Chapter Seven
As I sank to my knees, I felt my subconscious siphon through all my memories of Edward. I could recall the way his skin had sparkled under the radiant sunlight in the meadow… our meadow. The way his lips had curved as he called me his own, personal brand of heroine, made me shiver right there in the dirt. Lastly, my body tingled as I recalled the first time he had said those three words to me: I love you. I didn't care if they had been a lie perpetuated by a vampire looking for a distraction in life; that statement had made me the happiest I had ever been. Regardless of the pain they caused me, I embraced my memories of Edward willingly knowing I was about to die.
There was no use in running, just as there was no use in hoping for anyone to come for me. There would be no last minute rescue as there had been with James; Edward wouldn't intercede on my behalf as he had with Jasper. No, I was on my own. A part of me wanted to panic, scream, and dash through the woods like any normal human being would—but I didn't. Nothing I could do would stop her from killing me; the least I could do was die with my dignity still intact.
She slowly glided forward and stopped a few feet in front of me. I was still on my knees, and although I wanted to stand with my head held high, I had lost all feeling in my body. As I looked up at the person who I had considered a friend, the very same girl I had laughed and talked with, I managed to choke out one word: "Why?"
Why hadn't I seen her for what she really was? When I'd first laid eyes on Edward and his siblings, I had felt that there was something off about them; why hadn't I felt it with her? She never ate during lunch, and the only time I had seen her outside was when it was raining. Why hadn't I picked up on that before? Why had I allowed myself to be stalked by a vampire? I knew the answer to all my questions without even trying. I had been so devastated by Edward and Alice's rejection; I had refused to allow myself to think of anything related to the Cullens. In my quest to quell my suffering, I had opened the door for my own destruction. I had set myself up for death.
How ironic.
Jillian took another step forward, her gaze unwavering. However, as I repeated my question, there was a flicker of emotion in her face, a sliver of recognition. Hoping to somehow appeal to any residual human qualities she had left, I pleaded, "I'll never tell anyone about you, I promise. Please, let me go, Jillian."
"I can't do that, Bella." Before I could blink, she reached down and grabbed me around my throat, her vise-like grip closing off my airway in an instant. She lifted me off my knees, and while I coughed and gasped for air, her other hand encircled my body. "As I said before—I'm sorry it had to be you."
I stared at her in horror while she focused on my exposed throat, and I felt my body start to go numb. She closed her eyes momentarily, sniffing the breeze that blew strands of my hair in her direction, and I tensed in anticipation of the coming pain. My eyes squinted as I tried in vain to shirk away from her, and I thought about the one thing that would bring me one ounce of peace. The ones, whose secret I would now carry to my grave, filled my every sense. Their images burst through all the walls I'd built to contain the memories of them. Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice. I was going to die. It shouldn't matter if I thought of them… if I thought of him.
Edward… I love you.
I watched as Jillian paused in the act of inhaling my scent, and she whipped her head abruptly to the left, almost as if she had seen something. I was afraid to look away from her, to see what she was seeing. I denounced the hope blossoming in my chest, the one that insisted I fight and survive. Jillian was a vampire, and I knew what that meant; she could easily overpower me should I attempt to no way to escape and no hope for help, I dangled there in her arms and waited for the end.
I was so focused on my impending death, I barely heard Jillian when she spoke. "What the hell do you want?"
I had to look then. My eyes widened, desperate to see what had caught her attention—who was stupid enough to follow us this deep into the park—and my gaze rested on a familiar, dirty flannel shirt and torn jeans. Collin's gaze was transfixed on us, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides. What on earth was he doing there? I wanted to tell him to run and save himself, but I could hardly breathe through Jillian's grip.
"Why are you here?" She snarled loudly, the sound making my skin crawl in terror, and her hand loosened on my throat for a moment. I coughed as air filled my lungs, but her fingers steeled on me before I could take an additional breath. "Need I remind you what today is?"
My body had started to go limp, the trees were beginning to spin and fade away, and I knew unconsciousness was imminent. I tried to pull up Edward and Alice's faces, tried to think of all the good times we'd had together, but it was nearly impossible. The only thoughts swirling in my head were of my parents and all the pain and suffering my death would cause them. Mom… Phil… Charlie… I'm so sorry.
"This is no concern of yours, Walker!" Jillian's voice climbed an octave higher, and there was an unmistakable level of contempt to her words. However, as hard as I tried to concentrate, my cognitive processes were slowing down drastically. "What do you think you're doing?"
When the corners of my periphery began to darken, a haze spread through my body, and I felt the complete absence of pain. It was almost over… or so I thought.
I yelped when my body was suddenly cast aside, shoved toward the dirt with brute force. I felt pain shoot through my appendages when I hit the ground. As I rolled onto my back, happy that I could breathe again, the reality of the situation hit me. I quickly scrambled across the ground, struggling to find my footing, however the brief loss of air was affecting my basic motor functions, and I found it difficult to walk.
Although I knew I should have focused on getting out of the park alive, my human curiosity got the better of me, and I chanced a look in Jillian and Collin's direction. Jillian was backing away from him, and in my frantic terror, confusion swept through me. Why was she retreating? Granted, Collin towered over her by almost a foot, but he was only a human. What reason would a vampire have to fear a human? And Jillian was afraid. Her eyes were wide, and although she tried to glare at him, her gaze roamed around the forest. Was she looking for an escape route?
