His World

Adding to The Family (23)

"You're here," Lily whispered.

Leah looked down at the girl next to her and closed her book. "Of course I am."

"I wasn't sure..." Lily said. She sat up slowly. "You said everything was going to be different. I didn't listen. I'm sorry. I just didn't think..."

"We're going to take care of you," Leah promised. "I won't let anything bad happen."

Despite Leah's promise, things only got worse. Carlisle explained how Bella had only gotten better after having blood in her system, and suggested the transfusion to begin with. It worked for a short while before even that didn't seem to be enough. It only took four days before Lily was worsening quicker than before and her body refused to keep anything down. It was impossible to imagine she could physically look any thinner and more ill, and yet the family saw it happen right before their eyes.

It was nearly a week after they had arrived home when Carlisle brought Lily a metal cup and asked to know what she thought of it. Lily knew what was inside, but didn't say anything until after she'd tasted the thick red liquid. It was one of the most appetizing things she'd had for a while, and she downed the rest of the blood quickly. Everyone was happy that it had worked, but Leah couldn't help the tiny part of her that was worried about her friend. This wasn't something she had ever wanted to experience for herself, and she was beginning to understand how Jacob felt years ago.

Lily's temperature spiked and dropped at least four times a day, but she soon learned that Bella had been the same way with her pregnancy. She alternated between sitting with Carlisle and sitting with Leah, depending on how she felt. Embry tried to keep Elsie away, but the efforts were fruitless. The girl was insistent on seeing her mother. Nobody had the heart to explain how her mother was dying before her eyes, more so than she had been before.

"Momma!" Elsie cheered as she ran into the room. The small girl climbed onto the couch to sit with Lily and hugged her. Lily stiffened a moment, a sweet smell overcoming her. She didn't completely understand the desire that suddenly ran through her veins. "Are you okay today?"

"Mommy's fine," Lily said through her teeth. "Just a bit tired. Did you have dinner?"

"That's right," Leah jumped in, noticing the change in Lily's demeanor. "I promised you we'd make cookies and dress up Embry after dinner."

Elsie giggled. "Can we?"

"Only if you eat everything," Leah answered with a smile. "Renesmee's in the kitchen making macaroni."

"Yay!" Elsie cheered. She pecked Lily's cheek before running off to the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Carlisle asked, instantly at her side.

"That smell..." Lily trailed off, looking after her daughter. She looked at her husband. "What was it?"

"Interesting," Carlisle murmured, holding her close to him. He looked nearly as bad as Edward had during Bella's pregnancy, despite the fact that they knew more now. "Will you describe it for me?"

"Sweet," Lily said, shaking her head slightly. "It's hard to describe. I just know I could practically taste it. I'm not sure I've ever craved something so much."

"You're smelling blood," Carlisle answered carefully, unsure of her reaction. "You were smelling human blood... You were smelling Elsie."

Lily's expression turned to horror. "What?"

"Nobody will let you hurt her," Carlisle assured. "It appears that your pregnancy is differing from Bella's. She didn't have the sense of smell you have developed, or quite the taste for blood that you have."