Of all the places

by Arigamiokura

This is a story about Bella and Edward and some new additions to the Cullen Black Family

This story is just a continuation of the last story I hope you enjoy the further adventures of Edward and Bella as they and their family live their happy lives. Elias' story is next but, I am still working on it. I appreciate all the feedback I have gotten. I am trying to master my punctuating skills but, apologize for any mistakes ahead of time.

Ch 1

It has been thirty-five glorious and perfect years since I met Edward. We have faced everything that fate had to throw at us and we conquered it. We have faced our own fears. We have faced vampire royal families and packs of newborns; werewolves and babies; weddings and Proms. We have come through it all…

My husband and I are vampires. He was frozen at seventeen forever when my father in law found him dying of Spanish influenza in the year 1918. I am frozen at eighteen since the moment of my daughter's birth in 2005. Our half vampire daughter is married to her werewolf husband. We are a close family. We are an odd family for sure. We are a happy family. That is all that matters.

My parents have passed away. Renee my mother and Phil left this world one right after the other three years ago. And, Charlie my dad fell asleep five years ago and did not wake in the morning. My parents lived long happy lives and were happy for me as well. I was sad. Of course I was but, I knew that they would be looking down and watching me and knowing that I am so happy and will always be happy.

We had moved again. Carlisle was happy. We had come home. We were in England. Carlisle my father in law was born here in London in the early sixteen hundreds. We tried to pick places with a lot of rain so we could go out in the day time. No we do not burst into flames but we still can't go out in the sun where anyone can see. We look like sun catchers or diamonds in the sun throwing rainbows with our skin. Not good for the, keep the secret, part of who we are.

We had a home here already. Of course we seemed to have a home on every continent. Perks of living long enough to accumulate so much wealth no one could spend it all.

Edward and I lived in a small carriage house. I didn't really like being in the main house. Too much room and too many people. I was still private and actually, I just didn't like listening to my big brother Emmett tease me about my sex life. So we stayed here in this lovely little home and we lived and loved all we wanted.

Right now I was waiting for Edward to come home. He had gone into London to do something. It was my birthday so I'm sure it was some extravagant gift that I would be self-conscious of. I sighed and looked at the clock. Even after thirty years I hated being separated from him. I looked back down at the book I was reading it was about a vampire. I know Ha! Ha! This story had vampires coming from Atlantis and it was all very cute. No one dies. They manage their thirst with blood banks. Which would work probably, I suppose I would have to ask Aro. The idea of drinking human blood is so foreign to me now though I just couldn't imagine doing it. The story was sweet and it was always about true love. Of course their premise was that you found your true love when you couldn't read their mind. How fitting that seemed; Since Edward couldn't read my mind, when he met me.

Thinking of me again love. Speak of the devil.

Always my dear always. I leaped up the book forgotten. I ran to the door just as he walked in shaking the rain from his beautiful bronze hair. I leaped into his arms and wrapped myself around him.

I missed you.

And I you.

I melted into his arms. His lips met mine avidly. We were lost in a torrent of our passion. He walked me backwards till we got to the settee I had been in. We fell back onto the soft cushions and he picked up the book to discard it but, he looked at the cover and grinned. "Love bites. How interesting." He rolled over until I was on top of him. He took the book and opened it randomly. A brow raised he began to read.

Etienne had lived a long time, and sex had become old hat. In fact his passion for most things had waned over the ages. He'd grown deadly bored with life… He looked a little farther down on the page and both eyebrows came up. Etienne was so startled by his bodies enthusiastic response, he gave into it at once, his gentlemanly urges overwhelmed by lust….He continued to read and I started to feel my own barely simmering passions flaming. To hear the words in my mind in his voice was like putting gasoline on a fire.

I ran my hands up his perfect chest unbuttoning as I went. He stopped reading and the book fell. My hands ran over the planes of his torso greedily. His smile turned evil and in a flash so fast I had trouble keeping up I was underneath him. I looked up into his smoldering golden eyes. "Are you sure sex isn't becoming old hat." I teased.

He laughed and pinned me to the couch. "I'd say it's more likely my gentlemanly urges are overwhelmed by lust." His hands which were pinning me down pulled my arms up around his neck and then traveled down my body removing clothing so quickly that we were both undressed in a flash. Then we moved as one and our passion flamed till we were sated and happy. Always happy. I use that word too much I know I do. But, it was the truth. I was completely blissfully happy. We lay in each others arms hours later covered with only a throw that had lain across the back of the couch. I looked up into his eyes.

"I thought this was supposed to slow down after ten years." I knew he would remember our conversation, so long ago but like yesterday.

"Well, that was what you proposed and also that was Emmett and Rosalie. Honestly Bella I don't think there will come a day when I have had enough of you. Every kiss feels like the first kiss and every touch feels like it's been a thousand years since I've touched you. Like I'll despair until the next time I get to have you in my arms." He pulled me closer to press his meaning. I looked up in his eyes and I wanted him right now just as much as I had wanted him before he came home. Just as much as I had the moment he spoke to me.

His eyes were glowing. Yes that's how it is for me too. Every moment I'm not with you I think about being with you. Whether it is like this just being with you or the life shattering intimacy we share. I don't think there has ever been anyone like us. "I hate boasting but, that is how I believe. Even in our family. If you think about it, they all love each other very much but, still there was something they wanted more than each other. To be human. I wanted that until I met you. Then there was nothing I wanted more than you. Nothing not to be human or normal just to be with you. After you only the idea of being human mattered in respect to you. It would have been easier to be with you."

I never wanted anything more either. Not life…nothing. You were my everything and you still are. I picked up my hands and framed his face.

"We sound like one of your romance novels." I laughed at him.

Running my fingers in his soft hair I smiled, " Of course we do. I always knew you belonged in a fairy tale. And we even have a castle. You are my prince charming and we have slain all the dragons life could throw our way." I looked in his eyes. His beautiful perfect golden eyes but, I felt a twinge as I remembered them being a different color for a time. When I almost lost him to a werewolf. Not like my friend and son in law Jacob, a real werewolf. I felt a hint of the old anger. He smiled.

"I guess going to Scotland is out. Wouldn't want to have any massacres." He teased trying to lighten my suddenly sad mood.

That was where the remaining werewolves were. I had sent them there after killing the one that had hurt my husband. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that. This was a happy moment and I had to ruin with my sad thoughts." I kissed him on the nose.

"Bella, don't apologize. I think it is this time of year. It seems like everything that ever went wrong did it right around your birthday. But, they always turn out all right and that is the part that matters. I didn't loose you and you didn't loose me. We have each other and our family. We are rich beyond our wildest dreams." I knew he was not referring to money. We live a life filled with blessing and love." He was waxing poetic, stalling.

I smiled and covered his lips. "What did you get me for my birthday?" He grinned.

"Is it that obvious?" I nodded. He'd been distracting me since he got home. "Well actually I didn't get you anything. I got us something." I sat up this was different.

Now I was excited. "What?" He smiled at my enthusiasm.

"We are going to go to India for a month. We already have everything so this seemed like something fun and you have never been to India. It's a fascinating country and since you have been learning Hindi I figured you might like to go and try it out." I jumped up leaving the blanket and him on the couch.

"Seriously! That's awesome." I tackled him. "You are the best husband ever. I can't wait when do we go?" He smiled at me.

"We can leave anytime you wish. I was worried that you would be upset with me. You never have liked gifts that much."

"This is different. We get to spend a month alone just you and I. That is a present I can deal with and I get to go somewhere I've never been." I hugged him and kissed him and then we were caught up again and didn't leave the house till much later….

When we finally decided to leave, we ran to the main house to tell everyone. We walked in and I heard Rose on the piano. I walked up to her, Edward had gone to gather everyone in the main parlor. I smiled as Rose played Renesmee's song for me, hearing me coming. She looked up. "Is it time for the announcement?" I frowned Alice, well there goes my surprise.

Rose interpreting my look shook her head. "She didn't tell us anything, just that you would be telling us all about your birthday present in a few minutes. It was suppose to be a few hours ago we were already waiting but you apparently got sidetracked. We only know about our small parts in this plan." She grinned wickedly.

I pursed my lips. "Just come on." I turned away. She giggled and I did too. We ran to the parlor and everyone was already there. The main house was huge. It hadn't been habitable when we arrived but, Esme had taken control immediately and we watched every day as it turned more into a palace. Carlisle and Esme sat on a seventeenth century Queen Anne couch she had found in the attic. The other pieces she had bought over the last five years. The house was almost done. Edward was sitting next to the fireplace he rose, as we entered holding his hand out to me. I took the hand feeling the same sense I always did that I had been in pain till just now when he touched me.

Would you like to tell them or would you rather I do it. I looked at Alice and she was jumping up and down.

I waited for you but, it was really hard. She looked ready to explode. I looked at Edward. His brows lifted. I smiled. We didn't have to speak much anymore we knew what the other wanted. "Okay Alice, go ahead." I laughed when she took a long awaited breath.

"Edward is taking Bella to India for a month." I smiled at everyone. "I knew a couple weeks ago. Jasper and I got you tickets to take the Indian Maharaja." I blanked.

Jasper grinned. "It's a luxury train that tours the palaces and caves and wildlife reserves of India."

I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. Carlisle smiled at Esme and they both looked at Edward. "Well this is beginning to make sense. Bella our gift to you though we didn't know at the time is a little home outside Darjeeling in Nepal. Very quiet and unpopulated. I wondered why this was such a good investment."

Edward grinned. "Well since she can read your minds I had to make it something that would not be important enough to think of." He laughed with Carlisle.

Esme smiled and walked towards me. "I admit Alice told me. So Rose and I have purchased you something but you will have to see it when you get there. It is already waiting for you."

I hugged my Mom and sisters. Then Emmett cleared his throat. "Well I guess that leaves me. I didn't know about the trip. No one told me." He scowled at the women in the room. "So I got you something else." I looked at him and the room was silent. But, I heard heartbeats. That certainly didn't belong in this room. Honestly I had thought it was the staff. This house was impossible to man alone. Even without sleeping, Esme and Carlisle had taken to employing humans because the human economy was going down hill. Now I realized this could not be right these hearts were not the same timber. I jumped in Edwards arms and he smiled. "You knew. How did you keep from thinking about it?" He shrugged.

Lots of practice love. You are entirely too easily distracted. He ran a finger down my cheek and my eyes almost rolled back into my head. I see. I looked at the hall again as my daughter and, grandson and their family's walked in. I ran and we embraced everyone. Renesmee had grown into a beautiful woman. She had not actually changed physically since her eighteenth birthday but, in her eyes were wisdom and compassion to match Carlisle. She was my other light in the dark. "Hi Mom."

"Hi baby. I'm so glad you came." I looked at my grandson. So like Edward. He had grown to look so much like Edward it was uncanny. His hair was black and his skin was a combination of the copper of his father and the pearl of his mother. He had his grandfather's green eyes. His human eyes, He had stopped aging at around twenty-five. He was a handsome man there was no doubt; next to him, stood his beautiful wife Leah. Leah had grown her hair out long and she was pregnant again. I knew about it but to see her warmed my heart. She had been sad for so long that they could not have children. But, as Jake suspected it was being able to control the wolf inside that made the difference. Now she was six months along with her second baby and Lile looked ready to burst with pride. Little Elias was a fabulous boy.

