Just a reminder that this is an M-rated story and not appropriate for younger readers.

SM owns.

BPOV

I was suddenly overcome by everything. By him.

I threw myself at him, knocking him back against the ground and falling with my full weight upon his chest. He was shocked momentarily but then began kissing me back. We were both moaning and panting into the kiss, which was deep and urgent and rough and rapturous. My hands were instantly tangled in his incredible hair and my hips pushed into his of their own accord. His hands were everywhere against me, roaming through my hair, up and down my back, and over the curves of my hips and bottom. When I would pull back slightly, he would raise his head up to maintain the connection of the kiss. When he would push me back and try to question what we were doing, I would devour his mouth even more hungrily.

I needed him. I wanted him. And I told him so.

EPOV

"Edward, Edward, please," Bella murmured around the edge of our kiss.

"Bella," I whispered back. My every sense was filled with her. The silkiness of her hair, the softness of her skin, the familiarity of her scent, the feel of her sensual curves pressed against my body. I was at war with myself. Body versus brain versus heart. My body argued for giving in completely to sensation. My brain screamed that this wasn't right. My heart moaned that it was right, just not like this.

My body was currently winning. And Bella seemed to be on my body's side, which wasn't helping my brain or my heart.

"Edward, I need to feel. Please? Just, please, I need you."

My reply was strangled by the sharpness of her teeth nipping lightly down the length of my neck. Pain and pleasure. It was a gloriously maddening sensation.

"Bella, I love you," I managed finally.

"I love you, too...Edward," she panted between kisses. "Show me. Show me, Edward. Please."

Oh God. She is begging me. My brain screamed louder.

I rolled us over, a thick matting of leaves on the forest floor serving as a blanket, and I enveloped her body with my own. My legs were on the outside of hers and my elbows rested on either side of her head. My fingers were wound deep in her dark tresses. My position allowed me maximum access to every part of her body. She moaned as she took in my position above her, and immediately her hands moved to the hem of my shirt. She lifted it up to my head so quickly that I had little choice but to lift my arms and allow her to remove it completely. The feeling of her hands smoothing across my chest and stomach and back was exquisite.

I sat back onto my heels, straddling her thighs. She frowned momentarily at my retreat until I reached out and pulled her up into a sitting position. With my hands on either side of her face I bent down and pressed my lips to hers, whispering, "I love you so much, Bella, forever," before engaging us once again in a mind-altering kiss that seemed to last forever and not long enough. She was moaning and pleading and whimpering and just loving me.

I lowered my hands from her face and slowly slid them down the front of her body, just ghosting over her breasts and stomach, until I reached the hem of the lovely blue shirt she was wearing. I pulled back and met her eyes, which had darkened considerably -- a fascinating dark red. She nodded, and I lifted the shirt up and over her head, revealing a complete vision of beauty. Her dark hair fell in soft waves down to her bare breasts. I sat mesmerized for a moment, my brain momentarily sure I was in the grip of a punishing fantasy, and that I really still lay in the dust and filth in that dark tenement attic. I began to panic at the very thought, until I felt Bella's smooth hands grasp my cheeks and pull my face to hers.

I found myself so thankful that this was real that I quickly lowered us back into a prone position and allowed my body to press down fully on top of hers. The feeling of her bare chest against mine was simply exquisite. And I had to feel all of her -- suddenly, I understood her plea, her need to just feel.

I settled my legs inside of hers and she cradled my body as I ravished her neck and collarbones with nips and open-mouthed kisses. She moaned and pressed her hips into mine, causing me to groan in response. I slid my hands under her shoulders as I moved my body lower, allowing my mouth to roam across her chest. I lingered with open-mouthed kisses over her heart, and was so caught up in the realization that I would never hear the soft rhythmic sound of her life again, that I had to pause. I rested my forehead against her chest and squeezed my eyes tightly shut, trying desperately to stifle the intense sob that threatened to work its way out of me.

She seemed to understand intuitively what was happening, because she raised her knees and squeezed my lower body, wrapping her arms around my head and hugging me to her breast. "Sshh, Edward, it's alright," she cooed, "It's alright, baby. Now we can begin again."

Her words -- so filled with comfort and hope -- were exactly what I needed to hear. I lifted my head so that I could look in her eyes. She looked entirely at peace. "We can?"

"Yes, Edward. At least, we can try."

How ironic it was, how like Bella, that she was the one who had lost everything in the past two days and yet she was comforting me.