As if in answer to my question, Jillian suddenly lurched toward Collin and unleashed a virulent wail. I expected her to tear him to pieces but was shocked when Collin reached out with his right hand and stopped her in her tracks. His fingers gripped her throat, just as she had done with me, and he lifted her off her feet. She began to screech at an inhuman decibel level, forcing me to cover my ears, and she clawed at his forearm. His skin opened up under her assault, and my stomach heaved when blood began to drip off his elbow.
There were a million questions rushing through me—how Collin could withstand a vampire attack, for one—but I ignored all of them. Instead, I pushed myself upright and tried to make a run for it. Maybe, just possibly, Collin's distraction would allow me to live. I made up my mind to go home, grab Renee and Phil, and go… somewhere. I wasn't entirely sure where we would go, but I knew I had to get out of Jacksonville. Unfortunately, as I tried to move in my unhinged state, I made it two feet before managing to snag my shoe on an above ground root. I cried out when I stumbled and fell face-first into a tree, and I froze when the scent of salty iron overwhelmed me.
The sounds of Jillian's struggle ceased almost immediately, and an eerie silence descended on the forest. Shaking with fear, I turned my attention back to her and Collin, and I was shocked to see they were both staring at me. While her desperate, anxious breathing scared the hell out of me, it was Collin's expression that was the most unsettling. He looked genuinely surprised about… something—his mouth slightly parted, his eyebrows arched high on his forehead, and his eyes focused on me.
What are you doing? Run!
Before I could comprehend listening to my subconscious, Jillian released another ear piercing screech, and with one quick motion, she kicked Collin in the stomach. He growled in pain, and his hand released her almost immediately. Before he could recover, Jillian curled up her fist and punched him across his face, sending him spiraling through the air. He came to rest at the base of a tree, blood starting to drip from his busted bottom lip.
When he didn't move, I felt the rest of the color drain from my face, especially when Jillian shifted back in my direction.
"Did you think I wouldn't find out?" She started moving toward me, slow and deliberate. "Did you think you could hide it from me? From us?"
"Hide… what?" I choked the words out, and I stumbled away from her. "What do you mean?"
"Stop with your lies!" She hissed and gripped my forearm with her fingers. A searing, white hot pain shot through my arm, and I cried out in response. Jillian, however, seemed unperturbed by my distress, and she brought her nose to my skin and inhaled deeply. As she let out a disturbing moan, I squealed in absolute horror and disgust. "So fresh, so delicious… no, I can't do it. They'll kill me if I take her now… too risky… but I want it, so very much…"
I started to shiver as she continued talking into the skin on my wrist, and I closed my eyes when her lips parted. My flesh erupted into goose bumps as her frigid breath washed against it, and I gasped. This was it; the end to my meaningless existence. Despite being on the edge of oblivion, I couldn't find it in me to regret any of the decisions I'd made. Even if Edward didn't want me anymore, for a few precious months, I'd had everything. If that was the last happiness I would ever know, I'd gratefully take it.
While I stared into the backs of my eyelids, I could almost see him—his golden eyes, his glorious smile, and his never-ending beauty. I welcomed my thoughts of laying in the meadow with him, feeling his frigid touch against my flushed skin, and I caught myself smiling when I recalled the feel of his lips against my own. Any thoughts of my botched birthday, or seeing him with Jessica, flew out the window, and I was left with only my most precious of memories. Edward… my Edward...
A high-pitched keen broke through my internal revelry, and at the same time, Jillian's grip seemed to slacken. My eyes popped open, and when I glanced down, I was horrified to find her hand had been severed at the elbow. It fell to the ground, and I quickly stumbled backward in an attempt to get away from it.
While trying to separate myself from Jillian's bodiless appendage, I was shocked, and somewhat relieved, to find her on her knees, Collin's hands firmly around her neck. A bit of light blossomed in me as I wondered if maybe, just maybe, he would be strong enough to kill her.
"Collin! Stop!" A streak of color shot through the trees, and Collin's sister—the blonde who had knocked me over on my first visit to Jackson—materialized at his side. She placed both hands on his left shoulder and gaped at the vampire on the ground. "What are you doing?"
Collin's gaze cut sharply to hers. "Following orders."
"It's Fuil Aimsir," she reasoned in a cautionary voice, and she grabbed his wrist as he turned his attention back to Jillian. "We cannot interfere—you know this!"
Collin pushed her away, and the two began to bicker back and forth, speaking a language I couldn't identify. Her face was impassive as he gestured to me, but when he motioned toward the vampire still in his grasp, there was a change. Her eyebrows arched, and her mouth parted. There was also a strange look in her eyes. What was that? Hope?
"You deal with it," Collin growled, shoving Jillian into his sister's arms, and he took a few steps backward. When his eyes fell on me, my stomach heaved. "I have to take Bella—"
Self-preservation surged through my body when I heard my name, chasing away the paralyzing fear, and without stopping to consider what I was doing, I turned and ran. I knew I wouldn't get very far. Collin had somehow been able to subdue a vampire; catching me would be a walk in the park. Sure enough, I felt a familiar pair of arms grab my midsection and pull me back after only a handful of steps. I opened my mouth to scream, but I could only manage a feeble yelp.
