This is the first time that I give my stories a try in public. I hope you guys like it!
SM owns everything twilight..
Wyoming 1888
Edward stretched his arms over his head and then scratched his bare stomach as he yawned. He walked to the small barn and went to work feeding his horse and milk cow and cleaning out their stalls.
"Gotta head to town today Trigger. We got some furs that we gotta sell and some supplies we need to buy." Edward patted the black gelding on the neck and then walked back out into the sunlight.
He listened to the birds singing in the trees and the bees coming to life and buzzing around the tiny wildflowers starting to bloom. He bent his head to sniff himself and then wrinkled his nose in disgust. One thing was for sure; before he went to town, he needed a bath.
He went back into the two room cabin and grabbed a clean pair of buckskin trousers and a fringed buckskin shirt. He grabbed his homemade yellow soap and headed down the path to the clear mountain lake.
He could smell the water and the sweetness of the wildflowers. He pulled off his boots and his buckskin pants and dove headfirst into the calm water.
He came up cursing and gasping for air as he realized that the water was colder then he had thought it would be. He shook his head sending water droplets flying from his shoulder length black hair and swam back toward shore. The cold water making his body come alive and working out the soreness that three days cooped up in his cabin had caused.
He pulled himself halfway out of the water on the rocky outcrop and grabbed his soap. Once he was sure that most of the stink was washed off of him, he climbed out of the water and let the sun dry his tan skin. He used his fingers to comb out his hair and then pulled on his clothes. He sighed as he headed back to his small cabin to get his furs.
He hated going to town and avoided it whenever possible. His half Blackfoot Indian heritage, coupled with his hatred of modern clothing made him a target for snobby looks and rude comments. Edward had never met his Blackfoot mother or her family. She had left her tribe to be with his father and then had died of fever shortly after giving birth to Edward
Edward's father, James, had died when Edward was twelve and Edward had been living alone in his cabin and looking after himself for the last fourteen years. He strapped his rifle to his back, tied his knives to his legs, grabbed his pile of fox furs and headed back out to saddle Trigger.
"Hi there Edward. It's been awhile since you've been to town." Tyler Hornsby said as Edward walked into the mercantile. Edward nodded as he walked up to the counter and laid his furs down.
"I've been busy hunting." Edward replied simply. He liked Tyler Hornsby. Tyler was like most of the long time residents of town that knew and welcomed Edward despite his appearance and heritage. It was the newcomers who looked down their noses at him.
"I can see you've been hunting. Looks like you did pretty well." Tyler replied, nodding down at the large stack of fox furs.
"Yes." Edward replied. Tyler shook his head and began counting out the money for Edward's furs. Edward had never been one to talk much. He rarely said more then five or six words at a time and he never said anything unless he felt it needed to be said.
"I need some supplies." Edward said as Tyler handed him his money. Edward gave Tyler the list of everything he needed and Tyler nodded.
"Alright Edward, give me an hour or so to get all of this rounded up. You got a wagon?"
"Yes. My cart is out front."
"Alrighty, I'll get it ready." Edward left the mercantile and walked down the road toward Sue's boarding house. He needed a haircut and Sue Thompson had been cutting his hair for as long as he could remember. His attention was drawn to the stagecoach as it pulled to a stop outside of the hotel in front of him.
He turned his head and was going to continue on his way when a feminine gasp reached his ear. He turned just in time to see a mass of blue fabric and dark hair tumbling out of the side of the coach. Edward jumped off the boardwalk and caught the woman in his arms.
Bella had been in such a rush to get away from her husband that she had not paid much attention to where she was placing her feet and had missed the step on the side of the coach altogether. She gasped as she felt nothing but empty space beneath her foot and tumbled headfirst out of the carriage.
She squeezed her eyes tight and braced herself for the pain she knew she would feel when suddenly she felt two strong, hard arms catch her in mid air and hold her tight. Her rescuer placed her feet on the ground but kept his arms wrapped tight around her and her face was pressed against his rock hard chest. His shirt was soft and smooth against her cheek. He smelled like soap and horse and there was another scent. A purely masculine scent. Bella felt her body stir in response to being in his arms and she had not yet even seen his face!
She pulled her head from his chest just enough to look up at him and she gasped again and covered her mouth with her hand. He was an Indian! He was a very handsome Indian. He had long, thick black hair, tan skin, high, sharp cheekbones and a long straight nose. His lips were firm and set in a thin line as he looked down at her with jade green eyes that were as intense as a hawk's. The color of his eyes made her realize that he must be a half breed.
Bella opened her mouth to thank him for catching her when Michael's arrogant, angry voice came from behind her.
"Get your hands off of my wife you savage!" he said crossly. The man holding her released her quickly and took a step back but Bella could tell by the cold way he stared at Michael and by the way he crossed his muscular arms over his broad chest that he was not intimidated by her husband. She looked over at Nathan and felt that familiar pain in her heart and disgust in her stomach.
She did not love the man. She did not even like him. He was barely six feet tall and everything about his appearance was light. He was light skinned, light haired and had light blue eyes. His body was thin and soft and his face was more that of a boy then a man despite the fact that he was thirty years old. The lightness of the outside did not match the dark evil that lurked beneath the surface.
"Michael, do not be so cross with him." Bella said jumping to her rescuers defense. "I am afraid that my clumsiness got the better of me and I would have fallen on the ground and been hurt if not for his quick action." Michael grabbed her by the upper arm, his fingers squeezing tightly and bruising her skin through the thin satin fabric of her dress.
She bit the inside of her lip to keep from crying out as he pulled her to him.
"You should be more careful of where you step." he said keeping his voice light. "Thank you for catching my wife sir." Michael said turning his attention back to the Indian.
"No problem." the man replied. Bella noticed that his voice was just as hard as the rest of him.
"Can I get your name?" Michael asked, deciding that he would complain to the law in town about how the savage had been holding onto his wife.
"Edward." he replied and then he nodded at them both and continued on his way down the boardwalk.
"That was very rude of you." Bella scolded as she yanked her arm away from Michael's grasp.
"You were enjoying his hands on you far too much darling. You need to remember whose wife you are." Michael hissed, his voice as cold as ice. Bella rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest suddenly feeling very cold.
"How can I forget? I am your wife bought and paid for." she replied.
"That's right. Your parents gave you to me to pay off their debts and I own you now." Bella shivered as she thought about all the ways he owned her. For six long months she had been forced to be his wife in every way both day and night.
"We both know why I married you Michael." Bella hissed as she looked up and down the crowded streets. Michael smiled the cold smile that never reached his eyes. The one that let her know just how soulless he truly was.
"That's right and if you do anything to bring me shame or embarrassment I will not only kill you but I will go back to Virginia and pay a visit to your little sister as well." Bella felt her blood turn to ice. She knew he was telling the truth. His constant beatings had taught her that he was capable of terrible violence and she had no doubt that he was capable of murder as well.
"I'm tired." she said turning away from him. He chuckled proudly and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist.
"Allow me to get us a room then my darling. After being cooped up on the train and the stage coach for the last few weeks, I am more than ready to have some time alone with you."