Dorian sells his soul to make sure that his painting ages but not him. He remains youthful while his portrait grows uglier and vicious. Fanatical with his portrait, he is driven into murder and deception. Once I became immortal, I let all restraint go. I feel like I sold my soul when I chose to join the Volturi. My past made sure that I remained a murderer and I deceived everyone. Dorian stabs his painting which leads to his downfall in the end. I don't have a portrait that I could stab to end me, but I feel that by changing my diet it has given me a sense of redemption. If that makes sense."
I pause for a moment in thought. "You don't talk much about your past." Alex closes the book and sighs.
"It's a past that I try to forget. Easier said than done. There was a time where I enjoyed being with them. I was young and felt like preying on the weak was my purpose in life. I would deceive women just so I could taste their blood. Memories constantly flood back to me. I'm honestly jealous of you."
"How so?"
"You can fall asleep. I wish I could fall asleep so I could have a break from my painful memories." I remained silent. This was the most that he has spoke about his past with me.
"You've been avoiding me for a week." Alex looks at me and nods.
"Yes. I didn't know how you would react so I tried to distance myself. To give you time to think."
"How long were you with them?" Alex sighs and stands up.
"About 150 years." My eyes widened.
"That long."
"Unfortunately yes."
"I remember you saying that you never met Carlisle before." Alex shook his head.
"No, he had already left by the time I became part of them. Carlisle left them around 1783. I joined the Volturi 23 years after he left. I wasn't actually born yet when he left them."
I look at Alex. How old was he? "When were you born?" Alex gave me a crooked smile.
"I was born in 1784. I was actually born in Salem, Massachusetts ironically. I grew up on a farm just outside of the town."
"So, that would make you?" Alex grinned at me wider.
"Appearance wise, I am around 19. But I am actually 222 years old." My eyes widened at that.
"Holy crap. We have an old man living in our house," I blurted out.
Alex let out a loud laugh. I started to smile some.
"How did you become one of them? If you don't mind me asking." Alex gave me a small smile.
"I guess, you were going to find out eventually. I was born in America, but I was turned in the United Kingdom. I was studying philosophy at the University of Cambridge. My family had some difficulty with me going to a school so far away but they knew it was where I wanted to be at. I grew up on a farm but I excelled in philosophy and mathematics. I wanted to go somewhere that would enhance my knowledge, so I traveled to Cambridge and stayed there."
I listened to Alex as he told me his story. Alex eyes glazed over as he looked at the woods behind our house. He was probably remembering everything.
"It was 1803, I was 19 years old at the time. It was late at night. I don't really remember where I was going. The memory has gotten a little fussy over time. I do remember being grabbed though. Someone grabbed me and pulled me into an alley where they bit me. I don't even know who changed me. I was supposed to be their meal but they got distracted and left me there. The pain was unbearable. All I remember was waking up 3 days later in the alley. I don't know how I managed to remain unseen but no one found me. I'm grateful for that. It was only when I woke up thirsty did everything start to click into place."
Silence soon found its way to us. Alex just looked into the distance. I kept quiet, waiting for him to continue.
"I was on my own for about 3 or 4 years. I spent that time traveling and hunting. After I disappeared, everyone assumed I was dead. My family assumed that I was dead also. It was about a year after I was turned that I figured out I had my ability. I was hunting in France and told a girl not to run or scream and she did what I told her to do. I used it to my advantage. I would tell people what to do before I killed them. I was hunting in Spain when Demetri found me. He was on an assignment and was heading back to Volterra. He suggested that I come with him so I did."
"I bet Aro was pleased to meet you." Alex glanced at me.
"Thrilled actually. He found someone very powerful and wanted to use it for himself. I was an important figure on his guard."
"I was told that you were friends with Eleazer." Alex nodded.
"Yes. He was on the guard with me for a short time. He left the Volturi about 6 years after I joined. He fell in love with Carmen and Aro let him go. The two of us were really good friends during that time."
"I'm assuming that your story is different. I couldn't see Aro just letting you go." Alex's eyes grew darker.
"No, Aro didn't let me go. I escaped luckily. You don't just leave the Volturi. Especially if you have a gift that he can use to his advantage."
"How did you escape Alex?" He sighed.
"I started to see cracks in their power over time. I always remained loyal but there was an incident where I was forced to kill a child. I never killed children, only men or women. The look in the child's eyes haunts me to this day. After that day, it was like my eyes opened. I knew that I had to escape from the prison that I was in. It took me 30 years to escape. Chelsea keeps us all tied to Aro, but I figured out that over time it wears off or weakens. So for 30 years I went on as much missions as I possibly could without putting attention on myself. I let Chelsea use her power on me to make it seem that I wasn't trying to leave. I did weaken it though. I was able to get her to use half of her power on me and made her forget about it. Sometimes I even told her that she came to see me earlier in the day so she assumed that I was still tied to everyone."
Alex paused before continuing. "Aro figured it out though. I got careless and I was caught telling Chelsea to forget about using her power on me. Aro was furious. He tried to get Demetri and Felix to restrain me so that Chelsea could actually use her power on me. He even brought Corin in so that she could make me content and happy."
I just stared at him as I took everything he was saying in. "What happened next?"
Alex gave me a little smirk. "I was able to get out of their grasp by biting off Felix's hand. I then ran to Alec and told him to use his powers on everyone so that I could leave. I even told them that they wouldn't come after me and that I was free to leave the Volturi. Of course it worked, but I know they aren't happy about it. I was a high ranking guard for Aro, Caius, and Marcus."
"Where did you go after you left?"
"I traveled around a lot. I started to feed off of animals once I left the Volturi. After killing that child, I couldn't look at human blood the same way as I used to. I mostly stayed in Asia. Wanted to get as much distance from Italy as possible. I later heard that Eleazer was living in Denali. He was feeding off of animals too so I decided to pay him a visit. They were kind to me despite what I used to do. I joined them just last year." I nodded at him.
"Well I'm glad your with us. Even though I don't like you very much." Alex chuckled and gave me his signature smirk. A thought entered my mind. This was probably stupid but I was curious. I look at Alex and stand up. "I have a question. Have you ever used your power while you have been with us?"
Alex looked alarmed. "No, of course I haven't. I would never use it on any of you. I rarely ever use it anymore. This power reminds me of my time with them and I try to forget about my past. I only use it when necessary." I nod and walk closer to him.
"I have a request." Alex looked at me questionably. "Will you use it on me?" Alex looked alarmed.
"No, absolutely not." He looked me dead in the eyes. "I would never use it on you."
"Please, I'm just curious. Edward can't read my mind and Aro can't either. I just want to know if that applies to you too. Please, if I wasn't sure then I wouldn't be asking you." Alex sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
"Fine." He sighed and looked down thinking. I could see that something clicked in his head because he raised his head and smirked at me. "Are you sure?"
His smirk had me on edge but my curiosity got the better of me. "Yes."
"Ok. Kiss me." Ok that shocked me. I didn't think he would do that. I walked closer to him and I raised my head once I reached him. Alex's smirk stayed as he lowered his head towards me. Just as our lips started to touch, I paused. Alex looked confused as I smirked at him.
"You've got to do better than that red eyes." He looked completely dumbfounded. I just laughed and walked away from him.
Maybe Alex wasn't so bad after all.
Well what did you think? It was a long chapter but I felt that it was necessary when learning about Alex's past. I can't begin to explain how happy I am that 2020 is finally almost over! I hope you all have a happy holiday! Until next time!