Chapter 21

The Loyalty

"He who does not feel his friends to be the world to him, does not deserve that the world should hear of him."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

My cheeks were aflame as we walked to the back door of the Cullen house. I clutched at my jacket, trying to hide the fact that I was wearing Eric's shirt underneath, but it was still visible at the bottom. Part of me wanted to run upstairs and slip on something else, but I knew I'd have to pass the living room in order to do that. Seeing how the Cullens usually met there for discussions, it was a useless plan.

As we approached the back porch, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw a shirt folded on one of the steps. I quickly fled to the bottom floor bathroom, which was accessible without going by the living room, and slipped the shirt over my head, making a mental note to thank Alice. When I found everyone else in the living room, I noticed that Eric was still shirtless and was standing to a very irritated Edward.

"When did it show up?" Avarice asked as he turned a white, square envelope in his hands. The borders were detailed with shiny, gold trim, and the calligraphy on the front was exquisite penmanship. All in all, it looked like a letter you'd see in a bad romance film, heralding a visiting prince or such. However, knowing that it came from Zions made me uneasy.

"About an hour ago," Garrett, who was sitting on the sofa in between Jasper and Dante, said. "It was strange—I was outside and didn't see anything on the door, but when I turned around a few seconds later, it was just sitting there."

"Well, this is comforting," Emmett growled. "These guys can move on our property without us knowing."

"Now, just hold on a second," Carlisle said, and took the letter from Avarice's hands. "We don't know what it says—it could be a cease fire, of some sort."

"Yeah, sure," Dante snorted. "I bet they're trying to recruit your family to their side."

The other McRaes agreed with Dante's observation, and Emmett even offered to wager him twenty dollars that it was a cease-fire. However, everyone fell silent as Carlisle opened the letter.

'Surrender the fugitives and your coven will be spared.'

Carlisle read it aloud, and everyone was speechless once he was done. With a heavy sigh, Carlisle set the letter on the coffee table. The Zions had made their position clear: the Cullens would live if they turned in the McRaes. I glanced around the room, and the faces of Edward's family held a plethora of emotion.

"Well, that was short and to the point," Eric commented, running a hand through his hair, but his attempt at humor failed.

"We shouldn't have come here," Melena growled and turned away from the group. "The only thing we've succeeded in is complicating their lives. Avarice, I think it would be best if we leave."

"No, you can't." I couldn't stop my outburst and couldn't bring myself to regret it. There was no way I could lose them again. "Look, you've been dealing with them for hundreds of years, Avarice—did you honestly think they wouldn't do something like this?"

"It's not in our nature to get others killed, Bella," Avarice answered with a broken smile, his eyes barely making contact with mine. "I think Melena might have the right idea."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing; a few days ago, they'd been so keen on fighting the Zions. What on earth had changed? I knew what was different; Avarice had discovered that Skye wasn't his mate. His trust in everything had been shaken, and in his desperateness to hold onto those who did love him, he was making a bad decision. Of course, that was merely my speculation and could have been wrong. Regardless, I knew what had to be said.

"Fine, then leave," I growled as Avarice turned his back on me, and I prepared to say one of the most vicious things I would, hopefully, ever say. With a deep breath, and a mental assertion that this was for his own good, I said, "It just proves that you never loved Ary."

He froze, and I could see the shocked expressions on the other McRaes' faces. However, I knew I couldn't stop, not now, so I turned and faced Melena. "And what about Argos, Melena? Do you think he'd run? Or Ira? Dante, did she run when they set the house on fire?"

I had to turn away; the hurt in their eyes was too much to bear, and knowing I caused it made it even worse. However, these things needed to be said. As I continued speaking, reminding them about how much they'd lost, Avarice continued to keep his back turned and Lazarus refused to look at me. My confidence was quaking, but I held strong.

"Don't you remember what you told me, Avarice?" I took a chance and touched his shoulder, but he didn't turn. "You said, 'We fight for the ones we lost.'"

He finally turned around, slowly, and whispered, "She's gone."

I shook my head and answered, "But not forgotten."

