DISCLAIMER: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer…but isn't it fun to play with them?

A/N: Howdy my darlin's! I'm back, I'm sunburned~ as is the rest of my family…but we had a wonderful time at the beach! I had an inbox FULL of reviews from this story as well as UW and TSID and I can't thank ya'll enough! I thought I'd go ahead and post a chapter tonight to thank everyone for the reviews and their patience in allowing me to go on vacation! Of course, I'll post Chapter 10 in the morning! Thanks to my beta and pre-readers!

Are you ready to see how Edward is REALLY handling that bloody kiss?

Chapter 9—Are You High?

My brothers kneel, beside me ,
Next to stone and ice in heathen-wise
But in my brother's voice I hear
My own unanswered fears.
This God is as his fates assign
there prayer is the entire world's... and mine.

By Arc Morpheus

EPOV

I managed to maintain a human walking pace until I reached the edge of town, and then I ran full out. I could still taste her and as much as I wanted to savor it and wallow in the pain it was causing inside me, I needed to wash it away before I turned around and did something I could never come back from.

I arrived at the boundaries of my land but did not go to the castle. Instead I skirted to the outside of the boundary lines, heading deep into the forest. I located a chamois with ease and took it down swiftly, practically tearing its head from its body as I ripped into the throat, gulping the hot fluid as it spurted forcefully. I was a mess, covered in blood and gore and it wasn't enough.

I had already memorized her flavor and would never be able to cleanse my palate of the exquisite bouquet.

I buried the carcass and then resumed my hunt. If I had any hope of her surviving tomorrow, I needed to glut myself tonight. I needed to fill my body to bursting with a variety of animals so that it would be physically impossible for me to consume anymore.

An hour and a half, a lynx, two more chamois' and two wolves later I was sprawled on my back on the mountainside. I was contemplating whether I could take down a brown bear. I hadn't allowed myself to think of Bella, instead giving myself over to the hunt completely. My limbs were heavy and sluggish and my stomach was swollen and sloshing when I moved, thus the need to lie down.

Now that I was stationary, my thoughts did return to her. I had to tell her. She deserved to know that I was the one that stole her mother from her. That I was the reason she had been abandoned when she was nothing but a baby still dependent upon her mother's breast for food.

"Edward, we're approaching from the East. Please don't be alarmed," Jasper's soft tenor weaved through my mind moments before I heard the rustle of the trees.

"YO! Eddie boy what's up?" boomed Emmett as he came to a stop by my head, bending forward over me so that when I opened my eyes I was looking into his upside down grin.

Normally I would've gotten upset at his use of the childish nickname. I usually did and he knew it…and exploited it whenever possible. Tonight however, as I raked my eyes over his happy features, from those dimples to his twinkling topaz eyes, I recalled Bella calling me the same earlier this evening and I just started giggling…uncontrollably.

Though his grin remained, his features changed from 'gotcha!' to 'what the hell?' This, of course, set me off further. I was clasping my stomach, rocking side to side as I tried to control my outburst. Jasper was just shaking his head at me, but I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

"Dude? What's going on here," Emmett whined. "When Ali said you needed us I was expecting to find you in one of your emo funks. NOT covered in ick, rolling around on the ground and losing it like some teenage girl." His eyes widened and he gasped, "Edward Cullen, are you high?" he stage whispered 'high,' "Cuz, you know, there are groups and uh, meetings and shit and we can get you in for help," he said with sincerity.

"You're an idiot Emmett," I laughed as I reached out and thwacked him in the center of his forehead. "Back up."

He moved back and I sat up, swaying slightly as a wave of dizziness rolled over me. "We can't get high and you know it. Although, I might be suffering from blood overload," I groaned as I held my head in my hands to stop the movement. Emmett plopped down on the ground next to me, sitting indian style and looking like an overgrown kid. Jasper smoothly lowered himself to sit next to us, he had a knowing smirk plastered across his pretty visage.

I looked between them, finally settling on Jasper. "Say it Jasper, whatever you are thinking, just spill it."

He finally let loose with the laugh he'd been holding back. "Come now Edward, you know what I'm thinking," he said tapping his temple. "Alice told me first, and I didn't believe her, until now."

We stared at each other, sharing a brotherly moment.

"Ah hell guys, come on! I hate when you do this crap and leave me hanging!" complained Emmett. We both turned to look at him, instinctively teaming up to taunt him for a bit. "You know I can't read minds or sense emotions like you freaks!" he pouted as he started pulling up clumps of grass and tossing them in the air carelessly.

I nodded at Jasper. "Go on, oh wise one, enlighten the buffoon over here with your wisdom."

"Edward's in love," he stated. Simple. To the point.

Emmett's jaw dropped open. "Get. Out." He waggled his eyebrows. "Is she hot? Ooh, how old is she? Are you dating an older woman?" he reached out his fist towards me for a 'fistbump,' but I left him hanging there as I stared at him in disbelief.

Sadly, he just took his hand back and kept talking, completely missing the hint.

"I didn't know there were any knew vamp ladies in the area? Where'd ya meet her?"

"Em," Jasper said softly.

"Is she cool with the whole animal thing? She gonna move into Bran with ya or does this mean you're gonna move away?"

"Emmett." I said.

"Wait. A. Minute! Dude…have ya done the deed? Did ya finally get that V card stamped?" he emphasized the last by banging his fist on the ground next to him causing a low tremor to roll through the ground.

"EMMETT!" Jasper and I shouted at the same time.

He blinked slowly, "What?"

"You're channeling Alice right now buddy. You need to calm down and give Edward a chance to answer your questions," said Jasper, chuckling.

I took a deep breath. "Yes, I believe I've found my mate. No, she is not older than me. Not by a long shot. She doesn't know about the animals yet. It is my hope to remain at Bran. And while I would love nothing more than to claim her properly, at this time all we've done…well, she has kissed me."

Jasper quirked his eyebrow at me.

"What do you mean 'she has kissed me'? You didn't kiss her back? Do you have a screw loose Eddie?" chided Emmett.

I growled at him, "Edward, you asshole. My name is not Eddie or Ed or any other derivative your pea brain comes up with! Her name is Bella and she's…she's human. Her mother is the woman I killed two decades ago."

"Oh shit," whispered Emmett and Jasper in sync.

Oh shit indeed.