Author's Note: Hello everyone! As this story is winding down, I want to say that writing this has been alot of fun. I am happy that you all have enjoyed it and grateful to My-Bella for her help and support. This chapter is a bit of a LEMON so do try to keep the volume of swooning and shrieking to a minimum. I have re-read it a countless times and still melt. LOL

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I had been sitting downstairs for about an hour now, waiting for Bella. Our guests were set to arrive within the hour and everything was in place. Alice was fluttering around the house and garden, assuring that every detail was perfect. From where I sat, I could see the garden through the window and smiled at my sister as she went about her business.

Everything was donned in white; white tablecloths, white roses, white cala lilies, white candles, white twinkle lights in the trees. Alice had said that the theme was "purity", making it a reflection of the love between Bella and me. It was also representative of Volterra's new beginning and how it was starting from a pure place. Alice was right, of course, but I couldn't help but squirm at how cheesy she could be. None the less, the place looked amazing.

Rose and Emmett came down the stairs drawing my attention. "Good evening, Rose," I said as she sat in the chaise next to mine.

"Hey, Edward," she replied, kissing my cheek. "You look absolutely dapper."

"Do I? Thanks," I said smiling at her. "You look pretty, too," I added, smiling wider as Rose flipped her hair with a toothy grin on her face.

"Why thank you, Ed—" she began before I quickly interrupted her.

"I meant Emmett," I said as I laughed, with Emmett quickly joining in.

Rose's eyes narrowed and she smacked my arm. "You two are insufferable!" she shouted, storming off nearly running Jasper and Carlisle down as she headed out.

"Oh come on, Rosie! I was kidding! You look beautiful!" I called after her as Emmett rolled his eyes at me. It was very effective since he was still laughing as well.

"You love getting under her skin, bro," Emmett chuckled. "Shouldn't I be the one upset, though?"

"I won't ask," Carlisle said, shaking his head as he smiled in the direction Rose had stomped off toward. He took a seat, his thoughts clearly stating his desire to not get involved.

"Wow, Alice can truly transform any place into a fairyland," Jasper mused as he stood at the window, watching her light some candles.

"Every time I think she has outdone herself, I'm proven wrong," Carlisle added, watching her as well.

Emmett moved to Rose's vacated seat and lightly kicked my chair. "Hey, Ed, you did really great yesterday," he said suddenly.

"Oh, thanks," I replied, a little surprised by his serious manner.

"You know we are always on your side, but last night you did us proud, man," he continued.

"Where is this coming from Emmett?" I asked, curious at his sudden focus on last night.

Emmett looked at Jasper in a plea to help him articulate.

"He means that we always knew that you were meant to do this," Jasper explained. "Well not exactly this per se, but we knew that you would always lead us. Which is why we are always willing to go to any length for you, aside from the fact that we love you, of course. You just needed to find your 'north'," he added, smiling at me.

"You think that Volterra is my 'north'?" I asked. "I am not staying here permanently if that's what you mean," I said, running my hands though my hair, uncomfortable with the thought of not going back home to the Manor. It was my home with Bella; the place where we had healed and grown closer, and I wasn't ready to leave it yet.

"No, brother, what I meant was that Bella has given you direction and now this 'role' if you will, has given you purpose. With all of us working together we can finally live in peace and not worry about Italy or Aro. It's quite liberating," Jasper said, adjusting his tie. "Unlike this," he joked, gently loosening it a bit.

"Yes, we can actually look forward to coming here on holiday now," Carlisle added.

"It is a good feeling to—" My words were cut short as Bella caught my eye. She was just outside the door with her back to me, speaking softly to Esme. All coherent thought escaped me at the sight of her. She wore a black satin floor length gown that looked as if night itself had poured over her creamy skin. As if that wasn't enough, the top of the dress was a halter style, leaving her back completely exposed, right along with my longing for her. Stunning…that was really the only word to describe her.

Bella must have heard my thoughts because she turned to send a smile over her shoulder. The movement of her head caused her hair to drape over her back and sent her irresistible perfume in my direction, throwing me completely over the edge.

