Maybe he is a monster

Thanks for clicking on this story, I hope you enjoy it! All credits to Suzanne Collins for the creation of these characters and some of the dialogue/writing. The ending is original.

"Happy Birthday Bella!" they cried as I blushed and looked down. Alice, I assumed had covered every table with pink candles and crystal bowls of gorgeous roses. There was a table by Edward's piano holding a birthday cake, more roses, plates and a tiny pile of silver wrapped presents.

It was a thousand times worse than I imagined.

Edward noticed my distress, wrapped an arm around my waist in encouragement. Carlisle and Esme approached, as youthful and lovely as ever. Esme hugged me gently, her caramel hair brushing against my cheek, impossibly soft as she kissed my forehead. Then Carlise put his arm around my shoulders.

"Sorry about this Bella" he faux whispered. "We couldn't rein Alice in"

Rosalie and Emmet stood behind them. Rosalie wasn't smiling, but at least she wasn't glaring like every other time I'd seen her. Emmet's face was stretched into a massive grin. It'd been months since I'd seen then; I had forgotten how stunningly beautiful Rosalie was- it was almost painful to look at her. And had Emmet always been so... tall?

"You haven't changed a bit," Emmet said with mock disappointment. "I expected a noticeable difference, but here you are, red faced as normal."

"Thanks a lot Emmet." I say, turning a deeper shade of scarlet. He laughed before saying "I have to step out for a second." He paused, obviously winking at Alice, "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."

"I'll try."

Alice let go of Jasper's hand and skipped forwards, her pearly teen shining in the light. Jasper smiled too, hanging behind Alice.

"It's time to open the presents!" Alice declared. She grabbed my elbow and hurried me over to the table with the cake and the presents. I pulled a face as she directed me to the pile of packages that seemed to grow far larger as I drew nearer.

"Alice, you know I didn't want-"

"I know, but I didn't listen." she interrupted, a smug look on her face. "Open it." she says, replacing the camera in my had with a silver box. The box was feather light, almost feeling empty. The tag on top was written in an elegant flowing script reading 'To Bella, From Emmet, Rosalie and Jasper' I slowly tore the paper off as the others stared at me. As the paper was shed it revealed a box covered in numbers and statistics, in hope of understanding the contents of it I opened it, only to reveal it was empty.

"Umm, Thanks."

Even Rosalie cracks a smile and Jasper laughs. "It's a stereo for your truck." he explained "Emmet's installing it right now so you can't return it." Alice was already a few steps ahead it seemed.

"Thanks Jasper, and Rosalie." I say, recalling Edward's complaints about my stereo earlier today. That must've been a set up. "Thanks Emmet." I call more loudly. I hear his laugh from the truck as Alice hands me another gift.

"This one's from Edward and I."

I turn to Edward glaring, "You promised." Before he can respond, Emmet bounds into the room "Just in time" he crows. He pushed in behind Jasper and Alice to get a good view. "I didn't spend a dime." Edward assures me. I roll my eyes at him as I slide my finger under the paper to pull off the tape.

"Shoot" I muttered as the paper sliced my finger. I pulled it out to examine the damage as a single drop of blood falls to the floor. Suddenly everything happens very quickly. Edward grabs my arm and I turn to look at him to see his eyes, coal black, staring at the blood.

"No!" someone screams, maybe Alice or Esme. Someone dives in between me and Edward shoving me away as he begins to thrash, his eyes still fixed on my bleeding finger. From the momentum of the push, I am flung backwards against the wall landing against one of the heavily decorated tables, the glass rose bowls shatter, cutting my arm. In my blurred vision I look up to see Edward being dragged away by Emmet and Alice. Carlisle runs to my side pulling bandages from somewhere. All I can here is Edward's voice in my head from a few days ago. "I wanted to kill you. I've never wanted a human's blood more in my life."

I didn't believe him then, but maybe I do now. Maybe he is a monster.