In the Grip of Twilight
By: Olivia Tannis Moore
Chapter Eleven: Tight Wire –Part 2
"This means that we've won! We've won! I have to tell Father…" Elena said, elated. She danced around the chest, looking in as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
Carlisle stood rigid, glaring at her. "We've won nothing! In fact, we may lose everything!"
Elena ignored him. She danced over to where Edward and I stood, but her admiring gaze was only for Edward. "You'll be legend. I knew there was something exceptional about you…" She leaned in and rubbed her hands over his chest and arms body in adoration. "I smelled it in your blood." Her tongue flicked forth and caressed his cheek. I looked on in astonishment as she gave in to the desires Edward provoked. Had the girl no shame? It was all I could do to keep from shoving her away.
Edward took hold of Elena's wrists. "Control yourself," he hissed.
Elena gazed up at him coyly. "We will make a magnificent pairing, you and I. There is nothing we couldn't do." Her fingers flexed as if she itched to touch him, even as her wrists were still in Edward's grasp. "Come with me," she pleaded.
Edward clinched his jaw. I could see the muscles twitch as he fought to restrain his anger. "That's out of the question," he replied. "I belong here."
"Then we'll stay here," she said triumphantly. "It's a bit primitive…but if I'm with you I'll endure it."
Edward pushed her wrists away and she stumbled back. Catching herself against the Egyptian chest, she smiled as if she liked his aggressiveness. At any moment I thought she might purr.
"Elena," Carlisle said with a touch of warning in his voice. "Don't do this. You disgrace yourself and you don't even realize it."
Instantly she turned on Carlisle. "How dare you—" she spat.
Carlisle shook his head. "Come up to the house and we'll discuss this. You need to know the facts before you speak to your father."
"I'm well aware of the facts—I was taught with the facts. The battle has been won and the Lycans don't even know it yet." She leaned her head back and laughed. "And I'm here to bear witness to all this," she spread her hands over the opening of the chest.
"We're in a truce with the Lycans. A fragile truce…but an enduring one. There is no power with the Forgotten's death. Only destruction. You've listened to too many fables," Carlisle tried to tell her. He turned to the chest. "Did you see this?" he pointed to the head of the Forgotten. "The virus is mutating."
I looked sharply at Edward, remembering the bite and the strange eel-like worms beneath the creature's skin. He hadn't the chance to tell Carlisle about the bite yet. There was so much going unsaid, so many pieces of the puzzle that my mind was swimming in confusion. Did this mutating virus have anything to do with the Forgotten leaving his territory and these strange occurrences with Alice's premonitions and Jasper's trouble? Had Edward noticed anything strange within himself?
Elena glanced over to where Carlisle pointed for about two seconds and then rolled her eyes. "I don't see anything."
"You didn't even look…" I said, frustrated at her blasé attitude. I wanted her to see those things writhing about in there. It seemed like the weight of the world was hanging in the balance…
As if he knew he was the only one who could persuade her to listen to Carlisle, he said. "Let's listen to what Carlisle has to say—okay, Elena?"
She smiled at Edward. That sultry manner was back, she practically smoldered with it. "If that's what you want to do," she purred, "then I'm game."
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(Note: Forgive me for any typos, I only spot-checked. No time for a full edit. Thanks for reading! ---OTM )