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"What the hell!" she screamed at him. "You sick fuck. You bit me!"
She jumped up out of the bed and looked in the mirror.
"Why did you bite me? Are you trying to control me too? People don't just go around biting other people." She yelled.
Alistair raised an imperious eyebrow. He looked at the naked girl before him and smirked smugly. It occurred to him she may have forgotten she was naked. Settling back on the pillows he answered in a calm , deliberate tone.
"Oh now come on hen, people bite each other all the time during sex."
"People yes, bite other people. You are a vampire!"
"I am aware that I am a vampire darling, vampires bite each other all the time during sex as well." He smirked at her again. Her agitated gesticulating was making her wobble in the most enticing of ways.
"Again that's vampires biting vampires. We are talking about inter-species relations. Oh god that sounds so wrong." She said as she put her head in her hands and sat down hard on the bed next to him.
Alistair watched her in fascinated silence. How could she switch emotions so quickly? Ecstasy, angry and now mortified. It was amazingly entertaining. He was however a little disappointed that the wobbling had stopped.
"Why? You could have killed me"
"I was driven to do it and I would not have killed you, I won't ever harm you. It's instinctual. And no I am not trying to control you. I removed all of the venom, his and mine. You are totally free."
"Oh."
"I don't want to control you Iseabail, I want you with me because it is what you choose. I will never try to control you and I hope you will do me the same curtesy."
"I will. But next time ask first ok. Or at least give me some warning. Will there be a next time?"
"I'll try hen but can't promise anything, instincts take over and all that. And I guarantee there will be a next time." He answered silkily, his eyes darkening by the second.
"So are you completely ruled by your instincts then?" She asked with a derisive tone that made him smile. He didn't bother to answer with words, he simply gave her a look which basically said.
"Well Duh!" that was all she needed.
"So." She purred while walking her fingers slowly up his arm and looking into his pitch black eyes. "What are your instincts telling you to do now?"
Again he didn't answer with words. He just kissed her passionately and lowered them both down onto the bed.
ooOOoo
Four weeks later found the couple in Bella's car on their way to Scotland. Bella was asleep in the passenger seat. She hadn't got a lot of sleep last night, that memory made Alistair smirk and inevitably think back over the past few weeks.
The first couple of days had been great, idyllic almost. They had got to know each other very well, they had rarely left her bed. Watching his Iseabail sleep was actually not as boring as he had thought it would be especially when she started to talk. He didn't hang around all the time but he had discovered that if he closed his eyes and concentrated on her heart beats and breathing he could lull himself into a deeply restful state which killed the time she slept very well. He liked to be there when she woke up though, she was cute as she woke and more often than not happy for another round of sex.
They were brought back to earth with a resounding bump when 'Becky' came banging on the door, insisting that if Bella didn't let her in she would report her as missing to the police. Upon seeing Alistair, Becky had understood why the phone was turned off but insisted they go out so she could get all of the gossip.
So Alistair was relegated to the role of stalker again. Not being happy with crowds, but unwilling to let Bella out of his sight yet he had trailed round the bars after them. He had found watching them entertaining, and pretended he couldn't hear Bella describing their sex life, while Becky asked questions which would have made him blush were he able. She was certainly a character, but now he found himself connected to two humans. Not what he wanted. Dancing with Bella had been fun, but it made him want to whisk her off home, she however had other ideas and got steadily more drunk. His mood got worse when Becky 'crashed' in the spare room. He was truly thrilled with that turn of events, added to the fact Bella had passed out on her bed before he could get her naked, he came to the conclusion that drunk humans were best left as dinner.
After that rocky start he and Becky got on well though. He liked her blunt, honest attitude. She would take no shit from anyone. He could see she was good for Bella and that alone made him like her and resolve to keep her safe.
The next few weeks while Bella was in classes and the library were boring though. He spent most of that time in trees or on benches around campus, stalking her. He felt unable to leave her alone yet. Alistair knew it was just because their bond was so new but it didn't improve his mood.
