Riley Biers

"She knows that I will kill you, Riley. She wants you to die so that she doesn't have to keep up the pretense anymore. Yes - you've seen that, haven't you? You've read the reluctance in her eyes, suspected a false note in her promises. You were right."

- Edward to Riley on Victoria

Riley Biers was the first vampire created by Victoria when she formed an army to attack the Cullen family and Bella. He obtained Bella's scent for the newborns, and was the one that led the Seattle newborn army. Riley was told by Victoria that she loved him, but this was just a lie to get him to be on her side. During the invasion, he stayed with Victoria and was killed by Seth Clearwater during the battle between the Cullens and the army. He acted as the secondary antagonist in Eclipse and was always in the presence of his "mate", Victoria, the main antagonist of both New Moon and Eclipse.

Early life
"What did I say about a low profile?"

- Riley to the newborns

Riley Biers was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico (Forks, Washington in the movie), and had lived in the Southwest along the Pacific coast. He reached the end of his freshman year at Oregon University, when Victoria saw him. She was afraid that the Cullens would come after her and sought someone strong enough to protect her, and so changed Riley into a vampire on his way home. After his transformation, she told him that she'd fallen in love with him and told him half-true stories that led him to willingly serve her and return her perceived feelings. She taught him the capabilities and limitations of being a vampire, including the Volturi's threat.

When she decided to create more newborn vampires for protection, Riley was jealous. However, she asked him to choose the members for her, which pleased him as he was led to believe that she didn't want anyone, but him. To make the newborns easier to control, he told them stories about vampires being vulnerable to sunlight and wooden stakes, as was commonly believed by humans. He was also told never to inform the newborns about the Volturi until they were old enough.

When Victoria felt that she was being tracked, she left Riley to care for the newborns and disappeared before he could go with her. During her absence, he befriended the newborn Diego, whom he grew very fond of. Victoria returned a while later and told him they would begin using the newborns as an army rather than as guards, something that she learned about while running in South America.

Newborn production then went into high gear and Riley was constantly busy containing the newborns and selecting potential humans whose disappearances would attract little notice. He found Bree Tanner eating trash behind a restaurant and brought her into the army in March.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Riley brought many troubled high school and college students to Victoria in the dark, where she could change them without revealing her face. This was because Victoria did not want Edward Cullen to read their minds or Alice Cullen to have a connection to them and realize she was behind everything. Riley remained a tool of Victoria's until his death in the battle.

He was sent to Forks to steal some clothes from Bella Swan, who he perceived as the Cullens' pet, as a means to test Alice's power and to give the newborns a source to track her and get past the Cullens. He was pleased to find Diego well and alive after being told that he disappeared.

When the Volturi came to the two of them, they gave a five-day limit for their army to serve their purpose. Victoria went completely paranoid about the situation and demanded action fast. Before they took action, Riley's friend, Diego told him what he'd found out about vampires being unharmed by sunlight. This terrified Riley as he knew that whoever found out about that truth must die. He hoped that Diego would be spared, but Victoria refused and forced him to choose between Diego and her. Being put in between the two of them, Riley chose Victoria and personally watched Diego being tortured to death. He was horrified by her actions, but because he loved her he had to find a way to reconcile who she was with what he loved. He had to close himself off to his feelings of pity and humanity. He tried to enjoy Diego's pain the way she did, and this pleased Victoria. This experience changed him, but he remained loyal to Victoria. After Diego was dead, she told him the plans of the upcoming battle. She also told him that the two of them would run fast and far after the battle until the Volturi got tired of chasing them.

When he returned to the others and found a new pile of ashes of dead newborns, he went completely mad, attacking several members at the same time, but restrained himself enough to tell them about the Cullens and what they were meant to do. He also convinced Bree to remain in the team and try to persuade Fred to help, as he never seemed to obey or listen to anyone.

