Chapter 4 – Calm Before the Storm
A/N: This right here is fluff with a side of fluffernut sauce, marshmallows and perhaps a very tiny, furry kitten. I figured the kids deserved a break before I throw their lives into absolute chaos, so enjoy it. They did, and I sure as heck enjoyed writing it.
Oh, also – ahead there be lemons. You've been warned.
Disclaimer: Just playing in Stephenie Meyer's backyard for a while. Twilight is all hers.
Midwinter
Bella was almost sure she was still dreaming when she felt the blankets rustle. The bed, behind her, dipped and she grew more confused, trying to drag herself awake.
"Shh, Bella," came a velvety whisper as a firm body pressed against her back. "Go back to sleep, love. It's early yet." He put an arm around her waist and buried his face against the top of her head. He inhaled deeply, taking in the floral scent of her mixed with the smells from the bakery – rising bread, sugar, flour. Delicious. Wonderful. Home.
"Edward?" she asked, her voice light as a whisper. She was still mostly asleep.
He kissed the top of her head tenderly. "I'm here."
For a minute Bella rested contently against him, snuggling back to get as close as possible. The sound and feel of his breath across her scalp was comforting. It was hardly a minute or two before his breathing evened out and he was asleep. The soft, rhythmic puffs lulled Bella back towards her dreams, but there was something that kept her from falling completely. It was a thought tickling the back of her mind, almost bubbling to the surface. If she was all the way awake it would be driving her mad, the way it hung elusively on the edge of her consciousness.
Then, all at once, she remembered and her eyes snapped open. Edward had been gone – out on assignment for nearly three weeks. It was the longest they had been separated since Bella had come to live in Forkshire. Though, in the grand scheme of things, three weeks was hardly any time at all, it had felt more like years than days. It was easily the loneliest she'd ever been. Every day she had ached for him – his touch, his voice, his constant presence. She'd had no idea that the pain of having him far away from her could hurt so physically. She hadn't known what to do to soothe the misery that had encroached on her more and more as days passed. So she simply waited.
And now he was here, wrapped around her and sleeping as if she'd only dreamed his absence. She should have known it from the moment she stirred. The ache that had plagued her was completely gone; soothed to the point she questioned if it had existed at all.
Carefully, Bella twisted in his arms so she was facing him. He was right, it was early. The daylight that filtered in through her windows was washed out; only barely illuminating his skin in soft gray and blue hues. She looked over his face carefully, recalling the ever nagging worry that had threatened to consume her on a daily basis. What if he was hurt? What if he was killed? She could barely think the words without shuddering.
His face, as always, was perfect. His breath came out in even puffs as he slept, his full lips slightly pouting. Bella couldn't help but run the tips of her fingers over his lips. He was clean shaven. His cheeks were slightly raw from being outdoors in the middle of winter, but other than that she could find nothing marring the fine features of his face.
Bella ran her fingers through his hair, realizing with some surprise that it was damp. It had grown out completely from when he had cut it for Alice's wedding. She pushed the damp strands off his neck so she could examine the skin there; still seeing with her own eyes that he was whole. As she did he let out a soft moan in his sleep and his arm around her waist tightened.
Continuing her inventory, Bella carefully pulled the blankets down to look at the rest of his body. Her eyes were drawn to a number of deep scratches on his upper arm, but she was distracted when Edward shivered in his sleep. Bella frowned and brought her hand up to stroke the skin of his arm, careful not to irritate the healing wounds. Edward's skin was icy to the touch.
Quickly, Bella pulled the blankets back up around his shoulders. Wet hair, chilled skin and a smooth face; Bella could put together the sequence of events easily in her head. It amused her almost as much as it annoyed her. She glanced around the room and saw his thick winter cloak draped over the chair in the corner. For his skin to still be so chilled, despite the cloak and despite the blanket he was currently under, he had most likely taken a bath in lukewarm or even cold water. He was clean shaven despite having been away for weeks, so she knew he had bathed. He always did when he was away for longer than a day. But he must not have been patient enough to wait for the water to warm and he'd come straight to her home afterwards.
