As soon as my feet hit the forest floor I ran and I didn't stop. I crossed the forest, and followed a slow flowing stream. I crossed highways and ran around towns. I ran for days. I didn't know where I was heading and I didn't care. All that mattered was I ran one more mile away from Forks. All that mattered was the speed, and how quickly the distance seemed to grow. All that mattered was that each of those miles distanced me from the life I couldn't return to.

I stopped on the outskirts of a Canadian city. I had tried to test myself, see how long I could endure the scorching at the back of my throat. I had tried my hand at hunting and managed to swiftly catch a small doe at the expense of my t-shirt, but that had been 4 days ago. Before I crossed over into the city limits, I wanted to make sure I was as safe as possible.

I set my backpack down on the large sitting rock and took off the black jacket I had put on. It seemed to be habit that I still did such things. Why I wore a jacket, or even shoes at all. They clothing I wore definitely shown with the ragged wear they had endured on the long trek north.

I cautiously let my instincts start to take over. I sniffed the air, searching for a pleasuring scent. Something that would be fulfilling enough to hold me over for a few days. A sweet aromatic scent hit me and I followed it. It wasn't human, but it didn't have the same scent as the doe had had. It resembled a human's delicious aroma, but it seemed duller, fainter. The scent belonged to a mountain lion. I saw it now, a mile away. It was sitting in the branch of an old twisted tree. I advanced quickly and pounced before the creature had even turned its head. It let out startled yelp as I twisted and broke it's neck. It seemed easier this way. I drank my fill and turned guiltily away from the lion's corpse.

It had been a large lion. Compared to the unsatisfying deer, I now realized why Edward had preferred the size and the taste.

Edward.

The past few days I had tried my hardest to think about Edward. The hole that formed each time I thought about him or the Cullens when I had been human hit me…but with the power of 100 plus times. I experienced emotions differently now. Each was more extreme and powerful, which nearly made this unbearable. I clutched at my sides, still trying to hold the two fragments of myself together.

One half of me wanted to search for him. I could comb the globe forever if that's how long it took. I was strong enough that if I found him, I could stay by his side. I would follow him, wherever he went, and let him have whatever distractions he needed until he was ready for me. And I would be there with arms wide open.

The other half of me knew what he really wanted: to be free from me. He had cared for me for a short while, but he hadn't wanted me enough to change me and be with me forever. Even now, strong and beautiful, just as I knew I would be, I was still me. The incessant lust for blood that I was told would rule my life for years had been dealt with. I still carried the same humane worries and fears, except amplified. Whether this was because I was such a young vampire or just the norm of all vampires I wasn't sure, but each feeling filled my every pore and would take over.

I shook in tearless sobs as I ran back to where I had left my backpack.

I knew I would have to move past this, for now at least. An emotional-rollercoaster-vampire coming into contact with humans for the first time since her transformation didn't seem like the best idea. I sat next to my backpack on the rock to help calm myself.

Deep breaths, while essentially unnecessary, seemed to help. I sat on the rock, breathing through my lifeless lungs for an hour. Each lungful assisted in helping me pull myself into a safe state of mind. As safe as possible, at least.

The rumbling sky finally spilled over and it started to rain as I entered the city limits. The town was small, not much larger than Forks. It had a very quaint feel to it. Main Street wasn't hard to find. It consisted of a small grocery stop, a pharmacy, several small businesses and a gas station. A small inn at the turnpike by the highway and a charming diner were the last businesses before a long stretch of road that ran off into the northern woods.

I still was very unsure of what exactly to do. Did nomadic vampires stay at motels? Instead of wandering aimlessly for the next thousand years, maybe I should find a place to think. A place to plan what I would do next. At the very least, maybe find a place to get out of the torrential down pour that was brewing.

The inn had a woods and small animal theme. A small bell jingled merrily as I opened the heavy windowed door, adjusting my sunglasses for the thousandth time. The decorations were cute to the point of irritating. The counter to check in had a collection of small animal figurines assembled on one side.

I knew what to expect when I opened the door, so I had purposefully held my breath as I entered. I tried taking small breaths and then smiled at the older woman behind the counter.

"Oh my goodness, you'd soaked right through!" She exclaimed, setting the pile of papers she had been sorting onto the counter. She had a friendly wide face with very pink cheeks. Small reading glasses rested tediously on the edge of her nose as she looked at me over them. She had the typical look of sweet grandmother, which was interesting because sweet was exactly what she smelled like…

Stop! I told myself, making myself stop breathing and walking quickly too the counter. A little too quickly though. She stared at me for a small moment, taken aback.

"I'd like a room please," I said. My mouth almost fell open as I heard my voice. I had yet to speak aloud during my week trek. It had a very exotic ring to it, and was thick and rich like honey. "Do you have any rooms available at the moment?" The words sounded attractive as I said them.

The woman gaped at me for a moment, staring blankly at my large sunglasses before turning to a small booklet.

