The Necklace

Author's Note: Thank you guys so much for the reviews last chapter! I'm happy to be back to this story. I really love it.

Chapter Eight: To Catch a Nymph

"Do you like it?" My mother asks me, holding up the rose petal pink dress. "I had it made for you for the masked ball. You said you wanted to be Echo?"

I nod my head and take the beautiful dress into my hand. Crystals are embedded in the waist and white and gold lace cover the bottom of the skirt. It has no puffy sleeves, only a halter draped over the my mother shows me the floral mask and the headpiece made of baby's breath flower and pearls. "Yes, it's beautiful. It's just like I thought it would be."

My mother walks towards the door, her boots clacking against the hardwood floors. "Well, clad yourself in it and let me see how you look," she says and then nods towards the maidservants to help me dress in it.

They unlace the back of the dress I am wearing now and let it fall to the ground while others prepare the new dress. I raise my arms and let the servants shimmy it over my head. It fits like a glove, accenting all the right places. The skirt flows downwards and the bodice hugs my torso perfectly, pushing my breasts up and out. The servants come in then with the jewelry and place a beautiful pearl choker around my neck and pearl earrings. They let down my hair and place the flower headpiece upon my head.

And then the last touch, the mask. When I put it to my face, it makes it become real. "Beautiful!" I gasp, twirling around, watching the skirts fly around me gracefully. "I look just like Echo, the beautiful wood nymph."

They go to touch up some places, but I push their hands away and bound gracefully out into the hall. Mother is downstairs talking to father in his study. I fly down the staircase and present myself at the doorway of father's study. "Look at me," I tell them, spreading my arms out.

Mother and father turn around and marvel at the new dress mother had bought me. "It is nice material," mother says with a smile, touching the dress. "Don't you think so, my lord husband?"

My father nods his head before stamping the family seal down onto a letter he'd been writing before I'd interrupted. I leave the doorway and head outside to fulfill my promise to show Jacob my costume. I race around the house to the back yard, flying down the hill. I avoid using the stone path because my barefeet lack shoes.

Jacob is working on blacksmithing today for my father, sharpening his swords on a special stone. It's a cool day; some might even call it chilly. The wind blows in his direction and my hair goes up into the air, caressing my neck and the sides of my face. He notices my presence then, a look of shock and awe on his face.

And I stand there for a few seconds. Those seconds seem like hours with the way he stares at me, like he's seen the holy ghost and doesn't want to be revived. "You look..." he begins, his voice soft and soothing. "You look like a faerie. I almost didn't recognize you. No...that's an understatement. I thought perhaps a goddess had come to visit me."

I smile, blushing under his intense gaze. "You flatter me, Jacob Black."

He sets his working tools aside and slowly stands from where he was sitting on his log. He comes to me, lips still sweetly parted, eyes full of wanting. His hand goes to my midsection, and I let him touch my stomach. He walks around me, swirling his hand from my stomach to the small of my back. And he stops when he's behind me, resting his chin down on my shoulder. "It is only because you deserve every endearing word that falls from my lips," he says deeply.

I shudder, leaning my head back against his chest. I let his lips touch the edge of my jaw, feeling his hot breath puff over my chest.

"Jacob!"

He darts away from me faster than I could have ever imagined, picking up my father's sword to make it seem like he'd been working this whole time. I look down at the ground, smoothing a wrinkle in my petal pink dress. When I look up, I see Guilia come around the corner. She notices me right away, smiling slyly.

"Jacob," she purrs. "Lord Swan requests his swords straight away."

Jacob's face pales slightly and he runs a hand through his hair, tugging at the roots. "Alright. Let me finish sharpening the last one and he can have them." She watches him with her cat-like hazel eyes as he bends over and runs the stone along the sword's blade. The baggy tunic that he wears does little to hide the spectacular sight of his rippling torso and sun-kissed skin.

I scowl at her as she crouches down to his level, watching him with a glint in her eye. "You're quite strong," she muses, biting her lip.

Jacob looks up at her and sees her in the way that she is. But as quickly as he looked up, he looks back down. He chuckles. "I suppose I have to be for this kind of job," he replies quietly.

Not fully satisfied with his answer, she pretends to drop something and leans down in a seductive pose, baring her breasts to him. By now, I can feel smoke pouring from my ears and alarms going off inside of my brain. "I wonder what else you must be strong for, Mr. Black."

Jacob's face goes red like a tomato. I growl under my breath. "Guilia!" I call. The sleek woman turns her head and looks at me with her evil hazel eyes. "Head back to the manor. I will accompany Jacob back with the swords in a moment." When she hesitates, I glare daggers at her.

