Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Twilight

Previously: "Speaking of belongings. What do you say about a drive to Seattle next week?"

"Oh, why are we going to Seattle?"

"There's a guy that Jazz and Em knows that works with hi-tech gadgets. I figured we can ask his help with your watch. Maybe he can fix it" Bella looked at me in awe.

"Ow… that's… wow… I would really want that." She launched herself to me in a hug and I instantly savored her wonderful scent that burned my throat.

"I didn't realize you were so eager to get back home" I hugged her back.

"I wasn't until you gave me an idea for payback. I should have at least some kind of property back at my world, right?"

I had to smile at her enthusiasm.

My hunt for the week was much closer to home than usual. I wanted to be by Bella's side as much as I can so when Carlisle and Esme decided they wanted to run in the Canadian borders together with Alice and Jasper, I told them to enjoy themselves.

I reasoned that Bella needed to have someone at home with her, which really didn't fool them knowing all too well that Bella was capable of taking care of herself but they agreed anyway.

With them gone, I would have the Olympic Peninsula all to myself and the vast wildlife would already be enough to quench my thirst without having to be away from Bella far longer than necessary.

The cottage was quiet when I arrived just as the sun was rising. There was no human sound or even a beating heart nearby. A quick run in the small house told me that Bella was nowhere to be found. I heavily inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm myself down. No need to panic, she's probably gone for a walk. I dashed towards the main house but stopped just as I crossed the river, smelling Bella's scent in the opposite direction from the house. My brows furrowed. What would she be doing deeper into the forest?

I tried to follow her scent which was trickier than I expected. I wasn't a tracker and Bella seems to be good at trying to hide her scent in the forest, probably to keep anyone unknown from following her. I had to backtrack when her scent led me towards the main road and found another scent exactly in the opposite direction.

I stopped dead on my tracks when I noticed that Bella's scent was completely gone and all I could smell was dirt, grass and trees all around me. I took note of the distance from the house to where I was and was amazed to realize that she's made it ten kilometers from the house.

A sudden movement to my left. A hiss instinctively escaped from my lips as I scanned my surroundings in alarm. Bella was nearby and for all I know, she could be in trouble.

"Whoa… Hey… It's just me" Bella slowly came out from behind a tree and relief washed over me. I relaxed my position but suddenly stiffened when I realized that I was actually crouching and was ready to attack her at any moment.

"Bella! What were you thinking! Do you realize how close I was to attacking you!"

"I wanted to sneak up on you but I realized my mistake when I saw your reaction. Probably shouldn't be doing that to a vampire" She was walking calmly towards me as if nothing happened. I pinched the bridge of my nose trying to calm myself. Leave It to Bella to take my killer nature mildly.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I went for an early morning run and kind of got lost track of time." It was then that I noticed that she was indeed wearing new running gear underneath her old sweatshirt.

"I was about to go back when I notice you near the highway and followed you all the way here." Huh. So that was probably why I caught her scent in a different direction then. Then I suddenly realize something about what she said. She has been following me and I never noticed. She was getting pretty good at being stealthy, not to mention I couldn't hear her thoughts but it was a risk too great. If it was another vampire, the tables would have turned and she would have been the one to be hunted.

"Bella, that was quite dangerous what you were trying to do. You know not all vampires are like us." I warned her while trying to erase the image of the three nomads, now two, that we have encountered not too long ago.

James was destroyed, Laurent's curiosity of our lifestyle got the best of him and I heard he was staying with our Denali cousins in Alaska and Veronica was nowhere to be found and we haven't heard from her since. Even with James gone, I can't shake the feeling that somewhere out there, there might be another James or any other vampire who will come across Bella's scent and would want to hunt her down. With training, she might be able to stand her own but it was a risk I was not willing to take and I don't think I could ever stand to watch her fighting off another vampire again.

"Edward…" I turned around to see that Bella was already sitting on top of a log. She patted the space beside her and I sat down dutifully.

"I know you're worried. I'm sorry but please don't. I can take care of myself and I promise I won't try to put myself in harm's way. That kind of thing usually just happens all by itself." I had to agree with her and with her being around vampires all the time, it's a surprise that she doesn't seem to be fazed by it all.

I sighed and looked at her intently. "You know I'm still waiting for the screaming and running to happen anytime." I told her truthfully and that got a smile on her face.

"And you know that's not going to happen."

"You are one of a kind Bella Swan" I looked at her and found myself lost in the depth of her beautiful brown eyes that spoke volumes. There is always wonder every time… knowing that this woman truly loves someone like me.

"Under our circumstances, I believe I am" she leaned closer and I could smell the woods mixed with the scent of her blood. Her lips parted and I could hear the increasing tempo of her beating heart. I leaned towards her until our lips brushed the slightest and I could feel all kind of urges inside me bursting.

