A/N: Thanks Fran for taking the time to edit this big piece.
Thanks to Twimom1960 and Ipsita for pre-reading. Your support meant everything.
1993
The wind howled outside the closed windows, a tree branch scraped loudly against a window upstairs, and the rain pelted against the siding. I glared at each droplet as it slid down the glass, my eyes glowing in the dark night, the reflection frightening.
Purple shadows ran deep underneath my eyes, a dark contrast to my ruby eyes. Gripping my hair tightly, I closed my eyes, willing back my hunger.
A whimper came from downstairs, the scent of fear pungent in the air, and I growled. The whimpering increased and her blood smelled that much sweeter. With a hiss, I opened my eyes, the glow of the red more fierce.
I needed her for my sanity, but by God, this was getting harder by the second. I had two months to prepare and to keep my bloodlust at a minimum around humans. Gripping the windowpane until it splintered in my hand, I concentrated on the source of my anger, channeling all my energy in that direction.
Charles Marion Swan.
A growl escaped me just at the thought of his name.
The whimpering from downstairs turned into heart-wrenching sobs.
If only I had a heart.
Or a soul.
But I had none of that. Every piece of my life, of my humanity, had been taken – stolen – by the actions of Charlie, leaving me a cold-blooded murderer, trolling through the night.
Retrieving the small wooden box from its hidden spot beneath the stairs, I removed a picture showcasing our smiling faces on graduation day from the University of Seattle. Both of us were ready to take the world by storm.
Most of my human memories had faded, but this one remained.
vvvVVVvvv
1938
"Hey, Charlie. We finally did it." I clapped Charlie on the shoulder as we hugged, the graduation ceremony finished.
He laughed, returning my clap, then drawing back to pat my cheek. "My God. We did."
The disbelief in this voice matched my own. The world was on the edge of war, Hitler having stirred up quite the shitstorm in the Middle East. Both our fathers would have been drafted if things had progressed that far. It put a damper on the mood of the families surrounding Seattle as more and more men were called to arms.
Charlie and I had presented our business idea of building the Boeing 307 to the board and they had been intrigued from the beginning. As the economy recovered from the Great Depression, more and more businesses were popping up around the city. Charlie and I wanted to make our mark in history, too.
It wasn't that airplanes hadn't already been invented, we just wanted to create something that everybody could use. To be free to travel across the country without using the rail, to be able to get to your destination faster. Thus, the idea of the Boeing 307 was born; the first pressurized airplane to fly at twenty-thousand feet.
A week before graduation, we had signed the contract with the Japanese engineers and set everything in motion. It would make both of us very wealthy men in the long-run.
With the payout from the contract, our tuition was paid, and our families would be well taken care of. If something happened to my father, if he had to go to war, my mother would be set for life. If felt amazing when Edward Senior, had hugged me to him with happy tears in his eyes.
As the weeks blended together and meeting after meeting was held, I noticed a change in Charlie. He had become greedy. Money was starting to control his life and it worried me.
One day, about six months into our contract, I pulled him aside. "Charlie. What's going on?"
His eyes skirted around the room. "What are you talking about, man, I'm fine."
I cocked my head to the side, observing his shifty eyes. "Something is definitely going on, talk to me. Is this getting too much? You know, we could lessen the meetings. Tell them to go ahead with what they have and resume a few months from now."
Charlie shook his head, lighting a cigarette and taking a long pull. "No. No. That would not be a good idea."
He didn't elaborate, but the worried expression hadn't lessened. "Charlie…" I started again.
His furious eyes met mine. "Just drop it, okay? It's just a little stress. I can handle it. You know me, I stress easily."
I nodded; knowing that was true, but the fact that I knew Charlie better than anyone made this something else. He was skittish and that wasn't just stress.
"You know that trail… you know… the hiking trail just north of the city?"
My brows furrowed. "The death trail that has people spooked?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. That's the one."
"What about it?"
Charlie took a drag from his smoke. "I was wondering if you'd be interested in hiking it?"
I laughed. He knew my answer. "Of course. I want to know what the hype is all about." I paused, my gaze meeting his. "You want to come with me some day?"
He shook his head, squishing the butt of the cigarette into his ashtray. My nose wrinkled in disgust. I couldn't understand why people smoked. It smelled horrid and left you with even worse breath. My father had smoked as long as I could remember, turning me off even further.
"No, but they're calling for good weather this weekend." He smiled at me, blowing out the last of the smoke from his lungs. "You should go. I want to go away with Lisa and since you don't have a girl…"
I frowned at him.
He smirked, knowing that I wasn't in a hurry to find a girl. Not that I didn't have suitors, but with our business taking off, who had time for a woman.
"What say you? Would that interest you?"
I took a seat opposite him, leaning my arms on his desk, going over the possibilities of spending a day or two in the mountains, connecting with nature and investigatingthe source that had the people of Seattle so worried.
While Charlie smoked and got lost in his girl, Lisa, I spent my time in the woods, hiking the mountains and enjoying what God created. It was my sanctuary, but I hadn't been back in a while since our business started.
A slow smile spread across my lips. "You know, you might be on to something. Let me see what my parents are planning for this weekend and if they don't have anything, I think a hike would do me good. I haven't been in a while, as you know."
He laughed, a bit uneasy. "Yeah, I know how much you love to connect with nature. I swear you were a wolf or bear in the past life."
We chuckled, continuing on with our day.
By the time, the weekend rolled around, I had everything packed and planned out for my hike. Charlie drove me to the trailhead, making sure I had enough supplies and water to last me until Sunday when he was scheduled to meet me here again.
"Be safe out there, you hear," he urged, hugging me tightly.
I laughed, releasing him. "Yeah, man. Don't worry, okay? I'vedone this quite a few times."
"Not this trail," he argued.
"Yeah, well, it's a new challenge and you know how I love those. It's what got us this business deal after all."
He smiled ruefully. "I know and thanks to you, we're richer men for it."
I secured my backpack around my waist. "It needed to be done."
"Right," he agreed, shifting on his feet, his eyes downcast.
"I'll see you here in a few days, Charlie. Go enjoy your time with Lisa." I hugged him again, the excitement for this hike rushing through me.
"Bye," he whispered quietly, his eyes misty.
Mother had cried, too, afraid for me. She had heard the stories. People sometimes didn't make it home to their families when hiking on this trail. They just disappeared. I reassuredher that it had been quite a few months since the last disappearance and that the police had told everyone that the trail was safe again.
Thethree people that had disappeared had never made it home.
It was a bit unnerving, but I was a young lad with the world at my fingertips, a booming company at the early age of twenty-four and making more money than I could ever imagine. I felt as if no one could ever touch me and if I did disappear, Charlie, my parents, hell, the entire Seattle area would be devastated.
Since the people of Seattle had heard the news of the Boeing 307, everybody who had a bit of money to spare, invested, excited for the new option of travel. By rail, it took days and this would be narrowed down by hours.
It was an important step in the industry of travel.
The first day went by way too fast, the adrenaline of a new adventure pushing me forward. As I settled in for the night, pitching my tent, I had this uneasy feeling of being watched. As I surveyed the small campground, I heard no noise, only the rustling of tree branches in the wind. Everything was quiet.
Maybe a little too quiet.
The next day, the feeling resumed and by nightfall, I was getting paranoid, seeing things that I knew couldn't be there. With a shake of my head, I pushed forward, concentrating on the trail ahead and my destination a mile away.
While pitching my tent, I heard something. Everything was quiet, the air cooler at this higher elevation. The wind rustled through the trees, but I heard a twig snap. My heart raced, my blood running cold.
Had those stories been true?
That there was something unnatural in these woods?
