Chapter 15 – Complete
BPOV
The pain was impossibly increasing. My eyes were getting clouded, but I was able to make out Jacob and Edward looking down at me. "Edward," my hearing was clouded as well, "let me see her." Another blurred face looked at me. Everything was getting darker. "Bella, where did the pain start?" I spoke through my teeth, "My shoulder!" I shrieked. Something pressed against my shoulder at the exact spot where the burning began.
"How did you get this?" the musical voice asked. I screamed out loud as the flames rage under my skin. My eyes closed as my body thrashed. An unbreakable hold was around my wrists, not letting me move. Someone inhaled deeply, "Laurent. He did it." "What can we do?" it was Edward's agonized voice. My eyes shot open searching for him. Beyond the haze, I saw that he was kneeling down by my other side. His hand was curved to my face.
"Carlisle, what can I do?" Dr. Cullen was holding my wrists, keeping me from moving, "Nothing, the venom has already spread to her heart. There's nothing we can do. The change has begun." Nothing he could do? What was happening to me? What change?
"What are you going to tell Charlie?" this was Jacob's voice. My dad! He thinks I'm spending the night alone at Edward's house. Wait, why couldn't I go back? The burning intensified and I screamed again. My hands were pinned to my side. "We don't know," Dr. Cullen said, "This is difficult, but for now, Bella's missing. When she wakes up, then we can decide." My heart pumped the burning blood through my body and I wanted to be thrown into water to stop the burning.
I groaned out loud, wanting to die. Edward held me against his chest, his arm strong, so I couldn't move. Someone sighed deeply, "Will you take responsibility for her?" "I will, Jacob," Edward said solemnly, "It's my fault why this happened to her." I was swept up from the ground and in someone's arms. My eyes closed as the fire burned my brain. Maybe it would eat me alive and I would die.
Everything around me felt different. I knew I was being moved, but I didn't feel the comfort of a cool breeze, there was only the burning. One minute, it was dark and then, I was under bright lights. Someone was breathing heavily as we moved through the bright lights. "Not her too. Are you kidding me?" there was a woman's female voice. She was angry and sarcastic in the same tone.
There was a deep snarl, "Leave us alone, Rosalie." A door slammed and I was laid on something soft. The smell of leather was all I could recognize. Someone took my hand, "Bella, can you hear me?" The pain was so strong, that I didn't bother to scream anymore. All I could do was let the pain consume me. "Bella, honey?" Edward stroked my hair, "I am sorry. This is my fault. I didn't want this for you. I wanted you to have…." He sighed, "It doesn't matter now. I promise the pain will be over soon."
I opened my eyes and looked at him, not able to speak. If I opened my mouth, all I would do is scream and he didn't need to hear that. Though the pain was excruciating, I didn't take my eyes from Edward's. Around us, I could hear so many things. The muffled sounds of my hearing became sharper. I could hear footsteps outside the door. There was a television playing downstairs. It sounded like a video game. "Come on, Jaz," somebody yelled. Was that Emmett Cullen? How could I hear him so clearly?
In the corner of my mind, I kept track of the clock ticking on the floor above it. After twelve thousand, six hundred and eighty-three ticks from the sun rising, someone came into the room. "Don't worry, Edward, it will be over soon. Do you hear her heart?" This was a different woman. She leaned into my line of sight. Her caramel red hair flowed down her shoulders. Forgetting myself, I shrieked in pain and Edward and Mrs. Cullen flashed to my side, "Bella, I'm sorry."
Mrs. Cullen looked me over, "It's almost over, dear." All I did was stare. I hadn't blinked once. Mrs. Cullen smiled and there was a spectrum of rainbows on her white teeth. Everything was so bright now. My eyes should be in pain, but they weren't. Along with everything being so loud, I closed my eyes. Taking solace in the fact that this was almost over, I tried to think past the pain. How long was I here? What was Charlie doing? He must be panicking. I had to let him know I was still in town.
The pain was starting to move again, leaving my arms and legs, but it was growing stronger in my chest. I banged my head against the table, trying to distract the pain. Edward held my face, "Don't!" His eyes were black as he looked at me, "You're almost there." He leaned down and kissed my eye, "Just hold on." I closed my eyes and felt the pain. My heart sprinted, flaring up the pain and I screamed, "Edward!"
