Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight.
It was really awkward figuring out how to make Aubrey and Marek interact with all of the other vampires, and if you have ANY suggestions whatsoever, tell me please. ENJOY!
REVISED
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At 7:34 the next morning, Aubrey walked into the kitchen, fully dressed and anxious, unable to wait any longer. She had gotten to sleep finally after three hours of tossing and turning only to wake up three hours later, filled with dread. After lying in bed for an hour or so, she got up in resignation and got herself ready, her nerves running high.
Aubrey forced a bowl of Lucky Charms down, knowing she would regret not eating later once she was in the company of those who did not have to eat. They wouldn't have any food, obviously, and the idea of passing out from starvation in the midst of an interrogation did not appeal to her in the slightest. She had dressed in a simple blue t-shirt and dark jeans, wearing her flip flops instead of boots for a change. Time seemed to be eeking along minute by minute, and it felt as if whole days were passing.
In a desperate attempt to speed up the time, Aubrey flopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. South Park. She continued to watch the cartoon-like paper creatures make various gags and references for three episodes straight before Jack emerged from his dark lair of dreamdom, flopping down next to her and watching as well, dressed in a long red and gray robe he reserved especially for the days he was offwork. Kenny had just died again when the doorbell rang. Aubrey shot to her feet, her heart pounding in her ears. She called out a fast goodbye to Jack, who answered with a laugh at the show, and ran out of the door, closing it quickly.
"Well well well. Eager are we?" Aubrey looked up to see Marek, attractive as ever, smirking three inches away from her face. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "You smell nice."
"Good enough to eat?" asked Aubrey, raising an eyebrow. He grinned, showing his perfect white teeth.
"Not quite," he said. "I'm...fasting..." Aubrey snorted and walked past him to the car. He walked over there in time to open her door before she reached it, opening it for her. She rolled her eyes and got in, looking to her left to see Marek in his seat.
"So...for about how much longer do I have to endure this anticipation?" she asked. Marek thought.
"Seven minutes," he said.
"At high speed?" asked Aubrey.
"In case you haven't noticed, we're already on the highway," said Marek. Aubrey looked out to see the forest shooting by and turned back quickly.
"Oh...I see...convenient," she said. Marek nodded.
"So. Did you turn in your paper on me?" he asked.
"Yeah," said Aubrey. "Did you turn in yours?"
"Yes," said Marek. "I got a 97 though."
"Why?" asked Aubrey. "I thought being around for centuries was supposed to make you smart."
"Ha ha. He made a little note that I talked about you like you were a cheeseburger, which is completely ridiculous because I don't even know that much about cheeseburgers," said Marek. Aubrey began to laugh.
"You put that in your paper?"
"Well yes, it's about you," said Marek. Aubrey laughed harder.
"Well, I can't talk. I got an 89. Didn't say enough about you apparently," she said. Marek looked at her.
"Well then you don't know me very well," he said in a low voice. Aubrey looked back at him.
"Should I know you better?" she asked.
"Well probably, we are friends after all," said Marek, turning his eyes back to the road. Aubrey glanced out of the window.
"Friends don't usually kiss each other goodbye," she said quietly. The corners of Marek's mouth twitched.
"Then we're a unique set of friends," he said. Aubrey sighed quietly, turning away from him.
They pulled off of the highway onto a smaller unpaved road, winding along at high speed past the many old trees. Aubrey stared out as the forest grew less thick, eventually opening into a small...well it would probably be called a clearing, though several cedars were standing tall in it, their high branches stretching out wide, blocking the sunlight. Aubrey gasped at the Cullens' 'humble abode'. It was an extremely large, faded white mansion three stories high and excellently restored, for it looked as though it had been around for a century, though perfectly preserved, like something out of a fairy tale. Aubrey had never seen a house like it in her life.
Marek parked the car and got out, standing by her door a second later, and opening it like the gentleman that he thought he was. She got out, whistling in an impressed manner, her eyes wide, still fixed on the mansion.
"Incredible," she said, awed.
"I know," said Marek. "Doesn't quite look like a home though, does it?" Aubrey looked at him.
"Do you miss Maine?" she asked.
