I WOULDN'T MIND

nineteen. pain

▬▬ GARRETT GRABBED KATE, wrapping his arms around her and holding her to his chest. He clenched his teeth, groaning in pain as she sent unending shocks through him but he never once faltered in his grip.

Eleazar and Emmett were quick to restrain Tanya, but she tugged against them and Cori moved to stand in front of her, her shoulder pressed into her ribcage and her feet sinking into the snow as she tried to push her backwards.

And Cori hated that she could hear every agonizing, heart wrenching thought that crossed their minds after watching their sister's execution.

"Blind them." Edward rushed out, his eyes on Zefrina.

"Give me my sight back." Tanya shook with rage, her eyes distant but Cori didn't let up.

"Tanya, this is what they want. If you attack now, we'll all die." Edward told her, his voice calm and with a defeated huff both blonde's gave up. Edward sent Zefrina a simple nod and she returned their sight as everyone relaxed just a little.

Cori stood up straighter, her mind still filled with thoughts that she was sure she would never forget.

Aro simply gave Jane a look and just as Jane set her sights on Edward, Cori stepped between them. "Pain." Cori let out a bloodcurdling scream so loud that it shook the snow from the trees. Emmett was at her side in a second, wanting nothing more than to take her pain away. But Jane didn't let up, she didn't seem to care who she hurt.

Cori fell to the snow covered ground, Emmett cradling her body as she withered around, her jaw clenched so tight he was sure she was gonna break her teeth.

"I thought she hated him." Garrett muttered, not even he liked seeing the young Swan in pain. Kate gripped his hand a little when he shifted on his feet, like he was uncomfortable as her screams echoed around them.

Edward watched in horror, he hated seeing her in pain especially in his place. And he could hear her begging for it to stop as well as the rather hateful comments about him. Bella rushed forward, her eyes panicked as she watched her sister curl in on herself. She squeezed her eyes closed, her hands clenched at her sides as she focused everything she had into extending her shield.

And when it reached Cori the young vampire let out a relieved breath as her arms and legs went limp in the snow.

"You're okay, baby." Emmett kissed her forehead, helping her to her feet.

"Remind me to quit saving him." She breathed out, the pain still very much lingering in every inch of her body.

Jane's eyes shifted, meeting every set of eyes before her but no one went down. "It's working." Edward mumbled, a proud smile tugging at his lips as he joined Bella's side, sending Cori a small nod, to which she rolled her eyes.

Alec stepped forward when Jane seemed no longer able to affect them, a black mist leaving his palms until Aro raised his hand to stop him.

"Aro, you see there's no law broken here." Carlisle told him.

"Agreed." He nodded, smirking a little as he found a new angle, a different way to try and save face. "But does it then follow that there is no danger? For the first time in our history humans pose a threat to our kind. Their modern technology has given birth to weapons that could destroy us. Maintaining our secret has never been more imperative. In such perilous times, only the known is safe. Only the known is tolerable. And we know nothing of what this child will become. Can we live with such uncertainty? Spare ourselves a fight today, only to die tomorrow."

Nerves bundled inside of Cori once again, any hope that had settled over her was washed away. Pulling her back into a state of panic, she leaned into Emmett and he tugged her closer to him, his eyes never leaving the cloaks before them.

"Alice." Edward breathed out, her thoughts hitting him before she and Jasper even broke through the treeline.

"Alice!" Aro grinned, delight lighting up his entire face, as they crossed the snow covered ground. Demetri moved forward, stopping the two newcomers only a few feet from the three kings. "My dear, dear Alice, we're so glad to see you here, after all."

"I have evidence the child won't be a risk to our kind." She spoke quickly, but he eyed her wearily. "Let me show you." She held her hand out and she knew she had him. He waved her forward, ignoring Caius' hesitation. Alice brushed Demetri off and made her way towards Aro, taking his hand in hers.

Wonderment filled his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips, though that was more from his never ending fascination with her gift then what he saw.

Alice tugged her hand back, her eyes narrowed at him. "It doesn't matter what I show you. Even when you see, you still won't change your decision." She turned, her eyes landing on Bella as she mouthed Now!

Cori watched as Bella gave Renseness a sad smile before she met Jacob's eyes. "Take care of my daughter." And with that he turned and raced across the snow. And Cori knew that this wasn't going to end well... for any of them.

"I love you." She mumbled, her head tilted back.

"Safe it for after." Emmett shook his head, lightly kissing her forehead and she closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, Aro was skidding through the snow before he stood up a glare on Alice. Then two Guards were on her.

"Take her away." He simply instructed.

