Les Femmes Noires One-Shot Contest

Title: Uprising

Pen name: HellaCullen

Characters: Edward, Tanya, & Bella

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or its characters.

Warning: Contains violence and graphic sexual assault. If you are a person who is offended by the subject of rape, please do not continue.

I heard footsteps approaching the chamber door, and I awakened from the dream-like trance I was in. It was time once again, and I knew there was no chance of escaping my fate.

"Edward? Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Tanya's shrill voice echoed throughout the chamber. That voice grated on my already raw nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.

The red beams of light disappeared. The overhead ones brightened, exposing my nakedness as she approached me. I curled up in the corner, a sad attempt at covering myself.

"Tsk, tsk." She menacingly shook her finger back and forth. "Why are you so determined to fight this? There is no escape from me, my love."

"This is not love," I mumbled just loud enough for her to hear.

"How can you say that, baby?" she taunted, her laughter a clear indication of her heartlessness. "After everything we've been through, you'd think you would finally learn."

"I've learned plenty," I spat at her as she came to a stop in front of me.

Then something happened that broke my resolve completely. She held out a small, opened vial—the same kind as usual but somehow different. I caught a whiff of the most intoxicating scent I had ever smelled, causing my entire body to snap to attention. I knew without a doubt that I had to have it.

"Please," I whispered as she ran it under my nose.

She laughed and re-capped the vial, slipping it into her pocket. "You know the drill. First we play and then you can eat." Looking down at me, her face suddenly became very serious. "On your knees."

I ignored her and remained seated. It had been weeks since she had paid me a visit, and I was beside myself with hunger. However, no amount of starvation was worth giving in without a struggle.

"Fine. Be difficult," She grunted as she jerked me up by my arms and threw me across the room. In a flash, she was hovering over me, her clothing discarded on the other side of the room. I cringed as she grabbed me by the hair and pressed my face between her legs. "Do it," she hissed. "You know what I want. Do it, or I will leave you down here starving until you rot."

I heard the sincere threat in her voice and knew how willing she would be to carry it out. I was too weak to fight, so I closed my eyes and gave in, the memory of a symphony playing in my head in an effort to drown out what was happening. All too soon, I felt her body constricting as she found her release.

"That's it!" she moaned as she bucked her hips against my face. "Such a good boy!"

Disgust rolled off me in waves. I was disgusted with her for the devil incarnate she had become, and I was disgusted with myself for not having the strength to simply lie down and die. If it were possible for vampires to cry, I would have drowned in my tears. But that choice was denied me, and I simply remained on my knees, dreaming of an end to my life that would never come.

She laughed as she pushed me away, and I dropped to the floor and slowly crawled back towards my corner. "Oh, Edward, I really wish you would just get over yourself and learn to enjoy it," she said petulantly as she re-dressed. "Then I wouldn't have to keep you in here like this."

I said nothing and stared at the floor, awaiting my reward. Finally, she huffed and pulled the vial back out of her pocket. I could hardly contain my excitement as she lifted the cap and held it out to me. My mouth filled with venom as I reached out my hand, accepted the offering, and brought it to my lips.

My eyes rolled back into my head as the blood reached my throat. It accosted my senses, suddenly bringing me to a heightened state of awareness. It rolled along my tongue, rich, sweet and dark. A feral growl began to emanate from my chest and for the first time in years, I felt somewhat alive. It was the finest I had ever tasted, an unexpected diamond found among the shit my life had become.

"My, my," she teased as I licked the inside of the vial, trying to get the very last drop. "Someone was rather hungry today. I suppose it's my fault for not feeding you sooner, but I've been away on… business."

I felt my control slipping, and I knew I was once again at her mercy. "Tanya… please," I whispered, clutching the empty vial in my hand. I wanted more, and she was my only ticket to such bliss.

"You like that, huh?" she teased, reaching for the vial. I gripped it with all of my strength, but that was nothing compared to hers. "I had a feeling you might."

