This school year was different from any other I'd experienced. Purgatory wasn't nearly so bad when an angel escorted you through it. We shared most of our classes, and though the material was a complete waste, learning about Anna was the education I most desired. In classroom situations her reactions were slightly more normal, more predictable, but she still surprised me with her knowledge and unique point of view. Every day brought a new insight into her being, and for once I actually enjoyed school.
The day flew by, and too soon I was escorting Anna to her truck. The rest of the afternoon would be spent fending off her attempts to avoid her party, not the most appealing of tasks. I hoped that Alice's vision was holding and that Anna would eventually agree to attending in a civil manner.
Seven o'clock, Elsa, don't forget.Alice's thoughts whizzed past me as she sped out of the school parking lot in my car. My sister seemed to be under the impression that I was incapable of remembering Anna's birthday party—the event she'd been planning for a month. She knew perfectly well that I would remember; just one of the many curses of being a vampire was an infallible memory. Until recently, cursed was all I ever felt. Not any more.
The resistance started when we reached Anna's truck and I opened the passenger door, as I did every day.
"It's my birthday, don't I get to drive?" Anna demanded.
Not a wise argument on her part… "I'm pretending it's not your birthday, just as you wished."
"If it's not my birthday, then I don't have to go to your house tonight…" And Alice would dismember me.
"All right." I'd rather stand Anna's slow driving than Alice's wrath, so I went around and opened the driver's door instead. "Happy Birthday."
Her face twisted in what appeared to be pain. "Shh," she hissed weakly before getting in.
I looked over at Anna; her eyes narrowing slightly with concentration while backing into the exiting line of cars. As she cocked her head over her shoulder her full, pink lips turned down in a scowl. She was beautiful, though unhappy, and my throat burned hotter at the sight.
Time to fulfill the role I had to play for Emmett's benefit. I fiddled with her ancient radio, not surprised that static was the most I could get out of it. I shook my head, selling my dissatisfaction.
"Your radio has horrible reception." When I noted the inadequacy of her truck's radio, Anna bit my head off, she was so incensed.
"You want a nice stereo? Drive your own car." Her words were so rarely sharp with me that I was caught off guard and nearly laughed aloud. Such ferocity from such a gentle, altruistic creature was oxymoronic, and I barely contained myself.
She continued to stew while I recovered from the force of her reaction, my mirth turning to frustration at her stubbornness. We pulled up to her house, and I decided it was time to use a stronger form of coercion to break her angry mood.
I took her face in my hands, barely touching her silky skin. Enclosed in the cab her scent permeated my very being, fanning the flames of my throat until they seemed to engulf my entire body. The sensation, though rooted in pain, faded to pleasure as it reached my fingertips. The memory of her taste, and the euphoria that accompanied it, hovered at the edge of my perception, always tempting me when we were together. It was a different temptation I succumbed to as I held her delicate face, though, and I leaned in close.
"You should be in a good mood, today of all days," I said softly, purposely letting my breath waft toward her. The effect was immediate, and Anna's pulse and respiration lurched.
"And if I don't want to be in a good mood?" she asked weakly. A smile grew on my lips as I devoured her with my eyes. Her eyes grew wide, and though I was trying to dazzle her, I was the one who stopped breathing.
"Too bad," I whispered. Slowly I bent down and gently pressed my lips to hers. Her warmth was always the first sensation that registered when we kissed, followed by the sharp but pleasurable prickling of electric excitement that raced through me. My breathing started again, and the paradox of pleasure and agony filled me along with the scent of freesia and lavender that floated on top of the aroma of her delicious blood.
As careful as I was, Anna, as usual, was not one to follow suit. The fire in her lips had barely begun to seep into me before her hands wove their way around my neck, pulling me closer. She inhaled deeply and her mouth began to move against mine; her tongue begging entrance through my lips. Her scent intensified as she pressed hard against me, and I smiled, always amazed that I could incite such a passionate reaction from her.
She continued to tempt me, pulling me to her with as much force as she could muster. I shivered, imagining the jolt I would feel if Icouldexplore her mouth the way she begged to enjoy mine. Anna had no idea how hard it was being this close but having to stop, knowing that so much more pleasure was just millimeters away. She trusted my control – and tested it often – not knowing that she fueled a fire within me that I'd thought had long since been extinguished. I'd always considered humans weak, shallow creatures compared to vampires, but the human feelings Anna ignited in me were stronger than anything I'd ever encountered. Stronger even than the most powerful vampire sensation – thirst.
