CHAPTER THREE

~Friend~

I was trapped there in the room for days - then the days turned into weeks - and the weeks turned into months. Every day was the same, I woke up, took a shower in the beautiful bathroom, which I now was used to, and then went out and listened to Alec and Jane when they told me stories about the countries they had visited. Every day, my old life seemed to shrink. It only felt like a faint dream or an old blurred memory. I waited for the day to come when I was to visit Aro, but my siblings never brought it up, and it wasn't like I wanted to meet him so I didn't remind them. I was trapped inside the room, never going out - every day exactly the same.

Until the day I got sick.

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I felt a little sore that night so I showered erlier then normal. I didn't think anything of it until I stepped out of the hot, steamy air of the bathroom and felt the room spinning. Alec caught me before I hit the floor. His voice was anxious as he called my name and I could feel the tension in his hands as he touched my face.

I whimpered at his cold touch. My whole body ached and my skin unexpectedly hurt to the touch. The room still whirled out of control, though I knew I was not moving.

"You are so warm," He told me as he laid me on the bed.

I didn't feel warm, though, I felt like I was freezing. My teeth chattered and I was shaking uncontrollably. He piled the blankets on and stood looking down on me, his thirteen year old red eyes wide and dark with helplessness. Somehow, I realized that he knew absolutely nothing about being sick or taking care of someone who was and I was sicker then I had ever been.

I don't remember much after that. My temperature soared and I began to hallucinate. I saw daddy and I was followed by some nightmare creatures with red eyes and fangs.

I heard voices, but they boomed too loudly in my oversensitive ears and I was unable to make out what they said. The tone was worried and I wondered why. The bright light of the room hurt my eyes and I tried to tell the voices to turn it off, but my tongue seemed to fill my mouth and I gave up.

I felt hard, cold iron bands hold me down and I fought against them while my arm was pricked and something that burned was forced into my veins. As my thoughts whirled uncomprehendingly through my mind, I worried that I had been bitten. But why would something bite me?

Later, after I had been released from the icy bands and it was quiet and dark again, I felt something cool resting against me and turned instinctively towards it, if only to cool the burn of my skin. It was soothing and as long as I didn't move too much, I was able to sleep a little easier.

I don't know when it was that I finally opened my eyes for real -- some of the hallucinations had been so real. I was stiff and beginning to feel fabulously hungry, but other than that I felt fine. The soft light didn't hurt my eyes and it was quiet in the room, no noise assailed my tender ears.

It surprised me to see a pair of very dark, alert red eyes staring into mine not two inches from my face and I screamed, terrified. As fast as I could, I got up and ran into the bathroom. I leaned against the door - pushing it as hard as I could. Though, I knew that a vampire was strong, and that he probably could open the door without any problems. A vampire. He could have eaten me.

Did Alec know about this? Jane?

I looked myself in the big mirror and noticed I was crying in fear. I'm going to die, I thought as I saw my own face - and nobody will ever know. Would Alec or Jane be sad if that vampire killed me? They would definitly be angry but would they cry? Could vampires cry? If daddy knew, would he cry? Yes, that was obvious.

"Open the door" I heard a beautiful velvet voice say - and of course I wanted to open it. Of course I wanted to believe that the man outside was nothing more than a man and that everything would be alright - and of course inside I knew that I would never get out of this mess.

"Why?" I said, stubbornly and childish.

"If you won't open up, I'll open the door myself." he said - his voice as calming and soothing as before.

I knew this was true - he would have no problems with it. But maybe if I did as he said, I would get more time. And maybe, just maybe, Alec and Jane could come in time and maybe, just maybe, they could save me from the cruel beast.

I opened the door slowly, so slowly - and saw him through the narrow opening. He was tall and muscled but lean - he had short brown hair, his skin pale, his eyes in a dark red color and he was absolutely gorgeous. He smiled as I stepped out of the bathroom.

"I am Corin. What is your name?" He asked politely. Anger flared briefly, surprising me. That he could pretend to be so civil and so pleasant.

I shook my head, gritting my teeth to keep from answering in some snide way. The last thing I wanted to do was get him angry, yet I didn't want to tell him my name either. A name was power and I didn't want him to have that power over me. That was what I told myself then. Later, in my soul, I knew the truth, though. I was simply too terrified at how I would react at hearing the sound of my name coming out of his mouth with his voice. It was different with my siblings - they knew me, I trusted them. This vampire was not at all trusting.

"Come now, can't we be friends?" he chuckled, the dark amusement was present again in that deceptively friendly voice. Was I some sort of joke? "I must say that Alec hasn't trained you that well."

