Libra's Symphony (Alec Volturi x OC)

Tainted

     I gasped loudly and deeply when the fog left me and sat down from my lying position with a violent spasm. I threw my head back and closed my eyes in a desperate search for the oxygen I didn't need because I never stopped breathing, I just lost my sense of smell. In one long painful breath I came back to life and opened my eyes to find Alec right in front of me, sitting on a chair a few steps away from the couch where he had put me. My blood chilled in my veins when I met his intense gaze.

"Do not ever" I spat before I could get a proper hold of myself "do that again."

His entire face relaxed. His eyes softened and he gave me a hint of a smile.

"I will not" he promised but then added "as long as you don't force me."

I looked around to see we were inside of a small hotel room. Jane was nowhere I could see.

"Where are we?"

"Still in Rio" he answered without hesitation, "for now."

"I got the job" I said stupidly. That should be the last thing on my mind but I was very disoriented and my questions and observations were hitting me randomly. I couldn't unscramble them fast enough.

"You definitely did, dear."

Dear. He dares to call me that after what he's done.

I felt anger bubbling inside of me again but finding myself in such an enclosed space with Alec got me much less brave than in the alley. I couldn't find the force of my defiance, I barely dared to raise my voice at him. Thinking of Alec's "gift", as he had called it, made me cower before him and imagine what sort of dreadful things his sister was capable of doing.

My instincts kicked in. I tried to behave.

"What about my family and friends?"

"You are already dead to them."

I blinked in confusion.

"We forged your death," he explained patiently. "We have trustworthy people getting rid of your trail."

Everyone I know thinks I am dead?

Another question popped into my head before I could even digest that information but I was too scared to ask. I wasn't sure that I wanted to know and I didn't want to anger him. I needed to know though, and he seemed at ease and willing to answer whatever I threw at him. I looked deep into his eyes to be sure he wasn't indisposed and then I asked.

"Is Luke really dead?"

He sighed and his eyes flashed for a second. He hesitated for a moment before he answered.

"You know he is "

Oh, God. No, no, no, no. It can't be, not Luke. Not like this.

I buried my face in my hands and wept, I cried loud and ugly, letting his death weigh on my shoulders, taking my time to naturally calm down. Even after I stopped crying I could still hear a ringing in my ears and feel my stomach dropping, spiraling down like the skeletons of my last hopes to crash onto the ground and turn into dust. Alec had the decency to keep his hands away from me and wait until it was over, and after several minutes I did stop sobbing. I uncovered my face to dig for more, wanting so hard to hear anything that could soothe the pain of hearing those words that I stupidly asked what I already knew the answer to —

"Was it quick?"

Stop asking, you don't want to know. He would never tell you, he would spare you this much, you're torturing yourself. Stop talking about it.