Evapotranspiration: The rate of water lost from vegetation and soil, ordinarily at a slower rate than the potential rate.

o~o~0~o~o

Look around just people, can you hear their voice?
Find the one who'll guide you to the limits of your choice.
But if you're in the eye of storm
Just think of the lonely dove
The experience of survival is the key
To the gravity of love.
~The Gravity of Love by Enigma

o~o~0~o~o

Friday, April 16, 2004:

Somewhere in the Olympic Forest …

Bree threw herself at the ram mountain goat and it went down with a surprised bleat. I threw back my head and laughed as the enormous creature and my diminutive subordinate tussled in spring mud. Bree narrowed her eyes at me.

"You think it's funny, amigo?"

Zipping to her side, I found the junction between the goat's top two vertebrae, snapped my fingers and eased it gently to the ground. Bree sank her teeth into the animal's flesh with a vicious crunch. Diego smelled the blood in the air and crept slowly toward his mate. She growled at him. I held up my palms.

"Don't do it, Kid."

Blood blood blood blood blood…

I balanced my weight in order to intervene. Diego's expression grew desperate.

I can't catch anything. She doesn't need that much! Despite his fear of me, he pounced and Bree roared a fierce warning.

I plucked Diego out of the air and slammed him to the ground at my feet. To say he was surprised was like saying Emmett liked football. "Not a good idea, my friend."

"But—"

"If you want an unhappy mate, by all means fight her for it. Or I can teach you how to hunt better."

"Can you?"

"Come on. The herd's moved over that way." I waved for him to follow me and launched myself into the trees. Diego crashed through behind me. It was no wonder he wasn't a good hunter. I stopped at the top of a spruce and he popped up beside me, black eyes round and forehead creased.

"You're too noisy."

He ducked his head. I shook mine and clapped him on the shoulder. "You need to learn how to be sneaky."

"I'm no good at it."

"How do you feed yourself if your prey hears you coming?"

Diego wouldn't meet my eyes. "Bree…"

"Bree hunts for both of you. Does she mind?"

"She … I …"

"She allows you to take her food?"

He shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't want to take her kills from her, but I'm so thirsty. And she says she doesn't mind but sometimes we fight over it so I know she'd prefer me to catch my own prey. I just … I can't sneak up on them. Catching humans is so much easier."

"Why can't you sneak up on the deer? They're very unlikely to hear you up here."

Diego looked at the ground with trepidation. I blinked. ◊You have got to be joshing me.

"Are you afraid to fall?"

"I've never seen trees this big before. It's a long way down."

"So?" My subordinate turned six kinds of pale. "Do you mean to say that you crash around the forest as if you're short a limb because you're afraid you'll miss your landing?" He didn't answer me. I held out my hand. "Come on."

"What?" He gawped at me, then lowered his gaze anxiously. "Sir?"

"Take my hand, Diego."

"Why?"

"Trust me." He took my hand and I grasped it firmly. "We're going to step off the branch on the count of three."

Madre de Dios! Diego tried to tug his hand free. "No, please."

"We're vampires. We land on our feet. One."

"Sir!"

"Two."

"Dios mio."

"Three." I stepped forward into air. With a muttered curse, Diego followed. Gravity seemed to slow as we sailed lightly to the earth, and landed softly on the balls of our feet. Diego was so gobsmacked that I could only See images in his thoughts, not Hear them.

"So, that's us, falling," I said drily. "Care to try traveling through the trees with some stealth this time?"

"That was fun," he admitted.

"It is fun."

With an enthusiastic nod, Diego scrambled back up the tree and waited for me. I pushed off into air and grasped hold of the next tree. Diego landed lightly beside me and we exchanged a grin. "Much better, Zorro." I led him onward until we were poised over the herd of deer.

"You want to check the wind," I told him at vampire pitch. "If your prey is upwind of you, they won't smell you coming."

"What if I can't tell if I'm downwind?"

"You'll smell them. If they're downwind of you, their scent will be weaker."

"Oh."

"Wait until they're grazing and then fall on one. Try to break its neck if you can so it doesn't suffer."

