It took us a total of 3 days to drive to Phoenix, Arizona. Jasper drove the whole way. As vampires, Alice and Jasper didn't need sleep so it was easy for him to do. Me, on the other hand, I slept most of the second day. I wasn't sure if Bella did, but she was silent the whole drive. I wasn't going to lie. I was terrified, and sleeping helped me to keep from wanting to curl up into a ball and cry.
I had to be strong. For Bella and Edward. I knew Edward loved Bella very much and I love her as a sister so I had to be strong. I couldn't just have a panic attack and ruin any chance we had of protecting Bella. Alice had an idea, and no one ever went against Alice's ideas.
Once we reached the hotel, Jasper and Alice were the ones to get us checked in. Bella and I carried the few bags we had inside and to the hotel room.
Once we were safely inside of the hotel room, I immediately went to lay on the couch. Bella sat on the armchair in the living area of the hotel room. Alice and Jasper shared the loveseat. I was currently watching Alice try to convince Bella to eat the sandwich we had just ordered for her. I had already eaten mine as soon as it was placed in front of me. I was starving.
"Bella, you need to eat," I said to the brunette as I looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"They aren't eating," Bella argued as she pointed towards Alice and Jasper, and I rolled my eyes at her weak argument.
"There is nothing for them here. But there is a sandwich right in front of you. Eat it," I said, "I ate mine."
"No," Bella stated. I sighed and rolled my eyes, running a hand down the side of my face.
Bella was fighting us on it, she refused to eat until Edward called her. It was kind of immature of her really. And pointless. I was tempted to just force feed her. I refused to let her starve on my watch. If I had to, I'd make Jasper and Alice hold her down so I can shove a sandwich down her throat. Jeez was that violent or what?
"You have to eat, Bella," Alice had told her.
"I'm just not hungry, Alice," Bella argued with my short pixie of a sister.
"Yes, you are. I can hear your stomach growl all the way from over here and I'm a human. Damn it, Bella, just eat," I rolled my eyes in annoyance and I saw Bella look back at me. I raised a single eyebrow silently. She sighed as she grabbed the plate from the table. I watched her until she took a bite of the sandwich then I looked away.
I closed my eyes and laid back down, covering my face with my arm. I could finally relax a bit. My eyes abruptly opened when I heard Alice gasp. I turned my head to see her with a blank expression on her face, staring off silently.
"Alice, what is it? What do you see?" Jasper asked his mate.
"The tracker. He's just changed course," Alice said as she stared off. Bella set her plate down and looked at Alice.
"Where will it take him, Alice?" Jasper asked as he stood up to grab a piece of paper and a pencil with his speed before running back to Alice and setting the items down in front of her.
"Mirrors," Alice said as she leaned down to begin sketching, "A room full of mirrors." We watched her sketch silently.
"Edward said the visions weren't always certain," Bella spoke up. I kept my eyes on my sister's sketching, allowing Jasper to respond to Bella.
"She sees the course people are on while they're on it. If they change their minds, the vision changes," Jasper responded.
"Okay," Bella spoke softly, "So the course they tracker is on now, is gonna lead him to a ballet studio?"
I abruptly looked at Bella, raising a single eyebrow.
"You've been there?" I questioned, raising a single eyebrow questioningly.
"I took lessons as a kid," Bella responded, "The school I went to had an arch just like that," Bella pointed to Alice's sketch.
"Was your school here in Phoenix?" Alice asked her curiously.
"Yeah," before she could elaborate further her phone vibrated as did mine. I stood up and pulled my phone out, walking away as I answered.
"Emmett?" I questioned.
"You're okay," Emmett breathed out from the other line.
"Yes. I'm fine. Are you alright?" I questioned my mate, raising a single eyebrow.
"Yes. But we've lost the tracker. Edward is sending Esme and Rosalie back to Forks to protect Bella's father. We're coming to Phoenix for you two. Edward is taking Bella away, and you and I are returning home," Emmett explained and I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair silently.
"Will they be alright on their own?" I asked my boyfriend. Emmett didn't respond to me for a moment.
"Not until James is killed...I think Carlisle, Jasper, and I are going to follow them after I take you home. Edward won't be able to take James on on his own," Emmett said honestly. I sighed, biting my lower lip gently.
"I miss you," I said to him.
"I miss you too. I will be with you soon. Be safe. I love you, Ezra."
"I love you too."
The call ended at that. I looked at Jasper and Alice and they were already packed up.
"You stay with Bella. Jasper and I are going to check out," Alice said. I nodded my head at my sister silently. I glanced over at the bedroom Bella was in, possibly packing her own bag.
Alice and Jasper left the room, grabbing their bags and taking them with them. I stood in the main room, hands in the pockets of my jeans as I waited for Bella to finish packing.
I sat back down on the couch. I heard Bella answering her phone in the other room. I heard her greet her mother. I watched as Bella exited the bedroom in a hurry and I was pretty sure she didn't see me because she left the hotel room just as quickly.
"Bella," I called for her as I followed her out of the room. I ran after her to the elevator and just before she could get the door to close, I slipped onto the elevator. She looked at me with a worried look in her eyes and I lifted a single eyebrow, "Where are you going?" I questioned.
"James has my mother," Bella's eyes filled with tears. My eyes widened in worry. Of course the tracker would stoop so low.
"And you're going to what? Save her on your own?" I questioned, raising a single eyebrow, "That's stupid of you, Swan."
"He said he'd kill her if even sensed the others with me," Bella said helplessly as she looked down, "I can't lose her, Ezra. She's my mother," she looked up at with a look of despair. I frowned at her words. She reminded me of how I was many years ago.
My mother's death, had hurt me. It changed my father and it changed me completely. I didn't want Bella to go through what I did. I sighed as I nodded my head silently.
