Dialogue in italics are direct quotes from page 143 of Eclipse and completely out of context. (Talking to Garrett instead of Edward.)

Dialog in italics between (Garrett), Jacob, and Bella are direct quotes from the movie

Characters are slightly OOC

*Warning!*

This chapter contains topics of a sensitive nature that may be triggers for some readers. None of which is graphic, as it is merely mentioned. Nevertheless, I am tagging this. (Child molestation, rape, physical abuse, and child prostitution.) This is Victoria's story via Stephanie Meyer's canon universe and not dreamed up by me. I have only included and elaborated upon said events to further emphasize Victoria's mental state of mind. —Both human and vampire.— Her tragic beginning helped fuel her obsessions and her thirst for vengeance.

~On a positive note~

Not only is this a HUGE chapter (bigger than the last even), but it includes the mother of all lemons 3k+ worth!

*Don't read if you are under 18, have a heart condition, ship Edward, aren't healthy enough for sexual activity, are adverse to forest and or oral sex, or … well, you get the idea. You've been forewarned. ")*


*Twilight is the sole property of SM and her publishing company*

Chapter 7-

I'll Huff and Puff and Blow Your House Down

Victoria


Most days the climate in Seattle was favorable to my agenda, but not at the present. Today of all days confined me to my hotel room. Being restricted by the sun had given me ample time to dwell upon the past, which in turn, made me seethe with anger.

The mandate bestowed upon us by the almighty leeches restricted my movement on days such as this. Honestly, I couldn't give a flying fuck whether the humans were familiar with our nature or not, but the three rat bastards and their overly talented pets were extremely stringent with that particular law. Considering, I had already tempted fate in both the past and the present, I had found myself balancing on a precarious edge when it came to my latest endeavor. The longer I stayed off the Volturi's radar, the better.

My creations, my newborn army, were wreaking havoc on the city of Seattle, tempting the vampire police's involvement and had the distinct possibly to rouse the suspicion of the Cullen coven. I had intended to use my army quickly and decisively, ending everyone associated with my lover's death. The promise of their ashes and her blood had spurned my continued obsession with revenge.

Days had turned into months and my plight seemed almost insurmountable. With unlimited time on my hands, the past tended had come back to haunt me. With an eternity of memories forever etched in my subconscious, they regularly taunted me. My history was long and arduous, littered with loss and poisoned by the malefactors and degenerates of society, constant reminders of my lost soul.

There was an old proverb that stated that time healed all wounds. Oh, how I wished that were the truth. I longed for the proverbial sword to be unsheathed from my un-beating heart, so I might have reveled in the peace gained by death. Yet, whatever deity the resided in the heavens hadn't been so magnanimous, as of late. My life and soul had been forever tainted both in this life and the former, and without him— without Ann— my wounds would—no could never heal. The chasm that had sprouted in my chest following James's murder, demanded revenge, and until then, I would receive little peace .

It seemed as though my life had come about full circle. In his absence, I felt extraordinarily vulnerable. My strength and beauty meant nothing without him. I crouched down in my hotel room and sobbed, lamenting my stolen life. As I looked out upon the bay, my mind was unwillingly flooded with memories, soul crushing and unrelenting. That little girl from the brothel—that twelve year old child who hid away from men's lecherous advances—was pulling me under the dark and dangerous waters. I hadn't ever wanted to re-visit her pain.

My sister Ann and I were both children when we took to the streets to flee our chains. Our father had not been born with a benevolent bone in his body. He enjoyed inflicting pain on others. He felt powerful as a result. His depravity oozed into everything he touched, tainting every inch of large dwelling until all we tasted upon our tongues were ash and misery. No one was safe under his lecherous gaze, even his wife and legitimate children felt the brunt of his rage, on occasion. Yet, the tell-tale signs of his insanity, his salacious desires, he had saved for the darkness—stalking the servants one by one in their beds.

Our mother, Rachel, had been a beautiful and kind woman with an abundance of luscious auburn curls and haunting blue eyes. She had deserved more from life—more that she had received in that retched house. Hanson Rawnsley's wanton behavior knew no bounds, and my mother allowed his advances in exchange for our safety. The manner in which our safety had been secured came with inherent risks and deadly consequences. After our mother's grisly death during childbirth, while bearing my bastard brother, we were as exposed and vulnerable as any of the female servants in his household, even more so when our bodies told of our womanhood. That was when my sister became anxious and flighty. To our father, his two bastard daughters were no different from any of the other women servants in the house.

Being a peasant woman in the fifteenth century yielded few opportunities in the way of employment. As a poor woman, you had two options: You either worked for a wealthy family cleaning or caring for their children, or you toiled on your hands and knees for the enjoyment of men—both were unpleasant.

Ann had been certain we could get work elsewhere, and so, we left the Rawnsley household without a second glance. However, we had done ourselves a great disservice by not obtaining proper references, and as such, we had soon realized that we were unemployable. The London streets were no place for two barely teenage girls. The days were deplorable and the nights were perilous. Hunger and disease hadn't been the only things that polluted the shadows.

The harsh, winter weather had come upon us quickly, swirling around us like an ashen haze. Hunger descended upon us like blackened wraiths, plaguing our psyches with soul numbing pain. Even the purest hearts was subject to the slow creeping disease. It had tainted our very essences like dye, enveloping every minuscule drop of humanity, leaving our spirits just as empty as our stomachs.

Women born during the century of my birth were unfortunate victims of circumstance. Females were second-class citizens. Our worth was gauged by beauty, childbearing, wealth, and birthright—the latter two being the most significant in our world. Ann was fortunate in that respect. Her creamy, ivory skin and abundant, mahogany locks was the envy of all those who glimpsed her. Every man yearned for her body and every woman despised her for her traits. If only we had been born in a different century.

