Glass littered the floor. Bella lay in a twisted heap near the mirrors, leg bent at a sickening angle, blood trickling in slow rivers from her arm and scalp. Her eyes fluttered—barely conscious—as James crouched over her.
He didn't even flinch when the door exploded inward behind him.
The wind that followed was a blur, and then—
Edward crashed into James like a meteor.
The two vampires slammed into the far wall in a flash of motion and sound, drywall cracking beneath the force. The mirrors shattered violently as they rolled, claws and fists tearing into one another with primal, snarling rage.
James laughed.
It was maddening, manic — a predator's delight.
"Edward!" Bella cried weakly, reaching toward the chaos with shaking fingers.
But he didn't hear her. Not anymore.
Edward was gone. Consumed. His fists were claws, his face pure fury. He slammed James down into the floor so hard the wood splintered. But James twisted, his foot snapping up to kick Edward off, sending him into the mirrored wall again.
Shards fell like rain.
Edward emerged, bloody but unflinching, a feral growl tearing from his throat as he charged again.
This wasn't the graceful, refined Edward she knew.
This was something ancient.
He tackled James midair. They spun like beasts, colliding with the ceiling and then crashing to the ground in a heap of claws and teeth. James raked his nails down Edward's side, trying to go for the neck, but Edward bit down on his shoulder, tearing a piece of muscle free with a snarl.
James screamed. But it only made him fight harder.
They rolled again — across the dance floor, past Bella, past the broken camcorder — tearing at one another with the fury of starved gods.
Edward slammed James's face into the ground again. And again.
"You touched her—" he roared, his voice more growl than words.
Blood dripped from James's lips, but he smiled through broken teeth. "She tasted... perfect."
Edward lost it.
The mirrors exploded as he hurled James into them. The vampire cracked through three panes before Edward was on him again, pummeling him into the floorboards.
Flesh, bone, wood, glass—it all became a blur.
Bella screamed Edward's name, trying to anchor him back.
But he didn't stop.
Not even as James gasped, bloody and twitching.
Edward's hands were around his throat, squeezing, teeth bared like an animal.
Then Alice appeared, Elise and Jasper not far behind.
"Edward!" Alice's voice cut through the frenzy. "Enough! We need him alive to finish this the right way."
But Edward didn't move.
James choked, laughing through crushed cartilage.
"She'll never be safe with you."