Now I ain't the sharpest chisel

That your hands have ever held

But darlin' I could love you well

Til' the roll is called on high

I've seen my share of trouble

And I've held my weight in shame

But I'm baptized in your name

Lovely Lady May

-Tyler Childers ~ Lady May (live)

Alice was not as fast as the telepath, and Isabella kept up easily. Alice brought them to a creek, deep enough to swim in.

Then she started taking off her clothes.

"Whoa- Alice what are you doing?"

Alice smiled. "I would have thought that was obvious, I'm going swimming."

Isabella looked scandalized. "We don't have swimming costumes!"

"Swimming costumes? You mean swim suits Isabella?" Alice laughed. "You're such a dinosaur, I haven't heard them be called that since the 20s."

"Yes, well Alice regardless of terminology, we have nothing to swim in!"

Alice smiled wickedly. "Well we could swim naked."

Isabella reevaluated her time with Alice. "Alice- I- I'm very sorry if I've led you to believe- I'm not- I couldn't-"

Alice laughed. "I'm not coming onto you Isabella. Edward would kill me."

Something in Alice at that moment struck Isabella as very familiar again.

"Do I know you Alice?"

Alice looked shocked. "I- well- I'd like to know you Isabella."

Isabella shook her head. "I'd like to get to know you as well pixie, but that's not exactly what I'm referring to. You're dreadfully familiar to me, but I just can't place it."

Alice looked confused. "You know, I had thought the same thing, but I was brushing it off to be some sort of 'soul sister' thing."

Isabella shrugged. "Perhaps I knew you when I was human."

Alice froze. "Yes, maybe." She shook her head. "Anyway! Let's go swimming Isabella!"

Isabella hated to be a 'dinosaur' as Alice had called her, so she Acquiesced, and stripped down. Alice's eyes flashed to the scar on her left hip. One long scratch.

"How did you get that?" She asked quietly.

Isabella smiled wryly. "You know how."

After all, there were only two ways to scar a vampires skin, and this was no bite mark.

She turned and jumped in.

The creature was hideous- half man, half beast, standing on two legs snarling at me.

This is itI think, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...

It swiped towards me, heavy claws sweeping downwards, I jumped back.

But not quickly enough, the creatures middle talon went deep into the skin about my hip.

I cried out, falling back, the Child Of the Moons venom coated claws would scar my skin forever. But forever wouldn't be much longer now.

I threw my shield up desperately trying to protect myself, but the creature was too fast. On me again before I could do anythingin my defence, my hands raised in an instinctivemove to protect my face, my eyes. I closed them and awaited infinity.

Suddenly the creature was ripped off of me.

I heard it cry out, it's cry disturbingly human for such a monster.

I opened them. The creature was dead. Slowly transforming into the human man that I had thought would be my dinner.

His head disconnected completely, in the hand of a Vampire man I had never seen before.

"You ought to be careful, Miss. Children of the moon are rare in the Americas, but they still happen."

He was a rugged sort of handsome. Not entirely my type. But his long dark hair falling around his ears was cute. He wore a duster, for what I could only assume was vanity.

I wore a simple dress I had taken from my last meal, orange, with little lace flowers. It was an ugly dress. But then I didn't like many of the clothes to come from this age. The fifties were much nicer. I was in Italy for most of the sixties, but the seventies? What had gotten into them? This dress wouldn't have even been acceptable for sleepwear when I was human.

"May I ask your name, Sir?" After all, my Mother had taught me, manners above all.

"Garrett," he knelt by my still crumpled form. "What's yours little soldier?"

"Isabella" I smiled. "And I believe I owe you thanks, Garrett."

"Yes well, what kind of gentleman can I call myself if I were to let that mutt rip you to pieces and not even try to help?"

"Where are you heading Garrett?"

"Back home to Boston. I was visiting some friends on the west coast, but I hate leaving home for long."

I nod. "Well, would you be terribly inconvenienced if I were to follow you?"

Garrett smiled. "So formal! You remind me of a little telepath I've met."

"I have only met one telepath, and I'd be happy not to meet another, thank you!" I was aware I was being a bit rude to the stranger who had saved my life, but i was still raw from my time in Italy. Volterra was a hell I would not be returning to.

Garrett laughed. "Yeah, I think I'd be fine with you following along. You're an entertaining little thing aren't you? Let me guess, Victorian?"

My eyebrow raised, mock offended. "I'm trying to 'get with' all this new age stuff, but I must admit. It's a challenge for me not to clutch at my metaphorical pearls."

