BORN TO DIE
losing all senses and hope
EDWARD WAS CLOSE behind as Bella left her home. Bella press her foot onto the breaks, letting him get inside the car. "Let me drive," he softly tells her from the driver side window. Bella didn't object as she slide across from the drivers seat into the passenger side while Edward smoothly enter inside the vehicle. Suddenly, bright lights flared behind them and Bella turned around to stared out the back window.
"It's just Alice," he reassured her. Edward held Bella's hand.
Bella's mind was filled with the image of her Aunt outside the car. "The tracker?"
"He heard the end of your performance," Edward said grimly.
"My Aunt?" She asked in dread.
"The tracker followed us. He's running behind us now."
Her body went cold as Bella turned around to see if she can see where he's running, but there were so many things going on and happening that she simply couldn't focus.
"Can we outrun him?"
"No." But he sped up as he spoke.
Bella heard a loud thud from behind and instantly turned around again to see what is was. "That's Emmett, he inside with Alice right now," he informs her.
Bella barley nodded as she turned back around, anxious.
"It's okay, Bella," he promised. "You're going to be safe."
They raced through the quiet town toward the north highway.
"I don't understand," Bella whisper as she looked at the road in front of her.
Edward turned to looked at her, wanting her to elaborate, even though he already knew what she was talking about.
"Is he that obsessed to know what I am?" If that was the case then she should just reveal to him the truth and hopefully things would die down. But, she had a feeling it wouldn't be too easy.
"That's partially the reason, but we've also presented him with a beautiful challenge — a large clan of strong fighters all bent on protecting the one vulnerable element. You wouldn't believe how euphoric he is now. It's his favorite game, and we've just made it his most exciting game ever." His tone was full of disgust.
"He thinks of himself as a hunter and nothing else. His existence is consumed with tracking, and a challenge is all he asks of life."
"I don't think I have any choice but to kill him now," he muttered. "Carlisle won't like it."
Bella shuddered. "How do you kill a vampire?"
He glanced at her with unreadable eyes and his voice was suddenly harsh. "The only way to be sure is to tear him to shreds, and then burn the pieces."
"And the other two will fight with him?"
"The woman will. I'm not sure about Laurent. They don't have a very strong bond — he's only with them for convenience. He was embarrassed by James in the meadow..."
"But James and the woman — they'll try to kill you?" Bella asked, worriedly.
"Bella, don't you dare waste time worrying about me. Your only concern is keeping yourself safe and —please, please — try not to be reckless."
"Is he still following?" Bella asked ignoring his last comment.
"Yes. He won't attack the house, though. Not tonight."
He turned off onto the invisible drive, with Alice following behind.
They drove right up to a beautiful looking mansion home. Bella have never thought about where Edward and the Cullens lived at, but it definitely wasn't this. The house was timeless, graceful, and probably a hundred years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned. The windows and doors were either part of the original structure or a perfect restoration. Bella could hear the river close by, hidden in the obscurity of the forest.
"Wow," Bella whisper, she couldn't help but admire the sight before her.
The lights inside were bright, but they did little to alleviate the blackness of the encroaching forest. If they weren't in the position they were in right now, Bella would be more fixated on their home — the timing was inappropriate.
Emmett had her door open before the small Beetle car was stopped; he pulled her out of the seat, tucked Bella like a football into his vast chest, and ran her through the door.
They burst into the large white room, Edward and Alice at their sides. All of them were there; they were already on their feet at the sound of their approach. Laurent stood in their midst. Bella could hear low growls rumble deep in Emmett's throat as he set her down next to Edward.
"He's tracking us," Edward announced, glaring balefully at Laurent.
Laurent's face was unhappy. "I was afraid of that."
Alice danced to Jasper's side and whispered in his ear; her lips quivered with the speed of her silent speech. They flew up the stairs together. Rosalie watched them, and then moved quickly to Emmett's side. Her beautiful eyes were intense and — when they flickered unwillingly to Bella's face — furious. Now she has another reason why she hates Bella.
"What will he do?" Carlisle asked Laurent in a chilling tone.
