Isle Esme
The kitchen was full of the smells of burning animal fat, sulfur, an odd curdled scent that seemed to come from the melting cheese, and an awful metallic odor that came from either the new appliances or the pan I had used. I had smelled worse things in my existence, but I hadn't planned on eating them, nor serving them to someone else to eat. Bella, however, seemed to think it smelled good. Judging by the way she began to shovel the omelette into her mouth, it tasted good, too.
In fact, she was eating so fast that I frowned, concerned. Humans were so fragile, and Bella more than most. Their bodies required regular sustenance, and it had been many hours since she had last eaten. Perhaps I should have fed her as soon as we'd arrived, but I'd had other things on my mind. Sliding into the chair across the table from her, I watched her as she sucked air into her mouth to cool the hot bite as she chewed.
"I'm not feeding you often enough."
She shrugged as she swallowed. "I was sleeping. This is really good, by the way. Impressive for someone who doesn't eat."
My mouth twisted into a grin. "Food Network." Esme had been highly amused when I'd started watching her favorite channel with her, considering how much I detested human food.
My lovely bride smiled back at me, a natural grin that crinkled the edges of her eyes. "Where did the eggs come from?"
"I asked the cleaning crew to stock the kitchen. A first, for this place. I'll have to ask them to deal with the feathers..." I stopped speaking, able to imagine only too well the looks on their faces when they saw the mess I had made. It wasn't something they had never seen before. Emmett and Rosalie were well known for their rambunctiousness. Of course, the humans were already nervous over the fact that I had asked them to bring food into our house, when that was something we'd never before done.
Bella quickly finished the plate of food, laying her fork down with a small sigh once she was done. "Thank you," she said as she leaned across the table toward me.
Drawn to her like a moth to a flame, I closed the distance between us, but the moment our lips met, my body made its demands known to me again, and I pulled away from her.
When I glanced back toward her, Bella's full lips were twisted into an angry pout. "You aren't going to touch me again while we're here, are you?"
It was less a question than a statement; she knew as well as I did that I would never willingly risk her life. But I also knew that the fact made her unhappy. Trying to illicit a smile, I reached across the table and brushed my fingertips over her fragile cheeks. She pressed her face against my palm, seeming to need my touch just as much as I did hers.
"You know that's not what I meant."
"I know," I agreed, forcing my hand away from her face. "And you're right. I will not make love with you again until you've been changed. I will never hurt you again."
I said the words firmly, meaning every one of them, though they tore at my throat and my body cried out against them. Grabbing the plate from in front of her, I returned to the kitchen and had my mess cleaned up within seconds, though the horrid smell remained. Striding over to the wide doors and various windows, I threw them all open, coaxing the constant ocean breeze to flow through the house and clear the air.
Returning to the seat across the table from her, I thought about what we should do for the rest of the day. It was only mid-afternoon, and there was plenty of daylight left. "So what would you like to do today?"
She leaned her elbow on the table, rested her chin in her hand, and smiled at me with steady eyes.
Rolling mine, I said, "Aside from the obvious."
She pressed her lips together in an adorable pout.
It was time to suggest some distractions - something both of us needed. Salt water was good for bruising, and a leisurely swim would help loosen her muscles. "Have you ever snorkeled?"
Bella shook her head.
I grinned, excited to show her the island's secrets. "I'm sure Alice packed some swimsuits. Why don't you put one on? There's a great reef not far from here."
Heaving a sigh, she headed to the bedroom to change, while I gathered a few supplies. I had never snorkeled either, but I had listened to plenty of humans who had, and had brought along some gear that I thought she would approve of. Turning at the sound of her soft steps, I froze. Bella was dressed in a deep blue, one-piece bathing suit that hid much of the damage I'd done to her body, though not the bruises on her arms, shoulders, or legs. That sight wasn't what froze me, though. It was all of her alluring curves, hidden behind the thin material, yet accentuated by the snug fit.
