Chapter Two
I looked to her as she moved forward, gesturing to the forward-most male.
"This is Carlisle." She told me, "And Esme to his side."
"You two are the leaders." I muttered, and they smiled, "I can just tell. I might not live in a coven, but I know how to look for key members." Leandra smiled a little as well, nodding as she continued.
"Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett." She pointed to those directly behind Carlisle and Esme, lightly slapping the big one called Emmett, much to my amusement and his as well, "This is Alice, and Mikah is right here. You already know me."
"Where are the two others?" I asked, and she laughed a little. She smirked, "I smelled ten scents. There are only eight here."
"Nothing gets by you, does it?"
"I'd like to think it doesn't." I admitted, and she shook her head.
"You'll probably meet them later." She replied, "Don't worry about it."
I nodded a little, and looked to the wolves. Pointing them out myself, "Rover, Fido, Sparky, and Spot." Two of them snorted, grumbling a little, "What? Are you two girls? Fi-Fi and Princess, then." I probably shouldn't have been pissing them off. They were easily twice my size. Taller than me while sitting.
Emmett laughed a bit from where he stood, "I like her."
"So..?" Leandra prompted.
"My name isn't important." I told her matter-of-factly, "It doesn't matter what you call me."
"Now, that's just not true." Alice countered, "A name is important, so someone knows when someone else is referring to them."
"If you're having a conversation with that person, all you have to do is watch them. If they're talking to you, they'll be looking at you. If you're not having a conversation with them, then you shouldn't be listening in anyway." I muttered, "So a name is pointless in that aspect."
Stumped, none of them said anything.
"I go by my middle name." I finally said, "Alex."
"It's nice to meet you, Alex." Alice smiled.
"Why not your first?" Leandra asked, curious.
"I don't like it." I replied, "Alex just sounds better to me."
"What is your first name?" She asked, still curious.
"Avery." I told her, "Paige is my last name, though I don't see the point in having a last name either. It was my dad's idea. He named me before I was old enough to express my opinion. Otherwise, I would have punched him in the face the second he brought it up."
"What's your dad's name?" Leandra asked.
I frowned, "I'll let him tell you himself if I ever find the son-of-a-bitch."
"It's just that you look familiar." She explained, "Like I've met you before."
"I can guarantee you've never met me before." I replied, "I was born four years ago. We've never stayed in one place too long since, and we've never been here before."
"You always talk about your father." Leandra pointed out, "What about your mother?"
"She died." I answered casually, "When I was born. Once I was free, my dad just scooped me up, and left her there. I don't remember much about her, but I know he's always been there."
"That's so sad." Alice murmured quietly, "I'm so-"
"Don't be." I told her, "I'm not. I don't expect anyone's pity. I don't need it."
"Regardless." Alice replied, "Has it just been the two of you this whole time?"
"Dad doesn't have a coven, if that's what you're asking." I mumbled, "He says he didn't trust the others around me, so he left them to raise me on his own. You're safe. Other than Darren, there's nobody that'll come looking for me, and I even doubt he would."
"What does Darren have to do with you?" Carlisle asked.
"Honestly, I have no clue." I replied, "From what I gathered, I guess my dad is a friend of his. Maybe he was part of his coven a long time ago? I don't know. I never had a chance to ask him."
"You said he was a friend?" Leandra prompted.
"I lied." I admitted easily, "A few days ago, my dad tried to leave me with them. I don't trust Darren, or his coven. He knows this."
"Good thing." Leandra muttered.
"I trust him about as much as I trust you, so cool it." I muttered in return.
"Fair enough." She laughed a little.
I continued, "My dad wanted them to watch me while he went to do something, but he never told me what he was going to do. I argued with him, because we never split up like that, and he got pissed." I shrugged a little, "That's when I got this," I touched the bruise again, "I haven't seen him since he ran off, and left me behind. I don't know where he'd go, or what he could possibly be doing."
"You have no idea?" Carlisle asked, and again, I shook my head.
"No idea." I sighed, "He was acting weird the time I saw him, is all I know."
Alice and Leandra looked to each other, concern coloring their expression. At least I wasn't the only one to find that odd.
"I don't deal well with change." I muttered as they stayed quiet for a moment.
"Does he do that a lot?" Leandra asked, gesturing to my bruise again.
"Hit me?" I asked and she nodded, "All the time, but I hit him right back. I sure didn't see this one coming, though."
"I'm surprised you can see anything coming." Emmett chuckled, "You're so small."
"Say that again, I'll knock your fucking teeth out." I growled, and that only made him laugh harder. I looked incredulously at Leandra, "Is he serious?"
"He likes to push buttons."
"Clearly." I grumbled.
"You get used to it after awhile. Just ignore him." She sighed, "Moving on, what else can you tell me about your dad?"
"What else do you want to know?" I muttered.
"What's he look like?"
"On the taller side." I replied with a shrug, "My color hair, decent build. I don't know. How am I supposed to describe him?" My eyes landed on a still-laughing Emmett, "What the fuck are you laughing at?" But he started laughing even more.
"She's small, but she's mean." He explained his laughter, "She's a badger. Or a wolverine or something. Maybe a rabid rabbit."
"Oh, geez." Leandra sighed, "Emmett, go play inside or something."
"Why?" He laughed.
"Our goal here is not to piss her off."
"Oh, calm down." Emmett replied, "I pick on everyone. You know that, shorty."
"That's not the point." Leandra muttered, "The point is that you need to learn when and where to pick on someone, and this is neither the time, nor the place, so stop it."
"Do you always argue like this?" I asked, watching between them, "Because I'd love to see it get physical."
"It's a fairly common occurrance." Alice added from the side, "But it rarely gets physical."
"Damn." I muttered, disappointed, "My money would be on Leandra. He's big, but she's small, which means she's fast. Probably harder for him to catch."
"You know your strategy." Jasper spoke up.
