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On to vamp Bella ... Enjoy! ;)
Surprisingly, no one objects.
They take off at a brisk run, the snow crunching slightly under their feet as they race ahead, leaving us behind. Their feet glide across the snow, messing with the perfect surface of white. However, with the snow kicked up by their feet, falling softly back to earth, along with those gently cascading from the heavy clouds, I have no doubt it'll be pristine again in no time.
It's almost one of those "blink, and you'll miss it" moments, except now I'm a vampire, and I can clearly see them slowing their movements as they hit the trees, giving us enough space to talk, but close enough in case I go bat-shit crazy.
…Which is entirely possible when it comes to me.
Emmett blows out a long, heavy breath and kicks at the ground, sending mounds of snow up into the air, landing with a heavy splat. He says nothing and keeps his eyes to the ground; I'd think he was ignoring me if he wasn't tensing every time I moved.
"What's up with you?" I finally snap.
"What?" he questions, still not meeting my eyes.
I huff, wondering if perhaps I read him wrong all this time. Maybe he does hate me; maybe he does want Rose all to himself and just wants me out of the picture.
If that's the case, he better learn to tolerate me if he wants to continue seeing Rose, because I know my cousin, and she won't let anyone treat her family badly.
Not to mention, Edward and I are a thing now, so it would be super awkward during holidays, and I've had enough of those to last a lifetime.
The other side of me negates that train of thought, recalling what he had shared with Alice; he feels guilty … so, is that what this is?
Guilt?
Or is it all bullshit, and he's just a terrific actor?
Whatever it is, it needs to stop.
Right now.
"You know exactly what. You haven't looked at me since I woke up. What's your deal?"
He starts to reply, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water before snapping it shut with an audible snap so hard I'm surprised his teeth haven't cracked. He looks away with a heavy huff and shakes his head, planting his hands on his hips as he turns away from me.
I stare at his back, boring holes into his head, wishing he'd just open his mouth and talk already.
Astoundingly, he does.
"I just left you there. I just left you there in the path of that car, only thinking about Rosalie. You got hit by that monster. You could have died, Bella. That would have been my fault."
Momentarily, I'm taken aback by the sadness in his words. He sounds genuinely remorseful and upset by this. I imagine if it were possible, he'd be crying, or at the very least, tearing up.
"Emmett—" I start, not fully believing him just yet.
"No!" he roars, spinning around to face me, his eyes narrowed.
Weirdly, his eyes look slightly unfocused, as if he's not really here with me. It reminds me of Alice, just before she has visions; it's the same spacey look she gets before her eyes turn that odd milky white.
"You don't understand," he continues, his tone almost desperate. The longer he talks, the more focused he looks, which is a slight relief. "You—you almost died, Bella. You did die, for a moment."
"What? You mean when I was hit?"
"No. When—when you were in surgery." His admission is soft as if he's afraid to say it. "We all heard it—we were listening from the waiting room. No one said anything to your dad or Rosalie and Jasper, but the rest of us, we heard it. Edward—Edward was devastated. I had never seen him look so broken or lost. He looked like he had died with you for a moment. My brother," he croaks, scrubbing a hand harshly over his face. "I never want to see my brother look like that again. Your mom was ready to tear down the doors to get to you. Only my mom stopped her, telling her you'd be okay. And Rosalie, I knew she'd be broken too if you died. It was already bad enough; she was crying nonstop and just pacing and muttering about how you needed to be okay and how you had to be okay because she couldn't take it otherwise. Jasper was trying to be strong for Rosalie and your dad, but I could see his pain … no, it was more than that," he mutters. "I could feel it. It was intense and deep and so sad. Your dad was just staring into space. If they hadn't have gotten you back, it would have shattered everyone, and it would have been because of me."
Swallowing thickly against the sudden tightness in my throat, I wonder when this happened. I attempt to recall any moment that seemed off—that could clue me in as to when this event occurred, but nothing sticks out.
"Well, obviously, I'm okay now," I tell him, waving a hand down my body. "I'd say I'm fine, but I don't think I've ever been fine."
Faintly, I hear Edward's laughter followed by, "That's the truth!"
