Hello, lovely people! I've been writing a lot these days and I am loving every bit of it. I am really thankful that I can share the ramblings of my mind with you.

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The hunting itself didn't take long. Emmett and Jasper took down a bear and a mountain lion and decided to share. I stood on the sidelines, waiting for them to finish. As I stood there, I couldn't help but think about Bella and Alice - more specifically, how Bella was going to handle everything. They were probably hunting as well. However, in a few hours, my wife was going to be dragged through lots of boutiques and stores and encounter many humans along the way. Alice was going to see if anything bad was going to happen just in time to take Bella away, but there were still so many 'what if's haunting my mind.

"Worrying will get you nowhere," Jasper said, approaching me.

Emmett was still devouring whatever blood was left in the bear that he took down.

"And don't underestimate Alice."

"I wouldn't dare, Jazz."

His presence was enough to disperse my concerns - at least for the time being.

"If it helps, Alice had done nothing but look through visions of her and Bella going to the mall while you were gone."

I chuckled.

"If she hadn't, I wouldn't have allowed this little trip to happen," I said.

"Ease up, being controlling will get you nowhere fast."

"You're right," I admitted, exactly when Emmett joined us.

The bear fight left him unscathed. His shirt looked as smooth and wrinkle-free as when he left the house.

"Still thinking about how your woman will provoke a carnage in the mall?" he asked gleefully.

I growled.

"Don't push it, Em," Jasper warned.

Emmett raised his hands up in the air, in a defensive gesture, and said:

"Someone here is not in the mood for jokes."

"Maybe bro needs to get his rocks off."

"Speaking of which," I said, my tone unabashedly harsh. "Rosalie seemed to be upset all afternoon, Emmett. Care to apply the same logic there?"

He began laughing and sat down in the grass, next to us.

"Okay, but if we're being serious, you said Bella was completely cool on the road back home."

"Well, not completely," I pursed my lips. "She did try to get out of the car when she first smelled human blood. I stopped her just in time."

"You wouldn't have stopped me if I was a newborn," Emmet said.

"I mean, come on, if she wanted to, she would have pushed you away easily."

Now that I thought about it, he wasn't wrong. Bella manoeuvred me with no effort when we were in that valley, making love. She could have easily broken my grip when I stopped her from jumping out of the car if she wanted to, but she didn't. She had made the deliberate decision not to.

"Emmett's right," Jasper said.

"Although it is strange how well she conducts herself. It took me a full year to get where she is…"

"And consider this," Emmett intervened. "The timing is just perfect: it is Monday and it is noon. Most people are working right now, so the mall is probably not that crowded anyway."

"They'll be back in no time. But until they do, you've got some explaining to do."

I truly had. They had been polite enough not to ask about my red eyes when Bella was present, so I owed them that much.

Whenever any of us broke the unwritten rule regarding our diet, discussions ensued. The last time it happened was in 1986. It was late August when Jasper lost his control after a Queen concert. The particularly honey-like smell of a redheaded teen had caught him unprepared. He followed the poor girl out of the stadium and on to a dark alley. She had no chance against his blinding thirst. Alice had been devastated for a whole year after, although she rarely expressed it.

What happened between me and Bella was a different story though. I had something that neither of us had when we strayed from our path in the past: consent. This had to mean something - or so I hoped. There was no judgement in their thoughts, only curiosity.

"I must admit I am surprised Alice kept her mouth shut from you, Jasper," I began.

He flashed a smile, rolling his eyes.

"She can keep a secret when she really wants to."

"Alice knew? Kinky!"

"Alice saw my intentions," I emphasized. "I had no escape from her freaking gift."

"Did she go full-on crazy-midget mode when she saw it?"

Emmett's question had a quick consequence in the form of Jasper's fist punching his stomach.

"Something like that," I said when they were done throwing punches at each other. "She was pissed. But then she also saw me stopping in each of her visions. I guess this is why she didn't try to talk me out of it - or at least tell Carlisle about my intentions."

"Quite the gatekeeper," Jasper was impressed.

