Chapter Twenty Five-After pains
I'm not sure how long we laid there, but I was starting to feel the after-affects of love making, and could already feel some of my muscles getting sore. Sighing softly, I look up to Em and frown as I remember the bite on my left breast. I finger it, which causes Em's dark eyes to travel to the bite mark, he smirks once again and I tilt my head.
"Want to tell me about this?" I ask softly. He nodded,
"I will, but first, shower time. Sex between humans can get painful, sex between a human and a vampire has to be extremely painful, come on, go take a shower, and I'll change your bed sheets. After that, we can sit and talk afterwards yeah?" I nod, sounds like a plan.
"I love you" he whispers softly, bringing me up towards him, kissing me sweetly. I smile tiredly and kiss him back lightly.
"I love you too Em" Smiling, I got up, grabbing my bag of toiletries and a towel before heading to the shower. One last look at Em, he's just laying against the headboard, arms crossed behind his head, dark gold eyes unashamedly watching my ass. Going into the bathroom, I turn the hot water on and put my towel down on the towel rack as I place my shampoo, conditioner and body wash on the edge of the tub. Stepping in, I shivered under the hot water, already feeling the soreness to slowly ebb away, as I wash my skin. Grabbing my shampoo, I smile at the Dove product, cucumbers and green tea. I found in the store not too long ago and found a huge bottle, with matching conditioner for cheap. I sigh, imagining what showering with Em will be like and grin at the idea.
After I rinsed my hair of the conditioner as well, I wrapped myself in a fuzzy towel and headed to my room to get dressed. I found the room empty and I got dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a simple skin tight spaghetti strapped top. I towel dried, brushed, and fluffed my hair out and stared at myself in the mirror. I wasn't sure what it was, but I could feel a shift in myself, was it an after affect of making love with Emmett? Or was it the sudden confidence I now had in myself, and not just as Izzy Swan, but as Pepper, the little orphan girl with no last name, no hope for a future, and with no…hope period.
Somehow, I could feel it, I could feel Izzy and Pepper inside my soul, for years now the two girls I had been had fought and craved to be the dominant persona. I guess it was part of being in an orphanage for the first three years of my life, identity issues and all, and it didn't help that Renee forced me to be the girl she wanted me to be, not the girl I was…meant…to become. Now though, as I stared at myself, I wasn't just Izzy Swan, daughter of the Chief of Police and a woman who was all too controlling, but I also wasn't just Pepper either, a scared little girl hoping that the darkness inside her, will finally be drowned out by the warmth that love is supposed to bring. No…it felt as though the two persona's were finally living in harmony, combining to create the new more confident Pepper Swan. I wasn't sure how long I stood there, staring at myself, trying to find-or feel in this case-any significant changes when I was suddenly joined in the mirror.
My blue eyes widened as I whirled around to find Emmett standing very close to me, staring down at me, his eyes somewhat wary, but I can still see the lust, love, devotion, it made me smile at him for some reason. He opened his arms and I immediately placed myself in his embrace, soaking in the love and warmth, I could feel it, a strange buzzing in my soul as I felt something…brush up…against it. My eyes widened, what was that? When I felt it again, I closed my eyes, wondering where it was coming from. My hand lifted itself on its own accord and planted itself on Em's chest, right where his soul is. I pulled back gently and looked up at him,
"That's weird, what was that?" I asked softly, with my other hand I rubbed the center of my chest, looking up, Em's warm topaz eyes stared at me in confusion,
"What was what?" he asked, I cocked my head to the right, eliciting a bemused grin on his face,
"I felt something, right here just now. It felt like something brushed against…" my voice faded, how was I supposed to tell Em all this? Would he understand? Would he laugh?
Deciding on a different topic, I thought back to the bite mark on my chest and look up at him, my hand absentmindedly going to my left breast.
"Can you tell me why you bit me?" Em turned thoughtful.
"Yeah, come on, lets get you something to eat" with that, he picked me up bridal style, my body curling automatically around his, as my arms go around his neck. I placed my face in the crook of his neck, something I think is our favorite spots on the other.
Em's footsteps were surprisingly light as he carries me through the house, even when he stepped on the squeaky stair step, it was quiet. It made me jealous he can move with that kind of grace and subtlety.
