Damn you, ever-nagging plot bunnies … I just can't get this one out of my head. I am focusing on one story, but I wanted to get a foundation on this new one. So, here we go … This will be similar to Buying Love, Friends with Benefits, Mafia Princess and The One That Got Away, with shorter chapters and weekly updates: I'm planning on keeping the update schedule with this one … Sunday updates, Wednesday teasers.

He's awake. Thank goodness for the fae's resiliency. If he had had that injury as a human, he'd be dead. Just saying … We're going to be back with Edward for the next chapter. We're also winding down. No, there will not be a sequel. I'm thinking that there will be a grand total of thirty-five chapters? Some citrusy action next chapter and only citrusy action, the fallout from the battle and finally, the epilogue.

Chapter Thirty-Three

EPOV

I was caught in a dark, confusing limbo. I registered pain but wasn't able to do anything about it. I felt freezing cold, even colder than normal. I felt hollow, lost and confused. Memories of the battle assaulted my mind and remembering my fight to the death with Jacob Black was in the forefront.

Every slash of his paws was ingrained in my memory as they tore through my skin like wet tissue paper.

Every painful bite of his powerful jaws radiated through my body, with sinews and ropes of muscle being pulled from me, causing me agony.

However, the death blow of Jacob's teeth ripping my throat out made me shiver in torment. I felt as he tried to end me, but I threw him over the cliff. I vaguely remembered seeing his body land on the rocks below, naked and with a rocky spear through his stomach with my ice sword through his heart.

I collapsed as Jake took his final breath and Bella pressed her bleeding wrist to my lips, trying to revive me. It took every ounce of strength to drink from her vein and I felt its healing properties make its way through my body, but I felt myself drift. My body was protecting itself, shutting down. After I heard Bella's anguished cry, I drifted off and I stayed in this limbo.

While floating in that gray haze, I was vaguely aware of the passage of time. I could sense when the healers as they came to work on my battered, bruised and broken body. I smelled Bella, her tears, but could do nothing to comfort her. My body was stuck, unmoving.

After each healer came to work their magic on me, I fell deeper into hibernation. It wasn't a coma because I was somewhat aware. It was not sleep because I was not resting, but I was unable to wake up. It truly was limbo.

All I wanted was to be warm.

Not warm.

Blazing hot, almost scalding.

I needed Bella. I needed her body against mine.

I needed to feel.

My nose twitched, and I smelled Carmen, along with food. It made my stomach clench. I was hungry for the food, but hungrier for warmth, Bella, with a side of food. However, when Carmen left, I finally felt that desired warmth. It was focused on my torso. My mind registered the heat and I was becoming more aware of my surroundings. I could feel Bella's emotions, her pain and her own emptiness. Her mental voice invaded my unconsciousness. It was weak and very much worried. Experimenting with our connection, I reached out to her, pleading for more of her skin, her body, her warmth and I felt her body heat more, along with her arms tightening around me. Her lips kissed my jaw and I told her to drink from me. I could hear her trepidation in taking my vein, but it would complete the circle of healing. Her teeth pierced the fragile, new skin at my neck. She gently sucked a bit from my vein before sealing the wound with her tongue.

I begged for more heat and she gladly complied. I grew stronger, sitting up and cradling her body against mine, tightening my arms around her body. I was weak, but I poured my strength into our embrace. I don't know how long I held her, but I eventually loosened my arms. I traced my fingers down her back, my movements clumsy and unsure. I let out a breath. Her hands moved to my face, brushing my gnarled hair from my face, tracing my facial tattoos. "Edward," she pleaded. "Please, open your eyes."

I pressed my forehead to hers, inhaling her spicy scent. She moved closer, her body heat encompassing every inch of me. I blew out a breath, my brows furrowing, and my eyelids fluttered. It was dark out, but I could see our bare bodies as I opened my eyes. I looked at how the battle impacted us. I was emaciated, skin and bones. Bella was slender, but her mind and body was weary, tired. I ran my hands along her thighs, up her tiny waist and to her ribcage. I could count every single one of her ribs. Bella whimpered, her hands caressing my jaw. I blinked again and ran my eyes up her body, capturing her chocolate-colored orbs. I felt her relief when she saw my eyes. However, I felt whole and I needed my mate. "Sihrena," I breathed, taking her in. "My sihrena."

She whimpered, her hands touching my face. "You're here? Really here?" she asked. "You were here in body, but you were closed to me. You're back?"

"I'm sorry, Bella," I whispered.

