Adley entered her home for the first time in three days. It was mind blowing, that in the past three days she'd gone from helping a hollow teen survive, rescue her suicidal vampire soulmate, to finding her own soulmate. She didn't know really what to think of that. She stretched looking at the stove top clock. It was just after two in the afternoon. She turned to Marcus who had all three bags. She motioned him to her office slash second bedroom.
"I use this as my office for photography and my job. The couch in the corner pulls out into a bed. I'm not sure, do vampires sleep?" She asked leaning on the door frame watching him.
He took in the room that was slightly smaller than her master bedroom. The wooden floors were light and went well with the taupe walls. Books on one shelf, her photographs were hanging in multiple sizes from her excursions in the coast. He looked them over carefully. She motioned to the closet. He opened it finding the empty tall dresser she kept for when she had guests. Well would have guests. Her siblings and parents could come any time knowing them.
"No we do not." He replied.
She took her duffel bag from him and went to her room. She left the door open going around to her walk in closet. She tossed the clothes into the hamper moving them into the correct basket for her colours and what not. She walked over to her standing full length mirror.
Her hair was braided back still. Adley pulled her shirt off stretching her stiff back. The lack of bed getting to her. She didn't know if it was everything really finally getting to her body, the lack of bed and solid sleep, along with the emotional exhaustion she was still dealing with. She'd never really attacked any one like that in quite sometime, her aunt taught her to control that part of her Empath ability. She was sure though after this she needed to begin to exercise. She'd gotten lazy after university.
She'd used to do boxing and run track weekly to keep fit. She'd even sported a six pack two years ago. She had softened out. She traced a hand over her stomach, soft and curved. A pouch had began to form right under her belly button. She traced the ever present scar on her side from where she'd been impaled years ago. She shook her head taking a deep breath. Not this right now. She didn't have the mental space to deal with the past.
She stripped off her pants. She really hadn't been thinking of outfits when she tossed clothing in the duffel. Evident very much so in the bra. It was a sheer emerald lace halter, no underwire but held perfectly. She'd bought it almost a year ago when she'd decided to spoil herself. Regardless of partner, she wanted to look cute. This piece and the matching hip huggers of pure soft lace looked fantastic. The set was not what she was currently sporting.
Nope instead she was wearing a pair of lavender lace trimmed cheeksters from Victoria secret. They threatened to show her mons pubis. What had she been thinking when she'd bought these in general? She was lucky she'd remembered to use some of her body sugar. Anna had mailed it to her. Razors were such a pain for a delicate area.
She pulled free her braid and let her dark waves of black fall around her. She ran her fingers through it giving a moan at the released pressure on her head. It'd been a little too tight. The locks tickled the skin right below her bra strap. It really needed a good cut. She mused turning go through her clothes to wear something a bit more comfortable than jeans.
"Adley, a question—"
Marcus cut himself off. Her heart pounded as she fisted her hands not even gripping her clothes that hung right in front of her. She quickly pulled her hair in front of her to cover her breasts in some capacity. B cups a god send. Big enough but easy to hide with hair.
She took a few breaths in vain attempt to slow her rapid heart beat. Her stomach flipped. She's not a virgin, at least not since she was eighteen. Adley wasn't daft, she knew she was pretty. Why were cheeks burning bright flushing down to her chest lighting her up as a tomato.
She didn't use her gift. Marcus had eyes. He could clearly see her. It was futile to hide the very clear tension that had filled her closet. She felt his aura, brushing around her. It lapped at her skin with the breeze of the air flow of her home. Gooseflesh broke out on her. Little breaths came audibly. A pang pulled gently at her chest.
She fidgeted with her fingers flexing them. Was it getting warmer in here? She moved foot to foot. Her thighs rubbing together. She took a sharp breath.
Cool hands brushed her sides. Fingers roamed slowly upwards. She panted. Carefully ghosting her ribs, missing her chest. She dug her teeth into her bottom lip. His other hand held her left hip, drawing little teasing circles into the flesh of her hip bone. She leant back, her head laying upon his hard chest.
