Fic: A Place Under Heaven Chapter 16
Title: A Place Under Heaven By Alizabeth Roc
Chapter: 16. Italy
Genre: Twilight - Drama / Romance
Characters: Jacob/OC/Nessie, Edward/Bella etc
Details: AU
Rating: M/R
Warnings: Sexual Content,
Post Word Count: 3417
Status: Work In Progress
Beta'd By: blackjacklilly
Summary: "Forget what you know about vampires. A new breed is born when Tara takes Bella’s hand and joins the Cullens. She shatters every rule and offers a salvation desperately needed by Bella and most of all Jacob, who is struggling to find his place in the world. "
Banner By: Annamorphos
16. Italy
Tara and Jacob were the last to leave for Italy on an early morning flight that departed before the sun rose. Great care had to be taken to avoid the sunlight. At first glance, Tara’s glimmers of gold could be mistaken for body glitter, but not if anyone looked too closely.
Tara took some precautions, dressing in a long-sleeved green cowl necked sweater that was knitted from a sublimely soft heathered yarn, worn over the only pair of jeans Alice had provided-a dark washed straight legged pair which fit her perfectly. The toes of her black velvet ballet flats just peeked out under the long jeans. She had dusted her face with powder and pulled her hair back into a ponytail in an effort to be less conspicuous.
Jacob was attracting attention on his own. He was entirely out of his element in the aircraft, which seemed to shrink in comparison to his size. The other passengers eyed him warily as if he was going to take all of the oxygen in the plane.
“How am I going to cram in there?” Jacob asked, pointing at the unappealing seats that were upholstered in an unfortunate amalgamation of green and brown hues.
“Carlisle did pay for first class seats for us and he booked you an extra seat,” Tara reminded him gently.
“Oof, it does not smell good in here,” Jacob continued to complain ungratefully, his normal good nature shaken by his discomfort in the situation.
Tara agreed that an airplane was not a pleasant place for one with a heightened sense of smell. She was assaulted with oil, exhaust and a chemical odor she suspected was the blue stuff in the toilet. The most appealing scent on the plane was Jacob. He seemed to feel the same way about her, leaning into her and burying his face in her hair.
“I’m going to have to be right up on you this whole flight,” he said, leering at her.
Tara didn’t mind being crowded with Jacob. In fact, she had spent the better part of the last twenty-four hours in very close contact with him and he looked a little worse for the wear. He yawned broadly and Tara couldn’t resist teasing him.
“Worn out?”
“Nope,” he lied, pulling her ponytail. “You?”
“A little,” she responded, making a show of stretching in a pretense of actual exhaustion. “Let’s just mellow out and get some rest on the flight.”
After they were in the air and the flight attendant checked on them for the fifth time, Jacob remarked on the attentive service.
“Oh please, Jake. She has the hots for you. No one else is getting this much attention,” Tara pointed out, stating the obvious.
Jacob tested the theory, turning and giving the flight attendant a seductive smile that Tara knew from personal experience could produce symptoms of weak knees and extreme excitement.
We are supposed to be keeping a low profile, Tara thought, as the young woman ignored another passenger and rushed to Jacob’s side. Her nametag said her name was Kathleen.
“Kathleen, thanks for coming over. When will you be serving the meals on this flight?” Jacob asked her in his most charming voice.
The attractive blonde stewardess looked him up and down appreciatively.
“Shortly after we take off. Hungry, are we?” she teased with a flirtatious smile. “I can tell you work out.”
Tara’s eyes rolled back in her head as Jacob smirked.
“My girlfriend is on a diet,” he said, motioning to Tara, “so she won’t need anything.”
Tara looked away uncomfortably at the girl’s hostile scrutiny.
“Understood,” she said begrudgingly.
The woman was already inclined not to like Tara and she wandered away muttering about plastic surgery and models ruining it for everyone.
“Girlfriend?” Tara repeated, arching an eyebrow at Jacob.
He looked slightly embarrassed, but he took her hand and looked at her confidently.
“I should have asked. You gotta know wolves are monogamous-at least this one is. I know things are moving fast, but I’ve been waiting a long time and I know what I want. It’s sort of a non-traditional courtship.” He gave a little smile at the old fashioned word used to describe a relationship between a vampire and a shape-shifter.
Tara was oblivious to the other passengers and whether or not the plane was still in the air. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” Tara whispered in his ear, leaning close.
