AN: Hi All!

As promised, I didn't make you wait too long for this one. Also, I kept it to a shorter length this time since I know most of you are looking forward to Bella & Jasper, and that will be next chapter because I'm saving the best for last.

Thank you to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! Especially, Akatsuki'sBloodyNekoNinja, Kyra, traceybuie, AHealingRenaissance, catgrl, Blackthorn89, sycoscorpio66691, charverv, and Naenae30, for reviewing last chapter!

And now, I give you Chapter 18!

Chapter 18: Poetry and Song

Rose's POV

There was a current of excitement palpable in the air as everyone prepared for a week away with their true mates. I knew Carlisle could sense my nerves as we quickly packed our things. We had gotten very good over the past year at reading one another. So when he took my hand in his, I knew it was mostly to calm me.

As we took our suitcases down to the docks we were greeted with the sight of four speedboats complete with drivers. Somehow, unbeknownst to any of us, Alice had rented four separate private islands so that each couple would have somewhere special to kick things off.

Carlisle helped me into the correct boat, not that I needed help, but he was a true gentleman. Each of the drivers was holding up a picture of the couple they were supposed to ferry. Once on board, our driver presented us with a bucket of ice that had a bottle of champagne chilling for us. The bottom of the boat was covered with rose petals.

I smiled at Carlisle as he uncorked the champagne and poured a glass for each of us. The driver pulled out into the open ocean and quickly transported us to an island that I assumed to be the nearest of the four. Carlisle had to be accessible to the village in case of a medical emergency, so we would be staying nearby for this getaway.

I spent the entire boat ride looking into his eyes. If my heart could flutter, it would be beating out of my chest. The love I had for this man, that I had never been permitted to act on, I would finally be able to express. I couldn't wait for the driver to leave. The anticipation was nearly killing me.

As we arrived and docked in a beautiful, pristine little cove, Carlisle tipped the man very generously as was his custom. The man assured us he would return twice daily to make sure we had everything we needed. We thanked him and soon he and his boat were disappearing from even our extraordinary vampiric eyesight. Carlisle and I were truly and finally alone.

"Well, Sweetheart. Where to first?" He asked.

"Let's go the bedroom." I suggested as we entered the beautiful little two room hut.

The only 'firsts' I had ever had were with Emmett and well, Royce, if that even counted. And neither of those experiences had been in a bed. I wanted my first time with Carlisle to be in a bed. I wanted it to feel like a honeymoon, even if we wouldn't be married yet on paper.

"Lead the way, My Love." He nodded, setting down our suitcases by the front door.

I began leading us into the bedchamber which was both simple and elegant. It had the feel of a classy hotel room but with a tropical, open air concept as was common for these little island paradises. Before I stepped through the threshold into the room, Carlisle swept me off my feet and carried me in bridal style.

Respectfully, he set me down on my feet though, instead of placing me on the bed. I think he instinctively knew I would want that final step to be something I had complete control of.

This was, in a sense, new territory for me. Emmett and I had gradually worked up to sex and I had elected to be very drunk the first several times with him so that I didn't have flashbacks. This would be different in many ways.

For one thing, Carlisle had been the one to save me after Royce. So there was instinctively a safety with him that I'd never had with Emmett in the beginning. But also, with Emmett, it was all much more casual because we weren't mates. This felt...well, important.

I'm not sure who moved first or if we moved in unison, but when I found myself in Carlisle's arms kissing him passionately, it didn't matter how we got there.

It didn't matter that we each had a past with other people, or that we had lived as father and daughter for decades. Nothing mattered but the feel of my mate's muscular arms wrapped around me as his kisses moved from my lips down one side of my neck, across my collar bone and up the other side.

When his lips found mine again, I was barely aware of the fact that while he had been kissing me, I had been undressing him. I'd done so instinctively and he had followed suit. Soon, there we both were. Standing together, wearing nothing more than our love for one another.

I allowed my eyes to travel then, over the length of his body. I allowed myself to truly see him as a man, my man, for the first time. It was a profound moment.

