The Lions
Chapter – 4
BETA'd by MCRshortstackedme.
I for the life of me had completely forgotten about the time, I hung up from Alice and frowned, I wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet. I sighed defeated.
"What's wrong?" Bella asked looking up at me innocently, I sat up and she frowned.
"Love, we've been here for awhile and I think it's time we started back." I couldn't look her in the eyes. She huffed sounding appalled at the idea of leaving and I fought to hide a smirk of agreement.
"Surely we could stay out that little bit longer… please?" she begged and tried to pull me back down onto her. I chuckled but held fast to my position.
"I'm sure your father would be praying for me to screw up somewhere, love, just be given an excuse to kill me… or attempt too." I joked lightly and winked at her, she blushed.
"What's the time?" she breathed out.
"Um… six-thirty." I answered in shock after checking my phone, not realizing that it was that late. Bella looked alarmed.
"Oh no, wait… I forgot, I'm supposed be cooking Charlie dinner before he gets home from work." She said in a concealed panic. I was curious over her behaviour but said nothing towards it.
"Don't stress yourself out, love, I'll help you, with my vampire speed we'll it done in no time." I winked at her and kissed her forehead lovingly.
"But Charlie won't like having a guest…" she mumbled and bit her lip.
"He doesn't have to know… but honestly I'd much prefer to meet him and explain to him the situation." I informed her, she still looked hesitant but conceaded. I smiled triumphantly and heard Bella gasp.
"You're so beautiful." She proclaimed. I wrinkled my nose, I didn't agree with her at all.
"That's the imprint talking." I laughed and she blushed.
Bella climbed onto my back and I ran us to the car park, we took my car because it was faster and we'd get to her place on time. We decided to just carpool to school tomorrow and she could pick her truck then.
Almost to Bella's surprise Charlie was not home and she almost ran. I followed her to the kitchen and she was banging around pots and pans, throwing food everywhere in her haste. I furrowed my eyebrows; surely this wasn't normal behaviour for cooking.
"Bella, are you alright, love?" I asked her cautiously. She was preparing a piece of salmon that to my vampire senses made me want to be sick. The lion inside was wanting to ravish it raw.
"Edward, please help?" she pleaded as she turned around; I assessed the contents on the counter and nodded at her. With vampire speed I was able to cut all the vegetables, baste them and have them sitting in front of Bella ready for her to cook. She blinked and smiled thankful.
Bella put the food into the oven to cook and sighed with relief. Her pert round ass was jutting out as she leaned against the counter with her hip. I couldn't help myself I leaned my crotch into her ass and wrapped my arms around her waist as I planted a kiss on the shell of her ear. Bella moaned and pushed her backside against me in response.
"Bella?" I rasped as I licked her ear moving my way down to the base of her throat and sucking lightly.
"Mmm?" she mumbled as we pushed and ground ourselves against each other. She smelt heavenly and ripe when her delicious juices started to pool between her legs, causing my manhood to throb with want.
A car pulled up outside the house and straight away I knew it was Charlie Swan. Bella froze and turned white instead of her lovely red. I clenched my jaw as I stepped away from her glorious firm body. I could still smell her heat and knew that if her father was indeed a lion shifter too, then he would be able to smell her as well.
"Bella?" I asked worried when she didn't move, her heartbeat was thrumming faster then usual.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"Don't you have a phone?" I asked out of the blue as Charlie collected his work bag and gear from the car slowly, humming a tune to himself. He had yet to see my car.
"Um, no." she sighed annoyed at that fact.
'What the hell is this? Who is in my house?' Charlie's thoughts were clear the second he saw my car. 'This car is fancy… Who's here with my daughter, it better not be a boy or I will give her a beating when he leaves that she won't forget. She maybe a lion but she belongs to the wolves, she'll cook and clean and be whatever they want as long as I get my money from the deal.' My blood boiled and I was visibly shaking trying to control my rage, the nerve of this evil vile monster! Bella was sent here to learn more about being a lioness, not to be sold off to wolves. What would her mother say when she found out?
I took that moment to look around the small living room across from the kitchen and noticed empty beer can after empty beer can. Some smelt as fresh as this morning… Charlie Swan was the police chief after all, he was not supposed to be intoxicated on the job.
"Bella, does your father drink a lot?" I asked her while trying to conceal my anger.
"Yeah, why?" she asked trying to calm herself down. I wrapped my arms around Bella to comfort her and protect her from her own father. She clung to me and I was filled at rage knowing that he had raised a hand to her, more then once I betted too.
"Who do you think you are?" I could hear the malice in Charlie's voice at seeing us in an embrace.