In Forks, she was so often dressed in bulky sweaters, baggy t-shirts, or old sweats. After years of living with Rosalie and her insistence on being outfitted in the latest fashions, which was only fueled by Alice's similar shopping fixation, I adored Bella's casual manner of dressing. Though she did occasionally wear a dressier shirt or skirt - and I enjoyed seeing her in them - I had never seen her wear something that revealed so much, while keeping her body hidden. It was unbelievably enticing, and I was, for a long moment, captivated as I watched her casually strolling toward me, twisting her hair into a knot at the back of her neck.
After my years as a human hunter, there had been a side of me that I had hated. The monster within me had never ceased his demands for human blood, despite all that I had done to tame him. It had taken Bella's death - or my belief that she was dead - for me to finally defeat him. That monster was forever gone. Yet now, I found another one in his place. This one was new and unfamiliar. It craved Bella in ways which I had only vaguely been familiar with before.
This monster was no demon craving blood, and it was not thirst that he felt. Rather, it was an animalistic hunger, primal and consuming, and easy to name. It was lust. I had wanted Bella in every way possible from the first moment I'd laid eyes upon her and had fought off the worst of them, but this was nearly impossible to deny. Tearing my eyes from her shapely curves to look at her sweet face, I fixed my gaze on the small bruise on her cheek and gritted my teeth.
Forcing my face to form a smile, I made my voice casual. "I'll only be a moment." Bolting to the bedroom, I changed into a pair of swim trunks and grabbed a few towels and the sunscreen from her travel bag. Firmly, I reminded myself that my needs would wait. Bella would be a vampire soon enough, and then...
I chuckled, remembering Esme's prediction that newlywed vampires would tear her house apart. It was only a few months, if that long. I had waited a century. I could do this. I could deny my need for her, keep her alive, and return from our honeymoon so that we could start our eternity.
Returning to her side at a more decorous pace, I found her examining the snorkel set I had left on the table.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked with a frown.
I nodded firmly. "Yes. I think you will find it eminently enjoyable."
She eyed the snorkel skeptically. "If you say so."
Holding back a laugh, I gestured toward her with the sunscreen. "I don't want you to burn."
Bella took the tube and started smearing the thick paste over her arms and down her legs. Fool that I was, I couldn't help but to watch her, though when she glanced my way, I busied myself with stuffing the towels into a beach bag and filling a giant container with drinking water.
"Will you get my back?"
I turned back to her to see a guileless smile on her face, but the twinkle in her eyes made me question her motives. However, I couldn't expect her to go without protection just because she couldn't reach a spot - especially on her back, which would be getting the most sun exposure. Taking firm control of myself, I applied the greasy stuff, spreading it over the hard to reach places until she was fully covered. Surely she knew what touching her again would do to me! My teeth were clenched tight enough to pulverize granite, but my fingers barely grazed her skin.
Far more difficult to deal with was the need for her to cling to my back again as I swam toward the submerged reef. Feeling her once again wrapped about my body, it took all of the skills I had gained in resisting her over the past few months not to let her see how pleasant I found her embrace to be.
Upon arriving at the reef for which I'd been aiming, she released me and inspected the simple gear. "How am I supposed to... oh, I don't know... not drown?"
"It has a float. See?" Tilting the snorkel back and forth so that she could watch the part as it moved, I demonstrated the rather ingenious mechanism. "When you go under, the top seals. You can breathe out if you need, but the water won't be able to get in. When you surface again, it opens, and you can breathe." Seeing her continued look of distrust, I laughed. "Just try it."
Once she had the goggles on, I fought a laugh while she blinked at me and wriggled her nose behind the clear plastic. We made sure she had a good seal all around her eyes, adjusting the tightness of the straps until no water leaked in. She tucked the mouthpiece between her lips, gripped it with her teeth, and breathed experimentally.
I nodded encouragingly, and she stretched out to float on the surface with her face in the water. I ducked under to see her delighted expression. Even around the mouthpiece, I could see her smiling. I motioned with my hand that she should dive under, and she did. Her look of surprise was comical, and I let loose a stream of bubbles. Bella wrinkled her nose at me, floating to the surface again with her face still in the water. Her chest expanded, and I knew that she was breathing, just as I had assured she would be able to do.
