Nessie was miffed that she was being forced to attend Kevin's memorial, but she did her best to control her thoughts. She knew she'd only get herself in more trouble if she continued to protest. She stood towards the back of the crowd, sandwiched between her parents.
A professor stepped forward and made a generic statement about how young loss of life was always a tragedy. She passed the microphone off to one of Kevin's fraternity brothers. He introduced himself as Ryan.
"They say practice makes things easier. That's… that's not always true. Some things compound and each time is harder than the last. This is one of those things," he stopped to compose himself. Emotion threatened to overwhelm him.
Edward looked down at Renesmee—as if she didn't already see the frat boys wrought with emotion. His expression made it clear he held her responsible for their pain even though she wasn't even the person who killed Kevin. She did feel a twinge of empathy for the members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. It wasn't their fault their friend had been a horrible person. But then again, it was their choice to overlook just how horrible of a person he'd been.
Edward frowned.
"During my freshman year," Ryan continued, "Kevin encouraged me to run for president. I didn't think I had what it took, but the chapter agreed with him. Shortly after I was elected… we lost our incumbent president. Chad was one of the coolest dudes I had ever met. I had no idea how I was going to forward without him. But then Kevin reached out. I was never alone. If I ever needed anything, I knew he was just a phone call away. For those of you who weren't here, I stood in this exact spot, while we lit candles for Chad, and I… I couldn't even get a word out. Kevin rushed forward and took the mic from me. I'll never forget his words. He said 'Chad would be pissed if he knew we were crying like pussies over him.' and I know Kevin would feel the same way about himself. So tonight, we're going to honor Kevin by sharing the good times."
He invited everyone to come forward and share stories. He held the microphone out to the audience. His eyes pleaded for someone, anyone to step forward and take it from him. Everyone stared at him in silence, too overwhelmed by emotion. Finally, another one of Kevin's fraternity brothers, Dylan, stepped forward. He talked about how he and Kevin would go hunting together. "We used to call him the Stormtrooper," Dylan smiled fondly at the memory. "We never had much success, but Kev and I always had a blast."
One by one, people took turns sharing stories. A guy from Pike recalled the various pranks pulled in the name of Greek Unity. A girl from Phi Mu spoke fondly of Kevin's contribution to Greek Week.
Nessie had to make a conscious effort to refrain from rolling her eyes. Had everyone forgotten how horrible he had been? Suddenly, everyone had something nice to say about Kevin. Apparently, he was a volunteer EMT who rescued puppies in his free time. Nessie couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Janis amongst the crowd expressing her remorse. Nessie couldn't wait for the event to be over. Edward gritted his teeth.
Most of the stories were the same: somebody would share a mundane story about an average human experience, and then they'd all get sad—as if Kevin had been the only person they could have ever shared a beer with. Her thoughts began to wander. She glanced over at the building where Nahuel would be hiding. Her heart raced in her chest at the thought of seeing him again. She refused to think anything more specific – not with her father standing so close.
She spotted her roommate a couple rows forward.
"Hey Kimmy," Renesmee greeted, stepping away from her parent. She could feel her mother's glare on her back.
"Hello, Nessie," Kimmy said in surprise. Renesmee was surprised to see her. Ever since AJ had arrived, her roommate's obsession with Kevin's attack had been brought to a halt. It was fascinating to see firsthand the strength of the young hybrid's gift.
Renesmee stayed with Kimmy until the memorial finally came to a close. She slipped past her parents without looking at them.
"Nessie," her mother hissed. She ignored Bella. Renesmee had done what she was told. She attended the god-awful memorial without protest. She had no desire to stick around and listen to them hammer home their point. Everyone was sad, she got it. There wasn't anything more to be said.
"Let her go," Edward muttered in a resigned tone.
She didn't let herself react to his comment. She continued on her trajectory, heading toward the building and to Nahuel.
He was waiting for her outside the room.
"Hello, Nessie," he greeted her as they joined the boys in the room. "How was your day?"
"It's a long story," Renesmee wanted to wait until she was sure her father was out of range. "What about you? What have you been up to?"
