The first paragraph of this chapter goes out to "lifetakestime".
Special thanks to "Saralg" whose kind words and encouragement made my day.
And ALL REVIEWERS, because reviews make me feel warm and fuzzy whatever they say.
(Didn't mean for the above to rhyme)
Sorry if this Chapter's too long, if it is just let me know and I'll keep future ones shorter.
Chapter Six: Shadows
I'm pretty sure it's chapter one of The Good Parents Handbook: Teaching your child not to talk to strangers. My parents hardly deserved any blame though, I could've read that handbook myself by the time I was one. And how close could they ever expect any potentially dangerous strangers would get when I lived with eight vampires and a werewolf? But when Cora appeared behind me in the parking lot, I had a chance of freedom I'd never had before. A chance to be independent, reckless even, without getting stopped in my tracks by my overprotective family.
So here I was, running through the woods, my hand still in Cora's. She'd asked me to lower my shield for her so I did, luckily I'd been practising with Uncle Jasper earlier this morning, letting him toy with my emotions. I could tell she had the potential to run faster than me, but every time she felt my arm tugging behind her, she'd slow and shoot an apologetic glance over her shoulder. We veered out of the woods towards the main road. I came to a stop, dragging her back with me.
"Cora, the cars. People will notice if we run." She threw her head backwards and let out an impatient sigh.
"See Renesmee, here was me thinking you were smart. You should've figured by now that I have the ability to be very sneaky. Now come, we have to hurry." She shook my hand and turned to continue running, but stopped when I didn't follow.
"How? How will they not see us?"
"Renesmee please, there really is not the time right now. I'll tell you very soon I promise." Her big red eyes were less vibrant today, they had a gentle brown tint to them which made her pretty face less unsettling than when we had first met. I also noticed that there was a gentle panic behind them, which had shown through in her tone, so I complied, letting her pull me out from between the trees.
We ran on the very side of the road at an unmistakably inhuman speed, but nobody looked. Not one driver even raised their eyes towards us. At first I thought it may have been because we were going too fast, but Cora's white dress flowed behind her, and that would have definitely caught someone's attention. I giggled in the confusion, not knowing what was going on, but still finding it very amusing. Cora glanced over to me and winked, giggling as well. My pace faltered when I thought I heard a distant scream over the buzz of the traffic. It had come from the trees on the other side of the road, a woman's scream, and I could almost swear it was my name that was being screeched so desperately. But if Cora heard it, then she showed no acknowledgement, so I continued to run, putting it down to a trick of my often avid imagination.
After a while my human side began to show, and my breathing turned to gentle panting, so Cora slowed to a stroll. She wrapped her cool arm around my shoulder and I leaned in, using her cold skin to cool me down. It only then dawned on me that I'd spent all of five minutes with this woman, but it felt like I'd known her forever, and I trusted her. I must have, otherwise why would have I come with her, apart from to exhibit some adolescent disobedience for once. We were still on the side of the road going completely unnoticed, so I decided to take Cora up on her promise.
"Ok. Now I am insanely curious. Nobody can see us, you can creep up on me, which nobody has ever been able to do before, and you've been sending my family insane by throwing your scent around. What's with you?" Cora's giggle chimed mischievously as the obvious confusion coloured my face.
"It's my gift Renesmee. As yours is to show people your thoughts, mine is to block myself from them." My eyebrows furrowed and I placed one hand on my hip in frustration. I was learning that Cora really enjoyed being cryptic. She giggled again; apparently she liked doing that too.
"I can take myself off the radar. Not just me, anyone I like. I can make it so nobody around me can see, hear, smell, feel or … taste me I guess. Though I'm not sure when I've ever given anyone the chance of the last one, apart from when I became this way of course, but that was a long time ago." She was diverting from the subject, but I didn't mind. I liked the way she bounced around as she spoke, swinging her arms like a child and flapping her hands. "But anyway, senses basically. I can make it so that myself and others just don't register on them. We're still there, as we're still on the side of this road, watching these people go by; they just aren't able to acknowledge us." She grinned triumphantly; clearly her gift gave her a lot of satisfaction.
