The Life We Live

Chapter 12

Pairing: Bella / Leah

Rating: T for Language and Content - Subject to Change

Luckily it didn't take long for me to arrange our flight details. The benefit of being centuries old and having more money than I knew what to do with I suppose. I managed to get Leah and I first class tickets that left Port Angeles airport. I was glad that her mom and Sam had pushed her to come. I really did want her to experience more of my world; my life. Greece was the first home and would always have a special place in my heart. Being able to share that with my mate was going to be amazing.

So early Saturday morning, my mate turned up at my doorstep, seven o'clock in the morning, all ready to go. Though it did look like she wasn't ready to be up. "Not a morning person I see." Leah groaned.

"You have no idea. You're lucky you're my mate and that I really want to go with you." I just snorted.

"Oh please. It's not that bad. At least I didn't book a flight that required us to be at the airport at four in the morning." She cringed but didn't complain about our flight time further. We planned on taking my car since I didn't really care about leaving it at the airport for however long it was going to be. I didn't have a horribly expensive one though it wasn't like I could afford it. I generally preferred the simple things in life.

I grabbed Leah's bags and put them in the trunk of my car, next to the stuff I had put in there the night before as my mate hopped into the passenger's seat. I fished my keys out of my pocket as I got into the driver's seat and started the engine. "It'll be about an hour drive, so if you want to nap, feel free." Though she shook her head at the offer.

"Nah. If you're going to be awake driving, the least I should do is keep you company." I laughed, though appreciated the gesture.

"You sure?" I ask as she nodded.

"Of course." I smiled before backing out of my driveway and headed out of town.

As I was driving, Leah kept her promise of company. "So, what should I expect when we land?" She asked me.

"There should be someone at the airport to meet us, I'm not entirely sure on who, though. We'll first be making a stop at the council buildings, you know, to do some research, get settled in. I have a room there whenever I need it, so I didn't have to book a hotel room, which was nice. Less planning that way." Leah laughed. "I hope you don't mind sharing," I said, nonchalantly.

She shook her head. "Nope, I don't mind. You are my mate after all, aren't you?" She teased.

"Yup," I said, popping the P. "I was thinking that we might take a couple of extra days to sightsee. You know, Greece has some amazing architecture and history." I could see Leah grin through the corner of my eye.

"Because I totally don't have a fountain of historical knowledge sitting in the driver's seat of this car," She said sarcastically.

"Hey, there's a huge difference between me telling you about these places and you actually seeing them in person." I defended. She chuckled, resting a hand on my leg.

"I'm just teasing Bella. Don't worry, I'm sure it'll be fun." I playfully shook my head, but couldn't have been more over the moon that my mate wanted to partake in my life and my world.

I parked my car in the parking garage before popping the truck to grab our stuff, though Leah had beaten me to it. She had already grabbed her luggage and was waiting for me to get my stuff. I hadn't really packed a whole lot since I still had a room at the council building. I stored a lot of personal stuff there that I didn't want to have to lug around with me when I traveled. I had just brought a few necessities like a couple changes of clothes, my toothbrush and a few other odds and ends.

"That's really all you're bringing?" Leah asked me, a little incredulously. I just shrugged.

"I don't need much. I've got stuff where we'll be staying." My mate nodded in understanding. She had brought a small, rolling suitcase and a carry on backpack with her while I just had a sizeable rucksack with me. I remembered to lock my car before we headed into the airport.

BREAK

After standing in long lines, being double and triple security checked, we were finally at the gate, waiting for our flight to board. Leah and I were just sitting by a window, watching planes land and take off. "I can't actually believe that I'm actually leaving the state, even the country." I laughed.

"Well, as my mate, you're going to have to get used to it. I travel a lot." Leah's eyes brightened a little bit.

"You know, that was always my dream. Grow up, get a job that would have me travel so I could see the world. Though, you know all of that changed when I shifted." She said with a sigh.

"It can still be your dream. You know I want you to come with me." Leah rested her head on my shoulder.

"I know," She whispered to me. I laid my head on top of hers as we sat in silence, staring out the window next to us.

Before long they began calling our flight to board. Of course, having gotten first class, we were able to board first. The steward greeted us warmly as we took our seats. As we waited for the rest of the passengers to get situated, I just sat back in my seat, relaxing. I tended to sleep on plane rides as much as I could. Helped slightly with the jetlag. Though only slightly.

The pilot announced that we would be taking off soon and told us to take our seats and buckle our seatbelts. Mine was already clicked into place, but I hear a few other passengers in the cabin snap theirs together. And without further ado, we were off. It was an approximately thirteen-hour flight to Greece, so Leah and I settled in. We were in for a long day.

