Disclaimer: Written under the derivative fan works act. All rights reserved to the original creator, Stephanie Meyer.
Title: The Darkest Part of the Night
Rating: M for graphic violence, blood play, vampire feeding, sexual situations, lemons, hot steamy angsty vampire lovin', underage drinking, smoking, drug use and overall bad behavior.
Premise: Edward left Carlisle to live the vampire lifestyle but he didn't leave his family behind. They left with him, feeding off the dregs of human society. What will happen when they finally meet a certain human girl? No Vegetarians allowed AU OOC ExB Lemons
Alternate Universe: This story uses more traditional vampire canon as opposed to Twilight sparklepires. Canon pairings eventually although Edward and company get a lot of play in this story until things settle down in later chapters (Obviously Bella won't be in the story until after she's born), pretty much OOC, ExB of course.
POV: EPOV (Edward) Edward tells this story. Any commentary from Rosalie, Alice or Bella will be posted as outtakes in a separate story.
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Author Notes:
Please note that this story is rated M for a reason, if you'd prefer not to deal with mature themes, please do not read this story.
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Chapter 25 Bella
"Ride like you did yesterday and these races are all yours." I handed her helmet to her and she took it.
Bella nodded. "I felt kind of anxious and antsy this morning. I just needed to see you and feel you to know you were real and I didn't dream it all. I'm better now that you're here. I can do this. I don't know where all this confidence is coming from, but I feel like I can do anything as long as I have you supporting me, Edward."
She pulled her hair back into a pony tail then, and secured it with an elastic band. She piled her hair on top of her head like she was going to hide it in a ball cap, but pulled the helmet on instead. She fastened the strap under her chin and gave me the thumbs up sign before she grabbed her bike and hurried to the staging area.
Bella was in the first heat and had earned a position in the front row of bikes. She had her motor roaring as she revved the engine in anticipation of the start. The light flashed green and an air horn sounded announcing the start of the race. The pack of bikes surged forward as they dropped down the first hill at the start of the race.
There was a chaos of massed bikes as the riders flew around the track, bounding across the broken terrain, vying for the lead. They leapt across chasms and climbed hills, all the while drifting around hairpin turns while the pack strung out thinner and thinner. Bella's fifty-five bike was at the forefront of the pack as they wound through the course.
It was a race up the final hill, but Bella's fifty-five crossed the finish line half a length ahead of the closest bike to win the heat. They quickly cleared out of the way for the next heat, and didn't even have time to take off their helmets as they moved out of the way into the pits to make room the next group to race.
Bella pushed her bike into the pits and tore off her helmet, ecstatic at her win.
"Did you see Edward?! That was amazing! I get such a rush when I'm out on the track!"
I handed he a bottle of water while I congratulated her. "You killed them out there. I knew you could do it. You have an impressive skill on a motorcycle."
Bella smiled at my praise as she cracked open the bottle. She took a drink, swirling the water in her mouth to clear the dust and spat it on the ground, and then took a deep drink of the cool water.
"Thanks, Edward." Bella said as she smiled at me.
We watched the next heat together, and then Bella raced again in her second heat. She finished second after getting forced into a bale in one of the turns by the press of bikes. She was angry and ready to spit nails when she came back to the pits, but I was able to calm her down. We watched the last elimination round together, and then it was time for the finals race in her class.
"Kiss me for luck again?" Bella asked.
I couldn't refuse her anything, particularly when it was what I wanted too. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against my body. I leaned into her, and pressed my lips to hers, kissing her passionately. Her mouth opened to me and I slipped my tongue between her lips to swirl and dance with hers. Bella was enjoying the kiss so much she might have missed her race, but I was paying attention on another level.
I broke the kiss and took a half step back, holding her steady until she regained her senses. "Go race now. We can celebrate after you win."
"Wha… Race…? Oh…! Right, motorcycles… Don't go away. I'll be right back to claim my victory kiss!"
"You'll get more than a kiss if you win. Go race." I didn't tell her she'd get the same reward, win or lose, but it would be sweeter if we were celebrating victory, rather than consoling defeat.
Bella pulled her helmet back on and pushed her bike up to the front row in the final heat, claiming the starting position she'd earned.
The engines were roaring loud as the mass of bikes revved their engines in anticipation of the start. The light flashed green and an air horn sounded announcing the start of the final race. Bella's fifty-five bike surged forward as the pack dropped down the first hill to start the race.
Bella quickly jumped out in front of the pack as the mass of bikes strung out around the track and the bikes battled for position. The riders climbed hills and leapt across chasms, all the while drifting around hairpin turns as they fought for position, looking for that burst of speed or tiny advantage that would allow them to move ahead.
Bella was leading the pack and seemed to be winning on determination, sheer guts and a will to win. The display of skill was just as impressive as I had witnessed the night before. It was like a replay of the race from the previous night, only the other riders were mostly as equally skilled as Bella. The chaff had been pared away by the elimination heats, and only the most skilled riders were left.
Suddenly history seemed to repeat itself when Bella laid down fifty-five bike in the same turn where she lost it yesterday. I saw what happened this time. Another bike had cut her off and bumped her out of her drift as she leaned the bike into the turn. The bike took the brunt of the impact when she slammed into the bales, but she dragged the bike right back up and was going again, making up lost ground.
She was really flogging it, riding hell bent for leather until she was right back up with the pack leaders again. Bella started to pull ahead in the last couple of turns, shaving inches to make up ground. She hit the moguls, leaping from peak to peak, getting good air on every jump as the pack dashed for the final hill climb to the finish.
The final lap was almost done as the pack leaders fought for position, driving for the climb up the hill to the finish line. Bella's fifty-five bike was in second behind the lead bike by inches. They crested the hill, surging forward when Bella pulled ahead to cross the finish line, inches ahead of the next closet bike.
The final checkered flag fell and the race officials posted the winning bike numbers on the scoreboard. Fifty-five was listed in first place, declaring Bella the winner.
Bella jumped off her bike, pulling off her helmet and ran to me.
"I won, Edward! I did it! I really won!" She flung her arms around my neck and I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, lifting her up and spinning her around. Her lips crashed onto mine in a heated kiss, and then I let her go and set her back on her feet as a race official came over to us.
"Bella Swan? Number fifty-five?" The official asked.
"Yes, I'm Bella Swan," Bella answered.
"Ok, we've declared you the official winner. There'll be an awards ceremony at about ten o'clock in front of the grandstands. You'll receive your trophy then and the check for the prize money. Check in at the race office a little before ten and we'll get you settled. The 85cc class will get their trophies first, so you'll have a little time, but try to be on time so we can get this wrapped up."
"Sure, no problem, I'll see you at ten." The official nodded and walked off.
