029. Separate Ways

Morning light and raindrops rolling down the windows are what Mia awakens to. At first glance, she reconsiders if everything had been a horrible dream and perhaps she's back at home under the covers by his side.

For a moment, she dwells into the possibility despite her mind screaming at her to get it together. It isn't the time to fantasize and she more than anyone knows it, but trapping herself in the bubble of endless dreams and delights are becoming her alleviation.

The fluorescent lights make her wince, her hand attempting to shield her eyes from the dawning beams as her nails carve deeper into her palm. She leans her head down and rests her hand next to her. The cold sensation of leather on her fingertips sends a shock wave, placing her fantasies into a halt as she's forced into facing her new reality.

Alice notices her distraught expression and glances through her seat behind her. She offers a warming smile, but the solace being offered doesn't match the distress in her golden eyes. Calmly and in a low voice as if not to startle her, she asks, "Are you okay, Mia?"

"I'm fine," her haste response reveals her dishonesty. It doesn't go unnoticed by the others and she knows that, but she couldn't care less in convincing them when all that matters is knowing what's happening back in Forks. "Any news?"

Sensing her need to divert the attention from her, Jasper starts filling her in on everything, "Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie are leading the tracker away. Esme and Carlisle explained everything to your mother and are keeping her safe."

Okay, that's good.

Nothing wrong has happened.

Maybe things will continue running their course.

A relieved sigh escapes her lips as her eyes close at a weight having been lifted. She runs a hand through her messy locks, not bothering to care for how disheveled she might look. All that matters is that everyone is safe. No one has gotten hurt and that's what's most important.

"Where are we?" She notices a few skyscrapers from afar, wondering how far they've driven in the past 24 hours.

"We're reaching San Francisco," Alice tries repressing a smile when seeing her astonished look. "We'll be safe here."

The Golden Gate Bridge comes to sight along with tons of cars driving back and forth. Honking sounds fill her eardrums and the soft waves synchronize with the rustling breeze. She's always wanted to travel the country, but instead of being ecstatic on getting the opportunity, she's anything but overjoyed.

This isn't the way a trip should have happened. Not by running away into a hopefully safe place. None of this right, so despite the beautiful scenery, she chooses to bury any intrigued and delighted emotions into the vault.

It takes about 20 minutes to reach the hotel. The traffic could have been worse, but in all honesty, she didn't mind in the slightest. The more crowded a place is, the safer she feels in believing James wouldn't do anything if he were to find her. Well, at least not with tons of witnesses.

Mia hops out of the car and glances up at the building. Its architecture stands tall and appears to have thirty floors, all of them having floor to ceiling windows. Palm trees surround the perimeter and various people walk in with their luggage and necessary umbrellas.

"I'll check us in," Jasper walks over to the front desk, leaving her and Alice waiting in the lobby.

"Everything is going to be okay," Alice disrupts the momentary silence, making her look up from her jacket that belongs to Edward. "This will soon be nothing but a distant memory. We'll handle this."

"You shouldn't have to," her voice comes out harsher than intended. She internally scolds herself for the way she spoke to her when she was just trying to comfort her. "This started with me, so I should be the one to fix it. Not any of you."

"Mia, you're a part of our family now," Alice soothingly says, hoping her soft voice will ease the turmoil in her mind. She places her hand on hers, her cold temperature combining with her warmth in a replenishing way. "And we take care of our family. Always."

She shifts in her seat and averts her gaze to the ground, not a single word being said.

Her stoicism and anger are alarming, but Alice figures this is just her way of coping. She knows better than to ask any more questions, but she's never been the type not to show her care.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Mia flinches ever so slightly at the question. It's the second time she's been asked this and the answer remains the same. She's not alright and it's getting harder pretending she is, but admitting it would be rendered useless. Admitting not being fine won't make this go away and quite frankly, she doesn't want to keep getting asked that question any longer.

Sighing, she forces a tight lipped smile, "Yeah, I'm handling it."

Alice suddenly holds her in a tight embrace. Mia isn't much of a hugger, not unless it's with her family or those she's closest to. It's a strange feeling being held with such care that she's left frozen for a moment, her hands pressed against her side and eyes widening in deliberation.

Her mind screams at her to not allow herself to be comforted. She's not made for this. She's not deserving of it. If her father left her on the day she was born, why would anyone willingly choose to stay?

He's the worst man on earth and deserves nothing but an eternity of misery, yet somehow in her broken mind, Mia can't prevent being affected by their history, by his abandonment. A father should love their child unconditionally, get rid of the monsters under their bed, ensure their happiness and safety, and not discard them as if they're nothing but waste.

