Chapter 1
This story is dedicated to anyone who never wanted Stephenie Meyer to stop writing Twilight Books. This is how I see into the Cullen's future.
I'm really sorry I had to do this Steph. Your readers didn't get enough and you said you got bored with vampires. Some of us, including myself, was lift, severely hanging. It just hurt too much, I had to intervene, but otherwise all your characters from the Twilight Saga will always belong to you. I only borrow them from time to time. I promise, no infringement is intended.
When you leave time behind and you're faced with all eternity, it's hard to decide where to begin your first journey. Ultimately, if you don't decide, the journey will decide for you. Destiny will intervene. Edward and I were about to embark on that journey. We just didn't know it yet.
It had been five months since our wedding and already so much had happened in our lives. The calamity seemed endless as one disaster after another happened to us. The brightest spot being the birth of our child. It was within six weeks after our wedding, Edward and I conceived and had a baby girl. The baby grew so fast in my womb the pregnancy almost killed me. Then after our daughter was born, her growth did not slow. By the time our daughter was two months old she had grown to roughly the size of a two year old. Now that our daughter, being only five months old, was already more intelligent than most adults. Edward even taught her how to play the piano. She was almost as good as Edward himself.
We rarely left the Cullen Estate. I wanted to spend every minute I could with her because with her accelerated growth we had no idea how long she had to live.
Then a few weeks ago we almost lost everything. The Volturi, the vampire royal family that enforced vampire law, came to exact justice against us. They thought our daughter, Renesmee was an immortal child. Immortal children, being full vampire children, frozen in whatever stage of development they were converted, were not teachable, highly dangerous, and attracted too much attention. So therefore, they were prohibited. The creation of an immortal child was punishable by death. With the help of our vampire and werewolf friends we outnumbered the Volturi. This fact along with all our combined talents gave the Volturi leader Aro pause. At the very last minute Alice came with the half vampire, half human, Nahuel as proof that our daughter Renesmee would not grow to be a threat. This gave Aro the excuse he needed to save face and turn tail and run, thus leaving us in peace.
It was a relief to have found Nahuel. He gave us the information that we were looking for about vampire hybrids like our daughter. He told us that he was fully grown at the age of seven and after approximately 150 years he had not aged a day since. He also told us that he had sisters who also stopped aging after seven years.
Now that we knew that Renesmee was going to be okay, the Cullen family settled into a happy daily routine with our daughter at the center of everything.
I was happy to hang around the house and play with Nessie all day. Edward was however, getting a little antsy. He wanted to take me out on a date. We hadn't been on a real date since…well…high school. It took some doing for Edward to convince me that we needed to get out and have some fun. I smiled as I remember-ed his argument.
"Edward I have everything right here to have fun," I said as I nuzzled my face below his ear. We were cuddling in our bed under the sheets.
"I can't argue with you on that point. I would be hard pressed to come up with something more fun to do than this," he mused. "I just don't like the idea of you being cooped up for so long. I want to take you out and show you a good time." His hand was absentmindedly playing with my hair as I rested my head on his chest. I could feel his long fingers gently combing the strands of my hair from my scalp to my waist.
I'm having a great time right now." I turned my head to gaze into his eyes. "I don't feel deprived at all," I said smiling at his determined tone of voice.
"Bella, be reasonable," he spoke softly. "Is it so terrible that I want to take my beautiful wife out to show her off?" His eyes smoldered into mine as if searching for some sign of surrender.
"I don't know. I don't like being away from Renesmee. It makes me anxious," I tried to sound convincing. And I knew he understood this kind of anxiety, he often admitted to having similar feelings when we were apart. We had had this argument so many times that week and even though it was more or less true, this excuse seemed lame to even me. I'm sure Edward could see right through me. I started to frown a little.
"Please Bella, don't be difficult," Edward pleaded, laying one of his famous guilt trips on me. "Getting out will be as much for me as it will be for you. I promise you won't regret it. We're going to have so much fun. Besides Nessie will be sleeping. It's not like we're going to miss anything." His liquid topaz eyes pleaded for me to give in. He always got his way when he looked at me like that and he knew it.
"Grrr…you're such a cheater," I complained. "Why is this so important to you? It's almost as if you are up to something." My eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. While his face was perfectly smooth. I had a sneaking suspicion he had already made plans to take me somewhere.
"Bella, you're hurting my feelings," he said with such sadness. If I didn't know him as well as I did it would have been heartbreaking to see. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this? I've traveled all over the world, Bella. I've seen so many wonderful things. I want to see the world again, but this time through your eyes. Besides I'm not asking you to go on an extended vacation with me ¾ yet," he mumbled the last sentence. "I'm just asking for four or five hours of your time. Is that too much to ask? We can save the rest of the world for another time."
