Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I do, however, own this storyline and my original characters. Please don't copy them without permission.

The A Lesson in Love prologue will be posting in a few.


Chapter 19

The next morning we left for Forks. Bella was a bundle of nerves, her foot bouncing the entire flight. I hadn't taken the time to hunt and I was really regretting it. Between Bella's adrenalin rushing her sweet blood through her system, the recycled air, and the plans for her change putting biting her at the forefront of my mind, I was having a hard time controlling myself around her for the first time in years.

I gently put my hand on Bella's knee to stop the bouncing.

"Bella? Would you like some help calming your nerves?" I asked, trying to use as little air as possible as I spoke so I didn't have to breathe. Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.

"No, I'm fine. I'll quit tapping my foot." She forced a smile and took a deep breath. It didn't work.

"Please…darlin'? It'll help me, too." Her eyes got wide in shock as realization and surprise set in.

"Oh! Really?" I nodded my head urgently and felt her wave of empathy. "Okay. I'm sorry." She took the hand that was on her knee in her own and we both breathed a sigh of relief as I calmed her down.

"No worries. I understand." Bella nodded her head against my shoulder as she snuggled in and drifted off to sleep. I closed my eyes and feigned sleep as well. All I could think about was Bella and this whole messed up situation. As excited as I was about changing her, I felt terrible that she wasn't going to be able to finish college as a human the way she wanted, and that she wasn't going to be able to see her father or Adrian or any other human for a long time.

We'd decided to tell her dad that I had received a grant to intern on an archeological dig in South Africa for a year through the school's history department, and that she decided to take a year off to accompany me. We were going to elope and have a real wedding when we got back. Hopefully he would accept that. She really didn't want to have to fake her own death, and I didn't blame her.

Carlisle and Esme purchased a farmhouse outside of Columbus that would provide the privacy and isolation necessary for her transformation and were getting it set up so that we could go there straight from the airport. He'd insisted on being present, 'just in case.' I wanted to remind him that I'd sired hundreds of humans and had far more experience than him, but I let it slide. Sometimes he and Esme take the parent ruse a little too seriously.

But now was not the time to worry about fake parents, when we had a real one to deal with. Bella's nerves spiked again as we approached the house. I was thankful she was letting me help control it, and that she let me roll the windows down despite the cold weather.

Charlie was waiting for us on the front stoop when we arrived. Even though he didn't show it, on the inside he was practically jumping for joy at Bella's unexpected visit. He loved her so much, unconditionally. I knew exactly how he felt.

"Come on in, guys. I ordered pizza and figured we could watch Adrian's game while we catch up." Pizza. Great. Bella chuckled, knowing what I was going to have to suffer through in the next few hours, and that was assuming Charlie didn't try and shoot me.

"Sounds great, Dad!" Bella headed straight for the kitchen, bringing out paper plates, napkins, and some drinks. She set a beer in front of her dad, a coke for herself, and some pale amber looking liquid in front of me.

"It's ginger ale. I shook all the bubbles out of it for you, figured it might help with your upset stomach from the flight." God, I love this woman. Thank you, Bella.

"Don't like to fly, Jasper?" Charlie asked. I shook my head honestly.

"Well, I guess that means more pizza for us, huh Bells?"

"Yeah, but you should take it easy. I'll bet you're living on the stuff. I'll cook some stuff and put it in the freezer for you before I leave." Charlie started feeling a little anxious, which I didn't understand.

"You don't have to do that, Bella. I haven't actually been home much lately. I've been eating over at Sue's a lot." Bella's eyebrows went up and she started laughing.

"You sly dog!" she teased and he blushed. We all got a good chuckle at that. "Well, that makes my news a little easier." Charlie looked at me, looked at Bella's stomach, undoubtedly searching for a bump, then looked at his gun hanging in the holster by the front door before turning back to Bella, who just rolled her eyes at him.

"What news?"

"Jasper's been awarded an internship. He's going to Africa for a year on an archaeological dig."

"Oh, well, congrats, Jasper," he shook my hand, relieved. "I'm sure it'll be tough for you two to be apart, but…"

"I'm going with him, Charlie." Bella said quietly.

