Chapter Sixty three
Charlotte
Bella waited impatiently at the river while I dragged the inflatable I 'd used to get here originally out from it's hiding place and into the water.
"Bella I need you in the boat. If they come after us we can get away then"
"I'm not leaving without Jasper."
"They'll be here but we have to be ready Bella, now get in the boat."
She was about to argue with me when she saw my face and decided against it. As she climbed in we saw figures moving towards us hurriedly. It looked like one was carrying something heavy on its shoulders while the pursuers, unhampered were gaining rapidly. I pushed us away from the bank and started the motor, there was no need for stealth now.
"Wait" she shouted in panic but I could see our men weren't going to make it and was forced to make the most difficult decision of my life. I turned the boat down stream and put the outboard into the water but Bella screamed for me to wait.
"I can protect them Char, please, please wait."
I idled the engine but was ready to gun it if any of the pursuers got close enough to endanger us, my concern was Bella and her safety.
Peter
I could see the boat but I could also hear our pursuers and I knew it was an unequal race. They would reach us before we reached the boat.
"Peter drop me and get out. Get Bella out of here."
"No way Major. She'd have my balls if I left you behind. We stick together like old times remember? Now shut up so I can concentrate."
I used the last of my energy to good use with a spurt of speed as I saw Char manoeuvre the boat into the river then I heard Bella scream to her and the boat stopped, engine idling. Running feet were getting closer and I turned to face our enemy as a blast of something knocked me off my feet. I cursed as I rolled over in the mud by the river bank, dropping Jasper as I fell. His cry of agony was lost in the shouts and curses of our pursuers who seemed to be trapped behind an invisible barrier.
"Come on hurry up" shouted Char so I picked Jasper up and slung him over my back before taking a running jump and praying I had enough momentum to reach the boat without flipping it over.
Bella
When I saw Peter thrown to the floor by my shield I thought I'd miscalculated but then he rolled over and got back up and I sent a prayer to whichever God smiled on vampires for our luck. It wasn't until I thought about why Peter was running so slowly and saw him pick Jasper up that I knew something was terribly wrong. As Peter ran at the bank and jumped I closed my eyes, fingers crossed. He landed in the boat and it rocked precariously but stayed upright,
"Wow! Want to go again?"
Peter asked as he dropped Jasper non too gently in the bottom of the boat. I was about to say something when I saw the burned rags that were all that was left of Peters shirt front. He saw my horrified gaze and shrugged,
"Got a bit fucking close to the fire, still we made it"
While Charlotte grabbed him in a bear hug I slipped to Jaspers side, lifting his head I saw the pain reflected in his eyes,
"Hi there Cowboy. You OK?"
He grimaced and tried to move his legs and I followed his gaze,
"Oh God, what did she do to you?"
"It's OK, it looks worse than it is. They'll soon heal. Come here"
He opened his arms and I fell into them, happy to feel his embrace once more.
Jasper
Once Bella was in my arms I could face anything. My legs hurt like a bitch but they would heal, I just hoped we could straighten them out before they did so as I really didn't want to put her through having them broken again.
"Peter, give me a hand will you"
Peter put Char down gently and knelt down beside me,
"You ready for this Major"
I nodded closing my eyes as Bella looked at Peter questioningly,
"We have to straighten his legs before they start to mend bent."
Her face was white and tears trickled down but she nodded, biting her lip and holding both my hands in hers. I tried to pull away,
"Bella I might hurt you if I clench my fists."
She shook her head,
"You won't, we'll do it together" and she nodded to Peter,
"Go ahead"
Peter
I fucking hated this, he was in enough pain already and Bella wasn't making it any easier but I nodded and started to straighten his left one first, it being the most badly mangled of the two. I expected at the least a few curses and a lot of resistance but it was as if he hardly felt anything, and when I looked up he was staring into Bella's eyes and she was biting her lip so hard a trickle of blood ran down her chin. The scent of it did nothing to help my mood but I braced myself and straightened the right leg. I had no splints so we'd just have to be careful until we got back on dry land. When I'd finished I touched her shoulder,
"All over Bells"
She nodded but her gaze remained fixed on his, the blood still trickling down her chin mesmerizing me. I longed to put out my finger and allow a drop to fall on it then take it to my lips but I struggled away from the thought. Charlotte seeing I was in trouble pulled me away and kissed me, whispering in my ear,
"How is she doing that Peter? Jasper never flinched while you were straightening the bones."
"No fucking idea but at least the poor bastard isn't in agony any longer."
Jasper
I'd felt my legs being moved but the pain was just a terrible ache that was bearable. I looked into Bella's eyes before he started and it was as if I couldn't look away, I was falling into them, falling into her, feeling a peace and contentment that only came when she was close to me. It wasn't until she looked away that the spell was broken and I noticed for the first time the blood on her chin. I wiped it with my index finger not even noticing the smell of it, just worried that she had hurt herself.
"Is it better now?" she whispered as if hoarse.
"Yes, much, but how did you do it? How come I didn't feel anything?"
"I don't have the faintest idea. I just needed you to become one with me. I knew that would help and I felt it as you fell into me through my eyes. It was very... intense"
"But you felt pain"
I rubbed the blood between my fingers,
"You'd hurt enough. I wouldn't let you endure any more."
I tried to move forward to kiss her but that was too painful so she smiled and leaned over to kiss me before leaning against me and resting her head on my shoulder.
"I wonder what's going to happen next. Life is never dull" she whispered before closing her eyes, and within moments she was asleep.
"Fuck, what a woman!" was Peters only response as the boat cut through the water away from Maria's camp but I didn't think it would be the last we heard of her.