A/N – Hi everyone—Firstly, sorry, sorry, sorry for the excruciatingly long time between updates. I had a really bad case of writer's block, and then when that finally dissipated, I got really angsty about the love scene (yes, that's right—there's a lemon in this chapter, so consider yourselves warned!) and ended up with a severe case of analysis paralysis. Hopefully since this is an extra long chapter, you'll forgive me for the long hiatus! *cue Puss-in-boots big-eyes* ;-)
A big thank you to my wonderful readers for bearing with me through all this, and for continuing to read, review and fav! You truly are what keeps this story going!
And last but not least, a very special thank you to Pemberly Rose for her early help with setting up the love scene, and also to my dear friend NinkyBaby for pre-reading and beta'ing this chapter, and doing some much needed workshopping of storylines through with me—you rock, bb!
All Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.
TRUTH OR DARE
"Hold me close and hold me fast,
This magic spell you cast,
This is la vie en rose…"
~ Mack David, 'La Vie en Rose'
(original French lyrics, Edith Piaf)
The sunlight prickled at Renesmee's eyelids, dancing shades of orange and red against the closed sheaths of skin. Remembering that she had fallen asleep last night nuzzled into the body of her wolf, she slowly turned to her side, her body still heavy with sleep, searching for the touch of his rich velvety fur.
Upon feeling the emptiness next to where she lay, Renesmee's eyelids fluttered open. Where was he? Had his injuries gotten worse during the night? A moment of panic gripped her heart, but loosened its grasp when she saw that he was standing by one of the windows, gazing out to the gardens beyond.
As she watched the russet wolf, Renesmee couldn't help but see how he stood, strong and majestic. A quiet power exuded from him, and all traces of debility were now gone. It was as if the poison that had ravaged his body only hours before had never even touched him, and that whole fearful encounter with the Children of the Moon less than a day ago had been but some distant dream.
Sensing his imprint beginning to stir from slumber, Jacob turned his eyes from the window to gaze affectionately at her. He watched as she stretched herself out languidly like a cat, allowing the wakefulness to slowly permeate through her body. She looked so beautiful in the morning light, so enticing as she lay in the daybed with her long curls cascading like bronze waves of silk against the cushions. With superhuman effort, Jacob tamped down the wolf's instinct to take its mate and ravish her.
Down boy, he exhaled quietly to himself.
Jacob had awoken just before dawn to find, as expected, that his wounds had completely healed. He'd felt Nessie sleeping next to him, and though he adored the closeness of her, it was all he could do to resist the temptation to do more than just lie there beside her. And so he had roused himself from slumber, ever so gently so as not to wake his sleeping angel, and moved himself over to the stand by the window. He'd spent a good part of the last hour or so going over in his mind everything that had transpired in the last day, and he now had a reasonable idea of what needed to be done next. He returned his attention to the slowly awakening angel before him.
'Morning sleepyhead, Jacob's deep bass rumbled, brimming with warmth and affection, as he looked at his imprint and felt his heart swell with love for her.
" 'Morning," Renesmee replied lazily, gazing up at him through heavy-lidded eyes. "What are you doing all the way over there?"
Just thinking, he replied gently.
"About what?" she asked, and then remembering how injured her wolf had been, "And anyway, should you even be up and about yet?"
I'm fine, Ness, he assured her.
"Well, at least let me see your wounds," Renesmee said, beginning to move from the daybed.
No, the russet wolf replied.
Renesmee paused, annoyance beginning to nip at her heels. It was way too early in the day to start this again.
"No?" she countered, arching an eyebrow at him.
No, he replied firmly.
"Do you really want to do this again, Jake?" she asked, exasperation beginning to seep into her voice.
I can do this all day, he chuckled.
"Well, if my memory serves me correctly," Renesmee replied, her earlier annoyance dissipating with Jacob's infectious chortle and a smile now beginning to flirt at the corners of her own lips, "last time, you were the one who conceded defeat."
That's what you think, Jacob smirked. But, he sighed internally, she was right—he had surrendered. Whenever it came to Nessie, it was no contest. Unless her safety or well-being were at stake, he would always give in to her. But, as far as he was concerned, this little battle of wills they were having right now wasn't quite over yet.
Who says that getting you to dress my wounds wasn't part of some very complicated and strategic plan all along? he teased.
"I'm sure it was," she chided him playfully. "And that indignation was all a put-on, right?"
Maybe not all of it, Jacob winked. But that still doesn't change the fact that I'm fine now, so there's no point in you fussing over me.
"But I…"
No.
"But— "
I said, no.
"Please, Jake," Renesmee coaxed gently, "let me have a look."
Jacob took a deep breath. Dammit, she knew exactly how to get him. Nessie had asked, and that was more powerful than any demand or order. He could never deny her. He wouldn't deny her. He sighed again. He was such a pushover when it came to her.
Okay, fine, he grumbled. But I'm telling you, everything's healed.
"I'll be the judge of that," Renesmee scolded playfully. She rose from the daybed and made her way over to Jacob, who was now sitting sulkily still.
Renesmee ran her hand over the bandage ever so gently, and then slowly peeled it away. To her amazement, she found that Jacob was right. The wounds had completely healed.
"It's as if they never happened," she gasped in astonishment.
Told you, he smirked.
"Who would have believed it," Renesmee mumbled as she finished unwinding the bandages from his body.
It was then that she noticed her wolf was watching her with a strange expression on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Ness, we need to talk— Jacob began.
"Yes, we do," Renesmee answered abruptly, and the curtness in her tone made Jacob's gaze snap to her eyes as he checked for signs of displeasure. To his relief, there were none.
"Sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to sound terse. I'm a little anxious. There's a lot that's been playing on my mind."
No kidding, Jacob thought quietly to himself. His own mind, up until about half an hour ago, had been a jumbled mess of thoughts too—the strange behaviour of the Children of the Moon, the Shaman's curse spiralling towards its inevitable deadline, not to mention what to do about Nessie's little excursion to his private quarters yesterday and her stumbling upon the fatal white rose.
But, he mused, at least he knew what was what—Nessie, on the other hand, was operating within a complete bubble, oblivious to the dangerous truth simmering beneath the surface of the castle and its mysterious surrounds. Jacob reminded himself how overwhelming it must all be for her, being uprooted from all that she had ever known and then thrust into this completely new environment, with so many secrets around every corner and isolated from the familiarity of family and home. It was a testament to her strength of character that she had maintained her composure—a lesser person might have broken down by now. The russet wolf's giant heart swelled with love for her... and maybe a little pride too.
He looked over to his imprint again, looking back at him expectantly. It was now or never, he supposed. Jacob drew in a deep breath as he braced himself for the onslaught of questions—
I can appreciate your anxiety, Ness, he said. Why don't you go first then.
"I... I don't quite know where to start," Renesmee began.
That makes two of us, Jacob mused quietly to himself, but he kept his mouth shut. There was so much that he wanted to say, yet still so much more that he couldn't. He sat back on his haunches, giving her the space, both literally and figuratively, to sort out her thoughts—
It's all right, Ness. Just take your time, he assured her gently.
"So much has happened in the last few days," Renesmee murmured. "I... well, I was wrong to venture into the Northern Wing and—" she added hurriedly, remembering her role in yesterday's debacle "—for that, I apologise. But the rose that I saw on the writing desk—I'm certain that it's the one I brought with me—but how can that be? That was nearly ten days ago, it should be wilted by now. And the Children of the Moon—they're supposed to be the stuff of myth and legends. But they're real, so indisputably, absolutely real, as evidenced by yesterday's happenings! But I guess I shouldn't be surprised, after all, until recently, I didn't know that giant talking wolves existed either! But what do the Children of the Moon want with me? Furthermore, both you and Leah said that they aren't supposed to hunt in packs, yet there they were, ambushing and outnumbering us. And then there's all these strange dreams I've been having..."
