Chapter Twenty Six

The Unexpected

Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure. – Confucius

It was cold; why was it cold? We were supposed to be at the beginning of summer, halfway through the month of June, and yet, it felt as if we were days away from the start of winter. It didn't make sense, and that fact only served to annoy me further. According to Edward it was probably a cast off from a storm in Canada, a freak of nature—pun intended—is how he had put it. As we moved through the forest, I couldn't help the hateful glares I was directing at the darkening clouds above us.

In reality, I was using the weather as a scapegoat for my anxiety and hatred. The real reason for my negativity was waiting a mile or so away, in the clearing. Just thinking about what the next hour held in store for me and my loved ones was enough to make me panic. Every time I tried to ask Alice if she could see the outcome, she would simply shake her head; she couldn't see that far.

Alice hated being blind, especially when her gift was crucial to the survival of others. For the past few hours, she had been sitting alone, trying to get a read on what was happening with the Zions, but she couldn't see anything. The only vision she did have was of us in the clearing, facing off with the newborns and Zion Guards. To say she was frustrated was putting it mildly. She tossed me hopeful smiles every now and then as we walked, and I reciprocated them as best I could.

I was bundled up tighter than… well, tighter than anything. Not wanting me to get sicker, Edward had ransacked Rosalie and Esme's closets, looking for warm clothes for me to wear. That was why I was trudging through the wilderness wearing a slick, black leather jacket and snow boots. I felt absolutely ridiculous, but I also took comfort in the reminder that no one would be worried about what I was wearing.

The McRaes, the Denalis, and the majority of the Cullens had chosen to run to the rendezvous point three miles from the battle ground—while Edward, Alice, and I had taken Carlisle's car. As much as Eric wanted to come with us, Avarice had demanded he join them for a run.

Lazarus and his brother had flipped a switch over night; they were all business when it was time to go. While I had slept, they had forced the other vampires to train and memorize strategies. They all needed to be cogs in a well oiled machine, or so Avarice had told them. I hoped their training would be enough to save everyone, but deep down inside, I knew it was a foolish hope.

"You know," Alice chirped with a devious look in her eyes. "This would go by a lot faster if one of us carried you."

I frowned. "It's not necessary—I can move just fine."

"Oh come on, Bella," she complained. "At this rate, the battle will be over by the time we get there! Stop being difficult and let Edward pick you up."

"She does have a point, love," Edward interjected. "I'm fairly certain everyone is waiting for us."

The thought of forcing everyone to wait, while I bumbled my way through the forest, made my face turn tomato red. "Fine."

He smiled and picked me up into his arms, and before I could get myself ready, he launched forward. Regardless of how many times he'd done this before, I could never get used to seeing the forest fly at me like it did. After a few seconds, I buried my face in Edward's chest and closed my eyes. The last thing I needed to do was throw up while going… however fast Edward was running.

After a few minutes, I could hear the wind stop rushing, and Edward whispered, "We're here, Bella."

He set me on my feet, and I had to take a moment to compose myself. The wind had tossed my hair, and my nose was running fiercely. Using the tissues I had stashed in one of the jacket pockets, I cleaned my face of any embarrassing bodily fluid, and I turned back to the group.

It was slightly aggravating to see all the vampires wearing thin, long sleeved shirts and running pants, while I was covered from head to toe in winter wear. However, I chased off the negative thoughts and reminded myself why we were all here, and most importantly, what was waiting for us. As the three of us joined the rest of the group, I felt an agonizing twist in my gut; who wouldn't survive this?

Eric moved to stand behind me, a warm smile on his face, and I felt a fluttering in my stomach. He was so beautiful in the muted daylight—all of them were—and I smiled when he intertwined his fingers with my own. I chose not to think about the choice I'd have to make, and instead, I focused on those surrounding me.

Avarice took a step forward, a serious expression on his face, and everyone fell silent.