"Congratulations. I knew you could do it." I said, finally having a chance to tell her how happy I was for her.
"Thanks, Edward. C'mon, let's get out of her. I want to get back to camp and get out of this riding suit. I know I need it, but it's hot as hell in here."
"Ok. Let's go. Are there showers here at the fairgrounds?"
"Yeah, over at the camp grounds, but I don't want to go all the way over there, and we didn't pay for a camp site."
"Then how did you plan to clean up?"
"I'll show you. Let's just get back to camp now, ok?"
"Sure." I carried Bella's helmet again, and she pushed the bike.
We heard the announcement for the 250cc class as we were heading back, and passed Phil a couple of minutes later as he made his way over to the track. He nodded to us as we passed, and he told Bella congratulations, but he didn't have time to chat and had to hurry up to the track.
Other racers and riders congratulated Bella on her win and waved and offered high-fives. Bella took it all in stride, but I knew she didn't like the attention and just wanted it to be over with. I lifted the bike back into the trailer for her when we got back to the camp.
"Can you grab one of those black bags out of the bed of the pickup, Edward? Be careful, it's heavy."
"Sure, no problem." I reached for the black plastic bag. It had a handle molded into the top and a groove where the handle would hang on a hook. It was surprisingly heavy, weighing fifty or sixty pounds, and was hot to the touch from laying out in the direct sun all day.
"Good, hang it in the tent. There's a hook in the center of the roof."
The hook turned out to be attached to a simple block and tackle, but was pulled up close to the ceiling now. The tent was and old army surplus tent with a rigid metal frame. It had been reinforced to handle the weight. There was a small inflatable kiddy pool on the floor in the middle of the tent. It looked like it had been modified with a piece of hose attached that ran out through the side of the tent into the ditch.
I lifted the bag up and hung it on the hook. I doubted Bella could reach that high, let alone lift the bag, but she wouldn't have any problem if she used the simple tackle to hoist it up.
"What is this, Bella?" I asked, curious.
"It's a solar shower. You fill the bag with water, and the sun heats it. There's a hose attached with a shower head and a valve to shut off the water flow. People use them when they go camping. Usually you have to hang up a curtain if you use them outdoors, but we rigged up the pool to catch the water so we could use them in the tent. If you're conservative with the water, there's enough to wet down, soap up and wash, and then rinse off."
Bella followed me into the tent. She set down her helmet and sat on a folding chair to pull off her boots and socks. She collected a toiletries bag with a shower puff, a bottle of body wash, and various bathing and hygiene necessities.
"That's an ingenious idea. I've never seen one before, but then we don't spend a lot of time out in the sun. We usually just rent a hotel room to use the shower."
"Well, you know what they say; necessity is the mother of invention. When you don't have a lot of money, you have to learn how to make do with what you've got. Now get out so I can wash up and change my clothes."
"Do I have to go? I've seen it all before… I could scrub your back for you…"
"No way! If you stay in here, you know what'll happen, and I'm not doing that in a tent in the middle of the fair! What if my mom came to check on me? Everyone can hear everything we say, Edward! Now get out. We can play later…"
"Fine, but I'm holding you to your word. Enjoy your shower." I stepped out of the tent, and Bella fastened the flap closed from the inside.
"I won't be long. I want to see Phil race. We can go over to the grandstands and watch after I change."
I could hear her stripping out of her riding suit, and then the splashing of the water as she rinsed off in preparation to wash her body. I felt envious of her shower puff. It was likely exploring all of the parts of her body I wanted to touch and caress.
Bella didn't take long to bathe. I even heard her tooth brush scrub her teeth, and then the soft rustle of her towel rubbing the wetness from her body. Soon there were the sounds of fabric sliding over silky skin, and I knew she was getting dressed again. The fabric sounds stopped and was replaced by her brush stroking through her hair. If yesterday's performance was any indicator, she should be emerging from the tent any minute now.
Exactly as I had predicted, the flap opened and Bella stepped out of the tent. Her outfit was dressier tonight, expecting that I'd be here tonight and she picked something nicer to wear.
Tonight, she was wearing a pair of black ankle length leggings under a short gray denim mini skirt and a printed black tank top with a graphic for a local band. The thin spaghetti bra straps running over her shoulders matched the tank top straps in color, but had lacy frills along the edges. Most girls probably would have worn high heels with the outfit, but Bella was wearing black ballet flats. She had a light denim jacket that matched the skirt over her arm in the crook of her elbow, and her oversized purse slung over her shoulder on a strap.
She was wearing several thin silver bangle bracelets on her wrists, a collection of rings, large hoop earrings and a medium sized silver cross on a leather thong around her neck for jewelry. She only wore very light makeup. Just a little eyeliner, mascara, and some lip gloss to accentuate her lips with a bit of shine.
I knew she didn't have any tattoos or piercings besides her ears anywhere on her body unless they were on her feet. I'd seen all of her last night except for what her socks covered. I'd have to ask her if she wanted any. She was only sixteen and you had to be eighteen to get a tattoo or body piercing unless you had parental consent. If she got ink or piercings done before she was changed, they would be permanent for all eternity or as long as she lived.
Tattoos and piercings didn't really work after you were turned. The vampire body would regenerate to its state before the work was done and reject the ink, in effect erasing the tattoo. Piercings would heal closed if you removed the body jewelry, and our skin was more difficult to pierce in the first place.
"Wow, you look amazing tonight." I said, complementing her choice in attire. It was adorable in a sort of rocker chic look. I couldn't wait to peel her out of it. I kissed her lightly on the cheek as I took her hand and started to lead her towards the grandstands.
"Do you like it? I borrowed most of this from my friend, Rachel. The shirt's mine. She wanted me to wear heels with this, but I'm not used to walking in them. I was afraid I'd fall and break my neck."
"You look wonderful, and I wouldn't have let you fall."
"Thanks, I don't usually dress like this…"
"I like it. Hang around with Alice for a while, and she'll dress you like this every night. She can't wait to take you shopping."
"Really? I can't imagine going out to buy clothes like this. We've shopped at the goodwill and thrift stores for most of our clothes for years now. I hardly even remember what it's like to go to a mall…"
"I think Alice would live at the mall if Jasper let her. She usually tries to get out to go shopping at every mall we pass, but it depends on their schedules. Most of them aren't open late enough to suit her, but she gets a couple of hours in whenever she can. She shops online a lot too."
"How could she possibly manage to carry a ton of clothes and shoes with her if you're on the road so much?"
"Alice manages our schedule. She knows where we're going to be and when. Some of it she ships ahead to where we'll be staying, some of it she ships to houses we own. Some of it she trades off in her luggage and either donates the old things, or ships them to storage."
