Chapter Twenty-eight
Thank you mynxi, for doing what you do, and for just being you.
Twilight is the property of Stephanie Meyer.
BPOV
Char's hands flew as she shoved shoes on my feet and wrapped my jacket around me. I gasped in pain when she jostled my injured arm, and she muttered an apology before lifting me quickly onto Peter's back. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist and held on with my good arm.
"I'll go through the window first," Charlotte said calmly. "Don't want Bella to get cut up on the glass and send these ass holes into a feeding frenzy."
"Right behind ya, Baby Doll," Peter said flippantly, but I caught the intense look the pair gave each other. Charlotte tossed her golden curls and barreled through the window, breaking the glass cleanly out of the frame.
"Hold on tight, Little Bird," Peter called out, propelling himself forward in Charlotte's footsteps. I closed my eyes at the intense rush of cold air, bracing myself for our impact with the ground. Peter landed more gently than I expected, but the pain in my dislocated shoulder was breathtaking as I slid forward awkwardly on his back. He came to a stop next to his wife and I looked up, hoping to see a clear path to safety.
The pain in my shoulder was quickly forgotten when I took in the chilling sight of twenty crimson-eyed vampires circling the back yard. They seemed momentarily shocked by our appearance, so Peter took the opportunity to attempt to talk our way out of this cluster fuck.
"Only gonna make this offer once," he began conversationally. "Clear on outta here and don't come back, or it's the last mistake you'll make."
The invading vampires merely snarled in response, robbing me of my short lived hope for a peaceful resolution.
"Didn't think so," Peter muttered. He and Char began hissing back and forth at each other, clearly discussing strategy. "Hop on down, Birdie," he ordered gently, kneeling slightly to assist me. "It's too chancy to try to run, Bella. Can't have this many newborns on our backs. We're gonna have to stay and slug it out."
His expression was grim but calm, even as he eyed the slowly advancing vampires surrounding us. "Tell me how to help," I whispered, swallowing the panic that wanted to paralyze me. I realized I couldn't contribute to the fighting, but I wanted to do everything I could to make it easier for Peter and Char in the face of such bad odds.
"Just hunker down where you are, Sugar," Char said kindly, her voice at odds with her tense posture as she stood in front of me. "Keep your head down and don't move until we tell ya."
Immediately complying, I watched as the circle of vampires continued to advance, probably hoping to spook one of us into doing something stupid. Neither Peter nor Charlotte fell for it, both waiting calmly for one of the invaders to make the first move.
I held my breath, waiting for the explosion of violence that I knew was coming. The invaders paused simultaneously, and time slowed even to my dull, human eyes. Peter moved smoothly to stand behind me, leaving me bracketed as much as possible by my two guardians. He crouched down, his red eyes gleaming in anticipation.
Suddenly, the air crackled as two of the invading vampires lunged toward us. A dark haired female rushed at Charlotte, her red eyes locked on me as she moved. Forcing myself to breathe, I watched as Char deftly evaded her by leaning to one side. The attacking vampire smiled triumphantly as she reached for me, only to yelp in pain when Char yanked her back, viciously tossing her away from me and removing her arm from its socket.
Turning my head, I watched Peter toss a head over his shoulder as he punted a lifeless body out of the way.
"Who's next?" he called out cheerfully. I took a deep breath as I waited for a response, but no verbal answer came. Instead, the air became a blur as it filled with charging vampires. Frozen where I crouched in the cold grass, I watched as Peter and Char systematically repelled every attack, all the while making sure that no one came close to me.
Their movements were fast and precise, never taking them a step farther away from my position. They continued tossing the invaders away, usually short a piece or two of their anatomy. Over and over, the vampires launched themselves at us, and over and over Peter and Char forced them back.
I lost sense of time as I sat and watched the impossibly fast movements of the vampires around me. The thunderous sound of vampires colliding echoed through across the yard, punctuated periodically by the shrieking sound of limbs being rent from vampire bodies. Shockingly, it appeared that the attackers were beginning to back down as their numbers began to dwindle. Detached limbs littered the yard, and I could see at least two decapitated heads from where I was sitting.
"If ya'll leave now, some of you just might escape," Peter called out in a friendly voice. The standing vampires snarled in response.
"We're here for the girl," one of them replied, his voice hard and empty of emotion. He was of average height and build, with sandy brown hair.
