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I felt Edward's hands on the back of my thighs. They grabbed me tighter with every second that went by without words being exchanged.

He would find a way out. He had to.

"I think she should rest now. She can't even stand on her own. I will taste her blood tomorrow and send her back immediately if I don't like it," he promised.

His words and the mere feeling of being close to him calmed me. My hands grabbed his frock coat.

"The conditions are quite simple, my friend. Either you taste her now or I see myself forced to change my mind," Aro threatened, still smiling.

Why did he do this? He had to know that Edward would like my blood just as much as he did. If not more. The only reason for his request was to humiliate me.

A few more seconds went by until Edward grabbed me carefully by the waist and put me back on my feet. I held on to his arms so that I didn't fall back to the floor.

"So be it," Edward said and I sobbed.

My whole body was shaking, fearing what was to come. The tears ran down my cheeks. I didn't want to experience this horrible feeling another time! Even less did I want it connected to Edward. Not him. This couldn't be happening!

"No," I whimpered.

I looked up and searched for Edward's gaze, but he avoided to look me in the eye. His gaze was on the side of my neck. Not the side where Aro's teeth had pierced my skin just a few hours ago and where the other vampire had bitten me as well, but on the other side. There was greed in his eyes.

I shuddered.

There was no sense in trying to defend myself. I could only hope that Edward would make this as quick and painless as possible for me. I would ruin this option if I tried to escape now. I closed my eyes.

Edward's cold hand took my head and carefully bent it a little so that my neck lay bare. His other hand held my waist which made me take my hands from his arms and curl them into fists. Otherwise, my fingers would be shaking uncontrollably. I was so afraid!

That his head was approaching my neck was obvious from the cold that he radiated. No cool breath of air caressed my skin – he did not seem to be breathing. I on the other hand was sobbing hysterically.

"What would I give to be in your place," Aro sighed, but I barely heard him. Instead, I concentrated on Edward's hands. The fingers on my throat stroked my skin almost unnoticeable, hidden from Aro by my hair.

Something brushed against my chin – it must have been his nose – and a few moments later, something cool, smooth and yet soft touched my neck. The shudder that ran down my spine was of no unpleasant nature and I couldn't do anything against the direction my thoughts took. I imagined Edward placing small kisses on my neck, approaching my lips. Suddenly, I was feeling hot all over and my hands found a way to his arms again.

Then something hard touched my skin. Another shudder went through me, this time because I was afraid. I shut my eyes.

The expected torture did not come. As his teeth pierced my skin, I felt pain for a short moment, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. I wanted to open my eyes to make sure he had really bitten me. Only then did I feel the suction on my neck and I realized that he had started to drink only now.

Even now the feeling was in no way comparable to the other times I had been bitten. The closest thing I could compare it to, was a pleasant tingling deep inside me. The suction intensified and Edward emitted a satisfied groan which would have made me blush immediately if I hadn't felt so weak.

I opened my eyes a little and squinted to the side to see him. He had closed his eyes and an expression of raw pleasure lay on his face. Only his wrinkled forehead testified to his immense control and unwillingness to hurt me.

I couldn't explain it, but somehow he had managed not to hurt me while drinking my blood. The only thing I felt was the pleasant tingling that warmed me, made me curious for more.

Edward's hand trailed down my shoulder and came to rest on my waist. He pulled me against him hungrily, still drinking my blood. The most unbelievable thing was that I pressed even closer to him, my hands on his chest. It took all I had to hold back a groan as he took a deep gulp and there was an ache in my belly. I had never felt this way before, this excited and . . . aroused. I felt something hard against my belly and suddenly, the suction turned painful after all. I whimpered and immediately, the suction stopped.

There was a sharp pain, when Edward pulled back his teeth und sealed the open wound with his tongue. After that, I only felt a small ache that subsided quickly.

Edward raised his head very slowly and watched me out of fiery red eyes. I almost forgot to breathe as his tongue slid over his lips to collect a small drop of blood. His gaze was heavy on my face and I could read so many things in it that I was feeling even more dizzy than before. Surprise, desire, tenderness, hunger, power and even a hint of vulnerability.

Aro cleared his throat behind Edward and all those emotions disappeared in an instant. They were replaced by an expression of high alert. I dropped my hands from Edward's chest to my sides and hoped it had appeared as if I had tried to push him away.

Edward's hand was still on my waist and the skin under it felt very hot despite the cold he radiated. What in God's name had just happened? I could hear my own heartbeat and my cheeks were burning.

If Aro had noticed the tension between us, he did not let it show. He calmly walked around Edward and stopped next to us.

"You have got to admit that I did not exaggerate," he said to Edward and gave him a slap on the shoulder.

I decided that it was wisest to act as inconspicuous as possible and not to look either of them in the eye. As if my body had understood this decision, the restlessness inside me decreased and I felt an overwhelming tiredness. Even though I had barely noticed it when Edward had drunk from me, the additional loss of blood had weakened me even more. It was exhausting to keep my eyes open and not lie down on the floor.

Edward gave a reply to Aro's words, but it all blurred into a muffled noise. The walls around me seemed to sway back and forth and then the floor leaned in my direction. I blacked out.

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