For the first time ever, Sophia knocks on a neighbour's door.
The man in question answers with a cheery smile, leaning on the doorframe. "Hey - what brings you here?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to join me on a hike." She doesn't really have a better excuse that would fall short of a date. The rendezvous site is the same woods Demetri and her went to conduct the tests at, so it's not close enough to harm people, but also not far enough to raise suspicion with him. "I'm going to this hiking trail a little outside the city - it's an hour away, so a bit of a distance, but it's a nice spot. Just wanted to invite you as a friend." She watches his face expectantly, watching the man in front of her mull over her offer.
"Sure!" At that, Sophia almost lets out an audible sigh - the first (and perhaps the most difficult) part of the plan has been executed. "When do you wanna go?"
"Maybe early evening? It's still going to be light till 8 PM, so we can have a decent hike and still come back before dark."
"Suits me," he gives her another smile, straw blond hair falling into his eyes. "Hey, thanks for doing this."
"Sure," she gives him a quick smile, mumbling an excuse to leave. Her heart feels tight, like it's clenching upon itself. And why wouldn't it? She's walking this man to his death. It's not like I can prevent it in any way. One way or another, eventually, Demetri and his cousins will get to him, and he will be dead. It was easier when he was just a faceless monster. She lets Demetri know of the development, shooting him a text.
Thank you so much for doing this.
The response makes her want to throw up.
She clutches the door handle till her hand hurts, resisting the urge to scream. It's too late to back out now and for better or worse, she is a part of this plan. A part in his death. Maybe they won't kill him, a part of her reasons. Maybe they just want to incapacitate him and take him back to Italy. They just want to neutralise the threat, and that doesn't have to mean death.
She holds onto that thought until evening arrives.
When the time comes, she has a small bag packed with the essentials (she needs it more for emotional support this time), but there seems to be a key sticking out of the front pocket. The note attached explains that she has Demetri's car at her disposal, so she stuffs the key in her pocket and she meets Lowell in the parking lot, forcing a smile on her face that she hopes looks natural enough. "Where to?" He asks, falling in step with her as she walks over to the car she recognises as Demetri's.
"The trail is pretty close by - like I said, it's 45 minutes to an hour away from the city, but it's a great spot. There's a small, less used path which leads to a very pretty sight. You can also see deer and other harmless animals occasionally." The key beeps as she unlocks the car, stowing away her bag near her feet, and they take off to the site. At first they make idle chatter, but there is something she needs to know, so she decides to ask her question when they're about ten or so minutes from the spot. "How have you been holding up with all this going on in the city?"
"What?" He doesn't seem to catch her drift, so she decides to be more direct.
"You know, the killings. Four people have died in total, and no one knows who it is. I hope you're holding up okay in all this."
"Yeah," he mumbles, looking out of the window. "Didn't expect that to happen when I first moved to Harvard."
"It's definitely one of the stranger things that has happened here," she chuckles, a little nervous. They're drawing close, and she wants to get more information out of him, see if he perhaps has any idea of what he's really doing. "One of my close friends was a victim in the attacks. It was a huge shock when the news came." She doesn't want to dwell on that memory - it's too early for that for her. Too fresh.
"I'm really sorry about that." He sounds genuine, and the expression on his face seems contrite, but nothing about it looks guilty. Either he doesn't know what he's doing, or he's a remorseless asshole. She really hopes it's the latter, just so she can assuage her guilt regarding what's about to happen.
"Sorry about bumming you out," she sighs, gripping the steering wheel tighter, "let's just enjoy the hike, yeah?" It hurts to return his smile, and there's a lump in her throat that just seems to be growing bigger. They're there, and she parks them close to the beginning of the trail, locking the car doors behind them once both of them are out. Sophia shoves the key deep in her pockets, gripping the straps of her bag as she leads the way into the forest. There's a slight shift in his features, like he picked up on a scent he shouldn't have. Lowell gives her a tight smile, following her lead. She's trying to make mindless chatter with him about the Massachusetts forests and the deer in it when she hears growling beside her. His face is uneasy, sweat quickly forming on his brow and his eyes dart around like a frightened animal's. "Hey, you okay?"
