It's Christmas morning - and here's your present: A CHAPTER! YAAY!
Chapter Seventeen
April's POV
Emmett and Alice went quietly.
April, however, not knowing who Bella was, fought to get away from the vampires forcing them into three different cars.
"April!" Emmett finally yelled. Her gaze flicked to his for a second, but she didn't stop thrashing against the vampires' hold.
"Alicia, please. They have Bella." His voice cracked when he said her name, and pain broke through his face. April saw that Bella was important to him...but she was just a human. Humans mattered, sure. But why should three vampires have to die to save her? Desperately, April looked over at Alice. But she showed the same pleading face – begging her not to do anything stupid. After April's moment of hesitation, she was thrown into a black minivan behind her. Three men – vampires – entered with her, watching her carefully. Furiously, April swore loudly and slumped back against the wall of the van.
Emmett's POV
As soon as they told him they had Bella, Emmett didn't fight. He knew that if he tried to escape they'd probably kill her. He was now sitting in the back of a minivan with Alice and quite a few other people. Everyone's eyes were on them – watching their every move. Alice didn't breathe, but sat and watched. Her face was blank, but not distant like her vision-face. After a few seconds of sitting, the van started moving. It was a very quiet car – well, to human ears.
Finally, Alice spoke up.
"Prove it." Her voice wasn't squeaky and cheerful as it usually was. It was still her voice, but slightly lower and more serious.
"Prove what?" one of the vampires asked. It was a man, frozen at his mid-thirties. He was bald and wore the same black clothes as everyone else.
"That you have Bella." Alice snapped, looking up at him. A few people laughed in the small space, and something was passed between them. When it finally reached Alice and Emmett, he was first to grab it. It was a small screen with some sort of film from a camera playing. It looked like it was live. It showed a small room – white walls and floor. Inside were a little white speaker and a girl, lying crumpled in the corner. As Emmett concentrated, he saw shiny large, brown eyes looking up at the camera. It was Bella.
Emmett let a vicious snarl erupt from his throat and jumped up, tossing the screen at the van wall – it flew through, making a large hole. Everyone acted at once, Alice jumped up to help Emmett, and so did the other vampires. But their goal wasn't to help – it was to throw themselves at Emmett and restrain him. He was larger and more skilled, but they were stronger as they drank human blood. Emmett fought against them, and saw Alice starting to fight as well.
It was all in a blur, people flying everywhere – even a couple dismantled body parts slamming into the walls. Emmett used their inexperience to his advantage, feinting in one direction but going the other. These vampires stuck together – they were used to working in a team. The space they fought in was tiny, but during their brawl the chairs had been knocked flat. The driver didn't stop. The windows were all blacked out, so Emmett and Alice had no idea where they were going.
Alice was also very skilled – seeing their moves before they thought of them. After five minutes, three out of six of the vampires were in pieces strewn across the van. The other three held their ground and waited for the attack, but instead of doing so, Emmett and Alice, after a nod of communication, ripped open the back emergency door and jumped out of the speeding van.
April's POV
April heard a huge crash somewhere outside of the van and horrible screeches. There were some ripping noises and what sounded like bending metal. A few snarls and growls, and finally a crashing sound. The three vampires with April stood –which was hard with the low ceiling. They muttered words in what sounded like Russian, before one of them opened the door. A burst of wind hit April – the wan vas still moving. The vampire leaned out and looked around, and his eyes widened at something ahead. He spoke again in Russian and turned to face April. His eyes narrowed as he leapt out the open door. The second vampire shut the door behind him and returned to his seat in front of April.
Francesca's POV
Francesca had a gift.
She knew that Alice Cullen did as well – but she only had future seeing. It was nice if you wanted to see the outcome of something, but would never help in combat. Francesca's gift was probably the strongest. She could mentally control someone's mind – make them do anything she wanted. This also gave her the power of telekinesis; she could move things, even people, with her mind. Her powers were much more vast – Francesca was able to hurt vampires with her mind as well, just as a girl in the Volturi could.
Janine, was her name? Jane? Francesca couldn't care enough to remember. As one of the first vampires, she could also Shadow-Travel. It was a gift bestowed on only the original vampires. She could become invisible, in a way, and teleport using shadows and darkness. It came in handy for fleeing – which wasn't something she usually did.
Now, Francesca saw that the sun was setting. Darkness crept across the large valley. She stood at the entrance to The Cave, a dark tunnel with two massive steel doors at the bottom. They lead into a dark series of rooms - in one Bella Swan was being held. As shadows enveloped the valley, Francesca could now Shadow-Travel. She stepped out of the Cave entrance and let herself disappear into the darkness.
She focussed on a destination and let herself fade away...for only a second. She materialized two miles away, at the entrance to the valley. Two black vans entered, both with the familiar little symbol of the Aeternas strewn across the front of them. The first one was badly damaged and battered – a few holes in the walls and some serious dents. As it passed, Francesca noticed that the back doors were hanging open; one of them had nearly fallen off.
