Disclaimer: The only way I will ever own Twilight is by owning a copy of the book, and the only way I'll ever own the characters is if someone sends them to me for my birthday. (I would love you forever if you somehow managed to do that.)

Death of an Eternity

Sequel to "When the Moon Doesn't Rise"

By ibelieveinsnorkacks

I crouched low along the forest floor, following the tell-tale scent of a mouth watering mortal, and the vampire fool enough to try to protect her from me. It had been luck, really, that I had caught his scent, laid out so nicely for me. I had realized at once exactly what they were trying to do, and had called Riley away from the approaching fight to aide me in the kill.

I tensed as a light breeze ruffled the leaves around me, flinging that enticing smell to me again. I heard Riley groan in frustration and impatience, his lust for blood calling to him. I hissed quietly at him, warning against the lure of his bloodlust. I straightened as we reached the edge of the trees.

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I was growing impatient now. There she stood, so weak, so vulnerable. It was taking all of my self-control to keep from attacking. I was annoyed that the fool vampire, Edward, had almost ruined my pretence of affection for the pawn, Riley. It hadn't really been that difficult to convince him of my "love". He had been willing enough, had wanted, to believe that the lie was truth. What a fool he was. I was relieved that the charade would no longer be necessary after today. I swept my gaze across the clearing, swiftly taking in the rocky wall behind the two cornered victims before they settled again on my main prey.

Finally, after more than a year, James' death, the setting of my moon, would be avenged. After today, it would finally be over.

I watched warily, preparing to fight. I saw the mind-reader shift, getting ready to defend his live. I sneered at that. No matter how desperately he protected, fought, he was going to lose. I had no intentions to kill him, however. No, I would do much worse than that. I was going to leave him, broken and wasted, over her mangled corpse. I was going to torture his dead heart, until he was begging for an end that I would not grant him. He would be left in agony. I knew he would go to the Volturi soon after to die, but every moment of his pathetic existence until then was going to be filled with the crippling pain of his existence. My eyes gleamed at the coming of his fate. Suddenly, a snarl ripped through the air, cutting through my thoughts. I saw Riley go flying, as something large and tan slammed in to him.

"No!" I heard myself shriek. Though Riley was little more than a game piece to me, he was a vital component in the death of the girl. I turned away from him, glaring towards my prey.

"No." This time I said it calmly almost, in defiance. I ground my teeth together. They would not take this victory from me. Even if I had to fight the vampire myself, the human would die.

Edward moved toward me and I moved my position to counter his. I thought no more about Riley. He was going to die either way. As long as he managed to hold of the werewolf long enough for me to make the kill, it mattered little whether he was killed by the over-grown dog, Edward, or even me. The only thing that was important to me now was the death of the girl.

I began moving from side to side, testing his defenses, trying to keep my thoughts from betraying me.

I heard the snarling crunch of Riley being disemboweled, and I could have growled with impatience. I was among the trees now, and I was forced to return my attention to the fight with the wolf. I could tell it was not going well for Riley. I turned to my target once again, exasperated and yearning to kill her, but fighting the instinct should Riley fail now. I had assumed he would have been able to hold off the dog at least long enough for me to get past the vampire and kill his precious mortal, but apparently he was too incompetent to accomplish even that simple task. I began fighting with the instinct to survive again.

"Don't go, Victoria," Edward muttered. It seemed almost as if he was seducing me with the victory of the girl's death, biding me to stay. "You'll never get another chance like this."

He was right; this had been almost too good to believe. I warred with myself, annoyed as his whispered words enticed me. I bared my teeth and hissed at him, trying to control my instincts.

"You can always run later." He was practically purring, and my thoughts were frantic now. "Plenty of time for that," he continued. "It's what you do, isn't it? It's why James kept you around. Useful, if you like to play deadly games. A partner with an uncanny instinct for escaping. He shouldn't have left you-he could have used your skills when we caught up to him in Phoenix."

A spasm of pain racked through my body, and a snarl erupted from me.

"That's all you ever were to him, though, Silly to waste so much energy avenging someone who had less affection for you than a hunter for his mount. You were never more than a convenience to him. I would know." He tapped his head, smiling crookedly, almost smugly.

