Fated

Chapter 4

A/N:

I am having so much more fun writing my story now that I am sharing it with others and communicating with my readers about it. I absolutely love the reviews and chatting with all of you! I have changed and improved my story a few times based on readers comments and suggestions, so please keep them coming!

I want to thank Snoopylover60 for unintentionally naming Bella's gym partner. :)

I'm standing in the middle of the street, fear running down my spine like a set of icy claws. Panic rising in my chest. It's past midnight, the street lit only by the low flicker of a dimmed street lamp. There is no traffic, only a few parked cars. I hear leaves rustling against each other as a breeze lightly blows across the trees, signaling the coming of a rainstorm. I turn my head in every direction, looking, listening. I can sense he is close. Goosebumps ripple across my skin. I'm not sure if they're from the cold night air or from my rising fear.

Then I spot him. Two city blocks down, standing in the middle of the street, facing my direction. I cannot see his eyes, but I can feel him staring straight through me. A motionless, black silhouette. Tall, muscular, and daunting. His silhouette suggests a uniform and a hat with a straight rim.

I'm frozen. Unable to move or breathe. I don't know for how long. My heart thumps loudly inside my chest. My eyes are locked upon him, unable to look away. I scream inside my head. "Run! He is going to get you! Run!" But my body doesn't respond.

I know if I scream out loud, no one will come to help. Even if all my neighbors were not asleep, no one would dare oppose him. He's here to take me away to be with him. I stand here praying he will not come closer. If I stay frozen, maybe he will walk away. I listen to my heart beat silently in the night and realize all the insects have grown quiet.

Suddenly, he bolts into a fast gallop towards me. It isn't a walk. It isn't a run. It's much faster. The shock of his unnaturally fast movement causes me to take a good minute to convince my body to unfreeze and run. When I finally do move, I run faster than I ever have in my life.

I hit the first of a long set of steps up the front walk to my house, in just seconds. Too afraid to look back, I keep running. I finally make it to the top step. My heart is pounding loud and fast. I have my right foot on the porch, my left foot still on the top step. As I pick up my left foot, I feel a strong hand grasp my ankle, locking tight around it. I look back. The man has hold of me. I cannot see the details of his face, they are lost in a dark shadow.

He begins to slowly pull me down the steps by my ankle, one step at a time. I grasp onto the porch railing, my fingers locking tightly around the spindle. Am I screaming for help? I think I am, but I hear no sound. I watch the front door of the house, hoping someone will come to rescue me, but the door remains closed. My fingers begin to ache as I clutch them tightly around the railing. A couple more tugs on my ankle and my hands are ripped free. Now I am being picked up and placed over his shoulder. I feel warmth between our two bodies, as mine presses up against his. His body feels unnaturally hot. I am entirely aware of my breasts heaving against his back as a shudder rolls through my body. I let out a long breath of air, sounding defeat, as I surrender and allow my body to go limp. I cannot escape him now. All is lost. As he slowly carries me away, I look back at my house and wonder why I didn't fight harder.

I wake up in a cold sweat, my body shaking, and I'm out of breath. I reach over and turn on my Himalayan Salt Lamp. A soft orange glow spreads across the room, allowing me to make a quick check of the room. I am alone. I am safe, for now. My heart is racing, but it's not just from fear. There is something else mixed in there, causing my reaction. I know what it is, I just don't want to admit it to myself. It's the excitement of his foreboding, powerful, presence. It's a feeling of belonging to someone so completely, that it takes over all your senses and your mind and body, and at the same time, fearing that feeling. He knows I belong to him, and he will not stop until he has me all to himself.

I get mad at myself for reacting so strongly to the same dream over and over again. You would think by now I would be used to it. I have been having this same dream since I was 13 years old.

I get out of bed, still half asleep, and stumble my way to the bathroom, stubbing my big toe on a box of books I left on the floor of my bedroom, near the door. I cuss at myself for being clumsy and rub my sore toe while hopping around on the other foot. Then I make my way to the bathroom, lean over the sink, turn on the cold water and splash it over my face. How can I be so terrified and yet also filled with such a deep desire for this mysterious stranger?

"Bella, get your shit together," I tell myself. "It was just a dream."

I try to shake off the memories of the dream and check my alarm clock. It's 5pm. I must have fallen asleep while studying and only have 1 hour until I have to be at work.

