A sparkly thank you to Jess for offering to beta for me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Shattered Glass Part 2

It came on slower than she expected. The chilled feel of Edward's hands on her body had provided a soothing to her skin that soon faded as the change began. She recalled the bite from James, and just as his venom had a vicious sting, so did this, but this was more. Her wrists and arms became inflamed. Her ankles, inner thigh, and neck throbbed with heat all at once, paralyzing her limbs. She tried to take the pain in stride, pinning her arms by her sides and taking deep breaths in a vain attempt to drive the agony away. She acknowledged that this was the beginning, and that it would last for days. She yearned to take this well, to prove everyone wrong that had looked at her as nothing more than fragile and weak. She tried to push the pain away by focusing on a black void, an escape under her eyelids; somewhere dark and numb, a place beyond the pain. Her inner monologue a chant of how she wanted this and that it would be worth it.

She could not hold on to lucidity. The throbbing burn quickly consumed her. The earlier venomous stings became a whisper, a sliver of her present state. She was no longer aware that Edward was holding her or that he had brought her home to his bed. She couldn't hear him sobbing into Carlisle's chest and begging her for forgiveness.

Bella's transition was in its sixth hour when her screams became involuntary, and then becoming guttural sounds of the venom purging her body of fluid. An ugly truth, the hardest part of the change to watch was starting. The human body expelled what it no longer needed, leaving a savage image that few could stand to bear witness. Edward had been present at the turning of three others, but he had never stayed through the entire process. He had never looked on to what he himself knew was hell, and it was a horrid sight. To see his soul mate scream, her veins filled with poison, her body writhing in agony, and dying in front of him. He knelt next to the bed, wiping away her tears trying to take in one last shred of her scent before it was altered completely.

Mad with worry, Carlisle gave Edward brief bouts of sanity. He comforted him with reassurances that everything was going as it should. Telling him what to expect, and always reminding him that once this was over, he would have Bella back and she would be his equal. She would be happy.

Inside of Bella was a war. Red vs. Black. Venom vs. Flesh. While her blackness was a refuge, the red was a monster, a beast who chased its way through her entire being and held her prisoner. It seeped into her body at a crawl, cackling in victory with every conquest. She had lost any semblance of her goal, she was nothing but pain now. Her limbs, torso, and neck had been overtaken by toxins, and the red beast was dancing its way into her skull, infecting her brain with a new agonizing plane of consciousness. Bella had known that vampires possessed extremely heightened senses, but what she did not know was that the keen awareness would start now. Her rapidly mutating mind was taking in physical sensations with blinding accuracy; gray matter shifting into a machine of perfect comprehension.

She could feel each cell being dominated and reshaped, her mind trying to recoil while her body fought. It was an instinctual act, a will to survive she could not control that kept her heart beating in a vain attempt to hold onto life. The red churned endlessly into a dark crimson that soon overtook all that had been black. Red. Red. Red. An unending burn. A mountain of fire that scorched and eviscerated flesh and bone, flames that licked at the red in sudden flashes of white heat. Red. White. Red. White.

White.

White.

White.

It started as a single point of light that encompassed her. She thought she had been thrown into the sun, dipped in molten liquid which would scar her with immortality and engrave her with beauty.

Although it seemed intangible, she reached for the dark recess that had once existed in her mind. Her body bucked forward, her arms lurching upward as she reached for that last bit of darkness she so desperately craved. It was beyond her reach.

In her last moment of cognizance, she gave herself to the red creature. She would no longer run from it. It was a hungry mask for death, one she decided to wear proudly. She was ready for it. She accepted it willingly.

Her body went rigid and quiet and in that state it stayed. The only movement being the steady beat of her heart, rocking heavily against her rigid chest in a steady cadence; it was all she could hear, all she could feel. The steadfast muscle that kept fighting for her became all that she had.

Edward laid his hand on her chest and felt her heart beat, etching the sound and the feel into his memory for he knew it would not last much longer.

It served as a sacred dying metronome for both of them.

He stared at her, eyes wide in fear. Her still form hadn't wavered. She hadn't made a sound for hours. He had never seen such a polluted peace during a change, nor had Carlisle ever mentioned anything like this. He paced and huffed, berating himself for attempting this. He was convinced that he had failed her, taken too much, maybe she was truly dying... When Carlisle entered the room, he examined her quickly, keeping his thoughts focused on Bella's transition. She was changing rapidly, quicker than most. Carlisle saw her wounds, he could smell the venom throughout her body. He knew that Edward had done exactly as he should have. His fears were irrational.