Things were harder still when he had to leave to hunt. Knowing she had so many friends in the city he resolved not to hunt there again but that meant he had to travel and was gone a day at least. He had thought they would both find the separation difficult but it wasn't too bad, certainly manageable. Things were made all the better when he got back at about six in the morning and slid into her bed, then woke Bella up and slid into her.
Bella knew that Alistair was finding it difficult to be around her friends and staying in the same place so long. She tried to make it easier on him by keeping her friends at arm's length and only going to campus when completely necessary. That however caused other problems. When they were alone they found it almost impossible to keep their hands off each other and her course work was pilling up. So when he announced he was leaving for a day or so to hunt, Bella made the most of the time, filling her day with as much activity as possible in order to stave off the fact she missed him terribly. She spent all day at the library, got caught up on her work and went out with her friends. When he got back she had welcomed him with open arms.
They had talked the next day. They were both finding the need to be together trying. Alistair was sure it would ease although he did think he might not settle totally until she was a vampire too. He was finding it difficult being in the same place so long, added to that he now felt he had to protect Becky as well. He had gone from having no responsibilities to having several. Bella could understand his instinctual need to keep her safe. She could appreciate that he felt swamped by the need to protect her friends in order to keep her happy. While she would be devastated if anything happened to Becky, Bella did understand it wouldn't be Alistair's fault. She wanted to help and would do whatever she could to make it easier. But she needed her space and needed to be able to concentrate on her studies for the time being. Between them they managed to find a middle road that left them both fulfilled but allowed their freedom. Upon reflection Bella knew she would never have had that kind of relationship with Edward. He would have decided and she would have simply fallen into line.
That conversation is what led to this trip. Alistair needed to get Bella away and have her all to himself for a while before the stress of her finals kicked in, so they had agreed to take a few days over the Easter break for him to show her his home land. Bella loved Scotland and was keen to finally learn more about him, so she was more than happy to go. It wasn't that he was keeping secrets but other than the tit bits he threw her way every now and again Bella knew almost nothing about him. It was that he just wasn't a people person and had no real idea how to talk to her. Alistair smiled to himself, he was getting better though, coming out of his shell and opening up, didn't really have a lot of choice with Becky around.
ooOOoo
They stayed in a hotel near Loch Lomond for their visit. It was close to where Alistair grew up. They spent days walking while Alistair showed her places he remembered from growing up. The views were breath-taking, a large expanse of clear, fresh water, pebbled shores leading to rolling hills that stretched into rugged mountains. Banks of dark green woodland on all sides, the colour that reminded her so much of Forks. They took a boat ride to view some of the islands. He pointed out Clairinch, the birthplace of his clan. He spoke about it with reverence, and remembered paddling over to it often.
Bella had visited Loch Lomond before and loved it but was seeing it through Alistair's eyes this time. She was entranced by visions of the past as he described home. She loved just breathing in the air and listening to his descriptions of a life so long ago. He described what he could remember of his life as a child. His family were not rich but proud of their heritage and connections. He had grown up knowing who he was. He described how he had played with the other boys with wooden swords, bows and axes. How he learned to hunt, fish, swim and ride, the lessons he took learning to read and write. As he described his childhood he talked faster and faster, his accent becoming more pronounced, gesticulating with all-encompassing sweeps of his arms as he pointed out various locations. For Bella it was magical to watch him come alive so, he was excited, giddy almost as though suddenly free from all restraints. She smiled to herself as she watched him describe his home, he was a whole new Alistair. It was in that moment she realised she was in love with him. She was bursting to tell him but something held her back. Now wasn't the time.
He described his life, lying in his bed at night listening to the wolves howl in the forests close by, more so in the winter when they were hungry. It was an eerie sound that sent chills through him even now. Listening to the men tell war stories and then with his friends pretending to be there with them. At around seven he was sent to his kinsman Campbell to be a in his household first as a page, then squire and eventually soldier and knight. He was taught how to be a man in that world, how to fight and how to live. He spoke of courting girls with ribbons and poems, then sneaking kisses and sometimes more. Bella asked if he had married.
"No, I was betrothed once but she died before we could wed. Others were talked about but they all came to nought. Probably for the best."