I led Bella around the motocross track and up into the grandstands. Bella's mother was sitting with Alice and Rose as they watched the races. Emmett and Jasper were sitting in the row above them while Alice and Rose chatted with Renee. Apparently they were describing some of our more legitimate business investments to Renee, and subtly informing her just how much money we really had.
Renee glanced in our direction, and then turned to gape at Bella. Her jaw was hanging open, and then snapping shut as she realized she was staring.
"Well, this is a new look for you," Renee commented as Bella and I found seats beside them on the bench. Bella sat beside her mother, and I held Bella's hand as I sat beside her. Alice scooted down to make room for us and sat beside me.
"Do to like it? Rachel let me borrow this. I told her I was going out with Edward tonight, and she helped me pick this out…"
"It looks good. I've been telling you for years to be a little more daring in how you dress. I've never been able to get you to wear anything but jeans and a t-shirt or tank top."
"Jeez, mom! I wear shorts. I do happen to have a couple of dresses…"
Yeah, that you wear on special occasions like weddings and funerals, it's like pulling teeth to get you to wear shorts unless it's two hundred degrees out…"
"Congratulations on your win, Bella," Alice chimed in, interrupting Renee and cutting her off.
"I knew you could do it kiddo," Emmett said, offering her his congratulations. "That was one awesome display of skill out there. You were amazing."
Rose and Jasper offered congratulations, and then Renee added "Good race, Bella," almost as an afterthought, although she didn't seem overly enthusiastic about Bella's win. "We can sure use the prize money. You didn't have plans for it, did you?"
"Fine. How's Phil doing? Did he race yet?" Bella asked, changing the subject to turn the attention away from herself and her plans. I knew she did have plans, and they didn't include turning it over to her mom to spend.
"He won his first heat." Renee said excitedly.
"That's great, mom."
"The second group is racing now. I saw that scout from the race team that's interested in him here again. He was making notes while Phil raced. He was talking on his cell phone after Phil won, so keep your fingers crossed."
"Oh… Ok. That's great mom…" Bella said less than enthusiastically, but Renee didn't seem to notice as she turned her attention back to the race track.
We watched the races. Bella and Renée cheered for Phil, and we offered our support as well. Phil came in second in the next elimination heat and easily qualified to start in the front of the pack in the finals.
Renee pointed out the scout that was interested in Phil to us. He was making notes again as the riders flew around the track. I listened in as he made notes and he was indeed honestly enthusiastic about Phil's performance. He couldn't wait to get him on a decent bike and see what he could really do. He knew about Phil's baseball career, and was hoping it would draw more people than just motocross enthusiasts to pay attention to his sponsor.
It looked like a done deal that Phil would get signed tonight whether he won or not as long as he was interested, and I knew he was. Phil and Renee were pinning all of their hopes on him getting this pro race team deal. It would solve all of their problems, only Bella didn't fit into their plans and they didn't know what to do with her. She was the sticking point, and it looked like they thought she'd be forced to go live with her father in Washington.
Of course I knew that wasn't going to happen. She was going to go with us. She just didn't know it yet.
The final race started for the 250cc class, and Phil was in the front of the pack as they dropped down the first hill to start the contest. He battled for the lead as he raced against the best of his peers. It was a very close race on every lap as the lead swapped back and forth. Phil seemed to lead more often than not, but he got edged out in the last turn as another bike bumped him. He lost crucial inches, and then they were flying up the last hill to the finish. Phil fought hard to try and retake the lead, but the other bike crossed the finish line inches ahead of him.
"Shit!" Renee exclaimed as he lost by mere inches. She gasped at her slip, placing her hand over her mouth. "Sorry, I mean Crap! He should have had that! I hope this doesn't screw the deal!"
"I don't think it'll matter, Renee." I told her.
"I hope not! I'm heading back to the pits to see Phil. Are you coming, Bella?"
Bella glanced at me, and I shook my head no. "No, mom, I'm gonna hang out with Edward and his friends. I'll be at the awards ceremony at ten. Phil will need to be there to get his trophy for second place too. I'll see you then."
"Ok, well wish us luck. We really need Phil to get this deal, or I don't know what we'll do."
Renee hurried out of the grandstands, following the scout back toward the pits to see if he went to go talk to Phil. I already knew that was where he was going. He was going to offer Phil the contract to race on the factory team. The deal he was going to make was everything Renee wanted. She'd be able to travel with him, but there was no provision for Bella in the deal.
Renee was already thinking about what she'd say to Bella's father when she called him to see if she could go live with him. Hopefully that was one phone call she wouldn't have to make.
"Ok, so what are we doing until ten then," Rose asked, breaking me out of my reverie. "Are you guys gonna hang out here and watch the rest of the races, or can we get out of here now and go do something fun?"
"What'da'ya wanna do, babe?" Emmett asked.
"I don't know… There are still some exhibit halls we haven't looked at, and there's the main display hall with all the stuff they try to sell to you at the fair. Anything is more fun than just sitting here watching bikes I'm not riding go around the track."
"How about you, Bella, Would you like to go look at the exhibits?" I asked
"Sure, that sounds like fun. Rachel is still here someplace too. I told her I'd be cruising around the fair after Phil raced. I can introduce you to her when we find her."
"Sounds like fun," Alice said. "Let's go shop!" She stood up and smiled at Jasper.
He sighed and got up and put on his hat. "I knew it was too good to last. C'mon, darling, let's go see what we can find."
We got up and made our way out of the stands and headed into the fair proper, walking toward the exhibit halls. We decided to just go through the main hall first. Most people did, unless they had something to do at the fair or were kids and intent on heading to the midway first.
The scent hit me as soon as we walked through the doors. There were other vampires here. I recognized the scent immediately, although I only knew one of them personally. We'd had a brief run in decades ago, but it was a minor infraction and a warning had been more than sufficient. I didn't order the execution of other vampires and impose the true death unless there was no other possible solution to the situation.
There shouldn't be any reason for trouble tonight, but I saw why Alice called for full kit. We had an image to maintain and we had to be ready for action at a moment's notice.
Like Jasper had said, the fair was a natural hunting ground. Large groups of humans gathered together in one place. People traveling to the event, some from out of state or other counties, it wouldn't be uncommon for somebody to go missing or disappear. It might be weeks before it was even reported if they chose carefully and there were miles and miles of desert to hide a body that would likely never be found.
I didn't really give it much thought. Other vampires were free to hunt as their conscience dictated, and most would have no compunctions about feeding upon innocent random victims. How we lived was purely a matter of personal choice and wasn't covered by our rules or laws unless they became conspicuous. I had no reason to seek out these other vampires, and I had no reason to believe any rules had been violated.