Renesmee realised that she had run out of breath. In her enthusiasm to verbalise, the myriad of thoughts that had been stampeding through her mind came tumbling out of her mouth in confused disarray.
"Sorry," she breathed. "Like I said—a little anxious."
Jacob nudged his imprint sympathetically with his huge muzzle. His Nessie could be so cute sometimes. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and that was one of the reasons he found her so undeniably adorable. But internally he sighed. How the hell was he ever going to do this? He wouldn't lie to her—of that he was certain, but he had to be very careful about how he went about answering her questions. This was a dangerous game of Truth or Dare that he was playing—one foot wrong, and happily ever after could disappear in a puff of figurative smoke.
Why don't we sit down first, Jacob offered as he padded over towards one of the couches and beckoned for Nessie to follow him.
Renesmee did as she was invited to and settled herself into one of the armchairs as Jacob hopped up onto the large couch next to it. He watched as she straightened out her dress, which was still rumpled from the previous day's wear, and looked at her tiny pale hands patting the material flat—hands that had gently nursed him back to health with soft and loving care—and his heart swelled with love for her again.
All right then, he began. There's no easy way to explain this, so you'll just have to bear with me. I will tell you as much as I can, Ness, but there are some points at which I won't go any further, and you'll just have to accept that.
"But—"
No buts. That's the way it is, Nessie. You can take it or leave it.
"Okay, fine," Renesmee pouted sulkily, drawing her legs up underneath herself as she let out an overly dramatic sigh.
Good, Jacob smiled, ignoring his imprint's pointed attempt to communicate her irritation at his rebuff. Now that's settled, we can start. Firstly, the Children of the Moon—Yes, they are very real, Nessie. And the myths and legends surrounding them are as true as the ground upon which we stand. While there are some who have learnt to manage their transformations, there are those who cannot—or will not—and they are the ones who are a danger to themselves and to those around them. They sometimes attack the townspeople, though the attacks have always been sporadic and disorganised—not like the ones we witnessed yesterday. Unfortunately, our intelligence on the Children of the Moon at the moment is limited. All we know at this stage is that they've changed their behavioural patterns in the last week or so, which seems to coincide with your arrival here at the castle. As for why they have such a keen interest in you—a low growl rumbled dangerously in the Alpha's chest at the thought of his imprint's safety being threatened —I have Sam and the others hunting down their nest and running recon around the clock. We'll find out soon enough what their intentions are, and who is behind it.
Renesmee sat silently as she tried to take in everything that Jacob had just explained to her. Her mind was still coming to terms with the fact that the Children of the Moon were not just the stuff of myths and legends after all—even when Leah and Seth had told her fairly early on in the piece that they protected the townspeople from werewolves, she had thought that they were just pulling her leg or that it was an attempt to scare her out of trying to leave the castle grounds. Never in her wildest dreams would she have believed that the stories were all true. But the undeniable truth had stared her in the face less than 24 hours ago—the monsters were real. And they were after her.
In an attempt to ward off the icy fear that was inching its way through her veins, Renesmee decided to change the subject. "What about the rose I saw in the Northern Wing?" she asked.
It is one and the same as the oneyou brought with you, Jacob answered simply.
Renesmee looked up in surprise. She had half expected him to come up with some wild and complicated story about how every rose pretty much looked the same, and that she was imagining things, but to his credit, Jacob had answered her honestly and without pretence. Encouraged by this thought, she ventured—
"So why hasn't it wilted yet?"
The rose is enchanted, Nessie. It is a very special rose and—Jacob paused upon sensing the question on the tip of his imprint's tongue—do not ask me how and why, for I will not answer that question. The important thing is that the rose is unique, and must be protected.
Renesmee's eyes widened with surprise—not upon learning that the rose was enchanted, but from the fact that Jacob's answer had been so... well, so frank and honest. Ever since her arrival, with the exception of Seth, she hadn't really gotten a straight answer from anyone on any of the issues that had piqued her curiosity.
"Is that why it's kept in the Northern Wing?"
Yes and no, Jacob answered, mindful of the need to tread very carefully. Clever girl, he thought—she was starting to edge the conversation towards the Northern Wing. He knew that a flat refusal to answer anything about it would just result in her trying to venture in there again. The doors had been inadvertently left unlocked last time, but even if they remained locked from now on and were guarded around the clock, he was sure she'd find another way to steal in. And that would just spell disaster for all of them if she uncovered their secret.
It's kept there because the Northern Wing is one of the most protected sectors of the castle, Ness.
"If it's so protected, why don't you put me in there if you're worried about the Children of the Moon, instead of forbidding me to enter it? I promise not to endanger the rose."
She had him. Fuck. Okay, here goes, Jacob thought to himself. It wasn't completely a lie, but it wasn't entirely the truth either. He crossed his paws and hoped that whatever great spirits guarded the sanctity of honesty, they wouldn't strike him down for bending the truth to his imprint.
The Northern Wing is protected, he began carefully, not to keep anyone out, but to stop that which is dangerous from escaping. Jacob's mind wandered to the four youngest wolves who were locked up in the apartments adjoining his own, and who with every passing day, were increasingly losing their grip on their humanity.
"Oh," Renesmee's voice was small. She hadn't thought about that angle. No wonder he was angry with her when she went snooping around there. But her curiosity still egged her on. "What is it that's so dangerous?" she asked.
There are a great many dangers in this world, Jacob began. And the day will come when all will be revealed to you, Nessie, but you must be patient. Everything has its time and place, and the time for you to know all of the castle's secrets is not yet upon us.
"But when?" Renesmee asked, impatience beating against the lilt of her voice.
All in good time, Jacob stated with finality.
"But—"
Remember our deal, Ness.
"Fine," she pouted in response. "But that doesn't mean this is the end of the conversation."
It is for now, Nessie, Jacob replied gently but with a firmness that made it clear he meant business. In the meantime, given these new developments with the Children of the Moon, you will be guarded around the clock.
"Excuse me?"
Well, simply put, there will always be a wolf within sight of you.
"Even when I'm sleeping?" Renesmee squeaked. She wasn't sure how she felt about having a wolf guard her 24 hours a day. It felt, somehow, as if her privacy was being invaded.
"Can't I just sleep with Claire or Emily in their quarters?"
They can't protect you the way a wolf can, Ness. Until we have this issue sorted out, you are never to be alone under any circumstances.
Realising that his Nessie might be feeling some apprehension about the level of danger that she must be in for him to order a round the clock guard, Jacob attempted to allay some of her fears by adding, You should be safe in the castle and its grounds, Ness, so this is really just an added security measure, okay?
Renesmee was still looking at him with an expression of mild sullenness. "I just... I don't like the idea of being guarded like that. It makes me feel like I'm a prisoner."
How can you say that? Jacob felt the hurt rising up inside him. You're not a prisoner, Ness, you never were. This is for your own protection, he stated in a tone that told her, in no uncertain terms, that he wouldn't be entertaining any arguments to the contrary.
"I didn't mean it like that," Renesmee pouted. "I know I'm not a prisoner, but just being watched 24 hours a day makes me a bit uneasy."
Well, how about this then, Jacob offered, Think of it as having a 'companion' rather than a guard. You seem to get on well with Seth and Leah—Why don't I make sure that Seth does as many 'day-shifts' as possible. As for staying with you in your room overnight, Leah will be the only wolf to do so. No way in hell any male wolf is going to spend time in Nessie's bedroom, Jacob growled quietly to himself.
Renesmee was a little appeased that if she had to share her quarters with a wolf, it would at least be Leah. After all, Leah had stayed over the other night and that had been okay. But what Renesmee really wanted was for Jacob to watch over her. She felt so safe and comforted whenever he was near. She wanted to spend more time with him—that she couldn't deny—but was this sudden clinginess because she had come so dangerously close to losing him yesterday? Or was there something more to it than that? Renesmee took a deep breath and summoned up what courage she could, hoping that she didn't seem too forward.
"C...Can't you stay with me?" she ventured.
