Song Credit: Turn! Turn! Turn! Artist – The Byrds. Producer – Terry Melcher. Album – Turn! Turn! Turn!. Label: Columbia released in 1965.
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
The Byrds
As we checked into the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle later that month, I relived the bargaining between Rose and Henry that had brought us to this place.
"I don't want a party, momma. It's not like we know when my true birthday is, anyway. Nessie got to tell Aunt Alice how she wanted her birthday done, and I want the same privilege. I'd like to go to Seattle to see the city, then a trip to Denali to see the cousins, if they don't mind. If you insist on buying me a present, then I want a remote control car like Aunt Alice received for Valentine's Day and nothing else. Nessie and I could have races, then." Henry stared at Rose, insistent on his plan.
"Henry, honey, it's your first birthday and I can't help but want to do something special." Rose glared back.
"Who is the birthday party for, anyway? Is it for the person celebrating, or for the people who are planning the celebration?" He parried.
"It's for everyone. And your birth is an important event for this family to celebrate. Are you going to look at your grandmother and grandfather and tell them that their desire to celebrate your birth is unjustified?"
Rose had pulled out the big guns with that statement, but the negotiations had continued for another hour between Rose and Henry, while the rest of the family sat watching; heads bobbing back and forth like spectators at a tennis match. In the end, they had both persevered; Henry got his trip and the family got to shower him with gifts.
We were in Seattle for the weekend to "see the city." Jacob, Seth, Charlie, and Sue would be heading back to Forks at the end of the weekend while the rest of us were flying to Denali. Rose and Alice had planned a birthday party for Henry via Tanya and Kate. Carlisle had promised to work multiple midnight shifts to get another couple of days off.
Alice had seen overcast days for the weekend, so Henry had planned a trip to the Museum of Flight and the Space Needle for the first day, and the Underground Tour for the evening. The next morning, we would "Ride the Ducks" on a tour of Seattle before heading out to the airport to fly to Denali. This would be Emmett's inaugural flight in his new plane. Afraid that Carlisle would change his mind, Emmett had opted to buy a used Gulfstream G550, almost identical to the one we had utilized to return from Italy, rather than wait on the long list to have one commissioned. He hadn't seen the plane in person yet (having used an agent through OneSky to purchase it), and he was worse than the kids at Christmas waiting to see his new baby.
Rose and Alice had arranged for our family to occupy suites next to one another. We took up almost the whole floor; reserving seven units. As we unpacked what would be needed for the two days, Henry bounced enthusiastically between the rooms, urging us to hurry. Nessie quickly joined him. They reminded me of Fang when he became excited and I wondered if Sam was faring well with the dog. Fang had looked disgruntled to be dropped off and left behind, and he had a tendency to be a tad destructive when he was unhappy. I was hoping that he would target Jacob's stuff if the mood struck him.
We met in Esme and Carlisle's room to begin the day's journey. As we drove across the city, Emmett became so boisterous that we could clearly hear him from the car behind. Though the football season had just concluded, he and Jasper were arguing about the Seattle Seahawks. They had differing opinions on what should be done with the team for the next year. Anna brought the conversation to a feverish pitch when she suggested they just trade the whole team and start over. She was a Chicago Bears fan and egged Emmett on with her observations. I heard Carlisle chuckling when little Anna didn't back down from Emmett. When we arrived at our first stop, however, the jovial atmosphere in the cars disappeared. We sat in silence, waiting for Henry to give us the okay. Through Rose's thoughts, I saw him look up at her and smile sadly. "I'm ready, momma, whenever you are."
We unloaded silently, following Rose and Henry as they made their way across the cemetery grounds holding hands. Carlisle had arranged for Lucy's burial as soon as her body had been released from the coroner's office. The detectives had contacted Lucy's family, but they had declined to be involved in any of her arrangements. It was our assumption that her rebellion had severed the ties. Carlisle couldn't bear for the then infant Henry's mother to be buried in a pauper's grave, so he had anonymously donated the funds to have her buried in a perpetual care cemetery, not too far from where we would be living in a few months. Jasper had Jenks track down where her burial plot was located, and Esme had arranged flowers to be regularly delivered. Henry carried a dozen scarlet red roses as he made his way across the snow and grass for the first time.
Rose stopped beside him, and the family formed a half circle behind her and Henry. A simple marker sat in the ground with Lucy's name, birth date, and estimated date of death.
"February 1st. It seems as good a birthday as any other." Henry's small voice carried across the silent space.
He went to his knees and placed the roses in the submerged vase created in the foot marker, leaving his hand on the plaque.
