Chapter 1.
I look at him standing there, begging me to give him a chance.
"Jake, I'm broken, I'm not easy."
"Please, just let me take care of you Bells."
A tear finds its way down my cold cheek as I look up at him and nod my head. Shivering, I try rising to my feet. The sand is hard and cold. All I want right now is a bed; to sleep and forget all the stupid choices I made today.
"The others will find her Bella, she won't make it far, Sam won't let her."
A familiar worry wrinkle is forming on Jakes forhead. I try to smile weekly as he wraps his arm around my waist. Suddenly his tanned face starts to fade in and out like a mirrage on a brutally hot day. A thin layer of mist starts to cloud my vision.
"I'm cold Jake, my...my leg... it hurts..."
Blackness.
A thousand waves of red hot pain are washing over me. Never ending waves crashing over me. I feel tears escaping the corners of my eyes, but I can't move. I hear his voice... Then darkness again...
When my eyes snap open I know something is wrong. Slowly I sit up taking in my surroundings. Jake is laying beside me with his face down on the quilt, that is covering me in his small bed. Then, I smell it, faintly, wet dog.
My brain still feels a little hazy. Everything is so silent. There is a glass of water by bed. I grab it and try to sip it, but it tastes bitter.
"Ugh." I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
Jakes head snaps up, "Bella?!"
His eyes are so wide and frightened.
"Jake?" I jump slightly "What's going on?!"
I clench the blanket in my hands. "I'm so thirsty Jake."
I can hear the small whine in my voice, I dont even care; my body is alive with thirst.
"Don't move Bella." Jakes eyes plead with me to stay put.
He dashes out of the room. I can hear him frantically whispering. I hear Billy's calloused hands skimming the wheels of his chair as he approaches the room. How am I hearing this? Billy approaches the doorway never taking his eyes off me. I can feel a tightening and burning in my throat and nose. Billy's eyebrows lift slightly at the sight of me.
"Bella, you have heard the history of our people, you know who we are, and what we are."
I nod slowly. My throat is burning. As if sensing my discomfort, Billy backs up his chair.
"Victoria attacked you on the water after you jumped off the cliff, Jake was able to jump in and drag you to shore, but, Victoria, she bit your leg Bella."
I squeeze my eyes shut and reach my hand hesitantly under the quilt, I feel the ice cold scar on my leg.
"W-what?"
I cant take it anymore. Jumping from the bed, I push past them into the hallway. Jake winces as my shoulder bangs against him. Even though he towers above me.
I run into the bathroom, it's pitch black. I smell toothpaste and lemon cleaner. Fumbling, I reach for the light switch. Light floods the tiny room. Looking back at me in the mirror are eyes of the deepest red.