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SKIN & BONES
ii. FISTFUL OF FIRE
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THE TENSIONS WERE HIGH that fine dusk day. The moon hadn't yet peeked through the puffballs of clouds, causing a dark shadow to cast itself upon the small town of Forks, Washington. The woodland creatures made not a squeak nor a chirp, their presence concealed. It seemed that even the animals were fully aware that something was out of balance in their limited world of the forest. Something was coming.
The Olympic coven stood in a staggered line in a clearing, waiting. "Are you sure this is where you saw her?" Carlisle asked the clairvoyant.
Alice nodded. "She's almost here."
According to Alice, Victoria would be returning to Forks the same weekend Bella and Edward flew out to Florida. With the coven's fastest vampire missing, they would each have to pick up what he left behind.
Funnily enough, Lorelai had yet to officially meet Victoria. The only nomad she met of the trio was Laurent. Nonetheless, Lorelai knew plenty about Victoria, and it was safe to say that she didn't like her one bit.
Silence crept up on the vampires, their anxieties bubbling. They waited for the moment Victoria would appear. It could be any second now. This had to be the night they caught Victoria. It had to.
Suddenly, Alice twitched before declaring, "On your left!"
On cue, the Cullens broke out into a sprint. Emmett paved the way with Jasper and Lorelai hot on his tail. Her size gave her the advantage of being able to weave in between closely spaced trees while the men of the coven couldn't.
Lorelai was still learning how to control her powers, which frustrated her. She wanted to use them to stop Victoria, but she just couldn't. Not yet, at least.
A flash of red-orange was all that Lorelai could see from Victoria's appearance. Her curly hair whipped around in the wind as Emmett extended his arm out to grab her. Unexpectedly, the nomad grabbed Emmett's arm and flipped him away from her.
The closer Lorelai grew to Victoria, the more outraged she became. Victoria had caused so much trouble in Lorelai's life. Between trying to kill Bella and being the reason Lorelai had left Seattle so abruptly, all she wanted to do was to send Victoria far, far away.
Perhaps that was what manipulated Victoria's thoughts into leaping across the treaty line, which was the stretch of an equivalent to "far, far away."
"Wait," Carlisle beckoned as they reached the edge of the treaty line all at once. "She's on their territory." The Cullens observed her for half of a millisecond before dashing along the treaty line.
"She'll get away!" Esme shouted from behind Lorelai, Emmett, and Jasper.
With a grunt, Jasper narrowed his eyes at the werewolves emerging from the trees and barked, "No she won't!"
Lorelai pushed her legs to sprint faster and faster, despite feeling a wave of fatigue overcome her at the worst possible moment. She dashed in front of Emmett, who had originally been the closest to Victoria after she leaped back onto their side of the treaty line.
"Dammit!" Lorelai shouted as she held a fistful of Victoria's curly, orange hair after being flung off to the side directly into a tree. She grunted in annoyance, tossing the hair in an unknown direction as she laid on the ground.
She wanted to get up and keep going—don't get her wrong. However, Lorelai physically did not possess the strength to do so. It pissed her off to say the least. She had been so close to finally grabbing hold of the bitch who had been wreaking havoc onto her friends and her little sister. She was so close.
Yet all Lorelai was left with was a fistful of her fiery hair.
Her ears perked up upon hearing footsteps crunching twigs and leaves near her body. Lorelai sighed as a voice said, "Are you alright, Rory?"
"Peachy, Jazz," she grumbled. "Just peachy."
"Why don't you stand up then, darling?"
"Because I'm really enjoying this view," Lorelai sarcastically admitted, staring up at the sky of trees.
Jasper sighed. "You're hungry."
Lorelai was silent.
"You have to eat, Rory—"
"I know," interrupted his girlfriend. "I know. I will." She unwillingly forced herself to her feet. "Just... give me time."
Jasper gave her an unsure look, causing Lorelai to stumble toward him and peck his lips. "Just trust me, alright?" she urged with a somewhat forced smile.
He sighed and nodded, snaking his arm around her waist. "Your anger threw me off for a second back there," he mentioned. "Are you sure there isn't something you aren't telling me?"
"Oh, there definitely is," Lorelai bluntly told him. "I just... I can't tell you yet. Not until I, myself, know what's going on."
Jasper gave her another look. "You promise you'll tell me?"
Lorelai smiled at the little things that had been rubbing off on her boyfriend. "I promise, darlin'."
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To: scapulet1542@gmail.com
From: lorelaiswan@gmail.com
Subject: Untitled #3
Stella --
Hey, I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner. Everyone keeps asking me about Seattle and honestly? I don't know what to tell them. I don't think I've... recovered from what happened yet. I should tell them though, right? I don't know.
Do you remember those nomads I was telling you and Irene about? You said you knew one of them. James, I think? The third one returned to Forks last night—Victoria. I think she has something to do with what happened.
Call it a hunch, but it just makes sense. We know a vampire had something to do with it. I think it's Victoria. But I'm still not so sure.
Anyways, how are you and Irene doing? I miss you guys a lot, even if it's hardly been a week. Are you guys excited about graduating? I hope those disappearances won't affect your graduation. That would fucking suck, right?
Trying to get through this without tearing my hair out.
Love, Rory Swan
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To: lorelaiswan@gmail.com
From: scapulet1542@gmail.com
Subject: Untitled #4
Rory,
Just the thought of James gives me a bad taste in my mouth. I wouldn't be surprised if that nomad had something to do with Bree's disappearance, especially if she's been troubling you and your people for the past couple of years. It's a terrible thing that happened, wasn't it?
Irene is worried it has something to do with the Volturi, but I don't think that's the case. Why would they want to risk the exposure of vampires to the humans?
If it is Victoria, though, wouldn't you have recognized her scent? Surely, that would confirm our suspicions. They could be working together though.
We're doing our best to track Bree, but there hasn't been a trace of her since that day. I hope she's okay. I'm worried about her.
Frankly, I don't think graduation can come soon enough. Irene has been up my actual asshole about finals. All I wanna do is cry and shave my head à la 2007 Britney Spears. Do you think that'd be a good look on me?
Btw, I'm sending an extra invitation to our graduation for you to bring Jasper. We're highly anticipating meeting your little prince. You don't think he'll cause a scene about Irene, do you?
Alla prossima :-)
Stella.
Revised: January 6th, 2020