E D W A R D

I'd thought of convincing Lisa into staying close to me.

There was something about this place that Aman was refusing to caution me about.

And the cue of his betrayal was evident around his neck as a wolfs-bane in a chain of leaves, shutting me out from his thoughts and conquering over my abilities to see through his soul.

He captured my attention for a long while as he showed Jennifer around the place and small bushes.

It was too late until my eyes wandered off to find hers only to be met by air that was laced with the taste of greenery of this Paradise.

"Edward." I turned to Jennifer at her concerned tone. "Where is she?" She finished giving her environment a side glance, a worried one.

I turned to see behind her and Aman was wrapping his hands on his chest, looking both amused and well cognizant of the situation.

I gave him a death glare before turning towards her.

"I'll find her." I dismissed.

I scampered off into the woods asking Jenna to stay with Aman-however, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not. With him, I hoped she'd safe.

Though that satisfaction couldn't mask my overwhelming fear for Lisa, who'd so stupidly ran away on her own.

I felt really less about myself.

How could I let her escape? I was so drowned in my stupid emotions that I forgot she had taken off.

And no one saw her! Not even Jenna! If I wasn't wrong―which I hoped I was―she was in a grave danger.

But now Mason would finally have what he'd wanted and my task was completed, right? It was what I was assigned to do.

I was liberated-though that feeling as well brought nothing but a guilt that was consuming my insides in a ravenous hunger.

What was with this guilt building inside of me? I was no longer under his debt and She . . . she would be free.

I missed her and I could finally swipe her off her feet and into my arms as I carefully caress her ankles.

I wanted to lie on her thighs and feel the vibrant love that could dominate even the beautiful colors of rainbow.

She was such a sweet soul, someone who couldn't bear a spike on anyone else's skin because of her mistakes.

She would lie to save someone even if it meant risking herself. And she was trapped with someone like me, a monster.

Sometimes I'd wander how my parents got along so well and loved to bring me into this world.

My mother had every morals and values to oppose my father's.

What would dumbfound me the most was the fact that she never turned, she never wanted to and stayed a human.

It must probably be the fear of spending an eternity without her mate.

And for a little part of her morals that still resided in my so-called soul, I cared for Lisa's sake. I didn't covet her to fall in filthy hands of her predators.

I was assigned to bring her to the castle so it might as well be me to do it.

At least in that way, she'd be able to escape the unnecessary troubles that came along with other vampires. They wouldn't be as kind as me.

The sunlight was almost at the end and the rays were scarcely visible behind the conical peaks.

The pinkish glow was merging with orange and flame like appearance of the near sky above the sun's glow.

I had to find her before nightfall as that was when the death roamed the ground.

As for Jenna, she would be safe in the baldy's appearance―I hoped so. I couldn't look after the both of them at once.

Lisa was my first priority and Jenna, God I didn't even know this woman!

Making my escape through the narrow valleys and steep-sided mountain peaks, the deserted land and the highly furnished greenery of nature, I didn't come across what I was looking for.

Strange thing. The island didn't look as huge from basically any view as it seemed with the efforts of walking about every possible lane in this forest.

It was tiring to no end and you never knew what waited ahead.

If I wasn't a vampire I would've given up a while ago before turning myself into a malicious trauma because of some lassie.

Not that I hated her, I was way better off without her and the trauma she'd caused me.

Once I'd delivered her to Mason myself, I was going to take a long break.

A few steps knocked at my ears and a presence shortly followed.

The touch of a soul lurking in the air was vivid from the scent that crowded my nostrils.

"There you are." A familiar yet vague voice called out from behind. A hint of joy and sarcasm cleared in the tone.

I turned around to stare in the very eyes of the person I'd very much like to assassinate.

"Joseph." I responded.

He was the same tall like two years ago, a foot larger than me and armed with spectacular muscular figure.

His half grayish, half blonde strands of curly hair framed his skinny face and bony jaws. His crooked smile was capable of annoying the life out of anyone.

