AN... BIG LOVE and my thanks to my awesome pre-reader, prettyflour. You rock!

Also, much thanks to all who are reading. I get new "alert" messages every day,
and I "squee" in delight! I would love to hear from you all.

This chapter is short, but I hope it helps to answer more questions than it
raises! ;)

Disclaimer: My initals are not SM.. therefore, I am obligated to tell you that I do
NOT own any part of Twilight. Stephenie is amazing enough to allow, and even
encourage us to mess with her characters. (I have been enjoying it immensely!)

Chapter 26

Torturous Revelations

UUaAP

Bella POV

Agony. Excruciating, blindingly white-hot heat. It is searing my skin along my arm, traveling once again towards my shoulder. Ice-cold lips pressed against the incision. I scream out once again as the painful suction begins… again. The fire recedes as the exhaustion takes over. This is the third session this hour. Those red eyes keep dancing merrily, laughing at my torment.

Just as the lips release me and the pain dies down to a "bearable", ragged ache at the now ninth point of entry, the other torture begins. I wince as the tubing us shoved once again up my nose.

"Swallow." Red-eyes orders me. I gag.

"Swallow this, or I will give you something else to swallow." He pauses, grinning at me maniacally. "Not that I would mind but I would think that you would prefer to swallow the tubing. Besides I don't think that Victoria would be very pleased with me if she knew about the last time. She'd think I would snap your neck before it's time. She doesn't know how much practice I have had with humans over the years. You see Bella I like to fuck my human women before I devour them." Red eyes glow all the more brightly, and I begin to shake uncontrollably, quaking to the core of my being. I swallow the bile threatening to rise in my throat effectively allowing passage of the tube into my stomach.

Now the shivering and irrepressible frigidity take over as he hangs a bag of cold saline water to drain slowly into my stomach, returning hydration and nutrients to my system. He has already taken so much blood. I vomit several times as the thoughts of the past… however many hours wash over me. Red-eyes won't tell me his name. He won't answer my direct questions. I stopped asking them after the first cycle. It hurt so badly. I don't know where we are. A strange room. His eyes are all I see. I can't take in his face.

He bites me three times. The irrational pain begins to take over my senses, I know this pain. James inflicted this on me, but Edward… my sweet Edward made it go away. Where is he? No. Jacob. My Jacob. Edward is not mine. I don't think he ever was. Jacob, my sun. My soul. I left the safety of his home. He doesn't know where I am. Will he ever know what happened to me?

My thoughts run away with me. I cannot focus. My stomach hurts so badly. This cold water is distending my stomach. It hurts like a knife in the gut. I vomit frequently, and the pressure is released momentarily but the terrible, stabbing cold is unrelenting. I know in a moment that it will become engorged again and I will vomit… again. After he changes the bag three times, I know that he will give me a little while to sleep. Hopefully my body will cooperate. Right now I would welcome sleep if I thought it could take me.

The first time Red-eyes shoved the tube up my nose I gagged. I refused to swallow. He told me that I would swallow either the tube, or whatever else he gave me to swallow. He stood behind me. I couldn't see what he held in his hand. He made me choose. The tubing hurt pressing against the back of my throat, shoved up through my nostril. My nose was bleeding, and I didn't know what he was trying to force into me. I made my choice. I chose wrong, yanking the clear, flexible offending item out of my nose. I gagged as it entered, and gagged as it exited. I vomited a little. Why didn't I swallow the tube?

He walked in front of me, his crimson eyes shining with evil delight. I looked straight ahead, and screamed. I begged for the tube, but he told me I had already made my choice. His right hand was cupping and stroking himself, his left thumb hooked into my mouth as it opened in a terrorized shriek. He stroked and moaned as my eyes widened. (Why do I always keep my eyes open when I am scared? Why can't I close them like any other "normal" person?) He shoves the offending bulbous head into my mouth, stroking the shaft and moaning my name as he erupts. I gag. I want to die.

