39; a pool of scarlet in the snow

Just to Clarify; Elias isn't sure when he falls sleeps, but he's aware the moment he's awake.

There's no harsh snow now battering the against the tent now. The light of the sky is visible from the flimsy material of the tent walls and Eli's stomach flips in dread.

He's up and out the tent within seconds, a hard task since his hands are shaking so hard he misses the zip on the first time. He gets it undone, then he's running through ankle deep snow, leaving behind pools of water as his body burns excessively. He makes it a good thirty feet before stumbling into a tree- pale hands come up against thick brown bark as hunches over to dry heave. He isn't sure if it's his own emotions from realising it's the day of battle or his tumour that makes him sick, either way it sucks.

He hasn't eaten anything, so nothing gets brought up, but the motion of wanting to throw up carves his stomach to bits and makes his eyes water.

There's a soft crunching sound, paws crushing snow, as a wolf treads to the human. Elias turns, half to tell them to fuck off and half for his own curiosity. He sees his own backpack drop from the teens wolfs jaws.

"Thanks Seth," Eli mumbles, flashing the teen wolf a appreciative look as bends down to retrieve it. Seth watches, looking weary, as he digs into the pack and pulls out a water bottle.

After swirling the liquid around his rancid mouth, he grabs the toothbrush next, smearing paste onto the bristles before scrubbing the taste from his tongue.

"Everything quiet out there?" Eli asks Seth over a mouthful of paste- he spits, draining the rest of the water afterwards. Seth makes a calm sound in his throat, almost like a whine. Eli takes it as a yes.

Sighing, the grey eyed boy runs his fingers through his hair, sorting the long strands out since they're starting to curl slightly at the ends. He never did get that haircut.

Elias walks past the wolf, sitting on the patch of grass against the tree he'd dried out last night. Seth follows him like a ghost, intelligent eyes youthful and excited.

Eli rummages through the backpack, trying to find if his medication is in that one. It isn't- the things filled to the brim with thick sandwiches- Esme's doing no doubt. Eli's heart swells at the thoughtfulness of the woman.

"You want one? I can't really stomach anything right now," Eli offers under the wolf's watchful gaze, feeling a little awful Seth can't go eat. He picks the ginormous sandwich up- it's so big it spreads out over his hand.

Seth makes a sound in his throat again, as if he's contemplating it. Elias grins easily, unwrapping the film on it, "It's full of chicken," he taunts, holding it out near his mouth.

Seth huffs, gingerly taking the food out the human's hand, careful of his sharp teeth- Elias swears he chews twice before swallow the whole thing.

"You're worse than Jace," Elias laughs, the sound feeling good coming out his stiff body. He picks another sandwich up, pealing the cover off and handing it to Seth.

"You've made a friend," Edward greets Elias, his voice tight in amusement as he climbs out the tent- securing it shut after to keep the heat in for Bella.

"Seths pretty cool," Eli nods, grinning at the wolf- who does a sort of wide fang showing back.

"Are you ok?" Edward asks, quietly, aware that if Bella hears- even asleep as she is now- will start to worry if she knows somethings wrong with Elias.

"Yeah, just a side effect," the grey eyed boy waves off, literally. He can't be bothered to get into it, not now.

"Where's Jake?" He asks instead, not feeling his heat signature anywhere around them.

Edwards gaze filters to Seth, reading the answer for him, "He's checking the woods before he goes to fight," he explains.

The tent unzips, Bella stumbles out, cheeks already pink from the cold air. Edward turns to greet her, their voices a quiet, their tone soft and sweet as Edward holds her close.

Elias turns from them, unwrapping another sandwich for the sitting wolf, who's pink tongue licks against his muzzle. The human laughs, feeling a little braver now and throwing it to Seth- his jaws snap powerfully around it.

"Damn, I feel sorry for anything you bite," Elias whistles, smirking as Seths ears flatten against his head, as if he's almost embarrassed. Elias resists the urge to reach out and stroke him like he would Jace.

"You're marrying him!" A voice bellows out, the intensity of his fury makes Elias stand up in fright.

