Warning: There are difficult sexual situations in this story. If you can't handle it, I recommend you don't read on. This story isn't for the faint of heart.

Chapter 1

I ran my hands through the soft grass, sending tingles through my fingertips. I lay back and gaze up at the clear blue sky. My bare legs and arms are visible to the sun, warming my pale flesh. I close my eyes and soak it all in. I hear birds chirping and the wind rustling the trees. To me this is my peaceful safe haven. As the sun starts to dip, I realize I've been out here for quite some time. I stand up and brush grass off of my well-worn dress and start walking along the edge of the tree line.

Our small village, Forks, sits just on the edge of the country Volterra. Isolated from the bigger cities, the townsfolk here keep mostly to themselves. Beyond our border lies a vast forest known to house creatures of the night. They say to never venture into the woods, especially women. There are tales of women being snatched into the darkness of the forest and are ravaged by beasts and then drained of blood. Centuries ago, the townspeople used to sacrifice young women to the beasts as payment for keeping their village safe.

I snort. What a ridiculous notion. If those tales are even true, then it must have been a long time ago. I was born and raised in this village and nothing like that has ever happened. No creatures have come out of the forest and no people have gone missing. Although you won't find any townsfolk out after dark, unless it's to go to the local tavern for the night.

As I walk down the road to my home, I see my neighbor, Peter. He looks up from his fence work.

"Good evening to ya, Miss Bella." he smiles and wipes his forehead.

"Aye, it is a good evening. Tell your wife I'll stop by soon to give her some of that herbal tea she likes." I smile in return.

"I will tell Charlotte, she'll like that very much." he says and goes to back to his work.

I make my way to the cottage that I share with my family. My father, Charles, is a scholar and teaches the children of the village. He's a quiet soul and likes to spend most of his time in his chair by the fireplace reading a book. My older sister, Rosalie, is the cook in our family. As I walk in, she is in the kitchen cooking the evening meal as usual. My other older sister, Alice, is a seamstress. I always find her mending the few clothes that we have, or trying to make us something new to wear from the few scraps of fabric we can afford. We don't have the money for new clothes. The little money that my father earns goes mostly to put food on the table. Even we have little of that. With four people to feed and clothe, the cost adds up.

I've been studying to become a healer and I seem to have quite a talent for it. My mentor is the village's healer, Eliza. She is becoming too old to continue on the position so she has been grooming me to take over for her when the time comes. Helping people is like a second nature to me. I truly believe I've found my calling in life.

Rosalie glances at me from her place at the stove. "Ah, there you are. Supper is ready and we were beginning to wonder."

I inhale the aroma of her vegetable soup and my stomach starts to growl.

"I'm sorry for disappearing for so long, I just went for a walk." I say and sit at the table. My father is already there with a book in his hand.

"Seems like you go on walks a lot more often these days." Alice mumbles, puts her needlework down and joins us at the table.

My father looks up from his book to smile at me. "Bells can come and go as she pleases." he says. I smile at the nickname he gave me as a child.

"Not if she wishes to find a good husband. I hear that the bakers' son, Michael is looking for a wife." Rose says and gives me a look. As the oldest sister, she tends to act as our stand-in mother. Since our mother died many years ago from the sickness that took so many lives all those years ago.

As Rose serves us the soup I try not to gag at the mention of Michael. One of the reasons I've been going on more walks lately is to avoid him. He has mentioned marriage to me more than once now. I do not wish to be with someone who has bedded most of the maidens in the village.

"Michael is vile and I don't like him." I say as we all start to eat.

Rose huffs. "You don't even know him."

"I know he's a big flirt and has been with many women." I argue. "I don't see myself loving him."

Rose rolls her eyes. "You can't expect a marriage to be for love, Bell. Michael's family does very well for themselves. He would be a good provider. Now that other boy from the mill, what was his name? James! he would also be a good provider…"

I start to tune Rose out. This was how dinner usually went. Father and Alice would sit quietly eating their supper while Rose and I fought about me getting married. Apparently being eighteen and unmarried means that I'm becoming an old maid. Rose was already engaged to a man named Laurent, he's a hunter and butcher. She is going to live with him once their married. Which will hopefully be sooner rather than later. Alice is also engaged, to a man named Eric. He works in the local tavern that his family owns. Alice will move in with him when the time comes. Which leaves me. The only sister without a man in her life, except for my father. Hence why my eldest sister is pressuring me before she leaves. She has taken the role of a nagging mother very well.

I slap my hand on the table. "I'm going to marry for love or not at all."

"Love is a fantasy. A luxury you can't afford. That part comes later." Rose says and starts to clear the table.

"Father and mother married for love." I reminded her.

"Yeah well she's gone." Rose snapped and then made a small gasp, realizing the mistake she made. We all looked at my father and he gave us a small sad smile. "I'm sorry father." She says.

"It's alright dear. I think I shall retire early. Sweet dreams my lovely girls." My father gets up and kisses all of us goodnight.

"Goodnight father." We say and watch him go to his room and close the door.

I feel a pang in my chest. My father has never been the same since my mother Renee's death. None of us have but he feels it the most. They loved each other so much and were each other's soulmates.

None of us speak as we readied for bed, thoughts of our mother still fresh in our minds. All three of us share a room. Although, not for much longer since it will be my room after my sisters are married. I put my nightgown on and slip into my bed. I bid my sisters goodnight and close my eyes. Sleep comes easy to me tonight…

I'm standing in the middle of a forest where trees and plant life surround me. I'm wearing my nightgown and I start to wrap my arms around myself but then I stop and realize I'm not cold. I find this strange and I suddenly sense movement. Someone was watching me… or something. I can feel its eyes on me as though its gaze would burn into my skin. I start to shake but not from fear. I turn to find a pair of red glowing eyes stare at me from the brush. My body trembles from the intensity of its stare. I start to back away slowly sensing that it's a dangerous animal. An echo of a whisper goes through my head and I turn to run. A growl sounds in my head and I scream.

I wake with a gasp, my body covered in a cool sweat. Only after a moment I realize that the growl in my head was actually a word. It was just a dream, I tell myself. I don't even comprehend what the word is until I fall back asleep.

Mine