My lovely beta's, Ragsstone and ShowtunesJesus make sure I put my comma's and verbs in the right place. Thanks, team.
No more short chapters, I promise.
SMeyer wrote a story and got very rich. I wrote a fanfic and got...well, I haven't given up my day job *sighs wistfully*
Chapter 37
Bella
Monday – Wednesday early am
As I showered and dressed, I tried to still my growing apprehension and mentally prepare myself for the day's activities. Although I was thankful for the chance of a practice run before my return to school in two days' time, my stomach was in a constant state of knots. Extensive plans had been made for my transit to and fro, but during the day when I would be on campus, I was going to be essentially on my own.
Even though Edward was accompanying me on today's foray, I still prepared as if I were going out alone. First, I twisted up my hair and secured it with my lock picks. Between the subtle layers of padding in my bra, I tucked a small coiled length of garrote wire. I pulled on a white long-sleeved tee before wriggling into some dark gray skinny cargo pants. I had chosen the pants for the additional pockets−specifically the long thin one running along the thigh, which was the perfect casing for my small telescopic metal baton. Although a slim fit, they were not tight enough to restrict my movements if I need to run or fight. Over the top of my t-shirt, I added a short denim vest, which, like everything else, had pockets. Instead of the usual metal toggle at the end of the zip fastener on the waist pocket, I had added a small silver whistle. It may have looked like a cute and decorative charm, but it emitted a very real and earsplittingly-shrill sound when blown.
I stood in front of the mirror, checking my appearance with a critical eye as I threaded a black leather belt though the waistband of my pants. Although I wanted the discrete storage the numerous pockets would provide, I didn't want to end up looking like a frumpy fisherman either. Satisfied that I still looked casual enough to pass as an average student, I slipped into my black suede shoes and tied the laces tightly.
I distributed my precious items carefully, not wanting to put everything in any one garment, in case it was taken from me. My favorite toy, the pocket-rocket taser, went in my pants, the pepper spray in my vest, and a personal alarm in my t-shirt. Another alarm was disguised as a Celtic serpent pendant, which hung around my neck on a leather thong. Besides its functional and protective purpose, it was a powerful symbol of strength in Celtic lore, and it made me feel like I was wearing an additional layer of armor each time I put it on. Edward had given me the beautiful and useful gift for my birthday a couple of weeks back. Picking up my cuff watch, I checked inside the leather band to make sure the small double-sided razor blade was still safely sheathed and concealed within. I added the silver cuff bracelet to my other wrist to hide the thin pink scars still circling my wrists. They had faded with continued massage and the religious application of skin treatment, but I was still somewhat self-conscious about exposing them in public. The cuff bracelet had a hidden purpose as well; a small GPS chip was embedded inside. If the worst came to fruition, my disappearance would not be missed a second time.
Despite countless discussions about carrying a knife and gun, I knew that I would never get away with packing heat while I was at school, and I didn't want to be lulled into a false sense of security or reliance on such weapons anyway. I was sure a kidnapper would find these things immediately. No, I needed to think outside the box and use otherwise innocent everyday items, just as Rose and Emmett had taught me.
Picking up the small bag I was using as a purse, I slung the strap diagonally across my body, patting it down to make sure my phone was still safely tucked inside. Bolstered by the secret knowledge of my hidden arsenal, I left the loft and went to join Edward downstairs. He was standing near his car and talking with Jasper. I could tell by the stiff set of his shoulders that Edward was nervous, too, and tension radiated off every inch of his body.
We'd had more than one heated discussion about today's visit. If Edward had gotten his way, he and Jasper would be escorting me in their squad car while wearing their uniforms, and together they would have marched me all over campus in a blatant show of arms and authority. I'd missed the usual time period allowed to re-register completely online because of my injuries and memory loss, making the trip to the university necessary. In the end, we agreed to a compromise. I would do my registration in person, as well as purchasing my textbooks and getting my class schedule. Edward would accompany me to do some plainclothes site surveillance and meet with campus security.
It had been a minefield of negotiation discussing how he would behave. I had visions of him dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, either hanging all over me like a possessive Neanderthal or threatening everyone who came within fifty feet of me like a personal bodyguard. Carefully phrasing my request, making sure I told him how much I loved him and his affectionate touching, I asked him to be more reserved while we were at school. If the stalker was still watching me, I didn't want to tip him off for a number of reasons.
