Author's Note:
Hi. I have no excuses.
But before anyone asks about continuity, I did fix it to where it all logically connects. Don't worry, I make sure it all is in place. And yes, it is kinda short, but I added what I could add without getting preachy. Sorry about that, folks ^/^''
The next chapter will be done VERY soon, I promise.
With love,
Charles
Edward approaches me slowly, his steps calculated. He's doing the kind thing. He's letting me get used to it. But … I can't. I swallow hard, standing my ground. But nothing I've read, or seen, or believed could have prepared me for Edward in the sunlight.
He's … horrifying.
His skin takes on an unnerving glimmer. Like diamonds are coating every visible inch. It gleams, specks of rainbow reflecting toward me. But that doesn't distract from his hands, reaching toward mine, with little drops of blood and shining fragments of skin falling silently to the grass. And from his fingertips, iridescent claws grow from the very bone, crystalline. Unnatural. My instincts scream at me, pulling my every nerve for me to run. But I can't. Because now he's reaching up.
And the claws are at his face. His hollow cheeks, gaunt to the point of emaciation, or death.
And they're in his skin. The entire cheek pulls off, like glittering fish scales. I can't force down the yelp from the sight of his teeth, his fangs, lion-like and deadly, completely exposed. His red eyes shine bright, and he stops a good three feet away from me, radiating ice.
What beauty I saw has completely vanished in the near demonic creature that is my friend. His eyes, pained and waiting, flicker around my face. Searching for something. Fear. Hostility. Anything.
I connect our hands finally, and his claws wrap around my suddenly tan-looking skin.
"I … I don't scare you?" he asks weakly, slowly lifting my hand to his cheek - what remains of it - as a silent way to confirm what I see is real.
"I can't answer that. Not right now. Just …" I inch closer, examining every part of him. His exposed shoulders seem strangely sharp. The bone looks like it is protruding, almost to the point of breaking the skin. I take my hand from his cheek and trace along the veins of his upper arm, seeing the muscle itself through his skin. It looks so fragile, like sugar glass.
But I know better.
"That isn't what I figured you'd be staring at," Edward says with a slight bite in his laugh. "But I won't complain. I wouldn't want to look at my face either."
"Please, I had difficulty doing that when you looked human." I tease, finally reaching his hand with both of mine.
"Ouch. That's a below the belt hit to the ego." I chuckle, my finger tracing along the transparent glass of his fingers. His skin is so soft, even where it looks completely solid.
"How are you still so human feeling?" I press my fingers to the palm of his hand, denting the icy flesh.
"It's because of you. You're being gentle. If you were to hit me, every bone in your hand would shatter." He raises his arm blindingly fast, fluffing the top of my hair. I jump slightly, and glare at him. "You'll have to forgive me if I keep doing that. It's way too easy to be myself with you." This time, I can see his hand move as it tucks a long lock of hair out of my eyes. "What are you thinking, Bella?"
"That I … have no idea how to process this." I shake my head, taking a step back.
"And?"
"I'm wishing that I wasn't one second away from panic. That some part of me wasn't afraid of you. Because I know better than to be."
"...you should always be afraid of me." He says, holding his hands out. "Just look at me. As much as I wish you weren't, it's smart to be. Just like I've always said." Edward's voice cracks slightly, and he pulls his arms to himself. I let out a sigh and cup his cheek. His eyes widen, locking on mine.
"Well, I've never claimed to be smart. So it looks like we both have an adjustment to make. Because honestly," I use both my hands to gesture to his entire body, "this is still registering in my mind."
"Now imagine it being your body. I didn't get used to it until the second world war ended. And I thought puberty was supposed to be hell." We both laugh, and he looks to the sky. The meadow slowly darkens, and with the shadows returns Edward's humanity - filling in his face as though nothing had ever happened.
"Edward…?"
"We are usually nocturnal out of necessity. But it wasn't always like this, Carlisle says. Vampires used to be bold, hunting during the day, slaughtering entire villages. Because we don't need this," he holds his hand to his face. "The beauty every human seems to lock in on. As if you could outrun me." He smirks, standing slowly, my chin rising to stay with his eyes. And then he's gone. Out of sight completely. I look around, head whipping. Nowhere.
"As if you could fight me off!" his voice soars through the air; followed by a boulder the size of my truck, crashing in a pond just outside of my line of sight, making the ground shake. I tense up, holding my knees to my chest. When he returns, sitting across from me, the sun breaks through the clouds. This is Edward, I realize, without any facade. He's never been less human than in this moment. And to any outsider, I'm a mouse locked in the jaws of a snake.
He opens his maw to speak, but I interrupt him.
"I bet you I could. Not right now, of course, but maybe if I work on my abilities, I could." His eyes narrow, iris flicking up in thought. Then they widen - and I swear his pupils almost look like a cat's - filled with what I can only assume is excitement.
