gift or curse (A Twilight fanfiction)

Chapter 23

We drove to a small village at the foot of the mountain that was already hidden in its shadow. Not many people were about, but we left the center and didn't stop until we got to a house that looked significantly better than the ones in the village. The moment we stepped out of the car, the door opened and a cautious looking man came outside. A woman appeared behind him, but he shoved her back inside. They were vampires, like us, and for a moment I envied them their quiet life.

"Georgy," Demetri greeted, his hands open in a friendly gesture, "we've merely come to talk. About a rumor you passed on recently."

I wondered for a second when Demetri received this information, seeing I had been with him every minute of every day for the past week. Had they known before our wedding? Perhaps even before I had arrived?

The man, Georgy, relaxed a little and nodded. With a thick accent he replied: "Yes, I have heard telling, about the old ones. They rebuild a castle. I don't know much."

Demetri gazed my way and I took a step forward. This was it, my first real command. I took a deep breath, concentrated on what I wanted and said: "Tell us everything you've heard about them."

The result was instantaneous. At top speed, Georgy repeated every single word he had been told about whom he had referred to as old ones. They were mostly parts of conversations, sometimes the words didn't make much sense, but I realized he was literally repeating what he had heard.

It was indeed not very much, but probably a bit more than he had intended to say in the first place. It revealed his own involvement in a few secrets that could be considered as treason and I saw how his eyes became filled with fear as he could not keep from incriminating himself and his partner.

Silence filled the heavy air when he finally stopped and I could see his hands shake. Mine shook as well and I hid them in my pockets.

Demetri raised one eyebrow at me with approval in his eyes and said, taking a step forward: "Well well, that was quite ... entertaining."

"What did she do to me?" The man breathed heavily, looking at me with terror.

"Nothing but ask you to tell the truth. And you did, for which we are grateful. It seems you've turned quite a blind eye these past few years. Why have you only told us now?"

Deflated, figuring he had nothing else to loose, Georgy answered: "They are recruiting, I didn't want to be on the hit list. Yes, I've turned a blind eye, but they would have destroyed us, otherwise."

Taking a few more steps, Demetri said, anger in his voice which concerned me even more: "You should have warned us the instant you found out. Aro won't be pleased and you will be punished."

"No!"

The shout came from two mouths. Mine and the woman who now raced outside to position herself in front of Georgy. She had her fists held up, ready for a fight.

"Don't do anything", I yelled again, but I wasn't sure whom I was talking to. They all froze and I forced myself to release some of the tension inside me.

I took a deep breath, felt my lungs expand and released the air again before I spoke: "Demetri, please, take a step back." I hoped the pleading in my voice would keep my words from being a command. When he looked my way and pursed his lips, I sighed, it worked.

"Please", I whispered again.

His shoulders lowered and looking back at the two vampires in front of him, he stepped back until he was next to me again.

I decided it was time to get some answers to the questions that had been going through my mind, so I looked at the woman and ordered: "Forget everything about us and go back inside."

She blinked a few times, turned around and walked back into the house without as much as a gaze our way. Georgy was next. I could see the fear in his eyes and I hesitated. Should I do the same to him? Just make him forget us? Would that be enough to keep them safe? Perhaps from the Romanians he seemed to fear, but what he knew could still haunt him if Aro found out.

I swallowed the venom that had risen as bile and said at last: "Forget everything you know about the old ones. You have heard nothing, have not helped them, there is nothing you can tell anyone. Just go on and live your life in peace."

All the lines faded in Georgy's face. He relaxed, shook his head in confusion and then looked at us as if he didn't see us till now.

"Demetri? What brings you here?"

Demetri frowned, pondered a moment in which I held my breath and then asked: "We came to search for Vladimir and Stefan. What can you tell us about them?"

Georgy seemed confused at first. Would my command work? Did he really forget everything?

"Who?"

I sighed in relief, and next to me, Demetri also sighed, but when I looked at him, he didn't look very happy.

"Never mind," he muttered, "go about your business."

---

Demetri didn't speak until we were back in the car and he didn't look at me when he asked: "Why did you do that?"

He was mad, I could tell, but I believed what I'd done was right. We had our information, they their peace.

"They were afraid, caught between two fires. I didn't want them to get hurt just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"They helped our enemies, you heard them."

I had never seen Demetri angry before and he had never before raised his voice in my presence. Especially not directed at me. It caused my already trembling hands to shake even more, but I didn't back down. I had done the right thing. He just had to see that.

"They would have been killed if they hadn't, you heard them." I pleaded, tucking my hands under my legs.

"They will be killed anyway. If not by the Romanians then by us."

"Why?" I yelled. "Why can't they just live in peace? They bother no one. Why can't you just let them be?"

"Because Aro will know. No matter if they won't remember, Aro will know and he will punish them."

He finally turned my way, his red eyes ablaze. "You were sent here to procure information, Ariadne, not pass judgment. Your power doesn't give you the right to do as you please."

"And Aro's does?"

"Do not compare yourself to him." His hiss instantly silenced me.

He was right. My eyes widened, unshed tears causing pain behind my eyelids. What had I done? I used my power as I saw fit. Even trying to do the right thing, I still took away someones memories. I changed a persons views, took away their right to choose their own fate.

And yes, Aro would find out and he most likely would condemn the couple for their involvement. Only this time it would be so much worse, because they might never remember why they were being punished.