-1
At first, I had forgotten how badly it hurt. Nearly two years since I last felt that kind of pain, and with Edwards refusal to leave my side for more than two hours since that day in Volterra, how could I not have forgotten?
It felt like a fire slowly consuming my body, the hot flames lapping at my flesh with a ferocious hunger. How badly I wanted to be outside, back in Forks, where it seemed to always rain, so it would quell the blaze that seemed buried within my skin.
But more painful than the blistering inferno was the fact I could not see, hear, or feel my Angel; my Edward. Where was he? I knew I knew, but my mind was so preoccupied with concentrating on the pain, I could not seem to recall. How I wished he was holding me right now. I knew his icy skin would dull the flames.
An aching shudder ran up my spine, which was arched in sickening pain, and sent the flames in a frenzy. I was sure my limbs would fall off to lie beside me as shriveled, dried sticks. I think I may have let out a scream, but I wasn't sure. How could I be? How could I lock my concentration on anything right now? I couldn't.
I opened my eyes, surprised to find out they had been closed, and a sea of bronze hair engulfed my weakened vision. Edward… My mind may have never been more detached- except from maybe those months that passed while Edward had left me- but I knew, I Iknew who's lovely hair that was.
"Edward…" The name spoken felt so wonderful. It was like an sedative for the fire, dulling it; clearing up my muddled mind a bit. I drew long, shaky breaths through my nostrils, inhaling his intoxicating scent.
His cold, hard hand stroked my forehead softly. A soft moan escaped my lips, the tears that had been held captive by my pale lids spilling out of the sides of my eyes. I felt his thumb wipe a few away.
He brought his mouth close to my ear. I felt my heart stutter and then revive itself, beating so furiously against my ribs I thought it would burst through. My breath caught, and all pain vanished momentarily when he began to hum my lullaby into my ear, with that angelic velvet voice of his.
He placed small kisses all over my face, without stopping the melody I so loved to hear. Time seemed to stand still as he pressed his icy, smooth-as-glass lips to my own. I wanted to pull him closer, honestly I did. But the pain- though oblivious to my mind, entrapped by this beautiful angel- was still flowing like poison throughout my veins. It made me horribly weak. I tried lifting my arm, but it would not budge.
Against my lips he murmured, "Bella… I'm so sorry… But I have to go now… You're going to make it, Bella… You're going to pull through with this, but you'll have to do it on your own…" I felt him pull away from me, rather jerkily, an instant later. I gasped for breath, my eyes snapping open and expecting to see him standing above me again. He was not, though.
I felt a tidal wave of pain drag me under, cutting off my air supply. I heard a bloodcurdling scream, inhuman and disturbing. Even as I drowned in my hurt, I wondered where it came from. A minute went by and more of these screams filled me. Then I realized they were coming from me.
From that moment on, I knew I was going to die.