She too was powerful, to have this hold on me. How I wanted to return her passion with the same intensity, to show her exactly how she made me feel, but it wasn't possible. She was so fragile, so breakable, and I couldn't allow myself even the slightest lapse in control for fear of injuring her, killing her, or worse, poisoning her.
As I disengaged her hands from my body, I felt her pulse hammering within my grasp. "Be good, please," I sighed. She sat perfectly still, and I kissed her gently. Her heart beat loudly, and when I released her she placed her hand on her chest.
"Do you think I'll ever get better at this?" she said, not looking at me. "That my heart might someday stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me?"
"I really hope not," I snickered. Her heart was not only the core of her humanity, it was also one of the few windows I had into her thoughts. The way her pulse reacted to my closeness, my touch, even my words was something to be protected almost as much as her life.
Rather than bicker any longer, she rolled her eyes and opened the car door. "Let's go watch the Capulets and Montagues hack each other up, all right?"
"Your wish, my command."
Once inside, I settled on the old couch in front of the TV, savoring the lingering taste of her kiss. She started the tape, and I pulled her against me gently, breathless as she settled her soft, warm back against my chest.
As I covered her with a blanket off the couch, my curiosity got the best of me. "You know, I've never had much patience with Romeo." I'd seenRomeo and Julietperformed in every conceivable way and in more languages than I could count. I couldn't help but wonder why she loved it so.
"What's wrong with Romeo?" she said, clearly distressed.
Romeo was so impulsive, so thoughtless in his dealings, and I was unable to relate to him at all. Anna seemed to take offense at my criticism, and my inability to read her thoughts irritated me for the thousandth time. What appeal could Romeo have for the smart, thoughtful woman I loved?
"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosaline—don't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant." Surely she could see Romeo's copious flaws. "Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his happiness any more thoroughly?"
The credits ended and Anna sighed. "Do you want me to watch this alone?"
So it was to be punishment for my opinion? Two could play that game… "No, I'll mostly be watching you, anyway." The delicate softness of her arm became the center of my attention. Goosebumps rose on her creamy skin at my touch, and I cursed my frigid body temperature. "Will you cry?" I asked, remembering the sweet flavor of her tears.
"Probably, if I'm paying attention," she said, her eyes on the screen.
"Then I won't distract you."With my voice, at least,I thought. Every time I touched Anna, whether with my hands or my lips, her heart would react, sometimes speeding up, other times skipping a beat. Though I delighted in teasing her, when Anna rubbed her eyes, trying to stay focused on the television, I realized that if I didn't let her concentrate we may end up having to watch the movie a second time. I stilled, and turned my eyes to the story unfolding before us. As Romeo confessed his adoration of Juliet, I found myself finding new meaning in his words, and began reciting them along with the actor.
Anna shivered in my arms as I whispered in her ear, softly echoing the words coming from the television.
"See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!"
I continued to speak Romeo's lines, enjoying how Anna snuggled against me with each speech. Finally we reached the pivotal moment, when Juliet finds her love, dead. Anna didn't speak Juliet's lines aloud, but her lips moved synchronously with those of the actress.
What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand?
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end:
O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after? I will kiss thy lips;
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
To make die with a restorative.
As Juliet kissed Romeo, hoping to die with him, the tears streamed down Anna's cheeks. My lips found her hair, needing to ease her sadness, even if it was imagined. Her crying did not relent, and I tried a different distraction.
"I'll admit, I do sort of envy him here," I said, remembering Romeo tip the poison into his mouth and succumbing in seconds. My mouth was always full of poison, and yet I sat unaffected. Gently I brushed her tears away with a lock of her red hair.
"She's very pretty." Anna said in a sour tone.
I nearly choked at her words. She thought I found this actress appealing when I had perfection in my arms? "I don't envy him thegirl—just the ease of the suicide." Without thinking I continued. "You humans have it so easy! All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant extracts…"
"What?" Anna exclaimed, interrupting me.