"Everyone knows why we're here, and we know what's waiting for us. If any of you are having second thoughts about joining us, please speak now. There will be no hard feelings, and we will wish you well. The last thing we want is to force or obligate you, so if you would like to leave, please do so now." No one moved, and no one spoke. It was hard to not be moved by the moment, and I had to bite back my tears. After a few moments, Avarice bowed his head. "Thank you."

He took a few shallow breaths, and I smiled when Tanya took a step forward and rested her hand on his bicep. The two shared a silent interval, and Avarice seemed to recover the confidence he had lost.

"Our new friends never had a chance to meet Aryana, Argos, or Ira, which is exceedingly unfortunate. They were the true essence of our coven… our family." His voice quivered. "Although they're not here, they're always with us." Avarice turned and locked eyes with me, a haunting smile on his face. "Always."

I nodded. "Always."

"I just want you to know, Avarice," I was surprised when Carlisle spoke. "I will always regret the decisions I made with your family, and I will always hold myself responsible for the destruction of Aryana, Ira, and Argos, but I hope to rectify my misdeeds today. Getting the chance to know you and the others has been an absolute privilege for me. I'm so sorry I was swayed so long ago."

Avarice clapped Carlisle on the shoulder, and the two of them seemed to have a moment of silent understanding. While this occurred, I glanced up at Eric, who was staring stoically ahead, and smiled. He turned his attention to me and reciprocated with a lopsided grin that almost took my breath away. In the past twenty-four hours, I'd made an important decision, but I wasn't sure if I should share it with Edward and Eric. I wanted them to have a clear head in the battle.

"Are you all right?" Eric asked, his smile turning into a confused frown.

"You mean aside from the fact that I'm coughing up gallons of phlegm?" I replied smarmily. "I'm just nervous… and afraid."

"You don't need to be afraid," he said. "No one here will let anything happen to you."

"It's not me I'm worried about." I looked up at him through my eyelashes. "I can't bear the thought of losing you, or any of the others. Every time I think of it, I can't breathe."

"Don't focus on that, Bella," he insisted and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Trust me, it won't help."

I swallowed my grief as best I could, and I could almost feel it hit my stomach with a sickening thud. As I stood back and watched the supernatural creatures before me, I felt my inadequacy rise, and along with it came resentment. Why couldn't Edward have let James's venom spread? Why was I trapped in this fragile human body, facing down creatures that were a million times stronger than me again? Why couldn't I be like Alice and the others?

However, as Eric smiled at me, my negativity fell away. If I had become a vampire, the Cullens and I would have had to move away. I wouldn't have been here to meet the McRaes. I wouldn't have known Ary, or Avarice, or Lazarus—and I wouldn't have known Eric. I offered him my best smile, and he wrapped his arms around me.

There were no boundaries with him, no warning labels, and no hesitations. Ever since I had first met him, Eric had been open with me. I knew about his past, his weaknesses, his likes and dislikes, his hobbies, his mannerisms, and most importantly, I knew him. I was different around him and his family; I was stronger.

I loved the Cullens, and they had done so much for me over the past year, but they sheltered me. The previous fall, they had bowed to Edward willingly, regardless of their love for me. His wants and choices had superseded any of mine, and the family had left without as much as a goodbye. I had forgiven them for their actions, but the truth of the matter was that they had still made them. All the apologies in the world could not change what had happened.

The McRaes didn't leave because Ary or Eric told them to. They left because they were in danger. Lazarus took my memories to preserve his family's anonymity, and I couldn't begrudge them that. Given a chance to do it over again, I would have willingly given them my memories. I would give my life to protect them, and that was why I would stand beside them in the clearing. Not because it was the best strategy, or because I didn't want to be alone. It was because, like it or not, I was just as much one of them as Ary, Argos, or Ira had been.

"Are you all right?" Eric's brow was knit deep with concern, and he cupped my face. "You look like you're in pain."