I have business to attend to during the day, Jacob answered softly. But I will return to your side as soon as those duties are discharged.
Renesmee felt the heat rising to her cheeks even before she uttered the words. "I... uh, I mean at night, Jake." She couldn't believe she was actually saying this. "Can't you be the one to watch over me... in my bedroom?"
Jacob's heart leapt with joy at his imprint's words. He looked at her face, a pink blush glowing over her cheeks, and he felt an overwhelming urge to nuzzle his face against hers. She was looking at him expectantly, awaiting his answer.
I'm a male wolf, Ness. I don't think that would be proper, and even as the words left his mouth, Jacob felt like such a hypocrite. He'd been creeping on her for days now—well, nights really, if you wanted to get technical about it.
"I don't care," Renesmee pouted. "I just... I feel so much safer when you're around."
Jacob couldn't help but feel his love for her swell inside his giant heart. We'll see, Ness.
"Pleeeeease?" she looked at him with pleading eyes.
She had him again. Why was he such a pushover when it came to her?
All right, Jacob said, but only as long as you agree to be accompanied by a wolf at all other times of the day as well.
"Deal!" Renesmee trilled as she held out one tiny hand towards him. Jacob eyed her suspiciously.
"Let's shake on it," she offered by way of explanation.
All right then, it's a deal, Jacob nodded as he held out his own gigantic paw for Nessie to take.
He couldn't work out if he was ecstatic or anxious at the thought of spending the night with Nessie in her room—finally, with her permission. On the one hand, he was going to be so close to her, enveloped in her delicious strawberry scent, and his body hummed in pleasure at the anticipated intimacy. On the other, it was going to take just about every ounce of willpower in his mighty frame not to cross the line and do what every fibre of his being screamed out to him to do.
Jacob sighed. This was really going to test his mettle. But at least he had her agreement to be escorted at all times—and that might just be the safety measure he needed to keep her out of the Northern Wing for the time being as well.
.
.
"Gee, Aunt Emmy—take it easy!" Claire giggled as she watched her aunt mercilessly pound yet another giant mound of pastry against the kitchen bench before pulling it in and deftly kneading it with experienced hands.
"I can't help it," Emily frowned as she continued kneading the dough with what was obviously more force than necessary. "With all that's been happening—Renesmee wandering into the Northern Wing, Jacob's injuries, the showdown with the Children of the Moon and the boys refusing to tell us anything more than the bare bones of what took place—better that this pastry bear the brunt of my frustrations than anything else!"
The other girl sitting not far from Emily and Claire looked up from the pile of apples she was peeling. Kim hadn't even met Renesmee yet—and indeed she had no need to, as Emily and Claire took care of most of the princess-to-be's needs. And anyway, they had all agreed that it was safer for Renesmee's contact with the castle's humans to be limited for now, so that secrets weren't inadvertently spilled. That was why Kim stayed out of Renesmee's way and hadn't often ventured far from her quarters since Renesmee's arrival, and that suited her just fine. As long as Jared came back to her each night, she was content to stay in the shadows, so to speak. The only exceptions were days like this, when she helped Emily out with the cooking while they caught up on the news and views of the day. Besides, Emily was her friend, and some girl-time was just what they needed right now.
Kim put down the apple that she'd finished peeling, picked up another one and began running the knife skillfully along its edges. "So thank goodness for apple pie then?"
"Apple pie makes everything better," a teasing smile twinkled at the corner of Emily's eyes as she continued kneading the pastry.
"It sure does," Claire agreed enthusiastically as she lined up the tubs of sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in readiness for making the pies' filling. "I'm going to make one especially for Quil," the youngest of the trio announced.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea, honey," Kim smiled at Claire and continued peeling the crisp green fruit. "Well, at least Renesmee and Jacob seem to be connecting," she observed. The upshot of all of yesterday's drama, Kim mused, had of course seen the Alpha and his imprint finally making some progress. Renesmee had nursed him back to health, refusing to leave his bedside, and he in turn had seemed to heal faster once he had allowed himself to relax into her care.
Tonight would be the dark night of no moon, which meant that tomorrow the Hunter's moon would begin waxing towards its zenith... and the deadline to break the Shaman's curse. There was no guarantee that this was all going to end well, and if two weeks was all she had left with her husband before he degenerated into a feral creature bereft of his humanity, Kim was going to make as much as she could of the time they had left. She turned her face away, hoping that her companions wouldn't see the glimmer of tears threatening to brim over her eyes.
"Yes, but Sam won't give me any more details," Emily frowned again. "All I got was the basic summary—Renesmee went into the Northern Wing, Jacob lost it, she ran away, and they rescued her from the Children of the Moon. Though—" Emily looked thoughtful "—who would have known that the werewolves' bite was poisonous? Luckily no one else got bitten, and Renesmee was able to heal Jacob."
"See," Claire piped up, "he did tell you more than you thought he did!"
"Yes, perhaps, but it's just so frustrating, only getting snippets," Emily's brows knitted together. "It's like pulling teeth, trying to get information out of Sam sometimes."
"Jared's the same," Kim rejoined the conversation, having now quietened the emotions that had been threatening to spill over. "It's almost as if they're deliberately trying to keep us in the dark—out of their wolf business, so to speak. Did you try asking Leah?"
"No, not yet," Emily sighed. "Leah was watching Jacob and Renesmee last night, and she was on patrol this morning. Actually, that's a good idea, you know," she mused thoughtfully, "the boys hardly tell us anything, but Leah's always good for an honest conversation. I might try Rachel as well, next time she's here."
The three girls continued their tasks in companionable silence, each contemplating the events of the past days and the inevitable consequences that would follow. What was really playing on all of their minds, of course, wasn't the superficial 'this happened and then that happened' commentary they'd received from their respective spouses, but rather what might be the unspoken motives of the Children of the Moon in having changed their battle tactics. Sure, all that stuff might have been 'wolf business' but Emily and Kim had been the wolves' companions for years now and saw a lot more than the others might have perhaps given them credit for.
Their thoughts were interrupted by a soft tapping on the door. Slowly, the oak panel creaked open.
"Hello? Anybody there?" big brown eyes framed by long bronze curls peered through the half open doorway.
Emily looked up from the production line of apple pies that was now beginning to take shape. "Come in, Renesmee," she called out. "Just us girls in here."
Kim shot Emily and Claire a look as if to ask whether she should make herself scarce. Emily shook her head in answer. There was nowhere to run to anyway, and Emily didn't really fancy hiding her friend in the pantry. Besides, it's not as if they'd ever told Renesmee that no one else lived here except Emily, Claire and the wolves. That was just a conclusion that the Alpha's imprint had come to of her own accord, and nobody had bothered to correct her. Emily wondered if Renesmee had come looking for them specifically since she hardly ever ventured down to the kitchens.
Claire put down the pie pans with an unintentional noisy clutter in her haste to get to the door, sending the older girls an apologetic look as she did so. "Afternoon, Miss," she chirped happily, skipping over to open the door all the way so Renesmee could enter. "We're just making apple pies for afternoon tea."
"Thank you, Claire," Renesmee smiled as she stepped through the door gingerly, followed closely by a sandy colored wolf.
"Seth!" Emily cried out. "You know the rules—no wolves in the kitchen!"
Awww, come on Em, Seth grinned. I promise not to get any fur in the foo—Ooh, yumm, apple pie! The smell of baking buttery goodness was unmistakable, and the sandy wolf's attention was drawn to the ovens from whence the delicious scent was wafting. He started padding over towards the oven, oblivious to Emily's cries of protest.
Anyway, I have to go wherever Ness goes—Jake's orders, he announced with a satisfied grin on his face. I'm her guard-wolf.
"Really?" Emily arched an eyebrow curiously at him. These boys would try anything to get into the kitchen sometimes—why, only two days ago, she'd found Quil and Embry raiding the pantry for cookies. The way these boys ate, it's a wonder they weren't all the size of houses. "And in what universe would that be a reality?"