"Piece of cake." I replied, "If she pulls it off, she can have him on his ass before he can even turn around."
Leandra laughed, looking to Emmett, "How many times has that already happened?"
"Oh, shut it." Emmett grumbled.
"My dad's taught me a lot." I explained, "I'm a fast learner."
"Your father," Carlisle spoke up, "He's had a lot of experience with fighting?"
"Not that I've personally seen," I replied, "But from the things he's taught me, I'd say yes. A lot of work with multiples, being outnumbered. Defensive, and offensive, but mostly defensive, considering I'm.. More than likely going to be overpowered by whoever I might face. Where to step, where not to step, how to spot the biggest threat in a group. Things like that."
Carlisle nodded, understanding now.
"I'm still learning that stuff." Leandra muttered.
"Maybe I can kick your ass sometime. Teach you a few things." I offered. She laughed, and I had to smile a little, "I'm pretty good when I'm not this outnumbered. I can take three, maybe four at a time, but not eight and four dogs. There's no way I'd have even tried, and I only came here to see, anyway."
It was weird for me to be so honest. I was a very difficult person, typically a very sarcastic and frustrating person to talk to. I loved to be that way, but this had to be one of the first times I'd had a normal conversation with anyone. Much less someone, an entire coven I'd just met.
"I might be half human, but I tend to use that to my advantage." I continued.
"What kind of advantage?" Leandra asked, curious. I couldn't blame her.
"I'm very easily underestimated." I replied, "And nobody I ever come across seems to see me as a threat." I smiled a little, "Least of all the humans."
"Alex," Alice spoke up, and I looked to her, "You say he left right after he hit you?"
I nodded, "I'm pretty stubborn, and I don't put up with shit like that. Ever since we got here, he's been pissy. Like he hated being here, but he was the one that brought me here. I wanted to keep going north. Anyway.."
I sighed, getting back to the point, "That day, it was different. I was pissed, he was pissed, so I figured I should let him cool off, so right after he left to God knows where, I left the place in Seattle. Well, when I went back the next day, he hadn't been back there.
"Darren had no idea where he would go, so I explored a little further. I got a little lost while following his scent. It's hard for me to figure out exactly what direction he went, so I just picked a direction, and I wound up here. I didn't find him, though."
"You found me instead." Leandra murmured, and I nodded a bit.
I continued, "Since I was born, he's always been there. If he wasn't right there with me, I could always find him. This has never happened before." I shrugged a little, "He changed the rules, now I can't find him."
"Rules?" Leandra seemed particularly interested in that, "What do you mean?"
"Rules. The way things go." I explained, "He always calls them 'rules'. No matter what, we stayed together. I always thought that was just how it stayed, and I told him I didn't like him changing the rules. He said he made the rules, and he can change them any time. I hate it when he tells me that, and he'd know that if he'd been thinking straight. Though, I suppose it was pretty stupid of me to yell at him like that."
Once again, Leandra looked to Alice as she slowly moved to her side. Mikah in tow.
"Alex," Leandra muttered, almost hesitantly, "This is really important." I waited, "Please. Tell me his name."
"My dad's name?" I asked and she nodded a little, "Why?"
"It'll help us find him." She replied, and I frowned.
"I don't see how." I admitted, "His name's got nothing to do with where he'd go or why he left."
"If this is who I think it is, I can tell you exactly why he brought you here." She stressed, "I need to know his name."
"I know why he brought me here." I replied, "He brought me here for Darren to keep track of. Probably so I didn't come here, for whatever reason, while he looked at some old house in town. Darren oviously has no idea how to babysit, because he just lets me leave. Like he's afraid of me or something."
"Alex, what's his name?" Mikah asked me this time, and I sighed. They obviously really needed to know.
Finally, I gave in, "His name is Jack."
The yard fell silent, despite the way I knew they'd all heard what I said. The only movement being Leandra taking a step back, and Carlisle taking a step forward.
"What?" I asked.
"Shit.." She whispered, looking to Carlisle briefly, before turning her eyes back to me, "I thought you said your last name was Paige?"
"For my mother." I answered, "That was her name."
"He's going to come looking for her." Leandra murmured to Carlisle. I couldn't help picking up on the fear in her tone.
"How do you know him?" I asked. I was deeply confused. They did know him. That was the main answer I was looking for when I came here, but that didn't explain why he'd keep moving if this coven was the reason that he came here.
"We know him." Alice finally told me, "Pretty well. You're his daughter?"
"Yeah." I replied, still surprised.
"Biological?" She asked.
"Yeah." I repeated, "He always says he wanted a son, but I showed up instead."
"That sounds like him." Leandra grumbled, "Shit, shit, shit. How did I not see it before? I knew her eyes looked familiar."
"I take it he's not a friend?" I asked, almost hesitantly.
"No." Jasper replied, "Not in the least. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"He's an asshole." I agreed, "I'm not surprised."
"You have no idea." Leandra told me.
"What makes you say that?" I frowned.
"Because you still want to find that son-of-a-bitch." She explained, "If you had any idea what he was capable of, you'd get as far away from him as possible."
"Not necessarily." Jasper told her, "She was raised by him."
"As long as I've been alive." I agreed, crossing my arms lightly.
"Her version of normal is probably a whole lot different than our version of normal." Jasper continued, "And that's not her fault."
"I know it's not her fault." Leandra sighed, "But it still bothers me. If I were her, I'd be celebrating the fact that he was gone. Not looking for him."
"You don't know what you would do if you were her." Jasper countered, "Because you're not her."
"I like him." I muttered, gesturing to Jasper.
"So what do we do with her?" Emmett seemed tense, finally losing that stupid fucking smirk.
"I just fucking love how you talk about me like I'm not here." I grumbled sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
"Sooner or later, Jack-ass is going to come looking for her." Emmett continued. I smirked at that nickname. It truly fit.
