Disclaimer : These are not Stephanie's vampires.
Chapter Twenty
Isabella Swan
Edward absolutely refused to let me go – out of his grasp or out of his sight. I don't have the slightest issue with it, either.
If I'm with him, right there in his arms, then I know he's safe.
I know nobody is going to try and hurt him.
We are left completely alone, the door to the room tightly locked and the hallways outside totally silent. I half expect Jasper to jump through the window when Edward leans down and presses a swift kiss against my lips.
As secluded as we are, we are also silent; I bite my tongue several times to stop the questions from spilling forth but I want to know. I need to know. But I also want Edward to rest. He looks exhausted, whether from his recent orgasm or from his now-healed injury, I don't know. He has his eyes closed – he looks like he's sleeping, his aristocratic face soft in the muted light of the room.
I can't take my eyes off him.
Did I ever want to?
I observe the way his lashes brush against his skin and the sensuous curve of his bottom lip. I let my finger trace the smooth, angular lines of his face.
"What happened?" I whisper.
Mint eyes lock on mine and Edward looks briefly uncomfortable. "An explosion. I told you that," he deflects.
I push against his chest, sitting on my knees beside him with his hands heavy on my hips, his body turned slightly towards mine. "But why?"
"Jasper is looking into it," he mutters, his fingers tightening ever so slightly against my bones. "I…I don't want to say it, but the explosion was very similar to how you died…before."
Air feels heavy in my lungs. Am I breathing?
I force an inhale and nod. "I see," I say, even though I don't. Didn't Edward tell me that he destroyed the group that caused the death of my former self?
"The attack two hundred years ago isn't common knowledge. We kept it quiet," he says as an after thought.
I nod again, this time truly convinced that someone knew exactly what they were doing – and I can tell by the firm set of Edward's jaw that he silently agrees.
"Why would they want to kill you?"
Edward manages to shrug while laying down. "Power? Money? Just to say that they did? Perhaps for my kingdom's territory?"
"Another royal family?"
He twists his mouth. "Not likely. I would say one of the lower monarch families, the ones who watch over the states and provinces."
"They would kill you and your family simply to have your throne?"
Edward watches me with careful eyes. I think he can see the panic growing in me. He nods once. "We have a very large territory and an even larger sum of money backing us. Our kingdom is one of the richest in the world."
Anxiety pits in my stomach – he's so calm about this. I want him to be ranting and raving and tearing things up like I want to do.
But he doesn't.
Edward suddenly smiles, a sinful look in his eye, and moves his hands to the center of my back, pulling me harshly so that my chest and breasts are pushed up against his bare skin. "You're pretty sneaky, princess, getting me to drink your blood like that."
Flames heat my face and I struggle to force on a nonchalant mask. "I thought it might heal you."
Edward raises a skeptical brow. "It did. But it also brought us closer to finishing the second bond, just like you asked this morning."
My heart flutters in my chest, feeling like it's going to jump out and just run to him – or away from him, because he totally caught me. I didn't even realize that was one of the reasons I gave him my blood, not until he pointed it out. I force a challenging expression, letting my fingers trail along the strength of his neck and down to his pectoral, resting my hand right on his heart.
I wait for the singular thump, before I lean forward, brushing my lips against his. "Is that a bad thing, Edward?"
His hand tightens against me again, this time taking away any wiggle room I'd had in the first place. "Are you teasing me, princess?"
"Is it teasing if I plan to follow through?"
"It's teasing until you follow through."
"So, you want me to stop teasing you?"
"Yes," he hisses, his eyes growing darker.
"Does that mean I can drink your blood?"
"You want to complete the second bond, princess," he states clearly.
"I do."
"If you can break my skin, you can drink."
I lick my lips, suddenly thirsty for him – starving for him, actually. Am I having withdrawals from his blood? Does that happen?
Edward moves swiftly, pulling my body so that I am laying directly over him; our hips are the only thing that are able to match up as he's so tall and I'm so tiny. My head only reaches the center of his chest and even if I point my toes, they only stretch to meet the middle of his shins. He holds me securely where I am, seemingly relishing in the fact that he can easily cross his arms over my body and keep me immobile. Right now, I seriously don't mind a bit.