"Okay, bro, but did Bella know?"

"Yes. Although not from the beginning."

"Sneaky boy."

"I didn't tell her at first. I was still oscillating between not doing what I wanted at all and doing it without telling her."

I felt ashamed to admit the latter, but I knew they would understand.

"Fair enough," Jasper said, and his thoughts reflected his words. "So why did you tell her?"

"Maybe to give you an incentive to stop?"

"No," I answered Emmett's mental question before Jasper's spoken one. "If I didn't, she would have been nothing more than my prey."

"A vampire seeking consent, that's new," Jazz murmured.

His thoughts wandered back to that fateful night in 1986. The memory was still intact in his head, although tainted with shame. Back then, he didn't say a word to that redhead. The whole thing happened so fast, she didn't even have time to scream. I couldn't say the same about my Bella. She did scream - a lot. Remembering each detail of her suffering was torture, but I forced myself to endure it. It was nothing compared to what she had felt.

"But real talk, dude," Emmett said. "Tell me what it was like to finally do it."

Mind-blowingly delicious. Incredibly taboo. Wildly arousing. Everything I had hoped for.

"I don't think words could ever capture that experience," I said. "You see, back in my rebellious phase, I only drank the blood of murderers, as you both know. But their blood never held such a power over me. And I wasn't in love with them, of course."

"I don't know how you did stop," Jasper said, his voice almost a whisper.

"I mean she smelled amazing. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that. But she did. Damn this, sorry!"

"Jazz," I tried to interrupt the despair in his thoughts. "It's fine. And I don't know either. I've never experienced such a frenzy in my entire existence. The truth is… She had to call out my name. Twice."

As ashamed as I was to admit that out loud, it felt liberating to be honest with them. Their eyes were understanding, just like their thoughts. And up until that moment, I didn't realize how much I actually needed to get it all out. To face what I had done, so that I could move on.

"I'm willing to bet you've been all moody with Bella after," Emmett smirked.

I nodded.

"Poor thing. Getting turned and having to console your angsty ass, all in the span of two days."

They both laughed and I couldn't help but do the same.

The rest of the day went by in a haze. We talked about Cardiff and we teased Jasper for being the only highschooler in our trio. He took it like a champion, but he made sure to tell Emmett that if he was going to flunk his classes as much as he did when he studied at the University of Alaska in the '90s, Rosalie might kick him out of the house this time around. We raced a couple more times and Emmett decided that it might be a good idea to throw boulders at me, so that he could slow me down. I still won, but we left an awful lot of broken boulders behind us.

Back home, things were quiet. Carlisle was in his office, catching up on the latest studies on MRSA, while Esme and Rosalie were in the living room. Esme was completely lost into painting an imaginary landscape when we arrived. A big smile blossomed on her face when she saw us.

"My boys are back!"

She studied me from head to toe. My ruffled hair amused her, but my eyes drew her attention more. I heard the same motherly concern in her thoughts as I did when I saw her this morning.

"He'll tell me when he's ready."

"Have you had fun?"

"I would assume they did, going by the noise they made," Rosalie smiled, raising her glance from the book she was reading.

To be fair, Emmett throwing boulders after me wasn't exactly a discreet activity.

"This one doesn't play fair," he said, pointing at me.

"I wasn't the one throwing things at you to slow you down, okay?"

Esme's smile widened as she watched us quarrel, but her mind was still tinted with unspoken worry. She didn't deserve this. The sooner I gave her the explanation she deserved, the better.

"Let's go for a walk, Esme," I said and her eyebrows arched up in surprise.

"Sooner than expected."

"Of course, dear!"

We didn't venture far. We walked along the river bank, behind the house. Being the lady that she was, she didn't bring up the subject and instead allowed me to do it on my own terms. After having discussed it all afternoon with Emmett and Jasper, it felt easier now to do it, so it didn't take me long.

Esme listened carefully, without interrupting me. She only spoke when I finished:

"I think you're not giving yourself enough credit."