"I know it seems silly to speak with you here," Henry started speaking without prompting, "because it's only your body that rests in this place, but I want you to know that I'm okay. I have a good mother, father, and family who love me. They'll make sure that I grow up to be a good person, and that I never forget you and the sacrifice you made to bring me into this world. I just wanted you to know so that you don't worry about me."
Anna was obviously overwhelmed by the emotions Henry was expressing and the pain of her own losses. Bella wriggled from my arms to go over and wrap her arms around our newest family member. Realizing once again just how many deaths this family had experienced in the past year, I looked to make sure that Jacob was okay and went over to stand beside him, noticing the tears pouring down his face. He acknowledged my presence by bumping my shoulder.
"My momma doesn't want to take your place; she just wants to be my mom too. I hope you can see us, see her, and the way she makes me feel. My dad, well he is a big teddy bear, and although he can be gruff at times, he'll always be there for me; no matter what mistakes I make. I have a ton of aunts and uncles and a cousin to keep me company."
The rest of us stood silently; overwhelmed by the conversation that Henry had decided to carry on with his mother.
"And I want you to know. One day, I will find my real father. And I will make him pay for what he did to you, leaving you to die alone."
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, having heard Henry's declaration in his thoughts just seconds before he spoke. I felt Jacob shiver at the declaration. Jasper turned to me. "Oh dear God. He means every word of that Edward." I stared at Jasper's horrified face and then turned to find Carlisle's eyes looking to me as well. "We have a problem."
Yeah, what a major understatement. I saw Emmett's arms locked around Rose in reaction. His thoughts were going in a million different directions.
Henry unknowingly continued as our silent communication occurred. "We'll be moving near here soon, so I'll be able to come back more often. In the meantime, I love you. Always believe that."
Henry stood to his feet and grasped Rose's hand. He stepped into her side, leaning slightly against her. The family remained frozen for a few moments in reaction to what we had just heard. Jacob saved the day, breaking through the shock first.
"Henry, I think she'd be proud to know that you think of her, but I'm not sure that she would want revenge," he attempted to rationalize.
Henry turned to Jacob and solemnly stated, "Whoever he is, wherever he is… he will understand what he did to her. And the worry I know he puts Momma through everyday. Revenge is one thing, Uncle Jacob. Justice is another."
Damn. He was entirely too perceptive. Rose lead Henry away from the grave and we made our way back toward the cars. Even Charlie's face reflected the strain, as he and Sue held Nessie's hands.
We loaded up and started toward the Flight museum. I thought that the mood would be sullen, but Emmett was always quick to recover, and everyone followed his lead. It wasn't that he didn't take anything seriously; he was just ready to live in the moment and only focus on what he could take care of at that time. He just didn't "borrow trouble", as my mother would say, and he firmly believed that everything would work out. Emmett spent hours talking to Henry and Nessie about the history of the planes at the museum. The tour guide finally left us alone after realizing just how expansive Emmett's knowledge of planes was (plus the fact that he was embarrassed several times when Emmett corrected him).
The Space Needle was another experience altogether. It turned out that Charlie was afraid of heights, and literally turned green when we made it to the top. I left everyone else at the viewing stations and led a very queasy Charlie back down to the bottom level. He was extremely embarrassed when I handed him the brown paper bag "just in case."
"Charlie, I've watched your daughter vomit. You won't bother me." And then just for fun I added, "Unless there is too much blood in it."
He rolled his eyes and laid his head back against the wall behind us.
"I can get you some ice. It always made Bella feel better to have me beside her when she was sick."
Charlie stilled beside me and then I realized just what I had said. Crap!
"You know; just when I start to like you, you open that 'Oh so proper' mouth of yours and remind me of just how much I wished I could kill you at times," he mumbled. "Want to tell me just how many times you snuck in my house?"
I moaned and he chuckled under his breath. "I guess I knew better than to leave that tree standing but, now that I think about it, it wouldn't have stopped you anyway."
"Charlie, I swear to you that we didn't do anything more improper than kiss."
"Huh! I know that now, but you're still avoiding my question," he said, then waited.
He was good with silence. I bet humans broke down during interrogations with him.
"Edward?"
Perfection. Just the right amount of authority and parental concern to raise every ounce of guilt I'd ever felt. I heard the group approaching and hoped I could postpone just long enough for them to get here: surely he would forget about it before we were alone the next time.
"Won't work; I'll just ask in front of your mom, dad, and family. I bet Jacob will tell me," he threatened.
Charlie chuckled when I blurted out, "Hey, the dog did it, too."
