CPOV
As soon as I took the last step into the kitchen, I smelled something...good. Something that wasn't quite as healthy as the meals I'd been accustomed to. This smelled heavenly. I froze in place as I watched Ray take a long, rectangular glass dish out of the oven.
"Is that lasagna?" I asked dumbly, staring at the bubbling cheese on the top. It smelled even better now as the aroma hit me. Tomatoes, cheese, garlic, herbs, pasta...
I felt even less hungry now than I did this morning.
"Fuck yeah!" he answered, setting it on the stove to cool. "Made it just for you."
I took a seat at the island on the bar chair; Alec sent me down here for a glass of water, and a chance to collect myself before I had to meet him to discuss tonight's events.
"I thought you deserved it after what happened this morning. It's good ol' comfort food for you."
I thanked him, but didn't plan on eating anything. I assessed myself, and realized there was one thing I had been deprived of since I got here. I leaned in closely to whisper.
"Got any chocolate hiding around here?" I asked.
Ray held up a finger, and went to the cabinet beside the stove. He reached to the back and pulled out a Snicker's bar, then tossed it on the counter in front of me.
Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad. I grabbed it and ripped the wrapper off, diving immediately into it. I didn't know why I wanted sugar so bad right now, but either way, it tasted so good. I closed my eyes and savored the chocolate-y, peanut nougat caramel goodness. Maybe it was the stress.
"Damn, son, slow down," Ray laughed. "Next time I'll buy the fun size bags."
"I didn't eat all of my waffles this morning," I reminded him. "I'm not even that hungry right now, either. Save some of that for me, would ya?"
"Yeah," he agreed. "Definitely."
He set a glass of water down in front of me, and I felt a sharp ache in my hand when I went to grab it. My knuckles were red from punching so much, and there was no telling if it would swell up or not. It didn't look like it was, but it was going to hurt tomorrow for sure. I punched the tall girl harder than the punching bag I used in training. I kept that hand underneath the counter, and instead used my other hand to drink.
"Is Sophie doing all right?" I asked, deciding to fill the silence, but I was also genuinely curious. Ray got to go home to Sophie every night after I had my three meals, and I was glad; but when it came down to his own mortality, I wasn't sure when his last day with her would be. The Volturi hadn't decided whether they were going to change him, and with me still being human, it seemed to be the only thing keeping him from that.
"She's doing fine," he answered, apparently happy that I asked. "I wish I could let you guys meet; you'd be like best friends. I feel so bad. She doesn't have many friends around here."
"I would love to," I smiled, and wondered if the reason she didn't have many friends was because he was here. "I hope I will, before I'm..."
"I doubt it," he answered, his tone dropping a few tones. "She doesn't go out a lot, but when she does, it's with her sister. She doesn't like doing stuff alone."
"Why?" I asked softly. I wanted to meet Sophie more than ever now; it would have been a privilege to have another girl friend.
"Why do you think why? Because I'm never there; I'm always here for almost the whole day," he said like it was obvious. "And you know I can't tell her who I work for."
I flinched at that.
"I didn't mean it like that," he quickly backpedaled. "I love having you here, sis. I have someone to talk to about all of this fucked up stuff; but I can't be there for Sophie, and I want to. I would quit in a heartbeat if I had the damn choice, and I'd take you with me."
"I know," I said sympathetically, going back to something he'd said. "You said she has a sister?"
"Yeah, Emily," he said, cutting into his own serving of the lasagna. "I forgot to tell you about her. She's fourteen, but she keeps Sophie company. Her parents were asses, and didn't give a shit about her, so we took her in. Why?"
I was filled with sympathy for all three of them; Ray for being stuck here, Sophie for not knowing or being particularly comfortable here, and Emily for not being treated right by her parents. They were all broken in some way, and that gave me more determination to get him out when I had a plan arranged. I'd have to start making one soon.
"Oh my gosh," I commented. "That's nice of you to do that. I bet she likes it here, huh? All the scenery and stuff."
"She's all about it," Ray answered. "That's why she takes Sophie out as much as possible. I get a recap of what they did when they get out."
I smiled, happy that they still got to be happy somehow, and excused myself to meet Alec. I thanked him for the candy, and took the stairs easily two at a time; training made me capable of doing so.
I reached the top of the stairs on the floor where the library was, and the doors opened before I was an arm's length away. Felix held it open for me, and I walked past him, not wanting to see his face; I would save my glance for later, because I was certainly going to get an earful. At the old, long, shiny oak table sat Demetri and Alec, leaving the middle empty for Felix. I was stuck sitting alone across from them, the warmth in my body beginning to buzz from Alec's closeness.
"How nice of you to join us, love," Demetri greeted, as Felix took his seat.
"First, are you all right?" Felix asked cautiously, folding his hands on the table. I nodded; the adrenaline had gone after I laid eyes on that Snickers. He nodded, and then continued.
"We are here to discuss the operation," he began seriously, not wasting a second. "You get to hear the plan, and you're going to do exactly what we tell you, and nothing else."
"And if you do not, you could be killed," Demetri added, but his eyes were playful. "And I have grown quite fond of you, so let us save ourselves the trouble, all right?"
