I didn't bother to ask if Bella wanted to spend the day at my house with my family, at this point it felt like a foregone conclusion. The hunt Bella and I had shared triggered something, ignited a fuse that seemed to tie us together until the burning flames forged us into a single being. I still couldn't read her mind, but it almost didn't matter. This – whatever this was – was almost better than being able to read Bella's mind. We were perfectly in sync, there was no need for words – which was fortunate because Bella wasn't capable of speaking at the time. Every move Bella made I instinctively followed, I could guess her wants and desires as if they were my own, and yet it was easy to distinguish that they were not my desires, but rather they were Bella's. Being connected to Bella in that way felt spiritual, sacred in every sense of the word.
As the sun rose on a fresh Monday morning I readied myself to go pick Bella up, and my family… well I wasn't entirely sure what each member of my family were up to, if I was being honest. Esme was crocheting, which unlike knitting she did not do when she was worried but rather just happily content, Carlisle was still frantically looking for any mention of Blood Wine after his phone call with Chief Swan offered no answers – the surly old wolf adamantly refused to list any of the ingredients used, and proceeded to get more and more irate at Carlisle before eventually snarling at him through the phone line that it was a werewolf secret for a damn reason and unless Carlisle had miraculously changed species over-night he would just have to accept that and move on. Although the Chief used much more colourful language. However Chief Swan did seem awfully entertained by the suggestion that it contained human blood, as if the very idea that the Blood Wine contained the blood of a human was the best joke he had heard in a century – he also refused to say why that was so funny to him.
My brothers were playing… something; some strange game they had invented over night that only the pair of them knew the rules to. Rose was busy in the garage, tinkering under the hood of Emmett's jeep, and Alice… well Alice was… being Alice. She had received a strange vision during the night that had sent her into a flurry of activity. I had managed to look into her mind while she had the vision but I didn't understand any of the images that had floated through Alice's mind like a slideshow presented through a flickering projector. The glow of candle light, Bella's beaming face smeared in purple paint, my own face smudged in a mirror of hers as I grinned down at her and twirled her around, our shadows on the grass, an endless sky of shining stars. For the life of me, I couldn't understand it, but Alice seemed to, and I guess that's all that mattered. Alice had told me once that often her visions weren't completely cut and dry, that some interpretation was required to understand them, and fortunately for all of us, Alice had plenty of experience interpreting the things she saw.
The moment I was bathed and dressed I left the house and my family to go and collect Bella. I couldn't help but note how inconvenient it all was, it would be much easier if Bella had just stayed the night at my house. I bit my lip as a possessive growl filled the empty car at the thought – one day, hopefully one day soon, Bella would call my house her home and there would never be need for us to be separated. I knew it was irrational and problematic, but I didn't entirely care – I knew it was just my vampiric instincts wanting my Mate close at all times. Mate. Was that what Bella was? Jasper was certainly convinced that she was. I didn't know if it was possible for vampires and werewolves to be Mates, or even if werewolves had Mates and if they did whether they meant the same thing to them as it did for vampires.
It was a lot. Entirely too much. I knew that I would have to talk to Bella about it eventually, ask my questions and confess just how deeply my feelings for her went. But not today. Today was going to be light and fun and easy and most certainly not filled with discussions about Mates and life-long bonds. I couldn't bear to think about what would happen if Bella told me that werewolves didn't have Mates, the heartbreak would surely be enough to kill me.
Putting those depressing thoughts out of my head, I parked in front of the Swan house and walked to knock on the front door. Bella opened the door so quickly it was as if she were waiting for me, the thought caused a now familiar warmth to fill my chest as I smiled down at her. Bella didn't say a word in greeting, and instead just blinked up at me, brown eyes wide as she just… stared at me – her eyes darted dramatically as if she were seeing me for the first time and was taking the time to drink in each and every feature of my face. It certainly did wonders for my ego. Bella's gaze shifted up to my hair and I watched – amused and enraptured – as she stared in wonder, her mouth opened slightly as if in awe before her tongue wet her bottom lip in a flash of pink. Unwilling to interrupt whatever… this was I just waited patiently for Bella to continue her analysis of my form. I watched as Bella's eyes drifted lower, until they finally settled on my throat, the exposed expanse of flesh where my neck met my shoulder that housed the gnarled scar of Carlisle's teeth from when he turned me. Bella had never said anything about my scar before – a scar that I had never taken any effort to hide from her – but looking at it now I saw her pupils dilate significantly as if she were seeing it for the first time.
"Bella, are you ready to go?" I asked gently.
Bella shook her head a little bit as if she could shake off whatever had muddled her mind so completely. "Yup!" She chirped cheerily.
Bella continued to act strangely, and although I definitely noticed her queer behaviour, I kept my observations to myself. I had been witness to Bella's self inflicted crises of conscious when she felt she was acting too 'abnormal' too many times to risk instigating another bout of her self loathing. If I ever met Bella's human mother, I would have to have words with the woman. Although Bella never explicitly said anything, I could read in between the lines – Bella's Mom did not appreciate the fact her daughter was a werewolf. Bella was always so quick to defend her Mom, always saying that Renee did her best – I silently disagreed, if Renee was ill-equipped to raise a werewolf child she should have let Charlie raise Bella instead and I was convinced that if she had, Bella would not have half as many self confidence issues as she did.
Bella and I casually walked into the house and I watched in amusement as her nostrils flared slightly and her nosed twitched in the most adorable manner. For a split second I was worried we were about to have a repeat of Bella's first day at my house – when her werewolf instincts were overwhelmed by the scents of multiple vampires at once – but my worry was all for nought. Slowly, Bella's lips turned up in a soft, subtle smile as she walked confidently through the house as if she owned it. The sight made me beam with pride. Bella sauntered through the halls of a vampire nest, utterly unmoved by the fact that she was completely out-numbered Bella made her way through the house and flopped down on a sofa in the living room and began to silently observe my brothers in their strange game. Jasper and Emmett barely looked up from their game as she settled down to watch, as if her presence was expected, normal. Bella belonged here, with us, with me.
