Sorry this is late--but I think I've got it right now. Enjoy--Raca
Chapter 29
I curled up close with Edward's jacket draped over my body. I breathed in his scent and let it relax my weary mind. He won't let anything happen to me. I was just drifting off to sleep when I heard a commotion above me. A loud slap echoed along our quiet hill and Will voiced his pain.
"Ouch Addy! What was that for?"
Addy's voice was barely a whisper. "You didn't say a thing to Edward about her dream!"
"Yeah—so?"
"So? So, what if it's right?" Addy's voice grew cold and fearful. "What if James gets here first? You should have told Edward—he's not coming in till tonight. What if that's too late?"
"Come on Addy," Will retorted, "We aren't going to let anything happen to Bella in the next few hours. It's almost 4:00 and Edward will be at the airport at 7:30 to take her away—that's a pretty narrow opening, even for a vampire." Will sounded confident and assured.
"Well, I don't care for the situation." I heard another slap. "You're so cocky—makes me sick."
"Whatever. Did you ever think that Bella's dream happened before Edward decided to come here—I bet his decision changed the future, making her dream an impossibility."
"You just keep a good look out," Addy seethed, "I'm going to pack our things."
Addy appeared in front of the large pantry and began quietly filling a sack full of supplies. I huddled down further under the jacket and squeezed my eyes shut. Four hours. I can wait four hours.
I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until the force of my dream overcame me.
My nostrils were filled with the mix of damp soil and blood. My stomach churned at the scent, immediately making me nauseous. I squeezed my dreaming eyes shut, knowing what the scenery around myself would be and wishing that refusing to acknowledge it might change the outcome.
"You shouldn't be out wandering alone."
James' calm voice continued as I squeezed my eyes harder, "I applaud you, Bella. This has been the most exciting hunt of my existence. Such a pity there is no one here to witness your final minutes. Truly, I do wish this could continue—but I fear…." He took a deep breath, "I fear I don't have the restraint to hold out any longer."
I opened my eyes to see James leaping at me. His fiery red eyes burned with hunger.
I woke before his cold skin touched me, but my flesh was still chilled by the dream. I sat up on my sleeping bag and scanned the small cottage and then the surrounding hills. Addy and Will were at the trunk of the Mercedes, struggling to shut it. Again, I returned to the small room and found what I dreaded. Below the windowsill was a faint carving. Its lines were barely distinguishable from the rest of the weathered wood, perhaps because of how quickly I awoke from the nightmare, but I knew what the picture was. It was James, leaping out with one hand extended towards me. He's still coming.
I grabbed my bag and pillow and ran out to the twins. "Bella!" Addy said with a warm smile, "I'm glad I didn't have to wake you, you were sleeping so deeply."
"Ready to go?" Asked Will.
"Yes, let's go now." I threw myself into the back seat and began projecting down the threads and watching for James. Will and Addy climbed into their seats and the engine roared to life. Will drove down the small hill towards the river bottom. Soon the car was engulfed in the sandy walls of the dried creek.
"You better speed it up. This storm could bring flash floods." Addy whispered, peering out her window to the sky of dark clouds. Will nodded and the car sped faster down the narrow lane. Just as the wash began to open up, the cell phone rang. Addy quickly glanced at the number and then handed it to me, "Your home phone."
I looked down at the screen to see the Renee's Phoenix number. My hands began to shake, "Hello?" I answered softly.
"Bella? Bella?" My mother's panicked voice mimicked the words of my dream, "Bella, where are you?"
"I'm in Phoenix Mom—staying with some friends. I'm safe Mom, really … Please calm down." I tried to steady my voice to reassure my frantic mother.
"But who says she is safe?" A voice asked pleasantly.
Oh, Mom….
James laughed lightly and spoke again, "I'm sure your friends are with you now and that they can hear your side of the conversation. If they can, please just say 'yes.'"
"Yes." My throat was dry.
"You do realize that no one else needs to be involved in this. I'm sure it is not your wish for your friends and your mother to suffer because of you. Wouldn't you agree, Bella?"
"Yes," I whispered.
"Good girl. You will need to find a way to abandon your friends. Do you think that's possible? Answer yes or no."
"Yes." My eyes clouded over with tears.
