I WAS A LITTLE THEATRICAL BACK THEN…

The church bell tolled into the still night air, cutting through the silence of the empty streets of the city, the singular strike of the bell echoing through the deserted streets. The drunks had dispersed from the pubs and bars of the city, allowing me to use my new gifts to their full ability. I danced swiftly across the town square, my speed unnatural for any human being. My intended location was to head straight to the First Bank of Rochester, but my sight was drawn elsewhere. White silk and lace caught the focus of my improved vision and I paused outside a wedding boutique, my fingers ran down the pane of glass. I found myself admiring the many beautiful gowns and veils adorned on the shop mannequins. The grin on my exquisite features reflected back to me from the pane glass windows, widening as the final elements of my plan clicked into place. In an instant, my hand grasped the handle of the door and applying the slightest pressure broke the lock, allowing me entrance. Above my head the shop bell tinkled as I entered the shop, matched with my giggle as I began to find the perfect dress.

Each dress faced my criticism as I modelled in front of the large mirror, pausing to contemplate whether it would ‘the one’. Most did not capture the appearance I was looking for, until I found it, the thirteenth dress was perfect. Made of the finest silk I had seen, even more superior than the dress I was meant to wear when I married Royce. A sweetheart neckline showed a respectable amount of skin, before leading to puff ball shoulders and my arms were covered by a beautiful sheer lace. The bodice was fitted and boned, before a silk sash separated it from the skirt. The skirt itself was simple, floor length, complete with some lace detail and a train behind. Twirling in front of the mirror, I could not help but admire how I looked, I looked angelic. Now it was time to complete the look, I meticulously pinned my long curls into an exquisite up-do, before taking a pearl clip from the boutique’s jewelry cabinet. The clip was slipped into centre of the up-do, before I attached a veil over the top. Looking into the mirror I frowned, there was something missing from the ensemble. My finger tips toyed at the neckline of the dress, deep in contemplation of what would complete the look, then I realised. The jewelry cabinet was now missing a pearl necklace as I secured it around my neck.

“Perfect” my voice calmly overtook the silence in the boutique.

The church bell tolled twice as I closed the door behind me, leaving the store almost all intact, and began on towards my intended target of the bank. However I had to pause one last time, a bride cannot be missing flowers can she?

One of the cities florists’s had a small vendor area on the main street, which again was very accessible to one with heightened strength. The scent of flowers was almost sickening with my enhanced sense of smell, but I persevered to get what I required. Then I saw them, positioned on a counter in the corner of the vendor booth, three white lilies tied together with a piece of ribbon. I recalled back to my lessons in botany in school, finding the meanings behind the plants much more interesting. The white lily represented chastity and virtue, something those monsters had ripped me of on that awful night. I would find some way to claim it back, even if it were symbolically.

The props were in place and the costume was perfect, now this bride was ready for her curtain up.

The First Bank of Rochester was in complete darkness, bar for one window upstairs, dimly lit by candlelight and even then hid behind thick blackout blinds.

“Seeking sanctuary in your money Royce, nothing changes” I muttered, crushing the heavy locks of the doors to dust with my bare hands. The thick oak doors opened easily, creaking with my eagerness to enter and begin. Moonlight lit up the entrance way, it highlighted the worn marble flooring Royce’s grandfather had insisted be fitted before the Depression. I stepped into the shadows observing the main room, the tellers desks prepared for the next day, each counter polished to perfection- as expected with the Kings. My heels echoed through the silent room as I crossed the hall, choosing to pause at the spot where I first encountered the scum that was soon to be my Ex-Fiancé. The image of that moment replayed in my memory and I shuddered, before I stopped in front of my Father’s desk, his name plaque in polished in pride.

“Oh Daddy” I whispered, running my fingers over the plaque. Images of my Mother and Father filled my mind, the realisation hitting me that this would be the last time I would ever have a link to them. All because of Royce and those monsters he called his friends, each who I took pleasure in disposing of. My eyes burnt with tears that would never come, the anger and sadness merging into one. My hands grasped at the nearest object, a desk lamp, which was ripped from its place and thrown across the room. The metal frame reverberated around the room, before falling silent. If they didn’t know I was here they would have now.

Footsteps, inaudible to human ears ran down one of the upper corridors and two heartbeats caught my attention, their drumming getting louder as they approached. It didn’t surprise me Royce had hired protection; he was always too weak to stand up for himself. I could smell their blood from where I stood. At that moment I forced myself to stop breathing and swallowed back the venom that pooled in my mouth. Tonight I would not consume blood; I would never become a monster like Royce. Gathering up my flowers, I headed for the stairs, ready to begin the final act.

The disposal of the two Guards was simple, much like the others before them, the first did not even sense my approach. I was behind the pair in an instant; my delicate hands deceived them as I grasped his neck and twisted, the spine snapped instantly. The body fell to my feet, sprawled on the floor and the other guard cowered against the wall, begging for mercy. How I wished I didn’t have to dispose of the pair of them- but they were unneeded witnesses and worked for the King’s money, they didn’t care about Royce. For a moment I grimaced, imagining the families waiting at home for these men, guilt plaguing my thoughts of revenge. But I couldn’t let it stop me now, I was almost at my grand finale.