"I'm sorry," he answered. "I was afraid, when your boy there defended her, that it would set him off."
"Can you stop him?"
Laurent shook his head. "Nothing stops James when he gets started."
"We'll stop him," Emmett promised. There was no doubt what he meant.
"You can't bring him down. I've never seen anything like him in my three hundred years. He's absolutely lethal. That's why I joined his coven."
Laurent was shaking his head. He glanced at Bella, perplexed, and back to Carlisle. "Are you sure she's worth it?"
Edward's enraged roar filled the room; Laurent cringed back.
Carlisle looked gravely at Laurent. "I'm afraid you're going to have to make a choice."
"I'm intrigued by the life you've created here. But I won't get in the middle of this. I bear none of you any enmity, but I won't go up against James. I think I will head north — to that clan in Denali." He hesitated.
"Don't underestimate James. He's got a brilliant mind and unparalleled senses. He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as you seem to be, and he won't come at you head on... I'm sorry for what's been unleashed here. Truly sorry." He bowed his head, but she saw him flicker another puzzled look at Bella.
"Go in peace," was Carlisle's formal answer.
Laurent took another long look around himself, and then he hurried out the door.
The silence lasted less than a second.
"How close?" Carlisle looked to Edward.
Esme was already moving; her hand touched an inconspicuous keypad on the wall, and with a groan, huge metal shutters began sealing up the glass wall.
"About three miles out past the river; he's circling around to meet up with the female."
"What's the plan?"
"We'll lead him off, and then Jasper and Alice will run her south."
"And then?"
Edward's tone was deadly. "As soon as Bella is clear, we hunt him."
"I guess there's no other choice," Carlisle agreed, his face grim.
Edward turned to Rosalie.
"Get her upstairs and trade clothes," Edward commanded. She stared back at him with livid disbelief.
"Why should I?" she hissed. "What is she to me? Except a menace — a danger you've chosen to inflict on all of us."
Bella flinched back from the venom in her voice.
"Rose..." Emmett murmured, putting one hand on her shoulder. She shook it off.
Bella was watching Edward carefully, knowing his temper, worried about his reaction.
He surprised her. He looked away from Rosalie as if she hadn't spoken, as if she didn't exist.
"Esme?" he asked calmly.
"Of course," Esme murmured.
Esme was at her side in half a heartbeat, swinging Bella up easily into her arms.
"What are we doing?" Bella asked breathlessly as Esme set her down in a dark room somewhere off the second-story hall.
"Trying to confuse the smell. It won't work for long, but it might help get you out." Bella could hear her clothes falling to the floor.
"I don't think I'll fit..." Bella hesitated, but Esme's hands were abruptly pulling Bella's shirt over her head. Bella used her speed to take off her jeans and handed them to Esme while giving her the shirt she was wearing.
Once they switched clothes, She pulled her back to the stairs, where Alice stood, a small leather bag in one hand. They each grabbed one of her elbows and half-carried Bella as they flew down the stairs. They were either forgetting the part that she's a hybrid and can run fast too or that they're in a hurry since they keep carrying her around.
It appeared that everything had been settled downstairs in their absence. Edward and Emmett were ready to leave, Emmett carrying a heavy-looking backpack over his shoulder. Carlisle was handing something small to Esme. He turned and handed Alice the same thing — it was a tiny silver cell phone.
"Esme and Rosalie will be taking your Aunt's car, Bella," he told her as he passed. Bella nodded, glancing warily at Rosalie. She was glowering at Carlisle with a resentful expression.
"Alice, Jasper — take the Mercedes. You'll need the dark tint in the south."
They nodded as well.
"We're taking the Jeep."
Carlisle was tagging along with Edward — of their hunting party.
"Let's go." Carlisle began to walk toward the kitchen.
But Edward was at Bella's side at once. He caught her in his iron grip, crushing her to him. He seemed unaware of his watching family as he pulled her face to his, lifting her feet off the floor. For the shortest second, his lips were icy and hard against hers. Then it was over. He settled her down, still holding Bella's face, his glorious eyes burning into hers with so much love and pain.