Diego peered down at the deer. When one picked a spot beneath the tree, I gave his shoulder a nudge. Down he went on top of the deer. Rather than snapping its neck with his fingers, he bit its spine very hard. Regardless, the animal surrendered its life with barely a squeak. Diego fastened onto its throat and drank lustily.

Although I wasn't thirsty, I took down another one for him. We don't tend to stand by and watch animals flee in terror. Giving chase is instinctual.

By the time I had my charges fed and tidied up, Jazz and Titch had found the cave that was to be Bree and Diego's home. They'd already dropped off several boxes' worth of possessions to make it comfortable. Bree took one look at the fur-covered mattress and gave Diego the eye. His response could only be deemed smug. Then, Bree looked at me with what appeared to be apprehension. I was still trying to make sense of her thoughts when—

Fuck it! she thought, and whipped off her shirt. I shielded my eyes. For whom do you take me?

"What the hell are you doing?" I yelped.

"Sir," she said. I saw Diego's shirt hit the floor of the cave. May as well get it over with, he thought.

"Nah no no!" I babbled, throwing out my hand as Diego faced away from me on all fours. "Not my bag!"

He's not going to dominate us? my Yearlings thought in stereo.

What kind of coven is this? Diego thought.

I thought they all did it, Bree thought.

"You're my family by venom!" I reeled away from them. "This is much too incestuous. Um, have a good night. I'll catch you tomorrow." I hadn't gone too far when I heard them turn to each other and thank God. I was so surprised I tripped over my own feet.

Halfway home, I strode into the Calawah and came out downstream. Jasper melted out of the shadows.

"So, how was your first day herding children?"

I pushed back my hair. "I think herding dragons would be easier."

"Hah. You ain't never lied."

I stopped walking and Listened. We were alone, but I was still afraid to be overheard.

"What's the matter?"

I looked up at the stars and sighed. "I don't think I'm cut out for this."

"Why are you so embarrassed?"

"I took them to the cave and they tried to submit to me."

"Well, that's good, right?"

Crossing my arms, I gave him the hairy eyeball. "They tried to submit to me."

"Oh," Jasper nodded. "Oh …" Unwelcome images assaulted my brain. Of course, he had an extensive history in the domination of submissives that I preferred not to Hear. I had no idea whether he'd taken any pleasure in his twisted Dom duties but I thought not, and I was never going to ask. "They assumed you'd claim them," he said.

"Yep."

Wish I'd been a fly on the wall. "What exactly happened?"

"Look." I slapped my hands down on my thighs. "I never once in my existence expected to have a male spread his ass cheeks for me, okay? I have way more information about Diego than I ever wanted to know."

Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Jasper's eyes began to shine and then twinkle. An incandescent smile overtook his face. I had never seen him smile like that in my unlife.

"Thanks a lot," I growled. And he lost it. I didn't even know Jasper could laugh like a donkey. The bugger was positively delighted. I pinched between my eyes but he threw an arm around me and steered me toward home.

"Poor Bimbo." He shook his head. "I think mayhap I had best teach you how to set some ground rules with your submissives."

"Would you?" I asked hopefully. "And they're subordinates, not submissives."

"I beg to differ."

"Crap."

"Aw, Edward. We can't have them corrupting your pristine Victorian morals. It might hurt Baby."

My heart lifted. "Thank you, Jasper."

"You're welcome."

We were about two miles from home when my Motorola rang. "Hi, Bella. I'm on my way now."

"I've had a very interesting evening," she spat.

I tensed. "I'm sorry I'm … late?"

"I'm sure you had all the company you needed."

"Huh?"

"You'll never guess who's been keeping me company tonight."

"Who?"

"Don't you want to guess?"

"No. Please tell me why you're angry with me. I know I'm late, but—"

"Tanya."

I stopped dead. "What?"

"Uh oh," Jasper said, half-smiling and half-annoyed. Got to give that heifer credit. She does not give up.

"Tanya Denali?" I echoed. That couldn't be right.

"Indeed. Tanya has been filling me in about the training of Newborn vampires."