At the end of the hall stood a lone door, Royce’s office, his name stood out on the plaque that adorned the mahogany wood. From behind it I could hear the noises of his rapid heart rate and heightened breathing, he knew I was here. I smirked to myself as I re-arranged the dress one last time and walked down the hallway slowly. It seemed oddly fitting for me to have some music, so I hummed ‘Here Comes the Bride’ as I approached the door. As I turned the handle I began to sing,

“Here comes the bride, here comes the bride, all dressed in white.” I could hear the coward’s sobs on the other side of the locked door. So I decided to prolong his agony, twisting the handle a few times before it was pulled clear from the wood.

What greeted me on the other side was a pitiful sight indeed; Royce huddled on the other side of a makeshift bed, crying in fear. I had to smile at this, he was terrified and I hadn’t even started my plans for him. As I stepped over the threshold, a variety of smells invaded my senses, blood, alcohol but mostly strongly at that point fresh urine. My face contorted in disgust for a short moment, before grinning, realizing the effect I had on him. He felt the fear I had, and it was only just beginning.

“Royce, ‘Darling’…why are you hiding from me?” I cooed as he slunk further into the corner,

“Rose? But you-, you’re supposed to be-“

“-Dead?” I interrupted, “You see Royce, you and your ‘friends’ failed in killing me and failed in being human beings. And we know you need perfection Royce, so I solved that.” I found myself chuckling at the memories of each killing.

“What are you?” He whimpered, managing to look at me.

“I’m very much me Royce, just different. Don’t you notice the changes?” In an instant, I was crouched in front of him, smirking as he screamed in shock.

“Yo-your eyes!” He stammered out, reaching his hand out to point at my crimson eyes.

“Yes.” I growled, “A result of you and your pack of mongrels. Something happened to me after that night, something that changed me. I’m much stronger now, see?” At that I reached forward, grabbed his hand and squeezed. I chuckled as the bones crushed and he screamed and writhed in agony on the floor. As I stood back up, I watched on with glee as he became a pitiful excuse for a human, still crying out in pain. Something he deserved for what he did to me.

Next my delicate appearing hands took his shaking arms and twisted, cleaning snapping the bone before I crushed them into shards below his skin. I could see the bruises begin to form, where the blood rushed under the surface of his skin. The animal in me overtook, venom rushing and pooling in my mouth, I forced myself to swallow it back trying to calm the haze of red that bloodlust produced. The reminder that I would never have any form of that Monster inside of me again, it would make me as bad as the pitiful creature that lay crying at my feet. The motion of movement at the base of the dress snapped me back into the moment, Royce foot dragging over the white material as he tried to crawl away with his immobilized arms. Each little movement he made produced a cry of agony from him and I relished in it. Next to receive my infliction were his legs, I hitched up my dress delicately, showing the garter I had worn for the occasion. The gartered leg pinned his weak human leg down, before I pressed down with all my weight, destroying the bone beyond repair. As he screamed in pain, I repeated it on the other leg and laughed out.

“Royce, don’t you like this? It’s almost identical to what you did to me…” I whispered into his ear, before flipping his body over and throwing it to the ground, hearing a few ribs shatter from impact. Meekly, he shook his head, the tears streamed down his cheeks as I heard him mutter words to God and Jesus and I decided to begin my crescendo.

“….almost identical to what I made each of your pitiful ‘friends’ endure. John cried too Royce, claimed he was sorry. Begged for mercy. It was too late for John to say sorry and it’s too late for you.” My voice rose with anger, til each word was almost a growl as I leapt forward and smirked as his spine snapped with a sickening crack. Royce’s eyes darted around the room as he was unable to move, and attempted to mumble out a mixture of pleas and prayers. I frowned, he still wasn’t dead. I hadn’t thrown him hard enough, then I smirked as an idea hit me. The wine bottle was across the room, in an instant it was in my hands, I took my time to remove the cork, watching Royce’s eyes widen in realisation. He couldn’t fight the alcohol choking him to death, when the guttural inhuman noises stopped I knew he was finally gone. I smirked in delight, before throwing the lilies over his chest; perhaps they could get their proper use as funeral flowers now.

As I left the bank I felt some sense of freedom, like a weight being taken from my shoulders now I knew that they could never harm another woman again. I would never be the same, but no one else would have to suffer the pain I did under those pitiful excuses for men. As I crossed the square again, I found myself back at where I began, the wedding boutique. The streets were still empty as I slipped out of the dress, standing in my slip, and left it on the store step, folded neatly. When the owners would have arrived a few hours later they would have found some thick luxurious notepaper upon the dress, it read:

‘Thank you. From the desk of Royce King Jnr.’

Written by Rosalie

Us.

*Update*

Hey friends! Been awhile since we posted here but we promise to start again. Make sure you are following our story on twitter, @_emmettmccarty and @missrosaliehale. We also have individual tumblrs for you to follow as well.http://theemmettcullen.tumblr.com/ and http://therosaliehale.tumblr.com/ . Hope to see you around!

-Emmett