SEVENTEEN

My mate, Charlie, Esme, Jasper, and I were once again seated around the table; the only difference in this scenario and the last were that Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie were standing around the kitchen, waiting to restrain whomever necessary if things turned ugly. To say that tensions were high would have been an understatement, and I felt very uncomfortable knowing that everyone was staring directly at me.

Everything I had so carefully rehearsed in my brain flew out the window when faced with a very disturbed looking Charlie Swan, so I nibbled on my lip for a moment as I tried to grasp onto the trails of my escaping thoughts. "Dad, I'm not exactly sure of how I'm going to say this—" when he started turning red, I threw up my hands— "but I will tell you now that I'm not pregnant! I'm not in any kind of trouble, illegal or otherwise! But something has happened that involves both of us, and now that some issues have been cleared up, I can finally tell you the truth."

He eyed me, obviously upset that I had been keeping something from him, but once again, he surprised me with the lack of shouting. He looked like he wanted to, but he kept himself in check and waited to hear if what I had to say was worth expending his breath on.

"Okay…" I breathed out heavily. "Um… Okay… In all the time that the Cullens have been in Forks, have you ever noticed anything different? And I'm not talking about the local talk, because that's just unimportant gossip. I mean, have you noticed anything... really... unusual?"

"You mean aside from being as white as a ghost and as cold as the dead?" His lips twitched when I practically choked on my shock. "What was I supposed to do, Bells? Run 'em out of town for being afraid of visiting the local tanning salon? While I don't like your relationship with Doctor Cullen, the Doctor and his family have done nothing wrong. As long as they don't hurt anyone in my town, I have no problem with 'em."

I rested my chin in my hands, bracing my elbows on the table. "I'm truly sorry, Charlie," I apologized, "I've underestimated you far too long." He gave me a small smile, and I sighed. I figured that since Charlie was obviously smarter than I ever gave him credit for, it was best to just admit the truth. "Dad, the Cullens are… vampires."

The only movement he made was to shift his eyes to gaze above my head. He was obviously going through the information that he knew about the Cullens and his limited experiences with them. When he took a long deep breath and exhaled slowly, I glanced inquiringly to Jasper, who murmured, "He's worried, but not terrified, and a bit annoyed, but not furious."

This caught my dad's attention and he stared questioningly at Jasper, who showed off his power. "So that's why you were here last time. To make sure we didn't kill each other?"

"Somethin' like that."

He leveled his gaze to Carlisle and bluntly asked, "So what does a vampire want with my teenage daughter?" Wow! Straight to the point, he was. And on the topic that was my worst nightmare, the nightmare that I had wanted to save for last. "Are you planning on making her a vampire?"

"Yes," my mate answered bluntly, his topaz gaze never faltering, "but not until she is ready. It's her choice. And should she decide not to join me for eternity, then I will remain upon the Earth, watching over her and protecting her with my life until her last breath, at which time, I will cease to exist."

Charlie's eyes turned to me. "You'd give up your life to become a vampire?"

"Yes," I said softly. "Carlisle is my soul mate. With him, I feel complete; I feel whole. I'm happy. I feel loved, cherished, adored... When he's not around, it feels like a piece of my soul is missing. When I say that we are soul mates, I mean that seriously. His soul is my soul, just as mine is his. Our souls have bonded, and we share one soul between two bodies. It's… it's what happens between a vampire and their partners, their… their mates."

My dad's eyes went wide at the word, and he immediately repeated it in question.

I nodded. "Yes. Mates. Vampires mate for life. It is absolutely impossible for them to fall in love with another being once they've met their soul mate." I saw his mouth open and I waved him off. "I'm not Edward's mate. He's… confused. He's stuck forever at seventeen and he's never been in love. Between being his first crush and him being attracted to my blood, he thinks I'm his mate, but I'm not. I never felt this connection to him and the only reason I did not feel the intensity of my connection to Carlisle before was because of a certain… power that Edward had. And partly because Carlisle has refused to accept his vampirism until now. He refused to acknowledge his own instincts, which practically cut off the connection entirely, but he knew from the moment that he saw me that I was destined to spend eternity with him."