I just nodded; I wouldn't have any say in this, so there was no use in talking.
"This is what you are going to do," Felix began. "You, Alec, and I will pose as humans. We will drive to the night club in town, and escort you. We will stay far enough away, so our scent does not mask yours. All you need to do is surround the premises with your scent. Demetri will first track the scent of the perpetrator before we leave. We will have an article of clothing with your scent on it, and leave it on our path so he will follow."
"Why do you need my clothing when I'm going to be there?" I inquired, suddenly more interested in this.
Okay, never mind. I guess I'm going to talk after all.
Their plan didn't make sense, and I wanted to voice my worries of the flaw in their plan. I didn't want to offend them, but I was concerned for my own safety, despite the fact that they were the most powerful vampires in the world. As I went over the instructions in my mind, a little idea of my own came to mind.
"A trick of sorts," Demetri said haughtily. "He will be unable to smell us if he is smelling you first, and from a farther distance. It will make him believe you are alone until we capture him."
I looked at all three vampires, considering my idea. There was a chance they'd brush it off, but if it was Alec's job to protect me, shouldn't he hear this? It was up to me, like he said, to tell him of my whereabouts. This deserved to count, too.
"Am I allowed to say anything in this?" I asked carefully, looking at Alec last.
"No," he answered bluntly.
"You may ask any questions you have," Felix said, ignoring Alec, then turned his head slightly to him. "We have to take every precaution."
Demetri just stared expectantly; Felix was watching me patiently, and Alec's face was just bored. I was unsure if he would listen to my questions or not.
"I'm not trying to offend your plan...or your abilities," I started slowly, looking to Felix. "But, doesn't this seem a little conspicuous?"
"How so?" Demetri asked first, a little too quickly. Felix asked the same, but more politely.
"I don't know," I admitted. "We're all going together, right? If he's nearby, won't he be scared away by you? Whether you're near or far, he'll know you're with me, and he'll leave. He already knows I'm confined to this place, and isn't he lurking around right now? He's gonna see all of you with me if we leave, and he won't even try, scent or not."
"I suppose," Felix said thoughtfully, studying me. He looked to his accomplices. "What do you think? We have been used to hunting on our own without the help of a human. Perhaps we are overlooking something."
I couldn't help but taking a glance at Alec; I swore the corner of his lips were pulled up, even a little.
"What are you proposing?" Demetri prompted. "How would you lure a vampire in?"
My little "intimate" moment with Alec flashed in my mind.
"And that's all you need."
"With my heartbeat?" I said sheepishly. "Isn't that all I need?"
"Yes," Felix said slowly. "But there will also be hundreds of humans there. He could choose to feed on any one of them, so that doesn't even matter. The important part is luring him to your scent."
I heard a hard, solid thump beneath the table, then. I looked quickly at Alec; his face was smooth, but the curve of his mouth was no longer there. Felix's face was composed. One of them kicked the other, and I had a pretty good guess on who.
"What I mean is," Felix drug out. "There are also physical matters that are needed in these cases. Sometimes the most appealing humans draw us in." He gave me a once over and grinned politely. I felt my ears turn hot, remembering Heidi's words. She had been right.
Crap. I wasn't getting far enough with my point. I was very reluctant in voicing my next idea. I didn't want to go through with it, but I felt that it would be the simplest way, and the most powerful. Never would I have been so willing, but they needed to catch this guy.
"Can't I lure him to a specific location?" I asked.
"That's what you're for, love," Demetri reminded me.
"Right," I said, finally getting to my point. "But...what if I lured him to a secluded area?"
I received a chorus of "No!" from all three of them, which nearly sounded like a three-man angel's choir. I flickered my eyes between them.
"Vampires and secluded areas do not mix," Felix said cryptically. "That is a mass murder waiting to happen. We don't want you to be concerned about feeling alone. You may not be able to see us, but we'll watch your every move. All right?"
"But I'm not finished," I tried. Felix stared at me for a short moment, then motioned with his hand for me to continue. Demetri's brow was lifted, waiting.
"I don't mean make him go into a secluded area; I mean just lead him to one. A place where you can catch him, where he can't escape."
"And how do you suppose we do that, human?" Alec asked, challenging me.
I took a deep breath, carefully studying each of their faces before answering.
"With my voice?" I drew out slowly, my voice squeaking an octave higher with each word.
I swept my eyes over all three of them, my face feeling warm from being the center of attention. I wanted to hide, and I wished I had a blanket to cover myself in.
My eyes landed on Alec first, which was increasingly becoming involuntary. He didn't look like the happiest camper. Felix looked thoughtful, but more so impressed, and Demetri looked beyond elated.
His arm shot out in a black blur, grasping my hand to press a cold, hard kiss on it; luckily, it wasn't my right hand.
"You are brilliant. I told you, did I not, Alec?" he boasted, tilting his head toward Alec. My heart skipped a beat, wondering just how much they talked about me when I wasn't around. Was I always the topic of conversation, or what? "She is finally embracing it."
Cue me slumping down in my seat until I'm safely under the table.
Felix looked like he was still thinking, watching me. Some part of me hoped they would deny my request, but I was the one who spoke up about this in the first place.