Edward had asked that we separate our minds from our families for this now I knew why. I would have heard their thoughts. Right now all I could hear was Edward.

I saved my best friend for last. I looked at Jacob and smiled. We had had a rough start but he was still my best friend. The one person that accepted me when I was less than human' even before I turned. The person that helped me through the darkest time in my life my life without Edward; also my son in law having imprinted on my daughter. He was almost as bonded to her as Edward and I were. Just as it was with Lile and Leah.

"Hey Bells, How are things?"

I wrapped my arms around him and hugged his flaming skin. He didn't shiver too used to our temperature after all these years. "Just fine Jake, just fine."

We had a lovely evening. Reminiscing, the staff was excited because they finally got to cook. They knew there was something different about us but they didn't know what.

After dinner we were all talking in the solarium surrounded by flowers; Orchids and Hyacinths and of course my ever present Freesia.

I sat with Edward piled on a love seat his arms wrapped around me.

Emmett was standing with Rose on the other side of the room. I looked around at all the love in this room. Each had its own perfect counter part. Each their own fairy tale, we had to be the luckiest group of people in the world. I did wonder when Elias would find his other half.

Yes we are but, none are as lucky as I am. He kissed my hair and snickered when I rolled my eyes.

Jake was still talking about the trip. "So are you going to bag a tiger?"

Lile frowned. "Tigers are endangered." He scowled at his father.

My grandson the true vegetarian, at least he had been until as a teenager he developed the thirst as a reaction to growing up. We had been worried but, he had dealt with it and was now like the rest of our family. He ate food and he drank the blood of animals. He had gone one step past us though he simply ordered it and drank the blood of animals that had already been slaughtered. He never could kill animals it just wasn't in him.

Actually I had only seen him violent once. He and Leah had been pregnant with their first child, Elias and Leah had been kidnapped by Jasper's maker Maria in an attempt to gain power. It had not turned out the way she planned. With his ability to change into a wolf and teleport. She hadn't had a chance then of course there was the fact that the council had gotten involved. Maria and all her accomplices that we had not already been dealt with were sentenced to death. But, we had seen a different side of our gentle grand son.

Jake just rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure. Sorry I mentioned it."

We spent the evening happily.

Alice asked Leah about names. "What are you going to name the little girl." Leah and Lile shared a look of surprise.

"Oops," Alice was instantly contrite. "Did I spoil the surprise?"

Lile with a very Edward'y expression smiled and held his pretty wife close. "Not at all Alice, we were hoping for a girl. We picked the name Elizabeth for a girl. Elizabeth was Sue's first name. She never used it but, we like it and Bella we wanted to use your name for a middle name, if that is all right.

I smiled and would have cried. Edward held me tighter. I wondered if he knew about this.

No love I am just as surprised as you. He smiled again.

Lile and Leah waited knowing we must be having a silent conversation. "Yes, of course you can have the baby's middle name be Bella that's wonderful. I am so proud of all of you. I am so proud of my family. You are a better family than I ever could have asked for. Better than anyone deserves but, I will gladly have you. I went and pulled Leah into my arms. "Thank you." I whispered.

She beamed at me. "We didn't have a very good start but, if it weren't for you Elizabeth wouldn't even be coming. And Elias wouldn't be going to college right now." I shook my head.

"Hardly." Now the whole room was rolling their eyes.

Leah ignored me completely. "Bella, thank you for being brave and forgiving, even when some of us didn't deserve it." She looked at Edward and smiled riley. He smiled back. I frowned. No one seemed to realize that I didn't have a choice. I wasn't even mad at him how could I be….

Soon the sleeping members of our family found beds and the rest returned slowly to their previous interests. Edward and I walked home slowly. "I wish people wouldn't say things like that." He knew without hearing my thoughts what I was talking about.

"Bella she is right. I abandoned you. I never did understand why you forgave me. I deserved your anger. Not your unconditional forgiveness." He shook his head.

I stopped, he automatically stopped with me. "You listen here Mr. Cullen. You left because you thought you were saving me. You did the best you could with the information you had. It hurt I won't lie. You have the memories in Jake's mind clearer than I do in mine. You know how awful it was but, I have your memories I know how bad it was for you too. That was a very long time ago and it made us appreciate each other all the more. So don't you dare start moping. It is my birthday and I am going to celebrate. Just you and me, celebrating until the sun rises." I smiled up at him and he grinned.

He lifted me in his arms. "Your wish is my command Mrs. Cullen." He ran to the house and we found our bed and the passion we barely contained for polite company. The best part was, it would be this way always….

Ch 2 India…

We a flight plan. Emmett's part of the India present was to offer his plane. A Lear I had been in it a couple of times but, he liked to have it close at hand. He was lending it to us for the duration of our stay. We landed in Mumbai where we would board the train. A car waited for us of course it was something ostentatious, a Maybach. We walked forward and Edward greeted the driver. I was so excited that I would understand him. "Hello, my friend Ajit this is my wife Bella."

Ajit was very surprised to be greeted in his native tongue. He smiled broadly. His dark skin looked so much darker in contrast to ours. Edward shook his hand and the man noted the temperature but, was too professional to react. I stepped forward at Edward's motion.

"Very nice to meet you Mrs. Cullen." He said in heavily accented English. I grinned and answered him in Hindi.

"Nice to know you as well Ajit." He smiled hugely. Very impressed, I was too, I was afraid I might tell him something about his goat if I didn't get it right. Edward snickered at my thought.

Ajit handed me into the car and Edward got in as well. Then we were zooming through the crowded city. We had planned it just right to arrive at dusk. It was around six here and the sun had set. I was a little worried about the train but, I guessed we could just stay in our rooms till dark. So the other passengers would not see us sparkle. India wasn't the rainiest area of the world.

We arrived at a strangely quiet train terminal, I got out and Edward took my hand. "Where is everyone?" He grinned.

"We are everyone dear. The train doesn't officially start its circuit until December. Alice chartered the train for us." I gasped.

"We are the only passengers?" He nodded.

And the train will travel during the day for us and stop at night. So we may enjoy the beauty of India from more than the confines of the train. We are taking the whole tour at night." I just shook my head.

"How in the world did she pull that off?"

He just shrugged. "Alice." It was all the explanation anyone needed. My phone rang I opened it absently knowing who it would be.

"Your welcome." Alice chimed. "Now you and Edward are allergic to the sun, that is the official story. So your windows have been covered all through the train. You will have a cook there which you will placate. I needed him for the other workers. Have fun." She hung up before I could come up with a word.

He smiled at my shock. "Alice." I just nodded and he towed me to meet the crew of the train. We walked forward listening to their thoughts.

So young. They can not be more than children. And so pa,. I can see why they would not be able to be in the sun. And to be so young and wealthy; they are royalty maybe. They are husband and wife? To find each other with the same difficulties; how very nice for them. This kind mind belonged to Devdon the train attendant. He was making double time for this trip. He needed it for his daughter who was to be married in the spring.

The next was the mind of the Cook. A Frenchman named Andre.

Oh my; such beauty. She is like the Lilly, she is so pale. Such strange eyes they both have. Maybe it is their illness. They are the color of gold. They are so young. She is exquisite. Zut, alors, if only she was alone. I had to hold in my laughter. It was so odd to be seen so beautiful. I knew it but, it was still odd to hear and of course Edward was smiling too but his grip on my hand was a little tighter.

The train pilot was the only watchful mind. He was leery. Manu was his name. They are very different. They look young but, they are not. I can see in their eyes and the way they move is too fluid, like the tiger. I am glad for the money though.

Great Lakshmi where did you find these children. They are most beautiful. They must be great in your mind to have this wealth and beauty all at once. The grace they have. This is most exciting. This came from the waitress Kamu.

With that we entered the train which seemed more like a long narrow hotel. It was wonderful. We were taken to the royal sweet reserved for nobles and sheiks. Alice had out done herself. I was not materialistic in the least but, I could get used to this. The train stayed in the station so that we could go to dinner with the elite of Mumbai. It was different and we didn't eat but, since we were wealthy they insisted on treating us. Sajivve Trehaan; the CEO of the company wanted to host us. So we went and smiled and tried to pretend to eat.

I had to actually swallow some wine. It was unavoidable. It was also rancid. I almost choked but, I kept my composure. I had, had to do this before. Edward had to eat some pastry. He didn't even make a face. I wondered how many years it took for that to happen.

It is a state of mind, dear just don't think about it. There is no flavor just swallow and we'll get rid of it later. He smiled knowingly at my pinched face. The dinner went well and then we got to tour the city; we saw the Gateway to India a beautiful structure created to celebrate King George. Then we walked to the Flora Fountain. And, we visited the Jahangir Art Gallery. The colors were so vibrant. It was beautiful. I am more of a classics kind of person but it was pretty Edward liked the modern artist's style. We stopped just before dawn and everyone scattered. We arrived at the train station and it was beautiful all stained glass I had been in such shock that I had not noticed. Everything here was vibrant with color. It was like being in a different world. There were no muted tones like the ones that ruled my life. It was almost a sensory overload. We stepped onto the trains opulent surroundings and headed to our room. Supposedly for our day of rest, I needed it. I didn't sleep but, we had a sort of sudo sleep that Edward and I had found where we could use my shield that had kept him out as a human now we could surround ourselves with it and block out everything. We took a hot shower because we deserved it. We had already had to evacuate the human food we had consumed. A nice way of saying we had to choke it back up and spit it out. Bluck!

In the shower we didn't make love although that would have been nice. Instead we shared each others separate moments in a sort of meditation that was even more intimate. I bathed his chest and shoulders as he told me his feelings on the art gallery then his hands washed through my hair as I remembered the fountain. We had this silent communion until the water turned cold then we got out not that the water bothered us but, it was time and then, we laid on the bed and made love for the rest of the day. It was magical. Every time we touched it was a new spark on a constant flame that had been burning slowly since we had met. When the darkness came I was almost sad. He smiled down at me from where his face was only inches away, his scent filling my head and making me dizzy.

"You are rotten. I bring you to India and you don't want to leave the room." He mock scolded me.

I ran my hands down his shoulders and caressed him as far as my arms would go. I watched his eyes fill with light and his pupils dilate. He growled. "Maybe just a little longer…" It ended up being a lot longer. Finally dressed and presentable we left the room. Walking up the corridor we entered the dining area. Edward had a great idea.

"Please Andre would you mind packing our dinner so that we can enjoy it at the temple. This stop was to visit the Ellora caves. A Buddhist temple carved in the side of a mountain. I had seen pictures but I was looking forward to seeing Kailish Temple.

Andre was happy to oblige. I smiled at him his thoughts still on doing anything to make us happy. He was nice. "Andre, after we have left please have the staff come in here and eat. It would be lonely for them to eat alone in there cabins. We are not used to servants, but greatly appreciate friends." I told him in flawless French. He was so happy he almost cried.

"Show off." Edward chuckled and took my hand. "Andre tell them we will be back by morning. We do not need an escort we will be fine. I have been here before." Andre simply nodded, he was planning a feast for his compatriots. He didn't even wonder how we would travel the hour to the caves themselves. As soon as we were out of sight we ran and arrived at the caves in around fifteen minutes. They were fantastic. Unreal the carvings were so detailed. The gods and goddesses, priests, children. It was beautiful.

We found a woman praying to Buddha for enough food to feed her hungry children and gave her the basket. It had enough food to feed an army. She grinned and walked away calling us Devas which means lesser gods. Good spirits. I smiled and Edward had to hide a smirk.