In the next few days, he manipulated the newborns into exactly the mindset that Victoria wanted. When they were ready to make their move, Fred escaped before the battle, and Riley left to find Victoria while the others confronted the Cullens and the Quileute werewolves.

Eclipse
"You're dead."

- Riley to Edward

Riley made his first appearance in Eclipse during the battle between the Cullens, the shape-shifters and the army. He and Victoria located Bella and Edward and tried to kill them.

When Riley faced Edward in the clearing, Edward tried to convince him to give up the fight by telling him how Victoria really felt about him (that she didn't really love him; but was using him to avenge her true mate James, who was killed in Twilight). Though he had suspected as much about her intentions, he remained faithful to her. Riley tried to attack Edward, but Seth (newest werewolf in the pack) jumped into the middle and attacked him. While Victoria fought Edward to get to Bella, Riley was busy fending for himself from Seth. At the end of the fight, he called out to Victoria's help, but she ignored him completely and he was dragged behind the bushes where Seth ripped him apart and then burned his body parts. Victoria died seconds later at Edward's hands.

In the movie, Riley was said to be originated from Forks and knew the area pretty well, which prompted Victoria to choose him as her partner in her project to kill Bella and the Cullens.

Physical appearance
"I still remember how Riley looked that night, though the image was all blurry because my eyes had sucked back then. He was the hottest boy I'd ever seen, tall and blond and perfect, every feature. I knew his eyes must be just as beautiful behind the dark sunglasses he never took off. And his voice was so gentle, so kind. I figured I knew what he would want in exchange for the meal, and I would have given it to him, too. Not because he was so pretty to look at, but because I hadn't eaten anything but trash for two weeks. It turned out he wanted something else, though."

- Bree Tanner on seeing Riley for the first time

Riley is described as being around Bella's age when he was changed, with vivid red eyes and shining blond hair, though it is dark blonde in the film. He was muscular, tall and handsome and used his newfound strength with little tact, like most newborns.

Personality and traits
After Victoria changed him, Riley became nothing more than a menace just like the sadistically dangerous and psychotic vampire, Victoria, until they both died attempting to kill Bella. Riley was very loyal to his ally and lover, Victoria, which he remained to be even when Edward raised suspicion. Riley's fatal flaw was his love for Victoria, which eventually got him killed. With the newborns he was responsible for he was violent and unpredictable most of the time, interspersed with oddly affectionate and caring periods which were in actual fact manipulation to mold them into the perfect army. He did in fact feel real affection for Diego, but not enough to prevent himself from torturing him to death with Victoria in The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.

Victoria
Victoria turned Riley into a vampire to command her army of newborn vampires as she didn't want to do the dirty work. Victoria also lied to Riley, telling him that she loved him. In truth, she simply said that so that he would follow her more devotedly, and was still in love with her former deceased mate, James. Riley was Victoria's pawn and she wanted to get revenge on Bella Swan and Edward Cullen for James' death. Edward tried to make Riley believe him by telling him the truth and that Victoria is still in love with James. Riley didn't believe it and he got killed by Seth.

Diego
"I can always count on you, Diego."

- Riley to Diego

Diego was Riley's oldest and most trusted newborn. In The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner, Bree says that she thinks Riley is rather fond of Diego. Diego and Bree see through a lie Riley told the army, so Diego tells Riley about it. Diego doesn't return, and later it is discovered that Riley was forced to help Victoria in Diego's killing. Victoria had forced him to pick her or Diego. However, he lies to Bree and says he is still alive.

Film portrayal
Xavier Samuel was cast as Riley in the film Eclipse. Riley is described as a "good-looking college student who joins the plot of villain Victoria to murder protagonist Bella." In the films, Riley was given the last name "Biers" and a new date of birth, 10 April 1990, to make him the correct age for the film's release, as opposed to when the book was set.

In the film, he was said to have come from Forks, which is the reason that Victoria chose him to lead the army.

Appearances

 * Eclipse
 * Eclipse film
 * The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner