It's too late, Edward. I'm sorry. "They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the perspective wrong before," Alice's eyes were blank yet horror struck.
They'll have to go through me before they get to Alice, Jasper thought protectively. He moved closer to her. "What changed?"
She looked up at him in absolute horror. I could see how split second decisions were altering her visions. None of them looked promising. "They heard us playing, and it changed their path," she explained with pure agony in her voice.
It's my fault, she thought feebly.
We all looked at Bella and saw that her face was shocked. Her heart drummed madly as she comprehended our words. I saw through seven pairs of eyes Bella's expressions from every angle. Each of their thoughts were ricocheting in my head. Was this the punishment I would suffer for being selfish? Losing her? I cried internally. My heart was screaming in protest.
"How soon?" Carlisle asked me.
Alice was in a stunned stupor. I read through each line of her thoughts as they flitted across her mind. "Less than five minutes. They're running - they want to play." I frowned at him.
Take Bella and run! "Can you make it?" Carlisle asked me nervously.
I brought her scent into my lungs. It was just another reminder of how weak and fragile she was.
"No, not carrying -" I cut short. "Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting."
It was one of the many visions that had gone through Alice's mind: Bella being hunted. Each decision we made turned the outcome into something different. Some were more devastating than others. As soon as I decided it I saw the reaction of the vampires. They would hunt - we would lose. I couldn't run with her.
This isn't good, Carlisle thought.
All right, a fight! Emmett exclaimed in his head, completely unperturbed. I glowered at him. He shrugged, I'm sorry. I don't want them to hurt Bella any more than you do.
"How many?" Emmett asked Alice.
"Three," she clipped in a muffled wail.
"Three!" That will be too easy. "Let them come." Emmett scoffed and began flexing his muscles.
Everyone's thoughts were in such a frantic state of mind I couldn't listen anymore. They were coming at me from all angles. Bella's name was coming up in every single thought. I began dissolving in misery. It was entirely fault.
"Let's just continue the game," Carlisle finally decided. "Alice said they were simply curious."
This is ludicrous! I can't believe this crap...all for a human girl. Rosalie muttered reproachfully.
Now that the decision is made what is the outcome? Carlisle asked me.
I shrugged because there were too many situations where decisions have yet to be made. I knew my face was screwed up in concentration and I knew that worry lines were etched into every crease of my face. I could see myself perfectly in Carlisle's mind as he stared at me.
Everyone began walking out onto the field to continue the game. Their minds were somewhere else though.
Forest is clear here, Emmett thought.
I nodded in his direction. Esme grabbed my arms and pulled me just a few feet away from Bella. The short distance felt like miles. I was so horrified that I had brought her to danger. Anguish was ripping through my body. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach.
"Are they thirsty?" Esme whispered.
I shook my head.
That's good to hear. Esme was relieved.
I headed back to Bella quickly. "You catch, Esme. I'll call it now."
I stood in front of Bella protectively. I would die to save her if I had to. She didn't deserve any fate but life. My insides were plummeting sickeningly with each aching second before the crimson eyed creatures were to come into view.
I won't let anything happen to her, I swear. Alice tried to assure me.
She had refused to go back onto the field, staying at Bella's side in a protective stance. I knew that in this moment Alice showed her loyalty to me. The space between her and Jasper made him relatively nervous and he, too, was staying closer to Alice because of the situation. Emmett and Rosalie were staying in the infield. Chaos was filling everyone's minds around me.
The wind blew across Bella's neck sending her sultry scent down my lungs. "Take your hair down," I commanded.
Her face looked positively terrified as she obediently slid her rubber band out of her hair and shook it out. She could