Chapter 4

She started the very next day. As soon as she sat down to eat the eggs I made her, she tried to broach the subject.

"Um, Edward? I was wondering...if today...we could try, you know...um..."

How cute, she couldn't even say it. "Oh, you mean the snorkeling?"

Confusion crossed her features. "What?"

"I promised to take you snorkeling. Don't tell me you forgot."

"Well, no, but-"

"Then it's settled. As soon as you're finished, you can put on one of your cute swimsuits and we'll explore the ocean floor around the island." I leaned back in my chair and folded my hands behind my head. It was so amusing when she got flustered, and it was so easy to fluster her; it never got any less fun for me, either.

The next day she confronted me wearing a modest little satin nightie; it was a "subtle" hint that she didn't want to go snorkeling. So we didn't.

"You are not wearing that to go spelunking, dear," I said as soon as she entered the room.

"Spe-what?" she asked, confused again.

"Spelunking-you know, cave exploring. There are tidal caves all over this island, and I want to take you to see as many as we can. I want you to have fun, my angel." She blushed when I called her that, and quickly acquiesced to that day's plans for adventure.

Bella began choosing more risque items. To the leopard-print spaghetti string slip I said, "You'll need to wear something more durable than that to go hiking in the jungle."

"Oh, ok," she muttered, immediately crestfallen.

To the red silk second-skin (which I secretly approved of) I said, "That is hardly appropriate attire for spending several hours out in the sun."

She sighed and rolled her eyes before going back into the room to change again.

For the next several days, I made sure Bella's days were filled with physically exhausting entertainment. We snorkeled in the ocean, explored the small jungle that ringed the rocky little peak, visited the parrots that lived in the canopy on the south end of the island, watched the sunset from the rocky western cove, swam with the porpoises that played in the warm, shallow waters there. Or at least, she did; when I was in the water, the porpoises disappeared as if a shark was near; they're smart like that. Based on that, I'll let you draw conclusions about Bella's intelligence on your own.

She became more and more frustrated each time I rebuffed her advances. She knew what was going on, and I never tried to hide or deny it. I was trying to keep her busy, distracted, and physically engaged, so she that wouldn't continue badgering me about having sex. If she tried to talk me into taking it easy with one of the million DVDs under the big-screen plasma TV, I would lure her out of the house with enticing phrases like coral reefs and submerged caves and sea turtles.

She drooped over her dinner every night; once she actually fell asleep right at the table and I'd had to carry her to bed. The idea was that she would be so worn out and hungry by the end of the day that she snarfed down almost enough for two people. Then, full and worn out, she could barely keep her eyes open. All part of the plan.

I had to give her props for persistence. In spite all my discouragement, she didn't give up. She tried reasoning, pleading, and grouching, but all to no avail, because I was as determined as she was. Besides, she was usually unconscious before she could really press her case far. That didn't stop her from playing in her dreams, though. They were vivid and imaginative. Who knew such a saucy wench lived inside that girl?

In the beginning, I would "check in" on Bella to see what she had decided to wear that day; eventually I didn't even peek; I wanted to see what she would be wearing when she graced my presence this time. She walked in, and her choice for one night was killer. It was black, lacy, and there wasn't enough to it to call it a garment. She flushed a little when she saw the effect her lingerie had on me this time: my eyes widened a bit and I couldn't help but look at least a little bit appreciative.

"What do you think?" she asked, pirouetting so that I could see every angle.

I cleared my throat and said a bit condescendingly, "You look beautiful. You always do."

"Thanks," she said a bit sourly.

Still, she climbed quickly into the soft bed. I put my arms around her as she snuggled against my chest, but this was routine, and it was boring her almost to tears.

"Edward?" she said after a few minutes.

"Hm?"

"I decided I want to be human a little while longer."

I pushed back a little to look her in the eye. "What? First you're all about becoming a vampire ASAP, now suddenly you want to wait? Why?"

"Well, I have a reason to be human that I didn't have before."

"What's that?"

"Guess," she said, and dragged herself off the pillows to kiss me.

I kissed back, but not in an encouraging way. I gently pulled her away after a moment and cradled her against my chest.

"You are so human, Bella. Ruled by your hormones," I smirked.

"That's the whole point, Edward. I like this part of being human. I don't want to give it up yet. I don't want to wait through years of being a blood-crazed newborn for some part of this to come back to me."

She yawned.

"You're tired. Sleep, love." I started humming the lullaby I'd composed for her; the one she still didn't know the lyrics to.

"I wonder why I'm so tired," she muttered sarcastically. "That couldn't be part of your scheme or anything." She sighed. "For as tired as I've been, you'd think I'd sleep better."

I stopped humming. "You've been sleeping like the dead, Bella. You haven't said a word in your sleep since we got here. If it weren't for the snoring, I'd worry you were slipping into a coma."