His life was fairly peaceful at first, but he trained hard and became a lethal fighter. Things started to change when he was about fifteen years old. The King and his heir had died and the clans began to form sides in the dispute for who should rule. His family supported the Bruce claim and his kinsman Niall was a close supporter. Then it happened, Edward of England claimed the throne of Scotland as his own. Alistair hated that man, the venom with which Alistair spoke that name made Bella wonder if he hated all Edwards by association. Eventually the inevitable war broke out and sides were drawn then re-drawn as allegiances changed. He didn't say much about the early battles he had fought in. But Bella could tell it had affected him deeply.
One day after they had been there almost a week Alistair left for a walk as she was eating her breakfast. This in itself wasn't unusual as he was not a fan of human food, or watching her eat it. She had accepted that she would dine alone as a human. When he got back he was different, anxious and he had been shopping by the looks of things.
"Come on Iseabail, Lets go for a walk." He said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked quietly as she put on her coat.
"Nothing hen, nothing's wrong. I just want to show you something." He said with a kiss on her cheek as he steered her into the car.
"What's is the bag?"
"It's for you, but you can look later ok."
They drove for a short while and pulled over beside a field. Alistair got out and held her door open for her with a smirk.
"I was a gentleman once you know." he said in answer to her sardonically raised eyebrow. He had never done that before. Taking her hand in his they walked quietly across the field towards a river, they headed alongside for a while then looking around he picked her up and jumped across.
"That was easier than the last time I crossed that river." He said thoughtfully almost to himself as her set her back on her feet and took her hand again.
"You haven't been back here since you were human?" She asked incredulously.
He didn't answers straight away. They walked on a short distance toward a small loch. It was really pretty, surrounded by trees and bushes. He lead her toward a rock large enough for her to sit on and put his folded jacket down on top.
Bella sat down and looked at him with expectation. He wasn't looking at her, but facing out over the water. His face was filled with emotion as his eyes were staring into the distance. Only he wasn't looking at the hills on the horizon, he was gazing out across the centuries, back in to his past. When he spoke it was softly, as though to himself. His accent broader than she had ever heard it.
"It was the summer of 1306 not long after the Battle of Methven. Our king, Robert had been defeated and we were heading out to try to re-group. We had his family with us, the Queen, his daughter, sisters and supporters as well. We were moving slowly along the glen toward the field we just crossed."
He looked toward Bella and smiled before turning back to gaze out across the water.
"They ambushed us, there had to be about a thousand of them. They were Scots! Out for revenge against Bruce for the murder of Red Comyn. The first we knew was when the shouts of 'Buaidh no bàs' went up. We were outnumbered, exhausted from the long trek from Methvan, hampered by the women, with the English at our backs. We drew our swords and threw ourselves at them. There were many of ma kinsmen there on our side. All around me I could hear cries of 'Clar Innes' and 'Cruachan' as the battle began in earnest."
He looked pained, haunted almost. Bella ached to offer even the smallest comfort. At the same time she didn't want to disturb him, she was engrossed in his tale. He turned his head toward the river they had just crossed, eyes moving as though tracking figures Bella couldn't see. She hardly dare follow his gaze, half expecting to see the ghostly battle taking place before her eyes.
"In no time the ground was slick with bloody mud. All around I could hear cries of terror from the women as they tried to turn back. Horses screaming as they were falling down, not able to keep their feet, or being cut down to get at the rider. Steel meeting steel in vicious clashes and the cries and groans of men as they fell. I could hardly see anything, just man after man before me as I slashed and fought my way through. There was blood everywhere. We fought hard but there were too many, we were pushed back. Robert was shouting orders to get the women to safety. We had to form a rear guard and try and hold them off."
He was breathing faster, clenching and unclenching his fists. Closing her eyes Bella let herself get swept away by his words, she could see the scene before her, horrific and gory, could hear the noises he described pounding in her ears. Her heart began to race. An icy trickle of terror ran down her spine. It was as though she was there beside him as he fought so desperately for his life.