"It's true," Renesmee sighed. "Jake ordered it this morning. After yesterday's events, he's worried that the Children of the Moon are going to break in and kidnap me or something. So now Seth has to follow me around all day."
Renesmee noticed the other girl sitting at the kitchen table. She had the same copper skin and silky black hair as Emily and Claire, and Renesmee wondered briefly if they were all related somehow. "Oh, how rude of me to intrude without so much as a hello. We haven't met before," she smiled, walking over to introduce herself to the mystery girl. "I'm Renesmee."
"Hi, pleased to meet you," Kim answered. "I'm Kim. I... uh, I work here."
"Oh? Do you live in the town?" Renesmee's curiosity was suddenly piqued. Other than Sebastian, Kim was the only other human she had seen in the castle or its grounds.
Kim flicked her gaze briefly at Emily before answering. It would be safer to tell the truth in case she was spotted again. "No, I live here, at the castle," she answered.
"But I thought that other than Claire and Emily, everyone else who lived here was a wolf."
Are you kidding? Of course Kim lives here, Seth piped up. She's Jared's wi—
"Kim is Jared's wild and wonderful friend," Emily interrupted sternly.
And there it was again, Renesmee huffed to herself, that strange feeling that everyone else in the room knew something that she didn't. In her opinion, Kim didn't look that wild—wonderful, maybe—but definitely not wild. Maybe it was just a figure of speech on Emily's part.
"So how do you know Jared?" Renesmee asked but Kim's ability to answer was cut short by Emily's cries of remonstration—
"SETH! No! Those pies are for afternoon tea—"
But it was too late, the sandy wolf had caught sight of the first batch of pies cooling on the window ledge and was making a beeline over to them. In one swift movement, he'd wolfed down two of the delicious round pastries. Within moments, a very cross Emily was standing over him, an equally annoyed look on her face.
"All right, out, out, OUT!" she reprimanded him. "Renesmee can stay, but you—you can wait outside in the hall, thank you very much, young man!"
Awww, Em... Seth whined, giving her his best puppy dog look and pressing himself down onto the floor. He covered his muzzle with one gigantic paw as he looked at her pleadingly with his eyes. Why had he let his stomach get the better of him again? Jake was gonna rip him a new one if he messed up guard duty and lost sight of Nessie. I'm sorry, I'll be good. Promise.
Emily felt her annoyance fade at the young wolf's repentant stance. "Fine. Just stay still and don't raid the pies again, understand? No. Pie. Raiding."
Sure thing, Seth mumbled apologetically. No pie raiding.
With the drama settled for now, Renesmee returned her attention back to her companions. She was about to continue her conversation with Kim, but poor Seth looked so remorseful sitting alone in the corner that she just couldn't do it to him.
"Come on then Seth," she called out. "Let's go and check out some more of those old galleries."
The sandy wolf's ears perked up as he gambolled over to his charge. Sure thing, Ness. Let's go!
Renesmee bade her goodbyes to the three girls. As she exited the door, she looked over and watched as Emily rolled out the pastry and shaped it into pie crusts, passing it on to Kim who combined the apple, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar mixture, spooning them into the pastry shells and covering each one with another crust of pastry, and finally, Claire popping them into the oven after removing the cooked batches. It was amazing to see how much they seemed like the three Fates—sisters who were the incarnations of destiny—spinning, measuring and cutting each mortal's thread of life.
And Renesmee wondered what destiny had in store for her.
.
.
Renesmee sat at the vanity table, watching Claire's reflection in the looking glass as the younger girl executed what she claimed to be the requisite 100 daily brushstrokes through her mistress' gleaming locks. Renesmee stifled a yawn. She had spent the day exploring the galleries with Seth, and it had been fun but now she was tired and ready for bed.
As the brush flew over her hair... sixty-five, sixty-six, sixty-seven... Renesmee's thoughts drifted to earlier this evening, mulling on how Jacob had been unusually quiet throughout dinner, only stopping every now and then to make polite conversation. It was a complete turnaround from this morning, where he'd been relatively talkative. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed him so much to tell her more about the Children of the Moon, the white rose, and the dangers in the Northern Wing. He had said that all would be revealed to her in good time—perhaps she'd just have to cool her heels and learn some patience.
Her gaze wandered over to Leah, dozing quietly by the fire. Jake wasn't kidding—Renesmee was really guarded twenty-four seven. After exploring some more of the galleries, which, in truth, had been kind of boring since there were only landscapes, landscapes and more landscapes, Renesmee found herself wondering where all the portraits had disappeared to. Seth had dropped her off at dinner with Jacob. Shortly after, Leah had picked her up and escorted her back to her quarters. The she-wolf had then proceeded to settle herself down in front of the fire and she'd been here ever since.
At first, Renesmee had thought that Leah was going to spend the night with her in her quarters, but Leah had explained that Jake would be by later to 'do the late shift'. Renesmee wasn't entirely impressed with being treated as if she were the subject of some babysitting schedule, but she decided to ignore it for the time being. Jacob was worried about her safety—that much was obvious—and if this gave him some peace of mind, then she was willing to deal with it. For now, anyway.
"So how long has Kim lived at the castle?" Renesmee asked, remembering that she had left the conversation with her new acquaintance unfinished from earlier in the day. She watched as Claire and Leah exchanged looks. There was that feeling again—the one where it felt as though everyone else in the room knew something that she didn't.
"Oh, for a few years now, Miss," Claire answered.
"Emily said she's Jared's friend?"
"Yes Miss," Claire replied, but made no move to volunteer any more information.
The fire burning at the hearth crackled and sputtered as one of the logs broke and sent sparks fluttering into the air. Leah opened one eye sleepily but continued dozing once she saw the embers settle themselves down again. Claire carried on with running the brush through Renesmee's bronze locks... eighty-one, eighty-two, eighty-three...
"So how long have they been friends?" Renesmee asked, her curiosity not yet satisfied.
Since Kim came to work at the castle, Leah mumbled, hoping that would put an end to the questions. It was a lie, but the truth would have just opened up a whole other can of worms, and that was just too dangerous to get into at this point in time.
When Leah found out what had happened in the kitchen earlier today, she could have thumped her little brother for his big mouth, but decided to leave that particular pleasure to Jake and Sam. Seth was having one hell of a shitty week, what with the falling-out-of-the-tree incident a few days ago, and the muffin scuffle yesterday—did the kid have a death wish or something? What was he thinking, blurting out the Kim-Jared connection just like that. Goddamn excitable pup, Leah sighed. It would have been so much simpler to just say that Kim worked at the castle, which Kim had originally said, and just left it at that. At least Emily caught him in time, so no harm done. Sure, Kim was Jared's wife, but you can't explain that away without opening up the whole Pandora's Box of their human versus lupine selves, the curse and everything else that entailed. Leah loved her brother, but the dumbass got himself into so much trouble sometimes. And then of course there was today's apple pie incident...
Leah's thoughts were interrupted by a gentle tap at the door—
Ness, may I come in? Jacob's deep bass rumbled.
Renesmee's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her wolf's voice. "Yes," she called out, straightening her nightgown. Why was she suddenly so concerned about her appearance? "Come in, Jake."
The doors creaked open, and Jacob entered. Renesmee was so happy to see him, so happy that he'd kept his promise, and she felt a smile curve her mouth upwards. He was here, actually really here. She'd been thinking about this all day ever since they'd discussed the issue this morning. Actually, it would probably be more accurate to say that she'd been thinking about him all day. She knew that she cared for her wolf, but her feelings were becoming dangerously deeper. Yes, she loved him, as a friend and companion, but she knew in her heart of hearts that it was more than that. Her feelings ran so much deeper than she was willing to admit, and she was so confused by them... yet at the same time, she wasn't.
He was a wolf. She was not. It was pretty clear cut.
And the futility of it all made her heart ache in a way that she just couldn't—or wouldn't—rationalise.