Bella looks back from Jake and Edward with wide eyes, mouth opening and closing as if she doesn't know where to start. She didn't wait it to come out like this, she didn't want to hurt him- even if he deserved it in Eli's eyes.

"You knew he was listening!" She asks, accuses, Edward, stepping to go after Jake as he storms off, shoulders shaking in rage. A messy mind is a way to get killed in battle, sounds through her mind, through Eli's.

"Bella, you're gonna make it worse," Elias calls, running over to her, standing in front of the girl, blocking her path.

She stares up at him with pained eyes, wanting to go after Jake but knowing she shouldn't. Elias sighs, saying, "I'll go talk to him, don't worry, I promise I'll be nice."

"Please," Bella croaks, eyes watering. "He's my friend, I don't want him to be sloppy and die. I didn't want to hurt him."

"I know," Elias promises, because they've always understood how each other feels just by a look. He turns, running after Jakes large and determined steps. He follows the foot prints around the corner of the edge of the woods, stumbling slightly over the building snow. He forced a flood of heat off his body, melting the snow in his path.

"Hey Jake!" He shouts when he sees the boys copper skin standing out against the white snowy backdrop of the mountainside. He's near the tree line, looking ready to dash.

"Stop following me Elias," Jake snarls, turning to the human, all of him shaking, "leave it," he orders darkly.

Elias plants his feet, glaring back at the wolf with the same heat. "How about you stop being a god damn idiot for once in your life?" He snarls back, hands curling into fists. It's not his best idea, hell it wasn't even what he was planning to say. But somehow, it works. Jakes anger wavers in the shock of his words, so Elias carries on quickly.

"I see it on your face, the urge to be reckless and force your frustration in a fight and if you do that you'll die," he says surely, his voice on the edge of desperation- as much as Eli jokes, Jake - even if it is the horrible wolf one and not the innocent kid Elias used to like - being killed still hurts gives him a guilty ache in his heart.

"Maybe I want to," the teen huffs, taking a step backwards, his body vibrating- a sign he's about to shift.

"Then I'd say stop being a fucking moron and realise what you've got and what you'll lose!" Elias shouts quickly, the words halt Jake yet again- the anger bleeding into the words stun him. Elias brows pinch as he frowns, "Are you even thinking of your sisters? Billy? Your pack?"

The mention of the ones Jake loves breaks him even more. Elias straightens, looking into the boys confused and ashamed eyes, "If you're fighting with the chance of dying in a battle, make sure it's a good reason, not because you're so emotional you're stupidly reckless."

He grins encouraging, as if he means it when he says, "I get you're upset about Bella, but this isn't the way to go about it. You really love her?" He cocks his head, challenging the statement since he knows it's a way to manipulate the wolf into actually listening, "Survive this fight and then continue fighting for her."

Jake blinks, once twice, the words sinking deep. Without another word, he turns back to the woods- his movements powered but not as reckless. Elias sighs, hoping it's enough and turns back to the campsite.

Bellas a few feet away from Edward, her bottom lip being tugged on by her fingers. Edward looks upset that Bella is upset. At the sound of his footsteps she snaps her head up, relief washing over her when she sees Elias all in one piece.

"His heads a lot clearer now," Edward says, eyes sliding to Seth, reading the packs mind link. "He's going to be fine."

"What did you say?" Bella stammers over her words, the worry back with a vengeance.

Elias winces, the guilt picking at his heart. "Everything he wanted to hear," he mutters, stopping next to Bella. She reaches for his hand the minute he does her.

Seth makes a whining noise in his throat, as if he's hurting. Both humans snap their heads to him- his sandy ears are flat against his skull, he's staring directly at Edward.

"It's started," Edward breathes out, stepping backwards towards the humans, as if to shield them. His gaze never leaves Seth, picking apart the link. Elias and Bella watch him, waiting on commentary, their hearts lodged in their throats.

"Jacob just got there, he's good," he blinks, they can see the ends of his mouth curving in pride.

Elias opens his mouth, the panic building without no stop, it makes his hands warm to the point he's surprised Bella hasn't stepped away from fear of being burnt.