One extraordinarily frigid night, we had tucked ourselves into a small alcove, weathering the cold and enduring the hunger. That was the night Ann caught first sight of him. He was the devil in disguise, dressed impeccably with an air of arrogance that settled around him like a virulent fog. The inky-haired demon brought nothing more than heartache and misery with him, disguised in the form of food and clothing, and due to circumstances beyond our control, we inevitably succumbed to his treachery.

My ivory angel was holding me against her bosom, attempting to calm my spirit and quell my discomfort, yet I was incoherent with hunger—inconsolable. The devil knelt by Ann's side and stroked my fiery red hair, appealing to her motherly instincts by offering me respite in exchange for one despicable act. His seemingly hospitable gesture had been laced with malevolent intent, and he wielded my sister's naïvety with skilled precision.

Geoffrey Laurence was a shrewd business man but a more astute predator. In a monetary sense, he appreciated my sister's beauty, having siphoned more than one pretty face from the streets. On a physical plane, he coveted her body for himself and reveled in her helplessness. After our first encounter, he came each night afterwards. Each new day brought more palatable food, clean clothes, and sweet words. He bated her with dreams of warmth and full stomachs in exchange for another sliver of her innocence.

Ann reflected on our substandard life and lack of employment and folded her principles when he appealed to her love for me. Meat, bread, and lodging clouded her better judgments. I would've rather she'd allowed me to starve than to bargain her soul to the devil, in exchange for my safety. I understood all too well how those arrangements turned out. There was always one more addendum, one-act that you hadn't agreed upon but were in no position to deny. Her plan was to keep me safe from prostitution, but the road to hell was paved with good intentions. Eventually I too fell victim to his ploy.

I remember the night of my defilement almost as clearly as the change, both unpleasant memories that plagued my psyche. On one very busy night, an affluent client saw me through a crack in our door and took a shine to me. Having a penchant for little girls, the patron pleaded with the pimp for the pleasure of my company. Of course, Mr. Laurence never refused the opportunity to collect a fee, and so he conceded to the man's wishes. I was hardly in a position to decline, and the darkness swallowed me up, as well.

I was more fortunate than my sibling, in a way. My features were plain and ordinary. There was nothing remarkable about red hair and green eyes. Evasion kept me off the radar, for the most part, unless a client had the proclivity for younger girls. While other girls used their beauty to their advantage, Ann, however, would've given up anything to go unnoticed. Her mahogany curls and ivory skin was a curse. Men fell all over themselves to glimpse a sliver of her flesh, and our pimp used that to his advantage, saving her for the wealthiest of clientele... and himself.

Even after four centuries on this earth, I was still haunted by those terrible years spent in that veritable prison. In the dead of night, I can still hear their footsteps as they trudge down the hall, coming for me. Having become very skilled at the art of evasion, I escaped my entrapment when dearest Ann went missing. Little had I known just how beneficial my gift truly was.

I spent the next five years clambering out of the cesspool, finding respectable employment after several years back on the streets. After my confinement and Geoffrey's vile service, I found the physical and psychological pain of hunger oddly comforting in comparison to my previous life. It kept me sharp and alert.

The night that my sweet sister returned was a pivotal point in my young life. She had gained supernatural strength and poise in her absence. Ann was no longer a doormat for men's sordid flesh. She was fierce and deadly. I reveled in the notion of joining her in eternity, but my sister cautioned me of the severity of my request. The repercussions of my demands were of little consequence to me. I only wanted to feel safe in my own skin.

Immortality gifted me power. I was beautiful and dangerous—four things that were never a party to my mortality. That scared little girl, who had hidden under the bed in fear, had awoken a fierce killer. Ann had been wise to warn me of the pitfalls of my new existence, for when I had opened my eyes to my new life, I had sworn to punish those detestable people who had violated us.

I went on a murderous rampage, hell-bent on revenge, ripping my victims apart like paper, spilling their blood upon the ground. Men young and old had succumbed to my wrath, but I never slaked my thirst with their blood. Even now, I refused to allow a man's life force to course through my hardened veins. Instead, I saved my thirst for their victims-the poor, innocent children who were forced to please them. Killing them was a true kindness, possibly the only magnanimous gesture I had issued in all of my existence, saving them from a lifetime of squalor and misery.

Once I had gained some semblance of control over my carnal desires, my sister introduced me to her coven and her creator. Over the course of several years our numbers had swelled to six, and for the first time in my life, I was happy in my own skin. But my bliss was brief. Through the throngs of vampire society, my coven mate, Heidi, who had garnered the attention of the Volturi for her unique gift and rare beauty. Being a collector of rare talents, the raven-haired leader, Aro, was besotted with her and sentenced the whole of our coven to death to bring her into the fold. The leaders touted that our numbers posed a threat to our furtive society, however, their reasoning was merely a facade for their true intentions. When I sensed their deceit, I beseeched my sister to flee. But sweet Ann always had always seen the best in others, regardless of their intent. She hesitated for a moment too long and fell victim to the tiny boy's miasma. It was then that I realized that humans weren't the only corrupt society.

After fleeing the greedy leader's clutches, I returned to England, hoping to regain my human memories in the city of my birth. It was a futile attempt and only served to delay my getaway, allowing the Volturi tracker to get dangerously close.

After a time, tales of my evasion had reached many ears, garnering me the attention of a rather gifted tracker named James who believed himself superior to Demetri's talent. He had grown bored of tracking humans and decided to try his hand at tracking vampires, and my brutal nature and gift of evasion intrigued him. He reveled in the chase, pursuing me for months on end. The challenge quelled his boredom. Of course, his efforts were futile, as I had perfected the art of evasion all of my life, human and otherwise, necessary to my survival. Besides, the blond tracker's sadistic intentions made my skin crawl.

Eventually he tired of my games, and I felt his intentions change, turning into something akin to admiration. I had never had anyone applaud my talent, and it piqued my interest. It was a fortuitous endowment, but not a widely coveted one, as clear by the Volturi's assimilation of Heidi. At that point, I allowed him to catch me to quell my curiosity.