He should, in Bella's opinion, be more careful with his health, but she couldn't exactly blame him. She knew well enough she would have done the same thing. It had really been too long of a separation.
A renewed rush went through Bella, waking her completely. Suddenly her whole body was alive. His presence in her bed was an unprecedented event. They stole nights together when they had a reasonable excuse: Charles' fishing trips or Alice's wedding for example, but they'd never spent much time in her room, let alone her bed. There was always her father to consider.
Charles' reaction to news of Edward's courtship of Bella had been interesting to say the least. To Bella he was grudgingly supportive. Edward came from a good family and was a boon to the town. Any father should be happy to have him knocking at the door. On the surface, the conversation he'd had with Edward that night was friendly, but Edward hadn't needed his mind reading abilities to read between the lines. Charles' message was loud and clear. "If the blunt end of your short sword gets anywhere near my daughter, you're a dead man."
Of course, by that time, Edward and Bella had already lain together, but that was not something they chose to share with her father. Still, being in her bed was a risk he had ever taken.
Deciding she didn't really care at that particular moment, Bella brought her hands up to his face, cupping his cheeks and using her thumbs to stroke over his eyelids with the faintest of touches. He stirred slightly, nestling closer the warmth of her skin. Bella started to press open mouthed kisses along his jaw line, puffing out slow, long breaths to warm him with her mouth.
She slid one hand down to his muscular shoulders, slipping it beneath the simple cotton shirt he wore so she could touch his skin. Her lips moved down to his neck. As she kissed him she inhaled his comforting scent. She smelled the soap first, like a mist over his usual musky, slightly sandalwood aroma. It was an intoxicating, fueling the swell of desire that washed over her. She'd never experienced anything like it anywhere else.
As she ran her nose along his neck, Edward's small moans of pleasure began to get slightly more alert. His heavy eyelids finally opened when she dropped the hand that had been lightly rubbing the warmth back into his collarbone and shoulders down to his waist. Her hand began making slow, soothing circles on his side, under his shirt.
"Bella," he mumbled as her hand continued its journey up his side, her fingertips beginning to graze the plains of his chest. "I'm sleeping," he protested, but he did nothing to stop her movements. In fact, the hand he had around her waist moved to the small of her back, pressing her even closer to him.
Bella kissed back up his jaw to his lips. "You're freezing. I'm just warming you up," she whispered against him.
"Oh," he whispered, kissing her back lazily, "Please continue. I am cold."
They were silent for many minutes save for the sound their lips moving against each other and the occasional squeak as the bed shifted beneath them.
Edward's kisses became slower until they stopped all together. Just as he was about to drift off again he felt Bella's hands beginning to tug at the ties of his cotton pants. His bleary eyes opened again as he groaned, half with pleasure, half with frustration. "I've been out storming castles. I'm exhausted Bella," he warned half heartedly. Honestly he'd rather collapse from exhaustion than have her stop. He reveled in her touch.
But he was truly very, very tired. His duties had finally been done at midday the day before. A glance at the maps of the area had shown he was half a day's ride from Forkshire. Rather than come back with the rest of his guild mates, Edward had ridden through the afternoon and most of the evening to get back to Forkshire and Bella.
Bella had begun a circuit, kissing his lips, up his cheek, the tip of his nose and back down again. Her fingers had dipped under the waistband of his pants, innocently rubbing the skin along his waist and the outside of his upper leg. "You know," she began. Even in his drowsy state Edward did not miss the mischief in her voice. "Sir Crowley has offered the warmth of his bed while you're away. He says he will be more than happy to fulfill your duties."
Edward's eyes snapped all the way open. His first thought was that he and Tyler Crowley were going to have a conversation that involved more fists than words. His second thought revolved around the victorious smirk that lit up Bella's face as she snickered at him.
With a growl of defeat Edward clutched his hand possessively in the fabric of her chemise. "You'll be the death of me, Bella. I swear you will." He kissed her almost roughly. "What does Tyler Crowley know of my duties?" he murmured against her ear.