Then his eyes went blank, curiously dead, as he turned away.
And they were gone.
The silent moment dragged on, and then Esme's phone vibrated in her hand. It flashed to her ear.
"Now," she said. Rosalie stalked out the front door without another glance in Bella's direction, but Esme touched Bella's cheek as she passed.
"Be safe." Her whisper lingered behind them as they slipped out the door. Bella heard her Aunt's car start up, and then fade away.
Jasper and Alice waited. Alice's phone seemed to be at her ear before it buzzed.
"Edward says the woman is on Esme's trail. I'll get the car." She vanished into the shadows the way Edward had gone.
Bella was certainly not worth it. For them to risk their life for her sake. Bella should be the one protecting herself, not them. It's not their job to take care of her. Even though Bella's not human, she felt weak. No matter what, she'll always be less enhanced than a vampire. Not being able to properly protect herself. For the first time ever, she felt useless.
Jasper and Bella looked at each other after Alice left.
"You're wrong, you know," he said quietly.
"What?" Bella gasped.
"I can feel what you're feeling now — and you are worth it."
"I'm not," Bella mumbled. "If anything happens to them, it will be for nothing."
"You're wrong," he repeated, smiling kindly at her. Bella return the smile — Jasper was simply a character with a somewhat dark background, she could tell by the way he acts and carries himself.
Alice then came back and stood next to Bella.
"Would you rather me carry you?"
Bella half heartedly smile. "You're the first one to ask me that."
Alice smiled back. "I'm more considerate than my siblings."
"No, I can run on my own," Bella assures them.
Alice nodded as they immediately took off with Bella close to their tails.
•••
Bella woke up in a daze. Bella was surprised that she was even able to sleep considering everything that's going on as she slowly open her eyes. The artificial light in the hotel room hit her eyes as Bella rose up from her bed. The room was an average looking hotel room, almost too average and plain, but she wasn't complaining.
Bella remember clearly after they got inside the black Mercedes. She couldn't help but cry in the back seat of the car once they took off from Forks. She has never felt so vulnerable in her life. Bella already misses her Aunt, who was still back at home worrying her mind off of Bella. And she also misses her Edward. Who was doing everything in his power to keep Bella safe and away from James.
Luckily, Alice soothe Bella while she was crying. She felt bad that she used Alice's stone hard shoulder to cry on, though it seemed like she didn't mind Bella using her cotton shirt to collect her tears.
Sleep has eventually evaded her; falling asleep as they passed the California entrance sign. It was so bright outside as she was so used of the dull gray sky.
The cloudy sky came back once they have finally arrived in Portland, Oregon. Bella looked outside with awe as she automatically knew she was back home, where she was born and raised her whole seven years. Everything was so normal living here, her version of normal where it was just the two of them, her Aunt and herself. Going to downtown Portland and hitting up the clothing and book stores. Going to the old cinema which had the most horrible popcorn she has ever had, but the tickets were cheap. The more she started reminiscing her life back in Portland, the more sadder she got. Even though she felt quite happy that she was back in her home state, she immediately remembered the situation she was currently in. There was no sense of relief, or homecoming.
"Which way to the airport, Bella?" Jasper had asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"Stay on the ten, and we'll pass right on it," Bella answer.
"Are we flying somewhere?" Bella asked them.
"No, but it's better to be close, just in case," Alice answer.
Bella remembered beginning the loop around Sky Harbor International... but not ending it which was odd since she remembers everything. Supposedly that must have been when she'd fallen asleep.
To which brings her back to the present of where she was at — a room. A hotel room to be more exact.
Bella rose stiffly and staggered to the window, pulling back the drapes.
It was dark outside.
Bella glanced at the clock and it read 3:30.
Three thirty in the morning then. Bella looked out the window even more and saw an airport near by with a huge parking lot. It was so close to the hotel, that it was within walking distance.
Bella closed the drapes and turned around to see her bags were on the ground next to the closet. She grabbed the first one and settle it on her bed, she was still wearing Esme's clothes and they didn't fit right. She'll feel more comfortable when she's in her own clothes.
