A/N: I know, I left ya'll with a cliffy. It's exactly why I wanted to post closer together. Next chapter, however, will come next Thursday. I was off school this week so I had more of an opportunity to write.
Thanks to everyone who has supported me this far and reviewed! All my twitter/FFA ladies (and Can, haha) thanks for being totally awesome! I truly appreciate everything you all have to say : )
My betas, Claire and Jess, you're even awesomer. I know it's not a word, but I don't care. I'm making it up! Thanks for being great and helping me out with these chapters.
A pushy, pushy lady made me post this! She left some, er...not so subtle hints over at FFA. I hope to placate you with this chapter, Addicted Necker! Enjoy everyone!
Chapter Seven: Revelations
"We always knew that it'd come to this
It's time like these I forget what I miss
Matters of heart are hard to address
Especially when yours is full of emptiness"
--Sum 41: So Long Goodbye
e.p.o.v
At the sound of gunfire, I shot up from the bed. Alice and Jasper had heard it too and I was out the door and in the hall within seconds. A hunter was hanging out the broken window at the end of the corridor, shooting his gun into the night as a drunken slew of words accompanied his shots.
I went to him, grabbing him by the collar because he was so far gone that he would likely fall out if he wasn't careful.
"Hey, buddy, you okay?" I asked, pulling him inside and wrestling him for his gun. We fumbled for a couple of seconds but he stumbled to the side and released the gun to grip onto the wall.
"We needa go," he said decidedly, nodding his head and hugging the wall as he started walking away from me. Jasper and Alice were in the doorway, watching our encounter with amusement. Alice covered her mouth to stifle a laugh and I coughed to cover up mine.
"Where exactly are we going?" I asked humorously.
He turned to me, his eyes glassy and unfocused as he leant back against the wall.
"To...get the bloodsucker," he slurred, "jumped – gone," he motioned to the window, "can't be far, eh?"
My face paled and I took long strides towards him, grabbing him around the collar again and directing his gaze to mine.
"There was a vampire here?" I asked, watching as his eyes wandered away. "Hey, look at me." His blue eyes were hooded with intoxication and I cursed this man for being such a moron. "There was a vampire here?"
"S'what I said," he replied with a dangerous nod of his head. "Right outside that there door," he pointed to where Alice and Jasper were, "lucky I came when I did."
I tightened my jaw, putting up with his stupidity only because I wanted answers to my questions. "What did they look like?"
"Dontcha know, boy?" he asked in irritation, pawing at my fists that were clenched around his jacket. "Pale skin, red eyes, what'smore, eh? That's all they got; suck blood."
I gripped the material of his jacket tighter and shook him slightly, "Male or female?"
"Woman," he groaned, closing his eyes and frowning. "She was short. Brown hair – quick little bitch too..."
My heart was pounding in my chest as I pushed him away and tossed his gun back to him. He caught it and staggered down the hall towards the stairs. I turned to Alice and Jasper, trying to sort out everything in my head.
Bella had come here. She had been right outside that goddamn door. After she had told me Emmett was alive and after everything I had learned, she had the nerve to come here.
What the fuck was her deal?
"What's wrong?" Alice asked.
"It was Bella," I breathed, standing before them as a blinding rage bubbled inside me. "She was here, just now. I-I can't fucking believe her!"
"Bella is the vampire?" Alice asked, still holding her bloody fist in her other hand.
I nodded, slumping back against the wall and sinking to the floor. I drew my knees up to my chest and hung my head between them, trying to deal with everything one fucked up problem at a time. I breathed in and out deeply, attempting to tame the anger that was rising, but it was impossible. I was so worked up I couldn't focus.
What I needed to do was talk to Bella.
No, she needed to talk. I wanted answers. I wanted to know why she lied to me and told me he was alive when he wasn't.
I suddenly felt so stupid for believing a single word that had come from her mouth.
I got up off the floor, determined.
"I have to go," I said flippantly, straightening my jacket and heading down the hall.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jasper yelled, running to me and gripping me by the shoulder. "What do you mean, you have to go? Where the hell are you going?"
"To find her," I replied, yanking my arm from his grip. "She's a lying bitch, Jas."
"What are you going to do, kill her?"
I dropped my eyes to the floor. I had no plan. I was being irrational, again.
"I don't know," I said, curling my hand into a fist, "but I can't sit here and drag my ass. I have to do something."
"You need to calm down," Jasper countered, "you just found out that Em's dead, Edward, you're being foolish."
"I'm fine!" I said heatedly, watching as Jasper cocked his brow at me. I closed my eyes and carded my fingers into my hair. "I promise, I'm fine," I said in a calmer voice, "I just need some answers."
