Chapter 3

The torture in Edward's eyes let me know that's my fantasies were coming true before the immediate pain in my neck. It faintly reminded me being stabbed in the neck with a blunt kitchen knife. I thought of this in the half a second before the actual pain set in. My tight lips couldn't hold back the gasp that sneakily escaped my unwilling lips. His hands on my cheek tensed at the sound, just as I was about to blurt out my reassurance when my voice was cut off. A thousand needles, maybe even more, were being stabbed into my neck.

The sudden sound of my reassurance then sounded like a strangled cough. The white hot needles were then spreading down to my chest constricting my lungs painfully. By the time it spread down my spine, my back was arching off the couch in an unnatural way.

'urgh,' is all that could escape my lips. My vision was becoming hazy now. The sides covering in black dots, I tried to fight it, the blackness and the unwanted screams trying to escape my lips.

Screaming won't help; nothing will. All you can do is to try to not lose yourself in the pain. I chanted this in my head hoping this would slow the spreading fire.

The hot needles were now invading my body burning me from the very inside of my being.

How long has it been? 3 minutes? 3 hours? 3 weeks? I couldn't tell you. The only thing I was aware of was a soft murmur on unintelligible sweet, silk words in my ear and something cold holding me.

Finally the blackness over took me. I was expecting it to be like when I pass out. Unfortunately not, instead of being in bliss, I was aware of everything. The pain, mostly the pain. The excruciating fire, radiating from every cell in my body, causing me to scream out for mercy.

To beg for my death.

I could feel the arms tighten around me when I screamed this. But I had no idea who they belonged to. They were just, well, there. More like a wall fixture rather than something that had meaning. Now that my mind wondered as much as it could with my body and mind on fire, I realized nothing had meaning. Who was I? Where was I?

I pondered this as a new wave of pain hit me. Hit me hard. It was as if this torture would change the pain just so I couldn't get used to the fire.

My throat was becoming dry and my voice raspy, but the pain was lost in the fire. The sound I heard coming out of my mouth sounded inhuman. Which made sense since that's what I was becoming.

Ohhh, that's what's happening to me! I'm living my dream, to become like Edward, to be worth it, or at least to be worthy. My only comforting thoughts were zapped from my mind when the fire somehow intensified.

As if I was doused in gasoline, doused in painful, hot, flammable gasoline. I realized by now that my eyes were closed.

Time held no meaning. It was no longer measured by the tick of the clock, but the intensity of the flames.

I started noticing that the burn started slowly leaving the very tips of my fingers. As soon as I started feeling relieved it was quickly replaced with horror as the intense burn bubbling under my skin intensified.

The screams ringing out in the room reached an octave higher. I felt excited murmurs around me. They sounded sadistic compared to the tremendous amount of pain I was in.

By now the fire was fading around my chest and pinpointing my labored heart. My back arched off the table as my heart was beating as fast as a humming bird. A faint giggle barely registered in my ears.

My back arched off the table as my heart took its last labored beats. It then shuddered and stopped. The fire was put out so abruptly it was as if someone took all the oxygen out of the room. When the pain ceased my body automatically recoiled into a small ball. It was waiting for the next onslaught of the fire.

'Bella,' the silk voice was calm and more controlled than usual. This was about the time I realized that my eyes were closed. The suddenly they were open. The sudden movement frightened me. My mind had already moved to the next thing, the soft, warm hand grazing my cheek. The unfamiliar feel set my alert and defense on high.

My body cringed and recoiled as my body launched across the room and gracefully slid down the side wall. All in half a second I was able to complete this action and assess the situation. Once I realized that there was no actual danger I took a more nonthreatening pose. As to not cause alarm among the men of the coven, did I really just say the coven, or think it to be more exact.

It was startling, how my mind wanders. There was just so much…room. To think of everything, while I was pondering this I was still keeping tabs on my family. My natural reaction was to bolt; self preservation. My eyes swiftly looked at all the familiar faces, wondering to myself why I should be scared. I didn't expect this. See them as a threat, instead of a welcome family.

'Bella, calm down, we hold no threat to you.' Edward's eyes held no surprise at my reaction. Which then got me weirdly pissed; did he expect me to fail? To be totally scatter brained and acting as if I'm permanently PMSing ? I felt as if he was setting me up for failure.

