Chapter 10 – Outings

Edward and I remained together for the rest of the day. I was leaning against his chest and watched the sunlight dance on the river water, while Edward played with my fingers, "What do you remember from your human life?" I sat up and smiled, "My birthday, September 13th. I remember every year; my mother would bake my favorite cake. It was always a strawberry cake with blue icing. There was a numerical candle in the center of the cake, surrounded by single counts making up my age." I laughed at the memory. I looked at him. He cupped his hand to my cheek. "What do you remember from you human life?" He shrugged, "Nothing much. Carlisle would have some better details than I would. He found me dying of Spanish Influenza. He said I looked like my mother. I had her green eyes. Her name was Elizabeth and I was named after my father, Edward Anthony Masen." I smiled, "My parents were Charlie and Rene Swan. I was actually born in Washington. We went to Italy as a family vacation before I went to college in New York. I don't remember where I was supposed to be attending." I leaned back against him.

He sighed heavily, "Just come in, Alice." I looked to the door as Alice entered. "You don't have to be mean about it. She just got here; you can't keep her to yourself." I motioned to get up, but Edward tightened his arms around me. "I think I can." I giggled, "Give me a few minutes, Alice." She sighed and left. I looked back to Edward, "What did she want?" He pressed his lips to the hollow of my neck, "She wanted to take you to Seattle to get new clothes." I raised an eyebrow. Esme was kind enough to loan me an outfit. "Maybe I should go." He was kissing my neck. "If I am going to be living here, I will need clothes." He sighed, "Rose and Esme have more than enough for you to choose from." He tightened his arms around me. I smiled, "Edward, if I'm going to live here, you know you have to share me, right?" He pulled back and looked at me, "Yes, but not now." Something, or someone, hit the floor beneath us. Edward slammed the floor with his foot, "Alright, Alice! She's coming." I giggled as he sighed. He pressed his lips to mine and we stood up. He held my face in his hands, "Your eyes are changing. They're amber." I went to my mirror and saw them. My eyes were different. They were brighter, not because of their new color. I gasped. I looked like my self-portrait that I drew. The one I hid from my father. Edward came behind me and whispered in my ear, "Let's go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back."

While in Seattle, Alice was pulling me from store to store. I was enthralled with the shopping center. It was amazing to see how the humans have developed from when I was one of them. As we drove back to the house, Alice and I talked about other places to shop and more things she wanted to show me. We walked into the house with our bags and I went to my room. Alice wanted to go back out. "Alright, let me just put these away." I comforted her and walked into my room. I looked up and Edward was still there. He was looking at a book. I dropped my bags and closed the door. "What are you doing in here?" He looked up and smiled, showing me my art book, "You're a wonderful artist." I grimaced, "You looked at that? I rarely let anyone look at it." He held out my self-portrait with gold eyes, "Could I have this one?" I smiled and nodded. I held out my hand for the book, but he didn't give it to me. He stood, placing the book on my couch, "Have you had enough shopping for one day?"

I heard growl coming through the floor. I smiled at him; Alice heard him. "I have any idea. Why don't you, me, Jasper and Alice go out. So, you don't have to leave me and she still gets to go out?" He closed his eyes, "That works for Alice." After I got of my clothes away and closed the closet door, Edward was pressing me against the door and kissed me. He moved me until I was against the dresser. His tongue plunged down between my parted lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he lifted me up until I was sitting on top of the dresser. He pulled me closer to him; there was no gap between our bodies. This feeling was something new. I felt so… so… human. It felt like my heart should be racing, my head should be spinning and that I wouldn't be able to breathe. Without breaking the kiss, he swept his arm over the dresser, knocking every thing off the top. He pushed me back further on top of the dresser and climbed on top of it. I was lying on the dresser, with him on top of me. He released my lips and kissed my jaw. I was breathing so hard, even though I didn't need to. He kissed down to my chest and back up to my neck. His arm wound underneath my neck, pulling me closer to him. A part of my mind was aching for more, but another part had to stop him. I was enjoying every moment of this, when I noticed I wrapped my legs around his waist. But he had to stop. This was too much.

