Burn baby burn.
Chapter 14.
"See Marie? Now it's showing that all of the florists have paid in full for the deliveries, directly into our bank account... see that? Isn't it excellent? We don't have to wait between collecting the cheques, depositing them, and then waiting for the bank to clear them. Now we can have access to all of that money immediately, and there's a lot less hassle and it's safer all round, as no one can steal the cheques."
"Yep, I can't believe it's so easy. I don't know why I waited so long to make the change."
"Neither of us really knew how to go about using internet banking until Rose showed me. She's really up to date with all the latest accounting procedures as she's just finished a course in Ithaca, New York." This was exactly what she'd been studying, for the last year or so.
"I'll have to meet her and thank her. Now enough of that... tell me more about this new man of yours! He's doing all the cooking! Is it just because he loves you and can't keep away from you?" She laughed, but funnily enough she'd just nailed the truth on the head.
"You already know he's called Garrett McLeod, he's a sailor with a lovely wooden boat he built himself, which is moored right off the coast. He's originally from the Isle of Skye in Scotland and he built the boat with his own hands. His friend Jim has been coming to visit him now and then, I haven't asked Jim what his surname yet. He's also into sailing."
"So how'd you talk Garrett into cooking for everyone?" she looked curious...she knew that we'd never really had many other workers offer to do this chore for us before. What Garrett was doing was nothing short of remarkable.
"I didn't have to do anything... he just offered to cook! He's keen to learn new skills and it gives him a chance to try out new dishes." I shrugged like it wasn't such a big deal. But Marie and I both knew that cooking all the time, is what we both found exhausting.
"And you've moved out of your room too?"
"Yeah, the Captain and I have made a nice little love shack on his boat." I chuckled quietly.
"I wasn't expecting so many changes to the place while I was away. It's great though! With the changes in banking alone, you've saved us hours of work. I guess you'll want to go off sailing... and go live a wonderful new life with Captain Salty then? He's really quite a catch isn't he? I didn't think you were really looking for a serious relationship?" she nudged me.
"No, I wasn't. But we just bumped into each other at the farmer's market, and then a day or so later at a wedding... and we really hit it off from there...we fell in love really fast! I really don't know how to explain it to you."
I couldn't really go into the whole mate thing with her, let alone the implications of him being a vamp, giving me wild-hot sex, his purring, his blood drinking and those glorious tongue baths twice a day.
"Well so far I think he's good for you! You look so much happier and a lot less tired than you used to. You're really glowing, and your hair's grown at least a couple of inches, maybe more."
"I've stopped getting it cut. I want to grow it and feel what it's like to have longer hair again. It's weird how fast it's growing, and how thick and glossy it is. I never remember my hair being like this when I was younger." I felt it under my hands; it was all silky and soft just like Garrett's.
"Well what ever it is that you're doing, keep it up! I like the changes in you." she put her arm over my shoulder and squeezed.
"Thanks Marie. Now that's enough about me! Tell me all about what you got up to on your holidays. Did you like sleeping in and not having to get up at four every morning to harvest flowers? Did you get some love-action of your own? Hmm?" I grinned at her, nudging her and smiling.
"No unfortunately I didn't, but maybe next time I see someone who I like the look of... I should just go for him, instead of letting him make the first move."
"That's the spirit! Just because they can't see the goddess in front of them, it doesn't mean you should give up hope! I'm sure there's a special someone out there for you...who knows, maybe you'll meet him soon?! Tonight's the farmer's market you could meet your match there. We've been making a lot of sales there in the last month. Jack's got a bunch of women after him who see him there, but they'll just have to wait because he and Dana have finally gotten together!" I chuckled and bounced up and down.
"No way! Really? Well it's about damn time! Hell! He's known her for long enough!" She guffawed loudly.
"I think it's nice, they both deserve a little love."
"Yeah they both have had so much heartache and it's nice to know that he's finally made a decision about her. He's liked her for a long time, and she him."
"It's lunch time!" Garrett called out from the doorway.
"Hey Captain! What's on today's menu?" I smiled at my mate. He was wearing an apron, had his hair tied back, and was looking for all the world, like a real-life chef.
"I'm trying to expand on my limited repertoire; there are some traditional Mexican dishes today. I've made some northern-style chorizo and champandongo."