"But she's so still now, so quiet..." His hands shook, as did his lips when he tried to speak.

"Edward, I believe her body is succumbing. She's not fighting it anymore. That is what is speeding the process. This is a good thing." He put both hands on Edward's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Look at her. Listen to her heart. Sit with her... Talk to her. She may be able to hear you. Be there for her now."

He made no attempt to control his thoughts as he was leaving the room. He was proud of Edward. He urged him to stay strong and he theorized that perhaps this rapid change was due to this being her choice. Her body was not fighting the venom any longer, it was welcoming it. The hardest part had already past.

He stopped briefly at the door and glanced at her. They both noticed the physical changes had started. Her frame was still slight, but certainly more voluptuous. Most noticeable was her skin, pale and utterly perfect. Carlisle smiled to himself and thought that the absence of scars was unnatural for her. He would truly miss her innocent clumsiness, it was a trait that only Bella could make endearing.

Edward moved slowly to the bed, brushing his fingers over hers. He sat, closed his eyes and counted her heart beats wishing she would squeeze his hand.

~O~

She was facing the window where the dim morning light came through. With barely an eye open, the light astounded her. She was surprised as the air moved and swirled, making dust motes and pollen dance, and it mesmerized her. She thought about reaching out and her hand flew up with a speed that caused her to panic. She found herself in the corner of the room, crouched and holding her arms across her chest. She realized she wasn't breathing, she hadn't been breathing.

The first inhale was quick and sharp, filled with what should have been too many scents to process. Her brain, however, recognized everything. The pine from the floor, the cotton fabric of the sheets, and the glass from the window scented like sand along with a myriad of other distinct aromas wafting through the air assaulting her sense of smell. Then there were the sounds… Footsteps, whispers, an electronic buzz stirring from an appliance, and various clicks and creaks, and the sound of a sheet of paper being pushed across the page of a book- but that was nothing compared to the song of the outside world. Suddenly a new force of sounds crept into her ears and she gasped. The wind sang for her in a constantly evolving melody. Leaves said goodbye as they were swept from the trees and floated to the ground with a crunch. Fluttering wings, rushing water from the river, and then came the rain. She could pinpoint every drop of water that came down from the sky with her ears and her eyes. Her stare transfixed on the droplets running down the window creating a kaleidoscope of images she found surreal.

In a flash, she was in front of the window, where she became lost in her own reflection in the glass. She lifted her hand and blinked repeatedly at not only her speed, but her skin. Perfect, she thought. Too perfect, inhuman. Turning over her palm to see the absence of scars, she smiled sadly that the constant reminders of her humanity had disappeared.

All of these new sensations were washing over her. Her brain continued to process the smells, her ears picked up every peak of the wind, her eyes narrowed at the brightness of the light coming through the window. She stood motionless and tried to get used to the sensitivity of her hands and the feeling of the air between her fingers. She marveled silently.

When the scents started to fade, she closed her eyes and prepared herself for her second breath. The onslaught of scents hit her just as hard, but this time there was a new scent, one that fascinated her as she could not identify it. Her head snapped up and she inhaled again, focusing on this glorious aroma, it captivated her.

She instinctively stepped back from the window breathing in again and again, her senses telling her that what she smelled was close, it was inside. An urgency took hold of her. Her eyes remained shut as she relied on her sense of smell to guide her, and with every step the scent grew stronger. Not just the smell, but the urgency to find it, to coil, spring and claim it.

Mine. She thought. Mine.

She froze and breathed in slowly. The scent...

Warm

Inviting

Mine

Mine

Mine!

She could not stop herself from sucking in another breath. She swayed forward, her nose brushing up against something soft and drenched in the sweet essence. She inhaled again and again, each time pressing her face further into what felt like fabric covered sculpted stone.

It was pulling her closer, enveloping her in a sweet comfort that let her body relax and her mind stand still.

In that moment, all of her senses worked together. Her fingers touched hard yet smooth contoured skin. She heard ragged breaths from above her, they were tickling her hair. Her face was pressed up against his chest, her fingertips starting to rip his shirt from the simple contact. His scent coming through that much stronger, and she was tempted to lick his bare skin just to taste it. She was gulping breaths of his scent, trying to drown in it; trying fruitlessly to stop this overwhelming... Everything.

"Open your eyes, love."

It was a whisper, but what Bella heard was the most precious thing to every grace her ears. The noise made the air move and sent a vibration through her.