A soft purr rumbled from his chest. She paused tilting her head back looking directly up at him. Darken merlot eyes met hers. His right hand caught her chin, tilting her head upwards him more. She found herself on her tip toes.
Marcus was tall, definitely broader shouldered. She moved her left hand to lay over his, and her other to cup his cool cheek. His hands were bigger than hers. She only came to his chest in height. He was a large man in all the senses of the word. She blinked a few times trying to get her thoughts about her.
It didn't work.
He was too close. His smell. His breath washed over her, he was inches from her face. He smelt of oak and spice. She couldn't place if it was a cologne or him. His left hand teased her hip pulling her flush against him. She gasped. A certain something bumped her back.
"It's a habit to leave the door open." She murmured.
A lazy grin spread over his face, the lust never faded, nor did his darkened eyes. His aura golden ran around him and encompassed her, it didn't move away but made sure to hold her. The reddish pink of lust sprung around with his golden happiness.
"It is your home, feel as comfortable as you will. I have no protest." He whispered.
"I thought you were gentleman, Marcus Volturi. I expected courtship with chaperoned dates, you ask my Appa for my hand." Adley quipped.
He leant further down pressing his cool lips flush with hers. Sparks hit her with the contact. She let her eyes close, as he pressed a few kisses to her. She held to his face as his hand moved down teasing the covered flesh of her breast. She yelped into his kiss from his hand running the length of her ribs to her underwear waist band. He pulled back. She whined looking up from heavy eyelids.
"I am a gentleman my dear, but alas I am also a man. One who just walked in on a gorgeous goddess in nothing but laced under garments. You could make saints sin." His baritone rumbled in his chest with the slight growl of his words.
"A goddess or merely Eve tempted by the devil to his fruit?" She breathed.
She turned in his hands. He took hold of her waist messaging her sides with his thumbs. She ran her hands over his chest covered in a button down. She undid a few buttons not moving her gaze from his. Her fingers she scratched gently on the skin of his chest.
In a flash he had her on her bed, on her back. Her arms held above her, Marcus was panting hard as she was. He pressed a firm kiss to her lips, he moved to kiss her jaw and neck.
Adley moaned as he sucked gently on her skin. "Definitely the devil."
His free hand teased her side running from her panties to her bra. He did not touch more of her. His chest pressed into her lightly caging her in. He caught her lips in another kiss.
His kiss was not rushed. He let her hands down to guide her closer to deepen the kiss, holding the base of her skull. Adley's heart fluttered wildly. Chest bursting with warmth and the lust burning between them. His aura grew in vibrance. He swiped his tongue over her bottom lip.
She granted access sliding her tongue over his. He teased her momentarily before taking control. Need growing between them. Her whimpers being caught by his mouth. Her hips began to buck upwards. The heat in her stomach shot down to her core, aching. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so turned on. Especially so quickly.
Her pesky need to breath had them breaking apart. She panted catching her breath, his kisses returned to the junction of her neck and collar bone. He pulled the skin between his lips. leaning her head back on the bed. Marcus trailed closed mouth kisses down her neck.
"Fuck!"
"Do you wish to?"
She reluctantly opened her eyes. He kissed his way back up catching her lips in a few more chaste kisses before he pulled away to look down at her. Her lids heavy as she met his gaze again. His eyes were pitch black. Aura pulsing with the golden and reddish blush of his lust.
Her head swimming in the heat of it all. She couldn't catch herself with her heart pounding. He was still pressed into her. Despite his effort she could feel something weighted from his legs pressed on her hip.
"There is no rush," He assured sitting back a little more.
She propped herself up on her elbows watching him intently.
Her stomach growled.
"Your body answers for you." He mused soft grin in place. He pulled her up and set her upon her shaky feet. "You haven't eaten since this morning. I know you require more than some eggs and toast."
"As much as I am really hating being human currently. You're right." She huffed running a hand over her hair making her way to her closet.
She dug out a pair of yoga pants and an old AC/DC shirt. She was redressed, still feeling like she'd been dunked into the deep end of the pool.