James turned out to be an angel of mercy, saving me from myself and the world around me. He had swept up the ashes of my former life and reconstructed me anew. I had fallen in love with his fervor and tenacity for life—the first man I had allowed to deconstruct my walls. My lover's conscious became my own and the world was ours for the taking. The two of us spent the better part of a century murdering and fucking. I was content for the first time in my existence. However, just like my past experiences, my happiness was short lived—fleeting.

My life took a dramatic turn one night outside a mental facility in Biloxi. The tiny pixie's blood had unhinged James' rational side. He was consumed by the overwhelming allure it presented, so besotted that he ignored the lingering scent of vampire in the air. I begged him forget her, beseeched him to flee, as I felt the tale-tell signs of danger prickling the back of my skull. However, not even I could sway James when he honed in on a target. He was an unmovable mountain, in that regard.

He stalked the sanitarium for days, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, the ideal time to drain his prey, savor her blood. When the random vampire had caught wind of his intentions, he bit the bitch, thwarting James' master plan. Ultimately, Mary Alice was the beginning of the end.

James killed the little brat's creator out of fury, but he was never satisfied with his revenge. My lover was a ruthless killer who was bested at his own game. He vowed to find her someday and settle the score. After his defeat, he became detached and slightly morose, nothing like himself. Nothing and no one could quell his desire for vengeance.

Sometime later, our little coven accepted Laurent as our travel companion. He had been drawn to James' strength, same as I had. The dark-haired man was an annoying but a loyal cohort who mostly kept to himself. I found his silence preferable, because I trusted no one outside of my lover.

Most vampires were nomadic by nature, content to keep to themselves. Very seldom would vampires seek camaraderie outside of brief encounters or sexual liaisons. As I found out, larger groups were apt to attract attention. It was a rarity to find covens of any size. Therefore, when learned of one such family, James and Laurent were far too fascinated to listen to my concerns.

I felt the inherent danger of the large coven miles before we had stepped into their territory. Once again, I attempted to discourage James' advances, but he wouldn't listen to any of my concerns, even after I had proven the worth of my gift.

A crack of a bat and boisterous laughter further intrigued the two men, and as we stepped just beyond the outcropping of trees, I was surprised to see the little dark-haired girl entrenched with the larger coven. James was ecstatic at his find. He had found his missing quarry. I glimpsed a light in his eyes that had been missing for eight decades. I thought he would finally bury his obsession with her ashes, but she and her coven mates made the game all that much more interesting when they rallied around the small, helpless human girl named Isabella Swan.

James was reborn that night consumed by the lust of the hunt and chased both the girl and the pixie to Phoenix after a cat and mouse affair with the Cullens. With two targets on his radar, he realized it would put him at a disadvantage, so he made the executive decision to lure the girl away from her two vampire bodyguards. His fatal mistake was underestimating his opponents, inevitably sealing his fate.

His ash still tinged my nostrils, goading me to pick up the torch and avenge his death—finish the game. Revenge was like the sweet nectar of life, akin to blood in its necessity. Once I garnered it, I intended to bathe in it, quenching the fire in my dead heart with her blood.

Like my lover before me, this small, insignificant child had become the focus of my whole world. She was now featured in nearly every one of my thoughts, and were it possible for vampires to sleep, she would've crept into my dreams, as well. Time was no longer a factor in this scenario. I had an eternity laid out before me, and I was a very persistent woman. Revenge was a dish best served cold, anyway.

Retribution was one thing, catching the girl to issue said punishment, was quite another. The little bitch was just as adept at evasion as I was, and thus far, my attempts to kidnap her had been futile. Even after her mate had discarded her like yesterday's trash, she found others to take his place. There was something about Isabella Swan that drew the supernatural to her side, compelling them to aid her, and she knowingly used that to her advantage, surrounding herself with dangerously cunning allies. Every sentry had a weakness, even her precious Cullens had weaknesses, all of whom valued her humanity above all else. But I had only to wait. Eventually, the fruits of my labor would blossom. After all, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

After the Cullen boy discarded his little girl in the woods, he pursued me across the country, attempting to track me, but failing miserably at the task. While the twat was off on another continent, I had traced Laurent to Alaska, surprised to find him lolling about in the company of the inferior vampires. Laurent had always enjoyed the company of powerful people. It was the primary reason he joined James's coven. Oh, how the mighty had fallen! But, I knew my former coven mate better than they ever would. My dark-haired companion had always yearned for the sort of authority the only royalty could provide, and he would gain nothing of the sort prancing about with animals in the frozen tundra. Their mediocre company was merely a diversion (a lovely blonde diversion), and once he was able to align himself with more powerful allies, he would abandon them, as well.

Feigning friendship, I engaged him in pleasant conversation, while secretly and methodically gathering his intelligence about the Cullens, learning of their gifts and their weaknesses, in the process. The impudent cretin owed my mate and I fealty, and he had failed that task miserably in the past. Though revenge driven, I offered him reprieve from my wrath, if he performed one last task for me. His death was imminent, regardless, for he was a traitor and deserved nothing less. He was a mere pawn, worthless and easily disposable.

Laurent was no match for the creatures that guarded the girl. I knew that when I sent him. He had always cared more for politics and power, than learning the necessary tools for survival. The wolves, while annoying, were deadly predators and my former coven mate would fall victim in seconds. Of course, in any scenario that involved the beasts, my vengeance was garnered second-hand, but the orchestrator of his demise hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things.

In the end, the wolves decimated his sorry carcass in forty-seven seconds. I watched his death from the safety of the trees, chuckling under my breath as he begged for his pathetic life, like the coward that he was. It was hardly a warrior's death, not at all honorable, pathetic even. His demise wasn't nearly as satisfying as ending him by my own hands, but vengeance was served, nonetheless.

