Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Hiya! So this was my entry in the Red Eyed Edward Contest, and I am STOKED to share that it won "The Quick Draw," an award from contest judge jdifrans1 (THANK YOU SO MUCH!). All the entries were amazing, so I'm doubly delighted by this win!

And isn't this banner STUNNING?! YellowGlue created customized banners for each winner, and each of them is amazing. I bow to her banner-making brilliance!

Soooo... this Red-Eyed Edward story is one of my favorite things I've ever written, but it's not a warm, cuddly fluff-fest. This journey is winding and bumpy and has been categorized as Tragedy/Hurt & Comfort for a reason.

Consider this your first and only warning—for Edward seldom repeats himself.

Red Eyed Edward Contest

Title: The Last Word

Penname: ladylibre

Word Count: 339

Rating: M

Summary: Edward enjoys his source of sustenance, and why not? He's providing a service to humanity. Right? OOC

Volterrean Prison – Present Day

The guards drag him to the door, neither daring to cross my threshold before scurrying away. Rumors abound about the nature of my "gifts," and I smile at their sprawling inaccuracies.

Humans can be so creative.

The door slams shut, and I gesture vaguely toward the longest wall. "Any last words?"

He blinks at the elegant scribbles beneath the blood splatters, and I suppress a laugh as he stammers a terrified reply. Regrets are as useless as his pleas for mercy, and I have no use for either.

Pardon is a kindness no one deserves.

He struggles against the chains, their discordant clink music to my ears. I embrace his fear, taste it on the air, and streams of venom collect in my mouth. I starved myself for this one, planning a fitting death to haunt him through the hell his eternity holds. This torture will not ease the suffering of the prepubescent boys he ruined—the ones who lived, that is—but it is what I can do.

And I love what I do.

Whipping around to face him with wide red eyes, I am satisfied when his prattling ceases. I bare my teeth for maximum effect, and as I blur to his quavering side, the coward gasps, seizes, and keels over.

I don't even get to use my roar.

Startled by the clarity of his final thought, I lift his crumpled form and tear into his neck in one sloppy bite. Blood gushes from the wound, spilling onto my tattered white shirt, but it matters not. His taste is unremarkable, an encapsulation of his former futility, and I toss his corpse aside, kicking it for good measure.

Swiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I bang on the door with three smart raps. The attending guard curses me under his breath, and I revel in his annoyance. He expected a longer recess so he could finish his pork rinds.

But he is in luck! I too have time for a snack.

Here we go!