BORN TO DIE
lying in the arms of an angel
BELLA DECIDED TO make herself known as she stepped outside from her room. As she spent some time alone in the bedroom, her frustration has died down but her worrisome was still within her. She'll never feel at ease once James is officially gone. But, for know she's going to drown in her own pit of anxiety.
The phone ring and Alice immediately answer it once Bella stepped out.
Alice was talking as rapidly as ever, but what caught her attention was that, for the first time, Jasper was not in the room. Bella looked at the clock — it was five-thirty in the morning.
"They're just boarding their plane," Alice informs Bella. "They'll land at nine-forty-five." Just a few more hours to keep breathing till he was here.
"Where's Jasper?"
"He went to check out," Alice answers.
"You aren't staying here?" Bella furrow her eyebrows.
"No, we're relocating closer to your old house," Alice shook her head.
Bella stomach twisted uneasily at her words.
But the phone rang again. Alice looked surprised.
"Hello?" Alice asked. "No, she's right here." She held the phone out to Bella.
"Your Aunt," she mouthed.
"Hello?"
"Bella? Bella?"
"Yes, it's me. I miss you so much, Aunt Lena," Bella sighs.
Silence. Which surprise her, she expected her to be frantically be answering back.
"Aunt Lena?"
"Be very careful not to say anything until I tell you to." The voice she heard now was very familiar, even though she only heard it a few amount of times. It was a man's tenor voice, a very pleasant, generic voice. He spoke again.
"Now, I don't need to hurt your precious Aunt, so please do exactly as I say, and she'll be fine." He paused for a minute while Bella listened in anger and horror.
"That's very good," he congratulated.
"Now repeat after me, and do try to sound natural. Please say, 'No, stay where you are.' "
"No, stay where you are." Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
"I can see this is going to be difficult." The voice was amused, still light and friendly. "Why don't you walk into another room now so your face doesn't ruin everything? There's no reason for your Aunt to suffer."
"As you're walking, please say, 'Aunt Lena, please listen to me.' Say it now."
"Aunt Lena, please listen to me," her voice pleaded. Bella walked very slowly to the bedroom, feeling Alice's worried stare on her back. Bella shut the door behind her, trying to think clearly through the terror that gripped her brain.
"There now, are you alone? Just answer yes or no."
"Yes."
"But they can still hear you, I'm sure."
"Yes."
"All right, then," the agreeable voice continued, say, 'Aunt Lena, trust me.' "
"Aunt Lena, trust me."
"This worked out rather better than I expected. I was prepared to wait, but your Aunt arrived ahead of schedule. It's easier this way, isn't it? Less suspense, less anxiety for you."
She waited.
"Now I want you to listen very carefully. I'm going to need you to get away from your friends; do you think you can do that? Answer yes or no."
"Yes." Bella thought about the layout of the airport; Sky Harbor International Airport: crowded, confusingly laid out...
"You must know enough about us by now to realize how quickly I would know if you tried to bring anyone along with you. And how little time I would need to deal with your Aunt if that was the case. Do you understand? Answer yes or no."
"Yes."
"Very good, Bella. Now this is what you have to do. I want you to go to the ballet studio. By your old house. I'm sure you know where it's at." Bella already knew where she would go, and where this would end. But she would follow his instructions exactly. "Can you do that Answer yes or no."
"Yes."
"Before noon, please, Bella. I haven't got all day," he said politely
"It's important, now, that you don't make your friends suspicious when you go back to them. Tell them that your Aunt called, and that you talked her out of following you to Portland. Now repeat after me, 'Thank you.' Say it now."
"Thank you."
"Say, 'I love you, I'll see you soon.' Say it now."
"I love you," Her voice was thick. "I'll see you soon," Bella promised.
"Goodbye, Bella. I look forward to seeing you again." He hung up.
Bella didn't know whether to crush this phone into dusk or cry out in fear. The fact that this vile vampire has somehow captured her Aunt made her feel overwhelming anxious to a whole other extent as she was battling which emotion she should be feeling — total anger or total despair. Even though she was pissed, she was still absolutely terrified but, James had her Aunt and she needed to protect her and save her.