"Well little Victorian, do you want to hunt again before we leave this town, the mutts are usually solitary creatures."

I shook my head. "I'm unsure I could keep anything down with all the stress I'm under."

Garrett laughed again. "You're a right joy, you know that?"

I stood, and dusted what little of a skirt I had. "Yes, well, im just excited to get back to a place that is cold. Perhaps the women in that town will dress more conservatively."

"Maybe you could steal clothes from a man?"

I was scandalized. "You expect me to- to- cross dress?" I nearly slapped him. "What kind of woman do you take me for?"

Garrett rolled his eyes. "What is it with you Victorians? Even as vampires repressed as hell."

I snorted. "I'm not repressed Garrett. I have sex. I just don't feel the need to broadcast it. Or be unnecessarily vulgar about it."

Garrett rolled his eyes. "Sex is vulgar Isabella."

I grinned. "Who's the Victorian now?"

Garrett grinned. "I never said vulgarity was a bad thing."

I looked to see if he was kidding.

He wasn't.

She hadn't run with Garrett for long. A year maybe, and visited a couple times after. But neither of them were looking for a long time companion.

Though Isabella knew they were perhaps compatible enough to be a good match, she felt no attraction to the man, nor he to her. They were only good friends. Excellent friends.

The water was crisp, cool around her. Alice's joining splash from above her was her only warning before her new friend was swimming beside her. Isabella smiled at her, as she dove deeper. It was deeper than it looked from above, Isabella had thought the water maybe six feet deep, but it was closer to twelve.

The water was calming, a balm to Isabellas nerves, that had been raw from her exertions in hunting animals, and her moment with the telepath.

She wondered what the hell was with him that made her so drawn to him. She couldn't fathom it. Sure, he was attractive, but that had never mattered before. It shouldn't matter now. But something about him was drawing her in. She couldn't explain it, but it was like there was some tie between the. Invisible but stronger than steel. When she was with him she barely felt it, but now, away from him it was loud and clear. A strong pull, dragging her back to him. Her frantic mind could only equate this feeling to an anchor, a weight, dragging her down- but it didn't feel that way when we were together. Isabella tried to reason with herself, but to no avail. The fear beating at the back of her head couldn'tbe silenced.

I'm just swimming with a friend, forget him. He doesn't matter. Her mind and body screamed that that was a lie. I should just be having fun while I can.

And they did have fun, splashing and playing in the deceptively deep creek. Alice coming up and giggling when Isabella started another game of tag. They swam around after each other, never noticing the watching vampire behind the tree.

[AN: I'm going to try some 1st person EPOV here, if it sucks I'll delete it and never speak of it again. But I wanna get in his head here.]

EPOV

My mate- still strange to think of her that way- was swimming with Alice.

In her undergarments. I was attempting to be a gentleman, but, I couldn't figure the gentlemanly move for a moment. I didn't want to leave, having said nothing, that felt rude. But I also didn't want to announce myself, making them uncomfortable with their near nudity.

Or should I say her near nudity. Alice had no sense of modestly. I shudder remembering her wedding dress- gold, with black trim. Short, with black and gold tassels bringing the dress to just below the knee. In Vegas! Though I tried to remain as supportive a brother as I could, on the outside at least. I loved the little pixie, but she really was a shameless tart.

But Isabella on the other hand- I believed she would be offended by my seeing her nude. At least, outside the confines of her own devices.

The undergarments she had on were lovely though. Green lace. Pink flowers, I could see the pattern of them on the brassiere from here. I wondered if the bottoms matched.

I got my answer when she climbed onto a nearby rock and jumped back into the water.

The did. And the lace traced a lovely pattern low on her stomach. The lace made them almost sheer. She was perfect. Light scarring on her left hip did nothing to dissuade the pure beauty of this wood nymph. This muse of the gods. This was a creature to be worshipped.

This was a creature of which poems and sonnets were written. She was love and lust and beauty and life. Dark hair like black sea-grass against her water soft skin.

Her smile was radiant and pure. Like a goddess took physical form. She was Persephone in flesh.

Red eyed goddess of spring. Life- and death, in her hands. All that blooms and all that decays, belongs to her.

And the cool water had changed her scent- lightening it- instead of the dark metallic scent that had driven me wild with lust, the scent now was full of sunlight and honey, more a sparkling sweet raspberry wine than pomegranate mead now. Her scent left me as the wind changed.