Very quickly thereafter, I realized that I needed to up the ante if I wished to thwart their defenses. Watching Laurent's death forced me to recognize something that I already knew was true, and it made things extraordinarily difficult. Although cunning and unscrupulous, alone I was no match against a coven of werewolves. And eventually, I knew the vampires would return, further complicating the issue. Therefore, I had no choice but to create myself a companion, a partner in crime, so to speak. And once he was trained, I planned to create an army. One way or another, I would end Isabella Swan's life, painfully if necessary.

Riley Biers was acceptable company, for the most part, though he was never created as a replacement for James. He was merely a distraction from my misery, another disposable pawn, the first of my army. Fortunately, my new protege was reborn with a rather fortuitous gift: psychic invisibility. I knew immediately his endowment was a valuable commodity. His gift coupled with my own, rendered us essentially invisible to both the Cullen brat's parlor tricks, and that knowledge alone gave me hope that vengeance was victory was on the horizon.

After several months of waiting and running the perimeter of Forks, looking for an opening in her guardians, Riley and I devised a clever plan. The children at Forks High School were scheduled to finish their education and have a outside ceremony to commemorate the occasion. Stupid humans! But the event had its perks, too. It gave me a decent opportunity to snatch the cunt in full view of the humans and vampires, a game worthy of James himself. The need for anonymity would've garnered me much leeway. The threat of a large confrontation would've inhibited the blond patriarch and his lackies from causing a scene. Keeping their facade was imperative to their lifestyle, unless, they too, wished to anger the vampire police.

But alas, the weather had brought my perfect plan to a standstill. Fortunately, not all was lost. The clairvoyant bitch had unknowingly arranged the perfect alternative. A party! Her penchant for all things human was extraordinarily helpful to my plan, a festive affair commemorated my accomplishments. With Riley's gift, the psychic brat and her telepathic coven mate wouldn't expect my ambush. I looked forward to waltzing into their house and taking her out from underneath their stuck-up noses without their knowledge. And even if I were discovered, they would still need to play the part of a human, protect our anonymity. Once outside, my army would ensure my victory, decimating the children of Forks and her along with them.

A war and a feast—James would've been proud.

I was brought out of my reverie by my companion and current lover's arms snaking around my waist. "Victoria," he cooed in my ear, causing me to shudder. "Come back to bed. We have hours left until twilight. Baby, let me make you feel good."

I made a disgusted sound in the back of my throat and twisted out of Riley's embrace, turning to face him with an angry leer. While he was a decent fuck, I was done placating him for the day. "You are insatiable today! We have more important things to concern ourselves with!" I hissed. "We need to gather the newborns and move on Forks, tonight."

"Lover," he drawled condescendingly. I felt like bitch-slapping him out of the window. "Tonight? You want to move the army tonight? Shouldn't we wait…be better prepared before we just waltz into their territory? What about the wolves?"

I frowned and caressed his cheek. "I'm doing this for us, darling, so we can feed without fear. They murdered my coven without remorse for encroaching on their territory. They deserve to die for their crimes. I hate constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for some one to end me. They want revenge, and this party is the perfect cover. And with the army, the wolves and the Cullens won't stand a chance. You'll see. Everything will be perfect."

"And the Volturi?" he inquired, tilting his head to the side. "You realize setting an army of newborn vampires into a room full of children will be a blood bath of epic proportion. it'll definitely draw them out."

I scoffed at his remark. At this point, the Volturi were the least of my concerns. I only had one thing on my mind, revenge. "They'll never find out. Besides, I'm not showing my cards until last-minute. Therefore, we'll keep them several miles out, only using them if the situation calls for it. Bloodbath or not, Isabella Swan is mine! She's an inane, sentimental human. Truly, it's a terrible quality to have but fortuitous. She'll give up her life to save everyone in that room for harm. It'll be far too easy. It wouldn't be the first affair that I crashed without alerting the mind reader. Your gift will shield us both.

"The Cullens aren't the only talented coven in the area. The Volturi are close. I can feel them skulking around Seattle, my sixth sense is signaling danger. We're out of time. They want our heads on a silver platter, especially if we bring about a bloody war with copious losses of humans. Don't worry Riley, Demetri's tracking ability is easily avoided. I've done it for centuries, now. Once the vampire police clean up our little indiscretion, we'll return to our territory and feast like royalty every day."

"Tonight everyone is going to eat well. I promise. And the girl? I let you take a whirl with her before I kill her" I whispered in his ear, tackling him to the bed.


Bella

Previously

Garrett tipped my head to the side and nibbled my neck. I couldn't help but respond, but I grasped his face gently and pulled him away. "As much as I'm enjoying making out with you against the trunk of this tree, I refuse to lose my virginity out in the open."

~~RB~~


He looked at me, eyes twinkling, a faux gasp slipping from his lips. "Ms. Swan?" He smirked. "Who said anything about sex?"

He had me there. I was was flummoxed. I had assumed that because we were pawing at each other like animals, that sex was inevitable. I guess I forgot the old saying about 'assuming'.

"Well…I…um…well…no one?" I spluttered, cheeks heated, immediately clenching my bottom lip between my teeth in embarrassment.

Garrett gently pulled it free from my teeth, chuckling under his breath. "You, my dearest, need to learn to take a joke."

I playfully slapped his chest and rolled my eyes. "You were teasing me? Garrett, you…you…ugh. I was seriously concerned that you were a prude."

Garrett tipped his head back and roared with laughter. I loved the sound of his amusement. He had more of a somber personality. When he brought his head upright, I got my first glimpse of his eyes—liquid onyx. He was either hungry or aroused, though by the feel of his ever-present erection, I assumed the latter. My blond vampire nuzzled my throat, whispering against my skin, "I'm no prude, sweetheart. On the contrary, I've never wanted anything more. You set me ablaze, my darling little one. The power you wield over me is immense and overwhelming.

"Do you understand what being my mate entails?"

I shook my head infinitesimally, suddenly worried about the direction of his question. I knew we the two of us were irrevocably and eternally intertwined. But what else?

