AN: A lot of my newborn-Bella training has been inspired by the lovely and talented GeezerWench, and her story I Live. I will never come close to the amazing depth and descriptions she uses, but I think her baby vampire busy work is just spot-on. So these next few chapters (and the last one(s)) have a bit of her influence. Love ya darlin ;)
Disclaimer: SM owns all, I just screw around with them.
Chapter 9- White Dove
Bella POV
The rest of the night passed quietly, and I didn't even notice when the sun came through the doorway with the strength of mid-day. Garrett finally drew my attention when he put his tools away and turned off the overhead light before stepping over to check my progress. I had been doing well, but as the sunlight caught his skin, I snapped the piece of wood I was holding and gasped quietly.
The sun reflected off his scars, lighting his exposed neck and arms with a luminescent pattern that took my breath away. My eyes were drawn to a recent scar on his forearm that seemed more raised and angry than the rest. With a rush of guilt, I realized it was where I first bit him. Shame washed over me as I took in the damage I inflicted on my own mate.
I reached out to tentatively run my finger over the jagged scar, much rougher and torn than the bite I had from James. That made me feel even worse. I really was a poison, hurting everyone I came in contact with, and my mate would wear proof of that on his skin, for the rest of eternity.
"I'm so sorry, Garrett. I really wasn't thinking clearly and I panicked. I still shouldn't have bitten you like that," I said the words quietly, unwilling to meet his eyes, but he once again nudged my chin up to see his face much closer than I expected.
His tall frame was hunched over, bent toward me as he lowered himself to my meager height. My mind wandered again as I realized a vampire wouldn't survive this long alone, through wars and such, by cowering before others. He was clearly a strong force to be reckoned with, yet he was willing to make himself vulnerable before me over and over again. Who was this man?
"Bella, sweet girl, it's ok. I should have been more prepared for your reaction when you woke, and I let things get out of hand too quickly. Nothing you did was your fault, and the responsibility lies squarely on my shoulders." And such broad shoulders you have... Damn newborn distraction. "Listen to me, I do not hold any ill feelings toward you, and to be perfectly honest, your bites are the scars I am most proud of. I will gladly wear them, along with any others I might gain, as long as it means that I have you with me."
Once again, I was mesmerized by his honest eyes and smooth voice. That man could sell ice to a penguin. A chill ran down my spine as I began to acknowledge the fact that he was mine. That was a very heady thing to consider. Not able to trust my voice, I simply nodded and took a step back to put some distance between us. I didn't miss the flash of hurt that crossed his face, but I just couldn't think clearly with him that close. His scent was overpowering my senses.
He sighed as he straightened up and ran his hand through his shaggy hair, reinforcing my belief that he didn't own a brush of his own. There hadn't been one in the bathroom, and Charlotte pulled a new one from a bag of toiletries they brought for me. Apparently Peter's non-gift was useful in situations like shopping for someone you've never met.
I followed Garrett from the shed, noticing that he started to reach for my hand and pulled back uncertainly. I just couldn't leave him like that, not when I needed some reassurance of my own. I slipped my hand lightly into his larger one and gave my own sigh of relief as our skin connected.
"So, what else is on the agenda for today?" I finally got my thoughts organized enough to speak.
"Well, I thought we'd try your fight training again, if you think you're up for it. I have been making decisions to try to warn the Cullens away from here, but I would feel better if you were prepared for any sort of visitor we might receive, or meet along the way somewhere. I really don't want you to remain defenseless any longer," he said, looking at me almost shyly.
I took a deep breath, still used to my human reactions, as I thought about our last attempt at fighting. I didn't think we would experience a repeat of my flashbacks, but I also wasn't sure I could watch Garrett be attacked very much, even if I was getting more comfortable with Peter.
"Ok, I guess we can try. It can't be any worse than last time, right?" My half-shrug was met with a chuckle and we were suddenly standing with Peter and Charlotte in the yard. Charlotte offered me a friendly smile and I found myself returning it instantly. These vampires were even more charming than the Cullens...
Peter talked me through what he wanted to do this time, showing me different holds and blocks for different attacks. He showed me how to use my newborn strength to my advantage, and not as a disadvantage by simply fighting the way that came naturally to me. Garrett stood by quietly as I faced off against Charlotte, and then Peter, but when he was asked to take a turn, he shook his head vehemently.
