A/N
Hey guys, its me again. Another chapter, so soon *gasp*. I really needed to get this chapter out the way, the last few chapters haven't been my best and I don't doubt that I will go back to them some time in the future and modify them. For now, they are mainly a means to an end, and now I have Aradia where I need her, the story should start flowing properly again.
I'll be updating soon.
Shirelle
X
Carlisle's POV
I refocused my attention back on Aradia, trying to block out Alice's increasingly loud piercing cries and the grunts emitted by Eleazar as he struggled to restrain Edward. I hissed reflexively as something warm touched my hands.
I looked up to see Jacob's furry face looking back at me. He was close, closer than I would have liked, but his face and body language did not seem particularly hostile. His rather … unappealing scent registered in my nose and I tried to stop myself from cringing. A low whine escaped from Jacob and his paw reflexively swiped at his muzzle, a look of disgust on his face.
"You chose to get this close to me." I mutter, not in the mood for his rudeness.
He looked at me apologetically before gesturing his head towards Aradia's prone form on the floor. I stared at him in surprise. "You want to help?" I ask hesitantly. He nods his huge head, his expression somehow sarcastic. My brain immediately races through the possibilities. I could use some help with Aradia and both Eleazar and Bella were rather preoccupied at the present time. I take a deep breath before looking Jacob directly in the eye.
"I need something to stop the blood flow. Aradia said she needed time to heal, I believe she will heal faster if we can stop the bleeding. Can you find me something to stop the blood?" Jacob rolled his eyes at me before lifting a paw and placing it firmly on Aradia's wound, claws retracted. "Or, you could just do that." I say with some surprise.
Jacob met my eyes again, seemingly waiting for further orders. "I'm going to elevate her legs above the level of her heart. That should also slow down the blood loss." My hands automatically reached for Aradia's legs but before I could touch them, Jacob's massive furry body butted me out of the way. He preceded to lie down in such a way his paw was still resting on the top of Aradia's head and her legs were resting on his back, elevated way above her heart.
His expression seemed to ask what next but I frowned at him. "There's nothing else I can do for her without moving her. She's breathing fine, her airway is clear and if the blood flow is reduced, which you're doing now, she should wake up shortly." Jacob inhaled deeply and released a huge gust of breath all over my face in response to my words. I glared at him. "If you have a problem with that help Eleazar restrain Edward and I'll take over." I snap.
A strange laughing sound erupts from his throat and I try and stop myself from glaring at him again. His sense of humour, especially at a time like this, wasn't exactly appropriate. I take a deep calming breath and return my eyes to Aradia, studying her intently for any signs of change. As I watch, she inhales deeply and her eyes slowly flutter open. Almost instantaneously, Alice's high keening shuts off and Eleazar begins breathing normally again, signalling Edward was no longer needing to be restrained. "They've stopped, Carlisle." Eleazar tells me quietly.
Aradia's chocolate coloured eyes rapidly focus on me as she takes another deep breath. "Why do I have a wolf on my head?" She manages to gasp.
Another laughing sound erupts from Jacob's direction and I ignore him as I focus on Aradia. "He was staunching your wound." I explain calmly.
Aradia nods and looks up at Jacob. "I appreciate your help." She says softly. "However, I'm okay now. The bleeding should have stopped."
Jacob takes the hint and moves his heavy paw from Aradia's wound, looking down at his now bloodied paw with a look of disgust. My eyes travel immediately to Aradia's head and I have to stop myself from gasping audibly when I notice that the wound is no longer there. She grins at my expression. "Good as new." She says, her voice stronger. "Although I could do with a little help sitting up. I used a lot of energy stopping Alice and Edward from doing anything drastic."
I automatically help her sit up, frowning at her. "You stopped them?" I ask quietly.
She nods. "Yes, as soon as I regained consciousness. I released them from their promise." She shrugged. "It was my fault they were in that state in the first place. I made them both promise to protect me and when Alice threw me into the pavement, they broke that promise."
I raise my eyebrows. "They didn't break that promise." I countered quietly. "Alice threw you on the pavement to protect you. And you repaid her and Edward by making them nearly kill themselves!" I struggled to keep my voice calm.
