Chapter Ten

Emmett didn't so much as blink to give away his discomfort at watching his mate inhale yet another stack of pancakes. The woman was vicious with her perusal of the flat, fluffy creation. Even Esme managed to contain her shudders as the family gathered in the dining room to discuss things while Bella ate breakfast. Rosalie didn't bother to hide her sneer of disgust, but Bella seemed immune to all but syrupy goodness.

Despite Carlisle's claims of a quick healing, Bella was far too thin. Her bones were still prominent, her skin still far too pale. It made Emmett anxious as he sat beside his mate. As a human, there were so many things that could hurt her, but because of her fight as a hybrid, she was even weaker than most humans. Joham's warning of her aging being accelerated poked in the back of his mind like an annoying gnat, but he was worried about what would happen if they tried to change her before she had regained her fighting weight.

Watching as she devoured the pancakes in front of her, Emmett felt a deep sense of satisfaction and resolved to have Peter or Esme make pancakes for Bella every day until she had gained back all the weight she had lost. While he would never say it out loud and risk Bella feeling insecure, he missed his mate's curves.

As Bella swiped a bit of pancake through the river of syrup on her plate, Carlisle walked in, carrying a stack of papers.

"I've managed to run tests on Bella's blood, adding venom in several different tests and the blood seems to react accordingly in each instance. We shouldn't have any problem whatsoever in changing her when the time comes," Carlisle said, grinning widely.

"And she'll be a full vampire? Not a hybrid?" Emmett asked, wanting to make sure his mate would be safe from anything like this ever happening again.

"Yes, yes. Quite right. She'll be as much a vampire as everyone else in this room," Carlisle agreed with an enthusiastic nod.

"How quickly should we enact the change? That bastard said we didn't have long," Peter reminded them with a growl.

"I daresay he was right. We shouldn't wait too long, though I see no problem in allowing Bella a day or two to get used to the idea," Carlisle said diplomatically.

"I don't need to wait," Bella said before shoving another forkful of pancakes into her mouth.

Emmett fought the sudden desire to lick away the trail of syrup off her lips.

"We should probably wait a few days, at least, just to give your body a chance to heal from your near-death experience. Your organs did fail you and, although you've recovered remarkably well, a few days of rest will make the transition much easier on your body," Carlisle insisted, saving Emmett the trouble of begging for more time.

"The sooner, the better. I don't want to run the risk of my human body aging too much," Bella said, frowning down at her plate.

"A few days shouldn't cause issue. We'll re-evaluate in three days and see how your body is reacting to rest and food. Ideally, I'd like you to gain back all of the weight you've lost, but that may not be possible in the timeframe we're dealing with," Carlisle said thoughtfully.

"Please, babe?" Emmett murmured, nosing at her hair affectionately. "At least give me time to recover from it before you make me put you in more pain."

With a quiet sigh, she leaned into him, turning to press her forehead against his lips. He pressed a kiss there, closing his eyes to savor the scent of her all around him.

"Okay. I'll agree to three days," Bella said softly.

He pulled back to smile at her, more grateful than he could express that she would give him this time. She gave him a blindingly bright smile in response before eagerly turning back to her pancakes and resumed eating with gusto.

"Then comes the question of who is going to change her," Carlisle said, frowning thoughtfully.

Emmett whipped his head around to glare at his maker.

"There is no question. I'll be changing her," he snarled, dragging Bella's chair closer to his own.

She allowed the move, bringing the plate of pancakes with her as he forcibly scooted her across the floor.

"Do you really think that's a good idea, Em? I mean, you've never changed anybody before. It's not as easy as it seems," Jasper said with a worried frown.

"I don't care. It's going to be my venom that changes her. No one else's," Emmett growled.

"Maybe we should talk about this. Char and I raised her. Maybe one of us should change her," Peter piped in.

Emmett growled at the man, seriously considering ripping his head off for even suggesting it, but a small, warm hand on his arm kept him seated.

