5 years after New Moon

I ran through the dense forest, darting in between the trees with ease. The wind from a building storm whipped at my face, blowing hair into my eyes. Although I had been a vampire for four years, the feeling of excitement that came with running was always new and fresh. It still seemed novel to me to be able to do anything without tripping and hurting myself.

I suddenly stopped and listened intently for any telltale signs of someone’s approach. Their was a faint noise to my right that human ears never could have heard. I immediately started running in the opposite direction – still zigzagging through the trees. I heard noise to my left and turned to run away – but it was too late. I was hit solidly in the side with such force I almost lost my balance, but then I was picked up and swung around in a circle.

“Edward, put me down!” I protested loudly, trying to stop from laughing. I didn’t succeed; I smiled and then laughed out loud. Edward joined in, his rich chuckle echoing around.

He spun me around once again. “Silly Bella. You are still too loud when you run – you need to learn to be quieter.” He shook his head in mock disapproval as he spoke. He suddenly gathered me roughly into his arms. I kissed him briefly and then I broke free of his grasp, and was running, trying to listen for what he was talking about.

With my acute hearing I could hear Edward laugh again, and then all was silent. The chase was back on. For four years Edward and I lived in the wilderness of Alaska, but a couple of months ago, we had moved a little closer to civilization to build up my resistance and we had also started these games of ‘tag’. They had just started out as something to do, and then Edward had realized that even though I was a competent runner, I was really noisy when I ran. So we started doing it all the time and I was getting better, but I guess I still made to much noise for his liking.

I was so absorbed with my listening for Edward that I didn’t hear the girl’s crying until I smelled her and I stopped dead in my tracks. She was lying helpless on the ground only 30 feet away with a foot sticking out at an odd angle, clearly broken. Even better, she wouldn’t be able to run away and I could bite her before she even realized I was there. My mouth filled with venom and I slipped into a hunters crouch, ready to spring at any moment.

Just as I was about to attack, I stopped in horror as my conscience caught up with me. I was moments away from killing a helpless girl who could be no more than 8 years old with her whole life ahead of her. I came slowly out of my crouch as I stopped my breathing. It was much easier to think without her scent bombarding me. I studied her closely for a minute. She had pale skin and brown hair – like I have, I realized with a start. This girl looked exactly like me when I was her same age and I knew that I couldn’t kill her.

With that decision I also unconsciously decided to help her. I ran soundlessly to an area across from her and walked slowly up to her so she could see I was coming. I intentionally made noise to alert her to my presence and when her head snapped up and she saw me, she stopped crying and stared open mouthed at me. I knew that she must think me an angel or something celestial like most humans did, but she would begin to fear me soon enough just like the others.

“Are you lost? Are you okay?” I asked cautiously. I could only talk for so long before I would have to breathe again, and with that would come her scent and I wasn’t sure I could stand the temptation.

The girl nodded to both questions, but she didn’t speak, she just kept staring at me in a strange, almost evaluating kind of look. For almost a full minute we just looked at each other and I was surprised that she didn’t try to move away like most humans would do when they came near us. Then, unexpectedly she extended her arms toward me, like a child waiting to be picked up by a parent, with a look of complete trust on her face.

I gasped involuntarily at this show of faith, and immediately clamped my eyes shut. With that single gasp, I had gotten her scent once again. The venom began to build in my mouth and it was all I could do to not strike out – it would be so easy to break her neck and then feast on her blood.

I stood their with my eyes closed, battling with myself for what seemed like an eternity, but slowly my conscience won and I opened my eyes once more. There she was, her face full of trust, still waiting for me to pick her up.

I smiled at her and bent to pick her up. She was incredibly light in my arms and I was careful not to jostle her foot as I moved her. “Do you know where your parents might be?” Once again she shook her head silently. “Edward,” I said evenly, knowing he would hear me. He was immediately by my side.

“Her parents are this way,” he told me speaking to low and fast for her to hear. Even though he couldn’t read my mind like he could others, he still knew what I wanted. Before he turned to lead the way, he asked concernedly, “Do you want me to take her?” I could tell he was worried. I had only been around humans once or twice and only for short amounts of time – this was my first time touching a human since I had been changed.

I shook my head stubbornly; I was going to do this myself. He looked at me appraisingly for a minute and then he nodded as if he had found what he was looking for in my eyes. He turned around and started walking quickly away and I followed quickly after him.

As Edward and I glided quickly through the forest I kept glancing down at the girl in my arms, continually surprised that she was so trustful of me. All through our walk she just stared at my face unnerving me. Even when I knew her human ears could pick up the sound of people shouting, she stared at my face.

Finally, right before we were going to go through the last of the trees to where I could see who must be her parents, she whispered quietly to me, “Thank you, angel.” She quickly leaned up and kissed me on the cheek.

She went back to her silence as we came out of the trees and saw her parents. The moment they saw us, they stopped calling and stared at us in amazement, and then they noticed the girl in my arms and ran forward, scolding her and thanking us at the same time.

After her father took her in his arms, Edward came and put his arm around my shoulder. I turned my face into his shoulder and took a shallow breath, taking in his scent in an attempt to block out their scent. When I turned back to the couple and the girl, the father got a hold of himself to thank us properly.

“Thank you so much,” he told us fervently. “We don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“It was our pleasure to help. We couldn’t just leave her there.” Edward told him smoothly. “Now if you would excuse us, we need to be going.”

I glanced once more at the girl. She smiled shyly at me and then turned her head into her father’s shoulder once more. I smiled to myself as we turned from them and walked back into the forest. I knew from then on I would be better at my control then ever before.

When we were in the trees away from the family we had just left, I broke free of Edward’s encircling arm, began running again. I stopped a little ways off and turned back to look at him. He raised an eyebrow in question. I just laughed and motioned for him to follow, and then I took off.

Edward soon caught up with me and we ran together through the empty woods. I reached out and grabbed Edward’s hand in mine. He looked at me and smiled lovingly at me. I smiled back and told him fervently, “I love you.”

We had slowed to a stop and he stepped forward and kissed me. “I know.” He murmured against my skin.

I sighed in happiness, I was as lucky as lucky could get.