Chapter 12:Blood & Bagpipes
I fidgeted anxiously as I stared out of my truck at the McRaes; they were laughing and enjoying the morning weather. Taking deep breaths, I tried to go over mentally what I was going to say to Eric. Ary and I had been unsuccessful with getting him on the phone the previous evening, so I was forced to confront him at school. Unless I wanted quite a few nonvegetarian vampires running around in Forks, I had to do this.
As I joined the McRaes they all turned and welcomed me with smiled and hugs. Erickson especially lingered in our embrace a little longer than necessary—I didn't complain. The others fell back into their conversations as I turned to Eric with a nervous smile on my face.
"Eric," I said, my voice cracking a little bit, and he turned to look at me. "Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" I started trembling, due to the cold and my nerves.
"Of course," he smiled and followed me towards the school. Once inside, he turned and gave me a perplexed look. "Is everything all right Bella?"
I smiled ruefully and sighed. "Look Eric," I said slowly. "I know you're really excited about your birthday and…I really want to go…"
"But…?" he prodded me narrowing his eyes curiously.
"But," I continued, "I'm worried about these other vampires that you're inviting."
His head jerked back and immediately enveloped me in an embrace. "Bella, you don't have anything to worry about. I won't let them hurt you."
His luxurious scent made my head spin and I tried desperately to piece my thoughts back together. Pushing against his chest softly, I looked up at him. "W-Well Eric," I sighed as his golden eyes pierced through me like topaz daggers. "I'm m-more worried about the other people in Forks." His eyebrows rose as he appeared to see my point and I continued. "You see,
I wouldn't want anything to happen to my Dad or any of my friends."
His expression was unreadable as he poured over my flushed face. Would he agree or would he still invite his horde of non-vegetarian friends? My heart began to race as he ran a hand through his hair and groaned.
"Bella," his voice was luxurious even while muttering. "You've really put me in a bind." He pulled away from me, crossed his muscular arms across his chest, and furrowed his brow. "I want you at my celebration; however I have not seen my friends in quite awhile."
"I'm sorry," I said instinctively.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, mi Bella," he sighed and uncrossed his arms. "I'm the one who's been completely irresponsible." He moved forward, lifted my chin with two fingers, and smiled at me. "If you ask me to do this for you, it shall be done."
My breath caught in my throat and I coughed a bit while my face continued to flush. Eric lifted his other hand, placed it on my cheek, and stared at me with an odd sense of adoration. My mind flustered, as I inhaled his delicious scent, and I was forced to shake my head to clear my thoughts.
"Eric," I said slowly and unsurely. "I-I'd really like it if you d-did not invite anymore v-vampires." I stumbled through the request, flubbing my speech and tripping on the final word.
Eric went silent as his golden eyes bore into me with passionate interest. He sighed deeply and blinked slowly. "All right, Bella," he breathed heavilywhile he spoke and did not look away from me. "Consider it done."
I relaxed my pose a little as he agreed to cancel the invitation to the other vampires. Charlie and the rest of Forks are safe…
The days ticked by quickly as Eric's birthday approached swiftly and my nervousness grew with each passing moment. I had never been to a vampire's birthday party, so I was unsure what the proper etiquette was. Every time I asked Ary about it, she would smile, shake her head, and tell me not to worry about it.
"Easy for you to say," I remarked one day at lunch, after Ary had dismissed my questions once again. "You've been to one before." I leaned away and sighed heavily, thinking slightly about canceling my RSVP to the party.
"You really shouldn't worry Bella," Skye remarked perkily behind me, as she twisted my hair into a French braid. "Our birthday celebrations are really no different than human ones." I winced as she tightened the knot in my hair with a hair tie and sat down beside me.
"I guess I just don't know what to wear," I sighed and felt the back of my hair, wondering if I looked absolutely ridiculous. "Also, what should I get him?" What exactly do you get a 122 year old vampire?
Ary leaned forward and smiled. "Bella, you don't need to worry about a gift," she said and crossed her arms on the table. "He'll be happy with youmpresence alone."