"Let me go." I was spun around and came face to face with him. Was he a vampire? Did he have a special power that allowed him to travel in the sunlight? Was he going to kill me? The questions were endless and only served to make me more fearful. "Please?"
His eyes widened, and his frown depended. "Bella, we're not going to hurt you."
"Then why won't you let me go?" I looked up at him, a tiny sliver of hope creeping in as I analyzed his expression. Was he telling the truth? I couldn't tell. "I promise I won't tell anyone about what happened here. You'll never see me again."
I meant every word. Even though keeping my word would entail returning to Forks—enduring Jessica and Edward on a daily basis—it was a necessary evil. I pushed away all the scenarios that came from such an idea, and instead, I focused on Collin. Would he let me leave?
He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't do that… not yet."
Any dream or fantasy I had of walking out of this was diminished, and I dropped my head.
"You should leave," I heard Collin's sister say. "The smoke trail will be seen for miles, and besides"—I lifted my gaze and found her staring at me—"I don't think the human should see this."
The Human. It all but confirmed what I had secretly feared; Collin and his sister were not human. My body started to tremble again as the two of them argued back and forth.
"Fine." Collin urged me forward as he growled at his sister, and we started moving through the park. We had only been walking for a few minutes when a loud, ear-piercing scream filled the air. Collin growled angrily and yelled, "Damnit, Una! Keep it down!"
I glanced back at him when his hand encircled my bicep, and I shuddered at the intense look in his eyes. Although he'd told me that he wasn't going to hurt me, I was still scared. "Where are you taking me?"
Our eyes met, and there was a brief flash of remorse in his eyes. "I know you have a lot of questions, Bella, but for now, I need you to stay quiet—we're not in a safe place yet."
I didn't want to listen to him. I wanted to scream and call out for help, but it dawned on me how fruitless such an effort would be. On top of that, I had a lingering fear that should I decide to run, Collin could easily change his mind and kill me. It was those two possible scenarios that, against my better judgment, forced me to keep my mouth shut. So we moved in silence, with the exception of Collin's sporadic cursing, and after about ten minutes, I saw a break in the trees.
I felt relieved when we stepped through the tree line, and I fought the urge to kiss the concrete below my feet. However, any comfort I felt was quickly replaced with fearful dread. I craned my neck from side-to-side and realized we were nowhere near the school. Where on earth were we? Where was Jackson High? Where had Collin navigated me?
I hadn't realized I had stopped moving until his hand found the small of my back. "We have to keep moving."
"Where are we?" I demanded as we shuffled across a busy street and into a parking lot. "Collin?"
"Come on." He completely disregarded my question, and instead, dragged me in between cars. I winced as I bumped into side view mirrors and car doors, but Collin's pace didn't falter. Finally, after a solid minute of weaving through empty vehicles, he stopped in front of the most unsavory looking car. "Get in."
I paused for a moment, and my nose wrinkled in response to such an ugly looking car. I'd never been vain when it came to automobiles, especially since I had driven a monstrous, red truck in Forks, but I couldn't help being repulsed by the one in front of me. The paint had rusted and peeled, and a firm level of dust was pressed into the cracks between the paint chips, giving it a putrid, red-brown tinge. On top of that, the hood had been removed for… whatever reason, and the parts beneath were in plain sight. I took a step back as Collin opened the passenger door from inside.
"Bella?" His voice broke through to me, and I looked at him through the window. He was eyeing me warily, probably expecting me to bolt at any moment. "Come on—it's okay."
I took a step away from the door and looked over my shoulder. There were quite a few people walking around the parking lot, along the sidewalks, as well as in and out of the shops nearby. If I started screaming, someone was bound to notice. The question was would they be able to get to me before Collin pulled me in the car?
I didn't get a chance to find out. While trying to decide whether or not to start shouting for help, a strong hand touched my shoulder. I whipped my head around, and I came face-to-face with Collin's sister. Her deep, chocolate eyes met mine, and she motioned to the car in front of us.
"Get in." Her voice left no room for argument, and although my head told me to fight, my body complied. She took the front seat, while I climbed into the back, and gave Collin no acknowledgment. She simply pulled a black hat over her hair and growled, "Go."
They pulled out of the parking lot and wasted no time in hopping on the highway. Once they reached a certain speed, the car stopped sputtering and the tires didn't feel like they were going to fall off any more. The two in the front seat seemed to lose a lot of the tension in their shoulders, and they actually started to converse while I tried to keep myself together.
"Give me your arm," Una requested, but Collin shook his head. "You can't afford to lose any more blood."
"I'm fine," he growled. "I'll take care of it later."
"Right—like you did last time?" She sneered and scooted over in the seat, almost climbing into his lap, and Collin hesitantly relinquished his damaged appendage. With a delicate motion, she took his right arm—the one Jillian had mangled—and what followed was definitely the most bizarre thing I'd ever seen.
After using a paper tower to clear away the majority of the blood, Una bit the tip of her finger, and when a dark red streak appeared on her skin, she started tracing the claw marks on his forearm. Collin winced a few times, but he remained silent. Ten minutes later, Una pulled away, grabbed another paper towel, and cleaned the area again. When she moved back into the passenger seat, Collin lifted his arm enough for me to see. The bloody claw marks were gone, and in their place were several black, spindly lines. What had she done to him? True, he was no longer wounded or losing blood, but what were those marks? I wanted to ask, but I was too shocked by everything that had happened.
