Chapter 9: Stepping out of the shadows

~ Stripped to the waist

We fall into the river

Cover your eyes

So you don't know the secret

I've been trying to hide.

-Ellie Goulding, Anything could happen~

Edward turned toward me with a stone hard face, his eyes bleak."Now, where is the spell book?"

I froze, my mind completely shutting down for a moment. Oh God, I was going to faint. I closed my eyes but opened them quickly before Edward decided to do something.

"Where is the spell book?" He repeated his voice emotionless.

"Uh...itisnotwithme." I babbled and tried to move my paralyzed legs.

When he saw that I was trying to move towards the closed entrance of the tent, he leaned forward and placed his hands on either side of my head. My heart drummed to the pace of my accelerated breath.

"I won't hurt you." Edward said, in what was supposed to be an assuring tone, but to me it sounded like he was asking my last wish.

"I don't believe you." I hissed, leaning away from him. But I was cornered with him pressed against me.

He flinched. "I just need to know whether you have the spell book or not."

"I don't have it!" I shrieked. "It's in my house. Please let me go."

"Shhh." He pressed his index finger on my lips. "I will let you go if you don't try to run."

I nodded, silently pleading with my eyes. He sighed, his gaze lingering on my lips and he took a step back.

I pushed forward blindly and ran. I just ran. I didn't turn back when he called out my name. I just ran. I never looked back.

Outside the tent, everything was dark and quiet. The tents flapped with the blowing cold wind. I bit my lip at the sudden coldness and ran for Sasha's tent. She would wake up and let me inside.

I would hide inside till morning and then, I'd tell Mr Hale, or maybe my dad. But will they believe me?

Hey dad, I want heavy protection from a dead guy. My friends accidently woke him from his 100 year slumber and now he is hunting me.

Right, my dad would send me to an asylum.

Sasha's tent was at the end, where the clearing thickened and the forest continued. I almost made it to her tent when I saw a tall dark figure emerging from the opposite side.

Shit I was dead.

I was desperate to escape so the forest looked almost welcoming as I ran into it. I kept tripping on roots and broken branches, but nothing stopped me from running. Edward was behind me, his pace extremely fast.

Damn it. He was a soldier.

I stopped suddenly, realizing we had reached the lake, the one, which we had visited this morning. I swallowed as Edward reached me. There was no other way.

The land sloped and went down to the lake. I had to try so I turned to my right and ran up the slippery surface. It was dangerous for girls like me, who could break their neck just by tripping on a flat surface.

I reached the top and was ready to do my victory dance when a hand caught my elbow and spun me around.

"I thought I told you not to run." Edward murmured, his grip tightening.

I screamed, scrambling back but it was no use. It was a full moon and my breath caught when the moon's silvery light fell on his face, highlighting his Greek features. I tried to turn away but he was hypnotizing.

My foot slipped and I fell. I yelped and held onto Edward's T-shirt.

We both tumbled down the sloping land.

His arms formed a protective covering around me and I found myself burying my head in his chest.

Sharp rocks jabbed my sides. I knew Edward was hurting even more than I was. He had formed a cocoon around me and he was getting hurt for me. The action would have been real sweet if I wasn't just so frightened.

We rolled down the land and straight into the icy lake.

Every part of me felt like it was pricked with cold ice needles.

I tried to breathe but I ended up swallowing a mouthful of ice-cold water.

Somewhere in the commotion, we both had split up. With a loud splash, I broke out of the water, gasping for air. My body stung from the unwanted coldness. I was able to stand up since the water was shallow.

Edward was just resurfacing and my mind told me to run, but my body was frozen from cold and pain.

He stood and held up his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You seriously expect me to believe you?" I asked my voice shrilly. "Edward, you are dead. You died in the World War. I don't know how the hell you are alive!"

"Don't talk like that. I have the right to live just like you do. And, are you sure I am Edward Masen?" He asked with a grimace.