Charlie eyed Carlisle with a mix of disbelief and worry. "Why did you wait a year to say anything to her?"

"Isabella seemed happy with Edward," he explained in his soft accented tones. "As her mate, it is my duty to see that she is always happy. Her happiness comes before my own, Chief Swan. Her happiness and her safety are the most important things to me."

"And that?" He pointed to my neck, and I realized that I had forgotten to cover up the mark that my mate had left. "Was that for her happiness or safety?"

"Dad, that's… that's difficult to explain. Vampires are very… possessive. They don't exactly like others trying to… take over their territory. It doesn't hurt, and I feel safer and happier with it there." I took a deep breath. "Dad, there is a lot to explain, so much that it would take all night or longer. To sum up mine and Carlisle's relationship, I will say this: I'm an adult. I'm Carlisle's mate and I'm going to be changed. Carlisle would never harm me. He will always love and adore me. He will always treat me like a lady and with the utmost respect. Believe me when I say that there are more important things to talk about than my relationship with Carlisle."

"Bells, you're my little girl," he said solemnly. "What could be more important than that?"

I bit my lower lip and glanced at Esme, wondering if she wanted to take over or if she wanted me to explain it. I was ever-so-thankful when she took over as I really did not want to explain them being mates and what would be involved.

"Charlie," she cooed softly, immediately gaining my father's attention. "Just like Carlisle and Bella are soul mates, you... you are mine. You are my soul mate."

Charlie did not react.

We all waited with baited breath for some kind of sign, and it was only when my own mate poked my side gently that I took in a much-needed breath of air. The sound of the clock ticked by the many seconds, and I could actually feel my heart breaking for Esme as my father sat in perfect stillness. But finally, after what seemed like forever, he took a deep breath and glanced at the leader of the Cullens.

"Carlisle, would you and your family mind giving me some time alone with Esme?"

My mate gave him a small smile. "Actually, I think we will go ahead and take our leave. Most everything left to be said would be best coming from Esme as it is. I am sorry that we could not give you this information sooner, Charlie. We were being bound by certain laws."

Having known about vampires for a year, I only had to learn about how vampires mate, but poor Charlie was going to have to learn about all of it. Then, he had a decision to make. Of course, if the way he constantly looked at Esme said anything, I knew what decision he would end up making, even if he could not make it immediately. I stood up and moved to hug Charlie. "I know it's a lot to take in, Dad, but just really think about it. I'm happy. I can promise you that what you will gain is more than worth it." I squeezed him one last time. "Esme probably will want to stay with you tonight, and I can assure you that you're going to want some alone time, so I'm going to pack up some stuff and go to with Carlisle."

I felt my dad stiffen beneath me and grimaced when he mumbled, "Is that really a good idea, Bella? I mean, you're just eighteen and if people found out, they'd talk."

I sighed. "Dad, it wouldn't matter if I was a hundred, you still wouldn't like it." I smirked at his chagrined look. "Not only that, thanks to Jessica Stanley the whole town probably knows by now, and frankly, I don't care." I noticed that Carlisle had started growling in anger at the mention of Jessica. While he could control his instincts to kill anyone who hurt or insulted me, he was still apparently not happy with the little gossip, and I did not at all blame him.

Unfortunately, Charlie heard him as well and grew tense at the noise, leaving me to intervene. "It's okay, Dad. Vampires growl or snarl when they're angry. They purr when they're happy. And right now, Carlisle's less than happy with Jessica. She sort of pissed him off with her inappropriate behavior and by telling the entire school that we're involved." At his still confused gaze, I smiled brightly. "She was feeling up my mate and it pissed me off. Carlisle takes my happiness, or lack thereof in some situations, very seriously."

As I left to pack, I heard my dad mutter 'that may be so, but I swear if you hurt my daughter…', and I rolled my eyes. I packed several sets of clothes, knowing that I would probably be spending the entire weekend with the Cullens, since Esme was probably going to keep my father very… distracted.