Surprisingly, I didn't find myself feeling self-conscious as I thought I would. Instead, I felt seen. I felt beautiful as he gazed upon me lovingly. I felt desired witnessing his growing arousal for me. I felt sensual as I pulled him onto the bed with me.

And then I did something I had never done before. In the past, I had always insisted on being on top during sex. I'd always needed that control. To know that I could escape if the situation ever warranted it.

But now, I surprised myself beyond words as I laid down on the bed positioning my mate on top of me. I no longer needed that escape. That lingering fear of sex that had always lived dormant in the back of my mind was gone. Replaced entirely by a peace and presence of being in the moment with my mate where the past held no sway and there was only Carlisle and I in the room. I had said goodbye to the ghosts of long ago pain and suffering and I had done so without even realizing it.

I knew, as I kissed and caressed him, that Carlisle would never enter me without clear, verbal permission, even if my body language was clear in and of itself. So I looked him in the eyes as I said the words, "Make love to me, Carlisle. I am ready to be yours in every sense of the word."

And that was all it took. As our bodies merged, there was a total outpouring of love as instinct took over and I was barely aware that my teeth sank into the flesh of his shoulder like butter and I pumped my venom into him as he did the same for me. The primal nature of the act triggered us both to reach our release much sooner than we otherwise would have and I collapsed, blissfully sated in my mate's strong arms.

The experience was so powerful that I knew if I was human, I would have been crying. What was more surprising was that Carlisle clearly would have also.

"O my Luve's like a red, red rose

That's newly sprung in June;

O my Luve's like the melodie

That's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

So deep in luve am I:

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry:

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi' the sun:

I will luve thee still, my dear,

While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee well, my only Luve

And fare thee well, a while!

And I will come again, my Luve,

Tho' it were ten thousand mile."

Carlisle quoted softly, reciting the beloved Robbie Burns poem for me. It was the perfect ending to our perfect first time together.

"Thank you, My Darling." I whispered, kissing the top of his head which lay resting between my breasts.

"I could say the same." He sighed happily.

"I hope everyone else is having as perfect a time as we are." I smiled.

"Are you worried about Emmett, Sweetheart?"

"Not worried, so much as I just want them to be happy." I explained.

"I'm sure they are, My Rose. We'll find out soon enough. I know how you feel. I want that for Esme too." He assured me.

"If the rest of the family are even a fraction as happy as I feel right now, I'd consider it a win all around." I giggled, which is not something I generally do.

Carlisle beamed radiantly, running his fingers through my hair. "So would I, Darling. So would I."

Esme's POV

After we had all gone our separate ways, Edward and I were ferried to the island which would be ours for the coming week. When we disembarked, he took my hand, helping me out of the boat.

"Thank you, Edward." I smiled as we tipped the driver and made our way slowly along the beach to the beautiful little building that would be our dwelling.

"Oh my, it's gorgeous!" I gasped as we stepped inside. Alice had clearly taken our tastes into consideration when she booked these accommodations.

The decor was done using a winter color palette, instead of the gawdy, overly bright tropical colors that typically adorned most vacation homes. There were plum and indigo accent pieces throughout and the walls in the main space were an assortment of grey and creme. The living room had a lovely mulled wine leather sectional and black wood furniture and the kitchen area had classic white cupboards with gold finials and dark grey floor tiles with a navy backsplash.

It reminded me of a galley kitchen a yacht might have and it took up one end of the open concept main room. The living and dining areas were separated by a folding screen. Upon entering the bedroom we found that most of the colors from the main space were repeated therein.

"I'm glad you love it, Esme. I do too." Edward smiled.

"It's gorgeous." I nodded, beaming as I stepped into his arms. "Though not as gorgeous as you."

He pouted adorably. "That was meant to be my line."

"I'll let you use it next time." I laughed, kissing the tip of his nose.

I took both of his hands in mine and led him to the bed. "Well, we're truly alone at last, I suppose. Are you ready to begin our forever?"

"Beyond ready." He nodded. "But first, this."

I was surprised when he dropped to one knee and pulled out a small, familiar looking antique box.

