Author's Note

Thanks to some advice from New2Twilight2021, who is Russian and a much better translator than Google, I've fixed the words Tanya uses. As they explained it, kotik means both male kitten and lover, and zaichik means baby bunny, and is a very common term of endearment. Corrections are always appreciated :)

Thanks for reading!

~L


Unsolicited Advice

"Congrats, guys." The one werewolf in attendance bounded toward us. Seth Clearwater's youthful face was split by a grin of delight as he greeted me and Bella. Without hesitating, he closed the distance between us, and I could feel the strength of his species in the brief, if exuberant, hug. I returned his gesture with my free arm, as unwilling to let go of Bella as she was to release me.

Identifying the woman beside him as his mother, I ignored Sue Clearwater's obvious fear and disgust. As if I would ever hurt him. Seth had saved both Bella's life and my own only a few months prior. Although he had no qualms about us the way the rest of his pack did, his mother shared the prejudice of her people.

"It's good to see things work out for you, man. I'm happy for you," Seth said sincerely.

"Thank you, Seth. That means a lot to me." I released the young man, pleased with his show of affection. Turning to address his mother and the elder man in the wheelchair, I noticed that they had not taken the chance to hug my blushing bride. "Thank you, as well. For letting Seth come. For supporting Bella today."

Billy Black met my eyes with a look of calm resignation. He would far rather have attended Bella's marriage to his own son, but despite all of his efforts, Jacob had been unable to take her from me. "You're welcome," he said simply. He seemed oddly pleased, but his old mind was as strong as Carlisle's and did not give away the reason.

Despite having hugged Bella immediately following Mr. Weber's pronouncement that we were husband and wife, our guests wanted to offer a more lengthy congratulations and were beginning to gather behind Billy, Sue, and Seth. The three made their way toward the tables which were laden with food, and Bella's human friends claimed her next.

Angela and Ben had been accompanied by both of her parents. Catching her mother's anxious thoughts, I didn't think she would be staying much longer. She was worried about Angela's twin brothers. The toddlers were at home with a new sitter, and she wasn't sure the young girl was up to the task of riding herd on the energetic boys. Trying not to squeeze too tightly, I shook Mr. Weber's hand, thanking him profusely for agreeing to marry us.

They were followed by Jessica and Mike. I would have found it mildly amusing that her mental ogling of me was as blatant as his was of Bella, except for the fact that it was Bella that he was eyeing. Meeting his eyes after he leaned in to hug her, I was pleased to see that I could still instill fear in the boy without even trying. A sweat broke out on his forehead, and Jessica pulled her hand out of his suddenly sweaty grasp. I snickered at his back as they walked away.

We had been greeted by werewolf and humans, it was only fitting that vampires were next. Tanya reached for me, rather than embracing my bride. Carmen, Eleazar, and Kate were eyeing Bella in curiosity, but Tanya had eyes only for me. As per usual.

"Ah, Edward. I've missed you." Tanya's voice was a sultry purr in my ear. True to form, the persistent succubus clung to me, completely ignoring the fact that I was clinging to Bella's hand. ...always knew you were a charmer, kotik, but never would I have guessed you would convince a human to become your wife! ...admit I've dallied with my fair share of humans, but I never thought to marry one...

Bella's skin warmed as her hand tightened around mine. In contrast to Bella's vibrant warmth, Tanya's cool arms were uncomfortable around my neck, and I slipped a hand between us to place on her shoulder. Using more force than would have been necessary for a human, I pushed her away from me, but laughed to take the sting out of my rejection.

"It's been too long, Tanya. You look well," I said, politely.

I could practically feel her eyes as they roamed all over me. "So do you." ...clean up nice. Always did have a soft spot for a man in a suit... especially a married man...

Taking the opportunity she provided, I gestured toward Bella. "Let me introduce you to my wife." There was a definite ring of victory in my voice, and I took great pleasure in saying the words at last. My wife!

Knowing full well of Tanya's pursuit of me in the past, our cousins laughed at the way I had stressed the word. The sisters all found Bella quite interesting, having never before met a human who knew what we were, yet who wasn't afraid.

...kiss her like that without biting her?

...close she is standing to him... quite remarkable.

Eleazar, in particular, found her fascinating. Unlike the others, he had known humans who were aware of what we were, but none of those men and women had been so completely at ease with the vampires of Volterra. Despite being my cousin and knowing he was happily married to his own mate, Eleazar's intense stare would have made me challenge him if I didn't know the reason behind it.

Ignoring their thoughts, I pulled Bella closer against me. "Tanya, this is my Bella."

