Edward's POV

I still remember that day that I lost my angel. I still remember that the fear in her eyes. I remember the woods that had seemed so harmless until now. I still remember the cursed vampire that tore her from my arms and took her life from both her and me.

"Edward, help me. Please, help me!" Bella screamed. I watched, livid and seething, as Victoria stalked towards her. I struggled against my captors, fury burning inside me as the red-haired vampire reached out one long, cold finger to trace down the neck of her prey. Victoria's henchmen held me tight, stronger than Emmett, allowing no movement in their choking grasp.How dare they try to harm her. How dare they! To harm such an angel - yet there was nothing I could do. They were too strong. I looked towards the faces of my family, and they stared back at me. Victoria walked slowly, taking her steps one by one, until she stood inches away from my family's grasp. Hatred blazed in their eyes as she – Victoria – crowed her victory in front of us. Emmett roared in the arms of his captors, raging and fuming as she stood calmly inches away from the raging vampire. Emmett's restrainers tightened their hold as he attempted to tear himself from their grasp. It was then that we knew we were defeated. There was nothing more to do, but to watch, and wait, though I cringed and winced internally with every step Victoria took, drawing her closer to Bella.

"Please no. Let them go. Please." It hurt me in ways that were indescribable, to see her plead like that.

"Bella no!" I snarled, hissing at the abomination of a vampire that threatened the life of my love. It was no use; all that earned me was a tighter hold and a warning hiss from my captors. I felt nothing; all that mattered to me was her safety.

"Victoria! Isn't there some way we could work this out? Leave her alone, take me instead. I beg of you, she has done nothing!" I called, desperate. She turned toward me with a wicked gleam in her striking black eyes. "Please." I whispered. Our eyes held each others for a moment and then she turned away.

"No!" she hissed, facing Bella, tilting her head just to the side to watch my reaction. I growled, trying ever harder to break the bonds that held me. She ignored me and crouched. I knew what was coming. I couldn't bear to watch and yet I could not turn away. I was to blame and I had to take the punishment – and I could not look away as the one thing that mattered to me was destroyed. Bella shook, staggering against the trunk of a nearby tree and sinking to the ground near the roots. I saw how she shivered with fear and stared into her torturers eyes, how she was drenched in her own blood from gaping wounds as she lay curled on the ground, never taking her eyes off of the flaming hair that shimmered in the hot air. Victoria crouched, the same crouch that Jasper had made on the day of Bella's birthday, the same crouch that James had done, mirrored by the glass in the ballet room. Then Victoria sprang and Bella was thrown into the air from the impact, and momentarily seemed like she was floating, like the angel she was. I concentrated hard on her face, every tiny detail, memorizing it forever. Her body was flung against a tree and crumpled to the ground, laying silently as Victoria once again approached her.

My family and I were silent as the vengeful vampire leaned down to drain Isabella's body of blood, renewing her strength and turning her eyes an even brighter crimson. She ripped Bella's body to pieces and flung them into the river, letting them be washed away in the water. I stood there, speechless, then sank to the ground, hanging from restraining arms.

"Kill me now." I whispered, as Victoria's smirk grew more and more pronounced, showing off her glimmering teeth still stained red with blood.

"No. I will let you live, let you suffer, let you destroy yourself from the inside out by guilt. You will not die."

Victoria signaled for her henchmen to release her, and turned slowly to stalk out into the woods once more. I stood there, my family stunned, my mind screaming, my head spinning. I had lost her. I had lost her for the last time.