Edward

My face wanted to burn with embarrassment but the lack of internal workings prevented that from happening. The unexpected kiss from Chalice left me wanting more, and already missing the lost contact. She was already a spot in the distance, a disturbance on the horizon line. I shook my head and sprinted after her, actually having to work at catching up. Her newly turned body, along with the fact that she had wold in her as well, made her faster than any of us in the clan. And I found myself irrevocably in love with her. It had not even been 2 hours and already I was attracted to her.

I would have thought that after the unexpected death of Bella and my daughter, I would never be able to love again. Never be able to live knowing that I had caused all of it. But none of it seemed to matter anymore. I had found someone new, someone more compatible with who I was. I was a vampire, she was a vampire plus more. I could only hope that the rest of the family would accept her more than they had shown.

"Hey, Chalice, do you even know where you're going?" I yelled at her when I was within 300 feet from her.

Her bare feet danced over the ground, barely touching down before taking another step. Reddish-brown hair whipped out behind her back, long and free of tangles. She nodded her head faintly, indicating that she did know where she was going.

"I am following everybody else's scent." she shouted back.

I willed for her to slow down even though my breathing was as normal as ever. This fast pace would be hard to converse in, and if I couldn't even keep up with her long strides. Then, almost as if reading my mind, she slowed, lessening her speed and falling into step beside me. The wind still tore through our hair and clothing but we were at a reasonable pace now.

"Jeez Chalice. Any faster and you could have time traveled forwards into time. That was outrageous." I commented ruefully.

She grinned at me, elongating her teeth every so slightly to make herself look like a vampire. It was kind of creepy actually, seeing the real way we were portrayed. With fangs and black veins. Dark hair and pale skin. Seeing us, you never would have known what we were. That was, without sun.

Within an hour we were back at my house. Chalice was gazing, amazed, through the giant back windows that dominated the walls. Her reflection was awestruck, and full of wonder at the beauty of our backyard. Just beyond the fringe of trees, there was a meadow I planned to take her to later, the same one that I had taken Bella to and proposed to her. It was going to be a heart-wrenching experience, but I loved Chalice and wanted her to see the vast beauty of it.

"Chalice, come here." I commanded her, not unkindly.

She wandered over, all the while keeping her focus on a butterfly that danced outside the thick glass barrier. I clasped her hand in mine and led her outside once more. A soft breeze wafted down from the mountains, tinted with rain and summer. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot either; not that any of it affected us. We picked our way through the thick undergrowth of the forest, still holding hands and talking quietly. Her laughter echoed through the trees whenever I made her giggle, and birds seemed to stop chirping just to listen to it. And when we broke through the branches, her eyes went wide and shocked.

Before us, a large field of dancing grasses and swaying flowers stretched. Blue and purple and yellow blooms dotted the green. The sky seemed to reflect the vibrant colours, appearing all the hues of the ground below. Chalice gasped in delight and rushed into the middle, twirling around and around, her arms spread wide and welcoming. I chuckled and followed her more slowly. She pranced over to me and in one fluid movement pressed her mouth to mine.

Her soft lips searched mine, and her eyelashes fluttered against my cheeks. My hands tangled in her soft hair, holding her closer to me. Breathy sighs vibrated in her throat and into my lips as her teeth scraped my lip. I smiled and pulled away, drawing an unnecessary breath. Chalice rested her head on my collarbone, tucking herself into the hard contours of my body.

"I love you. I never want to lose you." she said happily.

"There will never be enough time for me to be with you, but let's start with forever." I whispered back, finally starting to let myself love again...