Bwuahaha, I'm sure you all hate me right about now. What a horrible cliffhanger. P I'm going to hurry to get this chapter out, I'll try to not make you wait long.
I focused back on the mirror and saw a figure standing behind me. Two cold, black eyes stared at me through the glass. His face was scrunched up in a feral snarl, looking like a predator about to pounce. He was beautiful and looked as though he were about to kill me.
It was Edward.
I shrieked the most horrifying scream to ever escape my mouth. My vision blurred and I blinked, trying to shake the image away. My knees gave out and I collapsed to the ground with a shockingly loud "thud." It was my head that seemed to hit the tiled floor first and I cringed from the impact, knowing there'd be a bruise left on my cheek. The flooded, dirty water splashed into my eyes and stung like nothing else. The bile even seeped into my mouth and I immediately choked, trying to cough the horrid liquid out. I wanted to say that it was perfectly silent but everything was all too loud. The rain battered against the building with a threatening echo, the water on the floor splashed around me and my struggled breathing took up any free space. Somehow in the mess I managed to glance up and search for the face I'd seen in the mirror.
There was no one there.
I stared up at the old ceiling, wondering what was going on. Had Edward really been there? Or was I seeing things? If he had been here, wouldn't he have confronted Luke first?
"Bella!" I heard someone call from outside the women's restroom. "What is going on in there?!" There was a pounding at the door and I realized that it wasn't Edward. It was Luke. This did nothing to ameliorate my confusion. I writhed in pain on the ground, sobbing and choking my answer to him. He didn't wait any longer for an answer. I could hear the door slam against the adjacent wall as he forced it open followed by the sloshing of his footsteps in the water.
"Dear God, Bella," he gasped, pain in his voice. Without hesitation, he gingerly pulled me into his arms and brushed my hair from my face. "What happened to you?"
"He…I saw him…" I cried, too unstable to get out a full sentence.
"Who did you see?" Luke asked with a tone just loud enough for me to hear him.
"Edward," I whispered back. "He was here…he was angry…"
"No one is here," he offered. He sounded like a mother trying to console a child after a nightmare. "We're the only ones around for miles. Trust me, Bella. I would have seen him walk in. There is no one here but us." I tried to look up at him but the burning in my eyes kept me from keeping them open for longer than a couple seconds at a time. He looked entirely honest. My only conclusion was that I really had been seeing things.
Regardless, I felt safe now.
"You're freezing," he observed with a gentle chuckle. "There are some towels and blankets in the car. I'll go get them for you." The second he started to stand, I gripped his shirt in protest.
"No," I begged. "I don't want to be alone." There was a short pause but then he continued.
"Alright, hold on tight." I did as I was told, wrapping my arms around his neck and shoulders. With one swift motion, he stood and pulled me up with him, one arm secure around my back and the other under my knees. He walked out with ease and took each step as if I weighed nothing at all. When we were back out in the rain, he cradled me at his chest to block the rain and hurried back to the car. I was back in the passenger seat before I knew it. A couple seconds later I heard the driver's door slam shut and Luke was back at my side. He reached over the front seats to dig through his things and instantly produced a couple of large beach towels. He threw both of them around my shoulders. The next thing he did was shove the keys into the ignition and got the heaters running.
"This car is old; the battery will run down fast. I'll leave it running until it warms up a bit in here," he explained. I simply nodded and looked back to the window.
The horrible image of Edward was engraved in my mind. I couldn't shake it off. I'd never seen him look at me like that before yet my mind created the image so clearly. It brought a terrifying sense of déjà vu. The window quickly fogged up from my breath, distorting everything outside. I could see the silhouette of someone standing behind the car in the rearview mirror. Impulsively, I ran my hand across the glass, wiping away the condensation. I could see Edward's inhuman snarl once more as the image was blown up, looking as though he were standing just a step behind me.
I yelped a gasp and turned away, making the image disappear. I was starting to loathe the mind games my subconscious seemed to be playing and wished I could just will them to stop. After the past couple days, I'd come to learn the hard way that my will had little effect on just about everything, including myself.