Nahuel started sharing details about his day. Renesmee tried to listen, but her thoughts were focused on her own day as she waited for her turn to share. He really hadn't done much interesting, anyway. He'd gone into town in search of a generator for the little house. He'd found a small one that worked to power a few appliances.
She waited until they were in the car on the way back to his house before launching into her account of her day, telling him about how she was forced to go to the memorial and how no one seemed to understand that she was doing them all a favor.
"I was just trying to help," Renesmee ranted. "He was hurting my friend. I couldn't just let him keep getting away with that…"
As Nahuel pulled up to the house, he looked at her with an expression that derailed Renesmee's train of thought.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Renesmee said, suddenly self-conscious from his pitying gaze.
Nahuel just shook his head. "You're trying so hard to justify yourself. You killed a human. That's normal."
"Oh, right," Renesmee realized Nahuel couldn't understand. He'd taken thousands of human lives over the centuries without ever considering who they might've been.
"It's sad," Nahuel said, stroking her cheek. "Nobody ever taught you how to hunt properly."
Renesmee disagreed, but she didn't want to contradict him. She knew how to identify animals. She was always careful to avoid overhunting an area and she was sure to discard the carcasses responsibly to prevent anyone from finding them.
"Why don't we go hunting?" Nahuel offered. "Actual hunting, none of those animals you've been drinking. I'll teach you what you need to look out for to prevent causing a stir."
"I don't know…" Renesmee was hesitant. That was wrong. It went against everything she'd been taught. But still, it was enticing. She was a vampire, wasn't she? Why should she be avoiding the very basic aspect of their existence?
"If you don't want to kill anyone, I won't make you," Nahuel said. "But at least let me explain a few tips so we don't have to come back to clean up after you again." There was a warning in his words. If this happened again, he wouldn't be able to stop the guard from killing her.
Renesmee nodded. She needed to hear what Nahuel had to say. She owed her family that. She waited outside while he put the kids in bed. When he returned, he gestured towards the woods.
She glanced at the car. "Where are we going?"
"We're going to head towards Portland," Nahuel said.
She jogged to his side. "Wouldn't it be faster to drive?"
"It would be, but we're not in any hurry," Nahuel said. "Lesson one, avoid using human transportation to and from hunting. If the humans are looking for a suspect, they're going to start by checking cameras for suspicious vehicles. It's best to avoid all technology."
"What about my phone?" Renesmee asked.
"Yeah, you should probably leave that here," he said.
She ran her phone into the house before rejoining him. They jogged together, side by side.
"Race you," Renesmee said. She took off running deep into the woods, leaving him in the dust. It was thrilling to propose the challenge without knowing who would come out victorious.
"Hey!" he called out with a laugh. Renesmee could hear him chasing after her. It took him a few minutes to overtake her. He was grinning at the challenge as he passed.
He was faster than her, but not by much. He had to push himself to stay ahead. Renesmee had never been evenly matched in a race before and it was exhilarating. She followed him through the woods, weaving between trees and jumping over obstacles.
Eventually, he started to slow. Renesmee was grateful when he did, she didn't know how long she could keep going. He came to a halt, panting for breath. Renesmee stopped beside him and leaned against a tree. They stayed there for several minutes, laughing between gasps of air while they recovered. She rarely pushed herself to the fullest extent of her abilities around others. It was always embarrassing to be left gasping for air while someone had to patiently wait for her to recover.
Nahuel started walking again, his steps stiffer than before. "The man you targeted was only twenty-one years old. That was your first mistake. When young people go missing, it gets more attention. You should target humans who are a bit older, that way, the other humans are more likely to assume they left of their own volition."
Renesmee's heart ached. If Charlie disappeared, she wouldn't stop searching for him until she had an answer. He would never leave her without a reason.
"Never hunt minors unless you know they've been on the run for a while," Nahuel warned. "The parents will cause a fuss and it will take a while for them to quiet down."
She nodded. She was familiar enough with the human world to know that it was much easier to submit a missing person's report for a child than an adult.
The trees gave way to a subdivision filled with cozy houses. Most of the lights were off as their occupants slept peacefully, oblivious to the monsters lurking outside. They made their way to a sidewalk.
