tongue twister • paul lahote

v

S H E  W A S  D E T E R M I N E D to kill. Her eyes were etched with a venomous look. If anyone got in her way, she wouldn't be afraid to kill them as well. She ran as fast as the speed of light, her legs floating effortlessly, barely touching the ground. The wind couldn't keep up with her. Her hair was struggling to stay attached to her head in the speed. Her determination was the only thing keeping her going. Her scent was stuck in her nose. Her throat was burning. She was so thirsty. The only thing that was forcing her to keep going was the thought of getting to drink her blood. If it wasn't for that, she'd be on her way to find her next meal.

The hill was steep, the land filled with rocks and trees. The snow was stuck to the ground, and the dawn was breaking through the sky. Victoria was running in time beside Santana, Riley on the opposite side. Bella's scent was driving Santana. The other two couldn't pick it up over the smell of dog, but she could. Though, to Santana, the smell of wolf was kind of endearing to her. She couldn't understand why the others were so repulsed. The closer they got to Bella's scent, the more they could recognize. Victoria could smell Edward. She could guide them from there. She pulled ahead of the other two, unaware of the trouble about to ensue.

At the peak of the hill bodies came into view. Two, a man and a woman. A tent stood behind them. A cliff was in the distance. The mans head snapped towards the sound of the foreign bodies. Edwards eyes strayed immediately to Riley. The girls stayed back out of sight. The smaller girl clung to the male vampire. Santana could smell her blood.

"Riley, listen to me." The golden eyed vampire spoke. "Victoria's just using you to distract me. She knows I'll kill you." Victoria jumped out of the woods to join them. Santana remained concealed. "In fact, she'll be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore."

"Don't listen Riley. I told you about their mind tricks." Victoria's smooth voice rang in the opening.

"I can read her mind, so I know what she thinks of you." The man stated. Something about the two seemed so familiar to Santana. She couldn't figure it out.

"He's lying." Victoria said, panicked. Santana decided it would be best to wait until she was needed before she showed herself.

"She only created you and this army to avenge her true mate, James." Santana knew this was true, but Riley did not. "That's the only thing she cares about, not you." The man offered Riley this knowledge, but he was so in love he rejected the idea.

"There's only you, you know that." Victoria insisted.

"Think about it. You're from Forks. You know the area. That's the only reason she chose you." He drawled. Hatred dripped off his tongue as he spoke. "She doesn't love you."

"Riley, don't let him do this to us." Victoria blurted. "You know I love you." She pleaded with her eyes. She was good at playing the game, so she used it to her advantage.

Riley was silent. His eyes scanned the ground, letting his thoughts roam. He finally raised his head to look at the couple in front of him. "You're dead." He muttered. He lunged at the strange man, but a large dog jumped out and grabbed him. His screams echoed the clearing. He was caught off guard. Clearly, Victoria wasn't expecting this either. The werewolf ripped Riley's hand off, as he begged Victoria for help. She ignored him.

Santana was panicking. Victoria tried to run, but the other vampire called to her. "You won't get another chance like this again." She stopped, and turned. "You want her. You want me to feel the pain you felt when I killed James." Her face contorted into pain as he spoke his name. "When I tore him to pieces... when I turned him into ash. When I turned him into nothing."  Victoria was shaking with rage, and lunged at him. Santana had confidence in her. She let them banter for a second.

They wrestled to the ground, and Victoria attempted to grab at the woman. The man caught her and flung her into a tree. She grabbed it, easily. Riley was still wrestling with the wolf. The male vampire pushed over the tree Victoria was hiding in, and jumped on her. Riley kicked the wolf to the ground. It hit its head off a rock, and slumped over. The two were overpowering Edward, but he was fighting back. Victoria growled and screamed. "Now!" She shouted.

Santana appeared out of the tree line, illuminated in the light on top of the mountain. Her light hair shone. She looked into the golden eyes of the unknown vampire. He was bewildered. Victoria snarled at his response. Edward immediately recognized her, and that was one thing Victoria knew for certain. Before he had the chance to speak, Santana visualized his feelings for the brown haired girl. She saw his adoration, and his love for the human. She turned them to hate. With every bone in her body she concentrated on making him want to kill Bella.

Edwards eyes glazed over and he stopped fighting with Riley and Victoria. He didn't know why, but he did not want to fight them anymore. When he saw Isabella, he understood. He wanted to kill her as much as the others did. He turned to face the human, and the three bodies moved closer to her. Without taking long to process it, Bella knew that Santana was controlling Edwards head. She could see the hate in his eyes. She knew it wasn't him. In a split second decision, Bella ran and fell to the ground. She dusted her hands over snow, and found a rock. She picked it up off the cold ground, and placed it to her arm. With one fluid motion she sliced it down her wrist.

Santana's focus broke. She smelled the exposed blood. Her mouth watered. Edward regained his original state of mind. The three were mesmerized with the blood. Edward, immune to her blood, took the chance and seized Victoria. The wolf jumped back to its feet and caught Riley. Riley pleaded for Victoria to help him, but she ignored him and lunged for the girl once again as the wolf pulled Riley out of sight. Edward caught her leg and hauled her back, fighting her. He caught the upper hand and attached his teeth to her neck. In a slick movement, he detached her head from her body. Santana let out a wail of pain. She fell to the ground, writhing in agony. Her mother, and her best friend. She was dead.

Edward looked at Santana and then at Bella, then back to the dead vampire. He pulled out a lighter, and set Victoria's body ablaze. Santana could no longer focus on her thirst, but the immense pain that she was feeling losing Victoria. She was weak. Edward was by her side on the ground.

"Santana, listen to me." She ignored him, only staring at the flames. "Santana!" She snapped out of it. Her red eyes met his golden ones. She was shaking, barely holding herself steady. Edward grabbed onto her. "Do you know who I am?" Her eyed darted around, not being able to focus on him. "Do you know who I am!" He repeated, louder.

"How do you know my name?" She said, weakly.

"It's Edward. I am Edward. Do you remember Carlisle, or Bella?" He removed a hand from her and pointed at the human. She was crazed from her loss, barely able to comprehend him.

"You look familiar, but I-I don't know you." She stammered. "I-I'm supposed to kill you." She didn't have the strength to fight him. "Victoria created me to kill you. I don't know you, I'm just supposed to loathe you."

"You were our family before she took you." He paused and searched her eyes for remembrance. "Me, Carlisle, Jake, Paul." Her heart twinged at the name Paul and she went limp, not fighting against his touch anymore. She looked him in the eyes and with a pained expression, muttered:

"Who's Paul?"