"I-I have to tell you something," I said, and I pulled him away from the group. However, as I opened my mouth to say what needed to be said, I noticed that Edward was watching us. His eyes were sad, and his lips had formed a tight line. Would my revelation help either of them? As Eric asked me what was wrong, I sighed. I have to keep this to myself—both of them must have a clear head. "Edward, come here."

Eric cocked his head to the side, confused, as Edward joined us.

I took a deep breath and eyed them both intently. "I want you to forget about everything that's happened between the three of us. I can't stand the idea of losing either of you."

"Everything will be fine, Bella," Edward replied softly, and Eric nodded in agreement.

I shook my head. "Promise me."

Very slowly, Edward took my hands in his, leaned forward, and kissed my forehead. His cold breath danced across my forehead. "I promise, love."

He pulled away, and very slowly, he turned and walked over to Alice. She smiled back at me and winked. I felt a twinge of guilt in my heart as I smiled back at her. Our relationship had been somewhat strained over the past few days. Although we'd reconnected due to my illness, she was still distant. I longed to hug my friend, but I ultimately realized she needed to stay focused.

I turned back to Eric, and I wrapped my arms around him. "Promise me."

"You know I shouldn't make that promise," he whispered, and I felt his hands intertwine around me. "It's not fair to you."

"It'll make me feel better," I pressed, knowing that it wouldn't.

"No, it won't," he answered, reading me like he always did. However, when I pleaded with him a second time, he relented. His hand cupped my cheek, and as he kissed me softly, he whispered, "I promise."

"Erickson?" Avarice called from a few yards away. There was a stern look in his eyes, one I had never seen before. It was time. The McRae brother had shut down emotionally and had become a soldier. It was likely he, his brother, and what remained of his family were heading to their doom. The last fight of the McRae Coven, but he didn't seem scared or worried. He was firm, a pillar of reason and might. At that moment, I felt my eyes tear up. "We're ready."

Eric nodded and moved forward, his fingers staying in my hands until he was forced to pull away. My heart broke, but I knew it was absolutely necessary. He needed to be with his family, the ones who had fought and almost died for him… the ones he had fought and almost died for.

"Bella." Carlisle appeared behind me and gingerly touched my shoulder. "When the fight begins, it would be best if you try to conceal yourself. Your scent alone will drive the newborns crazy. If they see you, I cannot guarantee that we'll be able to hold all of them back."

"All right." I nodded quickly, trying not to let the nerves overtake me. "I can do that."

He smiled at me and looked like he was about to say something, but he didn't. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Esme and buried his face in her hair. She reached up slowly and stroked his cheek, her lips moving inhumanly fast. I could only wonder what she was telling him, but I knew it was none of my business. I just smiled and turned away, allowing them their privacy.

The vampires had paired off with their loved ones. Alice and Jasper had pulled away and were talking quietly, Rosalie and Emmett were embracing, and Carmen and Eleazar were staring deeply into one another's eyes. The Denali sisters were holding hands, eyes closed, not speaking. The solemnity was so overpowering, I almost wanted to scream to break through all the tension, but I stayed quiet. They deserved their moment of peace.

The McRaes, however, stood in a circle. They looked at one another, but did not speak. There was a haunting edge to the looks in their eyes. Did any of them expect to walk away from this alive? Were they saying their goodbyes?

"It's time." I hadn't seen Alice and Jasper return to the group, and I jumped a little when I heard her voice. "They're on the move."

All the vampires converged on where the tiny vampire stood, and without so much as a nod, they started moving. Edward wrapped a supportive arm around my waist, and together, we followed the rest. It was a strange feeling, being part of it all. This was so new for me; I wasn't sure how to feel. I was proud to stand beside the McRaes, the Cullens, and the Denalis, but I was also scared senseless. Beyond the ridge was a horde of creatures whose main purpose was to destroy all I held dear. I wasn't even sure if we stood a chance. The frenzied emotions returned, and my heart started to pound harder the closer we got.

