I shivered as I pulled my jacket tighter around me.

It was October here in Minnesota and I could swear it was starting to get cold enough to snow.

It was getting quite chilly and we could often see our breath as of late.

I had just gotten back from Aaron's empty house.

I usually went over there every other day, but I always saw him off when he left for his hunting trips that he went on. They usually lasted about three days.

He was due back tomorrow.

Mom didn't put up a fuss anymore when I went over to see him. Ever since I had been pushed off the two story window and gotten kidnapped, she encouraged me-in her subtle way-to go see him.

She felt safer when I was with him and with everything that had happened in the last four years since I had gotten my powers, I couldn't blame her.

Anyways, I was walking and on my way home from Aaron's.

I had left some paperwork over there that I needed my mom to sign.

I still had a bit of Penni in my system so I wasn't at full strength if something decided to come out and play tonight.

As if I had called it, the wind shifted and I froze.

See, the thing is, when I say that the wind shifts, that's not exactly it.

You know that sense when you feel as is if someone is watching?

It's kinda like that, except stronger. I can feel a warning in the wind, something different in the air.

I looked around and scanned my surroundings but found nothing out of ordinary so I continued walking-but much faster.

The wind shifted and I started running.

I could feel the Penni in my system slow me down. I only prayed to the highest God that it wasn't a vampire out there.

In years from now I still wouldn't know where they came from.

All I know is that as I looked to my left, I punch landed in the center of my forehead sending me toppling back into an alleyway behind me.

I staggered up and held my purse out to throw it at them when I recognized them.

My stomach tightened into a knot.

Suddenly, I felt eight years old again and lost.

They had planned this perfectly, possibly without even meaning too.

The Penni in my system prevented me from being able to fight like I knew how and I had to rely on simply my own strength and skills.

Aaron was gone and of course it was dark.

Damn them.

I couldn't believe this was happening again.

It wouldn't have been so freaky if it weren't the exact same guys that had beaten me up when I was eight.

They looked nothing like they had back then, but they had one trait that made them easily recognizable.

The twisting scar over their right eyes that Aaron gave them.

The leader stepped forward as my legs took me farther back into the alley.

"Well, look who we have here. I didn't think we'd get the pleasure of seeing you again. Especially after your big friend came to us later that month. And may I say that he still looks exactly the same as he did four years ago. See, we did our homework this time. Its dark and your friend is out of town. So we get to finish what we started all those years ago. But this time, your friend isn't in town to save you. But don't worry. This will only hurt a lot."

I feared for my life.

For they were right, Aaron wasn't in town and I had no way to get a hold of him or where he was.

He was due back tomorrow.

By that time, I'd be dead.

I quickly took a look at where I was for the first time.

I quietly swore.

I was completely blocked in. I had tall building on every side since I was in an alleyway, which had absolutely nothing in it.

To top it off, it was one of those weird half alleys that went only half way down between the buildings.

Just my luck.

How did I always manage to get into these situations?

Another man stepped forwards and this face I really did recognize. He was the old leader of the group.

"Hello Bella." The smile he gave me was that of a predator.

I gave him one of those smiles that you give strangers when you want them to shut up. "I'd say that it's a pleasant surprise to see you, but then I'd be lying. And liars go to hell…. so maybe I should so I can meet you there."

Okay, it wasn't the brightest thing to say, but it sure was funny watching the fury cross his face and make him speechless.

His inability to speak bought me precious seconds…

that showed me nothing except just how trapped I was.

I had looked over every crook, crack, and anything else that could me escape.

I found nothing so when the old leader found is voice I was resigned to my fate.

Death.

How sad that I would be killed by four humans instead of the vampires that I always fought.

As crazy as it seems, I was more worried about what my death would do to Aaron. He always beat himself up over every single little thing that happened to me, I could only imagine what my death would do to him.

"You're gonna pay for that." The leader snarled at me. After spending so much time around Aaron and his family, human growls really didn't strike fear in me anymore. It was just funny.

I didn't laugh now though. He was already going to give me hell, no need to give him more reason.

I took a step back and my heart nearly burst from relief. What I had taken as the back of the alley was really a black sheet. I grabbed it and ripped it down.

And then my relief deflated slightly.

There still wasn't a full alley but there was more than there had been.

And there was a dumpster behind me on my left. A perfect tool for propelling.

I continued to back up; pretending I was scared and hopeless. They followed as I purposely backed myself into the wall.