"Excellent. There's no need for anyone else to get hurt, after all" James chuckled pleasantly, "I look forward to seeing you again, little girl. Come home Bella and be fast. Your mother is awfully appetizing."
The line went dead. I looked up to find Addy's wide eyes staring. I placed the phone in her out-stretched hand and shook my head slowly. "I'm sorry," I whispered before I jumped out of the car.
I jumped across town, landing for brief seconds only to jump somewhere else. My trail was ragged and random, ensuring the twins would not be able to follow me to their death. Satisfied that they would be unable to track me, I headed home. Three jumps later I was in my backyard. The sun was just setting, but already the sky was dark with the threatening storm. The wind picked up as I crept silently around the patio furniture to the sliding glass window. I peered into the dark house and projected down the threads. No one is here. Confused and suddenly nervous I jumped inside.
"Mom?" I called out softly. No one replied. I flipped on the lights and my eyes traveled to the bulletin board in the kitchen. Written in a rough hand was my name and an address—the ballet studio just down the street. Focusing on the wooden floor beneath the arched doorway of the studio, I twisted the threads and jumped.
"Mom?" I called out quietly.
"Bella? Bella?" Her cries echoed in the dance hall. "Bella, where are you?"
Following her voice, I ran to the closest and threw open the door. "There you are Bella." My mother's voice was relieved. I watched the television screen in horror as her arms wrapped around my crying body.
"What are you doing in here?" She asked me as she pulled the hair from my face and straightened my ballet costume.
"No!" I cried, hitting the television with a power surge. The set exploded and the room was plummeted into darkness. A deep laugh rose from the darkness. Turning on my heels, I twisted threads to flip on the lights.
James froze, crouched on the floor. His black eyes stared at me in surprise.
"You don't even have her," I said, relieved as I had never been more relieved in my life. A small part of me though was also disgusted I had believed his lie…. Real smart Bella, now you are in this alone.
James rose from his crouched stance, towering over my small frame. He laughed again, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes. "Why would I bring unwanted witnesses?" He smiled calmly and pulled out a small camcorder, "I hope you don't mind if I do record this for some friends of yours. I'm sure Edward is dying to see you one last time."
Immediately James was at my side, the recorder shoved in my face. "Beg me for your life. Pray that only your blood will satisfy this burn and that I don't track down that delicious blond that was with you."
"You'll never touch any of them," I murmured, opening my body to the blanket, knowing that this time would not be a repeat of my frozen panic in Port Angeles. James laughed lightly and stretched a hand to trace a line from my cheek to my jaw.
"And how will anyone stop me, little girl?" he asked softly. He turned the camera on himself and smiled into the lens before turning it back to me. "Edward will not be able to save you."
Against my will, my eyes began to fill with tears. "Perfect," James whispered. By now my body was tingling with power.
I had to release the energy soon.
I blinked the tears away. Focus Bella. Focus the energy … Escape and find Edward. Escape and find Edward. Escape.
Edward.
James cocked his head to the side, his eyes filling with questions as a small, serene smile settled across my face. He opened his mouth to speak and I released the built up energy. James flew across the ballet studio and smashed into a mirrored wall. I focused on a distant location, preparing my mind to jump when suddenly James's cold hand was around my neck.
"You little devil. How did you do that?" James' voice was filled with frustration and amusement. His fingers curled tighter around my neck as he refocused the camera. "Looks like we could make this much more interesting ...."
James released me. I fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for air. "Do you realize that if you fight back, I will only make this more painful?" He picked me up by my arm and pinned me against the wall. I struggled weakly against his grasp. "Why don't you be a good little girl?"
His talon-like fingers found their way to my hair. Knotting in it, he pulled my head back with a jerk, exposing my neck. James inhaled deeply. "What a rich scent," he whispered slowly moving his face to my neck. Something cold and wet ran the length of my neck and I snapped.
"Get off me!" I yelled, throwing up a matter shield and launching James into the air again. I threw myself into the air and flew towards the door. I was inches from its freedom when I was tackled from behind.
"You are feisty." James flipped me to my back and pinned me under his legs. "You remind me of the only one that did escape. She had the sweetest scent I'd ever crossed." James pulled my wrist to his nose and traced my veins there. "Even more delicious than you. I was furious to find that old vampire crouched over my meal. He never had a chance to fight back. No one comes between predator and prey."
