Love Bite

Chapter 22

I DO NOT OWN CHARACTERS OR TWILIGHT

Bella's first instinct was to scream.

Then it was to run.

Sadly, both of these were impractical.

She settled on a silent, stricken, wide eyed stare as Victoria smirked, a hint of sharp fangs peeking out from under her upper lip in a way that was so frighteningly familiar.

Victoria took a step forward.

Bella took a step back.

Victoria's smirk broadened, and Bella read the dark promise in the glint of her ruby eyes. They glimmered red in the faint lamplight, and Bella's heart hammered in her chest.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Why is she here? I thought she was in Italy! Oh no. God, why didn't I check before I opened the door?

But of course, the one time she didn't, caught up in the bliss of loving Alice, her fears were finally confirmed.

"What are you doing here?" Bella blurted, and her breath hitched as Victoria took another slow, sliding step forward, inching towards her with a predatory look on her face that chilled the blood in her veins. Victoria's presence alone always spelled trouble, but when she got that look in her eyes, it was unquestionable.

She could not shake the awful feeling that this time, Victoria was really going to hurt her. As in through pain, not pleasure. Something about the look on her face made Bella's insides squirm fearfully.

This is bad. Really, really bad. She shouldn't be here, not now, not after the Volturi shut down on us for so long. This cannot be good, not if they've sent her of all people.

"Oh, I was passing through town, just thought I'd drop in and say hi," Victoria drawled, the lie discernible through the mockery in her tone. "What? Don't say you're not happy to see me!"

It's not like Bella had to say it. Her hands were shaking visibly so she clenched them to hide it, and locked her jaw and stiffened when Victoria took yet another step, leering her down.

Nope, nope, nope. This is not good.

"I thought you were in Italy," Bella said unnecessarily, holding still and her brain whirling rapidly, trying to think of something to do, anything at all, because it did not matter why Victoria was here, it could only end badly, and she needed to figure something out before that happened.

"I was," Victoria hummed as Bella's eyes flitted towards the staircase. "But I came back."

Obviously.

Bella supposed she could make a run for it, but that would be so hopelessly futile. Her brain began to panic, which was probably the worst thing to do.

I'll never make it. She's so much faster than me. I won't get two steps. Goddamn it, what do I do? I need Alice. She always comes and saves me, no matter what. God, that's really pathetic that I'm that much of a damsel, but what can I really do to protect myself against a freakin vampire? I just have to stall, stall until Alice sees us in her visions.

But Alice was so far away this time, miles and miles away. She had to think. There had to be a way. There had to be.

"Why?" Bella croaked, her breathing beginning to pick up when Victoria ran her tongue over the front row of her top teeth and then smiled fully, exposing every one of them. They gleamed like white Chiclets, and her fangs had never seemed so sharp.

Do something. Quick, before she expects it! All I have is the element of surprise. Move before she moves. But what? What can I do?

Victoria was a vampire. She was impossibly fast and strong. Bella could not outrun her, or hurt her. So then what the hell did that leave her?