"I know what I want to do and it doesn't involve any of you biting me. There's no way I'm going to risk one of you not being able to stop. No offense, because I love all of you, but I'm not willing to risk this," Bella said, her voice calm and rational.

Before anyone could so much as think to argue, she stood up, plate in hand, and returned to the kitchen to refill her plate. She was back moments later and resumed her place at Emmett's side, syrupy stack and all.

"And how exactly are you supposed to become a vampire without one of us bitin' you?" Peter asked, frowning with his hands on his hips.

"Well, I figured Carlisle could just stick me with a needle," Bella shrugged.

Emmett felt his hands clench under the table and had to restrain himself from tearing apart the wood.

"It's not ideal, I give you that, but I'd rather have the venom inserted through an IV or something. That way there's very little danger of one of you going crazy over my blood and draining me."

"Bells, you know we'd never-" Peter started.

"I know you wouldn't mean to, but come on, Peter. I've seen you guys feed. It's like this veil comes over you and all you focus on is food," Bella quickly cut him off.

"But if we were well fed-" Peter tried again.

"No. The feeding frenzy takes over and you won't be able to stop. I won't put you through that and I won't risk eternity with Emmett for that. Changing me with an IV or a needle will give us the same results and it offers me a greater chance of survival," Bella said.

They were all silent for a long time, absorbing her casual attitude about it all. Finally, Carlisle leaned forward, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

"It could work. We could start by injecting venom into your heart. It might even speed up the process. A steady supply of venom… yes… yes, it could work," Carlisle muttered.

Emmett immediately stepped in, wanting to make sure his family understood that he was not to be challenged in this.

"If we're going to do this, it's going to be my venom. She's my mate. My venom should be what brings her into this new life. Argue all you want. If you try to fight me on this, I'll take her somewhere and do the transfusion myself," Emmett warned.

"I second that," Bella said, grinning up at him before digging back into her pancakes.

Peter looked disappointed, but he nodded when Emmett looked at him. With that settled, he managed to relax his grip on his knees enough to realize he might not have shredded the table, but his pants were a different story.

"I need to go change. Babe, after this plate, you should probably shower," Emmett said, standing up.

"Probably," Bella agreed with a playful grin.

"Before you do that, there is still the matter of Victoria," Carlisle reminded them.

Bella's fork fell to the plate with a clank loud enough to echo throughout the house. One look at her face and Emmett ran at top speed to switch his pants. He was back at her side in less than two seconds.

Yeah. He could be that fast when his mate needed him.

In one beat of her heart, he had her in his lap, his arms wrapped protectively around her waist.

"Is she… here?" Bella asked, her voice no more than a whisper.

"She came in while you were… leaving. She killed James and brought you the head. Peter and Charlotte tore her apart. She's locked down in the basement," Emmett told her.

"We thought you might want to talk to her, darlin'," Charlotte said quietly, speaking up for the first time.

Bella was quiet for a long time, her fingers dancing up and down Emmett's arm. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she looked up to meet his gaze.

"I want to meet her, but not until after my change."

"That's fine, babe. Whatever you want," Emmett promised.

She nodded, cuddling into his chest as she reached out and dragged her pancakes back in front of her. Emmett was perfectly happy to keep her right where she was, despite the fact that she would probably get syrup all over him.

As he sat there with his mate secure in his arms, he allowed his mind to drift to what they could spend the new few days doing. He wanted to give her good human memories to carry over into her vampire life. Any of her favorite foods, he would make sure she had. Pancakes, obviously, but also Peter's spaghetti and Esme's angel food cake. Considering these would be the last times she ever ate human food, he wanted to make sure she got her fill.

He also wanted to take her on a date. Once she became a full vampire, there was no telling how long it might take her to gain control of her thirst. It might be years before they could venture into the human world again. He imagined taking her to the movies and playing tonsil hockey with her, like those kids he usually threw popcorn at, and the thought made him smile.