Sneering, I flip the bird in his direction, hearing his responding snicker with amazing clarity. "Mind your business, you ass!"
Turning my attention back to Emmett, I notice his soft grin as he stares at me. He immediately sobers, looking down at the ground near my feet.
"Did you do it on purpose?"
His head snaps up so fast I hear the bones in his neck crack. It makes me wince, but he shows no reaction.
"What? How could you—"
"Did you push me on purpose?"
A pained look crosses his features. "No," he whispers. "And I didn't push you. When I grabbed Rosalie, she knocked into you a little bit … but it wasn't on purpose. I swear it."
Slowly, I nod. "Okay. Why didn't you grab me too?"
"I was going to, but I heard Edward right behind me," he starts, and in a completely human move, he licks his lips. "The one thing you'll learn fairly quickly is that vampires are protective of their mates. When a vampire's mate is in danger, they want to handle taking care of them and the threat their mate is facing." He pauses, glancing up at me through his lashes. "What you saw in there, with Tanya and Arthur? That's just the tip of the iceberg. When a vampire knows their mate is in danger, they'll do anything to protect their mate, even hurting the ones trying to help." Pulling down the collar of his shirt, he points out a thin, silvery-looking scar along his shoulder.
Taking half a step closer, I stare harder, noting that it is, in fact, a scar.
"Vampires can get scars?"
He nods once. "We can. The transformation erases human scars, but we can get scars from another vampire."
His statement hangs heavily in the air, and I can't help but wonder who gave him that particular scar.
Before I can, he offers his reply.
"Carlisle did this. Accidentally, of course," he rushes to amend, no doubt seeing the shock on my face. I just can't picture Carlisle hurting anyone.
Then again, he did look pretty feral when my mother was trying to drain me dry.
"It was a few decades ago. Esme and I were hanging decorations for the holidays, and I accidentally bumped the ladder she was on. I caught her, but she still gasped in surprise, and out of nowhere, he came rushing in like a damn train. Wham!" Emmett exclaims, slamming a fist into the opposite palm. "Pushed me out of the way and snatched her like he was a superhero or something. In the process, I got this badass scar from him scratching me … like he's a damn cat or something."
Distantly, I hear Carlisle muttering something, followed by Edward and Alice's laughter. Even Emmett chuckles, but his humor doesn't stick around.
"I'll admit, I should have been paying closer attention to where Edward was—to where you and Jasper were. But I saw Jasper and Alice already out of the way, and I did think Edward was behind me. I heard him chanting your name, so I thought—" he stops, shaking his head. "Doesn't matter. It still happened. You still got hurt."
"So you don't hate me?" I ask, only slightly teasing.
Aghast, he shakes his head, not seeing the smirk on my lips. "No! Of course, I don't hate you! Why would—"
"Easy, Jolly Giant. I … well, I had doubts. But never mind that, now. Look, Emmett. I don't blame you, okay? I know it was an accident. And honestly, it would have happened had you all been there or not. I'm glad you were there because it would have ended a lot worse. And I wouldn't have completed my badass transformation."
He tilts his head to the side, his eyebrows coming together in confusion. "Yeah, you would have died."
"That's not what I mean." Once more, I can hear laughter coming from our audience, but I pay them no attention. "I mean, now I am a total badass. I've leveled up."
Finally, he cracks a grin. "Yeah, you did." Then, after a moment. "So, you're … not mad? At me? For accidentally getting you hurt?"
"It was an accident," I stress. "Unintentional. And besides, I remember someone saying there wasn't a lot Edward could do either without tearing off my arm. But I am pissed at you," I warn, hoping I can keep my face neutral.
It must work because he swallows thickly, his eyes widening as he takes a step back before straightening his stance, looking as if he's waiting for something.
Me to attack him, probably.
"You … you've pissed me off … and this puny little girl will get her revenge," I playfully sneer.
"Oh, shit," he breathes. "Hey, listen about that—"
"You won't know when—or how," I continue, ignoring him. "But it'll happen. And it'll hurt. A lot." I flex my fingers before tightening them in a fist. "Edward told me I'd be strong. Very strong. And I plan to see just how strong I am now. As for the accident, I don't blame you for that at all. I'm fine now; Rose and Jasper are fine, and that's all I care about. And taking care of Royce. Well, finding my mom too," I say, my eyes roaming over the large snowy expanse around us.