It wasn't unexpected that Edward would want to at least be engaged before we were intimate. What was the most surprising was the ring itself.

"How on earth do you have that?" I gasped. "That, as I am sure you know is a Platt family heirloom. My mother wanted desperately to pass it on to me, but her brother cheated her out of it and gave it to his son for his bride."

Edward beamed, clearly very pleased with himself. "I'm aware. I had picked as much out of your thoughts and I knew that your grandmother was wearing it in her portrait. Apparently my description of it was enough for Alistair to track it, and he found it in an antiques warehouse, in Queens, New York. I phoned them and they couriered it to me last month.

"Oh Edward! That was the package you went into town for? You said you had sent for some of your vinyl records!" I gasped as he took the ring from it's box.

"Yes, I know, and I am terribly sorry I had to deceive you. It was the only way to maintain the surprise. I hope you can forgive me?"

My smile was so bright that I'm sure if I were human, my face would have been sore. "Forgive you? I could kiss you!" I grinned snatching the ring from him in a very unladylike fashion and placing it gently on my finger.

"May I assume that is a yes?" He laughed.

"Indeed you may." I nodded emphatically.

"Good!" He beamed, scooping me up in his arms. "Then where is that kiss I was promised?"

I teased him by kissing him first on the forehead. Then on the chin. Then each cheek in turn, followed by his nose. When I finally settled on his lips it was with fervent enthusiasm because I was ravenous for him. My mate. My Edward. I wanted him with a depth I had never experienced before.

And so, I didn't wait for him to slowly undress us. I knew what his pace would be and that he would proceed to ask my consent before removing each and every article of my clothing. I knew as much because he had done as much during the few brief times we had gotten up to a bit of foreplay in recent months.

But at the moment, I didn't want slow. I didn't want cautious. I wanted primal. Eager. Desperate. Because that was how I was feeling. My need for Edward was so intense it nearly frightened me with the force of it. My desire for my mate was like a living thing. And I knew that given his mind reading ability, he knew just what I wanted.

So he wasn't surprised when I pushed him back on the bed and straddle him, tearing my dress off in one smooth motion. I all but attacked him with kisses, simultaneously removing his dress shirt and slacks. Thank God for my vampiric coordination.

I pulled his cell phone from his pocket as I disrobed him and set it up to play the music playlist we had been creating together. It was mostly instrumental. Our hearts spoke loudly enough without needing words.

Our lovemaking began with the rising crescendos of Brooklyn Duo's cover of 'Drag Me Down'. Then it moved into the frantic pulse of Lindsey Sterling 'Beyond the Veil', during the climax of which we marked one another instinctually, claiming each other with our venom. After reaching our first of many mutual peaks together, the tempo slowed as Brooklyn Duo's cover of 'True Colors' came on. We made slow passionate love to that song and to a great many others after it. Our love making carried on for so long, it wasn't until we both needed to hunt that we reluctantly pulled ourselves out of bed in search of sustenance.

As we ran hand in hand through the jungle, not having bothered with clothing, it was clear to me that I had never fully been a true vampire until now. As Esme Cullen, I had been many things. But during those years, I was always holding back. I always had one foot out the door of my own life, just as I had in my human one. I was always waiting for something to happen.

Being with Edward now, it was clear to me...he was the something I had been waiting for. I could never fully commit to the life I led with Carlisle because it was never truly mine. Edward was. He was truly mine in every sense of the word and I knew, I would never have to pretend again. I would never again have to be something I wasn't.

Which is why it felt entirely natural when I spoke the next words. Words I had thought to myself many times over the years but had never allowed myself to utter. "Edward...I don't wish to hunt in forests anymore. I want to hunt in cities."

And because my mate was a mind-reader, it didn't come as a surprise to him. He simply nodded.

"I know. And I can teach you."

AN: Oh snap! Bet ya didn't see that coming! Neither did I, but Esme insisted. Sometimes these characters seem to take on a life of their own.

Anyway, I'm dying to hear your feedback on this one! Next chapter is the "younger" generation ;-)

Hugs and Blessings,

-BMW