Venice: Jacob and Kira's Room

Jacob laughed as Alice gave him a little shove and smiled at Kira, his eyes bright and happy that she had decided to stay. If she had really wanted to go there was nothing he could have done to stop it but it made his heart flutter that she cared enough to listen.

" Cards sound like a great idea. Let's play poker and we can use......." he looked round and picked up a bowl that was on the coffee table. "And we can use this mints as betting chips."

Alice laughed, and nodded, hooking her arm around Jasper's to tug him towards the table. She pushed him gently into a chair and sat next to him, taking the cards out of the box, and starting to shuffle them.

"Are you three ready to lose?" she teased as she started to deal the cards.

Jacob went over to Kira and wrapped his arm around her waist, guiding her back to the table. Sitting down and pulling her into his lap.

" You have a unfair advantage, no cheating Alice." grinning at her, his arm still protectively wrapped around Kira.

Kira raised her eyebrow at Alice. "Lose?... So long as you don't cheat I'm going to whoop your ass." She giggled as Jacob wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to the table, sitting down and pulling her into his lap.

Jacob had his arm wrapped around her stomach and she relaxed into him, placing her hand on top of his as she leant her head back and placed her lips against his.

Alice giggled and grinned at them both. "Cheat? Please," she scoffed playfully, "I don't need to be psychic to read you all like book." She paused and her eyes flickered to Jasper, her grin widening playfully. "Including you, baby."

She noticed the way Jacob wrapped his arm around her stomach, and she wondered if maybe his subconscious knew. She couldn't help the warm smile that graced her face and she looked down at her cards.

Kira loved Alice's giggle, so muscial and beautiful as the sound reverberated around the room. Kira noticed Alice watching her and Jacob and frowned at her slightly, wondering what was going through her mind.

She smiled then, as she pulled herself together. "Alice, my darling... I have been playing poker since before I could walk and I can read you like a book, so you had better watch out."

She giggled as she stroked Jacob's hand which was still resting on her stomach, rubbing gentle circles against her as if trying to soothe her churning stomach, although she was feeling much better now.

Kira looked down at her cards, already having a straight flush, she immediately put her poker face into action, frowning as she looked at her cards, trying to make it seem like she didn't know what to do with them.

She smiled as she looked up at Alice. "Plus... Mint imperials are my favourite so I will definately be playing to win."

Alice laughed and stuck her tongue out at Kira. "Just try, babe," she teased, "I'll show you how it's done." She set the cards out, dealing the appropriate ones where they went before looking at her hand, her face masked emotionless, her usual smile replaced with a look of deep concentration, biting her bottom lip.

She had a 10-high straight flush in clubs and she looked up at Kira as she spoke. Another laugh escaped her and she pushed forward her bet. "How human of you," she teased before looking between Jasper and Jacob. "Boys?"

Jasper looked at his hand, his face straight and with no sign of emotion. It was average just three of kind but he could feel that despite the frown Kira had a good hand. He leaned back in his chair putting his arm to rest round the back of Alices chair, his arm round her shoulder. Playing with the the top of her shirt.

"I'm betting on Alice," his mouth curving into a smile

Alice giggled and hid her cards against her chest and leaned to Jasper, pressing a soft kiss on his lips before pulling back with a grin. "Good. You know better than to bet against me, baby," she teased.

Holding the cards in one hand, she dropped her other to his leg, stroking it innocently as she watched Kira and Jacob. "What's it going to be? Betting or folding?"

Jacob hand gently rubbed Kira's stomach as he looked at his cards. The hand was awful and even if it was good he doubted he would beat Alice and Jasper anyway, even if they did not use there abilities there faces gave nothing away.

He shook his head and laughed putting his cards down. "I fold, even without cheating it's impossible to beat you." His free hand indicating the face and chuckling.

Kira smiled as Jacob folded and gently stroked his hand which was still wrapped around her waist, stroking her stomach almost protectively. She looked down at her cards, already knowing what she would do but a small frown playing on her lips. "Hmmm." Her eyes flicked up at Alice who was smiling happily then they slid across to Jasper who was leaning back in his chair, his face set in stone. "I'll see you, Alice." She confirmed, placing two mints in the centre of the table.