I took a deep breath realizing I wasn't going to get out of telling him the truth, regardless of how much I wanted to. "Charlie, I could give you the answers by days, hours, and minutes. But to be truly candid, it would probably be shorter to just tell you how many nights I didn't stay there."
He frowned at me, and just before the group stood before us he privately sent me a disheartening message. Don't worry. Your time is coming. It'll take us both to keep Jacob away from Renesmee. I just might enjoy the look on your face when you figure out the first time that they've been sneaking around.
My own snarling response to his observation caused the family to look at us in puzzlement.
"Charlie's just… enlightening me," I explained, badly.
The underground tour proved to be interesting. I paid to have it private for the family. Most of the information given on the tour centered on how the city shut the underground down in fear of the plague, as well as the rumors of gambling halls, prostitution, and illicit drug dens. The tour guide was very entertaining, and in true form for such businesses, expounded on the fact to generate fiction. When "Dan" intimated that we should stay together as a group and not dally due to sightings of vampires and rumors of people disappearing in the underground, Alice, looking around frantically, squealed in horror and jumped into Jasper's arms. I thought Jasper was going to lose it. "Bring 'em on," Jacob and Seth mumble under Alice's squeals. Sue swatted them both on the back of the head. We came out of the tour laughing hilariously at Jacob and Seth being chastised by a woman who barely hit them mid torso.
Back at the hotel, Bella cornered me in the hallway to ask what had occurred between her father and me. When I told her, she started laughing. I was shocked, expecting horror from her at the very least.
"Did he turn purple?" she asked.
I replayed the moment in my head. "No, he just growled a little at me while he kept his head resting against the wall."
"Then you need to know that he wasn't that surprised. He was probably more shocked that you told him the truth so quickly."
Still chuckling, she grabbed my T-shirt and pulled me into Carlisle and Esme's room where we were all gathering. I groaned when I heard Alice's plan; she had spoken to the siblings and railroaded them into a night of clubbing. As usual, Carlisle and Esme were prepared to stay and babysit, but Sue threw out another option.
"Go out with the kids, and we'll stay here with Henry and Nessie. We'll be asleep early anyway. There's no reason for the two of you to sit around a hotel room, when you could go out and have fun."
Carlisle started to argue, but I caught his eyes. New beginnings I stated silently in my head. I knew he couldn't "hear" me, but my silent challenge was received nonetheless. He looked to Esme and she shrugged her shoulders.
Alice squealed and grabbed Esme by the arm. "C'mon, Esme. I have just the right outfit for you. Carlisle, I'll send something over to you by Jasper." Esme looked slightly lost as Alice pulled her out of the room.
Sue looked to Seth, "I'm certain you have a fake ID. Have a good time, but no drinking." She rolled her eyes at Seth's guilty face, and then looked around the room at the rest of us. "I hold you responsible for him coming home as sober as he is now."
I noticed she didn't say anything about worrying about him. I guess that was a benefit of having a son who could transform into a giant wolf.
Bella told me that Alice had already planned for the evening, and had told the girls to bring the appropriate clothes for themselves and mates. She didn't help my concentration as she pulled her clothes off and pulled on her outfit; a black "thing" that she called a skirt; a backless shirt made of gold material that came down in a deep V in the front; and high heels with crisscrossing leather straps that climbed up her calves. She threatened to spill out of the ensemble with even a moderate breath.
"Where's the rest of it?" I croaked out through the venom in my throat.
Bella looked down, puzzled, as if to see if something was missing. "This is my outfit, Edward."
"Over my dead body," I vowed.
She turned and gave me a smoldering look. "That can be arranged. See? The skirt just has to be pushed up a little, and I can let these go," she said, pushing up the flap of fabric that she called a skirt and hooking her finger around the tops of the lace underwear she had on.
"So you see, with just a few small maneuvers, this outfit could be over your dead body, with me still in it, of course," she finished with a seductive leer, smoothing the black material back down.
I started to grab for her, but was stopped by Alice mental snarling. Edward, really! It's nothing different than what everyone else wears, and your mother has just entered the room. Behave! And compliment Esme as well; she is extremely nervous.
I took a deep breath, attempting to ignore Bella's knowing smirk and turned toward my pixie sister. Esme stood next to Alice, in an outfit similar to Bella's, and she looked "smoking" as Emmett would say. This was my mother; what was Alice thinking? Then I saw the wariness and vulnerable look on Esme's face. I schooled my features and walked over to her.
"Esme, you look beautiful. In fact, stunning would be a better description." I said, taking her hand and bringing it to my lips. "I don't think Carlisle is going to know what hit him."
