I stared back at the reflection of myself in the mirror. Resentfully , I stretched my hand up from where it had rested on my lap, to the red and blue outline of the long fingers embedded in my skin. I lowered my fingers in disbelief, grazing it across the outline, wincing in pain. I looked up to find Edwards intent stare at the print on my neck. Reluctantly, his eyes met mine, flashes of anger and pain were behind those loving eyes.
"Bella." he said behind gritted teeth, "your sure you don't know who did this to you? You can tell me anything…you know that right?"
"I know Edward…" I was searching for something, any answer I could tell him, to ease his troubled mind. Two words fumbled out of my mouth.
"The dream." I said, reliving the unforgettable moments.
"what dream?" worry and curiosity flooded his perfect face, I could tell he was skeptical. But instead of dismissing the idea all together, he gently placed my hand in his and said, "tell me about it."
I cleared my throat, trying to clear my scattered thoughts as well. And began, "Well…I had this dream…but it didn't feel like a dream. It felt so real." I pondered for a moment, not caring if Edward was getting frustrated by my lack of words. I decided not to torture him any longer, and began a second time, knowing exactly what I would say.
" I was suffocating, in water… I was slowly drowning…in a lake, I think. I was about to give up, let the water fill my lungs, when I hand glided through the water. Uh, he helped me out… and then he started choking me. But I wasn't afraid… I was…content, because he was there."
I spared Edward the details of how beautiful this deadly stranger was, and my unfaltering attraction to him, how I still longed to be with him even as I am awake. Why make him more upset than he already was?
Edward held my hand for a moment longer…and then dropped it, gazing helplessly into my eyes. I knew he was trying to say something. He grew still, not breaking our gaze, stood up and sauntered to the other side of his bedroom. He stuttered, more frightened than nervous I think.
"w…What did he look like?" he asked somberly, like he already knew the answer, but all the while still searching for one in my eyes. I couldn't help the spark of excitement that shone through my eyes at the moment he asked, I tried to hide it, but he saw.
"uh, he was tall…I think. Maybe your height. He had longish, dark blonde curly hair. Clear blue eyes…like a mirror." I choked on my words, as I got the last sentence out, "he had a huge grin…stained with blood." and then a sentence escaped my lips in a whisper I would regret. "he was beautiful."
Edward's eyes never left mine as deep seeded fury, disbelief, and horror hooded the honey topaz windows.
Then all I could see was pain in those eyes, ancient pain.
"I believe you." he whispered.
I hadn't realized what I had said until I thought about it once more. I touched my neck in fury and aching pain.
I gasped in disbelief, now coming to my senses, as though I had been in a trance before, still in a lost dream. I began to panic.
"he was choking me… and I didn't even do anything! I just stood there! I was letting him kill me! What is wrong with me?" I slapped my hands across my cheeks, trying to hide the heat and tears that flowed freely.
"What is wrong with me?" I repeated in child like, scared voice.
Hearing this, Edward was instantly at my side, stoking my hair to soothe my frustration. He easily lowered himself beside me, now sitting on his couch. I swiftly lifted my hands off my blushing face to look at his, searching for comfort. He cupped his hand to my cheek, and stared at me lovingly, I did the same. His other hand lifted to take mine, and placed my hand on his cheek, closing his eyes for a moment, feeling my warmth. He slowly opened his eyes, our hands on each other's faces, and spoke clearly and honestly, from his dead heart.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You are perfect Isabella Swan."
"Then why didn't I stop him?" I thought aloud. I knew the answer to my question before Edward could get a word in. "because I trust him." I said hopelessly.
Edward suddenly dropped his hand and heaved a heavy sigh. He abruptly stood, facing his window, gazing out meaninglessly, his back toward me. I knew he was nervous about something. I looked down at my intertwining fingers on my lap. I was squeezing them so tightly from nervousness and anger, that they were now blue. Trickles of life spread through them as I un winded them in the deafening silence that fell upon the room. Edward broke it.
"why…do you think…you trust this…person in your dreams?" all emotion had drained from his voice.
"I'm not sure…it was…like, everything that I ever felt for you…was now in him?"
Did that even make any sense?
Edward's shoulders shook in frustration, he turned to me with a pained expression.
"he's using his gifts on you." he finally released through a clenched jaw.
My eyes widened in astonishment. "he's a Vampire?" as though I didn't already know the answer.
His blood stained lips…
"yes."
All anger drained from me in a moment, the only emotion left was fear. Pure fear.
"Edward?" he recognized the horror in my voice, but didn't move an inch.
"Bella…some Vampires can have more than one gift. Some can make you…feel things, like Jasper, but some can…take your feelings for one person, and unleash them on another. And sometimes, they can manifest themselves into your dreams."
His back still turned on me, he lowered his head to his hands, and rubbed his temples.
"your sure this person…Vampire…in my dreams is real?" I croaked.
He inched around unleashing the power of his eyes on me, his lips curled down into a frown. He stepped towards me, then stopped, now kneeling on his knees, level to my horror stricken face. His face shone like millions of diamonds shimmering in the sun. His eyes reflected sorrow.
"yes." he whispered, then hesitated, "I know him, his name is Lestat."
I bit my lip with curiosity.