Here you go, the long-awaited part six of Blood Requiem. Enjoy.
Blood Requiem
Part Six: Breath
I know nothing of your kind
And I won't reveal your evil mind
Is it over yet?
I can't wait
So sacrifice yourself
And let me have what's left
I know that I can find
The fire in your eyes
I'm going all the way
Get away, please
You take the breath right out of me
You left a hole where my heart should be
You gotta fight just to make it through
Cause I'll be the death of you
This will be all over soon
Pour salt into the open wound
Is it over yet?
Let me in
So sacrifice yourself
And let me have what's left
I know that I can find
The fire in your eyes
I'm going all the way
Get away, please
You take the breath right out of me
You left a hole where my heart should be
You gotta fight just to make it through
Cause I will be the death of you
...take, take, take...
I'm waiting
I'm fading
Realize
Start hiding
You take the breath right out of me
You left a hole where my heart should be
You gotta fight just to make it through
Cause I will be the death of you
(CPOV)
I made a turn, and was now heading down a narrow gravel road with trees, branches, and leaves surrounding us on nearly all sides and directions. It was like being swallowed by the forest. We finally hit a dead end.
"Well, where to next?" I asked sharply, suspicious that she might have tricked me.
"There's a path over there, at the end of this road." Bella pointed directly ahead, I could see she was nervous. "We don't take the path, though. You head—that way, through the trees, and keep going for about five miles until you reach," she paused, "the clearing." she finished dejectedly, pointing in the direction to the clearing.
"Very good," I applauded her sweetly, still holding the knife against her throat. I turned off the car, and got out of the car and swept over to the passenger's side with speed that, I could see, visibly startled her. I saw she made no attempt to run.
Again. Smart girl.
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(BPOV)
It was horrible, trekking through all the tangled brush—although my captor didn't seem to have any problem. She was almost as silent and graceful as Edward as she loped through the dense foliage. What's more, I had a stinging cut on the side of my neck, that I was sure was still bleeding.
"What's your n—" I began, curious, but she cut me off.
"Cassandra." She answered curtly, "you can call me Cassandra."
"What did Edward do to you?" I demanded.
"He killed someone I loved. A long time ago." An agonized look ghosted across her face and her voice was pained.
It left my mind reeling. Edward killed someone she loved? Who? How long ago? This was all too similar to our Victoria predicament.
"How long ago?" I was afraid my questions would get me in trouble, but she must have heard something in my voice that convinced her to answer, if coldly.
"The year nineteen twenty-nine."
I was stunned. "How—old are you?"
"Two hundred one years old." She replied solemnly.
I started, and in doing so, I lost my footing, tripped over a root and fell face forward to the leafy ground. Suddenly, I stopped falling, my face a foot from the dirt/moss. Cassandra had caught me— somehow. I looked, and I saw her hand outstretched towards me, but it didn't come in contact with my body. She was holding me up—without touching me! What was she? How could she do that?
"Don't be so surprised." She smirked. "It's the reason you didn't break your leg bones in several places jumping out of that window. You're welcome." She added.
"Thanks," I said, unnerved.
She pulled her hand back which—somehow—also pulled me back into my normal position, that being perpendicular to the ground. I took a deep breath and trudged on. Aware of the constant presence of the switchblade at the back of my neck, but I couldn't hate my captor. Instead, I found myself sympathizing for her, in a small way. God knows what I would do to the person who took Edward away from me. In fact, I wouldn't be nearly as civil as Cassandra, which surprised me; I'm definitely not usually a violent person, but when it comes to the ones you love...
The greenery was lightening up ahead, a little, and I new we were very close to the clearing, and I hoped desperately for Edward to come.
The blade pressed a little harder into my neck; apparently Cassandra could see it too. It reminded me that, while I could sympathize with her actions, she was still dangerous and distraught, and fixated on her revenge on Edward.
Through me.
I squinted as we broke through the trees.
"Now, Edward should be coming very soon." I heard her say.
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(EPOV)
I was speeding through the trees, my family trailing behind me. We neared the La Push werewolf pack, who were running ahead in wolf form. The wolves in the pack turned their heads intermittently, acknowledging our presence, though they weren't very happy about it.
We were all heading after Victoria. And I would make sure she'd be dead by the time I was done with her.
'What are they doing here?' Jacob Black growled in his mind, though he knew very well why.
I could smell Victoria's repulsive scent, several hundred yards ahead; we were so close, there was no way she was getting away now .
Suddenly, one of the pack members—Paul, I think, it wouldn't surprise me—peeled away from the others, turned around and faced me. I was still going to fast to come to a clean stop, so when he took a swipe at me, I ducked into a half turn, slid (making deep ridges in the grass and dirt), and came to a stop, crouching forward with one hand on the ground to steady myself.