She smiled at me, "I'm not sure I know what hit me."
I smirked at her, picturing her in the various styles of dresses from over the many years we had spent together.
"You've always been beautiful. I'm just not sure I've ever seen you with this much beauty displayed."
Alice hissed at me from the side. Esme just grinned wider and said, "She honestly thinks I'm going go out like this. I told her that we would just see if it passed the doctor's examination."
"We'll see," I told her softly
She crinkled her nose at me adorably as we turned to go meet everyone. I could hear Jacob's loud laugh coming from the room and heard Emmett respond. Nessie and Henry were chattering about how they were going to miss all the fun. As we entered, Sue exclaimed, "Here they are, so now you can all get going and enjoy your evening."
Carlisle stood from where he had been resting on the arm of the sofa and turned toward us. I didn't know whose metamorphosis was more amazing, his or Esme's. Without the trappings of his conventional clothes, dressed in what Alice considered appropriate clubbing attire, Carlisle didn't look any older than Emmett or Jasper. It was easy to forget sometimes that he and Esme were both changed at just a few years older than me.
The hair had to go, though. It was still styled in the traditional, "I am doctor, hear me roar" look. Walking over to him as he continued to stare at Esme, I put my fingers in his hair and destroyed the careful styling. Now he looked as disheveled as I did.
"Perfect," Alice announced as she started pulling Jasper toward the door. "Charlie, Sue… hugs and kisses. Henry and Nessie, be good. Don't wait up," she giggled.
Carlisle finally moved, taking a half a step forward toward Esme, "Where's the rest…"
"Don't go there," I interrupted. "I almost had my head ripped off by the evil fairy for muttering the same thoughts."
Jacob went over to place a kiss on Nessie's head as Alice grabbed the wraps that Jasper had been holding for the five girls. I was so astounded by Bella and Esme's outfits that I hadn't noticed what he had been carrying. Luckily, the wraps covered everything but Bella's legs. I was wondering if I could convince her to just wear it the whole evening when I heard Carlisle thinking the same thing about Esme. Jasper and Emmett on the other hand were only thinking about how incredibly sexy their wives were going to be, dancing in the outfits. I guess this was just another lesson Carlisle and I were going to have to learn.
A limousine met us at the door of the hotel. Looking at Alice, I asked, "Just exactly how did you have the time to arrange all this?"
She giggled and leaned over to whisper into my ear, "Before Jacob and Seth decided to go, I saw us partying together." She winked up at me. "Even Carlisle and Esme. It's going to be an interesting evening. Well, as long as it didn't change," she frowned, still slightly annoyed with her lack of clarity when the wolves were involved.
As the doorman began to close the door, he said, "Have a nice time, but be careful; Seattle can be a dangerous place at night."
Jacob muttered, "Yeah, we'll be real careful. We all want to come back in one piece."
Emmett, Jasper, and Seth laughed, enjoying Jacob's subversive humor. I looked over at Jasper, wondering if he was comfortable with being put in this position, and glad that we had hunted the night before leaving Forks. His eyes were still gold, with no hints of black, and he seemed relaxed; already imagining getting Alice on the dance floor. The past year had been a respite for him, with the family avoiding close human contact except for the necessities such as the airplane rides (and even on those Alice had chosen ones that had been almost empty).
He sensed my concern and looked my way. He smiled a crooked grin. I'm fine. Seriously, having the wolves around helps make the smell of the blood less appealing, almost diluting it. I thought when we brought Anna on board that I would finally get my wish of not being the loose cannon, but look at her. It's like she was born to live this life as well. Not one hint of weakening since she gave it up. Like it was nothing. It's just not fair.
I chuckled, enjoying his discomfort, and he narrowed his eyes at me. At the same moment, Bella wiggled on my lap, turning around to speak with Rose and Esme. The heat of her bare skin on my jean-encased legs instantaneously distracted me. A few more inches forward and she would be on top of me, with only a thin piece of silk and my jeans separating us. I was hit with a wave of lust so strong that I swore my eyes crossed, and it was all I could do to keep from ravishing her in front of everyone. My hands clamped down on her arms to keep her from wriggling any further and I threw Jasper a menacing look. Bella looked down into my face, concerned about my reaction, and then gave me a naughty smile when she figured out the problem. I wasn't going to make it through the night without embarrassing myself.
We unloaded at the club that Alice had selected and walked through the door after presenting IDs. The group heckled Jacob after he presented his and the bouncer said, "Thank you, Mr. Wolfe." Jacob shrugged his shoulders and said, "Bella provided a perfectly good ID and I saw no reason to mess with perfection."
