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A/N: I started another new story, trying to figure out which
stories appeal to more people so let me know if you like
this one and I'll continue with it. Please don't forget to
review if you like it otherwise I won't know and it'llprobably end up being a forgotten story!
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters
Chapter One
I marched through the school halls with confidence and
determination as I headed towards Edward Cullen, who
was leaning against the wall near our biology class. He was
involved in a heated conversation with his sister Alice, by
the looks of it. They both glanced in my direction even
though I was still a few feet away and there was no possible
way they could have heard me approaching with all the
students walking in front of me. Yet they looked straight at
me as if they knew I was coming.
Edward narrowed his eyes at me and I nearly chickened
out. But I reminded myself that I have the right to know
what was going on. How did he push the van away and
why was he avoiding me? Im going demand an answer
today and I wont let him brush me off again.
Alice smiled at me, and Edward glared daggers at her. Sherolled her eyes before walking away and strolled towards
her next class.
Edward shot me a hard and icy look before moving to step
inside the classroom. I practically ran the last few steps to
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prevent him from escaping my wrath. I stood directly in
front of him and he had no choice but to back up. He
clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists.
What do you want? his voice was still velvety despite theharsh tone.
I placed my hands on my hips and attempted my best shot
at giving him an angry glare. I want an explanation.
He avoided my gaze and looked at everything except for
me. Im not giving you one. When will you just drop it
and move on with your life?I crossed my arms across my chest. Never.
Now he looked at me. Our eyes locked and anger flickered
across his features. Then I guess youre never going to be
satisfied.
He slid past me and entered the classroom. I stood there,
dumbfounded. Im never going to get an answer out of him.Maybe I should just give up. I sighed in disappointment
and trailed behind the group of students entering the
classroom.
Edward was already sitting down by the time I pulled the
chair from underneath the table, letting it squeak against the
floor. He didnt even look over at me. I sat down and
exhaled dramatically, trying to gain his attention. He didnteven move a muscle. He is absolutely infuriating!
Mr. Banner began his lecture and I tried my hardest to pay
attention but I found myself stealing glances at Edward;
and if he noticed, he was doing a fantastic job at pretending
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he didnt.
The clock ticked by slowly, and half way through the class,
I noticed Edward tense in his chair and he snapped his head
towards the door. I looked at him curiously but he ignoredme and continued looking at the door, as if he could see or
hear someone standing on the other side. Which was
impossible since the door was closed and I couldnt hear a
thing.
I continued staring at him and his eyes finally shifted to
mine. He almost lookedworried. But after a couple
seconds, his features hardened and he gave me a murderousglare.
Miss Swan! Mr. Cullen! I heard Mr. Banner shout at the
front of the classroom. I abruptly turned my head towards
him but Edward kept his face pointed at me and only
moved his eyes to look at our teacher. Would you two
mind ogling each other at another time? Say after class is
finished? Right now Id like to have your attention, please.
Mild laughter came from everyone except for Mike. I
looked back to see Mike glaring at the back of Edward's
head, and then he turned towards me and softened his face
before smiling. I returned the smile, and took a peek at
Edward, who was now facing the front of the class with a
serious expression on his face. When didnthe look
serious?
Mr. Banner continued his lesson but only a few minutes
later, Edward stiffened again and shot out of his chair.
Before he could even move, the sound of an alarm filled the
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entire building and I could see flashing red and white lights
in the hallway from the small window on the door.
Everyone stood up and we all looked around in confusion.
The PA system crackled and I knew someone was about tomake an announcement. All students and teachers, please
remain in your classrooms and lock the door. This is an
emergency situation. I repeat, all students and teachers
remain locked in your classrooms. If you are not in a
classroom, lock yourself in the nearest secure room. Do not
leave the rooms under any circumstances. This is an
emergency situation.Loud chatter filtered through the room and I felt my heart
pound erratically. What is going on? I saw Edward push
past the students as he headed for the door, but Mr. Banner
jumped in front of him and locked the door.
Everyone, take a seat and please keep quiet! Mr. Banner
shouted over all the strident voices.
Edward looked like he was ready to break down the door so
he could escape but Mr. Banner gently pushed on his
shoulder and urged him back to his seat. Everyone pulled
out their cell phones and started calling or texting their
parents immediately.
I watched Edward sulk back to our table before he sat
down, looking defeated. A voice boomed behind me a Ijumped, startled by the closeness. I turned to see Mike
kneeling behind my chair, his face mere inches from mine.
I just got off the phone with my dad, he told me. Five
convicted prisoners escaped from Seattle and now theyre
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on our school campus hiding from the police. Theyre
believed to be armed and now theyre holding all of us
hostage.
My mouth gaped open and I couldnt believe it. Oh, mygod, I whispered, unable to say anything else.
I thought about Charlie, he must be worried sick now that
his only daughter is being held hostage by convicted felons.
A boy grabbed Mikes shoulder to tell him something and I
turned towards Edward. He rubbed the palm of his hands
over his face and looked distressed. Of course he was, fourof his siblings were somewhere in this building and he was
probably scared to death over their safety. But then I
remembered how tense he got before the alarm even went
off.
You knew, I accused. He lowered his hands and looked
me straight in the eyes. When you were staring at the door.
You knew I trailed off. Theres something about himthats so different from everyone else. Something unnatural
and non-human.
You dont know what youre talking about, Bella, he
snapped at me.
Mike walked back over to me and placed a hand on my
shoulder. Hey, were getting out of here. Come with us.
Were not going to wait around to be slaughtered by these
psychos.
I nodded my head, but I admit Im terrified of the idea of
wandering through the halls while there are five criminals
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with weapons out there. I started to stand up, but I felt a
cold hand wrap around my wrist. My eyes widened, and I
turned to see Edward glaring at me.
Youre not going out there, he commanded.
I jerked my arm away from him and he released me. Why
do you care what I do?
You dont know whats out there, Hhs stern and haunting
voice sent chills down my spine.
And you do?
He tightened his jaw. Dont go.
I rolled my eyes. Im sick of his games. I pushed my chair
back and stood up. Lets go, Mike, I said while staring at
Edward.
Edward furrowed his brows and looked extremely agitated
by me. I looked away and let Mike lead me towards the
small group of students who have decided to leave despitewhat the announcement said.
Mr. Banner was distracted by the crying students looking
for reassurance that theyre going to be okay while we crept
towards the door. I took one last look at Edward, he was
still seated, glaring at me. He doesnt care if anything
happens to me, why should I stay?
We snuck out of the classroom, and looked up and down
the hallway but saw no traces of any convicts lurking so we
tip toed down the hall and rounded a corner. We all stood in
a single line with our backs pressed up against the wall.
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The boy who grabbed Mike after he told me what was
going on was leading the group and I was at the very end of
the line.
We walked down another hallway which seemed to be clearbut I suddenly shivered and had a bad feeling about this.
My intuition kicked in and I felt like running back to the
classroom. I shouldnt be out here. This was a very stupid
idea! While I was lost in my thoughts, I heard a gasp at the
front of the line and everyone collided into each other. I
moved so I could look past everyone and I saw a man
holding a gun at the end of the hallway, staring at us.
Chapter Two
I froze in horror. My eyes lingered on the gun he held in his
hand. I knew nothing about guns so I could not say what
the name of his gun was. It was smallish, at least small
compared to a rifle, probably the only gun I couldrecognize, but despite its size, it had death written all over
it.
All it would take is a simple aim and the pull of a trigger to
end my life. Fortunately, he did not have the gun aimed at
anyone. It was pointed towards the floor but that did not
mean he wasnt able to whip it up and shoot one of us. He
looked like he wanted to. I could practically hear his evilplot brewing in his brain.
I somehow managed to remove my eyes from the escaped
prisoner and leaned back against the wall. My heart felt as
though it would spontaneously combust, and a cold sweat
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broke out all over my body. I was terrified, dizzy and
unable to think clearly. A thick haze distorted my vision
and everything felt so surreal. I could not believe this was
happening.The boy at the front of the line spoke to the criminal but my
labored breathing prevented me from hearing him clearly. I
knew he was pleading, trying to negotiate with the gunman.
I heard a loud bang and jumped. Mike nudged me in the
ribcage with his elbow on accident and turned to look at
me.
Bella, run! he shouted, and shoved me in the oppositedirection of the prisoner.
