Author's Note: I got so many reviews for the last chapter - thanks, guys! This chapter takes place the same day as Beau's funeral - and my other companion piece Life After Death - be sure to read that, too, if you haven't already or this might be a bit confusing! ;)
Day Seven of Forever
Forever," I said.
"Forever," she agreed.
I leaned down until my lips found hers.
Forever was going to be amazing.
Edythe released his lips with the finest of sighs, a content look on her face. Beau pressed their foreheads together, leaning over her as he breathed her in.
Again, he could not help but be struck by how beautiful the woman before him was - from the waves of her bronze hair that tumbled down her back, her almond-shaped eyes of brilliant honey today, that pert up-turned nose, her rose pink lips accented by her adorable dimples... He could see her more clearly now than he had ever been able to as a human, but the conclusion he reached was still the same: Edythe was the most perfect creature he had ever laid eyes on. And he would get to continue to lay eyes on her for as long as they walked the Earth, a prospect that made him feel grossly lucky.
Beau was suddenly grateful then that Carine had taken off to give the two a little privacy. He could only assume Archie had let her in on the change of plans, warned her that Beau had jumped the gun and they were on plan B now.
Beau gulped quietly. The silver engagement ring was suddenly hundreds of pounds heavier where it resided in his pocket. Could vampires throw up from nerves?
Edythe had already said yes, of course, so he knew this was really just a formality, but that didn't change anything is his mind. He was about to ask Edythe the question, the biggest question, a question he had never even considered until he found her and knew she was the answer.
Marriage had never seemed like a big deal to him - from his side of things it seemed a silly, human ritual that failed about half the time, even more when you were in Beau's age bracket. A huge party with everyone staring at you, gifting you things you'd never need, having all your friends and relatives listen to all your private feelings about someone you couldn't even be one hundred percent positive would still be there in five years. It just had never been an appealing prospect.
But this was Edythe. Edythe changed everything, made Beau throw out all his perceptions. She was the one, the only one, he could go through all the formalities for and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she meant every word as much as he did.
Yet more than that he wanted to have this tie with her. He wanted her to know exactly what she meant to him in every way human and other possible. A wedding ring didn't mean forever but it was a declaration of dedication to making forever happen.
And he couldn't think of a better symbol of that promise than the ring his grandfather had presented to his grandmother over sixty years ago. It was his only family heirloom, the only material and sentimental tie to that old life he had left behind. It wasn't anything particularly special, a pretty ring no doubt, but still not as lavish or what she truly deserved. What this ring symbolized was what made it special, to him and hopefully to her as well. Inside the band was a vow, his vow now to her - 'Always & Forever -Beau'. His grandmother had never taken it off except to read that inscription, Charlie once had told him purposefully, in all their years of marriage. And now he wanted Edythe to wear it, to tie together his human past with his future in the woman he loved.
Beau wrapped his free arm around her waist, how other hand closed around the ring in his jean pocket. He cleared his throat, emotion making it stick. Edythe give him a confused smile in response.
"What is it? Getting cold feet already?" Her tone was light, but there was worry just under the surface. "Forever is a heavy word."
He shook his head. For just a second he wished she could read his thoughts to see how much he was looking forward to forever now that he was sharing it with her. "It's a wonderful word," he insisted. "Might just be my new favorite word actually."
She laughed her lovely chiming laugh. "Oh really?"
"Mmhmm." He leaned over to kiss the top of her head. Her scent enveloped him, a mixture of floral aromas and crisp mountain air. He could breath her in for every day until the world ended and it still would not be enough. "I can't express how much I'm looking forward to every day of forever with you, Edythe."
Beau couldn't help but to ponder over what brought him here, to forever, to her. What if Mrs. Banner had never sat them next to each other that first day? If Edythe hadn't followed him to Port Angeles? If he hadn't gone after the tracker on his on?
The simple answer was that he would have died long ago, but more than that, he never would have truly lived. He wouldn't have felt this overwhelming joy that Edythe brought him, wouldn't have seen himself as anything other than ordinary. He had loved, he had suffered, he had lost - and through it all he had gained more than he could ever had hoped to ask for. It was only now that he saw all he stood to gain that he realized what he much had been missing all along. There was a place he belonged now and people who would grow to understand him better than any had before. He had a best friend for the first time in Archie, he had siblings in the Cullens, parents who could never replace the ones he lost but who loved him more than he could have thought for people he was not related to - and Edythe, he had Edythe as his... What? More than his girlfriend, not quite his wife yet. His lifeline, his future, his forever and always.
