A/N – This story takes place at the very beginning of Twilight, on Bella's first weekend in Forks, at the very beginning of the second chapter. This is just after she first saw Edward Cullen, when he glared her down in Biology.
Bella's Quote – "My first weekend in Forks passed without incident."
That's where my story deviates. Bella's first weekend does not pass without incident. I hope you all enjoy, please read and review. Much love, Kate.
Thirst
Bella
When I wake up, I'm still surprised by my surroundings, even after spending my first week here. For a few seconds, when I'm stirring, I expect to open my eyes to the pale morning sunshine of Phoenix streaming in through the curtains.
Then I remember; I'm not at home. I'm with Charlie now, in the land of perpetual rain and greenery.
"Bells?"
I turn from the window, seeing my dad standing in the doorway, in his police uniform. I yawn and smile as convincingly as I can, earning a good morning from him.
"I'm going to be at work for most of the day, so I'll see you at dinner tonight," he tells me, securing his gun and holster.
"On a Saturday?" I raise my eyebrows, although it doesn't surprise me. Charlie's job is his wife and kids. Living alone, what else is he going to do on the weekends but go fishing?
"Yup. Crime never sleeps," he says gruffly, giving me a wry smile. Crime might as well be hibernating, in Forks.
"Okay," I reply, sitting up. I get out of bed, knowing I won't be sleeping in. I have too much moping to do. "I'll see you at dinner, then. I'm fixing us some Paella tonight," I yawn again. I know that if I'm going to keep myself busy, I need to make dinner a project. Rustling up a quick chicken salad wouldn't really consume my free time effectively.
"Sounds great," he grins. He awkwardly ruffles my hair as I pass him, heading for a shower. "See you later, kiddo."
"Bye, dad."
When I'm showered and dressed, I sit on the edge of my bed, running a comb through my wet tangles. I think about Monday. Will the allusive Edward Cullen be in school? For all I know, he's left. I'm both relieved and disappointed at the thought. I push my pathetic thoughts aside, embarrassed for even entertaining the idea that his absence could somehow be connected to his bizarre disliking of me. I don't even want to think about it anymore; I'm done pouring over the details – or lack thereof – in a vain attempt to understand his hateful glares. It simply doesn't make sense. I have to make my peace with that.
So I do just that. I continue with my day, getting some chores done. I do the laundry, satisfied that both Charlie and I aren't swamped for choices when it comes to our wardrobes. I vacuum and dust, cringing as I come face to face with my old school pictures. The one from tenth grade is probably my least favourite, displaying the most awkward stage of my awkward life. I consider taking the liberty of stashing them out of sight but refrain. It seems rude to take them down without at least consulting Charlie, first. I might be welcome here but this isn't my home.
After my chores are done, I step into my father's little kitchen, fetching myself a glass of water, just for something to do. As I stare out the square window, I consider watching a little television, when something in the distance catches my eye.
The forest's edge begins at the end of the yard, with no fence to separate them. As far as the eyes can see, there is varying degrees of green. It's dizzying.
But that's not what I'm looking at. Beyond the sea of green, in amongst the trees, I see a pale figure. When I narrow my eyes, I can see that it's a woman, with flowing black hair.
For some unknown reason, a chill runs up my spine.
Without thinking, I dump the water, banging the glass down with a protesting thud. I don't know what compels me to do it, but for some reason all I can do is open the back door, onto the porch, so I can get a better look at this mysterious figure.
What is she doing? I think to myself, confused. There's nothing but a few houses out on this side of town, so why is she here? Is she on a trail, a hiker?
My legs decide to find out, pulling me forward. As I go closer, her features become known, startling me. The thought comes unbidden, provoked by nothing more than the appearance of her.
She looks like a Cullen.
Her skin is pale and flawless, glowing dimply against the backdrop of green. Every feature is straight and perfect, with no ridges or mismatched angles. She looks otherworldly, startling in her immense beauty. Just like a Cullen. There is one small, yet highly significant difference, though.
Her eyes, framed with long, winged lashes, are scarlet red. Not gold, or amber. Red, like pooling blood.
I want to fear her. On some basic, carnal level I know I should. I don't though. All I want to do is go nearer, to come closer.
My feet eagerly carry me forward without my active consent, pushing me closer and closer to this frighteningly beautiful woman. It's like there's an elastic band suspended between us, but she is firmly planted to the ground, while I have no choice but to be pulled in her direction.
