Come Take with Me

Chapter Nineteen – Her Choice

Time seemed to have slowed. Though I knew I was moving toward her, screaming for her to run, everyone was frozen in that moment, and suddenly, everything fast-forwarded. The wolf clamped his jaws around Bella's arm, growling as he carried my precious cargo.

Bella's eyes rolled back as she went limp in Collin's hold. "Edward," she whimpered, her unfocused eyes turned toward the source of her pain. Though no blood spilled down her arm, her skin had been punctured. I ignored the flare in my throat and the byproduct of my thirst as it pooled in my mouth, focusing on Bella instead.

I growled and crouched defensively in front of the young pup, baring venom coated teeth. His lips snarled and curled around her tender wound. Another soft mewl left Bella's lips, her chin falling against her chest. I could not just pull her from his grip, since it would likely tear her arm apart.

"Why isn't her shield protecting her?" Alice screamed in my mind.

I shook my head, unable to comprehend the reasons for her gift failing her at such a time. Perhaps, it was simply because she was human and her own body was not able to sustain the energy to produce her shield any longer. Whatever the reason, it could lead to her destruction. I had become complacent and believed that her power would protect her when I could not.

Jasper's attention remained on the wolves on the other side of the highway and he expressed his concern. "We're outnumbered, perhaps we should consider –"

"I will not leave with her!" I growled beneath my breath.

Jacob and the wolves that flanked him started to slowly make their way toward us; Jasper's disapproval was heard in his deep snarl. "Alice," he whispered. "Go now." My sister shook her head as she stood behind him, ready to fight, if need be.

"Put her down," I snarled, returning my full attention on Bella. Collin was scared, unsure of his own actions and the orders given by his pack leader. "If she was his entire world, had he imprinted on her, do you really believe that he would condone what you are doing? If he loved her truly, would he cause her pain for his own selfish need to have her?"

"It's for her protection and for her own good," he reasoned within his own mind, though there was little conviction behind them.

Jacob growled fiercely as he continued to close the distance between us. "Remember your place!" he roared within the minds of his pack.

An engine roared down the road, alerting everyone to the risk of exposure. Though, to anyone that could come upon the scene, it would look like four humans were being attacked by four giant wolves. The pack stilled, except for Collin, who started to back toward the forest behind him.

"Stop," I hissed. The approaching car suddenly sped up and Alice gasped, and through her eyes, I could see who careening toward us.

The hard squeal of brakes and burning rubber forced everyone's attention but my own toward the police cruiser that skidded to a stop after completing a one-eighty turn on the shoulder. The passenger door sprang open; a horrified Renee plastered herself against her seat as Charlie held a shotgun, pointing it toward Bella and the pup.

"Don't make me do it, son," Charlie said gravely. In his mind, his choice was already made. He would shoot if it was the only way to save her. However, I could not risk her being hit by a stray bullet or an unsteady hand. The wolf trembled where he stood, as Jacob bombarded his thoughts.

Before I had time to react to his instructions, Jacob leapt as Collin tossed Bella high in the air. Alice screamed as the other two wolves advanced on Jasper. Growling, I launched myself toward Bella, enclosing my arms around her in a protective cage as strong as granite and steel. I hit the ground, hard enough to shatter bone had I been human.

That seemingly short second of time before we hit the ground, I assessed Bella's arm. Jagged tears of blood, skin and muscle started from the top of her shoulder to the crook of her elbow. If she had not been unconscious, she would have been in tremendous pain.

Jacob's jaw clamped onto my ankle, but I bit back a roar of agony. I could hear Renee screaming, and through her, saw Charlie aiming toward us. The howl of pain stopped Jacob short, looking back at the naked body of young Collin; his shoulder started to bleed profusely and was potentially fatal. The other two wolves in the pack broke rank and went to aid their friend. Jacob shook his large head, his long canines glistened as he turned back to look at me.

"She's mine!" His thoughts were starting to take an even more frightening and dark turn. I had to get her to safety and away from him.

"Never," I growled as I slowly rose to my feet, assessing every move. "And it would be her choice, not yours." I heard Charlie's thoughts, as he reloaded his shotgun about to join us. "Stay in the car, Charlie."

He hesitated, but nevertheless listened to my instructions. "Call Carlisle," I said to him. "The wolf will die if we do not get him medical attention." Charlie's eyes widened, recognizing the boy. His mind was in anguish since he seemed to understand that Collin was not given a choice. He had simply been following orders.