If looks could kill.

Finally, she turns her back and starts towards the manor. I mumble furiously under my breath, shaking my head. Jacob notices this and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Why do you hate her so?" he asks me quietly, as if he does not already know the answer.

"She is too beautiful, to say the least." I tell him.

He gives me a funny look. "Oh Bella," he murmurs. "If you hate beauty, then you must surely hate yourself."

Fed up with everything, I push him gently in the arm. He chuckles. "You jest," I say in exasperation. I turn my back and start up the hill towards the manor. "Bring the swords and let us go."

Jacob slings two of the swords into his belt and carries the other in his hands, following me up the hill and to the manor. When we get to the manor, I enter through the door and wait for him to follow. He stands at the doorway, not knowing what to do with himself. I give him a look.

He fidgets in his place. "I have never been in the manor, my lady."

At first I am confused to why he is not calling me by my name, but then I realize all of the servants walking past and my mother lingering towards the end of the hall, talking to one of the chefs. "I am inviting you in, Jacob," I say with a small laugh. "Do not look so frightened. It does not become you."

He heaves a sigh before entering through the doorway, carrying the heavy iron swords. My father is making his way down the long spiral staircase when we close the door behind us. "My swords?" he asks.

"Yes, my lord." Jacob replies, bowing his head and showing the swords to my father. He inspects them and nods his head.

"Well done, lad." My father praises him with a nod, taking the swords from Jacob. He then turns to me. "Daughter," he breathes. "Your mother and I have prepared the carriages. We are spending the day in La Push and will be back before nightfall. Behave yourself."

"Always, papa." My father kisses me on the forehead before slinging his cloak over his shoulder and walking out the door towards the carriages waiting for him on the cobblestone driveway.

I throw a glance towards Jacob as my mother comes near the door. My mother kisses my cheek and pats my hair. "We'll return before nightfall," she tells me.

"Yes, I know," I tell her and give a smile. "I'll be waiting here. You two have fun in La Push."

And with that, my mother bustles out the door, patting her hair down with her hand to fight the force of the wind. I close the door behind her and take Jacob's hand, leading him up to my room. "What are we doing?" he asks me with curiosity.

I tug him into my room and shut the door behind us both. "We are going riding," I tell him. "And we're going to the meadow, and to explore the forest, and I'll even show you a lake that we might swim in."

He breathes out slowly. "Alright. But what are we doing in here?"

"I need to change, of course."

His eyes bug out of his head. "Bella, I..."

"Hush," I tell him. "Just turn around while I slip my frock on."

He does as I say, facing the wall behind him and pulling at his shirt with his fingers. He seems uncomfortable with my undressing with him in the same room. We both know that it is very improper to undress in the same room with a man that is not your husband, but for some reason I feel comfortable around him...as if he could be my husband, casually standing in the same room while I shimmied out of my gown.

The cold air immediately hits my skin, gooseflesh making me shiver. It thrills me to the core that I'm naked in the same room with him. Oh, mother would surely die if she knew what I am doing! "No peeking, Jacob Black," I giggle, a bright red blush spreading on my cheeks.

"Oh, no, my lady. I would never!"

I suppress my laughter and slip on my old blue frock, smoothing down the wrinkles on the bodice. "Alright," I tell him. "You can look now." I go to the corner and pull out my muddy leather boots, the ones that Celia despises with all her might, and put them on.

0o0o0o0o

He looks at the lake and shivers. "I don't know if we should be doing this."

"Come again?"

"I said I don't know if we should be doing this. If anyone were to catch us, I'd be...whipped..." he trails off as I unlace the back of my dress and let it fall around my ankles. The slip of underdress that I wear covers me enough to keep me somewhat decent in his line of sight.

"Jacob Black," I murmur softly. "My mother and father have gone away to La Push for the whole day. The servants will not speak a word, or else they'd have their tongues cut straight from their mouths...and we are deep in the forest, with only the eyes of God to watch us."

I step into the water, wading deep into the lake, letting the water engulf me. He swallows thickly. "I am afraid."

I groan and roll my eyes. "I have told you countless times to trust me," I tell him. "I wish you'd join me. I wish you'd let down your guard and just have a little fun, perhaps. With me."

He casts his dark glance down towards the ground and slowly goes to untie the top of his tunic. I smile with glee as the tunic falls from his shoulders and lands on the ground, revealing his beautifully sculpted torso to my eyes. He wades into the water, swimming out towards me.

I open my arms to him and he comes to me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and holding my body tightly to his. And I lean my head on his shoulder, resting there peacefully. "Thank you," I whisper.

