Playlist:

Trouble – Valerie Broussard

Bad Things—Jace Everett

Church—Fall Out Boy

Bad Things—Machine Gun Kelly, Camila Cabello

Heaven – Julia Michaels

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the words. Stephanie Meyer owns the Twilight series, and the songs belong to their respective people.

*Hard R*

Trouble

It only took a few minutes for Bella to delegate the work necessary to contain their shattered enemies and see to provisions for her soldiers. Marcos snapped a salute at Bella in the weak light of pre-dawn and clapped his hands, shifting Edward's family back to the safety of Castle HQ.

That was a good thing, because Edward had been a ticking time-bomb since iron bars had closed around Bella. Even the shaky return of her magicks and their mental connection wasn't enough to soothe him; Bella was too-far-away. He was about to lose his mind.

As soon as his parents were out of view, Edward completely forgot about the Queen's Guard and everyone else in the entire world as he clutched Bella to himself greedily. He wanted her out-out-out of this place. He swept her up with vampiric strength and speed, ignoring the guard's startled stances. Bella waved them down as he rushed her away from that hell.

On the other side of the broken bridge of frosty ice, Edward saw a far-off hill dotted with wildflowers: a gentle slope with a small lake on the other side. He rushed towards the privacy provided by a tree on the edge of the water, nestling Bella into the defensive shelter of the tree's raised roots.

He couldn't make himself let go for a long minute.

Finally, he managed to croak out a stunned question. "There...there aren't sirens in this lake, are there?"

"No; sirens only live in salt water."

"What the hell just happened? My god, Bella I've never seen anything like that. You, I... we killed them. Those people are dead. Those prisoners...Are the battlegrounds always like this?"

"Always. The fighting never, ever stops."

Bella was absentmindedly rubbing her wrists as she spoke; the chains around her arms and legs had fallen when the cage exploded, but now Edward could see the flash of metal where the manacles still caught the weak sunlight.

"Bella…" Edward knew his words came out as a threatening and violent growl, but he couldn't stop it. He jerked her closer to him by her hips, pulled her into his chest and turned her so that they could both see the cuffs still digging into her skin. "Why are these still here?"

"Don't worry so much, Edward. I just haven't had a minute to undo the last of the casts yet. It's the enchantments forged into the links that get to me; our family and you overloaded those spells. These are just the scraps. They're only about as strong as normal restraints right now; they twinge a bit, but don't do any real damage. They're pretty harmless at this point."

"Pretty harmless? Real damage? They're still hurting you, aren't they?" Edward snarled. He knew he was starting to shake.

"Uh..." Bella peeked up at him from under his chin with a sheepish expression on her tear-stained face. "You know what, why don't I just take them off— right now. Hang on, it'll only take a minute—"

Edward didn't have a minute—he could see the mottled gray-blue tint to Bella's wrists under the cuffs, could see where old scars had been rubbed raw as she had struggled, and the pressure in his chest was mounting. Bella was fiddling with the one on her left wrist hurriedly; her hand slipped on the lock, and she inhaled sharply at the pressure of metal digging into her inflamed skin.

"…ow. Damn things..." The words were a distracted mutter, but they were enough to undo Edward's control completely. He reached around Bella and slapped her hand away from the cuff on her wrist; he was already tearing at the metal, scratching his fingernails against the lock and shoving his fingertips under the iron so he could pry it off. It came off in pieces in his hands. He was almost sobbing, gasping and desperate as he reached for the next one; Bella hurriedly shoved her right wrist into his hands, looking worried.

"Get it off; take them off, I can't stand it- make it stop. Get them off, Bella. God, I swear, I swear to God, never again. Never again—How dare they?"

Now he was moving; he pulled her up to sit on a root that jutted out of the soil, kneeling at her feet and reaching for her ankle. He muttered under his breath as he took in the bruising and the already-half-healed cuts. "This would have been at least twice as deep when it happened, look at all this blood, wasted. You couldn't be a normal mortal, no. You had to be magickal and fucking queen of the world, didn't you? I should shake you until your teeth rattle out of your frail Fae skull, that's what I should do..."

He moved to the other ankle, tearing the wide manacles apart piece by piece and throwing them into the lake. He relished the knowledge that they would decay at the bottom of the water like the men who tried to take his Bella from him.

Erik had gotten away...