By now, the pack transformed back into human boys and my family came to a halt, waiting tensely.
"She's ours! She killed on our turf!" Paul growled.
"She is a danger to Bella, she's my responsibility, I'll kill her!" I snapped back.
Victoria was escaping as we spoke. I roared in frustration, and the wolves tensed, growling in return. I had no time for this! I tried to advance, go around them, but they just blocked my way.
That's when Carlisle stepped forward, outstretching a calming hand. Sam Uley came forward as well, nodding to the others; they stepped back submissively.
"The bloodsucker got away." he stated. It was an invitation for conversation.
"Victoria is a problem for both and all of us. We will have to discuss a few things." Carlisle said calmly.
And that's when Alice had a vision. Jasper put an arm around her, protectively. I stopped 'dead' in my tracks. The vision was of the clearing. But, to my horror, in it was that strange, inhuman girl with the purple eyes. And Bella. She had Bella! My anger flared up and Jasper gave me a wary glance. Alice had come out of her trance and looked at me meaningly—pointedly. Carlisle was wondering what was going on(as was the rest of my family, and the wolves for that matter) and I gave him the look that meant I had to go.
'Alright. And be careful.' He thought to me.
And with that I was off.
To save my Bella.
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(BPOV)
We had made our way into the meadow, Cassandra stood close to my side, the knife point held loosely to my neck. Suddenly, she tensed, and the tip pressed a little harder into my skin.
"He's coming," she murmured, darkly.
I looked around, my gaze darting expectantly at the edges of the forest around us. Cassandra was staring straight out ahead of us— her eyes never moving, never wavering— to where the bulk of the open ground of the meadow was. I looked, but saw nothing. It must be a superhuman thing.
Suddenly, Edward was there! About fifty yards away, at the edge of the meadow. He stood, eyes flaming as he glared at Cassandra. His upper lip curled over his perfect white teeth.
"Release her this instant!" He roared with such ferocity as I had never seen before. It frightened me.
"You shall pay for your transgressions, Edward Cullen!" She cried out to him, with almost enough venom in her voice to match.
"For what?" Edward spat back, lowering into a crouch.
"A long time ago, there was a young man," Cassandra began, "he was strong of mind and pure of heart."
"This is hardly the time for fairy tales!" He growled.
"Edward, just listen!" I implored, my voice sounding high-pitched.
It startled him into shocked silence; he stared at me, wide-eyed.
"The year was nineteen twenty-nine, June seventh, when I had met him," Cassandra continued. It seemed strange to me that Edward seemed to not know what she was talking about. Usually he would know what someone meant by what they were saying if he could read their mind, but this didn't seem to be that case. So did that mean he couldn't read her mind? Like me?
"...It was instantly apparent that we were destined to be together. The chemistry was potent, profound." Cassandra paused as if for dramatic effect. "Then one night, September 27th, he was murdered." Her voice turned to a savage hiss.
Edward seemed to tense up anxiously and impatiently.
"His name—the love of my life—was Andrew Dahlmier!" Her voice escalated to a shriek, and she stifled a sob.
Edward froze; there was a look of shock—and... pain—on his face. I was, surprised. I guess that would fit.
"Do you know what he meant to me?! He meant the world to me! He was the only way I would ever find rest!" She screamed, "I loved him!!!"
"And you killed him!" Cassandra shouted to him. The knife pressed against my jugular was shaking.
I was looking at Edward. He looked crushed; he really killed that man Cassandra was talking about. He hung is head low, but never lost eye contact with Cassandra, and slumped slightly.
"He was honest and kind-hearted. Selfless. Humorous." I heard a small smile in her voice at those words. She really did love him a lot. Maybe... almost as much as I love Edward.
"But now, it's time for some equivalent exchange. You took away what was important to me, and I will take away what is important to you."
I heard her take another breath to continue. "Well, I think you both have the right to know... As you know, I'm not human," she paused.
'Yes, what are you, Cassandra?' I thought.
"I'm not a vampire, or a werewolf, no... I'm a witch."
'Oh, go figure, right?'
"Witches live for an excess of three hundred years," she like a teacher to her pupils, her voice carrying cadences of an earlier time, "during that time, we are unsusceptible to disease or death by mundane means. When that three hundred years is up, we start a new life. But the thing is, we—our spirits—erode. And to prevent that, we need to find our soul mate in one of our incarnations. Then we can die and follow their spirit to the afterlife. They are our only salvation. I found my soul mate, Andrew Dahlmier, and you killed him! He was the only thing I ever wanted, needed and you took him away from me, and I'll make sure you pay." The tone in her voice (as was her gaze as well, I'm sure) was lethal.
