Pinned but Fluttering

Chapter 53

Chapter 53

     I exchanged worried glances with Edward and Carlisle, wondering what Paul’s “Plan B” might entail and hoping against hope that violence would not result from whatever he was plotting.

     As we watched with great concern, Paul slowly gained control over himself; his shaking slowed minutely, his eyes gradually became less wild until at last we could see sense returning. Finally he stood before us, breathing hard but at last in control of his monstrous side.

     Unfortunately for us, though, Paul’s “monstrous” wolf side was not much different from his monstrous plans in his human form.

     As Paul grinned at us insolently, Edward tensed as he read the thoughts racing through Paul’s mind. When Paul glanced down at Mrs. Jane who remained nearby, her eyes still huge as she took in all that had occurred between these supposedly mythical creatures, Edward cursed under his breath.

     Frantically glancing down our line, Edward hissed so softly that Paul’s enhanced hearing couldn’t detect his warning. “Hold your breath, everyone! And look away from Mrs. Jane if you can’t control yourself at the sight of blood!”

     Edward’s warning was perfectly timed as Paul reached into his pocket, pulled out a silver knife that he casually flipped open, and, grabbing Mrs. Jane’s arm, sliced into her pale skin, creating a vertical gash from elbow to wrist. Mrs. Jane let out a cry of pain as the knife cut her flesh, but somehow she remained almost abnormally calm, probably thanks to Jasper who was sending out waves of calm over us all, to Mrs. Jane to ease her pain, to Paul and the wolves to prevent further violence, and to our family to keep us from falling into Paul’s wily trap.

     Paul’s “Plan B” was now obvious: force the vampires to lose control over the scent and sight of Mrs. Jane’s warm, pulsating blood, and when we leaped the river to drink from her, the wolves would kill us, one by one.

     From the way they shifted in preparation, eyes fixed on certain targets apparently assigned to each of them, the wolves were more than ready—actually quite eager—to take us out. Only one wolf was hanging back, a sandy one with agony in his eyes who whined in protest before Paul glared at him, nodding toward us in unmistakable command.   

     But Edward’s caution was perfectly timed. Jasper and Emmett not only held their breath but looked away from Mrs. Jane so that they wouldn’t be tempted by the blood flowing down her arm and puddling on the river bank. The rest of us watched Paul warily, worried that he would injure Mrs. Jane further if we did not react to his bloodletting.   

     When I saw the blood dripping from Mrs. Jane’s fingers, I had to swallow back the venom pooling in my own mouth and decided to look away also, just to be safe. Instead, I fixed my eyes on the beautiful man beside me; Edward gave me a small smile of approval, his glance warm with the love he felt for me despite the dire circumstanced confronting us.

     I let the love in Edward’s golden eyes fill me, empowering me to level a glare at Paul, a low growl rumbling in my chest in protest to his stooping to use a human as bait in order to lure and then kill my family.