A/N… I'll let you get to it.

~oOo~

Chapter 19

BELLA

Classical music floated around the room. I wasn't sure when it had changed from the bedroom playlist to stunning piano, but I wasn't exactly coherent through most of the night. We were currently deep beneath the covers of our bed, lost in silence and kisses. When "Claire de Lune" started, I sighed at the song that reminded me of silver Volvos and black leather seats and ridiculously handsome vampires who knew how to drive me crazy with his endless questions and confusing reactions to the answers.

Randomly, I wondered if Edward missed his piano.

Edward grinned, erupting into a soft, sexy chuckle. "God, I just love that."

Smiling, I shrugged. "You wanted all the thoughts since forever, baby. Do not make fun of what you hear." I tried to sound stern, but his happiness was just all over his gorgeous face.

"Not making fun, love. Promise," he said, lifting up and settling on top of me, the covers staying cocooned over us. "Hearing your mind is everything to me."

My hands glided up and down the smooth skin of his back. I wondered if my human mind would've sounded any different to him.

He shook his head. "Probably not. Most of your sense of self comes over into this life about the same. There's an ability to think more, but you stay the same in all respects."

I took a deep breath and let it out, keeping this conversation silent. Is it terrible that I've become clingy to you? I can't seem to shake the fear, Edward. Like there's a hundred things to do outside our door, even inside the castle. And I'd rather be here, because the idea of leaving this safety is maddening.

If I thought he'd tease me about being naked in bed, I was wrong. He simply kissed my lips lightly.

"It was terrifying, Bella, what we just went through," he replied softly. "Alice's prediction alone was a nightmarish outcome had we not found you in time. That's on my side. On your side, they mistreated you, threatened you, and had you not survived, then it would've snowballed into a dark future…for everyone." He brushed stray hairs from my face. "Never mind the pain. Let's just remove that from the equation, okay? You and I bear the weight of each other's lives on our shoulders. 'One can't live without the other.' As terrifying as that was the first time we heard it, it's slowly become who we are, baby. We literally live for each other. And we rarely give it much thought during peaceful and easy times. Only when there's danger does it become a factor." He kissed my lips lightly. "We are each other's safe haven, and if it takes time with me to make you feel okay again, then I'm here completely. Everyone heals and copes differently."

"I feel like I'm hiding from it all," I confessed in a whisper, grimacing a little.

"Maybe," he allowed, shrugging a strong, bare shoulder. "But who's to say what the right or wrong way is? When I've been upset or angry or struggling, it's you I seek out. It's your mind, your voice, your love I need most. Sometimes, it's only you who can get through to me, my sweet girl. If the act gives feelings of peace and safety and comfort, then I can't see where it's wrong. You've slowly started to come back from it, but it's okay if you dive back under the covers occasionally."

Grinning, I gazed around us, as we were in fact under the covers. "Yup, sainthood. Who do I send the vote to?"

He cracked up, which was gorgeous and happy, burying it into my neck. "No, I don't want to be a saint. Too much pressure to answer prayers. I hear enough voices in my head."

Snorting, I wrapped my arms around his neck as he moved to press his forehead to mine. With a slight shift, my lips touched his, and our connection sparked lightly between us where every inch of skin was touching.

As the song shifted from "Claire de Lune" to "Moonlight Sonata," we stopped talking. Kisses were deep, slow, and hands were skimming over sensitive skin. I wanted him everywhere all at once, and my hips moved. He was hard and heavy, gliding between my legs and just barely hitting me where I needed most, but I had a feeling that was on purpose – not to tease but to prolong the electric spark between us.

However, we both moved at the same time, and he was at my entrance. A deep, sexy growl rumbled into my ear as he trailed kisses to my neck at the same time I gripped his ass in my hands, trying to pull him to me.

"Please," I begged, groaning inarticulate curse words when he slipped into me with a delicious slowness.

"You feel so good," he panted against the spot behind my ear that just made my eyes roll back. "Always so good."

Nodding, I wanted to say the same, but he was going to have to read my mind because I couldn't form words as his cock hit deeper and deeper, causing my breath to catch.

