Standard Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable from Twilight, I just love adding my own toys to the sandbox. Any mistakes are my own. Enjoy.
Also, in case there's an issue '….' = December's thoughts 😊
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Chapter 3 – Quiet Declarations
Libraries are solace. The only place I can find peace here. Seems no one likes it except Marcus. Although I know the others are fond of reading, he and I love the feeling the library brings. Although, as I sit near the window he is not here today. More "king" business I assume. But it's ok, I gaze around the huge room and smile. Solace indeed.
I had asked him about the hunter's legacy. He couldn't give me much information but lead me to a section in the library I might find helpful. Crowley never told me much, just that it was a power that selected the human. But as I read more and more, I find that it's passed through family.
"I'm sure that neither mom nor dad held this power. They would've told me, wouldn't they?" I asked myself. I tried to remember them, how they looked. I don't remember seeing the lotus tattoo on either of them. Although I never saw them naked…. "Eww." I shake my head and smile despite myself. I miss them terribly. "You would have told me…. woudn't you?" I ask as I finger my locket.
"Talking to yourself again…. mio piccolo rosso" came a voice from atop the stairs.
"Caius, I didn't hear you come in…. stupid vampire." I whispered. I heard him laugh. "One of these days I'm going to find out what you just said."
"It's a term of endearment, I promise." He said coming down the stairs.
"Endearment my ass, what do you want all annoying one," I gestured grandly with my good arm. He noticed and stopped walking towards me.
"How is your arm?"
'Did he just sound, concerned?' "It's healed. Just sore. Dr said to stretch it. I've been fencing with Alex to help." I said turning a page in my book. I'm getting frustrated, passing down in families doesn't make since, Caius's presence isn't helping.
"Good." He wondered over to the window near me and looked out. "Beautiful day out. I'm surprised you're not out in the gardens. Usually, you take your stroll about this time."
"Following me, are you? Planning a sneak attack?" I sighed and closed my book and went to put it back. I had to go up the stairs and climb a tall ladder.
"You know we have people to put books back, right?" he said. I feel his eyes on me.
I turned to look down at him, "if you haven't noticed, your majesty, I don't like things out of place. If I get a book, I put it back," I turned back around and continued to climb. "Did you want something or are you just annoying me because you're bored?" Just a bit more, sheesh this ladder is too damn tall. I can't look back down. Damn heights.
"December really, let someone else do it." he said.
"Sigh, vampires," I said pushing the book in, "there, in it goes," I said putting the book back, but holding with my bad arm, not a good idea, it was still weak. It felt numb and tingling. "Ok, not now," I said grabbing with my other arm, but I looked down. "Shit." I mumbled. I closed my eyes and breathed.
"It's ok," I heard Caius say.
I felt something soft beneath me. I opened my eyes, and I was back on the ground, on the couch. "What the hell?" I looked at him.
"Considering your arm, Jasper told me about your height issue, you didn't look well. Thought I'd bring you back down before you fell." He said sitting next to me.
"Wha…..why? You hate me." I must have looked confused, he smirked.
"I did, when you first came. After besting me in the fight we had, and seeing you with my guards, and really studying you, you've earned my respect." He sighed. I knew that wasn't easy for him to say.
"Jasper told me, but I didn't believe him. I know I feel something for you, but I don't want to, I hate you." I sat back in the couch.
"Great minds think alike, but I'm not that bad. Very few hunters have manners such as you. You carry yourself differently then most. You're…. unusual." He sat thinking for a bit.
"Well considering what I hear about myself, I'll take that as a compliment." I shrugged.
He looked at me, "people talk about you… to your face?"
"They think I don't hear them. As I pass by, they try to whisper. About my looks. 'So unusual' they would say, or 'where are her parents' especially when I was younger. How often do you come across someone with eyes like mine? For a while I wore brown contacts. But I got tired of my eyes burning through them." I sighed.
"Burning through them?"
"Since my eyesight is more than most humans, I don't know, my powers or whatever burn through them. Even when they were just regular. My master tried to help, but eventually I just let it be. It did hurt though. People looking at what's on the outside. Instead of what's in. Especially girls, or even older women, thought I was stuck up because they thought I had it in my head, 'I know I'm gorgeous so I'm better than everyone else'. When obviously that's not the case."
