EPOV
The room was dark, save for a small lamp on a wooden desk shining dimly. It hid his face in shadows, making it impossible to discern his features.
"I have another one for you," he said to me, shadows keeping him in darkness. I ran a hand nervously through my bronze hair, making it stick out even more. I really needed to quite that habit.
"Who is she?" I asked, wanting to get our meeting over with. If I had a job, I needed to get it done as quickly as possible. After all, I was only seventeen. I needed to finish my homework.
"I never said it was a female," he chuckled with amusement, pleased with my intuitiveness. I was good at reading people. Hell, he was so obvious I could practically read his mind.
"You wouldn't be so happy if it was a guy, we both know that," I sighed, getting impatient now. My hand went to my hair again before I could stop it. "Now who is she?"
From the shadows, I could see him lean forward. His face was still obscured, but I didn't miss the white gleam of his teeth as he smiled. For me, it was threatening. He was another predator, and older than me by at least a few decades. If we ever came to a fight, I might have youth and strength on my side, but he had the experience. I only took up his work a year ago, which meant I was the rookie. I knew I was testing his patience by being irritable, but it was fucking one o' clock at night. Still, I took a deep breath, relaxed, and put on an easy, cocky smile.
I could feel him approve of my compliance.
"Her name is Chloe Sanders. She isn't a local here in our precious town of Forks, but you will have to kill her here anyway, then transport the body to this address," he slid a piece of paper across the desk. I looked at it once.
771 Courtney Trails Drive, Seattle, Washington.
Hmm, I would need to go on a road trip . . .
"Why do you want her dead? What did she do?" I looked up from the paper, trying to see his face
"She didn't do anything. I am trying to get the attention of a certain . . . someone," he replied coolly, leaning back in his chair.
I nodded once and stood. He was done with me. I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. Pausing, I looked back, smiling devilishly. I wanted him to know he couldn't mess with me, that one day I would add him to my list of victims. He knew it, I knew it, and so there was no point in hiding it. The bastard murdered my family. For that I feared, hated, and respected him.
"I know who you are after, Aro. You better not fuck this up."
With a decidedly predator grin, I slammed the door on his still form.
I fingered the knife in my pocket, listening to Chloe Sanders drone on about something completely trivial. I had met her a few hours ago. Apparently she was visiting Forks and tonight she was supposed to be going home. As far as anyone else knew, she was in her little convertible driving back to Seattle, not on a 'date' with her killer. It all seemed extremely convenient and was no doubt planned by Aro.
We were sitting in the forest that seemed to engulf the small town. I brought along a picnic basket to keep up the date charade. I was still slightly amazed that girls didn't run from me. I knew they felt danger when they saw me, but they tended to get side tracked by my looks. Typical vain girls….
I checked my watch, noting the time was 11:39. I was going to wait until twelve, but this girl would not shut up.
"As fascinating as this story is," I interrupted her, "I'm afraid I have to do something."
Chloe looked confused, her mouth still hanging open from her previous sentence. I didn't register her features; it was easier that way, and pulled out the hunting knife from my pocket. Her eyes went big and she screamed bloody murder. Faster than I expected, she was on her feet and running. I sighed and detached myself from the situation as I pocketed the knife and ran after her. This wasn't something I enjoyed, but nor was it something I hated. It was just… a thing, like doing dishes or brushing your teeth. But I still understood that the world would have one less individual. It was a waste.
When she heard me pursuing her, she screamed again. I picked up the pace, not wanting her to alert the locals and get me arrested. I didn't need Aro bailing me out again for messing up. Once was enough. I caught up to her in a small clearing and tackled her to the ground. In the back of my head, I felt someone watching me, but I wrote it off as adrenaline. My heart was pumping, my muscles flexed as Chloe struggle vainly to survive.
I did it quickly.
Her neck snapped, and I felt the bone break. With any luck, she didn't feel a thing. I came back to myself then. I was no longer the killer, I was Edward. A warped, twisted version of myself, but it was me none the less. Now I had to clean up. I took the knife and started carving into the girl's flesh the message Aro wanted me to write. I, of course, copied his handwriting so it would seem like he did it. This is what Aro wanted. He wanted the detective to come after him.
