Hello. I don't want to take a lot of your time but I just want to say:

Just quickly I'd like to say I don't own The Twilight saga or any of the characters mentioned in the story below. Just so you know. This is just a story idea that I put down into words.

Summary: What Bella's life would have been like if the wolfs hadn't saved her the day Laurent was in the meadow.

The start of the story is the words from the book itself, then they follow on into my own. You'll know when that happens because I'm not that great with writing. =D

Hope you enjoy it though! And if anyone likes it I'll post the other chapters I've written after this one.

Tempting Fate

The meadow

Laurent's weight shifted slightly, and I stumbled another step back.

He frowned. "I suppose she'll be angry all the same."

"Then why not wait for her?" I choked out.

A mischievous grin rearranged his features. "Well, you've caught ma at a bad time, Bella. I didn't come to this place on Victoria's mission-I was hunting. I'm quite thirsty, and you do smell...simply mouthwatering."

Laurent looked at me with approval, as if he meant it as a compliment.

"Threaten him", the beautiful delusion ordered, his voice distort with dread.

"He'll know it was you," I whispered obediently. "You won't get away with this."

"And why not?" Laurent's smile widened. He gazed around the small openings in the trees. "The scent will wash away with the next rain. No one will find your body- you'll simply go missing, like so many, many other humans. There's no reason for Edward to think of me, if he cares enough to investigate. This is nothing personal, let me assure you, Bella. Just thirst."

"Beg," my hallucination begged.

"Please," I gasped.

Laurent shook his head, his face kind. "Look at it this way, Bella. You're very lucky I was the one to find you."

"Am I?" I mouthed, faltering another step back.

Laurent followed, lithe and graceful.

"Yes," he assured me. "I'll be very quick. You won't feel a thing, I promise. Oh, I'll lie to Victoria about that later, naturally, just to placate her. But if you knew what she had planned for you, Bella..." He shook his head with a slow movement, almost as if in disgust. "I'd swear you'd be thanking me for this."

I stared at him in horror.

He sniffed at the breeze that blew threads of my hair in his direction. "Mouthwatering," he repeated, inhaling deeply.

I tensed for the spring, my eyes squinting as I cringed away, and the sound of Edward's furious roar echoed distantly in the back of my head. His name burst through all the walls I'd built to contain it. Edward, Edward, Edward. I was going to die. It shouldn't matter if I thought of him now. Edward, I love you.

I clenched my eyes shut and froze. What was the point in running when Laurent would catch me anyway? And, maybe, Laurent was doing me a favour. I knew the truth I'd locked up inside me for so long and I couldn't deny it any longer. I never could deny it.

Edward's feelings had changed for me but that didn't mean mine had for him. Because I knew, in my body and soul, that I couldn't live without Edward, and Laurent was almost helping me cope.

Both me and Edward could be happy now.

The world suddenly went into slow motion. Laurent's breaths whipped on my neck as he leaned closer and my hands clenched into fists at my sides. There was no point in fighting either; I wouldn't win if I tried.

Laurent said it would be quick. I took comfort in that.

"No. Bella, fight!" My hallucination pleaded, "Don't give up. Keep fighting!"

I can't, I didn't dare say it allowed not because Laurent was here but because I was afraid my hallucinations of him would leave.

And then Laurent's teeth punctured the skin of my throat.

I hadn't been ready for the pain, so I couldn't hold back on the scream of agony that escaped me. His teeth stung far worse than anything I could imagine. The feeling was like someone pouring acid in a cut, and when the acid was in my system they set the wound alight, before tearing and ripping the skin apart to expose the flesh and veins beneath. Being bitten by James last year in the ballot studio was nothing compared to this. I'd been mostly unconscious and wasn't aware of the burning until I woke up, and saw Edward...

Edward...

I wondered what was worse, being bitten by Laurent or losing Edward.

Instantly, I didn't have to think about it, I knew.

Losing Edward definitely was more maddening. The hole in my chest rippled in response and took my breath away. Where being bitten was a physical pain, losing Edward was a physical and mental torture. My heart beat for Edward...

But soon it would stop.

I opened my eyes to see the sky blurred above me. Silent tears were streaming uncontrollably down my face as images of Edward telling me goodbye played over and over in my head.

So lost in the thought of heart break I almost forgot Laurent was still feeding from me. He said he'd make it quick. Either he was wrong or the world was playing so slowly that it felt like an eternity.

One of Laurent's hands was rooted and fisted in my hair, holding my head so far back that it was uncomfortable. His other hand was on my left shoulder, next to where he was drinking. His long, deadly nails dug into my shoulder; but the aching grip was lost in the scolding agony of the bite.

Abruptly the sky went grey and blackness coloured my vision...

I'm dying...I could feel it. I could also feel dread and regret.

I regret not saying a final goodbye to my parents...or...or...

Or ever seeing Edwards face; or hearing his voice one last time, even if he is saying goodbye.

Where are my delusions? Had they gone? I needed to see them, to keep me sane for just a while longer.

I could feel my heart flutter, in fear and anxiety, and then it started to slow in rhythm.

The sky turned black.

The pressure against my neck had gone and I drowned myself in the thought of whether Laurent had left or if he was still feeding. Maybe I was so close to death that I'd lost all feeling.

Though, my very last thought, as I sank into unconsciousness, Edward, forgive me. I love you.

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