Chapter 36 Possession

EPOV

In my haste to get to Bella I flung the door of Rose's car so hard I heard the glass shatter. I shot her an apologetic look as I flew up the stairs but she waved her hand and told me not to worry about it. Her response stunned me momentarily as I stood with the front door knob in my hand but I quickly refocused and crashed through the door hell bent on finding Bella.

She sat between Alice and Esme on the sofa in the living room. She took a long, hard look at my face and as I ran towards her she rose off the seat and threw herself into my waiting arms.

I showered her face with tiny kisses and murmured that everything, and everyone, was all right. That we'd protect her and the baby at all costs and that she was safe here with us.

She trembled so hard I thought she was going to collapse. I held her tightly to me and rocked her back and forth and waited while her sobbing abated and her shivers became deep breaths as she steadied herself against me.

I heard Carlisle's car in the drive and knew he'd want to adjourn to the dining room to learn what we knew. I pulled myself away from Bella slightly and asked if she was up to having the meeting? She said of course she was and took my hand and moved with me to our regular chairs at the far end of the table.

The others filed in around us and Carlisle came into the room last of all and sat in his chair, begging us to tell him what had happened today.

Emmett told him and those who had been at home today what he'd seen in the forest and where and so began the meeting.

"Do you think it's a coincidence that they've set up home midway between the school and the Rez?" Bella asked Alice. It seemed like an errant thought until Alice ran the repercussions through her head. I looked to Bella, astounded at the machinations of her brain.

"No, now that you've said it that way I don't think it's a coincidence. They know I can't see them when they are near wolves. Seth at the school, the pack at the Rez. They picked there on purpose. Oh god." Alice hung her head.

"No matter Alice, we know they're there, the wolves know they're there. We'll all watch." Rose told her. Everyone's thoughts were the same though. If Alice was going to be blind to their movements it would be that much harder to protect Bella.

Carlisle told us all to be extra vigilant in that part of the forest and to take particular care at the school. With only one more day of term before a four week break he hoped this situation would remedy itself before the new term began in January. I knew that was a futile wish but wished it myself also.

"They won't be leaving the area Carlisle. They are going to wait us, me, out." Bella said sadly.

"More than likely yes. Which is all the more reason that we deliver that little bundle safely, isn't it?" He smiled at her and she relaxed a little beside me.

BPOV

I didn't know where to go from here. I didn't want to sit and wait for the problem to come to us as we had with Jacob but wasn't anywhere near ready to fight either. My change had only been just over a month ago and while I was strong and physically able to fight for my baby I doubted I'd have the mental capacity to rein my anger in when the time came. I'd either crumple or hurt a loved one. Jasper had told me all about the newborn wars of the South and I cringed when I thought about the sort of damage I could reek if my self control was tested like that so soon after transforming.

"Edward, why did you call where they are living a nest?" It was such a strange thing to call a house, it struck me as significant for some reason.

"Well, vampires are usually pretty solitary. They either travel alone or only occasionally meet others or they travel with a mate and that's all. That is true for 'traditionalists' anyway. Because they feed in a traditional way they are often very volatile, territorial so to speak. Fighting amongst small groups is very normal. They have poor self-control when it comes to the hunt. So when a group forms like this trio they tend to live in a nest. Not a home. A nest is only a place they can shelter in between feeding. They harbor no possessions other than those they can carry and they keep no routines. They feed, they indulge in whatever pleasure they crave and they mate. That's all. Vegetarians tend to be more civilized, mostly." His eyebrow shot up and I stifled the giggle I could feel rising as I thought about how uncivilized we'd been together recently.

I thought about his answer and mulled over living that sort of existence. I could see that my decisions may have been very different if it was that kind of eternity I was faced with. More questions were forming and I blurted the next one out without thinking too much about it.

"Carlisle, why haven't James and Victoria changed a child?" I asked. I knew it was the wrong thing to say when I heard the collective gasps around me. I looked around the table at the stark faces and said I was sorry for asking.