There were miles of cave to explore and we looked at a lot of it. It was like walking back in time. I could almost hear the people carving the sculptures laughing to each other as they worked this happy beauty. We followed the caves to the temple then went inside. We spent the whole night this way just looking and occasionally stopping to admire something.

At one point in the cave of Ramesvara we found a sculpture that was excessively provocative of several people doing things that I wasn't sure you could do with out breaking a limb.

His arms were around me already. I felt his breath on my neck and I shivered with pleasure. "I'm afraid that looks painful." I remarked trying to be casual.

"Hmm." Was all I got in response. His lips were on my throat. His teeth lightly scraping, causing a tiny moan to escape.

My breathing became a little shallow. "Maybe we should head back. We only have about an hour before dawn. His hands roamed freely over me and I fell back into his embrace. I looked up at him and he was smiling wickedly at me. "If you're ready to go." His voice was casual. His breathing smooth. I glared at him.

"You did that deliberately." He grinned and kissed my forehead.

"Of course I did. I can hear the difference between your words and your thoughts." He looked at me now with naked longing. "I think we had better get to the train quickly. I wouldn't want to add defiling temples to my list of sins." I trembled.

We made it to a tree on the way but, that was as far as we got. We were running and I was thinking about all the things I wanted to do when I heard him growl low in his throat. He grabbed me around the waist to stop me. I looked at him in surprise. I didn't know what was going on until he picked me up and pushed me up against a huge Banyan tree. "You are a shameless woman."

"I am?" He nodded gravely.

"You are going to make me take advantage of you here in the forest like a common animal." I looked up into his eyes. I could feel the fire in my soul building. I sighed breathlessly. He captured my lips exploring my mouth; I was falling into a deep ocean of want that never seem to let up. His hands moved up my legs pushing my dress as he went, leaving trails of fire in their wake. My hands were buried in his hair holding his face to mine. When we came together we both roared and listened as the forest quaked in fear at our love.

It was fast and furious. We arrived back at the train just in time for the sun to rise over the hills. We were dirty and I had a Banyan leaf in my hair.

Devdon saw us and smiled, before he took in our appearance. "Umm. Did you have a good time?" I smiled like an idiot. His eyebrows raised and he deduced how good a time we must have had. He grinned at my husband and shared a knowing glance. Edward smiled nonchalantly back at him.

As we moved to our room we overheard the waitress Kamu and Andre talking and we would have blushed if it was possible.

"This morning I was shaking out the rugs and I hear a sound Andre."

"What kind of sound?" We stopped dead. Oops.

"It was a…well…a roar and a moan. I think it was two somethings and I think they were very…happy. Or killing each other." I almost burst into laughter. Edward's hand clasped over my mouth. "Do you think it is time for the tigers to mate?"

"I don't know ma chere. It may be. Perhaps that was the sound. Two great cats making the love." We saw him in Kamu's eyes as he pulled her close then we left quickly. We didn't want to be voyeurs. We made it to the room his hand clamped over my face, when the door shut I burst into laughter.

I looked at him and tried to gain my composure back. "I love you."

He smiled and pulled me close his head resting atop mine. "I love you more each and every moment." We made love again and tried not to sound like a couple of tigers going at it.

He left about midday. I wanted to take a bath in the giant tub they had in this hotel on wheels. I finished and went to find him. His scent was easy enough to follow. I heard him though and knew where he would be. I opened the door and the music flowed into me. He was there; dressed in a white button down cotton shirt and a pair of white slacks. I was in white as well a dress that was made of linen Alice had packed for me again. This dress wrapped around and tied in a native pattern. I'm glad I had read about this or I would be fumbling with it still.

He didn't pick up his head to look at me. He knew I was there.

You smell wonderful, my Prem. I smiled at the Hindi word for love. He continued to play a pretty melody. It had a native feel to it.

"It is a song for lovers." Devdon was behind me. I had been so caught up in Edward I had not seen him. I actually jumped. I didn't do that anymore. I was definitely letting my guard down. How pathetic. A spooky vampire.

Edward stifled a giggle. I frowned. "I apologize miss I didn't mean to frighten you." I smiled at him.

"It's fine Devdon. I was just so intent on the music." It was becoming more and more sensual as it went along. I could feel the sexual tension. I looked again and Devdon was gone the door locking with a click. I smiled. Hmm. I walked over and leaned against the piano. He looked at me finally still playing. The song was reaching its climax. It was alarming how quickly I had flamed with feeling. He played with emotion and I was lost. His wants and needs overwhelming me. I moved to him and stood in between him and the piano we moved so quickly no one outside the room would have known that he had stopped to let me by. He looked up at me. His face tense and filled with unfulfilled intentions. The song came to a crashing end. As the last note sounded I was in his arms. He picked me up and set me on the piano. I looked down at him and he was trembling. His hands moved over me and I fell back feeling his lips on my skin and I nearly screamed. The keys clinked tunelessly as we tangled together there in the music room. Neither of us caring who heard we were beyond caring about anything but, how the other felt in our arms.

I didn't know if it was this place or the fact that we were so completely alone. No fantastic ears to hear no matter how far we were. Or if it was just our love taking a new turn. We were even more amorous than usual which was saying something. We left the music room, it would be dark soon. We walked arm in arm to the dining room to relax and listen to dinner. Everyone had the decency to ignore where we'd been all day.

Their thoughts were not so decent. They are newly weds. Must be to be like this. I don't think they've done anything else. I would swear it was them I heard this morning but, surely these two could not have made such primal sounds. But…maybe. Kamu was sitting with Andre who was hoping to have what we had with her one day.

Devdon was the only one who did not think of us. His thoughts were on his wife and how he wished he could be with her. When the train stopped we were ready for the next adventure…

Tonight we arrived in Udaipur. The first thing I wanted to see was the Water Palace. It used to be a Palace where the Maharaja kept his harem and now has been turned into and exclusive hotel. It was magnificent. We rented a boat and as the sun set behind this place it was as if the world were being transformed. Lights started to come on in the floating palace. We arrived and were treated like royalty. After the reception at the beginning of the journey we had managed not to have to eat anything. Edward declined dinner. He claimed we were on a special diet. I snickered at that.

We were given free rein to explore the place. It was fascinating. I wondered how Esme would feel about this place.

She came here many years ago. Carlisle brought her as soon as he saw her passion for architecture. They stayed over a year just traveling and looking. Carlisle offered medical care in the villages and Esme got lost in her buildings it was a happy time for them.

I smiled. It has been a happy time for us as well. I tucked myself under his arm as we left the beautiful floating palace. Now we were off to see the Temple of Udeyesvara. It was ornate covered with thousands of tiny carvings. That took a few hours even with our perfect eye sight. This was something Edward had not seen. So he was just as fascinated as I was. When the night ended we walked slowly back to the train.

Our trip continued like this for the next several days. We saw so many things that stretched the imagination the fountains as Sahelion-Ki-Bari . Then we arrived at the National Forest where the tigers were. It was dark and we stopped at the wildlife park.

Devdon was apprehensive about us going out at night. "My Mr.' and Mrs.' I am worried for you to be leaving. The tigers will be hunting. This is dangerous." I smiled at the sweet man.

Edward looked at him solemnly. "We will not go far and I promise you we will not be hurt. We are very careful." Devdon pursed his lips and thought about how much trouble he would be in if we did not come back.

"Do not worry, Devdon please. I can guarantee that we will be in no danger." Devdon looked at Edward for a moment. Then nodded as he turned away.

He is so confident. There is something in him that makes me believe him. Maybe I should fear for the Tigers.

I stared after him. He was more right than he knew. We were the danger here.

We walked that night and prowled hunting. Not to kill but to simply sight the great cats. We were in no need of sustenance. We wouldn't need to hunt for at least another week.

We saw the great cats several times that night. They were really beautiful but always as they caught our scent they ventured away silently in fear. We found a lovely spot down wind from a mother and her three cubs we watched them frolic and play it was, mesmerizing. We arrived back at the train around five in the morning. Devdon was in a booth his head back and a soft snore lifting from him. He had waited for us. I really liked this man.

I found a blanket in a cabinet and covered him up Edward wrote a thank you and left it on the table next to him. He also admonished him for not getting enough sleep. We went to our room and stayed in each others arms till the afternoon. We then left seeking company. We found it in the lounge. I was actually starting to miss my family.

I missed Alice.

Edward smiled. We can return home at any time love. If you get too homesick.

No I love it here I am just so used to having them around. It is strange not to have Alice popping up when you think you may want to talk to her.

Give it a couple more decades that becomes annoying. I giggled and he chuckled too. We walked in and sat at a booth arm in arm.

"Good morning young people. How was your night with the tigers?" Andre was making luncheon for the staff. After the first two days he had given up trying to feed us.

"It was fabulous Andre we got to watch baby tigers wrestle with their older brother. It was so cute." Edward smiled and kissed my hair.

He looked at Andre and decided to play match maker. "Andre, what do you think of Kamu?"

"Ah, I don't know I guess she is nice." He looked at Edward in shock.

My husband raised a brow at the man incredulous. Andre smiled guiltily. "Is it that obvious, I had thought I was hiding it fairly well?" He looked at his food. "I do not think she has feelings for me."

Edward was listening to Kamu working and humming in our room wondering if Andre could possibly think her pretty. "I think that you may never know if you don't ask. She is very attractive you might loose the chance." He looked at me and smiled sadly. "I almost lost my wife once. Because I was foolish, don't make the mistakes I made." I pursed my lips and frowned.

You never would have lost me. Ever, I would have loved you for the rest of my days. Edward, I did love Jacob I know that but he was never more than a comfort in my time without you. Edward, I will tell you something and I hope it doesn't hurt you. When I almost drowned. I was not trying to kill my self but, when I got tired of treading water I could see you clear as you are here and I didn't want to fight anymore. I just wanted to be where it didn't hurt anymore. Then Jake had pulled me out. On the way home before I saw Alice I looked at Jake and wondered what that would be like. My prince was gone. My happiness gone, I wondered if second best may be all I could ever have. I remember saying to myself that the curse would never be broken I was never going to get over you. Never, so don't ever think that ever.

He looked at me wonder on his face. I don't deserve you. Not now and not then. I guess I remember the way you were when you said goodbye to him. You were so sad you cried all night. It hurt so badly.

I smiled ruefully at him. I am not going to show you what I was like after I said goodbye to you but, I promise one night of crying doesn't compare. I think I was more worried about loosing my friend than anything else. It wasn't because I wanted him not really. Never.

You are the only man that has captured my heart that will never change.

I pulled his hand up and pressed my face against his palm. I took a deep breath pulling his scent in and smiled. I couldn't imagine my life any other way. I certainly didn't want to. I had everything anyone could ever ask for and some things no one would think to. My life was everything anyone could want and I knew that I was the luckiest woman in the universe. People had loved. I knew that. I was surrounded by love every day. Those human memories were muddied but, I had worked to hold them I was right they made me appreciate what I had even more.

But, there was only one Edward and he was mine. Not for one lifetime but, for an infinite amount of time. Nothing was certain I knew that but as long as I was here on this earth this man was mine. That was more a miracle than anything I had done in my life He was a gift that had no equal.