"Jaspers fine too, more than fine," Edward assures Eli, golden eyes connecting to cloudy grey ones. There's only truth shining on his face, it settles Eli's panic way before he says, "He's everywhere, no one can even touch him."

"Good," Bella exclaims, her chest heaving, "that's good."

Elias nods too, pulling the girl closer, letting his body heat expand, as if the warmth will help protect her from the cold thoughts he can feel in her head. It'll be over soon. It'll be over soon. They'll win.

They're silent for a time, the seconds ticking by like hours. Elias doesn't realise his whole body is trembling until Bella sets her small hand on his chest.

He stares down at her, their eyes a different colour but matching in emotion. 'It's gonna be okay' she mouths, as if her voice will break the serenity of the snowy clearing.

It doesn't, but Seths whine does. It's urgent, a lot more fearful than when the battle started.

"Someone's hurt?" Elias questions in a rushed breath- the worst case scenario shaking him to his core. Seth whines again, the tips of his muzzle pulling back, showing dangerous rows of teeth.

Edward shakes his head, eyes blowing wide, "She's close, I can hear her thoughts," he gasps, head swivelling towards the trees, "Seth go!"

Bella and Elias' heart clench at the same time as Seth jumps into the surrounding woods, body disappearing as if magically. "No," Bella chokes, the rest of her denial caught in her closing throat.

Edward backs into them, his cold body curling in front of the two humans protectively, one arm pulled behind him and in front of the two.

"She didn't see you two, she knew we wouldn't be  able to leave you alone. She caught my scent and knew you'd be near me," he growls in a regretful voice, body tensing, coiling, his head still facing the trees.

Elias lets go of his best friends hand as he pushes her behind Edward, sandwiching her between them. He pulls all the heat he can into his palms, the material of his sleeves start to smoke up into the air, scenting the area with smoke and dread.

Two shapes form from behind the miles of trees, their pale skin blending into the backdrop easily, their dark clothes and flaming hair not so much.

Two- two. Eli panics in his mind, calculating the chance of them surviving. Calculating battle strategies, allowing Jaspers voice and how he would think to wash over him. He's having a hard time, thinking and looking, planning and living; their red eyes are intent on Eli and Bella, missing absolutely nothing as they stare directly at their hunt. It's as if the vampire curled in front of them means very little.

Elias stops breathing as he looks at the unknown male- tall, subtly muscular, eyes brighter than Victoria's. He looks younger than Elias- the murderous rage in his eyes makes him age a lot. He must have been the second in command.

Then there's Victoria- her walk like a feline cat stalking her pray. The wild red of her curled hair sends Eli into a panic- its just like his old nightmare. Only this time she isn't smiling and thats more terrifying.

"Riley, listen to me," Edwards voice is sooth, sure, everything a vampire should sound like- expect for the pleasing tone. Riley's dead gaze flickers from Bella and towards Edward. "Victoria's just using you, to distract me. She knows I'll kill you."

Edward stalks foward, slowly, inches at a time. The gap between him and Bella sends Eli into overdrive- the fire burns brighter under his skin, he swears any minute he's going to start glowing, it feels like the sun is tripped inside of him.

"In fact," Edward directs in a compelling voice, Elias can see the movement he makes as he looks at Victoria, "she'll be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore."

Edward banks inched to his left, covering Riley's face from Eli's view- something about his expression makes rage simmer under Victoria's perfect mask.

"Don't listen Riley, I told you about his mind tricks," she purrs in a soothing voice that doesn't match her cat like exterior. Despite the words being directed to Riley, her eyes never leave Elias. The human man glares back, his eyes missing the colour of fire but very much holding the intent of it.

"I can read her mind, so I know what she thinks of you," Edward inches foward, the gap between him and the two humans bigger. Victoria eyes it victoriously.

"He's lying," she assures, her gaze finally leaving Eli- the workings of rage sweep off completely as she gives the manipulated boy a 'honest' look.

"She only created you and this army to avenge her true mate, James-" Elias and Bella shiver, "That's the only thing she cares about," Edward foes forward again, the muscles in his body coiling, ready for an attack.

"There's only you, you know that," Victoria speaks through clenched teeth. Eli knows her patience is running thin. Hope blossoms faster than the fire in his chest.