He stared silently at me, an unreadable expression on his face, and I began to grow nervous. What if my words did nothing but push them further away? What if they left and the Zions decided to attack anyway? The deaths of the Cullens would be on me, as would the death of the entire town. I was relieved when Lazarus moved behind me, and placed his hands on my shoulders, easing my internal dilemma.

"I'm staying here," Lazarus said firmly. "What's your choice, brother?"

Avarice was silent.

"I'm with you," Eric said, offering me a warm smile, and captured my hand in his. The low growl from behind us made me cringe a little, but I made no effort to leave Eric's grasp. We were in this together.

Melena and Dante were quiet, their eyes still glued to my face, and I couldn't help but wonder what their choice would be. Would they disappear into the night, or would they stay and fight alongside the others? If this had been last fall, their loyalty would have been unquestionable, but it wasn't. They'd seen the deaths of their loved ones, and it had changed them.

"I'm with you, too." I turned in time to see Carlisle step forward, a determined expression on his face. "Not only do I owe your family for not being strong enough all those years ago, but I don't believe any of us could thank you enough for what you did for Bella. My family is in your debt."

"Hell yeah, count me in, too!" Emmett thundered and moved beside Carlisle. "It's been too long since I was able to kill something for a purpose other than food."

Esme and Rosalie moved beside their husbands, each one offering their support, and Jasper, Alice, and Edward joined soon after. I had to fight the tears that were threatening to fall; it was touching that the Cullens were willing to risk their lives for the McRaes. They'd known them for less than two weeks, but in that time, they'd become loyal to them. I knew exactly how they felt.

"What do you say, brother?" Lazarus held his hand out to Avarice, and the entire room focused on him. "One more time, for old time's sake?"

Avarice continued to look hesitant, and I was afraid he was going to refuse, but he seized his brother's hand and nodded. The two McRae brothers embraced tightly, and mumbled a few intelligible words, before turning back to Melena and Dante.

"Melena, Dante?" Lazarus said, smirking. "We can't do it without you."

Although they were slightly more hesitant than Avarice, they begrudgingly agreed. However, they didn't stay; they vanished out the front door. I wanted to go after them, to apologize for what I'd said about their loved ones, but I knew it was useless; they were probably a mile away by now.

Avarice and Lazarus requested an audience with Carlisle, and the three of them disappeared upstairs. The majority of the Cullens' dispersed, leaving me, Eric, and Edward alone.

"Lose your shirt?" Edward growled at Eric, who was still bare-chested from our previous encounter.

"You should ask Bella about that," Eric remarked, crossing his hands over his chest, and smirking.

Before I could tell them to stop, Edward's face fell significantly and a strong growl came from his chest. I didn't have to think long about what was going happening to figure it out, especially when Eric's smile grew more devious. I'd seen Jacob use the same trick on Edward; he was thinking of something in hopes that Edward would read his mind. As the two vampires took a step towards each other, I knew there was only one thought that would anger Edward that much.

"Eric, Edward," I said cautiously. "You promised there wouldn't be any more fighting."

"She's right, you know," Eric growled, the right side of his mouth pulling up in a lopsided grin. "We made a promise not to tear one another limb from limb, not to take pleasure in ripping the life from each other. So, one of us had better back off."

The last of his words were laced with venom, and hissed through his clenched teeth.

"I can't take this anymore," Edward replied and shook his head. "Bella, if you prefer his company, please tell me. I won't judge you, and if you request it, I'll leave this moment. You'll never have to suffer through my interference again."

I wanted to firmly deny any desire for him to leave, but Eric cut off my chance.

"Go ahead, Bella," Eric agreed, shaking his head and chuckling. "Tell him how you prefer me…because I'll actually touch you."

"At least she knows she's the only one I've touched!" Edward sneered. "Why don't you explain to Bella how many beds you've shared with women?"

"I'm experienced, so what?" Eric shrugged, nonchalantly. "All you've insinuated is that I come with a 'Satisfaction Guaranteed' sticker. Instead of lying to her, and leaving her in the middle of the damn wilderness, I actually tell her what she wants to know."

