In the Blood Chapter 15 Teaser

Comfort, Munch, 1907

During Aro's story, Bella sat up in the bed, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping herself up into a tight ball. Emmett held her, stroking her hair as she rocked back and forth in stunned silence.

"Why will you not destroy me?" she finally whispered into the phone.

"You have asked me this favor twice before: once when I found you with Adam, and once when I told you Edward had died. Do you remember my answer?"

Bella leaned her head against Emmett's shoulder. "I remember, but I want you to say it."

Aro sighed. "A parent would never destroy their own child."

Venom pooled in her mouth and sprayed as she screamed at the phone. "Yes, but a parent would apparently betray their child!"

Bella knew that, even though Aro loved her, she was risking death by speaking to him this way. Part of her wanted the freedom and peace death would give her, but it was slowly losing ground to the part that was deeply wounded by Aro's lie and desperate to find a way to overcome it. She felt Emmett's body stiffen next to her, and she remembered her existence was no longer simply her own. She'd been selfish and forgotten her protector and friend needed her.

The playlist song for this chapter is "Back in Black" by AC/DC:



P.S. One Pushy Fox and I are each contributing a one-shot to MsKathy's Haiti Relief Twi FanFic Authors Compilation. Donate at least $5  through 1/24/10 and receive fanfic from over 200 Twific authors. For more information, visit MsKathy's blog.