"It means that we belong to one another, equals in all things. However as the male, it's my responsibility to lead you, claim you, mark you, love and revere you, make sure you're fed, keep you safe, and teach you the ways of our world. Though, I cannot complete my task without your submission."

I opened my mouth to object, but he smiled softly and placed his forefinger lightly on my lips, effectually silencing me for the moment.

"Isabella our union will never be one-sided. You'll always have first say, for I'll not be able to deny you anything. But in this matter, I must gently beseech your approval in completing our bond. Danger is on the horizon, my love, and should we be separated, you would most surly die a very painful death. It's become far too dangerous for our bond to be unconsummated. While my moral have slightly fallen by the wayside, respect is permanently engrained within me. I won't take you unless you concede to my request...but please let me show you how much I love you.

"I want you to know that even though we've only just met, my life would be meaningless without you. The pain in my un-beating heart would be unbearable. I would be a drowning man who needs no oxygen. Know that the man you met in the courtyard is no more. Like the venom molds and shapes us into beautiful predators, your heart has irrevocably altered my own, transforming me into something almost unrecognizable. I'm more human at this moment than I've been in two centuries."

I gazed at my mate for a moment and swallowed thickly, drinking in his words and attempting to process them quickly. Edward's words were never so raw and pure. They repressed me as opposed to building me up. The tenor of Garrett's emotions dripped from every word that left his tongue. I didn't need to be an empath to feel the adoration and the respect that flowed from his very being. This man was begging me for the chance to worship my body in the most scandalous of ways—out in the open, no less! I knew that I couldn't deny him a second longer, regardless of the setting. It would break his heart if I dismissed him, though he'd never admit it openly. Garrett was too magnanimous to let such an emotion cloud my decision.

While the forest wasn't my idea of a romantic end to my innocence, I couldn't quell the excitement that accompanied the thought. Edward wouldn't even consider having sex with me at all. I shuddered when I thought about how fucking hot this was going to be.

A wry smile pulled at my lips. "Here? Now?" I implored, grabbing his shirt and yanking him closer. "Garrett Denison, you're a bad influence on me. Loosing my innocence in the forest? Damn it! How do you do it? Turn me into a quivering mess? You've turned me into a wanton woman."

He reverently cupped my cheek and trailed soft kisses from the corner of my lips, across my jaw and down my clavicle toward the hollow of my throat, nuzzling the soft flesh that radiated my every quickening pulse. My mate purred against my skin as he trailed his nose back up my throat. The vibration in my belly and lower abdomen was almost mind numbing. I closed my eyes, savoring the sweet agony that was building steadily in my core. Any more of this and I would fall apart at the seams, scream his name to the treetops, be a puddle at his feet.

He brought his eyes back to mine and looked at me longingly. "Reckless is good, my Isabella. I want to free you of your sexual restraints. Empower you. Quell that quivering in your core and bring you to your knees."

I swallowed hard; my mouth dry. Mother hell!

Before I could object, Garrett disentangled my legs and set me gently on my feet. I looked up into his eyes and he smiled widely. Then just as quickly, he spun my back toward him and gently cupped my waist, pulling my trembling body against his. I slumped against him and lolled my head to the side. With his free hand he tipped my chin up and ran his fingertips softly across my lips. His long fingers traced a fiery trail across my jawbone and ghosted them down my neck. I shivered at his touch, my heart exploding in my chest. He roughly snaked his fingers through the buttons of my blouse, ripping the fabric of my shirt and bra in the process. The buttons scattered across the damp ground. My breath hitched as he trailed his fingers the rest of the way down my abdomen, purposely skirting my now bare breasts, stopping at the waistband of my slacks. I whimpered as paused there, wanting more, needing more. I squirmed in his embrace and looked up into his crimson eyes, begging him to continue. I was desperate for him to cross that barrier. He growled softly and attacked my neck, kissing and sucking on my exposed skin as he simultaneously popped open the button on my slacks with his deft fingers, sliding his hand past the waistband of my pants and panties. Trailing lower he ghosted his fingers across the tight bundle of nerves at my core, expertly pirouetting them lightly around in a circle like a dancer on a stage. I laid my head back against his chest and moaned loudly as he slipped a finger—then two into my growing arousal, moving them precision.

"Oh," I panted, my knees trembling with pleasure. "Please, don't stop!"

"Not yet, kitten," he purred, quickly removing his fingers. "I can't let you come, not just yet. I haven't even started."

Haven't even started, yet? Good God!

I was still reeling from the pleasure when he quickly spun me around and pushed me gently against the tree. I watched him as he laved his fingers of traces of my arousal, moaning as it touched his tongue. Faster than my human eyes could track, he was back at my mouth kissing me with utter abandon. I could taste the remnants of my fluids on his lips and I nearly came undone. Garrett gently broke away from my lips and trailed them down my body, stopping at my breasts. My heart was hammering in my chest and my breath was coming in short, heavy pants as nuzzled my sensitive and overheated skin. Then, he sucked one of my raised peaks into his mouth, kneading the other with his fingertips. His tongue was slightly rough and extremely talented, swathing me in a cloud of exquisite sensation. I felt the tight band in my core tighten, warmth spreading through me like liquid fire. I was close. So close to falling. But he pulled me back from oblivion at the last moment.

"Ah, ah, ah," he reprimanded, swiftly pulling away. Mother fucker! "Not yet, pretty girl. I promised you I would bring you to your knees. If you finish now, well you won't have the strength to continue."

I harrumphed and growled under my breath, brows knit together in a tight line. Was he trying to kill me? As if he could read my mind, Garrett threw his head back and laughed, enjoying my frustration. When he brought his eyes back to mine, they were dark, determined, all signs of mirth removed from his features.

"Brace yourself against this tree," he commanded in a deep baritone tone. What the fuck? He smiled softly, beseachingly."Please? You'll like it."

