*** 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 Fifty Four:

Week One, Day Four

Hard Landing

I tried to remain quiet while Demetri sat at the small writing desk he'd pulled out into the middle of the room. But it seemed that every few minutes I had a question that could not wait.

I sprawled across the bed with my feet dangling off the edge, gazing up at the ceiling. With Aro planning this war…is he going to want more transfusions?

I would imagine so. You are the one who's going to turn his army into a fighting machine, he said as he kept his eyes on the text and scribbled away.

I propped myself up on my elbow. You know I can't do that. Or rather, I won't.

I know you will try your damnest not to—but you've run out of leverage. Whether you called the Cullens here or Aro, they'll become his means to keep you in line and under his will.

I cringed and fell back onto the bed. Muriel told me that I'd need them here with me. You heard her.

He looked up slowly from the book. Of course, I did. But don't forget that she's a Lycan.

I shook my head. You still don't trust her. After all she gave you…gave both of us.

I'm just being cautious. Muriel has a reputation for being a fair-minded elder, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to follow her every word blindly.

I'm not doing that…

Alright, he said evenly, as he went back to translating the book.

I sat up on the bed. What am I going to do? I asked softly. Is there any chance that I could fool Aro into thinking I'm doing his bidding, when I'm really not?

Demetri put his pen down and looked at me. I honestly don't know; I wasn't around the last time when Thaddeus built his army. I was given the basic instructions of transformation and that's all. The details of your job fall into that black hole of knowledge that only Aro and his brotherhood seem to know about—and Thaddeus, of course, but so far, his ramblings seem to focus on the morality of what he's doing. Demetri leaned over the desk and handed me the small stack of papers that he'd finished translating.

Lovely, I groaned.

Yeah, we've been in uncharted territory for a while now. Flying by the seat of our britches.

Britches? I snickered.

He picked up the pen once again. Do you want to talk or do you want me to translate this for you?

Translate…please.

Another half hour passed with just the scritch-scratch of Demetri's pen over the paper as I read the portion he'd translated.

He was right. Thaddeus was preoccupied with the moral issues of his new position as reformer; he mentioned Aro's lack of patience when he wanted to meditate before performing a certain task, or when he asked whether what he was doing was for the good of mankind or the advancement of the vampires. It appeared that Thaddeus had the same concerns back in his day as I had now. And the more I read, the more I became convinced that Thaddeus was growing disillusioned with his role. For now, at the end of every entry, the words were scrawled: What in the name of God am I doing?

There was a loud thud and I turned from my reading to see Demetri standing, his eyes wide and wild. The chair was on its back on the floor as if he'd flung it there.

He ran his hands frantically through his long hair, griping his scalp. "It can't be." He was talking aloud and this concerned me.

He paced the length of the room in long strides. "No…no," he seemed to be saying to himself, shaking his head furiously. His arms were rigid at his side, fists opening and closing as if he were unconsciously strangling something. "He's lied to us—all this time he's lied and manipulated us…"

I scrambled off the bed. Demetri? What's the matter? But I wasn't getting through. There seemed to be a steel curtain shrouding his mind—but I felt the rage gathering like a violent storm.

I went to the desk and searched for the page he'd been working on last. Whatever had set him off had to there in the transcript.

And then I saw it; the ink blot where he'd pressed the tip of his pen too hard and the ink had streaked down the page gave it away.

I picked up the page and scanned the writing until I came to the last paragraph:

Today, I confirmed beyond all doubt what I have suspected for weeks now. I have encountered the soul within the vampire. It is not lost as Aro so fervently insists, but lives on. If they would only realize that the bloodlust they indulge clouds the soul…that there is redemption for the vampire that abstains from the blood of man.

I testified this fact to Aro—but he became incensed and refused to listen. He called me an idiot and threatened to confine me. I do not comprehend his attitude—it is a day for rejoicing! The vampire will be able to claim his rightful and heavenly position once again!

If I have to, I will sink my teeth into the hardness of his skin and show him what he refuses to see.

The page fluttered to the floor from my open hand. Aro knew; he knew all along. And now Demetri was aware that he knew.

Demetri suddenly stopped pacing the floor. He stood still, looking out the window. But now the tension in the air of the room was building; I trembled from it.

Then he exploded like a stick of dynamite whose lighted fuse had just found the gunpowder. "I'm going to kill him!" And then my door was rocking back and forth before I realized he'd left.

I ran after him, following him down the hall to the old stone staircase. Demetri…please…don't do this. But my pleading was useless; his mind was closed to everyone and everything except the need to kill Aro.

I was too far behind. I knew I'd never be able to catch up with him. I looked down the spiraling staircase as he sped down the stairs, watching in horror as he made no attempt to keep himself in check—barreling down and colliding with the stone walls like a wrecking ball. Pieces of stone and mortar rained down and dust rose up to fill my nose and eyes.

I shuddered. There was no other way…

I took one step, one tiny leap, and fell through the center of the winding staircase, all the way to the bottom.

It was a hard landing, but I marveled at the fact that nothing was broken. I looked up to see that Demetri was only two flights above me—I'd barely made it in time.

I rushed up the staircase to head him off. But then, somewhere behind me, a door creaked open and Caius' voice rang out. "What's going on down here?"

I launched myself at Demetri just as he was about to collide with another curving wall, throwing my arms around his neck and shoulders…bracing for the impact.

Demetri's body shook from the collision, yet I curiously felt little of the impact. Then I saw that his arms were stretched out on either side of my head. Behind me, the deep imprints of his hands were embedded in the crumbling walls. He had sheltered me from the crash.

"Demetri! What in the Hell is going on?" Caius demanded.

I dangled there, my arms still locked around his neck. Please…Demetri…there are other ways to settle this…

But I was met with that impenetrable rage. He opened his mouth to shout something down at Caius—and I took the only other option available to me.

I covered his mouth with my own.

His rage faltered, and then blazed into passion. His hands splayed against my back pressing me into him. Somewhere in the back of my mind the warning bells were going off…but I felt divided. Something inside me was awakening just as something inside me was begging me to pull away before it was too late. My hand went up to push him away, but then ended up clutching him to me—which only impassioned him further as his husky voice moaned against my mouth. The strong undertow of familiarity pulled at me. I'd been here in his arms before…

Then, mercifully, Caius' voice shattered the spell. "Take your love-play elsewhere, you two, before you bring the entire compound down upon our heads!" And the door slammed as he left us.

I let go of Demetri's neck and he lowered me to the steps. I couldn't look at him. I covered my mouth with my hand and tried to appear unaffected as I started up the staircase to go to my room.

His voice was breathless in my head. Isabeau…

Don't call me that! I snapped.

Silence followed, as I walked back to my room alone.

***

(I'm probably going to catch flack for this chapter, but oh well. Can't please everyone. Whether you approve or not, thanks for reading. OTM)