"No Bella, you have every right to ask questions. This is a sensitive subject though. There is a law, albeit an unwritten one, that no vampire ever change a child. Ever. The repercussions would be swift and unrelenting within the vampire community. It has been done before, of course, centuries ago. It was mostly attempted to prove one way or another if the child would continue to grow to its full adult potential before becoming unchanging, as we are. The attempts were horrific. The child either did not survive the change or it died soon after, by its own hand or another vampire who took pity on it. The maker, or sire, was often found and disposed of as being the monster it was. It hasn't been attempted for many, many years and I hope it never is." Carlisle sighed at the end of his speech and I looked around the table again at the agonized faces before me.

I mouthed 'sorry' to Rose and she nodded and looked back down at the table in front of her. I couldn't meet Esme's eyes at all, knowing the agony I'd see there.

"Okay, let's get back on track shall we?" Carlisle asked and there was a round of agreement before he continued. "I've asked around, a few old friends have heard of our trio. Their reputations precede them I'm afraid. You were right Edward, Laurent's particular gift is that he is able to unravel relationships between people and their relatives or covens. I'm afraid that leaves us with several very serious problems. One, Charlie and Renee. If you are seen near them or with them Laurent will be able to discern that they are your parents and this may mark them as extortable Bella. We will need to discuss and decide, with them, what to do about that. Two, our relationships with the humans at the Rez. For similar reasons. And three, Seth Clearwater. He is vulnerable at the school and as he comes and goes from the Rez. These are things we'll have to speak with Sam about Edward."

EPOV

"I agree Carlisle. I'll go again to the Rez tonight and speak with Sam about Seth and the safety of the humans there."

"Excellent." Carlisle agreed.

"I need to go to my parents and explain this to them. Will you go with me Alice, Carlisle?" Bella asked and I wondered why she wouldn't ask me to go with her? She blinked rapidly and then turned towards me. "You need to go to the Rez Edward, keep Seth and the others safe. Carlisle and Alice will go with me to Charlie and I'll sort that out. That's all love." She told me and I smiled and kissed her fingers in response. She needed me to protect Seth for her, I understood that. I could do that for her.

"Of course we'll go with you Bella." Alice chirped from across the table. Her mind was filled with apprehension about Bella needing to speak to her mother about an upsetting aspect of todays mail delivery? What the hell?

"Alice?" I asked, knowing she'd work out what I just saw in her mind.

"Not now Edward." She winced. "Later, okay?" She asked and I nodded minutely.

"Right, well. If we are all agreed to be careful we can call this meeting to an end. Bella, do you feel up to an exam?" Carlisle asked and Bella nodded. "Good. I'll be in my study when you're ready. I'll see the rest of you later this evening I'm sure." With that he was gone up the stairs to his study with Esme in tow.

The six of us sat quietly at the table for a few more minutes. I could hear the worry in their minds as they thought about Bella being at the school tomorrow and so close to the nest. It occurred to me that she'd be in no real danger, and it was easily proven how I knew this.

"Guys, enough with the moping yeah?" I began. When I had their attention I continued. "Bella really wants to come to school tomorrow and I know we'll be able to protect her from whatever happens inside the school grounds. I'm pretty sure nothing will happen with our trio of 'friends' either. They don't want Bella per se, they want the baby. Which is far from being ready to survive outside of Bella's' body yet, so there is no immediate danger, is there?" I asked, hoping they'd see the logic in that argument.

They did.

"Yeah, you're right dude." Emmett agreed first. "You sure you want to put up with the humans tomorrow sissy?"

"I can't wait Em, really." Bella replied and soon all the thoughts at the table were of how to make Bella's day a good one, one she'd never forget. It may well be the last one she has at Forks High School.

"Right, Bella is there anything I should know before you go for your exam?" I asked, eager to get to the Rez to speak with the pack.

"Nope, I'm all good. You go Edward." She said and I bent to kiss her lightly. I ran my hand over her belly, acknowledging the slight difference to her baby bump and then I told the table I'd see them all later tonight.

