Lost Gold

Chapter Thirteen

Eliza's POV

I don't think I ever really realised just how eerie the forest was at night. This sickened me slightly. I was a vampire for crying out loud, and above that, I was Eliza Anne Masen. Nothing was supposed to frighten me. Nothing at all, especially not the dark forest.

It was a typical midday for Forks. Damp, cold, dark. The forest has its own smell, exclusive to this area. As a vampire, with an enhanced sense of smell, I could detect the different scents of the luscious green life, musk of the animals, and tangy after scent of water droplets, pounding down on the canopy overhead, providing a sweet, refreshing dose of cleanliness from the other stronger smells.

Suddenly, my sharp nose picked up a different scent. One that was unique, but belonged here, deep in the forest, none the less. It was a scent my nose had been unconsciously longing for.

I knew it was silly and just a bit juvenile of me, but I quickly checked my appearance in a small mirror from inside my bag. I had spent the last few days travelling and in a forest, so I couldn't expect to look at my best, and I wanted to look perfect when he saw me.

Vainly I tried to tidy my wavy golden locks and smoothen my blouse. I sensed a presence behind me. It was him. He was here.

"Eliza." he said. Slowly, I turned to face him. As soon as I saw him standing there on the other side of the clearing, my frozen heart seemed to beat again.

"Seth," I said looking into his eyes. They were still, steady on my face, "I didn't expect to see you here." I continued to look at him through my golden eyes, holding his steady gaze with my own. Slowly, he took a step towards me.

"I didn't expect see you here either." And another.

"Touché." I said, smirking slightly. I mimicked him, taking a slow step forwards.

"Did you mean what you said?" Seth said, getting straight to the point. I understood what he was talking about. He meant when I said I didn't love him.

"No. I did not." I took another step forward, taking a deep breath.

"So Edward was right. You were acting." He took a step closer to me. I hated this. As much as I loved being near him, this was not the Seth I was used to. Where was his happy-go-lucky personality? His cheerful attitude? What was this keeping his cool nonsense?

"I was. It was to protect you." I said, nodding. I knew Edward would figure I was acting, some brother he would be had he not.

"I told you, I don't need protecting." I grimaced. I really didn't want our reunion to go like this. In my head, I had pictured a sort of slow motion image with us each running into to each other arms to proclaim our undying love for one another, like in those romantic movies. No such luck.

"I realise that now, Seth. But you have to excuse me. Seth I love you. We all go to crazy measure to protect the ones we love, you should know that." I said to him calmly, but inside, my stomach was tying itself into nervous knots.

"I know. I would do anything imaginable to keep you safe." Seth looked at me with so much intensity, I imagined myself suddenly setting on fire from the fire burning in the pits of his eyes, "So you can maybe, just maybe, register just how much pain you put me through."

I put him through pain. I hurt him. Tyra was right. I was a horrible person. A leach, but not in the way she meant it. I sucked out Seth's happiness, his cheerfulness, when I left, and replaced it with this stupid calm crap.

"Seth... I-" I began. I wasn't sure how to tell him how sorry I was. How much I hated myself. How much I wished he would take me back, hold me in his warm arms, kiss me like he used to, but he cut me off before I could assemble my words in the perfect appology.