She truly did not understand the depth of my feelings. How my life was inexorably bonded to hers; how I could only exist if she did. I tried to order my thoughts to impress this connection upon her.
"It's something I had to think about once, and I knew from Carlisle's experience that it wouldn't be simple. I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the beginning… after he realized what he'd become…" I paused. Maybe I could also sway her away from her desire to become immortal if she realized how inescapable our curse was.
As I gazed at her profile, I could see the distressed look on her face, and I softened my tone. "And he's clearly still in excellent health." It'd been wrong for me to disclose my plans, I could see that now.
She wiggled in my arms, finding my eyes with her own. "What are you talking about? What do you mean, this was something you had to think about once?" Anger colored her words, and my regret intensified.
"Last spring, when you were nearly… killed…" My mind returned to the moment I saw her, lying broken in a pool of her own blood. A lump appeared in my throat, preventing speech for a split second. I gathered myself so I could continue. "Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive, but part of my mind was making contingency plans." I remembered that terrible race through Phoenix, the torture of not knowing if she still lived, and how I'd realized that my life would end when hers did. "Like I said, it's not as easy for me as it is for a human."
I could see the memories pass through Anna's face as clearly as if I could read her mind, and I ached for bringing such pain back to her. Unthinking, she touched the scar Hans left on her palm. I watched her expression changed from fear, to pain, and back to anger as she considered my words. "Contingency plans?" she repeated flatly.
"Well, I wasn't going to live without you," I said, frustrated that I had to spell it out so bluntly. She should understand this easily. "But I wasn't sure how to do it…I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help…so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi."
The Volturi had more than enough power to quickly end my existence. Carlisle had seen their dominance firsthand centuries ago, and since then their strength had only grown. I would be but an annoyance, extinguished as easily as a candle.
Anna broke my reverie loudly. "What is a Volturi?" she nearly screamed.
"The Volturi are a family." Coven is more descriptive – they had no emotional ties as our family did – but family was a description she could relate to. "A very old, powerful family of our kind. They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family, I suppose. Carlisle lived with them briefly in his early years, in Italy, before he settled in America—do you remember the story?"
"Of course I remember," she snapped. Her eyes drifted to my shoulder, no doubt reviewing the lesson I gave her in Carlisle's office.
"Anyway, you don't irritate the Volturi. Not unless you want to die—or whatever it is we do." Death was not the correct term, but again, it would suffice for her. I could only hope that the end would bring me some kind of peace.
Her gaze returned to mine, and her expression of anger transmuted to terror. She cradled my face in her hands as she spoke, obviously in earnest that I hear her.
"You must never, never, never think of anything like that again!" she chastised. So caring. A very old, blurry memory stirred in the back of my mind. So like my human mother. "No matter what might ever happen to me, you arenot allowedto hurt yourself." And yet understanding still eluded her…
"I'll never put you in danger again, so it's a moot point." This promise I made to her, and to myself.
"Put mein danger! I thought we'd established that all the bad luck is my fault? How dare you even think like that?" Her voice grew shrill.
Of course I'd put her in danger. The day I decided to take the selfish route, the weak route, to share my world with her, I'd brought more danger to her doorstep than she could have ever imagined. Her propensity for attracting trouble may have initiated the process, but I enabled it with my decision. I've known since the beginning that the right path would be for me to leave her to her human life, but I couldn't find the strength for such a separation. Besides, she needed my protection – being the magnet for all things dangerous that she was.
Couldn't she see it from my perspective? "What would you do, if the situation were reversed?"
"That's not the same thing," she replied quickly. I waited while her brain caught up with her mouth. Her face paled when she spoke again. "What if something did happen to you? Would you want me to gooff myself?"
In a rush, the image of Romeo's lifeless body was replaced by my own, and Anna sobbed over me. This was a scenario I hadn't considered. My imaginary Anna raised the dagger above her chest, and I cringed, swiftly erasing the scene from my mind. It wasn't the same. She would die someday, regardless. Her human mind would find a way to move on, unlike mine with its flawless recall, and in a few decades, she would find her rest, peacefully slipping into paradise. She wouldn't be condemned to the hell of an eternity alone, infinity without reason.