I didnt even take a second to think, I just ran like he told
me to. Once we got to the corner, I peeked behind me and
saw Mike and another girl following me. Beyond them, I
saw someone lying on the floor but I couldnt see much
because Mike grabbed my waist and forced me to continue
running.
Do notlook back, Bella! his voice came out shaky as he
jogged behind me.
I could hear the girl panting and sobbing behind me, and I
wanted to know what just happened. Why were only those
two running with me? There were a total of six of us when
we left the classroom. I glanced back again and Mikeyelled at me. Bella! Do. Not. Look. Back.
Before I could even face forward again, I collided into
something solid. I stumbled back and almost fell but two
long arms steadied me, and I peered up to see familiar pale
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I shoved my hands against his chest. I didnt think this
would happen!
Exactly! he yelled at me. You didnt think! I toldyou
not to go.
I huffed, Youresuch a hypocrite! You were out in the
hall, you were trying to flee just like the rest of us!
He clenched his jaw. I was coming after you! he hissed
inches from my face.
I stared at him with wide eyes, and my breathing was still
erratic and unstable. What?
He stepped closer to me so our bodies were nearly
touching, and I felt the cold radiating off of him. He glared
down at me and I shivered. His lips parted and his body
went rigid.
A tear slid down my cheek and my lips trembled. Theyre
dead, arent they? His face softened at the sound of myvoice, and his body relaxed. The people we left behind.
Are they dead?
Edward swallowed hard and took a big step back. He
turned his head away from me as Mr. Banner appeared.
Whats going on over here? Mr. Banner demanded.
Sorry, Mr. Banner. Bella and I were having amisunderstanding. It wont happen again. Edward said
smoothly.
Mr. Banner nodded his head. Were all a bit wound up.
Why dont you two go back to your seats?
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I pushed myself off the wall, and Edward stood still, he
didnt start moving until I walked past him. He stayed
directly by my side as we headed towards our table.
What is wrong with you? I whispered as we continuedwalking. You saved me and discarded me immediately
afterwards once before. Why do you keep rescuing me if
you hate me so much?
He grabbed my elbow gently and stopped me from
walking. You think Id waste my time on a danger magnet
if I hated you? If I truly hated you, Id just let you die.
I scoffed. Stop lying. I know you regret saving me from
the van. You look at me like you wish I would just
disappear.
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed in
annoyance. Youre so blind.
Excuse me? What the hell did that mean?
He shook his head and started walking away. He sat down
at the table as I stared at him. No one else confuses me
more than he does.
I took my seat and looked at him. You havent answered
any of my questions.
Yeah, well, I dont intend on changing that now, he spoke
bitterly, and I inhaled a sharp breath.
I opened my mouth but pounding on the door distracted
me, and I turned to see bloody fists beating against the
window on the door. I heard a crunching sound and turned
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back towards Edward to see him crumbling a piece of the
table between his fingers. His eyes darkened and his body
was unnaturally tense. I grabbed his hand to stop him, and
his face snapped towards me.What are you doing!? I asked, shocked.
The door opened and a boy tumbled inside, covered in
blood. Edward literally growled, and I suddenly felt afraid
of him.
Chapter Three
Edward POV
The smell of fresh blood filled my nostrils, and my throat
instantly burned and ached with desire. I had to restrain
myself from jumping out of my chair, tackling the boy
coated in blood and plunging my teeth into his flesh. I
gripped the table until the wood began crumblingunderneath my fingers.
I was vaguely aware of Bella touching my hand and
screeching something at me. My head jerked towards her,
and I silently cursed myself for making the movement
much too rough. I gazed into her eyes and saw her
frightened expression.
I had seen that look before. The first day she attended this
school. My face relaxed and I stopped breathing. It was
unnecessary to breathe, but it still felt so strange not to. I
focused all of my attention on her and ignored the boy
being dragged deeper into the room by Mr. Banner and
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another kid.
Her small fingers were still wrapped around my large hand,
and the heat from her body scorched my skin. I knew I
must feel ice cold compared to her, but she never releasedher grip. She never ceased to intrigue me, and that isnt a
good thing.
Bella released my hand and I tore my gaze away from her.
A human should never have this amount of control over a
monster like me. It was wrong in so many ways. She
already knows too much, and I have to keep my distance so
her suspicions wont become accurate. It would bedangerous for both my family and for herself.
I kept my facial expression neutral. Not allowing her to see
the torment coursing through me. Being so close to her
her smell. Alluring me. Pleading with me drain her
completely.
I snapped out of it and focused on something lessfrustrating. I began reciting the declaration of independence
to keep my thoughts away from her.
Now Im just boring myself to death. Death. I huffed
internally. I wish I had the ability to die. To be normal. To
get rid of these trivial and useless voices in my head
because of myspecial talent. And so I wouldnt have the
urge to tear my biology partner apart with my teeth.
I avoided glancing at Bella and the scene a few feet away.
The idiot covered in blood was the reason why a few of the
children, including Bella, left this room and searched for
trouble. The punk should be grateful to be alive. Instead, he
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is planning his next venture out into the halls for revenge.
No one else knows yet, and Ill make sure the girl sitting
next to me doesnt join his next suicide adventure.
I wasnt entirely sure why, but I cared more about her lifeand welling being more than any other student in this
building, save for my family. But I knew they would be
fine. Theyre capable of handling this situation.
Bella, on the other hand, attracts danger like nothing Ive
ever seen before, and thats saying something. I should
want her to die. Shes torturing me with her smell and shes
placed in life threatening situations daily. Especially withme around. But I can feel my anger rising as the thought of
her lifeless body filtered through my mind.
Im thinking about Bella again.How the hell did that
happen? This girl is ruining me. I could hardly wait until
graduation, when I never have to face her again.
An odd emotion swept through me at that thought. Anemotion I didnt understand and never felt before.
I shook my head so subtly that no human would have
noticed. Enough about her. Shes just a typical girl. A
typical girl I cant read. Stop. Shes nothing to me.Ignore
her.
Bella POV
I sat still, completely dumbfounded. One moment, Edward
is glaring at me like hes about to murder me. The next, he
looks away with a blank expression on his face. I dont
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understand him. I think he may be bipolar. Im certain I
shouldnt voice my opinion on that, though. He might
actually attack me. And I wouldnt be surprised in the least.
Not with the way he looks at me.The smell of fresh blood pouring out of the boys wounds
made me feel nauseous. Im going to throw up, or worse,
faint. Sitting next to Edward Cullen while Im unconscious,
probably not a good idea.
I averted my eyes so I couldnt see the injured boy lying on
the ground from the corner of my eye. That meant I had to
stare directly at Edward, who was still facing forward withno emotions written on his face.
I heard the sound of a bone cracking, and I shuddered.
Gasps and cries of disgust rang in my ears and I couldnt
take it anymore. I needed to get out of here. Lock myself in
a closet, or something.
Before I could even move, I felt breathing on the back ofmy neck. I turned my head slightly to be faced with Mike
Newton. He was leaning over me and our lips were nearly
touching. I jerked my head back from the surprise of how
close he was to me, he looked hurt for a brief moment but it
didnt take long for him to regain his confident composure.
Are you okay? He tried to sound mature and brave but it
didnt work on me. I knew he was just as frightened as therest of us.
I shook my head slowly. Not really.
Since I turned my head, I now had a clear view of what was
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happening on the floor. The boy's face contorted in pain,
and he looked completely agonized. Mr. Banner touched
his limbs, inspected the damage and clearly found plenty of
it. The boy was broken. And bloody.So much blood.
I felt woozy.
The room blurred around me and the voices became
distance, like an echo. Everything spun and made me dizzy.
My head moved closer to the black table top but Im didn't
move it.Did I? I heard a loud thud, and the darkness tookover.
EPOV
Watching Newton practically shove his face against Bellas
made me clench my jaw and ball my hands into tight fists. I
wanted to punch him. Over and over again. There was noreason for that irrational emotion. I tried to push it aside but
his hormonal thoughts about caressing her lips with his
made me fume with even more fury.
Why do I care? I should push those together. Get her out of
my hair. Let them date and do all of the normal teenage
things together. But I wont. I dont want her with him. She
can do better. She deserves better. She deserves someonelikesomeone likeme? No. Definitely not. Not
happening.Ever. Im banishing that thought from ever
entering my mind. Its repulsive. At least, it should be. But
Im not cringing at the thought. My mind has wandered
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into the gutter. Enough of this.
I was about to turn away again, but I noticed her body sway
while she remained in her chair. Her face practically turned
green, and I watched in horror has her head collided withthe table. Voices of concern surrounded me. Students
nearby crowded around Bella.
