𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐇 | J.H

TWENTY

"Show me what you've got Blondie."

Emmett stood a few paces in front of Eleanor in the clearing surrounded by trees, a large grin on his face. He beckoned her forward with two fingers before squatting slightly, the balls of his feet dug into the dirt - ready to fight.

But Eleanor was smart with her strategy, she didn't have the brute force to charge at her opponent. So, she let him come to her.

He smirked before dashing forward with his supernatural speed, obviously aiming to tackle her and end the fight quickly. Eleanor raised her hand just before he reached her, and he fell backward as he collided with the invisible blockade she had created.

It was something she had practised with Jasper, before the nature of her powers were revealed, projecting her power in a physical and imperceptible way.

Emmett grinned from the ground, jumping up speedily, realising he had underestimated her power - he'd have to be unpredictable if he couldn't get near her, he welcomed the challenge.

So, he moved slowly, stepping toward's her and swinging for her face inhumanly quick - an attack she had predicted, and easily dodged. Eleanor continued to duck and weave through his clumsy strikes, noticing him slowly inch nearer each time.

She knew he was going easy on her, he could knock her out in one carefully placed blow.

So when he got close enough to make his real attack, she didn't go easy on him.

Eleanor moved quickly, her arm striking, her hand wrapping around his thick neck before he could make his final attack. In the few seconds their skin was in contact, she pressed pain into his mind - emotional pain of course, a twisted ghost of her own. Before releasing her hand and pushing him firmly back with her invisible force, he went flying backward, into the stiff trunk of a tree.

Emmett looked up, he hadn't expected Eleanor's emotional attack and it seemed to disarm him. He was impressed.

He looked at Rosalie briefly as she moved silently behind her, obviously planning to take her by surprise. Emmett knew Rosalie didn't like watching him lose.

But Eleanor noticed the flicker of his eyes as they moved from her own to the space behind her, she spun quickly her hand flying out. Rosalie froze, her eyes wide as she clawed at her throat as if some invisible hand choked her.

Eleanor released her quickly, very aware that each time she exercised her power - or death's power - she took a step closer to her demise.

She turned to the Cullens and the wolves that watched her, catching her breath quickly before returning to Bella's side and lighting a cigarette.

"Where did you learn to do that, Eleanor?" Alice's voice was airy as always.

She shrugged, not wanting to admit her parents had insisted she did a self-defence course as London crime increased. Or the few sessions of practise she had done with Jasper.

Eleanor was certain he looked proud when she looked at him, but it was diluted and overshadowed by the concern obvious in his face, making her doubt herself.

"Eleanor," Carlisle joined the three girls, "We want to limit the use of your powers as much as possible, so I think it best if you watch Bella with Edward, in the mountains."

Eleanor nodded, not bothered about being excluded from the main battle - she was sure it was Jasper's doing but she had no arguments. Either way she would be protecting Bella.

"What happens if you use your powers too much?" Bella's concerned tone made Eleanor's heart sink slightly.

She flicked the ash from her cigarette, contemplating her response. But Alice beat her too it.

"Well if I can't see it, it hasn't been decided."

Eleanor appreciated Alice's interruption, sparing Bella of the truth. She could see the slight relief in her eyes before she stalked off to see Jacob.

"Why can't you see it? My future?"

Alice stepped closer, leaning on the jeep beside her.

"It's like the wolves - I can't see their future because I've never been a werewolf. I can't see yours because I've never been... whatever you are."

Eleanor laughed, it was short and quiet, but it was the most emotion Alice had seen from her when she had been without Jasper.

"Sorte mortis," She raised her fingers in quotation marks, "'Chosen by death'. Sod's law isn't it? Haven't been chosen for a thing in my life but death chooses me."

Alice giggled at her British colloquialism, she had always loved her accent. But at this she realised why Eleanor was shadowed by the melancholy of death.

"Well, I know one way to cheat death - permanently."

Eleanor understood Alice's implication; vampirism.

It was never something she'd seen for herself, being immortal, but if it meant she would spare Jasper the pain of losing her (she realised the egotistical nature of the thought) she wouldn't care all that much.

She turned to Alice, a smirk on her face, "Well, when I'm on my death bed, you know what to do."