Blood Lust
Ch. 1 – Blood Lust

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or New Moon. But I do own Felicity, Zara, Ayden, Donny, Marx, and Randy. HA.

(WARNING: Contains song lyrics, which explains the length. But they're not just there for any reason. Nope, they have a purpose. But you'll just have to find out for what. And if you don't want to read the lyrics, just skip over them.)

(A/N: All of the songs below are available to listen to on my profile. I suggest you listen while you read to set the mood.)

"Ooh," breathed Felicity.

"I love it," stated Zara.

"I want it," I exclaimed, and the girls squealed in delight as I pulled the hanger off the rack of clothes in front of me. I slung it over my arm and we continued to pick through the racks of clothing in the store before us.

"I love shopping," Felicity said after a while once she found a perfect skirt.

"Me too," agreed Zara and I.

We made our way over to the shoe section, and spent another hour just trying them on and walking around in them. Of course each pair looked amazing on us, seeing as we were all vampires, and it was hard to narrow it down so that we left some for the humans.

We each got a pair or two and then checked out. My eyes bugged at the total, and I weakly handed them my credit card.

"We've got to stop doing this," I said as we walked out of the store, five bags slung across our right arms.

"Isabella Marie Swan, you say that every time we spend over five-hundred dollars. Just chill out!" complained Felicity.

I was about to argue, but decided against it. This always happened; I would spend boatloads of money on clothes, feel guilty for a few minutes, and then just end up enjoying myself.

"Let's get home and get ready for tonight! It's gonna be a great show, I can tell," Zara said excitedly as I gently slid the key into the ignition of my car; a Jaguar XKR in midnight black. Sleek, fast, powerful.

Zara was right…tonight's show was going to be insane.

xXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXx

"Hey Randy, you ready for tonight? Of course you are. Anyway, forget the guest list tonight and let's just keep it open for anyone who wants to come in, okay?"

"Sure Bella," Randy replied, and tossed a black clipboard over his shoulder.

"Thanks, you're a doll," I said, pinching his cheek and winking as I walked back inside.

Felicity, Zara, and I owned our own club. It was called 'Blood Lust'. It was open to humans and vampires. We had a stock of animal blood in the back room. The back room was really the vampire's half of the club. We performed at Blood Lust every Friday night. We don't write much of our own material; it's too much fun to cover other bands' songs. The people love us; the humans because we're so beautiful, and the vampires because they finally have a place to hang out and be themselves.

Tonight was the twenty-fifth anniversary of Edward's departure, and the first anniversary of something beautiful. I'm still not sure why he left, but he did. I had known it was coming, so it wasn't as bad that time around. After I was changed from human to vampire and we formed the band and then opened the club, I had things to keep me busy.

Needless to say, I moved on. New men, new memories, new life, new Bella.

Liar, the voice in my head accused.

I pushed it back and continued to smile and chat with my 'sisters' as we prepped ourselves for the coming night. We were going all out; new clothes, makeup, hair…everything.

We usually had a theme for every night that we played. We never wore the same thing, but we all wore something that looked similar. Tonight's theme: corset lacing.

"I'll tell you something right now, I can't wait to wear those Go-Go dresses again," Felicity said as she ran her Chi iron through her already straight blonde tresses that ended half-way down her back. She had the trademark topaz eyes and snowy white skin, but she put Rosalie's looks to shame easily; her full lips were coated in gloss, her eyes played up with black eye liner and red eye shadow. Tonight she was wearing a red vinyl dress, ending mid-thigh that laced up her abdomen and bust. The lacing was far-spaced and showed big spots of her flawlessly pale skin, and it was drawn tight over her bust, revealing copious amounts of cleavage. I thought it was a little much, but then again…it was Felicity, and she was rather exuberant.