There was a definite warmth in her mind which I recognized as jealousy as she eyed my blushing bride. Putting her own feelings aside - for the moment - she offered her hand to Bella and spoke politely. "Welcome to the family, Bella. We consider ourselves Carlisle's extended family, and I am sorry about the, er, recent incident when we did not behave as such. We should have met you sooner. Can you forgive us?"

"Of course," Bella said, as I knew that she would. "It's so nice to meet you."

"The Cullens are all evened up in numbers now. Perhaps it will be our turn next, eh, Kate?" Tanya turned her grin toward her sister. ...though I don't know that I can limit myself to only one man for eternity ...since you are taken, now, Edward... She cast me a look out of the corner of her eyes.

I couldn't help but to smirk back at her. There was more than one reason why I had never been interested in the woman.

...as if she would stick to one anyways... "Keep the dream alive," Kate responded before turning to my bride. Tanya still clasped Bella's hand, and Kate took it from her, squeezing carefully. "Welcome, Bella."

I nearly laughed aloud as her thoughts mirrored her sister's.

Carmen slid her hand on top of Kate's, leaving Bella's hand in the older woman's grasp. "I'm Carmen, this is Eleazar. We're all so very pleased to finally meet you."

"M-me, too."

Seeing that more people were waiting for our attention, Tanya prompted, "We'll get to know each other later. We'll have eons of time for that!"

I had to shake my head. Tanya was likely going to scandalize some man at the party. I was merely grateful that, for once, it wouldn't be me. Eventually, the guests had all said their congratulations to us, and we took a seat at the tables. Bella and I shared a plate so that I could pretend to eat without having to.

Alice was gloating every time I saw her face in the minds of our guests. Surely this was the grandest wedding any of the people of Forks had ever seen, or would again. The weather was perfect, with the gentle warmth of an evening in August that the Olympic peninsula rarely got to enjoy without a misty rain. The sun had just set behind the trees when the ceremony was over, and by the time we took our seats at the table, twilight had come and gone. The lights I had helped to hang from the trees along with the many burning candles more than made up for the absence of any stars.

I had waited for this day for so long, it was difficult for me to believe it was real - that she was real. Even when needing her hands as she ate, we couldn't keep our bodies apart, and Bella would lean toward me so that our shoulders touched, or her thigh would press against mine, and even, unseen under the table, she slid her foot around mine so that our legs were entwined. My eyes rarely left her lovely face as I memorized every smile, the sound of her voice when she spoke and laughed with our guests, and the way her eyes would shine when they met mine. If it weren't for the images of the party that I got from the minds around us, I may not have seen the reception at all.

Once the guests were finished eating and the caterers had cleared the dishes away, Alice danced up to us.

"Cake time!" she sang.

I wrinkled my nose at her.

Oh, no you don't! You can handle one little piece of cake!

Sighing in resignation, I steered Bella toward the five tiered wedding cake which had been placed upon a table all its own. I placed my hand over hers on the knife as she cut a piece for each of us. Bella's eyes were slightly dazed as I pushed a slice of cake into her mouth, successfully avoiding getting any on her face.

Surely Alice had known how enticing I would find it to actually eat from Bella's hand. Ignoring the thought of what was being placed in my mouth, I watched her wide eyes as she fed me a piece of our wedding cake. It always amused me to see her disbelief when I ate human food, and I took it a step farther, very carefully catching her finger in my mouth so that I might lick off the sticky icing.

Although the experience had been fun, being left with a coating of icing in my mouth was not. I couldn't talk for several minutes after as my venom flowed thickly, dissolving the offending foreign substance and clearing my mouth. Already the wad of flour, sugar, egg, oil, and milk sat uncomfortably on my stomach.

I didn't need to wonder if Alice had placed Angela where she did specifically so that Bella's friend would be the one to catch the thrown bouquet. After congratulating Angela and teasing Ben about the two of them being next, I led Bella to a chair placed just off the dance floor. Emmett and Jasper were howling with laughter as they hung onto each other, whispering jokes that they knew I would hear, and the other vampires at the party would as well, but which none of the humans would be able to pick up.

Blushing furiously when I knelt in front of her, Bella obligingly lifted the appropriate leg just high enough to place her foot in my hand. Choosing not to ignore my brothers, but rather to play along - and perhaps even add a bit of fuel to the fire - I slid Bella's dress slowly up her leg to just above her knee, despite the fact that her lacy garter was closer to her ankle. She shivered as I did so, my cold fingers leaving goosebumps from where I had trailed them along her skin. I held her eyes and tried not to laugh at her mortified expression. Leaning close to her, I planted a kiss just above the lacy circle, before taking the garter in between my teeth and easing it off her leg.