"You know, I never thought calling you my girlfriend really fit," he went on shyly, rubbing his neck. "I mean you were always so much more than that."
"Well the girl part was a bit of a stretch," she said with a chuckle.
He ruffled her hair. "Maybe, yeah, but that wasn't what I meant. You were more than just a girlfriend for me specifically. It didn't make sense because we had barely spent and time together at that point, but introducing you to Charlie as someone I was dating seemed so... Transitory. So overly simple. What we had even then was different than regular couples, maybe because we had so much more at stake."
She raised an eyebrow. "By which you mean your life?"
"Yeah, that."
"So because you were willing to put your life in jeopardy to be with me, you couldn't think of me as simply your girlfriend?" Edythe was looking at him with concern in her golden eyes.
He groaned. "This is coming out wrong, but essentially yes. What I'm trying to say is being with you and in danger was more important than being safe without you. You meant more. I trusted you with my life even when I didn't fully comprehend the implications of that."
Her hand caressed his cheek. "And you do now?"
"Yes," he breathed, turning his face to kiss her palm. "It was always you, Edythe. You were always the one for me."
She curled up to his chest, a content purr rolling through her frame. "I didn't always know it was you, but it's obvious now. Why I couldn't just forget you, how you fascinated me like no one else had before... I was drawn to you like a moth to a flame." A tiny frown marred her perfect features. "Although I suppose because of the danger I presented, the metaphor is more apt applied to you."
"You made a very beautiful flame," he admitted, burying his face in her hair. Her scent filled his lungs until he was drunk on her again. Filling with confidence, he took his hand from his pocket, producing the ring. It was simple, polished silver with a pair of sapphires surrounding a pristinely cut diamond.
He did not explain the significance as he slid the ring on her finger, knowing she had to hear it from Charlie to gather the full importance of this moment; his father would be at the house soon with the matching ring to this one, the wedding ring to this engagement one, and he would present it to her in his deceased son's place. Archie had emphasized how important it was that they did this the right way to give Charlie closure and Edythe a sense of peace. Everything had already been set in motion when they had had her drop off Beau's letter earlier in the day, prompting the eventual conversation between the two. If all went according to plan, this confrontation would do both of them some good and ease their guilts while also giving a blessing on their marriage they never could have received otherwise.
Edythe gasped quietly. She brought the ring to her face, her eyes curious. A thousand questions whirled over her features, but Beau stilled them with a deep kiss. She melted into him, her form so petite he could have crushed her if she wasn't so solid. As it was, his weight was a comfort against her and she tugged on his shirt to pull him closer.
Beau could have gone on kissing her longer but knew they were on a schedule. He pulled away regretfully, laughing at Edythe as she pouted.
"I've got a surprise for you," he whispered into her ear, kissing her collarbone between words. She shivered. "But we need to get back to the house for it."
She nodded but wasn't in any hurry to move, however. So with a wicked grin he picked up up and threw her over his shoulder. She shrieked, half delighted, half incredulous, but let herself be carried away.
Archie was waiting for them at the door, a garment bag in one hand. He beckoned to the pair impatiently, his free hand pointing to his wrist to indicate the time. Beau quickly handed Edythe off to her brother, who protested as he hauled her off and up into the home.
"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on?" she could be heard grumbling as Archie set her up in his room.
"Shush you. No time. Just put this on."
Earnest and Carine welcomed Beau into the home, looking as excited as he felt. Earnest shook Beau's hand with a reassuring smile before Carine could pull him into a tight hug.
"You'll be okay," she promised. "We've got it from here."
Jessamine appeared at the bottom of the stairs then, looking at Beau expectantly. "Archie said I was going to take you out for a hunt but now it's not needed?"
Beau frowned. "Ignore him. I still need to leave for a bit."
"No you don't," Archie sing-songed from upstairs. "You've already proved that you'll be able to control yourself."
Beau wanted to snarl at his friend. It was one thing to test his control when he had no choice but to present himself in front of Bonnie Black, but this was different. He didn't need to be anywhere near by when Charlie showed up; it would just put him in unnecessary danger.
Jessamine sensed his turmoil and sent him a wave of calm. He wanted to shake it off but thought it was better not to fight it. His nerves were already shot.
He did want to be close by, he had to admit, no matter how selfish it was; his father would be closer than he had been at the funeral, closer than they had been to each other since he had stormed out of Charlie's house almost two weeks ago. He wanted to see the relief on Charlie's face for himself, to see with his own eyes that his dad would be okay because of everything he and Archie had plotted.