Firstly, I didn't want to put anyone else at risk, and if the stalker knew I had a boyfriend, Edward might become a target. That was something I wanted to avoid at all costs. If the stalker worked out that Edward was a police officer, the danger would only increase, and he might use a different type of weapon than those of the past. Although I couldn't remember what had happened during the assault or how he had taken me in the first place, I hadn't been stabbed or shot. If he thought that Edward was involved, though, he might use a deadlier weapon.
Secondly, I didn't want the stalker to target another student, although I knew I had little influence over that, really. If he was out there looking for me−and I was certain he was−then I wanted him to think I was still ripe for the taking, and therefore avoid the possibility of him wreaking havoc on someone else's life. I didn't want his behavior or methods to change too dramatically. I wanted him to think I was still alone and helpless, knowing that with my tools and training, I wasn't quite as vulnerable and defenseless as I had been in the past.
Edward being Edward, he wouldn't accept my initial explanation and made me outline my reasoning for the halt on PDA in detail. He had gone deathly white, and I almost thought he was going to accuse me of acting stupidly again. All he had done was cling to me, begging me over and over not to put myself in harm's way. It didn't matter how many times I promised, every time I talked about my return to university, he looked at me as if I were discussing my own execution.
Although it was not quite nine o'clock, we left since he and Jasper had to start work at eleven. Once we got there, Edward dutifully followed me around, playing the role of polite attendant rather than fretful boyfriend. We visited all the buildings I would have classes in, as well as mapping put the safest points for my drop-off and pick-up each day. We also paid a visit to the campus head of security and met some of his staff. They were expecting us, since Edward had phoned ahead to explain the circumstances of my previous attacks and to arrange a meeting. They were very accommodating and gave me a map marking every possible room and building exit and each campus security post. I was also given a direct number to the phone usually carried by the person in charge of security every shift. I had to quote a special code word if I felt threatened or wanted assistance. Feeling somewhat calmer, Edward came with me to the bookstore before we returned home.
After Edward left for work, I tried to quell my restless agitation by painting. It was a complete disaster; the canvas was smeared with dark colors bleeding together, making my work look like a moonless and stormy night. I just couldn't relax enough to get into the head space where ideas flowed effortlessly. Choosing mindless domestic labor instead, I did laundry, cleaned the loft, made brownies over in the main house, and prepared dinner. I trained, running through my kung fu forms in an unsuccessful effort to calm myself. Later in the evening, I practiced with a new ferocity, backing down only when Emmett started to complain that he was going to need to add another layer of padding.
When I finally fell into bed that night, my body ached everywhere yet my mind was still racing, envisioning all manner of scenarios featuring the stalker and my school. I was still awake and tossing restlessly when Edward got home just after midnight. Dropping his bag by the door, he flopped down next to me on the bed.
"Hi, gorgeous. Can't sleep, huh?" he asked, running his long fingers soothingly though the ends of my hair.
"I just can't shut off my head. I keep thinking…well, I'm sure you're doing the same thing. I can't help thinking that if he's going to be anywhere, it'll be there."
"Yeah. I feel the same. I wish I could lock you in here forever and keep you safe."
We lay facing each other, gazing into one another's eyes. Bit by bit, I felt the worry within me ease with Edward's proximity. I lifted up my hand to stroke his cheek, allowing the raspy feel of his emerging stubble to lull and distract me.
"I have to go back. I'm not going to stop living or doing things just because he's out there somewhere. I've prepared myself, we've made plans, and now we just have to see what happens. I'm not a weak little mouse anymore; I'm aware, armed and angry. No one will keep us apart, I promise." I kissed him lightly to punctuate my point.
Gathering me up in a crushing embrace, he held me tightly to him.
"God, Bella," he mumbled into my hair. "You are so strong. Most people would be cowering in their boots just thinking about facing it all."
"Yeah, well most people don't have you to come home to. You make me want to fight anything for more of this." I stroked my hand up and down the firm muscles of his back.
"I…can we…just put all this aside…just for a little while," he begged. "Tomorrow will be our last morning together before real life intrudes. I know I'm working, but could we maybe just hang out here until I have to go in?"
