Baleful Times
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Summary: Bella is out hunting when something causes her to lose control.
Rated: T
Never in her entire existence had she felt such violent hunger. Lips pulled back over her incisors, Bella blinked trying to pull back the barrier in her mind, shielding herself from the bloodlust that currently inhibited her body.
Though it wasn't easy, it slowly slipped back into place, allowing her some clarity.
Two little boys sat on the snowy ground. Their eyes were wide in fear as large fat tear drops slipped down to their chins. She stepped back. Body alert, mind reflecting until registering the embarrassment and shame at what she'd done, could have done, Bella whispered a sorrowful apology before slipping back within the trees of the forest.
How could she have lost such control?
The hunt…she'd been out hunting without her husband and family. They were busily working on arrangements with a fellow clan to witness the miracle of her daughter. Oh God, Bella felt numb. The boys were about her age. Suddenly sick to her stomach, she rushed off toward the almost frozen lake and broke the ice with her hands. She threw it to her face, trying to chill away the memory.
"Bella?" She spun, water spraying about her as she found Edward standing behind her. His amber eyes watched her carefully. "I smelled their blood. What happened?" Voice holding no judgment, only concern, Bella felt her body ease slowly to the ground.
"I-I don't know. I didn't hurt them." She quickly rushed out. "Only scared them." Her human self inside cried at the image still burning in her retinas. Cold scared children nearly killed by her own blood thirsty hands. "The barrier…it slipped. I was so busy hunting that I didn't feel it recede."
"Powers have been pretty tapped out recently." Edward murmured. She only nodded her agreement.
Feet barely making a crunch in the snow, he picked her up into his arms and carried her back to the cabin they were residing in. "Come on, we better get back. Renesmee has been asking for you."
She leaned her head down to his shoulder, allowing him to cradle her. "Is that why you came out here?"
"Yes."
"I almost lost it Edward." She felt her throat close in on her, choking on his name.
He kissed her neck. "But you didn't and that's all that matters. Now that you've experienced almost killing someone, you will be more careful. Learn from this and move on."
Bella simply nodded, the calming voice of her husband soothing her to relax.