"Excellent," said Tanya. Going with an impulse she reached over and gently cupped the girl's chin in one hand. The girl froze, wide eyed, as Tanya leaned over and planted a chaste, tender kiss on her forehead.
"Welcome to the family."
It was perfectly understandable, Tanya mused, that the girl looked quite a bit shaken up. The elder vampire just looked at Ms. Swan thoughtfully while the young woman quietly processessed the last few minutes. It was sometimes easy to forget how quickly things could change. Tanya had not been joking or exaggerating when she'd spoken words of welcome into her family. The girl in front of her was now someone that Tanya had committed herself to care deeply about, one way or the other. It felt rushed and decidedly odd – she felt the situation compared a bit to a last minute arranged marriage – but the unusual circumstances leading to her acquiring a new member of her Coven would not stop Tanya from doing everything she could to make things work. Assuming everything went well and the girl kept up her side of the bargain of course.
"So… what happens now?" the girl asked in a small voice, eyes on her lap and fingers worrying the hem of her sweater.
This is going to get harder before it gets easier. "I've arranged for transportation. We'll abandon this vehicle here. A short hike across the woods and we'll find another road with another car waiting for us. Then we'll drive to a small airport where a private plane is waiting to take us to Alaska."
Tanya fully expected the girl to protest and she wasn't disappointed. Her eyes widened and she had to try a few times before actually being able to speak. "But… but that's so fast! And what… what about my stuff and…" the girl swallowed thickly, a pained look suddenly on her face, "… what about my dad? What am I going to tell him?"
"It is best," Tanya began gently, "to suddenly disappear without a trace in these types of situations. As much as you may want to you cannot stay in contact with anyone from your previous life. It is best to suddenly cut things quickly and cleanly. Anything else would just make for a longer and more painful process, not to mention a far riskier one."
"I can't… I can't just disappear like that on my dad," said the young Ms. Swan, sounding truly distressed at the notion. She looked up at Tanya, big brown eyes pleading. "At least let me leave him a note. To let him know I wasn't kidnapped or… or that anything horrible happened to me."
Tanya eyed the girl, her expression apologetic but firm. "I'm sorry but no. We are on a schedule and… well. It may not seem like it now but leaving a note like that will be harder on you. Symbolically and psychologically simply leaving is the best break you can make with your old life. A tearful goodbye note, taking things from your past, all of that tends to make the emotional transition that much more difficult. Not what you need along with all the stresses of soon becoming a vampire."
The girl's expression turned angry and for a moment Tanya thought that the young Ms. Swan was actually going to start yelling at her. Then, surprisingly, the girl exhaled loudly and all the energy seemed to go out of her as she focused her gaze on her lap. Suddenly the young woman before her looked weary and so very sad.
"Please," the girl said pleadingly, looking up at Tanya with unshed tears shining in her eyes. "I don't care if it's harder for me. At least… at the very least I can't just leave my dad wondering, imagining all sorts of terrible things without ever having any answers."
Seeing Tanya's unmoved expression the girl swallowed nervously. Biting her lip, she lowered her eyes and bowed her head in submission. "Please. I'm begging you. At least… at least give me this much. I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't do this."
Tanya hesitated, feeling torn. On the one hand long experience had taught her that even something as simple as leaving a note could make the process of letting go of her old life that much more difficult… an especially serious concern if the girl was going to be turned soon. On the other hand… she really didn't like how much distress this seemed to be causing the young woman.
Throughout popular culture throughout the ages much had been made of the powerful and decisive Alphas and how they completely controlled the lives of their Omegas who were always eager to please and to obey. The truth of course was not so very simple and one sided. Just as Omegas had their instincts to serve so did Alphas had equally strong instincts to protect. Any Alpha worth their salt would be distinctly… uncomfortable at seeing an Omega in distress and Tanya was no exception.
Protecting, making sure they were taken care of, that they were happy… these were instincts Tanya had in abundance and that she had lived with for a long time. The vampire closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was common enough that an Omega would use their distress to try to manipulate an Alpha but for the life of her Tanya didn't think that is what was happening right now. Young Isabella Swan seemed genuinely distressed, without an ounce of guile, and that just made her desire to ease the girl's pain all the more powerful and immediate.
This girl… she didn't know why but everything about her just seemed to be affecting Tanya way more than it should. Frankly it was somewhat unsettling. Keep it together. Make rational, informed decisions. The Coven counts on you to do that. Even Ms. Swan needs that from you even if she doesn't realize it yet.
In the end however she just couldn't find it in herself to say no to such a heartfelt plea. Opening her eyes Tanya gave the young woman a slightly annoyed look. "All right. I do not think it is the best idea, but I will allow you to write to your father."
At hearing that Isabella's whole frame seemed to sag with relief. "Thank you," she said in a small voice, the sincerity plain to hear in her tone.