"Swallow it bitch." He grunts into my ear as he pinches my nose closed. "Swallow it or you'll choke on it, and suffocate." I decide I want to live, and I do as he says. I want to vomit, but I fight back to urge to retch. "Good girl. Now that you know who's in charge here, and what will happen, I think you might want to swallow the tube the next time I put it down your throat. Am I correct?" I nod vigorously, swallowing back the bile, trying to forget the awful taste and burn in my throat and stomach. It is like acid. Heartburn would be a welcome feeling. He gives me a minute to writhe in my abysmal distress.

He crouches in front of me, holding my face still, and making me look into his eyes. "You ready to swallow the tube like a good little girl now? If not, I can whip up another batch of the alternative. I have amazing stamina." I nod as he stands back up, showing me his length in his hand, swollen again already with his arousal. I can see it in his eyes, my pain and torment turn him on. I swallow quickly as he shoves that tubing into my nose again. As I regurgitate the frigid liquid, I can see the cloudy residue of his ejaculate being expelled from my stomach. I feel giddy for a moment, and give myself over to the nausea, heaving again and again until the liquid has run clear.

That was hours ago, and Red-eyes has repeated this cycle twice now. Everything seems to happen in threes with him. This was the third time, and I wonder… is it over? If it is, I can't help but think the question… What the fuck does he have planned next, and what is Victoria planning to do when he is finished with me?

More time passes. He rips the tube from my nose, and it hurts so damn bad, but now I am pissed off. I will not cry out. I refuse. I will not give him the satisfaction of another yelp. No, not a peep. I steel myself to stare into his eyes defiantly, my shoulders squaring. I feel a small bit of warmth deep inside of me. I have no idea where it comes from. This room is cold. His hard skin is cold. The liquid he has forced down my gullet is cold. I have no idea how I can feel any warmth. I have been here shivering and shaking for hours. This is new. I welcome it. I want to crawl inside this little space and revel in it, this odd sensation of heat. And my anger is beginning to overshadow my fear for the first time… ever? I know that I am frail, and weak. I know that this red-eyed bastard and that red-headed slag plan to kill me. I don't plan to go down without a fight. I make myself a promise… I will live to see their end. Somehow, I will bide my time until the answer presents itself.

UUaAP

Leah POV

Alice was in pain. Emotional agony turned inwards. She blamed herself for Bella's disappearance. Edward listened to her thoughts as she shut down, unable to speak in her despair and guilt. Alice's pain became Edward's pain. He no longer had the same romantic feeling towards Bella that he once did, I had heard and felt it in his thoughts, and touch. I knew that his soul belonged only to me. I was his, and he was mine. I also knew that he would never stop loving her. She was ingrained in his heart for all time. She may not have been his mate, but she was the first stirring of genuine emotion for him. Edward would never stop caring for Bella. If something happened to her, I knew that a part of him would die. She was his best friend. The bonds they had forged would never die, but I was not jealous. I knew where I stood. I worried for my new friend, and… maybe sister… as well.

It killed me to watch my love and his sister in such wretched states. I asked Edward to fill me in on how Alice felt she was at fault. Her memories tumbled into my head in a cyclonic haze. Her vision of Bella leaving La Push… alone… yesterday morning. Saw Bella dress in baggy sweats. That would never do for Alice, and it was clear that she was expecting Jake to go to Bella's house soon. She picked out a sexy nightie for her to dress in. Her vision darkened and turned cloudy in the way that it always had when a wolf entered the scene. She had called Billy and left him a message for Jake that she was with Bella, and would be there until he came on the scene.

What she didn't know, couldn't have known, was that Jacob was so tired after getting home that he crashed after Billy gave him the message. He was confident that Bella was taken care of. Alice had left Bella's house at 9:30p.m. Jacob told her he got to Billy's house after 11p.m., and didn't awaken until after 9a.m. today. When he got to Bella's house, the door was standing wide open, and he said that the stench of vampire was still heavy. It was a scent he didn't recognize. We were headed there to investigate… to see if the Cullens recognized the scent.