BPOV

"What did you see Alice?" I asked, not letting her off the hook from earlier. I'd seen Edward stiffen and I'd seen in his thoughts that he'd have to corner Alice and make her explain what she'd seen.

"Okay, I'll spill, but I don't want you upset about it, okay?" Alice pled. She went to the kitchen and returned with a wad of cream-colored envelopes. She put them on the table between us. "Wedding rsvp's Bella." She giggled as she flung some of them across to me, keeping the others for herself.

Rose chuckled and moved her seat closer to Alice' and grabbed a handful for herself too.

I couldn't help the tiny flutter of excitement as I opened the first one. It was from Sue and Harry Clearwater and they were 'delighted to attend'.

"Put the yeses in that pile, the no's – ingrates - in that pile." She nodded toward the table and I put the cream card into the correct pile.

The next one I opened was from Angela Webber, another acceptance. I couldn't wait to see Angela tomorrow.

I got three more acceptances, one from Sam and Emily, one from Ben and one from my cousin Tina who lived in Seattle. I put the three cards into the acceptance pile and then I noticed the one single inability card that Alice had put in a pile on it's own. I frowned and picked it up. Alice was out of her seat and beside me, tearing it out of my hand before I had a chance to see it.

"What the fu…" was all I got out before Alice was hugging me tightly.

"Don't take it personally Bella. He's an ass." She said gruffly.

I pulled away from her and held out my hand for her to put the card in my palm. She grimaced but did so anyway. I turned it over and saw that it was from Phil. I was surprised at the wave of sadness that overcame me as I read his handwriting. 'I will not be attending.' Was all he'd written on the shiny little card? Not 'I am unable to attend', not 'I wish the happy couple well but am disappointed not to be able to share their special day', but 'I will not be attending.'

"He's an ass." I agreed and put the card back onto the table with a resounding slap.

Alice said nothing further and returned to opening her little pile of envelopes.

"I should tell my mother." I whispered and felt Alice sigh beside me.

"Yeah, you probably should. Sorry Bell's." She patted my hand. I knew this was what Edward had seen in Alice' vision before. Me telling my mother about Phil's wedding reply.

"You up for a little parental visitation tonight too Rose?" I asked, wanting to include her. To my surprise she said she'd love to.

I reached for my cell phone to tell my parents we would be coming over tonight.

"More vampires here? In Forks?" My dad's face went as white as…well, as white as a Cullen if I was honest. I tried hard not to think about the rush of blood that had just left his face. I'd hunted this morning and again just now before we'd come here, but thinking about blood just wasn't safe for me just yet. I blinked hard and concentrated on the conversation I had to have.

"Yeah dad. Three of them, traveling together. Edward and I met one of them on Saturday night and Rose and Emmett and Sam have met the three of them since then. They aren't here to make friends dad."

"You should prepare yourself to see some pretty ugly things around here, they aren't vegetarians like us." Carlisle went on to explain. He was holding my hand and I felt him give it a gentle squeeze when Charlie began to realize what we were telling him.

I felt awful having to make them aware of what vampires were capable of. I watched sadly as my mothers eyes grew wide at the implications of what we'd just said sunk in.

"If they aren't friendly why are they here?" Charlie asked. It was a fair question and one I knew the pack had asked a few days ago also.

Edward had recalled for me his and Carlisle's talk with the tribunal on Sunday morning and now I knew how he must have felt, having to admit why these three monsters were here. I didn't want to admit it to myself let alone tell my parents. I looked to Alice and Rose in turn but they both nodded firmly at me, telling me that I must tell the truth. I took a deep unneeded breath and began my sorry tale.

"Bella will need to stay away from this house for the time being." Carlisle told my parents and they both cringed. I felt so bad for them, first they thought I was going to die then they get me back – albeit the new and improved version of me and all it entailed – now they are told I can't visit them anymore. They'd crack soon, like Phil did, I thought dismally.

"Oh." My mother said sadly as I watched the tears in her eyes begin to well.

