There was warmth. The warmth I hadn't felt in a long while. My eyes fluttered open and I shifted, only to find myself curled up against something warm and…uh. Furry. I groaned, rubbing my eyes. Then I gasped because I had been expecting pain to shoot through my broken hand. Instead I felt stiffness. I looked at it in awe and then terror. It was all set in a brace. No… No! That vile creature had let those vampires touch me (and by vile creature I meant Seth)!
I groaned and threw my face into the abundance of warm fur. Okay…that wasn't right. I was really out of it today. How come things weren't registering in my brain correctly? No! It was that vampire's fault, wasn't it? What was his name…Jasper? Pulling my face out of the fur, comprehension pulsed through me and woke me entirely within a second.
Plus, the slight sound of breathing and the gently rising and falling of the furry object I was lying against completely gave it away. I twisted around frantically, annoyed because I realized I was bundled up in a bunch of blankets. When I was finally sitting in the direction I wanted, my eyes widened and I gasped.
Although its eyes were closed, it still scared me. I had never been so up close to a wolf before, especially not one of this size. To make matters more confusing, we were just outside the vampire's house, and this was the same exact wolf I had seen before. I tried backing away, but only backed up into a curled up hind leg. The creature stirred, his tail moving against the ground and rustling against the grass.
His big brown eyes fluttered open and I looked up automatically.
When a cold wet nose nudged my shoulder, I squeaked and tried to crawl away. Then there was that little whimper and I didn't move. I knew this was Seth. I knew by his big brown eyes and little whimper. They hadn't killed me…
"What aren't I dead yet?" I whispered to it. The gangly tan wolf seemed to grin, and he carefully stood up and trotted off into a dense area of foliage. "Wait," I whimpered. I was alone now. In the cold but wrapped up in blankets. In front of a house of vampires… Ugh!
The rustling in the bushes grew louder until out popped the tan, muscular, annoying teenager who had kidnapped me, wearing a grin from ear-to-ear. He pranced over to me and sat down. I scooted away instinctively.
"Why don't you trust me?" he complained, whining. I rolled my eyes.
"'Cause. 'Cause you basically kidnapped me and let them touch me. 'Cause you brought me to a house of vampires and didn't let me leave, even when that doctor-vampire said I could go if I wanted. Which I don't understand because I bet the minute I stepped out of that house they would come out and kill me anyways," I muttered.
Seth groaned, falling on his back. He was bare-chested again, and I could see his ribs as he threw his hands back behind his head.
"They wouldn't kill you! Geez! You have some serious trust issues!" he groaned. I glared at him.
"You're not making it any better. But really, why'd they keep me alive?" I asked curiously. Seth sighed, sitting up again and leaning toward me as I leaned away. His eyes never left mine.
"'Cause if they tried to kill you, I'd probably throw myself in the way before they could get their hands on you," he said considerately and passionately. I blushed, complimented but still confused. "And I told you already! They don't bite humans! They're not bad guys! Didn't you see their eyes? Gold! Like, not red or black or anything! They've lived off of animal blood for like, ever!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air for exaggeration.
I frowned.
"That can't be true," I said doubtfully.
He looked at me like I was crazy.
"You're alive. I'm alive. I'm just as human as you," he said.
I scoffed.
"Weren't you just a giant furry wolf, oh, twenty seconds ago?" I countered. Seth blushed and scratched his head.
"Mmm…that's different. I'll have to tell you about that later," he murmured.
I folded my arms, pulling the blankets more around me.
"What tells you I'm going to stick around until 'later'?" I asked him cynically.
Seth's handsome face suddenly fell, and his shoulders slumped.
"…Why wouldn't you?" he asked in a tiny voice.
"I don't stay around places for more than a certain amount of time. I have to keep moving, or else they'll come and kill me…" I explained, trailing off at the end. Seth scooted closer until his arm was brushing up against mine, and I flinched but didn't pull away. His warmth was better than any of the blankets around me. Plus, I assumed they were the vampires'. That automatically made them disgusting.
"You've gotta stay though! My friends won't hurt you! I promise! And the vampires that are hunting you – they won't hurt you either! I won't let them," he argued fiercely. I blushed again and looked away from him to hide my flattered expression.
"Thanks…but-!"
"No 'buts'! You're staying," he ordered me. I scoffed, shoving him away.