The hill was steep, and my legs screamed after a few minutes of climbing it. Edward offered me a hand, and I gratefully took it, happy that he didn't simply pick me up without asking. However, when it seemed like the others were waiting for me, I nodded to him. He smiled in return, picked me up in his arms and carried me the rest of the way. Once we had reached the top, he set me down.

There was a flat expanse of land, one that I easily recognized; the baseball field. I gaped at the empty area, all the memories of James spilling through. I held my breath as Alice sounded the warning, and Eric moved beside me.

There was no time for speeches. There was no time for tears. There was only time for me to slip my hand in Edward's and Eric's and whisper, "Please come back to me."

A flash of yellow flitted through the distant trees, and as quickly as it registered in my mind, they appeared. There were six of them, all clothed in a deep, mustard yellow cloak that covered their faces entirely. Their pace was so quick, it almost seemed as though they were spirits, floating over the earth. They stopped at the edge of the clearing, and other than the gentle wind tossing their capes, they were motionless. As I observed them, I realized that we had them outnumbered. There was a chance we would win this fight.

"No!" Lazarus growled, and I whipped my head in his direction. His eyes were wide, and his jaw was clenched tight. "It can't be!"

I started to question what he meant, however as my eyes cut back momentarily to the field, I gasped. The cloaked figures had doubled in numbers. There were now twelve of them standing in a single file line on the opposite side of the clearing. I couldn't understand Lazarus's reaction; we still had them outnumbered. Before I could attempt to reassure him, a series of wails and screeches tore through the air, and I gasped when I looked back to the enemy. Their numbers had tripled. There were eighteen of the cloaked vampires, but that wasn't all; there was a horde of scrambling figures behind them—newborns.

This doesn't make sense! I felt my nails digging into the palms of my hands, and I felt my temper grow red hot. Eric had told me that there were less than ten Zion Guards left; who were the others. Without meaning to, I muttered, "Who are the others?"

"It's Him," Melena growled and pointed as one of the vampires stepped forward. He walked forward with a steady, even pace, and stopped a few yards away from the army behind him. "He came."

"They all did," Lazarus remarked, his face falling. "They're all here."

"Who?" I tugged on Lazarus's sleeve, and he turned to me, his eyes full of pain. "Lazarus, what's happening?"

His face paled even more, if that was possible. "The Zion Guard is here, Bella—and so are their masters."

I turned my attention back to the field, as the loan cloaked figure pulled back the hood covering his face. Even at a distance, I could easily recognize him. He was the one I had seen in Lazarus's memories, the one who had condemned Ary and Argos to death, the leader of the Pure Ones; Bane. I remembered overhearing Lazarus and Avarice talking about him. He was worse than James, Victoria, Laurent, the Volturi, and the Volturi's Guard put together. I swallowed heavily as he stopped in the middle of the field and raised his arms, claiming the attention of all.

For some reason, he looked a lot less formidable in real life. He appeared to be shorter than Edward, with broad shoulders, and no hair. His skin was pale, like the others, which contrasted the Volturi's papery exterior.

"My friends!" His voice was calm, authoritative, with a hint of threat. "My brothers and sisters despair the thought of destroying so many of our kind, especially when they are absolutely innocent. You have no doubt been conned by these criminals. These vampires, whom you refer to as the McRaes, have desecrated and defamed the founding laws of our kind. They have spit upon all we have come to build, and they should be punished for it. Please, listen to a voice of reason and join us. Present us with the ones we request, and you will be spared."

Silence swept across the field, and there was no motion from either side.

"I do not offer second chances," Bane said, his voice growing harder. "This is your only opportunity to save yourself from oblivion. You will not survive this any other way."

Silence.

With an angry snarl, Bane spun around and returned to the mass of vampires behind him. From where I stood, it appeared as though they were discussing something, but I didn't get a chance to figure out what. A firm hand grabbed my shoulder and pulled me backward. As I stumbled across the earth, I realized it was Lazarus who had me.

