The sky was growing darker with each passing minute. The soft chimes sweeping over the cottage from the father clock that rests in the living room not far from her bedroom; drifting like a hypnotic song. I take a seat on the edge of my daughters bed, sweeping soft tendrils of red hair away from her beautiful face. My little girl scrunched her brows and pulled the snow white sheets closer, tucking it underneath her chin. She released a sleep filled sigh and her expression softened.
"I will give you everything, Ren." My fingers slide along her jaw line. "I love you, so much."
"...Mmm" She shifted around in her sleep, muttering under her breath. If not for my superhuman hearing I would not have picked it up. "Love you...mom."
I smiled down at her and leaned over, pressing cold lips against warm skin. "Sleep tight, baby." My hand once again slides through thick red hair. I stood once I was sure she had fallen into a deep slumber and made my exit from bedroom. I've found that if I let her take a nap before her dinner she isn't as picky with her choices and will eat her vegetables. All of them.
Esme could not get enough of cooking for Ren and the wolves that stayed by our side even after the war. I heard that Jake was going to be a father soon. From what I collected of Leah a girl on the reservation had returned from her college life in Florida and was visiting her family before she had to return. He went out on his usual run during he morning, bumped into her (more like she ran into a moving brick wall) and their eyes met. He spent the next two or three weeks trying to get to know her before he dropped the 'I'm not human' bomb on the poor girl.
She took the information with relative ease. She knew about the protectors on the reservation in the stories told by her great-grandfather, but never thought they would be true. She was more amazed that their bodies could hold in the forms like they had. Jacob told her that it needed to stay a secret, and again the woman knew the rules. She would never want any of the wolves in the pack to become a test subject for a scientist to study and dig into.
Memories of their wedding day flashed before my eyes while I entered my bedroom. My eyes searched the littered floor for a wearable jacket and shoes. I decided that while Ren was taking a nap, I would be able to catch a small snack before she woke.
My room was not far from her's, but each bedroom was given extra sound roof padding for...reasons. I bunched my shoulders and cringed. Thinking about having sex while my daughter was in the house made my entire body shudder with disgust. I could never do that. Edward wanted to have adventure and try something new, but my constant refusal has put him in a mood. He's been avoiding me for a couple days. I could actually use some distance from the brooding man.
God. Why did I marry him again?
"Stop thinking like that." I muttered to myself as I slung my dark green hoodie over my head, pulling it down to cover my stomach once my arms were through their individual slots. Vampires can not feel a temperature change, so the cold weather wasn't something I worried about anymore. Putting on layers of clothing made me feel normal. I didn't enjoy the pristine and expensive outfits Alice was always buying me. I told her to buy more of a casual collection. Skinny jeans, tee's and hoodies. I like scarf's and a dress or two but...not a walk in closet stacked with them. I guess running in a dress was never a problem for any of them. I still feel like my dress would ride up while I'm running. As crazy as that sounds.
I tugged at the hem of the sleeves, pulling them over my hands as I was leaving through the front door of the cottage. I never walked far from the house. Always staying within hearing range just in case Ren woke up before the next chime from our father clock. Her naps would consist of an hour at the latest. I didn't need her staying up late with Emmett again. She might be ten now but that did not mean she was old enough to stay awake past nine. Hell no.
Leaving her in the care of that grown child while Edward and I went out on our dates was a bad idea. He did nothing but pollute her mind with video games, comic books and the fine art of catch your ladies attention. Why would my daughter ever need to learn such a skill? She was gorgeous as a baby, everyone wanted to hold her.
I'm not entirely mad about the comic books or the video games. I was a gamer girl once. I knew how to beat Emmett in almost every game he owned. Alice was a big help when I was stuck in a corner during the one-on-one fighter games. He called it cheating but she would only state which move I could use to counter his attacks.
I really do love this family. My family.
My eyes scanned the tree's ahead of the cottage. The darkest part of the woods would be on the left side now, giving me full coverage while I try to find something to quench the soft burn in my throat. It wasn't horrible, but lately something has smelled so...delicious. I wanted to devour the scent and make it my own. A couple nights ago I had come across the scent and tried my damnedest to track it. Emmett had to tackle me to the ground before I exposed our secret to the entire town of Forks.
I sat down with Carlisle earlier in his office to speak with him about my mishap. He explained that I might have found my singer, and was proud that I could keep a strong head while the scent was lingering around the woods. The leader of the clan mentioned to me that it was very hard for even an ancient to withstand their singers. The blood calls out to them on another level. Its so powerful that they forget who they are and how exposed they are when they happen upon this single human.
"So much for control..." I slide my hand through my dark brown hair and let out a sigh. Tonight might not be a good idea. Going out into the woods on my own? What If I came across that scent again and couldn't help myself? I would dart after it and kill whoever the human might be.
Huh. Its not so weird any more. Calling others humans and describing myself as an individual of eternal life.
It might be a good idea to call for someone from the house. Maybe Alice could use some time out.