The stunt earned us several wolf whistles and rendered my brothers incapable of speech due to their appreciative laughter. Not that that stopped them from thinking things at me, but at least they were not feeding off each other's one-liners. For the moment.

Catching the fact that Mike Newton's eyes were fixed on Bella's exposed leg, I winked at her and aimed the garter directly at his face. By the time he looked back, Bella's shapely legs were hidden again.

The band had played soft music while everyone ate, but had taken a break while we performed our traditional wedding rituals. When they took the stage again, it was time for one ritual I had looked forward to more than the others: my first dance with my very own wife. I pulled my Bella from the chair, tucked her body securely against mine, and twirled her into the middle of the dance floor.

I couldn't stop thinking the words: my blushing bride, my wife, my Bella. My Bella. She allowed me to spin her about the dance floor, staring into my eyes and smiling - actually smiling - as we danced at our wedding. She clung to me, only needing to place her feet occasionally, as I supported her, twirled her, and dipped her toward the floor. She rarely enjoyed being the center of attention and, at that moment, all eyes were upon us, but she didn't seem to care.

...kid really can dance!

...how'd he learn to move like that? No teenagers are s'posedta dance like that...

...like some kinda movie or somethin'...

My family was used to hiding from the spotlight, even though Rose liked to have the attention of the males around her. None of us wanted scrutiny. But at that moment, twirling Bella about the dance floor, I thoroughly enjoyed the stares. I wanted them all to see what a beauty I held, how happy she was, and how we were made for each other exactly. In a rare flash of insight, I felt that I understood Rosalie's desire for admiration. I wanted the women to envy Bella, just as I wanted the men to envy me. It wasn't nice, or pretty, but Bella and I belonged to each other, and I wanted the world to know it.

The music slowed, and I slowed my steps to match, taking the opportunity to press my cheek against hers. "Enjoying the party, Mrs. Cullen?" I whispered into her ear.

Bella's body shook with laughter against mine. "That will take a while to get used to."

"We have a while," I pointed out. We had eternity. Wanting to taste her mouth again, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. Our song ended, and a new one began.

...dance with my baby girl...

Aware that Charlie was going to interrupt us, I stopped myself from spinning about the floor with her again. He tapped on my shoulder and cleared his throat.

"Mind if I cut in?"

Reluctantly, I allowed him to take her from me. As they began to sway back and forth, I spied Esme standing to one side of the dance floor. Striding over to my mother, I offered her my hand. "May I have this dance?"

She rewarded me with an exultant smile, and we joined Bella and Charlie on the dance floor. The two of them were rotating in a circle, barely moving from the same spot. I chuckled and twirled my mother as I had my wife, although I didn't hold her body nearly as close as I had held Bella's. I had supported Bella, but Esme and I had danced together many times, and she was light on her feet. I spun her away from me and pulled her back close. She kicked her feet about, matching my steps as we danced circles around Bella and her father.

A new song began, and Carlisle took Charlie's place, dancing with his new daughter-in-law. Charlie blushed as red as I had ever seen Bella blush when Esme turned to him with an expectant smile. He harrumphed and stammered an invitation to dance. Seeing Tanya's attempt to catch my eye, I swiftly moved to my new mother-in-law and invited her onto the dance floor.

"Bella tells me that you've taken some ballroom dance classes."

She giggled and glanced to where Jasper and Alice were indulging in a bit of showing off of their own.

"Yes," she admitted, "but it's been years, and I don't think I'm really up for that." She nodded toward my siblings.

"Don't worry, Renée. My mother taught me well."

"Yes," she agreed thoughtfully. "I could see that."

Holding her very carefully, I took care not to spin her too fast, but she was laughing dizzily by the end of the song. I relinquished her back into the care of her husband, who was thinking how glad he was to still be in a cast and unable to dance had he wanted to. Tanya was still attempting to catch my eye, but I had no desire to dance with her. Bella had been claimed by Charlie's deputy, who was doing an admirable attempt at the waltz. Rosalie and Emmett were trying not to show him up too badly, but my sister was unable to avoid showing off, at least a little bit, and Emmett was always willing to be seen with his mate.

The single slice of cake I had eaten was weighing heavily on my stomach. If I left it there much longer, I would be more than merely uncomfortable. Taking the opportunity while Bella was occupied, I slipped into my house to get rid of it. I was rinsing my mouth out, feeling much better, when I heard my bedroom door open and close. I'd been keeping a mental watch on Bella as she began to dance with Seth, but didn't need to touch the mind of my visitor to know who had entered my room. The sharp bite of ozone and the zing of vinegar and horseradish preceded her into the room.