"Yeah, we gathered that," Peter answered easily. "Can't take her anywhere without trouble of some sort," he muttered cheerfully. "Anyway, fact of the matter is, you can't have her. You can run now and take a chance at surviving the rest of the day, or we can finish this the hard way. Your choice."
Before the attacker could reply, everyone tensed and looked at the same spot in the woods beyond the yard. It took my human eyes longer to see what they were staring at, but once I identified the figure walking smoothly toward us, I sagged a little in relief.
"Never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad to see you, Edward," Peter said, springing into action as one of the attacking vampires tried to take advantage of the distraction to reach me. Peter read the attack and dodged at the last second, using his arm to clothesline the attacker across the neck. In a flash, another decapitated head joined the pile I had noticed earlier. "Perfect timing," he continued nonchalantly. "Circle around Bella, and we should be able to hold 'em off easy until reinforcements get here."
Edward didn't answer as he moved to join us, evading two attacking vampires easily, tricking them into colliding with each other. The sound of the impact caused me to crouch and cover my ears instinctively. When I looked up, I was shocked to see Edward standing over me, his expression grim. He lifted me to my feet, placing a hand firmly on my good shoulder. Peter stared flatly at him before turning slightly to toss an attacking vampire over his head.
He shook his hair out of his eyes and turned to face us again. He smiled coldly at Edward, the expression doing nothing to hide the rage in his eyes. "Go ahead and take her, Fucker," he growled. "I can't stop you and take care of these newbies at the same time, mores' the pity."
My stomach sank as I realized what Peter was saying. Edward wasn't here to help fight, he was here to take me. Speechless, I looked up at the face of the boy I had once loved, desperately seeking some sign of the person I thought he was.
Peter's voice drew my attention again. "Just be warned," he said, his smile growing even deadlier, "We will catch up with you, and we will make you pay for taking her." Edward didn't answer, but his hand tightened on my shoulder until I pulled away in discomfort. Peter's expression softened as his eyes met mine. "Don't be scared, Little Bird," he ordered softly. "Jasper's already on his way. We will find you."
"I know," I whispered back. "Be careful, I love you both."
"Little help here!" Char barked sharply, snarling at the four vampires she was facing off with. In a flash, Peter turned to help his wife and Edward flung me carelessly over his shoulder. My breath left my lungs in a woosh, and I closed my eyes against the pain in my shoulder.
The cold air hit my face as Edward ran. I opened my eyes briefly, but all I could make out of my surroundings was a blur of barren tree branches. My shoulder throbbed and I fought a wave of nausea from the pain and the disorienting position I was in.
Emotionally, I was numb with disbelief at Edward's actions. Had he somehow organized the small army that attacked us, or was he just taking advantage of the situation? Absently, I wondered if there was any chance that Peter and Jasper would let Edward live after they caught up with us.
I noticed the light growing dimmer as twilight descended around us. We were in a dense forest, and I couldn't make out any signs of habitation amongst the trees. Eventually, I closed my eyes against the nausea and dizziness my inverted position was causing. The pain in my shoulder was worsening rapidly, and I ground my teeth against the urge to cry out.
Overwhelmed by pain, I lost track of time again. Eventually, I noticed Edward's pace beginning to slow. He finally stopped, gently lowering me to the ground. My head swam at the change in position and I stumbled to the ground.
"What's wrong, Bella?" Edward asked, crouching over me with a concerned expression on his face. My emotional detachment ended as suddenly as it began, leaving me awash in a combination of rage and anxiety. My stomach was unable to oppose the cumulative effect of physical pain and emotional turmoil, and I rolled quickly to my side.
"I'm going to be sick," I whispered, seconds before becoming violently ill on the ground. I felt Edward's cold hands on my skin as he held my hair back, murmuring soothing words. The thought of him comforting me caused another wave of nausea, and I moaned thickly before vomiting again.
My stomach finally empty, I flinched away from Edward's hands, hissing, "Don't touch me," as I scooted away from him.
He raised his hands and sat down several feet away from me. "I'm sorry the run made you sick, Bella," he began contritely. "I needed to put some distance between us and the others, but we can go more smoothly from here on. You can climb on my back and it'll be like it was when we ran for fun back in Forks."
I stared at him incredulously. "You think I'm going to come with you willingly?" I asked. "You just kidnapped me, Edward! You left my family back there fighting a crazy bunch of newborn vampires out to get me! You are dragging me against my will through the forest, in the cold, and away from the man I love!" A sad smile crossed his face, but he just shook his head at my words.