I was behind her in seconds, leaving my brothers and father to joke at my expense about self control. My arms wrapped around her waist, drawing her body tightly against mine. "You look exquisite, Isabella," I whispered, kissing her neck as her hand reached into my hair.

"You look pretty amazing yourself," she replied, seeming satisfied with my response.

"Now, now, children! Don't get too carried away. Our guests are almost here," Esme playfully chided as she walked into the den to join Carlisle and the others.

"We may have to let everyone else celebrate and head off to our honeymoon right now," I teased.

"Oh, I don't think so, Mr. Cullen. You have to make an honest woman out of me first," she retorted, turning to wrap her arms around my neck.

"Don't mess with me, woman. I will have us married in this hallway this very second,"

I half-growled into her hair.

"You were right about getting married back at the Manor though," she said, smiling sweetly. "It feels right there. It's home." Before I could respond, her lips were on mine, kissing me passionately and sending me reeling.

After a few moments our lips parted slightly and I took that as my opportunity to reply. "No, honey, this is home," I whispered, kissing her softly again and again. Any place where Bella was in my arms would always be my home.

The doorbell rang, interrupting my roaming hands and our moment. I turned to see Carlisle and Esme at the door greeting Camille and William. There were a few others behind them and I knew that the procession would begin soon and I would not get a quiet moment with Bella for a while.

"We aren't finished here," I said firmly, turning us to face our guests and sliding my hand down her bare back. Her soft moan was the only reply I needed to know that she agreed, but it was still nice to hear in her thoughts how much she wanted to finish things later on.

It certainly didn't take long for the house to fill with our guests; it seemed they were all anxious to find out more about our family and to celebrate the impending wedding with Bella and me.

Alice had thought of everything, as usual, and had turned a ballroom on the other side of the house into an area for more seating. She had even hired two small orchestras; one for the ballroom and one for the garden.

Bella and I floated through the crowd in the ballroom, meeting many new people. There were a few that seemed a little shady, but their thoughts were completely benign. These were vampires after all and I had a hard time letting my guard down.

I was speaking with Bella and our new acquaintances Lucy and her husband Niccolo when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Knowing Camille was behind me, I turned and gave her a smile in greeting.

"Bella may I steal our hero for a dance?" she asked sweetly.

Bella giggled and nodded. "He's all yours! But only to borrow," she added, winking at me.

I offered my arm to her. "It would be my pleasure, Camille."

She gave a beautiful smile as she took my arm and I led her to the dance floor. There was soft music playing and there were many other couples already dancing.

Camille put her hand on my shoulder and the other hand in mine. We began to sway in step and I caught a glimpse of William beaming at her as they shared a moment.

"He loves you so very much, you know," I said, interrupting the silence between us as we danced.

"Yes, and I love him dearly. Bella and you remind me of when William and I first met, so passionate about one another. Letting nothing come between our love," she mused. Her thoughts were full of small ways William had shown his love for her throughout their years together and I did my best to block them, feeling they were too personal for me to know them.

"Does that ever diminish as the years go on?" I asked, honestly curious.

"No, dear one. Never," She assured me, and I smiled in response.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I am so much better. There is barely any scarring now and my voice feels my own again," she replied, instinctively putting a hand on her throat.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you self-conscious," I said, not sure what else to say.

"Oh, it's not you. I just can't help but feel like some would see me as less, or different for what happened. Not all of us come back after an attack like that." She said, concern in her voice.

"Camille, the people in this room are amazed by you. No one feels like you are inferior or different in any way. You survived an ordeal that not many people have witnessed, but that just proves how amazing you are," I replied reassuringly. "They are all thinking good thoughts and I should know," I added, tapping my finger to my temple.

This made her laugh and we finished our dance chatting about the wedding back home; Camille was thrilled to be a part of it. As the music ended, William cut in and took his place by his wife.

I roamed the room for a moment before deciding to find a spot to quiet my mind; it was hard to be surrounded by so many foreign "voices", especially when they were loud and exuberant.

