Author's note: Thanks to my beta, Jkane180. Look out for a mention of Kane in this chapter. From my reviews, here are the pussy words that I had to include: fuzz-nugget (c/o Amanda Wilder), Taco (c/o Beauteouscake), cum catcher (c/o Besks), jizz bin (c/o nifty88), Toy Box (c/o DayAnne Cullen), Beaver -yay Canada!- (c/o Ruby Jean), pussy (well, I guess it is a pussy word, c/o kejsn) cum bucket (c/o LisaBebe11), downstairs juice maker (c/o HeatherSydneyAUS), pinkcookie (c/o pinkcookie). Non-pussy word request from jkane180 - randy. Alright, you demanding little fuckers....here are your pussy words. AND, there isn't even a lemon in this chapter, so it wasn't easy :P
I screamed, but the sound was cut short when Jasper threw me to the ground. Squeezing my eyes shut, I started to beg like a pussy. "Please? You don't want to do this! Please?"
A wave of calm collided with me like a brick wall, numbing the fear. Weakly, I struggled to win back my senses. "Listen, Jazz...Jizz-bin, whatever the fuck your name is. If you're going to murder me, than be a man about it. Give me back my fear."
Jasper sighed and acquiesced. The terror consumed me once again.
Lie down, bitch. Be a good girl and maybe you won't have to die...Just want to see a little blood. It doesn't have to be that bad.
I gurgled at a violent memory every part of my soul had been screaming at me to forget. Jasper drew in a sharp breath along with me.
"What happened to you, Bella?" His eyes were full of pity.
"I think I was...attacked, but I don't really remember."
"I'm sorry," he choked. "You're so hurt. These emotions are not yours..."
"I thought you were going to kill me. Or is your plan to psychoanalyze me to death?"
Rolling onto my back, I vowed to meet my attacker eye-to-eye. Death had been chasing me for so long, it seemed. If finally, it had caught up with me, then I would rise to meet it.
Jasper closed his eyes and held his breath. "I've regained my control, Bella. Please get out of here as fast as you can. Get out of the house...keep yourself away."
My legs somehow held the weight of my body as I stood. "Edward's coming back soon. He'll be looking for me."
"I'll talk to him."
Backing up, I nearly tripped in the designer shoes I now despised. "You need to get over this self-control problem of yours. We run in the same circles, after all." By the way his muscles were clenched, it was pretty obvious he was using all of his strength not to follow me as I backed away. "Can't you engage in some sort of therapeutic program to deal with your bloodlust? My friend Kane is a compulsive nymphomaniac." His ravenous eyes widened in amusement or surprise. "Seriously! We called her Cum Bucket in General Group. Not behind her back, or anything. It was her nickname. I mean, if she can make it through the day now without getting so randy that she lets the janitor stuff her taco, I think you can get over your problem too."
"I...You...What?"
"All I'm saying, Jazzy Jizz-bin, is that if Cum Bucket could handle her shit and keep her beaver pure, than surely you can work through your self-control issues."
He didn't look impressed. "Stay away from us, Bella. Your presence is upsetting Alice."
That surprised me! "I thought she was my friend." My voice came out more hurt than I had anticipated.
"You always represented the girlhood she missed out on. Her friendship with you is vicarious wish-fulfillment and since our return...you're broken. Crazy, just like she was as a human. I can't sit idly by while you hurt her. Your presence is destroying her sanity."
It was more than Jasper had ever said before (except when he monologued in Eclipse about his entire life, all at once).
"You want me to stay away from Alice...from all of you."
"Yes," he said. "Edward's been a head case since the first day he was unfortunate enough to cross your path. If you refuse to stay away, I'll be forced to intervene."
The anger that consumed me in the next moment nearly knocked me on my ass. "Fucker!" I grabbed a Coach purse and hurled it at his head (I didn't notice it was a Coach purse until after it had already been thrown. For the record, I am against cruelty towards designer accessories). "You don't own me, you sad excuse for Jackson Rathbone! Go to fucking Hell! You're just jealous that you can't be Edward's cum catcher. Well, you're out of luck. Edward's been all up in my fuzz nugget. He prefers pink cookies to twinkies."
"I've changed my mind." His cell phone started ringing and so did mine. "You're just a little girl and it would be easier for me to kill you."
Why the fuck didn't I just keep my mouth shut?
"No, dude. I'm totally sorry. I'll stay away, okay?"
"No dice, Bella. I don't trust you."
"Please don't do this, Jasper? Really, I don't want to die again." Tears escaped my eyes and poured down my cheeks now. I was crying like a bitch.
"You're not making sense." His voice was tired and impatient. "Close your eyes, okay? I'll make it quick. I'm going to stop you from crying before I do it."
"No," I spat between sobs. "You need to feel what I'm feeling at the end. Grant me that, at least."
He nodded. "I'm not a monster, Bella, and I am truly sorry for this. I'm only protecting my family. Wouldn't you kill to protect yours?"
