Temptations Chapter 10:

A/N: I know that I haven't written in foooorever, but I just got a new laptop, and I saved everything from my flash drive onto it. So, I will continue with the story of Temptations. Enjoy this chapter, it is one of my favorites. And do not get mad at me for the things Bella does, she is her own character. (:

Bella's P.O.V.

Completely still, I could only hear the faint breathing behind me. Just the slightest inhale and exhale of breath every few minutes. Of course, his breathing was purely out of habit, not out of need. Edward lay on his side, his body curled around mine as he played idly with small random tendrils of my brown hair, one arm rested on my waist. I lay completely still, unwilling to move from this spot. No power on Earth, nor in the majestic heavens above, or the fiery depths of hell below could move me from this spot. For once, I was in perfect harmony.

"I love you, Bella, I love you." I felt his breath tickle my face, as he leaned forward and whispered the words. Letting out a small sigh, I turned my face towards him, and he pressed one short sweet kiss onto my lips. Hearing those words was like a little slice of heaven.

I smiled at his words, and took one deep breath, trying to stop the butterflies from forming in my heart. For fifty years of work and readying myself for the moment that I would meet Edward again, I sort of sucked. Half hating myself, and purely loving this one moment, I whispered back to him, "I love you, too, my Edward." In the past few days, I had had so much regret, so much heartache. Faintly, I wondered how I had gone from hating this man to loving him and being his completely.

Suddenly, the room was swirling around and around, and I could no longer feel Edward's hand on my waist, or his soft breath caressing my face. I couldn't see or feel anything, it was as if all of my senses had just stopped working. My hands were cold and numb, as were my feet. It was then that I realized that I had been clenching my fists so hard that my nails were digging into my palms, and my eyes were closed so tightly that I could barely remember how to open them. Slowly, as if over a period of several hours, the feeling of my body returned. I could feel water trickling over my toes and feet, and a soft warm breeze blowing around me.

As my eyelids opened, I let out a small gasp of surprise. My heart jumped up into my throat. Laying on his side in front of me was a man that I easily recognized, a man that my heart reacted to.

His name was a hoarse croak as it left my mouth, "Simon." I said, taking a step toward him, and reaching out one slender shaking hand. "Simon." I repeated his name. This was strange. My body was half in existence, and half out of it. Seconds passed, and finally, Simon looked up at me. His eyes automatically narrowed.

"Don't you love me anymore, Bella?" His voice was hard and cold, like a mono-toned stranger. He slyly slipped to his feet, and started inching towards me as he talked to me, "Please, Bella, Don't abandon me. You know that it's me that you really want, it's me that can make you the happiest person on the Earth. I know that your heart longs for me. That you secretly long for me, Bella. Listen to your heart, love, and it will lead you straight to me." As he stopped talking, he reached me, and took my hand. Simon turned my hand over in his, and pressed one searing kiss to the palm of my hand.

It felt like my heart was racing, beating my insides to death, of course, my heart wasn't moving. My heart would never move again. Because of Edward.

"Yes, Bella, it is all Edward's fault. Everything that has happened to you. Are you really going to waste your love on someone who is soon to betray you? You can come and be with me instead. You can come and live with me. I will show you the world, Bella, I will give you anything that you've ever wanted, anything that you desire. I wish for only one thing in return, my sweet, sweet, Bella. Do you know what that is?"

My head did an involuntary shake. As if Simon was controlling me. Inside my chest, butterflies sprung out. Everything was Edward's fault. Everything. Simon was on my side. At least Simon was on my side. Slowly, my mouth formed involuntary words, words that I had no intention to say. "Anything, Simon. I will do anything for you."

His smile was shining with the light of a thousand suns as he stepped closer to me and pulled me into his arms, playing with the same tendril of hair that Edward had. Simon put two fingers under my chin, and turned my face up to his. Again, one short sweet kiss was pressed onto my lips, but this one was somehow sweeter, and it made my soul soar, and every inch of my body burst into flames. "That you love me, and only me." His demand was simple. No one else had a place in my heart now. Now that Simon had showed me the way. "Don't let Edward sway you, darling, follow your heart to me."

Edward? Who needed Edward? No one. I could live without Edward. I couldn't, however, live without Simon.