I felt like I was losing my mind, and I needed to know why. Against my better judgment, I opened my mind to hers. I saw flashes of mahogany hair and brown eyes. There were also screams and pleas; it was typical behavior of any human when being taken. It was a girl, and she was quite young—an innocent it would seem. But all too quickly, the images were gone, replaced by those of Tanya's dark fantasies.

She pulled another vial out of her pocket and ran it under my nose. "Virgin blood," she hissed as her cold, dead eyes bore into mine. "If you want more, you have to earn it." I didn't have to ask what she wanted; her mind showed her intentions clearly.

I reached deep within myself for the courage to do what I knew was necessary. If I fought her, she'd simply force me. This way, I'd at least get another taste of that sweet nectar. The girl's blood coursing through my veins gave me all the strength I needed to move forward.

Slowly, I stood up to face my worst nightmare. She smirked with satisfaction as I made my way back over to her. Hanging my head in submission, I asked, "Tanya, what did you do?"

She placed a hand on my chest, and her thoughts quickly returned to memories of the hunt. I watched in horror as she took the girl right out of her bed in the middle of the night. She was so young and innocent that I wanted to weep. The images continued to flow, and it was enough to distract me as she pushed me down onto the floor.

"What do you think I did?" She grabbed my cock and began stroking me furiously. "Don't worry. She's not dead… yet." As much as I wanted to resist her touch, the desire for the blood made it impossible, and I quickly grew hard inside of her hand.

"That's it, baby," she purred as she continued to pump me. "Come to mama!" With that, she removed her hand and lowered herself onto me. I would have given anything to be able to die at that moment, but unfortunately, I was already dead.

"So good," she breathed as she rode me hard. I kept my eyes tightly closed and thought of the girl's sweet blood that I would be rewarded with soon. "Say my name, damn you!" she yelled, deepening the torture. The moment the words escaped her lips, the girl's name floated through her mind.

Before I could stop myself, I said it aloud, "Bella!"

Suddenly, Tanya was no longer on top of me, and I felt my head being slammed against the wall repeatedly. "How dare you!" she screamed with ferocity.

Despite my pain, I managed to smile. She got such a thrill out of hurting me, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pleasure now that the tables were finally turned. Of course, my happiness was short-lived, and she let my wounded body drop to the ground and turned to leave. I realized I had probably forfeited my reward, but a force beyond my control begged anyway. "Please… the blood.

She reached the top of the stairs and glared at my broken frame. "You want it?" she sneered. "Then take it!" With that, she threw the tiny vial over the railing.

"No!" I screamed as I dove to catch the precious object. I was too weak to reach it in time, and it shattered on impact, the blood splattering everywhere amidst the tiny shards of broken glass.

I found myself completely helpless as I lay face down, surrounded by the precious liquid, and I began to lick the blood off the floor. She remained in the room, enjoying my humiliation as I cleaned up every drop. To make matters worse, I looked up at her and whimpered when it was all gone.

"You and your precious humans," she said with obvious irritation. "I think I'm going to enjoy watching you kill this one. That is, if I don't do it myself."

I began to panic as she left the room, wondering what would happen next. I could not endure it if she killed this poor girl anymore than if I did it myself. I also knew that there would be no way for me to resist if presented with the opportunity. I was too weak and that blood was too good.

Tanya had raised the stakes. It seemed the longer I resisted her, the more twisted her mind became. This blood was much more powerful than any I had ever had before. I'd given in almost immediately and knew, without a doubt, I'd do almost anything for another taste. I couldn't possibly hate myself more than I did at this realization.

I paced the floor, waiting for her to return with another vial of the girl's essence. However, she didn't come back that day or the next. I waited minute after minute, hour after hour, and day after day, but still she did not come back. I was approaching the point of madness; my thoughts remained on that succulent elixir. Her scent still lingered in the place where her blood had been spread out across the floor, making it impossible to think of anything else.

I replayed the images I had taken from Tanya's mind of Bella's long mahogany hair and deep brown eyes. I shook each time I remembered the sound of her screams, and I found myself growing more and more determined to save her for some reason. Although I wasn't innocent of taking human life, I'd never taken it from an innocent before, choosing instead to strictly hunt the evildoer.