We browsed through the exhibit hall, Looking at curiosities and watching displays for marvels of convenience, guaranteed to make life easier, cheaper and more efficient.
I bought Bella a pop from the concession stand and some candy from a vendor at a booth we browsed past. She complained when I bought her a sterling silver ring she tried on from a jewelry vendor, but I told her the same rules applied from the night before. She wasn't a spectator, and if there was anything she wanted, she just had to ask.
Alice and Rose didn't hold back, and Emmett and Jasper were carrying several bags each. I had a feeling somebody was going to have to call a cab to get it all back to the motel, but I'm sure Alice had thought of that.
We were about halfway through the main hall when I heard Bella exclaim, "Oh there's Rachel! I wonder who her new friends are? C'mon, Edward, you have to meet her!"
I looked where she had indicated as she pulled me in that direction to meet her friend. The girl was pretty for a human. She was about five foot six with curly pale blond hair that fell to the middle of her back and crystal blue eyes. She was tanned with smooth perfect looking skin like you'd expect on somebody that lived in phoenix and was raised in the valley of the sun. She looked about the same age as Bella, although perhaps six or so months older, but still obviously in her late teens
She was slender and delicate, perfectly proportioned like Bella, and I could see why Bella could borrow her clothes and wear them like they were her own. They looked to be about the same size, although Rachel looked taller, but that was probably just an illusion because of her shoes.
She was dressed much as Bella had been that first night, but her clothes looked new and stylish. She was wearing tight skinny low rise jeans and a blue spaghetti strap tank top that showed off her tiny midriff. She was wearing heels instead of sneakers like Bella had, and she wore an array of jewelry much like Bella was wearing tonight, but her belly button was pierced and she wore a small belly button ring. She didn't need a lot of makeup, and just had some light eye shadow, mascara and eyeliner, and bright red lipstick.
The girl caught my attention first because Bella had pointed her out to me and she saw Bella soon after and started pulling her companion over to meet us. My attention immediately shifted to the man holding her hand. I knew him, but I hadn't seen him in thirty years. Two others followed in his wake, but I didn't know them.
Bella let go of my hand and hugged her friend to greet her. "Hey, Rach, I knew I'd find you!"
"Well, duh, I said I'd be hanging out here waiting for you! So how did you do? I didn't get to see the races, I got hung up…"
"I can see… I won my class! I got first place! You're coming to watch me get my trophy, right?"
"Sure, we'll be there." She turned to look at the man standing beside her. "That's ok, right? I've gotta see Bella get her trophy."
He nodded. "Sure, babe, whatever you want," and then he turned to eye me apprehensively.
"So who are your friends here, Rachel? Are you going to introduce me?" Bella asked, looking over the trio.
"Sure, this is Charles. I met him tonight as I was on my way over to the grandstands to watch the races, but we just kind of hit it off… We've been checking out the fair all night. These are his friends, Andrea and Vincent." Rachel said as she pointed them out.
Charles wasn't his real name, but it was close enough. I didn't know the others, but they'd given Bella's friend Rachel their real names. They were thinking about them as she pointed them out. The man Vincent, preferred to go by Vini, but he hadn't bothered to correct her yet. He didn't think she'd be around long enough for it to matter.
Charles looked like a young twenty-something and was tall with dark hair cut short in the style that had been popular at the turn of the last century and had remained popular even today. His eyes were dark burgundy, but hadn't gone quite black with thirst yet. He was dressed for a night out at the fair in jeans, a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and cowboy boots.
The last time I'd seen him, he was wearing a seventies leisure suit and trolling the disco's for girl's to play with and feed on. He liked to draw things out and play with a girl for a while, and things had gotten out of hand when the girl he was playing with started to spread rumors. We'd had to step in to clean things up, but he'd been cooperative and took care of most of the mess himself.
He'd been flying solo then. It made sense that he'd added Andrea to the mix to help him keep his human girls corralled while he played. Everything had been going good for him until Andrea found Vini. Apparently he was her mate and had recently joined the two of them.
I didn't say anything, but Andrea wanted to leave and go out on her own with Vini. She just hadn't worked up the nerve to tell Charles yet. I wasn't going to get in the middle of it. They could work out their own personal problems without my intervention.
Andrea was about five foot five. She could pass for a teenager or early twenty-something, and had short straight light brown hair that was cut in an eighty's style Dorothy Hamill bob. It dated her, but the style had been popular in several eras. She was dressed in a short skirt, an oversized rock band print t-shirt that hung past her waist almost like a tunic, and stiletto heels. She was the pretty petite sort of girl that attracted Charles attention, and I could imagine him picking her up in some disco or dance club after we'd helped him out of his mess in the seventies.
Vini was about five foot ten or eleven and was dressed much like Charles. He looked the same age as Charles and Andrea, but he was much younger than either of them in the most important way. He was a bit apprehensive and looked nervous. Apparently he had been told how to identify us. He was new enough to not trust us, but old enough and stable enough to not be a raw newborn.
I glanced at Alice and made a decision and she nodded almost immediately.
"Bella, I need to go to the powder room to check my makeup. Why don't you and your friend come with me, and we can chat." Alice turned to Rose, "How about it Rose?"
"Sure, why not." Rose said, glancing at me. I nodded infinitesimally to indicate that she should go with them. I wasn't expecting a fight, but I wanted to have chat with Rachel's new friends.
"Ok, Alice," Bella answered her. "C'mon, Rachel," Bella said, taking her friends hand. "We'll be back in a minute, Edward."
I nodded. "Sure, take your time. I'll step outside for a smoke."
The girls walked off to head to the ladies room, but Andrea made no move to accompany them. She knew she wasn't invited and she wouldn't leave without permission anyhow.
"Why don't we step outside for a minute," I said when the girls were out of human hearing range. The others nodded and we moved to the doors.
"Charles?" I asked when we were outside the doors and away from where we'd be overheard. I took out a cigarette and lit it. "It was Chandler the last time we met, I believe." I offered him a cigarette to keep this friendly and informal. He accepted and I lit it for him.
"Magister," The vampire said deferentially and made a half bow, acknowledging my rank. "Names change. I liked Chandler until it was ruined by that idiot in that ninety's sitcom. Now whenever I use my real name, people compare me to him. Perhaps I'll be able to use it again in a couple of decades."
I nodded, sympathetic to his plight. People considered my name old fashioned and always wanted to give me some atrocious nickname.
"We haven't done anything to arouse the ire of the Volturi, have we?" Charles asked
"No. We're just enjoying the fair while we pass through town. We have business in the area, but not with you. I thought you tended to stay further north? What brings you so far into the south?"
