"So... Elijiah, is it, did this to you?" Edward began, his pace quickenening slightly. "Yes, neither of you said anything. You didn't need to."
"How many times do I have to tell you not to apologize?" Edward sighed with a smile. "And," he added more seriously, "I won't ask about your hands till you want to tell me everything."
"Yeah, yeah," Edward muttered, clutching his arm tighter and grimacing. "Let's... I shouldn't have left that room..." He tried to smile at Hannah's worried look. "I'll be fine. Let's go."
"You could have just told me all that back at the inn," Edward said, clutching his arm now, unable to stop himself. "I would have understood, you know... or at least tried to."
"What happened in there?" Edward asked as they walked. "I had a feeling I should go and get you... Jinx almost beat me to it. Why did you leave the inn like that?"
"Sorry," Edward apologized, and let her go slightly. "My name is Edward," he began now, turning to the stranger. Just like with Exel, however, Edward got a bad vibe from the man and did not let go of Hannah. "Thank you so much for helping her feel better. We'd better get back to the inn now."
"Hannah!" Edward cried, and stepped swiftly over to the bed and picked Hannah up, gathering her in his arms despite the yells of protest from his wound. "We've a new rule," he said a after a moment, holding her back just enough to meet her eyes. "No leaving in the middle of a conversation or when the other is physically incapable to follow. Got it?" Not caring if she responded or not, he squeezed her as tight as he could with his good arm to his chest.
"With all due respect, sir," Edward began, trying to be patient; he could feel himself wanting to growl, howl, rip, tear, anything in front of him, but he swallowed. "She's been missing and I need to see her. I won't take her anywhere unless I think she really needs to go. Now... would you please let me see the woman... the woman I love?"
"She's here?" Edward exclaimed, trying to look over the man's shoulder. "Oh, thank you so much for finding her! I'll just get her and take her home now..." He tried to push past the man to get inside.
"She has long, black hair..." Edward began. "As well as pale skin and a thin body... she's has yellow eyes most of the time and isn't the tallest girl in the world. She wasn't feeling well when she left our inn room, either. That's why it's important if you can tell me anything you may know, sir."
"Yes," Edward said, trying to smile and letting go of his arm. "I am looking for my... my fiancee... she wandered off a little while ago and I think she went this way. Have you see her?"
"Thank you, Jinx," Edward said, tripping slightly as he walked to the door and out of the inn. Where would she go? Edward thought to himself. He saw all the people walking around him, and reached out to touch their thoughts. It's getting late, I better get home... ... if my wife saw me, I'm going to be killed... ... the butcher shop better be open soon, I need to feed the kids... ... she had the largest... ... I can't believe what people stay in that alleyway... best stay away... Edward turned toward the alleyway himself. That's where she would go, he thought. She'd want to be on her own, and this is dark and almost empty... As Edward walked, he almost reached the end of the alleyway and saw no sign of Hannah. He saw a butchershop down at the end of the alleyway and headed toward it, thinking to ask for help if anyone had seen her. His arm ached furiously, making his head spin as he reached the front door and knocked. Shaking the pain and dizziness out of his head, he waited for someone to open the door.
Edward caught Jinx's eye and didn't know what to say.
"It's a little talent of mine," Edward whispered back reluctantly. "Don't ask how or why or when, because I won't tell you. Anyway, even Van Helsing is worried about her now, so..." Edward got up out of his bed carefullly, pausing and clutching his forehead as all the blood rushed to his temples. "I..." he began carefully, shoving off Van Helsing's helpful grip on his elbow, "I have to go find Hannah now. I hope everyone can excuse me."
"We're not going to hide forever, Jinx," Edward whispered as Van Helsing spoke. "We can trust this man if Van Helsing put him with us."
"What help will you be, Carl?" Edward asked, not sure why they needed the man.
Edward looked at the friar, slightly wary and still worried about Hannah. "Nice to meet you, Carl," he spoke nonetheless. "I'd shake your hand and stand up to meet you, but I was injured on a little venture with Mr. Van Helsing here... nice enough man, isn't he?"
"Hannah?" Edward called, and tried to get up to follow, but pain exploded in his head and arm, forcing him back down onto the pillows of his bed. Do something? he thought, trying to massage the pain out of his wound. It wasn't helping. What could she possibly do? Did I upset her? If she wants to be around me anymore, we need to make a rule about no running away from each other in the middle of conversations...
"I killed an old woman, Hannah," Edward grimaced, wiping his tears off his face and pulling away from Hannah. "I don't think there's much you can do, dear." He barely caught himself before the word was out of his mouth. He only blushed slightly.
Edward looked away from her, angry tears coming to his eyes. "You remember all those odd, violent feelings I was telling you about? Well, they took control of me once she cocked that gun. Somehow I knew the bullets were silver. She fired and I transformed and got out of the way... the next thing I knew... she... I... I pulled Van Helsing's gun... I shot her... the blood was..." Edward faded off, gagging slightly at the gorey memory and his head aching with pain and guilt. He couldn't look at Hannah again.
