Chapter 9 ~ Annihilation

I had made my decision. I was going to track Victoria. Two seconds later I heard footstep outside my door.

“Come in.” I spoke before my father had the chance to knock.

The door swung open slowly and Carlisle walked in.

“Edward.” He spoke with an authority in his tone. “I have come to try and persuade you to reverse your most recent decision.” Generally, Alice would consult me first before she informed my family about my immediate future, but if her vision worried her she would tell them immediately. They were all still very apprehensive about my state of mind but there was no need to be.

“It is just something I have to do, Carlisle.”

“You made us all promise not to interfere in Bella’s life anymore, but by tracking Victoria you are doing just that. You yourself are intruding.”

“This isn’t about Bella.” I lied.

Carlisle raised his eyebrows at me questionably.

Is it not? He thought.

“I am going to correct a past event. Victoria must be dealt with. It is possible that she could also endanger our lives. We did, after all destroy her mate and I will keep my promise to not endanger Bella’s life again with my presence.”

I would never haunt her life for a second time.

“Edward, you don’t have to do this. You cannot protect Bella from everything, especially when you are no longer with her.”

My chest throbbed at the harshness of his words.

Being away from Bella was unbearable – but knowing that I would never physically see her again – sent aches around my body.

I knew I couldn’t protect Bella from human accidents – things that fate had in store for her and I had to unwillingly accept that. But I could eliminate the depraved creature that had played a big part in her capture.

“I know that, but it doesn’t mean I cannot right the wrong.” I told Carlisle.

“You can’t hunt down every non-vegetarian vampire that may pass through Washington Edward. It is not rational or even practical.”

I recoiled at the thought of another monster being near my Bella.

Other thoughts wandered my mind – Bella was a magnet for danger. She required protection – a defender.

What if another vampire came across her scent? It would be just her luck.

If her scent was even remotely as appealing to anyone one else as it was to me - she didn't stand a chance at making it out alive.

Maybe I could return. Not to Bella. But back to Forks – to watch her, protect her.

I could see her everyday and breathe in her scent, secretly.

I would be helping to preserve her life – watching her grow older and leave me behind forever.

No. I forbade myself. That would be interfering and selfish, as well as being truly painful.

I had promised.

Carlisle’s effort to dissuade me was unsuccessful. The rest of my family did not support my decision either, except for Emmett. He was desperate to come with me, and practically begged Rose to postpone their honeymoon. I hid my delight when she flat out refused.

Emmett could not come.

No one could.

This was something I had to do on my own.

“Edward. Please don’t do this.” Alice pleaded softly. ”If you want to look out for Bella…Well I can do that for you.”

“No! Alice I don’t want you looking at her future. Please. You promised.” I reminded her.

“But that way is safer, Edward. “ Esme tried to reason.

“I want to obliterate anyone or anything that ever thinks of hurting Bella.” I said in a calm voice.

Alice gasped as all my family’s eyes flashed to Jasper.

He bowed his head in shame as his guilt intensified.

“I apologise, I didn’t mean you, Jazz. “ I said truthfully. “I promise.”

Everyone seemed to relax slightly, even Jasper. He shot me a weak smile.

As it happens, Carlisle did have an acquaintance who was a skilled tracker. However this was vampire ability – he felt a pull towards his target. Therefore he wouldn’t be able to give me the information I needed because his skill came naturally to him, and it wasn’t something he could explain.

The only other tracker Carlisle was aware of was Demetri – one of the Volturi guard in Volterra. I didn’t want to travel to Italy to obtain information on tracking – it would only postpone my mission. Also, it would widen the distance between me and Bella, and as my nerves were this strained whilst I was still on the same continent, I wasn’t sure I’d cope if I increase the distance that far.

Tracking wasn’t a skill you could learn through study, you needed experience, which I didn’t have. Although they didn’t want me to go ahead with my plan, Carlisle and Jasper told me as much information as they knew about it in an effort to make it easier for me. It seemed quite simple.

“You must be attuned to the scent as much as physically possible. Keep it fresh in your mind. Remember it. It is important that you do, Edward, otherwise you will lose your track.” Jasper told me.