It's the bare minimum yet also the utmost standard.

All he left her with are trails of trust and anger issues, making her more susceptible to wrecking her relationships without trying. She was given a monster for a father; someone who wants her dead and won't stop until it's done. Her own blood wants her gone, so it's not surprising her affliction has become constant like the moon's revolution.

"I'm here for you," Alice draws away, the softest smile apparent on her face. "We all are."

Jasper arrives holding the key, cutting the moment short, "Shall we head to the room?"

Mia follows them into the elevator in silence. The music fills the quietness, giving her enough time to settle that she's not going to let her long list of issues control her anymore. Like Alice had mentioned, they're her family now and she'd be damned if she wrecks this.

She leans forward for an embrace and holds her tightly, finding herself feeling much better at having more people on her side.

"Thank you," she whispers once she leans away.

"Always and forever," Alice says, her gaze softening when meeting hers. "We're family now, so you're stuck with us."

Family.

Such a simple word that means everything. Strength, power, purpose, and meaning are pulled together into a perfect string, creating a splendor that shakes the world off its axis with its vehemence. Family doesn't end in blood and she feels the most fortunate to have been granted this honor.

The elevator doors open, soon revealing their shared room is all the way on the 20th floor. Upon entering, they're welcomed by the incredible view of the city being displayed thanks to the floor to ceiling windows.

As if her body had developed a mind of its own, Mia doesn't think twice in heading to the phone's direction. She calls her mother's number and it rings only once before Isobel picks up, "Mia? Are you okay?"

There's that question again.

She moves past it and manages to switch the question to her, "Are you okay? Are you being attentive to your surroundings?"

"You have a rogue vampire after you and you're worried about me?" Isobel laughs loudly to the point she has to move the phone away from her ear. "I'm okay as long as you are and it helps that Esme and Carlisle are keeping me company."

"I know you hate being restrained to one place, but please listen to what they say," Mia knows better than to trust her mother won't attempt to leave the house, but she seriously hopes just this once, she chooses to comply with orders. "When this is over, you can go wherever you want, but until we know otherwise that it's safe, stay home."

Isobel playfully rolls her eyes, "Okay, mother. I'll stay inside, but you have to promise me you will fight if anything happens. Don't let him win. Fight with all your might."

She places her hand against her heart to pledge her honor even if she can't be seen, "I promise to never let him win. If he manages to find me, I won't go easy on him. That I can assure you."

Isobel smiles at her words, "Can you tell me where you are or is that too unsafe?"

"It's better if you don't know, but I'm safe," she assures her, glancing over at Alice and Jasper. "I'm in great hands."

"I love you. Please be careful," she says the words slowly as if to make sure she understands.

Mia softly smiles, "I love you too. Be careful as well."

She hangs up the phone and a sudden piercing silence covers the expanse of the room, resembling the calm before the storm. Something is bound to occur and it's killing her just waiting like a sitting duck being completely useless. There has to be something she can do instead of being on the sidelines like a wallflower.

She walks over to the window, noticing the clouds hovering over the bridge and blocking the view of the skyscrapers. Rain splashes against the glass while thunder roars from a distance. Even when she isn't in Forks anymore, Forks remains inside her. It follows her like a shadow and becomes a part of her as the seasons pass.

"What is it?" Jasper questions with alert, his arm locating itself around Alice's shoulders. "What do you see?"

Alice's expression has turned blank as if she's stuck in a dreamlike state. Her eyes stare ahead in focus, an indication she's having one of her visions, "The tracker. He just changed course."

"Where will it take him, Alice?" Jasper reaches for a piece of paper and places it on the table along with a charcoal onto her hand.

Alice starts drawing what she's seeing without looking down, "It's a lake. There's lots of trees and boulders all around. It's night and there's another person, but it's hard to tell who it is."

The lake.

It can't possibly mean it's the lake she dreamt about, right?

If that's the case, that means her father is somehow involved in all of this, but it doesn't make sense since he's the one that attacked James and James wouldn't be that foolish to include his attacker.

Could it be possible this is an exception?

They do have one thing in common and it's wanting her dead.

"Edward said your visions aren't always certain," Mia attempts to dismiss this in a way to convince herself of being wrong.

"She sees the course people are on while they're at it," Jasper corrects, continuing to stare at Alice with concern. "If they change their minds, the vision changes."