I don't know why I expect her to just pop up and go, "here I am!" but I do. When I see nothing, I allow my lips to fall into a heavy frown, feeling the muscles in my cheeks start to burn.
"Esme's talking to her; she'll help her," Emmett says, inclining his head back toward the house, still keeping one watchful eye on me. I fight my grin, keeping my face impassive. "And Kate's trying to call her, to tell her the news."
Confused, I turn toward the house, immediately hearing the soft purr of a ringing phone, along with Kate muttering curses for her to pick up the phone.
"Hello, this is Esme Cullen. Leave me a message."
Sighing heavily, she hangs up the phone and tries again. "Some of you Cullens are a pain in the ass with technology!" She calls, making everyone laugh.
"Okay. Hopefully, she'll get through. I doubt there's any reception out here."
"You'd be surprised. As for Royce," Emmett continues, his face twisting into a dark sneer. "He's been dealt with."
"Emmett," Edward hisses from the trees in front of us.
A warning.
"What?" I ask, glancing between Emmett and where Edward lurks, glaring at his brother from the cover of the trees.
In the blink of an eye, I'm front of him, boring holes into the side of his face. He gives no sign of my sudden appearance, still giving his brother a hard stare as he joins us.
"What?" I ask again, looking between the two of them. "What happened?"
At this point, I don't need Edward to answer me.
I already know.
He's killed him.
He's killed, Royce.
That's why his eyes are so red.
"You killed Royce, didn't you?" I question, nudging Edward with my arm.
He releases a long breath through his nose. "Yes. I did." He turns to me then, his eyes unblinking and without remorse. "I made him suffer, though it wasn't as long as I would have liked. I—I didn't want to leave you for very long."
"You drank his blood?"
His smile takes on a sinister edge, his face transforming into an evil smirk that has my breath stuttering in my throat. He truly looks a villain now, a thing of nightmares … something you'd see in a horror movie and not everyday life.
It's surprising and unsettling to see him like this, but I'm not scared.
"Not all of it. I wanted him to realize what he'd done—and who he messed with before he bled out."
Smacking his chest, I glare, hoping my angry stare looks just as disturbing as his does. I'm glad Royce is gone; at least Rose and countless other girls he's hurt can have their closure. But what I can't stand is Edward having his blood in his body right now.
"You idiot! What's wrong with you?"
"No one will know it was me," he tells me with a scowl. "And no one would think anything of it, anyway. For one, he made a lot of enemies inside and outside of prison. I left enough blood for them to do a DNA test so they wouldn't continue looking. He's gone. Case closed."
"And his body?"
"Burned and destroyed," he answers, a hint of annoyance peeking through. "What's your problem? He hurt you … almost killed you … I took care of it."
I huff. "Not the point. I don't like that you drank from him. He … you're too good to have that in you."
His face softens in understanding. Then, bringing a hand up to the side of my face, his thumb delicately sweeps across my upper cheek. "It's okay. He got what he deserved … and he did something good, at least. He made a good meal."
From our side, Emmett shifts uncomfortably, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Dude," he lowly says.
When Edward looks up, his brother nods to where Carlisle stands, a look of displeased disappointment on his face. Alice doesn't look any better, but at least there's a glimmer of understanding in her eyes.
Edward rolls his eyes, allowing his hand to fall to our sides, his fingers entwining with mine. "You would have done the same in that situation had it been Esme," he tells his father, shooting him a pointed look.
The disapproval fades from Carlisle's face, and he nods once, blowing out a breath. I'm extremely curious about what happened there, and my curiosity only grows when I see the confusion and questions on Alice and Emmett's faces.
I want to ask him about this, especially since it seems he's sharing a secret with his father that his siblings don't know, but one look on his impassive face tells me he's not going to say a word.
Letting it go, I bounce lightly on my toes, feeling the scratching pain in my throat intensify. "So, how do I do this?"
The tension breaks slightly, with a small titter of laughter coming from Edward, Alice, and Emmett, while Carlisle merely smiles.
