- Victoria
My heart stopped suddenly. I could not breathe. I could not move. I could not think. Edward wasn't here. Of course he wasn't thinking about me; Victoria had instead tricked me here.
"Bella, how have you been?" Victoria taunted.
I drew in a sharp breath, the air burning my lungs. "Why me?" was all I could manage to say.
"Why, a mate for a mate. You make it too easy. I visited your room last night while you were out with that boy. Edward's scent is long gone. He left you. I guess he couldn't love a human for long, he must have finally come to his senses." A small chuckle escaped her lips. I suddenly realized what she was saying. She had been in my house; that was why my window was left open. It all made sense.
"You talk in your sleep," Victoria continued. "I could hear that you were in this meadow with Edward again. I thought I would help you find your way here. You are just too gullible."
Suddenly, I realized how gullible I really was. Why would he suddenly decide to come back?
She tilted her head into the wind and took in a large breath. "My, James sure was right. You smell delightful. I will almost feel bad to have to kill you. Too bad Edward will never get to taste your blood."
I knew that I would never get to see his topaz eyes again. It was all going to end in this stupid meadow. I could hardly believe that mere months ago Edward brought me here. We sat here, just gazing into each other's eyes, entranced. I remember the way the sun entered the meadow and reflected off his skin, shinning so magnificently.
Suddenly, Victoria had me by the hair, my head tilted to the side. I knew this was the end. I love you Edward. I never stopped loving you, I thought to myself. I just wished I could see his topaz eyes once more before my tragic end.
I closed my eyes and braced myself for the inevitable. I could feel her sweet breath on my neck. I was shaking terribly, not quite ready for this. I expected to feel her sharp teeth penetrate my skin and take my life any second. But, I never felt her teeth on my neck. I opened my eyes, wishing she would just kill me soon.
"I got to thinking Bella and it's just not enough for me to kill you." My heart began to race. I had no idea where she was going with this, but I knew death would probably be preferable to what she had planned for me. "If I were to kill you now, there would be nothing to gain. While your sweet, pure blood would be reward enough, I want something more. I want Edward to see the life leave your eyes. I want to last thing for him to see is what happened when he left you. Maybe if he behaves, I will let him have a taste of what he missed."
Slowly a tear fell down my face. That was the one thing I did not want to happen. If I was going to die, I didn't want it to be in front of Edward. He didn't love me, why would he care if Victoria were to kill me.
Suddenly, I was picked up and clutched tightly in Victoria's embrace. I tried to struggle, but her grip on me was too strong. She took off in a run and I saw the meadow disappear in a quick blur. My lungs were screaming for air, but I was not willing to allow them that air. My heart had stopped beating altogether and my thoughts were jumbled. I didn't know what to think; everything was happening so fast. One moment I thought I was following Edward and the next moment I was being kidnapped by a vampire, if that comes close to describe what was happening to me.
Painful, I sucked in a breath of fresh air as I watched the scenery blur past me. Victoria's quick, spurted motions made me begin to feel nauseous. She failed to run with as much grace as Edward did, taking no notice to my weak, human stomach. Unwillingly, I closed my eyes. I didn't like the blindness, but I didn't want to be sick either.
~ JACOB ~ JACOB ~ JACOB ~ JACOB ~
After what felt like hours I felt the cold wind stop stinging my face and I could tell that we had stopped running. I opened my eyes, scared to see what I would find. We appeared to be in another wooded area, but I knew we were nowhere near the familiarity of Forks, or Washington for that matter.
Suddenly, Victoria set my down on the ground, not even attempting to be careful with my frail body. Edward was always sure to take care not to hurt me, always telling me how fragile we humans were. Before I could even understand what was happening, Victoria has a piece of rope out and my hands bound tightly behind my back before I could even blink. How old-fashioned of her.
I quietly looked around me, knowing that at this point chance of escape was slim to none. Even if she were to leave me alone, I was too clumsy to attempt to run away. Any distance I could manage to cover in ten minutes she could cover in three seconds, using my lack of gracefulness and quietness to track me quite easily. I could tell we were miles and miles from any civilization. This was the end; I just hoped that she would not be strong enough to resist me long enough to locate Edward.
"A lot colder here than Forks, don't you think Bella?" Victoria asked.
I just glared up at her. "And where exactly is here?" I asked, hoping that I could tell if we were close to Edward or not.
"Alaska. We are here to find Edward of course." At the mention of his name, my heart stopped.
"And how do you know that Edward is here?"
"I have my ways of knowing," she said with a sly smile. In on fluid, blurry motion, Victoria grabbed me up and placed me underneath a tree. "You need to just sit here under this tree and be a quiet little girl."
