Alaska
No, no, no, no! Stupid car. I punch the steering wheel several times as the car coughs and slows down to a stop. In a snowstorm? Why me? I rest my forehead against the steering wheel and pull my phone out, no signal of course. I look around on the road, no one will drive here until the snowstorm is gone. SHIT. I'll have to walk and see if I can find a house or at least some protection against the cold. I pull my thick coat as close as I can, put my hat and gloves on, then I wrap my scarf tightly around my neck and get out into the cold. It's freezing! I walk on the road in the same direction I drove, there haven't been any houses for miles. I slowly become more and more tired and I stumble several times. Stay warm! Stay alive! I mumble to myself and then I see a small driveway. YES! Please have a house and someone home.
I stumble down the driveway and to an extremely large and luxurious house. I knock gently on the door and lean against the doorpost. The door opens in less than a second and I paralyze. Another vampire? He looks shocked at me, but then he takes me by my upper arms and pulls me into the house. Shit he's going to kill me!
"Carmen! Make a fire and some hot chocolate!" He yells and I sigh internally. There's more vampires here? Hmm, what color eyes does he have?
"Sir." I mumble, too tired and cold to say it any louder. His head snaps to mine and I breathe a sigh of relief. Golden eyes. He's an animal drinker.
"Come here, miss. You're freezing. We'll make sure you warm up, okay?" He says in a soothing tone. I nod a little and relax in his arms that he has around my waist. He realizes how weak I am so he quickly scoops me up in his arms and continues further into the house. The house opens up to a huge living room and a fireplace. He places me on a blanket in front of it and a beautiful female vampire comes in and gives me a cup of hot chocolate. They get seated on the couch facing the fireplace and I just curl into a ball as I relish the warmth. I see their lips moving rapidly in the corner of my eye but ignore it. I slowly stop shaking and then I start drinking the chocolate. It warms me up even faster and soon I feel much better. I jawn a little and move so I sit with my back against the fireplace, facing them.
"Thank you." I mumble and they give me a kind smile each.
"No problem, dear, but what are you doing out in a snowstorm? Don't you know how dangerous it is for a hum- you?" The man asks and I smile a little at his almost slip-up.
"I was on my way home from work. My car broke down and I didn't have any cell reception. Your house was the first one I got to." I say and they look concerned at me but nod.
"How are you feeling? Do you need something?" The female asks and I shake my head a little.
"I'm just cold and tired, thanks." I say and they smile relieved.
The front door opens, but I don't hear any footsteps. SHIT! Not more vampires. I whine in my head, then two vampires step into the livingroom and my heart stops. They watch me closely and the male one breathes in my scent deeply, then he smirks.
"Bella." He exhales and I swallow thickly.
"Laurent." I whisper under my breath and he suddenly jumps towards me in a perfect pounce. I close my eyes and wait for him to hit… but he doesn't. I open my eyes again and see that the other male has taken a protective crouch in front of me, growling threateningly. I see that they all speak rapidly to each other, then the female vampire that came with Laurent pulls him out of the house. The two that were with me have straightened their postures and turns slowly towards me. Their human facade has dropped. I smile awkwardly at them and they study me closely.
"How do you know about us?" The man asks and I take a deep breath.
"I know the Cullens. Edward-" I forced his name out despite the pain inside me. "- and I were dating, but he left me." I continue and they look worriedly at me.
"He isn't your mate?" The man asks and I shake my head a little.
"I thought he was, but I was just a distraction for him." I mumble and they sit down on the couch again.
"Why are you here?" The man asks and I sigh.
"I really just found your house first after my car died. I didn't know you were vampires before I saw you." I say and they gasp as I say vampires. I smile amused at them and they give me a small smile back.
"Do you wish to see the Cullens again?" The man asks. I look shocked at him and nod.
"Yes." I breathe. He smiles at me and walks away with a phone, calling someone.
"Do you want to get some sleep? We don't have any beds, but you can sleep on the couch if you'd like." The woman offers, I smile a little and shake my head.
"I'm fine for now. What's your name?" I ask and she smiles apologetically.
"How rude we are. My name is Carmen and that is my mate Elazar." She says and I smile at her.
"You must be the Denali family." I mumble, mostly to myself, as I remember the Cullens talking about their cousins.
"They spoke about us?" She asks. I chuckle and nod.
"I asked if they were the only animal drinkers and they told me of their cousins in Alaska, the Denali family. I had completely forgotten about you until right now…. otherwise I would probably have tried to find you so I could find the Cullens..." I say and she smiles kindly at me.
"I don't mean to be rude, but there's something… off with your scent?" Carmen asks and I smile slightly.