A fleeting look of concern crossed Jacob’s face and Tara sensed the change in his mood instantly. They had grown close so quickly. Her gift of connecting to people came naturally to her, but the intimacy she was experiencing with Jacob was astonishing.
“I have to be honest and admit it is a little hard to keep up with a nineteen-year-old hottie,” Jacob confessed, slumping slightly in his seat.
Tara’s first instinct was to try to tease his concerns away, but she saw that he was serious.
“We are different species,” Jacob said softly. “I evolved to protect our tribe from…” he trailed off, looking around cautiously.
Tara looked at him with hurt in her eyes. “Do you think of me like that? Do you think I would hurt someone?”
She was shocked at the turn of the conversation. Jacob had always accepted her without question. He had even brought her home to his tribe. The thought that someone who had connected with her so deeply could think that she was dangerous was devastating.
“No! It is nothing like that,” Jacob rushed to correct her. “I don’t think you are capable of hurting anything.”
He laughed at her pouting lip, which he couldn’t help kissing.
“Our first misunderstanding,” he joked, kissing her again until she smiled.
“Technically it is our second. I was a little concerned when Nessie showed up, but she straightened me out.”
“I owe her bigtime on that one. What I am talking about is the difficulty a human…” he paused, lowering his voice, “even a super human like me will have keeping up with you for eternity. So far I’ve only tested this biology of mine for about a decade. Let’s just say your family has a more proven track record of longevity than mine.”
From the first moment Jacob swept her into his arms, Tara felt she had been moving down a path of life with him that led a very long way, but she still had a hard time envisioning a future for herself, let alone the long lifetime she had been bestowed.
She whispered in his ear, “Jake, I am not ready to have this conversation. A short while ago I was preparing to die. I did not think I would have a tomorrow and I’m not equipped to talk about eternity. Any conceivable future has you in it. Can that be enough for you right now?”
Jacob exhaled and the muscles of his shoulders relaxed. Tara rubbed her cheek against his, feeling the slight rough stubble and gently sank her teeth into his ear.
“I just had to get that out there,” Jacob said warmly. “It’s been on my mind. For now I’ll settle for having you as my trophy girlfriend. Well, at least you know your father approves. Charlie loves me,” Jacob said, grinning and leaning back in the seat.
Tara looked at him lovingly as his eyes fluttered closed. I do miss sleeping, she thought. He’ll be passed out in about ten seconds. Tara pulled the guidebook she had purchased from her bag. Even though they were on a mission to fight a possible epidemic and headed straight into the lion’s den of corrupt vampires, she was hoping to have time for a little sight-seeing.
Tara chuckled when she realized that they would be in Italy at the time of the Lupercalia festival of the wolf. Her eyes moved swiftly over the passage, which read:
The Lupercalia festival originated in the primitive Volterran shepherding culture in which the wolf was the most feared predator. The festival involves a purification and fertility rite and in modern times is accompanied by much revelry and drinking.
Tara reread the paragraph a few times. If Jake phases into wolf form, the tourists will probably clap, she thought, staring at the picture of an ancient statue of a she wolf suckling the infants Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. She closed the book and shut her eyes, letting the pulse of the engines merge with the static sound in her ears and breathing in and out in time with Jacob .
Jacob slept nearly the whole way. Tara nudged him right before they landed. He woke up with a smile on his face.
“I always like waking up with you,” he murmured.
“Make it a habit,” she answered, giving him a loving smile.
The line to get through customs was enormous. People shifted and sighed, exhaling the breath of hopeless frustration at the loss of the precious minutes that they would never get back. A few guards were pulling passengers out of line for routine checks. A uniformed officer approached Tara and Jacob and asked them to follow him, breaking the monotony.
“Spot check,” he said, leading them across the concourse and down a long hall into a nondescript room with a white linoleum floor and long wooden table.
“Put your bags on the table and wait here,” he directed as he left, shutting the door behind him.
“I hope this doesn’t take long,” Jacob said, “I slept through the food. I love to eat but do you realize how lucky you are not to have to think of your stomach?”
They heard a firm knock at the door.
“Come in,” Jacob yelled.
The knock came again. Jacob rose and yanked the door open impatiently.
With a thud, he fell to the floor. Tara was instantly at the ready, crouched and hissing. Two enormous men, bigger than Jacob, entered the room. One did not speak, but the other one held up a syringe.