"Mmm. Done," Bella hummed in satisfaction as she pushed her plate away.

"Come on, babe. Shower," Emmett said, standing with her in his arms.

As he walked out of the kitchen, she wrapped her arms around his neck, gave him a wicked grin, and asked, "Are you going to help me wash my back?"

Had he been a human, he was sure he would have tripped over his feet. He heard Peter growl from the kitchen and didn't even both to hide his shit-eating grin.

"Babe, do you want Peter to tear my hands off?" Emmett asked at a low murmur, something the vampires could hear, but they could pretend their conversation was private.

"Definitely not. I have plans for them," Bella said, tightening her arms around his neck. She used the momentum to pull herself up and landed a smacking kiss on his cheek.

Her playfulness, the feel of her warm weight in his arms, the press of her lips against his skin all combined to ease the vice grip that had tightened around his heart when he pulled the plug on the machines keeping her alive. As he climbed the steps to their room, he memorized the moment with his vampiric senses. Perfect recall was a blessing and a curse. He would never forget the fear he felt as Bella lay dying on the hospital bed, but he would also never forget the intense joy he felt in that moment, with his mate in his arms, alive and happy.

Emmett set her on her feet right inside their bathroom, but kept his arms wrapped around her waist. Her hands landed on his pecs and she leaned back to meet his gaze. Tightening his hold, he pulled her close until their bodies were flush from chest to hips.

"Do you need any help in the shower?" Emmett asked seriously, concerned her strength wasn't up to what it should be.

"Maybe. I can feel how weak my muscles are, but I would hope I can survive a ten-minute shower," Bella said, a frown puckering her browns as she considered her body's limitations.

"How about this: I hang out in here while you shower. That way I'm close by if you need me," Emmett offered, toeing the bathroom door shut.

"Works for me," Bella agreed with an easy smile.

Venom pooled in his mouth as his hands moved to the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing. The shirt hung down to her knees, because it was one of his. He had never thought about how sexy it would be to see a woman, his woman, wearing his clothes.

Bella's eyes dilated as his fingers played against the skin of her thighs, slowly raising the hem higher and higher until his hands came to rest on her generous behind.

"Okay?" he asked, his voice surprisingly husky.

Bella nodded her consent. Her lips parted in a delicate gasp as he lifted the shirt higher, his hands skimming across her smooth skin. He encountered the cotton of her bra and took a moment to rub his thumb along the underside of her breasts.

"Lift your arms for me, babe," Emmett requested.

She complied immediately, raising her arms to he could pull the shirt off, revealing her gorgeous body beneath. She wore simple cotton panties to match her bra, both a rusty rose color. His breath caught at the beauty of her. Narrow waist, decent tits, rounded ass, legs that went on for days, but far, far too thin. He could count each and every one of her ribs and her hips bones stood out in sharp relief from her rapid weight loss. Mentally throwing off the visual reminder of her recent brush with death, Emmett trailed his fingers up her spine until he came to the clasp of her bra.

With an expert flick, the clasp released and the straps slid effortlessly down her arms. Bella did nothing to stop them, allowing the bra to fall to the floor between them. For several seconds, Emmett just stared at her raspberry nipples, his mouth watering with the need to taste them.

Despite his distraction with her nipples, he di't miss her hooking her thumbs in the waistband of her panties and pushing them down her hips. Nostrils flaring, Emmett looked up at the ceiling, trying to gain control of his raging lust. He didn't see the off white paint or the uneven texture of the plaster. All he could see was the image of her sweet little pussy lips, poking out from between her legs. He knew the site of her revealed to him for the first time would be burned in the forefront of his brain for the rest of eternity.

"I changed my mind," Bella said, her voice soft and husky and so fucking sexy that his cock throbbed in response. "I don't want to shower alone."

