Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books

WARNING: This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

Chapter 21

Into The Darkness

Thane pulled the dinghy on to the island's sandy shore. He shook himself dry, his long, light brown hair whipping around his face and head; he then pulled his clothing from the bottom of the boat, and dressed. He listened to Alice's steady heartbeat and shallow breathing, as he tied his hair with a thin leather thong at the nape of his neck, threw his cloak around his shoulders, and pulled the hood over his head. Then he collected the remaining items from the boat. Thane reached for Alice last, lifting her gently, and holding her close. Again, he attempted to revive her, calling her name softly while caressing her blanket cocoon, but she continued to sleep. He moved her toward the interior of the island, to an alcove he remembered from years long past.

Ship Island was a small sliver of land, ten miles off the coast, between Biloxi and Gulfport. It had little to offer Thane in the way of food, but it was isolated, and, at that moment, isolation was what he needed. He carried Alice to a small cave on the opposite shore from where he had landed the small boat; a cave known to smugglers and pirates. He splashed through the water that covered the majority of the cave's floor, to the back wall. No light penetrated that far into the islands underground. Only vampiric vision allowed him to find the wide rock shelf on the far wall. He carefully laid Alice on the shelf, and stacked her things next to her.

Thane perched himself on a small section of dry rock to the side of the watery cave bottom. He balanced on the balls of his feet, his back curved with the side of the cave, and his forearms rested on his thighs. He looked toward Alice, as he spoke softly to her.

"You told me, my little one," he muttered to her unconscious body. "I have no choice. I must turn you, or lose you." He looked down at his empty hands. "Perhaps, in your current state, the pain will not be as excruciating." He stepped away from the wall, and stood to his full height. "I must verify our escape first, my sweet child," and he quickly exited the cave.

Thane flitted instantly to the boat. He stepped into the sturdy dinghy and smashed his fist through the bottom in several places, then jumped from the small boat and shoved it hard off the shore. He watched as it sank about 100-yards off the coast of the island. Then, he roamed the perimeter of the island, inhaling deeply. The scent of his prey persisted in evading him. It was near dawn when Thane completed a circuit of the island, and returned to the cave to continue to listen to Alice's heart beat, and steady breathing.

"I am sorry, my little one, but I can wait no longer. It is time." Thane gently pulled the blanket from around Alice's face, and upper body. Gripping both sides of the material, he smoothly ripped her dress at the shoulder, exposing her neck fully. "It was never my intention to cause you this pain, but I can not allow you to be tortured at the hands of this beast that pursues you." His hands caressed her cheeks, as his face closed on hers. He inhaled deeply, as his nose moved to her neck, and brushed along her carotid artery. His right hand trailed down her neck and shoulder. "Such perfection," he whispered into her ear. "Your skin surpasses others of this time. It is flawless. Pale and perfect. I know you will find this mate you have dreamed of." Venom pooled in his mouth, as he closed in on her neck, "And he will love you as no other can. A love that will last forever." He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see what he was about to do to her. "I am so sorry, child of my heart," Thane whispered, then his lips brushed her skin, as he kissed her neck before opening his mouth. His tongue slid from between his lips, venom dripping from his teeth as he tasted her pulse, then sank his teeth into her soft pale flesh. His lips sealed around the wound, so no blood escaped his mouth.

Thane's venom increased even more, as the blood burst into his throat. He pulled her blood gently into his mouth, and swallowed as he pushed more venom into her bloodstream. He fought the bloodlust that threatened to overcome him, as he worked to remember the reason he was in this cave with Alice. Thane's eyes snapped open and he moaned in both pain, at the need for his actions, and pleasure at the taste of her blood. He thought of his prey, James, and his venom production doubled. He hoped that the increased venom would cause Alice's transformation to end quicker, even though he doubted that outcome.

