Chapter 14

I knew it. I felt it deep within me for months. She's coming back for a vengeance but why now all of a sudden?

Soon all of the Cullen's are standing outside and I let go of Milo and Jasper and walk over to them.

"What did you say, Bella?" Edward asks me.

"You can't smell that? You have to. I saw a red blur pass by in the trees and then it was followed by two more. It can only mean Victoria, right?" I ask hoping I'm wrong.

I feel Jasper's gift wash over me and I instantly relax.

Milo and Jimbo are asking what's wrong but my eyes seem to drift towards the tress waiting for something to pop out.

"First, you can't see me in your visions Alice, and now you can't smell them?" I say. I don't understand.

Before she could reply three shapes make their way out of the trees and into our line of sight. They walk slowly at a human pace but more graceful than I have ever seen; even for vampires.

Victoria stands in the middle of two vampires I have not seen before; a male and a female who seem to be no older than fifteen.

Milo, Jimbo and I are instantly pulled back by Edward and are placed behind the Cullen's as they take a fighting stance in front of us. As they stand in their crouched positions, the Cullen's bare their teeth while Victoria laughs, clearly amused.

"Oh, don't be like that. You're not happy to see me, Bella?"

Edward wraps his arm protectively around my waist and I shudder into him. It feels heavenly to be this close to him, even under these circumstances.

"You will not touch her" he growls.

"Oh, really? Since when do you care? You have been gone for months, Edward."

"How did you know we were away?" he asks.

"I have been following you." She looks into my eyes and I look away and up to Edward.

When I look back, she is still staring at me with her deadly gaze. "For a human, you sure do cause a lot of problems. I have given you a long time before I decided to show myself. It's time for my revenge, Bella. Mate for mate."

"I...I...d-didn't k-k-kill...p-please don-" I tremble with fear.

"Not you but your Edward and his siblings did. You killed the love of my life. Why the hell should I spare your life and Edward's reason for living?" she spits out at me.

"You will have to go though us." Emmett hisses, clearly ready for a brawl.

"Oh, I would hope so. I would never settle for anything less when it comes to this coven. I have heard stories." She chuckles. "But first, I would like to give Bella some piece of mind before I killed her."

She starts to pace back and fourth and we all watch her with cautious eyes.

"Renee and Phil were a freak accident but play well into my story. You lose your Edward and become depressed. Your dear father cannot help you. How sad." She gives me a fake pout and laughs. "And then your mother and step father die a few days later. What are the odds? I felt like I should have thrown a celebration. Life's a pity party, isn't it? Then Charlie soon follows after. That brought you over the edge. That was the day you took a detour and I took that moment as the perfect opportunity to satisfy my thirst."

Oh no.

"Oh, c'mon, Bella. You're a smart human. I know you know." She stops pacing and gives me an evil smirk. "Charlie was a delicious snack."

I let out a painful cry and feel Edward pull me into his chest tighter than I was before.

"Then when I was finished, I set your house on fire. The look in his eyes when I killed him though... it was such a beautiful sight. I saw you suffer at your father's funeral and hunt garbage in nearby dumpsters and while on my journey, I got hungry. Dana made an appetizing meal as well. Her blood was sweet like apple pie."

She looks at all of us and then stands back in between the two other vampires. "This on my left here is Rylee and he is a tracker and here on my right is Bree. Her gift is blocking. Alice never got any visions of you because she was blocked and they couldn't smell us either because of her talent."

Jimbo and Milo look on with horror and I suddenly can't breathe. It dawns on me that Victoria has been here all this time, waiting for a perfect chance to lure me in and kill me. She killed my father and my friend. She is the reason my life is the way it is.

"Newborns?" Jasper asks.

"Don't get your hopes up. I heard all about your past. These two are skilled newborns. I have trained them well. For their good skills, I have rewarded them a prize and it just so happens to be Bella."

My breathing becomes shallow and I become dizzy. I clutch onto Edward just as my knees buckle underneath me.

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I don't know what was going on but I could hear growls and boulders colliding. My head was pounding and I didn't have the strength to open my eyes. I could hear yelling and screaming as it pierced through the air. I breathed in smoke that made its way into my lungs and try to cough but my body was too weak to move. I succumbed to the deep slumber once again and blocked out everything around me

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When I finally regained consciousness, I was lying on something soft but felt something ice cold next to me. Looking, I noticed I was curled up against the man of my dreams... even if he is the one who caused my nightmares as well.

"Hi." I say sleepily and sit up. "What happened?"

"Bella..." he whispers. "Everyone made it except for one person. I am so sorry."

"Oh my god. Tell me, Edward. Just tell me." I cry.

"After you passed out, we all started fighting. Four more vampires came out of the woods and they were all newborns except Laurent. He was with them. Then all of a sudden, we looked over and Victoria snapped Jimbo's neck. I'm so sorry, my love."

He holds me as I cry and I can't help but wonder why I have to be the unlucky one of my time? Why cant things ever be peaceful for me. At the same time, I feel so selfish and guilty. Because of me, Jimbo was killed. I should have stayed away from him. I should have known something bad was bound to get worse sooner or later.

"At least he gets to be with Lilly." I sniffle.

"Yes. He loved his daughter very much and missed her terribly. He kept thinking of her when Victoria first approached and was explaining what she had done."

"I almost forgot that she admitted to that. I can't believe she killed Charlie, Edward. She killed my father and then Dana."

"I know my love. I know." He kisses the top of my head and whispers things into my ear.

"I'm so glad, i missed the battle. I don't think I could have watched."

"Me too."

"There are so many things that need to be said."

"I know, Bella. I came so close to losing you again. That will never happen again. I will never lose you. I need you far too much and I now that I know what it's like to be without you, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. More so than before."

"Trust me... it wasn't a walk int he park for me, either." I look up into his eyes and even though he is not forgiven just yet, I know things will be okay. We just need to take one day at a time.

"I'm not making you uncomfortable being this close, am I?" he asks me hesitantly.

"No. Suprisngly I am very content right now."

"Good, because I have been wanting to do this for a very long time, Bella." He leans down and ever so gently, places a cold sweet kiss on my lips.

"I love you, Edward." I whisper against him.

"I love you too, Bella."


Awww.... see.... no more drama... well... not a lot. :)

Ok so next chapter... it may be the last. Dont know yet. Hm... its so sad to see it go. :( There could always be a sequel... dunh dunh dunh... but how could you right a sequel to 'homeless'? 'Homeless again'? LOL.. ok bad sense of humor... nevermind.

THANX FOR THE REVIEWS!