But it was completely irresponsible to stay...
Archie himself flew down the stairs, elbowing Beau where he stood. "Just trust me will you? All I ask is a little faith."
Beau tried to give him a convincing smile but was still too torn. Jessamine stepped closer to him to up the dosage.
"We can't all go on faith, Archie," Edythe sniped. She was at the top of the stairs leaning over the banister. She had changed into the outfit her brother had forced on her, a delicately laced black dress; it looked very feminine and quite pretty on her. "Some of us need actual proof."
"Then proof you shall have," he said mysteriously.
Everyone's heads turned as a car could be heard approaching. Beau was taking shallow breaths, backing as far away from the doorway as possible, which made Archie roll his eyes. As the vehicle came closer, Edythe recognized the sounds of the cruiser. Her expression was mildly horrified; she flew down the stairs and went to Beau, hugging him to her chest and alternated between soothing words and harsh glares to her brother, who pointedly ignored her.
The group collectively held their breaths as Charlie parked and stepped out of the vehicle. Even from this far away they could hear his blood slushing in his body with each step. Jessamine was beside Beau and Edythe now, sharing her calm in a blanket. Archie remained at the window peeking out. Earnest and Carine were out on the front steps, waiting to greet the visitor.
Edythe was stroking Beau's face, worry pouring out of her features. "What's going on Beau? Why is your father here?"
Beau wanted to answer her but he was afraid to take a breath.
Edythe's head shot up then as if she was being called. A second later Carine ducked her head in the door and verbally summoned her. Her daughter frowned but something seemed to click in her mind then and after a swift kiss to Beau she joined her parents outside.
Jessamine led Beau to the window, steading him until they were beside Archie. His eyes were zoned out as he processed events yet to come. When he came back to them he smiled and clapped his brother on the back.
"All according to plan," he said with a grin. He scooted over. "Come grab a first row seat."
Still not breathing, Beau took the spot beside him, hidden by the curtain from humans eyes though he could still see through.
Charlie was still wearing his suit from the funeral, hie tie undone under the collar. Up close, the lines in his face were more obvious and Beau thought he had lost some weight since he last saw him - hadn't Royal said Bonnie Black and Holly Clearwater were taking turns bringing him food? Was he just not eating? His hair was a mess and from the bags under his eyes it was clear he had been sleeping poorly. The man before him a shell of the person he knew.
A wail caught in Beau's throat and instinctively he reached towards the glass as if to go to his ailing father. Jessamine caught his hand as if afraid Beau would shatter the window with his careless touch, clasping it in hers as she dulled his heartache. Archie put his arm around Beau's shoulders as well, the husband and wife duo wordlessly offering him their comfort.
"Is he...?" Beau's voice was coarse as he used up his bubble of oxygen.
"He will heal," Jessamine promised.
"He just needs time," Archie added. "And this - seeing what Edythe means to you - will help him more than he realizes."
Beau nodded, his eyes glued to the man he barely recognized. He was reaching out to Edythe, signaling for her to come closer. And when she did he offered her a smile. It didn't seem forced or awkward as his smiles often did, but genuine and kind.
And then he showed her the ring.
Beau couldn't see Edythe's expression but knew she had to be putting the pieces together, pulling memories from Charlie's mind and comparing the ring she wore to the one he was presenting to her. A small part of Beau felt pride for having pulled everything off, but it was overshadowed by his hurt for his father. This was an ache he didn't think would ever go away, but prayed would lessen over time and dull.
But when Edythe put on this ring as well, a new feeling wrapped around him like a second skin. It radiated from the tips of his toes and gathered warm in his chest, settling there familiarly. It soothed his nerves and gave him a feeling of security, like a hug to his very core. With some difficulty, Beau put a name to the warmth in his chest. It was the feeling of hope.
Jessamine nodded, clearly finding her gift no longer needed. She excused herself with one last squeeze of Beau's hand.
When she was gone Archie laid his head on Beau's shoulder, quietly discussing plans he had for the wedding, invites he had sent out to their cousins in Alaska, color schemes Edythe might like... Every detail was significant, from the placement of the chairs to the music Archie saw them dancing to. Beau's head was filled with these details until it he thought it might explode but his best friend kept on going. He was reminding Beau of what laid before then, trying to keep the light feeling growing inside of him.
