Sequel: Vermilion ›
Status: Finished, with sequal.
Dazed and Abused
10
The sun was setting to the east, like every night, like it should. Slitting its throat above the water, dripping blood and staining the ocean red. The throbbing in my heart never discontinued, only when I looked at him. The way his dark eyes seemed to take in his surroundings, now that he was awake, now that he could breathe. But for us both, those images did not escape.
For the past days that he’d gotten significantly better, all he’d ever talk about was the nightmares and the horrible flashbacks of his stomach being ripped open, that vampire biting him in all but one place, making it very possible he’d die. He pulled through, despite that vision of his heart failing that I had seen on his couch that day.
Oh the scars on his body, they refused to disappear without any given reason. Carlisle suspects that Jacob is more human, that he’d have those frosty scars for the rest of his life. Over his chest, his arms, his legs, his neck. And the big one on his tummy, that over time was fading away. Unlike the bite marks.
I would touch them, he’d cringe away from me. He refused to speak to me. He refused to eat any more then a small rabbit. He was dying again. I could feel his hunger deep inside my stomach, and I would eat as much as he should be trying to make that pain go away and it never did.
No one could explain why I was feeling his pain either, it’d never happened to Emily and Sam, never to anyone else who imprinted. Just Jacob and I.
No one told him either, they expected me to tell him that I was hurting when he was hurting. But I refused to. I couldn’t speak just as much as he refused to, like he’d been controlling some of my own actions. We were absolutely baffled.
**
“It’s becoming a serious problem Carlisle. Without him eating, she’s eating and gaining weight, she can’t speak when she’s around him but then she’s in too much pain when she isn’t.” Edward argued, “Bella and Alice, everyone pretty much is worried. Elaine needs answers.”
“He needs to know what this is doing to her first. Tell him. Now.”
**
The tide was slowing down, falling back over the bloodied water when I heard small footsteps against the drying sand. Jacob turned his head, then scowled and looked away. Edward then sat beside me, cross-legged, his breathing short. He didn’t need to breathe, so why was he? To show he was nervous, I could tell he was.
“Jacob.”
No response, I watched Jacob’s lip twitch as if he wanted to respond. I wanted to respond for him, but I couldn’t get my mouth to budge.
“Your killing Elaine.” Jacob was on his feet in no time, glaring at Edward with bloodlust in his eyes. I felt relieved when Jacob opened his mouth, like this enchanted was lifting itself from me.
“What are you talking about, leech?”
“Your imprint is different then the others. What happens to you, is happening to her. When you refuse to speak, she cannot open her mouth. When you refuse to eat, she can feel your hunger. When your away from her, her heart feels like its being ripped from her chest. Your killing her!”
My heart sank as Jacob’s gazed soften and looked to me, his eyes were sad…so sad. I felt like crying, I felt like breaking down, and just as he collapsed on his knees, my heart was heavy with despair. Just like he was. I knew what he was feeling, it was guilt, and it was weighing us both down.
“We don’t know why this is different. Carlisle is just as baffled as you must be. We are trying our hardest to figure it out. In the mean time, get better Jacob, before you destroy your only chance at survival.” Then the vampire was gone before Jacob could reply. The silence lasted for an hour before Emily called us (me) in to eat.
I tried standing, but I fell before I stood straight. Jacob caught me in his arms, snuggled me close to his cold and hot chest. The scars were freezing, but the skin exposed was so hot. An uncomfortable contrast.
“He’s…he’s serious isn’t he?”
“Yes, Jacob.”
**
“Maybe it was the venom. That vampire had some special qualities, we aren’t certain what. But don’t you think that…”
“No, because that vampire never bit Elaine. He didn’t know she existed.”
“But he could taste Jacob’s memories. He did know, Carlisle.”
“Then yes, it was the venom…and it’s irreversible.”
**
The door closed slowly, Edwards head bobbed as he jumped down the stairs and left us absolutely shocked. He’d explained to us the theory they felt was most certain to explain what had happened between Jacob and I, and why some of our actions and feelings were so…in sync.
“I..I can’t believe it.” I spoke in a whisper as Jacob’s arm found a way to snake around my waist in comfort and expression. “Can a vampire really do that? To us?”
”It appears as if the vampire who bit you, Jacob, could taste memories and the feelings of others. He found your weakness, and before his last bite, he must have established a connection to your minds that we never knew could be possible. Jacob, you control Elaine in a weak, but tangible way. It’s not in the mind, it’s in the spirit.” Edward had spoken to them, his neck was tightened with an emotion that was unfamiliar to me. Seriousness, grim, I wasn’t sure, but he looked more gauntly then usual to comparison in previous times I’ve seen him.
”You must be careful of what you do Jacob. If you refuse to eat, she will starve. If your in pain, she will hurt. If you refuse to think, to speak, you have made her into a mental vegetable.” He’d been so blunt to us about it, explained some strict rules that Jacob must follow in order to keep me comfortable. Even now, I knew that Jacob was worried about me, I could feel his heart heavy with concern.