Edward's rage spiked, and Erik joined Tomas at the top of Edward's hit list. His voice was rising now as his rage and possessive panic grew. The crisis was over and now that Edward had time to process, he was furious at his lover.

"Honestly, Bella—I'm starting to worry about you. I mean, there's making your point and then there is transporting your family to a monster-infested battleground to push them into seeing the bigger picture. What the fuck, Bella? You skipped like...all the steps in-between; straight for the top shelf, that's you."

He was turning her ankle in his grasp with impossible gentleness, even as he lectured her. Edward paused, licking his thumb to spread venom on a cut that was still bleeding slowly. He shuffled closer to her, but didn't meet her eyes; instead, he reached for the collar around her neck.

"You are nineteen years old—I've met people who are centuries older than you and they haven't lived through so much goddamned tragedy. Can you please be more careful with yourself? You really don't need to go to the extra effort of putting yourself in danger. You are a trouble magnet— with a capital T. Trouble finds you even when you aren't looking for it. If I weren't so in love with you, I'd think you were insane."

She took his hands in both of her own, stopping him gently; a flash of blue signaled her cuts had been magickally healed. She brought his hand to her mouth, kissing the smear of blood on his thumb with a hesitant smile stretching her lips. Bella ducked her head until he had no choice but to drown in the gentle amusement in her doe brown eyes.

"Is it time for that talk about my adrenaline-seeking tendencies already? And here I thought you liked trouble." The gold in his head radiated comfort and reassurance, and she shot him a cheeky grin.

Heat sang through him.

He pulled her hands sharply and let her tumble past him, catching her just to pin her to the ground and shove at her shoulders. Edward relished watching her eyes widen and glitter as she went limp under him; she submitted even as her magicks flared in knee-jerk defiance at his aggression, consuming her eyes briefly.

He put his hand at the base of her throat and slid it forward until his fingertips touched the thick iron collar around Bella's neck; it glowed crimson once more. Edward felt it again; the collar pulled at him to order Bella, pulled Bella to obey him. Bella mewled, but the sound was heated air, no pain. Her gold flowed with affection, heat, pleasure, and Bella's eyelids fluttered closed.

When he pulled one of her hands above her head and held it there, she obediently raised her other arm so he could restrain both wrists in one hand. When she opened her eyes, he snarled at her, pinning her hips with his legs so that she couldn't escape even if she tried.

He growled, bracing his weight against the glowing iron collar to get closer threateningly. "No one will hurt you again, little witch. Not even you. I want you to know that I felt every second of your pain in that cage; I know you tried to hide it from me, but it didn't work. I want you to know that I felt it, when it was driving you insane, that I can feel how unsettled your magicks are, even now. I want you to know that I would have felt it when you drowned. I would have felt it when you died, Bella. How dare you tell me to leave you behind? If you ever do that again, I will put you over my knee."

He could feel the enchantments on the collar reinforcing his words, and he was careful; he was careful to issue no orders. Bella's eyes got wider with every word he spoke, and her golden presence in his mind was shimmering with heat and desperation and trust. At his threat, Bella's heat spiked dangerously; Edward decided to relent enough to kiss her deeply. She moaned and rolled her hips when he pulled away to lick at the tear streaks on her face.

He teased her with kisses across her cheekbone, pinning her hips down with his so that she couldn't encourage him. He tucked two fingers under the collar and pulled her closer, holding her trapped form motionless, kissing her over and over until she was humming her pleasure. She was relaxing into him, dazzled and completely under his control. When she was pliant and unguarded under him, he forced himself to focus. Edward whispered his fears in her ear, his voice low and serious.

"You killed them. I liked watching you kill them. I killed them, too, and I liked you watching me kill them. This is a dangerous game you're playing, lover."

Bella froze. When he pulled back to read her face, it was guarded and blank; she was waiting for his condemnation. When she couldn't see it, she raised an eyebrow at him and shimmied against his damning erection; it was a silent challenge that made him tighten his grip on the collar until the metal groaned and warped.

"Am I playing alone?"

His next words were half plea-half command; his control was fraying already. "Not if I have anything to say about it. But not this way, Bella. Not ever again. You think I am a good man, little witch; there is nothing I will not do for you, but I want to be the man you think I am. Have mercy."

He released his hold on her wrists and removed his hand from the collar; instead, he braced himself above her with one hand so that he could stroke her face gently with the other. "You're chained to me, Bella, and me to you. I don't need a piece of metal to prove that. I won't command you; I'm asking you. Please, have mercy, my love. I will not see this war tear you apart. Not like this."

