Chapter 1

Bella

Their footsteps were echoing off the walls of the alley as I began jogging away. Ahead I could hear two men laughing. It was then I realized I had been herded in this direction. It was a trap.

Behind me the two men were talking, mock-sorrow coating their voices. "Sorry, honey. I think that way is blocked." Two husky men emerged before me. Within seconds I was in the middle of their circle. I could smell liquor and smoke as they inched closer. I hoped they were too drunk to hurt me but something about their expressions told me that hope wouldn't blossom into reality.

"Leave me alone. My friends will be here any minute." I'm uncertain where the words were coming from but I knew I had to come up with something before they got any closer.

"No, baby, I don't think they will." The black haired man stepped forward and harshly rubbed my face. I pulled in all the air my lungs could hold for the loudest scream I could manage but the instant I opened my mouth, the same man punched the right side of my head. I staggered back, running into another attack who grabbed my waist and held me against his chest. He began thrusting his hips into my back, moaning. His face was nuzzled into my hair while his hand covered my mouth. "I know you want me you filthy slut. I'm going to fuck you right here and if you're little friends come, Danny there will fuck them." I could feel his erection pushing against me.

Beneath his hand I whimpered, silently begging them to kill me instead. There was no point in fighting the tears that threatened to burst forward. When they began sliding down my face, each one served only to provoke Danny.

"Shut up, bitch! Joe, let's take her to my van before someone hears." I felt something strike the back of my head and immediately lost consciousness.

*

I awoke in what I could only assume was the van. Joe, the man whose erection threatened me in the alley, was on top of me ripping at my shirt.

"Please. Don't. Please! I'll do anything. Just don't touch me!" I tried shoving him off me but he was far too strong. And for some reason I felt so weak.

"Just shut up and take it, whore!" He used all his force to slap me across the face. I whimpered beneath his hand but didn't dare speak again, terrified of being hit once more. Though part of me longed to return to the blackness, I couldn't force myself that kind of pain again.

Joe savagely grabbed my breasts, moaning and telling me fantasies he had about a girl like me. I had never allowed a man to touch me before. In Phoenix, I had never dated anyone let alone give them access to my body. Here in Forks there was only one guy I was interested in, and I doubted Edward Cullen would ever want someone who had been mauled by these disgusting men. Could I ever be the type of girl he could come to like? Maybe even love? Does he give any thought to me at all? From his behavior, I would say not. I hung on to the thought of Edward, anything to block out what was happening to me. To block out what these monsters were putting me through.

"Hurry up, man! I want a turn at her!" I hadn't before noticed the man sitting above my head, watching. That must be Danny. I vaguely wondered if they other two were in the front of the van, or if they had left.

Joe unbuttoned my pants, pulling them off quickly and rolling me over. I realized he intended to act out his fantasies on me. I would be the girl that got raped in the back of a van by two drunken men. The idiot that got lost after trying to purchase a book on vampires. How ridiculous that seems now. I am quite possibly in love with a vampire, a man that could probably take these assholes out with one glance. Where is he now? Would he save me, again, if he could?

"I bet you're a virgin, aren't you baby?" Joe leaned down and began kissing my back, gently as if he were my lover. "Tell me how much you like that!"

I can't become that girl. I can't let him do this to me. This time, I managed to scream before they hit me.

*

Edward

"Seriously, Angela, Mike is going to flip when he sees my boobs in this dress!" Maybe I'll let him feel them after the dance. That should be enough to make him stop obsessing over Bella-fucking-Swan.

I really need to tell Bella to stop hanging around Jessica Stanley. Her thoughts are poison.

"I'm sure he will, Jess." I wonder if Bella's okay. She should've had plenty of time to go to the bookstore. Should I call her again?

What? Bella's gone to the bookstore? I had stopped listening to the inane chatter about forty-five minutes ago. Bella was sitting in the corner reading a book while Angela and Jessica tried on dresses. I could not handle Jessica picturing she and Mike having sex in his car any longer, so I turned my car stereo up as loud as I could without drawing too much attention.

Immediately, I put my car in drive and began searching the streets for Bella. I left my window cracked in hopes of catching her scent in the air. As I turned down the main street my phone began vibrating.

"Alice? Is she…okay?" Panic began crawling into my throat, making my voice crack. I just was not entirely sure why I felt panic.

"In two and a half minutes she'll be dumped from a van into a dark alley. I can't see exactly where but you'll find her…" The hesitation in her voice did not go unnoticed. "You'll smell her blood, Edward."

I dropped the phone and pulled into the first alley I spotted. After jumping out of the car, I ran its length in a fraction of a second.

No Bella.

No blood.

Nothing.

I ran around the building to the next alley, then the next.

Five minutes and ten seconds later I saw her. She was lying in a pool of her blood, broken and naked. I pushed myself toward her. The monster inside me roared for her blood, attempting to claw his way free.

No! This is Bella. I love her. I have to save her, not destroy her!

Using every ounce of self-control I locked him inside a cage, hoping that would be enough to keep Bella safe from me.

Holding my breath I took her into my arms. "Bella? Can you hear me?" There was a long cut going across her throat, it appeared to be inflicted with a knife. She was loosing far too much blood there. I licked her wound, hoping to seal it and stop the bleeding. Then I removed my shirt to cover her bare body. "Bella, honey? I am going to help you. You. Are. Going. To. Make. It." I spoke slowly, trying to convince both of us that she really would make it through this alive.

She could not see me, both of her eyes were swollen shut. They had been beaten shut. I hoped my voice could soothe her.

What kind of monster could do this to my Bella? I shuttered from the rage working itself loose. I would find out who did this to her. And the pain I will inflict upon them will leave them begging for death.

"Ed…ward?" When she chocked out my name my relief was momentary. She was wheezing. Someone had caused her immense damage. Maybe a punctured lung? There was no time to check her over, I needed to get her out of here now.

"Yes, it's Edward, Bella. Stay with me, okay? I'm going to help you." I gently scooped her into my arms and began running to the road. Before I could step onto it I noticed the sun peaking around grey clouds to make an appearance. There was no way to my car without being seen.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!