The Heat of You
by Wizardtho
Trigger Warning: This chapter starts to deal with sensitive topics. If manipulation, terror games, and taunting are triggers for you, please skip Bella's POV in this chapter.
Chapter 03:
Paul POV:
I watched Charlie’s hands shake after only a second of having the journal in front of him. He’d read the cover. He swallowed hard, then took it from Billy before opening it up.
After only another few seconds, Bella cried out, and my heart clenched in my chest as I dashed toward the bedroom, Old Quil only steps behind me. I slid to a stop at what I saw when I rushed into the room, though. Eyes wide, I looked at the shaman for advice. Bella was sweating profusely and shaking so badly that she almost seemed to be having a seizure.
Quil quickly went to Bella’s side, ignoring all the people crowding the doorway. After checking her over, he looked me squarely in the eyes, “Bite her, now, or we will lose her! Exactly as before, Paul, NOW!”
Without hesitation, I was on the bed, pulling Bella’s back to my chest. I prayed to Taha Aki as I took a breath, then bared my teeth as I moved Bella’s hair from my way. My teeth found purchase in the exact same spot as before, then I let out a deep growl as I tasted what was happening in her blood.
The venom in her system was trying to get rid of my marking like an infection.
I couldn’t exactly explain right that second, so I just did what my wolf was screaming for me to do. I bit down even harder, released my bite after a good 2 minutes, then lapped at it several times to push my saliva into to wound. Bella immediately started calming the second my tongue touched my mark.
Once the wound was sealed, I turned her now-calm body so we were chest-to-chest, then grabbed the blanket someone had placed over both of us earlier. It wouldn’t be enough, though. I looked up, “Sue, will you bring another blanket?”
Charlie was scowling, so I explained, “She’s freezing even though she was sweating. The leech poison in her body is spreading… trying to kill my marking like an infection. I know, because I tasted a stronger concentration of venom in her system. Right now, she needs all the heat I can give her, to help her fight this, and I run at a toasty 108.9.”
Charlie looked from me to Bella, let out a breath while nodding, then walked back out into the other room with the journal still in his hand. Everyone else followed as Sue spread another, heavier blanket over Bella and me.
Once only Old Quil was left with us, he patted my shoulder while noting, “You did well, young man. Listen to your wolf. It’s up to him and the ancestors, now. If her condition changes, I’ll be in the living room.”
I nodded, then rested my lips against my mark as I closed my eyes, saying another prayer to Taha Aki.
Bella POV:
I knew the nightmare I was in was actually a memory within minutes. It was too vivid -too familiar- to be just a dream. Though I didn’t actually remember it, I knew in my gut I had lived it before.
Edward had done that thing where he got really close to me, and once his scent was practically blanketing me, he let his breath caress my face. The result, as always, was my brain going fuzzy… only instead of him chuckling and bringing me out of my daze, he said in a hum, “Time to play, Isabella. For today’s game, I want you to try and leave the property. If you escape the property on foot, you will receive a treat. As always, when I call you Love, all play stops. Do you understand?”
I found myself saying in a daze, “Of course, Edward.”
Over the next 2 hours, though I tried climbing out windows, running down the stairs and out any one of the doors, even climbing out onto the balcony and into the trees, nothing worked. Everything I tried, there was a Cullen there with black eyes and a menacing grin to stop me. The worst part was that seemingly with every step I made, the pure terror inside my body grew.
Then, when I finally somehow made it out onto the grounds, things only got worse. The Cullens became more vicious when grabbing at me, the terror became darker and more consuming, and I kept running into -or tripping over- dead animal carcasses. There were several times I slipped in pools of congealed blood. Even after I realized Jasper was manipulating my emotions, there was nothing I could do to stop the terror from building. The taunting and laughing only made things 10x worse.
I was about to give up and hide under the deck, my heart pounding out of my chest and tears streaming down my face. Suddenly, there was an ache in the left side of my neck and shoulder. I tried to rub the ache away as, out of nowhere, a white wolf appeared in the woods a distance away. It wasn’t there when this was actually happening, so it shocked me far enough away from the nightmare that I was actually able to follow the wolf when it disappeared further into the trees.
Though my heart rate was still so high it felt like I’d have a heart attack, I ran after the wolf until it stopped at a beautiful pond. I took several minutes to calm my breathing while looking out at the pond. The white wolf lay calmly next to me, clearly not in any rush to leave.