Her golden presence in his mind shined with trust and gratefulness that went beyond lust; the thought he could hear in her mind touched his unbeating heart:

God, he never is like the Master.

Bella's eyes were golden fire when she surrendered; her words were gasping, but honest. "Okay. I can do that. I love you, Edward. Anything- Anything at all."

Edward wrapped his hands around the collar on Bella's neck and pulled until the metal snapped. He tossed it behind him distractedly, already pressing Bella back into the dirt as he kissed her.

Bad Things

The gold in his mind expanded as it finally settled back where it belonged, clicking into place. The ribbon of gold flowed freely in his head now; their mental link was even stronger, blurring his vision of everything but Bella. He could hear every thought in Bella's head, all the directions her mind was currently spinning into:

There was a thought for the containment of their enemies; a thought for their family's safe return. A telepathic nudge at Marcos: the impression of a question that was answered with an exasperated affirmative. Yes, Izzy, we're back home- like you should be. Another nudge, this time at Nhamo and Nikki: stay, I'm safe; request meeting soon; share, shared strength. The guards' minds were open and unguarded to Bella's golden presence. A thought was spared for the ever-present threat of their enemy; a thought for time and privacy; for the worry of their siblings; a thought for Jo, Kaedra, Lizzie, and Alex – each precious in their own way.

Bella closed out her thoughts one at a time like she was running through a checklist, her mindscape dimming into a sultry and glittering glow as she turned every scrap of her focus on him. He shuddered at the feeling of her full attention turned on him and the heat it brought.

Edward was dizzy with the sheer complexity of Bella's thought-stream, the transcendent pleasure of being allowed access to her innermost thoughts. He couldn't help himself; he dove in, feeling crimson mixing with Bella's gold, feeling his mind open to her. Hers opened further to him in response, and Edward caught wisps of deeper-rooted emotions, darker thoughts. Fear was here, and shame at what her bloodlust could turn her into: eyes golden; this was completely her own darkness. Anger and adrenaline- the leftovers of the battle rush and a narrow escape. Triumph, victory, dark satisfaction; The Marketplace Falls.And always, through every thought, even rising through and radiating to the surface ones: a heated lust.

Edward responded by curling up like a cat next to a warm stove. Trust; pride; his own heat and conflicted emotions about it. The line between the physical and mental was blurred, here—it would always be. God, but he wouldn't give her up for anything, ever.

There was a licking sensation from Bella's mind that she matched with a curious swipe of her tongue, a request. It was possessive and full of want; lovelovelove; too-far...come closer. There was a pause in her thought stream, a pulse of discipline and self-denial—don't push.

Edward forced his mouth on Bella's below him as he granted her request, already wanting more than just the touch of her mouth and her mind. He rocked his hips into her as he sent her his possessive jealousy, his desire for her to push him so that he could push back; his desire for her to never hold back with him.

Anger; possessive; heat; mineminemine; give me.

Bella cried out, her nails scratching at his shoulder blades through his shirt; the kiss turned sloppy and full of lustful promise.

He dragged his lips from hers reluctantly, already rucking up her dress. Crimson panties—dear god she was going to kill him. He couldn't resist the pull of her scent and clutched her close to him; Edward really didn't think anyone could classify that scrap of damningly seductive lace as any kind of barrier, and suddenly he had cause to appreciate modern fashion. The heat of her core was pressed along the underside of him with only his blue jeans in the way.

"Bella- Fuck, Bella. Clothes- get them off. I can't."

Bella dug her heels into his backside and flipped them so she was on top, grinding down filthy hard against him. Her dress was still scrunched up under her arms and she scrambled to rip it over her head.

Edward trailed his mouth across her jaw to her neck, tonguing at her pulse before moving down to scrape his teeth against her collarbone, compulsively seeking more flesh to curb his hunger. He ripped her hair from its ponytail to tangle it around his long fingers.

Her hands were questing now too, trailing across his abs, dipping into his hipbones and skimming across his blue jeans to unbuckle his belt. When she popped the button and lowered his zipper, Edward dug his nails into Bella's hips and laid a filthy kiss on her chest. He had to distract her; if she touched him just then, he might come.

