AN: Okay, this was the best I could come up with. I'm trying, and I'm praying I haven't lost my touch in writing. Tell me if you like this or not in a review, please? And I'm not going to demand reviews like for previous chapters; I just want to hear how y'all like the chapters. I mean, Lady Syndra talked to me about how the story was in her opinion, and a character's outcome got changed. So, just holler in a review, please? And thank you, Lady Syndra, BooBoo33, and LuvinTwilight143 for reviewing on the last chapter. I appreciate y'all's love.

Disclaimer: I do not, shall not, and will never own Twilight. I wouldn't dream of a sparkly vampire, only a hot werewolf. ;)

On with the show!

9. You Change or You Die—Simple (Talia POV)

If he knew what I was, he might have paused. He was arrogant, however, so I used that to my advantage. When he appeared before me, I bent the water within him, manipulating his body. A look of childlike confusion crossed his face, and I boldly laughed out loud. I could feel his pitiful attempts at control over his body, testing each appendage before sighing in utter defeat. I carefully moved him into a position that stated his complete submission before partially releasing my hold on him. He could speak if he wished to.

"You know, it was quite rude of you to sneak up on me. I mean, obviously you don't creep up on another supernatural," I teased, ruffling his hair.

He snarled viciously at me, causing me to "accidentally" inflict some pain on him. A screech ripped from his throat, echoing off the surrounding trees, and he withered onto the ground, convulsing painfully for a few minutes. I paused the waves of pain on him, smiling all the while.

"You're sadistic, you know that?" he finally whispered, albeit hoarsely.

I chuckled at him and patted his head, watching him struggle to move away from me. "I'm not sadistic; that would imply I get off on this. Rather, I'm disgusted at you and your type of vampires, who willingly kill any human being. I figure, 'hey, why don't I show them how it feels to be drained?'"

"There is no other way for we, as a race, to survive. We must consume blood," he insisted.

"Yes, but to drain another man? Another human being, another of your former kind? You are nothing but a monster and a disgrace to God's creation." My voice turned icy at the end, and I noticed that his aura was tinged with a ring of fear. It excited me in a sick way, so I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to expel the feeling.

"How else am I to survive?" he asked rhetorically.

I answered him anyway. "Break into blood banks, work at a hospital or with the Red Cross. Anything. But to take a life while there is another way to survive . . ."

He sat there pondering these ideas, but I could tell from his aura that his resolves were firm. It angered me, turning my nails an alarming black. His eyes narrowed warily before he attempted to adjust his position. My nail color shifted again into a grass green around the edges but with black in the center, clearly portraying my amusement while displaying that my anger was still present.

"I wouldn't be able to . . . control myself around that many humans," carefully he replied.

"Well, then," I mused. "There is one other option." I paused to draw out the suspense, noting that his impatience was rising.

"What is it?" he pushed.

"The vegetarian diet," I whispered, letting my voice ring in the air. He froze, nearly going catatonic before blinking slowly and trying to talk. He failed, though, so his mouth flapped like a puppet being moved. "There is a coven not too far from here, I believe, who participates in this diet. You could learn a thing or two from them."

"But . . . why . . . how . . . " He seemed at a loss for words, so I shushed him gently, sitting beside him and showing my softer side. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders, feeling him take a deep breath.

"Why don't you tell me something about yourself?" I murmured. He looked at me quizzically, and I clarified impatiently, "To get your mind off of it. Mind you, I will need your decision soon, but I'm aware that vampires can multitask."

"My name is Patrick Bay," he whispered. "I was turned when I was eighteen years old, in 1982 to be precise. The day was Friday, August 13, and I had the worst bad luck of them all. I was coming home from baseball practice, a good twenty minute walk, and didn't notice the man and woman following me. By the time I did, it was too late; the woman took my wrists in one hand and led me behind a rundown building, the man following silently with a hidden mirth in his eyes. I was thrown against the wall violently, causing me to fall to the ground in pain. She laughed lightly, and her fiery red hair danced around her face as she stalked closer. I can still remember the dark hue of her eyes, and the blonde guy's sinister chuckle."

He paused, seeming to gather himself. My hand flew to my mouth, causing me to drop the hold on him momentarily. He noticed this and pushed underneath my arm further, looking for comfort. I squeezed him kindly and planted a kiss on his forehead, gazing at him with sympathy. He smiled faintly before continuing, and while he talked I ran my free hand through his hair, seeing that it soothed him.