"I haven't been tossing? That's weird. Usually I'm all over the bed when I'm having dreams."

"You've been having dreams?"

"Vivid ones. They make me so tired." She yawned again. "I can't believe I haven't been babbling about them all night."

"What are they about?"

"They're not bad. So… colorful. Underwater, with the fish and the coral. It all seems like it's really happening-I don't know that I'm dreaming. Maybe this island is the problem. It's really bright here."

"Do you want to go home?"

"No. No, not yet. Can't we stay awhile longer?"

"We can stay as long as you want, Bella," I promised.

Later, she awoke in the dark with a shock. She had been having another erotic dream; so very real… so vivid, so sensory.… she gasped aloud, now, disoriented by the dark room. I didn't think she even realized she had her hand pressed between her legs while she was asleep.

"Bella?" I whispered, arms around her, shaking her gently. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

"Oh," she murmured. Just a dream. Not real, she thought. To my utter astonishment, tears flowed from her eyes without warning, running down her cheeks.

"Bella!" I said-louder, alarmed now. That's not normal, is it? "What's wrong?" I wiped the tears from her cheeks, but others followed.

"It was only a dream." Her voice broke into a sob. I couldn't believe it. She was crying because she wanted so badly for the dream to be real. She was crying.

"It's okay, love, you're fine. I'm here," I said reassuringly. "Did you have a nightmare? It wasn't real, it wasn't real."

"Not a nightmare." She shook her head, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "It was a good dream." Her voice broke again.

"Then why are you crying?" I asked, playing along.

"Because I woke up," she wailed, wrapping her arms around my neck in a choke hold and sobbing into my throat.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have now crossed the threshold into crazy about sex. NOW we can let the fun begin!

"Everything's all right, Bella. Take deep breaths."

"It was so real," she cried. "I wanted it to be real."

"Tell me about it," I said. "Maybe that will help."

"We were on the beach. . . ." she trailed off, pulling back to look with tear-filled eyes at my face in the darkness. She stared at me broodingly trying to think of how to say it.

"And?" I finally prompted.

She blinked tears out of her eyes, torn. "Oh, Edward . . ."

"Tell me, Bella," I prompted.

She didn't speak, instead clutching her arms around my neck again and locking her mouth with mine feverishly. It wasn't just desire-it was need, acute to the point of pain. She pulled back and looked entreatingly into my eyes. "Please," she begged, her voice a mere whisper in the dark. "Please, Edward?"

By now I was curious to see what she would do, just how bold she could be, after all those dreams and this period of abstinence. I pulled her back to me, nearly crushing her lips with my own.

Except for the initial opening, I let Bella take the lead this time. It's not that I was being magnanimous; I just thought if she went at her own pace, she would be less likely to go into shock and faint on me again. Once was damaging enough to my ego. She was very slow, hesitant, and asked me about every five seconds if she was doing it right. I eventually discovered that the more she thought I was enjoying it, the more she cut loose and just enjoyed herself. Even later, she declared that the cowgirl position was fun, and she wanted to do it again. I was happy to oblige, of course.

"How much longer can we stay?" she asked as she ate breakfast the next morning.

"We're fine on time. A few more weeks, if you want. And then we can visit Charlie before we go to New Hampshire. We could spend Christmas with Renée. . . ."

"A few weeks," she agreed. And then she added hopefully, "So I was thinking-you know how they say practice makes perfect?"

I laughed. "Can you hold on to that thought? I hear a boat. The cleaning crew must be here. Let me explain the mess in the white room to Gustavo, and then we can go out. There's a place in the jungle on the south—"

"I don't want to go out. I am not hiking all over the island today. I want to stay here and watch a movie."

I pursed my lips, trying not to laugh at her disgruntled tone. "All right, whatever you'd like. Why don't you pick one out while I get the door?"

"I didn't hear a knock."

A second later, a faint, timid rap on the door sounded. I grinned and turned for the hallway. I met the two Brazilians, a man and woman, at the door, and led them to the feather-covered room, briefly introducing Bella as we passed the kitchen. The man just nodded at Bella and walked by. The woman stared, shocked and angry and fearful, when she saw Bella sitting there.

As I hurried them past the kitchen, she started talking furiously about how I could do what I wished here with others of my kind, but she would not allow me to defile this young girl.

"Yeah?" I replied in Portuguese. "What are you going to do about it? Tell her? She only speaks English."

"I will find some way to tell her what kind of monster you are."

I leaned down so I was eye-to-eye with her. "I would strongly advise against that. Wouldn't want anything to happen to your daughter; or her daughter, would you?"

Her eyes widened, then hardened. She turned away, and I knew I wouldn't have any trouble on that front.

I walked back to the kitchen alone and wrapped my arms around Bella.

"What's with her?" she asked.

