Disclaimer: Don't own this, Meyer does.
Chapter Two
About thirty minutes later, the dry throb in my throat became a parched and demanding burning. I had to hunt. I remembered their style of hunting. I didn't want to be a murderer, a monster, but if I didn't smell an animal soon, I was going to have to find a stray hiker.
I closed my eyes and concentrated. A slight breeze played with my hair, I sighed, it felt so nice. Concentrate, I sternly told myself, you're on the hunt. I extended out my senses, sniffing the air, listening with my ears. I heard a deliciously moist thudding over to my right about nine miles. My throat flared up like pulling the cord on a hot air balloon. It's aroma was so appealing I had no choice but to hunt it. I ran straight towards it and was there in thirty seconds. I jumped into a tree and studied my prey. With a shock, I realized it was a human. I shook my head vigorously, just my luck. The breeze threw the humans scent straight into my face as if it was encouraging me. I snarled. It was a dangerous and feral sound and all of the animals froze. I pounced down from the tree and stalked towards where the human was sleeping in a tent. I softly unzipped the tent door.
I saw the human. It was a girl about fourteen sleeping in a sleeping bag, her wild black hair splayed over the pillow. She had creamy pale skin and I could see exactly where to put my mouth to get the best blood flow. She turned over in her sleep and murmured something, but I was too far gone in my thirst to notice what she said. I was preparing to bite when she sat up and her eyes snapped open. I reeled back, shocked. They were large, round, and gold, framed with long black lashes.
But I had checked, she was human. Think Bella, maybe she wears contacts. The thought made me laugh quietly, remembering something I said to him before I new his secret. The girl shivered, bringing my eyes back to her.
" Austin?" she ask quietly. Her voice trembled as if she was scared. It sounded like a wind chime in a slight breeze. She saw me, probably a dark shape in the corner of her tent to her. She backed up into the corner opposite me and sank deeper into the sleeping bag as if that would protect her.
" Who's there?" She whispered, definitely scared. Her eyes caught the open tent door and they widened. She reached for something beside her and flicked on a switch. Bright light flooded the tent. Crap. She saw me and opened up her mouth to scream, but I darted to her and put my hand over her mouth.
" If I take my hand off your mouth, will you scream?" I asked. She nodded her head. I sighed, at least she was being honest. But this was going to be difficult.
" I am going to take my hand off your mouth. If you scream, I will smash in your windpipe. Got it?" I asked. She nodded her head again, eyes even wider. I took my hand off her mouth.
" You don't really want to hurt me. You just want to go and hunt animals. You were only curious." She said hastily in her high clear voice. I found myself nodding along with her story. Of course I wouldn't want to hurt her, she was so young and sweet and innocent. She still had a life to live. What? What was I thinking? Is she messing with my head?
I felt a cool hand grip my throat from behind. There was no pulse, no heartbeat coming from whomever it was. This one was a vampire.
" You are not going to touch her. Get out of here. You are not wanted." His last sentence struck true. It felt like a sucker-punch to my human gut. I saw the girl move. She stood up and ran to the boy behind me.
" Austin, she wasn't going to hurt me, I had it under control." I agreed with her. I wouldn't hurt her, and she was right, I wouldn't be able to even if I wanted to. Because she had it under control. Austin grunted and released my neck. I shook my head, don't listen to her Bella. I felt the girl put her hand on my bare hand. It was really hot. I felt a flash of concern. Did she have a fever? I felt the pulse in her hand and I remembered my forgotten thirst.
" Careful Elaina" Austin warned. She ignored him. She looked me in the eyes and I felt like she was staring into my soul.
" Forget your thirst right now, you can hunt some mountain lion with us later. Right now, you want to answer some questions. And remember, you don't want to hurt me." I felt myself believing her with my mind and dead heart. I was feeling overwhelmed.
" Careful Lanie, don't over-do it." He said. She glared in his direction. She glanced at me and started again.
" Who are you?" she asked.
" Isabella Swan, but call me Bella." I answered, trying to please her. She shared a surprised glance with Austin and he moved in beside her to get a better look at my face.
He had sandy colored hair and evergreen eyes. I felt surprised but came up with a rational explanation. Contacts. His nose was perfectly straight and his skin was olive-toned. This surprised me even more and I failed to come up with an explanation for that one.
" The one declared dead?" She asked. I nodded.
" Are you a vampire?"
" Yes. What else would I be, human?" I scoffed. She grabbed my hand and pulled me up. Still holding my hand she asked another question.
" Who created you?"
" A vampire named Laurent. He was hunting and I stumbled across him. I've always had bad luck." I said.
" How did you figure out you were a vampire." I looked down. I didn't want to betray him but she was so compelling. Maybe I could tell part of the truth. Keeping my eyes down I said,
" I know some vampires." She lifted up my head.
" Is that it?" she asked softly. I darted my eyes to the left and nodded my head. I could see sympathy in her eyes.
" Why aren't you with them?" she asked, confused.
" They ...left." I said, my voice breaking. Her eyes hardened with understanding.
" Do you want to be in our coven. You can travel with us and hunt with us. Make a new family." I nodded hopefully.
" Elaina." Austin said warningly.
" Not now Austin." snapped at him.
" Come on." she said "Let's hunt."
