A/N As per request I have marked the start of the sex scene with a row of breaks ~*~~*~ across the page. If you don't want a detailed sex scene please stop reading the chapter there. I will put a short note at the start of the next chapter to enable you to catch up, though part of 38 will also cover the sex scene (and 39) I will put warnings where needed and notes afterwards.

37

An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he buried the body of the small deer. He looked at his watch, he had only been parted from her for 26 minutes, but it was 25 too many.

His phone pinged with an incoming text, 'BELLA, NOW!' He set off running faster than he ever had before. It took less than 2 minutes before he came into range of the woman in the cafe. She was rushed off her feet serving a crowd, he couldn't see Bella in the woman's mind at all. He skimmed the other's minds. A couple of the men were thinking of her, he waded through drunken thoughts as he ran and finally made sense of what they were thinking… she had left? Where was she?

A particularly unpleasant mind was the next he contacted. He knew this man… well not this exact man, but during the 1920's he had made it his mission in life to rid the world of men like this. He held someone in his arms and the plans he had for her weren't nice. A shudder of horror shot through him, "NO!" he shouted, finding a burst of speed he hadn't known he possessed from somewhere as he recognised his mate and the danger she was in.

The outskirts of town blurred past as he ran, his one focus was on killing the man who had the nerve to touch what was his. He smiled darkly as his wife thumped the man in the solar plexus with her elbow, then she brought her foot down the inside of his leg to his instep, where she stamped painfully. The man had to let her go at this point, his 2 injuries were painful. She turned and raised her hand, but before she could make contact with him Edward was there.

He was unable to speak at first, the beast within growled and begged for him to release his control and allow him to give the man his just desserts.

"Edward NO!" His mate was obviously terrified, the beast roared and demanded blood in payment.

His victim must have sensed that he wasn't going to get out of this alive, urine ran down his legs and faeces filled his underwear.

"How dare you touch what is mine?" he growled at the man.

"I didn't know… I swear, I didn't mean to hurt her!" the beast grew incensed, he knew exactly what the man had planned to do to his mate, and what he had planned to do with her body afterwards.

He drew him back from the wall he was held against, only to slam him back against it. He felt the ribs under his fist break and the way he hit the wall he probably had a cracked skull. It wasn't enough.

"Don't lie to me, I can see what you intended to do!" The man crossed himself in a pious gesture that just infuriated Edward even more, the pathetic blood bag whimpered and pled for forgiveness. "You have done this before, I see the places in your mind where the bodies are!" the man nodded and tears streamed down his face as he recited the lord's prayer in his head

A soft touch on his arm made the beast retreat somewhat and he looked at his mate, his wife, so precious to him. "Are you ok?" he asked, amazed at how he could speak to her so gently.

"I am, he didn't hurt me." She said.

"He intended to." Just the thought made his temper rise and the beast roared forth once more, calling for blood and revenge. "I should kill him." He wasn't being cruel to her saying this, he was just stating a fact. Who knew how many others would be saved if he killed this scum?

"No, please, sir, I beg you, I won't ever touch another woman! As god is my witness!" the pathetic piece of carrion pled.

"No you shouldn't!" Bella grabbed his arm now. "Edward, no!"

"What should I do then?" he asked. "He's killed four women in the past, if I don't stop him he may kill again."

"No, no I won't I swear by the virgin." Edward's hands tightened in his clothing at his words, the man seemed to sense that he was just making him more and more angry so he turned to speak to Bella, sensing that his fate rested his her hands.

Furious Edward shook him. "Don't you dare speak to her!" he said in Portuguese, "Don't even look at my wife!" he roared. The man dropped his face and stared at his feet, dangling a good 18 inches off the floor.

"Edward? This is a matter for the police."

"No, God no, I can't go to jail." The man babbled. Edward could see in his mind that the man had been in prison when he was younger, it wasn't a pleasant experience. The inmates didn't like sex offenders at all, and they had made his life a living hell for the entire year he was locked up. An evil smile covered Edward's face.