"So, no, Edward, I will not climb on your back and pretend we are running for fun." Dragging myself to my feet, I glared down at him. "You can force me to come with you, but I'm going to be kicking and screaming and doing everything in my power to lead Jasper to where I am."
Turning away from him, I looked around the clearing we were in, wishing it was lighter so that I could get my bearings better. I couldn't even tell if we were uphill or in a valley. "Never even enjoyed running with you in Forks," I muttered under my breath, knowing he would hear every word I said.
He jumped to his feet and glided quickly to stand in front of me. "Stop this, Bella," he ordered in a patronizing tone. "I know you're angry at me, and I understand that, but we'll get past it. You know you still love me. The feelings we have for each other are too strong to just disappear."
I gaped at him in shock, unable to believe that he was still harboring hope of having a relationship with me. I didn't think it was possible to be any clearer about my sentiments, but obviously my best effort at explaining this to him had not been up to the task of penetrating his thick skull.
"I was so excited when I overheard the thoughts of the newborns on the way to Carlisle's," he went on, oblivious to my stunned silence. "I just couldn't come up with a way to separate you from the Whitlock hicks, but then, I heard the newborns scouting around the Cullen land. When they picked up your scent, their leader decided to attack the house. I knew I would have to time it just right, but I was sure I would be able to fool Peter long enough to get close to you. I was right," he continued proudly. "It was the perfect opportunity to get you away from the bad influences you've been living with and back where you belong."
My brain felt like it was going to explode if I listened to his insanity any longer. "What about the newborns you left back there, Edward?" I ground out, hoping he had some sort of plan for keeping me out of danger long enough for Jasper to find me. "Did you think they would just give up after you ran away with me?"
"Your friends are more than up to the task of keeping them occupied, Bella," he answered confidently. "There are no thoughts anywhere near us right now; we're totally alone. You can relax. I'll keep you safe." He stepped toward me, radiating smug satisfaction and concern. "First, we need to get back to civilization and get you something to eat," he said solicitously.
Disgust roiled through me, and I fought off another wave of nausea. "Why are you doing this?" I gasped, not expecting an answer. "You left me of your own free will. So why are you…?"
"Bella, I only left because I love you," he interrupted passionately. "It was my sacrifice for you- to leave you so that you could have the life you deserved. I know it was wrong now. I love you too much to exist without you."
"If you love me, leave again," I ordered hoarsely. He looked at me in confusion, clearly in a state of denial. "I did love you, Edward. I won't deny that. But you left, and I learned to live without you. I learned to be happy again, and I don't love you anymore."
His expression was blank, and I closed my eyes briefly, hoping to find the words that would get through to him. "You know what else, Edward?" I sighed, opening my eyes again. "You don't love me either." He shook his head negatively, and I held my hand up to prevent him from interrupting me.
"Let me finish," I chided. "I know you think you love me, but you love the Bella Swan you left in the woods. That girl doesn't exist anymore, Edward." Something flickered in his eyes, and I began to hope that I was starting to reach him.
"The Bella you love died as you walked away from me in the forest that day. She died staring at Charlie's corpse and reading about the murder of my mother. She died the first time I had to skip a meal and sleep on a park bench." I leaned toward him, boring into his eyes with mine. "She died forever while I lost my virginity to a stranger so I wouldn't freeze to death."
Edward's face was now a mask of pain, so I pressed on; I was desperate to make this the last time we had this conversation. "Edward, I'm not the same person you fell in love with. I tell it like it is, and I curse if I feel like it. I look after myself, and I don't take shit from anyone. I make my own decisions. I love my body and the way Jasper makes it feel. I am not the girl you love, Edward. Your Bella doesn't exist anymore, and for both our sakes, you need to let her go."
Looking at Edward's broken expression, I felt a tug at my heart, even through the anger I was still feeling. I steeled myself, knowing that any comfort I offered would be misinterpreted. Suddenly, Edward whipped his head around, a horrified look marring his otherwise flawless face. He looked back at me, and I felt the beginnings of dread when I looked in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Bella," he moaned. "I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
"What is it, Edward?" I asked quickly.
He just stared at me, repeating, "I'm so sorry," again and again in a soft voice.
Tamping down my fear and frustration, I forced myself to be patient. "Edward, you need to tell me what it is. Why are you sorry and how can we fix it?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. He still didn't answer, so I started with the likeliest cause for his distress.
"Are those vampires chasing us?" I asked, using the same tone I would for a child. He nodded harshly, looking past me into the forest again. He began muttering something under his breath about being followed.