Still breathless from his kiss, Bella scoffed. "No one but my father thinks us a chaste couple." She continued to kiss him, one hand around the back of his neck, and the other beginning to work slowly towards his inner thigh. "And speaking of my father, you know he'll kill you if he finds you here."
Edward smirked. "Actually, I'm here at your father's invitation."
Now it was Bella's turn to smirk. "You expect me to believe that?"
"What?" Edward feigned a hurt expression. "It's true. The knights, including your dear Sir Crowley," he growled the name through his teeth, "Were called away on the King's business. There's a note for you on the table. Your father was riding out as I was riding in. He was worried about you being left alone as he travelled." Edward grinned triumphantly and said the next words in a low, seductive tone right at her ear. "He requested I check in on you."
His breath in her ear sent a thrill straight down Bella's spine. She found it difficult to speak coherently as he took her earlobe in his mouth, licking gently along the edge of her ear. "Somehow… I doubt this is what he meant."
His hand had begun tugging her chemise up her side, his long fingers brushing against her cloth covered stomach. "Then he should have been clearer, shouldn't he have?"
He wrapped his arms around her as he rolled onto his back, bringing her to lie on top of him. "How do you sleep in this?" he questioned, tugging at the linen cloth bunched in his hand. "It doesn't seem very comfortable."
"Not all of us can afford silk nightgowns."
"Hmm, I'll buy you one … or 10," his voice matched the sensuous movements of his hands at her waist, slowly pulling the itchy material up her legs. "But until then it seems like it would be much more comfortable for you to wear nothing at all."
Bella rolled her eyes, sitting up and straddling him. "In the name of comfort," she said, playing along. She pulled the chemise over her head and threw it to the side of the bed. Bella felt a familiar warmth rise to her cheeks as he stared at her. It didn't matter how many times he had seen her naked body, she never got used to the look in Edward's eyes. They said, you are exquisite, you are made for me, you are perfect and you are mine.
He didn't say these things out loud. He didn't need to. Instead he only whispered, "I missed you," as he tugged lightly on her hair. Following his silent direction, Bella lay against him again. Her hard nipples brushed against the soft cotton that clothed his chest. She caressed his face lovingly, kissing him again and again as his hands worked to remove her remaining undergarment.
Once she was free of any clothing, Edward began teasing and exploring every inch of skin with his fingers while their mouths moved together in synchronization. They'd given up words, surrendering themselves to the lover's language. A whimper from Bella as he ran the pads of his fingers over the sensitive skin from the back of her knee all the way up to her ass. A guttural moan from Edward when she sucked his lower lip into her mouth, biting softly, and bucked her hips against him.
Edward shifted them again bringing them back to their sides. With Bella's help he made short work of his clothing.
Skin to skin, face to face, Edward tilted Bella's chin upwards, stroking her neck as he brought his lips back to hers. As he kissed her he moved his hand over her shoulders, down her back, across her waist and down her thigh. He hitched her leg up at the knee to straddle his side, leaving her open to him. Even as he teased the outside of her folds he could feel that she was ready for him. When he slid inside her they both moaned at the feeling. Tight. Amazing. Home.
Their lovemaking was unhurried, even lazy. The arms they lay on were stretched above their heads, hands entwined. Their free hands explored each other's bodies; reacquainting and rememorizing.
When Edward dipped his head to press his lips across the top of her breasts, Bella threaded her free hand through his hair. He licked and gently nipped her skin from the apex of her breasts, up to follow the line of her collarbone. He enjoyed the symphony of provocative whimpers and moans his tongue and his touch elicited as he moved inside her. The steady tempo of their hips, moving together, began to increase.
Bella's free hand traced his hairline around his ear, down to the back of his neck. She stroked the skin there, tugging at the long wisps of hair when his tongue hit a particularly titillating spot. Trailing her hand down his back, marveling at the muscles that rippled underneath her hand, Bella pulled herself as close as possible to him. She ran the leg that was hitched around his waist as far up his torso as she could, taking him deeper inside her, tangling their legs together as if she could absorb him completely. Bella didn't think it was possible to sate this need she had for him, even if they were one body fused together.
