Authors Note (From L.C.Candle);; This went faster than I would've expected! Whoot! A day early, but that's okay! Thank you Cadi for being the editor for this story! WE LURVE YOU.
Authors Note (From Kiwi);; You will probably have some questions at first (-coughAnArielViewcough-) but we promise they'll all be answered in due time! The story will most likely be in Edward's point of view through and through. Also, HI KAYLEIGHHHHH!!! ;;End Authors Notes
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"There's a place in the dark where the animals go. You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow" – My Chemical Romance, The Sharpest Lives.
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"Edward, we have been walking for hours," Bella whined, scuffing her boots slightly in the snow. "I'm pretty sure we're going the wrong way."
I sighed, "Bella, don't be absurd." I said, squeezing her gloved hand. "Venice is this way. Trust me."
"No, no," she countered. "If we were going the right way, don't you think that we would have crossed the city limits by now?"
"Well," I said. "I think you're wrong."
"Well," she said in a mocking tone. "I know you're wrong." Her topaz eyes gleamed at me, challenging me.
"Are you challenging my intelligence, Isabella Cullen?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She smirked. "I believe I am."
I gaped at her. How dare she? I had been to Italy numerous times. My visit to the Volturi all those years ago was not my only trip to the country.
She grinned. "Why don't we ask someone then," she asked, "If you're so sure of yourself?"
"No," I snapped.
"Why not?" she asked, kicking a small pile of snow as she walked, "You afraid you'll be proved wrong?"
"No…" I said, my eyes narrowing. "I just don't see the point in wasting time asking someone, when I know we're going the right way."
She rolled her eyes. "What is with men and asking directions?"
"It's not that there's anything wrong with asking for directions, but we don't need directions because we know where we're going. And, Bella, dear, you're going the right way because there isn't the slightest possibility of me going the wrong way." I nodded my head and continued the right way.
Bella opened her mouth and began to mock me, "I know everything, I'm the all powerful super awesome Edward Cullen blah blah blah..." she stuck out her tongue at me.
I glared at her, "Nothing good comes from mocking people, Bella."
"What are you going to do? Hm? Eat Me?" Bella made a 'pfft' like noise and folded her arms.
"That's not a bad idea, actually…" I smiled, revealing my teeth and tackled her in a hug. She gasped and I began to playfully lick her neck.
"THAT'S NOT…HAHA….FAIR…HAHAHA…STOP! THAT...HAHA...TICKLES!" She flailed her arms and tried to wriggle away but I was too strong for her little self. I win at life…erm…after…life?
I let here go, laughing, and Bella made a pouting face, which made me laugh harder. She was so cute.
"That's not funny, that's just plain cruel!" she whined, turning her back to me.
"On the contrary, I found it hilarious." And then, the impossible happened. Bella tripped on air. Even as a graceful vampire, she still managed to trip. She was getting better though, she only tripped about once every... five minutes.
She fell in the snow, face first, and rolled over on her back. I walked over to help her, extending my hand to her, but she spread out her arms and legs and began to wave them back in forth.
"What are you doing?" I raised one eyebrow and stared curiously at her.
"I'm making a snow angel!" She laughed. her laugh was beautiful to me, even more so now, I wondered why I hadn't gotten used to the shock of hearing it even after ten years. "You see, I do not like wet. I do not like cold. So therefore, I have never made a snow angel. And now I am. Why you ask? Well, because the cold isn't so cold anymore."
She smiled at me and I plopped down beside her, "You're amazing."
"I like to think of myself as more of a… what's the word? Bite-sized filled with fun!" She squeaked, she reminded me of Alice in so many ways…
"That's not one word…" I pointed out.
She scrunched up her nose, "Oh well."
A soft wind blew in our faces and I snapped my head in the direction it blew from. A strong scent entered my senses. A scent only Bella and I could smell. Blood, and lots of it.
"Edward…" Bella stood up immediately and looked at me fearfully with her soft golden eyes. She bit her lip, and looked up at me, her eyes darting back and forth from me, to the scent. Uncertainty was written all over her face.
I grabbed her hand and brought her close, and we began to saunter forward into the unknown. As we drew closer the scent of fresh blood grew stronger. "It was a family…" I said shaking my head, an assortment of scents filled the air, drawing mine and Bella's curiosity. I sighed. Our perfect evening was ruined. After ten years, the odds were still stacked against us.
Her grip around my arm tightened as we came upon a patch of trodden on snow. The murderers couldn't still be around, could they? I was sure that the killers must have left, with almost all their victims dead. However, the arm that was wrapped around my wife tightened a bit, just in case. She snuggled a little closer too, in appreciation.
"Mom… Mom… It's so cold… So dark… so cold… Someone help me. Someone… I can't… breathe… Help…" The thoughts of a young boy entered my head, and my eyes widened. I took off running, determined to save the little boy, before it was too late. Bella was following close behind, although she didn't know the whole reason for my haste.
"The monsters… how could they? Mom… wake up… The boy's voice rang through my head, and my pace quickened. Monsters? I thought. What monsters? Unless...I couldn't help but gasp when we finally reached the site of the blood, a gruesome attraction. Vampires. The pearl white snow was painted red, as a family was spread across the lawn. Bella fell into my arms and began to cry dry sobs, I rubbed her back and tried to calm her.
I studied the family, blood still covered their bodies, and I could smell the cold liquid still in their veins. If it was a coven of vampires, they hadn't feasted on their blood at all. I was shocked at this, what had this family done to be killed? It would have been more understandable if they were drained, but they each held much of what use to support their lives.
There was a moan from the crimson stained body of a boy lying on a young woman who couldn't have been older than 30.
Bella turned around, "Oh… Edward…" she whispered, "We can't... leave him…"
I knew what she was asking of me, to change the boy, to turn him into the monster that could have possibly killed his family. "No." I said simply, sharply, at first, then softly, "No, Bella… I can't."
She hit my chest with her fist, I mentally winced, she hurt, "Why? He's dying, he has nowhere to go, and you have more self-control! You can do it, Edward… please. I can't leave him here knowing we could have helped him."
"Damning him for all eternity is helping him?" I argued.
"Edward. Don't start. Please, help him." Bella pleaded.
I made the mistake at looking into her eyes. Clouded with sadness… I couldn't do that to her… "And what are we going to do with him?"
"You did say that one time that I could be an excellent mother." I knew that would someday be used against me.
I reluctantly gave in. "What do you think Carlisle and Esme will think when we bring him home?" I smiled and she did back.
"Help…"
The pleading thoughts of the boy brought me back to what I had just agreed to do and I quickly walked forward, instantly by the boy's side. "This… might hurt." I said, taking his wrist and quickly biting into it. The boy immediately began to scream.
And the torture of the screams begins again.