Leah and I amused ourselves watching a couple of onboard movies before both managing to get a few hours of sleep. For someone who said she's never flown, she has it down to quite the science. Or maybe she was just following my lead. But whatever the reason, when our pilot said we would be touching down in Greece on time, both of us prepared for landing. I grabbed my mate's hand. "This is going to be great." She gave me an encouraging grin as we squeezed my hand.

"I know it will. I really am excited to see everything you have to show me." I felt my stomach drop a little bit as we descended to the runway in Athens. Of course it was a little while before we got clearance to exit the plane, so Leah and I gathered up our carryon bags and waited around.

Thankfully it didn't take too long to get off the plane and search for our guide. As we stepped onto the gate I looked around for someone I might recognize. When I didn't see anyone, I took a deep whiff. I smelt something supernatural, but with the great concentration of humans around, I couldn't quite pinpoint who or what it was.

"You know who we're waiting for?" Leah whispered to me. Though before I had the chance to answer, a young woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties approached us.

"Bella!" I furrowed my brow a little bit, not recognizing who had approached us. She must've seen the confusion on my face because she shook her head, amused. "It's been too long since you've been home, amico mio. Don't you recognize your ol' pal?" The italian accent started to jog my memory.

"Siemera? Is that you?" I asked, dumbfounded. She nodded as I grinned, pulling her into a hug.

"Drago! It's been too long. You've changed." She laughed.

"As I said it's been too long. Are you going to introduce me to your friend?" She asked, gesturing to my mate who looked a little awkward.

"Of course." I let Siemera go, wrapping an arm around Leah's waist. "This is my mate, Leah. She's a shifter from the Quileute tribe on the Olympic Peninsula.

"You mated and you didn't tell me!" I shrugged.

"It hadn't crossed my mind. This is still sort of new for me." I said sheepishly. She rolled her eyes before addressing the woman at my side.

"It is good to meet you, Leah. I am Siemera, the council sent me to escort you to the ruins." She said bowing her head slightly. Leah didn't really know how to respond, so she just nodded. "Come, let's grab your bags and get going. I have a car waiting out front for us."

I grabbed Leah's hand, entwining our fingers before half dragging her over to the luggage claim to get her suitcase. "Not to be rude, but what exactly are you?" Leah asked hesitantly. I could tell she was really apologetic about asking, but I couldn't fault her for her curiosity. Siemera just laughed.

"I can see that Bella neglected to tell you anything about me. I'm almost offended my friend." She feigned offense. "I, my lady, am a dragon." Leah looked a little surprised though our escort laughed. "Yes, most people have the same reaction. I have been the council protector for centuries."

"Well, I'm sort of new in this whole supernatural world. Can't say I've met a dragon before." She said with a shrug, watching for her bag to come around.

"We're not the most common species anymore. We once ruled the skies, but the humans hunted us to near extinction." Leah gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, that must be hard." She just waved my mate off.

"It is but I have a family here. The council takes care of me as their own and my fellow protecters are like my siblings." Leah nodded, obviously understanding that from her connection with the pack, as strained as it was.

I saw Leah's stuff come around and grabbed it before my mate noticed. "Got your stuff, ready?" She smiled and nodded. I looked to my draconic friend. "Well? You heard the lady, chop chop." Siemera slapped me on the shoulder with a little force, enough that I actually felt it.

"C'mon you idiot. Let's go." I laughed, following her to the car, my mate's hand still in mine.

The council ruins were on the outskirts of Athens, out of the way of most tourists. Though even if any came across the ruins, they wouldn't explore it further. The council had placed a powerful magic on the entrance so that any human who got too close would simply turn around and walk away. Though Leah, never having been here before was a little underwhelmed. "This is the entrance?" She whispered in my ear. I nodded.

"In the supernatural world, looks can be deceiving. I'd figured you knew this already." She shrugged, but apparently took my word for it, not pushing the subject further.

"Prepare to be amazed Leah," Siemera said as she placed a hand into a hidden imprint in the wall. My mate's jaw dropped as the stone wall pulled back, revealing a set of stairs down into the bowels of the ruins. Siemera went down first and I pulled my mate down the stairs with me.

At the bottom of the stairs was a simple wooden door. The dragon in front of us opened the door and gestured for us to walk into the council entryway. Leah looked up and took everything in around her, my mate's jaw nearly on the floor. I chuckled a little bit. I admit, I had been the same way my first visit to the building.

The council buildings had retained the ancient Greek architecture they had been founded with, though, over the centuries, we had integrated all new technology and art into them. The ceiling towered above us in an impressive dome shape. As my mate stared above us and around the entrance, Siemera approached me.

"Thanatos wishes to see you when you have a chance. And I think he'd probably want to meet your mate as well." I laughed. He was like a second father to me, of course, he'd want to meet her. "I need to attend to some things, though don't you dare leave without at least saying goodbye, like last time." She scolded me.