"What's champa...?" Marie asked, unable to say the word.
"It's a kind of pork dish, both of them are. I bought a lot of pork and wanted to try to use it all up." he admitted. Heaven knows, he must have bought a whole pig somewhere...I chuckled at the thought of him butchering a whole animal.
"I made some extra mole and a chilli sauce to add on, if anyone's game to try the original recipes. I was inspired by the novel I read called 'Like Water for Chocolate,' which I read on my smart phone last night. I also made a nice fresh salad, as you ladies like to eat your veggies." He bowed to us.
I got up and jumped into his arms. Wrapping myself around him and smelling his clove scent.
"You are the most amazing man in the world!" I whispered in his ear. He tried to keep his purring down to a soft rumble, so as not to scare Marie.
"Come on Marie, that's enough work for the time being! Jack can catch you up on all the various things that have been happening in the fields and shade houses."
"Ok, ok! I'm happy to ease back into things; it looks like you both did a sterling job while I was away." Marie admitted.
"Jim's here, I'm going to be heading out with him for a while my little Blossom."
"Sure, you have a nice time. Come back soon. Call me if you want." I kissed him, as I felt myself melt into his arms.
"Alright, that's enough, you two! Keep it clean! Either that, or go get a room!" Jim sniggered at the doorway at us. He was hanging around, waiting to head off with Garrett on 'business.'
I stopped kissing my mate and looked at Jim, he smirked back at me.
"Marie, this is Garrett's friend Jim. Jim this is my boss Marie."
And then it happened...their eyes locked onto each other, and Marie blushed crimson... Jim moved close to her and stared deep into her eyes.
"I knew there was a special woman who'd arrived here, but I had no idea at the wonder of heaven I now see before me...you Marie are a blinding flash before my eyes...I am blinded by your beauty, your goodness, your scent!"
He gently picked up her hand and kissed it, taking in a dramatically big sniff of her skin, at the same time. He smiled in awe of her, like the sun had just risen for him.
The Captain and I looked at the two of them.
Was this a mating connection, or something else?
Was Jim going to be a threat to Marie?
Would he harm her?
Marie was smiling and blushing wildly at Jim's flattering attentions.
"Come on Marie, let's go eat." I told her. She didn't seem to hear me properly, so I touched her shoulder and she turned her head and blinked at me slowly.
"Damn, I think Jim's just managed to dazzle you! Want some of that lunch, before the guys eat it all? I'm sure it'll be absolutely delicious, Garrett is a wonderful cook."
"Uhh, ummmm," was all she said.
I gently put my hand on her shoulder to guide her towards the kitchen. But Jim didn't want to let go of her. So he came along with us. Garrett followed, looking a little worried.
"What's going on?" I asked him quietly, while Jim and Marie sat close to each other at the dining table, rather like stunned mullets who couldn't take their eyes off each other.
Garrett shrugged, as the all of the others dug into their meal.
I sighed and took Marie's plate and filled it with food, and did the same for myself.
I touched her shoulder gently. "Hey! Eat up Marie!"
She blinked and smiled. "Uhh thanks Bee."
Jim grabbed the fork, took it and filled it with some salad and slowly bought it to Marie's mouth.
She looked a little alarmed and then giggled. Opening up her mouth to take the food from him and chewed it slowly. Not taking her eyes off him.
Hells bells! What had just happened?
Marie had always been such a strong and ruggedly, independent woman. I'd never her seen her act like a self conscious teenager before. She was always in control and focused.
And Jim was so gentle and attentive, so sweet and concerned...he was usually a joker, a smart-mouthed, quick-witted man who constantly pushed the boundaries of social and ethical good taste.
I decided to stop worrying about them for the moment and get on with eating lunch. Hopefully everything would turn out for the best...and no one would get hurt.
The taste of my mate's cooking burst wonderfully in my mouth, it was divine! He had really out-done himself!
"This is wonderful Captain, so mmm good! Particularly the chocolate mole, in combination with these spicy chorizo sausages. Well done!" I murmured.
Jack and the guys agreed with me and kept on eating.
At the end of the meal we all had stuffed ourselves with way too much food. And we all looked like we could do with a very long siesta. We all sat around the dining table, stretching and patting our tummies.
