The hunter slunk towards his prey. His jaw tightened as he prepared for the pounce. The doe was only going to live for a matter of moments.
An aweful screeching sound, my own screaming, filled the air as Emmett Cullen leapt onto his prey. As I saw him lasg out with his mouth I looked away. The screaming had now subsided. I looked back only to find the doe limp in my soon-to-be brother-in-law's lap. Emmett's head was turned down, his mouth thrashing about in the torso of the animal.
I clutched my stomach and fell to my knees as the smell of rust and salt reached my nose. As I stared at my trembling hands, a noise met my ears.
Suddenly there was a horrible sound of bones mashing together, Emmett's neck popping as he turned to look at me. I never could have imagined what I was seeing: his mouth covered in a shining dark-red liquid. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was blood. His mouth opened, and I flinched at the sight of his blood covered teeth.
"Come on, Bella! You almost ruined the kill for me. Now what do you think Edward would say if he saw that?" His voice was coated with a thin sheet of sarcasm, but was still tained with the fury of the hunt.
"Um... Um..." I could not think of anything to say. But suddenly I didn't need to say anything. The whole world faded. Emmett's face had been sparkling with the thick dark red blood was fading into the darkness. All I could see was a pair of golden eyes against the dark backdrop, suspended in the sky like a discolored star.
I forced my eyes shut, not wanting to see any more.
An angel voice was whispering beside my ear. "Bella... Bella? Carlisle, do you think she could stay out for much longer?" Worry was in the angel's voice.
"Oh, don't worry, Edward." The other angel sounded very sweet, and somehow familiar. How would I know an angel? "She's already awake. Aren't you, Bella?"
A humming sound was all that escaped my lips as my senses returned to my body. I could feel one of the angel's cool hands wrap around my own. The names of the angels finally came back to me. "Alice? Carlisle? Edward?"
"And Emmett!" This angel's deep sing-songy voice startled me. Who was this impostor "angel" that was shouting at me? Wait. Emmett! I thought. The vampire from my nightmare had returned. My eyes flew open as I sat up with shock.
"Ow." There was a throbbing in my head. I had hit something when I sat up. And the klutz returns. My hand shot up to my head as I had that thought. As I pulled my hand back, I could feel the hot, sticky liquid on my fingers.
I had to do something. "Get out of the room! Everyone but Carlisle, out!" I heard Emmett growl as he left the room, Alice restraining him.
Edward still clutched my hand as I heard someone rustling about in their bag. Carlisle in his medical bag, I realized with a sharp pang.
"Edward," I said softly. "Go. I don't want you to sacrifice your sanity." He let out a chuckle at that. Carlisle was now dabbing at my head using a towel with alcohol on it. The only reply I got from Edward was his hand tightening on mine; his cold skin felt heavenly against my searing palm. I tried to clear the black spots from my vision as the coldness of Edward's marble hand brought my mind back to the elegant house.
"Carlisle, let me handle it." His voice was as velvety as always. For a short moment nothing was touching my bleeding head, but then the patting came back, sweeter than before. Edward was humming my lullaby, my own song that he had written for me.
"What..." I tried sheepishly. "What did I hit my head on?" No one answered for a second or two.
"I am almost positive it was Emmett's arm." Edward trailed off. I gazed up into his distant eyes, squeezed his hand and held on tight. His head tilted towards mine. "He is upstairs," he continued, "thinking about how he almost lashed out at you."
"Tell him I'm sorry, please? I would do it myself, but I seem to be temporarily busy." My voice was near to self-pity. "Edward, would you please go tell him?"
He pursed his perfect lips, but kept the same patting tempo. "Bella, you know I will definately not leave you." Even though it hurt me to, I gave him a small smile of defeat.
I know, I mouthed after a few moments, still smiling.
"Well, I will go take care of Emmett for you, Bella. God knows I should give you two some time to yourselves," Carlisle said in a kind, fatherly tone. If he was to keep talking, he would have my undivided attention.
"Thank you, Carlisle." I tried to get up so I could give him a hug. But, as I had suspected, Edward held me down. I knew I would not be able to get up; I gave up quickly. There was no way I could win against him. It was probably for my own good that I was being restrained. I struggled for no apparent reason, looked to my left arm and to my right at the place where his hands het my upper arm. I looked to Carlisle and gave a sad attempt at a shrug. "Thanks again."
A smile lit up his flawless face as he nodded. I could not tear my eyes off him as he walked more slowly than normal up the stairs. But just as he reached the top and turned right, Edward's movement caught my attention. He was shuffling me around as gently as possible. I soon found myself propped up against one of the legs of his grand piano.
"So," I said as Edward lowered himself to my eye level. "Now that he hath rescused me from my prison tower, doth prince charming have a request?"
He smiled my half smile as he pinned my arms in his grip to my side. "Doth the princes hath anything planned for the prince?" he smirked. I smiled and rolled my eyes at his use of third person.