Una leaned back, and she laughed humorlessly. "Shiloh's not going to like this."
We drove for a long time, and as I looked at my watch, I felt my stomach heave. In less than five hours, Renee was going to be sitting in the Jackson High parking lot, waiting to pick me up. I wondered how long she would idle there before realizing something was wrong. What would she do? Who would she call? I let my head fall to my hands, and I silently wished I hadn't stormed away from her earlier. My guilt was impacted ten times over when I realized I probably wouldn't be there for my shift at Pages either. Strangely enough, the loss of my work hours felt more detrimental than the idea of my mother sitting at Jackson alone. Strange.
The car took a sudden left, and seeing how I didn't have my seatbelt on, I crashed into the opposite door. I moaned and rubbed my bicep, my muscle throbbing in response. I sniffled as I thought about my mother, waiting in the parking lot for someone who would never show. Why on earth had I followed Jillian into the park? I had felt there was something off about the whole thing, so why hadn't I just turned and left? I snorted as the answer came to me easily.
I've been so desperate for anything to distract me from Edward… I walked right into a trap.
The bitter resentment appeared in the vast corners of my mind again. The blame, which normally revolved around my humanity and imperfect features, redirected to the family of vampires. I couldn't stop the barrage of accusatory, angry thoughts that followed, and I struggled against them. After all, it wasn't their fault that I was still hanging onto every memory and thought of them; it wasn't their fault that Jillian had exploited my weakness.
… But they are at fault for lying to you… they convinced you they loved you… where are they now? If they truly cared, they wouldn't have let Edward and Alice be so cruel to you… they wouldn't have abandoned you…
I covered my ears with both hands in a vain attempt to stop the incessant ramblings, but it just kept coming. There was no way I would ever blame the Cullens for the torment I'd been suffering, and they certainly weren't responsible for Jillian's actions. Still, a dark part of my mind couldn't help but accuse them of lying to me. After all, how on earth could they condone Alice and Edward's actions if they truly cared?
The sound of a door closing shook me from my depression, and as I looked up, Collin opened the door for me. I climbed out of the vehicle and glanced around at my new surroundings. There were tons of trees, and with the exception of the thick humidity, I could have sworn I was back in Forks. We were standing in front of an old, run-down building, with moss hanging from the roof, and broken windows. The scent of dust and mildew was everywhere.
As the two of them led me around the old house, I felt my stomach tighten up. At the back of the property was a narrow stairwell, leading ten feet into the earth. My body quaked with terror as I allowed them to guide me down the stairs, and I realized what this place was. In the forties and fifties, Americans had been so terrified of nuclear war; they had taken to building fallout shelters in their backyard. I briefly appreciated the historical relic in front of me, but my revelry was short lived.
As we stopped in front of the door, Collin's sister spun around and glared at me. "Listen close, Human." It didn't escape me how she basically spat out the word "human," but I tried not to dwell on it. "When we are inside, you will not speak unless spoken to. You will not ask questions, and you will do as you're told. Is that understood?" I had no idea what was going on, so I simply nodded. "Good."
A few light bulbs flickered on as we moved into a dank, dirty room. Water was dripping somewhere, and when I detected the distinct odor of mildew, my nose screwed up in displeasure. The walls reminded me of the car Collin had been driving. The paint had chipped away so much, it was almost impossible to tell what they had once looked like. The room itself reminded me of those serial killer movies—the ones where a helpless victim was drug out to the middle of nowhere and murdered. The notion didn't help my current mood, so I pushed it out of mind.
Collin opened another metal door, and I was led into a larger room. Thankfully, this was much cleaner than the previous, but not by much. There were five broken, worn out looking couches lining the walls and a small radio in the far corner of the room. The space was lit up with the same hanging light bulbs, and I had to squint to see anything clearly. The smell of mold hit my lungs, and I coughed heavily. I was about to tell Collin that I couldn't be down here for very long when a voice echoed from further back.
"What on earth is that smell?" The voice exclaimed, and as a small door swung open, I was forced to take a step back. The boy who appeared was easily the largest one in the room at that moment, and I felt myself shrink a few more inches. I recognized him as one of the boys who had been sitting with Collin at the mall. As he stepped into the room, the boy stopped in his tracks when he saw me, and he looked at Collin and his sister expectantly. "Una? Collin? What's this?"
Una, as he had called her, scoffed. "Don't ask me."
The boy moved further into the light, and I was able to fully see him. Compared to Collin, who hadn't changed his clothes in almost a month, the tall boy's clothes seemed relatively clean. He had a dark green, hooded sweater and dark jeans, which were tucked into the same knee high boots as the rest of them. His jeans had a few mud stains on them, and I could see spots on his sweater, but he was relatively tidy. So far, Una was the cleanest out of them all. Her black sweater and jeans had no visible tears or stains.
As he turned to me, his eyes widened a bit. "My Dagda, Collin! What on earth did you do to this child? She looks absolutely terrified!"
All three of their eyes found me, and I felt my cheeks warm in response.
"One of the leeches attacked her," Collin responded as he crossed the room to me. Carefully, he led me to one of the couches, which smelled like rotting garbage, and took a seat. "Sit down, Bella."
