Lost in Mystic Creek

Chapter 4

A Vampire's Touch

Bella couldn't help but smile as she soared through the vast forest, running at in-human speed. And for once, not an off tree or twig could put her off balance, like the awful klutz she once was.

As her paradise continued to dawn on her, she glanced quickly to her left. There she saw Edward, running alongside her, but as always, slightly ahead of her. His long running strides were as graceful as hers, but without the awful unbalanced twitch she had as a beginner.

Without warning, the sun glided across the sky from the west to the east, as if she were watching a day go by fast-forwarded. With the darkness, her running strides became less graceful and more frantic, until she was thrashing and stomping through the trees as ungraceful as any human would.

Becoming panicked, she thrashed more through the trees. Shortly, her klutz origin returned as she fell to the muddy ground, felled by a mere twig.

As soon as she touched the ground, she was pulled up again like a rag doll by a freezing, almost paper-white hand.

"It's time," , the terrible leader of the infamous Voltouri, yelled maniacally. As she yelled helplessly, he slowly made his way to her bare neck, his teeth bared like a hunting lion.

But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward coming forth, yelling,

"Bella!"

---

"Bella!" Edward said gently, shaking her awake.

As she awoke from her dream--- that had quickly turned into a nightmare--- Bella was slightly disoriented. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that she and Edward had driven through the entire day, ending up at a little motel. Though it was small and in the middle of nowhere, it looked luxurious, and it's bright lights were comforting after her dream.

"Where are we?" she asked groggily.

"We're in Oregon," Edward responded. "I think we're somewhere near a town called Mystic Creek."

"I guess that's appropriate with our complicated background," Bella said, now fully awake.

"Please don't bring that up, now, Bella," Edward asked, pleadingly. As she looked at him, she noticed there were bags under his eyes, but more notice than usual. As habit, she glanced at his eyes, and noticed that they were pitch-black. The black could mean a lot of things--- more noticeably that he was in need of going hunting, to quench his desire to feed.

Edward got out of the car, shutting his door, and opening hers almost simultaneously. Hooking his arm through hers, he led her to the lobby of the hotel, as always quickly, but not impatiently.

"A room for two," Edward asked in his polite manner at the lobby desk.

As they went on to talk about the cost and other things, Bella gazed dreamingly around the lobby. It was set up to look like a cozy bed-and-breakfast, but with the odd concierge standing around, waiting for a job to appear.

"Bella?" Edward said tentatively, tugging on her arm slightly. "Our room's all set up.

Once upstairs and in the doorway of their room, the woman from the desk---who had led them up--- asked,

"Is that all?"

"Yes, thank you," Bella responded pleasantly as Edward walked into the room.

"Ok, have fun, young couple," the woman added under her breath, a smirk on her face, as she walked away.

Coming into the room, Bella saw that Edward had gotten comfortable on the bed. With open arms, he gestured for her to join him.

As she climbed onto the bed and into his arms, she wondered whether or not he felt any guilt or shame about what he had done. Luckily, his, in a way, infamous power to read minds couldn't tune into her mind.

She looked up at him, wishing she could peer into his mind quickly. She cast the thought quickly out of her head, though, feeling ashamed.

She must've look puzzled, since he smiled at her supposed distress. Then, he bent his head down, kissing her gently.

Although a small portion of her mind told her it was the wrong time to do so, she lost control, and kissed him back feverently. She brushed her fingers through his hair, desperate for him not to pull away.

Against her silent wishes, he pulled away anyways, his eyes flashing with anger as he pushed off the bed, thrashing a lamp down to the ground. In his anger, he stomped to the bathroom, and locked himself in.

Distressed once again, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, dropping her head into her hands, but only for a moment. She got up, somewhat reluctant, and walked over to the bathroom. Knocking on the door tentatively, she questioned,

"Edward?"

What she got in response was a small sound of glass breaking.

"Edward, please come out," she started again desperately. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I just didn't…"

At a loss for words, she stood there, both her hand and head pressed against the bathroom door, listening for any sort of response.

