Chapter Four
She didn't get to explore her lush new room for very long. She was just looking in the large wardrobe when there was a knock at her door. "Come in." Chelsea walked in, looking as radiant as ever. "What is it? Am I in trouble again?"
"Quite the opposite. The Elders are impressed with your progress." Chelsea looked around the room. "You've been upgraded. Do you realize that this room is situated just inches from Master Aro's? No human has ever been allowed to sleep so close to him."
Leslie wasn't sure if she was comfortable with that knowledge or not. "If I'm not in trouble, why are you here?" She narrowed her eyes on Chelsea. Something didn't feel right. "Who sent you?"
"No reason, really. Jane sent me." That should have been a warning, but Leslie let it slide. "She is saddened that you won't be her friend. She wants you to meet with her in a would do well to do as she asks."
Chelsea's voice took on that familiar tone. She was trying to hypnotize Leslie again. This time, it was on Jane's orders. She tried to fight it off. "But I was told by Alec to stay here. I don't want to upset him by being disobedient."
"Jane is his sister. He won't be angry if you go visit her. He wants you two to get along." Leslie buckled under her pressure. "Now come. Be a good girl. Go and visit Jane in the next room over."
Leslie couldn't withstand her power anymore. She headed to Jane's room, fear plain.
Just as she suspected, Jane was just waiting for her. "What took you so long?"
"I was checking out my room. Felix and..." Leslie suddenly collapsed, as pain shot through her. Jane was standing over her, glaring. "P-please, Jane..."
"Hush!" She crossed her arms. "I don't know what spell you've cast over Alec, but you've ruined him!"
"S-spell? I'm a normal human girl, Jane!" That was a big mistake. Another ripping pain went through her bed. "Oh god.. J-jane... please..." Tears formed in her eyes, much to Leslie's dipleasure. She was coming unraveled quickly.
"You stay away from him, I mean it!" Suddenly, Jane hauled Leslie to her feet, and pushed her against a wall. "Alec does not have time for a weakling like you. You will not ever deal with him again. Understand me?"
"Y-yes... I underst-stand." Leslie was shivering uncontrollably when Jane dropped her. "C-can I go...?"
"Get out of my sight." Jane turned her back on the girl then. Leslie crawled out of the room, heading towards her own.
"Leslie!" Felix cam over to her, rushing to help her up. "What in the world happened?"
"Nothing... nothing really..." Leslie leaned against Felix for support. "I guess I'm not so good on my feet after all the walking we did..."
Felix frowned. If he didn't believe Leslie's story, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he led her back to her room. "You shouldn't be out and about at any rate. It's dangerous right now. Did you like your room?"
"It's gorgeous. It's far more than I think I deserve." Leslie managed a small smile through her lingering pain. "It's been nice."
"How in the world did you manage to get as far as you did in this much pain? You were very close to the twins' room..."
"W-was I?" She didn't want to give Jane away. Leslie was sure that if she did, the vicious girl would find a more painful way to punish her. She looked up at Felix. He didn't appear to believe her. He took her into a room that wasn't hers. "Felix?"
"You are not allowed to be hurt. A wrong move could kill you, and that's not what the Elders want. So you can stand there, and lie to me about what really happened, or you can tell me yourself what happened. Either way, Aro will find out." Felix sat her down on his bed. "Well?"
"Jane did it. She... she didn't like that me and Alec were friends."
"Friends? You and Alec?" Felix cracked a small smile then. "Well, that's good." He smiled softly at her. "I think Alec needs more friends besides Jane."
"But I can't do it. Jane will know. She swore she'd hurt me worse if she found out I was hanging with Alec again. She doesn't even want me to go on errands with him."
"I will have Aro and the Elders speak with her about this. I think Alec is good for you, and you good for him." Felix stood up. "Come now. The Elders want you in the Hall for their next meeting. They think you should learn the business."
"Do I need to go? I'm so tired, and hungry. Can't I go another day?"
"You need to hang in there, Leslie. For me, and for Alec." He took her by the hand, and rushed her to the Main Hall.
The meeting didn't last as long as Leslie expected it to. She was dismissed after only a few minutes of listening to them. She was glad of that. She slowly made her way back towards the suites. She was nearly to the stairs when she heard a voice she didn't think she'd ever hear again.
"Leslie!" Avery's voice cut across the dark hallway. "Oh my god. We miss you at home. You have to come with me. What are you doing here?"
