Midnight Sun (Twilight #1.5)(188)

I shifted into third gear as we flew down the highway.

Cop ahead, slow down. Alice warned me, but I refused to let up on the accelerator. I pressed the pedal down harder as the car's RPM reached Eight thousand. I shifted into fourth gear and the car jerked forward.

I didn't bother to see what the outcome would be when I flew past the parked cop. He turned his lights on and began speeding down the road after me. What he didn't know was that I could read his mind. I knew exactly what his plans were and Alice could see the future outcomes of them and I would ultimately get away. The cop's sirens blared behind me as he called for backup. I put the car into third gear, advancing the Mercedes. Alice was now behind the cop, trying to distract him with her reckless driving.

The cops mind became incoherent with panic as Alice tried to run him off the road. When we finally had the cop between the two of us, he began to mutter under his breath little prayers to his god. Ahead was a car, and we were going to pass it, the cop was going to have to stop or wreck. As with most humans, their first reaction is to protect self. The cop slammed on his brakes while cussing loudly.

I put the car back into fourth gear as it advanced down highway fifty-one. We swerved in and out of more cars as traffic began building up as the morning hours ticked on. My skin began to glitter fantastically out the window as many pedestrians began to gawk at me as I drove by. I slammed the clutch in and threw the car into fifth gear. Another lurch forward and the car went flying past several vehicles and buildings, making them almost blurry.

The quicker my speed became the more Alice's vision began to change, but it was still too cloudy to depict the outcome. I blocked out her visions because I was afraid they would bring me into a false sense of security. I saw East Lincoln Drive and knew that we were bang on course. I stomped the clutch down again as I brought the car into sixth gear. I was now flying through cars along with Alice going one twenty five. Each second that passed me felt like an eternity.

Come on Alice, press the damn gas down, Jasper roared in his head.

I didn't understand his thoughts. He had no connection to Bella, no link of any kind. If she were to perish, he would survive, but he continued to press the imaginary gas pedal from the passenger's side.

Traffic was backing up down several blocks now and I had to find a way around them all. I mentally began mapping other roads in my mind.

They will all be blocked. Alice informed me.

With each new plan and thought I was thwarted by more traffic, more people and vehicles all pilling up on top of each other while Bella was nearing death. Cold fury swept through me as I yanked the car to a hard right and was now driving along the wide sidewalk next to several businesses. People were diving into the street and backing up against buildings as I speed past, Alice closely behind me. The chill that was in my stomach seemed to surge icy cold as my fear and panic rose with each second.

During our drive Carlisle sat calmly in the passenger seat as we exposed ourselves and attracted unwanted attention. I hadn't been paying attention to his thoughts but finally noticed the calm composure that he had.

"Why are you so calm?" I yelled.

I want to save her life as much as you. We need to hurry - and if we have to make the papers, then so be it. Carlisle shot me a smile.

His face was sparkling spectacularly, sending rainbows and waves of color out of the vehicle as we finally hopped off the sidewalk. I shifted down into third gear as I slowed behind some more cars. As soon as the way was clear I slammed the accelerator down, speeding down the road once more, pushing the clutch in to change into fourth.

I brought the mental map back to the forefront of my mind as I tabulated how much longer it would be before we would be turning onto Cactus. I saw the street sign a quarter of a mile away and the car automatically went forcefully forward to punctuate my need. At long last I was going to be close enough to Bella that I would be able to hear her heart beat.

As we approached the turn I refused to slow down. I stomped on the brake as it came upon us and sent the car sliding sideways until I was turned ninety degrees from where I was before, speeding hastily down Cactus. My stomach was screwed tight with pain when I heard the fluttering noise of an angel. Bella's heart was not thrumming at its normal pulse; it was quickened, yet pumping sluggishly at the same time. My heart lifted in spite of myself as I realized she was still alive. Relief so exquisite that it was nearly pain entered my body, but was suddenly replaced by anger.

I made my way quickly down the road as we passed malls and parks where people were happily oblivious to the danger just blocks away. I saw Carlisle give an appreciative nod as I flipped the car into third gear, watching the RPM meter fly up until I grabbed the shifter and slammed it into fourth gear. I saw Carlisle grab the handles inside the car ready to eject himself out into the street to get to Bella.

An upsurge of noise erupted in my mind as I heard Bella's cries of agony and scream ripping through the morning air. I could hear the mental pleasure in James' thoughts as he threw her body across the room. I turned a tortured face to Carlisle as he added to his mental list of possible supplies he would need once we arrived to the studio.

A red haze clouded my visions as we drove closer - we were now only a block away. The vision in Alice's mind was solidifying and what I saw ripped my heart in two. Bella - a vampire. The monster, my monster, which had been so eager to escape, was now being liberated. Brutal violence ripped through my body and out through my fingertips as I gripped the steering wheel tighter. I could hear James' delicately inflected voice "That's a very nice effect."