If the vampires didn't kill her the cold undoubtedly was going to do the job. It was freezing up in the mountains, the snow covered every surface of their surroundings and Paloma didn't even have a coat to give her some protection. The sun was finally beginning to rise and she didn't know how much longer she would be able to push through. 

Her family had to have already realized that she was missing, but would they even know where to look? She hadn't even told them that the vampire army was already in Forks after Edward had told her last night. She never considered telling Luciana feeling that she was keeping them safe by ensuring that they weren't involved in the conflict. Paloma was regretting her decision now knowing that her family wouldn't even know where to start looking for her. 

"Kennedy what are you doing?" Paloma questioned desperately hoping that there was something that she could say that could help Kennedy see reason. Her friend couldn't be completely gone, even if she was a vampire. Paloma refused to believe that the Kennedy she knew wasn't still there. 

It was just the two of them alone in the woods. The other vampire boy had left a couple of minutes ago to go find Victoria. This was probably going to be her only chance to try to convince Kennedy to let her go. 

"Its not personal. It's just what Victoria wants." She replied not bothering to look Paloma in the eye, and that was the most frustrating part. That Kennedy couldn't even look her in the eye, she wanted to hope that it was because of shame. Or maybe it was simply indifference. 

"We missed you." Paloma said instead hoping that Kennedy would see that she was telling the truth. That maybe if Paloma reminded her of all the people who loved and missed her she would come back. "Saira has missed you. She misses you everyday."

There was a moment where Kennedy finally looked up to meet Paloma's eyes but that moment was gone as she turned away looking in the direction of the woods. That small window that Paloma had was gone, and she didn't know if she would get another. 

"Riley?" Kennedy said as the vampire seemed to appear out of nowhere again, she almost seemed relieved to see him.

Riley looked to be about their age, and Paloma was sure that she had seen one of his missing posters around town. He ignored Kennedy as he stepped forward forcefully pulling on the ropes around Paloma's wrists. Grabbing Paloma's arm painfully he forced her up to her feet, but because of the cold Paloma's feet felt numb. "It's time."

Suddenly a tall woman with curly red hair appeared in front of Paloma. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Victoria and that realization caused panic to course through her. Edward had told her before that Victoria was after Bella as revenge for when he killed her mate. The problem was that neither of them expected for Victoria to come after Paloma. 

"Go." The woman ordered and it was in that moment that it was obvious just how loyal Kennedy and Riley were. There were gone in an instant, where they had run off to Paloma had no idea. But this was something that had been planned for a very long time. "What is his obsession with humans?"

Paloma said nothing as Victoria slowly circled her. From the woman's expression she clearly wasn't impressed as she finished studying her. Paloma wanted to do her best to hide how afraid she was, but that really was something impossible to do around a vampire. There was no hiding how rapidly her heart was beating. 

"Edward Cullen is a fool. But I never expected him to be a foolish enough to fall for a vampire hunter's daughter."

"And you don't think it was a bad idea kidnapping a hunter's daughter?" Paloma questioned trying to gather all the courage she had. But after the fight she had with her family she was beginning to doubt even they would even want to look for her. In their eyes she had betrayed them, if they figured out that it was a vampire that had taken her would they even care? It was possible they would think that she deserved being in this position. "He won't stop until he kills you."

There was no knowing if Victoria believed the warning at all because she didn't seem the slightest bit concerned. "If there's one thing I do well it's surviving." 

"Everyone's luck runs out eventually."

This time Victoria seemed amused by her response and Paloma knew that there was nothing that she could say to scare her. Victoria was enjoying every second. "It seems yours has run out today."

At that point there was nothing else to say. In a way it felt like her fate had been sealed. 

"Take it off." Victoria ordered as her eyes trailed down to the pendant around Paloma's neck. It was silly considering that it could only repel a vampire's gifts, it didn't protect her from an actual vampire attack and yet it still felt like a kind of safety net. The idea of taking it off made her feel vulnerable. "I want him to hear how terrified you are."

In that moment Paloma simply couldn't help herself she had to run. She was aware of how stupid running was when it came to running away from a vampire. But her need for survival had kicked and she began running into the woods not knowing where she was going. As she ran a couple of feet she realized that this had to be a game for Victoria, because the cruel reality was that the vampire would catch up to her in a matter of seconds if she wanted. 

Paloma didn't see how exactly it had happened but all she knew was that she was suddenly flying backwards. There was a loud thud as she hit a nearby tree, before falling into the snow. She was too stunned to feel any pain at first all she knew was that it was difficult to breath. 

Opening her eyes Paloma watched as Victoria walked toward her slowly. 

"Well, that was unnecessary." Victoria said in a bored tone as Paloma attempted to scramble on her hand and knees as another sad attempt to get away. Of course it was a lame attempt as Paloma still found it difficult to breath and Victoria was on her in a second, her hand around Paloma's neck pinning her down against the snow. "Take it off."

Paloma could see how much Victoria wanted to cause her pain so clearly reflected in her eyes. A quick death wasn't her plan, she wanted Edward to suffer the way she had when she had lost her mate. 

Seeing as she didn't have much of a choice Paloma raised her hand tugging on the pendant until the chain snapped free. It wasn't until she attempted to toss the pendant to the side that Paloma realized just how much her hand was shaking. How much her whole body was shaking in fear. 

She had read so much about what vampires could do, about how dangerous they were. But she hadn't experienced first hand until now. She only knew the safety that Edward brought her whenever he was close. Though she supposed that it was having Edward close that placed her in the position that she was currently in. 

