A/N: Eager much? Well here let me cure you of your disease!

Chapter 43

I looked in the mirror and came face to face with him. It was the man from the video camera.

Fear struck me and I seemed to be paralyzed. I found my hand clutching the top of my shirt as I slowly turned around to face the man. I noticed that he was alarmingly pale and his defined muscles jutted out as he stood crouching on the side of the bathtub.

"W-what do you want?" I stuttered out.

He stood from his crouch and proceeded to crack his neck from side to side. "Well, that of course is simple. I want your blood and there's nothing you or any of your friends can do about it." He mocked.

My hand found my mouth and I tried to back subtly away from him. Wind moved behind me and then I backed into his cold chest. I jumped away desperately looking for something to protect myself from him. I knew that if I were to scream Edward would come save me. He just had to.

I opened my mouth as my back pressed against the bathroom wall. Quicker than a blink of an eye James' hand was over my mouth and he slammed my head back into the wall. Pain shot through my head and I felt as if my whole skull would collapse at any moment.

"I wouldn't do that my dear Bella. We wouldn't want poor Edward to get hurt would we?" His voice was like acid as he spat at me.

I shook my head. "No, don't hurt Edward."

He patted my head. "Good girl, now listen to me." He paused. "We're going to sneak out of the house while my two dear friends occupy your small militia." He laughed. "We just need a doorbell."

"How did you get in here?" I growled at him.

His laugh was almost evil. "Well, who would have thought that a wolf and a vampire protecting you would work to my advantage? You see you future seer can't concentrate with the horrid smell of a wolf. Edward and the dog got in a fight and knocked out the window on the second floor. This also worked to my advantage. I climbed in the window and followed your scent here. I hid in various places in the house and when Edward was downstairs I crept in here." He smiled at his own plan.

"You're despicable." I spat at him.

He grinned. "I know, isn't it great?"

I shot daggers at him and weighed my survivor rate. Would he kill me fast or would he torture me? I looked on the bright side. Edward had kissed me. If I was going to die then at least I knew Edward still loved me. That in itself was enough happiness to last a lifetime.

I heard a doorbell downstairs and he jumped up grabbing my hair. "Let's go."

EPOV

"You idiot!" Jake yelled. "How could you leave her alone like that?" He jumped up and his hand was at my neck.

I pushed him away easily and he flew into the nearest wall. "You're one to talk mutt."

"Stop it!" Alice yelled. "I can't believe you two. Bella needs your help more than ever now and you two are fighting tooth and nail. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

I pulled myself together. "She's right."

Carlisle took charge. "Jake, can you call your pack?"

Jake nodded. "Of course."

"Good, call Sam and tell him to get the pack to surround the house. I don't want him to get past us." Carlisle spoke softly.

Jake nodded and he made way for the door. I zoned out and focused on the sounds upstairs. How could I have been so stupid? How could I have let him slip past me? Oh yeah, the kiss had kind of stunned me. Stupid Edward.

I focused a little more and found James' thoughts. "We'll fool the Cullens. It's a good thing they broke that window."

"Yeah, nice going Edward." I thought.

"We'll go out in the hall and jump out one of the windows. I want her to be in so much pain that she'll beg for me to kill her." His thoughts were of the utmost evil.

I took my head out of his and saw that everyone was focusing on me. "Surround the third floor windows. He's going to jump with Bella." I whispered so he wouldn't know I had heard.

Jake came running in. "There are two more headed this way. Maroon eyes." Jake said a little out of breath.

Carlisle nodded. "Rose, Alice, Esme and I will take care of them." He paused. "Jake and Edward take the stairs and chase him out of the building." He turned to Emmett and Jasper. "Jump him as soon as Bella is clear."

They all nodded knowing exactly where to taker their places. Fear and regret was coursing through my veins. I had done this to her. If it hadn't been for me then Bella would probably be safe right now. She'd probably be on the beach in Jake's arms, but that was a price I would be willing to take. If me leaving would make her safe, that's what I would do.

BPOV

I winced in pain as he pulled me by my hair out the door. When we reached the hallway I caught a quick glance at Edward as he and Jake jogged up the stairs. "Let her go." Edward yelled as James yanked me along by my hair.

He quickly knocked my legs out from under me and dove for the closest window. Glass flew by me and tears flooded from my eyes as the shards pierced my skin. A snarl ripped through James' throat and he eyed the blood that was dripping from my arm.

We landed on the grass with a light thud and when we didn't move I tried to wiggle free of his grasp. I heard growling surrounding us and then without a second glance James lowered his mouth my neck. My skin prickled with fear as his teeth grazed the sensitive skin of my neck. I felt as he applied a bit more pressure. I closed my eyes tight hoping to escape the horrors that were now my reality.

I heard loud sounds all around me. There were snarls and growls that I recognized as the pack. James tightened his grip on my body and without warming I was thrust out of his cold grip. I continued to shut my eyes scared of the horrors that would flash before my eyes.

James snarled again and I heard a lower rumble of laughter. "You're going down. You mess with Bella you mess with all of us." Emmett I assumed.

Soon I was picked up again and I cringed away from the contact. The body heat was burning up and I knew it was an ally. I turned to their chest and tried to steady my breathing. My arm burned from the shards of glass that you could see sticking out of my skin.

"Shh, it's okay Bella. I'm here." Jake cooed in my ear.

I gripped him tighter and then felt drips running down my arm. I turned to see the blood and the rusty scent hit my nose. My head started to feel woozy. "Jake, put me down." I breathed.

He stopped and did as I asked. He sat me on my feet and I started to feel even dizzier. "I feel dizzy." I coughed out.

"It's okay. It's just the blood. Close your eyes." He whispered as he scooped me back up.

I did as he told me and placed my head into his chest. I breathed in his woodsy scent and it helped a little bit. "Where's Edward?" I asked.

"I don't know Bells. He'll be fine. We need to get you to the hospital though. You have some deep lacerations on your arms." He told me.

The next thing I realized was the ceiling of my monolithic truck. Jake slid me in and I didn't even hear his footsteps as he climbed in next to me. He placed my head in his lap and shifted the truck into reverse.

There was a loud bang on the bed of the truck and I jumped clenching my eyes even tighter as I gripped Jake's leg. "It's just Edward sweetie." Jake reassured me.

I felt the blood dripping even further down my arm. "But the blood." I gasped.

Jake sighed. "If he couldn't handle it, he wouldn't be here."

I had always hated hospitals. I hated how they made you feel like you were a walking disease. I sat on the crinkly paper in one of those awkward hospital gowns. The blood had dried on my arm and I was waiting for the nurse or doctor to come clean it and get the glass out. The stinging had practically numbed it and I couldn't stand the look of it.

Surprisingly Carlisle walked into the room with a nurse following close behind him. "Ah, Bella what did you do?" He asked.

"Um, I'm not sure." I played along with the charade.

He winked and turned toward the nurse. "That's all. I'll take it from here if you don't mind."

Her eyes widened and she walked away a little breathless. I figured that I wasn't the only one completely dazzled by the Cullens. He turned back to me and ripped open a sterilized package. When he didn't speak and began to clean my cuts I decided to ask him.

"So, what happens now?" I asked between winces.

He looked me in the eye and sighed. "I don't know Bella, I really don't."

A/N: Will Edward leave and go back to Dartmouth? What happened with James and his little gang? How did Edward feel when he couldn't be the one to carry Bella to the hospital? It must have hurt for him to have to be a bystander…

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Kayla