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Chapter 12: Come back to me
BPOV
We were sitting on his couch. His arms were wrapped tightly around me and my head was tucked under his chin. My throat was in flames, but I fought to ignore it. I knew it wouldn't be long until I had to feed again, but for now, I would enjoy this. Just us. Alone. Each reacquainting with the other's body, and scent, in my case.
I smelt the salt before I heard him sniffing. I kept rubbing his arm, knowing that he wouldn't like me to see him crying. He was a boy, after all. When the sniffles turned in full sobs, I titled my head and stroked his hair.
"Shh, shh. I'm here. We were so stupid," I murmured.
"I feel like a freaking hormonal girl. Since that day…" he hiccupped and wiped his nose "…I cried everyday, like if I didn't cry one day, the world would end, or something," Edward confessed.
I was sure that it was incredibly hard for him to admit that. I stroked his cheek, wiping his tears in the process.
"I will take part of the blame. I simply…chased to exist once I sent you out the door. If Leah hadn't come to me…let's say, that centuries could have passed and I wouldn't have taken notice."
"You'd have needed to hunt."
"Edward, that was the last thing on my mind. I kept imagining what could have happened, thought of how I hurt you," I traced a finger over his scars, "I was catatonic if that term applies to a vampire."
"I'd take catatonic every day and leave you with the tears. You are the girl, after all," he chuckled.
"I'd take the tears gladly," I told him softly. "I wonder…" I caught a fresh tear on my finger and eyed it.
Edward watched me, amused. I brought my finger to my nose, inhaling the salty texture then I flicked my tongue out and caught it. It tasted as I expected – salty.
Edward's green eyes caught mine and soon, we were laughing so hard the couch started shaking with us.
"That was disturbing. Have you changed your diet?" he teased when he got a hold of his laughter.
"If I could live on tears, I'd be happy." I grinned at him.
As we gazed at each other, he grew serious. "You must be…famished. I have never seen you so…your eyes are so black."
"Don't worry about me."
"How can I not, Bella? I love you so much! Please, do it." He took his hand off my hip where it was resting. "I'm begging." He gave me his hand. "Please."
I wished I could cry. I hugged him again, and when I retreated, I planted a small kiss on his cheek.
"Is there an ulterior motive why you insist on me feeding?" I asked, tracing a finger over the visible vein on his forearm.
His face turned red and I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "I want so bad to kiss you. I missed you so much. You have no idea."
"I think I have an idea. Because I love you even more," I whispered, leaning closer. His eyes widened but I rolled mine at him. I ran my nose over his square jaw, feeling the little stubble there then ever so slowly, I inhaled, ignoring the burning as best as I could. I nuzzled in his neck and then gently pressed my lips to the scars I found there. They weren't very big, but they were a reminder of what could have happened.
His heartbeat sped up and I heard another heart beating steadily as it entered the house. I had to move. I had to leave before they saw my eyes; although they were a very human black, I was sure I looked different. I pressed a final kiss on Edward's neck, and before I could move away, someone screamed.
"ARGGHHH!"
Edward shouted, startled by the scream. I couldn't help but return the scream as I raised my head, which was still bowed over his neck. I watched as Elizabeth dropped her papers at her feet and was watching us, scared. Her eyes were round and filled with terror, fixed on me.
"Mom," Edward squeaked. It would have been amusing if I wasn't sure what she was thinking of. I could almost hear the word in her head. And she was right.
I moved off her son and looked down, trying to find a way to depart. There was too much adrenaline for my burning throat to withstand.
"Bella," she breathed. I couldn't quite put my finger on her tone. Shocked? Worried? Angry? Scared?
"Hello. I just…dropped by," I whispered, glancing at Edward and pleading him with my eyes. I must go.
"What's going on?" she asked, her voice shaking badly.
I invented a lie on spot. "Uncle Peter was in hospital. I was telling Edward how I had to leave. I am incredibly sorry. I forgot my phone home…"
She beamed at Edward with an 'I told you so' look.
"Could I have a word you, Bella?" Elizabeth said to me, kindly.
I glanced at Edward then nodded to his mother. She went to the kitchen, and before I could take a step in her direction, Edward caught my wrist, looking up at me with big, worried green eyes.
"I'll be okay, sweetie." I ran my fingers though his hair and was rewarded with a blinding smile. He kissed my hand quickly before releasing it.
I entered the kitchen slowly and found Elizabeth at the sink, helping herself to a glass of water. I tried not to scare her – honestly, I did – but she still jumped when I whispered her name.
"Bella, how are you, sweetheart?" she asked, worried. There were conflicted emotions in her eyes.
I shrugged. "Uncle Peter is fine, now."
"I'm glad to hear that, but I was speaking of…what my son did."
I frowned. What had Edward told her? We still had so much to talk about. "I…we were talking when you came in," I explained.
