*** This story contains some mild language, suspense, romance, and some frightening images and situations—13 and older, please.

In the Grip of Twilight

By:

Olivia Tannis Moore

Chapter Seventy Seven:

Full Circle

Adel was flailing about frantically now, and I was trying to hang on. Somehow I knew that if I pulled away now, I would never get her still enough to bite again…it would be the end.

But I was having more difficulties than simply holding on…I had started feeling queasy, and now that discomfort was turning into real pain. It hadn't taken much effort to trace the cause and isolate that pain to Aro's trapped venom, which felt as if it were slowly poisoning me. Every fiber in my body was screaming that his venom must be purged; I was nearly doubled over with the cramps that convulsed through my body. Yet, I couldn't let go…to let go would mean that Adel would surely die. And although it seemed she might die anyway, I couldn't accept that it would be because I gave in to the pain.

Adel began to thrash wildly, her jerky movements nearly separating my teeth from her neck. I felt Zeke's large hand on my back. "I'm trying to hold her still," he said. "Please, please…do something to help her," he pleaded over and over again, the raw emotion in his voice pressing me on and keeping my mind off my own pain.

I heard my pounding heartbeat in the shallow void Aro's venom had left. And as I struggled to think, I suddenly had an idea. It wasn't much of an idea, but it was the only idea that came to me, and the only choice I had left to try.

And no sooner had I decided to pursue this idea when it happened, and I was pouring myself into Adel's body.

"What'd you do?" Zeke cried out, and for a moment I froze, afraid that I had done something irreparable. Adel had stopped thrashing—had I killed her?

But then, he laughed with relief and said, "It's working! Whatever you did…it's working."

I barely heard him; the pain was intensifying, washing over me in waves and sapping my strength. I didn't remember letting go of Adel's throat as I collapsed onto the wood floor. Above me, a ray of sunlight was beaming through the part in the curtains. It was so warm on my skin…and I was so unbearably cold. There was a strange clicking sound in the background. I wondered what it could be, but then I realized it was my own teeth chattering together.

"Bella…" he said from that far-away place. "Don't worry, Bella, it'll be alright." That sole ray of sunlight was fading, soon to disappear completely as my world plunged into darkness.

**

When I opened my eyes, I was staring eyelevel at green spikes of grass, the side of my face pressed into the spongy ground. Immediately I recognized the green-painted house in the background; I was in Zeke's small backyard, though I couldn't remember how I got there.

I pushed myself up onto my hands and then sat cross-legged on the damp ground. My head still felt funny, disoriented, and my limbs were weak—my arms felt heavy. I looked around, trying to remember just what had happened after Adel had stabilized, but I couldn't get past the fog in my head. The sound of the screen door slamming brought my head around to house once more, and I watched as Zeke strode out with a glass of water in his hand.

"What happened?" I asked as I took the water from his outstretched hand. I was parched—I couldn't remember ever being this thirsty before—my tongue felt thick and swollen…and there was an bitter, acidic taste in my mouth that I couldn't seem to get rid of no matter how many times I swallowed.

Zeke shuffled his feet uncomfortably, finally sinking to the grass beside me. "You stayed in there too long," he said, but then quickly added, "but if you hadn't Adel wouldn't have made it, so I'm in your debt."

I shook my head still trying to clear the cobwebs. "Yes, I remember that part…but why am I out here?"

He seemed surprised by my question. "You blacked out," he explained slowly. And when it was apparent I still wasn't getting the entire picture, he continued, "You really are inexperienced, aren't you? You blacked out and I had to assist you…to purge the venom." He pointed to a spot on the ground where the grass was dark and oily.

I cupped my hand over my mouth, muffling my disgust. "That's…that's Aro's venom?"

He nodded.

"Why's it black? Why isn't it the usual golden, topazy color?"

He shrugged. "It could be age, or evil, or sin…maybe, for all I know I turned it black with my own venom—can't know for sure. But my favorite guess is that the leach was so contaminated with evil his venom turned to dark sludge."

"That's too gross for words…" I said, still holding my hand over my face. I didn't want to think about that slime being in my body. And poor Adel—she'd had it inside her for years.

"That's why you have to purge the bad stuff you take from people, Bella. It's like poison—the quicker you get rid of it the better."

I nodded, remembering the pain Aro's venom had caused. "Adel…how is she?"

Zeke smiled timidly. "Resting. Looks like she's going to be fine…and human again. I don't understand how it worked…you gave her your human blood…and it worked."

"I don't understand it either, Zeke. It shouldn't have worked, but I was out of options, you know. I guess we should just be thankful that she's alive."

Zeke took my wrist and then clasped my hand. "I'm more grateful than you could possibly know. We're at the beginning again, with all those concerns about Adel's humanity and our limited time together…but she's young and we'll make the time we do have together count. It's quality, not quantity that matters, right?"

I was the wrong person to ask. This entire adventure had begun with my obsession with immortality, my desire to be with Edward forever at the expense of my humanity. My fight with Edward had me searching for the path of our meadow where I'd encountered The Forgotten. My whole life had changed with that encounter, and yet, I was still mortal to a degree. And now that I'd made Adel human again, I'd come full circle in a way that baffled me.

The sun was setting behind the forest of trees. "I have to get back to Muriel's house," I told Zeke. "Besides, I'm sure you're anxious to get back inside to Adel and start your life together…without barriers."

He smiled shyly. "Yeah, I am."

***

(Thanks for reading. See you all next week. OTM)