Heyyyzzz (*gasp* is that some Zs on the end of the average greeting?! What'sgotintome?!)
Yes. This update is horrendously late. And GAH! I'm so sorry I didn't give out many sneak peaks. I concentrated on updating… (because, well, which is better, a sneaky peaky or an update?) but. Because I am officially awful and didn't reply to all the reviews or give out well deserved sneak peaks… you hereby have full permission to stab me with pencils. And even more so because... heck, I think you're going to HATE this chapter. Arrrffff! (Yeah, 'Arrrfff' is now my new way of showing distress)
*hides in preparation of said stabby sharpened pencils*
But in hindsight, you're actually lucky, because right now I should have completed all of my French Coursework and English Essay. But no. Being the… smart person that I am, I left them… till the last minute to complete. I'm STILL postponing them in order to update and will probably finish them by around… 3am *shudders* Yup. So I'm endangering my health by updating instead of sleeping! *and I apologises for typos in this chapter, I'll edit them when I have the time. But if I edited this now then I'd never end up updating tonight. And thanks for pointing out previous grammatical errors. Believe me or not, but I DO know the difference between 'your' and 'you're' I just type too quickly and don't edit my work. I know. Bad! (hits head)*
But I am very sorry (apologies galore today…) for the late update, if you think it's because Hedgehog and I are having some sort of ongoing feud… well no. It's not that. I've just had a busy week. But hey! That blasted Biology exam has finally passed, so I can now type up chapters without a nagging voice in my head muttering: …youreallyshouldberevisingyouknow…. Because if there's one thing I hate more than people who plot to steel my rubber ducks, it's REVISION. Pah. Anyway. All done and dusted now. Huzzah! (Yes. I love that word. Speaking of words… wow. Huzzah was actually used in a review if I recall correctly. It's made of fantabulosity. And before you ask, no, fanabulosity is not a word, but hey, neither is mirthility, and that really SHOULD be a word :p)
REVIEWS?! 909?! Holey Moley Baloney! (You can thank Jade for that phrase. Fantabulous huh?) I'm all hyped up. SO darn close to 1000... Okay, 91 reviews away (which is a LOT) but still… that's not that much in comparison to how unlikely my expectations for this fic ever were. I don't think this chapter will get that many reviews… and definitely not 91 (the chances are about… well… they're very small :p) but heck, a girl can dream (unless she's me, because she won't have TIME to dream with the ridiculous amount of work she gets set. *grumbles incoherently*)
Oh! And I need to applaud you all! I'm thrilled to hear that the phrase 'nelephant' has cropped up in people's lives. I never expected you to all pick up on that phrase, I just assumed you'd think I was crazy… :s (You still do, don't you? :p)
That's it. I'll shut up temporarily, go read!
What Happened Last Chapter:
"Run."
I saw Carlisle check my temperature by lightly pressing his palm to my forehead, but I couldn't move.
My head was pounding again, now the nausea kept coming in stronger and stronger waves. It was a stupid irrational reaction. But I couldn't help it. The cold touch to my forehead mixed up with the mention of the person that - for two years - I'd tried to forget about, sent tumults of fear through me. It was a fear I'd never experienced before this moment, one tainted with a hidden nostalgia at what I'd lost.
Carlisle had noticed. His eyes adopted a look only doctor's could portray. Expertise and concern flashed across his youthful features. He'd understood what he'd caused by checking my temperature; he gripped my back in an attempt to prevent me from falling
But it was already too late.
The Potent Presage.
***
The darkness around me was too dense. Impenetrable. It wasn't normally like this. Normally I could see where I was. Normally I'd been in a clearing. Normally I wouldn't be alone.
This wasn't normal.
Slowly, a light peaked over the distant horizon. An odd colour - violet, it was almost too vivid, remaining burning in my retinas when I covered my eyes. There was another light in the distant. A pure, white light. I didn't understand the prickle of unease that shot through me at the sight of it. The figure drew closer. I watched his movements, they were supple - graceful.
Terror froze me. I was afraid to move, afraid to shout, afraid to breathe. I wasn't sure whether the figure had noted my presence yet, or whether I was still safe where I stood - terror struck. I decided that I couldn't be safe. Generally, when one was safe they felt safe. I most certainly did not feel safe. He smiled slowly at me. I knew who he was: Alec.
Alec looked as though he was unsure whether to approach me, shrouded in a cloak that made him no more substantial than shadow. He took one graceful step closer, before stopping. Cocking his head curiously to one side, a sly grin pulling his lips open wide. I could see his teeth even from here - white pearls, stained with an unmistakable liquid. Blood.
And then my father stepped out from the trees.
I wanted to scream at him, to leave, run to him and shove him back into the forest. But I couldn't. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move.
I was trapped. And so was he.
Alec grinned.
He averted his original route towards me, now moving to my father. My father continued to stare at me in shock, not noticing Alec. I fought furiously at invisible bounds, trying to run to him. Alec was next to my father now, his expression was one of malice. My father's eyes didn't stray from my face.
I felt (despite the fact that it wasn't my skin who he touched) the warm rush of liquid - the same liquid I knew was too potent - ooze out of the fine line he'd scraped across my father's skin. My father was mouthing something to me, seemingly oblivious to the mutation he was undergoing. He couldn't see the figure. He couldn't see anything. But I knew he could feel something was wrong. The horror on his face proved as much. I didn't even scream - though now the lump that had been prohibiting speech had vanished. I couldn't. I was too terrified for that. My throat had the texture of sandpaper, coarse and dry.
One single, dark sanguine drop fell to the earth. It fell for what seemed like an eternity, the impact of it hitting the ground somehow made the terror my situation more real, the fear eating away at me was now almost palpable.
Alec looked at me, frowning in concentration. Before lunging for my father's throat. I heard myself scream as if from far away, it ricocheted through the clearing as tears fell relentlessly down my numb cheeks. Alec gave no look of pity. He was intent on his prey, sucking my father lifeless. I felt myself contact with hard ground, felt my eyes roll back into my head. I saw one thing before it was over.
It was a woman. Dressed in a dress paler than the moon. She threw Alec off my father's body. I felt another cry escape me, begging her to turn - to look at me. I needed to see her face. I needed to know who she was. She turned round at my silent request, her eyes two emerald lights set in a pale face.
But before I could make out who she was, she had vanished into the compressing darkness. And I was left alone, with only the howling wind to keep me company.
And then, all of my senses went black.
***
I awoke with a sound too audible to be considered as a gasp, though whether my sparse breath was due to the sight before me or the dream I'd just witnessed was hazy to me. In fact, everything was hazy, I couldn't yet determine where I was; still gripped by a strong feeling of inertia.
I've been in a few situations like this. Ones in which I've found Edward's face inches away from my own, his alluring scent washing over me, ice marble figure pressed up to my trembling one, and dark eyes staring at me. Each of these times: I've blushed; my heart rate has risen; I've lost coherency in thoughts; or developed a speech impediment. Or all of them - commonly all of them actually.