After a few more quick dives, she gained confidence, and we began to swim through the colorful reef. Exploring the corals with Bella in the crystal clear water was more fun than it had ever been on my own or even with my family. It was also quite a relief to see her moving so freely. It seemed what she had told me was true. She was fine. Despite all of her bruises, I had not damaged her so badly as I had at first thought. Not that that excused my actions, or allowed me any freedom to dream that I could repeat the experience without killing her the second time.
We saw many different schools of brightly colored fish. Some were solid orange, yellow or blue, others had nearly every color of the rainbow in their patterns. There were anemones along with the accompanying clown fish darting in and out of their tentacles. I stroked my finger against the flower-like fan worms, grinning at Bella as they disappeared into their holes before slowly unfolding again. Plucking a hermit crab off the ocean floor, I placed it in her hand, for once pleased with her lack of fear as she watched it crawl across her palm.
Watching my beloved bride sporting in the water, surfacing for a quick breath, and diving deep again or floating at the surface with her face submerged as she looked around at everything, I stayed under, not bothering to come up for air that I didn't need. It was easier to stay below without the useless bubble of air inside me, anyway. When she seemed to tire, I invited her to wrap her arms around my neck, and I swam for her. I thought that it was probably better for Bella's health that her mouth was inaccessible with the snorkel in place. Having gotten a good feel for her rhythm, I surfaced and dove and floated, just as she had, though I refrained from breathing.
Nearly a century earlier, Carlisle had swam with Esme, building her confidence, both in her new body and in him. I had seen the memory many times in both of their minds, and knew that it was a treasured one. Now, building a similar memory with my own mate, I fully understood why. The sights were so far removed from those we had experienced together before, and seeing her having fun was soothing.
How often had I been forced to see Jacob remember having fun with Bella on their bikes? How often had I been the source of fear in her life? I had always treasured her laughter and her smiles, and knowing that these smiles were both meant for and because of me healed something that had long been a source of pain.
When we returned to the house at last, I could tell by the way her eyes drooped that Bella was tired. I fixed a meal for her while she showered, and enjoyed her excited comments about the sea life we had seen. The sun hadn't quite set when Bella made herself ready for bed. I moved our trunks to another room as the feathers from the pillows I had destroyed were still swirling around the large suite. Throwing on a pair of loose trunks and a tee-shirt of my own, I expected us to match when she came to join me in the bed.
When she appeared in a flowing off-white satin gown instead, I blinked in surprise. Quickly gaining control of my facial features, I invited her into the bed with me. Bella's easy blush contrasted with the light gown, but she hastened to slide into the bed and wrap her arms around me. We kissed a few times, but before she could work up to anything more difficult to resist, she sighed and laid her head on my chest. Seconds later, my wife slept in my arms. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I closed my eyes and made plans for when she woke the next day.
From the start, we had lain like this, wrapped in each others arms while Bella slept and I listened to her dreams. This night, as with the previous one, she didn't talk, thrash about, or roll from side to side. She lay in my arms, with the length of her warm body pressed against mine, and didn't move the entire night.
Watching her eating her breakfast the next morning, I set my plans into motion. "I thought today we might do a bit of hiking."
Meeting my eyes with the last forkful of eggs paused halfway to her mouth, Bella paused before returning the fork to the plate, leaving the bite uneaten. "Hiking?"
"There are no meadows here, but the jungle has flowers that I doubt you will have seen before. I am certain we can find a nice clearing where you could eat a picnic lunch."
Though I knew how clumsy she was, she had seemed to enjoy hiking with me before, and I knew that she had hiked with Jacob. Despite those previous experiences, Bella frowned at me for a moment before breaking into a speculative smile. "I thought we might just be lazy today. You've got an entire wall of movies. We could snuggle on the couch and have a picnic in the living room instead."
At any other time, snuggling on a couch with Bella would have tempted me - but therein lay the problem. I didn't want to be tempted. I knew only too well that I would be unable to resist playing with her hair and that would only lead to kissing her. And I knew where that would lead.
Gesturing dismissively toward the giant television, I said, "We can save the movies for a rainy day. It looks like it'll be nice this morning, but I'd be willing to bet that by the time you finished with lunch, the day will be hot. A swim in the pool of a waterfall would feel nice." I drew out the last words, making my voice as persuasive as possible. Staring into her eyes, I did my best to dazzle her.