I knew that there was no hope of me being able to get up with my hands tied behind my back, let alone attempt to run away.
Victoria turned and ran off, leaving me alone in the meadow. I knew I was going to cry before the tears came. I couldn't hold the tears in because I knew she was out there hunting him. Even with the knowledge that he no longer loved me, I didn't want him to be here when I died. I didn't want Victoria to get him.
~ JACOB ~ JACOB ~ JACOB ~ JACOB ~
Quickly, night came and there was still no sign of Victoria returning. My shoulders were getting sore from being pulled backwards and tied there. I was leaning awkwardly against the trunk and I was sore everywhere. My eyes had to be bloodshot because once I had begun crying, I was unable to stop.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of a twig cracking. Someone was here. But, I couldn't be close enough to civilization for someone to have stumbled upon me by chance. I knew it had to be Victoria or someone sent by her.
My heart rate increased; my ears were pounding. I feared to draw even one breath, hoping to stay unseen.
"Bella," a voice somewhere in the shadows said. "How nice to see you again Bella, you sure are a long way from Forks," the voice said tauntingly.
"Who's there? How do you know my name?" I demanded.
"Victoria sent me here to check on her little prisoner."
Suddenly, I gasped. I knew who it was sulking the shadows. "Laurent," I whispered.
"Very good," he said as he walked into the moonlight, showing I had guessed correctly.
Laurent stood about ten feet in front of me. It looked to me as if he were staring directly at my neck.
He slowly began walking towards me. I pushed back against the tree, trying to slide myself up its length so I could stand. I didn't want to be sitting on the ground, defenseless. That's not to say I was any safer standing up, but it just felt more appropriate to be standing up.
"Oh, don't be worried Bella, I won't hurt you too badly. It was stupid of Victoria to leave such a fine specimen all alone with me. Edward was strong to resist you for all this time. I might have to start in on the snack before Victoria gets back," Laurent taunted.
"You know Victoria will be mad if you kill me while she is not here," I said, trying to buy myself some time.
"Victoria I can deal with. Don't worry, I will be nicer then Victoria would be. She wanted to take her time killing you, wanting Edward to see your torment. She thought that would make up for James' death. I will end it as fast as I can, far less painless then if I left you to Victoria."
Laurent walked up towards me, grabbing my tied hands. He directed me into the center of the little clearing we were in. He brushed the hair off my left shoulder and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "I won't hurt to you too bad. What do you say Bella? Can I have a sip? I'm so thirsty. I haven't had a good human in a while."
I took in a sharp breath, knowing that it would be one of my last. "Please, don't," I begged. I wasn't ready for it to end. What would Charlie do without me? What about my mother? I knew Edward wouldn't care at all, but Jacob would care. I knew how he felt about me. Much to my surprise, a tear slipped down my cheek. I didn't know how I could possibly have anymore tears left in me after all that had happened. But, sure enough, my eyes were watering up once again.
"It will only hurt a little bit. After a while, you will just pass out and you won't feel a thing," he continued to whisper in my ear. I knew that no matter what I would say, he would still kill me.
"Please just get it over with then," I barely choked out.
"Don't worry, I will make this as painless as possible." He then leaned down towards my neck. I could feel his cool breath on my neck as he took his time, probably enjoying taunting me in these last few seconds of my life.
Maybe Victoria would actually find Edward. But, when she brought him here, it would be too late, not that he would care much. He seemed to be able to leave me easily enough. All Edward and Victoria would find was a rotting corpse drained of blood and a very satisfied Laurent.
"I promise, it will be quick," Laurent said. I heard him take one good sniff. "Ahhhhh . . . you smell so good Bella. It's too bad for Edward that he will miss out on this." I could feel his sharp teeth resting on my skin. I knew that any moment now those teeth would penetrate my skin. I was going to die standing here in the middle of this meadow in Alaska. But, if Laurent was actually telling the truth, he was helping me out allowing me to die so quickly. I didn't want to have to suffer while Edward was watching. He would probably be glad that Victoria was getting rid of me. I wonder if Victoria knew that getting Edward wouldn't matter. He doesn't care what happens to me, he left me alone in the woods after all.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp stinging pain and I knew that the end had come. Then, everything went black.
A/N: Sorry for the cliffy. I thought that this would be a great spot to stop. Sorry it has taken me so long to write this chapter, but I have been REALLY busy lately. But, I think I am getting on top of things. I already have the next chapter started and I will hopefully have it up and posted in the next few weeks. Please REVIEW: what do you think happened? Is it all over for Bella? What's next??? Thanks again to all those readers. This is my first fanfiction so I am a bit new to this, sorry if I am taking a while to get these posted, but I haven't written a story like this before.