As she was digging through the first outfit that she sees, there was a faint knock on the door. "May I come in?" Alice asked.
"Sure," Bella mumbles, knowing she'll hear her.
She walked in, and looked her over cautiously. "You look like you could sleep longer," she said.
Bella shook her head.
"We'll need to stay inside," she told her.
"Okay." Her voice was hoarse; it cracked.
"Thirsty?" she asked.
Bella shrugged. "I'm okay. How about you?"
"Nothing unmanageable." She smiled. "I ordered some food for you, it's in the front room. Edward reminded me that you have to eat a lot more frequently than we do."
Bella could really use a blood bag right now, but she doubt they would go to the hospital during this time.
"We brought blood bags if you're thirsty for that," Bella's head perked up — she thought Edward was the mind reader.
"W-where?" Bella tried to sound calm.
"In the refrigerator," Alice pointed across the room.
Bella nodded as she quickly walk towards the mini fridge and there were about five blood bags inside. She carefully grabbed the first one and slowly tear off the lid before making contact with her lips. She instantly felt her whole being intensify by the glorious taste of blood.
Bella forgot Alice was still in here as she looked up to see a stunned Alice.
"Sorry," Bella immediately apologize. She didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable since they have a different...diet than her.
"I'm not bother by it. It's just really strange seeing you drink blood."
"Oh," Bella lamely said before slowly continuing drinking the blood bag.
"I'll leave you to it," Alice said before leaving the room.
It took Bella a matter of seconds as she finished drinking the entire blood bag. She was tempted for seconds and possibly thirds, but she couldn't be greedy. She doesn't know how long they're going to be on the run and she needed to savor the blood bags as much as possible. Plus, she doesn't want a repeat of last time.
Bella dispose the empty blood bag before joining Alice and Jasper who were sitting down on the couch watching the news, uninterested.
Bella sat on the floor as she decided to eat the food too, not wanting it to go to waste.
Alice perched on the arm of the sofa and stared blankly at the TV like Jasper.
Bella ate slowly, watching Alice, turning now and then to glance quickly at Jasper. It began to dawn on her that they were too still. They never looked away from the screen, though commercials were playing now. She pushed the tray away, her stomach abruptly uneasy. Alice looked down at her.
"What's wrong, Alice?" Bella asked.
"Nothing's wrong." Her eyes were wide, honest... and she didn't trust them.
"What do we do now?"
"We wait for Carlisle to call."
"And should he have called by now?" Bella could see that she was near the mark. Alice's eyes flitted from hers to the phone on top of her leather bag and back.
"What does that mean? That he hasn't called yet?"
"It just means that they don't have anything to tell us."
But her voice was too even.
Jasper was suddenly beside Alice, closer to Bella than usual.
"Bella," he said in a suspiciously soothing voice. "You have nothing to worry about. You are completely safe here."
"I know that."
"Then why are you frightened?" he asked, confused. He might feel the tenor of her emotions, but he couldn't read the reasons behind them.
"You heard what Laurent said." Bella voice was just a whisper, but they could still hear her. "He said James was lethal. What if something goes wrong, and they get separated? If something happens to any of them, Carlisle, Emmett... Edward..." Bella gulped. "If that wild female hurts Esme... how could I live with myself when it's my fault?
"None of you should be risking yourselves for me —"
"Bella, Bella, stop," he interrupted her, his words pouring out so quickly they were slightly hard to understand.
"You're worrying about all the wrong things, Bella. Trust me on this — none of us are in jeopardy.
"You are under too much strain as it is; don't add to it with wholly unnecessary worries. Listen to me." he ordered, Bella looked away.
"Our family is strong. Our only fear is losing you."
Bella turned to face him again, giving him a confuse looked.
"But why should you —"
Alice interrupted this time, touching Bella's cheek with her cold fingers. "It's been almost a century that Edward's been alone. Now he found you. You can't see the changes that we see, we who have been with him for so long. Do you think any of us want to look into his eyes forever if he loses you?"