I waitress at the Melody Inn diner on route 46. The customers are few and far in-between, and the tips low, but my hours are flexible, allowing me to work around my class schedule. Tonight I'm closing alone. I'm distracted at work because all I can think about is that Edward will be at my house at 11:15pm!

I shut off the coffee pot and start cleaning up. I'm wiping each table down and retrieving the remaining tips off of the tables, stuffing them into my pants pocket. I ring out the cash register and place the money in the safe in the back room, then lock up the back door and shut off the lights. I work my way towards the front of the diner, shutting off lights as I go. I grab my purse from behind the counter, walk out the diner's main doors, and close them behind me, locking them from the outside using a key.

I'm briskly rubbing my arms, trying to warm them from the cool night breeze, as I walk around the side of the diner, making my way toward the back parking lot. I take a look around at my surroundings and breathe in a deep breath of fresh air. The street is quiet. I feel like I have the entire world all to myself on quiet nights like this.

I'm about 20 feet from the back parking lot when goosebumps begin to rise on my arms. That's my body's way of telling me something is not right. I suddenly get the feeling that I'm not alone. I've learned from experience, if my body is telling me something bad is going to happen, then I can bet that something bad will happen. I keep checking behind me as I speed up my pace. My stomach is knotting up on me, another warning sign from my intuition.

As I approach my car I take one more look behind me and slam into someone. I whip my head around and see a man wearing a black overcoat and blue jeans. He's blocking my path to my car.

"You shouldn't be out walking around at night without your bodyguard," a deep, rough voice warns. I look up into his face. It's my gym partner, staring down at me with the same nasty sneer on his face as before!

I'm so frightened my voice comes out practically a whisper. My stomach is aching. "What do you want from me?"

"I want that sweet-smelling blood of yours." He leans in close and takes a long, slow sniff. I'm frozen, silenced. "I bet you think you are something else, walking around with your special abilities, smelling like you do, and your boyfriend not allowing anyone to harm you. Forcing me to behave unnaturally isn't fair. No one could resist you!"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Please just leave me alone!" He must be insane.

"Leave you alone? I'll leave you alone, when your body is drained of every drop of that sweet nectar!" He lets out a maniacal laugh and opens his mouth wide. I watch in horror as fangs drop down over top of his teeth.

I let out a blood-curdling scream, then turn around and run back toward the front of the diner, hearing him scream from behind me, "You can't outrun me!"

Pushing my legs to run faster than they ever have, I put all my energy into my run, but it's of no use. He runs lightning fast, catching up to me in a split second, he runs past me and then cuts me off by jumping in front of my path. He is so fast I cannot outrun him. He moves in closer to me, opening his mouth. His fangs are gleaming in the moonlight, a drop of saliva drips from one fang. He grabs me by my arms, holding me in place, and moves in for the kill. I close my eyes, frightened I am about to die'

Suddenly I hear the sound of wings flapping in the air, and feel the man's hands being ripped off of my arms as a hot breeze brushes across my face. I open my eyes to find myself standing alone in the parking lot. I look around. No one is in sight.

"What's going on!" I scream into the night as I begin to run. I'm not paying attention where I'm running to. Adrenaline and fear are my driving force. As I race across a road, I look behind me, to make sure I'm not being followed, and hear brakes squealing. I turn to face the sound, and see a car swaying sideways, coming straight for me. Before I have time to react, Edward suddenly grabs me up in his arms and pulls me out of harm's way.

He is standing on the sidewalk, cradling me in his arms. The car comes to a screeching halt. My heart is pounding in my chest. I look up at Edward. "Where did you come from?"

He gently places me on my feet. "You're safe now. Let's get you home. A nice cup of tea will help settle your nerves."

"But you came out of nowhere? What you did is not humanly possible! You're not normal, and neither was that man who attacked me. You saved me from him didn't you?"

"Bella, let's just get you home, okay?"

"No. I want answers!" I stand defiantly not moving, arms folded across my chest.

"That man wasn't human! He talked about my blood and the way I smelled. I think he meant the way my blood smelled and he said I had special abilities! His hands were ice cold on my arms and his skin was very pale. His eyes turned black! He had fangs, Edward! Fangs! What is he?"

Edward stares at me, contemplation written on his face.

