Twilight: blood & brimstone

Edward Cullen was at his limit.

I could feel it—his carefully built restraint cracking under the pressure, his composure hanging by a thread. Decades of self-control, of pretending to be something more than a monster, were slipping away, piece by piece.

And I was the one pulling the strings.

I smirked as I strolled through the halls of Forks High, the weight of Edward's gaze burning into my back. He was following me. Hunting me.

Good.

I wanted him angry. I wanted him reckless.

Because Edward was lying to himself.

He told himself he wasn't like the others. That he was in control. That he wasn't ruled by hunger, by violence, by the instincts that clawed at his every thought.

But every creature had a breaking point.

And I was going to find his.

The Confrontation

I didn't have to wait long.

As soon as the final bell rang, I stepped outside into the crisp afternoon air, letting the cold bite at my skin. Students filtered out of the school, their conversations blending into meaningless noise.

And then—

Edward was there.

He moved so fast that no one saw him, no one noticed the way he suddenly appeared in front of me, golden eyes burning with something feral.

I grinned.

"Lost something, Cullen?"

His hands clenched at his sides. His jaw was tight, his entire body too still. If he had been human, his breathing would've been uneven, his pulse rapid.

Instead, he was silent.

And that was so much worse.

"You need to stay away from her," he said, his voice low, edged with something that barely resembled humanity.

I chuckled. "Now, why would I do that?"

His nostrils flared. "She's not—"

"Not mine?" I finished, tilting my head. "Funny. I don't remember you owning her."

His expression darkened. "I love her."

I laughed. Actually laughed. "You think love is what this is?" I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. "You watch her sleep, Edward. You stalk her. You want her in ways you can't even admit to yourself."

He went still.

I could hear the strain in his body, the tension in his limbs, the hunger hiding beneath the surface.

"She makes you thirsty, doesn't she?" I whispered. "You tell yourself you want to protect her, but deep down, all you really want is to sink your teeth into her throat."

His hands shook.

His pupils dilated.

He was losing.

Finally.

"You don't understand," he snarled, his voice dangerously close to something not human.

I grinned. "Oh, but I do."

And then—

He moved.

Faster than I had ever seen him move before.

One second, he was standing there, trembling with restraint.

The next—his hand was on my throat, shoving me back hard against the brick wall of the school.

The impact cracked the bricks.

The humans nearby didn't even notice.

But the Cullens did.

Before Edward could tighten his grip, before he could let himself snap completely—

They were there.

Rosalie. Emmett. Jasper. Even Alice.

Emmett grabbed Edward first, his massive arms locking around his brother's torso, ripping him away from me.

Edward fought back.

He actually fought back.

Snarling. Struggling.

Losing himself.

Jasper was next, his hand pressing against Edward's chest, sending a wave of forced calm through him. It wasn't enough to erase the rage, but it was enough to stop him from lunging at me again.

Alice placed a hand on Edward's arm, her voice quiet but firm. "Edward. Stop."

Edward froze.

His chest rose and fell in sharp, unnecessary breaths. His hands trembled. His eyes were too dark, too wild.

He had almost lost himself.

All because of me.

I straightened, rolling my shoulders as if brushing off dust. "Wow," I mused. "Didn't think you had it in you."

Edward's glare could've killed.

Jasper tightened his grip on Edward's shoulder. "Walk away," he murmured.

Edward didn't move.

Didn't blink.

Didn't breathe.

His hands curled into fists so tight I could hear the stone-like crack of his own knuckles.

I smiled slowly. "She's watching, you know."

His expression shattered.

His head snapped toward the parking lot—toward her.

Bella.

She was standing by her truck, staring.

Her brown eyes were wide, her expression frozen in something between shock and fear.

She had seen.

She had seen the cracks in Edward's perfect mask. The rage. The violence. The monster beneath the golden eyes.

Edward went still.

His entire body collapsed in on itself, as if the weight of her gaze alone had drained every ounce of anger from his body and replaced it with shame.

He stepped back, breaking out of Emmett's hold, his jaw clenched.

Without another word, he turned and vanished into the trees.

The Cullens lingered for a moment, watching me.

Assessing me.

Rosalie's glare was sharp, dangerous. Jasper was unreadable. Alice looked… concerned.

Emmett just sighed. "Man, you really know how to piss him off."

I smirked. "It's a talent."

He huffed a quiet laugh before shaking his head and following the others.

I waited until they were gone before turning back to Bella.

She was still watching me.

Not Edward. Me.

The fear in her expression was fading now, replaced by something else.

Something closer to fascination.

I smiled.

Edward Cullen was losing.

And I?

I was just getting started.