( crossfire! )¹ ─ ᵗʷᶤˡᶤᵍʰᵗ ✓

chapter fifteen.

( CHAPTER FIFTEEN )
HELPLESS

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19 MARCH 2008

CARTER HATED LEAVING ALICE AND JASPER BACK AT THE HOTEL because it left her and Bella unprotected. But she knew it was the best option they had, if James really did have Bella's mother. He had threatened to hurt Renee if Bella or herself even considered going to the ballet studio with any of the Cullens by their side. Neither girl was willing to take the chance that he was bluffing, but Carter had a sinking feeling in her gut that told her she shouldn't have listened to James' warning. A feeling that told her she should have defied him and texted Alice where they were headed the moment they got into the cab Bella had called and driven away. But it was too late now, seeing as the cab was finally pulling to a stop outside a large and old building that Carter could only assume was the studio.

She glanced at her phone one last time, debating if she should text Alice or Jasper, clutching it tightly in her hand before shoving it in her back pocket and climbing out of the yellow vehicle after Bella. Since Bella had no money on her and Carter always had a spare thirty-dollars with her in case of snack emergencies, Carter was left to pay the cab fare. After thanking the cab driver for the ride, Carter lightly slammed the door shut and turned around to stand next to Bella. The brunette was looking up at the daunting building where James was surely waiting for them inside, making sure she had the small bottle of pepper spray her dad had given to her not too long ago.

Because the sun had long since set and it was nearing 9:00 PM, it made the whole situation the two girls were in seem more ominous and dangerous. It caused a shiver to shoot through Carter's spine, despite the humid weather that was making her sweat. Bella reached for Carter's hand, seeking some sort of reassurance, but Carter was just as scared as Bella was. They were playing James' game perfectly and Carter knew it. Their roles were set and he was determined to become the victor, claiming Bella as his prize that he would murder without a second thought, but would cherish the feeling of killing her forever. Carter, on the other hand, would simply be a pawn-a fun, little play-thing for him. She wasn't special like Bella.

Together, the two walked at a hurried, but also hesitant, pace towards the front doors of the ballet studio. It was no surprise when they found the lock broken and the door already cracked open. The darkness inside the building tempted them closer, but their instincts screamed at them to run far away. They ignored their instincts and Carter found herself pushing the door open, a loud creaking drifting throughout the echo-prone structure. She walked inside first, keeping Bella behind her while her grip on the girl's hand remained firm. They walked through the building until they found the main practice room, which was large with a high ceiling supported by large wooden pillars and had mirrors lining every wall. Carter could feel the eyes of James watching them, but she couldn't see him due to the shadows that masked every corner.

"Bella? Bella? Bella, where are you?" Renee's frantic and scared voice broke the tense silence as they walked further into the room quickly. Bella released her grip on Carter's hand and hurried forward towards the source of the voice as Carter desperately reached for her, too slow to stop her. Bella called for her mom, but as Renee continued to speak, Carter noticed the sudden relief that began to fill her voice. "There you are."

It only took a nanosecond for Carter to realize what was wrong. Renee wasn't there. She had been right-James didn't have Bella's mother at all. Carter went to yell for Bella and rush forward as the girl opened some sort of closet where Renee's voice was emitting from, but an ice-cold hand suddenly covered her mouth and stopped her from calling out. She felt James press his nose into the crook of her neck and inhale deeply as he wrapped his other arm around her torso and secured her own arms at her side, preventing her from being able to move or get away due to his supernatural strength. She watched Bella quickly realize-upon finding an old TV set playing an old home video her mother had filmed ages ago-that they had both made a fatal mistake. Fearful tears filled Carter's eyes as James' hold tightened on her.