PERFECT PERIL; J. HALE [3]

TWELVE; HEADSTRONG

MY FEET DRAGGED through the pure white snow, it looked so innocent and untouched. I felt heavier than I had ever felt before. And I was, it was different than before. I was different. The graveyard battlefield was far behind me now, I'm sure I had been running. I could smell Bella's blood, I think that's what I was following. I was safe but the war wasn't over yet, there was still a vital piece missing. Victoria.

The trees opened up to a clearing. I could see Bella, she locked eyes with me first and looked horrified. Fear. Edward lay face down in the snow, a snapped tree branch sticking out of his side. He looked up at me too, pained but motioning with his eyes over to a crumpled redhead trying to stand up on a leg that wasn't there. It was in fact half way down the hill thanks to Edward.

"Hasn't Riley killed you yet?" She spoke through gritted teeth, holding onto a rock. She was truly outnumbered and she knew it.

It was funny she said that. I started chuckling menacingly, she deserved this. She killed me. She ruined my life. And now I was going to ruin hers. "You know, he was actually a bit more levelheaded than you" I pulled out my left hand from behind me and her eyes widened in shock, she shook with anger and it made me smile.

Riley's head stared back at her, ripped clean from his body.

Using all her strength, she lunged at me and pulled me to the floor, arms wrapped around my neck, squeezing tight like a cobra. I could feel the fibers holding my being together come apart as she screamed and continued pulling. She was so much stronger than me despite my age. 

Bang. I landed a shot at her head, knocking her off her objective. She tore her teeth into my arm in response and I let out an almighty yell. My hands hooked under her chin as we locked eyes. I pushed harder than I ever have in my life, willing her head to pop off. I was willing to die trying.

Suddenly, her head was jolted and flew off, landing poetically beside Riley's. Her limp body fell heavily onto my chest. I threw my head back onto the snow and stared up and the person who had just saved my life. How Jasper had managed to get up here quick enough to boot Victoria's head off her shoulders i'll never know, but I was grateful. And I forgave him.

It was finally over. She was dead.

Her body creepily twitched on top of me. It was strange, I had just missed death by an inch and all I wanted to do was laugh. I was still laying on the ground in the snow, I shoved Victoria's body off me and let out a breath. Beside me, Bella was helping Edward pull the tree branch out of his back. It looked and sounded painful. I stared back at Jasper. "So you kick off a head for me but you don't offer a lady a hand?" 

He chuckled, holding his hand out. "Apologies ma'am, let me help you up" He pulled me up effortlessly and helped me brush all of the snow out of my hair and clothes, not so subtly looking me over for any type of harm which would have definitely already healed. He's very thorough though I guess. "Are you alright?" 

Nodding, I motioned to my perfectly fine and healthy being. "I'm fine, I told you I can handle myself. Besides, I just beheaded somebody - I feel like a boss bitch" It was true. I was a boss bitch.

"Yes, that you are" I grinned at him and we both walked over to Ed and Bella. "Are you guys alright?" They both nodded but have definitely looked better. Edward however, looked into mid air and nodded, which is typical when he's reading somebody's thoughts. From his expression, i'm assuming it's not good. "What is it?"

"It's Seth. We need to leave now" I nodded at him and Bella, unsure why we needed to leave. Volutri coming. A voice which I recognized as Seth's echoed around my head. I was hearing what he was saying to Edward. If the Volturi come it means bad things. The wolves would need to leave and god knows what they would do if they found out Bella was a human but I was not, that's their number one rule.

"We need to move fast, it's just down here" I motioned to the way that I came up, it must've only took me a few minutes from the battle area. Jasper nodded and Bella jumped onto Edwards back - he was fully healed now. We would have to run down the hill to get away before the Volturi arrived.

Remembering what they had said a few months ago made me wonder why they would visit at this time. They had told us we were to be turned but they would wait for us. We hold great potential. But they would take us away. I'm afraid they're going to take me away because i'm turned now. I cant leave everyone.