Burning Up (Jacob Black)

26. Clarity Must Be Delivered

I said the forsaken word simply, inevitably. Before my mind could run rapidly over every possibility of what was going to happen in the following seconds—I die, Jacob dies, we both die—my train of thought was interrupted.

"Stay behind me," Jacob instructed. I heeded as we both tiptoed in a line toward the door.

Another slew of knocks. Both of us flinched.

"Don't move until I tell you to run," said Jacob. His bare silhouette expanded and condensed over and over as his breathing grew ragged. His warm-toned skin shined a pale blue at the rims of his outline.

I heard the metallic creak as Jacob turned the doorknob cautiously. Then the door flew open right before my eyes. The cold of the outside rushed in instantly, stinging at my unclad top half. I barely registered I was still in my bra.

Within seconds, Jacob crouched down and pounced forward through the opened door. I heard a zipping sound that came from outside the doorway as he launched himself ahead. Jacob's roar as he flew forward snuffed out into a muffled groan as he slammed onto the wooden panels of the porch face-down. Two shadowed figures stood just out of Jacob's reach on my front porch.

"It appears our presence in this abode has been regarded quite negatively." The taller, clearly masculine figure noted as it looked down at Jacob still groaning into the floor.

"What did you expect?" The much shorter and girlish-looking shadow responded.

Jacob propped himself up by his elbow. I stood frozen in the doorway.

"Two of them?" Jacob muttered under his breath in disbelief. "Why the fuck are you here?" He demanded in a loud, gruff voice.

"Oh, my. Please forgive us for our impolite arrival. Here, let me help you up." The tall one reached downwards towards Jacob. The movement as it kneeled was unmistakably graceful. Something in the dark, forbidden pools of my mind was slowly awakening and rising out of the water. I stood there, dumbfounded.

"Get off me!" Jacob batted its hands away. Jacob stumbled back to his feet.

"Look what he's done. Now I can't visit Bella anymore without being attacked by a dog!" The effeminate one complained, its voice high and whiny.

"Bella, step back," Jacob warned, crouching down in preparation again. "I'll take care of them."

Just as his figure was about to launch forward again, I reached and grasped a handful of his bare shoulder.

"Wait, Jacob," I commanded. Although my voice was weak, Jacob listened. He stepped back and went to my side. I finally understood their silhouettes.

"Carlisle? Alice?" I called to them, somehow still a little hesitant.

"That's correct. May we come in? We mean you no harm, I swear on it. We are here to help." Carlisle's voice responded from outside the doorway.

"Tch. He swears on it. How the hell are we supposed to trust that?" Jacob barked from beside me.

"We offer nothing but assistance. Please, trust us. There is much we would like to discuss about the events that took place earlier. I'm sure you know what I mean." Carlisle seemed unfazed by Jacob's hostility.

"Bella, we would never hurt you. Please, just let us explain. We know this isn't easy. We know how to help. Okay?" Alice added.

"Bella," Jacob whispered to me through his teeth, his voice grave. "Don't. Don't trust them. They're just here to finish us off after he couldn't. 'Assistance', my ass."

I felt Carlisle and Alice's eyes on Jacob. They heard every word he said but didn't react in the slightest. They simply stood, unmoving, patiently waiting for my verdict.