"It's the off season for this side of the county, so almost every room is open." She said pulling the booklet in front of me for further proof that only one of the rooms was actually occupied.

"Could I have a room at the far side of the building?" I asked. "The other entrance is closer to where I parked." My vampire voice made the words glaze over the stuttered lie I came up with. She smiled a little, although her eyes narrowed, but then she nodded, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The sweet grandmother smell hit me again. I crushed my hands to my side, keeping my mind on how much this woman reminded me of one of my own grandmothers. It seemed to work a little, the desire to jump at her right this second froze in my mind and I relaxed.

"Right now, the Lavender room is open."

"That sounders perfect, how much is it?"

"It's $115 a night, which includes a complimentary breakfast!"

I smile wryly to myself. The only breakfast she could provide to me was herself. My hand had frozen halfway to my pocket, but I pulled it out reluctantly. "I'd like just one night, please." Luckily, the bit I had saved for my college career had reached the $4500 mark, which would hold me over for quite awhile, seeing as I didn't have to pay for food.

"Can I see your ID please?" She asked reaching her hand out.

I almost obeyed and pulled out the small plastic card from my wallet, but I stopped. First off, a barley legal US citizen, arriving in dirty torn clothing to a Canadian inn in the middle of nowhere seemed just a tad bit suspicious. If by some chance a missing person notice had been this far up, would she recognize the name? If Charlie heard even a rumor that I was in Canada, I don't think there would be a way to stop him from looking. I couldn't let him waste his life trying to find me.

The woman noticed my hesitation. "Is there a problem?"

I never could lie, especially about something as important as this, so I couldn't come up with an excuse as to why I would be traveling without a license. I'd have to learn that useful skill eventually, but this seemed like the wrong time to try and exercise it. I thought of all the times Edward used his dazzling persona to charm people; I tried laying on the same thick honey voice. "Is there a way I could rent the room without using my ID?" I smiled a winning smile and she caught her breathe. There was a slight pause before she continued.

"Sweetheart…I noticed the torn clothing, and the fact that you didn't arrive in a car. Now just tell me, are you in any sort of trouble?"

She caught on faster than I had hoped. My quick mind went into sudden overdrive as I thought of the different scenarios that could play out. One, I could tell her the truth. I'm a young vampire running away from home searching for the man and the family that didn't want me, and even though I don't sleep at all, I thought renting a room would be a good way to concentrate and decide what I want to do with the rest of my endless life. By the way, you smell delicious.

The chances of her refraining from running and screaming from the room were small. Okay, next plan.

Two, I could bite her. Three, I could walk out right now, and let her think whatever she wanted. Although there was also a chance she could report my strange visit to her inn, out of worry about a teenage runaway. Once again, a way to make Charlie think that I was here didn't seem like a good idea. Four, I could bite her.

The vampire in me loved options two and four.

Barley a second had passed, before I decided what I would do.

"I'm not in trouble, and I won't cause you any. I will pay in cash and I'll leave first thing in the morning." I tried to use the same honey sweet voice, but added another dose of helplessness. Her face softened a little as I continued. "I just want a place to stay just for one night. I can pay extra if you'd like me to."

The woman paused after my small speech, her face a little flushed. I ignored the wonderful pools of blood so apparent on her cheeks, and focused on her motherly grey eyes. They seemed to stare me down, as if trying to decide whether I truly meant my words.

"Legally, I can't." She said, folding both hands over the counter, her face still softened by my touching account.

I had really been looking forward to a shower and a place to change my clothes. The thought of going through the same ordeal just to try and rent a room seemed tiresome. My face fell, and I nodded. "I understand." I picked up my backpack and turned to leave. The sky outside was dark, and the street lamps near the highway were turning on. I guess more aimless wandering was what I would have to do. As I reached for the door, I heard the woman's gentle voice call out.

"I have a guest room at my house if you'd like to stay. It's not much, but it's a place to rest and it has a bathroom."

I turned slowly, holding back the urge to scream, 'yes oh thank you' like I wanted. I smiled timidly and nodded my head. "I would be very grateful."

She smiled again, walking around the counter with her bag and coat. Her small wrinkled hand clutched at the cross around her throat. "If I wasn't able to help a weary traveler, what good would I be?" She seemed to be talking more to herself than to me. "My house is up the road a little ways." I opened the door for her and she turned to lock up. Her thin grey hair ruffled as she turned which sent a concentrated dose of the sweet smell into my face.

"It's just a little house, but it's warm. I hope you're comfortable."

The idea of staying at a stranger's home would have scared me, but now, I was more nervous as to how much danger I was putting her in. The blonde woman's face surfaced in my mind and my whole self filled with guilt. If I felt this much guilt over what I had done to a stranger, how would I feel if I were to hurt someone who had been kind to me? These words tortured me for a few seconds, and I was almost ready to run, when she turned again and reached out her hand.

"My name is Anne."