"We were pushed back to the river. It had been a fairly hot summer so it was shallower than now. There were about six of us bringing up the rear including Niall and Robert. They were forcing us back here. I got across the river but the man beside me (I don't remember his name) was cut down as we got to the other side. His arm severed above the elbow. Blood splattered into ma face, I could ne see. He fell on me dragging me down wi him as we both slipped on the riverbed stones. I had to push him away, I would have fallen and been killed. I can still see his face, the fear in his eyes as I practically threw him into the enemy."
He threw his arm out, gesturing toward the water. Bella suddenly felt tears sting her eyes at what he had gone through. Her heart bursting with love, pride and grief. But mainly because she knew why they were there in that place.
"We were fighting our way back along the side here, by this lochan. The path was narrow, we were stumbling over bodies. I was beside ma king. It was just us and them and then I felt it. A white hot pain in ma stomach. I was pushed aside and fell, I must have hit ma head because the next thing I knew it was quiet. Well quieter. I could hear the sounds of fighting in the distance and the sounds of the dying nearer to hand. I managed to pull ma sel up to sit against yon rock."
He pointed to the rock Bella was sitting on. She swallowed hard. Looking at the ground at her feet.
"Oh God" she whispered. He didn't appear to have heard her.
"I could see, bodies strewn around. I could tell from the clothes most were MacDougall's, I could ne see ma kin. Nor the king or women. I knew I was dying. I was cold, couldn't feel ma legs. That's when I saw him. Black like a huge crow. He seemed to glide down over the path we had just taken. He bent down low over one of the dying. I could hear strange noises. I reached for ma sword, I got it but the pain made me cry out. He looked up."
Alistair paused. His eyes closed. He didn't open them again as he continued his story.
"I looked him straight in the eye. They were blood red. He had blood running down his chin. I thought he was a devil come to take me to hell. He bent back down over the body. I wanted to prey but could ne find the words. I had never had much time for the church or been one for prayers in the past, I preferred action. I looked back over ma sins, there were many. I had broken almost every commandment. I had drunk, lied, fought, coveted, fornicated out of wedlock."
He turned back to Bella with a grin.
"The lady was married though so it was no so great a sin" He said with a wink. Bella stifled a giggle.
"And I had killed. Men whose only offence was that they followed the wrong man. I could ne regret any of it though. I knew I would do it all again in a heartbeat. The creature stood and in a blink was before me.
'Are you the devil come to claim me?' I asked.
'No boy, your god and your devil have no place here now. Why do you clutch your sword? You are almost dead, will you fight me still?' He knelt down, grinning at me. I was ne afraid though.
'Aye, I'll try.' I said and tried to run him through. The blade just moved off him like he were stone. He laughed, fucking laughed at me. He whispered something like 'scream for me boy.' Then he bit into my neck and started my transformation."
Alistair sat down heavily beside Bella on the stone. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled he to him.
"Three days later, I woke up from the burn. I had tried hard not to scream, didn't want to give in, give him the satisfaction. I hated him at that time. All the while he had talked to me. Told me to remember my childhood, my family, my life so that when I woke I had lost very few human memories. When I opened my eyes he was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, smug as you like. He had three English soldiers tied up against a tree. I fell on them, made a hell of a mess.
'Didn't think you would want to feed from Scots yet' he said when I was done. Then he sat me down and told me what I was, what the rules were, everything. He stayed with me, I tried to get away a couple of times but got nowhere, even though I was stronger and faster he was much older and a cunning bastard." Alistair smiled fondly at the memory. He clearly liked his sire now.
"He had been a roman soldier, had even been stationed in 'Britannia' as he called it. He had a soft spot for it, had fallen for a girl here and had a family. He liked to come back every now and again to visit and check on his descendants. He wanted me to go back with him to his home so I did. Staying here was too dangerous. People might recognise me and I would kill that bastard English king if I got the chance."
"Where did you go?" Bella asked him gently with a smile. He was himself again now.
"First we travelled around France, Spain, Egypt, Greece. It was incredible, even then. The wonders I saw hen, you cannot even imagine, the world had opened up to me. I learnt languages, science, medicine, so fast, it was amazing. It took about a year to make our way to his home in Italy. Felix wanted to introduce me to his masters, The Volturi."