The response I got for the last chapter was astounding and has got me up to 200 reviews! Thank you to everyone who made my day and sent me a review!
Thanks to bribes I'm giving you a second chapter this week.
While you read I'm going to be enjoying my cookies and naked Damon ;)
Huge thanks must go to my very quick beta ArabellaWhitlock :)
Hope you enjoy!
Firework
Peppy
"Bella." That one word stopped me dead, that voice, that voice that I'd recognise anywhere. Why was he here, why now? Why when I'd started to get my life back together.
I turned shocked to see the boy who'd haunted my thoughts and my nightmares for a whole year. Who had destroyed me.
He was unchanged, of course he was. His eyes were still molten gold, his face still seemed to be chisled out of marble by the hands of gods themselves, his bronze hair was still artfully dishevelled. But instead of these things causing my heart to flutter, now they caused it to drop.
"Edward?" I asked surprised, what!? He was here? Why was he here, how was he here? Why now? So many questions were running through my mind right then, but most were marred by shock.
"What are you doing here?" My voice sounded like it was making an accusation out of the question.
"Edward? Your ex?" Damon asked me, his startling blue eyes turning into icy hard diamonds.
"That would be the one." I muttered back angrily, turning to gaze briefly at Damon as I did, Edward coming ever closer.
"I'm sorry... I just couldn't not see you..." Edward said, stopping at the bottom of the porch, his usually golden eyes starting to turn quickly to black. That wasn't going to be good.
"Well that's great, but you've managed just fine for the last year. Why are you in Mystic Falls? You normally hate the hot weather, right?" My voice was coming out as snarky as some of Damon's comments did.
"We came here looking for an old friend of ours. Maybe you remember him, Laurent?" So that's why they came, bet Alice had a vision, I wondered if they knew they were too late to save him? Obviously not or they wouldn't still be here? Right? "I couldn't stop myself from coming to see you while we were here my love."
My anger flared, my blood burnt, my vision turned a fiery, angry red. How dare he!
"Do not call me that." I said in a low voice, almost a hiss, my words came out venomous in my fury. "I am not your love." I spat. A smirk almost gracing my face as I saw the jackass flinch, as I saw him take a minuscule step backwards. I wasn't coming across as such a weak, pitiful human anymore.
"I... I... I was hoping we could... Talk... Alone?" Edward asked looking between Damon and me, his face, his voice, hesitant, almost scared. I'm not going to lie, it did give me a vindictive pleasure to see and hear.
"No." Damon said, his voice harsh and clipped, his lips drawing back over his teeth in his instinctive fury.
"I was asking Bella." Edward snapped, his voice almost coming out harsh as well, but the hurt and worry from my verbal anger still present. "Can we talk?"
"Didn't you hear me? No." Damon sounded threatening now, his voice low, dangerous, and sexy too.
"Bella?" Edward asks cutting into my silence. "What does he speak for you?" He asked like the petulant child he really was.
"No. I've just been lucky enough to find someone who can read my mind." I said with a smirk that I just couldn't hold back, childish but I wanted to cut this boy just a little. I was rewarded with another visible flinch.
I heard the door opening behind us, turning to see Alaric stepping out with Jenna behind him. Their acting skills were pretty damn good as they look shocked and confused to see all three of us stood outside. Especially as I knew Caroline would have been telling them everything that was going on out here.
Alaric looked from Damon and I to Edward. His 'teacher' persona instantly plastered across his face. "Hi! I don't recognise you. You must be new to town. I'm Alaric, history teacher at Forks High, Bella's uncle and Damon's friend. I can see you've all been introduced." He said with an easy going smile spread across his face, but his eyes still held a hardness to them that was normally reserved for Damon whenever I was with him.
"Yes sir, me and my family were just passing through, looking around the town. It's a beautiful area. I'm Edward by the way." Edward said, instantly trying to butter up Alaric, but I could see right through him, and so could everyone else stood there.
"Thank you. So, how did you happen to meet Damon and Bella?" Alaric asked.