Her eyebrows shot up. "It looked to me like you were ready to bite his throat," she laughed. I giggled nervously then froze as the words sank in. All my muscles froze and my eyes widened. WHAT had Edward told her? "If that was talking, Bella, then I'm sorry. Maybe I'm too old and I forgot how teenagers talk." She shrugged, offering me a small smile. She was joking. Thank God!
I looked down, happier than ever that I couldn't blush. "We were talking, but we got a little…"
"Distracted?" she supplied, finishing my sentence with a kind smile.
I nodded, returning her smile. "I am so sorry he suffered. I was in pain, too." I wished I could tell her more.
She came to me and hugged me. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Mom, I think I'll have Bella back," Edward said from behind me.
She released me and I closed my eyes, swallowing the venom that had accumulated in my mouth. I had to feed. I felt my heart breaking at the thought of hurting Edward. Elizabeth waved us off and Edward took my hand, leading me upstairs.
"Uh huh! Couch!" she snapped loudly.
Edward grumbled under his breath about 'paranoid' and 'jumping on conclusions' and changed his trajectory. I didn't understand him.
"What did you do, muffin?" I teased him, bumping his shoulder with mine.
"Lied to save my ass," he whispered and slumped on the couch.
"What did you tell her? If my heart still beat, she would have stopped it," I told him. "She thought I was sucking your throat – no pun intended."
"I'm sure it looked like that to her."
"So? Does she know? I mean…she looked different at me."
"No, Bella! I haven't told her anything. If she suspects anything, it's Billy's fault."
"Billy who?" I asked confused.
"Jake's dad."
"Oh." I contemplated that then focused on Edward. I hoped no one spoke of my true nature with his mother. "You said you lied. What did you tell her?"
He groaned softly and rubbed a hand over his face. "Making the whole thing short, I told her I forced myself on you and that you left. Then she asked about…protection, I didn't answer and she stopped talking to me. She hasn't looked, talked or even cooked for me in a month. Yesterday, was the first time she spoke to me since the day after I left your house, and that was only because I broke down in Jacob's garage. Long story," he added quickly when I opened my mouth to ask.
"How could you tell your mother such a thing, Edward? No wonder she was upset!"
"Upset!" he huffed. "She wasn't even looking at me."
"If I knew what you did… If only I'd been human enough, argh, Edward! How could you?"
He shrugged and rubbed his eye. "It's too early to fight. Please, Bella."
"Oh right. Typical male answer," I muttered and rose.
"Where do you think you are going?" he exclaimed, panicked.
"Home? I will come back later."
"I'm coming with you," Edward told me, getting up.
"No, you aren't! You stay here with your mom and talk to her. You will see me later. I promise."
"You're thirsty, admit it." He smirked, folding his arms in front of his chest. It was then that I realized I still had his shirt over the skirt of my dress and he was wearing a thin undershirt.
"You can have this back. You must be cold." I handed him the shirt.
"Don't change the subject, Bella!"
"Yes, I am! Happy?" I challenged as I started to walk to the front door.
"Then stay," he said softly, shrugging the shirt on and coming to me.
"You need to explain yourself to your mother and I need to calm down. Prepare for later," I added suggestively.
He watched me intently, his brows knitting in the middle of his forehead then a slow smile formed on his face. I wondered what was running through his brain.
"I'll tell you later," he whispered and led me to the door.
"You don't have anything to tell me. That was just to make me curious and make me come back!"
"You guessed," he chuckled. "But, no. I really have to tell you something important."
I caught his face in my hands and kissed his forehead soundly. "Be good. I'll be back at twilight."
"I'll be counting down the minutes."
"Don't be corny."
He shrugged and I turned around, rushing to the woods and hoping his mother didn't see me.
I knew it was impossible, but I still tried. I went to Port Angeles and walked around, looking at the humans walking hurriedly past me, engrossed in their little lives. I didn't have the heart to snatch anyone and feed. I knew I should, but I couldn't. I stumbled over a homeless man that was rocking in an alley and knew this was my chance.
I scrunched up my nose at the repugnant piss and alcohol smell, combined with his atrocious blood it made me want to retch. He saw me coming and cowered in his blanket. I crouched in front of him and turned his chin to the side, looking at his dirty neck. He eyed me in panic, trying to shout, but being too tired to even fight me.
"Just kill me," he said in a low voice. "Do it. I know it's been coming."
"I won't kill you," I found myself answering. I never made small talk in such situations.
"Please, do! They killed my friend. I knew someone would come after me. I shouldn't have seen it," he said in the same low voice.
"Who? What are you talking about?" I realized I was talking with a crazy person.
"The red headed woman and the blond guy! They killed my friend. Sucked her dry."
I looked at him and realized he knew what I was.
"Kill me."