I was puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"You kept on saying that you only stopped after Bella called your name the second time."

"It is the truth," I said.

"I know, but you might be missing my point. You did the stopping on your own."

"That's not…"

She didn't let me finish:

"And you would have stopped anyway. I am sure of it. I know you too well, Edward."

"Of course you're saying that, you're my mother," I mumbled.

"I am not saying it just because. You're a good man."

Her thoughts matched her speech perfectly and I couldn't believe how lucky I was. Her maternal love was a gift that kept on giving and I made a mental note to never take it for granted.

As she reached out to hug me, we heard the low purr of Alice's car getting closer. It was probably a few miles away, but I was convinced that if my heart wasn't frozen, it would've jumped out of my chest from the excitement of Bella's return.

"They sound fine," Esme murmured, as the low mumble of their conversation approached us. "Although Bella probably needs a good break. Let's go say hi!"

A few minutes later, we were in the garage, where Alice had parked her lavender Porsche. She got out of the car, jingled a hasty 'hello' and went straight to the trunk of the car, where she had carefully put dozens of bags full of clothes.

When Bella got out of the car, my breath got stuck in the back of my throat. I had no idea how it happened, but I knew I had to thank Alice for that.

Bella was wearing a sleeveless cornflower blue dress, that draped perfectly over every curve of her body. It was low cut - not enough to be indecent, but just enough for the delicate contour of her breasts to tantalize me. The skirt was shaped somewhat like a tulip and it revealed a good portion of her right thigh as it flowed down to her calves. As my eyes wandered to her feet, I noticed that she wore cream-coloured stilettos. They were the same colour as her pale skin.

She smiled when she saw my longing gaze.

"You look beautiful, Bella," Esme said.

"Thanks! It turns out heels aren't the worst when you can actually walk in them without falling over every other step. Although I'd still take my sneakers any day."

In a second, I was standing right next to her, studying her up-close. Her eyes were an odd mixture of brown and red, after the venom dissolved the pigment of the contact lenses Alice made her wore.

"I think 'beautiful' does not even begin to cover how you look right now, Bella," I whispered and I leaned down to kiss her. Her scent was heavenly. "You are absolute perfection."

"It took a lot of convincing on my part, but as you can all see, it was absolutely worth it," Alice chirped, evidently proud of herself.

I couldn't agree more. We were definitely not staying inside the house that night. The things I wanted to do to her as she was wearing that dress couldn't possibly have any hearing witnesses. And I needed some chains for what I had in mind.

My excitement almost made me forget the most important question:

"So how was today?"

"You really don't have to worry. She did more than okay."

"I think it would've been a lot harder if Alice didn't bring me to those mountain lions," Bella said, humble as always.

"I am proud of you," I told her.

"The mall wasn't crowded anyway. Still, she turned every head."

Of course she did. It was all too easy to be completely blown away when you saw her.

"Did you find something nice for you?" Esme asked.

"I actually did. Plus a ton of stuff that Alice thinks looks nice on me."

"If they're anything like this dress, you'll be just fine, dear!"

"But we are not done yet," Alice pointed out from where she was standing. "We've still got items on my list that we didn't get to check today. Like coats and skirts."

Bella looked completely horrified.

"I really don't know about the skirts..." she said.

"Last I checked you thought the same about dresses and look at you now!"

"Just because I am wearing one now doesn't mean it is now my favourite thing to wear," she hissed. "It's not even in my top five."

"We'll see about that."

Alice finally managed to get all the bags out of the car. I offered to help her take them upstairs, to our room. She accepted, but she insisted she didn't need my help with unpacking and shooed me away. I obliged, but I had already heard in her mind why she didn't want me there: she had bought lots of lingerie for Bella and she wanted it to be all a surprise. Well, to hell with my gift.

Downstairs, in the living room, Emmett was already interrogating Bella about her day. I took this as an opportunity to put my less noble plan into motion. I went once again to the garage, straight to my winter toolbox. And there they were, just as I remembered: the snow chains for my tyres. Made of steel and as durable as I needed them to be. I took them out carefully, hoping no one was listening to what I was doing, and I put them in a small box.

