My computer is dead and all of its dcuments lost. I'm just glad that I already had this chapter posted on another site as well so I could give it to y'all.
More Edward here. A LOT more. I know y'all were missing him ;)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, its characters, or the book Blood and Chocolate. I only thought that the latter would be much more interesting with vampires as the main characters instead of werewolves.
The guys and I were hanging out in the back garden of the Main House, where roughly half of the Coven families lived; there hadn't been a mansion for lease for all of us to live in in a town the size of Forks, hence why some of us had formed into our smaller groups in smaller homes throughout the town.
There was a total of twenty-seven vampires in our Coven at the moment, and though only thirteen were officially residents of the Main House, it was still a popular place for the majority of us to spend our time. Considering how there weren't many being like us in the world, we tended to stick together in our spare time, and without having the ability to sleep, nights were tediously boring if we had to spend them by ourselves.
So it was on this Saturday night that I was hanging out with the other guys my age—or at least the other guys who had bodies the same age as mine, rather than the same number of years on this earth. We did as we usually did on night such as this: hunted local wildlife to tide us over until an out of town trip was possible, wrestled each other around on the grass, played a few hands of poker, and engaged in average teenage debauchery.
Nothing too terrible, of course, but honestly... who wouldn't experiment some when one lives an unchanging life such as ours?
We had been imbibing alcohol for the past hour and a half, and I was sitting on James' lap as we all played a couple rounds of 21. I purposely pressed myself into him each time I leaned forward on the table, loving this bit of power I felt over controlling his reactions as I was. His dick was pushing back insistently against me by the third round, and his hands splayed out on my spread thighs by the fifth.
By the ninth round I had been turned around in his lap and he was rocking us back and forth into each other while he tried to multitask and still play the game because I enjoyed seeing him have to work so hard to concentrate on his hand as we were rubbing up against each other. It was very entertaining.
The eleventh round began and one of James' hands was playing idly at the base of my neck, lightly caressing the curve of my throat as if he thought he was being sly about what he was working up the courage to ask me to do. As if I'd really let him drink from me. I rolled my eyes.
His other hand was underneath my skirt and oh-so-close to my naughty bits, rubbing firmly just below the curve where my thigh met my pelvis. I never wore underwear because I wasn't a human and saw no point in doing so, and this fact was at the front of my mind as James let his hand travel another millimeter up my thigh. He was very close to discovering this little fact about me.
I rarely sunk down to the level of enjoying my less carnal desires, but I hadn't had sex in a couple of years... I was beginning to think that perhaps it was time to give in to that particular urge once more when the poker table was suddenly upended. James' hand went to my waist to hold me steady as I turned around wildly, trying to find the source of the disruption.
It was Edward, breathing heavily, though it couldn't have possibly taken him any effort to throw the card table as he did. As vampires we were much stronger than that.
I raised an eyebrow in silent question, wondering who it could be that he was going to throw a fit at this time, and what little infraction it could be about.
"You..." he began in a shockingly violent voice, glaring past me at James.
Ah, James. He was a popular target for Edward's sudden rages.
"You made an agreement with Carlisle. You would drive our Coven members to and from the school, making sure they were safe at all times. You were given this responsibility, and you have not been fulfilling your duties," he accused, murder in his gaze.
I just rolled my eyes at his theatrics. Not only was it a frequent occurance for him to attack James, but also me, even if he never officially directed his words at me.
But Carlisle had already said it was alright that the Chief offered to drive me home. He actually encouraged it, knowing that it would help make us look like a normal grouping of humans if we weren't always so dependent on each other, interacting with others as well. And he'd always said that I was such a good little actress for others that I could even fool myself if I wanted to.
"So?" James replied to Edward's accusations, keeping his grip tight on me like a coward. It was common knowledge that Edward always went out of his way to avoid me at all costs, so if I continued to sit on his lap, Edward wouldn't try to pull James into a physical fight. I wanted to roll my eyes again.
Edward growled deeply in response before answering. "So, why the hell would you put another member in danger like that? What were you thinking?" he hollered, and we could all hear nearby animals scattering frantically in the trees.
"Dude, Carlisle himself said it was alright," Emmett put in, pulling Edward back a couple of steps. Emmett was one of the few people who Edward treated with any semblance of respect—something that I found surprising when I learned that he had sired Emmett a few decades before me. Perhaps he only hated his female victims.
Edward took a deep breath as if oxygen could help steady his temper before he spoke from between clenched teeth. "I'm not talking about Carlisle. I'm talking about his own personal lack of responsibility and reasonable judgment when he stopped caring and failed to protect one of his own! If it was my job to-"
"But it isn't your job, is it?" James challenged with a cocky grin on his face, taunting his opponent. I was severely irritated because he would never have said or done such if I weren't situated on his lap still. "And this isn't your Coven either, no matter what you may think."
"Perhaps," he spat in such a vicious snarl that even I flinched slightly. "But I know of your plans for Carnival as well, James, and if you're thinking about staking a claim on that one-" he said, gesturing towards me and actually acknowledging my presence for the first time, "then you've got another thing coming."