"WHAT?!" Contingency plans on how to avoid a bullet without giving myself away and keep them safe at the same time started ticking off in my mind.

"I said I'm going with him. I'm going to take a year off school."

"Bella, that's ridiculous! What about your scholarship?"

"Well, considering that Carlisle funds my scholarship, I'm doubting it'll be an issue."

"I don't like the idea of my daughter shacking up with her boyfriend in another country when she should be in school, Bells."

"With all due respect, Chief Swan, I would never ask her to do that. I want to marry Bella before we leave, with your blessing, hopefully." Charlie turned to look at Bella, who was nodding her head with a big smile on her face. She waved her left hand at Charlie, who took it up to his face to inspect her engagement ring.

"Well, that's a whole other story, then, isn't it?" Charlie said, now feeling torn. He turned to me and shook my hand. "Of course you have my blessing. But still, I wish you wouldn't drop out of school, Bella. What are you going to do while he's spending all day cleaning bones with a toothbrush?"

"Actually, Dad, I was thinking I could do some volunteer work at the clinics there. It would look really good on my med school application," Bella improvised beautifully. Charlie thought hard about it for a few long moments, then nodded his head.

"Alright, then. But I expect you to check in at regular intervals, understand?" Bella nodded.

"So when do I get to walk you down the aisle?" Bella got nervous.

"Ummm...actually, we were thinking about eloping, Dad. We have to leave next week, there's not a lot of time for a wedding. But I told Alice she could plan a wedding and reception after we get back." Charlie was disappointed, but accepting. He turned back to the game.

"Boy, Adrian's spiral is something else, isn't it?"

We watched Adrian win the game, then Bella excused herself to make a few of his favorite dishes and put them in the freezer.

"You make her happy," Charlie said quietly.

"It's easy to make her happy. She doesn't ask for much."

"I know she doesn't. But you don't take advantage of that, don't take her for granted. I see that, and I respect that about you." I was touched. I knew it was hard for him to admit.

"I love her. She makes me happy, too. I'm a very lucky man."

"And don't you forget it."

"Never.' Charlie seemed satisfied with that answer. It was the truth.

When we said goodbye, Bella broke down and cried and Charlie had tears threatening to spill over no matter how hard he tried to hold them in. I waited in the car to give them space for a little uncharacteristic display of affection. I was so grateful that we had time to give Bella this moment. I hoped she remembered it after the change.

We went to the Cullen home for the night. Bella seemed deep in her memories, looking around each room as she took my hand and led me up to my room. She stopped in front of the bed, and turned to me with a coy look on her face.

"This was where I made love to you for the first time." I nodded and closed the distance between us, resting my hands on the curve of her hips.

"It seems only fitting that this be the last place I make love to you as a human, don't you think?" Too affected by the emotions overwhelming us both, I answered her the only way I could. I kissed her. Soft. Slow. Building.

She took my shirt in her fists and walked backwards, leading us to the bed, falling back when her knees hit the side of the mattress, never breaking the kiss as I bent over her. I wrapped my fingers gently around her waist and scooted her to the middle of the bed. Her love and passion for me was wrapped around me just as surely as her arms were.

We shed each other's clothes silently, our lips only separating long enough to take one piece off at a time, until finally we were skin to skin. She was warming me up inside and out, our languid kisses sweet and erotic as she guided me into her. She was my sanctuary. Never was there a more pure expression of love than ours at that moment.

When our pleasure built up to the point where we each needed more, I moved my forehead to her shoulder, kissing her neck as I increased the speed of my thrusts. Bella wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling herself up to meet me with every stroke.

"Oooh…baby…" she moaned. She turned her head to the opposite side of mine, stretching her neck taut. "Make me yours, Jasper. Forever."

"As you wish, darlin'." I kissed her pulse point once more before sinking my teeth into her. I moaned when the first rush of her blood hit my tongue, my hips jerking harder, erratically into her as I alternately drank her nectar and forced my venom into her bloodstream.

