A forest 1663 England

My bare toes pushed against the earth as I sprinted through the trees, various shades of brown and green flying by in a frenzy of dizzying color. A marble arm blocked my path and sent me flying backward but I only stood and turned in the opposite direction sprinting again. I could feel her, feel her following only paces behind, taunting me. She'd slip up soon though, I knew her, she was cocky. Too cocky. I spun as a tree entered my path this time and ran without hesitation, she was faster catching up this time and I knew I almost had her.

"Why must we play this game Isabella?" She asked petulantly. I only pushed myself harder, puffing my breath out in time with the pumping of my arms. Again, I was blocked by a marble arm but this time I was ready for it and I ducked and kept up my fast pace. A loud crash was followed by a growl nipping at my heels but I wouldn't back down, wouldn't give up. This was her game but that didn't mean I couldn't be good at it. I would win, I was sure of it.

Very suddenly, I skidded to a halt and turned to face her. Not expecting it, she crashed right into my own arm and was sent against a tree and flat on her ass. She snarled and tried to stand but I had broken her back and she could only get in a hunched crouch. "You should know better by now," I said softly. Her inky black hair and crimson eyes stood out in sharp contrast to her white skin and, in another life perhaps she would have been striking but now, now she was dirty and nothing more than my prey.

I had let her play her game of cat and mouse, it made it more thrilling to think she was hunting me. I always got off on these little "the hunter becomes the hunted." With no way of knowing what I looked like at that moment, I hadn't a clue my smile had turned into something sharp. I was out for blood and I would have it. My steps toward Cassandra were slow and deliberate, calculated as to stay too far out of her reach for her to try anything. "This was mine!" She screeched taking a lunge for my throat. I laughed and side-stepped her easily, my arm reaching around her waist and slamming her into the ground.

With a hiss, she tried desperately to claw at my face but I quickly sank my teeth into her shoulders and tore her arms away, throwing them off into the forest. "You should know better by now," I repeated standing and walking around her. "You are always the pawn in my games, Rudolpho learned that the hard way and it seems that you shall too." I watched with grim satisfaction as Cassandra flinched away from the name. "You had no right!" She tried to counter. "He was human, he was fair game!" I snarled and slammed my foot into her chest effectively shutting her up.

"He was mine," I hissed crouching and grabbing her leg by the thigh. "He was mine to change!" I tore her leg away throwing it in the opposite direction of her arms. "He was mine to taste!" I gripped her other leg and tore it away more slowly. "He was mine to have." I stated weakly sinking to my knees heavily still holding her last leg. "You were told not to hunt in that area." I finished before grabbing her torso and lifting her limbless body. She shook her head frantically, trying desperately for a way out of my hold.

I sank my fingers into her sides and pulled her close, my mouth enclosing hers and blocking off the scream she finally let out. Fire licked the inside of our mouths, black in color and fast spreading. It spread down the back of her throat, eating her life as my life, my love burned in a pitiful pile of potatoes for a new life he had not wanted. "A life for a life," I mused sometime later watching her cool ashes being spread by the wind. There were still small snakes of smoke winding through the trees from her limbs but I paid them no mind. They were dealt with, the enemies of mine that had once been companions.

3:20AM Dwyer Residence

I shot up out of sleep with a cold sweat running down my forehead and back. My chest was heaving trying to suck in as much air as I could without choking on it. " 's so real," I murmured to myself when I finally caught my breath. I looked toward my clock and groaned flopping back down into my bed. 3:20AM and I knew I had no hope of going back to sleep, I was too wired from my dream. Or at least I thought it was a dream, it had seemed too real to be just a dream.

With that thought in mind, I rolled out of bed and shuffled to my closet staring at the contents blankly for a moment before shaking my head and walking out of my room and toward the stairs. As if it knew where I was headed, my stomach spoke up and growled it's need for sustenance. I patted my belly, "it's okay little guy, you'll get food soon." I soothed it quietly. Almost to the bottom of the stairs, I was proud, and amazed, of myself for making it down the stairs unscathed.

I shouldn't have spoken so soon though because just as I hit the last step, I tripped over, well nothing, and fell to the kitchen floor with a loud thud. I stayed where I was in hope that Renee and Phil hadn't heard and were still asleep. No such luck. The light flipped on over my head and Phil rushed in, bleary eyed with a baseball bat clutched in his hands and Renee right behind him. Their tense stances relaxed when they saw me sprawled on the floor and Renee came out from behind Phil and helped me up.