I didn't think Edward saw something he liked because suddenly he got this deep furrow in his brow. A deep crease set in stone. Stone! My hand flew up to face. The smooth marble surface surprised me. My right hand glided over my erect nose trailing down my soft cheek. A slow movement caught my eye from the far left corner of the room. It was Jasper.

'Bella I know this is disorienting but you have to try to reign in your emotions. You're going everywhere right now.' This forced to look into his wary eyes and see the many, many scars ranging across his body. My muscles involuntarily locked in place in response to the direct threat stepping toward me. He stopped in his tracks when he got a taste of my emotions. The same worried look registered on Edward's face in response.

The room was filled with a wave of relaxation. Emanating from the danger separated from the pack. I tried to be defensive but I couldn't feel agitated or defensive at all. I didn't like feeling new raw power and yet still not being able to have control.

'Jasper stop.' His serene face really ticked me off. 'Bella, I'm trying to keep you stable right now. You've almost snapped multiple times.' His voice was so calm. 'Jasper, stop I need to do this!' I was starting to yell now. An even more powerful wave of calm and composure hit me like a physical blow. Causing my muscles to relax and my mind to be at ease; unwillingly. I didn't like it. 'Jasper I asked you to stop,' but my voice was unable to hold the fury I was trying to feel. 'Bella, just relax,' his soothing voice whispered.

Edward took measured steps toward me, and wrapped his arms around me. His warm touch didn't frighten me now, I was expecting this. Although it wasn't threatening, it still wasn't as intimate as my memory expected it to be. 'My beautiful Bella, I love you,' I made the mistake of looking into his eyes. They were so earnest and full of love, most importantly they were coal black. Solid enough that I could see my face in their reflection, that alone was a surprise.

I could also see the faint brilliant red glow emanating from my face. I could feel the snap that Jasper was warning me about. My muscles tensed again and my back hunched over. My hands turned into claws against his chest when my fury took control. Edward's arms turned into restraints as I tried to get out of there. 'Bella, Bella, Bella calm down. Jasper.'

I sensed someone taking quick steps toward me and placing a light hand on my shoulder. Soon, it was hard to feel anything except overly calm. My hands, legs, and body posture became slack. 'Bella, let's not let you take on anything else until you've hunted.'

While he said this I became quite apparent to the burn in my throat. I got a little scared wondering if the burn from earlier was about to make a reappearance. An involuntary growl erupted from my lips. It scared me. 'Edward, let's go. Now.' The need in my eyes answered any questions my family was going to ask.

I gracefully leapt out of the window from my standing position and hit the ground running. I heard and smelled Edward behind me. I couldn't believe how fast I was going. At this speed I at least expected my surroundings to be blurry green walls. They weren't though. I could see every minute detail as if I was standing still, looking at it through a microscope.

'Follow your instincts; let your senses range out.' Edwards's velvet voice drifted towards me on the wind. I stopped in my tracks and let the leaves swirl around me caused by the sudden disturbance my entrance had made. I tried following Edward's directions not knowing really what to do.

Edward whispered to me to close my eyes and let my senses fan out to the world around me. Then I'll know what to do once my natural instincts took over. I tried to follow his advice and uneasily closed my eyes. I listened intently to the world surrounding me and realized I could hear about a mile out if I really concentrated. I scanned through what I heard and smelled and passed over something running in the underbrush about a mile northwest. Before I knew what I was doing the smell registered in my sensitive nostrils and I was off again.

My fast pace guided me to what I presumed now was three deer or more I couldn't be sure. The sickly sweet smell was both inviting and revolting. I tried to think about this but my natural instincts wouldn't let me, they have taken over. My rational thought was gone for the time being.

I barely registered quick footsteps behind me. This meal wasn't going to be enjoyable enough to defend. The wind shifted suddenly and an unbelievable enticing scent hit me like a ton of bricks. I quickly changed direction and started running toward the East. It smelled like a delicacy filling my head with the scent; making everything else foggy. Nothing else mattered. I faintly heard and smelled someone following me. That was not going to work.

I quickly compared the risks of ignoring the threat or to keep going to my meal. That was a definite option. I couldn't waste any time defending. I decided I would risk it. I kept running using my new born strength to lengthen my strides. Faster.

Yet, my threat was still following. Gaining speed. Getting closer. Something hard and cold crashed into me. Rocketing me into the soft soil. A menacing growl escaped from my lips warning my opponent. Strong arms attempt to pin me to the ground. I was not doing that. As I found my new born strength I lashed out.

It was coming to a fight.