Jasper's gaze was still questioning but he let it go. "All right," he relented, "I'm going to just hang here for a few days, so you'll know where to find me."
I nodded, "Sounds good. I'll – I'll give you a call later."
"Don't do anything stupid," he warned.
I gave him a tight smile and continued to the stairs. The bar down below was booming and the only thing I heard circulating amongst the hunters was the rage about the vampire in the upstairs hall. A few were hyped up and planned on searching the city for the coven. They planned on killing every vampire they found.
I pushed past the drunken idiots asking me to join them on their hunt and stepped out into the night air, trying to organize my thoughts into something I could manage. I needed my brain filter intact when I saw her. I wouldn't lose myself this time in the magnetism that was palpable between us.
---
I wasn't sure where she was or where I was going, but I drove anyway. My anger and rage and stupidity were pushing me forward, down to the industrial side of town, where she would likely be. It was a fair distance away from human life and provided enough shelter that they could hide when the time came.
I stopped in the middle of the road and put the car in park, throwing the door open roughly and standing in the street, my chest heaving sporadically. I tried to get myself together, to think rationally, but I couldn't do it. I was too pissed off to wait for my sense to come back to me.
"Bellaaa!" I yelled in a long, deep breath. I called her name over and over, knowing she could hear me, wherever she was. I leant back against the Impala and caught my breath, staring down the road, shifting my eyes from end to end.
She came just as I had expected, appearing from around a corner and slowing to a human speed as she approached me.
"Are you crazy?" she asked in a near-whisper, putting her finger firmly against my chest. "What are you doing? There are hunters out right now looking for me and my coven. What if you've been followed?"
I tensed my jaw painfully because of the ethereal beauty she possessed in her anger. The moonlight made her pale skin look luminescent and delicate as her damp hair hung lightly over her shoulders. It cast shadows across her exposed chest and highlighted the ferocity of her irises as she stared back at me.
It also didn't help that the dress she was wearing hugged the curve of her breasts and gently fell away from her body, stopping just above her knees and truly capturing how exquisite she was.
"I...I –" I stammered, losing my voice.
Fuck, get yourself together!
I shook my head and tore my eyes from Bella. This is what I had been afraid of happening.
"I want answers," I blurted, my eyes closed as I spoke. I peeled my lids back and Bella was standing there still, her hands smoothing the lines of her dress. "I know you know what I'm talking about, so don't play dumb, Bella," I snapped in aggravation, both at her and myself, "I know you were at The Hunting Lodge. You heard what Alice told me, didn't you?"
Her head tilted as her gaze met mine and she pursed her lips before she spoke.
"Yes, of course I heard what she told you," she replied calmly. "You should have listened to my warnings, Edward. I thought they'd be enough, but you're much more stubborn than I anticipated."
"Stubborn?" I asked in irritated amusement. "You call looking for my brother stubborn?"
"No, your persistence is what's stubborn about you," she said with a sigh. "I realize he's family, but if a vampire is warning you to leave something alone, it's best you do what you're told. I tried, Edward, I really did. I didn't mean for any of it to turn out this way."
"I want the truth, Bella," I said decidedly, disregarding her statement. Her arms dropped to her sides in something resembling defeat. "Why did you lie to me? Why did you tell me he was alive when he's not?" My voice rose with every word as I took steps closer to her. She took just as many steps back, putting distance between us as her eyes were trained on mine.
"I didn't lie," she said simply. "I may have kept the truth from you, but I've never lied to you."
"Yes you did!"
"No, I didn't!" she replied, just as infuriated. I took another step towards her, but quickly retreated as I covered my mouth and nose with my hand. Her venom was strong.
"Stop doing that," I hissed, motioning to her as I took a deep, clean breath, free of her scent. "I can't even think," I mumbled inaudibly.
"It's involuntary," she said pointedly, "I secrete venom when I'm angry."
I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger.
"I think I have a bit more reason to be angry than you," I said, trying to keep my eyes anywhere but on her as I spoke. I could faintly smell her venom and it made my heart beat faster. "I…"
Shit!
I kept losing my fucking train of thought.
"Just…just tell me why you lied!" I yelled in frustration, meeting her gaze because it was impossible for me to not look at her. An intense tremor rolled through my arms and legs when our eyes connected. She was just so close to me; so beautiful, so perfect.
I was so goddamn angry with myself.
"I told you," she repeated in a defeated voice, "I didn't lie Edward."
"You told me he was alive," I said, trying to sound strong and together even though I was falling apart. I was struggling to form a sentence without my words faltering.