Edward braced a hand by my head, slinging the covers off us. It wasn't quite daylight yet, but the soft glow of the candles we'd been burning caused shadows across his glorious body as he sat back on his knees to change his rhythm and the angle he was using.

"Fuck," I hissed through gritted teeth, because now his hands were teasing, pressing down on my abdomen, and manipulating my body in ways that had me barreling quickly toward an orgasm.

"Let it go, baby. Don't fight it," he crooned, lifting my leg between us and dragging his teeth over the inside of my knee. He picked up my other leg to do the same, never even faltering on his rhythm, and he used the backs of my thighs to brace himself over me.

It was insanely erotic, the inability to move, because he'd essentially pinned me beneath him. But even more – he was watching where we were joined.

"Because it's so perfect, Bella," he barely said aloud. He grinned, biting his bottom lip, when I wondered if poor Dirty Edward was having to edit himself. "So much."

God, I was so fucking lucky. He knew my body better than I did. He knew exactly what it took to have me unraveling underneath him, and he did it all, only to keep going. He drew it out, savoring everything – my whimpers, my incoherency, my slack-jawed expression – with black eyes and a sexy half smile on his face. And he did it all over and over, avoiding his own orgasm.

But he was so close.

When I reached for him, he let my legs go, and I wrapped them around his waist. He dropped his hands on either side of my head, and he was stunning and breathtaking as he finally let go. His lips pressed to mine as a low, purring growl pushed his scent across my face.

"I love you, I love you," he chanted breathlessly, his eyes squeezing closed.

I couldn't help the shiver that racked my frame, and Edward gave me his full weight to settle me down. Cupping both sides of his face, I brought his lips to mine.

"I think I'm the lucky one," he whispered, grinning when I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

Of all the things going through my head, that was the one thing he'd picked up. He chuckled a little. Nope, Edward. We're going to have to settle for an impasse. I'm a lucky, lucky girl. No girl on the planet gets to have every desire read straight from her mind. You've heard it all – every success and every failure when it comes to sex – and you know exactly how to make me feel good. Nope, sorry. I win this one.

He laughed softly, shifting a little until his head was on my chest, and I immediately sank my fingers into his hair, pressing kisses to the crown of his head. I could hear outside our room starting to come alive. The humans who ran the castle were just beginning their day. My family was slowly getting dressed because Archie wanted to practice one more time before they set a date to attack Caius.

Once again, I was having a hard time contributing. I wanted what was in my arms, and I didn't want to participate in any of it. And that bothered me.

Edward lifted his head, setting his chin on my sternum. "You're okay, love," he answered softly. "We've been doing this in baby steps. We'll keep going. You'll keep pushing. And again, it's okay if you have to shut it all out after each step." He pressed a heavy kiss to the spot over my heart. "C'mon. We're needed. And then we'll find some sort of mischief to get into after it's over."

Grinning, I let out a light laugh. "What kind of mischief? Sounds intriguing, Edward."

"I don't know. We'll make it up as we go along," he replied, lifting up and pressing a brief but rough kiss to my lips. "Let's go, beautiful."

We took a quick shower, just to calm the bedhead and clean up after multiple rounds of sex. That thought had Edward looking rather smug as we got dressed for the day.

We stepped out into the hall, and I couldn't even stop my eyeroll when Emmett turned up the volume on the TV in the seating area. Apparently AC/DC was our fucking entrance music like a damned wrestler.

She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean
She was the best damn woman that I ever seen
She had the sightless eyes, telling me no lies
Knocking me out with those American thighs
Taking more than her share, had me fighting for air
She told me to come, but I was already there
'Cause the walls start shaking, the Earth was quaking
My mind was aching, and we were making it

And you shook me all night long
Yeah, you shook me all night long

I couldn't stop my laugh, even if I'd wanted to, because that was such an Emmett way of telling Edward and me that we'd started a Jasper-induced night of lust he couldn't control.

Shutting the TV off, I simply said, "You're welcome."

Emmett huffed a laugh and nodded, but Rose snorted, saying, "Technically, it wasn't you two who started it…but you did perpetuate it."

