*** 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 Eighty Six:

The One That Was Left Behind

The slap Alice dealt me was startling—and it wasn't gentle. Once again, my vision blurred as I held my stinging cheek, mouth gaping open. I couldn't believe Alice had struck me!

The blaze of anger swelled within me again as Alice took a step backwards and out of my reach. Her eyes widened as she watched the change take place.

"What was that for?" I demanded, my voice sounding strange and husky to my ears. It was the vampire's voice, full of shock and annoyance. My hands trembled as I fought for control. Looking down, I saw that I'd pulled my chains free from the floor; they dangled from the iron cuffs on my wrists like tattered iron ribbons.

Alice was still watching me, warily, but clearly fascinated. Finally, she answered, "He told me to slap you. He said it was the only way to make you strong enough to break free, since he couldn't help…being as he's locked up, too."

"He told you? The mysterious man, I suppose?" I was starting to sound more like myself and my hands had stopped trembling. I wondered then if I was learning restraint in my vampire state. For as angry as I was, I hadn't really wanted to hurt Alice. The stinging pain had brought out the beast within me for a brief moment, but it was a bewildering anger, not intended to strike back.

"Yeah, it was the man in the next cell. And…well, you've got to admit, it did work." Alice said, distracted. She was studying my face and biting her bottom lip. "This is certainly different…"

"Tell me something I don't already know—" My words came out more sarcastic and biting than I had intended, maybe because my cheek still tingled from her slap.

Alice sighed. "I didn't mean that in a bad way. I mean…well…there's a different kind of power that radiates from you. And your eyes…they're different, too. Green and topaz, like a stalking tiger that has you in its sights. Feral, yet wise… that's the best I can describe it."

I thought of The Forgotten in the woods that night and how his kaleidoscope eyes had fascinated me. "I must've inherited them. That and all the other weirdness you just described. Luckily, it only surfaces when I feel pain."

"Oh, Bella, I really didn't mean to offend—"

I stepped on the chain that was still attached to my left wrist and pulled it free from the iron shackle. "All I wanted was to be one of you guys…that's all I ever wanted. But no, this spooky world of monsters had other ideas for me." I lowered my eyes, not wanting her to see my frustration, then I concentrated on my right wrist and the thick chain that snaked to the floor. "I can't even manage to become a normal vampire…" I yanked the chain with more force than necessary and it whipped against the wall behind us. "No, not me…I get the Frankenstein version."

"It's beautiful, Bella," she whispered.

The honesty in her voice forced my eyes from the floor and I could no longer disguise my fear. "Yeah, a freak of the vampire world. It fits, you know. I was a freak in the human world—why did I expect anything different in your world?" I sighed heavily. "Damn it, I thought I'd conquered all this…and yet now, I get to show Edward another side of me."

"Edward loves everything about you. He'll find this more intriguing than I do…" She cleared her throat gently. "I take it that you've decided to stay with Edward?"

I shivered, but I wasn't surprised. Alice must have known all along.

Nodding, my eyes found the floor again, embarrassed and ashamed of myself. Damn those visions of hers. I sucked my breath in and asked, "How much did you see?"

"Enough to know that you're not at fault—you can't control what has happened to you in the past, who you loved then…no more than Dimetri can help that his love has endured all this time for you."

I winced. "God….you know about that?" I shook my head then, and whispered, "Please tell me that Edward doesn't know about it."

"I haven't said anything, Bella, if that's what you're asking. But the two of you are too close for him not to sense that something is wrong. He knows you too well…and you're horrible at hiding your guilt."

I exhaled sharply, glad that Alice hadn't told Edward of her visions. "I'm horrible at a lot of things. Look, I just want to be the one to talk to him about it. I was going to tell him everything at Muriel's house, but then he was recovering from giving up so much of his venom and it just didn't seem like a good time to burden him with my problems."

Alice tilted her head quizzically. "But your problems are his problems; you know that's how he sees things. It's the way Jasper and me work, too. As a matter of fact, that's just how love works." She took my hand and squeezed it gently. "Why would he condemn you for something that didn't happen in this lifetime…something that followed you into this lifetime? He's just afraid of losing you, Isabella."

It was at that moment that the man's voice interrupted, hesitant, yet pleading. I'm sorry to intrude, but we have very limited time to get you out of here, ladies. They've recovered the Blood Chalice.

Alice and I looked at one another as if confirming that we'd both heard the man's voice in our heads. Alice quirked an eyebrow, remarking, "Most unusual."

There's a loose stone in the wall, if you'd be so good as to remove it. Center right, and please hurry. We shall all three be drained of our lifeblood if caught.

We found the loose stone and pushed it through and into the other cell. Then, we peered into the darkness of the gaping hole. In the corner was a silver-haired, scrawny older man, his beard so long that it swept the floor as he stood there. And despite the grubby confines of his cell, he appeared much cleaner than his surroundings.

"Well…what are you waiting for?" he said aloud with a squeaky voice. He walked forward and began to tug on the surrounding stones. "The escape route is on this side…"

(Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for another update soon. OTM