Edward gave me the Vampire Senses in Forestry 101 rundown as we ran. I had wondered in the past how Edward could go so fast without hitting trees, but I understood now. I could see every detail of every tiny leaf on every insignificant shrub as I raced along, and also learned that it was best to keep my hyperobservant new eyes to the task of observing things in front of me. I only uprooted two youngish Sitka spruces before I learned to focus and was soon flying through the dark forest with Edward beside me. It was perfect. It was absolute joy. I had never experienced anything so powerful and free. My hair was streaming, the torn edges of my dress flapping raggedly—Oops. Okay, three trees. Focus.
With gentle guidance, Edward helped me pinpoint the location of a small herd of elk lapping at a stream nearby. They smelled good but unappetizing, like crayons or dirt. Still, I could hear the thick, heavy sound of their hearts, enormous hearts pushing hot, thick blood. And I did want it. Using scent and sound, I chose a target and tensed to take down my prey.
Just then, the wind shifted and brought on a new scent, a completely different and unimaginably more appetizing scent. From mud pies to moon pies, from forest rain to Fuddrucker's. I was halfway to its source before I even realized what I was doing.
I broke into a clearing with the scent so powerful in my raging throat that nothing could have stopped me… except the sight of Mr. Banner, my biology teacher, decked out in full square dance regalia – the woman's costume, complete with floofed out twirly skirt and rickracked sequined shirt – on all fours on a Twister mat laid out over the grass, wearing a bright blue studded leather collar. At the end of the leash, smacking him with a riding crop and calling, "Right hand red and do-si-doe," was Leah Clearwater. I stopped so fast I snapped the heel off of my right Blahnik again.
I did the only possible thing. I screamed.
Leah and Mr. Banner looked up and saw me. They screamed more loudly and somehow, in a higher register.
Edward arrived and did not scream. Leave it to a 100 yr old to be okay with square dance Twister S&M. Like he'd seen it before or something. "Will you please excuse us?" he said, his voice all velvet and reason.
"Uh, yeah, sorry about that!" I called over my shoulder as he whisked me away.