"I... Er..." Edward started looking really uncomfortable now.
"Uncle Ric, this is my ex boyfriend Edward." I told Alaric, not holding my anger back in my words. As though we'd rehearsed this Jenna and Ric whipped round to face Edward again, this time with their own fury and disgust clearly spread across their faces for him to see. God I loved my family.
I swear the moment was being better choreographed than a tv soap opera as just then the door opened once more, this time out stepped Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy. All of them stepping out on to the now very crowed porch.
"Hey? What's going on?" Jeremy asked, looking at Ric and Jenna's furious faces. Had everyone been to acting classes or was the drama department at school just really freaking good?
"Bella, how about you make the introductions?" Jenna asked me, her fiery eyes never leaving Edward who should have been scorched where he stood right now. His face held a mixture of confusion, worry and hurt. I wondered what he had to be worried about? He thought he was invincible stood here, surely? It wasn't like he knew that Damon, Caroline and Bonnie could kill him in a second. Right?
"Sure."I replied to Jenna with a smile. I could see this was about to get more interesting. "This is Edward. Edward, this is my Uncle Ric and Aunt Jenna as you know. My cousin Jeremy. My friends Caroline and Bonnie. And Damon my..." I trailed off, what was he? My friend? Crush? Antagoniser? Best friend? How did I introduce the dark haired vampire?
Luckily Damon took care of that problem for me. "Boyfriend." He told Edward, his voice hard but his touch soft as he wrapped a gentle hand around my waist and pulled me carefully into his side.
I saw the gathered people on the porch all turn to look at Damon and me, but ignored them, the feeling of elation running through me the only thing I could concentrate on right now. Damon said he was my boyfriend! I mean sure he was my best friend, and sure I had deep, deep feelings for him. And the kiss, that kiss was mind blowing! But I didn't think that he'd want me like that! That he'd want me to be exclusively his and vice versa. I was seriously on cloud nine right at that moment.
"You're boyfriend?" Edward gasped out, sounding like he was in immense pain and dragging me out of my happy place.
"Yes. Boyfriend." I said while looking up at the man in question with a smile. His eyes though were still glued to Edward, shooting daggers at him which I'm guessing Damon was wishing weren't so metaphorical.
"Sorry was there something you wanted?" Ric asked Edward while I was making the googly eyes at Damon, my heart singing in my chest.
"I wanted... to speak with... Bella... for a moment." I heard Edward say, his voice as broken as my heart had been when he so cruelly dumped me and took his family with him. I tore my eyes away from Damon to watch this train wreck, it wasn't something I wanted to miss. I wanted to watch my payback.
Sure enough Edward looked as heart broken as he sounded, his now almost totally black eyes were down cast and had venom in them that looked as though it was close to shedding, impossible as that was. His stunning face was so distraught it looked as bad as a kids that had been told father christmas had been killed so christmas was cancelled forever now.
Ric nodded once, his face stern and angry, a look I rarely saw upon his usually carefree face. He turned on his foot and walked back into the house, no answer given.
I turned my head briefly to see what the rest of my family were doing during this really uncomfortable meeting.
Everyone else, including Jenna were stood around me, making a semi-circle behind me and Damon, they all had their arms crossed and were all glaring at the cold-one stood in front of them. The sight was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I was right where I belonged. Where my family and friends literally had my back during the worst moments of my life, stood behind me all the way, supporting me and helping me.
Alaric came back outside in record timing holding a jacket and pair of gloves out to me with a slight glint to his eyes.
Confused I took them. As soon as I'd got hold of the gloves though I understood and almost started laughing. Almost.
"Wrap up warm. It's cold out here." Ric told me shortly. "Don't be long, and we're just inside if you need us."
"Like hell..." Damon started to complain to Ric, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Damon, give them a minute." When Damon's face didn't change and he didn't move Ric sighed before saying softly. "Trust me." Damon thought about it for a second before nodding once. But anyone could see he wasn't happy with it. Especially me.
