I apologize that these opening chapters are slightly on the short side. Longer ones are coming, bear with me :)

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, or the Twilight story.

The first thing I became aware of is that I was laying still. The world seemed to shift and move around me, but for some unknown reason I remained where I was. The second thing I realized is that I was breathing. It was slow, and it was shallow, but there was air entering my lungs. And lastly, that this act caused me an excruciating amount of pain. It was all I could do to squeeze my eyes shut and convince myself to keep breathing. The agony was all that kept me aware of anything at the moment, and conversely enough, it threatened to pull me back under into the blackness, down below the roaring in my ears.

I heard a noise to my side as my chest heaved up and down heavily. It was a short laugh, but far to venomous to be a chuckle. It took a world of concentration to open my eyes, and what I saw made me wish that I hadn't made the effort.

A mane of firey orange hair framed and petite face that was smirking down at me. I wanted to close my eyes again but her blood-red eyes had captured me. Her stare seemed to rip into me, dissecting me, and tearing me into pieces. I was going to die again. Twice in one day... if it was even the same day. She had saved me from drowning just so she could have the honor of seeing the light go out of my eyes herself. The small part of my mind that had any room to process information wondered at how horribly... Victoria that seemed. The rest of my brain was just hoping she would make it quick. Perhaps she would just break my neck and be done with it. But somehow, as I locked eyes with her, I didn't think it would be quite so simple. I opened my mouth to scream.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Victoria's smirk had turned into a hideous sneer, leering over me. The soft, high, soprano voice that escaped from her lips startled me back into silence as my jaw clicked shut. She rocked back on her heels, crouching next to me, examining me methodically. My eyes followed her every movement.

"You can't imagine the trouble you put me through." Her voice interrupted my inward silence again. My voice remained still, as I doubt very seriously she intended for me to answer her. "Not only were you ridiculously difficult to get ahold of, when I finally do find you, you're almost dead already." Her eyes flicked back to my face, appraising me. "You must have been quite a handful for dear Edward."

Edward... No... no not the name... I had shielded myself from his name... as well as I could. The name that held the memories, flooding back to me now. His smile... his hair... his eyes... the glorious way his arms felt when the held me close... I felt a silent tear slide eagerly down my cheek. A short laugh sounded as I turned my head slightly away.

"Yes... that has complicated things a bit hasn't it, darling?" Suddenly she crouched in front of my eyes again, gripping my chin firmly in her delicate fingers. "Would he even care anymore if I hurt you?" She dropped her eyes to my arm. My gaze followed hers until I saw my upper arm, crushed, mutilated, bleeding onto the sand beneath me. "I suppose that answers my question." Victoria stood, pacing away from me.

As she left my field of vision, I saw behind her, to the waves crashing violently on shore. I was still on the beach. The roaring in my ears was simply the waves, taunting me, laughing at me at how carelessly I had thrown what very little I had left in this life away. Her voice pulled me again back into reality.

"So I don't suppose breaking your other arm would do much good." She eyed me critically. It occurred to me that she was trying to figure out what the hell to do with me. As if she had read my thoughts off my face, she perked an eyebrow and glared at me. "Don't worry. I'll think of something... I'm very good at adapting..." Her voice trailed off at the end as she eyed me again.

Kneeling swiftly, Victoria slipped an arm underneath my shoulders and propped me up slightly, sending a new wave of pain through me. I felt her breath wash over my face as she inhaled my scent. "Well... I certainly can't fault the boy for one thing. He has excellent taste..." She leaned over my neck, descending slowly. Her lips brushed my skin and every atom in my body recoiled from its touch. I was shaking, sobbing, waiting for the piercing feeling. Wondering how Charlie was going to feed himself without me. What would Jacob do to himself when he realized what had happened... Hows and whats and ifs sped through my mind as I cringed and waited... and waited...

After a few long seconds passed, I opened my eyes tentatively. She was still over me, cradling me, but her glare had turned to one of appraisal. She was no longer above my skin, ready to devour me. "Interesting," she crooned, "Perhaps my alternative has already presented itself." Her words fell on me, confusion following in their wake. I had... absolutely no idea what on earth she meant. "Regardless," her said, her voice chipper again, "it's nap time. Bye bye, beautiful."

She raised her left hand and I watch it ball swiftly into a fist and begin to descend towards my head. I knew no more.

--

I woke to darkness, darkness and excruciating pain in my hand. I felt as though I had been sliced, the bones beneath the skin bruised and angry. I smelled rust and salt and felt the warm liquid oozing down my fingers. Shit, that HURTS... was all I could think as I grunted and tried to sit up. On the bright side, I was still alive, which, previously, I had been not at all sure of.

I raised my hand a blood ran slowly down the length of my wrist as I felt around me for a wall or a door. Below me was still sand... I couldn't be far from where she dragged me the first time. It wasn't long until my fingers found rock, and I attempted to stand. Unfortunately, the arm that I was to prop myself up with was still painfully broken. I collapsed back to the ground, gasping in pain and clutching my arm. It was then that I heard a soft laughter.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." How I hated that beautiful voice. "You think it hurts now..." She laughed again.

A soft light assailed my eyes, and I looked miserably to where Victoria was standing a few feet from me, a lighter flipped open in her fingers. She smiled sweetly at me as I glared at her for a few moments before gesturing towards me. "Take a look."

Instinctively I obeyed, glancing down. My arm was twisted to ruin, my clothes were disgusting, and my hand... My hand was covered in blood that was still flowing freely from a large crescent shaped wound, right over where my scar from last year should be.

Her laugh was wicked and triumphant, followed by her guttural growl, "James sends his love."