For a brief moment this afternoon, Renesmee had a niggling idea Seth was about to say that Kim was Jared's wife, and a flicker of hope had risen within her heart. But to her dismay, she'd learned that they were only friends. Renesmee chided herself for being so silly as to have even entertained the notion that a wolf and a human could actually have a relationship that was anything more than just friendship.
But that still didn't stop the fluttering she felt in her stomach every time Jacob looked into her eyes, how her heart raced whenever he was near, and how complete and content she felt with just even the most fleeting of his warm touches upon her skin.
Besides, there was the matter of her dream companion, which just served to add more fuel to the fire of confusion already raging inside her heart. She was falling in love with him, yet she knew how futile it all was—after all, he was just a figment of her overactive imagination.
It was as if the universe was playing some cruel joke on her. The one whom she felt so connected to in this world was a Beast and anything more than friendship would be impossible, yet the only other for whom she felt as strongly, and who was a man, existed only in her own dream world. She felt so helpless—as if she had a mouthful of something that she could neither swallow nor spit out. And it was slowly choking her.
"...And ninety-nine, one hundred!" Claire's voice broke into Renesmee's tortured thoughts. "We're done for the night, Miss," the younger girl announced. Placing the hairbrush down on the dresser, she turned to the russet wolf who was now watching Renesmee with a curious expression on his face, she asked, "Can I get you anything, my Lord?"
No, I'm fine, thank you Claire, Jacob answered.
"Well, I'll be bidding you all goodnight then," Claire curtsied, as she made her way out of the room.
Leah rose from where she had been laying in front of the fire. I'm off too if I'm not needed, she announced. 'Night Ness, 'night Jake.
"Goodnight Claire, goodnight Leah," Renesmee replied. "And Leah, thank you for keeping me company this evening."
No problem, the she-wolf smiled. Now you kids behave yourselves, you hear?
Renesmee couldn't help the involuntary blush that lit up her cheeks, and she hoped that no one noticed. She pretended to play with some of the accessories on the vanity table, in a desperate bid to hide the flush of colour that seemed to have no intention of receding.
Just get out, Leah, Jacob growled.
Okay, okay, I'm going, the she-wolf chuckled. Carpe noctem, my friend, she called out as she exited the room.
"Seize the night?" Renesmee arched a curious eyebrow at Jacob. "What did she mean by that?"
Uh... just to make sure I keep you safe and sound tonight, he fibbed. Jacob made a mental note to give Leah a piece of his mind the next day. It was bad enough already that he was on edge, trying to keep it together. Just being in Nessie's bedroom, alone with his beloved, brought back all those heady memories of the nights before and already, his body was humming with pleasure at the recollection of it. And Leah's teasing reminder wasn't making it any easier to tamp down his wolf instincts, especially when it came to the matter of his mate.
So are you about ready for bed? Jacob asked, padding out to the balcony and lifting his nose to sniff the clean night air—partly to clear his head, but also to make sure that no Children of the Moon were lurking nearby.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jacob saw Alex and Embry standing guard in the shadows of the garden below. After the revelation that the Children of the Moon were after his Nessie and how they had been ambushed yesterday, Jacob had commanded Sam to place two wolves in the garden below Renesmee's room at all times, just to be on the safe side. Yeah, it was overkill, but when it came to ensuring the safety of his imprint, the Alpha wouldn't compromise.
"Yes," Renesmee answered. Slowly she rose from where she had been sitting at the vanity table and made her way over to the enormous four-poster bed, blowing out the candles in the bedroom as she did so. Crawling under the blankets, she waited for Jacob to come back inside. But to her surprise, he settled himself on the balcony floor, just beyond the edge of her room.
"Aren't you going to sleep in here?" she asked him.
I think it's better if I sleep out here, Jacob answered. Much better, he muttered silently to himself. If he was too close to his Nessie, he didn't trust himself not to do something inappropriate, especially with her wearing that flimsy silk nightgown and looking just so goddamn beautiful and tempting. This way I can keep an eye out for any intruders, he fibbed.
"Oh, okay," Renesmee replied softly, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. "Well, goodnight then."
Goodnight Nessie, Jacob answered.
The soft glow of the firelight glimmered in the darkness, providing the only illumination in the otherwise darkened surrounds. The dark night of no moon was upon them, and the pitch blackness made Renesmee uneasy. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
After what seemed like eons, she decided to call out to her wolf—
"Jake?" she whispered tentatively, "are you awake?"
Mm-hmm, came Jacob's answering hum. What's wrong?
"I can't sleep," she whimpered.
Try counting sheep, he volunteered unhelpfully.
"I'm scared, Jake."
In one swift movement, Jacob was by her bedside, a comforting nudge of his muzzle against her waist. Don't be afraid, Ness. I'm here. I won't let anything hurt you.
"I'd feel better if you weren't so far away," Renesmee said, and in that same breath she suddenly felt better, more comforted, as if the mere closeness of him had driven away the tension in her bones. Renesmee patted the bed next to where she lay. "Sleep here, Jake. Please."
I... uh, I don't think that would be a good idea, Ness.
"I'd feel safer if you were close by," Renesmee sniffed. "I promise not to bite," she coaxed teasingly.
The firelight had now died down to just glowing embers, and in the darkness, Renesmee could only make out the outline of Jacob's giant form. He, however, could see everything completely and clearly with his wolf eyesight, and the pleading look that Nessie was giving him had just about melted all of his resolve.
He'd had enough trouble trying to keep it together up to now. Even at dinner he'd been preoccupied, trying to work out how to keep his desire for her at bay, especially if he was going to be spending the night in such close quarters with her. It was then that he'd come up with the idea to sleep out on the balcony. But now, she was begging him to crawl onto the bed and sleep next to her. Jacob's heart leapt with joy at the invitation, yet at the same time, anxiety over what might happen if he couldn't get this longing, craving, yearning that had gripped every fibre of his being, under control. But, he reasoned, if he was only sleeping on the covers, that would at least be all right. Right?
Renesmee's own heart was beating wildly, a fact that had not escaped Jacob's sensitive wolf hearing. Was she still afraid of him? But she had asked him to sleep next to her, so she must trust him. Perhaps she really was afraid of the dark...
Okay, but if I do, then you'll go to sleep, right? Jacob tried to sound stern, but failed miserably as he always did when it came to his Nessie.
"Yes, absolutely!" Renesmee promised, and the relief in her voice was so clear it melted what little was left of Jacob's resolve.
And with that, the russet wolf climbed onto the bed next to his imprint. As he settled in next to her, he felt a tiny hand clutch at the fur on his neck, as she nuzzled herself into his side. He felt her body visibly relax as his own hummed in pleasure from the closeness of her, and soon, the steady sound of her slumbered breathing lulled him into a deep sleep too...
.
.
The setting sun cast a magnificent haze on the horizon, its brilliance reflecting off the lagoon's waters in a stunning symphony of gold, orange and red. Already, the first stars were beginning to appear high in the dusky sky, shimmering like a million glittering diamonds against the slowly darkening heavens.
Renesmee played with the stem of the crystal goblet in her hand, tracing its slender fragility with her pale white fingers as she marvelled at the wonder of Mother Nature's majestic creation. She held the glass up against the glowing fireball that had now slipped almost completely behind the distant mountains, watching as the sparkling champagne liquid it contained seemed to dance mischievously within its crystal confines.
Her gaze wandered over to the handsome young man sprawled languidly on the grass next to where she sat. He was watching her again with that unwavering gaze that sent such wonderful shudders across her skin, and when their eyes met, she felt those butterflies start up their fluttering again.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, gazing up at her with dark onyx warmth. He half sat up, propping himself up so that he was leaning back on one elbow, and with his other arm, raised his own glass and clinked it against hers.
Renesmee smiled shyly at him, raising her glass in answer. "Just admiring the sunset," she replied. "And you?"
"Just admiring you," he winked roguishly.