"Think about it, you're from Forks. You're from the area, it's the only reason she chose you. She doesn't love you," Edward soothes, this time he shifts to the right- allowing Eli to see Riley's face. Blank. He's not listening.

"You know I love you," Victoria battles against Edwards words- her lips curving into a unnatural smile. Wrong- it sends the panic in Eli into a frenzy.

Riley's face clears from any confusion, his red eyes zero in on Edward. "...You're dead," he whispers in a promise- lips rising in a snarl of attack.

But another snarl comes- from no vampire. Seths tan shape flies through the air from Eli's right, slamming into Riley and making both of them slide feet to the left into the snow.

Seth rips into Riley like he's made from something soft- agile yet strong as he dodges Riley's attacks- his powerful jaws yank against the newborns left hand, tearing it off. The sound of marble snapping is hardly hearable as Riley wails at the top of his lungs.

"You won't get another chance like this again!" Edward screams out, bringing Eli away from Seths attack.

Victoria pauses halfway across the clearing, back straightening out, turning back to the two scared humans and one furious vampire. She'd tried to run.

"You want her! You want me to feel the pain you felt when I killed James," Edward stalks to her, fingers curled into claws at his sides. Elias pulls Bella behind him by her shirt, his hands palm up towards the advancing vampires.

"When I tore him to pieces," Victoria shows her teeth, panting with deranged anger, "When Jasper laughed as James screamed, when Elias lit his torn pieces to flames," she hisses, furious now at Edwards smug voice, "when we turned him into nothing."

She charges at Edward so quickly Elias hardly sees it. They both slide back, a blur of red hair and dark clothes. Bella jumps backwards too, pulling Elias with her as the two vampires land in in a heap in front of them.

Victoria stands fast, hand outstretched to grab them. Elias forced a controlled wave of boiling heat to her from her palms, knowing how it would sting and crack her cold hand. She hisses and Edward takes the opportunity to yank her backwards, throwing her across the air- she turns in the air, body like a leopard as she grasps onto one of the trees.

Edward backs into the humans, arm guiding them away from the trees, pushing them backwards. Eli's panting, Bella has a sheen on sweat lingering over her- even from behind she can feel the heat pouring off of Elias. They run with shaky legs, distancing from the lethal vampire in the trees.

Elias scans his sounding with wide eyed, calculating- Edward lunges for the tree, smacking his palms on it- it breaks, snapping, plunging to the ground with Victoria on it. Behind that Elias can hear the fight continuing with Riley and Seth- theres a pained yelp the same time Edward smacks into Victoria.

They fight on the ground, clawing at each other- Victoria's nails dig into Edwards neck the same moment Riley jumps over the tree, smacking into Edwards back.

No, Elias wants to scream, stepping to them as then gang up on Edward. There is no chance, there's no plan, no escape even Elias can think of for him. He's cornered. Seth is out, Bella is behind him, probably trying to find her own solution. Victoria and Riley, they force Edward to his knees, Victoria's arms locking around his neck as Riley holds back his arms.

Elias knows as that one second stretches infinitely, as Edward looks up at the two humans with agony and sorrow eyes, Elias knows they'll kill Edward. They'll kill Seth, then Bella, then Elias. Or they'll turn him. Either way, it means death, it means all of them dying. The chances of all of them surviving aren't existent. Elias has to do something, he has to do something.

He needs a distraction and courage.

Bella figures it out for him. There's a flicker of a burning lighter in one hand, there's blood dripping down her hand in the other. Both Victoria and Riley pause, the intoxicating scent of Bellas blood distracting them.

There's a moment, where Eli checks over his shoulder at her, that their eyes connect. Grey and brown, sorrow and panicked, the words 'im sorry' are clear to Elias, the translation of 'it's okay,' echos back.

When Elias looks back, hardly a second has passed. Bella forces the lighter to his hand, watching as a wall of red explodes from him- up one arm, over his shoulders, to the other arm, down his legs, everywhere.

Elias is on fire and he's running.