"Are you taking me hostage? Like, seriously?"
He stood up when I did, a look of conviction in his eyes.
"If that's what it takes to get you to stay," he answered and I could see the truth in his expression. I glared.
"You can't hold me hostage. I'll call the police. You'll go to jail," I threatened.
"I'm fifteen," he snorted.
"Fine! Then juvie," I snapped, glaring still. His eyes widened.
"You wouldn't," he breathed.
I thought about it for a moment…
Okay, honestly, I only thought about it for probably four seconds.
"No…I wouldn't… That's not the point though! You can't hold me against my will!" I protested.
I took an intimidating step forward so that we were only inches away. I could smell his intoxicating scent again, and tried to ignore the feeling I got whenever I inhaled his perfect aroma. His serious, frightened look disappeared and suddenly he looked like a little teenage boy again; with a grin wide and happy.
"But you won't call the police?" he beamed. He seemed to dwell over the topic of my staying for a while.
I just listened and argued when I had to.
Finally I grew tired of this conversation.
"Why d'you want me to stay so much anyways?" I snapped at him. He blushed and looked away, tousling his hair with his hand.
"Uh…long story," he mumbled.
I sat down.
"Well, you're taking me hostage, so I've got time," I sneered.
He smirked and sat down. I watched as he held out his arms and knew he wanted me to sit by him. I shook my head with a firm "no." Seth's smile disappeared again. He had a pleading look on his face and I groaned as I stood up and sat down right next to him, our knees and shoulders touching. He placed an arm around my shoulders and I flinched at first until he basically forced me to lean against him.
"You have no idea what personal space is, do you, Seth?" I groaned. He laughed.
"Nope."
"I didn't think so."
He laughed again and the hand that dangled beside my upper arm was now gently stroking my shoulder. I shivered as a reaction. Why was I letting him touch me like this?
"…If this is uncomfortable, tell me okay?" he must have sensed my discomfort.
I nodded and he pulled away his arm muttering an apology.
"S'fine."
We sat in silence for a while. I was contemplating whether or not running again. My feet were no longer sore. I could run on them again; but probably not far. They had just been so sore because I hadn't been off my feet for nearly three days.
Suddenly –
"So…can I tell you about me now? Since, y'know, I'm keeping you hostage and all," he laughed, nudging my side with his elbow. I couldn't help but smirk. He was so kiddish. I hadn't acted like a kid since I was twelve. Now maybe Seth could change that.
I shrugged my shoulders. "M'kay. Since I don't have much choice, right?" I giggled. We both laughed and then he began.
Wow…vampires and werewolves. He told me about his kind. How he was part of a pack of werewolves that were allied with the vampires to keep Forks, Washington safe. He told me his Alpha was named Jake, and that the rest of his pack was also Quileute tribe up in a reservation called La Push. Just a couple miles away from here. Seth told me about all of the old legends, about why the werewolves were supposed to destroy the vampires, but not these Cullens because of Jake's relationship with Bella and Edward and Renesmee. He said that all of the Cullens and Hales were great people. Please! People? Vampires weren't people! But to Seth they were.
He told me that I would get used to them, and that I also had to meet Jacob; and Leah, Quil and Embry, the rest of Jacob's pack.
"So…is…wait. So why do you want me to stay so badly?" I finally asked as Seth was catching his breath. He smiled at me and blushed. It was very clear now. By the time he had stopped explaining everything, the sun was up and warming us now.
"It's this thing called…imprinting," he began, and then told me all about imprinting.
I blushed. So he…imprinted on me? Which means there is a bond between us stronger than even love? That it was a pretty magical thing? He explained to me everything. My brain was about to burst.
I had been staring at the ground until Seth was finished explaining. Now I stared back up at him, and he had that look in his eyes again. I blushed. Especially when Seth began leaning toward me, his eyes never leaving mine. Closer…and closer… but when our lips touched I pulled away instantly.
"Whoa. Seth, remember when you told me to tell you if I ever got uncomfortable? Yeah. Well, that's kinda happening now," I breathed, catching my breath and clearing my throat. He blushed and looked away.
"Sorry. Too fast?"
I nodded.