"I never said that," she told me, shaking her head as she stepped closer. The venom was overwhelming and I held my breath as she looked up to me. Her bangs were swept across her brow bone, concealing part of her eye, but the red was as deep and clear as ever as it peeked through the strands.
"Wh…yeah, you did," I countered, frowning because I was confusing myself. "Yes," I said more firmly, "you did. You said he was alive, that he was okay."
"I said he was okay," she repeated, cocking her head to the side. "I never said he was alive."
I stepped back, my lips parting in confusion and uncertainty as my hip nudged the rear end of the Impala.
"H-how is he okay, but not alive?" I asked, shaking my head at the absurdity. "Oh, and none of this bullshit about him being okay because he's in a better pl-ace…"
I stuttered and trailed off, all the blood draining from my face when I had answered my own question in my head. Bella was still looking up to me and I found that her eyes had softened. I felt angry tears gathering as I steeled myself.
"He's not…human, is he?" I asked, watching as Bella lowered her eyes briefly before focusing on me again.
"No," she replied, quickly sweeping her tongue across her bottom lip. "I told you that you wouldn't like it, Edward, I –"
"Is he like you?" I asked, jutting my chin towards her.
She swallowed audibly, glancing up to me again with eyes that were pleading.
"Answer the question, Bella," I said irritably.
"Yes," she responded. I bowed my head, digging my fist into my hair as I stifled my cry. I tried to breathe, to tell myself everything was okay, but who the fuck was I kidding?
Nothing was okay. It never would be.
"She did this to him?" I asked, finding that my eyes drifted to Bella's again. She had been watching me the entire time; I could feel her gaze on me even when I wasn't looking.
"No," she replied, shifting uneasily from one bare foot to the other. In all the time I'd come into contact with her, never had I seen her so nervous. She was always confident and sure of herself, calm and collected.
"I did," she whispered in a shaky breath.
"You?" I asked in bewilderment, pointing an unstable finger at her. "You...you, you changed Emmett? Why?" I was yelling again and my feet were pushing me closer to her, even though I knew it was the worst possible thing for me to be doing.
"I'm sorry," she gasped, shaking her head as I stood inches from her. "I had to!"
"You didn't have to do anything, Bella!" I retorted, gesturing wildly with my hands.
"Can I explain?" she asked calmly, pleading with me.
"Explain how you killed my brother?" I asked bitterly, clenching my jaw so tight my teeth were grinding together. "Sure," I said sarcastically, motioning to her with my hand, "why not? Floor's yours, sweetheart."
"I don't know why I bother with you, Edward," she said sadly, combing her fingers through her hair before tucking it behind her ear. "I was trying to help. I could have let him die."
I just stared back at her. If what she wanted was a 'thank you,' she would be disappointed to know she'd never get it.
She put her hand to her forehand to regain her composure before she spoke.
"The hunt in Ohio, we were following you," she admitted, glancing up to me. "We'd been following you for a year, watching you, learning about you. That's why I knew so much, when we met. I knew you were hunters…but Rosalie was insistent. She wanted Emmett.
"His blood...to her, it was strong. We have what we call singers. Our singer's blood calls to us louder than anyone else in this world. Emmett is that person for Rosalie, but she wanted more than to feed from him. She wanted him as her mate."
Mate?
My mouth and throat were dry with shock and unease. It was her. All this time, that thing, that feeling, it had been her. They had been following us for a year and we hadn't even known it.
"She learned to control how much she wanted his blood and we still pursued you," Bella continued in a steady voice. "We were there when Jacob attacked. You were unconscious, but Emmett...it was too late. Jacob bit him."
"Wh…but –"
"Let me finish," she interrupted with an upturned palm. I quieted and allowed her to continue. "You know we are mortal enemies to the Werewolves. We are each other's weakness, in every way. The only thing to counteract the change into Werewolf is with the injection of our venom.
"Instead of completing the change as a Werewolf, Emmett completed the change as a vampire. The venom took over the cells in his body, killing what Jacob had injected. If I hadn't changed him, he would be dead, Edward. I couldn't allow him to transform into that…that beast."
"Because what you are is so much better?" I asked through all my pent-up anger and rage.
She seemed mildly taken aback by my accusation and her eyes fell down to the pavement as silence consumed us. The only sound I could hear was my uneven heartbeat thumping in my ears. I knew she could hear it too.
"You know what, Edward, you're right," she said, her tone laced with an acidic edge, "I guess I am no better. I'm a monster too. I have no heart." She smiled darkly as her cold eyes met mine. Her abrupt shift in mood was scaring me and I looked away as a sick feeling shot up my spine.