"You can't go alone," I said and Bella opened her mouth to speak but I held my hand up to stop her, "I'll go with you. He won't be able to sense me. Don't worry. I have a plan."
~~~~~~
I stood outside the ballet studio with Bella. I looked down at her silently as she stared up at the studio. I saw how visibly shaken she seemed and I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I knew this was a bad idea. But I would be right behind her the entire time.
If my plan worked the way it was supposed to, Alice and the others would be behind us as soon as I put my plan into motion. I looked at Bella.
"Go. I'll be right behind you. Don't do anything to provoke him, do you understand?" I questioned the brunette. She nodded her head before she turned to walk into the ballet studio. I sighed as I waited patiently, arms crossed against my chest.
God, Alice, I hope you see this decision.
After a few minutes, I began to walk into the ballet studio. As I walked in I heard Bella scream, and I took off at a run to try to get to her quicker. I wasn't as fast as a vampire but from all my years of swimming I had strong legs and I was fast enough.
"Tell Edward how much it hurts. Tell him to avenge you. Tell him. TELL HIM."
"Bella, no!" I shouted as soon as I ran into thr room. James turned to look at me and he growled as he ran towards me. He grabbed me and threw me cross the room and I landed into a podium and fell to the ground with a loud thud. That was when Edward ran in.
"You're alone. You're faster than the others," James lifted Edward from the mirror and slammed him against it again, "But not stronger," he growled. My eyes widened.
"We're strong enough to kill you," Edward growled as he kicked James across the room and into a mirror.
Edward and I ran towards Bella and Edward lifted Bella up, "I'm sorry," he said to a gasping Bella.
We both ran towards the exit. James grabbed Edward's leg though and dragged him down and threw him away from Bella. My eyes widened as Bella fell to the ground and I quickly ran to my sister's side.
I looked up as I watched James approach Bella and I. I jumped to my feet, "Stay away from her!" I shouted, but he grabbed my arm and twisted it. I shouted as I felt my arm break and he threw me aside. I was only a few feet away from Bella and James, but before I could stop him, he grabbed her wrist and bit her. My eyes widened as I stared at the sight in shock.
"No, Bella!" I shouted just as Edward jumped up and ran towards James, tackling him. He and James broke through the floorboard as Edward slammed into him. I jumped up and ran towards Bella's side, dropping to my knees beside her, "It'll be okay, Bella. They're on their way," I said simply as I pushed her hair from her face with my okay arm. I gritted my teeth as I tried to ignore the pain in my arm. It was nothing compared to the pain Bella must've been feeling right now.
I sighed as I looked back to see James and my brother. Edward had James pinned against a podium and he bit into his neck, tearing away his flesh then spitting it out.
Carlisle appeared then and put a hand on Edward's shoulder. I looked up to see Jasper, Emmett, and Alice arriving as well. Alice raced towards Bella's side with me.
"Bella, Bella, it's okay," Alice whispered to Bella as she tried to calm the convulsing girl down.
"Son, enough," I heard Carlisle say behind us to Edward, "Remember who you are. Bella needs you."
I watched as Alice raised her hand from Bella's leg and I felt like throwing up at the sight. There was so much blood.
"Carlisle," Alice called for our father then she looked at me.
"Ezra, it's okay. Let it out," she whispered and I nodded my head as I did. I turned to the side and wretched up everything that was in my stomach.
"Your brothers will take care of him," Carlisle said to Edward as Emmett and Jasper grabbed James.
"I've got him," Emmett growled.
"I'll start the fire," Jasper said.
"Get the floorboard," Emmett growled.
I saw James struggling against my brother's and mate's grip.
"Alice!" I heard Jasper call for his mate.
"Alice, go," Carlisle said to the short vampire who raced over as quickly as she could. She jumped on James and tore his head clean off of his body.
Alice had ran back towards Carlisle, Bella, myself, and Edward. I had finally stopped hurling. I remained at Bella's side with Alice kneeling next to me, trying to calm Bella down.
"The artery's been severed she's losing too much blood," Carlisle said as he tried to stop the bleeding in Bella's leg.
"No, no, no! My hand is burning!" she screamed and I looked at Bella, my heart breaking at the sight. She was so new to this. She had no idea what was happening to her. Hell, I had no idea what was happening to her.
"It's the venom," Edward said through gritted teeth as we all watched the young girl convulse and scream. Carlisle looked at Edward.
"You have to make a choice. Either let the change happen-," Carlisle stopped speaking for a moment.
"No...No," Edward shook his head as he looked at Carlisle.
"It's gonna happen, Edward. I've seen it," Alice said as she looked at our brother. Let it happen.
"It doesn't have to be that way," Edward said as he shook his head.
"She's still hemorrhaging. Alice, give me your belt," Carlisle said to me and Alice nodded her head as she quickly pulled my belt off. I took her place in calming Bella, running my fingers through her hair.
"Carlisle, what's my other option?" Edward asked our father as Alice handed Carlisle the belt.
"Tie it above my hands," Carlisle said as he looked at Alice. Alice did as she was told.
"Carlisle," Edward growled. Alice pulled her hand away from Bella's leg and stiffened, Carlisle grabbed her arm and looked at her.
"Go. Now," he said and she nodded my head silently, standing up and running back towards Emmett and Jasper.
I felt myself growing faint as I watched Carlisle and Edward.
"You have to suck the venom out, Edward," Carlisle said.
"I won't be able to stop," Edward said as he looked at Bella's pain filled face.
"You must," Carlisle said. And just as Edward launched at Bella's wrist to suck the venom from her blood, I had passed out. The pain from my arm and the sight of my brother drinking from Bella becoming too much for me.
"Ezra!" I heard Emmett faintly, but I couldn't respond. All I saw was darkness.