I was suddenly consumed with an intense desire to feel her every being and I could sense her feeling the same way. I was only aware that Bella was already straddled in my lap as our lips were locked in a passionate kiss. She exhaled and a low growl inside me escaped followed by an intense burn in my throat but was subdued by a different kind of urge in my groin. Suddenly, I didn't feel like a vampire but a man passionately in love with a woman.

I barely noticed when I slowly moved to lay her down on the ground beside the log. I looked at her and I could see the longing in her eyes. My Bella was exquisite. I leaned down to kiss her forehead, trailing down her cheeks, to the side of her lips, down to the base of her neck while my hands were exploring the curves of her waist. Noticing this, Bella eagerly removed the sweatshirt, revealing her fitted blue sports bra and her bare stomach. My hands traced the bare skin and I could feel her slightly flinch at the coldness of my fingers.

"Bella…. This isn't right" The gentleman in me was still evident even at the heat of the moment.

"I know" She replied breathlessly but she sounded like she really didn't care. Bella held one hand in the collar of my shirt to try to draw me back to her lips and when I didn't budge, she pulled harder until I allowed myself to be drawn in to savor her lips as she wrapped her arms around my neck to keep me there.

"mmmm" A soft moan escaped her lips and I let mine explore the rest of her body, in between her breasts and down to her stomach. I opened my eyes to marvel at the site of her body when my body suddenly stiffened at what I saw.

Just above her waist was a small mark that was starting to turn purple. It had the unmistakable form of my fingers and the reality of what I am came crashing back to me.

My hand hovered just above the mark, but I was too afraid to touch her skin. I was finally able to take a good look at her body. I could see at least one or two scars that protruded from her sports bra that looks like it has already healed over time but thru vampire eye, it was still visible. Battle scars… that was what Jasper called and then I looked at the mark that I had left. I was no different than whoever gave her those wounds.

Bella instantly noticed the sudden change and she suddenly sat up while I slowly pulled away from her.

"Edward? What's wrong?" There was a hint of alarm in her voice. She tried to look at me in the eye but I couldn't dare look at her because of what I did.

"Edward… please, tell me" Her pleading voice got me to finally look at her but I know she could see the anguish in my eyes.

"Bella… I… I'm sorry" I didn't know what else to say.

"What are you talking about?" I reached for her left hand and slowly guided it down towards the mark on her waist. Her eyes followed the movement and that was when she noticed the bruise.

"Ow" I leaned away while my eyes were focused on her hands that were now studying the ugly mark on her body. I tried to remember when I left that mark but the only time I could remember was after she removed her coat which I thought I was being careful. I realize now how we can never be intimate to each other without me hurting her.

"Edward?" She was trying to get my attention but I couldn't look her in the eye.

"Hey, this is nothing. It doesn't even hurt."

"Bella don't …. Stop downplaying this. I hurt you"

"No, you didn't" She huffed. Her hands were in my cheeks so I could turn to look at her and when I did, I was met with Bella's indignant look.

"You have to give yourself a break Edward. I know you didn't mean to and it doesn't even hurt"

"Bella – "

"No. James throwing me to a trailer, that one hurt, a little… This… it's nothing… It's not even that obvious. You're just looking at it with your vampire keen eyes." I winced at the reminder of that moment that I thought Bella would be killed.

"Look… I know what I'm getting myself into… I know the danger of being with someone like you but that's not going to stop me from loving you… you know that…"

"But it's not supposed be dangerous for you… Now…. I can't ever make the same mistake like that again…. You see how easy it is for me to break you even if you're a stronger human? Bella… I try to be as careful as I can. If I hug you, I have to make sure I won't accidentally crush your body or when I kiss you, that I won't crush your skull. I was trying to be as gentle as I can earlier but I lost control at the heat of the moment and I hurt you… please forgive me Bella. If only I was human, loving you wouldn't have to be this complicated."

"It doesn't have to be complicated. We have each other. That's all that really matters to me… vampire or not… and yes, you are forgiven Edward Cullen"

My Bella… how could she forgive me so easily after the many times that I put her life in danger. She looked at me pleadingly.

"Please Edward… " That was it. I couldn't bear to hear Bella's anguished tone because of my self-pity. I pulled her closer and she molded herself into my body and I heard her sigh contentedly in my chest.

"Where have you been all my life Isabella Marie Swan?" I sighed.

"In another world" She looked up and kissed the bottom of my jaw.

"Let's get you home for breakfast, shall we?" That got a smile from her as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I'd like my vampire boyfriend to carry me back home please"

"I'm more than happy to comply" I leaned down to give her one kiss before dashing to the forest back to our home.