A/N: Thanks to everybody for alerting, favoriting and reviewing this story! You guys make my day!

We all should also thank the illustrious katmom, because if not for her, you would have had quite the mess on your hands to read. :-)

A couple recs: "Letters from Esme" by Katmom (www fanfiction net/s/7817330/1/Letters_from_Esme) and "Diverging Roads" by bonnysammy (www fanfiction net/s/7819890/1/Diverging_Roads). Both are entries from The Canon Tour: New Moon round and deserve some love!

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the characters, I'm just playing with them. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 3 – Hunted

As I drove along the road from the reservation towards Forks General with Jake in the passenger seat, I was struck by the irony of the situation and smirked. "Well, this is a change, me taking you to the ER."

Jake's response was rather cheerful. "Hey, at least I got this defending you, not from falling off a bike."

The image of Laurent's crimson eyes as he crouched to spring on me flashed in my head, and I blanched. "Yeah, thanks for jumping in front of me."

"Anytime." Jacob beamed, as if facing down a vampire was an everyday occurrence.

"Weren't you scared when you did that?"

"Honestly? I wasn't thinking. I didn't know that's what he was, I just…jumped."

"Well, thanks." I thought about Jacob's act of bravery, and it made me think about his earlier complaints about Sam and his desire to join them tonight. "Soo, what do you think of the Cult of Sam, now?

Jacob grunted. "Well, now that I know what it's about, I suppose that was pretty silly. I did apologize to my Dad, though."

"Were you serious about…wanting to be a wolf, too?"

"Sure. Part of me is relieved I'm not going to be drafted into a war that's not of my choosing, but at the same time I felt firsthand what it's like to be against one of those things. If a wolf is strong enough and fast enough to take one of them, that's not a bad thing right now. And I could help protect you, instead of standing on the sidelines."

Jake ran his fingers through his thick, black hair, pushing it out of his eyes. "But – if I was a wolf, then I wouldn't be able to hang out with you. So I'll take it."

I glanced over at him, but he wasn't being intense about it, and simply stared out the windshield. "Do you feel better about Embry now?"

"Yeah. It sucks we can't hang out for a while, but at least I know it wasn't me."

"Uh-huh. Kinda hard telling your buddies, 'Sorry, we can't hang out because I turn into a giant dog.'"

"What also kinda sucks–" Jacob stopped and looked out the passenger window.

"What?" I prompted when he didn't go on.

"You know the weights I have in the garage?" he said, begrudgingly.

"Yeah?"

"When Embry suddenly got so big, I tried to keep up with him. Not fair that he got that way 'cause he's a werewolf."

I couldn't help giggling at his offended vanity. "Hey, at least you're all natural."

"I gotta say, though, it's nice that the secrets are out. That was a pain." I nodded in agreement with him.

= = O = o = P = =

We arrived at the ER at just before dinner time, so while Jake went in to be treated, I called Charlie to tell him I would be delayed. Fortunately, Billy had gotten to him first and I didn't get any static about dinner. I guess as long as Jacob was involved, Charlie was willing to make allowances. After Charlie hung up, I picked up a magazine in the waiting room and settled down to wait.

When Jake emerged from the ER, he had a solid, fiberglass cast on his right hand, forming a claw with his thumb and index finger. At least his remaining fingers were free, or his right hand would be completely disabled. As planned, I drove him back to the reservation. He was happy that he would still be able to manage the gear shift, and wouldn't be completely dependent on others. When we stopped in front of his house, I killed the engine. I expected him to climb out, but he seemed to have something else on his mind.

"While I was in the ER, I couldn't help wondering about something."

I raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue.

"How long did you know that the Cullens were vampires?"

I blinked, not expecting this question. "Since you told me about the legends at First Beach. Once you told me, I figured out the rest."

Jake frowned. "Wait a minute. You were dating one of them, and you knew he was a vampire? Didn't that freak you out?"

"No, of course not."

Jacob stared me down, obviously not believing me by the look on his face.

"Well, maybe for a little bit it did, but I forgot about that pretty quickly."

"Really?" The look of disbelief on his face didn't change. "I mean, if I dated somebody, I'm pretty sure them wanting to kill me would be a big turn off."