I left my bathroom to glare at her. Leaning against the door frame with narrowed eyes, I spoke through my teeth. "What do you want, cousin? There is no music to dance to here."

Tanya clasped her hands in front of herself and laughed softly. "Not much. I only wished to speak with you in private."

"Go ahead." I waved a hand at her.

"I couldn't help but to overhear your brothers talking."

Clenching my teeth at what I saw in her mind, I tried to keep my voice steady. "You mean you couldn't help overhearing Emmett loudly and unsubtly making jokes at my expense."

She arched eyebrow. "Is there any truth to them?"

"I don't see how that is any of your business!"

She shrugged, unconcerned. "It isn't. But I know you as well as anyone, and despite what I once led your family to believe," she winked at me with a low, sultry laugh, "we both know that you are... how can I put this... innocent?"

"I am hardly that."

"When it comes to the ways of a woman, yes, zaichik, you are exactly that." She reached out to touch her finger to the tip of my nose.

Batting her hand away, I glared at her, furious. "Get. Out."

"Relax, Edward. I am only wanting to help you."

"I don't exactly need any advice on the birds and bees, Tanya. So unless you have anything else to say..."

"Wait, Edward." She put a hand on my arm as I reached for the door, prepared to shove her through it, if necessary. "Your bride is a human, is she not?"

"I'm quite certain that was obvious when you met her. Get to your point."

"I gather that you have a rather special wedding night planned?"

Grinding my teeth, it was all I could do not to yell at Emmett. Did everyone need to know what Bella and I intended?

"I understand why you would speak with your brother, of course," she said, smirking. "As a human, he was the kind of man that I would have liked to get to know, in more ways than one."

"You'd better not let Rosalie hear you say that."

She lifted a shoulder. "He holds no interest for me now. As a rule, vampires - especially married vampires - are not nearly as entertaining as human men. You, of course, were always the exception!" Gliding closer to me, she looked up through lowered lashes, her golden eyes sparkling with mischief.

Trying to hold on to my dignity, I grinned back at her. "Only because I wasn't interested. Had I treated you like every other unattached male you've ever come across, you wouldn't have given me the time of day."

"Unattached or not, very few men have ever spurned my advances!"

"And therein lies your problem," I said with a short laugh.

"The blind cannot lead the blind, Edward. I could have shown you many things."

"Tanya, you know very well that I have already seen what you would have shown me. Where is the mystery in one whose secrets are known to all?"

A look of anger crossed her face. "You needn't insult me. I am not ashamed of what I have done, unlike some I know."

"If you're referring to the fact that I'm a killer, then yes. It shames me that I took human lives to feed myself, but the past is something that I cannot change. And in any event, it is unimportant now."

"On the contrary! It is exactly that which I am here to speak with you about!"

Her eyes met mine, wide and without artifice, for once.

"You have spoken with Emmett, and I assume with Jasper and Carlisle as well, about your wedding night with your human, but you refuse the advice of one of the few creatures on this planet who could actually help you! None of them have experience with humans except for as a human themselves, whereas I - "

"Tanya," I groaned, rubbing my forehead in frustration. I had spent years seeing the memories of her trysts in her mind, as well as her fantasies about the two of us together. I had no desire to have to witness such things again, and especially not on my wedding day!

She placed a cool hand on my arm and laughed softly. "I am sorry, kotik. It is who I am, and I cannot change it any more than I could change you."

I jerked my arm away from her. "Will you get on with it? I do have someplace to be."

"Do you wish to take your human's life?" she asked bluntly.

My mouth formed a hard, angry line and a harsh growl rumbled in my chest.

You, of all people, know how many human men I have been with...

My lips curled in distaste. "I wouldn't say I know the exact number."

"You know what I mean!" she snapped, her golden eyes flashing with irritation.

I sighed, resigned to hearing what she insisted on saying.

Her lips twisted to the side in an uncharacteristic expression of sadness. "I wonder if you know how many of their deaths were unintentional?"

Frowning, I slowly shook my head.

"You, who have never been with a woman, have just married your mate, who happens to be a human. I am sure you know, without needing to be told, how dangerous tonight will be for her?"

I nodded once.

"But do you know why?"

I blinked in surprise. Speaking slowly, I said, "Because I could crush her bones with my littlest finger. Because as a vampire, I am so much stronger - "

"No!"

"No? You don't think that I could shatter her bones or - "

"No, no, of course you could break her bones." She gestured, dismissively. "That's not important. Bones can mend."

"Not from the kind of damage that I could do."

"Do you plan on leaving her a human?"