I feel the slow steady pulse under my cheek, slowly caressing his smooth pale skin with my mouth, waiting for the next beat; and I've timed it out so perfectly that right as the thumping beat comes, my teeth are biting him so hard that blood slowly wells up in my mouth. I pull back and lick at it greedily, absently hearing Edward's low moans.
As his blood hits my tongue, a surge of energy rushes through me; and then my teeth are easily breaking through his skin, imbedding so deeply that I can swallow whole mouthfuls. Beneath me, Edward is trembling, his head thrown back and his neck strained – his hands move restlessly over my body as my legs part and I straddle him. Keeping my mouth where it is, I move my lower body just enough so that when Edward's hips twitch upwards and in swooping circles, he rubs against me in the most perfect way, dragging me into endless orgasms with him.
"God, princess," he gasps, holding my head against him. "Shit, shit."
My eyes roll back into my head as I take one last strong pull, swiping my tongue against the rapidly healing wound. I pant against him, feeling the fine tremors of his strong, lean body. If Edward could sweat, he would be – as it is, my own hairline is moist, causing the tiny hairs around my widow's peak to curl, and my body is boneless, skin sensitive from the uncountable orgasms.
Edward manages to hold me securely, even though his arms are limp around me. I don't have the energy to move away.
Minutes pass before I realize a difference in my senses – I'm hearing more clearly now and colors seem brighter, especially the mint shade of Edward's eyes, which are actually flecked with black and silver. His hair has red undertones, making the dark brown look like it was highlighted with a dull penny. He's so much more beautiful now.
Suddenly, he grins, humming in the back of his throat. "I can feel your adoration," he tells me, squeezing my waist tightly. "This is wonderful."
"Did you doubt my feelings for you?" I ask quietly.
He is slow to respond and when he does, he is careful. "I did not doubt that you had feelings. I did doubt what those feelings were."
"And now?"
He flashes me a fang filled smile. "And now I know that you lust for me, that you care very deeply for me. I know that you love me, though you haven't said the words."
My face heats up and I avert my gaze.
"I love you, too, Bella. My princess," he murmurs, kissing the corner of my eye.
Warmth blossoms in my chest and I marvel at how quickly all this has happened. It wasn't more than a week and half ago that I was hiding behind snark and independence and sarcasm and now, I was in love, cuddled against a healing vampire prince. While my personality hadn't disappeared, I was more aware of softer side of myself – one that is vulnerable and that isn't afraid to depend on a man. I could stand without Edward but I much preferred to stand with him.
Still, I don't say the words back to him – I'm not ready. For some reason, I can't get past my head about it. It's too soon.
Edward is content, though; he can feel that I love him and that's enough.
Of course, just as I think this, our little intimate bubble is burst.
We had been oblivious to the world, nestled in a hot little cocoon of blood exchanges and grinding – and the noises outside our room totally obliterated it.
"Sire, I insist-"
"Insist nothing, Jasper! He's my brother! He'll be thrilled to see me!"
"But Prince Emmett-"
"My brother has never turned me away," Emmett says happily, his voice growing louder much more quickly than I would have liked. "Hell, he's probably been missing me!"
"Sire, he is not alone-"
"He's never alone, Jasper! I've always been there for him!"
And then the door opens.
Emmett is the jovial man from the diner, the one that ordered the French fries and ate them like he was tasting ambrosia for the first time. He seems to be bigger than when I saw him last and his curly dark hair falls over his face easily, his eyes a shade darker than Edward's with more of a blue tinge. His bold frame fills the doorway.
Comically, his eyes open very wide as he spots our tangled position on the bed with Edward's chest bare. Emmett takes a deep breath, as if to sooth his nerves, and a wicked glint enters his eyes. "Oh, brother, I do see what you've been up to!"
There's even an outrageous wink to go with the coy tone.
Edward growls lowly – not enough to frighten but just enough to warn.
The warning seems to fly over Emmett's head, because he steps further into the room, getting a tad too close to the bed. "So this is her, huh? She's hot, bro, now that she's not wearing that apron. Though," he tells me with a sly smirk. "Those fries were to die for. Tell me, is there a secret recipe or-"
"Emmett," Edward hisses, cutting off his younger, more jovial brother.
Emmett blinks. "What?"
"Are you really asking her about French fries?"
"Well, yes. They were phenomenal."
