Chapter 4: Broken Bottles

With a start, I realized I was still sitting on the floor in my bedroom. I jumped up and looked out the window: it was dark outside. I sighed and looked at the clock. 12:25am

Where had the day gone? Had I really distracted myself so easily?

I smiled to myself and looked at what I had accomplished. My keyboard was set up and everything was put together.

Had I really drug it out that long?

I looked around at the mess on my floor and smiled. I inhaled deeply, almost expecting the burn again, but this time the air flowed into my lungs unobstructed and clean. Finally.

I cleaned up the mess of boxes and plastic on the floor and thought back over the last 10 hours. I had gone through Edward's journals, trying to find one memory, but it wasn't there.

Was this the same as it was for him? I thought to myself as I carried the trash silently down the stairs.

I laughed quietly: there is no way this is the same! But Edward had been drawn to Bella, right? Maybe I should call him, try to hash it out with someone who may have some insight.

I snuck through the front door with my trash in hand, tossing it all into the can, letting the lid fall back into place silently.

Maybe Alice was right: I am just too thirsty. I shouldn't have let it go on this long, I know better. I looked out into the woods and smiled.

That just had to be it! Maybe the boy, Zander, had a cut, maybe he ran over a cat, I was just that thirsty. I can usually ignore a human's scent unless they are bleeding; then, it's nearly impossible.

I had my self control, but not like Carlisle does, or Edward. Bella is much more controlled than I was, and so was my mother, although I have never had even an ounce of human blood. They both had: granted, it was donated blood, but my mother didn't try that with me; she always stuck to the animal blood. She figured that's what she drank, and she didn't change her diet, just how many times she had to feed. I never seemed to mind. With Masen, it was different, so he'd told me; Mom had only craved human food while she was pregnant with him, which was strange, because she had always preferred blood, although she can have both. She didn't seem to have the side effects like I do when I eat human food, though.

I started walking toward the woods slowly; I looked around and saw no one, so I ducked into the tree line and started running, flat-out, full-bore. I loved to run where no one could see me, it made me feel so free. The wind pulled my hair back and the branched grabbed my arms as I passed, but it didn't matter. If I was human this probably wouldn't feel very good, I thought, but it felt like gentle fingers brushing my skin as I leaped through the thick undergrowth. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, and I caught the scent I was looking for, Elk. My eyes flashed open and I let the instinct take over.

I lay back against a huge tree and rubbed my engorged stomach, smiling. I was very pleased with myself. I really wasn't that much of a mess, just dirty. Masen would never be able to do that: he'd come back from a hunt looking as if he'd taken a bath in blood and mud. I nodded to myself, satisfied. There, that oughta do it.

I pulled myself up and started walking back toward Forks. I had run a good twenty miles from home, but I didn't hurry now, I had plenty of time. I enjoyed the cool night breeze and the sounds of the forest.

That's when I caught the trace. I inhaled and looked around, captivated. There was someone else here. It was fresh; new, like they had just run by. This was no human, or shape shifter, or half breed. This was a vampire, one that I did not know.

Almost paralyzed by sudden apprehension, I whipped out my phone and called Masen. He picked up after a few rings and grumbled, sleepily, into the receiver. "Ella? What?"

Trying to keep my voice low, I muttered back into the phone. "I'm in the woods, and there is a vampire out here that I have no idea who they are, I've never smelled this scent before. Whoever they are, they are heading toward town. Masen, we have to take care of it."

I heard the phone click without even a response, and I knew he would be here soon. I heard howling to the east a few moments later, and felt a wave of relief pass through me. He was calling out the pack.

I took off as fast as I could, heading straight for Forks.

The scent seemed so very new, growing stronger with every step. I saw the roof tops as I came closer to town. I jumped up into a large evergreen and leapt onto the closest rooftop, scanning the streets and houses all around me, searching for anything unusual, but trying to keep hidden at the same time. If he was in town, I did not want to be seen: I needed the advantage of surprise.

I jumped from rooftop to rooftop like a cat and kept on his trail, although it was now below me. I knew I could keep up with it easily, and the thrill of the pursuit sang through me. It felt so good to allow myself to give in to my instincts and not be in danger of hurting someone innocent.