"You and I will travel ahead a bit; Carlisle, Emmett, and Alice will trail behind, just in case there are any issues."
I shoot them an apprehensive look, wondering if all of them following me while I hunt is necessary. It's obvious they seem to think so, and while it's incredibly awkward, I guess it's going to happen whether I like it or not.
"Okay," I reply, drawing out the word. "I'm not sure what to do."
"Don't worry about that," Edward whispers, leaning toward me. "It's your instincts now; you'll know what to do."
"I guess we'll see, huh? Well, you know this area better than I do. Lead the way."
Edward smirks, giving my hand a single tug; a silent indication he's about to take off. I prepare myself, my body coiled and ready to spring at a moment's notice. As soon as I feel him start to move away, I take off behind him.
As I run, I feel as if I'm simply gliding across the ground. If I didn't hear the snow crunching underneath my feet, I'd swear I was flying. Taking a look behind me, I see that our footsteps are few and far between, making it look like a group of giant monsters have been walking.
I laugh at the thought, wondering if that's how urban legends begin and if vampires are truly responsible for those stories. The sound carries on the wind as it flies over me, echoing off the snow and trees. It's almost too loud even for my ears, and I wince in response.
The birds in the trees squawk at the sound, their wings furiously flapping as they try to escape. I watch as they fly away, a few feathers gently cascading down with the fat flakes of snow.
I'd expect everything to be a blur of color with how fast we're moving, but it's the opposite. Everything is crystal clear; the green of the trees is a dark emerald, and the trunks are deep chocolate, standing out against the blinding white of the snow. It's amazing how I can see every little detail of the earth around me.
From the ridges, big and small in the tree trunk, to the small furry animals burrowed in an abandoned log, their eyes wide and fearful as we race past. I can see their paw prints and hear their low breathing as they attempt to remain unseen, but their thundering heartbeats give them away.
The sound makes the burning in my throat increase. My feet falter underneath, the growl building in my throat as I lock eyes with one of the creatures.
It releases a low whine, and I blink, slowly coming to my senses.
I'm hungry; there's no doubt about that, but I can't kill this creature. It's too small and defenseless.
Not to mention, cute.
I'm not mentioning this to anyone because I'm sure I'll never hear the end of it.
I idly worry if this is going to be a trend. Will I be this way with every animal? If so, how will I eat?
"It's not worth it," Edward tells me, tugging my hand.
"Yeah, too small," Emmett agrees. "It'd be more like an appetizer."
Edward gives his brother a droll look, who merely shrugs and sighs as if he's impatient. However, I can clearly see the dimples in Emmett's cheeks as he grins, telling me he's simply lightening the mood.
Pulling my hand once more, we travel deeper into the woods, the thick canopy of trees intermittently shielding us from the sun. However, a few rays manage to peek through here and there, the golden beams illuminating random spots on the ground and other trees.
Instead of moving like I'm sure I'm expected to, I stand in the middle of trees in awe as I stare at my surroundings. Snow gently falls from the sky and the branches of the trees, the shimmering flakes glistening in the light.
There's an opaque mist in the air, wafting and moving as if it's being caressed by an unseen hand. Particles move along with it, dancing and swaying in the breeze, but are soon overshadowed by the snowflakes.
It's a breathtakingly beautiful sight, and coupled with the silence of the forest, it's a perfect place for inspiration. My fingers twitch at the urge to draw this moment, wanting to keep this with me always.
Belatedly, I'm aware of the unnatural stillness around me.
My back straightens, and my skin tightens along the knuckles of my hands. My eyes dart all around me, looking for any signs of danger.
I scan the area, looking for anything—or rather, anyone out of the ordinary, but find nothing except the astonished faces of Edward and his family.
"What?"
Carlisle is the first to recover, clearing his throat in a very human gesture. "Nothing, Bella. It's just—well, we haven't seen something like that before; someone reveling in the beauty of nature like you just did. It's something we've taken for granted."
I hum, feeling all kinds of weird and awkward now.
"Okay, then. I guess my weirdness has been amplified. Awesome."
Edward chuckles, pulling me toward him and planting a firm kiss on my lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he murmurs, never removing his lips from mine.