She breathes heavily, "So the course he's taking will lead him to a lake in Forks."

Alice stops drawing, her brows furrowing and eyes filling with anguish, "You know where this is?"

Jasper freezes for a moment, "Have you seen it?"

This is the moment she's been dreading. She now needs to explain these dreams she's had and it makes her feel... vulnerable, like she's letting them see into her deepest, most obscure parts.

"I saw it in a dream, but James wasn't there," she swallows hard and takes a shaky breath. "It was my dad and he- he was killing me."

Both vampires stare at her with a distraught look, like they're afraid it wasn't just a dream, but a glimpse into the future.

And maybe it is.

Alice dashes to the phone, her fingers moving hastily and resembling a giant blur. Not even a second into dialing, the call is answered.

Mia continues pacing around the room. Her hands are shaking and this terrible feeling starts pressing against her chest, making it hard to breathe to the point she debates on whether or not to head out for fresh air.

Alice interrupts her pacing and hands her the phone, "Edward wants to speak to you."

She doesn't think twice about taking the device from her, "Edward, are you okay?"

"Alice and Jasper will take you to the airport and I'll meet you there," he rushes through his words and the faintest sound of the wind could be heard. "I'm not risking you for anything, so you and I are gonna go somewhere alone and the others will keep hunting. I'll do everything to keep you safe."

She's not fond of running away again. First it was leaving London for her safety and now it's leaving Forks for the same reason. Everywhere she goes, tragedy seems to follow. Whether it's dark wizards or vampires, danger will always come knocking at her door.

"I'll be waiting for you," she says in a low voice as her eyes fill with tears. "Don't take too long."

Just as she hangs up the phone, Alice and Jasper are already gathering their belongings. She tries moving to them, but everything has started to hit her like the first wave on a wintry beach. All of this is making her feel suffocated and the fact that this will be her life now makes her dread what the future holds.

"Can you guys give me a moment?" She avoids looking at them, not wanting to be pressured by their hesitation. "I'll meet you in the lobby shortly."

Alice stares at her for a while, her reluctance and concern becoming more evident. It's obvious Mia needs some time alone, but she's afraid of letting her out of her sight. Edward left her in her care and if anything were to happen, she's not sure if she'd ever be able to forgive herself.

"Please," Mia's voice comes out low and tremulous, her brows furrowing pleadingly in hopes they comply with her wishes.

Hesitantly, Alice decides to cave, "We'll be waiting downstairs."

Jasper shuts the door behind them and its clicking sound serves as permission to feel everything. Her once stoic demeanor transforms into a shattered glass, the cracks becoming more apparent through every heavy breath and harsh kicks.

Giving in to her emotions makes her feel like a weakened child, like someone meant to vanish into the darkness and never come up for light. She's never allowed herself to process anything as she's always buried them with sarcasm and humor.

A coping mechanism, one might call it. Not the healthiest one, but it's permitted her the chance of becoming a closed book. If she allows her walls to crumble down, everyone will see her for the person she is – a weakling.

Heavy and ragged breaths rattle her body as if a spirit had possessed her. Her temples pound like blaring drums, combining with the sound of her heartbeats that rummage her system like an earthquake.

Stop being weak, Mia. Get it together. You have people waiting for you.

With a deep breath, the heartbreak on display falters into an impassive one. Her stoicism returns and only the desire of leaving this suffocating room takes over. She will be with Edward soon and hopefully reunite with her mother once it's safe. Everything will resolve itself with time and patience is what's needed, but since when has patience been her virtue?

When she looks at herself in the mirror, no traces of her previous shatter are present. Anyone would believe nothing is wrong upon first glance, but if they were to study the vehemence in her eyes, they'd obtain a one way ticket to her wasted mental cages.

"Never expected you to be this weak, darling."

As if a knife had become implanted in her back, her blood runs cold at the familiar, sinister voice. An ominous shadow looms over her shoulder and if she didn't know any better, which she does, she would have believed the grim reaper had come for her.

The mirror in front of her reflects his image and for a brief moment, she sees herself standing behind her.

"It's polite to face the person whenever they're speaking to you."

"You're early," Mia continues glaring at him through his reflection nonetheless. Revulsion swims in the pools of her hazel eyes, a look solely reserved for him.

Dimitri doesn't move a muscle as his piercing blue eyes carve her back like daggers. The faintest smile twists at the corner of his mouth, their enjoyment not matching the hostility of his stare.

"I missed you," he casually says, shrugging nonchalantly while placing his hands in his pockets. "Just wanted to surprise you."