Shaking my head once more, I set out to make the fire. As I lit the match, something gripped my chin hard, twisting my arm behind my back. I felt my joint pop out of the socket on my shoulder. I cried out, but I was muffled by a cold, hard hand over my mouth.
"Fight," the sinister voice whispered in my ear. "Fight. It'll make this that much more… what's the word?" He paused, his cold breath sending icy, frightening shivers down my spine, as he inhaled deeply against my neck. "Oh yeah, delicious."
I twitched in his iron grip, hoping to break free. It was futile. He laughed, his nose running along my neck. I knew then, this was it for me. My parents, Charlie, and my company rushed through my mind. I would never see them again; never hug them or kiss my mother on her soft cheek. I wouldn't get married, nor have children.
Hot tears spilled down my cheeks and I choked out a sob against the cold hand. "Aw, don't cry. This'll be over before you know it." His nose skimmed along my neck again, "My God, you smell divine."
What the fuck?
Smell divine?
Who was this man?
What was this man?
I struggled against his hold again, crying out when a sharp sting punctured my neck. I could feel my blood leave my arteries; feel his cold mouth on my neck as he sucked my life from my veins.
I opened my eyes, the trees starting to blur and my body grew cold and heavy. "Please," I whimpered as his hand relented on my mouth.
His mouth left my neck, my warm blood pouring from my wound, feeling strange against my cooling skin. My body sagged in his arms and he laid me down on the cold, hard ground. My eyes fought to stay open; I wanted to see my murderer.
His hair was blond, threaded in dreads. Dirt covered his beige shirt and dark gray pants. Fear gripped me when I met his eyes.
Red.
Blood red.
Blood – my blood – dripped from his lips onto his chin and his tongue lapped it up greedily. His eyes closed and he moaned deep in his throat. I couldn't understand why blood would taste good.
"So good," he groaned, his haunting eyes opening again. They took on a feral look and I tried to push away, when he gripped my legs and pushed down, breaking my bones just above the knees.
A shriek left my lungs, pain surging up my spine and settling in my chest. Gasping, I struggled up onto my elbows, seeing my legs bent at an odd angle.
"Why?" I garbled.
He laughed, his head tilting back into the moonlight. It was then, I noticed how pale he was.
Cold, pale, and red eyes.
What kind of a creature is this?
"Because it makes your blood that much more appealing when it's filled with fear. Sweeter. Tantalizing."
He dove forward, his mouth latching onto the open wound on my neck again. In a few seconds, I laid helpless in his hands, my tears gone and dying.
Darkness set in around me. I couldn't feel my body anymore and my breath was fading. Horrid pain set in and it burned through my veins, setting my body on fire.
I was on fire, I was sure of it. I had never experienced pain like this.
I must be in hell.
But hell was when I awoke in my new life, surrounded by six, different pale people.
With golden eyes.
I had been a fool to think this world didn't exist.
vvvVVvvv
1993
I set the picture back in the box, closing the lid on those memories. Over the past fifty years, I had plotted my revenge. Charlie had sent me on that trail to gain what was rightfully mine. He was one greedy son of a bitch.
My cell phone rang on the coffee table. The whimpering downstairs had ceased and in its place were now soft breaths.
Sleeping.
"Hello," I answered, knowing it was Alice, my adopted sister. She worried all the time, telling me that seeking revenge would consume me, destroy my humanity.
She was right.
It had consumed me and I would feast on that hunger until it got served. There was no stopping me now.
Like me, Alice was… gifted. Whereas, I was a mind reader, she was psychic and with using her gift, she had found me that night, dying in the mountains. If she knew what kind of monster I'd turn out to be, she should have left me to die.
I wondered if she regretted her choice now.
"Edward, my brother…"
I scoffed, but she continued as if she didn't hear me. "I miss you. Won't you come home?"
My family knew of my plans for Charles Swan. Not the extent of it, but I was certain Alice had seen my plans and relayed it to the family. It only made sense according to the concerned phone calls I had received over the past five years.
"Home? There is no home on this planet for me."
She sniffed, but I continued, gritting my teeth. "I'm serious, Ali. I need to do this. I need closure."
I heard the telltale signs of the rest of the family in the background listening. "I understand that you need closure, but isn't there a way to go about it differently? It has been over fifty years. I'm sure Charlie feels sorry for what he did to you and if you'd only talk…"
A humorless laugh left me and the heartbeat from the basement increased. I smiled as I smelled the fear in her blood. "Talk? Really, Alice? He didn't talk to me that day when he sent me on to death, knowing about the vampire in the mountains. He knew the truth and still sent me to die."
Carlisle, my adopted father, took the phone from Alice. "Edward, son…"
"I. Am. Not. Your. Son," I growled loudly, grinning as the fear in my prey increased.
"Edward," he tried again, ever patient with me. "You didn't die that day…"
The glass on my coffee table crashed loudly to the floor as my fist connected with it. "I died! There's no other explanation for it. My heart doesn't beat. I have no soul. This is hell and Charles Swan put me here. He has to pay!"
My phone crashed through the window and shattered against a tree six-hundred feet into the dense forest. Rain poured through the broken glass and the wind blew through the house. With a loud growl, I bolted down the stairs and latched onto her neck, drinking the blood that I craved so deeply. Her scream died on her lips as the life left her body. I shivered as the warm liquid ran down my throat, calming the thirst that had accompanied me throughout the past two days. She was a nobody; homeless, and I knew she wouldn't be missed.
Ripping my clothes from my body, I threw them in the fire. It had been messy. Dirt and blood covered my face and neck. I had lost control and ripped her limbs from her body, throwing them across the basement floor with a loud roar before my body settled down from the rage. Burying her body in the woods, I knew I had to get another human to help me keep control in order for my plan to work.
Yes, my plan … my reason for being.
In two months, I would begin taking classes at the University of Seattle again. Isabella Swan, Charlie's beloved granddaughter, would be in my classes and it was the perfect way to get close to Charlie. I would become her friend, her closest confidant, gaining her trust and friendship.
And all the while, all Charlie could do was watch.
It was the perfect plan.
I laughed as I washed the blood and dirt from my body, going over my strategy for revenge once more.
Two months later, I sat in the back row of a rapidly filling classroom.
Mythology.
A subject I knew all too well.
Lived it.
My throat burned with hunger, my ruby eyes threatening to come forward. The tungsten-formed bracelet that contained the Cullen crest sat heavily on my wrist, making this a little more bearable.
Carlisle, the human loving vampire of the century, had tested various metal and elements before he came across tungsten in his vampire years. He realized that he felt a difference when he was around it. His interest piqued, he created a ring at first butfound it less operative. But with a bracelet, it created the perfect balance, giving the vampire wearing it a sense of humanity. The thirst for blood lessened, our eyes stayed human color longer, and the body's strength decreased by twenty percent. All this was according to Carlisle's studies and tests.
I knew if I didn't wear it, I would rip all these throats open, leaving a nasty bloodbath in my wake. It wouldn't help with my plan. Therefore, I wore the fucking bracelet.
My human eye color, green, was still present, but over the past fifty decades, it hadn't made much of an appearance. At first, it had been red, my blood still running through my newborn system. Over the years, as Carlisle and the family had tried to teach me their vegetarian ways, feeding on animals, they had turned golden, making meless threatening to the humans and kept us apart from the nomad vampires roaming the earth.
Ten years into my new hellish life, I found a human with such a tantalizing smell; I gave into my urges, draining his blood in mere seconds. Carlisle had been disappointed, but I couldn't care less.
I had been missing out.
My new hunger burst forward and I couldn't stop it, nor did I want to. Human blood was warmer, sweeter and it calmed the thirst, whereas animal blood was tangy, earthy and it took way more to calm the desire.
