Another chapter! Guess why? Because my exams are over, yes, o-ver! And I did really good, so I'm very happy.. :)
Which basically means you get more chapters, you lucky sods. This is bit of a filler chapter, but I hope you like it...
REVIEW, DAMN IT!
And thanks to all the people who did review- I'm glad you found the last chapter funny ^-^. ...oh, and thanks for the virtual plate of cookies! I really love you all, I do. Sort of.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I wish I did T_T
When I was human I didn't really date much. I was too busy studying, or daydreaming, or avoiding boys. I never thought they'd be so good at getting under my skin. Alec smirks at my warning and takes hold of my left hand, his other hand going to my hip.
As if we're dancing.
This is...new. I look at him uncertainly. "What are you doing?" I wish he wasn't so good looking. His dark hair gleams in the dull light. He looks uncertain for a millisecond before smirking and putting my free hand on his shoulder. He starts moving to imaginary music. For a second, he closes his eyes, and I find myself staring at his face, memorising the contours.
I stumble and stand on his foot. Kill me now, or better yet, just hand me a stake, I'll save you the trouble...
He surprises me by pulling me even closer, and his mouth is next to my ear. "Play something sweeter, would you, maestro?" he murmurs. I swallow. His body is rock hard, solid as a diamond. He has a nice smell that I can't place. Too enticing.
I grit my teeth and he slows the 'dance' while I struggle with my talent. My fingers tighten their grip on his shoulder and hand as I concentrate. I don't even know why I'm doing this. Any second, Aro or the blonde idiot king -Caius?- could come past...
There.
It's a sort of waltz, from the sound of it. Better than nothing, but still crap since I don't actually know how to waltz. I try to back away but Alec chuckles into my ear, sending bolts of strange wanting down my system.
We dance. It's good Alec knows what he's doing.
"Aro wants you to join the Guard," he whispers into my ear. Softly. Sweetly. Temptingly. His mouth brushes my neck, making me dizzy.
I nod unsteadily. Focus. Focus. He's still a dick, still a dick... "I know."
"Anna," he says my name like it's a prayer, like it's the most beautiful name he's ever heard, "I want you to stay... I know it's selfish, but I feel like..."
"Like..?" I hate cliffhangers.
"I don't want you to go," he whispers into my ear. His hand moves up, away from my waist, to tilt up my chin. Destroying the dance. I sense his desire like a wave crashing over me. His red eyes burn into mine. His perfect mouth is closer and closer to me. Waves of desire ripple through my body, and he closes his eyes with a desperate, need-filled moan just before our lips-
don't meet.
That asshole. "Another trick?" I demand. Alec looks surprised that I've pushed him down and am straddling him, glaring. The music grinds to a violent stop.
"No, Anna. I want you so badly. I can barely understand it myself-"
"Please don't lie about stuff like that to my face," I say, voice flat. He looks taken aback, before the lovesick puppy-look is wiped off his face and the regular smirk takes hold. That's how I knew- he copied the lovesick look off the way Jane looks at Aro. Like a constipated sheep. With rabies.
"What gave me away?" he asks, sounding genuinely curious. For some reason his confession that his, er, confession was a lie stings more than it should. I push him down as he tries to get up, happy in the knowledge that newborns -isn't that what Trudy called me?- are, indeed, strong. His head snaps against the ground with a satisfying crack.
"When a guy walks in on the girl he loves, when she's taking a shower, without an invite, he either a) jumps in with her, crazy with hormones or b) at least apologises," I tell him angrily. He smiles at me.
"Maybe I'm not sorry, though," he murmurs, his eyes travelling up my body. I realise what an awkward position I've put us in. Why am I so stupid, damn! Like I need more temptation to kiss him senseless-
Wait. Kiss him? Since when? The last boy I kissed was about as good at it as a depressed toilet. My human life is starting to look less desirable by the second. However, my vampire life isn't that much better-
Point is, I don't want to kiss someone like Alec.
"Well, you sure as heck don't love me, at any rate." I wish I could stop the flashbacks of him staring at me through the doorway, like a cat finding an interesting mouse to play with.
"Plan B, I suppose..." Alec says, musing, talking to himself. I look at him sharply.
"What Plan B?" I ask. Alec shakes his head innocently.
One thing to remember about Alec Volturi- if he acts innocent, he's lying. Or holding something back. I think I sort of hate him, really. Especially since a part of me really, desperately wanted him to be telling the truth-
Gah! Focus, Anna, you idiot.
"What Plan B?"
"This is an interrogation now?" he asks, as if it's a game. A game- this is my life they're talking about, here. Why would they want me to think Alec was in love with me, anyway..? I send a screaming sonata at him and he winces. I smile.
"Only if you want it to be, sweetie," I whisper mockingly, mimicking his tone. He smiles then, and I'm about to open my mouth to ask why, when- Oh, no. He got me again. I can't move. I struggle, trying to force my limbs into working again. It doesn't work. Alec props himself up on his elbows and looks at me consideringly.
"Didn't you want me to love you?" he asks, sounding put out. A spoilt child who's toy has been taken away, that's what he sounds like. I growl between my frozen jaws. He smiles to himself, before sitting at a ninety degree angle, so that his face is a centimetre from mine.
"You're not falling all over me," he whispers into my ear, his cheek flush with mine. I shiver. "And I don't like that. I really..." his fingers trace circles on my back, leaving trails of imaginary fire, "...really don't like that...at all." Then, like a flash, I can move again. I skitter backwards, until my back hits the opposing wall.
