REEECAP: -Alvar suggested Nessie try a diet of both Animal blood and human food. - She learned that Victor had intended to find Brice and Alvar and kill them in revenge for an age-old dispute.
Though Victor came close to finding them and possibly killing Brice and Al, as well as Sonny and Oz, she never told them as she was scared it would affect her relationship with them all.
"Dreams are the answers to questions that we haven't yet figured out how to ask."
Fox Mulder. (Nessie's question; What if not telling them was a bad idea, what if Victor finds them?)
Chapter Sixteen: The Vampire and the Sleeping Girl
My body crouched low. I held my breath as though my already rapid heartbeat would give me away. I inhaled the scent deeply and silently and let my body lean in the right direction, my muscles clenching in predatory preparation, waiting to pounce. I shifted slightly, getting my footing perfect and the movement rustled a branch beside me causing his body to shudder into a cautionary stance.
There would be no chase, not this time. This would be sleek and fast, over in the blink of an eye. As my body leapt forward he shifted, but my body collided with his before he could go anywhere. We rolled once before my teeth sunk into his flesh and the hot liquid filled my mouth.
Elk was not something I enjoyed. It wasn't fast enough to be a thrilling chase, and this was the first time I'd seen one without a whole herd around it. But it was the first thing I'd caught the scent of.
When I was finished I stood up and composed myself before glancing up to the boys, each of which stared down at me from the high ledge they perched on with their mouths open in an O-shape. As though rehearsed they passed down the line passing comment in order, Al started before Brice responded quickly, then Oz, each of them maintaining their look of complete shock.
"Well that was the sexiest thing I've ever seen."
"I concur."
"Yup." Once Oz had popped the "p", my eyes fell on Sonny, whose look of shock had been replaced with one of light-hearted disgust.
"That was gross, Smee. Seriously nasty." I laughed as I began my ascent up the side towards them, using the many weeds and roots to assist in the climb that already felt easier given my large snack. Before I reached the top Oz swung himself over the edge until he his face hung inches from mine. I sighed when he looked me over in uncertainty. It had been me who'd voiced concern over letting Sonny on my first hunt, but Oz had insisted if my frenzy turned onto his brother, there was no way I was getting past him.
"You done?" I climbed past Oz and leapt onto the ledge when I felt his examining of my mood was getting tedious. He leapt behind me and laughed.
"Well, you already seem to have a new spring in your step." Oz dropped himself to the floor beside his brothers.
"Yeah, how do you feel?" As Brice questioned me I took a few long strides backwards away from them. I watched as Alvar scrutinized me, his eyes furrowed at my actions.
"I feel … I feel…" I stepped further away, until I would have had to raise my voice for Sonny to hear me, but I knew a smug murmur was all the other three would need. "I feel fast." I heard Brice's jovial laugh as I tore through the woods. As the blood surged through me I felt a kick in my speed that pushed me to wind quickly through the trees as they skimmed by me. The clearing and the cabin came into my view and I raced towards it. I felt hands at my waist as my body was flung backwards. When I landed in a crouch I looked up to see Alvar smirking down at me, ready to run but I took his ankle in my grip and pulled it from beneath him, jumping over his now horizontal body and starting my run again.
He caught me again as I took the stairs of the porch in one leap, coiling his arm around me and lifting me behind him as he zapped through the front door and landed in a heap on the living room floor with me on top of him.
"I won, I won, I won!" I pressed my hand against his mouth as I laughed.
"No you didn't you cheated, I won!" He shook his head quickly and tickled my sides sending me into a fit of laughter.
"Neither of you won, losers." We both looked up to the couch where Oz lay as though he'd been there hours, with a satisfied grin across his face.
Brice came through the door with Sonny on his back, who leapt off quickly and lifted me from Alvar.
"Smee, I'm starving. Can we eat something without a pulse now?" Sonny had to be forcefully extracted from the kitchen when Al and I came home from Bigfork. He wanted to try all the exciting new foods I'd got him, but the boys wanted to see me hunt.
{--}
Food felt weird so soon after the elk, it was like I had to battle with my body to accept it. Everything tasted better though and it made me feel fully satisfied, not thirsty like before. It was as though the blood fuelled my vampire side, feeding its benefits, whereas the food kept that side in check, balancing it out with my human nature.
It was dark by the time Sonny and I had finished stuffing ourselves and I rolled onto the couch as Sonny put in the movie for the night.
"What are we watching, Sonny?" He crawled across the floor and climbed beside me, lifting the cushion my head was on so he could sit then putting it gently back down on his lap.