"So the traces in the woods near my house, what was that?"
"Like I told you, my idea of fun. I can control each sense individually, so when the three of us were running I'd just expose a scent every so often." Another giggle escaped her, and she shrugged her shoulders innocently, before taking my hand back in hers. "Speaking of the three of us, we should get moving. I'm being unfair to keep them waiting to see you."
We'd moved back into the woods, heading deeper in when my mind started clicking together the pieces of conversations I'd had with Cora since we first met.
"How did you know about my gift?" She bit her lip, as if trying to decide what to tell me. For a girl with the ability to be invisible, Cora was extremely easy to read. All her thoughts were shown on her face in a very childlike way, which just made me like and trust her even more.
"My … friend told me. You'll understand how when you meet him."
"Ok, next question. When we first met you said you thought my eyes were prettier now you were seeing them fixed on you. What did you mean by that?" Cora's eyes twinkled as she laughed.
"I take back what I said about you not being smart. You don't miss things do you Renesmee. I suppose that's one of the advantages of what you are, perfect memory. It was because I had seen you before, a few times actually. I saw you in your birthday dress!" At this a childlike excitement filled her and she span round, taking both of my hands in hers. "Oh and Renesmee you looked beautiful!" Her eyes were closed as she remembered, so when she opened them my returning look of shock panicked her. "Oh, I've upset you. I'm sorry"
"N-no, it's .. it's okay, it's just … you were at my party?"
"Yes but not for very long, Victor just had some last things to see, then we left. I'm sorry."
"Victor?" The name snapped movement back into Cora, who skipped through the trees.
"Yes, Victor. Hurry."
The trees opened up slightly and Cora came to a stop, spinning herself slightly on her tiptoes, she was the most fidgety vampire I had ever met.
"What now?"
"We wait Renesmee. They'll smell you and they'll come." She wiggled her fingers like claws and made her voice sound deep and menacing.
"Won't they smell you too?"
"Nope" Flora popped the "p" and then placed her arm on my shoulder. "Nobody smells me, I usually cover my scent." She was right, as she leaned closer to me there was nothing, no smell at all. I would've asked why but doubted the answer would do much more than confuse me further. After a minute Cora slid my bag off my shoulder, "Let me take that, it's heavy. They'll be here any second." I followed where Cora's eyes fell, to a gap between a strip of trees in the distance. I couldn't hear or smell anything, though I supposed that was down to Cora.
When they both finally came into sight I took a moment to take them in. The man was well over six foot, and his shoulders were wide. Apart from that he looked thin, scrawny almost. His long black coat hung very loose over his wide frame, and his hair was a copper colour and hung to the base of his overly-defined cheekbones. The tiny, oriental woman beside him was breathtaking. Like him, her skin was almost a brilliant white, which was only exaggerated by the fact they both wore black. Her little face could not have come much higher than the mans elbow, and her long black hair was poker straight. Both of them fixed their rich, red eyes on me as they came to a synchronised stop just a few feet before me. These two were mates. From experience I could easily tell by the way they moved together, positioning themselves side-by-side perfectly. I couldn't help but grin a little when I considered what an odd couple they looked. The man's face was relaxed, whereas a fierce scowl was painted across his partner's. He inclined his head to Cora, and as if he had silently instructed her to speak, she jumped at my side.
"Erm, Renesmee, this is Victor and Francesca." As soon as she had announced his name Victor moved forward with an eager smile across his thin lips. Francesca still scowled, and slid to stand behind him.
"Renesmee. It is an absolute honour to make you acquaintance." He bowed down and placed a cold kiss on the back of my hand, which didn't lighten Francesca's expressions at all. When Victor stood back up his red eyes gazed over my left shoulder, even though he was talking to Cora.
"Cora, it would seem you have given Renesmee little information about us. Seeing fit to only really introduce yourself." He was still gazing over my shoulder, but when I looked there was nothing there. I felt Cora stiffen beside me, she wasn't fidgeting anymore.