"Shout us if you need us Bella we'll be just inside the door." Caroline said quietly to me before glaring at Edward. "Jackass." She hissed just under her breath, knowing that he could hear her, even if he didn't know she knew that.
"Thanks Care." I said with a smile as she touched my shoulder supportively and headed back in to the house.
"Jerk." Jeremy muttered catching on fast. He also briefly placed a supportive hand on me before heading inside.
"Dick." Bonnie whispered before looking at me with intense sincerity. "I'm here if you need me B." She said with conviction before following Jer into the house. I just felt more and more love from these people, people I called family.
"We'll be here Bella. Don't be long okay." Jenna said her hand reaching out to squeeze my arm gently. She glared at Edward, but she didn't keep her voice down like the others. "If that jerk upsets you just shout." She said, her eyes not leaving my ex as she backed inside, Ric following her without words, he didn't need to, he said enough in his actions when he handed me my gloves and gave me the chance to prove myself.
Predictably the last person to leave my side was Damon.
"I'm not happy about this." Damon told me, his glare still on Edward.
"I'll be fine. I promise." I told him softly.
"Don't make promises you can't keep Wildcat." Damon said through clenched teeth.
"I'm not. I will be fine. Trust me. Please." I asked, he knew what I was asking.
For the first time since Edward had arrived Damon looked down at me. His eyes swept my face intensely, obviously looking for something. Whatever it was he must have found it because he sighed before nodding once. He pulled me into him and wrapped me in a hug. His arms making me feel safe and secure as usual, along adding a shiver of desire. "I'll let you fall." Damon breathed into my ear, so quietly that I knew even Edward wouldn't have heard it. I smiled softly at that, as usual Damon got me, he understood me.
He pulled back and placed a soft kiss on to my head. "Don't make me regret it Isabella." He said at a normal level before heading inside. He stopped at the door and turned to face Edward once more, obviously not able to help himself. "If you so much as make her lip quiver I'll end you myself." Damon said, his voice so even and so deadly that even I was half scared for a second, and the threat wasn't aimed at me. Edward looked like he would crap his pants if he was able to. Damon smirked, his cocky attitude back, before going inside and closing the door behind him.
Edward and I stood in silence for a few uncomfortable moments. He was just staring at me which made me feel more awkward so I put on my gloves and jacket, feeling more secure as I did.
"You seem to have made some good friends here lo... Bella." Edward started the conversation sounding hurt and broken. Which was more than he deserved.
"They're more like family." I said honestly before walking to the porch swing and taking a seat. "So what do you want?" My voice was monotone, letting him know just how much I didn't want to be here.
"Did you know I can't read any of their minds? Just like yours they are all silent to me. Why? Have you done something? Is it your doing?" Edward asked me, surprising me slightly. I didn't know why he couldn't hear them, and I was pretty sure it wasn't something I'd done... Bonnie. Got to love having a witch on your side. She surely cast a spell making their thoughts as private to read as my own.
"What can I say? I've finally found a group of like minded people?" I joked, my voice deadpan though. "Why are you here Edward?" I repeated myself. I was going to get the answer to that one sooner or later.
"I told you, we were looking for Laurent in the area... And I just couldn't resist coming to see you Bella. I've missed you so much." Edward said as he started moving up the steps of the porch towards me. "What I said... It was the blackest of blasphemous, I didn't mean it. Bella. I've never stopped loving you. I will love you for the rest of my existence..."
"I don't." I said quietly while looking him in the eyes, just so he realised that I meant what I'd said.
"You don't what?" His eyes were so dark, barely a hint of gold in them as he sat in a chair next to the swing, taking the sensible option and not sitting next to me.
"I don't love you anymore." I said bluntly.
"You don't...?" He sounded so broken, like he'd had his heart ripped from his stomach.