"Don't apologize, Edward," she said. "I almost lost you. Just having you awake and moving, touching me and seeing me. I love you and I'm so grateful that you're alive. I'm so happy that your eyes …"

"What happened?" I interrupted.

"Rose touched you and you opened your eyes, but they were milky. The green was gone," she choked out. Her fingers traced underneath my eyes and I could see the memory of what she described. "Your eyes … I've missed the green. I've missed you." She shivered, her eyes closing, and she snuggled her body close to mine. I heard her mind. She was grateful for my awakening, but she needed me. She needed to feel my body, inside her. Every instinct in my mind indicated that we needed to make love to reestablish our connection. It was frayed, to say the least.

As if my mind realized our frayed connection, I felt my body begin to harden. "I've missed you, too. I'm sorry I was so closed off," I murmured, clumsily taking her heart-shaped face in my hands. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you so much, Edward," she cried, brushing her mouth over mine. She bit her lip, her fangs flashing as she looked at me, hungrily but with fear that I would reject her. I was tired, weak, but I knew we needed each other to finally heal our broken mate connection. Our lovemaking would be therapeutic for now. Once my body was fully healed, and when I'd eaten, we could have a little fun.

Or rather, a lot of fun.

"I love you more than words can express," I said, kissing her deeply and growling when I smelled her arousal. It smacked me like a ton of bricks. She needed me as much as I needed her. Our kissing grew frenzied and I moved Bella's body over mine. She rolled her hips, teasing the head of my cock. With another deep kiss, she sinks down over my arousal. I opened my mind to her, You're in control, Bella. I'm still …

"I know, baby," she said, rocking over me. Her body was tight, wet and overwhelmingly hot. She held me, moving slowly and taking me into her body. I could feel our frayed connection heal with every roll of her hips. We were as close as two beings could be. I kissed her, tasting her sweet mouth and guiding her hips over me. Her fingers were tangled in my messy hair. I could feel my body tighten. I wanted her to come, too. "I'm with you, Edward," she whispered. "Being denied your body, your mind, your soul, for so long, I'm going to come." She kissed me again and within moments, she moaned as I spilled inside her, solidifying our mating connection. We stayed connected as long as possible, panting heavily and tired from the loss of energy.

"I feel better," I said, my voice rough.

"Me, too," she breathed. "But, I think we'll feel better after we shower. I love you, Edward, but we both kind of smell."

I wrinkled nose, nodding at the funk that had settled around us. "I think a bath would be better, sihrena. I'm afraid to stand but being able to hold you would be perfect."

xx TMW xx

The bath was a humbling experience. Bella had to help me walk to the bathroom. I was so weak from my blood loss and two weeks of my non-hibernation/coma-like state. Bella helped me clean myself and we made out languidly in the Jacuzzi tub. However, getting out was a struggle. I had to change back to my human form to have Bella help me out. When I was dressed, Bella changed to her human her form and gently guided me to the kitchen. Eleazar was there, cooking up a storm. He smiled, gesturing to the table. "Please sit, Lord Edward," he breathed. "It's so good to see you up and about."

"It's good to be up and about," I said, sitting down. He put a plate, piled with protein-rich food, in front of both me and Bella. "I don't know if I'm going to finish this."

"Eat what you can, Lord Edward," he replied. I tucked into the meal and he puttered around the kitchen, putting more food on my plate. Shockingly enough, I finished it all, feeling my strength return. Bella also ate everything on her plate, looking much better, but still exhausted. Her eyes were drooping, and she was fading fast. She leaned her cheek against my bicep. "Lord Edward, I know that you are still recuperating, but can you sense any darkness? Evil?"

I closed my eyes, opening my thoughts, my mind and tried to feel any sort of darkness. The only darkness I sensed was from humans and not creatures. "No dark magic," I answered. "The only evil I can sense is from humans and their own stupidity." Eleazar snorted. "With that, we have to make sure …"

"Once you're better, you'll make an announcement about what the next step is. For now, you and your mate reconnect. Rose will want to check you, along with Peter, but we are going to leave you here with Lady Bella," Eleazar explained. He blinked to my mate, who was sleeping soundly on my arm. "You both need to rest."

"I was resting for two weeks," I grumped.

"Trust me, you need to rest," he said. "You look like you're about to collapse." He got up and cleared the plates. "I'm going to get Emmett. He'll carry Lady Bella to bed."

"I can do it," I said, standing up and stumbling. I caught myself on the granite countertop, trying to stave off the sense of vertigo that washed over me. "Fuck." Eleazar put an arm around my waist. "The room is spinning."