With disgust he threw my arm to the floor. James growled fiercely, "He contaminated her sweet blood with his vile mouth and so I left her there. Left her to die, to bleed to death. It wasn't until a few day ago that I found out she had survived the change … Alice, I believe is what they called her."
James laughed, but no longer lightly. "It's odd, I remember her patient information named her as Mary Alice. But who knows what is correct. Asylums don't care if their information is accurate."
I struggled under his legs and attempted to throw him off with the blanket. James felt the movement of the threads around him and threw me a hateful look.
"I think we've played long enough." James set the video camera up on the wooden bar that stretched the length of the mirrored wall. He balanced it and focused it on my trapped body. "Any last words for dearest Edward?"
"Go to hell, James," I spat, manipulating the space threads around him and hoisting him high into the air. His eyes grew wide and he flailed wildly. The struggle made it very difficult to hold him and my concentration broke for just a minute, placing my body within his grasp. James saw the opportunity and swung wildly at my neck. Three of his claws caught the skin just below my collarbone, ripping open a six-inch gash across my chest. I screamed at the pain and dropped him completely.
James was on his feet again, coiled to spring at me, his dark eyes filled with hatred and hunger. "No!" I cried, throwing myself into the air and out the doors of the ballet studio. My arms clutched at my chest, the pain was unbearable. I pushed further into the sky, away from the studio, away from James. Edward, the twins—I need to find help. My mind spun as darkness started to creep around the edges of my eyes. NO! Stay with me Bella—focus! You have to get to safety!
My mind was clouded with pain. I didn't know where I was going. I was flying on autopilot, the threads guiding me. After a few minutes my feet settled in the dusty ground of the shack. My mind went black and I collapsed as raindrops began to fall. The mix of damp dirt and my own blood flooded my nostrils and brought me back to consciousness. The smell carried with it the memory of my most recent dream.
James will be here.
I struggled to my feet. Dirt and blood clotted in my wound, my hair and clothing weren't any better—torn and stained from my attempts to stay alive. I grew light headed from the loss of blood and its awful smell. I feel like I'm going to puke.
Suddenly my mind focused. I'm not alone. James approached me quietly. He knelt down and picked at the ground, lifting something with his finger and bringing it to his nose. My blood—flying left a trail.
"You shouldn't be out wandering alone, not in your condition." James' deep, rich voice was angry and wild, "I applaud you, little girl. This has been the most exciting hunt of my existence. Such a pity there is no one here to witness your final minutes. Truly, I do wish this could continue—but I fear ...." He took a deep breath, "I fear I don't have the restraint to hold out any longer."
He crouched and sprang. My mind was so weak I made no attempts to stop him. Pinning my body beneath him, James brought my wrist to his mouth and sunk his teeth into the flesh. Instantly the pain from my chest was forgotten. The blackness threatened to overtake me again when there was a vicious growl from behind me.
The weight of James was suddenly removed and my hand fell limply to the moist ground. "Bella!" I heard a familiar voice cry. I tried to focus on the source of the voice, but my mind was overcome with the snarls and metallic ripping that seemed to surround me.
Warm hands wrapped around my broken body and pulled me back. My eyes focused now as a sharp burning in my hand forced me alert. I screamed in pain and in shook as I saw Edward and James tumbling and diving in a wild battle. My outburst distracted Edward for a moment, giving James the opportunity to strike. In an instant, James was at his throat. Edward cried out and clawed to free himself but James only bit harder.
"No, Edward." I cried. "No!" And my mind forgot my wounds. It forgot the gapping cuts throbbing across my chest and the searing pain now drifting up my arm. I found myself on my feet with my hands outstretched.
"No," I murmured. I clutched the matter threads running through James and pulled. Using ever ounce of energy I had I forced the matter threads apart, twisting and pulling them harshly. James froze, took a forced breath and then exploded, his body flying apart as I pulled him apart, piece by piece.
I don't remember falling, I don't know if anyone caught me. All I know is my body went cold and my mind fell blank.
I hate to cut you off here--but I had too. I'm also going on vacation on Monday, so I won't post for close to 2 weeks. Hopefully this wasn't the worst place to leave you. Please review & let me know what you think.