Bella has never been the hero. She has never been on a rescue mission. But, she needs to save her Aunt from this nomad unless it'll be too late.
Bella was grateful that Jasper wasn't here, he would most definitely be able to feel her wrath of anguish from inside the bedroom. How could she have hidden her true state against him? She took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. She can't raise suspicion, her Aunt's life was at stake and Bella can't risk anything happening.
Bella needed to face Alice. She was most likely worried and she needed to appear that everything's fine.
"My Aunt was worried, she wanted to come here. But it's okay, I convinced her to stay away." Bella sounded convincing, but she felt lifeless.
"We'll make sure she's fine, Bella, don't worry."
Bella turned away; she couldn't let her see her face.
Her eye fell on a blank page of the hotel stationery on the desk. Bella went to it slowly, a plan forming.
There was an envelope there, too. That was good.
"Alice," Bella asked slowly, without turning, keeping her voice level. "If I write a letter for my Aunt, would you give it to her? Or someone could give it to her?"
"Sure, Bella." Her voice was careful. She could see her coming apart at the seams. Bella had to keep her emotions under better control.
Bella went into the bedroom again, and knelt next to the little bedside table to write.
Edward,
I'm sorry, but he has my Aunt. I need to try and save her. I don't know what's going to happen to me, but I just want to say thank you. Thank you so much for everything. And thank your family for me too. You have made me feel so many things I've never felt before. Love, valuable, but most of all worthy. Worthy that I'm actually meant to existence. Worthy to love. Worthy of being me.
I don't know what's going to happen to me, but.... just know that I love you. So much.
Forgive me,
Bella.
P. S, thank you Alice and Jasper for being there for me. Please don't be mad at them, Edward.
Bella was confident enough that Alice was smart enough to read the letter and show it to Edward after she makes her escape.
Bella just hopes he understands why she's doing what she's doing.
Bella went back into the room to hand her the envelope, but she noticed that Alice was bent over the desk, gripping the edge with two hands.
"Alice?"
She was having a vision. Was she having a vision about Bella herself? No, that can't be possible. Alice can't see her future, it was rather impossible of her to do so. But, what if she was having a vision about Bella? This could ruin everything and this would be highly unfortunate since she was counting on that huge fact since the start of her plan.
"Alice!" Jasper's voice whipped, and then he was right behind her, his hands curling over hers, loosening them from their grip on the table.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Bella," she calls out.
"I'm right here." Bella felt herself holding her breath. Her head twisted around, her eyes locking on her, their expression still strangely blank. Bella realized at once that she hadn't been speaking to her, she'd been answering Jasper's question.
"What did you see?" Bella nervously asked, but for different reasons. Jasper looked at Bella sharply. Bella kept her expression waited. His eyes were confused as they flickered swiftly between Alice's face and Bella.
Alice then recovered herself.
"Nothing, really," she answered finally, her voice remarkably calm and convincing. "Just the same room as before."
Bella exhale the breath she was holding in.
Alice finally looked at her, her expression smooth and withdrawn. "Did you want breakfast?"
"No, I'll eat at the airport." Bella was very calm, too. She went to the bathroom to shower. Bella could tell Alice wanted to be alone with Jasper.
•••
Bella was anxious to get to the airport, and she was glad when they left by seven. Bella sat alone this time in the back of the dark car. Alice leaned against the door, her face toward Jasper but, behind her sunglasses, she was shooting glances in Bella's direction every few seconds.
"Alice?" Bella asked indifferently.
Alice was wary. "Yes?"
"How does it work? The things that you see?" Bella stared out the side window, and her voice sounded bored. "Edward said it wasn't definite... that things change?"
"Yes, things change..." she murmured.
"Some things are more certain than others... like the weather. People are harder. I only see the course they're on while they're on it. Once they change their minds — make a new decision, no matter how small — the whole future shifts."
Bella nodded thoughtfully. "So you couldn't see James in Portland until he decided to come here."