His broad grin cut through his russet face, and I was bombarded by the reactions that many of the female patrons had to seeing him. In fact, I was practically overwhelmed with reactions from both sexes as our group made its entrance. The females had already calculated that there was at least one unattached male, assuming that Anna was with someone, and half of the club was speculating as to which of us was the available one
Rose attempted to flirt with the male waiter to obtain a table where we could all sit together. When that didn't work, Emmett pulled her to the side and grinned appealingly. The waiter's eyes traveled up Emmett's bulging arms and across his chest before settling lower. He stammered and blushed up at Emmett, "Right this way."
Jasper leaned over to Rose and said at a volume only our family could've heard, "Sorry, babe, but you're not his type." She backhanded him in the stomach, and the rest of the family snickered. The waiter led us to a table on the second level that overlooked a good portion of the dance floor. He specifically told Emmett, "If there is anything further I can do, just let me know," and then turned to leave with one final appreciative glance.
Rose looked at Carlisle and I read that she was a little embarrassed that the freedom we as siblings had established on such adventures was being used in front of him. In the past, I had always been the odd man out, the brunt of all the sexual jokes, set ups, and connotations. I grinned now, realizing that Jacob and Seth would now be taking my place in that particular hot seat.
I could sense my siblings' uncertainty with regards to Carlisle. Why they continued to be delusional about his sexuality was beyond me. They lived with him, heard him and Esme in the bedroom. I'd inadvertently seen enough to know that believing him to be a repressed individual was the epitome of naiveté. He was just well mannered enough that he didn't throw his and Esme's relationship in anyone's faces; well, except Alice's and mine. Such was the luck of living with vampires like us.
We ordered a round of drinks, and promptly began pouring them into the plants around us when we knew we weren't being observed, which was actually proving difficult. Seth and Jacob started drinking cokes. Alice jumped up and took Jasper to the dance floor within a few minutes. Rose and Emmett followed. Bella eyed me, and I leaned over and said, "Take Jacob and get Anna to take Seth. I want to talk with Carlisle for a moment."
Bella did even better than that; she also grabbed Esme and forced her onto the dance floor. Carlisle took in the movement, specifically those of my siblings, and shook his head. "This is considered dancing?"
I chuckled. "This generation's version, at least."
"If I didn't know any better, I would believe they're having sex out there."
"Don't look too close; they may be."
He shook his head and started laughing, and then his humor was abruptly cut short. I followed his gaze, already seeing the scene in his mind. Alice and Rose where showing Esme several grinding moves, spooning her body between theirs to produce the movement. His eyes weren't the only ones fixated on the threesome. I heard his soft growling.
Bella grinned over at them from where she was twisting her body around Jacob. If I hadn't known the true nature of their affections, I would have assumed they were lovers the way they were moving around each other. I probably should have been more jealous, but I was actually enjoying the view of Bella's body from afar. I wasn't worried about Jacob. He had once tried to explain just how imprinting changed sexual attraction. His attempts had been inadequate, so he finally resorted to just showing me Quil's description. I can't imagine. I just don't… see anyone that way. I don't notice girls anymore, you know. I don't see their faces. I understood more than he knew, since no one had sparked my interest before Bella. You could recognize an appealing face or body, but the emotions or feelings just weren't attached. Jacob was simply having a good time out on the dance floor with Bella.
Seth was in an entirely different situation. While not attracted to Anna, with whom he was dancing, he was most definitely aware of some of the other bodies undulating just inches from him. He was a healthy sixteen-year-old, after all. I wondered what some of the women eyeing his body would think if they knew their thoughts were technically illegal. Far be it for me to stop Seth from having fun; he had his own decisions to make in life. For now, he was deciding to enjoy the "accidental" sway of their bodies against him in the mix.
Just then, a voice came from behind us. I'd heard her thoughts as she approached and had prepared to handle the situation. Then I realized she'd pegged Carlisle as being more approachable.
"Um… excuse me, but my friends and I over there wanted to know if you or your brother are available," the leggy blonde asked Carlisle, looking between he and I.
I started to snort at the look on Carlisle's face, but I held back. He exuded charm as he looked first to her and then to the table where several of the women were eyeing us. He smiled at them, and I could hear their heartbeats increase.
"No, I'm sorry, we're married."
The girl became flustered, thinking that Carlisle meant that he and I were a couple. I could see that he didn't realize the connotation of his wording. But then she grinned and said, "Well I guess that counts us out, but our friends over at the other table will probably want to know if you swing." She was indicating another group, of men this time, who were eyeing Carlisle and I just as obviously.
