Chapter 9
Before I knew what was happening, I was on my knees and sobbing in front of 3 large, not too happy wolves, the Alpha and Beta among them. The howling must have woken Valerie up because she was now coming toward us from the house. She's holding the letter. "I suppose this means that you told him the other request from the letter and he's not happy about it." She sighs. "Bells…when you get married I expect to at least be a bridesmaid…" She steps in between me and Jake. "Jacob, honey, look at me… Can you focus on me, please?" He whimpers and I see tears coming from his eyes, but he nods. "I know it's upsetting… but think about it…Do you really think that this relationship is going to stop at them living together? If she loves him enough to forgive his transgressions and take him back, then the ONLY way for them to move forward is marriage and sex. That will be dangerous if she is still human, right? We all know… except for Charlie, of course, that Bella and Edward are meant for each other. There will probably be nothing we can do to keep them apart…even if we were able to stay here for that express purpose. We're not their parents… and they are old enough to make up their own minds. She's 27 and he's…" She turns to me.

I think for a moment. "118…Yeah."

Valerie does a double-take. "Wow, ok… He's 118. The only reason she came to you before just doing what she wants is because of the treaty. Change back and read this for yourself, Jake. Sometimes things come out differently from the written form when they're spoken. Bella, why don't you go get some sleep. By the way, Bells, I think that we should stay a few more days to work this out… Is that ok with you?"

I nod and let Alice lead me into the bedroom. "Put on the CD for me, Alice?" She nods, pushes play and starts looking online from my laptop for clothes and stuff. My eyes drift closed to the soft serenade of Edward's love…but my dreams are restless. I have several nightmares: In one, I'm a human, but battered and broken. I'm old and Edward is at my bedside …he still looks 17. In the next nightmare, I'm a vampire standing with the Cullens in the field where I watched them play baseball. A group of wolves are all around us. In the next, I'm looking up as Edward stares down at me. Flames are encasing me. I wake up to find Alice holding me for dear life and I'm crying hysterically… I'm so exhausted that I fall into a dreamless sleep for the rest of the night…

The next morning…
My eyes open to see… I breathe a sigh of relief… Edward's honey colored eyes look into mine. My tears are joyous ones now. "Oh, Edward! You're back! Please, I need to…Hold me, love…" I pull his arms around me and bury my face in his chest. I speak softly. "Did Alice and Rose tell you what happened last night? Instead of waiting for him to read the letter, I let him talk me into telling him my requests outright. I shouldn't have let him get to me like that. I know better. I've…"

He places his finger on my lips. "Shhh… Love, they told meHe told me… Valerie, Seth and Leah also told me. Bella, Jacob is very sorry for scaring you. He was very sad that you… He thinks that if you are turned, you'll no longer be yourself. He thinks his best friend is going to die. Alice and the rest of the family were here trying to make him understand that your inherent nature, what makes you who you are, will be brought over from your life." His lips touch my temple. He's always so gentle with me. "Bella, I need to ask you about the letter. I'm sorry if you didn't want me to read it, but Jake gave it to me when I got back about 2 hours ago… and said I needed to know what it saidForgive me?"

I nod. "Of course, and…what do you think?"

"Well…First of all, I'd love to take you to the wedding…and I don't mind that I'll have to be escorted by Seth. Secondly…" He looks into my eyes. "I think I've learned my lesson, Bella, and I learned it the hard way. If this really is what you want and you will try to keep to my family's way of doing things, and answer a few questions for Carlisle, of course… then I won't fight it… in fact, I will change you… myself…"

"Oh, Edward, thank you!" I gasp. "I didn't dare to hope. It's 1 of the only 2 things I've ever really wanted from you. I love you so much! Thank you, my love!" I crash my lips onto his. My hands roam over his back as we embrace. He lets the kiss deepen. Our tongues caress each other. I take his hand and gradually lead it to cup my bottom. His breathing gets heavier, but he pulls my lower half tightly to his. I feel a bulge in his pants…It's nice to know I have some affect on him… "Edward, touch meplease? I need to feel your strong gentle touch…your cool fingers running along my skin. Ahhh… God, Edward, you make me feel sooo good." My lips and hands are now roaming his beautiful body.

"How did I exist without your touch for so long…? Oh Bella…We shouldn't… I don't want to hurt you… We should wait til you're a vampire like me." He whispers, trying to still my hands.

I stroke his cheek. "I've already told you… You won't hurt me… I know it…"

"How can you be so sure? Dang it all, Bella, I just got you back and I won't risk your life for a few minutes of pleasure!" His worried tone says it all.

*Fudge! I'm going to have to get Alice to tell him about her vision.* I sigh. "Edward, is Alice still here?"

He frowns at me. "Yes…why?"

"Alice, tell him… now, please?" I yell.

"Are you sure, Bella?" She says from just outside the door.

"Yes, Alice…" I watch his face as he concentrates his gift on her.

His fingers lightly touch my left hip, where she must have seen the bruise… I wait for his reaction. "I'll try to avoid even that much pain, love." His eyes turn to liquid gold as he lifts my nightgown over my head.