"I'm going to finish off the blooms for the cool room. Marie are you going to be ok in the office? I'm sure Jack has plenty to tell you about the new plantings and the orchids."
She nodded to me and looked at Jack.
"I'll catch you guys up later," I said to them. The other three headed out to weed and check the irrigation system.
"Although I could really do with a long sleep right now, I'll have to wait till later. Come on Marie, I'll show you everything that I got up to while you were away." Jack said to Marie.
"Jim and I are going off to town, we'll be back later." Garrett looked sternly at Jim. Marie looked a little overwhelmed at the sudden change in events. I knew the feeling of the emotional roller-coaster, when you found someone who gave you such close attention...it was completely life-changing.
"Bye," I kissed Garrett. I wanted him to deal with Jim's odd behaviour and then feed from the body builders.
They waved and left us.
"Where's their car?" Marie asked me in confusion.
"Oh Jim must park down the road somewhere... I usually give Garrett a lift on my bike. I haven't ever seen Jim's car, I don't know what sort it would be." I shrugged...that's probably because Jim didn't actually have a car, and could go a lot faster on foot. Like the old-fashioned, traditional, human-drinking vampire that he was.
"Ok Marie, I'm going to finish the blooms off, I'll see you later."
In the shed I worked slowly and steadily processing the crop. It gave me a lot of time to think about all the crazy things that had changed in such a short time. Especially all of my assumptions and what I once thought were the truth. Thanks to Edward's wild exaggerations and dramatic language.
*Vampires and humans can successfully have sex without the human dying, or being badly hurt.
*Older, more controlled vamps can feed from humans without killing them. They aren't likely to become like sharks, who feed on humans in a wild frenzy.
*Older human-drinking vamps don't sparkle at all, they glow instead. Youngsters and veggie vamps were the exception; they sparkled like disco balls, the poor bastards.
*Vamps are capable of being quite adaptable and learning a lot of new things, they are not necessarily forever fixed in their ways.
*Mated vamps will change their previous lifestyles and even their personalities, to cater for their mates. They seem to be unable to hurt or wilfully damage, or put them in any danger.
*Mated male vamps purr and love to lick their mates. This may be a way of marking themselves onto their mate's body, to warn other vamps off. Never the less, it was wonderful to be so cared for and adored.
*I was always consulted, asked and listened to by my mate. He never overrode my wishes; he never acted like a macho egomaniac, thank heavens.
*I wonder if mated female vamps purr too? I chuckled at the thought of myself purring. I never heard any of the Cullens purring, were they mated pairs? Or was it something to do with how 'civilized' they liked to act, or their vegetarian habits?
*I wasn't just 'different'. I was really some strange sort of shield, a shield who was strong enough to keep out Edward's intrusive mind-probing. If I became 'closed down' enough, I could easily keep out Alice and Jasper's gifts too, without even trying.
*My shield's strength had something to do with my emotional state. What things could I do, if I worked and practiced with my shield, so that I could bend to my will and use it for my protection and for others?
*Then of course there was something unusual with how my mate reacted to me. Heating up and feeling like he was burning, while he was around me. No one knew what was going on, but luckily it hadn't gotten worse for him. I felt him getting more comfortable with the odd sensation of this burn. Love sick, he called it. Whereas, I sang that strange Elvis song 'Burning Love' to him and laughed at his discomfort, poor guy.
I'm just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love...
*The other thing I learnt was that changing wasn't necessarily as horrific as Edward had made out. I wouldn't be as out of control and ferocious, as I already had some fair understanding of what was going on and what I would become if I did. I would have a loving mate to guide and protect me, if it got bad.
Edward hadn't wanted me to change, hadn't really accepted me as an equal, he didn't listen, he didn't want me as a mate should...to him I was a sort of experiment, to see how well he could control his thirst.
It just made me very, very sad...everything about Edward's actions were off.
I loaded the final bucket of prepared flowers into the cool room. I was going to put my feet up and rest a while. It was the first time in ages I felt too tired for words.
I was so full of food, and I yawned and stretched.
I slipped off my boots and went and lay down on my old bed. My eyes closed straight away and I fell asleep.
...