No, I think, vehemently commanding myself to stay put. My feet plant themselves to the ground, going against their own wishes. Something is very wrong, here.
I look into her crimson eyes, bewildered by her. She simply raises one fist, painstakingly slowly unfurling a single finger. A glorious smile spreads across her face, illuminating her whole appearance. She curls her lifted pointer finger, gesturing her desire for my proximity.
I feel my resistance give way, both feet squelching against the sodden grass as I unwillingly press onward. My mind seems to cave under the weight of this consuming, irrational desire to go to her. It's as if there's no other choice in the matter, no alternative option. I must go to her.
As she sees me coming forward, the hypnotising beam on her upturned lips transforms into something completely different, something very sinister. Her pink top-lip curls back in an unnatural way, setting her expression in a dark grimace. She's baring her teeth at me, like an animal.
I know I'm supposed to be afraid, any normal person would, but I'm not. All I want to do is keeping moving forward, keep on journeying to her side.
"Faster," she hisses suddenly, the sound carrying through me like a dagger to the heart. My legs go the distance of two steps at a time, hurrying.
It occurs to me then, that this can't be real. This is the stuff of nightmares. I must be dreaming. This is too...too...supernatural.
Wake up, Bella, I order. I reach over and pinch my skin on my wrist, digging my nail in sharply until I feel wetness on my finger. Wake up, damn it! Wake up!
She snarls. She growls. She doesn't move. She stays in amongst the trees and I don't turn around. I begin running. I'm being pulled to her much, much faster than before, very nearly tripping as I sprint to the cusp of the woods, passing the trees.
It's not me running to her. She's pulling me forward, dragging me to her.
This can't be real.
I keep moving, until she's only a few feet away from me and she reaches for me. I gasp, hyperventilating as her nose touches mine. Against my warm skin, hers is ice cold. Chills run through me like little electric shocks, wracking my body as I try to squirm out of her stone hold. I want to run. I no longer feel the pull, I only feel repelled.
I have to get away.
"Don't struggle," she commands, her voice peeling bells. It's like she singing softly, romantically in my ear. A lone tear springs from me, snaking down my cheeks. She smiles angelically at me.
"May I kiss you?"
When I only stare back in utter horror, my heart ready to burst right out of my chest. The terrifying, beautiful woman leans in, securing my face with her strong grip. I flinch when she tenderly presses her soft, plum lips to mine, stroking my tear away with her thumb. Her kiss is searing and ice cold.
I feel my knees buckle out from under me but she holds me to her, securing my body against hers. She feel like stone, like a statue that belongs in a museum. I tremble as she leans in, her cherry lips whispering arctic air against my ear.
"You need not be frightened, child. I will not kill you slowly."
The terror in her words chills me to the bone. Beyond the fear comes longing, heartbreak. My life, already so empty and futile, is ending. I will never see my parents again, never be able to make something out of my small slice of time on this earth.
It's all over. My time is up.
She reaches for my hair, carefully stroking the length of it until she reaches my shoulder. She pushes my tresses back, revealing my neck to her. Her eyes change suddenly, fading from red to jet black. The darkness seeps in like water on cloth, saturating her iris until there's no colour left.
As I sag into her hard arms, I close my eyes, giving in to the end. I feel her wintery lips press against my neck and I feel momentary surprise at the image branded on the back of my eyelids.
I see only one thing.
Edward Cullen, the boy who has occupied my curiosity for most of my stay in Forks, glares down at me. His eyes are stunning, hypnotic and terrifying. I realize, with startling surety, that the Cullens must be the same as the creature who is about to end my life. They are monsters, beautiful abominations.
Perhaps Edward himself had wanted my life. Will he be disappointed when he hears that it's already been robbed by another just like him?
As she opens her mouth against my skin, I open my mouth to speak, to beg, but nothing comes out. I wait for her tongue to snake out, but it doesn't.
Her razorblade teeth slice through me like a knife through butter.
The sound of her moans of pleasure are enveloped by high pitched screaming. It takes me a moment to connect the sound to myself, before realizing I'm making the deafening sound. I freeze in utter shock, feeling my lungs fill and empty too fast as my body registers the intrusion.
From my neck, she sucks wildly, draining me, pull after pull on my life source. My head feels light and my screams quiet to a low gurgling.