He traced a path with his mouth between her nipples, sucking and licking just to see her bite her lip and jerk her hips against him roughly. He captured one between his teeth and Bella sucked in a sharp breath, abandoning her teasing to pull at his shirt desperately.

"Edward- Edward. I can get us new clothes out here, say yes- say yes, Edward, please. "

He responded by grabbing her ass with both hands and bucking up against her, chuckling softly in smug pleasure. His voice was rough velvet against her ears.

"Yes. Bella, please let me love you. Say yes, my love."

She was panting, grinding into him: a low, constant whine escaped her that spiked when her pleasure peaked. "Yes, dear god, are you seriously asking me for permission right now? God, I knew you were a fucking angel; Edward, please. Anything- I want it, I want you to. Love me, make me yours."

Her hair was wild and tousled; her eyes were bright. She was regarding him with an intensity that only comes from need, her whole attention fixed on him like she was afraid he was going to disappear. He pushed her back from him before he could succumb to his need to claim her, to throw her into the dirt and rut against her until she wore his bruises, screamed his name.

He wanted something, but he wasn't sure if Bella wanted it too; he would not take it if she wasn't ready. He would have to pay close attention; Bella was sneaky, and she would give him anything, even if it hurt her. Edward detangled them gently and took her hand as he stood, bracing her against the trunk of the tree. He crowded in close, pulling his shirt over his head with one hand while the other pulled her to wrap her long legs around his hips, bracing her back against the tree trunk with her hands tangled in his hair.

"Bella..." he hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties and kissed her deeply, pulling back just enough to form his desperate request. "Let me worship you, Bella. Say yes."

He slipped one hand closer to her core, cupping the source of the heat pouring from her body but not taking it further, trying to make his intention clear as gently as possible. He knew the moment Bella knew what he was asking, because she went still and motionless against his lips. Her rolling hips stilled against the front of his jeans and her every muscle tensed.

Edward pulled back, bracing her firmly against his hips; he skimmed both his hands along her naked skin in a slow swipe, relishing her beauty and seeking to soothe her. He ran his hands softly up from where their bodies met, over her ribs and onward; he brushed her nipples with his thumbs, clutching at her breasts. He followed the path of his hands with his eyes as he gave her space to think and relax.

Down; down he went to where her waist narrowed, to where her hips flared; he skimmed his hands past that, to where her thighs wrapped him, and started back up again. He rocked his hips slowly, with only light pressure; it was a gentle reminder that he was there, but nothing more. He made it to four sensual swipes against her skin before she relaxed against him; her acceptance was a gentle sigh of want and surrender.

"...yes."

Church

On his next slow caress of her body, he didn't follow the flare of her hips; instead, he dipped inward to run his cold hands over the thin layer of lace and silk separating him from her. She tensed, but Edward just continued his path back up her body, pulling at her nipples softly and rolling them between his fingers. He pressed close to her for a soulful kiss, letting her run her hand down his chest and paw at him through his jeans. He broke from her to suck in a ragged breath.

Down his hands went, and he followed them with his mouth; Edward ducked his head to lick and suck at her nipples until they tightened, darkening to a rich burgundy. He closed his teeth lightly around one hard bud and pulled, just as his hands reached under lace to feel her bare core. When Bella cried out and bucked helplessly, he pushed in and back, rubbing her wetness hard and swirling his thumb against her clit, laying his claim. A whimper escaped her when he withdrew his hands, continuing down past her wet core to wrap his hands around her thighs and let her legs down gently.

Edward kissed his way down her navel, approaching where her scent was strongest. He knelt smoothly and hooked his hands behind her knees, pulling her up so her thighs rested on his shoulders with her feet dangling across his back, careful of the rough scrape of bark against Bella's back.

"Oh." The noise Bella made was a sharp exhale streaked in golden magicks, a soft punch of damp air. She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled, wanting his attention; Edward treated her to a crooked grin as he met her eyes from his place between her legs.

"Vampire strength- good for something."

"Yup, uh-huh, not complaining, not one bit. Edward, please."

"Please, what?"

"Touch me, kiss me. There. Edward, please, give it to me. I want it, want you."

Edward inhaled sharply, caught off guard by the spike of heat that her begging inspired. The rush of air into his lungs made him dizzy with Bella's scent. Edward had promised himself he would take this slow, but he couldn't help himself. Bella's panties were dark and damp, outlining her form. Edward pushed forward with a groan, burying his face into her core and licking her through the lace as he tore the panties free from her hips.

