My Mate Saga

Creatures of the Night

Chapter Two

Edward of the Cullen Coven

The forest around me was tranquil on this twilight evening. I was just waking up as the sun sets, arousing from my temporary den to search for my prey during the night. Strangely, no animals were in sight, not even a cricket.

I walked through the forest, my sensitive ears trying to pick up any kind of movement. An owl flew over my head, and a frog jumped out of my foot, but no large animals of any kind could be found. I guess my presence had scared them all off. It was time to move on then.

Vampires were known to be nomadic, but my coven had made a permanent residence in the deep Washington state forest where I came from. Carlisle was the leader, followed by my mother, the first mate, and my siblings, Emmett and Alice. A vampire coven typically consisted of a mated pair and their children. However, when the children mature and find their mates, they branch off and make their coven. My family, however, was different. We knew the value of staying in a large group, and with our choice of diet, we were able to keep our distance away from the humans.

Humans. Those annoying creatures have become more complex and harder to hunt. Their advancement in technology made it easier for them to spot us. It seemed every corner had a camera, and every person was being videotaped.

But I didn't stray from my family for the second time because I wanted to feast on human blood. No-that rebellious stage was over a hundred years ago. This time I was in search of something more desirable.

You see, male vampires were born for one thing. To protect and care for their mate. Without a female, a male was destined to live out their life feeling half fulfilled. In our biology, we were built more prominent, stronger, and protective instincts that make us highly territorial. In comparison, our female counterparts were smaller, faster, and wiser. They were in charge of raising the offsprings and taking care of the den. Together, the couple would make an unstoppable pair.

My brother and sister found their mates, and my sister Alice even produced offspring of her own. Me, however, being the oldest, I still have not found a mate of my own. It wasn't because I haven't been propositioned before; many female vampires have flaunted their bodies in my direction; deep in my gut, I knew none of them out satisfy my needs.

After spending a few decades with my family, I decided to leave once more in search of my one true mate.

A year has passed, and I've explored five different states, and not one female has caught my interest. I almost started to believe that I was just not meant to share the same experience as my parents and siblings.

A frustrated growl left my throat as I leaned against a large pine tree.

Suddenly, a scent caught my nose, making my throat burn with desire. I knew why no animal was around; a human hunter was in the forest. Turning in the direction of the scent, I made my way towards the blood. A quick meal wouldn't hurt, and since this human was the only thing around, the burning sensation in my throat made me have no choice.

As I grew closer to the sleeping human, something felt off.

Not only did I smell the fear off of the pitiful male, but the dried blood that crusted around his wound seemed reasonably new. The human wasn't asleep; with his quick heartbeat and unusual breathing, I could very well tell he was faking.

The question was, why?

Why was this human, so far away from others like him, pretending to be asleep with an open wound?

Maybe he has a death wish, I thought with a smirk.

Then death shall I bring.

I flashed to him in a millisecond. Hoisting my prey high into the air, I gave him a low growl. Then before I knew it, other humans were surrounding me. My head snapped around to the sounds of their voices, and I locked eyes with a small female human, who in returned stared back with large shocked eyes. My lips curled in a snarl as I felt little pricks pierce my body.

Impossible!

I growled aggressively as I moved to end my prey, but my legs seemed to go numb, a feeling I have never experienced before. My sight began to waver, and before I knew it, my face had met the ground. My eyes closed, and I fell into a deep unwanted sleep.

It had only felt like a minute went by before I was opening my eyes once more. But instead of a mouthful of earthly dirt, I found myself on my back, staring up at the open day sky. Only the sky wasn't open at all. Instead, it was broken by heavy metal-looking bars and glass like the windows from the human homes.

I sprung to my feet with a hiss, my head snapping back and forth as I took in my surroundings.

There were trees and boulders placed randomly around. The sound of running water met my ears, and I turned to see a small waterfall and stream that ran through the make-shift forest. The ground was soft with grass and dirt. It almost looked like a bit of paradise; only the large walls surrounding it broke the mirage.

Immediately I slammed myself into the hard rock that seemed to confine me. It rumbled but did not crumble under my force. I moved to the glass ceiling, hitting it as hard as I could but with no success.

Stupid humans.