“He just got a triple dose of horse tranquilizer. More of this might stop his heart. Come with us and don’t make trouble.”
The unspeaking man picked Jacob up effortlessly. Tara looked closer and realized that she must have been in shock because her powers of observation had escaped her. Both men were clearly vampires.
“Where are we going?” Tara asked.
“Don’t make trouble.”
They were loaded into the back of a windowless van. Tara’s hands were secured behind her back with massive chains and Jake’s hand was bound to her neck with razor fine wires.
“If the wolf tries to change, you’ll be the first one he rips apart,” the vampire said as he shut the door. As the van bounced down the road, Jacob’s eyes opened. He held still as he quickly assessed the situation.
“Are you alright?” Tara asked.
“I heal fast,” Jacob said. “How about you? Have you been hurt?”
“No.”
“Can you get free? Do you know where we are going?”
“I’ve tried to break these chains and I can’t. I have no idea where we are headed. See if you can free your hand.”
Jacob pulled, but stopped as he saw the wires digging into her neck. She winced in pain as tiny shooting shards of heat seemed to spread out from the pressure points.
“No, I’m hurting you,” Jacob said, stopping.
“Maybe we can kick out the side of this van and jump out,” Tara suggested hopefully, having a very bad feeling about where their trip would end.
Jacob shook his head thoughtfully. “I don’t think that will work unless we stop. We are moving fast and won’t be able to direct the fall while we are tied like this. Whoever did this knows how to control us.”
“It was two enormous vampires,” Tara said.
Jacob’s lip curled.
“What are we going to do Jake? I’m trying to think a message to Edward but I have no idea where we are,” she hissed urgently, straining again at the chains that held her hands to no avail. She inched closer to Jacob. The van moved onto a bumpier road and they were jostled together. The heat of him soothed her.
“My plan is to wait till they get us out,” Jacob said and his voice was slightly slurred. “I’m guessing it is the Volturi. They’ll probably want to release us so they can recount their evil plot in classic bad guy fashion before they revenge kill me in a strangely elaborate way. As soon as I’m free, I’ll rip them to shreds. I may need your help. They are bigger, but you are newly bitten. Everyone tells me new vamps are stronger. Focus on the head and neck; it doesn’t do too much good to tear them up bit by bit.”
Good advice, if non-diplomatic means are appropriate, Tara thought. She wondered if the Volturi knew about Demetri yet. She sincerely hoped they did not.
“Jake, why don’t we find out who we are dealing with first and see what they want? You know, just in case it is not an evil plot. If it is the Volturi, we can negotiate. They need Carlisle’s help.”
“Point taken. Just in case it comes to blows…repeat after me…head and neck, head and neck.”
As an hour wore on, Jacob seemed pretty relaxed. Maybe it is the after affects of the horse tranquilizers, Tara thought. Her mind was racing frantically.
The stopped suddenly and the doors opened. Their escorts shoved a sack over Jacob’s head roughly and led them slowly and awkwardly out into the daylight.
Tara had time to realize that the scene would have been beautiful under other circumstances. Mist rose over the crest of parallel hills, creeping in tendrils down the slopes to nestle in a brick paved courtyard in front of a massive fortress. The worn stones had survived century-long battles with weather and other enemies.
The mist spiraled and clung to the water in a large oval reflecting pool situated directly in the center of the courtyard. A single figure clad in a black cloak emerged from the arched doorway in the central turret and glided towards them, mist swirling at his feet.
The figure halted and threw back his hood.
Tara had a shock of recognition. It was Aro. She had seen his face in Nessie’s memory, but his skin had been translucent and papery. It was changed now. There was a cruel cast to his patrician features and his smooth skin was flushed a pearlescent pink, as if a fire within was consuming him. His lips were full and red and the saturated scarlet of his eyes was bottomless.
He pressed the fingers of his hands together, revealing long pointed fingernails which were bone white. The red eyes roamed over Tara and Jacob and he inhaled deeply, slowly lowering his lizard-like lids over red eyes.
“A beauty and a beast,” he said, chuckling at this own joke with the superior air of one who feels the rules of common courtesy only apply to commoners.
He languidly drifted closer and motioned for his guards to remove Tara’s chains. Jacob’s head remained covered and he held still with effort.
“I presume I need no introduction,” he said, holding out his hand for Tara to take.
She was reluctant to comply, knowing that Aro could read her thoughts through touch, but she could not think of a way to avoid him.