Mr. Banner! Mike shouted above everyone else.
Something is wrong with Bella!
No shit, Sherlock.
I pictured my fist contacting his jaw, and I smirked. That isa good image. There was a tiny voice shouting inside my
head. A familiar voice. It was getting stronger, louder. I
recognized it immediately. Alice. Shes trying to tell me
something.
Chapter FourEdward POV
Edward.
I heard Alices tiny voice. I stiffened in my seat. Blocking
out every voice except for hers.
Theyre coming. Two of them.
I saw the flashes. Two men barged in the classroom, waved
their guns and kept us captive. Bella woke up, screamed,
and successfully gained the attention of the men. Another
flash of them grabbing her. Hurting her. A flash of me
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exposing what I truly am. For her. Risking everything.
Again. Forher. A human.
I cant allow for that vision to come true. I could scoop
Bella up and flee the campus. We all could. My family. Butit would be too risky. Once this is over, people would
surely notice were missing and want an explanation for
how my entire family escaped without being seen. It would
be too suspicious.
I crossed escaping off my list and went for plan B. The
irritating students were still surrounding Bella. Wondering
if she spontaneously died from sheer fright.Morons.
I heard two voices coming down the hall. Not voices.
Thoughts. I abruptly reached for Bella and shook her a bit
too roughly. Wake up. Her eyes are still closed, and she was
breathing evenly.Damn it. I poked her on the shoulder. It
was actually more like jabbing, but I needed her to wake
up.
What the hell, Cullen? Mike seethed. Dont hit her!
I glared at him. My father is a doctor. I know what Im
doing.
Mike scoffed. Id like to see the text about injuring the
victims to make them better.
I clenched my jaw. Im not injuringher. Im just urgingher to wake up.
Well, youre urgingis going to cause her physical
damage, he retorted.
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I felt like poking him and asking if he feels physically
damaged now. Damn kid. Go away.
I grabbed Bellas shoulder. Gently this time, to humor
Newton. Bella, I whispered softly, only meant for her tohear. However, Mike was too damn close and he could hear
anything I said.
Leave her alone, Mike demanded. Just let her rest.
I kept my hand on Bellas shoulder and leaned over her, but
I shifted my eyes to give Mike a death stare. Shouldnt
you be in your seat? I said through clenched teeth.While Mike and I were having our 'conversation', the other
students hopped away, one at a time.
Mike shrugged his shoulders and finally walked away. I
took a deep breath so I could sigh. That was a mistake. A
very big mistake. Bellas unique smell hit me full force,
along with the kid lying on the floor. My hands were still
touching Bella. They were so close to her neck. I couldsnap it andno. Stop it.
The sound of a chair screeching against the floor gained my
attention. I turned my head to see Mike slide his chair
between Bella and I.
You havegotto be kidding me.
If looks could kill, hed be slumping over the chair, lifeless.
What are you doing? I barked at him.
He shrugged his shoulders. Taking a seat, he smiled
smugly. Your idea.
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I just stared at him. Not here youre not, I pushed away
his chair. Go back to your table.
Mike tilted his head to the side, as if he were thinking about
something, then he shook his head. Nah. I think Ill stayhere and play nurse to Bella when she wakes up, he
glanced her. Shell need it.
All I have to do is raise my arm and collide my fist with his
jaw. It would surely send him flying across the room with a
broken jaw. While I thought about that, he pushed his chair
back to the table and took a seat between me and Bella.I
dont think so.
I stood up, and pulled my chair from underneath the table.
Mike thought I was giving up and letting him and Bella
have the table. I grinned as I stood behind him and pushed
his chair, with him still sitting on it, to my side of the table.
His eyes widened and he stared at me in surprise. He
wasnt expecting that.
I was about to slide my chair between Mike and Bella but
decided against it. The convicts were lurking in the
hallway. Discussing their plan. I didnt want to give them a
clear view of Bella. I tenderly stroked Bellas hair and
placed the strands behind her ears. Once her hair was out of
her face, I slid my hand underneath her head so it was no
longer lying on the table and lifted her back against the
chair. She groaned, coming back to consciousness as I
scooted her chair to the center of the table. Her eyes were
starting to open, and I placed my chair in her previous spot.
All three of our chairs were crowded underneath the table.
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Mike's chair and my chair were both pressed against
Bellas. She was sandwiched in between us.
She was mostly awake now, and rubbed her eyes. She
stiffened in her seat when she finally realized our newseating arrangement. She looked from me to Mike.
I came over to look after you, Mike explained. Edward
was abusing you.
I sent him a glare over Bellas head. She turned to look at
me with a confused look on her face. Her eyes asking the
unspoken question. I shook my head. Thats not exactlycorrect.
Two creases appeared between her brows. After a few
seconds, she hissed in pain and rubbed her shoulder, where
I had poked her. I grimaced.
See? Mike spoke with a stupid grin on his face. Thats
Edwards handiwork.
She just winced and snapped her eyes shut. Did I really
poke her that hard?
The door flew open. Mr. Banner had forgotten to lock it
after he dragged the boy inside. Just like in Alices vision,
the two men with guns ran in, and waving the guns around.
One was tall and plump. He had pale skin, long dark brown
hair pulled back and blue eyes. Bags underneath his eyes.
The other was several inches shorter, muscular and tan. He
had short dark hair and brown eyes. The students screamed,
some of them placed their heads on the table, others
crawled underneath their tables, and the rest sat in their sits,
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absorbing what was going on.
I heard Bella whimper, and I turned to face her. Our eyes
met and I heard her heart speed up. I had an odd feeling it
wasnt because of the men who had just barged in. Herheart didnt react that way until I looked at her. Do I have a
terrifying look on my face? I furrowed my brows,
completely confused as to why she would react that why
when I looked at her.
Bella POVThe last thing I remembered was becoming dizzy, and then
nothing. Lights out. When I started coming around, my
head was throbbing but I felt cold fingers brush against my
face and it soothed me. I then felt like I was being lifted
back and I could no longer feel the table. It took awhile for
me to open my eyes. Everything was blurry at first.
My vision finally became clear. But something was wrong.I felt squashed. I looked over my shoulder to see Edward
sitting where I usually sat. I was confused. Then I looked
over my other shoulder and saw Mike. I was beyond
confused by that point.
Mike told me that Edward was abusingme, but Edward
denied it. I felt a pain in my shoulder, and it hurt pretty
badly. What the hell happened? I was still disorientated.
I heard the door open and freaked out when everyone
started screaming, and I watched as two people at the table
in front of me hid underneath the table. I leaned forward so
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I could look beyond Edward and saw two prisoners with
guns. I made an embarrassing noise, and Edward turned to
look at me.
He is so unbelievably gorgeous. His eyes were boring intomine, like they were peering into my soul. My heart raced
faster and nearly took my breath way. He furrowed his
brows so I looked away. He probably caught me staring at
him at like a love sick puppy. I think I disgust him.
Sit down! A groggy voice commanded. Everyone in
your seats, now! He demanded harshly, and now I was re-
experiencing the feelings I had in the hallway.
The men walked to the front of the classroom, and I tensed
up. They looked over each person. Mr. Banner was forced
against the wall, and one of the men was shouting
something at him. The other man, he was short and
muscular, walked to a table and banged the tip of his gun
against the table.
Cell phones, he shouted. Now.
The two kids at the tabled pulled out their phones and
handed them to the convict. He snatched them up and threw
them on Mr. Banners desk.
I want everyones cell phones. Pull them out. You have 10
seconds. He walked to the next table and collected those.
He repeated his action of grabbing them and throwing them
on the teaches desk.
I saw Edward and Mike take their phones out. I didnt
move. I dont have a cell phone. The convict went to each
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table, taking the phones and placing them on the desk. Mr.
Banner was in his chair now. The other prisoner loomed
over him.
The convict finally reached our table and grabbed Mikesand Edwards cell phones. He looked directly at me. Cell
phone. Now.
My throat felt dry. I-I dont have one.
He flexed his muscles and slammed the gun on the table. I
aint playing with you! His voice was so loud, it was
nearly deafening.I shook my head. I really dont have one.
I leaned in towards me and I flinched. Get up! He
shouted, and my heart fluttered.
Hey, she doesnt have a cell, man! Mike shouted back at
the man.
The escaped convict didnt even look at him. His eyes werelocked on mine. Get. Up.