I shook my head.

"Then, as I said, bones can mend. But there are some injuries which vampire venom cannot cure. And, of course, she would still have to be alive for it to work."

In her mind were images of a multitude of men with missing arms, or with their chests caved in, or their heads crushed; of her sisters Kate and Irina weeping beside one bloodless corpse after another; of myself holding Bella's head which was no longer attached to her body, my mouth bloody from where I had torn her throat open, my eyes glowing red with her blood -

"Stop!" I gasped.

Edward. She placed a hand on my arm, but I shoved her away, still reeling from the images in her mind. "Do you see?"

"Yes, damn it! I saw what you were picturing!"

"No, cousin. Do you understand? A vampire can reattach his own limbs, but a human cannot. Even if you turn her, the venom would heal the wound, but would not regrow the limb. And that is not the biggest danger. It took over a century before I was able to be with a human without drinking him. If you drain your human, she will not be able to recover from that, either."

Trembling, I swallowed hard, trying to regain control of myself. I had been perfectly capable of picturing the ways in which I could kill Bella that night. The images she had shown me had hardly been necessary.

"It is not my intention to cause you pain, Edward. Quite the opposite. I am glad you have married your human. Make her your mate. I encourage you to enjoy your wedding night as planned." She flashed a sly smile at me. And enjoy it you shall. "But I would very much like for you both to visit us afterward."

"What exactly do you recommend, Tanya?" I whispered. The last thing I wanted to do was to ask her, of all people, for advice, but to ensure that Bella lived, I would do anything.

"I see that you have fed recently, so that is good."

"Yes, last night. As much as I could drink."

She nodded. "Surely you remember how it felt to drink human blood."

"Jasper already made the comparison between - "

"I'm not comparing." She stopped me with a shake of her head.

I didn't realize she had been slowly walking toward me as I backed away until I found my back against the wall, and Tanya's body pressed against mine. I could see in her mind that my eyes were hard and fierce as my lips pulled away from my teeth.

"Shh." She placed a finger against my lips to silence my angry growl. She flexed her knees, moving slightly up and down against me as she said, "I'm saying that sex... feels good."

Rolling my eyes, my voice heavy with sarcasm, I drawled, "Oh, really? I hadn't realized. Thank you, that is so helpful."

"And drinking human blood feels good, too. And your body will remember the experience, and demand it. You will have to want her to live more than your body will want her blood. Never forget, even for a second, that you are a vampire, and that she is supposed to be your prey." She shrugged and turned away, leaving me pressed against the wall as she reached for my door.

"I have never forgotten that. How could I?"

She paused with one hand on the doorknob. "She is why you came to see me a year ago, is she not?"

"She is why I went to Alaska, yes."

Tanya laughed, the sound low and self-satisfied. "I knew it was woman troubles. I said as much at the time, though you denied it, of course. But I knew."

"I went to Alaska because I didn't want to kill her!"

Shaking her head, she argued, "Not so. You visited us because you did want to kill her."

I scowled at her, unable to deny the truth in that statement. "I no longer do."

"You have fought against your nature for nearly your entire life. When you are with her tonight, you will need the strength that you have gained in doing so. You fear that your strength will cause her harm, but the opposite is true. It is your strength that will save her."

I frowned, but didn't answer. That sounded an awful lot like what Carlisle had been trying to tell me.

She returned to where I still stood, pressed against the wall. Laying a hand over my silent heart, she looked into my eyes, and I was surprised to see sorrow in them, rather than the mischief I was accustomed to seeing. "It took me many decades to gain that kind of strength. And it took many failures. But you cannot afford to fail even once."

"I know."

"Ask yourself why you are risking her life in such a way. You don't have to tell me." She winked at me and slowly rolled her lower lip through her teeth, a smile curving the corners of her mouth upwards. "I know the answer already. Let that reason guide you. You are so used to leading with your head." She lowered her voice, mimicking my own. "Edward Cullen. So serious, all the time." She laughed at my expression and her voice returned to its normal sultry purr. "But remember, it is your heart which has led you down this path. And it is your heart which you will need to trust to keep her alive."

She turned away from me once more, walking with slow steps back toward my door. Pausing, Tanya glanced back at me. "That, or turn her first. Then you will both be vampires, and it won't matter." Sending me a last look from the corner of her eye, she left the room, and I let out the breath I'd been holding.

Damn that woman.

Taking a few shaky breaths, I stopped myself just before I ran my hands through my hair. I had never been so relieved to move as when we had moved away from them. Though I'd never wanted her, as I had once told Bella, I was a man, and the woman had a millennium of practice in seducing men. As frustrating as I found her to be, I was grateful that, in her way, she had tried to help me. Still, just talking to her had left me feeling unaccountably sullied.

