Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga is not my creation, nor do any of the characters speak to me, nor do I feel worthy to even play in Stephenie Meyer's world. And yet, here I am, dabbling in the sandbox she provided. I cannot possibly hope to profit. I merely write to soothe my thirst.
Do note: This tale, my first 'Twilight' story, is told in true 'Twilight' form: from Isabella Swan's point of view. I do my best to keep all the characters in character, and I hope this little piece would fill in some of the summertime gap between 'Twilight' and 'New Moon.'
I plan to post the new sections every 4 days. It's not a long story, merely one I felt compelled to write out and share with the universe.
If you feel so inclined, and have the time, please comment with what you loved or what you hated. I thoroughly appreciate constructive criticism.
With that, it is my pleasure to bring you 'Starlit Nocturne'...
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"You should really get started on your college applications, Bella," Edward's velvet voice was chiding, gentle. He was stretched out on my bed, with those butterscotch eyes I loved shut in relaxation.
I was sitting up already, and crossed my arms over my chest, turning away from him. I rolled my eyes with a huff.
"I saw that," he pointed out lazily. "Don't roll your eyes at me."
I dared a peek over my shoulder, and his topaz eyes snapped open and sparkled with humor.
"For Pete's sake, Edward," I said, a little annoyed, but not really. "You're worse then Renee. I have months before deadlines start popping up."
He gave me my very favorite crooked smile. "It never hurts to start early. At least you only have to apply for colleges once."
"Hypothetically," I corrected.
"Hypothetically," he agreed. "Try having to do it every 8 years or so for the rest of your existence."
Edward's long marble fingers reached over to toy with my chestnut hair. I shivered involuntarily. He smirked, pleased.
I couldn't even hold the faintest bit of annoyance toward him, not when he looked at me like that. I succumbed, uncrossing my legs as I stretched out along his muscular, perfect body. Pillowing my head on his cold chest, he wrapped his left arm around me, holding me close. His amber eyes closed.
My hand rested over where his heart was, though I felt no pulse there. I opened my mouth to speak, but he shushed me.
"Wait…" his voice, now husky, commanded.
I was powerless to do anything else, and so I watched him from under long lashes. He nuzzled the top of my head ever so slightly, ghosting his lips across my hair, inhaling deeply. I wished I had his sense of smell sometimes. He always claimed I smelled irresistibly of freesia.
Those cold stone lips pressed to my forehead, and I couldn't help the sigh that fell from my lips.
"Edward…"
"Don't move, Bella," he whispered. A few more of my pounding heartbeats later, he finally opened his eyes and smiled down at me.
I smirked up at him, and my voice took on a slightly accusing tone. "I thought you weren't thirsty. You don't look it."
"For you, Bella, I'm always thirsty," Edward's velvet voice promised, sincere as always. "Always."
I shook my head at him ruefully. "You are something else."
"Am I?" he teased, arching a bronze brow over one butterscotch eye. He stared into the depths of my eyes, as though he could see straight through me, into my soul. Which he could not, I knew for a fact, and I knew it used to bother him endlessly. Now he just saw it as a bit of a challenge. Something that made me a bit more me. Not only was I irresistible to him, but I was a puzzle.
His favorite puzzle, he'd told me once. I stretched a little closer, so the tips of our noses brushed.
"You are."
"And you are such a temptress, Bella Swan," he murmured. His cool fingers traced tiny, slow circles along my spine. Just when I thought my heart couldn't beat any faster, it kicked into overdrive. Edward Cullen was going to be the death of me. The thought sent a thrill through me.
I waited, our lips a breath away. I couldn't push him. I knew that. Though I didn't have his sense of smell, I certainly could inhale his exquisite, sweet scent. Edward simple smelled better than any person I'd ever met. Ever. And that made it almost OK to be hanging here, waiting for that glorious kiss.
He smiled ever-so-slightly, and then pressed his cool lips to mine. I almost died right then and there, from sheer bliss. I pressed my fingertips into his chest, resisting the urge to suddenly pounce on him. I was getting better at controlling myself. The whole process amused him (and simultaneously frustrated him, I think) to no end.
Cold fingers framed my face, skimming my cheeks, carefully pulling me back far too soon. I wanted to groan in complaint, and almost did.