Kira turned her head slightly and pressed her lips softly against Jacob's warm cheek, kissing along his face until she reached his ear, kissing just in front of it lightly before whispering to him. "I love you."

Alice laughed softly as Jacob folded, "Awww, giving up so soon, pup? I knew you were smart." Her hand caressed Jasper's leg slowly and her eyes shifted to Kira, watching her face intently. The look was fake, she could tell by the way her muscles tensed ever so slightly. It wouldn't have been noticeable to the human eye, but she could tell.

She arched her eyebrow as Kira pushed forward the mints before putting her cards down to show a 10-high straight flush in clubs - 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6. She looked to Kira, and smiled. "Let's see it."

Kira turned her face from Jacob, looking down at the cards on the table, the corners of her lips turned up into a smile for just a fraction of a second which Kira was sure Alice would pick up on, before she set her face back to how it was before.

Still not smiling she lay her cards on the table, Ace-high straight in hearts, only then did she smile.

Alice saw the twitch of Kira's lips and she knew she'd lost. As the cards were laid down, it was only a confirmation. She flicked one of the mints at Kira and growled at her - playfully. "Okay, you got lucky. But you're not beating me twice," she winked before turning to Jasper, hopeful.

"Please tell me you can beat that," she said, pointing to Kira's hand, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

Jasper shook his head, " I am afraid not Darling, I have only got 3 of a kind." Putting his cards down on the table and smiling.

" Well done Kira."

His free hand going to the Alice's hand on his leg and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Kira smiled at Jasper. "Why thank you, kind sir." She giggled as she picked up the mint Alice had flicked toward her and popped it into her mouth. "Mmm, yummy... Probably shouldn't eat the chips though." She laughed.

Kira's stomach lurched and she stood up from Jacob's lap and quickly kissed his forehead. "Deal me out... I'm going for a shower." She said hastily as she jogged into the bedroom, grabbing her iPod and travel speakers and some clothes then running into the bathroom.

She shut the door behind her, twisting the lock and pressing her back against it, her mouth shut tight as she focused on her breathing, willing herself not to be sick, she started feeling hot and clammy and pulled her clothes off quickly, stepping over to the shower and turning the water on, the sound of the water crashing down onto the tiles, drowning out the sounds from the other room.

She plugged her iPod into the speakers and turned the sound right up just before she ran to the toilet, crashing down on her knees as she was sick once more, praying she had done enough for Jacob to not hear her. She knew that Alice and Jasper would, damn vampire hearing, it was incredibly difficult to try to hide anything from them.

She prayed that neither of them would say anything to Jacob. She hated that she was feeling so rough, that she was ruining his holiday and knew that if he thought she was still ill then she would be confined to the hotel room for even longer.

She straightened up, her back against the wall, breathing hard as the sweat poured down her face. She waited a few more moments, making sure she was not about to be sick again before standing up and rinsing her mouth.

She reached for her toothbrush, which along with her make up was the only thing that had really been unpacked. She brushed her teeth for about ten minutes, trying hard to get rid of the taste.

She sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked pale and drawn. "Oh, Kira." She whispered to herself as she stepped away and climbed into the shower.

Alice looked at Kira as she rushed off and just as she started to deal the cards, she heard the thud. She knew Jasper heard it because his eyes flickered towards her, but Jacob didn't even flinch. "You know what? Deal me out, too. I need some girl time."

She stood and kissed Jasper as she passed him and made her way to the bathroom door. She turned the knob - locked. She bit her lip and twisted it a fraction harder than she would any other, satisfied when it came open. She stepped in and closed the door quickly, spotting a door-stop a few feet away, and shoving it under to avoid anyone else coming in.

She frowned at the sight of Kira and immediately rushed over to her. "Oh sweetie, are you okay?" she cooed, "sit down, you look like you're about to fall over."

Kira heard the door pop open and looked around to see Alice sliding a door stop against it. She stepped out of the shower toward her friend and grabbed a towel, wrapping it quickly around her dripping body. Alice's arms were instantly on her, helping her to sit down.

"Alice how did you...?" She began as her head spun. "Oh... Vampire strength."