I shivered the wind cutting into my now-soaked top. "Yes,"

"I can explain, Bella, if you let me."

I was finally able to move and a sudden sharp pain shot down my ankle.

"Awww, shit." My left ankle was sprained, turning a deadly blue.

Edward's eyes followed my gaze but he was not able to see my submerged broken ankle, since we were still standing in the water.

"What's wrong?" He asked, slightest concern appearing on his face.

"My ankle! Everything!"

"I know this is a lot to take in but I think we should return to our tent before you freeze to death." Edward said sincerely.

I liked the way how 'our tent' sounded. I could think about other things too like 'our car', 'our house', 'and our baby'. I had gone mad, I realized. My brain didn't know how to process the fact that a last century soldier was talking to me and had shut down instead.

I limped, trying to keep a distance from him. He still scared me. I was not sure if he was even human.

"Bella," he frowned at me. "You can't walk like that. You will get hurt in the same ankle repeatedly. Come on, I'll carry you."

"You have to be kidding me. I just declared that I don't believe you, I don't trust you. You think that I would accept your gracious offer and allow you to carry me?" I threw him a glare.

"Don't behave like a child." Edward said in a low tone, as if I had somehow wounded him.

"I'll crawl my way back if I have to." I swore but my will broke when I saw his agony filled face.

He walked forward hesitantly, as I didn't protest, and his arms snaked around my waist. He gently lifted me and held me in his strong arms, touching only by clothes, keeping as much distance between our bodies as possible.

I stared at his face. Water droplets collected in his long eyelashes and his wet reddish-brown hair was matted flat to his forehead. His lips pale from the cold was turning an attractive pink.

His emerald green eyes met mine and I immediately looked down. I could feel myself calm down a little, now that I was sure he wouldn't hurt me. I could see it in his face. I closed my eyes at the rocking movement of his body as he walked, carefully avoiding branches and roots.

"Are you repulsed?" Edward asked suddenly, his voice curious.

"Repulsed by what?" I kept my eyes closed. It was better to answer that way.

"Me, obviously." His voice turned sarcastic. "You are being carried by a dead man. A zombie, to use your previous words."

"So you did hear me that day." I mused, ignoring his question.

"I hear your every word." He murmured quietly, his rate of movement increasing.

It was a silent for a while, as I tried to process his words. When I finally did, my heart jumped.

"Here we are," Edward said and I opened my eyes, shocked to see that we had already reached our tent.

I didn't make a move to get down from his arms, so he continued to go inside. He laid me gently in my sleeping bag and shifted to leave. Before I could stop myself, my hand shot up and gripped his upper arm.

"I am not repulsed." I said, staring back at his eyes.

"I don't believe you." He said, shaking his head.

"I'm telling the truth." I hadn't removed my hand from his arm but he wasn't complaining either.

He smiled wryly. "Prove it."

I hesitated, thinking of all the things I could do to prove that I wasn't repulsed. One thought importantly dominated the others but I was afraid of what his reaction might be.

My eyes accordingly slid to his lips, which was curved slightly in a smile, pink and pouty. It was the most attractive part his face next to his eyes.

I hesitated then let out a sigh. "I don't know how."

"Oh," his eyes dropped, as if he was expecting something else.

"But seriously, I'm not repulsed." I swallowed hoarsely. "I guess it's just who...you are."

Edward nodded and gave me a small smile.

"We should get out of these clothes." He said, patting his wet chest-hugging t-shirt.

"Yes." I agreed, shivering.

"I'll wait outside, you should change first." He said.

Edward cast me one more glance and then left the tent.

Hey guys,

I think their kiss was a little too soon. So I changed the ending. Now that we are past Dec 21st and nothing happened, rumors are flying everywhere that there will be a total blackout from Dec 23 to 25. Won't they shut up!

Anyone watches X factor? I'm sad Fifth Harmony didn't come first.

-BEJL

-BEJL