And yes, now was no exception.
I didn't know what I expected as I lay there, still paralysed in the petrified state my dream had left me in. The metallic taste still fresh on my tongue, with goose bumps prickling my skin. And unsure whether I had screamed in both the dream and reality. I wasn't crying to my relief. I'd awoken with dry cheeks.
But judging from the last time this had happened, part of me expected comfort from him. I sidetracked from my initial thought of him comforting me. A torrent of forbidden images ensued; I pushed it away abruptly, mentally scolding myself. Get a grip.
Still, the fact that Edward had probably witnessed what I'd seen meant that I thought some comfort would have been given. Soothing words perhaps; assurances that I was safe; that my father would be safe. At least something to save me from the inner turmoil that was raging inside me.
What I wasn't expecting was his eyes to harden as my own regained focus, nor did I anticipate his expression. One contorted in what can only be described as contempt. My reaction was slow. I felt the blood from my previous blush drain out of my cheeks, returning them to their sallow pallor. My paralysed body shook slightly without warning. I sat up as quickly as I could; expecting to see others around me, remembering Carlisle's concerned face and light eyes.
But Carlisle wasn't here. It was just him. And his onyx eyes - too dark I noted - portrayed far from comfort or concern. The contempt slid into incredulity as I ran a hand through my hair redoing the ponytail to keep it from falling across my eyes. It was a notion I'd tried to appear as casual, though I knew he could feel my struggle with the simple movement. I couldn't coordinate properly. It was an effort to quell the shakes.
Slowly, I let out a shallow breath.
And it seemed that was all it took to set him off.
"That wasn't the first like that was it?" His voice was like steel, it wasn't a question. Shock must have been plain on my face at his harsh tone. Maybe he hadn't seen what I had. Perhaps he'd arrived too late to realise why it was so hard for me to reply to him (it had been over a minute now since he'd spoken.) My chapped lips seemed to have forgotten how to move.
"I-I… don't know what you mean." I fought inexorably to block the image of my father dead… lifeless.
Edward didn't seem to notice that I was about a second away from breaking.
"Your dream." Short, clipped words. I fought back the stinging sensation in my eyes. I must not cry. "How many times has the Volturi been in them?" So he had seen.
"Lots." I didn't like this; I wanted to forget my dreams. I didn't want to recite them to him.
"How many times." He repeated, his lips pursed.
I didn't answer. I couldn't think of how many times they had plagued my nights. Of how many times they had left me restless and scared. Edward let out a frustrated sigh. "That was your mother wasn't it? The woman at the end." My throat became tight, he carried on - now even more persistently, "It was, wasn't it? The one in the dress. Can't you-"
"Stop it Edward," I snapped at him, "Stop treating me a child." I couldn't think of her now. I didn't want a relapse of before. Every time I thought of my mother the nostalgia that arose was so intense that it made me feel sick. Edward's words brought me sharply back into focus.
"What else are you?"
His words withheld a tense scepticism. I stood up forcefully, ignoring the dizzy sensation that automatically followed the movement. Almost instinctively (involuntarily, it seemed) Edward's arm shot forward to steady me. The same spark flitted at the brief contact. He relinquished it seconds after, confusion plain in his eyes. My voice was louder than I'd anticipated when I spoke.
"I'm seventeen. I've just relived another flipping nightmare or portent filled 'vision' my father was dead in it. Alec killed him-" I could sense he was about to interrupt me, a feeling of vindictive satisfaction filled me at the shock in his eyes about my father, "and I am fed up of your attitude." I regretted my last words, I sounded alike to that of a parent dealing with an angst-ridden teenager. I looked back to Edward. The similarity of the predicament was shocking.
"No, your right. You're not a child," He said quietly, almost tiredly, as if he regretted his words. "But you're callow - inexperienced when it comes to things like this Lucie. We can't just go waltzing along to the Volturi, even if your dream does hold some relation-"
"I never," I said with a muffled force, "mentioned anything about 'waltzing along to the Volturi,' thank you very much. You appear to be mistaken on that front. Either that - or your talking to someone who isn't me. Maybe Alice in disguise."
"You're drivelling," Edward commented dryly.
"I am not drivelling." I said with dignity, knowing full well that I was. And that I was becoming more petulant by the second. I couldn't help it. This all arrogance and angst-ridden Edward wasn annoying the hell out of me. Alice appeared suddenly, I had a strange feeling that she had been eavesdropping.
"What's all this about me being in disguise?" She said lightly, her intent on breaking the tension was as obvious as Edward's steadily depleting mood. It failed miserably.
"I was saying how Lucie couldn't just waltz off to the Volturi-" I opened my mouth, fuming, but he carried on before I could protest. "She didn't strictly use that terminology…" Alice gave a delicate snort. I heard something that sounded distinctly like "but she was about to." muttered under his breath superciliously.
I didn't even bother to argue with him. My head felt dense, the dull ache was back. Alice was doing a curious hopping motion from foot to foot impatiently (like small children did when they needed to use the toilet.) That didn't look normal. The thought made my lips have a slight twitch. The word 'normal' simply didn't apply to Alice, whatever the circumstances. Still, despite the oddness of it, she still mannered to look effortlessly graceful. I raised my eyebrows at her, but she didn't seem to see me. I soon realised that the hopping motion had been one of impatience, she was waiting to speak.
"We might not need to search for the Volturi…"
Edward's head whipped round to hers faster than a bullet, suddenly alert. We spoke in unison.
"What do you mean?"
Her eyes flickered to me before she let out a breath.
"Well… I just had another vision."
***
I hadn't been able to follow their conversation. The pace of it was too fast. Though even the minimal amount of information that I managed to procure from it scared me. Alice had had another vision, one in which the Volturi had ransacked my house. Despite this, she believed that it wasn't them who had taken my father - apparently he'd not been in a vision for days now. I didn't understand Alice's gift, it seemed as though she could scour through the future and search for information. She could pinpoint visits of the Denali clan, she could estimate with uttermost precision as to what could happen the next day.
If she could do all that, then why couldn't she see my future?
I hadn't asked her this. I felt sick. Resulting to sitting with Jasper most of the time. We didn't talk whilst we sat next to each other, but just being with him was enough. He radiated a sense of calm through me, but it wasn't like his normal infuriating calm that you got angry about because you couldn't dispel it. It was a different kind - more like a sedative to numb the pain that kept hitting me. I could tell he knew how I felt; I couldn't hide it from Jasper. Though I intended to hide it from the others as long as possible.
"Lucie?" The sound of my name broke me out of my train of thought; I focused properly for the first time in two whole hours. I must have been out of it; I was unable to detect who had spoken.
I was more than shocked to see Rosalie beside me instead of Jasper.
"Hmm?" I mumbled, unable to string a coherent sentence together.