I unwrapped my legs and put my hands into his chest. He kissed my lips again; I forgot what I was supposed to do. I forced my eyes open. He began kissing my neck again. I regained my thoughts and pushed him away. He flew across the room and I sat up gasping. He was breathing as hard as I was. "Edward," I exhaled, "I just got here." I sighed, "Please don't try to kill me yet." There was a knock on the door, "Bella?" It was Esme. I jumped off the dresser and Edward answered the door. Esme walked in and saw the broken vase on the floor. She scowled at Edward, "Go get changed, now!" He smiled and left. I sighed and started picking up the broken pieces, "I'm sorry. I will replace this." Esme laughed, "Don't worry." She looked back at the hall, "He's very happy you're here." I stood, "I know. I'm very happy I'm here too." I flew down the stairs, into the kitchen and threw the broken pieces in the trash. I went back to my room and Esme was holding out a blouse. I changed and went with Esme outside.

Alice and Jasper were waiting. "Where are we going?" She sighed, "Museum." Edward came down the stairs and we left. Alice and Jasper took Edward's Aston Martin and we took his Jaguar. Alice's mood lightened when we reached the museum. Jasper explained some of the exhibits to me. While I looked at one, I caught the scent of something so delicious. It was a tall man, who walked past me. He smelled like the Italian fields that I left behind. Jasper caught my mood and held my wrist. I looked back to him; I wanted to kill the man. I stopped breathing and clinched my teeth shut, "Get me out of here, please." He nodded and put his arm around my waist. We walked out. Jasper looked over his shoulder. Out of nowhere, Edward was at my side and Alice was at Jasper's. Jasper must have called Edward with his mind. We didn't stop walking until we reached the cars. Edward helped me into the Jaguar. We drove until we were out of the city. Edward puller over near the forest's edge. I looked to him. "Hunting." I nodded and got out. Jasper and Alice were parked behind us, while Edward and I ran into the trees.

I found a large lion and I just gave in to my instincts and killed it. I smiled and stood, "That was so good." I looked to Edward, "I think I found my one of my favorites." He smirked and came over to me, "How do you feel?" I shook my head, "I'd rather not think about that human. I feel better though, now that I have fed." I wasn't thirsty, but Edward must have felt it would have been better for me to consume animal blood, so the temptation would fade. Edward caressed my cheek, took my hand and we ran back to Alice and Jasper. Jasper came towards me; I smiled. He nodded and went into the car. Edward and I watched them drive away. "Alice is going to be so mad," Edward chuckled. I looked up at him bewildered. "We're not going back to the house. At least not now." I sighed, "Where are we going?" He didn't speak, just opened my door. I got in and we drove away. I was just happy that I was getting my wish; taking a drive with Edward in the car I helped him get. Edward held my hand as he drove, sometimes looking at me. The sun was on my side of the car; we were heading southwest. My face was glittering; as was Edward's. We drove too fast for any human to notice. Soon the sun was gone.

I opened my window and caught a scent I didn't know. The car slowed and I saw it, for the first time in my life, The Pacific Ocean. Edward opened my door. We were on a pier. We walked to the edge. The scent was the ocean air. Even without the scent, the ocean was amazing. Edward held my hand as we walked the pier. I was fascinated by the unending water. It was dark and inviting. I wanted to swim in the ocean. I've never done that, hell, I've never scene the ocean before today. I don't remember if I did during my human life, but that was not important. "What are you thinking?" he asked, wrapping his arms around me, pressing his chest into my back. I still stared out to the ocean, "The ocean, I've never one before. I don't even remember if I did during my human life. I might have, I was from Washington." He kissed my hair, "You're here now. You can see the ocean as much as you like." We stood on the pier and watch the waves roll.