Fury ripped through me, and I leaped from the tress, feinting to the side to begin our deadly dance. Now, I almost didn't care if I killed him. Perhaps I would simply maim him enough to leave him in physical pain, so he could watch as I created more pain for him, this time emotionally. We continued trying to slip past each other's defenses. I was more aware of the other fight that was occurring than I had been before, however, and I tried to judge the distance between Riley and the girl. Although I would much rather be the one responsible for her death, I wouldn't be completely put out if Riley accomplished it in the end. I hissed in annoyance, though, as the wolf snapped at Riley, who had to jump back. I was extremely surprised when the wolf's tail came in contact with Edward's back during his circling, and neither of them so much as flinched.

"No, he won't turn on me," Edward said, hearing the surprise in my thoughts. "You provided us with a common enemy. You allied us." My teeth clenched at that, and I tried to return all of my attention to him again. Still, the sight of the wolf tugged at the fabric of my memories. He seemed exactly like a werewolf James had once tracked, a vicious animal who had preferred his wolf form to his human and had acquired a taste for blood. James had tracked him for the fight he anticipated would come at the end. James had lost interest, however, when the smell of an enticing human had reached him.

"Look more closely, Victoria," Edward said, pulling me from my memories. "Is he really so much like the monster James tracked across Siberia?" I stared at him in disbelief.

"Not the same? Impossible!" I snarled. Really, how many giant, tan dogs could there possibly be running around in this world?

"Nothing is impossible," he murmured, moving slightly closer. "Except what you want. You'll never touch her."

I shook my head to clear my head, and attempted to duck around him to get to the girl, but my thoughts betrayed me, and he was there to block me. I was getting frustrated now, more so than I ever thought possible. I shifted into a crouch and began moving forward Edward crouched too, and our circling began again.

I was letting my impatience get to me though, and I was making mistakes. I felt and hear the crunch of Edward's skin slamming into mine, felt him break a bone occasionally. I couldn't reign myself in, though. I was so ready to be done with this, to never see that pathetic girl look at me with her panicked eyes ever again. And then she did something that took me completely by surprise.

I paused as I heard her gasp, and looked up. I was furious that she was so close yet so unattainable at the same time, but this was now mixed with curiosity as I took in the sight of her, standing there with a jagged rock held to her arm. I heard and exasperated sigh from slightly behind me, and then suddenly I was flying through the air. I hit a tree, and pain coursed down my back. I looked up from the crouch I had landed in and tried to ignore my back, realizing I couldn't straighten it completely, I could see Edward breaking Riley's back, and I smiled. He was distracted, at last. I coiled up tighter, and then leaped, arms reaching in triumph as I saw a spasm of panic rush across the girl's face.

I didn't reach her, though. I felt something knock into the length of my ribs, and I was flung to the side. I hit yet another tree, and it snapped in half. I landed on my feet once again, but my chance was lost. Edward was back between the girl and me, ready to fight again. I kicked away Riley's arm, the thing that had hit me, in disgust, and tried again, unsuccessfully, to straighten my back.

I stared at Edward, trying to decide what move to make next, and at the same time trying to veil my decision from his power. Another grinding screech filled the air, and I recognized it as Riley gaining the loss of his other arm without having to look at him. He called my name in desperation, but I ignored him. Soon the sounds of his destruction filled the air.

It hit me then.

I was now completely alone. Edward still stood between Isabella and I, and though there was still a chance to beat him, the dog would be back soon, and I could not compete with both of them. Disappointment and anger washed over me, and I burned with it. I shot one more glance at the mortal before starting my retreat again, more quickly this time. I would come back for the girl, someday soon. But then Edward was speaking to me again.

"No, stay just a little longer," he was using his seductive tone again, but this time I knew what I had to do. I turned and fled, feeling hatred course through me that I had not managed to kill her. I was to the trees now, and I knew that if I could just make it into them, I would have a very good chance of escape. Then I felt something ram into me.

I fell to the ground, curling my hands in anger. All that effort, wasted. I hadn't managed to kill the girl, and now I never would. I could feel him pinning me down.

I closed my eyes as pain ripped through my throat.

A/N: Hey guys, just wanted to say thanks for reading the sequel to "When the Moon Doesn't Rise" :-). I hope you guys enjoyed both of them; I know it was quite interesting for me personally to write them. I had Eclipse with me the whole time I was writing it, and I read it as I went along, so I'm hoping I didn't make any mistakes. Let me know if you catch one though :-). I want to thank Twi-moon-clipse for convincing me that "When the Moon Doesn't Rise" was good enough to have a sequel, and therefore convincing me to write this one :-). Reviews are welcome, of course, and I would love it if you left me one! Thanks again for reading:-)

ibelieveinsnorkacks