She was overcome, crying, and pushing herself against him until his stance wavered. She had pushed them both to the floor, clutching onto him and curling her knees into her chest. It was all too much for her to process, yet she knew exactly what was happening. Her thoughts whirled like leaves in the breeze, scattered and disjointed and crystal clear in her perfect recall. Memories so sharp, so fast, too real. Bella lay as still as a stone for several minutes, lost in exploring her own mind.

He cradled her and whispered soft reassurances, telling her she was safe. He took her head in his hands, slowly guiding her face to the crook of his neck where she breathed him in and let her anxiety melt away in his arms. They lay there for quite awhile, his hands sliding up and down her back, a soothing hum buzzing from his lips.

How could she have not recognized the scent immediately? Is was so simple. She laughed out loud. It was Edward.

She finally opened her eyes and he blinded her. His eyes a mix of amber and scarlet, she stared into them for what seemed to be a lifetime. She could not only see the red of his irises but she could feel her life force sustaining him, coursing through his body. She could feel it. He was holding a piece of her inside of him, she had never felt closer to him as she did in that moment.

Her lips quivered, "Your eyes... Me… inside of you."

He nodded and held her tight against his chest. One of Bella's hands flew up onto her chest and the other hand was on Edward's. Of course there was no heart beat, but there was something else, something infinitely better. "I can feel it," she said in a ragged whisper. "Me... You... It's... God, I can't verbalize. Can you feel it? This?" She looked at him, all over him, speechless.

"Yes," he whispered. "I can feel you. It's... I've never felt anything like this. It's good, so good. Intense."

Their gazes were now fixed on each other's, and Bella traced her fingers from his chest onto his arms and torso. "God, I can feel... Everything."

She put her hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes and wondering if he could hear her thoughts. Her mind was racing, her senses on overload. The musky smell of his leather cuff, the tiny movement of his lip when he started to smile, the smooth feel of his chest under her hands, the speed of her movements, his wince when she squeezed his arms, it was all happening and being processed simultaneously. It bewildered her.

It was Edward's chuckle that brought her focus back to him. "Are you alright? I know this is very overwhelming."

She stopped breathing and smiled. "Can you... hear me now?" She motioned to her temple.

"No," He leaned forward and rested his head against hers. "You are still my sweetest mystery."

"I love you," she breathed as his hands found her face again. He began brushing his fingertips over her cheeks and then her lips.

"Say it again."

"I love you." There was no hesitation in her response and there was no hesitation when he kissed her.

~~O~~

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She was devastatingly beautiful, graceful, innocent, she was still Bella. He looked on as she studied his room as if she had never seen it before. Bella would stay very still or move so fast she became steaks of color. She was so different than Edward had been as a newborn. She giggled at sunlight, and when it became too much, she'd wrap her arms and legs around him and just lie there breathing in his scent until her body became unwound under his touch.

Her eyes bloomed with curiosity, each and every sight a new discovery. When she looked at Edward, the scarlet of her eyes disappeared behind dilated pupils, fixating on his lips, his hair, on the minute details her human eyes had never seen. They stood facing each other as she studied him, a man she knew so well, yet at that moment she felt as though she was seeing him for the first time. She was compelled to touch him, brushing her fingers across his taut forearm. He was warm... the flesh of his palm soft, but contradictingly solid as she squeezed his hand. She was awash in fascination as she explored him, delicate touches shredding the sleeve of shirt causing her to gasp. She ripped off the other sleeve just as easily, just to see if she could.

Her laugh rang out like a soprano bell, causing a wide smile to spread across Edward's face. The realization that she was happy struck him with a force that made him want to erupt. A myriad of emotions stormed within him; his fear and guilt melting away into pure elation. She was alive, unbreakable, powerful, and she was giggling... It was infectious. He couldn't stop the joy that was bubbling up from his chest, unyielding sounds of mirth spilling from his lips.

He no longer had to be cautious when touching her, yet he found himself doing it out of habit. He tried to focus on getting another glimpse of her thoughts, but her mind was once again a fortress, locked away and protected by his beloved. He closed his eyes and recalled the brief moment he had the privilege of experiencing Bella's mind. She knew exactly what was happening and she showed him everything he needed to see.

He hadn't needed to reach or focus for she had projected images to him. She had showed him flashes of the most precious people in her life. Her family and friends were displayed in memory after memory, that in Bella's mind were dull, like aging photographs yellowed from the sun and worn from frequent thumbing. Then he'd seen himself through her eyes. All other memories had paled in comparison. He gave color to what was once black and white. He completed her in a way that no one else could. He knew... He had been so wrong in his assumption. Her love for him was all consuming and just as strong as his ever was.

