When we got to the top of the mountain, I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't stop thinking about my new body; it hit me like a train. I was cold, dead. Unliving. Immortal. Why had it just suddenly hit me? Why hadn't this hit me a few days ago when I couldn't sleep, or when I didn't feel hungry? Just the thirst that never failed me.

We hunted quickly, I decided not to take down a mountain lion, much to Edward's chagrin. He however, did. He said it was his favorite; I just couldn't stomach it right now. I was still dwelling on my immortality for some reason. I took down a small buck, and drank until I was sated. I ran towards the back of the trail, down to the car. Edward was waiting for me.

"Are you ready?" Edward asked, gently grabbing my fingers. We were at the bottom of the cliff now, it started sleeting. We of course, weren't affected. "I think so."

The corner of his lips turned up and pointed to my shirt. I looked down; it was splotched in blood. I sighed in defeat. "Dammit."

We changed clothes and I closed the trunk of the car, and leaned against it.

"What are you thinking love?" Edward asked, taking me in an embrace. I shivered at his nickname for me, and it also gave me butterflies again. I leaned into his embrace and took a deep breath. The woods we'd ventured into made him smell musky and like pine. It was comforting, I wanted to bathe in his scent.

"I'm not sure." I was having trouble coming to terms with who I was. Halfway across the country from my home with someone I just met, but was falling madly in love with by the second.

He pulled back and stared at me for a moment, as if he was searching for an answer. He smiled slightly. "Do you want to fly the rest of the way?"

I bit my lip and pondered the idea. That would give us less time together, less time hunting and controlling the burn, less time getting used to the idea of being me. I shook my head no, and he offered a small smile.

"Let's get going then."

We drove for a few more hours, and just as Alice promised, it snowed and sleeted and stayed a perfect overcast.

We made it the rest of the way through Colorado, which, I made him promise we would go back one day to explore, when I was better at controlling my thirst. He just smiled my favorite crooked smile and kissed my hand. "Anything you want love,"

We drove through the edge of Wyoming and stopped for gas. It looked later in the day then it was. It was beautiful, green, lush; even though It was raining lightly now and overcast. It was only 5pm, but felt like 10. I had never taken a road trip longer than a few hours, but I could tell it was exhausting. My mind was exhausted, constantly thinking. My body however, was perfectly fine. Like I had just taken a much needed 10-hour rest in the most comfortable bed.

I sat in the car and waited for Edward. I stared at him through the sideview mirror, putting gas into the car. He faced the gas pump, looking around carelessly. His hand was on the pump in the car, and he leaned against it.

He looked perfect. His dark jeans hugged his legs perfectly, with the right amount of extra fabric. His gray sweatshirt was tight to his body, but looked perfectly warm and comfortable; not that we needed it. We had changed clothes again before leaving Colorado. Not that we needed to, but I still wasn't the best hunter, and always made a mess of things.

Edward told me I would get better with practice, he said as he left his white t-shirt clean. He changed clothes with me too, just to freshen up. It was hard not to stare at him while he changed next to the car at the bottom of that mountain. The way he lifted his shirt above his head, and his perfect abs glistening from the light rain and snow.

I, however, didn't catch him sneaking a peek at me change. He was on the phone with Alice, it sounded like. I frowned and changed quickly into a light gray sweatshirt, and some plain black leggings. I left the boots I had on; they didn't quite go with the outfit but I didn't really care. Alice would I presumed; but she wasn't here.

My eyes followed his arm up to his body to see him smirking at me. I was caught. I bit my lip and leaned away from the mirror. Why was I sneaking peeks at him? I just had him a day ago, in every way someone could. I heard him close the gas cap, and put the pump back. He slid into the car again and I could hear the rain slosh from cars clearer now. His hair was slightly wet, the perfect rain flecks dancing in the overhead light.

He stared at me again, smirking. "What?" I played dumb. He grabbed my face then and kissed me hard. His lips were needing, wanting. My breathing was erratic, and I tried jumping out of my seat and into his lap. He held me down with one hand, and chuckled.

"Not here, love." He whispered.

I huffed and sat back down in my seat, and took my long dark hair out of its ponytail. My dark waves fell down to my ribs and I combed them through with my hands. It smelled amazing, whatever shampoo Alice packed us was perfect.

I looked over to Edward as I combed out my curls. His eyes were a light gold, perfect and beautiful. I thought about the color of mine, and pulled down the mirror. I stared for a moment, before deciding what color they were. Not quite a gold, but close. They were like a dark honey auburn. Equally, just as beautiful.

"This could pass in public I guess."

I felt Edward tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I looked over to him again, closing the mirror. "Impressive for only a few days."

I looked at him skeptically. "It's only been 5 days since you were turned."

My eyes got wide. "Five?!" Why did it feel like hundreds…? "Do they normally change this fast?"

He shook his head, "No, it usually takes a few weeks. By the time we go back into the public eye you'll be perfect. Even though I beg to differ, you already are."

I rolled my eyes. "Hardly."

He smiled and kissed my forehead. The butterflies returned, and never failed me when he was close.

"We have to make a stop in Boise, we'll be there by dawn." He put the car in drive and we pulled out of the gas station. A small smirk rose on my lips. I knew what that meant; spending an entire day in a hotel room with him. My smile turned into a frown then. Suddenly I was this hormone struck teen again, I should be prioritizing every second I had with Edward, and I was, but in the wrong ways; lusting after him like a love-struck teenager in a dumb romance movie. Did I love him? Actually love? Have feelings for? Or did I lust him…

The light disappeared and the car was surrounded by darkness again as we accelerated onto the highway.