"You are smart, little woman," he concluded, his hands folded on the table. "She has a point. He will suspect and escape before we have a chance. Alec?" He turned his head, copying Demetri's movement. I bravely took a look in the same direction.
His blank, unchanging face just stared at me, studying me like earlier. I desperately wanted to know what he was thinking now, and it felt like an eternity passed before he said anything.
"No. Absolutely not."
His spoke with finality, with no room for argument. It sounded so icy and razor sharp, that not even Felix or Demetri tried to convince him otherwise. He just rose from his seat, uncaring, and strode out of the room. He took the warm, buzzing current with him, and I was left feeling cooler than before. A rush of exhaled air echoed through the room, and I realized it was me; I had been holding my breath.
"I figured he wouldn't be on board with that," Felix mumbled, sighing. "He is above us."
I felt deflated; how was the plan going to work? I didn't have much confidence that the vampire would stick around long enough to be captured.
I just have to trust them. I just have to trust them.
They were more powerful than me, after all. I tried to tell myself that the use of Demetri's gift and my scent would be enough. As if he read my mind, Demetri reassured me.
"We will follow through with the original plan," Demetri ordered. "We will not have to go to such extremes. Your scent is strong enough on its own, love. I will be astounded if this requires anything more. No need to worry."
I nodded hesitantly, repeating the words to myself.
"So, while you're here, we wanted to take a moment to apologize," Felix said fleetingly. "It was not our place to tell you about Alec's personal relationship with Camilla, nor anything prior to. It was inappropriate on our behalf, and we would appreciate your cooperation in disregarding anything we have told you."
What?
Were they serious? I can't disregard a whole conversation dedicated to the boy I now had increasingly overwhelming feelings for, and his now-or-apparent-ex-lover. Especially because of the former. Now that these feelings were blossoming, it only made me wonder how it would fare out when the ball came around. I could have easily forgotten it if this was a random story book written and sold in the library; but no, not like this. I actually wanted to keep Camilla far away from Alec, and if I had the physical strength to do it, I would.
I blinked, snapping my partially agape mouth shut. The two gave each other wary glances.
That look could mean anything. And what about their bet? Was that off, too? I was just supposed to let Camilla have Alec while I wasn't allowed to fend off one boy in a mall alone?
No, something inside me blazed. Absolutely not.
Gosh, when did I become so possessive of Alec?
They were the ones telling me all about how I was this big factor for change, and now they were shutting it down. In fact, I haven't heard anything about it from them since the day they told me the whole story.
Was this what the phone call was about earlier?
"She's in too deep now," Demetri side-commented, watching me. "I can see it."
"Look, we won't be bringing it up anymore," Felix continued, seemingly ignoring Demetri, but the look in his eyes told me otherwise. "And you won't, either. Are we clear?" He prompted.
He stared at me expectantly, and I, keeping in mind what happened when I brought her up last time, nodded in agreement. I was glad that we wouldn't be doing that anymore, but I wasn't glad that she would be here. Around him. The thought just created feelings in me that made me want to...
"Are you all right there, love?" Demetri's voice interrupted my thoughts. He was fighting a laugh.
"Well, I know one thing; we don't have to ask her if she likes him now," Felix mumbled, sharing the same look. I blushed.
"I don't like him," I argued weakly, answering much too quick. "I don't..."
"Right," Demetri said sarcastically while Felix guffawed. "We believe you, love."
"You guys make me blush, too," I tried again, looking between them. I stopped on Demetri first. "You're always kissing my hand, and you're always making innuendos."
"We make all of the female population blush," Demetri said like it was obvious, arching his brow. "It's part of our nature. You are just different."
"Yes," Felix agreed. "You don't react quite...the same way."
"Okay," I sighed, rising from my chair. "I have to rest before all of this, so I'm out."
I made my way to the door without looking at their faces again. They were both there before I fully turned around, holding the doors open. I walked past them, heading up the flight of stairs to the next floor. I decided to take Aro's suggestion and try to rest, sinking down into my bed, pulling the silk comforter over me.
Okay, this is not working.
I threw the comforter off after twenty minutes of trying to sleep; my mind just wasn't cooperating. Thinking about what I had to do made me nervous. I couldn't be sexy! I didn't know how to act like that, or even remotely attractive. Why was I chosen for this? Why didn't they choose Gianna to do it? I mean, she's at least ten years older with more curves, and she certainly pulls off those dresses better than me. Not only that, but me having to wear the scary piece of fabric hanging in the closet in front of Alec...
I threw my arm over my face and let out a frustrated groan. I couldn't do this. All my life, I never had to worry about slipping into those kinds of outfits because I vowed to never wear them. Now, here I was, in a vampire-filled castle in Italy, going out to lure in a vampire for the Volturi to kill. The thought made me feel sick, and I shuddered. I hope I never have to kill anyone; I couldn't live with myself if I did.
Suddenly, the door opened quite loudly, and I didn't know whether to fake being asleep or not.
Ah, who was I kidding? I had no chance of pulling that off. I moved my arm away from my face to see who my visitor was. There wasn't anybody in the doorway. I lowered my arm completely and found the huge vampire next to my bed, which made me jump.