"A-avery..." Leslie whispered softly. "You shouldn't be here. They'll rip you to shreds."
"They who? Are yu being held against your will?"
Yes. "Of course not. I want to stay here." Leslie glanced back. It was still empty. "Avery, you have to go, okay? It's not safe here for you."
"Or you. You're shaking!" Leslie hurried to put a hand over her mouth. "Mmmft!" Leslie dragged her her into a vacant room, shutting the door. "You need to come with me. Something is wrong here. You're terrified. And your hands are icy!"
"You need to leave, Avery. Now." Leslie stood as straight as she could. Her eyes got really round then, hearing footsteps. Then she heard Caius' voice. She shoved Avery into a closet, and shut the door without a word. She was just securing the fastening when the double doors banged open.
"Leslie. You can introduce us to your guest now." Caius' eyes were narrowed. "Come come, we do not have all day."
Leslie's hands were shaking terribly when she undid the closet fastening. Avery stepped out, and she was not happy. "You have got to be kidding me." She eyed Caius suspiciously. "This guy is what's keeping you here? You could do so much better at home."
"A-avery, don't..." The words were barely out of her mouth when the room was suddenly crowded with the royal guard, and the other two elders. Demitri grabbed her painfully by the arm, and dragged her back, pinning her against him. Caius, meanwhile, was standing right in front of Avery, his eyes dangerous.
"You are an insolent little girl." His voice was too calm for Leslie's liking. "Leslie, dear. Who is this? How did she get in here?"
"I.. I'm not sure... I was with Jane." Leslie felt Demitri's grip tighten. She squirmed a little.
"Now, Demitri, don't hurt her. She's telling the truth." Felix said. "I saw her leaving the twins' suite just a few minutes before the meeting."
"Silence. She will speak for herself." Aro said then. He looked at Leslie. "I don't need to impress upon you the importance of honesty, do I dear Leslie?"
"I am telling the truth." Leslie replied. Her voice was soft. "I don't know how she got in. I wish she hadn't."
"Leslie! What are you saying? Everyone's worried back home! I'm lucky I was able to escape Mom and Dad to come look for you."
"Well, now you've seen that she is fine." Felix said. He had taken Leslie out of Demitri's grip. He was rubbing the girl's sore arms. "What should we do with this one, Elders?" He nodded towards Avery.
"She has seen far too much. However, we have no real use or her, now that we have our charming girl Leslie here with us." Aro said. He paced. "What to do, what to do...?"
Avery wasn't going to be silenced or kept still. "You better let both of us go, or every one of you will be in trouble!" That was enough for Caius. He was on her immediately, and Leslie got the impression that if Aro hadn't been right behind him, he would have killed her right then and there.
"Caius, calm yourself." Aro looked up at Leslie then. "Alec, Jane. Take Leslie out of here, now." He turned to Leslie then. "Don't give them any trouble about this, or you will be punished accordingly."
Leslie nodded numbly. She didn't spare Avery a glance as Alec grabbed her hand. He dragged her out. Jane was right behind them. "They wouldn't actually kill her?"
"You read the books. What do you think?" Alec asked her crisply. "Tell me the truth. Did you let her in, or what?"
"I didn't! I wouldn't want any of my friends here. I.. I don't even want to be here!"
Jane spoke up as they got to the twins' suite. "You've a lot of nerve. They've even given you a room. DO you know how many of actual servants get luxury suites? You're a very fortunate, and ungrateful brat!"
Leslie didn't reply. She had seen how cruel Jane could be. She doubted that Jane would do anything with Alec standing there, but she wasn't not going to take chances. Instead, she let Alec lead her inside. Jane huffed, and leaned against the door. Now that she wasn't being called there to be tortured, Leslie took a good look around. It was easy to see who's side was whose. Jane's side of the room had a vanity. Alec's was full of books, and other things. She took note of a writing desk.
"I thought you might want these back..." Alec pulled her towards the bookshelf. When she got closer, she saw her precious Twilight Saga books. She ran a hand across them, then let it drop. "You can take them, if you wish..." Alec put a hand on her shoulder.
"I do not want them right now." Leslie looked at the ground. For the first time, Leslie felt tears form in her eyes. They spilled to the floor as a terrified scream echoed from down the hall. "No... no! This isn't how it was supposed to be!" She started for the door, only to be dragged back by Alec. He held on to her firmly. "Let go of me! They'll kill her!"
