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"ARE THERE ANY PARENTS PRESENT?" Holly's voice called through the house as she twirled out her coat, hitting me with a wave of what had now become one of my favourite smells.

Bella's scent made my mouth fill with venom and a magnetic pull in my chest to spark up, but Holly's sent fire through my veins, turning me from a cold hard statue to a red blooded man. Each had their allure but each was also so different.

When I had asked to meet Holly's parents I had wondered if she accepted out of actual pleasure or just to be polite. But as we neared her house my doubts washed away when she hit me with a mega watt smile and opened the door.

I shut the door behind me, it only had one lock on it and that could probably easily be opened from the outside. I'd have to see I could persuade her parents to change it.

Her mother greeted her from the kitchen and I chuckled as I saw Holly's mouth drop at the mention of fish. I had smelt it when we came in, the pungent smell of smoked cod.

Holly looked mortified, and I couldn't help the chuckle that came out. I covered it by pretending to clear my throat.

"Fish, yum." I tried my best to keep a straight face but the horror and embarrassment in her eyes made it near on impossible.

Her eyes flashed with anger and her rosy lips formed a smirk.

"Be careful there, Eddie, I might get her to serve you up some of that smelly goodness."

I felt my face drop and run cold at the thought of having to eat the repugnant food that caused the hallway to smell of old socks, and something similar to dirty seawater. I had barely registered the use of my awful nickname. I say barely, it still caused me to tense a little.

She spun and caught hold of my jacket pulling me towards that foul smell. I could have stopped her, but from the strength she was using I would probably have ended up with a ripped shirt.

As we entered the kitchen the first thing I noted was the bright colours that splashed across the walls. Yellow beamed at you brightening your day just by looking at it. Next I caught sight of her mother. Chesnutt brown hair fell to her shoulders nearly poker straight. She smelt like cherry brandy and vanilla cream so warm and comforting. I could see where Holly got her fire from, the brandy scent warmed through you.

Get ready to meet the parents, oh and if the fish bothers you that much just stop breathing.

I hadn't realised, but my face was twisted into a grimace at the smell. I quickly straightened out my features and placed a slight smile on my face. Ready to meet the mother.

"Mum, this is Edward." Holly called and her mother body turned to see us standing in the door way. Her skin wasn't fair like Holly's but instead still held a tan from time in the sun. Her eyes were slate blue with almost indigo rims. She wasn't exactly like Holly, but I could see some of her mirrored through her.

I watched with amusement as she took me in. It was the same reaction I always got, except for my first encounter with Holly. I had never been met with a scowl before.

Oh wow, look at that face. Holly, honey you've certainly done well here. Look at him. he's perfect. Shut up, Sandra, you're a married woman and he's your daughter's boyfriend. What kind of mother are you?

I would have to warn Holly about the Spanish inquisition her mother was going to hold later.

"Um hi, Edward, I'm Sandra." She stuttered a little, and I smiled. I could see the disgust registered on Holly's face at her mother's actions.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs Jules, sorry to interrupt. It smells delicious." I used up the rest of my air and stood silently pleading to leave the room to clear my lungs.

Liar

I smiled at Holly's thought. Her mother was still looking at me but her thoughts had become muffled. Was it a trait of all humans here? Holly's thoughts were almost completely blocked, and yet I could clearly hear her mother's and sister's. Her sisters a little more than I had hoped. That first encounter had been a little awkward. Her mother did seem to have better control over her thoughts, just as Holly did. Perhaps it was genetic?

"Well your dad's just next door on that golf Wii game again if you want to say hi." I almost ran for the door and was grateful when Holly shut it firmly behind her.

I could see her biting her bottom lip, as she walked a little slower to the next room. Was she nervous?

I took in the hallway before she opened the door. The staircase spiralled round in a large square up to the next floor. A stain glass window filled with intricate and colour glass stretched the length from the first landing to the next floor. I could image the colours that would dance on the opposite wall when the sun shone in.

Holly took a look behind her as she opened the door, revealing a man doing some kind of dance in front of the TV screen.

His honey brown hair was pepper with grey hairs. He wasn't especially tall, in fact I was probably above him by a few inches. I waited for him to turn round but he seemed absorbed in his game.

"Hey dad how's the game going." Holly's voice finally caught his attention and he spun round.

His eyes matched Holly's almost perfectly; they had the same twinkle in them. His face was lined from laughter and as he smiled at his daughter I saw where Holly got her smiles, fun, jokes. Those little quirks that made her such a happy person to be around.

"It's going gooood, and who's this then?"

He sized me up, puffing out his chest a little.

He better not hurt her. Not my holly-berry. Why does she have to talk to boys? Especially boys like him. Why is he here? What does he want with my little girl? I'm not letting him think he can just waltz in here and steal her heart.

The fierce protective nature shone through only in his thoughts, his face showed no sign of his worry. I liked this man, her wouldn't let any harm come to Holly. He might have appeared to be a joker, but I knew when the time came he could take a situation seriously.

"Edward, sir, it's nice to meet you." I wanted him to trust me, if he could let me be close to Holly, then I knew there would be no greater compliment.

"Well, Edward, I'm Jason, but you can call my Mr Jules. Or if you want to stick with sir I'll be more than happy with that." His face grinned, and I heard his thoughts settle.

Nice boy, Holly's done good.

"Arg! For Christ sake dad stop being such a tool. Anyway me and Edward are heading upstairs, probably to mess around maybe I'll get pregnant and make you a granddad way too young."

Holly's frustration only amused her father. He had heard every word but knew he could trust his daughter to do what's right. Him and Sandra had taught their girls well, so they had no reason to doubt them.

An unwanted image sparked in my mind. Ruffled sheets, Holly's hot mouth on mine.

