I leapt, the strange coordination of my muscles propelling me forward powerfully. My throat was burning and it felt as if the fire was spreading through my veins, like the venom was still doing its work. The smell I had followed, the smell emanating from the house was intoxicating and I knew the beings inside were the source. They could stop the burning in my throat, I could see it in my mind’s eye. They’d be sleeping at first, but a small eddying current of cool air would wake them, their screams would stick in their throats as my teeth clamped down and the sweet, cooling spray of rich blood…

Something, some surviving part of my human self was screaming in horror but it was drowned in pain, the all consuming pain that did not allow me to rationalize, to think, only feel. It doesn’t matter. It was telling me. Kill now, think about it later. And I agreed.

I could have screamed in frustration when I felt a sudden tug at my waist and realised that Alice had read my intention split seconds before I executed it. If not for her ability I would already be feasting. At the back of my mind I was aware of the way I was acting, what I was turning into, but there was no help for it. My human conscience just wasn’t strong enough to balance the pain I was in. I snarled and struggled to get free but just when I thought Alice was losing her grip, Emmett stepped forward and roughly grabbed my arms, pulling me off the ground.

“You have to control it Bella, you don’t want to harm those people in there. I know you don’t.” That voice was Carlisle’s, but I couldn’t see him.

It hurts! I wanted to yell, but my eyes rested on Edward and the expression on his face had my protests dying in my throat. My mouth was filling with the strange tasting liquid in anticipation for a meal, it was like a sickly sweet version of aniseed. I understood then what it was. My struggles calmed a little and I turned my head to the side, uncharacteristically spitting the excess venom onto the ground, trying to rid myself of the taste of it, momentarily disgusted.