Renesmee felt the blush rising to her cheeks. There was something about the twinkle in his eye that reminded her of someone, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. To give herself something to do, she raised the goblet to her lips, taking a sip and stifling an involuntary giggle as the bubbles effervesced on the roof of her mouth. The sweet nectar slid easily down her throat, tasting like liquid bliss.
"What is this?" she asked, holding up the goblet as she admired the sparkling champagne-like liquid contained therein. "It's delicious!"
"It's the nectar of the Golden Lily" he answered, smiling indulgently at her. "A flower that blooms only once in every fifty years."
"It's... it's unlike anything I've ever tasted before," Renesmee breathed. "Once every fifty years," she gasped in wonderment. "Are we celebrating something?"
"Just the wonder that is you," he smiled, pulling her down to lay on top of him and placing a heated kiss on her lips. He could still taste the sweet liquid on her mouth, and he flicked his tongue over her lips, drinking in its honeyed sweetness.
"Mmmm..." a moan of pleasure escaped from deep within Renesmee's body, as she willingly parted her lips, allowing his tongue to trace the wet warmth of her mouth.
She lifted her head to smile lovingly at him. He was so beautiful—from the smoothness of his russet skin and the chiseled lines of his undeniably handsome face, to the strong, broad planes of his muscled body. But there was something else about him too, something that made her feel so drawn to him, something that made her heart swell with fondness and affection in the same way that she was so drawn to the Beast, and she felt a pang of yearning tug at her heartstrings.
The Beast... Her thoughts drifted to her russet wolf. She loved him—this she could no longer deny—and the futility of the situation in which she found herself wrenched at the painful emptiness in her heart. It was just so impossible—it didn't matter how she felt about him, there could be no future for them. They were so utterly different—he was a wolf; she was not. How could anything come out of it?
"Are you all right, Nessie?" her companion's voice drew her out of her reverie. He had sensed that her attention had wandered off.
"Yes," she fibbed. "I'm fine. Just thinking about all that's come to pass in the last few days."
"You shouldn't worry so much," he chided playfully, touching his index finger gently to her nose. "It'll give you wrinkles!" he winked.
Renesmee pouted and stuck her tongue out at him.
"Uh oh," he teased, "you'd better hope the wind didn't change, or else your face is gonna freeze like that!"
She gasped back at him in mock horror. "Oh dear, whatever will we do then? Will you still talk to me if I look like that?"
"I love you for who you are, Ness," her companion replied, so earnestly that Renesmee felt as if her heart had stopped beating, "no matter what you look like. It's what's in here—" he touched a warm hand to her breastbone and her heart resumed its throbbing beat, "the beauty within—that matters to me. Yes, you are truly beautiful," he said, tracing her doll-like features and flawless skin with a warm finger, "and on that front, I'm not complaining. But I would love you even if you weren't. You will always be perfect to me, Ness, no matter what. I will love you when we're old and grey, in sickness and in health, with every beat of my heart and with my dying breath. Maybe even beyond that," he smiled, looking deep into those big, brown windows to her soul and making her heart flutter yet again.
He cupped her face, and Renesmee felt the love permeate through his warm touch, as if through that single physical connection, so much more had been communicated between them than a thousand words could ever express. The old queen's voice reverberated somewhere in the recesses of her memory—'However cruel the mirrors of trespass may seem, search within your own heart and soul, and you will find beauty within the beast...'
"Why does the Beast keep me here?" Renesmee asked suddenly, sitting herself back up so that she could think a little more clearly. Laying the way she had been, with her body so entwined with her companion's, she had found herself so distracted by the... the sheer maleness of him. His body seemed to ooze a dark and potent sensuality from every inch of its tall, powerful frame. The strength in his broad shoulders and his muscled back and chest were obvious, even under the clothing he was wearing, and she couldn't help but admire the lines of his musculature as they tapered down to narrow hips clothed in well-fitting breeches that skimmed over thick, powerful legs. He was just so impossible to ignore. In any room, he would be the one whom all heads would turn towards, as if his mere presence commanded absolute attention. Renesmee blushed as she wondered whether he knew of the effect he had on her. She cleared her throat self-consciously.
"You came here of your own free will, did you not?" her companion observed.
"Yes, in lieu of payment for my father's unintentional trespass," she replied.
"Then, have you not just answered your own question?" he pointed out. "The Beast doesn't 'keep' you at the castle. You remain here of your own free will, despite whatever the circumstances that brought you might have been. However cruel the mirrors of trespass may seem..."
Renesmee turned suddenly to look at her companion, grabbing him by the arm. "Where did you hear that? What does it mean?"
"It's something my mother used to say," he answered, arching an eyebrow at her sudden interest and obvious familiarity with the phrase. "It's about seeing the truth, beyond the mere externality of a situation's mirrored reflection. I just thought it fitted rather well with the circumstances under which you came to be here."
Renesmee was speechless. He was absolutely right. She had brought herself here in recompense for the trespass her father had committed against the Beast. And up to now, she had viewed the situation as simply being just that—penance for a trespass her father had committed out of love for her. However, in the time she had spent at the castle, with her wolf and the new friends she had made, the truth of it was that she had gained rather than lost.
And in searching her heart and soul to find the truth beyond the façade, she had found, despite her own refusal to acknowledge it—that she was inexplicably, irrevocably, undeniably in love with the terrifying yet magnetic Beast, and at the same time also so desperately drawn to the man who was her companion in this wondrous dream-scape. How could it be possible to love both of them, and with such fierce longing it made her insides tear and rend against themselves in a raging maelstrom of confusion and want?
"I guess it does," Renesmee mumbled, trying to silence the vortex of emotions raging inside her. Despite her recent epiphany, it still didn't change the fact that there could be no future for her with the Beast beyond friendship—she was human; he was a wolf—and they were just so excruciatingly different. She forced down the hot tears that were beginning to well at the corners of her eyes.
As if sensing her melancholy, her companion drew her out of her reverie with a gentle touch. "Cheer up, Ness," he said. "Look at the stars, see how beautiful they are."
Renesmee turned her attention to the now darkened skyline. It was a completely clear evening. With no clouds in the sky, the stars seemed to twinkle even more brightly, like a million magical fireflies gazing down upon them from the heavens above.
"Yes," she agreed, the turmoil inside her mind calming down somewhat at taking in the peaceful scene before her. "It is truly beautiful."
Her companion lifted his glass. "To evening stars," winked.
"To evening stars," Renesmee echoed, clinking her glass with his in agreement. She took a mouthful of the sweet nectar, enjoying the sensation of the bubbles as they fizzed against her tongue. Before she knew it, she had drained her glass.
"Help me finish mine," her companion offered, holding his glass towards her.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "Don't you want it?"
"I want to watch you more," he smiled indulgently at her. She smiled in return and leaned in towards him as he lifted his glass for her to take a sip.
"Oops!" he grinned mischievously, tipping a few drops of the drink over her lips, deliberately allowing the liquid to run off the corner of her mouth. He watched as the sweet nectar trailed downwards, running a delicious trail of moisture towards the soft warmth of her breasts. "I'd better get that…"
He leaned up towards her, lapping at the nectar's wet path with his tongue, tracing it along the soft curve of her neck, from her pulse point to the base of her throat, and then trailing hot, burning kisses down past her décolletage to the milky white softness of her cleavage. His fingers traced the thin edge of fabric at the neckline of her dress, and gently, he slipped them under the silk and felt a different kind of silkiness—a silkiness of satiny soft skin curving the edge of her breast.
Renesmee arched her back, instinctively pressing more of herself against him. She needed to be closer to him, to feel more of his lips upon her skin and the delicious heat of his touch. As if sensing her desire, he reached out with a strong muscled arm, pulling her into a fierce kiss that left her breathless and hungering for more. He had kissed her before, but there was something different about this time as she felt her whole body quiver in anticipation. It wasn't long before that familiar tightening began to gather in her belly again, pooling downwards as a delicious rush of damp need warmed at the apex of her thighs.