"Yeah, um, I have c- cancer." I mumble and she looks pitying at me so I focus on my chocolate.
"Oh dear." She whispers and I nod a little. "Is that why you're so thin and pale?" She asks quietly. I chuckle a little and shake my head.
"No, I've been that way since he left. I have actually gained some weight since I focus on eating my food even though I don't want it." I say. She looks worriedly at me and walks closer to me.
"Come here." She holds out her hand and I take it. She pulls me up gently and leads me upstairs at a slow pace. We come into a large silver bathroom and she puts the water on for the tub. "I'll go and find some warm and dry clothes for you. Please take your time and warm up properly. Just ask if you need something, okay?" She asks in a motherly tone and I nod a little. She walks out and I undress, sliding down in the hot water. I lay there in the peaceful silence and Carmen knocks on the door telling me she leaves the clothes outside the door. I just rest there until there is another knock on the door.
"Bella." Carlisle's soft, calming voice reaches me. I exhale relieved and get out of the tub. Wrapping a robe around me.
"Come in, Carlisle." I say. He opens the door hesitantly and when he sees me he smiles weakly.
"Oh my daughter." He mumbles and opens his arms for me. I smile a little and walk straight into his arms.
"I've missed you dad." I mumble, he gasps and hugs me closer.
"You still see me as your dad?" He asks and I nod.
"I always have, always will." I mumble and he hugs me closer.
"Carmen says you have cancer." He asks softly and I nod. "You need to eat more, my daughter." He adds and I nod again.
"I lost my appetite when you left. I went catatonic." I whisper and he sighs troubled. "Are the others here?" I ask and he nods. "Can I speak with Edward?" I ask. He pulls away slightly and looks into my eyes with a tired expression.
"He hasn't hunted since we left, Bella…. He can't even stand up anymore." He says and strokes my hair calmingly.
"Please bring me to him, Carlisle." I beg and he nods a little.
"But you need to get dressed and eat first." He says sternly. I nod a little and get the clothes from outside the bathroom door. "I'll go and wait outside." He says and I nod as I start to get dressed. After I'm dressed, I hurry out to Carlisle outside the door and he walks me down to the kitchen and Esme gives me a sandwich. We talk a little and reunite but my mind stays constantly at Edward.
"Can I see Edward now?" I ask when I've taken the last bite. Carlisle nods solemnly and leads me to a small office.
"Hi sis'." Emmet boomes and hugs me. I hug him back but look paralyzed over his massive shoulders.
"Edward." I breathe and Emmet let's me down again. I walk around him and hesitantly towards Edward. He's laying in the fetal position, desperately rocking himself and making some kind of pained whimpering noise. "Edward." I mumble as I kneel beside him. He doesn't react. I caress his hair softly and he lifts his gaze. When he sees me he relaxes slightly and suddenly I'm wrapped tightly in his arms. He holds me like I'm his last hope, like I'm a teddy bear to a scared child. "Edward." I exhale relieved and bury my face in the crook of his neck. He whimpers and I dig my hands into his hair, holding him tightly.
"My mate." He mumbles, almost too quietly and quickly for me to hear. One of his hands finds its way underneath my shirt and then he growls loudly, snapping his head to the side. Emmet is standing there with a hand reached out towards us.
"MINE." Edward growls and Emmet raises his hands.
"You know she's just my sister, bro." He defends himself and Edward growls louder.
"MINE." He growls again and pulls me even tighter to his cold hard chest.
"Emmet, leave." I mumble and he hesitates.
"He's not in control of himself right now…. he might want to claim you, Bella." He says and I just nod a little.
"It's fine." I stroke Edward's hair soothingly.
"I mean he might want to have sex." Emmet clarifies bluntly and I roll my eyes.
"I know what you meant. Please leave, Emmet." I say. He sighs but walks out of the room. Edward buries his head in my hair and breathes in deeply as he caresses my waist underneath my shirt.
"Mine." He breathes and I nod.
"Only yours." I agree and he purrs pleased.
"I want to claim you, my mate." He murmurs and I rub my cheek against his head.
"I know you do, but you also want to wait until marriage." I whisper as a reminder. He sighs and holds me closer.
"My mate." He whispers. I nod and pull him closer.
"My mate." I growl back. He purrs loudly and relaxes in my arms. "You need to hunt, my mate." I whisper and he hugs me closer.
"I will not leave you." He states firmly and nuzzles my neck. "Never leave my mate." He murmurs and I run my fingers softly through his hair.
"Would you drink if they got you some blood? You can still hold me." I ask and he sighs, then he nods.
"Blood, mate, drink." He nods and I feel a little confused.