When we got downstairs, Em took me to the kitchen and set me on the counter, I watched as he looked around the cabinets for food and I grin when I saw him pull out the huge canister filled with cocoa powder.
"There's vanilla flavoring in the spice cabinet, it's just above the stove, can you get it out?" he nodded, easily reaching into said spice cabinet and pulling out the imitation flavored bottle. I watch as he fills a pot of water and sets it on the stove on high, when he looks back at me, I raise an eyebrow.
"How do you know how to cook?" he grinned.
"You know Pepper, before I became this, I had a life, one which included cooking…a lot" his eyes turned hazy as what I assume his human memories floated in and out of his mind. This reminded me that I barely know anything about him, what was he like as a human? His family? Did he have sisters? Brothers? If so, what were they like? I want to know more about him, but first I need to know why he bit me.
"Why did you bite me?" my voice was soft, and it did it's job of bringing him back.
"Oh…yeah, sorry. I bit you because…well first I have to tell you a few things, specifically about being mates" I nod.
"Okay, so, first of all, do you believe in soul mates?" I furrowed my eyebrows. I knew from past experience that the marriage between Charlie and Renee was not a good one, at least until a certain point. I know that they did love each other at some point, but it was gone, and the love Phil and Renee have is different. It feels more real, to watch how sickeningly sweet they are, and that it is far different than how Renee and Charlie's marriage ever was.
"Yeah…I just think it only happens to the lucky ones" I said. Em nodded, at the sound of something whistling, we turned to see the pot whistling. He took it by the handle and placed it on a separate burner, before I pointed to the cupboards that held the cups. Em grabbed a simple tall coffee cup with a handle so I don't burn myself, I watched in silence as he mixed the cocoa powder and a tablespoon of vanilla flavoring. When he was finished, I leapt down and grinned as I inhaled the sweet scent.
"Mmmm…that smells so good!" I gushed, gently grabbing the handle. Em grabbed my free hand and towed me gently to the living room.
Sitting on the couch Indian style, the cup sat harmlessly on the coffee table, as Em holds me tenderly in his lap.
"Okay, so the thing about soul mates, for vampires is that we do eventually find them. Like humans, we have our own soul mate, or just mate, most of us find them, since we have more time on this earth, than any other creature. Others spend their whole existence almost never meeting them"
"Why?" I ask. His fingers trail lightly up and down my arms, causing my eyes to close.
"They either haven't been born yet, which is the most common occurrence among our kind, or they're just unable to find them. The world is a big place Pepper…" his voice trails lightly.
"Anyways, when we do find our mate, there is this undeniable pull towards them. Our mate becomes our everything, their happiness is our happiness, we feel each others pain and when we're separated, it feels like part of you is left with the other, because you left that other half with your other half. The one who completes your soul, when you find your mate, you can tell it's them because of the pull, which signifies that they will be the one to love, take care of, and protect you better than anyone else you come across.
The thing is though, when you do find your mate, everything that mattered to you before, suddenly doesn't. Bonds, friendship, hell even family becomes second in everything else, because your mate will always be your first priority. Understand so far?" he asks softly. I nod, before testing the hot chocolate, and smile when I find it's warm enough to drink. Grabbing hold of it, I take a huge gulp, and sigh contentedly as I lean back against Em's chest, his arms circling me as I drink my vanilla induced cocoa.
"Yes, so basically mate is first, family is second" I state. I felt him nod at my reasoning.
"Yeah, but, if one of the mates feels the other is in some kind of danger, family or not, they will do everything they can to eliminate the threat. Even if it's the family, brother's sisters, it doesn't matter, the others' safety is all that matters. Now, when a mated pair finally…make love the first time, that's when they get the urge to…mark…the other so to speak." Suddenly, I had a niggling feeling that I knew what he was about to say, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear it or not.
"Em…what are you saying?" I asked softly, allowing one of my hands to caress the bite mark on my breast.
Em took a shuddering breath, his arms tightening around me, not in a painful sense but in a comforting one.
"I'm saying that…you and I…are mates…" blinking, I place my cup back on the coffee table and turn in his arms, straddling his hips with my knees.