"I opened the door loud enough," Felix defended. "I thought you would know I was coming in."
"Yeah, but I can't exactly hear you moving so fast, either," I said, pulling myself up and preparing myself for any punishment. He flashed his palm when I opened my mouth to explain myself.
"I just came to inform you that we're going to scan the perimeter of the castle to prepare for this evening. We'll be out in the forest, so you will be with Heidi while we're gone," he explained, his eyes probing mine.
I nodded, and then mentally facepalmed myself for what I said next.
"Did Alec already leave?" I asked curiously. He gave me a small smile.
"Yes," he answered knowingly. "I told him I would give the message to you."
Then he swiped up my right hand, examining it for a moment, then released it. I was wishing for some ice now, because the temperature felt nice against the ache.
"No damage," he concluded, placing his hands behind his back. "Are you sore?"
I nodded, covering my hand.
"A little," I said, then rushed to explain. "And I didn't mean to get into a fight, she tried to hit me, and my hand just came up, and..."
He flashed his palm again.
"No need to explain, little woman. I know you wouldn't start a fight. You wouldn't hurt a fly," He joked.
"I didn't know I could hurt a fly until they all had bloody noses and possibly dislocated limbs," I deadpanned. "And one had a knife."
He whipped his head toward me.
"You didn't use that knife," he assumed, staring hard at me.
"No, and I wouldn't have, either. I won't get in a fight again," I said, desperate to end this conversation.
"No, you won't," he said with finality. "You could have walked away, and let Alec deal with it."
"I did try to walk away," I said a bit impatiently. "She wouldn't let me. You think Alec would have been any happier if I had let her punch me?"
He flashed his palm again, remaining calm despite my tone.
"No," he answered calmly. "Of course not, but you had a chance of getting out of it. And next time, that's what I'm going to teach you." He added cryptically at the end.
"I have to go before Alec sees I've been gone too long. We will be gone for half an hour at most. Put some ice on that hand, and take some Tylenol; rest while we're gone. Alec told me to give you that message as well," he continued professionally, barely smiling at the end. Then he darted his eyes to the door, and leaned in close to me.
"I am proud that you kicked ass," he whispered secretly and a little proudly. "You defended yourself against four girls and got out with no scratches. I wasn't sure that you would be able to defend yourself against more than one human, but you exceeded my expectations." He ruffled the bun on top of my head since there was no free hair to mess up, and I sat there dumbfounded.
He wasn't mad? He wasn't mad! He was congratulating me on beating up these girls, and that just made me eager to learn how to avoid fighting. For once, I couldn't wait for the next session. I would happily skip to the training room that day.
"Well, what about Alec? What am I going to tell him?" I asked timidly. My little cover-up about self defense was useless now. Felix just nodded once.
"I will take care of it. No need to worry," he said formally. He didn't sound worried at all. "I will leave you to rest now."
I saw him turn, but my fears still weren't dispelled.
"He's been asking me where I've been learning this stuff, Felix," I said exasperatedly. "I told him that I took a judo class the first time, and I know you know that's true. He just keeps accusing me of lying. What if he asks me again? I can't keep lying. It's killing me. I don't want you to get in trouble. And, I'm a bad liar."
He stopped, turning to face me again.
"I will take care of it, little woman," he repeated, trying to reassure me. "But, if he happens to ask again, tell him that I set up an exercise room for you. There is a punching bag in there, and I decided to give you a few pointers one day. He trusts me enough to leave me in your care; he won't question it once I speak to him. If he happens to accuse you again before I get a chance to speak with him, you can tell him to come to me. I will confirm it. All right?"
I hated lying, and I found myself especially hating lying to Alec now. It wasn't fair to him, but I also knew that Felix witnessed David proclaiming that I hated lying. It would eat at me until I confessed. I just wasn't cut out for it. Also, with Felix's lies, I was fully convinced now that this was never Aro's idea, and I think he knew it as well. I was also certain that he knew I hated lying. I nodded once again, feeling a bit better knowing that I would be prepared for next time.
"Was that what the phone call was about?" I blurted at a normal volume. "The vampire? And...well, Camilla?"
He turned to me, stopping abruptly. It felt like minutes passed before he answered, even though it was really only seconds.
"Yes," he said finally, and then he smiled. "I know you know, little woman. You don't need to ask me."
And then he was gone with a breeze, the door closing gently behind him with a click. Well, I definitely wouldn't be sleeping now. I hopped out of bed, and went into the closet, examining the scary outfit again. Wearing this in front of Alec was going to ruin me, and I wondered then if he'd prefer Camilla in this.
Felix told me all I needed to know just now. He and Demetri got in trouble for telling me about her, and Alec chewed them out. And now that they told me that we wouldn't be talking about her, reverse psychology set in and gave me all the more reason to look out for her. When the ball came, would Alec blow me off for her? After all that happened today between us, I wasn't quite sure, but the insecure part of me screamed yes.
I hadn't gotten to try it on, and when I ran my hands down the length of it, an idea ran through my mind. My eyes roamed down the dress, one, two, three times, calculating its length. I would be just standing around looking pretty, but I wanted to be prepared, too. A certain image from the fight ran through my mind, and ironically, it gave me an idea in that moment.