"Did you tell your wife what she wanted to know?" Edward's angry question was met with silence, and I could only gawk at him. He had obviously plucked that piece of information from one of the McRaes' minds but didn't know the complete details. If I had been hoping for a peaceful resolution to this, Edward had just ruined it.

I turned to Eric, hoping to quell his temper, but my heart broke when I saw his expression. His gaze was focused on the floor, and he looked to be on the verge of tears. Without any other word, he turned and walked out the front door. When I started to trail after him, I was stopped by Edward.

"Let me go," I growled, without looking at him, and he released me. "I've known you to be a lot of things, Edward, but you've never been purposely cruel."

"You knew that he's married?" The way Edward looked at me didn't make me feel good. His cutting gaze and outward sneer made me feel dirty, like he was judging me.

"He was married," I snapped. "His wife was killed a long time ago! It was a very devastating time for him, and you probably just reopened the wound!"

He was quiet, but his expression spoke louder than he could; he'd never expected that she was dead. I scoffed, shook my head, and pulled my arm free of his grasp. For once, I didn't care how my actions would affect him. Instead, all my worry and concern was focused on Eric. As I shut the door behind me, I was relieved to find Eric pacing in the front yard, a series of growls coming from him.

"Eric?" I called softly. "Are you all right?"

"How on earth can you stand him?" He spun around, his eyes blazing angrily, and crossed to where I was standing. "Arrogant doesn't even begin to cover his level of delusion and asinine behavior! What if my wife was still alive? Who died and gave him permission to delve into subjects that have absolutely nothing to do with him?"

I wasn't sure how to respond, so I stayed quiet.

"You don't deserve someone like that, Bella," he continued, gesturing towards the house. "He doesn't think before he speaks, and he treats you like an object! It hurts to know that I practically forced you back into his arms when I left. I'll never forgive myself for doing that to you, but I hope you'll give me the chance to make amends. How could I be so idiotic! If I had stayed behind, not gone to Mexico, we wouldn't be in—"

"Stop!" I rushed forward and put my hands on his chest, noticing that he still hadn't put a shirt on. He was starting to remind me of Jacob in that respect. "Eric, please no more of this 'It's my fault' crap. I get that from Edward all the time, and I can't stand to hear it from you. You left out of the need to protect your family—he left in an attempt to make decisions for me. Don't blame yourself for anything, not in front of me, at least."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you. There's just something about him that makes me want to run to the nearest living thing"—he started strangling the air in front of him—"and kill it!"

I couldn't help but laugh at his exclamation; it just sounded so…well…funny. "Well, please don't do that—I'm the closest living thing at the moment."

His angry expression folded, and with a shake of his head, he was laughing again. With a quick swoop of his arm, he gathered me in an embrace, bringing his lips to the top of my head, and I felt him chuckle into my hair. I seized the opportunity to inhale his scent, drinking it in hungrily, and smiled into his bare chest. My hand reached up and gripped his shoulder blades, which earned me a subtle purring noise from him. However, when my stomach filled with butterflies, I anxiously took a step away.

"Would you like to go somewhere?" Eric asked, huskily, his eyes hooded with desire.

"Where did you have in mind?" I asked, lowering my eyes to avoid his intense gaze. Even Edward, who had claimed to want me on all levels, had never looked at me in such a manner. I wasn't sure if it made me feel good or bad, but it definitely made me feel something.

"Well, we're taking our chances with the rain," Eric commented, turning his eyes towards the sky. The rain had subsided since our last encounter, but knowing Forks, it would probably start up again. "So, anything outdoors is clearly off the table." He returned his gaze to my face. "What about your place?"

"My place," I squeaked and swallowed hard.

Charlie was still in the hospital, so we'd have the house all to ourselves. Although we'd spent time alone here, the Cullens and McRaes were always in earshot. This time, Edward would be miles away, incapable of hearing what was happening between us. The idea thrilled me, but I was also worried. Since the Cullens had outright refused the Zions' proposal, would we be in danger? If we encountered trouble, would someone be able to help us?

The memory of being kidnapped by Ehdrid appeared in my mind and I shivered in response.

"Is it safe?" I asked, worried.

"Safe?" His eyebrows pulled together.