The more base parts of Tanya urged her to use that 'gratefulness', to pull Miss Swan over on to her lap and impale the pretty little Omega on her cock. Maybe while sinking her fangs into that long, pale neck while letting her life blood spill down her throat. Tanya shivered almost imperceptibly at that strong mental image. Well she is an attractive… and single Omega. One that seems to pull all kinds of reactions from you with nary a thought.
Tanya shackled those thoughts viciously and put them away. For now she was a mentor and now she was also responsible for the girl sitting directly across from her. Anything potentially… more was going to have to wait.
"There are rules though," Tanya said in a strong and steady Coven-leader voice that gave away none of her previous thoughts. "We won't be stopping back by your house. We'll drive to another town where you may write your letter. You will let me read it to make sure it doesn't have any information we shouldn't be giving away. Then we will mail it. Is that satisfactory?"
The young woman just looked at her cautiously, and it was with visible reluctance that she nodded. "Yeah, I guess that will work."
"Well good," said Tanya before opening the driver side door. "Then we should get going. Come on. We have still got a few hours of travel ahead of us."
Hesitantly the young Ms. Swan followed Tanya and exited the truck. The vampire turned and began to walk into the woods at a pace slow enough for a human to easily follow. She pretended not to notice when the girl gave one last long mournful look at the beat up old truck that she owned before following without a word.
Night had just fallen but it was a full moon, bright and big enough in the sky that Tanya thought the girl should have no problems in navigating the wood. However Tanya quickly began to wonder if she had… overestimated the eyesight of this particular human. Three times within a few minutes the girl stumbled and nearly fallen. The fourth time she tripped over something she actually did fall, losing her balance and landing on her rear with a startled squeak of pain. At this point Tanya began to get concerned. Humans are fragile, she could easily hurt herself if she can't see where she's going. If she manages to cut herself it will make this trip a lot more… interesting than it needs to be as well.
Tanya turned and walked back to where the girl was before crouching down next to her. Ms. Swan didn't notice her until they were at eye level, the girl jumping in surprise at suddenly seeing the vampire so close. Human senses are truly very bad, aren't they?
"Are you having a hard time seeing where you're going?" asked Tanya gently, somewhat surprising herself by the level of concern in her voice. "I am sorry if that's the case. I had assumed the light of the moon would have been enough for you to navigate by."
"Ah, no…" said the girl, looking away and scratching her neck sheepishly. Tanya could easily smell the light blush creeping across her cheeks. "I'm just really clumsy. I'd probably be tripping over myself just as much in broad daylight. Traipsing through the woods isn't really my thing."
"Oh, is that so?" said Tanya, the lightest hint of amusement coloring her tone. "Well I can't very well allow you to continue tripping over yourself and potentially getting hurt Ms. Swan." With that Tanya stood up in one smooth, sinuous movement before holding out her hand to the young woman.
The girl hesitated before taking Tanya's hand. It was warm and soft and Tanya could feel the currents of blood flowing beneath the surface. Gently the vampire helped the girl to her feet.
Giving the girl a reassuring smile Tanya turned around and continued walking, never letting go of Ms. Swan's hand. After a moment the young woman tried to pull her hand away but Tanya didn't let her. At seeing the girl's questioning look Tanya gave her a reassuring and somewhat teasing smile.
"Now, now, I really can't have you falling all over the place Ms. Swan. Unless you prefer I carry you holding your hand is the simplest way of making sure you don't get hurt."
Tanya could easily smell the girl's cheeks reddening further from embarrassment. "I'm not a baby," she mumbled, "I don't need someone to hold my hand."
Tanya began walking. "I am quite ancient Ms. Swan, to me in many ways you might as well be a baby. Besides," she said, her tone taking on a playful teasing lilt, "it had been an eternity since I've had a new baby vampire in the Coven to fuss over and care for. That goes for all of us really. Do allow us the indulgence if you would. I'm quite certain you will end up spoiled positively rotten before too long."
Somehow that seemed to embarrass the girl further but she didn't reply and she didn't try to take her hand away again. They continued on through the woods in silence, Tanya making sure to go slow enough so the human would have no trouble keeping up. Even then however the girl seemed to stumble and lose her balance every thirty feet forcing Tanya to aid her in keeping upright. The soft string of curses that started coming from the girl after a few more minutes of this were hilarious. Tanya would have laughed out loud if she wasn't certain it would either offend or distress the girl. You really are very clumsy aren't you? Like a newborn foal. It was really very endearing though she doubted the girl would appreciate the sentiment.
Neither spoke to the other for almost twenty minutes. Holding the girl's hand… it felt good. Tanya kept her senses on high alert for any sign of danger all around them. Simply looking out for the girl, holding her hand, keeping her safe… it felt oddly fulfilling in a way she did not expect. Perhaps it was because it had been so long since she had interacted with any unattached Omegas. Tanya gave the hand she was holding small, almost imperceptible squeeze. The girl was certainly special, Tanya no longer had any doubts about that. It would have been… hard if she'd had to kill her. Thankfully things had not come to that.
Eventually the road Tanya was looking for came into sight. They were nearly out of the woods when the girl spoke in a quiet voice.