Bella bucked wildly, rolling her hips against him with a breathless whimper; she was gripping his hair roughly to brace herself, but she didn't push him away. Her flavor on his tongue was an instant addiction; it took all his self-control to pull back and slow down.

He let the abused lace fall away and leaned back to see her. Her pink core was damp and ready for him, soft lips swollen with need. Edward swallowed roughly as he braced Bella with one hand at her hip so he could explore her with the other. His eyes were jealous of his hands as he watched himself touch her.

Edward traced his hand down the inside of Bella's thigh; she tensed when his fingertips passed over the bite mark, but she relaxed quickly as he continued past it. He stroked her core softly, letting her get used to the pressure of his gaze and his cold touch. He was gentle at first, but he let his touch grow firmer with each pass across damp heat; when he felt she was ready, he leaned forward and let a ragged exhale touch her wet flesh.

Bella whimpered, panicky, but she tugged him closer.

He nosed at her, ran a flat tongue over her slit. Then, he spread her wide with two fingers and licked her from the bottom of her entrance all the way to her clit.

"Fuck, fuck. Edward!" She jerked his hair wildly, pulling him back as she bucked hard. He pulled his hand away to brace her before she fell.

"Isn't that what we're doing?" he asked innocently, his face boyish and pleased as he retreated and met her eyes.

"Edward, love. Shut up. You are such a tease." She shimmied, bracing her back more firmly and wrapping one hand around a helpful branch nearby.

"Such language from a lady. That's no way for a Queen to behave."

She laughed at his playful reprimand and before that beautiful melody faded from the air, he dove back into her. He pushed his tongue into her and followed her as she bucked again, his nose against her clit.

"Oh! Oh, please. Don't stop, please, it's good, it's so good..."

He thrust his tongue into her twice, three times, then licked her in a long stroke up to her clit and bit down lightly. Bella's legs twitched defensively, and she rolled her hips against him, seeking friction and pressure. He rolled his tongue around her clit in a circular motion, teasing her with the roughness before he truly began.

He moaned his approval and pleasure when she tugged him closer this time, rewarding her by kissing her most intimate place messily. He was lapping at her clit faster and faster now, rubbing his tongue hard across it and relishing the increase in her flavor.

He let himself delve deeper, kissing her opening deeply before sucking her clit into his teeth again. Bella was whimpering constantly, mewling and rolling her hips; the sounds were even more lovely than her laugh. Edward was completely lost in her, worshipping wantonly at her altar as she cried out to him. His name on her lips was a heavenly hymn.

"Edward, oh, oh, my Edward, my love, please. More, please, touch me, Edward; won't you touch me? I'm asking so nicely, please Edward..."

Heaven had nothing on this. She was a goddess, and he was her priest, her other half and her shadow. For just a moment, Edward fantasized of a world where his only purpose was to bring Bella pleasure. He pulled back just enough to spit at her core, greedily rubbing his venom into her with two fingers before his desperation to be close grew too hard to bear. He lapped at her clit haphazardly as he pushed into her with long fingers.

Oh. Her passage clung to his fingers, trying to pull him deeper, closer. He turned his hand so he could curl his fingers into her, relishing the full contact against her core. She bucked as he lapped at her clit and thrust into her, tensing and unable to stop the movement. She was wet and hot; keening constantly now between her whimpers of his name. Edward couldn't take it, he couldn't be gentle anymore, he needed her. He wanted to see her face when she came apart.

He ripped his fingers from her so he could brace one hand against the small of her back and pushed himself to his feet, bringing Bella's legs up with him until her knees were tucked into her chest. He met her eyes from his new vantage point just as he smacked the sensitive skin of her vulva sharply with his free hand. Bella arched her back, threw her head back against the trunk of the tree and gasped, scrambling to adjust her grip on the branch.

"Edward! Oh, please. It's so good. It's so good, Edward, I'm getting close. Please, more, more. May I? Can I come, Edward? Let me, please let me come for you, help me. I need to, I want to."

He brought his hand down against her core again, smacking hard before he twisted two fingers into her, pushing her hard to the edge, all but devouring her. He was selfish, pushing his tongue into her passage with his thrusting fingers to get more of her flavor and scraping his teeth against her sensitive flesh.

