Edward and Jacob stood fuming at each other, rejecting the waves of calm Jasper attempted to calm them with.

"Edward! Jacob!" Jasper yelled, "Your emotions are suffocating me! If you continue like this, I'll explode and we'll all end up dead. We'll never find Bella or Angela. Is that what you want? Bella dead?"

Edward and Jacob cooled their emotions enough for Jasper to calm them.

"What do you suppose we do? I've lost the monster's scent, and his thoughts. He's going to kill Bella soon, Alice has seen it," Edward cried to Jasper, and Jacob stiffened.

"I need to get Ben back safely. I say we all fly to St. Petersburg and consider our options there"

"Let's hurry, then!" yelled Jacob in excitement, but anxious to see Bella human again.

All three raced to the airport. Edward was there first.

***

Xavier's razor sharp teeth cut into Bella's neck as she screamed in protest. Xavier relished the sweet taste of the blood. No thoughts ran through his head but the thought of how delicious Bella's blood tasted. But then, it would be nothing compared to Ben's.

The distraction of the memory of Ben's scent was enough to refocus on his surroundings. Angela pressed her face against the locked car's window in horror, her eyes pleading with Xavier to stop, tears streaming down her face.

Suddenly, Xavier dropped Bella, horrified at what he had done. Not only had he betrayed Angela's trust again, but he had made her hate him even more. Xavier picked up Bella with ease, and she was contorting in pain. He put her in the back seat next to Angela.

"I'm sorry, Angela… There's no way I can reverse it…"

Angela had tears in her eyes, "so she'll be… a vampire? Or will she… be like you?"

Xavier thought for a moment, a strange expression passing across his face. If he could turn Angela, maybe she would be like him, love him, and somehow they could be together forever.

To Xavier, forever seemed like a long time indeed. To Angela, it seemed even longer. It seemed like forever since she had seen Ben's smiling face.

***

Jasper, Jacob and Edward arrived in St. Petersburg and walked out of the airport.

"Hold on!" exclaimed Jacob, "I can hear something!" Jacob listened to the solitary voice in his mind. Jacob was very surprised he could hear Xavier, because he was only supposed to hear the thoughts of his pack. What did that mean?

"I'll leave Angela and her friend here… I can smell him… I need him right now… I can't stand it, I need to kill that Ben!!"

"Oh no… we'd better hurry. Xavier has caught Ben's scent"

Edward glared at Jasper, "He's here in St. Petersburg? I thought you told Ben to get away!"

Jasper cursed under his breath, "Okay… calm down, everyone. Ill go and find Ben, and you both go and find Angela and Bella. I really hope Angela… and Bella of course, are alright…" Jasper looked very worried, but especially concerned about Angela's safety, "No fighting, you two"

Edward smiled in relief, "I know where they are. I can hear Angela's thoughts"

***

Bella and Angela were pushed into the St Petersburg home of Xavier's and into a cell fashioned of steel and Xavier left to follow Ben's scent.

Bella was still writhing from the torturous fire in her veins, but it was starting to fade.

Angela attempted to comfort her anguish. The room was dark and damp, but there were some candles in the corner that Angela lit, thinking about happier times, her mind recollecting Ben's proposal.

***

Ben paced outside the Gypsy plaza, waiting solemnly with an anxiousness that started to overcome him. His hands trembled as he clasped them tightly together behind his back. Suddenly, he felt a stone cold hand grab his arm and pull him around. Ben's heart skipped a beat.

It was Jasper.

"Come on, Ben… we haven't got much time"

Ben pulled his arm away, "did you find Ange?" he asked hopefully.

"No…" Jasper's voice was filled with anguish, "but Xavier will find you soon if we don't get away. He's… on his way"

***

Edward and Jacob raced through the St. Petersburg streets as fast as they could without appearing inhuman. Having picked the address of Xavier's house out of Ben's thoughts, Edward searched for the familiar house, Jacob behind him.

Arriving soon after, Edward ploughed down the door and followed Angela's scent. Panic struck him as he realized Bella's scent was missing. Charging down the cell door, Edward saw the panicked face of Angela, as a pale, ruby eyed creature approached her.

"Bella?" Edward whispered, amazed at Bella's transformation.

Jacob, who had been preparing himself for the worst, entered the room. Adjusting to the candlelight, Jacob slowly realized what Bella had become. He stared at her with absolute hate and condemnation.

Bella returned his gaze with a fleeting look of delight and longing, but in a flash she recomposed herself and focused on Edward.

"Bella…?" Edward repeated, and Bella looked at Angela before restraining herself, "Edward, can you get me out of here, before…"

Edward was at Bella's side in an instant, and escorted her out of the room.

Seeing Edward and Bella, in each other's arms, was the last cut of Jacob's self control. First, Bella was a vampire. Now she could spend eternity with that leech, it was too much, and his freak-out pulled him into his wolf form, erupting into innocent Angela, gashing a deep cut in her leg.

The guilt of what had happened calmed him enough to phase back, and help Angela, as Bella and Edward left the room.

Angela cried out in pain. The blood seeped from her wound to the floor, and every movement felt like another scrape from Jacob's claws.