"What's the matter?" Luke asked, turning his attention to me. I didn't answer—I couldn't. How could I possibly tell him that my vampire boyfriend was angry with me, that I kept seeing him everywhere I looked and that I was afraid of what he'd do when he knew I disobeyed him? Luke looked straight at me and studied my expression. For the longest time, I thought he was going to catch on to my situation.
"You've got some dirt on your face," he said with a small grin. He pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and reached over to wipe it off. He was extra careful to avoid the bruise forming around my cheekbone. "Your cheek is swollen from where you fell. Does it hurt?" I shook my head but he didn't buy it. He made another attempt to lighten the mood.
"We left the town to get away from danger, you know," he chuckled. "Not cause it." This time I smiled, but mostly just to humor him. He was trying so hard to help me; it was rude to not take it. This time, when I looked up at him, I saw a gentle, caring smile. The kind of smile that told you everything was going to be okay. It was the smile I used to get from Edward all the time, but not anymore. I hadn't seen Edward like this since the day we arrived at this wretched beach.
Impulse took over again and I reached over the middle of the car and embraced him. The action was made with the purest intentions; I was dying for comfort and safety. Luke hugged me back, softly pulling me closer. I willingly crawled into his lap, my arms still tight around him. I wanted to thank him for all he'd done. Luke was the only one keeping me sane through this entire situation. Without him, I would have still been sitting in the living room off the beach house, huddled up and waiting for the Cullens to return. Without him, I would have spent hours curled up on the ground in that awful bathroom.
"It's okay, Bella," he whispered to my ear. "Everything will be okay. You're safe." The words made me melt and I held on to him tighter. It was exactly what I needed to hear.
After a moment or so, I looked up to thank him for all he'd done. Finally, I shook off the last of my tears and figured I had enough left in me to get out a good "thank you." I smiled up at him and opened my mouth to speak but I never got a chance to get my words out.
Luke gently pressed his lips to mine and gave me the tenderest of kisses. To my own amazement, I found myself blushing. The action sent butterflies to my stomach and made my heart melt once more. He was going slowly; I knew very well that he'd stop then and there if I asked him to. I knew that it was a small kiss for a reason—it was almost like he was asking for permission. My reaction would decide what he did next. I never would have expected myself to react the way I did.
I returned the kiss with one slightly rougher. That was all the motivation he needed. Luke pulled me as close as he could, pressing our mouths together in a passionate kiss. His tongue ran across my lips, asking for entrance and I instantly let him. My mind wasn't with me and I was acting on impulse. I knew that what I was doing was wrong, but it didn't stop me. I'd longed for this so much and for the longest time. I'd been begging for it, and every time I got this close to Edward, it only ended in tears. Luke didn't hold back. He kissed me like someone that really loved me, like someone that didn't have to pace himself when it came to love.
He wound one hand to the back of my hand, letting his fingers tangle with my wet hair. The other started at my cheek and fell down to my stomach, tracing circles and patterns along the way. He played with the rim of my shirt before pulling the wet fabric just above my stomach to expose my skin. I didn't even think to stop him. He ran his cold fingers along my damp skin, massaging my sides and the small of my back. The action was amazingly relaxing and I could feel myself go limp under his touch. His kisses trailed down my jawbone and down my neck before he made his way back up again. One last passionate kiss and he slowly pulled away with both arms still tight around me.
I looked up at him with tired and calm eyes, filled with a sense of comfort that I hadn't felt in the longest time. I placed my head back to his chest and closed my eyes. Finally, I'd found a spot that I could sleep peacefully in. I could feel drowsiness pull at me and I drifted closer to sleep in record-breaking time.
"I love you, Bella," I could hear him whisper to me. "I promise I'll keep you safe."
I have no idea how long I had been in the car how what time I even went to sleep. It was a peaceful sleep; I hadn't had one like it in days. No nightmares and no waking up screaming. I took a deep breath and inhaled the humid air. I was still damp from the rain and wrapped up in the towel Luke had given me before. I was still sitting in his lap, curled up comfortably with his arms still wrapped tight around me. The rain still battered against the outside the car but it wasn't near as bad as it had been the day before. I situated myself and sighed deeply. Luke moved around in response.
