Rip Tide: A Twilight Fanfiction

Chapter Six: All Actions Have Consequences

Victorious for the moment, Felix took no further action. Killing Jane was not his intent; he had overpowered and subdued her. Turning his head in my direction, his red eyes met my astonished green ones. 

"Why the hesitation?" he asked me brusquely. "Run, before the others arrive. You won't be given a second chance."

Beneath him, Jane was kicking and thrashing like a child throwing a rather frightening tantrum. Her hands clawed at him but were ineffective in prying the hand from her eyes. It covered most of her face, in fact. 

"Why stop her?" I had to ask him, after picking myself up from the ground. Without deluding myself that his loyalties had changed, it had still been a genuine action on his part. 

He mulled that over, before he answered, "Her habit of acting out of line has grown intolerable, to me. She will face judgement. I was told you weren't to be harmed; if you are unsafe here, then leaving would be in your best interest." 

He flashed me a smile as he stated that last. Whatever compelled him to show me that kindness, I decided not to ask. 

"Thank you," I told him by way of farewell, before I bolted into the safety of the daylight. It didn't burn my skin that time; Jane was unable to prevent my escape. 

None of the other Volturi were around to pose a threat, exactly as I had predicted. Not a single one of them would dare set foot into the sun, with so many tourists and locals around to witness how their skin would glitter like diamonds. The enormous tourist crowds provided the safety I needed to distance myself. Funny, how the vampires could easily slaughter the entire city if they wanted. Their strict laws of secrecy were the only thing that allowed me to slip away.

I fled to unknown territory; the United States, where I hitch-hiked my way across the country. Avoiding contact with vampires entirely, I managed to elude anyone who might've been a scout or snitch for the Volturi. Almost a year passed before I reached Seattle. There, I met a group of high school kids who were enjoying their spring break. They invited me to go camping with them near the border of a native reservation called La Push. 

After spending so much time alone—eaten up by guilt for leaving my brother and the fear of the Volturi hunting me down—I jumped at the chance of friends. Even if it was for the weekend, it felt good to have company.

For the first time in over a year, I felt hopeful. I was able to let loose and have some fun. The fun didn't last, though. My past came back to torment me, in the form of my corrupted brother.

An ice cold soda can pressed to my back, making me cry out. I whirled around, punching the culprit right in the chest. 

"Ouch, damn," Andrew said, rubbing his sore flesh, "You hit so hard." 

He pretended to be mad about it, but he cracked a huge grin before handing me the soda. "Here, you look thirsty," he said.

I smiled back, accepting the drink.

"You look thirsty, too, bro," his friend Mark taunted, elbowing him as he walked past. Andrew failed at punching his arm, almost falling off the log he perched on. Mark cackled, jogging to the safety of his nearby tent bruise-free. The girls sitting across from us laughed at their shenanigans.

Whatever the joke was, it went over my head.

The seven of us all sat around the campfire, watching the flames dance as the sun set. The weekend was almost over. I was sad, knowing I'd have to say goodbye to my new friends. When the sun rose tomorrow, I'd have to sneak away and put the town behind me before the next sundown. Soon, I would be all alone, again.