Deciding that the sitting room upstairs would be perfect, I looked around for Bella, wanting to make sure she wouldn't miss me in my absence. She was dancing with Emmett out in the garden, with Alice and Rose forcing poor Jasper to twirl around with them. They were happy—as happy as I had seen them in days, and those who looked on were amused by their candor.

Satisfied that Bella was in good hands, I went up the stairs and found the room we had discovered yesterday. I stood in the middle of the room, just enjoying the absolute quiet in here. All the guests were convening downstairs and surprisingly not wandering the upper floors.

I crossed the room and opened the balcony doors, letting the warm breeze rush in. Standing there and taking the view in, I undid my tie. The sky was cloudless and filled with stars. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs and clearing my mind.

My fingers tingled and I knew that they were eager to get to the piano behind me.

In the dark, I went to the bench and removed my jacket, laying it on the chaise nearby.

I sat down on the piano bench, lightly running my fingers over the pristine Bosendorfer in front of me; I felt moved just by its beauty. Lifting the lid from the keys, I smiled at the familiar sight ivory and black.

I closed my eyes and simply extended my fingers. With a mind all their own, they moved, pouring music into the room. The piano was tuned perfectly and had a rich sound that spurred me on to continue playing.

I felt the night behind me, warm and balmy as I went on, loving the freedom this gave me. The only other source of passion that moved me this way was Bella herself. My thoughts filled with her and my lips parted, smiling in response.

I played piece after piece, lost in the music and the elation I felt as each melody stirred a different emotion within me. Some items were from my favorite composers and some were my own, and they all sounded perfect in this room.

After a time, I played something softer to bring myself back down, knowing I needed to return to the party and Bella. I finished the song and placed my hands on my thighs, smiling and staring at the beautiful instrument as I came down from the high the music had invoked.

"A fine instrument," I said to myself, pleased with the quality of the piano.

I grabbed my jacket and redid my tie, ready to head back to the party. Buttoning up my jacket again, I turned the corner and didn't take more than two steps down the stairs when a single set of hands began clapping. My head instantly shot up and found an older gentleman I had met earlier by the name of John. He was applauding me from the foot of the stairs with most of the guests behind him starting to join in the clapping.

"We had no idea you were so proficient with the piano, my boy!" John said climbing up to meet me.

"I wasn't aware I had an audience," I replied, slightly embarrassed and running a hand through my hair as I started down the stairs again.

John shook my hand and walked the rest of the way down with me. My family was smiling sheepishly at me as I joined them and the applause finally died down.

"A little warning would have been nice," I quipped in thought to Bella as she smiled at me innocently.

"I was not about to interrupt that," she replied out loud, kissing my cheek.

"Did everyone really hear?" I asked, moving through the crowd to the garden with Bella at my side.

"Yes, the band took a break and you started up almost on queue. The music resonated down the stairs and we all sort of moved towards it. Everyone was really quite impressed," she said proudly.

We entered the garden and I spun her gently, taking her in my arms for a dance. "But were you impressed, my love?" I asked staring into her eyes.

"Yes of course, you are amazing…at everything," she replied smiling warmly.

"That isn't true, Bella. I have my weaknesses," I said, holding her closer and moving in time to the music around us.

Bella nuzzled her face into my chest as we held each other and danced. "I feel so safe here," she whispered. "I love you, Edward."

My eyes closed, letting her words wash over me. "I love you too, Sweetheart. And you are safe, my love. Always," I whispered, opening my eyes to look into hers. I could actually say that and mean it now; she truly was safe.

I turned her face up to me and found the soft pillows of her lips. I kissed her softly, wanting more than anything to be alone with her.

We were still sort of in a daze when we heard someone clear their throat loudly and realized the music had stopped. We turned to see what was going on, finding Demetrius towering next to us.

"Excuse me, everyone," he bellowed in his deep voice. "Excuse me!"

The crowd seemed to come to attention and they moved a bit closer.

