Chapter 13
The pain started at my neck.
At first, it was a burning pain like a fire ant’s bite. His tongue was like a cat’s, dry and rasping. I lifted a leg and kicked backwards, hitting something unyielding. There was a grunt and James’ grip on my shoulders slackened; I wriggled out and collapsed to my knees and hands, gasping, and then turning over to face the sky. I lay in the dirt for a few seconds, breathing.
They were fighting again.
And the burning truly started. From my neck, it spread all over my body: my skin, the inside of my body, my face, my feet, everywhere, places I would have never thought possible, everything burned, as if I were being burned on a bonfire. Each breath was oxygen, just feeding the pain.
I screamed. It was nothing though, because inside, my head was roaring, like the fire was inside me. It filled my ears and dark spots appeared in my vision, black holes that grew and sucked away at the light. I thrashed from side to side, trying to put out the fire and tears streamed down my face when the pain didn’t go away. There had to be flames. There was no reason why it hurt so much, why my body was so hot and pained-
My eyelids were growing tired and I cried harder; my body was giving up on me and my brain was screaming no. My ears barely registered the sounds of flesh ripping and then the sound of fire seemed to roar even more in my ears.
Voices. They were talking. The sounds of trees being felled. The fire leapt higher. I couldn’t tell if it was a fire outside of my body or the fire within. How much time had passed? My body was telling me to sleep. It betrayed me. Oh God...
I forced my eyes open, vaguely seeing two outlines moving around a fire, throwing trees onto it, and fragments...body parts. James-
“No. No.” Edward’s voice.
“She’s still fighting. The venom, you can get it out. The wound’s shallow enough” Carlisle...he had to help me. Please.
I tried to say it.
No words. No words. For once, I had nothing to say. The tears were painful now. They seemed be the fuel for flames on my cheeks. I hiccuped, trying to stop crying.
“She doesn’t have a choice now,” Edward said, his voice trembling. “I-Carlisle, you have to do it. Please.”
Yes, Carlisle, listen to him! Or just end it. Drink my blood. I wouldn’t feel this torture anymore. I was sick of it and my body was shutting down anyways. This is what I deserve, for not being strong enough to defend myself. For having to depend on others.
“I can’t do it,” Carlisle said quietly. “It’ll compromise my work.”
“How can you think of your work-“
“I wasn’t thinking about that,” Carlisle said and honesty rang in his voice, “Edward, isn’t this what you wanted? A chance to prove that you’re strong?”
I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. Anyways, I was only seeing shadows of trees and vampires and a couple rays of sun. My eyelids drooped and I could feel my body shuddering less. I couldn’t even control my own body anymore.
Why were they talking about this? I was about to die...or...no, was this the way that vampires are created? It only made sense-
No!
I couldn’t be a vampire! No, no, no-
“I’ll stop you, Edward. If it becomes too much. But you’re strong, Edward. Your past is behind you. Save her life.”
A minute. Then, cold hands lifted me tenderly so that I was cradled in Edward’s arms. “I’m sorry, Bella.”
His head was at my neck. It felt like a gentle pressure on my neck. As if in a dream, I felt warm liquid trickling down my skin...
I thought I had died.
There was the tunnel, the light at the end, and I was flying along it towards the light.
There was a hand on my shoulder. I turned around mid-flight. Someone I didn’t recognize. Someone-
It was no one.
And then I was falling, back to earth, away from death.
Chapter 14
AN: Oooooooooo...XP