He could feel her on his fingers, he could see his hands, glittering in the rising light as they touched her. He couldn't deny the reality of this miracle: he was making love to Isabella Swan, his lover, his everything. He let his eyes trail upward to take in Bella's beautiful and desperate face; she was so close to cumming for him but holding herself back. He had to fight with himself to force his lips far enough away from her to speak; his lips tingled where they still brushed her.

"Fuck, Bella; I can't... I can't take it anymore. Come for me Bella, give it to me. Come."

He sucked hard on her clit, pushing with his tongue as he drove his fingers into her, hooking them up and back to hit that spot deep inside her. His eyes rolled back in pleasure as Bella clenched and came, her essence flooding his senses.

He caught her as she went limp and sated, letting her down to her feet. Her legs were shaking slightly, her eyes half-lidded and her face wickedly seductive. When she lazily pulled him in by his unbuckled belt to taste herself in his mouth, he had to wrap a firm hand around his base before he came.

She melted into his embrace; his arms were full of a blissful Bella who grinned slowly as he pulled away from their heated kiss. He was supporting her completely now, and he knew she could feel the rumbling purr echoing through his chest.

Her voice was teasing and wicked as she leaned away from him playfully. "Tell me you're going to fuck me now, Edward. I want to hear you say it."

Edward smacked her ass just once, hard enough to make her yelp and jump. He jerked her back into him and bore her down into the private shelter of the roots surrounding them, laying her down gently with his shirt shielding her from the dirt. He knew his voice was vampiric and full of aggressive possessiveness as he answered.

"I'm going to fuckyou now, Bella. I'm going to claim you. I'm going to mark you so that everyone knows that you are mine and I am yours; nothing will take you from my side."

She shoved his jeans down to his knees and reached to stroke his hardness firmly. Doe-brown eyes glittered golden in the fully risen sun, consuming him.

"Show me."

Bad Things

Bella twisted so that she was backwards in his lap and Edward pulled her head down by the back of her neck, kissing her hard. When he demanded entrance to her mouth with his tongue, she playfully denied him, pulling back. Her lips were red and swollen, shining slightly damp with his venom.

Bella placed her delicate hands on Edward's chest, running her hands up to grip his shoulders and leaning back, rolling her hips into him lazily. She hummed, and her golden presence in his mind threw sultry sparks.

Bella lifted and rolled herself down against him, sliding her wet slit down his length. Before he could even adjust to that reality, Bella rolled up and back, lifting and moving in a sensual circle that dragged herself along the most sensitive part of his tip; she pushed closer, suddenly pressed against him. She rubbed her cheek against his like a cat, until his lips were nestled in the crook of her neck; she buried one hand in his hair. "...to mark me, was it? So that everyone knows..."

Bella let the words fade as she pulled sharply on his hair, jerking him backward as he snarled instinctually at her denial. She smiled at him wickedly against a clear blue sky, her eyes golden fire.

"I want something, Edward. Say yes."

Oh, dear god.

Scars—Bella wanted his mark on her skin, a physical stamp of their connection to each other. Edward caught flame.

She pulled at his hands until he removed them from where they were braced against her thighs and entwined her fingers with his. When she braced her weight against his wrists with his hands bearing her weight, he was curious what it accomplished for only a second. She twisted and drove herself down onto him, letting him enter her.

Bella lifted onto her knees, then rolled her hips down and pushed up again. Edward watched, hypnotized, as her breasts bounced. She did it again- he was watching her ride him, electric sparks snapping in the air around her as her passage clung to him. The effect was like falling from a great height; Edward soared and fell with each controlled roll of Bella's hips like he was flying.

"O-oh fuck. Yes, yes, Bella, anything... enchanting, you're..."

She was so hot, tight and pulling him into her most intimate place over and over. Edward moaned continuously in pleasure, a low sound he couldn't stop. Bella released his hands and kissed him deeply as she pulled him to sit up and braced her arms around his neck; she dragged herself upward, her nipples pulling up his chest. The adjustment suited her, and she began to ride him in earnest, smooth circular grinds of her hips that moved faster and faster.

Edward was powerless beneath her, clutching at her breasts with his hands and rocking against her as she rode him. He reached around to grab roughly at her ass, helping her move. There was dirt on his hands that left streaks on her porcelain skin and it was right, it was so good that he could leave behind the stains from his hands on her skin.