"Well, consider me surprised."

Her sarcasm fractures his frail thread of patience. He detests when she doesn't show any fear or unease. It corrupts his egotistical ego, even more when he's doing nothing but offering the minimum of so called amiability.

It's dangerous to taunt the devil, but it's deadlier to openly express the fear he evokes in her. There's not an ounce of love in his heart, except for himself. He's a narcissist and the only way he could love her is if she became him. If she follows in his footsteps, there's the guarantee of obtaining his affection.

And yet, she isn't desperate for his love, his acceptance, or respect.

Dimitri's lips twitch at her defiance, "What did I say about you speaking to me this way?"

His warning cuts her like razor wires. She remembers the last time he warned her and it took lots of makeup to cover his tracks. The feeling of his hands cutting off her oxygen can never be forgotten. It's haunted her ever since and probably will for the rest of her life. He left a mark in her and it nauseates her at always having a dent from his calloused hands on her skin, almost like he had marked his territory.

Her thumb presses against her index finger, creating a nail shaped scar like a tattoo. The smallest drop of blood drips down her hand that she discreetly wipes against the inside of her jacket's sleeves. Letting him see the effect he has on her will give him more power and she'd be damned if she hands it to him.

"It's not the spring solstice yet," Mia moves past his question and he smiles in a sinister way. He got what he wanted, which was to create avoidance and a sense of foreboding. "I thought you were a man of your word."

Dimitri doesn't say anything, but instead waltzes over to the mini bar. Nonchalantly, he opens the compartment and grabs two bottles of malt liquor. The sound of its screw caps falling to the ground make her flinch, something that doesn't go unnoticed by him. With a hubristic smirk, he hands her the drink – a challenging offer and mock of her young age.

Politely as ever, she takes the glass from him and hums in gratitude. She tries not to react at his hand brushing against hers. His graze is ice cold, which is something she's used to with Edward's touch, but her father's touch holds her captive. It doesn't provide consolation, safety, or love.

Instead, it provides an entrance to the void and eternal damnation.

The smell of alcohol penetrates her nostrils. Its bitter and strong scent makes her reluctant to take a sip, but Dimitri stares at her in anticipation. He waits for her to make the first move and she's certain if she doesn't, he will continue burning her with those grotesque eyes.

Reluctantly, she takes the first sip. The acidic beverage inflames her throat, causing him to join her and drink from his. She lowers the bottle and forcefully looks up at him, "So is this it? We're just going to bond over drinking?"

He narrows his eyes and to her discomfort, he moves a couple steps closer, "Careful with that tone, darling. You don't want anything to happen to your dear friend now, would you?"

She stops breathing at his words.

Her dear friend.

"That poor Swan girl," he practically laughs at her reaction and reaches into his coat's pocket. "It was really easy being you."

A small bottle that has been emptied is waved in the air to mock her. She doesn't know what to think or what to say. Her father is capable of anything and the thought that he killed her makes the world crumble on her shoulders. If she's dead, it was all because of her.

It isn't until replaying his words when she realizes what he did. The bottle once contained a potion, but not just any potion. It was the same one Barty Crouch Jr. had used to infiltrate himself into Hogwarts. It was the same one used to take on the appearance of Alastor Moody.

It had been the Polyjuice Potion.

"What did you do?!" Mia impulsively tosses the bottle from his hand, coincidentally right when he was about to take another sip. She shoves her palms into his chest and he comes crashing down onto a nearby desk.

Dimitri laughs and stands up, carefully inspecting the remnants of what was once a desk. He brushes the dust off his blazer and moves his locks into place, clearly more bothered over his clothing being ruined.

"That wasteful human has you going against your own blood," his smile drops and Mia can swear this is the moment where everything will go south.

Before she can even prepare herself, his fist strikes her directly into her jaw. The sharp impact of his knuckles send her crashing to the ground and landing a couple centimeters from the balcony doors.

Instinctively, she reaches for her wand, but his boot is much faster. Her only defense gets tossed across the room and she's left absolutely powerless. He's too strong for her and there's not a possibility in which she would be able to beat him. It's useless to fight, but despite all the signs pointing to an inevitable loss, she's not willing to stand back.

Mia glances down for a second, her hands forming into tight fists and every ounce of strength pumping through her veins. She ignores the sting on her lower lip and before he can even perceive her next move, her knuckles smash against his nose and cause him to stagger back with a loud groan.