But I did feel the pain she perceived at the thought of outliving me, even if it was completely unrealistic. "I guess I see your point…a little. But what would I do without you?" In my mind, Romeo now leaned over his dead Juliet, matching the way I'd knelt over Anna's bloody body in
Arizona. I held my breath, just as I had then, the burn incinerating not only my throat but everything inside my chest as well.
"Whatever you were doing before I came along and complicated your existence," she said as if it were obvious.
I sighed, knowing with certainty that she couldn't understand how it was her life, her love, that was the only purpose for my existence. Before, I was only searching for her, once she was gone, there would be nothing to find. "You make it sound so easy," I said, defeated. She couldn't understand.
"It should be. I'm not really that interesting."
She was so stubborn…still, after all this time, unable to accept how desirable she was to everyone, but so much more so to me. How that desire had absolutely nothing to do with how she smelled or tasted.
I started to argue, but remembered that this was supposed to be a day of celebration. "Moot point." I would discuss this no further.
Before she could formulate a response I heard David's clouded thoughts, and rearranged Anna so that we weren't in contact. I didn't need to explain myself now.
"David?" she asked, and I smiled, glad for the change in topic. Anna reached out for my hand, giving me a defiant look as her father entered with dinner.
As usual, David's thoughts were murky, hidden in a thick fog. He was content, I could tell, only slightly distressed that his daughter was edging closer to the day she would leave him as an adult. They ate in silence, David glancing occasionally at his daughter, noting how she resembled her mother. The realization brought him both joy and sorrow, though the reason for the latter was not clear.
After dining, and after saving Anna's camera from a disastrous rendezvous with the floor, she and I left for my house and the promised birthday celebration. I drove this time, without any argument from Anna, thankfully.
Painfully we crept through the twilight at speeds well below what I would tolerate in my car. Too bad Royal was so repelled by Anna's presence; he would enjoy adding some power to this obsolete vehicle. I pushed the accelerator a little closer to the floor.
"Take it easy," Anna said. She was so protective of this piece of junk. I couldn't stop myself from needling her.
"You know what you would love? A nice little Audi coupe. Very quiet, lots of power…"
"There's nothing wrong with my truck." She said, jutting her chin in my direction. I smiled to myself. So defensive. The kitten who would be a tiger. "And speaking of expensive nonessentials, if you know what's good for you, you didn't spend any money on my birthday presents."
As much as I'd wanted to buy her something big, like the Audi, I had acceded to her wishes and resisted that temptation. "Not a dime," I said proudly.
"Good."
I rolled my eyes as I turned onto the driveway, but she didn't see my frustration. We were nearing the point of decision on her part, whether or not she would actually give in and let us celebrate her special day. "Can you do me a favor?" I tested.
"That depends on what it is," she said suspiciously.
Of course. I turned to her, hoping she wouldn't fight me on this issue. "Anna, the last real birthday any of us had was Emmett in 1935. Cut us a little slack, and don't be too difficult tonight. They're all very excited." Well, nearly all…
Anna's expression relaxed into surprise. What could she have been expecting of me? "Fine, I'll behave…"
But there was more. "I should probably warn you…"
Surprisingly, her demeanor didn't change. "Please do."
"When I say they're all excited… I do meanallof them."
In this instance, Anna's reaction was exactly as I expected. Her face contorted with fear as she spoke. "Everyone?" Her voice broke on the word, and it was clear that she was thinking about facing Royal.
"Emmett wanted to be here." Hopefully Anna would focus on him – she loved my brother and his blunt sense of humor.
"But… Royal?"
"I know, Anna. Don't worry, he'll be on his best behavior." If Royal stepped a toe out of line I would personally crush every one of his prized mechanic's tools with my bare hands, then mold them into a bust of my love's gorgeous face and embed it in the hood of the BMW.
Anna sat silently as we rumbled toward the house. My family heard us coming, Emmett guffawing at the loud rumble while Alice gleefully showed me her latest vision. I saw myself laugh as I escorted my love into the house. How we got to that future from where we were now was beyond me, but I tried to lighten the mood.
"So, if you won't let me get you the Audi, isn't there anything that you'd like for your birthday?" As soon as the question left my lips, I regretted speaking.
