Bella's eyes rolled in her head like marbles on an unstable surface. She was dying. With a stupendous effort I let go, placing her hand down gently, forcibly reminding myself of her delicate nature. The dazzling sunlight of the day bathed the studio with a natural light, making the pool of blood glitter.
Bella was silent and limp, her heart barely pumping the little amount of blood that was left in her body. Did I kill her? I felt like someone had just stabbed me in my heart. Would this be her brutal ending? I felt a horrible compression in my chest at my thoughts. They placed an inexcusable trust in me! I looked at her intently, waiting for another reaction with increasing desperation. She took an unsteady breath - the small cry of pain still present. I was devoutly thankful to whatever god had been watching over her this morning.
"Stay, Edward, stay with me..." She barely breathed. I sighed heavily at the beautiful angel voice.
"I will," I promised, the stress of the situation still evident in my triumphant voice. I put her words on repeat in my mind, realizing even though I put her in this danger and almost sucked her dry of life, she still loved me...still wanted me to stay with her. I brushed my hand lightly against her cheek.
A small sigh escaped her lips, her pain obviously dulling as her eyes closed lightly.
You didn't kill her, Carlisle thought proudly. "Is it all out?" he checked.
I didn't kill her. The relief was so exquisite it was nearly pain. The ache...anxiety, my oppression was slowly dissipating. "Her blood tastes clean," I breathed a sigh of relief. "I can taste the morphine."
Let's make sure before we take her to the hospital. The morphine might be covering up the pain. "Bella?" Carlisle called out, bringing Bella from an almost slumber.
Bella didn't bother to open her eyes, her body lying limp on the ground. "Mmmmm?"
"Is the fire gone?" Carlisle stared at me, waiting for the answer.
Bella's voice was slow and sluggish. "Yes," she sighed. "Thank you, Edward."
I felt a profound feeling of warmth radiate from my body. "I love you," I breathed in deep affection. To taste something so sensational and be able to stop... I sighed, the benevolent reverence I had for her grew suddenly, like she was divine in nature.
"I know," she breathed once more, her words becoming incoherent with sleep.
At her words - her almost sarcastic words, a low chuckle escaped my lips. The sound was doused in relief.
Did you see her mother? Is she dead? Carlisle's face looked grave. We both listened for a moment, trying to hear a heart beat...someone breathing, but there was nothing. I shook my head.
"Bella?"
Her lips twitched into a frown. "What?" she mumbled.
"Where is your mother?" he asked.
"In Florida," she sighed. Then her face barely distorted in anger. "He tricked me, Edward. He watched our videos."
I gritted my teeth in anger, the reminder of James came to the forefront of my mind as I looked over my shoulder at the rapidly growing flames that were licking up the walls of the studio.
"Alice." Bella's eyes fluttered and failed to open. "Alice," she called again. "The video - he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from," her voice drifted off weakly. "I smell gasoline," she added quietly.
This building is going to be up in flames shortly, we need to leave. "It's time to move her," Carlisle looked at me. Can you carry her? You must be careful not to hold her too tightly. We don't want her ribs protruding into her organs.
I nodded my head.
"I want to sleep," Bella protested.
"You can sleep, sweetheart, I'll carry you," I tried to soothe her as I brought her gently into my arms, like she was a delicate soap bubble. She's more fragile than a soap bubble, I laughed internally, the first real signs of the ending danger."Sleep now, Bella," I kissed her lightly on the forehead, the blood unaffecting me in this most relief filled moments.
She fell limp in my arms, her eyes shut lightly, like she was in a deep slumber. I emerged from the flames of the studio as Alice opened the car door of the Cadillac for me. I slowly laid her down in the backseat. I sat beside her, pulling her into my lap. I wanted to keep her as close to me as possible. I looked up through the shining sunlight, where Alice was glittering like millions of tiny