"No. I miss England," said Marek with a sigh. "America is just...too new..."
"You're from England?" asked Aubrey.
"Originally," said Marek. Aubrey raised her eyebrows, surprised.
"Well, America existed when you were born," she pointed out.
"Yes, but it needs more castles," said Marek. Aubrey shook her head. Marek looked at her, holding out a hand. "Shall we then?" Aubrey took it.
"Let's," she said, taking a deep breath. Her nerves wormed their way up through her insides and she suddenly found herself wishing that she hadn't eaten after all. Starving was a better way to feel when you were about to puke where you stood.
They walked, slowly but surely, up the stairs and onto the porch, which wrapped around the entire first floor beautifully. Marek opened the door a gap slowly, letting them both sneak inside of the house. A sudden wave of extraordinarily beautiful music filled Aubrey's ears. Piano, beautiful piano. It was nothing she had ever heard before, a kind of lullaby.
Aubrey turned her head to see where the music was coming from and spotted Edward Cullen sitting on a bench in front of a large, magnificent grand piano a short ways away from the door. Bella sat next to him, staring into his face with a look of deep devotion and admiration. Aubrey now saw what Marek meant by couple. They looked as if they were already engaged a few days before the wedding. They hadn't noticed their entrance. No doubt Marek was trying to block her entire mind from Edward's consciousness, but Edward seemed too preoccupied with the piano to notice her anyway.
The entrance room of the house was extremely spacious, as if it were several rooms united to create one. The far wall was composed entirely of glass, looking out onto the nature behind the house. Past the piano was a door, which, Aubrey guessed, led into what would be the kitchen, had the Cullens had need for it. On the east side wound an immense curving staircase, stretching to the upper levels.
She felt Marek's icy hand on the small of her back, and looked at him. He moved a finger to his perfect lips, steering her along into the room past the piano. They walked silently, entering the, as Aubrey had guessed, kitchen, and closing the door. Aubrey sighed, looking at Marek, who smirked at her.
"Now I have something to hold over him," he said, laughing. "He prides himself on never being outstealthed."
"Hello Marek," said a slightly irritated voice, making Aubrey jump and whirl around. Edward was standing behind them, Bella entering, her hand brushing a few tears away from her eyes, behind him. Marek cursed under his breath, turning as well.
"Aubrey?" asked Bella, her eyebrows raised in surprise. Aubrey glanced at Marek. So she didn't know yet...
"Hi Bella," she replied, waving slightly, nervous under Edward's intense gaze. "I uh...am here for the house party." She laughed weakly, feeling her resolve drain away under the heat of Edward's glare.
"You have no idea how dangerous for you this is," he said in a deadly whisper. "Knowing all of this."
"Wait...she knows?" exclaimed Bella. "How does she know? I thought I was the only one..."
"He told me," said Aubrey, nodding at Marek, who was staring Edward down defensively. The door behind the couple suddenly opened and a striking, pale, blonde-haired man in his thirties entered, smiling at the foursome, two of which were glaring at each other with intense loathing.
"Well I see they've arrived," said Dr. Carlisle Cullen, smiling. "You must be Aubrey."
"Er...yeah..." said Aubrey, shaking his icy hand awkwardly. Her expectations of the meeting were completely convoluted by now, and she discarded them, expecting the unexpected now.
"I know your father. He is an amusing man," said Carlisle. Aubrey felt her ears turning red. She knew how Jack was at home. She couldn't imagine what he was like around people his own age at work. Just as obnoxious no doubt. "Edward, have you met Aubrey?" Carlisle continued as if he didn't notice the daggers shooting between Edward's and Marek's eyes.
"We've been briefly acquainted," said the bronze-haired vampire, turning his gaze from Marek's face to Aubrey's. "Edward," he said simply, extending a hand.
"Aubrey," said Aubrey, shaking Edward's hand awkwardly. "And I'm really sorry for knowing too much..."
"It's not your fault," sighed Edward, his eyes flicking angrily back up to Marek's. Bella put a hand on his shoulder and his face relaxed somewhat, but he didn't take his eyes off of him. Aubrey was vaguely aware of Marek's hand still on the small of her back. Her insides fluttered.
