This Time Of Year
Written by: wizardtho
Story dedicated to: Bella MacLeod
Chapter 06:
Our morning went pretty well, but by 2 pm, I was wearing down quickly and practically starving. I was hoping for the 5th time that we were almost done when my stomach growled loudly, causing Demetri to look at me with a scowl. After taking a second to really look me over, he grumbled something, then pulled me aside to a semi-private nook in the sidewalk. He cupped my cheek, then shook his head, “I understand you don’t know or trust me enough yet to tell me your deepest secrets, Isabella, but to not speak up about your basic needs? How am I to know if you are hungry or tired if you don’t speak up? How long have you been hungry?”
I looked down and kicked a pebble with my shoe, “For about 30 minutes or so.”
I could see his shoulders release a bit of tension as he asked, “And how long have you been tiring?”
I mumbled, “Since around the 15th shop. I’m sorry, I’m just not a big shopper. It’s boring to me. I know I need the clothes, but do we have to get a whole wardrobe in 1 day? I’d rather just order online and spend the saved time reading a book or something.”
Demetri laughed as he pulled me into his side, then whispered against the side of my head, “I definitely won’t mind having you as my childe, Isabella. Let’s head back to the castle. I’ll order your dinner on the way. After a good meal and a calming shower, you can curl up next to me and read any book from the library that catches your eye. How does that sound?”
I think I actually let out a relieved laugh as I nodded.
He even gave me a pleased grin when he ordered me a side salad with avocado, and I tapped his arm, whispering with a small curl of my lip, “Cancel the avocado, please. Have the chef make me a Caesar salad instead.” With a nod, he changed the order flawlessly, no questions asked until he was off the phone and I had his full attention.
I began as we continued heading back toward the castle, “The Cullens were on this big health thing. Every time I ate near them, it was always what they deemed healthy. Pizza was bad for me, Chinese food was bad for me, and red meat? God forbid I actually be a carnivore. Avocado was one such thing they deemed super healthy for me… and it’s nasty.”
Demetri chuckled, “Alright. This is a good start. No, you won’t be eating human food for much longer, but believe it or not, blood doesn’t all taste the same. You can actually taste lust and fear in blood, and different blood types have different flavors. As such, you may come across a blood type you don’t like as a vampire. These are things I will need you to tell me. If your clothing doesn’t fit well and you need to order a different size, I’ll need to know. I won’t be upset about it, Isabella, and it won’t be burdening me. I wouldn’t sign up to be your sire without knowing all the little things that could happen. Just tell me these things, so I can take care of them and you, alright?”
I nodded as we reached a semi-hidden castle gate, determined to speak up from now on. Just as Demetri closed the gate behind us, he said as sort of a side note, “For future reference, vegetarians smell bland compared to carnivores.”
I couldn’t help but let out a half snort/chuckle, especially when he playfully growled while snapping his teeth at me.
Dinner was a quiet affair that night. Demetri, who I found out was the head of the elite guard, had several bits of paperwork he needed to go through. Apparently, he needed to go over files and send other elites on the missions best suited to them. He would have gone out with a team himself on a mission, but my turning had gotten his duties lightened considerably for the time being.
When he was still going over files once my dinner was done, I debated on whether I should just read in my room or not. Without even looking up, Demetri picked up a file from next to him, placed it on the coffee table, then patted the cushion beside him with a smile. I let a breath out as I settled on my back next to him, my head on his leg. I glanced up at him with a smile before silently opening my borrowed book.
Over an hour later, Demetri sat back with a sigh, then ran his fingers through my hair. I caught his gaze before whispering, “All done?”
He nodded, “For tonight, at least. There will always be lawbreakers as long as there are laws, and of course, we need laws.”
He seemed content to play with my hair, so I smiled before silently going back to my book. It was only about 15 minutes later that Demetri said without moving, “Enter.”
Aro smiled down at me as he walked into the room, commenting when I went to sit up, “Don’t worry yourself, Little One. I just came to make sure the two of you are still comfortable moving forward and to answer any questions you may have.”
