Chapter Six-Destruction and Discovery
True to his word, we made it into Oregon just as the sun's early morning rays began to dance on our skin. Joaquin directed us into the forest, the towering trees providing a canopy of protection. We kept to the woods, where the air smelled crisp and clean. I breathed in the aromatic scent of pine and fresh rainwater. Around midday, billowing clouds rolled in, blotting out the sun, and the smell of rain grew stronger. Not long after, there was the soft pitter-patter of rain on the leaves. With the additional cloud cover, we could step out of the forest without fear of revealing ourselves in a burst of glittering light. Overcast weather, it turns out, is perfect for vampires.
It drizzled on and off for some time. We remained out in the open, under a grey sky with pillow like indentations. It was a relief to have at least the illusion of space from Joaquin. In the forest, I felt constrained by the forced tight quarters, especially with the fight still fresh in my mind. Tension burned under my skin, stretching me taught, like a live wire. I relished the freedom of the open air, until the shower had finally passed and sunbeams began to peek out, at which point Joaquin returned us to the confining forest.
After several hours, I noticed that Joaquin was angling us further east, away from the coastline. The omnipresent trees were thinning. I could hear the roar of a highway nearby. The presence of humanity became more obvious. I could practically feel the pulse of blood and the wall of heat of the cities pressing in on me. Every now and then there were tantalizing scents on the wind. Joaquin kept a tight grip on my arm. Every time my nose began to wander, he gave a sharp jerk to bring me back. He ran in sweeping curves and figure eights, eerily reminiscent of the evasive maneuvers of training, in an effort to shift the wind and keep me focused.
"Why are we heading towards town?" I had thought we would've stuck to the coastline and the safety of the national forests until we reached Washington, and we definitely weren't there yet. The signs I could read on the road as we approached civilization had us a good 60 miles away from Portland, and getting closer all the time. Not the path I would've predicted us to take.
"These are the directions Maria gave me," said Joaquin curtly.
We continued to run east, though Joaquin's path began to take us north as well. We were running along Highway 30, nestled in the wooded areas and protected parks with rivers and lakes to our left and humanity to our right. I knew Vancouver was right on the other side of those waterways. We were so close to the border, and approaching Washington faster all the time. I watched the mile numbers count down with dread.
What had Maria told Joaquin? Did she know where in Washington this Major and his coven were? What if they were nowhere near Forks? How was I ever going to get to Charlie?
"Where in Washington are we going to start our search?" I asked as nonchalantly as I could manage.
Joaquin's response was clipped. "Never you mind."
Joaquin grew snippier by the minute. I was cognizant of the rapidly darkening color of his irises, more black than red, like the tail end of a sunset. Neither of us had fed since leaving Maria, and Joaquin hadn't indulged like I had back at base. I was surprised to find that I wasn't as thirsty as I would've expected. True, the thirst was there-ever-present and smoldering, especially in proximity to the human cities-but it seemed Joaquin was thirstier than I was at the moment.
A plan quickly formed in my mind.
"I'm thirsty," I stated, leaning into the feeling of flames licking my throat. I knew I wasn't the greatest actor. I had to make this convincing.
Joaquin only grunted in response.
"You look like you could use a drink, too."
"We're nearly at Washington, can't you wait?"
"No," I added with a groan, twisting my face into a facade of pain and discomfort. "We're so close to the city," I continued, pointing out a sign along the road. "Can't we just duck in real quick?"
"Quiet," Joaquin hissed, gritting his teeth. Tension was evident in his jaw. I smirked to myself, then quickly adjusted my face back into the semblance of thirst.
"Please," I whimpered. "I'm really thirsty. All I can smell are the humans. You can't tell me you haven't noticed. They're everywhere and they're mouthwatering."
Joaquin licked his lips and swallowed.
"Besides, I don't wanna meet this coven feeling weak. Didn't Maria say they were powerful? We'll need all our strength before entering Washington, not after."
I watched Joaquin ponder my words. His eyes were nearing coal.
"Fine," he snapped. "A quick feed. No loitering."
Success.