He shouldn't have done that. I hurl everything I have at him. If I was human, I'd be crying. I can't believe he'd touch me, violate my privacy like that-
You violated his first, this time, my inner voice reminds me, YOU were the one that sat on him.
Thanks for being on my side. Besides, he peeked- no, outright stared at me before I sat on him. I bury my head in my knees, humiliated, and throw violins, drums, tin whistles, what sounds like an orang utan snorting- all loud, in his general direction. After a couple of endless minutes I look up. I see Alec look relieved as he turns and runs in my distraction. I stay stock still. I can't ever let my guard down. He's too- oh, god, I'm so stupid...
"Anna," a female voice says, rasping. I look to my right and see a vampire I don't recognise looking at me kindly.
"Who are you?" I ask tiredly. She gives me a sympathetic smile and plops down in front of me. She has her light hair in braids all around her face, and is wearing a long dark cloak. I think it's the Volturi Guard livery.
"I'm Chelsea," she says, and I notice the same rasp in her voice. It's sounds husky, rough...but sort of nice, too. She sticks out her hand. I shake it dumbly.
"So you're Anna, huh," she says curiously, "I heard you beating up Alec."
"How do you know it was Alec?"
"He has a tendency of pissing everyone off, and I didn't figure that you'd be an exception, considering..." she trails off.
"Considering what?" I may have just found a vampire with a talent for gossip.
"Well, Aro has assigned him to your case, to convince to to stay. Although it seems that little scheme hasn't worked out well," she adds wryly.
"He's a perverted jerk!" I blurt out. "I was taking a shower and he just came and stared at me! And then he pretended to love me, and I don't know why, and then I kind of pushed him down and yelled at him, and then he froze me!"
"You like him then," Chelsea says, a touch of sarcasm apparent in her voice. I glare at a bit of wall behind her.
"No kidding."
"Aro wants to see you," Chelsea informs me, standing up.
"Why?" I ask, as she holds out a hand and I take it and she pulls me up.
"He didn't say," she says, looking at me speculatively.
Oh, no. It seems news travels fast in a place where everyone can hear exceptionally well. So much for privacy. Chelsea sees my face and laughs.
"Come on," she says, turning without bothering to check if I'm following. "Best not to keep him waiting, Snow White."
"Snow White?"
"Hmm, you're right, it doesn't fit. Unless Alec magically shrinks..."
I laugh at the image of a tiny Alec with a high, squeaky voice and follow Chelsea to the throne room. Why do I always end up back there? When we enter, I suddenly remember that my hair is still wet. Oh, no, I'll catch a cold if I don't-
Stupid me. Vampires don't get colds, do they? They get warms. Haha. Hahaha. I wonder if Aro has decided that I'm useless and that I should die. Alec would agree with that, I bet. He didn't look to happy when he was strutting off, after I attacked him. He deserved it, though...
Aro turns to me and smiles beatifically. It makes him look creepy.
"Ah, dea della musica," he starts. "I must congratulate you on your magnificent progress. You have certainly gained control over your most exceptional gift. I'm afraid I must ask you now," he pauses. "Have you decided to stay with us, here in Volterra, where you will never want for anything, and your thirst will always be a priority?"
I give him a hard look. He may be a scary dude, but he wants something from me. I want something from him. And if I don't get what I want, I'm leaving. Funny. I never used to be so headstrong. Maybe killing people does that to you. Maybe having your family die does that to you. Or maybe it's just the need for revenge...
"Depends whether you're willing to bargain or not," I say.
Aro smiles and gestures his arms out wide. "Whatever you want, dea della musica," he proclaims.
That throws me off. I can ask for anything?
"I want my the people who killed my family destroyed," I say, my voice flat. "And I want sick leave."
Revenge ahoy!
"Vampires don't get sick," someone interrupts. I think it's Caius, the blonde idiot, whatever his name is.
"Fine. I still want holidays, though," I say. "Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. And my birthday, I want that off too."
"What if we need you?" Aro asks dangerously.
"Then get Alec to beg me for my help," I say. Alec's face goes from passive-and-slightly-perverted to outraged.
Revenge!
"Absolutely," Aro says smoothly. Alec looks like he wants to kill me. Good. Now the feeling is mutual. I wonder why Aro isn't asking me anything about what Vic and Val look like, and then remember that he knows all about that. Mind reader.
"When is your birthday?" Aro asks. He knows already, he's seen my memories. Why is he asking? I decide to humour him. After all, he is granting my wishes, which I didn't expect.
"2nd of November," I say. Aro smiles.
"Chelsea will tell you of the rules of the Guard," he says. Well. I know a dismissal when I see one. I nod at him, feeling strange. I follow Chelsea, and realise why I feel so odd. No one is trying to, or possibly plotting, to kill me. Alec doesn't count, he's a dick wad. I feel his angry scowl on my back as I walk out. He doesn't like the idea of begging, not one bit. That's what you get when you sneak up on people in the shower...
"Now that you are definitely staying, I'd better tell you the rules," Chelsea says, smiling strangely. She suddenly hurls herself at me, and I duck.
Out of the frying pan, into the fryer.
Just wondering- do you think I should do some Alec POV? Or just keep doing it all in Anna POV? Feedback appreciated, and again, thanks for all the lovely reviews!