"Yeah," I answered, glancing at my shoes, awkwardly. "I mean, with the Zions running around and everything. If we're far from the house, they could attack us."

"They won't," he answered firmly, shaking his head and smiling. "I know this sounds bizarre, but they won't attack until the battle—they have…standards and practices."

"Standards and practices?" I could help but laugh at the technical term he used. "What do you mean?"

"Sorry, it's a bit of a bad joke," he commented, laughing at his own humor. "By standards and practices, I mean they have rules about engaging in combat. In a nutshell, we're good to roam around—although, it would be wise if we stay away from Seattle."

I nodded, not really understanding, and said, "All right, let's go."

Seeing how Eric was still lacking in the vehicle department—all the McRaes were actually—he picked me up in his arms and ran through the forest. I closed my eyes as the world around me turned into a blur, and I focused on what we would do once we reached my house. Whenever Edward had come over—before Charlie hated him—we'd usually spent time watching movies, talking in the kitchen, and cuddling in my room. However, I wasn't sure if Eric was the type to be into the normal teenage stuff.

After a few minutes, I felt light drops hit my head, and I realized that it had started to rain lightly. I laughed as Eric tried in vain to protect me from the droplets, especially since he was still shirtless! My first plan, I decided, was to get him in a shirt. If my neighbors told Charlie that a shirtless boy had waltzed into the house with me, he'd probably have another heart attack.

As we came up through the brush behind my house, I insisted the Eric stop. "Let me go inside and get you a shirt."

He laughed as he set me on my feet. "Does my being this way make you uncomfortable?"

"Not necessarily," I explained, blushing harder than I'd ever blushed in my existence. "However, I don't think my neighbors will be as appreciative."

"Fair enough," he said, holding his hands up in the air. "I will wait for you, so as not to molest their eyes."

I laughed as I ran across my backyard, surprised when I didn't trip, and unlocked the backdoor. Without stopping to revel in the feeling of being home again, I rushed up to my father's room and threw open his closet. I stopped for a moment, smelling the familiar musk of my father, and sighed. As a tear started to fall, I sucked in a deep breath of air, grabbed a long sleeve, flannel shirt, and left the room. I reminded myself that Charlie was still alive and would be back in a few more days.

Eric was leaning against a tree, hands in his pockets, when I returned. As he pulled the flannel shirt on, which was a little tight across his chest, I couldn't help but stare at the way his body angled and cut perfectly. As the sunlight broke through a small patch in the clouds, his skin glistened, and I felt my head start to get dizzy. He was just so…glorious.

"Are you all right?" I half expected him to have noticed me ogling him again, but when I looked at him, he appeared genuinely concerned. He closed the distance between us, and he put his hand against my cheeks. "Bella, you're a little warm."

"You're a vampire, Eric," I commented, smirking. "I'm always warm to you."

"No, this is different," he remarked, concerned. "We better get you in the house, you feel a bit feverish."

He ushered me inside, and after locating the kitchen, instructed me to take a warm shower and get in my pajamas. It was strange to see him like this, and I found it a bit strange. However, as I started to climb the stairs, I grew dizzy again and was forced to hold onto the banister for support. Maybe Eric had been right; maybe I was getting sick.

By the time I had finished showering, dried off, and changed into my pajamas, a tickle had formed in the back of my throat. It didn't necessarily feel serious, but it was definitely noticeable. I headed downstairs and was greeted by the heavenly scent of chicken soup. Eric quickly ushered me to the living room, where a bowl of soup was waiting for me.

"How could you tell?" I asked in between mouthfuls of soup.

"Your cheeks were flushed more than normal," he explained, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Your body also quivered a little bit—it's something I learned when we were in Scandinavia years ago. I picked up on certain symptoms that weren't visible to the human eye. Although, I must admit, I never assumed I'd have a chance to spot them."

"Well, thank you," I said graciously and leaned into him. "I'll probably have a better chance of fighting it off quickly."

"My pleasure," he said, kissing my temple, and gestured to the soup. "Eat."

I sat there, enjoying the soup, while Eric filled me in on more anecdotes from his life. When he got to the part where he'd been a marvelous dancer, I almost spit my soup everywhere.