"Underworld."
"Hell yeah. We're gonna watch Kate Beckinsale kick werewolf ass." Oz grinned as I groaned, Oscar really hated werewolves. Sonny had told me he and Brice had run into two of the few remaining Children of the Moon during his newborn year, and though it wasn't a full moon and they were in human form, the meeting was far from friendly.
The movie played with little focus from anybody but Oz, I just watched him as he reacted to it like Charlie used to react to games on TV, grunting and celebrating at certain parts. When it was over Sonny yawned and rolled his head back.
"What are we watching tomorrow Sonny?" I saw him contemplate for a minute, until he snapped his head back and let it hover over mine.
"Hook."
"What?"
"Y'know, Hook. Like Captain Hook, as in your boss, eh Smee?"
"Oh, right, Peter Pan. Damn Sonny, you sure are hilarious." Alvar and Brice chuckled as I held my stomach in fake laughter.
"Actually Smee, I see you more of a Captain Hook than his loveable right hand man. You can be a little bossy." Sonny gasped jokingly at Al and I jabbed him with my foot.
"Al, what a shocking thing to say. I'd never believe it." I rolled my eyes at Sonny's insincere tone and Oz laughed.
"Oh yeah! You should have seen the way she dragged me out of the car to go shopping with her today. A real Captain Hook I'd say." Al grinned at me as he spoke and I sat up.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, my turn to be teased, I get it. Mind if I go to bed and let you guys continue?" As I got to my feet Al leapt onto the couch and pulled me back down beside him.
"We're just playing, Hook, I mean Smee." I sighed and dropped my head back into Sonny's lap, throwing my legs across Alvar's.
"Well, if you ask me, I'd say that if I was anyone I'd be Wendy, and you are all my little lost boys." I reached up to ruffle Sonny's hair as I cooed. "Yeah, you're all my lost boys, and I'm your Wendy." I looked round them all and smiled before Sonny's body leapt a little beneath my head.
"Let's watch The Lost Boys!" I groaned and rolled to my feet, far too exhausted to stare at the TV anymore tonight. By the time I reached my bedroom door a debate had started over the stereotyping of vampires that movie contained.
"Holy water, I mean I've faced some terrifying foes in my time, but water? Who on earth thought that up?" Brice kept his relaxed position as he voiced the thought that made Oz nod firmly beside him.
"And wooden stakes? As if a little wooden stick could get through me!" Sonny roared with laughter as Alvar shouted, jumping to his feet and banging his chest with his fist. I called goodnight before shrinking into my room, taking one last look at my lost boys before I shut the door.
{--}
"Sonny?"
He was unresponsive to my call. He just stayed slumped on the ground, sobbing and shaking desperately the three, mangled bodies that lay around him. I took a step closer. The Cullen house stood quiet behind him, no screams leaked from it, just haunting silence. There were no lights in the windows, so everything was difficult to distinguish.
"Sonny?" I came to kneel before him, and looked down into the three faces his tear-soaked eyes were focused on. Beside him Oscar and Brice's eyes were closed, they're faces still and they're bodies broken. In Sonny's lap he held Alvar, who's eyes remained open only slightly as I crawled closer. His irises weren't gold anymore, they were grey, they were human. His eyelids drooped and I brought my hand to his cheek to bring his glance to me. Alvar's breathing was slow and heavy, his final words barely audible over Sonny's cries. Though the words were low, his eyes said it all as they locked with mine. He looked at me in fear and hatred,
"This was your fault."
{--}
I shrieked twice, once as my dream sent me awake, and then again when the golden eyes that met mine when they shot open sent a start through my body.
"It's okay, it's just me. I'm sorry." My breathing was a shaky pant and my body quivered all over. I sat up and dropped my head onto Alvar's shoulder, breathing deep. It was okay, it was just a dream, everything was fine.
As Alvar wrapped me in a comforting embrace I listened to the sounds coming from the other side of the wooden wall as always, to check if I'd woke Sonny. His breathing hitched once before returning to its relaxed pace. As I breathed deep to steady myself I took in the comforting scents around me. I caught the smell of the dying fire in the living room, the fresh forest air that leaked through my window, the remnant odour of mine and Sonny's dinner, and I took in the smell of Alvar as my face buried in his neck. He was okay, it was just a dream and he was okay.
My shaking stopped, my breathing levelled and the soothing strokes Alvar was running up and down my back slowed.