I slowly pushed my chair back, and got ready to stand up
but Edwards arm shot out and he wrapped his hand around
my wrist. I looked at him incredulously. What is he doing?
Does he want to get us both killed?
Let her go, the convict told Edward.No, Edwards voice was full of authority and venom.
The convict pointed his gun at my face, and I felt Edwards
hand loosen around my wrist. He looked over at me and
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had an apologetic look on his face. Before I could say
anything to him, the prisoner walked behind me and jerked
me up.
I didnt scream. I refused to give him any sort ofsatisfaction. He dragged me to the front of the room and
pressed me up against a wall. My chest was crushed against
the wall, and I felt the man pat me down. Touching every
inch of my body. I winced, feeling violated and
embarrassed. I knew all eyes were on me.
After a few minutes, he spun me around and smirked. I
havent been this close to a woman in six years.
I heard a loud crash, and my eyes widened as I saw Edward
stand up, he looked ready to attack. I drifted my eyes to the
chair that he apparently threw across the room. He threw it
so hard that it was cracked.
Sit your ass down, kid! the convict commanded.
Edward didnt back down. He leered at the man, and it wasenough to even scare me. Then, suddenly and unexpectedly,
his face turned from dangerous to concerned. Seconds later,
the convict pressed me against him and held the gun to my
temple.
All I could do was stare at Edward, and think about the fact
that he obviously knew what was going to happen before it
did.
Chapter Five
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Alice POV
A part of me felt guilty and ashamed that I hadnt seen this
coming. My visions are subjective, only seeing the future
based on the decisions people make. Decisions can easilychange and my visions will be altered. The criminals who
overtook our school didnt plan on this. Holding us hostage
was never their original intention.
They hadnt decided to disrupt our lives until one of the
men saw the school and the idea immediately popped in his
mind. He knew they wouldnt get far because the police
were closing in. So, he came up with a quick plan thatwould buy him and the other escaped convicts some time.
I didnt see it until it was too late. I felt as though I let my
family and the kids at Forks High down. I could have
prevented it, had I known in advance. I could have done
something. Anything. Pull the fire alarm, maybe.
Something that would empty this building before the
prisoners even made it on campus.
I knew my family wouldnt hold it against me. They all
know how easily the future can take an unexpected turn. I
still felt guilty, though. A couple of the students had already
been killed and this was just the beginning.
The plan was in full force now. The criminals will not leave
this building until each and every single one of them isdead or they successfully escape without the police on their
trail. They have no intention of being taken into custody.
That means theyll stop at nothing to ensure that the police
listen to them and take them seriously. Including killing a
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student every hour, on the hour.
Their plan was to enter a classroom, two would go into one
classroom, and another two would go to a another
classroom. The remaining prisoner would wander the halls.Looking for kids trying to escape. It wouldnt do any of the
students any good. The convicts had already barricaded the
doors and windows. There was no way for them to escape.
That couldnt stop my family, though. But were staying.
We need to protect as many kids as possible without
showing what we truly are. This was going to be a difficult
task. Especially for Jasper and Edward.Unfortunately, one of the classrooms currently being
invaded was Edwards biology class. The only class he had
with the girl who allured him like no one else ever has. The
plan was clear, the convicts would kill a student in that
class every hour until the police gave them what they
wanted. Every hour that the police stalled, a student would
die. If the police give a little, there will not be a death.I sent a warning out to Edward. He changed the future
slightly, avoiding to expose himself. But my visions all
ended up the same. With the girl, Bella, near death. Then
she would change. Her brown eyes would become crimson.
Her already pale skin would become even lighter. The fury
Edward possessed in each of my visions made it obvious
that he cares for her a great deal more than even he knows.
I tried telling him, even before this incident. That a
relationship, far more than friendship or even the typical
high school boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, would
eventually exist between him and her. Despite his constant
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assurance that he wont let it happen, the future never
faltered in that aspect. It was inevitable. He was going to
fall in love with Bella Swan.
Edward POV
The vile thoughts I heard while rummaging through this
disgusting perverts mind made me lose my control. The
way he looked at her and thought about her. The things he
wanted to do to her...it made me burn with rage. I read his
mind, I knew why he was locked away in prison. Rape.I would tear him apart before I would allow him to touch
her in a sexual way. It wasnt just Bella that I felt that way
about. I wouldnt let him touch any of the girls here. He
was the sort of person that I had no problem killing. I
would make it a slow, torturous death if he acts on his
repulsive thoughts.
I knew the plan before Alice sent me her visions. They hadforty minutes until they would kill someone in this room.
Bella was in more danger than the rest of us. Shes the chief
of polices only daughter. They dont know it yet, but I
have no doubt that they will find out, and shell be attached
to their hips. Theyll use her a leverage and inflict an
unbearable amount of pain on her until Chief Swan
completes every of one of their demands. And I know hewould. I would if I were in his position.
I highly doubt they would just free her afterwards. Shed be
their ticket to freedom. They would take her with them, and
I would track them down and rescue her. She would see
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what I am, and I wouldnt go back to Forks. Id give it all
up. Forher. Why? I cant answer that. I dont know why.
I forced myself to calm down, and I sat back down. My
reaction to what he was doing to Bella was turning him on.He enjoyed my torment and obvious need to protect her. I
have to control myself better. I had to sit in Bellas chair
since I destroyed mine. Now it was it me and Mike at the
table. I cant stand him.
However, he did earn a few points when his only concern
was Bellas safety, and I realized he truly does care about
her and would never let anything happen to her either. Hewouldnt be such a bad choice for Bella. His cockiness still
annoyed me but he would treat Bella the way she deserves
to be treated. I felt another odd emotion at the thought of
them dating. It hurt.
I gazed into Bellas eyes and saw the tears brimming,
threatening to spill over. My face fell and I wanted to
comfort her. But at the same time, I wanted to run awayfrom her. I want to be near her and I dont. My feelings are
so contradictory and its driving me insane. I dont know
what I truly want. I want to kill her and I want to protect
her. I want to leave and I want to stay. I sighed. Ive been
around humans for far too long. Theyre rubbing off on me.
I cant think logically anymore. My emotions are starting to
cloud my judgment
Bella POV
The gun was no longer pressed against my face, and I was
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relived about that but I was still terrified. I tried not to cry.
Honestly, I did. I hate crying. Especially in front of the
entire class. Though, in this situation, it actually was
acceptable for me cry. But I didnt want to. I wish I wasntweak. I wish I could fight back. I wish I could wake up
from this nightmare.
Things like this didnt happen to me. Sure, Ive been faced
in deadly situations. But not like this. My eyes met
Edwards and I felt a shiver tickle down my spine. My knees
felt wobbly. Blood rushed to my face. My heart pounded in
my ears. All I could see was him.It didnt take long for me to be snapped back to reality. I
felt a clammy hand on my shoulder and I recoiled. His
unpleasant smelling breath blew against my neck and ear. I
jerked my head away and accidentally stumbled, my back
pressed against his chest so I could regain my balance.
He chuckled darkly. Thats a good little girl.
I flinched and moved away from him. His arm encircled
my waist and he slammed me against him. My backside
collided into his chest and I let out an oof sound.
I looked back at Edward. He was glaring in my direction.
His eyes were narrowed and his jaw was clenched so
tightly that I thought his teeth wouldnt be able to withstand
the pressure he was applying.
The prisoner raised his hand and brought his fingertips to
my neck. Trailing the tip of his fingers up and down the
length of my neck. I let out a shaky breath and closed my
eyes. Im going to have a panic attack. This isnt real. Its
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not real. I tried to urge myself to imagine myself far away
from here. Tried to block everything out.Im not here. Im
not trapped against an escaped convict. I dont feel his
warm and damp hands touching me. I cant smell his stinkybreath, and I cant feel the way his warm breathe is sending
shivers down my body. And not in a good way. In a Id
rather die than be here right now way.
Somewhere nearby, a cell phone rang and the fingers on my
neck stopped moving. I snapped my eyes open, and the first
thing I saw was Edward. His eyes were nearly pitch black.
His body was rigid. He was absolutely livid.I sighed in relief as I felt the convicts body move away and
he marched over to the desk. I didnt bother looking at him.
I kept my eyes on Edward, and he kept his on me. His eyes
visibly lightened and he was beginning to calm down. His
gaze was the only thing that prevented me from throwing
myself on the floor and having a break down.
