Edward looked at me, expectant. "Are you going to?" he pressed. "You said you would…"
I looked at him and shivered despite the heat in front of me threatening to choke me with its devilish strength. "I…you can't be serious. It was a hyperbole…"
His mouth tightened with irritation. "Bella…you said you'd be willing. Do you not understand the false strength of your words when you don't mean them?"
I was getting sick of this dumb phase he had been going through for a month now. Did he really expect me to walk through fire just because I mentioned in the second book I wrote on our love I would do this? Was he mental?
Well, of course. Vampires were all mental. I knew that and I still wanted to be one. I was a bit embarrassed to recall in my fourth book, I pretended he actually agreed to change me into one, but it was a lie. Edward was so deplorably stubborn; of course he still hadn't backed down. But he had no right testing my love like this, vampire or not.
"What if I die?" I demanded in an almost strangled whisper.
"You are not going to die," he informed me coldly. I saw something I didn't quite like in his eyes. A beady challenge.
"I'm human, idiot," I reminded him, staring him down and waiting for him to crack, remind me he loved me, muse over my scent, and yank me into his arms with a kiss of adoration.
No such luck.
His eyes were filled with icy venom. "Bella, if you want to be a vampire, you will do this. If you want to be my love, you will do this. It is your choice," he added offhandedly, "but I am beginning to doubt you know the true meaning of love."
My heart ripped hearing his words. I could understand how he could doubt any other girl…but me? How could Edward doubt my love?
Trembling, I stepped closer to the fire filling the hall between Edward and me. The fire had already begun traveling lazily out of the hall, but it wasn't too bad just then. Anyway, Edward would use his speed to put the flames out quickly when I had satisfied him enough.
But I, a mere mortal, could die by doing this.
I gulped, turned toward the wall furthest from the flames, and strode determinedly. When I got to my destination, I spun, briefly touching the wall with my back, and prepared to run.
"No, Bella. You said walk," Edward reminded me quite rudely. "I can see you positioning your legs for a gallop. But you said you'd walk through."
I bit back an irritable groan. "And you're not worrying about me dying?"
His smile was only heard as the flames rose and hid his face from my sight. "I've saved you enough times. Now it's time for you to do something for my amusement."
I almost cursed hearing those words. "I wasn't entertained by that. Just grateful."
"Bella, Bella, Bella. To the contrary," he said dryly as the flames began licking the walls of the room I was in, making me itch to race out the front door, which was safely on the wall behind me. Yet, I had to prove Edward wrong… "I saw that look in your eyes when I saved you. All those times. You talk big, but I saw it. You LOVED it."
My nostrils flared. "Of course I loved it. I am a girl, you twit!"
"Well, it made me feel demeaned and underappreciated. The way you didn't try not to venture into situations where I had to rescue you. And now it's time you do something for me."
"I never did that stuff on purpose!" I nearly yelled. Hastily, I forced myself to calm down. "I never made you beat up Harry Potter," I pointed out. It was one of my greatest fantasies, to watch Edward murder Harry Potter just for me. I would have loved to see Edward bring me his head on a platter, the lightning-shaped scar well-intact.
"I'm not some toy," Edward informed me coldly. "Like I said…I wouldn't mind beating up Harry for you. But you never do anything for my amusement. And now it's time you do."
I stared disbelievingly at the orange embers. Smoke was embracing my eyes, and I had to turn toward the open window to avoid crying involuntarily. Not because I was upset. I wasn't that far gone. But because of the smoke.
"What if I say no?" I wondered almost as if in a trance as smoke filled my nostrils quite heavily then made me choke. I'd been too sure of myself that my breathing skills were sufficient.
But before he could answer my question, I thought how painful life without Edward would be. Instinctively, I stepped into the flames.
Once again, for the second time in under a second, instinct took over. I recoiled.
Looking over the flickering flames at Edward, I said, "I'm not doing this. I'm going home to kill myself."
"Have fun," was his reply.
Growling, I evacuated the warehouse. With a loud and frustrated, "Ooh!" I kicked the outside wall.
