- chapter four -

A Little Bit Truth Behind Every Legend Lies

“So, what shall we do with you now?” Aro asks quietly after some long, antagonizing moments, sounding like he is pondering that question for real - as if he doesn’t already know what he’s going to do with me.

I glance up again, shyly, and notice that Jane’s face has changed. She doesn’t look mad at me anymore. Well, no, not really. There is still anger in her features, but it is mixed with some incredulity - and, to a certain extent, awe. But I can’t be sure, about the latter, especially. So I have to fight on my own.

“How about you let me go? I’ll sign a . . . a non-disclosure contract, or something, if it makes you feel sure that I won’t talk,” I offer. I hear my voice waver in uncertainty, but I mustn’t appear weak now.

The vampires chuckle again; the sound and sight is slightly unnerving.

“I’m afraid we can’t have that,” Aro says slowly. “It’s not that you wouldn’t sign, Felicity, but we can’t let anyone who has seen and heard so much as you leave this place. Try to understand our position.”

But I can’t. I start trembling again, shaking my head. They . . . they can’t just kill me like this! I scramble backward, away from them, but I have forgotten that I’m still sitting next to the wall already. There is nowhere else to crawl.

Aro looks at me a while longer, then he sighs. “It’s a pity,” he murmurs. His fingers snip at Alec. “She’s yours.”

So my impression was correct. Alec is to kill me, as his punishment, but, at the same time, the aim is to nourish him with my blood after he didn’t feed with the others.

Felix pulls me up and pushes me against Alec, who corners me against the wall, his hands and body holding me captive. I can’t even struggle; it wouldn’t do any good anyway.

“I’m sorry,” he breathes into my ear as he leans down, sweeping my hair off my neck, exposing it to his teeth. I whimper and close my eyes, waiting for the end to come.

It comes quickly.

His teeth are sharp, razor-sharp, and I feel them cut through my skin easily. It hurts so much! I cry out, try to wiggle away. But my movement makes Alec’s teeth cut deeper, making the wound larger. I feel his cool lips against my throat, feel him suck out my blood. I futilely tug on his clothes, but I feel like not only my blood is getting sucked out, but my entire life force. I feel weaker and weaker. My breathing slows down. Blackness starts creeping into my mind, as if drowning me. I push against it, try to fight it back. I open my eyes, but my sight is already blurred. My head is dizzy.

Eventually, my hands fall limply to my sides.

Alec’s deep breathing is quite loud in my ear in the otherwise silent turret chamber - and still he sucks out my blood. Death is so close.

“I leave it to you to dispose of her body once you are finished, Alec.” Aro’s voice comes from far away. I don’t hear them move, but the last time I focus on the room over Alec’s shoulder, I see that it’s empty.

Blackness finally fills my entire being, and I gratefully sink into its endless void.

~*~

There are voices. Sounds. Muted noise. Warmth strokes my cheeks. And it’s bright, rather than endlessly black. I feel comfortable; there’s softness around me. But I would also rather like to fall back into the everlasting darkness. There, at least, would be no pounding on my head, threatening to have my head explode.

I groan.

When I open my eyes, I look at a decent yellow ceiling. A beautiful lamp hangs down, the sunlight from the window throwing patterns onto its glass. I turn to look at my right. Soft curtains cover the window. It’s open, and a breeze moves the curtains like they’re dancing. I slowly work myself into a sitting position. It’s harder than I thought; the bed is really soft.

“I’m glad you’re awake.”

My head swivels around so fast that I get dizzy, the pounding becoming louder. I grab my head and crunch my eyes shut for a moment. When the feeling of getting sick vanishes again, I carefully open my eyes and look at who had spoken.

It is Alec.

“Oh,” is all I can say. Surely, I have died, and this now was Heaven? But why were They sending me an angel that looked like Alec?

“How are you feeling?” the angel asks softly.

“Um, I -” I try to take away my hands. The dizziness doesn’t return. “Good, I suppose.” My eyes wander around. “Where am I?”

The Alec-angel smiles. “A little hotel on the outskirts of Volterra.” His eyes look me up and down, trying to decipher something. I feel helplessly exposed, but can’t do anything to protect myself from his probing glances. “You’re not dead, by the way. Sorry about what happened back there.”

For a moment, I struggle to follow his words and thoughts. “I’m not?” He continues to look at me, then slowly shakes his head. “Oh,” I say again. I take a deep breath. “What happened? I felt you ki-- suck out my blood.”

He smiles briefly. “You can use the word ‘kill,’ because that’s what I nearly did.” He closes his eyes and sighs. “Do you know the story of Romeo and Juliet?”

“Who doesn’t? It’s one of the world’s most famous love stories and tragedies.”

Alec nods. “Do you also remember what Juliet did to be reunited with Romeo?”