“You will have to somehow retrieve Victoria’s scent from a place where it is well-defined; you don’t want to confuse it with another scent and follow the wrong route.” Carlisle informed me. 

Where would Victoria’s scent be the strongest?

The only place I knew she had definitely been was Forks.

I couldn’t be positive if she had journeyed to Phoenix with James because he had been alone in the ballet studio.

I would have to go back to Washington. To Forks.

Forks only meant one thing to me – Bella.

I was suddenly excited – I could check on Bella.

I could see her beautiful face and smell her luxurious scent –

Edward? Jasper interrupted my excited thoughts with his own; he had felt my drastic my mood change. His questioning tone brought me back to reality with a jolt.

I couldn’t go back to Forks.

I had promised not to intrude Bella’s life.

My hopes plummeted and my excitement evaporated as quickly as it appeared.

I required concentration to enable me to focus on my hunt. I would go back to Washington; just not to Forks - I would stay away from there.

I would somehow locate Victoria’s scent and begin my pursuit.

I only had a vague idea of her scent, but I was sure I would be able to recognise it when I came across it.

I set off a few days later, alone.

Running back in the direction of Washington, of Forks, of Bella, was effortless. It was like a steel wire was pulling me swiftly back, making me run faster and faster. I wasn’t going back to the place where I longed to be – by Bella’s side.

I was going back to fulfil a newly found purpose - Annihilation.

While I ran, my thoughts returned to Bella.

How easy it would be to go and see her. To see where her life had taken her now I was no longer a part of it. Surely I would be a distant memory for Bella now.

My unhealed wounds pulsated.

I detested not being involved in Bella’s life.

I wondered what occupied her time, now that the vampires had left.

I ran straight towards Forks without even stopping at night to search for the moon.  As I crossed the border into Washington State, the light of day began to fade bringing the expected darkness to my life once again. The heavens opened and rain poured down, soaking me.

I started to get nervous.

I could feel that Bella was within my reach.

Did I have enough strength to stay away, now I was so close?

I failed to stay away the last time.

When I had escaped to Alaska to get away from Bella, I soon found myself running back to her. I had given in so easily.

This time is was significantly more difficult but I couldn’t allow myself to surrender.

I strained to channel the agonising pain that still radiated from me and I took all my thoughts of Bella and placed them safely in back of my mind, in order to focus.

I just had to locate the scent, familiarise myself with it and then I could get away from here.

The pain intensified at the thought of leaving…again.

The only thing that would make me depart again was being aware that Victoria was still out there, somewhere.

I wanted revenge.

I wanted retribution for the damage that had been inflicted on Bella.

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes exploring the scents around me. All I could smell was aroma from the bark of different trees, and various animals. I walked forward slowly, carefully taking in every scent and processing them in my mind.

I carried on walking for countless miles, when abruptly two new scents registered in my head. They were conspicuously different to the others around me. Both were the unmistakeable odours of vampires. I recognised them immediately – Victoria accompanied by James. Their scents were old, but still present here. The other member of their coven, Laurent had not been with them. I could only guess that this was the place where Victoria and James had met to plan their strategy, after Laurent had fled to Denali. I swallowed back a growl along with memories, and tried to regain my focus.

I opened my eyes and recognized my surroundings. I was a few miles outside the town of Forks – not too far from my previous home.

My empty chest constricted now I knew where I was.

I was too close.

I couldn’t handle this.

All my hopes and desires were within touching distance; such desperate hopes, urging me to satisfy them. I could achieve that satisfaction by catching just one small glimpse of Bella.

I had hunted before I left Ithaca and several times on my journey, to make myself as strong as possible. I used every ounce of that strength to resist against the pull of Bella.

I closed my eyes once again, forcing myself to concentrate. I breathed in Victoria’s scent, making it potent and allowing it to fill my mind.

I walked forwards slowly; following the scent away from the direction of Forks. It became stronger and stronger until James’s odour was no longer present beside it. Her scent went in a south-west direction. I picked up my pace to a run, still tracing the scent carefully as I left behind my heart again and began my first hunt.