"I, I feel like I'm about to throw up." His voice has lost all its strength, tremulous and panicky. "I don't know what's happening." And just as quickly, his eyes darken and he begins to shake as tremors wrack his body. Sophia takes several steps back as the man begins to twist and turn like a disturbing contortionist, clothes ripping at the seams. "I'm so sorry," she says pleadingly, scrambling away as fast as she can while keeping her eyes on him to ensure her safety, but she isn't sure he can understand her anymore. There's a fully formed wolf standing in front of her, a beast taller than her with dark black fur glistening in the twilight. She makes a run towards the car, praying that Demetri and his cousins show up in time to subdue and capture him, and she is about ten feet from the vehicle when she's lifted off the ground and tossed aside like a ragdoll, a sharp pain rising in her side as a loud crash rings in her ears. The wolf looms over her, its bared teeth barely inches from her ear as she feels its hot breath beat down her neck. She has a small can of bear spray in her pocket, and while she knows it won't do much good, at least it will blind the wolf. Her fingers close upon the small canister, and she holds it as close to its face as she can and fires, eliciting a deafening roar from the creature in front of her as it moves back. Just as rapidly as she was tossed aside, she is lifted up, leaves scraping her face. She makes eye contact with Demetri, who pushes her behind himself.
Sophia can see his taller cousin crush his arms around the wolf while the young boy puts his hands in front of him, a strange black smoke drifting out of them which seems to dampen the wolf's strength. "Hide," He turns to her, his tone firm. She nods, deciding to use a bunch of fallen tree branches for cover. The pain in her side makes it hard to walk and every step hurts, and by the time she gets to the spot her left foot is warm and sticky. She looks down to see the blood seeping through the front, the front of the shoe ripped. There are first aid supplies in her bag, but it's in the middle of what now can be best described as a small battlefield. A peek from her hiding spot shows Demetri and the tall man trying to bind the wolf in chains while the younger boy and girl keep their stares fixated on it, the smoke still drifting from his hands and enveloping the wolf. The girl seems to keep her eyes fixed on it as the animal writhes - Sophia doesn't know what she's doing but it can't be good.
The werewolf lashes out at Demetri, who slams his body into its side, trying to knock it off balance. The two vampires try to get the chains around it, but it lashes out at whoever makes a move at it. She has an idea - foolhardy at best and suicidal at worst - but it will probably help them. She takes off the shoe from her bloodied foot (trying not to focus on her mangles toes), hobbles out from where she's hiding and takes support of the trunks to stand upright. "Hey!" she yells as loud as she can, drawing the attention of everyone there. And with whatever aim she can manage, throws the shoe at the wolf's head.
It hits its snout with a small thunk and the animal snaps it up in its jaws, turning its gaze straight on her. She hobbles ahead to further keep its attention and nods at Demetri, who uses the momentary distraction to throw the chains around its hind legs and hindquarters, incapacitating it. The taller man does the same (Felix, she remembers now), using his set of chains to tie down its front legs and head. The girl takes the chains from Demetri while the boy inches closer, using his hands to envelop the creature in a hazy shroud. Demetri steps up close to the wolf, and she watches in a horrific trance as he digs into his neck and severs it from its body, the forest silent as the dead after one agonising howl.
It's done.
With one last crack, he finishes dismembering the wolf. Felix and Alec begin bagging up the beast's parts to take back to the masters, while Jane turns an insolent gaze onto the bleeding human in their midst. He can feel his eyes darken and had he not fed plenty before, he would be racing to the source to drink it all up. She's sitting on the grassy forest floor, her exposed foot covered in sweet-smelling blood while her bandaged arm rests at an awkward angle. Sophia looks sickly, trembling like a leaf. Felix and Alec haul up the dark bags and with one final look back at him, Felix takes the group off in the direction of their car. He will rejoin them soon, but first he has to tend to the traumatised girl.
"Hey," he approaches her gently, like he would a spooked animal. Her face is streaked with dirt and tears as she hugs herself, weeping. "Sophia. Look at me." She jerks her face up to meet his eyes, shoulders shaking with sobs. He leans over, unsure how to comfort her. This is not something he is trained for or was required to do, so he tries to remember what would comfort him. Demetri goes for simply holding her as she cries, the girl violently shaking and hiccuping with the effort. "You're alive. You're okay." She seems incapable of any response at the moment apart from crying, burying her face in his chest. He feels the sound reverberate through him and squeezes her shoulder reassuringly, just letting her ride through the first wave of trauma. Once she seems to calm down a little, he decides to attend to the next pressing matter. "Your foot." At this time, there's only one person who can help him deal with the bloody mess.
They sit on the ground until he hears the sound of a car pulling up, his phone pinging to confirm. He slowly gets her to stand up, scooping her up in his arms and walking over to the man waiting at the edge of the woods. Carlisle pulls out a foldable chair and he slowly settles her down on it as the good doctor raises her foot up close for inspection. At this point, the smell is too much; her foot smells like a fountain of ambrosia, and he has to go or he will hurt her. "Take her back to the address I give you." With that, he turns around and leaves, searching for the next best scent in the vicinity. When he finds a drunk human roaming around unawares in the forest, he takes the opportunity and feeds before he rejoins the Guard. They have to make their departure plans for as soon as possible, and they will need the private jet this time.