I was quite pleased when it seemed to work, and my blushing bride nodded. "That does sound good," she grudgingly allowed as she pushed the few remains of her uneaten breakfast away from her.
I laughed and said, "Go get dressed. Make sure you wear the hiking boots that Alice packed. You'll need them." Smirking, I snagged the plate from the table in front of her and began to prepare a lunch for her.
The previous day, she'd worn a one-piece bathing suit, and I had expected her to put on something similar under her usual baggy clothes. When she appeared wearing a tiny pair of shorts and a skimpy bikini top instead, I studiously concentrated on finishing packing her lunch and tried to avoid looking at her. I wondered if it was deliberate that she still had a button-down shirt in her hands which she slipped on, leaving it opened, but tying the bottom in a knot. Although they were already tied, Bella put her foot on one of the kitchen chairs, peeked at me out of the corner of her eyes, and made a show of tugging the laces of her boots tighter.
I'd been subjected to Tanya's blatant sexuality for years and had not been remotely interested. Though I could objectively admire her body - the woman was attractive - her mind was repulsive, and I had never been tempted by her. The same held true for Kate and Irina. The Denali sisters were not the only women over the century to try to attract me, the latest one being Bella's friend, Jessica Stanley. I had detested the petty girl, and she had been offended when I'd coldly rejected her. Aside from Tanya and Jessica, I had seen more than my fair share of seductions, and had found myself moved by none of them.
Bella's shy attempts were nearly more than I could stand. Resisting her took every bit of my concentration, and I nearly gave in to her as she wrapped her arms about my waist. I realized my eyes had been drawn back to her against my will, and I'd been standing motionless, just watching her since she had entered the room.
She pressed her body against mine and smiled up at me. "Okay, I'm ready."
Finding it necessary to clear my throat, though there was nothing blocking it, I smiled down at her. "Good. Great. Um." Feeling like an idiot, I unwound her arms from my waist, but linked my hand through hers. Throwing the backpack with her lunch and some towels over a shoulder, I tugged her from the house.
We spent the morning roaming the jungle, and Bella seemed to enjoy the hike. Every time I met her eyes, she smiled at me, and I couldn't help but to smile back. She clung to my hand as I led her through the colorful trees, pointing out each one of the various flower species that we passed. When we reached the southern edge of the small island, I didn't need to draw her attention to the trees' inhabitants. The parrots that lived there had made themselves known long before we reached them with their loud calls and songs.
"Would you like to get closer?"
With a mischievous smile, Bella took her hand from mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I thought you'd never ask."
I rolled my eyes at her and sighed. "To the birds, you silly girl."
She made a face and muttered, "Fine."
Gathering my courage, I dropped the backpack, pulled Bella onto my back, and scaled the trees to where the birds nested. She clung to me, her body as light as ever, her breath warm in my ear. When we were close to the top of the trees, I pulled her into my arms and positioned myself with my back against the trunk. Bella snuggled against my chest with her eyes on the colorful birds. Holding herself almost as still as a vampire, she watched as their curiosity overcame their fear and the birds drew closer to us.
One brilliantly colored fellow perched on the branch in front of us, eyeing us with one bright eye before turning the other upon us. He bobbed his head up and down, stretching out his crest above his head. Bella giggled and, with a screech and a flutter of his wings, he retreated to a neighboring branch, where he sat, scolding us with raucous calls.
"Shh," I laughed into her ear. "He will come back. See?"
The rather smart, social creature was as curious of us as we were of him, and he flitted from branch to branch, steadily getting close again before he hopped back onto the one we were perched on. Soon, we were surrounded by several of the braver birds. Since we remained still and quiet, they soon forgot us and returned to eating, preening, and courting.
Turning her head slowly, Bella whispered into my ear, "Look, those two are kissing."
"Parrots are interesting creatures," I whispered back. "Have you never watched them before?"
She shrugged and shook her head.
