A/N- so sorry about the length between updates. my Internet just got turned back on. just because i love you all so much, chapter 10 will be up tonight as well. so i expect reviews from all the reviewers who love me just so much. if you dont get it yet, i would very greatly appriciate if i got some reviews. i'm also going to update So, What Now? tonight, and i might start another imprint story. well, i know you all want the chapter so here it is. sorry if this one is short. love you! Bells

Chapter 9
Waiting

I sat in the darkness for a long time, just waiting for one of them to come in and kill me. I didn't know the difference between minutes and hours. What could have been three hours seemed like three minutes to me, and vise versa. I had no
clue where I was, no clue if it was night or day, no interpretation of time at all. The only time that mattered to me was from then on till I got killed. I wasn't going to give those three bloodsuckers the satisfaction of seeing me scared. In reality, though, I was terrified. I didn't know if I would live or die any minute. I wanted it all to be a really bad dream. I wanted to just wake up and be in Embry's arms. I wanted Embry to hold me in his warm embrace and tell me that everything would be okay.

I waited for what could have been days. I was hungry, but no one brought me food. I wasn't going to eat anything one of those bloodsuckers gave me, anyway. I kept hoping to see Embry walk in there and pick me up in his arms and kiss me.
I thought a few times of just finding a way to kill myself. There had to be something sharp in there if I looked. I kept thinking of what that would do to Embry, though, if I killed myself. It would hurt him so badly if I died. The
thought of Embry kept me from attempting suicide.

No one came back in that room until what I thought had been four days. I was just sitting there, in thought, when I felt a cold hand on my arm. I instantly tensed and tried to see who it was. Of course, I could see nothing.

"You haven't tried to get away yet. I'm surprised," Gustav's voice said.

"Come to finally kill me? I'd have thought Katrina would be the one to do that," I said.

"You really can't follow rules, can you? Katrina doesn't want me to harm you, so you are very lucky."

"Luck has nothing to do with it. She has you wrapped around her finger, huh? You'll do anything she says, as long as it makes her happy. She could get you to murder your own family, as long as you'd end up getting some. I'm right, aren't
I?"

"Shut up." He gripped my arm tighter, and I held back a whimper.

"I am right. I know your type. You will do anything, as long as you profit from it. Don't give a damn what will happen, as long as things end up good for you. My father was like that. I suppose he still is, but I don't give a crap."

"Well, don't you know everythig. No wonder you have no friends, you have a horrible attitude."

"Do I look like I give a crap what a fucking leech tells me?"

I heard a shrill laugh, and Rita said, "Such language."

"Screw you. I don't give a damn," I said.

"You're not good on manners, are you? Such a brave little human, too bad we are going to kill you," Rita said.

I felt her cold breath on my cheek, and I shied away from her. She laughed. The idea of suicide sounded pretty good then. I didn't want to be taunted and joked about by bloodsuckers, only to be killed.

"When are you gonna' just kill me?" The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them.

A cold hand pinned me to a wall, which was equally cold.

"You want to die? You want me to snap your neck right now, then drain all your blood?" Rita snarled.

"You can kill me, I'm not afraid to die. I just don't want to hurt Embry," I said.

"What if we kill him? He could be dead already, you wouldn't know."

"If you kill Embry, you might as well kill me, as well."

She dropped me to the floor, and I stood up. I found my way back to the mattress and sat down. No one spoke to me for what could have been hours. I was still hungry, and once Gustav brought me a plate of food.

"Eat," he ordered.

I shook my head and pushed the plate to the floor.

"Starve then," Gustav growled.

He left, and I was alone again. I laid back on the mattress. I relaxed a bit when I wasn't in their presence. I was getting very tired, but I didn't want to go to sleep. Everytime I was close to falling asleep, I'd think of something to keep me awake.

More time passed, and I began to feel kind of faint. I hadn't had eaten or drank anything since I left the Cullens. I didn't know how long it had been since then, I had no way of knowing. I felt a cold hand on my forehead.

"You are going to faint if you don't eat something," an unfamiliar voice said.

"Who are you?" I thought aloud.

"Malerie," the voice said.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

She chuckled, a sound like a bell.

"Katrina doesn't want you die from starvation. Something about needing you alive when the Cullens get here," she said.

"I'm not eating anything," I said, crossing my arms.

"I thought you'd say that. I brought you a bottle of water and a sandwich in case you want it. I'm going to go hunting with Alex now."

I heard a door close, and I sat there for a while. I really was hungry, and thirsty. I felt around with my good hand till my hand brushed across what felt like a plastic bottle. Water. I grabbed the bottle and fumbled with the lid. When I finally got the lid off, I chugged down the bottle of water. I found the sandwich, and ate it quickly. It didn't completely satisfy my hunger and thirst, but I felt a lot better.

I waited in the darkness for a long time. I was expecting more food, but I wouldn't admit it to myself. I heard a door open, and my head snapped up.

"Who's there?" I demanded.

"Malerie again. Alex is with me this time," Malerie said.

"Who's Alex?"

"My sister."

"I come in peace," a female voice said.

"Alex, shut up. She's not an alien," Malerie said.

"Sorry," Alex apologized.

"What are y'all doing here?" I asked.

"I see you ate...and drank the whole bottle of water," Malerie noted.

I said nothing. When I was sure they were gone, I felt around for more food or water. What I didn't expect was for my hand to run across a stone cold, stone hard, arm. I jumped back.

"Don't be scared. Its just me. Alex," Alex said in a soft voice.

I pulled my hand to my chest, like I'd just touched an open flame or something.

"I won't hurt you," Alex said.

"How long has it been since I've been here?" I asked.

"About two and a half days."

That's when the major panic struck me. Two and a half days. Why was it taking them so long? They weren't going to let me die, the Cullens, the pack, they wouldn't let me die. Right? Embry wouldn't let me die, that I knew. But nearly three days? That meant the pack and the Cullens would be coming for me soon. Which meant I would die sooner.

"Oh, God," I whispered.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked slowly.

I wasn't paying attention to her, though. My mind was racing. How would they kill me? Snap my neck or drain my blood? Would they let me live long enough for me to see them kill Embry? No, I couldn't think about them killing Embry. I wouldn't think about them killing Embry. Did they drug the food and the water? Were they just waiting for me to pass out or something, then they'd kill me?

"Stand up," Gustav's harsh voice ordered.

I was still wrapped in thought. A cold hand grabbed my shoulder tightly and pulled me to my feet. Gustav pulled me forward, and I became aware of my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was sunlight. There were trees everywhere, and I could tell we were in the forest. Katrina grabbed my arm and pulled me to her, her grip tight on me. Gustav and Rita were standing at Katrina's side, but no one else was there. Had I imagined Alex and Malerie? I realized something. They'd taken me out of that dark room. They were going to kill me. I tried to pull my arm from Katrina's grasp, but it was useless. Katrina slapped me across the face, and I yelped in pain.

"Stop squirming and shut up," Katrina ordered.

I looked through the trees, waiting to see the Cullens and the pack walk out. I was waiting to die.