Victoria smirked as she let go of her grip of Paloma's neck, but she didn't move away as her eyes trailed down to Paloma's arm. There was a large cut running down most of her arm, it wasn't until she noticed it that Paloma felt the pain as blood  quickly began to soak her shirt. 

The woods felt deadly quiet as Victoria ran her finger through the blood on Paloma's arm before placing them in her mouth. Paloma couldn't help but feel nauseous watching how she enjoyed the taste of her blood. The woman's eye's almost seemed to glow a brighter shade of red as she seemed to contemplate if she wanted another taste.  

But the craving disappeared as she smiled down at Paloma. There was no knowing what she heard but whatever it was she was pleased. "I'm sure Edward will be glad to see you one last time. A courtesy he didn't allow me." 

Paloma only felt as she was pulled back up on her feet for only a second before her surroundings became a blur as Victoria took her to where she knew Edward was. It couldn't have been very far because it was only a matter of seconds before they came to a stop at a snow covered clearing onto of a mountain side. 

Victoria had stopped in-between Kennedy and Riley who were facing Edward. It seemed like there had been a fight before their arrival, but Paloma could hardly take in her surroundings because the fear she now felt was almost paralyzing. Whatever plan Victoria had to torture Edward she was a part of it and she was about to find out exactly what that plan was. 

Bella was standing a couple of feet behind Edward a look of horror on her face, she was someone that Paloma hadn't expected to see. She especially didn't expect to see the wolf standing by her side protectively. 

"Edward." Paloma said softly feeling her heart beat rapidly in her chest that she was almost sure that it would burst. But even with that unshakeable fear she still felt relieved to see him. There was a flicker of hope that he would be able to get them out of this situation, he was probably the only person that could. 

"Victoria let her go." Edward practically pleaded making no attempt to hide his desperation, and Paloma hated how Victoria had to be enjoying every second. "This is between you and me. Leave her out of it."

"You thought you could hide her from me?" Victoria questioned as her hand tightened around Paloma's neck. They all knew that Victoria could crush her neck in a blink of an eye. 

Edward met Paloma's eyes again and she sensed that she felt the same way that she did. That there was little for them to do and with every passing second Paloma slowly started to accept that fact that she was about to die. That she would die before she even got the chance to live.

That she would never graduate high school. Or go to college. But if this was the end Paloma could only hope that it would be quick. That she wouldn't even notice that it had happened. 

Only something worse happened as she felt Victoria's teeth sink into her neck. Paloma caught a glimpse of the horror in Edward's eyes before everything became a blur. It all happened too quickly for Paloma to even trying to process. All she really saw was a blur as Edward ran forward to attack, and she immediately fell to the ground unable to stand on her own two feet. 

Initially it was a feeling of light headedness. She hadn't realized that she had lost so much blood from the cut on her arm. Though calling it a simple cut wasn't enough, it was more like a large gash that ran down almost the entirety of her arm. But the injury on her arm was the least of her worries as she immediately put her hands over the bite on her neck. The slight sting she had initially felt when Victoria had sunk her teeth into her skin was instantly replaced be the feeling of her skin being on fire. 

Immediately Paloma began to scream so loud she was sure that she could probably be heard for miles. Paloma clawed at her neck almost like she hoped that if she scratched deep enough that she could stop what was happening. But the vampire venom was already inside of her and would be quickly be killing her. 

She could hear fighting around her and what sounded like a deep growl from a wolf. Paloma desperately wanted to know what was going on but the pain was all consuming. It was enough to drive a person mad. 

"Edward!" She could hear Bella scream frantically as she kneeled beside Paloma attempt to sooth her. But nothing could bring Paloma any kind of comfort. 

Not when the pain only seemed to increase by the second. It was so unbearable that death felt like a kindness.  

When she was thirteen she had broken her arm during cheer practice. At the time it had been that worst pain that Paloma had ever experienced. But it was nothing compared to the feeling of fire slowly spreading through her veins from the bite on her neck. It was excruciating as she felt the tears slip down her face. 

There was nothing that she could do but scream as she continued to fear fighting in the background, but it was impossible to focus on any one sound. 

"No. Paloma no!" Edward yelled but his voice sounded distant, drowned out by the pain as she felt him take over the spot had. She didn't know how much time had passed only that it felt like an eternity. 

"I don't want to die." Paloma said through gritted teeth doing her best to not scream anymore but it was impossible when it felt like there was a fire burning in her chest and quickly spreading down her body. 

Where was a breath moment where she meant Edward's eyes and she knew that he understood what she was saying. It wasn't death that she was afraid of, it was immortality. She didn't want to be a vampire. 

"I'll fix it." Edward assured her before suddenly sinking his teeth in her neck right where Victoria had left her mark. 

Paloma couldn't even think straight enough to wonder what he was doing, all she could do was continue to scream as he did. She was sure that she couldn't feel anymore pain than she already did, now it felt like her entire body was on fire. The only thing that was keeping her sane was her attempts to focus on her breathing and the beating of her heart. She needed to know that she was still human. 

She was human. 

She wasn't a vampire. 

She couldn't be. She wouldn't be because Edward would save her. 

They were words that she had to keep repeating to herself. Repeating them until she realized that she had been so focused on repeating them that she didn't notice when her heart beat for the last time. 

In that moment Paloma knew she would always remember the moment that she took her very last breath.