We drove for a few minutes before I broke the silence.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" He asked, taking an exit.

"Do you think we're moving too fast?" My tone caught me off guard, as if it were shaking.

He furrowed his brows and looked at me curiously. He turned back to the road and sighed. "I guess…I'm not really sure. I've never…I'm assuming in our world…no." He shook his head; unable to settle on one answer.

"Are you having second thoughts?" He asked suddenly after trailing off.

"No! God no, I just…I didn't want you to feel…smothered." I played with the string on my sweatshirt as I spoke.

He laughed, louder than I had expected. "Oh…Ariya, I've been…. single, for over a hundred years. You bring me nothing but happiness. I'm not being smothered love. In fact, I can't get enough of you. I didn't expect this…feeling." He looked over to me and placed his hand on my thigh. A surge of warmth ran through my body and settled under his palm.

A smile erupted on my lips and I placed my hand on his. "I make you happy?" I whispered.

He smiled again, "Of course you do."

"Which parts?"

He shook his head almost laughing. We started onto interstate 80 and it was empty again. Edward sped up to his usual 120 miles per hour.

"When you kiss me, I feel like we're the only two on earth. I feel like my heart could beat again. Just looking at you makes me happy…and more eager to hold you in my arms. To keep you safe; even though I know you are stronger than me right now…I never expected anything to come of this; but I'm glad it did."

I sighed, hiding in my hair, pretending like he didn't make me swoon, and gripped his hand in mine; It was perfect and smooth.

"Are you in love with me yet?"

He laughed and shook his head, "I'm not telling you that right now."

I furrowed my brows and stared at him, "Why not?"

He looked at me, still driving perfectly. "Ariya we're in a car in the middle of nowhere. I'm not declaring my love for you here."

I just smiled, "Declaring your love huh?"

He smiled my favorite smile, "It is Valentines' day after all."

I raised my eyebrows, "Wow," I had completely forgotten.

He cleared his throat, "Which means," He grabbed my hand tighter, "We have a date."

I could tell he was serious, but I couldn't quite figure out exactly what he meant. I furrowed my eyebrows and stared at him through the dark car. "What do Vampires' do for 'dates'?" I insinuated my quotations.

"Well, when we reach Boise, we have to stay inside all day unfortunately; and it will sort of be the day after Valentine's day," He brought my hand to his and kissed it. "But I will make it up to you." His voice became seductive as he whispered against my palm. I shivered and a smirk developed on his face as he pretended to focus on his driving.

"If that's alright…" he whispered, taking my silence as skepticism. I decided to be brave, and somewhere inside me a flame lit.

I moved my hand from his, and gripped his thigh. "It's more than fine." I lightly squeezed the outside of his jeans.

He breathed loudly out of his nose, and gripped the wheel. He shut his eyes for a second and opened them again. His perfect lips parted slightly, and closed them again. He smiled and shook his head. "If only you knew the effect you have on me."

He glanced over to me, his golden eyes burning into mine. I bit my lip and released my grip. I could tell that he was becoming uncomfortable, in the good way. "I'll be good." I mused.

He laughed then and offered me his hand, which I gratefully took.

A sudden loud ringing went off in the car, neither of us twitched, I just wondered who would be calling him this late at night?

Edward clicked the little phone icon on his car and Alice started talking, faster than normal.

"Edward, you need to get here. Now. You need to fly. The Volturi-"

Edward cut her off. "Alice, what happened?" He was frantic now, accelerating to an easy 140mph. He never let go of my hand, he only squeezed it harder.

"Edward, they're coming. The 17th. They know about Ariya and she's all over the news. They think she'll give away our secret." Alice was almost as frantic; her bell chime voice turning hard. A menacing growl erupted from Edward, and the car jolted again.

"I've booked you two tickets on the next flight, your plane leaves at 9pm from Salt Lake City."

Alice hung up and Edward was shaking. I couldn't speak; I didn't know what was happening. "Edward." I whispered, gripping his hand; I rubbed my thumb up and down his palm in an attempt to calm him, it worked.

He took a deep breath and relaxed against his seat. I waited for him to respond. "The Volturi." He growled.

"Who?"

He closed his eyes and opened them again in anger, "Our form of…government. They display our laws."

"Vampires have laws?"

"Only a few."

I glanced at the clock, 8:35pm. From where we were, it should take an hour to get there, but Edward was flooring the car into a sprint. "Will we make it?"

"Alice wouldn't have made the arrangements if she didn't see us making it."

I nodded, still trying to get used to Alice's visions. "What do they want?"

Edward growled again and gripped the steering wheel; I tried rubbing his palm again to calm him.

"They think you'll give away our secret, apparently you're all over the news. We need to prove to them you're not a threat of giving it away."

"How do we do that?"

"They'll be able to tell just by looking at you. You look nothing like you did."

I swallowed hard and settled into my seat. I was guessing, and I'm sure Edward wouldn't confirm this, that if they didn't agree with my new adopted family that I wasn't a threat, that I would be killed.

It was quiet for a few moments until Edward spoke. His voice broke and he sounded scared. "I won't let them hurt you."