"Those things were hideous and you know it," Zara said with a wicked grin. She brushed more purple eye shadow over her butterscotch eyes as she glanced over at us from her mirror. Zara had a rather…explosive personality. One thing can set her off, and you better watch your throats. She was not one for dresses; tonight she wore black leather pants that laced up the sides, black heels, and a black shirt that laced up on the sides with a purple dragon in the center. It ended at the bottom of her ribcage, showing her muscular abdomen and belly ring. Her light brown hair with newly added purple streaks to match her outfit was arranged in her natural wavy ringlets that spilled down her back.

"Nah, not hideous, just so uncomfortable," I said with a small shrug as I penciled on more black eyeliner onto my cat-style eyes. My eyes were a mix between topaz and the dark brown that they used to be, ending in a result that I myself thought was rather beautiful; a very light brown. My hair was the same color, but had more shine and volume. I wore it down, straight at the top and ending in soft curls at the bottom. It swung down to my hips. I wore a denim micro-mini skirt, a black satin corset top laced up tight, slip on stiletto heels, and a black newsboy cap perched atop my head and turned slightly to the side. My lips were coated in a layer of fire-engine red lipstick, as were my nails in polish, and I wore a thin layer of red glitter beneath my bottom lashes. A tiny diamond stud in my nose winked up at me, adding definition to my already perfect face.

"Hideously uncomfortable," Zara said, and before we could respond, my cell phone lit up and started playing a catchy little tune; the alarm. It was opening time, and we would play in a few minutes.

Someone knocked on our dressing room and I shot out of my chair, hair flying behind me, to open it before the others could. I beat Felicity by a centimeter.

"Ha," I said, and opened it.

Ayden stood on the other side looking shell-shocked.

"Dang Bella," he said, looking me up and down with a dirty grin.

"Ayden, just because I'm married to you doesn't mean you can ogle," I told him, and he straightened up, saluting me.

"Yes ma'am!" he said in his deep voice, his citrine eyes sparkling with amusement and awe. Ayden and I have been married for a year, and we still acted like newly weds, or so Felix (Felicity's nickname) and Zara informed us constantly. Ayden was absolutely beautiful to me; his deep black hair was a striking contrast to his inhumanly pale skin, and his eyes had more of an orange color than the yellowish brown of your average vampire. He had a strong build, slim but muscular. Tonight he wore a black shirt with words scrawled across it, a white vest, and from around his neck dangled a single sharp shark tooth tied to a black cord that I had bought him. On his lower-half were dark jeans, faded and torn in places, and black Vans.

None of us, with the exception of Zara, ever really dressed like this. We tried to fit in on the streets, wearing your average human's clothing; these were just our show costumes.

I reached up to kiss Ayden gently on the lips, and he grabbed my hand and led me out of the dressing room, Zara and Felix on my heels.

"Five minutes!" yelled someone from the stage who was setting up our instruments.

I took a seat on a black leather couch in the room behind the small stage, and Ayden sat next to me. He pulled me into his lap and wrapped his arms around my torso.

"Happy first anniversary," he whispered in my ear, and I smiled and turned to kiss him. Zara and Felix were used to this kind of thing.

We were interrupted when the rest of the band filed into the room, costumed and ready to perform.

Ayden played lead guitar and sang a couple songs, Donny played the drums, Marx played the bass, and Zara played the keyboard sometimes when she wasn't singing back-up for Felicity and I, who were the lead vocals.

"Everyone knows the play list, right?" I asked for reassurance, and they all nodded.

"Let's give these people a show to remember. It's the first performance of the New Year, and they're all expecting something great. Not that we ever make mistakes, just make sure everything is convincing, and you two," Donny said, pointing at me and Felix, "belt it out. Got it?"

Donny was the one who gave the pep talk before each show, and was, more or less, the leader of the band.

Donny and Felicity had been married for about five years, and Zara and Marx for three. And, of course, Ayden's and my first anniversary was today.

"Got it!" we all said at once, and stood up, smoothing out our clothes. Felix, Zara and I grabbed our microphones, Marx and Ayden grabbed their guitars, and Donny grabbed his drum sticks, and then we ran out onto the stage, jogging at a human pace.

