Chapter Seventy Three
Bella
I saw Alice's teeth bite into Charlie's neck as Peter attacked, he just wasn't fast enough. As he and Alice fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs I ran over to my Dad. He was already writhing and I knew the venom was coursing through his body, soon it would be too late to help him. I heard a terrible grinding noise then the whoosh as flames ignited and turning I saw Peter running towards us.
"Help him Peter, she bite him."
He looked at me with a hopeless expression on his face,
"I can't help Bella. I haven't changed a human being in over one hundred and fifty years. I feed on them for fuck sake."
I grabbed his arm, "Please Peter try, I can't just let it happen."
He sighed Bella I'll probably kill him"
"Better that than leave him like this. Charlie won't be able to live as a vampire, its bad enough he knows about you."
Peter took my arms and dragged me away, "Bella I can't. It's too late anyway, look at his eyes."
I looked into my fathers face and gasped, his eyes were already a deep red and his body was writhing in agony.
"She's injected enough venom into him to change a fucking army let alone a single man. You want us to take him away or you want me to kill him?"
I was shocked by his question but I knew they were his only options.
"We take him with us Peter."
He picked Charlie up and slung him over his shoulder,
"Right let's get the fuck out of here."
I led the way back to the car and heaved a sigh of relief to see Jasper and Charlotte watching.
Jasper
We could smell the scent of burning vampire as we pulled up,
"I hope that's not Peter" Char grumbled as we got out to watch. "He gets really cranky if someone tries to toast him"
I laughed, "He's too ornery to die Charlotte, look".
I pointed to where he and Bella appeared in the distance. Then I saw the figure over Peters shoulder and swore.
"It looks like Alice got a bite in before they could stop her."
Charlotte opened the back door of our car and Peter lowered Charlie gently in.
"Sorry Major I wasn't quick enough. She's injected a bucket load into him and there was nothing I could do."
Bella ran into my arms sobbing,
"We have to help him Jasper. Can't you do something? Suck the venom out?"
I looked over at Peter who shook his head then leaned in to get a look at Charlie's face. His heart was pumping the venom round so fast and by the scent there was plenty in his blood stream. I pulled back one of his lids to look at his eye, it was already glowing red. I turned to Bella and shook my head,
"Sorry Bella there's just too much venom in his system. All we can do is keep him safe until he's changed. Well take him back to our place and make him as comfortable as we can".
I pulled her into the front with me while Peter drove the limo away.
"Where's he going?" she asked as he pulled off onto a dirt track.
"He'll torch it then meet us back at the house."
Bella
I leaned over the seat to watch my dad as Charlotte drove us back. He was making small noises and writhing in pain and I felt so hopeless.
"Can't we help with the pain Jasper?" I asked but he never replied so I looked back at his face.
It was even paler than usual and he was concentrating on something I couldn't see.
"He is helping your Dad" Charlotte explained.
"Oh, I never realized how bad it was"
She grimaced, "Its something none of us ever forget, the pain of the change. Charlie's lucky he's got Jasper helping him. Also Alice put so much venom in his system it should be a quick one."
"How long does it take normally?" I asked her.
She shrugged, "Three, four days, usually but believe me it seems a whole lot longer when its you."
I started to cry and Jaspers hand came up to collect the tears.
"He'll be fine Bella I promise you" he whispered.
Jasper
By the time we got back Peter was already there and we took Charlie up to the bedroom Bella had prepared for his stay. She followed us and sat beside him taking his hand and whispering apologies to him.
"Can he hear me?"
"Some can, some can't, but don't stop. I'll stay too and help as much as I can but its going to be rough for a while."
She looked at me with gratitude,
"Thank you Jasper. I know this must be terrible for you. Going through it again."
I took her hand,
"I'd walk through the fires of hell itself for you Bella."
She bit her lip,
"I know Jasper and that's exactly what I'm going to ask you to do once Charlie comes out of it."
Her words puzzled me, "Sorry?"
"I want you to change me too. I have no one left in the human world but I have you, Peter, Charlotte and now Charlie in your world".
I squeezed her hand very gently,
"If it's what you want Bella I'll change you but think about it first, you can't change your mind later."
Her smile melted my heart with its love, "I don't have any reservations. I love you and I want to spend eternity with you Jasper Whitlock."
Bella
It was terrible to see my Dads suffering even helped by Jasper but it didn't change my resolve, I wanted to be with Jasper for ever, I loved him and that meant becoming a vampire too. Three days of agony was a small price to pay for his eternal love. We sat together for the three days it took, Charlotte supplying me with food and drinks and twice dragging me out to shower and sleep for a few hours. I knew that sleep would have been impossible without Jasper's help so he was giving me peace and calm as well as Charlie while suffering himself.
On the third day Peter and Charlotte appeared in the room drifting close to my sides.
"It's nearly over isn't it?" I asked and Jasper nodded.
"Yes Bella. He'll be waking soon so I think it might be a good idea if you stepped away from the bed" "Charlie won't hurt me" I objected but the other two took my arms and pulled me close to the door.
"Honey, he won't be Charlie for a while. Remember he's a new-born, with a raging thirst and a vicious nature. It takes time for things to settle down"
I looked at Charlotte who'd spoken these words.
"Do you think he might attack me?"
Peter laughed, "Fuck you're the only food source in the place. I'll be surprised if he doesn't try to rip your head off."
I paled and Jasper growled, "Good work Peter."
Peter looked at me and mouthed "Sorry" but I knew he wasn't. He was just being logical.