Chapter Five
The next morning I woke up with a gentle throbbing in my head. Keeping my eyes clenched shut, I tried to fall back a sleep, but there was this unnerving feeling that someone was watching me. Normally I would have assumed that it was Edward or Charlie or even Alice trying to take me to the mall. My eyes flickered open to show a dark, tawny face leering at me. I jerked my eyes open all the way and gasped. There was some strange man in my room! I opened my mouth to scream, but he covered my mouth with a large hand and said, "Shut up or else you'll wake up the whole town of Forks!" Um, that would be the purpose of screaming. My eyes darted to my bed stand so I could look at the clock. Three a.m.? Where was Edward, I thought he stayed with me all night?
I whimpered softly, I was in no condition to be kidnapped, again, or whatever else he had in mind. I gulped, I don't even want to think about that. I blinked several times, trying to think of a way I could get out of this, but it was useless. My mind was a complete blank. My feverish brain was beginning to take a toll on me. Normally I would have attempted to bite his hand, but he had clamped my mouth tightly shut. I whimpered again, pleading with my eyes, but all I go was a look of disgust.
After a few minutes of glancing around my room and sniffing the air, he turned back to me and said, "I will let you go on one condition. You cannot make a sound. Is that understood?" I gave a nod, wishing that he would just leave. I didn't know him, so what could he possibly want with me? Well, I guess he is the same size of the rest of the deceased Pack and he has the same tawny skin, but he couldn't be a wolf. Could he?
As soon as his hand was off of my mouth I sat up and loudly whispered, "Who are you and what are you doing in my room attacking me?" I was mad, shocked, confused, and my voice was drenched with those emotions. My unwanted visitor chuckled upon hearing my answer. As he extended his hand to shake my hand, he said, "Name's Quil Ateara and I am here to seek revenge for my fallen Pack mates." OK, two things. One, why is everyone seeking revenge by going after me? And two, could he be any more cliche? It's been used already, doesn't he remember Victoria? Mate for mate? Yeah, she had that whole revenge thing going on also. But, seriously though, why do they keep coming after me? Well, I guess it's better than them going after the Cullens. I shuddered, I didn't want to think about the Cullens being hurt, especially if it was my fault.
As I glared up at him, I took the those few seconds to look him over, tall, big, caramel skin, short black hair, and an extremely hot body. OK, that may have sounded wrong, I meant temperature wise. I opened my mouth to speak, but instead of words coming out, there was an angry growl. OK, that definitely didn't come from me. My body doesn't produce such noises. Quil stiffened and looked toward the window, nose scrunched up as if smelling something bad. His body began to shake and I did the first thing that came to me, I scampered. I quickly kicked off my sheets and toward the door, only to run into a wall. A wall? Glancing up, I saw Edward, eyes pitch black and a look of anger on his face that sent shivers down my spine. Quickly picking me up, he tucked me underneath his arms and ran past Emmett, who was standing to the right of the window, out of the window and landed with a soft thud on the ground. Still running, he took me to the woods and set me down on my feet. Both of us were completely silent. I just stood there, still in shock. Shock? Again? I think that my mind has been under too much stress. If this continues, I just might have to admit myself into the nearby asylum.
Edward looked at me with a worried expression. His eyes flickered over my body, checking for any wounds. When he was finally sated, he swung me back into his arms, holding me recklessly tight. Nuzzling his face in my hair, he softly whispered into my ear, "I can't lose you Bella. I have to take you somewhere. Somewhere far away." Pulling back slightly, his dark brown eyes flickered, glancing at each of my light brown ones, searching for an answer to some unasked question. "I don't where I could possibly take you though. Everyone seems to be after you. Just because you're a human. A human fraternizing with a monster." As he closed his eyes, I felt that old, familiar grief emit from is body. Great, he was blaming himself again. "Edward, its OK. We'll get through in the end. We always do. Sure, I may be accident prone and my number may be up, but you're with me. It doesn't matter, because I know you will always be there to save me. Haven't you noticed yet, you have remarkable timing?" I let out a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
His eyes opened, they had turned back into a gold color, still a little dark, but gold nonetheless. "Bella, I just don't know if I can continue doing this. I told you once before, I don't mind saving you, it's the fact that its always me placing you in that danger. I just can't do this any more." My eyes widened in fear. What was he saying? Was he wanting to leave me? Don't think I would be able to survive if he left, I can barely endure a two day hunting a trip. I backed away, shaking my head. No, that wasn't possible, he couldn't leave me! Well, he could, its just a matter of wouldn't. He wouldn't leave me, he loved me too much. Didn't he?
"Edward no, I'm not going to let you leave. If you were gone, I might as well, donate my body to a ravenous vampire. I won't live without you. I won't!" His eyes widened in shock. I guess he wasn't expecting me to say that. He shook his head, his expression hurt. "Bella, you couldn't possibly think I would ever leave you? I love you too much Bella. I'm too selfish, I wouldn't be able to leave you, just for my own sake. I couldn't. I don't have the strength for that." Grabbing my arms, he pulled me closer to him, his face merely centimeters away from mine. As he began to speak, his cold, sweet breath tickled my face, making my mind go fuzzy. "I'm not talking about leaving you, I'm talking about Changing you. As much as I don't want to, it may be the only option. Oh, Bella, I can't survive without you." He broke away, obviously distraught at what he just said.
I knew he didn't want to Change me, he doesn't want to condemn me and I understand that, but I wanted to be like him. Like he said, he wouldn't have to save me so much then. I could be Lois Lane and a little bit of Clark Kent also then. No more feelings of guilt. No more regrets. But, as much as I wanted this, I didn't want it to happen like this. I wanted him to actually want it also. Not doing it just because he felt he had to. I didn't want that. "No Edward." I whispered, my voice so soft that I couldn't even hear it. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his neck. "No. I don't want to be Changed. Not like this. When I'm Changed, I want it to be because you want it, not because you have to, or feel as if you have to." I raised my voice slightly, but still a whisper. "There are other alternatives. We'll go away somewhere, hide out for however long it takes. I don't want you to leave and I don''t want to be Changed. All I need is you there with me. That's good enough, for forever." His eyes flickered up again meeting mine, he remembered the night of the prom. The conversation we had, which coincidently, also had to do with my mortality.
He nodded, acknowledging my words, before he leaned over and lightly pressed his lips against mine. Even though my arms were already around his neck, I held perfectly still. I breathed out a sigh in relief, there was no undercurrent of anything in this kiss, just the same old kiss I got every day from him. Smiling slightly, I pushed myself a little closer to him. Close enough to get that extra kick, but not too close, as to break a boundary. The corner of lips turned up in a small smile also, he pulled away from me saying, "Come on, lets go see if Emmett took care of the mutt." I rolled my eyes smiling, maybe things would finally get back to normal. But first, we have to get past everything. We still have to overcome so many things, before we can finally live in peace. It will be hard, but I know we can make it.