Chapter Twenty Seven

Bella

Jake's truck wasn't here and I almost turned around and drove straight back to town but then decided I was being a little unfair. I owed him this much surely? Deciding as it was dry I would walk to the picnic site just in case he had been dropped off by a friend I opened my door and then froze. I felt I was being watched and looked around expecting to see him standing there grinning at me. Instead, I was confronted by a feral cat that hissed at me and ran along the path through the trees to the open picnic site beyond.

"Laughing at my own stupidity I locked my car and walked slowly through the trees which kept the path almost dry even in heavy rain. Many were the times Jake and I had sheltered from a downpour under these trees so it was quite apt that we should say goodbye here too.

As I walked I thought about the upcoming weekend, Jasper and I were going to Phoenix to see Renee and Frank, a visit I wasn't too excited to make but as Renee had pointed out, they hadn't seen much of me in a long time and probably wouldn't once we were married, she also wanted to show Frank off as he was being awarded a prize for his latest game creation. Personally, I thought Emmett would have appreciated this much more but we would go, smile and look knowledgeable and proud. Also, as Jasper pointed out, before long I would be saying goodbye to my mom for the last time, I should have a happy memory to hang onto and there weren't many of those over the years.

Edward

I heard her pull up and the increase in her heartbeat as she was startled by the wild cat I could hear padding away. I eased myself into a better position and waited expectantly for my quarry to appear. This was exciting and reminded me of my years hunting humans although I wasn't interested in Bella's blood, the feeling was just as wonderful, though and I revelled in it for a few seconds my eyes closed wishing I could hear Bella's thoughts or anyone's for that matter. This thought made me angry, this was all her doing and by killing her like this I would be letting her off far too easy. No, I would kill her, but first I would take her, let her see what she had turned down so sneeringly and then I would kill her and leave her to be found, mangled as of by a wolf. Let the Quileutes sweat a bit for a change.

I was so distracted by my thoughts that Bella was past me and in the clearing before I noticed, so much for a sneak attack, not that it mattered much. I was about to spring out on her when I heard other footsteps on the wet ground, a man's by the sound of things, please let it not be Jake, now that would be ironic! Still, I had time to mount my attack and carry her off somewhere private before whoever it was got too close.

Bella never even saw me coming, she had her back turned and only had time for a single cry as she hit the ground beneath me. She had hit her head, I could smell fresh blood and my mouth began to water but I fought down my thirst, she wasn't going to get off that easily after ruining my life. Picking her up I turned to leave when I saw movement in the trees. I didn't have much time and I didn't want to be pursued or leave any kind of trail. As she groaned I clamped a hand over her mouth and deciding I needed to act decisively I twisted her neck and wrenched at her arm, the one she had hurt pulling away from me. I heard bones snap and felt fresh blood as the flesh at her shoulder tore open.

Then something hit me hard and I staggered hearing the sound of a shotgun. Whoever had been in the trees had seen me and taken a lucky shot which hit me in the center of the back causing me to lose my balance slightly. Throwing Bella's bleeding body to the ground I turned on the newcomer…..only to see it was her father and smiled. Unlike his daughter, he didn't have time to make a sound as I tore into him. I wanted this to look like an animal attack, not a vampire one so I used my nails and the lower jaw of a wolf I had found some years ago and kept as a curio. Luckily I had it in the old cabin I sometimes used when I wanted some time away from the family, the same cabin I had thought to take Bella too. Bringing it with me had been a stroke of genius, who would suspect it hadn't been an animal attack now? It worked well to tear his flesh and he was soon a bloody mess on the ground.

Turning back I saw Bella lying inert, though her heart still beat, I hadn't finished the job yet. Hefting the jaw in my hand I had just begun to use it when her cell phone rang insistently. I considered ignoring it but then it buzzed, she had received a message. Cursing I picked it up and recognized my dear brother's number then listened to his frantic message with a smile,

Bella, where are you? You're in danger, get to the house as quickly as you can, you'll be safe there. I'm on my way."

He had felt the danger to his mate too late, she would be dead by the time she was found but if I wasn't careful he would catch me here. Cursing I brought the jawbone down once more slicing into her throat, my hand warmed by the sudden spurt of blood and then I ran, hoping I had time to get well clear before he arrived, pulled here by her death throes.

Charlie

I had been almost in Port Angeles when the alert went out, an escaped prisoner being transported to Seattle had escaped and been seen headed towards Forks. Cursing I turned around and turned on my lights and siren. Bella was alone today and this guy had multiple arrests for rape and battery. I frantically called the house but there was no reply, she was probably out, I remembered she was due to meet her old friends for lunch so hopefully the three of them had met up early.

Andy came through on the radio telling me that a female driver had seen a lone man wearing drab greys close to the picnic site on the outskirts of town, he had tried to flag her down but she'd been suspicious and driven by almost knocking him down. I was the closest so I pulled into the parking lot and my blood ran cold, Bella's car was parked up but there was no sign of her. What in blazes was she doing here? I grabbed my shotgun from the trunk and went slowly through the trees not wanting to shout her name in case he was here and unaware of her presence.

Then I saw a flash of movement, two figures locked together and I recognized my daughter's jacket. He moved back slightly and I took aim and fired catching him in the center of his back. Expecting him to drop I ran forward only to see he had not only kept his feet but turned to look at me and smiled. With shock I recognized Edward Cullen, what had he been doing with Bella? And why was he not bleeding out on the forest floor? He moved incredibly fast knocked the shotgun from my hands and grabbed me, pulling back his hand to strike before I had a chance to grab my gun from its holster. The last thing I saw was what looked like a bone headed for my face, and behind him the crumpled body of my daughter lying sprawled on the wet ground.