[Disclaimer] Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight. I just like to mess around with her characters and turn them into lesbians.

[A/N] Welcome back, my dear readers. I hope you had some wonderful Christmas holidays with your loved ones.

Today's update is dedicated to my reader RachelBarbraBerry

26

Time moved on. My birthday went by, and I would have probably missed the date if Isabella hadn't brought a newspaper home with her that day. Every few days she would disappear for a couple of hours. I begged her to take me with her. As much as I liked the cozy getaway with her, I wanted to see other people. I wanted to see my family again. I missed Cynthia. What had my parents told her about where I was now?

I remembered my last human birthday and how my little sister had snuck into my bedroom with a little strawberry tart. I tried to remember the taste of the tart. I had liked strawberries, hadn't I?

"Can't I come with you?" I pleaded Isabella again one morning. "Please?"

She shook her head. I sighed when she bent down to plant a chaste kiss on my lips. "It's too dangerous. You wouldn't be able to control yourself around humans."

Why doesn't she trust me? I swallowed back a wave of frustration and forced my lips into a fake smile. "Promise me to be back soon?"

"Of course." she whispered, putting her hat on. Like usual, Isabella was dressed completely in black. I wondered if I would ever get to see her in brighter colors. I closed my eyes. The door of the cottage was shut. I listened to Isabella's steps getting fainter and further away from the house. A vision flashed through my head. I could see myself standing behind Isabella. She was dressed in a lovely blue silk gown. Blue looked beautiful with her skin.

"It's enough with all that black." I mumbled. Quickly I got dressed and checked my reflection in the mirror. I looked human, didn't I? Only the color of my eyes, that were an unnatural orange shade now, gave away that something was wrong with me. I had to do something about that. A smile appeared over my face when I noticed the pair of tinted glasses on the table. They looked weird on my nose but were perfect to hide my eyes behind them.

Isabella wouldn't be mad at me for sneaking out behind her back, if she saw the dress I was going to get her.

It felt odd to be near to people again. It felt even stranger to have the tempting scent of their blood in my nose. I held my breath and only moved my shoulders every few moments to make it seem like I was still breathing. It didn't take me long to find the store I was looking for.

"Good Morning, Miss." The woman greeted me. "I am sure we have lots of pretty clothes for a pretty young thing like you."

She stepped closer to me. I opened my mouth and when I spoke up, I involuntarily inhaled her scent. The shop was small and too warm. The entire room seemed to be filled with a sweetly aroma. I could almost taste the sweet, hot blood on my tongue. A moan left my throat.

"Aren't you well, dearie?" She placed her hand on my arm. "Would you like a glass of water perhaps?"

I nodded. I couldn't risk to take another breath in her presence. A horrible vision of the woman lying drained dry at my feet hit my mind. I needed to get out of here before I lost whatever control I had left.

She got up and went to the back part of the shop. I noticed the blue dress I had seen in my vision and put it into a box. "Will be right with you in a minute, dearie!"

I scrawled a quick apology on a piece of paper. 'Will come back soon to pay the dress. I promise.'

Then, I stormed out. I ran as fast as I assumed was slow enough to appear human. It only took me a couple of minutes to reach the security of the forest again. Here I felt safe. I inhaled deeply. Here it didn't smell like irresistible human blood. The forest, it smelled of earth and animals and…wait, what was that scent?

Branches snapped when the man stepped closer. For the first time since my monster had started hunting for me, I didn't feel fear inside me. "Hello James," I greeted him, holding the box with Isabella's dress close to my chest.

"You remember my name." He chuckled, exposing a set of yellowish teeth. There was a bit of dried blood on his upper lip. I bet it wasn't from an animal. James sniffed. "I remember your smell."

I took a step closer to him. My eyes narrowed. There was anger inside me, so much anger. "I remember you chasing after me for months."

Again, he laughed. It was a deep, vibrating sound. "You aren't mad at me for that? Are you? Don't hold a grudge."

I placed the box on the ground. Then I lashed forward and pushed James against a tree. "I hate you."

My fist connected with his stomach. I wanted to hurt him. He has played cat and mouse with me for so long, and now he has the nerves to show up here again? Why?

"Leave and don't come back."

"You are still mad." James laughed. "You have no right to be. Sometimes a human just smells too good. You will learn how it's like one day."

"You could have killed me the first day you smelled me." I stated. "Why the playing? Why did you have to torture me?"

He laughed, reaching out his hand to my hair. I growled when he tucked a loose curl behind my ear. "I like a good challenge."

"And I like you keeping your distance from me like a gentleman should do with a lady."

James held up his hands. Then he grinned and licked his lips. "A fine lady you are by stealing dresses." He pointed to the box and laughed before walking off slowly.