Hands held my face, "Bella, look at me, please, just look at me." I opened my eyes and saw his face in a new way. My eyes made out every detail of his face. There was a thin line of red in his eyes. The bronze of his hair was bright and the furrow between his eyebrows was deep. The smell of his breath was intoxicating. A mixture of honey, lilac and sunlight. It was silly, but he smelled like sunlight. "Bella, look into my eyes and stay with me." I did as he asked; only seeing his eyes. "It's almost over. I'm so sorry, but now, we'll always be together."
I clutched my teeth together, holding back my final scream. My heart sprinted faster then ever. I clutched Edward's hand and it was soft and warm. My eyes widened as my heart flared one more time. I could actually feel my own heartbeats and hear them. My heart felt like it was failing. It flattered and then stopped. With a sigh, the pain was gone. I blinked and it felt funny.
When my mind registered for me to sit up, my body had already done it. Looking to my right, there was a glass wall. Looking out to the dark night, I could still see the trees and the wide river. There was no movement of animals near the house. Someone was still holding my hand. My eyes feel on the snow white hand holding my own. Their skin matched perfectly with mine. I was snow-white too. My other hand moved to my wounded shoulder, seeing no wound there.
Whoever was holding my hand gave it a light squeeze. My mind acknowledged the gesture, but I didn't move. The wound was bad and, at least, there should be some bandaging. A hand light held my chin, turning my face, "Bella?" My eyes looked straight into Edward's. Behind him, there were others with the same pale skin as ours. Dr. & Mrs. Cullen, Alice & Emmett Cullen and Rosalie & Jasper Hale; they were all here. Some smiled, while others watched me closely.
I timidly smiled back and bit my lip. This action felt so different, my teeth were like knives, but it didn't hurt when I bit myself. Dr. Cullen stepped forward and the motion swirled up the air. He smelled like baked bread and mountain air. "Bella, how do you feel?" Dr. Cullen was strikingly handsome man. His golden hair was like the sun on the brightest day.
My mind was focusing on so many things all at the same time. Thinking about Dr. Cullen's question, my body felt stronger and more durable. But my throat was desiccate. "I feel fin…." I stopped speaking at the sound of my voice. My voice sounded less like me and more like Alice, "Fine." Edward caressed my cheek, "Are you sure?" I nodded, "Yes, but my throat," my hand cupped around my throat. Emmett and Carlisle came closer, "Yes, you must be very thirsty."
Looking at him, Emmett was a human version of a bear. His muscles were tight underneath his cotton shirt. Emmett smiled and the same rainbow was on his teeth as well, "We'll show you what to do to help with that." My head tilted to the side, "Wait, what happened to me? Where am I?" In my mind, I knew the answer, but everything else shied away from it. It couldn't be true.
Edward sighed, "From what it looks like, when Laurent was leaning over you, he was preparing to bite you, but Jacob pulled him away. Laurent's teeth were bared and he cut your shoulder, infecting you with his venom." I remembered that horrid night, the memory was hazy. Remembering Laurent's face, he didn't look as handsome as I remembered. His face was murky.
"The venom changed me?" I asked, almost shocked. Edward nodded, "Yes. I am so sor…." I held up my hand, stopping his sentence, "Am I like you now?" I looked to the doctor, "Dr. Cullen, am I?" He nodded once, "Yes and please, call me Carlisle. Do not worry, Bella, we will help you adjust." He held his hand out for me, "Please, come with us, you must hunt to help with your throat." I took the doctor's hand and he guided me downstairs. The Cullens house was so beautiful. No one had ever seen it, not even knew where it was located.
Walking past the family, the scents of chocolate, hyacinth, leather, vanilla, moss, cream and others filled my nose. They all smelled so delicious. Edward, Emmett and Jasper were close behind as we walked outside. The night was brighter, so how. I looked up at the clouds and saw the many breaks and catching only glimpses of stars. The trees across the river stood majestically. From here, I could see the definition in the bark. The smell of the night was mind-boggling. The river smelled cleaned, mixed with trees and grass.
"Just follow me," Carlisle said. My eyes watched as he ran off into the night. Edward, Jasper, Alice and Emmett were with me as we ran. Alice stayed close to me, making it a race. The two off us leapt over fallen trees. My leaps were heads above hers. "Show-off," she called out into the night. I laughed as I landed on the high branch, "Slowpoke."
There was a snarl. "Alice, Bella, we have to focus," Carlisle said. Taking one step, I landed on the balls of my feet on the ground. Alice smiled at me brightly. The two of us had forgotten the others were waiting for us. Edward took my hand as we continued to run. My breathing stayed at a steady pace, picking up the scent of something hot, wet and delicious. But the smell was off. My throat flared smelling the off-hot, wet scent. A large bear lazily circled in front of a cave.