Archie didn't stop describing his grand plans until Charlie was back in his car, out of sight. Then he stepped away to hand Beau over to an ecstatic Edythe who bounded into the home and brought her own warmth to compliment Beau's.
She cocooned him in her love, whispering her affection and caressing his cheeks, thanking Beau for giving her such a beautiful memory. He let himself become weightless and lean emotionally on her as she became his unwavering support, her love giving him strength as it always would for years to come. He knew then he would weather through with Edythe beside him, no matter what he might face down the road. She would never fail him. He looked to her and found himself grateful to be saved by her in this way; she was the one who held his heart and soul and kept them safe.
And then he realized suddenly that the word was he had been looking for all along to describe what Edythe meant to him - she was and always had been his soulmate. There was no other word for it. She was his other half, his destiny.
Some time later they retired to their room. Beau sat on the couch and Edythe took her favorite spot on his lap, her head against his chest. Though there was no longer a steady beating heart to listening to, she still found comfort in this position cradled against him. The hollow sound of his chest was a constant reminder for Edythe of what he had lost, the reminder often accompanied by a pang of guilt. But as she listened to the echo of his lungs pushing out air as he practiced his breathing now, a sense of pride washed over her as well. He had lost so much, yes, but he was still moving forward and not letting grief stagnant him. He was progressing better than anyone could have hoped, minding his feedings, maintaining control of his strength, and all the while blending into the fold of their home like he had always belonged. It was as if Beau was meant to thrive in these circumstances.
Edythe was unbelievably proud of who he was becoming and how he was establishing himself amidst all the chaos. And she found that somehow she loved him even more for his ability to do more than just persevere, to see the silver lining that she had been neglecting as she stewed in her own aguish. For Edythe, Beau was a beacon on hope, a light in a world she had always found blindingly dark. That was not to say she hadn't had enjoyable moments during this second life, but they had been faint and few in the abyss of blood and death.
But Beau, he showed her things she had assumed impossible for her kind, showed her salvation in the form of unshakable trust and love - unconditional and abundant love. She felt like she as drowning in her love for him and his for her. What had she done to earn someone so amazing, she often wondered - how on earth could she deserve Beau? She had failed so many times, committed horrors, and killed dozens, hundreds. She had thought forever spent alone was her penance for her evils. But now here was a man who knew her sins and loved her regardless. It was more than she could have dreamed possible - he was more. He was everything.
And now she was allowed to become his wife. Edythe could hardly believe it.
If she didn't know better she would have thought these last few months had been a dream, a winding dream with horrors as often as the moments of bliss. When he had first walked into that classroom, Edythe had been sure he had been sent to torment her for every wrong she had committed in her hundred years as a vampire. But maybe he had been a test, a chance for her to prove how she had changed and grown stronger - and when she succeeded he became her reward, her chance at a life filled with happiness.
She knew Beau would be the perfect husband, caring for her, challenging her, growing with her in the ways she had watched that Carine had with Earnest over the years. He would be her partner, as Jessamine was to Archie, giving her strength when her's failed and keeping her balanced against all odds. And he would love her as fiercely as Royal loved Eleanor, with a passion that never waned even if they butted heads. She had watched her family over the years and had at very the bottom of her heart always yearned for what each of them had. And now was her chance to seize that joy for herself and make a beautiful future with Beau. It was a thrilling prospect.
She leaned her face into his chest, pressing her lips to his still heart. With her kiss she tried to express every complicated feeling she held inside her through his flesh - every worry, every joy, every hurt, every hope. And a promise, one she had made to his father only an hour before, to love Beau until her last second on earth and beyond.
Beau enjoyed her closeness in that moment as she curled into him, basking in the way he could lay his chin on top of her head and wrap his arms all the way around her petite form. Now with her skin no longer cold to him Beau could hold her as much as he wanted and he was reveling in that still. He could pick up on the small things he had missed about her before, like the slenderness of her fingers as they held hands or the smoothness of slight dip in her collarbone. He hoped to one day catalogue every inch of her body in his now perfect memory only to rediscover her over and over again as they spent forever in each other's arms.
One of his hands roamed across her back, making her shiver as the touch bled through the thin material of the dress. He brushed aside her long hair, his fingers lingering along the back of her neck. Edythe tilted her head, allowing him more flesh as the collar of fabric slid towards her shoulder. He graced this line of skin with slow kisses that trailed towards the front of her neck as he leaned over her. She shifted her body, laying her head on his opposite shoulder, looking up at him with honey eyes that seemed to darken with each kiss.