The stage was elevated about two feet up from the dance floor, where humans and vampires mixed; sipping drinks, dancing, talking…the place was swarming with activity, noise, and excitement.

The butterflies fluttered around in my tummy as I looked out at the people, but I was so excited.

"Are you guys ready for some music?" Zara yelled into her microphone, and suddenly the crowd moved over to around the stage and began to cheer.

Our opening piece was 'Call Me When You're Sober' by Evanescence.

Don't cry to me
If you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me?
Come find me
Make up your mind

Should I let you fall?
Lose it all?
So maybe you can remember yourself
Can't keep believing
We're only deceiving
I'm sick of the lie
And you're too late

Don't cry to me
If you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me?
Come find me
Make up your mind

Can't take the blame
Sick with shame
Must be exhausting
To lose your own game
Selfishly hated
No wonder you're jaded
You can't play the victim this time
And you're too late

Don't cry to me
If you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me?
Come find me
Make up your mind

You never call me when you're sober
You only want it cause it's over
Oh, oh
It's over
How could I have burned paradise?
How could I – you were never mine

So don't cry to me
If you loved me
You would be here with me
Don't lie to me
Just get your things
I made up your mind

I grinned as I caught my breath and the crowd screamed at us, demanding more. My voice wasn't as gritty and deep as Amy Lee's, but it still sounded good, or at least I thought.

Next, Ayden was up to bat with 'Damn Regret' by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. I put my microphone in the stand for him and he took my place, his guitar hanging from his torso, as the ladies in the crowd nearly fainted at the sight of him.

The moon is shining bright
The mood is feeling right
I'll kiss you on your neck
People will stare, but we won't care
We're high above the ground
We're nowhere to be found

Empowered by adrenaline
Feel I've been born again
Again, I am repeating myself
And I know it is kind for you
To sit and pretend

Damn regret, I'll try to forget
Don't worry about me, cause I'm refined
Cast my line to see what's behind
Did you think you'd persuade me to let you go?

I'm wishing you were here
My weakness is my fear
Alone I am myself
No reason left for me to care
Distracted by the sound
I hear footsteps all around

Empowered by adrenaline
Feel I've been born again
Again, I am repeating myself
And I know it is kind for you
To sit and pretend

Damn regret, I'll try to forget
Don't worry about me, cause I'm refined
Cast my line to see what's behind
Did you think you'd persuade me to let you go?

You're the only one I turn to
When I feel like no one's there
And when I'm lonely in my darkest hour
You give me the power
To sit and pretend

Damn regret, I'll try to forget
Don't worry about me, cause I'm refined
Cast my line to see what's behind
Did you think you'd persuade me to let you go?

Did you think I'd forget?
Did you think I'd surrender myself to persuade you to let me go?
Did you think I'd forget?
Did you think I'd surrender myself to persuade you to let me go?

By the time the song was over, the girls in the crowd, yelling and carrying on, weren't the only ones feeling weak in the knees. He moved back to his spot by Marx, and kissed me suddenly on his way over as I grabbed the microphone from the stand. I loved it when he surprised me like that…

When Felix had waved her hand in my face and I snapped out of staring at him, I felt my face getting hot but I knew I couldn't blush.

"Alright everyone, time to slow it down a little bit," I said into the microphone, and several people left the floor to sit down on one of the sofa's in the corners or to get a drink, while the couples joined and appreciated the fact that they weren't alone.

'Nobody Wins' by The Veronicas was next and Felix played the cello for the song instead of singing, while Zara sang back up and me lead.