Ignoring the other, I stepped towards the brute. His large heart beat and it stood on his hind legs. He was more than four feet taller than me. "Alright, Bella," Carlisle spoke in a low voice, "what do you want to do?" The animal swiped at me and I caught its large paw. The bear let out a weak cry and I immediately felt bad. My hand released it and Emmett scoffed, "Don't be a girl, Bella." The bear roared and smacked its paws against my shoulders. The force of it should have broken my body. My teeth sank into its neck, feeling the hot blood flow into my mouth. Sucking at it, the animal fell to the ground, drained and dead.
Emmett and Edward came over to me. Emmett nudged the huge carcass with his foot, "Not bad, for a chick." I looked up at him and he smiled, "Let's see how you handle a black bear next time." Edward wrapped his arm around my waist, "How do you feel?" "Better, actually." My hand rested on my stomach, "I feel like my insides are flooded." Edward smiled and kissed the top of my head, "That's how it is when you overfeed."
Back at the house, Carlisle and his wife, who said I could call her Esme, invited me to live with their family. As for Charlie, I was pronounced missing. He searched Edward's house, but there were no signs of forced entry. Charlie knew I was too practical a person to just run away, so he deduced that I was taken. This wasn't something I was handling lightly. Renee was losing her mind. She came out to Forks with Phil and she was refusing to leave until I was found.
My picture was in newspapers all the way to Portland. My heart sank as my parents were interviewed on the local news. Forks was known for being a safe town, but it was rocked this past year with the deaths of Elizabeth and Edward Masen and now, the alleged kidnapping of Isabella Swan.
Trying to keep me distract from thinking about my parents, Edward told me enough about vampires to know that he and I were the strongest vampires in the family. On my first day, Alice loaned me enough outfits to last me for a month. She insisted on getting me more.
After my first hunt, while changing my clothes, I noticed Edward's grandmother's ring was no longer on my right hand. Panic struck me; did I lose I lost it on that awful night." My fingers clinched and I looked at my left hand. My eyes closed in relief as I saw it was now on my third finger. Edward found me looking at the ring, "I hope you don't mind. Now that we can be together, I thought it would be more appropriate for you to wear the ring on your left hand." I smiled at him, "I don't recall you properly asking me."
Edward laughed, "You're right, Bell. I didn't." He got down on one knee and held my hand, "Isabella, will you marry me?" My eyes closed for a moment. He stood back up, "I'll take that smile as a yes." He kissed me, locking his arms around me. My smile faltered as I thought about my parents. I was engaged and I couldn't tell them. Edward looked at me, "What?" Stepping away from him, I stood by the glass wall, "What am I going to do about Charlie?" Edward lightly kissed my shoulder, "We'll think of something,"
"Hey Edward, are we going to have this rematch or what?" The two of us looked back to the door. Edward shook his head, "That guy is a glutton for punishment." He quickly kissed my cheek and left the room. Thinking about Charlie, I was worried. How were we going to handle this? Charlie alone, worrying about me. It wasn't fair.
The news was showing less and less of my disappearance as the days became weeks. Looking out the glass wall, Emmett really didn't like to be beaten. His bulging arm was around Edward's neck as he was pulling him backwards. "I got you now, kid!" My head shook as I watched them. Alice and I stood watching their fights as we did every day.
"Edward, stop teasing him and win. We need to talk," I spoke in a soft voice. From outside, he winked at me, threw Emmett into the river and laughed, "I win again." A deafening roar came from the water, as Emmett surfaced, "TOMMOROW!" Edward chuckled and bounded into the house, "Sorry, Alice. I need my lucky charm," he apologized, as he took me into his arms.
Edward dashed to our bedroom, closing the door and sat us on the couch. Before I could speak to him, his lips were on mine. "Now, what do you want to talk to me about?" he asked while kissing along my neck. I sighed and looked out the glass wall, "What are we going to do now? We're immortal now, so we have nothing but time ahead of us." He chuckled, "That's not entirely true. Yes, we do have a lot of time ahead of us, but that's not all. We have love, each other, a family and an eternity to spend together."
He drew back and held my face in his hands, "Bella, I love you and all I want is for you is to be happy. Tell me what you want and I will see that you have it." I smiled and touched my finger to his nose, "I have you, so I am happy. Now and forever." He kissed me, crushing me to him, looking ahead to our eternity together.