"No. I will not do it," he glared at Peter, giving me the impression that this was something he had already discussed.
"Come on, Gar. You know you're the best, just don't tell Jasper I said that. She needs to learn from you as well," Peter tried to convince my mate to change his mind.
"No," he said again, before turning to face me. "Look little one, I can't do it. I will not raise my hand to you even in a mock attempt at battle. I physically cannot do it, and I wouldn't even if I could. I won't give you even the smallest reason to fear me. You're my mate, and that's that. Now, I'll be happy to add my advice when you're working with these two, but I will not spar with you. I'm sorry."
Charlotte and I exchanged a loaded look, and she slipped her arm through mine as Garrett finished his speech. Peter had a knowing grin on his face, which led me to believe my mate had walked right into that one.
Wanting to let him know how much I appreciated his words, as well as the sentiment behind them, I walked over and squeezed his hand before turning back to Peter. "Ok, let's go again."
Garrett POV
Over the next couple of weeks we fell into a routine, one that while it wasn't exactly comfortable, it was at least predictable. We spent the daylight hours training Bella while the sunlight and shadows played the most havoc on her newborn concentration. She fought us easily as she grew frustrated with Peter's brusque orders and Charlotte's superior skills. My comments and advice were met with an icy stare that bordered on betrayal, but every time I tried to stop her training she would shake her head and remind me (or herself) that this was something she needed to learn.
By late morning or early afternoon, she was usually ready to move on to other things, so we took turns escorting her around our territory and showing her how to mark the boundaries with her venom, and how to pick up on trails from other vampires. This served the added bonus of watching for unwanted visitors, as well as educating my mate.
If it wasn't late enough to hunt by the time she returned to the house, Charlotte or I would take her inside to work on her fine motor skills. She enjoyed working with the wood in my shop, but quickly mastered the skill needed and was ready to handle more delicate items. We picked up books and newspapers every time we went to town and let her practice turning pages, tearing paper, and so on. These tasks irritated her almost as much as fighting, but she practically oozed determination and said she wanted to be able to read again. She hadn't held a book in over two years and it was something she dearly missed.
Just thinking of that mutt and the levels of control he still held over made me want to run straight back to Washington and sniff him out. Bella had slowly filled me in on a bit of her history while sitting in my shop during the night. With Peter and Charlotte otherwise occupied, the nighttime hours were ours alone. She seemed more willing to speak to me when we were both distracted by our woodworking, though I did break many pieces over the telling of her story. If she noticed my tension, she never commented on it, but she would occasionally lay her hand on my arm, usually over her bite, and sit quietly until I relaxed.
Our earth-shattering kiss had not been repeated yet, but Bella clearly fought her lust every time she fed, and at other times during the week as well. I could feel her eyes burning into me every time I sparred with Peter, and she couldn't resist sniffing me each time I finished my shower. I didn't want to get my hopes too high, but I felt were were definitely beginning to make progress. She hadn't bitten me again yet, and she only snarled at me once, when I stepped too close while she was feeding.
I knew we still had a long road ahead of us, but the fact that she sought out my presence for comfort was rewarding in itself. But I swear she and Charlotte were choosing her clothes specifically to fuck with me. She had moved to shorts and tank tops for her fighting lessons, that left way too much of her soft, creamy skin on display. For hunting she looked positively sinful dressed all in black, as her table manners still left much to be desired. The rest of the time she dressed casually, in clothes that fit her very well, but what made her most attractive was the fact that she had absolutely no idea how sexy she really was.
The past few days had been a bit tense, since we were beginning to stretch Bella's feedings out, in an effort to teach her self-control. Letting a newborn feed as much as she wants is not the best way to raise a well-adjusted vampire. She had to take control of all parts of her nature if she was going to be able to keep the secret.
I was startled to hear the sound of giggling when I stepped out of the shower after a particularly rough session with Peter. He seemed determined to get the upper hand with me, and show Bella just how much of a distraction she was to me. It took some time to scrub the dirt from my hair and body, but Bella had floated into the house with Charlotte to work on her papers without a care in the world.
The unfamiliar laughter sounded again, followed by praise from Charlotte, while I hurried to pull on my clothes and race out of the bedroom. The sight in front of me drew me up short, and brought a happy smile to my face. Bella was seated at the table in the unused kitchen, surrounded by piles of newspaper in various conditions. She had a bright smile on her face, and her ruby eyes glittered with delight. She laughed again as she handed Charlotte a page and the sound filled me with a longing to coax that sound from her every chance I could get.
