Chapter Ten
The last thing I expect when I descend the elegant stairs of the Cullen mansion is to see her long bronze legs pressing against the snow-white material of the sofa in the living space.
My eyes hungrily take in her majestic form.
Long lean lines of strength, skin like silk wrapped tightly around feminie muscles, dark raven hair now shorter than I last remember. It cuffs her jaw line, showing off her elegant neck and collar bones, smooth flawless skin shimmering everywhere my eyes touch. Her feet are bare, ankles crossed, hip pressing into the back of the couch, arms folded, eyes surveying the house around her. She looks uncomfortable and when I cock my head to the side and listen, I know why.
We are alone in the house.
As if she senses me, she turns, muscles bunching in anticipation. Those damn tiny jean shorts that cup her pert behind have made a reappearance once again but instead of wanting her to cover up, I want nothing more than to tear them from her body with my teeth. Her folded arms press against her chest, tightening the gym singlet and sports bra she has on.
When her deep brown eyes meet mine, I feel lighter than I have since my family decided to 'save' me. Her eyes regard me silently, her lips parting just slightly so I can see the white of her teeth. My ears catch the stutter of her heart and the gasp of breath she sucks into her lungs.
"Charlie," she whispers in a pained voice.
Instead of answering her, I continue to stride forward, boots stomping across the marble floors. She watches but doesn't stop me as I sweep her into my arms and slam her back against the wall dividing the living room and the kitchen.
Her skin is hot against my waist seeing as I am only wearing my boots and jeans, knees on either side of my hips, ankles crossed against my ass. I growl as my fingers pinch into her waist, chests arched into each other, eyes never faltering as I stare back at her. I take in her dark arching brows, her soft berry coloured lips, those silly little freckles so sparsely spread over her nose. She looks even more amazing than I had ever noticed when I was human.
She takes my breath away, even though I don't need air.
"Did you imprint on me again?" I ask her hopefully, keeping my hold on her waist. After four months of not having her, I don't want to take the chance to let her go.
Her eyes soften as she shakes her head ever so slightly. "No. Wolves can only imprint on humans."
I close my eyes feeling pained. Jacob had told me about the magic of the imprint, how it had brought us together. I had hoped that should she ever set eyes on me, the same magic would bloom and bind us together once again. I had wished for it every night since he told me about the Quileute legends. He had not imprinted, but the way he described it made me jealous of my former human self.
Feeling her touch my cheek with the back of her warm hand makes my eyes snap open. I can hear her heart beating wildly in her chest, her blood pulsating around her veins. It doesn't necessarily attract me, but it does smell sweet.
"I didn't think they would ever let us be alone together."
"We aren't," she smiles sadly. "Edward is still in listening range. And Jacob is out there somewhere, just in case."
"We need to talk, Charlie," she says after a moment, this time breaking our gaze as she slowly unwinds her legs.
A pained whine bubbles to my throat when she moves from my grasp.
.
"Why do they insist on watching us?" I ask as I sit on the edge of the bed, head down, fisting my short hair.
Leah steps around the room tentatively touching some of the trinkets on the dresser. Bella had brought over some of my things from the house because I'd downright refused to have the Cullen's buy me clothing when I had perfectly good clothing at home. As she walks I can't help but watch as her long bronze legs flex, how graceful and light she is on her feet. She moves much more like a feline than a wolf.
When she turns to me she's sucking on her bottom lip. I move to curl my fists in the sheets, wishing more than anything it was me sucking on her lip. Even though the imprint was no longer present, my feelings had not changed. I doubt they ever would.
"They are trying to keep me safe."
I almost cringe. "I would never hurt you, Leah," I say softly, eyes downcast.
She mumbles, "Well, it's not exactly me they are worried about."
I don't understand so I tell her so. The sound of cracking twigs and the scent outside the window tells me that Edward has moved closer to the house. I try to push out the annoyance at my son-in-law's presence and lack of faith in my resolve not to hurt my girl.
Leah rocks on her feet from left to right, thinking about her next words. Her eyes are so bright and clear it makes my stomach sink to know that what we had between us, may never be the same. It kills me to think that she may not feel the same way she used to.
"Charlie," she whispers, her full lips parting ever so slightly. "I think - no, I know... I'm pregnant."
Emotions bubble inside me. "What - you're - what?"
She rolls her eyes. "I'm pregnant."
I shake my head, certain that I've gone mad. "Sorry, what?"
She growls in my direction. "You must be the only vampire hard of hearing. I said I'm pregnant, you asshole."
"And it's mine?"