"Yes," she agreed, wary again.
Bella didn't want her panic to make Jasper more suspicious. They would be watching her twice as carefully now, anyway, after Alice's vision.
They got to the airport. Edward's plane was landing in terminal four, the largest terminal, where most flights landed — so it wasn't surprising that his was.
They parked on the fourth floor of the huge garage. Bella led the way, for once more knowledgeable about her surroundings than they were. They took the elevator down to level three, where the passengers unloaded.
Alice and Jasper spent a long time looking at the departing flights board. She could hear them discussing the pros and cons of New York, Atlanta, Chicago. Places she've never seen. And would probably never see.
The three of them sat in the long rows of chairs by the metal detectors. Jasper and Alice were pretending to people-watch but really they were watching Bella.
Every inch she shifted in her seat was followed by a quick glance out of the corner of their eyes. Bella pulled the unmarked envelope out of her pocket and set it on top of Alice's black leather bag.
"My letter," Bella reminded her. Alice nodded, tucking it under the top flap. Edward would find it soon enough.
The minutes passed and Edward's arrival grew closer — which made it harder for Bella to actually go through with her plan.
Several times Alice offered to go get breakfast with Bella. Later, she told her, not yet.
Bella stared at the arrival board, watching as flight after flight arrived on time. The flight from Seattle crept closer to the top of the board.
And then, when Bella had only thirty minutes to make her grand escape, the numbers changed. His plane was ten minutes early. She had no more time.
"I think I'll eat now," Bella said quickly.
Alice stood. "I'll come with you."
"Do you mind if Jasper comes instead?" Bella asked. "I'm feeling a little worried." Which was true, Bella more than ever needed his projectile calmness.
Jasper stood up. Alice's eyes were confused, but — Bella saw to her relief— not suspicious. She must be attributing the change in her vision to some maneuver of the tracker's rather than a betrayal by Bella.
Jasper walked silently beside her, his hand on the small of her back, as if he were guiding her. She pretended a lack of interest in the first few airport cafes, her head scanning for what she really wanted. And there it was, around the corner, out of Alice's sharp sight: the level-three ladies' room.
"Do you mind?" Bella asked Jasper as they passed it. "I'll just be a moment."
"I'll be right here," he states.
As soon as the door shut behind her, she was running. Bella made sure to use her human speed, but she was still running at a fast pace. There were two exits, thankfully. This was her chance and she had to take it. People stare, but she didn't care. They didn't understand or could comprehend that her Aunt's life was at stake.
Bella ran towards the elevator and squirm her way inside that were already filled with people with their luggage. As soon as the door opened she was off again, to the sound of annoyed murmurs behind her. Bella slowed herself as she passed the security guards by the luggage carousels, only to break into a run again as the exit doors came into view.
Bella didn't know if Jasper was looking for her yet since she was too distracted to noticed. Bella would have only seconds if he was following her scent, which was easy to find since her scent isn't normal. Bella jumped out the automatic doors, nearly smacking into the glass when they opened too slowly.
Along the crowded curb there wasn't a cab in sight.
She had no time. Alice and Jasper were either about to realize she was gone, or they already had. They would find her in a heartbeat.
She had to risk it, there were absolutely no one in sight and she needed to leave. Bella looked around again to see if anyone was around her — she was still alone. That's when Bella took off running with her great speed. Her figure flashed like a blur as she ran towards the familiar directions towards her dance studio.
She made sure to be off towards the side, where no one could potentially see her which was rather hard since there's always someone out in Portland. But, she was too quick to be notice by any human. The only thing they'll see or rather feel in wind which was Bella running pass them.
As she got closer, Bella could see the sign inside the door. It was handwritten on hot pink paper; it said the dance studio was closed for spring break. Bella touched the handle, tugged on it cautiously. It was unlocked. The doors flew open as Bella enter inside.
The lobby was dark and empty, cool, the air conditioner thrumming. It was quiet, too quiet as she looked around.
And then her Aunt's anguish voice called.
"Bella! Run! Get out of here!"