Joaquin switched directions, and aimed directly for Portland. He maintained his vice-like grip on my wrist.
"Hold your breath," he commanded. "I don't want you running off. You'll feed on who I tell you."
It was uncomfortable not breathing, especially as murky human memories seemed to believe I needed to breathe in order to run, but I wasn't going to disobey Joaquin. Especially when I didn't want to let myself get distracted either. For my plan to work, I had to keep my mind sharp.
It was early evening as we approached the outskirts of Portland. Joaquin slowed to a more human-like pace. I matched his speed, step for step. I could tell that Joaquin was starting to shift into a hunting mode. His head was angled forward, nose turned toward the wind. He eyed the streets and stores with consideration. There was a fierceness in his black eyes, though I could tell he hadn't fully given his mind over to the predator yet. I purposefully kept my mind away from the hunt.
Joaquin gave a tug on my wrist with a subdued snarl.
"This way."
He led me down a deserted street and into a narrow alley. There were two dumpsters lining the alley, but they were both full and trash bags spilled out of the dumpsters and littered the ground. Joaquin dragged me further into the alley, and I spotted two people curled up in sleeping bags behind the dumpsters with cardboard boxes and plastic tarps for cover. I could hear their labored breathing, indicating sleep, the rush of blood in their veins...
No. Focus.
Joaquin licked his lips as he looked over the slumbering couple.
"I'll take the man. You can have the woman."
I nodded. Joaquin released my wrist as he shifted forward into a crouch. In one lightning-fast lunge, Joaquin separated the man and the woman, tossing her at me without a second thought. She hit my chest, and I instinctually reached out my arms to catch her before she fell to the ground. I regretted the action instantly. Her heat was all-consuming, a brand against my skin. It seeped into my body, reaching up into my throat with curling flames. The woman squirmed in my arms, her eyelids fluttering. I couldn't have her wake up. Not now. Grimacing, I lowered the woman and propped her up against the wall with all the delicacy I could muster. She sniffed, and her head lolled to one side, coming to rest against one of the dumpsters with a soft 'thunk.' My hands itched for her scorching heat almost as soon as I released her, but I quickly turned myself away from temptation, only to be confronted by another-Joaquin leaning over the man, his teeth bared.
Desire rushed through me.
I tried to quell it, but it was like fighting a war against my own body. The more logical part of my mind knew what my plan was and was doing its best to keep me focused and steady against the instinctual part of my brain that was howling madly, salivating with the knowledge that Joaquin was about to feed and that there would be blood in the air and a body full of ambrosia nestled near. I shut my eyes tight and continued to hold my breath, but even with my senses cut off I still knew what was going to happen and my body ached to fulfill itself. I gritted my teeth, clenching my jaw, as I tightened every muscle in my body to hold myself in place. My teeth tingled with the urge to bite and shred and tear. Deep down, I knew I wasn't actually thirsty, but my throat was suddenly desiccated as if I hadn't fed in weeks. The feast at base meant nothing when there was fresh, warm, fragrant blood in the air. Even with my eyes closed, I knew Joaquin had made his attack. I could hear the contented hum in his chest, the workings of his throat muscles as he drank his fill. I held myself firm, struggling against the yearning to inhale the sweet aroma I knew was pervading the air. I couldn't be as weak as Joaquin thought I was. I wouldn't be. The effort to keep myself grounded was excruciating, like resisting the iron strings of a master puppeteer. Sounds of Joaquin feeding were enticing, but I knew I had to steady myself. This was the moment.
I took a cautious first step, which was an absurdly onerous task. Like wading through molasses or walking into a strong wind. My nerves screamed at me, rebelling against my actions as I rebelled against my instincts. I knew, if I gave myself over to my senses, all the difficulty would disappear and I would pounce and fulfill my craving. I had to focus my mind so heavily on just moving forward toward Joaquin and keeping my control near-perfect so I wouldn't end up stealing Joaquin's meal away from him or rushing back to the sleeping woman.
I pushed myself to take a step forward. And another. Towards Joaquin, but not towards the human in his arms. I had to act quickly, he would be done feeding soon. Then his single-minded focus would vanish and my opportunity would be gone forever. But the strength to move forward and not attack was unendurable. It was becoming more taxing by the second to ignore the protestations of the monster within.