"I'm looking for a decision, but so far, I haven't seen one." Alice murmured with a sigh. I decided then to just shut up, and see where this went.
"I think we should just.." Leandra sighed, "I don't know, but she can't go back to him."
"Why not?" Emmett asked, surprised.
"Because he's a fucking lunatic." She reasoned, surprised at his surprise by the sound of her tone. I stood back, just watching. Highly entertained how just the mention of my father's name could get them buzzing like this. I smiled innocently when Carlisle and Esme looked my way.
"It's her choice whether she wants to go back to him or not." Alice pointed out.
"Thank you." I muttered.
"Keeping her is definitely out of the question." Emmett told her, shaking his head, "I think we should just set it free, and hope daddy doesn't come looking."
"Mister So-Eager-For-A-Fight should be hoping for him to come looking." Leandra countered, "Don't tell me Jack scares you."
I snorted, "He should."
"I just remember the last time." Emmett snapped back at her, "I'm not up to another situation like that. Shorty, we took in the lion cub. Its parent is going to come looking for it. Do you want to stand between him and it?"
"Dammit, I'm not an 'it'." I grumbled, "Pretty accurate analogy, though."
"It's her choice, Leandra." Alice reminded her again, "If she wants to find him, she's got that right."
"You wouldn't let me make that choice." Leandra countered.
"Wait, what?" I asked, surprised again. That certainly took my attention. Was she really comparing something in her past to a situation like this? I paid closer attention, hoping the answer would come forward.
"Because you were far more fragile than she is." Jasper replied, "Leandra, you were a child."
"So is she." Leandra murmured.
"A human child." Jasper clarified, "Far less sturdy than she is. If we'd found her earlier, that'd be a different story, but she's nearly grown up with him."
"I still think we should help her." She grumbled as Mikah moved to her side, his eyes on me.
"This time, she truly doesn't belong to us." Jasper shook his head, "There isn't a whole lot we can do, and besides. We don't want any trouble, Leandra, and keeping her from him would only cause trouble. Think about it."
"Would it be any different if she wanted to get away from him?" Leandra asked, "Would that change your mind?"
"Everybody shut the fuck up." I barked, gaining the yard's attention, "What the hell is going on?"
Leandra sighed, "I knew Jack."
"I've established that."
"No." She murmured, "What I mean, is he's the one that raised me. When I was really young, he married my mother because he wanted to raise me his way." That surprised me even more.
"You knew my dad as a human?" I asked, and she nodded.
"I knew him while we were both human." She explained, "Long story short, I couldn't take the things he'd do anymore, and I ran away. Carlisle took me in."
"They.." I frowned, "They took you in as a human?" I was trying to figure this out.
She nodded again, "It became Jack's obsession to get me back. There wasn't a single moment I wasn't afraid of him showing up again. The last time I saw him was about ten years ago, and we parted ways then."
I laughed a little, "How'd you get him to leave you alone? Because if he was really obsessed, it'd take a lot to get him to let it go."
"I told him how I was turned." She replied, "He owed me one."
"Ah." I nodded a little, "Yeah, if he owes you a lot, he won't bother you again until he can make it up to you."
"Wait," She frowned, "So letting us go wasn't his way of returning the favor?"
I frowned as well, "Maybe, but I don't see how that would be enough if it was something big enough to make him drop his obsession. What'd you do for him, anyway? I guess it all depends on that."
"Essentially, I died so his son wouldn't have to."
I hesitated, "He's got a son?"
"My half-brother." She nodded, "Yours too, I guess. His name is Hunter."
"Half?" I asked. I didn't understand the term.
"Meaning you only share one parent with him." She explained, "Hunter has the same mother as I do, but not the same father. He has the same father as you do, but different mothers."
"He sure fucking gets around, doesn't he?" I muttered, surprised. I sighed, continuing, "If you saved his son, there's no way letting you go was enough for him. He's probably come back to try to find a way to remove his debt to you for good. He's never mentioned any of you to me before, though." I sighed, "But then where did he go?"
"Do you really want to get back to him?" Leandra asked, "He's such a horrible person."
"Yeah, he's an asshole, but I don't see him as a horrible person." I argued.
"What was it like for you?" She asked, frowning, "Being raised by him?"
"Well.." I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest, "Like I said, we never stayed in one place for very long. He's always been there, no matter what. Maybe that's the obsession part you were talking about? But I never minded it. I've never known anything else. I just followed him." She nodded a little, "We'd fight and argue, but he says it's because I'm so much like him, and he's never seriously hurt me before. He'd watch out for me when I'd sleep. Usually finding a safe place out of the way, and he taught me everything I know about hunting."
I smiled a little as I continued, "When I was very small, and couldn't hunt on my own yet, he'd bring me someone. Usually, he'd paralyze them first. Maybe break their legs, or their spine and he'd just drop me on them. He'd clean up after me, killing them when I couldn't yet, but the second I could walk, it was up to me to catch them. He said it taught me how to be independent."
I laughed a little, "It was probably pretty funny to see a toddler hunt, but he kept me out of trouble. He protected me from the humans, teaching me how and when to hunt them. If you're wondering if he took care of me, the answer's yes. He did all the things he had to do to keep me alive and out of trouble."
Leandra nodded a little, looking down.
"Can you think of any reason he might leave you behind?" Esme asked sadly.
"No." I replied, "I don't know where he'd go, or why he'd go anywhere. He usually avoids this area like the plague, so I don't think he knows anybody else here. Besides Darren, and now you all, I guess. I sure don't."
"I'll keep looking, Alex." Alice told me quietly, and I looked to her.
"Looking for what?"
"Alice is a prophet." Leandra explained, "She can see where a person will wind up by what decisions they make." That made sense, and I nodded a little.
Despite the fact that they hated him, it seemed like they were still going to help me find my dad.