Across from her was her Aunt strap tightly around a chair with thick rope. She was actually here and was captured by James himself or possibly the red headed female. But how? She was under the impression that she was being protected by Esme and Rosalie. Something had to have happened. Hopefully the two of them were okay. Another thing she'll be guilty about.
"Hello, Bella." It was as if he appeared from actual darkness from behind her Aunt. His long pale finger trail against her Aunt's face in a line.
"It's nice to see you again," he smiled. An eerie smile.
"It's me you want, not her. Leave her out of this."
"Bella don't!" Lena exclaims in fear.
James rolled his eyes as he forcefully wrapped a long, thick piece of duck tape around her Aunt's mouth, preventing her from speaking.
Then he was instantly face to face with Bella.
"You're Aunt was very tempting, very delicious," he utters out hungrily. The irises were nearly black, just a hint of ruby around the edges. Thirsty.
"But, I kept my control from sucking the life out of her," he smirks as he was now walking around Bella in circles. Observing her.
"I'm assuming your boyfriend isn't coming?"
"I left him a note." Is all Bella said. She was looking right at her Aunt.
"How romantic," he sarcastically said.
"I had Victoria find out more about you. There was no sense in running all over the planet chasing you down when I could comfortably wait for you in a place of my choosing. So, after I talked to Victoria, I decided to come to Portland. I'd heard you say you were going to be here. At first, I never dreamed you meant it. But then I wondered. And wouldn't it be the perfect ploy, to go to the last place you should be when you're hiding — the place that you said you'd be."
"Then your boyfriend got on a plane to Portland. Victoria was monitoring them for me, naturally; in a game with this many players, I couldn't be working alone. And so they told me what I'd hoped, that you were here after all."
"Very easy, you know, not really up to my standards. So, you see, I'm hoping you're wrong about your boyfriend. Edward, isn't it?"
Bella didn't answer.
"Would you mind, very much, if I left a little letter of my own for your Edward?"
He took a step back and touched a palm-sized digital video camera balanced carefully on top of the stereo. A small red light indicated that it was already running. He adjusted it a few times, widened the frame. The camera was familiar to her —remembering back when her Aunt would
film the ballet students sometimes to know what they should improve on and critique them on.
He stepped toward her, smiling. "Before we begin..."
"I would just like to rub it in, just a little bit. The answer was there all along, and I was so afraid Edward would see that and ruin my fun. It happened once, oh, ages ago. The one and only time my prey escaped me."
"You see, the vampire who was so stupidly fond of this little victim made the choice that your Edward was too weak to make. When the old one knew I was after his little friend, he stole her from the asylum where he worked — I never will understand the obsession some vampires seem to form with humans — and as soon as he freed her he made her safe. She didn't even seem to notice the pain, poor little creature. She'd been stuck in that black hole of a cell for so long. A hundred years earlier and she would have been burned at the stake for her visions. In the nineteen-twenties it was the asylum and the shock treatments. When she opened her eyes, strong with her fresh youth, it was like she'd never seen the sun before. The old vampire made her a strong new vampire, and there was no reason for me to touch her then." He sighed.
"I destroyed the old one in vengeance."
"Alice," Bella breathed, astonished knowing exactly who he was addressing.
"Yes, your little friend. I was surprised to see her in the clearing. So I guess her coven ought to be able to derive some comfort from this experience. I get you, but they get her. The one victim who escaped me, quite an honor, actually."
"And she did smell so delicious. I still regret that I never got to taste... She smelled even better than you do. Sorry — I don't mean to be offensive. You have a very nice smell. Floral, somehow..."
"But, not at all tempting. Not even the slightest bit. From glance, I thought you were just an ordinary vampire. Until I heard the sound of your heartbeat. But, that can't be right. That would mean you're human and alive."
"Now. Before I end your life, tell me, Bella, what you are?"
For the first time, Bella looked away from her Aunt and into the eyes of a monster.
"I'll tell you," she said emotionless.
He just stared at her, almost daring her to not speak.
"I'm....I'm," she trails off still looking at him dead in the eye.