"I thought I would let you explain Victor." His eyes snapped to her when she barked her sentence, causing her to shudder slightly. But when his eyes met back with mine, the smile was back on his face.
"Well then Renesmee, it appears you are well aware of the fact we know so much about you. It only seems fair we should extend to you an equal opportunity. You may ask of me what you like." Oh great, a Q & A. Though I had many questions, I wasn't at ease enough to ask. But Cora nudged me reassuringly.
"You were at my party, why?" Cora grinned, either because the memory of my dress was amusing her again, or because my choice of question pleased her.
"Yes, I apologize for not stopping to wish you happy returns," I noticed a smirk creep across Francesca's face, "but I'm afraid I was there on …. Business. You see your family fascinates me immensely. Their diet, their choices of partners, their lifestyles and of course, their affiliation with Wolves." Francesca snarled behind him, as if the word disgusted her. I wanted to rip her throat out, but took a deep breath instead. Victor picked up on my agitation and raised his palms apologetically. "Forgive me, shape shifters." As if the terming was what angered me! I much preferred the term Werewolf; shape shifter sounded so unpredictable. As if Jake would just transform into a slug or a rabbit one day when he was phasing. "You see, I have a gift that allows me to learn a great deal about the things that interest me. I see history Renesmee. As you stand here now I can see everything you have ever done, every decision you have ever made." His eyes were over my shoulder again, gazing at something that wasn't there. Victor smiled when I turned back to face him. "It's all behind you, your shadows. I can see them all. And you have quite a history Renesmee." I grunted at the statement. My life had been far from exciting since I had been a child. Apart from a mass of Royal Vampires travelling across the planet, hell-bent on destroying me, my life could easily be labelled uneventful. "But the histories of those you live with; well let's just say I was not expecting what I found. Would you like to see?" I nodded enthusiastically, by now I was eager to see these shadows. My enthusiasm faded however, when Victor beckoned Francesca and she glided to his side. "Renesmee, Francesca has a special gift. She can utilise the abilities of anyone around her, so she has seen all the things that I have. If you will allow her, she can use your gift to show you what we saw." I nodded slowly and Cora gave my shoulders a squeeze.
Francesca was still glaring when she slapped her small hand onto my forehead. Slapped was not an exaggeration, as the force in which she touched me sent a protective hiss from Cora.
"Stop it both of you." Victor spoke through gritted teeth, but then relaxed when he spoke to me. "I'm sure you're well aware of how your own gift works Renesmee, Francesca will just show you exactly what she saw." After nodding to him I closed my eyes.
The picture that filled my mind was strange. Never before had I realised how vivid the images I transferred were, I felt like I was actually there. There was somewhere I easily recognised. This was my Grandfathers house, the one he now shared with Sue in La Push. I was looking at the comfy, little living room, its sole inhabitant a copper skinned young woman with long, glistening black hair. Leah. She was slumped in an armchair, staring at the TV, though her eyes were completely blank, like she wasn't taking in what she was seeing. I could see a fog appearing behind her, a dark fog that thickened over time. As it thickened I could see into it, see things. As I peered into the shadow, I had to remember that I was not in control of what was around me. I was not really here; these were just Francesca's memories. I watched as something in the mist became more vivid, a girl on the beach, she was crying. As the image became clearer, it filled out. Suddenly I was no longer looking at the beach in the shadows, I was there. I couldn't feel the sand beneath my feet, or the cool sea breeze, but I was there. I recognized the beach from all the La Push bonfires Jake took me to when I was a kid. With the clarity of the scene came the clarity of the girl, she was kneeling in the sand, with her face buried in her hands. Crying had been a misjudgement; the word barely conveyed the painful cries coming from her.
A man entered the picture then. He was very tall, with hair as dark as the night sky. As he moved forward the crying girl turned her head slowly. Her eyes were swollen from her relentless tears, her dark face was tinted red, and her long black hair was pushed roughly from her face. Leah was younger, it came across not only in her slightly chubby face, but it was in her eyes too. They were not the cold, aggressive eyes of the Leah I knew, these ones were so alive and lacking the anger of her future. The man, who I could now see was Sam Uley, had not changed. He was just as tall and muscular as he was the last time I saw him. I could hear the conversation between them, but those sounds were only in my head. My ears were picking up other things; I could hear the trees around me, and Cora beside me, breathing slowly. Leah gathered her breath in desperate pants, and Sam walked slowly over to her and dropped his hand on her shoulder, but she swiped it away quickly.