"She leaned close to me, letting her fiery red hair tickle my face, before placing her lips to my jugular. Her teeth pierced my skin, causing a scream to rip from my throat. The man blurred to me and took my wrist, puncturing my skin as well. I was in agony as a burning sensation filled my veins, causing me to writhe and thrash about. The woman let go first, and I could faintly see her clean the blood off her lips. The man dropped me then and shared a kiss with her before the two departed, leaving me to die on the streets."

"That's awful," I said, pausing my motions.

"Yeah. Waking up alone was the second most awful moment in my life, but the first was when I went home and accidentally killed my family," he flatly stated.

"Don't you see? Living on the animal diet could help your control and not allow anything like that to ever happen again," I exclaimed. "Think about it. Going on this diet would be the ultimate test of your strength. You boys enjoy this sort of . . . thing." I punctuated that by waving my hand at the end.

His aura was tinted orange, showing his excitement; he tried to mask his expression, though, to make it less obvious. "What if I fail, though?"

"You'll make mistakes; you're not perfect. I just don't want you to stick to this life, Hun. You were brought into it against your will, and you molded into the stereotype and accepted it. If you want to be stronger, you must fight this," I tenderly told him. My voice got firmer though. "Now, promise me, Patrick, that you'll try to stick to this," I demanded. "Or so help me I'll kill you myself."

"I promise," he whispered. "I'll try."

"Good, that's all I ask." I looked at him briefly and saw he had a watch on his wrist. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Nearly six," Patrick replied. "Why?" His eyes widened, admiration and confusion displayed within them, and I could tell he regarded me as a person to idolize now.

"Well, I have to get . . . um . . . home, I guess. Before that, though, I'll walk you to the border, but from then on you head straight to the Cullens," I planned. "Now, come on; dinner's going to be done soon."

I shoved off the ground and wiped the grass off my butt, raising my eyebrows at Patrick when he openly leered. He shrugged and rose to his feet as well. I offered my hand to him, and when he locked our fingers together, the trek to the river began. The border—more specifically, the river marking it—caused an instinct to rise within me, leading me to the river not twenty minutes later.

"I guess this is where we depart," he sighed, a bit of sadness lacing his voice.

"I suppose so. You better be good, okay?" I demanded.

"I will. Just think, though. Only a couple hours earlier I thought you were going to be dinner. Now I'm going to try the vegetarian diet and made my first human friend in thirty years," Patrick reflected.

"Well, life's funny like that, isn't it?" I sounded sarcastic, but a deeper meaning was shown.

Releasing his hand, I nudged him with my shoulder to depart and stepped back, giving him some space. His legs tensed, and suddenly he was in the air, propelling his legs forward to increase his force. Patrick's landing was silent as he touched the other side. Just as I was turning, two teenagers from the group I saw earlier exited the foliage. The small brunette with the pixie cut—Alice, I believe— looped her arm through Patrick's, and I could feel his wariness from here.

She paused her procession with him, peeking over her shoulder at me and studying me briefly; a timid smile rose to her face before she tugged Patrick along. The burly one I saw earlier took up the rear of the train, his muscles flexing as he trailed behind them. Right before they disappeared into the forest, Patrick sent an enthusiastic grin over his shoulder to me, his red eyes gleaming with delight. I could tell he was content.

I faintly smiled at the empty space where they once stood and turned, slinking into the forest and sprinting to Emily's, just in time for dinner.

"Where have you been, Talia? I've been worried sick," she cried as soon as I was through the door.

I turned into the kitchen to find a group of faces, some I recognized and some I didn't, all appearing sombre and austere. Their expressions caused me to stumble, my arms flailing wildly as I tried to catch myself. My hand latched onto the counter-top, so I used it to stand up and straighten myself out.

Paul got up from his chair and approached me, sniffing me when he got close. His lips pulled back in a snarl, and a growl rumbled in his throat. It was echoed by others at the table. A seed of nervousness planted itself in me, and I averted my eyes to the floor. Paul rose to his full height above me and snarled when I tried to back away from him. His hands began to tremble in anger, and I watched in awed silence as he calmed himself before speaking slowly and deliberately.

"Why . . . do you smell . . . like a leech?"