"There's something odd about you too. You're unnaturally too fast. There is no way a human could be as fast as you are. I think you saved me from that man. Why did I hear wings flapping? And there was a very hot breeze. I swear I smelled sulfur. Did you pull him off me so fast I didn't see it happening?"

"Breathe Bella."

"You are... not... human," I slowly spit out the words, feeling a bit ridiculous.

"So, what do you think I am then if I am not human? Edward crosses his arms over his chest and waits patiently.

"I don't know, but the man in that alley, He was human either." I get out my cell phone and start searching for answers. I type in cold skin, pale skin, blood, fast, fangs. My search results pop up..VAMPIRE.

I bring my eyes up to meet Edwards. "You're both vampires," I state it matter of factly like it is the most normal thing in the world.

"And that doesn't scare you? Edward looks perplexed and surprised.

I shake my head no. "I know you won't hurt me and I have you to protect me. You saved me when I was in the alley also, didn't you? I saw shadows, but when I turned around, no one was there."

"Are you sure you can handle the truth, Bella?"

"I just got attacked by a man who had fangs drop down over his teeth! I can handle the truth, Edward! I deserve to know!"

Edward sighs. "I can show you what happened in the alley if you allow me to?" Edward asks cautiously.

"Yes. Of course, I do!"

"Do you trust me, Bella?"

"Yes!"

Edward moves closer to me. "You will see through my eyes." Edward reaches out and places his palm against my cheek. A warm tingle penetrates my face, spreading waves of tingling warmth up across my temples and fanning out over my brain. I see images appear in my mind, like a movie.

I am on top of one of the brick buildings, looking down on myself walking in the alley. I see a dark figure following behind myself. When myself stops walking and is listening to the footsteps of this figure, I watch this figure half leap, half float up to the top of the other brick building. When myself begins walking again, the figure floats down behind myself and continues to walk. Again myself turns around and the figure leaps to the top of the building. Now, myself is standing in the alley, looking straight ahead and this figure floats down slowly behind myself, ready to attack. I race into action, almost too fast to be seen, and I tackle the figure, running him into the brick wall. There is a loud crash, and bricks crumble to the ground. I see steam all around me and on the bricks, a scorch mark bore in the center. The figure I tackled quickly races away. I look ahead at myself and see myself begin to turn around, and I leap 60 feet in the air, jumping on top of the building to hide once again. The vision is over.

"I knew there was something different about you. Now I know, you're a vampire."

"The man in the alley wasn't James, your gym partner. He was someone else, something else. I'm sorry to tell you, there are two creatures after you. James is a vampire, but don't worry, I will take care of him tonight. I promise you he won't be showing up to gym class, or anywhere else, ever again. I gave him one last chance to leave you alone, but obviously, he isn't going to do that, so now I have to get rid of him."

"Then what about the man in the alley?"

"The man in the alley, he is something more dangerous. I didn't get a good look at his face, but I could smell what he was. There are things that are much stronger than vampires, and things much older. You have heard of vampires, but have you ever heard of an original?"

"I've heard the term. Isn't it just a stronger vampire, or something like that?"

"Originals are much stronger, and faster, better hunters, improved in all ways. Vampires are made by a vampire biting and turning a human. New York is crawling with vampires. They prey on the young and naive. Some are very wealthy and influential people. They may hire servants to keep around to feed off of, some are professional photographers who take advantage of young, aspiring models, some have penetrated into the top levels of sports management, some in the art fields, some just roam the streets near bars hoping to find drunken or drugged people to take advantage of.

Now you understand my warning about this being a dangerous city, actually, it's a dangerous state! Wherever there is an opportunity for a vampire to exploit someone into becoming their personal pin cushion, it is taken here in New York. That is why I'm always so busy at work and is why my work is so dangerous. My job puts me up against some of the most dangerous vampires and originals. Vampires are an easy fight, originals, however, can be formidable opponents. Some vampires are well-known celebrities. Some we suspect are killing people, or feeding off of them, but we cannot act until we have proof. My partner Alice and I go on special assignments to investigate such creatures."

"Celebrities? Tell me just one person's name? Please?"

"Well, there's a certain medium, in Long Island, that has her own TV show. She's an easy one to figure out though, with that 19th-century hairstyle she's never changed."