"I already texted him," Alice whispered to me in her thoughts. "He's on the way, along with the others. We need to get Bella and her parents out of here." I knew that already, but I needed to ensure Charlie remained in the car.

"Bella needs help," I said to Jacob. "She's going with her parents."

"Bella!" Renee cried out for the first time since their arrival. She reached for her seatbelt but Charlie did not allow her to move. "Bring her to me!"

Jacob snarled menacingly as he took a step toward me. Suddenly, I felt a charge move through Bella and I knew what was about to happen. My shocked gaze turned toward my sister and Jasper, and they understood immediately and started to back away slowly.

That look allowed Jacob the moment he needed to lunge toward us, however, once again, the moment Bella's shield enclosed around us; he literally appeared to bounce off it. He landed on his side but scrambled quickly onto his paws, growling at the energy that surrounded Bella and myself.

I inched toward the cruiser and could hear her parents' thoughts in my mind. Though they were in awe of what they had just seen, there was fear there, too. I continued toward my destination but kept my eyes on the wolf before me.

"You're not taking her, leech!"

"You are correct," I hissed. "Her parents are." I turned quickly, running the rest of the distance between us and the car. I knew he could reach me, but I felt his blow against Bella's shield. It was weakening, likely because as she was trying to protect us while her body was healing.

Fascinated, I watched as I laid her within her mother's arm, her wounds started to stitch together. She would be fine and her unconsciousness could be simply explained by her dislike of blood. Jasper and Alice circled the car, the shield having encompassed the cruiser and parents as well.

The moment her wounds were healed, her body arched as Renee attempted to soothe her in a soft voice. Bella's dark eyes met mine but widened at something behind me. She gasped because at that moment Jacob stalked toward us, his own pack crying out to help Collin behind him.

Her eyes seemed to spark and anger spread over her features when her gaze locked on the boy's broken form. "Damn you, Jacob! I'm not worth this!" Before Jacob reached the boundary of Bella's shield, he snarled at her. Suddenly, her shield's energy intensified and spread. Though I could not see it, I could feel it. It folded protectively around us and my family.

However, a tremendous force started to build as it focused on the area closest to Jacob. His dark eyes widened, his body started to tremble and his fur to recede. She was using his strength against him, to feed the shield.

"Take care of him, Jake," she whispered gravely. Jacob was so consumed with his thoughts on Bella that his wounded pack member barely registered in his mind. His body continued to quake and rose what fur was left. When his eyes drooped, I knew I only had a small window of opportunity. Bella needed to stop before she killed someone and drained the life from everything surrounding us.

"Leave now," I said firmly, meeting Charlie's eyes. He nodded and he started the cruiser again. I felt Bella's hands fist in my shirt, dragging my gaze down to hers. "Go."

She shook her head, knowing that the moment her father drove away, my family would be left unprotected. "We will be fine, Bella."

"My condition?"

I hissed, anger no doubt darkening my eyes. "You ask too much of me."

"I can't go into that life knowing I'm nothing more than a liability."

I touched her cheek. "Do not ask that of me," I murmured. "If I had to destroy you, it will kill me."

"As taking lives would destroy me," she countered.

I dropped my hand. "This is hardly the time to discuss this."

She blushed and looked at each of her parents, nodding. "Then, I guess this is it." Confused, I tipped her head up with my finger. "You can't promise me what I want, then it's best that we –"

Again, my hand fell away, allowing my features to freeze into a practiced mask. "You are right. It is for the best. Once the threat of Jacob is neutralized, my family and I will leave." I braced myself for her protest, instead watering eyes met mine and she nodded.

"Go," I gasped, forcing the mask to remain and slamming the door closed. Jacob lay over a hundred feet away in a heap of naked limbs and ragged breaths.

"I don't want to leave you with them here." I turned away from her, unable to handle the tears that started to fall down her small, pale face.

"That is no longer your concern," I murmured. When it was obvious that not only she refused to leave me unprotected, so had Charlie and Renee. It warmed me that they were concerned for me and it also only made me angrier. My promise to love her for eternity, to spend it with me was not enough to keep her.

Instead, she allowed her fears to come between us. The irony was that I had originally done the same in the beginning of our doomed relationship.

