Chapter 14 - Air
"Dude! Look at you up and about!" Emmett said later that day when he had returned from work. Edward was standing in the kitchen sipping lamb's blood from a clear glass, the thick red liquid making a film down one side as he returned it upright. Edward smiled at his brother's greeting.
"Yeah, I'm feeling really good actually. Maybe it's the younger venom inside me?" He turned his head to smile out at Mari, who was outside on the decking overlooking the forest in the distance with her back to them. "Whatever it is, I'm feeling great." He shrugged, without a care.
"That smells good. I'm parched." Emmett licked his lips and headed for the fridge. "Where is everyone?"
"Carlisle and Esme are on an errand in town, Renesmee is with Jacob, Mari is out there and I'm not sure on the others." After a brief pause he heard them arrive home. "Wait, they are coming in now." He glanced out through the lounge towards the front door, pointing his glass in their direction. Rosalie, Alice and Jasper joined then in the kitchen.
"Hey Edward. Wow! You look so much better!" Alice said pinching his healthy grey cheek.
"Thanks Alice. Look I wanted to have a word with you about what happened before..." Edward's expression changed, looking forlorn, he continued. "I had no right to shout at you like that, it was unforgivable."
"Hey, no worries." She smiled letting him off the hook.
"No really, I am sorry Alice." He set his glass down on the counter and approached her open-armed for a hug.
"Like I said no worries. You are forgiven." She turned her head to one side and accepted his embrace, squeezing him slightly in return, making him wince slightly. "Oh sorry! I forgot" she sucked in air through her teeth.
"Just still a bit tender" he rubbed his chest where the huge syringe had punctured his cavity.
"Drink Anyone?" Emmett offered, holding up the large bottle of red nectar.
"Yes please monkey man!" Rosalie answered.
"Jaz?" Emmett wiggled a glass at him.
"Please, I'm thirsty." He nodded. As Emmett filled the two glasses, he asked Alice.
"No Thanks." She bounced. "I have some things to do upstairs." She grinned and trotted merrily from the room.
"Uh-Oh! I don't like it when she's this jovial; it means she's up to something." Edward grimaced. But the rest all giggled at the thought.
.
Mari stood alone in the garden taking in the air. The evening was drawing in and all the different smells now radiated from the forest as the nocturnal animals began to wake. Staring out over the view, she sighed loudly. Thinking how she felt right now.
This was perfect, far better than the life she had left. A beautiful home, wonderful family and Edward. So why did she feel odd?
"Hey you." Edward said making her jump slightly, which she found weird too. She normally heard people coming from miles away. She must have been day-dreaming. Enveloping his arms around her waist from behind, he rested his chin on her right shoulder. "Hey, it's OK. It's only me, you all right? You're not usually jumpy."
"Yeah. I know. I didn't hear you come out. I don't know why but...I'm feeling very strange around you recently." She admitted turning where she stood to face him. He smoothed back her long auburn locks.
"There's no need to feel strange, I'm not going anywhere, and you put a stop to that remember." He tried his best to make her feel more at ease but she felt stiff and somehow scared at his touch.
"Yes, I did didn't I?" She tittered nervously.
"Hey! Come on Baby, you are shaking. I'm not going to hurt you." He pulled her close and began stroking her head down.
"I know you're not, it's silly. I don't know what's wrong with me. Ignore me, maybe I need to slow down a bit too." She forced herself to physically relax in his arms.
"If you're worried, I can ask Carlisle to give you a check up. Make sure you didn't get and infection from the syringe or anything?" Edward pulled back and moved a stray strand of hair that fell across her face with a concerned look.
"No. I'm OK. I physically feel fine, I don't feel ill. Just, I dunno how to explain it." She insisted.
"Well, I'm just gonna have to keep a closer eye on you then?" He pulled her hourglass body towards his own again, feeling the stirring inside him build again.
Was her pull always this strong? Or was it because he's been without her for so long? Was it that they now shared the same venom? Somehow, it felt stronger than before.
