The Eye of the Tiger

The Supply Closet

"Bella? Where are you going?"

"Artemis!" She exclaims, obviously surprised by my presence. "What're you still doing up here?"

"Jasper said he didn't need my help loading up and that I could come hang out with you until we leave," I explain, looking over her disheveled state and noting the pepper spray clutched in her hand. "But obviously you're trying to sneak away."

"I'm- I'm not-"

"You are a terrible liar, Isabella Swan."

"He has my mom. He said if I brought a Cullen he'll kill her. I have to go," She explains.

"Bella for all you know this is a trap! Why would you walk in on your own only armed with pepper spray." What the hell is she thinking. What the hell am I thinking. She can't "You aren't going alone or unarmed. I'm coming with. My duffle of supplies is already in the car, but I have a gun on a holster on my ankle. Won't do much but it's more than pepper spray."

"No, no Artemis I can't drag you into this," Bella tries to argue, now trailing after me in the hall, taking the stairs two at a time.

"You're not dragging me if I willingly going. Actually, as of now, I'm the one dragging you," I comment, her rolling her eyes.

"Artemis, I'm seri-"

"I'm serious Bella. You're one of my closest friends and I'm not letting you walk into a possible suicide mission on your own. I'm going with you and that's final."

"Fine, but-"

"Shhh," I silent, placing my hand on her mouth before she can round the corner, pulling her back. She looks at me with wild eyes, but I shake my head, nodding in the direction of the front desk where Jasper and Alice stand hand in hand, quietly talking with serious expressions.

"Follow me," I whisper, leading her the opposite way and out a back door service entrance.

"How're you so good at sneaking out of places?" Bella questions, standing on the curb with her hand raised to hail a cab.

"I'm even better at sneaking in. My step-sister Claire taught me when I was younger," I explain, a cab pulling up.

"Hi, 8th and Palo Verde, please," Bella requests as we hop in, taking a deep breath.

"Course sweetheart," The elderly cab driver agrees, taking off.

"Promise me that when we survive this, you'll actually live your life for you, not live it for Ed? You've missed out on so much with friends and Charlie since you moved here and started dating him. I need you to live your life," I request in a whisper.

"Why are you talking like we won't be making it out of here, Artie?"

"Just promise me Bells," I request, the cab pulling up.

"It'll be 15 even kiddos," The driver states, me handing him a 20.

"Keep the change Sir," I assure, hopping out, standing next to my pale best friend in front of the building.

"I promise," Bella whispers out, practically shaking. "I promise."

"Good. Now let's go get your mom," God we're idiots. "Try the door."

"It's unlocked," Bella reports, slipping in as I follow.

"Bella? Bella?" A woman's voice calls out and based on Bella's expression, this must be her mother. "Bella, where are you?"

"It's coming from this way," I suggest, stopping Bella's spinning.

"The supply closet," She mumbles, running forward.

"Mom!"

"Don't you want to dance, baby?" Bella's mom's voice asks, playing through a tv.

"Son of a bitch!"

"Not very lady-like words for a woman, but I guess I shouldn't expect any better from a hunter, a Winchester nonetheless," James' voice calls from behind us.

"She's not here," Bella mumbles, looking downtrodden.

James smirks, looking from me to Bells. "Sorry. But you really made it too easy. Really quite boring. But I wasn't expecting you to bring the hunter, now that was surprising. You're with the couple, right? Jasper and Alice was it?" He questions me, a cocky smile on his face.

"My relationship is none of your business," I bite, glaring.

"That's all the answer I need," He chuckles, moving towards us with a video camera in hand. "To make things even more entertaining, I'm going to make a little film of our time together. Borrowed this from your house, hope you don't mind," He comments towards Bella, although she only looks frozen. "And... ACTION!"

With this, Bella flings her purse, booking it for the door but being stopped by James' speed. "Excellent! An escape attempt! It'll really break Edward's little heart. Jasper and Alice will have each other, but will that be enough when they know what they're missing?"

"You're an ass," I comment, pulling out my gun and shooting him, it doing a non-surprising nothing other than just pissing him off.

"And you're mouthy," He snarls, speeding behind me, grabbing my neck and smelling my hair. "You've got a fire in you. I can see what they see in you."

"Fuck you. They have nothing to do with this."

"But they will," He assures, increasing his grip on my neck. "They all will. Their rage will make for a more interesting sport than the family's feeble attempt to protect you both."

"Leave Edward out of this," Bella demands, spraying her pepper spray in his eyes and pulling me with her towards the door.

"Uh uh uh," He scolds, jumping in front of us, throwing Bella into a mirrored column, smashing it, him video taping every second. "Now for you," He comments, rounding on me as I stand, anger boiling in my veins. "What are you doing? How are you doing that?" He questions, a mild panic in his voice that is new.

"Doing what?" I grit out, glaring.

"Your, your eyes," He stumbles out. "Your, your wings."

"Arg!" I yell, a force inside me pushing my hands forward, not registering words as a bright white light expels from my body, knocking him back twenty feet.

"Artemis..." Bella mumbles, staring with wide eyes.

"What did I just do?" I question allowed, staring at my hand. "How do I do it again?" I question, shaking my hands.

"Good to know that was a one-time thing because otherwise, I would think you'd have a chance," James snarls, jumping up and grabbing my neck, speeding me into another mirrored pillar. "It's too bad they didn't turn either of you. Instead, they left you fragile and damaged little humans. It's truly cruel how easy they made this."

I want to scream. To yell at him and insult him in every way I know but I can't breathe. I can't think.

"Lucky for you, Edward is my main focus, so this'll be quick," He assures, a murderous glint in his eyes before he pulls me forward and slams me back, everything going black.