Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to the first reviewer from the last chapter BeccieT. There will be more drama, angst, and sadness coming up. Be prepared.

The Truth and the Consequences

Chapter 17

I don't know how long I stayed curled up on the carpet before dragging myself to a standing position. I stumble to the back of the plane, and feeling like it's my only shot, I grab the phone and dial Jacob's cell.

"Bella!" He knows it's me before I even say anything. This brief connection gives me more strength than I ever thought it could.

"Jake he's kidnapped me and raped me and I'm on a plane…"

I hear a roar of pure anger and agony on the other end of the line before Edward is there. He yanks the phone out of my hand and pulls it from the wall, effectively taking away my only line of communication.

Edward stares at me dispassionately for a second, not wanting to acknowledge how insane he's being. "You need to clean yourself up. Also, take care of the bloodstain out there. There are cleaning supplies in the cupboard. There's going to be some turbulence coming up so you might want to make that happen soon."

I'm beyond shocked. My eyes dart toward the place where it happened, and I can see a small amount of blood staining the carpeting.

I struggle to keep myself from screaming at him but I'm proud of how steady my voice sounds. "You caused the mess when you RAPED me – you clean it."

He grabs my throat and forces me against the bathroom door. "I didn't rape you. You are going to apologize to me for that ludicrous accusation right now."

He releases my throat and I gasp, sucking in air. "Fuck… you," I rasp. I will die before I apologize to this monster.

"Do you really want me to smell your freshly spilled blood, Bella? I haven't eaten in weeks," he snarls angrily.

My eyes widen and I backpedal, suddenly scared to death. "I'll take care of it, okay?"

He smiles and kisses my forehead. "That's a good girl. I've taken the liberty of providing you with more suitable clothing. There's a suitcase behind your seat. I suggest layers."

I pretend to look guileless. Thank God he can't read my mind. I've already imagined a dozen ways of watching him die.

It takes me a long time to thoroughly clean myself of all the blood, and to dress myself. My hands are shaking so hard I feel like my Gran while she was in the latter stages of Parkinson's. I try not to see the beginning stages of the bruises that are blooming on my skin like grotesque mottled flowers.

After that I hold my nose and look away while I scrub at the floor. I can't believe that I'm doing this. I hate myself more every minute.

Once I've finished cleaning, I gingerly sit down, wincing as I do for a sharp pain stabs through me, and stare out the window for lack of anything better to do.

I relax my eyes and suddenly see a ghost like image of trees flying past at incredible speed. I blink rapidly but the image is still there. I feel as though my heart is being pulled along in this vision and then I see a house on fire – the Cullen's home. Smoke billows up into the air and I see ghostly images of bodies dancing with joy ringing the house like it's a giant bonfire.

I can feel no joy, only a deeply rooted anger that is as hot and deep as the earth's core, boiling lava barely contained by molten layers of rock. It rivals my own deep seated fury.

I gasp aloud at the intensity of it and then feel a kind of shock – as though the anger has been cut off – giving way to tender wonder. It's the feeling before a kiss that you know will be pure magic, that moment of leaning forward, feeling breath on breath, anticipation racing in your heart, yearning and excitement, and I swear that I can almost smell him, pine and that special something that is just Jake. I feel warm from head to toe, and awash in perfect love.

And then the plane bounces and like smoke it fades away, leaving me crying aloud with the loss.

"Bella?"

Edward kneels in front of me. "What is it?"

I jerk back to reality and bring my knees up in front of me on the seat, as an extra sort of barrier. I refuse to talk to him. I bite my lip and stare out the window, wishing with all my heart that I was with Jacob and not trapped on a plane with a monster.

He stays for what feels like forever, staring at me, making me horribly uncomfortable before finally moving away and going back to the cockpit. There is more jostling and bouncing and I close my eyes tight. I hate flying.

The only thing that is keeping me from setting fire to this plane – and believe me I'd happily do it just to make sure he burned – is Jacob. I could never do that to him. I will fight with everything I have until I am back home with him, where I rightfully belong at his side.

I can't believe I ever thought that Edward was the one I was meant to be with. What a foolish, stupid girl I was.

Edward's voice comes over the PA and he informs me to buckle my seatbelt as we're going to be landing.

I close my eyes and pray as we begin to land that nothing goes wrong. I hate landings the most.

In no time at all the plane has touched down on the runway. It's cloudy outside.

Edward comes back after a few minutes.

"Do I need to drug you?" he asks.

I shake my head no.

"Act like everything is fine. If you try anything I have a needle in my pocket. And no one here speaks English so they can't understand you. Got it?"

I don't want to be knocked out. I need to gather as much information as possible about where we are.

"I'll be fine," I say in my meekest voice.