Aro’s pointed nails brushed her skin and he grasped her wrist lightly. As soon as his fingers touched her skin, he pulled away as if he had been electrified, an expression of horrified disgust on his face.
Tara rubbed at her wrist; sure her own face mirrored the disgust. A hollow coldness settled in her chest.
“You do not thirst,” Aro uttered as if it was an accusation.
“You are ruled by thirst,” Tara replied. It was a certainty.
Aro’s eyes narrowed at her words and he clenched his fist, pressing his razor claws into the marble flesh of his own hand. He hissed viciously.
She reached up to pull the cover off of Jacob’s head. Before the guards could react, Tara gripped the cords at her neck and ripped them apart, freeing Jacob.
“Ah, sorry about that, it was really uncomfortable,” she said quickly, trying to ward off the flash of irritation in Aro’s eyes.
Jacob’s eyes focused on Aro and then on the two massive guards. She quickly slipped her hand into his and gripped it tight.
There are too many of them, she thought.
He squeezed her hand gently. Tara knew if she was not there, Jacob would have taken on all three vampires alone.
Tara looked steadily at Aro. He didn’t want her sympathy or healing, he wanted to control her. She struggled to maintain her calm, acutely aware that the etiquette of subservience was what Aro expected. She nodded slightly. It was not a bow, but it was an expression of respect.
“Pardon me, I should have warned you not to touch me. Touch enhances an ability I have. I’m Tara and this is Jacob. Is Carlisle here already?”
At the mention of Carlisle’s name, Aro relaxed slightly. Suddenly, his face broke into an approving smile and he reached out his hand.
“Ah, Jane. Welcome home my dear.”
“Aro,” Jane said, moving rapidly into the courtyard and briefly kneeling in front of him, not taking his hand. She barely seemed to notice Jacob and Tara.
“I did not expect to see you here at Castelbrolio,” Aro said. “Your mission was a success and Carlisle is here, but he has evaded us. We were able to coax these friends of his to join us.”
“That is why I have come,” she said. “Carlisle contacted me. He has a message for you.”
She handed him a piece of paper.
Aro took it greedily and read it. His attention was fully diverted from Jacob and Tara. After thousands of years of life, momentary distractions were so easily dismissed.
“I think Carlisle would not want these two harmed,” Jane said in an impassive voice.
Aro nodded and waved his hand vaguely.
“Thank you Jane, you take care of them. You two must stay as my guests.”
None of them missed the clear message--they were not permitted to leave.
Aro glided off and his two lackeys followed him, leaving Jane alone with Tara and Jacob.
“I hate that guy,” Jacob growled, gently running his fingers over the tiny cracks in Tara’s neck that had been made by the wires.
“Those will heal,” Jane said. “We are fortunate that Aro did not touch you. If he had any indication of my betrayal he would have killed me on the spot,” Jane said, holding up her gloved hands.
“He did touch me for a second,” Tara said. “He didn’t seem to enjoy it. I think I had a little insight into the mind of Aro…” she trailed off, shuddering. Tara deliberately moved her thoughts away from the perilous machinations of Aro’s mind.
“How did you find us?”she asked.
“We were watching for you at the airport, I followed you.”
I think you arrived in the nick of time. If Aro had touched Jake, I’m pretty sure he would find Jacob’s thoughts offensive.”
“Hell yes,” Jacob said vehemently. “Jane, where did you send Aro? I hope it was far away.”
“To meet with Carlisle.”
“What, seriously?”
“It is what Carlisle wanted. He came here to help Aro if he could.”
“I don’t know if any of us can help him,” Tara said desolately.
Jacob looked at her sharply. “I can’t believe you are feeling sorry for him.”
Tara thought of her brief glimpse into Aro’s craven, hollow mind. She did pity him, but she did not know how to explain it to Jacob. Jane interrupted her thoughts.
“My brother Alec is here. We need to get him now.”
Jacob flexed his shoulders. “OK, let’s blow out of this place and go somewhere with less Volturi. No offense Jane.”
She gazed at him impassively. “Follow me. After we get Alec we will meet with Carlisle. Please try to control yourself.” She glanced at the sky, “There will be a full moon tonight, and it is the peak of the wolf festival.”
“Don’t look at me!” Jacob exclaimed. “That’s a stereotype. I’m completely unaffected by the moon, but I do like the sound of a wolf party. Let’s get going.”