Sooner than he expected, and unable to contain the bloodlust any longer, he extracted his teeth from her throat and licked the wound, cleaning the blood from her neck and causing it to heal, sealing her blood in with his venom. Thane stepped back, never taking his eyes off Alice. He held himself rigidly, as her body remained motionless, almost lifeless, as the venom began to work its way to her heart. He listened as her heart rate slowed slightly, when the venom finally reached it's target, and her heart labored to push it through her bloodstream. Other than that, there was no indication that anything had changed.

"What did they do to you, my angel," Thane fussed over her. "Let my venom heal all the evil they have inflicted on your mind." He kept one hand on her abdomen, as he waited for her to move, to react to the venom, but she remained as still as death.

The day passed, and night descended on the small island. Thane left Alice's side, and flitted out of the cave, to make his circuit of the island. Again, he inhaled deeply, searching for the scent of his prey, but not finding him. He stood at the mouth of the cave, the wind fighting to blow the hood of his cloak away from his face, as he listened for movement on the island, and the heartbeat of his Alice. He stood vigil throughout the night, but there was no change either from Alice, or on the island. As the sun began to rise in the east, he finally heard a slight change in Alice's heart rate. It began to slow even more, as she passed the 24-hour mark, but she still remained silent. Then Thane noticed a change in the sound of the wave patterns on the far eastern shore of the island. He heard movement on the sand, and water dripping. His lips curled back in a silent snarl, exposing his teeth. Venom pooled in his mouth, as a growl rose from his chest, and erupted into the silence of the dawn. He flitted to the east side of the island, to confront the enemy that had finally come to face him.

James stood on the shore, his clothes dripping seawater on the dry sandy beach. He looked to the west, then shook himself, sending the water into the sparse, tall beach grass. His sandy brown hair remained tied at the nape of his neck, as his clothing threw water droplets in a wide arc around his body. Before he was done shaking himself dry, Thane was standing in front of him, snarling.

"Give up this hunt," Thane warned him. "The girl is mine." James tilted his head to the left, as he studied Thane.

"Why do you keep a pet?" James asked calmly. "You drink from them. You've killed." He started walking a slow circle around Thane, keeping his eyes on him at all times. Thane felt James' fingers gently brush his cloak. "You wear the uniform of the Volturi Guard, which makes this all the more difficult to comprehend. What is it about them that brings some of us to our knees? What would cause you to play servant, to your food?" Thane remained silent, but his nostrils flared, and his eyes widened in anger.

"You are too late," Thane told James. "She will soon be one of us. She is no longer your prey." He smiled to himself, as he relished his small victory over James.

"She was never my prey," James snarled in Thanes ear. He flitted to face Thane head on, leaning toward him, so they stood nose to nose. "You were," he said, grinning maliciously.

Thane responded immediately to James' threat. His eyes flashed to black as he flitted around to James' back, and he reached for his head. James laughed as he reached behind him, and grabbed Thane's hood-wrapped head. He threw him over his shoulder, and into the water. Thane found himself about 50-yards off the island, and turned to speed back to shore. Fish scattered from him, as he swam. James wasted no time in his pursuit of Thane. He ran into the water and met him halfway back to the island. They crashed into each other like canon balls, although nothing could be heard above the waters surface. The two combatants sank to the bottom of the Gulf, locked in battle, each with a death grip on the other.

On the surface, the waves increased in size, as a storm began to brew further south in the Gulf of Mexico. It was just a storm with no signs of becoming a hurricane, but the waves began to batter the sandy shores of the narrow island. Thane struggled for footing in the soft sediment of the Gulf Coast floor. The lower currents pushed against him. He fought to remain standing, as James quickly gripped his left arm and twisted it behind his back. Thane cried out, as his shoulder screeched with the sound of metal ripping, as it gave way and was torn from his body. Shame clouded his mind, as he realized that he was allowing James to win, because of his a over-confidence, and underestimation of his opponents abilities, and determination. Even so, Thane refused to give up. He turned on James in a flash and reached for his right shoulder. Sinking his teeth into the space between James' shoulder and his neck, he fought to wrap his arm around his head, and grab his chin, to pull his head free from his body. But James was ready for him. Even as he screamed his pain, he reached for Thanes face. The fingers of his left hand snaked their way into Thanes mouth, and gripped his lower jaw, as his right hand flattened against Thane's forehead, and pushed with all the force he had.