Red eyes that suddenly flashed to mine. Tasting my scent on the new winds. Her eyes flashed with need, and I'm sure mine did as well.

"Oh brother! Ruin all our fun why don't you!"

I smiled, eyes never leaving Isabella. "Alice? Bite me."

Alice sighed. "Well, I'll see you later Isabella. I'm sure you want time with your mate."

Isabella looked to Alice. Shock on her face.

Alice left quietly. And I looked at Isabella, apology plain on my face. "You must think, I'm quite an idiot, not realizing sooner. I mean. I'm sure you realized right away." I looked away. "I- I just. I never thought- I've never met anyone so-"

Isabella interrupted me. "Edward. You- you aren't my mate."

My eyes flashed back to hers. "Of course I am. I know you can feel it too." I grabbed her hand, holding it to my chest with more confidence than I felt. What if she doesn't feel it- what if I'm wrong. What if Carlisles wrong-

Isabella shook her head. "I- I feel something for you, but-" she took a deep breath. "Edward you can't be my mate."

I felt like I was grasping at air. That I couldn't get enough, my mate is rejecting me? I thought. My mind is normally one of my greatest assets but now it seems to be sluggish, and I'm too frantic to not be frustrated by its slowness. I felt out of control- as if someone else was speaking through my mouth.

"Isabella- I don't understand- if- if it's something I did- I can change- I can fix it whatever I did wrong. But don't say that."

Isabella took a step back. A step away from me. She's leaving. NO!

"Isabella, please. I- I- don't leave. Just- I don't- what can I- tell me- I'll-" I couldn't form sentences. Emmett was right! she's leaving. She's leaving and the world will be black and cold and empty. No more spring. No more light.

"Edward, Edward, Edward!" Isabella was chanting. I could see the worry in her eyes and tried to quiet myself, but the shudders wouldn't leave. I took a shaky breath and motioned for her to speak.

"I'm more than happy to partake in a relationship with you- or at least- try. But- Edward you can't be my mate."

I nearly howled with pain, with rage, at her dismissal of our bond, but I held it because she said we could still be together. I didn't want to blow whatever chance I had at even a half-life of happiness by acting like a maniac. I knew I was doing a bad job of acting normal, but it felt as if another being took over my body when she denied me as her mate.

As if I was merely watching though my own eyes as some broken creature wept and begged for his companion.

"Why? Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because Edward. Vampires only mate once."

For a moment it didn't sink in. Yes, that's how the bond works, one true mate. But-then it hit me.

There was only one reason for her to bring that up now. As the reason I couldn't be her mate.

Isabella was already mated.

And I was going to kill him.

[AN: okay. So you aren't allowed to be angry with me for this cliffhanger. I've decided. Because it's necessary to the story. And also I will update soon so don't freak out. I would love to hear your theories. I've narrowed down your guesses a bit this chapter, but who do you think Isabellas mate is? Or who Isabella thinks her mate is? Who knows really...

Also! Please tell me what you think of 1st person Edward. He's not my favorite. Again I hate most of what I write. So that's not saying much.

Alsohaven't mentioned it the last couple chapters buttwilight isn't mine. I wish it was. Hell I'd settle for owning the 50s universe.

She gets a lot of hate but the more I think about it- like yeah those books are shitty twilight fanfic smut, but you know what? if they offered me half of what she made off of those? I'd let them publish my literal ass.

Off topic- completely off topic lol. Sorry. Anyway! I don't own twilight. Or any other super monetary masterpiece.

Also. When I wrote about the spaghetti sauce recipe- y'all really got stuck on the sugar. And yeah I don't like sugar in mine, personally. But- I'm very concerned that none of you had a problem with ginger being in it.

Like I kept waiting for the "no one could fuck up spaghetti sauce like that- no one would be crazy enough to put ginger-" so I could be like, 'you have obviously never been to the Midwest.'

But you all just were like- arguing about the sugar in my PMs.

Like that's the scariest of the ingredients. Lmao.

I love you guys though.

Even if you like ginger spaghetti.

To each their own I suppose.

This chapters song is so pretty. I definitely recommend looking it up- the live version, specifically. It's just- superior. I almost used another Hozier song for this chapter, but I decided against it, because I'm probably going to be using his songs a lot and didn't want two in a row. I would tell you the song, but I plan on using it for another chapter.

Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate it more than you know- I'm working minimum 40 hours a week, and seeing your reviews are enough to brighten my whole day!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!]