"You know what I want," she replied quietly, and her words were like a knife in my heart. Her birthday was the cusp on which our impasse balanced: the marking of time for her; the ceasing of time for me. All summer Anna had asked, begged, pleaded and demanded that I do to her what had been done to me, take her soul and make her a vampire. Her argument was a simple one—she wanted to be with me forever. She ignored all the torturous aspects of my existence: the ostracism, the ravaging thirst, the boredom – let alone the eternal damnation – insisting that our love would make up for any pain she felt. She couldn't understand that she didn't belong in this hell.
But there was no reasoning with her, and I was tired of this argument. "Not tonight, Anna. Please."
"Well, maybe Alice will give me what I want," she said flippantly.
Her words elicited an angry growl from me. Pity Alice if she should ever consider such a thing. Anna's ingenuity would have to be circumvented, however, and I would make a point of discussing the issue with Alice – and Carlisle as well – when the opportunity arose. "This isn't going to be your last birthday, Anna."
"That's not fair!" she cried, childishly.
My teeth slammed together, preventing an equally childish retort. It wasn't her fault she couldn't understand, I told myself, trying to quell my frustration.
As we approached the house, I focused on the others' thoughts as they waited for us to arrive. Everyone was happy and excited; everyone but Royal, adding to my irritation. His hatred of Anna was flowing, having been coerced by Emmett into participate in today's festivity.This is completely ridiculous, he thought.
Jasper winced at the conflicting emotions he was sensing as they waited, wishing, as he did nearly every day, to be rid of the gift that he saw as a curse. We rounded the last bend and the house came into view.
"Nooooo," Anna moaned when she saw the over-decorated steps.
Alice had gone too far, as usual, and now Anna was even more upset. I tried to calm myself, putting our squabble out of my mind. My only hope of getting Anna to come in with me would be to dazzle her yet again, and I took a few deep breaths, trying to find the calm I would need to sway her.
I stopped the truck and turned to Anna. She was working to control her own respiration as well. "This is a party. Try to be a good sport," I said evenly.
"Sure," she mumbled, and I sped around and opened her door.
As she took my hand, the familiar crease appeared between her eyebrows. "I have a question," she said.
I braced myself for her inquisition, but said nothing.
"If I develop this film, will you show up in the picture?"
As usual, Anna had come up with something completely unexpected. Hadn't she realized that all the myths were just that, myths? The thought that I would be invisible to film, or mirrors for that matter, was completely hilarious, and I burst out laughing. Chuckles rippled through the house as well, lightening everyone's mood, save Royal's. he elbowed Emmett hard, forcing him to stop laughing with a quiet "Ow."
On that note, I escorted Anna up the steps and through the door where she was greeted by a loud "Happy Birthday!"
As I kissed the top of her head I added my own silent wish.Happy birthday, Anna, my love. May you have many more.
Anna was the center of nearly everyone's thoughts to varying degrees, but when I closed the door behind us, the focus shifted in an instant. The motion of the door sent Anna's scent swirling through the room, making self-control everyone's primary concern. What caught my attention was Jasper's reaction.
He gripped the banister tightly as he was assaulted by the raging thirst of six other vampires. I caught his eye and he shook his head.I'm fine. It's just the initial shock that's difficult. I prepared, Elsa.Annoyance colored his thoughts as he caught glances from the rest of the family as well.
My brother opened his eyes wider in defiance so everyone could see the light amber of a well-fed immortal staring back. He seemed calm now, but still…
It'll be fine, give Jasper a break,Alice thought, showing me the laughter that would soon sound when Anna opened her gifts.
Reluctantly I released Anna so that Esme could wrap her arms around my love carefully. Her thoughts filled with the same love she had for all her children, accepting Anna easily as her daughter. If only it could be so. When she kissed Anna's forehead I was stunned. Not a single predatory thought crossed my mother's mind; it was as if she was kissing one of us. Apparently my affection wasn't the only one strong enough to overcome the thirst.
Anna cringed as she looked around at the plethora of pink that filled the room. Alice had purchased every pink rose and candle from here to Seattle, and they were everywhere. If Anna hadn't been present, the room would have reeked with wax and smoke; only hints of the long-stemmed roses would have been detectable. With her standing next to me I smelled none of it.