I pushed his shoulder, a little miffed at his comment. "It was never like that. They were the most decent people I've ever met."

"None of them ever tried to take a bite out of you?"

Suddenly, the night of my birthday flashed by my eyes, and I could do nothing but stare out the windshield in shock. The expression on Jasper's face was of deep regret and embarrassment, but he still fought against Emmett and Rosalie. I still didn't blame Jasper, but that event did seem to emphasize my human-ness enough for him to… I closed my eyes as my throat constricted and my chest seemed to cave in. I couldn't speak as I fought for control, trying not to let the tears take over.

Jacob noticed my distress. "Oh. Sorry I asked."

After a few moments, I was able to fight the hysteria back, but my eyes were wet just the same.

Jake cleared his throat, uncomfortably. "Bella. I don't know how to tell you this," he said softly. "But I really hope you can feel better some day."

"Thanks, Jake," I whispered. "Me, too."

"I mean, it's sad to see you hurting all the time. You don't listen to music, and you hold yourself a lot. But, Bella, I want you to believe that, maybe some day, you'll be happy again."

I pulled away from him, leaning against the driver's side door. "I…I don't know if I can be happy again."

"I think you can," he said confidently. "You just need more time. I already notice a difference in the last month since you first started hanging out in my garage.

"Yay, the magic garage." I said it with little enthusiasm.

"No, seriously. You've got more color to you, and it sure wasn't my idea to fix up a pair of old motorcycles and ride those deathtraps around."

I wasn't sure if that could be counted as progress; he still didn't know the real reason I wanted a deathtrap in the first place. "Maybe I'm more awake than I was a couple months ago, but it's not that great. I still have nightmares every night."

"Hey, I wouldn't try to tell you how you're feeling, but it can't last forever." He said it with a confidence I certainly didn't feel. "One day you'll wake up and it will be like the sun suddenly came out. You'll wonder why you didn't feel like this before. Just wait, it'll come."

"I…I really hope you're right," I mumbled.

"Sure, I'm right. How bad could it be?"

How bad could it be? I'd asked myself that question many times. And each time, the answer was – bad enough. At one time, I knew where I wanted my life to go. I had a path forward, and someone I thought would be there beside me along that path. Now, without him, I was stopped, stuck in the middle of the road, not moving forward and maybe standing there looking backwards, unwilling to take a step in case I would lose sight of where I had been.

I must be fairly comfortable with Jacob, because the words rose up, and I gave voice to them. "I loved him, Jacob. I loved him and his whole family. He was so wonderful, so kind and considerate. I don't think there can be anybody like him again. I didn't think we belonged in the same orbit together, but he was so loving and gentle. He never said anything until…the end." My head slumped against the door as my chest spasmed. At the same time, I felt a certain relief at being able to finally tell somebody about it.

Through my tears, I saw Jacob hold his hands up awkwardly, trying to figure out what to do, then settled for patting me on the shoulder. I was glad he did that, because I wasn't ready to deal with anything more. Thankfully, he just waited patiently, letting me cry myself out, making shushing noises.

"Sorry," he said, clearly uncomfortable. "Guess I'm no good at this. Didn't mean to make you cry again."

"Don't worry about it," I gasped. "Happens all the time."

"You really cared for him, didn't you?"

I managed a silent nod.

"Well, he's still stupid for ever leaving you," Jake growled, quietly. "You're too good for him."

I shook my head sharply, but still couldn't talk yet.

"Now, stop that!" Jacob hissed, fierce but quiet. "Don't you even think he's better than you are, because if he could really see who you were, he'd never have left you."

Jake was trying, in his own, awkward way, to make me feel better. I just wasn't ready for it yet. I sniffed, then whispered, "It's nice of you to say, Jake."

"I'm not just saying it. It's the truth. There's a reason that Mike guy keeps hanging after you. I remember him from the first time you guys came out to First Beach. You're pretty, you're smart, and you're nice to people. That kinda combination doesn't come along everyday. Some day somebody will come along who appreciates that."