"We were curious. We heard rumors about a coven that's running some kind of club down here and we wanted to see it for ourselves."
"Now might not be the best time. We're here to investigate those rumors too. You might not want to get involved."
"Alright… thank you for the advice. I'll consider it. So, are you here to pick up a snack too before you take care of your business? I didn't think you ate little girls, Edward. Is she some sort of dangerous criminal, a drug dealer perhaps?"
"No, we've become attached…" Charles eyes widened, and he immediately understood what I meant. "I intend to turn her once we leave town. She'll be my companion from now on."
"Well, congratulations, Edward. I'm happy for you." He really was, but shuddered at the thought of ever finding a mate. He enjoyed his independence and playing with human girls too much to let himself be tied down to a single partner for all eternity.
"Thank you. What are your intentions for the human girl with you?"
"You already know, Edward. Why do you bother to ask? We'll show her a good time. Let her enjoy her last night on earth. I'm fairly certain she's still a virgin. I'll make her a woman before the night is over and then have her for dessert, although I wouldn't mind playing with this one for a while... she's very pretty, but we're just passing through. That's not against the rules. It's how we live."
"No, it's not against the rules." I commented, but he could still tell I was displeased.
"I like little girls, Edward." I must have frowned because he qualified his statement. "You know what I mean, girls old enough to play and enjoy it. I don't molest children. I like them big enough to want it. Older teenagers and party girls mostly, they're very sweet in more ways than one. To tell the truth, this is probably the youngest girl I've picked up in years, since the federal government interfered and forced the states to raise the drinking age to twenty-one."
He thought I was worried because of the girl's age. I decided to make him understand the situation. "This girl, Rachel, she's my Bella's best friend. Take her if you must. Feed and slake your thirst, as is your right, but do not kill her. You are bound to protect the secret, but turn her instead of taking her life."
"I feel no attraction to the girl like that, Edward. I'm only attracted to her blood and the pleasure I can take from her body. I already have Andrea and Vini with me, and adding another to our group would attract undue attention. I have no desire for another traveling companion or the urge to train yet another newborn."
"I can give you contact information for a safe house to send the girl to if you don't want to keep her. She'll be cared for until she's safe to leave and fend for herself. If you do this thing for me, I will be indebted to you and owe you a favor. But understand, while killing this girl isn't against the rules, if you end my mate's best friend's life tonight, I will be personally honor bound to avenge her."
Charles shuddered at the thought, and his companions grew more apprehensive. He considered for a minute and then nodded. "Alright, I can stand to spare her life in exchange for the favor of the Volturi. It is my honor to serve, Magister. Give me the safe house information."
I held out my hand, and Jasper handed me a card. I glanced at it and handed it to Charles. His eyes flicked to the card, and then he slipped it into his pocket.
"I trust you'll have no difficulty delivering her to Colorado?"
"No, it won't be a problem."
"One more thing… I know you like to play with your food. If you wouldn't mind, don't turn her tonight. It would distress Bella if she suddenly disappeared. I'd prefer you wait until at least next week."
Charles looked exasperated, but nodded his head. "She'll know what we are by then, but I have no problem prolonging the feeding, as long as I have your blessing."
"Impress upon her the fact that nobody can know, but you already know how to play that game. Try not to let things get out of hand like last time and you will have earned my gratitude. It's not against the rules for her to know about us as long as you intend to turn her." He knew all of this, but it didn't hurt to remind him.
I could sense the girl's approaching as their thoughts grew closer and I knew they were looking for us.
I dropped my cigarette butt on the ground and stamped it out with my boot. "Thank you, Charles. The girls are coming. We should go back inside. What are your plans tonight? We're celebrating Bella's win in the motocross races."
"Well, apparently my plans have changed. We were planning to take a nice long drive in the desert, but I guess we're staying in town tonight. Do you have a suggestion?"
"We've only been to the Steel Horse Saloon and the Octane Lounge, but I'm sure Alice can recommend something for you."
"You do like those biker bars, don't you. I'm looking for something a little more country western, this time around."
We met Bella and the girls just inside the doors of the exhibit hall. We spent some more time browsing. Bella held my hand, and Rachel dragged Charles along while the girls chatted animatedly about all the nice thing they were looking at.
Alice dropped back to chat with Andrea for a couple of minutes. I knew she was suggesting several local bars that Charles would like that were close to where Rachel lived. She already knew which one they'd go to, but she didn't tell her that. She knew Charles was going to do what I'd asked. It was to his advantage, and it was a simple enough thing to do to avoid making a dangerous enemy.
Once the change started, he'd have three days to drive her to Colorado and drop her off. Rachel would wake up in the safe house and Peter and Charlotte could explain the facts of life to her.
I talked Bella into letting me buy her a new tooled leather purse and a couple of t-shirts and tank tops at some of the vendors. She was still complaining about me spending money on her when I noticed her stomach growling.
"C'mon, let's go find you something to eat. Have you even eaten anything today yet?" I asked.
"I had lunch before we came to the fair. I was too nervous to eat before my race. I kinda figured you'd want to get something later…"
"Ok, it's later. What would you like to eat?"
"I don't care… Anything's fine with me."
"They're serving bratwurst and German potato salad at the beer garden," Rachel chimed in.
"That sounds good," Bella said. "What do you think, Edward?"
"Sure, that's fine. Let's go," I took her by the hand, leading her to the door as the rest followed along.
We walked to the beer garden and got in line to order. Charles pulled Rachel aside for a minute to talk to her. I knew he was telling her about their plans for the night. They were going to leave after the awards ceremony and go off on their own to the bar Alice had suggested to go dancing.
Rachel and Charles got in line behind us while the rest found tables and made themselves comfortable. We got up to the counter. I ordered Bella's dinner and a couple of pitchers of beer with six glasses. We didn't normally bother with beer or wine. We could drink it, but the alcohol content was too low to do anything for us.
The lady behind the counter raised an eyebrow and asked for my ID. I sighed and handed it to her with a healthy tip. She smiled and handed my ID back and turned in our order. Bella just turned and gave me a droll look and raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment as we moved down the line to collect our order.
Charles ordered Rachel's dinner and simply said he'd eaten earlier when she asked why he wasn't eating too. She simply accepted it and followed us down the line.
Emmett and Rose came over to the counter to help me collect our order. I carried Bella's tray of food while Emmett and Rose collected the pitchers of beer and tray of mugs.
"Edward," Bella protested, "I can carry my own tray of food…" She stumbled halfway to the table, and I had to grab her elbow to keep her from toppling over while I held the tray in my other.
"Um Hmm, sure you could." I said as she blushed bright red. "Just make it to the table under your own power, and we'll call it good."