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Chapter: 16. Italy
Genre: Twilight - Drama / Romance
Characters: Jacob/OC/Nessie, Edward/Bella etc
Details: AU
Rating: M/R
Warnings: Sexual Content,
Post Word Count: 3417
Status: Work In Progress
Beta'd By: blackjacklilly
Summary: "Forget what you know about vampires. A new breed is born when Tara takes Bella’s hand and joins the Cullens. She shatters every rule and offers a salvation desperately needed by Bella and most of all Jacob, who is struggling to find his place in the world. "
Banner By: Annamorphos
16. Italy
Tara and Jacob were the last to leave for Italy on an early morning flight that departed before the sun rose. Great care had to be taken to avoid the sunlight. At first glance, Tara’s glimmers of gold could be mistaken for body glitter, but not if anyone looked too closely.
Tara took some precautions, dressing in a long-sleeved green cowl necked sweater that was knitted from a sublimely soft heathered yarn, worn over the only pair of jeans Alice had provided-a dark washed straight legged pair which fit her perfectly. The toes of her black velvet ballet flats just peeked out under the long jeans. She had dusted her face with powder and pulled her hair back into a ponytail in an effort to be less conspicuous.
Jacob was attracting attention on his own. He was entirely out of his element in the aircraft, which seemed to shrink in comparison to his size. The other passengers eyed him warily as if he was going to take all of the oxygen in the plane.
“How am I going to cram in there?” Jacob asked, pointing at the unappealing seats that were upholstered in an unfortunate amalgamation of green and brown hues.
“Carlisle did pay for first class seats for us and he booked you an extra seat,” Tara reminded him gently.
“Oof, it does not smell good in here,” Jacob continued to complain ungratefully, his normal good nature shaken by his discomfort in the situation.
Tara agreed that an airplane was not a pleasant place for one with a heightened sense of smell. She was assaulted with oil, exhaust and a chemical odor she suspected was the blue stuff in the toilet. The most appealing scent on the plane was Jacob. He seemed to feel the same way about her, leaning into her and burying his face in her hair.
“I’m going to have to be right up on you this whole flight,” he said, leering at her.
Tara didn’t mind being crowded with Jacob. In fact, she had spent the better part of the last twenty-four hours in very close contact with him and he looked a little worse for the wear. He yawned broadly and Tara couldn’t resist teasing him.
“Worn out?”
“Nope,” he lied, pulling her ponytail. “You?”
“A little,” she responded, making a show of stretching in a pretense of actual exhaustion. “Let’s just mellow out and get some rest on the flight.”
After they were in the air and the flight attendant checked on them for the fifth time, Jacob remarked on the attentive service.
“Oh please, Jake. She has the hots for you. No one else is getting this much attention,” Tara pointed out, stating the obvious.
Jacob tested the theory, turning and giving the flight attendant a seductive smile that Tara knew from personal experience could produce symptoms of weak knees and extreme excitement.
We are supposed to be keeping a low profile, Tara thought, as the young woman ignored another passenger and rushed to Jacob’s side. Her nametag said her name was Kathleen.
“Kathleen, thanks for coming over. When will you be serving the meals on this flight?” Jacob asked her in his most charming voice.
The attractive blonde stewardess looked him up and down appreciatively.
“Shortly after we take off. Hungry, are we?” she teased with a flirtatious smile. “I can tell you work out.”
Tara’s eyes rolled back in her head as Jacob smirked.
“My girlfriend is on a diet,” he said, motioning to Tara, “so she won’t need anything.”
Tara looked away uncomfortably at the girl’s hostile scrutiny.
“Understood,” she said begrudgingly.
The woman was already inclined not to like Tara and she wandered away muttering about plastic surgery and models ruining it for everyone.
“Girlfriend?” Tara repeated, arching an eyebrow at Jacob.
He looked slightly embarrassed, but he took her hand and looked at her confidently.
“I should have asked. You gotta know wolves are monogamous-at least this one is. I know things are moving fast, but I’ve been waiting a long time and I know what I want. It’s sort of a non-traditional courtship.” He gave a little smile at the old fashioned word used to describe a relationship between a vampire and a shape-shifter.
Tara was oblivious to the other passengers and whether or not the plane was still in the air. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” Tara whispered in his ear, leaning close.