"We're in a suburb outside of Portland," Nahuel explained in a low voice. "This is the exact kind of place you want to avoid. Anybody you cross paths with here is going to be on their way to or from home. These people have jobs and families waiting for them. They'll all be reported within days."
Nahuel led her through the streets. The buildings started to get bigger. "At this hour, there aren't many people out and about. This is the best time to hunt. Fewer witnesses. Be mindful of cameras, though." Nahuel gestured to a CCTV on the side of a shop."
"There are a lot fewer of those in the woods," Renesmee joked.
Nahuel nodded. "Some of them are fake, you have to listen to tell if it's on."
Renesmee listened closely and heard the buzzing of electricity.
"Hear it?" Nahuel asked.
Renesmee nodded.
"We have to be more careful than we used to," Nahuel explained. "Technology is developing rapidly."
They spotted a homeless man asleep under a bridge.
"I suppose you're going to say he's a good example of someone I should be targeting?" Renesmee said.
"You could if you wanted to, but he actually isn't the best. Can you see why?" Nahuel questioned.
Renesmee looked closer. The man had a mat that he was lying on. His limited possessions were in a pile by his side. Plastic Tupperware sat empty by his pillow. Renesmee shook her head.
"He's been here a while," Nahuel explained, "and somebody's been bringing him food. He has people in the community who are looking out for him. They'll notice if he disappears. If you want to target homeless humans, look for people who are forced to keep moving. They're a lot harder to keep track of."
Renesmee nodded. Nahuel led her through the streets. Explaining what could cause people to take notice and which people could slip away undetected.
The stars were beginning to disappear from the sky when Nahuel decided it was time to head back. He led her into the woods.
"One other thing," Nahuel said. "Hikers. They're always easy to target, especially along rigorous trails, but you need to be careful about how often you hunt in one area. If too many hikers go missing, it will deter others from venturing into the woods."
Renesmee caught the smell of human blood on the breeze. She slipped into a crouch without thinking. All the talk of hunting was making her thirsty. The scent had her mouth watering. Nahuel watched her and raised an eyebrow. She straightened up and chastised herself. She forced herself to breathe through her mouth.
Nahuel climbed a nearby tree for a higher vantage point. She followed close behind. They hopped from tree to tree in the direction of the scent.
He stopped when he reached the edge of a steep drop alongside a trail. He leaped to the ground and looked down over the edge. She crept up beside him. She felt dangerously exposed as the sun started to rise. She could no longer rely on the cover of darkness to conceal them.
The smell of blood was stronger than before. At the bottom of the ravine, an elderly couple lay unconscious, huddled together for warmth. Renesmee took note of the details. The man's leg was tied between two sturdy sticks—a makeshift brace. The woman's hands were caked in blood and dirt. Her pants were torn at the knees.
Renesmee imagined what must have happened. The man had fallen off the trail and tumbled into the ravine. She wondered whether the woman had fallen with him, or if she had climbed down willingly to try to assist the man.
Nessie reached for her empty pocket, only to remember she'd left her phone at the house. How stupid! It would take her hours to run back and get the phone and call Carlisle. It was clear the couple had been stuck for at least a day, maybe longer. They didn't have much time left. The man's breathing was shallow. Nessie wondered if he had additional injuries beyond his broken leg.
She turned to Nahuel to ask what he thought. Before she could say a word, she realized he had a completely different plan to spare the humans from their suffering. His eyes locked on the couple as he crept forward in a hunter's crouch. He made his way down the steep cliffside, his hands finding holds too small for the woman.
Renesmee watched silently as Nahuel landed silently beside the couple. Saving them was clearly the last thing on his mind. And why would it be? There was nothing they could do for the couple without risking unwanted attention being drawn on them. In a single movement, Nahuel pulled the man away from the woman and leaped into the nearest tree, out of view of the woman. He sunk his teeth into the man's jugular before he could fully emerge from slumber.
It was harder to resist than ever before. Renesmee remembered the taste of Kevin's blood on her lips. She'd only just gotten a taste when Seth interrupted her. She'd never struggled with self-control before, because for all her life, hunting humans hadn't been an option available. There was never a choice…
Until there was. Once she made the decision to hunt Kevin, humans were officially an option, everything was a choice.
