Masen
The cab ride was expensive, but I left a decent tip anyways. At least I was saving money on hotel accommodations. I needed a good night of sleep then I had to hit the road again tomorrow morning. For the first week I intended to move to a different place each night, just to be safe. The second week, I realized it might be harder. I was going to get bigger, and driving everyday was going to get uncomfortable. I needed rest and to stay healthy for little Masen or all this was for naught.
I'd started calling him Masen on the taxi ride, I liked the sound of it and it was Edward's human last name- it seemed fitting. After checking into my room I quickly undressed into a tee-shirt I brought and climbed under the covers switching off the light. I placed the cell phone on the bed beside me as it started vibrating again. I let it go to voice mail before flipping it open. Twenty-six missed calls and seventeen messages.
I took a deep breath and dialed the voice mail, "Bella, what are you doing? Where are you? Please call me back, please, I love you." I deleted it with a little sadness and went to the next message, he sounded a little more frantic, "Bella please, I need to know you're alright. Just call me back and let me know you're alright, please. I love you forever." I pressed the delete keys again.
"Bella," his voice broke, "please call me, or just message me if you can't talk to me. I just need to know you're safe. I can smell the wolf in your room, I'm going after him. Just let me know you're safe so I don't kill him, because if you're not- God, Bella call me please."
The messages went on like that, only getting worse. There were a few messages from Alice mixed in, one from Esme, one from Carlisle. I owed them at least the peace of knowing I was alright. I typed a quick text to Edward, I'm alright and safe, I love you, please let me sleep. If I hadn't added that last part in there he would have started texting me back all night.
I got one text back only seconds later, I love you more, sleep well, thank you.
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The next text message came at ten am, exactly eight hours after his last one. That was Edward for you. It was time to get up anyways and get on my way. I flipped open the phone to read his message, Good Morning my Bella, will you please take a moment to just call me? I debated it for a few moments, but first I decided to take a shower to freshen up and clear my head.
I got out of the shower, but my head didn't feel any clearer. I loved Edward so much and I wanted to hear his voice. Deep longing and loneliness filled me, and although I suspected Masen might be behind it, I acted on it anyways.
He picked up on the first ring, "Bella?"
"Hi Edward."
"Bella, please where are you?"
"I'm safe Edward, please don't worry, I'll come back," I assured.
"No, we'll come get you, just tell me where you are," he interrupted.
"No, Edward, I'm not coming home yet. I need a little time to myself."
"Bella, I love you and I can't be without you," he pleaded.
"I'm not leaving you Edward, I love you and that won't change. But I love Masen now too, and I need to keep him safe."
"Masen- you named it? Ohh, Bella, please love," he sounded like he was holding back anger.
"I'm going to hang up now, I'll call you later, I love you," I said trying to keep my voice steady.
"No, don't hang up yet, Bella please stay with me!"
"Goodbye Edward," I flipped the phone shut as I tossed it across the bed and curled in on myself and let out a good cry.
Once I had cried myself out, I cleaned up and packed my belongings and checked out of the hotel. I grabbed a taxi to a rental car company, where I picked up a discreet silver Honda Civic to drive. They took cash, but insisted on seeing ID. I wasn't staying in this town anyways, so I suppose it didn't matter.
I left Everett as soon as they handed me the keys. I headed north again, towards Bellingham now. It should only take me a couple hours, and honestly that was all I could make. Today was a bad day. I felt like crap, weak, tired and just all around bad. Once I got into town, I found a pharmacy and picked up some vitamins and make up. Even if I felt terrible, I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention. I decided to splurge on a nicer hotel and take advantage of room service. I checked into the local Marriott.
The room was nice and the food was decent. Though I spent much of the afternoon just passed out on the bed. I got sick once or twice- I knew the morning sickness was supposed to stop once I hit the second trimester, but what was normal about this pregnancy anyways? A few hours later I just ordered more room service.
That's when Jake called. I picked up the phone as promised, "Bella where are you?" he practically growled at me.
"I'm guessing Edward found you?"
"Is it true? Are you pregnant with the monster spawn!"
"That's really hateful Jake," I held in a sob, Jacob was always a bit on the blunt side.
"Gawd, I'm sorry Bells, I didn't mean it like that, but what are you doing? Seriously, you lied to me! I would never have agreed to spring you if I had known the danger you are in now! That wasn't fair Bella."
It was true, I had taken advantage of Jacob and manipulated him, "I'm sorry Jake, it was the only way I could get out."
"Yeah, well I'm calling that favor you owe me now- tell me where you are."
"Ahhh Jake, I can't, you know that."
"We're going to find you anyways, we're close, you're just delaying the inevitable."
In horror I hung up on him. How close were they? Was he just saying that? I turned clammy and sickly in moments, my heart ricocheting against my ribs. I stood to start gathering my belongings and hit the road again. As soon as I hit my feet I collapsed backwards back into the bed, the pressure behind my eyes overwhelming. My body curled inward on itself as I started to shake and the darkness overtook me.
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Consciousness slowly returned to me as I opened my eyes. The room had grown considerably darker with only a faint glow leaking in from the bathroom. I slowly stretched out my limbs and reoriented myself. I still felt awful.
I slowly sat up and glanced at the alarm clock, it read 8:48 p.m. I tried hard to recall when Jake had called me- there had been some sun, but it was late in the afternoon. I picked up my phone to see a few more missed calls and another message. I scrolled through recent calls and saw Jake's call was around 4:30p.m.- about four hours ago. Could they be even closer now?
I glanced around the room again considering gathering my belongings, but as I did a wave of dizziness overtook me. I couldn't drive like this, heck I didn't think I could walk like this. My options were either to wait out the night, try to get some rest and hit the road first thing in the morning or try to flee right now hopping a cab.
I needed to be strong for Masen and I needed to do what was right for him. I decided he needed me healthy first, and it wasn't safe for me to be up right now. What if I fell and hurt myself worse? Then again, what if Edward walks through that door in five minutes? What if I passed out in a stranger's taxi again and I ended up at a hospital? Definite worst case scenario, no I couldn't risk that.
I lay back down in the bed and tried to sleep but my eyes watched the entry door all night awaiting the monsters of my nightmares.