What were the odds of me getting caught with this idea? Hopefully none, and with what I had in mind, I could almost easily get away with it. It would be quick. Just down the stairs, and back up. I wondered how crazy I was for thinking this, since I just got in a fight, and didn't want to get into anymore; my answer was insanely crazy, but I wanted to be ready. It was something that was driving me right now, for whatever reason.
I casually made my way down to the kitchen first, where Ray gave me Tylenol without asking any questions. He also quickly showed me where my leftovers were in the fridge so I could find them, and I thanked him warmly before tiptoeing once again down all of the flights of stairs until I reached the last one. Heidi didn't try to find me yet, and I hoped she wouldn't while I was doing this.
Just get in and get out. She'll never know.
Slowly, I opened the door, looking behind me while doing so. Then, I darted into the room, scanning the wall for what I needed. I knew they were in here somewhere. I'd used them a hundred times already.
Too long, too long, too big, too spiky, too sharp...ah!
I quickly swiped the object I needed, and put it into my pocket, pulling my sweater down over it. I made my way out of the room, shut the door, and darted up the stairs back to my room. I glanced at Heidi's door; no signs of opening yet. I calmly went into my room, took the small throwing knife and its strap out of my pocket, and hid it underneath my bed. I would get it when I got ready tonight. I asked myself again what I was doing, and why I was doing this, but the only answer I came up with was that I wanted to be prepared.
No, the knife wouldn't be able to penetrate vampire skin, but I didn't want to go empty-handed this time. It was more dangerous, and I didn't want to risk anything happening again. Maybe, if worst came to worst, I could...
Oh, Alec would kill me, literally and figuratively. However, I would keep it in mind, anyway.
I shook my head, wanting to be clear of it for now, and decided to go to Heidi's room instead to pass the time. I still had hours before we left. Demetri was gone too, so I had no fear of walking in on something I'd regret seeing.
"Come in," her melodic voice answered when I knocked on her door. When I stepped in, she was seated at her desk, chair facing out, ankles crossed to one side, book in hand. It looked something like a Bronte Sisters book from the spine. She looked up as the door shut, and I was glad to be around someone of the same gender in this moment.
"Feeling bored?" she asked knowingly, her pretty smile illuminating her face. I stood there, her face reminding me of something instantly.
"Yeah, I guess," I answered, as she gestured to the small velvet couch behind me. I sat down, contemplating bringing this up, but I thought better of it; I didn't think I could handle any more stories right now. I tucked my little question into the back of my mind and made a note to ask about it later. Heidi neatly nestled the book back on her little makeshift shelf and turned to me.
"Well. I don't have very many human things for you to do," she said bluntly, then looked over me. "I need to fix you before tonight."
"I want you to go and take a shower," she said simply. "I need to arrange everything. Don't be too long; I want to be finished before Alec returns." She smiled to herself.
At her words, I knew what she meant. She was going to make me up. As I walked to my room and got a towel, I dreaded what she was going to do to me. Heidi and I had different definitions of makeup, that much was clear. I loved to experiment with it when I was back home and on the road, doing different looks and practicing my eyeliner, but I was afraid of what Heidi's idea was. Her eye makeup, although she didn't need it, was always perfectly classy; however, for my particular dress? I didn't think it was going to be as classy. I knew about makeup. I watched many tutorials. I learned what went with what, and if my assumption was right, I'd be very afraid.
Please God, let me still be able to feel my face. Or see my face.
I stepped into the shower, my clothes shed on the bathroom floor, and showered quickly like she instructed. While I waited for the conditioner to set in, I looked down at my legs. Maybe going over them again wouldn't hurt. She'd probably kill me if I didn't. I shaved under my arms as well; they were a little overdue. There was no point in me shaving them, since I always wore shirts with long enough sleeves.
When I was done, I stepped out and threw on the new, simplest looking pair of clothes I could find; a long sleeve shirt and a pair of the Nike shorts from my training collection.
I took my hair out of the towel and hung it on the bar in the bathroom before going back to Heidi's room. When I closed the door behind me, I just stared at all the makeup, bobby pins, and hair products laid out on her vanity table.
Oh. God.
"Have a seat," she insisted. "It's not as scary as it looks."
Hesitantly, I did what she said and relaxed more when she started to put some of the products in my hair. Her hands worked quickly, and I couldn't keep up with her vampire speed. I know she blow dried my hair, which I never did to avoid heat damage, and it came out looking shiny and smooth looking instead of like a messy haystack. She ran a brush through my hair, which felt like nothing but a breeze around my head, and took a seat.
"Alec is going to be quite impressed."
The nerves came over me again about wearing the dress in front of him.
Great, so she wasn't doing this just for the enemy, but for Alec. Whose side was she on?
The little ache in my abdomen made its appearance, and I tried to tell myself it would all be over in a matter of minutes and then I could swallow myself in a huge T-shirt and happily go to sleep.
It's just for an hour, or less. It won't be very long.
But, I couldn't help the burning question that came out of my mouth.