"Again, you're welcome," I muttered wryly, grinning at Edward's rather shameless chuckle against my temple.

Being under the same roof again with the entire family was interesting. Edward and I had been in Missoula for two years while working at the hospital and then came home to our own house. We hadn't all truly lived under one roof since Maine, when we'd found Archie. In fact, I think the last time the whole house lost their control was in Maine.

"Mm, probably," Edward agreed softly against my temple.

Lucky girl then, too. In fact, I remembered telling those very words to Esme and Kevin the next morning, because it was Caroline and Archie who had set the house on lustful fire.

Edward cracked a smile. "Maybe."

Smug McBraggerson took a seat on the sofa, giving me a sexy-as-hell wink. Jesus, I loved him with a sickness sometimes.

He gasped dramatically. "Sometimes?"

"Yup," I sighed, leaning in to kiss his smiling lips. "Sometimes."

"You know, it's rude when you can't hear the whole conversation," Jasper chided from his spot at the laptop.

"You know, it's rude to eavesdrop, so…" I shrugged his way, smirking when he grinned and nodded.

"Someone's spicy today," Jasper countered. "You're welcome." His tease made me snort and roll my eyes, especially when Edward grinned shamelessly.

Emmett laughed, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. "Let's go!" he called out. "I need to get my invisibility on."

Once everyone was dressed, deliberately not speaking of the night before, we made our way down to the woods on the west side of the castle. Demetri wanted to work with Archie's invisibility inside the trees. In the woods there would be obstacles, things that could interrupt his "shadow."

We discovered that Edward could essentially outrun Archie's cloak, that with my shield no one could touch anyone with us, and that Emmett would definitely use that power for evil, because he'd repeatedly tried to scare everyone. Rose finally threatened his manhood if he didn't focus.

I sat down on the rock by the pond while some of them tried to chase the invisible people. It was the same rock Emmett and I had used for our talk. I glanced up when Carlisle took a seat next to me.

"We haven't talked in a few days," he said softly. "I just wanted to check on you."

Smiling sadly, I shrugged. "We're green," I stated, nodding a bit. "That feels…better. It scared me when it took so long and it felt like it was me that was me holding us back."

He nodded, glancing up when squeals and laughter echoed through the trees. "I'm sure it did. I don't think it was you. I think you had more to heal from than just separation."

I nodded, picking a flower. "I can't seem to find strength to do this type of thing for too long. There's a part of me that has become clingy to Edward. I just want to hide away with him and not deal with any of it."

Carlisle smirked. "He's not complaining."

Giggling, I said, "I know. He's been so patient."

Carlisle grinned, nodding once. "You know, when I got a call from Alice that we needed to go back to Forks all those years ago, I expected my son to be angry. He was so determined to give you space to live a human life, and even though I knew you were his mate, I conceded to his wishes. The incident on your birthday was…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "When I finally set eyes on Edward in Forks, he was filled with guilt and anger, mostly directed at himself. The more we heard about your time after we'd left you, I repeatedly expected my son to snap. It's what he'd always done."

I nodded, staying quiet, because this seemed to be something Carlisle wanted to talk about. I plucked the petals from the white flower in my hands, flicking them to the water, where they floated away in the morning breeze.

"As a newborn, he was dealing with so much – grief over the loss of his humanity and his parents, the onslaught of voices in his head and, of course, bloodlust. His impatience and his temper were always a force all their own, never mind what he heard in everyone's thoughts. As time moved on and our family grew, he retreated into himself, but that temper was still there."

My gaze snapped up from the floating petals to meet Carlisle's warm, gold eyes.

"Nothing prepared me for watching the two of you reunite." He shook his head again. "Just when I thought he'd destroy the house over what Jake had done, he'd simply pull you close, vow that you were safe." He huffed a laugh, and it wasn't in humor. "We left you to keep you safe, and he was now saying the complete opposite. For a moment, I wondered which was the truth. Until I watched you both."

Grinning, I nodded. "Our connection."