"Edward I haven't seen you in a year, I haven't heard from you in a year. You broke up with me and left me in the forest telling me that I wasn't good enough for you. You really think I've spent all this time still in love with you? Really?" My anger started seeping through into my voice now. "You tore my heart out when you left. When you're family left me. And now I'm finally whole again, now when the only emotion I have for you is annoyance and anger, now you're back in my life?" I took a deep breath. So many emotions running through me. Anger being the most prevalent, but I was also upset, confused, hurt and impatient. Impatient to get my answers and to get him the hell back out of my life.
"Edward, why are you here? Why now? And if you never stopped loving me then why did you stay away from me for a whole year? If I'd have had the choice like you had done, I wouldn't have spent anytime away from you." I didn't miss the way Edwards eyes got lighter on hearing this, the way his shoulders seem to have lost a load, I was quick to clarify for him though so there was no chance of any misunderstanding. "But now, now all I want is to never see you again for as long as I live. But I think before you go I deserve some sort of an answer."
After the way he'd made me feel, after all the insecurities and complexes his leaving had wrecked upon me I think I deserved payback rather than answers. However I'd settle, especially as seeing as if I tried to get payback then Damon would want in too. And his idea of it would probably involve dismemberment and a bonfire. Slight overkill.
"I thought you were better without us in your life. That we were too dangerous for you. You don't deserve to be surrounded by monsters my love. You deserve..." Edward trailed off as I stood up, my anger had reached it's peak. Or so I thought anyway.
"I told you NOT to call me that!" I said viciously. "I am not your fucking love."
"Bella!" Edward sounded scandalised. "You really shouldn't use language un befitting a lady. I'm sorry I upset you, but there's really no need for it." He pinched the bridge of his nose like he always use to do whenever I pissed him off.
I just started laughing. At his confused look I decided to expand for him. "I think if ever there's a need for swearing Edward, it would be now."
"You've changed." Edward said sounding surprised and slightly disappointed. "The Bella Swan that I knew would never curse like that. She wouldn't ever speak to me like that, she had more empathy and she wouldn't have wanted to hurt me like you're doing. And you're doing it so maliciously. I know I deserve it. But still... Its not you Bella."
Again a chuckle escaped me, I couldn't help it, it was either that or I'd resort to violence. I moved away from him slightly, in response he stood from his chair. Obviously he didn't enjoy me towering over him, well it was good that he now understood how I'd felt during our entire relationship.
"You don't know me anymore Edward. I'm not the Bella you knew anymore. I've been through way to much to come out the other side unscathed. The Bella you knew, that you love? She's dead. And I'm so freaking glad of that."
"How can you say that... I can't..."
"I can say it because it's true. Do you know why I never spoke to you like that before Edward? Because I was scared. Not because of what you are, if you had known me you would have know that I've never been scared of what you and you're family are, never. I was scared because I thought you'd leave me, scared because you made me feel stupid around you, scared that you'd laugh at me as you regularly did." I took a deep breath. This was good, I was sure of it, purging myself to the asshole who had made me feel all this shit. "I'm glad that I'm not the same person anymore, I'm stronger, I don't lie anymore, I don't have too, I can be whoever the hell I want to be and none of my family, none of my friends tell me I should be doing otherwise. They support me." I smiled thinking of Damon as I said that last bit. Of course the douche bag picked up on it.
"So you've moved on. He's a bit too old for you don't you think." I raised a sardonic eyebrow at that one. "Okay I see you're point. But he's not good for you. The way he spoke for you earlier, and you just went along with it. And he obviously has jealousy issues, as well as possessivness issues. He wasn't going to let you speak with me was he?"
"Don't be talking shit you don't know shit about Edward." I said swearing again as I knew now that it pissed him off. And anything that annoyed him was good with me. "Damon is my best friend. He let's me be me. He let's me fall but he picks me up." I said with another smile.
"I can see you think you've moved on. But Bella, a love like ours doesn't just disappear, deep down you love me. I know you do. I'm not giving up Bella. I'm not leaving until you realise that we are perfect together. That we are mates." Edward reached out and stroked my cheek saying that, his voice warm and caressing, his skin cold and hard.