He's distracted, I told myself. You have to act now.
Have to act now.
Have to act NOW!
I shot forward like a bullet and wrenched Joaquin's head away from his body. His headless torso stood unmoving, like some old master's statue, before slumping forward onto the crumpled heap of his meal.
I'd done it.
I basked in the moment briefly, reveling in my newfound power as I held Joaquin's head in my hands. All those battles, all that training...every bite, every jeer, every harsh command...and yet I was the one to emerge victorious. I never had to listen to him ever again. I was free. And not only had I overpowered Joaquin, I'd proven to myself that I could conquer the worst of me, resist the cravings that warped me into someone unrecognizable, even if it took all my strength and mental acuity. Venom pricked in my eyes and a rejoicing laugh of relief bubbled in my chest. I allowed myself to feel the elation, but suppressed the laugh. My control was still stretched inconceivably thin and the smallest wisp of air could be my undoing. But my victory was short-lived as a hoarse wail broke out behind me. I turned around with a start to see the woman, tears streaming down her grimy cheeks, staring at me in horror. Her knees knocked together as she trembled all over. I was stunned into unnatural stillness. This was exposure, and I knew what I was supposed to do, but I had never faced such a situation before and anxiety seized my body. I couldn't deal with this right now. I didn't know exactly what the woman had seen or when she'd woken up. Besides-I glanced down at Joaquin's head-I had more important things to take care of. The woman followed my line of sight, before rushing out into the street, tripping over garbage on unsteady feet, her voice crackling with terrified sobs.
Crap.
That was sure to attract attention.
In fact, I could hear mutterings from the residents of the buildings on either side of the alley. Someone was unlocking their window. Time was running short.
I snapped back to myself as training kicked in. Dispose of evidence. Dismember your enemy. Make certain they will never rise again. I dropped Joaquin's head to the ground and began to tear at his body. I grabbed his arm that had held me tight on the journey here, and hurled it out of sight. His leg was next, cracking in two beneath my sure fingers. I had only meant to separate a few limbs, but the act of tearing apart Joaquin was so satisfying, I lost myself in ripping him into smaller and smaller pieces. Hours of fantasies finally becoming reality. The caterwauling of police sirens, approaching the alley at breakneck speed, brought me back to my senses.
Right. Dismember. Then eliminate with fire. I faltered. I didn't have a lighter. Maria didn't trust any of us newborns with them. She or Joaquin had always been the one to start the fires at our battles. Which meant Joaquin had to have one! I sifted through the remains of Joaquin's coat, looking for a lighter among the scraps of cloth. Nothing. Frantically, I searched through the remnants of the rest of Joaquin's clothing. My spirits soared as my nails clanked against something metal among the debris, and I hastily dug out the object, only for my joy to deflate as I looked upon my discovery.
The lighter was demolished. I'd punctured it, crumpled it in my reckless destruction of Joaquin's body. I tried lighting it, hoping for a miracle, but no sparks flew.
"Dammit," I hissed, casting the lighter away in disgust. It flew at a high speed, barreling through a dumpster. I flinched at the clanging sound that echoed in the small space. The sirens were closing in.
My eyes desperately scanned the alley for anything I could use to start a fire. Old newspaper, bottles of alcohol, a heaven-sent box of matches, but there was nothing and no time. I had to get out of there. I scattered the scraps of skin and muscle around the alley, hiding it amongst the garbage as best I could. I knew Joaquin could put himself back together, but maybe if I spread the pieces far enough, it would take him longer to re-form. I grabbed what remained of Joaquin's body, bigger limbs that I hadn't completely destroyed and scraps I couldn't hide, and hastily ran out of the alley, blurring past the two officers who had just stepped out of the flashing car to investigate.