"Listen," She gave me a long look before continuing. An assessing one. As if she was unsure whether she should tell me whatever she intended or not. When she did continue, she did something I often found that people (vampires in particular) did when they were agitated - she spoke very quickly. I had to strain my ears to hear what she was saying. "I've been talking with Edward… and, well, I shouldn't even be saying this really… but Edward and I aren't really on good terms at the minute anyway so I might as well."
I looked at her, completely bemused. Her lip curled in what I took to be a smile. I liked Rosalie, despite her overwhelmingly (and intimidating) gorgeous persona, she wasn't just a cold hearted person who revelled in other's discomfort. I knew this much - somehow, she liked me - and I didn't care whether it was because I was too abnormal to act as sufficient competition for attention that she craved. Or not attractive enough to arise jealously because if Rosalie liked me then life would be considerably easier than if the feeling was opposite.
It was almost as if she could read my thoughts, she backtracked slightly.
"Look, I like you Lucie, and to be perfectly honest - I'm not sure why. I think it's because you can bring out a side of Edward that the rest of us can't. Bella was the point to his existence a few weeks ago, and since he's met her, he's never been the same since. I don't expect you to understand what I'm saying Lucie," She gave a grimace, impossibly her beauty still overpowered mine even in the normally highly unattractive expression, I shifted slightly where I sat. She let out a small sigh, lowering her voice slightly and looking over her shoulder. "Edward does not in a good mood right now," She whispered, "keep that in mind. Please… despite what he thinks I do care about him, and for him to be content you're just going to have tolerate how he acts…"
Rosalie trailed off her rushed talk, it was probably a good thing. I had officially not understood a word of what she had been trying to tell me.
It had not occurred d to me at first, why she stopped talking though. Gingerly, (and with a sinking feeling how very slow on the uptake I was) I looked over my shoulder.
He stood there - well, leant stiffly - scowling in the doorway. Staring from me to Rosalie. The look on his face was as clear crystal: disapproval.
"Lucie," I could sense the strain in my name as he spoke it, "I need to talk to you."
I didn't have time to reply before Rosalie left the room, her blonde hair falling in front of her perfect face and consequently shielding what her expression was. Edward remained in the door way. He was too still - tension was already in the air between us. I stood up quickly, walking towards him and wondering what he wanted to say. Our last conversation hadn't exactly ended on a happy note.
I was taken aback by his words. Taken aback at first. The second feeling that arose was the same irrational annoyance at his tone. Formal. Ugh.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine." I deadpanned. It was my response to everyone's concern today and besides, I there wasn't much else I could say in response.
Oh yeah, I'm morbidly depressed because my father's either dead or in the clutches of some sadistic vampire. Also, I have no idea why the hell my mum keeps appearing in my dreams and I'm getting increasingly infuriated by your stupid formal tone. So, on the whole, I'm brilliant. Just brilliant.
Edward's sarcastic reply really didn't improve my mood.
"Oh, good. I'd hate to think you've deviated from fine."
I scowled at him.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Got a problem with that?" I mumbled, keeping my eyes firmly on the floor.
"Fine." He mocked in aggravation, "Define please: what fine is, Lucie?"
"Just… go Edward. I can't deal with this, not now." I mumbled, placing my head in my hands, trying to stop it from splitting open. More images of pale faces (considerably more sinister than those of the Cullens) were flitting behind my eyes.
"You're right. I should go." His voice was dead again. I a sudden felt panic seize me. He continued, now looking past my shoulder into nothing, his eyes adopting the same glassy look. "Your father's not going to come back on his own, is he? Maybe I should go to The Volturi," his face held the ghost of a smile, "though I'm not too keen on the waltzing part."
"No," My voice was quiet, "I didn't mean - I'm just… upset."
And then, for that slightest moment in which he hesitated - I saw his confidence and angst that had been so potent previously - falter. His shadowed eyes met mine, and not for the first time, I forgot the rage. Because in that brief glance I saw something in his eyes the same crazed desperation that I didn't understand. The same passion smouldering beneath the surface. I no longer knew what to think.
He gave himself a slight shake. It was something; I thought absently, that men did. A male sort of movement often accompanied with a manly cough. The look had vanished as quickly as it had come. He looked at me in the eye fully. I had an odd feeling of exposure fall over me. His voice was a deadly calm as he fired a question that I had not expected.
"Why didn't you tell me about Demetri?"
Oh crud.
"… What?" Perhaps feigning innocence would work?
"Don't act ignorant Lucie," Okay, evidently not… "I've been talking with Alice. And her visions comply of you and him," I didn't need to ask who, the disgust told it all, Demetri, "in her most recent vision he said - and I quote: 'you were foolish not to tell them.' By 'them' I'm pretty sure he meant us Lucie. And I thought about this, fair enough if you didn't tell me or Alice because he'd said things to you in your dreams. Dreams are unreliable (despite yours having tendencies to be more so than others) I can understand that. But what did he tell you in the clearing? And more importantly," He stepped closer to me, raising his voice, "why the hell didn't you tell me what he said?!"
"I-I couldn't…" I sputtered, unable to form an argument.
"He threatened you, didn't he? Demetri from the elite Volturi guard, the most well known and powerful tracker in the world Lucie threatened you, and you thought it best to keep this from me, did you?"
His nostrils were flaring, eyes a flat coal. Instead of spluttering this time, or cowering in fright, or apologising I glared at him. How dare he?! I didn't tell him all this for precisely this point - his reaction. Edward was predicable. I knew this was what was going to happen.
But the part that bothered me, infuriated me, was his lack of contradiction. Not an ounce of blame was placed on himself, and he did the opposite from trying to change that situation, instead putting the blame on my shoulders. I didn't care if his words held some sort of hidden care, or if I was supposed to read in between the lines. I was too tired for that. If Edward was entitles to be mad, then heck, so was I.
"And Edward?! How am I meant to react to that? Yeah he did threaten me. And I knew you'd have this response. You can't go, please. It won't resolve anything-"
"Lucie," He hissed, "why didn't you tell me sooner?" but he stopped me before I could protest against his words, punching the bridge of his nose in frustration. His hands were fists again, the tendons sticking out, I half expected him to pace.
He didn't. He just stood there, staring at me - his face contorted in disbelief and disappointment. The look irked me. I was angry. And I was even angrier that I wasn't angry because of him. Instead, I was angry at myself. And I was angry at myself for simple reason of expecting to gain comfort from him. Something was hurting, a dull ache in my chest. I ignored it. To think I'd assumed he'd even understand my situation…
"I could have stopped this..." He muttered crossly, raking a hand through his hair almost violently. I refused to let the notion distract me.
"Stopped what Edward?" I seethed, glaring at him incredulously, for the first time, actually angry at him. I welcomed that as apposed to being angry at myself. It was ridiculous hat he always assumed he could change everything. Alice's words rang in my ears, I found myself mentally agreeing with them. "What makes you think you should change it? …Everything happens for a reason."
However, once I remembered the context Alice had put those words to I suddenly found that my stomach was churning. I shook my head slightly, abandoning the thought. I was abruptly snapped back to the present with an exceptional clarity. Edward's nostrils were flaring, and my previous irritation swelled once again.
