People say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. As I looked into Laurent's deadly red eyes, I figured something similar might happen to me.
Instead, I was tormented with images of Edward. I figured that I would die before the hurt hit me, but still. It reminded me that he was gone forever; that I wouldn't die with him.
Laurent leaned in closer and the picture of Edward solidified, becoming one of my visions. I was thankful for it; maybe I wouldn't die with him, but this was close enough.
Through my narrowed eyes, I watched as Laurent paused in the act of inhaling and whipped his head abruptly to the left. I was afraid to look away from him, to follow his glance, though he hardly needed a distraction or any other trick to overpower me. I was too amazed to feel relief when he started slowly backing away from me.
"I don't believe it," he said, his voice so low that I barely heard it.
Even though I was terrified, for a fraction of a second, I suddenly felt confused. I had to look then. My eyes scanned the meadow, searching for the interruption that had extended my life by a few seconds. At first, I saw nothing, and my gaze flickered back to Laurent. He was retreating more quickly now, his eyes boring into the forest. I felt relief wash over me, and a little hope too. My heart beat accelerated.
Then, I saw it; a huge black shape eased out of the trees, quiet as a shadow, and stalked deliberately toward the vampire. It was enormous—as tall as a horse, but thicker, much more muscular. The long muzzle grimaced, revealing a line of dagger-like incisors. A grisly snarl rolled out from between the teeth, rumbling across the clearing like a prolonged crack of thunder.
The bear. Only, it wasn't a bear at all. Still, this gigantic black monster had to be the creature causing all the alarm. From a distance, anyone would assume it was a bear. What else could be so vast, so powerfully built?
I wished I were lucky enough to see it from a distance. Instead, it padded silently through the grass a mere ten feet from where I stood. Now, I felt a new fear. A different fear. A fear much different from the one I felt from Laurent. My legs were rooted on the spot and I could feel my body tremble.
"Don't move an inch," Edward's velvet voice whispered. I wasn't planning on it, I mentally replied.
Even in that state of fear, I stared at the monstrous creature, my mind boggling as I tried to put a name to it. There was a distinctly canine cast to the shape of it, the way it moved. I could only think of one possibility, locked in horror as I was. Yet I'd never imagined that a wolf could get so big.
Another growl rumbled in its throat, and I shuddered away from the sound. My body shook more violently. My hands began to tremble, and I was sure my knees would give away anytime soon.
Laurent was backing toward the edge of the trees, and, under the freezing terror, confusion swept through me. Why was Laurent retreating? Granted, the wolf was monstrous in size, but it was just an animal. What reason would a vampire have for fearing an animal? And
Laurent was afraid. His eyes were wide with horror, just like mine.
As if in answer to my question, suddenly the mammoth wolf was not alone. Flanking it on either side, another two gigantic beasts prowled silently into the meadow. One was a deep gray, the other brown, neither one quite as tall as the first. The gray wolf came through the trees only a few feet from me, its eyes locked on Laurent.
Before I could even react, two more wolves followed, lined up in a V, like geese flying south. Which meant that the rusty brown monster that shrugged through the brush last was close enough for me to touch.
I gave an involuntary gasp and jumped back—which was the most stupid thing I could have done right now. I froze again, waiting for the wolves to turn on me, the much weaker of the available prey. I wished briefly that Laurent would get on with it and crush the wolf pack—it should be so simple for him. I guessed that, between the two choices before me, being eaten by wolves was almost certainly the worse option. Earlier I was terrified, now, I was petrified. For the second time in my life, I was scared to death. I was scared for myself.
I stared at the wolves, unsure of what they would do. I caught the gaze of this particular wolf. Its fur was brown, but there was a beige spot that cover his eyes and his muzzle, like a mask. The wolf's eyes were dark, nearly black. It gazed at me for a second, then, for some strange reason, turned its head around properly, and kept on staring. Those deep eyes seeming too intelligent for a wild animal. My gaze locked with its intent gaze. Suddenly, I felt a tremor rock through me and I had the urge to fall down, as though an earthquake was erupting underground. I almost felt dizzy for a second. I gazed into the eyes of the wolf unable to look away. There was a strange sensation all over my body. I forgot the pain of Edward leaving. I forgot about the new hole in my chest from Jake's abandonment. I couldn't even feel either of the holes. I felt complete. I forgot that a blood thirsty vampire was trying to drink my blood, and that a pack of wolves would have me for dinner, if they got to me first.
Then, another low growl from the leader caused the brown wolf to whip his head around, back toward Laurent. This growl brought me back to reality. Laurent was staring at the pack of monster wolves with unconcealed shock and fear. The first I could understand. But I was stunned when, without warning, he spun and disappeared into the trees. He ran away. The wolves were after him in a second, sprinting across the open grass with a few powerful bounds, snarling and snapping so loudly that my hands flew up instinctively to cover my ears. The brown one hesitated before following the others. The sound faded with surprising swiftness once they disappeared into the woods.
And then I was alone again.