Damn it! He doesn't play fair!

When I didn't comply, he raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to heed his request. "Should I stop?"

I shook my head and quickly laid my body against the tree like I had been asked.

Garrett winked and dropped to his knees. Then, he closed his eyes and placed his palms together as though he were praying, mouthing 'thank you, God' before he continued. My sentiment exactly! I gasped as he hooked his thumbs into my pants and swiftly divested me of my shoes and slacks, tossing them behind him with a flourish. He then grabbed my exposed leg and trailed sweet kisses up my calf, my knee, and inner thigh, stopping inches from the promise land.

"Beautiful," he crooned as he hitched my leg over his shoulder. "God, woman. You're mouth-watering."

My blond angel ran his fingers up and down my folds, teasing me with intent. After what seemed like an eternity of sweet torture, he placed two fingers inside me and slid them in and out gently. I hissed in response as he carefully stretched me in between thrusts, adding another digit or two at one point. I was writhing under his deft and skilled hands, meeting each thrust with eagerness. My back arched against the trunk and my fingers dug into the bark.

Without notice, he pulled his fingers from inside me and replaced it with his mouth, sucking, nibbling, and bathing my body with his sexual prowess. Garrett expertly wielded his tongue in and around every inch meticulously. I struggled to keep a hold on reality as the exquisite torture that built exponentially within. He moaned against me and ran tongue around my entrance. I was balancing on the precipice of insanity when he let me go. On the last lick, he gently nibbled on my clit and I fell apart, screaming his name and coming so violently that my legs gave out.

I began to slide down the truck, but my lover untangled my leg from his shoulder and swept me up into his arms, cradling me against his chest. He stroked my hair lovingly, purring like a content kitten.

"Are you purring?" I teased, lolling my head to the side and looking into his coal-black eyes. I wanted him to admit it.

"Yes, ma'am. I am." He smirked. "I told you if I'd have let you go sooner, you couldn't have allowed me to finish."

I furrowed my brow. "I thought real men didn't purr…wait!"-my eyes flew up to his -"we're finished?"

"Goodness no. I'm giving you a breather," he said passionately, smirking slightly before swinging me around and setting me on my knees to face him.

I licked my lips and reached out hesitantly, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him against me. "Baby, you have way too many clothes on."

He closed his eyes and took two deep, ragged breaths as I clumsily fiddled with each button. After what felt like an eternity, I released the last one, grasping the fabric of his shirt and pushing it off his shoulders. I gasped, graced with most beautiful sight in the world. Even marred with the tell-tale signs of battle, his body was a magnificent vision. My own truly paled in comparison. I sucked in a ragged breath and hesitantly traced my fingers over several of the more visible scars, remembering Jasper's heartbreaking tale and similar scars.

Garrett flinched away from touch, gazing at me with venom-filled eyes. It broke my heart in two. My confident and charismatic mate was ashamed and feared my rejection. That simply wasn't the case. As if I could ever reject him. It was physically impossible. If anything, I was more aroused than ever. I smiled and gazed up into his face, cupping his cheek and reverently running my thumb across his jawbone.

"Garrett, sweetheart, don't pull away. I'm not frightened or disgusted. On the contrary, I'm proud to call you mine." I leaned down, kissed several scars, and ran my hands across the rest, bathing him in adoration. "I'm proud of your battle scars. They made you the man you are, brought you to me. And for that, I could never hate them. You are the stars to me, the light that I will follow into the deepest ressesses of darkness. Never forget that."

A myriad of emotions crossed his lovely features before he smiled broadly and grasped my cheeks between his cool palms. "Isabella, I have never met anyone like you. You're kind and generous woman with the purest heart I've ever met. Harbingers of death hardly deserve such jewels. Princess, you are everything that I never knew I needed—"

"Hush," I softly admonished, pressing my finger over his lips. "I get it. You love and adore me. Now, shut the fuck up and take me before I internally combust."

"Yes, ma'am," he responded, grasping the back of my neck and pressing his lips urgently to mine. I moaned against his lips and clumsily attempted to unhook his belt, groaning when my clumsy fingers failed miserably at the task. I pulled away from him and focused solely on the damned belt, whimpering loudly as my trembling continued to be an issue.

Garret kissed my hair and chuckled. "Shall I help you? If you don't remove my pants sometime this century, I'll externally combust."

"Please?" I pleaded, looking slightly chagrined at my ineptitude. "Why do you have to be so perfect at everything?"

"It's my special gift, kitten." I snorted and rolled my eyes at his cockiness. "Don't worry, my love. When you become a vampire, you'll be sleek and leonine like a predator, divesting me of my clothing with precision… or fervor. Both are acceptable. Plus, you'll be more durable, never tire, and I can make you come for hours on end."

Jesus Christ! Is this shit for real? He has to be kidding, right? Oh, damn I hope he's not!

I watched in awe as jumped to his feet and made quick work of his belt and the button of his pants, jealous of his streamlined movements. I was both thrilled and petrified to view his body in its entirety, having never seen a naked man in my whole life. To my dismay, he took his sweet ass time with his pants, teasing me by stalling to nudge off his boots. I bit my bottom lip.

I swear he said he was going to combust! Maybe that was just me. Can't he just hurry the fuck up?

Hooking his long fingers into the waistband of his pants, he eased them slowly down his hips. I sucked in a ragged breath as I caught my first glimpse of the sandy-colored hair that trailed down to…oh damn! My mouth went dry when his full body came into view. I'd never seen anything more beautiful and so terrifying in my life. I couldn't imagine that it would fit inside of me.

Without a conscious thought, the words slipped from my mouth, bold and completely out of character. "Commando is a nice touch."

"Really? I mean what's the point of underwear? It's just another article to remove," he quipped, kicking his jeans off his leg. "Did you really want to wait another second?" I shook my head adamantly. "Good, because I can't wait a second longer."