"Stopped what?" I repeated - almost spitting at him. He glowered at me, and it struck me for the first time how dark his eyes were. He hasn't hunted in awhile. The thought hadn't crossed my mind before this point, but now I wondered how much control he had.
The realisation for his thirst had silenced me momentarily. Edward's mood: the anger, the frustration… could it all be due to his thirst? Even if it was, it seemed a pathetic excuse for being so unpleasant. I didn't understand how he drew out such emotions from me. Before I'd met him I'd never spoken out of line, I wasn't one to argue, to cry, to show any emotion at all really. When I was with him, everything flooded out. And I didn't seem to have a filter for the feelings that even I didn't understand. Jasper's words - eerily poetic, rang in my mind again.
"I cannot alter your feelings: for you cannot alter them yourself, despite if you wanted to. Wished to. You can't." They made sense now. I couldn't alter what I felt. But everything was made more confusing by the fact that I didn't even understand my feelings. I frowned. I really had to stop the whole reminiscence thing with Jasper and Alice's cryptic little speeches.
I looked at Edward; he didn't return my gaze, his jaw taut glaring at some point on the wall behind me. He couldn't even look at me. The pent up frustration was practically palpable now. I hadn't realised it hadn't only been I who was silent. When he spoke, his voice was bitter, the tone still curt, it told me that the conversation was over.
"If you'd told me you're father would be safe by now."
All the breath left me.
Because he had just said the thing I'd been preventing to even consider. The thing I'd never have expected him to say. And the very thing I had feared myself. Guilt hit me with the force of an impeding truck, winding me. Edward's face flickered from the callous mask when he looked back to me. Genuine concern now in his eyes, despite their blackness.
He looked appalled at what he'd done; I could see his lips move in what I knew would be apologies. I couldn't hear them. Everything was deaf to my ears. I knew his concern wasn't fake.
But I didn't care.
I ran from him, wrenching myself away, sprinting down the corridor, no longer caring for the noise I was making. I didn't know where to go. I just knew I had to run. I could feel the pressure impounding me, it was too strong now - the urge to burst into tears. I felt like I was being suffocated, drowned. Cold air stung my face as I ran down the seemingly endless corridor. I knew there was no point in venturing outside.
But even with each step, the truth was slowly eating away at me. Because Edward was right. I knew he was.
Because ifI had told them about my dreams, if I'd tried to decipher what they'd meant, then I'd of realised this would have happened. I would have understood that the Volturi would hit me where I was weakest. If I'd not spent so much time trying to forget the dreams, I could have stopped all of this…
The truth sank deep into my heart like an ice shard, freezing my blood and stopping my sparse breath.
If my father died it would all be my fault…
***
It was odd, I thought whilst watching Carlisle and Esme, how a pair of people could manage to have an entire conversation with their eyes alone, and somehow understand everything the other person was attempting to convey. This was exactly what they were doing I thought, as I watched their movements, oddly intrigued. Their eyes would continue flicker from each other, to myself, and then back again in an erratic pattern that I knew withheld some sort of meaning…
But I couldn't work it out.
They had been talking earlier, but had stopped abruptly after they'd noticed I was listening intently. Edward had gone to hunt; I'd already been assured several times by Esme that his behaviour was because he hadn't fed in a while, with these words backed up by Carlisle's medical evidence to support it. They needn't have stopped talking though - by this time I'd stopped listening. I couldn't shake off the feeling that they were apologising for him. And they didn't need to.
I lay my head lightly across my arms again, pondering whether I should close my eyes - though I wasn't tired. I decided against closing my eyes, unwilling to face the blackness - instead gazing blankly at the landscape beyond the wide windows. Their conversation was still going on; maybe it was another thing to add to the seemingly endless list of vampire talents - talents, incidentally, that I was unable to perform.
Again, I could feel their eyes flickering back to me again, and so I let out a small yawn for effect, angling myself so they couldn't see my expression. I wanted to create the illusion that I was sleepy, but truly I wasn't. Being tired generally entitled me to rest. And rest meant that I didn't have to be put under interrogation again.
This was a way in which I could avoid any further questions from Carlisle - though now I doubted he'd take the risk. Not with my unanticipated reaction minutes prior. Fainting. Again. I felt bitter at that thought. It was like I was the weak heroine of some messed up story. Though it wasn't this that made me shield my expression. It wasn't just because I didn't want to answer questions.
The only real reason for my actions was that there was a lead ache in my chest that would throb whenever I looked at Carlisle and Esme like that.
They looked alive in each other's gaze, content and whole. I felt the opposite. The hollow sensation was back. The numbness hit me again; it was like a tsunami, threatening to destroy anything and everything in its wake.
Pathetic.
"Are you okay Lucie?" Esme asked, I wasn't sure how long it took for me to answer.
"Fine-" I stopped myself, remembering all too clearly Edward's previous comments on that word. A lump formed in my throat, I didn't know what else I could say. Words couldn't describe what I was feeling. Esme didn't look convinced, I forced on a smile, hoping it would suffice. "Honestly Esme, I'm fine..."
But I wasn't. I wasn't fine. Fine implied that one was okay, normal, at ease. I wasn't any of those things. Some people think that saying a lie over and over again to yourself will make you believe it. Like drilling in information for someone with an exam the next day. As if repeating a mantra - with whatever accuracy, whether it was a lie or truth - would somehow engrave the information and make it seem reality. Fact. The repetition of a lie.
I wasn't sure on this theory; but I sure as hell was going to try it. Maybe - just maybe, if I continued to convince myself of this small fact, that I was fine and that I didn't feel like I was going to shatter - then I'd be able to carry on.
I felt a small sound escape my lips despite myself. One halfway between a sigh and a small sob. A voice inside my head had reminded me yet again of my dream. It wholeheartedly disagreed wit such a theory.
I don't think anyone can be fine when they've just seen their father's death flash before their eyes.
***
I'd eaten. I'd answered some more of Carlisle's questions. I'd assured Esme several times that I was okay. Overall, it was just another day of my chaotic life that had been mainly revolved around me lying through my teeth.
Now, I was sick with it all. I had taken refuge outside, claiming that I needed fresh air. I knew they'd be watching in case I ventured into the woods, so stayed close to the building. Just leant, breathing heavily against the cold stone wall of the Cullens' house, glad that the air was crisp and bright because it sharpened my dull senses slightly. I'd been in this position now (leant against the wall with my eyes closed) for a long time. Though I didn't notice.
Slowly however, that sensation that prickled hairs on the nape of my neck arose. Adrenaline worked up my heartbeat. The air seemed denser suddenly. I was being watched.
I snapped my eyes open. Edward stared straight back at me, I held in a yelp.
"I thought you'd gone." I tried to sound indifferent. He frowned slightly, maybe I didn't succeed with the look.
