3. My Salvation

Burning, intense pain blinded me with a hot white rage that overwhelmed my body. How can I feel all this pain and still be alive? Am I even alive? OH MY GOD!!!!

And that was when I was bombarded with memories from my last moments alive. Blood, lots of it; Red eyes? What was he? And then I recognized the pain in my neck before I blacked out. Only to regain consciousness to a pain a million times worse. I wanted death to take the pain away. PLEASE! But I did remember seeing someone else besides my horrible attacker: bronze hair, a white blurry face. Was it my eyesight failing me, or was he moving that fast? It wasn't possible, but yet again, I had been kidnapped, and…killed? All in one day: something I never thought possible.

And these were the thoughts I focused on as my own personal hell continued. I found that if all my thoughts were kept busy remembering my life, then the pain, although ever constant torturous, was somewhat bearable.

After a long time, I recognized a voice speaking to me. It was beautiful, and melodious, velvet-like. He was always reassuring me that it would all be over soon. He was my light in this hell, even though I hadn't seen him yet. When I thought about this, something I could hear him silently disagree with me. But how could he not be an angel!! He kept me sane, and the will to on. And his encouraging voice was ever present, giving me the strength to go on, looking forward to this pain ending.

I have no idea where I'm at, what is my angel's name. I am so confused!

…Edward……

Who was that?!? Why did this name suddenly enter my mind? I have never known anyone by this name.

The pain will be over soon, you'll be okay young one.

It was him. Thank you! I called out to him, but all that escaped my mouth were screams of agony.

Sh, it's okay, don't speak. Could you tell me if you remember your name little one? I can hear your thoughts, so you don't have to waste effort on trying to make words past your any screaming.

What!! I was stunned. He can hear my thoughts! Was he psychic or something??? But what was that other thing my angel Edward had asked me? Oh yea, my name. Um… I think, I know this…

I was searching for a memory of my parents or of my friends as they called to me.

"SLOW DOWN JOANNA!!"

Oh yea, my failure at a driving lesson rushed to my consciousness. And my friend that had called me Joanna. JO. Yup, that was me, this name felt, mine.

Thank you little Joanna. Why did he keep calling me little, or young or that matter? I guess I do have a small frame for my age of 16, with a height of 5'1 and 105 pounds. I remember being teased about it, being called a 12 year old. That was annoying because I was a very mature 16 year old, most of the time. Humph.

Then I heard a musical like laugh from my angel.

Stop my name is Edward, and I'm no angel.

Well I don't care how many times he said that. He was my angel and that's that. Bur for his benefit, I would remember his name. I just wish that I had a face to connect to the name and voice.

Soon…

How soon? When? It was even more agonizing not knowing when my personal torture would end.

During our little conversation, my mind had forgotten about my torture, but just as I recognized this thought, I felt the pain intensify at my fingertips and toes. After a while, the pain receded, I was happy with this until it I noticed that the pain was more concentrated in my chest. I could hear my heartbeat loudly gaining momentum. My heart kept thrashing at my chest, and then it was quiet. Too Quiet. Not quiet as in noise wise, because I could hear birds, and wind rustling wind and a small river nearby, but quiet as in something was missing.

My Heartbeat! It was gone, and so was the pain. Relief washed through me as I opened my eyes for the first time after what seemed as centuries.

The first thing I saw were the most beautiful amber eyes I had ever seen. I used to think that color was ugly, but His eyes were gorgeous. And oh, that glorious face, it could only be described as magnificent. He stayed quiet as I took in his face for the first time. His face was beautifully adorned with a straight Nose Bridge, chiseled jaw, even full, symmetrical lips. They looked yummy. I could definitely get lost in those.

"Um… Joanna, welcome to your new life" he said this shyly to me, and then I remembered what he had told me before about reading my mind. "Oops" word vomit much. I thought this in my head, but it came out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop myself.

"Vampire minds work faster than human's. Don't worry about it." He smiled at me, and my breath stopped, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. Hold on, back up a second, did he say vampire?

Holy Shit!! I'm a vampire!! I didn't doubt him because that jerk had bitten my neck, and sucked out my blood. Remembering this sent a shiver up my spine, and it wasn't because I was cold.

"Don't worry about him, I took care of him" He assured me with a rueful look.

"You saved me from him?" and again I said without thinking. I practically jumped him trying to hug him. That was when I noticed that we were on a bed when we pulled apart.

"I'm sorry, I was just so… THANK YOU SOO MUCH! I owe you my life for all of eternity" That vampire would have killed me if Edward hadn't saved me, I knew it. And now, I would dedicate my life serving him. I was just hoping that he asked the right things from me.

As a human, I wouldn't say I was a slut, but e did have a healthy relationship with my boyfriend a few months ago before I found out that he cheated on me with some ho from school. So I had been off guys for about 7 months. I wasn't complaining, but Edward was sex on some hot ass legs. And I would gladly spend the rest of my existence pleasuring him. Thinking about his delicious lips made me unconsciously lick my lips.

"Joanna, you don't owe me anything." I couldn't believe he just said that. But it didn't discourage me. I was so grateful. Even if I wasn't his own personal sex slave, (darn!) I would find my own way.

"Joanna please. Don't you have any vampire questions?"

"Um, yea, is my new mission in life to hunt down vampire slayers?"

He laughed his beautiful laugh. My new favorite sound.

"No, but your mission in life is to keep your vampiric nature as a secret from humans" I noticed that as he said this he looked away from me, towards the floor, hm…

"But I must tell you that as a vampire, we need blood to survive. The popular source for vampires is humans, as in killing them in the process. But my family is different, we-"

"Is that why you saved me?" I didn't care that I had interrupted. Besides, my act first, think later mink was at full speed with everything he was telling me.

"Yes, I drink animal blood. My father-for all intents and purposes- is a doctor for humans. He dedicates his life to saving humans. You have the choice of following our way of life, or going your own separate way, and hunting humans. But I want you now, that our way of life is hard. Every day we live resisting the delicious feast, and must settle for something similar to "tofu" but we do it with determination, and preserve human life."

His speech left me at a loss for words. He and his family went against their own vampiric nature, to do what they feel is right. What did I want? Honestly, I wanted the feast. At this thought, I was Edward from. If I chose to kill humans, the way that I was almost killed, I wouldn't stay with Edward. It also broke my silent heart to see him frown. I conjured the faces of my human friends. The people I cared for most, and thought about killing them. NO! What would they think if I became a murderer. Besides, I wouldn't be able to be close enough to Edward and thank him properly for saving me. Hahaha.

So my mind was set. "I wanna stay here Edward, will you help me?" Sure I was a nice kid, but vampires are bad asses, and scary because of the whole eating humans thing. But Edward was my angel. Even more so because he doesn't kill people. Wow. I could only try to be as incredible as him. You are my motivation and my incredibly good influence.

I smiled at him. He just rolled his eyes. At that moment, my throat flared as intensely as it did when I was changing. All I could do was grasp my neck with both hands and will the pain away, but it didn't work.

"I guess it's time to go hunt"

Hunt??