I left my family and made my own way in the world, killing the bad apples in the world, ridding the world of evil. At the time, I didn't know I was the worst of them all. Who was I to be jury, judge and executioner?
For a while, I tried donated blood, stealing it from hospitals around the country, but I found it much more appealing when I could chase, stalk and hunt my food.
The monster was born.
I had no regrets.
This is where I wanted to be.
This is where I had to be.
Charlie was the reason. He had created the monster in me and he would get to experience him first hand.
He had to reap what he sowed.
Isabella walked into the classroom, clutching weighty books to her chest, speaking with her blond-haired friend. They took a seat almost at the front, but that didn't matter. She was in my line of sight and I could see her clearly through her friend's eyes.
My brows furrowed, concentrating on her thoughts.
Silence.
That had to be wrong.
Her friend surveyed the room, her eyes growing wide when she saw me staring in their direction. Her thoughts strayed like most females did.
Holy hell. He is gorgeous.
I wanted to laugh. Instead, I threw a smile her way.
That smile. Swoon.
At that, I chuckled into my hand, pretending to write in my notebook.
If only she knew.
"Bella, see that guy sitting in the top row?" She whispered into Isabella's ear, motioning in my direction with her thumb over her shoulder.
Isabella turned her head slightly, catching my eyes. They widened, just as I presumed, before turning back to her friend.
Why the hell can't I read her thoughts?
"Meh," she answered her friend with a shrug of her shoulder.
I blinked.
What?
Meh?
Who is this girl?
"Meh? Really, Bella? Meh?" Her friend, Jessica, scoffed.
Isabella's cheeks colored as she focused on the professor fumbling around his desk. His thoughts jumbled, going over the topic he was starting today, all the while reminiscing about his tryst from last night with a call girl named Lauren.
I groaned internally at his subject of choice.
"You need to get your eyes checked," Jessica accused her friend. "He is hot."
I coughed into my hand, smiling at the scenarios Jessica produced about ways to get me into her bed. Isabella's eyes flew to mine, her brows furrowing slightly.
Throwing a small smile her way, I pointed to the professor as he looked at her expectantly. She turned her head swiftly, the blush on her cheeks deepening.
"Ms. Swan. Can I start my lecture or should we wait until you're done?" Professor Banner asked, his brows furrowed.
"I'm sorry, Professor Banner. It won't happen again," she apologized profoundly.
He nodded and turned back to the board. Jessica nudged Isabella's arm, snickering into her shoulder. "I see you're not blind after all."
"Shut up," Isabella laughed.
"Today, we will be begin our course called, The Lore of Vampires," the professor began. "Do they exist? How did they come to be? What is their origin? Are they still roaming the earth today?"
This was going to be interesting. Little did he know there was a live vampire participating in his class. I smiled, probably knowing much more than the professor did himself.
He scribbled something on the board and turned to the class. "Let's start." He looked around the room and pointed at me. "You, sir. What's your name?"
I sat up a little straighter, smiling easily at him. "Cullen. Edward Cullen."
His eyes widened. He knew of the Cullen name. Carlisle always donated to the education programs around the world. The name Cullen didn't go unnoticed.
"All right, Mr. Cullen. What's your take on all this? Do you believe vampires exist? And if so, why?"
This would be too easy. "Well, Professor Banner, I do believe they exist. And why? How else would you explain all the unsolved disappearance?"
Professor Banner nodded, his thoughts mulling over what I said, remembering news articles and police reports he had read. He figured I had a valid point. "Indeed," he muttered, his mind occupied with dissecting my answer.
Isabella's gaze was intriguing when I met her eyes. I tried to smile reassuringly, but not knowing what she was thinking, made it harder to be at ease with her.
The discussion continued, most students disagreeing with me when asked the same questions. Isabella didn't give her input, rather scribbling away in her notebook most of the class.
I groaned to myself when Professor Banner revealed his intentions on this topic. It would mean working with a fellow classmate on this subject.
How could I stay unnoticed?
And more importantly, how could I get close to Ms. Swan if my time would be working on such a mundane subject?
"Write your name on a piece of paper and place it in this hat," Professor Banner ordered motioning to half of the class, grabbing a baseball cap from a fellow student.
"Now, this is simple. It will be thirty percent of your final grade." The entire class groaned myself included. "Come on, guys. I'm letting you have a partner. That has to count for something."
More groans.
"All right, I can make this forty percent if you want."
A collective no went around the room.
"Well, that settles it. I want you to write a paper with your research shown, on why and how vampires exist. And if you disagree, write an essay explaining that answer." He passed the hat along the first row. "Read out the name you pick and that'll be your partner for the rest of the year."
When the hat reached Isabella, I was getting anxious. Neither of us had partner… yet.
"Edward Cullen," she read, her head spinning to face me.
Fucking shit. This was too perfect.
I smiled and waved my hand, trying to maintain my façade of a young hormonal boy. Her smile was small, but that didn't matter. I had gotten what I wanted.
After class, I caught up with her. "Edward," I introduced myself, sticking my hands into my jean pockets, not wanting to scare her off with my ice-cold hands.
"Bella."
I smiled. "Nice to meet you, Bella. How did you want to do this? Meet twice a week? Once a week? Or only once a month?"
Her friend Jessica was standing a few feet away, observing our interaction with narrowed eyes. She hated the fact that Isabella had picked my name.
I glared in her direction feeling the familiar thirst rising in my throat. If she were to become a problem, I would take care of her in an instant. She would not ruin my plans for Isabella and her grandfather.
"Um…" Isabella stammered. "I don't know. What do you think?"
Perfect.
Letting me decide. "I think once a week would be a great start. There is a lot of research to do."
She nodded, biting her lower lip. I inhaled sharply, letting myself breathe for the first time this morning and nearly crumbled at the enticing smell of her blood.
My God, this will be harder than I thought.
My knees buckled and I braced myself on the wall. I had come across my singer in the past, but this was a close second and my control was wavering.
Quickly scribbling my number on a piece of paper, I thrust it in her hand with a call me, before running to my car. If I killed her now, my plan would be ruined.
After arriving home and slamming my car into park, I bolted downstairs and sank my teeth into the man's neck, guzzling down his warm blood. Groaning, I let him fall to the ground at my feet. With a swipe of my hand, I wiped the blood from my mouth, imagining it to Bella's on my tongue, my red eyes glowing in the darkened room.
The next few nights, I spent prowling the streets of Seattle, sticking mostly to homeless people and a few others that had evil intentions for the night. Making sure not to call attention to myself, I stayed away from the University for almost a week. I couldn't contain the red in my eyes.
On the fifth day, my new phone rang.
It was Isabella.
"Edward, are you okay?" she asked after our brief hello.
"Yes. Why? I just had a… flu for the past few days. I'll be back in class on Monday."
A brief silence met my ears, only her steady breathing came across the line. "Oh. Okay. When did you want to start with the assignment?"
I traced my finger across the cheek of the girl I had tied up in my basement, placing it over her lips, and motioning for her to keep quiet. Silent tears ran down her face, begging me to spare her life.
I didn't care.
"How about tomorrow? At the library?" I asked, my teeth grazing the girl's neck, making her whimper.
I growled against her neck.
"Edward. What's going on?"
My eyes snapped open, realizing I was still on the phone. "Nothing. Just something stuck in my throat." The irony of that statement didn't escape me. "What did you say?"
She huffed slightly, her irritation apparent in her tone. "Tomorrow works fine. Be there by five."
"Five. I'll be there," I promised and she disconnected the call.
