A/N- Hey everyone! So I know a lot of you have been waiting for this chapter… And I know a lot of you hate me for taking James away… hopefully this will make up for it.
DazzleMeLaLa- You'll get your answer in this chapter… don't worry.
EmeraldLace- I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!
MainlyMaddison- Well, that whole scene was right before Edward leaves Bella, so I think you've felt bad for Bella's situation before.
Pricel- I'm glad you like it! Thanks for reviewing pretty much every chapter!
BirdieInABox16- Tanya and her sisters are quite the characters… Thanks for the review!
Superdani- Well, I'm sure he thanks you for believing in him… he's gonna need it in this chapter.
I had made it to Florida within the next month. I never liked any of the national parks like I did Yellowstone so I never stayed that long. Plus I was eager to get to the Everglades. It was another national park my father talked about all the time when I was younger. We had even planned a trip there once, but due to a wildfire we weren't able to go.
Like Yellowstone the environment around me captured me and I decided that I would stay here for a bit. Luckily I was able to travel through the trees so I didn't have to worry about constantly getting wet walking through everything. I had fed on rabbits and foxes, but today I was especially hungry. I could barely stand the bloodlust for some reason. So instead of hunting more small animals I started looking for something larger.
I found my prey soon enough, a black bear. I knew they were rare in the park, but my hunger was driving me crazy. I quickly assessed the animal, looking for any tags that might make any ranger suspicious. When I saw none I crouched down and got ready to pounce as soon as it was few more steps closer. One more step… that's all I needed. In the middle of that last step something blurred past me and jumped the animal, knocking it onto its side. I roared as it fell, but the other vampire quickly snapped the neck and began to feed.
That was my kill! My mind went into a red haze and I lept forward, surprising the other victim. I hissed as I walked up. The vampire looked up, long blonde hair falling into golden eyes. Suddenly, I wasn't so thirsty anymore. Before I could take another breath, I was running. I once more took to the trees and raced deeper into the forests. I didn't want to stay in the open areas, especially near the beach so I traveled farther inland.
I quickly realized I had a follower and started looking somewhere to hide. The smell of skunks was close by so I held my breath and continued in the direction. I was just jumping from one tree and a farther one when I was knocked out of the trees. I hit the water hard and completely submerged with the other vampire on top of me. Soon enough he pulled me up and out of the water. I sputtered and spit out all of the water that had entered my lungs on the assault.
"What the hell James!" I cried. I stalked my way over to dry land, not feeling like fighting with an alligator right now. "First you steal my meal and then you tackle me into the water!"
"What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Alaska?" He asked. He followed me out of the water, but always kept a few feet behind me.
"Because of you! I couldn't take it anymore so I left!" I yelled. "I've been traveling ever since then!"
"You should have stayed in Alaska. You were safer there." James growled.
"From who? You or myself? Cause I was going insane. I couldn't think. I wanted to die after you left!" I continued to scream at him.
"So you've been looking for me?" James asked.
"No, I've been trying to just get away from everything!" I cried. "You left me heartbroken and barely alive… well barely passing for being alive. I was comatose and they had to call Carlisle in because I wouldn't even leave to eat!" I took a few breaths before everything that I had seen registered in my mind. "Wait, your eyes are gold and you just took down a beer. You haven't been drinking human blood?"
"I did for a while, but returned to this life. It was easier." James shrugged. I nodded, the answer disappointed me. "So why are you here?"
"I was traveling. I wanted to see the Everglades." I said with a shrug. "Although I guess I'll be leaving now." I stalked off into the forest.
"Are you still a monkey?" James asked.
"When I need to be." I said with a shrug before darting off into the forest. I knew James was chasing after me. It was just part of his instinct. By running I had triggered his hunting instinct.
I smiled over my shoulder as I saw him threading through the trees. I jumped through the trees and started to tangle my path that way. I ran through water when I found it, sometimes back tracking it. I knew that this was considered easy for James so when I noticed that James was catching up I thought of the rabbits that I had started chasing. Right before he could catch me, I made a sharp turn, escaping his grasp. When he had caught up once more I made another sharp turn, but he was expecting it and grabbed my arm, flinging me down before trapping me under him.
"Let me go James!" I said as I pounded on his chest. My newborn strength had died off and I barely fazed him.
"I don't think so. You're mine, I caught you."