I opened my eyes only a few seconds had passed. Andre would not have noticed that we were doing anything other than having a moment with each other. "I looked up at Andre and smiled sweetly. "You should tell her how you feel. You may be surprised at how it goes. She will say yes to someone it might as well be you."

Edward was beyond words he was still staring at me his eyes so full of love I felt I might not be able to hold it all.

Bella…I…after 35 years I still feel like I have stolen someone else's life and I will have to give you back some day. I couldn't deserve this. I have done nothing to deserve this life. I was a killer. The worst kind of monster. Then I was so selfish to take you from your world and bring you into mine just so I could have you for my own.

No dear, no you can't say that. There is a plan for everyone. I think I was put on this earth just to spend my eternity with you. And I am content with that. I love you. You are my dreams and my hopes. We spent our lives waiting for each other. I met you and my life finally was complete. I know you feel the same. You didn't have any more choice in it than I did. I think you should just be happy that we were given this gift and we will take everything else that comes…

Ch 3

The rest of the train ride was a bliss filled adventure of sights and sounds. And we even left the room and saw some stuff too….

We arrived in New Delhi on the eighth day. We unloaded the bags and Ajit waited for us in the same car we had left the airport in. He must have drove here and waited for us.

"Did the Mr. and the Mrs. Have a good time?" He asked as we got under way.

"Yes," I said. "We had a wonderful time." We drove in silence most of the way. Edward and I happy just being. Lost in our own thoughts. It took four hours to arrive at our destination a little house in a tiny town in Nepal. It was on the border of India. He pulled up to this bungalow. It was all cedar and windows. Very Cullen. "Where did you find this modern creation out here?"

"The internet love. A naturalist built this in the fifties while he was researching the tigers in the region. He lived here after he retired. It was beautiful in its pictures but, they did not do it justice. It is magnificent."

We walked the grounds which were meticulously manicured. It was a very Asian motif. I wondered if maybe the researcher had been Chinese or Japanese. "Yes love as always very perceptive of you. His name was Akira Yamonoka. His daughter Momijji is the housekeeper here. She is Japanese."

As we walked up to the door a very large dog was lying on the porch. He was colored like a tiger. Red with black stripes and white markings. He stood and His thick tail pulled up over his back in a tight curl. I stopped. I didn't want to frighten the animal.

Except for one unlikely cat I had never seen an animal not act defensively toward us. We were dangerous in the extreme. Animals knew that. But, I was surprised, Edward was as well. The few times we had seen domestic canines the initial reaction was the same. They backed slowly away then retreated. This animal stood silently watching us. His hair didn't rise on his back. He didn't run or crouch.

His nose went up and he took our scent. His whole body still. I heard the approach from inside the house. The front door opened. A tiny woman in her late fifties early sixties walked out. "He won't hurt you," she said absently then she looked up and her eyes went wide. "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen?" Edward smiled. Her mind was incredulous.

"Yes, We are on time I believe." He was in his perfect manners mode.

She just stared for a moment. I kept my eyes on the dog and my mind on her. He was standing in the exact same position he had been in but, his tail waved just a tiny bit. Almost unseen but, it was there.

"I was told by a Carlisle Cullen that this was bought as an anniversary present." She was very smart. She was also registering our appearance. She narrowed her eyes for a moment and then in her mind she decided that it was not her business. I smiled at her and she gasped.

"Well we are on our anniversary, is that a problem." I asked innocently.

"No of course not. I am glad, the house has been empty too long. It used to be filled with life now it is a ghost." She touched one of the porch supports fondly. "As I said he will not hurt you, He is big but friendly." I walked forward slowly trying not to frighten the animal. He stood stiff but made no move to either attack or retreat. I had never seen anything like it. I was floored and Edward was too.

I can't even smell fear on him. Maybe his nose doesn't work either.

Beats me.

Momijji turned and saw our approach. She noticed that we were moving slowly and carefully. She realized much to observant; we were not afraid but trying to reassure. She raised her brows. Her thoughts very amused. "You won't frighten him either. Akitas have been bred for thousands of years to be completely fearless. Even if you were monsters he would not fear you."

We almost choked when she said monsters. She didn't know how close she was. I watched the dog's eyes as we went by. They were filled with knowing. He knew what we were and decided we were not a threat. He really wasn't afraid. He did put himself in between us and his master. But, not once did he show the least bit of aggression. He was really beautiful. "What is his name?" I asked after we were inside.

"His name is Shima." Edward grinned. I heard it in his mind.

"Stripe." She raised a brow.

"Yes, in Japanese." I smiled that was odd but cute.

"It certainly fits." We all chuckled at that. Inside the house was beautiful. It was very Oriental. Instead of walls there were bamboo shades. Everything was either wood or white. The décor was very pretty with Native statues and watercolor pictures on the wall. The floor plan was open. One level. She showed us the master bed and bath. The bed ornate and brass. Sliding screens for walls. It was perfect.

"Now Carlisle told me that you would bring you own food and that I did not need to cook. So I will come by once every two weeks to clean. I come and take care of the grounds too. If you want me to stay away just call me. I will come every other Tuesday. How long will you be here?"

"We plan on a month. But, plans change." Edward smiled at her.

Her mind was on the fact that we aught to be in school somewhere. I smiled at her. If she had any idea she wasn't that much older than me and she was young enough to be Edward daughter. Maybe even granddaughter.

She looked at us both. "Okay if that's all I think Shima and I will leave. I really do appreciate this." She took one last look at us in wonder then left.

We listened as she and the dog left on foot then a few minutes later a car started and drove away. I turned to my husband. "I love it thank you."

He pulled me into his arms. "I love you."

"That dog was weird. I've never seen anything like it."

"Neither have I but, I don't ever really get to see them usually they are gone by the time I come close enough." He shrugged. It bothered me more than him I hated unsolved mysteries. I would have to look up the breed and read about them.

We spent the next week just getting acquainted with our surroundings. We had only come in contact with one other person. Momijji and her dog were here and there and we had seen the dog a couple of times alone. Each time we were surprised by the stillness. He simply wasn't afraid.

Ajit had gone home to his family in New Delhi we would not see him until time to leave. In the garage was an old Landcruiser if we needed to go anywhere. The nearest town Kohalpur was no more than a smattering of huts and houses. A tiny market we had no need to visit. We didn't really want to leave. The library was stocked with books and we spent a lot of time reading. A piano had been Esme and Rose's present it had been delivered before we arrived.

The first night we had played together for hours. I had always wished I could play and it took a while for me to get the hang of it but, once I did it was like breathing. I really enjoyed it and it was even more fun with Edward. At home we had two pianos back to back. Edward would sit at one and I would sit at the other and we would play together. The first time it had happened we had just moved into the castle. A piano was in the main house and Of course Edward's Steinway was in our house. I sat at the piano in the main house just to pass the time…

"Alice I'm just going to play for a little while. I'll be up in a minute." Alice frowned and gave up.

"Whatever Bella." She loped away.

I sat and started to plunk away on a simple melody. I was waiting for Edward to come home. He had gone to do some business on one of our investments with Jasper and he was going to be gone for two more days. It was a testament to Alice's strength that I wasn't still in my house moping. Alice had forced me to Surrey to go shopping at a modiste there. I really was not in the mood but, Alice couldn't stand me being all forlorn and hermity. So I went because she threatened violence if I didn't. Now I was sitting here plunking out the notes to Greensleeves a sufficiently sad song for my present mood.

I felt the sorrow of the song overflow into my heart. I felt the intensity of the sadness filling me. I could hear the notes in my mind and the feeling was so intensified that I brought a new line into it. I felt the complexity of what I was putting into the song.

My heart was so filled with sadness I couldn't contain it. The song became more than one instrument I could hear a piano in my mind as well; carrying the melody further than I could have. I just let it flow I didn't realize until the music in my mind came to a soft close. Edward was playing a counterpoint to me. More importantly he was home.

Edward! I jumped up and ran.

Bella. I got halfway across the yard before we met in the middle. He had been gone almost five days. The longest we had been apart since….Well we hadn't been apart that long in a very long time.

His arms pulled me close and I buried my face in his shoulder drinking in his presence. "You're home early."

"Jasper can finish. Next time I will take you with me. That was horrible. Jasper was ready to take my head off. He was so tired of me brooding." I laughed I could afford to now he was here.

"Alice forced me to go shopping but gave up in a huff when I wouldn't play along." His hands moved up my waist and traveled over shoulders to my face my eyes were already closing when his lips fell onto mine. We stood there kissing and rememorizing each other. I smiled against his throat after a few minutes when we were panting and gasping.

"You missed me." I nipped him and he shivered.

"That my dear is a drastic understatement." We were walking back to the house arm in arm stopping every so often to kiss.

Inside the house we had a proper reunion then lying in bed hours later he sat up and looked at me. "You did notice that bit with the piano didn't you?"

"Of course I did but, when I realized it meant you were here I didn't care much anymore." I rolled onto my back so I could look at him. He reached down and brushed a hair out of my face. I snapped at his fingers playfully. He grinned my crooked grin and raised a brow.

"I really enjoyed that. I would love to do that again." I smiled. I had too, even as sad as I was. "We can do that any time we wish, really. They don't play near as much as we do." I looked at his speculative face he was cooking up something.

Not a week later another Steinway had been placed in our home backed up to his. From then on we would play. We picked a song and we would find new movements to add until the song became so complicated human hands couldn't have performed it. We let the family come and listen sometimes, Esme especially enjoyed it but, since these sessions usually ended up with us entangled on the floor we saved that for special occasions knowing we would have to control ourselves.

Most of the time we would just start playing a melody and adding things here and there and it would become all our own. And, it would be come so intense that we were trembling by the time it was over.

So now here we sat in our getaway home in Nepal. I looked at my husband sitting in a big comfy armchair reading a dusty tome he had found on one of the bottom shelves. It was in Japanese. I listened as his mind translated the book on Botany. The local plant life; I just smiled at him. I couldn't help it. Maybe it was the fact that when you change to an immortal you are frozen with the feelings and emotions you had as a human just intensified but, I just couldn't stop feeling like I was incredibly lucky. I never stopped feeling wonder that I was with him. The dim light filtering through the heavy screens caressed his pale skin making it glow softly.

His bronze hair disheveled from his hands constantly running through it. His eyes now a dark obsidian, it was time to hunt. I smiled we would go tonight. I was very much looking forward to it. I had never hunted here and I was always excited about hunting with Edward. He was so beautiful to watch. I always found it exceedingly sensual. I smiled to myself and he smiled quietly in his chair.

"I find you incredibly sexy when we hunt as well love. I find myself almost envious of the prey." He looked up from his book and gazed at me with longing.

"If we keep this up we'll never leave." I grinned at him. He was right. I wanted to attack him right now. I could feel my muscles bunching….I counted to ten and tried to calm my vampire emotions.

After a few seconds I sighed. "I know, I know but, I just can't seem to help myself." Every time I looked at him I felt it all over again. I looked out the window instead. The Himalayas lay outside sweeping off into the sky.

I was concentrating so hard on keeping myself under control that I didn't hear his silent approach. "Bella." He whispered his breath sweet in my nose. I turned and his face was inches from mine. I looked in his eyes and felt myself loosing grip on my senses. My breath caught and his smoldering onyx eyes were burning into me. I was paralyzed.