She takes advantage of his distraction and sprints toward her wand, but that's when she feels his arms wrapping themselves around her waist. The sharp impact of the balcony's doors cut her like millions of daggers. Her back burns with the grating collision and if it wasn't for her holding on to the edge of the door, she would have gone through the glass and come crashing down the twenty floors.

Dimitri takes menacing steps toward her with fists clenched and eyes burning like the pits of hell. She breathes uncontrollably and glances around the balcony for anything to use against him. A flower pot is the first thing she sees and once Dimitri pins her down, she uses all her strength to smash it against his head.

He groans in pain and topples over to the side that grants her the opportunity to shove him off and run to acquire her wand. Her feet crush the remaining shards and a few manage to prick through her shoe base into the sole of her feet. The blood rushes to her ears, creating a piercing sound to pound against her skull as the room begins to spin uncontrollably.

Halfway through the other side of the room, Mia can hear her father yelling in pain. Seems the flower pot did more damage than she thought and she couldn't be more grateful for it. Regardless of what's happening to him, she manages to find her might and successfully grasps her wand.

A flash of green heads in her direction, but she manages to deflect the spell before it hits her. Sparks fill the entire room and bounce into the walls and glass. Through the gaping shatters in the windows, the rain starts splashing against them and filling the vicinity. Breeze rustles everything and sends tons of lingering paper and a few frames slamming against the floor.

"You're risking everything for a worthless human?!" Dimitri bellows, staring firmly into her as he bombards her with various spells all at once.

Mia takes his words with a grain of salt and focuses on intently keeping herself alive. He's much stronger than Lucius ever was and it's getting harder to maintain his spells from reaching her. It doesn't matter how strong he is, she's not going to let him control this moment and obtain a win out of this.

A sudden flame ignites at the palm of his hand and grows into the shape of a fiery snake. Instead of its color being a burning orange, a green shade coats its appearance into an even more ominous apparition. The snake opens its mouth, revealing his fangs before charging at her at full speed.

Dimitri's maniacal laugh is infuriating. His mock is enough to destroy her last thread of honor to the point she's not willing to contain this darkness any longer. He took her friend and possibly killed her, so clemency isn't a quality she's willing to grant.

Taking a step closer and with a strong sense of determination, she focuses on the water running through the room's pipes. Starting from the kitchen's sink, to the bathroom's, and the shower, the water explodes from the ducts and comes rushing into the center of her wand. She tilts her head slightly, grinding her teeth before addressing the water at him.

Dimitri becomes engulfed by the suffocating mass. He's risen into the air, his feet and arms struggling to swim in its waters. She smiles at his struggle and inches forward, her arms remaining perfectly steady while he becomes the epitome of cowardice.

With a brisk stroke, Mia blasts the orb of water out the window, destroying one of the last remaining openings and sending its fragments to sparkle the room like dust. Quietness consumes the expanse of the room, leaving only the sounds of the pouring rain and howling breeze to remain. The place becomes vacant, not a soul left wandering except for hers. As the seconds go by, the silence and stillness becomes increasingly intense.

Mia carefully heads to the edge. Her grip on her wand never loosens as she cranes her neck past the shattered window. Below, there's nothing but the roads and cars. The lights from the smaller buildings are slightly noticeable along with the few people walking around with their umbrellas. She looks up just in case, but finds nothing but a strange inactivity. There's no sign of her father anywhere and while she's relieved for a mere moment, his sudden disappearance makes her unnerved.

She takes a few steps back and decides on not wasting any more time. If he's still out there, he'll find her and she will be more than ready. Right now, all she cares for is finding Bella on time.

She dashes toward the door, but when her hand is placed on the handle, the sound of his violent laughter punctures her ears. Seems surviving a fall this high is quite simple for a vile wizard like him.

Dimitri pushes his fallen locks back, an impressed smile twitching at his lips as he breathes uncontrollably. He points his wand at her and paces all around steadily, "That was impressive, darling. You didn't think twice about throwing me off this building. I knew you had it in you."

"Well, I did warn you beforehand," she maintains her voice composed like her impassive expression. "If you dared hurt someone, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you."

Something changes in him. His taunting, conceited look disappears and she recognizes it as confusion. He's startled, worried even, which leaves her completely stricken and wondering why he's staring at her this way.

"I may be a lot of things, but I will always be a man of my word," Dimitri folds his arms across his chest, craning his head up and narrowing his eyes sharply. "I wouldn't hurt anyone, but I never said he wouldn't."

He.