I bet. I pinched between my eyes to push back stabbing pain. "I hope you haven't taken anything she said seriously."

"She brought me a giant dildo, Edward. A giant, sparkly dildo."

"What?" Can vampires pass out? "Why?"

"She says if I want to compete with your subs, or better yet, become one, then I'd better—I quote—establish my place in the pecking order."

All the venom drained from my head. "B-Bella… I would n-never. I mean, I didn't. I w-wouldn't. I'm s-s-so sorry Tanya upset you. You shouldn't believe—"

"I am never going to submit to you, Edward. I am not your possession."

"Bella!"

"However, I was not aware that a little piece of skin was causing such a problem for you."

"Huh?" I couldn't keep up with her mental gymnastics.

"Don't worry, it's no longer an issue. You can come and submit to me anytime you want."

My jaw dropped. I clutched the phone, and the image of myself crawling to a masked Bella clad in leather flashed through my mind. Something about that was incredibly appealing. The sound of Bella's infuriated breathing abruptly disappeared. I brought the phone down dumbly, stared at its splintered remains and flung the fragments into the undergrowth. "Oh, shit." Jasper giggled like a loon. I took a step toward Charlie's, then two toward home, then back, and clutched my head. "Oh, fuck. Oh my lord, I am in so much trouble."

Jasper punched a number into his Crackberry. "Bee?"

"Who is this?"

"It's Jasper. I thought I had better tell you Edward did not hang up on you, he accidentally crushed his phone." His eyes twinkled.

"Hmph!"

"I have never seen the Victorian so mortified, missy. I think you done killed the boy."

"He's not the only one, Jasper."

"Did you really break your own hymen?"

I gawped at him, wide-eyed, hands clenched.

"That's between me and Edward. If he ever has the balls to show up here and discuss it."

"I'm going to murder Tanya!" I yelled, already in motion.

"He may be somewhat delayed," Jasper drawled. "He's on his way to kill his cousin."

o~o~0~o~o

"Bitch," I muttered under my breath. "Skank." Tanya's filthy scent was all over my house. I ran up the steps onto the verandah, muttering toxic execrations in every language I knew. I whipped open the glass door just as Carlisle and Esme zipped to its other side, black-eyed.

"Whatever's the matter, Boy?" Carlisle demanded. I've never heard him swear like that …

"Where is she?" I roared.

"Who?"

"Tanya! Fucking whore. Homewrecker!" I wiped venom from my chin while my parents watched me as if I was the crazy one. "I'm going to cut off all her female parts, shred her into tiny pieces and drop her into boiling lava a bit at a time!" I scented the air. "I'll do her head last. Which way did she go?"

Carlisle reached out for me. "Edward, calm down."

"I will not calm down. Do you know what that filthy slut did?"

"What did she do?"

"She told my mate that I was late because my subs needed to be fucked into submission, then presented my sweet lamb with a sex toy and told her to do away with her innocence so it would no longer be a burden to me!"

Carlisle and Esme were speechless. I pressed the heels of my hands to my eyes and choked back a sob, then paced and clenched my fists.

"That experience was mine," I growled. "Tanya took something from me that I can never get back. Bitch. I am going to destroy her." I turned to leave but Esme caught my arm.

"Edward, I'm so sorry," she murmured. "But don't you think it's better this way?"

I hurled myself down the broad steps. "No." I paced and searched for Tanya's scent. Just as I found it, Jasper plucked me out of the air. He held me tightly in his arms.

"Bimbo," he said gently. "Don'cha think you oughta be with Bella right now?"

I curled my fingers into his sheepskin jacket and let artificial calm and genuine affection seep into my bones.

"That whore is not worth your time. You need to get to fixing this with your mate."

"She stole from me. Tanya."

"I know. But in the great scheme of things, it is not that important."

I pushed him away. "You had Alice."

No, I did not. Again, he put an arm around me. I felt him putting my shattered heart together. "Let's walk to Bella's, shall we?"

I nodded and let him lead. We walked at vampire speed.

Lissy was not a virgin when we met.