I gasp and put my hand over my mouth. "I always said there was something unnatural about her!"

Edward stares into my eyes. "Are you okay so far? Shall I continue?" I nod my head.

"Originals can only be made when a creature, such as myself, mates with a human whom has certain special abilities. "

"So you're not a vampire or an original. I know you're very fast like a vampire, and strong, and fly, but you're different in some ways."

"What ways, Bella?" Edward looks intrigued that I have noticed so much.

"In the alley, where you tackled that vampire...I mean original, there were scorch marks on the bricks. That night you took me home, I thought I saw something in your eyes. It...it was only for a split second, but I thought I saw a flame!" I look up at Edward and touch his face with my hand. "Your skin is warm and tan, even hot at times! I saw a puff of steam come out of your mouth! When I saw it, I just thought I was seeing things, but now I know that's what I saw. If you're not a vampire and not an original, What are you?"

Edward smiles almost seductively, as he unbuttons the top button of his shirt, and slowly works his way down. He allows his shirt to fall to the ground. He closes his eyes for a split second. When they open again, in each pupil, is a tiny flame, flickering only for a second, before vanishing. The color of his eyes transitions to a deep red.

He steps back a couple of feet, allowing me to view his entire form. Deep inside his skin, a red ember glow begins to build. It grows brighter until it climaxes into a beautiful red-orange glow. I feel hot warmth coming from his body. It doesn't burn, but it's a deep warmth. I watch the most beautiful creature I have ever seen, take its real form in front of my eyes.

"You're beautiful. You're amazing! What are you?"

"I'm not done yet," Edward winks at me.

Scarlet red, glowing structures sprout from his back, rising several feet above his head. Flames and red lightning dash in and around them in a majestic dance, as the structures unfold into a beautiful set of fire-wings of deep red, lit from within. Scales within them glitter like rubies along that long and graceful form.

"You're a dragon!" I'm aware my eyes are opened wide and my mouth is hanging open, but I don't care. I've never seen such a majestic creature in all my life.

Edward smiles as he walks towards me, scoops me up into his arms, and leaps into the air. His wings beat against the air, making loud wooshing sounds, as they lift us higher into the night's sky. I cannot take my eyes away from him. He was handsome before, but now with this gorgeous red ember glow underneath his skin, he looks like a god. I'm mesmerized by his beauty.

"You're hot, but you're not burning me. How did you scorch the bricks?" My breath is coming out in short, low gasps as I talk, still in awe of what I'm experiencing.

"I can control how hot I get. I'm able to glow without putting out much heat, or I can get very hot.

"Now you know why I told you I cannot lose my temper. I'm a killer, Bella."

"I don't care."

"You should care. My life is a dangerous one."

"I don't care. I want to be with you! I will never allow you to convince me that I need to stay away from you. From the first time we met, I knew I wouldn't be happy living my life without you."

"I feel the same way. I thought I could stay away from you, but I can't stop thinking about you. You've changed my life, Bella."

"And you've changed mine."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

I bring my lips close to his full, soft, glowing-red lips and pause for just a moment. Then plunge in, not caring if I get burned. I feel a pleasant warmth coming from his lips. He parts my lips gently with his tongue and explores my mouth. When I pull my lips away from his, the ember glow is gone and the heat has subsided. The only visible change is his wings. I stare into his eyes.

"What can I say. You tame the beast in me, Bella!" I laugh and lean my head against his chest.

We slowly descend to the ground, looking around at our surroundings, I see we are in my back yard.

"No! I don't want this to stop!" Edward sets me on my feet.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but I have to leave. I have to track him before he can get away. Now that he has your scent, he won't stop until he kills you. I have to take care of him now, and then work on finding out where that original is! We will talk tomorrow, I promise. He kisses me softly one last time and leaps into the air, disappearing into the night's sky. As I watch him soar through the sky, I pinch my arm to make sure I'm not dreaming.

#DragonWard!

A/N: I know dreams are considered cliche, however, this dream was important to me personally, to place in my story. I always integrate some real-life occurrences into scenes in my stories, either from my dreams or real happenings in my life, and this dream was one such occurrence. I am a lucid and a vivid dreamer and my dreams are what inspire or influence many of my stories. This dream was screaming at me to be included in this story. I hope you enjoyed my story even with the cliché dream.