"Tia. Tia, wake up!" I opened my eyes and smiled as the blurry face in front of me slowly came into focus.
"Good morning," I said. Benjamin smiled in reaction and then he helped me to sit up. Looking up, I noticed the room we were in. Comparing it to the grainy image in my memory, I thought it was the same room, but I took it all in, especially focusing on the one other person in it.
The room was bare of any elegant furnishings, apart from the bed I was lying on and the ornately carved metal over the fireplace. The walls were made of wood and the room smelled like lavender and freesia and oranges and chocolate and a hundred other wonderful things. Several cardboard boxes, draped with cobwebs, were piled in a corner, ignored completely. The floor wasn't covered, but there was a homey quality to the soft stone, worn out over who knows how many years. There was a candle beside the bed, half burned down. I loved the room immediately.
I had always been fascinated with mysteries and this room intrigued me. Why was Benjamin living here? Surely, judging by his fashionable clothes, good looks and charming manners, he would be living in a mansion?
"Where are your friends? The ones from last night… Amun and Kebi?" I yawned.
Benjamin's answer was terse. "They had to leave unexpectedly."
"What was wrong with Amun yesterday?"
"Amun has… problems."
"What problems?" I pressed, wanting a straight answer.
"It's late," he suddenly said. "You need to get home. And remember, tonight we have a meeting!" I smiled in remembrance. He gripped my arm as I climbed out of the bed. I cringed as I felt his icy cold hand and he let me go quickly. I walked unsteadily to the door and slipped my shoes on. When I looked around, Benjamin was still standing beside the bed, staring into space. After he noticed my stare, he quickly snapped out of it and came to my side.
"I'll take you home," he asserted. "You can't be trusted. Moreover, Raphael can't." Normally, I would have defended myself but somehow, I didn't mind. My eyes raked over his features. A shock of black hair, smooth, angular nose and mouth, almond-shaped eyes with crimson irises, lips turned up in a teasing smile. I smiled too, a little sadly. How silly to think that he would ever show interest in me, of all people. That was never going to happen.
And then I stepped with him into Alexandria.
For some reason unknown, Alexandria was unseasonably cold. I was shivering in minutes. Before I realised what he was doing, Benjamin had shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to me. Too cold to protest, I accepted it and shuddered as the cold material came into contact with my skin. It didn't help much.
We were halfway home before it happened. There was no warning, just a slight crunch like the sound a boot makes as it crunches into snow, then a person whirled to a stop in front of us.
"Amun, no!" Benjamin shouted. "Get a hold on your instincts!"
I had now gained enough control over my panic to realise that Amun was in front of me and Kebi had just skidded out of the woods to our right. I lived in one of the few out-of-city building complexes which were right beside the forest. Amun had come from the forest – but what was he doing in there?
Amun was making a truly frightening sound, snarling and breathing deeply. His previously black eyes were now tinged with red. They were flashing, alternating between red and black. Kebi tried to restrain him but he shook himself free and before I could catch up with what was going on, he pounced.
Benjamin threw himself in front of me and wrestled Amun to the ground. He slapped Amun across the face, and suddenly his expression cleared. Amun was no longer the snarling monster, he was the person I had seen last night. Kebi tugged on his arm and they moved back into the forest.
I didn't notice when Benjamin tugged on my arm. I only remembered his presence when he waved a hand in front of my face.
"Tia, it's okay now! Calm down!" he said, his face frenzied. I wondered randomly what my expression looked like.
"Wh-what's wrong with Amun? Why did he act that way?" I whispered.
"As I said before, Tia, Amun has… problems. Let's just forget about it for now and get you home. I'm sure you'll find out the secret soon." I consented, and soon I was home.
"I'll pick you up at five and we can walk to Lianna Café," was his parting remark. And of course, promptly at five, I heard a knock on the door. Wrenching the deadbolt back, I breathed a sigh of happiness. It was him.
It was a quiet walk to Lianna Café. He kept very close to me, not touching me, but so close that I could feel waves of cold coming off his skin. As we settled into our booth at the café, I avoided his eyes. We hadn't talked much, and, unexperienced person that I was, I hadn't any idea of how to start the conversation. I was thankful when he broke the silence.
"What would you like to order?" he asked me quietly.
"Coffee please, black." He nodded and called the waiter.
"One cup of black coffee, please," he requested.
"And for you, sir?" the waiter wanted to know.
"Nothing for me." The waiter touched his cap and waddled back to the counter. He could be heard calling out my order.
"Why didn't you get something for yourself?" I asked curiously. Why had he brought me out for coffee and then not had any himself?
Benjamin opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly he stiffened. There was a knock on wood behind me I whipped around.
"Knock, knock," Raphael said. In his hand was a long, sharp knife.
A/N: Wow, that was quick! Even if I so say so myself... ;)
Just for the record, does anyone know what a "hit" is? It says on my Story Stats page that I have 35 of them. Oh, and I'm sorry for the cliffie, but let's face it, any good Twilight fan would know that the knife is SO not going to... damn. I'm spoiling it! Oh well. Whatever. You'll have to find out in the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters! All the credit goes to Steph, for Bella, Edward and my two lovely mains, Benjamin and Tia.
new york gal: Thanks so much for your review =) Yeah, I get what you mean about the Kebi-not-talking-much thing - I had recognised that as well, the only problem is, I couldn't have Amun rescuing Tia. You'll soon see why. And please, please, PLEASE tell me what a "hit" is! The suspense is KILLING me!