"Edward, we need to try to get somewhere more defensible," I said urgently. "Jasper and the others will be tracking us too. If you can just hold the newborns off long enough, we'll be ok."
He stood up and nodded quickly, yanking on his hair in agitation. "Come on, Edward, let's go. Try to find a place with something at our backs."
He walked toward me, but his movements were robotic and jerky. He was clearly panicking, and I was amazed; the contrast Jasper, Peter, and Char demonstrated with their calm response when they were under attack was plain. "Let's go," I repeated urgently, trying to channel my new family's calm under pressure.
I moved behind Edward, but before I could climb onto his back, we were surrounded by a group of ten red-eyed vampires. Two of them leaped toward us, and I closed my eyes as I braced for the impact. The air rushed around me and I felt Edward's body being ripped away from mine, but the pain I was waiting for never materialized.
I slowly opened my eyes to take in the sight of Edward struggling against the group of attackers. His mind reading made him an efficient fighter and he was able to dodge many of the blows directed at him. Unfortunately, the sheer numbers made it an impossible battle, and eventually the newborns began to land hits on him. Within seconds, he was on the ground, covered by a mass of enraged vampires. I heard the sick sounds of Edward's hard flesh being torn, but it was soon drowned out by his screams.
Turning away, I realized I should be attempting to put some distance between myself and the carnage. I knew that running away was futile, but the vampires were currently ignoring me, so I decided to take a chance and move.
As silently as possible, I stood and backed away from the horrific scene in front of me. None of the attackers made any note of my movement, and I began to feel a shred of hope that escape was possible. That hope died the instant I felt cold hard fingers gripping my injured shoulder.
"Hello, Bella," a sultry voice purred as the pressure on my shoulder increased, eventually forcing a whimper from me. "You weren't going to leave just as things are getting interesting, were you? I've been looking for you for so long. You can't leave before we have a chance to catch up."
"Fuck you, Vicky," I spat out, dropping to the ground when she abruptly released me. Looking up, I realized that Edward had succumbed to the attackers and was now lying motionless ahead of me. Idly, I wondered if he was dead, but then I decided I didn't really care.
"Thanks for nothing, Edward," I muttered. "For two years, I managed to avoid this bitch. Two days back into my life and you deliver me right to her." He moaned in response, and I smiled grimly to myself. "I wish I hadn't told Jasper not to kill you. Otherwise, I could at least die knowing he would avenge me by killing your sorry ass."
Not allowing myself to think any more of Jasper and the pain my death would cause him, I turned around and looked up at Victoria towering over me. Her fiery red hair was a tangled mess and her crimson eyes gleamed even in the dim evening light. This was the moment I feared since running from Forks. But, there was no way on earth I would allow this psychotic vampire bitch the power to make me cower. Memories of my parents gave me courage even in the face of my death, and I resolved not to give her the satisfaction of my fear.
Struggling to my feet, I smirked up at her. "Ready to do this shit?" I asked sarcastically. She stared back at me, her eyes eerily flat and devoid of emotion.
"Shut up, you foolish little girl," she said coldly. "You've led me on an interesting chase. I suppose I should thank you for keeping me occupied for so long," she mused, a contemplative look crossing her face. She froze as only a vampire can, apparently lost in a memory. I considered making a smart comment, but decided that even though I had no hope for my survival, I wouldn't try to hasten my inevitable death.
Eventually, she shrugged her shoulders and looked at me again. "However, the chase is over," she continued as if she had never paused. "I've finally got you where I want you, and now I can erase you from this earth, just as I did your pathetic family. Once I end you and your lover boy, James will finally be avenged."
She stalked over to stand over Edward, smiling as he began to moan again. "What's wrong?" she asked sweetly. "Don't like my thoughts, Mind Reader? You don't want to see how I'm planning to rip your little human pet in two? Maybe you'll enjoy it more in reality than you do in my head."
She lunged at me as the words left her mouth. My human mind didn't even have time to process her movement, although I did faintly register that Edward was screaming loudly in the background. I felt an explosion of pain in my ribs as Victoria hit me, robbing me of breath. Before I could respond, my injured shoulder popped out of the socket as Victoria grabbed it and tossed me across the clearing.
My ears roared and I drew a desperate breath, forcing myself not to scream at the pain in my chest. She picked me up again, kneeing me viciously in the abdomen before throwing me against a nearby tree. I lost track of how she was hurting me as the pain from my injuries blurred into one white hot sensation.