"Why are you all over this?" I asked tersely. It was beginning to get on my nerves, and there was still something nobody was telling me. I figured since I was no longer really denying any feelings for Alec, I'd get some answers. It had to mean something. "You, Felix, Demetri, Marcus..."
She stopped, her hands frozen in place, meeting my gaze in the mirror. She flipped her shiny mahogany curls out of the way. Her gaze softened.
"You really do not see it, do you?" she asked softly. I stared back at her, the question forming on my face.
"Alec has been pining over you for weeks. You clearly do not see the way he looks at you. It is terribly obvious that he is taken with you. He never even once glanced at Camilla in that way; ever. Not one year in all of the one hundred and fifty. Never has he even gazed upon a woman, human or immortal, the way he looks at you. It is quite astonishing, to say the least. He may have been forced to protect you in the beginning, but now? I bet my most expensive silk dress that he would protect you from even his sister. He has changed since your arrival. He is not the same. He..." she stopped, the shock and warmth of her information about Camilla washing over me. Surprise washed through me, and made me feel a little more confident that he maybe preferred me over Camilla. I didn't have to glance at myself to know that my entire face was red.
"Shall I go on?" she inquired with a smile, raising her eyebrow. Shaking my head, I wet my lips before diving into more questions.
"Define that he's...changed," I said slowly, suddenly very interested in my nails. It took me until now to notice that they'd grown out a lot over the last few weeks. The last time I noticed them, they'd been chewed down to the nub like they normally were before I came here. My hands had been so preoccupied with training, that I didn't have the conscious thought to chew them. Heidi hummed a response before going back to my hair.
"To put it into words, he wouldn't be acting the way he is if he truly did not have feelings for you," she said impassively, that smile staying right in place. "He cares, even if he does not realize it or admit it, and Alec is quite jealous that you are particularly close to your friend. Men. It's all about territory."
Did that mean...
"I love you, dudette."
No, no. Right? David couldn't be the same way with me. Were they battling each other over me? For me?
"Ass-lec."
I wasn't so smart with boys, but this couldn't possibly be. David was protective of me because he was like my own brother. Travis wasn't here, and he made a promise to protect me because of that. It would be natural for David to not want Alec near me, but I don't know how I was going to tell him that I sorta, kinda liked being near Alec. Or, maybe I shouldn't.
Well, you have to sometime.
I got why Alec wouldn't like David; all of his actions towards me that happened today wasn't because maybe I had something on my shirt and he was plucking it off. No, he touched my skin and looked at me in a different way, and now that Heidi pitched in her two cents, it was true.
"So he likes me," I tested out the words, noticing that Heidi was folding pieces of my hair over. She rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"Yes, he likes you," she said simply. "But like I said before, you underestimate yourself, and you don't see your true potential. I would say 'like' is an understatement. He is enchanted by you. You know he watches you and spends the majority of his time with you? Now, at least. He is such a stubborn boy. He used every excuse in the book to stay away from you." She rolled her eyes and shook her head
I knew that part; he was always mad at me before and insulting me, but now...well, he was obviously mad at me again for getting into a fight, but he'd stopped his antics of pouring things on me and flipping me out of bed and leaving. He was just simple and quiet with me, now that I thought about it. I had a question, and he answered. He did what he needed to do, and voluntarily stayed with me until I needed something else. When he was angry at me...he looked like he wanted to explode, yet he simply asked me to leave the room and he saved my butt from Aro today. Heidi's words rang true once again as the realization came over me.
As I looked at her once more, I posed another remaining question, her observations causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach. Enchanted? I think I was more so enchanted by him. His voice, his face, when he told me I was frustrating but apparently smart, the look on his face when he said it, the way his skin erupted into a diamond dance across his skin...
I mentally shook my head as I thought of this beauty.
"Why hasn't Alec gone for you? Or...Camilla?" I barely mumbled her name at the end, unsure of how Heidi may feel about her. I wasn't supposed to be talking about her, but hey, it was just she and I here. Who would hear? Heidi shook her head again, giggling this time. I waited for her to answer, but she just kept giggling like I told the world's funniest joke.
"Oh, please," Heidi laughed, the sound coming out very equivalent to wind chimes. I wished I could laugh like that; mine wasn't the most appealing. "Are you completely serious? I have not once held any attraction for Alec. He is a handsome boy, but..." she just shook her head, stifling her giggles.
Okay, thanks, Heidi.
"You are a silly, silly girl," she commented, and then practically scoffed as she continued. "He never wanted Camilla; not in the way he wants you. He may have flirted with her, but it was never genuine. Alec has always done whatever is necessary to get what he wants. He can falsely showcase any emotion without feeling a thing; he has always been that way. Camilla is the one who keeps chasing after him, and if you ask me, it really makes her blonde roots show."
She laughed darkly under her breath, obviously calling Camilla an airhead. I know that I didn't like Camilla, and hadn't yet met her, but I didn't like the way Heidi laughed or what she was insinuating. It reminded me way too much of the mean girls I dealt with in school.