The woman sat up and looked around, jostled awake by Nahuel's interference.
"Craig?" she asked weakly. Her voice was hoarse and rough. "Craig!"
She tried shouting, but she was unable to conjure significant volume.
Nahuel looked at Renesmee and gestured to the woman below. He raised an eyebrow, asking a clear question. One way or another, the woman was going to be killed. It was so much harder to choose to walk away now that she knew the human would not be spared. What difference did it make? Whether it was she who killed the human or Nahuel? What would be the reason for resisting?
She looked at the human down below. If she didn't hunt now, she'd hunt something else later—maybe an elk or a bear if she were lucky. Why was she resisting? On principle? What made the animals any less deserving of life than this elderly couple? What benefit were these humans to the ecosystem? They were old, they had already had a chance to live long, full lives. By hunting now, she wouldn't need to hunt an animal. She'd be sparing the life of an innocent creature in favor of one who was doomed to perish regardless of whether Renesmee had found her or not.
The human's futile cries grew more frantic. There was no reason to prolong the human's suffering. Renesmee had decided.
She jumped from the cliff and landed with a thud beside the human. It turned at the sound of the noise.
Renesmee lunged forward, sinking her teeth into the human's neck. She had only gotten a small sip of Kevin's blood before he was ripped from her grasp. This was like getting hit by a monsoon during a drought. The taste flooded her senses, overpowering all her other thoughts. Nahuel was right, she spent too much time justifying. She was a vampire. This is what they did. How could she deny herself this? She never wanted to settle for elk ever again.
Renesmee listened as the human's heart sputtered to a stop. When the body was drained, Renesmee lifted her head and looked at the woman, limp in her arms. A chill rippled through Renesmee's body. She had killed a human. All of her justifications from moments ago slipped away. There was no defending this.
But why should she? What does the lion owe to a lamb? She was a predator. She was done pretending she wasn't. She tried to find her place in the human world and they rejected her. It was time to embrace the other half of her genetics.
Nahuel jumped out of the tree and landed by her side. The man hung limply over his shoulder. He had a satisfied look on his face like he was proud of her…
"Come on," Nahuel said. "I'll show you how to dispose of a body."
Renesmee followed him west, away from the trails and the city. An angry snarl pierced the air nearby. A huge red wolf lunged out of the woods, aiming straight for Nahuel. He didn't have much time to react. He used the man's body as a shield, separating himself from the huge wolf's massive teeth as Jacob pinned him to the ground.
"Jacob! Stop!" Renesmee shrieked.
Jacob froze, immobilized by Nessie's command. His teeth were inches from Nahuel's face. Jacob turned to face her. He didn't remove his paw from Nahuel's chest. Renesmee blasted him with her thoughts. Showing him her explanation and her feelings for Nahuel.
"Don't hurt him," Renesmee pleaded.
Jacob removed his paw and backed away slowly. Pain and betrayal filled his huge eyes. She stopped broadcasting her thoughts. She hadn't meant to hurt him; she just wanted him to understand.
He shook his head before he spun around and disappeared into the woods.
Nessie dropped the woman's body and started to go after him. She pushed herself as fast as she could, but it was useless. The sound of his paws hitting the ground faded away into the distance.
"Jacob!" she called.
She kept running, though the woods were silent around her. She slowed to a stop. Her heart pounded in her chest. What had she done? She didn't mean to hurt Jacob, she just wanted him to understand! She couldn't let him hurt Nahuel!
She realized she'd left Nahuel behind. She retraced her path and made her way back to him. She found him where she'd left him. He'd taken off his shirt to tend to the four puncture wounds left where Jacob's claws had dug into Nahuel's chest. Though they looked deep, they didn't bleed the way a human's wound would.
"Oh Nahuel!" she gasped. "Are you alright?"
"I'll heal," Nahuel watched her suspiciously. His eyes scanned the forest, searching for danger.
"He's gone," she said simply.
He examined her face for a long moment before nodding once. "Let's dispose of these bodies."