"I promise my original intent was to suggest a meal before I saw you." He chuckled guiding her from the room.
"A grand notion, it seems we both got distracted." She murmured. She would gladly remain hungry for a bit longer if she got relief in another way.
"I am merely looking out for your well being Adley, if not for your human needs. I would have graciously complied to your wishes to continue." He chuckled.
"Did I say that out loud?" She groaned, reddening for a whole different reason now.
"No, but the look on your face gave you away."
"You're sweet for caring." She leant up and pressed a kiss to his cheek before walking into the kitchen and began to pull things out to cook. "I'm in the mood for a little spice, also for a quick Abiko curry."
She got to cooking a few portions of the Japanese curry. A medium spice level she knew Charlie and Bella could handle. She worked with Marcus who cut a few of the potatoes and carrots up while she got to work on the chicken. It was still frozen but easy enough to season and make sure it was all good.
She showed him the correct amount of ginger and curry powder. She was careful with those. Adding only a bit extra to her own.
"You do not use recipes I see." He mentioned as he finished covering the food to cool down before packing away.
"Oma taught us to cook so often some recipes become second nature. I enjoy cooking, I spent a lot of time bonding over meals."
She motioned him to follow her to the living room. Her VHS tapes and some DVDs were lined up on the spinning rack to the right of her TV on the wide stand. She selected the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. She slid them in and settled in on Marcus careful not to spill her bowl. Her spoon in hand.
"I was serious about the movies."
"I never doubted you." He chuckled nodding for her to hit start.
Adley's Tuesday back she'd drank five large cups of coffee that day. She awoke to find Marcus had left early according to a note he would be back that evening after meeting with the American Volturi guards that worked here. She was still tired from the travel to Italy.
She was reaching her Senior Advance class of the day. Her weekly roster had two new names. She blinked at it tight lipped reading off the names. Alice and Edward Cullen. Edward joined Bella at her table. Alice sat in the back empty one. The two did not participate in class and remained relatively quiet.
Her mood dipped with the class. She handed out the class mid terms with the corrected answers and the amounts she knew people would need to work on.
"Alright, Class. The class average was eighty five. I'm happy to say not a single one of you failed. The highest was ninety nine going to Angela. Those who need to see me after class please come to study group at 2:45, it should also be written on your test if I believe you should benefit to my extra hours. Besides that it's three minutes from the bell please come get an assignment. Cullen siblings please stick behind for your assignments."
Adley finished motioning for everyone to get up and out. It was a slow line for everyone taking one and either saying they'd see her later or tomorrow. A good half of them would be seeing her later no doubt with questions about the exams. She would not cancel the study hours despite her exhaustion. She owed it to her students that were proving to be learning and doing better in her class due to the extra time spent with them.
Bella was the last to take the last packet from her hand. Edward and Alice stepped up to grab one. They furrowed their brows. Edward crossed his arms looking over Alice's shoulder at her.
"Did you not print enough?" Edward asked looking down his nose to her.
Adley gave a wide grin motioning for them to come to her desk. She took a seat and pulled out two double thick booklets of fifty pages each. She'd spent a good part of the evening editing these ones before bed and when she woke up. It was absolutely worth making herself even worse off.
"You two haven't been in my class all year and this is your first day back as transferred students. I took the time to put the material together for you." She stated sweetly.
Alice raised her brow, a frown in place. "We've done physics before. You didn't have to."
"What kind of teacher would I be if I didn't offer help to all my students? Regardless of their differences."
"We will do these then." Edward agreed eyeing her over.
Adley kept her thoughts to the exams and grades keeping Edward out. He was getting suspicious of her. Good. She had labelled them with their names.
"Do not hesitate to come to study group hours from 2:45 to 4:45. Bella is still required to come in as per order of her father and myself." Adley turned to shoot the girl who waited at her door.
"I will, I actually do study." Bella nodded.
Adley turned to her desk.
"I'm sure Alice and I will be fine." Edward said curtly walking a few steps.