Very faintly, she heard him moving around the small bathroom. And, with a sigh of relief, she heard the lock click, with Edward coming out of the bathroom. He sighed heavily, and looked at her.

"Bella… That was very childish of me, but you know it wasn't your fault," he said quietly, a silent plead for forgiveness beyond belief shadowing his words.

"No, it was my fault…" Bella responded, even more quietly, not able to meet his eyes.

With a sigh, and one graceful gesture, he swept her off her feet, and carried her back to the bed.

"Bella, I'm so sorry… I didn't want to… you know how…" Edward babbled desperately.

She couldn't stand to see him in such a state. She knew that if he could cry, there would be tears brimming in his eyes. Gently and to the point, she said,

"You're hungry, Edward. It's been days since you've eaten. I can't blame you for that… I'm to blame…"

"Bella, you can't say that. I know I'm hungry, but that doesn't give an excuse to act that way towards you… Especially after what I did…" Edward responded quietly, looking into her eyes, looking for any emotion.

"Edward, I've already forgiven your outburst," she replied, laying her head on his cold chest. "And I could forgive you for your kidnapping scene if you would just tell me why you did it."

Without responding, he slid down from his place against the bedpost and laid his head against a pillow, bringing her with him. Once they were eye to eye, she could see that he was finally going to explain his reason for all of the desperate running.

"Let me start by telling you about all of the shame and guilt I feel for doing this. It's just…"

"Just what?" Bella asked, her eyes searching hungrily for an answering emotion in his face.

"There's just no way in this life that I could ever allow myself---or anyone for that matter--- turn you into a vampire. To me it would be like killing you right here--- it's taking your life away," Edward responded, turning away from her, as if ashamed to have admitted that.

"But it's going to happen to me anyway! The Voltouri will enforce it, and I rather it happen now than when I'm thirty!" Bella responded, spitting out the last word like it was a poison.

She got no response from him.

"Edward, please! Besides, that doesn't give me a reason to why you rushed us away from Washington and into this state!" Bella said, her anger causing her voice to rise.

"Carlisle was going to change you… he may be my father, in a way, but that doesn't give him a right to do such a thing against my will… and I couldn't let that happen, so now we're here…" Edward responded quietly, without turning to face her again.

"But it's my decision to be changed, Edward!" she screamed in frustration, but to no effect.

Noticing none of what she was saying was having a noticeable effect on him, she sat up, calming down. Once calm, she realized how much this argument must be affecting him, so she stopped any new argumentum thoughts from forming in her head. Instead, she lay back down on the bed, tapping Edward lightly on the shoulder.

He turned around slowly, looking into her eyes with such a sad expression; she couldn't help but feel terrible for all she had said.

Unable to stop herself, she sunk into his arms, placing her lips on his questioningly. He answered her by pulling her in closer, and kissing her back, in the wanting way that his vampire background forced him to.

As he pulled away, she was unwilling to stop, and pressed forward, despite his efforts to get away. Again he pushed away, and again she pressed forward.

Instead of pushing away gently again, he forced himself away roughly, and jumped off the bed. In a quiet rage, he tore at his hair, and ended up crouched in a ball on the floor, his head in his hand.

"Is this what you want to become, Bella? Some bloodthirsty monster that has to hide from the sun? Is that what you want?" Edward questioned angrily.

"Edward…" Bella said, too sorry to say anything to him.

"No, Bella. Answer my question," Edward said more forcefully, sitting close to her on the bed again. "Why would you want such a thing?"

"Like you said before, becoming a vampire would take my life away," she started after a moment of silence. "But you don't understand that by not allowing me to become a vampire like you, you're taking away my life."

Unable to think of any response suitable, he dropped his gaze, and sat quietly staring at his lap.

"That's what you have to learn Edward… you are my life," Bella said sincerely, looking into his eyes, and looking for the same passion that she had for him.

What she saw was the same passion, but masked by a stern gaze that was unwilling to allow anyone to crack the complicated code.