"Lazarus? What are you—"

"You have to get out of here, Bella," he said, cutting me off with a frantic look on his face. "Run back to the Cullens' cars and leave Forks as fast as you can."

"What?" Why would he say such a thing to me? "Lazarus?"

"Bella!" Carlisle rushed up beside Lazarus and shoved a pre-paid credit card and a set of car keys in my hand. "There's a private jet waiting at the SeaTac airport for you and your father, and this should be enough for you both to start over. I'm so sorry, for everything—but Lazarus is right, you have to go."

I looked down at the credit card and keys in my palms, and my eyes started to tear up. My body trembled, and I couldn't fight the loud sobs coming from me. Had it not been for the severity of the moment, I would have been horribly embarrassed by my irrational response, but I knew better. This wasn't like me bidding Edward goodbye before he went hunting. It was much worse than being told I wasn't wanted. They were sending me away because they knew they wouldn't survive this fight. The pit of my stomach sank, and I felt like I was going to be sick. They were all going to die.

As I stared at the hordes of newborns, thrashing behind the mustard yellow cloaks of their masters, I found my voice. It was a mere whimper at first, but as my desperation grew, it became a high pitched wail. "Edward?! Eric?!"

I stumbled forward, blinded by the tears forming in my eyes, and I half expected to fall. However, as I sobbed their names again and again, there they were. Edward's hands found mine, while Eric's found my cheeks. I was torn on who to look at, each one more glorious that the other, and eventually settled on wrapping my arms around them both.

"Bella, you have to leave," Edward pleaded. "Just head back the way we came—do you remember the way?" I nodded. He had insisted I pay close attention to the path leading to the clearing. "Good. Bella?" I looked at him and was floored by the serenity in his features. "Thank you."

"For-for what?"

"For everything. For loving me, for letting me love you, for bringing back a piece of me, which I thought was dead. Don't cry, Bella. This isn't the end for you. Live." I shook my head. "Please, for me? Live… and love, and never forget how wonderful you are."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and as much as I wanted to reject what he was saying, I found myself nodding and promising to try. While I stood there, feeling Edward's icy exterior on my skin, I felt a deep hole open in the pit of my stomach. It was significantly worse than it had been in the fall, when he had left, and I tried to push through the pain. The idea, the very notion, of Edward disappearing from this earth was so vile, I was repulsed. He couldn't die.

"Mi Bella," a familiar voice called to me, and I turned to find Eric smiling down at me. It was a sad smile. "I'm so sorry for bringing this fight to you, for ruining your life."

I shook my head. "You didn't ruin anything, Eric—you made it better. You made me better."

This made his smile widen, but the sadness was still there. "Promise me that you'll leave this place, that you won't stay to watch the end of those whose time has come? Promise me that you'll save yourself."

"I can't leave you!" I was trembling as I stared up into his face, my heart feeling like it would explode from my chest. The sickness, which was still clinging to me, was making my head spin, but I didn't care. Without thinking, I thrust my arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. If this really was the end, then he had to know. "I love you, Eric."

He engulfed me, his arms wrapping around my torso and pulling me closer. His breath hit my shoulder in sporadic spurts, and I was gasping into his chest. My heart was hammering at the cavities of my chest, giving the situation an odd, charging percussion soundtrack. Eric's heart, of course, was silent as a ghost. Silent as a vampire. My vampire.

He pulled away slowly. "I'll always love you, Bella—and I'll always be with you."

My face fell, and the guilty, flickering hope that they would both abandon the others and flee with me, disappeared. Of course, I knew they would never abandon their families, and I wouldn't have let them had they suggested it, but that doesn't mean that the selfish hope wasn't there. As my eyes focused on the faces around us—the Cullens, McRaes, and Denalis—I felt all hope vanish from my mind, and as Avarice muttered something to Eric, I started to cry again.