He presses his lips to the corner of my neck and hums softly. I can feel the vibration of his deep voice move through my skin and I laugh, pushing him away. Shooting him a challenging look, I dive out into the water and head towards the middle of the lake. Laughing, he follows in pursuit of me.

"Why do you venture so far away from me, fair maiden?" he asks me in a mock-dramatic voice, stretching his arms out for me.

"I am the beautiful water spirit of this lake," I reply in a wispy voice. "And you may never have me, Narcissus."

I disappear underneath the crystal waves, swimming towards the middle of the lake. He gives a laugh and ventures out to follow me. "The pain, I cannot take it!" he says, clutching at his heart. "Oh, why won't you love me?"

"I will never love you," I tell him with a smile. "For you will never be able to hold me in your arms."

He dives beneath the waves and disappears from my sight. I wait for him to emerge, but he doesn't. My heart starts to pound and I begin to peer into the water, searching for some kind of movement. I see nothing.

"Jacob?" I call, splashing around in the water, trying to see something. "Jacob, please." Suddenly, I'm swept off my feet and carried deeper into the water. I scream and struggle at first, but then I hear his laughter. I beat him with my fists, and scramble out of his arms. "You scared the life out of me!"

He stops laughing and looks down at me. "You were afraid for me?" he asks in seriousness.

"Of course I was," I hiss at him. "I thought you drowned at first. Never do that to me again."

He holds my hands in his own and pulls me closer, pressing his nose against mine. "Forgive me," he murmured. "I didn't mean to frighten you, my lady." I want to scold him for the title, but I can't help but remain silent. His hot breath puffs onto my neck. The warm breeze blows through the trees and kisses my wet skin. I part my lips, looking into his gentle brown eyes.

"It seems I've been caught," I whisper. He chuckles softly, his breath being expelled over my cheek. Then we're quiet. So quiet, in fact, that we can hear with ease, the chirping of birds, the trickle of the water from the lake, the beating of two hearts in unison.

"I want to kiss you," he tells me.

I reach up and stroke the sides of his face with the back of my hand. I nod my head slowly. "Kiss me then," I murmur. "Narcissus."

First, he places his lips against my forehead. I stand in the water and let him kiss me, let him kiss down my face and eventually reach my lips. He cups my face in his hands and tilts my face upwards and kisses my lips gently. "Do you forgive me, Echo? For breaking your heart?" he asks me gently, dragging his lips down my neck. He licks over my pulse and presses his hand down onto my waist.

"Ay. You're forgiven." The shift I wear slowly falls over my shoulders, exposing more of my breasts inch by inch. I'm too stunned to move or reject him. The way he touches me sends a fire through my veins and makes my skin prickle with gooseflesh. And then he dares to kiss the top of one of the soft mounds, cupping the other breast in his free hand. I tilt my head back, reveling in the feeling of his lips on my skin. My heart pounds in my chest and I arch my back into him. "Oh..." I whimper softly.

And the shift falls away into the water, settling around my hips. I can feel the wind bite at my naked, wet skin. I've never been completely bared to the eyes of a man before and I instantly cross my arms over my chest and cover my exposed nipples. "Don't hide from me," he tells me, his voice breathless. "You're beautiful. You're so beautiful."

A thrilling surge of adrenaline fills me, and I place my hands by my side, baring myself to him. His eyes darken and he bites his lip, debating with himself on whether to touch me or not.

"Please."

That was all the encouragement he needed.

He bends down and kisses my breast, flicking his tongue over my nipple. Zaps of pleasure shoot through my body and down my spine. I hold his head in my hands, threading my fingers through his wet locks of hair. He kisses through the valley of my breasts, his hands my waist softly.

And he kneels in the shallow water, inching the shift down further. He kisses the flat plane of my stomach and I laugh because it tickles, cradling his head in front of me. He looks up at me with a smile. "Bella Swan...I could fall in love with you over and over, every single day," he says. My eyes widen and a gasp falls from my lips. "I'd live my life to worship every inch of your body if you'd let me. I'd serve you, eternally."

I breathe out heavily, my hair tumbling over my shoulders. "I don't know about this," I murmur. I look over my shoulder and around the forest. What if one of the servants had followed us? Now I was the one beginning to feel paranoid.

"You always tell me to trust you," he whispers, bringing my attention back to him. "So why not trust me for a change?"

I stare down at him in shock, pushing a wisp of hair out of his eyes. He does have a point. When I don't say anything, he lifts my shift and spreads my legs a little. My heart is pounding with anticipation as I see the glint in his eye. He throws me a wicked smile before dipping his head and touching his tongue to the apex of my thighs.

