Disclaimer: Everything in the Twilight realm belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This is just my doodling.

Chapter Seven – Pursue and Embrace

I ran at my full speed now, quickly rounding the edge of the bluff.

I choked, losing my breath, and almost falling.

The scent had changed.

There was a new scent in the air.

Vampire.

I did not pause to think or fear. I was running away from the river bluffs and into the forest. My hand flew to my phone pressing the buttons as I raced.

From hundreds of yards away, I began to see a blur taking shape, and then I could see both figures in a moonlit glen.

He had just lain her down. She was unconscious but not yet hurt. He was moving for her neck.

And then his head snapped up, and he was flying at me.

Our bodies crashed together in the air. My force was not enough to counteract his. He was much larger than I was, and I was still not fully grown. We fell heavily onto the forest floor. I managed to jump back, only to have him pin me against an ancient oak. The tree shuddered and groaned against our superhuman pressure but did not break. I was caught.

Two feral red eyes stared into my soft brown ones. A look of shock quickly replaced the intense stare of the hunter.

"What's this?" He starred uncomprehendingly into my face.

I snapped my teeth at him, but he smacked my face away.

"Oh, have some manners, if you please. You just interrupted my dinner—very rude of you, you know."

"She's my friend," I gasped.

"Ah, I see. I suppose it would be somewhat rude to drink someone's friend, but I must explain. We were not previously acquainted, so there was no way I could know she was your friend. I am Olivier, by the way. Won't you tell me your name?

When I didn't respond he continued, as if I had. "Also, I should explain that I was very, very thirsty, and your friend smelled positively luscious. Plus, she looked so sad, out there on that river bank. You see, I imagined I was doing her a small favor."

"You!" I gasped, but he grabbed my jaw so that I could not speak.

"I would think twice about trying to bite me. If I bit you back, I think you would the one at a disadvantage. Are we square on that?"

I gave a weak nod.

"Hmm. Now, you see, you are a mind-boggling creature—so exquisite. I see those milk chocolate eyes. I hear your heart beat. I taste your ethereal scent." He breathed in deeply then, running his nose down along my neckline.

"What is that perfume? I smell a splash of freesia, lilac, and …that… what is that? I've never smelled it on a vampire before… Ah, yes, Orchidaceae." He chuckled to himself. "Intoxicating.

"You know, I think I've lost interest in my dinner…"

Unexpectedly, his eyes changed from red to black, and then his lips were on mine. His kiss was rough and aggressive. His lips forced mine open, and I felt his icy tongue chartering the back corners of my mouth.

In the first instant, my body shut down. I think I might have stopped breathing, and then I felt his palms moving upward under the silk of my shirt, and my defenses acted on their own accord.

My hands flew up to the back of his neck. He did not try to stop me. I suspect he must have thought I was enjoying myself.

And then I attacked.

I let the images swarm his brain. I pushed my images to take over his sight. My face crumbling into ashy pieces before his eyes. My mouth opening. A serpent sliding forth from my ashen lips, raising its head. Ready to strike. My hair searing, a flaming backdrop.

He jumped back from me, a strangled noise in his throat.

I also jumped, putting myself in the line between him and Alyssa's pallid figure. My instincts were in disarray. My instinct to run was battling my instinct to protect.

He turned toward me and his expression morphed from horror to humor. "And talented, too, to top it all," he mocked. He was moving towards me again.

And then the wind changed, and he was gone, fleeing into the river.

Alice.

Alice fired through the woods, a speeding comet. She braked to a stop at my side. She took it all in: Alyssa in the glen, my personal disarray, the marks on the oak, and the lingering scent of my assailant.

"Is he gone?"

I nodded. "He attacked Alyssa. I pursued. Then, he defended, and I lost." I pointed to the ancient oak.

My adrenaline from the attack was starting to fade, and I was beginning to get a hold on myself.

Then, it hit me. That, that, that vampire—Olivier—had kissed me. He had tried to murder my friend and then he had forced his tongue down my throat. My first kiss. Fury ripped through me, and an angry growl escaped my throat.

Alice was taken aback. "Why do I feel like there is more to your story than you are telling me?"

