Charlie Swan was having a quiet dinner by himself in front of the TV. He wasn't paying attention to what he was eating. It was mostly a mindless activity to temporarily take his worries off Bella. He hoped that Edward was taking care of her like Carlisle promised, although he didn't understand why she couldn't at least call and let someone know she was alright.

Charlie might be upset with her, but he still loved his daughter more than anything. He would try to convince her and Edward to come home together and finish school. If they had run off and gotten married, he wouldn't protest or try to break them up. He just wanted her home safe, even if that meant putting up with the Cullen boy too.

He had never understood their relationship, always knowing without doubt that Edward was hiding something, but he knew better than to try to interfere too much into teenage love. He had been young and in love once himself and he would never do anything to isolate Bella or push her away.

There was a sharp knock on the door and Charlie jumped up, hoping maybe they had returned home after all, though he tried not to get his hopes up. He flung open the door and his eyes immediately landed on a mess of flaming red hair.

He nearly fainted.

Where in the hell was his gun?

"Are you thirsty?" Edward asked, lovingly tucking Bella's hair behind her ear.

"Now that you mention it!" she said, exasperated. She was feeling almost happy, having Edward not leave and actually show her how much he loved her, giving her something he had given no other woman, himself.

It had been primal, yet beautiful. She felt loved and satisfied, but now that he mentioned blood, it was all she could think about. Her throat burned and she felt like she would suffocate if she didn't satisfy that urge soon.

"I'll help you." he said, helping her dress quickly. He tossed his own clothes on and led her a little farther into the woods. "Do you smell anything?"

She sniffed the air and needed no further guidance, attacking a deer several hundred feet away and draining it in seconds with the grace of a lion. Edward caught a second deer for her and snapped its neck. He sat it at her feet as an offering and kept his distance, observing, admiring.

He didn't regret changing Bella. Not a bit. He was still a little high from his love for her and her blood coursing through his body. Not only that, but he had just found physical pleasure with her as well. She was truly his mate in every sense of the word. And she was finally his. He was incredibly happy.

Why then did he immediately panic when Bella froze after finishing her deer and sat down?

Vampires never needed to sit, but sometimes did to appear human or if they were emotionally overwhelmed. There was no need to pretend to be human so deep in the woods. This couldn't be good.

She started sobbing and he was at her side in an instant, his arms around her. "Whatever is bothering you love, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you." He said, his heart gripped by fear. She held on to him for dear life but couldn't find the words to explain. Nothing made sense. "Show me." he whispered.

He was almost immediately overwhelmed with the strength and variety of her emotions. There was love, fear, sadness, happiness, confusion. She was consumed mostly by an anger that made her want to continue beating him to shreds, and a love that made her refuse to do that. Everything was in a tangle and she was losing herself in it too. Even her thoughts alone contradicted themselves:

You should be happy, Bella. You have everything you've ever wanted.

He lied to me!

To protect me!

Do I really believe that?

Yes. No. Yes. Maybe. No.

I want to hold on to him and never let him go.

No, kick his ass again! That felt great.

It did, but so did…she trailed off, remembering how passionately they kissed and their other activities before she hunted. She remembered each brush of his lips and how it fanned the flames of her passion while also starting to heal the pain in her heart, her heart which he had broken…

He didn't actually leave.

But he tried! He was going to leave me forever. How could he just let me go like that!

He changed me.

Only because I finally figured out what was weird about me! What if I never showed him my thoughts?

She had no answer for that and neither did he. Edward had nearly thoroughly destroyed both of their lives, he thought. He wanted to apologize, to try to make it better, but the chaos of her mind kept him still. Instead, he held her, running his fingers through her hair and showing her his love the only way he knew how. The only way that would work while she was lost in her thoughts.

I'm so glad I read that weird new age book that helped me understand my brain. It was mostly to appease my mom since she kept asking if I enjoyed her gift but for once it wasn't made up….my mom…Charlie….

Oh, no poor Charlie! He's going to think I disappeared, or I was kidnapped or- Her mind was swirling a hundred miles a minute with different scenarios for why her dad might think she never made it out of the woods. She imagined that they would send search parties or put her photo all over the news. Perhaps they would believe she got lost or was eaten by a bear. They might think she had run off and gotten married. That thought disturbed her the most.

A part of Edward was upset that she was horrified by the thought of being his wife, but he pushed that away for now, trying to figure out how to remedy her disappearance and not blow the entire family's cover. Why hadn't I brought my stupid cell phone? He thought.

He wanted to call Alice but couldn't risk taking a volatile newborn so close to humans, especially not in this state of emotional instability. He knew that he would have to start by trying to get Bella to calm down or letting her punch him around a bit. So, he started to talk.

"I love you." Edward paused to kiss her head. "It is absolutely no excuse for any of the pain I've caused you, especially trying to leave you and taking you away from your father, but I do love you. I have loved you every second of every day since we met, even when I didn't realize what it was at first. What you are to me.

