Autumn's Beginning, Autumn's Breeze

Riley-

"Ah, i see. Well, that's pretty cool." I said, smiling. I walked us over to where Isabella and Natan stood, Natan's eyes glittering in anger.

"How's it going?" i whispered in Isabella's ear.

"Not good," she responded. "He's bluntly refusing to go. Say's he won't take a step into the tower again now that his test is over and after what they did to our father."

"What- nevermind. Is there anything you can do to get him to come along?"

She sighed. "Yeah, but he'll hate me for it."

"Well, just keep trying to talk him into coming, and if that still doesn't work, then use whatever you've got." i said. "Ariana and I are right behind you, right?" i asked, looking at Ariana, smiling.

**I"M BACK!!! WARNING~ This is both my characters at once, so it's in third person. That way I can get what I want to get done done, at a decent sized post, without repeating myself.**


Isabella stared at her brother, trying to think of some way to talk him into coming. Valentina stood a couple yards away looking worried.

"Natan, please come with us," Isabella pleaded.

"No! I will NOT set foot in that tower!" Natan answered sternly.

"Natan, you need help. Look at yourself!"

"I'm irritated, for obvious reason!"

"You hit Valentina! HIT! I have never seen you harm anyone or anything, unless your life depended on it."

"She made me mad."

"That's a poor excuse." Valentina slowly walked toward the other two, hoping Natan had calmed down slightly, but knowing he hadn't.

"Natan, please come with us," she said, using the same line Isabella had used.

"No!" Valentina moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a hug. He tried to resist, but she held tight, using her vampire strength. Eventually he stopped struggling, putting his arms around her as well, but still seeming very tense.

"Natan, please come. I'm worried...I want you safe, and I won't go without you." she whispered, barely audible, into his ear.

Max

I watched as Natan smacked Isabella and my rage doubled, I screamed at him spitting out explitives after explitives and I knew I was scaring Isabella, but I didn't care. I could see Natan murmering something and suddenly woosh! I was thrown about a hundred feet back and into a tree. Using my awesome vampire power I made Natan pull out a knife and start poking himself on the upper arm, just enough to hurt but not draw blood at the same time stopping him from cursing me.

But the mental curse knocked me flat on my back and I went for a physical assult this time. But Isabella and Valentina stood in my way. Valentina I couldn't care about but Isabella, even through my blind rage I couldn't harm her.

"Stop it Max!" she shouted, "you're both going to get yourselves killed attacking each other like that!"

My arms fell to my sides and I walked up to her, something had to release my rage and I couldn't resist the urge to sink my fangs into her neck, only lightly, and I doubted that she felt any of it. She tasted only a little better than she smelled, and all the better for her, with as much anger as I held I didn't think I could've stopped otherwise.

Valentina~

I gasped, looking at Max and Isabella, then at Natan. I had the feeling Max had pretty decent control, even considering his state of mind, and went to take the knife from natan before he broke the skin.

He held strong to the knife, even as I pulled it out of his hand. He reached for it as I went to put it away, and somehow managed to get a cut up his arm.

"Dammit," I cursed, shoving the knife down my top. No matter how dilusional Natan was, I knew he wouldn't reach there. I reached down, ripping the bottom of my dress so that I had a free bit of cloth. I grabbed Natan's arm, ignoring his pointless struggles, and wrapped up his arm, stopping the bleeding. Then, not waiting for him to do anything, I picked him up, refusing to let him go. I would knock him out, if necessary.
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Isabella~

As Max walked toward me, my heart sped up. He placed his hands on my arms, surprisingly gentle, holding me still. I felt his lips against my neck, and shuddered.

There were two pricks, like a needle only sharper, in my neck. I resisted the urge to struggle away, afraid that it would cause more panic. Surprisingly enough, it dind't feel that bad...once you got passed the seering pain where the fangs were.

Val was helping Natan, I could see it over Max's shoulder. Was Max going to stop? It didn't feel like he had taken too much, but....

"Max," I whispered, moving my hand to rest it on his cheek.