"Really?" I asked and looked from Skye to Ary, who both nodded their heads. "Well, I still don't know what I should wear." I briefly thought of Alice, who would never have allowed me to wonder such a thing. She was the dresser of the entire Cullen family—they were powerless to stop her. A strong pain boiled within me and I tried to focus on Ary as she spoke.
"It's not really a formal event, if that's what you're wondering," Ary said and narrowed her eyes at my hunched posture. She sighed sadly before continuing, "If you like, you can borrow some of my clothes."
My eyes shot up at Ary's suggestion. Her wardrobe was much similar to mine; she wore simple outfits that consisted of t-shirts and jeans. I appraised her current ensemble with admiration: a plain long sleeved black t-shirt, dark jeans, and tennis shoes. "That would help a lot. Thanks Ary."
She grinned and leaned forward. "I think I have just to outfit for you. I'll drop it by your house on Friday." I nodded in agreement, excited at what she would give to me. Surely it wouldn't be too scary; nothing that Alice would have put me in anyway.
Friday came swiftly and I was even more nervous than before. When I told Ary about my hesitations about Eric's birthday, I hadn't been completely honest. True, I was nervous on which outfit to wear and what I should get him for a gift, but that wasn't the root of my anxiety. The truth was, I was still haunted by my own birthday celebration with a family of vampires.
I sighed as I stepped out of the shower, and glanced down at my bare forearm. The soft scar snaked its way through my skin, along with another familiar scar. A shiver ran through me as I remembered James' venom burning within me. A bit of fear rushed through me as I briefly wondered what possible horrors awaited me at Eric's birthday party.
"Hey Bells," Charlie knocked hesitantly from the hallway. "Your friend Ary just dropped off a package and said she'd be back later. I left it in your room."
"Thanks Dad," I said as I brushed out my wet hair. I heard him walk down the stairs before I changed into my sweatpants and exited the bathroom. Charlie had been keen to talk about Ary and her family since she had come over. He was too polite to question her at dinner, so he reserved the interrogation for me.
I eagerly opened the parcel, which was sitting on my bed waiting for me, and took a deep breath. The dress was perfect for me: a simple smock dress with cap sleeves and a matching pair of shoes. The elegant blue fabric was soft and plush beneath my fingers. I was about to get dressed when a hushed whisper filled my ears.
"That shade of blue looks very lovely on you."
I spun around and looked frantically for the source of the voice but was met with nothing. My heart began to race and a familiar pain enveloped my midsection.
It had been too long since I had suffered at the mercy of the hole in my chest. Now, it came back with a vengeance. My heart pumped surges of burning pain all throughout my body, forcing me to me knees. Gasping for breath, I gripped my stomach with both arms and rolled onto my side. Let it pass…let it pass…please let it pass.
The rumbling pain began to subside and I was finally able to lift myself off the floor. Leaning against the bed, I let a few small tears slip through. The pain was getting less frequent but its intensity was not diminishing. I hugged my knees to my chest and wondered if it would ever go away.
Was my memory like a sieve, as Edward had put it, and were my memories slowly slipping away? I sighed and looked at the clock on my nightstand. Holy crow, it's already
10:30; Ary will be here soon! Not hesitating, I slipped the dress over my head and affixed the shoes—ballet flats—to my feet. I dashed to the bathroom and rummaged through what makeup I had available. After a few trials and errors, I settled on a very natural look and headed downstairs.
Charlie turned away from his television program and smiled at me. "You look nice, Bella," he said and joined me in the kitchen. I was anxiously looking around for something small to eat—I doubted that there would be food at the McRaes'.
"Thanks, Dad," I said and continued to scour the small space. "Hey, how come there's no food?"
Charlie raised his eyebrows softly and I remembered that I was in charge of the food supply. Nodding my head, I shrugged. "I guess I'll eat at the party."
