Bane POV
It was very quiet tonight. The icy rain hissed softly as it fell, the world slowly turning to a shimmering diamond mesh in the darkness. I shook my head slowly, feeling the lumps of ice that had frozen to my hair. Behind me, Brady whined softly. There was ice on the very tips of his fur too, but I knew he couldn't feel the cold anymore than I could.
Hey Bane, he said softly, breaking the silence anyway. Let's go to Emily's place. Get some hot chocolate and cookies.
I glanced back at him, seeing the dimly hopeful expression on his face. I frowned and tightened the blankie more securely around my shoulders. It was very wet and very dirty, of no use for actual protection from the rain. But I clung to it nevertheless. It was a thing of comfort. It reminded me of how much my pack cared for me. Especially Leah.
Leah…down at the vampire's house. Waiting for the enemy. They had told me the new one coming was not the same one that had chased me. But it was close enough. Nobody in the pack was relaxed tonight.
Did I want to go to Emily's house? Yes. I loved her. Not only for her sweets, but for the kind words and happy smiles she always had for me. But I didn't want the enemies hunting me to find her. I didn't want the enemies to find any of them. That was why I had run. I was high up in the mountains here, far away from the land the pack normally patrolled. I hadn't wanted them to follow me. But neither had I wanted to be alone, in the end. I had tried that first night to be by myself. I had growled at whoever had come near, yelling at them to go away. But after a few hours, I was so lonely and tired that I couldn't continue. I had sat down and cried, letting my fear take over. And when Leah had found me, I had clung to her all night long, burrowing myself as close into her warm chest as I could. She had stayed awake for me that night, watching over me as I slept, constantly whispering reassurances.
Brady and Leah had been taking turns staying with me since then. And in truth, I was grateful to them both for it, as much as I hated the thought of them being in danger. But tonight was to be the worst night of all, the night the enemy finally came. And all of the negative thoughts swirling in my head was giving me a stomachache.
Come on, Brady urged, gently poking my back with his nose. You would make Emily very happy if you came to her house tonight. And you will be just as safe…
No. I shook my head slowly.
Brady sighed. He didn't want to push me, to make me even more upset. Instead, he licked my cheek comfortingly, placing his big paws on either side of me and leaning over, shielding me from the rain as I sat on the cold ground. I reached out and grasped one of his furry legs.
Let's get out of the rain, at least. There's a nice little copse of bushes right over there.
I looked around. The bushes were black in the darkness, but they were thick and promised shelter. I released Brady and regained my feet, leading the way. The space in the middle was cramped. Brady had to curl in a tight ball to fit, with me wedged into the curve. But it was protected here. And Brady was very warm and soft. The pine needles on the ground beneath us were dry.
Nice and cozy, he said. We're safe here.
I didn't answer. I simply grabbed one corner of my blankie and curled it closer. The voices of the other wolves were tenser now. Grim anticipation was rising.
It'll be okay, Sam said suddenly. Everything is going to be fine. Go to sleep now if you are uncomfortable.
I can't sleep, I replied. I'm not sleepy.
That was true. I was actually starting to feel hungry. And being hungry never helped me to sleep. But there was no way I was going hunting now. Focusing on finding prey would only distract me from what was coming. As if to accent this, my stomach gave a weak gurgle.
Sleep, Bane, Brady urged gently. Try to sleep, just a little bit. For me. Tuck yourself under your blankie and close your eyes.
I did as Brady asked, pulling the blankie over my head and pressing myself against him. It was so warm here. And his earthy smell was comforting.
Want me to sing you a song? Brady asked suddenly.
Oh god, please don't, was Colin's immediate reply.
Hey, I don't sing that bad!
Yes you do! Four or five voices spoke simultaneously. I giggled despite myself.
Enough, guys, Sam said. Focus.
What are they doing to you?
Leah's voice was full of concern. I focused on her.
Brady wants to sing to me, but nobody else wants him to.
There's a good reason for that. Don't let him torture you.
She started humming in her head, a soft tune that relaxed me despite the tension. I dropped my head to the earth, my eyelids fluttering closed.
Atta girl, Brady whispered. He nuzzled my back gently.