He smiles down at me. "Of course you will, you're with me."

I keep the plastic grin on my face until he looks away. We exit the plane and to my utter surprise head for a helicopter.

"Do you need to use the facilities before we take off?" Edward asks as an afterthought.

"Yes," I say, even though I don't.

We walk into the airport and I see signs in Spanish. I see "Barcelona" on one sign so I now have an idea of where I am.

He leads me to a woman's restroom.

"I'll be right outside," he says in a warning tone.

I nod and head inside. My heart is beating fast. There is a small line for the stalls. As I wait I frantically look around, praying for some idea to help me.

My eyes land on the woman in front of me. She has a pull along suitcase and an overstuffed purse. I can see the top of a cell phone sticking out from it at a haphazard angle.

Under normal conditions I don't condone stealing, but this is an emergency. I'm nervous as hell of being caught but when the line moves forward I purposely stumble and fall flat on my face, taking down two other people with me. In the commotion I manage to get my hands on the phone and slip it under my shirt.

Though I get a few dirty looks, I'm ecstatic and I now have a way of contacting the outside world.

I go inside a stall when one frees up and find that I now surprisingly have to pee. Before I do anything else I turn the phone off and slip it into my shoe. I tie the laces tight. It takes only a few more minutes to take care of business and wash up but Edward eyes me suspiciously as I'm coming out.

"Sorry, there was a line," I say, and hold the door open long enough for him to see.

Edward takes my arm and steers me back toward the runway. We walk quickly and Edward weaves us through crowds of people until we're back outside. We walk past the runway toward a helipad. He shuffles me into a helicopter and makes sure I'm buckled in before getting in the pilot's seat beside me.

I've never been in a helicopter before and I'm absolutely terrified.

Edward checks a few of the instruments and speaks to whom I assume is air traffic control before he gets the blades whirring and we lift off. We drift side to side a little, hovering only a few feet off the ground before accelerating up and moving out. We fly high over a populated city and move out into countryside. I watch as the ground elevation changes and we cross through green fields, gradually moving into a mountainous area covered in snow.

I'm not sure how long we're in the air before Edward speaks to someone in a language I've never heard before. We land shortly thereafter in a snowy village, which seems to be sparsely populated.

A limo is waiting for us there, and Edward ushers me into the back, closing the door behind me. The windows are heavily tinted and I soon see why. Though this is a snowy landscape, there is still sunshine. The weak rays of late afternoon cause the snow to sparkle. It reminds me of Edward's skin and I turn away, repulsed.

Every sign we pass I try to memorize. Edward attempts to make conversation but I don't feel like talking. I've had enough of him to last ten lifetimes.

Gradually day turns to night and my stomach rumbles.

"Hungry?" Edward asks unnecessarily.

"A little," I say.

Edward reaches into the mini bar and pulls out a coke. "This should tide you over."

I accept the can and pop the tab. The cold soda tastes okay but I'm grateful for the caffeine that will keep me alert.

After another hour of driving uphill over winding roads we reach a side road and take that for fifteen minutes. There is only one house at the end of the road and nothing around for miles.

"Are there animals for you to hunt?" I ask Edward curiously.

He nods. "Enough to get by. But its been much too long since I've hunted."

I look at him fearfully.

He barks out a laugh. "Like I'd eat you."

"Well, then what did you mean?"

Edward smiles. "Don't worry."

We pull up to the house and the limo driver opens the door and lets us out.

Edward hands me a set of keys. "Go on inside. The kitchen is fully stocked. You can eat whatever you like."

"What are you going to do?"

"Just pay the driver for his time," Edward says smoothly.

I get a weird feeling in my stomach. "I don't want to go in alone."

Edward gives me a little push. "Don't worry, Isabella. No one is inside. Go on now."

I plant my feet. "No."

The driver is eyeing the two of us, obviously interested in the exchange.

Edward sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Must you always be so difficult?"

"I guess so," I answer.

"Then I recommend you close your eyes."

I can't even cry out to warn the man before Edward has hold of him. I watch in utter horror as Edward bites into the man's neck, draining his blood in minutes but it seems like forever. I can smell the coppery tang of it in the back of my mouth and before I know it I'm gagging and puking up what remains of the soda in the snow.

I hear a thud and just KNOW that sound was made by a body hitting the ground.

"I told you to go into the house," Edward says a few moments later. "Now I have to dispose of the evidence. Do you care to watch that as well?"

I shake my head and find that I'm crying. I stand up and stumble away toward the house, feeling more sickened than I've ever been in my life. It takes me five minutes to get the damn key into the lock to open the door. I run straight upstairs and find a bathroom. I lock myself inside and cry and cry, holding my knees close.

I wish so badly that I could wake up from this nightmare.