I threw myself back into worshipping her with renewed vigor, my lips traversing hers, across her throat, and trailing down her chest. I slid myself lower and softly grasped her breasts in my hands. I kept my eyes on hers as I lowered my face and pressed open-mouthed kisses all across her left breast before drawing her taut nipple into my mouth. She moaned and threw her head back.

The scent of her hardly compared to the taste of her. My God. Having discovered the pure pleasure of her taste I couldn't get enough. I lavished attention on both breasts with my tongue, partaking freely of her nipples which I alternately sucked, licked, and tugged. She had completely given herself over to sensation as well. She moaned and whimpered and shifted between gripping my hair to hold me to her more tightly and running her hands in tantalizing patterns across my back. There are simply no words for how good being with her this way felt.

I gave myself over so fully to sensation that my instincts consumed me, and I bit down gently on Bella's breast over her silent heart.

She hissed but grabbed my hair and held my head close to her body.

Oh, God. Don't stop don't stop don't stop. God Edward, please, please, please.

I didn't think anything of her words at first, so enraptured was I with her body. When I teased her nipple with my teeth I heard her again.

Ungh, Edward. God, that's so good. Please, Edward, please stay. Stay. Stay.

Christ. She wasn't saying that. She was thinking it.

I had to pull away. It wasn't fair to her. My ability to hear her thoughts felt manipulative. And, what she was thinking - the sense of desperation – affected me deeply.

I lifted my head away from her breast, and she groaned in protest. "Bella?"

"Edward?" Oh God. Don't stop. Don't leave.

"Bella," I debated with myself for a moment. I didn't want to make her feel any more vulnerable than she clearly already felt. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

I want to believe that so bad. I don't know if I could handle it again.

"You can believe me, Bella. I swear on my life."

That's when it hit her. She gasped. He can hear me?

I nodded.

She sat up, pushing me back on my heels in the process. I now knelt between her legs. Her thoughts were momentarily quiet.

"Bella, I...."

Please, please want me. God. I gotta control my thoughts. Oh God, I'm naked. She crossed her arms over her breasts.

"Bella, listen to me." But her eyes had sunk down to the ground.

I cupped her chin gently with my right hand and raised her face to look at me. We were both still breathing heavily. "Please, Bella? Please listen."

She nodded. Similar thoughts were still racing through her mind. It was such an unusual feeling to hear her that it was very distracting. Hearing her had always been one of my greatest desires. But now that I could, and it made her so uncomfortable, I wanted nothing more than to put her at ease, even if that meant I could never hear her beautiful mind again.

"Bella, I know I have no right to ask this of you. But please believe me, you have to know, Bella, that I love you. I want you. I plan to stay with you, Bella, forever. Or for however long you'll have me. I simply cannot exist without you by my side."

Is that true? I want that to be true. How can it be, though? He's so beautiful and talented and magical and I'm...just...not.

"Bella, stop that. And please talk to me. I don't like responding to your thoughts. I feel like I'm violating your privacy. I don't want you to feel like I'm manipulating you."

"Okay," she managed, finally.

"Bella, you were right. All those things you said yesterday and earlier in the living room. You were right. I have a lot of growing up to do, and I will learn from my mistakes. And I know I have to treat you as a more capable, more self-sufficient being, and I will. But, Bella, there are also some things you have to do."

Her thoughts seemed torn between indignation of my telling her what to do and fear that I was angry with her.

I pushed on. "You have to take me down from the pedestal you put me on. I am not perfect. I am not a god. You, more than any living creature, know my flaws and imperfections. You have to see yourself as my equal, and stop putting yourself down. My whole family has adored you since day one -- we wouldn't have done that if you were unintelligent or ordinary or uninteresting."

"Well, not everyone." I heard Rosalie's name in her mind.

"Yes, everyone, even Rosalie. Why do you think she was so cold to you? She was jealous of you, Bella." Her eyebrows flew up. "She was jealous of my attention to you, of everyone's affection for you, of your life and youth and beauty."

She paused for a long moment. I worked hard to block her thoughts out. "Okay, Edward. I hear you. And what you're saying is fair, even if it's hard to believe. It's just...."

"What, love. Please tell me. You can say anything to me."

She looked up at me with an unsure smile. "It's just going to be hard for a while; I'm so afraid I'll turn around and you'll be gone."

I could tell by her thoughts how hard that was for her to admit. She needed to say it, but feared making me feel guilty.

"It's understandable that you feel that way, Bella. I abandoned you once. What would keep me from doing it again, right? But, I have an answer to that question. Everything. Everything would keep me from doing it again -- the pain I felt the first time, the way I know it hurt you, how sure I am that we belong together, always, the fact that my family would kill me...."