"Come on, Lord Edward," he said, helping me to the bedroom and laid me onto the bed. "Deep breaths. Focus on something stable." He left me in the room. Emmett, in his human form, came in, carrying a sleeping Bella. He gave me a relieved smile, happy to see me awake. I cradled Bella in my arms and even though I had rested for two weeks, I fell asleep easily, holding my mate in my arms.

xx TMW xx

Two days after I woke up, Peter gave me a clean bill of health. I had no further residual effects from my nearly life-ending injury. After a good night's sleep, my vertigo was gone, and Rose did one final healing pass before leaving for Seattle with Emmett, Carmen, Eleazar and Charlotte. Bella and I were using the rest of the week to finish our reconnection. We also used the time to explore Bella's mother's home, discovering more about who Renee Swan was.

We were sitting in the living room, as humans, looking through the picture albums. Bella was snuggled in between my legs. "My mom was so beautiful," she whispered. "But, I look more like my dad." She ran her finger over her father's picture, a smile ghosting over her face.

"You have your father's coloring, but you are far more beautiful than your mom, sihrena," I whispered. She blushed but shook her head. "What is it this, love? I can feel your insecurities. Your fears. Talk to me, please?"

"I'm just … struggling with all of this," she whispered. "Everything between us happened so fast. I love you and I love our relationship, but we really don't know a lot about each other. We made a promise of forever, binding our souls together in that hand-fasting glienne ceremony …"

"Do you not want to be with me?" I asked.

"No, Edward! I didn't mean that! It's just that we're mated, bonded for life, but we've never been on a date," she snorted.

"A date," I said, kissing her neck. She shivered. "A date can be doable, my love. And we have forever to go on our dates, Bella. I want to give you the world."

"For now, I just want a date," she giggled. I cupped her chin and stared into her endless chocolate depths. I ran my thumb over her lips. "Maybe a date a bit later … right now? I want you."

I kissed her lips, sliding my tongue languidly into her mouth. She turned and threaded her fingers into my hair. I chuckled against her mouth. "You know, we've never made love as humans," I said. "Only as fae." I traced her jaw. "I'm afraid you might be disappointed in my performance. I'm a nerdy lawyer. No muscles."

"You're perfect," she breathed, moving her body. "Even as a human, you're perfect. Besides, I like my guys thin and nerdy." She kissed me, twining our legs together. I slid my fingers underneath her sweater. I reveled in the softness of her skin. She moaned against my mouth, tugging on my hair. "Edward, make love to me."

"I want to take my time, Bella," I whispered. "We've only been making love as to heal our fractured connection. I want to relish in your body, tasting you, loving you."

"Edward," she whimpered.

"I've had dreams of making love in front of a fireplace. Care to help?" I quipped. She smiled, lighting the logs in the fireplace and casting the room in a warm glow. "Thank you, sihrena." I stood up, taking her hand and placing a few pillows onto the ground. I kissed her, guiding her to the ground. Her fingers found the buttons to my shirt, making quick work of it, sliding it over my shoulders. I cradled her gently, laying her down onto the pillows. I kissed her soft lips, tasting her sweet mouth. She pushed me back, staring at me. "What, Bella?"

"You're beautiful, Edward. Even as a human," she whispered, her fingers gliding over my chest. "You're not a nerdy lawyer. You have muscles." She kissed my chest, just above my heart. "But, I can see the scars from the battle – the bite marks and evidence of what Jacob did to you."

"I'm alive, Bella. Thanks to you," I said. "These scars are a badge of honor." Her fingers grazed over my neck, her eyes sad at the rippled skin under her touch. "I'm alive, Bella. Let me show you how alive I am." I caged her with my arms and kissed her lips, moving my mouth down her jaw. I suckled on her ear, tasting her sweet skin. She moaned, her legs opening to allow me to fall into the cradle of her hips. I inched her sweater up. She pushed me back, removing her top and revealing her bare torso. "Fuck, you're so beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you, Edward," she murmured.

I smiled crookedly, covering her body with mine. I shuddered as our skin came together. I kissed her, tasting her mouth before inching down her torso, wrapping my lips around her pebbled nipple. She moaned, her back arching and thrusting her breasts up. I cupped her breast, twisting her other nipple with my fingers. With my other hand, I eased her leggings down over her hips, along with her panties. She was bare for me, laying on top of the soft carpeting and glowing from the fire that warmed the living room. I trailed my lips down her pale skin, inhaling as I reached her belly. Her arousal was apparent, making my mouth water in desire. I nibbled across her hips. She whimpered, looking down at me. I smiled against her warm skin before spreading her legs, baring her sex. "Please," she breathed.