I rolled my eyes, wondering if Alice, his adoptive sister, and the queen of guilt trips, could have done a better job then this. "Okay ¾ okay, you're right. I'm being silly aren't I?"
"So you're saying yes, right?" he asked ecstatically.
"Yes…of cour…" he was kissing me before I could get the words out.
He insisted that we take my Ferrari. I assumed he meant for me to drive as he often did now, an effort to get me to like the car he bought me for my birthday, so I walked around to the drivers side. "Not tonight, I'm driving," he announced as he caught me by the hand. "In case you haven't noticed I am a gentleman and my lovely wife deserves to be treated like a lady." He pulled my hand up to his lips for to kiss. "I am giving you the full royal treatment tonight, my lady. Allow me." he guided me around to the passengers side and pulled the door open for me. "By the way, have I told you how breathtakingly beautiful you look tonight?"
"Only every minute since I've finished getting ready," I laughed. "You look pretty incredible yourself you know." Incredible wasn't even the right word for the way he looked. "I don't believe there is another man on this earth that looks as good as you do in a tux."
"I don't know about that, however, you in that gorgeous red dress…truly there is no other woman alive that could do that dress any justice." He twirled me around to see me from every angle. Then, he pulled me into his chest and gazed adoringly into my eyes. His lips turned up into my favorite half crooked grin.
"Isabella Marie Cullen, do you have any idea the power your beauty has over me? We'd better get going before I change my mind and I take you back to our bedroom instead." He kissed me tenderly then helped me into the car."
In a flash he was already setting in the drivers seat. He played with the buttons on the stereo. I was surprised when he settled for a radio station. He usually just plugged in his mp3 player. He looked over at me and smiled, dazzling me with his eyes.
"Where are we going tonight?" I question him, returning his smile. I reached inside my handbag to pull out my long red satin gloves to slip on my hands. "You know I hate surprises. Oh no!" I shouted as a horrible thought crossed my mind. "You're not taking me dancing, are you?" I was suddenly worried about what I'd gotten myself into. "I should have known something was up when Alice dressed me like this."
He rolled his eyes ignoring my questions and sped down the drive. When we got to the main road the car's speed steadily increased to 90, 100, 110, 120mph.
"Really Bella, I don't understand your aversion to this car," he said trying to change the subject. "It drives like a dream. Even if you still don't like to drive fast you look very sexy driving it," he teased. "That's why I chose it for you. A woman as beautiful as you belongs behind the wheel of a beautiful car."
"You wouldn't let me drive it tonight," I pointed out.
"Well for one, I know Seattle better than you do," he explained.
"And?"
"And…I'd like to get to our destination on time," he said with a grin.
"Still, it seems kind of sexiest to not let me drive just because I'm wearing a dress," I countered, baiting him for arguments sake.
"That's hardly fair," he said defensively. "What did I do or say to give you that impression of me?" His expression was dubious.
I fought back a laugh. I was picking this fight on purpose. I frowned at him, feigning anger, narrowing my eyes a little.
"Not tonight, I'm driving. In case you haven't noticed I am a gentlemen…yada…yada…yada," I said. With my new vampire vocal cords I could easily mimic his vocal rang to duplicate his voice perfectly. I turned my face away from him trying to look annoyed.
In my peripheral vision I saw his face turn to shock, then worry. His lips turned down into a frown. "Bella…I…I'm sorry," he apologized. "That's not what I meant when I said…"
"Pewww…ha, ha, ha," I interrupted him, my laugh bursting through my teeth.
His expression turned incredulous with one eyebrow raised. "You're not mad at me?" He didn't sound amused.
"Ha, ha, ha…no…ha, ha," I laughed. My eyes met his. He now looked confused. I cupped my hand over my mouth trying not to burst out laughing again.
His eyes narrowed. He looked at me contemptuously. "Not funny."
"Yes it was." I said trying to compose myself.
"Bella, you really do have a twisted sense of humor."
"I couldn't help myself. I had to get back at you," I said defensively, the smile never leaving my face.
"Why? What did I do? All I'm trying to do is treat you to a night on the town and you're making fun of me," he accused.
"You was trying to distract me," I started to explain (still smiling). You wouldn't answer my questions about where we were going and if you were taking me dancing."
"Grrr," a low growl erupted from inside his chest.
"Seriously Edward, you can't fool me. I know you're not mad."
"And how would you know that?" he asked, trying to look disgusted.
"Easy, you have a tell when you're really angry," I said with satisfaction.
"Really… and what is this tell you think I have?" he questioned. His eyes flashed interest. I had him. He was hooked.
"Nope…I'm not saying. That is my little secret." I grinned at him mischievously.
He shook his head grinning, unable to help himself. "Fine, you don't have to tell me now. I'll drag it out of you later," he promised.
