In Another Life: Book Two - Taming the Beast

Chapter Nine: Moments of Light, Moments of Darkness

*Content Warning: Graphic Depictions of Rape, Torture, Gory Violence and Violence Inflicted On Religious Figures. Christian Religious Iconography. Depictions of Mildly Explicit Consensual Sexual Situations.*

Swan House - February 7th

"I feel like I should've spent more time down there, but I thought it was wonderful that you were there for her. Rose won't forget that." Alice said from her seat in front of the only vanity in the house, where she had clearly spent time with her hair. Isabella appreciated the effort, but didn't quite know how to act. Edward had always been chaste, hand holding and maybe some soft closed mouth kisses. Her few dalliances with intimacy during her time with the Volturi were quick and all about release. She wanted... No, she needed things with Alice to be different.

"Did you hear what I said about you downstairs?" Isabella hated to repeat herself, but would for her.

"Yes, I am yours, always." Alice said putting down the brush she had been running through hair that had always been a bit too short for her tastes.

"We need to talk, alone." Isabella knew this was going to be an important conversation, perhaps solidifying who they were together from that day forward.

"Of course, let's go." Alice said easily, standing and moving over to within a few inches of Isabella, waiting for permission to touch her. Her eyes never wavering from Isabella's, who felt an almost magnetic draw. The kiss was short, but passionate and Isabella only drew back to alert her second.

"Rose, I'll be back in several hours." Isabella said loud enough to be heard throughout the house, informing not just Rosalie but everyone.

"Understood my Captain." Rosalie said from downstairs, Isabella couldn't see her smile but could hear the clear affection. It made Isabella feel strange, to have such loyalty from someone who was once antagonistic at best felt good.

Isabella held out a hand to Alice and they quickly made their way out of the house in the next second, although neither knew exactly where to go. They ran aimlessly for a bit, until Alice smiled widely and took off in a Northeasterly direction. It took a while, but eventually they slowed as they entered Port Angeles. Then kept going, all the while Alice was typing furiously into her phone.

"Yay! It's perfect." Isabella gave her a look of confusion, "I made an immediate reservation at the Vineyard, which is an absolutely amazing private hotel on the water just outside of town." Alice said with a satisfied smile, tucking her phone away and reaching for Isabella's hand again, which she immediately intertwined their fingers when Isabella accepted.

"Dad mentioned that place a few times when I was human, I can't believe they're still in business." Isabella raised an eyebrow in curiosity, it wasn't ever a place she had sought when she was younger but it gave her a bit of a strange almost bucket list type of excitement to go there.

"It changed hands a few times in the last century, but the current owners are actually related to the original owners. It's the off season, so there were a few openings." Alice said as a snow squall picked up and the temperature dropped several degrees.

"I see. Sounds lovely. But I suppose for appearances we better hurry." Isabella warned, and Alice smiled brightly as they started to run at human speed down the long main thoroughfare of Port Angeles before ducking into stretches of wilderness along the lonely highway out of town.

Volterra - 71 Years ago

"Again." Isabella said with a small sneer, "or I'll partner you with Eliza."

"I must bow out master, I'm just not a fighter." Talia said breathlessly from her position on the floor mat, her legs sprawled out and her arms barely holding her up in a sitting position.