( outfit in
previous chapter )

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chapter eleven
monster.

The storm passed halfway through the night. Fresh snowfall greeted Christina as she opened the tent zipper and stepped into the white wonderland. The snow crunched under her duck boots as she stepped close to Seth. Her hand rested on top of Seth's head, right in between his ears.

"How's Annie?" She whispered into the early morning. The only answer she could have got from Seth was a purr in his throat with a nod of his head. "I'll take that as a good sign, then."

He nodded his big head again.

The zipper to the tent opened up once more. Bella stepped out into the early morning, squinting her eyes against the bright snow. Her eyes focused in on Christina and Seth and greeted them lightly. "Where's Jacob? Did he already..."

"No," Edward answered coming from the trees. Light snow dustings were in his russet hair from the low branches. "Not yet. He's checking to see if the woods are clear before he goes."

Seth yipped lightly before taking off into the trees. Christina sighed as she looked down at her phone, barely getting a bar for service. "I'm gonna see if the field has any service."

"Don't go far," Edward called after the mother.

She nodded her head with a promise before stepped away from the couple. She held her phone up until two bars come on to the screen, making her grin in satisfaction. She dialed the familiar number, and let it ring until it clicked with an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Em. It's Christina." The mother bit her lip as her stomach started to do flips.

"Hey, Nina," Emily greeted back. "Did you want to speak to Annie?"

Christina chewed on the skin on her lip before answering, "can I?"

"Of course! Let me go get her."

The call was silent for a moment before Annie's excited voice picked up. "Momma! I miss you."

Christina's heart hurt, but a smile still graced her face from hearing her daughter's voice. "I miss you, too. Are you being good for Emily?"

Annie answered with a hum. "We're finger painting." Annie paused shortly on the line. "Momma, when are you and Daddy going to pick me up?"

Christina's eyes swelled at her daughters words, missing the six year old more than she thought she could in twenty four hours. "Soon, baby. I promise we'll see each other tonight, okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you... be good for Emily."

"I love you, too."

The line ended shortly after their goodbyes, and Christina wiped her eyes before walking back towards the tent. She felt the awkward tension between the couple, making her feel like she missed something during her phone call. She opened her mouth to comment on it, but Edward's next words made her drop the question.

"It's starting."

Seth growled as he pushed Christina with his nose more towards the center of the field. His hazel eyes kept watch around the trees, making sure the coast was clear still.

It was maddening to Christina not being able to see what Edward could see. His eyes flickered back and forth like he was really watching the fight in front of him— even though he was really viewing it from Seth's mind.

It was a good five minutes until Edward said anything else. He glanced down at Bella. "Jacob got there. He's good."

Christina pulled her lower lip between her teeth at the suspense.

"Carlisle's okay," Edward answered Christina's inner worries.

Bella stepped closer to her sister— both of them interlocking fingers as they looked between Edward and Seth. They both waited on baited breath for something to happen.

"Jasper," Edward snapped. His golden eyes flickered back and forth again. "Back off— you cant be everywhere at once!" Edward shouted, even though no one on the other end could translate Edward's warning.

"Is Jasper alright?" Bella asked, asking the question both sisters wanted to ask but was afraid to.

Edward was too into Seth's thoughts that he didn't answer Bella's question. Christina looked towards Seth for an answer. "Seth?"

The wolf nodded his big head, making both girls let out their uneven breath.

Suddenly, both men tense up before locking eyes with each other. Christina gripped harder on Bella's hand as she stepped forward with worry. "Is someone hurt?"

The question went unanswered as Edward shooed Seth. "Go."

The sandy wolf ran off into the surrounding trees, leaving both girls under Edward's protection. The mind reader whipped around and grabbed Bella's upper arm, dragging both girls away from the original camp site and closer to the rocks on the mountain.

"Edward—"

"She's close," Edward snapped, looking over his shoulder. "I can hear her thoughts. She knew we weren't there. She followed my scent." Both girls froze at Edward's words but continued to follow after him. "She knew you'd both be with me."

"She found us," Bella mumbled.

"She's not alone," Edward whispered, looking down at Christina with worry. The mother's heart dropped into her stomach at the realization of Edward's words.

"Riley..." both Edward and Christina muttered as they all turned towards the open field they just ran from.

Christina gripped onto Bella's hand harder before pulling the younger Swan behind her body— Edward still in front of both of them.

"Listen to me... Victoria's just using you, to distract me. But she knows I'll kill you," Edward called out, making the missing boy stop in his tracks with surprise written on his face.

"In fact, she'll be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore," Edward continued.

