The flash of lightning had only lasted for a second, but that second was long enough for me to take in everything I saw.
It was the vampire I had seen earlier that day in Port Angeles leaning against my dresser. Her wavy bronze hair cascading down her perfect figure, which was now clothed in a little black dress that hung off her shoulders. Her average stature was brought up a few inches by the heeled boots she now wore. I took in her face at the last instant. Dark, purple circles surrounded her black eyes that stared into mine. But neither what she wore nor what color her eyes were had caught my attention the most in that second. It was her smile; it was the same crooked smile as Edwards.
There was a bang to my left and in yet another instant, Edward was at my side. "What happened?" He demanded, smelling the air and scanning the room with his eyes. I stared at him, waiting for any reaction. I waited for him to smell the vampire that stood in the corner of my room and waited for his snarls to sound over the rain pounding against the roof. But he did none of that. Instead he stared at me, his face full of concern.
"Edward, she's here! She's-" I pointed to the corner, but when I looked back to the corner where the young vampire once stood, the latest flash of lightning revealed the corner to be empty. "Wha- She was here, Edward. I swear she was!" I was beginning to shake. This couldn't be possible...I didn't imagine her...did I? No, I couldn't have. She was there, in the corner, laughing. And her smile...her familiar crooked smile.
"Shh," Edward was holding me now, stroking my wet hair. I didn't care that I was still in my towel, soaking wet. I just wanted to prove that I wasn't crazy and that there was a vampire in my room only moments before. "There's nothing there, Bella, just relax."
"No! Didn't you hear her laughing? Couldn't you smell her?!" I was growing frantic now. I didn't like that she could get into my room so easily without Edward knowing and without leaving any kind of trail. She obviously had some sort of special ability.
"Bella, love, listen to me. There's no one here. Just relax, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise." I choked back a sob as I breathed in his wonderful sent. I did suddenly feel much calmer with his cold arms around me, protecting me. "Now come on, you need to get some warm clothes on. I'll be right outside your door." He released me and I suddenly felt more scared than I have ever been...more scared than the time James almost killed me...more scared than those hours I spent in Volterra…
"No!" I latched onto his arm. Even though Edward would be just outside my door, I suddenly felt as if that wasn't enough. This vampire, whoever she was, was good. Edward obviously couldn't smell or hear her...even though I could. "Just-just turn around, don't leave my room. Please." I begged him. He replied with a half hearted smile and turned his back to me.
I struggled to put my pajamas on with my shaky hands. Even with Edward with me in the room I still didn't feel protected. Why was this vampire messing with me? If she wanted me dead she could have done so tonight...so why did she run away? Did she perhaps think she was no match for Edward? I shuddered. I thought to myself, she could have easily taken Edward out...silently...without him even knowing what happened until it was too late.
I climbed into bed once I had gotten dressed, Edward following me. He tucked the blankets around me so as to keep me warm from his cold, marble skin as he held me close to him. He pressed his lips to my forehead "Just close your eyes, Bella, I'm right here. I won't let anything happen to you."
"Edward," I breathed out. I was definitely exhausted, but I was afraid to sleep. "Why couldn't you find her? Or hear her? Or smell her?"
"I don't know. Please don't worry about it now, just get some sleep." He pressed himself closer to me so that my head rested on his shoulder.
"But what if she comes back?" I mumbled. My eyelids were becoming extremely heavy.
"Sleep, Bella. I'm right here. No one is going to get you."
And then I listened to myself breathing as it got slower and deeper.
Edward was standing in the meadow where he once took me, the moonlight silhouetted behind him. His soft, golden eyes staring into mine. He smiled that crooked smiled I loved, holding his arms out for me to approach him. As I began walking towards him I suddenly saw the mysterious vampire girl step up behind him, smiling the same crooked smile as Edward and staring at me with her black eyes. I tried to yell for Edward, to warn him, but no sound came out of my mouth. She reached her hand up to Edwards's neck and, before he could react, I watched as she ripped his throat open...and she began tearing him to shreds. I finally managed to scream...but it was too late. I watched as my beloved Edward was killed right before my eyes.