"Generally speaking, they mate for life, although sometimes they will seek new partners for various reasons. Those two," I nodded toward the ones she had pointed out, "are doing more than just displaying affection. They keep each other warm, free of parasites, and will bring treats to feed the other. I spent several days following a pair once. They were quite devoted to each other."
"Huh."
I looked at her curiously. She had sounded almost derisive. When she didn't elaborate, I pressed her. "What?"
Bella blushed, looking around at the birds without answering me.
"What are you thinking?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Parrots mate for life... generally speaking." She lifted a shoulder. "That is nice, I suppose. But swans mate for eternity." Without warning, she squirmed in my lap so that she wrapped her arms around my neck. Her hands locked into my hair and she pressed herself against me. Before I could stop her, she was kissing me.
I loved kissing Bella. Her mouth was soft and sweet, and I loved the smell and taste of her breaths. Unable to stop myself, I wrapped my arms around her, and returned her kiss. Before we had gotten married, I had spent many hours kissing her, and had never hurt her. Although it had been difficult, I had always maintained control of myself. But that had been before the new hunger within me had been unleashed.
For a moment, I forgot where we were, held my lovely wife in my arms, and allowed myself the joy of experiencing her love. Her body spoke to mine, the rhythm of her heart and breathing coincided with an increase in her natural scent, telling me that she wanted me, maybe even as much as I wanted her. The instant I moved to shift us to a position better suited for what we both wanted, I recollected myself and where we were, took a hold of her, and slid from the branch. Landing lightly on the ground, I firmly - but carefully - unwound her from around me and stepped away to retrieve the bag with her lunch.
Her eyes showed her hurt when they met mine.
"No, Bella," I insisted.
"So I can't even kiss you now," she accused me.
I returned to her side and laid a hand on her cheek. Forcing a smile onto my face, I brushed my lips against hers again. "Of course you can. But you are a swan no longer, and Cullens don't roost in the trees."
Crossing her arms, she cocked her leg to one side and glared at me. "Funny, I thought it was your idea to climb up there."
"To watch the birds, Bella." I pressed my lips into a hard line. "Or were you thinking I might like to destroy the trees they nested in?"
Steadily holding my eyes, she whispered, "You wouldn't've."
"And you know that how? Because I have somehow managed to avoid killing you thus far? That makes me a safe monster?"
Though she still held my gaze, her eyes filled with tears. "You're not."
"Exactly! I'm not safe," I hissed and turned from her. I stalked slowly away, not wanting to leave her there, but expecting her to keep pace with me. I was several feet away from her when I heard her begin to follow.
Why did I have to ruin everything? She had been happy and having fun. Now, I could hear her slow steps behind me stumbling through the trees which she had navigated with ease before.
Reaching the small island river, I turned along the edge to follow it downstream to a flat rock at the edge of the waterfall. I was laying her lunch on the blanket by the time she caught up to me. Feeling bad, I kept glancing at her, but she wouldn't meet my eyes. I watched as my sweet wife sat in front of the food and began to pick at a sandwich, not really eating it. I sighed softly and moved to squat beside her.
She averted her face from me, but I needed to see her eyes and cupped her chin to tilt her face toward me. Still refusing to look me in the eye, she pressed her lips together. Carefully, I stroked my thumb across them.
"Bella."
She tried to jerk her head from my gentle grasp, but I didn't let go.
"Bella, look at me, please."
Defiantly, she met my eyes, and I was shocked at how much anger was in them.
I tried to convey my remorse with mine. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin our day."
Her eyes lost their anger, and she sighed. Bella's full lips twisted into a pout as she studied me without speaking. Knowing it was useless, I stared back at her, trying to glimpse into her silent mind.
Finally, she spoke. "Will you do something for me?"
Although my first instinct was to say "anything," I knew that was no longer true. "What would you like?"
"Call me a monster."
Shocked, I dropped my hand away from her face. "What?"
"Call. Me. A - "
I was shaking my head back and forth. "No. Why would you say such a thing?"
"Why would you?"
"Bella, I know what I am," I growled.
"And what I will be?"
"That is not the same thing. I will not let you kill."
"And you won't m-make love to me, either."
"Not until you're changed."
"Then change me now!" she demanded fiercely.