I'd never met a coven like them before. They were all so calm. Collected, despite meeting me. Their eyes were not only a different color, but their reactions to a newcomer were also different. Instead of treating me like a potential threat, like I'd always been taught to do, they were treating me like I was only someone new to talk to.
"In the meantime," Esme spoke up again, "Are you hungry?"
"Hungry?" I asked, frowning a little, "You mean thirsty? No, we just hunted a few days ago."
"No," She laughed a little, "I mean, would you like something to eat?"
"I don't know." I replied, "Eat what?"
"Food." She answered.
"I've never had food." I muttered, intrigued, "Won't it make me sick?"
"You're half human, honey." She shook her head, "You've never tried eating?"
"It just never came up." I explained honestly.
"Where are you staying?" Alice asked.
"Staying?" I frowned.
"You know, staying." She murmured, "Where are you spending the night? In Seattle?"
"Hell no." I muttered, crinkling my nose, "I only go there a few times a day to check in with Darren, to see if my dad has been back."
"So where have you been sleeping?" She asked, frowning also, "You do sleep, right?"
"I sleep." I confirmed, "Some place I found. I don't know anybody here, and as fun as it sounds, I don't think I should try breaking into anyone's house just to sleep at night." I didn't feel like mentioning my barn accommodations.
"You're welcome to stay with us for a while." Carlisle told me, "As long as you need to." That didn't sound so bad, having some company for a little while. Normally, dad didn't allow that, but I didn't see the harm in it. I was tempted. Curious about these new ones.
"Won't that just cause more arguments?" I asked, my smile mischievous.
"Emmett will just use you as a shield if Jack does come looking." Leandra muttered, and I laughed a little.
"Sounds fun." I muttered. I glanced behind me, to find the way was clear, "I have to get back to Seattle again tonight, but I could come back. I don't think I'll stay, but I could at least come back. If that's okay, and if Poochie over there won't shred me to pieces." I glanced to the the forward-most wolf who growled as he met my eyes.
"Of course he won't." Esme told me, and I looked to her, "You're welcome here any time."
"I do have to admit." I murmured, taking a small step back, "Your dogs are mean, but I think a chihuahua would have been more inclined to bite. Those little bastards aren't playing games."
I ran off at the snort from the reddish brown wolf, chuckling to myself.
I wandered away from that house, really sort of confused. Confused, really not understanding how they managed to make me cooperate like that. I couldn't help feeling a little dazed. Not so much in a bad way, actually. I'd never felt like that before, but it was tolerable.
I made it to the front yard in Seattle, surprised at having gotten there so quick. Lost in thought the entire trip, I was obviously not paying attention.
Conner stepped outside first, to my annoyance. His light hair fell into his eyes in a playful way, his smile matching my mischievous one before. I had to admit, he was a little cute. Of course, I'd never admit that to him.
"I'm curious." He murmured conversationally, "Where do you go when you don't show up here?"
"Fuck off." I muttered, stepping up the porch steps. He chuckled as I passed him. I found Darren in the kitchen, "Anything?"
He looked to me, "Sorry, kid. Not a word." I didn't like the way he looked at me. He seemed uneasy, defensive, but he wasn't saying why.
"Dammit." I leaned against the wall.
Where the hell was he? Why wasn't he coming back? If Carlisle's coven wasn't the reason he wasn't back yet, what was he doing? This was definitely where I wished I knew more about him, but here I was. Standing with yet another person who obviously did know him better than I did. And I was his damned daughter.
I paused, hesitating for a moment before I looked up at Darren, "How do you know my dad?"
"Old friends." He replied easily.
"Were you part of his coven?"
"No." He replied, "But I did take in a few of his members after he left."
"Where's his coven now?" I asked, curious.
"No idea." He admitted, "Sorry. He left them to pursue you, apparently. Of course, giving them enough time to appoint a new leader."
"Leader?" I asked, surprised.
"Oh yeah." Darren nodded, "He led them. It takes a lot to lead a coven like that, but he took to it like he'd been doing it a hundred years. Your dad certainly had what it took."
"Maybe he went to find them?" I asked, "Maybe because I'm old enough-"
"I highly doubt he'd do that." He shook his head, "You're still far too young to spend any amount of time around those animals."
"He left because he wanted to raise me." I murmured, and he nodded, "Was he happy? Before I came along, and before he left his coven?"
"That's hard to say." He sighed, "Back then was a really rough time. On all of us. I know he did work hard for them. Holding onto his own coven like that was something not usually seen. Especially one with that many gifts. The fighting among themselves alone made it hard, but the other issues made it especially difficult."
"Because of the revenge, right?"
"How'd you hear about that?" He asked, frowning.
"I have my ways." I muttered.
"We went through a lot." He explained without me having to ask, "There were many of us there for him. His obsession became our obsession. All for one girl, who still wound up getting away. On a technicality of all things. We were this close, but your dad insisted we just.. Let it go."
"That had to piss you off." I frowned, "What'd you do about it?"
"Nothing." He answered, "Because nobody goes against your dad without facing the consequences, but she did."
"Leandra." I murmured in understanding, and again, he frowned but he didn't ask this time.
"I don't know what it is about that little bitch, but she made it." He continued, "After the last confrontation with her and her coven, everything just started to fall apart. Jack especially. I swear, he was never the same."
"What happened?"
"I won't be getting into that with you." He grumbled, "I don't like talking about it. Very sore subject."
"Fair enough." I replied, "But what happened to Hunter?"
"His son." He nodded, "I don't know where his family eventually moved to. Last I heard of Hunter, they'd packed up and moved south to California, because Jack's oldest nephew wanted to start college there."
"Nephew?" I asked, interested.
"He's got quite a few human ties he couldn't keep, kid." He explained, "Family. His sister took Hunter in, and raised him along with her three kids. He's never mentioned any of this to you, has he?"
"Not a whole lot." I admitted, frowning in confusion, "Human ties? He hates humans."
"He hates humans in general." He replied, "But he'd do anything for his family."