James must be the person he's referring to. Alice's vision showed her a lake, so that can only signify the lake is the place where Bella's being held captive. It's the place she would be forced to decide between dying or taking the mark to prevent Edward from being given the cure. Her answer has already been set, but despite having her mind made up this past month, she will never be ready to face death.

Dimitri's eyes widen in delight at her realization, "I knew you were clever. You truly are my daughter."

"Why would James work with you? You attacked him," she voices, not comprehending why a vicious vampire like James would form an alliance with the man that tried killing him.

He moves closer to her, "The Dark Lord did promise him prey for his services."

She internally winces as her mind plagues her with the worst images. James must be hurting Bella and she's been wasting time with her father. Him appearing so suddenly didn't take her by surprise back then, but now it's starting to make sense.

Dimitri only came here to distract her. He wanted to break her spirit once learning Bella was gone. That way, she'd become more willing to take the mark just to avoid any more of her loved ones getting hurt.

"Don't worry, darling," his voice drips with venom that she wouldn't be surprised if he brings up his ultimatum now. "I'm sure James is still having fun with her."

Her gaze hardens at his mockery. He's ridiculing her for caring about someone beside her, like he believes worrying about others is a sign of weakness. Perhaps it is, but if having her humanity is a sign of debility, then she'd rather be weak than a heartless monster.

She doesn't say a word and instead focuses on the image of the cold lake. If her path has already been made, escaping won't be of any use. Her instinct is telling her to keep running, but she will never forgive herself if she does. Her friends and family are everything to her, so betraying them would be like betraying herself, and she'd rather die than become selfish like her father.

Within the blink of an eye, Mia finds herself standing in familiar ground. She's no longer in the city of San Francisco, but is now in Forks, Washington.

The breeze is significantly colder and the forest is covered with an ominous fog. The lake stands a couple feet behind her, the sound of its gentle waves emitting shivers down her spine. If this were any other time, she would have relished in the beautiful sight, but tonight, this scene is the setting of a fairytale from the Grimm Brothers.

She narrows her eyes in focus and starts running around in search of Bella. Her impulse is to call out to her, but that would only alert James of her presence (if he's not aware of it just yet). She controls her shaky breaths and looks around, making sure of remaining wary of her surroundings just in case of any sudden attacks.

A rustling sound is heard from the edge of the forest just a little closer to the deeper side. She sharply turns in its direction and despite her instincts telling her not to head in its direction, she ignores that side of her and cautiously walks forward. The rustling becomes louder and it isn't until hearing a girl's cries that she realizes it's Bella.

Mia runs toward her and finds her entrapped to a tree. Her arms and legs are being held together with tape while her torso is wrapped with a thick rope that is knotted behind the trunk.

"Are you okay?" She carefully removes the tape from her mouth and releases her hands. "Did he hurt you?"

Bella shakes her head and breathes uncontrollably, her gaze flicking between her and their surroundings, "He- he tricked me. He made me believe he was you and brought me here. There was another person with him, but he only tied me and then disappeared."

It's strange that James hadn't done anything to Bella given he had the opportunity. Given his obsession with the hunt, it's unlike him to leave his mission so sudden. Don't get her wrong, Mia's grateful for having found her on time, but it's perturbing her at how simple this was. James wouldn't let her save Bella this easily. Not unless he's plotting for something even more sinister.

"I need to get you out here," Mia helps her up, quickly embracing her before cautiously guiding her past the trees toward the direction of the road.

Halfway into the woods, Mia's disturbed at how quiet it's gotten. Not even the lake or rustling of the branches are heard. No sound of slumbering animals are perceived either. There's nothing but absolute silence and it's making this rescue mission appear like it's going to take a wrong turn.

"I can't see anything," Bella whispers, her grip on Mia's hand becoming tighter. "How- how are we going to get out?"

A strange sensation suddenly awakens in Mia, almost like a sixth sense has unfolded. She comes to a stop as her body begins vibrating with an unfamiliar notion. This is unlike the feeling she always gets.

This is different.

Something is getting closer and despite not knowing from which direction, she knows they're getting nearer.

"Mia?" Bella's voice quivers as she attempts following her line of sight to understand what has her so worried. "What's wrong?"

She looks back in the direction of the forest and moves a couple steps forward, but the strange vibration becomes more intense when facing it. This action is repeated to various corners up until facing the path they came from – the lake.

The sensation is less intense and it makes her feel ridiculous for considering it, but it seems heading back is the lesser of two evils. She starts walking back and despite questioning why they're returning, Bella decides on not saying anything out of her trust for her.

