Chapter 26: Bella's POV
Screaming. All I here is screaming.
A piercing, high pitched echo that cuts across the silent air like a swooping bird. It takes me mere seconds to realize that the scream is my own. It takes much longer for me to stop.
Anna, the girl that had kidnapped me, was lying dead in front of me. Why? I wasn't positive, but I'm almost hundred percent sure it was because of Damon.
Damon.
Damon.
Damon.
He was here. He was going to save me. He was—he was a vampire.
God my life's fucked up.
"Bella!" There's a blur of motion and he's in front of me. His piercing blue eyes are darting around my body, assessing my injuries. By the darkening in his eyes I don't think he likes what he sees. "She'll pay." He snarls. Damon's baby blues are gone. Instead, there are black and red eyes and veins that carve his face. He looks just like Pearl, but this time I'm not afraid.
"Damon I…"
"Shhh," he hushes. Bright blue eyes are shinning at me now, concern and joy all wrapped into one. "You need to rest, you lost a…"
He never finishes his sentence. Because there's another scream, piercing and heart wrenching. And this time, I know it's not me. It's Pearl.
I want to shout at Damon to leave. I want him out of this house and safe somewhere else. I know he's here to save me, but there's absolutely no need for him to die because of it. But before I can even get out a word there's another blur and Damon's flying across the room. A snarling Pearl stands where he was, and boy oh boy is she pissed.
I hate vampires.
"You little pest." Pearl snaps. She's vamped out (literally) and ready to go, a stake clutched in her pale white hand, "You fucking killed my daughter."
"You fucking kidnapped Bella." Damon snarls back from the other side of the room.
I don't voice my opinion that killing someone's daughter is probably worse. Even if they are a psychotic vampire.
Another snarl and the two blur together. All I can here is hisses, scratches, and the grunts of exertion. What's happening? I don't know. It's all occurring too fast for my human eyes to comprehend.
I really hate vampires.
A scream.
A grunt.
Someone's flying through the air. The stake Pearl had been holding is also flying, skittering its way on the ground before resting by my feet. Now, only if I could move without becoming paralyzed in pain. Maybe I could do something. As it was—I'm stuck as the stupid human tied to the pole.
"She's innocent." Damon growled from where he was now standing. I guess Pearl had been the one to go flying this time. "She had nothing to do with any of this Pearl. You had no right to drag her life into this hell."
To late Damon. My life's already hell.
"Innocent." Pearl is laughing. She knows my secret, and she's not afraid to tell. "Look at her arm Damon. Look at the scar. Then tell me if you precious human is innocent then."
Damon's gaze flicks to where my arms are bound above me, drawn instinctively to the scar that mars my skin—a cruel reminder of past traumas. I see the tension in his posture, the subtle strain in his neck muscles. His reaction, though fleeting, speaks volumes, leaving me to wonder why I'm so afraid of his judgment.
Pearl's grin widens, reveling in the tension between us. Damon's clenched jaw and steely gaze betray his displeasure, his determination evident as he readies himself for battle. Pearl's taunts fall flat against his resolve.
"You still fight for her," Pearl sneers, her voice dripping with disdain for the "Cold Ones." Damon's response is simple yet defiant.
"What can I say? I'm a rebel."
The ensuing chaos is a whirlwind of movement and sound, too fast for me to comprehend fully. I'm left to listen to the cacophony of snarls, curses, and the sickening sound of violence. Each passing moment feels like an eternity as I struggle to endure the pain and uncertainty, clinging to the hope that Damon will emerge victorious.
When the dust settles, and another vampire lies dead at my feet, relief floods through me. It's not Damon, and for that, I'm grateful beyond words.
"Bella," I hear his voice, filled with concern and tenderness. He's by my side in an instant, his touch gentle against my battered body.
"Damon, you're…" I begin, my words trailing off as dizziness threatens to overwhelm me.
"Shh," he soothes, cradling the back of my neck with a gentleness that belies his strength. "You need to relax. You've lost a lot of blood…"
I nod weakly, struggling to stay conscious as he carefully frees my wrists from their bindings. Pain shoots through me, but I push it aside, focusing on the warmth of Damon's touch, the reassurance in his voice.
"Damon, it's okay," I whisper, willing him to believe it as much as I do.
His eyes, glistening with unshed tears, meet mine, and for a moment, I see his vulnerability laid bare. It's a side of Damon I've never witnessed before, and it breaks my heart to see him so raw, so exposed.
But even in his pain, he finds strength, a small, tentative smile gracing his lips as he assures me that he'll take care of me.
"I know you will," I murmur, allowing myself to surrender to the exhaustion that threatens to consume me.
And as I drift into slumber, I'm enveloped in Damon's embrace, finding solace and safety in his arms. For now, at least, we're together, and that's all that matters.