"Wasn't Leandra a part of his family?" I asked.
"Odd, I know." He knew what I was getting at, "He hated her with a passion, yet.." He trailed off, shaking his head, "I guess because she isn't blood related, he's not sure how he feels about her. You've got to remember, though. Six years is a long time to a human."
"Where in California?" I demanded, pushing away from the wall.
"Now, I've already told you too much." He replied, catching on again, "I highly doubt they'd even still be there."
"He's probably looking for them."
"Then let him look for them." He countered, "He left you here for a reason, Alex."
"He doesn't just leave me behind." I argued, "He never has."
"He did the other day, so this is probably something he needs to do on his own."
I glared, but I couldn't argue there. I could definitely see why he wouldn't want to drag me around, if he was tracking humans that meant a lot to him. I'd be one to walk right up to someone just to piss him off. I was generally uncooperative, and tried my best to irritate the hell out of him.
If this was a sensitive situation, I couldn't have gone with him. I wasn't best known for my caution or discretion. I very rarely went into something any other way than head first. I didn't have the patience I took to ease into something slowly. I never had.
Darren sighed, "Are you sleeping here tonight?"
"Are you kidding?" I muttered, "Thanks, but no thanks. Conner freaks me out."
"Hey." I heard him grumble from the next room. I couldn't help smiling a little at how offended he sounded.
"It's the sad truth, Conner. Live with it." I called back. I sighed, looking to Darren again, "I'll be back in the morning. If my dad shows up tonight, tell him to stay put."
"Stay out of trouble, Alex." Darren told me as I rounded, "And stay away from that coven." I glanced back, but didn't say anything on my way out the front door.
I was actually getting worn out. If there was one thing I absolutely hated about my human half, other than how much more fragile I was than my dad, it was the fact that I needed to sleep. That I could get tired, and I was tired.
Since this whole thing started, I was lucky to get more than a few hours of sleep at a time, and it was getting to me.
But I didn't want to tell Carlisle's coven that I was coming back, and never show up, so I'd make a pit stop there first before going back to the barn to sleep. Just to make a quick appearance. Nothing lengthy.
I found the place easily this time, and just like Darren, they heard my arrival. Leandra and Esme both stepped out to greet me as I stopped just below the porch steps. I wouldn't get any closer without knowing they were aware of my presence. That would be stupid.
"I can't stay long." I told them honestly, "I'm getting pretty tired."
"I can tell." Leandra murmured as she descended the steps to stand beside me, "Was he there?"
"No." I replied with a sigh, "But I think I know where he had to go. I found out a few things about him that I never knew before."
"Come inside, honey." Esme offered, "You'll be more comfortable." I glanced up at the house.
"In there?" I muttered.
"You'll be fine." Leandra laughed a little.
"I'm not scared." I told her pointedly, "I just haven't spent much time indoors."
"At all?" She asked, frowning.
"At all." I replied, looking to the house again, "Remember? I was raised on the move. Rooftops and groups of trees. Very rarely an abandoned building or shed."
"Try it." Leandra urged, "It's home."
"Not mine." I murmured, but started up the steps.
I couldn't be positive, but I was fairly sure Darren would be pissed at me for doing this. Which is most of the reason I decided to do it. Purposefully going against what he told me, willingly walking straight into the middle of this coven he told me to stay away from, just to piss him off was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.
I was good at making decisions that best spited someone else. The more individuals I spited, the better it was for me, and my own curiosity urged this decision quite a bit as well.
The inside of the house was even more amazing than the outside. Despite the fact that it was completely covered in this coven's scent, it was very welcoming. Open, bright. Leandra stepped passed me as I stood right inside the door, looking around until I was led further inside the house.
"Wow.." I muttered. I couldn't help it. I'd never been inside a place this nice.
"Believe me, I know." Leandra laughed ahead of me.
Everyone was gathered in the living room as I was led in. Including two newcomers, but I didn't feel like showing how intimidated I was, so I didn't miss a step. These two newcomers looked to me, but the male seemed amused as he stood up.
"Alex, this is Edward, and Bella." Leandra murmured, noticing I'd noticed them.
"The two others." I pointed out, and she nodded.
"Guys, this is Alex. The one we were telling you about." I heard the unspoken words in that. No doubt they told them who I was, but yet again, I wasn't treated with anything less than kindness. It was beginning to really amaze me.
"Finally." Bella laughed a little, "We get to meet you."
"Was it that big of a deal?" I asked, confused.
"You have no idea." She replied. I stepped forward, headed further into the room.
"You'd be surprised how big of a deal little you is." Emmett smirked, and I gave him a look before continuing to look around, "Oh, come on. You don't have to be so serious all the time."
"Wouldn't you be?" Bella asked him, sticking up for me, "Leave her alone."
"Yeah, good point." Emmett replied, "Look at who her dad is." He visibly shuddered, and I looked to him again.
"What about him?" I asked pointedly, "I can handle him."
That was a complete lie, but I was about the only one that was capable of getting under his skin. Very thoroughly, in fact.
"Emmett." Edward spoke up, "Please stop talking."
"I agree." I murmured. He chuckled, but didn't say anything more. I wasn't particularly eager to get into anything physical, as I was running on empty. I would undoubtedly make a huge mistake. Otherwise I'd have slapped him just for that comment alone.
"So." Leandra started the second I reached the couch, "What did you find out?"
I gave a glance around, before I answered.
"He has nephews." I replied, amazed and she smiled, giving a nod. Confirming that bit of information.
"Their names are Josh and Zack. They were my best friends."
"Really?" I asked, unable to help sitting down. I was worn out, "My dad has never mentioned anybody.. On that side of my family before. It's always just been me and him."
I noted feeling the calm I felt before I left here earlier. It was overwhelming, impossible to fight. I was quickly beginning to appreciate it, whatever it was. I was usually a naturally tense person, but for some reason, I wasn't tense here, and it showed me the vast difference between calm and defensive.