Before I knew what had happened, I was laying on my back beneath him. Hovering over my frame, he nudged my legs apart with his knee and settled between my thighs, his erection pressing against my center. Garrett cupped my cheek and trailed soft kisses across my lips and down my chin, following the curve of my body. I grasped his chin and brought it back to my lips, running my tongue over his bottom lip before softly coaxing his lips to move with mine. He growled and deepened the kiss, our tongues moving in a wonderful rhythm, warring for dominance. I snaked my limbs around him tightly and raised myself to him, yearning for the friction that I knew would send me into an ecstasy-filled tailspin.

He pulled back slightly and laid his forehead against mine as I panted, my breast heaving. Garrett ghosted his nose down my jaw and nuzzled the hollow of my throat, inhaling deeply. "I've never been with a virgin, sweetheart. You have to tell me if I'm hurting you." I nodded emphatically, unable to speak. "Hold very still" Garrett grasped the back of my thighs and gently pulled me towards me, aligning his erection against my slick entrance "this won't be pleasant, at first."

My dark angel didn't give me a chance to tense up and eased his length slowly inside me, pausing to allow me to expand to his girth. I hissed in pain and jerked beneath him, biting down on my lower lip to quell the cry that threatened to pass my lips. My mate remained perfectly still, though when I looked up into his face, his eyes firmly closed and teeth grinding together, I knew he was struggling to remain in such a state.

"I…I…you can move. I'll be all right. The pain is subsiding."

My blond Adonis shuddered and eased himself further, stilling when he was hips rested against my lower thighs. I felt so full, a foreign feeling, but after several minutes, not entirely unpleasant either. He pulled out slowly and then grasped my waist, pulling my body against him. He used the motion to thrust himself forward a little harder, a little deeper. I cried out but not from pain. He trailed one hand from my waist and cupped one breast, kneading the flesh softly while simultaneously swirling his thumb around my hardened nipple. I cried out again, moaning as he closed his forefinger and thumb around my sensitive peak. He pinched it and twisted, enjoying watching me writhe underneath him. Every nerve in my body came alive as he moved in and out, faster and harder with each stroke, causing such exquisite friction between my thighs. The twinge was quickly replaced with a quickening in my core as he continually slid against the bundle of nerves at my center, bringing me ever closer to mind-numbing pleasure.

"Please, oh, please," I cried incoherently, moaning loudly. I dug my fingers into his hips as he gleefully obeyed to my demand, carefully quickening his pace.

"Isabella. You. Are. Killing. Me!" he panted, enunciating each word. "You're so fucking tight…damn it! I cannot last…you've gotta come for me, sweetheart." His hips collided with mine, and I arched my back as a tremor rocked though me. I tightened and contracted around his length, milking him with his last thrust. He jerked and shouted my name as he follow me over the edge into oblivion.

~RB~

"Where are my clothes, Garrett?" I chided playfully, combing the surrounding area for my clothes as the twilight gently settled around us. "I can't see as well as you can! You've got to help me. We're going to be late."

"You don't need clothes," he said in a low, sultry voice, snaking an arm around my waist and pulling me against him. He was ready again and his erection pressed against my lower back. I was ready to collapse after our second run. Honestly, I couldn't handle having sex a third. "I'm not finished making love to you quite yet."

"Oh, Garrett. You can't be serious? Remember, I'm still human. We've had sex twice. I wouldn't be able to stand let alone walk if we had sex again. Besides, we have to get to the Cullens' house," I said almost breathlessly, pulling out of his embrace.

"No we don't. We don't have to do anything you don't want to do," Garrett replied dispassionately as he bent down and grasped something off the ground.

I groaned loudly. "I promised both Alice and Jacob that I'd be there, so I need to keep my word. Which means I need clothes! I sure the fuck can't show up naked. You'd murder anyone who took a sideways glance."

Garrett gently grasped my chin and tilted my face toward his, smirking slightly as he held up the remnants of my shirt and bra in his out raised hand. "I'm sorry, kitten, I might've gotten a little carried away," he said sheepishly. "You can wear mine. Perhaps Rosalie will loan you something to wear?"

I snorted, shaking my head as I watched my unclothed mate zipping around the forest, looking for the rest of my outfit. This was probably Alice's pipe dream. She most definitely had an outfit laid out on her bed, awaiting my arrival. For once, I would unquestionably appreciate it. Though, it would take far more than that for me to forgive her.

"Good news! Your pants and shoes survived!" he crowed, from several feet away.

I threw my head back and roared with laughter. "Oh, what a comforting thought. At least I'll only show up to my ex-boyfriend's house only partially naked. Though, when Emmett, sex God extraordinaire, sees you without a shirt and me"-I motioned to my whole body-"all disheveled and reeking of sex, he's going to be impossible for the rest of the night."

Garrett laughed with true zeal, his rich, baritone tone echoing into the trees. "Oh, sweetheart! I'm so, so sorry. I forgot all about Emmett. That kid is relentless, like a dead dog with a bone. We won't hear the end of this for weeks."

Oh, damn. He's gonna slaughter me! Ugh. Kill me now!

~RB~

The two of us dressed quickly. Well, more or less, considering that half my clothing hadn't survived my epic slutty, but oh so fucking hot, roll in the hay—or writhing and screaming on the forest floor, as it were. Garrett bent and kissed me softly on the lips, and then smoothly slung me over his shoulder, sprinting off into the darkness. While my earlier trip had been pleasurable, this trek was downright nauseating. I fully understood and trusted in my mate's ability to snake through the forest while it was blanketed in darkness, but my psyche just couldn't disregard Newton's Law of motion.

The wind whipped by my head as he expertly sprinted across the terrain, bounding over and around trees and obstacles with ease. Garrett slowed slightly as we entered the clearing, and a quick pang of anxiety crept over me. It had been several days since we'd been at the large house. So many things had happened in such a short amount of time, and I feared Edward's reaction when he saw us again, especially after consummating our bond. This wasn't going to be good. This time there would be human witnesses if he lost his cool.