Sitting silently, absorbing his words, I still felt very fragile. And while I didn't make a habit of it, I had seen myself in a mirror recently. With the shadows under my eyes from lack of sleep, and the weight loss, I'm sure I didn't qualify as pretty. I wiped my eyes and looked at Jake; he was such a decent kid, and his words were wiser than his years. If I felt something for him, I'm sure he wouldn't mind going there. But that would be a really bad idea right now, because it would only be a rebound thing, and that was never fair to anybody.

I searched in that part of me that used to hold those feelings, and all I could feel was a gentle affection for Jacob. And gratitude, of course, for trying to help me through this period. But that wasn't enough to start down that road with him. Definitely not something to lead him on over.

I closed my eyes and took several, deep, slow breaths, trying to get my heartbeat back to normal. When I opened my eyes, I made sure not to make any movements that might carry more meaning than they ought to. I gave him a wan smile, patted his hand where it rested on my shoulder, and let my hand drop.

"Thanks for the pep talk, Jake. I really appreciate it." Another tear tried to escape, and I wiped it away.

"Anytime." He cleared his throat. "Well, it's late, I suppose I should let you get back home. You sure you're okay to drive?"

My voice caught in my throat and I had to cough. "Yeah, I'll be fine. And Sam said somebody would be shadowing me, so I should be safe."

"All right." He paused. "You know, in all of today's mess, I forgot to ask you if we found the right meadow."

"Yeah, we did."

"Too bad that bloodsucker is out there. I guess we're not hiking tomorrow, eh?"

"No, now that I found it, I don't need to see it again. I just wondered where it was." I also didn't need the reminders.

Straightening up in my seat, I thought about my workload and made a suggestion. "I can come down and we can get a jump on homework tomorrow, seeing as how you might be missing some school." I considered how much I would actually need him to escort me. "You know, now that I think about it, you don't really have to miss that much. We're in school at the same time, and it's not like you need to stay with me then. I'll just give you a call when I need to buy groceries or stuff like that. Does that sound okay?"

"I think Billy wants me to pick you up for school too, but sure, that'll work." He held my gaze for a moment. "You sure you're okay?"

I affected a smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Used to it by now."

"All right." He reached for the door with his good hand and opened it.

"See you tomorrow, Jake."

"G'night, Bella. See you tomorrow."

I watched him go into the house, then started the truck and headed for home. I wondered who might be running along in the woods beside the road, and kept the speed down, not knowing how fast they could run.

I felt more secure knowing that somewhere out there, a seven-foot long wolf was loping through the forest, ready to defend me from attack. It wasn't the same as…before. But it was better than nothing. We still had protectors and Victoria would have to go through them to get to me.

While I didn't feel good, I did feel a little better. Jacob was just enough of a friend to lean on, but not to smother me. Maybe when I was better, and able to set some of this aside, I'd figure out what to do with my life. I hoped he was right, and this rut I was in would not last forever. I could be patient if I needed to, so for now, I guess I could turn that patience to enduring my time without him. Waiting patiently for that magical day when the emptiness inside would be filled with…something…anything. With a sigh, I guided the truck onto the highway and headed back to Forks.

= = O = o = P = =

Sunday arrived and, in contrast with all that had passed the day before, was completely normal. Charlie was off to go fishing with Deputy Mark, so I told him I would be down at Jacob's for the day. I asked Charlie to come down to the Reservation after fishing, for dinner at the Black's house. Jacob came to pick me up, and we stopped by the Thriftway for groceries before heading down. I helped Jacob (well, I cooked and he helped as well as he could with one good hand) bake a lasagna and make a salad, something neither Jake nor Billy had seen in a long time. After dinner, Charlie drove me home. Before we left, Jacob whispered to me not to worry, that the wolves would be standing guard outside our house again that night.

The next day, Jacob escorted me back home from school. I had an essay to work on for English, and he needed help on some algebra problems. He was teasing me about being in the witness protection program, so I swung my backpack and caught him in the belly as we headed for the kitchen to set up shop for the afternoon. The stench that hit us as we crossed the threshold into the kitchen made the two of us stop in our tracks. There, on the kitchen table, was a dead raccoon, a gash on its throat leaking a pool of blood across the table and onto the floor.