"Are they here?" asked a lovely voice from a room connected to the kitchen on the south side.
"Yes, Esme," said Carlisle. He looked at the foursome. "Aubrey, we need to have a conference with you in the dining room, please," he said. Aubrey looked at Marek, who inclined his head slightly. Bella looked confused.
"Is Aubrey in trouble?" she asked, sensing a slight wariness.
"It has to do with the protection of our secret," said Carlisle.
"Which Marek so eagerly disclosed," added Edward in an undertone. A low sound came from the back of Marek's throat, like a hiss.
"She won't tell anyone," he said.
"We can't be too sure until we talk to her," said Carlisle. "No offense," he added to Aubrey, who nodded. "Bella, we're sorry, but we need to have Edward present for this. You're welcome to come too."
"Sure," said Bella, looking at Aubrey, who was sighing in relief at this. They walked into the dining room, taking seats at a long wooden table that already sat Emmett, an irritable-looking Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper. A young woman with long auburn hair falling in waves down by her shoulders sat across the table. Aubrey assumed her to be the 'Esme' whom Carlisle had called to before. His wife.
They all took a seat, Aubrey and Marek sitting opposite Bella and Edward, Emmett on Aubrey's left, then Rosalie. They were opposite Alice and Jasper, who sat next to Edward, then Bella, then Carlisle, Esme by Marek. Aubrey was slightly glad that she wasn't the only uncomfortable human there. Bella looked anything but at home. As they were all seated, a relaxed calm overtook Aubrey and she felt her tension loosen in her muscles, but at the same time she noted Jasper's eyes on her. The memory of his power came back to her and she fidgeted uncomfortably through the relaxation. Carlisle spoke first.
"Well Aubrey, you know why you're here. You know our secret. What are you planning on doing now?" he asked. Aubrey felt the eyes of seven vampires and one human on her and her ears went red.
"I suppose...go on with my life not speaking about it to anybody?" she suggested.
"She can't possibly live with the knowledge that vampires walk among her and keep it silent," said Edward incredulously, his eyes on Carlisle. "She has enough evidence to prove her sanity and she can't possibly keep it to herself. Eventually she'd tell someone and we'd be revealed." It seemed that the trial's ultimate judge was Carlisle. Aubrey felt comforted by this. He seemed fair and just.
"She wouldn't," said Marek darkly. "And you know it."
"I can't know it, Marek, because you are blocking her mind! I can't be sure of anything she's capable of!" exclaimed Edward.
"You can't see Bella's mind," shot Marek. "You trusted her with your secret and you can't read her mind anymore than mine or Aubrey's!" Edward gritted his teeth.
"That's different," he said. "I love Bella! I'm not just using her as a temporary plaything!" Aubrey felt herself unsettle at that statement and doubts suddenly began to rise in her mind like an army. Was he just toying with her? Perhaps he had toyed with Sarah Barnes before finally taking it upon himself to...end her...
"I'm not using Aubrey as a plaything!" retorted Marek furiously. Edward glared cooly.
"Well I'll never know, will I? You're too busy blocking me out to try and convince me otherwise."
"Unlike the others here, I actually care about the sanctity of my own mind," hissed Marek. "I don't like anyone invading it!"
"You're getting very off-topic here," said Carlisle, breaking off the argument. "Now, Marek if you could remove the block on Aubrey's mind, Edward can take a quick look and see if she's trustworthy, then we'll be able to make a quicker and better informed judgement than one based merely on a promise."
"I swear, I'm not going to tell," said Aubrey persistently. "I haven't so far."
"So far..." muttered Edward. Bella looked up at him.
"Edward...from what I know of Aubrey she wouldn't go tell something like this." Edward glanced at her, softening.
"We still have to know for sure," he said. Aubrey looked at Marek imploringly.
"Just lower the block for a minute," she coaxed. "Just so he can see that I mean no harm." Marek was still staring at Edward, his expression scathing. Edward rolled his eyes, looking back with an almost equal expression.
"Marek, honestly, you are being utterly intolerable. Let me just see if we can trust her," he said.