I couldnt look away, even if I wanted to. My face softenedand my entire body was relaxed, loose, comfortable. My
lips parted and my breathing was stable, peaceful. I
continued peering into his eyes and he did the same. His
lips also parted, and we were lost in each others eyes. The
outside world didnt exist in that moment.
Edward POV
I was completely and utterly captivated in that moment.
The voices and the people surrounding me faded. Bella was
the only person who existed. I felt peaceful and content
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while our eyes were locked together. My lips were slightly
parted, as were hers. I longed to reach out and stroke her
NO!
Our little bubble shattered, and I ripped my eyes away fromher. I would not let this happen. I will NOThave these
feelings for her. I barely know her, and she certainly
doesnt know me. Its not possible tofeel this way about
her. Something else is causing this. Alice stuck these
ridiculous ideas in my head. I dontfeel anything for Bella.
Its all an illusion.
I risked taking a peek at her and my heart crumbled. Shelooked hurt and betrayed. A solo tear glided down her soft
cheek and dripped off of her chin. I looked away. I cant
look at her anymore. My mind tried to make me feel things
I know arent possible.
Time is up, chief, I heard the short convict shout into one
of the students cell phone.
Since when was he talking on the phone? Damn Bella.
Damn this illusion. I lost focus, and now I need to catch up.
Time is up? For what? Then it dawned on me.
The other convict, the quieter one, the tall and cubby one.
He gripped his pistol and pushed himself off the wall. The
two convicts exchanged a knowing glance. I read their
thoughts. I know their names now. The shorter one isEmilio, and the tall one is Gerald.
I flashed my eyes to the boy lying on the floor, withering in
agony. I knew what was going to happen. I ccould prevent
it. I could save us all. But I read the boys thoughts. Hes in
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too much pain. Hes lost too much blood. He and I both
know he has a slim chance of making it out of this alive,
even if we were all rescued right this moment. His time was
fading with or without the convicts help of ending hismisery.
Gerald kneeled down besides the boy and nodded at
Emilio. Emilio smirked and muttered into the phone. You
have one more hour before the next kid dies.
Emilio grinned maliciously and stomped over to the boy
and Gerald. Emilio placed the phone directly above the
boys mouth so the person on the other end, Chief Swan,could hear the boy cry out in pain. Emilio took a step back
and Gerald stood up, he aimed his gun at the boy and got
ready to pull the trigger back.
My eyes shifted to Bella. She was still standing at the front
of the room, her eyes wide and she stared at the scene
happening a few feet away. She wouldnt look away. I dont
want her to see this. I nudged Mike in ribs, careful notbreak them. Go to her, I urged him.
He looked at me, slightly surprised. He turned to look at
Bella, and then back at me. I nodded my head.
Dont let her see that," I inclined my head towards the boy
and the criminals. "She needs you. On the outside, I was
cool, calm and collected. On the inside, I was dying andshouting at myself. Why am I pushing those two together?
To stop myself from feeling anything more forher. I
answered myself.
Mike didnt need to be told twice. He jogged over to Bella
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and wrapped his arms around her. Turning her body so she
couldnt see anything as the gunshot went off and I lowered
my head on the desk. Gripping my hair tightly and wanting
to explode.
Chapter Six
Bella POV
I was like a deer caught in the headlights. I couldnt look
away when the convicts loomed over their victim, the boy
who had been injured in the hall and survived, only to bebrought back to the room and targeted once again. They
aimed the gun at him and fresh tears sprung to my eyes. I
didnt want to watch. I felt the bile rising in my throat. But
I couldnt look away.
Unexpectedly, I felt myself being pulled away and warm
arms wrapped around my waist. I didnt even look to see
who it was. I was just thankful to be snapped out of mydaze. I buried my face against a solid chest when I heard
the gunshot echo in the room. People screamed and cried
and panicked.
At that very moment, I knew we were going to die. I was
going to die. Before my 18th birthday, before graduation,
before I have the chance to walk down the aisle in a white
gown, before I am even able to give birthIm going todie.
My body shook as I sobbed against the man holding me in
his arms. Everything I had ever worked for, itll all be taken
away within the next few hours. Im certain of it.
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I trailed my hands up to the mystery mans shirt collar,
clutched the fabric and pulled it down. Gripped and pulled.
A door swung open, and I twisted my head to see one of the
convicts open the door and the other attempted to lift thelimp body. He picked him up a few inches off the floor but
dropped him back down. He searched the room for
something, and his eyes landed on a male student, one I
really didnt know very well. I just knew his name was
Steven.
The convict snapped his fingers at Steven and pointed to
the dead body on the floor. Steven went pale when herealized what the convict wanted. He slowly pushed his
chair back and helped the convict lift the body off the floor.
I looked away. I didnt want to know what they were going
to do with the boy.
I heard a loud thud and shuddered. Two arms were still
wrapped around my waist, and I peered up to see Mike
Newton. Im not really surprised that its him. A bitdisappointed, but not surprised. I was hoping he was
someone else. I think I know who I wanted him to be, but I
refused to think about it.
The door slammed shut and I shivered involuntarily. Mikes
arms around me tightened, and I leaned into him. Id rather
be pressed against Mike instead of facing the convicts.
Boots squeaked against the floor and footsteps headed in
my direction. I didnt know what was going on because I
wasnt looking, but I felt Mike nod his head and he raised
one hand to my upper arm and grasped it gently. He tugged
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me towards the lab tables, and I was relieved that I didnt
have to stand in front of the classroom anymore.
We approached my table and I tried to make eye contact
with Edward but his face was in his palms. He didnt lookup. I was surprised when Mike didnt stop at the table.
Instead, he took me to an empty table and made me take a
seat.
I glanced around the classroom. Every single person had
tear streaks running down their face. Except for Mike and
possibly Edward. I could tell Mike was worried and
frightened on the inside. I could see it in his eyes. But hedid an amazing job of pretending to be strong and
composed on the outside.
This is what were going to do, the short convict said
while pacing in front of the room. When I am finished
giving instructions, you will all stand up and push your
table towards the windows. Stack the chairs on top of the
tables and come back to the center of the room. Youregoing to sit on the floor, in a circle. There will be no
talking. There will be no plotting. You are to sit completely
still, and only speak when spoken to by either myself or
Gerald. He nodded his head to the gigantic guy. You can
address me as Emilio. Raise your hand if you have a
question. A few students raised their hands, and he paused
for a moment. The only acceptable questions are: Can Iuse the restroom? and Can we eat? and Will you please
kill me?.
Hands lowered, and my heart pounded.
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If you wish to die, Emilio continued, I will be happy to
oblige. Volunteers would be great. Otherwise, I will have to
choose and anticipation is almost as worse as death. A few
sobs echoed throughout the room. Most of you willdie.Maybe all of you. Depends on whether or not the
government cares about your lives. My guess is no. In
which case, every person in this building will die.
He paced in front of us for a couple of minutes before
halting, and looked at each face. He pursed his lips.
Unless he trailed off, and his eyes flickered to the
ceiling. Several moments later, he looked back at us. Ifanyone in this room has a connection with the police,
political figures, military He started pacing again. If
any of you are related to someone important, someone who
has authoritysomeone who will give me what I want in
exchange for your livesthere is a good possibility most of
you will notdie. He stood still again. Anyone?
From the corner of my eye, I noticed a few heads turn inmy direction. Shit. If I have the opportunity to save most of
us, I have to take it.
Emilio noticed that a few students looked towards me, and
his eyes shifted to me. He smirked and walked towards me.
You again, huh?
My father has connections, a velvety voice came out of
nowhere. I turned my head to see Edward speaking. I
could call him, and hell figure out a way to help you.
Why is he doing this? His dad is a doctor. How much
authority could he have?
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Emilio grinned and shook his head. I want to know who
she knows. He looked straight into my eyes. Well?
I sank into my chair and found it incredibly difficult to
open my mouth. My lips parted slightly but I couldnt findmy voice.
I heard a sigh coming from the other side of the room. Her
dad is the chief of police.
I flinched when I heard the female student rat me out.
Emilio smiled widely. Is that so? he said, and lowered his
head towards mine. I was just talking to your daddy, hesmiled even wider. He never mentioned having a daughter
in the school. Are you having family issues?
I closed my eyes and leaned as far away from him as I
could.
Does your daddy care that youre in here? he asked with
chuckle.Leave her alone, Mike demanded.
Emilio straightened up and cleared his throat. He looked
around the room. How many of your parents would plead
for your safety if they had me on the phone?