Pushing him back slightly, I pat his chest a couple of times but make no move to distance myself further. "All right, Romeo. Go dive in a snowbank to cool off."
He snickers. "That won't help."
"You better make it help," I tell him seriously, nodding my head to the audience. "It's not happening, jerk."
With a fake sigh, he shakes his head. "Fine, fine. But later?"
His question is so hopeful, but he's not fooling me. I can see the playfulness in his eyes and his grin. He doesn't think I'll agree to it.
"Definitely," I murmur, spinning around with a smirk as a dumbstruck expression crosses his features.
His family laughs, not bothering to hide their amusement, but Edward remains silent, no doubt still in shock.
"So, what now? I do just walk around and look for a tasty meal? Or order delivery?"
Carlisle clears his throat, though I can still hear the laughter in his tone. "Since you've rendered my son mute, I suppose I'll take over. Close your eyes and—"
Distantly, there's a heavy wet slouchy sound, couple by low, even breaths. The wet thumping roars in my ears, setting my throat ablaze as the fragrant scent of something remarkable fills the air.
Suddenly, everything changes.
The air ripples with an electric tension as a feral growl roars through the air, and momentarily, I'm taken off guard, my eyes darting to each of the faces of my companions. It's not until I feel the vibration that I realize it's coming from me.
I didn't even think I could make such a sound, and it doesn't seem to stop. It gets louder as I look around for the source of this delectable smell.
The noise causes the breathing of the creature to accelerate, along with the wet thumping. I hear a low grunting roar in response—a sound I had heard Edward make a few times before.
It's a warning.
With another roar, I zone in on the sound, spotting the medium-sized grizzly peeking around the thick trunk of a tree about fifteen feet away. Its eyes shimmer in the light as a sunbeam hits it, and when I make eye contact with it, it stands on its legs, arms reaching toward me.
The animal huffs, steam billowing from its open mouth and nose, clearly trying to be intimidating and frightening, but I feel no fear … just an intense burning thirst slowly starting to devour me alive.
Panic starts to creep up on me, my skin crawling with anxiety as memories from my change threaten to resurface, but I push them back, not wanting to render myself a vegetable again.
Instead, I focus on the animal in front of me, wondering how I can possibly take down something three times my size.
Turns out, I don't need to know.
As the bear moves, wanting to flee, my feet dig into the soft earth, chunks of snow and soil flying through the air as my body springs forward. Surging through the air, I release another feral roar, my hands gripping the soft fur of the animal, avoiding looking at its face as I spin myself around, landing on its back.
It fights me, using all of its strength to fling me off, its paws swiping at my head and chest with fury. I hear an exclamation of my name, followed by the crunching of snow.
My head shoots up, my lips curling back over my teeth as I see Edward take a step toward me. I don't know what he's doing, but I'm not going to let him take this from me.
Snarling, I warn him without words to stay back, still continuing the unfair fight with the animal in my grip.
Carlisle reaches for Edward with a warning look, but he's getting close, and I can't have that.
A tingling sensation crawls from the top of my head, down my neck, chest, and arms, and finally to my midsection before falling over my legs and feet. It's not an uncomfortable feeling, but an unpleasant one—as if my skin is being pulled away from me.
To my surprise, I see a shimmering opaque net shoot away from me then, and astonishingly, it causes the group of Cullens to stumble backward and fall on their asses.
Shock colors each of their faces, but I pay no attention to them anymore.
They can't get close to me now.
With precision, I pull the animal's head to the side, hearing the loud crack that follows. The heavy mass of limbs and fur immediately drops to the ground, the bones snapping as I land on it.
Immediately, I dive onto the neck, biting through the fur and skin like it's not made of tough tissue.
Warm liquid floods my mouth, and I take a heady pull, gulping it down like I haven't had a drink in years.
Which is what it feels like, honestly.
The more I drink, the less burning I feel in my throat, and before too long, there's nothing left of the carcass in my arms.
Pulling back, I frown deeply at the bloody mess of this creature and kick it away, dissatisfied that there's no more left. It hurdles toward the Cullens but stops as it seemingly hits an invisible wall, tumbling back down to the ground.