"How?" I gasped. My eyes wide with understand-ing.
"From the look of the expression on your face I'd bet you already know," he grinned at me wickedly.
Edward knew exactly how to interrogate me. His form of torture was not painful. It was, however, exquisite. His dazzling eyes, his sensuous lips, his touch… the thought made me dizzy with anticipation.
"Fine, looking forward to it." I challenged. I knew I didn't have a prayer. "Now are you going to tell me where you're taking me?"
"Be patient, we're almost there." His smile was intoxicating.
"Edward, tell me," I demanded, bouncing in my seat suddenly excited and nervous at the same time.
"Okay, okay…" he chuckled. "You look like you're going to spontaneously combust. First, we're going to the theater. They're showing a play by Shakespeare 'The Taming of the Shrew'. I thought it might prove to be educational," he teased.
"Very funny. So now you think I'm a shrew? I guess I deserve that." I pretended to look hurt.
His face fell. "Bella , don't be absurd. I'm just teasing you."
"Got ya again!" A wide grin returning to my face. "And you said I was a terrible actress."
"I stand corrected," he said with a smile. Then his smile turned positively wicked. "You do realize that I am going to get you back for this?"
"You're certainly welcome to try." This game was proving to be more fun than I had anticipated. "So…where are you taking me after the theater?" I asked, my eyes wide eager for the next round.
"You don't miss a beat do you? I think I've finally met my match." He stared at me, as if we were playing some elaborate game of chest, his eyes searching mine for my next move.
"Tell me, please."
"Sorry…it's top secret. If I tell you it will ruin all my plans." I knew it would do no good to pout at this point. He would find too much humor in it.
When we arrived at our destination, Edward pulled up to the valet attendant. "Wait here, please." He lifted his eyebrow waiting for my response.
"I promise not to budge." Grinning at him, I crossed my heart.
He nodded, satisfied, and got out of the car. He gave the valet attendant an appraising stare. The guy was probably in his mid twenties. The difference in age between the attendant and my husband was obvious. Edward, forever frozen at the age of seventeen, looked like a boy in comparison. But this in no way disadvantaged him in anyway. Edward, when provoked, was a force to be reckoned with.
Edward often said that humans have a natural instinct to be fearful of our kind. But I was never convinced. He really had no idea how the girls would swoon when he walked by. Edward, is naturally a caring and charitable person. He's friendly and polite to everyone he meets and he gives a large portion of his yearly earnings to various charities. He'd give of his time as well if he were not fearful of people becoming suspicious of his vampirism. It's times like this, when he is confronted with people like the attendant that makes me wonder if he is not right after all. But still, I feel it's not so much as to what Edward is that causes some people to cower to his imposing nature so much as it is the attitude in which he carries himself. I have observed the very same attitude from others of our kind.
"I will know immediately if this car has been taken for a joy ride," I heard Edward say as he glared at the man and flashed his teeth menacingly. The attendant cringed. "I trust that I am leaving my car in good hands."
"O…of c…course sir," the attendant stammered, clearly shaken.
Edward handed him the key along with a gratuity. "If you return my car to me without a scratch there will be another one of those. However, if you do not…" Edward stared at him severely, flashing his teeth again. The fear in the man's eyes would have made my heart stop if I were still human. "I think you get the idea."
Edward turned on his heel and walked gracefully to my side of the car. He pulled my door open "My lady," he said, forcing a smile and offering me his hand.
I took his hand, my eyes never leaving his. I was searching his expression wondering what the attendant had done to bring Edward's temper to the forefront.
I threw my shield out over him. I had noticed, quite by accident, that when I had my shield over him I could determine his mood by his spark or rather his aura. His spark was what I saw in my mind when I wasn't looking directly at him. However, when I was looking at him I saw a brilliant ray of light streaming out all around him and it changed in color and intensity according to his mood. I toyed with this secret knowledge often. It was almost as good as being able to read his mind. Sure enough there it was a glimmer of anger still there but slowly dissolving.
Edward extended his elbow and linked my arm with his. "What was that about?" I asked low enough only Edward could hear.
"Sorry love, my behavior was necessary. That guy was planning to take your car for a spin around town."
"Oh, I thought it was something like that. You scared the snot out of him, you know."
Edward chuckled at my word choice. "It serves him right."
This was a long time coming for me. I've been curious for a while what was going to happen next in the little town of Forks WA. Alas, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to dive in and see for myself.
Okay, don't forget. I'm keeping track of all your reviews. I'm posting a the first chapter of four stories today.
Stuck On A Cloud
Spirit In the Sky
Hotel California
The Purpose of Forever
The story with the most reviews is the one I'll be working on next, along with my companion story to Married to the Enemy. Thanks for reading.
