"No" she said calmly, "I blame your parents."

I laughed, really laughed, coldly and bitterly. Then I looked her right in the eye,

"So do I" I said emotionlessly, looking blatantly between Edward and Bella until their mouths hung open and their eyes widened.

Then I fled.

Chapter Nine – Poison Thoughts.

I ran like I had never ran before. Every step took me further from 'them' and so I ran and I ran and I ran. The wind blew through my auburn hair as I dodged trees and skipped over logs. I ran for what felt like hours. Eventually, when I was sure that they could be nowhere near me, I came to a stop, panting only slightly.

I could not believe what I had just done. My parents were never supposed to know; I had promised to myself that I would not let myself become vulnerable and I had just gone and given myself away. In addition they hated me. Edward, my father, had pinned me against the wall and tried to strangle me. They did not want me then and they do not want me now. Not that I would ever consider wanting them to want me. I just wanted to be left in peace and finally get on with my life, or existence.

Sighing, I sat down with my back against a tree. I was not sure what the time was, but I knew that I should have been home hours ago, also Rachel probably had a phone call from the school saying that I played truant. Dammit. I wondered if there was any other schools close by that I could transfer to; I did not think that I could live through all this drama.

I stretched my legs out and rested my head against the tree trunk.

"Relax Alexis" I whispered to myself, closing my eyes so my whole body relaxed. I tried to breathe slowly but found out that did not really act as a calmer, so I tried not breathing at all, of course my body had different ideas and I breathed automatically. I mused over whether I actually needed to breathe or not and made a mental note to find out.

"Hello Alexis" said a voice I had grown to hate. My eyes shot open. How had I not sensed her coming? Stupid non-breathing exercise distracting me.

"Victoria" I spat as I stood up quickly, "what do you want?"

"I heard you had a little family reunion," she cackled, her red hair flowing wildly around her, "did mummy and daddy not want little Alexis?"

"What do you want?" I repeated with a snarl. She grinned maliciously, knowing she had hit a nerve.

"I don't know why you told them. Have I not told you before how they abandoned you?" she mocked. I growled threateningly. Every encounter I have had with Victoria consisted of her telling me this.

"I don't want them either,"

"Poor ickle Lexis. Nobody wants you." I lunged at her but she dodged swiftly out of the way. "Nobody loves you," she called from somewhere else and I spun around searching for her.

"They don't want you" her voice sung mockingly. "You want a family but they don't want you" she laughed and called to me, "Alexis over here." I tried to reach her but she had gone and she called from behind me

"Over here, little outcast"

"I'm not an outcast" I hissed as I stood trying to get a glimpse of her.

"Oh really," she laughed, "How many half vampires do you know?"

"I'm unique. I'm special. I don't need to fit in" I said, more to myself than her.

"Good because if your very own parents don't want you no one will" she said and I saw a flash of red in the trees. I darted forward; I wanted to rip her to shreds. She cackled,

"You'll have to be quicker than that"

Knowing, that I could never catch her, I turned and ran in the direction I knew to be home with Victoria's voice echoing around me. Luckily, she did not follow.

I despised Victoria, she had a habit of turning up about twice a year while I was hunting or out by myself. She spent the visits taunting me and trying to tempt me into drinking humans rather than animals. Vampires - do not trust them.

She had told me what I was and had tried to get me to join her briefly then she had poisoned my mind with stories of my parents. She had spurred on my hatred into something wild, uncontrollable. She had nearly killed me one time because I had joked about her dead mate James after reading his name in her mind. That's when I knew just how dangerous vampires could be. Running was the best option when it came to Victoria.

***

"Alexis!" screamed Rachel as I walked into the home. It was pitch black outside so I knew I was in for a bollocking. "Where have you been all day? The school phoned up and said you had disappeared and then you don't appear 'till eleven. Have you any idea how worried I was? Didn't know what happened, thought you might have ran away. You could have been kidnapped" she gushed. I looked blankly at her. "Don't ever do that again!" she concluded collapsing onto a chair.

"Sorry" I mumbled as I side stepped a pile of school bags and made for the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rachel sighed, "Sit down." Cussing under my breath I sat down. "So?" asked Rachel.

"I went to a friend's house," I said, "sorry, I lost track of time."

"You missed school!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I said I'm sorry. I won't do it again"

"Just tell me why Alexis"

"No" I said standing up, "you won't understand. Nobody understands, so just go ahead and punish me. I don't care!" At some point I had started crying and Rachel, seeing my tears, smiled sympathetically and passed me a piece of chocolate. I took it and nibbled at the side half-heartedly.

"You can go to bed. I will let you off this one time" she frowned.

I thanked her and headed straight for my room, locking the door behind me.

I fell onto my bed and then I broke down. I had sworn a long time ago never to shed a tear for my parents and here I was crying my heart out over them. "If your very own parents don't want you no one will." Victoria's word rung round my head, I could not help agreeing with her.

They don't want me, I had known that for my whole life and yet it still hurt to see the hatred in their eyes. I could hate them; they had left me, but they should be seeking my apology not threatening and fighting me. I wanted them to grovel in front of me, to show some compassion. They pitied me, but that was all.

I growled at myself, angry for my lapse in self control of my emotions, and wiped away my tears. I told myself to be stronger, to fight harder.

It had taken them long enough to realise who I was, obviously they barely remembered that baby that had been such a nuisance all those years ago. Clearly, they did not want their past back to haunt them. Tough, I was here, and haunt them I will.

I promise, on everything that I know, that they will pay for what they have done. They do not deserve the happiness that they have. I am not some little weak "shell of a girl" as my mother so kindly suggested. I have lived through things, many things and I will destroy them. Victoria is wrong; I do not want a family, I just want revenge. Justice.

And then, maybe, I can start to live.

A/N Right, I needed to put that in for the whole story to work. It will get better next chapter don't worry!

Omg, I was so happy at how many reviews I got last chapter. Amazing, I am so chuffed hehe. It really doesn't take much to make me happy. One ickle review. Hint. Hint.

Susie xx