XxXx
I heard Alice's car turn onto the long, gravel driveway, and if by the way Bella tensed in my arms and cocked her head to the side in an endearingly wolfish display meant anything, so did she. Which was surprising to say the least, Bella's hearing was good, but I hadn't known it was that good, and Bella had never shown any signs of her hearing being that sensitive. I looked down at Bella discreetly – although it appeared that my attempts at being sneaky weren't needed as Bella was not paying any attention to me at all. Bella's head was still cocked to the side and her eyes were narrowed and had a far-away look in them as if she were concentrating especially hard at hearing the oncoming vehicle. This was an undeniable and very noticeable (at least to me) increase in Bella's primary senses. The way she had looked at me when I knocked on her door, as if, for the first time, she was truly seeing me, every feature and flaw on display to her newly improved eyes, now made more sense. There was no doubt in my mind for the reason behind it. Just the day before Bella had managed to transform at will, and retain her human mind while doing so. And didn't that just make me feel like an absolute cur? Bella had told me that mastering the ability to transform at will was the final hurdle in unlocking her full potential as a werewolf, and instead of listening to her, I had stood in her way. And now, I was faced with the irrefutable evidence that Bella was correct and that made me feel rotten inside.
Bella twisted awkwardly in my arms and for a moment I thought I had been caught staring at her, but Bella was turning to watch Alice dance into the room with a pleased smile on her face. "Bella! Just the person I wanted to see." Alice greeted merrily. She paused to greet her Mate with a kiss to the cheek, who in return barely responded as he was so enthralled in his odd game with Emmett. How those two managed to combine Weichi, chess, and Jenga of all things was lost on me. "I just got back from visiting your Dad at work." Alice announced as she sat down on the armchair behind her Mate who was sitting on the floor.
"You did what now?" Bella's voice was coarse, like she had momentarily forgotten how to speak.
Personally, I couldn't blame her. I knew Alice had left the house for destinations unknown for reasons just as unknown, but I never would have thought it would be to visit the Chief at his place of work. I scowled down at my sister, who just grinned smugly back at me – the little vampire was entirely too good at hiding her thoughts from me for my liking.
"Don't worry!" Alice laughed with a wave of her hand and I wasn't sure if she was speaking to me or Bella. Probably both. "I just had to speak to him about some details for your party." Alice continued with an easy shrug.
Party?
I continued to glower at my annoyingly unknowable sister.
If there was going to be a party for Bella, I absolutely wanted to be involved in the planning process.
Bella sighed in exasperation. "Alice, what the fuck are you talking about?" She growled.
I frowned down in disapproval at Bella's foul language, only to turn my frown to my brothers who were snickering like children at Bella's distasteful choice of words. They should not be encouraging her, they were far too old to find humour in profanity and I still held out hope that Bella would eventually grow out of the habit – although from what I had seen, or heard rather, of her father's word choices, I highly doubted that that would be the case.
"I had a vision, or rather to be more accurate I had flickers of a vision." Alice tapped her temple knowingly. "Your party, to celebrate your first out-of-phase transformation." Alice slowly explained. Bella straightened up in shock at the statement, apparently those words meant something to her, but I was still a little confused.
"Oh, yeah my Dad told me about that." Bella nodded "He explained it was kind of like a coming of age thing, a way for a pack to welcome in a new member." Bella's face turned sad, but the expression was on her face for only a split second before she clenched her teeth and donned a mask of indifference as she shrugged. "I don't have a pack, so it's a moot point."
This caused Emmett's attention to be pulled away from his game with Jasper. "What the fuck are you talking about?!" He demanded with a playful scowl.
"Language, dear." Esme hummed automatically from upstairs.
Emmett ignored the reprimand as he smirked at Bella who was staring at Emmett blankly. "I thought that we were your pack," He grinned.
I turned to watch Bella's reaction and was stunned to see her wide brown eyes fill with tears. I reached to comfort her, to pull her against my chest, pet her hair and soothe away all her distress. However, just before my fingers could make contact with Bella's shoulder, she was moving. In a single leap that was entirely too fast and perfectly inhuman, Bella launched herself across the full length of the living room to collide noisily with Emmett. Werewolf met vampire in a dull thud and Emmett huffed out an astonished grunt as his back hit the living room floor and found himself with his arms full as Bella pressed herself against his significantly larger chest. The precarious Jenga tower fell from the rumbling impact and clattered noisily to the ground and Emmett's wide amber eyes met mine in bewilderment.
What the fuck do I do? He thought at me, and in spite of his foul language I couldn't help but smile at my big bear of a brother rendered completely speechless by a little slip of a girl – even if that girl was also a werewolf.
Bella looked unwilling to let Emmett go anytime soon, so with an uncertain smile Emmett slowly brought his large arms around Bella's much smaller frame.
"You really mean it?" Bella asked uncertainly, her voice muffled from where she had pressed herself against Emmett's chest.
"Of course," Emmett grumbled against the top of Bella's head. I was glad Bella couldn't see Emmett's face as he wrinkled his nose slightly at Bella's scent. Deciding that he had endured Bella's scent long enough, he stood up, with Bella still clutched against his chest. I heard Bella's heart speed up immediately as she tensed in Emmett's arms, clearly uncomfortable by the fact she did not have both feet on solid ground. Being as close to Bella as Emmett was, her discomfort was obvious to him and he hastily put Bella down. "I've always wanted a little sister. The whole werewolf thing is just a bonus." Emmett grinned cheekily down at a red-faced Bella.
"This means I win, right?" Jasper mumbled as he gazed around at the fallen Jenga tower.
"What? No it doesn't!" Emmett exclaimed utterly aghast at the implication. "There's nothing in the rules about tackling werewolves."
"There's nothing not in the rules about tackling werewolves." Jasper countered.
My brothers bickered senselessly but my attention was drawn back to Bella. Bella, whose face was so full of joy just a moment ago was slowly falling into one of doubt and despair. I watched as she slowly began to sink into herself, Bella worried her bottom lip and ran a flustered hand through her messy, wavy hair.
"Alice…" Bella mumbled uncertainly. "I'm-"
Alice interrupted before Bella could finish her sentence. "I know what you're going to say. When I spoke with Charlie he explained it, what it means to be a pack." Alice paused as she stood up and approached Bella, and in the silence I could see into Alice's mind, images and words, the echoes of a memory, a conversation.
"Alice, you are… uh very… sweet, but you don't understand what you are talking about." Chief's Swan's gruff voice sounded within Alice's memory.
"Then explain it to me." Alice replied with much more sass than I would ever dare to give to the intimidating werewolf.
The Chief scrubbed a hand down his face, and seemed to be hiding an amused smile as he did so. "It's not just… just a party, Alice. It's so much more than that."
Alice nodded thoughtfully before sitting herself down in the old cracked leather chair that sat on the opposite side of the Chief's cluttered desk in an equally cluttered office. "Like I said. Explain it to me."