Until I feel something stinging my neck. I struggle, hard, trying in vain to pull away from this monster. I begin screaming, even louder than before, wailing, as my neck bursts into flames. The fire is crippling.
I'm on fire.
In the distance, I hear a sound that barely makes it to my ears through all the screaming. Growling. Gut-wrenching snarling.
Tears pour down my face as I sob, screaming in agony. I've never been in so much searing pain. I'll gladly give her my life, in exchange for relief. When will this pain end?
The growling becomes louder as I hear the rustling of leaves on the trees.
Before I can register what is happening, I'm flying. Green blurs pass my vision as the air whooshes past me. In the next second, my back slaps against something hard and I feel my spine bend the wrong way, snapping upon impact. Then I fall.
I wrench my eyes open, wailing so loudly, waiting for the demon woman to come after me. My eyes are swimming with tears as the burning spreads from my neck to my skull, seeping through my flesh. I gaze into the forest, seeing the pale figure pinned to the ground underneath a gargantuan beast...a wolf. He tears at her face with his teeth, pulling chunks of her apart, like she's made of marble. Parts of her fly in all directions as she screams a chilling, ear-piercing scream that makes mine pale in comparison.
My eyes scrunch closed again as the fire spreads further, charring me from the inside out. Without conscious decision, I find myself begging for death, my senseless cries transforming into a plea.
"Isabella? Isabella Swan, listen to me!" a rough voice commands. I unwillingly open my eyes, barely looking through a slit. I see naked man, with his face right up to mine. I barely feel him shaking me as the fire licks at my throat, my lungs.
"I'm on fire!" I scream, sobbing between breaths. "Please, you have to put out the fire! Put out the fire!"
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"Then kill me. Kill me now! It hurts!"
The man rears back, rippling and shuddering as he gazes down at me. His face twists. I roll around in turmoil, desperately trying to put the fire out.
"Shit," he mutters.
When he scoops me up, I flail against him. I feel him press some kind of fabric to my bleeding neck. I feel the air against my fiery skin but it does nothing to relieve the agony. I cry and scream as the flames sink down to my toes, leaving every inch of my body to char.
Why am I not dead? Why? The pain is too much.
I open my eyes, looking up at the man, realizing dimly that he's running through the woods. I ball my fists against his chest as I beg for death.
"Kill me, please, oh god, please kill me. The pain is too much!" I cry. I try to flail my legs as well as my arms, only to find that my legs no longer work. They sag earthward as the flames torture me.
The man ignores me. I watch as his dark eyes harden.
"I'm taking you to the Cullens," he says, dutifully. "I won't kill you. It's not fair."
I picture Edward and his dangerous perfection, feeling pure terror wrack through me. More biting. More burning, without the promise of death.
"NO! Leave me to die! YOU CAN'T TAKE ME THERE!"
He ignores me, a single tear leaking from his eye. I feel sick as the flames hit me from every possible direction, burning me to the bone, boiling my blood.
I cry, I beg and I plead. I focus on the pain in my spine to avoid the burning, but I can't evade it. I don't know how much time passes. Minutes. Hours. Every passing moment lasts a lifetime, beginning and ending with hellfire.
"When will I die?" My voice is grating, gravelly from the screaming. I picture the flames burning holes in my throat, where the burning seems most violent. I keep looking down, expecting fire, but the burning must be only inside my body because I can't see the red hot flames.
"You won't," he replies. "You won't ever die."
My heart breaks. What world have I been born into? What don't I know?
It has to end somewhere. The burning cannot last forever. Can it?
"What's happening to me?!"
The man looks down at me, his eyes etched in pain.
"I'll let Carlisle explain that one. I'm already doing that bloodsucker a favour." His voice is contorted with rage. If he hates the doctor, then why is he taking me to him? If he's an evil monster then why is he delivering me to him?
"Oh no," I sob loudly. "Please, no. No!"
I try struggling away from him, moaning in pain. I keep feeling that I will fall unconscious from the overwhelming, staggering sensation. I don't, though. I stay awake, on the surface, living and breathing fire.
Time passes. I still cannot measure it. The fire rages on.
Eventually, I feel us begin to speed up. I open my eyes, still weeping in all this hell. We are approaching a wide river amongst the trees, but the man doesn't stop. He rages on, propelling us toward the water bank.
Is he going to drown me?
I flinch when he suddenly leaps, carrying us over the huge length of the water effortlessly, like it's the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh fuck," I moan, cursing at him. "What is wrong with you?"