I ignored what was obviously a slight on me and turned to look at James. "You plans for Carnival?" I questioned him, and he snapped his gaze over to my disapproving face, not answering.
"He wants to inherit the Leadership," Edward explained, shocking everyone present by directly addressing me. My mouth dropped open as I looked at him, and he actually met my gaze, fire in his eyes. "He won't win. I won't let him. And therefore he has no need to try to seduce you before the event."
I hissed at him. How dare he talk about seducing me. At least James was my friend and actually spoke to me on a regular basis.
But I still stood up from James' lap in case there was any truth in the statement. No one was stupid enough to attempt to become his mate when Victoria was waiting on the sidelines. Sex, sure, but no commitment. She was the most vindictive vampire I'd ever met, and that was certainly saying something when I had stood in front of the whole of the Volturi in my time.
And I could never be friendly to someone who had plans to usurp Carlisle's seat of power.
James put his hands in his lap when I stood, trying to hide the hard on he still had. Edward growled and actually grabbed my arm, pulling me farther away from the asshole in the chair before he lunged, knocking James out of his seat as they grappled on the ground, hisses and snarls coming from their position on the grass.
I sighed and rubbed my arm where he had briefly held it. It was much too strange, him talking to me and looking at me and touching me after all these years of nothing.
I looked over at Garrett and Emmett, both watching the fight in amusement. I squeezed my way in between the two of them and wrapped an arm around each of their backs, one lean and tight, and the other broad and muscular. What kind of female would I be if I didn't like being in that position?
"Are we taking bets?" I asked with a grin.
"Hundred on Edward," Emmett immediately offered. "He's got a better motivation."
I rolled my eyes; he always seemed be be aggressively motivated by something, after all.
"You're on," Garrett agreed. "Who are you putting your money on, Bella?"
"Hm..." I thought, a grin spreading on my face.
Matching ones spread on their faces as well as the caught on to what I was thinking. They both took out their wallets, preparing for the inevitable.
"Me," I said cheekily as they shook their heads with small smiles and I jumped into the tumbling mess on the floor, trying to pull the two men away from each other.
They both continued their fight for a few seconds, trying to get shots in at each other around me, and I would be lying if I said that it wasn't hot to be in the middle of two sexy men as they battled it out. But I had a bet to win, and that meant I had to break it up. I finally just put a hand on both of their chests, pushing them away from each other several feet.
"Are we done now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow to them each in turn.
Edward backed off to lean against the wall of the building and sulk. James righted his chair and sat back down on it, gesturing with his hand to offer the chair as a seat for me again, but I didn't accept his offer. I couldn't if there was even an ounce of truth to Edward's insinuations.
But James wouldn't really be stupid enough to try to take over Carlisle's position, would he? He wasn't mature enough to competently handle all that came with Leading, and that was why it was a known fact to me that Jasper should be the one to continue the line... eventually... whenever Carlisle willingly gave up his title, not when someone tried to force it out from under him. Jasper was the one who had the smarts and leadership experience, and he had been shadowing Carlisle's steps the last couple years, after all.
Emmett and Garrett both forked their losses over to me before fixing the table and collecting the cards, returning to their game.
I sat with Garrett this time, knowing for a fact that he wasn't planning to overthrow Carlisle's reign. Carlisle was like a father to him, just as he was to me.
And Edward still stood in the shadows, still watching and glaring.
I began my little game anew with Garrett as a new game of Texas Hold 'Em commenced.
I started with casually rubbing against Garrett, then being a little more obvious, then blatantly pressing into his crotch. He simply chuckled and held onto my hips as I felt him react. That was exactly why I liked Garrett. I could tease and hit on him all I wanted, and he wouldn't instigate any further activities. He was saving himself for the one he wanted to be his mate.
So I continued with my little lap dance as we played the card game as a team, deciding which cards to keep and which to be rid of, giggled when his hips involuntarily thrust up after I accidentally touched his erection while pulling at my skirt so I wouldn't flash everybody... And it truly was an accident. Even I wouldn't tease Garrett that much.
Our little immature moment obviously earned Edward's disapproval, as he growled loudly from his spot on the wall. I turned to glare at him for being a prude.
He only growled louder, his eyes reflecting blindingly into mine in the moonlight.
"God, Bella, why don't you just go fuck him so he'll leave us alone?" Emmett declared suddenly, jerking his head over to Edward, who hissed in response.
I raised an eyebrow at his idea of solving Edward's attitude problem, but he just smirked at me in response. I turned my head back over to Edward, this time really studying him. There was a definite bulge in his jeans, and his eyes that burned into mine so brightly just a moment before held a manic quality that I recognized from many years before.
I wanted to both tease him mercilessly and rip his head off for having those thoughts about me. He had me, and had the opportunity for so much more of me... until he decided to completely ignore me for one hundred and twenty years. I was better than how he treated me.
So I hissed back at his arousal, growling threateningly until he disappeared back into the house.