So the Chief explained. In an office much too small for one supernatural creature, let alone two, the Chief told Alice about how before the Great Massacre when a wolf achieved their first out-of-phase transformation – when the man and wolf within combined to become one, unified being – it was a cause of great celebration. The werewolves of the Swan pack would gather in the evening air, surrounded by nature and family and an open, endless sky. Together they would welcome a new wolf into the fold, offer each other the moon Goddess's blessing and then the entire estate would feast and celebrate in a party that would continue until they were met with the rising sun. Charlie tried to explain to Alice what that meant, tried to explain that Alice was offering herself and her family to become Bella's pack,his pack. A pack wasn't just a family, it wasn't about bonds forged by family relations. A pack was about bonds made by choice, forged by fire and blood and sacrifice. It was unconditional and unending, you gave your unquestionable loyalty to your pack-mates, and you would receive the same in turn. The Chief tried his best to stress upon Alice that this was not something to be taken lightly.
"Oh, don't worry, Chief Swan. I know." Alice assured him, her tone left no room for argument. "Does Wednesday work for you?"
"Honestly, Bella?" Alice smiled, her eyes twinkling with affection for the young werewolf. "It sounds an awful lot like what we have here." She said, gesturing casually to the still bickering boys.
Bella shifted her weight on unsteady feet as I watched her ivory skin flush an exquisite red – colouring her cheeks and spreading down her neck to disappear below the collar of her shirt. Bella released a large breath of air that sounded suspiciously like a half-hidden sob as she crossed the living room rug to curl her arms around Alice's much smaller body and crush it against her taller frame. Alice broke out into a toothy grin as she rested her chin on Bella's shoulder and returned the hug with earnest. I had expected Bella to quickly let Alice go after her affections were returned – Bella had explained to me what my family smelt like to her, and while I didn't agree with Bella's assessment, her description of wet, sweet infection had set my teeth on edge. And yet, to my surprise, Bella didn't pull away. I really should have known better by now, Bella had a way of surprising me in the most astonishing of ways. Instead of pulling away, Bella clutched Alice closer like a man lost at sea clutching a solitary piece of driftwood.
Alice's confusion was palatable in her mind, but she wasn't going to be the first to let go, not when Bella was holding onto her so tightly.
I felt it then, second hand through the echo of Alice's mind, like seeing an image reflected in a rippling pond – affection, love so deep it was painful as it pulled and tugged at Alice's heart, a heart that felt as if for the first time in over a hundred years it was beating and aching with the strength of the love it could hardly contain. This emotion that Alice felt, and yet, was entirely separate and not of her own body or mind caused Alice to breath out a soft, "Oh."
Bella wrenched herself away in a single jerky movement, as if she had been burnt. "I'm so sorry, Alice." Bella mumbled mournfully.
I was confused, even though I had been privileged to experience whatever had just occurred through Alice's thoughts, I couldn't grasp the meaning. It wasn't like when Jasper would force an emotion upon you – those emotions, though they came out of nowhere were most certainly your own.
Alice pressed her hand to her chest as if she were checking to see if her heart were truly beating. "I… I felt that." She whispered softly before her shocked face transformed into a stunning smile. "You love us. I felt it." Alice declared confidently.
I slowly rose from the sofa and came to stand beside the two women, "Strange," I murmured as I considered what had just transpired. "You said you couldn't influence the emotions of others." I continued questioningly as I looked at Bella for any answers to the bizarre phenomenon that had just taken place in the middle of my living room.
"I can't." Bella was quick to respond, defensive almost. I wasn't trying to accuse her of anything, but before I could brush away her concerns she was already speaking. "That's not what that was, it wasn't influence it was… a sharing of information." Bella rambled, then frowned and scrunched up her nose adorably, apparently not satisfied with her explanation, she tried again. "Non-verbal communication." Bella sounded the words out slowly, as if she were trying to get a feel for the words. Bella looked around the room, blinking at our blank faces before she looked to me. "Like yesterday? During our run, you were just picking up on the vibes I was putting out. This was just… more."
Amazing. Wonderfully gifted and utterly divine. Bella was an agent of such ineffable power, and I found myself struck dumb by the knowledge that she had somehow become mine.
Our continued silence, and unblinking stares were apparently getting to Bella. "Would you quit staring at me like that? God!" Bella whined with an adorable pout. "Way to make a girl feel like a total freak," She muttered under her breath.
To my annoyance, Emmett managed to find his voice first. "You loooove us." He cooed in a teasing tone of voice.
I shot Emmett a glare that he ignored entirely – the last thing I wanted was for Bella to be scared off by Emmett's tactless teasing.
A deliciously feral growl rumbled in Bella's chest. "Don't test me." Bella warned and I could feel myself practically swell with pride.
Emmett's wide grin seemed to grow even insanely wider as his eyes crinkled mischievously. I heard the thought a mere moment before he put his plan into action. In a blur of vampiric speed, Emmett plucked up one of the wooden Jenga blocks and hurled it towards Bella, his aim ever perfect it began to travel at impossible speeds on a direct course for Bella's face. Before I, or any of us, could react, Bella was already moving. In an incredibly show of agility and reflexes, Bella's hand snapped up to catch the block before it could connect with it's target.
Emmett's eyes widened in shock, the expression almost comical on his once jubilant face. Bella raised her fist, Jenga block still in hand, and with a devious smirk prepared to return fire. Behind Emmett's surprise he was filled to the brim with child-like glee, hoping that this would draw Bella into a one-on-one wrestling match.
I gently curled my long fingers around Bella's small wrist, halting her movements. "Don't feed into it, Bella. That's what he wants." I murmured into her ear. Bella's body seemed to quiver at my voice and it was with a smug smile that I took the block from her hand.
Emmett pouted, and my smile grew.
XxXx
"You do realise, dear, that there are only two people who can actually eat?" Carlisle teased fondly as he wrapped his arms lovingly around Esme from behind as she fussed over the placement of the food on the dining table. The table that had been moved from the dining room into the back yard, covered with candles and then filled with food.
The entire family were pottering around the backyard, placing candles around the yard and clearing away leaves and other forest debris, and the entire family looked up at the sound of the Chief's cruiser turning onto the drive. The Chief had taken a half-day, left the station just after lunch and came directly to our house, to make sure everything was prepared for his only child's celebration. We all listened intently as the car came to a stop, the door opened, and then closed and then to the sound of heavy footsteps crunching on gravel, then more muted footsteps thudding on grass, as Chief Charlie Swan walked around the side of the house to meet with us.
The wind shifted, and it caused the Chief's unmistakable and intense scent to waft into the yard. My family were rendered motionless, frozen like marble statues, as the Chief's unadulterated and unmasked scent launched their vampiric instincts into over-drive.
I tried not to let myself be over-run with smug satisfaction – really, I did.