"I'm sorry… Angela! I really didn't mean… I'll go and get some bandages" gushed Jacob, not knowing what to do. Angela put her hand on Jacob's arm.

"It's alright, Jacob… let's go back to Forks. I only want to see Ben again. Is he okay?"

Jacob paused, listening for Xavier's voice. For some reason, it could not be heard.

"Yes… I think so" Angela could hear the hesitancy in his voice.

"Let's go then" Angela held out her arm to sling around Jacob's neck, and they left Xavier's house.

Jacob put Angela down as Edward examined her cut with his "medical skills". Jacob then went to talk with Bella. She was waiting outside, away from the blood, pondering her new existence.

Bella had thought this was what she wanted, but seeing Jacob again, she just couldn't bear to let him go.

"Jake…" Bella whispered as he walked over, a look of disgust on his face.

"I've missed you so much!" Bella moved to hug him, but he flinched from her icy touch.

"Don't touch me, bloodsucker!" Jacob yelled at her.

Bella shrank back, would-be tears forming in her brown eyes, "I… I won't" she resolved. Edward put a hand on her arm, "are you okay, Bella?"

She nodded slowly, reluctantly turning away from Jacob.

"It's just all so new to me and I could really use my best friend now," she turned back to Jake.

"Please, just come back…" she begged, "I'm really sorry… but it's not like I asked for any of this to happen. It's Xavier's fault"

Jacob realized he was still in love with Bella and he couldn't bear to leave her again, now that she was with him. Plus, Jacob thought, maybe she's changed her mind. If only I could get her away from him. So the four of them went to find Jasper and Ben and return home.

As they started to walk out the gate, Bella put an ice-cold hand on Jacob's arm.

"Jake, can I please talk to you for a moment?"

Jake bit back his instant refusal when he saw Edward's pained face.

"Okay, Bella. Gladly" he added, much to Edward's discomfort.

Bella went back inside the house, Jacob following. Bella looked nervous as she clasped and unclasped her hands in front of her.

"Im really sorry, Jake-"

"It's too late for that!" he exclaimed before he could stop himself, letting his emotions be known, "I love you, Bella…" he trailed off, as he saw Bella's hopeful face, eyes shining with happiness. He took a step closer, his hands inching towards hers... almost touching…

All too suddenly, Jacob remembered.

"I loved you. But not anymore. You're one of them now" he turned around, not bearing to look at Bella's anguished and heartbroken expression. He stopped at the door.

"Do you still love… me?" he asked, not turning to face her.

"I already do love you, Jake… Can't you see… I always have-"

"But not as much as him, huh? Its always been that way, hasn't it, Bells? You love him more… that filthy bloodsucker… I hate you!" he yelled passionately, "and I hate him, too!"

Jacob ran out of the room before Bella could say goodbye.

"If only you knew the truth…" she whispered.

She didn't know how long it would be before she saw him again.

***

Xavier arrived at the Gypsy Plaza, just in time to see Jasper dragging Ben away as fast as he could without arousing suspicion. The plaza was bustling with shoppers, as, Xavier soon realized, it was two weeks to Christmas. He would wait and strike on a Christmas Day Angela and Ben would never forget… With that, he left the Gypsy Plaza to perfect his plan!

Angela limped along, with Jacob supporting her weight, as they slowly made their way to the car. The sun was blinding, but in the distance she could make out someone's shape. Two people. A halo of golden hair caught Angela's attention as one of the figures started running towards her. Angela was consumed with the feeling of happiness as she ran to meet her beloved Ben, who she had not seen for such a long time.

Ben pulled Angela to him and they embraced in a loving and passionate kiss. Angela looked into Ben's deep blue glinting eyes, which were exactly as she remembered them.

"I missed you" she cried into his shoulder. Ben's eyes were teary, too.

"I'll never let you out of my sight again" vowed Ben, and he and Angela kissed again.

"Hem-Hem" Jasper coughed, irritated. Ben and Angela jumped at the sound, though they did not let go of each other. Their cheeks blushed a matching crimson red.

"Let's go home!" Angela said to Ben.

"Home… right" Ben was looking uncomfortable, and the red had not left his face as swiftly as it had Angela's.

"Um… I was thinking… Angela… willyoumoveinwithme?" Ben said all in a rush. Jasper stiffened. Angela caught every word, and despite their audience, she kissed him again.

"God… that's enough, you two" said an impatient Jasper, glaring at Ben when the two finally broke apart.

"Jasper!" started Ben, turning to Jasper with an angry look, "why didn't you tell me where Angela was?"

Jasper looked at Angela, and then at the ground.

"Well… I-"

"You knew all along, didn't you? I knew you were on Ivanov's side! Theres always been something suspicious about you! I mean, c'mon… the comic book distraction? How did you know that Xavier wanted to kill me? And why did you take me away from the wedding? I know! It was because you and Jasper planned to kidnap Angela then and there at the wedding! You were actually helping him!" Ben paused, out of breath, his face flushed with anger and sadness, "how could you, Jasper?"

Jasper used his influence, and Ben felt a wave of calm and understanding flow over him.

"Come on, Ben… let's get you home"

To be continued…

Next chapter: Angela's Betrayal; coming up after Christmas.

Merry Christmas, everyone!