"Are you alright?" I nodded and it was the truth. I felt so safe with him, and in this home. The only thing that could hurt me now would be him or the others being hurt, and they were all fine, so I was fine. "Lie down, Smee. You need more sleep." I complied, letting my head drop lazily onto the pillow.
"I won't sleep again. I never can once a dream wakes me up." Alvar remained sitting by my legs and I scooted them over when he pulled his knees up and sat cross legged beside me.
"These dreams, they really do torture you don't they?" He ran a hand across my forehead as though checking my temperature before bringing it to rest on my cheek. I felt dizzy at this touch, and laughed. "What's funny?"
"A vampire cold-compress."
"What?" I peeked one eye open after letting them drift shut, Al stared at me in a confused amusement.
"When you first brought me here, when I woke up my head hurt so bad. It was horrible, but then you came and you put your hand on my forehead, and it made it so much better. So, I thought of you like a vampire cold-compress." He chuckled and the sounds made me smile stupidly wide.
"Well, I'm glad I helped. After all, it was my fault."
"Yes. If I recall correctly, which may be hard given the possibility of brain damage; you ran into me, sending my poor little skull into a jagged rock."
"I know, dya think holding my hand out and introducing myself would have been a better start or no?" I giggled loud, and clapped my hand over my mouth when I thought of waking Sonny. Alvar threw his legs to the floor and stood, and I felt my body flinch as I thought he was leaving, but instead he swooped down beside the bed and came to sit just at the side of me.
"You need to sleep."
"I can't."
"You can, you just were. And you've had a busy day."
"So have you." Alvar rolled his eyes and gave me a disappointed look.
"Are you really using that argument, seriously? Sonny used to use that when he was little and we'd make him go to bed. 'I'm not going to bed until you go to bed!'" Alvar's high-pitched impression of a young, stubborn Sonny sent another laugh from me that I stifled in my pillow.
"I can't sleep if you keep making me laugh."
"Well I'd rather see you laugh than having to hear you crying and screaming night after night." His hand returned to my cheek and a look of pain washed over him. "Sleep, Smee. For me? Just so I know you're okay." I took his hand from my cheek and wrapped my arms around his, cuddling it and settling into my pillow.
There were no more nightmares that night.
{--}
A cold draft woke me and my bedroom door was wide open; which it never was. I propped myself up, and straight out of the door I saw Sonny, slumped in the armchair directly across the living room, looking at me apologetically.
"Sorry Smee, they made me do it." He held his hands up as I rolled myself out of bed, rubbing my eyes. I strolled over to the kitchen, still half asleep, but well aware that Sonny' eyes didn't move off me. The front door was open too, which was where the draft was coming from, I went to shut it, but Sonny' hand met mine.
"Sorry, they told me I had to leave it open. So I could hear better with my "stupid human hearing", just in case." He made quotation marks with his hands and I turned back to the kitchen, not quite ready to play the boys' strange games just yet. I did a double take when I saw the time on the oven.
"Sonny, its Seven am!" He rubbed his eyes and slumped back into the armchair.
"I know right." All the doors in the house left open: Fine. Waking up to have someone watching my every move: Fine. Sonny awake before midday: Too strange! I stationed myself right before the armchair, planting my hands firmly on my hips.
"Sonny, what the hell is going on? Where is everybody?" Sonny bit his lip, and lifted his legs of the floor, wrapping his arms around them.
"I don't think I can tell you."
"You don't think? Sonny, it's too early for this, just tell me." He took a deep breath, blowing it out through his pursed lips, sending his untamed morning hair floating above his forehead.
"Ok, so they caught this scent … in the woods, circling the house. And they're pretty sure it's one of the ones who had you before we found you. They went after it."
I was racing out of the door before he could finish. Victor. It had to be.
Oh you stupid, stupid girl!! Why didn't you tell Brice about Victor? Now you've put them all in danger.
Familiar pain filled my insides. The kind of pain I'd spent so long battling against. This was different though. This pain wasn't for something I'd lost, the tears that were working their way down my cheeks were out of fear for what I'd found. My new family, and the danger I was sure they were in.
I threw my bare feet into the forest floor, praying I would catch them in time.
Ok, I leave Thursday morning (UK time), updating before then will be nigh on impossible.
So, if you review then you can ask for a preview (no spoilers), or just ask what happens next (spoilers), or just ask for neither or little questions, it's up to you.
Just let me know what you want when you review and I'll do my best to deliver, I'll reply to all reviews before I leave, then after that I'll be replying whenever I get the chance, (no rest for an addict)
Otherwise, I'll see you in 2-3 weeks.
Love y'all!