The feeling, the need to possess seemed to flow from Bella to Edward. His body had forgotten the weariness and the ache of long days in the saddle and on the battlefield. He shifted them suddenly so she was on her back on the bed and he was kneeling between her legs. She moved automatically, instinctively, bringing her legs up, bent at the knee so her knees slid against his upper back, under his arms. "Bella," Edward moaned her name. Their previous position had been shallow, but intimate. This new position was possessive and oh, so, very sweet and deep.
As he began thrusting into her she lifted her hips to meet him. Her wordless moans became vocal, his name falling from her lips as each stroke caused the most pleasurable sensations to travel from her very core up her spine.
Her hands, previously splayed over his firm chest, travelled down his body to where they were connected. They both groaned at the feel of her hands circling him as he pumped into her, again and again.
Bella moved one hand up to her breasts and the other to stroke her clitoris. Edward was very nearly undone by the mere site of her pleasuring herself even as their hips met. "You have no idea what you do to me," he said between thrusts, following her cries of harder and faster. Bella was beyond words. She threw her head back on the pillow, screaming his name as she came. The sight and the sound of her ecstasy drove him into his own orgasm only seconds later.
It took all of Edward's remaining energy not to simply collapse on top of her. Instead, he pressed himself slowly against her, laying his head on her breasts as they both waited to catch their breaths. Bella let out a shaky laugh as she stroked his hair, remembering that when this morning began his skin had been cold and his hair damp. Now his hair was damp with sweat and heat radiated from his slick, sticky body.
After a few minutes Edward lifted his head to look at her. The light of the morning was now filling the room, making her look impossibly more radiant in her post coital glow. She was smiling at him; the beautiful smile he'd thought about every day and night he was away. He opened his mouth, some eloquent endearment on his tongue and…
He yawned.
Bella giggled, stroking his cheeks lovingly as he looked back at her with a sleepy, sheepish expression. He rolled off her, lying on his side facing her. "Welcome home," she said, rolling onto her side and brushing his nose with hers in a butterfly kiss. Grinning lopsidedly, Edward put his arms around her. With a contented sigh he closed his eyes and finally slept.
It was several hours later when Edward opened his eyes again. A quick glance outside showed the sun was high in the sky. Six hours of sleep then, perhaps a little more. He was still tired although not nearly as much of course. He wondered vaguely what had awakened him. Then he heard the softest moan from the woman he held tightly in his arms.
"Edward," she mumbled with a soft whimper, as if she were pleading. On the pillow, in the small space between them her hand was resting, palm up; her fingers flexing as if waiting for something. Curious, Edward put his hand in hers. Her fingers tightened reflexively around his.
Keeping their hands clasped, Edward scooted closer to her. He nuzzled her shoulder with his nose, breathing in her scent – the familiar flowers, sugar and rising bread mixed with sweat and sex. It was not often he could wake up to her like this.
Here, sleeping peacefully with her cheek resting on the hand that wasn't curled around his, she looked much younger than her 18 years. She looked innocent and fragile; something to be protected. And yet….
Letting go of her hand, Edward brought the blankets that were wrapped around them up over their heads. The midwinter air was chilly and he wanted to look at her – at all of her.
He ran his hand over her shoulder, sweeping the long locks of her beautiful, mahogany hair off her skin. He ghosted his fingers across her collarbones, the graceful arch of her neck, and down to where the tops of her breasts peaked out from underneath her arms. She mumbled something in her sleep and shifted onto her back, one hand falling limply above her head.
The sight of her literally took his breath away. The innocence of her expression in sleep with the provocative and sensual curves of her body awakened an array of emotions. Lust of course – he didn't know whether he could ever get enough of her body. Being with her was the greatest pleasure he had known. Pride and awe – that this amazing, beautiful woman was his - heart, body and soul. He didn't understand it, and didn't know what he'd done to deserve it, but he thanked every available god for the gift. And of course, love and adoration - as much as she was his, so would he always be hers. She owned him, completely and irrevocably.