He smiled and captured my face. We stayed like that for a long time just watching each others eyes. My heart felt like it would have stopped if it had, had a beat. Oh how could you love someone this much it was all consuming. More than a feeling, an emotion; it was a necessity, a compulsion. As unavoidable as the thirst, no more so, I still felt the need to be with him each and every second of each and every day.

I could not stop loving or wanting this man any more than the sun could stop rising. "I love you Edward. I wish there was a word that would properly describe my feelings but, it hasn't been spoken yet."

His face turned intense. "Bella I am….grateful….no that doesn't fit; I am still marveling at the phenomenon of your love and mine. I feel more and more intensely enamored with you each moment. It is almost too much to control."

I could feel it just under the surface. His emotions he was holding back, trying to prolong this moment. I however had never had his self control. I moved the few inches to his face letting my lips touch his gently. I felt the tidal wave break as our lips met. He smiled against my mouth and I was in his arms the kiss never broken. He only deepened it. My hands tangled in his hair. I moaned into his mouth. He growled and we went to the bedroom with inhuman speed. He froze at the foot of the bed and set me on my feet. I was wearing another of the Indian Gopi dresses. They were light and comfortable. Of course I guessed they were also convenient. He was wearing his usual attire a button down shirt and a pair of slacks. Bare feet. Neither of us wore underclothes. It didn't seem necessary.

His hands framed my face as he continued to kiss me. My fingers made short work of his buttons. My hands sliding, over his smooth chest, and washboard stomach. He felt so wonderful to my greedy senses. I felt silly feeling this way sometimes but, it was like I hadn't been able to touch him for an eternity. No matter how long it had been.

His hands left my face moving down my arms shaking a little. This was just as intense for him. He came to the tie on the dress and pulled it slowly letting the dress fall loose an inch at a time. I looked in his face as he watched the dress fall open. His eyes just as passionate as they had been the first time he had ever seen me. It was a heady feeling.

"You are the most beautiful…Bella…in my entire existence I never imagined there would be something this wonderful waiting for me. I feel ashamed that I may have ever taken a moment with you for granted. I never imagined loving or wanting anything anyone the way I want…no…need you." He was looking in my eyes now. I felt myself being dazzled and couldn't do anything about it. My mind went all fuzzy and I just smiled like a fool.

He reached up so gently that, it felt like whispers, slipping the dress from my shoulders and we listened as it fluttered to the ground. I reached up and watched his arms as his shirt joined my dress. I watched the muscles flex as his hands came up and rested on my arms. I looked back up to his face trembling as his face came close and I felt his breath on my jaw. His nose slowly grazing to my throat where his lips brushed my hypersensitive skin; causing a fresh shiver of pleasure to rock down my spine.

I leaned up and kissed his chest gliding my lips slowly up till I could kiss the hollow of his collar bone. I barely noticed when his slacks were added to the pile on the floor. He pulled me up into his arms and lay me gently on the bed. Lying beside me, he twined our bodies together and kissed me deeply. We were quickly oblivious of everything but our senses and would not have cared if the world had fallen in on our heads…

Late that night when we had decided we really did need to hunt. We dressed and left the house. We ran north east to the national forest. As we entered we ran right past Momijji's house her ever present guardian coming out to silently greet us in his solemn way. We ran by and he followed for as long as he could keep up the pace. Of course we ran at incredible speeds but, we were surprised we had to get to over sixty before he fell behind. That was an incredible animal.

We entered the mountains and picked up the trail of a large pack of Dholes the wild dog of India then we picked up and even more tantalizing scent of a pride of Asiatic Lions. We smiled at each other and went after the larger prey. We picked up their trail and followed the already hunting cats. We had hunted lions and leopards in Africa but, this was different. They were smaller here but more vicious. I liked the idea of that.

Unfortunately none of the animals were really a challenge but, it was fun to creep up on them. We picked up other scents long before we heard the struggle. I picked up the scent of Tiger and…no it couldn't be; there must be a wind coming from the south.

Edward and I leaped over an outcropping of rock landing on a ledge about twenty feet over the scuffle. A pride of seven individuals with a large male at the front of their line; I felt my heart in my throat when I realized what was going on. A tiger looked to be defending its kill. That was not what floored us; what stopped us short was the kill. A couple lay on the ground torn and bleeding. I was right I had smelled human blood. Behind the Tiger sitting and crying was a young human boy. A native, the child belonging to the couple no doubt, the lions wanted the boy.

The tiger wasn't about to give up its kill. That was what we thought at first. We didn't stop to think about what to do, we just acted. Edward leaped down behind the lions and snarled quietly. As the new scent hit the lions they turned and crouched. Fear filled them. Edward smiled. They were afraid but they would not run. This would be fun. Edward engaged the leader immediately ending it. His teeth cutting into the great animal's jugular like butter.

I landed putting myself in between the boy and the cat. The tiger had been frozen by Edward's descent now it spun and faced me. Her ears flattened to her head she roared at me. I didn't want to kill an endangered animal. I roared back hoping she would run in fear. She stood her ground, planting her feet. I frowned. "I don't want to kill you Tiger. Just run away darn'it." I turned and looked at the boy. He was looking at me with wonder. He had stopped crying. "Hello little fellow." I said in Hindi hoping he would understand. He looked at me quizzically. He looked to be around four or five. He was terrified. That was obvious. I turned and looked at the Tiger who was still standing and staring at me with loathing. Edward had dispatched the big male and had taken down a lioness as well. The rest ran for their lives.

"Honey," he teased. "Yours doesn't seem to be listening to you," I glared at him.

"I don't want to kill a tiger. They are endangered. We were circling now. I was trying to keep her from the boy; she was desperate to have him. Edward calmly walked behind me and picked up the child. That was when I noticed the real reason behind the tiger's intentions she watched Edward pick up the boy and her expression changed. She looked frantic. She didn't want to turn her back on me but, she was desperate to get the boy. The boy's thoughts were chaotic. Too frightened to really know anything other than he was upset about his parents and the lions.

Edward looked at him. "Can you tell me what happened?" The boy shivered at Edward's cold skin. Edward looked in his eyes and smiled reassuringly. He had the same sense that I did and he wanted to know what was going on here. The boy was remembering walking home with his grandparents. They had been fishing. The lions attacked. His grandmother was taken first. Then the grandfather; the boy had turned to run away. The tiger had leaped out and put itself between him and the lions.

I wasn't sure what to think. It looked like the tiger was protecting the child. I looked at Edward and we both decided at the same time to test the theory we could easily stop the tiger. If that became necessary.

The tiger watched the child and us at the same time. Edward carefully set down the child. "Okay, let's see what happens?" He was worried and so was I. I was also thirsty and the tiger was bleeding profusely. The lions had nearly eviscerated her. I was controlling it but it didn't help my focus. I watched as the boy stood frozen. Edward backed away giving them room. I stayed still. Ready to swoop in at the first aggressive move.

The tiger looked at us warily and then staggered once as she walked slowly to the boy. She lowered her head and pressed her nose to his chest. He immediately wrapped his short arms around her neck and hugged her.

She purred loudly but I could hear her labored breathing. She was dying. She didn't have a lot of time left. The boys thoughts cleared as he held the cat. We watched as the boy remembered the last half hour. Walking with his grand parents. And, his pet; the animal rubbed against him and then leaped off into the woods probably after an evening meal. The lions had been waiting for this. They ambushed the family in a very organized attack. Killing the grandparents immediately. Then turning on the child. He watched helplessly as the tiger Kenji tried to help. She must have heard the screaming. She rushed in and the lions attacked. The big male sliced her open while the others kept her busy.

It was almost too organized. Very advanced for animals. Not the stalking we knew how lions hunted but, the fact that they left the boy for last when clearly he was the target. That was what made it strange and they weren't feeding on anything just a clean kill. Killing for pleasure was not an animal action. I was stunned. Edward was intent trying to figure out everything he could. Half my mind was with him. The other half was with the tiger. Her sacrifice. I sensed her pain. And I think sorrow or worry. She kept looking at us. Very uncomfortable as she should be. She had already given her life against animals. We were much worse.

On a whim I walked to her making sure I was very in control of myself. I was still thirsty. I didn't want to be overcome. She really did smell lovely. The boy smelled like I expected him too so I was used to it. The tiger however smelled delicious, and I was not going to shame myself by attacking a dying animal that had already given her all to save someone. What would that make me. I shook my head, kneeling down next to the boy. I touched his shoulder. He looked at me very solemn. Not like a five year old at all. It reminded me of my daughter. He was too aware. "She is hurt very badly." I said to him quietly. The tiger looked at me and raised a lip. I smiled not showing teeth that wouldn't help. I felt the fear not for herself but for the boy.

The boy nodded. "I know, is she going to die?" I looked at Edward. He frowned unhappily.

"Yes I am afraid so, we can not help her."

The boy sighed and a tear ran down his cheek. "She is my best friend." The tiger's eyes tightened. She understood him on some level. She looked at me warily. I decided to try to make her feel better. Part of me felt like a fool but, I didn't want this beautiful creature to think we were going to kill her companion.

I reached out slowly keeping my eyes locked on her face. She could not hurt me but she might hurt the boy on accident. She squinted not wanting my touch but, not about to leave the boy. I slowly touched her ear and smoothed the soft fur. I petted her once twice. She kept her eyes on me. Trying to fight the pain she was in.

"Kenji." She looked in my eyes pain etched in hers. "I know why you are afraid but, don't be. We will not harm him. You were very brave. You can rest now." I touched her again. She reminded me of my husband. He had defended me so many times when I was still human. When I was as vulnerable as this boy. I knew she was dying and I didn't want her last moments to be filled with the thoughts that it was all for nothing. "We will keep him safe." I looked at her and tried to convey that into my eyes. She narrowed her gaze searched mine for something. This was strange but after all I had seen I knew better than to question anything. She was trying to see if I was lying. She must have seen something she believed because she relaxed and her legs gave out. She gracefully slumped to the ground and the boy fell with her keeping her head in his lap. She breathed heavily. The boy stroked her fur and whispered endearments to her. We watched as her breathing slowed and she drifted away. The boy shed a tear and then patted her. "Sleep Kenji, I love you." He stood and looked at us.

"I don't have anywhere to go?"
I looked at him and then I looked at Edward. He saw my thoughts and he agreed whole heartedly. I didn't know what it was but, this boy was special. I knelt down and looked in his eyes. "Would you like to come with us?"

He was quiet. He was thinking about it. He looked at me and nodded. He straightened his shoulders and stuck out his hand. "My name is Kizani, what's yours?" I smiled at his formality.

"I'm Bella and this is my husband Edward." He shook my hand and turned to do the same with Edward. We were both immediately impressed with his stoicism and his obvious intelligence.

There is a problem though. He has seen us as we are. He is very smart.

I know, I know. Almost as if he heard our thoughts he looked at us and frowned.

"What are you?"

We looked at each other and tried to think of something. He was five this shouldn't be too hard. Edward was thinking of my initial idea. Comic book sort of ideas.

Once again the boy beat us to the punch. "You like the Denang from my grand mother's stories but they are bad and you are not so you can not be denangs." I remembered that vaguely from something I had read. Yes it was the Asian word for what we were.

"My tiger liked you so I will like you. What ever you are." He smiled.

Then he looked at the ruined bodies of his grand parents. "I will miss them, they took good care of me. Kenji liked them too. That is why we were with them. She picked them."

Edward picked up on that. "They are not your real grand parents?"

