Her New Moon

25

Driana and Jacob relaxed on a tree. The older girl walked back and forth on the branch while the younger boy leaned against the trunk. Sam was supposed to be on babysitting duty. However, he prioritized Emily's health. The responsibility passed on to Jacob, who was next in line to watch over Driana.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

"Ha!" Jacob scoffed. "Not like you'd want to hear them."

"No surprise if it's about Bella," Driana huffed. The girl sat down, hanging by her legs as she swung around. "It's a boring day. You might as well fill it with gossip."

Jacob sighed, picking at the tree. "I'm hurting her. This secrecy is tearing what Bella and I have apart." He rested his head on his hand.

Driana stopped swinging, sitting upright. "Jakey, did you even ask to court or date in the first place?"

Jacob thought for a moment before shaking his head.

Driana raised her brows. "Oh, boy. You still have a lot to learn."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Anyway, she calls at the same time. My dad's been ignoring her, warning me not to answer. I can't disobey Sam, either. It's driving me mad. I've made promises to her. How can I keep them if this life breaks them?"

"Well, you can't expect all promises to be unbroken," Driana reasoned. "You have to understand that this secret protects everyone. Telling Bella about the pack is breaking your promise to them. Besides, how many people could stay calm after discovering boys transforming into wolves?"

Jacob frowned. "So, I have to break one promise to keep the other?"

"It seems that way," Driana answered. "You have priorities now. It's hard, but there's nothing we can do."

"Maybe," Jacob trailed off, staring into the void. He shook his head. "Yeah, you're right," He suddenly agreed. "Makes sense."

"Well, alright," Driana brushed off. "Let's go around. I'm getting more bored."

Jacob and Driana effortlessly jumped down from the tree. They bantered and bickered as if they weren't common enemies. Conversing about their old lives, Jacob paused, grabbing Driana's shoulder. He inhaled the air, and Driana tilted her head in curiosity.

"Something smells," Jacob told her.

"Might be me," Driana said, pointing at her necklace. "Could be this, too."

Jacob shook his head. "We know what you smell like. This one's different." He sniffed. "Do you smell it?"

Driana bit the inside of her cheek, hesitantly removing her necklace. New scents entered her nose, heightening her senses. Inhaling, she became fully aware of her surroundings. She caught a sweet, earthy aroma.

"Jake," Driana whispered. "You need to transform and round the pack."

He stared into her golden-brown eyes, filled with fear. Without another word, he backed away into the bush to transform. Driana looked around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Even with superior eyesight, there was no sign of an intruder. The familiar scent entered her nose, and with Jacob, they began tracking.

They ran, fearing the cloudy weather would bring rain, washing out the scent. A glimpse of orange and red had them racing after it. The figure appeared from time to time, angering Jacob. He pushed forward, never seeming to stop. Driana tried using her power but failed.

"Jake, keep chasing from behind," She told him. "I'll attack from the front."

The wolf gruffed in response. Driana stirred away from Jacob's path, sprinting to get ahead. Racing along the border's edge, she ensured the figure wouldn't jump in the water. She saw Jacob bounding toward her. Where was the mysterious vampire?

"Jacob!"

Driana held her hand out as she fell into the river that formed the treaty line. Hands grabbed her throat, dragging her to the riverbed. The sweet, earthy scent filled the air. Finding momentum, Driana kicked the figure. Staring into red eyes, Driana realized Victoria had returned to Forks. Victoria's eyes were blazing red with hatred. She narrowed her stare, glaring at Jacob, before disappearing into the water. Jacob growled and helped Driana onto dry land. The rest of the pack arrived, and Driana placed the necklace on. Paul and Embry weren't in their forms. They wore regular clothing. Confusion filtered through their faces.

"A new threat," Driana explained, wringing her soaked clothes. "A vampire with a thirst for human blood."

The pack growled and snapped their teeth in response. Paul and Embry made comments, shaking their heads in anger. Driana sighed, calling them and waving her hand in the air. They stopped, staring at the girl.

"Yeah, I'm a vampire, too," Driana pointed out. "A blood-sucking leech. I get it."

"We're sorry," Embry spoke. "Whatever we said doesn't apply to you."

"I'm still one of them," Driana mumbled, squeezing and pushing her hair back. "I'm going to hunt. Hopefully, I'll dry off."

Driana left before they could speak. She was upset. Despite not having been a vampire for long, it bothered her. She became a blood-sucker. Though the words weren't toward her, they had the same effect.

"Dri!" Paul shouted. "Wait!"

"Go away!" Driana ordered, not looking back. "I need to clear my head."

"You're nothing like them, you know?"

Driana turned around. "It doesn't matter! You said they're all damned. Those terms apply to me. Words hurt, Paul."

Paul stepped closer, resting a hand on her cheek. "You're not damned."

Driana shook her head. "I am."

Paul chuckled, gently holding her hands. "An angel like you never will be."