Chapter 23

It only took what seemed like seconds before Edward was at his truck window, eyes looking wild and dark, even though he had just fed that week.

Harry sniffled again and didn't resist as Edward opened the truck door and gently pulled him out by his wrist.

"What happened?" The vampire urged, "are you hurt?"

Harry shook his head and motioned towards the door that had blown open a crack in his haste to run away. Even looking at it gave him chills though, and he burrowed deeper into Edward's arms. The cold arms shouldn't have made him any less cold, but as soon as Edward wrapped his arms around him he felt warmth grow in his chest.

Edward frowned in consideration and tried to see if he could catch a scent that would hint towards what was waiting for him. "It better not be a spider," he warned humorously in an attempt to brighten his mates mood, but all his got in response was a silent stare. It was worrying in its vacancy and the wide green eyes were still filled with the remnants of tears and fear, making Edward feel even more concerned.

Harry bit his lip and shifted in Edward's arms, still feeling the cold tendrils of fear constricting his heart. He wished it were a spider. It was much much worse than just that.

"Stay here," Edward commanded, and it was all Harry could do to not make a noise of complaint. Still though, it was better than the alternative - which was him going back inside. So reluctantly Harry nodded and stepped out of the embrace then hopped back in the car and gave Edward what he hoped was an encouraging look.

Edward smiled sadly at that, "You're okay," he promised soothingly, "I won't let anything hurt you." He took one last look at Harry then started his way to the open door, a mixture of anger, protectiveness, and curiosity filling his head as he walked inside. Immediately he was met with the same sight that Harry had seen. Countless pictures littered the living room and, from what he could see, the kitchen. He made his way upstairs at an inhumane pace, not wanting to leave Harry alone longer than necessary, and found the same scene in Harry's bedroom, and the bathroom, but strangely nothing in James room. He looked in there for a few more seconds, taking the time to look as thoroughly as he could without being too invasive or disturbing items, but eventually concluded that there was nothing obviously out of place or planted. He made a note to ask the rest of his family to clean up and collect what they could, but right now Harry was his immediate concern.

He all but ran outside and found Harry following directions, still seated in the front seat of his truck. His expression was worrying still though, a mixture of shock and hurt and insecurity.

"What do you need, love?" He asked gently as he pulled open the door and helped maneuver Harry to the passenger seat so he could drive.

Harry blinked his eyes a few times to clear them then took a deep breath before relaxing into the old truck seats. "You. I just need you," he answered. He was okay…kinda. Still reeling in the shock of it and really really really wanting to figure out why it happened. But he was okay.

Edward started up the engine and pulled out of the driveway, but didn't drive very far before pulling to the side of the forested road and putting the car into park.

Some of the cloudiness seemed to clear from Harry's eyes as he turned to face Edward with a confused frown, "Why are we here? Not that I'm complaining, because I definitely didn't want to sit in my driveway any longer, but the side of the road isn't exactly a great - "

"I wanted to get your away from the house," Edward interrupted, a small smile teasing at his lips despite the worry still strumming through his dead heart. "You heart rate is still quicker than normal."

Harry smiled with chagrin and touched a hand to his chest, blushing when he felt the harsh and quick drum of his heart. "I guess you're right," he answered ruefully.

"Besides, I wanted to figure out where to take you," Edward continued thoughtfully. "I'd take you home, but we don't have much food there right now and I want you to eat."

"Don't want to eat," Harry sulked.

Edward ignored that comment, "Your choice, the coffee shop downtown or the local diner."

"You have a funny way of giving the illusion of choice, ya know, you unashamed bossy-boss."

Edward let out a full bodied laugh at that and started the car up again. "I thought I was an unapologetic dictator," Edward quoted and Harry giggled and let a little more tension fall from his shoulders.

"That too," he hummed and settled back against the seats. He traced a finger delicately against the frayed leather then slowly inched it closer to Edward's hand, feeling gratified when the cold lingers immediately embraced his.

"I love you," he sighed when Edward raised his hand to kiss his knuckles.

Edward made a low noise in agreement and pulled into the parking lot of the coffee shop. Harry hadn't really said which he preferred, but if he knew his mate, coffee would always be his first choice. He could put aside his insistence too that coffee wasn't a meal if he could help Harry lessen the amount of fear and distress he still felt radiating from the small human.

"You know me so well," Harry grinned as they pulled into the parking lot.