"Let her go!" Carlisle changed, his face twisted in a scowl as he rushed across the snow, taking out two Guards before launching himself into the air, meeting Aro halfway. Then everything went still, moving in almost slow motion as Aro landed on his feet, a smug look on his face and Carlisle's body hit the snow behind him... and his head in Aro's hand.

Esme let out a silent scream, like her heart had been ripped out. Edward held back a gasp, his eyes going wide and Emmett's hand clutched as Cori's jacket. But Aro just grinned. A sinister smile that Cori was sure would haunt her for the rest of eternity if she lived that long. Then Caius set his body on fire.

A rage whipped through the air, twirling around everyone and at once that all charged, every intent to avenge Carlisle in every single one of them, even if they were severely outnumbered.

Aro thrusted his hands out and his army charged, and it was then that the wolves joined the little rag-tag army they had assembled.

Cori had taken out three cloaked vampires, the sound of shattering glass filling the air with grunts, groans, and agonizing shrieks. She was focused, quick, ripping off arm after arm, Emmett not far to her left and Paul staying close as he tore into every vampire that came near him.

A cloaked man towered over Cori, pinning her to the snow covered ground as he grabbed her chin, turning her head to the side as she fought against him but he was stronger. He pushed and pushed until a creak slithered up her throat and just before he could rip her head from her body Emmett was on him, smashing his elbow into his head, it shattered on impact. Cori wiggled her foot up and kicked what remained of his chin, sending him into the air before he landed at Colin's paws and the young wolf was happy to tear into him.

"You okay?" Emmett rushed out, yanking Cori from the snow, his eyes scanning the area before looking her over, watching the creak disappear.

"Never better." She patted his chest before shoving him to the side and jumping over him as a vampire came at him from behind. She ripped his arm off, before jumping and kicking his head clean off and his body fell to the snow.

She stopped when she heard Alice scream and she turned to see a headless Jasper, his head laying in the snow. "No." The word a mere breath, her eyes wide. She made quick work across the snow, her eyes zeroed in on Demetri, who was standing over Jasper's body. She passed Kate, who had a groaning man in her hands, her gift sending millions of shocks through him. But the blonde didn't budge as Cori let her fingers lightly trail the back of her hand, before she could reach Demetri, Felix got his arms around Seth – because of Jane – and squeezed. Letting the wolf drop to the ground.

Cori jumped, landing on the big vampire's shoulders, her legs tucked under his armpits as she held her hands to his temples, sending every volt of electricity she could manage through him as Leah let out a chilling howl. Felix fell to his knees, but she didn't let up as he clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes closed. She only released when a radiating pain shot through her, she fell back, her body writhing against the snow as she screamed. But before Felix even got his hands on the girl, Leah was on him, ripping him in half.

Jane smirked, watching the newborn shriek in pain as her hands gripped at the snow, trying to find some sort of release. Emmett's eyes were on her in an instant, and he rushed towards her, pushing everyone in his way to the side, his only goal... save Cori. And it helped that Paul was right there with him.

Before either could reach the screaming vampire or Jane, three cloaked figures pounced on each of them.

Benjamin's eyes darted around. They were outnumbered. Bella was held down by four vampires, Edward was fighting off a rather adamant woman, Emmett was pinned to the ground, a silver wolf growling and snapping his jaw at the two vampires that held him – having kicked one off of him. They were losing. He raised his fist before slamming it into the ground and a creak split through the snow before a chasm formed, giving them a little bit of leeway.

With the distraction, Jane looked away from Cori, who had gone limp in the snow, heavy breaths leaving her lips as her chest rose and fell. Paul managed to push the two that had him into the growing canyon, before he jumped, catching Emmett by his collar as he started to fall into its depths.

They shared a nod, and with a nod in Cori's direction Emmett took off as Paul jumped on every cloak that tried to stop the burly vampire. A lot happened, a lot that Emmett had missed. Emse almost fell to her death, Leah saving her, sacrificing herself. Travis ripping a Guard in half, only to have his arms torn from his body and his head smashed before Rosalie's eyes, then her agonizing scream that filtered through the air. Edward falling into the chasm, only to jump out, ripping the head from the vampire that had thrown him down.

He missed Sam tearing Jane to pieces. Marcus welcoming death like an old friend as Vladmir and Stefan changed him.

But before he could reach her, Demetri had the small vampire in his arms, her head twisted to the side as she clenched her jaw but she just had no fight left in her. And when the blond vampire met Emmett's eyes, he smirked and with a simple flick of his wrist, Cori's head rolled across the snow, stopping at Emmett's feet.