"Wouldn't you already be planning to do that?" he asked absentmindedly and narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah," I said hesitantly. "I'm just not sure if they're going to have food or not. Ary didn't tell me." Before Charlie could answer, there was a knock at the door. "Oh, that must be Ary." I rushed through the hallway and practically threw the door open.
Ary, on the other side of the door, was dressed in a dress similar to mine—only in black. Her red painted lips curled into a smile as she raised her eyebrows at my demeanor. "Are you all right?" she asked warily.
"Yeah," I said breathlessly.
"Hello Chief Swan," she said with a formal tone and stepped forward to shake Charlie's hand. "Thank you for letting Bella come over tonight; it wouldn't be a party without her." Her blue eyes glistened even in the dark and soon had Charlie tripping over his own words.
"Oh, n-not a problem," he said as a thick blush swept across his face. "You two have fun." I smiled and followed Ary outside to her car.
"I forgot to thank you, by the way," Ary said as she unlocked the doors and we both climbed in.
"For what?" I asked curiously.
"For doing your best to keep Eric from inviting his friends," she remarked and turned on the car. "I know it must have been difficult."
I shrugged softly, not wanting to think about how I had tripped over my attempt to flirt with Ary's brother. My face flushed and I sighed, not sure what I was about to experience.
"Oh, there is something I should tell you," Ary said hesitantly. "It appears that Erickson has invited someone despite your request." Her eyes narrowed and her jaw tightened, showing her disapproval for her brother's choice. "I'll understand if you'd prefer to be taken home."
"What? No," I insisted and twisted my body to face her. "Ary, I'm not afraid to be around vampires."
"So I've surmised," she said and threw me a reproachful look before guiding the car onto the highway. "Be that as it may," she continued, "I want you to be on your guard tonight, Bella."
"Why? Who is he inviting?"
"I don't know," Ary said and gripped the steering wheel. "That's what's making me so uncomfortable with this whole situation. Bella, you're my friend; I don't want anything to happen to you." Her voice was filled with worry and briefly reminded me of Edward.
"Ary," I said softly. "There are nine of you. How much trouble can one vampire cause for you?"
"Good evening Bella," Avarice said cordially and kissed my hand, just like the first time I had met him, as we entered the gigantic house. He was dressed in a short sleeve black shirt, black slacks, but no shoes. He me my curious stare and laughed heartily before answering my unspoken question. "Not all of us need to wear shoes, my dear."
"He believes he plays better without them," Ary said airily and shook her head. "But in reality, he got used to bare feet in Japan."
"Japan?" I shook my head, not understanding.
"We stayed there after Skye joined the family," Ary explained and led me to the gigantic sofa as Avarice disappeared upstairs.
"How did Avarice and Skye—well—you know?" I wasn't quite sure how to ask how the two had found one another.
"You mean how did they end up together?" she asked, thoroughly humored by my awkward stuttering. "Well, Avarice found her hunting on the streets in Tokyo and, well, you can say it was love at first sight."
"Hmm," I nodded and tried to hide the pain that surged from that one statement. Love was not a subject that I talked about easily.
"Yeah, you wouldn't know it by looking," Ary continued as Skye bounced into the room and began staring at the ceiling with a strange angry look. "But she is one terrifying little hacker. She was kicked out of M.I.T. and a few other technical schools for...what are you doing?" Ary stared curiously at Skye, who continued to glare at the ceiling.
"There's a snag in the cable," she muttered without looking at us. "I'm thinking it's right here." She pointed above her head with her index finger and crossed her arms.
Ary groaned and rubbed her forehead. "You're not going to crawl around in the ventilation duct again, are you?"
This caught Skye's attention and she glanced at Ary with a mischievous smile before zipping out the same door she had entered from.
"No!" Ary jumped to her feet instantly and sprinted after the Asian vampire, leaving me by myself and curious what that was all about. Before I could contemplate my being alone, a pair of strong arms wrapped
around my shoulders.
"Oh!" I nearly jumped a mile as Eric rested his frigid cheek against mine.
"Hello Eric."