"She's like my sister Sam! How could you?" I could feel tears filling my eyes; Leah's voice was so full of heartbreak and desperation that I felt my heart wrenching. Sam remained silent, just staring down at her. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I wanted to scream at him to comfort the poor heartbroken Leah, to stop her from becoming the angry person I'm sure was caused by whatever I was seeing now. "I love you so much Sam. I stood by you, despite all the secrets I know you've been keeping, I stood by you!." She stopped then, to dry her eyes and gather her breath through a series of violent pants. "And this is how you repay me; this is how much I mean to you. I introduce you to Emily and suddenly we're over." Emily? Sam's wife Emily. Confusion ripped through me as Leah climbed to her feet barging past Sam. As she walked past I saw them, Leah's eyes, and the anger that would live in them from now on.
I snapped my shield back, and the vision stopped. Francesca removed her hand from my forehead, and Cora squeezed closer beside me.
"What was that?" I murmured the question, half to myself, but it was Victor who chose to answer.
"That was your friend, Leah I think her name was. We started our search for you in Washington, which is where we found her. I believe what you just saw took place after she found out the man she loved no longer cared for her, instead shifting all his attention and affection to her second cousin." I had never heard any of this. Not from Jacob or Seth, the fact that they'd kept me so in the dark angered me. I'd always believed Leah was just a cold person, and thus I'd never really liked her much, but now my heart bled for her, and what she'd been through.
"How could he do that to her?" I was so angry at Sam. How could he have just stood there and watched the person he was supposed to love destroy herself? How could he leave her for her cousin? Victor pressed his cold hand to my cheek, wiping away a tear I didn't notice had fallen.
"I'm afraid Renesmee, it's a cruel trick of nature. An evil phenomenon that leaves a person with a selfish fixation with only one person, and a disregard for any other." I was more confused now, what was he talking about, a trick of nature? I'd never heard any of this. "It's called imprinting Renesmee. It occurs in … shape shifters." He raised his palms slowly, as if asking me to notice he had adjusted his terming so as not to offend me. "It takes away their ability to love any other, takes away their freedom. They become like a prisoner." I couldn't doubt Victor's words. The image of Leah's desperate sobs still filled my mind, and Sam's heartless indifference to her seemed to account perfectly for what was being said. To me Sam had appeared brainwashed; "a prisoner" seemed to describe him perfectly.
"That's horrible." Victor nodded slowly in agreement, a look of sadness in his eyes. I turned then to Cora, whose bottom lip was shaking slightly, I was sure that if she could, she would be crying now. My heart leapt and quickened at their expressions. Why did they look so sad for me, for Leah? Why had they brought me here to show me this? "Jacob?" The question was an almost inaudible murmur, one I wasn't even sure I wanted answered. I squirmed in Cora's arms as Victor took my hands in his.
"I'm afraid he is your prisoner Renesmee."
My Jacob. Not really mine, but constrained to me. Bound to me by an uncontrollable force, the same force that had torn Sam from Leah so cold-heartedly. Victor still had my hands in his when Cora leaned in to me and whispered,
"Renesmee, I'm so very sorry. But I need you to take your shield back down, so I can hide you." I didn't question her, right now the thought of being hidden sounded perfect, so I just focused on letting her through. Cora bent her head onto my shoulder and let it rest there, "That's better." I could feel my body shaking and was sure I was only still standing due to Victor's grip on my hands and Cora's arms around my shoulders. Victor's voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm afraid there is more we feel you should know Renesmee, and you're going to have to be very brave."
Just to let you know: What Victor said is not my opinion on imprinting, Victor's just really really mean and has some hidden motives for pulling Nessie away.
Leave a review telling me what you thought; I can't get better if you don't tell me what's wrong.