Before Carlisle could embarrass us any further by responding that he did, of course referring to the dance style, and not what the girl was meaning, I spoke up. "What he meant to say is that we are married to the two women who were just beside us." I followed up by nodding toward the group.
"So I'm assuming that one of the other guys is here without someone?"
Taken in by our camouflage, she didn't particularly care which one of us it was. Actually two were but I wasn't about to harass Jacob in that way. I couldn't put aside that he was in fact already taken. Hearing her thoughts, and that she really wasn't looking for anything other than a dance partner, I decided to make Seth's night. Taking a good look at her I decided she was quite stunning, and Seth would just owe me for this one.
"The shorter, dark skinned one," I said, mentally laughing at calling Seth's six foot four frame short, but in comparison to Jacob he was. "His name is Seth, and our friend won't mind if you cut in."
"So she's single, as well?" she followed up, her mind already calculating the possibilities for her friends.
"Yes, but straight." I was attempting to ignore the stunned expression on Carlisle's face. I was afraid I would insult the young lady by laughing.
"Very good. But if your wives don't mind, I'm sure some of our group would love to dance," she said as she grinned and turned to go back over to the group to impart her news. She had already decided to reserve Seth for herself. She was going to disappoint some of her girl friends and make several guys happy with the news about Anna.
Carlisle's bewildered face was amusing. "Is everyone so forward? I feel like I was just interrogated. Perhaps we should have just worn a sign with our statistics," he murmured.
His thoughts did present an amusing picture. "That's what you get for not coming out with us before. I don't know why it's taken you so long, now that I think about it. You and Esme look as young as the rest of us, especially dressed the way you are. I think we'll just have to make this a tradition from now on."
He looked to the dance floor in doubt. "I'm not so sure about that, Edward. I understand the nuances of real dancing. This, well …"
I quick memory of Carlisle and Esme entangled flashed through my mind, and I decided to intervene. "Carlisle, you can't expect me to take risks if you aren't going to attempt some of your own. Come on, let's go join the others. I think you'll get the hang of it just fine … let your instincts take over, and let go of the man."
Carlisle begrudgingly walked with me to the floor. Esme grabbed him and spun into the crowd. I sensed that Jessica, the blond, had followed us and saw Seth's startled expression when she called him by name. I quirked my eyebrow at him as Bella grabbed my hips from behind. Anna danced over to Jacob, leaving Seth with his new dance partner. I thought of Seth for bare seconds before the feel of Bella's breast rubbing against my back robbed me of any other priorities.
I grabbed Bella's arm and pulled her around to my front so that I could bring her tight against me. Aided by the access afforded by the skirt, I pushed my leg between hers. The contact made us both groan because I could feel the heat and wetness through the thin layer of silk. She put her hands to my face and pushed her shield aside, letting me hear how the friction of her against my leg was bringing her to the edge already. I growled down at her as she took the opportunity to release my face and rake her nails across my nipples, adding to the pleasure.
"Turn about is fair play," she said, flipping to put her bottom against me. She took my arm and wrapped it around her waist, ensuring that there was no space between her and me as we continued to move. "Ah… nice," she said as she rubbed her butt against me. Her words blurred in my head and I found my lips and teeth already attached at the curve of her neck before I was even cognizant of moving. The fine vibrations of her sigh increased the venom in my mouth as if her skin was begging me to increase the pressure.
Jasper utilized my distraction to smack me from behind. "Calm down, cowboy. We just got here."
The distraction was enough to release Bella's emotional hold on me, marginally. I pried my lips away from her neck and leaned up to whisper in her ear. "Fair play, huh? We'll see if you're screaming that later."
When I flipped her back around and jerked our bodies together, I could see that her eyes had gone black… much, much better. I grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her. Holding her hands in one of mine I used the other to cup the back of her head and lifted her to kiss while I continued to move our bodies to the music. I heard Alice's tinkling laughter and her direction to Jasper to separate us. I couldn't help but smirk when I felt Bella pulled from my arms and saw my little sister instead in front of me.
She tapped her head and said, "Saw what was about to happen, and you aren't ending the night that quickly." She picked up in the dancing so rapidly that a human wouldn't realize that the exchange was anything other than a dance maneuver. I took a deep breath and calmed the monster. Alice grinned up at me as I began repeating the same dance moves with her body, just with much more space between us.
Hearing Esme's distinctive giggle a little later, I searched and located Carlisle and Esme through the crowd. His face reflected a lack of control as well, the seductive nature of the dance finally having connected with his desire. Esme had her mouth at his throat, and her hands twisted in his hair, making it even more disarrayed than I had. I spun Alice so that she could see the fruit of her handiwork.
