Twilight (Fresh Waters)

Chapter 11

I'm panting in shock, not even because of my health, but because of what I am seeing.

"C-CARLISLE!" I shout in distress.

In the meantime, I look at Rise.

"You're disgusting" I swallow.

Carlisle speeds into the room, and sees what I see.

"It happened again" I say, panting and swallowing crazily.

Carlisle nods barely taking notice, and everyone else runs into the room, apart from Nessie. Bella's at my side immediately, while everyone else just stares with their mouths open in disbelief. Bella places her hand on my forehead.

"You're burning up" she swallows and pants too.

Burning up? Whatever. I'm too. I can't pay attention to anything apart from Rise. She's mesmerising everyone with her slowing blood licking. Carlisle swallows.

"I-" He's speechless. "I- I-"

"Get her..away from the blood" I pant.

Rose walks over to her and looks at Carlisle for reassurance.

"Is it safe?" She mouths.

He shrugs.

"I- I don't know anymore"

Rose hesitantly picks up Rise, who smiles her winning smile, showing the red liquid dripping from her teeth. It's sickening and wrong. She- she's like an immortal child. There have been so many thoughts at the moment I can't read a single one, but when Bella removes her shield I recognise her straight away.

'She's an immortal' she says, worried and panicking.

I nod.

"I don't.. know" I mutter, a little irritated at I don't know what.

'Read her mind' Bella suggests, when I realise something I haven't been paying attention to.

I can't read Rise.

Oh my god. I can't read Rise. So that means that she's-

"A shield" Alice breaks the silence in her worried voice, stepping forward into the room. "Rise is a shield"

Everyone turns to look at her.

"What makes you think this?" Carlisle asks.

"I can't see her" Alice says.

Rise is a monster. She's a shield, an anaphylactic visualiser (as Carlisle says), she can deafen people with her scream, and she licks blood from her fingers.

"This is dangerous" Jasper speaks up.

We all turn to look at him.

"We can't live like this"

We all turn to look at Jacob, who has stepped forward.

"So what should we do then!? If you're suggesting we abandon my child, then I suggest that you go and bury your head in the sand, bloodsucker" He says, sincerely.

"Jacob, he never said th-" I begin, but he cuts me off.

"Don't you get started on that one, Cullen. You know what he was thinking, and I am not having you denying it. But I am not having my daughter killed at the hands of a leech" He says.

I try to stumble to my feet, ready for a fight, but forget the anaphylactic shock and fall back to the floor.

"Edward-" Carlisle begins.

I ignore him.

"How" I begin. "Could you be so ungrateful. How could you stand there and insult us, knowing that we were the reason you found Nessie. The reason you ever even had Rise. The reason your life is so cupcakes and rainbows?!"

I feel my temper rising unbelievably. Everyone is shooting thoughts at me, but as I have been for the past couple of minutes, I proceed to ignore them all. Jacob looks like he's about to explode.

"YOU WERE THE ONES THE TOOK BELLA AWAY THOUGH, WEREN'T YOU!?" He screams, suddenly furious and flaming.

We all gasp in shock. Jacob hasn't mentioned the Bella situation ever since it happened, and it seemed thoroughly inappropriate for him to dwell on it now, in the presence of the whole Cullen family, with only Nessie downstairs and his daughter right by him. I try to stand to get physical but can't, so I briefly look at Rose.

'On it' she quickly thinks, before punching Jacob square in the nose.

"How dare you!?" We both scream shrilly.

Rose has always been a pain, but in times like these her temper comes in handy. Jacob knows he's really messed up as he awkwardly tries to back off.

"Look-" he begins, but I'm having none.

"HOW DARE YOU EVEN BRING THAT UP!?" I boom. "BELLA IS MINE! AND YOU HAVE NESSIE, AND IF YOU'RE GONNA START MAKING MY  DAUGHTERS LIFE HELL, THEN I'LL SHOW YOU A VAMPIRE, DOG!"

He steps back in shock.

"Dude" He begins. "I just got mad. I'm sorry, okay? Now for life's sake, calm it"

How dare he? How dare he say something like that and get away with it with a simple apology?

"You could have really hurt Nessie then" I say, sincerely. "Watch yourself"

Jacob nods.

"Yeah"

There's an awkward silence. Blood drips from the walls, and the dark room continues to be no comfort.

'Edward' Bella's thoughts groan.

She pants a little.

'The blood'

I nod and stand up, the shock over now. I reach for her hand, which she gives and we walk out of the room together. When we're alone in my room, she looks up at me.

"What is she?" She breaks down in tearless sobs into my chest.

I hold her tight, but I can't help but wonder the same question.

"Bells" I comfort her, and she sniffs a little and looks up.

"Edward" she begins. "What are we going to do? This is going to hurt Nessie so bad"

I agree. How will Nessie react when she finds her daughter would use her anaphylactic visualisation to get her hands on blood? When she finds out that sweet little Rise prefers strong, metally liquid to the mushed sweet potato we feed her. I use my finger to lightly bring Bella's face up.

"We'll figure this out" I say, although I'm not too sure we can...