Standing on her tiptoes to make herself taller, Mari wrapped her arms around his neck and without taking her eyes from his, she placed a soft kiss on his lips. Pulling back she admired his face once more, his mellow eyes confirmed his immediate response and he pulled her in sharply to lock mouths again. This kiss felt more meaningful, it screamed of passion, of filthy lust. As the kiss deepened, his hands moved from her back down to her behind. Bending his knees slightly he scooped up her legs wrapping them around his waist. Their heads danced from side to side and his fingers combed roughly through her hair. He stepped back a few steps and twirled around slamming her against the outside wall of the house making the pictures hung up on the inside shake.
He lustfully crushed his lower half against hers, feeling her grind against his rock hard bulge. Both minds reeling she broke the kiss panting, tilting her head to expose her fleshy neck to him, inviting him in and his response didn't fail to disappoint. Planting kisses from one ear round to the other; he growled against her throat, this was going to be hard to stop. As she continued to satisfy herself against his sex, she roughly ran her fingers through his ragged locks; grabbing a handful for herself she yanked back his head to expose his own neck in return. Grazing her teeth against his skin he let out another earthy growl, his eyes rolled back totally under her spell, the spell every vampire reeked of. Suddenly wanting even more, and the privacy that came with it she wriggled from his grasp, jumped down and zoomed off inside leaving him only a scent trail to follow.
Edward was left standing alone on the veranda, panting animal like with a grin. He went in pursuit of her, following the aroma she'd left behind. He caught up with her in his room. "You gotta stop doing that. I'm finding it harder to resist each time." She was laid on her side on his bed, grinning like the cat that got the cream.
"Sorry." She laughed "I guess I just can't help it." She teased him again by rolling onto her back.
"Stop it!" He shook his head at her disobedience. She was far too tempting right now. Mari bit her lip, begging him to touch her. He stalked forward and crawled across the bed finding her lips again with his own. Positioning himself over her he pressed his lower half against her crevice.
Shit she felt good.
"Edward." She moaned thrusting her hips up from the bed. "Please?" His next kiss deepened and this time he didn't hold back. He no longer had control. She grabbed a fist full of his hair again and he broke away nibbling her neck tracing down her throbbing vein until he reached the hollow between her breasts. Virtually reaching her limit already Mari moaned with pure ecstasy.
Pulling down her top Edward revealed her pert breast. Flicking his eyes up to her, he could see she was more than ready. Placing his mouth over her nipple he took it, grazing his teeth over the sensitive nerve endings, making her cry out loud.
"Fuck! Edward!" She was delirious. Her eyes rolled back and she moved her hands to tug fistfuls of the sheets below them for leverage. Yearning to return the favour she flicked her hips and within a blink of an eye she was now on top of him. She was back in control. She wasted no time in fumbling for his belt.
"Mari!" Edward looked down breathless. She carried on one handed whilst leaning on the other and silenced his mouth with hers. The belt relented and she quickly overcame the button and fly. Plunging her hand into his underwear, she cupped her hand in and released his member.
"Fuck you feel good." He growled into her mouth as the kiss continued. Wrapping her hand around it she felt it harden. Pushing his head back deeper into the bed, he growled louder. "Shit!"
"I love you Edward." She bit his earlobe and started to move her hand slowly.
"Mari?" Esme's voice travelled up the stairwell. They both heard it. Mari continued regardless. Edward tried to push her away.
"Mari!" He giggled unclamping her hand from his erection. "Mari stop!"
"Grr" She sat upright and growled, in desperation and frustration.
"She will only come up looking for you." He tucked himself inside his trousers again smirking while Mari slid off him falling defeated onto her back.
"Parents!" She huffed.
"We have plenty of time Baby!" He propped himself on his elbow facing her.
"Mari?!" Esme's voice called again, more impatient this time.
"Coming!" She called back, adding quietly "Well I nearly was anyway!"
"Um, you may want to put your top straight first." Edward chuckled.
"Oh?" She looked down and quickly tucked her breast inside again, before getting up from the bed.
