FOREVER

Untitled Part 22

Return Part II

She maneuvered me quicker than I could register and I felt her press against my back. Her arm encircled my neck and pushed just enough for me to be uncomfortable. I started to cry but didn't dare make a show. The redhead inhaled again and I could see her smile in my peripheral. "Oh, you're crying. Don't tell me you're scared. You should be used to my kind by now." She laughed and I felt something cold and wet on my cheek, lapping up my fallen tears. I tried to wrench away from her but it was like fighting against an iron bar. And she was pushing too tightly on my neck for me to speak. I felt her tongue on my other cheek, catching those tears as well and while she was distracted I caught my footing and managed to land a swift kick to her shin.

I thought my foot was broken. I really should have known better. She only laughed again and I felt her teeth against my ear. "Do you even remember my name? You probably don't. All you remember is your mate. Alice, was it? All you remember is that she saved you. But what you probably didn't think about was that your mate murdered mine!" Her grip tightened on me and it was a wonder that I could breathe at all.

"Did you think that I was going to just let that slide? That I was just going to run off to Canada and cry a bit and get over it? Hate to break it to you, sweetie, but I'm quite the vindictive bitch. However, I do have one flaw." She whirled me around and I was facing her now. I tried to scream but my voice wouldn't come. She smiled at me and ran her tongue across her vibrant teeth.

"I like to play with my food."

With that, she threw me to the ground. I tried to scream again but that function of my brain wasn't working. My body started working of its own accord, survival instinct having kicked in. I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of running away. It was futile anyway, but I was no longer in control. The other part of me definitely did not want to die and was trying very hard to prevent it. My eyes were burning with rage and fear and it was hard to see. I didn't hear the howling of a wolf and I knew that I was going to die. This was the first time I really didn't want my death. With Alice it seemed...nice. Like we'd be together forever. She wouldn't let me die. I'd just be a vampire with her and we would watch eternity together. But this? This was pretty much death.

I continued to scramble away as she watched me. Her eyes were feral and made my heart race. She must have heard it for she took a slow step towards me. I heard myself whimper and my eyes widened. Before I could really think, I had whipped my head around to the trees and screamed for Jake as loudly as I could. My voice was shrill, loud and echoed over the trees. He'd be coming now. He had to be. She was over me in an instant and I felt a pain on my shoulder. Then I was flying through the air. I tried to soften my landing but ended up slamming my back down hard on the ground. I slid for a few feet, grasping at the loose gravel. When I finally stopped, my foot was hanging over the edge of the cliff.

The redhead allowed me to make it entirely back onto land before she grabbed me again. She held my tightly in her grasp and I felt her teeth graze my neck. She pulled back suddenly and I felt her fingers caress the scar of Alice's teeth. "Well, perhaps your mate isn't who you thought she was. Is that why there's no one coming to your rescue? Did she bite and run? What a tramp. But don't worry. I plan to finish this...and then I'm gonna find her and finish her." Again I was whirled around and she pressed her forehead against mine, smiling in a way that made me want to vomit.

"My name is Victoria. And I'm going to rip your throat out and drink the screams."

Her cold hand was on my neck and I felt her nails pressing harder and harder. I closed my eyes, trying to think of something, anything to take me away from what was going to happen. Alice's image crossed my mind and I held it there with all of my might, focusing on her laughter in my ears. And then suddenly the laughter was replaced with a howl. The hand loosened for only a moment and I turned my head to see a giant russet wolf racing towards me. "Jake!" I managed to scream, though it was horse. Another wolf ran out from Jacob's left and then three more showed up. It was the whole pack, or so I thought.