Adrian's body crashed into the side of the wrecked Escalade. Jane stood over him smiling and waiting for him to move again. He stood leaned against the vehicle trying to catch his breath and praying the smell of the now free flowing blood wouldn't trig a more deadly attack by the vampire staring at him. He felt pretty confident that Jane was the type to control her urges but he wasn't sure how long they could be caged before she gave in.
"Ready to change your answer?" Jane taunted him, leaning close to his face.
"No." Adrian choked and spat blood and saliva into her face.
Jane grabbed Adrian by the throat and pulled him close to her face, "You will change your mind, even if I have to change it for you."
"Jane, he said no. He doesn't want to be changed. You offered him the choice, he said no." Alice pleaded with her as she realized that Jane had no intentions of killing him anymore. "Please, just honor that."
Jane dropped Adrian to the pavement and spun on her heels to face Alice. She glared at Alice sending a wave of pain through her. "Stay out of this!"
"Please, Jane." Alice cried through the pain that was overcoming her body.
Jane ignored Alice's pleading and turned back to Adrian, who was holding his ribs and trying to get to his feet. She pushed him over and crouched down beside him. Running her finger down the side of his neck and along his throat, she smiled at his obvious suffering. Jane lowered her face and grazed her mouth across the base of Adrian's neck. She could hear his heart pounding and could feel the blood rushing beneath her lips; fear had overcome him. Jane sunk her teeth into the side of Adrian's neck, tasting his sweet blood for just a brief moment before forcing herself away.
"Finish it!" Alice yelled, trying to change the future she'd just seen for Adrian. "Don't leave him like that!"
"No," Jane smiled and wiped the blood from her mouth, "you finish it. Have fun. He tastes divine."
Alice watched as Jane disappeared into the dark night. She ran to where Adrian lay on the dark pavement and dropped to her knees beside him. She could see it in his eyes that the venom was spreading through his face. His face was twisted with agony. She placed her hands around his trying to get his eyes to focus on hers but he was too consumed in the fiery pain that was now swirling through his veins.
"Alice," Adrian groaned in pain, "is it supposed to hurt like this?"
"Yes, it's said to be extremely painful."
"How do you make it stop?" He gasped. "My heart has to stop, right? I have to die before it finishes transforming, right?"
Alice nodded once she realized what he was getting at. She shook her head, knowing what he planned to ask of her. "Adrian, it's not the bad. This life. It's not a terrible life."
"I can't become a vampire, Alice. I can't." Adrian tried to move. "God, it hurts."
"You can, you'll learn. It'll be fine. I'll help you. Carlisle will help you."
"No, Alice. I can't do this. It feels like my body is on fire." Adrian cringed. "Kill me, please. Alice, just kill me. I can't do this."