"D-dad, dinner is r-ready." Bella stuttered and shook in my arms. I tried to comfort her and kissed her head lovingly.
"I said, who are you?" he bellowed and held his gun up to point at me. I snarled at him violently. He started and gazed at me, scenting the air now knowing I wasn't human. 'My god… he's a lion shifter, impossible… but there is something not right about him, there is more to him then that.' Charlie concluded in his head.
"I am your daughters mate!" I exclaimed and glared him down, as if his gun could hurt me, I snarled at the mere thought of it.
"Oh no you don't I have plans for her and you're not going to ruin them over stupidity." He announced. Bella tried to peer at her father.
"D-daddy… I imprinted on him." She blushed beet red, I could smell the saltiness of her tears as they sprung to her eyes.
"NO!" he yelled defiant and I snarled again. 'Imprinting means nothing if the other doesn't want it, he can just forget about her, maybe I can get them to give him some cash to help forget her. I can't loose out on this deal, I'll be set for life and I'll get to visit her whenever I want. Jacob is a good kid, he'll claim her and treat her how house wives should be treated; barefoot in the kitchen pregnant and beaten when stepping out of line. That's what I should have done with Renee.' Charlie's thoughts were senile and it took all of my power not to kill him there and then.
"You listen here, Chief, keep thinking like that and it will be your life that ends tonight." I growled viciously, venom pouring into my mouth. Charlie gaped at me.
'The bitch is in heat, no wonder he is in protective mode.' Charlie growled to himself.
"I can offer you money if you leave here?" He tried to persuade me, I snorted disgusted at his attempt.
"And leave my mate, my imprint here with you, to ship off to the wolves?" I hissed.
'Imprint?' he thought in shock.
"I too have imprinted, and we both agreed… we're mates for life and beyond." I growled out.
"Nonsense, you can choose to be friends." He tried to bargain us. At vampire speed I had him by the throat leaving Bella at the oven. He cursed at my strength and the coldness of my hands.
"Haven't figured it out yet have you?" I teased him with a wicked grin. He struggled still.
"Figured what?" he hissed in pain.
"I'm a vampire, and you're screwed because I've mated with her and I'm not letting her go. It's you that should be beaten not her!" I hissed at him and narrowed my eyes, showing my anger.
"And, Charlie?" I called mockingly.
"What?" he spat.
"I can read minds, and I don't like what you have to think!" I could the venom seeping from every word I spoke. Charlie looked alarmed. "You seem a little worried Charlie regreating what you've been thinking for the last few minutes or are you afraid I'll tell Bella about your little plot."
"S-stop, will you both just STOP!" Bella screamed from behind me. I froze.
"I'm sorry, love, but this is one time I can't and won't do as you ask… please forgive me for what I'm about to do." I pleaded with her before I ran out of the house and took Charlie with me into the woods. My instincts as a vampire took over and Charlie's thoughts only fuelled the fire, my time consuming humans would have him as the perfect victim to my bloodlust.
I took Charlie up the mountains into bear territory, scratching his arm and snarling at the smell of blood, I knew a grizzly was near-by. I threw Charlie to the ground as the bear approached and I receded. The bear mauled Charlie, I threw his gun to him and he managed a few shots at the bear only wounding it. I grinned as my plan was working perfectly.
The bear killed Charlie and started to feast on him, I was a safe distance away, just out of reach of its scent, I knew I'd ruin my plan if I touched him now.
When I knew Charlie was surely dead and the bear had eaten some of him I made it back to my mate, she stood frozen still crying her eyes out. Immediately I took her into an embrace and held her against me, she started to fight but I shushed her, holding her still as she cried.
Bella passed out after about five minutes when she realised that Charlie wasn't coming back… and he never would ever again. I smiled as I laid her in her bed while I wrote a note in Charlie's hand writing stating that he was going hunting in the mountain, he would see her tomorrow. I smirked at the flawless forgery and placed it on the fridge.
After I finished sorting the house out to make it look like Bella never came home and even drove Charlie's cruiser out to a camp site with overnight belongings.
When I got back to Bella she was still asleep, I scooped her up and placed her in the passenger seat of my car. I searched the thoughts of neighbours but they were oblivious to everything, even my car. We took off towards Canada where I kept a secret home, just perfect for me and now my beautiful mate and imprint. Not even Alice knew where I lived as she can't see shifters. About an hour after I put Bella to bed in my house I got a text message from Alice, I opened it to read the text;
'THE CHIEF IS DEAD AND HIS DAUGHTER IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!' I ignored the text, I contemplated getting rid of the phone but realised I needed it for other purposes.