I lay before him as God made me and a certain sadistic vampire had damaged me. I watch his face as his hands skim over my body.

He touches the scar on my stomach and winces. It's as if he is feeling the pain for himself. "How did this…?" He squeezes his eyes shut and grits his teeth to continue. "Victoria…?" I nod, unable to speak, as he kisses it, erasing the pain associated with the mark. Edward's lips caress my skin… from my mouth to my jaw to the hollow under my ear… a trail of white hot flames begins to engulf me. His sweet scent surrounds me as I become lost in a haze of passion.

His mouth is now presses into the valley between my breasts. I gasp as Edward's tongue flicks across my nipple. His hand lightly brushes the other breast as he reclaims my mouth. I moan feeling slightly dazed as he stops for a long moment. He undresses at vampire speed and is back suddenly touching my knees. My eyes feast on his beautiful body. His arms and shoulders are strong; his muscles are toned. His abs are tight and his legs are just as nicely shaped as the rest of him. "Like what you see, love?" I bite my lip and stare into his eyes nodding. He smirks and his voice is deeper than usual as he whispers, "Me, too… Open for me, love." My legs slowly fall open. He cups my wet hot mound and groans. Our gazes lock together as he runs a finger up and down my opening. His nose skims my collarbone as his mouth delivers fluttery kisses. At the same time, he pushes a long finger into me. My heart-rate must be off the charts. A second finger joins the first inside of me, making me moan his name. He hovers over me; his mouth is plundering mine as he moves his fingers in and out of my core. I shift my hips to make it easier for him. "The aroma of your arousal is giving me such an ache, love. I feel so much… I need…to tasteyou…" He brings his fingers to his lips and I watch as he sucks them clean. "Delicious…"

I can't help but think to myself: *There's a better way to taste that, you know…*

"Bella-love, I want more… " He says as his head descends to my body.

"I thought you couldn't read my mind." I say just before I feel his breath on me.

He chuckles as he first kisses my inner thighs. Then he lightly begins to stroke my slit with his tongue. His fingers move to hold me open for better access. "What does this do? I wonder…?" He whispers just before his finger move in a little circle around my clit. I let out a strangled cry. "If my finger causes that I wonder what this will do." He says mischievously. I'm sent to cloud nine as his tongue starts to circle the tiny bundle of nerves. My hands tangle in his hair as he assaults the most sensitive areas on my body.

"Ed-ward! Oh, God…Edward, I wantI needyouinside me… now!" I pant out to him as he licks deeply into me. "Please, Edward…"

His eyes smolder into mine as he rises up between my legs. "Are you sure, love? It probably won't hurt but I want you to be sure anyway…"

I place a finger on his lips. "Make me yours, Edward. I want this… you… so much."

His eyes close at my declaration. His lips are suddenly on mine again. I feel his hands on my hips and his manhood at my opening. He pushes in slowly. When I feel filled to the hilt, tears prick my eyes as my one true love becomes one with me. Our lips and tongues dance to the rhythm of our shared pleasure filled bodies. I lose myself in his touch and soon I reach the peak of my satisfaction with Edward's name in my heart and on my lips. He lies on his back and holds me as close to him as he can.

An hour or so later…
A loud banging is coming from the living-room. I wake up with a jolt. Edward tries to soothe me. "Bella-love, wake up. It's Charlie…"

"JacobBells…Is anyone here? Where are you? What is a piano doing here?" I hear my father's voice now. He sounds upset.

I look at him. "Hide… If you 'aren't here' then he can't shoot you and we won't have to try to explain why you aren't hurt by the bullet. Then you can sneak out the window and come up the front walk when I get him to put the gun away. Ok?"

Edward grimaces and grumbles. "I should be there when you speak to him… you shouldn't be alone when you tell him I'm moving in with you. He'll be angry. He'll take it out on youyell at you… He wants to yell at me… but he'll yell at you. After that phone call…"

My bedroom door opens and the discussion is moot… We look up. His shocked face says more than I ever thought it could. Anger… horror… disappointment… it's written all over my father's face as it begins to change color. Red…purple… blue… green. I look down at his right hand. It's wrapped around his shotgun. He cocks it. *Oh, God! I've gotta calm him down.* "Dad…? Please put the gun down… Are you ok?" I try to speak softly… to soothe him. I grab my robe and slip into it.

Edward stands at my side. "Chief Swan… Sir, I beg you. Please don't yell at Bella. I know you really want to yell at me. I don't mind …I deserve it… If you want to rant and rave, fine. If you want to talk to my dad, I'll ask him to come over… But please, sir, please put the gun down… I know you don't want to hurt anybody…especially not Bella."

I chime in. "That's right, dad. You know if that shot ricocheted it would probably hit me by accident. You don't want that to happen, right? Dad?" The relief in the air is easily felt as he un-cocks the gun and puts it on the floor next to my closet. "Thank you, Dad. Now let's talk in the living-room and I'll get you some coffee. Ok?" He nods and walks out of the room. "Edward, call your dad and get him and Alice and Jasper over here. Now..."