Edward let his hands roam her body as he tried not to let these feelings overwhelm him. As exhilarating as it was to love her, it was also terrifying. She was his life – as essential to him as the air he breathed.
Logically, he knew that every life hung by a gossamer thread. It didn't take much to kill a living being. In years of battles he had both killed and seen friends die. Yet he felt more anxious about Bella's life than he had about anything else.
Of course, he knew why. Despite everything, Alice's old vision – Bella bound and kneeling at his grandfather's feet – had never dissipated. He'd seen it over and over again in Alice's mind.
Aro and his little legion of followers had always loomed like specters on Edward's horizon. He'd known since he was small that his mother feared her father, feared most of all that he would find a way to take her children. Edward had never been scared. In his childhood he had trusted completely in his father's ability to protect him. As he grew into manhood he had had no doubt he could take care of himself. He'd been arrogant about it actually – encouraging his mother to go to her aunt's funeral when he was 16 just so he could finally get a glimpse into his grandfather's mind.
Though, at the time, it had merely made him angry, Aro's mindset was unnerving at the very least. Even in the short time his family was in Volterra, Aro was constantly scheming. His mind had a greedy edge to it, not unlike a five year old child hording his toys. He was almost irritated that Carlisle had his own small following, and talented children that Aro could not possess.
But what made Aro even more dangerous was just how brilliant his mind was. When he had figured out Edward's gift, his mind had shut down almost immediately. Edward's family and friends had learned how to control their thoughts somewhat around him, but not to the extent that Aro did. One minute Aro's plans to bring his grandchildren into his fold had been forefront in his mind, the next Edward could only hear his sincere happiness at seeing his daughter again and sadness over his sister's passing.
Now, as an adult who recognized when his own arrogance could blind him, Edward was well aware of what a threat Aro posed. He still had no fear for himself, knowing that if anyone came after him directly he would be fine. But Bella was defenseless.
Bella's voice murmuring his name broke through his frustrating thoughts and Edward allowed himself to be distracted by the slowly waking woman in his arms. He propped himself up on one elbow, hovering over her as he kissed her awake.
"Good morning," he said between kisses.
Without opening her eyes Bella sighed. "Is it still morning?"
Edward chuckled and kissed her again. "I'm sure it's morning somewhere."
Her deep brown eyes fluttered open as she returned his kisses. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Obediently, Edward carefully put all his weight on her, the feeling of his naked body pressed against every line of hers feeling good and right. She brought her legs up, wrapping them around his waist and using them to pull him even closer. He groaned against her mouth.
Needing to breathe, Edward broke their kiss, leaning his forehead against hers. Their eyes met, filled with a heavy ardor. "You were dreaming of me," he said, his voice husky.
She pressed a kiss against the tip of his nose. "I always dream of you."
"Tell me what you were dreaming," he requested.
Before she could speak his stomach rumbled.
Loudly.
Chuckling as she kissed his nose again, Bella let her legs drop back down to the bed. "Come on, I'll make you breakfast, and then we can talk about making my dreams come true."
Edward growled, burying his face against the crook of her neck. "There are other ways to satisfy my hunger that have nothing to do with food," he said, licking and nipping at the skin there.
Bella sighed and shuddered with pleasure beneath him. She cupped his cheeks in her hands, lifting his face back up to hers. "There is time for that, later. Let me feed you first. Please." She kissed him before he could protest; a too convincing kiss. She had learned this persuasive technique from him.
With a sigh, Edward lifted his head and relented. He was, in all honesty, very hungry. Reluctantly he rolled off her, his eyes searching for the cotton pants and shirt he'd discarded so hastily the night before.
Once they were both dressed enough against the cold day, they made their way, hand in hand, to Bella's small kitchen.
As she worked at assembling their breakfast, Edward told her of his most recent adventures. Goblins. He hated goblins with a passion. They were tricky little beasts, hence why it had taken the Cullens several weeks to deal with them. But in the end the uprising was quelled and Edward assured her that no one was worse for the wear, save for the gouges on his arm and a few other minor injuries the company had suffered along the way.