Before I'd realized it, I was on my feet and backing away from her, shaking my head again. Carlisle had told me to be prepared to change her when she asked it of me again, but I wasn't! Not now.
She stood and advanced on me, her eyes pleading. "We made a deal! A compromise that you agreed to, Edward. If you won't change me, and you won't have sex with me, what was the point in even getting married?"
"The point!" Furious, I glared at her. "Is that all that it was to you? The price you had to pay to get what you wanted?"
"Of course not," she whispered.
"Then what? If you see no other point - "
"Edward, I love you."
Her words stopped my anger in its tracks. Closing the distance I had put between us, I pulled her against my body. Placing my lips against her ear, I whispered, "That was the point." Pulling away to look into her melted chocolate eyes, I brushed my fingers against her cheek and tried to smile. "That's why we're here."
Bella reached for my mouth, and I met her gladly. Holding my sweet wife against me, we stood by the river and kissed. I let her run her fingers through my hair and stroked mine over hers. She ran her tongue across my lips, and I brushed my fingers along her cheeks. I let her press herself against me as tight as she wished, but I fought my need for her and held her carefully, barely touching the skin on her back. I returned her kiss, grateful for every second that I got to do so, but I couldn't allow myself more than that.
Eventually, panting, she stopped trying to climb into my arms and laid her head against my chest. Her entire body was trembling, her pulse raced, enhancing the scent of her hormones and making me need her with every fiber of my being. Sternly controlling that need, I guided her back to her lunch.
After she finished eating, we lounged beside the river. She leaned against me and closed her eyes, letting her food settle. Before too long, I saw beads of sweat forming around her hairline. Despite my cool touch, she was growing too warm, and I thought it was time for a swim. Besides, I didn't want her resting now. That wouldn't help in my attempts at keeping her too tired for anything other than sleep, once we were in bed together again.
When I brushed the sweat away from her face, her eyes fluttered opened, and I almost felt bad for disturbing her. She must have been nearly asleep.
"Ready for a swim?"
Bella stretched and sighed. "I am hot."
"The water should feel very nice, then."
Standing, she stretched again, lifting her arms above her head and arching her back until she stood on her toes. One reason my family loved Esme's island so much was that it was one of the few places where we could enjoy the sun without worrying about exposure. The bright tropical rays brought out the hidden red in Bella's chestnut hair as wind blew it away from her face. Her creamy skin seemed to soak up the warmth from the sun, and I watched as her shirt raised up with her movements, exposing her midriff. Bella's shy seduction attempts earlier that morning had been difficult to resist, and her more forceful pleading and kissing harder still, but her unconscious beauty took my breath away. Not trying in the slightest, she made me want her, and I fought with myself as she padded close to the edge of the steep cliff and peered over.
She turned back to look at me, the familiar look of bewildered confusion on her face. "How do we get down there?"
I swallowed and made my lips form a smile. "We jump."
Bella's eyes widened. "You're kidding."
I shook my head with a smirk.
Her voice was sour when she said, "And how exactly is that safe? I thought you didn't approve of cliff diving."
Sighing, I rolled my eyes. "And I thought you liked jumping off cliffs."
"If you recall, I nearly drowned the last time."
"That's because you jumped into the ocean in the middle of a major storm. It wasn't the jump, it was the currents that nearly killed you."
She acknowledged the truth of that with a grimace and a nod.
Knowing how brave she was, I stepped close to her and whispered into her ear. "Come on, little coward. Jump with me. I'll keep you safe."
Her mouth softened into a sad smile. "I know you will."
Kicking off her shoes, Bella shimmied out of her shorts and yanked the button-down over her head, tossing them onto the bag with the towels. I added my shirt to the pile before reaching for her. Taking my proffered hand, she jumped into place against my back, her scanty bikini just keeping me from feeling the fullness of her skin against mine. I took a deep breath, fighting my nature and my desires. I couldn't expect to not touch her on our honeymoon, and nor did I want to avoid doing so, but the constant skin-to-skin contact had me feeling frustrated and uptight.