"Hey there, sleepy head," he said softly with a chuckle. "How are you feeling?" I made a kind of grumbled sigh and pressed my face into his chest. It was freezing cold in that car and I was still exhausted. He just laughed and rubbed my back affectionately.
"The roads have cleared up a bit. What do you say we give driving another shot?" he asked. The idea made me hesitated. Of course I wanted to start moving again; it would have been wonderful to take a shower and sleep in a real bed. I was dirty, exhausted and hungry. That, of course, would mean moving farther away from the beach house. I'd promised Edward that I'd stay there and I didn't want to break it even more. I couldn't decide and I almost wanted him to decide for me so I wouldn't have to worry about it.
"Can I go back to the restroom?" I asked with an innocent smile. "Just to freshen up a bit." Luke shot me a worried look but I stepped out of the car anyway.
"I'll be fine, I promise." With that, I took a deep, as-close-to-confident-as-I-could-get breath and went inside the building.
The place looked—and smelled—just as it had before. The floor was covered in puddles of water and the ceiling leaked. I stepped back to the mirror I had been standing before the previous night and stared myself down. There was no one standing behind me. I was by myself, relieved of all hallucinations of Edward. At that point, I started to pay closer attention to myself.
I despised the face that stared back, hating her for being so weak and helpless. I decided that I wasn't going to let this pathetic version of me exist any longer. I glared into my own eyes and made sure that things were going to change.
There's nothing to be afraid of. You're strong. You've done nothing wrong. You'll be fine. I'm not afraid. I tried to smile but it looked fake. I figured I'd save the smiling for later. Baby steps.
I turned the dial on the sink and got some cold water running. The water ran for a moment or so before I'd touch it so I could make sure that I was getting water that was at least somewhat clean. I cupped my hands under the steady stream and splashed the cool liquid to my face. Once again, it felt refreshing but not enough to really improve my mood. I convinced myself that the water was a way of washing out all the bad things that happened. Just start over I told myself. I've been going about this the wrong way, that's all. Everything will be okay. I tried smiling once more. At least it was believable that time.
As I walked out of the restroom, I tried to keep up the expression. It was easier than I expected it to. Luke's car was parked outside the door and running, waiting for me to come. This naturally brought a smile to my face and I hurried over to the open window.
"See? I told you I'd…" but I stopped mid-sentence. There was no one there—the car was empty. "Luke?" I looked all around, searching for the familiar face that had been with me all this time. I turned to the door to the men's restroom; my only guess was that he had gone inside. There was a noise coming from the trees the bordered the road that almost resembled footsteps. Through the sound of the rain, it was nearly impossible to tell. When I listened closer, it sounded more like an animal. The steps were loud and hurried, almost panicked.
"Luke?" I called out again. "Are you there?" The wind whistled in the background, accompanying the sounds of the rain. It was near impossible to hear anything else, but I tried anyway. I stepped closer to the edge of the woods and listened. There were more footsteps but I had no way of knowing where they were coming from or where they were going. My heartbeat picked up and I struggled to keep the courage I'd worked so hard on keeping. Very hesitantly, I took another step forward and listened more. It felt like an hour passed when, in reality, it was a matter of seconds.
A hand clamped down on my shoulder and I nearly screamed my lungs out.
"Bella," Luke gasped, out of breath. "We have to leave right away."
"What?" I stuttered. "Why?" Before I could even finish my first word, he was pulling me by my wrist to the car. His shoes and the bottoms of his pants were caked in mud—it was all the proof I needed to believe that he was the one running through the woods.
"There's no time to explain. We have to leave now." From the way he spoke, it was obvious that he was in no mood to negotiate. His tone was stern, almost panicked. He forcefully pulled me along, hurrying to the humming car. I tripped over puddles behind him, too disoriented to keep up entirely. It was almost impossible to think that this was the same man that had comforted me only the night before. I tried to explain his behavior in my head but I couldn't make any sense of it. I didn't know enough. There was something he wasn't telling me.
That thought alone threw me over the edge and decided that I'd had enough.