Edward put the car into park but kept the doors locked as he turned to face his mate. "One rule: you must also eat something."

Harry smiled angelically up at him and Edward narrowed his eyes into a glare. "Coffee counts as drinking, not eating," and at that Harry pouted again.

"I thought you couldn't read my mind," he muttered but Edward ignored him in favor of unlocking the doors and running to Harry's side before the human could even think about it. "But I suppose I could probably eat a muffin."

Edward hid his victory smile as he held the door open for his mate and walked with him to the counter. He waited for Harry to order, then smoothly pulled out enough cash to pay for it before pulling a protesting Harry to the table in the corner of the shop.

"Sugar is good for you," Edward nodded approvingly as they brought over their order and Harry look a bite of the muffin.

"I think most nutritionists would disagree," Harry snickered, but he understood the sentiment. "But I appreciate you looking out for me."

"I'll always look after you," and those words made Harry blush happily and busy himself by taking a sip of his coffee.

"I hope that doesn't stop you from falling asleep," Edward said with only a slight tone of disparagement.

Harry grimaced and took another bite of his muffin. "I'm not sure I want to sleep tonight," he confessed. He'd already been haunted by nightmares of that image before finding them all over his house, so he didn't want to know what would be awaiting him in his dreams now. Lucky Edward, never having to sleep and face that uncertainty. He briefly considered asking his vampire if he could help keep him awake, but he knew without a doubt that Edward would refuse, likely citing some sleep study about how dangerous it was to not get a full 7 hours.

"You'll sleep in my room," Edward said definitively, not leaving any room for Harry to argue. "It's safer and…I think I need it just as much."

Edward had the instinctual need to keep Harry close, and that was only more apparent the more trouble his human got into. There was an itching under his skin telling him to take his mate and hide him away until all of this could no longer touch him, but unfortunately he knew it wasn't as simple as that. He couldn't just hide his mate away, but he could make sure to keep him safe and protected. So Harry would be sleeping in his bed, his den, when he could keep him safe and if he could convince him, Harry would stay too.

"What're you thinking about, partner?" Harry wondered, seeing the dark look in Edwards eyes and the way his body was tensed almost aggressively.
"Nothing, my little love," Edward broke away from his inner thoughts to stare adoringly at his Harry, who was staring at him with pursed lips.

Instead of following his line of questioning, Harry finished his coffee and muffin and got up to throw them away, rolling his eyes when he sensed his shadow following closely at his back.

"I'm okay," he reassured. "I mean, I'm confused and curious and I'm going to figure out why there's pictures of a dead woman all over my house. But I'm okay."

"Regardless," Edward simply murmured as he placed a hand at the small of Harry's back to lead him out of the coffeeshop.

"Are we going to your house?" Harry asked as he climbed back into the car, thankfully unassisted by Edward this time. He loved that Edward showed he cared, but sometimes he just needed to do things like open his own door once in awhile. "Because I feel like I should probably call my dad and tell him what happened. Or maybe even take the photos out of the house? I don't want him to see -"

"Already taken care of," Edward sped down the road, noting the setting sun. "I had my family go and remove the photos. Your father's room look untouched though, which is curious." He felt hesitant telling his mate that, not wanting the human to worry more about his own safety, so he was shocked when he heard a vocal sigh of relief fall from his mouth.

Upon seeing Edwards confused, and admittedly a bit frustrated, expression, Harry tried to explain, "It means they're not focused on James, or at least he's not the focus of their intimidation."

Edward growled lowly at that and turned sharper than he intended down the gravel road that lead to his house, making Harry slid forward in his seat and his seatbelt lock him in place. He groaned in frustration and tugged fruitlessly against the straps, scowling when he heard Edward chuckle.

"Perhaps I should just keep you trapped in the car, maybe then you would put your safety first," he mused, and Harry had a sinking feeling that Edward wasn't entirely kidding with his threat.

"No, thank you. I'll be very safety conscious," Harry said immediately, flushing when he realized he couldn't get out of his seatbelt. Instead of fighting with it to loosen, he just unbuckled.

"That lack of safety is exactly what I'm talking about," Edward said pointedly as he stared down at the empty seat belt buckle, but he didn't push it any further. They were in his driveway anyways, and he really just wanted to carry Harry inside and made him forget this whole day.

Something in his face must have given him any because as soon as the car was parked Harry practically climbed into his lap. "You okay, partner?"

