A/N This was my entry for the TwiNetwork Iron Pen Japan edition.
SM owns, I decided to have a little fun.
Run
'Bella? Are you alright?' I heard a soft voice whisper.
I opened my eyes, squinting as the harsh light from the overhead light stung my eyes. My head was throbbing slightly and I felt sore all over.
When my eyes had adjusted a little, I took in my surroundings. I appeared to be in a storage room of some sort. Next, I looked in the direction of the familiar voice and was shocked at the sight before me.
Edward was slumped on the ground a few feet away in an awkward position. But what was even more disturbing, was the way his face was covered in blood and bruises. I gasped in horror and instinctively moved to reach him, taking care of him.
Except that I couldn't.
I tried to move my arms and legs, trying to scramble to my feet. After a few moments and some frustrated grunts, I realized I was immobilized. My ankles were tied together with a thick rope, and behind my back I felt the plastic of a tie-rip cutting into my wrists. Once that had registered, everything came rushing back into my memory.
Last night – or the night before, I wasn't sure; I had lost track of time – as we were driving home from a romantic dinner in Port Angeles, Edward and I had spotted a car on the side of the road. It was dark and we were in the middle of nowhere on the 101. We had slowed down and noticed a young woman standing next to the car, looking lost. Of course, we pulled over. My father was a retired cop, and Edward's father was a doctor; we had learned to help people when they were in need.
Everything happened so fast after that. We had barely gotten out of the car to ask her if she needed our assistance, when out of the darkness, a dark van pulled up, with two men jumping out of them. I had been taking karate lessons since I was a little girl, but this was so sudden, I didn't have time to process it all and defend myself. A sharp blow to my head further prevented any action on my part.
That also explained my headache.
'Ugh, I'm okay, I think,' I groaned. 'You?'
But before he could respond, the door opened and a man barged in, a cell phone stuck to his ear.
'Alright, we'll be there in an hour,' he answered in a clipped tone.
I recognized him as Felix, one of the doormen of La Tua Cantante, a jazz night club we went to on occasion. It was really one of the few places people our age could go to on the weekend without having to drive all the way to Seattle.
What was he doing here? And why were we tied up?
My questions were soon answered, though.
'Alec, go get the van,' he ordered to someone in the other room. 'Demetri, come help me with these two. Jane wants them moved. This cabin is too close to hikers and hunters. We don't want to be found out before his parents can come up with the money they owe Aro.'
He pulled Edward to his feet and removed the rope from around his ankles while keeping a firm grip on his arms. Another man came in, Demetri, one of the bartenders, and he yanked me up.
By now, I was fully alert and my survival instincts were starting to resurface. Whatever had happened, we were being moved. This might be our chance to break free.
'I'm sorry,' I asked tentatively, gaining Demetri's attention. 'I really need to use the bathroom.'
He looked at Felix, who shrugged.
'Fine,' he grumbled, and tugged me out the door and across the hall to a bathroom, pushing me in and looking at me expectantly.
'Uhm, I'm gonna need to use my hands…' I trailed off.
He moved behind me and cut the tie-rip, freeing my wrists. I didn't hesitate and cupped his groin through his pants. This caught him by surprise, while I tried my hardest to swallow the bile that was rising in my throat at what I was about to do.
In my mind, I heard the voice of my karate teacher, Jasper, as he explained to me the principle of 'ganbatte'.
'It means to do the best you can using whatever you have at your disposal. It's also meant as an encouragement.'
I focused on the first part of his explanation. I needed to do whatever I could, by whatever means I had available. Right now, that was my body, and the way Demetri reacted to my touch.
Naturally, he was surprised at my actions. But I had also seen the way he sometimes looked at me when I was at the club. It was obvious he was attracted to me, and his growing erection confirmed that. I turned around and looked up at him through my lashes.
'I… I thought… bathroom?' he stammered.
'No, I just wanted a moment alone with you,' I replied in what I hoped would sound as a seductive voice. 'I've been watching you at the club and I just can't help myself. Besides, this whole situation isn't really my problem, now is it? It's the Cullens', and I'm not a Cullen.'
Yet, I thought deliberately.
All the while, I kept stroking him through his pants and after a few moments, he gave in to my touch, reaching out his hands to knead my breasts.
'What do you want to do to me?' I whispered in his ear.
'Damn, Bella, I… fuck me!' he moaned.
I started opening the button and zipper on his pants, willing away the sickening feeling in my stomach. I had to do this, it was our only chance at the moment.
'What the hell is taking so long, Demetri?' Felix' voice boomed.
This is it, I thought. No turning back now.
Taking full advantage of his distraction, I tightened my grip on his groin and twisted my hand, making him bend over, crying out in pain. I followed with a quick kick to his stomach and an elbow between his shoulder blades. He was sufficiently incapacitated for now.
Felix rushed in at the noise, but I managed to squeeze passed him, taking Demetri's knife with me, and quickly cut Edward's tie-rip from around his wrist.
'Run!' I whispered to him. 'Ganbatte. I love you. I'm following.'
Edward looked at me, surprise obvious on his face. Then my words sunk in and he understood.