Jacob was a wreck. He was pacing in the living room, pulling at his hair, his eyes swollen and red-rimmed with tears. His voice was hoarse and raw from the sobbing. Alice crumpled into a heap at Jake's feet, incoherent apologies falling from her lips. Although he was beside himself, he knew that Alice, and all of the Cullens loved Bella as their own. He knew that she would never knowingly allow harm to come to her.

As I approached the doorway, I was overwhelmed with the scent that invaded my nostrils. It was a scent I would never forget. Ever. My knees buckled, and my chest constricted. I could not get enough air. I reached out toward Edward, as I struggled to take in enough oxygen. I could feel the air coming into my lungs, but it brought me little relief as panic inundated my senses. Without enough air, I couldn't speak. I tried to scream, but the only thing to escape me barely even sounded like a squeak. Edward spun at that small noise, locking eyes with me. He still couldn't hear my thoughts, but my mate knew me.

He saw the look in my eyes. He knew that my reaction had something to do with the strong scent of the vampire unknown to his family and himself. He closed the distance between us instantly, taking me into his arms, and speaking soothingly to me.

"It's okay baby, I am here. Breathe." He pleaded with me, rubbing gentle circles on my back, and rocking me gently. At his touch, I began to relax. My brain began to clear, and acknowledged the scent of my mate as he wrapped himself around me. The whole incident only lasted a few moments, but they felt like forever.

"It's him." I gasped. "It's him, how can this be?"

"Who? Who is it?" Edward's eyes probed mine, looking for the answer.

"It's impossible! I killed that bastard. How can it be him?" I questioned to no one in particular. I looked into Edward's eyes, they were desperate for an answer. "I took off his head." I choked, as Edward's eyes widened in understanding.

"He was never burned. Someone must have found him and saved him." Edward explained.

"What are you talking about? Who is 'he', and when the hell did you take off a vampire's head, Leah?" Jacob demanded, storming out of the house.

"Leah tried to run away once, during a council meeting. She was raped by a vampire. She was able to escape, and thought she had killed him. Apparently this is his scent. He took Bella." Edward's voice faltered as a sob broke out of his chest. Alice wailed as Jasper wordlessly rocked her in his arms.

Jacob sank to his knees, his eyes were wild, and his hands ripped at his hair as his mouth fell open into a silent scream. I reached out, and wrapped my arms around him, and we quickly found ourselves surrounded by the entire Cullen family who had arrived in time to witness the revelation. Everyone sought to give comfort to Jacob in his grief.

Emmett and Carlisle began to follow the scent, trying to ascertain the direction that Bella had been taken. The trail ended at the street a few blocks away. Apparently she was taken in a vehicle, and there was no way of knowing what direction they traveled. It was overwhelming and discouraging as the realization set in… we had nothing to go on. All any of us could do was pray. And we all did. Together, hand–in-hand, Carlisle led us in a prayer for the sweet, selfless girl who held a special place in all of our hearts.

"God Almighty, we come before you… broken, and humbled. We have no right to ask anything of you, and we acknowledge this. In your Devine goodness, Lord; we ask that you would have mercy on Isabella. Protect her and give her strength. God, we beg for insight. Lead us to her, Lord. We ask in your Holy Name. Amen."

~UUaAP~

Reviews are Welcome and Wanted,
I read them all and often respond.

This week's Rec... It is dark, and angsty with EXTREMELY HAWT lemony goodness!

I Want It Painted Black by SaritaDreaming... Izzy Black *Bella* is a bad girl with issues. Edward Cullen is the vampire that brings it all down in an inner battle between darkness and light. He'll go to great lengths to melt her frozen heart. WINNER DARKELLA'S DARKEST TEMPTATIONS M themes/LEMONS