Prologue:

I looked all around me. Everything was dark; I couldn't make out where I was. I sighed and collapsed in exhaustion.

My butt hit ground. Soft, ferny ground. And as my eyes adjusted to the dark, I finally figured out where I was.

I was in the clearing. Bang in the middle of it, in fact.

I threw my head back and laughed at the irony. My laughter echoed against the surrounding trees. It seemed unnaturally loud amongst the stillness of night.

I closed my eyes and lay back.

And ocean of questions flooded my head. Why was I here? Had I come here voluntarily in sub consciousness? Or had someone forcefully carried me all the way? Why was I still hanging about? Why wasn't I feeling tired?

I licked my lips. I had no answer. For any of them.

I threw open my eyes. I wanted to get back home.

Edward had said the forest was unsafe. That, even though they were doing the best they could, that even though the 'mongrels' were cooperating with them, that even though everything was going according to plan, one couldn't be too sure, too confident.

And here I was, alone. What if Victoria found me? My scent was alluring enough, wasn't it? And I was alone. Edward wasn't here to protect me. Not this time.

My eyes widened from realization. I had fallen into her trap. Suddenly I started rotating round and round, round and round, searching for that wild red hair, that pale angry face, that creature who had haunted every thought, every dream.

I decided to give myself up, without putting up a fight. What was the point? She was going to devour me anyway. And I smiled, knowing that once I was dead, everything I knew, everyone I loved, would finally be safe.

I took a deep breath and gathered every ounce of courage I knew I possessed in fragments. "Victoria?" I called out softly.

The only answer I got back was the rustling of the wind.

"Victoria. I give up. You can kill me. Take your revenge. James will be happy, won't he?"

Still nothing but the wind.

I sighed in exasperation. Why the hell was she making this difficult for me? Why couldn't she just kill me? Rip me apart? Did she enjoy this game of silence? Did she want me to get worked up? Did she want me to fight her? What was her problem?

And suddenly I heard it.

A low voice behind me.

I turned around. I was prepared.

But when I looked at the dazzling golden eyes in front of me, my legs gave in.

I fell to the floor. I felt wronged. What was happening? Where was Victoria?

But before I could do anything, a pair of arms swooped down and picked me up from the forest's ferny floor.

I struggled. I writhed. I squirmed. But it was of no use. I was being rescued.

And my savior gently put me on his back, and began to run.

And as I felt the wind whistle past, I opened my mouth to speak. "Stupid Edward. Why?"

I didn't hear him answer me. I closed my eyes, and allowed the fatigue take over me.

I entered darkness once more.