Never before have I ever been unable to break through human-made material. But for some reason, this had felt like it was specially made to keep me in.

I cursed out loud, slamming my hand one more time against the wall. I then decided to scope out the environment.

I discovered the room was in a circle shape, with no corners, only curves. And that there were two doors with a mirror between them. I walked up to the reflective glass and peered in.

That's when my heightened eyes focused on a pair of greenish orbs that stared back with amazement and wonder. It was the same female from the forest!

I snarled and banged on the glass, feeling proud that she jumped back in fear.

I could faintly hear the critters chatting to one another, but I soon found myself turning the sound out.

A million questions ran through my mind.

Firstly, what did the humans want with me?

Second, was there another vampire captured like me?

And lastly, how the fuck am I going to escape?

Isabella of the Swan Coven

It was quiet tonight. The warm desert wind was slowly blowing through the dusty planes, moving sand and transforming the landscape before our very eyes. I crouched low on a boulder, my fingers tips grasping the stone to keep balance.

Behind me, my family stirred awake. My Father and mother laid together in their nest, a happily mated pair. My brother still slept in the corner where our nest was made. As siblings, we shared a nest to keep close and safe. He was only five years and constantly seeking trouble. So the parents put me in charge of him to keep him safe.

I smiled at the thought of my lovely family. My parents were young but highly successful in that they have established a home and created two healthy offspring. A plus for living in the desert, not many vampires chose to live here, for the sun was too hot, and there wasn't much brush to keep us safe from unwanted attention. And as I have matured into a young female vampire, my scent has started to change to attract potential mates.

Although my father wants me to stay home where it's safe, I have always wanted to seek out my mate. I could feel my body change, and the hormones were craving to be mated by a strong, powerful male.

My father never let me out on a hunt by myself in fear that I will attract an unworthy male. Even though male vampires could not hurt their mates, some males were a lot more careless in taking care of their females. My mother told me horror stories about how my grandmother had gone through three mates, each being defeated by the next. She told me if I wasn't careful in picking a strong one, I could end up just like her.

I shuddered at the thought of losing a mate and being taken by another. The heartbreak I would endure was not something I wanted to experience.

"Bella?" Came a tender voice of Renee, first mate of the Swan Coven, and my mother. "Are you alright, baby girl?" She came up behind me, wrapping her small arms around my body. She was the same height as me, with auburn hair that showered down her back in straight lines.

She nuzzled her nose in my hair, and I purred back at her. "I'm alright, mama," I tell her, but she knew I was lying.

"Are you sure? I have a hunch that it is not what's running through that pretty little head of yours." She knew me so well; I could never hide anything from her.

I gave a low sigh and turned to stare up at the big bright moon that perched itself in the wide-open sky. "I have a feeling he's out there. Looking for me. And I'm just standing here, making him wait."

"Keep it that way," a gruff voice came from the den as my father entirely arose. I rolled my eyes and glared ahead.

My mother turned to her mate. "Hush Charlie, I got this," she says before turning back to me.

I could hear my father snort before descending the mountainside to probably do a perimeter run, scoping out for anything unusual.

"Mom, I love you and dad, I do! But I'm at that age where I need to leave the nest, find my mate, and start my coven! I can't stand living in this den; I need to go out and explore!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air. I had pulled out of my mother's arms and began to pace back and forth.

"Bella…" My mom drawled, her arms crossing as she thought hard about what to say. "The world…it's not—."

"Not what it seems, I know," I finish for her, earning me a growl in warning. I dipped my head submissively, muttering an apology.

Her voice was more firm, "Isabella, your father and I don't do this for no reason. We are trying to protect you. I understand that you want a mate, but it's dangerous to jump in blind! When I met your father, it was through your grandparents. He wasn't a stranger, and I knew he would be able to provide for our future children and me."

I tried to reason with her. "But mom, that's not how it works. Animals find their mates by going out and searching. Not sitting and waiting."

My mother exhaled loudly through her nose, and I knew she was getting frustrated with me. "Listen to me; you do not need to be going out there on your searching for Mr. Right. He will find you, and when he does. You'll have your happy family." She gave me a reassuring smile, her hand caressing my cheek. "Just like I did."

Since I've hit maturity, the idea of leaving my family was always in my mind. Even though they disapproved, I was taking my life into my own hands.

