There was a sharp burning feeling between my neck and shoulder, it felt like fire was licking at my skin, and I couldn't stop it. I opened my mouth to try and yell for help but nothing came out. The faceless figure was there then, kneeling beside me. Their hand was outstretched, coming to lie above my heart. Before I knew it, the hand went inside my chest, grasping the beating organ with its cold fingers. Blinding pain swept through my body and up my spine. I tried to get away, move my muscles at least a little bit, but to no avail. I was stuck laying here, at the mercy of whoever that figure was. "It'll all be over soon…" the voice echoed.

A cold hand at my throat brought me back to the real world, head snapping up in an instant. Bloody eyes stared down at me through the darkness, searching my face. Startled, I jumped back, shakily coming to stand on my feet. The confines of sleep still pulled at my mind, at my eyes, and I couldn't focus on anything. That is, until I felt my back collide with a hard wall. Shaking my head I glared in the direction of my attacker. Edward was walking forward, slowly stalking closer to me. His eyes were no longer the golden color I was used to, no…they were piercing red, and were fixed right on my pulse point. Quickly jumping to the side, over the bed, I ran for the door, but he met me there. Before I knew what was happening we were on the floor, his mouth inches away from my veins.

"Get offa me!" I roared, pushing with all my strength against his chest. It seemed like I was trying to push a triple-sided brick wall. Using my head to slam on his own I managed to stun him and roll over.

"Stop moving" he growled out, standing once more, before tackling me right into a dresser. This time I couldn't even budge him, he was holding down my arms and my legs with his own brute strength. There was no way I could transform, not while he was on top of me, because to do that I needed plenty of room.

"Edward, stop!" Carlisle yelled, coming in right as he was about to dig his fangs through my skin. I took that as my chance to knee him right in the crotch and shove him off, quickly coming to balance on two feet afterward. Using the wall as support Edward got up as well, keeping his head low.

"What is wrong with you?" Emmett shouted, disturbed by looks of things. Edward pushed him lightly away and exited the room, sulking down the hallway. Carlisle looked from me to the space where he once was and shook his head.

"So doc, mind explaining what the hell that was for?" I asked irritably, massaging a sore wrist from the impact with the floor. I followed him out and to his office, along with Alice and Jasper, who had come to investigate the situation. I took a look at Jaspers' face, seeing how tired and distraught he truly was. One couldn't help but show pity, especially at the fact that he had to live with someone like Edward. That guy was mood swing central.

"Jacob, my apologies for how Edward behaved" Carlisle said, taking a seat behind a large desk. The only light in the room came from the long lamp in the right corner, so his face was cast in shadows. I sighed, throwing one arm over the back of a cushioned chair that was in the front as we all sat together. Alice was looking at her hands while Jasper rubbed her shoulder comfortingly – they actually made a pretty good couple, for freaks that is…

"It's not your fault" I responded, feeling sorry for them at that moment. "I mean…maybe I said something in my sleep to piss the guy off, who knows."

Jasper chuckled, which brought a small smile to my lips – he truly didn't seem so bad. Carlisle cleared his throat, putting his elbows on the desk with his fingers laced.

"As I observed, his eyes were bloodshot, which means he has not fed on anything within the past couple of days. That's very dangerous for our kind, along with the people around them, and I should have noticed it sooner when he came to talk to me."

The doc was blaming himself for Edward attacking me, which wasn't right at all.

"Seriously, it's okay. I'm really not angry, surprisingly, but it sounds like an accident. I can take getting thrown to the floor many times before it becomes an offense."

"Well" Alice chimed in, "Ed went to feed now…right?"

"Is that what you see?" Jasper asked, low and quiet. She nodded and continued talking.

"It's vague, and I can barely make out the pictures, but he's stalking something at the moment. Like a deer…I think…and that should be able to suffice for the time being."

A tiny feeling of relief passed over my body, seeing as now Edward wouldn't want to use me as a late night snack any time soon. This brought another question to my mind…

"Why did he go after me?"

Everyone turned their heads in my direction, giving a long stare that sent an awkward feeling my way. Sinking down to the floor a little, slouching, I tried to avoid it as best as I could. Carlisle was the only one to speak.

"It's your blood."

"But why mine? Don't I disgust him or whatever?"

Jasper laughed once more, feeling the comic sense coming from me. Strangely I was glad to see him slightly happy. We may not have met, nor had any proper introduction, but from the stories I heard - he hadn't smiled in a long time.

"I think it's because you and Ed are connected" Alice stated, twirling her thumbs together.

"Then couldn't he have come after your blood? Aren't you all connected…one big happy family…you know, that kind of thing?"

"Rarely vampires will feed on their own kind. It's quite gruesome, rest assured, and we will only do it if the foe is weaker or the quick nourishment is needed" Carlisle explained, being as detailed as necessary.

My stomach did a small flip at the thought of Edward killing his own family, how sick that must be to watch. The blood that would cover his mouth, even his shirt, coming from his own kin…how nasty would that be? I shuddered, trying to block the horrible mental image.

"Do not worry now though, Jacob, he will be taken care of as needed. Once he returns home, Esme and I will have a talk with him. You can go back to sleep, if you'd like."

The warm smile I received caused me to mirror the expression, standing and saying my goodnights. Footsteps followed mine as I headed to the room, getting closer and closer. Jasper entered the room after me, and it looked like he wanted to talk.

"What can I do for you?" I playfully asked, daring to take a seat on Edward's bed. Jasper just sat on the edge, closer to me than I had expected. I guess he didn't think I was a weirdo, like everyone else…

"I just wanted to ask you something…" he began, intently looking straight ahead. I tilted my head to the side, keeping my eyes glued to his face.

"And what's that?"

"Do you…really intend to help us?"

The question threw me off guard, and I had to think of what it meant for a few minutes.

"Help you, as in…fix Edward?"

A smirk appeared on his lips, and he shook his head as if saying 'No'.

"Not that. I meant help all of us."

I really wasn't following what he was saying.

"What do you mean…help all of you? Isn't he the only one with problems?"

"We all have some sort of problem. I think you'll be able to help Edward, even if it takes awhile, because like Alice says – you two are connected. And by helping him, you help the whole family. Get it?"

I gave a small nod, not understanding at all, but trying to act.

He looked my way then, one eyebrow raised, smirk still present.

"Really? Because your emotions say otherwise."

I laughed, lying back against the cool sheets.

"You caught me."

My head was filled with nothing but pleasant feelings as the night went on, Jasper not leaving my side for one second as we talked through the early hours of morning. And when I eventually dozed off I actually felt safe, for once, inside that foreign house.

'There's no me…without you…'