A/N – Hello everyone; sorry about the double cliff hanger insert wink here I just wanted you all too get a feel for what was happening from both Bella and Alice's perspective… So I'd best not keep you waiting eh?! Again, thanks for the comments, you all rock! PS. Happy to be a Beta reader if anyone needs help – mail me. ESx

Chapter 47 - Collision

Just keep walking Bella…

"Such a… small thing…"

His voice was deep, and literally sent a shiver along my spine.

My head shot up to find a stranger with a classically sculptured face standing in front of me.

I watched as he tilted his head, first to one side, and then to the other.

Alice often did this, but when she did it…

It was endearing.

It made me smile.

And it made me fall in love with her that bit more, if indeed that were possible.

However, when he did it…

It was chilling.

It made me feel apprehensive.

And it made me fear him.

His gaze deepened, as he ran fingers through his short auburn locks.

"You're very quiet, Isabella…"

I watched as his eyes gleamed a deep crimson. Not amber, like melted honey. No. A dark red, like the fires of hell.

Oh, he was beautiful… and I could almost have mistaken him for a member of the Cullen family if it hadn't been for those eyes…

He knew who I was.

As if reading my very thoughts, he smiled again, which sent another chill throughout my body.

"I've been very remiss; allow me to introduce myself…."

He walked over to me, then, and held out his hand.

My eyes were on his fingers, long, pale and perfectly still.

"Reuben"

I looked back up to his face as his hand quickly took mine in his.

Cold.

Icy cold.

Alice's touch was cold… but his was… almost arctic…

His clasp was firm, as he shook my hand, still smiling. I noticed an amethyst stone as it gleamed on his index finger; it was almost as hypnotic as his watchful eyes as they continued to bore into me.

I gulped as he release my hand and took a small step back.

Still I couldn't find my voice.

He… Reuben…was the nomadic vampire who had been… killing… people…

And now, here he was, standing in front of me.

No, towering, above me, with his lean torso that was hidden beneath a long, dark coat that flapped open now and again each time the wind caught the corners.

His black shirt was open at the top, and my eyes darted to the black shoestring like necklace that was around his neck. A small piece of flat metal, no larger than a coin, hung with an unknown mark etched on its surface.

Noticing my gaze he smiled again. It made me feel nauseous.

"Inquisitive Isabella" he continued, as he brought his fingers to his neck, holding the piece of metal between the tips of two fingers.

He was dangerous, that much I knew.

And I was completely alone.

His gaze was penetrating and hawkish.

"Perhaps you would prefer me to use Bella?"

I knew I had to say something…

"Yes…" I whispered, as he brought his hand up to his chin.

"Bella… rolls of the tongue nicely…."

At the mention of a tongue, my eyes were on his lips… a deep claret…

He watched and smiled, showing white teeth… very white teeth…

"What do you want from me" I asked, my voice wavering slightly.

He laughed, then.

"Oh, my dear Bella… I don't want anything from you; I simply want you… although, I admit, I'm not quite sure how to play this game…"

I took several steps back, and felt the hard bark of a tree hit my shoulder blades.

"Game? You call this a… game?"

My voice seemed to reach an all time high as the last word escaped my lips.

He stepped forward again, his eyes even more piercing than before.

"I like to play games… hide and seek is my particular favourite. I always win you see… but you? You are an enigma… I dearly want you to run, so I can catch you… but what then?"

He paused as he seemed to contemplate what it was he wanted.

With a smile he continued, "It would be so very easy for me to… taste you… kill you, even, but where is the fun in that?"

I felt my knees go weak as I slipped towards the ground, my back still against the tree.

"You, my Bella… you are different….I've been watching you for a while now… very different indeed…."

Anger rumbled in the pit of my stomach, replacing any fear I had previously felt.

"I am NOT your Bella…" I hissed, as he raised delicate eyebrows.

"Ah, of course… you are Alice Cullen's Bella… how careless of me to forget that…."

I shuddered again, as my feet scrambled to push me back to my full height.

Not that my full height really mattered, he was well over 6 feet… even taller than Emmet…

And he knew Alice's name?

"Tell me, Bella. Where IS Alice?"

He laughed again and before I could blink he was next to me, his lips close to my ear.

I felt myself convulse as his breath touched the side of my face.

"You like to keep company with Vampires, Bella"

I swallowed hard as he seemed to vanish, reappearing at the other side of my face, he continued.

"I'm a vampire… is there something wrong with keeping me company…."

I felt myself lose balance, as he hand gripped my wrist.

"Play the game, Bella… run… and I'll find you…and then… well, then we'll see…."

I tried to pull away from his grasp, but it tightened. As if in a trance, I watched as he lent forward again.

"But before you go… one little reminder, mmm?"

And then his finger, the one with the gleaming amethyst, was on the inside of my arm, just above his grip on my wrist.

"I promise this will only hurt… marginally…"

A breath caught in my throat as I watched him run a sharp nail across and then down into my bare flesh.

A very sharp nail.

I felt a slight tingle as he quickly etched something on my skin.

Seemingly satisfied, he lent back and smiled.

Blood.

A thin trace of blood started to run down my arm, as I felt it throb slightly.

My eyes darted from the mark, back to his face.

He laughed again, and I knew I would never be able to forget that sound.

Ever.

"What have you… done…?"

Reuben smiled as he lifted his finger to his lips and sucked…

"So… very delectable…"

I felt physically sick as his eyes seemed to go a deeper shade of red.

"I recall very little of my past, pathetic human life Bella, but I do recall my love of fine wine…"

I watched as he licked the end of his finger, as traces of my blood vanished.

