Two chapters in one day! Woohoo!
After much debate, I decided to take this course of action. I hope I didn't disappoint, and thanks for all the input!
Five minutes later things began to happen.
Robert ordered the two tellers to get over and sit next to us – and afraid of giving away Seth's hiding place, they didn't put up any kind of a fight. Mary Anne sank trembling into the seat next to me, and I grabbed her hand. She sent me a grateful look, as we sat waiting to see what would happen next.
My heart jumped into my throat as Robert moved in front of him, putting his back directly to Seth. The young werewolf's face was serious now as he once again cautiously peeked out. I tried to watch him without looking as if I were.
As Robert launched into another tirade, Seth held up five fingers. I realized what he was going to do.
Four fingers.
I glanced at Carlisle – he was watching, too, a lot less conspicuously than I was. He didn't release my hand, but he was on the edge of his seat, ready for action.
Three fingers.
Robert pointed the gun at Mr. Kendall, who flinched back. Robert laughed, enjoying the little man's terror.
Two fingers.
I nodded – it was now or never.
One finger…
"No, Seth!" Carlisle roared, surging out of his seat, pulling me with him. The gunman had settled his finger over the trigger. If Seth hit him now, someone would die…
But it was too late, Seth came flying out and tackled him low in the back of the legs, pitching him forward.
I knew what was going to happen.
Time stopped. I was suspended in a vacuum, watching this happen to someone else. The horrifying future played out a million times in my mind, each with the same ending. Carlisle must not get shot.
I threw myself between him and the gunman just as the gun went off.
A blazing hot ball of fire knocked me backwards, slamming me into Carlisle. His body was hard, and I bounced off before he could catch me.
He didn't let me hit the floor.
The next thing I knew he was cradling me in his stone lap, my body lying at a twisted angle on the cold tile.
It was hard to breathe. Black spots danced in my vision.
I brought my hands up to my stomach; I could feel the blood pulsing out of the wound, hot and steaming. Too much blood. When I lifted my hand to my eyes, it was dripping with it. Red rivers coated my fingers and slid down my forearm.
I let it fall, too weak to hold it up and too much in shock to care.
"Bella," Carlisle's voice was measured and calm. "You're okay, you're safe now. Just hold on until the ambulance gets here. You hold on, do you understand me?"
I forced myself to focus on his intense ocher eyes. I was vaguely aware of Seth holding the gunman in the corner with his own gun; Mary Anne and Lilly hovering anxiously nearby; Mr. Kendall murmuring to himself agitatedly.
But soon even that faded away, until I was focusing only on him. "Stay awake," he ordered me, applying pressure to my stomach. It hurt, but in a vague way. I was barely aware of it any more.
The darkness yawned at the edge of my vision, enticing me, drawing me under.
"Breathe, Bella!" he commanded tensely, "Breathe!"
His face was the last thing I saw.