She smiled at that one. "Jacob, too."

"Yes, I suspect so." I smiled back.

We sat awkwardly for a moment, still facing each other, close, without our shirts on. Our breathing had returned to normal. Slowly, she lowered her hands and placed one each on each of my thighs. "I want this with you, Edward. I want to be with you." So much, please.

I took a deep breath. "I want to be with you too, Bella."

But.... I heard her think.

She still doubted. How to prove to her?

Gently I reached down and took her left hand in my right one. Slowly I slid her hand up to my groin, and placed her fingers on top of my erection which was still straining against my jeans.

She gasped and looked up at my eyes.

"You weren't believing me. I just needed you to know, Bella, I do want you. So much I can hardly stand it."

She bit her bottom lip and then I felt her fingers start to rub slowly, but firmly, against me. I growled low and my eyes rolled up into my head. She pulled herself up onto her knees in front of me and, without removing her hand from rubbing against me, wrapped her other arm around my neck and kissed me warmly. "Show me, Edward. Show me that you're here. That we're together."

I could still hear her thoughts. But this time they were devoid of the desperation that I had heard earlier. Before I was afraid she -- we? -- were doing this for the wrong reasons. But now, her thoughts were more serene, more about how this was simply a physical expression of our love.

"Yes, Bella," I whispered. And though some internal debate remained within me, now my brain and heart were on board with my body.

I held her body against mine and ran my hands down her smooth back to her small waist. I grabbed her bottom and pressed her into me, trapping her small hand between us as she continued to stroke me through my pants. We groaned at the pressure the embrace caused, and I felt her other hand snake down my front and deftly undo the front of my jeans.

When her bare hands wrapped around my hard length for the first time, I growled and threw my head back. The feeling of her doing this to me was breathtaking. "Bella, love, ungh, oh God."

"Edward. Oh, I just want us to feel, Edward. To feel good."

"Oh, yeah, baby. So good." I reached around to the front of her pants and undid them. I pushed them slightly down off of her hips and between my own accelerated breaths, noticed the blue lace panties she wore. "Christ, Bella, you're so beautiful."

I had to touch her, feel her. I pushed the panties down as far as I could in her current position and gently palmed her mound in my hand. She whimpered and pressed into me. She was so soft and warm and wet there. I needed to feel more.

"God, Bella, your body. It's so perfect," I moaned as I traced my fingers softly through her folds, exploring her this way for the first time.

She moaned my name, and I was thrilled to hear her mind chant over and over, So good, Edward, so good. Love you so much, Edward.

Wanting more access, I pulled away from her, groaning at the loss of contact. I pulled us both to our feet. Quickly I kicked off my pants and shoes and then, double checking for her approval first, I stepped to her and lowered her garments the rest of the way to the ground.

She stood before me a vision - a goddess of the wood. How is it possible I could be so lucky as to have her and to have this with her?

We flew at one another and embraced hard, finding each other's lips in a rapturous kiss. I pulled at her hair to tug her head back so I could trace her neck and collar bones. She moaned and soon moved her hand back down to capture my erection, pressed firmly against her stomach. I groaned and released her hair. Moving my hands down to her bottom I lifted her. She released my erection and wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist.

We kissed like it was essential to our very survival. And, in her new position, my erection was pressed firmly against her soft wet folds. She felt it too, and quickly used the leverage of her arms on my shoulders to grind herself into me. The grunts and whimpers she constantly made reverberated directly to my cock, making me noticeably harder with each sensual sound.

"Bella, God, Bella."

"Oh, Edward. Ungh. You feel so good." She nibbled on my neck as she ground herself against me.

"Yes, Bella, so good. Bella. Unngh. Want you so bad." Occasionally her movements would cause my tip to catch on her entrance, and I groaned in ecstasy each time.

"Take me, Edward. I want you to." She punctuated her words with a forceful thrust of her hips.

I allowed myself the luxury of her thoughts, and she was being honest. There was nothing else there. No doubt. No desperation. No hesitation. Just want. And need. And love.

But, I still had to be sure. "Bella, are you...are you sure? Here? Like this? So...soon?" There was more I wanted to say, but it was as coherent as I could manage under the circumstances.

"God, yes, Edward. Here. Now. It's...perfect...we're here...we're alone...I love you, and...you...love me."

"God, I love you," I ground out.

"Then, show me, baby. Show me." She pulled her head back, and I looked in her now red-black eyes. The love and trust and longing I saw there did me in.

I tilted my hips and she pulled away slightly. Both of our actions positioned my head at her entrance. We held one another's gaze as I slowly pushed in. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open.