He moved lower, to her collarbone, to his favorite hollow spot, to dip of the lacy bodice, just above the swell of her breasts... Her breath caught then and he remembered himself. Beau moved his lips back up the same path, up her neck now and then kissing along her jaw.
She hungrily reached her fingers into his hair, pulling his mouth to hers. Automatically his lips parted for her and she deepened the kiss, arching backwards as she pressed their mouths together. He thought she might have whimpered with a tremble as his tongue invaded her mouth. Venom coated her tongue as the two met, warmth radiating from one to the other as the familiar electricity that swirled between them became overcharged.
Beau could feel himself getting drunk on Edyyhe again as her intoxicating aroma overwhelmed all his senses. This was the type of kiss that was dangerous when he was human but was dangerous now for an entirely different reason.
His hands were on her hips, unconsciously bunching her dress up around her thighs. Beau knew this was the point where he should stop and take some time to cool off before things got out of hand, but Edythe wasn't giving him a chance to pull away. She flipped her body around to lock him in place firmly, her legs on either side of his as she straddled him.
Beau could only guess she knew he was trying to put the breaks on and was actively thwarting him.
He chuckled against her mouth, growling to her in a low voice, "Seductress."
She laughed quietly too, winding her hand down to his shoulders, then to the center of his chest. She kissed down his chin, following the same pattern he had, dipping lower as she went. Slowly, Edythe began undoing the buttons of his shirt, her lips never leaving his neck as she did. As his chest became more exposed to her, Edythe brought her kisses to the skin there, stopping over his heart again before continuing her trail.
Beau thought she would stop her torture when he got to the same spot he had - just in the center of his chest - so he made no move to stop her, enjoying the sensation too much. But to his surprise she kept going, lowering her body until she was off the couch and on her knees in front of him, undoing the rest of his buttons and using her hands to push his shirt open and brush it off his shoulders. He held an unnecessary breath as she kissed down her path, setting fire with her tongue, until she was at the base of his jeans. She tugged them low, dragging her lips from one hip to the other, back and forth. And then she moved her hands to undo the button of his jeans.
Beau's hands shot out over her's, keeping them still.
She smirked up at him, the glint in her eyes somehow both playful and sexy. Edythe made no attempt to move from her position between his legs, letting her hands stay exactly where they were, he couldn't help but to notice.
"Would you please stop trying to take my clothes off?" Beau had meant to sound stern but even he could hear the wobble in his voice.
"Why?" She innocently tilted her head to the side, letting her bronze hair spill over her shoulder.
Beau leaned his head back on the couch, closing his eyes and he tried to forget the image of the beautiful woman sitting suggestively just inches away. "Pretty sure we agreed to wait. I can't remember why at this moment for obvious reasons, but I know at least that much. You do know just wearing the ring doesn't mean that we're actually married yet, right?"
Edythe stifled her laughter. "I'm well aware, Beaufort." She clasped her hands with his, flipping then over to expose the entwined rings on her left hand. The jewels twinkled in the low lightening. Her expression became gentle. "But we will be married eventually, and that's enough for me."
He looked down at her then, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't think the virtuous people of the early twentieth century made that distinction."
"They may not have," she admitted, ignoring his quip. "But I do. Ultimately it is my choice. Unless you have some objection?" Her tone implied she didn't think he did.
And she was right, technically. It wasn't for Beau's sake that they were waiting, after all.
When they had first talked about waiting to have sex until they were married only a few days ago, Edythe had been reluctant to say why she wanted to wait, only admitting she wanted to. Beau had picked up on her hesitance and let it go, but he had pieced things together since talking with Carine and Royal.
Beau sighed. "Edythe. Carine told me you don't think we have souls."
She frowned, perhaps shaken by the abrupt turn the conversation took. Her hands slowly withdrew from his, gathering in her own lap primly as she took her time answering. "In not so many words... No. No I don't think we do."
He nodded, still incredulous at the idea of the good natured and down right kind Cullens being considered soulless monsters. "Not even Carine who has dedicated her entire existence to saving lives?"
Edythe looked away. "She is an amazing person but that doesn't change our nature. We are what we are." Her tone was bleak. "Why are you asking about this now?"
"Carine thought I should know why you were so tormented about me being like you," Beau answered honestly. "And Royal told me you thought we were damned because you still believe in God-"
"It's not God I believe in," she interrupted. "It's the concept of Heaven or something along those lines."