"You have your answers," she continued, her voice still emotionless and frightening, "I hope you're happy."
I just blinked at the pavement, my breaths stuttering as I exhaled. I vaguely noted that Bella's presence wasn't as strong and I glanced up, only to find that she had gone. She was walking down the road at a human speed as I watched her. She disappeared from my sight seconds later as she rounded a corner.
I couldn't even think straight. I was so lost now.
So many emotions were passing through me and my mind was so active that I'd made the decision to run after her before I had a reason to. It just couldn't end like this. I needed more. I wasn't sure what I needed more of, but I couldn't let her walk away that easily.
"No," I said quietly, shaking my head at everything. "No...it's too easy," I mumbled to nobody. I unhitched myself from the Impala and quickly ducked inside to pull the key from the ignition. I slammed the door shut and started running.
I ran around the corner she had, finding myself on a dark, quiet street. It was littered with broken lamp posts and abandoned buildings, many of which had boarded up windows and doors that had been tainted with graffiti. The pungent smell of asphalt assaulted me as I ran and it burned my lungs, but I pushed my legs to keep me moving.
I yelled her name breathlessly as I ran, hopefully in an attempt to stop her. I rounded another corner and sprinted for a block before stopping to catch my breath. I had just started up again when a stone cold force collided with my chest, knocking the air from my lungs and me to the ground.
I wheezed and groaned as I shifted in agony, finding that the force was still on my chest and my elbow throbbed painfully.
"Edward?" Bella's voice said from above me. My eyelids flickered and I felt dizzy as I tried to focus on her. She was lying on top of me. The hard, cold force had been her.
"What the..."
"Are you okay?" she asked warily, bracing her hands on the pavement and lifting herself a few inches off me to alleviate the pressure.
"That fucking killed," I said as I took a deep breath. It stung my lungs and I groaned again, glancing up to her from the ground.
Fuck me.
Her hair was hanging down, brushing against the side of my face, and her eyes were soft and warm again. They weren't cold and void like they had been before.
"Why...why were you running so fast?" I asked in a strained voice. Her close proximity and my light-headedness were doing me no good. Everything had been working to my disadvantage lately.
"I –"
"Ah, knew you wouldn't get far," a deep voice said from behind us, cutting off Bella's explanation.
My eyes were fixed on hers, and panic rose inside me because of the fear I saw in them.
"Hunters," she said in a shaky whisper. My breathing grew rapid as I tried to figure a way out of this.
"Play it cool," I muttered under my breath, "follow my lead."
She nodded minutely and lifted herself off me, straightening out her dress as I stood. I shifted myself closer to her, eyeing the three men curiously as the one in front tilted his head, his gaze fixed on Bella. He was tall, with blond hair and a menacing face. He also had a brace over his right wrist.
I tried to hold my composure when I figured out who this man likely was. I was positive it was Jasper's hunter friend, James. He was the one who had attacked Bella, and he was the one whose wrist she had broken.
But he was also the one that had fashioned Werewolves blood into bullet capsules.
"Is there a problem?" I asked, swallowing down my trepidation as I noticed he was clutching a gun in his uninjured hand.
"I just need your friend here," James stated, nodding his head at Bella. "We have some business to take care of."
I didn't like his tone or demeanour, at all. From what I'd heard, he was feral and vicious, and there was no way in hell Bella was going anywhere with him. I reached out and put my hand over Bella's shoulder, drawing her in closer to me until I encased her in my arms.
It felt right and wrong all at the same time. I was being protective, of her, of a vampire. I was going against everything I had ever known and believed. I was one of them, one of the hunters that were narrowing their eyes at the close contact Bella and I shared.
But then again, I wasn't.
It was hard to describe what my body, brain, and heart were telling me. All were conflicting with each other, screwing me up so bad I could hardly think.
I kept telling myself I was keeping her safe because I still needed to know more about Emmett. All I knew was that he had been turned. One of my questions had been answered.
"I don't think so," I deadpanned, staring right at James as I spoke. "She stays with me."
He let out a somewhat annoyed laugh and shook his head.
"I don't think you understand, kid," he said, taking a step forward. "She's not what you think."
"Is that so?" I replied, looking down to Bella as she determinedly gazed back at the trio of hunters. "She's exactly what I think she is."
"Oh," James mused, quirking his brow at me, "I see. I didn't catch your name...?"
"That's because I didn't offer it," I told him in a clipped voice. "Why don't you go wait in the car," I said to Bella, running my hand up and down her smooth, cool skin. "You're freezing."