"I don't like Ms. Swan."
Tanya stopped and turned around with a questioning look. "Oh?" she asked. The girl tried to subtly pull her hand out of the vampire's grip but Tanya held on.
For some reason she seemed embarrassed, ducking her head and hiding behind her hair. "I mean," she said suddenly seeming very unsure of herself. "I'd rather you just call me by my first name. If you don't mind."
Tanya blinked at that. Sometimes she forgot her manners and mannerisms could be a few decades out of date. She gave the girl a reassuring smile, her pale features almost seeming to glow under the light of the moon. "I don't mind at all. I should call you Isabella then?"
The girl shrugged, the ghost of a smile curling at the corner of her lips. "Or Bella. Either one is fine."
"All right then… Isabella," said Tanya slowly as she tasted the word. It was a lovely name, and even more lovely attached to the girl in front of her. "We're almost at the car. Shall we?"
The mention of the vehicle seemed to bring the girl – Isabella's – mood down for some reason. The vampire frowned lightly as it seemed that something was suddenly bothering her new charge. The girl wrapped her one free arm around her torso, suddenly looking very small and vulnerable.
"Isabella?" Tanya asked gently, the tenderness and concern in her voice surprising both women for different reasons.
"I…" the girl began briefly before looking away, "I guess… are you for real? Is this for real?"
Tanya frowned slightly at that. "I'm not sure what you mean, dear." Absently she stroked the girl's knuckles with her thumb in a calming gesture almost by instinct.
"You're not…" she began before halting. Taking a breath she looked down at her toes and said in a small voice, "… I don't think I can handle rejection a second time, especially since I'm… I'm having to give up everything to protect them. Which I would have done anyway, but…" she looked up, daring to meet Tanya's eyes. Isabella's gaze was nothing if not filled to the brim with chaotic emotion. "Y-you're not just going to get tired of me one day are you? Because if that's a possibility I'd like to know ahead of time. I'd rather not… I can't just open myself up again if the same thing might happen all over again. I just… I just can't. Can you understand that?"
Tanya discovered then that she really hated seeing Isabella in distress. The girl looked on the verge of tears and Tanya had to school her features not to show the anger she was feeling… anger at the Cullens and their thoughtless, callous handling of this situation. And they claimed they loved this girl? One might be better off without that particular brand of love. It had certainly done a lot of damage in this particular instance.
Knowing what she needed to do Tanya took the hand she was holding and pulled the girl towards her. Isabella gave a little squeak of surprise before she found herself pressed up against Tanya's chest, embraced in a firm but gentle hug. The scent of the girl was intoxicating this close and for a fraction of a second Tanya's mind went completely blank as the totality of Isabella Swan invaded her senses.
Isabella for her part struggled briefly before – for whatever reason – settling down against Tanya's chest, her breathing quick and loud in the relative silence of the nighttime forest. Tanya smelled a bit of fear but no real distress. Good. After a few moments the vampire spoke.
"I offered you the option of becoming part of my Coven," began Tanya in a strong, almost paternal voice. "And you accepted. Did you not?"
Isabella swallowed before answering in a shaky voice. "Yes."
"I do not offer such things lightly because they are a serious commitment for all involved," Tanya said, moving to gently stroke Isabella's hair with one hand. "I told you that if you accepted you would live under my law, and that you would obey me in all things. Remember that?"
Isabella didn't answer, instead just nodding into Tanya's chest and sinking in a little deeper into the embrace.
"What I didn't tell you was the commitment on my end," Tanya began before pausing, thinking of how best to phrase what she wanted to say. "A Coven is a little bit like an Alpha and Omega relationship. As a member of my Coven it is your duty to obey. As your leader it is my duty to keep you safe and to take care of each and every one of you. It is a sacred commitment and one that I take very, very seriously. Until such a time as you might wish to leave the Coven I will always be there to take care of you and protect you when you need it young one."
Isabella swallowed again, the grip of her hands tightening around Tanya's coat. "Really?" she asked in a voice that sounded small and oh so young.
"Yes," said Tanya with firm conviction as she lightly stroked Isabella's hair, "you are my vampire now. Or you will be. I'll turn you myself. I will be your mother, your mentor and Alpha to you all at once. Though there is no guarantee we will always be close as your sire there will always be a strong bond between us. You," for some reason she couldn't explain Tanya's voice hitched at that moment, "You'll never have to leave me if you don't want to. The same goes for the Coven as a whole. You have a permanent home Isabella, for all eternity, should you want it."
The girl didn't say anything but something about the way she shuddered and clung tighter to Tanya made the elder vampire think she had gotten through to the girl. She could smell the girl's falling tears and though it didn't exactly please her she knew that the tears were at least partly in relief. Tanya suspected that this was not the last they had seen of the girl's abandonment issues but for the time being it was enough.
"Come now," said Tanya, reluctantly pulling away and moving to guide them towards the waiting car. "Let us go. We still have a plane to catch tonight."