Edward squeezed his arms around her as hard as he dared, the hardest he had ever held her, yet he knew he was far from using all of his strength.

"Harder," she said peeking up at him. "Hold me tighter."

The atmosphere in the room changed. Bella shifted her body flush with Edward's, snaking her arms under his and grasping his shoulders. His grip became fierce, both of them panting over the simple proximity of the other. In a haze of lust and desire, clothing shredded away in haste, hands were desperate to explore, they were mad with desire.

Bella was wild, ensnared in her biggest fantasy come true. She kissed and licked him, sucked on his skin savoring his taste.

"Closer." She growled. "I need you closer."

He rolled his hips, grinding and testing, making her shudder. He rubbed himself on her, sliding his length up and down her stomach, teasing her.

Growling, she twined her fingers through his hair and pulled him down nose to nose with her. "More. More. More. In. Now. And don't you dare hold back."

Silently vowing to never refuse her again, his hands cupped her ass, pulling her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he slid into her. She was so wet, so ready for him, and the sight of her wanton and powerful, growling at him, her body begging for his wrecked him. He thrust into her over and over again, hard then harder still. He grunted and snarled and fucked her with abandon, relishing the fact that he didn't have to control himself. Hell, he had already lost control. They both had. Raw and primal, they mated. It was sex, but it was also something more. The act strengthened the bond between them, brought down a wall that had once been there. They were now equals. It would never be the same. It would be better.

~~O~~

There was a very brief moment of post coital bliss before Bella's hands were around her throat, the burning severe.

She needed to hunt.

Edward took her hand and led her outside, instructing her to follow him. She did.

They ran and she was almost lost in the act itself for it was spectacular to her, but something else grabbed her attention.

He had led them to a small herd of deer; their hearts beating and their blood pumping, and she did not hesitate to indulge.

She was absorbed in the thrill of her first meal, gaining sustenance was never that intense, never that satisfying. She was not yet phased by the fact that she had just savagely torn open a living creature and fed on its life force. No, the bloodlust was all consuming, robbing her of any actions other than her instinct to feed- until she heard Edward approach.

He stayed back, taking care not to startle her, trying to give her space to feed. She growled, her body huddled protectively over her kill. Bending into a crouch she whipped her head up in his direction. The sight of him confused her. She knew him, loved him, but something inside felt threatened. Keeping her eyes on him, she lifted the doe to her mouth and sucked hard, taking it all for herself. She wanted him to see that this was hers and hers alone. Blood coursed through her body, tingling her skin, her muscles pulsating in a rush of ecstasy. She wanted more. Now.

She flew through the trees in pursuit of the rest of the heard, taking down another in the same ruthless fashion, draining it and tossing the carcass aside in haste, she was still thirsty.

Off again, following scents and sounds, she was consumed by the hunt. She heard rustling leaves, a frantic heart and footsteps behind her.

She smelled him too. Edward.

He was standing before her holding a large buck which struggled under his hands. He slowly moved forward, pushing the animal toward her as an offering. She did not hesitate.

When the blood was no more, Bella emerged fulfilled. Her breathing heavy, her body buzzing with energy, she felt alive. She looked up at Edward and stopped breathing. His stance was defensive, his eyes black as night, and suddenly she was hungry for his touch.

She pounced, a tumble of ravenous limbs as they clawed at each other. Naked and bloody she rolled them both over and took his hands, pinning them over his head. She straddled him, looked down at him knowing she was stronger, and she suddenly had the urge to dominate him.

His throbbing cock beneath her broke her concentration. Still holding him down, she positioned herself over him, the head of his dick pressing up against her entrance. He growled and thrust his hips up, struggling against her hold. She sank down onto him slowly, hissing as he continued to thrust wildly.

She moved with him, pushing hard against him, letting her hands wander to his chest as he gripped her hips roughly guiding her body onto his.

Edward pulled her down on top of him, her breasts pressed up against his chest, their mouths meeting. His fingers circled her clit making her writhe against his hand and beg him for more. When she came, she cried out, her body shaking, eye squeezed shut. It was the most exquisite thing she had ever felt. Just as she started to calm, he started thrusting upward again, drawing out her orgasm. She had never felt anything that intense. It was too much, yet not enough. Sounds came from her, but not words as she couldn't think. All she could do was feel.

She looked down at her mate, and their eyes locked together. She found his eyes to be incredibly arousing, the red, her blood, elicited a purr. He moaned, his legs shaking, a heavy sob leaving his mouth as he came. Watching him come undone beneath her filled her with a tremendous sense of power that swiftly turned into possessiveness. She inhaled deeply, the scent of sex filling the air and driving her into acts that she could not control. She wanted to feel him always, his skin, his fingers, his mouth, all the time. His smell made her crazy, unique and addicting, she wanted to lick and taste and never stop. She wanted everything, just him, she knew it was odd, but she wanted to bite him.