I stared down at my phone. "So much for goodbye." I tsked, leaning closer to my dinner choice. "Where are the manners of people nowadays?"
She whimpered, fear tinging her veins and I inhaled deeply. "That smells so good." Concentrating on her blood, the red in my eyes started to glow and her fear spiked outstandingly. Her whimpers became sobs and she jerked against her restraints.
Dinner was quite delicious that night.
Weeks started to blend together as Bella and I worked on our project. It was tense at first, getting to know one another, but once we got past that stage, the environment became…easy. The upsetting part for me was that I couldn't read her mind. It was way too silent and that irked me.
Why would her mind be silent?
What could I do break through her armor?
My background was all lies. I couldn't reveal that I had a resource close to home that could explain the beginning of vampires in detail to her. I couldn't let her know that I was one of them. At our first get together, I asked her if she believed vampires existed and her only response was that she had an open mind.
I frowned at that statement.
Early November, we had gotten to know one another well enough that we sat together in class, exchanged notes and mimicked the professor while we attempted to study together.
One day, a specifically cold day, she invited me to her grandfather's house to work on our project. She had already checked out the books at the library and she didn't want to drive in this storm. I couldn't be happier. Finally, I was meeting her grandfather, my childhood best friend, Charlie.
Over the past months, Bella had told me about her parents' accident that took them from her, leaving her to live with her grandfather. It was the first time I let myself have physical contact with her, squeezing her hand just for a moment. She explained that Charlie was rich but didn't divulge how he had become rich. I knew that story well enough that I didn't pry.
The door opened before I could ring the bell and I met Bella's smiling face. "Edward, I figured you would have canceled. It's a nasty storm."
I shrugged my shoulder, enjoying the easy smile on her face. "It's not that bad," was my only explanation.
Taking my hand as if it was normal, she took me up the stairs into a small study. "Grandfather isn't home, yet, but he promised to be back for dinner to meet you."
Damn, I would have to stay for dinner.
My dinner choices had dwindled over the past month. It used to be every few days that I would find a lonely soul and make their misery short-lived while I fed my thirst. Now, I found myself stealing from hospital blood banks again, drinking myself into a stupor after a visit with Isabella. Her blood was calling to me in more ways than one.
I also found myself protective of her. Her laughs made my dead heart squeeze in my chest. Her simple touches made my already cold skin shiver. And the flush of her cheeks did things to my body I couldn't fathom. I hated how the male population at the University were staring at her, their vile thoughts making me growl under my breath.
I was changing and I had no fucking clue how to make it stop.
Bella had a book sprawled across her lap as I sat observing her. Her brows furrowed, her bottom lip wedged between her teeth as she jotted down notes. The door downstairs opened and closed, and I breathed in Charlie's familiar scent. It hadn't changed much. I could smell the medication in his blood, having researched him over the years. I knew he was dying. It was just the matter of time as to when the cancer would slowly finish eating away at him.
"Isabella," his raspy voice called.
Her eyes widened as they met mine. "Here we go," she muttered under her breath, too low for human ears.
I held out my hand and she took it eagerly, a small smile spreading over her lips and a blush over her cheeks. I inhaled sharply, the pooling of her blood beneath her skin setting my throat ablaze.
Swallowing, I closed my eyes, willing my thirst away. Her hand squeezed mine and her worried gaze met my eyes. "You okay?"
I nodded swiftly, "Yeah, just a bit nervous."
"He can be a bit overbearing, but that is only because he's protective of me. Or so he says," she added with a roll of her eyes.
It was the one thing Charlie and I shared, our protectiveness over this particular girl. My eyes landed on her lips, pouty and red from her teeth.
I wonder how they would feel against mine.
What. The. Fuck!
"Isabella," Charlie again called from downstairs, saving me from my downward thoughts.
Hand in hand, we made our way down, my dead heart elated at the first impression of Charlie. I couldn't help my smirk as he came into view, his eyes landing on our entwined hands before meeting my gaze.
He gasped and braced himself against the wall.
Edward? No, it can't be. His thoughts ran through his plot from all those years ago, how he plannedto get rid of me and knew that it had worked since I never showed up after my hike.
Bella released my hand and hurried down the steps. "Gramps, are you okay? What's wrong?"
His eyes looked from her and then back to my smirking face, his expression bewildered. "Oh, nothing, child. Don't fret. Just thought I saw a spider."
How is he alive? Could this be an illegitimate child of his? It's a spitting image of Edward.
Bella laughed, taking his hands and steadying him on his feet. "You are not afraid of spiders. I've seen you kill a few over the years."
He chuckled somewhat uneasily, still keeping his eyes on me. "Yeah, well, I have my moments." His hands shook terribly as he watched me walk the last of the steps with ease. "Who's your friend, Bells?"
Let him be a Mike or Tyler, Charlie prayed in his head.
She turned again to me and took my hand. It was becoming a habit and I couldn't say that I hated it. "This is Edward. We are in mythology class together and he's my study partner for the year."
Good Lord, how?
I reached out my hand and he took it hesitantly, gasping when he felt my cold skin. "Edward, nice to meet you. I'm Charlie, Bella's grandfather."
I'll show this punk. He can't come in here, looking like my best friend and weasel his way into my Bella's life. I won't let him.
I smirked and squeezed his hand a little too hard and he winced. "Child, could you check on the dinner?" he asked Bella, turning to smile at her.
I need to talk to this punk alone.
"Sure, Gramps." She wagged her finger in his face, "Be nice. I happen to…like him." The color rose on her cheeks and she quickly averted her eyes when I sent her a wink, scurrying into the kitchen.
Charlie's hand jerked, trying to move me forwards. I didn't budge.
His eyes widened. "Who are you and what do you think you're doing?"
I laughed, releasing his hand and grasping his shoulders. "What's the matter, Charlie? Can't recognize your best friend when you see him?"
He gasped, eyes wide, wincing when my fingers gripped his shoulders tightly. "No." He shook his head wildly, "It just can't be."
His eyes flitted around my face, seeing the green in my eyes, the shape of my nose, and my wild hair. Recognition dawned on him. "What? How? You're supposed to be dead."
I laughed, taking his smokes from his pocket. "I see you haven't kicked this habit yet." I waved the pack in his face. "This will kill you sooner rather than later."
He scoffed, "Answer my question. You can't be alive. If you were, you wouldn't look like the day I dropped you off at the trail. You'd look…you'd look like me. Old."
"Believe me. I am dead, in every sense of the word."
"So it's true? Those tales? They are true?"
"Which tales?" I asked, feigning nonchalance.
"You're a vampire?"
I closed my eyes briefly, letting my thirst come forth and my eyes turned red. When I opened them, he stumbled backward, his frail heart going into overdrive.
"You see this monster?" I asked, advancing and backing him into the wall. "You see what you created?"
His hands pressed against my chest and still I advanced, my eyes gleaming an inch away from his. I could see my reflection in his scared eyes. "I did no such thing!" His voice was feeble, small and terrified.
I shook my head, "Don't deny it. You knew of those stories, you heard them somewhere. I know you did, and yet, you still encouraged me to go on that trail, knowing what was lurking in the woods." I pointed at my eyes, "You did this!"
Stepping back when I heard Bella's footsteps, I closed my eyes, thinking of her sweet face, the green returning.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
I smirked, relishing the fear pulsing through his veins. "I came for what is rightfully mine."
"What about Bella? Are you going to kill her?" His heart ached from the possibility and he knew he wouldn't survive if she were no longer in this world.
"Eventually," I answered truthfully and he gasped. "But first, I want to see you suffer, the way I did. I'm going to be her friend, maybe…her lover, and you will have to see me every day. You will have to live with your consequences, face them every day when you look at her, knowing she has no idea what I am. Then, when the time is right, I will kill her. Taking from you the only thing you have left in this world."
