CHAPTER FOUR:

There was something about Sam that held my attention. Sitting next to him, in such close proximity, it took me a moment to realize that Sam smelled good. He smelled so good in fact, that my mouth was watering for a chance to lick him – to see if he tasted as spicy as he smelt. Every sip of my bitter coffee left me more and more thirsty as I tried to drown myself. I could not give in. I could not be a monster like the vampires who had attacked me.

And yet, I could see Sam's veins beating under his beautiful skin and felt my body ache with desire. My eyes closed as I took a deep breath, trying to control myself, and found Sam invading my nostrils. "You okay Bella?" My tormentor asked me, unaware of the fact that I was fighting monstrous urges…practically daydreaming of laying him out on Billy's table and having my own breakfast. For one second, I let myself picture Sam's naked body laid out underneath mine – my teeth in his throat and his cock buried inside of me.

"I'm fine," I told him dazedly as I dragged my eyes from the table to meet his. "I'm just – I'm still struggling…with the aftermath of the attack. Sorry."

Sam shook his head and reached forward to take my hand. "Don't be sorry Bella," he told me with a serious look. "If you ever need someone to talk about it – I'm a good listener."

Sam's soothing heat poured into me – my body leeching the warmth greedily. When he touched me, my entire body felt warm and relaxed. I could almost forget what had happened or how I had changed. My hand ripped away from his as I realized how wrong it was for me to accept any kindness from a man I was monstrously lusting after.

"I should – " I paused, wishing I could leave but knowing I was stuck here until Charlie came back with the car. "I should – uh – I should go." I stuttered as images of throwing him onto the nearest piece of furniture and sinking my teeth in Sam's neck began flooding my mind.

"Bella wait," Sam called after me but I knew that if I turned I would seduce him into doing horrible, awful things - I'd hurt him. But Sam's strong arms caught me and I cried out as the bruise on my wrist was momentarily exploding in pain. "I'm sorry – " Sam leapt back, thinking he'd hurt me.

His hands snapped back to themselves as if he were scared to touch me and my entire body felt the loss of his touch. "No – you didn't hurt me," I pulled up the sleeve of my hoodie just far enough to show him the bruises and ease his guilt.

Sam's features were pained as he lightly traced the outline of fingerprints bruised into my flesh. His fingers dipped too far north and as I tried to rip my hand away, Sam's hand tightened on my own – his warm eyes widening as he saw the double crescent mark of my vampire bite. Finally, I was able to jerk my arm away and I hid my hands back inside my sleeves as he continued to stared at me in astonishment.

"I don't understand – how are you alive?"

A bitter laugh rang out and it took me a few seconds that it was my laugh and it dissolved into sobs. "How am I alive?" I mocked bitterly as tears rolled down my cheeks. "I'm not sure I am alive – not anymore. My heart still beats – but I'm a monster."

"What happened to you Bella?" Sam asked me again and this time, I didn't have the strength or presence of mind to lie.

"I was attacked by vampires," I told him with a tortured smile, waiting for him to scoff or call me crazy. "And then I was saved by a witch." Hysteria was ringing shrilly as my voice jumped octaves. "I ran so the vampires couldn't find me again but I also ran away before I realized…"

He hesitated but eventually Sam swallowed loudly and asked, "Realized what?"

"That I'm thirsty," I broke into sobs as my knees buckled and I collapsed.

Sam's strong arms once again caught me and he let us both sink to the couch. Being so close to him was painful and my throat seared me with the same terrifying intensity of the venom. "You smell so good Sam." I sobbed, feeling him stiffen underneath me and my hysteria rose.

I had officially lost my mind and now Sam knew it. "I know how crazy I sound – please don't tell anyone. Don't tell Jacob I think I got attacked by vampires – he'll tell Charlie and I'll never hear the end of it. Please – Sam, please you don't have to believe me just don't tell anyone."

I pulled back to look at him and found Sam's eyes were wet and shining with emotion I didn't understand. But it certainly wasn't incredulity or disbelief and that dulled the edge of my hysteria, allowing me to breathe. I sat on Sam's lap, my face buried in my sleeves as my terror came pouring out of me. "I didn't – Lua never told me I'd be different. I thought she saved me but I'm not right, Sam. All I can think about is if you taste as good as you smell."