"No!" I snapped as I yanked my hand back with so much force that I nearly fell over. When I finally caught my balance, and my breath, I continued. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on." The two of us stood there, staring each other down. Another eternity passed before Luke said something.
"There's no time for this," he sighed. I didn't budge. "Bella, please." Even still, I wouldn't move. Luke took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair out of frustration.
"At least sit in the car," he gave in. "I'll explain everything; I just don't want to stand out here."
"You promise?" I questioned, determine to stand in that spot until I was certain. He took another deep breath, thought it all over again and nodded.
"I promise."
We both hurried back into the car, subconsciously eager to get out of the rain and the cold. I crossed my arms at my chest and waited for my answer. Luke hesitated a moment or two, nervously fiddling with his fingers and sighed more times than I could count.
"Luke?" I asked softly.
"I know, I know," he grumbled back, sounding angry. "This is impossibly hard to explain. I don't think I can—"
"Just try," I interrupted before he could take that thought any further. He closed his eyes and brought a hand up to rub his head. This was painful for him, I could tell, but I was too fed up with being oblivious to let it slide. I was going to find out. In an attempt to make him feel better, I reached over and took his free hand in mine. I rubbed his palm with my thumb, returning all the comfort he'd given me in the past 24 hours. He smiled at me weakly and inhaled deeply.
"I'm not who you think I am, Bella," he began. "And I hated lying to you—you have to understand—I just couldn't tell you. And I shouldn't be telling you now." I took every word he spoke and thought over it, desperately trying to make sense of it all. So far, I was only more confused.
"You know all those old stories and myths about vampires? They're more real than you think," Luke continued. My heart stopped for an impossibly long second. Luke? A vampire? No. It wasn't possible. I'm hallucinating again. Wake up, Bella. Wake up. This is worse than any nightmare.
"I'm a vampire, Bella."
No. It's not true. It can't be. My head was spinning so fast, it hurt. I struggled for breath and felt as though I'd pass out again. I had to keep my cool; I couldn't let Luke know that I was familiar with the ideas of vampires. If I did, I could expose the Cullens' secret, and that was something I'd vowed to risk my life for. I tried to focus on other things. This didn't explain anything, except the fact that I was in twice the danger I imagined. Edward had a reason to hate this man. Is this why he's been so nice to me? Is this why he's acted this way from the very first day I met him? That brought up another idea.
"No, you can't be," I laughed softly, almost sounding hysterical. "I met you on the beach in broad daylight. I would have seen it." This brought some comfort. If Luke was a vampire like Edward, I would have seen his skin shine that morning. I would have known right away. He can't hide a secret like that.
"You know about that?" he asked, his interest sparked. My heart stopped again. Not even a minute into the conversation and I'd blown my cover. I could have shot myself then and there.
"That's what the stories say, right?" I offered pathetically, praying that he would buy it. "Don't tell me you're only a vampire on a full moon." I added in a laugh but it came out as a nervous giggle. He looked at me suspiciously and I only gave an innocent smile. Please, oh please, God, don't let him know.
"No, it's different," he explained, shrugging off his suspicion. "I can go out in the sunlight any time of the year." Of course, I was horribly curious how this was possible, but I couldn't let him know. If I asked him to explain, I'd never pull this off.
"You're in danger with me," he sighed, looking as though those words hurt the most. "But you have to trust me. Please don't be afraid. I'd never hurt you." I stared into his eyes, reason and desire battling inside me. After my near-death experience with Edward, his promise was alluring. I was miserably tempted. I averted my eyes and took a second or two to think. There was no point, really; my options were limited. What could I do? Get out of the car and walk back to the beach house? I'd be lost, alone and at the mercy of this hurricane. But would staying with Luke be any less dangerous? What would Edward want me to do?
"We can't stay here any longer," Luke said as he buckled the seatbelt across his chest and put the car into drive. I'd been so consumed with Luke's complex that I nearly forgot about his mud-covered shoes and hurried demeanor.
"Why?" I demanded. He made that expression again that told me this was painful for him to say. I began to admire Luke for this; he told me what I deserved to know instead of just leaving me in the dark.