My feet did quick work as I ran across the valley. I was panting as the blazing sun hit my back, making my skin shine like tiny shards of crystals. I knew it was hazardous to be traveling during the day, for the humans could see me and see that I was not like them. I was highly exposed, but I did not care.

It had been a few days later when I decided to take my leave. I left in the middle of the day when my parents were fast asleep. It was my only chance, and I wasn't going to risk it.

A carefree laugh escaped my lips as I pushed myself faster through the desert plains. I loved the feeling of the warm sand squishing between my feet. My diamond-hard skin made it impossible to step on anything that could potentially harm me.

My normal chocolate brown hair burned auburn in the sunlight, and I could only bet I looked like a shiny blur that took ablaze.

Hours went by, and I still ran, trying to put as much distance from me and my coven. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I needed to find shelter for the next day. Because after getting far enough away, I could begin to travel at night.

It was an hour after the sun had set when I finally came to a forest of thick green foliage. I looked up in amazement at how many trees were bunched together in one place. Never before have I seen so much green. I paused before taking a step past the forest's edge. I cautiously crouched low to the ground, my ears perked up and on high alert for any life around me.

I made my way through the woods, smelling everything for any signs of any vampire. The deeper I ventured into the forest, the more aware I became. Nocturnal animals squired around searching for food while the daytime critter slept peacefully in their burrows. A snap of a twig turned my attention to a large animal that had crept behind me. It was a creature I had never seen before, a large black body that was covered in thick fur. It growled at me, and I returned the gesture with a hiss.

The animal turned away with no interest and moved on. I narrowed my eyes in, wondering what that animal was, but I simply shrugged and continued my way.

Another hour passed till I finally felt exhaustion creep up on me. It had been a tiring day, and it was not time to find a place to rest. I decided a nice high tree limb would do just fine, and I climb the trunk with ease, settling comfortably with my back against the hard bark.

The simple article clothing of animal skin did nothing as I felt the chilly temperatures drop within the night. I shuddered slightly but was too sleepy to care about my body temperature. I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

I was jolted awake by the sudden burn in my throat. My eyes snapped open, and I slowly took in my surroundings. It was still dark, but the break of dawn was nearing. It was then when I realize where I was. I was no longer in the safety of my parent's den. I was on my own. A giggle flutters out at the exciting thought. I hoped down from the tree, gripping my throat at the slight thirst I felt.

It had been a while since I last fed, and it was time to hunt.

I finished off a small doe, a perfect size for just me. I usually didn't feed on animals, but considering there were no humans around, I figured it would be easier to consume more attainable prey. After disposing of the carcass, I began my travels once more, flying through the forest.

Today was the day I would find my mate! I was sure of it.

I scouted each tree for any scents that would lead me to an unmated male. I could only whine in despair when I came up empty. I came up with no smell of vampire at all.

I cocked my head to the side in confusion. There must be another vampire in this forest! I shouted in my head, growing aggravated.

I began to doubt myself when I caught the scent of an unfamiliar scent. I perked up when I noticed it was indeed another vampire. I began to follow the scent, hoping for the best when it got stronger. The smell was intoxicating, and I knew it was coming from an unmated male.

I began to run faster at the thought, and I only halted when I came to an open clearing. I scanned the field and spotted a crouched figure in the middle. It was in fact, a male vampire, and he stood still and unmoving.

I stepped out of the clearing cautiously, my head snapping back and forth for any unusual movement. I crept closer and decided to speak up.

"Hello?" I called forward, hoping my voice would draw the male to look at me. When he didn't move, I began to feel worried; what if he was hurt? Did he need my help?

I crawled closer, my body lowering to the ground since I was out in the open. I looked around once more before finally moving to where I was only a step away from the male. "Hello," I tried again, moving forward to place a hand on his shoulder. I turned his body around to see his face, and what I saw struck me with pure horror.

He had no face.

I screamed and shot away, my instincts finally kicking in. I was suddenly aware of the smell of humans and shouting from all around me. I couldn't move in time as I felt tiny pricks hit my body. I hissed in pain at the unfamiliar feeling. I tried to run, but my body suddenly became exhausted. Before I knew it, my body was tumbling to the ground, and my world went dark.