Chapter Two
Silence
I closed my eyes and gave in to the darkness.
Is it supposed to be this loud when your life ends? I wondered. Is that thunderous roaring noise coming from inside my head?
OUCH! Dammit! That hurt!
Victoria's nails scraped deep into my neck and I just knew she had slit my throat wide open.
I wanted to scream, "Just get it over with!"
And then, all at once, I could breathe.
Victoria dropped me hard on top of the toilet and the plumbing scraped my back, but that pain was nothing compared to the burning pain that was quickly traveling up my arm from my wrist. I sucked in what I believed was my last breath and tried to make my last thoughts on this earth only of him…
Oh Edward, I love you so much.
Then, the strange roaring sound was muffled. My eyes popped open expecting to see Victoria's flaming red hair and flashing sharp teeth ready to pounce, but she was no longer standing the stall with me. Suddenly, a huge rusty brown animal flew by the opening. I could see Victoria's body flinging around the room like a rag doll caught in a dogs mouth. Which was exactly what she was at that moment.
"Jake?" My lips moved, but I didn't make a sound.
All of a sudden, the fire that had been traveling steadily up my arm became much worse. It burned hotter and moved faster with every crazy beat of my heart. I squeezed my eyes shut and clinched my teeth.
Not her venom! Not her venom! Please. Please don't let me be changed by her evil venom.
Then, the door to the restroom slammed against the wall and I wondered if Jacob had run off with Victoria. It didn't matter right at the moment. All that mattered was that I needed to get out of there. I had to get on my feet and move before someone found me. Before I started turning … changing.
Oh, God! Please help me!
"Bella!"
My eyes flashed open to see a dark angel standing in the stall with me. Edward's beautiful face was inches from mine. He was drenched from the rain. I had never seen him so frightened. Holding my wounded arm out to him, I watched as his eyes swiftly traveled over the rest of my body stopping briefly at the wounds on my neck. He seemed a little confused, but then, his body went ridged and I knew he was angry.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Jacob's roar echoed off the walls.
"Stop it!" I mouthed, but still no sound escaped my lips.
"Jacob, please!" I heard Alice's sweet voice come from somewhere. "Edward can help her, please Jacob, you must trust him!" She was pleading for my life.
"You kill her and I swear, I will never stop. I will hunt you down no matter what it takes." Jacob's horrible menacing growl was so full of hate.
Oh please Jacob! Please don't hurt them!
The fire traveled into my shoulder and across my chest with every frantic heartbeat, but I didn't care. I wanted Edward and Alice to get out of there, to leave me here and run. Get away from Jacob before it was too late.
Edward had already found my wound and raised his eyes to mine, "Please, Edward." I knew I was just moving my lips. Please take Alice and just run.
The fire was taking me over. I couldn't think straight. I wanted to push Edward away as he took my arm, but I didn't seem to have any control over my body, over the horrendous pain that was taking my breath away… my life away.
Edward looked absolutely terrified as he brought my bleeding wound up to his mouth. Time seemed to slow down as I watched him carefully place his icy lips over and around my torn skin. Electricity shot up my arm as his tongue lay against my flesh. The first pull was amazingly strong as he urgently tried to remove Victoria's venom from my bloodstream.
Please Edward! You don't have to do this! Just run!
Then I heard Alice's voice again and she seemed a lot less frantic, more in control. "Jacob, take her and be safe, please."
Edward flinched for just a moment and then continued to draw blood and venom from me. The fire had stopped traveling any farther and the worst of it was leaving my arm and hand as quickly as it came.
Over Edward's shoulder I saw Jacob fly past the stall opening with Victoria's limp body clenched in his massive jaws.
Thank you, Jacob. Thank you so much.
Alice's face came into view over Edward's shoulder. It broke my heart to see her so frightened.
Edward was sucking hard at my arm and I could feel the last of the fire was slowly fading. I was exhausted, lightheaded and so sleepy, if I could have, I would've fallen asleep right there sitting on that stupid toilet. I stopped fighting my wariness and closed my eyes.
Alice's voice so full of fear brought me back, "Edward, is she going to be all right?"
Edward's mouth slowly disengaged from my arm.
"I don't know!" He snapped, "I think so. We have to get her to Carlisle."
I opened my eyes and saw my blood on his lips, but… it didn't seem to bother me.
He was so close that his wonderful smell enveloped me like a soft blanket. I felt so weak, so lifeless, when I raised my arms to hold him. It was all I could do to wrap my hands around his neck as he carefully pulled me into his arms.
What is that wonderful smell? I wondered.
It was more than just Edward.
It was his already luscious smell, but a hundred times stronger… as if it were mixed with something else, something dark and rich and floral. I started sniffing around and Edward gave me the strangest look. My nose led me straight to his mouth. There was still blood at the corner of his lip … my blood.
It was … fascinating.
Reaching up, I touched it with my fingertip. I looked at my dark red blood and wondered why I wasn't ready to vomit. Then, I licked the blood from my fingertip, tasted it before looking into Edward's dark stunned eyes.
Suddenly, there was an eruption of sound. People were flooding into the bathroom. I distinctly picked out sentences …
"Did you see that?"
"I'm calling 911"
"Yes…it was a wolf or a bear or something dragging a body!"
"Is everyone okay in here?" A man's voice. It must have been one of the teacher's, but I didn't recognize to whom it belonged. I kept my eyes on Edward and avoided looking at the crowd who had packed into the doorway.
"No, she's been attacked," Edward spoke first. "A wolf must have dragged some poor girl in here out of the rain and Bella walked in on it feeding."
Alice and Edward were staring at each other and knew they where making a plan to get me out of there, quick.