"Can you tell me what it is?"

The trees start appearing as if they're caving in. If before she had been unable to perceive a sound, now her hearing is able to pick up on the faintest ones. The leaves cracking under her feet are magnified, the faint breeze sounds like souls being tortured, and the once gentle waves have now become increasingly chaotic.

She furrows her brows in concern, not understanding why this vibration is rattling her body. It almost feels like a warning, like it's telling her something or someone is coming and she should prepare herself for it.

"Mia, please tell me what's happening?"

"I don't know," she admits and continues following this new sense.

The vibration keeps surrounding her and it's nearly making her feel suffocated. It's warning her to be on the lookout, but she's unsure from what precise location exactly. All she's aware of is knowing that she needs to remain wary and the rest will suddenly come falling like dominoes.

She abruptly stops when reaching the edge of the forest. The lake stands in front looking as menacing as ever. The fog hovers above it and lowers itself little by little until suddenly, it's unable to be seen.

Her body has become much more tense and her skin feels as if needles are pricking every inch of it. She stares ahead for a few seconds before closing her eyes, choosing to focus on where this sense is guiding her.

Her heart bangs against her ribcage, its sound filling her eardrums and becoming increasingly louder by the minute. The hairs on her body start rising once she faces her right side and that's when she realizes that whoever is coming will be attacking from this viewpoint.

Mia wields her wand forward and opens her eyes, "Stupefy!"

A vibrant force impacts James, who doesn't have time to perceive what's happening until he's sent crashing into a gathering of boulders. She relaxes her shoulders for a moment, but her relief is nothing but temporary when another figure emerges from the shadows.

"You keep impressing me more every time," Dimitri says in a low voice as he glares at her like she's a trophy. "That sense you're getting, it's a sign of your strength and it'd be a waste if you throw it away for a worthless muggle."

She pushes Bella behind her, her grip on her wand getting tighter while remaining wary of the soon-to-be awakened James. She tries not letting his words get to her, but she detests hearing him speak about her friend this way when knowing he's doing it full of prejudice.

"Leave her out of it," Mia threatens, moving slightly to shield Bella even more. "This is a problem between you and I, so do what you came here to do."

Dimitri's hand trembles on his wand and Mia grips tighter onto hers. It's any minute now when the inevitable is bound to happen and as much as she's urging it to start, she's afraid of what the outcome might be.

He glances down at his blackthorn wand and deliberates if he should take on the pleasure of casting the Cruciatus curse. Nothing he would love more than seeing her sarcasm disappear and turn into nothing but cries of pain. It's gnawing at him to do so, but it would mean cutting his enjoyment short.

"I already have my answer," Mia firmly declares. "I'm not joining you, but I'm not letting you use the cure on him."

Dimitri clicks his tongue and twirls his wand with a malicious intent, "I told you if you didn't change your mind, I'd be honored to kill you. You're making a mistake, darling."

"I'm not," Mia slowly brings out her hawthorn wand, but from the corner of her eye, she notices James start regaining consciousness. She can tell her father realizes as well and something tells her he's not willing to let her attack his counterpart again.

"Are you sure about that?" Dimitri inches himself closer and she's tempted to take a step back, but with James already heading in their direction, she's now become cornered.

The blond vampire brushes the remnants of rubble off his clothing and chuckles at her protective stance over Bella. He glances at Dimitri with a knowing look before adjusting his focus back to her, "This is my favorite part. You're quite a stubborn person, aren't you?"

Mia nonchalantly shrugs, "I guess I am."

James stops shortly a couple feet from Bella, but his focus remains settled on her, "Even when having a way out, you choose not to take it. I have to say, I'm impressed."

"Can't say the same about you," she remarks, frowning ever so slightly. "I thought you learned your lesson about trusting dark wizards. Seems your sheer stupidity will be your end after all."

James growls and strides forward, but Dimitri prevents him from getting close to her, "Remember our agreement. She's mine."

Being considered his makes her repulsed. He speaks about her as if she were some kind of object and if he views her as such, that can only mean he sees her as disposable. Objects can be easily destroyed and tossed aside, which doesn't make her any different from experiencing such an act.

"You really made this too easy," James disregards his warning and glares at her with a hungry expression once getting a stronger whiff of her scent. "It was my idea to use this human to lure you. You were so protective over her that I just couldn't resist including her in our entertainment."

Her gaze continuously flickers between her father and James. Dimitri is still in place with a stoic expression, but James is the complete opposite. He's smiling and even went as far as bringing a camcorder.