After that, I grabbed a lamp from the shelf where we kept the lanterns. When everything was ready, I took the box and the lamp outside and threw them in the backseat of my Volvo. Bella was in for quite a surprise.

"What was that all about?" Emmett asked, when I returned.

"You're fidgeting, bro. All good?"

"Had to check the tank for gas, as I was planning to take Bella out tonight," I replied nonchalantly.

"Where do you wanna take me?"

"I'm not telling you, it's a surprise."

I flashed her a smile. She rose up from where she was standing, her hand reaching out to meet mine.

"Oh, God, you're taking her to that spooky cabin, aren't you?" Emmett was graceful enough not to say it out loud.

I nodded a silent 'yes' in his direction. Years ago, when Emmett and I went hunting for some elks, we stumbled upon a cabin on our way home. Made of ebony and, strangely enough, with only one window, the cabin looked all but abandoned in the middle of the forest. Back then, I joked and told him that this is the perfect place for his escapades with Rosalie. His response was that Rose wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that.

"Should I change? Is this too much?" Bella asked.

Yes, it was too much, since we weren't going anywhere fancy that night. But no, I didn't want her to change, because she looked a thousand shades of tempting in that dress and I felt all sorts of greedy.

"No, you'll be just fine," I assured her. "Come on, we'll take the car."

"Be good, kids," Emmett smiled. "Don't hurt yourselves."

"If that cabin still stands when you're finished, I'll be impressed."

I rolled my eyes at him as we got out of the house. With each step Bella took, the skirt of the dress revealed the soft flesh of her right thigh, inviting me to take way too many peeks. I put one arm around her, pulling her closer to me while we walked to the car. I opened the door for her, watching as she slid inside without tripping on her stilettos, as she most likely would have done back if she was still human.

"You never cease to amaze me, Mrs. Cullen."

"Is that so?" she smiled.

As I started the car, Bella took out her contact lenses. They were almost transparent now.

"You haven't told me about your day," she said.

"There wasn't much to say," I admitted. "I went hunting with Jasper and Emmett. Well, they did, I watched."

"Still not thirsty?"

For blood, no. For her, yes.

"Still not. I can't say I miss it."

She nodded knowingly.

"But how were those mountain lions?" I asked.

"Definitely better than the mountain goats."

"Glad to know we share the same great taste."

We laughed at the novelty of our conversation and I was once again convinced that I was the luckiest man alive. Was it possible to get a taste of the forbidden fruit and not get kicked out of Heaven? God, I hoped yes.

Half an hour later, we were at the entrance of the forest where Emmett and I had found the ebony cabin. We had to hike a little, but it was an easy trail. Bella seemed confused.

"I thought you said I was dressed appropriately."

"Oh, that," I grinned. "Well, you are - at least for what I had in mind."

I grabbed the small box and the lamp from the backseat, watching as Bella's confusion grew stronger.

"What's in there?"

"Patience, my love. You will get your answer soon."

I hid the box in the back of my jeans.

"I think you might want to take your shoes off for the next part, so you don't ruin them - that is only if you don't want me to carry you, of course," I said.

"I'm not a clumsy human anymore, Edward, I'll do that myself."

I blinked and her shoes were no longer there. She was holding them in one hand.

"You lead the way."

It didn't take long at all to reach our destination. The cabin was still there, still abandoned, covered in more moss than I remembered. I looked at Bella, to catch her reaction.

"You know some places," she muttered.

"What?"

"You know some places - that's what you said when I asked you about what we were going to do back in Forks. So this is one of those places, right?"

"Yes. I know it is anything but fancy, but..."

"I hate fancy and you know that."

"Exactly."

She turned around, to stare in my eyes. Even in the darkness, her beauty was unbearable. I grazed her cheek with my fingers, still surprised when she didn't blush.

"I've missed you today," I admitted.

"I've missed you too, you have no idea… I love Alice, but she became a little too much at some point."