My mind flicked through many of fast images.
The first time I saw the Cullen's in the school cafeteria. The black-eyed, hungry hateful look Edward first gave me in Biology. Young Jake telling me about the Cold Ones. The first time Edward dazzled me. The first kiss, when I saw him sparkle, his icy hands, his awkward rejections...that last look he gave me, when he said he was leaving.
I was being held by James. I was bleeding. He bit down hard on my wrist. The sharp, cruel burning pain...was shooting up my arm towards my heart.
Edward drinking thirstily from my wrist. My mind being sucked down into a dark, cold vortex...dying.
The Prom, where I was taken against my wishes and where I sadly thought I was going to be changed. All of that stupid make up, sticking to my face!
Laurent nearly killing me.
The wolves...the wolves taking care of me until that horrible day on the reservation...the blood and the screams of the children...their mothers and fathers all screaming or numb with the pain of losing their babies to Victoria.
Victoria laughing and laughing, pulling their tiny, bloodied bodies around with her and calling out my name.
Wanting me to show myself...wanting me...
Me leaving Forks and driving through the night...driving on and on.
The strange vamp in the dark alley, with the flickering streetlight.
Victoria, how she's still looking for me...looking ...never giving up...forever seeking revenge...
Forever trapped in her anger and hatred for something I had little or nothing to do with...
Victoria loomed over me and glared into my eyes and bit the front of my throat wide open.
Blood gushes out. As I try frantically to stop the bleeding, my hands slippery with the spurting, arterial flow.
My trachea so damaged, I struggle to breathe.
My vocal cords shattered, I cannot call out.
"Blossom! Wake up, open your eyes my sweet!" I heard a voice call to me.
"Huh?" I murmur softly...I can make a noise...I can breathe!
"Come on, please come back to me Blosom!"
I tried to force my eyes open. They were heavy with tears and felt glued together.
I felt his fingers gently touching my face. His tongue tasted and collected all of my tears, ghosting slowly across my eyes-lids and down to my cheeks.
His tongue continued licking over my brow, my chin and all across my throat.
He kissed my lips. I kissed him back and I sighed deeply in relief.
My eyes opened, but I started crying again as soon as I saw him.
"Victoria...I dreamed of her."
"Oh, mo chroi a stór! I'm here, she won't get you!" he uttered.
"How do you know? She could still get to me...I saw her rip my throat out."
"What?"
"In my dream... She..." I waved my hand, as I remembered the shock of the scene, repeating inside my head.
He picked me up and put me in his lap. I snuggled down and closed my eyes, crying softly into that comforting place between his shoulder and neck.
He stroked my back and rocked me slowly.
"I'm going to take you back to the boat Blossom."
I nodded. I was beyond words.
I held onto his back as he rode us down to Mavis' garage, to park the bike. It was nice that he knew how to master my bike; he'd been watching how I rode it and copied me.
I would have enjoyed riding as a passenger, except I couldn't shake the terror I'd experienced. I gripped to him as we rode, and then after he parked the bike and he rode us over to the boat.
I stayed subdued and in shock. My mate settled me aboard and ran a shower for me, washed me gently and wrapped me up in a big, fluffy towel and tucked me into bed.
I wasn't able to relax until he held me and licked me delicately and fully. Leaving nothing out, showing me all of his love and attention, his purr was a slightly different pitch, mimicking his intense concern.
I didn't start feeling any relief and leaving the terror fully behind me, until we had made slow, satisfying love over the next few hours. He drew me out of myself...I had came endless, multiple times.
I fell asleep beside him and came back into consciousness...
"Oh, Marie what'll she think about what happened after lunch?" I asked him.
"Don't worry, I texted her. I said you and I were going home to our boat early, as you weren't feeling so good." He said, waving his smart phone. He had mastered the new gadget, and now was never seen without it.
"Ok and what about Jim? Is Marie safe? He won't hurt her will he?" I'd fire his ass alight, if he dared to touch a hair on her head!
"No I'm positive that he won't. I believe he and Marie are a mated pair, so he'll do everything in his power to love and protect her."
"Oh right! Things are getting weird around here aren't they?" I shook my head. Just when I thought things couldn't get any stranger, I get surprised again at my naivety.