Thank you for the reviews! I know some of my chapters are a bit strange, but that is how I write. Bear with me, I promise you will like this chapter, and everything will make sense once again.
Disclaimer: SM created Twilight and the characters.
Chapter 11
B POV
As soon as the four of us were in the car, we all stared at each other, completely in shock. For once, the pale faces of my vampire friends do not look like the definition of beauty. No, that is a lie, they are still impossibly beautiful, but their faces are frozen in shock, eyes wide and mouths contorted in odd ways. It is a painful beauty, it makes me hurt, just looking at their faces. Edward was actually clutching his throat in wonder at his pain. He and Jasper had coal-black eyes that made this seem all the more sinister. After a minute, Alice breaks the silence.
"What just happened?" She questions, looking rapidly from me to Jasper.
"I think we found a problem with Bella's power." Jasper manages to answer, shaking his shoulders as if to shake off his troubles. Perhaps he feels guilty about almost attacking her.
"I have never seen my healings revert like that. And so suddenly." I mutter, confused. Did something happen to myself? Am I weakening? Is healing the only thing that isn't permanent to vampires?
A few seconds pass before Edward speaks, "I think there is a very simple answer to this." He offers, looking both confused and satisfied. It definitely isn't an improvement to his look. He starts the car and drives away.
"What is it, love?" I ask, very curious. How can there be a simple answer to what just happened in the restaurant.
"I think that Jasper and I just forgot to feed, since we weren't thirsty at all. Since we are still vampires, we still need to feed, and the fresh blood flowing was enough to drive Jasper and I crazy. She didn't bother Alice as much because Bella never healed her." Edward reveals. As I think about it, it seems to make sense.
"Edward, you are a genius!" Alice shouts, smiling. She puts down the window and shouts out it too, letting the wind whip the sound away.
"No, this isn't all me. I took what all three of you were thinking and added my own ideas. That is what I came up with. Bella, you aren't weakening, my love, we just need to remember to feed regularly and there won't be any problems like this again." Edward, the poster boy for modesty replies.
"So I'm not broken?" I ask, laughing. I realize I was more worried about my powers failing than the fact that Jasper and Edward almost attacked an innocent young woman tonight. I guess I have a bigger ego than I thought, if this little issue had me so fraught with worry.
"No, love you aren't broken. Jasper and I are just fools. We need to go hunting as soon as we return to Forks." Edward says, taking my hand and squeezing it tightly as he joins in the laughter. The mood inside the Volvo did a total 180 from seconds ago.
"Thank goodness I live with the smartest vampire in Forks." Alice laughs, rolling her eyes.
"Hey now, don't make fun of us. We never truly fell in love with hunting, so forgive us for not going when we weren't thirsty." Jasper joins in with the laughter, mussing Alice's spiky hair.
"If you two weren't the top two in every class in every school, I would seriously be considering asking Carlisle to test your intelligence. I even asked you to go hunting with me, Jazz, yesterday." Alice continues making fun.
I bring Edward's hand up to my mouth and kiss him softly. I don't mind that you spend all your time with me, just remember to keep your thirst under control. I don't want you to put yourself in any more situations like tonight.
"I will make sure to feed more regularly, love, don't you worry about that. There will still be plenty of time for us." Edward whispers, but I know his family can still hear us, making me blush.
Shut up and drive, tell me more about this 'us time' AFTER you feed, mister.
Edward laughs, kissing my hand in response as he directs the car to Forks.
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As soon as Edward drops me off, kissing me goodbye (which earns a whistle from Jasper and a groan from Alice), I rush into the house, eager to change into more comfy clothing. I decide to put a pair of oversized sweats and a ratty tee. I really hope Edward is right. I mean, they do need to eat and instead of a stomach growling to tell them they are hungry, they usually rely on the pain in their throats. Which I took away from them. So, this will hopefully work. I guess I'll have to heal Jasper and Edward again, in a day or so.
I don't know why, but for the few minutes when I thought I was losing my powers, it was really scared. I am so used to keeping my gifts a secret, hiding what I can do from everyone. So now that a whole family knows, I started assuming it will always be there, more certain the gift was real. Mother never mentioned gifts weakening or disappearing, but the Cullen family has had me thinking that twice already, and I only knew them for a few months.
When Jasper and Edward snapped, I didn't think of them initially, I was worried that there was something wrong with me. For someone who doesn't want to be known for having any special gifts, I sure got scared when I thought I didn't. My ego certainly is inflated I think I am better because I have this gift. Well, not exactly better, but worth more. I have been given a gift above and beyond other humans, so I must be special. The thought of that gift being stripped from me had me worried. How would I survive as a 'normal' woman?
I was sitting on my couch, fiddling with my hair as I was thinking about all this. In the end, I came to the conclusion that I am just too used to having the gifts I was born with, and anyone would be scared if an essential part of their being just stopped working, like eyesight or something. I was reacting like a normal person would, and there is nothing to worry about now. My ego isn't too inflated, I have the proper amount of confidence, and since I can do more than others, I am allowed to be proud of that too.
"So, you have a big ego, huh?" Edward whispers from behind my couch, causing me to jump.