"Stop rationalizing and be done with it."
"Close your eyes," he repeated and I did.
Two things happened then. A sharp pain ripped through my neck and snarls and growls erupted from seemingly everywhere around me. I opened my eyes to see Jasper flying across the room faster than I could register and I stumbled sideways in shock, hitting what felt like a fur coat...except said coat was growling.
"Jacob," I gasped and reached for his fur. He wrenched his body away from my touch and took a defensive stance in front of me.
"Thank you," Jasper muttered, jerking his dislocated arm back into place. "I never would have forgiven myself if-"
Jasper was thrown against the wall again, this time by Edward. "I'll kill you," he screamed, his hands around his brother's neck. He pounded his forehead against a chest on the floor that resembled a toy box.
Jacob's muzzle sneered and puckered into a feral growl and I grappled for him again. He turned at my touch, his huge black eyes found mine and something he saw in my face made him whimper. "Don't pull away, Jake. It hurts...so much."
An inferno blazed a path through my neck and shoulder. It felt like a cigarette burn, only deep within my veins.
"Bella?"
My vision was covered in dark spots but the fear in Edward's face sent a shock wave of terror through me. He lowered Jasper off the wall. "Get out, now." Jasper flew out of my line of sight.
The pain dissipated for a minute. "Jacob, I need to-" The words choked off and were replaced by my screams. All at once, the fire returned but, more than burning, it felt like my veins were dissolving completely, like acid was coursing though me with every heartbeat instead of blood.
"No," Jacob roared. He had phased without my noticing. The fur I clung to was now his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Jacob. I love you."
"Bella," he whimpered. "I love you...more than anything."
"She's bitten," Edward moaned. "Oh, god, no!"
"She's turning."
"Bella," Edward said. "I know it hurts, love. I can stop it...do you want me to stop it or do you want to turn?"
"Stop stalling," Jacob roared again. "Save her!"
"It's your choice, sweetheart. What do you want?"
I couldn't examine reason in my present state. All I knew was this pain had to stop. "Stop it," I pleaded. "Stop it, or kill me. I don't want to change."
Edward nodded. "It's going to hurt a little more for a moment, but then it will feel better." He lowered his face to my neck.
"Don't touch her," Jacob said in a voice I could barely recognize.
"Get your hand off of me, Dog. I need to get the poison out of her or she'll change."
Horrible shrieks resounded and it took me a moment to register they were coming from me. "Kill me, please?" I begged, digging my nails into Jacob's arm. "Please?? If you really love me, just snap my neck. Please?"
"Get the venom out her," Jacob said weakly and tried to stroke my head but I writhed and bucked at him. I wanted to tear myself out of my skin. I wanted to run away.
"I'm going to make you feel better, baby." Edward left a cool kiss on my cheek before bringing his lips to my wound. The suction he created was beyond agony. My destroyed veins seemed to burn back to life and I cried out, over and over again until my throat bled.
"Look at me, Bells," Jacob begged, pulling my fisted hand to his face. "I love you. Concentrate on me."
So I did. I continued to scream but kept my eyes on the face of one of the men I loved beyond reason.
"I'm sorry, Jacob."
"I know, baby. It's okay."
"I didn't mean to hurt you."
"We'll talk about it later."
"Okay," I said, groggily. The pain was lessening and disappearing. It happened gradually and then, all at once. All that was left was a dull ache.
"She leaves with me, Cullen." There was a maturity in Jacob's voice that I didn't like. The open innocence of his face had transformed, and was replaced with the determined expression of a man who had seen too much tragedy.
"Fine." Edward's voice was barely a whisper. I turned to face him but he would not look at me. "Get her away from us. Keep her safe."
"Edward?"
"Leave...Please, just take her."
"What do you mean, Edward?" I was gripped with panic at the memory of him leaving me in the woods. The bitter determination was written all over his stony face. "Why won't you speak to me?"
I grabbed his arm. "No! You promised!!!" He shook his head weakly and wrenched out of my grasp.
"It's a promise that I'm breaking, Bella. This is not your fault." He was a ghost. Only a breeze on my skin. He left so quickly I never even saw him go, only felt the absence. The gaping hole in my heart tore open.
Edward was giving me up. Again.
Author's Note: Reviews make me happy in my Downstairs Juice Maker (ha!). Have you voted in the Indie Twific Awards yet? Voting is open until March 3rd. I've read all of my competition in the New Moon category and truthfully, fell in love with the other stories. Interested in what Edward wrote in the note to Bella Swan from the last chapter? Review me and I'll send it in a PM. Please allow for 24-hours delivery.
Shameless Pimping: Team Jacob fans will love Asking Too Much by Restlessxpen. Available over at Twilighted and the author just informed me she is posting it on FF finally. Check it out!!! I've included a link to her profile on mine. This is my favourite Jacob/Bella fanfic.