"Mmm, good evening, mi Bella," he cooed softly and stroked my cheek. In a fluid motion, he maneuvered around the couch and took a seat beside me. "I was afraid you wouldn't be coming tonight."
I smiled softly and shifted my body to face him. "I told you that I would."
He nodded and inhaled deeply. "That you did."
We sat in silence for a few seconds before I started speaking again. "So," I said quickly and turned away from his hungry eyes. "What's this I hear about an additional guest?"
"Ah," he said and leaned away from me. "I'm not surprised that Aryana told you about that." I nodded and raised my eyebrows while he straightened his posture and began explaining. "You see, Bella," he started quickly. "I had a friend who was in the neighborhood and I thought it would be polite to invite him."
"I see," I nodded and turned my attention to my hands.
"Mi Bella?" I turned and was immediately captivated by the depth of his smoldering eyes. They burned straight through me and caused my heart to skip a few beats. "I won't let anything happen to you—ever." Before I could answer, a swift knocking startled me and I jumped. My eyes turned towards the door and I wondered who would be on the other side. Eric chuckled and hopped up. "Well, speak of the devil." He earnestly approached the door and opened it.
"Well good evening, Rochester."
"Good evening, Erickson," a deep southern drawl answered Eric's greeting. "May I come in?"
Eric moved out of the way and a figure entered the house, shrouded by the shadows. As he moved into the light, I took a deep breath. Eric's guest was shorter than he but was a close rival in build. His sandy brown hair fell to his ears and rested in a soft comb over style. He was dressed in a white long sleeve button up shirt and black dress pants, which made him look like a businessman of some sort. I was still appraising his appearance when he noticed me.
"Oh, and what is this?" his tone took on a seductive twist as he approached me. His crimson irises, though frightening, seemed hypnotizing as they burned into me. "Erickson, who is this delicious looking party favor?"
A shiver ran through my spine as he approached me, licking his lips slowly. Instantly, Eric appeared in front of me, a growl rumbling in his chest. "She is not a party favor," he spoke each word individually. "She is my guest of honor."
The other vampire raised his eyebrows curiously but did not tear his eyes from me. "Oh?" he said with obvious intrigue. "Then why don't you introduce us?"
"Of course," Eric said and moved back. "Bella Swan, I'd like to introduce you to a very old friend, Daniel Rochester. Rochester, this is my Bella."
A flock of butterflies congregated in my stomach as Eric referred to me as his, but I tried my best to keep my composure. I immediately lifted my hand and offered it to Rochester.
"It's nice to meet you," I muttered with a faltering smile.
Before Rochester could make a move, a loud snarl filled the awkward silence. Three things happened at once: Rochester flew back first across the room, Eric moved in front of me, and the entire McRae family appeared in the living room.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Ary roared and glared at Rochester who stood alone on the opposite side of the room. "Daniel Rochester? Erickson how can you be so stupid?"
"He's a friend, Aryana," Eric hissed but did not move. "He's promised to refrain from—"
"Do you honestly believe," she cut him off, "that his promises mean anything to me?"
"Come now," Rochester spoke with a pleading kindness and took a step forward. "Can't we all be friends, Yana?"
The arguing between Eric and Ary immediately silenced and she turned to face him. She growled and advanced toward the guest, her lips pulling over her teeth. When she was only inches away from him, Ary yanked at his collar, pulling his face to hers, and snarled in his face.
"Do not call me that," she hissed menacingly and pushed him back.
"My apologies, Aryana," he amended and reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out an envelope and smiled smugly at her. "This is for you." Ary tensed as she stared at the envelope but quickly regained her composure. She glowered at Rochester and snatched the envelope from him.
My confusion and curiosity was heightened by this brief exchange, and I couldn't help but wonder what was in the envelope. I didn't get a chance to think of it much longer as Eric wrapped his arm around me and led me outside. The others followed with broad smiles and cheerful laughter. Glancing back, however, I caught Rochester's strange and interested eyes pouring over me. I shivered and faced forward, wondering what all the night had in store for me.