"They're your cousins." Leandra continued, "Jack's sister, Heather, took Hunter in when we couldn't keep him for his own good, and she raised him along with Josh and Zack. As well as her daughter, Lizzie, later on."
"Did they know him?" I asked, curious, "Like you did?"
"They knew him." She nodded, "But they didn't know him like I knew him. He was always good to them. He'd defend them most. More than his sister, but not quite as much as his son. As far as I know, he'd never raised a hand or his voice to them."
"Must be nice." I scoffed a little, but decided to keep asking, "Darren said they'd moved to California?"
I was hoping to get as much information from her as possible. I was deeply curious about these new family members. Ones I was literally related to. Just a few days ago, it had just been my dad and I. Now there were at least five new ones, plus Leandra. Whatever relation she was to me.
"Nine years ago." Leandra replied, "Heather wanted to be closer to her mother, who wasn't doing so well at the time. She'd found enough forgiveness to spare, and wanted to be there for her before she passed away, leaving them a rather large fortune, and a home to live in."
"Darren said something about college?"
"That was also a deciding factor." She nodded, "Josh tried, and eventually got accepted into Stanford like his grandfather, and needed to be closer." It seemed to make her very sad to talk about them, "Zack still had one more year of high school left, but Hunter had just started school himself, so changing wasn't a big deal in that aspect." She paused, before she continued, "I haven't been able to catch up with them since, so I can't tell you anything recent."
"Why not?" I asked, slightly disappointed.
"I decided it was best for me to let them go." She replied, "I wasn't.. The same as them anymore. I wanted to let them live their life, without me being tempted to destroy what chance of normalcy they had. I cared about them too much to do that to them."
"Oh." I muttered. I looked over, watching as Mikah moved to her side, "Does it bother you to talk about them?"
She shrugged a little, "I do miss them, but it doesn't really bother me, exactly. I'm happy that they were doing so well the last time I heard about them."
"What about you?" I asked, "You said they were your best friends."
"They were." She allowed, "I met them when Jack took me to California for a few days. We were pretty much friends instantly. Once the awkwardness fell away, but letting them go was what was best for them, and me as well, in the long run."
I looked down. I didn't understand this emotion, and it confused me. I actually felt bad for someone else. I felt sorry because she was hurting over this.
"But they're your family too." I pointed out, looking back up, "And you let them go?"
She gave an allowing nod, "The alternative wasn't something I was willing to live with. It just wasn't right to hold on when to them, I was gone forever."
"Huh." I muttered to myself. Selflessness wasn't something I encountered often, and it puzzled me to see it first hand. Apparently, there was more I had to learn about this coven. It wasn't as simple as meeting them.
"How do you know Darren?" I asked, looking back up.
"That's a loaded question." She laughed a little, but I could see she was only nervous, "First, you have to understand what happened about thirteen years years ago. Before I was turned." I waited, but she stayed quiet.
"I'd like to hear about it." I offered, hoping to urge her, "If you're willing to tell me."
She hesitated, looking to Carlisle.
I continued to wait, as they seemed to decide if it was alright to tell me. I already had Darren's opinion of her, and now I wanted her full opinion of him.
"What happened between you guys and Darren's coven to make him hate you so much?" I asked quietly, rewording my question. That seemed to make it easier.
For the first time since meeting them, I sat quietly, just listening. Not adding my opinion, and saving my questions for afterwards. They fell into the explanation pretty easily, and it captured my entire attention. It was relatively short, as if they didn't particularly want to get into a full detailed recount of what happened, but I got the gist of it.
Darren was posing as someone helpful, only to be working for my father behind their back in his quest to get Leandra back. Somehow, that didn't sound so far off. It coincided with what Darren had mentioned of them, and I definitely got that impression from him.
"There's more to it than that." I muttered once they seemed finished with their explanation, "There has to be."
"There is." Leandra replied, "But it's a very long, difficult story I'm sure you don't want to sit through right now." Again with the selflessness. Maybe avoidance? Either way, she was right. I was twice as tired as I'd been when I first got here.
I looked down again. I was just beginning to see the whole picture, just a glimpse, but I really wasn't sure if I wanted to see the rest of it. How big of a history Leandra obviously had with my father was just beginning to show, and despite how hesitant I was, I needed to know the rest.
But she was right. I did need to rest. It was stupid, reckless of me to let myself get this tired. I sighed and stood up again.
"I should go." I admitted, "I am getting pretty tired."
The truth was, I had a lot to think about, and these new emotions were intimidating me. It used to be so simple, not giving two fucks about anything. It was beginning to seem to me like the only way to learn anything about my father was by him leaving without telling me where he was going.
"Stay here." Leandra offered, "You can sleep in my room."
"Thanks." I smiled a little, "But I'm good. I told Darren I'd be back in the morning, and the last thing you all need is for him to come looking for me, I'm sure." That was true. I could tell. Neither coven liked the other, so the game I was playing was a dangerous one. One wrong move, and I could get this one into trouble, which surprisingly, I didn't want to do.
"Come back after that, okay?" Leandra murmured, and I nodded a little.
I finally made it back to the barn to sleep, after what felt like several hours. Falling onto my stack of sleeping bags. Despite the way I knew he was no good to this new coven, I couldn't help it. I really couldn't help it. I missed him.
"Where are you?" I whispered into the dark, rolling onto my side, "Don't forget about me, dad."
I let my eyes close before absolutely any tears could fall.
Whatever he was doing, wherever he'd gone, I knew he wouldn't just go off and leave me behind. He'd come back. He had to. I still needed him. Carlisle's coven just didn't understand him like I understood him. He meant something different to me than he meant to them.
I bolted upright before I could fall asleep, looking sharply towards the wide open door at the sound of someone approaching, but the scent coming closer had me relax immediately. It was just Leandra. She probably trailed my scent here. I laid back down, waiting for her to come in.