I wasn't prepaired for my reaction to that, so I'm pretty sure that Edward wasn't either. My blood boiled, my vision turned red, black seeping in round the edges as rage, pure rage ran through me so fast and deep that it burnt hotter than his venom would have done.
With one gloved hand I batted his hand from my cheek, with the other I struck forward, hitting his face with my clenched fist.
On contact the skin where I'd hit started sizzling and burning before my eyes, a yelp of pain escaping him as my fist carried forward by my weight had him staggering backwards.
At least we knew the vervain gloves worked. Though I wasn't so sure how well they protected my hands. Adrenaline and anger still burnt through my veins, there was no way I'd feel any injury until it had worn off.
Edward looked at me, his eyes turning completely black, a low growl echoing through his chest, his black as night orbs jumping to my neck. To my jugular I though. Oh crap.
I took a step back towards the door, even more worried as Edward took a predatory step forward. "Don't." I said, not keeping my voice down or the fear out of it. Praying that someone was listening, they would be, surely.
~0~
Edward P.O.V.
We searched the quaint, picturesque town for a while, our speed making it easy to cover a large distance quickly.
"I'm worried about Bella. Maybe one of us should watch her house. Just in case?" Esme, ever the eternal mother voiced her worries that had been plaguing her ever since we left the vision that was my Isabella. She loved Bella like a mother loved a daughter, and it killed her to be away from my girl.
I knew it hurt most of my family to leave her like we had, even now, a year later. But we'd done the right thing. I knew that.
"I'll go." Emmett offered surprising me for once, I thought he'd rather be hunting down Laurent. Any chance for a fight and my brother was there.
Alice stiffened and I saw the thoughts running through her head. Emmett outside of Bella's house or her friends house -we still weren't sure whose- Bella outside of it with a man, sharing soft, intimate smiles as they stood encircled in each others arms. No mistaking it as a lovers embrace. My heart shattered on seeing that. She'd finally moved on. Just as I'd wanted her too.
Now I saw it though, I realised that I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let her find comfort in the arms of another when she was made for me. I'd been away from my mate for too long now. I needed her back.
"I'm going." I told my family, turning away and running back to the house. Back to my Isabella as Emmett, Rose and Jasper all opened their mouths to protest. I could hear in their thoughts that they thought me going was a bad idea. That I'd annoyed them by this decision, but Bella was my mate and ultimately it was up to me what to do with her.
I was in the forest outside the street where Isabella currently was within minutes. Slowing down as I reached the edge. I didn't want any of the humans to see me of course.
I stepped out on to the street, surprised and gladdened to find it was dark now, a factor I hadn't thought of or calculated before I stepped out. Thank god for small mercies. It seemed as even the sun was on my side on reaching my Isabella, in getting her back where she belonged. With me.
I looked across to the large family home as I started to walk further. My dead heart broke at what I saw.
My Bella was in the arms of the dark haired man who was dancing with her in the bedroom. They were sharing a gentle, yet passionate kiss that I could never give her. It would have been too dangerous. I was a vampire and she a mere human after all.
The way his hands wrapped round her waist possesively, the way she pulled herself closer to him. It stung. It burnt. It tore.
Through the sadness I felt anger. A deep burning anger. He was touching my mate. She was giving herself to another man. That shouldn't be happening. She was mine. She knew it. And so should everyone else. I had the urge to tear the human man away from Bella and rip out his heart, just as he was doing to me. Only this I wanted to do it with my bare hands. I wanted to feel his blood run down my hands and watch in satisfaction as the light went out in his eyes, watch as the spark left his body for daring to touch what was mine!
I started walking towards them, shouting out as I did. "Bella!" I was unable to stop myself, I need to get her away from that man. Even if she wasn't mine, which she certainly was, then this human man was too old physically for her, at least in his early twenties. And I could see that he was bad news, the kind of man that pathetically thought they were bad. This man didn't know bad, he didn't know dangerous. But he was about to meet him.