The back of the McRae's house had been decorated with colorful twinkling lights and elegant furniture placed around a roaring bonfire. I took a seat on a comfortable chaise lounge, as did the others. Avarice promptly began playing his bagpipes and Argos joined him with a drum under his arms. The music effortlessly flowed through the air and, before long, almost the entire McRae family was dancing around the fire.
"Bella," Eric's voice caught me off guard and I jumped a little. He smiled apologetically and extended his hand to me. "I'm sorry. Will you dance with me?"
The luminance of Eric's skin hypnotized me as the fire light danced playfully off it. "What was that?" I asked, distracted.
He chuckled and crouched down so he could look me in the eye. "I said," he smiled from ear to ear, "will you dance with me?"
"Dance?" The word made me tense up and brought back horrible memories. The last time I had danced at all was with Edward at prom. My stomach tightened up, forcing me the grip my midsection and wince. "I…uh...don't dance, Eric."
"Don't or won't?" He looked at me, thoroughly humored.
I fidgeted under his gaze and shifted. "I'm not very coordinated; dancing usually ends badly for me."
He chuckled and reached down, ensnaring me in his arms, and lifted me from the safety of my seat. I babbled a few inaudible sounds, confused by his actions, and attempted to push away from him.
"Lucky for you," he mused while I struggled, "that I am extremely coordinated."
Before I could lodge a complaint, Eric had carried me closer to the fire and lowered me to ground. Eric slowly wrapped his arm around my lower back and took my hand in his. The heat coming off the fire contrasted the cold from his skin and caused goose bumps to cover my body.
"Bella, dancing is really not difficult," he whispered to me and edged our bodies closer. His frigid temperature felt pleasant next to the heat radiating from the roaring bonfire. "People who are less coordinated than you can dance. Believe me, I've seen it."
Eric started rocking back and forth and I instinctively lowered my eyes to my feet. Maybe if I watched them, I'd have a less likely chance of tripping on them. His motion stopped and his fingers found my chin, lifting it back up.
"Your face is too lovely to hide," he said with a warm smile.
I sighed and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Eric," I murmured softly though
I knew he could hear me. "I just don't have very good memories associated with dancing."
"Well that's not a good thing," he said and proceeded to start rocking again. I followed his lead and we soon fell into an awkward side to side motion. "You should never have any unpleasant memories, mi Bella."
I shrugged. "That's life I guess." Eric's chest rumbled and I sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Eric. This is your birthday party and I'm being a party pooper."
He laughed heartily and pulled away. "There's no way you could spoil my night, Bella. However, this slow music is kind of grating on my nerves."
I hadn't noticed until now but the music was indeed very melodious and slow. The song he was currently playing sounded like a slower version of mAmazing Grace. Eric broke away from me and waved to Avarice.
"Hey Avarice!" he shouted as the bagpipes stopped. "Let's pick it up, okay? This is a party not a funeral!"
Almost on cue, Avarice leaned back and started playing faster. The tones became light and airy, filling me with a strange happiness that I couldn't comprehend. All the music I had heard recently had filled me with painful memories. Yet this, this beautiful harmonic music, burrowed into my soul and blossomed within me.
I barely noticed when Eric slipped his arm back around my waist and began to guide me around the fire in a swirling motion. Leaning forward, I rested my head on his chest and sighed, feeling the relaxation fill me.
"You see?" Eric murmured as our dancing came to a stop. I raised my curious eyes to him. "You dance beautifully, Bella—when you're not staring at your feet."
I inhaled deeply and smiled at him. "Well, it's nice to have a good partner."
He chuckled lightly and stared at me, his eyes twinkling in the light. However, something behind me caught his attention and his expression darkened. His eyes narrowed and his mouth tightened as he released me.
"Bella," he said without looking at me. "Please excuse me; I'll be right back."
