6. EPPING FOREST

HE DROVE THE CAR PARK OF EPPING FOREST AND parked it in the forest car park. The forest was in total darkness when we arrived. It would be made it impossible for humans to be hanging out there. The car headlights switched off and the engine stopped roaring. We got out of the car and our feet travelled to the forest.

The full moon was nowhere to be seen in the dark sky. Surely, those Children of the Moon wouldn't be here, at least not in their form.

We continued to walk further into the forest. The twigs snapping and ground crunching beneath our feet. We followed Gabriel and then, he stopped; we stopped too. He turned his body around and faced us.

"This forest got plenty of deers," said Gabriel. "We often get around three or four deers a month."

"And the deers aren't extinct yet?" I asked. "Because of the hunting?"

"Surprisingly, no," Gabriel's eyes were looking at me. He seemed to look at me with great worry. "You need to get your thirst under control."

I started to look hungry, my throat hurt from this insatiable thirst. My right hand rubbed my throat once more.

"Yeah, you'll need to hunt," added Joseph.

We went further into the forest on a hunt. As we ran at super speed, I started noticing everything in the forest: plants, flowers growing, and critters creeping. We stopped after jumping over a cliff.

"Close your eyes," commented Gabriel and I closed her eyes, turning around. "What do you hear?"

I started hearing an owl, a squirrel and then a deer. The deer. I went over to look at the deer, which was either eating or stiffing the grass. I inhaled through my nose, smelling its blood. It smelt warm and pleasant. Delicious. Sweet. Gabriel was right. Animal blood does smell nice as human blood. I lowered myself to the ground and slowly sauntered forward to kill it. Gabriel, Joseph and Simon were close to me when I moved.

I was getting closer and closer to my prey until something intervened. As soon as I began to make my move, my nose inhaled and smelt something. There were at least five different scents that I could smell. They were a group of cyclists riding in the forest. One of them fell off the bike and he hurts himself. A fresh cut appeared on his knee. I started smelling his blood. The deer's scent disappeared from my mind and lifted my head, inhaling through my nose. I didn't care about deer hunting anymore. My motivation changed. I rose my body up and inhaled deeply.

I was ready to attack.

"Violet, don't!" Simon yelled and Gabriel and Joseph quickly turned their heads, facing me.

I bolted to the right and started running towards the human cyclist, smelling the sweet, sweet blood. I felt my black hair float as I sprinted. I stopped, watching my new prey. I arched my body down and sauntered forward. Then, Gabriel, Joseph, and Simon caught up with me and stopped me as I was about to attack.

"Violet, stop!" Joseph spoke loudly, making my head turn spitefully to them.

"I'm sorry," said Gabriel in an apology. "I didn't realize there'd be people this far from the trails."

"Just... let me bite him," I said without thinking.

"You're crazy," responded Simon. "You're not thinking clearly. You're not thinking about the aftermath."

"You're reacting as if I've committed a crime," I said it as an offence.

"You're about to," added Joseph. "If you kill one human just because you're thirsty for blood, and have other humans watching, they'll tell everyone about this and you'll be killed as well!"

I looked back at the human cyclist. I still felt this burning thirst in my throat.

"Violet, listen to me," Gabriel spoke to me calmly. "Carlisle told me about what you did when you were near Bella. If you're capable of being away from her, you can still do it with other humans."

I looked at the human and tried to control myself. I thought about what he said and then, I remembered when I was with the Cullens. When Bella was there beside Edward. I thought about what I did. I didn't attack Bella.

Why didn't I attack her, when I was told... No, forced to do so? It was the whole reason why I'm a vampire. A monster. I became a vampire to kill her. As revenge for what happened. Victoria didn't care about us. She never cared if we died or lived another day. Then, I wondered about the alternative.

What if the newborns won? What if the Cullens were destroyed? What if Bella was killed by me? If we had done it, would she keep us or would throw us away to the world like an abandoned puppy, searching for a home? Or would she kill us the same way one of the Volturi did? Or like what the Cullens did? Or like those wolves?

I looked back at the humans and they helped the injured cyclist and got away. Gabriel had a point. If I was capable of being away from Bella, surely it would be the same for other humans. I turned my head away from the humans.

"I have to get outta here," I said, gritting my teeth.

"Okay," replied Gabriel. "I can help you."

Before he could do anything, I sprinted back to my hunting place to find the deer. I was sure they watched me run fast and smiled at me. I didn't know for sure.

My invisibility was turned on as I spotted the deer. It walked aimlessly in the dark forest. Then, I leapt towards the deer and it turned its head. I jumped and took down the deer, killing it and drinking its blood. After I fed on the deer, my thirst was gone. I felt so much better. I turned off my invisibility after feeding.

Gabriel, Joseph and Simon found me, noticing the small deer blood trailing down from the corner of my mouth. They were smiling, amazed at what I had done.

"Well, I'm impressed," said Joseph, complimenting me. "You ran away from human blood mid-hunt."

"Even mature vampires have problems with that," Simon added.

"Thanks," I replied and wiped the blood off my mouth with my right hand. I licked my hand like a cat licking its paw.

"We better get home," stated Gabriel. "The family would wonder what's going on."

We walked out of the forest and headed to the car. We got in the car and Gabriel drove away. Maybe this sort of diet wouldn't be that bad after all.