"JASPER" Alice's high pitched scream echoed through the enclosed area.
She threw herself in front of the man she loved and the man she cared so deeply about. She had made her choice long before Adrian had made his and she would follow through. Alice ripped the blade from Adrian's hand and ran it through his lower abdomen. Her heart broke as she saw his white eyes open widely and fade to blue.
Adrian dropped to his knees and looked down to where the blade protruded from his skin. He felt dizzy and confused but no pain. He could have sworn that Alice had been the one to stab him but this was impossible. Alice loved him, he was sure of that. She would never do this to him. He coughed, blood splattering across the dark asphalt. He felt the front of his t-shirt begin to soak with the thick red liquid. Then it hit him, a pain so intense that he could hardly breathe. He began to gasp and gulped into the night air as he fell forward onto his hands. Adrian lifted his head when he heard the deep, booming laugh. The tall, muscular, blonde vampire was moving closer to him, a smile on his face. Although Alice still stood between them, he suddenly felt very unsafe.
"Alice." He gasped. "Alice, please."
"Adrian, I'm sorry" Alice dropped to her knees next to him, trying not to inhale the scent of his blood that now filled the small area. "Adrian, I'm so sorry. I couldn't let you kill Jasper. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Adrian coughed again, eyes still fixed on the one called Jasper. "Alice, please."
She pried her eyes away from her wounded friend and looked into the hungry, monstrous eyes of the man she loved. It was then that the vision hit her. Jasper planned to drain Adrian's blood. He didn't want to waste such a perfect opportunity to have human blood in his system.
"Jasper, go home." Alice yelled. "You're not touching him."
"Alice," Jasper's deep, black eyes flickered towards her for a short moment before moving back to his prey, "if he dies, his blood will cool. If we take him now, just imagine it."
"No, Jasper! Go home!" She pushed herself up into a crouching position and prepared to pounce if she needed to. "You will not kill him."
"Alice," Jasper pleaded "it's still fresh. You can smell it. You can't tell me you don't want it just as much."
Her eyes traveled back to Adrian. He was on his side now, pressing his hand to his stomach trying to slow the blood. He looked helpless for the first time since she'd met him. He had still had fight in him when she'd saved him from Iris but now it seemed all hope had left him. The aroma of his blood hit her nostrils and she suddenly felt the thirst fill her throat. She felt the dull ache of hunger deep inside of her. She saw herself along with Jasper bent over his body, draining him and satisfying the thirst that no amount of hunting in the forest ever could. She saw herself, a monster, feeding off her friend; a man who loved her almost as much as Jasper.
Alice looked back at Jasper, her eyes much darker than they had been before. "You smell it?" he smiled at her, "Tell me you smell that."
"You will not touch him!" Alice growled as she bent over Adrian's limp body, his eyes now closed. She lowered her lips to his ear and whispered, "You're safe."
"What have you done?" Alice recognized Gabe's voice before she saw him standing under the glowing light of the street lamp. "You've killed him. How could you kill him?"
"No, Gabe, it's not like that." Alice tried to plead with him. "He's not dead. We need to get him to…"
Gabe lunged toward her before she could finish her sentence. His eyes were a terrible white, filled with anger and the need for revenge. He charged towards her with every intention of making her paid for killing his best friend. He reached for his blade when the force of Jasper's body plowed into him. Gabe flew back against the wall but he was too determined to stay down for long. This time, he targeted the blonde vampire who'd just interfered in his attack. Gabe soared through the air, his blade held high, then crumpled to the ground when Jasper's hands found his neck.
Alice stared in horror at what had just taken place in front of her eyes. Gabe was dead. She looked back and forth between Jasper and Adrian, trying to decide what to do next. She could hear the raspy, struggled breathing of her friend as she sat on her knees next to him. She knew he wouldn't last much longer without medical attention. She lowered her eyes back on Adrian and now noticed that his hand was wrapped around hers. He smiled weakly up at her.
"Alice, I'm sorry." He choked out. "I really do love you."
"I know, Adrian, I know." She ran her free hand through his hair and spoke softly to him.
She started to push herself off the ground to go find help for him when his grip tightened. "Please, don't go." He whispered.
"Adrian, I have to get you help." She protested
"I won't be much longer. Just stay." He tried to laugh.
Alice sat with him as the minutes passed. She watched as his breathing became more struggled. She tried to comfort him as he flinched in pain with every breath of air he tried to take. She hated herself for this but there was no other way, life would have been pointless without Jasper. But what will it be without Adrian? She thought to herself. And she saw it, a life of regret, remorse, and self hatred. I deserve to live that way.
Fifteen minute had passed and Adrian still held on. He was in so much pain. Why didn't he just let go? Alice lowered her lips to his and tried not to let her hunger consumer her. She kissed him gently, tasting the blood that lined his mouth and pulled back to his ear to free him from anymore struggles.
"I forgive you, Adrian. I love you."
Alice looked down into his beautiful blue eyes. They stared back at her, empty and free. His chest no longer rose and fell with each ragged breath. His fingers loosened around hers. His body laid relaxed and painless. His face wore a small smile from the sound of her words in his ear but his soul was gone.
Alice Cullen had killed Adrian Daniels, the man who'd spared her on many occasions and she would never forget what she'd done.