"Yes, exactly. Looking back, watching you both heal from being apart… That was amazing and rather humbling to witness. Just when I thought he was perhaps smothering you, you'd shift closer or take his hand. Knowing about your connection now, it's fascinating to remember those first few weeks of your reunion. Even more was watching my son, who'd always been just on the outside of things, step up and accept what was supposed to be. What had once been the truth was now no longer an option. He was yours, and you were his."

I picked another flower to pluck more petals.

"During that time, you grew strong – mentally and emotionally. It really only proved my theory about you – that you were meant to be with us all along. You endured so much when we left, but as soon as Edward accepted that you belonged together, the whole family snapped back. And we were good. Even while you were human, they just…rallied around you. A circling of the wagons, so to speak. We backed you up against Jacob, but it was you who held all the power."

I huffed a laugh. "That's what Em said the other day."

"When it comes to our mates, we become what they need. Deep down, he might have been raging over what you'd experienced, but with you, for you, he was your port in the storm. Back then and now, you need his calm strength. You need him to shelter you, even if it's from yourself. You need his long history with dealing with others' mistakes," he said softly, wincing a little.

"I'll never be able to take that back," I whispered, glaring at the flower in my hands that was missing half its petals. I tossed the whole thing into the pond. "I get that I was delirious, even after his blood, but I should've…" I trailed off, shrugging a little. I didn't know exactly what to say about the security guard in Prague.

"No, you can't take it back," he stated gently. "With the others, I tried to instill a learning experience when they'd slip up. But my sweet Bella, you didn't deliberately go out to take the life of a human. His death rests on the shoulders of those who starved you."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders as I said, "I don't know what to do about him. I feel I should do something, but with all that's going on, I just… I can't focus. And honestly, I wish I could forget it."

"I understand. And I know that you're the type of person who believes money doesn't fix everything, so to monetarily support his family would seem…"

"Insulting," I said, grimacing at the thought of it, and he nodded. "And the fact that I've basically become introverted?"

He grinned, hugging me closer. "You're healing, Bella. It's okay to cling to that port in the storm when this life becomes too much. You'd do it for him."

"Yup, no doubt," I agreed, smiling a little when the man in question stepped from the tree line, but his eyes were on something behind us.

When I turned around, I saw Stephano walking up with Catherine and Brandon. We all made our way to them, and I hugged them both.

"I'm so glad you made it," Carlisle said, shaking their hands.

"It was touch and go there for a few days," Catherine said wearily. "We should all talk."

"Yeah, Caius has men everywhere looking for us. All of us," Brandon added.

Edward turned toward the woods. "Everyone, back to the castle. Now!"

~oOo~

EDWARD

We were all in Marcus's meeting room, sitting around his long table or standing against the wall. Catherine and Brandon looked rather disheveled but relatively unharmed. They'd had a scare, it seemed.

The whole room was quiet, but everyone's thoughts were not. It was a cacophony of mental noise, and I squeezed my eyes closed to acclimate to it. I needed to hear them all.

Bella's hand slipped into mine, and I brought it up to my lips, whispering, "No, but thank you, sweet girl," when she silently asked if I needed her shield.

Marcus pushed away from the wall, saying, "Catherine, go ahead. The floor is yours."

She nodded, giving a glance to Brandon. "We were back in Maine. We'd just gotten settled in from moving from Colorado. We didn't get your message until after five immortals showed up in the woods when we were hunting."

Brandon growled, shaking his head. "At first, they didn't tell us why they were attacking us. We didn't know what they wanted, but Catherine was able to use her talent to at least get one of them to tell us why we were getting our asses kicked."

Catherine nodded in agreement, and from her thoughts, the fight was a big one, considering they were outnumbered. However, they were telling the truth; not one of them told them why they were being hunted. Until the last one, and he told them why they'd been sent to kill them as he watched four of his friends burn.

I sighed, and she met my gaze, asking, "You see that, right? Just…attacking."

"I do. What were the reasons they finally gave you?" I asked her.

"Diet," she stated, looking confused. "They said Caius was the true leader of the Volturi and that he'd given command to eradicate anyone on the animal blood diet, anyone with gold eyes."