"And you don't think we - any of us - will go there." He stated. "I think that might be connected to why you wanted to wait in the first place."
"Oh Beau." Her eyes were sad. "You have seen how we exist now, you know our true nature. How can creatures like us be anything but damned?" Edythe sighed. "Carine and I have debated this for years, whether we are sinful by our very existence or if our actions dictate our fate. She believes that Heaven is not beyond us simply because of what we are because, if there is a God, it was his will that we became like this. I personally can not put any stake in that; it's not what I was raised to believe and not what I have seen in my many years walking this Earth." She was insistent now as she forced the words out. "I believe there is good and there is evil, and things have been that way since the beginning of time. Vampires and other monsters like us were put here to be that source of evil - and many of our kind live up to that expectation. Even our family, who try to be good despite our circumstances, are still collectively responsible for too many deaths to simply ignore. And I have to claim responsibility for a great number of those personally," Edythe whispered in a broken voice. "I have accepted my lot. I know what I have done. Even if Carine is right and Heaven is a possibility, no one can overlook all that red in my past..."
Beau was confused now. "But I thought you wanted to wait until we were married because you thought it might give you a better chance? One thing at least left unbroken or whatever."
"It wasn't for my sake that I hoped for."
Beau was floored. "You thought I might have a chance?"
She nodded. "You are exceptionally good, Beau. And with your control I know you could keep your record as clean as Carine's - I'll make it my mission to assure that happens. That way, if she is right, you'll be saved."
"Why would I want Heaven if I couldn't have you? I mean, if I believed in that to begin with." He grabbed her hands back in his, squeezing them, leaning forward so their foreheads were touching. "You were always my choice, Heaven or no. I wouldn't want to go somewhere you couldn't follow - even though I'm pretty sure if there is some primordial gatekeeper they will have the good sense to let you in anyway. Because you are good, Edythe. You try so hard to overcome our instincts and I know it's because you do have a soul. No one would put themselves through the torture of surrounding themselves with supposedly delicious smelling humans for years, in a high school setting no less, and resist feeding if they didn't have a moral compass guiding them. You are good," he said emphatically. He brought their entwined hands together to brush her hair from her eyes before holding them to her cheek the way she liked. "So we will continue to wait, not just for my sake, but yours as well. Just to stack the deck."
Her lips were a straight line. "If we wait it'll be your choice. Either way I know at least you will be fine. That's enough for me."
"You think God will still let me in even if I engage in premarital sex? Just how good of a person do you think I am?"
She rolled her eyes. "You do know there are other bases before you go all the way, right? We wouldn't have to completely break the rules if you didn't want to."
Beau knew it was not safe to think about those other bases were she remained between his legs. He blew out a shaky breath, pulling away slightly before he let himself get carried away again. "Well it's been a while since I brushed up on my scripture," he said with difficultly. "But I'm ninety five percent positive its kind of an all or nothing deal when it comes to virtue."
"That would leave a lot of humans out of the running for eternal salvation. I like to think Heaven takes modern values into consideration."
"So a kind of 'eh close enough' approach when it comes to virginity? Yeah that sounds right."
She laid her head on his knee as she looked up at him. "I'm serious. Even in my time it was a commonly held idea that as long as you didn't completely round the bases early, so to speak, you could be granted a pardon. I had several school friends who lived on that faith."
Beau frowned now. "Ah."
Edythe smirked at his expression. "I, however, never put it into practice. I've told you this before."
"Well we never got into specifics as to what counted as sex and what didn't," he countered, a little relieved. For a brief second he had pictured a green-eyed Edythe in this very position with a faceless man in another century. The twinge of irrational jealousy that followed had been more than he expected.
"Hmm. Do I need to re-ask that question of you then with that in mind?" Her tone was teasing, but Beau thought he could see the same jealousy in her eyes now too.
He shook his head. "Never even got out of the dugout - that's what it's called in baseball, right? I suck at these types of analogies."
She smiled, her shoulders releasing some tension. "Not even a few practice swings? Or even stepping up to the plate?"
"Okay you've lost me. Which base is which again?"
Edythe's laughter was light. "If you have to ask then I shouldn't be worried. And here poor Jeremy was convinced you were some sort of stud in Arizona to have landed me so easily. He was quite sure you were just holding back the juicy details."
"Nope," Beau said, popping the 'p'. "Just a run-of-the-mill 17 year old virgin. He really had his wires crossed. Clearly you just have a thing for Boy Scouts."
"Were you really one? I can't picture it."