So I spent my last morning of freedom sleeping in and then lying in bed with Edward. We made love in a leisurely and tender manner, enjoying the opportunity to make it last as long as we could. Later, we ate Pop-Tarts and munched dry Fruit Loops straight from the box for a late breakfast. It proved to be the perfect thing to calm and soothe us both, and when Esme picked me up in the evening for a visit to a women's shelter, I was able to enjoy it with my usual vigor. At the end of the day, I crawled into our bed feeling pleasantly tired rather than exhausted and wrung out with anxiety, and had no trouble getting to sleep.
When I was startled awake by a loud noise some time later, I sat bolt upright in the bed, my heart pounding as I over to the alarm clock on Edward's night stand. It was two in the morning. Patting the bed next to me, I realized Edward wasn't in it. Either he hadn't come home yet, or he was taking some time to unwind after his shift ended. Sometimes, if they had a really busy or intense day or something major had gone down, he couldn't come home and just go to sleep straight away. He had explained once that he needed time for the adrenaline to ebb and for his thoughts to slow down. Jumping out of bed, I leaned over to fish out the baseball bat Edward kept hidden underneath. I could hear heavy and hurried footfalls pounding up the stairs outside. I felt the tension ease a little as I recognized the sound was Edward in his work boots. Before he had a chance to put his key in the lock, I dropped the bat, swiftly crossing the room to fling open the door. I was relieved that he was home and wanted nothing more than the simple reassurance of his arms around me.
He stood on the stoop, a look of surprise on his face. As I watched, his expression changed, the green of his eyes clouding with turbulent emotion. Before I had a chance to say anything, he threw his arms around me in a passionate hug, clutching my body to him as my feet left the floor. Kicking the door closed behind him, he carried me inside and spun me around. When he stopped, before I could even catch my breath, his mouth was on mine, both forceful and demanding. His tongue swept along my lips seeking entry, and I acquiesced eagerly. His hands moved frantically over my body as he kissed me, tugging at my shirt and pulling at my sleep pants as if undecided which to remove first. Making up his mind, he scrunched my top up and whipped it off my body. His own shirt disappeared quickly, and soon after he shoved his pants down his hips, snagging them with his feet and pushing them off, followed by his socks and boots. I gasped at the sensation of the heat of his erection pressing insistently against my hip as he kissed along my jaw and neck. His tongue swirled, leaving trails of heated moisture on my skin. I shivered with desire and anticipation, feeling my body responding to his fervent and heated attention.
"Fuck, Bella," he groaned. "I want to be gentle and love you right but…I…"
"What is it?" I asked, my voice uneven as my breathing quickened.
"I just need you so much right now," he murmured, bending to kiss along my neck again.
"It's okay, Edward. I'm right here," I assured him. "I'll always be here for you."
My affirmation seemed to ignite his ardor further, and his hand trailed up my side to cup my breast. As his thumb began stroking my nipple, I felt a corresponding surge of desire and dampness between my legs. Edward's other hand grasped mine, leading it straight to his rigid length. Wrapping my fingers gently but firmly around it, I let him guide my movements and show me what he needed. As I gained confidence hearing his appreciative moans, I grew bolder and varied my movements. I rotated my hand slightly as I stroked upward, feeling the increasing slickness Edward emitted smooth the way as he bucked into my hand. He removed his fingers from where they had been guiding mine, instead taking a fistful of the material covering my hips and impatiently yanking both layers down. Releasing my breast, he used both hands to further push down the offending items, until I, too, was naked. His deft fingers darted between my legs, circling restlessly until they found their target. I panted with the surge of sensation as he stroked and teased, ripples of pure pleasure spiraling through me. My movements along his erection became less coordinated as my orgasm rapidly approached, my attention absorbed elsewhere. Edward was relentless, his fingers circling and darting inside me until I stiffened as my climax crashed through me.
Before I had a chance to come down from the high entirely, I became aware of Edward trying to gently free my fingers, where they were attempting to strangle his erection.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Have I hurt it?" I stammered, worried that I had killed more than the mood.
"Sometimes pain can actually feel good," Edward replied as he bent to circle my hips. Lifting me again, he walked backward until his legs rested against the couch. "The discomfort was the perfect distraction, and now I'll last a bit longer." His voice was low and thick with need. "Watching you come like that is so hot; it makes me want to fuck you forever. I can't wait to be inside you, but I haven't finished having my way with you yet."