"Yech," I muttered, brushing my hands across my chest and down my arms. I wanted to rid my skin of the feeling of her. Bella was the only woman I wanted pressed against me. Abruptly, I couldn't wait to hold my bride in my arms once again. I strode through my house, moving with slightly more haste than a human would have used.

Looking through the eyes of our guests, I discovered that while I'd been distracted, Seth had given way to Mike Newton. I growled too loudly, attracting the notice of a few humans that I was passing, but it was all I could do not to sprint over to him and toss him through the air.

...coulda been my girl, but no... had to go for the rich freak... I mean, c'mon... who's he think he's foolin? Jess is right, shotgun weddin' for sure... Sure feels nice in my arms like this, though... wonder if she'd let me -

He never got the chance to finish that thought as I tapped him on his shoulder, being very careful not to break his bones in doing so. "Excuse me," I said, coldly, giving him the full effect of my vampire anger as I glared into his eyes. "I'd like my wife back, if you don't mind."

"Uh, sure, um, guess I'll ask Jessica..."

I didn't bother listening to the rest of his stammering before I had Bella pulled against my body and was spinning her away from the horrid boy. I couldn't resist a final glare at him over her shoulder where he still stood, gaping at us. Looking back into Bella's beautiful face, I was surprised to see an amused smirk across her lips.

"Still not that fond of Mike, eh?" she teased me.

"Not when I have to listen to his thoughts. He's lucky I didn't kick him out. Or worse," I glowered, knowing that he was still watching Bella, but resisted the urge to meet his eyes and show him my teeth.

"Yeah, right," Bella mumbled.

Deciding to forget the boy, I concentrated on the woman in my arms. She was flushed, her hair still tightly coiled, but with a few extra strands escaping to more fully frame her face. Staring into her wide eyes, I realized that I had never before appreciated the way make-up, when properly applied, could add to the natural beauty that a woman might have. None of the women I'd seen using the stuff had done so with any skill, but on Bella, Alice had used just enough to draw attention to her wide, chocolate eyes without having the make-up overshadow the feature she was trying to enhance.

The dress clung to her curves, but was not restrictive, allowing her to move freely in my arms. Her joy in the occasion added a twinkle to her dark eyes, and a sweet upward curve to her lips that made me want to taste them again. She was absolutely the most gorgeous creature I had ever seen, and she was mine. I pulled her body tighter against me, feeling a fierce possessiveness and a strong desire to leave the party with her that very moment.

I wanted her! And she had no idea. How could she not see how lovely she was? Had Alice even shown her?

"Have you had a chance to look at yourself?"

"Um. No, I guess not. Why?"

"Then I suppose you don't realize how utterly, heart-breakingly beautiful you are tonight. I'm not surprised Mike's having difficulty with improper thoughts about a married woman. I am disappointed that Alice didn't make sure you were forced to look in a mirror." Bella never saw herself clearly. Couldn't my sister have taken just a few moments to show Bella what a beauty she was, especially on this day?

Bella rolled her eyes. "You are very biased, you know."

I sighed in frustration.

Silly! I didn't show her because I knew that you would enjoy doing so! Alice thought at me as she and Jasper glided past us. She nodded her head toward the reflective windows of the house we were dancing near.

Surprised, I paused our dance and turned Bella so that she faced the house. Staring back at us from the reflective surface of the wide glass windows that stretched from floor to ceiling was a couple unlike any that had existed before. The man had bright, pale yellow eyes, bronze hair that was - for once - still behaving, and not flopping into his face, and pale skin that was only enhanced by the dark tuxedo jacket. I could see his unnatural beauty that was a feature of all vampires, which usually served to hide our inherent evil.

By sharp contrast, the woman beside the man was a vision of loveliness that made my throat constrict and my muscles shiver with desire. A look of surprise crossed her face as she studied the effect Alice's skills had had on her natural beauty. Before that day, I had thought that nothing could compare with her normal, soft perfection, but the Bella who was standing by my side was not an angel. This night, I had married a goddess.

"Biased, am I?" I asked as she studied herself.

...be fine!

...make a scene, you will put everyone at the party in danger, including her!

...Stop worrying. You need to trust me.

...You've given me no reason to, Jacob!

"Oh!" Shocked at the identity of the new voices I heard, I stiffened.

...I was invited to come, Sam.

...sure you can control yourself this time?

...yeah, yeah.

...Why you doin' this to yourself, Jake?

...ya know it's only gonna make it hurt worse later...

