"Well," I said when we were alone in the tiny box. "This is different."
"Really? It seems familiar to me." He put his hand on my hip and without the thick robe I felt his cold hand, every finger. There was still that feeling of fitting, but now there was more. And this was familiar, although I hadn't felt it in years. The warmth spreading through my core hadn't been there since Sam met Emily. And he was only touching my hip! I tried to get a grip on myself despite the spell he was putting on me. After all, he was still talking. "Though not for you, I suppose."
He was frowning. What was he troubled by? It was familiar, as he had said. "You had another," I said. "I did too, but he was not for me." I looked to my bare toes. I had painted them some time in the last month. There were still chips of pink on them. Maybe for a date? That was right. I was going to a party with Doug and I had open toed shoes.
"I'm glad he wasn't," he said and I felt his thumb make a circle again.
Then our quiet ride was over. We were amidst the grind of stinking bodies heading for the airport. "I don't know that we have room for everyone, anymore," I told him. My head finally stopped its swimming as I stepped out of the curve of his arm. "Doc? How are we to get everyone to the airport?" I asked now.
"We should be able to squeeze a couple more in our van, Leah. I know a few who might be willing to double up," he looked to his wife with a grin. I frowned. "You will be all right on the flight?" he asked Marcus.
"I'm not sure. We fed a day or two ago, so I don't expect problems. Your daughter would know best," he said with a small smile.
"Sadly, our companions make that difficult to impossible," the short one, Alice, explained. "In your case, impossible. Suplicia, Renata and Chelsea will be fine. Which leads me to believe you will as well.
"Why can you see them and not me?" he asked. I grabbed one of his hands. I nearly dropped it reflexively from the biting cold, but then our fingers twined. "Oh, I understand." He pulled me a little closer, smiling. I felt myself blushing for no reason at all.
"I can also be more certain of Chelsea and Renata than Suplicia because they will be on other flights, not ours."
"They will?" the doctor asked. I rubbed my other hand against Marcus' as though to warm it. He chuckled very lowly. He seemed startled and stopped.
"Yes, Renata will be accompanying you and Chelsea is going to Alaska," Alice said with certainty. More and more of us had gathered in the corridor and were listening now. The vampires in question began chatting to one another. I paid little mind; I was flexing my fingers. Were they numb or burning? I wasn't sure. Marcus noticed and raised my hand to his lips. Burning, right.
"Can we get out of here?" Jacob whined, pushing his way past us and toward the exit ahead. I couldn't blame him. Marcus's scent didn't bother me, but there were far too many vampires in this tiny corridor. He pulled his girl along with him, well pushed her ahead actually. Of course, he wanted to get her as far from here as fast as possible.
She stopped him, though, and turned to us. "Marcus. I really am sorry about Aro. I know he was like a brother to you."
He laughed now and the pealing sound was stunning. "You did me the greatest of favors, Renesmee. I owe you more than you will ever know." He put a hand out, and I thought he meant to pull her into an embrace but instead he wheeled and was kissing me again. My breath caught as my lips froze. Then they melted in my own heat. My heart drummed madly. His free hand moved to my lower back. Just as well, my balance was suddenly gone. My insides were on fire. It wasn't just in my throat and chest anymore, it burned lower, through my belly, in my thighs. What was this man, this vampire, doing to me?
It was only when he released me and I began gasping for air that I heard more laughter around us. I also saw Embry making gagging motions with his finger; I flipped him off. I righted myself slowly and pushed Marcus gently away. "You are dangerous," I told him.
Bella came and nudged my shoulder. "Head rush?" she asked. Oh right, she'd had a vampire lover too. She would remember.
"It's always like this?" I asked in a whisper.
She nodded with wide eyes and then kissed her husband. I shook my head and took a step toward the exit myself. Either I'd warmed his hand or frozen my own, because I didn't notice we were still connected until Marcus dropped my hand to open the door. I felt pins and needles through my fingertips. Numb then. Odd, I'd been sure it was burning.