The one laughed and sauntered forward; his hand curled into fists. He threw a punch towards me but I ducked at the last second and his hand smashed into the wall.

He clutched his hand to his chest, howling in pain. His friends rushed to help but I was already moving. I was headed towards the dumpster.

The dumpster was my only chance at escaping whatever was in store for me.

I leaped onto the dumpster and smashed my foot into the nearest guy's face. He stumbled back and I leaped off the dumpster. I didn't quite make it far enough as there were now two guys in front and two in back.

I looked around for an escape.

A man in front grabbed me and shoved me into the wall when I had looked away.

"Nice try girlie but you're stuck here with us-Oh!"

I had shoved me knee between his legs. He dropped me and fell to the ground.

I tried to run around him but I was grabbed from behind by two men and thrown into the dumpster.

My head slammed into the side of the building and bounced slightly.

They picked me up and slammed me back into the dumpster and I felt the edge cut into my back as I thrashed around in their grip.

They picked me up and threw me into the side of the dumpster.

One guy came and held me while another pulled out a knife that was caked in some kind of liquid and ran it across both of my arms.

I gritted my teeth against the scream that rose in my throat.

They didn't seem to learn very quickly so I shoved my foot between the legs again.

I managed to get away just in time to be thrown into the brick wall.

I rolled away as their punch came down on my head from several different angles.

I kicked one guy in the stomach and he crashed into the brick wall.

Of course, then I was grabbed from behind and thrown back into the dumpster making my victory short lived.

The edge of the dumpster cut my head so now I had blood trickling down the side of my face.

A foot connected with my stomach and I dropped to the ground.

Soon, there wasn't anywhere that I hadn't been kicked.

They were all kicking in a rhythm and I was about to grab one of the feet that was kicking me and twist hard when they stopped suddenly followed by several cries of pain.

I risked opening my eyes and relief rocked though me so violently that if I had been standing I would have fallen to my knees.

Aaron stood before me in a crouch I knew all too well.

I was starting to understand Aaron's hunting patterns.

He was vegetarian but if a human threatened or posed a threat to someone he loved he would, well, kill them.

Or eat them. Depending how quick he wanted the death.

It sounded really callous when you say it, but its something any human would do. Especially with the kind of threats I was given.

I didn't feel bad for these guys. They had it coming, especially if they came back for a second round of 'let's beat up Bella.'

"I told you to say away from her," Aaron growled as they cowered in the corner. "And yet here we are, four damn years later, and you're messing with her again. And this time, you were trying to kill her. There will be some people dead tonight, but it won't be her. You have two days to run, after that, I come hunting. Now all of you get!"

They all scrambled to get up and out of there when he spoke.

"Except you." He said pointing to the guy with the knife. "You are staying here…with me."

He friends booked it out of there without a look back while the one guy froze in fear.

"Give me the knife."

He placed it in his hand and Aaron turned around to place it in mine.

He gave me a look and I closed my eyes and covered my ears.

I didn't need to hear or see to know what was happening.

He was drinking.

After a moment he came up to me and covering my eyes with one hand said, "Count to two and then you can open your eyes. I'm going to go plant evidence. And don't worry. He's the only one I'll kill…if the rest leave you alone."

I did as he said and waited for him to come back as I slipped the knife into my pocket.

The dizziness of the Penni in my system was starting to get to me and making me dizzy.

I leaned against the back of the wall and took deep breaths.

I think I lost consciousness for a moment cause the next thing I knew was that Aaron's anxious face was above me shaking me awake and calling my name.

"Bella!"

"I'm okay." I said groggily sitting up.

"What happened?"

"I think I blacked out. Cause of the shot of Penni the stupid doctor gave me."

"Right. Let's get you home."

After that, my memory starts to blur into almost a mess.

I remember we had some sort of conversation of the way home and him catching me several times.

I remember him making up some strange excuse for mom when we got home much later than intended.

I remembered thinking about the four guys being possibly possessed.

I remember looking at Aaron and noticing an almost drunk look on his face.

The last thing I remembered that night though, was walking up the stairs with Aaron.

A/N: sorry about the long wait but I've been in the hospital for the past week.

Now, the next chapter is a bit out there but remember what happens is drugs and not Aaron's fault and I will have it all work out. Just stay with me. It might take a little more than a week cause im gonna post 2 chapters. Tell me what you think on this one.