Chapter 19, Sacrifice
Jacob met me as I was racing to the parking lot. If vampires could steam, there would’ve been a cloud over my head.
“Hey, Nessie,” Jacob tousled my hair. “What’s the hurry?”
“I just want to get out of this place!” I hissed vehemently. “Let’s go home.”
I climbed in through the door Jacob had just opened and slammed the door before he could move to buckle my seatbelt. I angrily snapped it into place. Jacob’s eyes were wide with astonishment.
He walked around to the driver’s side and climbed in. He eyed me cautiously. He’d never seen me this angry. He faced forward and started the engine. We were out of the parking lot before most of the students had reached their cars.
The drive back to the Cullen home was quiet. Jacob could tell I didn’t want to talk.
I marched up the porch and through the door. I landed heavily on the couch.
Grandma Esme looked at me in astonishment. The needle in her hand was poised above a complicated cross stitch that involved a vase full of flowers in front of an open window. Ordinarily, I would’ve sat next to her so I could watch the picture emerge while she worked.
Mom looked up from the magazine she was reading. Jacob sat down next to me and started to toy with one of my bronze curls.
His movement relaxed me. It was almost as good as having Jasper enter the room. I snorted. My bad mood was sure to act as a magnet. I briefly wondered where he was.
And Rose? Where is Aunt Rose? She is always here. Then I remembered the twins. She was taking care of Michael. She wouldn’t be home much for the next while.
Mom was the first to break the heavy silence. “How was your day, honey?”
“Awful.”
Her eyebrow rose in a question.
“I hate school. Nothing is worth this sacrifice.” I flounced angrily. Jacob took my hand and gently rubbed the back of it. He was trying to calm me. I didn’t want to be calm. I jerked my hand away.
Esme and Mom looked at me in astonishment. They’d never seen me act like this.
Mom’s voice was pleading, “Honey, it was your first day. Just give it a couple of days, please. It can’t be that bad.”
Tears started to stream down my face. Mom and Esme exchanged a worried glance. I jumped up and ran through the back door, headed for the cottage. Jacob sat still for a moment then ran after me.
He caught up with me just as I was opening the cottage door. He quietly followed me into the living room and then sat on the cushioned sofa that dominated the room. He opened his arms, and I crawled on his lap and sobbed. He held me for several minutes. After I’d cried myself out and sat up, he gently dried my tears with a handkerchief he’d thought to grab on his way out of the Cullen house. A few tendrils of hair were wet with tears. He carefully pulled them off my face.
“Did you want to talk about it?”
I looked at him a moment, then nodded. My voice broke occasionally from the tear storm that had just abated, “I’d always im-imagined interacting with the humans would be… difficult. I’d just n-never even thought about how many emotions would be in-involved.” My brow wrinkled. “I was mad and sad and bored and indignant… and then just furious because the teacher punished the whole class because I thought her request was stupid so I wouldn’t tell her what I wanted to learn in her class.” I ended my speech so fast and low that a human wouldn’t have been able to hear me. Jacob heard every word.
He nodded his understanding. “It can be tough, sometimes.” He paused a moment. “So… I take it your last class didn’t go so well?”
The tears had helped clear out my emotional storm. I could think. I could see that the world wasn’t really coming to an end, after all. I shook my head then sent him a small smile. “I have a chapter to read in my home economics book then we have a test on it tomorrow.”
Jacob looked relieved to see my normally sane self back. “I’ll go get your backpack.”
I stood up with him, feeling sheepish. “I’ll come with you. Grandma Esme’s dining room table is a great place to spread out homework. Besides, she will have a snack for us.” I smiled. “And I’m sure Seth is on his way for his share.”
Jacob’s face took on a look of hopeful anticipation.
When we reached the house, Mom and Esme looked warily at me. I could tell they were worried I’d spew out another thunderstorm. I smiled at them, no trace of my former tears in evidence, and asked, “Grandma? Did you have something to snack on? I’m starving.”
“Of course, dear.” She put her cross stitch down and rushed to the kitchen.
She loaded two plates and put them on her table. Jacob and I sat down to enjoy the food. I chewed thoughtfully. “Grandma?”
She was picking up her stitching. “Yes, dear?”
“Would it be too much to ask if I could have a bagged lunch to take to school?” I’d noticed a few of the students had brought their own food. I’d thought it was a good idea.
Esme’s face was puzzled. “I hadn’t considered that possibility. If it would make school easier for you, I can do that.”
I looked relieved. Maybe if I didn’t have to swallow down the human-made stuff, the rest of my day might go better. “Thanks, Grandma,” I smiled at her.
Jacob had finished his snack and was just opening my backpack and pulling out my home economics book when Seth burst in. He had a worried expression. “There’s a strange vampire in the forest, and he’s asking for Carlisle.”