His eyes shimmered with tears. "The Edward I knew wouldn't be this vile."
I chuckled, "The Edward you knew doesn't exist anymore."
Charlie stood a little straighter, and I knew his question before he asked, my laugh getting cynical. "Don't even try to tell her. She will be dead before you know, leaving your sorry ass all alone. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
She could run, he figured.
I shook my head, "No running. I am faster and I will find her."
His brows furrowed, but before he could ask, Bella rounded the corner, stopping when she saw us standing so close. Her brows furrowed, "Everything okay here?"
My sweet baby girl, Charlie sobbed in his mind. What have you gotten yourself into?
Dinner was tense. Charlie swallowed a few bites, before placing his napkin on the table and excusing himself. Bella protested, telling him that he needed to eat to get better, to stay strong. He only shook his head and made his way down the hall into his bedroom. I heard him rummage through some boxes and saw the picture he had kept in a box of us together on graduation day. The same picture I had. A lone tear fell down his cheeks before he took Bella's graduation picture from high school and caressed her face, his tears now flowing freely.
What have I done?
I knew in my rational mind that I should feel sorry for what I was doing to him, but the monster in me rejoiced as the plan fell perfectly into place. Concentrating on the monster, I smiled at Bella.
She would be none the wiser.
Christmas came and went. Charlie kept his distance, only smiling forcefully when we met, usually at his house when Bella and I would be studying. His mind constantly worried over my influence on her. His other question was how I could read his mind and I had to give him credit for it. Around me, he tried his darndest to keep his mind clear and joyful. He didn't even know he was failing miserably, his worry and disgust for me showing through.
It wasn't only him that I was worried about. I found myself smiling more, my thirst lessening and my eyes keeping their green whenever facing Isabella. Usually, it had been a problem, but now it was like breathing. I could even breathe regularly around her, her scent no longer scorching my throat as harshly. However, the burn was still there, lingering in the background.
Our study sessions were starting to dwindle down, our research exhausted. We had devoured every book ever written on vampires and each book had its own conclusion.
Did vampires exist?
Yes and no.
It was our last session and Isabella was writing our paper on the computer in the library, stating that she would start it now and finish it at home. Then she would hand it to me and I could add my part. Later in the year, we would get together once more to read over the final project.
I wasn't sure what I would do if I couldn't spend time with her. Would I go back to keeping my food tied up in my basement to pass the time? Would she want to get together outside our study sessions?
In all honesty, I craved her presence. At night, as I wandered through my empty home, I imagined her being in my space; sitting on my couch, eating at my table and it gave me a sense of calm.
As I had looked around my sparsely decorated home, I realized that if she would one day come to my home, I needed furniture. That weekend as Bella spent her nights with Jessica, I had furnished my home, even going as far as purchasing a bed that now sat unused in my upstairs bedroom.
It taunted me every time I set foot in my house. What the fuck was I doing with a bed? I didn't sleep, but the thought of Bella's warm body in that bed did things to my libido that I hadn't thought of in a while.
That had been three weeks ago and now, every time my mind strayed to Bella, my body reacted. At first, I felt disgusted; vile, for thinking such things about my toy. But the more time I spent with her and the more I saw her eyes lingering on my lips, I found it enticing.
Swallowing past the lust, I tasted the O- blood on my tongue from the bag I had taken from the local hospital. "So, what are your thoughts? Do vampires exist?"
I had refrained from asking that question over the past months, not sure if I would like her answer. Now, as our time together was coming to an end, I was dying for her thoughts on the matter.
Isabella looked over her notes and then met my eyes. "There are a lot of theories that say they do exist, far more than not." She chewed on her bottom lip again and I ran my fingers across it, feeling her blood pulse beneath the soft skin.
She inhaled sharply and my gaze flew up to meet hers. We were sitting far closer than normal, her body grazing mine. "I think…I think…"
"What do you think?" I asked, leaning closer, inhaling her scent, hoping for that thirst to burn my throat.
It never came.
She swallowed and I followed the veins in her neck down to her chest, her creamy skin blossoming pink beneath my stare. What I wouldn't give to follow that blushdown her body. My eyes fell closed at the thought.
Her warm breath blew across my cheek, her lips lingering on my skin. My eyes flew open and I sat back, the connection broken.
Her eyes fluttered and she swallowed again. "I think they do exist."
"Based on what you've read?" I asked, my mind reeling from her kiss. It was only on the cheek and still it felt like it burned my body from head to toe.
"Yes, because that is the only proof I have and as I said, there more theories stating that they are real."
Everything in me wanted to show her the real evidence, but now, as the possibility of that action ran through my mind, the worst part was that she would run.
I couldn't let her run, not yet.
Thinking of Charlie, I put more distance between us, sticking to my plan.
That night, I made the one phone call I never thought I would make.
"Son," Carlisle answered on the first ring. "I presume you have questions."
I inhaled, knowing Alice would have already filled them in. No wonder, my life had been quiet. My family hadn't called since that night months ago, leaving me to do what I needed to do. I knew it had Alice written all over it, seeing things I couldn't.
My heart filled with love for her, much the way it did when I laid eyes on Bella.
"Yes, do you have a moment?"
"Should I meet you somewhere so we can chat face to face?" I had no doubt he would meet me somewhere if I requested it.
All six of them lived somewhere north in British Columbia. Carlisle was a doctor at a small hospital that worked mostly with oil rig accidents. Esme occupied her time at the local school, as did Alice and Rosalie. Jasper and Emmett had taken a dare and worked at one of the oil rigs, pretending to be human. I smiled, thinking of the time they made the bet, wrestling in the woods.
I closed my eyes, realizing that I missed my family something fierce.
"What is happening to me?" I asked in a hushed whisper, knowing Carlisle could hear.
"Son, tell me what happened. From the beginning," he urged in his fatherly voice.
So, I told him. I told him of my plan to destroy Charlie, which was not news to him. I told him how I met Bella, how we became study partners and what my final plan was.
His sharp intake of breath let me know that he didn't agree with my decision.
I continued, telling him that I was starting to crave her presence, but that her blood no longer set my throat on fire. I told him how my eyes had stayed green for quite some time now and how I didn't need my tungsten bracelet to keep my strength at bay.
Carlisle stayed quiet, letting me ramble on and on. Once I had told him everything, I sank into my couch, leaning heavily against the back. "I noticed that my skin temperature isn't so revolting to her anymore. She no longer shivers after she has touched me. What is going on, Carlisle?"
His breathing was calm. "Are you sure you want to hear this, son?"
I scoffed humourlessly, "Yes. I have to know."
"Now, don't go all nutso on me again like last time, okay?" He chided with a chuckle.
"I'm sorry, Dad," I confessed, feeling guilty from our last conversation.
He laughed, "Water under the bridge. Your body is changing because of Isabella. The reason you don't feel the need for her blood anymore is because you are falling in love with her. Your body is changing to stay in contact with…"
"That has to be wrong!" I screamed.
"Edward, listen. Think about it. It happened to me, to Esme, everyone, even Alice. You are falling in love with her. She's your mate."
"How can I stop this?" I questioned, my mind in a whirlwind.
Love?
I didn't know anything about love.
How could vampires fall in love? We didn't have a heart.
Carlisle chuckled softly. "There is no stopping it. You're already there."
"What if I kill her?" My body revolted against the thought, but if it helped, I would do it if only to keep my sanity.
"Son," Carlisle's natural voice turned stern. "If you do kill her, you will kill yourself along with her. You have found your mate and taking her from this world will result in your death as well. Your body and well-being now rely on her."