"Are you not going to open the bakery today?" Edward asked a little later as he devoured one of her day old and yet still delicious apple crumble muffins.
Bella shook her head. "I'm sure Angela has opened by now. She'll be fine for today at least."
"At least," Edward echoed, leaning forward to steal another kiss.
"What about you, won't your family want to see you?" Bella asked.
"I saw my mother when I came in last night. She doesn't sleep very well when my father is away," he explained. "I don't have to be back there until tomorrow. Emmett and I are going to be taking the new recruits through training exercises."
Bella's eyebrows shot up somewhat comically. "You mean I have you to myself for the day?"
Flashing her a lopsided grin, Edward nodded. "And all night."
Heat rushed to Bella's cheeks and she looked down, her hands restlessly picking pieces of crumbled brown sugar off her own muffin.
After a moment Edward put two fingers under her chin, gently coaxing her head up so he could look at her. "What are you thinking?"
Again Bella blushed and then she grinned. "I was thinking I could tell you about my dream."
The words only barely left her mouth before Edward had swept her up in his arms. He moved so fast his chair fell to the ground. Bella gasped and then laughed as he nearly ran down the hallway and back to her room. "You are so egotistical," she teased him as he laid her down on the bed. "What if I was dreaming about a nice neck massage?"
Edward quirked an eyebrow at her. "You want a neck massage?" He pulled her into a sitting position. He sat behind her, his legs around hers as he loosened the tie on the robe she wore. The top of the robe sagged down off her shoulders, exposing her back and breasts. "Hmmm," he said as ran his thumbs in circles over the back of her neck, "I like the view." He pressed a quick kiss against her temple and set to work.
Bella moaned as his long, strong fingers pressed and pulled the skin of her neck and shoulders. She hadn't been serious about the massage of course, but she'd be damned if she was going to stop him now. This was pure bliss.
Eventually, Edward let his hands begin to creep down her bare back, kneading her flesh and muscle as he went. When he reached her mid-back he started to kiss down her cheek and neck. Then his hands moved from her back altogether, reaching around her to trace the bottom of her breasts instead. Bella gasped, leaning back against him fully.
"This is closer to what I dream about," Bella whispered with a sigh. Edward's only response was to find her lips with his. He kissed her deeply as his hands continued to caress her breasts, squeezing her nipples lightly; teasingly.
For the rest of the day they rarely left the bed. They talked and laughed and kissed. And whenever they wanted each other again they would let their words fade into guttural moans, sighs and the steady rhythm of their flesh slapping together. They spoke each other's names with reverence against heated skin and between kisses. They cried each other's names at the peak of rapture; the sound stretching like screams pulled from the very core of their beings.
They woke the next morning when the sun was strong in the sky. Well past dawn but not close to midday yet. For a long time neither spoke. They just lay nose to nose together, enjoying the last little bit of time they had before they were forced to remember there was a world outside that house and more people in it than the two of them.
Edward sat up and sat back against the headboard, draping a blanket around his shoulders. When he was settled he reached out and pulled Bella onto his lap, wrapping the blanket around her like a cocoon. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Edward ran his hands up and down her back, pressing the occasional kiss to the top of her head.
They sat like that for an immeasurable length of time but it was still too soon when Bella sighed. "You have somewhere to be. We both do."
"Emmett can handle a few new recruits on his own."
"You should be there. Emmett is going to kill you." She laughed softly at his frown, tracing a finger along his pouty lower lip.
Edward grumbled. "If by kill me you mean Emmett is going to try to embarrass me to death, you might be right. I'm sure he'll make it quite clear why I'm late this morning."
"Which is why you should go," Bella concluded, lifting her head off his chest so she could look him in the eye.
Edward's eyes softened as he looked back at her. Her hair was an absolute mess from where has hands had been in it all day and night. "I think I can handle it," he said with a grin. "I'm sure that the recruits have seen you. They'll all be jealous. Emmett's plan will backfire. And they'll know you're mine. Perfect, you see? It takes care of two birds with one stone."