Charlie Swan walked casually across the lawn, still in his neatly pressed uniform, with a black duffle-bag in hand, I stopped what I was doing so I could walk over and greet him half-way. As I approached I forced myself to take a deep lungful of the predatory scent in order to acclimatise myself – the smell of bitter wood-smoke was overpowering and I was sure I could feel brittle, ashy embers crumble in my mouth, only to become stuck like wet chalk at the back of my throat.
I cleared my throat to try and rid it of the sensation as I offered my hand, "Good afternoon, Chief Swan. Welcome to our home."
Charlie grasped my hand, warm calloused fingers curling around my palm as he shook my hand and I couldn't help but note that it was significantly more friendly than the last time we had done so. "You may as well call me Charlie, we're about to be Pack, after all." With those words, Charlie Swan clapped me on the back with enough force that I had to take a step forward in order to stay on my feet as he moved past me to greet my parents.
Esme was the first to move as she gently removed Carlisle's arms that were still snaked around her torso, and then in a gesture that surprised us all – Charlie Swan included – Esme marched up to the Chief and pulled him into a tight embrace. "It is so wonderful to finally meet you, Charlie." Esme joyfully announced, her voice slightly muffled from where she was still pressed against the man's chest – how she was managing it was beyond me.
Charlie was thunderstruck and with sluggish movements he slowly raised his hand to awkwardly pat Esme on the back. "Uh, yes. Yes it's a pleasure." He grumbled.
Esme pulled away and smiled up at Charlie with a megawatt grin, unperturbed by the fact that she had just hugged an apex predator who towered over her by more than a head. "Come, come." Esme murmured as she began to usher the still bewildered werewolf inside. "I managed to find some wolfs-bane flowers, but I want you to make sure they are alright. It's not exactly the season for them, are they?" Esme continued to talk animatedly as the pair disappeared into the house. "Oh, I'd also love for you to check some of the food. You mentioned you were bringing monkshood wine for yourself and Bella and I wasn't sure what would pair well with it so I just made a little bit of everything." Esme didn't give Charlie a chance to talk as she effortlessly made the lonely wolf feel at home.
The women truly was Gifted.
XxXx
I was barefoot, wearing a powder-blue button-up and tan trousers as Esme ordered me about in the backyard. She had already made me rearrange the assortment of food half a dozen times, but I didn't have it in me to deny her – it was rare to see Esme so excited for something, and I wasn't going to be the one to spoil her fun. The last of the hot dishes were being kept warm in the ovens of Esme's state of the art kitchen that she had been working in all day, and Esme fretted that the current arrangement of food would not be good enough. So, I was diligently moving, and then re-moving, platters of cheeses and cold cuts and pieces of fruit cut into fancy little shapes, without offering a single word of protest.
However, I almost dropped a platter of food when I heard my car turn onto the drive. The turn which was taken much too fast, as I could hear the tyres screech faintly on the tarmac before crunching loudly onto the gravel. Alice would never drive my car like that – she knew better. Alice also knew not to drive down the driveway as fast as the car was currently travelling, it posed too much of a risk, at the current speed a rock could easily fly up and chip the paintwork. No. No Alice, would never drive my car like that. Bella, on the other hand. With a frown on my face I continued to work – the fact Alice had let Bella drive my car was irritating, but I wasn't going to dwell on it or bring it up. This was Bella's day, and I would happily give her the sun and the moon if it made her happy – it was just… my car was pushing it just a little bit.
After giving me my final orders, Esme left to go and help Bella get ready, and then get ready herself. Once I had finished lighting the last candle I moved along the length of the house and jumped up into my open window. I strode over to my dresser and retrieved Bella's sea-glass, I had fashioned it into a makeshift necklace using a strand of Esme's twine. I hastily fastened it around my neck and looked at myself in the mirror. I frowned at my reflection. You could hardly see Bella's tiny treasure as it hung around my neck and became lost under the fabric of my shirt. I quickly undid enough buttons for it to become visible, and then I threw caution to the wind as I undid the rest of them as well. I looked at myself in the mirror, studying my reflection seriously – I wanted to look good. I wanted to be good. Good enough for her.
I ran a hand through my hair, attempting to make it sit the way I wanted it to but found out that my hair was utterly unreasonable in this regard. I could hear the women finishing up – I had run out of time. I could only hope that my hair looked more 'artfully tussled' and less 'wandering vagrant' as I jumped back out my bedroom window.
I made it just in time as I watched my Mom and sisters walk out of the house and down the porch steps before walking across the grass to stand next to their Mates.
For as long as I had known Bella Swan, I knew she was something different, something exceptional. I had seen her in the throws of fiery rage, burning with the fury of a thousand dying stars. I had been privileged to behold the righteous beauty that was Bella Swan as the light of the full moon washed over her, only to pull out something terrifying from within. And I had watched as Bella struggled with herself, wrestled with that other, much more monstrous side of her being only to eventually embrace it as one would a lover.
For as long as I had known Bella Swan, I knew that she was a force to be reckoned with. That she held entire galaxies within her gaze and whole worlds within her mind. And as Bella walked out onto the porch steps with the light of the setting sun dancing across her smiling face, her hair braided against the sides of her head before they fell in riotous waves, a crown of Wolf's Bane adorning her head, I knew, in that moment – I was right.
Bella's eyes met mine and she gave me a smile that was just for me and it urged me to rush forward and take her into my arms. Bella's fingers nervously plucked at the hem of her billowy blue dress, the sleeves hung off her unblemished shoulders, and I couldn't stop my gaze from drifting lower to the swell of her breasts as her chest rose and fell with each breath. Bella's dress was much more revealing than her regular attire, the bodice clung tight to her frame before cinching at the waist and falling into a tumble of soft fabric. Fortunately, the Chief had not seen me ogling his daughter, Charlie was waiting at the bottom of the porch steps and cleared his throat pointedly, which caused Bella's gaze to drift from mine.
Bella took the last few steps and her father pulled her into a hug. "Hey, Dad." Bella mumbled against the man's vest.
"Hey, Bella." Charlie murmured and then pulled away to look down at his daughter, his eyes wet with tears. "You ready?" He asked.