I still sat up, though I leaned against Demetri’s side as I said decidedly, “I am sure about Demetri being my sire, Sir, and he’s answered every question I’ve asked.”
Looking from me to my soon-to-be sire, Aro asked, “And your decision is firm?”
Demetri nodded, “It is. We had one small issue with her not speaking up about her needs, but it was quickly taken care of. The next time, she did speak up, and even expanded on the reason when I gave her the chance. She learns quickly, and doesn’t have any issues with trusting me.”
Aro looked between us for a split second before extending his hand with a soft, “May I?”
At Demetri’s small raise of his eyebrow to me in question, I nodded. Aro would know the next time he touched Demetri anyway. A few short seconds later, Aro smiled while looking between the two of us. “You will do well as Sire and Childe. Keep the line of communication between you open, Isabella. Continue speaking up, even if it’s about small things that frustrate you on a day-to-day basis. He is here to help guide you, even with that small stuff.”
I nodded, offering a sincere, “Thank you, Sir,” before Demetri handed Aro all the files that sat on the coffee table.
“Each one has a set of guards written on the inside of the folder. Chelsea may be needed for the Belfast mission, but we won’t know until we have eyes there to assess the situation. If that is the case, the orders are for Felix’s team to bring both the offender and victim back here. I could see how much today weakened Chelsea, so I know Afton will be very protective for the next few days until she’s fully recovered. Sending her on a mission would be out of the question.”
Aro nodded sadly, “Yes, and I have already gone to check on her. It took much for her to undo the damage Carlisle caused before severing the bonds. Did you explain to your new charge?”
I nodded, “He did while we were still in the throne room… while it was happening. I don’t know why I knew they were supposed to look different, though. The bonds, I mean. I knew they were sick just by looking at them… before Demetri even explained the reason they needed to be severed.”
Aro and Demetri both looked at me curiously, then Aro asked, “If you had to make a guess, what would you say a healthy sire bond would look like?”
I answered without a second of thought, “A pure and vibrant jade green. The rope strands not twisted in on themselves or gnarled. I see a strong braided rope. I don’t know why, but that’s what I thought the bonds should look like... why the color and condition of Carlisle’s bonds to Rosalie and Emmett made me think they were sick.”
Aro nodded, “You would be correct, Isabella. Have you had any other instances where you thought a certain bond should have color or shape?”
I nodded, so he offered, “It might be beneficial for you to spend time with my brother Marcus after your initial newborn instincts calm. He may be able to help you understand, as his gift is to see the relationship lines between people.”
Demetri nodded, then said, “We’ll take it a step at a time, to see if the trait strengthens during her change.”
Only moments later, Aro was standing, asking, “If you have no further questions, I will let the two of you get back to enjoying your quiet night.”
I smiled with a shake of my head, so with a nod to Demetri, he was gone from the room.
Demetri caught my eyes as I heard the soft click of the door closing, “Is there anything you want to do for your last night as a human? Anything special?”
I shook my head, “Just a long bath before I turn in. That’s why I passed on the calming shower before dinner. The tub in my bathroom looked like heaven.”
He chuckled, then seemed to think about something before asking, “Do you want to know? Do you want me to warn you before I make the bite?”
I shook my head, “No. I remember the pain from when I was bitten before. If you warn me, I’m afraid I’ll freeze up and freak out. Just… no. Do it with no warning. Please make sure I know it was you after you do it, though… that I see your face before the pain gets to the point where I’ll blackout.”
He nodded seriously, “That I can do, Isabella. I promise you will know it was me, and that I will be with you through it all.”
I talked with Demetri for another hour before I yawned, which caused him to chuckle while throwing me over his shoulder, “Come on. It’s bath time and bed for you, or you’ll fall asleep before you try out heaven.”
I squeaked slightly at my position over his shoulder, but quickly gasped when he tapped my ass with a “Hush, Woman.”
When he finally set me down in my bathroom, I huffed while trying to remove all my hair from my face, “You know soon I’m not going to be some human you can just toss around willy nilly. I’m actually going to be strong enough to fight back.”
He chuckled, then winked as he offered, “I welcome the challenge.” Before I could form a response, he closed the door behind him with another chuckle.