I looked in his eyes for a full minute, searching them. He really wanted to do die, but I couldn't kill him.
"I may spare you the pain if you tell me in which direction they went," I whispered.
"Spoons or something."
"Forks." I smiled then my face fell. Forks meant Edward. NO!
"Yeah, that one! Still silverware to me."
"I'll be quick. What's your name?" I asked.
"Tom."
"I hope you find your friend, Tom. It's better dead than…this, trust me. Good bye, Tom."
He cocked his head, making room for me to bite and for the first in a long time, I opened my mouth to do so. Then I thought better of it and sliced his throat open with my nail. I drank his warm blood, trying not to gag. I was ridiculous! There was something wrong with me! I should drink any kind of blood, right? I had promised him to do it and I couldn't leave him to bleed to death. That would hurt, I was sure. So I kept drinking. When I was sure he was dead, I licked the wound and pushed him behind the garbage bags. I hated leaving him there like that, but I had to know who was going to Forks.
I ran home to grab my contacts and then went to Edward. On the way back, it started pouring, and I was soaked by the time I made it to my house. I hadn't smelled a thing on my way there, but I was sure they were already in town. I had to tell the wolves about this. If those nomads killed anyone, the wolves would blame it on me. I had finally become friends with them, if I could call it that.
I ran faster than ever to Edward's house, only to find it engulfed in darkness. No one was home. What the hell? I was about to turn around when I smelled it. Blood. Edward's blood.
I opened the door, not caring if I had to find excuses for ripping it off the hinges. I followed the scent and it led me to the kitchen. There was a big knife on the floor and lots of blood around it and on it. On the counter were the forgotten bread slices soaked in the blood. I sighed in relief, but still, he was hurt.
I looked at the door and wanted to slap myself. What was I going to do? To my luck, I saw Edward's phone on the coffee table and picked it up, scrolling to Jacob's name.
"Yeah?" he answered quickly.
"Jacob, it's Bella. I have a sort of an emergency."
"What did you do, now?" he groaned, exasperated.
I explained to him in a few words everything, including the nomads, and he said he'd come over to repair the door. When he came, I left to get my car and drive to the hospital. I'd raise too many questions if I appeared there looking like a drowned rat and told them that I ran. No one would believe me.
I parked near a black car I recognized as Edward's dad's and rushed inside the hospital. How badly was he injured? I was out of my mind to go inside a hospital, full of fresh blood, but the things I did for Edward…and I was in control, I had just fed.
"Hold on, young lady!" someone shouted after me. "Where are you going?"
Who was this woman? The police? "My boyfriend…" God, that felt amazing to say aloud.
"Name?"
"Edward." I grinned, rocking on my heels.
"Full name, miss," she told me in a bored voice.
"Masen. Edward Masen."
"I don't have any Edward Masen," she replied after five minutes of tapping. "You should go to E.R., you might find him there."
What hospital was this? I scowled at her. She had managed to kill my fun. I rushed in the direction she pointed and saw a big area with a few people on chairs, waiting. I saw Edward near his mother, in the far corner. They couldn't see me. I hurried there and stopped in front of them. I realized he was seriously injured from the now red cloth around his hand, his head was lolling on his mother's shoulder.
"Bella!" Elizabeth exclaimed softly, careful not to wake her son but clearly shocked by my appearance.
I looked at her, panicked for a second, not having an explanation if she asked how I knew that they were here.
"Bella? Where?" Edward groaned, opening an eye. He blinked rapidly when he saw me there. "What are you doing here?" he asked, tiredly, but his voice was laced with worry.
"You're hurt," I whispered and look at his injured hand.
"He decided to cut the bread," Elizabeth explained to me, rolling her eyes. "Can you stay with him for a second, I have to see where Ed went," she added.
I nodded quickly and took her seat next to Edward. His head fell on my shoulder and he sighed.
"You're insane, Bella. This is a hospital. I'm bleeding."
"Yeah, not the way I wanted to feed," I joked, whispering in his ear.
He didn't even laugh.
"Are you in a lot of pain?"
"There's a huge gash between by forefinger and thumb. Mom thought it was funny to start talking about when she found us on the couch. She asked, and I'm quoting, 'Is she a vampire or something?' My knife slipped and here we are," he murmured, wincing when he flexed his hand. "It hurts like a bitch."
I moved the hair from his forehead and kissed the damp skin there. "It will heal."
"How did you know…?" he asked quietly, pressing his lips to my neck.
"It's a long story, but I sort of broke down your front door. Don't worry, Jacob is repairing it as we speak," I promised in a whisper as I saw his parents approaching.
"Come on, son," his father beckoned him, extending his arm. He offered me a small smile.
Edward got up, swaying, and I caught his elbow before he fell. I put my arm around his waist and let him lean on me.
"Come here, she's so small. You'll kill her before we reach the doc's door."