...Lemme alone! I need to see her. Just... once more.

I grinned at Bella. Pleased for many reasons, some not as gentlemanly as others, but whatever my motives, I knew the result would make Bella happy.

"What is it?"

"A surprise wedding gift."

"Huh?"

Pulling her against me again, I turned away from the wall of glass showing the duplicate of the beauty at my side and spun her across the floor once more, this time toward the edge of the tree line and right out of the decorated party area. I could see her confusion at my destination, but didn't bother taking the time to explain. She'd understand soon enough.

We reached the tree line, and I caught the glow from the reflective eyes of several wolves surrounding the tall figure of a young man.

"Thank you," I said sincerely. "This is very... kind of you."

"Kind is my middle name," he responded. "Can I cut in?"

I was glad that I was holding Bella so tightly when I felt myself supporting her full weight as her knees gave away. I'd had no doubt that she would recognize his voice. They had been best friends, and she loved him as such, though his feelings for her had never been platonic.

"Jacob! Jacob!" She was gasping and instantly propelled herself toward the wolf, despite the fact that she could barely stand.

Bella was my wife. She had rejected him over and over again. It was me she wanted and we all knew it. Even so, I wasn't prepared for the flare of jealous anger that possessed me when I heard her voice cry his name.

Not wanting her to fall to the ground and ruin her dress, I guided my wife into the arms of the young man who had nearly won her from me. My teeth were clenched tight against the growls that wanted to come forth, but I had asked him to come, after all. Bella was my wife now, and he was here only as her friend.

"Hey there, Bells."

He pulled Bella's slight body against his muscular frame as her shoulders shook and tears streamed from her eyes. The pain on his face would have been easy enough to read, even if I couldn't peer into his mind. He didn't bother trying to dance with her, but simply held the woman we both loved against his chest as he fought back tears of his own.

Unable to bear watching them together, I took a step toward the dance floor. I thought that she should also be allowed to speak to him without being self-conscious, and didn't think that, with me hovering behind her, she would be able to get the proper good-bye that she needed. That they both needed.

"Rosalie won't forgive me if she doesn't get her official turn on the dance floor," I mumbled as an excuse to leave. I hesitated only a moment before turning to walk away. She hadn't said anything since crying his name and didn't answer me as I left. My fists were clenched tight against my instinctive need to grab her from his arms. Scanning through the humans' minds, I could tell that their eyes couldn't make out the couple who stood by the trees. We had slipped away unnoticed, and the party continued on, with the guests unaware of the dangerous monsters they were surrounded by.

My family, however, was well aware, and Jasper and Emmett were scowling into the dark night in warning.

...wolves better not mess things up.

...consider us the monsters, but we've got more control than they do.

...sure you should be leaving her with him, Edward?

I glared at Jasper as I stalked toward him.

Seeing my dark look, he held his hands up. "No, you're right, probably best if you don't hang around. Not unless you want a treaty violation."

"Wouldn't be surprised if that's what they were going for," Emmett muttered. "Did they really have to bring the entire pack here tonight?"

"They're worried about Seth," I said through my teeth. "Sam and Paul have been patrolling all night, just in case."

Emmett scoffed. "In case what? We decided to have our guests for dinner?" ...Paul's that big grey one... never did get the chance to pay him back...

"There are seven of us, normally," I muttered, keeping my back to the trees and concentrating on my brothers' minds, on not watching the wolf who held my bride. "The Denali's add four more to our total. We outnumber them again, and that makes them uneasy."

Snickering, Emmett glanced over to where Tanya and Kate each had a human's undivided attention. "If they really knew what our cousins were, I doubt they would have let Seth come at all."

Hearing him, Tanya glanced our way and winked at Emmett, and Kate's tinkling laugh had nothing to do with the human who was also laughing. His voice was high pitched and had a slightly hysterical edge to it that made Jasper and Emmett cover their mouths in an attempt to contain their amusement. The Denali sisters had always had that effect on humans.

"The succubus sisters are at it again." I smirked, shaking my head. I'd known they would use the party for their amusement. "Well I'm glad they don't know. It made both Bella and me happy to have him here."

"You'd better be on your guard, Edward." Emmett poked me in my chest. "I know Tanya made her play for you before, but if you remember, she prefers married men to dally with. How many divorces did she cause in Anchorage the year we moved there?"

I snorted. "She's already cornered me. I've never been interested, and she knows it. I think Jasper's the one who should be worried. She's never gone after him, and if he lets her get under his skin, she'll use his emotions against him."