"You also let me go." I replied. My eyes narrowed into slits and I kept fighting to get out from under James. I was able to roll him off eventually, but he just rolled me onto him. His hands gripped my hips and he wasn't letting go.
"And I learned my mistake. I have a lot to make up for." He growled from under me. I was still trying to push off of him when he flipped us over again. I cried out when my shoulders hit the ground and my back was forced flat once more. My head rolled back as the pain slowly ebbed out. As my neck was offered to the heavens, James took advantage and latched onto his, kissing and suckling his way up and down. I eventually turned my head to give him better access. I wasn't going to lie, it felt amazing.
"James!" I have growled, half moaned. My fight had lost most of its enthusiasm and my hands just barely pounded against him. My legs were still wrapped around his waist and I was starting to give into the feelings James was reawakening.
"Mine." James whispered in my ear before nibbling on my lobe. I just moaned in return.
Before I knew it all of our clothes were shed and we were re-exploring each other, trying to remember everything about each other's body. We were reawakening feelings we had both thought had died. My body was burning up and I was withering below James within a few minutes. Our hands were still exploring each other while our lips got reacquainted once more.
"James!" This time it was a complete moan. James grunted in reply and positioned himself at my entrance finally. He pushed in and while I gasped, he moaned. We moved together, slowly at first, but quickly started to speed up. "Faster! Deeper!" I urged, and James was more than happy to comply. For the first time in months, I fell over ecstasy's edge and nearly fell into unconsciousness. James thrust a few more times before releasing into me then collapsing on top of me.
"I've missed you." I said quietly as I returned to my spot at his side.
"I've missed you, even if I didn't realize it." James replied. We sat there quietly, among the trees and marshes. A few birds were calling to each other while other animals scurried by. Either way, we rested together in complete harmony, not the partial harmony I had been feeling lately.
"What brought you to the Everglades?" I asked.
"I wasn't sure. You got me interested in the national parks and I thought I would visit some." James replied. "I've been to all of the major ones; Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and a few others."
"Damn, I forgot to go to Yosemite." I muttered. I had been there before so I didn't have the same urge to see half dome and some of the waterfalls as I did with the geysers of Yellowstone and the Canyons of the Grand Canyon.
"You were doing the same thing, weren't you?" James asked.
"I was. I spent most of my time in Yellowstone though. I like it the most so far." I explained.
"I figured you would. How often did you watch the geysers?"
"I spent almost an entire day at Old Faithful once." I said with a smile.
"Have you talked to anyone in Alaska since you left?" James asked after a few minutes of quiet.
"I keep in contact. I let them know where I am and that I'm ok. I've also been talking with Alice and Carlisle."
"You have?" James asked surprised.
"When I first left, I went to see my mom and then I went to Wolf's Rock. Edward and Alice thought I was going to run rampant on the humans around us so they came to do damage control before I actually did any damage. I returned to their house and talked to Carlisle before beating Emmett in an arm wrestling much. I left the same day though. I didn't feel comfortable around. Edward was in a weird mood anyway."
"Really? I thought he'd be happy with Bella safe at home now."
"Actually, he thinks he is a danger to Bella so he left her. He told her… well he told her pretty much the same thing you told me. He told her he didn't love her anymore and it had all been a lie. I had even asked him not to make Bella feel the pain that I was going through."
"I'm so sorry." James said hugging me tighter and kissing my head. "I never should have left you. I never should have been so weak."
"I should have known what they were doing as well. I should have transferred my mirror to you once I knew I was safe." I said, trying to take some of the blame off of James.
"We need to forget about this." James said. "We need to forget what has happened. And if you'll allow it, I was wondering if we could travel together. I don't think I'm ready to settle down still."
"I understand. Traveling really brings out a lot of freedom." I said. "I can't believe you stayed in Denali for so long when you had already been given this life." James just nodded while he rubbed my back. "O, I figured out a… fun hunting prey."
"Really?" James asked, looking down at me.
"Rabbits. They're tricky little creatures that are constantly being able to out run me. I spent some more of my days chasing them."
"I thought you ran like a rabbit towards the end of my hunt for you." James said with a laugh. "I don't know what to call you anymore. Perhaps I shall call you rabbit when you're on the ground and monkey when you're in the trees."
"I don't care what you call me as long as you call out my name when we make love." I whispered seductively. James groaned at the thought before rolling us over again, causing me to let out a slight squeal and giggle, and claiming me again and again…