"Sorry about this," Carlisle whispered loudly to Anna. Touching Anna was not nearly the challenge for Carlisle that it had been for Esme, and he squeezed her shoulders affectionately. "We couldn't rein in Alice."
Royal and Emmett stepped up next, and my brother managed to keep his expression stoic. Emmett, however was beaming.
"You haven't changed at all," he said, teasing. "I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always."
In truth, Emmett noted every single change. Anna's hair was longer, due for a trim soon. Her figure was slightly more defined, accentuated by her snug jeans. The remnants of Alice's last grooming attack showed on Anna's fingernails, which were still smooth and round. She hadn't grown, but had become more confident around my family, standing taller, though she did waver momentarily before my mountain of a brother. He towered over her, resisting the urge to pat her on the head like a pet.
And she's still human,he added for my benefit. Brothers…
Anna blushed more, "Thanks a lot, Emmett."
He laughed, "I have to step out for a second. Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."I wish I could see her face when she opens the box.He chuckled silently as he exited out the front door.
"I'll try," Anna said, rolling her eyes.
She glanced across the room at Jasper, and when he didn't follow Alice to her side, she smiled at him carefully. I felt a glimmer of hope that Anna's self-preservation might still be intact. Perhaps she could sense Jasper's struggles as well.
"Time to open presents," Alice announced, leading Anna to a long table set up next to my piano. An enormous pink sheet cake sat in the center of the table, flanked by another vase of pink roses on one side, and a small stack of immaculate, silver-wrapped presents on the other. The ebony of the piano was a sharp contrast to the bright pink cake.
Tucked behind the presents was a tall stack of glass plates, and I stifled a groan. I hoped that Alice didn't expect us to eat the cake. Mass vomiting wasn't usually part of normal birthday party festivities.
Anna's face fell, but there was something about the look that was false. Was she really going to accept her gifts graciously?
"Alice I know I told you I didn't want anything—"
"But I didn't listen," Alice interrupted, glowing as she too saw the tiniest glint of excitement in Anna's eyes. "Open it," she commanded, handing Anna the largest of the three packages.
I predicted Anna's reaction, her hesitance to recklessly rip the paper and quickly discover the prize. She took the box carefully, clearly surprised at its lack of substance. First she read the tag, then tipped it from side to side, looking for a place to tear the paper, but also discovering that the present's contents didn't make a sound. Her eyes darted around at us as she tore at a corner of the paper, revealing the labels on the box.
Still confused, she squinted as she examined the writing, and I pressed my lips together as she found the top of the box and opened it. She looked inside, and her eyes widened, finding it empty.
She has no idea what it is!Royal thought loudly, grinning for once.
"Um… thanks?" Anna said, not as a statement but as a question.
Jasper laughed the loudest, covering my chuckle. "It's a stereo for your truck. Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it."
Anna sighed at Alice, but then smiled warmly. "Thanks, Jasper, Royal," then looked at me. She pursed her lips, still smiling, easily conveying her recognition of my insulting her truck earlier. There was nothing but joy in her look, though, and the sight warmed me like only the sun could.
"Thanks, Emmett," Anna called slightly louder, and joined his raucous laugher with her own quiet giggles.
She truly is wonderful, Elsa,Carlisle thought, recognizing that Anna had already accepted that Emmett could hear her without yelling.
"Open mine and Elsa's next," Alice nearly screeched. She still hadn't seen Anna's reaction to the gift – the future was mysteriously clouded. Was Anna going to refuse to open my present?
In answer she turned to glare at me with a hard look on her face. "You promised," she said darkly.
Just then Emmett bounded back into the room, having completed his task. "Just in time!" he bellowed, every one of his deadly teeth sparkling in the bright lights.
Anna's gaze hadn't wavered from my face. "I didn't spend a dime," I swore, raising my hand. She'd been fine with the radio—was it only presents frommethat disturbed her?
A lock of hair strayed across Anna's face, ever so slightly hiding her eyes from me, and I reached out and tucked it behind her ear gently. Anna's heart skipped a beat, and Esme squeezed Carlisle's hand at the sound.
She's so gentle with her… it's lovely, Elsa.
Anna took a deep breath, still unsmiling. "Give it to me," she said, resigned.
Emmett chuckled.She really won't takeanythingfrom you, will she?
