Author's Note: This one was hard to write and had me tearing up. A little more gruesome. Could be unsettling to some readers (brutal deaths). Sorry it is not longer like the last one, but it was emotionally draining to write.
I let out my breath quietly as I turned to face the red headed vampire standing across the field. However, I was unprepared for the sight that was before me. About 100 feet away, Victoria stood tall, she was covered in blood, yet her eyes were pitch black. Her left arm was holding something over her shoulder and a body fell to the ground from her right arm. The body moved and groaned, and I let out a sigh of relief, knowing, whomever it was, was still alive.
"Victoria. So, you found me. I am here. You can let them go." My voice rang out across the clearing, solid and firm. Calmer than my heartbeat. I resisted the urge to wipe the sweat off my palms on my pant legs.
She maniacally chuckled. "So, you want me to let them go? Well, here. Let's give you these three first." Bringing her left arm up and around, she threw what she was carrying, and it landed on the ground in front of me.
My eyes bulged open wide, and my mouth opened in a silent scream as my body was wracked with an ice-cold grip, stealing my voice and actions. Three severed heads rolled face up at my feet, their hair splayed around them, and the mouths all opened in silent screams.
Jessica.
Ben.
Mike.
"Ah, I see my present has got your attention. You see, when you decided to hide from me, I thought, what better way to get you to come back. Yet, surprisingly, you did so before I even had the chance to deliver my gifts. They did all curse you right before I ripped their tiny little heads from their pathetic useless bodies. Too bad I didn't get the chance with the first one. But I guess she still served her purpose because that was what got you to run." Victoria sneered my way.
Lips trembling and unable to tear my eyes away from the gruesome sight that entranced me, I barely managed to speak. "Wh-why-why? Wh-wha-what did th-they do to – to – y-y-y-you?"
"Because I can. Because you took my MATE! It had nothing to do with 'them'. It was all because of you. YOU caused their deaths." She growled out at me.
I choked back a sob when a voice I never wanted to hear associated anywhere near a vampire croaked out, "Bella, run. She's a demon. GO!"
Finally, my eyes moved away from the heads at my feet to see the body that fell earlier getting to his knees. I knew that voice and that head of thinning, curly, brown hair. "Dad?" I sobbed out and dropped to my knees. "Please, just take me and let him go."
"No, Bells. No! Run! GET UP! Run while you can!"
Victoria stepped forward and picked him up by the neck. He was kicking and clawing at her arms and legs, anywhere he could reach to get a grip or some leverage to force her to let go. His face was going read as she squeezed, cutting off his air.
"Oh, dearest 'daddy'. Your little, sweet, 'Bells' is anything but. She knows what I am even better than you. You think I'm a demon." She pulled his face close, his eyes wide as he clawed at the hand around his throat, desperate for air. "But your daughter knows I am a vampire because she is dating one."
With that, she released her grip and Charlie crumpled to the ground, gasping and coughing. After a few moments, still tears dripping down his cheeks, he looks at me and shakes his head. "No, that can't be." He croaked out.
At that moment, Victoria tensed up and started to take off into the woods as a blur flew across the field. Edward was chasing her. The others all closed in and around from the sides and Jasper blocked her way into the trees. The ground shook and snarls echoed in the air as the vampires fought. Ignoring them, I stumbled to my feet and rushed over to Charlie still on the ground.
"Dad? No."
"Vampire? Edward? – the Cullens? – her?" He was shaking his head as he coughed out his questions.
I just held him close, sobbing into his shoulder.
A terrifying screech came from the fighting group behind us, and an arm landed on the ground next to us, venom leaking all over the ground. The fingers twitched and the hand appeared to be still animated and alive, attempting to return to the vampire it came from. Charlie leaned away from me and the arm and vomited in the grass. I could only dry heave, choking on bile.
"Bella!" Edward's voice rang in my ears and Jasper's growl sung deeper, stirring my body into motion. I turned my head towards them to see a blur of red barrelling towards me, the others trying to slow Victoria down, when a body knocks me over and screams tore into the air.
It took a few moments before I realized my screams joined in the noise. The screeching, tearing sound was heard and when I opened my eyes, I hadn't even realized I had closed, Emmett, Peter and Rose were tearing Victoria apart, throwing her into a burning fire pit. Carlisle was kneeling next to the heads of my school mates. Alice was holding her head at the edge of the field with Esme wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Edward was in my face, trying to check that I was okay and help me up.
I pushed him away to see Jasper with a grim look, leaning over my father.
"Dad! DAD!"
Crawling over, I saw his eyes, vacant, staring into space, his head backwards on his torso.
"NO!" My scream echoed out among the field and neighbouring trees, birds taking flight.
Cold arms try to encircle me, and I struggle, throwing them off and latch onto my dad's now lifeless body. "Bella, come now, I'm here. I can protect you." Edward shushed.
"Shut it, Ed."
Edward growled towards Peter, but I ignored them. Several voices tried to speak to me, repeating nonsense I just couldn't comprehend with my world crashing around me and my dad laying dead in my arms.
More snarls finally drew my attention up. Eyes bloodshot, my gaze took in the tall blonde vampire crouching in a fighting stance between me and the others. Peter turned his head, baring his neck as he backed into the edge of the trees, staying in the shadows. Esme stepped back, trembling shaking her whole body as Carlisle tried to calm her. Emmett and Rose offered small smiles, pity etched in their eyes, before stepping back with Peter.
Alice and Edward were the only ones who still stood there, within reach of a snarling Jasper.
"You know it's true Jazz! If only she wasn't here, I could have 'seen'. I could have prevented this. I could have found a way out where everyone was fine. Edward is her mate. She is supposed to be with him. Now, five people are dead."
Edward didn't speak, but his chest was puffed up, head held high standing next to Alice chirping at Jasper.
"FUCK YOU! Fuck you, Alice. You think I don't know that my dad being dead is my fault? I know! I'm the one who has to live with that. And get it through your tiny pixie skull. I am NOT. WITH. EDWARD! He is not my MATE! I will never be with him again." I screamed out. Both Alice and Edward took a half step back.
"Bella, come now. That is not appropriate language for a lady. Even if you are mourning." Edward started to come towards me, admonishing as he went.
Jasper's growls increased and I had finally had enough. Something inside my brain snapped. Like a rubber band. Pain exploded in my head and an inhuman scream tore from my lips before the world went black.