I didn't look at him. "Really? I thought Alice, of all people…"

No, and it did not matter. So what if she had been with someone else? I was with a lot of other people. Lissy found me. She claimed me. She bonded with me. It has not made one whit of difference. "What is important between you and Bella is your bond." Esme is right. It is going to be a lot more pleasant for you if Bee's not anxious, bleeding and in pain.

"I don't know what to say to her. What if she breaks up with me?"

If she were not intending to stay with you, she would not have done it. He snuck a teasing look at me. "I would suggest, if the idea of crawling to your mate turns you on, that this would be a really good time."

I huffed a laugh despite myself. We emerged from the forest not far from Bella's yard and Jazz thumped me on the back. "Go get her, tiger."

"Thanks."

Just like herding cats. "Do not mention it." He turned and strode into the forest with the stealth of a mountain lion. I stepped quietly toward the house. Something pungent stung my nose. Blood. Latex … I crouched down and brushed away leaf matter. Lubricant.

Buried in the leaves was a white, sparkly dildo almost the size of Bella's arm. It reeked of her. It was slippery with blood. She had to have stomped out in the yard and tossed it over the fence. I dropped it between my feet, hugged my knees and set my head on my arms. I thought if I started to cry I might never stop. And then, I heard Bella sniffle.

What was done couldn't be undone. What mattered was what I did next. I scooped up the offending object, dug a small hole in the mucky ground, and buried it along with my disappointment. Rising, I wiped my hands on fragrant spring grass, jumped to the roof and let myself down through Bella's window. All I could smell was her shampoo. She had bathed. Wordlessly, I padded to the washroom and scrubbed my hands. Once back in Bella's room, I sank to all fours and crawled around the bed to her side.

"Baby?"

She opened bloodshot, wet eyes. "Why did you keep it from me, Edward?"

"What?"

"That Doms control their subordinates by sexual domination." Her tears spilled. "When were you going to tell me?"

"You can't possibly think that Carlisle would—"

She sat up and bared her teeth. Just to torture me, she was wearing the midnight blue undershirt and boy shorts that drove me crazy. "Can't I?" She looked so fierce that I couldn't help smiling.

"Bella, it's not like that, Love. We don't—"

"You love Carlisle!"

"Not like that." I traced her tears with my fingertip. "If Carlisle even imagined you thought he was that sort of person, he'd turn you over his knee. Please don't let any of my siblings find out or you'll be a laughing stock."

Her lip trembled. "So he's never …"

I cupped her cheek in my hand. "Of course not. A lot of Traditional covens do use sex to establish a pecking order, but almost all of them run on fear, not love."

"And how do you intend to manage your coven?" She eyed me resentfully.

"Bella." My lip tipped up momentarily. The idea was so ludicrous that I almost laughed aloud. "Are you calling me a rapist? You're hurting my feelings."

"Well, it's not exactly as though you've prepared me for any of this."

"They showed up unexpectedly. They need me."

"I need you!"

"Yeah. I need you, too. And you will always have me."

"Will I?"

"Forever." I gnawed my lip. "As long as you want me."

"I want you." Her frank gaze turned sultry.

"I want you, too."

"Physically."

Sometimes I wasn't sure if she wanted more than that from me, since it was becoming more and more of a theme of conversation. "Someday. Once we're married. Right now, it's neither proper nor feasible."

Bella sagged onto her back. "Oh, not this again. Why is it so important to you that I be a virgin?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Oh, God. That didn't come out right. I bit my tongue and drew venom.

"What?" Bella surged upright, her eyes boring into me like lasers. "Are you finally admitting you've been with someone else?"

I clutched the edge of the mattress, one hand to each side of her thighs. "No. There has been no one else, male or female, ever. There is no one else. There will never be anyone else. You are my mate."

"Then why did you say that?"

I tucked my chin. "I'm just pointing out that you're, um…"

"Well?"

"Jealous."

"Pot calls kettle!"

"I know that. But you're possessive too, Bella."

She flapped her hands. "I have good reason to be! All of you are gorgeous. The males, the females, you're all sex gods."