Lust raced through me again, searing and needy, as I silently thrilled at his lascivious words.
I had seen Edward in all sorts of moods before, and our love-making had been influenced by them more than once. Our first argument had led to amazing make-up sex, my first time proving memorable for all the right reasons. In the past he had been playful, tender, and passionate, a patient and considerate lover and teacher. This time was different, though. He seemed frantic and driven, his need for me raw and almost primal. The careful and controlled Edward was gone and replaced by a purely carnal being. I couldn't wait to see this other, less restrained Edward; the thought of what we might experience together next excited me.
His hands were still on my hips as I stood before him, and he moved to sit on the sofa, pulling me closer. He bent slightly, placing a searing kiss and then a lick just above my pubic bone. Sliding a hand down my thigh and grabbing behind my knee, he lifted it, placing my foot beside is bare leg. Before I even had time to register what he was planning, his mouth was on me−wet, hot, and arousing. My hands fluttered uselessly before I put one on his shoulder to steady myself, the other covering his as it held my hip to keep me in place. Still sensitive from my recent orgasm, it wasn't long before I was a panting, trembling mess again.
"Please, please, please…" I begged, not even sure what I was asking for, hypnotized by the feel of his tantalizing tongue, just knowing I wanted more.
"God, I love the taste of you. You are amazing," he murmured briefly before returning to his task.
My legs started to shake as I neared the peak again, and I had no control over the constant moans and whimpers that fell unchecked from my lips. As everything exploded within me, I clutched at Edward's hair, almost collapsing on him with the strength of it. Lavishing my sensitive flesh with one last flick of his tongue, he smiled up at me triumphantly, his eyes hooded and salacious. Shuffling back farther onto the sofa, Edward pulled me over on top of him, arranging me so I was straddling him. Getting the idea quickly, I readjusted myself, lining him up so I could take him in. Grasping the back of the couch to steady myself, I sunk onto his length with a blissful sigh as Edward grunted with pleasure beneath me.
This was what I had been begging for: the feeling of Edward surrounding and filling me, so deep and so good. As he began moving and thrusting beneath me, I closed my eyes and threw back my head, overwhelmed by the stimulation everywhere−the feel of my hair brushing and tickling along my buttocks, the sensation of our sweat-slickened skin gliding together, the stroke and power of his rigidness entering me over and over. They all melded together to heighten my arousal.
"I love the way you taste and feel on my tongue here−" he tugged my nipple lightly, "−and here." He touched me where we were joined together so perfectly. I moaned loudly, driven higher by his fingers.
"I love way you sound when you come, all sexy and breathy. It makes me want to bury myself in you again and again."
I opened my eyes, staring down into the intense depths of his.
"I love it when come around my cock." He pushed into me forcefully, brushing that spot that made me gasp and quiver again. "You feel so…" thrust "…damn…" thrust "…good…"
Every nerve ending in my body thrummed in a constant state of ecstasy as one orgasm washed into another. It was like riding a wave of pure rapture.
"Do you like what I do to you? How I fuck you?" he demanded.
"Holy…shit! God, I love the way you fuck me," I panted out, feeling wild and uninhibited.
Edward responded with increased fervor, pounding into me over and over as he gripped my hips.
"You're mine!" he asserted, his voice almost a growl "...I'm the only one…who gets to touch you like this!"
His movements became more spasmodic as he neared his own pinnacle, and I could feel myself teeter on the cusp of another, too, as I cried "Yes!" in answer.
The world appeared to ripple around us as my sight hazed and the sound in my ears roared. Everything receded to focus on the point where Edward and I were joined so intimately and completely, as the most powerful and intense climax yet consumed me.
Earth-shattering. As I came back to earth, my legs were quivering and boneless, and my sides heaving as I waited for my breathing to calm. This is what it's like to have multiple orgasms.
"That was…incredible," I mumbled into the back of the couch where I had collapsed on top of Edward. His head burrowed into my shoulder, and I felt the rapid rise and fall of our joined bodies as he, too, attempted to control his breathing.
"Mmm," he agreed, gently kissing my collarbone. When he spoke again, his words made me forget everything around me for a different reason.
"We've got him…your stalker. He's never going to hurt you ever again."