"I'm going to kill you."
Instantaneously, that's when Bella front kick him with every fiber of strength she could possibly possess. Without any time to react, James went flying across the room and before he could land on the ground Bella sped over to his direction, caught him mid air, before throwing him across the mirrors — shattering all of them. The sound of glass echo throughout the empty ballet studio.
She roughly threw him on the ground which cause him to slide across the opposite end of the room. Bella sped over again to him and before she could make another attack, he caught her leg and twisted. Shattering her bones.
"Ahhh!" Bella screech out pain. He broke her leg as she felt it and heard the bones ripped in half. She immediately fell in an awkward position. Bella heard her Aunt's muffle screams against the tape.
"You bitch!"
"I'll say...I was not expecting that," he angrily groans out as he tightly wrapped his hand around her neck.
Bella clutch her hand around his hands, trying to pry him off of her.
"Now I'm angry. And I don't give a damn what you are."
Bella felt his hand tighten even more, he was going to snap her neck. Bella suddenly collided her head against his marble forehead and for a spilt second his hands loosen to which she took the opportunity to let herself free.
Bella was about to punch him in the jaw, but he easily caught it before throwing her across the room and she landed on the million pieces of shatter glass on the floor. She immediately felt at least a few shards pierce threw her skin as the blood stream down her body.
She expected for James to come back towards her, but to her despair he was making his way towards her vulnerable Aunt.
"No!" Bella exclaims as she immediately bounced off, ignoring the pain throughout her body as she sped towards her Aunt, but she immediately fell back down due to her broken leg, preventing her from even standing.
She watched hopelessly as he went to pick up her Aunt's wrist and bit into her wrist with his eyes looking directly at her.
The immediate sound of anguish and pain came from her Aunt muffled screams.
James then speed in front of Bella, and for once she prepared for death. There was nothing she could do now for herself or her Aunt. Bella felt the thick tears down her face as she closed her eyes shut. Preparing for the pain — for her death.
But it never came.
Right before James takes her last breath, that's when Edward comes flying into the room as he zoom towards James and knocks him away from Bella. At this point, Bella can hardly move. Bella hopelessly watch him fight James and at this point, it was an even playing field. The only upper hand that James had was that he drinks human blood, which initially made him stronger.
Despite the pain, Bella quickly crawl her way towards her Aunt who was still screaming with absolute tournament. Hearing her screams were honestly the hardest thing to hear from her Aunt. Now, Bella understands what Edward was saying to her when he was explaining about the whole process of it all. How your insides feel like it's on fire, the horrendous aching of the bite that feels like absolute hell. And now her Aunt was going through the same pain.
She finally reached her and easily tear off the ropes that were burning her Aunt's soft skin.
"I'm so sorry, Aunt Lena. I'm sorry, please forgive me," Bella sobs as she watch her Aunt in absolute misery.
Her eyes were glued onto her Aunt as she heard a loud crash. She instantly whipped her head and saw that James was full on attacking Edward.
No!
Bella laid on the ground as something inserted in her. It was to protect Edward and help him. It was if something fully ignited in her — something that has been waiting to blossom within her as she stared at Edward. Her whole body began to form herself with this unknown power and before she knew it, she saw some sort of wall.... a shield glistening in Edward's direction. She narrows her eyes as she concentrated on him. Then something abnormal happened.
James couldn't hit or fight back against Edward as the shield was blocking him from doing so. They both let out a disbelief expression at the sudden appeared shield like wall as their heads turn in Bella's direction where she too saw the shield protecting Edward.
James tried to push the shield harder and harder and the more he tried, the more it didn't budge. He used all of his will power as he pushed against the shield that was blocking him from Edward. But no matter how much force he applied with his great strength, it didn't even crack.
James let out a frustrated roar before looking back at a now weak Bella and this took her by surprise as she accidentally let the shield down. How the hell did that just happened?
And that's when the others came.
Emmett, Jasper, and Alice got a hold of an angry James and tossed him on the wooden, old floors. Alice started a huge fire in the center of the room as Emmett and Jasper held onto a rage full James who was trying to escape. But, there was no use.