She looked up tilting her head. Had he even looked at it yet? Alice stood flipping through her booklet with a confused look. He watched Edward as fast as he could flip it open.
"These aren't in English." He scoffed. "I could go to Mr. Green about this."
"Really please do. I'll just say it was a challenge for my two students who seemed bored in my class and had taken this subject again and again because of time—"
"We will do these then. Edward surely your French isn't that bad." Alice shot her brother a look. He gave a pained expression.
"Mine is in Korean." He sneered.
"You don't know Korean?" Adley blinked a few times. "Sad I suggest you get to it then. Those are due in two weeks. There are language translating dictionaries in existence. I'm sure you two are resourceful enough to find them. No getting help from your family either or I will find out and make you do it again."
"Why did you translate them?" Alice asked.
"I believe there should be a challenge for everyone. Including two very advanced students. Now you're going to be late for your next class."
She waved them out. A big grin took over her face. She couldn't do much to the two students without hurting Bella. She could however make it very difficult for them to be back.
Her afternoon block passed until the first students came in as always. A surreal feeling after the weekend madness she'd had.
"What up, Ms. Choi!" Tyler shouted entering the class room.
"After noon Tyler." She chuckled.
"What up! Ms. Choi looking great as always!" Mike shouted passing in a rush to sit down next to Tyler. She shook her head waving to him.
"Yes, what's got you two brown nosing? Your passing marks?" She rolled her eyes as the girls joined their table.
"Coach said Tyler can keep being team captain because of his last marks on all tests were above a B." Lauren replied entering to sit beside him.
Bella came in and pulled up a spare chair to her desk. Adley raised her brow meeting her gaze.
"The Cullen siblings aren't with you?"
"It's sunny out they had to leave after physics." She replied.
"Ah right. How did they react to the homework?" Adley grinned.
"Edward was grumbling about it as he left. He said he doesn't know Asian languages at all." She murmured pulling out her history homework.
"Of course not. Only European languages are important to them." She rolled her eyes finishing off with some curses in Korean.
Bella watched trying her best not to laugh. "I told him to suck it up and learn. Alice said she didn't see you decide this."
"Well that's on her then. I planned it evening yesterday and actually on the plane. I never said coming back for them would be easy." Adley paused to help a student.
Her ninth grader Kira who was struggling a bit. She got it but doubted herself in her work.
"You've got this Kira, all your work is right. Keep going. If it's getting a bit much why don't you do your English reading for a bit, yeah?" Adley suggested.
"But the quiz tomorrow I don't think I'll do okay." She confessed.
"Then why don't we reschedule you to do it next week during study hours? Does that sound alright?"
"Yes, thank you so much! You're the best." Kira beamed running to her table again and began working on her stuff.
"You are soft on us." Bella observed looking up from her work in front of her.
"I have a different philosophy than the American public school system does." Adley shrugged. "You were taught how to pass tests, not to actually comprehend the stuff being taught. So I taught you to understand this all. It's obviously paid off."
"A brilliant idea if we were to discuss this further, Ms. Choi. I want to bring it to the board of the area to take time for teachers to have a block with students to study and reach out to each other. It seems to do the students well." Mr. Green complimented entering their conversation on the tail end.
"I am free when ever you would like. I could put together the research and the grades to show the improvements study blocks have given the students even if not all week but two times a week."
"I would appreciate it, Ms. Choi." He agreed before leaving.
Adley stretched and shook her hand out after erasing the last question from the board. She'd gotten up to answer a few questions and it turned into every one of her students asking for more details on certain parts. She would never discourage them from learning and wanting clarification especially if it helped them. She just really needed to have the students do the writing at this point. She was tempted to spend the money and get a smart board for her class room. She had been trained on them in university. They'd gotten them in as a part of new technologies and education.
She walked over to Bella turning off her computer.
"I adore teaching but sometimes I'm exhausted." She commented packing up her things.
Bella followed in suit packing up her books and backpack. She slid her coat on but left it open. Her big brown eyes focused on Adley.
