I felt numb. The three vampires that had run into my house were still standing there. I didn’t know why. I knew they weren’t in shock, they had known this was going to happen. They just hoped they could have stopped it. They moved incredibly fast. One went to Charlie, one came to me and the other stood there, her face blank.
Edward wrapped his cold arms around me and pulled me off the back of the couch. He lifted me gently in his arms. I didn’t protest and I didn’t struggle. I let him.
“Carlisle, we’ll have to get him to hospital now,” Alice spoke quietly. She was trying not to let me hear but I heard her. I knew she was trying to see if Charlie would survive.
Carlisle nodded and picked Charlie up as if he weighed nothing more than a rag doll. He carried him swiftly out of the house and Alice followed him. Edward stood there holding me in his arms. I didn’t speak to him. I didn’t have to. He could hear my thoughts and he knew what was going on inside of me.
“Calm down,” he whispered. “He will be fine.”
I shook my head, disagreeing with him. Charlie would not be fine. Hadn’t he seen all that blood on the carpet? It was still there, glistening in the light that shone in from the window.
He ran with me out of the house and to his silver Volvo that was parked behind Charlie’s cruiser. He opened the passenger door, still holding me, and set me down on the seat. He fastened my seat belt and then closed the door. He was in the car and driving away in less than four seconds.
I sat there. I didn’t know what else to do. I was a murderer. I was a cold blooded killer.
“You are not,” Edward said, looking at me. “You are not a killer. Charlie will survive this.”
“And if he doesn’t?” I asked, finding my voice. I had to ask this. I wanted to know what would happen.
“He will,” Edward said, fiercely. “Alice saw that he would. Never bet against Alice.”
“And if he doesn’t?” I repeated. “What if he doesn’t survive? What happens to me?”
Edward was looking at the road again, his eyes focused. As if he needed to concentrate. He could make a three course meal while driving and still be in a straight line.
“What will happen to me?” I asked again, my voice nearing hysterical. “What will happen to me?”
“Nothing,” Edward said. “Nothing at all will happen to you. The worst will be you will go back to England.”
“The worst?” I asked, nearly laughing. “Don’t you have the death penalty in this country?”
“You will not be blamed for his death, it was an accident.”
“An accident? I hit him on the head with a lamp!”
“Are your fingerprints on the lamp?”
“No.” My fingerprints weren’t on the lamp but that didn’t mean I didn’t do it.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked him.
“My house. You’ll be there until Charlie comes home.”
“If he comes home,” I muttered. I didn’t understand why they were all so sure that Charlie would survive. I was remaining on the negative side until I seen some solid proof that Charlie would live to see his next birthday.
I leaned my head on the window and watched the outside world blur past me. I think I closed my eyes because next thing I know, Edward’s lifting me out the car. He carried me inside and ran straight upstairs. He placed me carefully on his black leather sofa and sat next to me, hugging me close to him. I lay my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
“You won’t be going to England now?” he asked me. I could hear the smile on his lips. He loved that Charlie was hurt. Not because he hated Charlie but because I would stay. I didn’t hate my father. At times I would say or feel I hated him but it never lasted long. I hurt Charlie and because of the immense guilt that weighed down on I would stay here to look after him. I wouldn’t leave him while he was nearly dying.
“You are too caring for your own good,” Edward murmured kissing my hair.
“I know,” I sighed.
I wanted to apologise to Edward. I must have hurt him in school, when I said I was leaving. His heart probably broke in two, if that could happen to a vampire.
“It’s ok,” Edward said. “You’re still here and that’s all that matters. It was because of me that you were going to leave. If I wasn’t a vampire then Charlie would try to separate us.”
“If you weren’t a vampire you wouldn’t be here.”
“If I wasn’t a vampire I wouldn’t have met you.”
“And your life would have been so boring.”
“True.”
“Alice saw me hit Charlie with the lamp, didn’t she?”
“I asked her to see if you would get to England safely. She saw you and Charlie arguing instead.”
I felt Edward’s phone vibrate in his jacket pocket. I lifted my head off his shoulder and watched as he answered his phone.
“Alice, any news?”
I was close to Edward so I could hear Alice’s voice on the phone.
“He has a deep laceration to his temple,” Alice spoke fast. “He’s awake and stitched up but their keeping him in over night for observation. You know how it is, head injuries and all.”
“Has he asked for her?”
By her I know he meant me.
“He didn’t start any fights when he saw who his doctor was but he has been asking for Kayla. Carlisle said that she was fine and she was with you and that he was not to worry and just rest but he is being persistent.”
“She’ll be home tomorrow. He can see her then. Tell Carlisle to say she’s in shock or something.”
“Ok,” she said, brightly. “Bye Edward.”
“Bye.”
He flipped the phone down and looked at me.
“You heard every word didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Charlie’s fine.” He kissed me. His cool lips made mine tingle. “No need to worry.”
“I’m not worrying.” His kiss distracted me from Charlie. I couldn’t think of anything but his lips back on mine. I pulled him closer to me, our noses touching. My lips were just touching his when Emmett flew in.
Edward pulled away and glared up at him.
“Perfect timing,” I said sarcastically to Emmett.
“Interrupting anything, am I?” Emmett asked, smiling widely.
“What do you want?” Edward asked, irritably.
“Do you want to wrestle?” Emmett asked. He was jumping up and down slightly. He was daring for a fight. It was all he could think about
“Go ask Rosalie,” Edward replied. “I’m busy.”
“I can see that,” Emmett muttered.
I stood up and glared at Emmett.
“I’ll fight you,” I said. My head was tilted back to look up at Emmett.
“You will not,” Edward growled and pulled me back down.
“Hell yeah!” Emmett punched the air. “Come on!”
Edward stood up and snarled at Emmett.
“You are not fighting her!”
“She wants to. I’m not denying her the chance to take me on.”
Edward snarled at Emmett and I could see Emmett getting his chance to wrestle with Edward.
Emmett winked at me, clearly enjoying himself. I laughed at him. Emmett seemed unpertubed that Edward was close to possibly killing him. Edward spun around fast and glared at me.
“Don’t encourage him!” Edward was actually upset at Emmett for wanting to fight me. It’s not like I couldn’t take care of myself. I was quite able to. I had taken on a werewolf and won.
“That’s not the point!” Edward was nearly shouting. “He is not fighting you and you are not fighting him!”
“You don’t control me, Edward,” I said. “If I want to fight Emmett, I will.”
Edward’s golden eyes were blazing. He was angry at me.
“I am not angry at you,” He said, much more calmly.
“Whatever.” I knew he was. I could see it.
“We gonna fight then?” Emmett asked, smiling widely.
I glanced at Edward who looked ready to rip out Emmett’s throat.
“Maybe not now, but another time, yeah.”
Edward put an arm around my waist as if to protect me from Emmett.
He won’t hurt me. He’s like a big cuddly bear.
More like a big grizzly bear.
“I’ll hold you to that, Kay,” Emmett said, before leaving.
“He did that purposely,” Edward said. “Just to annoy me.”
“Stop being such a baby,” I said, wrapping both my arms around him. “I can handle him.”
Edward was sceptical. He thought that the only vampires would be able to take on Emmett. He was so discriminating against humans.
“I am not,” he laughed.
“Treating me unfairly because I am not a vampire,” I said, pouting. “That is discrimination.”
He kissed my pouting lips.
“Am I forgiven?”
“Maybe.”