L I S A

Should I believe my eyes or my sanity? From the events that had been lately occurring, perhaps I'd have to go with my eyes because there was no way all of these could fit into my sanity.

But was I anymore sane? These questions were the least of my problems. Right now I needed answers as to how in this world there could be two of them.

Did the universe hate me so much to multiply my problems? Was I being punished for my forgotten sins?

How could there be two of them!

My mind was literally screaming at me for all the probable possibilities.

If vampires could be true than doppelgangers were mere innate magical beings, perhaps he had an identical twin? That was the sanest answer I could prepare to notify my bursting brain.

So which one of them was my Edward? Wait! Did I just refer him as mine? I needed a break!

His face burnt with anger, rage that I feared to predict his next actions.

What would he do? He, who was standing afar away and gazing at the Edward in front of me with a murderous thought, he could be my Edward, otherwise he wouldn't be so short-tempered after seeing me like this.

From all I'd encountered in few minutes and my calculation stated that that kiss wasn't from the real Edward. I did not kiss him.

So he didn't hurt me―oh! That thought brought both a relief and guilt. I'd let a stranger kiss me! My first kiss . . . I wondered if I had been happy if somehow the kiss was from . . . no! Stop!

My mind was flooded with overwhelming guilt that I didn't realize the imposter still staring at me and Edward glaring at him.

It was an awkward situation as I was overwhelmed by guilt, Edward was drawn by anger, and the imposter was staring down at me with his lustful eyes.

It was as if he hadn't yet gotten aware of Edward's aura but if he was a vampire than he was more than aware of the burning gaze shooting at his direction.

I instantly was proven correct when he drew me firmly in his embrace such that my back was pressed against his front and his left arm was snaked around my neck.

I was face to face with Edward even if we're ten paces away.

"It's nice to see you here." His voice changed.

His accent thickened and his tone became more malicious and evil when he spoke out.

His right arm curved around my stomach and his mouth rested on my shoulder and then drew up again.

I could feel his coldness around me with the scarce supply of distance between us.

His breath was as well cold as his skin. And by virtue of his chin on my bare shoulder, I could tell he wasn't clean-shaven as the small spikes of his beard pierced into my skin.

"Let. Her. Go." Edward murmured with clenched teeth and frightening enough it made me jump even in that suffocating grasp.

"Careful there young man. You're scarring the damsel in distress." He murmured bringing me closer-as if we could get any closer than we already were.

Edward's fists clenched. His teeth gritted now and then and eventually he gave up the self-control taking me by surprise.

He ran towards us and I closed my eyes as if to prevent what was going to happen from happening.

Nothing happened.

I was confused and startled because I felt a wave cut through my face and then it was dead silent.

I gathered the courage to open my eyes and braced myself for whatever stood ahead.

I blinked more than twice before getting devoured into his light brown eyes that burnt with endless guilt and fury.

Edward's hands stopped after perching on my forearms whilst I was still in the imposter's embrace.

Edward didn't attack him.

"Dare to move another muscle in your body and she'll have no bones left to walk or live." The imposter muttered against my skin.

"You're bluffing. He wants her alive." Edward muttered in the same scorching tone.

He? He'd promised me to someone else? How could he? What? Am I just a parcel then? I thought . . . wait what did being his assignment mean? He had to submit me to his boss before the expiry date?

I was going to kill this guy for making me suffer so much and who was this other He? Whoever he might be would face my wrath and I didn't care if he was a vampire.

"True. Then I'll just drain her out and heal her again." The imposter threatened and with his voice it rather seemed like he was explaining his daily routine and not just planning to kill me.

"Before that I'll tear your head apart from your body." Edward said with a light smirk.

I felt really uncomfortable at the situation, and wanted to rush outside as swift as it was earthly possible.

They're figuring out how to kill each other and me, why did they have to involve me?

"You didn't stop me when I tasted her, now did you?" I gasped at his words and flinched altogether.

Disgust took over my pained face.

Edward inflamed and his eyes found mine once again as if to check either he was lying or not and sure did my sore lips answered for me.

Unwaveringly, Edward's hand traveled up my arms and caressed me only to end up at his throat in a rapid move and pushed him against the wall.

I was pressed against the imposter's front and Edward was glued to mine.

The man's clutch around my neck tightened and I struggled to free myself, ending up making a few groans.

He was going to strangle me to death.

"I can bear a hundred times more than her. Choose wisely Ed." A heard a smug smirk taking shape behind me in all its glory.

That was a tricky choice. Edward wouldn't leave me here with him knowing about his disgusting intentions and well I was no good to him dead.

My heart skipped a beat as to what Edward's next moved would be although for a fact I knew Edward wasn't going to let me die; after all he needed me for his master.

Vampires were really unpredictable.

I knew that when I heard a snap and the grip around my body alleviated to a highly relieving extent.

The body fell behind me and I didn't have the courage or strength to take a glimpse of this disgraceful being.

Much to my surprise I fell onward into Edward's inviting arms.

My hands stayed pinned down out of exhaustion as my face rested between his chests on his grey V-neck T-shirt.

His arms lifted up to the back of my head and he gently titillated my hair.

I felt comfort in his embrace and soft touch.

He really cared for me―except my feelings; he didn't care about my feelings. Otherwise he wouldn't be doing what he was about to do.

"You're okay now." He whispered into my ears gently stroking my back. "But he will wake up in ten minutes." I jumped again.

Was he trying to give me a heart attack?

His tone was smooth like before but his words scared me. I drew back and looked up at him with a perplexed look.