I never realized how lucky normal couples have it. But then again, normal couples don't have Edward, so they couldn't be all that lucky, could they?
Golden butterscotch eyes glowed at me, searched mine. The faintest of crooked smiles twisted his lips. He trailed one finger down my cheekbone.
"You're beautiful when you're flushed like that," he told me. "No, more than beautiful. Stunning. Breathtaking."
"As if you had any breath to take," I jibed, fighting the embarrassed blush that heated my skin whenever he complimented me. The warmth of his gaze only seemed to accelerate the blushing process.
Edward grinned, flashing gleaming teeth at me. He slid his other hand down to cup my neck, sliding marble fingers down the still-wildly beating pulse that threaded there.
"You're so warm," he marveled in appreciation. He drew me closer again. My heart sped up.
Our lips touched, more briefly this time, but then those god-like, wonderful lips were pressing gently on the apples of my cheeks, my eyelids, my temples, the tip of my nose and ending on my forehead.
And then he was suddenly pushing me up and away again, and I pouted at him. He laughed at me, a full-throated, glorious laugh. "Charlie's coming," he explained.
"Ah," I grumbled in acceptance, wrapping my arms around my knees and drawing them to my chest.
He raked a hand back through his perpetually tousled bronze mop, not bothering to sit up as well. Surely enough, Charlie rapped on my door.
"Bella?"
"Come in," I called.
He stuck his head in, a little taken aback by Edward's presence. "Oh. Hello, Edward."
Edward raised a long white hand in greeting.
Charlie refocused on me. "Bell, did you say you weren't cooking dinner tonight?"
"Right. There's leftovers in the fridge." I confirmed. "Edward and I are going to Port Angeles…?"
His puzzled expression caused me to snort in annoyance.
"I told you this a week ago," I complained. "We're going to go see a movie."
"On a school night?"
"Dad, it's Friday. In the middle of the summer," I pointed out. Edward snickered softly, and I was pretty sure my dad was oblivious to it. I swatted his knee in warning. "What's going on with you?"
He waved off the concern. "Just been a little distracted, work and all," he explained, as if that explained anything. "Well, no matter. Have fun, you two. Edward, I still want her back at a decent hour. Not terribly late."
"Yes, sir," Edward chimed obediently.
Satisfied with that answer, Charlie ducked back out, shutting the door gently behind him.
"OK, well," I sprang off the bed. "I'm going to change so we can go."
Edward smiled beatifically at me, pushed off the comforter. He arched a brow. "What do you need to change outfits for?"
I rolled my eyes. "To look pretty for you, obviously."
When I met his gaze, my heart skipped a beat. Those beautiful topaz eyes positively smoldered at me.
"You always look amazing to me, Bella," he said low, absolutely serious.
I was fighting that blush again. "Compared to you, I'm so dull, Edward," I pointed out.
He shook his head slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. "Never," his voice seemed to caress the word.
"But," he continued, rising smoothly. "I will let you change, as you feel so inclined."
"Thank you," I answered, the slightest bit sarcastic. "Now, shoo. I'll be quick, I promise."
"I'll be back in a flash," he promised, throwing me a wink.
My heart stopped again, and I pressed my hand to my chest, inhaling sharply, almost swaying on my feet.
"You have to give me a warning when you're going to do that, Edward Cullen," I warned.
Again, he was perplexed. "Do what?"
"Dazzle me like that."
"I just dazzled you?" he questioned, confused.
"Yes."
"Right then?" Dear, sweet Edward, still confused. Though I told him frequently, he still didn't seem to fully realize the effect he had on women in general, let alone me.
"You winked at me," I accused.
He threw his head back in a delighted laugh, and darted out the window suddenly, leaving nothing but the warm afterglow of his laughter in the room.
Feeling suddenly alone, and suddenly chilled, I wrapped my arms around my torso and turned toward my closet. I ran a hand along the T-shirts, dresses and sweaters hanging there. What to wear? It was the middle of July in Forks, yes, but it never really got warm up here. In fact, at night, it got downright chilly.