"That's absurd." He says shaking his head. "Although it is funny."
I looked at him, "why?"
"For someone such as you, your entire being, soul and all, a huntress no less, having any type of feelings for vampires, or monsters in general. It's baffling."
"My brother is right on that front," came Aro's voice from the door. We looked at him. "Sorry for intruding, I came to get Caius for the orders of the day," he bowed.
"Well, up until Jasper, I never really thought of vampires having feelings. I did think they were true monsters. And honestly most of them were, thinking back on it. But…." I looked down.
I felt a hand on mine and saw it was Caius. "Although I don't agree with everything about the Cullens, they did turn my world upside down. When I relive my past kills, how many of them were actually like them? A family, didn't cause trouble, just wanted to live in peace. Were trying their best to live with what life dealt them with?"
"We will help figure this out with you December. You are no longer alone." He squeezed my hand gently. I looked up at him and smiled. He kind of smiled, more nodded in agreement, got up and left out the door. Aro smiled and bowed his way-out following Caius.
I sighed again and got up and stretched. I walked to the window to look out. It was a nice day. I could use a run to stretch these muscles. I felt my huntress jump in excitement. "Ha, alright alright." I say to her and make my way out the back. I get to the door when a voice came.
"And where do you think your off to?"
I turned and saw Charlette and Jane quirking their eyebrows at me. I chuckled. "I need some air and thought a run would do me good. You can't tell me I can't go out on a day like this?" I gestured to the door that led outside.
"Well…." Jane started.
"Oh, come on," I begged, "the kings have their orders of the day, Jasper is helping train the guards with Felix and Demetri for the rest of the day, I'm tired of being in the library with a dead end for answers. I need OUT!" I said throwing my hands up in the air.
They both giggled. "Alright, let me send word to the kings." Jane said as she took off.
"You sound like you really need a run sugar," Charlette said as she gave my hair a ruffle.
"Hey hey, don't touch the hair, I just fixed it coming down here," I say as I pulled my strands back again.
"Haha, so vain," she leaned against the wall.
"No, not vain, just all of this hair takes a while," I said crossing my arms. Jane rushed back.
"Alright done, let's go," Jane said as she opened the door.
"Ok, I need forest, where is the best place to go unnoticed?" I asked as we made our way out the gates.
"To the left there is thick foliage and after a brief then minute walk, the forest is right there." Jane replied checking her shoes.
"Sounds good." I say as I started towards the direction she gave. She followed as Charlette was right behind.
The forest was perfect. Room to move around, but there was enough trees and brush to jump and grab and climb to work my body. It felt so good! After an hour of running, we stopped in an open area and sat down.
"Jane, thank you, I couldn't ask for better than this," I sighed as I laid down in the tall wildflower field. I should pick some and take them to Jasper. I must have been laying there for a few minutes when I felt tension. I tried to get up but a hand shot me down from my chest. I looked up to see Charlette.
"Keep down," she whispered. I stilled. Someone who shouldn't be here, was here.
I saw her and Jane look around alarmed. They were on each side of me. Just in case I put my shield up around us. They kept looking. A minute went by and nothing until there was shuffling twenty yards away. I felt a presence. Seemed like maybe, two people. It was familiar.
"Stay put vampires, the moment you move, will be your last," said a male voice.
"Sounds familiar," I mumbled.
"Get out of here, human, if you know what's good for you," Jane snarled. Her and Charlette close in closer to me.
"Guys, let me up, I can help," I whispered, but Charlette had a good hold of me.
"Big talk from a tiny vamp. You look really young, still a kid I'd wager," said a second male.
'I know those voices,' I had to get up.
"Not a bad kill today, two less vamps in the world." Said one of them.
Charlette and Jane both snarled as they two males came closer. "Stop right there humans, come any closer, you're dead." Charlette snarled.
"Why do you have your arm down? Protecting a fresh kill? Gonna have to get rid of that one too I guess," he laughed.
I felt my shield vibrate. They shot two arrows! I looked at Charlette and Jane and they were relieved.
"What the hell?! They blocked them!" a male said.
"Charlette let me up, seriously," I struggled.
"We can't let you get hurt," she whispered.
I struggled more when I felt Jane's worry spike.
"Let them block this shit," one of them said as he took aim.