"You think this is the right time to do this?"
Emmett scratches his head. "I don't see why not."
Edward growls. "Has it occurred to you that I may have been busy?"
It was the wrong thing to say; Edward realized it as soon as the words left his mouth but by then it was too late and even I could almost see the dirty thought blooming in his brother's head.
Emmett grins widely. "Oh, I can smell that you've been getting very busy in here."
Behind him, I can see the absolutely horrified look on Jasper's face.
Clearly, saying something like that took a mighty pair of balls.
Or an idiot.
My opinion of Emmett was rapidly declining, even if he was amusing in a vastly annoying way.
Edward growls at his brother, sitting up in a fluid motion and somehow managing to shift my entire body so that I am kneeling behind him; even kneeling, my eyes just barely peek over his shoulder. God, I'm so tiny.
Emmett doesn't even seem to understand what he said wrong. He's shrugging at Edward. "What? This room is so nicely scented, bro."
I can almost feel the pride seeping off Edward, even though I can't yet feel it directly. Apparently, this scenting comment was a compliment – it simply sounds barbaric to me.
"Thank you," Edward says happily. Too happily, if you ask me.
I would smack him if I didn't think it would hurt my hand.
"Excuse me," I say instead.
"Yes, princess?" Edward asks, turning back to me.
I gesture to his brother. "Can we continue where we were. No offense to you, Emmett-"
"I take no offense!"
"But we were busy."
We were talking about my feelings, at least. Important, life altering feelings. That counts as busy to me.
"Emmett, if you wouldn't mind-"
"Actually," he interrupts, his face suddenly serious. Behind him, Jasper stands tall and stoic. "I do need to talk to you."
Edward's demeanor instantly shifts and I feel like I'm actually in the room with two princes – like I'm in the presence of real royalty. It makes my stomach clench with nerves, even when Edward reaches back and catches my hand gently, moving it to the top of his bare shoulder.
"We've gotten word of another threat," Emmett says confidently. He doesn't sound the least bit worried – a bit put out, if anything. "The guards think we should leave for the palace immediately."
"They threatened this hotel?"
"Yes."
"That's a lot of human lives."
"I agree."
"We must move," Edward says resolutely. "Jasper, gather the guards and send word to the palace. We will be departing in thirty minutes."
Jasper bows. "Of course, sire."
Edward looks at his brother. "I trust you can arrange the jet?"
"Already done," Emmett smiles, turning to follow after Jasper.
As soon as the door is closed, Edward turns to me, frowning when he reads the sadness coming off me, sees the forlorn look in my eyes. "Bella?"
I sniff, fighting off a sudden onslaught of tears. "You're leaving?" I ask.
I really want to ask if he's leaving me – and I feel ridiculous, because I can't just drop everything and leave with Edward.
I have classes.
Dad.
Victoria and James.
But when I think about leaving them, it doesn't cause the great ripping in my heart.
Just the thought of Edward leaving makes me want to curl up and cry.
Does this make me weak?
It creates a weakness in my heart, but I feel just as strong as I normally do – stubborn and irrational. Now, it seems like my irrationality is transferring into my feelings for Edward.
I don't know how I'll cope when Edward is gone.
He reaches up and strokes my cheek. "I wouldn't dream of leaving without you."
Silence.
"Edward, I can't just go with you."
Holding my eyes, he kisses the tip of my nose, wiping away the excess moisture gathered underneath my eyes. "Why not?"
A/N: Close enough to on time. Urg. New classes started this week. Hello, fast pace of college. Fuck you, too! :D
First ten reviews (plus guests) are…
debjwalsh52aol – Thank you for reading!
Blve6 – I try ;)
Maysnrs – LOL Victoria is a little bit of a freak. I feel kind of bad for James. Sorta. Okay, not really!
YesMyRealNameIsBella – If you're a blood bond pervert, than so am I lol It's okay!
Headinthecloudsss – All good questions! I think, in time, we'll see exactly what's gonna go downnnn!
solidae26 – Everyone asks about the explosion lol I dunno. It's a big, mean one!
Pumpkinmykitty – The incredible, edible Bella! Lol Classic!
Lilypad10 – I agree ;)
Love M Go Blue – LOL yeah, Victoria is pretty cool!
Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter,
As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.
~cupcakeriot