"I can imagine. Then again, she did pick this dress..."

"You like it?"

"That's the understatement of the year."

She pressed her body on mine and a small wail escaped her lips when she felt how hard I was.

"See how much I like it?"

Shamelessly, I grabbed her ass and grinded against the soft fabric that covered her body.

"Put your shoes back on," I ordered softly, my hand still cupping her left buttock.

"Why?"

"Because it turns me on to see you wearing them," I answered simply.

She pulled away, biting her lip, and did as I told.

"Any other requests?"

"Plenty, love. Close your eyes."

Once again, she listened to me. I turned on the lamp and I stepped towards the cabin, trying the door. When it didn't move, I forced it out of its hinges. It made a weeping noise and I propped it against the outside wall, so it didn't fall.

"Now I want you to come inside with me. But don't open your eyes."

She stepped with confidence, not needing any guidance, but I kept one hand on her waist regardless. I let the lamp rest on the floor, from where it enveloped the inside of the cabin in weird patterns of light and shadow, revealing a double bed with a dusty mattress in a corner and a desk that looked very much collapsable in the other. In the back of the room, there was a door, which most likely led to a bathroom. Part of me wanted to know more about whoever had inhabited that place and whatever reason had made them leave.

The other part ached like crazy to possess Bella.

I stood behind her, studying the graceful curvature of her hips. With her heels on, she was taller, but still much smaller than me, the top of her head barely surpassing my chin. But there was an obvious advantage to her new height. One that I only began to appreciate then, as I was standing behind her: I didn't have to bend down to push my hard member on her ass.

"Tell me something now," I said, pressing against her.

"What do you want to know?"

My right hand found its way to her neck and grabbed it gently, holding her still.

"I want to know about all that lingerie you bought."

She held her breath.

"When did you…"

"Alice tried to hide it, but her thoughts couldn't."

I squeezed the base of her neck, before moving my hand further down, to her clavicle. Bella's shallow breaths awakened every fibre in my body, making me painfully aware of how much I needed her. Even in vampire form, she still had the same drug-like effect on me.

"When will I get to see you in it?" I asked.

She moaned when she felt my hands sliding underneath the fabric of the dress, right on her plump breasts. I was more than pleased to find that she wasn't wearing a bra. She didn't need one anyway. However, I wasn't sure if I could keep my teasing any longer.

"I-I don't know… Can I open my eyes yet?"

"Ah, wrong answer, my love - and to answer your question, no, you can not," I whispered, allowing my lips to roam on the side of her neck and inhaling its splendid fragrance.

I let go of her breasts, so that I could grab the box from the back of my jeans. I opened it, and the chains rustled menacingly when I took them out.

"What is that?" Bella asked.

I let my actions do the talking, as I grabbed her wrists tightly with one hand and I started to twist the chains around them with the other. Bella gasped when she realized what was going on. Months ago, I had mentioned in passing that I would love to tie her up and please her for hours. Back then, she begged me to do it, but I felt it was only safe to enjoy this particular fantasy when she was a vampire as well.

"Open your eyes," I said, turning her around so that she could face me.

She did. Her hands were tied up behind her back, up to her elbows.

"This is a surprise," she said.

"We've waited long enough for this, love. Remember how much you wanted it when you were human?"

"Oh, that I remember. I got so wet back then, when you told me you wanted to do this..."

Impossible to forget.

"How about now?"

"Even more."

She bit her lip and it was the most carnal sight.

"You're so beautiful," I murmured, getting lost in the red pools of her eyes. "I want you naked."

Alice was going to hate me for this, but I had no choice. With Bella's hands tied up, there was only one way to get her out of her dress. I ripped it, starting from the slit on her leg and ending right on her cleavage. The dress fell down to the ground with a soft sound, and Bella remained still in front of me, wearing absolutely nothing but her cream-coloured heels.

"Oh, Bella..." I moaned when I realized she hadn't been wearing any underwear this whole time. This was even better than what I had imagined. I fell down on my knees in front of her, using my hands to part her legs and look at her. She was dripping wet, glistening in the warm light of the lamp. With no underwear to catch it, the liquid of her arousal had managed to get on the inside of her thighs.

