Jewel

32

Julie takes her time in standing up and stretching. It feels so good to stretch again. Adam wanted to make sure that she would be good so he didn't let her get up. Three days of strict bed rest. The first day wasn't so bad since she was asleep for the majority of it. Then yesterday, at least she had company that wasn't one of the boys to help her pass the time.

After showering she goes down the stairs. When she walks into the room all talking stops and everyone turns to her. "Oh, well if I'm going to interrupt I'll leave." Julie goes to leave.

"No, please, we just didn't expect you to come down. At least not yet, it's only just turned seven." Aaron is quick to say. Adam doesn't say anything just watches her. Julie has only ever gotten up this early when she was forced to and never on her own. 

Julie far less confident goes over to the counter and sits down. The cook gives her a warm smile and tells her how happy she is to see her finally up and about. 

"What day is it?" Julie has lost all track of time. She was kidnapped on Thursday and then was unconscious for a great deal of time.

"Wednesday," Alex's soft voice finally replies to her question. All the boys were there in the kitchen. Julie isn't sure if they've eaten already or are still needing to eat.

One of the maids goes over to Alex and he pulls her into his arms and starts feeding. Well that tells Julie what she didn't know.

One by one each of the boys takes a maid to feed from. Although she hears some sounds of pleasure there isn't the pleasure Adam had given the maid that first day.

"Are you boys upset or something?" Julie asks confused. She'd seen them feed many times and the maids are always more pleasured than they were that time.

"No," Adam says abruptly and gets up and leaves.

Julie pushes her plate away losing her appetite. She goes out the back door and escapes into the garden. She thinks more than ever that she should leave before she makes things even worse. The tension in the kitchen was bad, she's not sure how, but she knows that she's the cause of it.

"He's stressed right now about the rogue situation. He wants it safe for when you leave," Alex says coming out. She hadn't heard him but they always move silently and so she isn't startled.

"I think I am just making everything worse. I should have stayed home that night like I wanted too. If I hadn't let Judy manipulate me into going to the party, Adam wouldn't have met me and you all wouldn't-", Julie stops talking having to use all her force to not cry.

"I didn't use to cry," Julie says once she gets herself under control again. "My parents couldn't tolerate it. If I cried after they beat me, they'd beat me some more. I learned to not feel, not care. I yearned for love, more than anything. Craved it, craved acceptance Michelle gives me that, I think. But with Michelle comes Judy. 

"I was on my way to Michelle's house the day I was attacked and you saved me.

"If he had hit harder or in a different spot I would be dead now and you all wouldn't have to put up with me."

"It's not a matter of putting up with you, Jules, it's more a matter of you putting up with us. We aren't the easiest of people to live with. Not even other vampires like to be around us for long periods of time.

"You came into our lives like a blast of fresh air. We are old creatures. Old creatures have a hard time changing. You demanded we change, not be so manipulative, not use coercion, to over come our natural tendencies and look further than blood or sex." Alex smiles, "It's probably the first time Adam has ever had to work, really work for something. He's always been strong, charismatic and when he wants to be, charming.

"Here you come along and challenge everything. He can't coerce you. His charm and charisma, at best work spottily. Most people when they catch our scent are willing to follow us into deadly embrace. He tells me that you like his scent, yet you resisted."

"I didn't like it, I love it. If they bottled that I'd make sure to keep several bottles on hand at all times.

"But no matter how alluring his scent might be, it didn't outweigh the pain my parents would have given me had I missed curfew." Julie gives a bitter laugh, "In the end I received the pain anyway."

"Julie," Alex goes to her and pulls her into his arms. He didn't know details, only Adam and Aaron do but they all know that she'd been abused for most of her life.

Julie lets herself cry. When is she going to stop being such a baby? She hates it. "I come here and find safety. I find myself crying like a baby constantly and being a bitch."

Alex can't let her continue along those lines. He leans down and kisses her. He picks her up and she wraps her legs around him. 'Come back to my room with me?' Alex asks as he continues his kisses.

'What about the rules?' Julie asks him even as he finds a spot on her neck that makes her moan. 

At that reminder Alex pulls away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." Alex says but he holds her close to him so she doesn't get down.

"Are the days still divided between you brothers or is it no longer valid?"

"That's up to you. I have reserved my day for you hoping that you will want to spend it with me." Alex tells her.

"Do you have something planned?"

Alex shrugs, "Not really, but I thought if you would like we could get the horses and go back up to the waterfall. But if you'd prefer we could go into the city and go to the museums or the planetarium or aquarium. Adam also told me to offer to take you shopping, but then he laughed." Alex sounds confused by this.

"I hate shopping. He said that the next time he'll have one of you take me rather than suffer with me again."

"So, we could stay here or do whatever. Of course you don't have to spend it with me if you don't want to."

"Let's go back to the waterfall." Julie tells him smiling and Alex smiles back.