Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

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Chapter 5: Hunting

Our feet barely touched the ground with every step we took. The forest was passing by in a haze of green and brown, blurring together like a child's messy finger-painting art with an occasional mix of autumn colors thrown in.

My eyes flickered to Bella from time to time checking to see how she was reacting to this inhuman speed of running. She wore a smile on her lips and she seemed to enjoy the breeze through her hair. I pulled both of us deeper and deeper into the Oregon forest as far way from human trails as possible.

The familiar thickness of Aspen and Mountain Ash trees ahead reminded me of my occasional hunting trips with my brothers when I still lived with them. We would leave for the weekend and lose ourselves in these woods, because the wildlife here had something for all of us. Emmett enjoyed the black bears here, Jasper hunted the antelopes, and the cougar was my prey. It was a time for us to bond as brothers, and thinking about them makes me homesick.

Perhaps, it's time the prodigal son returns home where he belongs. Of course, I couldn't see myself going back if Bella didn't come with me. I wondered if Alice saw me coming back and if she saw me bringing Bella. Another addition to our big family would make Esme very happy, especially if that addition is to be the love of my existence.

I gradually slowed my pace and Bella did the same. She broke away from my grasp, and swirled around in a circle as she took in our surroundings. I could only imagine how sharp her senses were as she experienced everything in a whole different way. The action, however, made her look like a little girl twirling around in her room with a pretty dress on. For a second, Bella looked happy and I wanted for her to be happy.

"Bella," I touched her arm.

"Yes, Edward?" She replied calmly.

Ripples of warmth surged through me whenever she calls my name and this time was no different. I hope it never fades away.

"Remember what we came here for," I reminded.

She nodded and asked, "What am I supposed to do?"

I maneuvered myself behind her and whispered against her ears, "Close your eyes."

She obeyed, standing motionless like a marble statue.

"Now, forget everything except your sense of smell," I instructed.

Bella began to inhale and exhale more deeply, probably deciphering the different smells with every intake of breath.

"Tell me what you smell, Bella," I ordered twirling a lock of her hair around my finger.

The action made me wonder if Bella would ever have me wrapped around her little finger. I highly wouldn't doubt it and I wouldn't mind it either. I would do and give her anything she wanted. All she had to do was ask.

"Um…I can smell the honey-sweet scent radiating off of you. It's like I can almost taste it on my tongue," Bella mused.

"What else?" I asked before I was tempted enough to offer her a taste of me.

"The frosty scent of the chilly air. It feels like it's going to snow…" Bella's voice trailed off.

I recalled that the weatherman did predict some snow in the area by the evening hours tonight. With a small whiff of the air, I caught a mouth-watering scent that would be perfect for Bella's first hunt.

"Now concentrate, Bella," I instructed. "Can you smell that hot, rich, delicious scent about fifty yards away?" I asked.

It took her a second to reply, but she clutched her stomach in hunger and nodded.

I placed a tender kiss on her neck and said, "Go get it."

I heard the whooshing of the wind behind her before I felt it. Her body was just a blur through the trees now. I ran after her keeping my eyes trained on her movements as she weaved through the dense forest. She was headed in the right direction after the cougar I smelled earlier. I watched, waiting eagerly for Bella to attack.

To my surprise, Bella stood eye to eye with the cougar she was supposed to consume, but she didn't go in for the kill. The cougar sprinted away in the opposite direction during Bella's moment of wavering uncertainty. I should have known something was wrong then but I hesitated.

Before I knew it, Bella took off in a different direction abandoning the cougar altogether. I snarled at her when I picked up the scent she was after. A human scent. She completely ignored my warning and used her strength to push her out further toward her desired target.

I didn't know if I was too late to save her from this mistake, but I knew Bella was entirely governed by her sense of smell. She was simply going after the more appetizing scent, and rationality at this point was futile.

I could see a human man lingering in the trees ready to pull the trigger on a doe. He was still unaware of the danger present to him. Bella glared at me with her blood-red eyes before sneaking up behind the man. The ravenous look behind her irises told me she was too far gone and I was far too late. Within a flash, she pulled his neck to her mouth and sank her teeth into him.

I abruptly skidded to a stop at the horror that unfolded in front of my very eyes. A sharp intake of my breath made it's way into my lungs. I scanned the trees defensively ready to take out anyone who might have witness Bella. There was no one within a ten mile radius. The man was alone and he completely veered off the hunting trail.

I watched Bella as she continued to consume her prey with an unyielding hunger. Here was a gentle-natured girl turned into an effective hunter. I couldn't help but think it was my fault. How could I let Bella do something like this? How could I let such an innocent girl become a murderer and stand by while she did it? Why wasn't I fast enough to stop her?

Anger bubbled inside me and I clenched both of my fists. I wasn't angry at Bella, I was only angry at myself. I couldn't blame her for what happened, because I should have been more careful. She was my responsibility. No matter what, I had to protect her and keep her out of harms way.

I heard the sound of the dead corpse hitting the ground and turned my attention back to where she stood. Bella licked the blood off of her lips with a smile of satisfaction. The high of her satiated thirst made her feel completely at ease. I knew exactly how she felt, but it won't be long until the realization of the kill tears her apart. I was so familiar with how the guilt would gnaw it's way into your flesh, and settle under your skin like some disease waiting to spread.

Quickly, I made my way over to where she stood.

"We have to get out of here," I said pulling her away from the dead man.

Bella walked ahead of me unnaturally at ease. With a quick snap, I decapitated her victim to make sure he doesn't turn. Then, I joined Bella still paranoid enough to scan the trees for witnesses. There were none.

I should have hunted also, but my thoughts were intensely focused on Bella that I hardly realized my own thirst. It was rather easy to ignore it now with Bella as my number one priority.

To be continued…

For3ver Immortal