Chapter 14

"Close your mouth, Bella, or you're going to catch flies." Alice giggled as she leant forward in her seat.

Isabella closed her mouth with a loud snap.

"I can't believe they're werewolves."

"Well, if it makes you feel better they are not true werewolves." I said grinning slightly.

"Not real werewolves?" She asked incredulously. It was truly amazing to be able to tell her about the wonders of the world she lived in, yet knew next to nothing about.

"No, real werewolves are only able to change during the full moon, whereas the Quileute wolves can change whenever they please. They are shape shifters who just happen to take the form of giant wolves."

I paused for a few seconds and frowned, "Though, I do feel bad about all those young men whose lives will never be the same again. They must feel so confused during their first change! I knew, at least to some degree, what was happening to me when I went through the change, but they are not prepared in the slightest. They have of course heard of the legends, but your friend Jacob made it very clear that they don't put much stock into what they are told."

She was silent for some time after that, taking it all in.

"Is Jacob a shape shifter?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"No, then he would have known not to share the stories with you." I paused for a second, "But he probably will be soon, he carries the gene after all. He is also nearing the age for the first change."

"He carries the gene? Ephraim was a shifter?"

"Yes, that was when we first came into contact with them, though I thought that they would have been extinct by now. If I had known, we wouldn't have come back."

"Then I'm glad you didn't know." Isabella said and sent me a small smile. Then she became thoughtful again, "Perhaps the change has something to do with the presence of vampires in the area."

"I believe so. It would just be too much of a coincidence if it weren't." Squeezing her hand, I caught her eye and smiled, "and I'm glad I didn't know, too."

We fell silent again, and it wasn't until we crossed into Oregon that Bella broke the silence once again.

"How long do you think I'm going to have to be in hiding?"

"I'm sorry Isabella, but I don't know." I said sighing. "It depends on how good James is at avoiding getting caught. And how talented a tracker he turns out to be."

"What are we going to say to Charlie? He isn't going to want to lay low for long, especially if he doesn't know why. And he'll want to know where I am."

"We will take it one day at a time. For now let's just focus on getting you as far away from Forks as we can while the others deal with James. We will decide what to do about your father when the need arrives, is that okay?" She nodded unconvinced, biting her lower lip "And don't worry about his safety, between the wolves and the family he will be the best protected man in Washington."

At my very poor attempt at lighting the mood she let out a small giggle, and I didn't think I had ever heard a more beautiful sound.

She fell asleep not long after that, head resting up against the window. I frowned, the position looked very uncomfortable, and I was sure she was going to hurt when she woke up.

"You should pull in, Carlisle." Alice said quietly, "I will drive and you can sit with her in the back. I know that you want to have physical contact, so you will both be more comfortable that way." She was of course right. I had had to take back the hand Isabella was holding to drive a few hours ago, and I was itching to touch her again. My mind was screaming at me to hold her, to know that she was safe in my arms.

"Alright." I quickly conceded to the plan.

I gently stopped the car at the next rest stop. Getting out I went to the passenger side and carefully opened the door, cautious not to wake her up. I carried her bridal style to the back seat where I opted to lay down with her nestled up on top of me. I was thankful for the fact that I was a vampire and didn't get physically uncomfortable, or else this would have been an impossible position to stay in for long.

Alice, foreseeing that Isabella would eventually get too cold lying like this, arranged a thick woolen blanket on top of us. Then we were driving again.

I sighed with content at having her in my arms again. Her warm, soft body pressing down on mine, heating me up from the outside while my heart was doing the rest on the inside.

I love her, I realized. I truly love her. It was the first time I had admitted it to myself fully; it was one thing to know that she was my mate, another thing entirely to love her like I now knew I did. I couldn't stop the soft purr coming from deep within my chest.