"Now I find I am a blood connoisseur, and yours my dear… yours is exquisite… "

He let go and pushed me roughly as I fell forward.

I placed my hand on the mark… I couldn't tell if the mark would scar, but it seemed deep as the blood continued to run, thankfully slowly…

My eyes blinked, as if to find a focus they didn't really need…

'R'

He had marked his initial on my arm… branded me…

So I wouldn't forget him, who he was… his name…

"Run, Bella… I'll find you…. Perhaps not today, but I will find you…."

He was letting me go?

As I started to run forward, my mind was wandering…

Why was he letting me go?

I could hear his laughter as I fell forward.

Why was he letting me go? It didn't make any sense…

"BELLA"

It was Alice, I could hear Alice…

I kept running… until I hit something solid.

It was Emmet.

"I've got her Alice" he shouted, as he continued to hold me in his arms.

"Emmet… he…."

I couldn't speak as a whirlwind of activity surrounded me.

The Cullen's, all of them, had appeared seemingly from nowhere.

Alice was holding me now, as Emmet and Carlisle nodded at each other.

"He's over there…" I pointed towards the direction I had just come from, as Carlisle joined me and Alice.

"Bella, are you hurt? Did he hurt you…?" Alice's voice faltered.

Was he watching us?

Carlisle spoke, "Alice, take her to our home, Rosalie, go with her".

Rosalie nodded as she placed her hand on my cheek; "You're safe Bella" she gently spoke, as Alice lifted me up into her arms.

Alice.

My eyes were immediately on her.

"Alice…."

Alice looked… overwrought.

"Esme, make sure all the girls get home safely"

I watched as Carlisle kissed Esme on the forehead before turning to his sons.

"Follow me"

Emmet was first to fall in behind Carlisle, closely followed by Edward, who also looked perturbed.

"Alice, are you okay" It was Jasper.

Alice didn't speak; she still looked down at me with worry etched on her face.

"Alice…" Jasper spoke again.

Alice nodded, "I need to take her home…" she almost whispered, as Rosalie rubbed her hand along Jaspers arm.

"She will be fine, Jasper, they both will… go…"

Jasper frowned, nodded, and then vanished.

Alice was…shaking.

Esme was by Alice's side, as Rosalie stood on the other. I watched silently as both placed a protective arm around Alice, who was still holding me in her arms, tightly against her.

Before I could speak, we were accelerating through the forest, all linked as one in perfect momentum. We were at the Cullen's house before I could count to three.

"Rosalie, get Bella some water" Esme asked.

Rose nodded and vanished, as Alice still held on tightly to me.

"Alice, you need to put Bella down now…"

Esme's voice was gentle, as Alice seemed to pull me into her.

"Alice…" again, Esme asked, as she stroked Alice on the shoulder.

Slowly Alice looked down at me.

"Bella" she merely whispered, as I placed a shaking hand to the side of her face.

"I'm okay Alice…" my voice trailed off, even thought I sounded far from it.

Rosalie reappeared as Alice placed me back down.

"Drink this Bella" Rosalie asked, her voice also laced with concern.

Rosalie had never sounded that way before. It was… comforting.

Slowly I reached out for the glass. As my top pulled up, I realised my arm was still bleeding.

Blood.

Rosalie's breath caught in her throat as she took several steps back.

"You're… bleeding…." She whispered as Esme and Alice both looked down at my arm where dried blood had congealed on my shirt sleeve.

"Bleeding…." Alice continued, as she looked back up at me as if in a daze.

"He… what did he do to you" she asked, as she started to visibly shake again.

"He…" my voice wavered, as Rosalie shook her head.

"I'm sorry, so very sorry…but I can't… this is too hard….."

Esme was immediately by her side, "Rosalie, go and get Carlisle, now".

Rosalie nodded, and ran to the door. Turning around she smiled apologetically at me.

"I'm sorry Bella…. I just can't…"

I nodded, "Rosalie, I understand, its okay, really".

I felt my other hand close over the mark Reuben had made as my eyes shot back to Alice.

Would she be able to manage?

Esme, obviously thinking the same as me stepped towards Alice.

"Alice lets just take a few steps back from Bella, we…."

Alice cut into her sentence.

"No… I can do this…."

I watched as Alice stepped closer to me, placing her small, pale hand on top of mine.

I looked at Esme, who had taken a few steps back and was seemingly trying to take control of her own emotions.

"Alice…." Esme continued, as Alice pulled me into an embrace.

Her words were incoherent, "He… if he had… I could have lost you…. I can't lose you…."

I felt myself lean into her embrace, forgetting the blood on my arm, my hand were around her, holding her, comforting her.

"Shhh, it's okay Alice, he only marked me with his nail… it doesn't hurt…."

I continued to hold Alice as Esme watched the display in front of her.

"I love you, Bella, so very very much…" Alice continued, as she gripped me even tighter. I didn't mind, I needed to feel her close to me after everything that had happened.

"I love you too" I replied, as we both rocked each other gently in our embrace.

I glanced as Esme who was still watching, clearly absorbed in what was unfolding before her eyes. I smiled.

And then I saw it.

A single, solitary tear, run down her cheek, similar to Alice's tear.

Slowly she brushed it away with her fingers, as she graciously smiled at me.

Alice continued to whisper random words in my ear; clearly we were both suffering from some form of shock.

"Never leave me… I can't exist alone… I'll find him…."

I kissed Alice on the cheek, "I'll never leave you" I replied huskily, as Esme took a deep breath and moved towards us, enveloping us both in her arms.

"I love you both" she softly spoke, as we both melted against her.