As I stepped closer to my love I felt the burn start to make its presence known in my throat, the burning hot fire that my singer gave me. The delicious scent hitting me, one that called to me like any other, for the first time in over a year the need was almost unbearable. But I could bare it, for Bella I'd bare anything. As long as she was with me. Which she would be once again. When I could speak to her, explain that I'd lied to her, as deplorable as that was, she'd understand, she'd forgive me. She always did.
I was surprised and shocked when she let that pitiful human speak for her. His eyes were glaring at me in-effectively. What could he do? To me? A vampire. He was nothing. Bella knew that, yet she still let him speak to me like that. She obviously didn't care very much for the man, otherwise she'd protect him. My heart started feeling lighter at the prospect that all wasn't lost.
Her aunt and uncle came out of the house, obviously on their way out. The strange thing was, I couldn't hear their thoughts. Their minds were as silent to me as my Isabella's was.
Now I tried listening I realised that the man's mind was also a blank to me. Nothing there.
Was Bella doing this? How could she? She was only human after all.
Her friends also came out of the house after that, her friends and her cousin. When Bella introduced me, they were unable to keep the disgust and anger they so obviously felt for me off of their faces, however they were able to keep it out of their minds, as they were also silent to me.
The pieces of my heart that were still shattered from seeing my Bella in the passionate embrace of another once more lurched and tore at the cavity where the whole thing had once been as Bella introduced the man, Damon, as her boyfriend. Her eyes shining with happiness as she did.
Her friends and family left us, along with the boyfriend eventually, his threat though for some reason felt very real, it chilled me and had fissions of real fear running up my spine, even though I knew he could do nothing against me. None of her friends, nor family could help but voicing their opinions of me as they left. But Isabella didn't need to worry about that, once she took me back we would leave, she wouldn't have to worry about what they thought as she would never have to see them again. She shouldn't be around people who used such vile language anyway.
I was stunned and saddened at the way Isabella spoke to me, at the insults and hurtful words she threw at me, she had every reason, but she shouldn't have done it.
As she spoke more, as she started uttering curse words herself I realised something. Bella had changed. She'd become hardened, hurtful, coarse. It was something she'd have to stop the second she took me back, which despite her words we both knew she would. How could she stop loving me? Our love was endless. It was eternal.
I admit, I should have relented to her requests not to call her 'love' but I couldn't help it, it was second nature to declare her as what she was to me for anyone to hear. However I didn't see what would be coming for me if I didn't give in to her demands.
I reached out to her, wanting to touch her, to dazzle her, to claim her once again as my own. My heart mended and sang in my chest as my skin touched her, silky smooth, flawless, delicate, porcerlain like skin. I was finally complete, I was finally whole. I was with Bella.
Her hand shot out faster than should have been possible, batting away my own hand from her skin. The fore she used was enough to move me without my consent. How had she done that? And without breaking a bone?
My thoughts were cut off as her fist connected with my skin.
The pain was instant and shocking. My skin felt like it was on fire, the force my Bella had used was once again almost inhuman, as impossible as that was. I ended up staggering backwards away from my love.
I stopped feeling the pain after a delicious scent hit me. Her blood.
It called to me. It sang at me.
I had to have it.
Only that would stop the raging inferno that had started in my throat. I need the blood. The blood that was rightfully mine.
My pray started talking to me. Taking a step backwards.
I stepped forward. The blood wouldn't get away from me. I wouldn't let it.
It was mine and I'd stop at nothing to taste it. The smell promised that my blood would be the sweetest tasting most luxurious thing I'd ever had. That it would soothe me for my eternal life. That it would sustain me forever more. I need it.
And nothing would get in my way.
~0~
Okay so Edwards back. I know some of you don't like it. And I've been begged that I don't put Bella and Edward back together. I'm pretty sure that you can see that's not what's going to happen. And I'm pretty sure Damons going to have something to say next chapter ;)
I really hoped you enjoyed!
Tametiger x