Vengeance

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter 14

First Hunt

The deer scampered away in a desperate attempt to avoid the inevitable, and I had to admit, I was a little remorseful.  In spite of my feelings, the burn in my throat superseded any regret and, with an agile leap, I was upon the delicious smelling creature.  The animal squirmed beneath me, trying to free itself from my inhuman grasp, and with a deep breath, I bit into its throat.

The deer’s blood flowed hot and fresh into my mouth, increasing my desire for more, and I groaned as the pain in my throat receded to a dull tingle.  My arms wrapped possessively around the twitching body and, with one last kick, it went limp. 

I released the deer’s body, letting it fall into a pile on the forest floor, and leaned back with a sigh.  The entire hunt had been so surreal and, yet, natural.  From the moment I stepped into the trees, I knew what was expected of me, and I did it without hesitation.  I closed my eyes, tracked my prey by their scent, and sated myself.

Running was still so strange for me, given that as a human, I could hardly move without falling.  As soon as I made a decision to dash through the trees, it seemed like the forest picked up and moved around me at an inhuman pace, yet still remaining clear.  Although I was slowly becoming used to being a vampire, the speed and enhanced senses were still a little unsettling.

My eyes darted from side to side as I ran, not really aware of where I was exactly.  About an hour ago, Esme and I had been hunting about a mile away from the Denali’s home.  I had just finished up a herd of deer that Esme had cornered when I smelled something absolutely delectable.  Not stopping to think about my actions, I found myself running, and soon was pouncing on a gigantic bear , leaving Esme to call to me in the distance.  It was completely invigorating, but, unfortunately, left me alone in the middle of an unfamiliar forest.  The clouds also decided to open up, washing away any scent that I had left behind.  So here I was, like Hansel and Gretel, trying to find my way home.

As I stopped momentarily, soaking in the brief light that filtered through an opening in the dark clouds, the winds changed and, to my relief, blew a familiar scent my way.  Esme.  We had separated for a short time, during my hunt, and I was positive that she must be worried about me.  My suspicions were confirmed as she broke through the tree line, her face frantic and upset.  However, I was very surprised to see that she was not alone.

Rosalie’s scowl made my back straighten, and the words that accompanied it were just as severe.  “Isabella Marie Cullen!” Rosalie snapped while closing the distance between us.  “Do you have any idea how far we’ve been searching for you?”

“That’s enough, Rosalie,” Esme chided and, after rushing to my side, promptly began fawning over me nervously.  “Are you all right, Bella?  You weren’t scared, were you?  Or overwhelmed?”

“Are we going to address my issue?” Rosalie reclaimed our attention by lifting her foot, and revealing a broken heel on her bright red pumps.  “These are sold out, Bella!”

My mouth fell open as Rosalie continued to parade around in the broken shoes, gesturing wildly and shouting at the top of her lungs.  My eyes trailed to Esme, whose appearance mirrored my own.  We simply stared at Rosalie, who made no sign of halting her tirade.

“These were a gift from the designer too!” Rosalie screeched and clutched both sides of her flowing golden hair.  “He stopped me on the street in New York City, during fashion week, and gave them to me!  Now they’re ruined!”

I turned a confused and wary gaze to my mother, who simply shook her head and chuckled softly.  “She’s been very worried, Bella.”

I nodded, understanding that Rose’s angry tantrum was due to her concern, and only partially because of her destroyed shoes.  The thought softened me and I mirrored my mother’s endearing smile.