There was a sudden crash in front of me: the sound of breaking glass. I stopped to listen, frozen in place. The vampire's smell was almost overwhelming, as if they were very close, but I couldn't see anything.

Where are Masen and Seth? What was I going to do alone, I had never encountered a vampire on my own that I did not know. Most vampires don't know what to make of me. I am as strong as they are, just as fast, and have the same keen vision at they do, but I have a heartbeat and blood coursing through my veins, not venom. I feed the same way they do, but by choice, not by necessity. I just have a somewhat tempting smell to the full vampires, which is slightly over powered by a vampire perfume.

Jasper had taught me a lot about defending myself. My father and Edward hated that he did that, but it was absolutely essential to me. They didn't see why I would ever need fighting skills. Edward was scared of what actual combat might do to me; they did not know if I could actually be hurt, and they didn't know if my body could handle a bite. Vampires are venomous; I am not. Venom would kill a shape shifter, which is what my father is. They just didn't know what my odd hybrid body would do if I were bitten, and they didn't even allow the idea of testing the theory out.

It made me nervous also.

Thoughts of a fight flashed through my head; I tried to plan various reactions and attacks, just in case. I was just hoping to be able to tell this vampire that we lived there, and they couldn't hunt there.

Most vampires are willing to work with the Cullens in these situations, since they don't want to step n a large coven's toes. There were too many Cullens and Blacks for any loner to deal with.

There was the sound of glass shattering below me, but it wasn't like the sound of a window breaking. I walked to the edge again, peering down.

There was a boy below me, tossing empty glass bottles into the road. He wore a hoodie so it was hard to tell if I knew him, looking down like that, but he seemed familiar... But I somehow knew. Of course. I inhaled deeply to test my hunch: the burn told me at once, who it was.

There was a sudden movement in the tree line a few yards away from him; unnatural movement, furtive and quiet, something no one else but someone like myself or my family would notice. I realized instantly what was happening: the vampire was stalking his prey. And the prey was Zander. I sucked in a sudden breath, horrified, not caring how the air charred my lungs. No!

I watched Zander throw another bottle and I decided what to do. I jumped down onto the pavement behind him at the same time the glass hit the asphalt, shattering into a thousand glittering shards, the sound disguising my landing.

The figure in the woods stared at me with blood red eyes, suddenly visible from that perspective, and the bone-white face suddenly filled with rage, knowing his plan was thwarted. I walked toward him slowly, and he hissed at me, enraged, his eyes rolling around violently. I suddenly understood that this was a newborn, totally out of control, thirsting for Zander's blood, for anyone's blood. And he wouldn't care for caution or discretion, or know anything about our large family.

Oooh, I'm in trouble now…

As if to prove my point, he let out a high-pitched wail. Zander whirled around at the sound, surprised.

He gasped in shock, seeing me. I turned to look at him, unable to help myself, my eyes drawn to him like magnets. I caught his eyes; ice blue, they seemed glassy, blurred, maybe from crying…Somehow I managed to have time to feel sad for him.

The Vampire tried to make his move, thinking he'd caught me off guard.

I growled, crouching down into a combat stance like Jasper had told me. Had to protect my flanks. "No you don't!" I hissed at the vampire, baring my teeth. Even if I wasn't venomous, at least my teeth are sharp and my jaws are strong. I'd do what I had to do, to protect Zander.

His scent, so alluring, so damning, swirled to me on the night breeze. I groaned deep in my chest, struggling against the thirst, trying to focus on what I had to do.

I lunged forward, grabbing the vampire around the waist, pinning his arms to his sides so he couldn't tear at me, and took off into the woods, running as fast as I could, hauling him with me. I didn't know if I was protecting Zander or my victim. It didn't matter. Same end.

The Vampire screamed, confused, grappling at me even though his upper arms were trapped. "What are you!" he shrieked, clawing at my back.

I felt his nails ripping my shirt and scraping my skin. Well, I guess now they all will know I can be hurt, I thought absently, still running, trying not to feel the pain.

I growled, ignoring the pain the tore through me. I wasn't sure what was worse: the vampire ripping through my granite skin, or the pain of Zander in my throat and chest, burning me, pulling me back toward him. I started moving faster, digging deep inside me for more speed; I had to get him as far away from Zander as I could.