"So we're going mess around are we?" The thought made my voice drip with the desire for it to become reality.

Of course Holly didn't swoon, didn't flutter her eyelashes, didn't even hitch a breath.

"Well what we're going to do will include a bed but friends don't mess around. It's the rule." The filth in my mind was replaced with the word friend coming from Holly's lips. I was her friend; I had a friend someone to talk to other than my family.

I stretched out on her bed luxuriating in her perfume that drifted off the covers. She was bent over a music player deciding what would be the background song to our last few hours together.

As I drowned in pure Holly, I heard her choice play out. It was another unknown artist to me. The sound was a mix of synth. The singer's voice was breathy and let the lyrics flow effortlessly through the tune.

I wanna explode
Watch me, I'm a lucky girl

I tried to ignore the lyrics. They just added to the heat her scent had already ignited.

See I, I like you
So won't you pay
if you wanna go down

I shifted on the bed as Holly slowly swayed her hips to the music, looking through her music selection.

I wanted to run my hands along those hips.

I wanna touch you, slowly
I'm a lonely girl
Come on you want to

Did she choose this on purpose? Was this all just part of her plan, to have me seduced beyond help. Every lyric pushed my buttons, each movement she made had my immediate attention. I needed to stop. I needed something to talk about to take my mind of this feeling inside me.

Holly turned and flopped onto the bed. It was too much, to have her this close in this state of mind.

I got up to look through her music selection on the computer. Her first song choice was nearing an end and I inwardly sighed in relief.

"You have very interesting music taste. Seems to have a big range, I mean how can you like Lady Gaga, whoever that is, and Debussy? The 2 sound like polar opposites." I scrolled through the thousands of song titles. I couldn't see a pattern, or any specific music taste. It was so varied.

I chose a song to play as the title caught my attention. This time the jazz sounds of 'Feeling Good' played out. It eased my mood though nothing could fully erase it. Not as long as Holly sat in this room.

I turned to Holly has she gave me her answer. Her posture was straight full of confidence.

"Well excuse me, but I prefer to keep an open mind to the creative creations of modern days musicians whilst also embracing the classical works."

I hadn't expected such a long answer. Most people would just say 'just do' or some other short phrase.

A glint entered her eye, there was more.

"Plus sometimes I just like to shake it."

I couldn't hold in the laughter that flowed so easily from me. Holly Jules was full of surprises.

"Edward? Emmett wants to play GTA, you coming?" Jasper stood quietly at my door as I lay staring at the ceiling from my black leather couch.

I had only left's Holly's a few minutes ago. Around 10 at night. She'd kicked me out so she could get some sleep.

I looked at Jasper and he caught the look in my eyes. Confusion must have been pulsing out of me. I couldn't figure out what was going on with me. I hadn't told Carlisle about the effect Holly had on me. Not really, just a passing mention of something other than thirst.

I felt ashamed that I couldn't control such a basic emotion and yet I could control the monster inside of me.

What's wrong? Something happen at Holly's?

Jasper entered my room now, and I felt that maybe if I just talked to one of the guys surely they would have some idea how to cope.

I would have to keep my voice low to avoid Emmett but maybe I could keep it between just me and Jasper. I don't think I could stand the idea of Emmett having use of something like this.

"Nothing happened as such at Holly's, it's more something that continues to happen when I'm around her." I let myself flood with that strong emotion that holds me whenever I'm in Holly's presence.

Woah! Down boy! Jasper's thoughts stopped the emotion flowing through me, he chuckled but it seemed strained. I did not want to chance those emotions leaking out into the house, especially with all the girls out hunting for the night.

"I need help, every time I'm around her it's there. At least bloodlust I can tame." I felt hopeless. It wasn't that the feeling didn't thrill me but I valued what I had with Holly. And this had the opportunity to ruin it.

Just spend time with her, it might ease. Other than that I can't help much. You know what Emmett and Rosalie are like and that's after years. Lust can't always be controlled but if you had a distraction, something else to focus on, it might help.

He left me to wallow in my room whilst he and Emmett committed virtual video game crimes.

I sat in my usual place watching Bella Swan. Again.

My eyes seemed to be pulled to her. It frustrated me because other than her scent there was nothing that seemed to attract me. I hadn't had a conversation with her; I only knew vague facts about who she was. Her looks were pretty, but nothing that would necessarily pull my attention from a crowd.

I wanted to understand what it was in me that needed to be close to her even though my throat burnt to cinders and my body was tightly strung. That addiction to the mouth-watering smell, to the essence of who she was, the reason she was alive.

I needed to keep Bella Swan safe and alive but was it out of love or just that primal urge to protect what was yours. She was my singer, but did that really give me the permission to think of her as a possession to hold on to?

I knew I didn't care for her like I did Holly. My moments spent with Holly were relaxed, relatively. She made me feel alive, bringing my humanity back to me. I may not have cared for Bella as I did Holly but I cared about what happened to her, how she was treated.

That's why when she was grasped at by Mike Newton I felt a growl build in my throat.

Edward what the hell?

Rosalie's fury spiked in her thoughts. She followed my gaze with a glare of her own.

I was glad Bella was unaware of it for if looks could kill she would be sprawled on the floor cold and lifeless.

The monster roared at this idea.

I took one last glance at Bella and when she met my gaze I waited for what I thought would come next. The happiness of being noticed by her but instead I felt nothing but the usual boredom.

Heavenly

That was the first time I heard Bella Swan and the first time I knew she wasn't what Holly had thought. She wasn't my soul mate just my singer. The attachment Holly seemed to think was love wasn't love for the girl but love of the scent.

My heart sank, so close to finding the love of my life and yet so far.

Author's note: Thanks for reading

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