"Just a bit," I gulped. The atmosphere became grave; for me at least. "Seth…I'm not even in the position to trust even you yet. I do, like a lot, but I shouldn't. I've…I'm just not comfortable about it. I just met you yesterday. A-And suddenly all of this is just dumped on me a-and then you kiss me…and I just…I don't think it's right," I mumbled. I looked over at him and he was blushing and frowning at the same time.
"…S'okay I guess. Sorry I dumped that all on you. I shouldn't have," he apologized.
I blushed now.
"I don't care that much…it's just a lot to handle. I mean, I still don't believe that vampires can be the good guys," I said, just to peeve him off and lighten the mood. I had begun to grow a suspicion that Seth was telling the truth about the Cullens and the Hales.
"Aw, don't say that! You know they're good people! You've gotta understand that all vampires aren't like them!" he whined. Yep, my plan worked.
"I don't know…" I said with uncertainty.
He shook my shoulders all of a sudden, surprising me, with a pleading expression.
"Come on, you've gotta believe me! Why would I lie to you?!" he whined.
I frowned.
"Fine. I believe," I began, and his face lit up. "I believe that you believe that they're good guys," I continued and watched with a bit of satisfaction as his face fell again. "Not that they really are."
There was silence for a bit. I heard some noise from inside the house and tried to ignore it. Seth noticed it too, probably more than I did because of his advanced hearing (he explained that to me).
"What if…" he hesitated and asked politely if I could look at him. I had this odd suspicion that he enjoyed looking into my eyes. It was a bit awkward but, hey, how could a man who'd imprinted resist? Not to sound vain, but you get what I mean. "What if you stay for a while? And I don't mean as a hostage. As like, a guest or something... I'll prove to you that these vampires are good guys."
I smirked.
"What's in it for me? Y'know, if you want to try and make a deal, you've gotta tell me the perks I get too," I flirted. Oh, I couldn't help flirting with him! After he dumped that imprinting stuff on me, I realized it wasn't like a voluntary thing and I felt sorry for him. Of course, flirting would probably torture him even more. I couldn't tell whether or not he was happy to have imprinted. I'd ask him about that later.
He blushed.
"…You'd stay with me," he began with a little grin. "And you'd have a home to live in, and protection from the vampires that are hunting you," he continued, knowing that I'd prefer this over his first "perk."
"…how much d'you know about that?" I asked him.
"All of it. Edward, he's Rensemee's father and Bella's mate-slash-husband, well he can read minds. It's like a gift of his. So he kind of probed your mind 'cause I asked him because I was curious about what you meant… But before you open your mouth, Eliza, it was my idea! I swear, it wasn't Edward's fault," he explained quickly. I glared at him.
"Great!" I growled, throwing my arms up into the air. "So ya'll are immortal and you can read minds?! What, so I'm seriously the only one here that ages?" I snapped. It ticked me off. I probably wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with Seth if he aged like I did. He suddenly started laughing and I blushed, feeling like I was missing some inside joke.
"Well I kinda age, y'know? And so does Renesmee. Technically…kinda. And anyways, Edward's the only one who can read minds," he mumbled.
"Still – no privacy?" I whimpered.
He shrugged his shoulders.
"It's that way in the pack too. You get used to it," he shrugged.
"So…back to the whole…staying with us? What d'you think?" he continued eagerly.
I could almost imagine a long, tan, bushy tail behind him wagging.
I groaned and thought about it.
"It'd be dangerous…" I warned him in a low voice. "Really dangerous…they could attack at any moment. And there's a lot of them. About fifteen," I continued.
Seth's eyes widened.
"No. Impossible. If there were really that many, then the Volturi would come and destroy them," he frowned. I shook my head and moaned in agony. I had heard of the Volturi. They were not all-knowing. They had their little gaps, and my Hunters used those to their advantage.
"No! They don't travel together in a coven like the Cullens! They're separate! They don't all hunt me at the same time! They're couples! They have covens of two or three, never more! They know how to evade the Volturi! They switch off hunting me!" I explained.
I saw his arm twitch and I was sure that he wanted to wrap it around me. But I wouldn't let him.
"…Well we have to tell Carlisle. Just in case. And I'll warn Jake too. But please, Eliza! What d'you say?" Geez that boy was persistent. I guess I could blame it on the imprinting thing.
I sighed.
"I-I mean… I guess… but for those last two reasons, not the first!" I said quickly. I lied. But he didn't have to know that.