I didn't want to sit down, nor did I even wish to be there, but I complied regardless. The couch was damp, and it made a strange crunching noise when I sat. As if it couldn't get any worse, a putrid, overwhelming stink emanated from the moldy cushions, which made my stomach heave uncontrollably. I choked back the vomit threatening to appear, and the knot in my stomach tightened even more. I wanted to leave, to suck in mouthfuls of fresh air, but it was becoming an impossibility with each passing second.
"Are you all right?" Collin's voice was far away, but it was still clear enough to anger me. I turned to him, wanting to scream and shout that I wasn't okay, but I couldn't muster the strength. So I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Right… I'm sorry."
I turned away from him, and instead, I focused on my wrist. A dark bruise had formed where Jillian had grabbed me, and I flexed my fingers to check if anything felt broken.
Una and Tall Boy had been arguing quietly across the room, gesturing wildly in our direction. However, their voices abruptly cut off, and I sensed a significant change in the atmosphere. I pulled my knees to my chest, wanting nothing more than to disappear, as all three of them converged in the middle of the room, and my body stiffened at the sound of an engine outside. I could hear footsteps descending the steps, and I tried to regulate my breathing, so that I wouldn't hyperventilate. The door swung open, and I gasped when I saw her.
I recognized the tall, androgynous girl immediately, and my body sank back into the couch the moment her eyes zeroed in on me. Just like at the mall, I felt like an intruder and wanted nothing more than to run. She crossed the room, making no effort to acknowledge the three standing in front of her, and she stared down at me with passive curiosity.
"What is your name?" She asked, and my mouth fell open in shock at the sound of her voice. Going by her outward appearance, I had assumed her voice would be tough, rugged, and fierce, but that was far from the truth. It was soft, gentle, with a hint of authority. It made no sense coming from the mouth of someone… like her.
When she reiterated her question, Collin stepped forward and tried to give her my name. In the blink of an eye, she spun around and came face to face with him, her back muscles tensing under her black shirt. She calmly but firmly stated, "You do not speak for her."
Collin nodded, a cowed expression on his face, and he backed up. "My apologies."
The girl turned her attention back to me, an expectant look on her face. Remembering what Una had said to me, I managed to choke out my name. "I'm Be-Bella Swan."
The girl nodded and her eyes narrowed slightly. "And why, Bella Swan, are you here?"
"Shiloh, please," Collin said softly, and he rested his hand on her shoulder. "You're scaring her."
A flash of confusion flickered in her eyes, almost as if she hadn't realized she was intimidating me, and she was across the room in less than a millisecond. Judging by what I'd just seen, she was faster than any vampire I'd seen, faster than the Cullens… than Edward. Although Collin and Una had moved abnormally quick in the park, this was something else. Shiloh, as she was so called, was something else.
"Una, Tobin," Shiloh said, her voice firm and authoritative. "Be at leisure."
The two nodded their heads simultaneously, and without so much as a backward glance, they disappeared. Shiloh took a deep breath and sat on one of the couches. Her gaze danced between me and Collin, and after a few awkward moments, she nodded to him.
Collin breathed heavily and hung his head. "I killed a parasite today, but it wasn't without cause."
She said nothing, but her eyebrow lifted in a curious expression.
Collin growled, even though she had not spoken to him, and he pointed in my direction. "I was put in an unthinkable situation, Shiloh. Do I follow a mandate issued by my ceannaire, or do I honor an agreement with my enemy?" Shiloh was stoic. "Based on the oath I took, I chose what I judged to be right."
She nodded and appeared thoughtful, but again, she said nothing.
"There's something else," he interjected, and her eyes narrowed. "She's a receptor."
My brow furrowed at this. I had no idea what a receptor was, and frankly, I had no interest in knowing. However, as I examined Shiloh's reaction, I realized that whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
"Collin," Shiloh replied softly, the disapproval evident in her voice and expression. "Not this again."
"I'm sure this time," he insisted, and with one hand placed on the small of my back, he shuffled me forward. "Test her—you'll see."
Test me? What on earth is he talking about?
"Do you think I am blind?" Shiloh rose from the couch and extended to her full height, which was almost a foot taller than me. Her gaze was sharp and steely, and I felt myself shrinking back into Collin unconsciously. "Do you think the obvious has escaped me or the others?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he growled in response. When I looked up at him, his head and shoulders were hunched, and he wasn't looking at her.
"Do not insult my vision," Shiloh said with a hint of amusement, and she glanced at me. "The resemblance is indeed remarkable."
"That's not what this is about." Collin ran a hand through his hair, and he frowned, frustrated. "Please, Shiloh, do this—for me."
She stared at him, an unreadable emotion in her eyes, and sighed. "If this is what you want, then I will comply. I just hope you are prepared for the consequences." Shiloh turned her attention to me, and in a soft voice, she said, "Give me your hand."
I stared at her fearfully, wondering why on earth she would want my hand. On top of that, what did Collin want me tested for? What did this test entail? My heart was starting to beat abnormally fast, and I couldn't slow it down. The voice in the back of my head reminded me that Collin had promised I would live, but I couldn't believe it. I had absolutely no reason to trust him… or his friends. I tried to take a step back and slip past Collin, but Shiloh grabbed my hand and stopped me.