"I said I was going to hunt," He reminded me, but I noted his eyes were still the same onyx. He must have noticed my look as he continued: "but I didn't get round to it. The elk are sparse at the moment and mountain lions are further up north." I wasn't sure whether he was trying to scare me with the casual talk of the animals he killed, I just knew it wasn't working. He looked at me for a moment in something like curiosity before muttering something so quietly I didn't know if he was just talking to himself. "Besides, I can't stay away for long." He sounded rueful.
I tried to ignore the latter part to his words, forcing myself to not sway from my original anger at him. The act of trying to do this had me frowning in concentration. I'd quite forgotten about Edward.
"You okay?" He said after a pause, "Or is there a particular reason for you to look so…" He struggled for a word. "Contorted?" He couldn't quite dispel the humour in his voice.
I glared at him. Great. So according to him and Mike, I was demented and contorted?
How flattering.
"We can't all be perfect…" I muttered darkly, regretting my decision in going outside at all. So much for tranquillity.
"Oh, I'm far from perfect." It wasn't just I who sounded dark now.
I snapped my eyes back him again. Taking in his appearance. The high cheek bones, angular features, intriguing dark eyes and tousled hair. He was the epitome of perfection. There was no point in denying such a fact, even if I was angry at him. For some reason, his casual contempt at himself, his denial at who he was enraged me. I felt something inside me snap.
"But you are Edward! I don't know what to think. You're flawless, I always feel like you going to disappear. So you said you were going to hunt, was I just meant to believe that? For all I know you could have be gallivanting off to Volterra. How am I meant to think? That you'll stay here? That you your family will just tolerate me? Sooner or later you'll leave me. I'm just a silly human who's constantly stalked by chaos. And then there's you…" He was staring at me in blank shock; I finished off in a quieter voice again. "Well, you're perfect."
And then, he laughed. It wasn't his normal dry chuckle though. The sound had an edge to it, no longer the beautiful harmony I'd come to associate as his laughter, it was now something too complex for me to work out. A tainted sarcasm almost, like he didn't even find the situation funny.
I stared at him in shock, discarding how different it sounded. The point still remained: he was laughing at me! This was probably the fact that set me off; I promptly felt anger ripple through me like wildfire.
"This," I was having to speak through clenched teeth now; I wanted to unleash my wrath. How could he not be taking this seriously? This was the polar opposite to how he had been before. "Is. Not. Funny."
He smiled wryly at me, and in an instant, was only an inch away, close enough for me to be chilled by his icy chest. I was now pinned against the wall. My breathing hitched. I wanted to kill that heartbeat of mine. I hated the involuntary reactions I kept getting. My heart rate had increased dramatically, and I knew he could hear it.
"Don't Edward," I threatened, refusing to let my stupid hormones defeat the point of my argument. But he didn't listen. Brushing my cheek the back of his marble hand. The pressure from his arm that kept me stuck in my position didn't cease. I started to feel dizzy from it.
"You say I'm perfect?" He whispered, there was no longer humour in his tone. It was only then that I'd realised the strained edge to his voice had been because it was fake. Not real. I knew he could find nothing funny at the moment, not with how dark his eyes were.
"Well, asides from the freaking bipolar moods you have," I grumbled, the anger not yet completely abolished, "and your stupid arrogance that pops up… and your overreactions - wait. I take it back, you're no longer perfect. You have several faults."
"You've missed out the most obvious one." His voice was the same dark voice I'd heard when I'd first woken up this morning now. I frowned at his expression; his aesthetic lips now a tight line.
"Let's see," I tried to lighten the mood slightly, though unwilling to meet his gaze now. "Bipolar moods; arrogance; overreactions… nope, I think I've got it covered. Oh wait! You growl too much as well." He gave a sceptical sneer. It was a cold look - one that I knew was meant to threaten me - harsh and virulent. I didn't move back.
His expression shifted minutely, bordering more on cynical disbelief than outright contempt. I gave him an equal look of disdain, feeling ever angrier at his false accusations that were plain through his gaze. What? He did. It wasn't necessary to growl to express anger.
"And the fact that I'm a vampire?" He hissed rhetorically. Loathing laced his tone. I couldn't help but notice that his words were quieter now, as if only meant to be heard by himself.
"Doesn't bother me in the slightest." I said easily anyway, it was the truth. That aspect of his nature had never really bothered me. Truthfully, I wasn't sure why. The fact that I had always suspected something had to account to an extent, I'd realised what they were after I'd witnessed Bella's past. Still, even then a normal person would have felt afraid - terrified even. I didn't to me. Perhaps it was because they were vegetarians. Or… Well, maybe I was just a bit backward.
"It should bother you. I'm a killer Lucie." If the conversation hadn't been so serious - I would have rolled my eyes. Edward was incredibly repetitive when it came to that line. It was another thing that annoyed me. That and his 'monster' speech.
That's it. I had found loads of faults in him. Edward was… faulty.
Yet when I looked up to him again, the words I'd planned in my mind previously to lighten the conversation died before they'd reached my lips. He wasn't looking at me now, though I could see the self loathing in his eyes. The disgust at what he was. An irrational urge to hug him welled inside me - to comfort him, convince him he wasn't the only one confused and lost.
I didn't though. I was too scared that the disgust would be at me in such an action. When I replied, my voice was small again. Though the words I spoke held more meaning than ones previously.
"It's not what we are; it's what we chose to be. You're a vampire; you chose not to be a monster-"
But when I looked up, Edward had gone.
Ugh. Another fault: He was rude too.
***
A sudden sort of determination gripped me. I purposefully began to stride towards the trees. Yes, it was stupid, but this fact didn't register in my mind as I advanced through the thick forest. My head was too filled by the simple fact that Edward had just left. So much for being courteous. I walked for what felt like hours, eventually feeling as though I should turn back, but unwilling for how the Cullens would react to my recklessness.
"What are you doing out here?!" Someone exclaimed behind me, I whirled around in shock.
Edward was crouched low to the ground, his hair ruffled, eyes a burning gold. I couldn't compose my expression quickly enough. My face portrayed that of one who was awestruck. Which, incidentally, was not the look I should have been giving him. I should be glaring at him for his previous words to me, shouting even.
Even settling with shock would have been a better option; he didn't straighten up from his crouch. There was something oddly feline to the stance. A flower of unease bloomed inside my chest. I could remember all too well the last time I'd made comparisons to a vampire as cat-like.
I shook off that thought, wondering how to reply to his question.
Well, I was angry at you… but now I don't feel very angry which is pretty flipping confusing… and I'm out here because you spontaneously vanished halfway through my speech in which I was going to convince you that you weren't a monster. It all culminates in me, staring at you… who for some reason is still crouched on the floor…
Yeah. That wasn't going to go so well.
"I needed to think..." My voice was small.
"Why are outside though?" There was a note of something I couldn't detect in his voice, almost anxiety. "You should have gone back inside… why didn't Alice-" He stopped himself, frowning at her name, "You…shouldn't have followed me…I could have been still hunting Lucie, I-" He winced.