I couldn't help it, I kicked Charlette so hard I knew Peter was gonna rail me, I didn't care, I got and looked at the two men. I knew it!
"Carter, Nixon, stop!" I said standing beside Jane who still had her arm in front of me preventing me to go ahead.
It took them a few seconds to recognize me.
"Bloody hell Skye, what are you doing?" Carter said. He was tall, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Nixon was tall as well with black hair and green eyes. Both were soldiers from my sector back home. They used to be my guards until I didn't need one anymore.
"Just drop your weapons. These two don't mean harm," I say.
"They're vampires, of course they mean harm," Carter said again as he took aim with a sniper. But I knew those snipers. They're filled with a poison made from vampire venom to kill other vampires.
"You're not going to touch them," I say as I pushed Jane's arm aside, she snarled.
"December!" Charlette yelled as she got on my other side, apparently pissed. Good, we might have a fight on our hands.
"Crowley has been looking for you, why haven't you answered?!" Nixon said as he too pointed his weapon.
"Crowley? The last I talked to him, he wanted me to stay put and he'd let me know when I could go home." I was confused.
"Have you been hanging around these creatures for too long? You lie just like them, he said he hasn't been able to reach you," Carter replied.
"He's the one who lies," I growled and started forward, but Jane held me back. They took aim and I further strengthened my shield. They could not see it thought.
"I never thought I'd see the day, where you, December Skye, the legendary vampire huntress protected them!?" Carter yelled. "Step aside."
"No," I stood firm.
"Step ASIDE!" he yelled again.
"NO!" I shouted back and they fired.
I don't know what happened next. I felt rushing wind. I heard a lot of yelling. I was in and out. Darkness would come, then I would see light, figures fading in and out.
"MASTERS! MAJOR!" someone yelled.
I heard doors slamming open, A LOT of yelling. Too much, it was all too much.
"What the hell happened?" someone said. Sounded like Caius.
"We went with December to run, we came to the field outside the forest. All was fine until two strangers showed up. December knew them, they knew her, they meant us harm, but we couldn't get away," Charlette stated.
"They had weapons. They were hunting vampires. They shot at us, but her shield stopped it. She tried to talk to them, but they weren't listening." Jane said.
"Get a Dr, quickly!" Aro said. "Lay her here."
"Ember…. Ember…" I heard Jasper say, but I couldn't move.
"Ahhh…. Ummpphhh," I tried to speak but it hurt too much. I felt so tired.
"If we don't seal this, she'll bleed to death!" Caius said angrily.
"How did she get hurt?" Peter asked.
"They blew through her shield. One of them threw a type of bomb, her shield shattered. We healed, she hasn't," Jane stated holding my hand.
"They knew I was protecting you," I breathed. I opened my eyes and I saw them, but I couldn't keep them open for long.
"December," Charlette sighed.
"The bomb…. OWW THIS HURTS LIKE SHIT!" I yelled as I felt burning on my side. The Doctor rushed in with Marcus.
"Quickly, move!" he said as he came to my side and lifted up my bloodied shirt. There was a large gash down where my right hip was.
"There's something in there," Jasper stated getting closer.
"The….the bomb, they knew I had my shield, it penetrates it, turns it into heated glass. FUCK!" I seethed.
"Doctor…." Aro said as he looked at me. I looked at all of them in turn and they were worried, but right now I couldn't care less.
"I need to take it out, or she'll bleed out." He said cutting my shirt and my pants.
"Just….just do what you need to," I was breathing hard, but I tried not to yell again.
"It's going to hurt, I don't have time to numb it," he said getting tools. I looked down and saw it.
"Damn it, just do it," I seethed, I started crying.
"Ember, look at me," came Jasper's voice. I looked at him and tried to calm down. The huntress was burning too, this was too much. I closed my eyes. "Ember, don't you dare close your eyes! Stay with me!" Jasper yelled.
"Jasper…. I…. I…. it hurts!" I cried. I wanted to move but Jane and Charlette had me held down. Caius took my head.
"Hold her!" The Doctor said.
"December, breathe," Caius said calmly, even though his face was everything but calm. I looked at Jasper and he nodded.
"Ok, hold," the doctor said.
I breathed. Next thing I knew I felt like a white-hot poker was shoved into me then pulled out my insides. Then darkness finally took me.
There you are lovelies, until next time!