He was instantly gone—moving at vampire speed in the darkness—and I was by myself. I knit my brow as I wondered where Eric had run off to and, moreover, what was wrong. Sighing heavily, I turned back to the chair that I had been sitting in, and almost jumped a mile. Rochester was standing right behind me, a sly smile spread across his face.
"Oh," I exclaimed and put my hand on my chest. "Rochester, you startled me."
He cringed softly and shook his head. "Please Bella, dear, call me Daniel."
There was something about the tone in his voice that made me recoil a bit. Like the calm before the storm, Daniel Rochester's presence made me uneasy. I laughed softly and nodded, anxiously looking for a way around mhim. Unfortunately all the others were sidetracked at the moment; Avarice and Argos were playing, Skye and Melena were engaged in conversation, and Ira and Dante appeared to be whispering behind a tree, while Ary and Eric were nowhere to be seen.
"So, Bella," Rochester said and crossed his arms, his face interested. "How did you meet Erickson?"
I shrugged softly and wrapped my arms around midsection. "We go to the same school." His eyebrows rose curiously. "I'm lab partners with Ary and she introduced us."
"How nice," he smiled and pursed his lips.
"Yeah," I agreed awkwardly and looked over at my empty seat. "Well, I'm gonna go sit down; my calves are killing me."
"Oh, nonsense," Rochester cried happily and snagged my hand roughly. "Please, I must have a dance with you, Bella. I watched you and Erickson earlier. You are such a lovely dancer."
"Oh…well...I," before I could form an actual sentence, Rochester was swirling me around the fire, staring at me hungrily.
"You are such a nice person, Bella," he said and slowed down a bit. "For a human, I mean."
"Thanks."
"You are so wonderful to overlook Erickson's past transgressions," he said idly and gazed off into the distance.
The air caught in my throat and it was my turn to raise my eyebrows curiously. "Past transgressions?"
"Yes," he said and, after seeing my look of confusion, he smiled innocently. "All the women he has been involved with. Oh come now, you did know that he is a high risk commodity, yes?"
I felt numb as Rochester explained the intricacies of Erickson McRae's prior relationships. Every town or city they lived in, Eric had at least two women pining for him, and apparently, he didn't let their desires go unfulfilled.
"I think Beatrice was the last one," he continued with a pondering expression. "Yes, she and Erickson disappeared to Paris for almost a solid month. The family thought he'd never come back."
I took deep breaths, trying to keep the desperation from rising further in my throat. Knowing that Eric had a romantic life before he met me was one thing, but thinking that I was just another conquest was different. Slowly, I pulled away from Rochester and feigned a smile.
"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I'm not feeling well all of sudden."
"Not a problem." His chipper smile confused me, but I simply nodded and retreated back to my seat. The music had once again retreated to a slow ballad, and the other couples were taking advantage of it, swaying and moving to the music. Argos has taken a break from his drums; he and Melena were now locked together on the opposite side of the fire.
My chest began to heave as I scoured the grounds for any sight of Eric. Where did he go? The pain in my stomach clawed at me and slowly snaked itself through my veins. I cringed and wrapped my arms around myself, making a vain attempt to hold it together.
I spotted Rochester, standing a few yards away, and I quickly diverted my gaze. Tears pooled in my eyes as I remembered everything he had told me about Eric. Did I really mean nothing more to Eric than those women had? Had I become another vampire's distraction?
"My kind are easily distracted"
A small cry slipped through my lips, causing the others to look at me curiously, and I immediately covered my mouth with my hand. After a few seconds, the other McRaes lost interest and turned their eyes back to one another. I took deep breaths and looked around for somewhere to take refuge; I couldn't let anyone see me like this.
As I anxiously looked for an outlet, I saw a shadow move from the direction of the back door, and moments later Eric's figure appeared and then disappeared to the front of their house. I was immediately on my feet, heading in his direction. Maybe I can get Eric to take me home. I can tell him I'm not feeling well or something.
