Author's note: Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters etc, just a love to tinker with them.

Next step

Part 1 – Edward POV - Chapter 2

"Eh… No?" she replied hesitantly.

I took a few minutes to explain the basics, and specifics, of the Volturi and vampire law to her. At first my only concern was that she might take that as an invitation to bring them down on me and my family, but as I finished she was huddled in a small heap on the floor, crying heart wrenching tearless sobs. Without a thought I was right there with her and wound my arms around her small frame.

"Why are you crying?" I asked desperately as I rocked her gently on the floor.

"What if they…" she began after a while, but renewed sobbing prevented her from continuing at first. "What if they find out what you did to me and come after you?" she finally choked out.

At first I could not really fathom what she meant, then realization hit. I sat up straight and ran both my hands thru my hair in desperation. I had obviously violated the law by not only exposing myself to a surviving victim but also by leaving the scene of an obvious vampire attack without destroying the evidence. I had furthermore created a vampire, albeit unintentionally and then just left her. The thought sent enough shivers down my spine that I barely noticed that she continued speaking.

"I don't want to lose you now that I've found you again," she said softly. "Or your family. They all seem so nice…"

Her whispered remarks warmed me with the obvious concern for my family and then my mind stopped short. She did not want to lose me either. Me? Did I really matter to her? She mattered a great deal to me, actually to the point where I would never want to be separated from her ever again. How could that be? It was little more than twelve hours since I had found out she still existed and now I just could not let go of her. The fact that we were still sitting next to each others on the floor was not lost on any part of me.

"They might never find out…" I tried to comfort her. "After all they live in Italy and Carlisle is an old friend of them so they will probably look at the outcome rather than the origin of it."

"And what is the outcome?" she whispered as she moved a bit closer again, most likely feeling her effect on me.

"I'm not sure yet but it's been quite a night," I told her as I kept looking into her eyes.

"I think I've had enough information for one night…" she settled with a smile and leaned closer.

I wished again that I could read her mind and know how she felt about me. She claimed she did not hate me but could she be even close to the feelings I suddenly felt for her? She leaned closer still and took a deep breath as if to inhale my scent. I took one too. I tried to steady myself as her scent hit me and ripped thru my body like wildfire. She briefly closed her eyes before locking them back to mine and then she leaned in and softly kissed my lips. I was officially in heaven as my body finally kicked my brain into submission and I did what it had subconsciously wanted all along. I returned the kiss and let my hands caress her face and wind themselves into her hair. Before I had fully grasped that I was touching her, she straddled me and I could feel her press herself against my painfully hard cock. The scent of her arousal made it hard to focus on what could be proper behavior so soon after our re-acquaintance so I simply held her close to me. For every kiss we shared I felt more and more that we were meant to be together. At every place our bodies touched white hot fires spread throughout my body until I felt completely on fire, in a very good way mind you. I looked into her eyes that by now had turned into smoldering dark pools of pure lust and saw my own equally dark ones reflected back. Slowly I placed my hand on the small of her back and let my hand move up under her shirt while her moans spurred me on. With a swift movement she lifted us both from the floor and carried me upstairs to her bedroom where we could explore each other more comfortably.