ISABELLA'S REVENGE

  Isabel leaned back from the hug, her hands still resting on Rosalie’s shoulders. Her sharp gaze traveled over Rosalie’s face, taking in the sunken, dark-rimmed eyes and the way her pale skin had turned ghostly pale. A deep frown formed on Isabel’s lips.

  “Rosalie, you o feed,” she said softly, her voice ced with .

  Rosalie swallowed hard, her throat dry, the mere thought of feeding causing a heavy weight to settle in her chest. “I ’t bear it,” she whispered, shaking her head. “The thought of drinking from humans—it sis me.”

  Isabel exhaled, her eyes searg Rosalie’s as uandiled between them. “Is that why you’re out here? You were hunting animals?”

  Rosalie nodded, shame flickering across her tired features. “Yes,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Isabel sighed, running a hand through her white locks. “Then you feed on me.”

  Rosalie’s head snapped up, her exhausted eyes widening in shock. “What?”

  “You feed on me,” Isabel repeated, stepping closer. “I asked my mother if it was safe, and she said yes. You’re my mate, Rosalie. The only thing that will happen is that your body will ge. I don’t know how, exactly—it’s different for every vampire—but all you o do is agree. I will not force you.”

  Rosalie hesitated, her fangs ag with he hunger gnawing at her insides like a relentless beast. She could feel her self-trol slipping, the urge to sieeth into warm, pulsing flesh overwhelming. She ched her fists, trying to fight the primal instinct, but Isabel’s st, rid intoxig, was too much.

  She looked at Isabel, her lips parting slightly as she whispered, “Yes. I will feed from you.”

  A small smile graced Isabel’s lips, but her fangs glinted dangerously in the dim light. “Then do it,” she enced, tilting her head to the side, exposing the delicate skin of her neck.

  Rosalie hesitated no longer. She grasped Isabel’s shoulders, steadying herself, and then leaned in, her lips grazing the warm flesh before she bit down.

  A rush of pure ecstasy surged through Rosalie as Isabel’s blood touched her to was unlike anything she had ever tasted—rich, powerful, sweet like honey yet dark like the fi wine. A deep, involuntary moan escaped her throat as she drank, her grip on Isabel tightening, fingers digging into her mate’s waist. She wanted more. She needed more. The hunger, onbearable, was now being sated in the most blissful way.

  Isabel shuddered, a soft gasp leaving her lips as Rosalie’s bite sent shivers through her body. She didn’t fight it; she embraced it, holding Rosalie close, letting her mate take what she needed.

  Rosalie drank until she felt the hunger dissipate, until warmth spread through her limbs, her strength returning. Finally, she forced herself to pull away, her lips stained with crimson. A heavy, satisfied sigh escaped her lips, but before she could say anything, darkness ed around her senses, and she colpsed.

  Isabel caught her with ease, cradling her in her arms as she disappeared in a puff of bck smoke. Isabel reappeared into her bedroom aled Rosalie on the bed, she looked down at her mate, who noeared peaceful—resting, no longer suffering from starvation. With a soft smile, Isabel pressed a gentle kiss to Rosalie’s lips before standing straight.

  Lifting her hand, bck smoke curled from her fiips. A momehe shadows swirled and materialized into Nyx, her trusted guardian.

  “I have something to take care of,” Isabel said firmly, her voiandi filled with quiet affe. “Please protect Rosalie until I return.”

  Nyx, fully healed and standing tall, ined her head in uanding. Without hesitation, she moved to Rosalie’s side, settlio her, her body poised to shield her from any danger.

  Isabel nodded once, satisfied, and then disappeared in a puff of bck smoke.

  Meanwhile, at the Cullen Mansion“I ’t believe that demon bitch showed up,” Edward spat, frustration thi his voice. He threw himself onto the sofa, raking his hands through his hair, his golden eyes burning with anger.

  “We just need a better pn,” Jasper muttered, leaning back against the couch, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. His mind was already w, strategizing, calg. He wanted this pn to work. He o get Isabel—for himself.

  Carlisle sighed heavily, his hands tightening around the handle of the knife he held. He had been expeg something like this. He knew better than to uimate the power of a mate bond, especially when it was still fresh.

  “We should have known that the demon would show up,” Carlisle said solemnly. “Mates are not known to be apart for long, especially not when the bond is new.”

  Edward ched his jaw, his rage boiling over. With a sudden burst of fury, he smmed his fist down onto the ter table, shattering it into splinters. “Then we go bad kill Rosalie.”

  The room fell into a tense silence.

  And then—

  “I knew you were all stupid,” a voice echoed through the room, smooth as silk yet dripping with venom. “But I didn’t realize you were this stupid.”

  The three vampires froze.

  Before them, standing effortlessly in the ter of the room, was Isabel.

  She smirked, her now red eyes glowing like embers in the dim light. A ge that matched her fury.

  “You tried to kill my mate,” she tinued, stepping forward, her every movement predatory, fluid. “And then you came back here like nothing happened?” She tilted her head, amusement flickering across her sharp features. “I should be furious. I should rip you apart where you stand.”

  Edward’s fists ched, his whole body going rigid. Jasper shifted subtly, preparing for a fight, while Carlisle’s grip on the kightened.

  “But,” Isabel murmured, a wicked smile curling at her lips, “I’m not going to pin.”

  She took aep, her fangs fshing.

  “This,” she purred, “makes things so much easier.”