The red headed vampire emerged from the trees— making both girl's heart drop at the sight. The lioness hissed at Edward's words before looking softly towards Riley. "Don't listen, Riley. I told you about their mind tricks."

"I can read her mind," Edward tried again. "So, I know what she thinks of you."

"He's lying!"

"She only created you and this army to avenge her true mate, James," Edward snapped. "It's the only thing she cares about, not you."

Victoria shook her head as Riley's red eyes landed back on her. Her red eyes were soft for once as she whispered, "there's only you... you know that."

Riley's hard eyes shifted back towards Edward, getting into a position to pounce.

Edward held his hands up slightly. "Think about it... you're from Forks, you know the area. That's the only reason why she chose you. She doesn't love you."

Doubt was starting to eat away at Riley's mind as both Victoria and Edward fought for his alliance.

"Riley..." Victoria called out softly. "Don't let him do this to us. You know I love you."

Riley's eyes narrowed as he turned to look back at Edward— his resolve coming back. "You're dead."

Riley took the first few steps to race towards Edward, but was tackled to the ground as Seth jumped out of the trees. Christina's heart dropped as she watched Seth fight against Riley, keeping the newborn flattened on his back.

Victoria hissed from the tree she was kneeling on before she tried to make an escape. Edward read her mind and stepped closer to her, ready to taunt the red head. "You can escape. You always do. But you won't get another chance like this."

The redhead paused in her escape as red eyes met golden.

"You want her," Edward taunts, pointing back towards Bella. "You want me to feel the pain you felt when I killed James. When I tore him to pieces. When I turned him into ash. When I turned him into nothing."

An inhuman roar sounded through the field as Victoria came flying towards Bella and Christina. Edward was quick to latch onto the redhead and they both fell to the ground in a blur.

Christina pushed Bella farther back as they continued to fight around them. Her heart was beating against her chest so fast, she was sure she would have internal bruises on her ribs from the powerful beats.

Both girls gasped loudly as Seth was kicked away from Riley— the young wolf slammed against the rock wall behind the girls, before falling to the ground. Christina waited with baited breath for Seth to move, but he was unconscious.

"Where's your daughter, Christina?" Riley taunts as he steps closer to the two humans. The mother's forest eyes turned into a glare as she faced the vampire head on.

"You won't touch her," Christina snapped, pushing Bella further behind her as Riley kept moving closer to the two girls.

Soon, Bella was up against the rock wall with Christina standing in front of her and Riley leaning down in a pounce. "I just want a little snack—"

A rock got throw into his face as Christina bent down to grab onto another one. She gripped two rocks, one in each hand, not allowing the vampire to know she was scared. "You leave her the fuck alone."

Riley leaned up with a smirk on his face. He nodded his head slowly before stepping back with his hands up. "Alright, alright."

In the blink of an eye, he pushed Christina up against the rock wall by her throat. Bella got pushed in the aftermath of Riley's attack, and she immediately crawled over to Seth and tried waking him up.

Christina gritted her teeth as the sharp edges from the wall dug into her back harshly, but she refused to cry out from the pain.

"Maybe I can have you for a snack," Riley purred lowly as he leaned his head towards the mother's neck. Goosebumps appeared on her delicate skin as she felt his nose touch her jugular. "You do smell... delicious."

Christina grinned as she used the rock in her hand and pushed it into Riley's teeth as he leaned back. His once red eyes turned into onyx black as he hissed at her from her attack. "You'll pay for that you bitc—"

Christina gasped as she got thrown on to the ground. She crawled away from Edward dragging Riley but his foot. Her eyes widened in concern and fear as she watched Victoria choke Edward out, while he pulled Riley away from herself.

"Christina, move!" Edward snarled out before trying to shake off Victoria.

The next few moments happened in slow motion in Christina's mind. She watched, frozen in fear as Riley slipped out of Edward's hold before racing towards her again. She held up her arms in front of her as the newborn held her to the ground. He growled in her face, as more growls happened around the open field. Christina had a hard time differentiating who's growl was who's.

She was locked eyes with Riley's murky red eyes as he smirked down at her. In slow motion she watched his red eyes turn into the darkest black— she was sure the color itself would scar her nightmares.

"You're done," he taunted.

And she didn't fight back. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of movement around her— praying that she could have one last chance with her daughter, or Carlisle. She regrets not calling her mother more often, or tell her father she loved him before she left. She regrets the small fight they had, knowing that he would hate himself for it for the rest of his life. She never got to say goodbye to her little sister, or watch her get married to the love of her life.

"I'm sorry—"

Silence.

"Christina!"

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Uh.... *hides behind wall* I'm sorry... ?