The Rose Without Thorns

Eight~ Nathan

I'm still holding Rosalie's hand as we make our way out of the building and into the woods that connect the two sides of this town. It's bigger than people think, but I could run to the other end in 5 minutes. I guide her while we run, taking her to the spot where there's always a few deer. There's a stream near here, they come for the water. We're getting close now and I hold my index finger to my lips, telling her to be quiet. We have to be careful not to scare any animals off. I motion Rosalie to wait behind me while I look for my breakfast. She jumps up and grabs a tree branch, giving herself a head start on climbing its trunk. And the most amazing part? She does it completely silent. I wouldn't have known she left if I hadn't been watching her. She's at least 40 feet up, looking down at me. She smiles and gives me a thumbs up. I'm laughing in my mind, but still careful not to make any noise. I crouch down behind a fallen tree and wait for my next meal to come into sight. I can pick up their scent and hear the leaves crunching underneath them as they walk. Four. There's four deer within 30 feet of me. I could chase after one, but why waste my energy if it'll eventually stop a few feet from my face. One is getting close. 10 feet from the stream. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. It's here.

I take a deep breath and launch off the forest floor, aiming my sharp fangs at its jugular. The deer lets out a squealing noise then goes limp beneath me. Rosalie jumps down from her spot in the tree. I turn around to meet her eyes and wipe the blood off my cheeks with my hand. I walk toward her cautiously. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe hunting isn't a good thing to do on a first date. Or is this our second date? Is this day a date? "Are you o--" I try to say when she cuts me off.

"Can I try?" Man, I like this girl. I reach my hand out for her to take, and she does. By now I've scared all the animals away from this stream, so she'll have to find a different deer. I pull her in front of me and cover her eyes with my hands.

"Focus, take a deep breath. What do you smell?" Her senses are stronger than mine, she'll find one in no time. I hear her inhale and exhale. Once. Twice. She moves my hands away from her face, leaving my right one in her left and pulls me along with her as we run. She found one. It's standing by a bush 10 feet from us eating berries. Perfect. It's off guard, oblivious to what's around it, an easy first catch. I take a step backwards to get out of her way, but it was a stupid mistake. I thought I could do it quietly, but I'm not Rosalie and I trip over a rock and fall to the ground. The sound of my body crunching the leaves catches the deer's attention. It flicks its head to where Rosalie is standing and makes a break for it. But surprisingly, so does she. I follow the path her scent leaves and I can see her long brown hair blow behind her beautiful figure. The way her hips shift from side-to-side when she walks or runs drives me crazy. She's caught up with the deer in 6 seconds and jumps on it the same way I did. Damn she's fast, the stories are true. I always hear about what she can do. I've passed by enough vampires around town to hear her name being spoken too many times and sat behind them in restaurants or parks to hear what she's capable of. "Amazing" I say out loud.

"What's amazing? How fast I learn?" She's smiling a beautiful smile and coming towards me. Her hips are shifting and I think she notices me staring at them. I blush and shy away, sliding my left hand up through my hair. But then her hands take mine and put them on her waist. She's holding them there and inching closer to my face. My heart is out of control ready to explode. And in that moment I realize I'd be perfectly happy if it did. She's my only friend, the only person I'd miss. But I'm sure she wouldn't miss me, she has Felix. To die in the hands of this beautiful girl would be a relief to me. No more lonely days and nightmare-filled nights. No more disgusted looks when I pass my kind in the streets. Dying like this would be utterly perfect.

Then her eyes slow my heart down. I feel at home when I look into them. I say they hold galaxies, but really they hold my galaxy. Rosalie takes her hands off mine and places them on my shoulders. She rests the side of her head on my heart.