"Bel—" Edward starts, still sitting on the ground, apprehension clear on his face.
My eyes meet his, and I growl once more, not knowing what's going on; I want to speak. I want to tell him I'm still thirsty, that I want more … I need more, but all that leaves my lips is series of growls that better suit a wild animal than me.
Frustration just escalates the longer I'm unable to articulate what I want. I remember while I was in a "coma," instead of talking, I had thought at Edward, and he had heard those thoughts.
Or rather, the tone from my thoughts.
I also remember I had hurt him while doing that; while that's something I don't want to do, no one is offering to help me. Instead, they've remained seated, staring at me with wide eyes.
Pushing my thoughts toward Edward, I watch him carefully for any signs of recognition—or even pain—but there's nothing except confusion and apprehension. His eyes dart to his father's, and Carlisle meets his eyes as if he's the one able to read thoughts, but they still don't move or speak.
Furious, I punch the tree nearest to me, blinking in astonishment as a loud crack whips through the air and the huge spruce tumbles over, its fall shaking the earth with a resounding thud.
At the sound, several heartbeats pierce my ears, thundering around me in a taunting rhythm. Subsequently, frantic and scurried feet claw the earth, emitting protests in a variety of squeaks, squeals, and growls.
Along with it comes the heady—and now familiar—scent of blood.
It's the only thing I can think about right now. It rolls through my head in a never-ending loop, my eyes searching for the animal that can give me this.
But it's not close; the scent drifts ahead, in front of me, its heart thundering and feet scraping at the earth as it runs away.
I can't let that happen.
Taking off, I dash further into the trees, frantically huffing as I search for my next meal. I pass by a handful of other woodland creatures, their breathing harsh and panicked, matching the furious pace of their hearts.
They take cover in the thick underbrush of sparse leaves and branches, watching me closely with their beady eyes.
While their blood is tempting, it's not what I want.
The giant bear runs away, a low grunting growl leaving it when it looks over its shoulder at me. I push myself to run faster, the wind whistling in my ears as I do. A snarl leaves my lips as I pounce, jumping on the back of this creature much as I had done with the previous one.
Like the first one, the blood is gone too quickly, and I resume my search for more, tearing through the trees like a savage.
From some distance away, I hear pounding footsteps following my trail.
"Bella!"
"Bella, come back here!"
I growl in return, the sound so completely inhuman that I'm a little startled by it. My feet stumble together, but I quickly right myself with another growl and keep racing ahead into the trees, seeking out the strongest and loudest heartbeats the dense trees have to offer.
The voices continue to trail after me, their voices blended and anxious, talking over one another as they try to decide what to do.
If I were human, there's no way I could have made out what they were saying, but thanks to my new hearing, I can everything perfectly.
"What are we going to do? She's going too far north," a man's voice questions, worry clear in his tone.
"I don't know," another chimes in, light and feminine.
Faces flash in my head, but I can't seem to connect the dots on who they are, my mind babbling about finding more food … more blood. It clouds everything else out and erases everything in my head; my memories, my rational sense, and my calm.
All that's left is a void of frustration and a consuming need for more, so this burning in my throat will end.
For some reason, just hearing the stampede of footsteps behind me is too much for me to handle. That's too many people in my personal bubble, and the thought makes my lips pull back, a low growl leaving me.
When the person speaks again, I immediately hear the same soft feminine voice, my face conjuring an image of a smiling girl with black, spiky hair and a bright smile.
But who is it?
I know, but her name eludes me.
"Normally, I'd say we call for extra hands," she continues, only to be interrupted by an annoyed-sounding man.
Again, I can see his face in my head; I can see his dark golden eyes and copper-colored hair, but other than that, nothing.
I can see their faces lined up in my head, along with a blond-haired man and another one with muscles that will put a wrestler to shame, and it's enough for another growl to build in my chest and erupt through my snarling lips as I continue pushing through the trees.
"That won't do us a lot of good. We can't get within ten feet of her."
I'm confused by his words, wondering what the hell he's talking about, considering they were around me just fine before. I want to ask him about that, but my curiosity isn't enough to handle the overbearing need to find more food.