I looked around the room wildly, expecting to see Victoria standing in the corner, but there was no one. I leaned against the doorframe weakly, while Jacob set his jaw and got to work. He pulled out a garbage bag from under the sink, turned it inside out and used it like a big glove to grab the carcass and wrap it up in the heavy plastic. Tying it closed, he opened the door to take it outside to throw it in the trash. Before he could step out the door, I roused myself and stopped him.

"Wait! She might be waiting out there for you!"

Jacob stopped and considered that. Then with a frown, he dropped the bag on the linoleum and picked up the phone. While he did that, I started cleaning the blood.

When Jacob got off the phone, he picked up the bag again. "Harry says Paul and Embry are out there right now. If she's out there, they'll smell her." Opening the door, he hauled the bag out and I heard the thump as he threw it in the garbage can. We were both more subdued when he returned to the kitchen, and we welcomed the distraction of homework. Despite our protection, I didn't want to think about who had been lurking around my father's house while we were gone.

Jacob took off when Charlie got back from work. I invited him to stay for dinner but he needed to get back in time to help Billy. We didn't mention anything about our morbid gift to Charlie, as it would raise more questions than I cared to answer. The tension that I had felt since discovering the grisly offering had stayed in the air over us, and I didn't blame him for wanting to get a change of scenery.

I got started on dinner, and made a simple pasta primavera, with grilled chicken. Charlie again made a face at my attempt to get him to eat healthier, but once he tasted it, that dissolved into a hearty appetite once more.

After we finished dinner, I washed the dishes and Charlie helped dry. He wandered off to the TV in the living room, and I was settling in with a glass of Coke to read my assigned section of Animal Farm when the phone rang. Charlie rose, answered it and began talking, before I could put my book down, so I went back to reading about Old Major, Napoleon and Squealer. After Charlie hung up the phone, he stepped into the hallway. I took notice when he began buckling his gun belt back on and pulling on his boots.

"Sorry, I've got to run, Bells, but we've got a homicide. An honest to God homicide. I haven't had to deal with one of those in years." I smiled because in spite of the grim circumstances, he actually sounded excited to handle this one. "This one's way out in the sticks near the border of Olympic National Park, but still in my jurisdiction. Don't wait up, Bella." He shrugged into his trooper's jacket.

"I won't, Dad. I've got homework to do." I reached for my glass and gave him my customary sendoff. "Be careful out there."

"Always am," came his usual reply as he closed the front door and locked it.

Shortly after Charlie left, there was a knock on the door. I thought maybe he had forgotten something, but then, he had a key. I went to the door and peeked through to see Embry standing on the porch. He was dressed in shorts only – no shirt, no shoes, completely indifferent to the chilly night air. His solid build and over six-feet in height reminded me of Jake's complaint, and I hid a smile as I opened the door.

"Hi, Embry." He had a fairly serious look on his face. "What's up?"

"Jacob told us about the raccoon. The scent of bloodsucker is all around the house, but it's probably from earlier when she dropped it off. We don't smell anything new on the air." He raised his hands as if to reassure me. "Just wanted you to know that they smell so bad to us, there's no way she could sneak past."

"Thanks, Embry. That makes me feel better." I gave him a small smile. Then the phone rang. I motioned for Embry to come in as I went back to the kitchen to answer the phone. "Hello?"

There was a pause, with light breathing in the background. Then a high, almost feline voice spoke. "Hello, Bella."

The hair stood on the back of my neck; I didn't recognize the voice and she knew my name. This couldn't be good. "Who is this?"

"You know me. Or perhaps you knew James better," the voice hissed.

My heart fell into my stomach, and I stood speechless. On the other end of the line was the psycho immortal who sent Laurent looking for me. For some reason, I thought her voice didn't fit in that body. It matched better with a small girl, rather than a full-sized vampire.

"Wh-what do you want?" I finally stuttered.

"I think you know that, too." She continued in a conversational tone. "You know, school records are so useful. I know where your father lives. And I know where your mother lives, as well."

This couldn't be happening again. "What? No, they've got nothing to do with this!"