I had no destination in mind when I started running, only that I needed to get as far away from that alley as possible. I skirted the edge of the highway, flying past the cars and leaving Portland far behind. A wayward toe fell off the pile of parts I carried, bouncing in the road and creating divots wherever it went, but I paid it no mind. In fact, after I had covered a significant distance from where I'd dropped the toe, I grabbed another piece of Joaquin-half of an ear-and chucked it deep into the forest. Once I put more ground between me and the fragment of ear, I ducked into the forest myself, whizzing between the trees. I was trying my best to swerve and circle back and disguise my trail like I'd noticed Joaquin and Maria do before, but I didn't have their experience or understanding of tracking. Of course, I smirked, in this state, Joaquin was unlikely to stumble upon my scent before it was just a memory upon the breeze. Still, I didn't want to take any chances.
I darted out from the cover of trees now and then to dispose of another piece of Joaquin. I scattered them as I fled, hiding them in ditches or among the foliage when I could. Whenever I dropped a clump of muscle or a revolting finger, I made sure to randomly change direction, before eventually heading back to the forest, crossing back over my scent with a contrasting trail. I didn't venture too close to humanity again. I needed a respite from their mesmerizing scent-which lingered in the back of my throat-before I was ready to test my control once more.
My feet carried me to the coast by midnight. Obfuscating my course and slowly ridding myself of Joaquin, piece by deplorable piece, added hours of time to my journey. But I didn't feel the pressure of time like I had earlier. Now, the invigorating surge of excitement seized my body as I edged ever closer to Charlie.
I hadn't been back to Forks, let alone Washington, in years. Even when I was human, my memories of the lackluster town were hazy, and often purposefully banished from my mind. But now those memories were cloudier than ever. It was only due to a lightbulb moment when I spotted the sign for the 101 that I knew I was close. There was just one more thing I had to do before I could head for home. I continued running along the coast, searching for the perfect place for my needs. There was a memory niggling at the back of my mind, teasing me with knowledge. It was frustratingly just out of reach. I had the vaguest sense of an image. No picture, just the feeling of what it was supposed to be. One of the seemingly endless national parks and remote camping locations that Charlie had tried to take me hiking and fishing in, before I put my foot down and demanded sunnier excursions. I squinted as I raced along Washington's rocky and driftwood covered beaches, chewing my lip as I attempted to clarify the memory.
The giant stones surrounding the beach-monoliths covered in mature trees and carved rocks looking more like alien spacecrafts jutting up towards the sky-seemed familiar. But just as I was starting to uncover what the grand formations meant, a sudden flash of lightning and resounding thunderclap distracted me. I groaned as the memory slipped away, and a harsh deluge of rain pelted the beach. I kicked the rocks that coated the beach in frustration.
Specks in the sand and stone caught my attention, glittering like crystals or rubies. Rubies. That was it. Ruby Beach. Charlie had taken me here for a weekend one summer when I was twelve. There'd been camping and fishing, and much whining and groaning from me...and an island several miles out from sea with a historic lighthouse! Gasping, I looked out on the water to see the same island that had just appeared in my mind-only in much higher definition. Destruction Island. That was what it was called! Yes...a slow smile tugged at the corner of my lips. An aptly named place for what I had in store.
I submerged myself in the water, kicking out towards the island. The current was strong in the storm, and carried me out to the isolated landmass in record time. I shook off the water as I climbed to the peak of the island, growing more determined with every step. There was a grouping of old buildings, off-white and ivory with salmon colored roofs, near the brink. A lone spire-the lighthouse-stood amongst the squat buildings.
I stepped past the antique lighthouse, out onto the edge of the cliff, hair whipping in the howling wind. Rain fell in relentless sheets. The ocean, gray and grisly, roared, spewing waves of angry water against a wall of knife-like rocks angled at every direction. It was an imposing sight. I glanced down at the last piece of Joaquin I carried with abhorrence. A hand. His hand that had grabbed me and torn my arm off. The hand that had punched me, choked me, pummeled me into submission. Growling, I tightened my grip on the hand, stabbing it with my nails, hoping that in whatever state he was in, Joaquin could still feel pain. I brought the wretched limb close to my chest. I let go of the appendage briefly to slick my hair back with one hand and took several large steps backwards. Glaring at the sea, I brought my hand back to cover my hand and Joaquin's, crossed over the center of my chest. My head ducked down and my brows came together as I stared down the cliffside. I raced to the edge at top speed and hurled myself off the cliff.