Our morning went pretty well, but by 2 pm, I was wearing down quickly and practically starving. I was hoping for the 5th time that we were almost done when my stomach growled loudly, causing Demetri to look at me with a scowl. After taking a second to really look me over, he grumbled something, then pulled me aside to a semi-private nook in the sidewalk. He cupped my cheek, then shook his head, “I understand you don’t know or trust me enough yet to tell me your deepest secrets, Isabella, but to not speak up about your basic needs? How am I to know if you are hungry or tired if you don’t speak up? How long have you been hungry?”
I looked down and kicked a pebble with my shoe, “For about 30 minutes or so.”
I could see his shoulders release a bit of tension as he asked, “And how long have you been tiring?”
I mumbled, “Since around the 15th shop. I’m sorry, I’m just not a big shopper. It’s boring to me. I know I need the clothes, but do we have to get a whole wardrobe in 1 day? I’d rather just order online and spend the saved time reading a book or something.”
Demetri laughed as he pulled me into his side, then whispered against the side of my head, “I definitely won’t mind having you as my childe, Isabella. Let’s head back to the castle. I’ll order your dinner on the way. After a good meal and a calming shower, you can curl up next to me and read any book from the library that catches your eye. How does that sound?”
I think I actually let out a relieved laugh as I nodded.
He even gave me a pleased grin when he ordered me a side salad with avocado, and I tapped his arm, whispering with a small curl of my lip, “Cancel the avocado, please. Have the chef make me a Caesar salad instead.” With a nod, he changed the order flawlessly, no questions asked until he was off the phone and I had his full attention.
I began as we continued heading back toward the castle, “The Cullens were on this big health thing. Every time I ate near them, it was always what they deemed healthy. Pizza was bad for me, Chinese food was bad for me, and red meat? God forbid I actually be a carnivore. Avocado was one such thing they deemed super healthy for me… and it’s nasty.”
Demetri chuckled, “Alright. This is a good start. No, you won’t be eating human food for much longer, but believe it or not, blood doesn’t all taste the same. You can actually taste lust and fear in blood, and different blood types have different flavors. As such, you may come across a blood type you don’t like as a vampire. These are things I will need you to tell me. If your clothing doesn’t fit well and you need to order a different size, I’ll need to know. I won’t be upset about it, Isabella, and it won’t be burdening me. I wouldn’t sign up to be your sire without knowing all the little things that could happen. Just tell me these things, so I can take care of them and you, alright?”
I nodded as we reached a semi-hidden castle gate, determined to speak up from now on. Just as Demetri closed the gate behind us, he said as sort of a side note, “For future reference, vegetarians smell bland compared to carnivores.”
I couldn’t help but let out a half snort/chuckle, especially when he playfully growled while snapping his teeth at me.
Dinner was a quiet affair that night. Demetri, who I found out was the head of the elite guard, had several bits of paperwork he needed to go through. Apparently, he needed to go over files and send other elites on the missions best suited to them. He would have gone out with a team himself on a mission, but my turning had gotten his duties lightened considerably for the time being.
When he was still going over files once my dinner was done, I debated on whether I should just read in my room or not. Without even looking up, Demetri picked up a file from next to him, placed it on the coffee table, then patted the cushion beside him with a smile. I let a breath out as I settled on my back next to him, my head on his leg. I glanced up at him with a smile before silently opening my borrowed book.
Over an hour later, Demetri sat back with a sigh, then ran his fingers through my hair. I caught his gaze before whispering, “All done?”
He nodded, “For tonight, at least. There will always be lawbreakers as long as there are laws, and of course, we need laws.”
He seemed content to play with my hair, so I smiled before silently going back to my book. It was only about 15 minutes later that Demetri said without moving, “Enter.”
Aro smiled down at me as he walked into the room, commenting when I went to sit up, “Don’t worry yourself, Little One. I just came to make sure the two of you are still comfortable moving forward and to answer any questions you may have.”
I still sat up, though I leaned against Demetri’s side as I said decidedly, “I am sure about Demetri being my sire, Sir, and he’s answered every question I’ve asked.”