It wasn't until we reached Nevada that Isabella stirred. I could hear her heart rate elevating, and knew she was about to wake up. I started stroking her back in a soothing manner, hoping to alleviate some of the embarrassment she was sure to feel when she realized she had been sleeping on top of me. She stretched slightly, but then she clearly noticed that she wasn't lying on a car seat as she had thought she was. Her eyes flew open and she looked around in confusion. Then she saw me underneath her and the most delicious red color filled her cheeks. She stared at me with wide eyes for a long moment until I simply couldn't hold in my chuckle at her shocked but still very sleepy face. She went even redder at that, the color spreading down her throat and onto her chest. I wonder how far down that blush goes… My less than savory thoughts were interrupted by Isabella laughing embarrassedly. Looking slightly more alert she went to get up, but my hand resting on her back stopped her movements, and she lay down once again. I could still feel the heat from her flushed skin, though it seemed to be abating, and she seemed to relax once again. She nuzzled her head against my neck and my unbeating heart jumped in my chest. That she would willingly be this close to me made me somewhere near euphoric, and I couldn't keep the joyous grin from face. And I didn't really want to. Somewhere in my mind I knew I should feel ashamed about the fact that I hadn't thought about Esme even once since the events at the baseball game, but I just didn't. It was like a switch in my brain had been turned on, and the only thing that really mattered to me anymore was Isabella's safety and happiness.

I knew of course that it was the mating pull making me act somewhat irrational; I couldn't seem to get a handle on my emotions. I was sure that I would have to deal with the consequences of my actions later, but for now I was going to keep her as close to me as I could, and by God I was going to enjoy it as long as it lasted.

It was only ten minutes later that our quiet serenity was disrupted by Isabella's stomach rumbling. She hadn't eaten since before Portland, and that was many hours ago. She groaned in embarrassment as the loud noise filled the car once again, and sat up leaving me feeling bereft.

"Do you think we can take a break at a rest stop? I desperately need a human moment." She asked, going red again.

"Of course, Bella." Alice said from behind the wheel, and a few miles later she exited the highway and parked the Mercedes in front of a small diner. I handed Isabella out of the car, and while she was stretching her sore muscles, I went to get her bag out of the trunk. The bag in one hand and Isabella in the other we headed into the diner, as Alice went to refuel the car.

"Will you order for me while I take my human moment?" She asked me with a small smile.

"Of course, anything you want in particular?"

"Coffee, please, but I'm sure that anything else you get will be just fine."

I let go of her hand and handed her the bag. After I had ordered her some food, I sat down in one of the small booths and waited for her to finish in the bathroom. When she rejoined me she looked refreshed. She had changed her clothes and was now wearing a knee length dress. She looked stunning. Her choice puzzled me though, since it really wasn't something that she would normally wear.

"Alice." Was the only thing she said as she sat down in the opposite side of the booth.

"Aah…" That explained it. "You look very beautiful." If I had been human I'm sure I would have been blushing.
As it was she blushed more than enough for the both of us.

"Thank you, Carlisle." She looked up through her lashes and sent me a shy smile that I returned with one of my own.

Our little moment was broken when an elderly waitress arrived with her food.

"Oh, this looks heavenly!" The waitress put the tray with the plates, juice and coffee down and smiled warmly at Bella, clearly happy with the praise.

I hadn't known what to order her, so I had gotten a little of everything, intending to see what she would enjoy the most so I could get it for her the next time.

I sat staring at her as she started eating, the small moans of pleasure she emitted nearly paralyzing me with want. Would it be too forward of me to put my hand on her knee? To let my hand glide up her leg, making the dress ride up. To see if I could get her to make those same sounds, just by using my hand. To see if I could make her scream?

I shook my head, ridding my mind of the thoughts. Yes, Carlisle, it would be too forward.

It didn't make me want it any less, though.

She finished eating much too soon for my liking, but it really was time to get moving anyway, we had stayed for too long as it was.
Leaving a very generous tip for the kind waitress, I took Isabella's hand and left the diner.

...

I generally try to upload a new chapter every 24 hours, but this one was very difficult to write for some reason. I just couldn't seem to find my 'mojo' anywhere. But now it's done, and I'm hoping that the next one will come to me easier.

Ida