Bella gave a small groan and blushed. She stared at him contemplatively for a few moments and then grinned at him mischievously.
"Bella?" Edward asked warily, his eyes narrowing. That look could mean nothing but trouble for him.
Of course, Bella didn't answer. Instead she brushed the hair away from his neck and leaned in, placing her mouth, lips parted, against his skin. Edward was surprised when she did not move from that spot and instead began to suck greedily, her teeth sinking into his skin just slightly, skirting the edge of pleasure and pain. He gasped at the feeling, and the way her fingers grasped his hair, tugging him closer. His fingers dug into her hips where his hands were wrapped around her waist.
Bella's lips made a wet smacking sound against his neck as she released him from her mouth. She leaned back to inspect her work with a satisfied smirk.
Edward gaped at her. "What was that?"
"One of the new recruits is female," she said innocently. "Amber, I think her name is. I've seen the way she looks at you. I'm just marking my territory. And Emmett might have some jokes for you. Two birds, one stone."
He sat there with a shocked look on his face for a few more seconds before he burst out laughing. He cupped her face in his hands so he could look into her eyes. "I am yours," he assured her, and kissed her one last time before they faced the day.
An hour later they were clean and dressed. Bella ignored her horse and rode with Edward to the guildhall. It gave her a few more minutes in his arms. Her bakery was only a short walk away, after all.
As they rode, Bella noticed that Edward was nervously pulling at his hair, bringing it forward. It took her a moment to figure out that he was trying to hide the mark on his neck. She bit her lip to keep from laughing. Emmett would never let him hear the end of it if he saw it. She almost felt bad.
Almost.
Emmett and five recruits were clearly visible in the yard. When he saw them, Emmett gestured at the recruits and they all jogged over to the low wall that surrounded the guild property.
"Edward, you live!" He called out in greeting. "I was just gathering these fine fighters to stage a rescue mission. However did you escape this evil succubus?" He pretended to scowl menacingly at Bella.
Edward rolled his eyes at his brother's antics as he dismounted. He ignored Emmett in favor of helping Bella off the horse. "Do I want to know what a succubus is?" she asked as he set her down on the low wall.
He grinned, leaning close to her. "It's a beautiful, evil enchantress who seduces helpless men. Legends say they drain men of their essence for demonic purposes." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Before Bella could argue, Emmett poked a finger at her. "I presume you intend to make an honest man of my poor, innocent little brother."
"Emmett!" Edward warned between gritted teeth.
"It's fine Edward," Bella said smoothly though she was blushing furiously. "He only has his experience with Rosalie to draw on. He couldn't have known what it's like not to be with a commanding harpy." She pretended to smile sadly at Emmett and patted his head condescendingly.
The gathered troops chortled at the wide eyed look on Emmett's face. After a moment of shock Emmett threw his head back and laughed a deep booming sound that echoed around the courtyard. "Ah, little sister, I don't know what my brother did to deserve you," he said, pulling Bella into a bear hug.
"Surely it's fate's consolation for having you as a brother," Edward grumbled, rescuing Bella from Emmett's arms after a few moments.
"Bah," Emmett said, rolling his eyes. "You'd think he'd be in a better mood after yesterday. What were you two doing? Discussing the differences between gnomes and dwarves?"
"Emmett," Edward warned again.
Ignoring his brother, Emmett turned to Bella. "It's the beards you see. Dwarves love their beards. Even the females." He appeared to reflect a moment and then turned to Edward. "Is it because she doesn't have a beard? That's not her fault, you know." Though dwarves ARE just the right height, aren't they? Emmett added with a mental guffaw.
Edward sighed, knowing that Emmett was likely to continue if he gave him any sort of response. He turned to Bella and squeezed her hands briefly before turning back to the five recruits that had been watching. "Is there a particular reason you five aren't sparring?"
To their credit the gathered group was silent – at least verbally. In their heads Edward watched them play back Emmett's gleeful order to drop what they were doing and come watch the show.