Eli lunges feet away, the flames scorching so hard he feels the material of his clothes melt. He's controlled in his fire, not a flame strays near Edward, he's controlled in his aim too. He smacks into Victoria so harsh he feels the cracks of bones in his body- but it works- the flames, the surprise, it makes Victoria let go of Edward- it saves him. It could save them all.

...But Victoria's yanks herself backwards holding onto Elias, her arms around his middle, squeezing- they tumble in the snow in a fight to stand up again. She's faster, but Elias explodes the fire out in a attempt to kill her, but she's till too fast- the colour red is everywhere, Eli's fire, her hair, her eyes, her intentions-

-her lips as her face gets closer to his. He tries screaming but it doesn't come out right, the only noise is a squelching sound as something rips. Something that triggers the flames to stop on Eli's body.

Edward is there, pulling Victoria away from Elias mid roll- the high pitched squeal of a vampire being killed doesn't register to him as Elias finally stops rolling and lands onto his knees.

Bella gasps across the clearing, her mouth open in a silent scream. Elias' body realises the sharp pain in his neck before his brain does- his tanned hands come up to clench around the area just as a fountain of blood flows through his fingers, down his chest, dropping down to the floor.

"Elias!" Bella wails in terror, running to him as he drops, a pool of tanned skin and scarlet in the snow. She falls next to him, pressing her own hands into the torn linings of his neck. Her hands and wrist get soaked with blood instantly.

Eli's eyes are glossy as he stares up at her, for once she can't read him, she can't understand. She's panicking. He tries to move his lips, but no sound comes out.

"Edward," she cries in alarm, looking over her shoulder- he's frozen in horror, just like Seth, dazed and horrified in front of Victoria's and Riley body pieces.

"You've got to turn him, please, he-he saved us," she stammers in a cry, looking down at her brother, tears blurring her view. Red gets coughed up from Eli's mouth and Bella wipes it away so he can try breathe. "You're gonna be okay," she assures, because this is her best friend and he won't die. She won't let it.

Edward appears next to Elias, holding up his head, trying to clear his airway. He moves Bella's hands away, assessing the wound, using all of his senses at once. Eli's eyes slip shut, the grey hidden behind paling eyelids.

"Bella," Edward says softly. Hope blossoms in her until he tries to take her hands off from where she's putting pressure on Elias' neck again. She shrugs him off angrily, trying to stop the flow of blood from the wound, "No Edward!"

"Bella, baby, look," he instructs, pulling her hand off Eli's bleeding throat. She blinks past her tears, her body hurting in ways she'd never known before as she stares down at Elias. He's dead, she thinks, surely. He isn't moving a inch, the only motion is blood coming from his neck.

Edward murmuring instructions to Seth- human Seth now. Elis backpack gets brought over to them, it's the same colour as the liquid covering the human. The vampires quick in his movements of emptying it out, collecting a black pouch they'd packed as a backup.

Bella numbly watches what he's doing- a needle presses into Eli's arm, through the gaps of his burnt clothes, to the vein. A label on the side says morphine. You don't give morphine to a dead person, Bella thinks morbidly, looking back to her brother.

It's a gruesome sight, with the blood and the wound, with how her mind screams that he's dead...Then she sees it. He's not still because he's dead, no, no. His eyes are shut, sure, but the muscles of his jaw start to clench in a frozen strain. His chest is moving more rapidly. At his side, his ash stained hands are forming into fists.

And above the many rips of his throat from Victoria's teeth, there's a darker red crescent shaped bite mark, only visible to her due to how it shines with silvery venom.

Well, some of you guesses right. Did you expect that? Also, two updates in one day... because I love y'all :)

Incase you are confused, because I remember last time people being confused. When Victoria tugs Elias backward, as they're fighting and he's burning, she brings her face closer to Eli's and she tries ripping his throat out. But she miscalculated and bites once before managing to take a chunk out of him, so to speak. So yes, venom is in his blood stream.

Also, the 'im sorry' and 'it's ok', thing is because in that moment Bella understands that the only chance of survival means potentially sacrificing her brother in the fight. But she knows he wants that- he's rather die to save others than be useless, that's why he says it's ok, just Incase he did die. So she pushes the lighter to his skin and lets him fight.

Don't be a silent reader !