As I flashed through the dark forest I could hear howling coming from both sides, following us, but still not there yet. The Vampire ripped one arm free and grabbed at my hair, whipping my head back. He managed to dig his heels into the forest floor, kicking up dirt and pine needles, with a mighty shove throwing me away from him. I flew through the air, hitting a large tree with a crash, slamming to the ground again, my breath knocked out of me for a moment.

I growled, enraged, once I'd managed to take a breath again, although I still couldn't move from the shock, glaring at him through my crazy hair. "You have no idea what you are getting yourself into!" I shrieked. I barely recognized the sound of my own voice. I looked up at him and realized he was coming at me with his mouth wide open, ready to bite. He's going to bite me! Somehow, I found the strength to move; I jumped off the ground and darted to the side, trying to escape him.

The Vampire reached out, lightning quick, grabbing my right arm and pulling it back savagely; I slammed back to the ground again, helpless, sprawled on my back. The vampire's face, white as the moon, blood red eyes raging, hovered over me, grinning. He reached down, grabbed my neck, and pushed me against a tree, holding me a few inches off the ground by my throat. I choked for breath, struggling against him futilely.

He spit at me, his voice like grinding broken glass. "Who are you?"

I struggled to talk, but he was holding me up by the neck, and squeezing. I felt darkness encroaching on my field of vision, spreading, threatening to overwhelm me. My lungs burned, begging for air. NO!

I closed my eyes and grabbed for his face, giving it all my last ounces of desperate strength. He shuddered as my nails raked his face, trying to find purchase there, still not releasing me as I tried to show him who I was, what I was. He slapped my hands away with his free one, but I fought it and grabbed his face again, forcing my visions into him.

I showed him my large coven and explained that this was our territory. I opened my eyes and looked at him with my stone face, my black eyes, the face of a monster. I was looking through his memories to see who had created him, but it was blank, almost like Alice. He was not that old, maybe getting ready to come up on a year, and I knew he called himself Kane.

He swatted my hand from his face so hard it was as if two granite rocks smacking together with an audible crunch. He leaned in closer to my face, his mouth opening, his teeth glistening with venom. I could smell his breath.

I hissed through my teeth, begging him. "Kane, don't do this!"

He wailed at me, enraged. He dug his nails into my throat, his fingers clenching tighter around my neck, choking me. He was so strong. I gasped for air; I could hear my own heart slamming against the inside of my chest, hear my blood pounding through my veins. His mouth was right above my collarbone, poised.

He groaned, inhaling my scent. I shivered at the feeling of his breath on my skin. "You do smell very strange…I wonder if you will make me stronger than human's blood." He lifted his face just enough to meet my eyes and smiled savagely.

I choked, pleading with him. "Stop!"

He let out a sickening laugh and laid his ice-cold lips on my neck.

I cringed back from him into the tree and started ripping at his chest like a cornered tiger; I felt my fingers pull furrows through his stony skin. I was gasping for breath; he didn't let go. I was almost done, I couldn't hang on much longer.

I knew there was nothing else I could do. He would kill me and go back for Zander. I saw it in his head.

That's when I realized: I wasn't protecting myself from hurting him, I was protecting him. It didn't matter if I got hurt, or even died, as long as he was safe. I couldn't let that happen, let Kane hurt him.

Everything started to go fuzzy. My eyes slipped closed, no matter how much I tried to keep them open.

Then he was gone.

I slumped down, falling onto my knees, trying to breathe, unsure what had happened.

A large, dark red wolf came soundlessly up on my left, and then a large black one came up on my right. They were terrifying, muzzles drawn back from their razor-sharp teeth, growling murderously. Thank god!

I sighed, weak with relief and pain. Sam and Masen.

I looked up and Seth had Kane's arm in his mouth. Kane screamed in terror and pain, thrashing against the wolf's teeth. Kane shoved Seth off him, then Masen and Sam dove in to finish him, their growls escalating to bloodcurdling snarls.

Somehow, in the struggle Kane managed to free his dismembered arm from Seth's jaws.

Wheeling suddenly, Kane ran off into the dark woods, toward the Coast, the wolves tearing off after him in hot pursuit. It was about 30 miles or so west, they should be able to catch him, I thought in satisfaction, allowing myself to slump face-down to the cool forest floor.