"I would like to say something on behalf of those in attendance tonight," he started, regarding Bella and me. "Edward, we are all grateful to you and your family for your sacrifices. We are elated that Aro is gone and that we are free of his ways. We, of course, agree that the masses must not go unchecked and we all here and now pledge our allegiance to your cause. We will help keep to your vision. We too want to go about our lives in peace. Although we cannot all share in your feeding habits, we will keep discretion in mind. We wish you and Bella a long and happy life together and thank you for allowing us to share an evening amongst you," he finished, extending a hand out to me.

I shook his hand, thanking him for his kind words as cheers and happy chatter surrounded us. It was still quite surreal to have all of these vampires looking to me for direction, but if it brought and maintained peace in our world, then I would gladly advise them.

We continued to meet vampires from all over as the night wore on. We were also approached more and more by guests saying their good-byes. It was very late when the last guest left and my family—William and Camille included—lounged around in the garden, going on about how well the night had gone.

Eventually, we too began to say our good nights. Rose and Emmett wanted to go out for a walk before dawn, while Esme and Carlisle were going back to the Villa. Alice mentioned that there would be a cleaning crew here in the morning and they needn't worry about anything as she and Jasper joined our parents.

William thanked us all again for a wonderful night as he made his way out with Camille on his arm. "It's a great night for a walk," he mused as they left the house.

Bella and I were alone finally. She walked toward me, her dress glistening like silk as she moved. I was sitting in one of the garden chairs, leaning forward with my elbows resting on my knees as I tracked her progress.

Arching her back like a cat, Bella took off her heels and dropped them in my lap as she slowly walked past me, running her hand through my hair. Electricity seemed to run through me with her touch and a small growl escaped me.

I turned to see where she was going, watching as she passed the pool and slipped into the shadows. She was still clearly visible to me, looking over her shoulder with a devious smile on those perfect lips and her golden eyes glowing in the darkness.

Her hand came up and her finger beckoned me to her; I immediately obeyed, dumping my jacket into the chair and following after her.

I caught up to her as she reached the ivy-covered garden wall that stood taller than both of us. She pressed her back to it and reached out, her pale hand gripping my shirt and pulling me to her. Her lips instantly found mine, beginning a kiss that was needy and passionate.

I reluctantly pulled away from the kiss, having a few ideas of my own on how to dazzle her. I bent down, keeping my eyes locked on hers as my hands wasted no time in lifting her gown. My nails playfully scratched her thighs as I lifted myself and the gown, filling the air with her sweet sounding moans in response.

I felt the animal in me take over; I had been forced to hold back all night and I could take it no longer. She must have been in my thoughts for her hands shot out and began undoing my pants.

I reached Bella's hips only to discover there was nothing there but bare skin. "Isabella, what have we here?" I asked coyly, my lips greedily moving all over neck.

"I was wondering when you would notice," she replied breathily, gripping my hair in bunches as she pressed her hips against me.

A growl escaped my chest and I lifted her body, pressed her against the wall and letting her feel how crazy she was driving me.

She pushed lightly on my shoulders and I somehow managed to behave and set her back on her feet. With a sexy little smirk on her lips and lust filling her eyes, she shrugged out of her dress, tossing it behind us. The last of my control shattered completely and I pulled her into my arms, pressing her into the wall and grinding against her naked flesh.

While I feverishly suckled on her breasts, Bella worked on the buttons of my shirt. She quickly became frustrated, though, and decided to just rip it from my body instead.

With one push upward I was inside of her, both of us crying out from the sensation. She was so hot and welcoming—this connection was what I longed for more than anything, with nothing else existing now but us.

Our pace was intense and passionate, with her fingers squeezing and scratching along my back while I continued ravishing her breasts. Her cries were loud and sensual, setting me on fire. "Bellaaaa," I moaned against her skin, feeling both of us nearing the edge.

We climaxed together, almost collapsing from the force of it. My legs were actually shaking as I lowered us to the ground, keeping my arms wound tightly around her body.

"Dear God in heaven!" she breathed, sounding exhausted. She was still straddling me, pressed against my chest, and neither one of us would dare move as we relaxed from our wonderful exertions.

This was certainly an amazing end to our time in Voltera. Tomorrow we would finally be heading home and moving forward with our own plans; I could not go another day without this woman being my wife.