Edward couldn't help but let out a moan of relief as he felt his back wounds finally begin to heal. Why take so long? he thought. And why does my head hurt so much? Then it hit him: "Lestat," he cursed aloud. "What the hell did that b.astard do to me?" He lowered his voice, looking down at Hannah, his heart panging painfully. He brushed her hair off her face, tracing around her eyes, her nose, her lips, her hairline with the tips of his fingers. "I'll figure it, dear," he whispered to her, not responding to Van Helsing's voice. "I made a promise."
Edward nodded, climbing into Van Helsing's carriage. He quickly moved any small bags in it over to one side and sat crosslegged on the other side, moving Hannah so her head rested in his lap. He picked a cloak up off the carriage floor and draped it over her even though it wasn't too cold now night had completely fallen. "I'll be right here when you wake up," he whispered, not caring if she heard him or not. "I promise."
Edward shook his head. "Not... my... back..." he slurred. "My... head... I'm fine," he finally choked out, standing up straight. "We've got to go. Now."
"She didn't want to tell you," Edward slurred, limping unsteadily over to the carriage. "I'm fine, but John isn't going to let her be... and I can't kill him..." Almost collapsing, he reached under Hannah to open the carriage door, carefully placing her inside. He shook his head and turned to face them all, careful not to lean too heavily on the carriage, his wounds on his back not healing quickly at all. His head was spinning too much, an unnecessary amount of pain exploding in his temples. He put his head between his kneesl clutching either side of it, his eyes shut tightly.
Edward struggled down the last steps of the hill and saw Beatrice. Her outline blurred and the world tumbled for a moment, but he shook his head, mentally slapping himself. "John," he breathlessly explained. He shook off Van Helsing's hands as the man tried to take Hannah and relieve him of his burden. "He made her faint... said she'll be around soon... don't trust him, though, or the other one even more..."
"Hannah," Edward tried as he walked, looking down at her face. She looked as though she slept. Anger surged through him once more, though, when he saw the fresh marks on her shoulder. "Wake up," he whispered, his arms aching, but she did not move. He could see the carriages and the stables now, but he could not quicken his pace.
Edward shut his eyes, swallowing his most powerful growl yet. "Enough," he spoke aloud, his head aching and his arms actually getting tired. "Lestat," he raised his voice, looking around. He could hear the vampire chuckle, knowing he was unable to see him though he stood so very close. "You stay away from me." He turned back to John. "And you," he hissed, choking on the venom in his own voice. "Stay away from her." It took the rest of his physical effort to turn around from that spot in Rome's forest now and start to head back out of the trees and down the slope to the stables. He held Hannah tighter to him, realizing he'd dropped his shirt back when Lestat had jumped on him, and, dully, he suddenly became awarre of the pain in the rips along his shoulder and upper back from the tree. You're welcome, he heard Lestat mutter in his mind.
Edward ignored Lestat, though he couldn't be sure he hid the surprise of the sudden voice in his head very well on his face. I'm sorry, Edward snapped to John, but didn't I tell you to leave already?
You're lucky my arms are full, Edward growled. There's nothing better I'd like to do than rip yout throat out right now. I'll make sure the next time I see you I'll know how to handle that properly.
Edward winced, cocking his head to one side to shake off the pain. What makes you think I would ever, ever hand her over to you? I can't leave without her, and that's never going to change.
"You can go," Edward snapped, unable to control himself. He knelt next to Hannah, taking her head in his hands, brushin bits of dirt off her cheeks. "We're leaving." He gathered her in his arms and stood, surprised he had to use some effort to lift her. I'm getting tired, he thought. We need to go soon.
Edward stood, rubbing his fist and shaking all over. "Go?" he repeated, wanting more than anything to kneel next to Hannah, but kept his eyes on John. "What the hell did you do to her?"
Edward rushed through the trees, thinking of what exactly he would do when he arrived by Hannah and John. Take Hannah and run... beat the s.hit out of John and leave him only half-alive, then run... that's better... He saw them now, and Edward let out a growl as he ran straight into John, knocking him off his feet and into the nearest clump of trees. Edward made sure the man's head smack anything hard; only his shoulder: John's right blade caught the thickest root, and Edward found himself delighted at the sound. Gasping, pinning the vampire down with his knees, he grabbed John's head in one hand and punched him across the jaw as hard as he could with the other, sending fresh blood of his latest victim out of his mouth and nose. Edward punched John again, unable to control himself. "I told you... we... were... leaving," Edward gasped between the hits. "I swear to God that if I knew how to kill you, I'd do it with my bare hands right now!"
"You haven't told me a thing!" Edward snapped, and reached out to grab the front of Lestat's shirt. The vampire easily sidestepped his grab and shoved Edward with one hand, sending him flying back against the tree he had been pinned against minutes ago, making it shake and creak once more.
Edward laughed, not understanding. "You take me out here as if you're going to kill me slowly, and now you're telling me you want to share a secret about how to kill John?"
"And how in Christ's name can you manage killing John and keeping her alive?" Edward snarled, his eyes glaring a deep shade of green. "I don't believe you."
"Oh really?" Edward snapped, walking up to Lestat so they were face to face. He was only an inch or two taller than the vampire, yet his eyes still frightened him more than anything else. "What would that be?"
Edward swallowed and stood, using all his physical strength to control himself. "What interest are Hannah and I do you?" he hissed.
A surge of unexpected rage rushed throuhg Edward's veins and he lashed out at Lestat, barely missing the man's face. The vampire dropped him to the ground. "Don't call her that, you son of a b.itch," Edward snarled, on all fours now, his head tilted up to look at Lestat. "I will kill you."
"I don't give a d.amn what you like or not, Lestat," Edward growled, but was utterly terrified that he couldn't move. I'm using all my strength! How in Christ's name can he hold me with one hand? "I don't know you and don't have a quarrel with you," he began now. "Let me down and I won't harm you."
