Disclaimer: I worship the ground that Stephenie Meyer walks on.
I owe mountains of credit to her for creating Twilight, as well as mountains of credit to my best friend, and cowriter, Zane. Charles wouldn't be the same without you.
EVIL ANGEL
Dances With Vampires
1. Forever
Bella periodically muttered incoherent nonsense in her sleep, but she did not move.
The dark–haired infant in the next room, however, began to whine with hunger in his crib.
Edward gracefully slid to his feet. Stepping quickly but quietly, he slipped into the next room. Smiling warmly, he reached for the child. A slight frown crossed his lips as the babe cringed from the cold hardness of his hands.
Hayden continued to cry, and it wasn't long before Bella was brought to consciousness. The cloudiness of sleep fogged her mind for a few seconds before the cries sliced through.
Bella staggered toward the adjacent room, nearly stumbling to the floor in the process. Upon seeing Edward leaning over the crib, she calmed almost instantly. "Having trouble, mister perfect?"
Edward looked over at her crossly. "Same trouble as always," he said. "He doesn't like it when I hold him…"
"Maybe he has a preference," Bella said, taking Hayden into her arms.
"I would say he has a preference; takes after his father like that." Edward smiled at his two most beloved as he stepped forward to embrace Bella – careful not to even brush the infant's skin.
"Careful," Bella said, though not out of concern for herself.
"You know how careful I always am. It's you that needs to be careful," he responded with a crooked smile.
How easily that could be fixed...but she didn't say that. "I know, I know – Weapon of Mass Destruction…what's the matter with him?"
"Little Hayden is trying to tell you that he's starving to death." Edward's smile twisted even more. "You should be able to read his mind, as well – or haven't you heard of the special mother–child relationship?"
"I've heard of it…now all that's left to do is to wait for it to kick in…"
His face calmed almost instantly. Lowering his head so that he could gaze into Bella's dark eyes, his fingers flashed forward to lightly tap her on the forehead. "Well, what are you waiting for? The boy's starving as we speak." Then, just as quickly, he leaned in to lightly kiss her.
Bella held and fed him, watching as Alice seemed to teleport into the living room. It didn't surprise her as much as it probably should have – she'd told the other Cullens where they lived a few months before. It was only a matter of time before someone showed up.
Alice glanced at her momentarily, and then said something to Edward too low for her to hear. Bella's eyes narrowed slightly.
Nearly as quickly as she had materialized, Alice's whispered conversation ended. Her attention turned immediately to Bella – and more particularly the tiny, squirming mass in her arms. "Darling Hayden, come to aunt Alice!"
Her enthusiasm was matched only by the speed with which she donned a warm pair of gloves pulled from her jacket pocket. Surprisingly gentle for the swift maneuver, she snatched the child up.
Bella was left to watch them and smile. She wondered why Edward hadn't thought of that.
Alice beamed as she babbled and fondled the babe. Innocuously, she slipped away from the couple.
Edward sighed as he turned his eyes from his beautiful sister to his even more stunning wife. "Bella, there's something that we need to talk about," he practically whispered.
She could barely hear him across the room, so she came closer, staring into his dark eyes. "What is it, Edward?"
"Well…" He paused, considering how to continue. Putting a cold arm around her, he began again. "I want to reopen negotiations on our contract about you–know–what."
Bella's eyes widened – he wanted to reopen negotiations, about that? What strange…wonderful…parallel universe was this?
"Not that I'm complaining," she said. "Of course not. But why?"
Edward examined her face closely. "Why? Do I need a reason to ensure that we are both pleased with our decision?"
She was still curious, but she felt like...if she said one wrong thing to him, if she made him think that she was at all nervous about this...then he might decide not to after all.
She shook her head. "No, we don't. Nevermind."
"Well, I know we agreed that I would…you know…after we were married. However, Hayden changes everything. You've seen how he shirks me, and I know that neither of us want him to treat his mother the same way. That is why I wish to request that we wait until he grows a little older – until he is more emotionally attached to you. That is all that I ask."
Edward rushed through his request in an attempt to keep Bella from interrupting. He anxiously awaited her response.
She would be twenty in a week. "How much older?"
"I'm not entirely sure. I will monitor him telepathically every day, if you like. Please, love, do this for Hayden." His eyes accompanied his words in pleading.
And she couldn't refuse him when he looked at her that way. Never. "Okay…that sounds fair."
Edward squeezed Bella's shoulders lovingly. "We'll stay a happy family forever, dear Bella. Of that, I promise." He turned to watch Alice with Hayden, a smile growing to cover his face.
Hayden gurgled happily as he squirmed about in Alice's arms, attempting to wrap his tiny hands around her hair. She flicked it about, teasing him.