The thought of Zander interrupted my exhaustion; I pulled myself up immediately, turning to run back toward town. Just to make sure he was gone and safe.

Yeah, right.

I came up to the tree line near where I'd left Zander and looked around for him. It was all too fast: he wouldn't have realized who I was, right? I shrugged. It's not like I have to deal with him. I couldn't see him. I ran back into the woods after Masen and Seth, trying to put thoughts of Zander behind me, even though the lingering scent of him had set my chest blazing again. I got about halfway back and my phone rang.

I pulled it out of my pocket and answered, knowing immediately who it was. "Masen, what took you so long?"

He grunted, frustration coloring his voice. And worry. "Sam wanted me to wait for him, he didn't realize you were already out here, I couldn't just not listen." The whole Alpha-wolf thing. Masen was angry. As the son of an Alpha, having the hereditary dominant traits, it was often hard for him to submit to Sam's authority when Dad wasn't around. Especially now, I realized, when it had meant more danger to me. Aw, how sweet.

As if hearing his voice had cut some cord tying me together, I slumped to the ground, unable to breathe, and I was in pain. I'd never felt anything like this before. Having such hard skin made me immune to most of the things that "normal" people experienced all the time: I wasn't accustomed to pain of a physical kind, and this was intense. I struggled to keep myself from sobbing, shoving my fist into my mouth to stifle the sound of my ragged breathing.

Someone touched my back gently; now, as I concentrated, I could feel the rips in my skin working their way closed. Apparently I had inherited the fast-healing genes from Dad.

"Did you get him?" I asked, my voice muffled from my own fists and the fact I was laying face-down. I didn't care.

Seth hissed, disgusted. "No, he got into the water and disappeared." His fingers gently massaged my shoulders, trying to work the knots from them. He was afraid to touch my back itself.

I sighed, thankful for even small miracles. "Well, I don't think he will be back this way."

"What were you thinking? Why didn't you wait?" Seth hissed, his voice outraged. He really had been scared!

I decided not to give in to sentimentality, and hissed back: "He was going after a boy in town! What did you guys want me to do, wait and watch while he made the kid his dinner?" I wondered if I did a decent job keeping emotion out of my voice. It wasn't just some boy, it was…Zander.

Seth exhaled slowly, trying to keep his patience. "Sara, you can't do this stuff alone, what if he bit you? This thing broke through skin on your back!" His hand patted me gently for emphasis. We both winced. I turned my head a bit, looking up at him and smiling wanly, trying to seem reassuring.

I grumbled back, not liking being treated as if I were helpless. "I'll be fine, it's almost better anyway, and we don't know if anything would happen to me if I had been bitten." As I recalled the fear, I felt, as I said the words that we did know what would have happened.

Masen appeared out of the shadows, crouching down next to us. He looked at me as if someone had died, his face pale and drawn with stress.

I groaned, rolling my eyes. "It's okay. Don't go all paternal on me."

He pulled me off the ground and into his arms, hugging me 'til I felt my bones would crack. I pushed him back, protesting, "Masen!"

He put me down gently and said, "You are so lucky that mom and dad are in the middle of the Amazon and I can't call them!"

I smacked him. He just looked at me self-righteously and continued. "I'm gonna to have to call Edward or Bella. You know that, right?"

I looked up at him, horrified, then relented. "If you have to, call Bella." I knew he had to call one of them, but it couldn't be Edward: he would flip out. Masen turned his hug into picking me up and we started to head home. I knew that I would get a full report in the morning. I was too tired to think. I was recalling things that Jasper had taught me, we never really went over the Newborn stuff I just know they are stronger than most vampires are, because they are so new and filled with human blood. They have no control of their emotions and they don't communicate well. Seth caught up with us as we got into the yard and Masen set me down. I looked at Seth, and he looked down at me.

He was angry, "Don't ever do that again Sara!" I looked at him in disbelief.. He turned on his heels and went inside. His room was finished so when Masen and I went inside we did not have to pass him. I noted mentally I needed to talk to Seth in the morning. I crashed in my bed and fell asleep still fully dressed. It wasn't long before I saw his eyes. This time it did not stir me, it's like I needed to see them. It made me feel like I had a purpose for my pain.