He'd been hard since he closed the bathroom door, but the feel of her hot little fingers dancing under his shirt had him fighting the urge to rut against her like a beast. With vampiric strength, he kept himself in control as she lifted the shirt over his head. When she toyed with the button of his jeans, he almost lost it. Closing his eyes in an effort to gain control, he was hyper aware of her releasing the button and pulling down the zipper. Her fingers dipped into his jeans and pushed them down. He hadn't worn boxers or briefs, so she only encountered skin as she urged the denim into a pool of fabric at his feet.

His cock sprung up between them, hard and aching, the tip leaking precum in a steady dribble. He hissed in agonized pleasure when her fingers traced along the veins that ran along his cock.

"Babe, you gotta stop," Emmett pleaded, barely hanging on to his control.

For a long second, he thought she wouldn't, but then she took a small step back. Cool air rushed to cover the places her fingertips had been and he whimpered at the loss of her heat, but it was for the best.

They hadn't discussed her sexual history, but he was assuming from her lack of embarrassment as disrobing in front of him, she probably wasn't a virgin. Still, they won't be able to consummate their mating bond until after her change. Her fragile human body wouldn't be able to withstand the demands of his much stronger vampiric one.

The sound of the shower turning on had him opening his eyes. Bella stood beside the shower, hand reached in to test the temperature of the water. He watched hungrily, taking in every inch of her delectable body, as she twisted the nobs until the water was to her liking. Only then did she look back at him with a small grin.

"Are you going to join me?"

It was impossible for him to say no and he moved quickly to join her under the hot water. Steam rose up around them as he placed them so she was directly under the showerhead, the water turning her hair from dark chocolate to nearly black.

"Mmm. This feels so good," she sighed happily, tilting her head under the spray.

Emmett grunted his agreement. His mate was hot and naked and wet. Nothing could be better.

"Can you hand me the soap?" Bella asked, running her hands along her long hair.

He did her one better and grabbed the washcloth as well. Instead of handing them to her when she reached out, he kept the cloth washed her himself. The suds of the soap let his hand slide along her skin with ease and he longed for the day they could do this with his cock inside her. The thought of their soap slicked bodies sliding against each other as he pounded into her had him fighting for control.

"No sure this was such a good idea, babe," Emmett grumbled as he washed her front, his eyes captivated by her sweet little nipples.

"Hmm. How come?" Bella asked in a sleepy mumble.

"Cause it's taking everything I've got not to fuck you against that wall," Emmett admitted with a growl.

Bella gasped, her body flushing with her arousal. In his peripherals, he watched her nibble on her bottom lip as she arched her breasts for him. He growled in response and passed the washcloth over the tight buds again.

"We could try to take the edge off?" Bella offered.

Emmett clenched his jaw at the idea of watching her come for the first time.

"Emmett?"

"Too risky," he grunted.

"You wouldn't hurt me," Bella insisted.

"We don't know that. You're human, remember? I've never been with a human and I damn sure don't want to run the risk of hurting you because I don't know when I'm using too much strength," Emmett snapped, frustrated in his severe state of arousal.

Bella was quiet for several seconds as Emmett knelt down to wash her legs. He avoided looking at her pussy, knowing if he caught a glimpse of her wet folds, all would be lost and he'd lick and suck and bite until her fingers clenched in his hair and she was screaming her release for all of Washington to hear.

He froze when he felt her fingers in his hair and closed his eyes against the onslaught of lust he felt at just that touch.

"You could never hurt me, Emmett," Bella said, confident in his strength.

To prove her wrong, he balled up the washcloth and squeezed. When he released his fist, the cloth disintegrated like tissue paper in water.

"Yes, I know you're strong – stronger than most vampires – but you still would never hurt me. Do you honestly think you could? Your mating instinct would stop you before you went too far," Bella said.

"Just downstairs you said you wouldn't let me bite you because I might not stop," Emmett pointed out.