"He never once visited her, or spoke of her while they were in mutual sexual contact. She wrote letters, and eventually called when telephones came around. She agitated him to no end, but that was what entertained him; the chase and the sex. Alec catches every female's eye, and he is fully aware of it. He knows that he can swoon a woman by just looking at her, and Camilla was one of those females. Demetri and Felix have tortured you enough, so I will leave it at that. But, she is horrendous, if you ask me. The girl has no sense of personal space between the two of them. It is pathetic." She rolled her eyes.
I didn't like her all that much either, especially since my feelings for Alec were sparking some sort of territorial streak in me, but did I really have to worry now? When I thought about it, no, not really. I still didn't know what would happen at the ball, but talking with Heidi about this eased some of my discomfort.
"Do I need to elaborate further?" she asked, perching an eyebrow. There was more?
"Elaborate what?" I asked, furrowing my brows. "She's clingy, and I'm not? Or she's a vampire and I'm not? She's obviously beautiful."
She shook her head again and sighed, sectioning my hair again. I realized that she was braiding it flat against my head.
"Don't you notice anything, girl? You can spot the flaw in a Volturi plan, but you cannot see this?" she asked like it was obvious. "You are doing the exact opposite of what Alec expects from women, especially a human. And since I pity Camilla's sense, I will count her as well. You aren't chasing him. He expects women to fall at his feet, and beg to be graced with his presence. You didn't. You don't even try to get his attention. That is what threw him off. You have him trying to chase you."
She spoke as if she'd been waiting for this to happen for years. I couldn't argue with her; Alec clearly didn't care how beautiful Camilla was, and that eased a bit more of my discomfort. Just a bit.
"Is she beautiful?" I couldn't help but ask. Heidi narrowed her eyes at me, like I was ruining the moment. I averted my eyes down.
"Not even her looks could make Alec turn his head away from you," she said indifferently. "If you are so curious as to what she does look like, you will have a chance see her when she arrives. But in my humble opinion, she is no better looking than me. Not even close. There is not much to look at." She pushed her big curls out of the way again, as if to emphasize that fact, and I almost snorted at her opinion. Heidi was beautiful.
I never thought Heidi was that particularly fond of me, but from hearing her now, maybe she didn't exactly think of me as repulsive. I'd never noticed these things until now, and I couldn't understand what about me had Alec going so crazy.
Me, a shy, introverted, aloof, plain, nothing-special, simple perfectionist human, was driving the most attractive and dangerous vampire in the world crazy because I didn't require his attention?
Oh, how wrong he was. I did want his attention, but not desperately. I more so wanted his company, to actually sit down and talk with him, to know him. How high were those chances?
I couldn't wrap my head around it, but it made the smallest of giggles bubble up against my lips. Not because it was funny, though; because it was shocking that by me doing absolutely nothing, I was making Alec question it and driving him up the wall. So that's why he did all those things? Why he got mad so much in the beginning?
"So, I don't annoy him?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent like her. I was glad when it came out rightfully so. Heidi, sliding a bobby pin into place, twisted her lips up and I think I felt my heart drop for a moment.
"Sweetie, I think if you actually annoyed him, you wouldn't be sitting here right now," she answered gently. Oh. So I didn't annoy him.
Great!
I contained my small sense of inner giddiness as she finished my hair. The idea of Alec liking me had butterflies fluttering through my stomach, and my heart beating just a little faster in a different way. I shouldn't worry about Camilla, but even if I did, Alec was still his own person. No, I didn't want Camilla near him; yes, I wanted to try to prevent her coming near him, but I couldn't. He was centuries and centuries older than me, and she was a vampire that could hurt me. He held more authority, maturity and mystery than any eighteen year old boy on the planet, and I? Well, I held...myself. It was the only thing I had control over.
"Why hasn't he told her to stop?" I asked, forcing the edge out of my tone. "If she bothers him so much."
"Alec has the advantage of not allowing anyone or anything bother him, lest Jane's well-being is involved. It is too easy for him to be so detached. It takes a lot for him to be bothered by something," she answered, flitting her eyes up at me with a look. I knew what that meant. "And for Alec, sex canceled out that factor. Until now."
My face heated up. I was flipping his whole world upside down, and it just sounded like a bad thing. He had no control over my gift, but he could've chosen to get rid of me. I angered him for what sounded like the first time in however long he's existed, and he still didn't get rid of me. Would he get rid of Camilla, now that I was in the picture?
"If he likes me so much, then what about my...'gift'? He hates that," I asked hesitantly, because this wasn't making sense again. Heidi gave me a tight smile.
"If you were affected by something you had entirely no control over, you would hate it too," she said gently. "Alec is used to having the upper hand, and in this case, I would say you have it for now. Alec likes power. He and Jane are notorious for that. It is all they have ever known. You just happen to make him fall at your feet at your own expense."
"But I don't want to do that," I countered. "He doesn't deserve to be controlled like that. Nobody does. Felix is an exception. He loves it."
She pursed her lips, studying me.
"You are even surprising me. You have all of this power in your hands, yet you do not take advantage of it, and you choose others over yourself. That is just like her."
"Who?" I asked. She smiled an achingly beautiful, wistful smile.
"The woman I mentioned to you before. She wielded such a great power, yet she never abused it. She was always selfless, compassionate of others. You reminded me of her." She let out a small giggle, and I was reminded myself of the floating question that I'd saved for later, but with her tender moment, I held back. I opted for a new one.