The knife point pressed into my skin, cutting into my neck with a painful sting. Edward tensed into a crouch, snarling.
"What are you waiting for?" Cassandra called, laughing madly, "come and get me, I'll fight you to the death!"
"Edward, no, don't!" I screamed.
(CPOV)
"Edward, no, don't!" Bella screamed. Was she trying to protect him? The idea was laughable.
"Bella!" Edward called out to the little human
"Would you die for this human?" I asked Edward.
"Yes," he looked at me with wild, desperate, pleading eyes. "I would die for her. I love her!" He proclaimed louder.
"Edward, no! I love you too, you can't die because of me!" Bella cried, tears now streaking down her face.
I shouldn't have asked the question. The pain in my chest was too much to bear; it reminded me too much of what Andrew and I had. The pain was nearly crippling, it was I wonder I was still upright and holding the knife. I tensed as if expecting to be hit by a train (which I had been once before, the pain was excruciating, but I had survived as always. I would never die until my three hundred years was up).
Involuntarily, memories of Andrew clouded my eyes. I saw these two, their love for each other, their willingness to die, just to save the other, it was too much to bear...
Memories consume,
Like opening the wound...
I don't know what's worth fighting for,
Or why I have to scream...
The knife shook in my hand, and while still pressed against the girl's neck, cut a jagged line across her skin. Bella gasped, wincing against the pain. Edward gasped as well, wide eyed; I could see he had stopped breathing. His eyes traced the line as the blood ran down Bella's neck to her collarbone, staining her shirt. Like a red flower blooming.
I was still drowning in old memories, my sense of reality clouded, warped, like suffering from vertigo. Painful vertigo. Finally, I couldn't stand it, stand seeing all that love, all that love in their eyes, like the love that I lost. I still hated, and always would hate Edward, but Bella... I wasn't so sure about her. I wasn't so sure I could hate her. We were so much alike it scared me; willing to die, willing to kill for the ones we love.
I fled, dashing away into the trees, headed back in the direction to my car to escape the love and the painful memories.
(BPOV)
Suddenly, Cassandra was no longer there, she had fled. I had felt her trembling, something had bothered her, I could tell. It was the thought of the love she lost. I could understand that; I remember the hole in my chest, left in the wake of Edward's leave of absence.
I found myself falling forward, because Cassandra had pushed away from me when she left. I was cast off balance; I had clapped one hand instinctively over the side of my neck to cover the open and bleeding wound when I found myself in a pair of cold arms. Edward had caught me, stopping me from falling any further. He kneeled on the ground and pulled me into his lap.
"Are you alright?" He asked frantically, hurriedly checking me for alternate damage. I could see he wasn't breathing.
"Edward I'm fine." I assured him, he looked at me with agonized eyes.
"This is all my fault," he said, wearing a self-hating smile, looking as if he could cry. "My past came back to haunt me, and almost took you from me. You must hate me for what I did."
"Edward, I can't hate you. I don't hate you. I know that you used to prey on humans a long time ago, and that doesn't matter to me. But I can empathize with Cassandra." I paused. Edward waited for me to continue. "The man she was talking about—Andrew, he sounded like a good person... Did... did you really kill him?" I asked quietly.
"Yes." Edward hung his head in shame.
I didn't know what to say, what to make of it all. "But, you said you hunted only the 'bad' people in society." I was confused.
"Yes, I did only hunt bad people, but, that night, I was desperate, I hadn't eaten in so long, and I was prowling on the rooftops, searching the alleys for a vagabond or a burglar to eat. But I wasn't careful enough. I didn't check to see if that boy was good or not. He was opening the door on a gate in an alleyway, and the scent of his blood wafted up to me, and.. I couldn't stop myself... I leaped down onto him, knocking him to the cobblestoned floor of the alley, and tore into his neck," Edward seemed lost in the painful memory, and he went into more detail than was necessary for me, but I didn't stop him, "and it was only after I attacked that I realized he was carrying a bouquet of flowers. And I remembered his very last thought. Do you know what it was?" He asked quietly, rhetorically. "It was, 'I love you, Cass— ' he didn't even have the time to finish her name before I killed him!" He buried his face into his hands, but didn't breathe once.
"Shhh," I shushed him softly, removing my hand from the side of my neck to wrap both of my arms around him and bring him close to me.
Edward's head lifted from his hands and he looked at me, reaching up to stroke my cheek softly with his cold fingers. "We should get you out of here. And we need to bandage that cut."
"Ok," I agreed quietly, allowing Edward to pull me to my feet and lead me to the edge of the clearing, where he slipped me onto his back and carried me through the forest faster than should be possible.
I'm sorry it takes so long or me to update, but I put a lot of thought into this story, and I try to make it the best I can. So please, tell me what you think, I'm starving for opinions! T.T