She growled as she noticed that no one was in it, and her red-tinted gaze shifted to the next van – which was in perfect condition. No holes, dents, or open doors. Francesca smiled slightly – at least half of her plan had gone well. So, feeling grumpy, she zoomed over to the first van and swung open the driver's door as the van still moved. Francesca reached in and grabbed the vampire driver by his neck, lifting him out. He looked down at her, fear in his eyes. She looked directly into his eyes and used her gift to cause him pain – the same pain from the Change.
Francesca dropped him and watched as he writhed in agony on the ground. After a minute, she grew tired and leaned down to press her hand on his shoulder. Her eyes changed from crimson to violet, and she waited a few seconds for the vampire to die. He turned into dust before her, leaving this world completely. Francesca's eyes changed back to red, and she grinned before using telekinesis to lift the van off of the road, making space for the next. It pulled over next to her. The driver rolled down his window and leaned out.
"We'll need to continue on foot from here – the path up to the Cave is unstable for the van. Elliot got out after the other two" – he jerked his chin up to the damaged van – "got away. He went after them. Could you take this one?" his voice hinted at a Russian accent, but only slightly. Francesca agreed and told him to go on ahead to the Cave. She opened the van's door and entered to find Alicia McCarthy sitting on one of the chairs.
"You know," Francesca folded her arms across her chest. "Alice and Emmett escaped. Even with the knowledge that I can kill Bella at any time. But you sit here obediently, and don't escape. What does Bella mean to you that you'd sacrifice yourself for her?" Alicia – or April rather – was silent. Francesca silently exited the van and pressed a hand to the side of it. Her eyes shifted again to a mysterious violet and the van disintegrated. Alicia stood in the middle of a pile of dust where the van was, eyes wide. Seeing Francesca's point, she was quick to speak.
"Nothing! This is for Emmett – he loves Bella. I...I can't hurt him by letting her die." She insisted. Francesca's head tilted to the left, and she approached Alicia again. Touching her arm, she let them both evaporate into shadows.
April's POV
Was this teleportation?
April had no idea what was happening. She could see everything around her for a second, but as soon as Francesca touched her everything changed. She seemed to evaporate into the air – everything was dark as she felt herself whoosh forward. After only one second, it all stopped. She was standing in some sort of cave. April staggered in dizziness – something she hadn't experienced as a vampire.
"Wh..." April tried to speak, but little sound came out before she was unable to talk. Francesca was looking at her in a strange way – and her eyes had changed from crimson to purple. April tried to speak again, but she was unable to force any sound out. She realised with a shock that Francesca was doing this. But the older vampire's eyes shifted back to normal and she laughed. Suddenly, April found herself walking forward, across the small space. She tried to stop, but felt control of her body slip. She felt like a puppet as words came out of her mouth that she didn't speak. Finally, she got one of her own words out.
"Stop!" she yelled. After that, she stopped walking. Everything was peaceful for a moment and April sighed in relief – too soon. She was filled with an excruciating pain – as if she was being burned alive. It reminded her of the pain that she had gone through in the Change, and she screamed in agony.
"Please – stop!" she screeched. The pain continued and April felt herself moving.
The pain stopped, but was replaced by a horrible blood lust. April was sure she had hunted the other night...apparently not. She tried to look around the room – but she was frozen in place. In front of her, she noticed a human. Her thirst was fiery in her throat, and she tried to jump up and attack the girl, but she was paralyzed. She could only watch as the girl jumped back in fright. April could smell the warm blood pounding through her veins...but she recognised the face. It was Francesca. But instead of blazing red eyes, they were brown...her hair was curly and she wore different clothes. Francesca was human?
Finally, the invisible restraints lifted, and April lunged for the girl's throat.
Bella's POV
The vampire had just appeared in front of Bella.
She jumped and looked at the girl. Her eyes were golden like the Cullens', and her skin was as pale as theirs. She glared at Bella with a fierce look of hunger in her eyes. They weren't black though – so how could she be so thirsty? The vampire growled but didn't move. She was like a statue.
Bella couldn't think of anything to say, she just sat and stared. Finally, with a snarl, the vampire jumped up. In a blur, she leapt at Bella. Bella screamed as she was pinned down – there was no way she could fight a vampire. She closed her eyes as she waited for the bite that would end her.
Merry Christmas! Here's some thoughts I had on this one...
Francesca - Stop messing with April!
April - NOO!
Emmett & Alice - Where'd you go? Don't let Bella die!
Carlisle & Esme - Where the HECK are you? You're missing all the action!
Jasper, Rosalie & Edward - Tut tut. Not cool enough to be in this chapter.
Bella - ...Yeah I'm not giving anything away.