"More," Bella demanded, her desire out of control in its intensity. "Harder.' I took another long draw from her neck as I ran my hand down her torso, flicking her nipple with my fingernail before sliding over her stomach and pressing down on her clit. Bella arched into me as she orgasmed harder than she ever had before. I licked her wound to close it and screamed her name as my own orgasm exploded from me. I gave her a second to ride out her climax just slightly before sliding out of her and set about biting her. First I bit the spot on her inner hip, where I always used to put the strawberry mark on her she loved so much. Bella orgasmed again. Her entire body was shaking, vibrating. She wasn't feeling the burn yet, just warmth spread throughout her, straight to her groin. I bit her again on her inner thigh, spiking the height of her pleasure once again. I knew I only had a few moments left before the venom made its ascent to her heart and the pain would begin. I slid back up her body.

"I hope that's not where you bit all those other ones you changed," she teased, gritting her teeth as her pleasure died down and was replaced with increasing discomfort, the warmth changing to overwhelming fire before my eyes.

"No, darlin'," I laughed. "They just got the standard wrist and ankle bites. You're the only one to get the seduction version."

"Good," she grunted, closing her eyes. "I love you, Jasper."

"I love you, too, baby. I'm going to control your pain as much as I can, okay?"

She shook her head slightly. "You'll hurt." Her voice was gravelly as she fought against the pain. Her eyes stayed closed and every muscle in her body was like a rubber band ready to snap.

"Not as much as you will if I don't. We'll do this together, Bella. We're partners, right? Share your pain with me. I'd rather feel the pain of the burn with you than experience the pain of watching you hurt and not be able to do anything about it." Bella nodded.

I laid down beside her and spooned her back to my chest, and began siphoning as much of her pain as I could. She breathed a jagged sigh. "I feel like one of those moms that swear they want natural childbirth then when the pain begins, they're screaming for drugs," she joked.

"Believe me, childbirth is kid's play compared to this."

"That's a really bad joke, Jasper."

"These are the jokes, kiddo. I'm a historian, not a comedian." Bella laughed, then her body went tense with the pain.

"Shhh…relax, baby. I'm right here for you. I'll be right here when you wake up. It'll be the first day of our forever."

The next three days were spent that way, with the exception of a brief but apologetic phone call to Carlisle to explain to him the situation and alter our plans accordingly. When the pain was intense, we would just hold each other and bear it together. When she was more lucid, I would talk to her, telling her how much I loved her. I kept reminding her of all our favorite memories, of her family and friends, of our plans for the future.

When her heart stopped beating, I couldn't help my involuntary moment of panic. It seemed like an eternity before she opened her beautiful ruby eyes and smiled at me. The moment she did, my love for her increased exponentially, a feat I didn't think was possible. It wasn't just my joy at her becoming a vampire, or the fact that she smiled at me. It was so much more than that. It was an instantaneous change and instinctively I knew. It was her power. Suddenly the Volturi's interest in her made so much more sense. I needed to call Carlisle. Immediately.


Manhunt - An Original Romantic Suspense Novel by Lillie Cullen
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Michael Brennan and Nikki Wright shared a bond created by love, loss, and hardship. Michael's life was finally taking a turn for the better while Nikki's was descending into darkness, until one fateful night changed everything. Just how much is Michael willing to give up for love? How far is he willing to run?

"Have you seen this man? His name is Michael Brennan and he has been identified by Federal authorities as a person of interest in the shooting death of Sebastian Cross and the disappearance of Nicole Wright. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Michael Brennan should call the Federal Crimestoppers Alert line at 888-555-1234. Coming up next on News at 11..."

This story has been on my mind for a long time. I even considered altering it and making it a Darkward fanfiction story at one point, but ultimately realized that it would be like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. These characters needed to stand on their own two feet. Eight chapters have been posted so far, and if I may be so humble, I believe it is my best work to date.

You need to create a login at textnovel to read it, it will lead you to where you need to go. The story's rating is determined by the number of votes (thumbs up button) and story alerts (cell phone button) the story receives, which means each reader can add two points to my rating! Going to my profile and clicking "Follow" will put me on author alert. The only downside to this site is the fact that it limits each chapter posting to 500 words, which means you'll be clicking the 'next' button - a lot. But from what I've been told...it's more than worth it. :) Can't wait to hear what you think of it!

Please help me get the word out about Manhunt. Tell your friends, put it on your blog and in your author's notes, Twitter it...you get the idea! Thank you so much for your support - I love you all!