"But you're the only one who does anything for me. And didn't anyone ever tell you that it's what's inside that counts? You're beautiful, Bella. But even if you weren't, I'd still be attracted to your soul. You are leagues above me. My attractiveness is just superficial."

Bella pressed her lips together. "What about my body, Edward?"

I couldn't look straight at her. "You know the answer to that."

"I'm not so sure anymore. Are you attracted to me?" She spread her knees, leaving me face-to-face with her little blue boy shorts. And then, her scent hit me, and I was in more than one kind of pain. My breath sped.

"Why are you being so hurtful?" Blood, adrenaline, femininity and latex stabbed my throat like broken glass. My dead heart hurt even worse. Without thinking, I covered my nose and mouth.

Bella tossed her hair. "What, you don't like the way I smell?"

"Right now?"

"Yeah!"

"I feel ill."

Bella's palm whooshed through the air as I leaned away. "You son-of-a—"

I got nose-to-nose with her and bared my teeth. She cringed. "You want me to tell you the truth, don't you? No. I don't like the way you smell right now. You smell like fear, resentment and salaciousness. I found your present out in the yard, by the way. And I'm not happy. At all."

"You should be happy. I've just taken years off your adjustment period."

I shot to my feet. "I didn't want that! I wanted …"

"To what?" She tossed her hair and her eyes burned. "You've spent the past five months telling me that having sex with you is going to get me killed."

"Now," I clarified. "Not someday, when we've … been together more. But your innocence—"

"Get one thing straight, mister. My hymen belonged to me. It's my body and you have zero say in what I do to it."

My gaze whipped to the door as it opened. I dove under Bella's bed and held my breath. I'd been so focused on Bella that I hadn't Listened for Charlie. Then again, it might be better if Charlie just shoots me.

"What's going on, Bella?" he asked sternly. "Are you talking to someone?" How often am I going to have to check under the bed for Edward?

She slapped her hands down on her thighs. "I was on the phone with Edward. We're having an argument."

He cleared his throat. Aw shit. Teenage drama. "Can I help at all?"

Bella sat back down on the bed. "I dunno. His cousin's a troublemaker."

"She seems nice. Tanya, was it?" Supermodel material.

"Yeah, Tanya's not nice. She gave me some bad advice and now he's mad at me."

"What did she tell you?"

"She told me to have sex with him because Bree is going to steal him right out from under my nose."

Oh, geez. God, why are You punishing me? Charlie cleared his throat again, but he walked over and sat at the end of the bed. "Who's Bree?"

"She's a friend of his. She has a boyfriend but anyone with eyes can see she's in love with Edward."

"Has he got feelings for her?"

"He says she's just a kid. She's fifteen. He calls her his niece."

"And … Edward's mad at you for being jealous?"

Bella huffed and leaned back against her headboard. "Edward gets jealous, too. That's not the issue. His ideas about relationships are somewhat … antiquated."

"By relationships, you mean sex."

"Yeah."

"So, you offered and he … rejected …"

"Many, many times. He wants to wait for marriage."

Good kid. He might … Renée's influence. "And what's wrong with that, Bells?"

"Dad. Nobody does that anymore."

"So you're jealous of this Bree."

"Yes."

"And yet you say he's saving himself for marriage—something that Edward's told me himself several times."

"Well, yeah."

"Why would you think he'd cheat on you then?"

"Because he's a guy?" My heart sank. How long would it be before she felt secure with me?

Charlie scratched his head. "Geesh, Bells. I thought you respected the boy."

"Respect? I do respect him!"

"Sorry, kiddo, but it doesn't sound to me like you trust him at all."

"Dad!"

"Bells!" he shot back in the same tone. "It sounds to me as though Edward has been very clear with you on where he stands."

"Well, yeah. I guess so."

"Does no mean no, Bella?"

"Charlie!"

"Does it? If he pushed you for more than you were willing to give, would that make you feel loved?"

"Oh my God!" she huffed.

"You love him, Bells?"

"Of course I do!"

"It seems to me that he's being a lot more careful with your heart than you're being with his."

"I can't believe you're being so mean. Thanks for the support, Dad!"

