Follow Where The Music Takes You

From Here To Eternity

Bella

I was a little pissed with Jasper sending me inside out of the way. I reminded him I had a shield to protect me. Yes, I did, but it was up and down like a yo-yo at the moment and really I wasn't that sure how to get it to stay up again. I thought fear or even anger might work again, but we hadn't tried it out yet and hell now was not the time. I rummaged through my bag to call Pete and Char,

"Pete, trouble in wonderland. Yeah, some English vamp, something about a challenge, anyway get here as fast as you can" I said and hung up,

I moved back towards the door to look and see if I could see them. But the garden was empty; I felt it just as the pain hit me hard, the presence of a vampire. I slid down to the floor clutching my chest, even though I'd been stabbed in the back, my heart and lungs were protesting. Rolling to the side I saw Esme Cullen sneering down at me.

"Well I just couldn't wait for the Volturi to kill you bitch, I thought I'd save them the trouble! You are the reason my Edward, my son, my heart is dead. Now you will die and that degenerate will feel like I feel!" she spat at me,

"NO! Esme, what have you done? Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry, so very sorry. I should have put a stop to all of this long ago. But I loved them both too much and now Jasper will kill us all" Carlisle's voice said behind me before he started working on my bleeding body.

"Leave her, she deserves to die, that bitch killed my Edward. It was just as if she burned him herself. She needs to pay, she needs to die!" Esme ranted,

"Run, for the love of God Esme, run! As far and as fast as you can, only Aro can possibly save you now," Carlisle said without looking up at her and I heard her stumble away.

Five minutes or hours, hell even days later I felt the wind move around me and heard Carlisle saying shakily,

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I had no idea what she was planning until the last minute! I don't have any of your numbers and all I could do was follow and try to stop her. You need to change Bella now or you'll lose her, Jasper. I assume that was Esme's plan, to make you suffer without your mate!"

Ah, my Jasper, he was mumbling apologies and platitudes, whether to calm himself or me I didn't know. Then I felt his bite, first at my neck then my ankles, next my wrists and lastly over my heart and I felt his love flooding through me. Just as I was about to scream my damned shield shot up and this time it was protecting me from within, not outside my body like before.

The relief was enormous and I kept my eyes on Jasper as he ran through the woods to our house. Oh God school, Charlie and Renee! That bitch ruined it all, I had two years! I sobbed and Jasper glanced down at me, for the first time taking in my emotions and he looked confused at my overwhelming sadness. I tried to smile but my heart wasn't in it and I whispered,

"She stole my life. She took my two years! I'm going to kill that bitch, she's got three days and then I'm after her!"

Jasper looked stunned, didn't he think I'd want revenge. But as soon as he spoke I realised why,

"How are you still conscious? How can you talk and think past the pain?" he asked sharply as if I freaked him out.

"My shield, it's on the inside. No pain, just a weird crawling sensation through my veins. Like an itch, I can't quite scratch and it's spreading everywhere!" I whispered again,

He hugged me tighter and poured love and devotion into me, with this huge dose of pride engulfing it. Peter and Emmett could be heard laughing in the background, while Rose and Char came level with us smiling.

"Damn, but you're a lucky bitch! You get the change without the pain" Rose said jokingly, as Char squeezed my thigh.

Jasper was about to rush me up the stairs to our room, but I told him to put me on the sofa. I had no idea how long I'd be lucid and I needed to know why! What made Esme try to kill me? I realised Carlisle was still with us and he would have the answers.