The Alchemist

Chapter 31

Today it had been five days since Leona's change began. Both Alec and Felix had stayed at her side, with the others of the high guard keeping them fed. The kings had occasionally visited for a check up. "Why is it taking so long?" Caius questioned.

"I am not certain. The few rare cases of longer changes were always due to the person being changed turning out to be quite powerful and different from what we've seen on average." Aro answered. Demetri walked into the throne room after a knock.

"Masters, Leona's change is ending. Her heartbeat was slowing down and I think she'll wake within the hour." He reported.

"Good news at last. Thank you Demetri." The tracker nodded while remembering something else.

"Oh, I also ran into some new guests. Quite unexpected ones and kind of badly timed as well." he informed them.

"Bring them in I guess." Demetri went to the door and then the vampires heard the heartbeat. One guest was human.

"Come on in." Demetri walked from the door followed by a blond male vegetarian vampire according to his eyes and a human male.

"Gentlemen, welcome. Who are you and why have you come?" Aro began.

"My name is Jasper Whitlock, sir. I am part of the Cullen family. A lot has happened and well..." The vampire offered Aro to read his mind. Which the king did, though was surprised with all this vampire had been through.

"You both are related to Leona." Marcus spoke up all of a sudden. He had seen both their guests bond with the girl.

"You know my daughter? Where is she and why haven't I heard from her in days?" The word 'daughter' made them realize just who the human was.

"You are Charlie Swan. Leona spoke highly of you." Demetri answered.

"Chief Swan to you boy. Now start talking."

"Chief Swan, sir, there is a lot to tell you but right now is not a good time." Aro tried to calm the human down.

"I don't see why not. Usually I am against violence but when it comes to my daughters, I will forget that if necessary. So I suggest you start telling me where Leona is or I will tear this place apart until I find her myself." Charlie's mind was telling him to back down sensing some sort of threat, but his heart said not to give up finding his daughter. Ah the stubbornness the Volturi had encountered in both swan girls.

"Demetri will take you and Jasper to a more comfortable place where we can talk." Jasper nodded agreeing and signaling Charlie to agree as well.

"Fine." They turned to leave the room, but the door was slammed open and Charlie was wrapped in cold arms. That were squeezing the life out of him.

"Leona, calm down, you are stronger now. You don't want to hurt Charlie, do you?" Felix warned the girl.

"Leona?" the arms loosened and the being pulled back looking up at Charlie. Red eyes meeting brown.

"Hi dad." She greeted with a smile. Charlie was heavily confused now. This girl was Leona, and yet she seemed different. Her hair was lighter and had various shades of blond. Her eyes were red, she seemed paler though there was still a hint of a tan. And she got way stronger too.

"Okay, what is going on. What happened to you?" He questioned her.

No one answered at first. "Let me show you to a more comfortable room first. And perhaps you would like a drink." Demetri ushered the human out. Jasper followed as he had promised to keep an eye on Charlie.

Leona stayed back. "Leona, you look magnificent, my dear." Marcus complimented his student.

"Cut the sweet talk. Why is my father here?" There was the toughness she had clearly picked up from the man that raised her.

"We aren't sure what happened. He just showed up unannounced. How were you able to keep from killing him for his blood?" Caius answered.

"Felix fed me some blood though I do not really feel the need for it. It is nice and all but not really necessary. How should I deal with dad?" Aro discussed quickly with his brothers.

"If you can vouch for him, I suppose there is little else we can do, but tell him the truth. We doubt he'll give up if he senses a lie." He answered.

"And he won't have to be killed or turned like you wanted for Bella and me?" The hope in her eyes was sweet to notice.

"No, he won't." Aro assured her.

"Thank you, you have no idea how much this means." She hugged the kings though a bit too tightly.

"Go talk to him." Marcus shooed her off. Leona did as told finding the three in a sitting room. Demetri was near the door, Jasper was pacing and Charlie sat though he sat up straight and alert.

"Hey dad. I'm sorry I kept you waiting, they wanted to know something." Jasper tensed up ready to defend in case the girl's instincts took over to feed from the only human. Demetri prepared himself as well.

"Leona, Aryanna Swan you better sit down and start telling me what happened." She did as told sitting down on the couch opposite from Charlie and with a deep breath, she began.

LeonaPoV

"Dad, do you remember the stories Billy tells at the bonfires in La Push? about being descended from wolves and cold ones?" I asked thinking that a good point to start from.

"Those supposed legends? I do. why?" His eyes were narrowed.

"Well we used to believe they were just fairytales right? You used to joke that Billy just wanted to sound very cool? It turns out that those stories are actually true. Sam, Paul, the clearwater kids, Jacob and a couple more all are shapeshifters turning into wolves. That is why they all tend to forget wearing shirts even in cold weather and why they are suddenly so big and strong. Not steroids, but the shapeshifting is what caused their growth spurts." I explained.

"It is also the reason the Cullens aren't allowed on Quileute land and why they dislike us. Because we are cold ones like the ones in the stories." Jasper added.

"You mean vampires? Proof it." Jasper slapped his hand on the coffee table and it broke in half. He ran vampire-speed from one end of the room to another and back to the couches.

"What does this have to do with you?" Charlie asked turning to me. Somehow the way he took to this didn't surprise me.

"I am one as well. That's why you haven't heard from me the past few days. why I nearly broke your body earlier when I hugged you. I just woke up from changing into a vampire." I answered truthfully feeling happy I didn't have to lie to him.

"Tell me everything from the start. Because I think there is a lot more to this than just legends being true." 

"As you wish." and so I told him everything.  About Mark's death, meeting the Cullens, finding out about them, Bella finding out and the differences. Jasper kept track of his emotions as I'd heard Demetri ask him to. I told dad about the baseball game and James, about what really happened in Phoenix.

When I concluded with that, Charlie sighed. "Is there more?" He looked exhausted

"Yes but I'm sure you could use a little break to let this all sink in first. How about some food and a rest? We can continue tomorrow. I don't want to overwhelm you after such a long flight.

"There is a room for you right across Leona's. I'll show you." Demetri said. Charlie got up and followed him.
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Next week we'll find out just how Charlie knew to go see Leona in person. and Leona will also tell him why she really stayed behind.

Have a nice week!!