He ignores me, flinging us through the forest again. I continue crying and screaming out, knowing it will solve nothing. I can't rise above this agony. I can't push it away.
As we begin to slow, I know longer know where I begin and end. Everything is burning in invisible flames, consuming me. I claw at my neck in futility. My throat feels drier than a desert dune.
I open my eyes, feeling too hopeful when we come to complete standstill. I roll around on the ground when he delicately places me on long grass. I look up at the dull, grey sky and weep for myself. I want to die. I pray for death.
"Oh my goodness!" A soft, delicate voice cries.
Around me I hear more growling and hissing, barely audible through my shrieking.
"Edward," a female voice snarls, vicious. "That fucker."
"Rosalie, be calm," a male voice commands, smooth as silk, like the voice before him. My sobs deepen, as I recognise her name. Rosalie Hale, one of the Cullens.
The man who carried me here responds in a tight voice, sounding almost aggressive. "It wasn't him. It was a female. She bit her, not far from her home. A friend of yours?"
"No," the calm monster replies, sounding bewildered and...appalled. "We had no idea there was another of our kind in the area. This is...devastating."
"Kill me, please!" I shriek, folding under the intensity of the burning, which rises. "Please...someone do it. Just DO IT!"
I open my eyes as strong, icy arms – just like the ones of my previous attacker – curl around me. I look up through my tears into the golden eyes of a woman I don't recognise. Her long, golden waves curl against my skin. My eyes lock with hers, pleading.
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," she soothes, running her icy hands over my scalp, which have no effect against the flames. "It will end, soon. I wish we could stop the pain." She presses her lips together, looking down at me with agony in her eyes.
I don't understand.
I don't try to, either. I let myself be enveloped in the flames, giving in. Maybe if I stop resisting, the pain will go faster. The woman promised there would be an end. I hold onto it with everything I have, looking past the pain.
"I brought her here," the rough-voiced man speaks again, "because in the treaty it states that if one of you bites another human, then the treaty is void. When I saw that it wasn't a Cullen, I decided against killing this girl. If you promise to leave this place as soon as possible, then you may keep her as your own and train her to live the way you and your family do."
The other man responds. "Thank you, young man. It was very kind of you to spare her life."
"I don't live to kill humans," he spits in reply. "I'm not like you."
For a moment, all that can be heard is my screams.
I hear the voice of Rosalie, again, but this time she's not angry. She sounds...heartbroken.
"Carlisle, no. We can't bring another innocent into this life. We have to kill her, while she's still mortal. This is her only chance to go peacefully," she pleads, frantic.
Mortal?
"What are you?!" I wail, thrashing against the tender woman. She lets me go, allowing me to claw at the earth in crippling pain. My legs remain dead weight, completely numb.
"Carlisle!" Rosalie cries. "We can't do this!"
A small, high pitched voice that sounds like singing makes itself known. I continue to cry, clutching at the grass and the soil. When will the burning end?
"Rose, we have to give this serious thought. Not everyone regrets this life. Edward's not even here. We need to discuss this as a family before we do anything rash," she reasons.
I hear the soothing voice of the man, who I assume is Carlisle, interrupt when Rosalie tries to speak. I stop screaming. I just moan softly, my tears having run dry.
"Alice is right. This child needs more consideration. She's barely lived."
I hear more hissing before I feel cold arms scoop me up. I look up into another beautiful face, a marker for danger. His face is pale, like the rest and his eyes are honey gold. His hair is blonde.
"We will stage a death," Carlisle says above me, grimly speaking. "Then we will keep Bella here for a few weeks before I will transfer to another hospital, far away from here."
"Do what you have to do. Just make sure she goes nowhere near the humans while you're here, or the treaty is finished," my carrier warns. "I will be keeping an eye out."
"Of course," Carlisle responds. "We can handle her."
I glance at the man, who stares at me for a moment, his eyes full of sorrow.
"I'm sorry. I just couldn't do it. You're still human," he explains, as if I could possible understand. He turns around, shimmering and blurring as he disappears into the woods.
"Let's take her inside and take her upstairs, Carlisle," the kind woman murmurs, touching his arm. She gazes down at me sadly. I can do nothing but suffer, crying tearlessly. I feel like my whole body is drying up all over, scorched by the heat.
Carlisle agrees with the kind woman and I close my eyes, choking out sobs as I am carried into the unknown.
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