29.
Seized by unadulterated terror, I'm immobile, the blood in my veins, ice.
"Well, isn't this a nice reunion." He takes a slow, calculated step toward me and tilts his head. With an evil grin, he glances over his shoulder, into Marisol's crib. "So much has changed since we last saw each other." He turns back to me and takes another slow step. "I had a feeling this little game with Edward was going to pay off. And I was right."
His evil grin only grows. "All these months of toying with him … getting close to you only to disappear again. It's been quite … entertaining. In fact, right now, he's chasing my scent all over Seattle, looking for me. It's amazing how easy it is to manipulate the untrained senses of a newborn. It's only a matter of time before he realizes it was a ruse."
Before I understand what's happening, he disappears in a blur and is at my back in a blink.
"I'm going to have so much fun."
Marisol's cry is the last thing I hear before my world goes black.
With a gasping breath, I open my eyes. My heart races as I sit up and frantically search the dim room for my daughter.
"She's not here."
I zero in on the voice coming from the shadows. "Where is she?" I croak.
His teeth gleam in a sliver of dawn. "She's playing hide and seek."
Ignoring the fact that this monster is capable of killing me with virtually no effort, I stagger to my feet and lunge for him. "Where is she?" I shout as I slam my fists against his unmoving, rock-hard chest.
He's merely amused. "If I told you, there would be no game. What would be the fun in that?"
"I'm not playing a game! I want my daughter back, asshole!"
Roughly pushing me aside, he opens a door I didn't see. He turns to me, his smile positively evil. "Then go get her."
With blood rushing in my ears, and my heart thrashing furiously in my chest …
I run.
The pale blue-gray of daybreak fights through the thick canopy of trees, doing little to light my path. My breaths come too fast, and my bare feet pound against the forest floor as I push myself to run.
But I have no idea where I'm going.
"Better hurry!" he shouts from somewhere far off. "She won't last long out there alone." His warning is followed by a maniacal laugh.
I come to a halt and scream in frustration. "Why are you doing this?"
"Edward took something from me. I'm returning the favor."
"I want my daughter back!" I scream.
As if ejected from hell under my feet, the red-eyed monster suddenly appears in front of me.
His steel grip wraps around my arms as he tugs me close. "And I want my mate back."
Sharp teeth descend on me with a snarl.
Agonizing pain overrides all my other senses and I drift into oblivion.