This is a short chapter, but I found it hard to write again. Hope you enjoy it anyway.


Chapter Eleven

Life's Blood

Over the next two days since the baby had broken Bella's pelvis and cracked two of her ribs, she was beginning to go downhill.

Edward kept vigilant by her side most of the day and all of the night, while Jacob did the reverse. If one wasn't there, the other was.

It was all fine and good keeping watch over someone else's wife, but truthfully he was beginning to miss his own wife dearly. He knew that his leaving so suddenly must have hurt her. He hoped she would understand that he couldn't kill Bella and why he had to go.

He sat on the porch steps, his phone in his hand.

"What are you doing?"

Jacob turned and was surprised to see Emmett walking over to him. The large vampire took a seat next to him.

"Nothing." Jacob sighed.

"Liar. Who were you thinking about?" Emmett smirked.

"Hermione."

Emmett nodded. "Ah, your wife. How is she?"

"I don't know. I haven't spent much time with her recently." Jacob admitted, running his hand through his hair.

Emmett frowned. "Why?"
"Everything with Bella." Jacob shrugged.

"With Bella? Dude, she's not your girlfriend or wife! You don't even love her like that anymore, right?" Emmett exclaimed.

"Well, no, but-"

"No buts! You have a gorgeous wife at home waiting for you, and you have chosen to spend most days here. What is wrong with you?" Emmett cried.

Jacob stared at him in surprise. "Huh?"

"Why are you spending so much time here when you have someone waiting on you at home?" Emmett elaborated.

"This is important. Bella is carrying something that could be really dangerous for humans. I have to be here to convince her to give up the baby." Jacob argued. "Hermione understands that."
"There's only so much neglect a woman can take." Emmett reminded him. "Look, I'm not trying to upset you or make you feel bad, or whatever, but if you keep neglecting her then she won't stick around forever. Sure, you're imprints, but that doesn't count for anything if you don't put the effort in."

Jacob looked at him before his gaze slid to the floor. Perhaps Emmett was right. Maybe it was about time he talked to Hermione.

"If you don't cherish her now, you might lose her." Emmett added, patting Jacob's shoulder as he stood. "Think about it."

Jacob fiddled with his phone some more, his fingers running over the keys that would dial Hermione's number.

He was about to press down, when there was a small cry. He shoved the phone into his jeans and ran up the stairs.

He arrived in the living room to find Rosalie sat on the sofa beside a now unconscious Bella.

She seemed even paler than before and her eyes seemed even more sunken. She looked almost dead.

The steady heartbeat both Jacob and the vampires could hear said opposite. It was slow, though.

"Bella!" Alice cried, rushing to the human's side.

Carefully, she moved her into a more comfortable position. She smoothed Bella's hair out of the way and sighed.

"What do you mean?" Edward demanded suddenly.

Alice looked up in surprise at him. "It's like her body isn't getting the nutrition it needs from the human food."

"And? What can we do?" Edward prompted.

"Perhaps we could try treating her as one of us already. Her body is trying to cater for the baby, so why can't the type of nourishment she needs change?" Alice explained, glancing at Bella.

"What are you saying?" Jacob asked slowly, afraid of the answer.

"We need to feed her blood." Edward said.

Jacob scrunched up his nose in disgust. "Ugh!"

"Repulsed?" Rosalie sneered.

"Just a little." Jacob snapped. "She's human and you want her to start drinking blood. That's sick."

"It might be necessary." Jasper piped up.

"We can at least give it a try." Alice argued.

"Give what a try?" Bella asked in a croaky voice.

"Hey, you're awake." Edward smiled, appearing at her side in an instant.

"Give what a try?" Bella repeated, sitting up a little bit further.

"They want you to drink blood." Jacob spat, feeling sick.

"To help the baby, right?" Bella looked at the vampires.

Rosalie nodded. "And to keep you strong."

"Alright." Bella nodded.

"You can't be serious!" Jacob choked.

"I am."

Jacob shook his head. "This is insane!"

"Here you go."

Jasper was handing Alice a mug of blood from their storage supply with a straw in it. Alice handed it to Bella.

"Drink up." She smiled.

Jacob watched with baited breath as Bella's mouth inched closer to the straw. He couldn't believe that she was going to go through with this. Slowly, her lips closed around the end and she began to suck the red liquid up the straw.

Bella shut her eyes as the sweet, tangy flavour washed over her tongue. Blood tasted surprisingly nice and she soon found herself greedily gulping it down.

Jacob retched a little and had to turn away from the sight.

When he turned back, the mug was empty and Bella was sat back against the arm of the chair with a content look on her face. Although he hated to admit it, Jacob could already see the colour beginning to return to her face and her eyes looked less sunken. She looked…better.

"It worked. I feel a lot better now." Bella smiled.

"Good. So each day, you are to have two mugs of blood." Alice grinned.

"One of the family already." Rosalie smirked.

Jacob felt the blood run from his face. 'One of the family'. It was true that this thing inside Bella was turning her into a vampire without her actually transforming. It was sickening.

"Excuse me." He murmured, slipping from the house.

He took a seat on the porch once more and pulled out his phone. Automatically, he dialled the familiar number.

"Hello?" Hermione sounded cheery and polite, though unsure.

"Hermione, it's Jacob." Jacob replied, revelling in the sound of his mate's voice again.

"Jacob! How are you? Are you alright?" Hermione gushed.

"I'm fine. I'm at the Cullens."

There was silence for a bit. "I assumed you would be."

"How are you?" Jacob asked.

"I'm alright. I've been working and spending time with Billy. He misses you. I miss you." Hermione sighed.

"I miss you too."

"Then come home." Hermione pleaded.

"I can't. The pack wants to kill Bella. They want to kill the thing inside Bella, but it will kill her too." Jacob explained.

"I understand." Hermione's voice sounded weary.

"Come visit me."

"I don't have the time. I will when I can." Hermione lied. She did have the time; she just didn't feel comfortable being around the Cullens.

She got on well with them, but she didn't want to see Bella. It was petty, but that girl had almost ruined her relationship twice, and this time she was so close to actually doing so.

"I hope you can soon." Jacob whispered.

"I've got to go." Hermione said suddenly.

"Alright. I love you." Jacob sighed.

There was a pause at the end of the phone. "I love you too."
"Night, Hermione."

"Goodnight Jacob." Hermione hung up the phone.

Jacob stared at the phone in his hand for a few moments. He could only hope that Hermione would forgive him one day soon.


Please Read and Review. I couldn't decide how to end it, so I'm sorry if it ends weirdly. Next Chapter: Hermione recieves an interesting gift.