Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story, they belong to the wonderful Stephanie Meyer.
So I'm worried some of you won't enjoy where I'm taking the story in the coming chapters. But stick with me; I think it will still be good.
Chapter 3: Challenge
EdwardPOV
I knew I was getting nearer to the meadow, not only because of the thousands of times I took this trail, but because I could smell the filthy son of a bitch, James now. If he harmed Bella in any way, there aren't words for the things I would do to that creature. The devil himself would look like a safer alternative to turn to for help.
Of course, I would have no one to blame but my self. Am I a worse monster than even James? I placed myself directly in Bella's life. A life of quiet, safe happiness was replaced with constant danger and fear. She deserved so much better than that. You are a selfish creature Edward Cullen.
If in fact I am too late to save her. Then my life is over, I left my heart and what was left of my soul with her. If she was gone I had nothing to live for, and I would not spend the rest of eternity with out my light, her touch, or warmth. No, if she is gone, then I shall soon follow after her.
I was yards from the edge of the meadow now, I could see Bella standing in the rain; she seemed tired and terrified but relatively unharmed. I would not hesitate. As soon as I spotted James, I sped forward lunging at his throat.
BellaPOV:
It happened so quickly, I had been standing there facing James; awaiting our fate; when a flash of white streaked across the clearing knocking James to the ground. I could here loud, deep growling coming from both men, but in one I heard so much more rage, it sent terror down my spine. Not for myself, but for the realization that he had come to save me. And now he was in a fight to the death. Laurent had said that James had never once found a match he could not win…I shook the thought from my head. He will be fine, I repeated in my head.
It had been storming already, and as the fight continued it became more and more difficult to differentiate the sounds of thunder and the two vampires. Sounds of bones snapping, snarls, and bodies slamming to the ground emitted from the battle.
A flash of fiery red hair swooped past my line of vision, screaming to James. It was Victoria, the other vampire who had stayed by his side that day in the clearing.
"James finish this now! The others are not moments away, and the odds are not in our favor!"
She looked in my direction just then and smiled. "Perhaps your boyfriend needs a bit of distraction, sweet one."
I made a move to run, but before I could even turn her stone hands were around my neck and teeth cutting into my throat. I heard Edward scream my name in the distance, there was so much pain in his voice. It was replaced seconds later with the most disturbing howl of pain, I had ever heard in my life. "No!" I gasped.
I was slipping in and out of consciousness at this point. The burning fire of the venom being shot through my body was so much. As I drifted to sleep, I had one calming thought, in all the pain. At least we would be together.