The fight was over and the mortal enemies were gathered together. Most of them were picking up the pieces of the newborns and setting them in piles, preparing to light them on fire.
Bella stood next to Edward. He was focusing intently on Esme, assuring her that everybody was okay.
She was about to reach out for his hand when she heard a deafening snarl from Edwards left. She looked over as Edward shouted, "Leah! No!"
Leah had found another newborn hiding behind a bush and snuck up on the vampire. The newborn had noticed her first though, and leapt for the grey wolf's throat. Just before the vampire reached her, Edward sprinted over and shoved the shifter to the side. He turned back to the newborn just as it was about to reach him and tore a gash out of its side. Right as Edward was going for the killing blow his head snapped over towards Bella to look at something over her shoulder. She could clearly see the agony that spread across his face. It was heartbreaking.
The distraction gave the new vampire an opening. He grabbed Edwards arms and tore them off as he bit into Edward's neck.
As Edward fell back, the newborn kicked his leg with a sickening snap.
It was over in less than ten seconds. She could barely hear herself screaming as she ran toward Edward. Before she could take more than four steps she felt hot hands grab her shoulders forcing her to stop moving.
"No! Let go of me! Edward!" She screamed with tears running down her face. She struggled against her captor ignoring their shouts, "Bella! No!"
She screamed louder kicking and punching trying to reach Edward.
"Let her go mutt," Emmett growled.
The arms tightened even more around her.
"I said let her go!" He snarled.
The arms loosened enough for her to turn around and slap Jacob in the face. Of course it was him. She remembered the last time she saw him.
He turned to walk away.
"Anything," I called after him in a strangled voice. "Anything you want, Jacob. Just don't do this!"
He paused, turning slowly.
"I don't really think you mean that."
"Stay," I begged.
He shook his head. "No, I'm going." He paused, as if deciding something. "But I could leave it to fate."
"What do you mean?" I choked out.
"I don't have to do anything deliberate - I could just do my best for my pack and let what happens happen." He shrugged. "If you could convince me you really did want me to come back - more than you wanted to do the selfless thing."
"How?" I asked.
"You could ask me," he suggested.
"Come back," I whispered. How could he doubt that I meant it?
He shook his head, smiling again. "That's not what I'm talking about."
It took me a second to grasp what he was saying, and all the while he was looking at me with this superior expression - so sure of my reaction. As soon as the realization hit, though, I blurted out the words without stopping to count the cost.
"Will you kiss me, Jacob?"
His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed suspiciously. "You're bluffing."
"Kiss me, Jacob. Kiss me, and then come back."
He hesitated in the shadow, warring with himself. He half-turned again to the west, his torso twisting away from me while his feet stayed planted where they were. Still looking away, he took one uncertain step in my direction, and then another. He swung his face around to look at me, his eyes doubtful.
I stared back. I had no idea what expression was on my face.
Jacob rocked back on his heels, and then lurched forward, closing the distance between us in three long strides.
I knew he would take advantage of the situation. I expected it. I held very still - my eyes closed, my fingers curled into fists at my sides - as his hands caught my face and his lips found mine with an eagerness that was not far from violence.
I could feel his anger as his mouth discovered my passive resistance. One hand moved to the nape of my neck, twisting into a fist around the roots of my hair. The other hand grabbed roughly at my shoulder, shaking me, then dragging me to him. His hand continued down my arm, finding my wrist and pulling my arm up around his neck. I left it there, my hand still tightly balled up, unsure how far I could go in my desperation to keep him alive. All the while his lips, disconcertingly soft and warm, tried to force a response out of mine.
As soon as he was sure I wouldn't drop my arm, he freed my wrist, his hand feeling its way down to my waist. His burning hand found the skin at the small of my back, and he yanked me forward, bowing my body against his.
His lips gave up on mine for a moment, but I knew he was nowhere close to finished. His mouth followed the line of my jaw, and then explored the length of my neck. He freed my hair, reaching for my other arm to draw it around his neck like the first.
Then both of his arms were constricted around my waist, and his lips found my ear.
"You can do better than this, Bella," he whispered huskily. "You're overthinking it."
I shivered in guilt as I felt his teeth graze my earlobe. I couldn't believe I was doing this to Edward. It seemed as if he thought it was in pleasure, he continued to try and encourage me.
"That's right," he murmured.
"For once, just let yourself feel what you feel."
I shook my head mechanically until one of his hands wound back into my hair and stopped me.
His voice turned acidic. "Are you sure you want me to come back? Or did you really want me to die?"
Anger rocked through me like the whiplash after a heavy punch. That was too much - he wasn't fighting fair.
My arms were already around his neck, so I grabbed two fistfuls of his hair - ignoring the stabbing pain in my right hand - and fought back, struggling to pull my face away from his.
And Jacob misunderstood.
He was too strong to recognize that my hands, trying to yank his hair out by the roots, meant to cause him pain. Instead of anger, he imagined passion. He thought I was finally responding to him.
With a wild gasp, he brought his mouth back to mine, his fingers clutching frantically against the skin at my waist.
A jolt of anger ran through me. Unless I responded he was going to go die. So I pretended he was Edward, and I was kissing him back.
His hot wet mouth was a poor substitute for the ice cold one I loved. I ended the kiss quickly, pretending to need air. He opened his eyes and he was staring at me with wonder and elation.
"I have to leave," he whispered.
"No," I said, worrying he knew I was pretending.
He smiled, pleased by my response. "I won't be long," he promised. "But one thing first . . ."
He bent to kiss me again, and there was no reason to resist. What would be the point?
His arms curled around me, and he hugged me securely while he whispered in my ear.
"That should have been our first kiss. Better late than never."
I had betrayed Edward. Against his chest, where he couldn't see, the tears welled up and spilled over.
She didn't have enough time to thank Emmett or even glance at Jacob again before she sprinted to Edward.
He looked dead.
His neck had a huge bite, with his skin almost hanging off in strips. There was venom leaking out of his injuries and his arms were laying next to him on the ground. His left leg was bent at an unnatural angle.
Carlisle was leaning over him looking over his injuries.
"Will he be okay?," She whimpered, placing her hands in his chest.
"Eventually," Carlisle sighed, "He will heal in time," he assured her. She was about to beg him to tell her more but Alice sucked in a breath, dropping the twitching leg she was holding on to, while her eyes clouded over. Jasper seemed to appear out of thin air to place his hands in hers and try to meet her eyes. "Alice?" He questioned worriedly.
The vision ended as he said her name. "The Volturi are coming! The wolves have to leave now!" The pack simultaneously phased and ran into the trees towards La Push. Bella looked over her shoulder to see that Jacob hadn't left yet.
"Leave mutt! Do you want to get us all killed?" Alice shouted.
"Fine, fine. Come on Bella." He reached for her hand.
"What are you doing?!" She snarled as she ripped her hand away from his. He looked down at her confused. She had no idea why he would ever think she would leave Edward when he was hurt. Why in the world would she go with him?
"I am not leaving him! Go home Jacob Black!" She shouted.
Bella turned back to Edward taking in his face. He had just risked his life for his mortal enemy. There was no way he didn't have a soul, he was too good.