When I tried to leave, I thought I was protecting you from me. From becoming a vampire or being hurt by one. I had no idea that you felt just as strongly for me, but then when you showed me….God, Bella…it tore me to pieces. I couldn't do that to you. I vowed right then that we would never be separated again, intending to run you to Carlisle and beg for his help changing you, but I heard your thoughts as you rode on my back and how much you loved and needed me, it couldn't wait. I had to change you right then. I wanted, want, to keep you forever. As my mate."

Her thoughts were chaos. She was angry. She loved the sound of Edward calling her his mate. She was aroused. But she was pissed. Bella jumped up to her feet and stood menacingly in front of him, her hands on her hips and her hair wildly blowing in the soft breeze. He admired her beauty and confidence.

"How could you?!" she shouted. "How could you possibly think that I would be alright if you left me?! I would have probably died without you." She was thinking not only of all the times he had saved her life, like from the van accident and the men in Port Angeles, but also how even the thought of being without him ripped her to shreds.

"I'm more sorry than I can ever tell you. Please believe me, I didn't want to go. I felt like I had no choice." Edward got to his feet and bowed his head in shame.

Bella entertained the thought of punching him, but instead she grabbed him forcefully and kissed him. He gladly kissed her back and held her in his arms, loving her. Trying to say with his touch what he couldn't say with words. The firmness of her grip was a little painful, but he didn't dare complain. Not as long as she wanted him.

She stopped kissing him just as abruptly as she had started, "I'm tired of you always treating me like I can't make my own decisions." she growled. He wasn't sure what to say. Her thoughts showed him that she loved him, but she was incredibly angry. She had every right to be. She was also curious about why his eyes were such a dark red.

"I drank most of your blood. I'm sorry. I haven't been a very good partner. It was heavenly. I only wanted to change you, to keep you, but once I had a taste, it was exquisite. I've spent a few days high out of my mind from it. I never realized exactly what a singer's blood could do to a person."

"While I was burning?"

"Yes." He answered, ashamed. "I'm sorry." He repeated. She slapped him across the face again and his head turned from the pain, but as promised, he didn't fight back. She had been in intense pain while he was riding the high of his life. He was the one that put her in that pain. He deserved her wrath.

"Fucking crazy emotions." she said under her breath.

"I deserved that, and so much more."

"Stop it!" she shouted. "Enough apologies. You were a dick. Are you done being a dick now?"

"I promise." he said sincerely, absolutely shocked to hear her using such crass language, especially with him. "I love you." he added.

"I love you too." she said, gently brushing her fingers over where she had slapped him. Her thoughts showed him that she wanted to apologize, but she didn't. He didn't deserve it. Not yet. She wondered what was wrong with her. Everything was still so confusing.

"Perhaps it's time I explain what a newborn vampire normally goes through. There's nothing wrong with you. I wish I would have taken the time to tell you what to expect, but it was an impulsive decision."

"Why did you always fight so hard about changing me?"

"I didn't want to make you a monster like me."

"Do you believe I'm a monster right now?"

"No."

"What about you?"

"I am." He had always believed himself to be a monster once he woke up as a vampire. That was an indisputable fact.

"How are you any different than me?"

"I took your life." he answered grimly.

"I wanted you to!" she shouted. "All I've ever wanted is you, Edward Cullen. Ever since I saw you. You. Whatever that means." He saw in her thoughts that she was sincere. She was getting overwhelmed again and so he kissed her, distracting her from the war inside her head.

Her emotions channeled into just passion and desire and his interest followed. Distracting her with sex until she felt better was something he was very, very happy to do. Edward had always been alone, and having the love of his mate, even angry with him, was divine.

"I want you too. I love you, adore you. Please don't ever doubt that again." he whispered against her lips.

"Edward, where is your family?" she asked after their more primal urges were satisfied. "Why hasn't Alice appeared yet?"

That was a great question. "I'm not sure." he answered. "My decision was rather impulsive, but I figured they might have showed up by now. I didn't bring my phone or anything. Maybe she can't tell where we are."

"Where do we go from here?" she asked.

He debated if he should tell her the truth, not wanting to anger her more, but it was necessary. Edward looked deep into Bella's eyes, dazzling her, and then he sighed. "One of the parts of being a newborn is that you likely won't be able to resist human blood once you smell it. I'm afraid we're going to have to stay away from humans for a while."

"We can't even let my dad know that I'm alright?"

"No." Edward answered regretfully. He started to apologize but remembered that wasn't what Bella wanted. "I suppose we could go to the house in Forks if we stayed out of sight. It's far enough away from humans that we would be safe. We made sure of that when we built it, but we would have to run kind of close to town to get you there."

"You can restrain me." she said.