She hissed for a moment and I could hear her anger. "Leave them alone. He needs to let down his hair for once."
She responded back, "I'm not worried about his hair, she seems to be keeping that under control, it's his hands I'm worried about."
I could see one of Carlisle's hands grabbing Esme's butt, but a quick glimpse at his mind told me where the other one was.
Alice hissed when she heard suspicious moaning coming from Esme. I spun Alice back around quickly in response, "Yeah, you don't want to know."
"Edward Cullen, I'm not mad that they're doing that. Actually I'm quite tickled. I'm mad that Carlisle is trying to control it. Damn Cullen men."
I grabbed her hands, bringing them over my shoulders to keep her from flying over to them. "Leave them alone, little sis. At this point, it would be more embarrassing than fruitful."
"Nope, not gonna."
She pulled from my arms and grabbed Bella as well and started toward them. I was left dancing with Jasper. Emmett and Rose were just to our side. What the hell, half the people had already envisioned it anyway. Jasper cracked a smile and looked at me. Definitely breaking out of your shell here, Edward. Last time Emmett tried to get you out on the floor with him, you about ripped his arm off.
Before Bella and Alice even made it ten feet through the crowd, I heard Emmett say DAMN! Get a load of Esme.
Esme had taken control of the situation, without Alice's help. When they had started the dance, Carlisle had clearly been on the leading side. As he caught on to the mood of the music and the crowd, he had become more aggressive. But somewhere along the way, Esme had turned the tables. I saw through the collective visions that we were all watching them while continuing our own dancing. And if Emmett touched my ass one more time, I was going to rip his arm off.
Esme was straddling Carlisle's leg, reminiscent of the move that had about sent me over the edge with Bella. She was moving her hips in rhythm with him. Carlisle's face was frozen in severe planes as he stared in lust at her lips, as they started traveling down his body. As she slowly worked her way down his abdomen, she continued swaying against him to the loud beat. Her hands slid across his hips and down his legs as she kissed direct across the front of his jeans and down the inside of his thigh.
When she reached the squatting position, she spun quickly, pressing her back against him and started slowly back up. Rubbing herself erotically against him, she dropped her arms so that she could use them to brush the back of his legs as she rose. The strength of her legs let her do this in slow excruciating movements, never once slowing the grind of her body. I heard many male thoughts fly through the room about what it would feel like to have her legs wrapped around them. For a moment, my anger problems re-surfaced, and I wondered if I should just kill them all, but then I realized that Esme was having too much fun. She could care less what her moves were doing to anyone other than Carlisle.
When Esme reached her full height, she raised her arms above her head, moving them gracefully. It was a calculated move to emphasize to Carlisle just how little covering the top offered. It worked. Our group heard Carlisle's rumbling growls from across the room. About that time, I felt my own torture press her body against my back as she returned from her aborted rescue mission. When I turned to grab her, Rose stepped in front of me instead, and Emmett snatched Bella. Rose threw me an arched look, and I nodded, acknowledging the royal princess. She smacked my shoulder and slid in front of my body so that we could continue our voyeurism on Carlisle and Esme.
Esme continued her seduction by sensually arching her body around to press up against Carlisle's back. Placing one of her small hands on his hips she continued to sway while the other hand roamed under his shirt to brush the muscles of his stomach. Carlisle's eyes slanted from the pleasure and turned black.
"Five minutes," Emmett whispered.
Rose looked over her shoulder causing her hair to tickle my face. "I'm giving it three."
I heard Jacob's deep voice rumbled from where he was dancing with Anna again. "Give the Doc credit, I give him at least another ten." Then he squeaked out as he saw Esme lean up and bite Carlisle's shoulder none too gently, "Scratch that. I'm with Rose; I give it less than five."
Alice was uncharacteristically quiet because of Jacob and Seth's interference. Of all people, Seth got it right, as he continued to move his hands across Jessica, barely even glancing toward Carlisle and Esme. He started counting, "5, 4 , 3 , 2, " and at the pop of "1" Carlisle spun around and slung Esme over his shoulder, heading quickly out the back door. Within a second, we heard sounds on the roof that would have been imperceptible to humans, but were quite clear to us. I was hoping that Alice had thought to bring more clothes in the limo; otherwise it was going to be an interesting trip back to the hotel for Carlisle. Esme had ripped the clothes right off of him as she straddled him on the roof.