Bella replied with a silent nod and let her dad lead her across the lawn and to an area filled with flickering candles. I followed behind with the rest of my family, and together we stood around the pair in a loose half-moon as Charlie bent down to pick up a tarnished bronze bowl he had placed there earlier. The artefact was old, and I could see the phases of the moon embossed on one side. Charlie smiled down at his daughter before looking up at the rest of us. "Well, this is pretty unusual." He huffed out a soft chuckle with a shake of his head. "And I haven't done this in a very long time, but here it goes." Charlie squared his shoulders and looked down at his daughter with a sombre, yet affectionate, expression. "When the gods realised the power our people held, they feared us. They worried that we would grow in size and number, and overthrow their claim on existence." Charlie paused and I could hear the excited anticipation of my family in their minds as the Chief dipped two fingers in the bowl to coat them in purple paint made from the same flowers that were on Bella's head. "So they cursed us, turned us into mindless wolves. The moon goddess saw this injustice and was enraged, she claimed our people as hers." Charlie paused once more to spread the fragrant paint across Bella's forehead. "She came to the wolves, and taught them how to turn back into men." He continued to speak as he smeared the paint down Bella's temple, and then curled it up around and under her cheekbones. "Tonight, we celebrate Isabella Swan and welcome a new wolf into the pack." Charlie declared as he handed the bronze bowl to Bella, who took it in hand with reverence. "May the moon and the stars light your path." He murmured solemnly.
From my place, just to the left of Charlie, I could see Bella's watery smile as she beamed up at him. Bella swirled her fingers in the paint and copied the same movements on her dad's face, a small giggle escaping as she finished the final curl. "May her light always find you, even on the darkest of nights." Bella recited.
With even steps Bella walked to her right and came to a stop in front of Carlisle, with her back to me I could no longer see her face but after a moment Carlisle nodded. "May the moon and the stars light your path." Bella murmured quietly as she carefully decorated Carlisle's face.
Carlisle frowned for a moment as he considered the words spoken to him and the words he had heard just a moment before. "May her light always find you, even on the darkest of nights." Carlisle spoke carefully, attempting to give the words every ounce of respect he could offer.
Bella then walked slowly to Esme, where she repeated the ritual words with a smear of paint. I watched with eager eyes as Bella made her way around the circle until she finally came to a stop in front of me. The purple paint on her face had begun to dry and crack from where she had been smiling, Bella was stunning, utterly bewitching – a Nordic goddess in mortal form.
I knew that Bella was about to murmur those ritual words to me as she painted my face into a mirror of her own, but I still couldn't stop myself from greeting her. "Hi." The word was more air than sound.
Bella tried to bite back her growing smile, tried to keep her expression serious and sombre as the occasion demanded, but as she swirled her fingers in the bronze dish she lost the battle against her emotions and was grinning up at me. "May the moon and the stars light your path." Bella offered me the blessing as her warm fingers smudged the cool paint across my forehead and down the side of my face before swirling it up under my cheekbones.
I had to touch her. There was no choice or thought. I simply had to. I raised my hands to rest gently on her hips as I whispered, "May her light always find you, even on the darkest of nights." Slowly, I brought one hand up to gently caress Bella's cheek, but at the last second I paused, unwilling to risk ruining the artwork on her face I simply ghosted my fingers over her cheek. With a dull, muted thud, the bronze bowl fell from Bella's hands and landed on the grass. Bella surged towards me, one hand clenching around my shirt, staining it with paint, and the other tangling in my hair and pulling me down. Bella's blazing lips crash against mine violently, the kiss was all tongue and teeth and heat and pure perfection.
I could feel Bella heartbeat like it was my own – hot and wet and so painfully alive as it thundered inside of my cold, dead, chest. I was being consumed by her, and I had never been happier.
Somewhere, off in the distance, a wolf howled, and it took Bella pulling away from me to realise that it wasn't so far away, and it wasn't a wolf at all, but rather it was Charlie, who was standing only a few feet away, howling up at the sky in triumph. Bella grinned, all teeth and cracking paint as she threw her head back and joined in. Together their howls formed a chorus, music that was in perfect harmony and was so primal, so animalistic in its power. As one, they stopped. Their eyes met. Bella tore herself out of my arms only to launch herself into her father's. I could hear Charlie whisper in Bella's ear, "Lets show these vampires how to party."
Together, as a group – no, a pack – we moved to take our seats around the table. Charlie sat at one head, and Carlisle at the other. Bella sat at Charlie's side and I sat at hers. Carlisle had placed the bottles of Blood Wine on the table, but he was still hesitant to open them. As if sensing his reluctance – hell, knowing what I knew about werewolves, it's very likely that Charlie had indeed sensed it – Charlie smirked roguishly as he snatched one of the bottles and uncorked it without any fanfare.
Every vampire at the table instantly stopped breathing. An inbuilt response we had all trained ourselves to have when exposed to blood.
Charlie rolled his eyes and shook his head mirthfully, and in that moment he looked so very young, so much like his daughter. "Oh, take a breath, would you?" He drawled as he grabbed the closest wine glass and filled it halfway. Charlie's eyes flickered over each of the vampires seated at the table before he barked out a laugh. "You're all such a bunch of stiffs." He leered, Charlie's pun made Emmett snort and cover his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laughter, but the rest of us were unswayed. Charlie sighed, and his teasing smirk fell into a flat line as he droned, "I swear to you, on my honour, that the Blood Wine is not only safe for consumption, but does not contain human blood."
Carlisle forced himself to inhale and after a moment of careful deliberation he nodded, and the rest of us resumed breathing. The scent of the Blood Wine had permeated through the air, and it was… unusual. I had been anticipating the blazing burn in my throat, the unbearable thirst that signalled human blood had been spilled in my vicinity, I had braced myself for it – locked each and every muscle in my body, ready to fight against my animalistic instincts to devour and destroy.
But the thirst never came.
Charlie began to pour more glasses of the Blood Wine, he handed one to Emmett who was sitting on his right, and with steady hands Emmett passed the wine to Rosalie, who then passed it to Esme, who then in turn gave it to Carlisle. And so it went, Charlie filled wine glasses and they slowly travelled around the table until each vampire in attendance had one sitting precariously in front of them. Charlie then uncorked a different bottle, it was made of dark green glass like that of the Blood Wine, but where the Blood Wine bottles were tall and slender, this one was wider and slightly shorter, it was almost square in shape but still had soft, rounded edges. Charlie grabbed the wine glass that was in front of Bella and poured a generous amount of the Monkshood wine into the glass. You could almost mistake it for Whiskey, if it wasn't for the colour of it – a deep, yet pale purple colour. Charlie handed the glass back to Bella, who took it gratefully, before he poured himself a glass.
I looked down at my drink, which sat so innocently next to Bella's – with the glass, and the setting, you could almost mistake the crimson liquid for actual wine.
Charlie rose from his seat and raised his glass in salute. "To Bella! And to a new, and utterly unusual pack!" He cheered before gulping down half his glass, his Adam's apple bobbed dramatically. Bella grinned and raised her glass before taking a much smaller sip of her own wine.