He touched her everywhere, running his hands along her skin and thinking of Bella wearing his mark for the rest of her days. Edward's control was fraying away, but he prayed to God even as he sinned and bucked up into Bella, holding her still so he could drive himself into her: Keep her by my side. Eternity isn't long enough.

He could feel her getting close, and he was right there with her. He reached for it, wanting; suddenly, Bella shifted her weight and slowed her hips, bringing back the sultry slow-burn that she had kept them trapped in. Edward felt his teeth snap, and he hauled her lips to his harshly. He smacked her on the ass in reprimand, and the rewarding noise Bella made lit him up with gunpowder sparks.

Edward had been driven beyond patience. He tumbled Bella back against the roots of the tree, shoving her down and pushing her back to lay flat. Edward leaned in close, her legs tightening around his hips as he pushed her knees closer to her shoulders, pushing himself deeper into her core as she shivered and moaned. He wrapped one hand around her neck and squeezed lightly until she met his eyes.

He took her right to the edge and steadied his pace; it took all his considerable self-control not to give in when she whimpered and rolled her hips against him. He held her there, on the edge of coming, and drowned in the sound of her whimpers and moans.

His words rumbled through him. "Cast your spell, little witch. I would take what is freely given."

Strange, shuddering syllables fell from Bella's mouth between her gasps, her form tense and taut as she fought off her orgasm. She turned her head from his grasp, and he let go of her neck, bracing his arm against the roots of the tree as she went quiet. Edward did not pause in his controlled thrusting; his other hand fell between them to Bella's clit, rubbing lightly. She exposed her neck to him and bit her bottom lip, eyes golden fire. Edward stared for just a moment at the cords of her neck, her pulse, took in her face. He bent his bracing elbow and pinched her clit hard between his finger and thumb, just as he sunk his teeth into her neck.

Oh.

Oh god. It was heaven; it was hell. The best parts of both and the sting of neither. She arched into his body and her blood poured into his mouth; it flooded his mind and his soul as it flowed with warmth to every cell of him. Her pulse was accelerated with adrenaline and desire, and it made the rush that much sweeter. It was a sacrilege that any other blood had ever touched his lips, and he regretted Nix's blood now; he hated the thought of it mixing with Bella's in his system. His smooth thrusts faltered, vampiric speed in the space of Bella's heartbeat. He pushed into it, accelerated the rush so the fire burned higher, so it would flare and then ebb quickly.

He opened his eyes; he hadn't realized he had closed them. He couldn't see Bella's face, but she shuddered, shaking apart beneath him; the stream of gold in his head was strobing a sharp white. Her passageway clutched at him rhythmically, faster and faster as Bella came.

He laved at her skin, closing the wound in the curve of her neck and shoulder only partially so it would scar, relishing the thin line of blood still streaming. He licked at it lazily, lapped at the dip of her collarbone where it pooled. Edward pulled away from her neck before he could take too much. He tightened his grip on her and a growl escaped him as he moved his hand to her core.

He circled her clit with his thumb hard as he pulled his hardness free of her. A whimper escaped her as she arched; want; too far, rising quickly from the gold in his mind. The scent of her blood in the air was a siren song, but Edward denied it. He raised himself above her to take in her face, entering her again, gentle and steady. He turned her to her side in the narrow alcove of the tree, swung both her legs to the right side of him as he increased his speed.

Her eyes were flooded golden, barely able to focus on him through the aftershocks of her orgasm. He took no prisoners, pushed her to her limit with frantic speed. He was on the edge, now. He braced himself on both arms over her; with one final thrust, he was coming. He pushed his mouth to hers, crushed her with his weight in the awkward position so he could reach her lips, forcing them open and sharing the taste of her blood with her. She licked into his mouth, possessive and wanting as she shuddered with pleasure at the feeling of his essence filling her.

Heaven

Edward shifted; he turned big-spoon, little spoon, still inside her passage. Stars and golden sparks shot through his gaze as he did, coloring the air around him with magic. The space under the roots of the tree that sheltered them was now green lushness made of soft moss and small white flowers. A field of clovers cushioned them from the hard earth where before there had been only dirt and stone.

Huh. Edward really thought he would have noticed a change as radical as this, inches from his face.

Of course, then Bella turned to face him, moving slowly and squeezing him tightly as his member slipped from her, and he forgot about the foliage once more. They kissed lazily, the sun almost to mid-morning in the sky. The air was peaceful, birds tweeting and the sound of gentle water lapping the shores of the lake.