We left Esme and Carlisle to their own little world, but continued to swap around dance partners for the next several hours as we took turns sitting at the table and occupying the dance floor. I noticed throughout the night that Emmett and Anna paired together often for dancing. I was glad that he was, in his mind, "helping her to have a good time." The lovely Jessica ended up being partnered with me at one point, and I realized that, unlike the other times I had come dancing with the siblings, now I could let my guard down a little. Being taken did have it benefits. I smiled at her and saw her pupils dilate and was immediately grateful the music was too loud to allow conversation with a human. By the next song, I was able to pass her back off to Seth, leaving me partnered with Bella again.
The music being played was definitely representative of a spectrum of tastes and Lenny Kravitz's American Woman started playing. It was slower than the crazy hypnotic beat that had been playing but definitely had a hard dance rhythm. Bella's smile should have warned me. As the chords of the electric guitar created the thrust of the song, Bella wrapped her arms around my neck plastering her body to me.
"So, where were we, when the pixie so rudely interrupted us?" she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear.
"I don't know about you, but I was about to do what Carlisle did," I said, leaning over to nibble on her ear lobe.
She brought her hips against me during one the downbeats of the song quite wildly. Running one of my hands up the bare skin of her side, I made use of the flimsy nature of the top. I heard her breathy gasp, her hands clenching into my hair. Not be outdone, she loosened one hand and slid it down my chest, and between our hips. Now, the sounds were coming from me as I wrapped my other arm around her back, bringing her to my lips. The smell and her response, the feel of our bodies moving to the beat …
"Edward, take her outside," Jacob's exasperated voice barely broke through the waves.
The next thing I registered was Bella's back against a brick wall in the alley, her silk underwear in shreds, her legs wrapped around me, and the heat of her mouth and body. She reached up and put a hand across my mouth to keep me from exposing us as I roared my pleasure. I felt the shivers of her body as she laid her head on my shoulder in her own aftermath. She giggled softly. "Edward, I would have laughed if you'd ever told me that we would have sex in an alley."
"Not the most gentlemanly way of doing things," I admitted, but couldn't dredge up an ounce of regret as I slowly lowered her legs so that she could stand. "Don't get rid of that skirt, please. I've suddenly become very fond of it."
She shook her head at me and then helped me to straighten my shirt and jeans. "You know, Alice is going to make some comment about being proud of you. And Emmett will find something to say."
"Maybe, but first I need to find Carlisle some pants and a shirt."
We both heard his soft "Thank you" from above us, and laughed.
As I watched our group dancing from our table later that evening, seeing each laughing face through the strobing lights, I realized that we were all facing different seasons in our lives. As so often happened with me, I related events in my life to music. As the Grunge music from the club blared, a simpler song emerged in my head. As the lyrics for one of my favorite songs from the 60's, Turn, Turn, Turn, ran through my mind, I saw each person.
Sam and Emily's glowing faces; a time to be born. Billy's grave face as he spoke to me the last evening of his life, and Renee's collapse; a time to die. A time to heal brought to mind Bella's face in the moonlight at the spring. Alice's tinkling laugh reminded of the time to laugh. Jacob's tears falling as he heard Henry speak; a time to weep. Rose's face as she looked at Emmett and Henry - and Charlie and Sue as they looked at each other - a time to build. Carlisle's nervousness at stepping out of his comfort zone to try the new beginnings; a time to break down. A time to dance - Seth; a time to mourn - Anna. Esme and Emmett were experiencing a time to love, and Jasper a time of peace. I thought of a time to embrace as I imagined the way in which Nessie accepted all those around her. And for me - well it was a time for every purpose. But the one that stood out the most clearly - Henry's solemn promise at the graveside this afternoon - a time to hate.
Turn, Turn, Turn has been done by numerous artists throughout the years from the original, to alternative, country, and rock - as well as several haunting versions in regards to the events of 911 (although I'm not supporting an anti-war campaign - my brother was in the Pentagon when the plane hit and I still have nightmares) - look through UTube, you'll probably find one you'll enjoy.
I've added two new outtakes on Harvest Moons. One deals with the Santa Outfit that Alice gave Bella. The other - the bet made at the end of Chapter 36: Value between Carlisle and the boys. Hope you enjoy if you go over to read them.
Check out hopeforastalemate's story Breaking!! Interesting twist on breaking Carlisle.
To two of the best Betas in the world:
CullenFest - for her patience with me and my anxiety about writing. She has encouraged me to continue to write even when I've felt like giving up. Check out her stories here on Fan Fiction.
Crmcneill - for his mighty red pen! If you haven't read his story Downward Spiral please go over and read it. Congrats to him on winning the Judge's Choice award in the Mentalward contest for this story! Now help me convince him to write the second chapter!