"That doesn't matter. You're going to suffer. I'm coming for you, but first…I'm going to kill your parents." She sounded so pleased as she said that.

I hemmed a little, casting about for anything that might put her off. "You can't kill him. My father's an important man in Forks. You know the police chief will be missed."

Victoria's evil laugh tinkled down the line. "Do you think I care if he's missed? He's in law enforcement; a very dangerous occupation. Anything can happen. In fact, you know that homicide he's investigating? It's in a very remote area outside of Forks. I've created a new friend. He's very hungry and he's waiting for your father."

"He'll…he'll be guarded. He won't be able to touch him!"

"You don't understand, do you?" She said with a smug tone of voice. "I know you have guards. Do you feel safer?" She punctuated that with a laugh. "You know you can't guard him forever. He has a job to do, and that takes him many places. Places the wolves can't go to. Do you know why I left my gift?"

I had no answer, so said nothing and waited.

"Just so you understand, I can blend in with humans. The wolves can't. And some day when that happens…" She snarled into the phone. "He's mine!"

The words left my mouth before I could even think. "Leave him alone! I'll do whatever you want!"

"That's better," she said, in a mollified tone. "The wolves can guard you, or they can guard your father. I leave that choice to you as a test, to see how much you value your father's life. Come to the place where you and your friend have been parking – the place you parked your truck when you met Laurent. Oh, yes, I followed your trail.

"If you come alone, I will leave your father alive. If not, well, I'll still kill you. But your father and your mother will both also die, and you will be responsible. Come tonight if you want to save them. We'll settle our differences there." The maniacal laughter trailed off before she hung up.

Embry had stood there quietly while I took the call, and he looked fairly shell-shocked at the conversation. My breathing was refusing to cooperate, and I waved a hand at him helplessly, until I could catch a full breath.

"Embry!" I finally exclaimed. "You've got to warn Sam! Victoria is going to kill Charlie! That homicide call he's on is a setup! She's waiting for him there! You guys gotta protect Charlie!"

Embry's eyes widened, then narrowed in determination. "All right, Bella, I'll tell him. Don't worry about Charlie." He turned around and ran out the door, and off towards the woods.

I closed the door and locked it – as if that would do anything to deter a vampire – then my knees collapsed and I fell to the floor of the hallway as the roaring surf of fear engulfed me. I couldn't breathe and the room tilted wildly for a while. After a few minutes, things stabilized and I was able to think again. I couldn't believe this was happening again, just like in Phoenix, with James threatening my mother. I couldn't let Charlie die because of me. Should I call Jacob? No, he wouldn't be any help either and would be just as doomed. He needed to be there to take care of Billy. And again, just like in Phoenix, when I asked myself if I could do it for my mother, I could also do it for my father. At the thought of his laughing eyes, his awkward kindness and love, it wasn't even a question. I would do it.

I thought about my promise to him, not to do anything reckless or stupid for Charlie's sake. This was something reckless and dangerous to save Charlie's life. Did that still count? And did it even matter? Was my life worth living still? He and his family were gone. The life and love that I had hoped for was gone. I had hoped, at first, that maybe he might be watching over me like he did at the beginning, but that obviously wasn't the case. If he had, I was certain he would have shown up when we encountered Laurent.

He really wasn't coming back. He said he was tired of pretending to be something he wasn't. That meant I wasn't worth the effort to try anymore. The despair threatened to rise up again, lapping at the edges of my chest like the rising tide. But that wouldn't be helpful right now. I couldn't let it take over or I wouldn't be able to function. If I didn't show up, she would kill Charlie, and then maybe Renee. And that just wasn't fair.

I suddenly banged my fist on the wooden floor, the sudden pain drowning out the sorrow. "How dare she?" I yelled into the empty house. "You want me? Come get me! Leave my family out of this!"

I clenched my fists so tightly the nails bit into my palms. Fine. If I wasn't valuable to him, at least I'd be valuable to my father. Even if he never found out, I would still do this. I pushed myself to my feet and stalked over to the phone. I dialed Billy's number, to make sure the message had been passed on to Sam. Then I had some things to take care of.