"Edward drove you didn't he."
"Yeah... Alice was watching the sun all day but it seems they barely made this one out of the building. They got distracted." The teen smirked. "Would you mind?"
"When have I ever minded driving you? I've been doing it for months. I just wish your boyfriend would give you more notice to find a ride. What if I was out sick and you got left?"
"Edward used to roll back around in one of the heavier tinted vehicles..." she replied.
"Still I don't like it. Victoria is out there you shouldn't be left alone at all. She got to you once." Adley shuddered while they exited the school. "I'm still wheeling from Friday. How are you holding up?"
She asked unlocking the doors. Bella hopped in tossing her bag to the back as Adley did the same.
Bella looked out to the football field and beyond. "I still feel like this is all a dream and I'm hallucinating. My mind finally snapped with Victoria and I'm not actually alive."
Adley reached over pinching her cheek. Bella squealed. "Nope not dreaming. All that happened. The sprint in sweltering weather to facing the vampire royalty. Do you want to talk about it?"
Bella rubbed her cheek but nodded. "Yeah. You're the only other human sort of facing the same thing I am. I can't exactly talk about this with anyone."
Adley paused turning herself to Bella. "I'm just realizing the same thing. You're the only one I can discuss any of this with. My family obviously can't be told, neither can my friends. Plus you're in the same boat."
"I'll tell if you tell how you're actually coping. You're all smiles giving advise to everyone else, but you've been staring off all day when you think no one is looking. You help so many others, but have you spent time on you?" Bella challenged.
Adley blushed and ducked her head. "You're more observant than I give you credit for. No I haven't had time to stop and focus in on how I am doing."
"Same." Bella sighed. "I'm so ecstatic that they are back. My heart feels full again. The hole is gone. It's almost as if he never left. I slept so well last night for the first time in a long time. The problem is though my mind knows differently. He did leave. He hurt me and my head can't accept that just yet."
"Has he apologized?"
"Constantly. They all have."
"Word apologies are just one of the main few. He has to prove to you that he is here to stay. That he truly means his words."
"He proposed."
Adley turned wide eyed at that.
"Yesterday night. He said he'd never do it again and he wants to marry me. I don't know if he's just doing it to prove himself… I'm so insecure around him. Are his feelings real anymore? He's my mate but he hurt me."
"So he thought marriage was the best idea." Adley rolled her eyes. "He's such an idiot. No offence to you Bella. I mean eventually if you want to marry but he's been back less than forty eight hours and he does that. Does he even realize what he fucking did? Like he turned you into a zombie. I forced those feelings onto him. He's your mate and I am sorry he's an idiot."
"That's how I reacted." Bella laughed. "My parents got divorced. I've seen very few healthy marriages..."
"He owes you an apology not the other way around. You didn't answer did you?"
"I said no. This isn't the time for that. I don't trust him enough."
"A simple no is fine but you're right." She replied. "This healing of what he broke is going to take time. You are so hesitant to open your aura back up I see it now. You love him, but you are angry with him. You fear his future actions. Will he do it again, even with his words."
"Yeah."
"Then tell him this. You need time. Not apart but some boundaries and goals set to healing. If you're willing to go forward with him you can. He needs to man up again though and face his issues. If he doesn't he's going to lose you. That will be terrible for you, but relationships aren't healthy if this road bump isn't discussed and worked through."
"He said vampires don't change often. That they are mentally who they are when they are changed."
"Bullshit." Adley spat. "Such 'boys will be boys' gaslighting mentality. No people regardless can change maybe not drastically for them but enough. I get the frontal lobes of that boy will never fully develop but he's got enough brains."
"He's coming over tonight. Can you come sit with us? I'm not exactly confident in my words." Bella admitted. Adley took her hand.
"Of course."
Bella smiled sitting back. "On to more interesting subjects. You and Marcus. How's that going."
Adley blushed the memory of yesterday. "It's going..."
"Oh come on! Don't be vague you are the only other human I know about to be dating a vampire. You cannot tell me he is as religious as Edward about sex."