Slowly, hands started raising. Everyone except for Edward
and Mike had risen their hands. Mike glared at Emilio, andEdward turned in his seat so his body was facing my table.
An intelligent person wouldnt tell a murderer that their
child is within arms reach of them, Edward proclaimed.
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opened his mouth, but Edward walked past and muttered,
come on.
I turned away from Mike and followed Edward to the front
of the class room, towards Emilio and Gerald. Mr. Bannerwas unnaturally quiet and was still seated at his desk.
Gerald whispered something to Emilio, and Emilio nodded
with a serious expression on his face. Edward and I reached
them. Once we stopped walking, Edward abruptly took a
step forward so he wasnt standing by my side anymore.
Emilio motioned for us to follow him while Gerald pulledhis gun out and ordered everyone to create a circle on the
floor.
Edward and I followed Emilio to the door, and I almost
gasped when he opened it and walked out into the hallway.
I saw a bloody body lying in the middle of the hallway. The
boy. The one they had killed. They just left him there. I
looked at Edward, hoping he would look back at me thistime. But he didnt. He kept his eyes forward and avoided
my burning gaze. I know he could sense me staring at him.
I wasnt being discreet about it.
Emilio continued walking and held out a cell phone in my
direction. He peered at me from underneath his eyelashes.
Call your dads personal number, and hand me the phone
once it starts ringing.
I reluctantly took the phone and dialed Charlies cell phone
number. Before it even had the chance to ring, Emilio
snatched it and pressed it against his ear. It took a few
seconds for my dad to answer.
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Chief Swan, how nice to hear your voice again, Emilio
spoke loudly. I have something that belongs to you.
He paused for a few seconds, listening to my dad reply.
She has beautiful eyes, Emilio taunted. Does she lookmore like you or her mother?
I could hear shouting on the other end but I couldnt
understand what Charlie was saying. Emilio laughed. You
know the demands. You have half an hour until the next
student dies, he paused, And Mr. Swan, your daughter is
next on the list. Without saying another word, he snapped
the cell phone shut and grinned at me. Show time.
This was it. My time was almost up.
You, Emilio glanced at Edward. Whats your name?
Edward looked annoyed, and clearly restrained himself
from pouncing on Emilio. Edward Cullen, he rasped
through his teeth.
Emilio stopped walking and turned to face Edward. Well,
Eddie, he smiled at Edward's discomfort. Do your thing.
Emilio shoved the cell phone against Edwards chest, and
Edward grabbed it roughly before dialing a number. Once
Edward was finished, Emilio yanked the phone out of his
hands with more force than he used with me.
Emilio pressed the phone against his ear yet again. Is this
Edward Cullens father? Brief pause. I have your son,
and he claims you can help me with a little situation I found
myself stuck in. Pause. Yes, thats right. Pause. Half an
hour until another student dies.
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Edward leaned towards me. Yes, he said without looking
at me.
I raised my eyebrows. What?
He flickered his eyes to mine and gave me a hard glare. He
looked away within a second. I sighed. What the hell is
wrong with him?
Emilio also gave Edward an odd look but shrugged his
shoulders and continued talking to Dr. Cullen. If my goal
cant be accomplished within that time frame, Chief Swans
daughter will be killed on national television.Edward covered his hand over his mouth and muttered
something else. What the hell?
I want, Emilio talked into the phone, every police car,
every officer, and every swat team member off of this
property within half an hour. That is my only demand at the
moment. If that does not happen, you know what I will do.
Work your magic, Mr. Cullen.
Emilio snapped the phone shut. He look from Edward to
me. Shall we?
He turned and motion for us to follow him. We reached the
school entrance door, and he grabbed a fist full of my hair
and dragged me in front of him. He pushed Edward ahead
with his free hand. Open the door, he commanded.
Edward complied and opened the door. I widened my eyes.
There were patrol cars all over the place. Along with two
fire trucks and an ambulance. I could also spot a white van
and a news team. The camera was pointed at us. Police
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officers kneeled on the ground, behind the protection of
their opened doors. Guns were aimed in our direction.
Emilio pushed me forward, his hand wrapped around my
hair and I felt a gun press against my neck. Edward wasstill ahead of us, he held his arms up, and Emilio moved to
stand beside him.
In twenty five minutes, Emilio shouted, I will kill this
girl unless you vacate the premises.
There was no movement. They obviously had no intention
of leaving. A man stepped forward, and I recognized him
immediately. Charlie. My dad.
Charlie raised his arms, showing he wasnt armed and
walked towards us. Emilio jammed the gun roughly against
my neck. Take one more step, and shes dead.
Charlie froze immediately. Im Chief Swan. I just want to
talk to you. Will you talk with me?
Emilio chuckled bitterly. Ive already spoken to you. Youknow what to do, he said, and pulled my hair back, which
made me scream out in pain, and my head lifted up on his
shoulder. He released my hair and wrapped his hand around
my neck. He breathed against my skin, and I shuddered.
Itd be such a pity to dispose of her. Perhaps I should
bring her back inside for 10 or 15 minutes so she can
experience a realman before she dies.
I winced, and a tear trickled down my face. I couldve
sworn I heard Edward growl.
Please, Charlie pleaded in a tone that I have never heard
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him use before. It brought more tears to my eyes. Youre
holding my reason for existing in your hands right now. If
anything happens, his voice cracked, to herI, his
eyes glazed over. I will do everything in my power to meetyour needs but you have to allow more time.
No, Emilio hissed. No more time.
Emilio released my neck, and grabbed Edward. He pushed
Edward back inside, and we backed up until we were all
inside the building. He slammed the door shut. But before
the door closed, I stared into my dad's eyes, and the look he
gave me, it will haunt me for the rest of my life. Howeverlong that may be.
Emilio shoved me against the wall, and I collapsed on the
ground. Breathless and crying. I choked on my sobs. I
looked up and saw Edward through my blurry eyes. He
stood a few feet away and looked like he was in pain. But
his eyes continued to refuse to meet mine.
Now we play the waiting game, Emilio said has he
leaned against the wall and sat down beside me. Twenty
more minutes.
I closed my eyes and thought about running out that door. If
I could distract him somehowbut what about everyone
else in the school? Do I save myself or do I risk my life and
die bravely?
Minutes ticked by, and my death was approaching quickly.
This isnt how I want to spend my last few minutes alive.
I heard an engine start up. Followed by a few more. Emilio
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stood up and walked to the door. He opened it slightly and
peeked outside. I saw a smile creep on his face. Theyre
leaving, Emilio said, and he glanced down at me before he
shut the door. Your daddy just saved your life.I exhaled a breath I had held, and my body relaxed. Emilio
wanted to linger around for a bit to make sure everyone
leaves. The cell phone in his pocket rang, and Emilio pulled
it out. He was silent at first. Listening to someone on the
other end.
Bravo. You succeeded in keeping your daughter alive. For
now. My next demand wont be as simple. You haveexactly one hour to call the search for me and the others
off. Remove our pictures from the TV and internet. Stop the
media from talking about us. There was a long pause. I
dont care. Do it or you can bury your little girl six feet
under.
Emilio looked at me. You only get one minute, he said to
me, and walked over to me and held his hand out, offeringme the phone.
I took it and pressed it against my ear. Dad?
I heard a happy sigh on the other end. Bella. I will do
everything in my power to make sure youre safe. You just
stay strong. I willget you out of there. I promise you.
I sobbed into the phone. I know I dont say this enough,
but, I love you dad.
I love you too, Bells.
And dad, my voice quivered, if you cantsave me.
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Dont blame yourself. I dont blame you.
Bella, I swear on my life, I will die before I let anything
happen to you.
Dad the cell phone was snatched out of my hand. I
looked up to see Emilio press the phone against his ear.
You have an hour. Ill be watching the news, he slammed
the phone shut.
He looked at me, and then at Edward. Lets go.
We walked back to the classroom in silence. Everyone wasin a circle. Some were sitting, others were lying on their
sides or stomachs. But they still formed a circle. Mikes
head snapped up when we walked inside and our eyes met.
He looked concerned, so I moved to sit beside him. Edward
followed me and I thought he was going to sit next to me,
but he didnt. He continued moving and sat on the other
side of the circle. Once again, he wouldnt look at me.
Are you okay? Mike asked me in a sweet voice.
I shrugged my shoulders and looked down. He touched my
shoulder and I looked ahead, straight in front of me. My
eyes locked with Edwards. He was actually looking at me.