Without breaking the kiss, he rolled them over so that his body was over hers, leaning his weight on one elbow. It always amazed her how, for one so large he always seemed to move with a powerful grace that belied his giant form, like a predator prowling sensuously after its prey. He raised his head to look into her eyes, and the intense and primal hunger she saw in those dark onyx pools caused a shudder of pleasure to work its way through her body. She knew he wanted her as much as she did him.
She tugged at his shirt, motioning for him to take it off, and he acquiesced in one swift movement, ripping the piece of clothing from his body. In the light of the slowly darkening skies, she could see the contours of his strong, muscled torso and arms, and she roamed their hard planes hungrily with her hands, relishing the smoothness of the russet skin beneath her fingertips.
He pressed his lips to her neck, kissing, licking, tasting her, his breath hot against her skin, sending ripples of pleasure through her body...
.
.
Her body undulated with blissful ripples, as the heat of his lips on her skin sent her senses reeling. "Mmmm..." she crooned, pressing her body up against him as if accentuating the pleasure conveyed by that throaty sound.
The soft moan woke Jacob up with a start. Holy fuck, he'd phased to human mid-dream and was halfway through practically forcing himself onto his Nessie.
He was lying on top of her, in the same way he had been in the dream, his lips firmly placed upon the creamy skin just above the neckline of her silk nightgown. In the pitch darkness, his wolf-eyesight allowed him to see the delicious contours of her body as she moved with an innate sensuousness that had lain dormant until now. He lay transfixed, mesmerised as she arched her back upwards, pushing those deliciously full breasts closer to his already yearning mouth, winding her legs around his as she pushed herself closer in to him. He breathed in her luscious strawberry scent, allowing the honeyed sweetness to play with the craving hunger that was dangerously prowling at the back of his throat.
Shit, shit, shit, how could he have allowed this to happen?
He knew it had been a bad idea to sleep next to her, but the pleading look she'd given him had just about melted all of his resolve, and of so course, he'd given in. And now look at the mess they were in. The only thing separating them now was this swathe of ridiculously thin fabric. Where had all the blankets gone? At least there was still a sheet between them—but that wasn't really doing much to help either. His wolf senses had picked up the unmistakable scent of her arousal, and he was practically choking from trying to tamp down his own desire for her.
He started to pull away, intending to phase back to wolf and chain himself to the balcony door if he had to, but he was held immobilised by the sudden and soft touch of her lips upon his own.
Renesmee's lips moved softly, hungrily, against warm softness, slowly awakening her as that dream world seemed to ebb away again, like waves receding back to the dark blue depths of another realm.
Desperately she held on, not wanting her companion to leave her again, but the lagoon was drifting away, along with the sweet, sparkling nectar, glittering stars and soft grass upon which they had been laying. But her lover was still here, she could feel him, his hard warmth against her body and his heated kisses on her skin. Was she still dreaming? No, it was completely dark here, not dusky like the way it had been just moments before. And there was no soft grass or watery lagoon, only the softness of the pillows beneath her head, and the smoothness of the sheets between which she lay.
With a start, she realised she was in her bed, and another person was there with her. A moment of panic gripped her heart, and she froze, held still by sudden realisation.
"Who... Who are you?" she stammered. In the darkness, she couldn't see his face, but she knew in her heart that this was the man of whom she'd been dreaming. Perhaps she was still dreaming, she mused. But this felt so real, so remarkably real.
A myriad of thoughts began to flood her mind, and memories of the night of the storm came tumbling back in a jumbled mess. She didn't know how, but she knew without a doubt this was the same man who had held her on the balcony that stormy night. And as with that night, she was surprised to find that she felt no fear, only the same sense of warmth and protectiveness that seemed to calm the tension in her bones. Only this time, she felt something else too, something deep inside that licked at her very core, like a flame burning from within. It was desire, pure unadulterated desire. For him.
The confusion in her mind was now raising to crescendo pitch. How could this be happening? Could it be that she had managed to wish her dream lover into reality? In a world of enchanted roses and giant talking wolves, anything was possible, she guessed. Magic roses, giant wolves... her thoughts flicked to Jacob, and she wondered where he was. She remembered that he was keeping her company this night, but all she could feel was the presence of the man whose warm body lay on top of her own. So of course she was still dreaming. If this was real, her wolf would be there with her, and there was no way he would have allowed a stranger into her room, let alone her bed.
In the darkness, she could vaguely make out the outline of what she knew to be the wild red roses and tendrils of green ivy winding themselves along the windows and parapets of the castle. They seemed to watch her, amused as they billowed in the soft night breeze.
"Who are you?" she asked again, a little more bravado in her voice this time. Why hadn't she ever thought to ask her dream companion his name before? Yes she had, she remembered, and he had answered cryptically, that she already knew. She hadn't understood what he meant by it all, but for some reason, she hadn't pressed him on the matter again during their subsequent encounters, and now, she felt herself wondering why.
Renesmee felt the muscles in his body twitch, as if he were readying himself to take flight, just like he had done that stormy night.
"Please," she whispered. "Please don't go."
He froze, as if her plea had held him rooted to the spot. In the darkness, she still couldn't see his face, but the chiseled jawline, strong broad shoulders... and warmth, so much wonderful warmth, were unmistakable. She pressed her lips to his again.
"Nessie, don't—" he protested, and she recognised the deep, velvety voice. Yes, it was him, her dream lover, the only one who could awaken such reactions within her body, making her feel as if she would surely implode from sheer want.
She held her lips to him, pulling his body down to her own and winding her arms around his neck, her hands hungrily taking in as much of him as she could. She didn't know if this was a dream or if it was real. All she knew was the man whom she loved was here with her now, and she didn't care if he was just a figment of her overactive imagination.
Just then, her thoughts flicked to her wolf again—her wonderful, brave, amazing wolf—Why was it that she could never think of the man without having her heart and soul pulled inexplicably towards the Beast? Thinking about him brought that inevitable painful tugging in the emptiness of her heart again. She loved them both, but there was nothing that could come of her relationship with the Beast. This, however, this was something that the man could give her, which the Beast could not. She needed this, needed him. Her body was screaming, yearning, aching for him, and she felt as if she would implode if she didn't get more of him.
"Make love to me," she whispered.
The words hung silent in the pitch darkness of the night. It was as if the air around them had stopped, and even the castle and the roses and ivy inter-weaved along its walls seemed to hold their breath.
Her companion had paused too, as if he was torn between continuing to fight a desperate and losing battle against a power greater than his own, or surrendering to what every fibre in his being screamed out at him to do.
"Please," she whispered.
With a lusty growl, he tore the sheets off her body. She should have been afraid, but strangely she wasn't. In the darkness, she could make out the outline of his powerful build. Unlike their encounters by the lagoon, he was completely naked, and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks... and elsewhere. His body was just as she'd imagined it would be—strong and powerful; she ran her hands across his broad shoulders and down his muscled back hungrily, taking in with her hands what her eyes could not.
With a sudden movement, he pulled away to sit back on his haunches, and for a brief moment, she thought that he was going to leave. But she realised that he was sitting perfectly still, watching her with covetous hunger. Though she couldn't see it, she felt it within her bones, and it made her insides blaze with reciprocated desire. Mine, his body seemed to pulsate as his eyes raked her in with their dark, primal gaze.
Her sweet smell saturated the air—a wonderful alluring scent that made his mouth water, his stomach tighten and his need for her rage like some unexplainable hunger—and Jacob couldn't hold back any longer.