I have to think about that a bit longer, but finally I know what he means. “You mean the sleeping potion that lets Juliet appear dead so that she gets brought into the family crypt?”

“Yes.”

“What about it?”

He looks at me, raising his eyebrows, willing me to understand the implication.

Suddenly, it clicks. “You . . . gave me such a potion? They really exist?”

“Yes, I got such a ‘potion’ into your blood stream. And yes, they do exist. They’re rare, but not impossible to get - if you know where to look.”

I shake my head. “How? How did you - I mean, you were drinking my blood?”

He smiles humorlessly. “Yes, I drank your blood. But while drinking it, I also got the ‘potion’ - fusion, more like - into your system. I couldn’t be sure, however, that it would really work. I had this one chance only.” He looks up and glares at me. “Your stubbornness nearly cost you your life.”

I try to glare back, but I blush under his fierce gaze and quickly avert my eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t even cover it. You have no idea how close you were to being killed for real.” He scoffs, running his hands through his hair, tousling it. “You’re unnerving, you know that?”

I gulp down my anger. He saved my life. I should show some gratitude. “Why did you help me, then?” I query softly. “Why didn’t you just let me . . . die, like the other people died?” He doesn’t answer right away. “Is it because of Sarah?” I probe.

Her name really is the key. His head snaps up, his ruby eyes - red only because of my blood - meeting mine. “Yes.”

“I still don’t understand what I have to do with her.”

A sad smile forms on his lips. “Nothing - and everything.” He holds up a hand when I want to speak. “You see, when Jane and I were still human, mortal like you, we lived in a small village in England. There was a girl there, Sarah Goodman. We were close friends with each other. In the spring, shortly after our sixteenth birthday, Jane and I were accused of witchcraft. Back then, the punishment was to be burned on the stake.” I gasp, feeling my facial expression morph into one of horror. “Sarah was directly involved, having gotten a taste of why we were accused.”

“So you weren’t accused for nothing?”

He smiles - I can’t define it; it’s a bit creepy. “No.”

I gulp down the fear that creeps up in me. “What happened, then?”

Alec takes a deep breath. “They threw us in a hole for some time - I can’t say for how long. I have no idea of how much time passed. When they got us out, we were dragged in front of a so-called proceeding’s council. Sarah’s father led it.” Another humorless smile. “They convicted us. We spent the night out in the open, alone. The next day, we were brought to the stakes. I was additionally convicted of ensnaring helpless girls - Sarah - and had to watch my sister’s punishment before receiving my own.” He closes his eyes again. “I thought my life over, then. But Aro came and saved both Jane and me. We were hurt badly, Jane nearly dead. He changed us to vampires. Ever since then, we’ve been with him and his coven.”

“How long -?”

“About 250 years.”

“Wow, that’s -” His gaze meets mine; it’s hard. “I mean, 250 years is a long time,” I finish lamely.

“Yes, it is.”

Silence falls around us. “You said something about redemption . . .” I trail off, unsure of how to phrase it politely.

Alec seems to know what I mean. “Sarah - and all of the villagers - died while Jane and I were turned to vampires. But Sarah was innocent. She tried to talk sense into her father, to stop his so-called justice. He didn’t listen to her, of course.

“When I saw you, you reminded me of Sarah. You have the same eyes.” He smiles in fondness, probably remembering a moment with her. “You were so innocent as a child, as Sarah was innocent. I couldn’t have you be killed.”

“So you asked Mom to not bring me onto the tour.”

He nods. “I nearly tried to talk her out of going, too, but they would have had my head for that. So I had to sacrifice your mother to save you.” He stood and wiped away my tears that started falling. “I’m sorry, but it was either she or both of you.”

I don’t want to say it, but I can’t stop the accusation. “You said they would have had your head . . .”

“Yes, and I would have loved to give my life if I could have saved both you and your mother, Felicity, believe me. But Aro has means to seek out those that escape him. And what good would that have been if all three of us had been killed?”

“None,” I admit in a whisper. He nods. “Thank you, Alec, for all what you’ve done.”

“Thank me once you’re out of Volterra safely.” He stands, swiftly. “I’ll order a taxi. It will bring you back to your father. And don’t worry about money. I got it all covered.” He opens the door of the room. “You have about ten minutes to get dressed.” And with that, he is gone.

~*~

I don’t see Alec again. When I arrive at the hotel reception, the taxi driver is already waiting. He obviously knows who I am and where he has to transport me. While I climb into the cab’s back seat, my gaze sweeps the shadowy alleys around the hotel, but he isn’t there. Alec is gone, just like that. I would have liked to talk to him again, thank him once more. After all, he saved my life, twice.

“Ciao, my vampire angel,” I breathe against the glass while the taxi driver gets us out of Volterra. Behind me, the ancient town sinks into night, the setting sun sending its last rays through the small street canyons.