Harry asked in concern as he grabbed Edward's cheeks so the vampire was looking him in the eye.

"Promise to let me take care of you tonight," Edward said in a dark voice, "and then I'll be okay."

Harrys lips twitched. "I think I can do that, but just for tonight," he said before leaning forward to press his lips gently against Edward's.

As Harry found out, apparently that promise included ridiculous things, like not allowing him to get his own water or really even get up independently. It also involved nice things too though, like when he requested Edward read to him and the vampire picked up one of his favorites and started at the beginning, just so Harry could listen to his voice.

It also involved getting irrationally angry when his family came to interrupt.

"Get out, Alice," Edward snarled but the pixie girl just laughed and plopped down of the bed, reclining next to Harry. "And don't touch him," he added almost sullenly.

Harry rolled his eyes at that and pulled Edward to lay down on his other side, since his mate had rudely jumped off the bed when his sister barged in. "Now now Edward, you can share."

"How's it going?" Alice asked innocently.

"…good," Harry answered slowly, looking in between the two with barely masked confusion. Alice was grinning as if she had a huge secret, an Edward looked like he was about to burn holes into Alice's brain. "How's it going with you? Also, Edward looks frustrated."

"I'm singing the alphabet so he can't hear my thoughts, that always drives him crazy," Alive said flippantly, laughing when Edward simply growled in response. "So there's an art show in Seattle this weekend -"

"No, he isn't going anywhere without me. Not after today," Edward interrupted, glaring fiercely at his sister.

"Edward," Alice whined.

"No."

Harry snickered as Alice continued to stare him down before petulantly sighing and crossing her arms.

"And thinking of the attractive artists in attendance is not convincing me any more that Harry should go," to which Harry snickered and received himself a pointed glare. "Nor do I think Jasper would approve of you thinking about them either."

"It's called window shopping, Edward. Don't be such a possessive prat," Alice rolled her eyes and Harry grinned at the use of the British insult. "It's not a good look."

Harry titled his head contemplatively at that. "Eh, I think it's a pretty good look."

Edward smirked victoriously at that and gave his sister a self satisfied smirk. Harry could try to avoid or deny it all he wanted, but they both knew the smaller male belonged to him. He had a right to be possessive and protective of his mate. He took a few more milliseconds to silently taunt his sister before Harry turned to capture him in a kiss that showed him how much he liked his possessive and protective look.

"Okay, fine, ew, I'm leaving," Alice called out as she rolled off the bed gracefully and all but ran from the room.

So it's a good look, huh?" Edward questioned out loud as he pressed increasingly more domineering kisses before moving down to mark his neck with careful bites and kisses.

"It - uh- ," Harry winced into the next bite but obligingly bared more skin, purring when the next touch was a softer caress. "It has its moments.

Not all moments, mind you. You can still be a right prat sometimes," he added, just to make sure Edward didn't get an overinflated head. "Now who were these hot artists Alice was talking about?" He teased before yelping when all that got him was a particularly harsh bit near his collarbone.

"I'm going to make you forget about anyone else," Edward promised, and Harry cringed on with an embarrassing desperation as Edward rearranged them so Harry was straddling his lap.

"I'm okay with that," he said, dazed as Edward cupped the back of his head and kissed him fiercely. He entertained the thought of fighting for dominance for a brief second before just giving in to the sensation.

A particular hard bit to his bottom lip had Harry moaning into the icy mouth, and unable to resist any longer, he trailed his hands downwards, a familiar movement that had always been stopped by Edward. Today though, he was determined.

"Mmh," Edward chuckled into Harrys mouth and reached his own hand downwards, only so he could trap Harry's hand in his and raise it back up to pin above his head. "Naughty, naughty," he teased.

Harry pouted up at him and halfheartedly tried to wiggle his trapped fingers to release them, "Tell me you don't want it."

"That's not the concern, and you know it. I refuse to hurt you."

Edward allowed Harry to roll them over so that his human was straddling his hips, not breaking his grasp on Harry's wrists, though was careful to keep his grip soft, not wanting to leave bruises like the last time.

"Let me love you," Harry insisted, wiggling and twisting his wrist until his was begrudgingly released by his vampire.

"Harry," Edward moaned, sounding almost as if he were in pain as Harry's hands once again stared their path downwards. "You have no idea what you're doing to me…"

Harry smirked and leaned down so he could kiss Edward, feeling even more satisfied when his Vampire simply pulled him closer and placed a hand to the back of his neck to keep his head still.