Edward POV
Carlisle spoke to me through his thoughts when he was on
the phone with Emilio. He wanted to know if the rest of our
family was safe, and if I could get us out of this mess. I
could, yes, but I wont risk it yet. Not until its absolutely
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necessary. I wasnt going to let Emilio kill Bella. I would
have exposed myself for her. I was thankful that it hadnt
come to thatyet.
I avoided her as much as I could. I knew she kept lookingat me, wanting me to return her gaze. I couldnt. She relies
on me too much, and I need to show her that Im not
someone she should turn to. The only thing I could think of
was to shun her. Shes a smart girl. Shell realize that I
dont want contact with her sooner or later.
I couldnt help but feel angry as Bella and Mike sat
together in the circle. He touched her and I read histhoughts. I saw Alices new vision. Theyre going to end up
together. He wants her, and Alice saw a relationship
forming between them. I pushed those two together. It was
my intention, but now that it was almost certain to happen,
I was pissed off. How can she just go for him? How low
can her standards possibly be?
I looked at her, openly this time. She seemed to havesensed me because her eyes lifted up and gazed straight
into mine. We sat there, staring at each other.
She looked away first and an odd emotion surged through
me.
Edward. I heard Alices voice enter my head. Stop ignoring
her. Youre making this worse for her.
I rolled my eyes and blocked her voice out. I dont want to
hear this again. Im a monster, and Bella is not. I wont
subject her to my lifestyle. She deserves better.
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*****************************************
Time flew by, and one by one, students began drifting to
sleep. Emilios demands were met. No more students were
killed for the rest of the day. It was pitch black outside nowand I closed my eyes, pretending to sleep. I peeked into a
few minds and watched some of their dreams. Some were
rather interesting, others were disturbing and related to the
current situation.
Hours went by and everyone was asleep by now. Wait.
Everyone is asleep.Everyone. I opened my eyes and sat up.
I confirmed it with my own eyes. Everyone, including theconvicts, were asleep. I quickly stood up and looked over
the students. I couldnt wake them all up without Emilio or
Gerald hearing us. But there was one particular person that
Im not leaving without.
As long asshe is safe, I told myself. I carefully stepped
over the sleeping bodies and leaned over the girl I was
looking for. Im getting her out of here.
Chapter Seven
Edward POV
I extended my arm and shook Bella gently. I propped my
other hand above her mouth, in case she would screamwhen she woke up. She moaned and I caressed her cheek.
Alice sent me another vision, and my family had already
left their classrooms. They were waiting for me in the hall
so we could come up with a plan to take the school back
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and get the rest of these kids out of here. My first priority
was to get Bella out. I had no doubt that the rest of the kids
would be okay for the time being, but going over Bellas
history, Id say she probably wouldnt be.Were going to fight the prisoners until every single student
and faculty member is safe and out of this building. We
cant kill the convicts, though. Wed be at a dangerously
high risk of drinking their blood, and none of us can afford
to lose control. After we drink from them, we would want
more, and wed possibly hunt down the innocent kids.
We have to come up with a plan to lure them into the openarms of the awaiting police officers while protecting every
student. It was going to be a difficult task since we have to
least acthuman. We can't give ourselves away if we want
to continue living in Forks.
Bella mumbled gibberish and I placed a finger to my lips.
Shh.
Her eyes opened sluggishly, and she was trying to adjust
her eyes to the darkness. After several seconds, her eyes
widened and she bolted straight up. I held her securely and
covered her mouth. Shh. Bella, its me.
She looked up at me, although I know she could only see
my outline. Its too dark for her to see any details.
Edward?
Yes, I whispered. Keep your voice down.
What are you doing? she whispered back.
I looked towards the door, and then back at her. Im taking
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you out into the hall. My family is waiting for us.
What? She asked slightly above a whisper, and I cringed
when I heard someone slip back into consciousness.
Mike stirred next to Bella. Great. It had to be him.
Bella? Whats going on? Mike asked in a harsh, groggy
voice.
Shut up! I snapped at him.
Cullen?
I balled my hands into fists. Shut the hell up! Iwhispered.
Gerald stopped snoring for a few seconds before starting up
again.Damn it. We don't have much time left. I grabbed
Bella's arm and jerked her up. She winced, and I mentally
berated myself. Mike tumbled forward and picked himself
off the floor.
Lay back down, Newton, I demanded.
Like hell I will! Mike nearly shouted.
I wanted to punch more than ever in that moment. I
grabbed Bellas hand, and forced her to follow me towards
the door. After a couple of steps, she nearly tripped. I
prevented her fall and lifted her in my arms, bridal style.
She took a sharp breath and I knew she was about to objectbut shook my head at her.
I managed to get out the door before Gerald woke up, and
Mike was practically on my heels. This kid is becoming a
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major nuisance. It is partially my fault, though. I basically
handed Bella to him on a silver platter.
What are we doing? Mike asked, sleep still evident in his
voice. Theres a guard out here somewhere. This isstupid.
I stopped walking and turned to face Mike with Bella still
in my arms. First of all, we arent doing anything. Bella
and I are meeting I shook my head. Why am I
explaining this to you? And second of all, hes not a guard,
hes a psychotic criminal. If you think this is stupid, then,
please, by all means, go back to the classroom. In fact, Iencourage it.
Bella patted her hand against my chest and tried to wiggle
free. Can I walk now? Ive been doing it since I was two
years old, I think I can handle it.
I half chuckled, half huffed. I think we need to go over the
basics again because you cant walk across a flat surfacewithout tripping.
She hit my shoulder playfully. Put me down.
I gingerly lowered her to the floor and she tried to take a
step but lost her balance. Why am I not surprised? I reached
out to steady her, and she looked up at me. A blush crept
across her cheeks and she looked away shyly. I raised my
eyebrows and held my arms out to her when she looked
back at me. Offering to carry her again.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. I couldnt prevent
the grin that appeared on my face, and I shook my head at
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her knowingly. I told you
She cut me off with a gentle laugh. Shut it. I just woke
up!
I rolled my eyes. Excuses.
She shot me a funny look and it was adorable as hell. Id
like to be there whenyou first wake up. After a couple
seconds, she froze and closed her eyes in embarrassment.
Her cheeks turned an even darker shade of red. She opened
her eyes and peeked at me with a grimace on her face. I
didnt mean She raised a hand, searching for the rightthing to say. Ium
I just laughed at her. I cant remember the last time I had
actually laughed. She changed my entire mood in just an
instant. I feltalive. Normal. How can she possibly make
me feel this way? Its bizarre.
Mike cleared his throat, and my smile disappeared. When
did I start smiling? I snapped my head towards him, and helooked annoyed. Are you two done yet? He snapped
angrily. He started walking ahead without waiting for us
and muttered, If I wanted to watch flirting, I would
have He trailed off and shouted. Holy shit!
Bellas body went rigid and she leaned towards me. I
looked down at her reassuringly. Its just my family.
She looked down the hall, and then back up at me. How
do you know? I cant see a thing.
I ignored her question and started walking forward. She
caught up to me and touched my arm. Edward.
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I paused and turned my body towards her. I felttingly.
How odd. Our close proximity made me feel strange. Not a
bad strange. Adifferent kind of strange. I could feel her
body heat radiating off of her, and I wanted to take a stepcloser but I restrained myself. What is it? My voice was
embarrassingly low and strained.
She looked into my eyes and her face softened a bit. She
stared at me longer than normal and her full pink lips were
parted.
I raised one eyebrow. Bella?
She snapped out of it and another blush swept across her
cheeks. I still felt that tingly, almost electric sensation roar
through my body as I stood close to her. She looked down
at her shoes and rubbed her fingers over her other hand, and
bit her bottom lip. Umm She looked up suddenly and
my breath hitched. I wasnt expecting her to look at me
and the intensity I felt when she didIve never been
affected like this before.How is she able to do this to me?
How to do know things? she asked me. I mean, you
seem to know when things are about to happen. Its like
you can, I dont know, predict the future?
I smirked. No. I cant.
Her breathing went uneven for a second, and then she
looked away. Theres something so unnatural about you.
I stiffened and she looked at me again. Youre impossibly
fastand strong.
I tugged one side of my lips upward and shrugged a
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shoulder. I workout.
She shook her head. No. Its more than that. Youre also
cold. Your skin She trailed off and looked away yet
again. I dont know what it is, but something is off.
Well, my uncharacteristically good mood dissipated
quickly. Dont be ridiculous, Bella.
