Hey! Here is chapter 4. I am so appreciative to those who are reading my story!! I will publish the next chapter if I can get to 15 reviews. I really want to know your thoughts. Also, would you like to read some of Bella's perspective? I'm open to writing that.

Oh, DISCLAIMER FOR ALL CHAPTERS HEREIN: I don't own Twilight. I just adore it. The characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

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I let the dark cloak me as I moved with blinding speed to the north. Thankfully, the Chattahoochee River was only a few short minutes away; I could dispose of the body and hunt there, hopefully getting back to Bella within a half hour.

Bella. Her warm eyes and blood haunted me, my personal demon. I had to push her far from my mind and focus on the tasks at hand. Although it was easier to think clearly with her away from me, the memory of her blood and translucent skin sent my head spinning. I needed to focus.

It occurred to me that I was in no way tempted by the cooling human carcass in my arms. Surprisingly, I was nearly repulsed by it. Bella's blood had driven away any desire I had for this blood, which was diluted and sour in comparison. The thought of having such tainted blood course through me made me feel sick. Bella's blood, if I could have that, would surely sustain me for a lifetime. It was so potent and raw. I shuddered at where my thoughts were taking me, forcing her out of my mind until after I hunted.

I buried the mangled body deep under the wilderness floor and quickly found some elk, taking down three in a matter of minutes. I felt like a glutton, drinking more than necessary. However, I needed to take precautions in order to face Bella again.

Once I was satiated, reality started sinking in. I flew back to the city and began to worry. I had left Bella with no shirt, probably freezing, in a dirty downtown warehouse. Normally, I wouldn't have left a woman so exposed. Although I hadn't known my little demon long, I had a feeling that trouble tended to find her. In addition to the murdering psychopath from earlier, she had attracted the most dangerous monster of all: me. Would something else come for her in my absence? And would she have fled the warehouse, despite my order for her to stay? Was she wondering the streets, alone and scared?

More importantly, I had exposed my abilities to her. She saw me effortlessly crush her attacker and move with inhuman speed. She had felt my ice cold hands brush her neck. She knew that I wasn't normal and would likely want answers. Those are answers that I couldn't truthfully give.

I knew the responsible thing to do. I should alert someone of her location, a police officer perhaps, telling him that I heard a struggle. I could watch from the shadows, secure her safety and then never see her again. She could tell all of the outlandish stories about my strange rescue that she wanted; I would disappear, and it wouldn't matter.

I approached the warehouse and instantly picked up on her scent. She had decided to stay and wait for me. It occurred to me that, as torturous as it was, her smell was already a part of me, engrained into my very psyche. I could hear her heart beating all the way from the street. Even without the ability to read her mind, I could find Bella without issue.

I had a decision to make. I could go back into the warehouse and try not to kill her, all the while jeopardizing her safety, or I could simply…leave. The decision to leave should have been easy, but I stood there, torn. Even if I left, I knew that I would always remember her heavenly scent and chocolate eyes.

I argued with myself. Maybe it was destiny for me to see this through. I didn't understand my appeal to her blood, my inability to read her mind. Wasn't it prudent to find answers to those mysteries? Wouldn't I regret walking away from this temptation, having to spend an eternity without answers?

But was my curiosity worth risking her life? Every moment I spent with her delicious scent was a moment that she could die. What if it became too much? I couldn't live with myself if anything happened...

As I stood there, I breathed in her scent, letting it wreck havoc on my senses. If I was going to walk into that warehouse and confront her again, I had to find a way to think through this fire. It was overwhelming but easier to manage now that I had hunted.

I said a small prayer to Carlisle, asking for his strength. My decision was made.

I took a deep breath on the street before entering the warehouse. I wanted to avoid directly breathing her in as much as possible.

She was huddled in a corner, shaking violently. She hadn't been able to find her shirt, her pants were torn, and one of her legs looked bruised and painful. Thank god she hadn't spilled any blood in the whole ordeal. That would have certainly unraveled the remaining shreds of my willpower.

"Bella," I said as gently as I could.

She jerked her head up, eyes wild. When she recognized me, tears welled up in her eyes. Was she crying out of fear? Was there something else? Did she look…relieved?

"I didn't think you w-w-w-would come back. I thought maybe I had dreamed you. I didn't know wh-what to do." She sounded in shock.

I took off my jacket and threw it to her, trying to keep my distance. "Put this on. Where are you in pain?"

"My leg hurts the most." She held my jacket but didn't put it on. It occurred to me that she felt self conscious. Of course, Edward! She didn't have a shirt on, and I was gawking at her like a perverted fool.

I mumbled an apology and turned around. I heard her put in on, whimpering softly.

"Are you okay?," I called from behind my shoulder.

"Yeah, my arm is just a little sore. You can turn around now. Thank you."

If it were possible, she looked even more fragile in my oversized jacket. "We need to get you to a hospital. You may be hurt…"

"No!" She all but screamed at me. Realizing her intensity, she spoke more softly, "I don't need to go to a hospital. I don't want to."

I stared at her, incredulous. Why wouldn't she want to go to a hospital? What if she was internally injured? She needed proper medical care. Humans too often didn't realize the extent of their injuries, especially when they were in shock. I knew that much from Carlisle. Maybe she was being proud.

"You're in shock. You don't know what you need. We need to go to a hospital."

She tightened her jaw and stubbornness clouded her chocolate eyes. "I'm fine."

"This isn't open for debate. Can you walk?" I glanced at her battered leg again. The last thing I wanted to do was carry her and have her warm, lovely blood so close to me.

"I don't think so. I tried to walk from the bed, but I fell down and crawled over here." She bit her lower lip, holding back tears. "I don't know what to do. If you can just call my aunt, she can help me out of here." She hugged my jacket tighter to her body.