"I'm gonna make a little film of our time together," James looks over at Dimitri, almost as if looking for his approval. "I borrowed this from your house, little Swan. Hope you don't mind."

Bella's mortified that he had been in her house. Her father was still working at the station before she left believing it had been Mia, so her only consolation lies within the hope that James broke into her house when Charlie wasn't there.

"And... action," James moves back and as if it had been a sign between him and Dimitri, a beam of light surges from his wand in her direction.

Mia jerks her wand forward, a flash of green colliding with his and emitting sparks all around them. She notices he hasn't used an unforgivable curse, which makes her believe he's not intent on torturing or killing her just yet. He wants a battle, to make her tired, and make her believe she has a chance of winning this.

Destiny might not be on her side, but just because her loss is meant to happen, it won't mean she won't go down without a fight. She pushes Bella behind her and extends her arm protectively in front of her. A jet of green light resurfaces from her wand and barely misses hitting him. She forms a conniving smirk and moves forward, refusing to grant him the belief she's nothing but a loss.

James suddenly lunges forward, but instead of grabbing ahold of Mia, his focus places itself onto Bella. He harshly grips her throat and tosses her against the trees, causing her to scream in pain and attempt to run off.

Frightened, Mia looks behind her with her heart pounding against her chest. Her hands tremble at the amount of power these casted spells contain. She tries sending a curse in James' way, but Dimitri's magic prevents any source of protection from her.

She extends her hand forward and creates a barrier between them. One more time, she attempts to petrify the vampire, but Dimitri apparates to stand in her direct view, cutting her second efforts to vanish.

"Crucio!" Dimitri bellows as he edges himself closer.

"Protego!"

A jet of red light emits from her wand and rebounds his spell against him. He barely misses the impact if it weren't for taking shelter behind a pair of boulders. A few pieces of the rock come flying off, revealing his hunched position and wary look.

Muttering Incendio under her breath, the fire's blaze is addressed toward her father. Like he had done so back at the hotel, the flames take on the shape of a similar snake. It's only fair to pay him with the same side of the same coin, so hastily, she directs the figure to him.

Dimitri stands back in astonishment and is frozen for a split moment. His senses shift back into gear once the snake starts burning the ground and heading straight at him with intents to destroy. He flicks his wand upward and with a brisk move, he prevents the apparition from reaching him.

Despite the snake coming back to her, Mia doesn't take shelter in anything. She jerks her arms to the lake behind her, making the serpent come crashing into the frigid waters and lose its threat.

Her defense worsens everything and ignites a profound rage to consume him. He lets out an infuriated scream and points his wand at her. A flash of green flies in her direction with intents to kill, but Mia prevents the curse from overpowering her once she casts a protective charm. She forms a soft smile when seeing his deflated expression, but just when she believes things are running in her favor, a loud scream coming from Bella makes her barrier come crumbling down.

Glancing her way, she finds James hovering over Bella with his hand crushing her leg. An overpowering sense of horror consumes her at having left her friend defenseless. She's the reason as to why Bella's involved in this and now she's gotten hurt.

It's all her fault.

"Bella-"

Her words are cut off once the most agonizing feeling burns her body. She's felt this before and the pain is unlike anything she's ever experienced. Her bones feel like they're being removed one by one and as if her skin is being stripped slowly with pliers. She's desperate to beg this pain to stop, but in doing so, it would mean being left at his clemency.

And she'd rather experience an eternity worth of torture than subdue herself to his control.

As she writhes uncontrollably on the ground, she sees Dimitri heading in a leisurely way to her with his wand pointing at her like a sharp knife. She tries maintaining her pain hidden, but his anger and hatred makes the spell much stronger and less bearable to withstand. Painful groans escape her lips, satisfying him to a great extent in finally getting to punish the girl who's done nothing but disappoint him.

Mia takes loud and heavy breaths as she tries searching for the strength to fight this. The unforgivable curse is impossible to defy that she wonders how she'd be able to maintain the smallest bit of composure. The pain keeps getting more uncontrollable as her head starts pounding as if boulders are smashing it vigorously. Not even when her father keeps getting closer does she attempt to move as deep down she settles that maybe this is when her destiny will be fulfilled.

Maybe this is when everything ends and the lake will soon come to take her away.









Author's Note

Hey, y'all! Long time no see 👋🏼
This chapter is close to 8k words so there's that...

Hope you guys liked the chapter!
Don't be a ghost reader! Comment & vote!

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