"She's tough," Edward grumbled, but allowed his father to help him walk. He had lost so much blood. What were those doctors thinking, leaving him to wait for so long?
"Will he be okay?" I whispered to Edward's mom.
She put an arm around my shoulders. "Don't you worry, sweetie. He's in good hands."
I shot her a weird look when she stopped me from following them inside the room. "You don't wanna see that, kid. As much as you may love my son…it's ugly."
I swallowed and nodded. I knew when the cloth bandage was off because his scent became so potent I nearly salivated. I kept swallowing and politely answering every question Elizabeth had. When Edward yelled in pain, I couldn't take it anymore, and wrenched my hand from Elizabeth's, bursting in the small room where the doctor was torturing my little muffin.
My heart constricted as I saw Edward gripping his Dad's hand as the doctor stitched his. Before I could be scolded for being in there, Edward whimpered my name. I moved too fast, but I couldn't care less. Ed moved out of the way and I squeezed his son to my chest, kissing his cheek.
"I'm here, love. Grip my hand."
He squeezed as the needle entered his skin. Weren't they supposed to anaesthetize the spot? I bit my lip as I watched what the doctor was doing. For the first time since I met Edward, I could feel his grip on my hand and feared for his bones. Could he break his hand? It was possible. I tried to relax our grip a little and he whimpered loudly.
"Shh, he's nearly done."
The doctor rose and went to clean his hands. Was it over? When he returned, he instructed Edward how to keep it clean and to be careful. I paid great attention, knowing he wasn't even listening.
We left the hospital and Edward seemed glued to me. Elizabeth nodded to me and I led him to my car, silently thanking her. If I tried to pry him off me, he'd throw a tantrum.
When we were safely in my car, he started shouting, probably letting it all out. When his fist – the good one – hit my dashboard, I caught his hands.
"Hey, don't hurt my car. And you're hurting yourself. Calm down."
He raised his pained green eyes at me. "Come inside with me and stay the night. Let Mom know you are there. I don't care. Please, Bella."
"Okay. Buckle up," I whispered and released his hands apprehensively. "Can I ask something?"
"Sure," he agreed.
"Didn't the doctor use anesthesia?"
"It didn't kick in! Fucking shit! Now, it's starting to get numb," he hissed under his breath.
"He should have stopped and-"
"Don't you think Dad didn't try to stop him? But the son of a bitch had another emergency. Like I wasn't important! I nearly cut my hand off!"
"Shh," I soothed him, reaching for his hand. "I'll find some painkillers when we get to your house, if you want."
"I told you I can't feel it, now," he said, amused. "You can probably feed if you want, I can't feel it."
"Maybe blood loss is best friends with brain damage," I said lightly. "You already lost so much blood and you want me to feed! You're insane, Edward! Besides…I already fed." I grinned, proud of myself.
"You did?" he sounded astonished.
"Yep. That reminds me, for the next few days, stay close to me. We're having some visitors."
"Uncle Peter?" he joked.
"Nomads. I don't know them. I'll tell you everything when we get inside."
I parked the car next to his and helped him out. He slung his arm around my neck and slumped in my side, laughing loudly.
"Should I carry you inside, Princess?" I mocked him.
"Yes, please! My brave knight!" He batted his long eyelashes at me and wrapped his other arm around my neck.
"Did they drug you there?" I joked and dragged him after me to the house.
"I just realized I have you back. For good. I missed you so much, Bella."
"Whatever you say, Princess." I kissed his cheek and opened the front door.
"I preferred the muffin analogy."
"Why? Princesses are much better than muffins. Muffins aren't important in fairy tales."
"Then I'm the ginger man or whatever his name is," Edward declared.
"Yeah, that sounds better. You smell a little like ginger."
"I was kidding!" he exclaimed.
"Oh, you came here!" Elizabeth said surprised from the top of the stairs.
"Let's go to yours, she doesn't want me," Edward said loudly in my ear. I was positive they gave him morphine.
"What are you doing to the poor girl, son?" Ed asked, coming out of the kitchen. He looked at me sympathetically.
"We're going to her house. Bye!" Edward turned me around, still clinging to my neck.
"Morphine and Valium," I saw Ed mouthing to me, confirming my thought and adding the idea of Valium, which proved his happy state. It should have kicked in earlier.
"Have fun! Don't do anything I wouldn't d-"
I clasped my hand over Edward's mouth, smiling apologetically to his parents and rushing him to my car.
"Shut up, kiddo! Before they decide you should stay home."
"I'm not a kid!" he insisted, pouting at me and contradicting his own words.
It was going to be a long night. I couldn't believe it had only been this morning that Leah had come to me and announced what had happened to Edward. And now, some hours later, I was watching a stoned Edward, trying to assault me in my own car. I knew the saying 'it doesn't rain, it pours' but this was ridiculous.
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