Should I have seen this coming? My body felt lifeless as I let myself sink, crushing the autumn leaves as I sank. He was gone. A numbness suffocating my heart soon to be followed by pain took over. I must have been standing in the woods, staring at the spot where he vanished, for some time before I realised he wasn't coming back.
As I stared off into the distance not really seeing anything, I replayed everything that was said in my head. I should have known I couldn't hold onto him. I never understood what he saw in me… when he could have anyone. Now I know I wasn't good enough. No wonder he was so against changing me, he couldn't bare to have me around forever. Burying my head in my arms in an attempt to block out what was happening I didn't realise I was no longer alone.
I heard the faintest sound of movement beside me. I raised my head, my eyes blurry and my face still damp with tears, but could see no one. At first I thought my longing for Edward to come back was playing with my imagination, and then I heard it again. Slowly I dragged myself off the ground and started walking in the direction I thought was the way home. The further I walked I noticed I seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into the thick woods. I was just beginning to relax a little again when a thud from behind some trees up ahead stopped me in my tracks.
"Edward?" I waited but no reply. I edged forward a little, trying to get a better look.
I heard a whisper in my ear "Edwards not here."
Startled I spun around and came face to face with Victoria. Her eyes were burning and her red hair blew viciously in the wind as she stared right through me. I felt frozen where I stood knowing I couldn't defend myself, one of the many flaws of being merely human. Part of me didn't care what was going to happen to me, Edward would be long gone by now and I could have peace knowing that he would never know about this and he would be ok…wherever he was.
"SO, It's just you and me" She inhaled deeply a slow smile creeping onto her face.
"Your boys being careless leaving you out here all by yourself, but then again he was careless when he killed my James. He should have known I would come back for you. We'll see how he likes to loose the one he loves." Victoria's eyes were fiercer now as she moved a little closer to me.
"Edward and I aren't together anymore, he won't care if you kill me or not."
My voice breaking as I spoke. I felt my heart heavy, saying these words out loud made everything so much more real. Maybe dying now wouldn't be such a bad thing; the pain of Edward leaving me would probably kill me anyway. At least this way it would be over quickly.
"And he didn't have the sense to turn you before he up and left? It's a shame really, as a vampire you might have stood a chance or at least lasted that little bit longer. I know it would have made me killing you so much more interesting."
Victoria's eyes covered every inch of me as she moved closer. A maniacal smile spread across her face.
"Enough talking, lets play!"
Before I had time to think, in one swift movement Victoria grabbed me by my arm. I saw no point in struggling, I would probably only hurt myself more trying to resist her. But why didn't she just kill me where I stood? She didn't seem like the type who'd want to cover her tracks and wasn't the whole point of killing me, that Edward would find out? I felt my arm bruising under her tight grasp as she dragged me through the woods, my feet barely touching the ground. We had only been moving for what seemed like minutes when she began to slower her pace. Seconds later, I realised where I was, I recognised it immediately. Victoria had brought me back to where she had first set eyes on me. I would never forget this place or the feeling I had when I knew James would stop at nothing until he killed me and how scared I felt knowing Edward would put himself in danger to protect me. If I had known what was going to happen the day I played Baseball with Edwards's family, would I have changed it? Would I have given up the time I spent with Edward instead of whatever was going to happen to me now? No. No matter what happens to me right now, I will always have that.
"Symbolic, don't you think?" Victoria hissed, cutting into my thoughts. "After all, this is where you should have died first time round" In a heartbeat her hand was wrapped around my neck. I felt my breathing weaken at her grip. Using what little air I had I screamed "Do it, whatever it is you're planning, just do it!"
I felt myself land, the ground gracing my skin, she hadn't thrown me far, just enough to hurt me.
"Why do you care that James is dead?" I saw her eyes twitch at the mention of his name. She seemed surprised by my sudden outburst, leaning over me tilting her head from side to side, like a Lion sizing up its prey. I didn't give her time to answer, steadying my voice I continued "He was supposed to be such a great tracker; he didn't even know we were tricking him from the beginning, kind of pathetic if you ask me"
"Don't you even say his name; you know nothing of real vampires!" Victoria growled, dragging me to my feet.
Her reaction was all I needed to know that James was her weakness, just as Edward was mine. Knowing that, I understood that if I provoked her enough she would loose her temper and just kill me… instead of…playing with her food.
"I might not know a lot but I know enough, Vampires like you and James will always be nothing more than killers, animals with no feelings whatsoever. James didn't love you, he …" She didn't let me finish, she has heard enough. Her growl was low like thunder as she pounced on me.
As my body hit the ground, I felt a second blow to the back of my head. I waited for Victoria to land on me but it didn't happen. I tried to sit myself up but my head was spinning and I could hardly see in front of me. As I moved I felt a trickle of warmth running down the side of my face. I was bleeding; I must have hit my head on something when I fell. The sight of the blood made me more light-headed as I struggled to keep my eyes open. Somewhere in the distance I could see movement, two shadows moving too fast for me to keep up. Then there was darkness.