"You have 2 choices, either I kill you now or, you go to the local police and confess to the murders of the other women, you will lead them to where you buried the bodies and you will plead guilty when it comes to trial. You will NOT!" he thumped him against the wall again to emphasise the important point, "NOT mention me, my wife or anything that has happened tonight, do you understand?"

"Si, yes yes I understand!" Humans were so easy to read. He had no intention of doing as he was told. Edward grabbed him around the throat so he could not shout, he could hardly breathe. He took Bella by the other hand and pulled them both along behind him. The police station was less than 200 yards down a parallel street, he let go of Bella's hand and pulled the scum right up to the station door.

"If you say anything about me or my wife I will track you down and make you wish I had killed you, do you understand?"

A terrified affirmative was gasped with the little air the man had. Edward opened the door to the station and literally threw the murderer inside, he slammed the door shut quickly, waking up the desk sergeant who was supposed to be manning the station. Even before the policeman was fully awake a confession poured from the man, all thoughts of running and escaping had fled his mind. Edward turned and folded Bella in his arms.

"Let's get you home." He said, she nodded. He picked her up and in seconds they were in the boat again. Though she tried to move he kept her on his knee as he drove to Isle Esme. He pulled the boat up the beach, never allowing Bella to touch land, and carried her into the house.

"Hey, I'm ok." She said, he could feel himself trembling. "Edward, look at me. I'm fine, we are fine. We are safe." Her hands smoothed over his back and his face as he held her tightly in his arms. She was trying to calm him, but the touches were doing the exact opposite.

She kissed him. He exploded.

He was shaking! He held her in his arms and she could feel his hold quivering under her. On the mainland, in the boat, as he dragged the boat up the beach, through the path to the house, all the way into the white bedroom Edward shook.

She knew there could be several reasons why. She herself had often shook when she was angry. He could be in shock now that the ordeal was over. Actually, could vampires go into shock? Hell, there could be millions of reasons he was shaking that she would never guess, he wasn't even the same species as she was any more.

As her touch usually calmed him she made sure to smooth her hands down as much as she could of his upper body. The trembling got worse so she ran them down the sides of his face. He let out a sigh. She made sure she didn't think of earlier in the evening, or she would be in as bad a condition as he was, she was sure.

"Hey, I'm ok. Edward, look at me. I'm fine, we are fine. We are safe." His eyes opened and looked at her. Though she knew he had been hunting his eyes were dark and brooding. She kissed him, and he grabbed her and kissed her back, again and again. Their hands became frantic as she pulled at his clothing, not even realising that he had already removed all of hers. They fell onto the bed, a tangle of arms and legs, both of them trying to touch the other in a needy way.

His hand brushed her breast, she gasped, the electric flowed through her, she felt her nipples tightening and an ache settled between her legs that she longed for once to satisfy.

Her own hands weren't idle, she touched his shoulders, his back his waist, his firm cheeks, she squeezed them, knowing that the marble-like body wouldn't give to her pressure. Still, he felt wonderful beneath her hands. He lowered his head and took one of her breasts into his mouth. She stopped thinking.

He folded her into his arms at last. The scum had been thrown into the police station and was even now confessing as if his life depended on it. It did.

He could feel the fast pace of her pulse as her blood pumped around her body, adrenalin making it faster than usual. Faster, richer, tastier… he pushed that thought to the back of his mind, he had only one thing he needed to think about at the moment, because for once the weak, civilised side of him was quiet, HE was in control!

Mine; Mine. Mine; Mine. Her heartbeat seemed to shout to him. The beast was held back from taking her there and then by the slightest of threads. He didn't even let her go as he put her into the motor boat. As the boat roared the faster pulsing of the engine took up the pace, Mine; Mine; Mine; Mine.

