Chpt. 3

"Demetri, Demetri! Where is your head today?" Aro scolded fondly.

"Still in-" Felix hit me then, hard enough to keep me from finishing the sentence. I'd almost said "in bed", referring to Evelyn rather than the fact we didn't sleep.

"Thanks Felix," I muttered. Others might think it was sarcasm marring my voice, but thankfully Felix wasn't that stupid. I think.

"Anytime!" He answered with that stupid, smug grin of his. "Just say the word!"

"Boys! Calm down! Felix, I need your time too!" Aro chuckled. "Someone has to check up on that clan up in Finland; they have their hands full with another newborn. Will you two?" Aro asked quizzically, as if he didn't already know.

"Now?" Felix countered, not giving me the chance to answer. I sighed. After three centuries, he'd never changed. Even if we lived to be thousands of years old, I doubted that he would ever be less, well, Felix-ish. I elbowed him lightly in the ribs, and turned my attention to Aro.

"If you don't have anything else to do!"

"Right then, we're outta here!" We started down the hall, towards the main exit.

"I'm expecting a full report when you get back!" Aro called after us.

"Like we could ever give you anything else!" Felix yelled back, laughing. I grinned, and picked up my pace until I was trotting down the hall. Really, there was only one thing ever hidden from Aro, and she was just outside.

"Going back to Evey? Don't blame you. After all, why waste time with poor old, boring Felix when you could be kicking up sand with Evelyn?" Felix drawled with mock sadness.

"Lucky, do us all a favor and shut up. Alright? Just shut up. I told her I would tell her if we had to go anywhere."

"Lucky? Where the hell did that come from?!" Felix yelped, indignant.

"Lucky, you know, like Felix. Felix is Spanish for lucky, hm?"

"Quit calling me that!" I grinned. This could get good. He had a pet peeve.

"Why not, Fortuno?"

"Damn it!" He snarled, quivering in blind rage. "I said, quit calling me that! It sounds like a dog's name!! And Fortuno is just lucky in Italian! Not even a name!"

"You're right; it does sound like a dog's name, aye? It kinda suits your bitchy personality," I grinned slyly. I hadn't teased him like this for centuries. "Or maybe not. Guess you're more of a cat than a dog. What was that comic? Felix the Cat lives on, hmm? Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Me-ow!" I felt like high; normally I only felt like this around Evey! Might as well enjoy it while it lasts... I grinned wickedly.

He cursed something, and shoved me until my back was pressed to a window. I only chuckled, pushed out the window, and jumped. I landed softly, but had to swiftly move again before Felix landed. He wasn't as surefooted.

He stumbled awkwardly as he landed, his foot twisting beneath him.

"Oh, did the poor little kitty not land on his pitty-paws?" I mock sympathized, and danced into the woods.

"You bastard," Felix snarled, crashing to his feet.

"Evelyn!" I called out, interrupting Felix's low oaths.

"That's right, go hide behind a woman's skirts," He muttered. There was a soft sound and a flurry of snowflakes as my lover dropped gracefully onto the slick ground.

"Back so soon?" She said with a grin. Her copper curls were a spark of fire in the new fallen snow, beautiful but unreal.

"Like you're one to talk, pretty fox," Felix chuckled, tweaking her nose. She made a face and hugged him. A fond, rare smile graced my half brother's features, but it was masked swiftly. I grinned at Felix, and he scowled. Go figure. Every tough guy has his weak spots, I chuckled inwardly, watching Evelyn work her magic on Felix.

"Told you you were lucky," I chuckled, unwilling to let the opportunity pass.

"Shuttup," he muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Evelyn piped up, skipping out of Felix's arms and into mine. I sighed happily as she relaxed into my chest, breathing in her wild and comforting scent. We held each other tightly, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle.

"Felix, if you don't tell me, I'll light a fire under you're ass until its nice and golden..." She threatened. It was obscene to think she would hurt anyone when we held each other like this, but I knew she could easily cause a riot, gift or no.

"He needs a good ass tan. It's too pale," I cut in. Felix sniffed mockingly, twisting himself until he could see his backside.

"You really think so? I got a tan just last week..." Evelyn giggled, and he winked.

"Then it would just sparkle, stupid!" She laughed.

"Good lord Evey, don't give him ideas!" I cried in ridiculed horror.

"Alright! Alright! Fine, don't tell me!" She giggled hopelessly, caught up in her own laughter. I love this.... seeing her so happy, I smiled inwardly.

"If you didn't come just to annoy the hell out of me, does that mean Aro and Caius are sending you somewhere?"

"Clever fox," Felix nodded with a tight grin, his hands thrust in his pockets.

"Where to then?" She asked, ignoring Felix.

"To check up on the coven in Finland. 'Guess they haven't been all too considerate of their fellow human beings," I sighed wistfully, rubbing my stomach for added affect.