Bella looked over to me and I tried to smile, but I could tell by the way that Bella frowned in return that it didn't quite look right. Bella's cheeks were flushed, whether it was from the excitement or from the alcohol I didn't know. She placed a comforting hand on my forearm, stilling the almost imperceptible shake in my hand that was still gingerly clutching the glass filled with Blood Wine. "You don't have to, Edward." She murmured lovingly.
Even though the air around us had become saturated with the scent of the Blood Wine, I slowly raised the rim of the glass to my nose and took a precautionary sniff – it smelt like spice, warm like cinnamon, and ginger, but also hot like chilli. I lowered the glass to my lips and took a small sip, and I felt my eyes widen as the red liquid passed my lips and slipped down my throat, it was silky and smooth and entirely delicious. "Tastes… good." I murmured in wonder.
I heard Charlie chuckle at my response, but I could afford him no concern as I raised my glass to my mouth again. There was no burning thirst, no unruly desire, no snarling monster – it would have been the easiest thing in the world to put down the glass and walk away. But I didn't want to. The small sip I had previously taken had already begun to spread a peculiar warmth through my gut and a happy dizzy feeling in my head. I took another taste, a bigger mouthful than before so I could get a better feel for it. It was strange, I was used to blood being warm – cool blood meant thick, congealed and completely disgusting blood – but this was not warm, it was just room temperature, and yet it was still silky smooth as if it was drained fresh from a wound.
I looked up to see Carlisle holding his now half-empty glass up to the light as if he could puzzle out the secrets of the wine if only he could only get the right view of it. "Most unusual." He mused and an abrupt snicker bubbled out of my lips, which surprised me. Bella laughed as well and I turned to the side to catch her eye, they were twinkling with merriment, crinkling around the edges as she smiled up at me. I smiled dazedly back.
My attention was pulled away from Bella by Emmett's loud exaltation. "Wooo! Yeah!" He cheered as he slammed his now empty glass down on the table with enough force to cause the dishes the clatter on the table, but still gentle enough to spare the wine glass from being shattered by his vampiric fist.
Conversations broke out around me as my family began to enjoy the wine, and the feeling of intoxication that they hadn't felt in a very, very long time. Charlie happily refilled Emmett's glass before he stood up and absconded with the remainder of the bottle to go sit down at the other end of the table next to Carlisle.
Bella's small hand on my arm forced my attention back to her, attention I was more than happy to give her. The effects of the wine were growing, muddling my thoughts and dimming my senses, even my Gift was affected – the thoughts of my family had become muted and fuzzy, like static on the radio.
"How do you feel?" Bella asked with a smile.
"Warm," I instantly responded, which caused Bella to giggle. "I don't have many human memories of alcohol," I continued, pausing to take another sip. "But I imagine it to be similar."
Time seemed to bend and move in a way that it only could do when you were perceiving it while drunk. Suddenly, there was music, and Alice was twirling over the lawn with Jasper in her arms – when did the music start? Who even put it on? I hadn't even noticed Alice leave the table.
"What are you two old men whispering about over here," I heard Bella ask and I turned to the direction of her voice to see that at some point she had moved from my side to sit down on Jasper's vacated seat at the other end of the table. Charlie was sitting next to Esme, who had scooted her chair as close to Carlisle's as she could, if she were any closer she would have been forced to actually siton Carlisle himself. Esme was looking at Carlisle with glazed eyes as she ran her hand through his hair dreamily, apparently paying no attention to the conversation and was just content to be there with her Mate. I stood up, swayed slightly but then quickly corrected myself as I meandered over to them.
"Werewolves" Carlisle answered as if the answer was obvious.
"Of course," Bella laughed from behind her wine glass.
"Yes, it's fascinating, really." Carlisle nodded seriously before he took another sip of his wine. "Your father was just telling me how while being a werewolf is genetic, it's not guaranteed. That humans born to wolves would receive a bite to transform them when they were deemed ready for it. It begs the question of werewolf genetics, and if I could track the genome and see if it were dominate or recessive. What other factors are involved when werewolves have children?"
I was barely paying any attention to what Carlisle was rambling about as I finally made it to Bella, she was giggling adorably, "I think it's a little more… magical than that."
Bella looked like she was going to say more, but as I leaned down my cool breath caused her lovely locks to shimmer in the candle light, and the breath she had about to use to form words fell from her delicious lips in a soft oh that was more of a sigh than anything else. "Would you care to dance with me?" I breathed against the shell of her ear. I felt the way her body trembled, I heard the way her heart sped up, and her very obvious and very physical response to my proximity and my words made me giddy.
Bella lifted her glass and downed the rest of her drink as if she were taking a shot, she then twisted in her seat and grinned up at me, all teeth and glazed eyes with pupils blown wide. "I would love to."
I grabbed Bella's wrist and tugged her to her feet, and with a tipsy giggle she let me pull her towards the makeshift dance floor where Alice and Jasper were still dancing. I moved my hand from her wrist, to her hand, and used it to twirl her dramatically before pulling her close to me. I held one of her hands in mine, and placed my other on the small of her back so I could hold her close and feel her delightfully warm body against mine. Bella rested her free hand on my shoulder and allowed me to lead her in a gentle sway that wasn't quite in time with the music.
"Isn't this too similar to country music for your taste?" Bella teased lightly. She was almost right, it was closer to a sort of indie-folk than country, but it was walking that thin line.
I moved both my arms to encircle her, resting one on her waist and the other I left on the small of her back, Bella's body responded to mine and both of her arms snaked around my neck. I pulled a playfully disgruntled face which made Bella giggle. "I'm willing to put up with it… for you." I teased as I bent down to nuzzle my nose against her hair. Oh sweet heavens above. How was it possible for Bella to smell so damn good? I nuzzled further into her locks to better surround myself with her enchanting scent. "Ugh, you smell so good." I groaned against the side of her head, ignoring the way my nuzzling was causing her flower-crown to tilt dangerously.
Bella chuckled and I felt her straighten her flower-crown before she gently pulled away so she could see my face. No, oh no that would not do. That would not do at all.
"Do I now?" Bella asked teasingly with an adorable smirk on her face.
I nodded jerkily before lowering my head to bury my face in the side of her neck. "Mm-hmm." I hummed happily. I could feel the wonderful heat of Bella's pulsating jugular vein under my lips – and amazingly I felt no urge to sink my teeth in and drain her dry, there was no thirst, only… Bella. "You smell like…" I sighed happily, relishing in the way my breath caused Bella's scent to flare up and fill the air around me. "Strawberries and honeysuckle," I continued in a soft moan. I pushed my face further against Bella's throat, we were as close as two people could be, our chests were pressed together like to puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together, but it still didn't feel enough – I wanted to be consumed by her, I wanted her scent and her warmth and her soul to possess my cold, dead body and give it life anew. I knew that such a thing wasn't possible, so this… this would have to be enough.