She turned slightly and looked up to me. Her eyes held something of relief and she smiled, stepping up on her toes to place a soft, lingering kiss on my cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered in my ear. She extracted herself from me, and as she ran from our stand-off, my arms felt empty without her there. I stuck my hands in my pockets to make it disappear, to rid myself of the sensation of her skin against mine.
"Do you realize what you've just done?" James asked, sticking his gun around his back and motioning wildly with his broken wrist.
"Of course I do," I retorted, "I know what she is."
"You're a hunter?" James asked his brow furrowing.
"Yeah," I replied, nodding at him as his eyes widened in realization.
"Then why did you let her go?" he asked, enraged. "She's a vampire."
"I know what I'm doing," I assured, raking my fingers through my hair and tightening my jaw. "I...I want to take care of that one myself," I said quietly, hoping Bella couldn't hear me. "I have a...personal vendetta with her."
He scoffed, "Personal vendetta? You were getting pretty cozy with that bloodsucker, kid."
"It's an act," I lied. He had to believe me. I needed to get him away, to make him believe Bella was being taken care of. I knew he'd persist if he thought I was falling victim to her charms. "I'm guessing she did that to you?" I asked, jerking my head towards his broken wrist.
He nodded, "Little bitch snapped it last night. I could have taken her...I was close."
"Well it seems your tactics didn't necessarily work," I pointed out, cocking my brow at him. "Getting close to her...that's my tactic."
"Huh," he mused, his expression clearly interested in my fabricated plan to kill Bella, "interesting. All right, settle the score. But if I find her alone, still alive, she's mine."
"Won't happen," I reassured with a fleeting smile. He made my skin crawl, and considering the line of work I was in, it was an astounding thing for a human to be able to do.
"Oh, and I never did get you name," he tacked on just as I was turning to leave.
I took a few steps towards him and extended my hand, "Name's Sam," I lied.
"Sam," he said with a smile, taking my hand in his good one, "I'm James. This is Garrett," he tilted his head to the guy over his left shoulder, "and Laurent." He nodded to the other guy and I gave them tight smiles too before I hastily walked off into the night.
I wanted to take my time, to walk slowly and gather my thoughts, but I rounded a corner and almost ran into Bella again.
"Jesusfuck," I said in exasperation, clutching my hand to my chest because she'd scared the shit out of me. "I thought I told you to wait in the car."
"I wasn't going to leave you alone with them," she replied, walking beside me as we headed to where the Impala was parked. "They're dangerous, and all you have is your knife."
"How...did you know I only have my knife?" I asked incredulously, shifting my eyes to her as she smiled down at the concrete.
"I think I know more about you than you do sometimes Edward," she said, brushing her fingers against her lips before she was silent again.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, "Uh, you know...what I said –"
"I know," she said quickly, waving her hand to dismiss it. "It's fine."
"I wasn't telling the truth, Bella," I assured, grabbing her wrist so she stopped and turned to me. I let her go just as fast as I had touched her, frowning at the undecipherable mess of emotion that had suddenly plagued me.
I didn't know what to feel.
Emmett...he was a vampire. Jacob had bitten him on the hunt in Ohio and Bella had changed him to save his life.
Was I mad? Fuck yes. I was furious...angry, sad, heartbroken.
But no matter how torn apart I was, no matter how upside down my world seemed to be...Emmett was here, among the living. Bella had saved him. I still had my brother, even if he wasn't human.
"I know," Bella replied softly, sticking her hands in the pockets of her dress. My mind snapped back to the present and I watched her, pulling away, being reserved. We were both wary of our emotions right now and I honestly didn't know what to do.
"I should go," she said, looking down the dark road as she pulled her hands from her pockets and crossed her arms over her chest instead. "I've been gone a while and I don't want my coven to worry. Being out with so many hunters searching for us isn't safe." Her eyes met mine again and my pulse quickened. "I really am sorry, about Emmett. I hope you understand."
I nodded in acknowledgment, and just as she made to move, my heart jumped up into my throat.
"Do you think I can come with you?" I asked suddenly. I knew it was dangerous, for me to be spending so much time with her, but I wanted more information. Some things still didn't make sense to me.
"Can you be civil?" she asked, cocking her brow.
I snorted quietly, but nodded my head, "Yeah, I think so."
A/N: All right, there it is! THAT'S what happened to Emmett. Lots of you guessed right. I'm horribly transparent ; )
Please leave some love and let me know how you liked it! You will get a nice little teaser for chapter 8 if you do : ) The next chapter Defensive will be posted next Thursday. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to come chat on Twitter and Twilighted!
Kayla, hope that was worth it ;)