I glared at her.

"Nessie, don't hide from your auntie Alice. Show me."

I held my palm out to her, not looking at her. She took my hand, and I let the events of the evening unfold in her mind. Her forehead was furrowed as I showed her my story.

"I don't like it, Nessie. It was normal for him to retaliate when you interfered with his hunt, but the kiss bothers me."

It bothered me, too.

"I'm worried about him fixating on you. You know how fixed vampire natures are—especially when it comes to our mates." Her eyes fogged momentarily. "And I can see him in your future, now. No where distinctly. It's too blurry, but he's already decided he wants to see you again."

I groaned. I can assure you, I have no desire to see him. By the way, why didn't you see me?

"First of all, you could have hollered my name while you were still near the house. Second, Nessie, you know you are so hard to see. By the time I saw you in pursuit, my phone was ringing. Regardless, we should get out of here. You will need to return your friend to the party."

We bent down over Alyssa then. She felt a bit cold and had a bump on the back of her head, but nothing serious. I fit my coat onto her before lifting her easily into my arms. Then, Alice and I sprinted out of the woods towards the house.

As we approached, we split up, Alice running up the hill to get the Volvo, while I ran up the steps, slowing as approached the dimly lit porch. I let Alyssa droop in my arms then, so it looked like she was hugging me, and then I swung the screen door open.

There was a collective gasp from the room. Luke, Abby, May Li, and Quinn rushed toward us. Luke reached me first and took Alyssa from my grasp, cradling her head and lifting her into his arms.

"Is she okay? What happened? Where was she?"

"She was down by the beach. I think she slipped on a rock and hit her head."

"We need to get her to the hospital," Abby said.

"I'll get the car," Quinn volunteered, already headed out the door past me. May Li followed him.

I turned to Abby then. "Abby, I have to go. You have my number. Can you call me when you hear from the hospital?"

"No problem. Don't worry about it, Nessa. I'll tell her you found her."

"Thanks, Abby. Talk to you soon."

The villa was noiseless when we parked the car. It was only when I entered the front room, and my family took in my appearance that the tumult started.

"Somebody's been rolling around in the bushes," Emmett laughed before anyone could say anything.

But then my father was there, clutching me tightly in his arms. "Alice, Nessi, who? Nessie, who attacked you?"

The room was suddenly dead quiet.

I repeated the words to my family that I had stated to Alice, "My friend Alyssa left the party. A vampire I've never met attacked Alyssa. I pursued. Then, he defended. There was a scuffle. He ran away when Alice showed. Alyssa is fine. She was unconscious through the whole thing."

"A scuffle? Is that what you're calling it?" My father's nostrils flared. "That monster attacked my little girl."

Alice interrupted then. "Edward, calm down. He wasn't trying to hurt her. If anything he trying to do the opposite…"

This comment did not help calm my father. He could see the image—the kiss—that I had showed Alice. His rage was murderous. "I am going to kill him. I am going to rip him limb from limb and then I'm going to—"

My mother interceded at that point. She wrapped her arms around both of us. "Love, nobody is going to kill anyone right now. Our daughter needs sleep and comfort. Edward you are going to take Nessie to bed. Sing her to sleep. I'll join you in a minute."

Dad sighed then, nodding. He gently took my hand and led me to the carriage house. He said nothing but I could feel his worry emanating from him.

When we reached my room, I slid under the covers, and he adjusted them so that I was tucked in.

"Are you okay?" he asked, kissing the top of my head, and stroking a strand of curl.

"I'm fine, dad. More mad than anything. I can't believe my friend was attacked."

"You're not going into shock?"

"I'm half-vampire, dad."

He sighed before muttering, "And the other half of you wouldn't have gone into shock either…"

"Love you, dad."

"Oh, Nessie, I love you more than you can know. Do you want me to sing you to sleep? Keep the nightmares away?"

I giggled like a little girl. "Yeah, sure. Keep the nightmares away."

He smiled softly before beginning to hum one of the trio of tunes he had composed for me when I was still merely a toddler. This tune in particular had always made me think of sunshine and springtime and dancing. I closed my eyes and let the sweetness of my father's melody lull me into sleep.