Edward clutched her to him, relished the feel of her breasts pushing against his chest. He buried one hand in her auburn locks and closed his eyes as she closed hers, golden fire ebbing into doe brown. They tangled tongues briefly; Bella's skin was warm against his stone, glittering form. Edward was never going to move from this place, ever again.

Bella pulled back from the kiss at that thought in his mind, laughter on her face. "Well, that might pose some challenges, Edward. Did you really not notice the clover? I'm flatter—Edward!"

"What?" Edward processed sudden adrenaline from her; she shot to an upright position, grabbing his jaw and staring into his eyes hard.

"Your eyes-"

"Oh," Edward tensed nervously. "... I know. Does it bother you? They aren't too red, are they?"

"No- no, Edward, they're the most beautiful green I've ever seen."

"What?"

Edward rushed to the calm surface of the lake, kneeling beside it. He touched his cheekbones in astonishment as his emerald gaze met his reflection; his shock was weak and distorted on his face in the ripples of water, but green-eyed just the same.

"Oh. Oh, my sweet heavenly Lord, what new magick is this?"

He turned to return to Bella and paused with a new shock on his features. There, on the elevated ground above the roots of the tree, was a... a freaking unicorn. Its black fur hid strong muscles, a gold and silver horn glowing like metal; it reflected the sun as it nibbled absentmindedly at the clover carpeting the ground. Edward blinked slowly, trying to convince himself that he was here, that the surreal sight in front of him was real.

"Bella-Bella." His voice was weak as he extended his arms, grasping for her across the distance. Bella shifted to his side, alarmed; looking where he had locked his gaze.

"Oh. Jeez; you gave me a heart-attack, Edward. Hi Muse—ever heard of privacy?"

The horse snorted and tossed its head, a pulse of blue lighting the tip of its horn briefly.

"Don't give me that. PRIVACY. People don't mate in public; well...usually."

"Bella- it...she, Muse," he motioned wildly, finally pointing firmly. "...the unicorn can understand you." He sat back on his heels, defeated, and braced one hand against his own forehead before running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I've lost my mind."

"She can understand you too, Edward. Unicorns are incredibly intelligent, probably smarter than most people. Muse is a friend of mine, even if she is pervy. Go on, get. I'm busy, it can wait a minute. No peeking."

Edward clutched at Bella's waist as the unicorn trotted away from them, crossing to the other side of the lake as Bella glared haughtily after her. He forced himself to his feet and took her hands.

"Bella, love... I'm gonna need just a minute, here. Oh my god, how? What? No, why? Bella. Answers, please."

"Um, well. I don't know completely, but I would imagine it has something to do with my blood and the magick it holds. I wasn't expecting it, but I like it. I get to mark you too. It's probably the only real difference between my blood and a normal human's."

But Edward was realizing something else as Bella spoke, something that struck him to his core with awe- Edward was full. He was completely satisfied; he could smell Bella's blood radiating through the air of the clearing, but it had no pull on him, no hungry take colored his reaction to it. It was just blood.

"Bella, what? I'm not- I'm not thirsty. This is more than even human blood could provide. Bella, mon Dieu... It's a miracle."

"What? Was that French? Cool; I'm glad I could help. Wow, that green is really, really hot on you. I might like it even better than topaz. It's hard to tell though, 'cause I mean, my blood turned them that color. You must not have drunk enough for it to take effect, last time."

Edward picked Bella up and swirled her through the air in a joyful spin. "This is unbelievable. My god, Bella, can we do it again? Do we have time? I mean, um, I'm sure the rest can wait just one more second."

Heat flared weakly between them, embers that could re-ignite in a heartbeat, but Bella sighed.

"Damn it, Muse, see what you did? You owe me big time for this, horsey." Bella stepped back from him, though the gold in his mind flared in shared disappointment with him. "Ugh. I really want to, Edward. But Muse wouldn't come by for nothing."

She roved her eyes over him just once, taking in his glittering form before she clothed him in a tight blue V-neck and sturdy jeans. Silk boxers, nice.

He mourned when Bella was wrapped in high-cut jean shorts that emphasized her legs and a boat-neck crimson top with long sleeves made of lace. She braided her hair as she whistled to the creature across the lake.

"God, what is with the theft of our afterglow? I am so ready for a day off to spend with you, alone."