"I love you, Bells, and because I love you, I'm not going to watch you inherit your mother's misconceptions about men."

"Edward is the best of men." Bella's voice shook. "I don't deserve him."

"He thinks you do. But if you're going to be in a healthy relationship, you'll have to take his word over that of some girl you barely even know. You have to trust him." Bella didn't say anything. I could smell fresh tears.

"He's an orphan, right?"

"Yes. His past is … tragic."

"And he loves his family. Loves the concept of family, in general."

"Yeah."

Charlie shifted. "Y'know, if I were Edward, I'd be afraid to lose people."

"He is. Terrified."

"And he loves you, Bells. Any fool can see that."

"What if I'm not good enough for him?"

Charlie sighed. Damn Renée. "When are you going to realize how much you've got going for you? Any guy would be lucky to have you. Which they're not going to while you're underage, because they'll have to get through me first."

"Edward, too?"

"Of course. Do I need to clean my gun the next time he comes over? It's been a while."

Bella hummed a laugh. "Please don't."

Charlie stood, leaned over Bella and kissed her on the forehead. "Don't be in too much of a hurry to grow up, kid. Just … be young. Have some fun. Things will happen when they're supposed to happen. Like, when you're thirty."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Night, Bells."

She rolled onto her stomach as he shut the door, and reached under the bed for my hand. I grasped hers gently. We stayed like that for several minutes.

"You okay?" she murmured.

"I guess. You?"

Bella raised her voice. "Are you crying?"

"Shh!"

"Edward?"

"I don't cry, Bella. Vampire, remember?"

"I call bull pucks. I've seen you cry before."

"That wasn't crying. That was ranting and moaning and making an epic fool of myself."

"I'm sorry."

"For what? You're right. I don't own you. You can … you can do whatever you want."

"I've displeased you."

I caressed her hand with my thumb. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Are you still mad?"

"No. I think from now on I'll ask Charlie to mediate our arguments. He really gets me."

Bella laughed and tugged my hand. I slid out from under the bed, leaned against the mattress and let her stroke my knuckles. "How do you feel about what I did?" she asked.

"I'm … disappointed."

Bella paused. "With me?"

"Never with you. With myself. This is just another situation that proves I'm not normal. I'm … I just want to be like everybody else, that's all."

"I understand. I'm sorry."

"Can I … tell you something that's not exactly polite?"

"Please."

"I smell your pain." The Vampire was ravenous, while the Victorian was ashamed and horrified. It was enough to drive me mad.

Bella's heartbeat thrashed for twelve beats, then calmed. "It's no big deal, Edward. It happens to everybody."

"How did you do it?" I asked sadly.

"You really want to know?"

"I think so. Yes."

"It has a suction cup."

"I noticed."

"I stuck it to the bottom of the tub, poured some lube on it, and—"

Wincing, I slapped my hands over my ears. "Geez, Louise. That's enough. Sorry I asked."

"This has been really humiliating."

"Ditto."

"Do you forgive me?"

"I hate it when you're hurt. It shouldn't have been like this. And there's still bleeding." She didn't answer me. "It makes my instincts kick in. I should go."

"Don't. Please."

"Then," I huffed, "I have to fix it. I can't just sit here while you're in pain, Bella."

Bella rolled onto her side and propped her head on her hand. "And how exactly do you propose to fix it, Mr. Victorian?"

Oh, boy. "Forget it. Just forget I said anything. I'll manage. It's fine."

"Enquiring minds want to know. Come on, give."

I heaved a sigh. "Venom. A tiny bit of venom wouldn't hurt you, and it would heal that right up."

Bella's eyes flared wide and she leaned forward, clutching the bed. "Are you saying you want to lick it better? Because I'm totally up for that."

I pressed my palms to my temples and knocked my head against the wall. Venom flooded my mouth. The tip of my cock pushed painfully against the zipper of my jeans, which were chilly and still damp after my wade through the Calawah. "My god, you have no sense of self-preservation. You're going to be the death of me."

Bella's blush was so hot I could feel it. "I shouldn't have … Crap, you must think I'm such a—"

I placed my fingertip on her lips. "Stop. I think you're perfect."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely."