I heard Edward continuing to scream, but I resolved not to make a sound. She could kill me, but she couldn't break me, and I was going to die on my own terms. Victoria threw me yet again, and I felt the rushing air against my skin before I hit the tree trunk, striking the left side of my chest and the back of my head.
Immediately, I realized that something important had broken inside me. I could feel my heart beating violently, the rhythm irregular. My eyes were open, but I could only see what was directly in front of me. Everything in the periphery was a foggy grey. Aware that I was fading, I finally allowed myself to think of Jasper.
As the world around me grew even darker, I focused on how thankful I was to have had the time we shared together. He had brought me such joy, and whatever my afterlife would entail, I hoped that my soul would remember his. My only regret was the suffering that my loss would inflict on him. Hopefully, Peter and Char would be strong enough to bring him through this.
I tried to inhale, but it didn't work. There were faint voices around me, but I couldn't identify any of them around the roaring in my ears. I realized Victoria's attack had stopped, and I wondered what was preventing her from finishing me off.
Suddenly, I felt cold hard hands moving gently over my body, the contrast marked from Victoria's brutal grip. Peace washed over me, dulling the worst of the pain, and I smiled as Jasper's face filled my field of vision. His eyes were tormented, and I wished that I could reach up to comfort him. His lips moved, but I couldn't hear the words he was speaking.
Even his beautiful face was now growing dim, and I struggled in vain to draw enough breath to tell him the million things I wanted to say. "Love… you… forever," I managed to whisper, as I drifted out of consciousness. Peace spread over me, my pain faded, and the world went dark.
Unexpectedly, I heard Jasper's voice speaking rapidly, and then I felt a sharp pain at my neck. I stiffened against the sensation, moaning weakly when it began to burn violently. Moments later, I felt the same burning pain at each of my wrists. Finally, my injury dulled brain processed the fact that Jasper had bitten me, initiating my burning transition into a vampire.
I struggled for breath to scream as the burning overwhelmed me, quickly obliterating the pain from my injuries. Every muscle tensed, and my body went rigid against my will. I felt my body being picked up and moved, but I was unable to tell who held me. There were voices all around me, but the burning made it impossible to focus on the words being spoken.
I lost track of time and my surroundings as the fire washed over me. Eventually, I realized that I could hear only one voice now. I felt dampness against my skin, as if someone was washing me, but the sensation had no effect on the fire inside me.
I struggled for a focal point, but the burning consumed me, obliterating all other thoughts and sensations. I was unable to determine if I was screaming aloud or only in my mind. My resistance faltered, and I felt as if I was losing myself in the pain.
Suddenly, a soft voice broke through the barrier of my suffering. In honeyed tones, the voice whispered soothing words to me, helping to regain my self-awareness, even though the pain remained violent. I couldn't pick out exact words, but I knew the voice was speaking words of comfort.
I held on to that voice, using it to hold onto my sanity while I burned alive. Time lost all meaning, and I was unable to determine if seconds or hours were passing. All the while, the voice continued on, telling me of memories and plans, although I was still unable to process the words.
Suddenly, the pain changed, focusing directly in the center of my chest. My heart beat frantically against the sensation, struggling in vain to keep doing the job it was designed for. I screamed soundlessly, unable to contain the feeling that I was exploding. And then, stillness and silence, as my heart beat no more.
The fire began to recede slowly from my limbs, and I cautiously opened my eyes, afraid that the pain would return. I gasped, almost choking at the unnecessary air in my lungs as I took in the sight of Jasper's angelic face for the first time through my vampire eyes.
AN- alright my people, it's NOT a cliffy, so I want some big love
MM- I'm totally your girl. I'm doing my cheerleader impression for your big day Monday, and I forgot to wear panties under that cute little skirt!
Remember, starting November 1st, go to http:/fandomforpreemies (dot) blogspot (dot) com and make a donation of 5 dollars or more to receive the compilation that includes my hot tub outtake! The money goes to the March of Dimes, an organization dedicated to healthy babies. They fund the research that made the care my own precious preemies received routine. Help make this fundraiser a success and enjoy the works of over 95 writers!
My Rec for the week- Life Happens, So Just Roll With It by mama4dukes. Her Bella is just hits me in all the right spots, lol! You will laugh, and you will laugh hard. You will also shout "Hell Yeah" about a million times! Seriously, check it out- it's a totally unique take on the Cullen family!
Team Malcolm, I missed you all! We'll reunite next chapter, girls!
Love you all, and Happy Halloween!
heavy