Air whistled past me and I sliced into the water with a graceful dive. I swam down to the darkest depths of the ocean, till I brushed against the rocky floor. I pushed boulders aside, hunting for the perfect cavernous crater. But none were deep enough to my liking, so I released one hand to dig through the sea floor until I reached my desired depth. I stuffed Joaquin's hand into the hole, forcefully molding the rock around it. I grabbed one of the boulders I'd discarded-the largest one-and dumped it on top of the hand. I filled in the hole with the other boulders, and rearranged the sea floor until no one could ever tell that it'd been disturbed. With a satisfied smile, I kicked back up to the surface.
I burst out of the water, my hair flying up and over my head. I grinned broadly, cheek to cheek, and laughed in exaltation. My spirits were lifted, and I felt the months of stress and anger dissipate in the choppy water. The burden of Joaquin was gone. Truly gone. Releasing a blissful sigh, I kicked onto my back and floated in the water, oddly peaceful despite the surrounding storm. The heavy rainfall was cleansing, and I imagined the droplets coating my face as the jubilant tears I could not shed.
Thunder rumbled overhead, shifting from a powerful drum to a gentle purr. The wind quieted, and the rocking waves calmed to a gentle lull. The storm was easing up, and it seemed to be a sign for me to continue on. Feeling more relaxed than I could ever remember, I flipped onto my stomach and swam back to shore.
"Right," I said as I wrung my clothes out on the pebbly beach. "To Charlie."
I easily found the highway, and began to follow the 101 north to Forks. I had barely gone a mile when I heard voices, curiously clear and conversational for the time of day. It was just past dawn and this stretch of highway was deserted.
"Why did you drag me out here, Alice?"
My breath caught and I came to an abrupt stop. It was the most beautiful voice I'd ever heard. Smooth, melodious, warm...a drizzle of honey mixed into tea. The annoyance in his tone was obvious and strangely endearing.
"Someone's coming and I need your help!"
The second voice-Alice, I presumed-was bright, a true soprano bursting with perkiness.
"Who?"
"Someone! A newborn!"
The word jolted me from my stupor. Somehow I didn't think they were referring to a human baby. What did they know? Their voices were terrifyingly close. The wind was blowing in the wrong direction so I couldn't smell to see if they were like me...but if they were...
I hurriedly climbed the closest tree, camafloucging myself in the leaves as best I could. But my curiosity was piqued and I couldn't help peering down through the branches to watch the pair arrive. I wanted to see the boy's face. I wondered if it would be as beautiful as his voice.
"A newborn?" There was a brief pause following his dumbfounded response. "I don't hear anyone, Alice."
"No?"
"No."
"Huh. Well that's...unexpected."
"You never say that."
His voice really was gorgeous...so enchanting. But there was something worrying in the way he and the girl spoke. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I suddenly felt uneasy. I backed away from the branches and huddled close to the trunk of the tree. There was something they weren't saying, some undertone to their conversation and I just knew it was about me. My instincts reacted negatively to the thought of a potentially hostile coven trying to find me. I had to get out of there, and sadly leave the euphonious voice behind. Maybe I could sneak a peek at him as I ran past, just to satisfy my curiosity...
"Look what you did, Edward!" Alice cried with exasperation. "She's going to run!"
What? How did she know that?
"It's okay!" Alice called. "We're not going to hurt you!"
She sounded sincere, trustworthy...but that could just be a trick to get me to lower my guard. I'd seen it happen before.
"I promise!" she called again. "You don't have to be afraid!"
"Speak for yourself," the boy-Edward-said. "I'm going to get Jasper. You should've brought him along in the first place."
No! He couldn't leave! Not without me seeing him first! My impulse control got the better of me and I jumped down from my hiding spot. I regretted my decision instantly as I hit the ground and took in the pair.
A tiny, skinny girl with spiky black hair. A red-headed teen who towered over her.
Aw crap. I had found the Major's coven.
