Author's note: Hi everyone, I sincerely apologize for the long wait. I'm so sorry. My life has been so hectic for the past 2 weeks, I barely had time to breathe. Now that sportsday is done, things should go back to normal.

This chapter is super short and for that I apologize again. I'm just so sleepy, I couldn't go on, but I also couldn't keep you waiting any longer. Please bear with me…I have to sleep (unfortunately).

Chapter 14

Control

"The complication is going to be even harder today," began Carlisle. As the days passed by and our eyes grew darker, it became increasingly difficult to concentrate around the dampened human scent. Of course , humans weren't actually here so that minimized the effect but still, it was harder than the first day.

"You have all been around humans before, you have all interacted with them also," he spoke mainly to me. "That is fairly easy when you are satiated with human blood…but on this diet…it is even harder." His aura was serene; he was relaxed but a bit curious. He continued, "The clothing that I have brought today are not just worn but they were worn by the injured," his eyebrows rose as he took in all our expressions. Most of the younger members of the family were just as apprehensive as I was. How strange. Had Carlisle not conducted this exercise with them before? Edward looked at me and shook his head.

As the box was brought in, my muscles tightened as the climate of the room changed. Everyone was on edge. Of course there were no stakes here, nothing to attack, but still six pairs of black eyes followed the box as it was emptied on the floor.

The delicious scent saturated every particle of the room. Venom filled my mouth and emotions flooded me. I could feel the dry, aching burning sensation experienced by the vampires around me. I could feel the compulsion, the instinct…our nature, commanding us to do what we were made to do. I could also feel the intense restraint in each of them.

The red-brown fabric sat there innocently. Alice's aura was a strange combination of fear thirst and guilt. Emmett and Rosalie were tense, Esme was anxious. Edward…thought he scent did affect him, he was best able to remain calm, aside from Carlisle, of course.

I inhaled for the first time and my throat burst into flames. It was excruciating. All I could think about was extinguish the fire. My insides wrung in reaction to my lack of action. Every sensation I had was intensified and reinforced by that of the others around me.

Alice wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in the front of my shirt. She seemed to be …inhaling me. This calmed her. How strange. Maybe it would work for me as well. I bent my head downward into her crow-black hair and inhaled. Her delightful aroma filled my nostrils and I did relax in that moment. That moment did not last long though and the six-fold fire continued to plague me.

Why was I still here? Why was I enduring this self-inflicted torture? What could be worth so much? My mental interrogation ceased as that question was answered. I couldn't take it anymore. I locked off my lungs and anchored myself to Alice. She endured the scorching flames soundlessly. Everyone seemed to be faring better than me and I fought harder to think of something else, anything else.

My body disagreed. My muscles screamed in protest to my immobility. It felt like swallowing white hot metal. My mind sought to quell the pain by imagining the hot liquid running down my throat, the wet pulse of life soothing my raw insides.

And I was running. I whipped through the forest in the direction of the sound of strong beating hearts…beating human hearts.

Author's note: Yes, I hope you liked that. Sorry about the length. Please stay tuned for more. And please add me to story alert if you haven't already.

Love

taz