I debated wearing something short-sleeved, so that Edward would have to give me his jacket. I loved wrapping myself in that too-large, warm leather coat that held his heavenly scent. But he would probably call me out on it, not wanting me to catch a cold, and insist I take something of my own. Or would he just smirk and hand me his coat?
He thought I was hard to predict, but his moods shifted quicker than the winds did up here.
I grabbed the simple blue sweater that Edward always seemed to love when I wore. I'll admit, it did look nice with my complexion and hair. It was one of my more flattering pieces, I thought, excluding the stylish (and very expensive) clothing Alice had bought me in California. I smoothed a hand down the front, picking off a stray tuft of lint.
Dark jeans would keep it classy enough to allow me to at least trail in awe of Edward's brilliant presence. I hated to look drab next to him, but really, he would always outshine me. And I loved him for it.
I grabbed the pearls my mom had sent me for some random occasion, fumbling slightly with the clasp behind my neck.
"Allow me," Edward breathed, suddenly behind me, startling me, and I jumped.
I nearly dropped the pearls, and he chuckled, amused as always at my jumpiness. His cold fingers found mine and one granite hand pushed away my cloud of dark hair. He locked the clasp effortlessly, and I had to remind myself to breathe. I could feel his nearness, his solid chest only a hairsbreadth away from my back, feel his cool breath fanning across the nape of my neck.
He nuzzled the corner where my neck met my shoulder, and my breath caught. Cold lips pressed a chaste kiss on the same spot, and then he was spinning me around and into his arms. I clasped my arms around his chest, letting him draw me into his iron-strong embrace.
"You shouldn't sneak up on a girl like that," I muttered.
He tipped his head in acknowledgement. "You'd think a girl like that would catch on eventually."
"Whatever, Stealthy McStealtherson."
He released me suddenly, seizing my smaller hand in his. "Let's go. We haven't got all night."
"Yes, we do," I corrected absently, reaching for my purse, even though I didn't need it. Edward would never let me pay, a fact that frustrated me to no end. So what that he had endless resources of money? It didn't feel right for him to always be wasting it on me.
Not that he had anything better to do with it.
"You should get a hobby," I'd told him once.
"I have one," he'd protested. "Collecting cars, remember?"
Ah, the Aston Martin. James Bond's sweet ride.
"Another hobby," I'd told him, exasperated.
"You are my other hobby," he shot back, only half-kidding, I'd thought.
He was already tugging me down the stairs and practically out the door.
"Bye, Dad," I hollered. "See you later! Have fun fishing tomorrow!"
"Bye, Bells! Edward!" Charlie answered from the kitchen.
"Bye, Charlie," he answered back, opening the front door and guiding me out. His shimmery silver Volvo was parked in the driveway. For a brief moment, I debated trying to convince him to let me drive my truck, but I knew he would never have it.
His driving still terrified me. I know I'm perfectly safe when he's behind the wheel – he's hands down the best driver I've ever seen – but there's something about seeing the speedometer nearing 120 mph that makes my blood run cold. It'll take some getting used to, I guess.
Edward opened the passenger door for me, ever the gentleman. As I swung in, he shrugged out of his tan jacket and tossed it onto my lap, flashing me a devilish grin.
"You'll be cold," he said in gentle explanation.
My brow furrowed. "But we're only going to Port Angeles…Edward?"
Lightning-quick, he was already settling into his seat, clicking my seatbelt into place. He never wore his. Hypocrite.
"Change of plans," he answered matter-of-factly, in his soft velvet voice.
My eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."
I bit my lower lip, chewed thoughtfully. "All right."
He stopped suddenly, head whipping around to look at me with incredulous (and incredible) eyes. "All right?" he echoed, stunned.
I giggled. "Yup."
"You're not going to badger me for answers, beg and plead and whine and tease me until I have no choice but to divulge my master plan?" He sounded almost crestfallen, if not disappointed.
"Nope," I said, shaking my head. "Surprise me, Mr. Cullen."
He blew out a sigh, scratching along his scalp thoughtfully. "I will never understand you, Isabella Swan."
"Makes two of us," I agreed happily.
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Short, but sweet, I know. I had to lay the groundwork for the rest of the story. Part No. 2 will be posted on four days from today, probably late at night. Expect it Thursday.
Thirsty for more? Hate it? Do comment.