"Alex?" She called quietly.
"Yeah." I muttered, knowing she heard me.
"This is where you're staying?" She stepped inside, her footsteps silent.
"Fancy, isn't it?" I asked in return. Hiding any shame I might have felt with my sarcasm. I had no reason to feel ashamed, but where she came from was a whole lot fancier than this place. She climbed up to the loft, giving a look around. I could hear the words she wasn't saying. I was just grateful I had anywhere to call a shelter.
"Don't worry." I muttered, sitting up, "He's not here."
"I know." She replied, stepping closer and sitting on the floor beside me, "I wouldn't have come anywhere close had I been able to smell his scent."
She lowered to sit beside me, and when I didn't protest, she seemed eased.
"Did you come here by yourself?"
"I tried to," She laughed a little, "But I'm sure the others are circling. They don't want to leave me alone here in case he does come looking."
"Is he that bad?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Her smile faded as she stared down at her hands. Her silence made me uneasy. There was something she was thinking about, and it made me sit up. She had more to tell me about him, and I knew neither of us would rest until she did.
I decided to press, "What was it like for you? Growing up?"
"It's hard for me to really remember." She murmured, "By now, most of it has faded, but I'm doing the best I can to keep those memories. It helps me remember who I am, you know?" I waited, staying quiet until she continued, "The thing I remember the most is his voice. The way his voice would.. Do that almost growling thing when he yelled."
I laughed a little, nodding in agreement. I'd heard that before, and even noted it myself a few times.
"What I remember more of next, is the waiting." She continued, and my smile faded as I listened closely, "Waiting for him to come and find me. Waiting for him to get done beating on me. Waiting for the bruises to heal, but they never did. Waiting for him to let me out of whatever small space he'd locked me in. Waiting for him to decide to let me have something to eat. You get the idea."
"He starved you." I muttered, looking over at her.
"Constantly." She nodded a little, "I wish I could say that was all he'd done."
"He beat you?" I asked this time. Even I knew the difference between hitting and beating. There was a huge difference, and I knew she wouldn't have chosen that word if she didn't mean that word.
"All the time." She nodded again, "I don't know if you can imagine the.. Difference in strength, between a four, even a nine year old, and him. He was always strong, even before he was turned. I was so little back then, there was no way I could have done anything to prevent it." I stayed quiet again, listening to her talk.
"There was more." She murmured, "A whole lot more I'm still dealing with, and believe me. Mikah has to be the most patient male in the entire world." I frowned a little.
"What does Mikah have to do with- Oh." I understood, "He's your mate."
"Sort of." She replied, "Not official yet. Probably never will be, either. Thanks to Jack, but Mikah understands that."
I might have been young, but I wasn't as ignorant as some people might have considered me to be. I knew enough to know what mates did with each other. I thought about what she was saying. I wasn't sure what Mikah being her "unofficial" mate had to do with what my dad was like, but then it seemed to click, and I looked over.
"Are you saying, that he..?" I mumbled, shocked, "He.. Y'Know?" My tone easily told her what I meant. I couldn't breathe with how revolted I was.
"Please tell me he's never done that to you." She replied, and I knew she meant it. She was telling the truth.
"Never." I answered truthfully, "I never.. I can't believe he'd.. Are you shitting me?" For once, I was speechless. Finding these things out about my dad was ensuring I didn't sleep that night, and tomorrow night didn't look good either.
"No." She answered, "I'm not. I wish I was." I shuddered.
"You have to be." I replied, my tone raising just a pitch, "He's.. He's not like that. He's not. He's never.. No."
"He is like that." She argued lightly, "He's so much worse than that." She sighed, "Look, I'm not telling you these things to try and change your mind. I just want you to understand my side of things, you know? It is your choice to find him, but it's my choice to never want to see him again. You can't even imagine the things Jack put me through, Alex. I fully understand what he's capable of."
"He's never done anything like that to me." I muttered, looking over at her again, "Never. He's hit me. All the time, but.. Never anything like that. Maybe you remember wrong?"
"I remember perfectly." She shook her head a little, "That's not something I'm likely to ever forget."
"God." I gasped, standing up. To hear that my own father was capable of something like what she was saying he was capable of was very difficult. I felt like I wanted to throw up. There was a limit to what I was willing to believe, but there wasn't much I could do about this.
"I was his property, Alex." She continued, "From the moment he met me, he owned me. He completely ruined my life, and what life I could have had until what I am now was all that was left of me."
I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, facing away from her. Not in an angry way, but in an insecure way. It scared me. I knew he was an asshole, but I had no idea it went this far. I didn't like this. I didn't like what she was telling me. I didn't like having my entire view of my own father changed like this. It made me literally question everything I knew about him.
Until I suddenly realized.
This was why he wanted me to stay away from them. This was why he never mentioned them. This was what he didn't want me to find out. His actions confirmed everything she was saying. He didn't want me to learn the truth about him. Not because he was afraid of them hurting me, but because he wanted to keep me from finding out.
"You're not lying." I finally concluded, looking to her.
"I'm not lying." She replied gently, shaking her head.
"You know he's not gonna be happy that you told me this." I had to make sure she understood.
"Tough." She shook her head, "You deserved to know. Alex, I meant what I said. I don't ever want to see him again, and I'll be really worried about you when he does come back."
"He wouldn't ever do anything like that to me." I muttered, "I know that much. I'm his daughter."
"You obviously don't know anything about how he was raised, do you?" She asked quietly, standing up as well, "His father was possibly even more unstable than Jack is. I know, because I met him." I stayed quiet, watching her, "His father's name was Ken, and believe me. Be thankful he's dead. There was no limit to the things Ken would do to Heather."
"Heather was his daughter." I remembered, "My dad's sister."
She nodded, "No limit. Jack is a lunatic. He's violent, unstable, and a damned good liar. It's not his fault how he turned out, but that doesn't excuse the things he's done in his life."
