I can be rotten
I can be cruel
Might act a fool
But never forgotten
MIRABELLE SWAN
"You're absolutely insane, you know that."
"Maybe. But if I wasn't insane your ass would be chained down to a chair back at the hotel right now. So be grateful."
How we got to this point exactly is still puzzling. A few hours ago we were enjoying a Super X-Game-version of baseball with the Cullens then the next we were traveling to an entirely different state trying to run from a psychotic, blood-crazed, relic that wanted to murder my sister and her frantic boyfriend.
Not like I can say my mate was any better. When we were at the house he barely left my side, even for a second. Carlisle had to forcibly lead him away so they could discuss the grand plan of attack. At first, Edward suggested we all just disappear entirely - move to some foreign country so that James could never catch us.
Jasper advised against it. He was certain that someone of complete focus like James would not be deterred from the hunt just because of some air traveling. Plus, he and Rose agreed they'd feel better knowing his head was separated from his body. It was voted by the majority that some of the Cullens would lead James astray with our scent while Alice and Jasper snuck me and my twin in the opposite direction.
Alice's gift would be useful in case James caught on. Jasper's experience with ruthless killers would be the last line of defense. He also refused to leave my side even for a moment. I wouldn't have had it any other way. But now, I was sort of regretting having him here with us at the hotel.
Shortly after we had arrived Alice had a vision. She drew out an eerily familiar image. "That's our old ballet studio," I muttered, growing sick at the realization that James was coming for us. He knew where we were. He knew where we'd been.
Bella had run into our separate room to literally release the contents in her stomach.
"We need to leave. Get ready to go as soon as possible." Alice headed down first in a flurry. Jasper grasped me by both arms, looking me straight in the eyes. "Everything is going to be okay. I'm not going to let him hurt you."
I took his hands into mine. "I know you'll protect me."
He gave me a strained smile, leaning forward to press a loving kiss to my forehead before falling Alice down the hallway. I stood in the middle of the small living area trying to process my thoughts. James found us out quick, but him making his next move came even quicker.
And that's where we are now.
Bella, on the verge of tears, her cellphone clutched tightly in her hand, as she told me that our mother was in danger. James was at the ballet studio with her as his hostage. If we didn't show up alone he'd torture her slowly before finally draining every last drop of blood from her body. Bella swore she heard her voice on the other end.
I knew it was a trap. I tried convincing Bella for us to at least tell Jasper and Alice but she instantly refused. Fear was clouding her judgment. Nothing I said now would get through to her stubborn brain. So the only option left was to go with her to that cursed studio. We slipped out the back way to avoid the Cullens still waiting to be seen at the front desk.
Before leaving I sent one silent apology to my mate. If we lived through this I was going to kill Bella. That is if Jasper and Alice didn't kill me before that.
We needed a car.
"We should've taken the key-"
CRASH!
The sudden car alarm echoed throughout the empty parking lot. Bella watched me in shock as I expertly got underneath the steering wheel, first tearing out the alarm wire then cross-wiring to hot wire the vehicle. I smirked when the motor started purring. "Why are you just standing there? Get in the car. We don't have time to dilly-dally." I said, ignoring the look of awe and shock on my twin's face.
She hopped into the passenger seat. "How do you know how to hot wire a car?"
I grinned deviously. "If you're shocked just by me hot wiring a vehicle I wonder what sort of dumb look you'd have if you saw the other stuff I'm capable of."
"Do I even want to know?"
"Probably not. You might be considered aiding and abetting a criminal in several states."
Bella and I fell silent when I pulled onto the main road. She kept staring out her window anxiously, like James was somewhere in the crowd waiting to attack us. She jumped when I held her hand. "I've got you, Bells. No matter what goes down in there just stay close to me."
She squeezed back. "I don't want you doing anything stupid. If you die I'll never forgive you. So...watch out for yourself too."
When I smiled it was to calm my own nerves and reassure her. Even if it felt like my heart rate was going over the speed limit on the freeway, I had to keep a confident facade. Otherwise, neither one of us will have the balls to go through with this idiotic mission. "No promises. I'm known for getting in precarious situations after all. Plus, you're way more accident-prone than me."
***
There was no one in sight. I vaguely recalled the long lessons our mother had signed us up for. More than anything the faint discomfort of the spandex suits we had to practice in was clearer than anything else. The huge mirrors that ran parallel to one another on the walls were as shiny as ever.
I do remember dancing and looking back to see the other little girls making fun of how graceless I was compared to them. Dancing was never my strong suit. Hell, being a little princess was never who I was. That part of me still hasn't changed even after all these years.
In my hand was a baseball bat I had found in the trunk of our stolen ride. Useless against an immortal but better than going in empty-handed. All Bella had stashed inside her pocket was the pepper spray Dad gave her.
When we entered the dark studio, our mother's voice rang out. "Bella? Bella, where are you? Mirabelle, help me please!" Our pace instantly quickened as we reached the door where the voice was coming from. "There we go. What're you doing over here?" I yanked the door open, bat raised high in case James had anything planned.
My stomach dropped when we found a monitor playing instead. It was an old video of us as children. Our mother was reassuring Bella to do her best while I was behind the two making silly faces. James tricked us. He knew all we needed was to hear mom's desperate calls and we come running.
I grabbed Bella by the forearm. "We need to leave."
A dark chuckle erupted from behind us. James smirked menacingly. "That's my favorite part. You were a stubborn child while your sister..." He watched me pull Bella behind me, "she was always the one to protect you."