Trained me? What kind of blown-up bastard was he?

Again I shook my head in stubborn refusal. Better than giving him the pleasure of seeing me angry, so I was keeping my face securely pointed toward the ground. His feet were long and his hands were slim but firm. He had piano fingers - I noted swiftly, trying to think of something normal, instead of the fact that I was standing in front of a vampire who could eat me any second.

He chuckled again and moved his free hand to my chin, my breath caught as his cool skin came in contact with mine - thankfully there was no electric snap. He easily forced my face up to his. My trembling started with renewed force the moment he touched me and I was so sure I would shake into pieces that I forced my eyes to the side, so I would not have to look into his crimson eyes. Tears welled up and spilled over in a mixture of helpless fear and impotent anger.

"Won't you look at me?" He crooned, his voice dropping lower, growing even more soothing, inadvertently giving away his ulterior motive.

He thought to charm me with his voice but it wouldn't work, I wouldn't let it. My traitorous heart would though and it responded by skipping at the seductive sound. I shook my head as well as I could considering he was still holding my chin firmly in his big hand.

"Very well," he said moving his hand. He was silent for a long moment, so I deemed it safe to take a swift look up.

I rapidly blinked the tears away, there were so many and they wouldn't stop. As my vision cleared, I was surprised to see him examining the water that had dropped from my eyes onto his skin. A thoughtful frown creased his brow as he looked at them.

His eyes shifted to mine and snared me before I had the opportunity to look away. I was so stupid. I cringed at the sight of those horrible, unblinking red eyes, but was unable to tear myself away from the fire there. If I didn't, I would go up in flames. His face smoothed and he looked up the hall. I drug a ragged breath into my lungs as soon as he broke eye contact and relief flooded through me.

"You're going to come with me now" he said, in a very decided tone of voice.

I instinctively pulled back on his grip, shaking my head in denial. I knew what had not been voiced, to leave with any one of the people with red eyes, would be to walk straight to my death and I didn't think it would be a calm, peaceful death. The kind of death we all hope for. I was absolutely, positively convinced it would be the exact opposite. It would be something I would be dragged into, screaming and begging for the earth to swallow me, for the pain and fear to somehow end.

Since I would not look at him, he bent near to my ear. His breath was icy. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I held very still, caught in a cotton-mouthed, wide-eyed terror.

"You have to trust me." he said - smiling, trying to hold a laugh. He was amused by me. Amused by my helplessness.

He paused to steady me with one hand and I shook my head helplessly. He pulled me out of my room - Yes, I thought of it that way now, my trustful old room - As it was, I was running and he wasn't going faster then a quick walk - for him. I could never have kept up with his speed. Despair overwhelmed me as I realized even if I had been able to break his grip on my wrist, I could never have ran fast enough to get away. He paused for the briefest of seconds at a heavy wooden door then wrenched it open and spun me inside.

"Get against the back wall, don't move and I will be back for you as soon as I can." His eyes were hard, like the gems they matched and just as unfeeling.

I nodded like a deer in the headlights and backed away towards the wall once the door was pulled shut after him. I did one better than just getting against the back wall, though. I wedged myself in between the gigantic wooden bed that dominated the room and the wall. It took quite a bit of pushing and pulling to maneuver the thing, but I had just enough adrenaline racing through my blood that I was able to finally get it far enough from the wall to cram my body into the space.

I sat there not moving as the tears poured down my face and I gave myself over to the fear and despair of the situation. My thoughts ran through my mind so quickly, I had no time to decipher their meanings before they were gone and a new one had taken place. I couldn't understand myself, I made no sense.

I must have fallen asleep or into some unconscious stupor because the next thing I remember was being pulled from my hiding place and carried. I woke up slowly - he was carrying me, staring at me in concern. My jaw dropped and I stared at him - was he going to kill me?

"Where are you taking me?"

He didn't answer me, so I guess I had to look around for myself. He was carrying me down a stair, and then another one. He just walked around in, what to me, seemed to be circles. Then suddenly, we reached a big wooden door. It was different from the other doors. He opened it swiftly with one hand - while carrying me with the other one. And I looked into the most beautiful garden - the birds were singing and the sun shining.

"I said you should trust me" he chuckled - letting me down on my own feet.

I took one careful step into the sunshine. Was he letting me go? Just like that? Could I go? Was I free? I took another step, now with hope. I was free. I could go home to daddy. Jane and Alec could come with me. And we could, once again, be a big happy family.