James laughed silently, as he held the lower jaw of his opponent high, in his left hand. He floated around Thane, who had curled around himself in pain, and fear. James swam over and collected Thane's dismembered arm, and quickly swam back to the island. Thane turned toward the direction James had gone. He launched himself off the sea floor, and rocketed back to the island, as well. He reached the shore in time to watch James throw his body parts into a pile away from the shore. Thane advanced slowly, keeping his eyes on James at all times. His remaining hand clenched into a fist, as he crouched, in preparation for an attack. The wind whipped the waves into a fine spray, that covered them both. The waves splashed onto the island's southern shore, as Thane and James squared off on the eastern and northern shores.

"You still wish to fight me?" James laughed. A growl rumbled in Thane's chest, as he slowly circled James, trying to draw him away from his missing parts. "Oh no," James chuckled. "These are mine." His hand waved over the small lump of cold stone-like parts. "Mine!" His eyes gleamed with an evil glow, as he crouched and snarled at Thane. "And it will soon grow larger, before I set it on fire, and then go in search of the little one." James laughed, as Thane attacked.

Thane flung himself at James. His still strong legs launched him at James' body, while his remaining arm snaked around his opponents arm. James flew toward the small island's narrow interior, and landed on his back, as Thane brought his legs forward so his feet pounded into James' torso. They came to a stop with Thane standing on James' chest, his right arm still snaked around James' left, and and agonizing screech coming from James' overextended shoulder. As Thane pulled on James' arm, Jame kicked his feet up, and with the help of his free arm, he twisted and hit Thane in the back of both his knees. Thane dropped like a rock, on to his back, while James scrambled to his feet and quickly decapitated him. It only took him a matter of seconds for James to completely dismember Thane, and set his body on fire.

"So much for the mighty Volturi Guard," James laughed, as he watched the sweet smelling purple smoke blow quickly away, as the wind picked up from the approaching storm. James stayed near the fire until there was nothing left but ash, then he threw handfuls of it into the strong wind, and watched it swirl out over the Gulf Coast waters. "Now she's mine," James whispered to himself. He turned to make a circuit of the island, and listen for the screams of a transitioning human. The sounds of the violent wind was irrelevant. He would be able to still hear her screams, but he didn't. The wind was loud enough to cover the faint sounds of her heartbeat.

James moved west, to Cat Island. He listened intently, as he quickly swept over the 'T'-shaped island. Frustration beginning to slowly seep into his attitude, he swam back to Ship Island, and searched the far northeastern section of the island, but still found nothing. The day was getting late, as James made his way to Horn Island. The storm had finally reached the barrier islands and he walked the larger island as the rain pelted him, and the wind moaned as it swept through the trees and brush of the islands. James never heard the agonizing screams he hoped for. After checking Petit Bois Island, anger was the only emotion James was capable of feeling. He had searched the day and night, but never heard the sounds that he was sure Alice would be making.

James finally returned to the mainland, and began searching the shore line. He was sure Alice had to be on the mainland, somewhere along the shore. But after another day of searching and listening, he began to doubt that Alice had survived the transition. "It happens," he moaned to himself. "Sometimes their pitifully weak hearts just can't take it." James shoved his fists into his pockets, hung his head, and headed north, into the interior of the mainland. After a few minutes he lifted his head, and began to whistle, and smile, as he considered his half win. The girl may have been lost, but he destroyed his prey. It was time to move on to the next hunt. The bounce returned to his step, as he changed his course and headed northwest, to new places and new prey.

#

The darkness lasted for only moments, before it shifted and shimmered.

"We call ourselves vegetarians," the blond man said. He looked wary, but fatherly at the same time. His mere presence commanded respect, even from Jasper, who's red eyes and scars made the blond vampire cautious, but he was also so accepting of us. "We live off the blood of animals, not humans," he told us.