"Someone is chasing us," he said, his expression changing. Now he almost looked angry, as though the thought put him on the defensive side. "He's alone, but we'll both be in harm's way if he stay here any longer."
"Who?" I asked, horrified of the thought of another vampire wondering around.
"I don't know him personally, but he's after one of us," he said through gritted teeth as drove the car back onto the road. The realization hit me so hard that it knocked the breath out of me.
"He's after me," I whispered. My entire body started to shake. Edward was here, for real this time. He was after me and there was no way of knowing if he'd changed any since the last I saw him. He'd kill Luke the second he caught us. There was no telling if he'd leave me alive, either. He'd left the rest of his family and came after me.
"How do you know?" he asked, pulling his attention back to me. I averted my eyes once more and tried not to look at him. I hated keeping secrets from Luke; he'd been so kind and so honest to me. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't. I couldn't break another promise to Edward.
"Stop the car, Luke," I said sternly. "Let me out of the car."
"What?" he asked, sounding almost sarcastic. "I can't do that. We have to get away from here."
"I want to get out," I repeated myself. "Stop the car."
"Bella, this is ridiculous. I'm not stopping," he replied, just as stubborn as I was.
"You have to let me go. He's only after me."
"I'm not letting you out so you can throw yourself in danger's way. I'm going to keep you safe."
"You can't stop him," I assured him. "Let me go, Luke." He had questions, I could see it in his face, but he didn't ask. He just kept driving.
"No," was his only response.
"I'm getting out of this car, whether you stop it or not," I threatened with my hand on the door. Luke subtly reached over and pressed a button on his control panel. I could hear the soft "click" from the car doors and, with a sickening realization, I'd found that he'd turned on the child safety lock.
"Luke, this is ridiculous," I grumbled. "Let me go. Now."
"So you can jump out and kill yourself?" he retorted. "No. I'm not letting this monster hurt you." His words sparked a fire in me that I didn't know I had. He was painfully right but I didn't want to admit it. I wasn't going to put Luke's life at risk for mine. It wasn't worth it.
I reached for the emergency break but he caught my hand before I could even get close.
"Bella, I love you," he said earnestly "and I'm not letting anyone harm you."
"You don't understand," I said, pulling against him. "You have to let me go!"
"That thing will tear you apart the moment you get close," he explained, taking a strong grip on my hand. "I saw it in the woods. He's a vampire, Bella. I won't let him harm you." I wouldn't listen. I reached for the brake with my other hand but he expertly held both my wrists with one hand and drove with the other. Why didn't Luke tell me this before? As angry as it made me, I was withholding information, too.
"It's Edward!" I shouted, too worked up to keep my sanity. "He's looking for me! Just let me go and he won't hurt you, too!!" Through my teary eyes I could see his expression. He was shocked for a second but immediately changed to repulsed.
"Edward? The one's that made you lose your mind? The one that caused you all this pain? Him?" After hearing Luke's tone, I began to wish I'd never said anything. I stared at his eyes, fearful of the next emotion I'd see. His eyes turned black and his face stone cold. I winced. This was all-too-familiar.
"Let him come," Luke hissed. "I'll kill the bastard for doing this to you." His bitterly cold tone gave me Goosebumps and I began to shiver. Tears were streaming down my face like there were running faucets at the corner of my eyes and I couldn't stop them.
"No," I cried. "You don't understand." I could feel the car slowly come to a stop in the middle of the highway.
"Please don't stop," I begged, cringing from the bitter irony. "Please…"
"I won't let him torture you like this," Luke replied solemnly. He slowly pulled the keys from the ignition. I curled up against the window, trying to pull my hands free and whimpering and crying my protest. I didn't want to be with Luke anymore. I didn't want to be with Edward. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to run away from this terrible mess and escape.
I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I almost didn't notice the bullet that shot through the windshield and shattered the glass.
Heh. I'm horrible with the cliffhangers, huh? X3 I'm sorry! This chapter was getting too long and I had to end it. I hope you all don't hate me too much.
I'll get the next chapter out sooner, I promise.
Ta ta for now.