"I don't know anything about my family. I woke with Kenji. That is all I know. She protected me and took care of me." He sighed sadly. "Grand mother always said that Kenji was my spirit guardian. That she was brought from the spirit world to take care of me because I was special. I'm not sure what that means but, it was what they said to each other when they didn't think I could hear."

This just kept getting stranger. Of course I thought to myself it was not stranger than Vampire royal families and werewolves. Or vampires and werewolves at all for that matter. That got me a snicker from my husband.

"Can we bury them?" He looked at us. We didn't know what to tell him I supposed we should contact some sort of authorities but, who and what do we tell them. Yes this family was attacked by lions but we killed a couple of them with our bare hands so they ran away. Oh yeah and this boy has no parents and was apparently living with a tiger. I'm sure that would go well.

So we agreed. It took only a few minutes to dig a large hole. We gently placed the grand parents and the great cat in side by side then filled the hole back in. Edward and I then picked up a large boulder and carefully set it on top.

We backed away and Kazani picked up a rock and tried to scrape in the stone. Edward walked forward picking the names and the words out of his mind and carving it in the stone with his index nail.

In his beautiful script.

I'll miss you My friends

Kenji

Han

Ryoko

The little boy just looked like a little boy. Sad and alone now. "Thank you." Was all he said and then he cried silently. We let him and then when the sun began to rise. I looked at Edward and he nodded.

"We need to get home Kazani are you willing to let one of us carry you we have to get home quickly." He looked at us and then sighed he raised his arms to Edward. Edward smiled at him. "Okay I am going to put you on my back. Hold on and close your eyes. He helped Kazani up on his shoulders and then the boy wrapped his arms around his neck and locked his fingers together.

"You feel really cold, are you sick." Edward smiled.

"Nope. You ready?"

"Okay." Edward looked at me. I nodded and we leaped up to the top of the ledge we had been on earlier.

"Just remember to close your eyes. We run very fast. You might get frightened."

"Okay." With that we took off, we only had around forty minutes to travel over seventy miles not that hard actually but, I needed to hunt on the way so we needed to move.

Twenty miles from the house I picked up the dholes scent. I'm going to hunt I will meet you there.

Hurry love. I miss you already. I smiled and took off.

I found the poor unsuspecting dholes hunting a man's goats. I snatched three quickly picking a young male and two old females. I didn't want to take the chance of killing a mother. The ecology here was too delicate.

When I got home Edward was on the phone with Momiji telling her part of the situation and asking her to bring food when she came today. I smiled. Edward did everything thoroughly. I trotted quickly into the house and wrapped my arms around him just as he hung up.

"Well love, Momiji will be here within the hour. Kazani is sleeping. This took a lot out of him. He certainly is a brave boy. He knows we are not normal. He even called us what we are and, still he came with us trusting, you can feel it. He trusts us not to hurt him. I must tell you, if you weren't in my life this would have scared me to death."

I laughed at him. He was seldom scared of anything and the idea of a child being frightening to him was ludicrous. "You think I'm joking. You have changed me. You don't know how detached I really was. Neither did I until I met you."

I kissed him and smiled. "Well lets see what Momiji has to say."

Momiji arrived a few minutes later. She was a very punctual person.

She flew into the house with the same indomitable spirit she had shown thus far. "Okay where is he?"

"He's sleeping right now. I'll take you and show him to you, maybe you will recognize him." She nodded and I took her to where he was sleeping. Someone had beaten us there. Shima was in the bed lying next to Kazani and sleeping too."

"I wondered what he was doing. He rushed up here as soon as we got in the door. He loves children." I raised my brows at the pair. The two strangest creatures I had met ,that were alive, and they were in my bed sleeping. I still didn't get the dog. Now this odd boy who had grown up with a tiger for a pet or a guardian or whatever she was.

"I don't know him." She announced sadly.

We walked slowly back into the kitchen. She sat heavily Edward was cooking, making omelets, his specialty. I had certainly eaten a few. She smiled riley at us. "For someone who doesn't eat that smells awfully good. Her thoughts hit us both at the same time. We froze and stared at her.

"Don't get yourselves worked up. I'm not about to call CNN don't worry." I frowned.

"How did you know?"

She raised a brow. "I wasn't born yesterday. Beautiful pale don't go out in the sun. Skin like ice, you don't eat. Hello!"

I smiled warily. "Yes I guess that does sound bad when you put it all together like that. We should have had you stock us with food and we could have given it away in the village."

She laughed mockingly. "Sure that would have changed everything. Have you looked in a mirror? You don't exactly blend. I met one of you years ago when I went to college in the states. It was sixty-two and we were at Harvard. She was a tiny thing her name was Alice. Ring any bells." and she smiled.

Edward was already laughing. "That little sneak."

"Your sister is very special. She and I got to know each other that year. I met Jasper too but, only Alice knew that I had figured out what she was. I was far too bright for my own good. Alice made me swear not to tell and I haven't said a word until now. She was a sweet girl I didn't care what she was. I'm not exactly normal either. I grew up in these mountains didn't speak a word of English and hung out with dogs. People terrify me. She made it all bearable. I came back here after I graduated and your family moved so I never heard from her. How is she by the way?"

I was still reeling but Edward was better. "She is just as tiny and annoying as always."

He looked at her solemnly. "What are we going to do with the boy?"

"I don't know if he doesn't have family he will go to an orphanage and it will be horrible. They are overcrowded and filthy places. I am too old for children.

I looked at Edward. We were both thinking the same thing. We wanted to but we needed to talk with Carlisle before making a decision. "I need to make a phone call. I'll be back in a minute."

"Who is he calling?" She watched him walk away.

"Our father, if Carlisle doesn't mind we will take him home with us."

She looked a little wary now. I smiled. "And then?"

"And then we will make his life as happy as we can and, help him grow up. What else did you think we would do?" She looked chagrinned.

"I don't know." I did but, I didn't want her to know that. "I'm sorry it was unfair of me to assume things."

"It's only natural. You would worry. But, I am certainly not as young as I look any more than my husband is any more than Alice was. I actually have an adult grandson. And, we certainly would not harm a child." Now her jaw fell open.

"You have children. I didn't …know that you could…"

"Neither did we; I was human when we married. We did not know that it could happen but, I am glad." I smiled thinking of my daughter and my grandson and my great grandchildren too.

"That must be one heck of a story."

I laughed. "You have no idea. Maybe I'll get to tell you."

Edward was getting off the phone. I smiled. He walked in a grin on his face. "Rosalie is loosing it. So is Esme. They can't wait to have a child in the house again." I grinned too. "Here Momiji someone wants to talk to you."

I smiled as Alice got on the phone with her old friend. Momiji happily snatched the phone and you could see some of what she must have been then. The inquisitive all too bright young woman.

She quickly went outside and sat on the steps happily catching up on forty years of lost time.

"So we have a new child. Are you sure you want to do this. You're not just humoring me." I asked him as I sat in his lap.

He smiled. "You would know if that was true love. Of course I am happy about this. And this time at least we don't have to worry about any unexpected issues, thirst or shifting, Just a normal human child." I raised a brow at that. He didn't seem normal to me. "Okay genetically normal anyway."

"I'll give you that." We stood up and decided to check on our unlikely ward….

Ch 5

It was time to leave. We were all packed and ready. We were saying good bye to Momiji and her strange dog. That was the hardest part because Kazani had grown very fond of him. Momiji smiled.

"Don't worry Shima will have puppies soon and if it is okay with Edward and Bella I will send one home to you with Alice and Jasper in a couple months." He grinned and hugged her. Then he looked at us his strange maroon eyes pleading.

"Of course she can. We've never had a dog. It will be fun." Edward ruffled his hair.

On our way home we got to tell Kazani about our family. He was a happy child. Sometimes he would get a far away look in his eyes and think of his lost friends but all in all a very happy little boy. Very well mannered and polite.

We got back and Alice had already made up our spare room into a tiny palace for he boy. We just shook our heads 'Alice' we thought in unison. After a few weeks we settled in. Alice and Jasper had left to go visit for a few months.

We started on Kazani's schooling. We didn't really need him to go to school. If you added the degrees in this house you could start a small university. He was very quick. By the end of the first year he could already read at an eighth grade level. Since we had no idea what his birthday was we celebrated it on the date that we had found him. His Akita had arrived with Alice and Jasper in November when they came home from Nepal. He was a pretty puppy and very smart for a dog. He was three months when he arrived his ears weren't erect but that happened a few weeks into his stay. He was another unusual color. Brindle like his father but the color pattern was different. He was a pale gray silver color with black stripes. Almost like a black and white photo of his father. Same markings White legs and white tip on his tail. A narrow stripe up his face.

Kazani named him Shadow which was a fitting name considering he was always on Kazani's heel. He was a friendly creature. As fearless as his father. Even Rose came to like him after a time.

The first few years were fun and peaceful. We watched as Kazani slowly grew into a youth and then a teenager. It was so different to watch him grow. It was so gradual. There was none of the shooting growth we were used to. Every summer Elias came and then Elizabeth came too. And they were inseparable. Shadow always there with them. He grew into a beautiful animal as majestic and intelligent as his father.

We lost Shadow of natural causes when Kazani turned sixteen. He was eleven. We all got very upset. Kazani had to comfort Emmett. He was distraught. We felt as if a family member had passed. One had.

We buried him under his favorite tree and mourned him the way you mourn any loved one. He had been such a feature that everyone in our world was sad. Jane was one of the saddest people next to us. She had been fascinated with animals and couldn't get near one. When she met Shadow and he had wagged his tail happily and had sat and put his head in her lap she glowed with the joy of it.

After a time she bought one for herself a pretty female solid red with white markings. She promised we could have a puppy out of her if we wanted one. But, we were reluctant to replace our friend. It didn't seem right. It felt like a betrayal.

Kazani was such a good boy. It was a little disconcerting some times like he was afraid that nothing was permanent and all it would take was one mistake too many and he would loose what he had.

I sat down with him and talked to him about it once. "Kazani I want you to know something."

He was solemn. Looking at me with those quiet maroon eyes. So unusual but also calming. "Yes Bella."

"We love you, you know that right?"

"Yes of course I do."

"Then why are you afraid we will leave you?"

"I'm not exactly but, everyone in my life has died. I guess sometimes I am afraid that I have caused it somehow. I know in my head that, that's not it but in my heart I feel responsible."

"You are not, you are a good boy and we will never leave you. In fact one day you will leave us and we will still be here." I smiled sadly.

He patted my hand. "I am not afraid of that. It is how it's supposed to be. I love you Bella but, I know what is going on here I know what you are. I know that you are good and that you are not typical of your kind but I know what you are." I smiled knowingly. I wondered if he was ever going to admit this. Caius had been the one to tell him. He asked why his eyes were red and Caius had told him. He had also told him that he should keep it to himself so we wouldn't get in trouble.

Since I was just hearing about it now and the talk had happened over ten years ago I would say he was very good at keeping his word. "I know you already knew though you pegged it when you met us. The Denang is the Asian word for Vampire so you already knew what we were.

He smiled at the old memory. "I guess you're right. I guess it's foolish to be worried that I will loose one of you but, I do. My childhood fears I guess." He was so bright. Especially for a human, he had already earned two degrees through a correspondence course. He was as good a mechanic as Rose and played the piano as well as me if not Edward.