"Kaure's part Ticuna Indian," I said flippantly. "She was raised to be more superstitious than those who live in the modern world. She suspects what I am, or close enough. They have their own legends here. The Libishomen—a blood-drinking demon who preys exclusively on beautiful women." She blushed and smiled when I said that last bit-I knew appealing to her flattery would distract her.

We watched a movie while the housekeepers did their work. Bella dozed off about halfway through, but awoke when I returned from seeing them off.

"They're finished," I said.

"So that would mean that we're alone now?"

"How about lunch first?" I suggested.

She bit her lip, torn by the dilemma. She was pretty hungry, evidenced by her stomach growling.

"This is getting out of hand," she complained after finishing off her dinner that evening, indicating just how much she was eating lately.

"Do you want to swim with the dolphins this afternoon-burn off the calories?" I asked.

"Maybe later. I had another idea for burning calories."

"And what was that?"

"Well, there's an awful lot of beds left—"

But I didn't let her finish. I swept her up into my arms, and silenced her with a kiss as I carried her with inhuman speed to the blue room.

"No more, please, no more..." muttered my most recent "snack." We had been out there two weeks now, and it was definitely time for me to go hunting. I was able to procure some animal blood to quench my thirst and give my eyes the requisite golden hue, and now I was sating a different kind of hunger. You would be amazed what whores will do for the right amount of...persuasion. She'd given me a good roll, and her blood wasn't that good-so I let this one go with nothing more than an average "donation."

I returned to Isle Esme to find Bella sick and nauseous. Soon after I arrived, I was holding her hair while she paid homage to the Porcelain God. The last thing she ate was...chicken? I'd thought she knew how to properly cook chicken by now.

"Damn rancid chicken," she moaned.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine," she panted. "It's just food poisoning. You don't need to see this. Go away."

"Not likely, Bella."

"Go away," she moaned again, struggling to get up to rinse her mouth out.

I helped her, ignoring the weak shoves she aimed at me. When she finished, I carried her to the bed and set her down carefully, supporting her with my arms.

"Food poisoning?" I murmured.

"Yeah," she croaked. "I made some chicken last night. It tasted off, so I threw it out. But I ate a few bites first."

I put my hand on her forehead. "How do you feel now?"

She thought a moment. "Pretty normal. A little hungry, actually."

I made her wait an hour and keep down a big glass of water before I fried some eggs. I felt perfectly normal, just a little tired from being up in the middle of the night. I turned on the TV to a random channel-it turned out to be CNN-and went to cuddle Bella. Not ten minutes in another attack hit, she covered her mouth, and raced to the kitchen sink (the bathroom was too far away).

I held her hair again.

"Maybe we should go back to Rio, see a doctor," I suggested.

She shook her head and edged toward the hallway. She didn't want to go because she was terrified of needles? Ok, well, we'll just wait until you collapse from dehydration, then? "I'll be fine right after I brush my teeth." Yeah, because that's an old folk remedy to treat nausea.

She ran to the first aid kit Alice had packed to look for some antacids or Pepto or something. She found something else instead. When I met her in the bedroom, she held a pregnancy test kit in her hands. She looked up at me, a little bit stunned. "My period is late; and Alice packed me a pregnancy test...I don't think I have food poisoning."

Suddenly, she dropped her hand to her stomach. "Oh!" she squeaked. She lurched to her feet, yanked the blue fabric of her camisole out of the way and stared at her stomach. "Impossible," she whispered.

A small but defined bump was sticking out between her hips. She twisted back and forth, examining it from every angle, as if it would disappear in exactly the right light. She ran her fingers over the subtle bulge, apparently surprised by it felt.

"Impossible," she said again, and I silently echoed her sentiment. Because, bulge or no bulge, period or no period, there was no way she could be pregnant. The only person she'd ever had sex with was me, for crying out loud; I could read her mind; I knew.

And then I remembered something-a scavenger hunt with Jasper into Carlisle's secret lab. A shelf lined with jars, each with increasingly larger fetuses inside them. Several specimens had skin with a silvery sheen. They weren't human.

Ring! Ring! Ring! My phone suddenly went off. I gave myself three guesses to who it was, and decided that the first two didn't count, I was that sure of who was on the line.

"Edward!" Alice chirped. "How are you two, way out there in your little love nest?"

"Oh, we're just fine, Alice, I'm fine, Bella's fine, everybody's fine. Say, could you put Carlisle on the phone for me?" I gave Bella a reassuring look before leaving the room; I didn't want her to hear the exchange to follow.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Carlisle."

"Edward! Great to hear from you. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Carlisle?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"What. The. FUCK?"

You know by now that I don't shy away from fairly heavy sex (there was that chapter in New Moon...) and I really did want to actually write out how they might have sex, but there's not enough to Bella to give me how she would act/react, and she was never MY self-insert; I've never wanted sex with Edward, so all I could do was write vague general statements about the atmosphere. Sorry to all those who were anticipating it. Still more than Smeyer provided, though.