"A dancer?" I looked up at him as I cleaned the soup off my chin with a napkin. "What kind of dancing?"

"Ballroom, waltzing," he explained. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," I said, trying to quell my laughter with my hand and failing miserably. "It's just funny to think about you, twirling around the dance floor. I'm not going to mention that a vampire waltzing is kind of a literary cliché."

"Oh, really?" He raised his eyebrows. "And, I suppose, a human falling in love with a vampire, is not?"

"Touché," I commented.

After I had finished my soup, Eric picked me up and carried me to my room. The sun had fallen in the sky, and although it was still relatively early, I was somewhat tired. When we entered my room, the butterflies returned to my stomach—especially when Eric's hands grabbed hold of my waist.

I turned to face him, a soft smile on my lips, and he wrapped his arms around me. The chill of his body quelled the fever that I had started to feel, and I leaned my head against his chest. He brought his hand to my chin, lifting it so he could see my face, and kissed me softly. His lips were soft on mine, but the passion was white hot, and before long, fireworks were bursting behind my eyelids. With a quick tug, he lifted me into his arms, his tongue darting out to taste my mouth.

My head was swirling from more than just the illness, and when I pushed for more, he happily complied. His cold hands slid up my shirt, bringing a shiver to my body, and he growled when my palms did the same to him. His body was so firm under my touch, and yet everywhere my hands travelled, his form trembled. I had no idea what I was doing—I'd hardly touched Edward like this before—but Eric seemed to enjoy what I was doing, so I continued.

After a minute of heavy kissing, he urged me backward and laid me on my bed, his hands running down the curves of my hips. When he pulled away from me, I only lamented his missing mouth for a second, his lips started to graze my exposed midsections softly. With delicate care, he slowly rolled up my shirt, kissing each inch of skin that appeared, until he reached the base of my bra. My breath hitched, and I wondered what he was going to do now.

Although I'd had a discussion with Edward about a physical relationship concerning him and me, I'd never really given much thought to if I could do it. Remembering that Eric had been the most promiscuous of the McRae family was also a bit daunting. What if my inexperience was a turn off for him? What if I wasn't…good? There was also the issue with Edward hovering over my head. It wouldn't be right to open myself up to Eric when I still wasn't sure.

My hesitation must have come across to Eric, because he suddenly pulled away. "Bella, it's all right, we don't have to move forward if you're not comfortable."

"Oh, no, it's fine, I'm sorry," I said, sitting up and pulling my shirt down. "I'm being ridiculous."

"What are you talking about?"

My eyes retreated to my lap, and I could feel my cheeks heating up even more. "It's really embarrassing."

"Tell me," he insisted, leaning in closer and inhaling.

"I just…uh…I'm not," I stammered, trying to find the nerve to actually say what I was thinking. "I haven't…um…darn it. Why can't I say it?"

"You're nervous," he said, smiling, and I nodded. "Is it because of my past?"

"Partially," I said, still refusing to look at him. "I'm confused, Eric—with you and Edward…and everything."

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I certainly didn't anticipate his laughter. I turned my eyes up to find him chuckling.

"I'm such an idiot," he commented and leaned away from me. "Forgive me, Bella—I forget to control my urges at times. I agree—it wouldn't be wise to pursue…carnality right now."

He moved away from the bed and sat on my rocking chair, inhaling deeply. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed by his agreeing to stop, but it was necessary. Still, the need for his touch was coursing through me like fire, and I had to do something about it.

As I sat there, thinking about how our bodies had moved so flawlessly, my breathing quickened and my heart beat faster. Without thinking, my eyes closed and my lips parted.

"Bella?" His voice was heavy with want, and when I opened my eyes, he was staring at me with that same look in his eyes. "I'm going to ask you a question, and I want you to answer truthfully"—I nodded—"Do you want me to touch you?"

My breath caught in my lungs. I couldn't lie, and I couldn't stay silent. "Yes."

He rose from the chair, moving towards me slowly. "Will you tell me if I'm going too far?"

"Yes."

He stopped at the edge of my bed. "Can I take off your father's shirt now?"

"Yes."

Questions? Comments? Concerns?