"That's not fair! I was distracted because you wouldn't let me help. I'm perfectly capable of walking and carrying a tray of food. I do it every day at school!"
"You might not want to say that too loud in here, Bella." Alice commented.
"Why? There's a cafeteria at the college too, you know. Just because I eat in a cafeteria doesn't mean I'm a kid, Alice."
"Ok, you've got a point. I'll remember that. It could come in handy" Alice said.
We sat down at the table and I set Bella's dinner in front of her. Emmett handed around mugs of beer and I set one in front of Bella. Charles and his crew sat at the next table but Rachel sat with us across from Bella so they could talk during their dinner.
"How come none of you are eating, Edward? Rachel and I are the only ones with food," Bella asked.
"We ate before we came to the fair." It wasn't a lie. We had eaten before we came to the fair. I just omitted the fact that it had been a couple of days since we'd eaten, and we could easily go for a couple of weeks between meals.
"Oh… Ok…" Bella looked skeptical but she returned to her meal and chatted with her friend. She didn't ask any more questions but I knew she was starting to notice the little things that set us apart from normal people.
She drank her beer without really thinking about, and I refilled her glass when it was empty. The rest of us were just sipping for show, so we'd have a reason to be there while the girls ate. There was plenty to keep the girls mugs filled. Charles seemed more than happy to ply Rachel with alcohol to get her loosened up for the evenings activities. It didn't seem like such a bad idea, come to think of it.
It was getting close to ten when the girls were done eating and we started to head back towards the race track. Bella and Rachel had already discussed our plans for the rest of the evening, and Bella knew Rachel was going to go with Charles and her new friends to party while Bella went with us. I already knew we were heading back to the Octane Lounge again tonight. They'd let us in last night, and we'd have no problem going back there again tonight.
The rest of the group went towards the grandstands to watch while I led Bella back towards where they were staging the winners to walk out and get their trophies. Bella hugged Rachel goodbye and waved as she walked off hand in hand with Charles. He was going to live up to his part of the agreement, so Bella wouldn't lose her friend tonight. If things worked out, she'd be able to remain a part of her life after she was changed, and she'd at least have one friend from her old life in her new second life.
The curious part of this situation was Andrea. She'd been thinking furiously all night about her options. She wanted to leave Charles now that she had found Vini, and she thought he was stable enough that he'd be alright if they left Charles and went their own way. If Charles was going to turn Rachel, he could keep her and let her do what Andrea had been doing all these years for him. Why send her off to some safe house in Colorado when he could just keep her instead?
It would be interesting to see how it worked out, but I wasn't really concerned about how all of their relationships played out. I was only worried about Bella being happy and making sure they didn't break any rules. Charles did a better job of playing inside the rules when he had somebody to help him play. Rachel could fill that role just as well as Andrea had, now that she was ready to move on.
I put them out of my mind as they walked away to find seats and Bella and I moved toward the group of race winners and placers. Renee and Phil were standing with the group already, and Renee was absolutely beaming with a smile that reached from ear to ear. Bella took one look at her and the smile on Phil's face, and her face absolutely fell. She knew immediately what had happened. She didn't need to be a mind reader to know that Renee's dreams had come true and Phil had been signed.
"Bella!" Renee exclaimed as she rushed over to us. "I have wonderful news! It happened, Phil got signed! He signed the contract tonight after the race and he's officially part of the company team now! Isn't that wonderful?!"
"Yeah, mom… That's great…" Bella said, trying to fake enthusiasm, but failing miserably as she smiled dejectedly. Renee didn't even notice.
"We're meeting with the sponsors tomorrow to get everything set up. They're taking us out tonight for a late supper and drinks after the awards ceremony… I guess you can tag along if you want to…"
"I'm going out with Edward and his friends after I get my trophy. We're going to celebrate my win…"
"Ok, Bella. That's fine. You kids have fun." Renee turned away, ignoring us to go back over and hang on Phil's arm while he talked to some guys from the race team.
"Huh, well I guess I know where I stand." Bella said sadly. "Goodbye Phoenix, hello Washington. I wonder if they'll even buy me a plane ticket, or if I'll have to ride the bus?"
"Let's not think about that tonight." I wasn't going to let it happen, so it wasn't important. "We're going to celebrate Bella Swan, 125cc class motocross winner. You put on an amazing display of skill and kicked serious ass tonight. You're an awesome amazing woman and you deserve to be praised for you skill. You're also amazingly beautiful and a good kisser."
"I knew I kept you around for something," Bella said as she turned to me, the smile returning to her face as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pecked her chastely on the lips. We could share more intimate kisses when we weren't in the middle of a crowd and practically standing next to her mother.
"If you require somebody to sing the praises of Bella Swan, you have to look no further to find your most ardent admirer, Ms. Swan."
"Well thank you, Mr. Masen. It's good to know I have at least one fan. Let's get this over with so we can get out of here, ok?"
I nodded and led Bella over to the race official that was circulating through the crowd with a clipboard, checking in the winners and people receiving awards as they arrived. He told Bella where to go stand and I held her hand as she waited for the little ceremony to begin.
We didn't have to wait long. They started calling the top three finishers in each race class up to the front to announce their names and hand out their prizes. Bella walked out and stood in the lights when they called her name and we all cheered for her. I think she was surprised by the number of people that yelled and cheered when they announced her as the winner of her race class.
She got her trophy and a race t-shirt. They waited until she walked off, and the race official handed her the envelope with a check for the prize money. She won a thousand dollars for first place, and I had a feeling it was more money than she'd ever had at one time to spend. She was smiling giddily as she walked away from the official over to me.
For somebody who professed to shun the spotlight and attention, she seemed awfully happy.
I took her hand to lead her away. "Ready to go?" I asked.
She nodded and we walked away to meet up with the others. Phil and Renee didn't even notice us leave as they talked animatedly with Phil's new sponsors.
"Did you want to see more of the fair, or are you ready to leave?" I asked.
"I've seen enough tonight. Let's get out of here. What did you have planned to celebrate tonight?" Bella asked.
"We're going back to the Octane Lounge for drinks and dancing." Alice said as she walked up beside us. "I think they might have Karaoke tonight too. How's your singing voice, Bella, ready to belt out a couple of hot numbers?"
"Oh no! No way, Alice! You might get me to dance to some slow songs, but there's no way I'm singing. Not in public!"
"If I'm dancing with you, I prefer the faster songs. You can slow dance with Edward, but we'll see…"
"Alice! You know what I meant!"
Alice giggled. "I know, but you're cute when you get all flustered and blush like that. Don't worry, I have my ways…" Alice said, batting her eyelashes and flashing her puppy dog eyes at Bella. "And if that doesn't work, there's always plenty of liquid courage, seeing as how we'll be at a bar."