We both felt it as I encountered her barrier. I had no idea if the mechanics would be any different now that she was a vampire, or what it would mean for her. She ended my internal debate by gripping my neck tighter and pushing herself down. She choked out a hiss as I filled her completely and she was panting hard as she worked through the pain.

I just held her, waiting, feeling her, whispering words of comfort and love. She took the lead again when she started to move against me and God damn it was so phenomenally good.

I held her tightly against me, one arm wrapped around her bottom and one wrapped around and gripping her shoulders. We moved slowly together, moaning into one another's mouths as a soft breeze caressed our bodies.

I whispered my love for her over and over and, in between kisses and pants and moans, I whispered promises I knew I would keep. "I promise to love you forever, Bella....I promise to fill your life with smiles and laughter....I promise to cherish you always....I promise to experience the world with you....I promise we can get through anything together...." I wanted her to know that I understood the gift she was giving me. I wanted her to know I had much to give in return.

Soon it became too hard to speak, the need to just feel her slick tight walls around me took all of my concentration. And her sounds. Oh, her sounds. She was making a high-pitched mewling noise in my ear as she ground herself against me. Our position allowed the base of my cock and my pubic bone to repeatedly hit her clit. "Please, please, Edward. God, I need you so much. Harder, Edward, faster."

I glanced around us and moved us towards a tall outcropping of gray rock. I leaned my upper back against the smooth surface which allowed me the leverage to more easily fulfill Bella's demands. Still holding her close to my body I placed both of my hands under her bottom to guide her movements on me. Harder. Faster. Each thrust caused her to moan my name -- a more exquisite sound I had never heard.

"God Bella, you are so good. I love you so much."

"Edward, ungh. I'm...I'm so...."

I thrust harder, making sure my body hit hers in just the right way.

"Close, Edward. So close."

"Good, baby. That's right. Let it go, Bella. Just feel." I punctuated that last word with a hard thrust, swiveling my hips as I impacted her body to grind myself against her clit.

She screamed my name and threw her head back. Her nails dug into the backs of my shoulders and I loved every sensation of it. But none more so than the feeling of her walls clenching around me, offering me proof that I could give her what she needed, I could make her feel good.

I ground myself against her until her orgasm played out. She was panting and trembling against me.

Her legs were now shaking non-stop, and I could tell she was struggling to maintain her position. "It's okay, baby. Put your legs down," I whispered. She looked at me imploringly. "Put your legs down, Bella. And turn around."

Her eyes seemed to darken further.

She gracefully slid off of me and placed her feet on the ground. I slid my body into somewhat of a sitting position on a low sloped part of the rock face and together we lowered Bella onto my waiting cock.

We both groaned at the sensation, this position allowing me to go much deeper than I had before. She threw her head back against my shoulder and I captured her head with my left hand, turning her face to mine so that I could kiss her while I moved under her. I wrapped my other arm low around her stomach and pressed her to me. Our legs worked together to raise and lower Bella's body. The feeling was unbearably exquisite.

"God, Bella, that's so good. You feel so good. So warm. And wet. So tight."

"Edward, I love the feeling of you filling me like this. I feel whole," she moaned around our kiss.

"Yes, Bella. Whole. We...ungh...belong together."

"Mmm," she whimpered.

This position was so good, too good. I wasn't going too last long. Keeping her face to mine as I devoured her with my lips and tongue, I moved my other hand down her stomach to her clit. Her wetness felt luxurious, and I had to taste. I coated my fingers with her and lifted them to my mouth. I pulled back from her kiss momentarily to suck my fingers clean of her and she moaned "Oh, God, Edward."

"God, Bella, I love...everything about...you. You taste...so good."

I returned my fingers to her clit. The sight of my sucking her juices off my fingers and the taste of herself in my mouth had considerably heightened her arousal and she was once again moaning non-stop. I was so very close but so wanted to see if I could get her there again. Anything for her.

I pulled her face away from mine and tilted her head slightly to the side against my shoulder. I pressed down hard with my fingers in a circular motion against her clit as I bit down hard on her neck. She growled and then moaned. "Oh Edward, oh Edward, I'm...." and then it hit. I felt her clenching around me. I kept my fingers moving as long as I could, but then I needed both of my hands.

I gripped her hips and began lifting her up and down on me. Feeling her come around me had done me in. I gave myself fully over to the chase. One. Two. Three thrusts. And I exploded within her. "Belllaa!" I grunted and roared her name.