"Better go see what she wants."
"I really wasn't up to it anyway." Edward rolled back to prop himself on both elbows, his fly still gaping open.
"Liar!" She scowled, suddenly hating that Esme had interrupted their moment.
.
.
"Yes?" Mari said once she'd descended the stairs looking for their whereabouts.
"In here." Carlisle and Esme were waiting in the kitchen. "Is Edward up there with you?"
"Er, yeah." She said slightly embarrassed.
"Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to, err, interrupt" Esme grimaced.
"It's OK. Did you find the, um...place?" Mari asked cryptically.
"We went...there." They were trying to keep their minds clear of the secret, so Edward would not hear or see. "...and they said they can deliver next Wednesday. Which is perfect, as that's his...err...day." Esme winked.
"Cool, thank you for doing that."
"Our pleasure" Carlisle grinned. "Hope he likes surprises?" Mari chuckled.
"It's been real hard for us to keep this out our minds...luckily he's too busy thinking about you to be listening to our thoughts!" Esme beamed proudly making Mari slightly embarrassed again. Just then, Edward appeared to be descending the stairs himself. They quickly changed the subject and thought pattern.
"Gee thanks for the magazine Esme." She smiled with a wink. Esme beamed back.
"That's OK dear, I thought of you when I saw it." The subject didn't seem to interest Edward, who smiled politely at them all before turning into the lounge heading for the T.V. They had kept their secret to their relief.
Now with everyone home, Carlisle decided to take the family out to hunt while Edward and Mari stayed home to wait for Renesmee. They waited huddled on the sofa together as soft piano music played. Edward's phone began to ring; pulling it from his pocket he answered it with a smile.
"Hey Princess!" It must be Renesmee, Mari thought.
Again why didn't she see Renesmee's face in Edwards's thoughts?
"Yep OK Beautiful. See you tomorrow then. Bye. Love you too."
"Renesmee?" Mari looked up to him puzzled.
"Yes. Didn't you see?" He didn't wait for her reply "...she's staying with Jacob tonight." His face was beaming. "That means we get the bed tonight!"
"Oh. Right" Mari looked away, not wanting to discuss her ever growing concerns on her ability to hear thoughts. Edward didn't notice.
"I think I'm up to going back to work soon, I need to get out." Edward stroked her hair softly. "Fancy a walk?" He suggested.
"Hmm. Yeah I think I could do with some fresh air."
.
.
Slowly they walked hand in hand down towards the beach. Once there Mari darted off, she needed to get rid of some cobwebs that crowded her mind. She used some of her pent up energy, jumping over rocks and small rock pools left by the outgoing tide. Edward strolled across the shingle, watching the moons silhouette ripple on the water with his hands slotted in his jean pockets; he didn't feel up to running quite yet. There was something about the sound of the ocean though, it had a calming effect whether you were immortal or not. Zipping past him she caused a draft, he turned 360 watching her as she ran.
"I love it here." He just about heard her voice shout in the distance. Puzzled, he thought that was odd.
Wait. He didn't hear it in his head? Like he normally did. This was like when Renesmee or Bella spoke. Like a non immortal. He didn't hear them inside. What was going on?
He answered her inside his head, because she could still hear him, right?
"Me too and One day I'm going to marry you here..."
That ought to get her attention. She came running over zipping to a halt, and said something, not about his thought but something far scarier than a marriage proposal. "Didn't you hear me?" She smiled questioning him. Clearly something was wrong.
"Yeah. I answered, didn't you hear my thoughts?"
"Um. No. What did..." A look of horror shot over her face.
"You sure you are OK? This doesn't seem right. I answered you in my head." Now this hearing problem concerned Edward.
"Yes I feel fine. Honestly." She replied with a haunting look which left Edward unconvinced. "What did you say anyway?"
"Oh. Umm, nothing. It doesn't matter now." He said thinking over what he'd said about marriage.
Maybe it wasn't the right time yet, and besides it was kind of a test to see if she really didn't hear his thoughts.