A fleeting look of concern crossed Jacob’s face and Tara sensed the change in his mood instantly. They had grown close so quickly. Her gift of connecting to people came naturally to her, but the intimacy she was experiencing with Jacob was astonishing.
“I have to be honest and admit it is a little hard to keep up with a nineteen-year-old hottie,” Jacob confessed, slumping slightly in his seat.
Tara’s first instinct was to try to tease his concerns away, but she saw that he was serious.
“We are different species,” Jacob said softly. “I evolved to protect our tribe from…” he trailed off, looking around cautiously.
Tara looked at him with hurt in her eyes. “Do you think of me like that? Do you think I would hurt someone?”
She was shocked at the turn of the conversation. Jacob had always accepted her without question. He had even brought her home to his tribe. The thought that someone who had connected with her so deeply could think that she was dangerous was devastating.
“No! It is nothing like that,” Jacob rushed to correct her. “I don’t think you are capable of hurting anything.”
He laughed at her pouting lip, which he couldn’t help kissing.
“Our first misunderstanding,” he joked, kissing her again until she smiled.
“Technically it is our second. I was a little concerned when Nessie showed up, but she straightened me out.”
“I owe her bigtime on that one. What I am talking about is the difficulty a human…” he paused, lowering his voice, “even a super human like me will have keeping up with you for eternity. So far I’ve only tested this biology of mine for about a decade. Let’s just say your family has a more proven track record of longevity than mine.”
From the first moment Jacob swept her into his arms, Tara felt she had been moving down a path of life with him that led a very long way, but she still had a hard time envisioning a future for herself, let alone the long lifetime she had been bestowed.
She whispered in his ear, “Jake, I am not ready to have this conversation. A short while ago I was preparing to die. I did not think I would have a tomorrow and I’m not equipped to talk about eternity. Any conceivable future has you in it. Can that be enough for you right now?”
Jacob exhaled and the muscles of his shoulders relaxed. Tara rubbed her cheek against his, feeling the slight rough stubble and gently sank her teeth into his ear.
“I just had to get that out there,” Jacob said warmly. “It’s been on my mind. For now I’ll settle for having you as my trophy girlfriend. Well, at least you know your father approves. Charlie loves me,” Jacob said, grinning and leaning back in the seat.
Tara looked at him lovingly as his eyes fluttered closed. I do miss sleeping, she thought. He’ll be passed out in about ten seconds. Tara pulled the guidebook she had purchased from her bag. Even though they were on a mission to fight a possible epidemic and headed straight into the lion’s den of corrupt vampires, she was hoping to have time for a little sight-seeing.
Tara chuckled when she realized that they would be in Italy at the time of the Lupercalia festival of the wolf. Her eyes moved swiftly over the passage, which read:
The Lupercalia festival originated in the primitive Volterran shepherding culture in which the wolf was the most feared predator. The festival involves a purification and fertility rite and in modern times is accompanied by much revelry and drinking.
Tara reread the paragraph a few times. If Jake phases into wolf form, the tourists will probably clap, she thought, staring at the picture of an ancient statue of a she wolf suckling the infants Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. She closed the book and shut her eyes, letting the pulse of the engines merge with the static sound in her ears and breathing in and out in time with Jacob .
Jacob slept nearly the whole way. Tara nudged him right before they landed. He woke up with a smile on his face.
“I always like waking up with you,” he murmured.
“Make it a habit,” she answered, giving him a loving smile.
The line to get through customs was enormous. People shifted and sighed, exhaling the breath of hopeless frustration at the loss of the precious minutes that they would never get back. A few guards were pulling passengers out of line for routine checks. A uniformed officer approached Tara and Jacob and asked them to follow him, breaking the monotony.
“Spot check,” he said, leading them across the concourse and down a long hall into a nondescript room with a white linoleum floor and long wooden table.
“Put your bags on the table and wait here,” he directed as he left, shutting the door behind him.
“I hope this doesn’t take long,” Jacob said, “I slept through the food. I love to eat but do you realize how lucky you are not to have to think of your stomach?”
They heard a firm knock at the door.
“Come in,” Jacob yelled.
The knock came again. Jacob rose and yanked the door open impatiently.
With a thud, he fell to the floor. Tara was instantly at the ready, crouched and hissing. Two enormous men, bigger than Jacob, entered the room. One did not speak, but the other one held up a syringe.