He took her from the boat, this was better. They were alone on the island. No one could interfere, no one could touch his mate! It was time he made sure that his mark was on her properly for all to see! Internally he roared at the thought. She was HIS! He knew he had not to frighten her, she was still fragile, {not for long} he thought. Soon his mark would be on her in a way that everyone would be able to see forever!

Something that the weak one's brother had said penetrated his mind. Something about reining in his strength. He didn't want to, he was a vampire and he spent a lot of the time subdued by Edward! But he also knew that if he allowed things to progress as he planned, Bella, his mate, may not survive. He looked at her, so delicate and fragile in her humanity. The choices were clear, stay as he was and risk hurting, or even killing her as her virgin blood spilt or allow the weak one to take over again, and preserve his mate as well as allowing them both completion. He gave up his control and let Edward take command.

Edward held her gently, he could still feel the power of the beast tremble though him. At first his wishes and the beasts had been so close that he had not even realised that he had lost control. It was only when the fear of hurting her flooded him that he knew Bella was in danger, that the beast was ruling his actions. All the passion of the night, the hunt, the worry, the fear exploded when she kissed him. Before he could think at all they were both naked, his hand smoothed over her body, marvelling in the soft, warm skin under his hands. The beast retreated of his own will, not even the wild vampire he hid inside would risk their mate.

Things had gone too far this time, there was no turning back. As he brushed his fingers down her body she arched, pushing herself into him more, the electricity flowed around him, through him, stimulating and arousing. Making sure his sharp teeth were covered he lowered his head and sucked on her breast, his eyes rolled up into his head in sheer pleasure. She tasted wonderful. Her smell was thick in the air and the taste of her on his tongue was divine. His fingers travelled south, to the warm wet area he had been thinking of. He was shocked when his fingers slipped into the heat. She was bare! He knew she hadn't been when she was ill, he clearly remembered catching a glimpse of hair when he had held her in the bath. What on earth had made her do that? The bikini! He groaned, she had been bare all month? He had deliberately avoided looking at her lower body the whole time they had been on the island so it was a shock to him to encounter smooth skin covered in the thick juice her body provided for him. He wasn't sure if he wanted her bare… it wasn't something he had actually given any thought to, if he was honest, he had just expected her to be in a more 'natural' state… but it was up to her in the end, it was her body after all.

Her juice was thick and aromatic, coating her upper thighs and private area. He dipped his fingers into her slightly, then lifted them to his mouth and tasted her. His growl echoed around the room and she pulled on his hair in excited response. He kissed her deeply, his hand returning to below to explore. Every touch he made, made her whimper or gasp in delight, he found her clitoris swollen and eager and he smoothed his fingers around and over it, she panted and tried to dig her fingers into his back, trying to pull his body into the cradle of her thighs. The scent of her sweat filled the air as her arousal heightened, his senses breathed her in. He wanted more, his finger lowered to the warm wet of her vagina and his thumb took over, circling the raised bundle of nerves over and over, as he penetrated her sex for the first time with a part of his body. God she was tight! He would have to be very careful, if his finger filled her like this god help her when his penis was trying to enter. Bella mewled as his mouth once more lowered to her breast. Now he knew what all of her tasted like. There was nothing in the world, not even human blood… not even HER blood… that could compare.

"Slow…" he ran the full length of his thumb gently over her clit from top to bottom and then slowly back up again, she gasped and her eyes opened only to roll back into her head at the sensation and she bit her lip so hard that she broke the skin slightly, her pupils were dilated with pleasure. "…or fast?" he asked as he flicked the button over and over at vampire speed. She tensed at the sensation, probably from overload he reckoned. Her hips moved almost violently against his hand, her back bowed, and her legs shook, she cried out for him to stop, that it was too much, she tried to close her legs, his hand prevented it though as he was caught up in her reactions, he realised he was pushing her too far, too fast, but he could not stop entirely and as he slowed to allow her to catch her breath her whole body convulsed, ripping a cry from her lips, and he realised she had just had her first waking orgasm. She had confessed to Esme, Rose and Alice one night as they had tortured her with make-up and things that she didn't masturbate. He was pleased that she, like him, had saved herself and he was proud to have given her such pleasure. She smiled dreamily at him and he knew he was forgiven for not stopping when she asked him to, though he did feel slightly ashamed that he hadn't.