"You'll have to buy me an awful lot of drinks to get me to stand up and sing in front of a crowd of people."
"That sounds like fun all by itself," I said as I smirked at Bella.
Bella blushed bright red. "I thought you said you wouldn't get me drunk and take advantage of me? Am I safe with you, Edward?"
"Safe? Not at all. If you want to be safe you should runaway now while you still can."
"Umm… No, thank you. I think I'll take my chances with you."
"Ok, don't say I didn't warn you. Besides, I said I wouldn't do anything you didn't want. I'm not taking advantage of you if you want it to happen, am I? I'll try very hard not to hurt you unless you want me to, but I can't make any guarantees. You intoxicate me more than any alcohol could."
Bella clung to my arm tighter, and her heartbeat took off like a jack rabbit as it beat wildly in her chest. Then we were out in the parking lot. There was a cab waiting as I expected, and Emmett and Jasper loaded Alice and Rose's bags into the trunk. Alice came and collected Bella's baggage from shopping at the fair, her trophy and t-shirt and put it in with the rest, and then paid the driver and sent him on his way.
"Where is he going with our stuff, Alice?" Bella asked.
"He's delivering it to our hotel. They'll hold it at the front desk, and we can sort it out later. Don't worry; all of your things will be safe. I'll have them delivered to your house tomorrow morning."
"Ok, if you say so…"
I helped Bella into her Jacket and she pulled her hair up into a ponytail for the ride to the bar. She clipped the headset to her ear and put on her glasses, and then climbed up on the back of the bike after I was settled.
I kicked the bike to life, and we roared out of the parking lot. It was a fairly quiet ride across town to the bar. Alice got the others talking about what songs they were going to sing for karaoke when we got there. Bella remained adamant that she wasn't going to sing, but I knew Alice would wear her down. She even offered to sing with her as a duet and I felt Bella's resolve start to crumble.
I had more important considerations on my mind. Charles was out with Bella's best friend tonight, and I knew he was going to bite her and feed from her. He was planning on having sex with her too. Given the magnitude of what she was going to experience tonight, she probably wouldn't figure everything out right away, but eventually she was going to put two and two together and figure out what we were. I was sure Rachel and Bella would get together and compare notes, which meant Bella was going to figure out what we were sooner than later.
I couldn't lose her. She meant everything to me, but our relationship was still in an unstable state of flux. She could still make decisions at this point that included walking away and telling me to leave her alone. I had one option to prevent that possibility. I could claim her and seal our bond. Once we were physically intimate and were mated in the physical sense as man and woman, the emotional bond would be sealed as well. I already knew I was going to turn her, but I didn't want to have to kidnap her and carry her off into the night against her will.
I knew Bella wanted me as much as I wanted her, but she wasn't used to the instantaneous nature of mating that was normal for my kind. Rose had known within minutes that she wouldn't be able to live without Emmett. Jasper didn't stand a chance once he met Alice and had submitted himself to my justice after years of running and open rebellion. It was the same with Bella. I was hers the second I saw her step out of the tent that day at the fair. Of course, being human she was only just starting to realize what we meant to each other, but she had no frame of reference for comparison. What we shared together had to scare her with the suddenness of depth of feeling she had to be experiencing.
I had to have her. I couldn't live without her, but the only way to insure that was to seal our bond. I had promised I would accept her no and respect her wishes, but I couldn't take a chance on her walking away from me now. I would have to take steps to insure that that didn't happen, but that meant I might have to force the issue with Bella and take her. I would have to make her mine before she had a chance to talk to Rachel again. I would have to make her mine tonight or she might decide to leave me before our bond was sealed. I tried not to agonize over my dilemma as we pulled into the parking lot at the bar.
Alice led us to our table again. There was still karaoke going on as she had predicted. The same waitress was working again tonight and she started towards our table. I asked Bella for her drink preference while we waited for the waitress. Bella had been drinking beer at the fair with dinner, but she'd had white wine last night and seemed to enjoy it much more than the drinks at the fair.
Common wisdom stated that one shouldn't mix beer and wine in the same evening. There were a variety of urban legends associated with mixing grain and grape. The purported effects varied from getting drunk easier to having a worse hangover the next day. The stories were many and varied, and probably had a lot to do with the individuals in question and how they reacted to the combinations. Regardless, I felt I should inform Bella and ask her preference for the evening.
"Bella, what would you like to drink tonight?"
"Oh… I'll just have another white wine, if that's ok."
"You know, you were drinking beer at the fair. A lot of people say mixing wine and beer will cause a hangover or make it easier to get drunk."
"I'll take my chances. The beer went good with the bratwurst, but I didn't really care for it. Just order me a white wine and I'm good."
I nodded, and then the waitress was at the table. I ordered our drinks and the first round for the group. Alice and Rose came back to the table from where the Karaoke was set up and they had a list of the songs to pick from to make selections.
Alice sat down next to Bella and started in on her as she laid the program on the table and tried to get Bella to pick a song to sing. The rest of our group made selections and turned them in to get on the list. The waitress brought our drinks and we listened to people sing while we waited out turns and Alice kept after Bella, pestering and cajoling to try and get her to make a selection. She was drinking her third glass of wine when our turns started to come up.
Jasper went first and sang his version of The Fortune Teller. We all laughed again, but Bella wasn't in on the joke yet and didn't get the significance of the lyrics.
Rose went next and belted out her version of crazy. She could honestly do justice to Patsy Cline and had an amazing singing voice. She'd fallen in love with that song in the fifties, and always sang it when we found a bar that had karaoke.
Emmett lightened the mood a bit Friends in Low Places. Rose didn't like the implications in the song and never had, but she knew Emmett just sang it for fun because it was a fun song to sing, and he did have friends in low places. He'd always been a man of the people and could relate to the working classes and was just blowing off some steam and having fun.
I went next after the waitress dropped off the next round of drinks and Bella was sipping her fourth glass of wine while I walked to the microphone. Of course I sang Brown Eyed Girl while I stared into Bella's beautiful brown eyes, singing to her while she blushed, but she didn't look away.
Alice went next and walked up to the DJ stand while I came back and wrapped my arm around Bella. Alice handed something to the DJ and then stepped up to the mike to take her turn. Alice wasn't what you'd call a fan of country western, but Jasper was and that's what counted for her. She sang Stand by Your Man and did an incredible Tammy Wynette impression. It was eerie how close it sounded to live performances we attended years ago as Alice captured the essence of the song as she sang to Jasper.
Everything she had done for decades had been for his benefit so they could finally be together like this. Everything we were now she had set into motion so one day she could be with Jasper and they wouldn't have to live their life together on the run. She had manipulated me and all of our lives from the time we met her so they could be together like this one day, but I didn't blame her. I was content with my life and wouldn't change anything now.