But my hunting days were over as soon as my guilty conscience finally caught up with me. Evildoer or not, I found myself ashamed of my sins, wandering alone amongst the trees and refusing to feed. Each day I grew weaker until the day came that I had no strength left to stand at all. That was how Tanya found me, lying helpless under a tree, as I had been for several months.

She'd taken me to a place hidden deep beneath the mountains and tried to nurse me back to health. She'd made her desire for me known right away, but I'd found nothing about her to be appealing. Tanya was beautiful; there was no denying that. However, her thoughts were anything but. She'd tried everything she could to spark my interest, and she'd steadily grown angrier each time I'd turned her down.

After many months, and countless plots to gain my affections, something inside her had snapped. She'd ceased all actions towards returning me to a healthy state and moved me to the chamber—this dungeon that I remained in to this day. I'd tried many times to escape from it, but to no avail. The walls were made from some sort of strong metal, and the exit was guarded with special lasers that set my skin ablaze. Perhaps a stronger vampire could have easily broken free of these walls, but I had not the strength to do so. The technology was also foreign to me, and I had no idea how to deactivate anything. It was a suitable enough punishment, considering all the lives I had stolen. No amount of torture could undo the sins that I'd committed, so I'd eventually given up and given in to my fate.

I'd tried so hard to resist her, and I'd almost succeeded. However, she'd gradually worn down my resolve by starving me, causing my body to succumb to her strength. It was disgusting, the way she treated me like her whore, and I hated myself more and more with every encounter. Not only did I have to live with the memories of what I'd been forced to do, but I was also constantly assaulted with her memories as well. But when it was all over with, she'd reward me with blood, and it was just enough to ensure that this nightmare would never end.

When I could wait no longer for Tanya's return, I gave myself over to the madness. I screamed at the top of my lungs, and my hands furiously clawed at the walls. It had been one month since Tanya had introduced me to that irresistible blood, and I was beyond the point of desperation. I knew this was all part of her plan, but I couldn't help but fall right into her trap.

After several hours of this, the door finally opened. I whimpered involuntarily as she glided down the stairs, her face a mixture of amusement and pity. "Well, what have we here?" She leaned over the railing. "You're not hungry are you?"

In my mind, I flew right at her, tearing her limbs right off. In reality, I was far too weak to do anything more than crawl slowly forward.

"You poor baby," she mocked. "Did you miss me?"

I hissed at her, and she merely laughed. I was so sick of that sound, and I longed for an escape from it.

She frowned and shook her head. "One would think you would be a little happier to see me, but you obviously haven't learned your lesson yet." She slowly descended the stairs and came to a stop in front of me. "No matter. I've suffered your rejection for the last time."

I froze, confused, and met her eyes with a questioning stare. "Will you release me?"

She chuckled. "No. I don't think I'll be that merciful. I actually have something better in mind for you."

She turned and flew back up the stairs, leaving me more confused than ever. I had no idea what to expect next from her, but she didn't make me wait long. There was a shuffling sound, and then she was back. This time, she was not alone. In one swift movement, she gave the body a shove, and I watched helplessly as it tumbled down the steps.

"Dinner is served," she said with a smirk. "I just hope you'll still love yourself in the morning."

The door closed, and the room filled with her scent. If I hadn't already surrendered to madness, this would have certainly been my undoing. It was Bella, bruised and broken, but alive nonetheless. She was here, and she was all mine; making each minute of captivity feel worthwhile since it had brought her to me.

The scent of Bella's blood possessed me, and I slowly stood and made my way to the bottom of the stairs. As I approached her body, lying helpless on the floor, my eyes swept over her creamy white skin, her perfectly round breasts, and her shapely hips. Suddenly, my mind registered the fact that she was naked, just the way Tanya kept me.

I crawled up her body and ran my nose over her skin, basking in the smell of her for a moment. She was still unconscious, but I didn't have it in me to wait. My teeth sunk into her neck, and I felt her stir slightly at the intrusion. Her blood flowed into my mouth quickly, and it consumed my senses on contact. I felt drunk, happy, and complete.

