Of Weddings and Future In-Laws
Aurora slowly licked her lips, feeling the warm blood drip down her chin and mouth. Carlisle held her close, as the cold rain pelted their bodies. Carlisle lifted Aurora into the air, cradling her into his arms. He looked at Aurora's chin then into her eyes with a burning curiosity.
"That was certainly unexpected," he said softly.
Aurora hid her face into the crook of his neck, trying to avoid Carlisle's gaze. Carlisle chuckled as he moved back to the front of car, opening the door and placing Aurora inside. The car engine roared to life as Carlisle began to drive home. The rain was now coming down in sheets in the black night, making the road sleek. Aurora looked at Carlisle's hand, wondering if there were teeth marks on it. He caught her staring and turned his wrist over to show her, while using the other hand to grip the steering wheel.
"Your bark is worse than your bite," he teased her.
Aurora huffed, crossing her arms.
"I didn't mean..." Aurora started. "I didn't realize I was going to..."
Carlisle shook his head, switching on the wiper blades.
"There is no need to preach to the converted Aurora," he said gently.
Aurora sighed, still unsure why she had bitten him and even more unsure as to why the taste of blood didn't repel her. She vividly remembered that each time bitten herself on the inside of her cheek, drawing blood, the metallic taste on her tongue made her queasy. Now she had bitten a wrist and sucked on it – a vampire's wrist. Carlisle could see the look of confusion and frustration on Aurora's face.
"Go on," he said. "I know that face, that's the face of a young lady who is bursting to ask a question."
Aurora broke out into laughter before turning back to Carlisle, her green eyes intense with focus and determination.
"Well... when you first became a vampire, didn't the taste bother you?" she asked slowly.
Carlisle considered it for a minute.
"For me, I think it was more the moral and aesthetic implications of it, than the actual taste," Carlisle replied. "When vampires are newborn their hunger is so consuming that taste isn't the question."
Aurora nodded, her tongue darting inside of her mouth, as if to check Carlisle's theory.
"Do you not like the taste?" he asked.
Aurora paused for a moment.
"I don't know," she answered honestly. "It's different than what I remember blood tasting like."
Carlisle flashed her a wicked smile.
"So, you have tasted blood before?" he asked.
Aurora rolled her eyes.
"My own yes Dr. Cullen," she bit back playfully. "Did it hurt?"
Carlisle shook his head.
"Not in the least my love," he said.
"What did it feel like," she asked inquisitively.
Carlisle thought for a moment.
"It felt like being bitten by the woman I love," he mused.
Aurora grinned feeling validated. Another question entered her mind.
"Carlisle, what did it feel like when you bit me?" she asked him.
He smirked and laughed softly.
"For you or for me?" he teased.
Aurora rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. Carlisle cleared his throat.
"It felt like... It felt like quenching a thirst I had inside of me for centuries. It was as if I had been walking the dessert in self-imposed exile for millennia and suddenly, an oasis had sprung up at me feet, offering me that most mouthwatering, tantalizing and nourishing things that ever existed," Carlisle breathed.
He took Aurora's hand in his, kissing the back of it as the pair made their way back to her home. Carlisle parked the car in her long driveway, before getting out and opening Aurora's door for her, being ever the consummate gentleman. Aurora sprinted to the home, her entire dress wet, mud staining the hem of the once pristine ball gown. Once inside she realized she was drenched, her hair was soaking wet and the dress clung to her body like an uncomfortably cold glove. Carlisle looked at her as Aurora turned the thermostat to the maximum, her whole body shivering.
"You'll catch a cold if you keep that dress on Aurora," he said, frowning.
Aurora began to walk to the bedroom, waving him off.
"I'm changing now, relax mother hen," she called.
Carlisle couldn't help but smile at her mild exasperation. They were like an old married couple already. Aurora wriggled out of the dress, letting it drop at her feet. She picked it up, sighing feeling guilty that the beautiful fabric was ruined. Carlisle walked in after her, leaning against the wall. He loved the way her wet hair curled at the ends, brushing her back. She stood on her tiptoes, her back arching, giving him a perfect view of her luscious bottom. Aurora was reaching for a hanger on top of her armoire. In silence, he moved behind her, his chest brushing against her back, his hands pressing down on her hips. Aurora jumped a little, not realizing Carlisle was behind her.
"Do you mind," she chided him.
"Me? I don't mind whatsoever," Carlisle hummed.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face into her shoulder.
"In fact, I was just wondering how that delightful body of yours would look like tied to the bed posts, spread-eagled," he murmured, inhaling her wet skin.
Aurora's mouth dropped. Carlisle laughed as she grumbled, pushing him out of the way. She trotted to the bathroom, putting on a fresh robe before sliding into the bed. Carlisle reclined next to her, as she curled up underneath the down blanket.
"Warm?" he asked her.
Aurora nodded happily.