Continuing through the woods, I spot a brightness through the thinning trees, hearing another heartbeat pounding away just ahead. I head toward it, my mouth watering and my throat burning with hunger.
"If you would have let me finish," the girl snaps, matching the man's irritation equally. "I was going to say that it wouldn't work. Whatever she's doing is keeping us away—but what if we get more of us to surround her? Maybe that would help calm her down."
"I don't think so," a third male inputs. "Did you see her before she took down that first bear? She's in a newborn frenzy right now. Having a group of vampires surround her will only set her off, and she'll attack us."
"Emmett's right. We'll simply have to wait for her to calm down," the first man says.
The blond one. The one who holds himself straight and tall, like a leader.
"Is that going to happen before she reaches the nearest campsite?" the copper-haired one asks, slightly fearful.
"We have to hope it will, son. Can you hear anyone?"
"No. So far, we're good."
Animals scatter as I tear through the trees, coming across the large expanse of untouched land. I squint against the glaring brightness of the sunlight reflecting off the snow, stopping short as I squeeze my eyes closed against the harshness.
"Bella?" The copper-haired man questions from behind me.
One part of me wants to answer him; I want to call out and ask him what's going on. The other part of me silences that side, responding in a harsh growl.
Once more, I feel some invisible force flex away from me, stretching away from my body. It feels slightly uncomfortable like I'm missing a part of myself, but at the same time, I feel safe and comforted, knowing no one can come near me.
There's a grunt and thump, but I don't turn to see what caused it. Deep inside, I know I'm not in any danger.
Lost in a haze of hunger, I surge ahead, jumping into the middle of the herd of various animals.
My growls echo into the empty landscape, filling the air with a violent noise as I feed. Underneath my growling, I hear another set of footsteps rushing in my direction.
I tense, the animal in my grip falling to the ground heavily.
"What's going on?" A new voice chimes in. "We heard you out here. You should be with—"
They stop with a gasp, my name leaving their lips in a gasp. I hear the crunching of snow as they attempt to come closer, but I smirk, feeling something push against that strange invisible netting around me.
"What? What's going on? Why can't I get closer to her? Bella!"
"I believe she's shielded herself; she's sees us as a threat and is keeping us away from her meal," the blond male answers.
I hate that they're still here, watching me, and I wish they'd just go away.
Including the new additions.
Since I've apparently lost my words, maybe a decent growl will get the message across.
Turning, I see two familiar faces standing with the others.
They're awfully familiar; the first one, closest to the blond man, has caramel-colored hair and a soft face, her entire presence radiating peace and comfort. The woman next to her has light brown hair and is wearing a gypsy skirt and a bell sleeve top. It's nagging at me to remember who this person is because they're very familiar.
Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but just as quickly as it starts to come, the need to feed comes flaring back.
The latter has deep red eyes, much like the copper-haired man, and even though I can't recall names, I know it's because of me.
It's from me.
Her expression is one of shock before it quickly transforms into tentative elation.
"Bella," she breathes, placing a hand over her heart. "Sweetie, I'm so glad you're awake. That you're okay. I—"
She makes a move toward me but is pulled back by the man nearest to her.
She glares at him, a hiss leaving her throat. In response, I hiss at her, not liking the attitude she's giving him and the fact that she's moving closer to me.
"You won't keep me from my daughter, Edward."
"Renee, she's in bloodlust right now. It's best not to get close, or she'll hurt you."
She scoffs, pushing his hand off her arm. "I'm her mother. She won't attack me."
With an air of defiance, she takes a step forward, and immediately, I tense, a growl building in my throat.
Even though the rational and sane part of me knows they're not a threat, this new 'improved' version of me does not.
Six pairs of eyes are five too many for me, not to mention unsettling.
What do they want?
Why are they still here, watching me?
Do they want to subdue me? Take my food? Study me, like Eleazar?
All these options don't sit well with me, and I've had enough.
In my head, I see a familiar opaque wind rush toward the six people standing in the tree line. When it reaches them, they're knocked backward, deep into the trees, exclamations of shock leaving them.
I smirk, and my lips pull back over my teeth, and my body tenses, readying to fight for my food.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. See you soon!