"I promise. I don't think my mate would let me just high-tail it out of here without a farewell anyways." I said. My friend smirked.

"You are so whipped already, aren't you?" I huffed, though didn't deny it. I knew I was. "Leah, keep this one in check will you? She can be a handful." My mate turned her attention to us.

"I don't know, I think she's sweet," Leah said, kissing me on the cheek. I blushed a little bit as Siemera looked at us, dumbfounded.

"Either you really have her fooled Bella, or you've gone soft." I rolled my eyes at the jab. "I'll see you two later," She said before walking off. Leah turned to me.

"She's…"

"One of a kind." I finished and my mate nodded, laughing a little.

"Indeed. Well, I guess we should drop our stuff in my room before heading to the library. I'd rather get this reserach out the way so we can have the rest of our time here to sightseeing." Leah nodded.

"Well, lead the way then." I snorted, grabbing her stuff leading her to the Dux Ducis rooming area. Each of us had a room at the council buildings though rarely did any of us stay here for an extended amount of time. We reached a dark wooden door, my symbol etched on the door; a black puff of smoke. I turned the knob to reveal a fairly sizeable room, much larger than my room back in Forks.

"Nice lodgings Bella." My mate said, stepping into the room after me, observing our surroundings. I had an old style four poster bed in the middle of the room, a small desk pushed into one corner of the room. I had a few books and scrolls scattered around the room. A few old knick knacks I had acquired over the centuries sat on my dresser and side table. I set Leah's suitcase at the foot of my bed.

"They're okay. Probably a little dusty. I haven't spent time here in decades." I said with a shrug. My mate sat down on my bed, patting the place next to her. I gave her a questioning look but sat next to her anyways.

"So, what's our game plan while we're here?" She questioned.

"Well, as I said, I'd like to get this research out of the way first. One because I don't want to worry about it for the rest of the trip and two because it is kind of critical to have an idea of what we're dealing with." She nodded. "Then Siemera told me that Thanatos wants to meet with me, and consequently you." I could tell by the look on my mate's face that she immediately felt nervous at the mention of my mentor.

"You have nothing to worry about. You're my mate, he knows better than to do anything to you." I said seriously. She bit her lip.

"I know, but that doesn't make it any less nerve-wracking." She nervously laughed.

"I know, but really. Thanatos might seem scary but he's nothing more than a big wuss with people he considers family, and you are family."

"I've never even met him." She protested.

"You're my mate, you're family by extension. Like in the pack, our bond is sacred and to be respected. Not even he would violate that." I said, trying to give her peace of mind. That seemed to relieve some of the pressure, but I could tell all of it didn't go. Though I didn't exactly blame her. I'd feel the same way meeting her mom.

"I just hope he likes me." I reached up to touch Leah's' face, turning it to face me.

"Of course he will. And if he doesn't I'll pound his ass into the ground." I said, only half joking. He'd be a dead man if he did anything to upset my mate.

"I know you will. That's what I'm worried about." I raised an eyebrow in confusion. She continued. "I just don't want to come between anything." I almost found her insecurity cute, but then again, it almost infuriated me.

"You won't. You know I'd choose you over anything else in my life, right?" She shyly nodded. "Then please, don't worry about coming in between anything. You're my mate. I've waited centuries for you. I'm not going to let anything, not Jacob, not Paul, nothing, come between us." This seemed to brighten up my mate's face, thankfully. She hesitantly wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer to her.

"I know it's tiresome to listen to my insecurities, Bella. I just… I don't know. It's irrational. It's kind of stupid. Sometimes I just feel like I like you far more than you like me." She admitted to me. My heart hurt a little bit to hear that. But at the same time, I was delighted to hear that her feelings seemed to run that deep for me.

"Maybe this trip will be good for us then. Just you and me. I promise you before we go home, you'll know just how much I lo.. like you." I almost said, love. And honestly, I planned to tell her before we went home. But now wasn't the right time. It would be soon, though.

A/N: Uh. Sorry. Finally updated. I was working on my Pitch Perfect story and juggling school at the same time, so this kind of took the backseat to that. Anyways, we're finally in Greece, should be some fun.

I'm not at all happy with my characterization of Leah since I've come back to writing this story. I feel like I'm making her way too insecure than she should be. I honest to god think it's because Beca Mitchell is bleeding into this story. One of the hazards of writing two stories at once I guess. Especially two soulmate stories with completely different ideas of what that means. Oops. Sorry if that's frustrating to anyone. But now that's how I've written her, I feel like I kind of have to keep to it. Or at least have a good way to get her over it. Which will probably happen within the next couple of chapters.

Anyways, yeah. I don't have a lot to say about this besides I wrote this while not paying attention in my accounting class, so if there are mistakes I blame that. Ha. All mistakes are mine, leave a review if you want. Thanks.

A Charmed Vampire