When I finished packing my bag, my eye caught the small jewelry box on my chest-of-drawers. I did not wear much jewelry, but there were one or two pieces that I liked, including a simple yet elegant necklace from my grandmother Swan. Opening the box, I picked up the pendant and considered whether or not I wanted to wear it. Just as I was about to lay it back in its place, my phone started blaring SoShi's 'Ooh La La', alerting me that I had a message.

To my surprise, it was from Alice. He won't be upset. He'll understand & he'll love it!

I unclasped the chain and re-hooked it behind my neck, letting the silver and black diamonds settle a few inches above my cleavage, before I retrieved my bag and carefully found my way back down the stairs.

The first thing that I saw was my father and Esme sitting together on the couch, their faces close to each other as the vampire talked softly to him. I could not make out exactly what she was saying, but Charlie was absolutely enraptured and hanging on every word. I smiled knowing that the only outcome of this night could be a good one. Sure, I was daddy's girl and he would never be thrilled that I was with… well... anyone… much less a near-four-hundred-year-old vampire. But Esme held him in the palm of her hand, and if anyone could get Charlie to understand and accept what mates were to each other, I was sure that she could get him to be a bit more receptive to mine and Carlisle's bond.

I glanced at my mate, who had a small, loving smile on his lips. I blushed under his adoring gaze and approached him slowly, peering up at him through my dark lashes. "Alice said that you would like it."

His fingers reached out to trace the delicate cross. "I do." He wrapped his arms around me, pressing a chaste and reverent kiss lightly to my forehead, before leading me out to his Mercedes, where he took my bags and tossed them into the back before pinning me against the passenger door. "Some of your neighbors are watching, mia streghetta."

"Oh, so you notice it this time!" I grinned as I slid my fingers into his belt loops and pulled his hips flush against mine. "Might as well give them something really juicy to talk about, don't you think, Doctor Cullen?"

.

It seemed the others had gone off to hunt, which pleased me more than words could probably express, but I knew from the way that Carlisle inhaled deeply and shuddered slightly that my body did enough talking for me. And just as I suspected, the moment we were in the house and the door was locked, our lips and bodies seemed to fuse together as he pushed me up against the opposite wall. "Mi deliziosa streghetta," he rasped through his low growl, "are you at all aware of how you tempt me?"

A smirk of pride curled my lips as I murmured in his ear, "Enough to get you to tie me up in the woods, Reverend Cullen." My head was yanked back and I found myself staring into onyx eyes that twinkled with desire and delight. I yelped when he suddenly lifted me into his arms, his large cold hands gripping my ass, and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me to the kitchen. I sighed when he sat me on the massive dining room table and buried his face in my neck, licking and sucking on his mark. I practically pouted when he pulled away. Yes, it was sweet that he was cooking dinner for me, but there was something else I would rather taste at that moment. I had just opened to my mouth to share my naughty thoughts with him when my stomach gurgled in protest to my oncoming protest. I was not happy, but I was obviously hungry.

As he began to work on my meal, I realized that this was probably the best opportunity that I would have for a while to pelt him my many questions. "Carlisle, may I ask you something?"

"You just did, but feel free to ask me another."

I rolled my eyes, hating that my own words were coming back to bite me in the butt. "Well, actually I have a few."

He sighed and threw a glance over his shoulder. "Bella, I believe I have told you that you can ask me anything your heart desires. I will always answer you with the truth. Please, cara mia, never be afraid to ask me anything." He blurred to me to give me a tender peck on the lips before returning to the stove. "What is it that you wish to know?"

"When Charlie is changed, how are we going to have two mating couples in one house?"

"We are not," he said with surprising pleasantness. "Because your father will be a newborn, he will need to stay with the rest of the family. We have several expansive properties through North America and in Europe, and most of them have accompanying cottages only a few miles away from those main homes. While the family stays in one of the larger homes, you and I will be staying nearby in the cottages."

"So, I will be able to see Charlie?"

"Yes," he replied softly. "Under the conditions that I, and if at all possible - Jasper, be present. While Charlie is your father, newborns can be rather unstable. And of all of our family, being your mate, I will be the fiercest to fight for you. Jasper's power, of course, is always an immense help."

