Chapter 19: Fire In The Blood


Max PoV


I was falling off a cliff. Without wings.

I wasn't going through this all again. I refuse.

Aiming myself downwards I dived into the water. Slicing through the icy depths like a bullet. I couldn't stop. Closing my eyes, I curled into a tight ball. As I began to slow I realised I wasn't freezing. It felt more like an isolation tank than a freezing sea. In fact it was almost exactly like an isolation tank.

It was so dark. I couldn't feel anything. There was no sound. Scratch that. Someone was saying my name. Whispering it. They were getting closer.

"Max, I'm coming for you Max." It rasped, sounding like a zombie out of a horror film.

Something brushed my arm. It felt like a cross between ice and paper. I flinched away automatically. I'd rather I still couldn't feel anything.

"I've got you Max." The papery hand closed itself slowly around my wrist. "There's no escaping now."

I desperately tried to pull away, but it was so strong. Too strong.

I felt its other hand brush my cheek. I tried to turn my face away, but I was held in a vice-like grip and turned towards the voice. I squeezed my eyes even more tightly shut.

"Yes, you'll do very nicely." It was right by my ear now. "I wonder if I'll be able to stop..."

It trailed off and a cold shiver ran through my body.

Lips touched my neck. Then, quick as lightening, teeth sank into my shoulder making me gasp in surprise, pain and fear. They stayed for a count of three and were gone. I stopped breathing.

"Now just to wait, patiently. I would say that I am sorry about this, but I'm not." I was disturbed by his laughter, but soon forgot all about it.

Immense pain spread through my being. I screamed. It was like a brain attack, all over. The fire started at my shoulder, where I had been bitten, and seeped down into my arm. Next, it flared across my shoulders and down the other arm. Then it grew up my neck and head, before it took a wander down towards my legs. The top half of me was now aflame, my legs well on their way. By the time it reached my toes I was far beyond screaming.

All I was aware of was the fire in my blood and the cool hand on my arm.

Wait. The cool hand on my arm?

"Max?" That voice. I knew it from somewhere. However, I wasn't used to the pure panic laced through it. "Max? Can you hear me?"

I wanted to reply. To stop the pain I could hear. Pain caused by seeing me in pain.

Instead I felt myself giving up.

"Max? Max? Someone do something!" Another voice cut through the veil of fire that covered me. It was a young boy, scared out of his wits.

I was falling down a hole again. This time never to return.

"Carlisle, should we?" This voice sounded like soft velvet.

"MAX!"

I gasped. Angel's voice pierced my ears and brain as she screamed with her voice and mind.

I couldn't stop. I couldn't let go. Angel needed me. My Flock needed me.

It was like climbing up from the deepest depths of the darkest pit, but I managed.

I felt the pain slipping away. I opened my eyes to find a familiar pair staring into them.

"Fang." I breathed.

"Max? Are you okay?"

I nodded. It was all I could do. The pain had affected me badly. Although it was just a dream it had all felt so real.

"What pain?" Edward's voice cut through the air. I jumped; I hadn't noticed anyone besides Fang.

"Nothing. It was just a dream."

I didn't register the fact I hadn't spoken aloud. I was used to people replying to my thoughts.

"What happened?" Fang was now sitting by my feet. He didn't take his eyes off my face.

"It started at the end of the last one. I had just..." Fang nodded. The rest of the Flock gathered round, sitting on the bed. Angel and Gazzy lay down with me, taking a shoulder each as a pillow. I wrapped my arms round them. "Then I ran outside and jumped off a cliff, ironically, to get away. But he had ripped my... My wings..."

Bella and Alice gasped.

"That's what you meant. Oh that's horrible." Bella said softly. Edward put his arm round her.

I swallowed before continuing. "I dived into the water. I kept going down, for ages. When I finally stopped, I couldn't see or feel anything. It was like the isolation tank." I shuddered at the memory. "Then I heard this voice. It was raspy. It kept whispering my name, saying it was coming to get me. It came closer, then when it got to me it... It said something about me doing nicely. Then it bit me."

The room froze.

"That's when the pain started." I continued, exchanging a glance with Fang. "It spread from my shoulder to the rest of my body. It was like..."

"Like you were on fire. Like you were going to die from the pain." Emmett whispered.

"Yeah."

The Cullens all exchanged glances. There was an awkward silence. Angel's face was deep in concentration. Surprise crossed her face every few seconds.

"Who's hungry?" Alice said suddenly.

The Flock all looked at me. I nodded and they all ran out the door. After giving me a huge hug, of course.

Fang walked slowly to the door and closed it, before turning back to me.

I was shaking, trying not to cry.

Crossing the room in three steps, he pulled me into a hug. Holding me gently, as if he was afraid I'd break. Then, when he felt my arms round his neck and me bury my head in his shoulder, his arms tightened so I could barely breathe.

We stayed like that for ages, neither one of us saying anything. We didn't have to.

Fang pulled back first. He looked intently at me, his eyes searching my face.

"You okay?" He asked again.

"Yeah. I just..." He nodded.

I smiled. It was so easy with Fang. I didn't have to put everything into words. He either knew what I meant, or knew I didn't want to talk about it so didn't push it.

He smiled back at me. I felt his hand brush my cheek. His fingers touched under my chin and he looked into my eyes. As if asking permission.

I was about to nod, when there was a crash from the hallway.

I yanked the door open, to find Alice on her knees. Her family and Bella surrounded her. The Flock were standing at the top of the stairs.

"Alice? What did you see?" A young, motherly woman asked. Her hand placed reassuringly on Alice's shoulder.

"Rosalie... The... The Volturi..." She gasped. "They're coming... They... They know about Max. Max!"

Her head snapped up and her eyes met mine. I gasped and stumbled back against Fang.

Alice's eyes were black as coal. I mean, gold's weird, but black?

"Max. You have to go... Take your family and go! Don't tell us where, just leave! Bella will have to go with you. Don't argue!" She ordered, seeing both me and Bella open our mouths. "Bella, you know what the Volturi are like. They expect you to be changed. If you're not, they'll kill you."

Fear flashed through Bella's eyes. Edward pulled her close to him and the motherly lady took her hand.

"What are you talking about? Who are the Volturi?" Every eye snapped to me. It was quite creepy.