"Bella," Sam whispered so seriously that I pulled my face from my hands and turned to look at him. "Bite me."

My lips pulled back in a feral hiss as I leapt up, backing away from Sam. "What are you doing – stop it," I begged as my body shivered violently in aching desire.

Sam sat forward on the couch, his elbow resting on his knees as he looked at me. "Bella listen – I know about vampires because I'm a shape-shifter. I'm really strong B, I can stop you from hurting me – so take a drink. If I smell good to you I'd rather have you drink from me than hurt a human."

At his words my entire body locked down in surprise. Not one of my muscles moved as I searched for deceit in his eyes. "You're a shape-shifter?" I asked him, watching carefully. Sam nodded and his gaze never wavered from mine. "And Jacob?" Sam nodded again. "How strong are you?"

A wicked smirk curled Sam's lips and he said, "Stay here." I watched him go into the garage and then come back with large iron wrench from Jacob's collection on the wall. Without preamble, Sam took each end of the tool in his hands and then bent it in half. Wordlessly, Sam handed me the heavy metal tool and with it, a huge wave of relief that comforted me far more than any blanket ever had. "Holy shit."

"Yeah." Sam sat back down, watching me stare at the cold metal in hands as he leaned forward on his knees.

"I'm not crazy," I whispered. I had known I wasn't but to feel the proof solid in my hands – factual evidence to grasp instead of hazy, feverish memories…

"Drink from me Bella," Sam said again, his tone more demanding. My gaze snapped to his and the wrench fell from my hands with a heavy clunk on the wooden floor.

Slowly, my body turned. The entire world faded away around me as my gaze tunneled into Sam's. I peeled off my hoodie, revealing the full extent of the damage as my hair fell behind my shoulders. Sam's black eyes, still warm and inviting, widened to the size of dinner plates. It was too late for me to stop – even if he had changed his mind – I breathed deeply and gave in to the pull of his alluring scent. My body stalked forward predatorily, with each step Sam pulled himself back until he sat up straight. My hand found his muscled, warm chest and I pushed him back until he slouched back against the couch as I straddled his lap.

His soft lips met mine and I lost myself to the taste of him on my tongue. Thirst raged supreme within me until Sam's strong arms encircled my waist. As he pulled me closer another hunger rose up within me with such ferocity that I felt my hips grind into Sam. I broke away gasping for breath and trailed my nose along the sharp edge of his cheekbone. Lost to my new supernatural instincts – the baser nature which didn't comprehend human convention – I dipped my head and placed a hot, open mouthed kiss over Sam's jugular.

Sam and I moaned simultaneously as my teeth tore through his flesh seamlessly and his blood flowed into my mouth like molten lava. He tasted like fire – scorching me as I drank and filling me with such delicious strength that I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head. My hips bucked uncontrollably as I drank, lost to the ecstasy of the liquid fire in my body. Sam writhed beneath me, from pain or pleasure I did not know but I was powerless to stop and find out. His cock was hard and straining through his jeans as I ground against him – using him to massage the bundle of nerves that sent me spiraling out of control.

It wasn't until my body exploded into a powerful orgasm that I was able to tear myself away from Sam's throat. I fell back, supported by his powerful grasp, and let my body tremble. When the pleasure receded and my body stilled I fell forward against Sam's chest and buried my face in his chest.

Would he throw me off of him now? I wondered as my breathing calmed and Sam's heartbeat returned to normal as I listened with my nose lifting to run along the underside of his jaw. I couldn't get enough of the way he smelled or the liquid power that pumped through his veins. "Are you okay?" I asked him quietly, scared of breaking the silence that had fallen around us.