"Good," Carlisle said. "Now then, we should probably discuss when you'd like to mail the invitations out and of course the rehearsal dinner..."
Aurora blinked, staring at him.
"Invitations? Dinner?" she questioned.
Carlisle nodded.
"Alice and Rosalie have been chewing my ear off about an early fall wedding, Edward thinks a summer wedding would be best, though Emmett and Jasper are convinced a winter wedding would be better, but I told them your parents would not appreciate having their Christmas holidays with you interrupted, but I also reminded them that if we went are planning on Zanzibar for our honey, early January is probably, unless of course you'd prefer Australia, in that case..."
Aurora continued to stare; slack jawed, as Carlisle spoke matter of factly. She shook her head, wriggling from underneath the blanket.
"Wow, wow, wow, slow down," she sighed. "Wedding? I thought that..." she trailed off, biting her lip.
Carlisle frowned deeply, watching Aurora beginning to fidget with her hair.
"Carlisle, I thought that... I thought that we would have an engagement period, you know, to get to know each other a little better," she said quietly.
Carlisle shook his head.
"Weren't you the one who said that the whole dating thing was already a moot point?" he asked incredulously.
Aurora laughed nervously.
"Well yes, I mean no... I mean... Don't you think that we should try to take things a little slower?" Aurora asked, lowering her gaze.
Carlisle arched an eyebrow, clicking his tongue.
"Ohhh, you mean slow - like what you did in the car?" he chuckled.
Aurora shook her head giggling.
"You know what I mean. I mean think about it, we don't know each other that well," she answered seriously. "I mean how do you think the conversation with my family would go – 'Oh Hi Mom how was your trip to Romania? Good? How's Dad's knee? Yes, I'm fine, I may be a celestial being – no, no it's all good. Oh, and by the way I'm getting married in a few months, yeah, no big deal.'".
Carlisle looked up at the ceiling considering her worry.
"Well," he said slowly, "What if we invited your parents to Forks? That way they can meet us, and we can meet them?" he offered.
Aurora shook her head.
"Carlisle meeting the parents comes after, like way after, way after," Aurora replied. "I don't even know what your favorite color is!"
Carlisle propped himself on his elbow, gently stroking Aurora's nose with his other hand.
"Why are you planning on buying me a tie?" he asked.
Aurora burst into a fit of giggles that shook her entire body. She snorted, continuing to giggle. Carlisle began to laugh to as he saw Aurora rolling underneath the covers.
"Well if you must know - it's navy blue," he said.
"Thanks, that's helpful," she snorted.
Carlisle shook his head, smiling.
"Well you asked, and I answered, what else should I tell you?" he snickered.
Aurora wriggled towards him, placing her head on his chest, looking up at him.
"I don't know everything – what's your favorite kind of music? What books do you like to read? What's your biggest fear? Your biggest dream?"
Carlisle played with her hair, gently stroking her head as she chattered.
"As a young man I was brought up to appreciate classical music. It was expected that I should appreciate opera and the piano forte, though I must say, I was never a fan of Carmen. Over the years I have fallen in love with jazz, blues, and even that old school rock n roll. Books I like to read? Well I have currently started reading The Instruction of Amenemope, all though I am not sure it is a favorite of mine. But I do enjoy the works of Marcel Proust, especially, In Search of Lost Time," Carlisle replied.
Aurora listened to his melodic voice; it was like listening to a cello.
"'Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom,''" Aurora whispered. (Marcel Proust)
Carlisle smiled into her hair, hugging her tight.
"See we have quite a lot in common," he sighed.
Aurora nudged him with her head.
"What's your biggest fear?" she whispered.
There was a long silence as Carlisle swallowed hard. Aurora moved her head, looking up into his eyes.
"That I will open my eyes one day and realize that you were just a mirage. That I will open my eyes, squinting into the sun, and still be wandering that dessert, still thirsting," he said softly.
Aurora could see an penetrating and unfathomable sadness in his gold eyes, a sadness that echoed centuries and a longing that was longer than eternity itself. She observed him for some time, before she planted a kiss on his cheek before nuzzling her nose into his neck. She sighed.
"I can't call my parents until next week since they're still in St. Petersburg. But when they get back, I'll call them. And as far as a fall, summer, or winter wedding, let's say early summer – maybe June or July," she said softly. "And one more thing – I'm stealing Rosalie's recipe for the rump roast – that will be the secret ingredient to convincing my parents – especially my father."
She could feel laughter bubbling up inside Carlisle as he hugged Aurora tighter. Aurora squealed as she felt Carlisle squeezing her so tight, she could barely breathe. Aurora bit down on his earlobe playfully.
"But there's one more very important question I have," she said, her face grave.
"Of course, my love, what is it?" Carlisle replied.
"Tell me again about how you would tie me to the bed – spread eagled was it?" Aurora whispered into his ear.