Nothing but pure instinct drives me across the forest floor, searching for the one scent I so desperately crave.
The desire to wet my lips with that sweet, iron tasting liquid burns painfully in my throat. But the pain pushes me on, deeper and deeper into the forest.
My ears listen for even the slightest breath. My eyes take in every detail, picking apart the image in search of tracks or broken branches. A barrage of scents fill my nose, and I filter through them to find what I'm looking for.
When it hits, it's not even a conscious decision to turn and follow it. I snarl hungrily in response to the burning need splitting my throat.
It smells so sweet, and so delicious. Each breath brings me closer to the brink of pure savagery.
I grip my hands into the side of a large boulder rising out of the ground. The scent leads here.
Focusing on my hearing, I close my eyes and listen. After a second, the snuffling and snorting of a deer reaches me.
My fingers crunch the rock under them. My entire body coils like a spring, tense and ready to pounce.
The deer rustles in the undergrowth. It's breathing seems so loud, it almost hurts my ears.
Quickly, it all becomes too much. The burning, the pulsing of the deer's blood in its veins, my thirst.
I collide with the deer, my teeth sinking into its neck with a crunch as it's neck is snapped in two.
A moan nearly escapes me as warm, delectable liquid spills into my mouth; wetting my tongue; sliding down my throat; dripping from my bottom lip as I bite harder.
The pure ecstasy of the kill and the way it wipes away any pain, replacing it with a rush, sends electricity to my finger tips.
In less than a minute, nothing more will come from it. As I let it drop to the ground, I snarl when I don't feel fully satisfied.
I still feel the need to feed. I still want more. One little deer isn't nearly enough.
Another sound captures my attention, like many feet on the forest floor coming towards me.
In my instinct driven state, I put up a defensive stance and crouch in front of my prey.
For a few seconds, the treeline before me stays utterly still. Not a single leaf stirs.
Then five vampires crash through the bushes, halting a little over fifty feet from me.
My eyes are clouded by the rush from feeding. Nothing but thirst occupies my mind. Although something does click somewhere in the back of my mind at their appearance.
"Jordan, look at me."
I snarl as the big one steps toward me. The vampire beside him, wearing a jumper with pale blond hair, puts his hand out to stop him.
"It has to be Jasper. She won't respond to anyone else."
Carefully, a smaller honey-blond vampire steps up to me. Again, my hackles raise.
But he copies my stance, dropping into a crouch and holding my eyes. His scent surrounds me, filling my lungs and relaxing the muscles in my body that had turned to stone.
"Jordan, darling, look at me."
Slowly, as if he were approaching a rapid animal, he walks over to me, his hand stretched out.
"Sweetheart, it's alright. I'm okay. You didn't hurt me," he says softly.
His hand makes contact with my skin, and fire shoots into my veins. My vision clears, and suddenly the iron taste in my mouth turns bitter.
I flinch back from him, my back hitting a tree trunk as I grimace at the dried blood on my lips.
"Love? Are you okay?" He asks, his brow creased in concern.
"I...what..." I say, my voice sounding oddly disconnected as I bring my hand up to touch the blood on my face.
Shame fills me, burning into my stomach like acid. I turn my face away from him and push myself up to the tree.
An urge to cry stings my eyes, and after a moment, hot liquid pours down my cheeks. The feeling is so...odd. One part of me recognises it, but the other fights the instinct to freak out.
"Hey, Jordan, come here," Jasper says softly, trying to draw me into his arms.
But I sob and pull away, not wanting to touch his skin in case I hurt him. His limp form falling to the floor flashes in my mind again, causing me to flinch.
"What's happening to me?" I say between sobs, curling my arms around my knees and hugging them to my chest.
"Carlisle thinks he might know. But we need to check a few things first," Jasper says, in the same gentle tone.
Something burns in my throat again, making me wince and draw in a sharp breath. Jasper's eyes look dark, and he reaches for me.
This time though, he sternly draws me in, leaving no room for me to resist his strong grip. I struggle a little, bordering on hysterical.
"Hey, hey, shh, shh, don't worry. I'm here, I'm here. Look at me. Jordan, look at me. You didn't hurt me."
I gasp for air, tears still sliding down my face as Jasper holds me tightly. His embrace slowly calms me, bringing me down to Earth again.
"Are you ready to go back to the house now?" He asks quietly, kissing my forehead.
I nod, and he raises us both off the ground. Too humiliated and ashamed to look anyone in the eye, I keep my head tucked into his chest when we pass the others.
The blood from my mouth has stained his jumper, and I feel self-disgust at my reaction to the smell.
It brings back up the burning of my throat, the urge to feed returning to my thoughts. Then something else inside bites it down, recognising it's horrifying nature.
Jasper keeps his grip on me all the way, whispering comforting things and reassuring me. It makes my chest warm, and I snuggle closer to him.
Concentrating on his scent helps me keep calm, and push unwanted thoughts from my head.
"Don't worry, darling. Everything's okay. You aren't a monster, I promise. In fact, you are something very, very, special."
-------------------
A/NHey, guys! :p
Sorry for the long wait, I have been ridiculously busy for most of the week and will be till November.
But I'm getting back on track now. How are you guys? Any news? :D
Hope you're all well <3
R.A. :)
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Flames [Completed]
FanfictionSET ALIGHT BOOK THREE Theme: Fire Meets Fate by Ruelle. - - - The winds of change are blowing Jordan towards the edge of a cliff, where roaring waves rise up from a dark abyss. One misstep, and she will fall. Holding her hand, Jasper will fight to...