Realisation slowly found me.
Had I interrupted him… mid hunt?
"Oh." I whispered quietly, stepping back. His eyes followed the movement. I remembered animal documentaries on how to stay still if you were in the presence of a lion. How animals could sense fear. How they liked to chase their prey.
Yet I had no intention of running. I'd of made a pretty damn awful gazelle.
"I should apologise for earlier…" Edward said, straightening up. I averted my gaze. But I could tell he was nervous, that seemed the only logical explanation for him running a hand through his bronze hair. "Really… I am. I hate it when I'm like that Lucie. It's deplorable… but when Alice told me that Demetri," He noticed my small wince at the mention of him, "well… I shouldn't have reacted that way. I am sorry."
Was it really pathetic of me to want to forgive him?
There was a pause then. But before I could speak, he moved to me, in a lithe movement that portrayed a sort if graceful anxiousness. A quizzical frown had fallen across his perfect face. There seemed to be a certain amount of indecision in his eyes, but the instant I saw it, his expression changed into one of determination. Quick as lighting, he was two inches away. A snowy hand moved towards my face in a flurry of white, taking out my hair band in one elegant movement, lighter than a butterfly's wing, and letting my hair cascade around my face.
"Sorry," He murmured almost sheepish, his voice low, "that was… distracting me."
I'd completely forgotten I'd had my hair up. His face lit up as he stepped back to look at me.
I didn't quite understand the notion, though now I could smell the apple scent of my shampoo. He'd probably taken out my hair to cover the other scent. My blood. Too potent for its own good. I blushed for even considering there'd been a greater reason for his actions. Edward's voice broke me out of my train of thought.
"Much better." He said roughly. Unevenly. My stupid heart had possibly the most ridiculous reaction to Edward sounding out of breath. I mentally kicked myself. Edward smiled coyly. Yeah. That just made my heart sound like it was having a seizure.
A flipping seizure!
It appeared it wasn't just me who was aware of that.
"Do I need to get Carlisle to check on you?" He teased lightly. I didn't smile. There was a silence between us. A charged one. I wasn't sure whether I was going crazy or not. For some reason, the thought of him being any closer, brought up the connotation of lightning. If he couldn't feel the charge in the atmosphere then maybe I was going crazy. The chemistry was almost palpable. I half expected one of us to burst into flame. And seeing as he was a vampire (and therefore well, pretty cold...) I suspected it would probably be me.
Well, that and the fact that I felt like I was already burning.
"Your pupils are dilated," Edward commented suddenly, a grin pulling at the edges of his lips. I got distracted by that. And by his change in tone from earlier. It took me a slow moment to realise he was waiting for a reply.
"Sorry?" I finally managed to say dazedly, my voice sounding as light as I felt. His grin spread.
"Your eyes; it's said that ones pupils dilate when they see someone they like." He mused, running a hand through his hair again. I glared at him. The irritation frothing inside me again. Oh, so the fact that my pupils were big meant that I liked him, did it?
"No, it's the iris reflex. It has nothing to do with liking someone, it's just because I'm in the shade here and therefore there's only a small amount of light entering my eyes which is why the circular muscles in them are relaxing. This means that my pupils appear dilated. It has nothing whatsoever to do with you," I finished off, slightly smug, "well, apart from the fact that you account for most of the shade."
I grinned triumphantly. Ha, beat that! Stupid smart supernatural vampire.
It took a long moment before he formed an answer.
"Mr Banner would be proud."
***
Edward's POV: (Mwhaha! Bet you weren't expecting this. See? I'm full of surprises!)
Chaos was ubiquitous when it came to Lucie.
I'm not even sure how I'd come to be here. The point of my hunt was to get away from her. The intoxicating scent emanating from her was too strong. I was a tyrant in such respects, I fled to feed. I needed to replenish the thirst; else she would be in more danger than she already was. I was well aware of how hostile I had been. The news though of them threatening her had enraged me though.
There had been a friction in the air between us that I couldn't determine. It was like the thin air that lay between her and I was getting deadlier with each comment. Gun powder waiting for the final spark that would set us off.
Something that would lead to the inferno.
And yet now, the fire had died down. Mere embers flickering softly, not quite dead. My thirst was quenched, so in many ways the situation should be better. I no longer craved her blood. She wasn't now in mortal danger.
But the predicament wasn't better. It was worse.
Now only one damn confusing emotion coursed through me. It was an irrational yearning to sweep her up. Quite literally: to swing her up in to my arms. And it was practically overpowering my thoughts. I frowned in determination not to scare her. Yeah, just sweep her up Edward, because she just loves being carried around, makes her feel the opposite of weak, doesn't it?… My sarcastic thoughts were cut short in a realisation.
I hadn't even realised how close I was to her.
Somehow in our conversation (mainly complied of me trying to infuriate her - it'd worked. I still wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to conjure up such a good counter argument. Though in the end, I'd succeeded - her eyes were now my favourite shade of bright emerald.) I had ended up next to her again. Leaning over her. I was now definitely causing shade. She straightened up slightly - I felt a smile tug the corners of my lips when I realised she was trying to be taller.
I don't think anyone could have anticipated what happened next.
Somehow, she was in the crook of my arm, suspended easily in a motion too quick for human eyes to see. The sudden contact had caused a conflagration burnt my stone skin, minutes ago dead, unfeeling.
It had lit the inferno.
I was sure over a thousand emotions cascaded over me. It was this that caused me to gasp. I, who didn't even need a supply of oxygen. It was this that caused her erratic beautiful heart rate to rise all over again. And it was this that caused an idea so unthinkable to seize me. With a force so potent, I felt all my previous restraint fall away.
I wanted to kiss her.
My mind seemed to have stopped. Time had stopped. Suddenly all I could see was her. A blinding white light that shattered my eternal darkness. Still, the same, ever present part of me remained. And it was shouting in indecision again. My idea - the same I idea I wanted to fulfil more than ever at this moment - terrified me.
It was not the concept of my actions that scared me. It wasn't even her reaction that scared me. Nor was it the guilt that would inevitably arise when I thought if Bella that scared me. It wasn't any of those; they seemed translucent in comparison to the thing that gripped me with an ever impounding force.
It was the idea of waking up from the surrealistic word, leaving only bitter reality and carrying on when the chaos continued to cascade around her, and feeling the entire universe shift in the sky.
My gasp seemed to have affected her in some way. She was still cradled in my arms, staring at me in uttermost shock, blushing furiously. I lost all my breath again. I wasn't sure how to react to such a sight. She looked petrified. Eyes still dominant in a salient emerald. I didn't lessen my grip. I couldn't. There wasn't a way on earth that I would let her go into those woods alone. The concept of it was simply too implausible.
But she wouldn't have done that anyway. Her intention wasn't just to stroll into the forest Edward; she came to look for you. You don't even need to hold her. You just want to. And stop staring at her lips! Damn it Edward, what's got into you?!
"What is it?" She managed to choke, her lips were parted slightly, I couldn't take my eyes off her.
