Ivory and gold

Chapter 1

Bella waited her breath hitched somewhere inside her throat, the air was filled with an eerie silence, her eyes were focused intently on the small section of forest where Edward and Victoria had moved into, Bella herself the winner's prize, praying that any minute now he would emerge victorious and unharmed.

The wind whistled in the distance, the dissonant tones heightening the sensation of her anxiety, the aroma of smoke suddenly filled her nostrils, a slither of black slicing through the trees into the clouds above. Her voice trembled, a whimper escaped her throat. Then the victor emerged, eyes transfixed upon her own, reading her soul.

Her orange hair gently blew behind her, as she approached, her lip curving upwards into a satirical grin. "Mine." Victoria breathed onto Bella's cheek, watching Bella's face drain until they were almost the same colour.

"Edward!" Bella bellowed, a sob erupting from her throat.

"Is gone." Victoria caressed Bella's throat with her thumbs poising to attack; to finally end her life. Suddenly Victoria gripped onto Bella's shoulders and launched her across the clearing, Bella landed with a thud on the other side, barely conscious.

"If it's any consolation, it was your name on his lips as I crushed the final remnants of life out of him."

"Help." Bella croaked, the taste of copper plaguing her palette.

Victoria inhaled the air, her eyes flashing with the scent of Bella's blood; spilling out of her head, trickling down her chin.

"There is no one to help you now, the fight between Seth and Riley was a stalemate. They killed each other, it's just you and me." Victoria smiled coldly and approached.

Suddenly a piercing scream filled the air, arms locked around Victoria, squeezing, dragging her once again into the forest. Bella, opened her eyes tentatively, her eyes heavy, her muscles protesting. It must have been an angel, his golden hair blew gently against his face, his yellow eyes filled with concern and conflict, he was an angel, how could he not be. Her gaze was becoming less and less focused, the face of the angel becoming blurred.

"I'm sorry."

Cold lips found solace at her neck, then pain like no other roared through her body, her nerves erupted, her muscles froze, tension filled her body. He gripped her in his arms, holding her to his chest, keeping her thrashing limbs from harming either one of them with one cool arm.

He gathered her closer to him, brushing her hair out of her eyes, her body seemed to relax a little, but the convulsing remained. A figure appeared behind him, stood, stilted to the spot by the blood spilt around her body.