"Stop sniffing me," Bella mumbled in a grumbling laugh. "You'd think that you're the one who turns into a wolf, the way you're behaving." Her hands left the back of my neck and planted themselves on my chest and she gently shoved me back, just enough so she could smile at me, and even though I mourned the loss of her warmth against the side of my face and her fluttering pulse under my lips, I also didn't mind so much as long as Bella kept looking at me like that – like I was the cause of all her joy. I wanted to bring her joy, and love, and all of the good things in the world.
Bella cocked her head to the side and I couldn't help but mimic her movement, turning my head to the side a little bit as she stared into my eyes. Bella raised her hand and her soft fingertips gently ghosted on the skin under my eyes and my smile broadened at her touch. "Strange," Bella murmured, her eyes narrowing.
I leaned into her touch. "What is strange, my love?"
"There is green in your eyes." Bella cupped my face in her hands and I was more than happy to let her. "I saw flecks of blue in Carlisle's earlier." She continued.
I was sure that this was important, usually, this sort of thing would have been cause for concern. Usually, this would cause me to worry and fret and think of the worse case scenario. However, here, under the clear night sky with Bella in my arms and the Blood Wine causing my mind to be delightfully fuzzy, I couldn't find it in me to be concerned. "My eyes were green when I was human." I mused dazedly. That probably meant something. Probably. It didn't matter, or at least, it didn't matter right now. Because right now, I was dancing with Bella, and that was much more important.
Unfortunately, Bella didn't think so.
Bella's little hand grabbed mine and with more strength than such a small girl should have she began to pull me across the yard towards the table where our fathers were talking.
"But, Bella." I protested. "I want to dance with you." Distantly I knew that my tone was whiny, but like most things that weren't Bella, I didn't really care about that.
"The Boston Tea party was not an act of terrorism!" Charlie's voice rumbled with good-natured amusement, my eyes left Bella's form to look at her father and I could see him struggling to keep a straight face as he argued with Carlisle.
We came to a halt at the side of the table as they continued to debate animatedly, I was just happy that Bella's hand was still in mine.
"It was a violent protest against the government, where personal property was destroyed." Carlisle retorted primly, some of his old English accent was bleeding into his voice. Esme nodded along absentmindedly, her fingers carding through Carlisle's hair and causing it to fall out of it's carefully groomed style to fall around his face and neck in loose waves and curls – longer hair had been fashionable for men when Carlisle had been human, sometimes I missed how he used to tie it back low with a piece of ribbon. Maybe he should do that again, it would look good, certainly. Oh, but it probably wouldn't be appropriate for the hospital. Shame. Did Bella like longer hair on men? I frowned at the back of her head – if she did then there was nothing I could do about that, I couldn't grow my hair. Memories of Bella's hands tangled in my hair flooded my mind – my hair was long enough for her to grip in her warm hands, long enough for her to use it as leverage to manoeuvre my lips to where she wanted them, that's all that really mattered.
"I was there!" Charlie boomed. "And it was an amazing act of patriotism." He slammed his open hand down on the table, his face breaking out into a crooked grin.
Bella took another step forward, tugging me along behind her. "Uh, as much as I would hate to break up… whatever this-" she waved her free hand around between the two bickering men. "is. I do have a question."
Charlie sipped his drink and turned his broad grin to his daughter. Even though his skin was darker than Bella's you could see, underneath the paint and facial hair, his cheeks had reddened slightly from the alcohol. "What can I do for you, daughter of mine?"
"Edward's eyes have flecks of green in them." Bella announced, it sounded strangely like an accusation, I didn't fight her power when I let her pull me forward with a jerky tug of my hand. I wasn't sure I could have fought her, even if I had wanted to – which I most certainly did not – my muscles were all loose and my bones felt like jelly.
Charlie laughed jovially and waved his daughter away with a dismissive hand. "That's just the Blood Wine. A vampire's eyes will get bits of whatever colour their eyes were when they were human." Bella wasn't laughing, which was a right shame. "It's nothing to worry about, and will go away when the wine works through his system." Charlie continued to smile at Bella's stern expression, his eyes were wide with a kind of happiness that seemed far too young for such an ancient being, likewise, Bella's face held an expression that was far too serious for someone so young. I suddenly found myself with the urge to make her smile, to make her laugh. I wanted to be the source of her joy, I desperately wanted to be the reason for her laughter.
Charlie rolled his eyes in a way that reminded me of Bella and grabbed a glass and filled it with wine before forcing it into Bella's hand. "Now you are far too sober for this sort of celebration," He winked and I snorted back a laugh. "Go have fun with your friends, I'm gonna keep fightin' with this Red-coat."
Bella sighed dramatically at her dad, but took a sip of her wine nonetheless. The two men returned to their theatrical debate as Bella turned to face me. "Did you want anything more to drink?" Bella asked kindly, looking over her shoulder to the bottles of Blood Wine that were still on the table.
Apparently Bella's metabolism worked faster than my own, since I still felt delightfully intoxicated and had no desire to drink more wine less I lose all my faculties completely. I bent my head down and brushed my nose against hers. "I just want to hold you," I murmured against her lips. I clasped my hand around her wrist – it was so tiny – and led her back to the patch of candle lit grass that had become the dance-floor. I needed to have Bella in my arms like a drowning man needed air, or like a man lost in a desert needed water, I craved her like a starving man craved food – without her, I would surely perish.
We had almost made it, and I was about to pull Bella into my arms when Bella turned and changed directions, pulling me along for the ride. "Lets go hang out with your siblings." Bella suggested, twisting her hand so instead of my hand grasping her wrist it was now held in hers. Which was significantly better.
I didn't particularly care to hang out with my siblings. But if that's what Bella wanted, that is what Bella would get. Bella would get everything and anything, I would give her anything in the world, as long as she kept touching me – while I wanted to have her body pressed against mine, her small, warm hand in mine would have to do, for now.
I looked over the yard to where my siblings had congregated. Alice had tied the skirt of her dress between her legs, turning it into a sort of absurd, puffy shorts, so she could do ridiculous handstands while maintaining her modesty. Jasper was watching his Mate with glassy eyes and a soft smile from where he was laying on his side on the ground, his head propped up with one hand as the other held an almost empty glass of wine. Rosalie was standing nearby with an amused smirk at her sister's antics with Emmett by her side, each also nursing a drink. Emmett grinned sloppily, his golden eyes twinkled happily and I noticed how they were flecked with a grey sort of blue colour, Emmett handed his glass off to Rose who rolled her eyes but smile at her Mate. Emmett then approached Alice and attempted to mimic her graceful acrobatics. For a vampire, Emmett was not very agile at the best of times, instead he relied upon sheer force and strength to get things done, and apparently being intoxicated didn't help matters any. Emmett barely managed to maintain the handstand before he fell down, landing flat on his back with a heavy thud. Still upside down, walking on her hands with ease, Alice laughed at Emmett's failure. Rose shook her head with a soft smile and sat down next to her Mate who hadn't moved from where he had fallen.
