I know I was going to wait, but I just couldn't! Okay, you can stop (or start) biting your nails now.

----*----

I didn't look Cullen in the eyes. I'd discovered a way to avoid his power. With me, eye contact was the key. As we drove away from Forks, all I did was stare at my combat boots. I wouldn't let him know I was afraid.

"Edward," Bella demanded of him. "Turn around."

"No," he hissed, "I've got to get you out of here."

"What about Charlie?!" she nearly screamed. "He's our father! We have to do something!"

Cullen pulled to the side of the road, fuming. "Well?" he questioned.

After several tense seconds, I spoke. "To every—" I struggled with the word, "vampire but you, Bella and I smell the same right?"

"Yes," Cullen replied. "What does that have to do with it?"

"I'm sure James believes the stereotypes. Twins don't leave each other's sides. Why else would a clearly frightened girl be in a field with vampires?" I took a deep breath. "I'll stay here, so he'll hurt me instead of you or Charlie." I didn't look at Cullen, as he started to drive back.

"NO!" Bella screamed. "LIZA, YOU CAN'T!"

"It's my turn to be the stronger sister, Bella. Please, trust me," I whispered. "I used to face death every few weeks when I was younger." We were in the driveway. "Go have a fight with Charlie. I think I need to explain something to Stone Boy over here."

She got out the Jeep and slammed the door. Crying and running toward the house.

"Spill," Cullen hissed. "Why are you risking your life?"

"We have the same goal here, Edward," it was the first time I used his first name. "Keeping Bella safe." I still wouldn't look him in the eyes. I went inside.

----*-----

Once Bella drove away, I left Charlie to his worrying, and called Titus.

"Hello?" his dad answered.

"Hi. This is Liza Swan. I was wondering if I could talk to Titus for a few minutes."

"Ey, hola, señorita Swan." (Oh, hello, Miss Swan) Of course, I forgot that Mr. Lyon was the Spanish teacher. "¿Cómo estas?" (How are you?)

"Estoy bein." (I'm good) I lied. "Quiero hablar con Titus." (I want to talk with Titus)

"Su español es mejor." (Your Spanish is better) He commented. "TITUS, PHONE!"

"Hola," he said slowly. "¿Quién es etso?" (Who is this?)

I fought the urge to say Ducky. That's how I'd answer in Phoenix. "Liza."

"Oh, hey, baby. What's up? You sound upset."

"I need to borrow your car. Bella's heading toward Phoenix and…" I was actually crying, "She's in danger."

"What? Why?"

The next bit wasn't really a lie. "I was in a gang down there. If they think she's me, they'll kill her. I squealed. It's your car, Grant's van, or I steal one."

"Okay."

----*----

It took me hours to get to the house in Phoenix. I slammed the door of Titus' little Geo Metro and unlocked the door.

"Don't scream," a smooth voice said, clasping a cold hand over my mouth.

I knew I couldn't throw him off. I entered and closed the door behind me. Keep cool. I thought, slipping into Ducky-mode.

"This is better than I thought," James hissed, releasing me. "I was just going to use an old tape of your mother to trick your sister. Now, I can just use you." His smirk widened. "Stupid human," he whispered.

"I heard that." I said with a diplomatic tone. "I came to offer you something," I explained. "Will you hear me out?" I sat on the arm of the sofa, getting closer to him than I preferred. He nodded. "Me. My life, my blood, my mortality. Which ever." I counted them on my fingers.

"What about the fourth option?" he asked.

"What fourth…" I started to ask before he charged at me.

----*----

Sunshine was flowing thru my window. Something at the foot of my bed was sparkling. I blinked. Okay, I so hit my head.

"Good morning, Liza," James greeted, surprisingly chipper. Great, the world's most dangerous predator sparkles. Real amusing.

I touched my neck. "Okay," I said, panic rising in my voice. "I'm still human." Not part of the plan.

He tsked. "Liza, Liza, Liza." He shook his head. "You are a strange child."

The look on his face was almost paternal. I nearly gagged at the sight. "What do you want with me?" I demanded. My voice cracked and I went into a coughing fit.

The fatherly look didn't waver. "I'm the only one in a position to make demands, Eliza-May. After all, you're the one that's sick."

Sick? I looked down. I was in my clothes from the day. The sleeves had been ripped to make bandages for my hands. I tried to form a fist. It didn't work. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?!"

He put a cold finger on my lips. "Hush, my child. I tried to cure that cute little disease—what was it called again?—Ah, yes, Cerebral Palsy. Too bad the venom didn't work. You must have some sort of immunity."

I didn't know what he meant by venom, but I did know how venom in general was injected. Oh my god, he bit me. I started to cry.

His started to smile. "That's better." He was twirling the house phone in his hand. "Maybe we'll call your sister now?" I shook my head as he handed me the phone. It was ringing.

"Hello, Mom?" Bella asked, horrified.

"Izzy, it's Liza," I cried. "Please, just, hang up—"

James shook his head and slapped the phone away. "Behave," he ordered me. "Hello, Isabella."

I couldn't hear the reply on the other end. "No, she's not hurt badly. She'll heal." "I know all about her medical condition. Your school is not very good at protecting their student's privacy.""Perhaps we can strike a deal. You for her." "How quickly can you escape?""The ballet studio down the street." "Can you handle that?" "We'll see you there." He hung up.

----*----

I woke again in a closet. Real original, I thought. Vampires have no imaginations. I heard clumsy loud footsteps, and knew who it was. I triedscream, but I was gagged.

Bella pulled open the doors and untied my gag. "No Bella," I gasped. "Trap. Kill. Us. Both."

I didn't get my warning out soon enough, James had pinned her to the wall. "This was all too easy," he purred. "Poor little Liza walked right into the trap I was laying for your mother. Now I get two twins for the price of one."

"NO!" we screamed in unison.

James shut the closet door. I heard the lock click. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!" I yelled. All I heard in response was a crash.

The crashing and screaming didn't stop, but maybe ten minutes in (you lose track of time in the dark) I heard Cullen yell. "You bastard!"

"It's too bad you didn't like Liza better," James daunted. "She's so much stronger. Prettier too. Brave little thing."

Somebody growled, and the crashing continued.

"I think Liza's in the closest closet!"

The little one, Alice, pulled open the doors and untied me. I heard Bella scream "IT BURNS!"

"What did he do?" I asked her, rubbing my wrists. I ran to my sister's side.

Dr. Cullen didn't look at me. "He bit her. She's changing. Vampire venom's nasty."

"It didn't do anything to me," I commented, holding down Bella's other arm with my bandaged hands.

"Carlisle, what's our other option?" Cullen begged his father. "I won't let the change happen."

"Suck the venom out," he said simply.

"The change is going to happen," Alice told her brother. "I've seen it."

"I won't be able to stop."

"Find the will to stop, son."

Cullen was hovering over the wound on Bella's arm. He looked at me. I nodded, once. "Please, just try," I begged softly.

----*-----

Not really a cliff hanger if you know anything about the books. I'm just waiting for more votes, because the band name is in the next two chapters.