"It's not that easy to kill a vampire." He made such a childish and sassy expression that I couldn't help but slightly giggle at the remark.

I dropped my sight and looked amusingly at him. He knew how to brush a bad feeling off someone's shoulder.

"I missed that voice." He whispered staring down into my gaze and I flushed crimson―that wasn't a seldom event.

He leaned down gradually to my face. My heart thumped out loud. Should I do this? Should I let him kiss me? I'd just got touched by this pervert imposter.

Not again! Not again! I chanted while waiting for the pain.

🥀 🥀 🥀

E D W A R D

I leaned closer in an attempt to get what I'd always wanted but I couldn't.

This girl had just gone through a good deal of chaos and torture and there was so much I'd needed to explain to her.

I couldn't take advantage of her!

My conscience was barking at me and my demon, after much inducing, had finally agreed to let her go.

I slowly pulled myself back up draining myself out with the last ounce of self-control.

This girl had really put a spell on me. A very powerful one.

In her eyes I saw admiration, fear and bewilderment. Such a peculiar combination of emotions, I could tell by now she wasn't just a regular girl fated to become our feast.

She was keeping herself together where many humans could've fled to the mountains or at the feet of deities to escape this fate. But what choice did she have?

I grabbed her by her arms making sure to not touch the spot where she'd been hurt and pulled her close before taking off running.

She clung to me like a coat on a dresser and closed her eyes to avoid the rapid contact of winds with her face.

Her rapid beating was still audible to me as I ran, I thought it was fear. I'd wrapped her strongly into my embrace and for a second I thought this was why she was scared but no.

The way she had her arms around my neck and her head on my chest, it had to do with something else. So scared, like a little child but I wouldn't blame her.

I stopped before the pit where the hole opened above us. It was height to obtain and with a strong push I plunged both of us above and on the ground.

I bent my knees trying to keep her safe from any collision with the ground.

After that I quickly took off running to where I'd left Jenna.

The place was still hot with the flame but only the tiny flickers came to my sight.

Lisa grudged against the will to let go of me but then stood far away from where I was, avoiding any eye contact.

She looked over to the pile of shaped woods around the so-called bonfire and clutched a scarf between her little fist.

She held it up to her face as her eyes deeply inquired mine in horror.

It took me a while to sink in but I understood what she'd wanted to say.

"She must be nearby. I'll get her." I assured her and twisted back when I felt a hard grip surrounding my forearm.

It made me look back at her and I saw a pair of pleading pale brown eyeballs glistening with moonlight and her lips trembling with fear.

I felt more sorry and angry at once. What must have he done to her to scare her from the core? Wait! I knew the answer even if I wanted to deny it so much―it was true.

"No." She whispered shaking her head rapidly and her eyes looked damp and swollen from crying.

Roshan would pay for it! I muttered gritting my teeth silently to not scare her anymore.

"Come with me." I asked softly brushing her hand with my palm in hopes she might alleviate her grip on my arm.

She swallowed a deep breath and I suspected her throat was dried.

Her hands traveled down from my arm into my palm where I held it gently, stroking it with care.

We walked a great distant away from the fire; I, searching her scent and Lisa was screaming her name―though not screaming, it was more of a gentle call as that was all her throat permitted her.

I had to snake my arm around her waist occasionally to prevent her from losing balance and keep her steady from the sore in her head.

Although she wouldn't tell me but her entire body was aching with pain and it was enough to know by just a mere look of her eyes.

"Jenna!" She screamed and her sound was almost heard like her vocal cord was going to come outside her mouth.

"Easy there." I warned with a gentle tone.

She didn't react much or not at all exactly whilst keep staring at her feet on the grass.

I was worried about her and how she behaved but what could really comfort her that time?

I didn't know much about relationships and I had no absolute idea of what to say to her to make her feel better.

"Thank you." She whispered keeping her gaze low and it almost felt like a remark she made to herself.

I gradually put my hand between her curls on her face and tucked them behind her earlobe.

She looked up at me with wetness in her eyes that was trapped beneath her crystalline lens as she blinked to get rid of it.

My thumb traced her jaw-line and then her cheek as the drop fell freely down at my fingertip.

I didn't say anything nor give her an empathy glance but simply brought her closer to my lips and planted a soft kiss in the middle of her troubled brows and down to her nose I went and slightly above her upper lip.

So soft and slight it was as if my lips never touched hers.

I drew back only to see lots of more tears falling down her cheeks and her lips curved disappointedly and in hurt as she faced away.

Did I hurt her? Was that bad? Was I wrong to do that? I didn't know! What did I do to hurt her? Was I still rough?

Guilt rushed through me and I stepped back, not wanting to hurt her anymore than she was. I was perplexed, bewildered and angry again.

Her arms wrapped around her body and abruptly she broke down on her knees in front of me.

Her face buried into both of her palms as I stared at her with my frozen eyes.

It was bad! She was crying and it was because of me but I wasn't aware of the action that made her cry.

Idiot! Stupid! Moron! Her whimper turned into a sob that was poking my heightened hearing.

"Lisa!" I heard Jenna's scream beside me and Lisa too looked up at the scene.

The woman was gripped between the arms of Roshan and Joseph stood to her right. There were two more: Alex and Marcus to her left.

Jenna was bruised on the hands and head and her neck was bare with tiny black dots across her shoulder and clavicle which was well known to me.

She had a hard time standing on her feet with the dizziness inside her brain and was slowly sinking into a slumber that might never end.

"Well well, we meet again." Joseph chuckled with a dark laugh.