CHAPTER 5

"You…you talked about Edward a lot, mostly wondering what you'd done wrong, why he didn't love you like he should have... It's nothing to be ashamed of Bella. I've seen few people love someone else the way you loved Edward."

I focused on my entwined fingers. "It's just so hard. I know it would be easier for me to deal with if I knew what I'd done wrong, why he didn't want me," I whispered, letting my hair fall forward to hide my face.

Emmett took my chin in his cold hand and turned my face to look at him, brushing my hair behind one ear to look at me more clearly. "You did nothing wrong Bella. It's his fault that all of this happened. You did everything right, you loved him, wanted him. It was he who did not let you go before he had you. He knew what he was risking when he got involved with you. He was just too selfish to stay away from you. You are an amazing person Bella, worthy of anyone's love, even if they don't know it themselves. I've never met anyone like you."

I felt tears trickling from my eyes. "Thank you Emmett, for everything," I said quietly.

He pulled me close for a hug and whispered back, "it's what you do for the ones you love."

I remembered Alice saying almost the exact same thing and blushed again. What was with this family? "Oh my god! Charlie! Oh he's going to be furious that I didn't call him!" I said suddenly, remembering that I'd spent the night here without permission.

Emmett chuckled again. "Don't worry about it. Alice called last night and told him that you'd fallen asleep and it would just be easier for you to stay the night. Of course, since he's infatuated with her, he had no problem with that."

I let out a sigh of relief and leaned back against the back of the couch. "Oh, did Alice and Carlisle figure anything out about her visions?"

"Um, no. They still don't know why you've suddenly become invisible to her sight. They are considering an outside force, but…it's hard to believe since it's only affecting her visions of you."

I frowned but soon gave up trying to think of an explanation for this oddity.

"Hey, will you be alright here by yourself? I just…I need to hunt and I wasn't sure last night if you'd be alright here by yourself while everyone else was busy and I didn't want to leave you alone…" Emmett said hesitantly.

"Sure, sure. I'll be fine. Go ahead."

From his pocket he pulled a small black phone. "Call Rosalie if you have any problems. I'll be with her. And…you'll be here alone, the others are hunting and Carlisle is at work, so try not to kill yourself while I'm gone," he teased.

I grinned and took the phone. "I'll try to be careful, but that's such a hard thing for me to do…"

He grinned back and disappeared. With a sigh I looked around the living room. Finding nothing to hold my attention, I made my way slowly up the stairs and found myself in Edward's room. I hadn't been in here since Edward's world shattering news and was only slightly surprised to find that little had changed. There might have been a few outfits missing, but other than that the whole room looked the same. I sat down on the couch and stared blankly at the wall of CDs.

As I sat there the wind suddenly blew through a window I hadn't known was open. When I looked over my heart stopped in my chest. Crouched in front of me, her wild red hair flying in the sudden wind, was Victoria.

"Well hello Bella. I was hoping you would be here," she said in a voice that would have been beautiful if I hadn't been so terrified.

"I…what do you want?" I whispered though knowing that there was only one reason she would be here.

"Well, I would have thought it was obvious. But since you apparently don't know I suppose I'll have to tell you. I'm here for revenge. Your precious Edward killed James, and so I'm here to kill you. See the way I see it is a mate for a mate. He killed the one I loved so I plan on killing the one he loves, you." Her red eyes flashed dangerously.

My heart clenched. "I guess I should tell you then, Edward doesn't love me. He…he never loved me. He used me and now he's left. He won't care if you kill me, so your revenge will be wasted," I said dispassionately.

She frowned in confusion, "how do I know you're not lying to save yourself?" she demanded.

I looked straight into her eyes. "I have no reason to lie anymore. Either way you'll kill me. If I'm lying and Edward does love me, you'll kill me. If I'm telling the truth and he really did leave me you'll still kill me," I replied.

She smiled, "oh but you're wrong there Bella. I wouldn't kill you. I'd give you what you desire most."

I looked at her skeptically. "What I desire most? You didn't even know Edward was gone."

She let out a tinkling laugh, "no silly Bella. You do not desire Edward above all else. Surely you have been able to feel your resentment building, your hatred? No, what you desire most is to get back at him. And you know that you would have no chance, the way you are."

I stood there confused for only a moment before understanding flooded me and I gasped. "You plan to turn me?" I whispered, surprised at how much I suddenly wanted this above all else.

She nodded, "that way I not only get back at Edward by doing what he didn't want done to you, but I also get to cause you three days of excruciating pain. Plus there's nothing quite like knowing that I turned you against him… It's a win-win situation for me, and in the end it's a win situation for you too."

If I had expected her to wait for me to give my okay I would have been surprised, but I knew she would do it when and how she wanted to and so I was not surprised when she lunged for me and bit my neck. She laid me gently across the couch, kissed my forehead in farewell, and disappeared out the window before the pain started. When it did I let out an unearthly scream that was so loud I was sure the whole town of Forks could hear it.

Time seemed to stop as I lay on Edward's couch, trying to hold in my screams, writhing in unbelievable pain. I didn't know how much time had past when I heard Emmett's voice.

"Bella! Oh god! No!" he shouted over the screams I could no longer contain. "Carlisle!" he yelled.

I didn't know what was happening, but I did hear Carlisle's voice. "She's been bitten."

"Can we stop it? The way Edward did last time?" Esme whispered urgently.

"No," Carlisle said faintly. "The venom has spread too far; we would not be able to stop it and might just end up killing her. Though…she might prefer that to what she will become."

"No!" I screamed. "No, I want this! I need it!" I couldn't say any more. My body was overcome with wracking convulsions as pain flashed red hot through my veins.