Till Death (Volturi / Twilight Fanfiction)

22: Flirtatious Phantom

It was late when Marcus dropped Taylor off. They had gotten pretty far into the book before Marcus questioned whether or not Taylor was hungry. She hadn't even noticed her stomach was grumbling, but they left with the promise of returning. He treated her to another restaurant where Taylor had eaten enough pasta to feel lethargic. The day ended much too soon for her liking. And as usual, before driving away he placed a kiss on her head, leaving Taylor's mind spinning yet frustrated. She may've contemplated why he never went further than that, might've spent the silence worrying if she was the only one who hoped for more. She might've done that if she arrived in an empty room.

"Your gloves." Taylor shut the door softly behind her, she put her head on the cold wood and let out a sigh. Before turning around. "You forgot them."

"I did." The woman stood behind her, now able to fully form. She looked at the gloves which sat on the bed and then to the living woman before her. She studied Taylor's face a moment.

"Did you touch anyone? Anyone's hands?" Taylor shook her head. The woman looked relieved but only somewhat. Taylor opened the bathroom door setting her flannel to the side as she began preparations for a bath.

"I'd probably remember them a little better, if you told me why I need them in the first place." She shuffled through her bag for some sleepwear. Finding something cool and light she placed it on the bathroom sink.

"I-" The woman started. She scrunched her eyebrows, rubbing her temples with the tips of her fingers. "I'd like to. I just know you can't touch someone's hands. Someone...Uhg! Aftó íne tóso eknevristikó!"

"Hey, it's alright."

"It is not! I brought you here thousands of miles away from your home and now I make demands of you because of some vague feelings? I cannot remember enough to tell you why this is so dangerous so I sound like a mad woman! And maybe I am! A dead mad woman! Ha! Ha... ha... Skatá..." She took a deep breath and sat on the floor, watching Taylor bustle around. Taylor had paused for a moment while the woman was getting herself worked up, but had to stop the water from overflowing before she helped in any way. The bubbles were nearly flowing out of the tub. Angel continued. "I should not be getting headaches. I do not have a body to stress any longer. Besides, I have brought you to the love of your life here. That is something good."

"Oh woah. I don't know about that." The woman looked up at Taylor curiously.

"You don't know about that? What is there not to know? He is handsome you read to him and almost fall asleep in his arms, what is the problem? I thought things were going well?"

"Things are going well. I dunno, I'm too intuitive for my own good I think, or maybe paranoid. But I feel like I'm not getting the whole picture. The others in the castle...I'm constantly on edge around them. And I don't know why, I know we can't film anywhere else now but if I knew it was gonna be this bad I probably would've convinced my parents to just do another season. Instead of their big last international special."

"So it is not Marcus?" Taylor eyed the woman accusingly.

"Have you been spying on me?" She looked guilty.

"I am with you when you do not have the bracelet on, only when I feel you are in danger. But when you told me about there being a surprise today I was curious..."

"That's messed up."

"Sorry. I won't do it again." The woman smiled sheepishly, making Taylor shrug her shoulders. Already giving up on being upset, there was no harm done. "I do not think the others in the castle will hurt you."

"That's not the issue I don't think. I'm not necessarily in any danger from them, if I was Mom wouldn't let me within a thousand yards of the place. But there is a danger to them. I'm not a fan of how vulnerable I am in front of them...especially when they show teeth. God. Fucking unnerving." Taylor shivered. She slipped out of her clothes, tossing them to the side. As if she did not remember the woman was there, and perhaps she did not. The spirit had been such an integral part of her being for months now so it was easy to forget she was there. It was not until she sunk into the tub beneath the bubbles that Taylor remembered. "Oh! Oh my God I didn't even think! I'm so sorry!"