"There's a difference between you touching me and you having your fangs buried in my neck, sucking my blood," Bella argued right back.

Emmett was already shaking his head before she could finish.

"It's not worth the risk. Please, babe. Don't ask me to," Emmett pleaded, almost desperately.

Instead of responding, she joined him in kneeling on the shower floor. Her fingers combed through his hair, pushing the wet strands away from his face. He knew his eyes were black with desire when he met her chocolate gaze, but she didn't flinch from him.

Slowly, oh so very slowly, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. He didn't stop her, didn't move away, as she inched closer, moving to wrap her arms around his neck, pressing her breast against his chest, lining their bodies up again from lips to hips. Her tongue traced along his lips and she whimpered softly, begging for him to open up for her.

With a groan of surrender, his arms clamped around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer until there wasn't a millimeter of space between their bodies, and he devoured her. He ran his tongue along her teeth, toying with her left eye tooth before tangling their tongues together. He began a thrust and retreat within her mouth, their tongue mimicking the act of sex their bodies so longed for.

Bella's breaths panted against his cheek through her nose, her desperation spurring his own. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, wanting him closer, wanting to absorb him into her very skin. He knew because he felt the same way.

When her breathing became too erratic against his skin, signaling she needed to breathe, he broke their kiss to trail his lips along her jaw and down to her collarbone.

"Please, Emmett. God, please, just touch me," Bella pleaded desperately.

With a groan of defeat, he moved one of his hands from around her waist down between her legs. He wanted to roar in victory as the slick heat he found there, especially when she bucked so eagerly against his hand.

From the feel of her, it wouldn't take much to make her come.

Steeling himself against an instinct to be too rough, to dominate, he found her swollen clit and pressed down so, so gently.

"Oh, God!" Bella cried out, throwing back her head in wild abandon.

She worked herself against his finger, sawing her hips back and forth, desperately seeking release. He twitched his finger ever so slightly and she jerked her head forward, pressing her face into his neck. Her tongue licked the skin there and she gave sexy little whimpers as she humped herself against him. Another twitch of his finger and her whole body tensed.

Not wanting to miss seeing her come apart for him, Emmett quickly moved back and watched as a flush took over her skin, her eyelids at half-mast, her lips parted, her breasts heaving as she gasped for breath. Her thighs clenched around his hand, an attempt to keep his finger where it was.

Unable to resist, he slipped his finger along her pussy lips until he found her tight, wet heat, his thumb brushing ever so slightly against her swollen clit as he pushed inside.

"EMMETT!" Bella screamed for him as she came around his finger, her sweet body milking him for more, desperate for his cock, for his come.

He was completely mesmerized at the siren before him, as she threw back her head and rode him to completion. With a soft grunt, he let go of the tight hold he had kept on his own arousal and came with a violent shudder. His cock jerked between them, flinging come across her stomach, breasts, and neck. She trembled as each wad landed, her pussy clenching in a responding rhythm.

Emmett kept completely still, watching as Bella panted, her body still bent back over one of his arms. His other hand remained in her pussy, enjoying the after tremors that shook her from the inside. He imagined, when they did this for real, he would just stay inside her for days on end, only taking breaks to hunt as needed.

The thought settled him and he moved to wrap both arms around Bella, cradling her close. With a contented sigh, she curled into him, hiding her face from the water that still sprayed down on them.

"Told you so," she said, sounding supremely self-satisfied.

And Emmett did the only thing he could do.

He laughed.


A/N: Um, hello? Anyone still out there?

I wasn't even sure I remembered my log on to this site anymore, folks, let alone how to actually upload a chapter! Phew… I came across this story while moving files from an old computer to a new one and thought to myself "Oh, hey. Let's check this out." So, I read through the story and, while I found some things I would like to change, I was also inspired to try and pick it up again. We'll see how it goes, but here's an update for you… five years later…

Also, this hasn't been beta read or reread by me, so there are probably some errors/misspellings. Sorry!