And it was scaring the hell out of me.
***
Lucie's POV:
Was he trying to kill me?!
He had to do that didn't he? He had to sweep me up in one of those perfect movements that you only ever saw in films; that caused me to lose all my breath; and made completely forget the fact that I didn't even like being suspended in mid air. Except when it's him who is suspending you that is…
I ignored the wry thought, though I couldn't help but feel confused. I searched to a word to describe how one felt when swooped up by Edward. Degrading - that was probably the closest. I was going to mention this, but my sentence died on my tongue when I looked back to him, his eyes were still alight in the thing I couldn't work out. Oh, I knew what I thought it was. But that was impossible. Still, the impossible possibility was enough to make me become extremely dizzy. My heart had passed seizure status. Bring on the defibrillation device.
"I'm sorry…" I managed to choke that out. It was all I could say. Quickly, I stared at his hands. I wasn't willing to look at him - at least, not in the eyes. I knew I'd only lose coherency in speech. For a long moment, he didn't respond. I'd have given anything to understand what he was thinking. And to procure the reason for him swooping me up so.
I was trying to compose my expression; there had been something in his eyes that I couldn't understand again. That same need - not craving for my blood, but something else entirely. And emotion to confusing for it's own good.
There was just the rustling of leaves and the patter of raindrops from the rainfall that had remained on the trees. Despite the fact that it was quiet, the small insignificant sounds seemed too loud for the forest, like a cry breaking a realm of serenity. The thought had me shiver involuntarily, vividly remembering the last cry I'd heard… I didn't dwell on the memory.
"You're cold." Edward stated, still in that rough velvet. I couldn't control the shivers now, and he pulled away - evidently meaning to place me down. I grabbed his shirt in an attempt to stop him. The act should have had no effect on him. I wasn't the strongest person by any standards, and the fact that he had inhuman strength didn't help that case. But now, as I clung to his shirt, he stopped pulling away, instead looking at me. He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, looking from my flustered expression down to my hand - fisted in his shirt. I felt a blush adorned my cheeks; nervously flicking a stray strand of hair out of my eyes. He caught my hand as I pushed the hair away.
"Oh, and you're already forgiven you know." He murmured, trapping me with his gaze. Even now, despite how dark they had been previously, when they were endless pools of onyx tinged with ochre - and despite how I knew my scent, my blood must have been tempting him, even if he had just hunted. As I looked into his eyes I felt the opposite of afraid. I was lost in them. And I never wanted to look away.
I'd completely forgotten that he'd spoken by this point.
"I-I… uh…what?" I finally stuttered out, he just smiled.
"You're forgiven for being an imprudent stubborn human who stupidly tried to take the blame and suffer in silence."
I scowled.
"I am not imprudent…" I mumbled indignantly. I could feel him vibrate as a chuckle shook him. I continued to glare at him. He didn't stop laughing. "That's it! Put me down. You killed the moment Edward." I tried to squirm free.
"No." He said with poise, slowly grinning wider.
"Edward…" I warned through clenched teeth resisting the urge to try out a method of kicking a certain part of his anatomy that would surely make him keel over. Vampire or no vampire. That had to hurt. Perhaps he could read my mind (or maybe my eyes had just adopted a particularly mad looking glint) because with a resigned sigh he placed me lightly on my feet.
We stayed in a stony silence for a few minutes, a distance between us again.
And then he did something he'd never done before.
He moved towards me, with excruciating slow lope - even for my human pace. And a slow, radiant, crooked and undeniably seductive smile spread across his lips, matching the ardour that burned in his eyes. I felt my heart miss a beat. He had never smiled at me like that. I was under full influence of his charms, his resplendent charisma - now utterly equal to even Jasper's.
The glorious look only brightened at my intake of breath. I looked down at the floor, a blush tinting my cheeks. Perhaps tinting was the wrong word - blazing was probably more apt. There was a long silence, broken only by my heavy breathing and the wind. I snuck another look at him again and my breath caught. I knew what he was about to do, so I summoned as much confidence as I could when I looked at him hard in the eye. I saw a wicked glint spark there.
Thing was, I'd seen this exact said glint only minutes previously, and thus; I knew exactly what he was planning to do.
"You wouldn't." I threatened. I tried to step back, but couldn't move suddenly. Ice cold hands had formed handcuffs around my wrists. His reply was lower than a whisper. For some reason his lack of amplitude made my pulse rise even faster. Frenzied now.
"Are you sure about that?"
And in a flurry of movement, I was in his arms, and he was grinning triumphantly.
***
We talked.
Edward Cullen and I actually had a civil conversation. Shocking though it may seem, we did. It could have even been passed off as normal; Mike could have overheard us and wouldn't have had the slightest idea that Edward was a vampire because of the topics we discussed. No sadism, no bloodshed, nothing remotely horrific came up actually. Edward merely continued to ask me questions on what I liked and disliked.
The only thing that Mike might have found slightly odd (and no doubt, downright cross) - was the fact Edward. Was. Still. Carrying. Me. In fact, Mike and I were alike in that respect.
It had become very distracting actually. I couldn't concentrate on flipping trivial questions when he was just suspending me like that…
"Why Lucie," Edward asked suddenly, I couldn't recall what he'd said seconds ago, I'd been lost in thought and too conscientious of how darn prominent his abs were. "Do you have a peculiar facial expression? I have a feeling you were thinking about Mike Newton."
"How the?!" I exclaimed, "Wh-what? How did you - you can't - read-"
He chuckled. "No need to get so flustered, I was just wondering why Newton," No, Edward's views on Mike Newton hadn't changed, I could tell in his tone that still seemed to withhold a large amount of disgust for him. "Was in your head when - well, when you're in my rather dashing presence." He flashed a brilliantly white set of teeth.
I set my jaw, meaning to reply that arrogance was not an attractive trait.
But before I could even think of a reply- before I had even opened my mouth - a foreign sound interrupted the deadly silence. It was a foreign sound, because I had not heard it in so long, the same high pitched buzzing that one could only really associated with one thing.
My phone?
I stared in blank shock down at my pocket, now understanding the tingling feeling on my right leg. This didn't make sense…the last time I'd tried to use my phone it was waterlogged. I distinctly remember the conversation that had led up to it being dropped in a puddle. I wasn't the sort to use my phone much; I'd never liked long conversations without seeing someone's face. I felt ice slither through me, rendering me frozen to the spot as the act of my phone ringing finally dawned on me. Only one person ever called my phone.
Edward's voice broke the silence. I couldn't hear it properly. It was like he was on the end of a bad telephone line, crackly and indistinct to my ears.
"Are you going to answer that?"
I'd stopped listening to him by the third word. (I hadn't realised he'd set me on my feet again.)
My shuddering hands fumbled with my jean pocket, procuring the small device mid ring. I'd stopped breathing. All my hopes remained in the voice at the other end. I pressed it to me ear, desperately, completely forgetting Edward for the first time that day.