I gasp in shock, my eyes widening and my jaw dropping. I've never felt something so foreign, yet so good in all my life.

0o0o0o0o

I ride next to him on my horse, still a little wet from our escapades in the lake. It's nearly suppertime, with the sun slowly sinking lower with each passing moment. I finally break the silence. "How did you learn to do that with your mouth?" I ask him. He looks over at the sound of my voice, his eyebrows raised. "Is that what the men do their wives back in Andapor?" I'd heard of the wild tales of harems in the land across the seas and their ways in the bedrooms, but I'd never heard of this.

He shrugs his shoulders. "I suppose some might," he begins. "But I did it because I wanted to taste you there."

"Taste me?" I mumble, confused. "One would think it vile."

He chuckles softly. "No. You taste of the sweetest honey...and I could sup on you, and you alone, for the rest of my wretched life." He steers his horse around a tree. My face turns bright red when he looks over at me again. "Besides, you seemed to like it."

"I did." I reply, my face burning up under the sun. "But I never, ever imagined..." The words I had on my tongue had disappeared, and now I knew not of what to say. "Oh, I don't know."

"What's the matter," he muses. "Cat's got your tongue?"

I blush. "Something like that." Looking ahead, I can see the manor in the distance. The servants are out doing laundry in the creek that runs near the forest. The birds sing in the trees as the sun sinks lower into the sky, bleeding its colors into the clouds. I laugh, thinking of the time that Edward and I looked upon the clouds and decided what tangible thing they represented.

"Lord Swan," Jacob murmurs. "He should be home soon, no?"

"Soon, yes," I agree. "I must dry myself before they return. Oh, God forbid if mother were to see me like this. I can hear it already...'how unladylike! You shame us!'" He chuckles at me. We near the stables, steering our horses past the oblivious servants.

We sneak into the stables quietly, and Jacob ties up the horses. I watch him in silence as he returns Poppy to her stall, replenishing her water and hay. He whips off the wet shirt that clings to his skin, and lays it down on a bench temporarily. He's about to remove his trousers, but he remembers that I am there.

My face reddens. He's seen my body, and God...tasted my body, and I can't help but feel a slight urge to want to see him too. But I don't dare act on my thoughts. "Do...do you still have the money I gave you?"

He nods his head. "It's in the stable house under my mattress. I've hidden it."

"Good," I say, rubbing my hands together. "I want you to go into town later to buy your costume. The ball is tomorrow. Do not forget."

He gulps and nods his head. "I'd never. But Bella, if I may ask?" I nod and smile. "How will your father let me go to the markets and how am I to come back with a costume, unnoticed?"

Jacob had brought up a valid point. "I will tell papa that I sent you into town for a special errand-he won't question. Put the costume into the pocket on your horse's saddle to hide it that way. And tomorrow, when it comes time for me to leave, wait until every single one of my family members is gone. Then put on your costume and ride out to Aro's castle in anonymity. You must seek me out, Jacob, for I will not know what your costume looks like. I will be with Edward, but I will sneak away if I see you. Will you be able to locate me easily? I could set up a meeting place-"

"No," Jacob whispers with humorous tone. "All I will have to do is look into the crowd, and find the most beautiful woman. That will lead me to you."

My face burns bright, and I turn back towards the manor. In the distance. I can hear the rumble of familiar clouds. "I must go."

"Yes, you must."

"Until tomorrow." I say, bidding him farewell.

I'm about to take off towards the manor when he reaches out and grabs my hand before I am able to walk away, pulling me back to him. He kisses my lips tenderly. "Tomorrow."

Then Jacob lets me go, and I squeeze his hand. I do not want to leave. Spending time with him is what makes these dreary days seem brighter, happier. Another grumble of thunder, and I'm off. The rain begins to pour down from the sky when I make it halfway across the grass. The servants come running as well. I can hear Jacob laughing from his stables as I squeal; the rain and windchill is cold!

While running through the rain, I think of this ball that I had dreaded so, and how it would be the most exciting event in quite some time. My Narcissus is coming to seek me, and how thrilling it is to know that we are doing this in secret, behind everyone's backs. I find myself laughing as I run into the house, face flushed and lips still wet from his kiss. My heart pounds. He has me right where he wants me. How can I feel this way?

Oh, to catch a nymph.

0o0o0o0o

And there we are, chapter eight! I hope you guys enjoyed. Leave me a review if you like, tell me what you thought. Things you liked, didn't like. Things you want to happen. Up Next: Lover For the Night (masquerade part one): Edward, Bella, and Jacob embark on the journey to their masquerade. Echo seeks to find Narcissus, and when she does, he becomes her lover for the night.