My stomach rumbled softly again, but Leah's humming was helping. Listening to Brady's strong beating heart was also comforting. Here, with his big furry body around me, I couldn't feel even a hint of the cold beyond the bushes. And it was even quieter now than before. The rain was stopping.
It's snowing now, Brady said softly. Already starting to stick.
I didn't want to look. Despite everything, I could feel some of my anxiousness melting away, the prospect of sleep becoming more tempting. Maybe I could drift off, if Leah would keep humming to me. Here, in the warm dark, with Brady next to me, it was hard not to feel at least a little bit safer than before.
Until Leah stopped humming. And at the same moment, the tension in the pack peaked. I whined loudly, but Brady twisted himself even tighter around me.
It's not Demetri, Brady said. Marcus is alone, and he's not here to hurt you. Sleep, Bane. Go to sleep.
I whimpered again. Brady rested his head against my back. In my head, I could hear the pack muttering to each other. It was too jumbled to make out any actual detail, which was what I dimly suspected to be the point. Sam's deep tones were one of the main things preventing me from hearing anything clearly.
What's happening? I finally asked Brady, nudging him with my fist.
Shhh, he urged gently. They're just talking.
And for several minutes, that's all he could say. The vampires were talking. Leah tried to send a few reassurances of her own, but I could tell she was beyond distracted.
And then, Brady stiffened, and a commotion of angry curses sounded in my head. I shrieked and leapt to my feet, knocking the back of my head against Brady's chin. He grunted in surprise.
Bane, Bane! Easy! he shouted. It's okay! It's okay!
I could barely hear him. I clutched my blankie desperately, my eyes rolling around the now snow-coated terrain around us. I could see nothing unusual in the darkness. But something was going wrong. I had to do something…was there a fight? A threat? A…
Bane, relax.
Sam's deep double-timbre command broke through the commotion. My knees buckled under the weight of his command, and I collapsed in a limp heap. Choked sobs were escaping through my clenched teeth. Brady was standing over me, trying to gather me to him as gently as he could with his paws. I rolled away from him, sitting up.
Sam, I called desperately.
He didn't respond. He was too distracted. I whimpered and looked balefully at Brady, who seemed calmer now.
Bane, can you hear yourself? he asked delicately. Your stomach sounds like a pissed off Paul. Come on. Let's find a snack.
At first, I shook my head. But I was starting to feel it now. The hunger was slowly clawing its way through my self-control, the constant anxiousness making it worse. After a long moment, I unfurled myself and rose to my feet.
I'll carry your blankie, Brady offered. Don't want to get it messy.
I was getting a little better at letting my packmates take my blankie from me. Emily had helped me to understand that it was better for it to be washed and patched every now and then. And that it was particularly hard to get bloodstains off of it. So with only a slightly trembling hand, I passed my blankie to him and bounded out of the bushes. The air was fresh and empty. I shook my head, turning my nose to the snow-choked breeze. Nothing but trees and wet.
We headed southeast, Brady carefully carrying my blankie in his mouth while I focused on finding a good scent. For several minutes, there was nothing to be found. Not a trace of a scent. The snowfall thickened as we walked, but the trees grew closer here, and there was only a dusting on the ground. I paused next to a sapling, sniffing the air again.
Slim pickings, Brady commented, slightly worried. Maybe…
What's that? I asked abruptly.
I had finally caught a scent, but it was not one I liked. It was sharp, and thick. Carried on the breeze that was starting to pick up strength. Brady had frozen beside me, his nostrils flared.
Damn, he said after a moment. Damnit. Sam? Sam!
What is it, Brady?
We smell smoke.
Smoke? Where are you?
I think we're near the old service road.
I blinked, momentarily confused. Then I remembered. The old service road was a dirt road that wound through the forest north of the pack's territory. It led to something—Jared had called it the old radio tower—that was visited at most twice a year by people who cared to maintain what was left of it. I had been close to it a few times. It was nothing but a lot of rusting metal.
Is the tower on fire? I asked.
No, it's closer to us than the tower. Come on.
Now it was Brady who led the way. I followed at his flank, my usual place when we were out on patrol together. Curiosity was momentarily overruling the hunger.