"And then I wouldn't have to worry about hurting you, or scaring you, or … or losing you." Edward chuckles softly, his skin taking a pink hue under the light. "God, I'm so selfish. You shouldn't have to even think of how you could fight me. I could have just fucked off into the sunset and never returned."
"Well, I'm glad you stayed." I scoot a little closer, and he curls up into himself.
"You shouldn't be. You don't really understand the extent of the danger you're in."
"Dude, if you don't stop being so dramatic, I will break my hand on your face."
" … there's something I haven't told you. Something else that makes it difficult. I've been emphasizing how dangerous I am, and the others of my coven are, but in our case I am more lethal to you than any of them. Or any other vampire, for that matter." He holds up a finger. "Adding to my selfishness and stupidity, if I may add."
"Is it related to the fact that you cling to me like a hypothermic with anxiety?"
"No." He says flat. "And I really don't know how to explain without comparing you to food." I snort, reaching out and taking his hand in mine, giving him a gentle squeeze. "Thank you. It's amazing how much that helps."
A moment passes as he gathers his thoughts.
"You know how you can smell blood? Better than other humans can." I nod, face scrunching in disgust. "Okay, well I can always smell it, and it's appetizing to me. Because of my diet, I've gotten a taste for animal blood, and that does help in normal cases. But you … either your blood is made of opium and sunshine, or you're what we call a Singer."
"I'm liking these labels less and less as we go along."
"It gets worse. A Singer is a human with blood that is especially poignant. And from Carlisle's observations, only one vampire is affected by it. In our case, Emmett has had two Singers, and Alice was a Singer."
"Alice? So … Singers become vampires?"
"No…." Edward's entire affect hardens. "Alice and some guy named Michael - he was Emmett's last Singer - are the only ones I know of who survived. And I've met hundreds. The difference between them and you is that I know you. I care what happens to you. They were just … prey." His words hand in the air for a moment.
"So if we'd met... oh, in a dark alley or something…"
"The day we met, I was tempted to pull you into an empty classroom and have my way," he grimaces, eyes gleaming with tears that threaten to fall. "But I couldn't. I couldn't hurt you, or anyone, without endangering the only family I have. So I … kept to myself. And ignored you. You were like a demon straight from my personal Hell. My thoughts were stronger than any others, and they were drenched in your blood."
He looks up at my staggered expression as I absorb his bitter memories, reading the fear and mourning in the wrinkles around his eyes, and the slouch in his shoulders.
"But I did want to make up for that. I was an asshole, I know that, so I talked to you like it had never happened. And you … you let me. You accepted me, even after I was so rude and inconsiderate. Slowly, I became enraptured by how you were. Your actions, your words, your expressions … and then the air would stir, and your scent would capture me again. Then I heard Tyler's van. I can make excuses, claim that I knew Jay and I would go feral at the smell of your blood, but it would all be a lie. After one day of knowing you, one day of talking to you, and … all I could think was … 'God, not her'."
I feel my heart jump at his words, and I swallow the lump that's been clawing its way up for the past ten minutes. Edward breathes slowly, letting out little sobs. We stay hand-in-hand, stay by each other's side. One of us has to continue the conversation, and I volunteer softly.
"Is that why Rosalie chewed you out at the hospital?"
"She was so pissed at me for endangering our coven. For putting myself in your power. As if I needed another motive to kill you!" He looks away, growling in his throat. "But it had the opposite effect. I couldn't kill you, not after that. I argued with Rose and Jay, even Emmett, who was terrified I'd slip like he did."
My fingers touch my throat.
"But you haven't." He looks at me, his eyes soft, and he nods.
"You kept your word. And your curiosity flourished. But as of now, after all we've been through … no matter how much easier it would be, I couldn't hurt you." He shakes his head, arms crossing over his chest. "Never."
"Why…? Even if we're friends, I'm just some girl. Just another human. There are thousands of people just like me. My death wouldn't be a loss-"
"Isabella." Edward snaps, using my whole name like some sort of mute button. His face has only gotten more grave, but his eyes stay soft. His eyes stay pained. "... Bella, I would rather die than ever hurt you. The idea that I could, even on accident, tortures me every fucking day." He rakes his hand through his hair, his arms starting to tremble. "You are the only person since I was born who understands me. The only human who isn't put off by me. The thought of you laying here, completely white, your blood on my hands … to never hear you, never see your smile…" He looks at me and swallows hard. "You are … the most important person in my life right now."
The air shifts, heating my cheeks violently. He vanishes for a solid minute, returning with his overshirt on - messy, but on. He mutters something about feeling exposed when I take his face in my hands. His eyes, glorious and terrifying, widen, and meet mine. I purse my lips. "You already know how I feel. This entire situation in … strange, and scary, and wonderful. I-I would rather have become road pizza than stay away from you. We're like … like…"
"Two halves of a whole idiot?" He offers.