We stared at him in stunned silence. Mom answered, “Carlisle and Edward are at the hospital. Did he look dangerous to you?”
“Ummm. I’m not sure. His eyes were topaz, almost your color. Doesn’t that mean he doesn’t dine on humans?”
Esme nodded curtly. “That doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous, though. Did he say what he wanted?”
Seth shook his head. “No. Did you want me to bring him here?”
Alice and Jasper were descending the staircase.
Esme turned to Alice. “Did you see this vampire coming?”
Alice shook her head, her expression one of dazed shock. She’d never not been able to see a vampire approach. She grabbed for Jasper’s hand. He sensed she needed more than his hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. His presence relaxed her, and they finished descending the staircase and moved to one of the couches.
I looked at Seth. He was still waiting for a reply. Esme finally answered. “Bring him here. If his eyes are topaz, he shouldn’t be a danger, but please be careful.”
Jacob jumped up to join him. “I’ll go with you.”
My heart constricted. I didn’t want to see Jacob mixing with an unfamiliar vampire.
“Where is Emmett?” my voice was tremulous.
Jacob looked at me. He could sense my fear for him. He paused a moment, waiting for an answer.
Alice answered, “He’s cleaning out my SUV. I found some bear blood flecked on the seats and told him he’d better not bring my Escalade back unless it was sparkling. He should be back soon.”
I let out a sigh of relief as I heard the sound of tires on the drive. Hopefully, that would be Emmett.
Esme was already on the phone with Carlisle. I could hear his voice clearly from the cell phone. “My shift ends in an hour. Edward can leave immediately. I’ll let the hospital staff know he has an emergency.”
Dad had just started at the hospital, so he had an easier time slipping away. I knew he’d be home soon. I didn’t need Jasper’s calming influence to help me feel better. Just knowing Dad was on his way did it.
Emmett burst through the door, “Alice, I got your…” He stopped short, seeing the anxious expression on all our faces. “Ummm. Did I miss something?”
Alice’s musical voice was the first to break the silence. “There’s a vampire in the forest and I didn’t see him.” Even though Jasper was standing right next to her, I could see her tenseness. She must be distraught. I couldn’t imagine how strung out she would??
?ve been without him with her. I was sure Jasper wouldn’t want to leave her in this condition.
Seth was shifting from foot to foot, clearly wanting to get back to the vampire in question. Jacob was at his side. Emmett joined them, and they headed out the door.
We all sat in tense silence, the only sound in the room my beating heart and steady breathing. Even with Jasper in the room, they were too tense to breath. I snuck a look at Jasper. Maybe the problem was that he was as stressed as the rest of us.
We’d all come to rely on Alice’s visions to protect us. The ability of this vampire to arrive without her being able to see him stunned us all.
I looked down at the book in front of me. I decided it would be better to work on my homework just then while I was waiting for the strange visitor. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to concentrate once he arrived. I opened the book and started to read.
My small movement distracted the vampires, and they visibly relaxed.
I finished the chapter in five minutes. I closed the book. My perfect recall meant I wouldn’t need to look at this material again. It was pretty basic stuff, juvenile almost. I smirked. This class is going to be a breeze, even if the teacher is going to be a pain.
Maybe I can sacrifice this year for my family. Maybe I can sacrifice three. Will that be so much? My gaze flickered over the vampires in the room. Esme, Alice, Jasper and Mom. I thought about the ones that weren’t in the room. Dad, Carlisle, Emmett, and Rose. My heart swelled with love for my family. Yes. I can sacrifice for them, and I will learn to bite my tongue when I think the teacher is being stupid. I can do that. For them.
A few moments after I shut my book, Emmett burst in the room followed by a strange vampire. He looked about thirty with dark hair. His topaz eyes looked wild, and he was carrying… a human female. Her delicious scent filled the room. A very pregnant human female. I took a deep breath. Jacob and Seth followed closely, their eyes anxious.
“For the love of all that is holy…” Jasper whispered.
“Get her on the couch.” Esme ordered. I’d never heard her voice so authoritative. “Jasper, get the bed out of the garage.” The vampire carefully, gently moved the human female to the couch Esme had indicated. He looked at the human with such loving adoration that I had to turn away. It made my heart hurt. The human didn’t look like she was going to live another five minutes.
Jasper nodded and took off running. He’d just put Mom’s old hospital bed back in storage on Sunday. It seemed ages instead of days ago.
I was reliving the nightmare of my mom’s pregnancy, and this time it wasn’t in my mind.
Mom whispered to Esme, “What are we going to do? We don’t have any blood on hand like you had for me.” She sounded panicked.
Esme was grim. “We are going to make due. We are going to use grizzly.”
I remembered Grandma had ten gallons of grizzly in her fridge. Leah was already eating human food. I wasn’t sure if she was even going to drink the two gallons Mom told me were in Sue’s fridge, let alone the ten that were here.
