Disclaimer: Not Mine.
At the Last Minute
"Bella," Edward whispered his voice horse and cracking with emotion. He just traced his fingertips along her jaw line, "Bella—"
He stepped closer and Bella fought the urge to move away, away from what was coming. She wanted this; she told herself, she had always wanted this. To be with Edward forever.
"I promise I won't hurt you more than necessary," he whispered again. As he spoke, Bella could see his teeth unsheathe themselves and his eyes grow dark. His breathing was ragged; the closet thing to arousal, Bella had ever seen in him, "I love you."
He leaned his forehead against hers and Bella allowed her eyes to flutter closed as she breathed in the sweet scent of him. Her heart was pounding erratically in her breast and she struggled to still it. It was natural to be afraid, she told herself, now that her changing would be a reality. Edward's hands tightened on her arms, lifting her slightly upward to have better access to her throat. She wrapped her arms around his neck, eyes closed, trembling –Edward brought his mouth to her neck over the throbbing vein. He paused and inhaled her scent, baring his teeth and allowing his vampire side to expose itself. His breath was hot and dry against her skin and Bella crushed her eyes shut.
"I love you, Bella," he choked.
Bella felt tears leak from her eyes and a sob rose in her breast and she tightened her arms around him, "Wait…"
"Bella—I—can't," he finished.
She tried to ease away from him, "Wait just a minute—I."
He bite her. For a moment there was a flash of pain, the delicate skin of her throat tearing to admit Edward's teeth, and then there was a wave of pain and fire. Bella cried out but Edward merely held her more securely as he drank her sweet, rich blood. She struggled for a moment or two and then stilled as she was overcome by pain and weakness. Soon she lay limply, barely breathing in Edward's grasp.
Releasing his bite, Edward laid Bella on the bed, her precious blood dripping from his lips and teeth. She lay so still and silent that he felt a chill throughout his body; she was dying and reforming within—soon, she would not be Bella anymore, but someone new—a vampire. He swallowed the last traces of her blood and lay beside her, careful not to touch the body of his beloved knowing the extreme sensitivity of the changing. Curling more around the aura of her, Edward waited. He would wait with her until she woke.
But what had she said?
"Wait just a minute—I"
What was she going to say? He frowned. It didn't matter any longer; he would be forced to pass the time wondering what Bella's last human words might have been. Now all he could do was watch over her.
