Hurricane ► Jasper Hale [1]

[18]

HER BREATHS CAME out in an uneven pattern, creating fog in front of her mouth from where her hot breath met the cold air. Her heartbeat was pounding, synchronized with her footsteps. She was running, her calves burning harshly as she sprinted through the forest. Genuine fear clawed at her insides, creating a cold and dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach. Cold nipped at her arms, the limbs not being concealed by the dark tank-top she wore. She didn't know what she was afraid of, but she knew that she shouldn't turn back.

And so she kept running, struggling to leap over fallen trees as the burn in her calf muscles increased. She swallowed back a yelp as thorns sliced into her bare feet, causing her to stumble. She pushed herself off of a nearby tree and kept running. Keep going, she told herself, Don't give up. It was hard though, so incredibly hard.

There was no way out, she realized this as she watched the endless line of trees grow. She couldn't escape this. Her feet skidded to a slow halt. She released harsh pants, her hand clamped over her mouth to conceal the sound. But somehow she knew that whatever, whoever, was chasing her would find her anyway.

"I'll aways find you . . ." A distant memory played in her thoughts, causing a sob to escape her sealed lips. She realized now what was happening. She had wanted him to come back, but not like this. Never like this. "Allison," The familiar voice drawled, an almost mocking tone adorning it. "Come on, sweetheart. Don't be like this."

Her dark eyes glared at the surrounding forest, silent tears creeping down her cheeks as she heard footsteps approach. He was taunting her, making this a game. She knew that he could have concealed the sound of his footsteps, but he didn't.

"I'm getting impatient, Allison. You won't like me when I'm impatient, sweetheart."

She stayed still, clinging to the bark of the tree. She clenched her eyes shut tightly, slowing her breathing. It was silent for a moment, allowing her to process. She inhaled deeply, opening up her eyes. She swallowed back a scream as she saw him in front of her, a good ways away. His teeth flashed threateningly in the moonlight as he grinned, darting toward her with the speed of something ethereal. The speed of a vampire.

His blonde waves were blowing lightly in the breeze as he gazed down at her. The eyes that had once enraptured her were gone, replaced with bright red irises that promised death. He lifted a hand to her face and she recoiled, whimpering slightly. He didn't seem to like this, and reared back, his fangs descending from his gums. A snarl rose low in his throat, and she screamed.

There was an ache in her throat, one that felt like flames were licking the inside of it. She realized why moments later, when her hearing finally caught up with her and allowed her to hear the shrill shrieks. Allison was screaming, her slim body thrashing around in her bed sheets as she shook from her pervious nightmare. Her chocolate colored eyes snapped open, tears pooling in them as she surveyed her surroundings. The girl pulled at her hair, tugging its roots as she tried to calm down.

Her bedroom door flew open, slamming back against the wall as her screams finally died down. She didn't move, hands still tangled in her hair as she sat in an upright position. Her parents watched her from the doorway, eyes cautious as she fell back into the bed. The mattress sank under her weight slightly, providing a small cocoon.

Allison placed her arms under her pillow and stretched out her legs that were sore from her thrashing. She flickered her eyes over to her parents, chocolate irises tired as she watched them approach. "I'm fine," She spoke, her voice cracking from the ache. They must have mistook the crack in her voice to be sadness, which it also was, because they sat down on either side of her.