I didn't even think about logistics until he was still with me at the 'wolf mobile,' as the oh-so-funny Cullens had dubbed it. Jacob was there with Nessie too. I looked around at the pack sheepishly.
"Hop in, Marcus, was it?" Jacob asked opening the sliding door.
Thank you, I mouthed to him, climbing in behind Marcus. I was more surprised when Jacob came in behind us. I was sitting beside Marcus when Jacob nudged me with his hip. "There aren't going to be enough seats that way." He proceeded to pull Ness into his lap.
I clenched my jaw. I was hot enough wihtout underwear to need the chill of Marcus' lap, but I had the feeling the opposite was about to happen. I took a breath and shifted myself over. Ness was suddenly pressed against my shoulder as Seth took the third seat.
"Good thing it's a short drive. Did you put on weight, girl?" Jake was teasing Nessie. She elbowed him in the ribs as he deserved.
I'd been correct in my assessment. Although the cold was seeping into my legs, a little higher I was melting thoroughly. I was definitely grabbing that backpack at the airport and putting my other clothes back on. We rocked a little as we backed onto the road. Marcus moved his hands to my belly, steadying me.
In my thin dress, it was impossible not to notice his cold chest against my back as well as his hands on my hips, as they were now. I shifted a little and tried to breathe evenly. That was when I noticed for the first time that he wasn't breathing at all. I started listening, waiting for it. I wondered if I should nudge or poke him. Was he all right? I turned my head, trying to see.
His eyes were closed and his lips moved silently. I turned my head back to the front and wondered how fast the vamps up front could go. We hit a bump and I came down on his lap with a thump. That was when I realized his lap wasn't the even plane it had been. He was having as much trouble as I was. This was going to be very interesting when we got each other alone next. Numbing or burning? To be or not to be?
"Alice?" Nessie called up front. "How long until our flight leaves?"
"We'll have a five hour wait in Pisa, why?"
"Just counting hours. The wedding is tomorrow."
Alice cursed up front. "We'll make it," she promised. "We will make it."
Nessie settled a little.
"Wedding?" Marcus asked.
"Jacob's dad," I told him. "He's marrying his second wife. He lost his first years ago."
"Everyone should have a second chance," he murmured and I felt his cold lips on my shoulder. I shivered. "Were you planning to attend?" he asked.
"No. I... I was expecting to be in classes." I realized for the first time that I wasn't going back to the university. I wasn't going to eat Doug's Pad Thai. Marcus had just abandoned his way of life, even if it was an appalling, disgusting, murderous way of life; he had left it for me. I was going to help him. "I don't know what I'll be doing now. But it will be a human gathering. I imagine you would rather be elsewhere."
I looked at him now, his red eyes. I blinked slowly and took a new breath. He shuddered slightly. I probably smelt terrible to him. The Cullens had certainly made their opinion of our odor clear on numerous occasions. I looked away. I noticed his hands had tightened on my hips. Was it that bad? Then they relaxed and started stroking. That was not doing any good to the heat already building between them, between my thighs. I shifted again and felt him pressing into me. I licked my lips and looked over my shoulder once more. His eyes were closed again and he was murmuring those silent words.
"Marcus?" Ness asked. "Are you all right?"
"Fine, Renesmee," his voice was slightly strained. Probably because he was continuing to hold his breath. I hung my head a little.
"What are you whispering?" she asked now. I could have slapped her. Rude, much?
"Just a prayer. I find my faith renewed of late." His lips were at my shoulder again, but this time they moved up my neck, too. I gasped. There was something very very wrong about having a vampire kissing me there. I felt so vulnerable, so fragile.
"Careful, Marcus. Venom is poison to her," Nessie warned.
He pulled his lips away. I pictured myself laying another beating on Jacob's imprint. "I didn't know that."
"I thought you might not," she whispered.
"Anything else I should know?" He was asking me now.
Jacob answered, "She's extra crabby on full moons."