"Then they will kill you too." Alec replied. He didn't release his grip on her, but his voice was soft and firm. He held on to her tightly. "Jane, close the door! She doesn't need to be privy to that!"
"Why not. After all, we all know she's the one who let her in here." Jane smirked at Leslie then, and the girl understood. Jane had told the Elders she had let Avery in. They weren't killing Avery to punish her. They were killing her to punish Leslie.
"But I didn't!" Suddenly she screamed in pain, twisting and writhing. "S-stop it! Please!"
"Jane! Enough!" As he spoke, he turned Leslie to face his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. Leslie felt something strange happen. She couldn't hear Avery screaming anymore, and she suddenly lost all sensation. Even touch was nonexistent. When she looked up, she could see Alec's lips moving, but nothing came out.
He can desensitize you completely. While Jane can make you think you feel pain, Alec can make you feel nothing. She remembered from the books as Edward Cullen had explained it. Alec was shielding her from Jane! Leslie curled up against him, and as her body moved closer to his chest, she realized he was trying to comfort.
Then it was all over. The door flew open, with Felix and Demitri walking in. Then Leslie could hear everything. The screams down the hall were gone, but in it's place, Felix and Demitri were giving Jane and Alec both a lecture. She stood back against the bookshelf, saying nothing, as Alec explained what happened.
"Jane, that is twice now you have attacked this girl. You realize you could kill her. She is human." Felix reprimanded. He turned to Leslie then. The girl wondered what she looked like to him. She felt absolutely miserable, and scared. "Are you alright, Leslie?"
"Thanks to Alec. Yes." She looked at Alec. He looked as though he wanted to attack Jane himself. "I'm tired. May I go to my room, please?"
Alec piped up. "I'll take her." He didn't wait for Felix or Demitri to agree. Her took by the hand, and guided her out. "Are you sure you're alright? I didn't mean to use my power like that. I wanted to protect you from her pain."
"I'm fine..." She looked up at him. Despite the burgandy of his eyes, Leslie sudenly realized how handsome Alec truly was. "Alec... can I ask you something, you know. About you and Jane, when things die down?"
"If it is about our past, do you not already know everything?" He turned her to face him. "Your books should have everything."
"But they don't. Not about you and Jane. It was like she barely had anything to say." She looked up at him. He was smiling sadly. "What?"
"You don't want to know our full story, Leslie. It was sad, and terrible." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "Come on. You need to get some rest. You're tired." He opened the door to her room. "Here we are."
"Did... they kill her, Alec? Did they kill Avery?" Leslie looked at her friend. Yes, that what she saw him as now. There was no way Alec would ever be her enemy again. He had rescued her against his one ally.
"I'm... I'm afraid they did. But you don't need to worry. They won't do that to you. They are rather fond of you. Even if Caius appears to act otherwise." Leslie detected a hint of sadness. "Come now, get some sleep, okay? I think you're going with me and Jane tomorrow."
"Not Jane..." Leslie shrank from him. She was terribly afraid of Jane now. When she'd read the books, she'd been afraid of her then. Now her nightmares were coming true.
"Jane will not hurt you again, Child." They turned to see Marcus in the doorway. He beckoned her forward. When she was close enough, he laid a hand on her shoulder. "We want you to work with Alec, Felix and Demitri from now on. Jane will be assigned other matters to attend to."
"I understand." She brushed away unshed tears with her sleeve. "I haven't told you yet how grateful I am for your generosity. I'm sorry,Master Marcus."
"It is understood, of course." He nodded to Alec. "You did a good thing. Jane would have killed her had you not interfered." It wasn't certain, but Leslie was sure that she saw him smile ever so slightly. "Get some sleep. You will be awakened early tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Sir." Marcus left then, closing the door behind him. Leslie turned to Alec. "Will you stay with me, until I'm asleep, please?"
"I have no desire to be in that room with her right now." He pulled up the chair from her desk, and she laid down, without bothering to change into her night clothes. Alec began to hum a soft lullaby that she was unfamiliar with. Leslie didn't take her eyes off him for a long time. He took her hand in his, and held it. "Sleep, Leslie. You are safe."
"I'll try..." She yawned. Leslie found her eyes drooping shut. She thought she heard herself tell Alec she loved him.