= = O = o = P = =

The anger helped sustain me through the next hour. It definitely fueled my fire as I loaded one of Charlie's shotguns. I thanked fate that he had insisted one summer on teaching me gun safety, and how to properly handle his firearms. He even insisted that I know the combination to his gun safe. Just in case, was his rationalization, even if I never hunted or went to the gun range with him. He also reasoned that no kid who understood the business end of a gun ever accidentally shot themselves. It might be a futile gesture as far as a vampire was concerned, but I wasn't going down without a fight. I wasn't a cop's daughter for nothing. I kept reminding myself that vampires could be killed. It had happened with James, it could happen again.

I almost broke down when I wrote the letter to Charlie and Renee. I was a little vague, but I told them I loved them. I told them I was sorry for distressing them over the last six months. I apologized that things didn't end in the way we thought it would, but after all was said and done, as long as they were happy and safe in their lives, I was happy, too. I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to lie, even in a farewell letter. Then I followed through, and told them I didn't regret moving to Forks for a minute. After sealing the letter in an envelope, I left it on my pillow.

To keep myself moving, to force myself into the truck and drive towards my destiny, I had to channel all my hate and fury towards this misbegotten immortal who threatened my parents and preyed on innocent people just to get to me. If she hadn't been involved with James the first time, she wouldn't have this crazy need to kill me. The poor soul whose murder Charlie was investigating would still be alive, and my parents wouldn't be marked for death if I didn't offer myself up as a sacrificial lamb.

Too soon, I found the road to the trailhead, able to find it even at night because Jacob and I had been here so many times. My heart rate began to rise, as I wondered if she would even wait for me to get out of the truck, or would she simply ambush me from the side of the road. I began searching the blackness beyond my truck's headlights, as adrenaline started pouring into my system and my breathing sped up.

Predictably, my angelic voice chose now to make an appearance. You have no chance. Turn around right now, go find Charlie and the wolves!

"That's not what I need to hear right now!" I growled in answer.

When the parking lot came into view, I slowed and almost stomped on the brake. It was empty, so I pulled to a stop at the entrance to the dirt lot, and killed the engine. Knowing how fast a vampire could move, I wasn't sure what I was hoping to accomplish, yet I wanted to have some space between us. Taking a few deep breaths, I opened the door, and set one foot out. I listened carefully, but nothing but crickets and the sounds of the benighted forest came to me. Even so, I kept a hand on the shotgun that lay across the passenger seat.

A sudden flare of light came from across the lot. I saw it, but it didn't make sense. There stood Victoria, at the very end of the lot, near some large stones by the trailhead sign. Her hair seemed even more like flame in the ruddy light of a torch – oily rags wrapped around a branch. She had just touched it off with a lighter. But vampires could see perfectly well in the dark, what was the torch for?

"Call off your friend!" I yelled.

Victoria's eyes seemed to glitter in the guttering torchlight. "What friend?"

"The one you said would kill Charlie!"

Her feral smile spread wider. "I lied; I have no friends. But it doesn't matter, you disobeyed me." Her high, feline voice oozed with malice.

"What are you talking about?" The outrage made me shout into the night. "I'm here by myself, just like you asked."

"I beg to differ."

As if on cue, the woods on either side of me rustled, and two huge shapes leaped from the trees and landed in front of the truck, to the left and right sides. Growls filled the air as they stared down the vampire. In the light from my headlamps they were a dark grey wolf and a silver wolf. I thought they were protecting Charlie, but they had followed me.

Frantic that she would follow through on her threat to harm my parents, I begged her. "Wait! Please, I didn't know that they followed me! I told them to go protect Charlie! You have to believe me, I meant to come alone!"

"But you didn't." She seemed most pleased as she said that. "You know what that means."

My jaw dropped in disbelief. While they had meant well, the wolves had just sentenced Charlie and Renee to death.

Most people go through life without a single make-or-break, do-or-die moment – points in time where life hangs in the balance. I seemed to have one every day. To save Charlie and Renee's lives, I was ready to sacrifice my own – a stomach-churning exchange but one I would steadfastly fulfill. Yet now, that trade had been taken away, and cruel fate stood laughing on the sidelines.

