A/ N
I own nothing. Sorry for the delay. Long story short;
Two kids- university- student loan issues-short staffed at work- computer with chapter 12 done…then fried!- take two. =Back on track.
Also to my reviewers- I know Bambino would be a male name (though thank you for pointing it out!), the horse belonged to his granddaughter and was named by his granddaughter who didn't care. I know children don't always use gender specific names, and the horse would not care what name it had.
The Watcher
Chapter 12
We rode our horses across the field, letting them have their heads as they flew. Bella was a natural horse woman, mind you the natural grace of a vampire lent itself to any physical task. Swimming, running, balancing, or hunting, and speaking of hunting. I needed to hunt, badly. The feeling of thirst was getting to the point of distraction.
I gestured over towards a copse of trees that could be seen not too far away. Bella nodded in understanding and guided her horse without it faltering a single step in the proper direction. I nudged mine forwards, using my heels to gently guide him to his top gait. I could run faster myself, but would not simply run ahead and abandon my mate.
My thirst was so intense that the wet thud of the horse's blood through the chambers of its heart was starting to distract me. The faster it ran, the quicker its heart beat, moving blood to provide oxygen to the lungs of the powerful animal. I refused to turn our mounts into a snack and quickly drew him to a halt as we neared the edge of the woods.
Bella had kept pace with us and she followed my lead as I hobbled my mount so he could walk. They would be able to cool down off somewhat and graze, which I simply could not take the time to do at this moment. The woods were calling.
I held out my hand for Bella and she slid her small palm into mine. I ran forward, already letting my senses race ahead, scanning outward to pick out the telltale glug of a wet heartbeat. They were everywhere, small mice and voles, birds, flying to their nests, foxes and badgers running for cover into their burrows. Those would not do, I needed something larger, I was ravenous.
The heavier sound of wet thudding made my head tilt to the right, as we moved, one sound became two, then three, then more. Separating from one sound into a cacophony of heartbeats.
I glanced at Bella, not wanting to part from her, but knowing she had an aversion to blood. I released my hold on her hand, and felt her slip from my grasp, and for a moment I wanted to panic. I shook the thoughts from my head knowing that she would not disappear, she was here, and mine. I was hers, she would not let me disappear either. I glanced at her and saw a slight smile grace her lips before I let myself slip forward, easing into a full tilt run towards my prey.
The beasts hearts were calm, perhaps they were grazing. Their thoughts were less formed, giving only a sense of emotions the beasts were feeling, mostly content as they moved along as well as some feeling of concern, and irritation.
I could smell them as I got closer. I always stopped briefly before I attacked, staying upwind, and selecting the most appropriate prey. I avoided the young, usually the reason for distress among herd animals, a small animal gets out of their mothers sight, and like all mothers they fear. They may not be human, but they still love, fear and have joy, their emotions are the same as you and I. I glance over the heard, looking for the males, they usually are on the outside of the heard, following the females, a dominant male usually warding off others to protect his females.
This herd was no different. The females moved along grazing and the males rutted amongst one another, staying close trying to get close enough to mate with a female, hoping to catch the dominant male off guard. It is one of these males that catches my attention. He is older than some of the others, large and intimidating, but his antlers give a clue to his age, one is large and branched out, but the other is broken off, a piece still hanging. There is a stiffness to a front leg that he favors, and it tells the story of a previous battle, lost.
This beast becomes my choice. The females bare the young, and the sight of this male tells that he might not have another year before other predators pick him off. I crouch low, there really isn't a reason to do so, for once I move, I am but a slight breeze of the wind. I am at his side, his neck broken and bent back as I heartily drink my fill.
I feel the wet heat of it rush down my throat, musky and earthy, quenching the fire that always burns there, until it becomes naught but a heated ember waiting to flare up once more. I release the beast gently, laying it down as I thank it for giving its life. I will not bury it here, as I can already hear the predators circling, birds in the air, kites and ravens, and the soft padding of carnivores who readily will take a quick meal.
I glance up and See my Bella, watching me intently. I am drawn back to her side, like a moth to the brightest flame. Her eyes shine like diamonds, and I feel the urge to kiss her to claim her. The primal beast in me at the surface wanting to show his mate our power.
I speed to her side and wrap my arms around her, her mouth opens to a small o as she realizes what I am about to do. Her hand slips up to my chest, stopping over my heart. I close my eyes and lean forward to capture her lips with mine, and my lips meet…fingers?
I open my eyes to see Bella watching me with a smile, and an odd expression. Her hand still covering my mouth. I wish I was able to hear her thoughts because I have no ideas what she is thinking.
"SO..." She pauses with a sheepish look." I totally want to kiss you right now…that was hot as hell…but you have to brush your teeth or something first, because you just drank blood! That shit is nasty, and I don't want to throw up on you, and trust me when I say that is exactly what would happen!"
I chuckled and shook my head as she took my hand with hers and disentangled herself, pulling me back towards where the horses were. We quickly got them ready and mounted them. My horse was a little more skittish of me now, but I still got him quickly in hand. We set off towards the castle to return the horses and then we would have to go and meet Aro. As I mentally prepared myself for the meeting, prepared to defend my mate with my life, I realized that this woman was going to keep me second guessing myself for the rest of eternity.
Back to the action next chapter!
