PROLOGUE

Bella ran through the woods, feeling the dirt under her bare feet as the laughter bubbled in her throat. It was a mad time to laugh, but she couldn't help it. The feeling of being chased was something exhilarating, yet scary and the sensation made her giddy.

Her mahogany brown hair flew in the wind behind her and she turned her head ever so slightly to see how far ahead she was. Hundred feet behind her she could barely make out the flaming red of Victoria's hair. Bella knew the vampire wasn't even trying to catch her, otherwise she'd be dead already. She supposed the red-head was enjoying the chase even as much as Bella was enjoying being chased, though in a twisted way.

Victoria couldn't hurt her anymore. There was no one else in her life. Not after she'd killed Charlie, her father. And Renée was in Jacksonville or wherever they had decided to settle, Bella forgot in the thrill of running. Even Jake had left her, even though he'd promised he'd never leave her. Not like he did. She was alone in the world, or so she felt, with no one to care for her.

Images flashed in her mind and with each she could feel the energy and will to survive flow out of her. She saw Edward, beautiful as ever, standing opposite her in the woods, telling her he didn't want her anymore. She saw Jacob, her best friend and personal sun, telling her to go home and leave him alone. She saw her old friends glancing over at her, never saying a word, from another table before they started whispering. She saw a red pool of blood, fed by the wound in her father's neck.

She didn't see the branch before it tripped her and she just managed to catch herself before she fell face first on the ground. A sharp pain shot up her hands from her palms, but Bella found it welcoming. A small relief from the pain in her heart. Then she turned and Victoria was on her, her face only inches from hers.

"Did you think you could outrun me?" Victoria's musical voice echoed in her ears.

Bella smiled. She knew she would soon be dead, but she didn't care. "No," she answered and the flicker of wonder on the vampire's face delighted her. It was gone in an instant, but Bella saw it.

"Do you think this is a game, Isabella." Victoria managed to make her name sound more like a curse than a real name.

Bella's smile never wavered and she could see the annoyance on the red-head's face, though she hid it well. "The worst you can do is kill me. And that's not something I fear."

Victoria snarled and was about to rip out her heart, Bella was sure, when a single, beautiful sound pierced the night like a saviour. The sound of a horn.

A hunting horn.

What do you think?

Peronally, I like this version much better than my last attempt on making Bella a huntress, so hopefully, you guys will too.

-Thiskittenhasclaws2