“He just got a triple dose of horse tranquilizer. More of this might stop his heart. Come with us and don’t make trouble.”
The unspeaking man picked Jacob up effortlessly. Tara looked closer and realized that she must have been in shock because her powers of observation had escaped her. Both men were clearly vampires.
“Where are we going?” Tara asked.
“Don’t make trouble.”
They were loaded into the back of a windowless van. Tara’s hands were secured behind her back with massive chains and Jake’s hand was bound to her neck with razor fine wires.
“If the wolf tries to change, you’ll be the first one he rips apart,” the vampire said as he shut the door. As the van bounced down the road, Jacob’s eyes opened. He held still as he quickly assessed the situation.
“Are you alright?” Tara asked.
“I heal fast,” Jacob said. “How about you? Have you been hurt?”
“No.”
“Can you get free? Do you know where we are going?”
“I’ve tried to break these chains and I can’t. I have no idea where we are headed. See if you can free your hand.”
Jacob pulled, but stopped as he saw the wires digging into her neck. She winced in pain as tiny shooting shards of heat seemed to spread out from the pressure points.
“No, I’m hurting you,” Jacob said, stopping.
“Maybe we can kick out the side of this van and jump out,” Tara suggested hopefully, having a very bad feeling about where their trip would end.
Jacob shook his head thoughtfully. “I don’t think that will work unless we stop. We are moving fast and won’t be able to direct the fall while we are tied like this. Whoever did this knows how to control us.”
“It was two enormous vampires,” Tara said.
Jacob’s lip curled.
“What are we going to do Jake? I’m trying to think a message to Edward but I have no idea where we are,” she hissed urgently, straining again at the chains that held her hands to no avail. She inched closer to Jacob. The van moved onto a bumpier road and they were jostled together. The heat of him soothed her.
“My plan is to wait till they get us out,” Jacob said and his voice was slightly slurred. “I’m guessing it is the Volturi. They’ll probably want to release us so they can recount their evil plot in classic bad guy fashion before they revenge kill me in a strangely elaborate way. As soon as I’m free, I’ll rip them to shreds. I may need your help. They are bigger, but you are newly bitten. Everyone tells me new vamps are stronger. Focus on the head and neck; it doesn’t do too much good to tear them up bit by bit.”
Good advice, if non-diplomatic means are appropriate, Tara thought. She wondered if the Volturi knew about Demetri yet. She sincerely hoped they did not.
“Jake, why don’t we find out who we are dealing with first and see what they want? You know, just in case it is not an evil plot. If it is the Volturi, we can negotiate. They need Carlisle’s help.”
“Point taken. Just in case it comes to blows…repeat after me…head and neck, head and neck.”
As an hour wore on, Jacob seemed pretty relaxed. Maybe it is the after affects of the horse tranquilizers, Tara thought. Her mind was racing frantically.
The stopped suddenly and the doors opened. Their escorts shoved a sack over Jacob’s head roughly and led them slowly and awkwardly out into the daylight.
Tara had time to realize that the scene would have been beautiful under other circumstances. Mist rose over the crest of parallel hills, creeping in tendrils down the slopes to nestle in a brick paved courtyard in front of a massive fortress. The worn stones had survived century-long battles with weather and other enemies.
The mist spiraled and clung to the water in a large oval reflecting pool situated directly in the center of the courtyard. A single figure clad in a black cloak emerged from the arched doorway in the central turret and glided towards them, mist swirling at his feet.
The figure halted and threw back his hood.
Tara had a shock of recognition. It was Aro. She had seen his face in Nessie’s memory, but his skin had been translucent and papery. It was changed now. There was a cruel cast to his patrician features and his smooth skin was flushed a pearlescent pink, as if a fire within was consuming him. His lips were full and red and the saturated scarlet of his eyes was bottomless.
He pressed the fingers of his hands together, revealing long pointed fingernails which were bone white. The red eyes roamed over Tara and Jacob and he inhaled deeply, slowly lowering his lizard-like lids over red eyes.
“A beauty and a beast,” he said, chuckling at this own joke with the superior air of one who feels the rules of common courtesy only apply to commoners.
He languidly drifted closer and motioned for his guards to remove Tara’s chains. Jacob’s head remained covered and he held still with effort.
“I presume I need no introduction,” he said, holding out his hand for Tara to take.
She was reluctant to comply, knowing that Aro could read her thoughts through touch, but she could not think of a way to avoid him.