"Don't cry, Bella," Eric pleaded, urging me toward the back of the ground. "You have to do something. You have to get back to the car, and you have to go get your father. You have to leave now, Bella. Please. Go."

I didn't want to.

"Please, Bella, go."

I couldn't move.

"Bella, go!"

Why was he sending me away? I was supposed to help. Why couldn't I help?

"GO!" His eyes flashed angrily as he pulled away from me, and a fierce snarl came from his lips. "Get out of here now! Go!"

Maybe it was the reality of the situation finally soaking in, or maybe it was the ferocity in his words. Whatever it was, my body came to life, like the monster on Frankenstein's table, and before I could catch up, I was running through the woods. The tears spilled down my cheeks as I tumbled down the leafy hill, and I hit the ground with a thud, but it didn't deter me. I was up off the ground before I could decide which direction to run in, the illness making my thought process slow down drastically.

While the endless maze of tree bark and leaves passed me by, I found myself thinking back to the past few weeks. How had everything gone so wrong? Not two months ago, I was struggling to readjust to life with Edward, and now, I was running for my life. I was losing Edward and Eric all over again, only this time, I wouldn't get them back. As the thought hit me, I felt as though I'd been punched in the gut. I stopped midstride and gripped my stomach as the agonizing torture debilitated me.

As if that wasn't bad enough, my lungs chose that moment to expel more phlegm from deep within my body. While I briefly noted the slight improvement in my breathing, I groaned and tried to push forward.

I was so focused on my own suffering; I just barely heard the high-pitched giggle.

My head snapped up, and my eyes tore around the area. I had heard something… someone, I knew I had. However, when I didn't see anyone, I started running again, relieved that some of the trees and rocks were starting to look familiar. Unfortunately, as I started toward another downward slope, I lurched forward and tumbled to the earth, my face scratched by multiple rocks and twigs. My ankle throbbed when I finally stopped rolling, and I winced at the pain as I rubbed it.

That's when I heard it again; the childish giggle. That's when I knew that someone had followed me. That's when I realized that I was in trouble.

You need to get to the car, Bella! You need to get to Charlie! Run! Run! Run!

I pushed myself up and was about to make a run for it, when I saw her. She was standing about ten yards away, a malevolent smirk on her face, her red hair was billowing around her like flames in the wind. My stomach hit the ground, and I felt my body start to shake as I stared at her.

Victoria.

How had she found her way through the mass of vampires gathered in the area? I figured anyone the Pure Ones came across would be dead. At least, that was the impression I had been given. As I stared at her, a horrible notion came to mind, and I shuddered in response. She had come with the Pure Ones and their Zion Guard. It all made sense. She had to have been the one creating the newborn army in Seattle. The Zions had arrived, and they must have struck a deal with her. It made perfect sense, especially since they were heading to the same place.

"Well, well, well," Victoria chimed, cocking her head to the side and smiling at me. "What do we have here? I expected a little more resistance from your lover. I hoped to kill you in front of him. I've longed to watch the pain in his eyes when you crumble before him, lifeless and cold. That is, after all, what he did to me." Her eyes flashed angrily, and her features became wild with rage. "He took everything from me! Your perfect Edward ripped away the only thing that ever mattered to me! He stole away my happiness, my life, the last bit of joy that I had left in my miserable existence!"

I took a step back, wanting to run, but knowing she would catch me should I try.

Sure enough, as I moved away from her, she was suddenly behind me. The speed of vampires was something I had never fully gotten used to, and I gasped in shock. Her icy fingers wrapped around my neck, and I started to gag as she tightened her grip.

"Now, he'll know what it feels like," she seethed, and her gaze fixed on me with a malicious hunger. "This will be very different, though. I'm going to take my time with you, little girl. There's no one here to stop us, no one to hear you scream! It's going to be beautiful, though. A true work of art. He won't be able to recognize you when I'm through, but he'll still know. He'll know."