Bella nodded, understandingly, not bothering to say anything else. Even though she felt calm, she couldn't trust that she was truly calm with Jasper in the room.
They stayed in the room. Alice called down to the front desk and asked them to ignore their maid service for now. The windows stayed shut, the TV on, though no one watched it. At regular intervals, food was delivered for Bella. The silver phone resting on Alice's bag seemed to grow bigger as the hours passed.
As the afternoon approached, Bella went back to bed, simply for something to do. But Alice followed her casually, as if by some coincidence she had grown tired of the front room at the same time. Bella was beginning to wonder exactly what sort of instructions Edward had given her. Bella lay across the bed, and Alice sat, legs folded, next to her. Bella ignored her at first, suddenly tired enough to sleep.
But after a few minutes, the panic that had held off in Jasper's presence began to make itself known. Bella gave up on the idea of sleep quickly then, curling up into a small ball, wrapping her arms around her legs.
"Alice?" Bella asked.
"Yes?"
Bella kept her voice very calm. "What do you think they're doing?"
"Carlisle wanted to lead the tracker as far north as possible, wait for him to get close, and then turn and ambush him. Esme and Rosalie were supposed to head west as long as they could keep the female behind them. If she turned around, they were to head back to Forks and keep an eye on your Aunt. So I imagine things are going well if they can't call. It means the tracker is close enough that they don't want him to overhear."
"And Esme?"
"I think she must be back in Forks. She won't call if there's any chance the female will overhear. I expect they're all just being very careful."
"Do you think they're safe, really?"
"Bella, how many times do we have to tell you that there's no danger to us?"
"Would you tell me the truth, though?"
"Yes. I will always tell you the truth." Her voice was earnest.
It was silent again as Bella started to think to herself.
"Would you tell me? About being a...hybrid?" Alice asked carefully, as if she didn't want to intrude but was still curious.
Bella needed the distraction just as much Alice needed it too. "What do you want know?"
"How does it work? I mean you're incredibly fast and strong, but not as fluid as a normal vampire," Alice interestedly asked.
"I'm of course stronger and faster than humans, but not as much as a vampire, at least that is what I've observed," Bella shrugs.
"So, you're mother was a human and your father was a vampire?"
Bella nodded. "Yeah, I was born in 1998."
Alice eyes widen. "That would mean—"
"Yeah, I'm technically seven years old in human age. I like to say that I've been alive for seven years. But, obviously, I have the mentality and physicality of a seventeen year old girl."
"That's so interesting," Alice states in a fascinated tone.
Bella shrugs. "I guess so. During our trip to Port Angles, Edward and I found out that this woman who owns a native book store—"
"Edward told me about her. Well vaguely, he told us that there was this Native woman who knew what you are, but wouldn't tell us any of the specifics," Alice annoyedly said.
"He didn't tell you anything of this?" Bella asked, surprised.
"Not a single thing. Not even what you may have told him about being a hybrid to us. He wanted you to trust him."
Bella let out a small smile — she most definitely trust him. Even more than before.
"Well, we found out that...that I have stopped aging and have reach my full capacity." Bella was still trying to get used of that idea.
"Meaning that you can't—"
"I'm stuck at the age of sixteen or seventeen forever," Bella finishes.
Alice let out a remorseful look, the same look that Edward gave to Bella when he found out too.
"Wow, this is all so fascinating. Carlisle will for sure get a kick out of this, right Jazz?"
Bella looked up and saw that Jasper was leaning on the doorway, curious to what Bella was saying. Bella thought all of this wasn't that interesting, but when you've been a vampire for many years, she too would be fascinated about learning about a new type of species she never knew could exist.
"Most definitely, he's been interested ever since he found out. We all have been," Jasper nodded as his arms were crossed.
Then, without any warning, Alice leaped from the bed, landing lightly on her feet. Bella head jerked up as she stared at her.
"Something's changed." Her voice was urgent.
Jasper put his hands on her shoulders and guided her back to the bed, sitting her on the edge.
