I WOULDN'T MIND

ten. o negative

▬▬ CORI SAT ON THE FLOOR, her back against the couch and her body between Emmett's legs as she read a book – everyone had pretty much given up on their book club with rising tension and the fact that they were all starving. But she had read seven books in just days, mostly because it gave her something to focus on other than the growing burning in her throat and the empty feeling in her gut. She was so hungry that she tried to eat a sandwich Esme had made for Seth but with one bite she was wrenching it up.

Emmett leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his arms encasing her as he locked his hands together over her chest. She smiled small as she leaned forward, kissing his wrist and he buried his nose in her hair, taking a deep breath of strawberry.

Jasper sat to Emmett's right, his eyes trained on the football game that played on the tv, though it was more background noise and something to focus on that wasn't the ever growing hunger. Alice sat to her husband's right, her back to him with her feet pulled up onto the cushion and her eyes trained on Bella, who had been sleeping more then she was awake.

Bella shifted, pulling the sleeve of her cardigan down but being careful of the IV in her hand.

"Are you cold?" Edward asked, his worry for her growing by the second, which was only outweighed but his self-hatred.

"Mhmm." She nodded, shifting on the couch.

"I got it." Jacob pushed himself up and moved across the couch, putting himself close to her legs, his arm draped over her hip and his palm flat on her thigh and she smiled as she pressed her hands into his arm. "Don't do that."

"What?"

"Smile like I'm your favorite person in the world." He told her, his voice low.

"You're one of them." She told him, her eyes falling closed again.

Cori, who was completely oblivious to their conversation, lightly nudged Emmett's leg and he picked his head up as she raised her book a little, her finger pointed at the line she wanted him to read. He smiled small and kissed the top of her head before pulling it from her hand to get a better look and eyes went wide as he read it and the paragraph below it. He should've known that it was inappropriate because she had a habit of showing him the dirtiest parts of all the books she read.

"Jeez." He mumbled quietly, passing her the book and she grinned as she looked up at him. She loved how frustrated he got every time she showed him the explicit scenes in books, and he usually did something about it... which she loved equally as much. She took the book and tucked her legs up to her chest, leaning against his thigh as she continued reading Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead. But her eyes moved from the page to her sister as she groaned and leaned forward, Edward moving the trash can towards her because he knew that she was likely to puke up what little food she had managed to get down. But nothing happened and she took deep breaths in hopes of soothing the wave of nausea.

"We need to find a way to get some food into her system." Esme stated, her heart breaking for the girl before her.

"If only I could see the fetus..." Alice shook her head a little.

"The baby." Rosalie corrected.

"... maybe I could figure out what it wants."

Edward looked over at Jacob, the boy seemingly lost in thought. "I think you might be right." He told him simply, confusing the others in the room. "Jacob just had an idea."

"It wasn't an idea." Jacob shrugged. "It was a snide comment."

"Do share with the class, Jake." Cori told him, her thumb between the pages of her book.

"It's probably just looking for someone to sink its teeth into." He looked over at her. Things with them were still strained, her having a hard time getting over being called a leech by a boy she's known her whole life, and him still finding it hard to grasp that she was a vampire.

Cori swallowed hard, her throat bobbing with the action but the burning didn't subside. Emmett pulled her closer to him, tucking his face into her neck because he felt the same way.

They all did.

"He's thirsty." Bella concluded, looking up at Edward.

"He's not the only one." Cori mumbled, opening her book again, but she couldn't focus so she closed her eyes and leaned more into Emmett needing something to ground herself.

"If it's craving, it's not gonna want animal blood." Edward looked up at Carlisle and Cori felt her mouth salivate.

"I have some O negative laid aside for Bella." The doctor nodded then he walked away, both Jasper and Cori looking up at his retreating figure before sharing a look. After all, they were the two with the least amount of self-control. Her black irises bore into his, and he felt the hunger, the worry, and the absolute need to satiate the burning in her throat rolling off of her... and he felt the same way.

"Walk with me." Alice stood up, taking Jasper's hand in hers and pulling him from the room, he glanced over his shoulder, meeting Cori's eyes again and he hated that he couldn't focus enough to ease her.

"Come on, baby." Emmett kissed Cori's cheek and she turned to look at him, simply nodding her head. She pushed herself up and he stood up behind her, his hand finding hers as they left the room. Her hand tightened around his when the smell hit her, her steps faltering. He secured his arm around her waist and hoisted her up, her ankles locking behind his back as his hands gripped her thighs. "I've got you." His voice nothing but a whisper, his eyes – just as black as hers – glossy with the promise of not letting her do anything she might regret. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." She breathed out, her hands gripping his hair by the fistful as he brushed his lips over hers.

>>>>> • <<<<<

▬▬ "I CAN HANDLE IT." Cori nodded, looking up at Carlisle.

"I know that they mean a great deal to you-"

"Bella means more." She cut him off. "I won't let them near you guys. You just focus on hunting, Emmett and I got wolves." She looked up at her boyfriend, getting a simple nod of agreement.

"Alright." He nodded and the four headed out into the woods, their eyes scanning the surrounding area with more vigilance than they usually would.

They ran farther into the woods, Cori leading them, her eyes taking in every inch of the forest they passed, and Emmett pulling up the rear like a sort of protection detail for Carlisle and Esme. "We've got company!" Emmett called out, glancing over his shoulder at the two approaching wolves. They changed direction and knocked Esme down a hill – having come from the side.

Cori turned and jumped, putting herself in front of the two wolves as they cornered Esme. And she was slightly surprised to see the two newest members of the pack – Collin and Brady – and both were momentarily stunned to see her before them.

"Go!" She shouted, not looking away from the two snarling wolves and Esme took the opportunity to get away. "I can't believe he has you two doing this." She muttered as she shook her head a little, her hands raised as if to signify that she meant them no harm. "You're kids." It absolutely broke her heart that they were so young when they phased, and even more so that Sam was putting them in danger by having them watch the Cullen house.

Collin growled and jumped forward, his large jaws snapping and she jumped back. "I'm not gonna hurt you." She told them, standing up a little straighter only to have Brady snap at her. "Okay, I'll go." She nodded, taking a step back, then something caught her eyes. "Emmett! No!" She shouted but it was too late, he had already ran right into the wolves, tossing them to the side. They landed in a heap with a few whimpers.

"Let's go." He grabbed Cori's hand and pulled her with him as they joined Emse and Carlise, and she couldn't stop herself from glancing at the two as they pushed themselves up. Snarling and growling as they chased after them. The four vampires easily jumped the ravine and the two wolves skidded to a stop at its edge before howling into the night air. And the four vampires took off into the woods.

"Thank you." Esme told the girl after they had caught a few deer.

"Yeah, of course." She mumbled, but it was clear that her mind was elsewhere.

"Hey, you okay?" Emmett asked, letting his hand drag down her arm to gain her attention.

"They're kids. Good kids."

"Who?" Carlisle asked, his brow creased.

"Those two wolves. Collin and Brady." She told him. "They're thirteen. They should not be out here. I'm gonna wring Sam's neck."

Emmett gave her a slightly amused smile. "So you'd rather it be two wolves that actually know what they're doing?"

"I, uh..." she closed her mouth and shook her head. "I'd rather none of this be happening, but it is and they're kids, Emmett. They could get hurt." He wasn't sure what to say, nothing seemed good enough. He pulled her into his chest, his arms tight around her as she pressed her nose into his chest, breathing him in as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

Then Carlisle's phone rang...