"Alice said that underwear would ruin the lining of the dress," she whispered, her tone bashful.

I was unable to speak in front of such splendour. It was impossible to resist any further, so I reached out to kiss her between her legs. Her entire body quivered when she felt my lips there. This was usually the time when she grabbed my hair, but she could no longer do that.

"Oh, Edward..." this was the only thing she could do as I gave it my all to please her: moan my name and give in to all the overwhelming sensations. Again and again and again.

Her clitoris was pulsing like crazy and, in her extreme state of arousal, it only took a couple more flicks of my tongue to send her down spiraling. She came fast and strong, begging me for more before her orgasm was even finished. She didn't have to, because my tongue was already working hard on her clitoris again. This time, I let two fingers slide inside her warm opening and I began moving them up and down.

"Please, Edward… I want you inside," she managed between her delightful whimpers.

"We're a little greedy, love, aren't we?" I chuckled.

I picked up my pace, inserting one more finger.

"This isn't pleasing you, Bella?" I asked, my lips pressed to her clitoris.

I laughed darkly. She got wetter.

"It is...Oh, God, Edward, it is, but..." she wasn't able to finish her sentence.

"This isn't enough for you?" I insisted, before letting my tongue circle her clitoris.

"Oh, it is, please..."

"Then you will come again," I demanded. "Right now. Let go, my love."

Her next orgasm was accompanied by a loud scream on her part. It made my erection tense up, reminding me of how much I wanted to fill her up. She was begging me to do so, her voice so desperate that it sounded like she was crying.

"Okay, on your knees, Bella," I commanded.

She obliged immediately. I went behind her, grabbing her hips, unzipping my jeans and letting my member graze her ass.

"Do you feel how hard I am for you?"

"Yes, Edward..." the words came out like a purr. "Please, please, I want you..."

I gave her a light spanking, before telling her to spread her legs more, to have better access. Now that she couldn't use her elbows to prop herself into a more comfortable position, I knew I had to offer her some support. With one hand draped around her chest and another tangled in her hair, I entered her body.

The roar that ripped from my chest upon feeling her warm wet walls surrounding me sounded animalistic. I pushed hard and deep, with a movement so rough that I would have hurt her to the point of bleeding if she was still human. But now that she wasn't, all that she could feel was pure delight as she took in my every inch.

I had barely had the chance to push a few times when I felt her walls contracting around me violently and her whole body trembling.

"Coming already, my love?" I asked, not once stopping, my voice obviously pleased. "Mmmmm, you insatiable little thing..."

She groaned and came undone as I continued to move. I didn't offer her the chance to recover. I pulled her hair, revealing her appetizing neck, and I bit hard. That's when I lost it and began pumping like a maniac. My release came soon and it was everything I had hoped for. My venom gushed inside Bella in waves, hitting her cervix, flowing down to her folds and on to the wooden floor.

"God, Bella, I don't know what you're doing to me," I blurted out, still inside of her.

And I truly couldn't comprehend how she could bring me to orgasm, yet make me feel like I still needed more of her. It was unnatural. Her very existence was a drug.

"Do it again, Edward..."

"Yes," I agreed, moving in and out. "But this time on your beautiful face."

She made an irresistible noise of approval when she heard my idea. I got out of her and stood up, so that I could stay in front of her. She looked at me with pleading eyes, as I grabbed my erection with one hand. I let the other hand trace the contour of her lips, before letting my index finger slip inside her mouth.

"Ready?" I asked, starting to rub up and down my length in front of her eyes.

She nodded a silent 'yes', watching me and sucking on my finger.

Lots of thoughts were roaming through my mind at that moment, but one was more powerful than any other: if there was a Heaven out there, this was the closest I was ever going to get to it.


So what do you think? If you have any thoughts - small or big, positive or negative - about this chapter, they are more than welcome :). Your feedback never fails to make my day!

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