Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns it all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chpt 8 Caught
BPOV
The giantess shoves my face into the dirt an' growls into my ear almost drowning out the metallic shriek of a vampire's limb being removed.
"Simon!" I shout, struggling with all my might but it's useless, she twists my head painfully to the front an' turns her own to watch Vassili' an' Simon. Gagging I spit out the dirt I've nearly swallowed.
I stop wriggling an' turn my mind instead to how I might escape, trying to drown out the sound of Simon being questioned. But it's hopeless the crazy bitch has me in a hold I can't break, until she tries to move me I'm trapped. I have two choices, I can give up an' lie here while they torture Simon an' then decide it's a bit risky to let me go, or I can fight, somehow.
With no other alternative I sink into my mind an' set off in search of the Bellas, maybe I can release them somehow. Oblivious to what's going on around me I dart around in my mind, Hidden Bella's shelter is empty so maybe she's not trapped like me, what if she's concealed herself somewhere. Mentally I sigh, why does she have to be such a difficult cow to work with? Concentrating hard I delve deeper, slightly hopeful that I might be able to get around Raisa's gift. Come out, come out, wherever you are . . . . I feel like an antibody, detecting traces of a foreign invader, following it as it tries to attack me. Almost there . . . .
"Oh no you do not." Raisa hisses into my ear, dragging me back to reality. "I will not allow you to release your gift, I can feel you trying. Defiance excites me and Vassili the grown-up is not watching us now, little woman."
Terrified I flail madly but her huge body is smothering mine, pressing me into the ground as the sound of tearing vampire erupts around us.
Oblivious to the commotion Raisa gently sweeps my hair away from the back of my neck. Closing her hands around my slender throat she begins to squeeze, digging her fingers in viciously. God, she's strong, I can feel the bones in my neck creaking. Her lips brush across the skin on the back of my neck like a lover, but instead of a lover's nip she sinks her teeth into me. Unlike a bite given in the heat of battle she leaves her teeth in the wound an' I feel her foreign venom sliding down them and into my flesh.
As her venom flows into the deep lacerations my body bows, raising my mouth from the earth again an' I scream with everything I have. It is excruciating. A tiny, localised reminder of the burn of the change that completely takes over my world.
Suddenly she is ripped from me with a hideous scream. My fear diminishes but unfortunately the pain doesn't. I heave a ragged breath as gentle hands turn me onto my back. Demetri's handsome, but concerned face, is staring down at me.
"Are you alright Bella?" He demands.
Dumbly I nod. Ouch. An' wince.
"Peter!" He shouts. "The Mistress is injured."
A furious roar echoes off the rocks. The Major.
"Bella, lil sis!" Pete gasps, dropping to his knees beside me. "Fuck, your throat, where else are you hurt sweet thing?"
"The back of her neck." Demetri growls, surging to his feet an' leaping away.
Pete lifts me up an' moves my matted hair. "Jeez, Char! Char!"
Char appears at his side, nodding to Pete who lifts me into his arms. Immediately Char places her hands tenderly around my neck pressing the abused flesh back together. The burn is gradually fading but it's still incredibly painful.
I manage to make a fairly hideous choking sound as the flesh begins to knit back together an' my abused vocal chords agonisingly fight to regain their previous shape. Being almost impossible to kill is awesome but recovering from an injury hurts like a motherfucker. Cosmic payback I guess. I croak again.
"Shush." Char tells me. "Save it for later, when it's healed."
"Simon?" I finally rasp out.
Char rolls her eyes at my disobedience. "He'll be fine in an hour or two hun."
"He can't be too bad lil sis." Pete assures me. "He's bitchin' about his suit."
I laugh. An' immediately wish I hadn't. It hurts.
"Who?" Another raspy question.
"Russians." Char answers, poking me in the ribs lightly. "We'll explain later."
Around us the sound of fighting is dying away as Pete carefully reattaches my hand. Jigsaw Bella completed he pulls me into his lap an' Char shifts closer to us taking my legs on hers. Idly she starts to rub my feet.
Like we're at home on the couch enjoying a movie we watch the last of the Russians being subdued until only Vassili remains standing. When The Major stalks into view I am unsurprised to find that he has a wildly struggling Raisa clutched in his hands, she's as big as he is but he holds her easily, if not exactly gently. Demetri is beside him, looking absolutely furious.
"Why?" The Major asks simply, flaring his nostrils at a dishevelled an' unsettled Vassili.
"My Mistress merely wanted information. We meant to cause no offense."
"I am." The Major pauses, searching his head for the right words. "Offended."
Vassili has no answer to that so he fidgets uncomfortably.
Everyone else is very still, taking their cue from those of us who are more familiar with The Major. He looks almost wild, just like New Hampshire an' New York. It's not fair how hard he is continually forced to fight for control of his temper, or how close he's suddenly coming to losing it. Because of me.
Suddenly the edge of his lip curls up slightly an' he hits Vassili with a blast of what I assume is pure unadulterated terror. The Russian shudders, cries an' sways before collapsing onto his knees.
"You tell your Mistress." The Major says slowly an' distinctly. "That. THIS."
Echoing Simon's move from last night he raises his knee an' actually snaps Raisa's body in half across it, like a dry twig. Dangling part of her carelessly in each hand his obsidian eyes bore into Vassili's as he continues.
"Will be the ONLY warning. SHE. WILL. EVER. GET."
"Master." Vassili whimpers, exposing his trembling neck.
"We will expect to see her at the Reception in two weeks. She will attend." The Major takes a very deep breath. "Demetri. Get that fucker out of my sight before I change my mind."
"Yes Master." Demetri responds with a wicked grin, motioning for some of the Guard to join him.
"Come along pompinara." He says jovially as he lifts Vassili roughly to his feet. "You heard the Master. Up you get and off we go. It is a very long way back to St Petersburg from here."
He smiles at me an' starts prodding the Russian out of the clearing.
"Alfredo." The Major orders, handing Raisa's remains to the Italtian. "Start a fire."
"Master." He nods an' summons others to help him.
The Major turns his black eyes to me an' strides over kneeling down in front of us.
"Are you okay?"
I nod mutely, not wanting him to hear my voice at the moment. He looks close enough to the edge as it is.
Briefly he cups my cheek, rubbing his thumb gently across it.
"I'll be back in a minute." He growls rising fluidly an' flitting off into the trees.
"Where is he going My Lord?" One of the Guard, Sergio I think, asks in concern.
"Lumberjackin'." Pete chuckles. "I'd stay out of his way if I were you."
As soon as Pete finishes speaking the air is filled with the sound of innocent trees being sent to meet their maker.
"It musta been really hard for J to let that fucker go." Char's voice is full of awe.
"Baby I bet that's the hardest fuckin' thing he's ever done. Poor bastard." Pete says thoughtfully. "I don't think I could a done it. Hard enough sittin' here watchin' him have to."
Char shakes her head.
With a sigh I close my eyes an' sag back against my brother's chest. Now Raisa is gone my shield is back, I drop my mental one an' think hard about how much I love Jasper an' how glad I am that he found me in time.
After a while it obviously works because the sound of splintering wood stops an' Jasper appears, running across the clearing an' pulling me away from Pete into his own lap.
"Fuck." He says quietly, burying his nose in my hair.
I snuggle into his chest, lips against his scar.
"Not right now honey." I croak.
He groan-laughs, a strange noise, an' holds me tighter.
A/N Since you all like Simon I'll let him live. For now . . . . . Or perhaps I should say, please review or the bodyguard gets it, lol.