Esme spun around and went for the kitchen so fast a human wouldn’t have been able to see her move. She was back with a lidded Styrofoam cup in moments. I could smell the grizzly, and so could the human.
Even in her half-dead state, she perked up at the scent. Esme moved over and held the cup steady. I’d heard the story, so I knew that she remembered clearly what had happened when Mom’s cup of blood had toppled over.
The human drained the cup quickly. I could see the difference in her face. Esme went back into the kitchen to get a refill. Eight cups later and the human was actually sitting up—carefully. I didn’t know how many ribs were broken, but I could see the pain on her face.
Dad burst through the door. He stopped in surprise when he saw the human on the couch.
His medical training took over. Time was of the essence. The female looked big enough to deliver. Getting the baby out quickly was essential.
Dad’s brow furrowed. I could tell he was trying to read minds, to see what we’d done so he wouldn’t make any unnecessary requests. After a moment, he looked at Esme. “Call Carlisle and tell him about the human. We’ll need the machines we just borrowed from the hospital and an x-ray machine as well.” He glanced anxiously at the assembled vampires. “There’s no way the staff won’t be wondering what’s going on here. We’ll need to think about moving.”
Everyone exchanged worried glances.
My breath caught. I had just decided that my family was worth the sacrifice of attending school. It seemed impossible that after having just decided I loved my family enough to devote three years of my life to their happiness, I might not need to do it, after all.
Edward walked over to the woman and knelt down, touching her bulging abdomen. He seemed to be listening then he turned to the vampire towering above him. “Is this your child?”
The vampire nodded, fear showing in his topaz eyes. “Please explain to the infant the importance of staying as still as possible. Sarah’s life is in grave danger.” Dad could hear her name in the vampire’s thoughts.
The vampire knelt next to Dad, his hands replacing Edward’s on the human’s stomach. He looked at my dad with apprehension, and whispered, “I don’t know what to say.”
Dad looked back. “Just tell the baby not to move.”
The vampire cleared his throat. “Baby. Your momma is very sick. You need to stay still. Moving hurts her.”
Dad listened a moment, an intense look on his face. He smiled. “Your child understands.”
The vampire looked relieved.
Dad stood up. “I need to make sure the operating room is set up. I’ll be back down in a moment.” He headed up the stairs to Carlisle’s library where Jasper had set up Mom’s hospital bed.
Alice looked relieved. “No wonder I couldn’t see this vampire. He was too wrapped up in his child.”
The rest of us exchanged looks of similar relief. It was good to know that Alice’s gift wasn’t broken. This event couldn’t have been foreseen by her. I wondered briefly if Alice’s inability to see would hide more surprises.
I snuck a look at Mom. Surely she’d be wondering the same thing.
Jasper headed out the door. I guessed he was going to drive in Emmett’s jeep to pick up the hospital equipment.
Mom quietly reminded Esme, “Carlisle will need to pick up some more anticoagulant, as well.”
Esme nodded and picked up the cell phone. I could hear Carlisle’s shocked voice on the phone.
Sarah was sitting up and the vampire sat close to her. He picked up her hand and she shivered convulsively.
“Are you cold?” Seth asked.
She nodded, a shiver rocking her body. Esme flitted upstairs.
Probably to grab a blanket, I thought.
Seth looked at me. “Nessie. Your temperature is about right. Can you come and sit next to Sarah?”
I stood up hesitantly. I wasn’t sure if this human would want me touching her, but my temperature ran a toasty 108.9 just like Seth’s and Jacob’s. She would probably feel more comfortable with me sitting next to her than one of the enormous Quileutes.
The vampire stood up. I took his place. I put my arm over her shoulders and tried to relax. I hadn’t ever been this close to a strange human. It wasn’t like I’d been hugging the other students today. We’d just been sitting in the same room. The Quileutes didn’t smell the same and I just couldn’t think of Grandpa Charlie and Sue or Grandma Renée and Phil as food.
Sarah smelled like the most delicious food. Better than Grandma’s cooking. Better than grizzly. Better than the donated human blood I’d eaten as an infant. Saliva rose unbidden in my mouth.
I clamped my teeth together and tried to think of other scents that were more enticing. I couldn’t think of any.
I swallowed convulsively and stared at Jacob, grateful again that he couldn’t read my thoughts. He could sense my discomfort, though, and he saw the struggle on my fac
e. “Uhhh, Seth,” he called, “I think you’d better come take Nessie’s place.”
Seth had been digging into the snack Esme had left in the fridge for him. He carried the plate into the living room. I gratefully left my spot and let him settle into the couch next to Sarah.
I’d never considered myself a risk to humans. I was ashamed to discover that my vampire self wasn’t as buried as I thought it was.