I held her against me, cradling her in my arms, until we could otherwise move. I heard her chanting Thank you and I love you over and over in her mind and I pressed soft kisses against her shoulder.

I gently eased her up off of me and turned her around, and then I cradled her against the crook of my neck and stroked her hair. "I love you, Bella," I said, almost as a prayer, "and that was incredible, the most wonderful gift I have ever been given. You have honored me beyond words."

She pressed tiny kisses against my chest. It was all the response I needed.

I don't know how long we stood there embracing. I just know it wasn't long enough. But it was getting dark now, and no doubt my -- our -- family was wondering where we were. "Shall we head back, love?"

"Yes. Before they send out a search party and find us...like this." The look on her face told me she would be blushing if she still could. I chuckled. She smiled.

I grabbed her hand and led us back over to our pile of clothing. I found her panties and pants and kneeled down, then helped her slip them up her legs. She giggled at my gesture but I simply wanted to do everything for her. I fastened her pants and then handed her shirt up to her, remaining on my knees as I slipped her shoes back on for her. I grabbed my shirt next and slid it over my head before standing and sliding into my jeans. I pulled my sock and shoes on and took her hand.

We walked at a slow pace, not entirely ready for reality to intrude into the little bubble we had created. Soon we approached the house, and I realized I could no longer hear Bella's thoughts. I smiled down at her and pressed a kiss to her cheek when she looked up at me questioningly.

We entered the house to find the family deep in discussion.

"There you are. We were getting worried," Carlisle called over his shoulder.

His thoughts were alarming.

"What is it? What's happened?" I pulled Bella so that we stood next to where Carlisle sat on the couch.

"Emmett and Jasper were out hunting earlier and came upon a scent. The pack was on it too. But it led right up along the treaty line, and neither side was willing to cross the line and so neither could fully follow it."

Edward, it was Victoria, Carlisle thought.

I was immediately enraged, and Bella looked frightened and confused by my reaction.

"What?" she asked. "What was it?"

"Not what, Bella," Carlisle responded. "Who. It was Victoria."

Bella gasped.

I pulled her into a tight embrace and she let me. "Don't worry, Bella. We'll take care of this. You are my life. We will never let anything hurt you ever again." There were nods all around.

"We'll take care of this together," she murmured, and I pulled back from the hug. Her face was a dark storm of emotions.

"Bella-"

"Edward, don't get overprotective on me now. I realize I don't...know how...to fight. But I am the strongest one here."

"You're right, Bella. And we need to teach you how to fight," Jasper began, and continued despite my glare, "but until you know how you would be at a huge disadvantage against someone as experienced as Victoria."

Everyone nodded to my great relief and Bella's obvious frustration.

"Fine. What then?" she huffed.

"She's gone again, for now," Carlisle began.

Bella was quite astute, however, as always. "Again?"

"Yes, Bella," Carlisle answered. "When Emmett and Rosalie went out to scout the attacks you mentioned, they were quickly able to deduce it was another vampire responsible for the so-called bear attacks."

"Victoria?"

Emmett and Rosalie both nodded.

"What's the game plan, then?" Bella growled.

Carlisle nodded. "You, Edward, Alice and Jasper will leave for Alaska by car tonight. You can't fly -- it wouldn't be safe, so the trip is going to take a while. The rest of us will follow by air tomorrow. That'll give us time to get this house closed up and make some other arrangements."

"Drive? How long will that take?" Bella asked.

"Allowing time to hunt and provided we don't hit any sun that we have to avoid, it will probably take us thirty-six to forty hours, give or take," Jasper responded.

"I don't see any sun," Alice added, "we should be able to drive straight through."

Bella looked at Jasper. "You'll teach me to fight in Alaska." It wasn't a question.

Jasper looked between Bella and I, then nodded. "You need to know." I was furious, but not at Jasper or Bella. Jasper was right. Newborns were notorious for their strength but also for their fighting naiveté. I was furious at a situation that left us -- her -- no peace. I was furious at Victoria. I had searched for her without success for months. I would bring an end to her once and for all.

"Good," Bella growled.

Alice came to us and took Bella's free hand. She whispered, just for Bella to hear, "Why don't we take you upstairs and get you cleaned up before we leave?"

Bella furtively looked down at her own clothes, and I'm sure imagined what we both looked like given our activities in the woods. She nodded to Alice, turned to offer me a brief kiss, and then the two of them went upstairs.

My family's thoughts were immediate, but Carlisle's was the most subtle: So, things are...well?

"Yes, Carlisle, things are well." I met his eyes which were kind and full of happiness for me. "And I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing interferes with Bella's happiness ever again."

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