"I'm afraid not. Newborns are a lot stronger than other vampires due to most of their human blood still being present. I couldn't hold you back."

"But you drank my blood."

"True." he conceded. "But I don't think my strength is any match for yours."

"Wrestle me." she said. He was mildly aroused at the thought. Of course, he wanted her pressed against him. But he was also terrified of hurting her. "Edward, it's the only way." she added, seeing the worry on his face. "Let's see if you can hold me down."

"Alright." he agreed, tackling her to the ground, yet cradling her head in his hands. Old habits were hard to break. He kissed her softly and then put his hands on her wrists. "Try to break free."

Bella pushed against him with most of her strength but didn't budge his hands. He knew that she was faking, trying to make things easier on them, though her thoughts were hidden for now. He could read her body language.

"Really try." he said, looking into her eyes. She didn't want to, but she knew that she could never live with herself if she killed a human. Suddenly, a bit more of Edward's usual self-loathing made sense. He had killed humans, and several times he had nearly killed her before he finally changed her.

Bella pushed with all of her strength and Edward went flying off of her.

"Ow!" he shouted, landing on his back a few feet away.

"Sorry!" she answered, hiding her face in shame. Perhaps now she was a monster too. Though she loved Edward with all of her heart, Bella was going to need some time to cope with her new reality and especially being a newborn vampire.

Edward was content to hold her and be there for her until she was ready to talk. He would do absolutely anything for her, so long as it didn't mean leaving her, or trying to leave her again. Thankfully, that wasn't what she was asking. They were mated now in every sense of the word. They didn't want to exist without the other, although, unbeknownst to them, that had been the case for both of them all along.

Victoria has always taken care of herself. She never relied on or even trusted anyone else until she met James. She always believed he was her mate. He insisted that he was. Truly, she had just been happy to belong somewhere and readily accepted him as such. There was no need to question him. She did love him, or so she believed.

She enjoyed the wickedness of his mind and how he was always planning some grand adventure. His handsome appearance wasn't lost on her either. She willingly followed him anywhere, at least, until that filthy human, Bella, had led to his death.

Why couldn't he have just killed the human? Why did her stupid vampire protectors have to infuriate James into drawing things out and ultimately leading him to his death? She knew Laurent had tried to warn them about James' temper. They hadn't listened.

Victoria wanted a mate for a mate. Edward Cullen would suffer, but not by her hand, by the torture of his human pet. That was her mission. Her entire purpose in life without James. She had no idea how any vampire could possibly want to keep a human around, claiming to love them as he did.

What she didn't anticipate was Bella being missing. She arrived at her house to see if she was still under the protection of the Cullen coven only to discover that the child hadn't been home for at least a few days.

Oh well, she would happily torture the girl's father until Bella made an appearance. She knew that Edward would never change Bella or let her be harmed, that much had been incredibly clear from the beginning.

Victoria was careful to only torment Charlie in his sleep, whispering evil things in his ear or running her nails across his bed posts, scaring him. She didn't want to attract unnecessary attention to herself until the Swan girl appeared to take his place. Psychological torture was so much more fun than physical torture anyhow. She hoped that she was his every nightmare.

She enjoyed torturing Charlie and listening to his heart rate speed up or his sleepy murmurs. She laughed so loudly on the night she found him sleeping with his shotgun that she had to step outside a few minutes. He was fun, at least, a good distraction.

Gradually, she started to watch him during the day too, bored of waiting around for nightfall. She stalked him to work, on most of his calls, and to the diner when he went, staying in the shadows out of sight. Victoria always knew how much power she held over Charlie, having murderous vampire instincts and the strength to back them up. She relished in it. Enjoyed it.

Charlie was terrified of the redheaded demon that haunted his dreams, but what Charlie Swan did not realize was the power that he held over her. She didn't even understand it herself at first, while she maniacally enjoyed tormenting his sleep, she couldn't stop coming back to him, even when she realized that the child was probably gone for good.

Victoria grew tired of Forks eventually. She was ready to move on, but she couldn't leave without him. It made no sense. He wasn't her type at all. Where James was tall, slim, and sexy with his bad boy attitude and his ponytail, Charlie was bland and normal, out of shape even, but yet, he was a great comfort to her. Torturing him, watching him, made her world a little bit better. She was happy, somehow.

She decided to start by introducing herself and knocked on his door after he finished eating his dinner. He opened it, pale as a ghost as he saw her, the woman of his nightmares.

Without a further thought, Victoria bit Charlie Swan, his scream piercing the silence of the cold, rainy night.

Author's Note: I don't usually leave cliffhangers on my stories, but this particular story calls for them what with its dramatic self. I hope you are enjoying it so far! I intend to update weekly but have been excitedly publishing them sooner. I'm looking for it to be 10 or so chapters.

Thanks again ChristyWIX for the idea! Fleshing it out has been fun.