Disclaimer: I am not Smeyer
Author's Note: I know, I know, I haven't updated in ages. I just did this one a whim because I have a friend who really wanted more of it. It's a short chapter. I am going to update at least one of my other fics tonight, possibly two. Have fun everyone.
Chapter Eight
The word fear is not strong enough to describe what I was feeling as I stood there, at the mercy of Victoria and James. I glanced at James, James who I had believed I could lean on, James who I had been certain I loved. "Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice shakier than I had originally wanted it to be. In response to my question, Victoria laughed, a high pitch, frightening sound that was as impossible as it sounds, both beautiful and petrifying at one time. At last, James replied.
"Because you've caught me, my secret is out. I've decided I'm exhausted, Bella, I don't want more than one lover any longer. So, I have to pick between you and Tori here and I have made my decision. I think it goes without saying that it was a pretty easy choice."
Although I knew in my heart that it must have been any easy choice, I still felt a strong pang in my chest as he spoke these words. I was second to Victoria in his mind. He had probably been playing me all along and I had been too stupid to see it. James didn't say another word. I saw Victoria raise the silver knife, ready to plunge it into my throat. It glinted in the dim light of James's sitting room and I noticed once again that the tip was covered in dried blood. I couldn't help but wonder who Victoria's last, unlucky victim had been. I guessed I would never know. To be honest, I wasn't really afraid of death in those moments. James had been my life and, if he didn't truly love me, I didn't really want to live. The pain of his betrayal was far worse than any physical pain Victoria Sutherland would possibly be able to inflict on me. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to make my last thoughts peaceful ones. I had never given much thought to how I would die. I had always imagined that I would be a very old woman, surrounded by grandchildren. I knew I should be sad about this abrupt ending to my life, but I didn't feel anything, literally, nothing. I felt numb. Just as Victoria began to lower the knife toward my throat, the door burst open and Edward Masen sprinted into the room, his beautiful face not even flushed though he might have been running a long time. For once, I wasn't unhappy to see him. Victoria, in shock, dropped the knife to the ground. The dodged it and landed a few feet from Edward. Without thinking, I reached out and grasped his arm, my instincts had kicked in and now, I was willing to fight for my life. Now, I was afraid. He put a reassuring hand over mine. Amazingly enough, I didn't resent the fact that he was touching me. Instead, I felt overcome with relief. Something about Edward's presence convinced me that things were going to be all right. I couldn't explain what it was about him that made me feel that way, but I did. I had never seen him that way before, as someone I could depend on, but now, for a reason I couldn't put into words, I was sure he was. I could only think of a select group of people who would be willing to attempt to save me from the rage of James. I couldn't begin to imagine why Edward Masen gave a rat's ass about me, especially after I had spent most of senior year treating him like dirt, but it didn't matter. He was here for me, he was here to help. That was all that mattered.
Edward ran at James and grasped his throat between his strong hands. James began choking and, within seconds, Victoria was at his side, attempting in vain to push Edward away from James. However, her attempts were futile ones. Edward kicked her to the ground in one smooth motion. She landed with a loud crash and her head hit the ground very hard. The silver knife, which she had been holding in her right hand, skittered out of her hand and across the floor. Victoria lay motionless on the ground. From her head oozed a liquid as red as her hair and I knew without question that she was bleeding. She was unconscious. I could see her chest moving up and down. James was beginning to suffocate and, in spite of the way he had treated me recently, I couldn't bear to see him killed. "Stop Edward!" I cried.
A silence fell over the room. Victoria was lying on the ground, James was looking at me, his expression a mixture of relief and something which resembled thankfulness. Edward was looking at me as though I were crazy. "He tried to kill you, Bella." Edward said, his voice strained with emotion. "He was going to kill you."
For some stupid reason, I couldn't keep my eyes from filling with tears. I glanced deliberately at the floor before I decided it didn't matter. James and Edward both needed to see my feelings, to know my emotions were real. "I know." I said, "I know he did, but that doesn't mean I stopped loving him. It's not that easy, Edward. Before this year, I never really paid any mind to what people say about love, but the things they say are true. Love is blind, love is very blind. You see James as a criminal, I still see him as the man I love, even if he doesn't see me that way. It's too late for me to turn back, Edward. When you fall in love someday, you'll know how it feels."
Edward didn't answer. He released his grip on James. James began gasping, trying to regain control of himself. I decided I could wait no longer to say what I had to say. "James," I began, "Today, my father threw me out of the house." I could feel tears, those obnoxious dreadful tears, building up behind my eyes again. They seemed determined to make a fool of me. "He found out about you and me. Apparently, I had a Peeping Tom spying on me while I was getting dressed months ago. They changed the picture, put it through photoshop, or something like it. They placed a picture of you beside me and it was extremely convincing. It convinced my father and the Principal of my school. I am through denying it. I'm through lying. I love you, James and I probably always will. It will be my burden to bear, my curse. I was coming here this afternoon to tell you that I could be with you forever if you wanted me. I was coming to tell you that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you'll have me. I was coming to tell you I love you." I couldn't say anymore. Tears were streaming down my cheeks and my nose was running. James looked fondly at me for a moment and I felt my heart skip a beat.
"I'm sorry, Bella." he said softly, "I was angry that you caught me with Victoria. I didn't want you to know I was unfaithful to you. I never should have been, I don't deserve you, not at all. Bella, what I said to you just moments ago was a lie. I care for you, I care for you deeply."
Edward interjected. "Bella, are you really buying into this?" he sounded incredulous. I didn't reply. Just like that, Edward Masen was beginning to get on my nerves once more.
James continued. "Victoria is a bad influence on me, baby, but we've all got our faults. I just….I just cannot believe I almost allowed her to do what she wanted with you this afternoon. I ought to be punished. No one could truly want to kill an angel like you, Bella. Anyone who would is the equivalent of Satan himself." Being young, naïve and foolish, I believed James's words. I believed in those moments that he cared for me, that he wanted me to forgive him. I believed he was admitting that he had been in the wrong and that he actually regretted what he had done. What a fool I was.
"Oh James," I said, rushing toward him. He took me into his arms and held me firmly to him. I didn't glance at Edward. It was as though he wasn't there. "Do you really still want me?"
James smiled. "Of course I want you, Bella. Tell you what, I know Victoria's injury looks terrible, but I believe it is little more than a scratch. She is bleeding only slightly. You and I should leave at once and be rid of her forever. We will go to Seattle. I was meant to be at work today anyway. I am a lawyer, you know, it's not an easy business. I want you by my side, Bella and, in a few years, I would like to see myself married to you. What do you say, huh?" he ruffled my hair with his finger, "What do you say, pretty girl? Will you marry me?"
I can't put the childish joy I felt at that moment into words. I was so deliriously happy. It didn't occur to me for even a second that something else could go wrong. I thought James and I had at last seen the end of our troubles together. I was wrong of course. Our troubles had just begun. I looked up to see Edward, but found to my surprise that he was gone. James rolled his eyes. "Weird fellow." He said, "I'm grateful for him though, he helped me come to my senses."
I was about to answer James when I noticed a small piece of paper on the ground. Curiosity got the better of me and I reached down to pick it up. There, in Edward Masen's script were the words: I do know what it feels like.
I was utterly perplexed. What did this mean? After staring at the note a moment, I put it my pocket and promptly forgot about it. James didn't even bother to ask me what it was. His thoughts seemed elsewhere. We left Forks that day, thinking we were starting a bright new future. It turned out to be a horrible end to freedom. Victoria bled to death in James's apartment that day and was found by my father two days later. James and I were immediately the number one suspects.