"That's because two days into my first camping trip I accidentally set my tent on fire while starting the campfire and promptly handed in my handkerchief. It was a relief for everyone involved."
Her lips were plump as she tried to hold in another bout of laughter. "Regardless of your knowledge of the bases, my point stands. We can take this as far as you want to go, Beau." She pulled herself into his lap in one fluid motion, pressing against his bare skin as she breathed in his scent.
"You already know what I want." His words were heavy with desire as his hand moved across her back. "But you are well worth the wait. This way we can both have what we want."
"What I want more than to do this the old fashioned way is you," she sighed longingly, her hands on his waist. "Only you, on any terms, honestly."
"I don't plan on waiting too long to make you mine," Beau admitted, nipping her ear. "I don't do long engagements. Honestly, if it hadn't been one of Archie's requirements that he plan the wedding in exchange for his help getting the rings, we would be in Vegas now. I think I could manage to not kill a priest for a thirty minute ceremony as long as I focused on the honeymoon that would follow."
"We could leave right now," Edythe purred, her fingers drawing circles on his thigh. "Archie would get over it."
"No he wouldn't," Beau replied with a serious expression.
"No, I guess not," she relented with a pout. "I just don't want to wait another second. I want to be your wife now."
Beau was startled by how much he liked hearing her refer to herself as his wife. For some reason he had yet to associate the ideas together yet, maybe because it hadn't been voiced aloud in so many words.
"I want you to be my wife now, too," he growled with his lips to the dip behind her ear.
Her eyes were aglow with lust. "How long do you think it'll take him to plan a wedding?"
"He could go on planning indefinitely - but I'm only giving him a month. Any longer than that and I might go crazy."
"One week," Edythe amended, detangling herself from his arms. He missed her weight immediately. She stepped to the closet, opening it with her back to him.
"I don't know if even Archie can- " Beau's next words caught in his throat.
Edythe was unzipping her dress as he spoke, finally freeing herself and letting it slide down her body to pool at her feet. Underneath she wore a red satin bra with matching panties and gray thigh high stockings, the colors contrasting with her exposed pale skin. You could hear a pin drop as he gawked. She bent over slowly to unroll the stocking from each leg, letting them join her dress. Her scent was more concentrated now with more of her skin being shown off; each tiny movement on her part stirred Beau up though he was visibly frozen in place.
Edythe was careful to keep turned away from Beau during the display, taking her time to select a pair of jeans and a purple v-neck blouse from her wardrobe. She dressed casually as if not aware what she was doing to him and she shimmied into her clothes. When she was done she flipped her wavy hair out, her face giving nothing away when she returned his gaze.
"One week?" she repeated sweetly.
"One week," he agreed in a hoarse voice.
She said nothing of his dropped jaw, grabbing one of his t-shirts from the closet and throwing it squarely at his bare chest. "Well then let's go for a quick hunt and let him know the change of plans, hmm?"
He nodded his head dumbly, pulling his shirt over his head, having a hard time differentiating the arm hole from the one for his head.
Seemingly oblivious to the effect she had on him, Edythe pulled the shirt on over his head and helped Beau to his feet with a wide smile. Together they fled the empty house and took off into the woods.
They were not long into the forest when Archie sped towards then, his eyebrows pulled together. "You're impossible!"
Edythe flashed her teeth at him. "Haven't you heard? The bride is always right."
Archie turned his glare to Beau, who was still somewhat dazed. "It will set a bad precedent if you let her control everything from the start, you know."
Beau shrugged. "Happy wife, happy life, isn't it?"
"Yes it is," Edythe cooed affectionately. She appeared to be enjoying have him wrapped around her finger.
Archie crossed his arms. "A week! What can I do in a week! At least give me three, Edythe."
She shook her head. "A week is enough. I have faith in you. It doesn't have to be an elaborate affair."
Archie looked shell shocked. "Oh, I suppose I could just throw something tacky together. I mean, it's only my little sisters wedding," he added in a hard voice. "This is horrible - all those plans, up in smoke. Gah!"
Edythe raised an eyebrow at him. "It looks like you already had everything ready anyway, so I don't understand why you're making a big deal of it."
"That was just in case," he said, waving her away. "I'm prepared to do a bare minimum ceremony, I simply don't want to. You had to take away my fun."
"For the sake of my fun," she said without shame.