"This might hurt." Her warning was short, and I barely had time to comprehend it. Shiloh touched my palm with her index finger, her nail immediately piercing my skin, and I gasped. The pain was miniscule, but I still became nauseous when I spied the deep red liquid pool in my palm.
Shiloh, in the meantime, dipped a finger into the tiny pool of blood, closed her eyes, and brought it to her nose. I lowered my head and pressed the bleeding wound to my leg, wanting to stop the flow of red, but I only succeeded in staining my pants. I was about to ask for a bandage when I heard a deep growl. I looked up, and Shiloh was staring at me with a mixture of shock and anger.
"Well?" Collin was impatient and anxious. "Was I right? Is she one of us?"
She was silent, staring at me with the same grimace, until Collin touched her shoulder. "Take her back to where you found her."
"What?" Collin frowned. "Was I wrong?"
She turned quickly, coming face to face with him. "Why is this important?"
He looked back at me and lowered his eyes. "I just need to know, all right?"
"Nothing good will come of it," she cautioned, but when he pressed her again, she relented. She glanced at me momentarily, and I saw resolve take root in her eyes. "You are correct—Bella is a receptor."
The satisfaction on Collin's face was immeasurable, and his shoulders relaxed as Shiloh confirmed that I was a receptor… whatever that was. He glowed with pride and moved to stand behind me. His hands rested on my shoulders, and I tensed in response to the close contact. "Well, that decides it, then."
"Wrong." Shiloh turned, her face devoid of emotion. "This decides nothing."
I looked up and saw all the confidence drain from Collin's features, melting into shock and disappointment, and I could feel his body shudder against mine. "How can you say that?"
"Do you presume to think I would take her life from her?" Shiloh gave him a blank stare as she walked away from him. When he tried to contest again, she shook her head. "Collin, this is not up for discussion. You know as well as I that loyalty does not come with force."
He frowned. "Then what do you propose we do with her? If the leeches discover her, which they will, that'll be the end. They won't rest until they bleed her dry and use it on the market. On top of that, they'll find out about the leech I killed, and they'll hunt us down. There's no other humane option, Shiloh."
My stomach lurched as I listened to the interlude between Collin and Shiloh. I wasn't entirely sure what they were talking about, but one thing was clear: Collin had put his friends in danger by rescuing me. Shiloh's eyes cut to me, and I could see something burning in her eyes. Was it hatred? Probably. Then again, I hadn't asked for him to save me; he did that on his own.
She turned away, and with a heavy sigh, responded, "I will not train her."
He growled, but she held up her hand to silence him.
"Listen to my words, Collin," she explained, a small smile playing on her lips. "I will not train her, nor will I teach her of our history. I will do none of these things—do we understand one another?"
He smiled. "Perfectly."
"Good." Shiloh inclined her head in my direction. "Now be on your way."
"All right." He nodded, and I felt his hand grip my bicep. "I won't be back tonight.
"Understood."
I fidgeted with my seat belt as Collin drove, and I tried to focus on anything but him. Thankfully, the wound on my hand was still fresh, so I could put all my energy into trying to stop the residual bleeding. I held it against my jeans, frowning at the patches of dried blood that were already staining the fabric and wondering what I would tell my mother. I was concentrating so hard, I didn't see Collin reach over.
"Let me see your hand," he asked softly, and I gasped when he pried my palm away from my knee. "I can help you."
I glanced down at his forearm and gawked at the black lines twisting around his wrist. Were they permanent? Was he planning to do that to me? I quickly snatched my hand back. "No."
"Look Bella," he sighed and gripped the steering wheel. "I can understand that you're probably confused."
That was the last straw. How could he understand what I was feeling when he didn't even know me? Losing the last bits of my composure, I kicked the glove compartment, and the rusted door caved under my foot with a sickening crunch. I didn't stop there. I balled up my hands, wincing when I put pressure on the wound, and hit the dashboard with both fists. I unleashed all the anger and rage I had accumulated over the Cullens' rejection, Renee's invasiveness, and Collin's mysteriousness. Why couldn't I just move on? Why did I have to be drug back into the supernatural world?
When I pulled back and glared at Collin, he looked absolutely terrified.
"Bella, what the he—"
"Just stop!" I hadn't meant to screech the way I did, but it didn't stop me from continuing. "You don't know a thing about me, Collin, so just stop it. You have absolutely no idea how I feel! You're rude to me, I know you've been following me and watching me at school, you attacked Jillian, and you kidnapped me!"
"I attacked Jillian?" He slammed on the breaks, and I had to brace myself to keep from flying forward. Apparently, the seatbelt was for show and provided no resistance whatsoever. "I stopped her from killing you, Bella. I saved your life!"
The bile rose in my throat as I felt obligation take root in my heart. I hated being in someone's debt, and knowing that he had saved my life meant I owed him. "I didn't need your help!"
He snorted, and the car started moving again. "Right."
I leaned back into the seat and pouted, hating that I owed him, but also, happy that I was going back home. After everything I'd been through in the past couple hours, I was ready to tell Renee that I wanted to move back to Forks. I was choosing one hell over another, but I couldn't help myself. I would rather choose the hell I knew—I was familiar with Forks, and I could avoid the Cullens—than the one I didn't.
"I'm sorry." His apology surprised me, and I turned to find him glowering straight ahead. "You're right about me, Bella."