"This is so hard." I admitted, shaking my head. Turning away again to pace a few steps.
"I'm not trying to change your mind." She repeated, "I just think you ought to know the risk he poses to you. You say he's never hit you that hard before. That probably means he's losing it again. He can't resist causing pain. That's what he does. That's what he's always done."
I didn't reply to that.
"I'm not out to bad mouth him." She continued, "All I want is for him to leave me alone. I want so much to be done with him. I just want one day that I don't have to think about him. I don't want revenge. I never have. I don't want to hurt him, or you. I just want to live my life, whatever's left of it, without ever hearing from him again."
"You're stronger than I am." I admitted, "I'd want to rip that motherfucker to pieces. If what you're saying is true, then I already do."
"Don't." She replied, "I can't tell you how to feel. I just wanted you to know. Please use your own judgement. All I'm here to do, is let you know what he can do. What he's capable of doing."
I was quiet for a moment, until I sighed.
"Thanks." I told her honestly, "Really. I didn't know before."
"There's obviously a lot he hasn't told you." Leandra nodded.
"You were raised by him." I pointed out and she nodded, "He was married to your mother." She nodded again, "So that sort of makes us sisters, right?"
She smiled, "In a way, I guess so."
"I've never had a sister before." I admitted, and she laughed.
"Jack isn't your only option anymore." She told me, and I had to smile a little at that.
We sat there all night, talking about Jack and the less severe things he'd do, and I had to admit. I had noticed a few similar things. I could finally see what she was talking about. She told me her story, and all about how her gift brought her to her coven, but she referred to them as family.
She told me all about them, and how they literally saved her life. From Jack, and from herself. Many times from herself. They kept her going when she wanted to quit. They kept her, and they raised her. They taught her so many things I had no idea even existed before.
She told me all about how they traveled. Moved from place to place, but kept a permanent residence in each new place. Why they did that, and why they always came back. How that worked, with lists of the humans they knew and extensive research to make sure that each human was either dead or had moved away before they came back to a place.
Before I even realized it, dawn started to approach, and I hadn't even slept. It surprised me to realize that I listened with such a jealous intensity, that I forgot to be tired. The way she described her life with my dad, and then her life with her family made me want that. I wanted to experience what that was like.
She finally noticed the time, "Oh. I'm sorry."
"No." I said, shaking my head, "It's okay. Um.." I sighed, and stood up, "I have to check in with Darren, but I'll be back, okay? I really want to hear more."
"Be careful." She requested, standing up as well, "Darren isn't one to piss off."
"I can handle him." I replied, "Just give me about thirty minutes. I'll be back." I didn't want her to think I wasn't coming back. She nodded a little, and I turned.
True to my word, I returned to Seattle before dawn arrived. Yet again, deeply distracted, but he still hadn't shown up. Several days of no show, and I was starting to get mad, but I honestly wasn't sure if him showing up now would be a good idea. Not until I had a chance to calm down about all I'd learned about him.
"I'll give him three more days." I growled, crossing my arms as I faced Darren in the front yard, "If he's not back by then, I'm going looking."
"Your father is capable of protecting himself." Darren pointed out, "You, however, are not." I scoffed, "No. You know a few tricks, but when it really comes down to it, I know you wouldn't have what it takes to survive out there on your own. You might be half vampire, but that human half almost completely negates that."
"I'm not stupid, okay?" I snapped, "I know what I'm doing."
"If you say so." He murmured doubtfully.
"And so what?" I demanded, "What do you care if I go off on my own?"
"As I've told you." He replied, stepping down the front steps, "Because you're Jack's daughter, and he left you with me, that makes you my responsibility. He and I have been friends for a very long time, and I don't intend to disappoint him by losing track of you."
"Yes," I countered, "I'm my father's daughter. Not yours. You don't boss me around."
"Do you really think he'd approve of you visiting that coven?" He nearly demanded right back. I hesitated.
"You know about that?"
"I'm not stupid." He muttered, "Not only is their scent all over you, but why else would you go running off constantly when Jack specifically told you to stay here? This is exactly what he was trying to prevent."
"You're not going to tell him." I snapped, "It's just to pass the time, and besides. If he was here, that wouldn't be an issue, would it?"
"You're walking a very fine line between two sides you don't want to get mixed up in, Alex." He warned, shaking his head.
"It doesn't have to be two sides." I replied without much thought, "All Leandra and her coven want is to live without you fucking parasites constantly in their business. What's so wrong with that? Really. What's the big fucking deal?"
He raised his eyebrows, surprised, and for a moment, I worried that I'd pissed him off.
"Don't say that again." He told me, his tone significantly darker, "When your dad finds out you've chosen their side, he's not going to take it lightly."
"I don't give a shit." I barked, "If he didn't want me around them, then he should have stayed. It's not my fault that son-of-a-bitch decided to ditch me to go looking for my stupid fucking brother."
"He didn't ditch you." He argued, "He'd never do that."
"It sure as hell looks that way to me." I replied, "Just remember this, Darren. Nobody but my dad tells me what to do, and sometimes, I don't even listen to him, so save your goddamn breath."
I rounded immediately, walking away.
"Alex, I'm warning you." He called after me, "Stay away from them."
As much as I wanted to growl a retort, I didn't even dignify that with a response. I was too reluctant to reveal just how much I knew about my father. Maybe it was instinct, but I didn't want Darren to know I knew. I didn't want him to know just how extensive of a conversation I'd had with them, and what they told me.
I wasn't so sure I approved anymore of this side of everything.
A/N: Complicated chapter, I agree, but we're getting further along. It only gets more complicated.
I'm hopeful that three won't take very long either, but I will be taking a few days for RL issues. Family.
And... WOOHOO! Thank you to my beautiful, faithful reviewers! :D You guys are amazing. :'}
Until Three, my friends. :D