"Don't beg, sihrena," I said. "I'll douse the flames."

"For you, they only burn hotter," she whispered. "I need you, Edward."

"As I need you," I replied, kissing her inner thighs. She fell back on the pillows. I leaned forward, running my tongue along her slit. She whimpered, pressing her body toward me. I flicked her clit, rolling it with my tongue. I spread her folds with my fingers. I kissed down her sex, sliding my tongue inside her body. I growled lowly against her, needing more of her essence, more of her. This was not about fueling our connection, but making love to my mate, my soul mate, my wife.

"Edward," she breathed. "So, good." Her fingers were tangled in my short hair, holding my face between her legs. I slid two fingers into her. I pumped them inside her wet core as she writhed under me. She babbled incoherently, rocking in concert with my fingers. With a guttural moan, her muscles clenched around my fingers. Her succulent flavor exploded on my tongue as she came for me, rolling her body sinuously with each thrust of my hand.

I kept my mouth on her as her body calmed. When her breathing calmed, I sat up and slid off my jeans. I crawled up her body. She looked at me, her eyes unfocused, dazed. I brushed her curls back from her face and smiled crookedly at her. She blinked, and her eyes became clearer. "I love you, Bella."

"I never understood or felt true love until you, Edward," she whispered. "Make me yours."

I rolled my hips and I felt the slick skin between her legs. I grasped my cock, teasing her entrance. She whimpered, and her eyes begged me to fill her. I was more than willing to oblige her request. I looked at her, staring into her eyes as I slid inside her body. Our minds were linked, and our hearts beat as one. She kissed me, and I thrust into her, stroking slowly and relishing this moment I had with her. I would never take this for granted, as I almost lost it when I fought Jacob. "Every moment is a gift," Bella said, pulling me back to the present. "Stay with me, baby."

"I'm always with you, sihrena," I breathed, kissing her deeply and looping one of her legs over my arm. She met me, thrust for thrust, her fingers gripping my shoulders or tugging at my hair. Her body enveloped me, warming me to the core. Her eyes held mine as shared one body. We were as close as two beings could be. Bella's body grew hotter around me and she clenched around me. "Oh, Bella, I can feel you." I reached between us, circling her clit. "Come for me."

"With you," she said, tugging me down and kissing me. I pushed deeper into my mate, my life, my soul. I ground against her and she moaned into my mouth, hooking her other leg over my hip. The sound of our kissing, our bodies moving as one and the fire crackling were the only sounds we heard. Our minds were connected and nothing but love permeating our mental and emotional link. "Edward!" Bella gasped. I groaned, feeling my arousal harden and my balls tighten. Bella whimpered, and her body squeezed me, undulating around my erection. Her orgasm triggered mine and I spilled inside her body, claiming her body as mine, and our souls as one.

I collapsed against her, wrapping my arms around her body. We stayed connected as long as we could, but I slipped out of her, much to my dismay. I rolled to my side, tucking Bella against my chest. She idly traced circles on my belly. "As much as I loved being here in my mother's home, we probably need to head back to Seattle," she grumped.

"We can come back here, sihrena," I murmured. "But, we have to prepare for the memorials for Maggie, Tanya and Marcus. They need to be honored for their loss."

"There's so many things that are up in the air," she said, wriggling closer to me. "Are you going back to work?"

"I miss being a lawyer," I answered. "But, trying to balance ruling the magical creatures and working? I don't know if it's feasible. Decisions don't need to be made right away. We need to focus the memorials, rebuilding our society and providing opportunities for creatures to learn and hone their magical talents."

"A magic school?" Bella suggested.

"I think that might be beneficial," I replied, my fingers gliding along her back. "The older fae, who remember when magic wasn't lost, can be the teachers and guides. We won't be so blind-sided if dark creatures become prevalent again."

"Can you sense the darkness? The evil?" she asked, sitting up and her eyes wide.

"As I told Eleazar, only in humanity, but no dark magic," I answered, "but there is a kernel of dark magic still out there. It could invade one of our people and another Aro could be reborn."

"I hope not," she shuddered. "I don't know if I could …"

"It took this long for Aro to build his forces – almost a millennia. We have time, sihrena," I said. "Time to learn. Time to prepare. Time to grow."

"Time to love," she breathed.

"Time to love," I smiled, kissing her tenderly and I showed her how much I loved her. Again.

A/N: One more real chapter … the memorial for the lost fae and plans for the magic school will begin to take shape. Leave me some loving! Thank you for reading!