"Edward, please," she pleaded. I could hear her remorse and grief in her voice. I wanted neither of those from her.

Without looking back, I hissed, "Just go already!"

"Edward!" she cried out as Charlie started to pull away. She had to live with her choice, and I would have to do the same – for eternity.

Two vehicles from opposite directions sped toward us, alerting Charlie of company. "It's my family," I said in defeat, seeing the pained look on her face through her mother's eyes. "Please go, Bella."

Charlie's parting thoughts surprised me, leaving me with some satisfaction that he would do anything to protect his daughter when we left town.

"Do what you have to do to keep her safe."

As he pulled away, speeding toward Port Angeles, Bella's sobs shattered me and simultaneously strengthened the walls I had around my heart since I had come into this existence.

~oOo~

Somehow, the entire incident by the highway was conveyed to Sam by one of the wolves in Jacob's pack. A double agent among wolves; it seemed unheard of.

Despite the fact that Bella's shield no longer protected us, Jacob remained unconscious, severely drained of his body's natural energy and warmth.

"I don't approve of your relationship with Bella," Sam said, watching carefully as Carlisle attended to Collin's injury. "But Jacob's gone too far. We'll do what we can to make sure he doesn't come near Forks or her again."

His assurance sounded genuine, but his thoughts betrayed him. Jacob had already caused a few members of his pack great bodily harm. Despite their gift of healing quickly, the fact that Jacob had attacked them in the first place worried him.

"We need to get off the road," Jasper said firmly. "Anyone can come upon us."

Carlisle rose to his feet, grimly looking at Sam. "I need to get the fragments out," he said gravely. "I can't do this here."

"He's not going to your hospital."

"Then you must come to my home," he offered. Jasper, Rosalie and I made our thoughts on that clear. "Collin and two of you can join us."

Sam shook his head. "Seven of you against two of us," he growled. "Not going to happen."

"Some of us need to take Jacob to the rez," Paul said. "Keep him there. It's going to take a few of us to do that."

"Nothing will happen to you and your people," Esme said. "But he needs help, it can't wait any longer."

Sam cracked his neck, his jaw flexing as he fell forward, transforming instantly. I read his thoughts as he instructed everyone and the packs were divided. Seth, another young wolf returned to his human form, quickly stepping into shorts and lifted Collin into his arms easily.

"They'll follow on foot," I translated. "Four of them will be accompanying Collin."

Everyone but Jasper, Alice and I followed the rest of my directions and left. I felt Alice's hand on my arm. "You need to go after Bella," she murmured, blocking her mind from me.

In all the chaos of everyone's thoughts and the disconnected emotions I felt course through me, I had missed a vision.

"She made her desires clear," I said blankly. "She does not want me."

"You know that's not true," Jasper said, picking up the tattered rags the pack had left behind. "Right now, she's confused and scared. Did you see what she did around us?"

Turning my gaze to the forest, it almost appeared as if something had landed overhead, decaying everything in a three hundred foot radius from where the cruiser had been. Even the asphalt of the highway seemed aged and cracked.

"Can you blame her for that fear and for proposing such a condition?"

I shook my head. "We could do everything possible to make sure she does not hurt anyone."

Alice suddenly glared at Jasper and seemed to plead for him to stop talking. "You can't guarantee anything," he continued. "Not even her own safety, much less anyone else. I'm sorry, Edward. If things do work out, I will not put Alice at risk."

"That's ridiculous, Edward will need me to keep an eye on things," Alice said, anger coloring her voice. "I will not stand back and do nothing." Jasper stood immobile and it was obvious in his features that despite what Alice said, he would find a way to keep her safe.

I glared at him as Alice tried to grab his attention again. "What are you saying?" I asked.

"I'll send Alice away if you decide to change her, at least, until Bella gets control," then he emphasized his following words. "That's if she ever gets control."

I growled and shook my head. "I guess now that she has made her decision, this discussion is moot. You should be satisfied with her choice."

Jasper's grimace bellied his words. "I want you happy just as much as everyone else."

"But not at the risk of Alice and the others."

"No."

I growled and turned on my heels, running toward the forest. "Edward! Damn it, Jasper!" Alice cried, both out loud and in my mind. "She'll need you!"

Roaring my pain and confusion, I left a wake along my forest path that was ravished in my anger. Splinters of wood fell from my fists until I reached the first sign of blood. I jumped onto the mountain lion, draining it in seconds, consumed by the memories, by her decision.