"What do you see?" he asked intently, staring into her eyes. Her eyes were focused on something very far away. Bella sat close to her, leaning in to catch her low, quick voice.
"I see a room. It's long, and there are mirrors everywhere. The floor is wooden. He's in the room, and he's waiting. There's gold... a gold stripe across the mirrors."
Gold stripes across the mirrors? That sounded familiar to Bella, but she kept her mouth shut.
"Where is the room?"
"I don't know. Something is missing — another decision hasn't been made yet."
"How much time?"
"It's soon. He'll be in the mirror room today, or maybe tomorrow. It all depends. He's waiting for something. And he's in the dark now." Jasper's voice was calm, methodical, as he questioned her in a practiced way. "What is he doing?"
"I-I don't know? The vision is way too foggy," she stressfully said.
"And the mirror room, what else is there?"
"Just the mirrors, and the gold. It's a band, around the room. And there's a black table with a big stereo, and a TV. He's touching the VCR there, but he doesn't watch the way he does in the dark room. This is the room where he waits." Her eyes drifted, then focused on Jasper's face.
"There's nothing else?"
Alice shook her head, defeated.
She shook her head. They looked at each other, motionless.
"What does it mean?" Bella asked.
Neither of them answered for a moment, then Jasper looked at Bella.
"It means the tracker's plans have changed. He's made a decision that will lead him to the mirror room, and the dark room."
"But we don't know where those rooms are?"
"No."
"But we do know that he won't be in the mountains north of Washington, being hunted. He'll elude them."
Alice's voice was bleak.
"Should we call?" Bella asked. They traded a serious look, undecided.
And the phone rang.
Alice was across the room before she could lift her head to look at it.
She pushed a button and held the phone to her ear, but she didn't speak first.
"Carlisle," she breathed. She didn't seem surprised or relieved.
"Yes," she said, glancing at Bella. She listened for a long moment.
"I just saw him." She described again the vision she'd seen. "Whatever made him get on that plane... it was leading him to those rooms."
"Yes," Alice said into the phone.
"Bella?" Alice held the phone out towards her. Bella inhumanly ran to the phone.
"Hello?"
"Bella," Edward said.
"Edward," she breathes out. "I've been worried."
"Bella," he sighed in frustration, "I told you not to worry about anything but yourself." It was so unbelievably good to hear his voice.
"Where are you?"
"We're outside of Vancouver. Bella, I'm sorry — we lost him. He seems suspicious of us — he's careful to stay just far enough away that I can't hear what he's thinking. But he's gone now — it looks like he got on a plane. We think he's heading back to Forks to start over." Bella could hear Alice filling in Jasper behind her, her quick words blurring together into a humming noise.
"I know. Alice saw that he got away."
"You don't have to worry, though. He won't find anything to lead him to you. You just have to stay there and wait till we find him again."
"I'll be fine. Is Esme with my Aunt?"
"Yes — the female has been in town. She went to the house, but while Lena was at work. She hasn't gone near her, so don't be afraid. She's safe with Esme and Rosalie watching."
"What is she doing?"
"Probably trying to pick up the trail. She's been all through the town during the night. Rosalie traced her through the airport, all the roads around town, the school... she's digging, Bella, but there's nothing to find."
"And you're sure my Aunt's safe?"
"Yes, Esme won't let her out of her sight. And we'll be there soon. If the tracker gets anywhere near Forks, we'll have him."
"I miss you," Bella whispered.
"I know, Bella. Believe me, I know. It's like you've taken half my self away with you."
"I'll come for you soon," he continues.
"Okay, I'll be waiting."
As soon as the phone went dead, the cloud of depression began to creep over her again.
Bella turned to give the phone back to Alice and found her and Jasper bent over the table, where Alice was sketching on a piece of hotel stationery. She leaned on the back of the couch, looking over Alice's shoulder.
She drew a room: long, rectangular, with a thinner, square section at the back. The wooden planks that made up the floor stretched lengthwise across the room. Down the walls were lines denoting the breaks in the mirrors. And then, wrapping around the walls, waist high, a long band. The band Alice said was gold.