"What the fuck?"
"Son, calm down. This is a good thing…."
"How is this a good thing?" I hollered through the empty house. The windows rattled and shook with my voice. "I could still kill her."
"I don't think you will. Your body and especially your conscience won't let you."
I sank back into my seat, defeated and feeling hopeless. "This is fucked up."
"Edward, there is a possibility that she already knows about you. The shift in your character and body usually happens when the human figures it out."
My eyes flew open in panic. "She hasn't said anything. How would she know?"
"The best bet would be due to the books on vampires she has read. She probably started to piece everything together as she gathered more information. Maybe the fact that she remained close to you is because she wants to know more. She is curious and isn't throwing the option out the window."
I thought about Bella's behavior the other day in the library. Her kiss to my cheek. "She kissed me," I blurted out, feeling like a teenager admitting to his parents he had sex for the first time. If I could blush, I knew my face would be red as a tomato by now.
My thoughts drifted to Bella and her lovely blush. She was so beautiful when her skin flushed.
"On the mouth?" Carlisle asked with a hint of teasing in his voice.
"No," I answered, rolling my eyes. "On the cheek."
He chuckled, "Then the chances of her accepting you are that much greater."
I huffed, not sure what to make of the new information I had just acquired. What did this mean for me? For Bella? Did I want this to happen? It seemed like I had no choice in the matter anyhow. If Bella knew about me and who I was, why hadn't she come forward?
Fuck, I had to know what she was thinking.
Gripping my hair, I paced the floor of my living room, a million scenarios and outcomes playing through my mind. How would Charlie react to the fact that his lovely granddaughter was in love with a vampire?
I paused. "Is she in love with me?" I asked into the silence.
My God, what would I do if she was?
What would it mean for us?
Could there be an us?
My pacing increased and my hair had to suffer from my anxiety when I heard a car pull into my driveway, the tires crunching over the snow covered gravel.
Cocking my head to the side, I tried to listen to the thoughts of the person when silence met my ears.
Bella.
Oh, God, what now?
I checked my kitchen and the living room, depositing of the empty blood bags, burying them quickly in the back yard.
The doorbell rang and I froze, listening to the unsteady beating of her heart. She was nervous and that heightened my anxiety.
Trying to stay calm, I opened the door, smiling easily at her anxious face. "Bella…what brings you here?"
Her eyes quickly surveyed the room behind me before meeting my gaze. Her breathing changed, coming out in short gasps.
"Bella?" I asked, taking a step forward, reaching out for her arm. She stepped back, looking at my hand like it was dangerous.
In a sense, it was.
She thrust the picture of Charlie and me into my hand, pressing it into my palm. "I found this," her voice shook.
I looked from the picture to her. Her eyes bore deeply into mine, looking for something.
"And?"
She huffed, "Don't play innocent with me. I know that it's you. What I want to know is how?" She shook her head, walking past me into my home. "No, never mind, I think I already know."
Turning to face me, she placed her hands on her hips. "For months, we worked on that project and you never said anything. Why? Did you think I couldn't handle it?"
Closing the door, I glared at the picture. Damn, you Charlie for letting her see this.
But I couldn't necessarily blame him. She had seen the shift in Charlie after he had met me. She was a curious person and she probably went searching for answers.
"What do you want to know?"
Carlisle's words rang clear in my head and I knew I couldn't hide from her anymore, especially if she were to be my mate.
"How? When? How did you become…?" The question died on her lips as she sat heavily on the armrest of the couch, facing me.
I walked towards her, the need to be close overwhelming. "Say it," I growled. "Out loud."
Her eyes widened at my predatory voice. "Vampire," she whispered, her heartbeat fluttering.
I grinned and traced a finger down the artery on her neck. "Am I scaring you? Are you afraid?" I breathed against her neck, inhaling her scent. It was still sweet, but the fire in my throat didn't flare.
She shook her head bravely. "No. I know you. If you wanted to hurt me, you would have already. I am here alone after all."
"What a stupid, stupid decision," I growled in her ear, feeling her body's heat against mine.
She shivered at my cool breath against her neck. "Edward," she whimpered somewhere between a plea and despair. "I need to know. How do you know my grandfather?"
"You want something to drink?" I offered, stepping back. "Because this could take a while."
She asked for water and we took our seats opposite one another on the couch. "Your grandfather and I grew up together…"
Well into the night, I told her my story, about knowing Charlie, about World War II, how I got changed and how Alice found me. I omitted the fact that her grandfather's company was also mine and I didn't share my meal plans from over the past few decades.
Her eyes remained bright and intriguing as the night wore on, stopping me a few times to ask specific questions, but to my surprise, her heartbeat regulated and her posture became calm.
This girl was astonishing.
Strong and courageous.
"Why are you here now?" She asked, sitting forward to place her glass on the coffee table.
"Honestly?" I asked and she nodded, arching her eyebrow at me. "To hurt your grandfather."
"Why? What did he do?"
My anger and rage reared its ugly head and I gripped her water glass, shattering it in my hand. She flinched slightly, watching me carefully. "Your grandfather, my best friend, is the reason I am this way. It's his fault I am this soulless monster before you."
"What?" she asked in a whisper.
So, with gritted teeth and my anger boiling beneath my skin, I told her the story of how Charlie and I started our company and how he told me about this hiking trail up in the mountains.
Her eyes shimmered with tears. "But you knew of the tales going around. You didn't have to go."
I bolted out of my chair and leaned over her, my red eyes gleaming in the dark. It was the anger, I was sure of it. Her eyes widened and I smelled the fear in her blood.
Good.
"But he knew more. He knew the truth behind those stories and still he encouraged me to go," I growled, fighting the monster that was crawling to the surface.
"Edward," she whispered, her hand reaching up to trace my eyelids.
I growled. "I am a monster because of him."
To my surprise, she leaned forward, cupping my cheek, fascinatingly looking at my red eyes. "That's your opinion, but I still think you knew what you were doing. You made your own choice to go on that hiking trail. My grandfather might have encouraged you, but he could not have made you go."
"No," I growled, but she interrupted me.
"Did he hold a gun to your head and force you on that trail?"
"No," I admitted.
"Then it wasn't his fault."
I hissed and sank my fingers into the fabric of the couch, tearing it loudly. Her eyes followed my movements and she slowly took my hands in hers. I let her, finding myself doing just about anything for her touch.
"I know my grandfather wasn't right to take that company from you and his intentions weren't right for sending you on that trail, but you could have said no and stayed home."
My eyes flickered between hers, not willing to relent to her reasoning. Suddenly, she yawned, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Do you want me to drive you home?" I asked, rising from my seat.
When I looked back, she was biting her lip. "Could I…could I stay here?"
I blinked, letting her words vibrate through my mind.
She wanted to spend the night at my house? A vampire's house?
"Why?"
She looked sheepish with her shy smile. "Because I think we have a lot more to discuss, but I think it will have to wait until morning."
As I led her up the stairs to my room, it was my turn to be nervous. What would she think if I asked her to stay in my room?
Opening the door, her eyes widened at my four-poster, king-sized bed. A blue duvet covered the mattress and if I was honest, I had chosen blue because it looked spectacular on her. "This is the only bed in the house."
She nodded and her fingers traced across the fabric. "Do you sleep?"
I shook my head, "No."
"What do you do then?"
I chuckled, running my hand through my hair, which I found myself often doing around her. "Read. Listen to music."
She laughed and pointed a finger at me, "If I had known, I would have made you do our project all by yourself and take the credit."
I laughed along with her, not admitting that I would have done it, just to see that smile on her face. "But then, I wouldn't have the pleasure of spending time with you," I confessed.