I attempted to drown myself in her sweet nectar; nothing had ever tasted so good to me. Although I knew I had been suffering from starvation, there was something incredibly different about Bella's blood. As odd as it seemed, it was as if her blood called out to me, demanding a reaction from my cold, dead heart. I tried desperately to open my mind to her thoughts, but I heard nothing. I was disappointed to say the least, but assumed she must have suffered brain damage from the fall. Of course, it was better this way. There was no need for her to suffer because of me.

Suddenly, I felt her heart speed up, and a faint voice cried out, "Please."

Her voice echoed through my ears like the ringing of church bells. It was in that instant, with that one simple plea, that I somehow found the will to stop. Although I knew I could not save her, I also knew I could not kill her either. Instead, I lay back on the floor beside her and marveled in the feeling of her blood rushing through my body. I could feel my limbs strengthening, and it only heightened my guilt.

I jumped to my feet and picked her up effortlessly, carrying her across the room. Gently, I set her down in the corner across from mine. I knew it was silly to think that there was any place to hide in this small room, but my instincts kept me as far away from the doorway as possible. I leaned her up against the wall and moved her hair away from her face, taking a good look at her features. Despite the bruises that covered her face, I concluded that Bella was quite beautiful, and fought the urge to touch her. I would have gladly covered her naked body, but I had nothing in which to cover her with. I gave her as much privacy as I could by treating to my own corner while I waited to discover her fate.

I had no idea what would happen next, but I knew that I was now strong enough to face Tanya. I was possibly even strong enough to break out of here, but I wanted to attend to Bella first. She would probably die within the hour, but I couldn't leave until I knew for sure. I owed her at least that much.

Although I could not hear her thoughts, her heartbeat told me all that I needed to know. I became lost in its steady rhythm when her eyes popped open and she began to shriek.

Can it be?

Without hesitation, I flew across the room. As I looked into her blank stare, I realized the impossible was now happening. She was changing. She would survive after all.

Knowing it was too late to turn back now, I did the only thing I could do: I tried to protect her. If Tanya had any inclination of what was happening down here, she'd intervene in an instant. Of course, she would probably stay away for quite some time, knowing that I'd be at full strength after drinking my fill of Bella. Either way, I refused to let her win this time.

Instinctively, I laid my body over hers to keep her still and cool. The last thing I wanted was for this poor girl to suffer. I also pressed my arm against her mouth, muffling her screams and providing her with something to bite down on. I did all of this while ignoring the fact that we were both naked. After so many months without the luxury of clothing, I had grown accustomed to the shame—even learned to overlook it. However, I hadn't considered the fact that this was a woman that lay beneath me. Not only that, she was a very beautiful woman—very warm and soft. All too soon, I began to feel an unfamiliar stirring in my own body, but I tried my best to ignore such things and focus on her wellbeing instead.

"My beautiful Bella, can you hear me?" I whispered, unsure if she understood my words but determined to try. My name is Edward, and I'm here to help you. I'm sorry for everything that's happened, but I promise I won't hurt you…"

Her body twitched and shook as the venom overtook her, and she screamed into my arm for what seemed like an eternity. I knew from watching the procedure in the past that the transformation would take about three days, but I had no way of knowing if what I'd done would even be successful. Honestly, I hadn't meant to do it all. The irony, of course, was that I had in fact ended her life, only to replace it with another.

The hours passed slowly as I waited. Something changed in me as I lay pressed against her, watching her slip in and out of consciousness. Without meaning to, I went from feeling sorry for her to feeling almost possessive of her. I became so in tune with her body that I noticed every change as it happened, no matter how minor the change was.

"Mine," I whispered repeatedly, a quiet mantra to help the hours pass. During that time, I concluded that I would destroy Tanya or anyone else who tried to take her from me. As irrational as it seemed, I had fallen in love with her.

Turning my attention back to Bella, I noticed her heart had started to beat like crazy. It was then that I realized the three days had passed. This was it—this was the end. She would either awake to a new life or be lost from me forever. As her body became perfectly still, I rolled off her; she wouldn't want to be constricted if she did wake up. I waited and waited, but time moved forward with no sign of life from her at all.