The look she gives me should turn me to glass and shatter me. Her brown eyes cloud with fury. "Of course it is. Regardless of what Isabella believes, I am not sleeping with any of the pack," she snaps.
It takes her a few moments to calm her breathing, "It's only been you. Since Sam."
The thought of Samuel Uley makes a growl rip from my chest. Even though he's been nothing but polite and was even the one to find Bella in the forest when she went missing, he infuriates me. To know that he had anything to do with my Leah makes me want to disembowel him.
The smell of wet dog nears the property, no doubt on high alert, reacting to my growl.
As I look over the woman in front of me I struggle to find the words to express how I feel. "And you want to have the baby?"
Leah sighs as she sits down on a plush chair. She pulls a hand through her hair and clasps her hands as she looks seriously at me. Her beauty is still surpassed by none, even in a house full of young vampires. "When I told you I was covered, I technically wasn't. Not because I was trying to trap you into having a child but because when I phased I no longer had a period. I thought children were impossible for me, Charlie. And then when we got together I... didn't think. We should have been more careful, and that's my fault. That's on me."
The thought of having a child with Leah is emotionally overwhelming. I had a daughter, and was now a vampire. Leah was a young woman, vibrant and beautiful and disregarding her wolf, mostly human. But she was having a child, my child. If I was anything in life, I was not a flake, nor someone who couldn't take responsibility on the chin. I had stood up to the plate when Renee had gotten pregnant and married her for our daughter's sake. But with Leah it's different. With or without a child, my intentions towards her were still true. She was the best part of me.
As I move across the room her eyes watch me carefully taking in my form as I step soundlessly across the beige carpet. Slowly I drop to my knees in front of her and take her hands in mine. I rub my thumb across her skin and the colour of our clasped fingers is amazing. Alabaster and caramel. I wonder if the baby will look like her, or if it will take after me. Whatever the case, I would love and protect both the baby and Leah.
"I never wanted to be this," I tell her solemnly, allowing myself to open completely. "But if I am honest with myself, I am happy that I am - what I am. The thought of living only one lifetime with you was-" I take a breath, pulling her hands up and kissing her knuckles. "I will be whatever you want me to be, Leah. If you want me to stay away from you and my child, I will. But I want you. And I want everything you are. I want this baby and I would love the chance to be your Charlie again. Even without the imprint, maybe you could love me? It may take time, but we have all the time in the world to find out if this could work. My feelings have never once wavered from you. You are all I see."
Tears fall from her eyes, warmth spreading through my cold body as they fall on our connected hands.
"Do you still love me, Leah?"
The question rolls from my tongue and I wait for her answer. I tuck her short black hair behind her ear, loving the feel of her soft cheek against my fingertips. She is warm, and alive, and perfect.
When she speaks her voice is low, "Of course I love you. The months we were together was all us. Not the imprint. It only helped us find each other. After that, everything we did was on our own. I'm sorry that we are here. That you had to die because of me."
I cup her face in my hands, feeling her blood pulse under her flesh. "I'm not sorry."
Leaning forward I softly press my cold lips to hers, swallowing her gasp at the feel of our opposite temperatures. She doesn't move at first, allowing me to stroke my thumbs on the corners of her mouth.
She tentatively reaches up, gripping my shoulders. I stiffen, scared she's going to push me away. But instead, she pulls me closer, parting her smooth lips so I can deepen the kiss. Venom threatens to circle my mouth, but I push it down, pressing my eyes shut and focussing on the creature in front of me. Her tongue teasingly flicks against mine as if she is testing the waters before she pulls back and nips at my bottom lip.
"You're so cold," she murmurs as she runs her hands from my shoulders to my chest. My muscles twitch under her hands, feeling the heat moving across my nerve endings. "Do I feel warm to you?"
"Like fire," I nod.
"What about the smell?" she chuckles as she toys with my right nipple, running her short nails over the peak.
"You smell nothing like Jacob Black. More like rainy mornings... and the forest." I reply, attempting not to think about how hard she's making me. When she runs her hand down my torso to play with the hairs on my lower stomach I catch her hand. "If Edward is as close as you say he is, he will not be appreciating my thoughts right now."
She snorts as she shuffles to the edge of the seat, raising one of her dark brows. "When have I ever cared about Edward Cullen's feelings?"
She grins darkly at me when I move forward and pick her up in my arms, fingers pinching the bare skin of her legs which the denim shorts leave uncovered. Leaning forward she nips my jaw. "How about we see just how much stamina a vampire really has?" she whispers in her sultry voice.
"Lord, help us."