"What exactly am I right about?" I answered bleakly, shaking my head and laughing sardonically. "Will you shed some light on the situation for me? Does it have something to do with that journal you cornered me over?"
He blanched and shook his head. "Have you ever had a secret, Bella—a secret that you couldn't tell anyone?"
I froze, my thoughts going back to Edward and his family. "Yes."
"Imagine if that secret was jeopardized," he said, and my frown deepened in confusion. "Just think if the secret that you held close to your heart, the one that defined your very existence, was threatened. It sounds absurd, I know, but when you returned my journal, you opened up that possibility. I was told that I had to find out if you had read it, that I had to use any means necessary to get the truth out of you. I'm sorry if I scared you that day. I didn't really want to, and I didn't think you'd read it, but my hand was forced."
I shook my head. "That doesn't make any kind of sense, Collin. What secret do you have that I could possibly endanger?"
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes darting from side-to-side. "There's so much I need to tell you, but I don't know where to start. I've never done this before."
"Never done what? You're so confusing!" I was getting frustrated with all the nonsense coming from his mouth. "Why won't you just let me go?"
He turned and looked at me briefly, a strange emotion flickering in his eyes, and before I could ask him to watch where he was driving, he pulled to the side of the road. Anxiety rolled through my body as I feared he had decided to kill me after all, and my hand slowly slipped into the door handle. I wasn't sure how far I would get before he caught me, but I would try nonetheless. He surprised me, though, by turning and staring into my eyes intently.
"Shiloh's right. I can't force this on you, Bella. You have to be open to everything I have to tell you. There can be no hesitation, no going back once we start. So I'll make you a deal, all right? If you'd like to know more about what happened today, open your bedroom window at midnight tonight."
"My… window?" Realization struck me like lightning, and I wrapped my arms around my torso, feeling exposed. "You know where I live?"
"If you have no interest in learning more about the world you live in," Collin continued, ignoring my outcry, "keep your window shut, and you'll never see or hear from me again."
I groaned, and my head dropped down to my waiting hands. Even though I knew it was wise to keep my distance from Collin, beneficial that I try to immerse myself in the human world once again, I could feel the excitement building in my stomach. Regardless of my attempts to keep my memories of Edward locked away, the idea of having another link to his world was too tempting to resist. I was a creature of habit, after all, which meant despite everything I'd been trying to do this past month, I would open my window for Collin.
He dropped me off in front of the school, reiterating our agreement, but he was gone before I could say anything. I stared after him, trying to come to terms with everything that had happened that day, and I jumped when the bell rang over my head. One look at the watch on my wrist told me that I had missed lunch, and that I was about to be late to class. I made a mad dash across the campus and skidded into the gym with barely enough time to change and find a place on the bleachers.
Concentrating on my classes was impossible, and although I tried to fake it as best as I could, some of my teachers noticed. I had come close to assaulting five people with a basketball in gym class, and the coach had finally sent me to run laps by myself. Although I was thoroughly embarrassed by the incident, I was secretly pleased with the quiet time and used it to ponder what Collin would tell me. Would he tell me that he was a vampire, but a good one? Was it possible that he would know the Cullens? Moreover, how would he take the news that I knew about vampires?
I stopped jogging, and I frowned at the floor beneath my feet. Somehow, the idea of sharing the truth about the Cullens felt wrong, taboo even. It was then that I realized, regardless of what may have happened to me in the past, it wasn't my secret to share. It was ultimately up to Edward and his family to spread the truth of their species, not me. Although the thought depressed me, angered me even, I would respect their wishes.
If Collin asked me anything about vampires, I would do the one thing that felt right; I would lie.
The rest of the day passed at a snail's pace, and after what felt like ten days, I found myself waiting for my mother in the parking lot. After all the excitement, I'd completely forgotten about what she'd said to me before school, and my stomach automatically tightened when I spied her car approach me. Would she go off on another tangent again? Or would she try to be nice?
It was neither.
I slid into the passenger seat and muttered a halfhearted "hello" to my mother, but I received nothing in return. When I glanced in her direction, her eyes were focused intently on the road ahead, and her lips were pressed into a tight line. I'd seen this look on Renee's face many times in the past; this was my mother's equivalent to pouting. Knowing from experience that pushing her wouldn't help, I sighed heavily and stared out the window.
Earlier in class, I had decided that I would call in sick to work, and as soon as I got home, I called Nora. She was very accommodating, as I assumed she would be, and promptly wished me a speedy recovery. There was something slightly off about the conversation, though.
"All right, well I'll see you tomorrow," I said, trying to close the conversation.
"Oh, Bella?" Nora stopped me from hanging up, and I hummed in response. "Good luck."
"Huh?" She had already hung up by the time I formulated some semblance of a response. I returned the phone to the receiver and paused for a moment, confused. For a split second, I had a flash of paranoia appear in my thoughts. What if everything in Jacksonville was connected in one way or another? Was it even possible? As I stared down at the telephone, wondering what Nora meant, I shook my head and muttered, "That was weird."
I sat around the house for the rest of the afternoon, trying not to watch the clock tick steadily toward midnight, and soon found myself doing the strangest things in pursuit of distraction. I helped Renee pick the weeds out of her garden, which seemed to break her out of her funk, held the light while Phil changed the oil in the cars, and I even raked up the leaves in the front yard. Regardless, I still caught myself glancing drown at my watch every five minutes.