"Don't cry mom, please." I whispered. I went to where she sat in the recliner and I perched myself on the edge of the arm, wrapping an arm lightly around her shoulders. My thirst burst forth in my throat and in my brain but it was easy to fight because she was my mom and I loved her. "What Carlisle means is that one of the bad guys can spot relationships, he knew I was Edward's mate the second he laid eyes on us, so if he sees me here he'll know you're my mom and dad and that would make you both targets. So for now you'll come visit me instead. See, no biggie." I tried to make light of it but the truth of what I was saying was beginning to dawn on my father, the cop.

"Ok Bell's, we'll visit you, no biggie kiddo." My dad said solemnly.

EPOV

"I think it's safe if we go as wolves. Showing up near there will leave a human scent but they wont have any idea that wolves exist, let alone ones that are shape shifters. Will they?" Sam asked me.

"I don't think so, no. Vampires are traditionally wary of wolves anyway, especially if they were to believe you were werewolves. So going as wolves is good, they'll know your something, but not what." I answered honestly.

"So, we go as wolves. Three miles north west of the administration block at the school. You good with finding that for us Seth?" He asked and Seth nodded proudly. "Good. We'll go tonight, once it's dark enough."

"I will leave the rest of the details to you Sam. Please tell the tribunal that we are very sorry for all of this, we never meant for anyone at the Rez to be put in any danger." I hung my head as I said it, I didn't want anyone here to be put in any dangerous position. They were my friends, Bella's friends.

"Of course. The tribunal will see that. I will call you tomorrow once I've met with the elders and I'll see you on Sunday and I can let you know of any other information we get in the meantime. We are able to protect the Reservation Edward, so don't feel guilty for your association with us. We are proud to know the Cullen's and to call them friend." He shook my hand and Seth was again given the job of escorting me to the boundary.

"Is Bella really coming to school tomorrow?" Seth asked, wide eyed.

"She sure is."

"Cool." He grinned and I knew how much he was looking forward to being greeted by Bella personally. It would do his social credibility wonders, not that he needed it, little punk!

"See you tomorrow Seth." I told him as I backed the Guardian out of the lot and headed for Charlie's.

Renee met me at the kitchen door and solemnly ushered me into the house. Her mental thoughts were all adrift as she tried to come to terms with all Carlisle and Bella had told her tonight. I felt so bad that both she and Charlie were back in this position, fearing for Bella's safety. I felt as though I'd failed them, yet again. I'd promised to keep her safe before and had let them down, now we were back where we started it seemed.

Bella rushed to my side and I hugged her tightly to my chest, kissing her hair and mentally telling her I loved her and how very sorry I was that she was once again in this position.

"Hush Edward." She whispered as she returned my kiss chastely. "Come and sit down for a bit." She patted the seat beside her on the small love seat and I said hello to my family and Charlie as I took the offered spot.

I made sure to check Bella's control by holding her hand tightly in mine and assessing the number of times she reached for her throat or held her breath while her parents asked Carlisle and my sisters questions about the three vampires that were living among us now. Bella never reached for her throat and she never held her breath. She was truly remarkable.

"Well fed." She whispered to me, so low that neither of her parents would hear but my family all did. They all stifled their sly smiles as I looked about the room to where they each sat in the Swan house.

Renee sat further forward in her chair and asked Bella if it was true she was going to school tomorrow.

"Yeah, I'm going to try anyway. It's the last day of term so it might be a good test." She said quite calmly.

Renee began thinking about the other children at the school and whether or not it was a good idea. "We'll all be there Renee. We won't let anything happen. We'll just bring her home if she can't handle it." I told her.

"Okay, if you're sure Edward." She didn't seem convinced and I wasn't happy that she'd aimed her questions and qualms about it at me, rather than Bella. She was a grown woman, she could decide for herself if she was able to do this. I wanted to huff, but restrained myself.

I was about to tell Renee some of what I'd been thinking when Bella stood from her seat and announced that she was tired and hungry and needed to be going home now. Alice and Rose said their goodbyes to Bella's parents and headed out the kitchen door and to Carlisle's Mercedes that stood at the curb. Carlisle shook Charlie's hand and hugged Renee lightly about her shoulders before going out to take the girls home.