When I was sure I could speak without panting, I asked, “How are you here? Even though that memory was somehow blocked from my conscious mind, I know you weren’t there that day.”
He didn’t change forms, but I could suddenly hear him talking to me. “No, Bella. I was not there. I am here now because you are in jeopardy. Do you remember what happened before you were here? In this dream?”
I tried to think, but only one thing came to me. “I’m sorry, Sir. I only remember asking Paul for help.”
He let out a breath while dipping his large head, then looked me directly in the eyes. “You did. The cold ones were using you, Bella. This dream was truly a memory, and you found proof of their abuse in the den of the cold ones.”
I gasped, remembering now, “The journal. I shoved it into my jacket. Oh, Christ, I hit Paul with my truck! He still tried to help me, though. When Edward called to me, Paul could see I was fighting it. I was losing; could feel I was going to give in. Then I could see Paul’s wolf in his eyes, and I told him I’d always trust him. I think he bit me?”
My hand went to the spot I tried to rub the ache away from a few minutes ago. I only then noticed the mark left there. I couldn’t help but let my fingers feel the individual teeth impressions before my eyes met Taha Aki’s again.
The massive white wolf seemed to nod, then I heard him say, “Paul saved you from the cold ones the only way he could. The way his wolf was urging him to. The problem you are now facing, Bella, is that the venom in your wrist from the mind reader is fighting the protection Paul gave you in that bite. There are two ways this could end, and the choice is up to you. If you choose Paul, and you keep him in your mind as you fight through these memories, you will wake free of the call of the cold one. If you choose the cold one… choose not to fight as hard as you can… you will not wake. Your heart will fail. With each moment you do not fight the memories, Bella, the venom in your system becomes more potent. Paul’s protection becomes weaker as a result.”
Though it felt as if I was cold down to my very bones, a sudden warmth bloomed in my chest. I let out a relieved breath, automatically touching the mark on my shoulder again. The massive wolf next to me said seriously, “You feel him, even now, Bella. Paul is out there fighting to keep you safe and sane. I am proof, as his pleas are what brought me to you. He can only do so much on his own. As he fights out there, you must fight in here.”
I nodded, understanding now. The majestic white wolf started to disappear as I promised, “I will… I promise I’ll fight.”
Chapter 03:
Paul POV:
I watched Charlie’s hands shake after only a second of having the journal in front of him. He’d read the cover. He swallowed hard, then took it from Billy before opening it up.
After only another few seconds, Bella cried out, and my heart clenched in my chest as I dashed toward the bedroom, Old Quil only steps behind me. I slid to a stop at what I saw when I rushed into the room, though. Eyes wide, I looked at the shaman for advice. Bella was sweating profusely and shaking so badly that she almost seemed to be having a seizure.
Quil quickly went to Bella’s side, ignoring all the people crowding the doorway. After checking her over, he looked me squarely in the eyes, “Bite her, now, or we will lose her! Exactly as before, Paul, NOW!”
Without hesitation, I was on the bed, pulling Bella’s back to my chest. I prayed to Taha Aki as I took a breath, then bared my teeth as I moved Bella’s hair from my way. My teeth found purchase in the exact same spot as before, then I let out a deep growl as I tasted what was happening in her blood.
The venom in her system was trying to get rid of my marking like an infection.
I couldn’t exactly explain right that second, so I just did what my wolf was screaming for me to do. I bit down even harder, released my bite after a good 2 minutes, then lapped at it several times to push my saliva into to wound. Bella immediately started calming the second my tongue touched my mark.
Once the wound was sealed, I turned her now-calm body so we were chest-to-chest, then grabbed the blanket someone had placed over both of us earlier. It wouldn’t be enough, though. I looked up, “Sue, will you bring another blanket?”
Charlie was scowling, so I explained, “She’s freezing even though she was sweating. The leech poison in her body is spreading… trying to kill my marking like an infection. I know, because I tasted a stronger concentration of venom in her system. Right now, she needs all the heat I can give her, to help her fight this, and I run at a toasty 108.9.”
Charlie looked from me to Bella, let out a breath while nodding, then walked back out into the other room with the journal still in his hand. Everyone else followed as Sue spread another, heavier blanket over Bella and me.
Once only Old Quil was left with us, he patted my shoulder while noting, “You did well, young man. Listen to your wolf. It’s up to him and the ancestors, now. If her condition changes, I’ll be in the living room.”