It was not long before the trees broke, and we stepped out into the small strip of snow-covered clearing that hid the road. Very fresh tire tracks led off into the distance, where a cloud of black smoke drifted up. The road dipped into a steep decline just ahead.
Oh damn. Someone must have crashed. Brady set my blankie on the ground and broke into a run. Stay behind me.
I picked up my blankie and followed him, staying back as he had told me to. The glow of flames became more pronounced as we reached the crest of the hill and looked down at the source. A car was crashed against a large tree, flames and choking black smoke billowing up from it. Flames were already fast consuming the entire thing.
Brady loped down the hill, his ears pressed flat to his skull. The smoke was too intense, but I knew he was trying to see if there was anyone inside.
And then, an ear-splitting howl ripped from his throat. I bawled and dashed to his side, terrified that he had gotten hurt. But the look on his face was one of absolute terror.
Sam, get up here now! It's Charlie!
The tone of Brady's voice, and the response from the pack, was more terror and agony than I had ever heard before. From where I stood, I could see a form slumped in the car, but the flames were inches away.
Brady didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, plunging his claws into the metal of the door. It warped under his strength, sheering away easily. Bracing himself with his hind legs, he ripped the door clean off and threw it aside, forcing his massive head in. For a second, he seemed to struggle, but then he let out a yowl of pain and staggered backwards. The fur on his face and head was deeply singed and smoking.
I can't…I can't reach the seatbelt… He yowled loudly in torment.
The fire was an inferno, the heat blistering. But I didn't stop to think. Brady's agony was too much for me to stand by and tolerate. I dropped my blankie and dove forward, my tiny body wedging into the space between the man and the steering wheel. Pain seared up my back and arms, my eyes blinded by the smoke. I dimly knew what a seatbelt was, so I scrabbled desperately for the buckle. The superheated metal roasted my fingers when I found it, but I ignored the pain. I leaned down and sank my teeth into it, feeling it break into a dozen molten pieces in my mouth. I screamed as it burned my tongue and lips, spitting them out.
Grab me! I cried, forcing my arms around the man's waist. I got him!
Brady's jaws were around my ankles in a second, yanking me backwards forcefully, driven by panic. We were dragged out of the car and across the snowy ground, my arms still locked around the man's waist. Brady didn't stop until the fire was a speck in the distance. And then, his wolf mind disappeared, and he staggered forward in his human form. I released the man and crawled backwards as he dropped to his knees at his other side.
"Oh god," Brady cried, tears streaming down his face. "Oh god. Charlie! Charlie!"
Pain shot through every nerve of my body. I didn't have to look to know I was badly burned. But I could feel it starting to heal already too, the tingling underneath the pain as new flesh started to grow underneath the burned and blackened parts. I blinked my eyes clear and focused on the man instead.
Or, what there was of him. His whole body was black. And the skin on his face and chest was so badly burned that I couldn't make out any features at all. He twitched gruesomely as he lay in the snow, his breath weak and stuttering. And his smell…his smell…
I shook my head, panting. The scent of his blackened flesh practically sang to my snarling belly. I could feel my mouth watering, ropes of drool dripping to the snow beneath me. I couldn't hear my pack anymore, even though more than one of them was shouting at me. My burned hands shook, and I buried them deeper in the snow.
"Charlie…" Brady moaned again, now sobbing.
I looked up, staring at him. His eyes were bloodshot from tears, and his face was pale with terror and grief. I couldn't help it; I started crying too. Seeing Brady like this scared me.
I don't know what I was thinking when I did it. All I was aware of was the expression on Brady's face. But one moment, I was crouched in the snow, trembling. The next, I had lunged forward, my mouth opening as wide as I could make it. The dying man's skin had a strange crackling texture, a bit like dried leaves under my tongue, as I began to frantically bite and lick at him. His chest, his throat, his face. In seconds I had made the blackened skin glisten with my saliva. And so stunned was Brady at my actions that I had been completely unimpeded in that time.
"Bane, what are you doing?" he screamed at last. "Stop! Stop!"
But I didn't stop. My vision blurred now. I couldn't even see what I was doing. Not even when I sank my teeth deep into the man's throat, just beneath his chin, and clamped down. Brady's hands were on my shoulders, yanking me, but I held on.
