Title: Solstice
Author: marjorie16
Fandom: Twilight
Summary: This is a story mid New Moon. Edward leaves Bella. Bella befriends Jacob. The werewolves kill Laurent BUT Victoria gets passed the werewolves and bites Bella. What will Edward do when he finds out? What will happen to Bella? And Jacob, what will the best friend do?

Laurent: "...but if you knew what she had planned for you, Bella..."

Well, what if you did?

* Third Person POV

CHAPTER 4

"Bree, Jethro and Frances are out hunting again" Riley said as he approached his beautiful red-haired mate. "Don't you think people are going to get suspicious, love?"

Victoria gave a low chuckle. She was sitting in the dark room of an abandoned house. This is where she and her 'army' stays... well, most of the time. "Let them feed. We're vampires. We feed," And then, knowing that she absolutely had to say it "love." she added grimly.

"But Laurize, Nica and Armin just hunted in Port Angeles this morning. Their appetite is getting out of hand."

"Let them be. Let them raise a little hell, darling" While they still can. She smiled at this foolish boy who thought she loved him. It was almost amazing to her how easily she could lie. "Now, leave."

It was always good to maintain a firm authority on these newborns. Riley left the room without delay. He knew perfectly well that when Victoria used that tone on him, she was serious.

The growing alarm of danger in these parts of Washington would probably be bad news for immortals especially when they caused it. But Victoria was not worried.

Not at all.

This was all part of her plan.

She got the idea from her travels in the South. Down there, they used to build vampire armies and conquered other, weaker armies. That was the way of the world back then. Before the Volturi stepped in and ruined the party.

Now that history is repeating itself, Victoria is not going to allow anything to get in her way.

The plan has worked out smoothly so far. She had tortured Bella to a traumatizing degree. By now, that silly little girl would be a vampire. And she would be trapped in there. Scared and lost and weak. Just like a lamb, Victoria thought.

No matter how strong she is now she could not possibly climb out without sustenance. The girl was buried a good 500 miles down. She would have to feed in order to keep climbing. It's that, or she would have to have motivation. Which was highly unlikely.

Thirst is not an easy thing to control or suppress, especially to a newborn. She would have to satiate her hunger first before she could concentrate on doing much else. The thought made Victoria laugh. She wondered if Bella would settle for worms.

"Mate for mate" she whispered.

Now that the Cullens are back, the chess pieces have started moving again. What would Edward do to when he finds out what had happened to his precious Bella? Of course, he couldn't hurt Victoria. She had an army of real vampires, the ones who drink blood. Real ones. What have they got? 'TrueBlood'?

//Author's note: no pun intended//

It is a shame that she could not knock on their doorstep right now and announce the joyous news of Bella's whereabouts. It was because she sensed danger coming around. That was her talent. She sensed danger; thus so, she could evade it. Timing is everything in this game.

She would not be like those vampires who faced the wrath of the Volturi head on. She would welcome their coming, sacrifice her insignificant army and flee. Not one of her vampires could testify to her identity.

Only Riley could.

Therefore, Riley must die first.

But, Riley must not die yet. Until the Volturi get here, which she would know when they do, he is still useful to her as her puppet.

She was the puppet master.

For now, she would let the pieces move by themselves first.

* * *

Freedom at last.

It was like being hit by a huge wave of colors and scents. As Bella Swan reached out and pulled herself above the ground, she felt like a newborn seeing the world for the first time.

Or maybe, like a zombie coming out of her grave.

Better yet, just like a vampire raising from her tomb.

It was the first time she noticed what she was wearing. It was plain. Just a pair of very old faded jeans which were now muddy, a dirty yellow tattered shirt and a worn-out pair of rubber shoes.

Her hair had grown up half-way to her wait. It was bushy and disheveled. The pale moonlight glinted in her skin as she pulled herself out. Even as an immortal, she had to admit, climbing and digging that far was a feat. And she was hungry .

Extremely. Painfully. Excruciatingly.

She was so weak.

Vampires couldn't get tired, she'd guessed. She didn't feel tired like she did when she was human. She could survive without food for a long time. Maybe she could live without it at all. Vampires don't die in starvation. She would know.

But then, she wanted blood.

Maybe vampires had to eat because it sets them apart from stones. It defines them as beings, not just rocks on the ground. However, from the way Bella was lying unmoving, she looked more like a statue.

Too tired to hunt.

She just lay there and stared. With every breath she took, she tasted it. Luscious and alive. But she could not yet move to these scents. She was just tired and hungry. She could move if she wanted to. But, right now, she stayed put.

It was peaceful where she lay. She wondered how long she would wait here.

She certainly wouldn't wait for rescue. She's not that girl anymore.

"Well, what do we have here?" a man's familiar voice echoed in the dark forest as he came

forward to the beautiful goddess sleeping on the lush soil.

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Okay, please review. what are your thoughts?