Author's Note: First and foremost, Thank you to ElusivePoet and LGF. This chapter would not be up if not for you. I would just like to say that the first two chapters are extremely monotoneous and slightly boring. This is due to the fact that Alice has yet to come into Jasper's life. (Yes I know, how cute.) So for any of you who have bothered to read this, it gets a WHOLE lot better after this chapter. So, on that note, I give you Chapter Two of Nerezza Eterna :

The fire was beginning to get worse, so I stopped breathing and started focusing. I sent out a round of tranquility, more for my benefit than for the woman's. She closed her eyes, and tilted her head to the left. I took the soundless steps toward her, closing the last bit of remaining distance between us. I leaned my head down towards the exposed flesh on her neck, smiling in anticipation. I inhaled, marveling in the aroma that now filled my nostrils.

I brought my venom-filled mouth to the skin on her neck, and slowly sank my razorblade teeth into her soft skin. The warm, sweet liquid flowed freely now, hitting my tongue with ease and trickling down my throat. I could almost feel it nourishing and strengthening my body. I marveled at how divine the texture and taste human was. Almost as if it were meant to be a food source..

I was savoring each and every drop of the humans' blood. No where in the depths of her emotions could I feel any ounce of fear. Just the relief.

With her last dying breath, she whispered two words that will be forever committed to my memory as long as I shall exist: "Thank you."

And then, all too soon, her blood ran thin and stopped flowing.

After disposing of the evidence, I started running again. I didn't let myself think, I only ran. The sun came up, and then set again. I passed town after town, keeping as much distance as possible.

I knew all the running was in vain. Nothing was chasing me, and I had no destination. I was only running to get away from the one thing I could never truly escape: Myself.

I ran harder.

I eventually realized that the running was doing nothing except using up my blood supply.

I looked around, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar surroundings.

No such luck.

The thoughts I had been trying so hard to hold back broke past their barrier and starting ambushing me.

You just killed an innocent woman; A grieving woman.

I attempted to comfort myself with thoughts of her being grateful. Besides, she knew too much. I was only saving the Volturri a trip down here.. Wherever "here" was. I only put her out of her misery.

I wasn't comforted.

I hadn't the slightest idea what year it was. I had lost all sense of time, all sense of everything. The sun setting and rising was the only indication of time passing. Everything was remarkably monotonous. Nothing stood out or interested me anymore.

Even hunting became like a cycle. A vicious, depressing cycle. I could feel each and every victims' emotions. Mixed with my own progressing depression, it was unbearable at times. I had attempted to abstain from any form of killing. I would start to feel the slightest bit better, -- aside from the thirst -- only to relapse, kill more than ever, and continue to spiral down.

In the beginning I had days where I'd actually considered going back to Maria. At least when I was with her I had a purpose. In the end, I could never quite bring myself to follow through. After some time, I began to realize that all the hatred she had instilled in me, was now directed at her. She damned me to this rootless and macabre existence. And she did it for her own selfish needs.

I knew that I was in a town that the humans referred to as "Philadelphia." This town was a large town by human standards: Plenty of blood. I wasn't sure if the thought pleased or repulsed me, but I did need to remain inconspicuous.

I was slowly allowing myself to get closer to the humans with each passing day. Never too close, but close enough to absorb some of their happiness. Their light, shallow happiness.

Years were passing by uneventfully; I knew this because the dates on the newspaper stands continued to change.

I walked around at night, feeling a sort of companionship with the city. Philadelphia was a fairly sunny city, so I kept my distance the majority of the time.

As I walked aimlessly through the woods one day, the roaring sound in my ears finally began to register in my thoughts.

I looked up from the ground, noticed for the very first time how wet everything looked. I looked up to the sky, only to get hit in the eye with a droplet of water.

Oh, right. Its raining.

The sun was no where to be found so I decided to venture out into the streets.

I was immediately assaulted by what seemed like thousands of smells.

The blood of course, the car exhaust, tree sap, cat hair. The rain only magnified everything.

It was uncomfortable, to say the least. Being near so many humans at one time.

It wasn't until I noticed a young human child staring at my eyes that I even thought about my appearance. The child was tugging one the sleeve of her mothers dress, her eyes wide.

I could practically smell the fear radiating off of her.

Immediately feeling guilty, I spun on my heel and strode back into the forest.

I just couldn't resist the city on those rare, rainy days. It was day such as those when I felt the least depressed.

In the beginning, as a pre-caution, I always made sure I was well-fed before getting closer to the humans. Eventually, without realizing it, I had begun to get less and less cautious. I started to focus on keeping my eyes dark rather than keeping myself well-fed. This helped my self-control some, but not much.

It was one of those rare, overcast days. I was walking around the less populated parts of town. I was still uncomfortable being out in day time.

It started to downpour. The rain was intensifying the smell of blood, among other smells. It was beginning to drive me mad, so I ducked into a near-by, half-empty diner.

Whoops. Big Mistake.

Being in such a limited amount of space with any amount of humans was enough to make me snap, if the rain wasn't.

But as I looked up, I saw something that would have made me forget even the very worst case of bloodlust -- something I thought to be impossible.

As I looked up, I saw a vampire. A woman. Waiting for me.

Okay, if you made it this far, why not just read this last bit?

Any guesses as to who the vampire woman might be? Do you really even need to guess?
OH, before I forget: Nerezza Eterna is Italian for 'Eternal Darkness.' My chapter titles are also being counted in Italian.
Anyways, you made it through the first two chapters. Congrats. As I said, it gets a whole lot better after this. That is, if anyone is interested in reading it. Review/PM if you are.

Thanks for reading! -- Gabrielle.