"Was she beautiful, too?" I asked quietly, curiously. Heidi's smile grew for a short moment.
"Of course," she answered, and as if sensing my follow-up, she continued. "Dark hair, almost like Alec's. A beautiful face. Except she chose to feed on animals, so her eyes were always gold, rather than crimson." She scrunched her nose up a little and her mouth twisted again at that. Nothing Heidi did, no matter how bad it should look, was ugly.
"Is that why she left?"
Heidi's eyes shot up at me, and they seemed to visibly darken. I hit a rough spot. Oops. No more asking questions about that. I wanted to, though. And if she wasn't telling me, then it was probably a deep, dark secret as to why she left.
"Sorry," I apologized, pressing my lips together. She smiled bitterly and continued her work. Her friend sounded just as beautiful, though. Dark hair and a beautiful face with golden eyes. I pictured that in my mind, and it came out as equally as beautiful as Heidi's face. My sole wonder was on what happened to her, however. It was mysterious. There was a big gap in what Heidi said, that she didn't know what happened to her, and the way she reacted. I wouldn't ask her so long as it hurt her. I wondered just how long ago she'd left, too.
I stayed quiet until she finished, and I was facing the huge mirror. I knew I wouldn't be leaving like this, because they were pinned only for hold. She was braiding them to create waves for later.
I'd also caught my reflection for the first time since...heck, I didn't know when the last time I saw myself was, but I didn't know what to make of it.
My face, although clear and freshly washed, looked tired. The purple shadows under my eyes made me look dead, and my eyes themselves were tired, a bit wild, and swam with calculating curiosity. I could see a faint hint of pink in my cheeks from my slew of thoughts about Alec, which helped my complexion a little, but didn't do much for my eyes. My face was less round and more prominent from the vigorous exercise, thanks to Felix. I looked like I needed three naps, and some concealer wouldn't hurt. What did Alec see in me again?
"Leave these in your hair until it is time to leave," she informed me. I just nodded, telling my reflection I would get a good night's sleep after this mission. No signs of injuries from the fight were apparent, and I was glad. I would have cringed even more at my reflection if I had a black eye, or a shadow of a bruise on my face. If I saw those girls again, I would do what Felix said, and walk away. I knew it wasn't likely that I would see them again, though.
"I will complete your makeup later," she said, indicating I could leave now. I couldn't bring myself to do that just yet.
I turned around on the vanity bench, watching Heidi flick through racks at a blinding speed in her closet. After a few seconds, she turned her head with a neutral expression.
"You are free to go," she told me in her feline voice. I just sat there, clasping my hands between my legs. I averted my eyes a few times before finally saying something.
"Heidi, do you hate Camilla?" I asked, sounding more bold than I expected. Okay, so the question was kind of dumb, considering the comments she made earlier, but I wanted a clear idea. Nobody could tell any of these vampires who was good for whom or not, but there had to be a deeper reason as to why she had ill feelings about Camilla. The only reason I had an inkling of it was because I liked Alec; more than I should, and more than I expected. Heidi rolled her eyes.
"I think you know that answer. Anything else?"
I hesitated again.
"Yes. Why?"
She stopped flicking again and met my eyes with a little glare that probably wasn't meant for me. Then her face smoothed out.
"I think Alec can do much better than her. There has always been something about her that I detested," she said with finality. "She is much too clingy; a spoiled brat, if you will. It is disgusting. Plus, having her here would be a huge distraction for Alec. Aro would never allow it. Thank heavens he doesn't. I would slaughter her myself if I had to spend more than two minutes in a room with her."
That could have sounded simple enough, but the message was cryptic. Heidi didn't trust Camilla. Neither did Felix or Demetri, it seemed, but I didn't know that for sure. They just thought the same thing Heidi did; that Alec could do better, and that she was too clingy and desperate.
Heidi was standing there, frozen in place, waiting for me to say anything else. And now that my eyes landed upon the long black shiny pumps on her feet, I had just one question left.
"I need some help," I confessed to her waiting figure.
For the next fifteen minutes, Heidi helped me walk in the shoes she picked out for my dress. She told me they weren't as hard to walk in as they looked, and once my feet were in there, she was right. I walked across her shiny, hardwood floor with little trouble, but the way she pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes told me, maybe not. She kissed her teeth, shook her head, and sauntered into her closet. Confused, I practiced my walk until she came out again, telling me to take the shoes off. She held a new pair in her hand. I did what she said, and as I slipped on the new ones, they looked, dare I say, cuter. And the heel wasn't bad, either. The short, rose gold block heels that fit my feet made my legs look better, and when she asked me to walk again, she smiled proudly to herself, which almost knocked me over from its beauty.
"Perfect," she decided. "Those are much better for your dress. More comfortable too, no?"
I nodded, surprised to see that my feet weren't killing me. Then she grinned to herself, and I tripped at what came out of her mouth next.
"Alec definitely will not be able to keep his eyes off of you tonight."
The image for the dress and shoes will be linked in my profile! I will also be posting Camilla's face claim, too!