I waited by the door as Bella hugged both her parents very, very briefly and made plans to talk to them both tomorrow night.

Renee hugged me lightly and Charlie shook my hand. As I was letting his hand go he stared me in the eye and said, "Just do your best son, it's all we can ask of you." I nodded but kept silent.

BPOV

Edward was very quiet on the drive home and even though it only took a few minutes he never once looked in my direction or acknowledged me in any way.

From his thoughts he was just running over what had been said tonight, both at the Rez and now here with my parents.

It was obvious that Edward was worried about all manner of things. About my health, my continuing thirst and my struggles with human scents. He worried about the birth of the baby and then about the baby itself. He worried about the malicious vampires who were going to try to take our happiness away and about what we'd learn in Italy. He worried that tomorrow would be too much for me and then I'd be hurt and upset at failing. But the good bulk of his thoughts concentrated on the notion that he'd let me down, again. That I still wasn't safe despite having been changed.

I couldn't tell him his worries were unfounded because I was worried about nearly all the same things. I couldn't assure him that I wasn't scared because I was. I couldn't tell him not to worry because it wouldn't work for one, and for two he should be worried about me, I wasn't safe and I'd need all his strength and intelligence and possessiveness to keep me alive over the next few months.

So I settled for telling him what I could.

"Edward, darling, please pull over." I asked. He looked at me skeptically but I smiled and asked him to please pull the car over. When we were at a complete stop on the hard shoulder I pulled him to face me and took his beautiful face into the palms of my hands. "Edward, I love you so much. I can't wait to marry you and be Mrs Edward Cullen. I am dying to go to school with you tomorrow and give the bird to all those horrid idiots who doubt us. But most of all I'm yours. Completely. For always. I know we've got so much going on and I know it's scary and I know it's hard, but we love each other Edward. And right this minute that's all I need." I finished my sentence by scooting forward on my seat and closing the gap between us. As my lips found his he let out a soft sigh and his mental thoughts relaxed until all he was thinking of was the feel of my lips on his.

He pulled me to him so that I was pressed up against his chest tightly, his hands wrapped around my waist. He wiped his tongue across my bottom lip and then traced the tip of it across my own tongue. I sighed contentedly and I felt him smile against my mouth.

"You always know just what to say and when to say it my love. Thank you. And I love you too baby. Always." He whispered, kissing me lightly and then releasing me so that I could go back to my own seat.

The rest of the journey was spent in a contented silence, not a worried one.

Edward kissed me at the bottom of the stairs and I went up to bed, needing the rest after another long and difficult day. He was going to speak with Carlisle about his conversation with Sam. I wanted to know what had been said too, but I also knew that when Edward was ready to tell me he would. We had all night after all.

Edward slipped into the bed beside me an hour later and began to rub my belly in slow, soft circles. I sighed lazily, loving the feel of his strong fingers against my now visible bump. He pulled me so that I was lying on my back, flat against the mattress. He lifted my nightgown until it was bunched just under my breasts and he began laying fluttery kisses along my tummy. If it weren't for his other hand that was now rubbing my ass in increasingly harder circles the kisses to my belly would've been almost entirely innocent. Aimed solely at him wanting a tangible physical connection to me and to his baby.

His kisses began to change, as did his breathing. His ragged pants increased in their frequency as his hands began to travel up and down my inner thighs, coming together and leaving a trail of hot need as they cupped my sex with each pass.

"So beautiful." He murmured against the juncture of my thigh and where I needed his tongue most. The soft hum of his husky voice making me twitch with desire. I reached for his hair, rubbing my fingertips through his silky mess and trying desperately to hold his mouth to me. Other than the steady hum of his moaning there wasn't a single sound in our room. I concentrated on our moans, the rise and fall of his chest as he pulled in the unnecessary oxygen. I pushed my head back into the pillows further and stifled a scream when his tongue ran flatly up between my lips.

