BPOV
It was magical. Edward's breathing increased and so did mine. It felt so good to be hugged by him. I squeezed tighter, wanting this moment to last forever.

"Um, Bella…you're hurting me," Edward stammered.

I jumped back, alarmed at the speed with which I moved and shocked that I could hurt him.

Edward massaged his arm and looked embarrassed. "Newborn strength," he explained, walking towards me, closing the distance between us. "You're much stronger than I am and will be for quite awhile."

"Sorry," I frowned. I wanted to be close to Edward, but I didn't want to hurt him.

"Don't be sorry," he chastised, cupping my cheek. "You're perfect."

I shrugged, feeling shy and not knowing what to say, and then glanced at his clothes, which now shared the deer blood that covered me.

"I ruined your clothes," I pointed out. "Sor…"
This time Edward was the one to interrupt, wrapping his arms around me, hugging me tightly. I hugged back, but tried to be gentler.

I felt as though I could stand in the forest, hugging Edward, for eternity. And we did stand there holding each other for a very long time. Instead of focusing on the jumbled thoughts and emotions pulsating through me, I concentrated on the way Edward's body felt pressed against my own. I listened to his breathing and how he would occasionally sigh contentedly. We didn't speak, we were just together.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to enjoy the moment for very long. I began to feel restless, angry, confused, relieved, all at the same time and fuzzy thoughts sped through my mind of Tanya, Edward, Charlie, Alice, Jacksonville, Forks – it was extremely difficult to hold myself together. I needed a release.

Edward noticed my anxiousness. "Thirsty again?" he asked.

I nodded. I was thirsty, but more than that, I felt unhinged. I felt like I was going to explode.

"Let's hunt again," he suggested, offering his hand. I took it and we began to run.

Having prior knowledge about being a vampire definitely helped my transition into being one myself, but no amount of knowledge could have prepared me for the overwhelming bloodlust. For the next several weeks, it dominated my existence.

Edward was very patient. As he promised, he stayed by my side, every minute of the day. Sometimes I was moody and irrational, and once almost attacked him when he got in my line of sight while I was hunting. During my first few days, he allowed me to drain as many animals that came across my path. But, he soon began to teach me control and restraint – waiting before I pounced, being strategic in how I approached the prey. All of my thoughts, energy and time was dedicated to feeding the monster within me, but also learning how to control it.

Although I hadn't seen a calendar, I knew that by the middle of my second month on the island I began to handle processing rational thoughts. Blood was always on my mind, but I was finally able to think of others things too.

Edward was very attentive, following me around the island like a puppy, almost always smiling, even when I growled and scowled. I never once felt like he was bored or annoyed with me or preferred to be elsewhere. He didn't mention his family and I didn't ask.

When I thought of Tanya, the words she spoke to me, how she manipulated me into breaking up with Edward, I became angry. I had been a weak, gullible human. Whether she was speaking the truth or not, I shouldn't have so easily believed her. When I was burning, I remember Edward telling me that Tanya lied, that he did love me. I woke up feeling secure in that love. But it was a possibility that I had imagined it all in my delirium of pain. I didn't dare ask him where Tanya was. I would enjoy my time being alone with Edward for as long as I could have it.

However, I did begin to face the reality and consequences of being changed into a vampire.

"Do Charlie and Renee think I'm dead?" I asked Edward one day as we sat on top of a hill overlooking a valley. I could see the ocean in the distance and it was a breathtaking view.

"Yes. The police believe that you were attacked by a bear."

"What really happened? I know Victoria attacked me, but there were these wolves that tore her off me….and then I was with a group of men, I think my friend Jacob was there…"

"Jacob is a very good friend. He saved your life."

"He did?"

Edward nodded and began to tell me the history of his family's treaty with the Quieletes, which I vaguely remembered hearing about before, and how they apparently are also shape-shifters into the form of werewolf. When Victoria attacked me, the wolves were already aware of her presence in the area, and arrived only seconds before she was killed me. They destroyed her. By the time they took me to their reservation, the change was already starting to occur. Edward didn't sugar coat the details, explaining how as our kind was their natural enemy, and they were planning to kill me if I was becoming a vampire. Jacob had the presence of mind to help me escape and deliver me to Edward, where I would be safe.

Edward became emotional as he spoke of how Carlisle broke he news to him, those hours of being separated from me, not knowing if I would survive, and trying to think of every possible way to rescue me without bringing down the Voltrui on the Quiletes and his family.

"Thank you for being patient," I tried to encourage him. I wouldn't have wanted him to kill anyone for me, but it seemed as though he was very close to doing so.

"You were worth the wait, Bella," he spoke softly. "I've waited for you my entire existence. I wasn't going to let you go."

I swallowed nervously. There were so many things unsaid between me and Edward. Despite my newborn tantrums and emotions, I was happy being on the island with him and he seemed happy to be with me. There had not been much conversation, although we almost always touching one another – holding hands, cuddling, even sitting next to each other, our bodies were in alignment.

Edward put his hand on my thigh and leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. I glanced at him and smiled shyly. It was the first time he had kissed me since I awoke. Seeing my response seemed to encourage him, and he leaned over again and kissed my bottom lip.

His touch set something within me on fire. I turned and jumped into his lap, straddling him. He put his hands on my bottom and pulled me closer, and I felt him harden as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

Edward gently pushed back the hair that was covering my face, and kissed me fully on the mouth. My lips parted and to my surprise, I felt his tongue begin to play with mine. I knew that as a human, he had never kissed me this way. All his previous kisses paled in comparison to this kiss. My breathing increased and my body trembled with desire.

"I love you, Bella," he moaned, as he licked my lips and began to leave a trail of kisses down my neck.

When I was human, Edward had always put careful boundaries around our physical relationship. He said it was impossible for us to be intimate. He was too strong, he would hurt me. Tanya and my own insecurity used that excuse as evidence that Edward didn't really love me. But, now I was his equal. I was like him and I was supposedly even stronger than him.

"If you love me, make love to me," I challenged.

I don't know if he realized it, but I was testing him. I believed those words of love he spoke to me when I was burning, yet now I needed him to prove it.