Her teeth sank into the flesh of his neck. He froze. She was biting him, attacking him and it should have felt wrong, but it didn't. She was feeling the same urge that he had felt many times before, but this was different. It was not done with the desire for sustenance. It was the desire to mark and claim.

He knew it would scar and that made him wild. He resisted the urge to pull her off. He would take this from her, be marked as hers, just as she was marked as his.

It was all too much. The sting of her teeth, the pulse of her tongue, her hand gripping his hair, and she was still fucking him. Riding him with no shame, no fear, no inhibition. Just the two of them. Loving. Mating. Coming together as one. Reaching new heights, unknown pleasure and he wouldn't stop her, ever.

"Bella..." He whispered, breaking her mouth's hold on his neck.

She pulled back, her lips quivering, staring at the ragged teeth marks she had left. What had she done?

"Hey..." He put his hands on her face and lovingly stroking her cheek. He wanted to reassure her. He could see in her eyes that she was afraid. He pulled her tightly against him. "It's OK, it's instinctual. The urge to bite... I liked it. Very much so."

She breathed a sigh of relief, holding him tight, letting his scent calm her.

"Lick it." Edward rasped, craning his neck and exposing the wound. She hesitated, aroused again, confused by her own actions. As her head moved upward toward his neck, her lips opened, the sight of his throat making venom trickle over her teeth. "Spread it over me, heal me."

Her tongue darted out in a long lick, pulling back immediately to watch. She saw the shallow film of her venom seeping into his skin, softening the bite mark. Before he could instruct her to do it again, she was licking him up and down, working her venom into every imperfection in his skin.

Even completely healed, his skin had been altered. Tracing a path across it with her finger she asked, "Permanent?"

"Yes." He was smirking, planning to make it as visible as possible, always.

She began to study her wrists, fingering her own scars. "How many?" She asked softly, knowing his mood was likely to shift.

"Six," he whispered. He kissed each of her wrists then knelt before her, kissing the inside of each of her ankles. His head moved slowly up her body parting her legs and placing a chaste kiss on her inner thigh. Then he rose and tilted her head, drawing in a long inhale before kissing her throat.

She remembered his pleas for forgiveness and felt an intense need to reassure him. Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed gently and spoke softly to him.

"I was your singer, Edward. I find something about that... Beautiful. It means I was made for you." Looking into his eyes she smiled and stroked his cheeks, before running her fingers through his hair. "There is nothing to forgive."

He thought maybe she had read his mind, as she had responded to exactly what he had been thinking. "What made you say that?"

Putting her hand on his chest, she smiled. "When I said I could feel you, I meant it." She paused, unsure of how to describe what she was experiencing. "I can feel you... like I am inside you all the time. I can sense you, feel you move, I can almost..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, his scent making her smile. "This is so intense, so overwhelming. I want to hold you, kiss you, run with you, make love to you... I need to touch you. I am a part of you."

"You are." He replied, giving a wide grin and a wink.

"Do you think it's because of my blood? Do you think this will fade? Did you feel this kind of connection with Carlisle?" Her questions came out in a rush.

His grin faltered at her expression. The thought of losing that connection frightened her. He pulled her close to him. Leaning back, he wrapped his arms around her and stroked her arms as he spoke. "No, I did not feel this way with Carlisle. I've always been close to him, but it isn't the same."

Bringing her hand to his mouth, he made lots of light kisses over her fingers. He smiled, leaning down and smelling her hair. "I love you, Isabella Swan."

"No Swan." She brought her hand to his jaw, gently running her fingers up and down.

He cocked his head to the side in question.

She smiled brightly as she looked deeply into his eyes. "Cullen. I want to be Bella Cullen."

He blinked, surprised, unsure of what she meant exactly. She wanted to be a Cullen. Did she just want the name? Did she want his last name?

"I want to try something." He whispered and she nodded.

"Don't move." He leaned in slowly, "Be very still."

She recognized his words, from her bedroom, their first kiss. She didn't listen to him then, and she wasn't about to now. She laughed before launching herself at him, relishing the fact that he didn't pull away, he reacted the way she always wanted him to, kissing her into oblivion.

He pulled away breathless, his eyes dark and intense. "Cullen?" He asked.

She swallowed and looked deep into his eyes. "Yes, Bella Cullen. Marry me, Edward."