Adley laughed. "What year was he born in again?"
"1901."
"Oh my god no wonder he's so repressed. I'm sorry Bella but if he was a seventeen year old boy in the last turn of the century... you're looking at heavy religious and proper missionary only men." Adley cackled.
"He barely kisses me."
"Is that the whole control of his thirst? Because being repressed Because being repressed and being tempted to eat you is different."
"No he's fine with kissing, it's anything else to do with the subject He's a virgin." She confessed.
"Okay, there is the root of it. He has no knowledge on the subject. Regardless of the immortality unless he went looking at all into the world of sex and how it works he isn't going tp be comfortable with sex." Adley hummed. "When I was still a virgin the idea of sex and being with a man was scary. I was raised in a bit of a prudish home when it came to sexuality. I learnt more from the internet, than what sex ed taught me. The fact is if he is also a virgin as you are Bella, he's probably nervous to even try. Men tend to finish sooner when they haven't had sex and learnt to pace themselves stamina is learnt."
Bella was beet red with her words. "Have you and Marcus?"
Adley chuckled. "No we haven't. We definitely had a moment. He isn't repressed at all…very much in tune with himself and us... I just. This isn't just sex. I've had one night stands before, the act itself can come to mean nothing but as a way to achieve release… this isn't that."
"He's your mate."
"Yes." She sighed. "I'm still processing with this. It happened so quickly. The influx of all those emotions, the intensity. Then my expulsion of said emotions. It's draining. Simply sleeping won't help. It's restoring myself after which will take a few days. I get headaches when I use my Empathy in an offensive fashion. I'm not done processing this weekend let alone the fact I just found the person who was made for me by fate. I'm so good with other peoples emotions it's nature to push or ignore mine. I've never felt this before."
"I had the same reaction to Edward. My dad and friends said it was a high school relationship get over it. But it's so much more." Bella replied.
"If I was seventeen dealing with this it'd drive me insane." Adley shook her head. "The relationships I did have previously my heart wasn't fully in it. It was paced and it took me nearly three months to feel more than admiration and lust for him. It's why I broke up with Tyler. He went off to boot camp and I didn't want to be the wife waiting at home. The constant waiting knowing there was a large chance he wouldn't come back. He'd die eventually too. I'm not mortal. Though that happened near the end of us."
"That would make it hard too. Knowing you'd outlive your partner, and any children you had." She agreed.
"I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact I will not age. I have it in my head I will turn into a little old lady like my Oma. Who knows maybe old age will take me." She pondered distracting herself with a joke.
"You were given truly no choice in your immortality." Bella commented. "You are guaranteed your mate though."
"Yes, a Mate. God it sounds like I'm a bird not a human with a life partner." She snorted. "How long did it take you to come to terms with the whole situation of the intensity of these emotions. I'm not used to falling so hard so fast. I feel safe with him. I want to know him and be with him always. It really is going to be hard with my life and his. I have my whole life in Seattle. My family and teaching. Am I to give that up? I'm not doing this for the money obviously. He's been alive for millennia with no needs to pay for... my god he's unrealistically rich isn't he? My stomach hurts."
She bent at the centre laying her head on top of her white knuckled hands.
"Breath Adley." Bella urged taking her hand. "It's uncomfortable the obscene amount the Cullen family has. I get you're not with him for the money. I'm sure you can still teach in Italy."
Adley took deep breaths calming herself. Her racing heart turned her pink.
"Yeah... it's a consideration... I don't know Italian."
"You've got eternity." She reminded.
"I know. Still not clicking in my head. It'll take a century for that one." Adley shook her head.
"Probably." Bella smiled. "Can we go home I'm getting hungry and a strong craving for kimchi."
"Alright let's go. Also thank you Bella, it's relieving to have someone to talk about this with."
"I've never really spoken to anyone about things like this, I agree. Thank you for all you've done."
"It's what friends do."
A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! I am glad you all like it. Please note in future chapters there will be smut but I may limit how detailed it is versus on Ao3