Ruthless ? Jacob Black [2]

xvi. finally free

"Are you sure you want it to be me you're connected with?"

Edward had stepped forward from Bella, coming to stand at Haven's side. This single day could change his life for the next ten years – which was how long it took for the vampire venom to naturally make its way out of a hunter's system.

Haven narrowed her eyes at him. "You aren't having second thoughts are you? Because if I'm capable of keeping my cool then you should be too."

That comment received an eye roll from the vampire. "I just don't want you to regret it. I'm actually rather surprised you picked me out of all of us."

"Why?" Haven questioned.

Edward shrugged his shoulders, not knowing how to comment or what to say.

"I'm not going to regret it," Haven watched Edward with her coffee colored eyes. Her hand came up to grip his, the cold feeling of his skin didn't scare the huntress like it used to. "You were my first choice when Carlisle told me I would have to be connected to one of you."

"Was my redeeming factor that I'm not a power driven, psychotic man like Aro is?"

A short laugh came out of Haven's mouth at those words. "Yes, but that's not the only reason. I trust you, Edward. I truly do and I can tell that you're not that used to that but too bad. I trust you and you're a great friend. I know that you would risk your life for me and I would do the same for you. As much as I love the rest of your family, you're the one I want to be connected to. You're going to keep me grounded and that is exactly what I need."

The squeeze of Edward's hand in her own made Haven know that he understood. Perhaps he wasn't the most confident vampire, but Haven knew the choice she was making. She knew this was the right one.

"And besides," Haven looked at Edward as he moved to stand back next to Bella. "If you really annoy me too much I can just do this whole draining my body of blood thing again and chose someone else. I'm sure Emmett will be up for it, or even Bella when she turns."

Bella shook her head while laughing at her best friend's comments. "You're about to lose all your blood and you're still making jokes. Typical."

"You love it."

With all comments aside, Haven knew that if they didn't start this soon then she was sure she was going to chicken out and that wasn't an option for her. She wanted Aro out of her head and this was the only way to do it.

Carlisle had already done all the preparation he could – Edward's venom was injected into all the hunter blood bags that had been gradually donated from both Chris and Casey, and all the equipment the vampire would need for a quick infusion of blood was standing close by.

Haven nodded when she saw that Carlisle had finished setting up. Her deep eyes moved to rest on the ceiling above her – Haven didn't know if she could go through with this if she saw her mother cry, which she knew she would be doing although she wasn't looking her way.

"I'm ready."

Haven didn't know at what point she blacked out– whether it was when the room started to sway around her or when she lost feeling in her legs, but she swore it didn't take more than one hour before her eyes started to close.

The last thing Haven thought to herself was that she hoped to God it worked, but even if it didn't Haven knew that she was almost content with dying – at this point it seemed a million times better than living her life with Aro being inside her head and filling her with mass amounts of rage.

Haven Eldridge wasn't phased by death and that to her was the biggest surprise of them all.

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