"We're mates?" he nods.
"Are you absolutely sure Emmett?" he nods.
My hand went to the center of my chest, as my mind flashed back to what Em told me about the purring, I wasn't really paying much attention to his words at the time. Now that I was focusing on them, I felt my eyes widen, as I look back to him.
"Is that…what that tugging means? And the reason behind your purring?" I ask him.
"You feel the pull?" his voice held some puzzlement, and a whole lot of awe. I also noted how he didn't really answer my second question, but I'd get more on that later.
"Yeah, I've felt it since a little after I first came to Forks. It's been acting up a lot lately, and every time it would tug, I would always think of you."
His grin was fucking huge, his topaz eyes lit up the fucking fourth of July night sky and I couldn't help but letting out my own grin. He pulls me in and kisses me deeply, thrusting his tongue into my mouth, as his hands and fingers splay out across my back. My fingers crawled up his arms, to his broad shoulders and neck before tangling in his hair.
I felt his hands hook under my knees as my back soon hit's the couch seats. After making out for another couple of minutes, he pulls away, but when he fingers the bite mark on my left breast, I feel a warmth spread through me. It's not the same warmth that would appear when I was feeling threatened, it was a different one, that made me think of love.
"I love you Snowflake" I melt at my nickname, making a humming sound.
"I love you too Em"
"So, you biting me earlier, that was you marking me?" I asked. It's been an hour since he told me we're mates, and it makes me feel giddy as shit thinking I have a soul mate.
"Yeah, the only reason I didn't pump you full of venom, is because Jasper showed me how to bite without starting the change. He told me, that in some parts of the South, vampires can be pretty territorial of their…playthings….and by biting them without venom, is like marking your own piece of territory. If a vampire came across you, they would smell my scent on you, through the bite mark, and know that you're already taken."
"So, by biting me, without the venom, it's basically a big "Fuck Off" to all passing by vampires" I state. Em nodded.
"Yep, should you cross another vampire, they'll know not to mess with you since you're covered in my scent, plus the bite mark" I nod.
"I'm going to have to cover it though" I say sadly.
"Why?" he asks, wrapping his arms around me.
"Charlie, he'll freak if he sees this, then he'll never allow you to be alone with me ever. You have his trust, something he never gives away freely, so I don't want to ruin that for him, or us" I grumble that last part. He just chuckles, kissing the right side of my neck.
"Don't worry, he won't be able to see it. Only if you're a vampire, you'd be able to see the mark" My eyebrows knitted together at what he said. Looking up at him, I look down to my left breast, and see the mark, shining brightly, okay not really but it does look like a half moon crescent. As I brushed my fingers over the mark, I felt the love, lust, protectiveness and respect I saw in his eyes before he took my virginity.
"Then how am I able to see it, if he can't?" I ask him. Em's fingers ran through my hair, making my eyes close softly, I felt his lips press themselves against each lid, before he answered.
"Because it's on your own body, and you're my mate, so obviously you'll be able to see it" I just gave a shrug, before moving onto something else.
"You were purring, before I sang, that was when you mentioned we were mates the first time..." Em raised an eyebrow at me.
"I'm just wondering, how I didn't catch onto that specific detail" I removed my arms from resting on his chest, to circling around his waist. My chin propped up by his delectable pecs.
"Not to sound like a speciest, but you are human Snowflake, your mind was focused soley on the fact that you didn't want to sing for me, and until just a little while ago, I didn't really elaborate much on it. Don't worry about it so much" he reached down and kissed the top of my head. I let out a huge yawn then, no doubt in my mind, if I open my jaw any wider, it'll snap in half.
"Go to sleep, we can talk more when you wake up" Nodding, I kiss his chest one last time and snuggle into my teddy bear.
"G'night Emmy Bear" I heard his low, deep chuckle.
"Good night Snowflake" that was the last thing I heard, before sleep took over.
Kitsunekit75: So, what do you think of the little Love Bite I had Em give Izzy? Also, I hope the way I explained the whole mating thing right, I mean, I feel I did a good job but still, it was confusing as shit when I tried to word this chapter right. Anyways, send in reviews on what you think of the new changes to the chapters ^.^