"It's been long." I rolled my eyes in disagreement.

It was clear as a day he wasn't here for greeting me; we despised each other's soul when we were in school.

"I'm annoyed enough so you better come up with the simplest clue." I said facing him with my deadly serious eyes.

If he was stalling me than he'd suffer the consequences. I swore.

"I see you couldn't find a way out. It's not a child's game after all." I snarled silently at his comment knowing where he was going with that.

"And you on the other hand, a runner or should I call you a lackey of our master's entertainment." His thick accent pierced through me more than his insulting remarks.

"Says the guy who nibbles at Mason's feet." I smirked.

That was enough to bring out the red eyes on his real blue ones.

He waited in anger for a while digesting everything I'd said and then silently smirked as if getting another way of mocking me.

"Well, I hope then you don't require the lassie anytime soon. I'm planning on keeping her for a while longer."

Anger infused in me like burning lava and my cravings became more visible that I could feel my cheeks burning with the same energy that was abruptly ignited inside of me.

How dare he threaten her? How dare he use her name against me? How dare he touch her?

Before I knew I was clinging at his collar and my front was pressed unceremoniously against his. We're nose to nose and I felt, I smelt . . . her on him! He freaking touched her!

I was boiling with an overwhelming rage, so frustrated, so furious, enough to make him pay, to make him realize who he'd messed with.

I had always been soft with him, let him go―that wasn't going to happen today.

I thrust him from bark to bark to different areas always plunging his back to something hard until it broke into a thousand pieces.

I couldn't stop as my vision became red; my sight became full as I felt my pupils thinning.

I didn't stop until he hurled me back this time with an unusual force that I doubted didn't belong to him.

"You've gotten soft Ed." He chuckled as I fell backwards with my head on a stone.

I had a hard time lifting myself up on my feet and it was exhausting.

"Is this the girl's doing?" He was a bit serious this time, seeking for answers. "She doesn't belong to you." He muttered outrageously and I looked at him in disbelief.

"It's not for you to decide." I murmured with my clenched teeth even though I had no intention of claiming her as mine, yet.

"I say this because I care. Trust me that girl won't bring you anything but misery and death. Hand her over to Mason and go home. You do not belong here. Not with her." He finished as his tone rose up.

I spotted genuine care in his voice and eyes which never lied but why now? After everything we'd been through, we'd hated each other's guts. What was with this empathy now?

I laughed involuntarily at the iconicity of the situation. When did my rival become my admirer?

"Who's getting soft now?" I sassed.

The side of my mouth was bleeding and sore but of course I didn't realize that in all the chattering.

I hauled myself up and hopped at him so that his back was on the ground and I perched atop him giving him tough punches across his bony face.

The muscles in my hand began to ache but my anger refused to cool down.

I had no choice rather than to free him from his misery and get something to put on my bleeding knuckles quite urgently.

I let out a long gasp as his hands caught mine in one of his fists and the other struck me across my cheek.

I flew involuntarily to land on nothing but an isolated ground.

My eyes begged me to give in to the darkness and so did the anticipated pain skimming over my skin, unable to heal promptly.

He neared me with a predatory smile glorifying his face with the satisfaction laced eyes as the blood on the corner of his mouth gradually vanished.

There was something different about him, I'd sensed it as we got engrossed in the skirmish.

A vile energy was radiating from his skin and his complexion was more dazzling than the past few years in school.

Something new was added to his features and I couldn't quite catch what.

It had to be the protection of some high Lord radiating from his body, cautioning his enemies to bow down in front of him.

I waited from him patiently as he leaned in and I pretended to be a helpless little lad.

When he was close enough I wrapped an arm around his neck and with a swift moment switched our places.

I put his throat between my fist with all my strength to behead him and he shot me panicking look before it was replaced by a devious one.

I was ready to rip his throat apart from his torso as his hands struggled to restrict my movements but only to no success.

At last I stopped-had to-as I deeply bewildered at his words.

"Kill me and she dies." He blurted.