And still, I felt like someone was watching. My senses were on high alert and my body was strung tight, both from my pounding heart and from paranoia. I heard branches rustle and looked up in time to meet the eyes of a girl. She looked confused. I knew she had watched me kill Chloe, and from the look on her face I could tell she was going to run. I felt my mouth water as I noticed her supple curves and grudgingly admitted to myself that I was a creature of instinct and carnal feelings, and whoever this girl was, was bringing out the predator in me. But it was different from the killing one. I wanted to protect this girl.
Too bad I would have to kill her.
Like a doe on the run, she took off. I leaped up and went after her, watching her lithe form maneuver the through the trees. I hated the thought of having to kill her. I wanted her. Exactly what that want entailed I didn't know, but when I finally caught her, I knew I couldn't do it, no matter how much trouble I could get in. My hands were at her waist, pinning her soft body to my hard one. I could smell freesia and strawberries coming off her skin. I spoke before I could think to do anything else.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" I said softly, trying not to scare her away. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that the forest is no place for little girls at night?"
"I'm not a little girl," she whispered, her voice surprisingly strong. I was intoxicated by her, body, sent, and sound.
Before I could stop myself, one of my hands traveled up her body. I felt her shiver against me, but I couldn't tell if it was one of fear or pleasure. Still, I continued to feel her soft curves until I cupped her breast. She was, in fact, not a little girl. I smirked at her wit and at the way she arched into my touch. She was so damn responsive. I felt back in control now, no longer worried.
"It seems you aren't. My mistake," I whispered huskily in her ear, delighting in the small gasp I got. I let her go and stepped back, walking back through the forest and leaving her to come after me. I heard her stumble and turn and, before I could help myself, I looked back at her.
I almost lost it again.
She was beautiful. Large, deep brown eyes, long mahogany hair that cascaded down her back. She was pale, and rather short. Her lips were full and slightly parted, making me want to go back to her. There was innocence about her as well, an innocence that made me feel powerful and weak all at the same time. Moreover, I knew her. I never saw her so close before, but she went to my school. She was in my biology class. She was Isabella Swan.
"You going to help me or what?" I asked, amusement evident in my voice.
Without waiting for her response, I went back to my victim. I heard her follow and grinned. She was an odd one if she actually wanted to help me. Then again, she probably thought I was going to kill her. I finished my work, trying to ignore Bella as much as possible. I felt her gaze on me the entire time. When I was ready, I turned to her.
"Take her legs, love. We need to move her," I was curious to see how she would react. To my surprise, she merely nodded and did as I asked. I grabbed Chloe's arms and proceeded through the forest to my Volvo. The trunk was already open, so we just placed her inside. When the trunk was closed again, I turned to Isabella.
"Why did you kill her?" she asked, curiosity the only emotion in her voice. She didn't seem afraid of me, but she did look slightly sick. I wondered if she thought she was going to be next. I would have to remedy these thoughts later, as long as she didn't say anything about this night to anyone. I didn't want to kill her. At least not yet. However, I knew it was too much of a liability to keep her alive for too long. I would need to feed my curiosity quickly and then move on.
I smirked at her, then leaned in to whisper in her ear the answer to her question.
"Orders." I leaned back, catching the look of surprise and lust on her face. My smirk grew and I let my hand brush against her cheek. I reveled in her small gasp at the contact. "I shall see you at school, love. Be safe." I wanted to add "And run from me as fast as you can because I will end you," but refrained.
With that, I turned, got in my Volvo, and drove away, leaving her stunned.
I only stayed long enough to place the note in his car and watch him read it. I needed to make sure he knew it was Aro. When I confirmed that the detective understood, I sent a text to Aro telling him his plan was working so far. I drove off, thinking about how I was going to kill the bastard. If I was going to do it, I needed to do it before the detective found him. If Aro killed the cop, he would run and I wouldn't be able to find him. Aro wasn't stupid; he knew of my intents the minute he took me under his wing when I was fifteen. But now that Isabella was in the picture, I needed to make sure she was safe from Aro until I knew exactly what the hell to do with her.
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, wondering how in the hell I was going to keep Isabella a secret from Aro, not to mention the fact that I still needed to talk to her about the whole 'witnessing me killing someone and then helping me move the body' thing. Oh, and I needed to plan her murder so no one, not even Aro, would know I had killed her myself. Could my life get any more complicated?
Yes. Yes it could . . .