"Will you let her free of this trouble once you've seen?" asked Marek.
"That depends on the results," said Rosalie. Marek looked at Aubrey.
"Just let him see," she said earnestly. Marek frowned, his brow furrowing, but the next second Edward sighed in satisfaction, smirking at Marek, who smiled grimly back at him, his eyes resentful.
"Happy?" he asked.
"Very," said Edward. "We can trust her." His mouth turned down in a frown the next moment and Aubrey guessed that Marek had reinstated the block. She looked up at him.
"See, that wasn't so hard," she muttered reassuringly. "You had no reason to worry." Marek scoffed, standing.
"Well if you all are quite finished with the interrogation, can Edward go back to escorting his guest, and I can go back to escorting mine?" he asked.
"No one's stopping you, Marek," said Carlisle calmly, sighing.
"Come on," said Marek, pulling Aubrey up from the chair as he glared around the table, at Rosalie and Edward in particular. Aubrey stumbled over the chair legs as he tugged her along a little harder than necessary. She threw a last thankful look at the seated group, and followed Marek out of the room.
"What's the matter?" she asked as she followed him to the staircase, jogging to keep up. Marek turned, looking irritable.
"They just get on my nerves...I'm not used to being part of a pack," he said, rubbing his forehead, breathing deep. He sighed, and stopped at the foot of the stairs, closing his eyes. "Just give me a moment."
"Alright..." said Aubrey, grateful for the stop. A few seconds passed in silence, then Marek's eyes opened once more, calmer.
"Right then...come on," he said, starting up the stairs. Aubrey followed him, eager to see the rest of the mansion.
"Why is that wall made of glass?" she asked, indicating the south wall.
"This house is the one place we don't have to worry about being discovered," said Marek. "We don't have to hide. They made it open for that reason, to let in the sunlight."
The staircase stopped on the second floor on a long hallway. Marek led her along down the right side, showing her Carlisle's study and library, which was joined to Esme's study. Aubrey stopped by the study, staring at a large wooden cross hanging on the wall. Marek looked at it.
"I hear Carlisle carved it himself sometime around 1630," he said. Aubrey cocked her head to one side.
"He was a good craftsman," she said.
"Still is," said Marek, turning to continue the tour. Down the hall was Rosalie and Emmett's room, then Alice and Jasper's room, connected to Jasper's study.
"Are you sure this is Jasper's room too?" asked Aubrey when they looked into the bedroom, which looked far too feminine to hold a male occupant.
"Jasper's study really is 'his' room. This is both of theirs', but Alice is the main commander," said Marek. Aubrey nodded.
On the third floor was Carlisle's room, which he shared with Esme, Edward's room at the end, and Marek's room, the guest room, on the opposite end than Edward's for obvious reasons. Aubrey found the lack of beds slightly disturbing, but the fact that they didn't sleep had to have some accompaniments.
Marek's room didn't have many unique features about it, but there was a TV on one wall by shelves of DVDs of all kinds. Aubrey sat on the lone couch in the center of the room, looking at the DVD collection with a slightly open mouth.
"You uh...like movies?" she asked. Marek glanced at the immense collection.
"Yes. Some of their subjects I've lived through, but I find them immensely entertaining," he said. "That was part of the reason I crossed the Atlantic. The movie industry was kicking off, and I wanted to watch it fly."
"You were turned in England then?" asked Aubrey. Marek nodded. "How did it...feel?" Marek paused, sighing deeply as he thought.
"Excruciating," he said. "Three days of unimaginable pain. You couldn't even comprehend it. Eventually you give up screaming because you know it won't do you any good and you hope for death, which ironically is actually what's going on. Your body dies as the venom fills you with new life."
"Do you remember who turned you?" asked Aubrey.