Alice finished to applause from the audience in the bar. It was getting later and the crowd had thinned out some. Alice bowed, and then put the mike back in the stand as the DJ looked over his notes.
"Ok, well we just have one more singer tonight for karaoke." The karaoke DJ said. "Bella Swan? Where are you sweetheart? C'mon up here. Bella's going to be singing White Flag by Dido. Let's have a round of applause for Ms. Swan. Where are you Bella? We're waiting."
"Alice!" Bella whined. "I can't sing that!"
"You'll do fine. You've heard the song on the radio before. I heard you humming it when we were at the fair. The lyrics will scroll up the monitor. Just read the words and sing!"
"I can't sing in front of people!"
"Just pretend they're all in their underwear, or just close your eyes and sing."
"If I close my eyes, how will I read the words?"
"C'mon, Bella!" Emmett encouraged her. "We all got up there and sang for our supper. Get up there kiddo and show us your pipes!"
Alice got up and pulled Bella out of her seat and had her halfway to the microphone before she realized what was happening. Jasper and Emmett started up a chant, calling her name. She turned bright red as the rest of the crowd took it up, yelling "Bella! Bella!"
She was trapped in the middle of the floor and glared back at us, but she couldn't come back without disappointing the crowd now. She continued timidly up to the microphone and picked it up. The DJ queued up the song Alice had picked for her and she started to sing when the words scrolled up the screen.
She stuttered over the first couple of lines, but then she settled down and decided it was fun and let herself go. Bella had a beautiful singing voice once she got into the song.
The lyrics were significant as well. "I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder… Or return to where we were…"
My life was certainly more complicated, but I didn't mind. There was no going back for me. I was in this to the end of my days.
I thrilled at the next lines too as Bella stared into my eyes and sang, "Well I will go down with this ship… And I won't put my hands up and surrender… There will be no white flag above my door… I'm in love and always will be…"
I knew the sentiment was all too true for us. I knew in the depths of my soul that Bella was my mate, and I knew she could feel it too, even if she didn't realize the depth of the bond we shared yet. She had never been in any kind of relationship before and had nothing to compare these feelings to. She had no way of knowing that we would continue to feel this bond and connection for all the nights of our lives. Only time would give her that experience as we shared our lives together.
She put down the microphone when the song ended and the crowd applauded. She walked back to us and sat down, and then picked up the rest of her drink and downed it.
I signaled for the waitress as Bella turned to Alice. "Alice, I really like you, but don't ever do that again."
"Alright, next time you can pick out your own song."
"Next time! There isn't go…"
"You had fun, Bella! Admit it! Once you got over the stage fright and being self-conscious, you liked it. You have a beautiful singing voice, and it's only going to get better with practice.
"Fine… It was kind of fun, but it was scary as hell!"
"More scary than racing dirt bikes?"
"A lot scarier. It's a lot worse worrying about butchering a song you like in front of a crowd of people than biffing it on a trail when it's just you and the bike and the desert."
"You can handle it. You're braver than you give yourself credit for. You'll do just fine next time."
"Fine, Alice, Hopefully it'll be a long time before that ever happens. You'll be long gone, and I'll be stuck in the rain out in northwest bum fuck Egypt."
The karaoke equipment got cleared away and the lights were turned down. The waitress came back and served our drinks. Bella picked up her wine and sipped it. Dance music started to play and couples moved out onto the dance floor.
"C'mon, Bella! You said you'd dance with me!" Alice exclaimed. "C'mon, Rose, Give me a hand here…"
Alice took the glass out of Bella's hand and set it on the cocktail napkin. She stood up and started to lift Bella out of her seat, and then Rose got up and took her other arm as they dragged her away from the table to dance.
"Wait! I can't dance! I'll hurt myself…" she complained as they pulled her out onto the dance floor.
"We're not taking no for an answer, Bella" Rose said. "We're celebrating and you're going to have fun whether you want to or not! Now get your ass out on that dance floor, Miss," Rose said with a smile as she dragged her along beside her.
Bella finally gave in and moved out onto the dance floor with Alice and Rose. They got her moving and kept it simple as they danced with her. After a while she seemed to relax and move to the music. She finally let go and was having fun dancing with the girls.
Alice glanced back at our table and looked toward us, catching our eye, nodding her head to beckon us over.
"I think that's our cue," Jasper said with a smile as he rose from his chair. "Let's go, Edward. You want to dance with the girl, right?" Jasper said when I hesitated for a second.
"He wants to do more than just dance with her, Jazz," Emmett said with a smirk. "C'mon, Edward lets go have some fun with our girls."
I hesitated because Bella had expressed reservations about dancing to faster songs, but then she was out there now with Alice and Rose and she looked like she was enjoying herself. I got up and followed Jasper and Emmett out onto the dance floor as they moved to dance with their wives.
Bella didn't realize the girls had moved away to dance with different partners for a minute. I moved up behind her and placed my hands on her hips as I pulled her body back against me. She gave a startled squeak as she stiffened, and then glanced over her shoulder to see who had grabbed her.
She looked angry, ready to spit nails and let whoever was holding her really have it as she told him off. Her expression softened and the blush spread over her face as she relaxed against me and let me hold her as she moved to the music. I turned her to face me and we continued to dance. Bella was much more graceful than she gave herself credit for when she wasn't actively worrying about it.
One song flowed into the next and we stayed out on the dance floor, moving to the pounding beat of the music. We touched and brushed against one another as we flirted and simply enjoyed being together.
After a while the set of faster dance music ended and a set of slower more romantic dance music started. I didn't need to ask as Bella moved up against me and laid her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around her. She wrapped her arms around my waist and we slowly swayed to the music.
I realized that perhaps I should take my cue from Alice. Bella hadn't wanted to sing, but she was ok with it once she was singing. She hadn't wanted to dance, but she was graceful and had fun once the girls dragged her out on the dance floor and got her moving. I was pretty certain she'd tell me no tonight when we were together, but I had a feeling she'd be ok with it once it was a fait accompli. I would have to make her a woman to seal our bond.
To be continued...
Author's note:
Sorry this is a little late. It's been a busy week and I didn't get this reviewed and ready to post as soon as I thought I would.
I don't often use a lot of music in my stories. My own tastes don't often alighn with the characters preferences. I switched songs several times in different versions of this chapter. Not quite sure if it fits, but White Flag is a personal favorite, so I went with it.
I've also posted chapter 10 of More Than Human. I'll keep posting both stories as long as I'm chapters ahead.
Reviews are always appreciated. I'd love to hear what you think.