Chapter Sixty Six

Bella

I had no idea how long we sat not speaking, just looking at each other, but somehow I felt he was still trying to get through to me without using any words and that was unfair. If I didn't hear what he was saying how could I argue? How was I supposed to deny or question? I felt I was being wrapped in a warmth, a comfortable, almost recognisable feeling but a feeling I didn't want, I didn't need and one that would stop me from continuing on my quest for revenge.

"You wont win you know, I know what you're trying to do"

He looked at me with those strange coloured eyes, they were neither red nor the golden colour of the Cullens, what did that mean? I wanted to know but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of asking.

"Really? And what is it you think I'm doing?"

"Using your creepy gift to make me feel things I don't want to feel."

"You empower me more than I deserve. I can't make you feel anything you don't want to feel Bella. It doesn't work like that with mates. If you feel anything then its an emotion you recognise in yourself but why don't you tell me about it?"

I laughed and wagged a finger at him in admonishment,

"You wont catch me out like that. I know how persuasive you can be but I'm not playing your game any longer."

"It's not a game Bella, I'm saving your life and my own."

"How dramatic, should I swoon at your feet in gratitude?"

"There are those who want you dead even now Bella and the longer you persist in this revenge kick the more danger you are in."

"Do tell. Who are these bogey men after me?"

"The guardians will hunt you down if you go after them again, Charlie talked them out of it last time but it wont work a second time."

"Charlie did? How?"

"He spoke to their leader in Denali personally, that's how much he loves you. Don't you think it would make him look a fool if you started killing Quileutes again?"

I wasn't getting into that with him so I carried on,

"Who else?"

"The Volturi. If you persist they will find you and when they do there will be no trial, no chance to plead your case, the guard will kill you just like that. And please don't have the arrogance to think you can fight them. Even your shield wont protect you in the long run and if it should then they will find a way to get you to Italy and then you'll be turned into a loyal member of the guard yourself. They have plenty of gifts of their own and they'll just wear you down until you are too weak to protect yourself."

"Just like you're doing?"

"I don't want to kill you Bella. I want to help you."

"And you aren't going to take no for an answer are you?"

"How can I when I love you?"

"Stop saying that, you don't even know me. I'm just a human you found bleeding to death and saved by turning into a vampire and that's hardly the action of a lover."

"Its better than losing you Bella and it was all I could do to save you. If I'd been a few minutes earlier I could have saved you from the wolf but I wasn't and I couldn't."

Despite myself I'd engaged with him again and it frustrated me but at the same time I wanted to hear his voice, see his face, and more, I wanted to feel his arms around me and I was fighting this so hard it hurt. I didn't want him to be right. I didn't want to feel these emotions, I didn't want to feel anything but hatred and rage, because if I did then I would have to deal with what I'd become and the actions I'd taken and I couldn't face either of those.

I got up and walked to the window, looking out although there was nothing to see, nothing new in any case...or was there? I thought I saw a flicker of movement in the trees, probably his friends Peter and Charlotte keeping an eye on us. What exactly did they think I was going to do? The boat was guarded now and although I could swim to the mainland I couldn't leave him. That frustrated me most of all, that I couldn't just leave him behind. Somehow he'd gotten under my skin and I couldn't dislodge him however much I tried.

"I see your friends are still snooping around"

His head snapped up,

"Where?"

He was beside me at the window and it would be so simple to bite into his throat and rip it out giving me time to escape. I might not want to kill him but I had no such compunction about his friends, I could kill them without a second thought if it meant freedom.

"Where did you see them Bella?"

I pointed to a V shape made by two tree trunks close to the edge of the clearing.

"There's nothing there now though. They obviously decided you were still boring me to death and didn't want to listen, I don't blame them by the way"

He turned and I made the mistake of looking into his eyes, they made me feel weak and confused and I was glad that another movement caught my attention.

"No, I'm wrong, they must enjoy the sound of your voice just like you do"

He looked out again then took his phone out.

"Peter where are you?"

"In the boat, just doing a circuit of the island like you said why?"

"And Charlotte?"

"At the jetty I think, why? Do you need help? Is the bitch still trying to take chunks out of you? Just punch her in the jaw and tell her to behave."

"No, its OK, Bella's actually behaving for once. I'll just check in on Char."

He turned to me again,

"Get away from the window Bella and make sure the doors are shut and locked."

"Why? You think we've got company? Maybe its the big bad guardians, they've sniffed me out."

"And maybe it's not. This isn't funny Bella so do as I said."

I rolled my eyes but did as he'd said then joined him just as he put the phone back in his pocket.

"Well whoever it is it's not Peter, and Charlotte's not answering her phone so there's something wrong. Stay here, I'm going out to investigate."

"Yeah right, stay hidden in here? I'm the one with the awesome gift remember? I'm going with you."

He wanted to argue but I didn't give him the opportunity instead opening the front door and stepping out onto the porch,

"Hey, I'm here whoever you are, come and get me."

There was an ear-splitting snarl and something dropped on me from the cabin roof. It caught me unawares and knocked me to the ground only to be pulled free to roll across the ground with Jasper. Now here was a quandary, did I help him or run while he wad otherwise occupied? I looked at the wolf versus man fight and decided to take advantage of the diversion to leave but then the wolf was joined by a second and I heard a ripping noise turning to see Jaspers right hand twitching on the ground although he still had the original wolf by the throat, crushing the life from it, It was the second causing him problems and suddenly there was no dilemma, not any longer.