"Oh no, Bella, no!" the voice of an angel cried in horror.
"My Aunt," Bella weakly said. "My Aunt got bit."
"Don't worry, Sweetheart. Carlisle taking the venom out of her blood," Edward assures her.
Bella nodded and for the first time, she felt tired. Absolutely tired as she felt her eyes fluttering shut. What was happening? She have never felt this way. So powerless. So weak.
"Bella, please! Bella, listen to me, please, please, Bella, please!" he begged.
But, she couldn't speak. It was hard to do so.
"Carlisle!" the angel called, agony in his perfect voice. "Bella, Bella, no, oh please, no, no!" As he was now sobbing tearless, broken sobs.
Was...was she dying? Is this what death feels like? Was this what her mother felt? How her father felt?
"Bella!" the angel cried.
"She's lost some blood, but the head wound isn't deep," a calm voice informed Bella. "Watch out for her leg, it's broken."
A burst of rage strangled on the angel's lips.
"Blood," Bella utters out.
"Blood? Blood?! She needs blood!" the angel explains.
"Alice, where are the blood bags?" Carlisle calmly ask.
"We had to dispose them before going through security to check in," the high pixie tone sounded guilty.
"We need to find something nearby." Bella suddenly hear two pairs of feet take off.
"Bella, you're going to be fine. Can you hear me, Bella? I love you."
"Where's my Aunt?" Bella mumbles out, not hearing what the angel said to her.
"She's okay, the venom is all out of her system," the angel quickly responded.
Bella just nodded. She starting to feel even more tired and she fully closed her eyes shut — desperate for sleep.
"Bella! No! Open your eyes! Bella!" the angel cried out once more.
"I got the animal blood!" A loud voice calls out.
She heard a loud commotion before her.
"You brought a whole deer, Emmett?" A female asked in a disapproval tone.
"It was the only thing near us," the same loud voice defensively tells her.
"That's not exactly what I mean."
"Stop you two! Hurry! Bring it over," the angel yells.
Moments later, she felt something furry on her mouth and something warm was inside her mouth too. It tasted like blood, but off. This taste was extremely distasteful.
"Remarkable. It seems to be her leg is healing, but really slowly," a calm tone man gasps out, astonish.
"Cmon, you need more...that's it," the angel encouraged.
Even though the blood wasn't as appealing, she was still desperate as she slowly yet surely felt like herself again. Suddenly she felt her hand clutched on the mysterious source of blood and hungrily drunk from it, eventually until it was completely drain.
Bella still felt weak, but not as much as before. She open her eyes, barley, and saw Edward hovering over her. She look away from him and suddenly saw a large deer, dead, with two piercing hole on its throat.
"She should be fine now. The color is forming back in her skin and her usual temperature is slowly increasing," the compassionate male assure.
"Bella?" Edward hesitantly said. "Are you okay?"
"Edward? ....yes, I'm fine," Bella mumbles.
"I love you," he sighs.
"I know," Bella breathed, so tired.
She heard her favorite sound in the world: Edward's quiet laugh, weak with relief.
"We can't take her to the hospital — they'll be too many questions. We should bring them to a hotel for the time being," Carlisle instructed his family.
"What about Lena?" Alice wonders.
"It seemed to be that she hasn't suffer from any other inflictions other than the bite, of course. But, with the venom out of her system, she should be fine. All she need is rest. The both of them."
"Alice." Bella tried to open her eyes.
"Alice, the video — he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from." Bella meant to speak urgently, but her voice was small.
"We have to leave now. The smoke won't be good for Lena or probably Bella too."
"I wanna sleep," Bella mumbles.
"And I want more blood," she added.
"You can sleep, sweetheart, I'll carry you and we'll get you more blood," Edward soothed her.
And she was in his arms, cradled against his chest — floating almost.
"Sleep now, my Bella," were the last words she heard.
In honor of Midnight Sun releasing, I decided to update. Did you guys pre-ordered the book?