She pulled him towards her, wanting that completion that he knew she could only get from him, her mate. Her small warm hand wrapped around him and he almost came right there. The sheer heat of her! Her fingers tentatively explored his flesh as he held himself rigid above her. Terrified to thrust the way he wanted to in case he broke her hand or something. She was testing his self control to the limit though, her fingers were so soft and warm and gripped him so lightly, he needed more, tighter, harder, faster, his whole body was compressed with the inner pressure only she could relieve.

Venom leaked out of him, she caught it with her thumb as she brushed his head, and like he had before she raised it to her mouth. She gave a purr of delight at the taste, he growled in response. He had never known anything as sexy as Bella was at that second. She kept her eyes fixed on his as she lowered her hand again, but he grabbed her before she could touch him and moved fully into the cradle of her thighs. His cock needed no guidance, it was like a missile programmed to hit. There was no fumbling as he moved into her, just a slow, hot, wet sensation that made his whole body clench even more. SO hot! She almost scalded him with the heat. His stone skin pushed into her, lubricated by her own body. Her fingers gripped his shoulders in what could have been a painful way if he was human, whimpers of distress sounded as he continued to penetrate. He could feel her stretch around him and then he felt it. The barrier, her purity.

She cried out loud in pain as he finally pierced the membrane that guarded her. He could not stop though, pushing right to the limit of her body. He pulled out almost leaving her, and looked down at her face, tears ran from the corners of her eyes, and sweat stood out on her forehead, but she smiled wanly at him and nodded. Emmett's voice intruded on his conscience and he paused just before he had been going to thrust right back into her depths.

"I hurt Rose and she's a vampire, how much more fragile is Bella?" It took everything he had, but he reined in his strength as he seated himself fully into her once more. The scent of her blood filled the air from where he had torn her, mixing with her arousal, but rather than making his bloodlust roar, it just made him move inside her deeper, faster, but not too strongly.

He was beyond speaking, he could feel a rumbling growl sounding from him, as he lowered his head so that he could smell her deeply in the junction of her neck and shoulder. She cried out again, this time in pleasure, her hands gripping his body to hers as he thrust into her over and over, the feeling was more than he could ever have imagined, the heat and warmth pressed all around him, the ring of muscles pulsed up and down his length, stimulating him so much he could not think, he could only move. He pumped into her like a piston in an engine. He could feel her tightening again, her back bowed and her nipples hardened even more, if that were possible, the electricity flowed. The connection was complete at last. He didn't know where he ended and she started. The small nipples on his chest touched hers as they moved, it was like what happened when electricity arced between two wires, he could almost smell the ozone discharge in the room as their lust rose and rose. No longer was he Edward, she was not Bella. They were Mates, they were one. That was all and that was enough to satisfy even his darker self.

His inner beast roared in satisfaction as he felt the tightening in his lower stomach and balls, he shook his head, trying to keep his beast under control. Bella's mouth was open, she was panting, trying to keep up with his movements as he pushed them both to orgasm. He kissed her deeply, she bit his lip and he roared again, "grab anything in reach, but NOT Bella!"

His hands rose and grabbed the headboard, the wood cracked as he gripped it tightly, his toes dug into the mattress and he felt the material give way. The electricity flowed through him, down his spine, into his balls, into his cock and through into his mate. The bed shook, the room shook, hell, the world shook, as he took his mate and she took him, an overwhelming urge to bite suddenly came over him and he lowered his face into her neck, he bit.