"Yes," said Marek, his voice trailing off. He walked around Aubrey to the couch in the center of his room and flopped down onto it, sighing. Aubrey walked around and sat next to him, looking into his face.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"They hate me here," said Marek. "All of them, not just Edward. Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper are angry at me for telling you, Alice mainly because she can't tell what will come of it. My blocking makes it difficult for her to see me. Emmett is disapproving because he doesn't fully trust me, though he is more laid-back than the others. Esme, I think, wants to trust me, but because I was not turned by them or forseen like Alice and Jasper, I'm still sort of a stranger living in their household. Carlisle is accepting and that's why I'm still here, but I can see his patience slipping." He gritted his teeth. "When I first met them they told me about this alternate lifestyle and I turned them down immediately, but after a while it kept reappearing in my mind and finally I tracked them down to accept, but by then they'd already built up this..." He waved a hand around. "This...family."
"You feel left out," said Aubrey. Marek nodded.
"Which is strange. Vampires don't usually form packs like this, based on love instead of a hierarchy of power. Usually they travel in pairs, or groups of three, if not alone."
"Do you like being alone more?" asked Aubrey. Marek held her gaze with his own, hesitating to answer.
"I'm conflicted," he said finally, standing and pulling Aubrey to her feet. "Come on, there's more of the house..." Aubrey could tell he wouldn't return to this subject anytime soon.
As they walked back out into the hallway, Bella and Edward could be seen stepping out onto the same floor. Aubrey threw Bella a smile, which she returned as the two entered Edward's room, closing the door. Aubrey noticed a door to her left.
"And what room is that?" she asked, pointing. Marek glanced at it.
"Oh, that's where they keep all of their illegal dealings," he said. Aubrey snorted.
"What?"
"Oh you know, document forgery, hacking, assorted credit card dealings, the usual," he said carelessly. Aubrey glanced back at the door with slight discomfort.
"Wow...rich, criminal activity, vampires...it's the fantasy mafia," she said. Marek snorted, putting an arm around her shoulder. Her skin shuddered while her heart pounded. There was a loud crash from Edward's room suddenly, and Marek and Aubrey turned around, walking over, shortly joined by two blurs. They opened the door to see Edward sitting on the couch, holding the curled up form of Bella.
"Can we come in?" asked one of the blurs next to Aubrey. She turned and saw that they were Alice and Jasper.
"Go ahead!" called Edward. Alice danced into the room, followed by Marek. Aubrey lingered by Jasper briefly before entering as well.
"It sounded like you were having Bella for lunch and we came to see if you would share," said Alice.
"Sorry, I don't believe I have enough to spare," said Edward. Aubrey was glad to see he had a sense of humor. Marek struck a sore look.
"Always the selfish one," he said, clicking his tongue. Edward opened his mouth to retort, but Jasper cut in.
"Actually, Alice says there's going to be a real storm tonight, and Emmett wants to play ball. Are you game?" he asked.
Aubrey glanced at Marek in puzzlement, but he was smirking. She looked back at Edward, who looked elated.
"Of course you should bring Bella," said Alice to him.
"Do you want to go?" asked Edward.
"Sure. Um, where are we going?" asked Bella.
"We have to wait for thunder to play ball. You'll see why." Aubrey stood there awkwardly, not wanting to seem intrusive. Alice turned her eyes to her.
"Do you want to come watch?" she asked. Aubrey felt relieved.
"Sure...I mean, if nobody minds..." Her eyes flicked to Edward.
"No, it's no problem with me," said Edward, smiling a crooked smile that would make any girl go weak at the knees. Aubrey didn't, however. Her affections seemed preoccupied...
"I'll pick you up when it's time," said Marek. Aubrey nodded.
"Will I need an umbrella?" asked Bella. The vampires laughed.
"Will she?" asked Jasper, looking at Alice.
"No. The storm will hit over town. It should be dry enough in the clearing," said the girl positively.
"Good then," said Jasper jovially.
"Let's go see if Carlisle will come," said Alice, bounding out of the room.
"Like you don't know," said Jasper, following her.
"What's the game?" asked Aubrey.
"Baseball," said Marek.
"I'm not good at that," said Aubrey, frowning. Marek laughed.
"Well good, because you're not allowed to play. You're a spectator. Play ball with us, and you're guaranteed a trip to the ER," said Marek.
"Vampires like baseball?" asked Bella, rolling her eyes.
"It's the American pastime," said Edward.
"Come on," said Marek to Aubrey. "I'll need to take you home until game time."
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