I quickly reached the front of the house, but saw nothing and no one. Ary's car was still parked where it had been when we arrived, but other than that, it was empty. Sighing heavily, I leaned against a nearby tree and mcringed at the pain returned. As I gripped my midsection, a strange feeling washed over me—the notion that I was being watched. Turning around, I jumped in surprise as I came face to face with Rochester.
"Oh!" I said and took a step back. "You startled me." Again, I mentally added.
"My apologies, dear Bella." His voice alarmed me; there was something familiar about it. His eyes narrowed as he approached me slowly, a hypnotic smile across his face.
"W-What are you doing up here, Daniel?" I asked and my heart began to thud as a wash of realization hit me. Rochester was a real vampire, meaning that he consumed human blood—and I was the only human for miles.
"Well," he said in a seductively smooth tone. "I saw you come up here and decided to follow you." I nodded. "You see, Bella, I have a bit of a predicament and I was wondering if you could help me."
I swallowed heavily. "S-Sure, I mean, I'll try."
"Good."
Rochester lurched forward, moving at vampire speed, and before I could think about screaming, he had me pinned against a tree. I struggled, even though I knew I had no chance against his vampire strength, and groaned under his massive weight. His sinister chuckling caught my attention and I halted my attempts to break free.
"Oh Bella," he sighed and cupped my face with his hands. "Erickson was so stupid to think he could keep another one of his females from me." He pulled his lips over his teeth and hissed violently.
"P-Please don't do this," I choked out and silently began to prepare myself for death. My mind traced back to Edward and the Cullens; I would never see them again. I tried my best to mentally bring up an image of Edward—a last bit of happiness before I died.
I was only vaguely paying attention to Rochester, who was apparently taking great pleasure in my pleading. He laughed softly and a soft growl rolled through his entire body.
This is it…I love you Edward.
"Bella!"
My eyes snapped open, as a whistling sound filled the air, and Rochester flew fifteen feet away from me. Coughing heavily, I looked down and realized that I was still suspended in midair. I glanced behind me, anxious to see what was holding me up. Avarice had his arms wrapped securely around me, an angry scowl across his face. As he glared angrily towards my assailant, who was now growling and snarling from the ground, he pulled me in closer.
"I'm so sorry, Bella," Avarice mumbled to me.
Taking a deep breath, I looked towards Rochester and noticed he was standing three feet away from me. I tensed up, waiting for him to attack us both and rip me from the arms of Avarice. However, he simply stood there, not moving, a strained look on his face.
Rochester clenched his hands into tight fists and let out an awful roar, his black eyes were fixed on me. He raised his foot to take a step forward but did not move. He remained this way, frozen in place, growling and swiping at the air.
"What—" I began.
A rush of air tossed my hair and an audible snarl cut off my question. I looked at Avarice but he continued to glare at Rochester. When I looked back, Eric had his arms around Rochester's neck.
"I should've known," Eric hissed angrily as he pushed Rochester to the ground. Eric's eyes rested on me temporarily before he lowered himself into a crouch and hissed. "You are always after what's mine, Rochester."
Rochester lifted himself off the ground and grinned at Eric, who was approaching him slowly. "So is this how it ends?" he asked with a malevolent smile. "Don't forget who I am, Erickson. You need me; you all need me!"
As I glanced around, I realized that all the McRaes were now assembled around us. Dante, Ira, Melena, Skye, and Argos were all standing off to the side, hindering a very angry looking Ary while Rochester continued his tirade.
"If you kill me," he hissed directly at Ary. "Who will be your messenger then?"
"Kill you?" Eric raised his eyebrows as he stood straight. "Who said anything about killing you, my friend?"
My mouth fell open as Rochester rose slowly and Eric embraced him. Eric was going to forgive him like that? I pursed my lips angrily, narrowed my eyes, and lowered my eyes. Fine, this proves it. I'm a distraction. However, right as my eyes lowered, an ear piercing scream forced my head to snap back up. I cringed in horror as I saw Eric standing with both of Rochester's arms in his hands, while Rochester himself lay writhing on the ground. Taking a deep breath, I coughed on a heavy sulphuric odor that was permeating the immediate area. Steaming liquid was pouring from Rochester's wounds and killing the grass on contact.