"Bella!" Emmett shouted, waving a hand in greeting.
"How are you all going?" Bella replied as she drank her wine and looked over the group of vampires. I came up behind her and curled my arms around her body, encasing her in my arms, Bella sighed happily and leaned back into the embrace. Oh yes, this was good, this was right.
"We're goin' alright," Jasper drawled in reply, from his fuzzy, static thoughts I could see how he was feeding on the general contentment of the others like a bumble bee feeding from many blooming flowers. Jasper's gaze drifted back to Alice who was now doing dainty cartwheels over the grass.
"This has actually been pretty fun," Rose sniffed with a shrug that lacked most of it's usual indifference.
That was enough. I was done sharing.
With my arms still around Bella's body I walked backwards, pulling her along with me towards the flattened grass of the dance-floor. When we got closer I turned her around and plucked her almost empty glass from her hand and put it on the ground. As we reached the centre of the candle-lit circle, I took both of Bella's hands in mine and tugged her closer, and with wide, surprised eyes she stumbled forward, I then guided her hands up my chest to then rest at the back of my neck. Bella was staring up at me, her pink lips parted slightly and I could hear her heartbeat thundering in her chest as her breath quickened. Her face was flushed and her pupils were blown and I knew that it had nothing to do with the wine. With a salacious smirk I grabbed Bella by the waist and pulled her closer still, manhandling her in a way I ordinarily would have never dared to until Bella's slender, feminine frame was pressed against mine. My nimble fingers drifted, exploring Bella's body with possessive intent. I felt Bella rest her head against my shoulder and allowed me to sway us lightly with the music as my hands wandered over her body – the swell of her hip that dipped into a slender waist, the small of her back and just slightly lower still the beginning curve of her shapely behind, a place that I desperately wanted to explore further, but I wouldn't. Not yet. Instead, my hand travelled upwards, fingers splayed and seeking as they reached the top of the bodice of Bella's dress and came into contact with blazing skin. Bella gasped slightly, but made no attempt to evade my touch – a touch that was as cold as she was warm, like ice pressed to red-hot coals. I fingered the edge of her bodice, tracing it one way until it reached her arm, and then back again. From where Bella's chest – and oh my lord I could feel the soft roundness of her breasts against the hard planes of my body, and that sudden knowledge caused my stomach to drop and heat rushed to places I had never felt before – was pressed against my own, I could feel a soft, rumbling purr build. My hand continued to roam, and eventually found the gentle slope of Bella's exposed neck. I cupped the back of her neck with a loving touch, and with tender coaxing from my fingers I urged her to tilt her head to the side.
Without words, Bella willingly exposed her throat to me and my vampiric instincts – that disastrous monster I kept well caged – practically whimpered at the sight. I lowered my head to bury my nose in the crook of her neck, and breathed deeply. I could feel Bella doing the same, nuzzling against me as she scented me in return, and the soft purring growl grew into a lupine whine. A loving chuckle escaped me at the sound, everything about Bella was captivating, and suddenly, words that I had heard spoken decades before flooded my mind and left my lips.
"I love your lips when they're wet with wine/ And red with wild desire." I whispered into her ear. My hand left her neck, and went back to exploring the expanse of her back as we continued to sway lazily, Bella's body was loose and malleable in my arms. "I love your eyes when the love-light lies/ lit with passionate fire. I love your arms when the warm white flesh/ touches mine in a fond embrace. I love your hair when the strands enmesh/ your kisses against my face." I paused for a moment so I could nose at her hair and inhale her tantalising scent. "Not for me the cold, calm kiss/ of a virgin's bloodless love. Not for me the saint's white bliss/ nor the heart of a spotless dove. But give me the love that so freely gives/ and laughs at the whole world's blame. With your body so young and warm in my arms/ it sets my poor heart aflame. So kiss me with your warm wet mouth/ still fragrant with ruby wine. And say with a fervour born of the South/ that your body and soul are mine. Clasp me close in your warm young arms/ while the pale stars shine above. And we'll live our whole young lives away/ in the joys of a living love." As I recited the poem, Bella's whine had grown into a possessive sounding growl, and her little hands had drifted up to tangle into my hair to hold my head close and keep my face pressed into the crook of her exposed throat.
Using her steel grip on my hair, Bella then forced my head back, away from her throat, and I didn't fight her – not that I could have. Not that I wanted to. Leveraging her tightly held hold on my hair, Bella pulled me into a viciously violent kiss. Bella's hot tongue invaded my mouth with ruthless desire, and as her teeth nipped and tugged at my bottom lip I groaned into her mouth. I was about to surge forward and return her desire with fervour, but she pulled away and began to rain kisses down on my face. Over my cheeks and across my brow and the end of my nose, no part of my face was left out. Her burning kisses trailed down my jaw and I happily tilted my head to the side to expose my throat to her in a mirror of our previous positions. Bella's mouth descended on the skin of my neck, and I groaned as she placed a wet, open-mouthed kiss to the place where my blood would have been pumping if I were still alive.
Bella's lips parted once more and I braced myself for another devastating kiss, but instead of the soft, wet, heat of her lips and tongue, I felt the blunt sharpness of her teeth instead. I whimpered softly at the unexpected pain and pulled back as my hand flew to my neck on instinct – but Bella's teeth hadn't broken the skin, despite that, where my fingers traced over the hard skin of my throat, I could feel indents of Bella's small, human teeth.
"You… bit me." I whispered in awe as my mouth formed a slow smile.
"And I'll do it again," Bella murmured, her brown eyes flickering over my face as her fingers carded through my hair.
Bella's words caused a strange fluttering feeling in my chest like a hummingbird had somehow become trapped in my rib-cage as my stomach swooped low and heat pooled even lower. I snarled wildly as I pulled Bella closer, thrusting my body against hers in an utterly indecent manner. "Promise?" I growled suggestively in her ear.
Bella laughed, and from where our bodies were touching – which felt like everywhere – I could feel the heat of her desire flush through her neck and chest. I held fast to Bella as I twirled her around in the candle light, our shadows dancing along with us on the damp grass, and an endless sky of stars twinkling over head.