Crossing his arms, Edward addressed the recruits again. "Well, let this be your first lesson. Remember that you should only follow the orders of the one in charge. My father and Eleazar both know better than to put this ogre in charge of anything but his own sword."
As Edward was talking, he picked up on his brother's surprised thoughts. In Emmett's head he saw himself– and a HUGE spider that appeared to be crawling down the side of his head. Reflexively, Edward rushed to knock the spider out of his hair, running his fingers through the long strands, trying to find the thing.
It wasn't until he heard Emmett's loud laugh that he realized what had happened. There was never any spider. Emmett was just trying to get him to move his hair out of the way so he could see the bruise Bella had left on his neck.
Almost immediately, one of the recruits – Peter - snapped to attention, turning towards Bella sharply. "Your orders, Mam?"
"What?" Bella asked, taken aback.
"He said we should only take orders from the person in charge," Peter explained patiently. "If it isn't Emmett, it has to be you."
By that time Emmett was nearly doubled over, he was laughing so hard. Edward rolled his eyes at the back of Peter's head.
Eventually all the good natured ribbing was over, Bella had escaped to her bakery and the sparring was going well enough. At some point after midday Jasper came out to watch the recruits. His thoughts, as usual, were tranquil. He watched the recruits with an analytical, practiced eye, finding a few potential weaknesses that Edward and Emmett might not have otherwise seen easily.
Edward heard his amusement when his observant eyes caught the mark on his neck. He groaned. "It's not that I don't deserve it, but I've had just about as much badgering about it as I can take," he said dryly.
Jasper chuckled. Passion's pockmark, he mused silently. She stained your skin as she's tinted your soul, he surmised with his usual flare for poetry. He pulled down the corner of the loose-fitting shirt he wore, exposing a similar mark on his shoulder. Thankfully, he spared Edward the visual of how it got there. A knowing look passed between the friends and brothers. Neither was exactly ashamed at wearing their mate's mark.
"I need a favor, Jasper," Edward said after a few moments of easy silence.
Jasper stayed quiet, merely quirking an eyebrow and waiting for him to continue.
"I would appreciate it if you could start teaching Bella some self defense moves," Edward said. He heard Jasper's immediate question and answered before he could voice it. "I just don't know that I could push her as hard as she really needs – to learn, you know?"
Jasper's eyebrows shot up. "You mean you want her to know more than just the basics? Are you asking me to teach Bella how to fight, Edward?"
Edward didn't answer right away. He looked over at the fighters, trying to imagine Bella there and cringing. He closed his eyes against the image. "With what Alice sees coming, sooner or later, she deserves every chance to fight back," he said more to himself than to Jasper.
"That's not all, is it?" Jasper asked quietly, as usual reading much more than Edward wanted him to see.
Edward sighed again. "No, that's not all, but it's a start." He opened his eyes and looked at Jasper. "Eleazar believes Bella is very magically talented. He thinks that the reason I can't hear her has something to do with that – he can't read her either."
"You haven't told her this," Jasper stated. It wasn't a question.
Hearing Jasper's silent rebuke, Edward nodded. "I know. I will tell her. But this first. I don't want her to get distracted. So many magic users don't bother learning how to defend themselves from physical attacks."
At this Jasper snorted. "I can't argue with you there." He sighed. "Of course I'll help her, Edward. Just…try not to kill me if I have to throw her to the ground a few times, all right?"
This broke the tension that had settled over Edward and he let out a strangled laugh. He was amused that Jasper thought he would attack him for doing what he had asked him to do. But he had to admit that the image Jasper provoked was vaguely horrifying. He felt his hackles rise at the mere thought of his brother attacking Bella.
Finally, Edward just smiled Jasper. "I'll try not to overreact," he promised.
I'd like to take this moment to talk to you all about safe sex. Just because I didn't mention it, doesn't mean that Edward and Bella are being irresponsible. Let's just assume one of the witches whipped them up a birth control elixir, since condoms don't exist in my world of Paciwest. However, they DO exist on our world of Earth, so use em! Or the pill. Or both – double bag that shit.
