Twisted

We split into teams of two, and I got stuck with Jacob. He refused to be left out of the game. I begrudgingly accepted him as my partner. I was still terribly angry with him for embarrassing me, and yet a part of me was glad to be alone with him again. We went into the forest, searching for the scent of Ambrosi's men. I knew that they had to be close, Ambrosi wouldn't rest until his task was complete. Jacob and I trudged quietly through the forest. He hadn't spoken to me since I hit him. He hadn't said anything to anyone, just followed their directions and avoided Bella. It didn't take a psychic to see that they had something between them.

I maintained a distance between he and I. It made it easier to sniff out Ambrosi's men when I didn't have to compete with Jacob's smell. We'd only been in the woods for an hour before I caught the scent. I stopped, my spine stiffened and I motioned for Jacob to stop. He did and I could see him debating whether to phase or not. I moment later I realized that the vampire would smell me. I raced to Jacob, he barely saw me coming.

Seizing him by the arm, I whispered, “We need to hide. I need you to hide my scent.” He understood instantly and wrapping his long bronze arms around my waist he dove into a hallow space in the roots of the trees.

I stared at Jacob in the green tinged darkness cast by the twisted roots. His face was aged far beyond his human years. He had it set in a serious expression. He was a desperate man, needing beyond anything else to save the woman he loved. I felt a rush of jealousy, some human part of me wishing against hope that he'd look at me that way.

I edged closer to him, enjoying the way that his warmth lapped at my skin. He sensed my movement and stiffened. I took that to mean his feelings toward me hadn't softened. I turned away from him and back to the forest. Jacob shifted, and actually got closer to me.

I could hear his breathing, very close to my ear. I felt those nagging human emotions bubbling up again. I turned to look at him again. Without thinking, I leaned forward and brushed my lips against him. It was like fire, melting the ice slightly of my flesh.

He jumped back as far as he could in the small space. I lowered my head, embarrassed again, and angry with myself for ruining our quiet moment. When I dared to look at him he was blushing under his dark skin. He met my gaze and smiled. I grinned back at him.

“Lilly, I...” he trailed off.

“I know,” I said, understanding what he was thinking before he had to speak. “You love her.”

“Is it possible to love more than one person?” he asked, speaking more to himself than to me.

“I don't know,” I admitted. I was afraid of what he was about to say, fearing it would be malicious.

“I was raised to hate you,” he stated.

“I know that too.”

“But I don't know if I can.”

“You don't have to.”

He looked at me again, his eyes brimmed with tears. He reached out and took my hand for a moment. I got that melting feeling again. He let go and leaned away from me.

“Yea, I think I do.”