Hunger

CHAPTER 7

Grandpa stopped me as I headed toward the living room.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Well your parents are hunting, so I'd like to try human food again with you if you don't mind."

"Is it safe?"

"I'm fairly certain. The animal blood has been out of you for a week now, and you did get rid of a great deal of it when you threw up. I think it's safe."

I followed him to the kitchen. "What if something happens?"

Alice and Jasper were already there. Alice sitting on the counter with her legs folded and Jasper leaning against it beside her. "It won't." Alice said, flashing a grin.

"But if it does..." Grandpa rationalized. "We'll be here."

"Okay." I sighed, taking a seat at the table. "I trust you."

Grandpa dug out a red apple from the fridge and gave it to me. "Go slow. Don't rush it."

I took a bite and chewed it slowly, feeling the anxious stares.

I felt the texture as it slid down my throat, but I tried to ignore the taste.

I took another, going through the same procedure, until the apple was gone and the core was left. Grandpa watched me carefully for a minute.

"No pain." I assured him. "Can I go outside now? I'm fine!" Excitement was building in my tone.

Alice shrugged and turned to Grandpa. "I don't see why not Carlisle."

I squealed and jumped up, only to come crashing down on the kitchen floor. Three pairs of hands were on me as I started screaming, clutching my stomach as a sharp pain tore through it.

"What the hell happened!?" a voice roared over my cried.

A gush of blood flowed from my mouth and grandpa helped me turn my head. "Jasper! Help keep Renesmee calm. We don't need to her to panic."

Before I could even feel him use his power, the pain vanished and I felt my stomach gurgle before going silent.

"I'm...I'm okay." I panted.

I opened my eyes and sat up. Alice had finished cleaning up the blood from the floor. My head spun a little, but everything was calming down.

Jasper and Grandpa took both my hands and stood me up. Jacob was in front of me, worried.

"I'm honestly fine." I assured them all. "I must've had animal blood still left in my system."

Grandpa nodded. "That's what I think it is."

"My stomach doesn't hurt at all anymore."

Jasper nodded echoing me, "She's not feeling any pain."

"Maybe we should try again, just to be sure. Could you-" Grandpa started.

"No!" Jacob roared, making me jump. His arms clenched and his hands were balled into fists.

"Jake," I said softly, grabbing his trembling arms. "I'm fine. Look."

"You were just rolling on the floor screaming in pain and vomiting blood like the frickin' Exorcist! That's fine to you?"

I flinched. "I meant now Jake."

"And the Exorcist didn't vomit blood." Alice interjected.

He threw her a glare and she stuck out her tongue.

"Please let me do this." I whispered, standing on my tippy toes to look him into his dark eyes. "I wanna be allowed out of here. I miss my house in the woods. I miss your house in La Push. I miss the rain. I miss the sun. I miss Charlie. I miss Billy. I miss-"

"By the way you talk, it sounds like we've kept you prisoner for a hundred years." Alice laughed.

I didn't let go of Jacob as I looked at her. "You know that not what I mean. I love you guys. It's just being bound to one place is making me stir crazy."

Grandpa crossed his arms and everyone looked back at Jacob. "Please." I said again.

"Fine." He whispered in an exhale.

"We better hurry. Bella and Edward are almost here." Alice said as Grandpa tossed me an apple.

I ate quickly this time, finishing it almost in a minute. Jacob tightened his arms around my waist after I tossed the core on the counter.

Everyone braced for the worst.

I heard the apple gurgle in my stomach. A tingle of pain shot up my spine. I shuddered. Jacob's hands were an iron grasp.

"No. It's okay. It doesn't' hurt."

"Excellent!" Grandpa exclaimed, clapping his hands once.

I turned and threw my arms around Jacob. "Thanks Jake." I murmured in his ear.

"You're officially off house arrest." Grandpa patted my shoulder as I let go of Jacob. It sounded more like a congratulations to me.

"Thank-you! Thank-you! Thank-you!" I squealed.

"Bella and Edward are here." Alice mentioned softly.

A light breeze whirled through the kitchen and my parents appeared beside Grandpa hand-in-hand.

"What's going-" Dad started but choked off. His expression was outraged as he faced everyone in the kitchen. "How could you guys?"

"As you can see Edward, she's fine now." Alice reasoned, motioning to me. "No need for an overreaction."

"What's going on?" Mom demanded.

Before I had a chance to explain, my dad was telling everything to my mom in a quick whisper.

Suddenly I wasn't by Jacob anymore. I was being shielded behind my mom's back on the other side of the kitchen.

"Bella-" someone started, who I couldn't see.

"She is my daughter and I refuse to let you experiment on her." Mom hissed.

"We've gotten to the root of the problem Bella." I heard Grandpa explain. "It's the human food mixing with the animal blood. It seems now that Emmy is grown; the vampire venom isn't mixing well with the human organs. She works differently than werewolves."

"She was in pain." Mom retorted.

"Only for a short t-"

"How could you to my daughter?"

"Calm down Bella." Jacob murmured. I peeked up from Mom's arm to see Jacob taking a step towards us. Mom growled loudly. "I wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"You already did." Dad interjected just as angry as Mom.

"I-"

"You betrayed us." Mom whispered, her voice full of hate. "You went behind our backs and deliberately experimented a theory on Renesmee and she was in pain! No matter how long it lasted, you hurt my daughter!"

"Edward-" Grandpa started, hoping he would convince dad of his intentions.

"I wish you would have gotten our consent." Dad said hardly.

"We're leaving." Mom whispered, grabbing my hand.

"Jacob!" I exclaimed as Mom flew me through the woods faster than normal.

We were at our house in less than a second.

"Go inside." She ordered as Dad came to a stop beside her.

"But Jacob-"

"You won't be seeing him for a very long time." She growled.

My mouth hung open and angry tears stung my eyes. "Why?"

"Because I said so." For the first time since I was born, she forbid me to do something. My heard stung and throbbed because I knew I couldn't disobey her.

No more Jacob.