The walls of the room were painted white, and they began to ripple, as the picture changed.

"I'm Esme Cullen," the caramel haired woman said. "This is my husband, Carlisle," she said with a warm smile. "He's a doctor, and sometimes not very good with common courtesy," her palm slaps him gently on his chest. He hangs his head in acceptance of her words, but grins at her as well. He looks at her with so much love in his eyes, and she has the same love in hers. Their eyes are so beautiful. Such a bright golden color.

The image of the large white house ripples again.

The rain is pouring down so hard, that the other side of the street is invisible. It's probably the reason the diner's almost empty. I'm sitting on a high stool at the counter, slowly twirling in a half circle. I'm waiting for him to arrive. The bell over the door rings as he enters. He's soaking wet, his blond curls straightened to dark waves, with most of it pulled back at the nape of his neck. He walks in with his head down, as he subtly examined the occupants for their weaknesses, and the possibility of becoming a food source. Always the tactician first, his military mind found escape routes, and imminent threats. Then his glowing red eyes meet mine. I pop off the stool and danced toward him.

"You've kept me waiting such a long time," I say with a mischievous smile.

He sweeps his battered cowboy hat off his head and brings it to his chest, as he gives me a small bow and a smile. "My apologies, Ma'am. It will never happen again." He takes my arm, and leads me to a booth in the corner of the diner. I sit across from him.

His image ripples, and he's gone.

The darkness filled her mind, just before a new image flashed into being.

Water surrounds me, in the sharpest image I've had. I swam to the next island. I found wolves there; red wolves. They were not as tasty as I would like, but I'm starving. I smelled the humans on the other side of the island. It was night, so I had the advantage of being able to see them, while remaining hidden from them. There were two of them. Smugglers, I thought to myself. I dropped the bag of my belongings on the ground next to me. They smelled so good. I tried to resist, but I was so thirsty. They pulled their small boat onto the shore, and began to unload it's contents. After the first man pulled a large bundle from the boat, he began to walk in my direction. When he had passed me, and was over the small rise I was hiding behind, I attacked. One arm wrapped around his chest, while my other hand covered his mouth, and pulled his head to the side. I quickly sank my teeth into the soft flesh of his neck, and began to draw his blood into my mouth. I had to resist the urge to moan in pleasure, as I tasted the blood of my first human. I sat with him in my arms, and I sucked hard at the wound on his neck, until I had consumed all his blood, and his heart had stopped.

The other was calling for him. I shoved his body off of my lap, and leaped over the low sand dune, to land on the second. He tasted as good as the first.

The dune grass ripples away.

I'm in a large room filled with tables and chairs. Everything is fuzzy, like it is a long way away. There are many children my age there. They are eating and talking. I'm looking at a girl with brown eyes and long brown hair. "It's nice to finally meet you." I say to her.

Everything ripples, and I see Carlisle Cullen. "We call ourselves vegetarians...It all changes..."You've kept me waiting such a long time."...

The visions twist and turn, repeating without order of rhythm. Some repeat many times, some are seen only once. They continue through the hours...days. In between them is darkness, and a small jab of pain. The pain is a burning, but it can't replace the feel of the visions. They grow stronger, more solid. More real. They don't frighten her any more. As the days pass, she finds she is able to examine them as she would a picture in a book. She is able to retain the images; they're not as fleeting as they used to be.

As Alice's visions change, the storm outside the cave continues to blast the narrow island. Water is forced through the long cave, but due to the shape and height of the shelf she is on, she is safe and dry. The burning she should feel is masked by the emotions of the various visions. There is no thrashing around. No screaming, or crying. She remains silent, until the transition is complete.

A/N: I can't tell you how sorry I am, that I took so long to get this chapter out to you. I'd love to say it won't happen again, but I just can't guarantee it. I will promise that I will continue this story, to it's completion. So please don't give up on me.I think I'll take it to the Alice's first meeting with Edward, so there's a lot more to go.