My head ducked at their disproving stares reminding me exactly why I was leaving later today. I think we'd all feel a little bit better when I was in the small rainy town of Forks, WA tonight. They'd at least sleep better. "Why are you up so -at 3:30AM!" Phil exclaimed turning a glare on me this time. "I was hungry." I mumbled. Right on cue, my stomach let out a growl and I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," I added for good measure. They both shuffled back out and a moment later I heard a deliberate door slam letting me know that I wasn't exactly forgiven. I bit my lip and got out a bowl for some cereal being extra careful not to drop it and bring Renee and Phil back downstairs.

2:14PM Seattle National Airport

My bag was slung over my shoulder, my suitcase resting against my knee as I waited for Charlie to pick me up. I wasn't exactly looking forward to being carted home in the police cruiser but I knew my dad had never bothered to buy a separate car. What was the point? The cruiser pulled in front of me and Charlie waved at me from the driver seat. Resigned, I pulled the handle of my suitcase up again and rolled it over the curb getting to the trunk just as Charlie opened it.

I stowed my stuff and slid into the passenger seat. "Hey kiddo," Charlie greeted as I buckled my seat belt. "Hey Ch-Dad," I responded quickly catching myself before I called him by his name. I always thought it odd neither Renee nor Charlie liked me calling them by their first names. Choosing not to acknowledge my small slip he put the car in drive and started toward Forks. "How's Renee?" He asked trying to make conversation. "She's good, happy to be alone with her new husband I suppose." I answered a little awkwardly. Thankfully he didn't try to strike up anymore conversation. He liked small talk just about as much as I did which was not at all.

"I, ah, got you a coming home present of sorts," Charlie said scratching the back his head as we pulled up to the small two bedroom house I only faintly remembered from childhood summers. "You didn't have to do that Ch-Dad," I said surprised. He smiled slightly and got out of the cruiser, popping the trunk and walking around back to get my bags. "I wanted to," he replied as I got out and went to help. I gave a small smile in return. "Thank you," I said. He shook his head, "you haven't even seen it yet." I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't need to to say thank you." I pulled my backpack onto my shoulder and made my way into the house.

"So where is it then?" I asked after I had put my stuff away in my tiny room that hadn't changed much since I was a baby. The only difference was my child-sized bed had been changed for a full-sized. "We'll have to go pick it up after dinner." He replied looking around the kitchen a little lost. "I can make it," I offered walking to the cupboards and looking around for something to make. I turned back around after searching the kitchen and found him watching me a little embarrassed looking. "I haven't had to time to get to the grocery store." I raised my eyebrow and a blush made its way to his face. "We can just order a pizza or something." He mumbled quickly walking to the phone.

The pizza was greasy and everything I hadn't had since I was a child. I felt like I was eating a heart attack waiting to happen and not a fuck was given. When I finished, Charlie drove me down the reservation where we stopped at an even tinier house than ours. Out front was a red truck that looked like it could take every new car out there and come out unscathed. I couldn't tell if it was red more from rust or being the actual color. It had charm though and I instantly loved it. Charlie caught me looking and handed me a set of keys. "There's a key to the house and a key to the truck." I lit up like a firework on the Fourth of July and spun around flinging my arms at him.

"It's mine?" I asked incredulously. He nodded looking embarrassed again and I bit my lip to keep the girlish squeal to myself. "It's perfect." I said sincerely before quickly walking over to it and examining it more closely. A screen door slammed shut and a Native American boy about 15 came flouncing out. "You're finally here." He said with a smile that lit his whole face up. I cocked my head the side and regarded him curiously. "I'm Jacob, Jacob Black. We used to make mud pies together." He said lamely. I vaguely remembered what he was talking about but nodded my head anyway.

"Do you like it?" He asked changing the subject. I nodded empathetically. "I love it," I enthused. "It's got character." He snorted and I shot him a dirty look. He put his hands up in surrender. "It shouldn't have any problems. I rebuilt the engine myself." He said proudly patting the side. "You'll have to pump the brakes in snow though, so be careful." He continued seriously. I nodded not really paying attention and moved to open the door. He didn't make it out of the way in time and got hit with the heavy door. "Ow!" He howled clutching his knee. I flushed hotly, "sorry, sorry." I apologized going to make sure he was alright. "I'm okay," he said sounding a little pained. "Sorry," I said again for good measure.

He shook his head and put his leg down. " S'alright." I reached out to try and help again but thought better of it and went to sit in my new truck. I ran my hands over the dash and steering wheel before quickly putting the key in the ignition and starting it up. I jumped as it thundered to life and I heard Jacob laughing at me. I stuck my tongue out before pulling the door shut and putting my seat belt on. "I'll meet you at home," Charlie called out from the front porch where he stood next to an older Native American man in a wheel chair. I waved my hand and drove myself home, well past home, but eventually I made it back.

Exhausted from my early morning and long flight, I passed out as soon as I hit my sheets. I didn't even bother to change out of my clothes. My last thought before sleep claimed me was "I hope I don't have another flashback."