Looking from me to my soon-to-be sire, Aro asked, “And your decision is firm?”
Demetri nodded, “It is. We had one small issue with her not speaking up about her needs, but it was quickly taken care of. The next time, she did speak up, and even expanded on the reason when I gave her the chance. She learns quickly, and doesn’t have any issues with trusting me.”
Aro looked between us for a split second before extending his hand with a soft, “May I?”
At Demetri’s small raise of his eyebrow to me in question, I nodded. Aro would know the next time he touched Demetri anyway. A few short seconds later, Aro smiled while looking between the two of us. “You will do well as Sire and Childe. Keep the line of communication between you open, Isabella. Continue speaking up, even if it’s about small things that frustrate you on a day-to-day basis. He is here to help guide you, even with that small stuff.”
I nodded, offering a sincere, “Thank you, Sir,” before Demetri handed Aro all the files that sat on the coffee table.
“Each one has a set of guards written on the inside of the folder. Chelsea may be needed for the Belfast mission, but we won’t know until we have eyes there to assess the situation. If that is the case, the orders are for Felix’s team to bring both the offender and victim back here. I could see how much today weakened Chelsea, so I know Afton will be very protective for the next few days until she’s fully recovered. Sending her on a mission would be out of the question.”
Aro nodded sadly, “Yes, and I have already gone to check on her. It took much for her to undo the damage Carlisle caused before severing the bonds. Did you explain to your new charge?”
I nodded, “He did while we were still in the throne room… while it was happening. I don’t know why I knew they were supposed to look different, though. The bonds, I mean. I knew they were sick just by looking at them… before Demetri even explained the reason they needed to be severed.”
Aro and Demetri both looked at me curiously, then Aro asked, “If you had to make a guess, what would you say a healthy sire bond would look like?”
I answered without a second of thought, “A pure and vibrant jade green. The rope strands not twisted in on themselves or gnarled. I see a strong braided rope. I don’t know why, but that’s what I thought the bonds should look like... why the color and condition of Carlisle’s bonds to Rosalie and Emmett made me think they were sick.”
Aro nodded, “You would be correct, Isabella. Have you had any other instances where you thought a certain bond should have color or shape?”
I nodded, so he offered, “It might be beneficial for you to spend time with my brother Marcus after your initial newborn instincts calm. He may be able to help you understand, as his gift is to see the relationship lines between people.”
Demetri nodded, then said, “We’ll take it a step at a time, to see if the trait strengthens during her change.”
Only moments later, Aro was standing, asking, “If you have no further questions, I will let the two of you get back to enjoying your quiet night.”
I smiled with a shake of my head, so with a nod to Demetri, he was gone from the room.
Demetri caught my eyes as I heard the soft click of the door closing, “Is there anything you want to do for your last night as a human? Anything special?”
I shook my head, “Just a long bath before I turn in. That’s why I passed on the calming shower before dinner. The tub in my bathroom looked like heaven.”
He chuckled, then seemed to think about something before asking, “Do you want to know? Do you want me to warn you before I make the bite?”
I shook my head, “No. I remember the pain from when I was bitten before. If you warn me, I’m afraid I’ll freeze up and freak out. Just… no. Do it with no warning. Please make sure I know it was you after you do it, though… that I see your face before the pain gets to the point where I’ll blackout.”
He nodded seriously, “That I can do, Isabella. I promise you will know it was me, and that I will be with you through it all.”
I talked with Demetri for another hour before I yawned, which caused him to chuckle while throwing me over his shoulder, “Come on. It’s bath time and bed for you, or you’ll fall asleep before you try out heaven.”
I squeaked slightly at my position over his shoulder, but quickly gasped when he tapped my ass with a “Hush, Woman.”
When he finally set me down in my bathroom, I huffed while trying to remove all my hair from my face, “You know soon I’m not going to be some human you can just toss around willy nilly. I’m actually going to be strong enough to fight back.”
He chuckled, then winked as he offered, “I welcome the challenge.” Before I could form a response, he closed the door behind him with another chuckle.