gift or curse (A Twilight fanfiction)

Chapter 11

Again, I had no idea where else I could go, so I wandered a few leftover hallways, glad to finally see another soul as I rounded a corner. At first I thought it was a child. Pale brown hair, tied with a black bow, a short skirt and the most impossible face. Like an immaculate porcelain doll. The only thing that did not add up, was the look in her eyes. Perhaps they once had been icy blue, now they were as red as anyone's.

As if she was looking at vermin, she made to walk away, but I needed directions, so I stopped her, asking: "Wait, please. Can you help me, I think I'm lost."

A sneer appeared on the pretty face. "You do not belong here."

The high pitched voice that matched the face completely, startled me for a moment. "Ehm... no, but I am only here to visit and learn." Was that still true? The bond Marcus mentioned; my hunger for Demetri's presence, would they make it impossible for me to leave? Time would tell.

"Go back to the library, then. Do what you came here for and leave us be", she snarled.

What was her problem? I wanted to like her. She was so pretty and petite, but it became very difficult to even stand her. Perhaps I should wander some more until I ran into somebody else.

I tried one more time to be polite. "Marcus is in there, he ... I didn't want to disturb him."

Her annoyance lessened a bit, but the sulkiness remained. Perhaps she was hungry, her eyes were a bit dark.

My patience began to thin as she pursed her lips, but didn't answer. "Look, all I'm asking is that you point me in the direction of somewhere I can hang out and wait or talk to someone. Then you can continue to sulk or go feed, or something."

I regretted my words immediately. The tiny porcelain doll face scrunched up in anger and suddenly my brain was on fire. Pins and needles were stabbing me from the inside and I screamed. I trashed and pulled at my hair, that luckily had been enforced as well. I wanted to burrow my fingers in my brain to remove the pain physically. This was worse than any migraine my measly human body ever had to endure.

I fell to my knees, my head whipping back and only through slits I could see her smiling vengeful.

"Don't. Aargh. Stop it!" I yelled from the top of my lungs. And just as quickly as it had come, the pain disappeared.

Panting heavily, I could see the girl staggering backwards, as if an invisible blow had pushed her. Her eyes opened wide and a hiss escaped from her throat. However before she could take a step closer to me, Aro's voice drifted our way.

"Peace, young ones. Jane, this is no way to treat a guest."

The little girl immediately lowered her chin and mumbled: "Forgive me, master."

"You are excused, I will guide Ariadne."

Jane bowed her head again and disappeared. Never had I been so happy to see someone vanish.

I jumped up from the place I was crumbled on the floor and fought an urge to hug Aro. "Thank you so much. I don't know what happened." I did know this Jane was the one Edward had spoken of when he'd mentioned causing pain and I also knew I never wanted to meet her again.

"Jane is very ... young. Perhaps too young to have been turned. Her temper sometimes gets the better of her, but", Aro flowed past me and smiled like a father berating and excusing a most beloved child, "her powers do bring so many advantages. I guess I am quick to indulge her."

I grumbled: "Indulging, fine, but this was uncalled for. I'm happy you made her stop."

Aro chuckled. "Oh, no, child, I was not the one who stopped her. You are quite able to handle yourself."