Though his Nessie could only make out his outline in the pitch darkness, he could see everything of her. The blush in her cheeks, the outline of her breasts against the flimsy silk of her nightgown and the hardening buds in their centres, the sensuous curve of her hips and long, slim legs that seemed to go on forever. His eyes travelled back upwards, along the creamy lengths of her thighs, to the source of that sweet, sweet scent that was driving him wild. Strawberries and cream combined thickly with lust and desire, and he knew that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
With a slow movement, he leaned his body back towards her, and with a gentleness that belied the lusty hunger smouldering beneath his skin, he unbuttoned the silk nightgown and pulled it up over her head. He let his gaze wander over every inch of her body. So many nights he'd dreamed of this, and now finally it was going to happen.
He leaned his body over hers, resting his weight on one elbow. He ran his other hand down the side of her body, from the underside of her breast, down her waist, the curve of her hip, and finally settling his warm touch on her outer thigh. The only thing that separated them now was a thin sliver of lace that covered the simmering warmth between her legs.
Gently he eased his fingers around to feel along the creamy skin just below her belly. He felt his Nessie's breath hitch, and an involuntary smile curved the corners of his own mouth. Jacob fingered the flimsy material that was the last vestige of separation between their bodies, deciding whether to pull it down or just rip it off. He tightened his grasp, and with a firm pull, the material ripped easily beneath his powerful hand.
With nothing between their bodies now, Jacob could feel his Nessie's need for him, pressed up against his stomach, and his own need throbbed with hungry longing. The scent of her arousal saturated the air, delicious and heady, and he pressed a finger into her soft centre, the warm wetness sending a jolt of pure desire straight to his core.
Renesmee felt his touch in that hitherto unexplored place, and she gasped, her hips rocking against him in wanton need. She moaned as he touched her, his fingers delicately exploring her soft warmth. She had never felt anything like this before, in all her eighteen years, and damn, it was just so... so good. She gasped again as he slipped it in a little further, and slickly out again as he rolled a skilled finger over her little pearl. "Ohhh..." another moan of pleasure escaped her heated raspberry lips. She felt his eyes watching him even though she couldn't see it, but just knowing that he was watching made her blush.
"Don't be shy, Ness," she felt his breath hot against her ear, dripping with warm velvet sensuality. "Just let go..."
He brought his head down to her neck, trailing hot kisses to that spot at the base of her collarbone, and he traced his mouth downwards, nipping and nuzzling at the softness of her breasts. Slowly he circled one hardened pink bud with his tongue before pulling her into his mouth, and between what was going on between her legs and the sensations that were being wreaked havoc with here, she felt herself go weak at the knees.
"Oh, god..." she moaned, and felt the edges of his lips against her skin curve up in a wry smile.
He moved his attentions downwards and trailed kisses down her stomach, her hip bone, and then to that gentle curve just above her centre. Circling his large hands around her waist, he ran them around to cup her backside, caressing her skin with every movement. Nudging her legs apart, he placed a soft kiss on her inner thigh, and she parted her legs more, willing him to move further in. As his mouth inched closer to her core, she felt as if her insides were melting, pooling between her legs in a delicious wet heat that hungered greedily for more.
Willingly he complied, lapping at her sweet centre, and placing slow, tender kisses as his tongue massaged her heat and her body writhed and moaned in pure bliss.
She felt the pressure begin to build up in her body, a tightening in the base of her belly that made her whole body tauten and then constrict, desperate for some kind of release. She felt has if her body was on fire, the flames fanning themselves towards some breaking point. They urged her to keep on climbing, higher and higher, and suddenly she felt as if she was teetering on some precipice, wanting desperately to cross that line of inevitable surrender—
And then it happened.
A feeling so amazing, the kind which she had never experienced before, rolled outwards from her centre in sensuous, pulsing waves. Everything else fell away, save for those wonderful, wondrous sensations, and a moan of pure pleasure escaped, harsh and ragged, from deep within her soul.
"Oh God," she gasped in heated breaths, feeling her pulse race as though she'd just run a marathon.
Slowly the waves subsided, and it was then she noticed he was watching every movement of her body with covetous hunger. It was as if he was cataloguing every taste, every sound, every sensation, as his gaze ran unapologetically over every inch of her with a ravenous, predatory hunger. And some part of Renesmee decided that she liked it—really liked it.
Pulling him upwards towards her, she nudged him up so their faces were level. In the darkness, she still couldn't see him clearly, but oh how she felt him—the heat radiating off his skin, his scent, full of delicious earthiness and male—so undeniably, incontrovertibly male—and it made her mouth water in anticipation.
She touched her lips to his, tasting the moistness of her own desire still upon his lips, and the tightening in her belly resumed its hold once again.
His naked body was pressed up against her own, and she ran her hands over his chest, the solid ridges of his rock-hard stomach, and then slid them around to caress the smooth skin of his muscled back.
He pressed himself against her, holding her close, his hot tongue pushing hungrily inside her mouth as she kissed him back. With one hand he balanced his large frame on top of her, and with the other, he caressed her body, feeling the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips. His hands roamed hungrily across her body to splay against her back and press more of her into him. She felt her own hunger build up again, and as if he knew, he moved himself between her legs, never once breaking the kiss.
Renesmee felt his hardened need pressed against her soft wetness, and her heart skipped a beat. Was she really going to do this? But her thoughts became a hazy blur as his lips continued moving against hers, and she allowed herself to get lost in his kisses, any uncertainty melting away into heated, desperate want.
In her throes of hazy desire, she felt him at her entrance. As he pushed in, she felt tightness, and a twinge of pain, but not enough to dull the desire
"Ahh," she gasped, the sound of her beating heart thundering in her ears, and the delicious scent of musky earth and warm, woodsy comfort filling her senses. He pushed in slowly, allowing his hips to press into her with a pressure that made her close her eyes from the sheer pleasure of it, and her thighs instinctively widen. She felt a sharp pain as he pushed through her barrier—and then the pain melted into a wonderful, delicious feeling of fullness in her core as her body surrendered to him, and he finally pushed himself all the way in.
He lay still for a moment, as if savouring the wonderful, wondrous thing that had just taken place, and she felt it too—the connection. They were so inexplicably bonded, and in that moment, it felt as if the world had come to a complete stop, and they were the only two people in it. Then slowly, he kissed her again, and at the same time, his hips began to move, back and forth, finding a rhythm as she felt that wonderful tightness build up in her core again. He kissed her—a long, deep and sensual caress, his lips and tongue drinking in every part of her, pulling her soul into him with every sweet breath and releasing his own for her taking.
She continued to kiss him, moving her soft lips across his face, along his jawline, and continuing south along his neck, his chest. Hungrily, she roamed her hands across his back, relishing the feel of the corded muscles under her fingertips.
He moved against her and an instant rush of fire seemed to ignite from within again. She moved against him, desperately seeking release. In the desert of her need, he was the only water that could quench this insane burning thirst.
"Uhh," she breathed, "More..."
He began to thrust harder, slamming deeply into her body, drawing himself out to his full length and then crashing back in, as his own need soon became so overwhelming.
She was getting close too. He felt her walls tighten around him as they reached the peak together, surrendering to the wonderful release. A low, throaty moan escaped his lips as he let go, releasing into her delicious deep warmth.
He collapsed onto her, breathing heavily, and she felt his heart beating loudly against her own. He touched his lips to her and kissed her deeply, gently, a sumptuous and sensual caress, and she allowed herself to become lost in its wonderful tenderness. He held her close to him, and she felt the fatigue sweep over her, like a tsunami of sleepiness, enveloping her in its wake.
She was beginning to drift off, and she didn't know whether what had just happened had all been a dream or whether she'd somehow managed to wish her lover into reality—but there was one thing that had been playing on her mind.
"I... I don't know your name," she murmured.
"Shhh..." he comforted her, drawing her into his chest. "Sleep for now, my love..."
His words were like an anesthetizing drug, making her eyelids grow heavy and her body melt into relaxed contentment. And so sleep she did, breathing in the earthy warmth and woodsy comfort of his embrace, the afterglow of their lovemaking settling down upon her like a warm blanket of bliss.
And though she couldn't see in the pitch blackness, she felt the dark onyx eyes of her wolf on her, watching.
Always watching.