She opened her mouth, and a vicious snarl followed the act. The lack of oxygen, combined with the illness I'd been suffering, caused my senses to go haywire. For a split second, I could hear from my nose, smell through my eyes, and touch through my ears. I was a mess. I couldn't concentrate, and I couldn't remember the two faces that would bring me even an ounce of peace. I was going to feel everything.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Victoria stopped and snarled at someone beyond my sight. "The fight is that way!"

She dragged me forward, her gaze focused on what I couldn't see, and as she repositioned me, I was suddenly overwhelmed by dread. There were two figures standing before us, their faces masked by the same mustard yellow cloaks as the others. However, there was something different about these two. Their height differences were almost laughable. The one on the left was well over six feet; the one on the right look to be only a few inches taller than me. What on earth were they doing so far from the fray?

"Why are you here?" Victoria growled at the two, and in my dying haze, I thought I spied something in her eyes. It bore a striking resemblance to worry—and fear. "What do you want?"

The lack of oxygen had reached my brain, I was sure of it, because as soon as Victoria had asked that question, I had heard the strangest sound in the world. It was a loud, bestial roar, ferocious and feral. There was something familiar about it, as if I had heard it once before… maybe in a dream. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to think of where I recognized the noise, because as soon as the familiarity of it passed through my mind, I was falling to the earth.

My head struck the ground with extreme force, and the pain in my lungs turned to fuzziness almost immediately. My eyelashes fluttered as I tried to hold onto some semblance of consciousness, but it was a fruitless effort. Regardless of how hard I shook my head or how I tried to sit up, the blackness continued its assault on me, and after what felt like hours, I finally gave up the fight and relinquished myself to the void. Neither conscious nor asleep, I felt as if I were floating through the air, encapsulated in a shell of memories and fog. The pain of my sickness was gone, vanished when I had struck my head, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

The most beautiful of my memories came back to me, and I caught myself smiling as they did. I saw myself laying in the meadow with Edward, dancing with him at Prom, and kissing him. However, those were quickly overshadowed by a fresh, pristine recollection of Eric. He had stopped me from falling, and in an attempt to bring me back from my anguish over Edward's rejection, he had sung to me.

Mi mancherai, amore mio!Mi guardo e trovo un vuoto dentro me…

I could almost feel his hands on my shoulders, his lips on mine, and his words in my ears…

Then, as if an electrical wire had touched my skin, I sat upright. My body was still gloriously numb, but I was fully conscious and fully aware of what had just happened. As I craned my neck from side-to-side, I realized that Victoria was nowhere to be seen. I breathed in and out slowly, expecting her to jump out at any moment and finish what she had started, but as I waited, nothing happened.

I lifted a hand to my head and found something moist glistening beside my temple. When I started to pull my hand back, wondering if I would find fresh blood on my fingers, I heard it.

Footsteps… crunching through twigs and fallen leaves… stopping right behind me. I started to tremble, and I wondered how Victoria planned on killing me. Would she rip me apart piece by piece? Would she slowly drain me? Each scenario I came up with was just as horrifying as the others, and I fought the scream that was building in my lungs. I wanted to be brave, but it almost seemed like an impossibility.

"Bella." At the mere mention of my name, I immediately knew something was wrong. Gone was Victoria's high-soprano voice, thick with malevolence and hunger. In its place was a soft, worried voice… one that was achingly familiar.

I rose off the ground, my body still shaking, and I briefly regarded how numb my body felt. However, the intensity of the situation redirected my thoughts, and I took a deep breath before turning around. The moment my eyes laid on her, I lost all feeling in my body. A tingling sensation traveled up my arms and legs, and it eventually hit the nape of my neck.

Standing about ten yards from me was someone I knew very well. She was my friend. She had lifted me up from my darkness the previous Fall, when Edward and the Cullens had abandoned me. I owed her my life. However, as I stared into Ary's creamy blue eyes, a horrifying realization spread through me.

"Oh my god." I fell to my knees and cradled my head in my hands. "I'm dead."