"It's a ballet studio," Bella said, suddenly recognizing the familiar shapes.
They looked at her, surprised.
"Do you know this room?" Jasper's voice sounded calm, but there was an underlying of urgency. Alice bent her head to her work, her hand flying across the page now, the shape of an emergency exit taking shape against the back wall, the stereo and TV on a low table by the front right corner.
"Yeah, my Aunt would work on the weekends for extra cash as a ballet teacher and I would go with her sometimes and watch," Bella explains.
"That's where the bathrooms were — the doors were through the other dance floor. But the stereo was here" — Bella pointed to the left corner — "it was older, and there wasn't a TV. There was a window in the waiting room — you would see the room from this perspective if you looked through it."
"Are you sure it's the same room?" Jasper asked, still calm.
"No, not at all — I suppose most dance studios would look the same — the mirrors, the bar." Bella traced her finger along the ballet bar set against the mirrors. "It's just the shape that looked familiar." Bella touched the door, set in exactly the same place as the one she remembered.
"Would you have any reason to go there now?" Alice asked, breaking her reverie.
"No, I haven't been there in almost a year."
"So there's no way it could be connected with you?" Alice asked intently.
"No, I don't even think the same person owns it. I'm sure it's just another dance studio, somewhere."
"Where was the studio you went to?" Jasper asked in a casual voice.
"It was just around the corner from my old house. My Aunt and I would walk there since it was so close..." Bella said, her voice trailing off. Bella didn't miss the look they exchanged.
"Here in Portland, then?" His voice was still casual.
"Yes," Bella whispered. "Twenty-fifth Street on Black Oak Lane."
They all sat in silence, staring at the drawing.
"Alice, is that phone safe?"
"Yes," she reassured her. "The number would just trace back to Washington."
"So I can use it to call my Aunt."
"Jasper?" Alice asked.
He thought about it. "I don't think there's any way it could hurt — be sure you don't say where you are, of course."
Bella reached eagerly for the phone and dialed the familiar number. Before she could make the actual call, she felt her heart dropped at the new drawing that Alice drew.
There was a square room with light beams across its low ceiling. The walls were paneled in wood, out of date wood but sturdy. The floor had white carpet. There was a large window against the left wall, and an opening through the right wall of the living room. One side of that entrance was brick — a large fireplace that was open to both rooms. The focus of the room from this perspective, the TV and VCR, balanced on a too-small wooden stand, were in the furthest corner of the room. An old looking sofa curved around in front of the TV, a round coffee table in front of it.
"The phone goes there," Bella whispered, pointing fearfully.
Both of them swiftly turned their heads to look at the hybrid.
"That's my old house."
If that's based off of Alice's vision, that meant James found out where she used to live. Meaning that he was potentially here or going to be here in Portland, where they were currently at right now.
Alice was already off the couch as she snatched the phone from Bella's hand. Bella continued to stare at the picture that was clearly visible that it was indeed her old house.
Jasper slid closer to Bella. He lightly touched his hand to her shoulder, and the physical contact seemed to make his calming influence stronger. The panic stayed died down, but she can still feel it deep within.
"Bella," Alice starts of. "Edward is coming to get you. He and Emmett and Carlisle are going to take you somewhere, to hide you for a while."
"What?" She asked in shocked. They were coming here?
"Yes, he's catching the first flight out of Seattle. We'll meet him at the airport, and you'll leave with him."
"What about you guys?" Bella asked.
"We'll stay behind to see if he comes here. Hopefully, we'll make our move there," Jasper answers.
"What if you get hurt, Alice? The both of you? Because of me? I can't let that happen."
Alice looked meaningfully at Jasper. A deep, heavy fog of lethargy washed over her, and her eyes closed without permission. She felt her head started to fog up, she was suddenly very tired. But, she knew better.
"Stop that." Bella snaps at Jasper as she stepped away from his hold on her shoulder.
Without looking at the both of them, Bella went back into her room and heavily slammed the door shut. She used such force that she heard the wood of the door spilt open.