BELLA

Jen is breathing…barely, but breathing nonetheless. Eliot scoops her up and then projects them both back to the safe house. A red haze settles around me. Edward made me curse my best friend and mentor. The fact that it was accidental is irrelevant. I turn to face him. At least he has the good sense to look afraid. Unfortunately, I still love him. If I kill him, I will regret it and if Jen survives, she will be beyond disappointed.

My focus shifts to the only ones that I can take out my fury on, Jane and Alec. They will suffer. Rage induced power courses through my veins. My right hand crosses over my body to make a fist in front of my left shoulder. Blue throwing stars appear In between my fingers. I throw them at Alec. They stick in his body and catch fire. He tries to douse the flames by rolling on the ground. This only serves to drive the stars through his skin. A sadistic chuckle escapes my mouth. I know it is not healthy at all, but his pain makes me feel a little better.

After a couple more rolls, Alec strays too close to me. My foot comes down on his hand. A sound crack resounds as that hand turns to dust underneath my heel. My eyes narrow at Jane. She turns tail and abandons her partner-in-crime. That is not remotely surprising as Jane has only ever really takes care of Jane. Alec makes a strangled sound in the direction that she headed. He tries in vain to crawl away from me. I am in front of him so quickly that I can practically see his head spinning. Smiling at him, I bring down my foot on his remaining hand. Another, fairly satisfying, crack sounds in the night. It is followed by a pathetic whimper from Alec.

My elbow makes contact with Alec's lower back. He lays there and tries to keep his agony inside. This only serves to make me bored with this particular prey. Summoning more powerful magic, I shoot blue lightning out of my hands at Alec. This is not the usual lightning that I shoot. This lightning starts to age the suffering immortal before me. Alec cries out in surprise and pain as he rapidly ages until he becomes dust. The dust is scattered by a breeze.

Now I go after Jane. That bitch can run, but she cannot hide. Her path is certainly pain to see. It would appear that, in her panic, Jane made no effort to hide her route. Witches can't run as fast as vampires can. I stretch out my left hand. I go to make a fist, but my hand closes around the handle of the broom that appears instead. Brooms aren't a necessity, anything will do. But since a witch has to hold on to whatever they are using to fly anyway, it might as well be something you can sit on too. Flying makes short work of the chase and I soon see the terrified vampire below me.

I summon one blue throwing star and send it flying. Instead of sticking in her skin, it severs her Achilles tendons. Jane sprawls, face first, on the ground. She wails in pain as she uses her hands to claw her way forward. I start to circle her in the air. One more throwing star cuts off both of her hands.

"JUST FINISH ME OFF!" Jane screams up at me.

"I think not," I answer as I shoot blue lighting at her.

"Why?" she cries out.

"I'm enjoying myself," I simply state as I shrug a little.

"Is that your only reason?" she gasps out as she gets quiet.

"No, but it is the only reason that you will get from me," acid drips from my words.

"Why?" she asks once more.

"Because it is the only reason that you have ever needed to inflict pain on others," I finish the conversation by saying.

Quiet builds the intensity of the moment as Jane's pain-dulled mind processes my answer to her last question. Her eyes grow wider and wider as she realizes her pain has only begun. My magic crackles as I send lightning that only creates blinding pain her way. She can't hold in her screaming as she writhes on the ground. After a few more wail inducing bolts, the red haze that surrounds me starts to fade a little. I set her ablaze with blue flames that slowly burn her alive. I continue to circle her until the ashes of her body fly away into the night.

Looking around, I notice for the first time that I am alone. The others must have gone back to the safe house. I sort of enjoy the brief moment of solitude as I race back to find out what happened to Jen. When I get to the safe house, no one is around on the main floor. Dread starts to fill me as I make my way to the hospital floor. No one is in sight the entire way.

Jen is lying on a bed, hooked up to monitors. Carlisle is looking at one of the many medical books that are about witches. I enter the room and he looks up to catch my gaze. I can only look at the barely breathing form of Jen as she lies there though. The red haze is almost, but not quite, gone now.

"Well?" I ask Carlisle even though I don't know if I am really ready for the answer.

"She's alive," he sounds like he is trying to sooth me.

"…barely…" I can't even think as I respond in a monotone.

"According to the medical books that you two graciously provided for my research, she is stable," Carlisle continues to comfort me.

"Is she improving?" I whisper.

"No, I'm sorry," he answers sadly.

"Why not?" I wonder out loud. I can't stop staring at the nearly lifeless body before me.

"I don't know, but I will keep looking," he assures me.

"Can I see her alone?" I need to see her alone.

"Of course, I'll be back in awhile to check on her," he responds.

Carlisle leaves me with Jen. As I look at her, the red haze completely dissipates and I breakdown in sobs.