I looked up at his face, nearly a two feet higher then me. His eyes hadn’t left the front door, lost in thought. I hugged myself around his shirted body to bring him forth, because he needed to know-I loved him too.
For the past days that he’d gotten significantly better, all he’d ever talk about was the nightmares and the horrible flashbacks of his stomach being ripped open, that vampire biting him in all but one place, making it very possible he’d die. He pulled through, despite that vision of his heart failing that I had seen on his couch that day.
Oh the scars on his body, they refused to disappear without any given reason. Carlisle suspects that Jacob is more human, that he’d have those frosty scars for the rest of his life. Over his chest, his arms, his legs, his neck. And the big one on his tummy, that over time was fading away. Unlike the bite marks.
I would touch them, he’d cringe away from me. He refused to speak to me. He refused to eat any more then a small rabbit. He was dying again. I could feel his hunger deep inside my stomach, and I would eat as much as he should be trying to make that pain go away and it never did.
No one could explain why I was feeling his pain either, it’d never happened to Emily and Sam, never to anyone else who imprinted. Just Jacob and I.
No one told him either, they expected me to tell him that I was hurting when he was hurting. But I refused to. I couldn’t speak just as much as he refused to, like he’d been controlling some of my own actions. We were absolutely baffled.
**
“It’s becoming a serious problem Carlisle. Without him eating, she’s eating and gaining weight, she can’t speak when she’s around him but then she’s in too much pain when she isn’t.” Edward argued, “Bella and Alice, everyone pretty much is worried. Elaine needs answers.”
“He needs to know what this is doing to her first. Tell him. Now.”
**
The tide was slowing down, falling back over the bloodied water when I heard small footsteps against the drying sand. Jacob turned his head, then scowled and looked away. Edward then sat beside me, cross-legged, his breathing short. He didn’t need to breathe, so why was he? To show he was nervous, I could tell he was.
“Jacob.”
No response, I watched Jacob’s lip twitch as if he wanted to respond. I wanted to respond for him, but I couldn’t get my mouth to budge.
“Your killing Elaine.” Jacob was on his feet in no time, glaring at Edward with bloodlust in his eyes. I felt relieved when Jacob opened his mouth, like this enchanted was lifting itself from me.
“What are you talking about, leech?”
“Your imprint is different then the others. What happens to you, is happening to her. When you refuse to speak, she cannot open her mouth. When you refuse to eat, she can feel your hunger. When your away from her, her heart feels like its being ripped from her chest. Your killing her!”
My heart sank as Jacob’s gazed soften and looked to me, his eyes were sad…so sad. I felt like crying, I felt like breaking down, and just as he collapsed on his knees, my heart was heavy with despair. Just like he was. I knew what he was feeling, it was guilt, and it was weighing us both down.
“We don’t know why this is different. Carlisle is just as baffled as you must be. We are trying our hardest to figure it out. In the mean time, get better Jacob, before you destroy your only chance at survival.” Then the vampire was gone before Jacob could reply. The silence lasted for an hour before Emily called us (me) in to eat.
I tried standing, but I fell before I stood straight. Jacob caught me in his arms, snuggled me close to his cold and hot chest. The scars were freezing, but the skin exposed was so hot. An uncomfortable contrast.
“He’s…he’s serious isn’t he?”
“Yes, Jacob.”
**
“Maybe it was the venom. That vampire had some special qualities, we aren’t certain what. But don’t you think that…”
“No, because that vampire never bit Elaine. He didn’t know she existed.”
“But he could taste Jacob’s memories. He did know, Carlisle.”
“Then yes, it was the venom…and it’s irreversible.”
**
The door closed slowly, Edwards head bobbed as he jumped down the stairs and left us absolutely shocked. He’d explained to us the theory they felt was most certain to explain what had happened between Jacob and I, and why some of our actions and feelings were so…in sync.
“I..I can’t believe it.” I spoke in a whisper as Jacob’s arm found a way to snake around my waist in comfort and expression. “Can a vampire really do that? To us?”
”It appears as if the vampire who bit you, Jacob, could taste memories and the feelings of others. He found your weakness, and before his last bite, he must have established a connection to your minds that we never knew could be possible. Jacob, you control Elaine in a weak, but tangible way. It’s not in the mind, it’s in the spirit.” Edward had spoken to them, his neck was tightened with an emotion that was unfamiliar to me. Seriousness, grim, I wasn’t sure, but he looked more gauntly then usual to comparison in previous times I’ve seen him.
”You must be careful of what you do Jacob. If you refuse to eat, she will starve. If your in pain, she will hurt. If you refuse to think, to speak, you have made her into a mental vegetable.” He’d been so blunt to us about it, explained some strict rules that Jacob must follow in order to keep me comfortable. Even now, I knew that Jacob was worried about me, I could feel his heart heavy with concern.
I looked up at his face, nearly a two feet higher then me. His eyes hadn’t left the front door, lost in thought. I hugged myself around his shirted body to bring him forth, because he needed to know-I loved him too.