I could see only one way to cheat fate. Victoria could not be allowed to leave this parking lot alive. Where before it would have been ludicrous to even consider, I now had two gigantic allies, born and bred to kill vampires. The thought raised my flagging spirits, and I tightened my grasp on the grip of my father's shotgun.

The silver wolf growled, low and furious, and, as one, the wolves charged forward, snapping and snarling.

Things happened faster than I would have believed after that. Victoria dropped the torch, grabbed something from behind the trailside stones, and heaved. Something liquid splashed through the air towards the wolves and when it hit, one of them yelped and flinched backwards, pawing at his eyes. Then the vampire flashed down, retrieved the torch and touched the wolf closest to her.

Flames blossomed on the silver wolf, spreading quickly to his frightened yelps and barks of pain and I understood – Victoria had doused them with gasoline or kerosene. As he rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames, the vampire dodged around the stricken animal and kicked him towards the other wolf and they tumbled to the ground in a heap.

While his burning companion writhed on the ground, the grey wolf pulled himself free and lunged at Victoria. Some of the burning fluid had rubbed onto him but only in a patch or two, and he was still able bodied. Victoria's reflexes were good, and she thrust the burning brand towards the wolf's face. The beast recoiled, lashing out with a flailing paw that struck the torch out of Victoria's hand, and as he recovered, he latched onto her outstretched hand with his teeth.

Victoria smashed him in the head with her free fist, then pulled him towards her and lashed out with a kick. An explosive thump echoed through the night followed by a screech like tearing rock. Victoria shrieked as the wolf flew backwards, crashing deep into the trees from the force of her kick. With a start, I saw her right hand was missing.

Another scream of anger erupted from her and she turned towards the silver wolf where it rolled on the ground, still aflame but starting to smoke as some of the flames were smothered. Quickly, almost contemptuously, Victoria darted in close and struck it a thundering crack with a granite fist, then gave it a kick that sent it, too, flying into the trees, a dark, flaming meteor. It crashed through branches, and brush, coming to a stop out of my view.

My jaw remained open throughout the entire melee, still trying to process the scene of incredible violence, my right-hand resting unaware on the shotgun grip. Victoria then picked up her torch and nonchalantly stubbed out the burning branch in the dirt, leaving the lot illuminated only by my truck's headlights.

"Now, where were we?" she purred.

Adrenaline gave me enough of a boost to enact my desperate plan. I switched off my headlights, and pulled up the shotgun. Even a vampire would need a moment to adjust their vision to the sudden change in light. I switched the lights back on and hoisted the gun into the notch formed by the open door and the door frame. For a moment it seemed to work, and Victoria flinched at the light. I pulled the trigger and kept pulling it as fast as I could go. The semi-automatic shotgun roared and bucked, punching me in the chest over and over as I clung desperately to it. I vaguely noticed scoring several hits, as Victoria was struck by loads of double-aught buckshot, tearing her clothes and pushing her back.

Then it was over.

Victoria crouched and leaped to the side, and before I knew what was happening I was pulled out of the truck and lifted in the air by the front of my coat. I pulled the trigger again in reaction, but the blast went harmlessly down, striking the front tire of the truck and flattening it instantly.

"I'm so glad you decided to play," she hissed. With a contemptuous fling, she sent me flying, the shotgun torn out of my grasp as it caught against the doorframe. Like with the motorcycle, I had barely enough presence of mind to cover my head with my arms before the night exploded into brilliant light. I tumbled limply to the ground, my back and head aching from the impact with what must have been a tree, gasping for the breath that had been battered out of me.

"You should be thankful I'm being gentle," Victoria gloated, as her voice drew closer. "If that had been my full strength, you would be dead. How many bones does the human body have? Do you think you need every single one of them?"

I opened my eyes and in the shadows cast by my truck's lights, her face was a gargoyle's mask of hate. "My mate died because of you!" she snarled through bared teeth. "So you deserve everything that is coming to you. Shall we begin?"

The livid mask dipped closer and she grabbed for my right-hand. A sickening crack resounded and my hand erupted in white-hot torment. All I could do was scream and clutch my hand protectively to my chest – my pinky bent at a stomach-churning angle. As I writhed, I glimpsed Victoria standing over me, looking down in satisfaction.