"Oh! Shall we, err, head back? You must be exhausted?" She didn't want him worrying and she thought he maybe was struggling to hear her and just said he had, because he wasn't as well as he made out yet.
They walked back home as slowly as they came. Holding hands and telling jokes, to distract both their minds.
.
Wednesday arrived and Carlisle had suggested to Edward, he should maybe try and do some paperwork at work, light duties to get him out the house a bit, and to keep him away from his surprise of course. Edward wasn't overly keen being his birthday and all, but Carlisle talked him round as usual.
The night before, Mari and Edward had been huddled together all night. She'd wished him Happy Birthday at midnight. He was astonished she knew, until she told him Alice had blabbed.
"You coming to work today Babe? I'm going to go in for a few hours." He said to Mari over a drink of nectar in the morning.
"I have an errand to run today, but I'll be in later...about three?" She said nonchalantly hoping he wouldn't read her mind. She tried desperately to imagine going shopping instead of her special delivery.
"An errand?" Edward looked perplexed. Esme noticed her struggling to think of an excuse.
"Ye..." Mari started but Esme stepped in.
"Yes! Mari is picking up some Christmas presents I reserved down in town for me." She thought of gift boxes and bows to distract his mind.
"Oh Yes! I forgot it's nearly December! I wonder what's in my box." Edward said, seemingly unaware of the thoughts in Mari's head once again and falling for Esme's hook, line and sinker. Esme winked at Mari as Edward wasn't looking. She'd fooled him.
"Thanks Esme" She said sending it to Esme via thought. Testing the waters she knew desperately had a fault.
'No worries' Esme replied via thought too.
So she could hear Esme, and Esme had heard her.
"What are no worries?" Edward had heard Esme's reply and was confused at her thought to Mari.
So why wasn't he hearing what Mari had said to get a reply?
"Oh she knows." Esme winked again and she left the room and headed for the front door.
"Back in a minute." Mari said to a perplexed Edward.
"Esme?" She called after her jogging to catch up with her by the front door.
"Hmmm?" Esme looked back over her shoulder.
"Is Carlisle back soon? I'm a little worried about Edward." Mari whispered softly. Esme looked at her watch
"...he should be back about dusk...what worries? Anything I can help with?"
"Well, it sounds really stupid..." Mari said quietly "...it seems Edward is having trouble hearing my thoughts. He's getting confused a lot!"
"Oh? He seemed to hear mine fine just now?" Esme made a confused face.
"But he never heard me say thank-you first?" Mari confirmed.
"Yes, I did notice that. Strange. I'll tell Carlisle you want to see him later. Maybe he can check him over? Put your mind at ease?" Esme rubbed Mari's shoulder tenderly.
"Oh yes please. Thanks Esme."
"No problem dear." After a pause she called out to Edward. "EDWARD! Work!" She winked again at Mari.
"Ok. Ok! I'm coming!" He said joining them.
"I'll wait in the car Edward." Esme gave them some privacy. Reaching out he took Mari's hand.
"See you later then?" He flashed her his cutest smile, the one that made her go wobbly. Trying to resist him she shook her head clear of her filthy thoughts.
"Yep! About three?" She smiled up at him sweetly as he leaned in smiling for a kiss.
"You need to go to work! Don't start something your mother will have to finish again!" Mari met his lips with the kiss they both yearned for.
"Edward! Put her down! Work! Now!" Esme called from inside the car. They both heard that perfectly well.
"Argh! Mothers!" He quickly placed a small peck on her forehead.
"I heard that Edward Anthony!" Esme called again.
"Later!" He pointed a finger at Mari and jogged out to the car.
"Bye Birthday boy!" She waved timidly then turned to kick the door closed behind her.
A/N: I struck oil with my wonderful new Beta...she's a diamond xx Thank you hunny xxxx
More squidgy booby hugs to my prereader CaptainClaire3 I am forever in both your debt xxxx
Thank you everyone for sticking with me.
I wonder what surprise Mari has in store for her Edward... Happy Birthday Edward xx
DeathToBeReborn xx