"I'm not letting you leave." he said, noticing my hope and happiness, "I just thought you would like to get some time outside - I know humans need that."

Tears filled my eyes again - but I didn't let the sadness take a hold of me. I took a deep breath. I was going to enjoy the time here in the garden while I still could.

"Now will you tell me your name?" He inquired.

I rocked for a moment or two, wondering if it would make any difference if I told him or not, probably not. If I were to die, at least one person would know who I was and maybe he could be persuaded into sending a letter to daddy. I didn't want to think of the grief daddy would be forced to experience upon hearing that I had died - then he would be all alone. Thinking Alec and Jane was dead to. But I guess that, in one sense, they were.

"It's Katie. Katie Brown." I finally whispered.

"Thank you, Katie."

My name rolled off his tongue just as I knew it would and my heart gave a responsive little flutter. I ran out into the green grass, rolling around until I found just the right spot and lied down - looking up to the sky. I took a deep breath, the air smelled better than ever. A butterfly flied past me and I hurried up after it, jumping trying to catch it, I laughed as I sat down again and turned to Corin.

He was looking at me from the shadow, looking almost fascinated by me. But I wasn't fascinated, I was just a tiny human, I was nothing special at all.

"Can't you come out here?" I wondered - away in my thoughts, "I'm having fun."

He hesitated, but then took a step into the sunlight, and that was the first time I got to see a vampire sparkle. I hadn't known at all what Alec meant with "sparkle". I had thought of glitter when Alec told me. It looked like diamonds - crystals, shining and sparkling all over his body, "Wow." I stuttered and he stopped for a second, to make sure I wasn't afraid. But when he didn't see anything but fascination in my face, he came closer.

"Lay down -" I said and clapped the grass cover next to me, "Let's look at clouds."

He seemed to think I was stupid, childish and amusing - but he lay down next to me anyway, "Look - Look!" I said eagerly and pointed at a cloud, "Look, it's a horse!" He now thought I was lame too. Well, I didn't care - or at least I was going to convince myself that I didn't care.

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"You have to come with me now." he sighed, looking sad - was he sad for my sake?

"B-but I don't want to go inside" I mumbled, tired of being locked up. Now suddenly, my trustful room seemed to have turned into my prison, "Can't we stay outside just some more minutes?" I begged him, "Please?"

"No - If you don't come with me now - you will be killed." he said, looking me streight in the eyes, and grasped my arm. It wasn't hard for him to pull me with him, so I had to come with him. I had no choice.

He left me outside the door, refusing to come with me inside. So I opened the door and walked in, and found Jane on the bed.

"Where have you been?" she hissed and stood up, but seemed to feel something. She took a deep breath and suddenly lifted a chair, throwing it into a wall, and then looked at me with eyes black as coal, "What did he do with you - I'm going to kill him, I'm going to kill him and make him wish that he never touched my sister!"

"Jane, Jane - I'm fine" I tried calming her, "He just took me outside so I could get some... fresh air."

"Fresh air, huh. More like - kidnapping my sister and hurting her, what did he say? How did he threaten you?" she said and walked closer, "You don't have to be afraid, firstly - Alec and I will always protect you, and secondly - Corin will be killed the second after you tell me what really happened."

"Well, I told you what happened and don't you think that if he had wanted to hurt me, I would be dead by now - and I don't want to get him killed, he did me a favor." I said slowly, checking her reaction, "He hasn't threatened me!" Then it hit me,"-and when you say, Alec and I will always protect you... what were you doing when he did ran off with me?" I asked her, "I was sick -and you left me here all alone?" my voice was shaking a little - I couldn't keep it steady. I had trusted them.

Jane looked like I had punched her, "I was... with Demitri... thought Alec..." she looked up at me at once, looking too worried - I had never seen her like that, she looked... terrified "Where is Alec?"

Hello Darlings,

A new chapter updated :D

What do you guys think about Corin? Like him? Hate him? Does he creep you out?

Well, the main thing I should ask is; what did you think about the chapter? Like it? Hate it?

Ok, can't hold myself; I actually like Corin - he's cool. Well... he's kind of cool. Even though he's evil... but deep, deep inside - he's good, I think. Eh, what the hell - I'll let you deside if he's good or evil. I will probably build his character a little more later. I like writing him, he will probably get a bigger character with time. Or maybe he is a big character already... hmm... I don't know.

And then - where is Alec...? I'm giving you something to think about, anyway, maybe you can tell me where you think he went?

I'll update soon - Review or I'll bite, See you ;D