Determined to see to it that she have fun, I ignored the negative feelings and concentrated on her high-pitched excited squeal as I toed the edge of the cliff. Bella's arms were wrapped around my throat in what would probably have been a choke-hold were I still human. Lightly gripping her legs where they wrapped around me, I launched myself over the edge of the steep cliff. My whoop merged with her shriek as we plunged toward the deep pool. We separated upon hitting the water, and she propelled herself to the surface. I was very pleased to see and hear her laughing when we surfaced.
About to ask if she wanted to go again, I reached for her, intending to simply steady her in the water, but Bella took my extended hand as an invitation and pulled herself against me. The fresh water wasn't as buoyant as the salt, but my flailing limbs kept us upright all the same. For a long moment, I kissed my sweet wife in the pool of the waterfall. We were showered by the misty spray the falling water sent up, and the light roar filled the narrow cut the river had made in the bedrock. The water was nearly the same temperature as my skin; I barely perceived it, and it made me feel like I was swimming through the air with a writhing flame wrapped around me.
Disengaging myself from her, I left her floundering in the water as I propelled myself downstream. Gasping at the fierce need she evoked in me, I clutched at one of the rocks that lined the edge of the small river, gouging out a few holes with my fingertips.
This was ridiculous! We were going to be here for several weeks, at least. This was only day two, and I was already losing the fight against my nature. Bella was my love, my wife, my mate, and I craved her touch, her taste, and her smiles like I had once craved her blood. But, like my need for her blood, giving in would mean her death.
Turning to face her, I formed my lips into another smile and held out my hand again. Soft though it was, I heard her sigh before she swam toward me. We followed the river for over a mile. Despite her disgruntlement over my stubborn rejection, she couldn't help but to respond to the island. Before long, she was diving to the bottom of the deeper pools, laughing as she allowed the river to push her down the gentle slopes of the submerged rocks, and screaming while holding her arms over her head through the more rapid narrow places where the river pushed us along its course. I was simply glad to see her having fun.
After several hours, tired, she climbed out of the water onto a flat rock, where she collapsed, breathlessly staring up at the sky.
"Wait here, Mrs. Cullen. I'll be right back." Waiting only for her nod of acknowledgement, I sprinted back along the river's path to where we'd left our supplies. Bella was still breathing heavily when I appeared beside her, holding out a towel. It was warm from being left in the sun, and must have felt good against her chilled skin.
The sun was setting when we got back to the house. Bella's steps dragged as she climbed the wide porch steps and went into the bedroom to change out of her damp clothes. Choosing not to wear her satin gown while eating dinner, she returned to the kitchen in a loose shirt and soft pair of shorts. Pleased with the events of the day - for the most part - I made a quick pasta dinner for her. Carbohydrates tended to induce sleep, and as much exercise as she'd had that day, I thought it likely that she would fall asleep quickly. Unsure of exactly how much food a human needed, I made a large serving, of which she ate nearly every bite. By the time her plate had only a few pieces left, she was fighting to keep her eyes opened, pushing the remaining bites aimlessly about.
Watching her blinking at her plate, I wondered if she were even really awake. "Bella?"
Getting no response after several attempts, I scooped her from the chair. She curled against my chest with a sigh and closed her eyes. She was already asleep when I placed her in the bed we had shared the night before. I stood and watched her sleeping for an hour or so, hoping that she would find me in one of her dreams, but she slept without speaking. Eventually, I recalled the messes I had made in the house. I had left food in the kitchen, and there were still all of those damned feathers swirling about the master suite.
The mess in the kitchen was easy to clean, but the feathers were another matter. I bagged many of them, but they seemed to have no end, and the more I moved, the more of them there appeared to be. My speed was a disadvantage because the wind of my movements made them swirl about all the faster. Eventually, disgusted, I stood in the center of a feather blizzard, watching the downy pieces of fluff in annoyance.
Giving up on the suite, I decided to leave that particular mess for our housekeepers. Cleaning was their job, after all. Of course, like Bella had been that morning, now I was covered in feathers. I took a shower, managing to rid myself of the evidence, and joined Bella in the bed. She was sweating in the hot room, so I curled myself around her, pulling her back against my stomach. I buried my face in her hair and spent the night enjoying holding my wife.