When we were about half a football field length away from the house, I glimpsed Jake's car in the driveway, with the tall, muscular Quileute leaning against the door, arms folded across his chest. Luckily, his car was the only other one in the driveway. Good no human witnesses. Yet.

Fuck! Why did my best friend have to be so damned punctual?

I leaned in close to my mate's ear and whispered. "Garrett, don't freak out, alright? That's Jake and he's gonna be really pissed off. Don't provoke him if you can help it. The humans will be showing up any moment."

"I don't give a shit, Isabella. If the dog gets out of control, I'll take him out!" Garrett growled, patting my hands in reassurance.

I sighed loudly, returning his displeasure. "He's my best friend. Be nice."

The closer we got to Jacob's car, the more tense Garrett became. I was becoming quite tense myself, though mine centered around the likelihood of a confrontation. I had no way of knowing how either of them would react. Jake still believed he had a chance of winning my heart. Telling him about vampire mating wasn't going to help matters any.

Jake crossed the distance between us and stood in an angry stance as Garrett swung me gently off his shoulder.

He growled and clenched his fists at his side. "Well, look who finally showed up. What the fuck, Bella? You ask me to walk into a den of vampires and then leave me waiting for an hour. We're outnumbered. Quil and Embry are in the trees. Or was that exactly what you had planned?"

I made my way closer and laid my hand on his chest, garnering a growl from Garrett. I swung my head around and stared at him, admonishing him for his nature. I turned back to Jake. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long, Jake. I thought I still had a few minutes. I sort-of lost track of time."

"Who the fuck is this?" Jake pointed, trembling slightly. "Bella? Who the fuck is he and why is he on Cullen property? He's dangerous. Look at his eyes! He's a murderer!"

Garrett snarled and gently twisted me behind his back. The two men skulked toward each other, crouching and ready for an attack. I darted around them and stood between them, arms out to the side.

"Stop it! Just calm down." Jake was practically vibrating in his skin when Garrett grasped me by the arm. I shook his hand off. "Jake-Garrett"- I looked back and forth-"please don't do this, not here. Calm down!"

"Bella? What's he doing here? And why did you fuck him? Answer me, damn it." Jake was seething, angrily staring me down.

I sighed loudly and dropped my head. "Do you remember when you told me about Sam and Emily? The imprinting bond?"

Jake scoffed. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" he lashed out. "I thought you and Fuck-ward were an item? Last week you were. Now, I show up and smell another bloodsucker on you. God, Bella! I never took you for a slut."

Oh, no he didn't just go there! This shit is about to get real!

Garrett growled low in his throat and grabbed me again, tucking me behind his back and crouching. Jake was on the verge of phasing. I had to get them under control.

"God, damn it you two!" I screamed, momentarily breaking the spell with my ire.

Garrett looked at me His garnet had shifted to onyx. The black fire in his eyes was impossible to doubt. "Bella, this is only about you. All I care is that you are what I told you? It's my job to keep you safe"

"Okay," I sighed, slowly walking back between the two men, my eyes never leaving his. "I believe that. But I want you to know something- when it comes to all this enemies nonsense, I'm out. I am a neutral country. I am Switzerland. I refuse to be affected by territorial disputes between mythical creatures. Jacob is family. You are...well, not exactly the love of my life, because I expect to love you for much longer than that. The love of my existence. I don't care who's a werewolf and who's a vampire. You just have to put up with each other for my sake. Got it? "

My eyes swung to Jake's and then slow stalked toward him, jabbing him in the chest with my finger. "What I was trying to tell you before you went off on me, was that wolves aren't the only ones who have a supernatural mating selection. The vampires do, as well. I thought I was Edward's, but it turns out he was only infatuated with my blood."

Jake murmured 'I knew that fucker was bad news' under his breath. Garrett nodded in agreement. Well, at least they agree on something.

"But Garrett is in fact my mate. I had no choice in the matter. In fact, I ran away from him, but when I got about three miles away, both of our bodies went into excruciating convolutions and my heart stopped beating. Of course, as it in your case, too, the mated parties are irrevocably intertwined. Whereas, your imprint can deny you, I can't deny mine. I would literally die without him."

Jake snorted and rolled his eyes. "Bells, that's fucked up." Jake swallowed, anger crossing his features. "I won't let you. You're not gonna be one of them, Bella!" Jacob seethed.

My eyes filled with tears. I was going to lose my best friend. "It's not up to you. ... I love you... so please, don't make me choose. Because it will be him."

Jacob growled at me. "You know what we'll do to you, I won't have a choice…Bella…don't do this to me."

Garrett grabbed my arm and towed me gently toward him. "Sweetheart, come. Let's go inside." He looked up at Jacob. "Goodbye Jacob."

Jacob's arm snaked out and painfully clasped mine, holding me still.

"No, you don't speak for her, bloodsucker!"

"Stop, Jake. You're hurting me!" I cried, yanking on my arm. He wouldn't let go.

Growling from all directions deafened the silence. Jacob threw my body out of harm's way, and I landed on my arm several feet away, watching in horror as my best friend exploded into his wolf form. Garrett and he circled one another like buzzards, fighting over the last morsel of food. My eyes, wide with fear, quickly swept to the side, catching a blur from across the courtyard. My head whipped back to my mate and my best friend just in time to watch Emmett, Jasper, and several wolves join the mix.

I quickly jumped to my feet and took several dozen steps back, cradling my injured arm to my chest, attempting to distance myself from the war that was transpiring around me. So suffice it to say, all of our attentions were elsewhere, and we didn't see the flash of fiery red until it was too late. I didn't have time to scream or anything else before I was snatched up and flying through the forest.

"Victoria…" I whispered as my eyes looked up to meet her's. A half a dozen howls broke the silence, thoroughly silencing my voice.

Show me some love and review. I really need consoled since Bella stole my man! (bitch lol)