I glanced at him and rolled my eyes. So it seemed.
Anna took the package, but didn't take any time to figure it out. The shape and size should make it obvious to her what it was, but without a thought she forcefully shoved her finger under the edge of the wrapping.
Before Anna could tear the paper, the skin of her finger gave way to the surprisingly sharp edge. To my horror, a single drop of her blood began to appear, and time slowed to a crawl. Just the sight of the tiny but growing red dot was enough to cause my throat to explode in scorching pain, and my stomach twisted inside me, anticipating another taste of the sweet perfection of her blood. By the time the magnificent aroma of Anna's blood bloomed, the hunter in me, the monster, found new life, quickly choosing which arteries would provide the most satisfying meal while drawing out the pleasure as long as possible. My vision blurred for a split second as the scent became a flavor, an overwhelming, ecstatic taste, recalling the last time her blood had crossed my lips.
"Shoot," Anna said only a second after sensing the cut, and as before, the sound of her voice broke me out of my fantasy. My breathing ceased, bringing no relief, but enabling me to maintain my tenuous hold on self-control. The thoughts of my family overwhelmed me as they all fought to maintain their composure, cutting off their air supplies one by one. Their thirst was nothing compared to mine, but their thoughts served to enflame my parched throat even further. I beat the monster back again. I couldn't hurt Anna. Iwouldn't hurt her.
My love was unaware of the struggles around her, and slowly turned the cut and its single drop of blood toward her face. At that moment, two images appeared, superimposed in my mind: from Alice, the sight of Jasper diving for Anna; from Jasper, the light red tresses of Anna's hair inches from his eyes as his lips met her throat. In the next millisecond Jasper tensed for the leap, and I reacted out of instinct.
With most of my last breath I screamed, "NO!" moving swiftly to intercept my ravenous brother. He was so fast that my only option was to push Anna away, becoming a stone wall between her supple skin and Jasper's razor sharp teeth. His body crashed into mine, his mind completely filled with a bloodlust at least equal to mine, but without any leash to restrain it. Our arms locked together, and with a fury equal to his lust I held him back.
Her – I have to have her! Get out of my way!his thoughts screamed. It was as if Jasper had regressed back a newborn vampire – his entire being was driven by only one word,blood. He snapped at me, desperately trying to make his way to Anna. Just as I secured my grip on him, I heard a crash, and Jasper's struggle increased.
His mind raced as he watched Anna, lying in a pile of shattered glass, her arm covered in glass shards. I saw the carnage through his eyes, and the fire reached out from my throat to fill me completely. The scent of her blood was so thick I could actually taste it through Jasper's thoughts, but he only had a vague idea of the true pleasure the warm, vermillion liquid embodied. Pulse by pulse the feast poured out… so enticing… and the thoughts of the rest of my family also filled with
temptation. I couldn't contain the growl that crossed my lips – my inner demon was not only thirsty, but possessive.
Blood… Waste… Mine…Incapable of coherent thought now, Jasper focused only on the blood pooling around Anna. A deep, animalistic snarl ripped out of his chest, his teeth flashing as he repeatedly lunged against me toward her. His defenses fell as he was consumed by his scorching desire, and I saw my chance to rip into his throat, ending the threat to my love, my desire. My MATE. MINE.
NO ELSA, DON'T!Alice screamed in her thoughts, her flash of the future showing me not only her grief, but also Anna's horror at the sight of Jasper's severed head rolling across the floor. The sight distracted me just enough to see Emmett approach thirstily behind our crazed brother.
Was he coming to my aid, or Jasper's? "She's mine," I growled quietly, angling Jasper's body between Anna and Emmett as he continued to thrash mindlessly against my grasp. I sampled the thoughts around me, looking for more attackers, but no one else moved. Emmett wrapped his arms around Jasper, pulling him back, separating us.
Behind me, Anna lay bleeding, and as I fought to protect her from Jasper, I also battled against myself. The venom was nearly overflowing my lips, the burn in my throat so intense that when my hands became free, I barely resisted the urge to turn on her myself. I saw my love's face through Alice's eyes, and realized that the reason she was bathed in blood was not due to Jasper, but because I'd carelessly flung her into the table full of glass.
my god what have I done?