Bane! A dozen voices shouted in my head. The pack was nearing us now, running with the speed of the wind. And in the distance I could hear the sound of a powerful engine.
The man suddenly shuttered underneath me, spasming gruesomely. A scream of torment ripped from him, and finally I let go. So abrupt was the action that it sent both me and Brady flying backwards. I landed on top of him, completely stunned. He shoved me aside, and I went rolling across the snow.
"Bane!" he bellowed through choked sobs. "What the hell? What…"
Brady's voice trailed away. I didn't look up. I remained face down in the snow, gasping and crying. The taste of the man's burned flesh filled my mouth, but my stomach was rebelling now. I gagged and heaved, crying harder as I became violently sick. Heavy footsteps sounded in the woods, echoed by deep pants and growls. The engine was growing louder by the second. And the man was moaning almost continuously.
I was still retching when the pack appeared, quickly surrounding us. Leah was instantly at my side, pulling me up off the ground and wrapping me in her human arms. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was completely confused as to what I was doing. My cries built into screams as she held me, the pain wracking my body intensifying.
"Bane, shh," Leah begged into my ear. "Calm down, sweetie. Help is coming."
"Brady, what happened?" Sam demanded abruptly. Several pack members had phased now, and were gathering around the man.
"I…I don't know," Brady stammered. "It was Bane…she…she just…started licking and biting him."
Silence was falling now, broken only by my cries and the man's moans. The engine had stopped, but I could catch the barest hint of vampire in the air. Leah was rocking me now, her arms trembling. I clung to her, coughing.
"Bane did this?" Sam said finally, his voice flat with shock.
I saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. And suddenly, the vampire was there, the doctor. He leaned over the man, his face grim for the barest second. Then, his eyes opened wide with surprise.
"Charlie?" he called. "Charlie, can you hear me?"
"C...Carlisle?"
My cries stuttered, and my eye snapped open fully. At last I turned towards the crowd. The man on the ground didn't look like he was dying anymore. The copious amount of blackened flesh was gone. His skin was now oozy and bright red, his eyes blinking rapidly as they rolled back and forth. And his breathing was deep and rapid. Everyone around him seemed stunned beyond belief. Many of them were staring at me, including the other vampire present. I recognized Edward.
"Charlie, just hang on. My son's Jeep isn't far. We're going to get you to a hospital."
"You're okay," Sam added, still a little flat.
"What…what happened?" the man, Charlie, groaned thickly. "All I remember…fire…"
"Just relax, Charlie," another voice, Jacob's, said. "We'll explain it later. We need to get you to the hospital now."
The packmembers still phased had stepped back, hiding from the man's view in the darkness. Sam and Jacob were leaning over the man, working together to lift him up as gently as possible. Carlisle had turned towards me now, glancing at Edward as he moved closer.
"Werewolf venom…" he murmured. "It's…impossible."
"Carlisle," Edward said severely. "What if he's infected…"
"Charlie hasn't been infected, Edward. We would have smelled it if he was." Carlisle was coming closer. I scrambled back, struggling in Leah's arms. She held me with an iron grip, forcing me to remain in place. "The infection...we know it to be limited to the night of the full moon. But the healing properties…"
He trailed off, shaking his head as he reached out his hands for me. I froze in panic, my eyes bulging wide.
"Bane, please!" Leah insisted sharply. "You're hurt! Let him help you."
You look like a piece of charcoal, Paul added gruffly. Why aren't you healing as fast as your spit made Charlie?
I was utterly confused now.
Huh? I managed.
Bane, don't you know what you just did? Jared asked, stunned. You saved Charlie's life! His wounds are healing before our eyes.
I shook my head, burying my face in Leah's chest. Her grip tightened even more, both bracing me and comforting me as the vampire's cold hands touched my arm for the first time.
At that moment, it all became too much. The pain, the sickness in my stomach, the fear, the hunger, the torrent of thoughts and emotions whirling in my head. It was too much for me to handle. I felt myself slump limply in Leah's arms, my eyes rolling back into my head. I felt her shake me, but her voice and touch were fading into the distance as the blackness swamped me.
Bane! was the last thing I heard, but I couldn't tell from who. The darkness took me too fast. My worry and pain faded away inch by inch.
Until, finally…there was nothing at all.