He would turn seventeen this year. We had, had him for twelve years. It seemed too soon he would leave us. Alice got frantic about trying to have a party for every moment. Kazani played along to humor her.

For his birthday Edward got him a car. It was the same nice Audi he had wanted to get me. Kazani loved it and asked if he could attend school this year. We agreed and he went to school for his senior year as a regular kid. The official story was that he and we were part of a gifted child program. We all went. We were back to the original story. Carlisle and Esme had adopted us as foster children and we were living here with them.

Kazani fit right in. He was an exceptional child and he was so beautiful in his own way that he was instantly a hit.

The girls chased him and the guys imitated him. Edward and I found it quite amusing.

He was cordial but none of the girls caught his attention. He was tall and broad, his dark complexion a novelty in this rainy place. His blue black hair was wild and a little long.

The only black spot was his temper. He was calm at all times unless he saw someone being picked on. Then he flew into a fury. A young boy was being bullied and we had to jump in and stop him from pummeling another student.

After a few months he learned to intimidate with his eyes and all he did was stare someone committing and injustice down, and it was over.

By his eighteenth birthday he was a well adjusted kid ready to go to college. Oxford was chomping at the bit for him. It was set by graduation he was grown and we were all despondent. Our time with him was almost gone and it hadn't been near enough.

That summer we lived it up. We toured the world and went home. The whole family. We flew to America to Japan anywhere and everywhere we could think of.

We were in Beijing China when the unthinkable happened. We were walking through a market and a woman was being assaulted in an alley. We rushed back to help but Kazani was too fast. He was already there staring the man down. The man leaped at him and stabbed him.

I screamed and Edward snarled stalking forward the man attacked Edward and the blade broke on his marble skin. Edward smiled. The man backed away. I just looked at Kazani he was on the ground. Out of nowhere his maroon eyes started to glow. I gasped as the rest of him glowed. His body floated off the ground. "Edward!"

He turned and the man ran away Edward was transfixed on Kazani. He was floating about five feet off the ground. A light enveloped him and in our minds a voice called out.

Hello vampire devas. I am very thankful to you that you have kept my prince alive and happy. He is so special. I am most grateful to you and now we must give him his birthright. Please do not be alarmed this is what he was born for.

Edward and I looked at each other. What the hell. Of course did we really have the right to question anything no matter how fantastic it may be? Look at us. We just watched and out of the sky another shaft of light fell this time it took shape and about twenty yards away Kenji landed softly. I knew it was her. I just knew.

Thank you my friends for taking care of Kazani when I could no longer do so. The lions had taken me by surprise. It was a cut to my honor to be taken so easily. But, you have redeemed me by keeping him safe. Now he is ready for his spirit to be whole.

We still stood wide eyed with wonder. This was all much too fantastic. The voice laughed.

Vampires that are good and you think I am strange.

We watched as she padded to Kazani and enveloped him. Then she seemed to disappear in his skin. This was amazing. Magical, but she was right our lives had been filled with magic for years. And, I was pretty sure this was familiar somehow. Something I had heard a long time ago. A story.

Edward remembered it better than my human memory ever could. The wolves. They have the spirit of a wolf inside them. Which is why they are not real werewolves they are not diseased. It is a genetic predisposition. He is probably similar.

You are very perceptive young man now go home and take him somewhere where he can get used to this. He will need time. He would have been prepared for this by me but that was not to be.

We took him back to the hotel and told everyone that crazy story. Carlisle was fascinated. Everyone else was incredulous until I informed them as I had to realize that considering what we are we really didn't have the right to question this. They were all quiet then.

Carlisle checked the wound but it was gone. "Well he seems fine. I am not sure what we should do now. If he is like the wolves he will be quite volatile for a while perhaps it would be best for us to leave this place and return home or better to return to the Canada house. We would be very unlikely to be seen there. We will have to be very careful. A wolf sighting is one thing. For someone to see a Tiger if that is what he will be is a different story entirely."

Alice frowned. "I can't see him at all now. Why does this keep happening? I finally get the ability to see the wolves and now this. Ugh!" Esme smiled and patted her hand.

Emmett grinned. He was imagining how powerful Kazani would be. Of course it all boiled down to a contest with Emmett.

Kazani stirred and grabbed his side. "What happened?"
Edward put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay." Kazani cringed.

"Edward you smell strange." He took a deep breath and sighed. "You all smell wonderful. What is that?" I laughed well I guess it was better than being repelled. I took a deep breath and he smelled wonderful too.

Rose took a deep breath. "You don't smell too bad yourself. I wonder why you don't stink. If you're like the dogs why don't you smell bad to us. And, why aren't you repelled by us for that matter."

Carlisle touched his chin a sure sign he was about to give a theory. "Well actually just because he is similar to the wolves doesn't mean it would be the same. The wolves ability to shift was a direct result to the danger of us hence the repugnance in their odor a self defense. Here the ability may be completely different."

Edward jumped in to. "Yes if you look at the catalysts in the situations you can see the differences. The wolves ability to change is brought on by our presence he has been around us almost his entire life. It took a traumatic experience an injury to bring on this birthright as Kenji called it." As they theorized Kazani was trying to decipher what they were talking about. He was getting nervous.

He was also starting to tremble. I took his hand and at the same time I elbowed Edward. "Kazani you need to focus on breathing in and out. Just try to calm down."

"Calm down. I don't know what is going on here…I was stabbed but, it's gone. Now I hear this voice in my mind that I don't recognize. I feel like I'm going crazy." He was trembling faster.

"Bella maybe you should back away." I shook my head.

"Kazani just breathe, in and out slowly." He looked at me. "That's it just look at me. We will explain everything…just breathe."

The trembling slowed and he started to breathe more normally. "Okay I feel better but, please someone tell me what is going on here?"

Edward knelt beside the bed. "Actually it would be better if Kenji answered you questions she knows a lot more than we do."

Kazani looked at Edward as if he'd walked right off the deep end. "Kenji the tiger who's been dead for over sixteen years."

"The voice in your head; just listen to it. I know this sounds crazy but, really you've grown up in a house filled with vampires. You met Jake he's a werewolf. Is one little voice inside your head really all that bad?" I smiled.

Kazani looked at his adoptive father who looked younger than him. At all of us and then he laughed. "When you put it that way. Okay so just listen to the voice."

"Yes just relax close your eyes and listen." Kazani laid back down and tried to do as Edward requested.

His eyes slipped closed and he opened his mind.

Hello Kazani

Hello?

I know all of this is very frightening and strange. If I had not been killed you would have grown up knowing what you are and it would not have frightened you. I am sorry for that. This family is very good despite what they are. They have raised you well I am proud.

Umm. Okay. Are you really my dead pet tiger?

I was never a pet but yes. The day I died do you remember?

Of course why?
Do you remember the lions?

Yes.

They were not just lions. They were there to kill you. You are the last of the Chahya Shardul the shadow tiger. They have been picking us off for centuries. You are the last.

So what were they?

They are the enemies of man and India. They are men most of the time. Evil men robbing and stealing taking whatever they can from anyone they like. They are the evil in all men. The man in the alley was one. That is what made my spirit come to you.

Okay I have an uncle sort of or brother in law or whatever he is anyway in my adoptive family. He turns into a wolf but, he never had a wolf following him around. Why are you a separate entity?

I was there to keep you safe until you were old enough to accept your spirit. I do not know why the American wolves are different. I only know my destiny was to be your tiger spirit.

Well that is a lot to take in. Can I just be by myself for a while?

I can not separate from you but, I can be quiet.

That'll do

Edward and I relayed everything to the rest of the family. Then we all sat and let him have his silence.

After about two hours he smiled. "You know actually this is cool. Now I don't feel so left out. It's hard to be the only normal one in this family. Now maybe I can play baseball with you?" We all laughed. Just as he had accepted all the other strange and frightening things in his life he took this in stride.

We decided it would be best to have him near Jake and Lile and the rest of the wolves so they could help. This was not the same but, it was similar. He still heard Kenji in his head. That was hard for him. Maybe if the voice had not been female but, he felt uncomfortable with her there. Doing normal things like showering and bathroom visits were hard but, he got through it. Jake and the pack met us at the house. Kazani had still not changed. We were glad. We also kept everything very calm. Honestly I thought part of it had to do with his temperament. He was really mellow. Not controlled like Lile or Edward.

He was nothing like my hot headed best friend. He was just laid back. He didn't get upset. Unless someone or something was being hurt or abused then he got angry.

We got picked up at the airport at this point we were in Limos because there were just too many of us to fit in a normal car. Edward just had us picked up. We rode to the house in silence. Kazani had been here before. Of course his eyes had been human eyes then. He spent most of the time with his nose pressed to the window.

"I can see everything. And I can hear and smell everything. Some of it is awful. People smell bad, most of them. Did you ever notice?"

We all laughed. "Actually they don't smell bad to us." Jasper chuckled. "To us they smell fantastic." He looked at Edward and grinned. "Sometimes they smell too good." I rolled my eyes.

Kazani looked at us. "I never thought of it that way I guess. Since you don't hunt people I never really think about your normal diet. I guess they would smell good to you." He shivered. "I just can't imagine how."

We smiled and the rest of the ride followed in silence. We arrived and every one greeted one another warmly. Kazani tentatively took a sniff at Leah when she wasn't looking. He shrugged. That was good I guess. He sniffed Nessie and his nose wrinkled a little.

Jake saw it and frowned. "The smell of the vampires shouldn't bother you, you live with them. And, she's only half."

He shook his head. "It's not the vampires it's the human smell that bothers me. I don't know why. I just don't like it. Kenji says it's to keep from hunting humans. They smell bad so even if I was really intent on the hunt I wouldn't want one."

Jake looked around. "Who's Kenji?"

Edward answered. "Kenji is his tiger. Unlike your wolves Kazani's people and their tigers merge they have thoughts and feelings of their own more than just instinct."

Leah's eyes widened. "That's incredible. So the tiger that was with him when you found him that was his spirit tiger."

We all nodded.

Lile walked to him. "Well welcome to the family. We're weird but, we're fun." He took his shoulder and squeezed it. Kazani just grinned.

The next day they all went out and tried to see if Kazani could change.

Okay Kazani you need to let go of yourself and just feel my spirit. Close your eyes. Do you feel that Tremor that is the beginning, hold on to that. Okay just let go. Be the tiger.

Kazani did as he was asked. We left his clothes on, this was uncomfortable enough without him having to be nude.

He lay on the ground and breathed slowly in and out he started to tremble we were all back away so he had room. He started to almost disappear I was about to say something when he was gone. Not changed gone. For an entire second he was gone then a huge tiger stood in his place. No bursting of clothes. No bursting of anything more like a blink. Like magic. My husband chuckled.

"I didn't do it did I. I can hear myself talking so I didn't do it." Our collective jaw drop was probably audible if anyone had been listening.

Carlisle blinked a few times but recovered. "No, it worked. Apparently you are not that similar to the wolves."

Leah frowned. "Where did his clothes go? This is so unfair." We laughed. He was really beautiful. Alice ran to get a mirror. She was back in a flash. He looked in it. "I'm bigger than a Bengal tiger. A lot bigger."

"We're a lot bigger than normal wolves too." Jake shrugged. "It just seems to go with the territory.

I smiled at my adoptive son. "Would you like to go hunting now?"

He looked at me with those maroon eyes. "Yes, I think so. But, I would rather do it by myself. If that's all right? I feel like that is how it is supposed to be." I grinned.