"Can Carlisle come in here with the blood?" I ask and he hums, purring louder for me. "Carlisle!" I raise my voice a little and less than a second later he opens the door. Edward stops purring and growls warningly to Carlisle. "My mate, he just needs to give you the blood. Then he can leave." I try to calm him as I run my fingers through his hair. He continues to growl, but I nod for Carlisle to come closer with it. Finally when he's close enough for Edward to reach, he puts several bottles of blood down and backs out, smiling gently to me. As soon as he's out of the room Edward's growling turns into purrs again.
"My mate, can you drink the blood for me?" I ask gently and he nods against my neck, reaching one hand out and grabbing one of the bottles. He then rearranges me so he wraps his legs around me and has me firmly against his chest, opening the bottle behind me then drinking it over my head. I relax into his chest as I hear him swallow. He continues to purr as he drinks but for each mouthful his purring becomes stronger. Soon he has drunk all the fifteen bottles and wraps his arms fully around me again.
"Do you feel better?" I whisper and he hums.
"Your scent is off." He comments and I sigh.
"Don't worry, I'm just sick." I calm him and he relaxes further.
"Take care of my mate, my mate safe, my mate here." He mumbles and I nod.
"I am. I love you, Edward." I whisper and he purrs louder.
"I love you too, Bella." He whispers in a less instinctive voice and I sigh pleased.
A few hours later, I'm still wrapped tightly in Edward's arms when there's a knock on the door.
"Edward? Bella?" Carlisle asks gently. Edward hums.
"Yes?" I ask and he opens the door gently, taking a step inside and when Edward doesn't growl he takes a few more.
"I have more blood. After Edward has taken these he should be well fed." Carlisle explains and puts down another fifteen bottles of blood right beside us. "Do you need anything, Bella?" He asks and I shake my head.
"I'm good."
"Okay, in a few hours you need to eat lunch. I'll leave you alone for a while again." He says and I give him a small smile as he walks out.
"Edward, my mate, drink the blood." I demand and he nods, opening one of the bottles and emptying it in less then a second. After all the bottles are empty he suddenly jerks, holding me a little tighter.
"Bella." He breathes, caressing my hair softly. "Oh, I'm so sorry I left you, Bella." He whispers and I realise he isn't completely instinctive anymore.
"Sssh." I coe as I hug him tightly. "I know you're sorry and that you have missed me and that you love me. I love you too, I missed you too." I comfort him and he pulls away a little so he can meet my eyes. His eyes are red, ah, it must have been human blood in the bottles. He looks completely exhausted but also extremely happy and in love. He rests his forehead against mine and breathes in deeply. He stills.
"You have…" He can't finish the sentence. I caress his hair softly.
"Cancer, yes." I confirm and he makes some kind of whining dying sound.
"Can't die, can't lose my mate again, pain, anguish." His voice is broken, small, fragile but at the same time I hear the possessiveness.
"Don't worry, my mate. We will change me before I die. I won't leave you. I won't die." I coe, running my fingers through his hair again to calm him down. Suddenly he freezes again and gazes into my eyes with wonder.
"You… still… want to be changed?" He whispers, hope in his eyes and I smile softly, nodding.
"Yes, Edward. If I'm with you, I want to be changed." I assure him and he exhales relieved.
"I love you, Bella. I'm sorry about my vampire side, but it was so painful… being away from you killed me." He whispers and I caress his cheek as he caresses mine.
"I love you too, both sides of you. I don't mind the possessiveness, protectiveness, the touching or the purring. I love all of you Edward and it was painful for me as well." I whisper and bring my lips to his gently. He purrs quietly as our lips meet, but I can feel that his body is tense.
"Go on, love, purr for me." I whisper above his lips before kissing him again. He purrs louder, tangling his hands in my hair to kiss me rougher, more demanding. After a few seconds, he breaks away from the kiss and continues to kiss my face and neck instead as I gasp for air.
"Mine, my love." He purrs, not in the instinctive voice but in his own. I hum pleased.
"Yours, Edward." I whisper and he purrs louder. Then he rests his head over my heart and just listens to my heartbeat.
"We should go out to our family. Where are we? I can smell the Denalis? Are we in Alaska?" He asks quietly and I sigh, hugging him closer.
"I guess we should. Carlisle will probably want me to eat soon anyway. We are in Alaska, at their house. My car broke down and this was the first house I came to… they took me in and found out I knew about them and then they asked if I wanted all of you to come." I explain and he nods, standing up with me cradled in his arms.
"Shall we get out to the family? The rest of them seem excited to see you again." He whispers and I nod, resting my head pressed against his shoulder. He kisses me quickly before he opens the door and carries me out to the living room.
"Bella!" Alice bounces in her seat as she sees me. I smile at her and wave, but don't make any effort to get out of Edward's arms. I feel that he's not ready to let me go.
