---MARKED---
a Twilight fanfiction
by
Silverduo

SUMMARY: The Cullens are on a hunting trip when they find a beautiful magohany-haired beauty half-dead in the forest and decide to save her. But she is not what they think ‒ and possibly not human. Who is she, and what is she really hiding? Marked dwells in the rainy small town of Forks, Washington - where mythology exist and romance spark for vampire Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

A/N: I can't believe it's another new story after I just published my first fanfic yesterday! Marked has an entirely different plotline. And to all you wonderful readers... REVIEW plz! :)

PROLOGUE: ESCAPE

"Hello sweetie," the chilling voice of the tracker spoke, his voice echoing throughout the extent of the forest.

Adrenaline pulsed in my veins. I tore of running in a speed no human was capable of, barely catching myself from tripping over a dead branch. I knew it was no use ‒ but yet my mind refused to believe the truth. That wherever I ran, wherever I hid, I would not survive his sadistic little game.

He was always faster, always three steps ahead of me.

"Where are you going to run, Bella? To Mummy?" came an exasperated sigh. I swallowed, refusing to let my control slip. I fought to keep myself only in the present. "Bella, Bella, Bella. What am I going to do with you?"

Panic burned into every inch of my skin. He was close ‒ oh, so close, that I could hear his sprinting footsteps. With all the force I had, I pushed myself yet faster, my muscles working double time to the speed I alocated myself with.

"Isabella."

I froze. No. No, no, no, no, no! my mind screamed at me. Run! Do not let him catch you! You can do it, get to somewhere safe where he won't catch you….

Watching the tracker's face now, my thoughts quickly banished themselves. I could see ‒ in his eyes, that this time, there was no escape for me. No extras. Just us.

James stepped forward, into the tiny clearing, allowing a ray of sunlight to fall across his skin. It sparkled like a thousand diamonds, his beauty so wonderful that it took my breath away. But this was my predator. And I was his prey. The hunt he lived for only showed how contradicting it was to his appearance.

He spoke once more, the expression on his face making my blood run cold. "To be quite honest, I'm disappointed. I expected a much greater challenge. And, after all, I only needed a little luck."

So this was it. I was going to die, after everything. But to my extreme surprise, I merely felt relief. No more fighting, no more running. I was just another victim to him after all. If he could take down the inhuman and immortal, what was I to him?

James eyebrows shot up, no doubt seeing the resignation in my eyes. "I will give you this much, Isabella, you really are one of a kind. Which just makes you all the more fascinating. It's amazing ‒ you really seem to have no sense of your self-interest at all."

I gulped, battling to hold myself in one piece. But my lower lip trembled in fear, and tears clung to my lashes. My voice came out shaky and barely above a whisper. "Just make it quick."

He cocked his head to one side, the pair of red eyes that had been etched into my memory calculating. "That's certainly not some line you get from your prey everyday," he observed, then exhaled. "But a request from the beautiful Isabella, how could I ignore?

"You are right, anyway. I have waited too long. Let's end this, once and for all."

Then, too quick for the eye to see, he was suddenly at my side, burying his face in my brown hair. I gasped, my breathing becoming unsteady.

James's tongue rolled against my throat, savouring my scent, no doubt. The motion made me want to scream.

"Before I begin, any last words?" his lips murmured against my skin.

I summoned as much courage as I could. I was going to die anyway, wasn't I? "Yeah. You can go to hell."

One final laugh pierced through the forest, and then he bit me.

Only moments after did I feel the pain.

His fangs sunk into my skin, piercing through the flesh. At first the pain was worse; I thrashed on the ground wildly in jerking motions. Then, slowly, a breeze of exhaustion overcame me, and my vision started to fade out.

The last thing I saw was a blur of topaz before everything went black.

Cliff-hanger!!!!
Yes, I am evil. Let's make a deal. You review, I write!
Now take a look at that beautiful green button there and... click! :D