"That makes sense Tigers are solitary hunters. We will follow though to make sure everything goes okay. No offense but, I'm a little of a worry wart." He nodded.

"Yeah I know." I ruffled the fur on his head and he purred.

Jake laughed. "I don't think we're much help. Edward why don't you come up to the house and fix us some dinner. You're still the best cook I know." Edward laughed.

Would you like me to come love?

No it's all right you'll be with me anyway. We won't go so far that you can't hear.

Very well dear I'll be here waiting. He sighed. I kissed him and turned to my son the tiger. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"Okay but, I'm fast so try to keep up. I'll let you start once we're a few more miles away from civilization. Got it?" He nodded. His tail twitching. I took off at light speed and zipped into the woods. He was right beside me dodging trees and bushes his body sleek as it bent and undulated around and under everything. He really was awesome. He was about the size of a polar bear. He was at least fourteen feet in length and stood around six feet flat footed. He towered over me. We ran for about three miles and I stopped. He leaped over a fallen tree and landed beside me. "Okay just go ahead. I'll be here when you're done." I hopped on top of the dead fall and sat down swinging my legs.

"Okay Bella, I'll be back fast hopefully unless we find out I'm no good at this at all." I raised a brow.

"I doubt that." He leapt off. I lay down and closed my eyes following him with my ears and my nose.

I opened my senses to see any prey that might be in the area. Half mile to the east a rabbit nibbled in a meadow. My nose wrinkled at the less than appealing smell. Then a herd of deer in the same meadow. I followed him and he was going after the bigger game. I listened to his stealthy approach. Even the deer couldn't hear him.

He's doing very well.

Yes I know. How is dinner coming?

I have the roast in the oven and the bread is rising. I wish it all didn't smell so awful. It would be more fun if it didn't smell so unappetizing.

You'll live.

He leaped into the meadow and went for the buck. It was very quick. After about another twenty minutes. He leaped up beside me whisper quiet. I opened my eyes to his face inches away. "That's very dangerous you know my little Kazani." I pulled my lips back from my teeth in mock threat.

"You're too tiny to be scary." I flipped myself quickly on my feet and faced him. "Don't let Alice hear that. She'll make a rug out of you." I stalked forward and he took a step back.

I leaped and picked him up rolling him off the tree. He flew to the ground but landed on his feet. He looked up at me and I jumped turning a flip before landing.

Show off. I grinned.

"Okay, I get it big bad vampire." He rolled his eyes. "Let's get back. I smell fresh bread."

Good nose.

I nodded. And we took off it only took a few minutes to get back we hadn't gone far. We were gone less than an hour. We arrived to excited whispers and thoughts.

I stopped on the porch "You're going to have to change back. You won't fit in the house like that."

"Oh yeah." He closed his eyes and was very still. Just like earlier he wasn't there for a fraction of a second then Kazani the young man was there in place of the huge tiger. His clothes intact. I grinned. "Better?"

"Yes, now you will fit in the door." We walked in together. Leah looked at his clothes.

She shook her head. "Unfair." Lile just smiled and kissed her hand.

Seth showed up right before dinner with all the children. There was Elias, and Elizabeth. Then his own two children and his lovely wife Angela. She had, had a hard time at first with the whole supernatural part of our lives but, she was fine now. Seth had given up changing. He wanted to grow old with his wife. I understood that. I wouldn't want to live without Edward and He wouldn't live without me. It would have been impossible for both of us.

Seth's girls were twins born the same year as Elizabeth. So they were twelve. Of course with Elizabeth's growing rate she was an adult to look at her. She was the spitting image of her mother but, she carried on her father and grandfather's bottle green eyes. Elizabeth had never become venomous and had little thirst. We were thankful for that. Elias had grown into an amazing man. He had fought his thirst and won. He was a doctor following in his grandmother's and of course Carlisle's footsteps as well. This was becoming a family tradition.

The children all wanted to see the tiger so they went outside, we listened to the ohh's and ahh's. Angela just shook her head. "Just when I think this family has gotten as out of this world as it could possibly be something like this happens. I nearly had a heart attack last month when this enormous red eyed man showed up on our doorstep for a visit."

I laughed. "Felix, he likes surprises."

"I gathered that. My girls fell instantly for him and it took months to get them to stop daydreaming about the man." I could understand why that would distress her.

"Oh my." I wasn't sure what to say.

"Yes, and he was crazy about them. Of course he had no clue what he was doing. He is just such a happy man. But, when I think of….Oh it just makes the hair stand up on my neck."

"I know but, he isn't actually killing anyone. Like some of the others we have convinced them to buy it rather than kill to get it." She frowned.

"I know. It comes from blood donors. Did you get that idea from a book by the way. I read in a book…"

I grinned. "Yes, I read the same books I thought it might be an idea. I suggested it and the council agreed. So we set up a system for people so they could do it without having to abstain the way we do."

"I know, but…still…I just can't seem to stop thinking they could slip. Not Felix but, someone some time. I just hope the girls smell enough wolfy to stink." She laughed. "That sounds weird but, I still hope so." I nodded. I could understand her fear.

The children were having fun. The girls couldn't wait till they started shifting. Elias was out there with them. He was still sad. Still waiting. I wished that he would find someone. I sighed. I listened as he wandered off to be by himself. Poor Elias.

Rachel and Felicia were not imprinted yet but, it would happen. They knew. They had a feeling. My adoptive son was a happy boy. He was not worried. His mate would come when she came. In our diverse family only one had a heart filled with longing. I felt his pain and wished I could take it from him. He was so lonely.

His time will come love. Alice can see it. And soon. She can see someone in his life. Do you see it? She is thinking of it now.

She doesn't want to say anything to change it.

So don't be sad his loneliness will be gone soon..

Okay, okay. I just want everyone to be happy. His arms wrapped around me and I sighed. I wanted this for everyone.

"It will happen. Don't worry. Do you see the way Elizabeth is feeling about Kazani. I wonder what will happen there?" I had felt that right now they were taking a walk. The twins had been called inside.

I justified my nosiness with the fact that they were young and needed supervision. Edward laughed. I rolled my eyes. And eavesdropped….They had been friends for years but, this seemed different.

Kazani and Elizabeth were walking on a trail Esme had put in to showcase her roses.

"So you're going to Oxford this fall?"

"Yes, I was lucky." She and I both rolled our eyes at that.

"You forget I grew up every summer with you. I know how smart you are." She looked up into his maroon eyes. He was oblivious. How awful.

"I guess. So where are you going." She frowned and looked at her feet wishing she could tell him she'd like to be at Oxford too so she could be close to him. And, I smiled as she thought, so she could hiss and terrify any women that got within a hundred feet of him. Uh oh this was serious.

Edward chuckled. "She is in bad shape. I know this feeling." I smiled.

Kazani watched her eyes and then all of the sudden it hit him. Almost as if he had never seen her before. She had grown up. His eyes measured her bright eyes the sooty lashes framed in her dark face. Almost as dark as his. Her long hair sweeping over her shoulders in a black waterfall.

He was gentlemanly enough not to look lower but, he wanted too. He smiled at her. Her breath caught. "Beth, I…you have grown up."

She nodded. "That happens."

His mind was heading in a direction that made him very nervous. He looked at her for another second and then looked back at the house. "I think maybe we should go back now." He turned then he looked back at her. She was despondent. She smiled hiding it well. He looked in her eyes and then he put his hand out to her offering this small touch. He was so nervous that she would refuse. She looked at his hand for a few seconds then smiled and clasped it. Kenji applauded him. She had been silent but, she liked Elizabeth and wanted this. It was odd to listen to the double mind.

Hand in hand they walked back to the house. We smiled and turned. Carlisle and Esme were standing behind us. "So what are you to smiling about?"

I looked at Edward. He smiled and happily lied to his parents. "Nothing, just happy to be here with our family." They smiled but Alice was standing behind them and she was frowning. I would assume Beth's future just zoomed right off her radar. Yes that was what was wrong.

Alice's eyes narrowed at the scene out the window the two young people walking up…She sighed and then she smiled with rash excitement. She looked at me and I was already shaking my head. "Oh but, Bella she pleaded." Carlisle and Esme saw the scene as well.

"Oh, I see." Carlisle smiled.

Edward, put up his hands in surrender and protest. "All right now everyone hold your horses. Let's let them see it before we start telling them about it." Carlisle laughed quietly.

"He is right let's just leave them alone. It will happen if it is meant to." Esme and Alice sighed sadly.

I smiled at Alice. "Just think if you can't see her future it's only a matter of time." She instantly perked up.

Edward and I laughed all the way to our little house. Once inside I started to imagine what that would be like.

"I have no idea what a menagerie that would be. It would certainly be one for Aro's records. Tiger werewolf vampire human. Good lord. What a combination." We contemplated that for a while. We were not worried. Kazani was a good man and Elizabeth was a wonderful girl. It would all be as it needed to be.

We stayed in Canada for the summer. We watched the love between them grow. Unfortunately it made Elias unhappy. Not for them he was too good a man to be that petty but, he was so lonely.

I wish I knew what awaited him. In the fall we were prepared to leave for Oxford. Elizabeth had been accepted and would be staying with us. We knew it was only a matter of time before we were all attending another wedding. Alice had been very good. She had not mentioned a word.

I was packing my suitcase when she swept in. "Bella…Bella I just saw something. She played it back for me. Edward was in town. I saw Elias in the hospital it was his shift. A girl was being brought in. She was screaming and holding her arm. She had been bitten….Oh no…she had been bitten by a vampire. Oh no! Elias recognized the change quickly I picked up the phone knowing it was going to ring.

Elias was on the phone. "Bella call Edward and Carlisle…" I interrupted him.

"Alice is doing it now. We'll be there soon." I ran and leaped in my new hybrid Ferrari. It was half electric. Oh well times change. Alice leaped in too.

We all met at the hospital. She was screaming and writhing. Nessie arrived a few minutes later. We were in Emergency. Elias had run everyone out before we got there. He told them he was afraid she was contagious. We all had masks on. It was annoying but necessary. He flipped a switch and the glass wall turned opaque. "Carlisle what do we do?"

"I am not sure, I can't imagine someone turned her and left her. We are not allowed to do that. It is the law." He walked forward.

I was already there holding her hand I was trying to help her. "Honey I know it burns but can you tell me your name." She nodded.

She tried to calm herself. "I….I'm…Jasmine…Oh god it hurts isn't there something you can do why does this hurt? I hurt…He hurt me. He…" She started crying and she writhed.

"Who found her?" Edward was listening to her thoughts but, they were wild. A face pale and smiling.

"Paramedics were leaving a false alarm and they heard her screaming. Here is her chart." He handed it to Carlisle he hadn't even read it he knew what was wrong with her. Carlisle opened it and started reading. She was lying on the bed rolling back and forth trying not to scream. As Carlisle read he gasped and so did I Edward's teeth ground together and he told everyone in the room in a whisper only we could hear that she had been raped.

Her thoughts were beginning to clear and it added to her hysteria. "He asked me out. He said I was pretty. Then he took me out the back door. He hadn't eaten. He said he was on a special diet and he winked at me. He…" Another slash of pain and she was writhing again.

"Why?" That was all we could say we just couldn't imagine why someone would do this.

Edward stiffened his shoulders "We'll figure it out later right now we have got to get her out of here and home…."