With a shroud like haze falling around me, I clenched Simon's hand tighter, and I could feel myself slipping away from him. A mist swirled around me, and I felt light-headed, the mist was restraining me. I couldn't move a muscle. I began to kick and twist, trying to get the thick mist to dissipate. At the top of my lungs, I screamed his name. "Simon!"

And that is how I woke up. Kicking and screaming in Edward's arms, the entire Cullen family and Tanya's family gathered around us in a tight circle. Every face in the room held concern and love, but I could only see one face. The face that I desired most.

"Who is Simon?" Edward demanded, his voice harsh and cold.

"Let her rest, Edward." Carlisle scolded. "She needs to rest. Everyone out."

With a few mutters and quick worried glances my way, everyone began to file slowly out of the room. Within minutes, there was only Alice, Edward, Carlisle, and me.

"What happened to her Carlisle?" Alice asked, her tone sad and worried. "I didn't even see it coming." Alice dropped down into the floor beside my side of the bed, gripping my hand. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I should have seen it coming."

"Who is Simon?" Edward repeated, his face a cool concentrated mask. I had to hand it to him. He was a good actor. I knew for a fact that he knew who Simon was.

"Who do you think?" I said coldly.

"Bella... what happened to you?"

"Alice," Carlisle's voice chimed in, "I think it is best if we leave them for the time being."

Alice nodded, and with a quick reassuring smile was gone out the door with Carlisle.

"Tell me what is wrong, Bella."

"I don't love you, Edward."

"But-"

"But nothing Edward. You killed me. I was playing with your emotions, payback is a bitch. And karma is biting you in the ass. It's time to end this game once and for all."

"Bella.." Edward reached out and covered one of my hands with his. But it was too late. I shook off his hand, and stood.

"It's over, Edward. And I never want to see your face again!"

"That's all it was to you, Bella? A game? I was a game?"

My sneer was cold and hard, and an evil smile played around the corners of my lips. "Of course." I let out a small laugh, "Did you really think that I could forgive you just like that? And fall in love with you all in the same day?"

He rose off of the bed, smiling a sweet smile at me. "Good," He whispered, but his voice gained volume with each word he said. "I'm glad that I don't have to pretend to be in love with you any more. You are nothing but a burden. Nothing but a pathetic girl that I should have had the courage to kill off years ago."

"Me? Pathetic?" I practically screamed at him. "I am not pathetic!"

Edward put on my favorite crooked smile, and laughed a deep laugh that made his chest rumble. When he stared at me, his eyes were full of menace, and they were sparkling violet. "Oh, but you are, Bella. You always have been no stronger than a lamb. A small, pathetic, little, lamb."

Anger and rage bubbled up inside of me. How dare him! "Edward." I whispered, looking down at the ground. "You made me what I am. And, I do not regret this one bit." I did the only rational thing, I turned my back to him.

"Bella! Wait!" He called after me.

I stopped in mid-step, smiling the most evil smile I had ever been capable of. Slowly, I turned to face him, "I am not the pathetic one. You are more weak than me by thousands. I do not let emotion get in the way of what I really want."

"Oh? And what is that?"

I took a step toward him, and then a few more, until I was standing directly in front of him looking up into his violet eyes. "Simon." I whispered.

Edward's face contorted in rage. "I will not let him have you! You are mine, Bella!" He yelled at me.

"No. I. Am. Not." I enunciated each word, and then smiling, pounced on him. "You can not stop me." I said. "You are weaker than me, blinded by emotion. Emotion that is fake." Before I knew it, I had him pinned to the wall, one hand around his throat, the other holding him to the wall by his shoulder. "So much weaker, Edward. So pathetic." Slowly, I leaned in and pressed one kiss to his lips, one last kiss. "It is over." I dropped my hands from him, and walked slowly over to the window, jumping out of it and running.

I did as Simon had told me, and followed my heart. But as I was running away, my heart did a flip, and pain erupted in my chest. Edward. Was my first thought. Then the bloodlust hit me. Smiling to myself, I sniffed the air, vaguely aware that this night was not over yet.

A/N: Sooo? What did you guys think? I know that I was gone for a long time, but I am back now, so please tell me what you think. This part I actually just got finished writing, and I plan to write the next chapter tonight. Thanks for reading this, and please please review. I want to know if my writing has improved over the break that I took from Fanfic.