CHAPTER ONE

There was something in the way that he looked at me. It was hard to tell if it was how much he loved me or how much he wanted to taste my blood. With every touch of his icy cold hand, I felt myself melt deeper into his gaze. His piercing gold eyes had a power over me. They could drop me to my knees in an instant. Staring at his face that night, with his eyes staring through to my heart, I'd knew I made the right decision, despite that fact that I had somehow fallen in love with my best friend. Edward Cullen had all of my heart.

"Tell me what you're thinking, Bella?" Edward asked me. Despite his best abilities he was still unable to see into my mind.

"Nothing really?"

"I can see that something is bothering you."

He was right. It was exactly one month before my eighteenth birthday and our wedding day. I was feeling rather nervous. "Same old things. Do I really want to be a bride? Can I handle becoming a vampire? Who should I vote for on American Idol? You know normal stuff."

He laughed, "Why don't you just try to get some sleep tonight." He placed his hand on my head and guided me to his chest. In our usual routine, we had a faux goodbye to appease Charlie and as soon as the front door was shut and locked, Edward was waiting for me in my second story bedroom.

"I'll try, but tomorrow is wedding day planning with Alice. I'm not sure if I can sleep with all of the anticipation of picking out dinner napkins and place cards."

"Is that sarcasm I hear?" He playfully asked.

I raised my head and placed my lips to his. "A little maybe."

He greeted my lips again, carefully outlining my lips with his feverishly cold tongue. For a moment he let me have my way and didn't jolt away. But only for a moment.

"Bella…" he started.

"I know, I know. Not until we are married. At least I have one thing to look forward to."

He smiled as I lay my head back on his chest. I drifted to sleep faster than I'd planned. I was also pleasantly surprised to awake without the memory of any dreams, or nightmares. Sleepless nights had become a normal occurrence for me since my encounter with James, being stalked by Victoria, the Volturi and my best friend's hasty disappearance. Edward was already gone as I groggily sat up in bed. He did leave a note on my pillow.

Charlie was up early. Enjoy your outing with Alice. I already miss you. Love, Edward.



I was upset that I didn't get a kiss to start my day, but a little excited that I got to have a morning without Edward seeing me with bed head, morning breath and drool on my cheek. It was definitely a perk to being immortal, by eliminating sleep altogether, I would be rid of all three.

After my shower, I head down for breakfast. I'd opted to wear a black t-shirt and black yoga pants this morning to let Alice know how I was feeling about wedding plans.

"Morning, Bells." Charlie greeted me.

"Hi Dad. You were up early." I made myself a bowl of cereal.

"Sorry did I wake you? I'm going fishing with Billy."

"No, I was restless. I was getting up anyway." I lied, knowing full well I'd had the most solid night of sleep I'd had in months.

"Knock, knock." We heard someone say as the front door opened. It was my wedding planner.

"Morning Alice." Charlie said.

I glanced over my bowl of Cheerios. I playfully greeted Alice, "Don't you have to be invited in to enter."

Charlie laughed as if he knew the Cullen family secret. He walked out of the room.

"Oh Bella, you and your teenage angst," she fired back.

I almost lost a mouthful of cereal. "Can you even remember being a teenager?"

We both laughed. "Finish your mortal food and let's get a move on. Lots to do."

"Hey Alice, got my tux?" Charlie asked from the living room.

Charlie's interest in the wedding almost made me giddy. A few weeks ago, when Edward and I told Charlie we were planning on getting married, Charlie was a basket case. One day he was giving me the silent treatment, the next he was crying and saying things about me being his little girl, oh yeah, then there was that one night he was getting his gun to go shoot Edward because he was sure I was pregnant. It was a little humorous due to the fact that Edward cannot be a father or be killed by bullets. It seemed as if Charlie was finally coming around.

"I've to pick it up from the tailor today."

My mother was a different story. When I broke the news to her, she couldn't have been more excited. She even ended our call short to call Alice and ask if she could help with any of the planning. She told me that she could tell Edward and I were forever, she said it was in our eyes. That's Renee for you, a hopeless romantic, despite her track record with love.

Alice and I walked out the door to begin our fun-filled day. In a few short hours, I would be back in the arms of the man of love. Even better, in a few short days, I would be able to stay there forever.



CHAPTER TWO

Alice and I pulled up the long drive to Cullen Family Home seven hours later. For a change, the sun was shining today. Alice sparkled a little as she unloaded bags from the car. It was kinda funny to see her carry a parasol all day in town. I didn't think they even made those anymore. Now free from shelter Alice's skin glistened as she made her way to the house.

"We're back." She announced as we walk in.

I was quickly greeted by three sets of cold hands removing the packages from my warm ones. Emmett, Jasper and Edward could tell by my face that I was a little agitated. "I can carry a few boxes without killing myself."

"We know your track record, love." Edward smiled at me.

"You know how I feel about nicknames, dear."

"Sorry… we know your track record, Bella."

"Oooh, lover's quarrel." Emmet joked as he followed Jasper and Alice to the other room. It was Alice's wedding room and I was not allowed in. Probably because she knew I'd call the whole thing off if I saw all of her gossamer, tulle and lace.

"Where's the rest of the family?" I asked.

"Rosalie is out and Carlisle and Esme decided to take a vacation before the nuptials. I think the rest of them are hunting tonight." Edward placed his arms around my waist. "Wanna go upstairs?"

Something in Edward's eyes told me that he wasn't interested in talking. "Look at you… pseudo parents and siblings are out of the house and you are already trying to get girls alone in your bedroom. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Just one girl." We laughed as he swept me off my feet and up the stairs. It seemed like only minutes, but soon the sun was down and Edward and I had been in a constant lip-lock. We, or at least I, came up for breath when we noticed the moonlight shining through the window of the dark bedroom.

"That was really fun." I smiled.

"Yeah, I decided that we needed a little practice."

"Practice makes perfect." I started to lean in for more.

"I should probably take a break. My tolerance is better, but not foolproof. I should probably get you home."

"I'm only going home if you promise we don't have to drive." In what seemed like one movement, Edward had me over his shoulder, out the window and running through the woods. When we arrived at 

my house, Edward gently placed me down on the ground. I could tell by his face that he was tense. He kissed me.

"I will see you tomorrow."

"You're not coming up?"

"I have a feeling you are going to have a long night, there's someone waiting for you inside."

"Ok." I stepped back to see his face in the moonlight, "Who is it?"

"You'll see." He quickly kissed me again and then he was gone.

I ran up to the front door anxious to see who had run my future husband off. I walked in the door, "Dad?"

"Hey Bella. Look who I found down at La Push."

My heart sank. There he was my best friend and the second love of my life, Jacob Black.

CHAPTER THREE