Kira let her head fall back a litte, resting against the wall as she sighed heavily. "When's it going to stop, Alice? What's wrong with me?" She was starting to feel worse as the hours went on and she knew she had to make Jacob believe she was better, but how could she when she felt so weak, so drained. How could she pretend everything was fine and go about normal things when she had to keep running off to be sick?

Alice looked Kira, biting her lip. She wanted so badly to tell her, but she knew Jacob would be so upset to be left in the dark, and she was pretty sure Kira would want him to know on his own. She knelt next to Kira and cupped both hands around her neck, cooling her. "Does that feel better?"

She bit her lip, trying to find a way to answer her without giving it away. "Unfortunately, you've caught a bit of a bug, and it's going to take a while to get over, but you'll be just fine. And I promise I won't let you be stuck in here the rest of the time. Jacob or not Jacob."

Kira closed her eyes and sighed as Alice placed her cool hands around her neck, it almost felt like her icy fingers were drawing the heat right out of her body. "Much." She said with a smile.

She opened her eyes as she looked at Alice, her friends eyes almost sad, like she was hiding something. Kira looked at her perplexed for a moment before deciding that if it was anything Kira needed to know then she would have told her.

Her hands reached up to Alice's and gently removed them from her neck. She smiled at Alice as she stood up, her hand on the wall, steadying herself as she found her feet. "Thank you, Alice... I feel much better now." She said as she reached past Alice for her underwear, bra, jogging bottoms and hoody.

Alice smiled a little at Kira's sigh, knowing the coldness of her hands was helping. "Good," she nodded. She caught Kira's look and quickly masked her face - she couldn't give away any suspicions either. As Kira moved her hands away, Alice stepped back, but remained close enough to catch her if she stumbled.

"Of course, just let me know if there's anything I can do," she smiled. As Kira reached for her clothes, Alice stepped over to the door, removing the door-stop. "I'll let you get dressed. I'm right out here if you need me. I have to make sure the boys don't have too much fun without us," she winked before exiting the bathroom.

She made her way back to the table and plopped down in an empty chair. "So, who won?" she asked, as if nothing had happened.

"Thanks, Alice." Kira whispered as Alice left the bathroom, knowing her supernatural friend would hear her. As soon as Alice had closed the door behind her, as best as possible, Kira let the towel drop to the floor and dressed quickly.

She stepped over to the mirror again, looking at her reflection. She still looked pale and sickly. "This just won't do, Kira." She said to herself, sitting on the floor and pulling her make up box toward her.

She applied a heavy layer of make up to her face, Jacob would never notice how much, but Alice's eyes would. Kira smiled as she looked at herself in her hand held mirror. The make up had given her skin a soft glow, looking like she had colour in her cheeks, hopefully enough to fool Jacob into thinking that she was feeling better.

She stood up and hastily tied back her hair, clearing her throat and taking a deep breath. She disconnected the iPod and stepped out into the bedroom, smiling at everyone as she emerged. She placed her iPod back into her suitcase and walked over to her friends.

She smiled at Jacob as she settled in his lap, kissing him softly on the lips and grinning broadly at him. "Did you miss me?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Jacob laughed when Alice came over and flopped into a chair, "Who do you think won??" and Jasper grinned at him and he smiled, the blonde vampire was growing on him and he saw there was more to him than the fighter that had trained them. He could see why Alice loved him so much, he was.... nice.

Jacob eyes lit up when Kira walked back into the room. His arms wrapping round her waist immediately, fingers splayed across her tummy.

"Of course. Did you have a nice shower?? Your looking a bit better."

Kira smiled at him, her hand resting on top of his. "I had a lovely shower thank you... And what do you mean a bit better?" She giggled, poking him gently in the ribs with her free hand. "I feel absolutely amazing."

She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting Alice's as she grinned at her best friend, knowing that she would keep her secret. She turned her attention back to Jacob and pressed her lips softly against his.

Alice caught Kira's grin and gave her a confirming wink. She turned her attention to the cards and picked them all up with a laugh. "I'm sure you boys had a blast toge--" She trailed off as her eyes glazed over and images of Kira and Jacob bombarded her head. She squeaked and dropped the cards onto the table, slapping her hands over her eyes.

"Oh god!" she laughed, "Jasper, it's time to go."