I nodded, then rested my lips against my mark as I closed my eyes, saying another prayer to Taha Aki.
Bella POV:
I knew the nightmare I was in was actually a memory within minutes. It was too vivid -too familiar- to be just a dream. Though I didn’t actually remember it, I knew in my gut I had lived it before.
Edward had done that thing where he got really close to me, and once his scent was practically blanketing me, he let his breath caress my face. The result, as always, was my brain going fuzzy… only instead of him chuckling and bringing me out of my daze, he said in a hum, “Time to play, Isabella. For today’s game, I want you to try and leave the property. If you escape the property on foot, you will receive a treat. As always, when I call you Love, all play stops. Do you understand?”
I found myself saying in a daze, “Of course, Edward.”
Over the next 2 hours, though I tried climbing out windows, running down the stairs and out any one of the doors, even climbing out onto the balcony and into the trees, nothing worked. Everything I tried, there was a Cullen there with black eyes and a menacing grin to stop me. The worst part was that seemingly with every step I made, the pure terror inside my body grew.
Then, when I finally somehow made it out onto the grounds, things only got worse. The Cullens became more vicious when grabbing at me, the terror became darker and more consuming, and I kept running into -or tripping over- dead animal carcasses. There were several times I slipped in pools of congealed blood. Even after I realized Jasper was manipulating my emotions, there was nothing I could do to stop the terror from building. The taunting and laughing only made things 10x worse.
I was about to give up and hide under the deck, my heart pounding out of my chest and tears streaming down my face. Suddenly, there was an ache in the left side of my neck and shoulder. I tried to rub the ache away as, out of nowhere, a white wolf appeared in the woods a distance away. It wasn’t there when this was actually happening, so it shocked me far enough away from the nightmare that I was actually able to follow the wolf when it disappeared further into the trees.
Though my heart rate was still so high it felt like I’d have a heart attack, I ran after the wolf until it stopped at a beautiful pond. I took several minutes to calm my breathing while looking out at the pond. The white wolf lay calmly next to me, clearly not in any rush to leave.
When I was sure I could speak without panting, I asked, “How are you here? Even though that memory was somehow blocked from my conscious mind, I know you weren’t there that day.”
He didn’t change forms, but I could suddenly hear him talking to me. “No, Bella. I was not there. I am here now because you are in jeopardy. Do you remember what happened before you were here? In this dream?”
I tried to think, but only one thing came to me. “I’m sorry, Sir. I only remember asking Paul for help.”
He let out a breath while dipping his large head, then looked me directly in the eyes. “You did. The cold ones were using you, Bella. This dream was truly a memory, and you found proof of their abuse in the den of the cold ones.”
I gasped, remembering now, “The journal. I shoved it into my jacket. Oh, Christ, I hit Paul with my truck! He still tried to help me, though. When Edward called to me, Paul could see I was fighting it. I was losing; could feel I was going to give in. Then I could see Paul’s wolf in his eyes, and I told him I’d always trust him. I think he bit me?”
My hand went to the spot I tried to rub the ache away from a few minutes ago. I only then noticed the mark left there. I couldn’t help but let my fingers feel the individual teeth impressions before my eyes met Taha Aki’s again.
The massive white wolf seemed to nod, then I heard him say, “Paul saved you from the cold ones the only way he could. The way his wolf was urging him to. The problem you are now facing, Bella, is that the venom in your wrist from the mind reader is fighting the protection Paul gave you in that bite. There are two ways this could end, and the choice is up to you. If you choose Paul, and you keep him in your mind as you fight through these memories, you will wake free of the call of the cold one. If you choose the cold one… choose not to fight as hard as you can… you will not wake. Your heart will fail. With each moment you do not fight the memories, Bella, the venom in your system becomes more potent. Paul’s protection becomes weaker as a result.”
Though it felt as if I was cold down to my very bones, a sudden warmth bloomed in my chest. I let out a relieved breath, automatically touching the mark on my shoulder again. The massive wolf next to me said seriously, “You feel him, even now, Bella. Paul is out there fighting to keep you safe and sane. I am proof, as his pleas are what brought me to you. He can only do so much on his own. As he fights out there, you must fight in here.”
I nodded, understanding now. The majestic white wolf started to disappear as I promised, “I will… I promise I’ll fight.”