He collected the corpse and carried on as if they hadn't been interrupted. She followed him, hardly paying any attention as he explained the do's and don'ts of body disposal. They buried the humans and their belongings deep in the woods where no one would ever find them, but not before Nahuel picked over their belongings, keeping a backpack and a few of their supplies that interested him. He searched every pocket and pulled out all the items that could be easily traced back to the original owner. Car keys, a wallet, and even their wedding rings were all thrown into the pit with their owners.
She couldn't stop thinking about Jacob. She told herself he just needed time. He'd forgive her once he had a little time to think.
But would she forgive him? He had unjustly injured Nahuel, and for what? The crime of helping her? He had no business butting in!
She reasoned that Jacob's actions were rooted in jealousy. The audacity! No one could help the imprint, but that didn't give Jacob the right to punish her for it!
Of course he ran off, she had thwarted his plans to scare off Nahuel, so now he was off tattling to her parents! Did he really think he could keep her away from Nahuel by getting Bella to reprimand her?
A wave of anger raked over her as she imagined how the conversation would go. As always, Bella would tell her she was shocked and upset by Nessie's behavior. She'd say something like 'This isn't how we raised you,' and tell her she should know better. Edward would be there too, of course. Listening to her thoughts, figuring out which elements of Bella's speech struck a chord. Then, when Bella was done ranting, he'd deliver the final blow. He never failed to leave her feeling ashamed for her actions and desperate to do better.
It was unfair! Nahuel never made her feel that way. He accepted her just the way she was. He understood.
Nahuel led her to a creek not too far from the house where the boys would be fast asleep.
"We're going to have to do our best to get cleaned up here," Nahuel said. "We still don't have water at the house."
Renesmee looked down at herself and realized she was covered with blood and dirt. She didn't see it as a problem, she could just stop by Jacob's house and—
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she realized it was out of the question. The Cullen's house was no better of an option. She realized she would have to make do with the creek.
Nahuel removed the remainder of his clothes and folded them in a neat pile on the bank, along with the backpack. She followed suit. She looked at her shirt and frowned. There was no way she was going to be able to get the bloodstains out in the river. There was no salvaging it. She sighed and set it aside.
She cupped her hands in the cool water and brought the water up to her face. Cleaning off in the stream was not efficient, but it was better than nothing. She looked over at Nahuel. He was beautiful in the morning light. He had done a much better job of hunting without making a mess, but he was streaked with mud from when Jacob tackled him. The wounds on his chest had already closed, though they weren't quite healed.
Nessie worried the Volturi may take offense by Jacob's assault. She glanced around but she didn't see any sign of Felix. As long as they kept this between them, they should be fine.
"How do I look?" she asked.
"You missed a spot," he said. He waded across the creek, closing the distance between them.
He reached out a rubbed off a spot by her ear. He let his hand linger on her cheek. She leaned into it. He watched her, seeming to examine her face. She marveled at his face. The light reflected brilliantly off his brown eyes, bringing out flecks of gold hidden in their depths.
He leaned forward an inch, moving too slowly for her liking. She pushed her lips against his. She could taste his last meal. He moved slow and deliberately, as if he too, was savoring the taste of the kiss.
She ran her fingers through his hair, letting her hand brush against his face. Nahuel hesitated.
"You're worried about Jacob?" He asked.
She nodded.
"Do you think he's going to come after me?" he asked warily.
Nessie shook her head franticly. "No, not after I told him to stop. He'd never do that to me."
Nahuel thought carefully for a moment before responding. "Then nobody needs to know. Let's forget about what happened. I don't want you thinking about anyone but me."
She sighed with relief. At this moment, she wanted the exact same thing. Jacob would calm down. Though her family would not be nearly as understanding, they too would accept that what's done is done. She would face them later.
For now, it was just her and Nahuel. She didn't want anything getting in between them. He pulled her into the water with him, closing the space between them.
Chapter Playlist:
Memories - Maroon 5 - Ryan
Wake Me up When September Ends - Green Day - Dylan
You're Gonna Go Far, Kid - The Offspring - Bella
Goodbye Earl - The Chicks - Renesmee
Cigarette Duet - Princess Chelsea - Renesmee
Apocalypse Please - Muse - Jacob
How Bad Can I Be? - The Lorax - Renesmee
