Absent Heart

Chapter Seventeen

After the fight with Christian, I took a walk around the forest. I had to cool down. After punching a few trees, more or less I felt a little better. He must hate me. I mean what other explanation could it be.

After 10 minutes of walking aimlessly around I noticed I was by a lake.

Wow! It's beautiful.

For some reason I felt the urge to jump in. I stripped off my jeans and t-shirt, and ran into the crystal clear water. It was cold at first but after a while it was nice and warm. I dived under and swam. I don't know if it was for my new accumulated vampire powers, but everything was in full color. I could see everything.

As soon as I broke the surface, I felt refreshed. I pushed the water around with my hands, thinking that if Christian hated me that much then I guess that's just how it's gonna be. I'm not going to force him to like me and I'm sure not going to force him to help me find this vampire.

I dived back under and when I came back up I floated on my back. I closed my eyes and reminisced the times when my family and I went to the beach. I had to teach Emily and Max how to swim. It was an epic fail, but we had fun.

I abruptly opened my eyes, because I had heard something rustling in the bushes.

"Who's there?" No reply. I bet it's Christian, trying to scare me.

"Christian I know it's you." Still no reply.

I swam over to my clothes. As soon as I got out of the water, the hairs on my back rose. Someone's here. I spun around, and just caught the glimpse of something move in the shadows. Crap! I suddenly felt self conscious because I was standing in just my underwear and bra.

I turned around and walked straight into a something hard. I bounced back but was caught by a hand. I opened my eyes and came face to face with a monster. He was hideous, and he reeked of fish. I started to struggle out of his grasp but it just made him hold on tighter.

"Let me go!" I screamed. He immediately covered my mouth with his. Oh God! He tasted disgusting. I started to cry. I kicked and punched him but he still didn't move away.

When he removed his sticky lips from mine, I kicked him in the groin and sprinted. If I make it into the forest maybe Jace will hear me. I was just inches from entering the shelter of the trees when I was thrown back.

When I hit the floor I heard something crack. I screamed out in pain. The thing seemed to like hearing me scream because he smiled. He barely took a step and he was in front of me. He grabbed my leg and squeezed.

I screamed. The pain was incredible.

"That's so you don't run away from me." He laughed in a raspy voice.

He picked me up and threw me over his shoulders.

I didn't even have the energy to scream out, and I couldn't compel him because I need to have eye contact. Shit! How could I already get captured, when the journey barely even started? I'm such an idiot!

I wanted to cry, but there was no point. No one would come. Christians mad at me, he wouldn't come even if I called, and Jace is probably sleeping. This is it. I closed my eyes and awaited my fate.

Suddenly I heard a familiar voice. It said "PUT HER DOWN!"

I couldn't tell who it was. I felt the monster take a step back, and then he started to run. All the moving around made my arm hurt. I think it's broken.

All of a sudden I was thrown in the air, I closed my eyes and awaited the ground, but it never came. Someone caught me.

"Rose, please open your eyes. Please!" I slowly started to part my eyes. My vision was blurred, it looked like Jace. Of course, it was Jace. Christian wouldn't come -

"Rose it's me Christian." Wait! Did I hear correctly? Christian! I reached for his face, but suddenly he gently laid me down and started to run. I looked to where he was going, and realized he was going to the monster. They started to have an all out battle.

I winced every time that thing hit Christian. I started to get up; but he noticed and shouted "Rose sit back down! Or I'll make you"

"But you need help Christian. I'll use my compulsion."

"NO! You need to rest"

"But-" I didn't finish because the monster was suddenly on top of him, throwing punches. Shit! I immediately got to my feet. As soon as both my feet touched the ground I knew that one of them was broken.

I limped slowly over to Christian. He looked like he was losing consciousness.

I knew I couldn't get over there in time.

"Christian! Please just run away" I screamed. Tears making its way out my eyes.

If I didn't have my vampire hearing I'm positive I wouldn't have heard him say

"Never"

I closed my eyes. I heard a scream, at first I thought it was mine but realized it was the monsters. I opened my eyes and saw Jace punch the lights out of the monster. It went flying back, and just by the way its head dangled I knew it was dead.

"Jace! Help Christian!" he looked at me then to his brother. He knelt down picked him up then ran over to me.

"Rose, I'll be right back. I just need to get him by a fire." He looked me in the eyes and whispered "I'm sorry" then he was gone.

I dropped to the floor and laid on my back. I looked up at the stars and within minutes I lost consciousness.