This time I did punch. I made sure I caught his girl in the swing. "Ow, I'm kidding, kidding." His laugh didn't appease me. That had been true, when I still had a cycle. I had had another in the six months since I'd been wolf last. I wondered how long it would be now. I sighed in remorse. "I really was kidding, Leah," Jacob insisted. I tried to smile. He flinched. That made me laugh.
"That bad?" I asked.
"Yeah. That was the most frightening baring of teeth I've seen in a long time. And I think the last one was you, too."
I laughed again, tipping my head back. I felt the chill as my cheek brushed Marcus'. He chuckled, too. Again the sound was almost wrong.
Then, thankfully, we were able to get out of the claustrophobic tin of a van. I felt pins and needles down the backs of my legs and rubbed them, trying to help the blood work it's way through. As I did, I felt just how cold my skin was now.
I felt eyes on my back and looked over my shoulder. Sure enough, Marcus was watching me. I smiled at him as he looked away in embarrassment.
"Food," I heard behind me.
"Food," was echoed.
"FOOD!" I closed my eyes.
"You are all such children!" I roared. I stopped then and took a deep breath. In and out. I am a woman, not a bitch. "You have time to eat, go find something." I spread my arm out to take in the streets around the airport. They were cluttered with restaurants and hotels as was to be expected.
"Right," Joseph agreed. "How about that one?" He pointed and the four of them headed out.
"Are you hungry?" Marcus asked me.
"A little, not starving like them." I looked in disgust at the boys running down the street. Jacob and Nessie were following.
"We could join them," he suggested.
"Or we could go somewhere else," I said and turned to head in the opposite direction. "I think I've had just about enough of those boys for today. Oh, but I want to speak with Alice first."
We entered the airport and I found the Cullens at one of the ticket counters. "Could I snag that bag from you before you check it?" I asked Alice.
"Of course!" she said, slinging it to me.
"I'm going to change," I told Marcus, heading for a washroom.
I felt much better in a bra and panties. I didn't normally mind going commando, but I hadn't expected I'd be sitting in anyone's lap. That was terribly embarrassing. I started to put the dress into one of the trash bins, but then stuffed it back in the bag instead. I had no idea what I thought I might want it for. I didn't really need more rags.
Marcus was waiting right outside the door. I doubted he'd moved since I'd left him. "Ready," I said.
"You look lovely. The dress was nice, too," he told me. Well, good thing I kept it then.
We were about to have our first real conversation. I was a little worried about what it might entail. What are your hobbies, Marcus? Oh, rounding up people and drinking their blood, intimidating others of my kind, you? Sprouting hair and intimidating others of my kind. Hey, we had something in common. I shook my head at my own insanity.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"No, just a random thought."
He nodded and put his arm around me. I started to lean into him before I realized what I was doing. He picked me up by the hip and held me to him as he glided along. I giggled and he put me down outside the door of the restaurant. He opened the door for me. I could get used to that. Guys didn't do that enough anymore.
I just looked at him for a while, not sure where to begin. He seemed to have the same problem. Before I'd come up with anything the waitress was back, asking what we wanted to drink. She spoke in Italian and I didn't understand her at first. Marcus answered immediately and then looked to me. "Drink?" he asked.
"White wine?" I replied.
He smiled and I was sure he wondered that I wasn't more specific. He was as he ordered a gewurztraminer. I tried to remember if I'd ever tried one of those. It was fruity, I knew that. Wine wasn't the drink of choice on the reservation. I opened the menu and was relieved to find it in several languages. The waitress probably spoke English, but Marcus had been ready in Italian.
"Would you order me the Aioli when she returns?"
"You seem to be able to order that on your own," he said with a broad smile.
I blushed again. "I wasn't sure I said it right."
Then he rolled several words off his tongue and all I knew was that they were all Italian. They might have been, "You're accent is a little off," or "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" but they sounded wonderful regardless. And he really wasn't helping me initiate any sort of conversation when he went off in another language like that.
Then I decided to be snide. "The wing of the raven is not as dark as your hair," I told him in Quileute and he smiled back. Stick that in your craw, silver tongue, I thought.