"Aw, don't leave him hanging like your human," Emmett taunted, pulling my gaze from the now unoccupied wall. I glared at him. "What? Renee told me how you flirted with the poor boy all through your dinner with him last night, and then didn't even say goodnight to him before you left... Poor boy. You're gonna break his heart."
I rolled my eyes at his gleeful tone. He loved it whenever a vampire found a human pet to play with; for some reason, the idea entertained him immensely. I personally just thought that his was a sadist when it came to inferior humans. I suppose we all were, in a way, considering how we hunted them and basked in their fear and horror for survival.
"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked him dismissively. I had no apologies for my actions the evening before. Jacob enjoyed this little game just as much as I did, so it was no harm done to him or anyone else.
"It has to do with it because you've given our poor Eddie boy one hell of a hard on from watching your lap dances with other men this evening, and you don't even have the decency to flash him your tits to whack off with? Not very accommodating of you," he mocked.
I snarled as viciously as I could at him at the same moment that a lamp hit his head from an open third story window. I supposed it was a safe wager that the window belonged to Edward's room.
Emmett merely chuckled, dusting broken shards from his hair.
"Edward already has such visuals if so chooses to remember," I sniffed out dismissively. The story of the circumstances of my change weren't a secret, after all. Hissing could be heard from up high at my comment and I was almost offended at his attitude.
"Yeah, but it's an old memory, Bella. I'll tell you what. I will buy you a new car and offer my unlimited assistance in that little game you're playing with your human if you go up and flash Edward right now," Emmett smirked, and a rain of items flew down from the window to smash into him. Shoes, books, drawers, end tables... you name it.
And I thought about it. How much did I hate Edward? Not enough to give up Emmett's help. He was always so much fun to play with, and his enthusiasm for messing with human minds knew no bounds.
So I counted the windows to Edward's room and flew up the stairs before I could change my mind.
Edward was still hurling the entire contents of his bedroom out the window at an amused Emmett and therefore didn't take notice of my presence until I was beside him, closing his window and curtains. I didn't want an even larger audience for this, after all.
"Bella," he acknowledged coldly when he realized I was next to him, backing away from me several paces.
"Edward," I replied in the same tone.
"I feel I have the duty to warn you that if you show me your breasts, I won't want to let you leave the room so easily after the fact."
"Fuck you," I replied casually, pulling my shirt over my head and unclasping my bra. I was thankful I chose to wear the one that hooked together in the front on that evening.
I stood there half naked for exactly five seconds, letting Edward get his fill in before I pulled the front of the bra back together, securing the material again.
And then Edward was right in front of me, his hand reaching forward. I wanted to slap him. He pulled the material of my bra down slightly on one side, gazing carefully at the bare skin there. It took me a moment to realize he was looking at the scar from where he had bitten me the night we met, so I slapped his hand away, readjusting the cloth back in place.
He glared at me in return—obviously not liking the fact that he wasn't in control—and grabbed my neck, forcing it to the side and sweeping my hair out of his way so he could look at the scar that he knew would be there, too. Vampire bites were the only marks that would forever stay branded on our bodies from before our change. No other scars would remain, and none could be acquired after, even through another bite.
I growled at his audacity, but he didn't loosen his hold on my throat as he stared at the mark there for a long moment.
Then he let go, practically throwing me back into the wall in his sudden release.
"You may go now," he said condescendingly, and I hissed at him. I didn't like being told what to do, even though he scared me slightly. I stayed exactly where I was, simply because I knew he didn't want me there.
He raised an eyebrow at my blatant defiance.
"I will not be bossed around and controlled, especially by the likes of you," I told him honestly, to which he glared in return.
"If you hate me so much, then why don't you go and leave me in peace?" he growled.
"Because you hate having me here and I love making you miserable," I answered with as bright a smile as I could muster.
"Consider my words now as your warning for what will happen if you stay in my room as you are."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh? And what will happen if I force you to continue enduring my company?"
"Something I will not regret."
I scoffed, though his words made me nervous.
And then he lunged for my throat.
My pulse quickened and I prepared myself for the feel of his teeth tearing into my skin, but they never bit down. Instead... he was kissing me.
"Oh, gross!" I cried out in a panic, trying to pull away from him.
"I warned you of the consequences for your actions," he mumbled against my neck as he held me tightly to him, his hands attempting to explore the bare expanse of my back.
"Whatever," I said, managing to push him away. "Ew. Gross. That is most definitely never going to happen again," I added, bending over to pick up my fallen shirt.
He was staring at my ass as I stood back up.
"Gross..." I whispered again to myself, backing out of the room with the shirt pressed against my skin to cover as much as possible.
He merely smirked lazily at me in return.
I hadn't the faintest idea that the seemingly innocuous dare from Emmett would have awakened the sleeping monster within, and how such a thing could change every aspect of my life.
No, I did not officially edit this chapter because I'm lazy, but I don't think there's any glaring mistakes. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about that.
So... Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Feel free to leave me a review.
Much Love,
MuffN