Jasper laughed and punched my shoulder. "Please. There's a reason that she's never used her moves on me. I know what kind of a creature she is. Every time she's near me, I simply make her disgusted with me. Combats the lust she projects easily. Besides, she prefers married humans, not married vampires. The game is no fun when you know you're always going to lose." He grinned across the dance floor, and an image of Alice entered his mind.

Glancing around for myself, I spied Alice staring toward where Jacob held Bella in his arms. She had a look of concentration on her face, trying to see past the blank blur caused by the wolves' interference.

Rosalie chose that moment to glide up to Emmett, linking an arm around his waist. "Mm-hmm. That's why she kept after you, brother dear," she said with a laugh. "There was always the chance - however slight - that you might change your mind. I told her not to waste her time, but some vampires just insist on ignoring the evidence."

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you win. Rub it in, why don't you?"

"I told you Edward wasn't involved with Tanya... how many times?"

"Two thousand, five hundred and seventy-three, I think it was, at last count." Emmett shook his head.

Rose smirked, pleased.

I scowled at my brothers. "At least one of my siblings believed me."

"Why should we have?" Emmett protested. "If I hadn't had Rose, and had been in your shoes, I know that I wouldn't have said no!"

Rose's eyes narrowed, but her face otherwise remained expressionless.

"What? I said if I hadn't had you, babe. But I did."

Her lips thinned.

"What?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"It was a compliment! Jeez, Rosalie. You know you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Only someone like you could compete with those sisters..."

Finally giving in to his laughter, Jasper's shoulders shook as he said, "I think you should quit while you're ahead, Em!"

Laughing along with him, I held out my hand to my sister. "Maybe I should give you a minute to think of a way to redeem yourself, Emmett. Rosalie, I believe you owe me a dance?"

Placing her hand in mine and shooting Emmett a look of disdain, she allowed me to pull her onto the dance floor. "I believe it is you who owes me a dance!"

As easy to dance with as Esme had been, Rosalie allowed me to twirl her away from her husband, who stood rubbing his hand across his forehead, groaning.

"You're not really mad at him," I observed.

Her nose wrinkled. "Of course not. But sometimes a show of anger makes things fun. It's much better than really being mad at each other, but we still get to make up."

"Ugh, Rosalie!" I protested. "I get enough of that from Emmett. I don't need it from you, too."

"After all the times you tried to give us marital advice over the years, I think it's only fair. At least you have the benefit of talking with someone who actually has experience being married." She arched an eyebrow, smirking.

Snickering and remembering all of the advice I had handed out over the years, I grabbed her hand and twirled her in circles in front of me fast enough to have made a human dizzy, but she merely laughed and clasped my hand and shoulder again when I stopped propelling her around.

"Advice is one thing, I don't need a visual aid," I muttered.

"No one said you had to look."

"You know that I can't help it!" I scowled at her while she fluttered her eyelashes and put on her sickeningly sweet smile that she used when trying to get under my skin without being caught. I made a disgusted noise in the back of my throat. "You and Emmett are perfect for each other. Honestly, Rose. I thought you were raised to behave like a lady."

"Listen," she said, her voice losing its teasing laughter and taking on a serious tone. "I know that I haven't always been supportive of your relationship with Bella..."

"No, you haven't," I agreed flatly.

"It's just that it's hard for me." ...seeing her throw away what I would gladly give anything to have again.

"I know, Rose," I whispered.

"But I know how hard you tried to stop her."

"That's not important, now."

"And why not? Just because you're married, that doesn't change anything! Or does her life mean so little to you?"

I stopped dancing and glared at her, livid.

She sighed and shifted our bodies so that we moved to the music again, though now I was merely going through the motions.

"I only said that because I knew the answer. Her life means more to you than your own. You've proven that."

The glower that held my face relaxed slightly, and I took the lead in the dance, again.

"My point is: don't stop fighting." She laughed, her serious expression giving way to amusement. "Which is the same advice most married couples are given, strange as it may sound."

"I've already agreed to change her, Rose. Would you have me lie? She didn't want this." I glanced around at the party. "She only agreed to marry me because I agreed to change her."

...well, not only... Emmett snickered from across the dance floor, where he and Jasper still stood near the wolves, just in case.

Rose sighed. "I know. But it looked to me like she had changed her mind. Correct me if I'm wrong," she quirked an eyebrow at me, "but wasn't she smiling and laughing as she danced with you? Hasn't she willingly dance with everyone else here who has asked her? I would say that she has enjoyed herself thoroughly. If you can change her mind once, prove her wrong about getting married, can't you change her mind again?"

I pressed my lips together and frowned, thoughtful. "Bella is stubborn."

She snorted. "So is my brother."