Bella
Floating.
Heavy, dark clouds weighed down on me as I struggled toward consciousness. Fighting me – in an almost protective manner; keeping me from something I didn't want to know, didn't want to feel. Muffled voices spoke softly, seeping past the ringing in my ears; the voices becoming slightly clearer as a barely audible moan escaped my lips.
"Bella?" a voice called softly, too muffled for me to recognize.
A face swam before my closed eyelids, icy white and devastatingly beautiful. Bronze waves framed the pale, striking features. Eyes the color of liquid gold gazed at me lovingly. The face of an angel. I tried to reach for the seraph, and he vanished.
"No," I whimpered, not wanting him to leave.
"Bella, love…can you hear me?" A cool hand stroked gently across my cheek. I stiffened at the touch and it vanished – almost as if it were never there. Confusion and panic stole over me. Where was I? And how did I get here?
"Jasper," the voice called in a pained whisper. "Why?"
"I don't know…you know I can only feel how she's feeling," a second voice spoke in a soft bass. "I don't know the reason behind it, but…" the voice dropped even lower and I struggled to hear. "She's afraid of you."
An inexplicable feeling of calm swept over me, overwhelming and dulling the panic and I sighed in spite of myself. My eyes fluttered but still did not open.
"A light touch, please, Jasper," a third voice sang, its tones gentle and soothing. "Don't mask her feelings to the point where they would be detrimental to me ascertaining the depth of her injury."
"Mom?" I questioned weakly; I winced as I turned my head and fought to open my eyes once more.
A hand pressed gently on my shoulder. "Easy Bella," the gentle voice soothed. "You had an accident…do you remember? You hurt your head."
Something about that last comment tugged at my memory. My brow furrowed as I struggled to remember and I winced again. "Ow."
My hand flew to my brow, rubbing the crease between them. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and then opened them slowly. They widened as I gazed at the beautiful faces of the three men hovering nearby. My eyes flickered across the room; my heart beginning to race anew as I tried to un-muddle my thoughts.
"Where am I?"