"Oh my god," I muttered and leaned back against Avarice, who tightened his hold on me.
"I want to make this perfectly clear," Eric's voice had taken on the same seductive tone that Rochester's had. "If you ever touch Bella again—I will kill you." With a flick of his wrists, Eric tossed the scrambling arms to the mground.
Rochester quickly maneuvered his body beside one of his severed appendages and proceeded to awkwardly reattach it. After a few seconds he stood up, now only missing one arm, and hissed at Eric.
The McRae family began moving forward and Rochester, seeing that he was massively outnumbered, lifted his hand in surrender. "Fine," he growled bitterly and affixed his other arm to his shoulder. Once it was reattached, he stared curiously at Eric. "So what now, McRaes?"
"Leave." There was no question in Eric's statement and Rochester could see it. He tightened his jaw and bowed forward before turning and disappearing into the night.
There was silence for what seemed like an eternity. Not one of the McRaes looked at one another or me. It took me a few seconds to realize that Avarice's arms were no longer wrapped around me. I sighed and rubbed my shoulders, realizing how cold they had gotten in his embrace.
Then, I took a step forward.
"Bella," Ary's quiet voice sent a surge of comfort and I turned to face her. "I-I'm so s-sorry."
I stared at her, wanting to say something—anything. However, the only thing I could do was open my mouth and say, "I need to go home." Ary nodded and motioned for me to follow. As I passed him, I touched Eric lightly on the shoulder but he didn't look at me. "Eric, I'm sorry."
I didn't look up to see his reaction; I simply jogged after Ary and slipped inside her car. As soon as I buckled my seatbelt, I let a sob rip through my body and all the tears I had been holding in were released. As Ary drove into the night, I cried out and let myself fall to pieces.
Aside from my sobbing, the ride home was silent as a ghost. Ary made no attempt to reach out to me or comfort me as she had when I first met her. Although this was what I was used to—suffering in silence—I did miss her concern.
Finally, after my crying had died down, we turned on a familiar street and in front of my house. Ary turned off the engine and leaned back into her seat with a sigh. "Are you all right?" she asked softly without looking at me.
"I-I think so," my voice and lips trembled as I stared at her. "Ary?" She still didn't look at me. "Will you please look at me?"
She took a deep breath and shifted to face me. The sadness in her eyes completely overwhelmed me and I reached forward, grasping her hand. "I'm so sorry, Ary."
Her sad eyes contorted to shock instantly. "What in the world do you have to be sorry for Bella?"
"For being human," I muttered and lowered my eyes. "And for ruining Eric's birthday party."
She groaned and rubbed her temples. "Bella, if anyone ruined Eric's birthday party, it was Eric. He knowingly invited that trash here and—god, Bella, if I had known that's who he invited, I never would have…"
"Who is he?" Rochester had seemed to believe he was an integral part to their life. I couldn't help wondering what his purpose was.
She sighed heavily. "He's a messenger of sorts," she grumbled and turned away from us. "He ferries information to us from outside sources."
"What outside sources?" I asked curiously.
"It's not important, Bella."
I took a deep breath and glanced back at my house. For a second, I swore that I saw Charlie peering out the window at us. Well, that's not a remote possibility. "All right, Ary," I said slowly and opened the car door. "I should probably go."
"Yeah," she agreed and nodded.
"Will you do me a favor?" I implored as I turned around to look at her."Would you tell Eric that I'm sorry—for everything?"
"No, I won't," she growled and gripped the steering wheel. "You did absolutely nothing wrong, Bella."
I nodded and shut the door before heading towards my house. I heard Ary's car disappear into the distance and I grimaced as the memories of the night rested on me. More than anything else, I thought about everything Rochester had told me about Eric. Was it true? Or had he just wanted to get me away so he could eat me?
"Well," I said bitterly as I unlocked the door. "They can't all be Edward."
Author's Note: Repost