CHAPTER 14
I took a moment to admire my new self in the full length mirror. Only two days ago, I was preparing for my wedding day using the same mirror to view my wedding dress. This time it was very different. I'd decided to change into something that was a little more appropriate for hunting. My pink silk nightie, that Edward had rushed me home through the wilderness in, wasn't going to cut it. I pulled on my favorite pair of blue jeans, the same pair that I had received as a sixteenth birthday present from my dad. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they actually fit better. It must have been my new immortal body, but I appeared to have curves in all the right places.
"Damn Bella." I said aloud to myself while smoothing my hands over my rear.
I completed the look with a Dartmoth hooded sweatshirt that Edward had given me when I received my acceptance letter. It had always been in his plan for me to attend college, but now since I was a vampire, I figured it could wait. I mean, I have forever to be a college student, right?
I pulled my hair away from my face and stepped closer to the mirror. I'd always been fair complected, but now my pale white skin was almost see through. My eyes were a little disarming. Not the brown I was used to, now they were black. I cringed a little, knowing what I had to do to make the black disappear. I was going to have to take a living thing's life. I knew I might as well get used to it if I was going to live forever with Edward.
I took one more look at myself and headed out onto the balcony, where Edward, Jasper and Emmett were waiting for me. Edward insisted that his brothers join us, just in case I had a newborn freak out and he couldn't control my himself.
"Ready?" Jasper said to me.
"I guess. How am I supposed to know what to do?" I asked.
Emmett started laughing hysterically.
"Stop that," Edward scolded him, "it's a valid question."
"What?" I was a little confused.
"Don't worry," Edward placed his hands on my shoulders, "your instincts will kick in."
"Sorry Bella." Emmett said. "I forgot you're a newborn."
"I may be a newborn, but don't forget I'm stronger than you, Em." I sarcastically replied.
Emmett gulped. I saw Jasper and Edward smile at each other, followed by an outbreak of laughter.
"You're going to have your hands full with her, Edward." Jasper said.
"I don't mind." He said wrapping his arms around me. He placed a kiss gently on my forehead.
"Let's get moving, before badass Bella beats me up." Emmett said.
I turned to walk off the balcony to head downstairs and out the door.
"Hey." I heard Edward say, "This way." He pointed over the balcony railing.
"Huh?"
"Trust me."
Emmett and Jasper playfully flipped over the rail and landed perfectly safe on the ground below. Edward stood up on the rail and turned around the face me.
"See ya down below." He winked and then did a reverse swan dive to join the others.
I took a deep breath and climbed up on the rail. I saw the three of them staring up at me.
"Come on badass." Emmett taunted.
I took another unnecessary breath and stepped off the edge. I felt myself falling through the air. It was like I was moving in slow motion. I gracefully placed my two feet on the ground and gave Emmett and smirk.
"Good job babe." Edward took my hand in his.
I smiled. As we walked into the forest, I felt unstoppable. A cool evening breeze began to blow. The way that it whipped through my hair and across my face was like nothing I'd ever felt before. It was like all of my senses were a hundred times more sensitive. I could hear noises that I'd never heard before. The crickets chirps were magnified and I swore I could hear frogs from ten miles away. Then, there was a new sensation. I caught a whiff of something I'd never smelled before. It was blood and it was close. I lifted my head up and took a deep breath through my nose. It smelled amazing. Edward placed his arm in front of me and raised one finger to his lips and pointed the other towards the clearing in front of us. I immediately crouched down. He was right about the instincts. Thirty yards from where I was crouched in stalking mode, was a deer. Normally, I would have swooned over how cute and cuddly it was, but now I wanted nothing more than to rip it's furry little head off and ease my hunger pangs. Edward gave me a nod, telling me to go and get it. I sprung into action. My feet had never moved so quickly and in one swift blow I tackled the defenseless creature. As I slammed it to the ground I heard its neck crack and its body go limp. I began tearing into the fur and flesh. I had to get to its veins. My teeth had become like razors. I buried my face within the open wound I'd created and lapped up the blood. The sweet sensation of it made me want more. I stood over my first kill and scanned between the trees. Another one was waiting for me. I didn't even check to see where the boys were, I just darted after it and repeated my devouring process. By my fifth one, Edward pulled me up and wiped the blood from my cheek.
"Had enough?" He asked with a smile.
"I'm sorry," I looked down at the dead animal at my feet, "did you want some?"
He laughed. Emmett and Jasper joined us.
"Nice work," Emmett said patting me on the back, "it took Rosalie and couple tries to catch her first."
I didn't say anything; I just smiled with a sense of pride. I couldn't believe that I was better than Rosalie at anything.
We began our walk back to the house. I stopped for a moment and pulled Edward to me.
"Are my eyes," I opened them wide, "better?"
"Yes, they look like butterscotch."
I was relieved to know that the black was gone, at least for a while. "Good. Race ya?"
I didn't even give him a chance to answer. I took off, faster than I had before. Edward shouted at Jasper and Emmett and the three of them, tried to catch me, but it was near impossible. I beat them back to the house by at least five seconds. This new power was incredible and, now that I wasn't hungry, there was something else I wanted to try with it.