Hold your head up high
You're never wrong
Somewhere in the right, you belong
You would rather fight, than walk away
What a lonely way to breathe the air
What an unlovely way to say you care
Now we're too far gone for me to save

And I never thought that we'd come to this
Maybe there's beauty in goodbye
(No one's wrong or right; you would rather fight, than walk away)
There's just no reason left to try
(Now it's gone too far, look at where we are)
You push me away
Another black day
Let's count off the reasons to cry
Look what you missed
Living like this
Nobody wins

Searching for the truth in your eyes
Found myself so lost, don't recognize
The person now that you, you claim to be
Don't know when to stop, or where to start
You're just so caught up in who you are
Now you're far too high for me to see

And I never thought that we'd come to this
Maybe there's beauty in goodbye
(No one's wrong or right; you would rather fight, than walk away)
There's just no reason left to try
(Now it's gone too far, look at where we are)
You push me away
Another black day
Let's count off the reasons to cry
Look what you missed
Living like this
Nobody wins

You never say sorry
Try to tell me that you love me
But don't – it's too late to take it there

Maybe there's beauty in goodbye
(No one's wrong or right; you would rather fight, than walk away)
There's just no reason left to try
(Now it's gone too far look at where we are)
You push me away
Another black day
Let's count out the reasons to cry
Look what you missed
Living like this
Nobody wins
(Now it's gone too far, look at where we are)
Nobody wins

After such a sad song, the couples were extremely appreciative to have each other there with them and not alone.

It was Ayden's turn again with 'Welcome to the Black Parade' by My Chemical Romance.

When I was a young boy
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band
He said, "Son, when you grow up,
Would you be the savoir of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?"
He said, "Will you defeat them,
Your demons and all the non-believers, the plans that they have made?
Because on day, I'll leave you,
A phantom, to lead you in the summer, to join the black parade."

When I was a young boy
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band
He said, "Son, when you grow up,
Would you be the savoir of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?"

Sometimes I get the feeling she's watching over me
And other times I feel like I should go
When through it all the rise and fall
The bodies in the streets

And when you're gone we want you all to know we'll carry on
We'll carry on
Though you're dead and gone, believe me your memory will carry on
Carry on
We'll carry on

And in my heart I can't contain it, the anthem won't explain it
And we will send you reeling from decimated dreams
Your misery and hate will kill us all
So paint it black and take it back
Let's shout it loud and clear
Defiant to the end we hear the call to…

Carry on
We'll carry on
Though you're dead and gone, believe me your memory will carry on
We'll carry on
And though you're broken and defeated, your weary widow marches on

And we carry on through the fears
Disappointed faces of your peers
Take a look at me cause
I could not care at all
Do or die
You'll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you'll never break me
We want it all
We wanna play this part
Won't explain or say I'm sorry
I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scar
You're the chair for all the broken
Listen here, because it's only…
I'm just a man, I'm not a hero
Just a boy, who's meant to sing this song,
Just a man, I'm not a hero

I -- Don't -- Care

We'll carry on, we'll carry on
And though you're dead and gone, believe me your memory will carry on
You'll carry on
And though you're broken and defeated, your weary widow marches on

Do or die
You'll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you'll never break me
We want it all,
We wanna play this part
Do or die
You'll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you'll never break me
We want it all
We wanna play this part
We'll carry on

The last song, our absolute showstopper was 'Mother, Mother' by The Veronicas. This was our favorite song to perform.

"How would you guys like one last song?" Felix yelled to the crowd through her microphone. We grinned at each other when they screamed, and Donny tapped his sticks in the air before slamming them down on his drums.

Mother, Mother
Can you hear me?
I'm just calling to say hello
How's the weather? How's my father?
Am I lonely? Heavens no

Mother, Mother
Are you listening?
Just a phone call to ease your mind
Life is perfect, never better
Distance making the heart grow blind

When you sent me off to see the world
Were you scared that I might get hurt?
Would I try a little tobacco?
Would I keep on hiking up my skirt?

I'm hungry
I'm dirty
I'm losin' my mind
EVERYTHING'S FINE!!

I'm freezin'
I'm starvin'
I'm bleedin' to death
EVERYTHING'S FINE!!

The girls and I jumped off the stage at this point, walking through and around the crowd as we sang. I thought that I saw someone that looked an awful lot like Alice Cullen, but I shook it off and concentrated on making my voice as loud as I could.