Dinner was an awkward affair. Renee and Phil were watching me like hawks, and even though I was far from hungry, I stuffed my face. My mother looked appeased, which in turn made me breathe a sigh of relief. When I absolutely couldn't eat anymore, I excused myself and returned to my bedroom. For the next few hours, I alternated between my trig homework and my reading assignments. Of course, as soon as the numbers and words started blurring together, I resorted to surfing the internet.
The clock finally struck midnight, and I moved to my window. I pushed it open, and when I peered out into the darkness, Collin was staring at me from across the street.
I jumped a bit. "Would you knock that off?"
He closed the distance between us at an abnormal speed and climbed in the window. "Knock what off?"
"That creepy… lurking… thing," I said, grimacing at my poor choice of words, and I gawked as he entered my room. He was almost covered in mud from head-to-toe, and he was dripping a black liquid on my carpet. I shook my head and pointed to the bathroom. "Go take a shower, please."
I wasn't in the habit of offering my bathroom to strangers, but I figured stains on my carpet wouldn't help me in dealing with Renee. On top of that, I knew our conversation wouldn't be over quickly, and I didn't want him leaking strange substances on all my belongings.
Collin seemed generally amused by my command. "I beg your pardon?"
"You're filthy," I commented and motioned to the carpet, "and you're probably staining my carpet too."
He looked down and gasped. "Oh God, I'm sorry—would you like me to come back later?"
"No." I had already chosen to listen to him; I couldn't back out now. "Just go take a shower."
He shrugged and moved toward my bathroom door. "All right."
"Wait." As I looked at his clothes, I realized there was only so much a shower would do for him. I wasn't sure why I cared so much about his appearance but figured I would worry about it later. "Do-do you want me to wa-wash your clothes?"
He gave me an incredulous look, accompanied by one of the most glorious smiles I'd ever seen. He lips stretched out over a perfect set of teeth, and his eyes sparkled as he chuckled at me. My stomach burned in a familiar way, and I felt my lips twitch, aching to reciprocate his smile. The way he looked at me made me feel different, warm. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was certainly confusing.
"Are you normally this accommodating to people who kidnap you?"
I rolled my eyes, pushing away the feelings I had inside, and I crossed my arms. "Just answer the question."
He nodded and smiled. "That's very kind of you, and I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you."
Without saying anything more, he disappeared into the bathroom while I waited outside. Once I heard the water turn on and the shower curtain pull shut, I eased the door open and snatched his clothes from the floor. My nose wrinkled up as I smelled the same pungent, sickly sweet aroma permeating from the fabric, and I rushed to the washing machine as fast as I could. I tossed them in with more detergent than usual and set the machine for a deep clean cycle. Before heading back, I grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a white t-shirt from Phil's closet. The idea was to slip the clothes into the bathroom before he had finished. However, I underestimated how quickly Collin Maevin bathed.
I opened my bedroom door without knocking, mainly because I hadn't expected him to be done. However, as my eyes trailed up from the clothes in my hand, I froze. Collin was standing in the middle of my bedroom, and with the exception of the towel wrapped tightly around his waist, he was naked. My mouth opened and closed several times as I struggled to regain my composure, and I couldn't stop my eyes from staring.
His stomach was chiseled and well defined, like the swimmers I'd seen on the television during the Olympics. While his physique could have easily been compared with a vampire's, there was a soft hue to his body that was relatively human. I swallowed as my eyes traced the lines of his stomach, which disappeared beneath the towel, and I blushed when I realized he had noticed my attention.
Collin fidgeted uncomfortably, and I quickly offered him the sweat pants and t-shirt, thoroughly embarrassed by my actions. While he retreated to the bathroom to change into the clothes, I took a seat on the bed and chastised myself for ogling him.
"I'm sorry for staring," I blurted out when he exited the bathroom, which earned me a flabbergasted expression from him. "It's the first time I've had a… half naked… person in my room."
"It's all right, Bella," he answered and suppressed a chuckle. "I assumed you were staring at my scar."
I frowned. "What scar?"
"Surely you're joking," he answered, and he looked astonished when I shook my head. Before I could adequately prepare myself, he pulled up the white shirt and revealed a long, black scar, which wrapped around his stomach.
"Where did that come from?" My brow indented heavily as I examined the affliction on Collin's torso. It looks like someone had taken a black permanent marker and drawn on his skin. "What happened to you, Collin?"
He sighed, crossed the room to me, and placed both his hands on my shoulders. His touch warmed me to my core, and I tried to disassociate myself from the confusing emotions inside of me. We stared into one another's eyes, his brown eyes burning with an intensity that I hadn't seen since… since…
"Tell me, Bella—what do you know about vampires?"
Author's Note: Questions? Comments? Concerns?
I wanted to post this chapter now so you guys wouldn't have to wait long. I'm coming to the end of the semester, and I really need to focus on my schoolwork. Also, I want to write the next three chapters before I post again. I'm not flouncing, and I'm not abandoning this story. I'm just taking a moment to get ahead.
So, what do you guys think about these new characters? (Collin, Tobin, Una, and Shiloh)
Oh, here's a little language helper.
*Fuil Aimisir = Blood Week
*My Dagda = Equivalent of "My God!"
*ceannaire = Leader/Alpha