"We can't wait for the paramedics," Alice announced, "there's no time. We'll take her to the hospital." She very easily began to part the crowd gathering in the doorway and Edward swiftly followed in her path. As soon as we were outside, the rain began to pour into my face. Closing my eyes against it, I let myself go, knowing I was safe as everything went black.
I was startled awake by the familiar roar of my truck engine.
Why in the world are we in my truck? Any car in the parking lot would have been much faster than my senior citizen.
Opening my eyes, I could see we were moving fast. By the sound of the engine, I could tell that Alice was pushing my truck to its limits. She pull out her little silver cell phone and quickly tapped the keypad, held it to her ear and spoke rapidly, but I caught every word…
"Victoria bit her…No, I think we got to her in time…No, Jacob Black took her…Yes, he was there before us… No, I can't see werewolves!"
I looked up into Edward's eyes as she made that comment. They were filled with the most unbearable sadness. And then, I noticed the changes taking place in them.
His eyes. I've never seen his eyes look that way before.
They were changing right in front of me as if the dark smoky topaz color were slowly being replaced with streaks of maroon. I shook my head and smiled at his angelic face.
Oh Edward, don't be sad, please.
A look of wonder crossed Edward's face as he stared into my eyes.
"Okay, we'll meet you on the way…No, I'll call him…we will." Alice flipped her phone closed and then opened in lightning speed, pressed the little buttons again and held it back to her ear.
"Hurry up!" She cursed the phone. Then, "This is Alice Cullen, I need to speak with Chief Swan, it's an emergency… I understand… yes. Please let him know that Bella is with us…yes, she was attacked…yes, it was a wolf. We're taking her to the emergency room right now…No, no one else was injured. …Thank you so much." She flipped her phone closed.
"How is she doing?" Her voice sounded perfectly normal now.
Edward and I were so entranced in each other's eyes that he didn't even answer her. I could feel little pinpricks of heat still in my arm and suddenly they were moving fast. It tingled like my arm was falling asleep, moving quickly over my shoulder and spreading rapidly as soon as it reached my neck. The feeling wasn't entirely painful just uncomfortable.
"Edward!" She was looking at him, waiting.
"I don't know." He whispered, barely moving his lips.
His lips. Oh, his lips.
I felt an extreme need to kiss him. Kiss him right then.
Kiss me, please kiss me.
Opening my mouth, I tried to tell him, but as soon as air tried to pass and form the words, my throat closed up and nothing came out. I touched my lips trying to convey my message. He just stared at me
Come on, I thought, what else do you need, a gold invitation?
He still gave me the strangest look, as though he didn't know who I was.
Placing my hand on his cool cheek, the feel of his velvet skin was so magnificent, as if I had never touched him before. I couldn't help but gasp. Slipping my hand over his ear and behind his neck, I began to nudge his face towards mine. He gave in easily and leaned forward.
Oh my God!
His delicious breath hit me full force! I sucked it in and was instantly pressing my mouth onto his, trying to part his lips with my tongue. I wanted to taste him, needed to taste the breath he exhaled.
He pushed me down into his lap. "Bella?" I had caught him off guard. "Please!"
NO! Kiss me! I wanted to yell, but my mouth moved silently. He only shook his head at me. His dark maroon streaked eyes were huge.
In a flash, I had pulled myself from his grip, swung my legs and landed straddling his legs with my back to the windshield.
Alice shouted, "Edward try a little harder, could you?"
Grabbing Edward's face between my hands, I leaned into him as he grabbed my upper arms. I could feel his fingers digging into my skin, trying to push me away. I couldn't help myself. I smashed my lips into his. I could hear Alice yelling….
"Edward! Stop her! What is the problem?"
He was still pushing against me, but I was not finished kissing him yet. I almost died AGAIN! I was so done with being cautious. He promised! And, I was going to have my way! I was done being cautious! Out of the blue, pain shot through my left breast.
PAIN—OH MY GOD! The PAIN!
My heart was on fire inside! A blazing inferno that spread swiftly through my entire chest.
I wanted to scream! I wanted to shriek! But, my throat was sealed shut against any sound escaping. I felt as if I would burst!
Edward's eyes were filled with fear and within the next few seconds, I was slammed hard into the dashboard, my head hitting the roof. Trying to scream did absolutely no good, as all the air had been knocked out of me on impact.
"Edward! You have to change her! You have to bite her NOW!"
"NO! Not yet! I'm not ready!"
"You can't leave her like this!"
"NO! Just drive faster…we have to get her to Carlisle."
Edward swung me around and lay me in his lap with his stone arms completely encompassing me. The pain was so horrible, I kept trying to roll into a ball, but Edward's arms had me locked in a bear hug. Kicking out with my legs, I hit something that did not give, but caused the entire truck to sway back and forth for a moment.
Edward pulled my legs in and secured them with his arm. He pressed my head into his marble chest, my nose against his shirt as I gasped for every little breath.
Sweet humming filled my ears and flowed through my body. Edward was humming my lullaby. Even through all the pain, my body reacted to his melody and I began to breathe slower. His sweet song helped to calm the fire inside of me. I looked up into his eyes. They were no longer topaz or maroon, they were wild pitch black holes in his glorious face.
Oh Edward, I love you. I have always loved you. I know whatever happens, you will save me. Please. Make it your venom that changes me. Only your venom.
I tried desperately to tell him to bite me, change me, stop the pain, but I could only mouth the words. Wiggling my wounded arm out from under his steel grasp, I held it out to him, pleading with my eyes.
Please! Bite me.
That wonderful crooked smile I adore, broke on his face. I could see the clear venom glistening on his perfect teeth, dripping over his bottom lip and down his chin.
Bite me, change me. "I love you." I moved my lips.
He lifted his head and looked out the windshield then, closed his eyes.
"Bella, my beautiful Bella. Please forgive me."