"Is being separated from you for periods of time going to get easier?"

"Yes and no," he sighed. "For a few months, it is going to get worse, but in time you become… accustomed to it. You start to not notice it at all after a while."

I hummed for a moment and began nibbling on my lip. I did not want to ask my next question, yet I had to know the answer. "Um… I know that we've become more… sexually active… and I was wondering if it's going to get stronger or not, and what will happen once our mating period is over."

He turned the burners down to a simmer before coming to me, spreading my thighs and stepping between them. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder. "There are so many intricacies to vampire mating - too many to discuss in one evening, as one evening would turn into several days. And that is without any cessation in said discussion." He sighed and his look turned thoughtful, as thought he were trying to decide how to continue. "At our most basic, at our deepest core, humans and vampires are both nothing more than advanced animals. We both have logic, feelings, and are able to process both in ways other animals do not.

"However, when it comes to instincts and behaviors, among other things, humans managed to train away many of their most animalistic tendencies over time. And obviously, other aspects faded with evolution. For example, human females do not go into heat, per se, the way animals do due to the way they evolved in nature. Then of course, in other animals species, it is only the females that enter heats, which males only respond to rather than experiencing it for themselves. Both sexes of the vampire species do go into heat.

"Unfortunately for any human who finds themselves mated to a vampire, they are ultimately affected due to their bond with their soulmate, females far more so than males. A male's libido will increase significantly, but a human female will be inadvertently forced into a full-blown heat... a distressingly lengthy heat." He heaved another sigh and nuzzled me comfortingly. "And regrettably, our heat will be made more intense during your periods since I am so strongly attracted to your blood."

He straightened and brushed my hair from my face. "This is almost exactly as it will be for the rest of your human existence. When you are changed, the heat will further increase simply because everything is felt and experienced more intensely as a vampire. At that point, it is potentially dangerous to be around others persistently because our mutual desires will feed off each other. I am sure you can imagine why. But what happens once you have been tamed? That I cannot say. Vampiric couples react differently once their mating period is over. Jasper and Alice obviously calmed down after their mating period and settled into a comfortable relationship. Emmett and Rosalie… Well, there are times when one might believe they are still stuck in the first few months of their mating season."

He tenderly kissed my lips then nibbled his way to my ear, where he murmured, "However, considering that my vampiric instincts are awaking at the same time as my heat, therefore ingraining these behavioral patterns into my mind, I think it is safe to say that Emmett and Rose will have some competition on their hands." He purred against my neck and spoke to me through the rumbles, "M'uzzola… mi dolce vina…"

I shuddered at the pet names then froze when something occurred to me. "Carlisle?"

His kisses instantly stopped when he heard the worry in my tone and stood above me and he looked down in concern. "What is the matter, m'Isabella?"

I sucked my lower lip between my teeth and bit down in nervous habit before glancing at him timidly. "You're always calling me all sorts of pet names, and—"

"If it bothers you, Bella, I will stop," he interrupted, looking slightly pained.

I shook my head viciously. "No, Carlisle, it's not that. It's…" I bowed my head, embarrassed. "I've realized that you are constantly using pet names and you seem to be more… obvious when it comes to affection. It occurred to me that I don't show you how much you mean to me as you seem to do for me. I know what I feel, but I'm confused to why I haven't seemed to develop an urge to... demonstrate it the way you do. I'm scared you might not know how much I really do love you. I mean, I—"

He cut me off with a passionate kiss that made my head almost spin before ending it just as quickly as it began. He pressed his forehead to mine, smiling. "M'amore, I am very much aware of how you love me. I can see it in your eyes, feel it in our soul; your love and adoration seeps from every pour of your body, bella mia."