"My, my, you scream very well."

She reached down and my head rose off the ground, a lesser pain in my scalp telling me she had grabbed my hair. I gasped for breath at the new onslaught.

"I hope you screamed this nicely for my James. I just wish your Edward was here to see this." At the smash of her stony forearm, the side of my head seemed to go numb from the impact and the night went hazy and even blacker around the edges. My stomach then clenched against nausea as the agony bloomed in my head. Yet even that wasn't her full strength – I was still aware of too much pain to be dead. The macabre figure reached for my other hand where I held it against me…

It was futile to fight against a vampire. I had tried, but what could a mere human hope to do mano-a-mano against an immortal fixated on one's death? Even missing a hand, Victoria was more than formidable enough to kill me. I was like a babe, a lamb thrown to the slaughter. I just hoped she would get it over with soon. The thought that I had failed to protect my parents twisted in my stomach as badly as the pain in my head and my hand.

I might not be able to prevent my demise, but I didn't have to let her dictate all that I experienced before I died. Closing my eyes, I reached into my most cherished memories, the forbidden ones locked away in the deepest recesses, and pulled one back into the light.

In my mind, I lay on the grass in our meadow, my head pillowed on Edward's arm, his other hand caressing my cheek. Edward's perfect lips were turned in that heart-stopping, half-smile as he gazed down with his smoldering, topaz eyes. Slowly, he lowered his head, his lips growing tantalizingly closer, my breathing already speeding up in anticipation. When finally he allowed our lips to touch, the contact sent an electric tingle rolling down my spine and down the backs of my legs. And as his marble lips gently lingered over mine, the pounding of my heartbeat rose up, harmonizing with the sound of my ragged breathing. "I love you, Edward," I had whispered breathlessly when he had finally allowed me to breathe.

It wasn't perfect. The pain was still there, in an ever present roar, but at least inside my mind I was cocooned in an oasis of warmth and love. I stiffened when she broke another finger, but clung to my Edward with all my might, and the ensuing sensation blended in with my existing torment and I managed not to scream.

My hearing must have been starting to go as well, or maybe the blow to the side of my head had burst my eardrums because some strange roaring made it through the maelstrom of torture. I didn't even register the impact when I was released and my head fell back onto the ground. Suddenly it seemed that Victoria was gone. Somewhere in the distance was a frightening cacophony of roaring, furious snarling, shouts of anger that seemed to go on and on…. The melee rose to a crescendo until it was punctuated by a metallic screech of tearing stone, accompanied by a feline scream of agony…that suddenly cut off. Silence fell.

I needed to move, to take advantage of the brief respite to get as far away as I could before she came back, but I felt like I was in a total body immersion tank of liquid pain, grinding my body into the ground. It barely allowed me to take a breath, as I lay there helpless.

Perhaps I passed out, or slipped into a dream. I felt cold, hard limbs gathering me up, a musical, lilting voice like wind chimes whispered into my ear.

"I've got you, Bella. You're safe, now."

Some part of my brain screamed that it was impossible, while another connected the sound of that voice with a face. Through the haze of pain, I opened my eyes to a sight I never thought I'd see again…Alice's face. Her eyes were wide with sorrow as she cradled me to her.

"A…Alice?" I croaked. "What are you doing here? Look out for Victo–" I broke off as a spasm rippled through my body.

"Shh, we're here, now, we'll protect you."

"We? Who's we? Is…is everybody here?"

She shook her head. "No. Only three of us could come on such short notice."

"When you say three…"

I knew then I must be dreaming or hearing things, when a low, velvet voice answered from the darkness. "It's only Alice, Jasper…and myself."

It couldn't be. That voice was gone, only coming back when I was being reckless. Peering through the painful fog, I cast about until I saw…a thick shock of tousled hair, over a noble brow. His face was too much in shadow for me to make out his expression, but I knew that profile as well as I knew my own. The sudden jolt of recognition was too much. Overwhelmed by pain, going into shock, unable to process the impossible events, my world tilted again and I slid into the welcome arms of darkness and oblivion.

= = O = o = P = =

To be continued...

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