In the blink of an eye James had crushed my bat with one hand, then threw me against the wall, holding me high by my neck. No matter how much I kicked or scratched, his grip around my throat wouldn't falter. The lack of oxygen was starting to make my head spin. He leaned in to smell my hair. "You two really made it too easy. So, to make things more entertaining, we're going to make another film one last time here."
In his hand was our old family camera. "Borrowed this from your house, hope you don't mind. Aaaand action. C'mon, Mirabelle, look at the camera - tell your boyfriend to avenge you after all of the horribly delicious things I've got planned for us. Oh, this'll break Edward's and Jasper's little hearts." At the name of my mate, I snarled down at the man.
"Fucking touch him and I swear I'll drive a stake through your hear myself, you perverted prick. Why don't you go try your freaky ass kinks with your redhead."
My threat seemed to amuse the sadist. "You are fiery aren't you. You and Victoria would get along so well. It's a shame that I'll have to kill you. His rage when he sees you crying desperately will make for a more interesting sport than his feeble attempt to protect you. Now, let's see just how long you'll be able to keep this front."
Bella jumped between us, pushing James to the floor before spraying his face with the pepper spray. The lack of restriction finally allowed me to gasp desperately for the air I had lost. But we had no time to be resting. Bella pulled me back towards the exit. We didn't make far. Soon James was back in front of us, slamming us into different directions.
Bella was flung against one of the pillars while I was thrown into the wall of mirrors. Through blurry vision, I could see Bella slowly sitting up, one of her hands coated in blood from the gash on her head. She was still alive though.
James was at my side, smiling down at me with so much joy. A piece of glass was lodged into my hip. I pulled the shard out of my flesh without him seeing me hide it in my grasp. He forced me to sit up straight, slamming my back into the glass once more, increasing the pounding headache I already had.
"It's too bad Jasper didn't turn you, or Edward your sister. You've both been left as these fragile creatures."
"Don't count us out just yet," I hissed, swallowing the copper substance washing over my tastebuds. "No matter what you do I won't give you what you want. I've been through worse."
His pure black orbs moved down to my collarbone. I didn't have the strength to push away his disgusting hand that ran over the scar. "You've been an outcast all your life, haven't you? But you're not like the others...you have a fight in you. They say an injured animal is the most dangerous. If I can't hurt you maybe I should hurt your sister."
"Don't!" I screamed. "Don't you dare touch her!"
James paused. Noticeably his entire body almost seemed to stiffen in mid-turn. He slowly dropped the camera, inching closer to me until we were a hair's breadth away. "How curious. I've never felt this...what are you..." he whispered. I took this opportunity to shove the shard under his chin. Of course with his diamond tough skin it did about as much damage as a paper cut.
Whatever trance he was in seconds before instantly reversed back into his enraged self. He grabbed my wrist; with one easy squeeze he shattered the bone. I recognized the sharp pain and the ache that followed. My scream slipped out regardless of my wish not to. I bit my bottom lip trying to shorten his sick entertainment as long as possible.
I never diverted my gaze. That would just make him happier.
"You truly are one of a kind, Mirabelle Swan!" He gushed. "I think I might just have to make you one of my own." A flash of black went past my eyes. James was no longer huddled over me. Instead, he was being battered by a furious Edward. The two immortals were going at it, destroying everything they touched, flying across the air like they were on strings.
Edward managed to get James away long enough so he could get to Bella. His wild eyes landing on me. "Get her out," I yelled through gritted teeth. "Edward, get her out!"
But his hesitance only allowed the Hunter to tackle him away. I quietly cursed when I felt the warmth draining from my side begin to pool all around me. James tossed Edward through a window. He stood in the middle of the studio, looking between Bella and I for a moment before coming back to my side.
"What did you do to me? How could a human...possess a gift?"
I looked at him confused. 'The hell is this psychopath saying?'
"No matter. We'll have plenty of time to find out." That's when the incomparable burning spread. The ringing in my ears was my own screams that echoed like a siren. The sharp, stabbing pain in my wrist was caused by only one thing.
"NO, MIRABELLE!"
James had bitten me. The poison was spreading through my veins like wildfire. It was making my world turn around like a carousel. Nothing was comprehending around me. Only this writhing pain - that was all I could process as I screamed out for Jasper.
Carlisle had appeared by my side. There were copies of him shaking around. It was like I was high on a drug preventing me from focusing. Visions of the deep forest, Jasper and I dancing around his room, the warm fur of my wolf waiting for me in our mulch haven overlapped the reality before me.
"...Be...Belle...." Carlisle's voice was like a fading call from the beach as I continue drifting off in a deep sea. Beautiful golden eyes stared down at me sympathetically. "Belle the poison is spreading through you. Jasper...will....your blood..." His words were inaudible. Jasper was next to him tying something around my arm.
"My head is burning," I forced out. "Fuck! Carlisle! I-I can't...I can't..." Tears ran down my face.
Their mouths kept moving but I couldn't understand anything.
Jasper pressed a shaky kiss onto my forehead. "I'm going to help you, love. Just be strong for me." The sharp pain reappeared on my wrist. Jasper was holding my arm tight, eyes clenched as if he were in pain. The visions of us returned. It offered me solace as I felt myself slipping closer to death's deep fall.
One memory, in particular, stayed with me. Even as darkness crept closer around us nothing disturbed our moment. Silk white curtains danced all around us, tangling and untangling around our interlocked bodies. We didn't do or say anything. We only stared at one another. There was more being expressed in that shared look than we could ever say.
All the fear and worry disappeared. It was cold but it wasn't chilling. It felt like time was frozen for us. 'Jasper...'