"I'm fine, you aren't venomous," Sam told me in his deep baritone and I pulled back and snapped my eyes to his. He was not basking in any afterglow even though I had felt his own body tremble as he fell over the edge with me. Sharply, I was struck with the realization that this had been a feeding. The comfort of his warmth and the kindness in his eyes – he hadn't meant this to be anything romantic – and apparently, I had, albeit unknowingly. Sam had recognized the dangerous spiral I had been in before I had and he had diffused it temporarily.

I tried to pull away from him and move to the other side of the couch, but Sam's hands pulled me back down. Surprise shot through me as I felt him, still hard as a rock, pressing into my core. "Where do you think you're going B?" He growled in my ear and my body shuddered in desire, already ready for round two.

I attacked Sam hungrily, battling his tongue for dominance with butterflies fluttering in my stomach as he flipped us over on the couch and moaned into my mouth. My hands buried themselves into his shaggy hair that curled sinfully around his eyes. I felt like a teenager again as we peeled off each other's clothing and fell off the couch and onto the rug. I couldn't stop myself from tearing off his pants with my bare hands – marveling at the new strength pumping through my body as the denim ripped apart with ease. Moisture pooled in my core as I slid up Sam, my breasts tickling his warm skin, and kissed him roughly.

Pure pleasure pumped through me as I felt Sam sheath himself inside of me. Deliciously stretched, I moaned loudly as Sam and I moved together – meeting each other thrust for thrust. "Oh Bella," Sam groaned beneath me as he sat up, allowing me access to his neck because he was so tall. "Fuck – yes," the new angle sent my body quaking in pleasure as Sam's strong hands supported me.

"Oh god," I cried out as my body rocked against his and burned with desire. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself forward – plunging my teeth into his throat.

My entire body shook with the force of the orgasm that ripped through me. I was lost in the haze of pleasure and desire, locked on to the fount of liquid aphrodisiac, as Sam followed me over the edge. His body trembled violently against mine as I kept rocking my hips – my head fell back, his blood running down the corner of my mouth, and Sam grabbed my hair – pulling me into a violent kiss.

We never slowed – our bodies never tired as we rolled so that I was pressed into the rug. Sam drove himself deeper inside me and I cried out in ecstasy. As he pumped into me with earth shattering force I licked the blood trailing down his chest and kissed my way back up to throat, licking my marks on him and feeling him tremble on top of me as I bit. Sam was everywhere – his hot flesh surrounded me, his hard cock filling me, and the liquid fire of his blood inside of me. I came undone just a heartbeat before Sam's body quaked violently. I licked him clean as our bodies began to still and then Sam fell to the ground next me – out of breath and looking dazed.

I scooted closer, curling my leg around his hip and resting my head on his chest. I couldn't resist the desire and my lips pressed small kisses to his chest as I purred in contentment. "How do you know I'm not venomous?" I asked him a few minutes later as his strong fingers traced the curve of my hip gently.

"I'd have known," Sam's chest rumbled under my head, "vampire venom is like poison to shifters."

I pulled back, appalled. "And you still let me bite you?"

Sam laughed and propped himself up on his elbow. "I had to know, Bella. I'm the alpha of a pack of shape-shifting wolves who protect humans from vampires. I have to know what I'm dealing with here," he sighed heavily and my heart wrenched when conflict shadowed his face.

I couldn't stand to see him feel bad for trying to protect people, even if I didn't feel dangerous at the moment I knew I had been. "I mean I get it," I told him as I lifted my fingers to touch the skin that was already healing on his neck. "You're just trying to make sure I'm not like homicidal or anything – can't have the humans screaming about the Chief's daughter drinking their blood. Don't worry, I've been around Charlie since I arrived and now I know what I need – I can adapt. It was really just you…you smell so good – you taste even better. Like I'm drinking fire."

He laughed, a deep and thundering sound that warmed me. "Which is odd because I've had countless vampires tell me how bad I smell." Sam told me proudly as he sniffed the air again. "But what's even weirder is you still smell mostly human, just very sweet."

Quickly, before Sam could stop me, I popped my finger in my mouth and snagged it on my sharp teeth. I pulled it out and found red blood staring back at me. "I still bleed like a human."

Sam leaned back on the floor and reached for the bent iron wrench on the floor. He handed it to me and said, "Here, try this."

