Total Eclipse Of The Heart

I found myself later that night in the middle of the forest. Riley had told me to stay there and that he’d be back. It was getting dark and the forest was starting to freak me out. I jumped at almost every sound.

I was beginning to think Riley had left me here to die when I saw a figure approaching on the other side of the clearing. The person stopped right at the edge of the clearing and I could faintly hear a growl coming from the person. I turned around and saw Riley on the other side of the clearing. The person standing on the opposite side started walking towards me, as did Riley. They both stopped when they came within 10 feet of me.

“Where’s Maddie?” The person I didn’t know asked.

“You’re looking at her.” Riley said.

“Is this some kind of sick joke? Because if it is, I’m wasting my time.” The person turned and started walking.

I immediately recognized him. “Jake?” I called out, my chest suddenly feeling tight. Jake froze and turned around.

“Maddie?” His voice broke. I took a couple steps forward.

“Elizabeth, you don’t know what you’re doing.” Riley said. I stiffened turning towards him. “Come to me, Elizabeth. Take my hand and choose me. That’s what I brought you here for. You can choose me and live with me forever. We’ll be happy.”

“Maddie. Don’t listen to him! Please. Take my hand. I love you Madeline Walker. Only you. Please.” He sounded close to tears. I took a couple more steps towards him.

“Elizabeth, does he love you?” I stopped dead in my tracks. “He left you to be with Bella. He even kissed her. Then he let you leave to Seattle and into my arms. Does that sound like love to you?” I took a couple steps back to Riley.

“Maddie.” Jake said, his voice breaking. The tightening in my chest was making it hard to breathe.

“Elizabeth, I promise to never leave you. I love you.” I started walking towards Riley. He put his hand out.

“He’s lying.” I heard from behind me. “He doesn’t love you.” I spun around and saw Edward and Jasper. I could see more people out of the corner of my eye. “He’ll just go back to Victoria.”

“He’s lying!” Riley shouted. I flinched. The pain in my chest was almost unbearable.

“Maddie?” I heard a female voice behind me. I spun around and almost gasped at what I saw. Arielle stood there with Paul. “Maddie, don’t you dare take his hand. Jacob loves you. He truly loves you. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have let you leave. It’s what you wanted and he respected that. You don’t know how much he wanted to run after you and bring you back to safety. But he let you be happy even if it hurt him. Doesn’t that sound like true love.” I closed my eyes and tears poured down my face.

I looked out to the other side of the field where the Cullen’s now stood. Riley shook his head and ran off. Emmet and Jasper ran after him. Searing pain went through my chest, constricting my airway. I saw a bright light coming from my chest and everything went black.

Jacob’s POV

I watched as Maddie’s whole body was enveloped in light. It lit up the whole clearing and I could clearly see the concern on Carlisle’s face. He said something to the rest of his family standing there and they took off running in the direction Riley and the other two went. Suddenly it felt like all the air in the clearing had been sucked into the light. It suddenly became hard to breathe. I could hear Arielle choking for breath behind me. I found myself even breathing hard. Then it hit all four of us like a nuclear bomb. It seemed like all the air had been shot back at us 10 times stronger than it was, knocking all of us over, including Carlisle. The trees rustled from the burst of air. The light died down and I saw Maddie’s body laying in the grass.

I couldn’t help myself. I ran over to her and kneeled down. She looked like herself again. The tan coloured skin, the straight hair that came down to her shoulder blades, the curve of her nose. I took her gently in my arms. She wasn’t breathing. Carlisle leaned over me, putting his fingers up to her neck.

“She still has a pulse. Her breathing is extremely shallow and light. She should be fine in an hour or two.” He said.

“What was that?” Paul asked from behind me.

“That was her bond with Riley breaking.”

“Bond?”

“Yes. Alice was keeping an eye on them. Apparently he had gone to a voodoo shop to try and get something to bring his past love back. He used Maddie to be her host. Like I said, she should be back to normal in a couple hours.” I stared at Carlisle. There was something he wasn’t telling us.

“Thank you, Carlisle.” I said. He nodded before getting up and running in the direction the others had gone. I felt like I was frozen to the spot. I felt Arielle lean down in beside me.

“Come on, Jake. You need to get her home. Carlisle said she would be fine. Bring her back to Emily’s house and put her in her old room. Stay with her. I promise she will be more than happy to see you when she wakes up.” I nodded before adjusting Maddie in my arms and standing up.

I cradled Maddie in my chest as we began walking back to La Push. We weren’t far from there. I could feel Maddie’s weak breath against my neck as I held on to her for dear life. I made a promise then to never let anything or anyone come in between us. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.