He nuzzled my temple and began to purr reassuringly. "As unfair as it may seem to your human mind, it is within a male's nature to be more affectionate it. The desire, indeed, is within both partners to make the other mate happy, comfortable, secure, but the drive within the males tend to be stronger. As I said before, vampires are animals. All of those instincts and behaviors that humans trained away are not only returned but strengthened in vampires. For example, in almost all species but the human one, it is the male who initiates both the emotional and physical bonding. It is the male who shows off. It is the male who has to look bigger, better, stronger to impress the female. Humans managed to extinguish those natural-born traits, but then later chose to instigate some disturbingly twisted variation... in reverse. Thus, your species ended up with a rather warped view of what mating should be.

"As a human female in a modern world," he continued, "you have been trained to view human mating in a certain light - one that, frankly, goes against everything that even the natural order of the universe installed." Carlisle lapped at a patch of skin behind my earlobe. "So whether as a human you understand it or not, whether it seems fair or not, that is how vampire mating works." He captured my face with his hands and gazed down at me lovingly. "You must also remember, mia passerotta, that every time you give me your body or your blood, they are the most precious gifts that I have ever received. If you did not love me, I doubt that you would grant me such treasures."

He kissed the tip of my nose. "I understand that it is difficult to comprehend and accept, but please believe me, m'Isabella, that I have never doubted your love for me. Please do not think for a single moment that just because you do not have a list of charming pet names for me—" his eyes took on a devilish twinkle— "except those times that you are splayed so lusciously across my desk or tied to a tree—" he chuckled as fire spread across my cheeks and bowed my head— "that I question your feelings for me, because I do not."

He buried his lips in my chocolate curls. "Cara mia, I swear to you with all that I am, I am quite secure when it comes to your feelings for me." He gripped my chin and lifted my face to his. "Does that help ease your mind, dolce uzzola?"

Still blushing, I nodded then smiled mischievously. "I'm afraid that there's something else that might need easing, though."

"Is that so?" he queried with a delicious smirk before flashing to turn off the stove and back. "Then perhaps, streghetta, I can help care for that pain as well."

He lifted me and swiftly removed everything from my body before pushing me back onto the grand table. He drug me to the very edge and braced my feet on his shoulders when he knelt down. He wrapped his arms around my thighs and pulled my body flush against him, burying his face in my heat as he began to feast intimately on me. While his tongue and lips worked my pussy to a throbbing ache, one finger flicked my clit with inhuman speed. His marbled arms held me firmly to the table and his mouth when I tried to push away from the deliciously overwhelming sensations that he created. When my fingers fisted in his silky blond locks, tugging violently as I shuddered in pleasure, he simply chortled against my sensitive flesh, the vibrations bringing me so close to the edge.

I cried out in anguish when his mouth left my body then moaned loudly in relief when two fingers slipped inside, his thumb on the bundles of nerves. I could not stop the whimpers of pleasure when he sucked the mark on my neck, his fingers pistoning in and out of my body faster than any human could while his thumb fluttered around my clit.

"Correte per me, mia streghetta," he purred against my neck. "Come for me, pet... Sottostare a mi, m'Isabella. Come for me…"

I screamed his name and shattered beneath him, my body shaking with the intensity of my orgasm. I vaguely felt him shifting my body, cradling my trembling form against him while I rode out the waves of pleasure. When the shivers dissipated, my breathing and heart rate returning to normal, I felt giggles of contented glee building within me and I could not, for the life of me, stop them from escaping.

He chuckled as he helped me dressed. "I do believe, cara mia, that you are exhausted. As your physician, I suggest that as soon as you have finished your dinner, you go straight to bed."

I snuggled against his chest and murmured stubbornly, "Only if you go with me."

"I will indeed join you in bed, m'uzzola," he purred, "but I am afraid that I must insist on you getting some sleep. In your condition, the added stresses of the day would have only served to drain your further. Taking into consideration your pleasurable responses to my savoring the divine nectar of your body, I should not have done so. However, I am truly beginning to ponder your confession, Mistress Swan, for you are so easily able to tempt me with delightful magic that no other woman on this Earth seems to possess."

He winked at me before returning to his previous task of cooking me dinner, and the only thing I could think to say was, "You know... I'm going to have to tell Emmett that a vampire finally got to eat at this table."

.

TBC

In the words of Bob Ross:

I believe talent is just a pursued interest.