"All loose ends tied up?" Jane asks when he walks in, the same cruel sneer on her face. "You look like you just ate well."
"I found a meal along the way, thank you very much," he returns curtly. "We must make due arrangements to return. The masters will want to see us as soon as possible." He goes to the balcony to place the call, pacing around as the phone rings before connecting. It will be an unceremonious departure, and he will not get to bid her goodbye. I will not see her again. Ever, most likely. It's a surprisingly unsavoury thought, more than he expected he should feel upset at leaving a human friend behind. Felix had warned him of this before, and even if it hurts, I must show no weakness. He is one of the oldest and senior most members of the Guard, and the masters will not tolerate him showing anything that resembles a weakness. He may enjoy a rather special status due to his gift and abilities, but Aro would never forgive him for any sort of a slip up.
"I told you." Felix is standing next to him, arms resting on the balcony ledge. "You had to be ready for this."
"I am." Of course he is. He's done this before, and he can do it again. It isn't new to him.
"Doesn't mean it will hurt any less." Had any other member of the Guard said this to him, he would have punished them for their impertinence. But Felix and him go way back, and the Roman has been a friend to him too long for him to hide things from. He is the closest Demetri has to a best friend. He is my best friend.
"It hurts more."
"You know she can't be a part of our world, as much as you wish. Unless the masters see a reason enough, you know you cannot keep her around. You would be lucky if they even decide to spare her life."
"I know. I cannot ask for more at this point - that alone will be enough." He will have to live with being content with her survival, and nothing more.
"I really am sorry about this." Felix looks at him apologetically, quietly drumming a pattern on the iron ledge. "She seemed like a good person. She was willing to die for someone she had barely known, and she doesn't look like a snitch."
"That's true," he laughs hollowly. "She isn't a snitch. I just wish I could say goodbye."
"Then go and do that."
"She's traumatised to Hades, and I doubt I will help doing this."
"You'll only make it worse if you don't." He's shaking his head exasperatedly. "With all the time you spend around people, how are you so obtuse about this?"
"It's been more than a few centuries since someone meant a lot to me - I'm more than a little out of practice." Felix does have a point, though. He decides to take the human route and takes one of their rented cars parked out front, using the short drive to think over things. He can sense that Carlisle is still with her - probably tending to her wounds. He knocks once for courtesy, waiting for the vampire to get the door. Cullen opens it, ushering him inside to the softly lit living room, where there is no sign of her.
"She isn't asleep yet, but a little more calm - I gave her some tranquilisers. Ideally, somebody familiar should be with her during the next two weeks just to make sure she's faring okay, but I know you will be wanted back tomorrow. I'll keep checking in just to make sure."
"Thank you." He means it - this is one of the first times he's coming to appreciate the man and his kindness.
"I'll leave you two for the night and come in tomorrow afternoon to check on her." He nods at the man, who quietly takes his leave, and then knocks on the bedroom. There's a feeble response at the other end, but he can make out her saying 'come in'.
"Hello." Her foot is covered in white gauze and her arm is newly bandaged; a pair of crutches rests by the nightstand. She looks frailer than she ever has to him, eyes blotchy and puffy.
"Hi," she waves back lightly, patting her bed. He takes a seat on her bed, looking at her. He is partially responsible for this, and while he doesn't really regret her involvement, Demetri wishes there was less injury involved for the human.
"Just wanted to see you." At first, she looks confused, but when the pieces fit, her face falls. She looks back up with a sad smile.
"I get it," her voice is hoarse and tight, and this doesn't make it any better. "I knew this had to happen." Her smile is too big for it to be real, and he can see the pain in her face that he knows is not from these injuries. "Thank you for saying goodbye, at least." He wishes he had an answer, anything to say. "Don't feel bad about it - you have to do this. I get it. I will never see you again, and it hurts, but I get it. It's the right thing to do." He wishes she was selfish, wishes she made any kind of protest so he could justify stalling, but this foolish, noble, selfless girl is only making it harder on him. "Thank you for everything. Seriously, thank you."
In an instinctual action he feels he will regret later, he crosses the short space separating them, closing his eyes as he rests his lips gently on her forehead. He can feel her shake, hear the soft gasps as she quietly sobs, a sound he knows he isn't meant to hear. He can feel the subtle heat of her face flush with tears, but there is nothing he can do to make this better. All they can do is stay in this moment.
And then, like he's supposed to do, he leaves without turning back.