"Hi everyone." I greet them and they smile gently.
"Bella, I'm sorry about your birthday-" Jasper begins but I interrupt him, shaking my head.
"It's not your fault, Jasper. It's as much your fault attacking me as me getting a papercut, both were accidents and in our nature." I say. He smiles gently to me, I smile back so he relaxes and sends me a wave of gratitude and brotherly love. I smile even more and nod.
"I would like to apologize for how I treated you. I was jealous and didn't agree with your choices. I hope you can forgive me and that we can start over." Rosalie says and I smile surprised at her, then I nod.
"Of course, Rosalie."
"Please, my family calls me Rose." She smiles and I grin, nodding.
"Rose." I confirm and then I meet Carlisle's eyes. He looks worried. I sigh and nod. "Yes, Carlisle, you can take over my care until I'm ready to be changed and yes I will eat lunch now." I state, he smiles relieved and lovingly to me.
"Thank you, Bella. Esme has prepared some lunch for you. Could you go and get it, beloved?" He intends the last to Esme, who nods with a smile and walks towards the kitchen. "Have you been introduced to everyone?" He asks me and I shake my head.
"Only Carmen and Elazar." I state, with a small smile to each of them.
"This is Tanya, Kate and Irena." He gestures to each blond and they nod as he says their name. "And Irena's mate- '' Laurent walks in through the door with a polite smile, purposely avoiding to look at me. As soon as Edward recognizes him he growls loudly, flings me onto his back and crouches in a defencive stance. I see Carlisle trying to talk him down, too quiet for me, but I can see his lips moving rapidly. I rest my head on Edward's shoulder and stroke his chest in calming movements.
"Ssh, love. It's okay. He won't hurt me, you're here to protect me. Our family is here. You know they won't let me get hurt." With each word I coe his muscles relax a little until he finally gets out of his crouch, pulling me around his waist so I have my face buried in his chest and his arms are wrapped protectively around me. He nuzzles my neck and purrs quietly for me. Several gasps are heard and I look up to see what's wrong. They are staring wide eyed and open mouthed on us. Carlisle and Esme are embracing each other tightly, venom in their eyes.
"What?" I ask quietly as I breathe in Edward's scent deeply. Carlisle smiles gently and takes a deep breath before he explains.
"A vampire can only purr for their true mate and I never heard of a vampire being able to purr for their human mate." He explains and I quirk an eyebrow.
"And you have heard about many human mates?" I ask and he smiles sheepishly.
"You are right, I haven't heard about many, but typically both must be vampires and fully mated before purring is possible." He explains and I nod a little, then I bury my face in Edward's chest again. Edward breathes my scent in deeply one more time before looking down to meet my eyes.
"Are you okay now, my mate?" I murmur, he smiles gently and nods.
"Let's get you some lunch." He states, getting seated with me as far away from Laurent as possible, in between Emmet and Jasper. Esme gives me the plate as I'm seated sideways on Edward and I smile grateful as I start eating gently. I am actually hungry, I can actually feel the taste again. I moan softly as I taste it, causing Edward to purr and nuzzle my neck. Emmet chuckles beside us.
"None of that foreplay, kids!" He exclaims and I grin at him, resting my head on Edward's as Edward spreads kisses all over my neck and collarbones.
"Don't complain, Emmet. I have seen you and Rose do much worse." I tease and he grins.
"Touche. I'm glad to have you back, little one." He smiles as he pats my head, causing Edward to still for a few seconds before he continues kissing me. "I never thought I would see Eddie all possessive and vampy, he was always all that 'what if I scare her away, she's too good' bla bla bla." Emmet mimics his voice with a high pitch, causing me to laugh as I eat.
"Don't call me Eddie." Edward growls, causing everyone to laugh.
"Stop teasing, Emmet." Esme chasties with a wide smile, showing how she doesn't really mind. Emmet starts whining and as everyone starts bantering I continue to eat, studying their happy and relaxed familiarity with a smile. I have missed my family. I see Esme smiling as well and she mouths 'thank you' as she meets my eyes. I smile gently to her and mouth back 'I've missed you, mom'. She beams and mouths back that she missed me too, then she crawls into Carlisle's arms. He automatically embraces her and rests his head on top of hers, gently rubbing her arm. After a few hours, Edward stops nuzzling and kissing my neck, getting back more to his usual self and starts bantering alongside with the others. I sigh pleased and cuddle deeper in his chest, causing him to purr louder for me and hold me a little tighter but never quitting the bantering. I yawn and close my eyes contently. I'm finally home again.
AN: After this everything will work out as it should. Bella and Edward will get married and then Bella will be changed.