Her laugh died on her lips and a blush covered her cheek, followed by a yawn. "That's true."
I observed her silently, meeting her eyes once she turned around. The atmosphere was changing, crackling with a burning passion and I knew I needed to get out before I did something we both would regret.
"I will leave you to it." I pointed with my thumb over my shoulder, "I will just be downstairs."
She smiled. "Thank you."
I nodded, "Good night, sweet Bella. I will see you in the morning."
"Good night, mysterious Edward," she giggled and I chuckled as I closed the door behind me, listening like a creep as she got ready for bed.
Fighting the urge to burst through the door and feast on her body, I ran down the stairs and into the woods, uprooting a tree and throwing it into the forest as I increased in speed. Her naked body flashed in my mind and I pressed forward if only to keep myself from turning around.
The scent of blood penetrated my nostrils and I let my instincts take over, ripping into the throat of a mountain lion within seconds. I let the drained carcass fall from my hands into the dirt with a thud, gasping as the blood pulsed through my veins.
Animal blood hadn't been on my mind for almost forty years and now I was contemplating it again. When it came to Bella and being worthy of her, I would do anything to keep her close and I knew that if she learned of my eating habits from the past, she would be disgusted.
The ugly truth sat like a massive rock in my stomach. I would tell her the truth in the morning and if she decided to go, I would let her.
After my fifth mountain lion, I sank to my knees in the dirt, my heart breaking at the fact that she could leave if she learned of the people I killed.
I was a fucking monster.
By dawn, I was nearing my house and heard her steady heartbeat coming from the bedroom. Water was running in the bathroom, indicating that she was awake.
It's the only bathroom in the house.
Fuck, I was so screwed. In my haste to distract my thoughts from the beautiful sleeping girl, I had not paid attention to my sloppy feeding. My clothes, neck, and mouth, were stained with blood and dirt.
If she sees me like this, she will leave for sure.
I waited outside the bedroom window as she finished her morning routine, planning to jump through the window after she was finished.
The door to the bedroom opened and I heard her footsteps descend the stairs. "Edward," she called.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I was acting irrationally when it came to her, not putting much thought into my actions. Quickly, I took the leap into the window and ran into the bathroom, shedding my clothes and stepping into the shower.
Not the best decision either.
She heard the water running and her footsteps came up the stairs. "Edward?"
Turning the water to scalding hot, I let the room fill with steam, hoping she would not come inside. But Bella surprised me at every turn. She opened the door, its hinges creaking.
"Edward, how did you get in here?"
Right to the point. I smiled at her boldness. "Through the window." Her eyes searched through the steam.
I groaned as she stepped into the room, walking towards me. "Where were you?"
Wiping the steam from the glass, I met her eyes. Dark and curious. "Hunting," I admitted quietly.
Her gaze landed on the streaks of blood on my neck and I reached up to wash them away only to stop at her whispered, don't.
Frozen, I met her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction. Her breathing increased and her heart accelerated.
"Bella, I think you should leave," I tried to insist, feeling my libido react. I needed her to go. I needed to calm down before I pulled her into the warm spray and commanded her body with mine.
She shook her head slowly and reached in to turn off the shower, wincing as the hot water connected with her hand. Grasping it, I blew cool air over the warm skin.
"Edward," she whispered, gently taking my hand and pulling me from the shower. "What did you hunt?"
I reached behind her for the towel, quickly wrapping it around my waist and leading her out of the steam-filled bathroom. "Mountain Lion."
She nodded as if she knew exactly what I was talking about. Her eyes roamed over my towel-clad body, her fingers following her path; tracing over my abs and over my shoulders, down to the V that led beneath the towel. My breath hitched as her fingers tugged on the towel, but she released it with a sigh.
"You're so beautiful," she whispered, tracing my lips with her index finger, over my cheeks and eyelids.
I scoffed lightly. "I'm a monster. There's nothing beautiful about me," I argued.
Again, she shook her head and her eyes narrowed. "That's what you say, but I see it differently."
"I've killed people," I confessed, watching her face closely.
She blinked, nodding. "It's in your nature."
I shook my head, gritting my teeth. "I tortured them. Had them tied up in my basement, before I drank their blood."
Bella sat down on the bed, releasing my hands. "When?"
This was it. After this, I knew she would leave. "When I met you and a few months prior."
Again, she nodded, keeping her gaze on the floor. "How many?"
I swallowed unnecessarily. "Seven."
Silence engulfed us for a few moments as she mulled over the information I had given her. "And now?" she asked, her eyes lifting and meeting mine.
I shook my head, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands. "I haven't had anyone down there in quite a few months. I haven't fed from or killed a human in five months."
She looked puzzled. "Why? What changed?"
I smiled ruefully. "I changed. Since meeting you, I started to feel different. There was no appeal to it anymore. I was solely focused on getting close to you and hurting your grandfather."
"How different?"
I closed my eyes briefly. "I started to…feel for you. These emotions running through me…I had no idea what they were. I just knew that I didn't want to feast on humans anymore. I felt…disgust…guilt every time I did. So, I stopped."
Bella leaned forward, her thumb stroking beneath my left eye. "What do you feel?"
I took her hand and kissed her fingertips. "Love."
She inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against mine as her hands threaded around my neck, playing with the hair at the nape. "Love."
It wasn't a question, but rather an acknowledgment on her part. I nodded against her forehead, feeling the heat of her skin sear through mine and warming my entire body.
Cradling her face, I leaned back and met her eyes. "I'm sorry, Bella. I know this is very overwhelming, but I swear…"
Her lips cut me off as she placed them on mine. Without moving, we stared into each other's eyes while our lips stayed connected.
With a grumble that came from deep in my chest, I fisted her hair and moved my lips slightly, sucking her plump bottom lip in my mouth. When her tongue grazed my lips, I pulled back, leaning against her forehead again. Her breathing was shallow and her heart erratic.
"Bella…"
"Don't. I want this," she whispered against my lips, her warm breath ghosting over my skin.
I chuckled lightly. "What I was going to say is watch out." She looked confused, so I continued, "My teeth." I slid my tongue over my teeth, showing her. "Very sharp."
She giggled, and gripped my hair, pulling with all her might. "Does this hurt?" she asked when I didn't budge.
I shook my head, "Nothing you do could hurt me."
"Nothing?"
"Well, maybe one thing," I suggested, stroking her cheek and across her the pulse in her neck.
"What?"
"If I lost you in any form. Whether you leave me or pass away, my heart would not be able to take it." This honesty thing was seriously wrecking with my sanity. I loved the fact that I could tell her anything, but I was scared to death that it would be too much for her to handle.
Her lips met mine again and moved gently, waiting until I responded. "You don't have to worry about any of that."
I drew back, my hands gripping her waist. "You would give up your humanity to join me in this life? You would leave your grandfather behind for me? Give up the chance to have children and die of old age? All of that? Accept the fact that you will never age and rely on blood to be your sole nutrition? Accept the fact that people would always look at you differently, knowing that you were not one of them, but not knowing what to make of it?"
Her eyes widened as I spewed questions at her. "Edward, calm down. My being here, kissing you and not running, should be answer enough."
"But, Bella…" I tried to argue again, but she only shook her head, fusing her lips to mine again. Damn, she was good at distracting me.
"I don't care. Based on what we've studied and I'm sure that it isn't all the truth, I won't change my mind. If I can't have you; love you and be your partner in life, I don't want this human life."
"You're sure?" I asked, needing the confirmation. "Eternity is a long time."
She giggled against my throat where she was leaving open mouthed kisses. "I am sure."
I groaned, feeling her tongue swirl over my throat. "I have a family," I blurted out.