He continued to shift his glare between the two of them. Finally he threw his hands up. "I knew I shouldn't have left you two alone. Fine, you win. But it'll have to be eleven days at the earliest - the Denali Coven won't be here until then. Or do you want to tell Tanvir why he was so rudely uninvited to the wedding?" Archie challenged Edythe.
She sighed after briefly considering it. "Fine, we will wait for them."
Archie shoved Beau in the chest lightly. "Way to have my back, dude."
Beau laughed. "Just be glad we are not in Vegas right now."
"You wouldn't have been able to," he sniffed. "I took the engines out of every car in the garage this morning. Royal will be mad, but I needed the insurance," he said defensively as he took in their incredulous expressions. "I couldn't be sure the extent you two would go just because of a little sexual frustration."
Beau winced, a little embarrassed. Of course Archie would have seen what had happened at the house. He only hoped Archie hadn't seen specific details for their conversation.
Edythe growled. "Really, Archie?"
Archie, however, rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm looking for these things, you know. I just wanted to make sure nothing interfered with my project. Like a certain someone's overactive hormones."
Beau thought Edythe might leap at Archie then, so he quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her to his side while shooting him a warning look. The way Archie watched Edythe carefully made Beau sure he has been right to hold her back.
"I'm not ungrateful," Edythe replied to a something Archie was thinking. "I do appreciate all your doing - but you're doing it more for yourself than us at this point."
"Not true," Archie answered unconvincingly, his voice a key too high.
"We are really glad you want to do this for us," Beau offered. "You know we couldn't do this without you. But we're not big on the actually wedding itself - I know it's not really my thing."
"And I don't need anything ostentatious," Edythe added. "Simplicity is much more appealing in my book."
"And if there was anyone who could do simple on our timeline and make it elegant, it would be you." Beau reached out to him, hugging him around his shoulder and pulling him on his other side so Beau was sandwiched between the siblings. "I know you had lots of stuff you wanted for us, and it sounded amazing, but please? Please say you can make it work."
Archie groaned. "Okay stop with the big, sad eyes, you."
"His only weakness," Edythe whispered up towards Beau.
"And gross amounts of flattery, apparently," her brother corrected.
"Is that a yes?" Beau asked hopefully.
"Yes," Arched sighed. "I have some calls to make and no time really, but for you, and Edythe too, I guess, it shall be done."
Edythe pulled him in until the three of them were hugging, kissing her brother on the cheek. He made a big display of wiping it off, but was returning her smile. Archie clasped Beau's hand firmly, who let himself be pulled into one handed, guy hug.
"And I'm still the best man, right?" Archie questioned as they broke apart.
Beau pretended to think about it. "I mean it is between you and Royal..."
Archie frowned. "Pardon moi?"
Beau broke into laughter. "I'm joking, Arch. Couldn't you see that?"
"Just had to be sure," he huffed. "It's best not to assume."
"You're my best friend and none of this would have been possible without you. Of course I want you up there with me."
"We both do," Edythe added from under Beau's arm, her eyes sparkling. "If he hadn't called dibs on you, I would have wanted you as my maid - or rather man - of honor. I guess El can have it by default."
Archie nodded, the scene already flickering through his head. "Yes that'll look very nice. I'll redo the sitting chart, put the Denalis on one side, our family on the other. It'll be a small ceremony, but very intimate."
"It's beautiful," she said in a hushed voice.
He frowned. "Ah ah ah, stay out of there, missy. If I'm going to be reworking everything I at least don't want you ruining it by peeking."
"You have my word."
"That'll have to do." He pulled Beau to his side. "Now, you two interrupted my hunt so as recompense I will be taking Beau with me. Best keep you two away from each other before you wreck any more of my plans."
Beau was about to protest when Edythe put his finger to his lips, silencing him. He took her hand in his and kissed the palm, turning it over to kiss the rings she wore as well. A content sound spilled from her lips as she placed her other hand on his hip, wrapping her fingers in his belt loop.
Archie rolled his eyes. "Yup I will definitely be running interference for the next eleven days. Come on, let us be off before she tries to jump your bones."
Beau had no choice but to gave up and let Archie drag him off into the lush woods. Edythe waved sadly as they sprinted out of sight and he knew she was missing him already, the same as he was for her. Eleven days suddenly seemed far too long, but he knew better than to entertain thoughts of a quickie wedding - Archie could be very scary when he wanted to be. So it appeared, he realized grumpily, that the next vampire skill he would need to master was patience.
Keeping this in mind, he focused his thoughts and let his thirst take priority, allowing them to stalk into the fallen night.
