Chapter 16: Drawing
"Bella! Bella! Wake up, Bella." Someone was screaming in my ear. The voice was angelic and musical. Anyone who sounded that beautiful shouldn't sound so panicked. Why couldn't I open my eyes? I tried again and I could see a little light peak through. "Bella?" The voice was filled with relief.
"Yeah." I sat up and looked out the tinted windows. We were pulled off on the side of the road somewhere. The shoulder was lined with a thick row of trees. "Where are we?"
"About an hour away." He sighed. "You were screaming and kicking in your sleep. I couldn't get you to wake up."
"Oh, I was having a bad dream." I said, my words slurred together with sleep.
"I could tell. What was it about?" He said, pulling back out onto the road.
He drove in silence as I recounted everything that had happened during my nightmare. His body stiffened when I told him about the end of the dream. The part where I hid in the shadows while the crimson-eyes fiends fed off innocent visitors.
Fiends? Had I really just said that? His eyes took on a look of sadness at my use of the word and I had to remember that he, himself, had once been crimson-eyed.
When I was finished, he just shook his head.
"I will never forgive myself for leaving you there alone. I will never forgive myself for putting you in danger like that. Somehow, I will make it up to you, I promise." He muttered almost inaudibly.
"Edward, it's nothing. Just a dream, that's all." I said, running my fingers up and down his right arm.
"Fuck." Edward cursed under his breath, his fists tightening on the steering wheel.
I looked around frantically, wondering what had caused the outburst. "What?" I asked, seeing no visible problem.
"I. Smell. Dog." He growled through clenched teeth.
We were only fifteen miles away from our destination now and I couldn't understand why there would be any werewolves this far north, unless… "Jacob." I breathed.
"Yes, it seems your mutt ran off to Alaska to escape everything. Guess he didn't go far enough." Edward replied in monotone.
We pulled up to a large log cabin. My jaw dropped and before I could close my mouth, Alice was swinging the door open, jumping. "Jeez Alice, you're going to take my door off." Edward joked. Obviously Alice had not seen anything about Jacob and Edward felt no need to alarm her.
She pulled me out of the car and embraced me into a hug.
"Can't…breath…Alice." I struggled.
"Oh." She said, letting me go but still holding my arm to ensure that I wouldn't fall. "Sorry. I'm just so happy that you're here!" She squealed, taking my hand and leading me into the house through the garage. I could see that Rosalie had already staked her claim here.
I looked behind me and sure enough, Edward was on my heals. "Tour time." Alice shrieked.
The first room was the living room. It was large and rustic looking. They had already furnished it with two couches, a coffee table, an entertainment system including the biggest television that I had ever seen, and Edward's piano.
The walls around the outside of the room were the backsides of the logs that surrounded the outside of the home, while the interior walls were painted a dark blue.
The carpet was lush and full. It was a beautiful burgundy color and went well with the walls.
"And, just for the human," she smiled at me, pulling me through a door at the end of the large room.
In the kitchen, Alice opened the fridge and cabinets to show me that they were fully stocked with food.
The variety ranged from Cocoa Puffs to apples and everything in between.
I laughed, "Alice, I don't plan on being human long enough to eat all of this."
She just glared at Edward. "Not if he has his way."
I looked at Edward expecting an explanation, but instead he took my hand. "Let's take a look at the rest of the house, shall we?" He dragged me toward the stairs.
"What was that about?" I asked as Edward picked me up and ran up the stairs. When we got to the second floor landing, Edward put me down on my feet, keeping his arms around me until I found my balance.
"Nothing, darling. Don't worry." He said, grinning his crooked smile, dazzling me. "Follow me." He said, walking down the long hall way. The walls were paneled in wood, with the beautiful pictures that were once in Carlisle's study lining the walls.
I stopped to look at them, and Edward came up behind me. "Stunning, aren't they?" He whispered.
"Yes." I breathed back. Talking at a normal volume just didn't feel right in the presence of these marvelous works of art.
He tugged lightly on the hem of my shirt, gathering my attention. I turned to follow him. He stopped in front of the first door and announced that it doubled as Carlisle's new study and his and Esme's bedroom. The next door belonged to Alice and Jasper and the last bedroom in the hallway was Rosalie and Emmett's room. I looked puzzled at the forth door when Edward said that it was a bathroom, then turned my confused gaze towards him.
He chuckled lightly as he picked me up in his arms again. "Shh…" He quieted my obvious question with his lips. We kissed passionately and suddenly I felt his body jolt beneath mine.
I opened my eyes and saw that we were in a dark room. I looked around and saw a few small windows along the ceiling, but it was dark outside so there wasn't much light being cast into the small room.
Edward set me down on a thick, soft carpet and I felt my feet instantly sink into the fibers. I wiggled my toes around and realized that I wasn't wearing my shoes anymore. "It's amazing. I really do dazzle you, don't I?" Edward laughed, holding up my tennis sneakers and socks.
He flipped on the light and I gasped. The room was set up like a bed room and play room in one. Our bed was against one wall, and Edwards black leather couch sat on the wall across from it.
In the corner next to the couch was a brand new pool table. Along the wall across from the door was Edwards stereo, with half the wall designated to his CD collection. Resting the in middle of the room, about seven feet from the couch, was a large, plasma screen television.
I took a few steps into the room, dragging my feet through the plush carpet. I looked back toward the bed and saw that there was a key board on a stand at the foot of the bed.
"Compliments of Alice." Edward sighed as I ran my fingers along the keys.
I turned to look at him and saw the final detail in the room that I had missed. On the wall next to the door was a framed pencil drawing. I looked closer and saw that it was of Edward and I. Who ever had done it was extremely talented.
It was drawn from a photograph that I remembered Alice taking once. Edward and I were sitting in the grass, I sitting in front of him, a strong leg resting on either side of me. Edwards arms were wrapped around me protectively. We were both smiling and laughing. Though there was no color in the picture, I could see the color of Edwards eyes. I could see the texture in his hair and imagine the redish bronze color.
"A house warming gift." Edward whispered, wrapping his arms around me from behind and leaning down to kiss my neck.
"It's…" I was at a loss for words.
I looked at him and he looked hurt. He must have taken my inability to speak as a sign of dislike. "You…don't…like…it?" He stammered, his eyes looking very sad.
"No, Edward. I love it!" I exclaimed. If only he knew! "It's beautiful! No, not beautiful. There aren't words that can describe it." I smiled, throwing my arms around him. He placed his hands on my lower back, unsure. I squeezed him tighter and he hugged back. "Did you draw that for me?" I asked.
"Yes. You inspire me."
"Edward, of course you know this, but you are amazingly talented." I swear, if he could blush, he would be right now. He looked down at the carpet sheepishly. I laughed and hugged him tighter.
200+ reviews make me happy :) thank you folks!! another long chapter. still working on the next. no promised date. sorry folks. i promise, it will get interesting soon:) next chapter is a lemon