Yeah I'm workin', making money
I'm just starting to build a name
I can feel it around the corner
I can make it any day

Mother, Mother, can you hear me?
Yeah I'm sober, sure I'm sane
Life is perfect, never better
Still your daughter, still the same

If I tell you what you wanna hear
Will it help you to sleep well at night?
Are you sure that I'm your perfect dear?
Now just cuddle up and sleep tight

I'm hungry
I'm dirty
I'm losin' my mind
EVERYTHING'S FINE!!

I'm freezin'
I'm starvin'
I'm bleedin' to death
EVERYTHING'S FINE!!

I miss you
I love you

"THANK YOU, SEATTLE!" everyone in the band screamed, throwing their fists in the air.

Everyone in the crowd went crazy as we climbed back onto the stage. I wavered on the edge for a very scary second, but then somebody with very cold hands steadied me from the crowd and helped me back up. I didn't catch who it was, but their touch was very familiar. Too familiar.

I was scanning the crowd desperately trying to find him, but then the band started playing again and I whipped my head around, giving them looks like they were crazy. Did I miss something? I recognized the song but I knew that we never rehearsed this before, and I had never sang it. I looked over at Ayden, but his confusion mimicked mine.

Just then, Zara and Felix stepped forward, smiles on their faces, and grabbed Ayden's hand. He took off his guitar, handed it to Zara, and Felix led him over to me.

"What's going on?" I whispered, but he just shrugged.

"Tonight is Ayden and Bella's first anniversary, and we all want to wish you a happy anniversary by singing the song that was playing when you two met," Felix said with a huge grin.

My hand was clamped over my mouth in surprise, and Ayden's eyes were wide. 'Only One' by Yellowcard began to play.

"May I have this dance?" he asked me, and I dropped my hand and smiled at him. He took my hand in his and put his other on my waist, mine on his shoulder, and we danced.

Broken this fragile thing now
And I can't, I can't pick up the pieces
And I've thrown my words all around
But I can't, I can't give you a reason
I feel so broken up, and I give up
I just wanna tell you so you know

Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you
You are my only one
I let go
There's just no one that gets me like you do
You are my only, my only one

Made my mistakes, let you down
And I can't, I can't hold on for too long
Ran my whole life in the ground
And I can't, I can't get up when you're gone
And something's breaking up
I feel like giving up
I won't walk out until you know

Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you
You are my only one
I let go
There's just no one that gets me like you do
You are my only, my only one

Here I go, so dishonestly
Leave a note for you, my only one
And I know, you can see right through me
So let me go, and you will find someone

Here I go, scream my lungs and try to get to you
You are my only one
I let go, there's just no one, no one like you
You are my only, my only one
My only one
My only one
My only one
You are my only, my only one

Ayden whispered the words in my ear, and when it was over, he kissed me sweetly on the lips. Zara had to cough to get our attention, and we saw that the crowd had gone back to dancing when the DJ took over the play list.

"Thanks so much you guys!" I exclaimed, hugging everyone in the band along with Ayden, who clapped the men on the back instead of hugging them.

"It was nothing," Zara said, waving her hand in the air with a grin.

"Let's go get a drink and dance," suggested Felix, and we all agreed and exited the stage, Ayden helping me down, and walked over to the bar. We ordered Bloody Mary's ((heh heh)) and pushed through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd to find an empty couch, on which we sat and chatted about the show and what songs to play next week.

A beautiful blonde vampire with blonde hair strutted by, and made eye contact with me as she passed.

"Rosalie?" I whispered in awe, knowing she could hear me.

She gave me an icy grin and winked evilly, then disappeared into the crowd.

"What'd you say Bella?" Ayden asked, but I shook my head and downed my drink in two gulps, then went to order another one.

This was going to be a long night.

(A/N: So how did you like it? Please review and I'll know whether to continue or not, ok? Oh, you can listen to all the songs if you follow the links I provided on my profile. Just scroll through my profile and you'll see them.)