"We can't…" Edward broke away with a frustrated noise, groaning as Harry slid down his body and teased his stomach with a devious tongue.

"Tell me to stop and I will," Harry promised, staring unblinking into Edward's eyes even as he remained in the same position.

As expected, Edward didn't respond, and Harry took his silence for agreement.

"You're going to make me lose control," Edward warned, though it sounded more like a confession.

"Good," Harry smiled innocently and went right to work, stroking Edward's cock smoothly and bringing the tip to his mouth.

"Fuck."

"Yes, please."

Edward groaned again, a half animalistic sound as he clenched tightly to the pillows behind him, using all of his willpower to avoid cupping Harry's head and pulling those silky black tresses in whatever direction he chose.

Embarrassingly it only took another minute of Harrys wet tongue before Edward came with a low, deep growl.

Harry hummed in satisfactory and smiled warmly at Edward as the vampire dragged him back up and captured his lips in another kiss, this one decidedly more lazy. Harry could almost fall asleep to this, if it weren't for his pressing need. He reached a hand down to try and relieve some of the pressure, but Edward apparently didn't like that.

His vampire flipped them over before Harry could blink and pinned the smaller male to the bed. "No," he growled again when one of Harry's hands started to trail downwards to his own erection. "Mine."

"Alright fine, you possessive caveman," Harry made a note not to try that again when Edward was so high strung, even though the reaction he got was decidedly more fun than doing it himself. He tried to retain his composure as Edward started trailing his hands south until he met Harry's cock.

Harry was already leaking, and Edward used that to lubricate his way

Harry let out a keening sound them immediately bit his lip to stop more noises from coming out.

Edward's trained eyes saw the movement and he pulled Harrys lip from his teeth with impossibly gentle fingers even as he was harshly marking his territory. "Don't. I want to hear."

At that Harry blushed bright red and moaned in a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment as Edward bit his thigh particularly hard, leaving a faint indentation and making Harry squeak.

"Apologies," He said smoothly, though his roguish smirk belayed his apologetic nature. He pressed his thumb to the mark, watching in fascination as a white bloomed upon release.

"Edward," Harry fussed, torn between enjoying the making and satisfying the growing feeling of desperation. "Either you take care of me or -"

Edward cut him off by swallowing his cock and Harry made an indecent sound in response that had Edward smirking. "Edward, please," Harry whined the vampire wasted no time in undoing Harrying, until the human was a spent mess lying beneath him.

Afterwards Harry lay content on Edward's chest, nearly purring at the feeling of Edward's hands softly carding through his hair. At least, he was content until Edward shifted under him to sit up, dislodging him in the process. He cracked open one eye and grumbled, but Edward just pushed him and scratched at the back of his neck.

"Lets get you in bed," his vampire murmured quietly and before Harry could even respond, he was being lifted up in strong, cold arms.

He squeaked in dismay at the new position and tried to growl threateningly, but judging from the feel of a smirk against the crow of his head, Edward wasn't impressed.

"Hey," Harry grumbled as he wiggled in the arms. "I have human needs, you know. Can you at least put me down so I can brush my teeth?"

"Hmm," Edward pretended to consider it for a few seconds. "I suppose I could allow that." He reluctantly set Harry's feet on the ground, then grinned with barely restrained affection as Harry immediately took a suspicious step away.

"I'll be right here waiting," Edward reassured, grinning even larger when Harry sent him one last side glance and all but scurried to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

It took about 4 painful minutes from Harry to finish his human business, and as soon as he stepped out into the room Edward was right there to pick him back up. "Edward!" Harry laughed, shocked at the abrupt movement. "Is this going to be a new thing with you? Because I'd like to know if so."

"Yes," Edward said definitively.

And as much as Harry protested, he also couldn't argue that it felt good to be cared about, so with only one small grumble, he submitted to Edward's objective and cuddled into the embrace.

"We need to talk about the pictures."

"Tomorrow, love. Tonight is about this and us. I'll keep you safe," and the last part was whispered against his cheek that was still warm from sleepiness.

"Okay," Harry agreed and he let Edward carry him to bed and get settled in. As soon as his head hit the pillow, sleepiness came over him. He barely stayed conscious long enough to feel Edward climb in behind him, and as soon as a chilly hand came up to stroke the back of his neck, he was out.