"I didn't even hear you come in! How long have you been standing there?!" I shout, heart racing triple what it should be.
"Seems like you aren't the best, then. I was here for about ten minutes and couldn't take not touching you anymore, miss ego," Edward mocks, smiling widely as he steps around the couch to sit beside me.
"Well, just because you are a sneaky little guy, it doesn't have anything to do with my superior abilities in other areas!" I tease, kissing him quickly on the cheek. "You seem like yourself again."
"Oh?" Edward asks, not seeing what I mean, but he hugs me tightly, breathing in my scent.
"Yes, your eyes are perfect pools of gold and the throat definitely feels better, but I think I better do this, just in case." I say as I reach out and touch his throat tenderly, just like the first time. After I take away the last little bit of his thirst, Edward smiles.
"Just in case of what, my love?" Edward asks, quickly adjusting the way he was seated so he was sitting over me, arms on either side of my head now, pinning me to the couch.
"Remember what I said on Monday? About my ideas for a second date that you seemed to ignore when planning this Seattle thing?" I reply, letting my memories tell him the rest. I remember thinking about the couch and how we could sit here and watch TV, or some other activity. But I am not sure what it could be…
"You naughty tease!" Edward growls, his lips finding mine quickly.
"Didn't I tell you it isn't teasing if you fully intend on going through with it?" I quickly comment as I manage to break free from kissing Edward and he begins kissing my neck, my collarbone. His hands are delicately tracing the vein in my neck "Please don't stop kissing me, the cool touch of your lips is intoxicating." I murmur, digging my fingers into his scalp, breathing him in.
Edward toys with the collar of my tee, fingering it lightly and I want him to rip it off completely, my skin tingling beneath his touch. I take one hand and bring his mouth back to mine. My other hand tugs gently at his scalp, making him moan into me. The rush of cool air hitches my breath, causing me to shudder. The action brings me closer to Edward, his body leans more heavily on me, and I could not be happier. I smile as we kiss, tasting his cool, marble lip with my tongue. Edward's hand drifts downward, skimming my breast lightly before gripping my waist. Damn, he is amazing! I want this to continue so badly, but the mature side of me is shouting the warnings. Conflicted, I slowly and reluctantly pull away.
"What's wrong, love?" Edward asks, looking hurt.
"Nothing is wrong. I just cannot make up my mind." I tell him in between pants. I cannot catch my breath, heart still racing.
"Cannot make up your mind? It sounds like you are pretty decided, Bella. You aren't ready for everything, and I certainly understand that." Edward softly tells me, stroking my cheek.
"How do you understand my thoughts better than I do?" I ask, looking him in the eye, smiling.
"I do have nearly a century's worth of practice, my Bella."
"Cheater," I whisper, pecking him quickly on the lips. "So what does that mean? What happens now?" I ask, pushing a strand of his perfect bronze hair off his forehead.
"Whatever you want, I promise I won't do anything you don't want to. You have my word, Isabella Swan." Edward promises me, kissing the tip of my nose.
"Right now, I just want you to kiss me, Edward Cullen."
"I like the way that sounds, Isabella Swan." Edward whispers just before his lips find mine again.
We sit on my couch, kissing like this for a while. His strong right hand grips my waist and the other starts playing with my hair. My left hand tugs gently at his scalp and my right hand grabs at his neck, pulling him closer to me. I am certain my heart is well above the acceptable ranges, thudding so hard it threatens to burst free of my chest, but I don't care, wanting more of Edward, more of his perfect touch, his perfect body. His right hand slips under my tee, so his cold skin grips the bare flesh over my hip ever so gently. I can't help but moan, the sensation is heavenly.
I guess my moan was his cue that we were going too far, because at that moment, Edward stops kissing me and sits down beside me on the couch. I notice he is breathing quite heavily too, panting nearly as hard as I am. There is a very satisfied smile on his face, happier than I have ever seen him before.
"See something you like, Cullen?" I manage to ask after a minute or so, my heart nearly returned to normal.
"I suppose you could say that," Edward grins the sexy crooked grin I love so much.
"I can't believe my luck." I tell him, taking his hand as we sit together.
"What do you mean?" Edward asks, looking into my eyes.
"I have managed to completely turn my life around in the last few months. I am finally getting over Mother's death." I tell him, contemplating. "Oh, and I have managed to find the perfect boyfriend too."
"I really like the way you think, Bella. But why am I on the bottom of that list?" Edward jokes, kissing the hand he is holding.
"Save the best for last," I smile, snuggling in beside him.
We chatted like this for about two hours, sharing random stories as they came to mind. I think I told Edward more about my life in those two hours than I ever told anyone. Ever. Edward told me plenty of stories, most from his time with Carlisle. When I asked why he didn't talk about his human life, he simply said, 'there isn't much to tell. I was a happy boy who wanted to do my best and serve my country.'
I am trying to go to sleep, but my mind keeps bringing up the events of this evening. Edward scaring the crap out of me from behind the couch. Edward kissing me. Edward's strong but gentle touch. His cool breath. I could go on forever, but I would surely run out of adjectives before I could adequately describe Edward.
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