300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets
CLOSING THE PORTAL

Bella:

As the portal opened and Halle continued chanting her spell, I began to feel a strange energy around me. She said it wasn't real, but goosebumps sprouted across my skin, and I could feel something-or someone-whispering in my ears.

I shut my eyes at once, unwilling to make the mistake of stepping out of the circle.

"Bella!" He called out my name, and I threw open my eyes to see Joseph Black-Moon standing close to me in the circle, clutching his head.

"Argh!" I screamed, causing Halle's eyes to open.

"He is here! The prin... Joseph Black-Moon!"

"It is an illusion, Bella!" Halle said, then continued chanting. I stared at Hazel, whose face was ridden with fear, but she did nothing except continue her spell.

The area became windy, and I looked around to see Hazel's parents standing behind her.

"It is not real! Nothing can enter this circle without getting hurt. Close your eyes if you must!" Halle yelled, and Hazel squeezed her eyes shut.

Finn reached for my hand, stroking it as I shut my eyes, trying to think of only positive things, but Bonnie's voice rose again.

"You let him kill me. You moved on, and I cannot rest in peace, Bella. What happened to 'Bella and Bonnie forever?"" Her words pierced me, and tears fell from my eyes, but I kept them shut, trying to focus on Halle's voice. I pressed Finn's hand harder, but suddenly, I felt another hand on my left. I opened my eyes to see Bonnie's hand on mine.

"They are distractions! Do not leave the circle, Bella!" Halle yelled again, and I swallowed hard as my heart raced faster.

"I've missed you, Bella, and if you leave the circle, then we can catch up on old times."

The fear in me died down a bit at Bonnie's words; they sounded ridiculous, as if whoever wasn't trying. Unless I was under a spell, her false sweetness wouldn't work.

As Bonnie kept speaking to me, I flipped my eyes open, turning to face her with a raised brow. Little did I know this was a ploy to distract me. Energy shifted around me, but with my focus on Bonnie, I didn't notice until it was too late. In the blink of an eye, something knocked Finn's hands off mine, and before I could brace myself, I found myself outside the circle, landing hard on my back.

"Bella!" Hazel screamed, and before Halle could respond, Finn rushed after me.

"Remain in the circle and keep chanting," Halle said to Hazel. She stepped away from her spot as I sat up, rubbing my throbbing head.

Finn crouched down, grabbing my hand immediately. "Are you okay?" he asked, and I shook my head as I kept rubbing my head.

He pulled me to my feet, helping me dust off just as Hazel screamed, "Look around!"

Finn and I looked up to see shadowy figures surrounded us, all dressed in black.

"Come on!" Finn said, pulling me along as we ran back toward the circle. But when we tried to get in, a burning sensation forced us back.

The figures started closing in, and we glanced at Halle.

"I'm trying to weaken the barrier," she said, strained. "But if we stop the spell, something worse could happen. You have to fight them off. Hazel isn't strong enough to close the portal alone. Their goal to distract is working, and we need focus. I'm sorry, Bella, but you have to fight them off."

My heart skipped a beat at her words, and I turned to face the shadowy forms. Just then, Riley jumped out of the circle.

"We're in this together," he said, and the three of us braced ourselves, watching the figures flicker and shift from humanoid shapes with elongated limbs to animalistic forms. Their faces lacked detail except for the hollow, dark pits where their eyes should have been.

Riley and Ryder partly transformed, lunging forward. I watched as they leapt into battle with these things, and I hesitated, unsure what form to take. Suddenly, I saw something move with incredible speed, stirring something in

me.

"Vampire," I said aloud, my eyes widening.

My vision darkened as veins cracked across my eyes, and my fangs extended. I lunged at them. For all their fearsome appearances, they were easy to take down, and we fell into action, beating, slashing, and tearing them limb from limb.

But after a while, we realized it was futile; no matter how many we destroyed, they kept multiplying. Soon, we were back-to-back, cornered. Riley and Finn shifted back to human form, panting heavily.

"I don't think we can do this-I'm exhausted," Finn said, breathless.

"Halle, we can't do this anymore!" I shouted, slashing at another figure.

Halle fell silent, and my heartbeat quickened as the creatures continued multiplying. One clawed at Riley, drawing blood.

"Blood!"

I sensed that flicker of speed again.

"Vampire!"

"You're close, Bella. It's an illusion; you can locate the source," Halle's voice echoed in my ear, and I closed my eyes, focusing on the surrounding energy.

There was only one true presence creating this, and I recalled Finn and I being repelled by the circle.

"They were injured when they entered the circle. Be on the lookout," I mind-linked Finn.

One thing was certain-they were a vampire, but not as smart as they thought. I saw the flicker again and seized the moment, using my speed to bite Riley lightly to heal him, then smear his blood on me, drawing the figure out.

The figure took the bait, and I caught a glimpse of his face-a man with black hair and a dark cloak. I struck hard, knocking him to the ground.

The figures started fading, leaving only the man, who clutched his abdomen. The three of us surrounded him. "Who sent you?" I demanded, panting.

"We finally meet, chosen one," he sneered, laughing darkly.

With a scowl, Finn kicked his injured ribs, but the man's laughter only grew louder.

"You're not half as strong as your mother, but I still took her down."

A chill spread through me as the meaning of his words set in. This man was the one who killed Minna Lycanthal.