My voice itself was the quietest I'd ever heard it.
"Dad…?"
"Oh Lucie, oh Lucie thank goodness." It was him. It was the same voice I'd been craving to hear these past few days. I felt relief swell through me. The feeling was short-lived.
I'd not forgotten the shrillness to my father's tone. A sharp prickle of uttermost unease ran through me. He was safe. But he sounded panicked. "Listen to me sweetie-" Despite everything - despite the fact that he could be in mortal danger, that he could be within a second of death - I could hear his soft words, the same words he'd used when I was a child. He was trying to soothe me. Calm me.
And it wasn't working.
"Dad! Where are you? What happened? Are you hurt? Tell me - please, who took you? I-I'm scared daddy… I've got help; I need to find you-"
"No!" Raw horror scraped his tone. "No Lucie. Stay where you are. Don't look for me. You hear me? Do not go anywhere. Don't go anywhere near the forest okay? Where are you now? At home?"
"I-I…" The panic was making me dizzy. The forest? I felt like screaming. His urgency masked by the eerie calm scared me more than I could express. My tongue felt slack in my mouth, too large almost. The lump in my throat seemed to impair my speech. I couldn't say anything for a second. I heard myself speaking as if from far away. "No... No, I'm not there." A sigh of relief sounded at the other end of the phone.
"You're not there? Good. Don't go back. Stay with your friends - Alice was it? Just… stay safe Lucie, for me. I had to hear your voice sweetheart. Look, I need to go soon, but I promise everything will be okay-"
"No!" I shouted again, detecting the finality in his words, fighting back tears, "Dad, where are you?! Tell me, please, I have to - I can't - I need… Just-" My sentence became incoherent as hysteria threatened to consume my speech entirely. I felt myself shake. The convulsions of fear for him were now violent.
"Don't worry Lucie. Just stay safe. I-I…" There was a hesitation then, his voice now thick with emotion. "I'm okay… just - remember I love you-"
His words were interrupted again, but this time, not by me. There was another noise on the other end. A slow rustling sound, like a gust of wind. Then there was crackling, and then everything was cut off by a silence, and a voice that I knew - a voice that sent a shiver of terror through me. And one that turned my blood slow and thick. It was soft, melodic. It held no panic like my father's. No fear. No apprehension, no urgency.
It was dead. Holding no emotion except the slight drawl of tainted amusement.
"I've got him."
It was Demetri.
The phone went dead.
***
*GASPETH!* Yeah. I know. Killer cliffy. What can I say? ;) My reign of uttermost evil shall never cease! *cue creepy laugh* However, for some reason… I have a sense you won't like this chapter… :s gah! I can predict 'Edward is an ** reviews' … well meh. He was thirsty people! And he's still fighting his inner demons and hates not being the cool collected cucumber and instead reverts to being an angsty confused Growlward. Ah well, say what you think in a review!
Now. Hang in there people. The pace is officially picking up from here onward. (I say that a lot huh? I promise the pace will pick up! … Bwhaha - yeah, I say that a lot too. 'Bwhaha' is how I imagine a laugh to sound like… though I'm not quite sure why it always reminds me of demented turkeys…) If you think I'm stretching this story out too much… gah. Sorry. I can't help it. It's the stupid characters they do things that I don't allow!
Whoa for the response on that challenge I set out! Jeesh! How the hack do so many people know so many weird words?! (And there I sat, thinking that no one would take notice of that challenge :p)
Here were my favourite ones (no particular order):
Callipygian - SouthernBelle90 (Go look up this word. NOW. I got dared to make Edward say it to Lucie. Triple dared in fact. I don't know if I can. Remember, I'm the person who goes beat red just at 'snog each other senseless' I'd be on fire! (And no. I cannot believe I just said that.. *grimaces*)
Haberdashery - Cappuccino C. Cullen.
Piquant - Jade Lyssy Swan
Pulchritudinous - a lot of reviewers mentioned this one actually… and I am obviously a sort of mutant goldfish, and can't remember who. So, if you did. Um… sorry I forgot, but whoop for the awesome word.
Rhinotillexomania - Edward'sGirlForEternity(Now. Here's an anon review that has been reviewing relentlessly for AGES and I need to say again that I LOVE the anon reviews too. I strongly advise you all to get an account NOW! But heck, Edward'sGirlForEternityreally needs a big mention for the LENGTH of her review. I'm still gobsmacked *snort… NO! I don't have Swine Flu, but I do love that word* by the epic reviews I seem to get. They're awesome! THE single best inspirational thing EVER! Oh, and also, YAY for her to review for 'Rosa' By Jade Lyssy Swan *seehowinsistantIamonadvertisingthisfic?!* Jade has requested me to say an extra big thanks! So.. THANKS.)
Anyway, I can't list these all night, but thanks for the response!
OH! And I've just realised I do have a slight excuse for not updating… for… Sunday. Because, on Father's Day it was MOUSE'S BIRTHDAY! ;) Yup. So happy belated birthday Mouse. She's offically 3 years old. Ancient Mouse is now wise.
Okay, I found this quote the other day. I apologise I advance if you happen to like this quote (if so, why, why, why?!) because I feel a rant brewing. So, I found this when looking at a reader's profile on here - and quite frankly, in my opinion it's being rather prejudice towards ducks. Yes. Ducks. I shall quote the quote for you: "The spaces between your fingers were created so that another's could fill them in."
I'm sorry but what?! This is ridiculous! If we didn't have spaced between our fingers then we wouldn't have fingers! There'd just be a blob... (and by blob, yes, I mean a hand) Oh, and you're probably wondering why this quote is at all prejudice to ducks? (or not. :p) Well, ducks have webbed feet (okay, so there not exactly hands per se, but you get what I mean, or not..) and so this quote is basically saying: 'sorry ducks, you don't have spaces in-between your toes/hands/flippers? Because you don't need other ducks to hold you hands/feet/flippers-
That's it. I'm making no sense. Time to shut up.
Ah ha! I remember my point for that seemingly pointless rant on quotes. Do you have any quotes you hate? Or ones that you love? Just tell me in the review if you want. Let's see which is better: the scary vocabulary or the quote knowledge. :p I PROMISE to send out a sneak peak to someone who has a particularly valid reason for liking (or hating) a quote. And this time, I won't disappoint. (I hope.)
So. Do you think by… hmms… the end of NEXT chapter (nah, not this one) there'll be 1000 reviews for this fic? Maybe? Hmm? HMM?!
Oh. And PLEASE REVIEW! (frog, I'm sorry, I miss begging for reviews. That's one of my talents… begging and threatening… especially threatening actually ;) - pah. Right. Now for several hours of work that I've been procrastinating (yeah, that's one of my BEST talents :p) from doing… *sighs* Life's so darn stressful these days. I need the summer holidays to be NOW…
Lily - who hopes she hasn't bored you to death with her very tedious babble this time. She's wondering whether she can use the excuse of being a mutant goldfish as a way of not doing her work…