"Exactly!" I smile triumphantly. "Two halves of a whole idiot." He chuckles, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Ah, finally. A smile from the old man."
"You little shit … hah!" Edward pulls us together, my cheek meeting his cold chest. We stand together in silence, and I feel, for the first time, like there is nothing dividing us. He sighs softly above me. "And so the lion … befriended the lamb."
"Such a dumb lamb."
"And a sick, masochistic lion." He squeezes me, pressing his forehead to my own. Edward rubs my back for a minute before his head perks up. "Hey, can I show you something cool?"
"You mean other than your Antmorph transformation?"
"Pssh!" He pushes away, rolling his eyes. "That was just me getting the awkward part out of the way. This is actually just for fun. I want to show you," he ruffles my hair, "how we get around. Naturally, that is."
I bounce on my feet. "Wolf or bat? Or smoke?" He raises a brow. "What? That's what the books say. Dracula himself turned into mist or a werewolf-like thing."
"Dracula … doesn't exist. Other than what you saw, I can't shapeshift. No, it's more logical than that." Edward takes a knee, patting his shoulder. "We run."
I hesitate. Can you blame me? With his ability to vanish from my sight in a blink … I puff out my cheeks and wrap my arms around his neck. He grabs my ankles, making me squeak, and crosses them in front of his stomach. I try to ignore the frost of his skin and nod.
"Isabella Swan, professional backpack, ready for go!"
"You better be a professional, or you're gonna be gone. Take a deep breath!" Edward lets out a whoop and bolts forward. Bolts, however, isn't exactly accurate. He goes like a shot from a military rifle. The meadow is gone, and we're racing along the green lake around us. The trees get close, too close for comfort, narrowly missing Edward's face or arms every time he shifts and turns. I look behind us and down. Other than shifting leaves, there is no evidence that we have gone through. He moves silently, swiftly, like a ghost in the night.
In a whisper comes Edward's voice.
"I wish you could feel this. The complexity, the confusion that I feel. I know you try, but you can't quite understand." The words flutter by. My eyes lock on the forest ahead of us, trying to discern just where he will turn now. I'm always wrong. "My instincts tell me one thing, my mind, my … my heart says something completely different."
I open my mouth to reply. The air is pulled from my lungs. But I'm smiling. The air stings my eyes, and I feel my stomach be pulled from inside me, lost in the bushes, but I'm still smiling. I can't imagine a sensation more thrilling than this.
"You're bringing out the human in me." The sound of breaking wood makes me jolt, and the world rushes upward until in front of us there is nothing but sky. "And the vampire, too." My eyes gravitate down, to the bottom of the massive tree that we are locked onto, hundreds of feet in the air. I cling tighter to his shirt, hissing through my teeth.
"If you jump, I'm staking you."
"Aww, killjoy." Edward rocks his body, casually descending branch by branch. My stomach jumps with each impact. "Alright, let's get back to the car. It's getting close to dinnertime."
"Excuse me?" There's a lurch, and we're off again. This time, my eyes stay open, my head up, and the adrenaline rush pumps through. I whoop and holler with Edward, if only for a short moment. I have to close my eyes again, my stomach about a mile behind us, but my giggles don't stop until we do.
"Ah, exhilarating, isn't it? Bella?" He looks over his shoulder, no doubt spotting a brunette koala curled up on his back. "...you've fainted, didn't you?" There's a flat humor in his voice.
"No, I'm just recovering. That was amazing, yet bad from my human body. I think I lost my glasses, though." I straighten up, reaching for my face. "Nope! Physics saved them."
"Brilliant. Do you need to lay in the back seat?" I shake my head.
"Just put me in the front passenger's I'll take a wee nap on the way home."
"Alright, let's get you cozy." He carries me to the car, whistling while opening the door. I slide off his back, wobbling along until I'm leaning back on the leather interior. Edward looks me over, and slowly closes the door. His high laugh and a clap tell me his little test went well.
"Short," he says, getting in the driver's seat. "So, very short."
"I will end you." I hear a shift in the leather, and he snorts.
"You're as white as a ghost — no, you're as white as me!" The engine turns. "Maybe we'll get you an oxygen mask for next time."
"Next time?" The car starts to move, the music from the radio softer than before. I use it as my lullaby, slowly drifting off on the heated leather. Something comes into view not even two feet away. It's Edward, with his crooked smile and slight dimple. But something else is there … something off. Something I can't quite make out.
"Bella," he whispers, taking my hand in his. At that moment, it clicks for me. His skin is darker, to the point of being lightly tan, and there is more brown in his hair than normal. I'm about to joke when the final detail hits me.
His eyes … are a beautiful, dark green.