I walked away again, but this time I didnt stop when she
called out my name. I knew she stood immobile in the hall,
and watched me walk away from her. Once I reached Mike
and my family, I heard her shuffling along after me.No way, man. He was out of line, the coach I heard
Mike say to Emmett. They were discussing sports and I
sighed heavily.
Mike twisted his head towards me for a split second then
looked back at Emmett to continue their conversation.
Rosalie and Alice looked beyond bored, and Jasper looked
tense and worried. Being around all these humans for solong was painful for him. More so than the rest of us. He
was relieved when he was finally able to leave the
classroom, but he grew disappointed when he noticed I
brought two humans with me.
I interrupted their conversation when I cleared my throat
loudly. Using Newtons technique. Everyone turned to look
at me, and Bella finally arrived and stood by my side.
Should we go over the plan since were being held hostage
in the school and there are convicts wandering around with
guns and killing innocent children, or, would you prefer to
chat about sports while students scream in the background
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because their being hunted down by criminals?
Mike rolled his eyes and scoffed. Im amazed you were
able to tear yourself away from Bella. It must have been
difficult since you two were lost in your own little worldwith goofy grins on your faces. Maybe there should be a
third option in there somewhere. We could stand around
and watch you shamelessly flirt with the girl you were
clearly trying to hook me up with.
I exhaled deeply and caught a glimpse of Alice smiling
smugly at me. Bella and I were not flirting, I directed at
Alice. I turned to Mike. You can have her, I said throughclenched teeth. Trying to prove that there is nothing going
on between Bella and I.
Bella shifted uncomfortably besides me, and Alice scolded
me in her thoughts. I knew I sounded harsh and probably
hurt Bellas feelings, so I regretted the words immediately.
Emmett raised his eyebrows and whistled. Nice, Edward,he said sarcastically.
I felt a pair of eyes locked on my face, and I turned my
head to see Bella glaring at me. You tried to hook me up
withMike? She asked in a disgusted tone.
Mike looked slightly hurt by the way she said his name. As
if she couldnt believe that out of all the people I could
have sent in her direction, I picked him.
Not exactly, I said firmly. I suggested he comfort you
when
Bella rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.
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Do I look like a child who needs comforting? Im 17 years
old! You cant just toss me to someone like She groaned
in agitation. I thought She shook her head. Whatever.
It doesnt matter, she said, and paused for a few seconds.Why did you bring me out here?! She practically
screeched, as if she just now realized what was going on.
She pointed in the direction of our classroom. Theyre
going to know were gone, and what do you theyre going
to do? They need me to get my dad to She threw her
arms up in the air. Im going back!
She spun on her heels and started walking away. I graspedher lower arm and pulled her towards me. Im getting you
out of here.
She looked at me incredulously. What do you mean youre
getting me out of here? Out of the school?
I nodded my head. You and Mike are free. You can go
home, Bella.
Butbut what about everyone else? We cant just leave
them here. What about
I touched her shoulder to make her stop talking. Were not
leaving them, I said, and I nodded my head towards my
family. You and Mike are. My family and I are going to
come up with a plan to get rid of these guys.
She huffed. Stop treating me like a child! You keep
coming to my rescue, and then you act like you resent me
for it. And you ignore me, and then you act like everything
is okay between usandyou carried me like I was a
wounded little girland she growled. She literally
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growled. Shes a fiery little thing. I was more amused then
anything else. Seeing her get worked up was like watching
kittens roll around on the floor while playing with a ball of
yarn.I am not leaving. Im helping you, She concluded.
I glared at her. I was no longer amused. No. You. Are.
Not.
She gave me another funny look. Yes. I. Am, she
retorted.
I suppressed a growl. She makes me feel a wide range ofemotions. She has the ability to make me laugh, and feel
currents of electricity and attraction course through my
body, but she also infuriates me and makes me want to
throw her over my shoulder and lock her in a safe room.
My family and Newton watched us curiously. Alice looked
smug and excited. Rosalie looked annoyed and repulsed.
Emmett looked goofy with a big grin spread across hisface. Jasper lookedin pain. Newton was aggravated.
Go home to your dad, Bella, I told her in a no-nonsense
tone. Hes worried about you. You have the opportunity to
be reunited with your family without a scratch on you, I
said, and then I paused. Well, thats not necessarily true, I
said as I remembered when she fainted and her head
slammed against the table.
She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at me. You
know what, Edward? Im my own person and were the
same age, I scoffed at that. She has no idea. Stop acting
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like a dictator. You have no authority over me. If I want to
stay, Ill stay.
I released the growl that I had buried deep down earlier.
How stupid can you possibly be?
She looked at me with a hurt expression. I felt tormented. I
wanted to yell at her again. I wanted her to understand that
she cant be here, and I wanted her to keep her distance
from me. Im sick of her not fearing me, like she should. If
she were a normal human, she would thank me for getting
her out of that room and run out the door to be reunited
with her father. But no, she has to be defiant.
I neededto shout at her. To show her my evil side. But
instead, my voice soften and my posture relaxed. Do
understand how truly dangerous this is? People are dying in
here, Bella. This is real. Real lives are being executed.
Doesnt that mean anything to you?
Bella looked down at her feet again. I just feelguilty,she said softly. Why do Mike and I get to be free and
everyone else is stuck in here? She looked up and met my
eyes. Why cant we just open all of the classrooms and
release everyone? There are only five convicts. They wont
know
Thats what were doing, Bella. Were going to get as
many people as we can out of here, and then were going tocome up with a plan for the rest of them, I assured her.
Dont worry about them. They will be safe. Just worry
about yourself right now.
Hes right, Mike chimed in. Come on, Bella. Lets just
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go.
Bella shook her head at him. You can go, Mike, she said,
and then looked back at me. Im not a coward. Im
staying.
I sighed. I can lift you over my shoulder and throw you
outside, you know that, right?
She shrugged. Id like to see you try.
I took a step towards her. I wasnt playing. She held her
hands out and chuckled. Okay, okay. I believe you. She
looked back at Mike. Alright, Mike, lets go. She took astep towards him, and he took a step towards her. Ill walk
you out, she said, and then peeked at me from the corner
of her eye. Because Im not leaving.
I swiped a hand through my hair and grumbled. Bella,
dont make me
Alice zoned out, another vision flashed through both of oureyes. One of the escaped convicts is headed towards this
very hallway right this moment.
Bella noticed the exchange between me and Alice and she
gave me a questioning look. We dont have time for this. I
grabbed Bellas arm and led deeper down the hall. My
family and Newton were close behind.
Whats going on? Bella asked, shocked at my sudden
hastiness.
Edward, Alice spoke behind me. We only have a few
seconds.
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Emmett pulled Rosalie into classroom. Alice grabbed Mike
and shoved him into a different classroom, along with
Jasper. I found the janitors closet and pushed Bella inside
before I entered and slammed the door close.Bella leaned against a wall and started panting. I walked
over to her and covered her mouth when I heard footsteps
squeak along the floor in the hallway. Bellas body tensed
and we listened as the footsteps became louder and closer. I
gulped when the convict started opening every door and
stuck his head inside to make sure everyone was still there.
He was going down the hall, checking each room. I had nodoubt that he would take a peek inside of here.
I quickly and quietly pushed Bella into a small opening
between the wall and a shelf stacked with basketballs,
soccer balls and cleaning supplies. I pressed my body
against hers so we could both fit in the small area. She was
crushed between me and the wall. I felt her chest heave up
and down against mine, and I felt the tingly sensationagain. It was hot all of a sudden and I could feel every inch
of Bellas body against mine. Ive never been this close to
her before.
She stopped breathing when we heard the footsteps stop
right in front of the door. Time seemed to slow down and
my eyes scanned Bellas face. Her eyes were locked on
mine. She didnt even blink. Neither did I. The door knobtwisted, and Bella gasped for air. My hands were positioned
on the wall, above her head so I couldnt shush her by
covering her mouth with my hand. I lowered my head
closer to hers and my eyes flicked down to her lips. She
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was still gasping for her air but she stopped when she felt
my forehead lean against hers. I looked back into her eyes
and then back down to her lips. I felt her eyes moved down
towards my lips, and I tilted my head, leaning in closer.The door opened, and I froze. My lips were less than an
inch from hers. Bella stopped breathing again but I didnt. I
breathed against her lips, and her lips parted. She moved
her head closer to mine and I was about to move in closer
to her. Our lips nearly brushed when I heard the door slam
shut. I jerked my head back and took a step backwards.
I