"You need not ask sis!"A chipper voice called out from behind me, causing me to spin around. My eyes widen and for a split second I didn't think she would actually fall right out from the tree, putting full trust in me to catch her small form. Being the nice sister-in-law that I am I couldn't allow Alice to fall on her ass, let alone her face. She was beautiful and the dirt would only make the shopaholic need to change her outfit. I was not going to help her out with that. I rose from my crouched position and caught the girl bridal style, just as she had predicted I would do.
"Just because you can see the future doesn't mean I'll do everything you see." Unconsciously I leaned down and pressed my lips against her forehead. An innocent kiss I would give my daughter any time she had done something I found adorable and the action needed a reward. My sister-in-law giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck, laying her head on my shoulder.
"I know you, Bella. You always follow through." She said in a know it all voice, sounding almost like the idiot I married. Ugh. Just thinking about him was worsening my mood. What the hell did I even do? No sex means you have to go into the woods and pout about it? Seriously he needs to grow a pair, I'm so tired of all this. I hardly see the others having a problem. He is the only one that transforms into an emo jard-head. Gah! No one else does this with their mates. Why is it only us?
"Yoohoo?" Alice snapped her fingers in front of my face, helping to drag me back down to earth. "There she is." She smiled and wiggled her hips, dropping out of my hold around her. "So, hunting was on your mind and you looked ready to ask me. You know, since I'm literally the only one home. Well.." She looked over her shoulder and winked. "Only one available."
My gaze quickly fell to the ground, scanning the broken branches and leaves that are scattered on the earth's floor. If I was still human my face would be as bright as a tomato. After all of these years you would think I'd be accustomed to the family's teasing or random sex play in the kitchen.
Nope. Far from it. I could not be more embarrassed. Its horrifying to walk in on them going at it, and they give no warning.
"Y-Yeah. Whatever. Do not go into detail." One of my hands went across my stomach and latched onto my arm. I swung most of my weight onto my left, my dark golden gaze rose from the ground to take in the pixie girls outfit. She had on skinny jeans that looked more like they had been painted on her body. A pure white belt, a baby blue tank top that too looked to be painted onto her body. If she twisted in a certain way I could make out the muscle that lay underneath. She add the jean jacket as an accessory, along with the earrings and...was that a nose ring?
"When did you do that?" I reached out and poked her nose, indicating that I was questioning her new mark.
"This old thing? I've had it for a loooooong time. It was horrible experience let me tell ya." She shrugged animatedly and dropped her hands against her thighs in a soft pat. "Long story cut super short, I was in a fight. The fight got ugly, I won and found out I had punctures in a few places that would not heal. So, I made the best of them."
I gave a slow nod of my head. "Being a free woman has made you a little wild." I grinned, teasing the pixie.
She rolled her eyes and reached out, slapping my arm. "I'm happy for him. I knew something was up when we had all those vampire around and..." Alice sighed deeply, sliding her hand through her short hair. "Seeing your ex-husband eating another vampires face like that only means a single thing." Again her shoulders made a movement that was unaccustomed for her to do and shrugged. "Enough of the sadness! We are going on this hunt and we will enjoy it!"
I rose my fist up high and brought it down over my chest in mock salute. "Yes ma'am."
X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X
"Find anything worth bragging to the big guy about?" Alice asked when we met up along side the river. Her hands went to her hips and she cocked her weight to the right, her eyes appraising me. "You're getting better. Not a drop on you, Bella."
I rose my hand to my lips, catching a dribble of blood that was rolling down my chin. Hunting was exciting, dangerous and torture all put together. We had to be aware of our prey. You needed to keep a short distance from them, staying downwind so not to scare them away with our scent. Animals were always on edge when a predator was around, and we were the King's and Queens of this neck of the woods.
"Nothing worth mentioning." I shrugged and dropped my arms, moving my gaze to the water. It was so clear i could catch my reflection within the water. I was so different. Every feature that I had once called imperfect was filled out. I swear even my chest got bigger. Could this have been the venom? Did it change me in such a way so that I could be a better attraction to humans whom we are to feed from?
"...And I was thinking maybe we could start running back home. I need to help Esme with dinner this time or she'll have my head."I blinked a couple of times and turned my head towards my hunting partner. Alice skipped over to my side and looked down into the water. "Damn, Bella. I look good." She gave my shoulder a pat. "You're like a seven. Its okay. We've all been there."
I broke out into a wide smile and shoved her shoulder. "Shut up, Alice." We giggled. "I think you've been hanging out with Emmett to much." I teased the girl, linking our arms together as we make the walk back towards our homes. I would stop at the cottage to wake Ren, and Alice would bolt over to the main house to see if Esme needs help with the final touch up on dinner.
She would be feeding three wolves and my little girl. I think the mother figure couldn't be any more joyous.
"Whoa..." Alice lays her hand on my stomach, pausing me from my advancement. "Is that a jaguar?" She lifted her hand to point out towards the large cat.
Sure enough a good mile away from us was a large jungle cat, laying casually on a rock gathering what sunshine was left before darkness fell over the woods. This was..amazing. I've never seen one up close. I mean we've all been to the local zoo and seen the big cats from behind protective glass, but this was something else.
"Don't they live out in the Jungle? What is a Jaguar doing out here?"
