Disclaimer- I own nothing but the characters Leah meets.
Songs- Vindicated-Dashboard Confessional, Waking Up- One Republic, New Perspective-Panic! At The Disco
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Chapter Three
Arianna Dell Ortes ran silently, her body doubled low in a hunting crouch, her black eyes dark from hunger and once tan skin that now resembled a statue-like quality betrayed what she was. She moved quickly enough through the forest, that she was just a whip like entity that would make a human think that they were seeing things. Her dark eyes were trained solely on her target: a male jaguar. She has smelled him from a mile away when his scent had been blown to her nose, and immediately began the hunt, the need to do so was amplified by the thrill of the wind against her face, the feel of the earth crunching beneath her feet, the tunnel vision that brought sweet relief and silence to the many gifts that she possessed.
As she saw him in the distance she leapt, silently into the tree, dodging a few snakes along the way that sauntered off in fear from her. Like the cat she was hunting, Ari moved, hand by hand, fascinated by the way she had done all of this silently, and how the cat had pricked up his ears but still maintained the calm façade, thinking that he still had the upper hand. Ari chuckled darkly internally. Well I'm the queen of the swingers, yeah I'm the jungle VIP. The ironic line swept into her mind, and Ari smirked, perfectly round lips turning coy, which would have surely made any man who cast a glance at her at that time swoon like they had just seen cat woman. Contrary to her quick skills and heightened perfection she still carried a bow and quiver with her wherever she went. This accompanied with an old leather bag that was designed not to hinder her, were her only accessories. Though, the person who dared to call her ivory quiver and ebony bow an accessory would have suffered one of her hilarious pranks. Silently, she leapt with her feline prowess straight onto the cats back, the venom in her mouth pooling as the sharp teeth made short work of the skin, and drank the hot liquid of heaven. Well, at least, the liquid of heaven to her. The blood ran down her parched throat, soothing the aching that was there. After draining the animal she turned on her heel, one of her hands on the scruff of the corpse, and dragged him to a nearby stream, and tossed him in like he was a sack of potatoes.
After watching the animal be dragged away by the stream she began to run towards one of the many ruins that Peru held, avoiding all signs of life, and some of the tribes that lived there who had heard of the old legend that had been passed down for centuries, before civilisation had taken over. The tree's stood tall, the canopy of the
The trees and rocks whipped by, still in perfect vision of Ari despite the speed at which she was going. She whizzed straight past a waterfall nearly missing it, then doubled back to see its beauty. Crystal clear freshwater cascaded into a shallow pool that sparkled like a thousand diamonds, just like her skin; between two huge boulders that allowed the water to turn into the stunning waterfall. Pure white foam ghosted over the water, before losing its fluffiness and deflated itself back into water.
Ari grinned, stripped down to her underwear, and took a running jump to a ledge that jutted out about ten feet about the pool. Dipping her shoulder into the waterfall she relished the feeling of the pounding water on her still tan shoulders. To any other being, she would have looked like the goddess Artemis in the Greek legends, with long hair down to her waist standing against the moon. Despite being changed into a vampire, her skin was still a shade of just slightly pale tan. Like the tan had faded after not going on holiday for too long. Raven black hair would have tumbled down way past her shoulders had they not been restrained by several leather cords that criss-crossed her hair, making it look oriental in design but South American in execution. She had a small frame, just a little over five two but was strong and lithe. Her face was angular, she had huge eyes that were orbs of honey as irises, with thick sooty lashes, a full, rounded mouth that was just naturally tinted a very slight lighter pink than normal, with a single dimple in her left cheek and a classic button nose. She was curvy, for a vampire, and the curves were in all the right places. Though her beauty would not have contested someone like Rosalie's, she was awfully close. With long legs, tight waist but curvy hips, she was a small supermodel, despite being 24 when she was turned, her height gave her the pouting looks of an eighteen year old. She untied the cords that kept her hair under wraps, and threw them lazily in the direction of her clothes that were hanging on a nearby branch. From the reaction that animals had to vampires, she wouldn't have much trouble with bugs going into her clothes. Untangling the curls she dipped her head into the waterfall then stepped through the sheet of water onto the other side of the ledge, so that instead of being closest to the rock-face, she was now facing the pool of water beneath her that was actually rather deceptively deep. Ari tip toed to the edge, and looked over with an excited smile. She faced to rock-wall again, then vaulted into the air, turned a perfect summer-sault and plummeted into the water in a cannonball sending a large splash shooting into the air. Her waist length hair was now dead straight from the water and she leisured in the icy fresh water.
Leah.
I had stopped near the ocean. I don't know why I had asked the leech earlier for directions to here, but the idea of the ocean just appealed to me. The waves held me, hypnotised by the rolling water I felt more free than I ever had before, but I was still being held back. I needed to find myself, and I felt that my hearts desires were calling from over the sea. My oilskin bag hung limply on my shoulder as I stepped into the warm waters, allowing the scent and feel of it to overcome me as I stared into the horizon. I began to imagine what it would be like to find love. Who he was, what he was like. Whether or not he was doing exactly the same thing I was right now, dreaming of the perfect other, wishing that we could just be with each other. I knew that Sam, though there was still some pain, would never be mine again, and not being close to him, I was more okay with the fact that he was Emily's for all of her life than I had ever been before. Leaving like that, it made me feel powerful, like I had a say in my life rather than it being dominated by the traditions and treaties of my people.
The sun was just beginning to set, the tip of the burnt orange ball slowly dipping on the horizon, seeming to set the whole world on fire. The water looked as though it had a million candles floating in the sea, it tipped and glistened the fierce ball. It was more magical than any transformation I had ever seen.
I listened out for the heartbeats of people close by, but for once, I was left alone on the beach. Pulling the heat from the centre of my being, I let it take over me, but it was different this time. I became empowered with freedom. The idea of crossing oceans filled my being, as the salt water lapped against my feet. I wished for wings so that I could fly, far away, to see the world from a different point of view. The power took over me, and instead of running on all fours I was in the sky, with wings stretched out either side and the feeling of pure wind whip against my feathers. I climbed higher, and higher into the sky above the treetops and houses, above the shore and the people. Away from the world. I swooped down, picked up my bag that was now slightly worn with all of my belongings, and just flew into the sunset. Towards the Cayman Islands. Towards where the wind took me.