The mere idea of being able to bend it was laughable but even though I laughed, Sam continued to stare at me expectantly as he held the tool out to me. With a huff I grabbed the heavy thing and tried to pull it apart. To my surprise, I managed to pull the ends apart when I really applied pressure. "Holy shit," I whispered, looking down at the now only slightly bent wrench.

"Looks like you definitely started the change," Sam growled slowly, his deep voice thundering with emotion. "How'd the witch get the venom out of your body?"

"Leeches." I raised my arms to show him the marks they had left but my mouth dropped open when I found my arms free of the marks and the bruises. Only the faint double crescent scars remained and I lifted my hands to my face and tenderly touched my mouth – there was no pain. "Holy shit Sam," I exclaimed, "Your blood is like – like magical. Look at me!"

He laughed and leaned forward, kissing my lips tenderly and surprising me further. "You're beautiful Bella."

My face flushed and I grinned happily as he kissed my cheek. "What does this mean? I mean – am I human? Am I a vampire?"

"A little bit of both?" He suggested with a shrug. "The venom obviously had enough time to partially change you and I've never heard of a transition being forcibly stopped by anything other than death. But with a witch involved? Who knows what could have happened. Do you eat food?"

I nodded, thinking back to my breakfast with Billy, Charlie, and Jacob. "Yeah and it still tasted good – I even have, you know, human moments. I slept all day yesterday and woke up with morning breath, but now that I think about it I haven't tripped or stumbled even once. Which is rare for me because I'm like a super-klutz."

"And your bruises have healed now that you've fed," Sam added with a thoughtful look. "And your strength has increased."

"And I can see in the dark," I added sounding as surprised as Sam looked. I had forgotten all about that until now. "When I was in the bathroom earlier – it was so cool, like I was just wearing sunglasses. I shouldn't have been able to see my hand in front of my face but I could see everything."

"Half – vampire, half – human?" Sam asked, to which I had no answer. "I didn't even think such a thing was possible."

"Did I hurt you at all?" I asked him, changing the subject abruptly because I needed time to digest the fact that I was now a half-vampire. "I feel like I took a lot of blood from you."

"Now that you mention it," Sam grinned deviously, "I'm feeling particularly famished – my body is eating through calories trying to replace all the blood you took. I'm feeling very weak, maybe you should make me some food to –"

I grabbed a pillow from the couch and launched it at Sam's face with a laugh. "I swear, you shape-shifters must have black holes for stomachs."

Sam grabbed me and pulled me back to him as I squealed and tried to pull away. "Oh no you don't, mister, do you even realize we're in Billy Black's living room?"

But Sam only growled playfully at me and buried his nose in my neck – licking, sucking, and biting me until I stopped fighting him. This time when I felt Sam enter me slowly, filling me up inch by inch, I told myself I would not feed. I wanted to feel nothing but lust for the hot naked body below me. I wanted to feel human as Sam stole the breath from lungs and left me gasping for more – more air, more friction, and more pleasure as I writhed on top of him. "Oh god, Sam – harder, please – harder."

It was pure untainted pleasure – unpolluted with bloodlust.

Sam pulled out and flipped me with such ease that I gasped as I found myself on my hands and knees and Sam was taking me from behind. The new angle made me moan with delight and I rose up off my hands and felt Sam's arms encircle me. I kissed him roughly over my shoulder, feeling a growl build in his chest.

We moved fluidly together, our bodies connecting in delicious friction that made me tremble in pleasure. I came first, tipping over the edge as my body tensed around Sam, tightening around him and pushing him along after me.

I fell back against his chest, breathing heavily, and let my head rest on his shoulder. "God Sam – it's like I can't get enough of you."

"I never want to leave you," he whispered into my neck, pressing warm kisses into my shoulder as he held me tightly.

"Don't," I whispered back, folding my arms over his and holding him to me. "Don't go."

"Billy and Charlie are less than a mile out, I can hear them bickering," Sam confessed regretfully. "It started raining."

I looked up out of the window and was shocked to see the thick torrents of rain hitting the glass.