*** This story contains some mild language, suspense, romance, and some frightening images and situations—13 and older, please.

In the Grip of Twilight

By:

Olivia Tannis Moore

Chapter Thirty Five:

Extracting a Promise

Elena had just left when Demetri showed up at my door. I was swallowing down the last of the bread I'd taken from the tray, hoping it would ease the flip-flop of my stomach. I tried not to think about how much was at stake with my question and Demetri's answer.

Right away I noticed how bright his eyes were, the impish grin that he couldn't seem to control, and I knew that Elena had told him I'd chosen him, despite my wishes to ask him myself. Inwardly, I cursed Elena, because of her I'd now have to crush the hope I saw there in his face.

"Is it true? You want me to do it?" he asked as if he dared not believe it unless he heard it from my mouth.

I was surprised, yet again, by how boyish he could seem to me. He struck fear into the hearts of most of them…yet, all I saw was a little boy in a man's body. Even when I first met him, as he peeked out from his hooded cloak, he seemed nothing more than mischievous. Of course, the man's body he possessed was a work of art…and a killing machine. But it was hard for me to envision him doing those things. I had seen the forceful side of him, but not the fatal side, certainly not the side that hunted and punished those who went against the rules of the Volturi. I hoped I'd never see it.

"It's not as you think—" I tried to warn him, but my words stuck in my throat.

I watched as the sparkle left his eyes and his face fell. "Then you don't want me to…"

I went to the nightstand and poured myself a glass of water, my trembling hands nearly sloshing the water onto the floor. "Yes… and no." I said, knowing how cryptic my words sounded. I swallowed hard. "I need your promise."

But he misread my nervousness, apparently thinking it was my fear of the transformation. "I promise to make it as easy for you as I possibly can," he said.

I shook my head. "Before I tell you what I'm planning to do, I need your promise that it stays between us. You can refuse to do it, but I have to have your promise that you won't betray Edward or me, in any way."

He suddenly looked worried. His incredulous voice was barely over a whisper, "Bella… you're not thinking of trying to escape? They'll hunt you down. It'll make no difference that you're a reformer—if they think they can't trust you, they'll put you in chains for the next five hundred years, or worse."

I sighed. "I'm not going anywhere. Now please, promise me that you won't betray us to the Volturi—or anyone else. That's all I'm asking."

"Bella, listen to me. I would never betray you to the Volturi—and I'll extend that to Edward too—but if you were to find a way to escape, I'd have to come after you just so they wouldn't get to you first."

"I'm not leaving," I said calmly. "I'm staying so that Edward can go home to his family."

He looked as if he didn't quite believe me. His jaw tensed and he shook his head. "You're crazy if you think I won't try to stop you if decide to do something dangerous. And I'm willing to bet it probably isn't in your best interest or safety."

"If you refuse, it won't matter. Because I won't allow Aro or anybody else change me. I do have one last choice in the matter…"

His eyes flashed with anger. "Ah, I'm beginning to see…You're not the prisoner here at all, Bella—oh no, everybody, me included, in this God-forsaken place, seems to be your prisoner. You know I want you—it's a fact I can't seem to hide. You know I'd just about do anything to be the one to bring you over, but you give me these impossible ultimatums."

"Just one," I corrected. "Whether I live or die."

The door slammed before I'd realized he'd gone; one second he was there and the next he had disappeared in a blur of anger.

***

He wasn't gone long. But it was long enough for me to curl up on the bed and wonder if my plan was just an impossible dream, and I was foolish enough to think might work. It wasn't as if failure would be a big shock; Edward and I had gone into this knowing it could end badly. I couldn't accept defeat, though, not until I had to. As long as we were both alive, there was hope.

The knock at the door interrupted my dark thoughts, and I scrambled to open it; irrational hope filled me.

It was Demetri.

"I've calmed down," he told me as he swept past me into the room. "I have to know what you're planning on doing. I can't go another minute without knowing…"

"You mean I have your promise?" I asked. I couldn't explain why I put so much faith in his word. Perhaps it was the simple fact that he didn't give his word lightly, or on a whim. It really meant something to him, probably going back to his human days of being a warrior, and swearing allegiance to a certain king or principle.

He closed his eyes in defeat, "I promise I'm not going to betray you, or Edward. Or stand in your way. But if I think the risk is too great, I might refuse your request—just as you said I was free to do."

"Fair enough," I said.

"Another thing," he said cautiously, "it isn't wise to trust Elena."

"Oh, don't I know that," I said sarcastically. I shook my head, "Elena doesn't know anything, except I'm getting out of her way so maybe she can persuade Aro to send Edward home."

"Don't get your hopes up," he said. "Even if you keep your side of the bargain and stay to do Aro's bidding…there are no guarantees when it comes to Aro."

I laughed low and ironic. "I don't believe in guarantees, anyway."

"Neither do I," he confessed.

I took a deep breath and was about to speak when he cupped my chin and pressed his thumb against my lips. I heard his voice in my head saying "Shhh, don't talk of your plans out loud." He seemed to be listening for something in the hallway, or elsewhere—.

He led me over to the chair and I sat there. "Close your eyes," he told me, and I closed them.

We were sitting in a gray mist; and then, gradually, I could see the landscape coming through to meet me. We were tucked up against the gently sloping hillside overlooking a valley. A river twisted through the middle of the valley, its bluish-gray waters spreading out and dreamy in the mist.

"Where are we?" I whispered.

He leaned back on his hands and turned his head to me. "The Thames."

"Oh," I said. Then I gasped. "You can hear me—I mean, I'm talking…here in this place."

He smiled. "I wasn't sure if it would work. I was prepared to sit back and wait until you tried it for yourself." He grinned widely, "Didn't have to wait long…"

"I'm doing this?" I asked in disbelief. "Wait…are my lips moving? I mean back there, in the room."

He chuckled, and then reached up to tuck a lock of his dark hair behind his ear. . "No, they're not."

"I can't believe this…"

His grimace was playful. "It probably isn't good to focus too much on doubt. This is your first time. You don't want to lose the connection before you tell me the important facts."

"Oh, yeah, right." I grew serious. "Can you talk to Edward?—I mean, like this, what we're doing."

He turned his face from me and looked down at the river. "It would be hard. They've taken him underground."

"But not impossible…"

"No. Not impossible—if he's receptive. And his mind isn't clouded by too many other things," he said pointedly.

"Will you try?" I asked.

He shrugged impatiently. "Alright. Let's say I can reach him; what do you want me to tell him?"

"Actually, I need something from him." I paused for a moment. "Tell him I need to know where he hid the airport surprise. He'll know what I mean…"

***

(Note: I have a favor to ask. Please don't discuss the plot on the review page, especially the "airport surprise". Apparently, I have some readers looking over the review page before they read the story, so it could spoil things for those people who come to the story this way. Thanks. And thanks for reading. See you tomorrow! OTM )