"That is a most unusual language. What is it?"
"Quileute. The language of my tribe."
"And what did you say?" he asked.
"You first," I taunted.
He pressed his lips together and looked at me from under lashes. "The words that fall from your lips are sweeter than honey."
I giggled. That was a pretty cheesy pick up line. Then again, mine wasn't much better. "Your hair is darker than a raven's wing," I translated. That was when the waitress came back with the wine. "The Aioli, please."
"Of course, miss," she answered in English and winked at me. She thought I'd made a fine catch, obviously.
Then the silence fell in again. It was as though neither of us was sure what the first step should be. I had definitely done this more recently than him. What had I talked about with Doug our first night for coffee? Class. Well that wasn't helpful. Sports? I could try; he didn't see the sporting type.
"Do you..." I stopped, shaking my head.
"No, go ahead," he encouraged me.
"It was an attempt at small talk. I don't imagine you actually follow any sports, do you?" I took a sip of wine.
"No," he said with a smile. "But that is better than anything I had come up with. I was going to ask if your tribe had it's own religion. We all know matters of faith are a great way to break the ice. Can you tell I haven't left the castle in centuries?" he asked with another laugh.
"That's not true," I argued. "You came to Washington a few years ago," I reminded him.
"Yes," he paused. "How is it I didn't meet you then?"
"Probably because I was too far away, too much in the shadows. I didn't get a good look at any of you, either. I just know you must have been one of those three."
He nodded and my food arrived. "And now you will have to pick up the conversation or I won't get to eat this," I teased. "So tell me about the castle if you've spent so much time there."
"It was a prison," he said coldly. "It was a stone cell I was kept in by Aro. He made certain that I would never have the will to leave. As a result I had little will at all."
"I'm so sorry. No wonder you were so glad Nessie got rid of him. She made it sound like he was a brother though."
"He was. He was the brother of my mate, Didyme." He winced as he said the name.
"I see." I took another bite.
"I don't imagine you do," he said shortly. I looked up, fork in mouth.
"Then tell me," I told him.
"It is a long story, and not a happy one," he warned me.
"I'll order dessert," I said with a smile. "And if that still isn't time enough, we have a very long flight ahead of us."
He smiled back. "It would be nice to share it with someone. No one, I think, has heard this story in a very long time."
He told me of Didyme, how happy she made him and everyone around her. I thought I should be jealous of this woman, but I couldn't be. She seemed a truly tragic character in this tale, as she was obviously happy before whatever demise met her. He told me of their plans to leave. He told me of her disappearance, her destruction. He told me of his desire to leave Volterra regardless, and Chelsea's ability to compel him to stay. He told me how empty he had felt for so many centuries. I felt empty, too. Then, after Aro's demise, Chelsea no longer saw a need to compel Marcus. She released her hold on him. But without Didyme, he still had no real purpose, no real desire. Until he saw Renesmee. When he saw the strength of the bond between her and Jacob, the pain she inflicted on herself by being apart from him, he knew he had found someone who could truly share his pain. His and now Suplicia's. He had planned to keep her, hoping that she might show them how to live beyond the pain, the emptiness.
"She did. She brought me you."
I felt tears on my cheeks. Not for the first time in his telling. The restaurant was dark and empty, but no one had shoved us out the door yet. I had drunk the entire bottle of wine and was glad my wolf metabolism was still at work, otherwise I would be more than tipsy.
"I'm glad she did. I'm glad Jacob called me. I'm glad I found peace enough to accept his request."
Marcus helped me to my feet and led me back to the airport. We had long since settled our bill. The boys were sleeping in seats outside our gate when we rejoined our friends. Renesmee handed me my messenger bag. "I thought you might still want this, for carry-on."
I smiled, "Thank you."
She took my hand and showed me a very old image. It was me in her grandparents' white house. I had my short, crazed hair and was wearing shred-wear. Yet I seemed to glow. She was telling me I was pretty. "I'd meant to tell you that a long long time ago," she said.
"Better late than never."