I sat up against the wall and rested my head in my hands, crying tearless sobs. I had killed her after all, and that made me just as much of a monster as Tanya was. I had summoned up great strength that I never thought I'd had to stop myself in the middle of the blood frenzy, but it had all been in vain.

I soon became aware of the growl that was growing louder and more urgent as it filled the room, and I realized that it wasn't coming from me. I looked over to where Bella had been lying, but she wasn't there. I scanned the room quickly and found her crouching in my corner, her eyes glowing bright red amongst the darkness. She was alive! My angel had indeed survived.

I wanted to scream and rejoice to the heavens, but I tried instead to focus on the frightened newborn in the corner. "It's okay," I said softly, rising slowly to my feet. "I promise I won't hurt you."

"Who are you?" she asked, remaining in her protective stance.

"I'm Edward," I replied, holding both hands up in the air where she could clearly see them.

"Edward?" she repeated in a questioning tone. "Who am I?"

I smiled warmly. "You're Bella."

"Bella," she said with the recognition of being reacquainted with an old friend. Slowly, she crept forward; she was very unsure of her surroundings, and I was happy to wait patiently across the room. When she was halfway across the room, she stopped and asked, "Where are we?"

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, trying to think of the best way to explain it. "To be honest, I'm not exactly sure."

She studied my face for a moment before speaking once more. "What do you mean?"

"We are being held as prisoners," I said remorsefully.

Her face contorted into an expression of rage, and she said one simple word that explained it all. "Her."

"Yes," I confirmed, just as I sensed familiar footsteps approaching. "And she's coming."

Bella hissed and crouched by my side. The lasers vanished, the door opened up, and our captor came into view.

"Oh, Edward!" Tanya called out as she made her way down the stairs. "I came to see if you were done crying over your—"

Before she could even finish, Bella made her move, her newborn strength knocking Tanya off of her feet within seconds. I was not quite so fast, but I joined her soon enough and was delighted by her progress. She had managed to pin Tanya to the ground, and she'd taken a good chunk out of her shoulder, all in the time it took me to cross the room.

Tanya was screaming and cursing as I came up behind them, and I grinned, leaning down to look her right in the eye. "You underestimated the value of human life; therefore, you underestimated me."

"Edward, what have you done?"

At that, Bella twisted one of Tanya's arms completely off and spat venom in her face. "Mine," she snarled.

Tanya growled at her and looked up at me with fear in her eyes. "You must stop this uprising at once! I'll give you whatever you want. Come on, we'll go upstairs together." Then she added, "You know I love you."

I smiled down at her pained expression. "For the last time, that's not love." I turned my attention to Bella, pressing my lips to hers as we hovered over Tanya's mangled body. "This is love," I added once our lips broke apart.

Tanya hissed, and I simply laughed as Bella continued to hold her down, leaving me with the pleasure of ripping the bitch's head off.

As soon as we had her completely dismembered, we made our way up the stairs and out of that horrible prison. It didn't take long to find some matches and kerosene within Tanya's arsenal of weapons, and I led Bella hand-in-hand out of the burning building and into the wilderness.

As soon as we were a safe distance from the fire, Bella stopped and turned to face me. "Edward?"

"Yes, love?"

"Thank you for saving me," she said as she wrapped her arms around my waist and laid her head on my chest.

I held her close for several moments before pulling back slightly and raising her chin to my face. "No, Bella. Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" she asked, looking slightly confused. "You're the one who saved me."

I shook my head and laughed. "Oh, Bella. Don't you see? You saved me right back."

I had learned many things throughout my time in captivity. For one, I'd learned the meaning of true suffering. All of the pain I'd thought I'd experienced in my life was nothing compared to what Tanya had put me through. I'd learned what it truly meant to be a monster. Whatever evil I'd thought I'd become, it was nothing compared to the vile creature that was Tanya. Finally, I'd learned the most important lesson of them all. Through Bella, I'd learned how to love. It wasn't a perfect situation. Neither of us knew where we were going, and both of us would have to learn to live all over again. But it was in that love that Bella and I had found the strength to survive, to endure, and to overcome.