"So what were you going to say?"

"Well, I was going to say that I, um, could drool a little venom in your hand and you could apply it. Topically."

"How do you know that works?"

"Although I didn't understand it at the time, Carlisle healed a cut on me when I was first ill with the Influenza, thinking it might aid my recovery if I didn't have a bacterial infection to fight. He told me it was Iodine."

"Won't venom sting?"

"There wouldn't be that much. It would sting a couple of minutes, and then you wouldn't be in pain anymore. At least then I'd feel like …"

"Like what?"

"Like I had something to do with the process." And, as a bonus, her feminine parts would smell like me forever. Not that I would tell Bella that, of course. It wouldn't be proper.

"That'd be great."

"Might leave a bit of a silver tint ..."

"I don't care. Gimme." Bella cupped her hand by my chin. Glancing at her apprehensively, I allowed a miniscule amount of venom to drip from my teeth onto her palm. She raised her hand to look at it. "This is incredibly cool."

"Yeah. If you leave it there long enough, it will start to move around, looking for a way in."

"Really?" Bella giggled and held it under her bedside lamp. "I love your venom. It's so beautiful. Like quicksilver."

"You'd best go and use it before it crawls away or dries up." I waved vaguely toward the bathroom then averted my face and hugged myself. Imagine my shock when Bella grinned, pulled her quilt over her head and spread her legs beneath it.

"Bella!"

"Shh!" She thrust her hand between them and rubbed, making the covers poke up sporadically.

I knocked my head against the wall and pressed down on my aching cock. "You're going to be the death of me." Bella sucked air in between her teeth. It did nothing to help my boner stand down. The minx whimpered just to torture me.

"You okay?" I managed to moan.

"Burns."

"I'm sorry. Maybe it was a mistake."

"No, I'm glad you suggested it. It's starting to subside now. But it's really weird. I can feel it moving. I feel all warm and tingly."

I made her warm and tingly. Jesus, Mary and Joseph forgive me. I am such a letch.

"You okay?" I repeated. I could hear her fingers moving. It was totally not helping my predicament. I tried to adjust myself but nothing really helped.

"Physically, I feel great. Emotionally, I feel disgustingly clingy. Hold me?"

I toed off my wet shoes, rose and slid onto the bed, praying Bella wouldn't notice Mr. Ed.

"I really miss you, Edward," she said mournfully.

"I'm right here, Love."

"Not like you used to be. You don't put on your pyjamas. You stay dressed all night. And you stay on top of the covers. When you hold me, it's not the same. I know I'm not being fair …"

Bella needed me and I was letting her down. "I'll hold you. Turn on your electric blanket. But don't …"

"Don't what?"

"Don't come onto me, okay?"

"I promise. Go and change."

Using Bella's closet door as a screen, I retrieved my pyjamas, swiftly donned them and hid my clothes. I shuffled to the bed as though heading to my execution. Bella had plugged in her electric blanket and the heat wafted up, carrying her scent. Beneath the remaining traces of lubricant and blood, she now smelled like me.

I eased myself beneath the covers, guilt battling with the urge to claim my mate, per usual. Bella's breathing evened out. I thought she was falling asleep when she spoke to me.

"Edward?"

"Yes, Love?"

"I know you'd never be unfaithful to me."

My heart lifted. "Thank you, Bella. I'm glad you've finally accepted that."

"But I'm still jealous of Bree."

"It's normal for you to feel territorial, but trust me, you have nothing to worry about."

"She's cute."

"The way little kids and puppies are cute. While you, on the other hand, are beautiful. Bree has a touch of hero worship, but she's not attracted to me. Her heart belongs to Diego."

"Truly?"

"Yes. To be completely honest, she and Diego were afraid I was one of those Doms you were talking about, and that I would expect them to let me dominate them. When I told them I wasn't like that, they rejoiced, and …"

"And?"

"They thanked God for blessing them."

"I thank God for you every day."

I didn't respond. Bella knew my feelings on the matter. But I did rest my lips against her bare shoulder and close my eyes. Eventually, she slept.