Max

I pulled my mouth away and breathed on the puncture marks to heal them and looked into Isabella's eyes. All my rage diminished and I kissed her with everything in my heart. How the hell did she do that?

Isabella~

I had barely spoken his name when Max pulled back, breathing lightly on my neck. He moved up, kissing me with more passion than I had expected, especially after the fighting.

"Max," I murmured when he pulled back.

"Yes?" he asked breathlessly, pulilng me into a hug.

"What happened?"

Max

I kissed her again, more breifly this time and released her, "I don't know." A half smile came across my face, "maybe it was your blood."

I couldn't tell what emotion rode behind her eyes, she was so hard to read sometimes.

Isabella~

I sighed, taking Max's hand in my own. He was so unpredictable...but I loved it. I just hoped he didn't have another angry spell again.

Val still held Natan tight in her arms, despite his protest. He had gone to the extremes of scratching at her arms in desperation. As Max and I neared them, I placed my hands on the sides of Natan's head. Muttering a few words, I managed to put Natan into a deep sleep.

"Are you okay carrying him?" I asked, looking at Valentina.

"Of course," she replied. Max sweeped me up into his arms.

"We really oughtta catch up," he commented.

Max

I picked Isabella up and ran off to meet the others, who had left as soon as the fight had broken out. When we caught up I sat her on her feet but kept my arm around her.

"Max is back to normal guys!" Isabella said. Everyone turned around and stared at me.

"Strangely yes I am."

Val~

I was only a few feet behind Max and Isabella, carrying Natan carefully in my arms. THe others looked at me, and I sighed.

"Put simply, Natan was being a bastard, and needed to take a nap," I replied before anyone could ask. They all nodded, knowing how he was when in a rage.

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Isabella~

I stayed close to Max, even after he sat me down, for fear that something would change.

"How do you feel?" I asked as we walked.

Max

"Better," I said, "happy."

She came closer to me, and I was just content as anything to hold her there. She was like my matchign puzzle peice, and I had only known her for four days.


Ariana

As me and Riley walked I stayed close to him, it was starting to get dark and he was keeping me warm. I wanted to tell him I loved him, but didn't know what HE would say to that. Finally I decided to risk it.

"Riley," I said calmly and quietly.

"Yes?" He rested his cheek in her hair.

"I love you."

Isabella~

I looked up at Max, wondering what he was thinking. I felt so rude, pushing into his mind like this. Granted, I did it to everyone, so why should he be any different? Because I love him, I thought, mentally smaking myself.

She's like my matching puzzle piece. I could stay with her forever. It's only been four days and I never want to leave, I resisted the urge to chuckle while listening to Max's thought process. Instead, I leaned up and kissed his neck.

"Why do you do that?" he asked softly, chuckling.

"Do what?" I replied, sounding innocent as could be.

"Tempt me in such a way," he replied, kissing me.

"Does it bother you?" I asked, kissing his neck again. He answered with another kiss, this one leaving me breathless.

Max

I knew she was dizzy, which made this all the more fun. I continued kissing her. Only pausing once to whisper something to her, "I love you." and then continued until her knees went week. Only then did I stop. I wrapped my arm around her waist, supporting her as we walked.

"I think we should stop for tonight," Riley said, rubbing Ariana's arm, "get one more good nights sleep before we start flying."

Isabella~

My heart was beating in my ears, and I was almost certain that Max could hear it as he kissed me, barely giving me time to breath. He didn't stop until my knees nearly gave way beneath me.

"That was horrible," I said, giving him the evil look that was hard to keep, because my smile kept threatening to break through.

Max

"But you enjoyed it didn't you?" I asked and then before she could answer he said, "if you don't want me to anymore I won't."

"I wouldn't mind," she said honestly.

"You also wouldn't mind being bitten again would you?" I asked glaring into her eyes where I saw her fear. Good, she was afraid of being bitten, at least compared to how she had last seen it. "If you don't want me-"

"Promise you'll stay!" she said desperatly, unable to deny the tone in her voice he kissed her forehead.

"I already have haven't I? I promsied to take care of you and keep you safe, and that is what I intend to do."