Demetri scoffed, rolling his eyes as he paced slowly from one end of the room to the other over and over. He said nothing, but he was truly ready to meet Caius's people head-on. He was ready to hit Slovenia but was willing to wait until Archie was sure of his talent.

"We didn't believe them at first," Brandon added. "I mean, until we got your message, we assumed Caius was dead."

"He was in hiding," Marcus explained. "We didn't know he'd survived the fire here until the spies he'd planted in my castle took Bella and Esme."

"Motherfucker! Seriously, B?" Brandon gasped, and he was livid.

Brandon adored Bella because she'd saved his life after Tanya had used the poor boy. He was set for death at the hands of Demetri, but my sweet girl convinced him to change into immortality instead. He'd been with Catherine ever since. But he thought my wife was "cool as shit," which always made me smirk. And Bella and Brandon had always trained well together. They had powerful talents and knew how to truly use them. Brandon was what he liked to call a Black Hole – the ability to shut down others' talents.

"Yeah, he's… He's got an agenda against Marcus and those of us on the 'wrong' diet," she answered him softly.

"But you and Esme?" he gasped, glancing between the two women. "Jesus, he really did want to start a war." His thoughts centered around how they'd picked the wrong two women, because they were so loved by the people in this room, and I nodded once his way to let him know he was completely and totally correct.

"They wanted Edward and Carlisle," Bella told him, sounding nervous, but she was doing fine mentally. "They have a woman like Chelsea…similar to you, Catherine, who can change someone's loyalty. They wanted Edward for his mind reading, but they wanted to kill Carlisle as a warning to everyone on the wrong diet."

Brandon gaped at her but said nothing.

Catherine shook her head, saying, "Once we got your message, Demetri, we packed and ran. We went on foot into Canada, staying away from large cities and airports. We caught a flight to Amsterdam, deciding to go on foot again for a bit. We ran into two more somewhere around Berlin when we caught a train. They unexpectedly fell off a high bridge at like midnight."

I grinned at her tone because she could handle her own just fine.

Demetri stopped pacing and faced the table. "We're about to hit Caius where he's hiding. We're also about to move the Volturi to US soil."

"Sweet! You're leading them to your wolf friends?" Brandon asked, grinning widely when we nodded. "That's awesome. We're in. When do we go?"

"Actually, I'd like to ask that the two of you stay with us," I requested, glancing to Marcus and Demetri. "Brandon and Bella work really well together, so they'd enhance your protection. But also…" I trailed off, looking to Bella. "Bella-love, we need to train with Catherine. It's not the same as Greta, but it'll be close enough."

Catherine glanced between us. "They're gunning for the two of you, aren't they?"

"Yes," I replied softly. "And there's a bit more to it, but if it comes down to shifting loyalties, Bella is most likely the only one at this table who could stop it and stop specifically me should they try to take me."

"He's right," Bella agreed softly, though her mind was terrified of the pain this training would cause us. "I need to be able to catch Edward, break him out of her talent if they try to turn him against us, because that's what they want. A mind reader on their side."

"They want you, too, Bells," Jasper reminded her, "so we'll have to do this with both of you. All while trying to keep Carlisle and Marcus safe."

Brandon nodded a little, glancing to Catherine. "Okay, sure. We got you, B."

Marcus sighed deeply, looking to me. "You're right, Edward. We need to be prepared for what they can throw at us." He turned to Catherine. "We'll get you settled in, let you rest after traveling, and then we'll work together later. Those of you who are going to Slovenia, please stay here a bit longer. I'd like to go over a preliminary plan."

Bella stood from the table, and I followed suit, taking her hand. "C'mon, beautiful. I promised mischief."

The most adorable look of confusion crossed her sweet face, and a smile slowly spread. I'd heard Carlisle's talk with her out by the pond. I wanted to discuss it with her a little. And then we'd see what trouble we could get into inside this castle.

~oOo~

A/N… Some of you were worried about Catherine and Brandon, but they're back. Mischief in the castle is next, along with more training.

Song added to the playlist:

"You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC

You could add "Claire de Lune" on that list, but I use it all the time with these two. I'm probably the only writer that uses it to write lemons. LOL

Okay…see you next Sunday. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)