Aro’s pointed nails brushed her skin and he grasped her wrist lightly. As soon as his fingers touched her skin, he pulled away as if he had been electrified, an expression of horrified disgust on his face.
Tara rubbed at her wrist; sure her own face mirrored the disgust. A hollow coldness settled in her chest.
“You do not thirst,” Aro uttered as if it was an accusation.
“You are ruled by thirst,” Tara replied. It was a certainty.
Aro’s eyes narrowed at her words and he clenched his fist, pressing his razor claws into the marble flesh of his own hand. He hissed viciously.
She reached up to pull the cover off of Jacob’s head. Before the guards could react, Tara gripped the cords at her neck and ripped them apart, freeing Jacob.
“Ah, sorry about that, it was really uncomfortable,” she said quickly, trying to ward off the flash of irritation in Aro’s eyes.
Jacob’s eyes focused on Aro and then on the two massive guards. She quickly slipped her hand into his and gripped it tight.
There are too many of them, she thought.
He squeezed her hand gently. Tara knew if she was not there, Jacob would have taken on all three vampires alone.
Tara looked steadily at Aro. He didn’t want her sympathy or healing, he wanted to control her. She struggled to maintain her calm, acutely aware that the etiquette of subservience was what Aro expected. She nodded slightly. It was not a bow, but it was an expression of respect.
“Pardon me, I should have warned you not to touch me. Touch enhances an ability I have. I’m Tara and this is Jacob. Is Carlisle here already?”
At the mention of Carlisle’s name, Aro relaxed slightly. Suddenly, his face broke into an approving smile and he reached out his hand.
“Ah, Jane. Welcome home my dear.”
“Aro,” Jane said, moving rapidly into the courtyard and briefly kneeling in front of him, not taking his hand. She barely seemed to notice Jacob and Tara.
“I did not expect to see you here at Castelbrolio,” Aro said. “Your mission was a success and Carlisle is here, but he has evaded us. We were able to coax these friends of his to join us.”
“That is why I have come,” she said. “Carlisle contacted me. He has a message for you.”
She handed him a piece of paper.
Aro took it greedily and read it. His attention was fully diverted from Jacob and Tara. After thousands of years of life, momentary distractions were so easily dismissed.
“I think Carlisle would not want these two harmed,” Jane said in an impassive voice.
Aro nodded and waved his hand vaguely.
“Thank you Jane, you take care of them. You two must stay as my guests.”
None of them missed the clear message--they were not permitted to leave.
Aro glided off and his two lackeys followed him, leaving Jane alone with Tara and Jacob.
“I hate that guy,” Jacob growled, gently running his fingers over the tiny cracks in Tara’s neck that had been made by the wires.
“Those will heal,” Jane said. “We are fortunate that Aro did not touch you. If he had any indication of my betrayal he would have killed me on the spot,” Jane said, holding up her gloved hands.
“He did touch me for a second,” Tara said. “He didn’t seem to enjoy it. I think I had a little insight into the mind of Aro…” she trailed off, shuddering. Tara deliberately moved her thoughts away from the perilous machinations of Aro’s mind.
“How did you find us?”she asked.
“We were watching for you at the airport, I followed you.”
I think you arrived in the nick of time. If Aro had touched Jake, I’m pretty sure he would find Jacob’s thoughts offensive.”
“Hell yes,” Jacob said vehemently. “Jane, where did you send Aro? I hope it was far away.”
“To meet with Carlisle.”
“What, seriously?”
“It is what Carlisle wanted. He came here to help Aro if he could.”
“I don’t know if any of us can help him,” Tara said desolately.
Jacob looked at her sharply. “I can’t believe you are feeling sorry for him.”
Tara thought of her brief glimpse into Aro’s craven, hollow mind. She did pity him, but she did not know how to explain it to Jacob. Jane interrupted her thoughts.
“My brother Alec is here. We need to get him now.”
Jacob flexed his shoulders. “OK, let’s blow out of this place and go somewhere with less Volturi. No offense Jane.”
She gazed at him impassively. “Follow me. After we get Alec we will meet with Carlisle. Please try to control yourself.” She glanced at the sky, “There will be a full moon tonight, and it is the peak of the wolf festival.”
“Don’t look at me!” Jacob exclaimed. “That’s a stereotype. I’m completely unaffected by the moon, but I do like the sound of a wolf party. Let’s get going.”
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