Chapter 6: Hunting
The fall was exhilarating and the cool air whipped my flowing hair around my face. I closed my eyes, and in a second, we stopped falling and I found myself swaying back and forth. I opened my eyes and we had landed on the rooftop of a neighboring building and Edward was pounced to spring to the next one. I kept my eyes open and he flew over the ledge again. We rushed down momentarily and the tiny cars below us looked like little specks. Edward gracefully landed on a window ledge sticking out the side and used it as a spring-board to get to the next building. When he landed on this next one, he took a sharp left and ran to the side facing the trees, and jumped over that edge, too. But this time we kept falling. He absorbed the impact on the balls of his feet and landed with a soft thud.
He set me down gently and turned me around to face him. I was a little dizzy from the fall, and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my bloodstream. The adrenaline was like food for the hungry monster, and it fueled the biggest craving yet. Unable to control myself, I sprang up at him and pounced on his chest, knocking him to the ground. I tried to pry his shirt off, but he gripped my wrists and pushed me back. I was wrenched into an upright position and Edward had me locked in his iron grip and I was being restrained.
I fought with the monster to regain control, and I won.
"Edward! I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened, I just lost control. I guess the adrenaline from the fall wasn't helping. I could've killed you! I'm sorry." I stood up and ran through the trees, wanting to get away from him so I couldn't hurt him anymore. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I followed the faint trace of his scent through the woods and I hoped that I could find his home. I knew that if I did find his house that he would most likely find me there, but I needed to cool off.
I kept a steady paced jog for a while, but I was curious about how fast I could run, so I pushed myself farther and it felt like I was flying. I dashed through the forest like a breeze, and the cold, hard ground felt like silk under my bare feet. I was surprised that the trees that passed me did not morph into blurs of color when I passed. I could see every drop of dew on the leaves that I passed in perfect clarity.
I ghosted through the forest for hours, and I realized that I was still following Edward's scent without realizing it. I stopped running, and I walked at a human pace. I studied the forest around me, and I realized that I wasn't really surrounded by just trees anymore.
I found myself in what seemed like a small meadow that was filled with a rainbow of assorted flowers. The trees surrounding the meadow were varying shades of green and the grass beneath my feet felt lush and thick. I could hear a babbling brook somewhere to my left and I was reminded of my thirst. My throat burned savagely and I figured that without Edward here to show me, I would figure out how to hunt on my own. I stood like a statue in the center of the circular meadow and I soft breeze blew a sent so delectable towards me that my mouth watered. My thoughts shifted, and I was sent into hunting mode. I gave my body away to my thirst and my instincts, and I followed the scent that the breeze carried. I closed my eyes and let my mind do the walking. While I followed helplessly after the scent, a slave to my own thirst, I opened my eyes and found myself on a hiking trail. I gave no thoughts about it and continued to walk forward.
When I became closer to the scent, I broke into a run and chased the breeze. After a moment I reached the peak of the irresistible scent and I saw a full grown human man trudging his way down the steep forest path. It was human blood that my mind wanted. I stalked my prey silently, and an idea popped into my head. I tried to push the thirst back so I could talk, and I walked closer to the man and tapped gently on his shoulder. I scared him to death and he jerked his head back to look at me, and my looks rendered him speechless. His eyes widened in terror and he stammered at me.
"Um, hello, can I help you?" He had a deep voice, and I smiled at his politeness. I had been looking down the whole time, and I raised my eyes to meet his gaze. For some reason, the sight of my eyes scared him stiff, and he froze with terror. I took this opportunity to attack.
I sunk down into a hunting crouch and tried to speak in a gentle and seductive tone.
"Don't run away from me," I crooned when he turned around. My hand shot out to grip his arm. He turned and looked at me in horror. "You look so delicious." I said to him. He looked puzzled at this comment and I was surprised when he broke free from my grip and ran.
Enraged by my dinner's escape, I flitted after the figure and tackled him to the ground, pinning his chest under my legs. I leaned down to press my lips to his throat, and he screamed out, but I popped my head up and put a finger to his mouth.
"Shh," I quieted him in a whisper, and then brought my lips back to his neck. I anticipated the taste of the red liquid before I bit. When I finally did, the relief was instantaneous, and I was sucking at the wound that I had made in this man's neck. The sweet crimson drink was the most wonderful thing I had ever tasted. I quickly drained the man of blood and threw his lifeless body away without care. When I stood back up, I was craving more human blood and I ran towards the general direction of the city to find more.
***
I stood at the forest's edge overlooking the city streets in front of me. Another breeze passed over my face and it also carried the scent of human blood. I thought up a plan to get to another human's neck, and I walked quietly in the shadows of the trees until I was behind a large building. To get into the dark alley where I would acquire my next meal, I would have to dash through a small patch of sunlight.
I ran at full power through the light and I reached the cool, damp stone of the alley. I waited at the mouth for a door to open and a portly man waddled out to put a bag into the Dumpster. Perfect, I thought to myself. I walked silently to where the man stood, and pounced on his back. He didn't put up much of a fight, so I got to the bite fast. It tasted even better the second time.
When I had finished this man, I picked up his body and tossed it aside into the smelly Dumpster. I sat on the ground while I thought of another plan; I was still very thirsty. I was halfway through thinking over a plan when the door opened again and a small woman stepped out. I suspected she was coming out here to see where the other guy had gone. But, unfortunately for her, she met me instead. I did the same with this human as I had done with the others, and I walked briskly toward the other end of the tunnel, another plan brewing in my mind.
Sorry I made her so brutal, I just had to twist it around a bit. It would make me happy if you would click the little button below and comment on this chapter!