I clutched at his hair and had he been mortal he'd have cried out in pain at the way I tugged his face closer to my aching heat. Instead he groaned again as I clamped my thighs shut around his searching tongue and lips. With my swollen clit between his teeth he looked up at me through his impossibly long lashes and grinned in such a wicked and depraved way I let my climax overcome me, all the while I tried to stifle the need to scream his name as I convulsed on his tongue and lips.

EPOV

I knew she wanted to scream, I could feel it build along with her orgasm as I stroked her engorged bundle of nerves with the tips of my teeth. Holding her thighs still I let her ride out half of her orgasm before I slid my middle and ring fingers deep inside her. Her muscles were still clenching rhythmically from the first orgasm when I felt her next one begin to swell.

Nipping and sucking at her lips I plunged my fingers into her harder and faster, separating and flicking my fingers, waiting for the painful suppression of her cry that would signal I'd found my mark.

Her whimpers began to build into incoherent words but I wanted her to remain silent, as silent as possible. I wanted her to feel what it was like to have one of her senses disabled while I pleasured her.

I knew as soon as I was inside her we could communicate but I wanted us to be silent, to know without words what the other wanted, needed. I wanted a deeper connection than we'd ever had before.

She twisted a handful of my hair in her hand and pulled, hard. I groaned against her dripping wet sex as she spasmed on my fingers again.

I let her ride out the second climax and as she was relaxing her inner muscles I withdrew my fingers and waited until she was watching before I licked them clean. She closed her eyes, her eyelids heavy, the thick purple bruising underneath a sign of both her thirst and her lust for me.

I tugged my shirt off over my head and used my feet to kick off my jeans and boxers. I flung my socks to the pile of discarded clothes and then I made my way back up the bed to her until we were eye to eye.

I steadied myself using my palms on the bed, either side of her head, and in a single sweeping motion I pressed myself deep inside her, stilling as I seated myself to the hilt inside her hot, wet depths. She closed her eyes again, knowing I wanted us to be quiet this one time.

BPOV

I knew he wanted me to be quiet but it was agonizing. I wanted to tell him how good he felt, how much I loved him, how much I needed him inside me.

'I know baby…I feel it too…I ache for you…so good Bella…so good…' he was moaning in his mind and this made me impossibly hotter as his length slid almost completely out of me before being plunged back in. I shifted so that my legs were now firmly wrapped around his waist in an attempt to prevent him from pulling out too far. It was to no avail, he simply pushed his hips back further with each stroke and continued to torture me with the frantic rhythm he had set.

'Oh god Edward…so good…love you…so good…' I told him silently as he continued his steady pace. I hooked my ankles together and held him to me, reaching up to pull his lips back to mine. When his tongue was inside my mouth I bit down on it and felt him tremble. 'Tell me Edward.' I asked of him silently. 'Tell me what you need from me.'

It was as if a switch had been flicked on inside him. He pulled out of our kiss and half sat on his haunches though never breaking our physical connection. He began to thrust with twice the purpose. He hooked my thigh through his forearm and held my leg to his hip to go deeper than ever before. In a frenzy of motion he grunted with each plunge. His eyes were blazing, holding my gaze as he pushed more of himself inside, driving himself on with an intensity I'd never seen before. 'Mine…' He growled in his head and I sucked in a sharp gasp. His possessiveness, the feral snarl on his lips as he rocked into me harder and harder…it all drove me onwards to another climax. 'Mine…only mine…you'll only ever be mine Bella…god, oh god…'

'Yes…yes…only yours…only ever yours Edward…' I replied, watching his beautiful face contort with the nearness of his own release. He stunned me by throwing himself back down on top of me, my chest absorbing his weight easily as he continued to thrust forcefully inside me. He held my face between the palms of his hands, holding me still, making me hold the eye contact, willing me to stay focused on him, us, where we were joined while he loved me.

He licked his bottom lip and I saw his eyes travel to my neck, to the juncture between my throat and my shoulder and I heard his request as the first hot spurts of his release began to leave his body. 'Bite me Edward…mark me as yours…only yours baby…' I told him. In half a second his teeth were sunk into my skin and he grunted loudly into my ear as his climax crashed through his body.