"Oh get out!" She giggled, unsuccessfully trying to push me backwards.

"Now, now, you two.... kiss and make up," Felix chuckled. I grinned wickedly as Evelyn danced back, and then caught her arm. I pulled her back roughly, but not painfully, and she smiled as she fell into me.

Her lips were hot and passionate, with the kind of urgency and desperation that frequently brought us to bed each night. Her hands tangled into my hair, her body crushing against mine...

"Hey, hey! Both of you, cut that out! You two break it up! Good grief, I say one suggestive comment and you two start making out to prove me wrong!" Felix groaned behind us. "I swear, you two were a match made in hell or something!"

"Felix!" Evelyn yelped, indignant, landing a solid blow to his head.

"A match made in hell?" I chuckled.

"Well, you know, you're a vampire, she's a fox, and if you two start that sorta stuff again, yes, I would say you two are a match made in hell," Felix drawled. "Mmm hm... she can be one hell of a seducer at times," I chuckled, thinking of our afternoon in the snow.

"See? That's my point! The little fox knows how to get her way, whether it be through love or hate!"

"Point taken. Still, what would you do if she started tempting you?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes, honestly."

"I'd probably start making out."

"FELIX!" Evelyn yelled. "There is no damn way I would ask you to make out with me."

"Sorry to say, you never know what's going through your head, Vixie."

"That, and it's always been our first nature to give you whatever you desired," I murmured, distracted.

"Too true, Dommy boy. If you asked one of us to kill Caius right now, we probably wouldn't hesitate."

"Don't even joke about that!" Evelyn said in hushed tones, as if afraid he would hear them. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her warm neck absently. The truth in Felix's words troubled me. He's right.... if Evelyn told me to never drink from a human again, I would do it, just to please her, I realized. Not that there's much to do about that anyway. You can't change the way a falcon hunts.

"Evelyn... We'll have to go soon," I murmured.

"Now?" Her fiery eyes were huge, framed by thick, dark lashes and laced with tears. Felix frowned as he saw her face.

"I'm afraid so love."

"You'll come back home right?" Felix began to grimace. The words didn't sink in at first. She's afraid... we won't come home? My mind reeled. Had she always been afraid of us dying on the field? Never coming home again, much like many of the young widows' husbands who went off to war but never came home back in her time?

"Evelyn, have we ever really been in harm's way? We were sent to deal with newborns. Practically babies. The worst wound we've gotten is a small bite or a solid blow. We'll be fine." Felix comforted. I was glad he could still talk. I couldn't.

"No..." She mumbled, hiding her face in my cloak.

"Eve, you've seen me fight. I can force almost anyone to anything. Now imagine Demetri here. He can pin me to the floor in seconds, and anyone around him is practically dead already. Anything, anyone, he protects becomes the safest person in the world, including himself. No one can touch him," Felix raised an eyebrow. "Except maybe you. You, sweet fox, tend to get through his defenses a lot." Evelyn giggled, tears still wet on her cheeks, laughing. My panic seemed to melt at the sound of it.

"Was that supposed to be a threat? 'I can force almost anyone to anything.' Should I be afraid?" I smiled.

"Hell yeah!"Felix grinned, mock punching me on the shoulder.

"We will be back. That I can promise," I assured with a worried smile.

"I love you Dom," She whispered, nuzzling my neck.

"I love you too Eve," I murmured. She pecked me on the cheek, and jumped out of my arms, twisting into a kit-sized fox as she fell.

"What? That's it? No kiss for me?" Felix moaned. She yipped, and coughed lightly. That was her way of laughing, and she laughed frequently; a characteristic that made me happy. She trotted back and jumped on Felix, pausing only to lick his face.

"Ugh. Thanks Eve, thanks." She laughed at his disgust, and danced off him, only to break into a fluid sprint.

"I miss her already," I sighed. How many more years could I take of this life?

"It's a painful feeling, to fall in love," Felix murmured, turning his back to the woods. I followed him.

"Is it?" I asked suddenly, stopping completely.

"How would you describe it?" Felix also stopped, still not turning to look at me.

"It's like life. It is life. Beautiful and ugly, gentle and agonizing, cruel and sweet. Almost like a rose."

"Demetri," Felix turned to look at me. "Lives fly by us, as do lovers. We have no choice but to watch them bypass us. When we do love, most are formed by covens who are too weak to protect themselves. It's like marrying a rich man's daughter to have his money. Love is too rare for others to understand."

"Yet another reason Evelyn can't be known to Aro!" I glared, getting mad now. "Why talk about this? They will never know of her, she will never die by their hand!"

"And if they do?"

"If they do.... I will kill the Volturi."

________________________________________________________________________

This one's for Cho Raven Black! Check out her profile peoplez! And if ya don't review, I'll set Evey on you!

-Long live the stupid Fox! ~Evelyn!