Glancing toward his parents, Alice's eyes met Edward's. For less than a fraction of a second, their eyes hardened, sharing similar thoughts. Immediately, their smiles returned.
Bella didn't notice this momentary change in their expressions – her reflexes were too slow for that – but she wanted to know what Alice had said to him before. Whatever it was, was it the reason she was here now?
"We'll stay a happy family forever, dear Bella. Of that, I promise." Three people lived temporarily in an apartment. Two of them looked at one another as the third – their leader – recited those words, sounding almost amused. "Think he'll be able to keep that promise?" he asked them.
Smiles were exchanged as the subordinates snickered loudly.
"Thinking has nothing to do with it. Any idiot would know that it'll be impossible," responded one of the other men. He offered an exceptionally toothy grin toward his compatriot.
They both knew of Charles's and Edward's history – Charles spoke of it frustratingly often enough – and of Charles' character.
Their forever wouldn't last very long at all.
"Too right you are, Samuel. Time to get to work."
"So, how is everyone?" Bella asked of Alice not long afterwards. "Did anyone come with you?"
"Everyone is doing well. Emmett and Rosalie are traveling around the country…and I must admit that I envy them somewhat. Carlisle and Esme are missing their family, but otherwise they're coping well. You should take Hayden to see them." Alice beamed at the infant. "This is their first grandchild, and they were extremely excited about him. As for Jasper and myself, we've been living with them, but we decided to come and visit you two." During her summary, Alice continued to play with Hayden, rarely looking up at Bella as she spoke.
Bella looked around. "Where is he?"
Alice smiled at Bella's naivety – an entire family of vampires could be here without her knowledge. "He really wanted to come, but he decided that establishing a place for us to stay was more important." Her eyelashes flickered before continuing. "We left rather quickly and unexpectedly because I had a sudden urge to see my little nephew."
That sounded like her, all right. Bella smiled too, thinking she'd probably smiled at Jasper's mention.
Alice nearly giggled girlishly. "Jasper will be here shortly, I promise. Sooner if he's lucky with finding a place." Her eyes flicked back to Hayden. After kissing his forehead, she handed him toward Bella. "Back to mommy you go, little heart."
She turned slightly to peer at Edward with one eye. "He's going to be even more gorgeous than his father." Her eyelashes flicked in a quick wink. "Maybe he'll be my new favorite family member." Something about Edward made her turn to fully face him. "Edward…your eyes. You've been stressing about Bella and Hayden too much. A nice hunt is what you need. No arguing, either – I'll watch after and protect the both of them."
He knew – and Bella now realized – that they were very close to black. "I can handle it."
"Edward, we all know that you want and need to go hunt. Don't worry, your little family will be even safer with you gone than here." A playful grin spread across Alice's beautiful face. "Don't make me use Jasper to force you, dear brother."
Edward's eyes widened in mock–horror – "Oh, please, not Jasper! Anything but that!" – and then he smiled at Bella. "I'll be back soon, alright? Tomorrow afternoon at the latest."
Calming herself as much as possible so soon after a fit of giggling, Bella smiled at Edward. "Okay. Have fun, and don't rush." She lifted Hayden in her arms and brushed her cheek across his downy hair. "We'll find a way to survive while you're gone. We promise, don't we, Hayden?" She bobbed him slightly to get his attention. He made a small, startled sound in response, which she took to mean 'yes'. "See? Hayden promises."
Edward sighed in resignation. "I guess neither of you want me to stay here a moment longer, then. Well, take care, and don't hurt yourself while I'm gone, Bella." He turned toward the front door. After pausing for a fraction of a second, Edward whirled back and kissed Bella. "I love you both."
The quiet whisper was followed almost immediately by a snap as the door closed behind him.
A black–haired, golden–eyed vampire watched him from atop the roof, his apathetic expression soon becoming a smug grin.
He left in a flash.
The closing door had left a sound vacuum in the house – even Hayden was oddly silent. Thinking quickly, Alice pranced across the room toward the phone. "I'll call Jasper and see if he's found a place for us to stay. If so, he can be here shortly." Her soprano voice rang out, even more full of energy than usual.
Bella thought while she dialed, then asked, "Why can't you stay with us?"
Alice's eyes lit up as she turned toward Bella, the phone hanging limply in her hand. "We didn't want to impose on you and Edward, but, if you insist, we wouldn't mind too terribly. Besides, it would uphold my promise to Edward."
Bella nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I insist."
A pair of golden eyes followed a second form of personal interest. This one was exceptionally distinguishing from the first, due to her evident lack of locomotive coordination. He both groaned and smiled simultaneously as pleasure and anticipated boredom battled in his chest. Tucking both his emotions and expressions behind a professional mask, he began to shadow Bella with exceptional stealth.