Aradia's eyes were full of understanding. "I did not make them do anything." She says softly. "Alice's actions were to protect me but they resulted in my injury, the thing they had promised to protect me against in the first place. They were bound by their promise, and the repercussions of breaking that promise were nothing to do with me." She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry that they went through that but they should be alright now."
"You know, I don't think I like you very much." Bella's angry voice sounded across the space and I looked over to see her kneeling next to Edward, glaring frostily at Aradia.
Aradia slowly stood up, her movements slow and painful. "And why would you say that?" She asks calmly.
"You state that you couldn't do anything about the fact that Edward and Alice were trying to kill themselves, yet as soon as you regain consciousness they suddenly stop. How convenient." Bella snarled.
"Bella, don't." Edward's weak voice sounded from the ground. "It wasn't her fault."
Bella's jaw tightened with fury. "How can you say that?" She ground out. "It was completely her fault."
Edward shakes his head, his movements jerky. "No. It was an automatic instinct. It was like… I wasn't in my body anymore. I was still aware of what was happening, I just had no control over it. I knew I had broken the promise I made to Aradia and the consequences were my life."
Bella growled curtly, her eyes narrowed at Edward. "You know," she says furiously, "if I wasn't so relieved that you were okay, I would have punched you by now." She takes a deep breath. "Because of her, you nearly died. Quit making excuses for her." She growls.
A wry chuckle comes from Alice's direction. She too is lying on the ground, panting. "I don't think you're going to change Bella's mind, brother." She says heavily. Her eyes travel to Eleazar, a short distance away. "Can you give me a hand?" She asks quietly.
He blurs over to her and pulls her to her feet in one smooth move. She rocks slightly on her heels before he steadies her. "Thanks." She says quietly to him. "And thank you for stopping Edward too." Her eyes travel over to Bella. "Thanks for stopping me, Bella. I owe you my life." She says resolutely.
Bella's angry expression fades. "I wasn't going to let anything happen to you." She says distantly, helping Edward to his feet. His arms automatically encircle her, pulling her into a brief embrace. "Thank you." He murmurs.
She gives him a wry smile before turning her attention back to Aradia, her eyes still annoyed. "So now we're all conscious again, do you want to explain what the hell you're doing here?" She snaps.
Aradia looks mildly amused. "I actually came to speak to Edward, but it didn't quite work out the way I expected."
Bella growls again, baring her teeth at Aradia. "You don't say." She retorts.
"How urgent is your need to talk to Edward?" Alice asks quietly. "We have a very short period of time before the residents of Forks discover us here. We need to go."
"It is very urgent." Aradia says seriously, all traces of humour vanished. "Unfortunately it will also take some time to explain. If we have as a short time as you say, then this is not the time and place."
"No it is not." I say calmly. "Shall we continue this conversation at our home?"
Aradia's expression is one of surprise. "You're inviting me to your house?" She asks incredulously.
"Yes." I say, frowning at her tone.
"To a house full of vampires?" She says frostily.
"Do you have a problem with vampires?" Bella snaps angrily.
"Now you mention it, yes I do." Aradia snaps back, her expression annoyed.
"And what would that problem be?" Bella asks curtly.
"Well besides the fact that you're all blood-drinking monsters…" Aradia begins but Bella cuts her off.
"You don't know anything about us." She hisses. "Anything."
"I know enough." Aradia says coldly.
Bella scowls at Aradia. "But yet you seem to have forgotten that you've released Edward and Alice from their promise." She snaps.
"And?" Aradia asks.
"And there's nothing to stop me from coming over there and ripping your stupid little head off if you don't stop making ridiculous rash judgements!" She yells as Edward takes her arm gently.
"Calm down." He says quietly. "This is not the time to have this discussion." She inhales angrily as he turns to Aradia. "You are welcome to come back with us to continue this conversation." He ignores Aradia as she opens her mouth to reply. "Or not. But we are leaving now. You know the address." He turns to Jacob. "You're not invited." He says fiercely, before grabbing Bella and blurring out of sight.