"I might hath one. Here is part one of my plan." He knew what I had in mind. I could not accomplish it, though, as I couldn't move. He saw me strain; I gave a try just in case he had loosened his grip. He hadn't. Why would he? I looked straight into his laughing eyes. He smirked again. Why must he enjoy my attempts? Suddenly his look softened, as did mine. His topaz eyes melted as we locked eyes. As usual, he took my breath away.
I was on the verge of hyperventalating. I took one long and deep breath. What I forgot about was his smell. It just made everything less bearable. I stared at him with pleasing eyes. Edward chuckled; as he smiled his crooked smile, I melted even more than before. He leaned forward until our faces were a few inches apart.
His icy lips pressed against mine. It was probably a good thing that he held my arms down. If he hadn't I most likely would have latched onto him, never to let go. To my own disappointment he drew back. After analyzing his face for a moment, I grinned. Edward released his grip on me, his left hand drifting down my arm to my own hand. He kept his hand on top of mine while with his other hand he resumed dabbing my head. I was thankful that he had stayed. I just felt bad for Alice and Emmett. Where were Jasper, Esme, and Rosalie? Oh, Emmett. What was I going to do about my dream? I had to tell Edward. Alice probably already knew about it, since I was planning. Edward would tell Carlisle. He would be able to help... I just didn't want to be afraid of Emmett....
With my free hand I grabbed Edward's. "Edward." I forgot what to say. "Um... You don't know why I freaked after seeing Emmett a few minutes ago, do you?" My voice became high with hysteria. I hung my head.
He pulled me against his chest, his arms around my waist. "Not quite, but if you give me a moment I could," he whispered. After a moment, his expression began to change rapidly, mostly ones of confusion and loathing. His face softened and he pulled me closer, if that was possible.
"Bella. Oh, Bella. Why do you have to have such an accurate imagination?" He stroked my hair.
"What are you trying to say?" I tried to look up at his eyes, but his firm hand on my head did not allow me.
"Well," his voice sounded melancholy. "I am trying to say that your imagination was correct: that is how Emmett hunts." He paused. "But the second half of your nightmare will not happen. You will not see Emmett hunt." I looked pointedly down at his left ring finger where his engagement ring was, reminding him of what would happen after our wedding. I returned my eyes to his. He was looking at his ring, though. "That is, you will not see him hunt while you are"--he grimaced--"human." He finished with a tight jaw. He had said that as if it had taken a great effort.
We had very different reactions. My eyes were sparkling, my mouth spread in a wide grin.
I realized that he was staring at me with an unreadable face. Sorry, I mouthed. My eyes pleaded for his forgiveness. The corners of his lips twitched in remorse. "Really, Edward, I am sorry." He sighed as he pulled his marble arms tighter around my waist.
"It is okay, my love." He kissed the top of my head. "I am sorry, as well." A traitor tear crawled down my cheek. I burried my face in his hard chest. "Oh, Bella. I did not mean to make you cry," he insisted as he put one of his hands on my neck. More tears flew down my cheek. I wrapped my arms around his waist, glad for a moment that he wasn't Jacob. He would have just made fun of me for tearing up. Thinking of Jake made me cry even more, of course.
Edward pulled back to look at my wet face. I closed my eyes peacefully as he wiped the tears off my face with the back of his hand. His topaz eyes stared me down. They suddenly bulged.
"Bella..." I had a slight idea about what he was about to say. "He will be okay." He squinted at the thought. "Seth said that the mongrel"--it was my turn to stare him down--"had only been gone for a week, two weeks tops." I sulked. Yes, I thought, exactly what I was prepared for. I breathed in heavily.
"I am ready." He looked at me, puzzled. "I am ready. I will wear my engagement ring." I could not believe I was doing this. Edward's face lit up.
"Really? Bella!" He picked me up, arms still around my waist, and spun me around like a small child at play. "Yes! Thank you, Bella!" With no warning, he kissed me. He did not restrain himself at all. I was surprised. He parted his lips slowly and I breathed in his scent, so heavenly to me. I knew he did not have to breathe, but I did. After a minute, I had to. For the first time, I was the one to stop a kiss.
I hadn't fainted on top of him. But now I was getting light-headed, whether from the kiss, his eyes staring at me in exhilaration, the news that I would wear his ring, or the blood now flowing down my head. I looked at Edward and his eyes were sparkling. As soon as he saw and smelled the blood on my forehead, his chest stopped heaving. His eyes went wild. The small trickle was headed towards my nose, and I could already smell the rust and salt.
My eyes started to drift closed. I was blinking more slowly now.
"Carlisle," he hissed in a normal volume. I blinked once more and saw Carlisle arrive. He stood behind Edward. I collapsed and fell dreamily into the black specks covering my eyes. I fell against his body, into his arms.