My mind was torn. I wanted that, for her to walk away. At least, a part of me did. The other went through a series of emotions— pain, sorrow, worry and ultimately anger.

How could she walk away from me?

I was not aware of the time, but when night fell, I eventually started toward my home. Though it was the last place I wanted to be, surrounded by couples that loved each other unconditionally. The anger rose to the surface again.

Conditions such as the one we placed on one another should not be made in a healthy relationship. Faith, love and hope should have been enough. Chaotic as my emotions and thoughts were, they centered on her. I knew I would seek her out before the night was through.

Before I reached the house, I found Emmett's jeep on a hunting trail along with a change of clothing, courtesy of Alice. Changing quickly, I phoned her.

"Go now!" she said, refusing to elaborate further when I questioned her.

"Tell me what's going to happen."

"Just go, Edward!"

I started the jeep, traversing the rough terrain easily before I skidded onto the highway. "Where?"

"She's going to leave Charlie after dinner, for a moment alone. Some guy is going to rob a nearby store there, distracting him from keeping an eye on her."

"What then, Alice?" Though I was angry with Bella, I did not wish for harm to come to her. And why did she always seem to walk into trouble?

"I don't know," she whispered. "After she turns into an alley, the vision just goes black."

"Jacob." It would explain the possible blackout of her vision.

"It could be, I don't know."

~oOo~

I found Charlie fairly easy once I reached Port Angeles. He was among several uniformed officers as they congratulated him on a job well done. He had helped apprehend the man that shot and robbed the store owner in a small liquor and tobacco store. Though he talked with them, his mind focused on Bella.

He had not seen her since before the robbery, for over an hour. I exited the jeep quickly, making my way toward him. His relief to see me was palpable. "Edward?"

The men that surrounded him turned toward me, attempting to determine who I was. "Do you know which way Bella went?" I asked.

His dark eyes widened. "Toward the book store on First. Should I worry?"

"Alice said it would be best that she go home."

His eyes narrowed, his lips pursing. Vision, he thought. "It's that damn," he cleared his throat, lowering his voice. I wanted to tell him that I could hear him clearly, but the officers were very curious. "It's the stray dog again, isn't' it?"

"It looks like it."

"Is there a problem, Chief Swan?" one of the uniformed officers asked.

"My daughter is wandering somewhere around here," he answered politely, though I could see that he clearly wanted to leave. "It's probably a good idea for us to go look for her."

"Does she have a cell phone? You should try calling her," the man offered.

"I already tried," I replied and I had, ever since Alice warned me. "It kept ringing." We were wasting time and Charlie knew it.

"Some of us can give you two a hand," the officer offered, the rest of them nodding their approval. When Charlie tried to say it was all right, he insisted. "I'm sorry, Sir. I don't want to alarm you. But a couple of weeks back, a young woman was seriously hurt in the area." His statement and the thoughts within his mind made it abundantly clear the kind of hurt he spoke of.

I growled under my breath as I started toward the direction that Charlie's thoughts pointed me toward. Inhaling deeply, I followed her scent through a sudden influx of people. There was a music festival still in full swing, which contributed to the inebriated state of many of them.

I found her scent near a bookstore, lingering strongly, but it seemed that she had merely stopped there for a few moments. Shaking my head, I concentrated on the thoughts of others, trying to see if anyone had recently seen her. Charlie continued to discuss Bella with the officers, passing along a picture of her that had been in his wallet.

"We'll cover more ground if we split up," Charlie said, sensing my aggravation with the men and perhaps the need to continue at human speeds. "Start canvassing the area."

After a few moments, they left us to continue on the search. "Tell me what Alice said exactly," he asked the moment we were out of hearing range of anyone.

"She said Bella needed me and that after she walked into an alley, her future stopped."

"But it could be only because of Jacob, right?" he asked and I nodded, refusing to add more to his anxiety. His heart rate started to concern me. It was the last thing Bella needed, to lose her father.

I kept my thoughts trained on the minds of others and one of my senses attuned to the almost musical beat of hearts, searching for hers. Over the last few weeks, I had memorized it and the subtle differences, depending on what she was doing.

"Did Renee make her flight?" I asked, hoping to get Charlie to calm a bit.