I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath, allowing her scent to fill me. It caused me unimaginable pain, but I knew giving in to temptation would mean death for both of us. The burn was insufferable, but her death was unthinkable.

She stared at me, processing my pained expression. She must have interpreted my behavior as anger at having to help her, because she spoke in a rush. "I'm sorry. You don't have to help me. If you can just find my aunt, I can get help…"

"No, no, it isn't that." I just want to drink your blood, Bella, that's all. I'm sure you can understand.

Instead I said, "Your aunt is drunk, Bella. I don't know how much of a help she'll be to you at the moment." The disapproval was evident on my face.

Bella was confused. "When did you see my aunt?" Worry replaced her confusion. "Is she okay?"

I tried to be as truthful as possible. "I met your aunt, and your little cousin, at the nightclub earlier tonight. She didn't know where you were, so I promised to find you. The man who took you had followed you. He targeted you. Your aunt was never in danger."

Relief flooded through her, but she was still confused. "I still don't understand…how did you find me?" She clearly had a million questions, but damned if I could hear one of them.

I read minds, Bella. It's no big deal. "We'll have time for questions later. We need to get you out of here. Do you mind if I carry you?"

"Really, you don't have to do that, and I'm heavy, anyway. Please…" She looked embarrassed.

I rolled me eyes and walked over to her small frame, trying not to look pained as her scent slammed into me. She looked scared and her heart quickened, so I smiled down at her. "I don't want you to be afraid."

"What are you?," she asked with trepidation. Yes, of course she wanted to know that. For a fleeting moment, I wished that I was a normal man worthy of this girl's trust, and that I had a rational answer for her, one that didn't involve nightmares.

Considering that I had to carry her, and that it would have to be at inhuman speed, I needed to give her some explanation. Besides, I could always disappear. I just needed to avoid scaring her anymore that I already had and get her somewhere safe. I needed her to trust me.

"That isn't easy to answer, Bella. I know I scare you, and I am sorry for that, but I don't intend to hurt you. I know I don't deserve it, but I need you to… trust me."

She held her breath and nodded her head. "I'm not afraid of you. I'm just…overwhelmed. If anything, I'm grateful." She looked sincere, her eyes captivating.

Why wasn't she afraid of me? It didn't make sense. I wondered if lying was one of her many hidden abilities.

"Stay very still while I pick you up. I don't want to hurt you any further." And I don't want to accidentally drain your blood.

"What's your name?," she asked abruptly.

"Edward."

I reached down to pick her up, and her heart sped, causing delicious blood to quicken in her veins and flood her cheeks. It was lovely, so sweet and inviting. She looked at my shyly from underneath her eyelashes as I hoisted her carefully into my arms. Her long brown hair cascaded around me, crashing more of her scent into me. Everything about her was fragile and soft. She felt like heaven, electrifying my cold skin. I had expected to feel the burning thirst, but I hadn't expected that immense pleasure would rival the thirst. I wanted to touch the blush in her cheeks with my fingertips. I wondered if her face felt as silky as it looked.

My cool skin probably disgusted her. Normally, humans were irrationally attracted to our kind. We were inhumanly beautiful to our prey. I had never met a woman whose pulse didn't quicken in my presence, and most of the time it was because of attraction. I found myself wishing that Bella's was attracted instead of afraid. Had I lost my mind?

"Are you okay?" Her heart was pounding furiously and the blush hadn't left her cheeks. Maybe she was in pain.

"Yes." Her voice was hoarse. "Where are we going?"

"To the hospital. Then we'll find your aunt."

"I can't go there. I won't. I'm f--."

"Why don't you want to go there? I don't understand why you're so reluctant." I hated that I couldn't read her mind.

"I don't have insurance, and I don't have any money. Besides, I know I'm fine. I've had worse. It's just a few bruises. It's unnecessary, and I won't go."

She'd had worse? I felt irrationally angry at whoever had hurt her before. I wanted to kill them, too. "Money isn't an issue, and in your condition, I don't think you have much of a choice. Where's the rest of your family?" She had said she was visiting her aunt.

"I don't have any."

Her answer surprised me. "What do you mean?"

"My parents are…dead. I'm visiting my aunt until I figure out what I'm doing." She looked up at me, pleading. "Please don't take me to the hospital, Edward, please." She closed her eyes in defeat.

I couldn't argue with her pleading. Bella knew pain. I didn't understand her at all, but I could empathize with that, at least. I would try to respect her wishes, as long as I could know that she was safe. Also, when she said my name, I felt like I had to listen.

"I need to know that you're okay, Bella. Where does your aunt live?"

"She lives in an apartment on 4th and Bleaker."

"I'll take you there and we'll figure this out, okay?" I tried to reassure her.

"Mm, hmm. Thank you so much." She looked exhausted. I didn't know how much longer she could hold on.

"Rest, Bella. Close your eyes. I'm going to take you to your aunt's apartment, and it's probably better if you don't watch."

She was too tired to argue with me or question my directive, which I appreciated. I had a feeling that she would argue, though, if she had the strength. I chuckled.

She looked at me curiously, eyelids drooping. I had to resist the urge to touch her face again. I wanted to trace her lips and feel her breath on my fingertips.

It struck me that she was beautiful, apart from her sweet blood. The shape of her lips, the subtle curves of her body… God, Edward, what is the matter with you? I was sick, truly sick, for having such thoughts about this poor, injured girl. Ever since I had met her, I'd been completely unbalanced.

At least her scent, although still painful, was familiar enough for me to endure. Holding her ever so gently, I headed off into the night.