Mia Cara

Chapter 12 Knight in Tailored Armani

I was panicking. It wasn't just my heart racing and my blood pumping in my ears for all the vampires to hear; I was short on breath as I started to hyperventilate while my entire body shook like a leaf in a way that had nothing to do with the cold wind that nipped at my cheeks.

The newcomers had entered the small clearing with an eerie familiarity. Once again, I had watched as two new male vampires flanked by one female slowly inched toward me, all three hunched over in a much more animalistic prowl than how the Cullens or even the Volturi tended to move. Victoria was exactly like how I remembered her: pale and somewhat pretty in a very dangerous and decidedly animalistic way with curly orange hair that fanned out like a dancing flame around her head. Her eyes were darker than the last time I'd seen her, her thirst seeping any hint of the maroon that I remembered. She was also cautious, which I hadn't expected - but it seemed that losing her mate and finally having an opportunity to exact her revenge was making her more careful.

Unlike her, the two males with her were strangers. And unlike the last time, these male vampires are almost painfully young. Not just physically, as they appeared to be around my and Bella's age even if the dark-haired one has rolls of muscle that made me think he must have been a football player when he was human. But both he and the blond boy have the most vivid red eyes that I have ever seen on a vampire. I realized quickly they had to be exactly a year old. Young enough to still retain that first year strength but old enough that Victoria trusted them to be here with her, to control themselves enough that she could exact her revenge on Bella and not be killed by Edward. Their youth showed in their brashness as they attacked Edward... and Seth.

Seth's return had been what pushed my worry and fear into outright mindless terror.

Watching Edward dodge and dance around Riley and Mark's, as the two boys were apparently called, attacks had been scary enough. But seeing Seth leap from the trees and then watching him now as he snapped at Riley and tried to get his teeth into the vampire all while dodging the vampire's own vicious attacks almost gave me a heart attack right there and then.

Edward meanwhile has his hands full as he fends off Mark and Victoria, who continues to try and duck around him whenever he is sufficiently distracted. Mark also appears to be stronger than usual vampires as Edward dodges the younger vampire in the same way he avoids Emmett's attacks, although unlike with Emmett, he's not able to get in a clean offensive either as Victoria tries to sneak by each time he's about to get Mark.

The redhead's black eyes have rarely moved away from Bella after she got over Seth's arrival, although they dart to me every so often. I had seen the flash of recognition in her eyes the first time she looked at me and I know she recognizes me, remembers what I can do - I assume it's one reason she's so wary. The other reason for her slow reaction appears to be Seth, as I can clearly see she doesn't know quite what to make of him yet. And of course, Edward isn't letting her get anywhere close to me and Bella; he always moves half a second before Victoria, blocking her way as soon as she thinks of a plan. I can see this frustrates her although she maintains her composure.

Because it's only a matter of time before someone slips, and we all know it's most likely to be from our side. Seth can't fight Riley on his own forever and Edward can't fight both males and protect me and Bella. Victoria's plan once that happens is so simple it doesn't take being Alice to know what's going to happen. The blond and the brunette boys will attack Edward, but only one will really focus on him. The other one will go for me as soon as there's an opening, take me out quickly before I can hinder Victoria. Edward will ultimately be unable to stop my death from happening because he'll be busy trying to protect Bella and there's no way even he can take on three vampires and keep both Bella and me safe forever.