Lips of an Angel

Edward's POV From Chapters 18-19 (1)

I was brooding. Brooding over Isabella Swan, who was twisting my mind continually. I didn't understand my obsession with her - because frankly, it could be called little else.

She was beautiful. There was no denying that. Long, mahogany hair, deep butterscotch eyes, pale, flawless skin, taller than average, soft red lips... But she wasn't normal. None of that family were. It hadn't taken me long to work out that there was something far from ordinary regarding them, but the Internet, for the first time ever, had failed me. Nothing on there fitted them. I'd even looked into supernatural, mythical things. Honestly, it wouldn't have surprised me at this point if Bella announced that she and her family were from a different planet.

My doorbell rang, breaking me out of my reverie. I huffed as I stood up, and unlatched the front door, which I'd only just locked up for the night. My side protested as I reached up to slid the bolt down, but I ignored it. There were only so many painkillers I could take.

When I opened the door, the face of the woman I never wanted to see again was revealed. Victoria Hunter. My ex-girlfriend. The woman who had cheated on me, turned my life around, and killed a man - and in the process, she upset Bella. It was perfectly obvious that Sam's death had upset her more than she let on.

"Hello again, loverboy," she said, smiling casually.

"Victoria," I said, not allowing the fear I felt to consume me.

"No smile for me today?" She looked a predator stalking its prey. I swallowed.

She was so different. So different, and yet so the same. While Victoria had been far from ugly when I knew her, she was beautiful now. Beautiful in a way I'd only seen in a few other people - the Cullens. Her hair was more silky, rather than the frizzy mess it had been, and was a richer red. Her cheekbones were higher, more defined. Her eyes-

Her eyes were red.

What was this? Was everybody I knew at the moment some kind of non-human life form from the planet Zog? Because no amount of plastic surgery and hair-dye could change somebody's appearance like that. Did she have the inhumane strength of James and the Cullens, too?

She laughed, presumably at my fearful expression, and placed a fingertip on my chest, pushing me backwards with a single flick. Yeah. She was way too strong to be an ordinary human. I stumbled backwards, and Victoria kicked the door shut behind her. I backed away quickly, but she followed me almost lazily.

"We can play this game all night," she said, "or I can get down to business."

"Just say whatever you're here to say."

"Say?" She grinned wickedly. "I'm here to say very little. Other than you broke my heart."

I snorted. "Yeah, right."

She pouted mockingly at me. "You don't believe me?"

"You were in MY bed, with another man. What d'you think?"

"Oh, I think you'll be sorry you got yourself involved in me in the first place in a moment. Because really, I'm not here to say anything."

I rolled my eyes. "Then what are you here to do?"

"Nothing," she hissed, eyes blazing, "except maybe this."

With just a flick of her wrist, Victoria tossed me high in the air, and I landed agonisingly on the landing on my house. Jesus Christ, that fucking hurt.

A loud thud beside me alerted me to Victoria's presence. She was crouched down beside me, an animalistic look on her face. She titled her head to the side, and straightened up.