Bella drew back and regarding me with questioning eyes. "Vampire or human?"
Dear Lord, she was taking this so easily.
"Vampire. Six of them."
"Do they all drink human blood?"
I shook my head, enjoying the feel of her fingers in my hair a little too much. "No, just animal. That gives them golden eyes, not red like mine."
"If you haven't killed a human in five months, why are your eyes still red? Can I see them again?"
I closed my eyes and pushed at the thirst, igniting my red eyes. When I looked at her again, she studied them, fascinated. "I stole from hospitals; donated blood."
She laughed and hit my shoulder playfully. "You're such a badass."
"Not funny," I growled against her throat, inhaling her intoxicating scent. "You know, you smell divine."
Her moan filled my ear and her fingers tightened in my hair again. "Would you drink from me?"
Drawing back, I observed her dark eyes. "Only if you would let me and if I could control myself not to kill you."
"You won't hurt me. I know you won't," she whispered.
"What makes you so sure?"
A smile lit up her face, "Because if you had wanted, you could have last night, or while I was sleeping, or now. We've been sitting this close for quite some time and you haven't hurt me. Not once."
I groaned, closing my eyes. "You have too much faith in me."
"I also know you. I've spent months with you." Her warm hand covered my cheek, meeting my gaze, my green eyes shining through.
"You. Won't. Hurt. Me."
"My God, what you do to me, woman," I hissed, kissing her lips and lifting her off the floor and onto the bed, covering her body gently with my own, mindful of my weight.
"The feeling is mutual, my friend. Very mutual. In fact, I've been waiting for you for quite some time now."
"Mhm, really?" I murmured against the pulse point on her neck, getting lost in her scent.
Her legs wrapped around my waist, drawing me closer. My eyes flew open feeling her heat against my erection.
Shit.
Fuck.
"Edward, make me yours," she breathed against my ear, her words ringing in my head.
I froze, her breaths panting in my ear. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move; captivated by her strength and undying faith in me.
"I could kill you. I may not be able to control myself," I admitted into her hair.
"I trust you and if you feel yourself losing control, just bite into my neck and change me."
"It's not that simple," I growled, anger rising as I lifted myself to look at her. "I can't just change you. I want you to have the chance to say goodbye to Charlie and live out your human wants. Once you're changed, you can't see your friends; you can't go back to school. Nothing. We would have to move in order for you to remain in control. You wouldn't be able to resist human blood. You would kill."
She nodded, finally understanding. "Okay, but as for my human wants, I want you."
Throwing my head back, I groaned in frustration. She was stubborn. I was sure I would have my hands full once she would be changed.
Her hands reached for the towel around my waist, gently removing it and letting it fall to the bed. I was bare in front of her. Those beautiful eyes of hers roamed over my body, settling on my thick erection as it jutted out from my hips.
"You want me, too," she whispered, letting the tips of her fingers trail over my stomach and down to my shaft. It twitched at her touch and I hissed, my muscles seizing in my body.
"You have no idea," I murmured, falling forward and claiming her lips once more. With a flick of my wrist, I tore her clothes from her body, making her gasp, her wide eyes questioning.
"You can wear mine," I shrugged, kissing away her giggles.
My fingers trailed from her heated cheeks, down her collarbone, and over her breasts, twirling my fingers over her pebbled nipples, before sliding my hand down her stomach and cupping her mound.
With a moan into my mouth, she arched into my touch. "More," she whimpered.
Running my finger through her folds, I gathered the wetness and circled her clit. "Oh," she gasped, her lips swollen from my kisses, the blood pooling beneath.
There would be time to explore her body and all its curves, but right now, I only wanted to mark her as my own. Lining myself at her entrance, I pushed forward, the primal need in me to claim rushing through my body. Growling, my eyes turned red, glowing in the early morning light.
Her eyes widened and I smelled the fear in her body. Closing my eyes, I willed them away, but she pulled me closer. "No, don't. I love that part of you, even if it is a little frightening. Don't hide, please."
Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, catching my reflection in her irises. This was different, though. I could see the love reflecting in my own eyes, and not the murderous look I had seen reflected in my prey's eyes over the years.
My hips pushed forward, meeting hers, her hot body enveloping me completely. God, this felt amazing. I never wanted to leave. Her gasps brought my eyes to her and I inhaled sharply, seeing the tears pool.
The smell of blood filled my lungs and my nostrils flared, my body growing ridged. "Fuck, Bella. I am sorry." I started to pull out, but her hiss stopped me.
"I'm so sorry. So, so sorry." I had stolen her innocence without her permission.
I was a monster.
Her hand covered my cheek and her thumb traced underneath my eye. "Just wait," she growled, her eyes fierce and final. "I wanted this, so please, stop."
With a pull on my hair, my body lurched forward and my mouth met hers, kissing and suckling at her delicious lips. After a while, which felt like an eternity to me, she moved her hips in rotation. I murmured into her mouth, drawing back and pushing forward again.
The aroma of her blood intensified. I growled, removing my lips from hers, pushing forward again. My eyes focused on the artery in her neck and I imagined sinking my teeth into her, marking her; making her mine.
The desire to drain her blood, only to have it in my body was overwhelming. Closing my eyes against the images and possibilities, I threw my head back and roared. The windows rattled and her body clamped down on my shaft, squeezing and fluttering, driving me into a frenzy.
"Fuck," I screamed, digging my fingers into the mattress and tearing the fabric, my orgasm ripping through me with force.
Opening my eyes to find her lying beneath, a sheen of sweat covering her body, a growl originated in my chest, pushing forth through my lips. The need to claim, to bite, was forceful and I lunged forward, sinking my teeth into the pillow beside her head.
Venom tingled on my lips and my body started to relax. The roaring in my head stilled and I released the pillow, slowly rising and meeting her curious gaze. Bella was panting, her eyes wide and her body shivering from my cool skin.
Removing myself from her hot body, I rolled to her side and covered her with the blanket. We lay staring at one another for some time before my eyes turned green again and her breathing regulated.
Brushing a tendril of hair from her face, I leaned in and lightly kissed her lips. She sighed and sank into me. "That was…"
"Yeah?" I questioned, wanting to know her thoughts.
"Everything," she finished against my lips and yawned.
I smiled, loving the fact that she was okay; breathing and alive. "You should sleep."
She nodded. "I should. Will you stay?"
I nodded and started to brush my hand along her back over the duvet. "When you wake, I will be here. Then we should go and tell your grandfather."
"Okay," she murmured, her eyes falling shut.
"I love you," I whispered against her temple, as her light snoring filled the room.
Over fifty years, I spent roaming this earth looking for purpose and it had been right here. All I had to do was wait for her to be born. I may have lived my life in sin; a murderer, but she was my saving grace.
"You're the light.
You're the night.
You're the color of my blood.
You're the cure.
You're the pain,""
You're the only thing I wanna touch.
I never knew it could mean so much."
I breathed these words into her sleeping ear.
But then my smile turned sinister as my thoughts drifted to Charlie.
My final act of revenge would be changing his beloved granddaughter into a monster.
My red eyes gleamed in the dark room as they roamed over my mate sleeping soundly by my side.
Charlie would never know that my love for Bella ran ocean's deep. That if I had a beating heart it would roar to life for Bella. He would die thinking the soulless monster; the one he had a hand in creating, had succeeded in making his granddaughter fall in love with him.
"Revenge is best when served fucking cold, Charlie.
Deathly cold."
A/N: This was my entry to the red eyed Edward contest. It was a fantastic contest with many great stories that I hope continue. Thanks to the team that hosted and made it possible. I didn't win, but oh well. Maybe some other time. I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to reading what you think.
xoxo