CHAPTER 24

I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye

Per Renesmee's request, Felix found himself in a dance club. They were seated in the VIP section, away from the disco lights that made their vampire skin look eerie. Too much to risk.

Today, they are in Rome. They had removed Cinque Terre and Lake Como from their itinerary. It would have been too sunny. They arranged for a private tour of the Colosseum tomorrow evening.

Demetri was not there. He was on she-wolf duty. Out of all of them, he seemed to be the only one that Leah Clearwater tolerated to a degree, despite the fact that the two of them seem to spend their entire time together arguing about some topic or other. Books, movies, history, politics, ideologies, science, art, music…

Leah Clearwater was as intelligent and passionate as she was beautiful. She was stubborn in her beliefs and would defend her views to the very last breath, refusing to budge an inch. Felix found this temperament argumentative and inflexible. The others found her company tiring and, quite truthfully, he couldn't blame them. He himself would have yielded just to end the argument.

He wondered at his young friend. Demetri didn't seem to be bothered by her off-putting personality at all. In fact, he is often the instigator of their (very long) debates. And yet, he had not seen Demetri be this animated since he was a young vampire and new to the Volturi. The solemnity of their organization and the many centuries pounded that side of his personality to oblivion.

And yet, he seemed to enjoy himself in the company of the she-wolf. With her, he seems to come alive. He wondered at it. It was interesting…

And dangerous.

Caius would punish this interest. The Second Master already despised the wolves' presence in their territory. They would have eliminated the tribe a long time ago, if he'd had his way. Leah, living so far from her pack, was a constant target for Caius' arguments for execution.

And who knows how far Aro's tolerance will go. The First Master may have tasked Felix himself to seduce the she-wolf, but genuine affection towards an undefined threat…

"No, my dear, it would not be wise," Esme said. Felix realized that Renesmee had asked her question using her gift. He noticed that Bella did not consistently shield her family, despite not having to worry about human-like stamina. Perhaps, her gift required more concentration than her endurance is capable of sustaining for a prolonged period of time. Or perhaps she is lazy and complacent. If it's the first, membership to the Volturi will afford her the training needed. If it's the latter, then there wasn't much anyone can do.

Renesmee was disappointed she was not allowed to go down below deck where the dancers were, and she was terrible at masking it. She was very much a child still, something very difficult to reconcile with her adult appearance.

There was a shift in the air, and Felix realized that Leah arrived. She was resplendent in a vintage 1968 Paco Rabanne chain mail dress. The tiny silver and gold discs glittered on her dark brown skin, particularly the chains across her exposed midriff. Her stature, her posture, her figure. She looked like a model. She looked like a goddess.

And even through the loud club music, Felix could feel the interest that she aroused amongst the crowd, men and women alike.

And the thing is, Leah knew it. Felix can tell by the way that she moves through the people who have stopped to stare. The way she held her gaze straight ahead, and the way the corners of her lips tilted up.

"I thought Rosalie was full of herself," Edward huffed.

Carlisle's progeny is quick to judge, they've learned. There was very little needed to rile the child. He was, Felix deduced from his observations, particularly harsh towards women and matters of sex.

He moved away to Demetri's side. His comrade was leaning on the railing right outside the VIP room.

"She is not joining us up here?"

"No, and I don't recommend suggesting it. It may put her in a bad mood." Leah was at the bar, waiting to be served. She would not wait for very long. They watched as the crowd of men around her grew. They clamored to pay for her drink, to flirt with her.

"Are you alright with this?" Felix asked.

"Hmm? Why wouldn't I be?" Demetri asked. "Do you mean leaving her downstairs by herself? I wouldn't worry. She had her run, so she is calmer and less likely to wander off."

Felix observed Demetri with a sidelong glance. His friend had been going on daily runs with the she-wolf. They both seem to enjoy them. Racing with and chasing after each other.

A fact to which Demetri seemed quite oblivious to.

Their camaraderie was odd. Demetri was so aloof and detached, cold even. Leah was intensely passionate and opinionated with almost everything, even the most inane things.

Ice and fire.

They stood watching Leah dancing on the floor surrounded by a bevy of admirers.

"Renesmee, please stop!" Bella hissed.

Both Guards turned to listen, discreetly giving their guests space while eavesdropping. Whatever Renesmee had asked, it was done through her gift. She had been going from one person to the next, probably hoping to get the answer she wanted. No one was being accommodating.

"But why? Why can't we?" Renesmee pouted, crossing her arms, sliding down the leather couch she had been sitting on until she was practically laying on the seat.

Felix felt partly sorry for the child. And she really was a child. This was not her first tantrum during this trip. He was also starting to feel sorry for the parents.

"It's too revealing to go under the nightclub lights. It reflects on our skin," Esme replied patiently.

"Sit up, please. It's unbecoming, the way you're acting," Rosalie scolded. And Felix wondered why it wasn't Bella or Edward doing that. They seemed quite distant to their own child. He wondered if the relationship was always like this.

Renesmee lowered herself even further and sat on the floor, drawing patterns with her finger on the seat. It was very strange, watching a full grown woman acting like a small child. However…

Hmm… It did give him ideas, though. Especially since his courtship of Leah Clearwater did not seem to be going well.

"Renesmee! We are in public! Sit up, and stay still!" Bella chided.

"Don't yell, Bella! She's just a child!" Rosalie shot back.

The multiple often competing parental situation was yet another interesting relationship Felix had observed.

"Stay still is all you ever do! You never let me do anything!" Renesmee started sobbing. Felix winced. It also wasn't the first time the half vampire would bawl loudly in public.

"Well, well… so, this is the cave where the underground things from The Descent are hiding," Leah cooed, leaning against the door frame. She held a negroni between her fingers.

Renesmee perked up at the sight of her.

Hmm…Interesting, Felix thought.

"Had enough of your admirers?" Demetri teased.

"I wanted less appealing company," Leah said lazily.

"It's the dress," Demetri shrugged.

"Yeah, thanks for digging it out of your mausoleum," Leah said. But Demetri didn't seem offended. In fact, he looked like he was enjoying her jibes.

"Is that what they call a cocktail?" Renesmee asked eagerly. Leah raised an eyebrow.

Renesmee hesitated, clearly wondering how to make conversation. "Is it good? May I try it?"

Leah thought a moment then shrugged. "Sure. Knock yourself out, kid." She reached to hand over her drink.

Bella knocked it off her hand, hissing.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't hand a drink to a kid!"

"You can't have it both ways. She's either a mature brainy adult, or a child," Leah shot back. "And you spilled my drink."

"Sorry!" Renesmee piped up. "We shall reimburse you."

Leah let out a chuckle at the awkward turn of phrase.

"No need, kid. I never pay for my own drinks." She plopped down on the chair, apart from the others, crossing her very long brown legs.

"Yes, you do have quite a lot of men paying for you," Edward said. Something with the way he said it didn't sit right. Felix knew that open displays of sensuality was exactly the kind of thing that would set young Edward off.

"You don't get to slut-shame me. You aren't a better person just because you stayed a virgin till you were a hundred years old. It doesn't make you morally superior. It makes you fucked up and creepy," Leah retorted. Apparently, the comment also did not sit well with the she-wolf.

And she doesn't miss a beat.

"Wait, you were a virgin at a hundred years old?" Felix asked, making Edward scowl. Partly because he wanted to distract the group. Partly because he wanted to be on Leah's good side.

"Well, it's been fun. Gotta get myself another drink," Leah announced, bouncing up and off the chair.

"Wait!" Renesmee cried out. "Uh… uhmm…" But Leah ignored her.