"Uh...yes," he mumbled as he looked into an alley. He waited for my inspection, moving along when I shook my head. "She had refused to leave, considering what was happening. Bella wouldn't hear of it, of course, Phil needs her. We actually tried to get her to leave with Renee, but in the end, we all determined that it could be more dangerous." Confusion furrowed my brow, making him elaborate. "If she's there, because of the weather, you wouldn't be able to protect her if Jacob came for her."

He was right. During the day, I would be forced to watch from afar, especially after our discussion earlier. And if Jacob chose to attack her in broad daylight, I would have to expose myself and risk the Volturi.

Palming my cell phone, I answered after the third ring. "Jasper," I answered.

"Whatever is going to happen to Bella, Alice said the surrounding buildings are old and look industrial. Edward," he said softly. "She said four men kind of spooked her, she went into the alley, hoping to lose them."

I cursed and nearly crushed my phone in my hand. "Son," Charlie murmured, somehow taking it from me. "Let me talk to them." Nodding, I continued to weave through the crowded street for another two blocks before foot traffic dispersed.

I heard Jasper's call disconnect and I made a note that I would have to make it up to both him and Alice soon. The information he had just given to Charlie would steer him away from trouble. He used Charlie's concern to convince him that it would be best that I should not be the one to find Bella, telling them they felt I would likely hurt someone.

"Um, Edward," Charlie said, running several steps to catch up to me. "I'm going head up Huntington and Tenth, maybe she headed toward the concert." I had to hand it to the man, he seemed to be learning how to block his thoughts quite well when it was needed.

I nodded and waited until he seemed to be satisfied that I would not follow him. Once he turned down a street, I slipped into an alley and using my fingers climbed the side of a building. I needed speed and with too many people around, I could not achieve that.

Once on the rooftop, I allowed all my senses to expand outward. Searching for a clue of where she was so that I could help in some way. I moved swiftly from roof to roof, using my gift to see into the minds of those nearby.

"I shouldn't be here," a young man thought, slightly slurred and muddled. "Damn, she's pretty, though." Through his mind, I recognized Bella as she ran into an alley, just as he and his friends turned onto the street.

The heating unit on which I was perched crushed beneath me as I used it to push me across two buildings. Snarling, I continued in the same manner, peeking into their minds to find their location. The more I saw, the more I feared and the angrier I became.

The youngest, though his thoughts were somewhat innocent, his morals were blurring. He seemed fascinated as Lenny, the oldest among them, the vile human who had done what they planned to do to Bella four other times, taunted her.

They had herded her into an alley that, about halfway through, was fenced, caging her in. She turned toward her tormentors, her heart beating frantically, determination clear on her pale face. Her hands fisted at her sides. "Leave me alone."

"Come on sweetheart, don't be like that," Lenny teased. "Look at you, whooeeee, we're going to have some fun tonight!" Through the less vile man, Jason's, thoughts, Lenny turned toward them, smiling before tipping the last of his beer down his throat. "Ain't we boys!"

He tossed his beer aside and lunged at her, and then pulled back before he reached her. He continued to toy with her. I sped up and cursed the fact that neither of the damned men had focused on a street name.

Anger burned through me, that I did not work hard to remember to tread lightly. I knew I left behind gouges every time I landed, but I no longer cared. My only concern was Bella, her safety and my need to tear them apart.

She fought them, managed to land a few punches, and broke one of their noses before I reached her. I found her moments before it was too late. The scene I came upon made the venom within me nearly explode in anger.

I had not given much thought on killing another for sport, much less vengeance, for over seventy years. The last time I had even considered doing such an act was when she walked into my class.

The hunger, the desire to take a life was much different from when I had first breathed in her scent in class. The cool, Port Angeles air, the nearby trash bin and those vile humans, did little to mask the scent of the fear that coursed through her veins.

They laughed manically as her scream pierced the night. I had caused that scream; my frustration with the one who had denied me had clouded my judgment. I had taken too long to come find her due to my pain and anger after she had made her choice.

A low rumble ignited in my chest as a whimper of pain left her lips, soon escalating to a roar. Anger and jealousy bit angrily at my very sanity, because they were touching what was mine.

I grinned as I crouched, ready to do what I must. It was four against one. It would be a massacre.

Theirs.

AN: betaed by kyla713. No excuses for delay, but I'll try updating more often. Thanks