Unable to stay away, I walked toward her, still smiling. "What's so funny, little one?"
She jumped up, a little startled, but ran to me waving a page around. "Look, Garrett! See what I did!" I knew she was pleased with her control; she had been working for days to be able to separate the thin sheets of newsprint without tearing them, and it seemed like she had finally succeeded. However, I caught the headline on the paper and decided to tease my mate a bit and see if I could bring out more of her beautiful laughter.
"Look at this! Can you believe they put this shit in an American newspaper? And on the front page of all places?! So the Brits have another successor to the throne, big deal. How on earth is that our business over here? It's a baby prince, not world peace! Ungrateful humans, where would they be if my generation had simpered over royalty-" I stopped talking when another bright giggle burst from behind Bella's hand. She was covering her smile, but her joy was shining from her entire face.
"No, Garrett! Not the words! I meant, look at how I got the page out, all by itself! I didn't tear it at all! See!" She raised up on her toes and deftly plucked the paper from my hand, grinning happily at her accomplishment. "You're such a cute little old man sometimes, Gar. I love it when you go all 'back in my day...'"
Her laughter cut her off as I gave a soft growl. "Old man? I'll show you old man, girlie!" I didn't even think before I lunged toward her, reaching to tickle her ribs as she continued to laugh and wiggle in my grasp. I was laughing as well until I suddenly realized what I was doing and froze in shock. "Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I mean, I shouldn't have-"
My sweet girl looked at me with soft eyes, and a warm smile on her beautiful face. She lifted a finger and place it over my lips, shocking me even further. I couldn't have moved if I had to. "Garrett, it's ok. You didn't do anything wrong. I was laughing, ok?" I was suddenly aware of exactly how closely I was holding her. Her back was mostly to me, with my arms around her waist and ribs, but she had twisted enough that our faces were only inches apart. I couldn't breathe when her eyes suddenly darkened and she looked down at my lips before glancing back up at me.
I could practically feel the lust swirling between us, but there was also something deeper, purer, something like the love I felt for her. She leaned closer to me and I was lost. I leaned my head down enough to touch my lips to hers, still giving her a chance to pull away, but she pressed herself to me with a groan. I spun her around and tightened my arms around her, holding her tightly to my body as I tasted her delicious mouth for only the second time.
She growled as her tongue met mine, and I answered with a deeper growl of my own. All my previous thoughts of taking things slow and holding myself back were flying straight out the window. I had my mate in my arms and she was oh so willing, and so damn responsive, and my body was responding all on its own.
Breaking from her mouth, I moved my lips down her neck as she panted for unneeded breath. My hips were moving of their own volition, grinding my painfully swollen cock into the heat of her body. "Oh, oh- Garrett!" she threw her head back and moaned as her hands roamed my body, tracing over my scars that were bared above my waist. I was immensely grateful that I hadn't thrown on a shirt after my shower, as her gentle touch was soothing the ancient wounds and breathing new life into me.
My hands moved up from her hips to slip under the edge of her t-shirt and I captured her mouth once more. As soon as my fingers brushed the bare skin of her ribs, she locked up tight. I should have expected it, but I was too far gone to pull away immediately. I moved my hands back to her waist, above her clothing, and used an immense amount of self-control to push my hips away from hers. I kept my eyes closed as I lowered my forehead to press against hers as I tried to calm my breathing and bring my body back into submission.
"Just, just give me- give me a minute, sweet girl," I panted out between breaths. "I'm trying. It's just gonna take some time."
It took me almost a full minute to slow my breathing and just before I opened my eyes, I felt Bella's hand tentatively moving on my back. She wasn't groping and searching as she was before, instead, she was rubbing soothing circles to help calm me. My eyes met her still-dark lust- and thirst-blackened ones, but the look she gave me wasn't filled with panic or revulsion as I had expected. In fact, she looked almost... remorseful?
As my head cleared, I realized exactly what had almost happened and I was horrified with myself. I stepped back, my hands dropping to my side, as I hung my head in shame. How could I have taken advantage of her like that? She would never be able to trust me now.
Before I could beg her forgiveness, the front door banged open and Peter walked in, followed by Charlotte, who must have escaped sometime during our intense display. As always, Peter knew just what to say, "So, did I miss anything?"