Alice bites her bottom lip as she regarded me seriously. "I think he's here for his fallen brothers. All those sports cars..."
I rolled my eyes and gave the pixie vampire a shove. "You really are hanging around him too much." We smiled at one another and looked back to where the jaguar was resting. "Its gone."
"That's funny..." Alice's brows were bunched together in a hard frown. "I can't see our future's. Its being blocked."
"The boys are probably heading over to our place right now. I heard their heavy breathing while I was taking down my own supper." I motioned my head to the left and took off in a sprint back towards the cottage.
"But I could still see our futures even if they were close by." Alice spoke once she had caught up to me, her brows were still pinched together. She really hates it when the visions are blocked by an unknown. I think our little vampire friend might search for the person behind the blocks on her own if she isn't careful.
We came back to the cottage first and I listened for my daughter's breathing pattern. "She's still asleep." I tell my sister-in-law, both of my hands find the front pocket to my hoodie and slide on in. I used to do this for comfort's sake. A place to put my hands when my pockets were filled with school supplies like pens or my cell phone. "I'll meet you at the house in twenty minutes."
"Don't be late! You know how Esme get's." Alice twisted around on the heel of her feet and was gone in a flash. Her destination the main house.
I grin and scuff my feet in the dirt, trying to buy myself time before I confront the person who had been following us ever since we decided to leave the woods. "Its rude to stare." My tongue peeks out between my lips, coating them in my venom. Another habit I've not lost since being human.
The sound of dried leaves being crushed under the weight of my visitor made my body shudder. I could hear the heartbeat was drawing closer and I couldn't handle not facing the intruder. I mean it was their fault I was turning into protective mama bear. They show up at my home while my daughter was asleep. How long could they have been near my home? What if-
My train of thought is lost when warm arms are circling my waist from behind. One arm was resting right underneath my bosom, pushing the upper half of my body into theirs; the other arm rested around my lower waist and pushed my backside into the curve of their own front. This position was intimate, I needed to escape from the warm hold of the intruder...but I can't. My body was acting on its own and allowing this visitor to do whatever the hell they wanted with me. I could feel a soft pair of breast pressing into my back, giving away the sex of my visitor. Its a woman. And she is currently having her way with me.
"Rude you say." The voice behind me was husky yet still held its feminine charm, and her lips were ghosting he shell of my ear as she spoke. "I think you enjoy it."
Something wet pressed against my weak spot that was just behind my ears and I lost it. My control to resist her advances was dwindling and I couldn't help the soft moan that came from my lips. My voice was enough encouragement for this woman to make a bolder move. One second I'm facing my cottage, my eyes stare at the front door with moisture building within them and the next I'm being spun around to face the woman.
She gasped and took a step away from me, her eyes only growing wider. "Shit." She muttered under her breath, dark green eyes now taking in my body with a power hunger gaze. I took this moment to appraise her, find out what she might possibly be. What I mean to say is I was checking her out. Yes, shame one poor Bella for looking at another person, let alone a woman; while her husband is not around.
Kill me.
The woman in question was taller than me by five inches. She had thick wavy hair that stopped short a couple inches past her shoulder, a strong jaw line I'd like to trace with my fingers. Her shoulders were broad and squared forward, a tense stance when being gazed at by another person. Her outfit was close to what the shifters tend to wear; which is close to nothing. A pair of cut-off shorts which are left unbuttoned, a sports bra and a black tank top. My eyes then roamed over her strong legs, taut stomach and reasonable chest. When my eyes landed on her chest I heard a soft coughing coming from the human. I snapped my hazel eyes up to meet a pair of humorous filled green ones. The girl had laid her hand on her hip and waited for me to finish.
"If you like what you see, just wait until the clothes are off." The tanned woman returned to her position before, with her arms encircled around my waist. I don't know what willed me to wrap my arms around her neck, but a part of me screamed to kiss her. Our bodies fit perfectly and all I wanted was to have this Native woman gobble me whole.
"I...I can't." I say after finding my voice. "Do you have a name?" I asked tentatively, not sure if my quiz of twenty questions would be welcomed by the wild girl.
"I do." She ghosted her nose along my jaw line, her lips coming in contact with my neck. I released a heavy sigh and forced myself to lean away from temptation.
"I'm Bella."
The wild woman lifted her head from my neck, green eyes bore into mine as she worked her jaw. "Sooleawa." Her lips parted into a wide smile when I scrunched my brows. "Don't worry, you can just call me Silver. Its what my name means."
"Oh.." I pulled my lower lip in-between my teeth, gliding my hands down to her shoulders. "Nice to meet you, Silver." I gave her a soft push, hoping she would understand that we need to put some distance between us before I lost all control. "I...uhm, you need to let me go."
The native girl chuckled. "Why is that?" Her hold around my waist only tightened and I couldn't help but lean even closer into her. "You don't seem to put up much of a fight, Bella." Why did her having said my name make my knee's weak? Its the husky voice and nice body. That's all. Its been awhile since Edward and I have been intimate so I'm searching for an outlet. Yeah. That's all. Outlet.
"Because I'm-"
"Bella?"
Silver and I turn our heads towards the third voice and my eyes widen in fear.
"Edward..."